Here is a look at the twelfth week of scheduled games for Old Rochester Regional High School winter athletics.
With all other ORR teams done for the winter season, to say that there was some pressure on the boys’ basketball team to perform is an understatement. The Bulldogs, who previously received the first seed in a competitive Division 3 South bracket, swept both Apponequet and Hanover in the opening stages of the tournament, ending with a large margin of victory. With a talented team that claimed the school’s first SCC Championship in over two decades, all eyes were on ORR to see if they would continue their excellent season throughout the tougher rounds of the playoffs. The Bulldogs did not disappoint. They won two huge, consecutive matchups to claim their first South Sectional Championship since 1999.
First came the semifinals, where ORR was forced to face off against fourth-seeded league rival Wareham, who they defeated twice earlier this season. Though many rumors surrounded the game as to whether the Bulldogs would be able to defeat the Vikings three times in a row, the Bulldogs proved they’re a force to be reckoned with by defeating the Vikings in a thrilling 61-58 victory. After a dominant first half for the Bulldogs, Wareham emerged from the locker room after halftime to outscore the Bulldogs 17-7 and pull the game back within a five point differential. After exchanging blows back and forth in the fourth quarter, Wareham managed to shorten the lead to a mere three points and held possession with just 12.5 seconds, when senior captain Jordan Menard came up big for the Bulldogs, stealing the ball with 4.4 seconds remaining to all but secure the win for the Bulldogs. Ryan Beatty was the lead scorer for the Bulldogs, recording 17 points, while Evan Santos also played fantastically, scoring 15 points and playing excellent defense under the basket.
The win against Wareham advanced ORR to the south sectional finals, where they faced off against sixth-seeded Norton. After a close first three quarters, the Bulldogs pulled away in the final eight minutes of the game to secure a 64-53 victory and their first sectional title in 16 years. The Bulldogs were led by freshman Noah Fernandes, who after playing under the radar for most of the postseason, exploded with a 22-point performance against a tough Norton defense. Matt Valles also came up big under the basket, both offensively and defensively, scoring 11 points and recording several pivotal blocks and rebounds.
“Everyone on the team works well together and is completely unselfish, so we don’t care who scores for us on offense,” stated Menard when asked what the team’s greatest asset has been during the playoffs. “Instead of worrying about who’s going to score, we focus on our defense and limiting the other team’s opportunities to gain some momentum. That’s really what’s made our team so strong this postseason.”
The atmosphere at both games was electric, with the ORR fan section – the Dog Pound – drawing huge numbers clad in red, black, or white and supporting the Bulldogs every step of the way with enthusiastic cheers.
The boys will play next against Pentucket High School, the north sectional champions, at the TD Garden, home of the Boston Celtics, on March 10. The players will have the opportunities to dress in the Celtics locker room, get introduced on the loudspeaker, and play on the same court that Celtics players compete on night after night. If the Bulldogs defeat Pentucket, they will advance to the Division 3 state finals, which will be held at the DCU Center in Worcester.
Below are the overall winter team records, followed by the conference records in wins, losses, and ties as of March 8.
Boys’ Basketball: (21-3-0) (16-0-0); Girls’ Basketball: (12-9-0) (10-6-0); Boys’ Track: (8-1-0) (7-1-0); Girls’ Track: (9-0-0) (8-0-0); Boys’ Swimming: (1-5-0) (0-5-0); Girls’ Swimming: (2-4-0) (1-3-0); Ice Hockey: (16-6-1) (9-1-0).
By Michael Kassabian
