Plymouth North Spring Sports Preview

PLYMOUTH-MA- Plymouth North is about the start their Spring sports season. The sports season features baseball, softball, boys and girls lacrosse. As with any other sports season, this is taking place in pandemic times as the 2020 spring season was canceled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The duration of the Spring Season will be April 26-June 30th.

Pandemic times will of course come with some restrictions, guidelines, and modifications to all the spring sports for this season.

Baseball:

Plymouth North’s Baseball coach Darren Folette is in his 37th year in the Plymouth North baseball program, and his 29th as a head coach. Folette said that he is happy about his players getting to play this season, as last year was canceled.

According to Coach Folette, the COVID-19 protocols for the team are that there are 20 players on the team per game, and masks and socially distancing are also required at all times.

Baseball had a 13-8 record in the 2019 season, they lost to Catholic Memorial out of Boston in the Division 1 South opening-round in the Tournament.

Folette’s expectations are to win the Patriot League and to compete for the Division 1 State Title.

Players to watch: Seniors Josh Gomes (P/3B) and second baseman Dylan Zymentel are both the captains of the team. Other seniors include shortstop Joe Norris, first baseman Nate Viscarello, and outfielders Matt Murphy (also a pitcher) and Nick Desrochers. Key juniors are pitchers Alec Peruzzi and Connor Vellocone (also an outfielder).

Plymouth North’s first game will be on May 7th at Silver Lake High at 4 p.m. start time. Their home opener will be against Marshfield on May 12th at 5:30 p.m. start time. Their last regular-season game will be against Whitman-Hanson on May 28th at 4 p.m.

Softball:

Plymouth North’s Softball coach Susan Harrison is entering her 10th season in the program. Coach Harrison said of the new season, “I’m excited to be out on the field doing what I love to do, coaching a game that I love to play, with a group of girls that I know feel the same way.” Also she said this about the girls getting to play this season, “I am also so thankful and happy for the girls that they get to go out and have fun with each other playing a sport that they love with friendships that started back in the youth program.”

The COVID-19 protocols include for the team: keeping the social distance in the dugout, wearing masks at all times, sanitizing when necessary, each team uses their own balls during the game, no sharing of equipment, and limitations on spectators.

Softball had a 14-7 record in the 2019 season, the team lost to the Hopkinton Hillers in the MIAA Division I South tournament.

Harrison’s expectations for the team are, “My expectations for this new season is to get to know this year's team, play together as a team, have fun enjoying a game we all love and as a bonus win some games together with an ultimate goal of capturing the Patriot cup.”

There are only three returning players from the 2019 season on the varsity team according to Coach Harrison, which are senior Mariah Chong, and juniors Megan Banzi and Kylee Carafoli. Five other seniors will be making their debuts on the varsity team which are Kyleigh Green, Bella Harvey, Kayla Ribbon, Skyla Twieraga, and Izzy Ward.

The softball team’s first game will be at home against Silver Lake on May 7th at 5:15 p.m. start time. Their last scheduled regular season game will be on the road against Whitman-Hanson on May 28th at 4 p.m.

Boys Lacrosse:

Boys Lacrosse coach Christopher Perry is entering his 5th season as the varsity head coach for Plymouth North. Coach Perry said this about the new season, “I can’t wait for the team to actually be together and to have a practice then he commented on how COVID took away the season for the Seniors and everybody else on the team. Just being able to be out there with the kids with what we’re going through as a school, community, and state and even the country, I’m just thrilled just being able to go out there and coach these kids.”

COVID-19 protocols include masks on at all times and Coach Perry said that he will be putting marks on the sidelines for players to stand on to enforce social distancing.

Boys Lacrosse had a 7-11 record in the 2019 season, they did not appear in the MIAA Tournament because that season, they had to have a .500 record or better to qualify for the tournament.

This season, all teams in the MIAA can choose to opt in to the MIAA Tournament regardless of record, in which Coach Perry told me that he is opting in the tournament. Despite this, Perry’s goal for the team to reach .500 or better.

Players to watch: Senior captains are, attackmen Sean Riley and Jack O’ Connell, midfielder Pat Driscoll, and Jaime Keep at faceoffs. We also have a junior captain Teddy Golden, who will return as the goalie for the team.

Boys Lacrosse will open their season at Hingham High school on May 6th at 4 p.m. Their home opener will be a couple days later against Milton HS at 10 a.m. start time Their last scheduled regular season game will be at Dartmouth High School on May 27th at 4 p.m.

Girls Lacrosse:

Girls Lacrosse team coach Rebecca Brady is in her 7th year as the head coach for Plymouth North. Coach Brady said about the new season, “I am excited that our athletes are going to get the chance to play. As challenging as it was to have last season canceled, it helped to give even more meaning to this season.”

Some COVID-19 protocols include masks, social distancing, and screening. If you want to learn more read the document linked on this paragraph.

The Girls Lacrosse team was 6-10 in the previous season and did not make the MIAA Tournament.

Brady’s expectations are, “I expect to have a good season this year if we can keep everyone safe and healthy. We have some great returning talent as well as some really strong freshman and sophomores who are gearing up for their first high school season.”

According to Coach Brady, the only returning player from the 2019 season is Carolina Egan.

Girls Lacrosse will start the regular season at home against Hingham on May 6th at 4 p.m. Their last scheduled game will be against Dartmouth on May 28th at 4 p.m.

Scheduling information for all spring sports will be on the MIAA website, check for more updates.