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Franklin Dethrones Newton North, Wins First State Title in Thriller
By Josh Perry || HockomockSports.com Managing Editor
BILLERICA, Mass. – When Franklin won its Final Four match against Newton South on Wednesday, first-year head coach Chris Ridolfi smiled when his next opponent was mentioned. As he remarked, if you want to be the best, then you need to beat the best, and three-time defending champion Newton North certainly qualifies.
On Saturday night at Billerica High, Franklin, playing in its first-ever state title match, took down one of the state’s premier programs in a 3-2 (25-15, 25-27, 19-25, 25-23, 15-11) thriller. Franklin (23-2) took the crown from the Tigers and for the first time in program history are the Div. 1 champions.
Ridolfi said, “It was a heck of a first year. You come into a good team and that’s what you get.”
“That took so much out of us,” senior hitter Makayla Kuykendall said about battling back over the final two sets. “You could tell how badly we wanted it at the end. Personally, I did not want to lose that game at all. It was the last game of the season no matter what, so you may as well go out giving everything you have. And everyone did.”
Sophomore hitter Emerson Delleo added, “We all stayed together and lifted each other up. We’ve dreamt of this since the beginning of the season in August, and we’re just so incredibly proud of each other. We have each other’s back no matter what.”
Franklin came out firing in the opening set, going on a 7-0 run to take an early 11-5 lead. Delleo kickstarted the Panthers with three kills, senior libero Emma Cunningham fired in an ace, and junior Gianna Laurello followed a big block on the outside with a kill.
The Panthers were dominating play at the net and the block was swallowing up Newton North’s attackers. Senior Olivia Alberti dropped a nice tip into space for a point and freshman setter Phoebe O’Connor added a block, one of three she had in the opening set.
After the Tigers got a couple of points, Alberti had a big swing and Delleo dropped a serve just inside the back line for an ace, pushing Franklin’s lead to 17-10. The Tigers were starting to come to life and rattled off four straight points to trim the deficit but Franklin closed the first on an 8-1 run. Kuykendall smacked one off the block and O’Connor had back-to-back aces.
Laurello got a big kill, Kuykendall followed with an ace, and Delleo was aggressive at the net to send one back at the Tigers. When Kuykendall’s serve wasn’t returned, Franklin had a one-set lead.
While Franklin had momentum, there were signs of the Tigers starting to figure things out. Junior setter Sasha Selivan was putting the ball wherever she wanted it and the hitters were getting into a little rhythm.
After a back-and-forth start to the set, Nora Hamel fired one off the block, Selivan came up with a huge block, and Ella Tulimieri had a kill to give the Tigers an 18-14 lead in the second. Laurello got one back but Selivan was able to push a shot into an open space. Kuykendall scored from the back row and Delleo found the corner with a bump. After another block from O’Connor, Franklin battled back to tie things up at 19 apiece.
Freshman Pepper Johnson started to heat up for the Tigers and she fired a pair of kills to put them back up by three. Kuykendall answered, as she so frequently does, with a block and a kill. Facing three set points, Franklin rallied. Kuykendall started it with a swing through the block and O’Connor followed with an ace. After a long rally ended with an error, O’Connor fired in another perfect serve to put the Panthers in front 25-24.
The chance was there to put the champs in a 2-0 hole, but the Tigers found a way back. Hamel blasted a shot inside the back line and Selivan pushed a shot into the corner. Hamel closed out the second with a spike off the top of the net and Newton North was right back in the match.
“It’s hard and we had it,” Ridolfi said about the emotional impact of losing that tight second set. “We’re serving to close that set out, so it’s tough. You try not to think it’s slipping away and reset. I’ve got mature athletes on this team and really great leaders that pulled us through today.”
The Tigers carried momentum into the third set, although things remained tight until the end. Franklin led 14-12, but the Tigers scored three in a row. Delleo knotted the score at 16-16 but again Newton North went on a 3-0 run. Alberti and Hamel traded two kills apiece, then Hamel served up an ace to start pulling away.
Johnson got another big swing and from looking like they might be a set away from a loss, the Tigers suddenly were a set away from the title.
Franklin wasn’t going to go quietly and stormed out to a lead early in the fourth. The Panthers led 9-3 and then, following a roll shot from Kuykendall, were up 16-8. A pair of kills from Selivan helped the Tigers claw back, but sophomore Charlotte Yeulenski’s block restored a six-point cushion (18-12).
Newton North kept fighting back, but a hitting error made it 20-16 and Franklin seemed to be in the driver’s seat in the fourth. The Tigers had other ideas and rallied with five straight points, including a pair of kills from Hamel, who really heated up over the middle sets.
