Another school year of high school sports has come and gone in the Greater Taunton area, with the dawn of a new one rapidly approaching.
In 2025-26, Bridgewater-Raynham football made it the furthest of all Greater Taunton area boys teams, lighting up the scoreboard with five games scoring 40 or more and reaching the MIAA Division 2 Final Four before falling to Bishop Feehan in a back-and-forth contest. Bridgewater-Raynham basketball, with one of the top rosters in the state, battled hard all winter and reached the Division 1 Elite Eight once again, only falling to eventual champions Bishop Feehan, led by Raynham's Brody Bumila, in overtime.
Elsewhere, Taunton hockey saw a coach and player reach both program and career milestones while Taunton baseball secured a third straight Hockomock Kelley-Rex title and Bridgewater-Raynham soccer's senior class went out as inaugural Pioneer Athletic Conference champions after going winless as freshmen. Taunton wrestling had a Division 1 champion for a third straight year while both Taunton and Bristol-Plymouth basketball added a new 1,000 point scorer to their respective programs' lists.
Now it's time to cast your vote for the 2025-26 Taunton Daily Gazette Boys Athlete of the Year, with polls open through noon on Monday, Aug. 24. All of the nominees for this poll were chosen for being named the Player/Athlete of the Year for their respective sport, with eligibility solely based on receiving that accolade. Caiden Blake, who won Athlete of the Year for both indoor and outdoor track and field, will have those accolades combined into one nomination.
Print readers can find the poll at tauntongazette.com.
Fall 2025
Jack Lambert, Bridgewater-Raynham football (Offensive)
The senior quarterback wrapped up a stellar high school football career with his best season yet, going 195-for-275 passing for 2,781 yards and 31 touchdowns. He threw 4 touchdown passes twice in the playoffs, first in a 42-14 MIAA D1 Round of 16 game against Woburn and then in a 31-27 Final 4 loss to Bishop Feehan, 3 of which were to longtime friend and teammate Dylan Reed.
A PAC-3 All-Star, as well as a member of the basketball team, Lambert's talents and leadership will be missed by the Trojans as he continues his academic and football career at the University of New England.
Corbin Melo, Taunton football (Defensive)
The senior linebacker led the way on defense for the Tigers throughout the fall, breaking the program tackle record with a career total of 263, 95 of which came this fall. The co-captain also recorded 10 tackles for a loss and 5 sacks, and put up an impressive defensive drive against Franklin, recording a sack, tackle and interception on three straight snaps. While deployed as a running back, he averaged 7.3 yards per carry and recorded a touchdown.
A Hockomock All-Star, Melo was also a Baseball Second Team All-Scholastic as well as the salutatorian of the Taunton High Class of 2026. His talents and leadership will be missed next fall as he continues his academic and football career at Amherst College.
Kevin Moreira, Bridgewater-Raynham soccer
Even in an attack as potent as the Trojans, the junior forward stood out this fall, leading the way with 23 goals and 8 assists. Quick and with a keen eye for goal, he was the sparkplug for B-R with several bombastic performances, including hat tricks against Bristol-Plymouth, Whitman-Hanson and Apponequet. He also found the back of the net in a 3-2 win over Dartmouth and scored the lone goal in a 1-0 win over Barnstable, both proving crucial in claiming that inaugural PAC-3 crown.
The PAC-3 MVP and 2025 Taunton Daily Gazette Fans' Choice Boys Soccer Player of the Year, receiving 85% of the vote, Moreira will look to build off his impressive campaign heading into his senior season.
Brian Peters, Bridgewater-Raynham cross country
The senior captain wrapped up a stellar high school cross country career in style, being crowned the inaugural PAC-3 champion with a season-best time of 16:27.6, nearly 42 seconds better than the second-place finisher. The Trojans' top runner throughout the fall, with other notable outings including third-place finishes at both the Catholic Memorial Invitational (16:57.9) and the MSTCA Frank Mooney Coaches Invitational- Large (16:39.5). He also finished 34th out of 179 (16:54.7) at the MIAA Division 1B Championship.
Peters was also voted the 2025 Taunton Daily Gazette Fans' Choice Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year, receiving 43% of the vote, and was previously the 2023 Taunton Daily Gazette Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year. This past year, he was also an Indoor Track and Track and Field All-Scholastic, and he'll be missed by the Trojans as he continues his academic, cross country and track careers at Stonehill College.
Charlie Rosa, Dighton-Rehoboth golf
A key member of the Falcons since he was an eighth grader, the junior took his game to another level this past fall. Rosa averaged a score of 38.1 per nine holes across the 18-match season, shooting a 40 or better in 14 of those matches. He also shot a par or better in 4 matches, including a season-best round of 34 (-2) against Case. Rosa had the best sectional performance of all Greater Taunton area golfers, finishing tied for sixth with a 79 (+7) over 18 holes at the MIAA Division 2 South Sectional and came in 29th out of 105 after shooting an 83 (+12) at the Division 2 Championship.
A three-time SCC All-Star, Rosa is also a member of the Somerset Berkley/Case/Dighton-Rehoboth/Seekonk hockey co-op and was a Lacrosse Second Team All-Scholastic. He has been chosen as a 2026 golf captain.
Winter 2025-26
Dray Thielker, Taunton basketball
The versatile senior guard/forward wrapped up a strong high school basketball in style, leading both the Tigers and the Hockomock League as a whole in points per game (22.7) and becoming the 14th player in program history, including his father Matt, to reach 1,000 career points. A Hockomock All-Star, Thielker was also nominated for the Dave Cowens Award and put up a career-high 37 points in a game against North Attleboro.
