Whitman-Hanson Express

You are here: Home / Archives for Nate Rollins, Express Sports Correspondent

Season Preview: Cheer team aiming high

By

The cheer team. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The cheer team is aiming for another state title.

For the Whitman-Hanson Regional High cheerleading team, this fall has been a long time coming.

“We’ve been waiting for this season for what seems like forever,” said fourth-year head coach Alyssa Pietrasik. “I am so ecstatic to be back with the team, but more importantly I’m ready to work.”

As, too, are the cheerleaders — led by senior captains Jazzy Gomes, Tiffany Joyce and Samantha Sicuranza.

“They each bring unique and different leadership to the team and truly want what is best for the program,” Pietrasik said. “They lead by example and are the first three to put in the extra time and effort to make the team successful.”

To prepare for this autumn, the team spent the the summer reading the book “Wolfpack” by Abby Wambach, which details new rules for athletes to follow in sports.

“In essence, its the idea of crashing through the glass ceiling of old rules and coming forward as your most authentic and true self to better your team,” Pietrasik said. “This season the message is just that. This is a new team and the possibilities are endless. They can achieve any single thing they set their mind to. In a way, our focus is that mindset, the rules and possibilities you create for yourself are more important than anything else.”

On the mat, Pietrasik said her team’s strength is its stunting.

“It is something I’ve been working on with them since for the last few years and this year we really seem to have a well-balanced team for it,” she said. “Mentally, their strength is in their mindset, they are workers, they want to win, and they want to bring back the legacy that is W-H cheerleading. I’m so excited to see where that drive takes them.”

The cheerleaders, who can be spotted cheering on the football team at games, opens their competition season on Saturday, Oct. 23 with the Duxbury Invitational.

“The goal, as always, is to build a team that becomes a family and make lifelong memories as we do it, but this season we also are really gunning for another league and state title,” Pietrasik said. “This team has a hunger for it. They are ready to put in the work.”

Season Preview: Girls’ volleyball on a mission

By

The Panthers. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The girls’ volleyball team is aiming to make the tournament.

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ volleyball team’s mission is simple this season.

“Our goal this season is to be successful and have a winning season,” said third-year head coach Samantha Richner, whose club finished 3-10 last fall. “We will achieve that by working hard, day in and day out. We have a dedicated group this season and I am confident they will be successful.”

Senior captain Lily Welch is the engine that powers the Panthers. She led the team with 73 kills and 29 blocks last season.

“Lily has always been an impressive player” Richner said. “She is extremely dedicated to the sport and is constantly improving her game. Lily is strongest in the front row, but is a well-rounded player who plays all the way around the court.”

Middle hitter Abby Martin and right-side hitter Meg Stone, both of whom are seniors, also captain the Panthers.

“When Abby gets a kill, she gets a kill,” Richner said. “Abby’s hits are a line drive, making them very difficult for our opponents to receive. Abby is a beast at the net with not only her strong hits, but her ability to block our opponents.

“This is Meg’s first season back since her injury, but you wouldn’t know it. Meg is a lefty right side, making her a difficult player for our opponents to read.”

So, as you might expect Richner said her team’s strength is its front row.

“We have multiple power house hitters that we can and will be using to our advantage,” she said.

Junior outside hitter Caitlin Leahy and senior libero Izzy Baker are also key returnees.

As for departures, reigning league all-star Sophia Berardinelli, who paced the team with 162 assists, 142 digs and 30 aces, leaves the biggest void. But freshman setter Caroline Gray has made it a seamless transition, according to Richner.

“She has made a seamless transition to our team and we are lucky to have her,” Richner said.

W-H is back in action Friday, Oct. 1 at 6 p.m. on the road at Marshfield.

“I am just looking forward to watching the girls play this year,” Richner said. “We have a tight-knit group and it is fun to watch them play and interact on the court. They have great potential this season and we are excited to see how far these players can take their talents.”

Bright spots in rough Week 2

By

The second week of the fall sports season is in the books at Whitman-Hanson Regional High.

Here are how the teams fared:

Boys’ cross country (1-1) fell to Marshfield, 21-39, Tuesday, Sept. 14. Senior captains Nathan Tassey (16:53) and Gordon Johnson (17:10) paced the Panthers finishing third and fourth, respectively.

