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Gervasio settles into setter role

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Gervasio (front) during a Sept. 14 match with junior captain Olivia Martin peeking over her shoulder. / Photo by: Sue Moss

Kylie Gervasio has found her own on the court and in the school since joining the girls’ volleyball team.

Coming into the season, Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ volleyball head coach Ashley Balbian had a question mark penciled in for a key position — setter.

Little did she know that area of concern would be shored up by someone who last played competitively over 2,600 miles away in senior Kylie Gervasio.

Gervasio and her family moved from Whitman to Arizona when she was 10, only to return at the beginning of last year’s school year. Unfortunately for her, their move back occurred after tryouts so she missed the season.

For Gervasio, who played the sport throughout middle school and high school, not competing in nearly two years was tough, but when the season inched closer, she made sure to sharpen her skills.

“When I knew tryouts were coming up, I went out to the beach and volleyball courts with my best friend Jennifer and we practiced because she’s also a volleyball player and she helped me get back into it,” Gervasio said.

Balbian said Gervasio’s positive energy at tryouts caught her eye immediately and blended in with the rest of her returners.

“Even if she shanks a ball she’s still got a smile on her face,” Balbian said. “So right away I was like ‘I know I want her on my team.’”

That positive energy Gervasio and her Panthers teammates convey has made her joining the roster, which consists mostly of girls she had never met prior to tryouts, a seamless transition she said.

“Everybody here is so helpful and sweet,” said Gervasio, who has accumulated 93 assists in 24 sets. “Everyone is so cheerful and excited to play and always pumped up going to games. They made coming on to the team not feel weird.” 

Joining the volleyball team has just provided it with a boost, but its benefited her as well.

“Being new and everything last year, I had trouble making friends,” Gervasio said. “Being on the volleyball team and everything, I’ve never felt more enjoyment in going to school.”

Balbian said the Panthers’ 3-2 victory over Hanover on Sept. 17 (14 assists) and their 3-1 loss to Hingham on Sept. 28 (15 assists) stick out among many strong efforts put forth by Gervasio. Balbian said she expects to see much of the same production from her senior as the season wears on.

“She’s really been a game-changer for us,” Balbian said. “I knew I had one setter coming into the season. I wasn’t sure who was going to be my backup setter so she came in as the backup and now is the starter. I think she really had taken on that leadership role the more comfortable she gets.”

A look back at Week 5

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Week 5 is in the books.

Football and girls’ volleyball both got back into the win column in Week 5, while field hockey continued to play to ties.

Boys’ cross country (1-4) dropped its race to Hingham, 21-40, Tuesday, Oct. 2. Sophomore Theo Kamperides and junior Brandon Hager finished 3-4 for the Panthers.

Girls’ cross country (1-4) also suffered a setback to Hingham, 16-45, Tuesday,Oct. 2. Junior Tori Boss paced W-H with a fifth-place finish at21:37.

Field hockey (2-5-5) opened its week with a 1-1 tie against West Bridgewater on Monday, Oct. 1. Sophomore Delanie MacDonald scored the equalizer late. … On Tuesday, W-H tied Marshfield, 2-2. Trailing 2-0 in the second half, junior Robin Goyette pulled W-H within one, before MacDonald scored the equalizer for the second straight day. … On Thursday, it was the same story, but a different game for the Panthers, who found themselves in a 2-0. Halfway through the second, freshman Lauren Dunn made it 2-1, and then sophomore Lauren Clark drew them even at 2-2 five minutes later.

Football (3-2) picked up a 39-0 shutout win over Quincy on Friday, Oct. 5. Senior captain Rian Schwede caught (30 yards from junior John Zeidan), threw (12 yards to senior captain Jacob Nixon) and rushed (2 yards) for touchdowns. Seniors Nate Beath (2yard rush), Billy Martell (7yard rush) and Ethan Phelps (18-yard rush) also had scores.

Golf (5-4) dropped its Monday, Oct. 1 match to Hanover, 266-276. Senior captain Owen Manning paced the Panthers with an 8-over par 43. … On Wednesday, Brian Dempsey’s club, despite receiving a 5-over par 42 from Manning, fell to Scituate, 267-281. … W-H wrapped up the week with a 250-267 loss to Plymouth North on Friday. Manning shot a 6-over par.

