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W-H football’s O’Brien is a rarity

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O’Brien nails one through the uprights in the Panthers’ tournament game against Stoughton last season. / Photo by: Sue Moss

Senior kicker Jake O’Brien is near automtic for the Panthers.

Jake O’Brien is a rare find among high school football players in the state.

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High senior’s primary role is kicker, and just kicker.

Last season — his second as the starter — O’Brien knocked in 18 of 19 extra points and was three for three on field goals, which included a long of 39 yards. His near-perfect campaign had him drawing high praise from his head coach Mike Driscoll.

“In my opinion, he’s one of the top five kickers in the state,” Driscoll said.

It’s not O’Brien’s point-scoring ability that’s his biggest asset to the Panthers, but rather when he takes the pressure off his fellow special teamers.

“Some of the bigger ones to me were some of the times he could kick it out of the end zone on a kickoff and not worry about the return,”Driscoll explained.

Driscoll said a key to O’Brien’s success is that he understands his role on the team. Besides spilling the starter occasionally at safety, all O’Brien does is kick.

“He knows he’s not going to play offense for us, so during offense he’s out there [and] he’s kicking — either up on the grass field working on his kickoffs or he’s working on one end on his field goals,” Driscoll explained.

And, when he’s up on the grass field, Driscoll must make sure he keeps a close eye on him.

“We have to limit him on his kicks because he would kick 100 a day [and] you don’t need that,” Driscoll said jokingly.

PITCHING IN

Ironically, O’Brien’s knack for kicking doesn’t even stem from the gridiron, rather the pitch.

“I played soccer for a while when I was younger and then [in] eighth grade all my friends were playing football, so I decided ‘Why not switch over?’” O’Brien said. “Then, from eighth grade I just started kicking in youth because I played soccer and then it’s just been natural for me, I guess.”

As a ninth grader, O’Brien was the freshman team’s starting kicker, but his leg was essentially neutralized because the Panthers would shy away from the point after. However, he got his chance in the last game of the season.

“We played Abington before Thanksgiving and they let me kick a field goal and that was my first field goal in a game ever and I was pretty nervous, but I did hit it; I think it was from 15 yards,” O’Brien said with a laugh.

Over the following months, O’Brien set his sights on the starting varsity kicker position and nabbed it as as sophomore.

“I knew that our kicker was graduating next year, so in that offseason I did work a lot,” he explained. “I worked a lot all summer. I made sure that I definitely had a chance to get that spot and it paid off for me in the end.”

O’Brien connected on 23 extra points and a pair of field goals that sophomore season.

“To have a kicker is huge because most kids don’t work at that skill anymore and I think Jake is unique,” Driscoll said.

To prepare for his final go-around, O’Brien used the offseason to kick — of course.

“I went to one camp at the beginning of the summer with Kicking World and that was in Braintree and that was more of an instructional camp,” O’Brien explained. “They kind of taught me a little more of the basics, likewhat I didn’t know already. From there, I went to another camp called Clutch Kicks and that was more of, not really competitive, but it was kind of like you already know what you’re doing. They definitely helped me out a lot.”

Driscoll said he has no reason not to believe O’Brien’s going to have another strong campaign this fall.

“Jake is a big, big, big part of our team,” Driscoll said. “I’ve never had a kid who you feel confident trotting him out there from 40, 45. He’s working hard try to get less air time on it and put something into it. I think that he is going to be a huge factor for us to besuccessful this season.”

Season Preview: Young Panthers girls’ soccer team is ready to go

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The girls’ soccer team during a scrimmage against Mansfield Aug. 25. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ soccer team will be led by a trio of senior captains, who will have a young core around them.

Another season, another clean slate for the Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ soccer team.

The program, which has not had a losing campaign since 1999, also hasn’t fallen short of the sectional semifinals — which occurred last fall — in the past four seasons.

In 2014, the Panthers made it to the state title game, in 2015 they made the sectional title game and their 2016 season ended with a loss in the state semifinals.

“I’m pretty fortunate that we get some really talented players that come through and I think we as a coaching staff are smart enough not to get in their way,” head coach David Floeck said. “I think we’ve been blessed that the program has established itself so younger kids in the fourth, fifth, six grade, who want to be a part of the program, are already working towards that and working their skills to get here.

“And so, year after year we graduate great players and then in comes some other great players and that’s how we’ve been able to have success.”

Coming into this fall Floeck’s club, which went 17-2-2 last season, has some major losses with the graduation of past captains and four-year starters — defender Elana Wood and midfielder/forward Eve Montgomery.

“They’d played in everything from a state championship game to right on down so they were able to share that with everybody, so it’s a big void but we have a couple other seniors returning that have a lot of experience and we’re looking forward to their leadership as well,” Floeck said.

Defender Betty Blake and midfielders Katie Korzec and Taylor Kofton (2016 All-American) were also cornerstone pieces who have graduated as well.

2017 All-American Lauren Bonavita and her 43 goals last season and school-record 113 leaves the toughest hole to plug, and Floeck isn’t even going to try to do that.

“It was a one-man wrecking crew,” the 23rd-year head coach said of Bonavita. “It’s a huge void, but we’re not trying to fill that because that would be huge mistake on our part to put that kind of pressure on anybody, so we’re trying to look at doing it differently, but certainly when you have a player of that type of talent, it’s always a big loss.”

Floeck said he believes his team’s balance and depth are its two main strengths.

“We have people who can play multiple positions,” he said. “We have quite a bit of pace, we’re a pretty quick team, but we’re young so there’s going to be some growing pains along with that but it’s nice because they don’t know what they don’t know yet so it gives us a great opportunity to teach.”

The most notable multi-faceted Panther is Boston College-bound senior Sammy Smith.

Smith, who was voted a Patriot League All-Star, first-team EMass and all-state as a defender last season, can also play up the field and play it well.

“We’re still playing around with that depending on how some other things go, but she’ll probably play a little bit of both (positions),” Floeck explained. “She’s phenomenal.”

Smith will also captain the Panthers alongside classmates — defender Olivia Johnson and goalkeeper Skylar Kuzmich.

This will be Kuzmich’s fourth year in W-H’s net.

“[We want to] get as far as we can in the tournament,” Kuzmich said. “We’re actually going to have a really good year, I can feel it. We have a lot of good freshmen coming in.”

Other than W-H’s three senior captains, most of its experience comes from its underclassmen, such as the likes of juniors Riley Bina, Zoe Cox, Anika Floeck, Delaney Hall and Samantha Perkins as well as sophomore Alexis Billings.

However, despite the youth, Kuzmich, a Hofstra University commit, still has high expectations.

“I think we’re going to do really well and get really far this year,” she said.

W-H opens the season on the road Wednesday, Sept. 5 at 5:15 p.m. against Notre Dame Academy of Hingham.

“Right now, in all honesty, and I don’t want to sound clicheish, but because we’re so young, we want to be better today than we were yesterday,” Floeck said.

Season Preview: Leahy, W-H boys’ soccer team positive and optimistic

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The Pathers’ during their Aug. 25 scrimmage against Bridgewater-Raynham. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ soccer team is rallying around positivity.

As he enters his second season at the helm of the Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ soccer team, Dave Leahy is preaching the same message to his players as when he first got there.

“Last year it was to be positive and I think every single year, the goal is to be positive and make each player try to bring out the best in each other,” Leahy said.

His reasoning is straightforward.

“I think negativity gets the opposite (of success), so positivity helps people feel like they can do their best,” Leahy explained.

Leahy’s logic seemed to have played at least a part in the Panthers’ success last season, of course with player production accounting for a big chunk. W-H finished with 11 wins (10 more than the previous season), cracked the postseason for the first time since 2014 and even won a game (2-1 over Catholic Memorial) in them.

