Weathering the Early-Season Fall Storm

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It’s an inevitable part of any sports undertaking – rescheduling due to weather.

Tropical Storm Jose started hitting the area on Tuesday, and Maria was a few days behind in the Atlantic Ocean.

For high school athletic offices, it is what it is.

“It’s going to be a crazy week this week,” Old Rochester Regional Athletic Director Bill Tilden said. “If you get six inches of rain in two days, that’s going to have an effect for awhile.”

“Honestly, it’s tough for us,” Old Colony AD Matt Trahan said. “Especially here at Old Colony, where there’s a ton of oversized trees and whatnot, so we’ll be watching it.”

When in doubt, a postponement is usually the way to go in Trahan’s book. “Dealing with kids, I just think you’re better off erring on the side of caution. There’s always another day to play.”

Here’s a look at what’s happening this week at ORR, Old Colony, and Tabor:

ORR

When Harry Smith became what’s believed to be the school’s first 300-yard rusher in Week 1 of the season vs. Wareham, it seemed like a once-in-a-generation type of performance.

Then Will Garcia did it again, breaking off several long runs to go over 300 yards in a 30-0 blanking of Apponequet.

“For Harry to do it one week, and then Will the next, it’s unbelievable,” said Tilden. “They did a great job game-planning for Harry, but it just left the outside open for Will.”

Smith added 100+ yards on his own, but it was Garcia’s night.

“He’s a happy kid and a very good student. I don’t think he likes being in the spotlight, he loves playing football,” Tilden said. “He’s a flyer – he’s a track kid, but he’s definitely doing it with speed because he’s only about one hundred fifty-five pounds.”

ORR (2-0) hosts Greater New Bedford Voc-Tech Friday night in what may shape up to be a lopsided affair.

The football win over Apponequet was one in a series of matches with the rival Lakers; the girls’ soccer team won 4-2, volleyball won 3-1, and the boys’ soccer team drew 2-2.

The girls’ soccer team is off to a hot start, as is sophomore Meg Hughes who had five goals in a win over GNB Voc-Tech. Hughes, the area’s best young runner, is hitting her stride on the soccer field.

“Soccer is her first love,” Tilden said. “As good as she is at running, she’ll tell you all day long that she loves soccer. Last year, she was still trying to figure out her role and still scored quite a few goals, but I think she’s much more comfortable this year.”

On Saturday, members of ORR’s cross country team went to UMass Dartmouth to watch some of their former teammates now competing at the collegiate level. Former Bulldogs Riley Shaughnessy, Avery Nugent, Rachel Scheub and Nina Bourgeois were all either competing or attending the invitational. Bourgeois led the former ORR runners, finishing 49th for Trinity College.

Grant Reuter, one of last year’s football stars, had his first catch as a tight end at Dean Junior College.

Old Colony

Old Colony’s girls’ soccer team figured to measure success with moral victories more than on-field ones this year, but they got a great win last week with a 2-0 defeat of Avon.

It was a pretty magical outing for the Cougars, who were outshot 15-2 … but saw both of their shots find the net while none of the 15 got past goalie Te’Lyn Layton. Haylie Fernandes and Kaitlyn Pimental scored the goals.

“They were psyched,” Trahan said. “A win like that can go a long way.”

The volleyball team is off to a 2-1 start under coach Heather Darcy and has a good early test Thursday against perennially good Bristol Aggie.

It was a happy Saturday for the football team, which bounced back – in a big way – from their opening 20-0 loss. The Cougars got a big game from Brad Plissey in a 34-16 win over Holbrook.

“I know our coaches were pleased with that result,” Trahan said. “The opener wasn’t indicative of the team we are.”

The Cougars (1-1) have a tough test at home Saturday (1:00 pm) vs. Blue Hills, who Trahan says is always a good opponent.

Former Cougar boys’ soccer standout Paul Soucy is already making a difference as a freshman at Westfield State; he’s played in all six games thus far, averaging almost 30 minutes a game.

Tabor Academy

Action is just getting under way by the sea in Marion, with a full slate this week weather permitting.

The boys’ cross country team, led by Aly Hussein, took wins vs. all three opponents in a quad meet; field hockey and girls’ soccer also had decisive wins over Portsmouth Abbey.