Boys’ soccer (3-6-1) fell to Hingham, 1-0, Monday, Oct. 1. … On Wednesday, the Panthers fell to Quincy, 2-1, on a Presidents goal in the 79th minute. Sophomore Dalton Desrocher had the lone Panther goal. … On Friday, W-H was shutout by Weymouth by a 5-0final.

Girls’ soccer (6-1-2) tied Hingham, 0-0, Monday, Oct. 1. Senior captain Skylar Kuzmich turned away nine shots for the shutout. … The Panthers rebounded for a 5-0 win over Quincy on Wednesday. Freshman Nora Manning scored twice, while senior captain Sammy Smith, sophomore Anna Sullivan and freshman Olivia Borgen added single tallies. … Dave Floeck’s team dropped its first game of the season Friday, 2-0 to Weymouth.

Girls’ volleyball (3-7) was clipped by Pembroke, 3-2, Tuesday, Oct. 2. After winning the first set 25-22, the Panthers dropped the next two by scores of 26-24 and 25-20. W-H rebounded to triumph in the fourth set 25-23 but ran out of steam late and fell in the deciding set 15-13. Senior Kylie Gervasio had 24 assists and classmate Erin Leahy added 15 kills. … On Friday, the Panthers dropped the first set (2-519) but snatched the next three (25-17, 25-15 and 26-24) to best Scituate, 3-1. Sophomore Caileen Hurley had 12 assists and senior Allison Halon totaled eight kills.

Panthers shut out Presidents

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Panthers moved to 3-2 and 1-2 in the Patriot League with their first shutout since 2016 (41-0 vs. Quincy).

Whitman-Hanson Regional High football head coach Mike Driscoll couldn’t have asked for much more out of his team than he received Friday evening.

The Panthers stymied the Presidents offense, forcing them into five turnovers, while giving their defense headaches courtesy of six touchdowns in a dominating 39-0 Patriot League Keenan Division victory at Dennis M. O’Brien Field to snap a two-game losing streak.

“It was pretty good,” Driscoll said of the win. “They worked hard this week and really focused and it all paid off right there.”

W-H (3-2, 1-2) poured in its first 19 points while having the ball for all of 4:30.

Senior captain Rian Schwede shined for W-H receiving (30 yards), passing (11 yards) and rushing for (2 yards) TDs in the rout.

“It’s pretty cool,” Driscoll said of Schwede’s three-TD night. “We did a little experimenting with it. We tried it today and it (Schwede’s versatility) makes us a better team.”

It took the Panthers all of 52 seconds to find pay dirt when senior captain Ethan Phelps (8 carries for 92 yards) took the second play from scrimmage 18 yards for a score.

“Ethan ran great tonight,” Driscoll said. “He had an amazing night. If he can run like that, we’re in good shape.”

The ensuing Quincy (1-4, 1-3) possession was halted when Panthers junior Joe McStravick picked up a fumble to give them possession at the Presidents 40. Two plays later, junior signal-caller John Zeidan connected with Schwede on a 30-yard TD.

On the next Presidents drive, it was Panthers senior Nate Beath wreaking havoc in the backfield. After back-to-back tackles for loss, Beath scooped up a fumble recovery at the Quincy 11 to give W-H prime field position.

“Nate is an amazing athlete,” Driscoll said. “He does anything you ask him to do, so that helps. He’s just a super star when it comes to wanting to do whatever. Most kids wouldn’t want to play the nose, but he’s never questioned it.”

Schwede made sure to capitalize on the opportunity by hitting senior captain Jacob Nixon for an 11-yard score to push the Panthers ahead 19-0 with 10:50 remaining in the second quarter.

A 2-yard TD score from Beath with 2:43 remaining in the first half made it 26-0.

Third-quarter rushing scores from senior Billy Martell (7 yards) and Schwede capped the scoring at 39.

W-H is back in action Friday, Oct. 12 at home for senior night at 7 p.m. against league rival Silver Lake (1-4, 1-3).

“We got to carry this momentum into Silver Lake next week,” Driscoll said. “They’ll be excited, the parents will be excited, but we’ll take it one step at a time. But for now, this one feels pretty good.”