“Well, we were the first team to make playoffs in a while so it proves that we can get there,” current junior captain Stevie Kelly said.

Positivity doesn’t just translate into wins, but also acts as a way to pull the Panthers closer, especially at the outset of this fall. In addition to graduating a skilled crop of seniors — headlined by former captains Anthony Pasciuto (goalie and Patriot League All-Star), Kyle Nehiley (forward and Patriot League All-Star) and Cameron Rogers (defender) — W-H had a trio of unexpected departures that tested its program.

“We had a few really talented players [leave us],” Leahy explained. “We had an injury, and a private school and then going to another public school, and that happened in the last two weeks.

“But what happened was the team kind of just came together instead of separating and kids realized there was opportunity where maybe there wasn’t as much before.”

The Panthers may have had a few talented players exit for a variety of reasons, but they return a solid core.

Kelly provides a steady presence in many facets of the game at centre-back.

“Last year he was all hustle and just won balls for us,” Leahy said of his captain. “This year he’s our field general and he’s the intelligent guy leading our defense. The maturity, and the leadership and growth is just great to see.”

Senior Matt Hickey and juniors Kyle O’Connor and Cezar Zurita return in front of the net as well.

“I think our strength right now would probably be our defense and possessing,” Kelly said.

Along with Kelly, junior Jason Brodeur will also captain the Panthers. The junior midfielder was their leading goal scorer last fall with nine.

“He’s a talented kid,” Leahy explained. “Everything he has for weaknesses he made sure that he worked on in the offseason. He wants to be as good as he can so he doesn’t just work on his strengths, he works on his weaknesses.”

Senior Nolan Clack (two goals and four assists in ’17) and sophomore Brendan Nehiley (seven goals and five assists) also both provide some playmaking ability and experience in the middle.

The goalkeeper position is still up for grabs between senior Griffin Nickerson and junior Andrew Sullivan.

“Right now, we have two strong contenders,” Leahy said. “It could be that they split time, who knows?”

The Panthers open their season Saturday, Sept. 8 at 6 p.m. with a home game against Cohasset.

“I think that we can play good, successful soccer,” Leahy said. “I’m not sure what the overall record will be at the end of the year, but we’ll play some good brand of soccer and we’ll play good defense and we’ll play together.”

Season Preview: Panthers football team preps for a new season

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The Panthers practice on Tuesday, Aug. 21. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High football team returns eight starters on both sides of the ball and boasts a senior class of 19 as it prepares for a pivotal season.

Seven days after the 2017 campaign concluded, upperclassmen on the Whitman-Hanson Regional High football team began rallying their teammates to get into the weight room. Preparations for this fall were already underway.

The Panthers were coming off their third straight 7-4 campaign, which included a first-round playoff exit. But unlike the previous two, it was capped by a disappointing 23-12 loss to their longtime Turkey Day rivals, which left a sour taste in their mouths heading into the offseason.

“Same 7-4 season back-to-back years and back-to-back first-round playoff losses, just lost to an Abington team on Thanksgiving,” said senior captain Mike Connors, who’s been on the team since he was a sophomore. “It’s obviously not the best way to end the season, so yeah, we have a lot of momentum going into the season.”

The winter, spring and summer months were certainly long, and consisted of visits from many high-profile colleges, workouts with Marines and strength and conditioning with a current Springfield College linebacker.

While eighth-year head coach Mike Driscoll acknowledged dropping that last game motivated his players in the offseason, thus making them better, it’s time to turn the page.

“We told the kids in our first meeting that that’s a totally different team,” Driscoll explained. “It’s a new team so you can’t really reflect back.”

It’s not much of a new team personnel-wise as the Panthers are down just four starters from a season ago. In terms of experience, it’s like night and day compared to last fall for Driscoll, who returns eight starters on both sides of the ball.

“Each year you get bigger and stronger and more knowledgeable, so you kind of hit the ground running, where in the past we’d always be implementing new people,” Driscoll said. “It’s like you never left the field, but yet it is a new year with new expectations and new beginnings for them.”

The slew of returnees, many of whom have been starting since they were a sophomore, have the Panthers, who finished 3-2 in the Patriot League last fall, garnering a lot of attention from around the state. However, it’s just like any new season to Driscoll.

“I don’t want to put any pressure on the kids,” Driscoll explained. “To us, it’s been Day 1 and Day 2 like any other time, so we treat it that way as a staff. If we are looking at it like pressures and expectations we’re probably leading us down the wrong path.”

Not only does W-H return an experienced group of starters, but it will carry a senior class of 19, which puts even more of an emphasis on winning.

“This senior year is something huge for us,” Connors said. “It’s our last year together, we expect to go far.”

GETTING DEFENSIVE

While Connors is a key senior captain, he’s more pivotal at middle linebacker, where he led the team with 104 tackles last season.

“He’s a difference maker in the middle for us,” Driscoll said. “He’s the big, strong football player.”

Starting in front of Connors on the defensive side of the ball at the defensive end is returning starter and fellow senior captain Quinn Sweeney, who totaled a team-high 16 tackles for loss last season and six sacks. Driscoll coined Sweeney as the ‘energy guy.’

“He loves football,” Driscoll said. “He lives for this stuff and he’s going to have an amazing season, I just see it already. He’s just the type of kid who can get off the ball and he’s worked on a lot of his quickness.”

THINKING OFFENSE

Sweeney also holds down a post at tackle on offense, where he is tasked with creating time and paving holes for dual-threat quarterback and senior captain Ethan Phelps.

Phelps, who also assumed his starting role in 10th grade, garnered over 2,600 total yards and 32 touchdowns in 2017. Driscoll said he believes Phelps can be even better.

“We’re really working with him a lot to take it to the next level so he’s like another coach on the field, and that’s something he’s striving to do and he’s working on that, to be more of a general at all times,” Driscoll said. “He’s never going to be satisfied unless it’s perfect. He knows our offense, so he worked hard to get better as a passer.”

To Phelps’ advantage, he won’t have to worry about developing a rapport with his main playmakers because the Panthers return nearly all of them. Out of the backfield, Connors (80 carries for 484 yards, 3 TDs in ’17) and classmate Brendan Frawley (78 carries for 447 yards, 2 TDs) enter their third year together.

“Frawley is more of speed and [a] slasher and Mike’s more going to run you over and get tough yards,” Driscoll explained.

The W-H head coach added he wants to get senior Billy Martell, who rushed the ball just once last season, some more touches.

“Billy’s the fastest player on the team so we’re going to use all of them three now,” Driscoll said. “It’s going to be tough to defend.”

At wide receiver, Phelps welcomes back six of his seven top targets. As a unit, the returnees — led by Martell (12 receptions for 153 yards, 2 TDs) and senior captains Jacob Nixon (23 receptions for 211 yards, 3 TDs) and Rian Schwede (19 receptions for 300 yards, 2 TDs) — hauled in 74 percent of Phelps’ competitions and accounted for 73 percent of his yards in the air last fall.

“[We have] three great receivers there, three kids who can get the ball in space and make things happen and run the deep and short routes,” Driscoll said. “[They’re] a great group of kids.”

At kicker, Jake O’Brien (18 of 19 on PATs and 3 of 3 on FGs) is back for his third year as the starter.

“In my opinion, he’s one of the top five kickers in the state,” Driscoll said.

Key losses for W-H from last season are center and defensive lineman Riley Holland, wide receiver and cornerback Brett Holmes, linebacker Jack Kelly and offensive tackle Hunter Dunn.

“They were a great working group kids who set a huge tone for our team,” Driscoll said.

