By Robert Chiarito

The Old Colony Lady Cougars Softball Team's bats came to life in a big way this past week as the team swept through its three games by putting 54 runs on the scoreboard during that stretch. The Cougars began the week with a 10-9 win at home over Chatham on Wednesday, April 30. Arielle Bernier and Ashley Campbell each had two hits to lead the Old Colony offense. The team traveled across the canal to play Upper Cape the next afternoon and came home with a 26-8 win. That win was followed by an 18-3 at home over Southeastern Regional High School on Friday, May 2. Ashley Campbell went five for five at the plate while allowing only just two hits in a game shortened to six innings by the mercy rule. The winning streak put the Cougars record at 7-6 overall on the season and 6-2 in Mayflower League play.

The ORR Ladies Tennis Team continues its undefeated start to the season, as the Bulldogs are now 8-0 after downing Seekonk at home 4-1 on Wednesday, April 30. The Bulldogs top player Micheala Shoemaker breezed through match her match 6-1, 6-2 to help run the team's record to 7-0 in SCC play. The match was the only one that the Bulldogs were able to complete as the week's schedule was shortened by rain.

The Old Colony Baseball Team won both of their games over the past week beginning with a 6-3 win at Southeastern Regional High School on Wednesday, April 30. Cam Bacchiocchi nearly threw a no-hitter, losing the gem in the sixth inning before finishing with an eight strikeout, complete game win. The Cougars were 9-1 winners the next afternoon at home over Blue Hills Regional High School. The two wins give Old Colony an 8-2 mark overall on the year and a 6-2 record in Mayflower play.

Old Rochester's Boys Tennis Team has had its way with every opponent on the 2008 schedule with the exception of one team, Cape Cod Academy. The Bulldogs began this past week with a 4-1 win at Seekonk on Wednesday, April 30. Brian Heacox and Aaron Janik each won their singles matches in the two and three slots as the team played without number one player Regis Chang. The team lost for the second time this season to Cape Cod Academy 4-1 at home on Thursday, May 1. Regis Chang was the Bulldogs lone winner, taking his match in straight sets 6-0, 6-1. The loss left the Bulldogs with an 8-2 record for the season and a 7-0 mark in SCC play.

ORR's Boys Baseball Team saw it seven game win streak snapped as they were handed a 11-1 loss at home to Diman-Rehoboth on Wednesday, April 30. The Bulldogs bounced back nicely they pounded out a 17-16 win over Seekonk at home the next afternoon. The three-hour plus marathon saw ORR rally for 5 runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take the win. Ben Bergeron drove in the winning run in the bottom of the sixth drilling a two run single. The Bulldogs rounded out a tough week by dropping a 7-5 decision to Case High School on ORR's home field. With the loss the team saw its record drop to 8-4 on the season and 7-3 in SCC play.

The Old Rochester Track Teams both won convincingly over the Apponequet Lakers in the teams' meet at the ORR track on Thursday, May 1. The Lady Bulldogs were convincing 89-47 winners as Nikita Bourque was a two event winner taking the 400 and mile races while Jessica Mueller matched the feat with wins in the long jump and triple jump. With the win the Lady Bulldogs have won their last five meets and are 5-1 for the season. The Boys team completed the sweep of the Lakers as the scored a 77-59 win in their half of the meet. Franck Tebou pulled off a double win as he took both the 100-meter sprint and won in the shot put. Sam Asci also pulled off the double by winning in the high jump and the discus. The win evened the Bulldogs record at 3-3 for the season.

The Old Rochester Softball Team had a rough week as it lost all three of its games. The loss on Friday, May 2 was an especially bitter pill to swallow as pitcher Jessica Nye allowed only one hit and struck out nine on the afternoon. ORR is now 4-7 for the season.

Mattapoisett Opening Day/Fun Fair

In conjunction with Mattapoisett Youth Baseball's (MYBA) Opening Day activities at Old Hammondtown School in Mattapoisett, a Family Fun Fair will also take place thorughout the weekend of May 16-18. Amusement rides and events will take place as follows:

* Friday, May 16 from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm: amusement rides;

* Saturday, May 17 at 10:00 am: Opening Day Ceremony and Parade;

* Saturday, May 17 from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm: amusement rides;

* Sunday, May 18 at 12:00 noon: Baseball Homerun Derby and Skills Competition;

* Sunday, May 18 from 12:00 noon to 7:00 pm: amusement rides.

Tri-Town Basketball Camp

The Tri-Town Basketball Camp under the direction of coach Rick Regan will be held this summer at Old Rochester Regional High School. The camp is for boys and girls in Grade 4 through 9 from Mattapoisett, Marion, and Rochester. This is the twelfth year the Tri-Town Basketball Camp has been under the direction of Coach Regan. He has coached at both Old Rochester Regional Senior High and Junior High School for different levels of boys and girls as well as AAU during his fourteen year coaching career.