Setting the tone: Owen Manning drives the W-H golf team to success

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Manning against East Bridgewater earlier this season. / Photo by: Sue Moss

Patriot League All-Star and two-year captain Owen Manning sets the tone for the Whitman-Hanson Regional High golf team, on and off the course.

It was the first day of school at Whitman-Hanson Regional High, which also happened to be the hottest day in two months, as the temperature approached the century mark.

The heat caused many coaches around state to cancel practice. W-H golf head coach Brian Dempsey decided that rather than forcing his team’s way through a sluggish day on the course, he was going to hold a meeting in his classroom. The Panthers went over rules and exceptions for the season.

It was what happened at the conclusion of that team meeting that set the tone for their 2018 campaign. Senior captain Owen Manning organized a trip down the course and brought along a number or his teammates -– many of whom were underclassmen – and led them in putting drills for nearly two hours. The session consisted of playing the game “the wheel,” where each player gets a partner that they start opposite and if they miss the putt, they stay at their spot. A made putt advances the player, as they try to catch their opponent.

Freshman Patrick McBroom’s outlook on high school golf shifted after that practice.

“I just found out that [golf] was a commitment more than just being on the team,” McBroom said. “Some of us stayed that first day because we all have something to work on and can always get better. People always tell me that the short game is where we lose strokes, so I decided to dedicate my time at the range that day to just that.”

Sophomore Aidan Miller also took part in the session.

“Practices like that are what really help us get better,” Miller said. “Games like we play at practice help with concentration [and] teamwork.”

Manning said he felt it was his duty to act as a captain and pitch in when and where he can to try and set a standardfor everyone to follow. 

“I just wanted to get the reps in and be dedicated to the sport,” Manning said of the first practice. “I love doing it and if I’m doing it, it’s going to show the other kids that they should do it. It really helps them.”

Dempsey said it came as no surprise to him when he caught wind of what his cap tain had organized.

“They were there for hours practicing doing drills and he’s leading them through that and everything,” the eighth-year head coach explained. “Everyone is still doing those same drills and he kind of set that tone early on, which again is a huge credit to him.”

It was a tone that was essential to set when he did, especially after the graduation of nine seniors, which opened the door for five freshmen, two sophomores, one junior and a senior to join the roster. Dempsey noted his club was expected to fall off from last season, when it went 9-8 and made the tournament for the fourth time in five seasons, but instead it’s done anything but take a step back. Through the Panthers’ first eight matches, they sit at 5-3. They opened at 5-1, their best start that Dempsey can recall.

“Where we’re so young, there’s so many inexperienced players, and there’s so many kids on the team that and they don’t really know what the norm is,” Dempsey said, “and in a lot of ways, that’s to our advantage. The things they’re starting early on, that’s all these kids know.”

Manning has been a steady presence since he joined the team as a freshman, but since being named a captain last season as a junior, he’s become a source of intelligence for Dempsey, who relies heavily on him.

“At the range, practice days, even before matches and stuff, he’s always someone I call over and just say, ‘Hey, what are you seeing on the course?'” Dempsey said. “I can’t be with every single player. He is very much like another coach on the team. I trust what he says.”

It’s a trust and confidence Dempsey has in Manning that the senior has built over the years. Last season, Manning was tabbed the team MVP and named a Patriot League All-Star. Against Duxbury, he carded a 2-over 36 to help the Panthers knock off the Dragons for the first time ever.

“He’s just grown a lot,” Dempsey said. “He’s really matured. He’s kind of come into his own. He’s more confident in who he is as a person and as a golfer.”

Golf is a family affair for Manning that stems from his father and has carried on into the next generation.

“It was mostly my dad who talked me into playing golf, but [my brothers], Cole and Cam, have been a big part of it,” Manning said. “They’ve been mostly a little better than me, so it gives me the edge to get out there and be as good as them and beat them when we play together.”

A Manning has been penned on the golf team’s roster for seven straight seasons. Cole played under Dempsey from 2012-2015 and Cam played from 2012-2014. Dempsey said he sees a lot of similarities in their approaches to the game.

“They put time in at the range [and] they put in the time at the putting greens,” Dempsey said. “They do the things that aren’t considered fun by most kids, but it pays off.”