ATHLETICISM, EXPERIENCE

As for what is going to propel the Panthers past a 7-4 record this season, it’s tough to overlook their athleticism and experience.

“These kids worked hard over the offseason with the strength and conditioning and just overall knowledge in everything we do,” Driscoll said. “They know how to practice. They know our schemes and that’s huge from a classes aspect and for them, it makes their job easier as student-athletes. You’re not worried about studying the playbook when you already know it, so that’s a huge advantage for us.”

The Panthers open their 2018 campaign at home Sept. 7 against non-league foe Marshfield at 7 p.m.

“Our goal has always been to win the league championship and that’s what we’re striving for, that’s what we’re working towards,” Driscoll said. “So, in order to achieve that, we’re going to have to have a better record than 7-4.”

A chat with … Whitman-Hanson AD Bob Rodgers

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A question and answer with Whitman-Hanson Regional High athletic director Bob Rodgers.

This year marks Bob Rodgers’ eighth as the athletic director at Whitman-Hanson Regional High.

Last year was an exhilarating one as multiple school records were shattered, a state title was brought home on the mat and seven teams earned postseason berths.

Rodgers chatted with the Express about his position, improvements in athletics, what he’s looking forward to in 2018-19, and more.

Q: How have you seen your position as an AD change?

A: “Well, the biggest change for me has been just the increasing amount of sports that we now offer. We’re now up to 27 sports and we have a lot more opportunities for girls at Whitman-Hanson with the addition of field hockey, gymnastics and swimming. With the additional teams, managing more people, more kids and families, so I guess that’s been the biggest challenge.”

Q: What’s your favorite part about being an AD?

A: “Just being able to have a positive impact on the school experience of so many kids and recognizing the important personal growth that kids go through when they have an opportunity to be part of a team and compete. I recognize that what happens in the classroom is the main reason why kids go to school, but I do think that having that extra experience of being part of a team, dealing with adversity, understanding work ethic, it all kind of goes hand in hand for kids. And, so being an AD, it allows me to have a direct impact on so many students and a part of the education process that is, I think, so vital to a young person’s growth; the ability to play on a team, the ability to challenge themselves to recover from adversity, to feel a connection to something. I take great pride in the athletic program that we have at our school because I think it touches all those bases.”

Q: For those who don’t know, what goes into the role of an AD?

A: “The role of an athletic director is if you were to look at the job description, it would be several pages long. You are a personnel person in terms of hiring coaches. You’re a budget person because you have to deal with the financial aspect of running the program. Secretarial stuff because you have to deal with schedules and paperwork through the MIAA. You have to be a lawyer because you have to know all the rules and regulations. You have to be a psychologist because you have to deal with a lot of different personalities and you have to be a mentor, somebody who can help your coaches grow as coaches so they can serve our students. Then, it’s really everything else that comes in between. There’s a lot of public relations to it to make sure people understand what’s going on and understand the value of what we’re doing. Fundraising. It’s just a job that keeps me busy.

“When I decided to pursue this eight years ago, I realized that I didn’t know back then really what I was getting into, but it’s been rewarding and I’ve enjoyed it even though it takes a tremendous amount of time. You’re basically on the clock 24/7. There’s just always something going on.”

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

A: “Well, there were so many great moments. I think that watching our boys’ soccer team that had struggled the previous couple of years make the tournament and then win an exciting game in overtime, that first-round game that they had. To watch the great performances that the gymnastics team had. But really each sport, I could probably pick something out from each sport. Although we all love to win, [it] isn’t really the end all and be all of the athletic experience.”

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

A: “Well, the big project that we completed a year ago was the replacement of the turf field and that was the biggest, most expensive and challenging. We’re right now in the process of adding a state-of-the-art scoreboard to our athletic field which has been a big challenge. It’s very expensive, but it’s really going to make a big improvement to our school. We added scoreboards to both the baseball and softball field, which I think fans are going to really appreciate.”

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: “I don’t want to put too much pressure on them, but we’re all really excited about the football team because they’ve worked so hard. It’s really a very experienced group. I think we have over 20 seniors on the roster. We have a phenomenal quarterback and he’s a great leader. You watched the progression that it’s made over the last few years, I think that they’re poised to really do some damage.

“It’s going to be a challenge because we have a very tough schedule; we purposely did a tough schedule. The non-league schedule’s hard, we’re playing Marshfield and New Bedford to start the season — two big schools — much bigger than us. Then our league schedule is tough with both Hingham and Duxbury, but I really think we’re going to see big things from them.”

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

A: “ I think that football opener (Sept. 7) is one that’s going to be really exciting to kind of kick off the season and get everyone really excited. We’re home against Marshfield. All the schedules are available online and I’d encourage fans of Panther Nation to go out and go to all the different sporting events that we have.”

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

A: “I’m looking forward to watching them savor every moment because it goes by so fast, especially for those seniors going into their final year of high school, to get everything out of the experience that they can. I’m hoping that the whole experience will help them grow as people, help keep them stay healthy and happy and helps build our school spirit and our community spirit.”

A chat with … South Shore Vo-Tech AD Joe Marani

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A question and answer with South Shore Vo-Tech athletic director Joe Marani.

A lot has changed over the last two decades in athletics at South Shore Vo-Tech and Joe Marani has overseen it all.

The department has outgrown some of its facilities and has resorted to University Sports Complex and Hanover High for practices and events, where Viking student-athletes have returned to coach.

The Express chatted with Marani, who is entering his 20th season as the athletic director at SSVT, which educates students from Whitman and Hanson, along with Abington, Cohasset, Hanover, Norwell, Rockland and Scituate.

Marani touched on numerous topics, such as what he appreciates most about his role, key dates in athletics this year and his expectations for 2018-19.

Q: How have you seen your position as an AD change?

A: “It’s changed in that the number of sports we’re offering has continued to grow. In that respect, we’re getting a lot more athletes at the school and in various sports. I think the biggest change is the fact about social media and communication, you have to be on top of it.”

Q: What’s your favorite part about being an AD?

A: “Game day. Game day. It just brings back playing which every athlete loves. As an athletic director you don’t have to worry about practice and the coaches handle that completely. You have much more involvement on game day so it’s kind of fun.”

Q: What keeps you going, what makes you want to continue to be an AD?

A: “I just love working with kids. Teaching and coaching has been what I’ve done and I just love it. The kids at The Voke in particular and our parents are unbelievable compared to the horror stories I hear at the regular comprehensive schools.

“Every job has good and bad, but the parental involvement has been 99 percent outstanding at our place. We don’t get a ton of support, in terms of attendance, but in terms of issues or priorities and things, we get 99 percent backing and it’s been great.”

Q: For those who don’t know, what goes into the role of an AD?

A: “The hardest part is the lining up and the keeping of good coaches and coaching staffs. The role of having a team versus the role of helping a coach develop a program is significant. It isn’t like an athletic club, where the main focus is just athletics. It’s a high school and high school athletics is so different and there are so many other factors involved, like a guy may not be the best coach in the world but he’s good in other aspects of it, the kids really like him and he communicates about their grades.

“Those are the things I don’t think people know. I mean, I think about coaches and then I start thinking about who would be good to assist them and how do we get that person on this staff and how do I get him in the school. That and the number of meetings is enormous.”

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

A: “We had an opportunity in boys’ basketball for a reciprocal support situation. In other words, in the first round of the tournament, the boys drew Upper Cape, who we had split with during the year. I got there a little late, probably in the middle of the first period, and I stood in the corner, all the voke gyms tend to be a little small, and the gym was completely packed.