Girls’ cross country (1-1) also fell to Marshfield on Tuesday, Sept. 14 by the final score of 15-50. Senior captain Myah Kamperides (20:14) and freshman McKenna McCarthy (20:24) placed eight and ninth, respectively, to lead W-H.

Field hockey (0-3-1) opened the week with a 2-1 loss to Plymouth North on Monday, Sept. 13. Senior Lauren Dunn knotted the score at 1-1 for W-H, before the Blue Eagles pulled ahead for good. … On Wednesday, the Panthers dropped a 5-1 decision to Hingham. Senior Madelyne Guidaboni had the their lone goal. … On Friday, senior Ally Ayers stuck for a pair and senior captain Olivia Phelps added a single tally as W-H earned a 3-3 tie against West Bridgewater.

Football (0-2) was shut out by Foxboro, 38-0, on Friday, Sept. 17. Junior Will Frazier carried the ball 11 times for 53 yards. On defense, the linebacker duo of junior Evan Casey and senior Jake Guiliani combined for 13 tackles, including three tackles for loss.

Boys’ golf (0-4) suffered a 274-304 setback against Plymouth North on Monday, Sept. 13. W-H senior captain Pat McBroom was the match medalist with a 3-over par 39. … The following day, Brian Dempsey’s club was clipper by Hanover, 248-258. McBroom led all scorers once again, carding a 2-over par 36. Fellow senior captain Matt Casarano turned in a 5-over par 41. … The Panthers closed the week with a 236-306 loss to Hingham on Wednesday. McBroom led the way for W-H with a 4-over par 40.

Boys’ soccer (0-1-2) fell to Plymouth North, 3-0, on Tuesday, Sept. 14. … On Thursday, W-H played to a 2-2 draw against Hanover. Senior Adam Sousa scored both Panthers goals, the first assisted by sophomore Ethan Fostello and the second, unassisted, a strike from 35 yards out.

Girls’ soccer (2-1) dropped its first match of the season, 3-1, to Plymouth North on Tuesday, Sept. 14. Senior captain Nora Manning scored for W-H. … The Panthers rebounded on Friday for a 1-0 win over Hanover. Junior Kayla Cassidy scored the winner two minutes into the second half off a feed from senior captain Olivia Borgen. Freshman Ava Patete stopped seven shots for the shutout.

Girls’ volleyball (2-1) fell to league power Quincy, 3-1, on Wednesday, Sept. 15. The set scores were: 25-23, 8-25, 21-25 and 11-25. Senior captain Lily Welch racked up 19 kills and three solo blocks for W-H, while freshman Caroline Gray tallied a season-high 30 assists. … The Panthers rebounded on Friday for a 3-1 victory over Plymouth North. The set scores were: 25-21, 25-9, 11-25 and 25-20 in their league match. Gray had 23 serves, two of which were aces, to go along with 18 assists, seven assisted blocks and two solo blocks. Senior captain Abby Martin also tallied seven assisted blocks and seven kills, while Welch added seven kills of her own.

*Express weekly roundups include scores from Sunday to Sunday. 

Season Preview: At Whitman-Hanson, football is all about family

By

First-year head coach Zack Botelho is building a family atmosphere. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The football team is looking to use its family atmosphere to its advantage amid a tough stretch of games.

Hanover, Foxboro, Rockland, Hingham, Silver Lake, Marshfield, Plymouth North, Duxbury and Abington.

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High football team’s schedule is tough.
But at the end of the day, it’s all about what you make of it — and football is the ultimate team sport.

“They like playing the underdog role a little bit,” said first-year head coach Zack Botelho, who takes over for Mike Driscoll. “They’re like, ‘We’re in this together, we believe in us more than anyone else does.’ They’ve developed our little saying this year: only the family.”

Senior captain Will Stafford is no doubt the vocal leader of the Panthers.

“He doesn’t miss the weight room, he’s at everything — he’s the perfect kind of energy guy that we need,” Botelho said of his running back. “I had an opposing coach say during our passing league that he was the best leader of all the teams there because kids actually follow him.”

And with a new coach, comes a new playbook, but the Panthers still plan to be a run-first team. And why not when you have backs like Stafford, junior Will Frazier and senior Andrew Cloutman?

