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Kelly sparks Whitman-Hanson boys’ basketball to win

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Stevie Kelly calls out a play.

The junior scored 10 points to go with six rebounds and six assists in the comeback win.

Whitman-Hanson Regional High junior Stevie Kelly is known for his defensive prowess on the soccer field, but he’s making a name for himself on the hardwood at point guard. 

Kelly opened up his whole toolbox Friday night and the Panthers needed every bit of it to fend off Patriot League foe Silver Lake, 56-54.

“It was a pretty big win,” Kelly said. “Every Patriot League game is big for us.” 

In a fourth quarter that the Panthers (8-2) entered down, 40-37, it was the 5-foot-10 Kelly, who scored five of his 10 points in the final frame to complement six rebounds and six assists on the night, right in the middle of the comeback.

With 7:33 remaining, Kelly drained a triple from the top of the arc, evening the score at 40.

After senior Cole Lewis (10 points) shot the Panthers ahead, 49-47, with a pair of 3-pointers, the Lakers (3-5) would pull even before Kelly passed to a streaking Rian Schwede inside the lane and he laid it in for two.

Clinging to a one-point lead late, Kelly jump cut into the lane for two, giving the Panthers a 55-52 lead, which was enough. 

“He’s a tenacious player for sure,” said W-H head coach Bob Rodgers of Kelly. “He really gets after it. He’s a tremendous defender and a great leader on the floor. He had some big buckets for us down the stretch.”

With the help of six points in the first quarter from sophomore Cole LeVangie (team-high 16 points), the Panthers jumped out to a 18-10 lead after one. 

The Lakers proceeded to outscore W-H, 18-8, in the following quarter to claim a 28-26 halftime edge. 

Kelly sparked the Panthers out of halftime, motoring to the hoop for two, while picking up a foul in the process. His free throw put the Panthers up, 29-28. 

Stevie Kelly

Later in the frame, Kelly drove into the lane and kicked it out to a wide-open Ben Rice on the right side, who drained a three, giving the Panthers a 37-35 lead. 

“It helps (me) with all the shooters we have,” Kelly said. “They work really hard in the offseason.”

The Panthers will visit Hanover next Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. 

“We just got to get tougher around the hoop and play harder,” Kelly said. 

Boys’, girls’ hoop fly high in Week 5

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Looking back on Week 5.

In their only games of the week, the boys’ and girls’ basketball teams took care of business.

Boys’ basketball (6-2) downed Duxbury, 66-55, Friday, Jan. 4. Junior Ben Rice led the way with 24 points and sophomore Cole LeVangie added 14 to pace the Panthers.

Girls’ basketball (5-2) edged Duxbury, 44-42, in a thriller Friday, Jan. 4. Senior Anna O’Neill hit the winning 3-pointer with 1:23 to go. Junior Brittany Gacicia produced a team-high 13 points to guide the Panthers to their fifth straight win.

Boys’ hockey (4-4-1) opened its week by doubling up Cohasset, 6-3, Wednesday, Jan. 2. Freshman John Ward led the offensive outburst with two goals, while sophomore Kevin Willis, junior Chris Stoddard, junior assistant captain Adam Solari and senior captain Ed Scriven all added tallies. … On Saturday, Solari and junior Calvin Cooper struck for goals in the third but the Panthers fell to Quincy, 5-2.

Girls’ hockey (0-5), despite a hat trick from junior captain Alyssa Murphy (Kingston), was nipped by Pembroke, 5-3, Saturday, Jan. 5. The Panthers drew within 4-3, but an empty-netter sealed the Titans’ win.

Boys’ indoor track (2-1) bested Hingham, 51-48, Friday, Jan. 4. The 4×200 relay team of Sean Kukauskas, Billy Martell, Nic Fernandes and Pat Bui clinched the Panthers’ win. Other wins came from Brandon Hager (mile, 4:52.08), Martell (shot put, 40-foot-7), Kyle O’Brien (600m, 1:30.20), Theo Kamperides (2-mile, 10:40.60) and Kakauskas and Jake Caterer both tied for first in the high jump with 5-foot-2 leaps.

