Westwood Gives Norton Boys' Basketball 1st Loss of the Year

James Loring led the game with 23 points for the Lancers in the losing effort.

The last time the Norton Lancers and Westwood Wolverines met on the basketball court, the Wolverines were celebrating their upset defeat of the Lancers in last year’s MIAA Division 3 South Sectional tournament. While their latest meeting did not end anyone’s season, the 60-50 Westwood win made an already tight race for the Tri-Valley League title that much closer. Despite keeping the deficit to only three after the first quarter, a 13-2 run by the Wolverines stretched the lead to 11 as offensive rebounds and second chance points gave Westwood the cushion they needed against the Lancers. “I think second half was pretty even but the first half for sure, their offensive rebounds got them the lead,” Lancers head coach Marc Liberatore said. “It…

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Boy's Basketball Fends Off Late Millis Rally En Route To 53-48 Win

James Loring netted 17 points, while Dan Rafuse scored 11 points in Norton's seventh win of the season.

Trailing Norton by seven points entering the final stanza, Millis stormed back with a 12-4 run, which pushed the Mohawks ahead, 44-43 with roughly four minutes remaining. Norton’s James Loring regained the lead for the Lancers off a right-handed layup on the ensuing possession before Millis retained their advantage with a Sean Heffernan jumper. Loring then netted the go-ahead bucket off a layup on his team’s next possession, which provided the Lancers with the lead for good. “We fell apart towards the end, we didn’t stick together, we started getting mad at each other, but we pulled it off luckily,” said Loring. Loring, Zach Ruby and Chris Huff put the Lancers up by five with less than a minute remaining before Chris Baker converted Millis…

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Loring, Rafuse Lead Norton Past Hopkinton, 62-48

James Loring and Dan Rafuse each netted 12 points in the Lancers fifth win of the season.

Entering the second half with a seven-point advantage, Norton extended its lead by connecting on five-of-seven shots from the field and six-of-eight attempts from the stripe, which helped the Lancers go onto defeat Hopkinton, 62-48. “I thought in the third quarter we made three quick baskets when [Hopkinton] was pressing, and all of a sudden seven [points] went to 14, and it was a whole different game,” said Norton head coach Marc Liberatore. “I think we talked about being a little more patient [during halftime], and when they pressed, [we made] the right pass to the open guy, and we made shots, too.” James Loring, Chris Huff and Dan Rafuse all scored baskets once the third quarter commenced, while Paul Murphy (eight points) provided two …

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Boy's Soccer Earns Critical Win Against Ashland

Norton's Brett Hanlon's penalty kick provided the Lancers with a 1-0 victory.

If Norton High School’s boy’s varsity soccer team wants to claim a spot in the upcoming MIAA tournament then they’re going to have to play consistent soccer, especially in their final four contests. The Lancers squeaked out a 1-0 victory on their home turf Wednesday against Ashland, and now need two more victories (four points) to clinch a playoff berth. “We did not [make the playoffs last year], so there’s a lot of motivation,” explained Norton head coach Eric Greene. “[Last season] was a discouraging year in my opinion, but we’ve talked a lot about that and we’ve made a lot of changes and they’re responding very, very well.” Norton commenced their match against Ashland by possessing the ball in the Clockers territory. However, missed …

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Football Looks To Rebound Against Westwood on Friday

Despite an early season loss to Millis-Hopedale, Norton is motivated to conclude their season with 10 wins.

One game won’t dictate a season, but it’ll certainly motivate a squad to makeup for their mistakes. Last weekend against Millis-Hopedale, Norton saw its two-game winning streak conclude with a 33-14 thrashing against their Tri-Valley League Small rival, which brought back some unfavorable memories from a year ago to head coach Ted Currle. “I think last year [our loss against the Mohawks] kind of shocked us because we had never lost to them before and then the reality set in that [we needed to win out],” explained Currle. “It turned out we were 3-1 [in our division] and they were 4-0, so it’s difficult to get the guys mindset right knowing that could happen again, but our [current goal] is to be 10-1.” The Lancers can certainly obtain eight…

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Q&A With Norton XC Coach Kent Taylor

The Lancers Cross Country teams have started the new year with wins against Bellingham.