“By halftime is when I went to go sit where my team was and as I walked across the court, I looked to my right and the entire girls’ basketball program — not just the varsity team — but there were 35 girls there and unbeknown to me, a couple of the coaches had signed out vans and took the teams down. I thought that was fabulous, right?

“So, two days later the girls’ team was playing Blue Hills in the voke tournament and this time I get there at the start of the game and when I walk in, who’s across from me? Not only was the boys’ team there, but the parents of the boys who were at that game and saw the girls come, showed up for the girls’ game. It was absolutely tremendous. Our girls lost that game, they were a 16 seed playing a No. 1 seed, and we lost by four points. I don’t think I’ll ever forget that. Those two teams really, really supported each other.”

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

A: “Both locker rooms got brand new floors put in over the summer so the existing locker rooms — although small — are in absolutely great shape.”

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

A: “We’re excited about our golf team. We had a difficult year, in terms of wins and losses, but I was very pleased with the teaching the coach did and for the first time in golf, we have everyone back and we have a couple of freshmen who have a lot of experience so we’re kind of looking forward to that.

“Our numbers are great, as a matter of fact, the numbers were so big for our athletes’ assembly, we had to use Hanover High’s auditorium. We just couldn’t fit in our cafeteria as we usually do.

“The one I’m really excited to watch this year is the upcoming girls’ basketball team. They have been through some difficult times. I coached for a while and we had a streak under me for four years where we didn’t win a game. And, the first two years of my assistant didn’t win, we were just getting no athletes. He has turned the program around, not last year but the year before, and then last year they had their best year so I think they’re going to be a very, very big surprise this coming year to people.

“Football – with a five-team league and all of the teams are vocational teams — it’s always anyone’s league. I’m not predicting that we’re going to be No. 1, I just have a feeling they’re going to have a good year, as well. That one’s underway, the numbers are good, so we’ll see what happens.”

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

A: “Our Blue Hills game (Oct. 19) is always huge and our Upper Cape game (Sept. 22) is huge for football. Those are going to be two big dates.”

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

A: “I think just the general nature of competition and how our kids handle that and go out and do it. I term them events because they’re games, but I think that opportunity for kids to learn in that environment is so tremendous and our kids seem to do well in it. I’m hoping to see that continue.”

Gearing up for the fall

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The fall sports season at Whitman-Hanson Regional High is right around the corner.

While the summer works its way through, the fall is waiting in the wings. With that comes the start of the new athletics season at Whitman-Hanson Regional High.

From the pitch to the green, gridiron to trail, here’s your fall sports primer.

Football, coming off its third straight 7-4 season and first-round playoff exit, is “fired up and ready to roll”, according to eighth-year head coach Mike Driscoll. The Panthers will be led by dual-threat signal caller, senior Ethan Phelps, on offense and fellow senior and league all-star Mike Connors on defense. The Panthers begin their campaign Sept. 7 at 7 p.m. at home against non-league opponent Marshfield.

Field hockey will have a new look when it takes to the field this fall. Todd Humphrey’s club, which finished the 2017 campaign with highs in wins (six) and goals scored (30), graduated 15 players. Look for seniors Annika Putur, Lauren Godbout, Olivia Sheehan and Kathryn Dunn to take a big step forward. W-H begins the fall with a Sept. 5 home game against Scituate at 4 p.m.

Boys’ golf, down nine seniors from its fifth tournament qualifying team in the past seven years, will be paced by senior captain Owen Manning and junior Matt Korzec. Head coach Brian Dempsey’s club opens the season Sept. 5 on the road against Patriot League foe North Quincy at 4 p.m.

Boys’ soccer is nearly a year removed from an 11-8-1 season under first-year head coach Dave Leahy. With 2017 leading goal scorer Jason Brodeur (nine goals) and playmaker Brandon Nehiley (seven goals, five assists) back in the fold, the Panthers are in a good spot, despite being in one of the toughest leagues in the state. W-H opens its season Sept. 10 with a home game at 6 p.m. against Rockland.

Girls’ soccer, which has not missed out on the tournament since 1999, appears to be in a solid position to be back in the postseason yet again. W-H, despite some significant departures – headlined by the program’s all-time leading goal scorer in Lauren Bonavita – returns a solid core in Boston College-bound Sammy Smith, Olivia Johnson and netminder Skylar Kuzmich, all of whom are seniors. The Panthers open up on the road with a tough Notre Dame Academy of Hingham team Sept. 5 at 5:15 p.m.

Girls’ volleyball will look to push its winning streak to three, dating back to last season, when it opens up Sept. 6 on at 5:15 p.m. on the road against Rockland. Returnees for second-year head coach Ashley Balbian are headlined by senior Allison Hanlon and juniors Alexis Connolly, Olivia Martin and Ella Sweeney.

Boys’ cross country, coming off a 4-3 fall last season, is going to be a young team. Expect sophomores Liam Cafferty and Theo Kamperides to lead the pack. W-H’s first meet us Sept. 12 at 4 p.m. in Hanover.

Girls’ cross country, which also opens the fall up in Hanover at 4 p.m. Sept. 12, will also have an infusion of youth to complement a core of wily veterans. Senior captains Maeve McDonough and Maeve Rooney will be key.

Panther spring All-Scholastic honorees

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Eleven Panthers have been tabbed as Enterprise All-Scholastics.

Whitman-Hanson Regional High baseball players headlined the list of Enterprise All-Scholastics after the team’s second straight Patriot League Keenan Division crown. Here is a look at the whole spring list.

BASEBALL

Mike Cook – Junior back-to-back league all-star led the team with a .394 average and 22 runs batted in … Blasted a leadoff homerun May 23 in an 8-7 victory over Middleboro.

Ethan Phelps – Junior solidified himself as a force on the mound, hurling a 1.36 ERA … At the plate, the pitcher/center fielder and league all-star hit .300 and drove in 15 runs.

Ryan Sawtelle – Senior, who is headed to Castleton University, hit a team-high .400 and knocked in 13 runs … Was selected as a league all-star.

Rian Schwede – Junior co-captain and staff ace pitched to the tune of a 1.64 ERA and 5-3 mark … Was tabbed a league all-star.

SOFTBALL

Hailey Norris – Third baseman was tabbed a league all-star … Senior led the team with a .418 average and knocked in 15 runs.

Victoria Ryan – Sophomore first-year starter at second base and Patriot League All-Star hit .382 with 12 RBIs … Hit two home runs in a game against Rockland.

GIRLS’ LACROSSE

Lauren Bonavita – Senior scored a team-high 67 goals and dished out 11 assists … Racked up 117 draw controls.

Kasey Molito – Senior was a three-year starter in goal and two-time league all-star … Set the program’s single-season saves record with 268 this spring.

GIRLS’ OUTDOOR TRACK

Allison Bartlett — Junior qualified for states in long jump and 100-meter hurdles. … Top 10 in school history in six events. … Placed 14th overall in South Sectional heptathlon. Also participates in cross country.

Dorothy DiMascio-Donohue – Junior was named the team MVP and a league all-star … In the South Sectional heptathlon, she placed 15th.

Samantha Perkins — Sophomore captain-elect was Patriot League all-star. … qualifyied for states in javelin and placed 20th in South Sectional heptathlon. … Also participates on the winter track and soccer teams.

A Year of Panther Sports in Review: 2017-18

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The sports season was decked with numerous storylines, highlights and memories this year at Whitman-Hanson Regional High.

From August to June, it was a grind to the end. Here is a complete look back on all the action.

FALL

FOOTBALL

Storyline: Junior-laden football team inching toward ultimate goal.

