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, the nationally-ranked Taunton High softball team extended its reign atop MIAA Division 1 with a sixth straight title, beating Hockomock Kelley-Rex foes Attleboro in the highest-scoring softball final in MIAA history. Bristol-Plymouth soccer continued its growth, capturing the MVADA Large State Vocational title as well as the Mayflower Large crown for the first time since 2016 while Bristol-Plymouth softball also took home the MVADA Large State Vocational title. Both Bridgewater-Raynham and Bristol-Plymouth wrestling saw a wrestler be crowned an MIAA Division 1 champion, while the Trojans had a pair crowned All-State champions, with a Bristol Aggie/Dighton-Rehoboth wrestler also capturing an All-State crown. In track and field, Taunton had both an MIAA Division 1 champion and a Meet of Champions winner, Bristol-Plymouth had an MIAA Division 3 champion and a Meet of Champions winner and Bridgewater-Raynham had an MIAA Division 2 champion.
Dighton-Rehoboth softball remained one of the top teams in the state, but were narrowly denied a shot at a third straight title by South Coast Conference foes Apponequet in the MIAA Division 3 Final Four, while both Bridgewater-Raynham softball and the Bishop Stang hockey co-op reached the MIAA Division 1 Elite Eight in their respective sports. Bristol Aggie cross country captured a second straight Mayflower Small title while Bridgewater-Raynham basketball captured its ninth league title in 11 years with the inaugural Pioneer Athletic Conference crown and Bridgewater-Raynham/West Bridgewater gymnastics continued its dominance in the Cranberry League. Bristol Aggie softball had perhaps the most remarkable turnaround in the area, with the addition of a talented freshman class seeing Aggie go from 5-11 in 2025 to 18-3 in 2026, going undefeated in conference play to win the Mayflower Small title and reaching the MIAA Division 5 Round of 16.
Now it's time to cast your vote for the 2025-26 Taunton Daily Gazette Girls Athlete of the Year, with polls open through noon on Tuesday, Aug. 25. 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.
Print readers can find the poll at tauntongazette.com.
Fall 2025
Mari Albon, Bristol-Plymouth soccer
The senior midfielder and captain wrapped up a strong high school soccer career as the engine that powered the Craftsmen's potent offense. Capable of playing all over the pitch, including some time in goal as a sophomore, her field vision and pass/shot selection were key in B-P's MAC and MVADA titles. She finished her career with 12 goals (52 for her career) and 8 assists and was praised by coach Bri Souto for her dedication, leadership and hard work.
The MAC Large MVP, Albon was a three-year captain for the Craftsmen soccer team as well as a Second Team All-Scholastic in both basketball and track and field. Her talents and leadership will certainly be missed as she continues her academic career at Western New England University.
Taylor Nascimento, Bristol Aggie cross country
The sophomore captain from Fall River was once again a force to be reckoned with in the MAC, playing the key role in Aggie's second-straight league title as the top overall finisher in four of BA's five dual meets. She put up a personal best time of 21:30.7 while finishing 28th out of 189 in the MSTCA Twilight Invitational Sophomore race. Other notable performances include finishing fourth at the MVADA Small Championship (21:37.7) and seventh at the MAC Championship (23:16.3).
An MAC All-Star, Nascimento is also a member of the South Coast Milers runners club and was selected as the 2025 Taunton Daily Gazette Fans' Choice Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year with 69% of the vote.
Reese Jefferson, Dighton-Rehoboth field hockey
The senior captain and forward/midfielder wrapped up a stellar high school field hockey career being described by Falcons coach Meaghan Marcotte as "unlike any other athlete (she's) ever coached." Jefferson was the absolute catalyst of the D-R offense, scoring 24 of the team's 33 total goals, 19 of which were unassisted, while recording 3 assists herself. Marcotte further praised her abilities, calling her stick skills "unmatched" while saying she's "talented, but not in a showy way."
The SCC MVP, Jefferson was also chosen as the team's MVP for a third straight season. The 2024 Taunton Daily Gazette Field Hockey Player of the Year, she was voted the 2025 Taunton Daily Gazette Fans' Choice Field Hockey Player of the Year as well, receiving 68% of the vote. Also a basketball captain and First Team All-Scholastic and member of the lacrosse team, Jefferson's talents and leadership will be missed by the Falcons next fall as she continues her academic and field hockey career at Roger Williams University.
