Teams of the Decade: Top Playoff Runs

Teams of the Decade

Over the past couple of months, our staff has reviewed hundreds of championship-caliber Hockomock League teams from the past decade (Fall 2010 through Winter 2020) and selected its Top 20 “Teams of the Decade.” During that process, we came across so many talented teams that accomplished so much. Below is a list of teams that just missed out on the final list but stood out for their postseason performances.

2019 Taunton Baseball

Record: 21-7
Division 1 State Champions

The stars aligned perfectly for the Tigers when the postseason rolled around. Although Taunton finished in third in the Kelley-Rex division in the regular season (behind Super 8 selections Franklin and Mansfield), the Tigers took full advantage of their opportunity in Div. 1 South. At 11-7 midway through May, Taunton won four straight to finish the regular season at 15-7 for the fourth seed in the D1 South bracket. After dispatching Marshfield, the Tigers rallied to stun Catholic Memorial with a seventh inning rally, scoring the game-winning run off a bunt from Lucas Martins. Taunton followed with a shutout of Catholic Conference power Xaverian before taking down Hockomock rival Attleboro, 6-1, to win the South.

The magic continued for Taunton, head coach Blair Bourque, and its playoff hero Nic Notarangelo in the D1 State Semifinals. Against a powerful Lincoln-Sudbury side (21-2 entering the game), the Tigers fell behind 3-0 in the top of the first inning. Logan Lawrence had a huge game, hitting a two-run home run in the first and pitching four scoreless innings in relief. Notarangelo smacked a hard hit to right to score sophomore Ty Cali in the bottom of the ninth inning for the game-winning run. Taunton capped its magical run with a 5-3 win over Shrewsbury and 6’8 Boston College-commit John West. Josh Lajoie made his first start of the playoffs, senior Evan Melo put a cherry on top of a special individual postseason by driving in the game-winning run, and both Notarangelo and Lawrence – as they had done all tournament – made key plays in the final innings to help Taunton secure its first-ever Div. 1 State Championship.

2016 Franklin Boys Hockey

Record: 18-4-5
Division 1 State Champions

Just one year removed from a historic trip to the Super 8, and after graduating 21 seniors, Franklin showed off the depth in its program and erased its demons at the TD Garden, ending a three-decade wait for a second state title. A team without a true star, Franklin’s depth and its work rate were its greatest strengths. The Panthers were 12-3-5 and the fourth seed in Div. 1 when the playoffs began, but it felt like a wide open bracket. The tournament run began with a 2-1 win against Wellesley, followed by a 1-0 win against Walpole in a jam-packed Pirelli Rink.

After dispatching a third straight Bay State Conference team, Newton North, in the semifinal, Franklin avenged a late-season loss against highly-regarded Marshfield. In the state title game at the TD Garden, a place where Franklin and head coach Chris Spillane had come up empty three seasons in a row earlier in the decade, the Panthers led 3-1 heading into the third period against St. Mary’s (Lynn), a team that just missed out on a Super 8 berth. The game went to double overtime before senior Jake Downie assisted on sophomore Luke Downie’s dramatic game- and title-winner and secured a first state title since 1983.

2018 Franklin Baseball

Record: 21-5
Division 1A (Super 8) State Champions

It was a season that started with high expectations and ended in history, but it was hardly a straight and easy path for Franklin. Few will remember because of how the season ended, but the Panthers opened the season by being shutout by Foxboro, were swept by Taunton, and finished a game behind Mansfield in the league. Through it all, Franklin put together a good enough resume that it was selected for the Super 8 for the first time in program history. The Panthers (21-5) entered as the No. 7 seed, but once the playoffs began everything seemed to fall into place.

Thanks to the dynamic duo of Jake Noviello and Bryan Woelfel and a lineup filled with clutch hitters, Franklin beat Wachusett in the opening game and then proceeded to beat St. John’s Prep and Central Catholic (twice). The final three games were all one-run wins. In the Super 8 finale against the Raiders, head coach Zach Brown brought Noviello into the bottom of the eighth in a tie game with runners at second and third. He struck out three of the next four batters (hitting one in between) to somehow keep it tied and in the top of the ninth Evan Wendell’s perfect suicide squeeze plated Steve Luttazi with the title-winning run.