The football team had scrimmages last week and opens at St. Mark’s on Saturday (1:00 pm). It marks the first game as a member of the Independent Schools League; Tabor is ranked 36th by Max Preps among state private schools while St. Mark’s comes in at 62.

Tabor alums are making plenty of noise at the collegiate level. Former women’s hockey star Sammy Davis has been named an assistant captain at Boston University, while kicker Grant DeWald had a 38-yard field goal for Bates College.

By Jonathan Comey

 

All Hands on Deck at ORR

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In the wake of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, thousands of people in Texas, Florida, and the Antilles archipelago have lost everything they own and are now faced with the heavy task of rebuilding. With much of the country’s attention focused on those specifically in Florida and Texas, one student at Old Rochester Rehional High has decided to spread the love to some of the affected islands as well.

Senior Alice Bednarczyk is the creator behind the ORRHS “Bake Sale for Irma Victims.”

“All the proceeds from our bake sale will be going towards helping the people of the Virgin Islands recover from the awful hurricane that just devastated their homes,” said Bednarczyk. “They need as much help as they can get and this is the least we can do.”

All proceeds from the bake sale will go to All Hands, a local nonprofit based in Mattapoisett that assists with the long-term needs of any world-wide community affected by natural disasters. All Hands merchandise will also be sold at the bake sale for donation prices.

Bednarczyk explained how she came up with her fundraising idea.

“In my freshmen year of high school, a senior raised several hundred dollars for the 2015 Nepal earthquake just by selling whoopie pies,” said Bednarczyk. “I remembered that moment as I saw all the destroyed homes on national television. Since bake sales at ORR typically make a sizeable donation amount, I figured that a bake sale would be the best idea to raise money for this cause.”

“I’ve had tons of support so far,” Bednarczyk said. “Principal Devoll immediately green lit the bake sale idea. Ms. Barker, the school librarian, also taught me how to make posters online that I then put up around the school to raise awareness. Overall, everyone has been incredibly eager and helpful about everything.”

The National Honor Society and their advisors, English teachers Randy Allain and Kathleen Brunelle, were also very enthusiastic towards the idea. In fact, Bednarczyk has already served as an inspiration to her NHS peers since they have begun to plan other ways they can give back to the hurricane-affected communities.

The bake sale will be held on Thursdsay, September 21, during the high school open house from 6:30 to 9:00 pm. Don’t worry if you can’t make it, though, according to Bednarczyk.

“If people want to donate, we will have containers for donations at the night of the bake sale, but you can also go on All Hand’s website at www.hands.org. Just select the donate option and choose “Hurricane Irma Response,” Bednarczyk said.

By Jo Caynon

 

Mattapoisett Council on Aging

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To the Editor:

As President of the Friends of the Mattapoisett Council on Aging, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who contributed plantings to the Plant Sale held this month on the Library lawn. The success of the sale is the result of many hours preparing and nurturing the plants over the summer and the enthusiasm and expertise of Paula Cobb and her committee who are already planning next year’s sale. We also thank those who purchased the many plants and trees, and we hope to hear of their successful Fall planting.

Thank you,

Jo Pannell

 

The views expressed in the “Letters to the Editor” column are not necessarily those of The Wanderer, its staff or advertisers. The Wanderer will gladly accept any and all correspondence relating to timely and pertinent issues in the great Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester area, provided they include the author’s name, address and phone number for verification. We cannot publish anonymous, unsigned or unconfirmed submissions. The Wanderer reserves the right to edit, condense and otherwise alter submissions for purposes of clarity and/or spacing considerations. The Wanderer may choose to not run letters that thank businesses, and The Wanderer has the right to edit letters to omit business names. The Wanderer also reserves the right to deny publication of any submitted correspondence.

Is It Fake Or Real News

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On September 17, the Mattapoisett Public Library hosted the second in a series of three civically-oriented discussions sponsored in partnership with the Tri-Town libraries in Marion and Rochester. Visiting the Mattapoisett Public Library were Mindy Todd of NPR, WCAI radio, and Paul Pronovost, editor-in-chief of The Cape Cod Times, to discuss the rising issues around fake versus real news and its dissemination.

Pronovost started the discussion by saying, “Fake news isn’t new.” He then explained that ten years ago the “phenomenon of misinformation” began with the advent of the Internet, which was intended “to get us more deeply involved, but we are now more shallowly informed.”           Pointing to the last presidential election as a sharp turning point in the sharing of sensationalized incorrect information, Pronovost said, “The elections proved that fake news affects us all.”