Genoveva Martins-Furtado, Bristol-Plymouth volleyball
With a strong setter and middle hitters ahead of her, the senior libero and captain was the engine that powered the Craftsmen to a second-straight MAC crown. While going 90% on serves, she had 240 digs, 89 serve receptions and 58 aces.
The MAC Large MVP, Martins-Furtado also served as the B-P Class of 2026 vice president. Her talents and leadership will surely be missed at B-P next year as she starts her career as a beauty technician.
Winter 2025-26
Camden Strandberg, Bridgewater-Raynham basketball
The senior forward wrapped up a strong high school basketball career in style, leading the Trojans with career highs in points (16.8) per game for the third year in a row, as well as rebounds (9.8) and blocks (1.9). She recorded a double-double in 11 of B-R's 22 games while also scoring a career-high 35 points against Dracut to win the St. Mary's of Lynn Spartan Classic.
A PAC-3 All-Star, Strandberg was previously selected as the 2022 and 2023 Taunton Daily Gazette Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year and the 2025 Taunton Daily Gazette Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year, and was a First Team All-Scholastic in both sports this past year. Her talents and leadership will be missed at B-R set to continues her academic and basketball career at Bates College.
Alexis Pettinato, Bishop Stang hockey co-op
The junior defenseman from Dighton-Rehoboth took on an even bigger role for the Spartan co-op this winter, leading the team with 11 goals, including 3 in the postseason, and 5 assists for 16 points. Previously both the 2024-25 Taunton Daily Gazette Girls Hockey Player of the Year and 2024-25 Taunton Daily Gazette Girls Athlete of the Year, she was also voted the 2025-26 Taunton Daily Gazette Fans' Choice Girls Hockey Player of the Year, receiving 66% of the vote.
As a Falcon this past year, Pettinato was also named a Second Team All-Scholastic in soccer and lacrosse. Her talents and leadership will be missed at both D-R and Stang next year as she's transferred to St. Mark's School in Southborough, MA to continue her academic and hockey careers.
Kennedie Davis, Bridgewater-Raynham wrestling
The senior co-captain wrapped up a stellar high school wrestling career in style, being crowned 114-lb. champion at both the MIAA Division 1 Championship (second straight year) and the MIAA All-State Championship and finished runner-up at the New England Interscholastic Wrestling Championship. A captain, she went 39-18 overall in both mixed gender and girls bouts this winter to finish with a career record of 141-71. She also finished sixth overall in the 113-lb. mixed weight class at the MIAA Division 1 South Sectional.
Outside of school, Davis is also a mixed martial arts fighter and trains with Lauzon MMA in Raynham. Her talents and leadership will be missed as she continues her academic and wrestling careers at Emmanuel College.
Sophia Olaniyan, Taunton indoor track
The senior wrapped up a stellar high school indoor track career in style, being crowned Hockomock champion in the shot put with a personal best throw of 36 feet 2 inches. She followed that up by finishing seventh (33 feet 3.25 inches) and 11th (34 feet 0.5 inches) in the event at the MIAA Division 1 Championship and Meet of Champions respectively. She also excelled in the 20-pound weight throw, finishing fifth overall (41 feet 9.5 inches) at the D1 Championship and second overall (46 feet 9 inches, personal best) in the Emerging Elite category at the Nike Indoor Nationals.
A Hockomock All-Star and the 2025-26 Taunton Daily Gazette Fans' Choice Girls Indoor Track Athlete of the Year, receiving 95% of the vote, Olaniyan was also a 2026 First Team Track and Field All-Scholastic. This spring, she was crowned the overall state champion in the discus (132 feet) at the MIAA Meet of Champions after having previously finished runner-up (126 feet 8 inches) at the MIAA Div. 1 Championship. She was also crowned Hockomock champion in both the discus (128 feet 5 inches) and shot put (35 feet 8.5 inches), finishing third (36 feet 10.75 inches) in the latter at the MIAA Division 1 Championship. Her talents and leadership will be missed as she continues her academic and both indoor and outdoor track and field careers at Western Michigan University.
Lindsay Woodbury, Bridgewater-Raynham/West Bridgewater gymnastics
The junior took another step up for the Trojans this year, capturing the top finish of any Greater Taunton area gymnast this winter by winning the all-around at the MIAA South Sectional with a score of 37.075, including a 9.575 on the beam and a 9.5 on the floor. She also finished third overall in the all around at the Cranberry Championship (36.25), eighth overall (36.025) at the MIAA Gymnastics Championship and fifth overall (37.575) at the New England Interscholastic Gymnastics Championship and was named a Cranberry All-Around All Star.
