Chief among this week’s athletic accomplishments for ORR was the boys’ basketball team’s 61-58 victory over Dighton-Rehoboth that allowed the team to clinch its second consecutive SCC title. Boys’ Hockey also secured big victories over GNB Voc-Tech and Apponequet, scoring a combined 20 goals in the two contests. To cap off the week, a few top Bulldog athletes qualified for All-States in track at Saturday’s D-5 State Meet.
Boys’ Basketball: The boys were on the road for both of their games this week, the first of those being Tuesday’s contest against Dighton-Rehoboth. The game against the Falcons proved a tough one, as the Bulldogs trailed 49-46 through three quarters. However, some clutch shots from juniors Matt Valles and Russell Noonan down the stretch propelled ORR to a 61-58 victory. Seven players scored at least 5 points for the team, led by senior Evan Santos’s 13 and Valles’ 11. Junior Grant Reuter grabbed 8 rebounds in addition to 8 points, and standout sophomore guard Jason Gamache contributed 5 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 blocks. The Bulldogs’ first non-conference game of the season was on Friday against Bishop Stang. To the surprise of many, ORR was routed 78-51 by the Spartans. Valles led with 14 points and 14 rebounds while Noonan scored 13 and senior Will Santos added 8. ORR’s 24 turnovers sealed Stang’s victory. The boys have a pair of non-conference games this upcoming week: Home versus Dedham on Tuesday and away at Dartmouth High on Friday night.
Girls’ Basketball: The Lady Bulldogs, in contrast, were home for both their games this week, and started off by facing D-R on Tuesday. Juniors Sophie Church and Emma Collings scored 21 and 15 points, respectively, in a big 55-38 win over the Lady Falcons. Freshman Maddie Demanche added 7. On Friday, the girls played the non-conference Bishop Stang Lady Spartans. Despite being down 24-16 at the half, ORR closed to a 32-30 deficit at the end of three quarters. They wound up losing 40-37 in an exciting game. Church and Demanche led with 10 and 9 points, respectively, while junior Olivia Labbe added 6. The Lady Bulldogs’ sole game this upcoming week is a home match against non-conference New Bedford High on Thursday.
Boys’ Track: The Bulldogs sent their top athletes to run, jump, and throw in the D-5 State Meet at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston on Saturday. It was a fantastic day for juniors Will Hopkins and Danny Renwick. Hopkins qualified for All-States by finishing third in the 55m hurdles (8.18) and the long jump (19-8.75). Renwick was second in the long jump (20-3) and third in the high jump (6-2), and he also contributed a 51-second anchor leg on the 4x400m relay team that finished fourth. Senior Josh Winsper also won the adaptive shot put (24-9.5). All-State qualifiers will return to Reggie next Saturday for the All-State Meet.
Girls’ Track: State qualifiers from the Lady Bulldogs competed in the D-5 State Meet at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston on Saturday. The girls received a terrific performance from their 4x200m team of freshman Caroline Walsh, junior Hannah LaFreniere, and sophomores Caroline Murphy and Rachel Demmer. The girls finished third, sending them to All-States with a time of 1:52.2. Senior Morgan Middleton finished third in the 55m hurdles with a time of 8.9, and she will also head to All-States next week. Senior Zoe Smith finished third in the 55m prelims but did not qualify for All-States in the finals. She will be going to next week’s meet, however, to high jump, as she finished third with a jump of 5 feet. Freshman Mikayla Chandler also won the adaptive shot put with a throw of 14-2.2. These talented athletes will be back at Reggie for the All-State Meet next Saturday.
Boys’ Ice Hockey: The Bulldogs/Blue Devils began their week against conference rival GNB Voc-Tech at home (The Travis Roy Rink at Tabor Academy). The game wasn’t much of a competition, as ORR/Fairhaven crushed the Bears 12-3. Nine different players had goals for the Bulldogs/Blue Devils, including three from Fairhaven junior Ryan LaBonte and two from ORR junior Sam Henrie. Senior captain Kam Silvia had a goal and an assist on Henrie’s goal. On Saturday, the boys were in Fall River at the Driscoll Skating Arena to take on Apponequet. Henrie scored two goals, as did ORR freshman Sam Austin. Silvia, R. Labonte, ORR sophomore Zak LaBonte, and ORR junior Landon Gougen all scored goals in an 8-2 thrashing of the Lakers. The boys have three games this upcoming week: Home against Plymouth North on Monday, at the Armstrong Skating Arena against Plymouth South on Wednesday, and at non-conference Attleboro High on Saturday.
Girls’ Ice Hockey: The Bourne, Mashpee, Wareham, and ORR team took a ride on the ferry to play Martha’s Vineyard on Wednesday. Freshman goalie Sophie Schiappa of ORR made 22 saves to preserve a 1-0 victory, earning her second shutout of the season. The team’s lone goal came on a pass from Mashpee sophomore Tannah O’Brien to Bourne sophomore Carly LaCasse. The girls were back at home on Saturday at the John Gallo Ice Arena in Bourne to play Bishop Stang. There, they suffered a heartbreaking 4-3 defeat to the Lady Spartans. O’Brien, Bourne sophomore Leah Hidenfelter, and Bourne senior Natalia Gordon all scored, while ORR freshman Kaitlyn Kelley had an assist. The Lady Bulldogs and Co. have two more games at home this week: Against non-conference Auburn on Wednesday and Dennis-Yarmouth on Saturday.
Below are the overall winter team records, followed by the conference records in wins, losses, and ties as of February 14.
Boys’ Basketball: (15-2-0)(15-2-0); Girls’ Basketball: (6-11-0)(6-9-0); Boys’ Track: (8-1-0)(8-1-0); Girls’ Track: (9-0-0)(9-0-0); Boys’ Swimming: (0-8-0)(0-6-0); Girls’ Swimming: (3-5-0)(1-5-0); Boys’ Ice Hockey: (12-3-4)(9-0-1); Girls’ Ice Hockey: (3-13-0)(3-12-0).
By Patrick Briand