So far this season, Manning has picked up where he left off last fall. He paced the Panthers to a season-opening win against North Quincy (2-over par 36), led the team to a win against Duxbury again (2-over par 36) and was match medalist in a triumph over Quincy (7-over par 42).

“I’ve improved a lot,” Manning said. “My game’s just developed a lot. Practicing chipping and putting is a big help because that’s where you shave the strokes off right there – the chipping and putting – the short game.”

Manning said his goals for the rest of the season are to continue to leave a positive and long-lasting impression on the rest of his teammates.

“I try to step up big when we go to the range,” he said. “Help other kids with their swing, do some drills with them and help them improve their game as much as possible.”

W-H raises $1,000 for family

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Friday night’s football game raised $1,000 to help build a disabled Army vet’s house.

 Whitman-Hanson Regional High athletic director Bob Rodgers saw last Friday night as an opportunity to give back, and the communities answered the call.

In response to a pair of 16-year-old juveniles, neither of whom were from W-H, causing more than $50,000 worth of damage to a home in Hanson being built for disabled Army vet Paul Skarinka, a Whitman native, earlier in the week, Rodgers got the approval to set up donation buckets at the football team’s game vs. Duxbury to help with repairs.

The two buckets were located at both entrances to the stadium and manned by Dawne and Richard Green. The effort raised $1,000.

“It didn’t surprise me at all that we raised so much money in a short time,” Rodgers said. “We are fortunate to live in a generous and caring community.”

Rodgers said he plans to reach out to Skarinka to see if he’d be willing to attend a game in November around Veterans Day.

“We will be having a game which we dedicate to all veterans and inviting them to attend free of charge,” Rodgers said. “With our new scoreboard, we plan to run a video about the Wounded Warrior Project too.”

Keeping score in Week 4: Soccer teams, girls’ cross country, golf post wins

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Week 4 is in the books.

Week 4 had its ups and downs at Whitman-Hanson Regional High.

The ups were: girls’ soccer remained unbeaten, girls’ cross country got into the win column, and golf and boys’ soccer posted victories.

Boys’ cross country (1-3) dropped a close race to Plymouth North, 25-30, Wednesday, Sept. 26. Sophomore Theo Kamperides finished in third at 18:30 and junior Brandon Hager finished fourth at 18:40.

Girls’ cross country (1-3) got the best of Plymouth North, 26-31, Wednesday, Sept. 26. Junior Tori Boss covered the course in 22:21 to pace the Panthers. Junior Niki Kamperides finished fourth and senior captain Maeve McDonough finished with times of 22:48 and 22:52, respectively.

Field hockey (2-5-2) opened the week with a 3-1 loss to Plymouth North on Monday, Sept. 25. Junior Sophia Molinari scored the lone W-H goal. … … On Wednesday, Todd Humphrey’s club fell to Duxbury by a 1-0 final. … … The Panthers capped the week with a 1-0 loss to Scituate on Friday.

Football (2-2) dropped its Friday, Sept. 28 contest to Duxbury, 27-9. After a safety in the first quarter, W-H struggled to muster up much of anything on offense. Senior Mike Connors added a fourth quarter rushing TD.

Golf (5-1) had its first two contests of the week rained out, before it was able to get into action Thursday, Sept. 27 against Quincy. The Panthers were led by a 7-over par 42 from their captain Owen Manning in a 275-291 win over the Presidents.

Boys’ soccer (3-3-1) suffered a 4-0 setback against Silver Lake on Wednesday, Sept. 26. … On Thursday, Dave Leahy’s club defeated Plymouth South, 4-1. Junior captain Jason Brodeur scored twice in the triumph. …… On Saturday, W-H fell to Plymouth North, 2-1. Sophomore Dalton Des rocher had the W-H goal.

Girls’ soccer (5-0-1) topped Silver Lake, 3-0, Wednesday, Sept. 26. Juniors Anika Floeck and Samantha Perkins and freshman Kelsee Wozniak supplied the W-H goals. …… The Panthers played to a 2-2 tie against Plymouth South on Thursday. Trailing 2-0 12 minutes in, Floeck cut the deficit to 2-1 at halftime with a goal. Freshman Olivia Borgen notched the score at 2-2 in the second half with a goal.