“We’re going to sprinkle in the passing game when we can,” Botelho said. “Spread it out when we can, take what the defense gives us in the passing game and we’ll dial up a few shots.”

Junior Cam Burrows is back under center and has plenty of additional targets at his disposal, including seniors Collin Briggs, Jake Guiliani and Bobby Hunter and juniors Evan Casey and Braden Kain.

Seniors Malcom Alcorn-Crowder, Rocco Ruffini and junior Maddox Colclough anchor the offensive line.

And while Botelho comes to W-H after a stop as Old Colony’s offensive coordinator, he believes the defense will be his new team’s calling card — at least for now.

“We’re playing a simple, not a lot of thinking, a whole lot of playing sort of defense,” Botelho said. “We’re going to attack and make big plays.”

Alcorn-Crowder (34 tackles, 11 for loss and four sacks last season), a lineman, and linebackers Casey and Guiliani and Cloutman, a safety, key the defense.

Despite the daunting schedule, W-H plans to hang tough this season.

“I want them to know that, when the going gets tough, they can lean on each other and if they compete, good things are going to happen so really just nonstop competing ness from kickoff to final whistle,” Botelho said.

W-H returns to the field Friday, Sept. 24 at 7 p.m. when it hosts Rockland.

“We’re going to play with outstanding effort, excellent attitudes,” Botelho said. “It’s one of our goals to be playing our best football at the end of the seasons. We’re building for something, we’re going to get better every single time.”

Season Preview: Girls’ soccer taking things a day at a time

By

Senior captain Nora Manning fights for the ball against Hingham. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The girls’ soccer team is focused on improving daily.

For a program that has qualified for 21 straight state tournaments, you would likely assume the Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ soccer team sets the bar high.

Or maybe not?

“Honesty, we haven’t talked about any of it,” said 26-year head David Floeck when asked about his club’s goals. “Not to sound cliché, but we’re just trying to get better every day.”

So far that’s what they’ve done. Following a 3-1 start to the season — with their only loss coming against Plymouth North — W-H played to a 2-2 draw against unbeaten Hingham on Monday, Sept. 20 at Dennis M. O’Brien Field.

“I don’t think we’ve been playing as well as we’re capable of playing,” said Floeck, whose Panthers finished 9-2-2 last season. “I thought tonight our intensity was on a different level than it had been all season and that’s what we need to compete. We can’t play the Hinghams or Plymouths without this type of intensity level.”

Senior captain Olivia Borgen put the Panthers in front 2-1 early in the second half with her second goal of the night — this one on a penalty kick.

“We need her,” Floeck said of Borgen, who is committed to play at Penn State. “She is the engine that makes us go.”

That’s where it stood until four minutes remaining when the Harborwomen, who ended the Panthers’ season last year in the Patriot Cup semifinals, knotted it up at two apiece.

“When you get that close you’re definitely hoping to squeak one out,” Floeck said. “But it was another Whitman-Hanson Hingham battle.”

It was the first one for W-H freshmen goalkeeper Ava Patete, who made 13 saves to keep the Harborwomen at bay.

“This was a huge night for her,” Floeck said. “Neither goal was anything she could have done [to prevent]. She made a ton of saves tonight and more importantly in an atmosphere with two great teams going at it, big crowd cheering, the pressure of the game and she really did a phenomenal job.”

Senior backs Megan Bizier and Skylar Jordan and classmate Ava Melia, who is headed to play at Bryant University, locked down the backend.

As for the offense, junior Kayla Cassidy, Stonehill-bound senior captain Nora Manning and classmate Jenna Lindstrom will chip in plenty this season.

The Panthers are back in action Friday, Sept. 24 at 3:30 p.m. on the road against Silver Lake.

“We have to keep it going,” Floeck said. “And if we do, we think we can get on to something special and in those (league title and state title) conversations.”

Season Preview: Tournament is field hockey’s goal

By

The Panthers. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The field hockey team is shooting to make the tournament.

Olivia Phelps, Lauren Dunn, Joli Flamos, Mary Kate Ryan, Rosie MacKinnon and Paige Cosgrove are all back for the Whitman-Hanson Regional High field hockey team

So why not set the bar high this fall?