Girls’ indoor track (0-3) fell to Hingham, 55-41, Friday, Jan. 4. Senior captain Ally Bartlett took first in the 55-meter hurdles (:09.64) and scored second in the long jump (14-foot-11 ½) and shot put (23-foot-7). Other winners included sophomores Isabelle Amado (1,000m, 3:14) and Anna Sullivan (mile, 5:58) and junior Tori Carleton (2-mile, 13:40).

Gymnastics (0-5) fell to Plymouth on Friday, Jan. 4 by a 124.45-114 score. Senior Sarah Bombardier finished with a 30.1 all-around score to lead the co-op.

Boys’ swimming/diving (2-2) fell to Hanover, 87-85, Thursday, Jan. 3.

Girls’ swimming/diving (3-1) dropped its meet to Hanover also Thursday, Jan. 3 by a 94-88 decision. Sabrina O’Connor, Madison Navicky, Niki Kamperides, Abigail Bonney, Lillian Graham and Mariella Crowley performed well in the defeat.

Wrestling (3-12) hosted its Panther Invitational and sophomore Damari Goldsmith-Greene placed third at 138 pounds.

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

Catching up with … W-H alum Samantha Coletti

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Samantha Coletti leads the pack. / Courtesy photo

Coletti outlines what a normal day for her is like and more.

Time’s flying for Samantha Coletti at Army West Point.

The Express chatted with Coletti, a three-season runner for the Black Knights, about her experiences thus far and to find out where she hopes to end up.

Q: How would you describe your college experience in general thus far?

A: “It was challenging from the start and it continues to challenge me daily. I am just now learning how to deal with it better.” 

 

Q: For those who don’t know, what makes West Point unique?

A: “Traditions. There are so many traditions that are so unique and special to anyone who graduates the Academy. The comradery of the Corps is also a very unique thing. Everyone here is so willing to help each other out through the struggles.”

 

Q: Why West Point? What made this the right fit for you?

A: “I chose West Point because I wanted to be challenged mentally and physically. More importantly I wanted to serve and become a better leader that people want to follow.”

Q: What’s a normal day like for you?

A: “Normally, I wake up at 5 a.m. and go to a morning track practice (lifting), then we have formation at 6:50, followed by classes beginning at 7:30 and ending at 3:15 (lunch formation at 11:50). From there, I go straight to practice and train. After practice I would usually go straight to dinner and back to my room to do my homework. Of course some days include other activities and plans, but this is an outline of a typical day at West Point.”

 

Q: How do you balance being an athlete and student?

A: “I have to stay focused and get on a daily schedule. Usually I plan out my entire day by the hour to make sure I can get everything done.”

 

Q: What’s been the best advice you’ve received about being a student-athlete and who did it come from?

A: “My coach always tells us to focus on what you’re doing at the moment. When you’re at track practice, you’re not thinking about school and when you’re at school do your best to focus on what needs to get done.”

Q: What’s been your greatest accomplishment as an athlete so far? When did it come?

A: “My greatest accomplishment so far as an athlete was breaking the star meet (Army vs Navy) record last outdoor season at Navy in the 1000.”

 

Q: What’s been your greatest accomplishment off the field so far? When did it come?

A: “My greatest accomplishment off the track so far has been affirming in August of last year. I have committed myself to five years active duty after graduation and three more in the reserves.”

 

Q: What are your goals the rest of the way?

A: “My goals are to ultimately meet the world class athlete standards before graduation so I could be a part of the world class athlete program and run for the Army after graduation. My other main goals are to stay focused, continue running without injury, and to graduate and lead soldiers.”

O’Neill sends girls’ basketball past Duxbury, to fifth straight win

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Anna O’Neill hits the winner as the Panthers knock off Duxbury, 44-42.

It was a moment in the making. 

Anna O’Neill’s name has not been called on much this season. In fact, she didn’t play at all in the two victories posted by the Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ basketball team at the Hoosac Valley Tournament.