2016 Foxboro Girls Tennis

Record: 19-2
Division 2 State Champions

The third time proved to be the charm for the Foxboro girls’ tennis team. After coming up short in the state final in 2014 and 2015, the Warriors took a 3-2 decision over Wayland to clinch the title. The Warriors dropped two matches all season, both 3-2 to eventual Davenport division champion Sharon, as Foxboro finished second in the division at 14-2. The sister combination of Diana Prinos at first singles and Sophia Prinos at second singles gave Foxboro a huge advantage while junior Lexi Nelson was such a steady presence at third singles.

Behind interim head coaches CJ Neely and Jon Montanaro, the Warriors earned the fourth seed in the Division 2 South bracket and survived an early scare with a 3-2 win over Westwood. The second doubles team of Michaela McCarthy and Morgan Krockta helped the Warriors knock off a strong Hingham team in the quarterfinals and Foxboro swept singles action in both the sectional semifinals and finals to defeat previously unbeaten and top-seeded Apponequet and Hopkinton, respectively. After dropping a singles match in the state final, the Warriors had to show off their depth as a team and the first doubles pairing of sophomore Kayla Prag and freshman Julia Muise pulled out a 7-6 (7-4), 7-5 win to secure the title.

2012 Sharon Football

Record: 10-3
Division 3 Eastern Mass. Champions

It’s hard to think of a more special individual season than the one the Sharon football team had in 2012. To put things in perspective, the Eagles had just won seven games over a seven-year span in the previous decade and its last winning season came in the late 1980s. Head coach Dave Morse led Sharon to four wins in his first year in 2011 but that turned out to be just a preview of what was to come. The Eagles had a special group of players come together and accomplish something a lot of people thought they would never see: bringing a Super Bowl title back to Sharon.

While it wasn’t a perfect season, the Eagles got it done against division foes. Sharon knocked off Canton in overtime, scored with under a minute left to stun previously unbeaten Stoughton, and used a gutsy fourth-quarter fourth-down conversion touchdown to secure a win over Foxboro and clinch its first Davenport division title. In the playoffs, the Eagles held on for a 7-6 win over Pembroke when the Titans’ two-point conversion with a minute to go fell short. In the Super Bowl, senior running back Sean Asnes capped a terrific season with a pair of touchdowns as Sharon notched a 12-3 win over Wayland in a freezing cold game at Bentley University.




2018 Mansfield Boys Basketball

Record: 27-2
Division 1 State Champions

Mansfield’s playoff run during the 2017-2018 season was as close to perfect as you can get in basketball. The Hornets were very good during the regular season, but they were close to unstoppable once the state tournament rolled around. Mansfield suffered two setbacks during the season, one in December to BC High and a 15-point loss on the road to rival Franklin in January. Head coach Mike Vaughan has said that second loss might have been the spark that ignited one of the most impressive playoff campaigns of the decade. With seven seniors (John McCoy, Tyler Boulter, Ryan Otto, Nick Ferraz, Alex Ferraz, Justin Vine, Sam Hyland) and a trio of talented juniors (Damani Scott, Tommy Dooling, Khristian Conner), the Hornets made the most of the playoff opportunity.

The top-seed in Division 1 South, Mansfield rolled through the bracket — and we mean rolled. Mansfield beat all four of its opponents by double figures, dismissing Newton South (76-49) in the first round, avenging its loss to BC High (71-58) in the quarterfinals, eliminating a very good Newton North (70-50) team in the South semis, and beating a talented Brockton (79-65) squad to win the South championship. The momentum continued as the Hornets secured a spot in the state final with an impressive win over Everett (73-65) at the TD Garden. In the D1 State Championship, the Hornets capped a terrific postseason run by taking down rival Franklin (67-54); the matchup marked the first time a pair of teams from the same league met in the D1 final.

2017 Franklin Boys Basketball

Record: 22-5
Division 1 State Finalists

This Franklin boys team might not have won it all, but it packed some of the most memorable games into its great postseason run. The Panthers were good throughout the regular season, and they certainly had their fair share of impressive wins including one over league champ Mansfield, one over a very good Cardinal Spellman team, and concluded the regular season with arguably its best win, a 70-53 decision over a good Tech Boston team. But there were five losses too, including on the road at Canton, and early season tilts against Malden Catholic and Catholic Memorial.