Phelps and Ryan, are two former Patriot League All-Stars and team MVPs, Dunn has established a knack for finding the back of the net, MacKinnon is a force on defense and Cosgrove, a sophomore, is already a first-liner.

“We would like to make the tournament,” said Todd Humphrey, who is in his ninth year coaching the Panthers.

Phelps, a senior captain, scored a team-high six goals and was named the Panthers’ MVP last season. Dunn, also a senior, added four goals and two assists.

“[They] are quite the tandem,” Humphrey said of his forwards. “[They’re] super fast and always looking for each other on the field.”

The sophomore Cosgrove joins them on the top line at forward this season.

“She has great skills for her age,” Humphrey said. “A true playmaker. A good passer and shooter.”

Ryan, a senior captain, and Flamos, also a senior, are back at midfield. They’re two of 17 seniors on the roster.

“[Ryan] has always been excellent at reading offenses and creating turnovers,” Humphrey said. “Joli has always been a great two-way player and we expect to see that again this season from her.”

Seniors Ashley Sawtelle and MacKinnon, a captain, will anchor the defense in front of first-year goalie, junior Reagan Heath.

“Ashley was voted by her teammates as the most improved player last season,” Humphrey said. “Rosie is strong, fast, agile and mentally tough.”

This is Heath’s first year on varsity.

“She is quick, has good lateral movement and she has a good directional kick,” Humphrey said.

The head coach added he’d like to see his team, which finished 2-9-1 last season, turn the ball over less this autumn.

“We have the talent to move the ball up the field and create offensive opportunities.,” Humphrey said. “We need to be mindful of maintaining ball possession.”

 The Panthers, who are hoping to build off last season’s 1–0 Patriot Cup win over Marshfield, are back in action Friday, Sept. 17 at 3:30 p.m. on the road at West Bridgewater.

 “We had our first playoff win last year,” Humphrey said. “We would like to make the tournament and see where that takes us.”

Week 1 sees advances, setbacks around fields, court and courses

By

The fall sport season has begun. So how did the teams at Whitman-Hanson Regional High do in Week 1?

Boys’ cross country (1-0) began its Patriot League Keenan Division title defense with a 26-31 victory over Quincy/North Quincy on Friday, Sept. 10. Q/NQ placed the first two runners but W-H placed five of the next six, led by senior captains Nathan Tassey (third, 17:29) and Gordon Johnson (fourth, 18:21). Sophomores Logan Bourgelas (fifth, 19:19), Alex Keheyias (sixth, 19:33) and Gavin McCarthy (eighth, 19:41) rounded out the scoring.

Girls’ cross country (1-0) also topped Quincy/North Quincy by a final score of 25-32 on Friday, Sept. 10. Panthers senior captain Myah Kamperides finished first overall with a time of 21:12. Freshman McKenna McCarthy placed third overall at 21:37. Senior captain Sarah Boulger (sixth, 23:07), classmate Erin Kelly (seventh, 23:21) and freshman Adrianna Kelly (eighth, 23:56) also scored for W-H.

Field hockey (0-1) was shut out by Marshfield, 1-0, in its opener on Friday, Sept. 10. Seniors Rosie MacKinnon, Ashley Sawtelle and Caitlyn Crowley were standouts on defense.

Football (0-1), despite striking first, kicked off the season with a 33-20 loss to Hanover on Friday, Sept. 10. Senior Andrew Cloutman rushed for two scores, junior Will Frazier added a 70-yard touchdown, while classmate Evan Casey anchored the defense with 12 tackles.

Boys’ golf (0-1) dropped its season opener to Quincy, 266-277, on Wednesday, Sept. 8. Senior captain Pat McBroom led the way for the Panthers with a 7-over par 42.

Boys’ soccer (0-0-1) played to a 2-2 draw against Quincy on Thursday, Sept. 9. Senior Jack Allen knotted the score at 1 for the Panthers off a feed from junior Manny Osorio. Then down 2-1 in the second, Osorio scored the equalizer off a feed from sophomore Cam Cassidy.

