Scarlet Hawks continue Hockomock dynasty with runaway victory

By Chris Villani

The Milford High wrestling team made it six Hockomock League championships in a row, outdueling 10 other schools and finishing nearly 70 points clear of its nearest competitor Jan. 31 at Foxboro High School.

The Scarlet Hawks, who have also captured four straight sectional titles and three state championships in the last four years, saw three athletes win individual Hockomock titles and four more finish as runners up.

Brayden Boccia won the 126lb division with a pin three minutes into his match. Derek Marcolini needed less than a minute to pin his opponent and win the 132lb division. The Scarlet Hawks were also the champs at 150lbs, with Josiah Carney winning via pin fall.

In addition to the first-place finishes, Dylan Wright advanced to the finals at 138lbs, Ryan Flis made the finals at 144lbs, Kaua Reis was a runner up at 157lbs, and Wanderson Dos Santos finished second at 175lbs.

Milford’s latest title came after graduating a talented senior class last year that helped the program win the league, sectional, and state championships.

This year’s Scarlet Hawks team, with a number of new faces in the spotlight, also showcased its depth. At 120lbs, Cameron Zicherman finished third overall in the league meet. Anthony Norris scored a third-place finish of his own at 190lbs.

Altogether, Milford amassed 222 points. Taunton finished a distant second with 156 points, followed by Foxboro, Franklin, and North Attleboro.

The lopsided result echoed last year’s state final, which saw head coach P.J. Boccia’s team run away with the title, 23.5 points clear of second-place Bridgewater-Raynham.

Milford put together back-to-back state title performances in 2022 and 2023, before suffering a small setback two years ago when it came up just a point-and-a-half short to Minnechaug in the Division II meet.