The wins over Spellman and Tech Boston to finish the regular season were a clear sign to head coach CJ Neely that this squad was ready to make some noise in the state tournament. Junior Jalen Samuels helped the hosts knock off upset-minded Acton Boxboro in the opening round and senior Connor Goldstein gave Franklin a needed spark in its semifinal win over St. Peter Marian. In the Central final against perennial power St. John’s Shrewsbury, freshman Chris Edgehill sank a huge three with just over a minute left in overtime and then hit two from the free throw line in the final seconds to help secure Franklin’s first sectional title. In the state semifinal against Springfield Central, the Panthers snatched victory from the jaws of defeat with an improbable 8-0 run in the final 20 seconds to force overtime. Four minutes later, Franklin was on its way to its first state championship. Although the Panthers ran into a juggernaut in Cambridge, the run that the Panthers had leading up to that point was a very memorable one.

2018 North Attleboro Baseball

Record: 22-2
Division 2 State Champions

North Attleboro rolled through the regular season, finishing 14-2 in the league and 18-2 overall. Big Red ended a 12-year wait for a league title and took the top seed in Div. 2 South. North’s run to a first-ever state title was hardly a surprise, but the way that the Rocketeers rolled through the South bracket was more than impressive. North scored at will over the first three games of the tournament, out-scoring its opponents 41-4, including a 20-2 win against Dartmouth in the semifinal and a 19-2 win against Oliver Ames in the final.

Behind the pitching of Nick Sinacola and the clutch bat of Zach DeMattio, the Rocketeers were unstoppable heading into the final against Beverly and jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the state championship game (all four runs driven in by DeMattio). The Panthers got to Sinacola for three runs in the fifth to cut the lead to just one run, but he settled down, with the help of his defense, to get through a scoreless sixth and seventh inning and becoming the second Hockomock League baseball team in a week to win a state title.

2018 Taunton Softball

Record: 26-2
Division 1 State Champions

Taunton had lost in the first round in each of the past two postseasons, both times on its home field and both times to league opponents (King Philip in 2016 and North Attleboro in 2017), but the Tigers put it all together in 2018 to erase those playoff struggles. Always one of the most feared lineups in the state, the Taunton offense exploded for 44 runs in six playoff games. The Tigers, under the guidance of legendary coach Dave Lewry, scored nine runs against Dartmouth and Bishop Feehan, six against Newton North, and 13 in the state final against previously unbeaten Wachusett.

The toughest, and arguably most memorable, game of the playoff run was the Div. 1 South final against KP. The Warriors won the league title and had also scored 21 runs in three games to get to the final. After rallying to tie the game in the fifth, Taunton scored the game-winning runs on a single down the third base line by surprise starter and No. 9 hitter Rylie Murphy. KP got the tying runs on base in the seventh, but freshman starter Kelsey White escaped the jam and the Tigers went on to win their first state title in 11 years in blowout fashion (13-2 over Wachusett).

2016 King Philip Softball

Record: 24-4
Division 1 State Champions

There is nothing unusual about King Philip softball going on a playoff run, after all this was the program’s third state title in seven seasons, but the Warriors entered the season as the No. 7 seed in Div. 1 South, had lost the Kelley-Rex title to Taunton, ending a run of nine straight league championships, and lost four times during the regular season. Once the playoffs began, the Warriors flipped a switch. Thanks in large part to a dominant run of games from starting pitcher Kali Magane, KP allowed only two runs in six playoff games and outscored opponents 29-2.

The Warriors beat Taunton in the quarterfinal, winning the season series against the Tigers, and avenged an extra-inning loss from 2015 by beating defending South champion Silver Lake in the final. Magane saved the best for last, striking out 13 and tossing a one-hit shutout in the state title game against Doherty. Magane finished the season by striking out the side in the seventh and closing out an unlikely championship campaign.

2019 HockomockSports Boys Basketball Awards

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Thursday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 02/28/19

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Basketball
D1 Central

#4 Franklin, 60 vs. #5 Algonquin, 63 – FinalClick here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

D1 South
#10 Xaverian, 62 @ #2 Mansfield, 77 – FinalThe Hornets hit on all cylinders to begin the game, pouring in 29 first quarter points to take a commanding lead that they never relinquished. Mansfield hit five three-pointers in the first with Damani Scott (15 points) and Tommy Dooling (20 points) each hitting a pair and sophomore Matt Boen (11 points) adding another. TJ Guy (11 points) and Khristian Conner (eight points) each added five points in the opening quarter while junior Sam Stevens added nine points in the game. The Hornets led 49-25 at halftime and took a 61-46 lead into the final quarter.