But O’Neill got her opportunity Friday, and she made the most of it. 

With 1:32 remaining, the senior guard rose up and drained a 3-pointer from the left side of the arc to send the Panthers past Patriot League Keenan Division rival Duxbury and to their fifth straight win. 

“I knew she was going to get hot for us and she came up clutch for us,” said W-H head coach Jenna Olem. 

Said O’Neil: “Coach kept telling me to work and work at practice and she gave me a shot and I hit it. It’s really exciting.” 

After a pair of Dragons misses from the charity stripe, senior Meg Henaghan sealed the win with an offensive rebound.

W-H (5-2) trailed by as much as eight in the second quarter but cut its deficit to 25-23 at the half behind the scrappy play of junior Brittany Gacicia (eight points in first half). 

“We knew it was going to be intense,” said W-H head coach Jenna Olem. “We got off to a slow start but they played really hard and there was just a lot of hustle plays at the end to keep us alive.”  

The Panthers gained a 33-31 edge heading into the fourth on a late 3-pointer by senior captain Kathryn Dunn.

The Dragons (3-4) received a double-double from senior Sam Brennan (10 points, 14 rebounds) and 21 points from senior Teagan Curran. 

Olem noted she was impressed by the play of senior Leah Badger and junior Hannah Damon.

The Panthers host Pembroke Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. 

“They’re finally finding what their strengths are and understanding what their roles are,” said Olem.

Keeping score in Week 4: Panthers claim pair of tournament titles

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Top photo by: Paul Scarpelli and bottom photo by: Sue Moss

A look back on Week 4.

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High sports teams triumphed to a pair of tournament titles – one on the court and one on the ice – in a victory-filled Week 4.

Boys’ hockey (3-3-1) defeated Cashman Tournament host Rockland, 3-0, in the first round Wednesday, Dec. 26. Junior Ed Collins sparked the offense with two goals and senior assistant captain Adam Solari had the other. Sophomore Bobby Siders earned the shutout in net. … On Saturday, the Panthers topped Southeastern/West Bridgewater/Bristol-Plymouth, 3-2, to take home their first Cashman Tournament title. Goals came from freshman John Ward, junior Chris Stoddard and senior assistant captain Owen Manning, and Siders collected the win in net.

Boys’ basketball (5-2) collected two wins in its annual trip to Florida. After kicking off the Haines City Tournament with a 68-60 loss to Colonial High School (Fla.) on Thursday, Dec. 27, the Panthers rebounded for back-to-back wins. … On Friday, Bob Rodgers’ club, keyed by 26 points from junior Ben Rice, shot its way to an 84-75 victory over Archbishop McCarthy (Fla.). Senior captain Joey Depina and junior John Zeidan dumped in 12 points apiece in the victory. … Before staying for a few more days to soak up the sun, the Panthers capped their tournament schedule with a 63-57 win over Viera High (Fla.) on Saturday. Rice led the way with 13 points, totaling 53 over the three games en route to being named to the all-tournament team.

Girls’ basketball (4-2), competing in the Hoosac Valley Holiday Tournament, rallied back from a double-digit deficit to knock off host Hoosac Valley, 51-46, in overtime Friday, Dec. 28. Senior captain Kathryn Dunn sparked the first-round win with 15 points, including a late 3-pointer to force the extra frame. Junior Liv Martin also had 15 points, 12 of which came from the 3-ball, in the win. … On Saturday, Dunn (tournament MVP) was at it again, netting a game-high 18 points, including the winning trey, as Jenna Olem’s club claimed the tournament title with a 42-38 win over Greenfield.

Girls’ hockey (0-4), despite an offensive outburst, dropped a close one to Marshfield, 7-6, Thursday, Dec. 27. Junior captain Alyssa Murphy (three goals), sophomore Ellie Grady (two goals) and freshman Lily Ulvila (one goal), all of whom go to Silver Lake, sparked the offense. … On Saturday, the co-op lost to Archbishop Williams, 8-1. Freshman Abby Powers (Kingston) had the goal.

