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Hockomock League

Conference	Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association
Founded	1932
Division	MIAA Division I
No. of teams	12
Region	New England
Official website	https://hockomocksports.com/

The Hockomock League is an interscholastic high school athletic league located in Southeastern Massachusetts, founded in 1932. The league took its name from a historic, freshwater swamp which served as a fortress for the Wampanoag native tribe during the King Philip’s War. The Wampanoags revered the area, naming it, “Hockomock,” an Algonquin word meaning, “Place where spirits dwell.” Today, the Hockomock Swamp is a protected environmental area and many local businesses, agencies and organizations use the Hockomock moniker to refer to their association with this region.

The league consists of 12 schools located in contiguous communities. All Hockomock League schools are public secondary schools and are members of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA). The director of the league rotates, with the athletic director of a different member school serving in the role each year.

For much of its existence, the League was made-up of nine schools but has twice undergone expansion adding a tenth school, Attleboro, in 2010, and then Taunton and Milford joined the League at the beginning of the 2012-2013 academic year. Enrollment disparities and the desire to balance the competitiveness of its sports programs, especially football, were major reasons to expand. With the addition of more teams, in 2010 the league implemented a divisional system. Schools with larger enrollments were placed in the Kelley-Rex Division, while smaller schools are in the Davenport Division. Realignment of the divisions occurs every two years at a meeting of the school principals and athletic directors where each school reports their respective Department of Elementary and Secondary Education enrollment numbers for grades nine through eleven. Each division has six teams. Under the division format, both the Kelley-Rex and Davenport winners are considered Hockomock League champions.

In July 2019 the Hockomock League published a new logo embodying what it calls “the key components of the League’s long historical tradition and modern core values,” according to a press release.

The division names give tribute to three long-time Hockomock League administrators: Bill Rex, Foxborough High School; Louis Kelley, North Attleboro High School; and Dudley Davenport, Sharon High School.

Since its inception, the league has earned a reputation for its competitiveness in all sports and its member schools have produced numerous sectional and state champions. It is regarded as one of the premier high school sports leagues in Massachusetts and the New England region.

Member schools

Note: Enrollment figures (2021-2022) are for grades nine through eleven and are used for determining a school's divisional alignment.

Hall of Fame Coaches

The following Hockomock League coaches have distinguished themselves in their coaching profession and have been inducted into one or more of the following Coaches Hall of Fame for their sport(s). Organizations include Massachusetts Basketball Coaches Assn. (MBCA), Massachusetts High School Football Coaches Assn. (MHSFCA), Massachusetts Baseball Coaches Assn. (MassBCA), Eastern Massachusetts Soccer Coaches Assn (EMSCA)., Massachusetts State Track Coaches Assn. (MSTCA)

Attleborough HS

• Howard Tozier, Attleboro, basketball. Inducted in 1969.
• James Cassidy, Attleboro, football. Inducted in 1978.
• Steve Newman, Attleboro, track. Inducted in 1998.

Canton HS

• Bill Donovan, Canton, football. Inducted in 1965.
• Danny Erickson, Canton, soccer. Inducted in 2013.
• Robert C. Gibson, Canton, baseball. Inducted in 1978.
• George King, Canton, track. Inducted in 2000.
• Charlie Stevenson, Canton, football. Inducted in 2014.
• Paul F. Therrien, Canton, football. Inducted in 1993.

Foxborough HS

• William Rex, Foxboro, football. Inducted in 2001.
• Tom Sullivan, Foxboro, football. Inducted in 1994.
• Greg McManus, Foxboro, soccer. Inducted in 2003.
• Jack Martinelli, Foxboro, football. Inducted in 2011.
• Kevin Murphy, Foxboro, track. Inducted in 2006.

Franklin HS

• Ronald Bonollo, Franklin, baseball. Inducted in 1986.
• Fran Bositis, Franklin, soccer, Inducted in 2003.
• Don Delloroco, Franklin, football. Inducted in 2009.
• Gerard Leone, Franklin, football. Inducted in 1991.
• Nello Luccini, Franklin, baseball. Inducted in 1999.
• Pete Pasquarosa, Franklin, baseball. Inducted in 2013.
• Paul Trovoto, Franklin, track. Inducted in 2009.
• Lou Verocchi, Franklin, Lacrosse. Inducted in 2024.

King Philip Regional HS

• Gary Lombard, King Philip, baseball. Inducted in 1997.

Mansfield HS

• Julie Collins, Mansfield, track, Inducted in 2013.
• Mike Redding, Mansfield, football. Inducted in 2019.

Milford HS

• Charles Espanet, Milford, baseball. Inducted in 1972.
• Charlie Stand, Milford, baseball. Inducted in 2006.

North Attleborough HS

• Ray Beaupre, North Attleboro, football. Inducted in 2000.
• Dwight Estey, North Attleboro, track. Inducted in 2009.

Oliver Ames HS

• Elaine Clement-Holbrook, Oliver Ames, basketball. Inducted in 2008.
• Leo Duggan, Oliver Ames, baseball. Inducted in 2012.
• James Mitchell, Oliver Ames, football. Inducted in 2001.
• Valentine P. Muscato, Oliver Ames, football, basketball and track. Inducted in 1979, 1976 and 1992, respectively.
• William Nixon, Oliver Ames, basketball. Inducted in 2001.