The Norton High School boys and girl’s cross country seasons have officially begun, and on Wednesday, both squads earned important victories against Bellingham. The boys are currently 2-0, while the girls are 1-1. Both teams will compete against Hopkinton 3 p.m. Monday in a home meet. To keep up with the team's schedule and scores throughout the season, click here. Norton Patch caught up with head coach Kent Taylor to discuss the season thus far, as well as his goals and objectives, too. 1.) How many years have you been involved in cross country? Did you run in college or high school? If so, where? “I have been involved with Norton Cross Country for five years (this is my fifth season).  I ran in middle school, four years of cross country …

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Norton Football Ready For Kick-Off

The Lancers look to improve upon their 5-6 season.

Following last year’s 5-6 campaign, Norton’s head football coach Ted Currle seems focused on two things: the Lancers depth and last season’s Tri-Valley League Small champion.   “We talk about Millis every day, we talk about playing in a playoff game every day, we talk about a championship every day, and I believe if you don’t talk about it, they might not believe they can obtain it,” stated Currle. Currle admitted that while he does dwell on last year’s loss to Millis, he is focused on making sure his team is alert and ready for their first opponent of the year, Carver. Norton will kickoff their season on the road against the Crusaders tomorrow evening before they return home to host Scituate the following week. Afterward, the Lancers will…

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Q&A With Norton High School Athletic Director Nathaniel Gorbet

Norton AD sheds light on the past year of Lancers athletics, and looks ahead to next school year.

The 2011-12 high school sports campaign officially concluded its spring season two weeks ago in Worcester. And even though Norton didn’t have a team competing in the Div. III baseball or softball finals, it didn’t faze first year athletic director Nathaniel Gorbert, who acknowledged through an email, how proud he was of his student athlete’s efforts from the past school year. The Lancers excelled quite well in boy’s basketball, wrestling and track and field, while the girl’s tennis improved drastically from their past few seasons. Yet, despite those various sports, Norton’s other teams improved and remained competitive against their various Tri-Valley League foes, too.   Norton Patch caught up with Gorbert to discuss the past year of …

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Weekly Region Roundup

Region Roundup: Pair Arrested for Heroin Possession; Car Crash (And More...)

A look at the top headlines in your town and the surrounding area for the week of June 3, 2012.

Easton Police Arrest Two For Heroin Possession Ryan Desrosiers, 27, of Falmouth, and his girlfriend, Andrea Poirier, 22, of Norwood, were arrested by Easton Police on June 1 after heroin was allegedly found in their car. Police located Desrosiers and Poirier near the Raynham Dog Track on Route 138 after receiving a call from a woman stating that her great grandson and his girlfriend were taking financial advantage of the woman's elderly sister, Easton Police Chief Allen Krajcik said. Read more by clicking here. *** Two Hospitalized After Roll-Over Crash on Stoughton/Easton Line Two drivers were transported to Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton Thursday morning, June 7 with minor injuries after a car vs. car collision in front of …

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There's Norton Angle to Brockton Rox

Norton High standouts, coach to spend summer with Rox in Futures Collegiate Baseball League.

All you would have to do is drop a few letters, and the switch could be made rather quickly. Easily, they could be the Norton Rox or the Brockton Lancers, but the team Norton High head coach Ted Currle and former Lancers A.J. Bashaw and Sean Ryan will be involved with this summer is called the Brockton Rox of the Future Collegiate Baseball League. With Currle, Bashaw and Ryan on the squad, it is going to feel like a Lancer reunion. "It's great to be able to play here," said Bashaw. "It should be a lot of fun and it's good to be playing for our coach again. He is always looking out for us." The Rox will open up the season Friday night against Martha's Vineyard in a 7:05 p.m. start at Campanelli Stadium in Brockton. Currle was the head coach…

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