Big senior season lands Martell at Mass. Maritime

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Billy Martell / Photo by: Sue Moss

Billy Martell is headed to Mass. Maritime.

When he met with Whitman-Hanson Regional High head football coach Mike Driscoll to discuss his junior campaign, Billy Martell was told something he’d work tirelessly over the next year to make a reality.

“Coach Driscoll said, ‘You’re one of a few kids who has the talent to play in college,’’’ recalled Martell.

After an offseason consisting of many grunts, followed by a Patriot League All-Star season, Martell has committed to play football at Massachusetts Maritime Academy.

“Mass. Maritime is getting a great young man and someone who can play football at a pretty high level,” Driscoll said. “He will do big things for Maritime.”

Martell, who said he’s looking into studying emergency management, has had his eyes on attending the Buzzards Bay-based college since August.

“I was thinking about my future and their employment rate is almost 100 percent,” Martell said. “I didn’t want to go too far, and I didn’t want to go on a huge campus.”

After converting to wide receiver as a sophomore, Martell transitioned back to running back this season and flourished, taking 73 carries for 518 yards and three touchdowns. His 7.1 yards per carry led the team.

Martell had his best outing against Bridgewater-Raynham, gashing the Trojans’ defense for 104 yards and a score.

On defense Martell, a two-year starting safety, posted 52 tackles and a team-leading three interceptions.

“I just wanted to show everyone who I am this season,” Martell said.

Martell said it was a rewarding season for him.

“At the end of last season we were in the weight room right away,” Martell said. “I worked much harder this offseason than I ever have. We did our offseason lift and we got a strength coach which helped us a lot and then we had passing leagues.”

Driscoll constantly lauded Martell’s speed throughout the season, calling him “the fastest player on the team.” Whether it was at running back or tracking down the ball carrier, Martell was instrumental in the Panthers’ success.

“He’s very dynamic in the backfield but his defense was really, really impressive at safety,” Driscoll said. “You didn’t have to worry about too much with him in the back.”

Mass. Maritime, which competes in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference of NCAA Division III, finished 2-8 last season.

“I’m looking to work on my speed and improve my footwork,” Martell said.

Season Preview: Gymnastics team goes co-op, works with new coach

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Sarah O’Shaughnessy takes the helm of the gymnasitcs team.

There are alot of changes with the gymnastics team this season at Whitman-Hanson Regional High School.

The first is the program is now a co-op with Middleboro, expanding on the two schools’ relationship that includes boys’ and girls’ swimming/diving teams.

Secondly, Sarah O’Shaughnessy is the new voice of the club, taking over for Rachel Cohen-Sferuzza, last season’s Patriot League Coach of the Year. O’Shaughnessy has an extensive gymnastics background and has been coaching since the age 14.

“My coach at Massachusetts Gymnastics [Center] asked me if I wanted to start coaching,” O’Shaughnessy expanded. “So, I was there for about seven years and I coached recreational and the bronze, silver and gold team.”

After residing in Florida for the past couple of years, O’Shaughnessy returned to Massachusetts in August.

“Someone reached out to the director of mygym, Tammy, and asked her if she would be interested and since she coaches Notre Dame [Academy of Hingham], she was like, ‘I think you should do it,’” O’Shaughnessy said.

The Panthers, who finished 9-4 last season with the help of regional qualifier Britney Blackstone, are led by senior captain Erin McCoy.

“You can tell she is a leader,” O’Shaughnessy said. “She’s very positive. She’s always there and very welcoming to Middleboro girls and she’s a very good person for the team.”

With teamwork key in gymnastics, O’Shaughnessy said she’s aiming to create it between the two schools. Six of the team’s girls come from W-H, while the other four come from Middleboro.

“It’s honestly about making it so the two teams are comfortable and knowing who their teammates are and everything and just have a good time, get to know each other,” O’Shaughnessy said.

O’Shaughnessy said she’s still trying to figure out where the team is strength-wise.