An error tied it and the Panthers regained the lead on an Alberti kill. The senior middle hadn’t been involved in a lot of points to that stage, but she came through with a run of clutch plays. Following a Hamel kill, Alberti deftly tipped it over the block and then got a block of her own to make it 24-22.
“I just have to play for my team,” Alberti said about delivering key points when called upon. “I know I’m not going to get every point, so I have to be ready when they set me. It’s all about the team, so I’m just ready all the time, no matter what.”
Charlotte Pernisie cut the deficit to one but a shot went long and the Panthers remained in the final, winning the fourth set 25-23. Coaches will always say that winning the fourth is a massive momentum swing and Franklin roared into an early lead in the decisive fifth set.
An O’Connor block, a kill from Laurello, and back-to-back points from Kuykendall put the Panthers up 6-2. Delleo picked the perfect time for a roll shot over the block, dropping in an important point that made it 8-4 and forced a Newton North timeout.
“We talked to them about that good teams are going to get theirs and we can’t stop them all and we have to be patient and do what we do,” Ridolfi explained. “We were patient enough in the fourth set to close that out and we had a really good start in the fifth set. That’s the difference in the match right there.”
The Tigers reset and came right back. Selivan got it started with a heads-up swing on two and Hamel had a big kill. After an error, the score was tied up at 9-9.
It was Franklin’s turn to go on a run. Alberti came up with a big block to restore some energy and Delleo added an ace to help push the lead to 13-9. Hamel answered back with a pair of kills and forced Ridolfi to call a timeout to speak to his team.
Kuykendall, the four-year starter, set up match point with a pinpoint swing to the back corner. After Newton North stayed alive with a big block, O’Connor again looked to the outside for the senior captain and Kuykendall fired a shot down the line to seal the win and the title.
“It was the same mentality — I didn’t want to lose,” Kuykendall explained. “Every chance I saw to get a kill, I took it. Just swing until it doesn’t work anymore, and for me it worked. And Phoebe knows exactly where to put the ball. She makes it easy to just go up and kill it.”
Alberti added, “I think this is the best way that we could go out. We’ve been working all season for this specifically. We really wanted to win states. I’m so happy to leave Franklin on this big of a win. It’s just the best thing ever.”
With a strong crop of underclassmen returning, Ridolfi is going to look for the Panthers to build off this history-making accomplishment.
“It’s amazing,” he said. “These guys built a legacy here that every other team is going to chase now and we have kids who were part of that legacy, so that will help us chase it a little bit easier. We’ll just keep passing it on I hope.”
Field Hockey Photos: Franklin vs. Walpole
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Despite Fierce Defensive Effort, Franklin Falls to Walpole in Final
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Volleyball Photos: Franklin vs. Newton South
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Franklin Sweeps Aside Newton South to Reach First State Final
By Josh Perry || HockomockSports.com Managing Editor
WESTWOOD, Mass – Newton South, the No. 16 seed, put together an improbable run to the Final Four, including a win over the tournament’s top seed Chelmsford in the Sweet Sixteen. The Lions went into Wednesday night’s state semifinal at Westwood High looking to complete their magical postseason with a trip to the program’s first final.
Instead, the clock struck midnight on this season’s Cinderella.
Franklin continued to roll, earning a dominant, 3-0 (25-16, 25-13, 25-16) victory. It was Franklin’s 17th straight win, with 15 of them being sweeps (including all four postseason matches). The Panthers fulfilled their preseason goal of reaching the program’s first state title game in style and will face perennial power Newton North in the final.
“We’re so excited,” said Franklin senior hitter Makayla Kuykendall. “Our goal wasn’t just to win the league but it was to win it all. [Coach Ridolfi] asked us what we wanted to get from this season and we said, a state championship. We’re so lucky and grateful to have this privilege to play.”
“We were cleaning the closet,” first-year Franklin coach Chris Ridolfi explained, “way before preseason and Mak and Liv said they wanted to be in the state final. So, we’ve coached them that way the whole year and they’ve taken me on the ride.”
Each of the three sets started close until Franklin put together a run to open up a cushion. Once the Panthers got onto the front foot, it was hard for Newton South to keep up.
Leading 8-6 in the first, senior Olivia Alberti (nine kills, three digs, and six blocks) found the court with a deft tip and freshman setter Phoebe O’Connor (31 assists, two aces, and 10 digs) had a huge block to open up a four-point edge. The Lions halved the deficit but Franklin won eight of the next 11 points to pull away.
Alberti’s control of the net in the middle was key to Franklin’s success early on. She came up with a huge block and followed it with a kill and a tip that dropped just inside the line. Alberti added an ace to push the lead to six (15-9).