#14 Taunton, 62 @ #11 Bridgewater-Raynham, 57 – Final (OT)Click here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

Girls Basketball
D2 South

#16 Notre Dame Academy, 56 @ #1 Foxboro, 58 – FinalShakirah Ketant scored 16 points and Katelyn Mollica added 15 for the Warriors, who held off the Cougars to reach the D2 South quarterfinal.

#10 Canton, 45 @ #7 Nauset, 63 – Final

Wednesday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 02/20/19

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 68 vs. Durfee, 55 – FinalAttleboro senior Kevin Velazquez caught fire in the fourth quarter, hitting three three-pointers and scoring 13 of his career-high 24 points to help the Bombardiers pull away and end the regular season with a win. Attleboro led by one after eight minutes, and took a 31-28 advantage over the Hilltoppers into the locker room at half. Junior Qualeem Charles (14 rebounds) dominated the third quarter, scoring 12 of his 16 points in the frame as the Bombardiers created a double digit lead (49-38) going into the fourth. Junior Bryant Ciccio had another strong game for Attleboro with 18 points.

King Philip, 49 vs. Falmouth, 54 – FinalKing Philip had a bright start but went cold in the final eight minutes, suffering a setback to Falmouth in its season finale. The Warriors led 26-21 at halftime but allowed 20 points in the third quarter and trailed by one (41-40) entering the final frame. KP was held to just nine points in the final quarter. Senior Bruce Saintilus had a team-high 20 points and junior Alex Fritz added 17 points, both players connecting on three three-pointers.

Mansfield, 64 vs. Brockton, 57 – Final Mansfield had a successful day from three-point range, connecting on 14 triples – one shy of the program record – to pick up a win over visiting Brockton. Junior Sam Stevens hit four threes in the third quarter along, the Hornets totaling eight triples in that frame alone, to create the necessary separation. The game was tied at 26-26 at halftime but Mansfield’s red-hot shooting in the third helped the Hornets take a 49-39 lead into the final eight minutes. Stevens finished with five threes total and a team-high 17 points, Tommy Dooling connecting on five threes for 15 points, and sophomore TJ Guy finished with 11 points, including one three-pointer. Damani Scott (seven points) and Matt Boen (seven points, 11 rebounds) also hit threes for Mansfield.

Milford, 68 vs. Tantasqua, 59 – FinalClick here for a photo gallery from this game.Milford’s three seniors finished their careers in style, leading the Scarlet Hawks to an upset win over Tantasqua (15-5). Brendan White, Danny Corsini, and Brendon Sailer each scored 20 points, combining to score 60 of Milford’s 68 points in the win. White added 16 rebounds, five steals, and five assists, Corsini scored eight of his points in the opening quarter to give the Hawks an early lead, and Sailor shot 50% from the field along with six rebounds and four assists. The Scarlet Hawks built a 35-20 lead at halftime, and the advantage ballooned to 24 (50-26) late in the third before Tantasqua made a comeback bid in the fourth. The Warriors cut it to eight on two occasions, including with two minutes to go, but Corsini answered with a traditional three point play to thwart the comeback. “I just want thank Brendan, Brendon and Danny for all their hard work and commitment to this program,” Milford head coach Paul Seaver said. “I’m very proud that they were able to end their careers with a victory tonight and that they all found success in their final games of their careers.”

North Attleboro, 59 @ Framingham, 54 – FinalFramingham’s Victor Carrillo scored 17 points in the first quarter and had 22 by halftime but the Rocketeers clamped down defensively on the Flyers’ leading scorer, allowing him just four points in each the third and fourth quarters to get a comeback win. Behind Carillo, Framingham led 19-11 after one and took a 33-25 advantage into halftime. North scored 16 points in the third quarter, sparked by eight from senior Nate Gonsalves (14 points) to cut the deficit to 47-41 going into the fourth. In the final frame, senior Josh Montague scored nine of his team-high 19 points, Gonsalves went 4-for-4 from the line, and sophomore George Ladd (11 points) sank a key three to help North pull ahead for the win.

Oliver Ames, 70 @ Barnstable, 34 – FinalAfter an even start, Oliver Ames dominated the second quarter, outscoring the Raiders 32-9 to build a sizable halftime lead that it ever relinquished. The Tigers led by just one, 12-11, after eight minutes but then kicked it into gear, limiting Barnstable to single digits in each of the remaining three quarters. Harry DeChellis scored six of his team-high 13 points in the second quarter, Sean O’Brien (11 points) and Michael Greene (nine points) each hit a three in the second, while Amari Brown (eight points), Jay Spillane, Jake Erlich, and Evan Craig each scored as well.