“They’re working together and there haven’t been any negative things, so,” O’Shaughnessy said.

Other players from W-H include captain Joelle Puopolo, Kate Pihl, Adrianna Caperello and Madison Scaccia.

The Panthers return to action Jan. 4 at 6:30 p.m. at Massachusetts Gymnastics Center in Pembroke for a league meet. 

“I’m more trying to get them to come together,” O’Shaughnessy said. “I know they didn’t think they were going to have a team at all, so I’m more trying to get them to come together.”

Leahy heads into break on high note for UMass Dartmouth

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Sean Leahy. / Courtesy photo

Former W-H basketball standout Sean Leahy is starting to find his rhythm for UMass Dartmouth.

Sean Leahy couldn’t have scripted a better way to head into the winter break.

In UMass Dartmouth men’s basketball’s final game of the semester, the 6-foot-5, 180-pound freshman forward from Hanson got his second start and erupted for a career-high 17 points in a 90-75 victory over Tufts on Dec. 10.

“He shot the ball well from the perimeter,” UMass Dartmouth head coach Brian Baptiste said.

Leahy connected on five of seven field goals, which included an 80-percent showing (four of five) from beyond the arc. The outing earned him Little East Conference Rookie of the Week honors in men’s basketball.

“It definitely feels good,” Leahy said. “That was a big win as a team and a big win over Tufts, so as a team it felt great and hopefully it will give us some momentum in the second half of the season.”

It’s been a work in progress this winter for Leahy, who’s battling back from two broken wrists. In the Corsairs’ first six games, Leahy averaged just 13 minutes per game, but over their last four outings he’s averaged 31.5 minutes per contest, including back-to-back starts.

“He’s been slowly coming along because of his injuries, and when he comes into the game he’s increased his minutes as the season’s gone on,” Baptiste explained. “He’s just playing better and better as the season moves forward.”

Leahy, a nursing major and the 2017-18 Patriot League Keenan Division MVP, said the adjustment to the college game has been a battle, for sure.

“Everyone up here is a little bit quicker, a little bit stronger, but definitely I now have to think about how I play defense, how you slide,” Leahy said. “It doesn’t come as easy as in high school.”

However, he’s using a few lessons learned at the high school level in his adjustment.

“I would definitely say paying attention to the little details and how you approach drills and how you play,” said Leahy of the lessons learned in high school he’s carried over into the collegiate rank. “And then probably how you play the game and not cutting corners.”

Baptiste said Leahy’s top asset is his understanding of the game.

“He makes smart decisions,” Baptiste said. “He’s added a great deal to the team. He’s got a lot of versatility. He’s a big man, he can shoot from the perimeter, he can handle the ball like a guard, he passes well, he rebounds well, he’s got a big upside.”

Leahy said he’s going to spend a majority of his break in the gym before the 7-4 Corsairs resume play Jan. 3 against Becker.

“I’m looking to get a little stronger so I can hang in the paint with those bigger guys, but that’ll take time,” he said.

Baptiste said he’s looking forward to what the next three and a half years will bring for Leahy.

“I expect him to be an outstanding player for us,” said the coach.

Season Preview: Girls’ indoor track faces a deep Patriot League

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The Panthers will be led by captains Ally Bartlett and Samantha Perkins.

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ indoor track team is aiming to stay afloat as it works its way down a grueling schedule.

“Ideally, we would like to win several meets in what has become a very deep and talented Patriot League,” said fifth-year head coach Steve George, whose team went 1-3-1 last winter. “But realistically, we have eight to 10 girls who are very athletic and have the experience needed to be successful this season.”

With their multi-event experience and success, seniors Ally Bartlett (captain) and Dorothy DiMascio-Donohue and junior Samantha Perkins (captain) will boost the club.

“All three girls can long jump, high jump, throw the shot put, run the hurdles and dash events and can run mid-distance events if called upon,” George explained.

George said he is also counting on junior Courtney Woodward, sophomore Hailey Minicucci and freshman Skylar Jordan to fill similar roles of competing in multiple events.

