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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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).

Season Preview: Improvement key for girls’ cross country

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The Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ cross country team is searching for improvement.

Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ cross country coach Steve George wants to see improvement from his team this fall.

“Not necessarily with respect to their win-loss record as we still have three outstanding opponents in Marshfield, Hingham and Silver Lake who all return some really phenomenal runners,” said George, whose club finished 2-3 last season. “But from an individual standpoint, I’m looking for big things from our captains Myah Kamperides, Anna Flynn and Sarah Boulger. Each is talented and has worked very hard over the summer preparing for the upcoming season. We had a good freshman class last year and with another year of experience and after a good summer of training, they too will make an impact this season.”

Kamperides legged out two first-place finishes, a second and a third last season to earn league all-star status for the second straight fall.

“Myah is one of the more dedicated and enthusiastic runners I’ve ever had the opportunity to coach,” George said. “She also follows our training plan to perfection. Well almost. On a [run last month], she was asked to run an out and back on the Rockland Rail Trail/Hanover Branch Rail Trail, 5.3 miles. When she returned to the starting point she continued running. ‘In order to get to an even six miles,’ she said. Myah loves being a runner. I expect she’ll be doing this for another 50 years or so.”

Flynn had top-five finishes in wins over Duxbury and Plymouth North last season, while Boulger was a few spots behind her in that Plymouth North win. Both will be key this season.

The girls open the season Thursday, Sept. 9 at 4 p.m. at home against North Quincy/Quincy.

“I’m really looking forward to see the results in Week 1,” George said. “Not just the final score, but even more so how our girls finish. Where they stand, relatively speaking, right now. Can somebody step up and challenge Myah? Will Sarah challenge Anna? How about Erin (Kelly) and McKenna (McCarthy) in their first year of cross country? Who else has made a big jump in competition? I honestly don’t know what to expect, but I can’t wait to find out.”

Season Preview: Boys’ cross country a ‘confident’ bunch

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The Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ cross country team, the defending Patriot League Keenan Division champion, is brimming with confidence heading into the new season.

After running the table last season en route to the Patriot League Keenan Division title, the Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ cross country team is a confident bunch.

“Last year, we went into the season thinking we could win each time out,” said head coach Steve George, who enters his eighth season leading the Panthers. “I think this year that mindset has carried forward. They are putting in the same effort and taking the same approach as last year’s team.”

The faces have changed. League MVP Theo Kamperides has graduated, as have league all-stars Liam Cafferty and Chris MacDonald.

But the Panthers do return some talent in the likes of senior captains and 2020 league all-stars Gordon Johnson and Nathan Tassey.

“Both [were] top-five runners last year [and] are really inspiring their teammates,” George said. “They got a taste of success last year and are out to prove it was no fluke.”

The sophomore class also has George really excited.

“Logan Bourgelas, Gavin McCarthy and Shane Johnson, all top-seven runners a year ago, are back,” he said. “And we’ve added Alex Kehayias and Ryan Crowley, both of whom have considerable potential. While others returning from last year’s team, Connor McCarthy, Adam Vinton and Andrew Buckley have shown dramatic improvement already. All told, we have 16 boys from the Class of 2024 who will impact our program over the next three years. That’s exciting.”

George said juniors Jonathan Young, James Molito and newcomers, Nathan Scaccia and Shaine Mwicigi should also make an impact.

W-H opens the season Thursday, Sept. 9 at 4 p.m. when it hosts North Quincy/Quincy.

“I’ve always said the most important tool in distance running is in each team member establishing and working toward individual or personal goals while being fully supported by his teammates,” George said. “If every runner does that, everything else will fall into place.”

Checking in with W-H AD Bob Rodgers

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Following a year like we’ve never seen before, sports are back to normal — for the most part — at Whitman-Hanson Regional High.

The Express caught up with W-H athletic director Bob Rodgers for a preview of the 2021-22 year.

Q: What gets you most excited for a new year of athletics?

A: “It’s always exciting to come back in the fall and have this sense of renewal. Everyone has a chance to begin with a clean slate and soon we learn how hard the kids worked over the summer.”

Q: What’s your favorite part of the school year and why?

A: “The return to school is always my favorite time of year as we see our seniors take on a new leadership role in the school and the freshmen joining the Panther family.”

Q: How do you feel playing a sport benefits students?

A: “There are so many aspects to what sports can do for young people. They learn many life lessons and develop important characteristics such as dedication, discipline, resiliency, loyalty just to name a few. But I think it is the relationships that matter most. In many cases, kids are making friendships that will last a lifetime.”

Q: What are the highs and lows of being an AD?

A: “The best part is seeing kids grow from that young freshmen to that confident senior. It is a privilege to play a small role in that. The low point comes when people hold coaches and officials to a standard that no one can live up to. None of us, in any walk of life, can be perfect. It takes the joy out of the experience when this happens.”

Q: For those who don’t know, what goes into the role of an AD?  How much time do you have? 

A: “Being an AD encompasses so many different elements. From hiring, mentoring and supervising coaches to scheduling games, dealing with the financial challenges, building culture, training student leaders and administering all of the rules from the state and the league there really is very little time to take a breath.”

Q: When you look back on last year, what moment(s) stick out? 

A: “Two things come to mind immediately. The first is just how great it was to see kids back competing after losing that chance due to COVID the previous spring. We all had a renewed appreciation for what we have. The other was seeing the boys’ cross-country team go undefeated. Coach [Steve] George is such an amazing man and a terrific coach who is so deeply committed to our kids. Seeing them win it will be a highlight that will stick with me for a long time.”

Q: Have there been any improvements in athletics for this upcoming year?

A: “We continue to be a beta testing school for HUDL. All of our teams have access to this video system but now out at the fields we have HUDL focus and sideline which will give our coaches an automated way to record games.”

Q: Are there any changes in W-H athletics this season from coaches to schedule release? 

A: “We do have some new coaches this fall. Tony Reis replaces Dave Leahy as boys’ soccer head coach. Dave had to step away due to his work commitments. Zack Botelho is our new football coach taking over for Mike Driscoll, who retired to spend more time with his family. 

“One of the other major changes this school year deals with the MIAA. They have changed to a new website and scheduling system. The old app and website will not longer be the place to find schedules and information. Now people will want to download the arbiter sports app. A link to the schedule and calendar can be found at www.whathletics.com.”

Q: Are there any teams at W-H that you have your eye on to make a deep postseason run or perhaps surprise some people?

A: “Wow, that is such a tough question because the kids in so many sports have been working so hard. We are lucky that our teams compete at such a high level and sometimes we get a little spoiled. I know this, any W-H sporting event will be a fantastic event for Whitman and Hanson families to attend.”

Q: Are there any dates that fans of W-H athletics should mark down on their calendars for any reason?

A: “Maybe Christmas? It may be the only day of the year where there isn’t some W-H athletic practice or game taking place.”

Q: What are you hoping to see as the year gets underway?

A: “I want to see kids smiling, having fun and showing great sportsmanship.”