Girls’ volleyball (2-6) won the first set but dropped the following three in a 3-1 loss to Hingham on Friday, Sept. 28. … The set scores were: 25-20 (W-H), 25-11 (H), 25-23 (H) and 25-18 (H). Senior setter Kylie Gervasio posted 15 assists, senior Erin Leahy had 12 kills and libero Nicole Scott, a senior captain, had 25 digs.

*Express weekly roundups consist of games from Monday to Saturday.

New boys’ lacrosse coach excited to ‘get his hands dirty’

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Tyler Sabens is the Panthers’ new boys’ lacrosse head coach.

Newly-hired head coach of the Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ lacrosse team, Tyler Sabens, is thrilled to get the opportunity to take the insight he’s gathered over the years and put it to use.

Sabens, whose hiring was announced Sept. 13 via a press release from W-H athletic director Bob Rodgers, takes over for Rob White, who spent five seasons at the helm of the Panthers. White, who Rodgers announced stepped down at the conclusion of last season, led the Panthers to the tournament each of his first three years, but the team combined to win just seven games over the past two springs. W-H went 5-14 in 2017 and 2-16 last season.

“I am extremely excited to join Whitman-Hanson as their new lacrosse coach,” Sabens said in an interview with the Express. “The foundation here, just in terms of the amount of athletes and the way that Whitman-Hanson looks at student-athletes, serves as a great base to build a successful lacrosse program.” Sabens, who is in his first year as a guidance counselor at Whitman Middle School, referenced the W-H girls’ lacrosse team, which has made the tournament four out of the last five seasons, as an example of using that “great base” to its fullest.

“They’re successful and a program that brings players back,” Sabens said.

After graduating from Falmouth High, where he was a two-time lacrosse captain, Sabens went on to play at Manhattan College from 2008-12. Sabens captained the Jaspers his senior season. In addition to expanding his overall knowledge of the game during his time in the Bronx, Sabens said he ascertained the true value of togetherness.

“When you’re playing in college, you’re with each other, you live with each other, you’re surrounded by each other so much that you’re really forced to buy into one another, never mind the game of lacrosse, but one another and being successful together,” Sabens said.

In 2014, Sabens entered the high school coaching ranks when he hooked on with Falmouth’s boys’ lacrosse team. He coordinated the offense and coached the goalies up until this past spring, when Falmouth made it all the way to the Div. 2 South Sectional final. Sabens said he grasped how to build a winning environment and mentality, which are both something he plans to establish at W-H.

“Culture is so important on how athletes and coaches look at process,” he explained. “If we’re not all focused on doing the little things great, and doing the little things like they’re supposed to be done – in the field, off the field, in the classroom, in the community – if we can do that, that will lead to the big things like winning, the program growing overall.”

Sabens was also a coach on Falmouth’s 2016 football team that won the Division 2A Super Bowl, running its tripleoption offense and coaching the running backs and cornerbacks.

The Falmouth native has coached JV hockey, power skating, hockey skill sessions, town basketball and lacrosse clinics.

“I would coach anything, honestly,” Sabens said. “Sports is sports to me.”

Sabens met with the returning players and anyone else interested in joining the team shortly after his hiring.

“I introduced myself to the guys [and] had them fill out a small questionnaire, just so I can find out a little more about them,” he said. “It was really nice to meet all of the guys, or most of the guys.”

Togetherness and positivity were stressed at thatWednesday meeting.

“It is instrumental and pivotal that we approach adversity as it comes along together with an outlook for one another, rather than individuals,” Sabens said. “If we don’t approach what’s about to come as a team and really genuinely together, it’s gonna be a long year and it’s gonna be a tough process to start building up.”

As part of his process of building the program up, Sabens said he’s on a mission to retain current players, acquire new players and bring back former players.

“My overall goal is to put a footprint and really hope that people end up respecting the program after this year and kids want to come play for the program,” Sabens said. “Guys want to come back and play for me next year.”

Sabens said he’s eager to get to work.

“This [is] one of the best opportunities I think a high school lacrosse coach can come across,” Sabens said, “to be able to enter the Patriot League with the stacked lineup and the opposition that we’ll be facing. That itself just raises the level of the game being played and the interest it’s gonna attract. I’m so excited to get my hands dirty in the Patriot League and to really start building this thing.”

