March was a great month to be a Bulldog.
The magical run of the Old Rochester Regional High School Boys’ Basketball team has captivated not just the high school, but also the entire community.
A recent game against Pentucket High School, hosted at TD Garden, drew 1,000 students from the school district, with every local Tri-Town school represented. The Bulldogs won that game 63-49, aided by strong performances from freshman point guard Noah Fernandes and senior forward Jordan Menard.
While on-court performance has been the obvious key ingredient in the Bulldogs’ success, the fan section – commonly known as the Dog Pound or the Sixth Man – has provided the team with a great base of support for this championship run.
Two players who have been gigantic contributors this year are junior Will Santos and sophomore Matt Valles. The two big men add height and physicality to the ORR frontcourt, and are expected to be leaders next season. Valles is confident, despite the impending graduation of seniors Jordan Menard and Ryan Beatty.
“Every single player on this team shows leadership,” said Valles.
Santos thinks the team can replicate its incredible success.
“I think we have the potential to do the same thing and get to this same point,” Santos said. Both believe the value of the Sixth Man is something special.
“They’re amazing to say the least,” Valles remarked, adding, “They are definitely a big part of my performance.” Santos called the Sixth Man ‘awesome.’
“The fact that we showed up with more fans than D-1 schools is a testament to them,” said Santos. “They help a lot.”
Head Coach Steve Carvalho is proud of a team that has risen past expectations to do something no ORR boys’ basketball team has done before – reach the D-3 State Championship game. He listed his favorite memories throughout the season as the game against Bourne (to clinch the SCC Championship) and Wareham (perhaps ORR’s biggest rival).
Carvalho is excited for next year, stating, “We’re losing three great seniors (Beatty, Menard, and Mitch Midwood), but we have a great nucleus coming back.” He’s also a believer in the power of the Dog Pound. “It’s tough for other kids to play them in our gym. Our kids love playing in front of them, and they’ve been a class act.”
The fan section has grown steadily throughout the season, reaching fever pitch at the TD Garden Game.
Senior Trevor Capachione has been one of the biggest supporters of the Bulldogs, occupying a front row seat at most of this season’s games.
“Our roaring crowd makes it so much harder on the other teams. Even in away games, it’s like home,” said Capachione. “Having something like the Sixth Man is special.” Capachione’s best memory of the season was the game against Wareham at Durfee High School, which was also extremely well attended.
Junior Evan Portelance has also been supporting the team all season, and he noted the high morale of ORR fans.
“It (The Sixth Man) unites the school. Judging by what I’ve seen on social media, the fans in the stands are just as happy as the guys on the court,” he said. “A lot of those guys hustling out there aren’t just people we see in the halls. They’re our friends.”
Portelance mentioned something that could be agreed on by all Bulldog Fans, stating, “The Sixth Man is more than just a fan section, it’s a family.”
And on March 14, that family got their wish when the Bulldogs defeated the Hoosac Valley Hurricanes 61-47 in front of a huge crowd at the DCU Center in Worcester.
For both the hard-working players and the rabid fans, it was a terrific end to a season that was to say the least, unforgettable.
By Patrick Briand
