The "help wanted" sign is out at King Philip High for a boys' varsity basketball coach. After going 9-51 through the past three seasons, including back-to-back 0-20 campaigns under Mike Coppola, the Warriors hope to have a new coach in place by the end of the semester. Not only did the Warriors lose 10 games by 15 points or more last season, they failed to score 50 points in 11 games...

One of the great success stories for the unbeaten and Hockomock League dual-meet champion Mansfield High boys' spring track team is junior Paul Davis, who has undergone two knee operations and a broken forearm and is now back to somewhat good health, qualifying for the MIAA State Meet and Class B Meet with the javelin, uncorking a throw of 163 feet against North Attleboro the other day. "He's made a remarkable comeback," said Hornet coach Julie Collins...

"He's playing the best tennis of his career, he's a different player," related King Philip High tennis coach Laurie Puddester of the Warriors' No. 1 singles player Duncan Yarworth. "He serves and volleys and playing all those USTA players, he get's their timing off."...

"I think that wrestling had a lot to do with it, he's bigger and stronger," related Tri-County High lacrosse coach Matt Murphy of the Cougars' junior attacker, Mike Cavanaugh of North Attleboro, who has 50-plus goals already this season - having netted 94 during his first two varsity seasons...

St. John's University women's soccer coach Ian Stone on the addition of Bishop Feehan High soccer great Jen Leaverton: "Jen has the type of attacking personality that will help our program. She has all the attributes to become a complete forward at the Big East level. Our coaching staff also loves Jen's competitiveness and the attitude she shows towards winning"... Former North Attleboro High Rocketeer Meg Brunell completed her collegiate career in left field for the Western Connecticut State women's softball team (31-15), which bowed to Mount Union in the semifinals of the NCAA Division III Eastern Regional Tournament. Brunell, Western Connecticut's Female Athlete of the Year, graduates Sunday with a degree in nursing and a 3.5 grade index for all four years...

Remember in your prayers, if you will, the Blase family of North Attleboro, who so tragically lost Alex this week...

Norton High's No. 1 singles player on the ladder, 6-foot-4 Alex Magnusson, an exchange student from Malmo, Sweden, will be returning to his homeland in a few weeks, having to forego the Lancers' participation in the MIAA Tournament...

The Cuozzo sisters, Caitlin and Allie, helped the Union College women's lacrosse team (15-4) to its best single season record ever. Union, however lost to College of New Jersey 9-8 in the NCAA Division III Eastern Regional finals. Allie Cuozzo scored twice in that match, the second of which knotted the score at 8-8 with 2:59 left...

"That's what makes her so effective, she has a ton of speed," said Mansfield High girls' lacrosse coach Dawn Kafel of Hornet Kerry Kiley, who plays at low defense, at wing defense and also moves up to midfield...

"He's just a tough kid," said King Philip High baseball coach Ed Moran of senior rightfielder and No. 3 batter in the order Garrick Cronin. "He's not your protypical No. 3 hitter"...

The Holy Cross College baseball team (21-28) had two local players in its every day starting lineup - Norfolk's Jake Gorman, via Xaverian High, started 41 games at second base, batting .270 with 17 RBI and Franklin's Bill Cupelo, via Bishop Feehan High, started 39 games in the outfield, batting .279 with 20 RBI. Seekonk High product Ryan George finished with a 2-4 pitching record in 18 appearances for the Crusaders with 43 strikeouts in 49 innings...

Two former area athletic standouts, Foxboro High grad Brittany Jamieson and King Philip High grad Colleen Manning, were members of the Worcester State College women's team, which closed at 9-6, bowing in the quarterfinals of the ECAC Tournament. Jamieson was the team's second-leading scorer with 20 goals and 13 assists...

"The kids are thrilled to be playing there, in a major league park like that," said Seekonk High baseball coach Dave Hanson, whose Warriors test the turf at McCoy Stadium, home of the PawSox Saturday morning with a non-league game against Tolman...

Former Attleboro High distance runner Emily Fournier captured fourth place in the 3000-meter steeplechase in representing Elon College at the Southern Conference meet... Kassandra Costa, Nathan Koneski, Shannon McBride, Haley Manchester and Lyndsey Barbehenn of Dighton-Rehoboth High School were all selected to the South Coast Conference's Academic-Athletic All-Star team for the year...

The Mansfield Sportsplex has a big hoop festival over the weekend with the Reebok "Proving Grounds" tourney and the New England AAU Regional tourney.

PETER GOBIS can be reached at 508-236-0375 or at pgobis@thesunchronicle.com.