Season Preview: Experience, leadership key for W-H cheerleading team

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GIVING A CHEER: Children in kindergarten through grade eight joined the W-H Cheerleading team in a Panther Club Clinic on Friday, Sept. 14, culminating in a chance to cheer for the football team under the Friday Night Lights. / Photo by: Sue Moss

All eyes are zeroed in on state title No. 14.

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High cheerleaders are back on the mats and in full force.

Forty kids turned out to tryouts in late August, enough for first-year head coach Alyssa Hayes, who took over the team on a temporary basis in February, before being named to the position full time in April, to fulfill her goal of forming a junior varsity team.

“This is the first time in a long time that we’ve had a JV team, which coach Keryn Cordo and I are so excited about,” said Hayes, a 2012 W-H graduate. “Having two solid teams again would be ideal.”

Decorated seniors Anna Franklin and Shelby Newcomb captain the varsity team alongside junior Ryley Hurley.

“They, honestly, the three of them are the best of friends, and that’s how they treat the rest of the team,” Hayes said.

The trio doesn’t just guide the team on the mats, but through the halls as well.

“We’ve got a lot of new freshmen and even [on the] first day of school, I saw them walking the freshmen around,” Hayes said. “They’re just going to lead this team 24/7, not just at practice.”

Hayes is expecting the same positive attitudes to push the Panthers forward this fall that did last winter, which culminated in state title No. 13.

“They seem to all really get along and love each other, which is something you usually have to build up to,” Hayes said.

The Panthers have seven returnees from that title winning team. In addition to their three captains, senior Maddy Anderson, junior Kaylee Diehl, and sophomores Olivia McCarthy and Savannah Po- irier are all back.

“I’m so excited,” Hayes said. “I can’t wait to get going. We already have our competition schedules ready, so I can’t wait to get started. I feel like I’ve been waiting for the beginning of the season for a while.”

And, first up on that competition schedule is the Oliver Ames Invitational on Sunday, Oct. 21. Six days later –on Oct. 27 – will be the Braintree Invitational.

“Now it’s just let’s start practicing those skills,” Hayes said. “You get the routine in August, so we’re trying to get some reps in and build up to states in November.”

Then there was one: Girls’ soccer only remaining unbeaten team through Week 3

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Girls’ soccer roars through Week 3 action.

The success of the girls’ soccer team at Whitman-Hanson Regional High cannot be overlooked.

Dave Floeck’s club, which hasn’t had a losing season since 1999, is off to another hot start.

Here’s a look at all the Week 3 action.

Boys’ cross country (1-2) dropped an 18-45 decision to Duxbury on Thursday, Sept. 20. Panthers sophomore Theo Kamperides finished third, sandwiched in between a heap of Dragons, with a time of 17:21.

Girls’ cross country (0-3) dropped its race against Duxbury, 16-43, Thursday, Sept. 20. Junior Tori Boss paced the Panthers with fifth-place finish at 21:43.

Field hockey (2-2-2) fell to Hingham. 3-0, Monday, Sept. 17. …… On Thursday, the girls were shut out by Pembroke, 1-0.

Football (2-1) suffered a 22-13 setback at the hands of Hingham on Friday, Sept. 21. The Panthers struck first on a 4-yard TD run from Ethan Phelps in the second quarter, but Hingham scored the next 15 to claim the lead and never looked back. Senior captain Rian Schwede had three catches for 41 yards and a TD for W-H.

Golf (4-1) defeated Plymouth North, 232-239, Wednesday, Sept. 19. Junior Ian Brown shot a 3-over-par 38, while senior captain Owen Manning and junior Matt Korzec both shot 4-over-par. …… On Friday, it was W-H that came out on the losing end of a close one, falling to Silver Lake, 250-252. Manning carded a 2-over-par 38 and Brown shot a 3-over-par in the loss.

Boys’ soccer (2-1-1) had its Tuesday, Sept. 18 game against Duxbury postponed, before it rallied for three goals in a 12-minute span to tie Hanover, 3-3, Friday. Down 3-0, junior Kyle O’Connor crashed the net and drilled home a Nolan Clack rebound. Junior captain Jason Brodeur scored in the 65th minute to bring W-H within one and three minutes later, freshman Alex Chichlowski scored the equalizer.