Taunton, 68 @ New Bedford, 56 – FinalTaunton sophomore Danny MacDougall scored seven of his career-high 13 points in the second quarter, helping the Tigers outscore the Whalers 22-8 in the frame to create enough separation for the rest of the way. Tied 14-14 after eight minutes, Wesner Charles (12 points) added six points in the second, Mike Quinn scored five and sophomore Josh Lopes had four to help Taunton build a 36-22 lead by halftime. New Bedford was able to close the gap to nine (44-35) heading into the final quarter but Taunton closed the door with 24 points in the finale frame, including nine from Quinn.

Girls Basketball
Attleboro, 57 @ Durfee, 40 – FinalAttleboro won for the third time in its last four games to end the season on a high. Nyah Thomas was the top scorer for the Bombardiers with 13 points, 11 in the second half, and Jordyn Lako added 11. Hailey Perry chipped in with eight points off the bench in the second half for Attleboro, igniting its comeback on the road.

Franklin, 33 vs. Coyle & Cassidy, 43 – Final

King Philip, 46 vs. Dartmouth, 34 – FinalEmma Glaser led the Warriors with 16 points and Faye Veilleux scored 11 as KP closed out the regular season with back-to-back wins.

Mansfield, 43 vs. Bishop Feehan, 22 – FinalThe Hornets won the Roundball Classic with a strong second half, earning head coach Mike Redding his 300th career victory. Maggie Danehy scored 11 points and grabbed 13 rebounds and was named the tournament MVP. Sydney Mulkern had a team-high 13 points and Mady Bendanillo scored five points, pulled in six assists, and had four steals. Mansfield led 13-10 at halftime and by eight after three quarters. The Hornets sealed the win by outscoring the Shamrocks 17-4 in the fourth quarter.

Milford, 51 vs. Burncoat, 29 – FinalMilford picked up a win in its season finale, knocking off visiting Burncoat. Katie Maietta had a team-high 17 points while Jill Michaelson added 11 points for the Scarlet Hawks.

Oliver Ames, 51 @ Norwell, 63 – FinalOliver Ames and Norwell were tied at halftime (24-24), and the Tigers trailed by just two (42-40) entering the final frame, but the Clippers put together their best quarter in the final eight minutes to outscore OA 21-11. Freshman Caroline Peper had a team-high 15 points while sophomore Caroline Flynn added 12 points, 12 assists, and six rebounds.

Taunton, 62 vs. New Bedford, 54 – FinalClick here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

Boys Hockey
Attleboro, 10 @ Dighton-Rehoboth/Seekonk, 3 – FinalClick here for a photo gallery from this game. – – Attleboro scored five goals in the second period to get a win in the regular season finale over Dighton-Rehoboth/Seekonk. Senior Sam Larkin scored a hat trick, Aidan Diggan and Cam Littig each scored twice, and Kyle McCabe finished with five points, including four assists. Freshman Nick Piazza earned the win in net for the Bombardiers.

Foxboro, 3 vs. Blue Hills, 0 – FinalClick here for a photo gallery from this game. – – Foxboro scored once in each period and Espen Reager made 13 saves for the shutout as the Warriors claimed the Dan Jordan Invitational championship. Kirk Leach put the Warriors ahead less than four minutes into the contest, but Blue Hills goalie Brendan Todd (44 saves) made it tough for the Warriors to add to its lead. Sebastian Ricketts fired a wrist shot in with 5:11 left in the second period, and then Ronnie MacLellan (from Leach) iced the game with a power play goal late in the third.

Franklin, 2 vs. Marshfield, 1 – FinalJust over a minute after surrendering a shorthanded goal that tied the game, Franklin scored what turned out to be the game-winner with four minutes left in the second period. Just 1:18 after the Rams knotted the score at 1-1, Franklin’s Kyle Hedvig found Tom Tasker, and the junior defenseman buried his chance to put the Panthers ahead 2-1. Junior goalie Ray Ivers had a strong third period to help Franklin secure the win. Junior Shane McCaffrey put Franklin up midway through the first off an assist from Zac Falvey.

King Philip, 8 vs. Bridgewater-Raynham, 1 – Final

North Attleboro, 2 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final

Taunton, 2 vs. Middleboro/Hull, 4 – Final

Girls Hockey
Franklin, 2 vs. Norwood, 3 – FinalCassi Ronan and Amanda Lewandowski each scored a goal and had an assist for the Panthers against a Norwood team that needed a point to make the playoffs. Libby Carter also had an assist while Gabby Colace made 18 saves in net.