“Courtney moves back from distance/mid-distance where she was good, to faster events at which she is very good,” George said. “Hailey is a speedster and Skylar is a diamond in the rough and will improve dramatically through the season.”

In the mid-distance and distance events, the Panthers will be led by the cross country team’s top runner, junior Tori Boss, and senior Maeve McDonough. Sophomores Izzy Amado and Anna Sullivan are also valuable pieces due to their versatility.

“[I] feel certain that we will be very competitive in the 600, 1,000, mile and 2-mile each week,” George said. “I’m also confident with our 300 runners.”

It’s the sprinting, hurdles and relays that have been a focal point on improvement for George. The Panthers added former standout, Samantha Richner to their staff to build up the group.

“Bringing on coach Richner addresses the areas of sprints, hurdles and field events and we are hoping to see improvement in those areas,” George said. “Putting together our relay teams (4×400 and 4×200) is a priority as is getting them in sync with each other. Obviously handoffs are crucial in those events and we are working with all the potential relay runners to find a good fit.”

George said a few freshmen have caught his attention early on, but most namely Emily Hanrahan.

“Emily looks like a terrific shot putter,” the coach said. “[That’s] something we have been looking for since I arrived five year sago.”

The Panthers are back in action Friday, Dec. 21 at 4:30 p.m. against Hingham at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center in Roxbury.

“With a relatively small team of 35, we necessarily move kids to different events every meet,” George said. “Almost everybody with experience has had to participate in various events already and they are ready to do whatever it’s best for the team.”

Season Preview: Boys’ indoor track has some big shoes to fill

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Returner Billy Martell last season. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The boys’ indoor track looks to build over the season.

Head coach Mike Driscoll’s expectation of his Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ track team is for it to show constant improvement.

The Panthers, who finished the year 2-3 last winter, have some large voids to fill with the graduation of all four of their Div. 3 All-State qualifiers in Brian Edwards, Brett Holmes, Andrew Newman and Jack Ryan.

“Those holes are big with those guys, and they create some problems in our lineup, but there will be kids stepping into their roles,” said the team’s sixth-year head coach. “I don’t know if they can say they’re going to step into Jack Ryan’s shoes or a Brett Holmes’ shoes or Andrew Newman’s shoes, but we certainly have kids who are ready.”

W-H does return its fair share of talent. Senior captain Billy Martell emerged last season as one of its top sprinters and relay runners. This season, he’ll throw the shot put in addition to running the 55-meter dash, 300-meter dash, long jumping and running a leg of a relay.

“He’s just a fast kid,” Driscoll said. “He can throw the shot put up to 40 feet. He fills a lot of holes on a track team.”

Martell, along with fellow senior captain Dan Kline, classmate Brandon O’Brien and junior Kyle O’Brien, are at the center of the Panthers’ strength – their sprinting.

“We feel like the sprinting group is our top group,” Driscoll said. “We have some really good distance runners, too.”

The distance runners are led by a bevy of cross country runners from the fall.

Senior captain Shane Schraut, a boys’ cross county captain, will run distance and relay in addition to hurdling as well.

“He’s a great leader and a passionate kid about track,” Driscoll said. “He’s very dynamic. He can cover a lot of ground in a lot of events. He can go from the 600 down all the way down to the 55 dash.”

Other cross country runners in the fall bolstering the Panthers in the distance events will be junior Brandon Hager and sophomores Liam Cafferty, Theo Kamperides and Chris MacDonald.

Kline will also throw shot put, and chip in running a relay and hurdle.

“Dan is one of the best hurdlers in the league,” Driscoll said. “He’s a very hardworking kid.”

Junior Pat Bui fills gaps in the 55-meter dash, 300-meter dash and shot put.

The Panthers are back in action Friday, Dec. 21 at 4:30 p.m. against Hingham at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center in Roxbury.

“We’ll see where we matchup with Hingham,” Driscoll said. “We still might have enough depth to win a league championship but we’ll compete.”