According to Todd, the term “alternate facts” was really spin – an attempt to sway the populace’s thinking in a particular direction – but that, of course, “alternate facts aren’t facts at all.”

In an age when technology allows humans around the globe to communicate in less than a heartbeat’s time, Pronovost said, in the past, newsrooms were the gatekeepers where information could be vetted for accuracy. Today, however, “Spin-masters can go directly to you, get to you first, get you onboard,” pushing inaccuracy into the public domain. Those bits of misleading and incorrect data spread, taking on a life of their own, he indicated. “People are passing things around with no fact checking,” he asserted.

Using the old adage of “if it’s too good to be true, it isn’t true,” Todd urged the audience to consider the source of any information or story they read or hear.

Dishearteningly enough, “Fake news is three times more likely to be shared on social media than real news,” Pronovost said.

Todd shared that news at one time was considered a public service, “but now it’s entertainment.” She said ratings, not accuracy, have become the measure by which news broadcasts are measured.

And both news veterans believed that people aren’t taking the time to ensure that what they are exposed to from the Internet is real or not.

“People pick what they want to hear, what supports their views, what they already believe, rather than challenging the source,” Pronovost said. “When there are so many voices to be heard, it’s hard to hear them all.”

Of mainstream media outlets, both Todd and Pronovost said time is spent fact-checking information, with Todd saying, “We spend time breaking down false news. We check our sources. We are not going to give them a forum to spread falsehoods.” She said mainstream media uses editors who question stories and verify information before reporting it.

But as long as money can be made via clicks on websites, fake news will continue to be problematic, the duo concurred.

So how does one ensure that information received, whether in print, social media, radio or television, is in fact factual? The bottom line is – do your own fact checking.

The library provided handouts to help the public use the Internet to secure real information and to check the facts.

For students and young people, there is www.newseumED.org, a platform for learning about fake news and the “complexities of digital citizenship, including students’ active role in the flow of information.”

Another handout listed a variety of Internet sites, such as www.izitru.com, that can help in determining if images posted on social media are real or provide guidelines on information sharing.

Todd and Pronovost urged the attendees to do their homework, verify information using resources they trust, and to question any information that seemed suspicious.

But probably the most important shared moment was when retired children’s librarian Linda Burke said, “We have a responsibility to encourage the coming generations to question media.” Todd and Pronovost believe we should all be doing just that on a daily basis.

The next civic presentation is scheduled for October 24 at 6:30 pm in Rochester’s Joseph H. Plumb Memorial Library when Jennifer Francis of Rutgers University and Robert Macedo of SkyWarn and the National Weather Service will discuss “Climate Change and You.”

By Marilou Newell

 

Oyster Farmer Must Gain More Experience

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Shea Doonan will continue to have to wait for a vote from the Marion Board of Selectmen until he has sufficient experience as an oyster farmer before the board will allow Doonan to move forward with his application for a second oyster farm at Mitton’s Flats in Sippican Harbor.

During the original hearing date on January 3, 2017, Doonan faced significant opposition from residents living near the site. He also received opposition from Tabor Academy, which asserted that its rowing and sailing programs would suffer if Doonan was allotted the site he requested because Tabor representatives claim they regularly use that location.

At that time, the selectmen continued the public hearing until September 19 to wait and see if Doonan could demonstrate that he is a skilled, responsible aquaculture farmer. On that night, Doonan asserted that the nine to ten months he has worked the current oyster farm site adequately demonstrates that he is.

“In the time since I first have taken over that [oyster farm], I’ve doubled the amount of equipment on that site and more than tripled the amount of [oysters],” said Doonan. “That’s not just by chance. That was my goal going into it – to make this the best site.”

“I’ve found that I’m very good at doing this,” Doonan said. ”I’ve found nothing but success so far, and I think that moving forward is going to be a great opportunity for me and the Town.”

Doonan defended himself against past accusations that the site was a poor one for oyster farming, because he asked the harbormaster to choose a suitable location for him – Mitton’s Flats. He also said Tabor would still have “a football field in length and width” for its programs in the harbor.