King Philip, 2 vs. Dedham, 3 – Final

Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 4 @ Whitman-Hanson/Silver Lake, 0 – FinalJessica Widdop made 26 saves to record the shutout and the Warriors wasted no time, scoring three goals in the first period to sweep the season series against WHSL and qualify for the state tournament. Three different players scored in the first for the Warriors, with Kenzi Fraser, Ella Waryas, and Skyler Sharfman lighting the lamp in the opening period. Lily O’Brien scored in the second on an assist from Emma Pereira.

Monday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 02/18/19

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 66 @ North Attleboro, 56 – FinalNorth Attleboro whittled an 18-point second half deficit down to seven midway through the fourth quarter but Attleboro slammed the door shut to secure the non-league victory. A free throw from Mason Houle (14 points, four rebounds) midway through the third put the Bombardiers up 46-28 midway through the third but the Rocketeers closed the third with an 8-0 run to stay within striking distance. Five points from North Attleboro’s Nate Gonsalves (12 points) and a free throw from Josh Porter made it 53-46 but Attleboro’s Nick McMahon answered with a traditional three-point play, and then Kevin Velazquez (nine points, five rebounds) and Bryant Ciccio (17 points, six assists) each hit a three to help the Bombarders pull away. Junior Tim Callahan added 11 points and classmate Qualeem Charles had 10 points, 16 rebounds. North Attleboro sophomore George Ladd finished with a career-high 13 points.

Foxboro, 70 vs. Randolph, 67 – Final Foxboro junior Brandon Borde turn a turnaround, fadeaway three-pointer at the buzzer to help the Warriors steal a win over the Blue Devils. The two teams traded turnovers in the final 10 seconds, the Warriors getting the last look off the hands of Borde. Borde (11 rebounds) dominated the game for Foxboro, scoring 13 of his career-high 28 points in the third quarter to keep the Warriors in the game. Sophomore Kevin Gallagher added 12 points Foxboro, which trailed after the first (17-12) and second quarters (31-27) but had a strong second half and headed into the fourth tied 51-51.

Franklin, 61 vs. North Andover, 58 – FinalFranklin junior Chris Edgehill scored on a drive to the basket in the second quarter for his 1,000th carer point, becoming the first male Panther player to reach the plateau since Kyle Gibson in 2011. Edgehill finished with 11 points while senior Will Harvey added seven of his career-high 20 points in the fourth quarter. Jalen Samuels, who was named Harvey Nasuti tournament MVP, scored a team-high 15 points while Steve Karayan added five fourth-quarter points to help the Panthers secure the win.

King Philip @ Dartmouth (@ Somerset-Berkley) – Postponed to Tuesday at 5:00.

Mansfield, 57 vs. Lowell, 66 – FinalThe Hornets stayed within striking distance throughout the game but couldn’t close the gap against Lowell (18-3). The Hornets trailed by five at half (26-21) but Lowell was able to increase that advantage to 41-32 heading into the final eight minutes. The Red Raiders made eight of their 11 free throws in a 25-point fourth quarter to ice the game. Senior Tommy Dooling, senior Damani Scott, and sophomore Matt Boen each had 12 points for the Hornets while sophomore TJ Guy finished with 11 points and seven rebounds.

Milford, 63 vs. Malden, 66 – Final (OT)

Oliver Ames, 53 vs. Scituate, 67 – FinalScituate hit seven of its 15 three pointers in the first quarter, racing out to a 25-6 advantage after eight minutes and never looked back. The Sailors shot 50% from deep (7-for-14) to start the game, and finished 15-for-38 from deep to keep the Tigers at bay. After a slow first quarter, Oliver Ames won the final three quarters (47-42), including a strong second half. OA senior Sean O’Brien had a team-high 18 points with Amari Brown and Michael Greene each adding six points.

Sharon, 76 @ Norwood, 66 – FinalSharon had one of its best offensive games to finish the season, scoring over 20 points in three of the four quarters. The Eagles jumped out to a 22-13 lead at the end of the first quarter but saw its lead shrink to just a point, 33-32, by halftime. Norwood kept within striking distance, down 56-52 heading into the fourth but the Eagles put the game to bed with a strong final frame. Senior Sergio Ripley had a carer-high 14 points, senior Greg Persad, junior Aidan Kane, and freshman John Baez each scored 10 points, and junior Andrew Burton finished with nine points.