The first session is for boys and will be held from July 14-17. Boys presently in Grades 4, 5 and 6 (school year 2007-2008) will attend from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon. Boys presently in Grades 7, 8 and 9 (school year 2007-2008) will attend from 1:00 to 4:00 pm.

The second session is for girls and will be held from July 21-24. Girls presently in Grades 4, 5 and 6 (school year 2007-2008) will attend from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon. Girls presently in Grades 7, 8 and 9 (school year 2007-2008) will attend from 1:00 to 4:00 pm.

The camp focuses on the fundamentals and development of shooting, passing, dribbling, ball handling, rebounding, post play, as well as individual and team defense. The camp counselors who assist Coach Regan will be former and current players from Old Rochester as well as other local area coaches.

The cost of the camp is $115 per session. Registration forms were distributed to the local schools in early April. Forms can also be obtained through Coach Regan's camp website at http://web.com.mac/rick.regan. There are still spots available so send in your registration form as soon as possible. For questions or more information, please email Coach Regan at coachregan3@gmail.com. They look forward to seeing both former and new campers this summer.

ORR/Fairhaven Hockey

The ORR/Fairhaven Junior Bulldogs junior high hockey team finished a very successful inaugural season in the Southeastern Massachusetts Hockey Organization (SEMHO) with a Division II championship. The Junior Bulldogs avenged their only loss of the round robin play-offs with a thrilling 2-1 win over Abington-East Bridgewater (AEB) in the finals on April 18 at Bridgewater Ice Arena.

Round robin action opened with an undermanned Junior Bulldog team on the road versus top seeded Nauset. Paced by spectacular goaltending from Chris Nadeau and extensive minutes on the blue line from Max Sherman and Jake Jaskoka, the Junior Bulldogs controlled all 51 minutes against the tough Cape and Islands team. Zach Mathews (6 playoff goals) opened the scoring tapping home the eventual game winner just 1:41 into the opening period with assists from Jimmy Gamache and Seamus McMahan. The Bulldogs scored twice more in the first, including Shane Mathews' goal with just seconds remaining in the opening stanza. Zach Mathews scored his second midway through the second to raise the score to 4-0. Jaskoka capped the scoring with 4:31 left in the third period. The ORR/Fairhaven squad locked down on defense the rest of the way to preserve the shutout.

In game two the Junior Bulldogs beat Bridgewater-Raynham 7-0. Jake Jaskoka scored the only goal in a tightly-contested first period before the Junior Bulldogs exploded for four goals in the second. Anthony Camarano and Zach Mathews added goals in the third and Tim Kelleher held on in goal recording the team's second straight shutout. The third and final game of the preliminary round saw ORR/Fairhaven (having already secured a spot in the final) thumped by a hungry AEB team 4-0. The loss set up a rematch in the finals.

The scrappy, disciplined Junior Bulldogs relished a second shot against the bigger AEB team in the finals. The early game was controlled by AEB as Kelleher was tested in goal again and again. The young goaltender and defensemen Halle Silva, Jaskolka, Austin Koeppel, and Sherman (2 goals, 4 assists in playoffs) thwarted wave after wave of attacking AEB forwards. Down 1-0 in the third relentless forechecking by Chace Corriea and Nick Goerges (4 playoff assists) forced a turnover just inside the AEB blue line. The puck was tipped to Zach Mathews who snuck in behind the AEB defense. Mathews gathered the pass, spun and shot all at once to surprise the (up until then impenetrable) AEB netminder.

The goal energized the Junior Bulldogs. Skating three lines (led by forechecking forwards Cam O'Connor, Alex Silva, Nick Xavier, and Brian York) ORR/Fairhaven wore down AEB. With 10 minutes left and the game deadlocked at one, Jim Gamache, Seamus McMahon and Anthony Cammarano pounded the AEB players in the offensive zone. Gamache's speed and body work led to a turnover. Halle Silva picked up the loose puck and fired a quick and accurate pass to her blue line partner Max Sherman. Sherman, now unabated to the net, walked in two strides from the left point and drilled a laser beam top shelf past the stunned AEB goaltender giving the Junior Bulldogs a 2-1 lead. As time slowly ticked off the clock, the team reverted to its tough defensive play against the desperate AEB team. Kelleher was spectacular in net as AEB pulled its goalie for an extra attacker. Finally, with 10 seconds left, Max Sherman flipped the puck out of the Bulldog end sealing the victory.