The rundown: For the third straight season the football team finished the fall at 7-4 and fell in the first round of the tournament (30-21 to Stoughton). However, of the Panthers’ four losses, three came by two touchdowns or less and in the other (23-9 against Duxbury), they maintained a brief 7-0 lead before it spiraled out of control. The Panthers will return a solid core of nine rising seniors with starting experience under their belt as they look to get over the hump.

Top game: 28-24 victory over Plymouth North on Oct. 6 in which junior quarterback Ethan Phelps drove down the field 60 yards with 50 seconds to go for the game-winning score.

Top quote: “I’m very proud of this team. I’m very happy with the way that the seniors handled things and I’m very happy with the way we’re moving.”– head coach Mike Driscoll

FIELD HOCKEY

Storyline: Field hockey nets success, posts best season in over 30 years.

The rundown: In its third campaign back at the varsity level after a 30-year hiatus, the field hockey team – led by a 15-player senior class – set highs in goals scored (30) and wins (six). Three teams deep, the program fielded a record 64 girls. It’s going to be a new-look varsity team this coming autumn, but the upcoming girls now have the experience from the lower levels.

Top game: 8-2 victory over Norwell on Oct. 27 during the final game of the season that saw all the Panthers goals come from seniors playing in their final game. Captain Tina Woodward led the way with four tallies.

Top quote: “I can’t even begin to tell you how special that group is. They’ve been with me since the beginning. They shaped [and] molded the entire program and just their positive attitudes and their willing to take risk has elevated our entire program, and I couldn’t be more proud of them and grateful.”– head coach Todd Humphrey on his senior class

BOYS’ GOLF

Storyline: Consistency lies on the green.

The rundown: As under-the-radar as it flies, the boys’ golf team is one of the most consistent programs Whitman-Hanson offers. The Panthers – paced by seniors Tommy Bombardier, JP Drier (captain), Nick Duffy and Anthony Palmacci, junior Owen Manning (captain) and sophomore Matt Korzec – finished the year at 9-8 and qualified for the tournament for the fifth time in the past seven years. W-H will look to regroup on the fly as it will lose nine seniors off its roster.

Top match: 232-241 victory over Duxbury on Oct. 11 for the program’s first ever win over the Green Dragons.

Top quote: “I’m very proud of the recent success of the program. I give all the credit to the leadership on the team each year. The commitment of players to the sport continues to grow every year.” – head coach Brian Dempsey

BOYS’ SOCCER

Storyline: Boys’ soccer turns it around under first-year head coach Dave Leahy.

The rundown: W-H made short memory of a one-win 2016 as it finished 11-8-1 this fall under the watch of new head coach Dave Leahy. Included in the Panthers’ 11 wins was a 2-1 triumph over Catholic Memorial in the preliminary round of the Div. 2 South Sectional tournament before a 4-0 loss to eventual sectional champion Oliver Ames in the first round. W-H will return many of its top offensive threats this coming fall, but has big shoes to fill in net with the departure of Anthony Pasciuto. There will be no easy replacement for captain Kyle Nehiley either.

Top game: 2-1 victory over Catholic Memorial Nov. 4. Seeded No. 13, W-H faced a 1-0 deficit to No. 20 CM with 20 minutes to go before knotting it at 1-1 and winning it in penalty kicks thanks to an epic performance by Pasciuto in goal.

Top quote: “I am extremely proud. This team had to learn a lot and do it quickly together. They came together and worked hard for each other and kept pushing forward. It was a fun ride.”– head coach Dave Leahy

GIRLS’ SOCCER

Storyline: Girls’ soccer flexes depth amid injures.

The rundown: The girls’ soccer team’s miraculous season was halted in the Div. 1 South Sectional semifinals with a 2-1 overtime loss to Newton South. The Panthers, who finished the year with a 17-2-1 record, battled through a rash of injuries over the fall, including playing the entire season without All-American Taylor Kofton. In Kofton’s absence, fellow senior Lauren Bonavita took her game to a new level, notching 43 goals and breaking the school-record with 113. The Panthers graduated a hefty senior class, but return significant key pieces, such as goalie Skylar Kuzmich and defenders Olivia Johnson and Sammy Smith, among others.

Top game: 2-1 victory over Hingham on Nov. 7 in the quarterfinals. Seeded sixth, the Panthers visited the Harborwomen and rallied back from a 1-0 deficit behind a pair of Bonavita goals. W-H fell to Hingham, 3-1, in the regular season.

Top quote: “We’re fortunate that we have a number of good players and sometimes I think people who don’t know our team real well may focus on a couple players who get the headlines. We’re very fortunate to have a number of talented players.” – head coach Dave Floeck

GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL

Storyline: Young girls’ volleyball team finally finds grove.

The rundown: The Panthers entered the season with some holes to fill due to the graduation of many integral pieces from the previous fall. Sitting at 2-17 with two games to go, W-H won out, defeating Middleboro and Bridgewater-Raynham, both by 3-1 scores, to end the season with a 4-17 record. The string of success had head coach Ashley Balbian wishing there was more time left to the season. Key graduates include Amanda Anderson, Halle Julian and Tori Perry. Rising senior Allison Hanlon and rising juniors Alexis Connolly, Olivia Martin and Ella Sweeney will headline the returnees this fall.

Top match: 3-1 win over Middleboro on senior night Oct. 25. Mammoth games from seniors Julian (18 kills) and Perry (40 assists) pushed the Panthers past the Sachems.

Top quote: “It was huge boost in confidence, especially for the girls that are younger on the team and were getting more time on the court, and they feel a little more prepared coming in with the seniors leaving next year.”– head coach Ashley Balbian on the season-ending two-game winning streak

BOYS’ CROSS COUNTRY

Storyline: Newman leads charge as boys’ cross country finishes 4-3.

The rundown: Senior Andrew Newman was unbeatable in his first five meets, racing to first-place finishes in everyone as the Panthers finished the season at 4-3. Senior captains Jack Ryan and Alex Uva and freshmen Liam Cafferty and Theo Kamperides played large roles for the Panthers as well.

Top meet: 15-50 win over Silver Lake on Oct. 10. This was the Panthers most convincing win — in terms of its margin. Newman won at 16:38 and finishing second through fifth were Ryan, Cafferty, Kamperides and Uva.

Top quote: “Andrew’s consistent improvement is a result of his effort over and above what we ask for. With high school runners, we’d ordinarily see a drop off in performance given the number of miles a runner like Andrew logs each week. We have not seen that in Andrew. He thrives on high mileage.”– head coach Steve George on Newman

GIRLS’ CROSS COUNTRY

Storyline: Norve, girls’ cross country team race to 3-4 mark.

The rundown: The girls’ team, which finished at 3-4, was in a lot of close meets, as three of its losses came by 15 or fewer points. One runner who stood out from the rest was Nicole Norve. The senior captain hustled to a first-place finish in the Panthers’ first five races. Seniors Julia Cosgrave and Camryn Boyce were about were a steady presence all season. The fall also saw 16 Panthers establish personal records.

Top meet: 27-28 victory over Plymouth South on Oct. 24. W-H, despite Norve’s second-place finish, still was able to edge the Patriot League’s other Panthers in a meet for the ages, and their final one of the season.

Top quote: “She wants to improve every time out and loves a challenge. Nicole’s success may stem from the fact that she is strong enough to run hard virtually every day, recover, and do it again the next.”– head coach Steve George on Norve

WINTER

BOYS’ BASKETBALL

Storyline: Boys’ basketball overcomes tough start to make tournament and grab share of league title.