Girls Basketball
Foxboro, 46 vs. Old Rochester, 36 – FinalClick here for a Photo Gallery from this game. Foxboro reaches the final of the Warrior Classic after winning a defensive struggle with the Bulldogs, who came into Monday’s game tied with the Warriors for the top seed in D2 South. Katelyn Mollica scored 14 points to lead the Warriors and Shakirah Ketant added nine points. Foxboro jumped out to a 25-9 lead at halftime, despite struggling from the field, but Old Rochester battled back in the second half and had the lead down to as few as five points in the fourth quarter but the Warriors hit free throws to seal the victory.

King Philip, 50 @ Westwood, 47 – FinalKing Philip held off Westwood in the consolation game of the Riley Winter Classic. The Warriors took the lead by outscoring the Wolverines 14-9 in the third quarter and held that lead until the end of a game that went back and forth throughout. Shannon O’Connor scored 11 points to lead the Warriors, while Faye Veilleux and Brainna James each scored 10.

Lowell, 42 @ Mansfield, 51 – FinalMansfield jumped out to a lead in the first quarter, built it up to 15 by the end of the third quarter, and held on to it in the fourth quarter to earn the non-league win. Sydney Mulkern caught fire from the three-point line, knocking down six from beyond the arc, and finished with 22 points. Maggie Danehy scored 13 points and nine rebounds and Alicia Hottleman added six, all in the first quarter as the Hornets scored 23 as a team.

Boys Hockey
Foxboro, 4 @ Cardinal Spellman, 3 – Final

Franklin, 4 @ LaSalle Academy (R.I.), 3 – Final

Oliver Ames, 1 @ Westwood, 6 – FinalOA senior Colin Bourne scored the lone goal for the Tigers, with Jake Gottwald and Hunter Costello getting assists.

Taunton, 3 @ Middleboro, 2 – FinalTaunton senior Andrew Carter scored on a penalty shot halfway through the third period to lift the Tigers to a win. Taunton scored first but Middleboro seized a 2-1 advantage by the end of the first. Taunton was able to tie the game and then a covered puck in the crease in the third led to Carter’s game-winning goal, his second goal of the game. Ethan Ross also had a goal while Jack Patneaude, Loren Corcoran, and Evan Perreira each finished with an assist. Sean Bunker made 17 saves to get the win.

Girls Hockey
Canton, 5 vs. Barnstable, 4 – Final

King Philip, 0 @ Walpole, 3 – FinalClick here for a Photo Gallery from this game.

Mansfield/Oliver Ames, 2 vs. Longmeadow, 4 – FinalClick here for a Photo Gallery from this game.

Friday’s Schedule & Scoreboard – 02/15/19

Today’s games are listed below.

Boys Basketball
Attleboro, 36 @ Franklin, 57 – FinalClick here for a recap and photo gallery of this game.

Milford, 46 @ Canton, 52 – FinalCanton senior Devin Foster poured in a game-high 28 points, including a three-pointer in the first quarter that made him the all-time leading scorer in Bulldog basketball history, passing Brian Pendergast (1,179 points in 2000). Foster (12 rebounds) scored 12 points in the opening quarter, and then 14 in the second half to help Canton turn a halftime deficit into a win. Milford led 23-20 at the break but the Bulldogs scored 18 points in the third to seize the lead (38-31) with both Ryan Lentol (10 points) and Robbie Gallery scoring five in the frame. Milford’s Brendan White scored 17 of his team-high 20 points in the second half and Danny Corsini added 14 points for the Hawks.

North Attleboro, 47 @ Foxboro, 48 – FinalFoxboro senior Anthony Mollica sank both ends of a one-and-one situation from the foul line with 2.9 seconds to lift the Warriors to a win and a spot in the state tournament. The Rocketeers led by one after a 9-0 run and had the ball with 31 seconds left in the game, and 24 seconds left on the shot clock, but couldn’t extend the lead. Mollica drove to the basket as time ticked away and was able to draw a foul on the floor, with the Rocketeers in the bonus. North Attleboro led 26-20 at half and 36-33 going into the final quarter. An early run from the Warriors put the hosts ahead, leading 46-38. North responded with a 9-0 run, Josh Montague hitting back-to-back baskets to put the Rocketeers up 47-46. Foxboro junior Brandon Borde had a game-high 17 points while Mollica finished with 10, seven coming in the final quarter. Josh Porter, Ethan Friberg, and Jake Petersen each had eight points for North.