“The whole year, she’s been that way,” Ridolfi said of Alberti. “She’s fast off her feet, she’s strong at the net, she can just change a game that way. We count on her to do that for us.”
Kuykendall (15 kills, 12 digs, two aces, and two blocks) rolled a shot down the line for a point, the Panthers had multiple blocks during a long rally that ended in a Newton South hitting error, and junior Gianna Laurello (five kills, two aces, and five digs) smacked one off the block to give Franklin a commanding 18-11 lead.
Senior libero Emma Cunningham (three aces and 22 digs) fired in an ace and Alberti followed with another block. Cunningham again picked out the perfect spot with serve to the back corner for a second ace to keep the Panthers in charge. Newton South cut the lead down to seven, but sophomore Emerson Delleo (nine kills, three aces, and 15 digs) drilled the ball down the middle and Laurello’s serve clipped the top of the net for a set-clinching ace.
The second set didn’t start all that well for either team, as a series of service errors kept it close through the early stages. With the set level at 9-9, Franklin went on one of its standard runs to break things open. This time, the Panthers won nine of 11 points and 16 of the final 20 points in the second.
“We talk to them a lot about game plan and approach,” Ridolfi said. “We game plan and they have to execute, but our approach is we find a spot in the game where we can separate ourselves and play with the lead. Through the tournament, that’s what we’ve been able to do.”
Kuykendall got things started with a pair of kills and sophomore middle Charlotte Yeulenski stuffed a shot for a point. O’Connor hit a laser serve that couldn’t be handled cleanly, Laurello scored off the block, and Kuykendall added an ace to make it 15-10. After Annabel Kohler got one back for the Lions, Delleo closed out a rally with a shot inside the back line and Kuykendall scored with a swing from the back row.
Newton South was reeling and, after a shot into the net, Delleo’s powerful swing scored a point and Laurello added an ace. Alberti came back with an accurate tip and she and O’Connor combined to smother a shot at the net. O’Connor would add a second block two points later and Delleo’s ace delivered the Panthers a 2-0 lead.
“I’ve been in those shoes as a freshman,” Kuykendall, a four-year starter, responded when asked about helping the team’s talented younger players thrive in the tournament atmosphere. “I know how they feel, I know where they’re coming from. Obviously in these games, there’s a lot of stress, a lot of pressure, so I think it’s good to remind them that we’re all in this together.”
Ridolfi praised his seniors, particularly Kuykendall, Alberti, and Cunningham, for being the foundation for the team’s run. He said, “The team as a whole is a mature team. Those three are exceptional leaders. So, you have a mature team willing to follow and you have three great leaders willing to lead, it makes for a good combination.”
The Lions started the final set well, leading 5-2 early to give their fans a little hope, but Franklin chipped away and grabbed the lead at 10-9. Alberti’s block and a roll shot from Kuykendall but the Panthers up 15-11 and starting to feel like the final was in their grasp.
Newton South tried to push back and closed the gap to three, but Franklin went on a 3-0 run that gave it a more comfortable advantage. Kuykendall ended Newton South’s mini-comeback with a blast and then she finished off a rally with a shot that dropped inside the back line. A block from Yeulenski made it 19-13.
Sofia Hellstrom tried to keep the Lions alive with a nice tip and a big swing on the outside, but the Panthers continued to close down the angles with their block and keep everything alive along the back row.
Two shots into the net gave them match point and a final swing that went long sealed Franklin’s place in the final. Franklin (22-2) will now face three-time defending state champ Newton North at Billerica High on Saturday. As Ridolfi noted, “Might as well play the best.”
“It’s a big task ahead of us,” he added. “We have two days to get ready. I know they’re up for the challenge, so we’ll do what we can do.”
Girls Soccer Photos: Franklin vs. Lincoln-Sudbury
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Strong Nets Winner, Franklin Defense Shines Against L-S
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Field Hockey Photos: Franklin vs. Hopkinton
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Taccini Delivers in Clutch, Franklin Edges Hopkinton to Reach Semis
By Josh Perry || HockomockSports.com Managing Editor
FRANKLIN, Mass. – Franklin took the lead in Monday afternoon’s Div. 1 quarterfinal at Beaver Pond Field midway through the second quarter. When the horn sounded at the end of the fourth quarter, the scoreboard showed that the Panthers were still in front by a goal, but Hopkinton forced a corner so even though the clock read 0:00 the game wasn’t over.
Senior Ella Fowler got space and time at the edge of the circle and hit a rocket into the far corner, tying the game in the most dramatic (or devastating, depending on your perspective) way possible.
It was the kind of moment that could derail a team, especially one as young as Franklin, but the Panthers regrouped, reset, and regained control of the game. The hosts dominated in 7-on-7 and one minute into the second overtime period freshman midfielder Cade Taccini was tripped while driving at goal.