The rundown: It wasn’t your typical W-H boys’ basketball team on the floor this season as the 3-ball wasn’t one of its strengths, rather its inside game. Buoyed by Patriot League Keenan Division MVP, senior Sean Leahy (19.7 PPG, 9.2 RPG), the Panthers went 16-5, which marked the sixth straight season in which they won at least 16 games, made the Division 2 South Sectional tournament for their 10th straight campaign and grabbed a share of their third consecutive Patriot League Keenan Division title and fourth in the past five years. All that came after a 5-4 start to the season. In the playoffs, the sixth-seeded Panthers succumbed to 11th-seeded Nauset, 65-56, in the first round.

Top game: 68-51 victory at Hingham on Feb. 9. Twenty-seven points from Leahy willed the Panthers to a blowout win over the Harbormen, which moved them into a first-place tie for the Keenan Division lead. Hingham dealt W-H its worst loss in over 10 years (71-45) four weeks before. Junior Tajh Hunter held Hingham star John Gates to one point in the win.

Top quote: “It was definitely a tough matchup, he’s definitely one of the best shooters in the league. I just moved my feet, tried to stay with him and tried not to let him get in my head.”– Tajh Hunter on guarding Hingham’s John Gates

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

Storyline: Girls’ basketball trusts the process.

The rundown: The girls’ basketball team – boasting just two seniors – finished the winter with an eight-year best 13-9 record. The Panthers opened the season 7-0 – which included a 3-0 trip to Florida that resulted in a tournament title – but scuffled in the second half, going 6-9 the rest of the way. But, for a young team (six juniors, three sophomores and two freshmen), the second-half dip was not a surprise. In the tournament, W-H – back in Div. 1 South for the first time since 2012 due to realignment – bowed out to Wellesley, 46-37, in the first round. Fifth-year head coach Jenna Olem will return a bevy of key players this coming winter as rising seniors and captains Kathryn Dunn and Erin Leahy will lead the way.

Top game: 56-34 win at Hanover on Dec. 21. Behind 12 points and six rebounds from Dunn and 10 points and three blocks from senior Alyssa Nicholson, W-H stunned the Indians for the first time since 2011.

Top quote: “It was just important to stay focused and stay positive each day. To play present was also a point of emphasis. No season goes by without having to withstand some adversity.”– head coach Jenna Olem

BOYS’ HOCKEY

Storyline: Boys’ hockey flips the script on last season, narrowly misses out on tournament. 

The rundown: The boys’ hockey team knew it was better than what its previous season’s record indicated, and that was certainly the case. The Panthers increased their win total from one to eight this winter and just missed out on the tournament by two points. After a 6-3-1 start, injuries took a toll on W-H as it finished the year at 8-10-2. Senior Ryan Sawtelle led the defense and classmates Korey Howard (18 goals, 10 assists) and Alex Uva (9 goals, 16 assists) provided a chunk of the offense. Key returnees next winter include: rising seniors Ed Scriven (11 goals, 11 assists) and Owen Manning (7 goals, 6 assists) and rising junior Adam Solari (8 goals, 11 assists). Rising sophomores Jack Allen, Josh Pike and Kevin Willis also form a solid nucleus set to return inside the blue line.

Top game: 6-1 victory over Plymouth North on Lori Sawtelle Night Jan. 6. The Panthers honored the late mother of its captain Ryan Sawtelle and potted five goals the game’s final nine minutes for the victory.

Top quote: “We definitely knew what we were playing for tonight and this whole season, too, so it meant a lot.” – Ryan Sawtelle of the win on Lori Sawtelle Night

GIRLS’ HOCKEY

Storyline: Girls’ hockey mounts some success amid rebuild.

The rundown: Head coach Kevin Marani didn’t want to use the term “rebuild” at the outset of the winter, but after the final whistle was blown there was really no other way to describe the season. Whitman-Hanson/Silver Lake entered the year tasked with making up for the loss of over 80 percent of its offense from the previous season and many key defensemen. The young Panthers – who sported 15 new players – hung tough, and finished the year with a 2-18 record. Freshman Emily McDonald, from Whitman, ranked third on the team with three goals.

Top game: 3-2 victory over Plymouth on Feb. 2. WHSL stunned a white-hot Plymouth team, which had beaten it 8-1 earlier in the season.

Top quote: “In the tryouts, she was pretty good and every game she got better. Now she’s one of the better players. We expect big things from her next year, absolutely. She’s a very, very smart player, got great hands, strong skating. She’s got all the ability. You could see if by the end of the year, she was carrying the play. She’s a good player, very good player.” – head coach Kevin Marani on McDonald

WRESTLING

Storyline: Youth takes over wrestling mats.

The rundown: The future is bright for the wrestling team, which finished the year at 7-13. Of the Panthers top four wrestlers, three are set to return next winter. Rising junior Steve Brooks led the team with 19 wins, rising sophomore Matt Butler was second with 11 and rising senior Joel McInnis posted 11 pins, which was good for third.

Top meet: 45-36 victory at Duxbury on Jan. 10. Butler, Ben Cordingley, Damari Goldsmith-Greene, Myles McInnis, Theo Kamperides, Steve Osborne and John Youngman all posted victories in the triumph.

Top quote: “We had a great group of freshmen this season and I am looking forward to many of them playing a big role in next year’s team. These kids are the future of our program. With another class like these guys next year, we could be a force before too much longer. I really see us winning 75 percent of our dual meets next year, [but] time will tell.”– head coach Gary Rabinovitz

GYMNASTICS

Storyline: Blackstone, gymnastics team surprise many. 

The rundown: Perhaps the biggest surprise of the winter was the success of the gymnastics team. The Panthers went from just three wins the year prior, which was its first season, to a 9-4 record this season. Senior first-year member Britney Blackstone seemed to be the missing piece W-H needed as she put together a spectacular campaign which ended in postseason competition.

Top meet: Dec. 19 victory over Pembroke/Silver Lake (123.3), Marshfield (123.05) and Hingham (121.75) with a score of 125.1. With the win, the Panthers matched their win total from the previous season.

Top quote: “I like to think that I’m very approachable and they think of me as a good role model. The big sister, someone fun that they can talk to and then they can put any stresses or worries away and bring their positive attitudes into the gym and use that to help them perform their best.” – head coach Rachel Sferruzza

BOYS’ SWIMMING

Storyline: Pham, W-H dives into boys’ swimming/diving.

The rundown: W-H expanded its partnership with Middleboro – which already included a girls’ swimming/diving team – with the formation of a co-op boys’ swimming/diving team. Freshman Brian Pham took the pool by storm, qualifying for sectionals in a pair of events. Junior Nate Manley also chipped in by scoring in a few meets for the co-op, which finished with a 3-5 record.

Top meet: 80-62 win over Rockland on Jan. 9. Pham swam a 1:09.41 in the 100-meter breaststroke in the victory.

Top quote: “We are one team – Middleboro and Whitman Hanson. W-H having a boys’ team allows us to increase the numbers for that team and it also gives us depth as a team.”– W-H head coach Sean Siciliano

GIRLS’ SWIMMING

Storyline: Girls’ swimming/diving swims to success.

The rundown: The co-op – under the leadership of senior captain Phoebe Bonney –  improved on its season last winter with a 5-3-1 record. Rising juniors Niki Kamperides, Madison Navicky and Sabrina O’Connor, all from W-H, performed well in the pool.

Top meet: 90-69 victory over Rockland on Jan. 9. O’Connor posted her highest score ever with 185 in diving and Navicky also swam to a first-place finish.

Top quote: “She can swim pretty much anything and she is just fun to have at practice. She is an amazing swimmer and an amazing leader and she is so coachable. I think that she will be one of the biggest contributors for the girls team this season.” – W-H head coach Sean Siciliano on Navicky

BOYS’ INDOOR TRACK

Storyline: Seniors dominate for boys’ indoor track.