Sharon HS

• Dudley Davenport, Sharon, basketball. Inducted in 1989
• Alan Howie, Sharon, soccer. Inducted in 2010.
• Joel Peckman, Sharon, baseball. Inducted in 2012

Stoughton HS

• Robert Ashley, Stoughton, baseball. Inducted in 2001
• Greg Burke, Stoughton, football. Inducted in 2019
• Albert Toomey, Stoughton, football. Inducted in 1976

Notable Hockomock Athletes

The following athletes went on to have a significant collegiate or professional career:

• Jim Craig - Oliver Ames (Hockey). Goalie on the 1980 US Olympic Hockey Team. Won a gold medal. Played hockey for Boston University and professionally in the NHL for the Atlanta Flames, Boston Bruins and the Minnesota North Stars.
• Anthony Sherman - North Attleboro (Football). Was the team captain in football, track and baseball. Played football for the University of Connecticut. Ten-year professional football career in the NFL with the Arizona Cardinals and the Kansas City Chiefs.
• Peter Laviolette - Franklin (Hockey). Played hockey and baseball for Franklin. Played 12 NHL games for the New York Rangers. He has been a head coach in every NHL season since the 2001-02 NHL season. He has coached the New York Islanders, Carolina Hurricanes, Philadelphia Flyers, Nashville Predators, and is currently coaching the Washington Capitols.
• Sarah Behn - Foxboro (girls basketball). She was the head women's basketball coach at Framingham State, Franklin Pierce, and Brown University. She returned to coach girls' basketball at Foxboro briefly, from 2004-2011.
• Lofa Tatupu - King Philip (football). All state football player, played college football at Maine and then transferred to USC. Three time Pro Bowl linebacker for the Seattle Seahawks.
• Kevin Pyne - Milford (Football - Boston College)
• Kerry Taylor - Mansfield (Football - UMass, NFL)

External links

Teams and sports

• North Attleboro Wrestling
• Sharon Athletics
• Franklin track and field and cross-country
• Mansfield track and field and cross-country
• North Attleboro track and field and cross-country
• Sharon track and field and cross-country
• Stoughton High School Football History
• King Philip Track & Field and Cross-Country

Schools

• Attleboro High School
• Canton High School
• Foxborough High School
• Franklin High School
• King Philip High School
• Mansfield High School
• Milford High School
• North Attleboro High School
• Oliver Ames High School
• Sharon High School
• Stoughton High School
• Taunton High School
• Hockomock League Website maintained by John Leahy
• Hockomock Sports

References

1. Diamond, Nick (July 10, 2019). "A new logo for the Hock". www.wickedlocal.com. Retrieved November 13, 2022.
2. Farinella, Mark (May 13, 2008). "FARINELLA: Hockomock expansion still in exploratory stage". www.thesunchronicle.com Sun Chronicle Newspaper. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
3. Barboza, Scott (July 7, 2011). "Latest on Hockomock expansion, OCL's future". www.espn.com. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
4. Libon, Dan (July 7, 2011). "The Hockomock League is Expanding". www. patch.com. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
5. Farinella, Mark (June 11, 2011). "Hockomock League adds Taunton, Milford". www.the sunchronicle.com Sun Chronicle Newspaper. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
6. Donahue, Connor (June 14, 2011). "Hockomock Expansion". Franklin High School website. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
7. Berger, Mike (August 19, 2010). "Hockomock League to debut divisional format this fall". www.thecantoncitizen.com. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
8. "Hockomock League showcases new logo". www.thesunchronicle.com The Sun Chronicle Newspaper Online Edition. July 12, 2019. Retrieved November 13, 2022.
9. "Hockomock Logo Press Release 6-20-19 Final" (PDF). www.mhs-athletics.com. July 19, 2019. Retrieved November 13, 2022.
10. Muscato, Ross (December 7, 2011). "Bring Back The Hockomock League - Not Today, But Yesterday". www.patch.com.
11. "Massachusetts Public School Profiles 2021-22 Enrollment by Grade Report (District)". Massachusetts Dept of Education. November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
12. ^ "Massachusetts Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame Inductees". www.mbcaorg.com. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
13. ^ "Massachusetts High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame". www.mhsfca.net. November 12, 2022. Retrieved November 13, 2022.
14. ^ "Massachusetts State Track Coaches Association - Coaches Hall of Fame". mstca.org. November 12, 2022. Retrieved November 12, 2022.
15. ^ "Massachusetts Baseball Coaches Assn Hall of Fame Inductees *". www.massbca.com. 2006. Retrieved November 13, 2022.
16. ^ "Eastern Massachusetts Soccer Coaches Association Hall of Fame Inductees". www.emsca.org. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
17. "Easton Public Schools, Oliver Ames High School Athletics Hall of Fame, James J Mitchell Inducted 2005". www.easton.k12.ma.us/our_schools Easton Public Schools. 2005. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
18. "Stonehill College Skyhawks Hall of Fame Biography". www.stonehillskyhawks.com Stonehill College Athletics. 1991. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
19. "Easton Public School Athletics Hall of Fame William F Nixon Inducted 2004". www.easton.k12.ma.us Easton Public Schools. 2004. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
20. "Massachusetts Baseball Coaches Assn. - Joel Peckham Inductee 2012". Massachusetts Baseball Coaches Association www.massbca.com. 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2022.
21. Gobis, Peter (March 23, 2020). "Foxboro's Behn steps down as Brown women's basketball coach". The Sun Chronicle Newspaper Online Edition. Retrieved November 12, 2022.

• Hockomock League
• Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association leagues