Girls’ soccer (4-0) also had its Tuesday, Sept. 18 game against Duxbury postponed. On Friday, – its first game in a week – it showed little signs of rust, erupting for five second-half goals to down Hanover, 5-1. Trailing 1-0 at halftime, sophomore Alexis Billings opened the second with a goal to knot the score and freshman Kelsee Wozniak followed with a pair of goals. Freshmen Olivia Borgen and Nora Manning also had tallies in the win. Junior Riley Bina and Manning had assists. The defense was led by senior captains Sammy Smith and Olivia Johnson, as well as juniors Samantha Perkins, Erin Wood and Courtney Woodward. Sophomore Reese Codero picked up the win in net.

Girls’ volleyball (2-5) opened the week with a 3-2 victory over Hanover on Monday, Sept. 17. The set scores were: 25-16 (W-H), 25-21 (Hanover), 25-19 (W-H), 25-11 (Hanover) and 15-12 (W-H). The Panthers were led by 17 kills from junior middle hitter Ella Sweeney, 20 digs from senior captain and libero Nicole Scott and 14 assists from senior setter Kylie Gervasio. … … The next day, W-H was swept by Duxbury, 3-0. Set scores were: 25-17, 2514 and 25-15. …… On Friday, Quincy defeated W-H, 3-0, with set scores of 25-16, 25-17 and 25-17.

*Express weekly roundups consist of games from Monday to Saturday. 

Clack clicking for W-H boys’ soccer

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Clack against Pembroke this season. / Photo by: Sue Moss

Through the Panthers’ first three games, senior midfielder Nolan Clack has two goals and two assists.

Senior midfielder Nolan Clack has been a man on a mission this season for the Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ soccer team.

It took the four-year varsity player just two games to match his goal total (two) and halve his assist total (four) from last fall. In the Panthers’ season opener, Clack racked up two assists in a 2-1 victory over defending Div. 4 South champion Cohasset, 2-1. His first came off a corner kick to junior captain Jason Broduer and other came toward the end of the first half when he fed sophomore Brad Pelissier, who found the back of the net.

Two days later, Clack was the one finding the back of the net – not once, but twice – in a 6-1 triumph over Rockland. His first tally came five minutes in to set the tone, putting W-H up 1-0. With 15 minutes left in the opening frame, Clack scored again to make it 4-0.

“What he did in the first half against Cohasset and the first again against Rockland, he made us a better team because of his play,” W-H boys’ soccer head coach Dave Leahy explained.

PUTTING IN THE WORK

Clack’s early success was preceded by a summer centered around soccer. After back-to-back tough seasons in 2015 (4-14) and 2016 (116), both of which Clack were a part of, he and the Panthers got a taste of success last fall in what was their first season under Leahy. Their win total rose by 10 and they made the playoffs for the first time in three years. The advances had Clack wanting more and aiming to be a bigger part of the action. So, he knew the work he had to put in to better his game.

“Every day, me and captain Steve Kelly, we just went to the field,” Clack said. “We just worked on everything we needed to over the offseason. Every day.”

Improving hisshot was high on his to-do list. “My dad would come to the field and [my right foot was] all we’d work on for like an hour,” Clack said.

In addition to just coming to the field, Clack was in game action for a few months with his club team, the FC Boston Bolts, playing in numerous tournaments. Leahy’s noticed the effort put in.

“Nolan has done an excellent job at coming back from his junior year to his senior year, and he worked as hard as he could in the offseason to make himself the best player he can be, and he’s continuing to work hard,” Leahy said.

Adding more fire to Clack’s desire for success was when he found out the Panthers were going to be down two key players to transfer just a few weeks before the season.

“It just put a chip on our shoulder,” Clack said. “We don’t want to show that were bad, we don’t want to show that we’re too good, we just wanna play the way we wanna play.”

Clack looks to keep rolling Friday, Sept. 21 when the Panthers (2-1) host Hanover at 4 p.m.

“I just want to get over .500 and help the team as much as possible to win,” Clack said.