The rundown: The Panthers, who finished the season at 2-3, owned wins over Duxbury (55-45) and Silver Lake (54-45) and were clipped by Hingham (57-43) and Pembroke (57-41). Senior captains Brian Edwards and Andrew Newman (Patriot League All-Star) and classmates Brett Holmes (Patriot League All-Star) and Jack Ryan (Patriot League All-Star) all qualified for the Div. 3 All-State meet. Junior Billy Martell also put forth a solid season in the 300 meters and on the 4×200 relay team.

Top meet: 55-45 win over Duxbury on Dec. 19. The Panthers won the final two events – 4×200 and the 4×400 relays – to hand the Green Dragons their first loss of the season.

Top quote: “These kids worked really hard. We had a small senior class with only six seniors, but four of them are state-level competitors. I’m happy with the young kids, I’m happy with the older kids, we had a lot of freshmen, we had a lot of new kids this year, so the numbers are good.” – head coach Mike Driscoll

GIRLS’ INDOOR TRACK

Storyline: Girls’ indoor track puts rough start behind it, finishes season at 1-3-1.

The rundown: After an 0-3 start to begin the season – partly due to injuries – girls’ indoor track bested Silver Lake (51-49) and tied Pembroke (49-49) to finish the winter strong. Senior Nicole Norve was the team’s lone league all-star and represented the Panthers in the Division 3 All-State meet, where she placed 10th in the 1,000-meter run (3:09.28) and 12th in the 1-mile run (5:26.81). Seniors Camryn Boyce and Julia Cosgrave provided a steady presence. Freshmen Isabelle Amado, Hailey Minicucci, Alaina Mutascio and Emma Rogers all showed some real ability in multiple events.

Top meet: Jan. 24 51-49 victory over Silver Lake. Trailing by three, the relay team of Dorothy DiMascio-Donohue, Cosgrave, Courtney Woodward and Victoria Boss bested its competition, winning the meet for W-H.

Top quote: “The Patriot League is an extremely competitive league with some enormously talented athletes. We faced the very best teams during those first [three] weeks. While we kept it close with most, we had some key athletes go down with injuries.”– head coach Steve George

CHEERLEADING

Storyline: Cheer on: Cheerleaders capture state title No. 13.

The rundown: The Panthers – brought together by the phrase “we believe” – overcame heaps of adversity to capture their 13th MSAA Division 2 state title. W-H – captained by rising senior Anna Franklin – also won the Patriot League title.

Top competition: March 11 state title competition. On its home floor, W-H boasted a 200.1 score to claim the title. Milford, which finished second with a score of 196.2, edged the Panthers, 195.40-194.70, the week before in the South regional competition.

Top quote: “They came together, they worked hard from the second they arrived on Sunday to the second they left. I could see it in their face. I could tell that this is what they worked for and they weren’t going to let anything stop them.” – head coach Alyssa Hayes on her team’s state title win

SPRING

BASEBALL

Storyline: Baseball team looking ahead to next spring.

The rundown: Not even two games in, the baseball team was dealt a major blow when it found out its ace and reigning Patriot League Keenan Division MVP – senior James Dolan – wasn’t going to be able to pitch due to tendonitus. While that would have been the downfall for many teams, it certainly wasn’t for the Panthers. Rising senior Rian Schwede (5-3, 51.1 IP, 1.64 ERA) asserted himself as the ace and classmate Ethan Phelps (3-0, 36.0 IP, 1.36 ERA) burst onto the scene on the hill. W-H finished 15-6 and grabbed a share of its second straight Patriot League Keenan Division crown, but was subject to a first-round exit in the Div. 2 South Sectional tournament via a 3-0 loss to Nauset. Schwede, Phelps and fellow rising senior Mike Cook (.394, 22 RBIs) key the returnees next spring; all were league all-stars. Dolan (.317) and classmates Ryan Sawtelle (.400) and Caleb Burke (.294) are the only three starters to graduate.

Top game: 3-2 victory over Hanover on May 4. In his first varsity start on the mound, Phelps dazzled the Indians, hurling a complete-game win while throwing just 16 balls. It was one of only three losses over the course of the regular season for Hanover.

Top quote: “I’m just having so much fun coaching these guys, they’re a blast.”– head coach Pat Cronin

SOFTBALL

Storyline: Softball builds for future.

The rundown: Like the baseball team, the softball team went the entirety of the spring without its ace as an injury in the first game of the year sidelined senior Colleen Hughes for all but four games. In her absence, freshman Abby Cleary tossed 94.1 of W-H’s 125.1 innings and collected five wins. Senior Hailey Norris paced the young Panthers offense – which had as many as six freshmen and sophomores penned into their lineup and manning pivotal positions – with a .418 average, 15 runs and 18 RBIs. Sophomore Victoria Ryan was not far behind Norris, hitting at .382 with 12 RBIs and 13 runs scored. Freshman Reese Codero hit at a .377 clip and scored 13 runs.

Top game: 15-6 victory over Hingham on May 10. Up 1-0 entering the bottom of the first, W-H surrendered six runs in the bottom of the frame. Stagnant on offense until the fourth, the Panthers busted it open with four runs in the frame, followed by a three-run fifth, a two-run sixth and a seven-run seventh.

Top quote: “They definitely showed glimpses of potential and how good they could be when they put it all together. Whether it was for a few innings or a few games, we did a lot of good things this year despite our record.”– head coach Jenna Olem

BOYS’ LACROSSE

Storyline: Boys’ lacrosse hangs around.

The rundown: Boys’ lacrosse concluded the spring with a 2-16 mark, but dropped six of those tilts by five goals or less. Junior defender Ryan Trongone was the team’s lone league all-star and classmates Mason Gorman, Sean Joanis and Shane Ross found the back of the net many of times.

Top game: 12-6 victory over Cardinal Spellman on April 3. The Panthers rallied back from an early deficit to claim their first win of the season as eight different players scored. Rising senior Mario Troiani had 22 saves in net.

Top quote: “To come in here and get a victory [gets] the ship going in the right direction. It’s a long season, we’re nowhere near where we can be at the end of it. Against Hingham (17-2 loss), we crawled, Scituate (13-6 loss) we walked and today we ran.” – head coach Rob White on the win over Cardinal Spellman

GIRLS’ LACROSSE

Storyline: Girls’ lacrosse never backed down.

The rundown: Staring at a 1-6 record with 11 games remaining, if the girls’ lacrosse team was going to make the tournament then it could only afford to drop three more contests. The girls won two must win games – on consecutive days – to close on the regular season, punching their ticket to the postseason for the program’s fourth time in five years. In the tournament, W-H downed Nauset on the road, 10-4, in the preliminary round, before succumbing to top-seeded Notre Dame Academy, 18-3, in the first round. The season saw senior captain Kasey Molito set to the single-season saves record – which now stands at 268 – and classmate Lauren Bonavita become to first W-H athlete ever to score 100 goals in two sports. The Panthers’ final record was 10-10. The Panthers will graduate eight of 12 starters, but rising seniors and captain-elects Anika Putur (defense), Samantha Whitman (eight goals, two assists) and Zoe Lydon (30 goals, 23 assists) along with rising junior Riley Bina (29 goals, 21 assists), provides them with a solid core to build around.

Top game: Preliminary round victory against Nauset, 10-4, June 5. W-H faced an early 3-0 deficit, but never backed down and rallied for a win behind five goals from Bonavita.

Top quote: “I’m actually really proud. It’s something I’ve been aiming to work on, aiming to get.”– Kasey Molito on setting the single-season saves record

BOYS’ TENNIS

Storyline: Stability at the helm of boys’ tennis team.