Oliver Ames, 66 @ King Philip, 71 – Final (OT)King Philip overcame a 22-point second half deficit to force overtime and shock Oliver Ames. The Tigers jumped ahead 34-21 by halftime, and extended the lead to as much as 22 before taking a 55-37 lead into the final eight minutes. King Philip held OA to just three points in the final quarter, dropping 21 points of their own to tie the game and force overtime. In the extra period, with KP up by two, senior Bruce Saintilus (27 points) hauled in an offensive rebound off a missed free throw and sank two free throws of his own to extend the lead to four with 10 seconds left to secure the win. Saintilus scored nine points in the fourth quarter comeback and was 6-for-6 from the line in overtime. Juniors Alex Fritz and Andrew McKinney each added 15 points for KP, who scored 34 points over the final 12 minutes after netting just 36 over the course of the first three quarters. Sean O’Brien had a team-high 14 points, Owen Friel added 12 points and Jake Erlich finished with 11 points for OA.

Taunton, 56 @ Mansfield, 65 – FinalMansfield pulled away late to secure the Kelley-Rex division title, a record seventh straight for the Hornets, surpassing Oliver Ames’ six straight from 1981-1986. Mansfield held a 16-13 lead after a quarter of play, and took a 30-27 advantage into halftime. Taunton continued to battle, taking a brief 41-40 lead late in the third and went into the fourth quarter tied 44-44. Mansfield made a 8-3 run over a three minute span in the fourth quarter to create enough separation for the win. Damani Scott had a team-high 15 points along with 11 rebounds, Sam Stevens added 13 points, and TJ Guy finished with 11 points. Taunton junior Dante Law had a team-high 21 points.

Sharon, 36 @ Stoughton, 80 – FinalStoughton combined to score 45 points between the second and third periods, running away with a big win over Sharon to qualify for the state tournament for the first time since 2012. The Black Knights connected on an impressive 31 two-point field goals, with 10 players getting on the scoresheet and six of them scoring nine points or more. Junior Obinna Ugwuakazi scored a team-high 13 points, sophomore Brett Pendenza added 11 points, senior Zak Paquette and junior Ahmad Jahed each scored 10 points, and senior Kevin Dixon and junior Myles Grigalunas-Powell each finished nine points. Aidan Kane had a team-high 12 points for Sharon.

Girls Basketball
Franklin 54 @ Attleboro, 63 – FinalLiv McCall and Mackenzie Roberts both scored career-highs and Attleboro head coach Marty Crowley called the game a “phenomenal effort” by the Bombardiers to hand the Panthers their first league loss of the season. McCall scored 18 points and Roberts added 17 to lead Attleboro to the upset. Bea Bondhus had 13 points and Megan O’Connell had 12 for the Panthers.

Canton, 58 @ Milford, 32 – FinalCanton matched its highest win total since 1995 with its 13th win of the season. Maggie Connolly led the way with 13 points, Sydney Gallery added 12 and Kiara Cerruti scored 11 for the Bulldogs.

Foxboro 60 @ North Attleboro, 29 – FinalClick here for a Recap and Photo Gallery from this game.

King Philip, 60 @ Oliver Ames, 69 – FinalA pair of underclassman each scored over 20 points for the Tigers, helping Oliver Ames fend off visiting King Philip. Sophomore Caroline Flynn had a career-high 25 points and hauled in 11 rebounds while freshman Caroline Peper scored a career-high 26 points for OA. Shannon O’Connor led three Warriors in double digits with 23 points, but KP couldn’t find a way back after falling behind early, trailing 32-23 at half. Brianna James scored 13 points and Faye Veilleux added 11 for KP.

Mansfield, 47 @ Taunton, 36 – FinalMansfield took control of the game in the third quarter, breaking open a 20-20 halftime tie by scoring 19 points in the third. Maggie Danehy scored 16 points and pulled down 12 rebounds and Sydney Mulkern added nine for the Hornets. Sonya Fernandez was the top scorer for the Tigers with 15 points and Lily Patneaude added eight.

Stoughton, 46 @ Sharon, 55 – FinalEmma Eberhardt closed out the season with 15 points to help the Eagles sweep the season series with the Black Knights and finish with nine wins. Kaitlyn Wallace added 13 and Telishya Herbert had 10 in the win. Sophomore Sydnee Hyacinthe scored 18 points for Stoughton.