“I thought that I would be able to get it,” Doonan said. “We went over a number of issues, and finally it came down to not having enough experience as far as being an oyster farmer, even though it’s been over two-and-a-half years I’ve been trying to do this.”

Doonan’s experience actually managing an oyster farm has not yet exceeded ten months, he stated.

“I’m very good at what I do, and the only thing that could stifle my growth is the inability to expand,” Doonan said.

However, the issue that arose amongst selectmen and the harbormaster was Doonan’s shortfall in experience as per the regulation which states, as Harbormaster Isaac Perry read, that petitions for an additional oyster farm could be approved if the harbormaster and selectmen consider an applicant’s past aquaculture experience as favorable “after subsequent years” of experience.

“It doesn’t say subsequent ‘months,’” said Perry. “For me, it’s a regulatory issue at this time.”

Perry told the board, “I think we’re getting ahead of ourselves…. I don’t disagree with what Mr. Doonan [has done],” he stated, “I just think it’s too soon.”

Ignoring the regulation’s reference to “subsequent years” when it came to a track record, Perry said, “I just think it’s a bad precedent to set, and I just can’t support this application moving forward at this time.”

Doonan was granted approval to take over Brodeur’s oyster farm back on December 20, 2016. His public hearing for the second site at Mitton’s Flats was January 3, 2017. And although Perry said he has no other problems with Doonan’s application, and observations of Doonan’s work over the past ten months have been quite positive, Perry said, “I would leave that decision up to the board … [but] I don’t want to make it a habit of overlooking certain sections of our regulations because it may be convenient.…”

Doonan argued that although the regulation said ‘years,’ it does not specify a minimum; to Doonan, ‘months’ would suffice and the ‘years’ appears arbitrary.

“It says one year in the rules, but it also says that it can be up to the discretion of decision makers,” said Doonan. “It does leave it up to discussion.”

“I am qualified to do this,” said Doonan, adding that he has since acquired his degree in aquaculture management.

There was one resident from Point Road there to oppose the oyster farm, recounting the residents’ reason and also saying no one from the neighborhood knew about the hearing that night so no one else was able to appear.

“This is the last piece of open water in Sippican Harbor,” said resident Jay Somerville. “I’d just hate to see that last stretch of open water taken up by a bunch of oyster cages that we’re all going to have to look at.”

Selectmen Chairman Jody Dickerson reminded Somerville that any aquaculture license is still likely years away, and this application was simply to allow Doonan to move forward with state and federal review.

Doonan again defended himself and then said, despite the other concerns listed by Somerville, that Somerville had simply stated the real reason for the opposition.

“The actual reason why they’re here – ‘We don’t want to have to look at it,’” said Doonan. “And that’s not, quite frankly, I don’t think that’s a good enough reason to not have an oyster farm there.”

Doonan said he figured the board had already made up its mind and, sensing he was right, agreed to request another continuance for the public hearing rather than face outright denial.

“I personally don’t have any problem with what you’re proposing to do,” said Selectman Norm Hills, “but I think it’s important for the harbormaster to be on your side so I think we should wait.”

“I would have to definitely agree with Mr. Hills on this,” said Dickerson.

“I’m the same,” said Selectman Steve Gonsalves. “I’m going to go with what the harbormaster said. I wouldn’t feel right going against him in this since he knows more about it than I do.”

Regardless, said Town Administrator Paul Dawson, historically the harbormaster has interpreted the regulation to mean what it states – “years” – and the Board of Selectmen historically has enforced it as “years.”

The public hearing was continued until December 19 at 7:05 pm.

“And that’s my birthday, so be careful,” Doonan joked.

In other business, Dawson announced that the Town of Marion has been approved to sign a Community Compact Agreement with the state that will bring in two grants right away for the Town – one for a $15,000 award to create a classification plan and job descriptions for all positions in town and another for $10,000 to fund an independent study of DPW operations. Lieutenant Governor Karen Polito will come to Marion to sign the compact with selectmen. A tentative date for that is Thursday, October 19.

The next meeting of the Marion Board of Selectmen is scheduled for October 3 at 7:00 pm at the Marion Town House.

Marion Board of Selectmen

By Jean Perry

 

Athletic Achievements

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Mikayla Demanche of Rochester and Devyn O’Connor of Marion were inducted into the American International College (AIC) Athletic Director’s 3.0 Club. Induction is an annual ceremony held at the beginning of fall semester that recognizes those student-athletes who achieve a 3.0 cumulative GPA or better after attending AIC for one year or more.