The rundown: The boys’ tennis team – under the watch of first-year head coach Alyssa Hayes – finished the year on a three-game winning streak with victories against: Quincy (3-2), Cardinal Spellman (5-0) and Braintree (4-1). Sophomore Brian Fox, despite a slow team start, rallied off four straight victories in No. 2 singles from May 2 to May 7. The Panthers finished the season with a 5-12 record.

Top match: 5-0 sweep of Cardinal Spellman on May 23. Victories from singles players Tyler Rice, Brian Fox and Eric Muha and the doubles teams of Sean Leahy/Jason Bannon and Stephen Collins/Matt Hickey sparked the Panthers.

Top quote: “I think consistency is so important in any sport, in any classroom, so if I can give them that consistency and kind of just make sure that they know practice is important, matches are important, being here is important, that it’ll kind of carry forward into their matches.”– head coach Alyssa Hayes

GIRLS’ TENNIS

Storyline: Girls’ tennis almost makes tournament.

The rundown: It was a tale of two halves of the season for the girls’ tennis team. The Panthers put a tough 1-5 start to the spring behind them, pulling off wins in their next four contests to reach the .500 mark. Sitting at 9-10 with one match to go, W-H had to win to make the tournament, but was swept by Duxbury, 5-0, ending the season with a 9-11 mark. The Panthers return a heavy dose of their team next spring with No. 1 and No. 3 singles players and rising juniors Alexis Connolly and Abby Pulling back. Julia Benvie (rising sophomore), Nandita Kumar (rising junior), Divya Kumar (rising sophomore) and Chloe Wilson (rising junior) also contributed in doubles play. Senior captains Jess Green and Hannah Faghan will be missed.

Top match: 5-0 victory over Cardinal Spellman on May 1. Wins by Connolly, Green and Pulling in singles, coupled with doubles wins from Faghan and Nandita Kumar and then Chelsea Getchell and Benvie propelled the Panthers to the sweep, and the match was the start of a four-match winning streak, pulling them to .500.

BOYS’ OUTDOOR TRACK

Storyline: Boys’ outdoor track battles tough. 

The rundown: The boys’ outdoor track team – under the direction of first-year head coach Steven Schlicting – finished the spring with a 1-4 record. W-H captured that win in its first meet of the season with a 125-10 rout of North Quincy. Senior captain Jack Ryan, classmate Andrew Newman and junior Billy Martell were standouts all season long.

Top meet: 125-10 win over North Quincy on April 3. Martell led the way for the Panthers with wins in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash and triple jump.

Top quote: “I’m really excited. There’s over 50 boys on this team. We’re up as far as numbers are concerned [from the winter season].”– head coach Steven Schlicting

GIRLS’ OUTDOOR TRACK

Storyline: Girls’ outdoor track finishes 1-4.

The rundown: Competing against some of the top competition in the state, such as Duxbury, Hinghan and Plymouth North, the girls’ track team raced to a 1-4 record. In their fourth meet of the season, the girls clipped Silver Lake by the final score of 73-63. W-H had a solid mix of upperclassmen and underclassmen contributing all season. Freshmen Isabelle Amado and Anna Sullivan were standouts.

Top meet: 73-63 victory over Silver Lake on May 8. Junior Dorothy DiMascio-Donohue led the way with wins in the 400-meter hurdles and high jump as eight Panthers recorded victories in the triumph.

Top quote: “A winning record [is our goal]. We have five dual meets scheduled and three of the teams are some of the top teams in the state in Hingham, Duxbury and Plymouth North High School, so they’re very difficult opponents but we hope to maybe steal one of those meets.”– head coach Steve George

Season Review: No-quit mentality: W-H girls’ lacrosse never backed down — and it paid off

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The Panthers huddle around head coach Dave Rowell on April 30. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ lacrosse team, which started the year at 1-6, cracked the tournament for the fourth time in five seasons this spring.

Heart, resiliency and perseverance were at the forefront of the Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ lacrosse team’s play this spring.

Sitting at 1-6 with 11 games remaining — the Panthers could only afford to drop three more tilts the rest of the way to make the postseason. That was no issue at all and it was almost like déjà vu for fifth-year head coach Dave Rowell.

“The past two years, we scrimmaged very talented teams in the preseason and started with our league leaders in wins — Scituate, Hingham and Duxbury — in the first half of the season,” he explained. “Both years we started the season in with a 1-6 record and both seasons we fought for a trip to the tournament.”

Even after an 18-1 setback to Duxbury — the defeat that dropped them to 1-6 — Rowell had a feeling that his club would turn the corner.

“I knew with every fiber of my being that we were a good team,” Rowell said. “I saw in that Duxbury game, that I had a team that wouldn’t quit even when we were down 18-0 and they were still trying to score on us. I played everyone in that game so they could each gain experience against the best team in our league.

“We lost the game, but everyone fought for every loose ball and never quit … I always tell them that if we truly want to make tournament, then we have to earn it.”

And earned it the Panthers did by winning eight of their next 11 to make their fourth trip to the Division 1 South Sectional tournament in the past five years. So, what was the key?

“We just had to work that much harder and execute better,” Rowell said. “Every day I encouraged them and focused on our weaknesses. I kept them focused, the captains led by example, and everyone bought in.”

Making the tournament certainly came down to the wire for W-H because after a 14-5 loss to Silver Lake, it had to win out in its final two games, which were on back-to-back days. But, after an 8-6 home victory against Abington, the Panthers clinched in their final game of the regular season with an 8-5 triumph over Hull.

In the Panthers’ last eight regular-season wins, their defense — which was a focal point at outset of the season to improve — allowed just a tick over 5.5 goals a contest.

The defense was led by defenders Cam Boyce and Camille Miller and goalie Kasey Molito (Patriot League All-Star), who set the Panthers’ single-season saves record (268); all were captains.

“Every player I had learned how to play good, legal defense,” Rowell said.

TOURNAMENT RUN

That defensive mindset flowed into the tournament as the No. 17 Panthers held No. 16 Nauset to four goals in a 10-4 road victory.

W-H faced an early 3-0 deficit and was down its center 10 seconds into the game due to a yellow card, but it hadn’t laid down all spring and it wasn’t about to that game either.

“This moment was indicative of our whole season,” Rowell explained. “We don’t panic and we certainly don’t start blaming each other. We collected ourselves and executed what we worked on all year. We came back and never took our foot off of the gas pedal.”

Senior Lauren Bonavita – like she did all season — led the offense with five goals and eight draw controls. Bonavita finished her campaign with 67 goals, which included the 100th of her career.

“Lauren was just awesome,” Rowell said. “She was at every practice and always gave 100 percent. She really became a great lacrosse player, not just a great athlete that played lacrosse.”

However, the Panthers would fall to top-seeded Norte Dame Academy (Hingham), 18-3, in the first round. Regardless, it was one memorable ride.

“I absolutely would say this season was a success,” Rowell said. “If you came to any practice, whether we were winning or losing, the girls were always working hard and still having fun. The most important thing for me is that they get better every day and enjoy the sport. I find that if that is the foundation, wins are a byproduct.”

A LOOK TO FUTURE

As the Panthers turn for next season, they’ll have some holes to fill with the impending departure of eight of 12 starters. However, the return of rising seniors and captain-elects Annika Putur (defense), Samantha Whitman (eight goals, two assists) and Zoe Lydon (30 goals, 23 assists) along with rising junior Riley Bina (29 goals, 21 assists), provides them with a solid core to build around.

“This program keeps getting bigger and better,” Rowell said. “I feel like we always have a next girl up mentality and we will be ready to go in March. Three pillars of our system will always guide us: belief in each other, 100 percent effort every day, every play, and perseverance.”