Girls’ soccer (2-0) opened the season with a bang, topping Weymouth 5-1 on Tuesday, Sept. 7. Senior Jenna Lindstrom got the Panthers rolling with two goals in the first half, junior Kayla Cassidy added a pair in the second, and then senior captain Olivia Borgen struck for one of her own. Freshman keeper Ava Patete made six saves for her first varsity win. … On Thursday, W-H rolled past Quincy, 7-0. Cassidy added two more goals, junior Maddie Allen also found the back of the net twice, while Borgen, senior Lauryn Fostello and freshman Maddie Fitzgerald added single tallies.

Girls’ volleyball (1-0) opened the 2021 campaign with a 3-0 sweep over Abington on Thursday, Sept. 9. The set scores were: 25-12, 25-13 and 25-14. In her varsity debut, freshman Caroline Gray tallied 27 assists. Senior captain Lily Welch led the team with 10 kills, while classmate Anna Stone racked up nine of her own.

*Express weekly roundups include scores from Sunday to Sunday. 

Season Preview: Boys’ golf driving to be competitive

By

The boys’ golf team. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The boys’ golf team hopes to hang tough this season.

Don’t put too much pressure on yourself.

That’s Brian Dempsey’s message to his Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ golf team.

“This sport, unlike others, will stay with these players for the rest of their lives, so the more they can get out of it now, the better off they will be down the road,” said the 10th-year head coach. “We may not win every match, and we may not always have the best shots, but if we can accept that and always try to play present, we can hopefully gain a lot more.”

The Panthers are coming off a 1-10 abbreviated campaign last fall. Additionally, they graduated five seniors, headlined by 2020 Patriot League Keenan Division All-Star Aidan Miller.

“The overall goal this year is to not just enjoy the season and make the most of it, but to be as competitive as we are capable,” Dempsey said. “… this year will look very different than what most of the team has come to know over the past couple of years. Of course we want to stay competitive and put ourselves in a position to win, but the reality is that nothing is guaranteed and I really want the team to appreciate what they have. All that being said, if we can maintain a positive attitude and enjoy our time together and on the course, I think that ultimately helps us to accomplish our goal.”

Dempsey said he believes his team’s strength is its balance.

“We have wide range of talent, experience, and ages, which I think can help to keep things in perspective for us and not let anyone feel like they are either outnumbered, outplayed, or most importantly, left out,” Dempsey said. “I’m hopeful that our leadership can help to mend any gaps between them and utilize everyone’s experiences to better the team.”

As for improvements, Dempsey said he wants his club to focus on understanding the game a bit more.

“Realizing that practice isn’t just pounding through a bucket of balls at the range, but instead being deliberate with our choices and being purposeful in our approach to it,” Dempsey said.

Seniors Matt Casarano, Pat McBroom, Chris Ross and Drew Sullivan will captain the Panthers.

“All four of these guys bring something different to the table, whether it’s the experience, academics, work ethic, grit [or] resilience,” Dempsey said. “Hopefully because there are four of them, it takes the pressure off of each of them to relax and be able to play more comfortably and consistently, while modeling good work habits to the rest of the team.”

McBroom is W-H’s No. 1 golfer, but Sullivan has also shown some improvements, according to Dempsey.

“I’m hoping that more players can step up and surprise us with their talent,” Dempsey said.
There’s a chance it could be a newcomer. The Panthers boast six on this year’s squad.
“Everyone who is new to the team seems to really love the sport and is enthusiastic about improving,” Dempsey said. “We have one freshman, Cooper Britton, who brings a lot of tournament play experience and dedication to the sport to the team, so we’re also excited about that.”

W-H is back in action Tuesday, Sept. 21 at 3:30 p.m. when it hosts North Quincy at Ridder Farm Golf Course.

“I really just want to see our team be competitive and show that they care,” Dempsey said. “There’s a fine line in golf about getting too upset about a shot, hole, score, or match and not showing any concern at all, but I’m hopeful that we can be a respectful team, regardless of wins and losses, and can learn from our experiences to hopefully grow as a team and individuals.”

Season Preview: New voice leading boys’ soccer team

By

Senior captain Sean McAlpine during a scrimmage. / Photo by: Sue Moss

Under new head coach Tony Reis, the Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ soccer team has its sights set on the state tournament.

There’s a voice leading the Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ soccer team this fall.

Tony Reis has taken over the reins of the club from Dave Leahy, who stepped down after four seasons due to a work commitment.