The officials gave a penalty stroke for denial of a clear scoring opportunity. Taccini was the pick to step up to the spot to try and win the game. She coolly rifled the ball into the top corner, giving the goalie no chance, sealing a 2-1 win, and sending the Panthers to their third state semifinal in the past five seasons.
“Wild, wild,” said Franklin coach Michelle Hess. “In all my years, I’ve never experienced anything like that. Them scoring with no time left was pretty crushing but I walked over to my team and they were like, ‘We’ve got this.’ They were almost too excited, we did some reset breaths to get them back down.
She added, “As soon as they called that stroke, I knew it was going to be Cade. She’s got the strongest shot on our team and I had faith in her. They played out of their minds tonight. They really wanted this game and they wanted to send a message to show that we can get back to the Final Four.”
Taccini explained, “I knew that was my moment. I had to capitalize on it and if I didn’t I’d have to be running back and forth some more. I just remember putting the ball on the line and I knew my spot and I just knew I had to score that.”
Franklin started slowly in each of its first two playoff games but on Monday, even without leading scorerElla Marzullo who picked up an injury in warmups, the Panthers got onto the front foot early on.
Jossie Camp forced a turnover and stepped up into the attack. The ball swung to the right for Tori Cahill, who fed it to sophomore Penelope Brady on the right side of goal. Her shot was kicked aside by Riley Curtin. The rebound was cleared at the far post with freshman Lily Aparo lurking.
Late in the first, on a corner, Taccini slipped a pass to Addi Weiss but her shot was deflected out. Sophomore Clara Blongastainer followed with a drive through the crowd but there was no touch.
Hopkinton had a scoring opportunity early in the second quarter. Avery Quebec fired a shot towards goal but Abby Burke’s tip went wide. Taccini had another scoring chance at the other end and Brady saw her round cleared off the line with the rebound popping out to the other side the Hillers again managed to clear one right on the line.
The breakthrough came with 6:50 left to halftime and it came from an unlikely source. Taccini again played the initial pass into a crowd in front of goal and in the scrum, with Brady and Ava Lucenta also in the vicinity, junior Kiley Silvestri got the final touch to push the ball over the line, just her third goal of the season.
Fowler had a shot through a crowd blocked just in front of Franklin goalie Devon Barry, who didn’t face a shot on target until the Hopkinton goal, and Blongastainer managed to squeeze the rebound out of danger.
The best chance for the hosts came with no time left in the third quarter, as they created a pair of corners. On the second one, Taccini fired the ball into the crease and Brady got a piece of the shot but couldn’t steer it on goal.
In the fourth, Lucenta started a corner routine with a pass to Taccini, who found Brady in space to the right of goal. Her shot found Blongastainer’s stick but the deflection took the ball into her body. A couple minutes later, sophomore Samantha Feigen made a nice steal to keep Hopkinton pinned back. Brady fired the ball across the face of goal and Weiss wasn’t able to get a touch despite being at full stretch.
Searching for a second goal that could put the game away, Caydence Canavan found Taccini for a shot off a corner, but Curtin made the save.
Franklin had only allowed nine goals in 20 games coming into Monday, including a pair of shutouts in the playoffs, and hadn’t allowed a shot to get through to Barry since the opening round, but the Hillers got one more chance and Fowler did not miss with her unstoppable blast.
When the game went to 7-on-7, Hess threw out a lineup that included two seniors (Barry and Lucenta), a junior (Camp), two sophomores (Brady and Blongastainer), and two freshmen (Aparo and Taccini), with freshman Amelia Manning coming off the bench. In the biggest moment, it was a freshman that stepped up.
It comes as no surprise to Hess, who has leaned on her underclassmen right from the start. “They showed right from the get-go that they were going to buy into our culture and tradition,” she said. “We did graduate so many good players but these guys just believed from the very beginning and they knew we could get back.”
The Panthers don’t often have a chance to show off their resiliency but it was on full display on Monday, as they quickly righted the ship and found a way to win.
“It definitely impacted our team a lot,” Taccini said of the Hopkinton goal, “but our coach, she really calmed us down. We do breaths, they really work. We knew this was our moment, we can’t lose. We never lose on the Beav, we just had to come out as strong as we can.”
Franklin (16-2-3) will face No. 3 Wellesley in the Final Four on Wednesday night at Westboro High. Five years ago, the program reached its first state semifinal. Now, it is headed to its third. The Panthers have reached the quarterfinal every year under the new tournament format.
“I’m very blessed with players who just love this sport and they just come out every day and work hard,” Hess said, emotion creeping into her voice as she thought about what it takes to keep the program at this level. “The expectation every year is to get back here and they buy into it.”