BR/WB coach Steven Cudworth described Woodbury as a "hard-working, team-oriented and outstanding athlete," applauding her efforts in competing in the all-around in all 11 meets as "a true testament to her consistency, dedication and leadership."
Casey Mulcahy, Bridgewater-Raynham swim
The eighth grader burst onto the scene for the Trojans with some solid performances, recording a qualifying time for the 100 yard freestyle in the opening meet against Seekonk. At the MIAA Division 1 South Sectional, Mulcahy finished 10th overall in the 200 yard freestyle (2:09.9) and 20th in the 100 yard freestyle (0:59.46), both of which were improvements on her qualifying times. She was the area's lone representative at the MIAA Division 1 Championship, where she finished 21st overall in the 200 yard freestyle (2:09.31).
Spring 2026
Bella Bourque, Taunton softball
The junior shortstop and Virginia commit, who shifted over from playing third base the past three seasons while primarily a catcher at the club level, raised her already stellar standards with her best season to date. At the plate, she led the Tigers in batting average (.586), hits (51), doubles (11, tied with Aniyah Bailey), triples (7) and runs (50) while also recording 4 home runs, 40 RBIs and 14 stolen bases. During the tournament, she batted .611 with a joint-best 11 hits including a triple and a championship game home run, as well as 11 runs and 8 RBIs.
A Hockomock All-Star, as well as both the 2025-26 Gatorade Massachusetts Softball Player of the Year and 2026 MaxPreps Massachusetts Softball Player of the Year, the four-time state champion is ranked as the No. 50 player nationwide in the Class of 2027 by Prep Softball. Bourque is the first non-pitcher to be named Taunton Daily Gazette Softball Player of the Year since former teammate and catcher Kasey DeMoura (2022). She is also the third Taunton softball player, and first non-senior and position player, to be named Gatorade Player of the Year after Taunton High Athletic Hall of Famer Katlyn (Mallette) Gauthier (2002-03) and her former teammate and current Texas junior Sam Lincoln (2023-24).
Lucy Francis, Bridgewater-Raynham lacrosse
The freshman midfielder/attacker was one of the Trojans tasked with filling the shoes of program legend Emily Keefe, and its safe to say she delivered with an outstanding debut campaign. This spring, she led B-R in goals (59) and points (72), including 13 assists, while splitting time between midfield and attack and serving as the team's main draw specialist.
A PAC-3 All-Star, Trojans coach Bill O'Connell praised her ability to generate possessions in the draw circle, create offense in transition and contribute as both a scorer and playmaker, calling her "one of the most versatile and dynamic players in the Pioneer Athletic Conference."
Mary MacDonald, Bristol-Plymouth track and field
The junior further established herself as one of the top high school wheelchair athletes in the northeast in her best season to date for the Craftsmen, and was also chosen as the 2026 Taunton Daily Gazette Fans' Choice Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year with 58% of the vote
MacDonald was crowned the 100 meter wheelchair champion in the MAC (0:25.02), MIAA Div. 3 (0:23.25, personal best), MIAA Meet of Champions (0:23.34) and at the New England Interscholastic Track and Field Championship (0:24.15). She also took home the 400 meter wheelchair crowns for the MAC (1:48.36), MIAA D3 (1:24.23) and New England (1:23.72) and the 800 meter wheelchair crowns for the MVADA (3:12.11, personal best) and MAC (3:36.8). She had notable second place finishes at the MIAA Meet of Champions in both the 400 meter wheelchair (1:23.29) and mile wheelchair (6:12.78), as well as in the 400 meter wheelchair (1:17.63, personal best) at the New Balance Nationals at the University of Pennsylvania.
Mia Saviolakis, Dighton-Rehoboth tennis
The senior captain wrapped up a solid high school tennis career as a leader both on and off the court for the Falcons. At first singles, she went 8-6 while being put through tough battles with the top players in the SCC, earning praise from coach Hilary Burnham for that and her help in developing the younger players on the team to help steady the program for the future.
An SCC All-Star, Saviolakis' talents and leadership will be missed as she continues her academic career at the University of Massachusetts.
This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: Who is the 2025-26 Taunton Daily Gazette Girls Athlete of the Year?