Thielker was also voted the 2025-26 Taunton Daily Gazette Fans' Choice Boys Basketball Player of the Year, receiving 49% in what proved the crucial tiebreaking vote for Player of the Year.
Jamie Vallarelli, Taunton hockey
The junior forward only further cemented his already well-established spot as an all-time program great this winter, recording 24 goals and 27 assists for 51 points. The Hockomock Kelley-Rex MVP, Vallarelli finished the winter tied with Taunton High Athletic Hall of Famer Jeff Gallagher as the program's all-time scoring leader (139), meaning his first goal or assist in 2026-27 will give him sole possession of the record.
Will Buffington, Taunton wrestling
The senior wrapped up a stellar high school wrestling career in style, capturing the 215-lb. titles at the Hockomock Championship, MIAA Division 1 South Sectional (second-straight year) and MIAA Division Championship. He also finished runner-up at MIAA All-States and fifth overall at the New England Interscholastic Wrestling Championship.
A Hockomock All-Star, a Second Team Football All-Scholastic and the latest member of the Tigers' 100-win club, Buffington finishes his high school career with 128 wins. His talents and leadership will be missed as he continues his academic and wrestling careers at Springfield College.
Caiden Blake, Bridgewater-Raynham indoor track
The senior wrapped up a stellar high school indoor track career in style by defending both of his MIAA Division 2 titles. He was once again crowned champion in the 600 meter (1:23.95, personal best) and as the final leg of the 4x400 meter relay team of Ryan Alves, Matt Parks and Brian Peters (3:29.48, school record). He was also crowned an inaugural PAC-3 champion in both events, with coach Jeffrey Sousa describing him as "one of the top track and field athletes in school history."
A PAC-3 All-Star as well as the 2025-26 Taunton Daily Gazette Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year and 2026 Taunton Daily Gazette Fans' Choice Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year, receiving 78% of the vote, Blake was also voted the 2025-26 Taunton Daily Gazette Fans' Choice Boys Indoor Track Athlete of the Year with 65% of the vote and was the B-R Class of 2026 president. His talents and leadership will be missed as he continues his academic and football career at Assumption University.
Ryan Ducharme, Taunton swim
The freshman built on his impressive eighth grade debut, recording a combined 96 individual points with 16 top three finishes in dual meets He scored individual dual meet wins in the 100 yard backstroke, 200 yard individual medley, 50 yard freestyle, 100 yard breaststroke and the 500 yard freestyle. At the Hockomock Championship, Ducharme finished third overall in the 200 yard freestyle (2:03.95) and was named a Hockomock All-Star.
Spring 2026
Joey Benoit, Taunton baseball
The senior first baseman and co-captain wrapped up a strong high school baseball career as the Tigers' offensive catalyst for a second straight season. He led Taunton in batting average (.373), on-base percentage (.477), slugging percentage (.806), on-base plus slugging percentage (1.283), hits (25), doubles (11), home runs (6), RBIs (20, joint with Corbin Melo) and walks (14). In addition, he also recorded 8 singles, 18 runs and a stolen base.
At first base, he recorded a .994 fielding percentage with a team-high 149 putouts and participation in a team-high 16 double plays. The Hockomock Kelley-Rex MVP, Benoit's talents and leadership will certainly be missed by the Tigers as he continues his academic and baseball career at Brown University.
Oren Cullins, Taunton lacrosse
The senior goalie wrapped up a strong high school lacrosse career further solidifying his position as a program legend. He made a Hockomock-best 390 saves after entering the season with over 600 in his career, finishing the spring with a league third-best .655 save percentage. He even recorded a goal, going coast-to-coast across the field to find the game winner against Somerset Berkley.
A Hockomock All-Star, Cullins was also voted the 2026 Taunton Daily Gazette Fans’ Choice Boys Lacrosse Player of the Year, receiving 75% of the vote. His leadership and talents will certainly be missed by the Tigers as he continues his academic and lacrosse career at Colby-Sawyer College.
Caiden Blake, Bridgewater-Raynham track and field
The senior and Indoor Track Athlete of the Year wrapped up a strong high school track career adding a few more accolades to his impressive résumé. He was crowned the inaugural PAC-3 400 meter champion (0:52.35) and finished fifth in the event (0:51.17) at the MIAA Division 2 Championship. He set a 400 meter personal best (0:50.64) at the Whaler Invitational in New Bedford and was also the final leg of the PAC-3 champion 4x400 meter relay team of Delenx Thermitus Jean-Baptiste, Ayden Medeiros and Matt Parks (3:47.95).
Ty Perry, Dighton-Rehoboth tennis
The junior captain firmly established himself as one of the top players in all of MIAA Division 3, going a perfect 13-0 at first singles without dropping a set.
At the USTA Massachusetts High School State Individual Singles and Doubles Championships, he was seeded No. 29 of 65 and reached the Round of 32, falling to the eventual runner-up, Newton North's Johnny Wastcoat. The unanimous SCC MVP, Perry was also voted the 2026 Taunton Daily Gazette Fans' Choice Boys Tennis Player of the Year, receiving 98% of the vote.
Donichard Providence, Taunton volleyball
The senior outside hitter wrapped up a strong high school volleyball career with his best season yet. Providence led the way for the Tigers in kills (236), aces (31), points (148) and digs (214), keeping the team in close competitions against perennial powerhouses like Milford. One of the most versatile offensive assets in the area, he was named the Hockomock League MVP. His talents and leadership will certainly be missed in Taunton next year.
This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: Who is the 2025-26 Taunton Daily Gazette Boys Athlete of the Year?