Reis spent six seasons as the head coach at Upper Cape, where he won three league titles and qualified for the MIAA tournament every year.

“Coaching at Whitman-Hanson appears to be a good fit for me as the soccer culture in this area is quite different from the Bourne area as I am gradually embracing it all,” Reis said. “There are many more kids who are serious in regards to playing this sport as most of them also play club soccer in the spring.”

His message to the team is centered on positive sportsmanship.

“Teams can play aggressively clean, along with desire, hustle and passion and still come out victorious at the end of 80 minutes,” he said. “There’s no need for any of the unnecessary negative aspects of the sport, such as arguing with the referees, talking to opposing coaches, playing dirty at times.”

And while it may be a new spot, Reis’ expectations remain the same: Make the postseason again.

“My team goal to achieve this season is to qualify for the state tournament and with a winning record,” Reis said. “One can still get into tournament play with a .500 record.”

W-H, which went 6-7 last autumn, returns a solid core, led by senior captains Jacob Donovan (center defender), Sean McAlpine (right fullback) and Jayden Stafford (center midfielder).

“They all are good leaders in their own way, whether it’s vocally or leading by example,” Reis said.

Senior Adam Sousa, junior Wes Marquez and sophomore Ethan Fostello are also key returnees.

Reis coined Sousa as the team’s best forward and Marquez as its best skilled player. Fostello will be starting at right midfield.

“The squad’s strength is at the midfield,” Reis said. “Our starting four half backs, as we usually play a 4-4-2, are good and play well on both sides of the ball. We also have a couple of midfielders off the bench who won’t miss a beat when called on. As long as those positioned players play together as a team, we should compete in all our contests.”

Senior Ethan Smith, who shared time with Randy Elfman (now playing at Western New England University), takes over the No. 1 role in net.

In addition to Elfman, EMSCA All-Star Peyton Collins (four goals, team-high six assists last season) and Patriot League Keenan Division All-Star Brendan Nehiley (team-high five goals, five assists last season) are also key departures.

W-H opens the new campaign Thursday, Sept. 9 at 4 p.m. on the road at Quincy.

“A successful season for me is finishing in the top two or three of the entire league with the least amount of yellow card cautions shown to my players by match referees, no player getting seriously injured along with being competitive, score-wise, in at least most games,” Reis said.

5 athletes to watch this fall

By

Here are some athletes to keep an eye on at Whitman-Hanson Regional High:

• Malcom Alcorn-Crowder, Football Senior — His Twitter handle is @BigMal234 for a reason. He’s big. 6-foot-6 and 260 pounds to be exact. He looks like a man among boys along the defensive line. He registered 34 tackles, 11 for loss, and four sacks last season and was named a Patriot League Keenan Division All-Star.

 

• Olivia Borgen, Girls’ Soccer Senior — Good luck finding a better athlete roaming the field than Borgen. The Penn State commit, who was an All-New England first-team selection last fall, enters her senior year with 39 goals and 25 assists. The speedy midfielder also holds the W-H girls’ outdoor track 100-meter dash school record (:12.44).

 

 

• Myah Kamperides, Girls’ Cross Country Senior — You can’t talk about speed without mentioning Myah Kamperides. She is chasing her third straight Patriot League Keenan Division All-Star nod in cross country. Her coach said she’s “one of the most dedicated and enthusiastic runners” he’s had the privilege to teach.

 

• Ava Melia, Girls’ Soccer Senior — The senior captain is the backbone of the Panthers’ defense. An EMass All-State first-team pick last fall, Melia is an every-minute player and a headache for the opposition to game plan for.

 

 

• Will Stafford, Football Senior — Will Stafford’s work ethic is second to none — especially in the weight room. The bruising running back broke onto the scene as a sophomore and followed that up with a productive junior campaign — highlighted by an 85-yard output against Silver Lake. He’s a strong safety on defense. In the classroom, he boasts a 3.9 GPA.

 

• Honorable mentions: Boys’ soccer — Wes Marquez (junior) … Girls’ soccer — Kayla Cassidy (junior), Nora Manning (senior) … Field hockey — Lauren Dunn (senior) … Girls’ volleyball — Lily Welch (senior).