The win capped a great season for the young squad. The team also won the SEMHO Christmas Tournament. For more information on the 2008-2009 summer and winter Junior Bulldogs, please email jrbulldogs@comcast.net or call Tim Mathews at 508-345-8973. The team will compete in the Cape High League this summer and defend its SEMHO title next fall season. Middle school-aged kids from Mattapoisett, Marion, Rochester, Fairhaven, and Acushnet are eligible to play.

Mariner Soccer Club

The Mariner Youth Soccer Club is now beginning registration for the Fall 2008 season. Registration will take place through June 30, 2008. Children who are born between July 31, 2004 and August 1, 1995 are eligible to play. This recreation league is open to all children who live in Acushnet, Fairhaven, Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester. Registration is available online at www.marinersoccer.org or registration forms can be downloaded and mailed to P.O. Box 958, Mattapoisett, MA 02739. If you need a registration form, you can email your request to fallsoccer@marinersoccer.org.

Oceaneers Youth Soccer

The Oceaneers Youth Soccer Club is holding open registration for the Fall 2008 season on May 10 and June 7 from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon at the Dexter Lane Field in Rochester. Registration is open to all.

The Oceaneers Youth Soccer Club offers the following age groups: U4, U5, U6, U8, U10 and U13 for both boys and girls. There is also competitive (travel) soccer for boys and girls (U8, U10, U12 and U14).

The Fall 2008 fees are $75 per player and $65 per second child. All players will receive a full uniform (jersey, shorts, socks, soccer ball and a trophy at the end of the season). Oceaneers Youth Soccer Club is affiliated with Mass Youth Soccer and US Youth Soccer and is a non-profit organization.

Remember: it's all about having fun. For more information please visit their website at oceaneersyouthsoccerclub.com or e-mail them at oceaneers.youthsoccerclub@comcast.net.

Oceaneers Youth Soccer Club is pleased to announce that they have teamed up with Challanger British Soccer and will be holding the Second Annual Soccer Camp at the Dexter Lane Field in Rochester on August 4-8, 2008. Please visit the website for times and fees.

Rochester Girls Softball

The Rochester Girls Junior Softball League has started their 2008 season.

The Rochester "UV RAYS" is a Junior Instructional Girls Softball Team under the direction and development of co-coaches David Vercellone and Matthew Underhill who are returning for their second year. The team consists of girls in the Third through Fifth Grades, mainly Rochester Memorial School students.

As with the boys baseball league, the UV Rays would encourage anyone who enjoys sports and the great outdoors to support the girls of the town by attending a game. The concession stand will be manned by parents allowing refreshements to be purchased while supporting our youth of the town.

The UV Rays teams are currently scheduled for: May 7 - Dexter Field; May 9 - Dexter Field; May 12 - Dexter Field; May 15 - Dexter Field; May 19 - Washburn Park, Marion; May 22 - Dexter Field; May 27 - Dexter Field; May 28 - Dexter Field; June 9 - Dexter Field. All games start at 5:30 pm. Please try to attend a game and have some great family fun!

Mattapoisett Recreation

Irish Step Dancing with Maureen Haley will be offered every Monday from 4:30 to 6:00 pm in the Center School Gymnasium in Mattapoisett. Tri-town residents ages 5 and up are welcome! Just show up a few minutes early to register. This program runs until the end of the school year.

Rochester Baseball Golf Benefit

Rochester Youth Baseball (RYB) has opened up registration for its Annual Golf Tournament, which is being held Sunday, June 1 at 1:00 pm at Baypointe Country Club in Onset. A chicken dinner follows golf; a non-golf, dinner-only package is also available.

"This is the baseball league's only major fundraiser of the year, making it critical to have everyone's support," said Hal Rood, who heads up RYB's Fundraising Committee. "We are looking for golfers, as well as sponsors for each hole and contributions of raffle items."

RYB has added a few exciting new features to the tournament, including a $5,000 Hole-in-One contest and a $5,000 Long Putt. Winners of either contest would split the winnings with the league. In addition, the Rochester Youth Baseball team that recruits the most golfers wins a free pizza party at Towne Pizza.

Any golfer registering by May 1 will be eligible to win an iPod Nano.

For more information, golfers are encouraged to email Jackie O'Neil at jsoado@comcast.net or Hal Rood at halrood@comcast.net or call 508-496-6096. Sponsors may email Lynne Foley at foleylm@comcast.net or Kriste Smith at kriste9771@comcast.net.

Please send ideas, comments and suggestions to: Sports, c/o The Wanderer, P.O. Box 102, Mattapoisett, MA 02739, e-mail releases to news@wanderer.com, or fax, 24-hours-a-day, to 508-758-4845.

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