Go big or go home: Top H.S. tournament performers for Feb. 26-March 3
TAUNTON— It's high school tournament time in the Greater Taunton area.
Eight Greater Taunton area basketball and hockey teams qualified for the postseason, while 11 local wrestlers qualified for the New England Interscholastic Wrestling Championship.
Here are a look at how they fared during the first week of tournament action.
Saturday
Boys Wrestling
Ethan Harris (190) reached the quarterfinals, but finished the weekend 3-2 while Elijah Prophete (215) also went 3-2 as Taunton (14-6, 3-2 Hockomock) finished tied for 41st with 17 points at the New England Interscholastic Wrestling Championship at the Providence Career & Technical Academy in Providence, R.I.
Brent von Magnus (132) came in sixth as Bridgewater-Raynham (24-3, 3-0 SEC) finished tied for 48 with 14 points at the New England Interscholastic Wrestling Championship at the Providence Career & Technical Academy in Providence, R.I.
Jacob Bettencourt (144) went 2-2 on the weekend while Nathan Hicks (157) advanced to the quarterfinals but finished the weekend 2-2 as Bristol-Plymouth finished tied for 63rd with 11 points at the New England Interscholastic Wrestling Championship at the Providence Career & Technical Academy in Providence, R.I.
Luis Garcia (113) advanced to the quarterfinals but finished the weekend 2-2 as Bristol Aggie/Dighton-Rehoboth finished tied for 106th with five points at the New England Interscholastic Wrestling Championship at the Providence Career & Technical Academy in Providence, R.I.
Girls Wrestling
Olivia Polansky (107) and Kennedie Davis (114) both came in sixth in their respective weight classes as Bridgewater-Raynham (24-3, 3-0 SEC) finished 35th with 19 points at the New England Interscholastic Wrestling Championship at the Providence Career & Technical Academy in Providence, R.I.
Brooke Weafer (114) finished runner up in her weight class, the best performance of any area wrestler, as Bristol-Plymouth finished tied for 17th with 24 points at the New England Interscholastic Wrestling Championship at the Providence Career & Technical Academy in Providence, R.I.
End of an era: Taunton High AD Mark Ottavianelli to retire at the end of the school year
Friday
Boys Basketball
Deshawn Faulk led the way for No. 30 Bridgewater-Raynham (12-10, 4-3 SEC) with 19 points while Bobby Louis had 12 and Cam Santos had 11 as the Trojans fell 78-57 to No. 3 Franklin on the road in the Division 1 Round of 32.
No. 32 Dighton-Rehoboth (8-14, 3-10 SCC) fell 85-34 to No. 1 Charlestown on the road in the Division 3 Round of 32.
Girls Basketball
Jillian Doherty led the way for No. 17 Taunton (15-6, 10-6 Hockomock) with 17 points while Cali Melo had 12 and Lexi Haywood had 11 as the Tigers beat No. 16 Winchester on the road in the Division 1 Round of 32.
Boys Wrestling
Ethan Harris (190) advanced to the quarterfinals while Elijah Prophete (215) made a consolation quarterfinal as Taunton (14-6, 3-2 Hockomock) sits tied for 15th with 13 points after the first day of the New England Interscholastic Wrestling Championship at the Providence Career & Technical Academy in Providence, R.I.
Brent von Magnus (132) made a consolation quarterfinal as Bridgewater-Raynham sits tied for 82nd with five points after the first day of the New England Interscholastic Wrestling Championship at the Providence Career & Technical Academy in Providence, R.I.
Nathan Hicks (157) advanced to the quarterfinals while Jacob Bettencourt (144) made a consolation quarterfinals as Bristol-Plymouth sits tied for 33rd with eight points after the first day of the New England Interscholastic Wrestling Championship at the Providence Career & Technical Academy in Providence, R.I.
Luis Garcia (113) advanced to the quarterfinals as Bristol Aggie/Dighton-Rehoboth sits tied for 82nd with five points after the first day of the New England Interscholastic Wrestling Championship at the Providence Career & Technical Academy in Providence, R.I.
Girls Wrestling
Kennedie Davis (114) advanced to the quarterfinals while Olivia Polansky (107) made a consolation quarterfinal as Bridgewater-Raynham sits tied for eighth with four points at the New England Interscholastic Wrestling Championship at the Providence Career & Technical Academy in Providence, R.I.
Brooke Weafer (114) advanced to the quarterfinals as Bristol-Plymouth sits tied for eighth with four points at the New England Interscholastic Wrestling Championship at the Providence Career & Technical Academy in Providence, R.I.
'Guts and determination': Bartlett battles through the pain for B-R girls basketball
Thursday
Boys Basketball
Troy Santos led the way for No. 18 Taunton (14-7, 10-6 Hockomock) with 27 points as the Tigers fell 71-53 to No. 15 Needham in the Division 1 Round of 32.
Girls Basketball
Brenna Woodbury led the way for No. 12 Bridgewater-Raynham (15-6, 6-2 SEC) with 16 points, seven rebounds six steals and five assists while Libby Cronin had 14 points and four rebounds and Camden Strandberg had 12 points eight rebounds and three assists as the Trojans defeated No. 21 Belmont 62-51 in the Division 1 Round of 32.
Boys Hockey
No. 25 Taunton (15-8-1, 4-5-1 Hockomock) fell 3-0 to No. 8 Pembroke on the road in the Division 3 Round of 32.
More: Five factors why Taunton hockey is reaching new heights this winter
Wednesday
Boys Hockey
Adam Bastis led the way for No. 16 Dighton-Rehoboth/Seekonk (11-9, 5-5 SCC) with a pair of goals while Evan Silvia had an assist as the Falcon Warriors fell 3-2 in overtime to No. 17 Hudson at home in the Division 4 Round of 32.
Vote: Who is the Taunton Daily Gazette Athlete of the Week for Feb. 19-25?
Monday
Boys Basketball
Deshawn Faulk led the way for No. 30 Bridgewater-Raynham (12-9, 4-3 Southeast Conference) with 18 points while Noah Perry-Lewis had 16 and Bobby Louis had 15 as the Trojans defeated No. 35 Shrewsbury 84-65 at home in the Division 1 Preliminary Round.
Jordan Dietz led the way for No. 32 Dighton-Rehoboth (8-13, 3-10 South Coast Conference) with 23 points while Aidan Marando had 21 and Dylan Andreozzi had 14 as the Falcons beat No. 33 Nipmuc 79-53 at home in the Division 3 Preliminary Round.
Boys Hockey
Matt Maher led the way for No. 25 Taunton (15-7-1, 4-5-1 Hockomock League) with a pair of goals and an assist while Owen Hathaway had a goal and an assist, Jamie Valarelli, Travis Cashman and Breighdyn Simmons both found the back of the net and Jonathan McGrath, Conner Goranson, Brady Gomes, Drew Nadeau and Mason Johnson each recorded an assist as the Tigers beat No. 40 Southeastern/Bristol-Plymouth (13-8, 9-1 Mayflower Athletic Conference) 6-2 at home in the Division 3 Preliminary Round. Cam Wilbur led the way for the Hawks with a goal and an assist while Thomas Leger also found the back of the net and Mason Graslie and Cam Perry each recorded an assist. Goalie Cam Tomaszycki made 23 saves in net for Taunton while Jack Kelly made 27 saves for Southeastern/B-P.
Taunton Daily Gazette sports reporter Cameron Merritt can be reached at cmerritt@tauntongazette.com. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @CamMerritt_News. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to the Taunton Daily Gazette today.
This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: Top Greater Taunton high school sports performers (Feb. 26-March 3)