Your Story: Open Mic

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Please join the Mattapoisett Historical Society (5 Church Street in Mattapoisett) for our second Your Story: Open Mic event on Sunday, October 8 at 4:00 pm. Inspired by the tradition of poetry slams and the appearance of “The Moth” at the Zeiterion Theater in New Bedford, the Mattapoisett Historical Society invites you to our own open mic event. Participants will tell stories, share poetry and sing. Each performer is allotted a 5-minute performance. This is intended as a casual, comfortable, family-friendly environment (content should be appropriate for all ages). Stories, poems and songs can be funny, serious, personal, etc. Come enjoy some fun and creative performances. For more information, call 508-758-2844 or email info@mattapoisetthistoricalsociety.org.

Mindfulness Walk

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Enjoy the peace and beauty of nature with Jessica Webb and the Buzzards Bay Coalition during this Mindfulness Walk at East Over Reservation Hales Brook and Sippican River Tracts (285 County Road, Marion) on Saturday, September 23 at 11:00 am. Through guided mindfulness meditation, participants will experience the outdoors with their senses wide open.

All fitness levels are welcome on this free, one-hour walk. The walk will be conducted at a deliberately slow and mindful pace in social silence without digital devices. Please wear appropriate footwear and layers to ensure you are comfortable during the walk.

Pre-registration is required. To RSVP, visit www.savebuzzardsbay.org/events/mindfulness-walk-east-over-reservation-hales-brook-sippican-river-tracts-sep-23-2017/ or contact the Buzzards Bay Coalition at 508-999-6363 ext. 219 or bayadventures@savebuzzardsbay.org.

The next Mindfulness Walk will take place on Saturday, October 21 at Tweedy & Barnes in Wareham.

This event is part of Discover Buzzards Bay, an initiative to help people across the Buzzards Bay region find unique and exciting ways to explore the outdoors, get some exercise and connect with nature. Local residents can use Discover Buzzards Bay to get outside and discover woods, wetlands and waterways from Fall River to Falmouth. To learn more, visit savebuzzardsbay.org/discover.

Catherine L. Heuberger, CMMC, Recognized By Peers

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Catherine L. Heuberger, Town Clerk of Mattapoisett, recently qualified for the Massachusetts Town Clerks’ Association’s (MTCA) prestigious CMMC (Certified Massachusetts Municipal Clerk) designation and will receive her commemorative pin and plaque at the MTCA Fall Conference in Springfield, MA on September 21, 2017. Currently, only 112 of the Commonwealth’s 301 town clerks hold this designation.

The CMMC designation is achieved by attending MTCA-sponsored educational courses and passing a 250-question aptitude test measuring the municipal clerk’s knowledge of Massachusetts General Laws in categories such as elections and election procedures, vital records, campaign and political finance, town meetings, Chapter 40A (planning), Chapter 41 (zoning), ethics and public records.

Catherine has been Mattapoisett’s elected Town Clerk for three years. Prior to being elected as Town Clerk, she served as Principal Clerk in the Mattapoisett Treasurer/Collector’s Office for 8½ years.

She is a graduate of Old Rochester Regional High School and Bristol Community College.

She is a member of the MTCA, the New England Association of City and Town Clerks, the Tri-County Clerks Association, and the International Institute of Municipal Clerks.

In addition, she continues her professional development through courses sponsored by the MTCA and the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Elections Division.

Falling Back Into the Groove at ORR, OC, Tabor

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When it comes to fall sports and activities at the high school level, it’s all about participation.

At Tabor Academy, Old Rochester Regional, and Old Colony, September is about sprinkling the seeds for a successful athletic program.

“Our theme goes back to the concept of team,” said Tabor Athletic Director Conan Leary. “We look at three phases – participation, development, and competitiveness. The participation piece is huge, especially at the entry level. We are really more excited about getting the kids involved than anything else.”

Leary, in his second year as Tabor’s AD, noted that about 75 percent of the school takes part in fall team activities, which includes things like drama and dance.

For Old Rochester AD Bill Tilden, “It’s definitely the busiest time of the year, at least in terms of the number of teams. Just think of trying to get all the kids registered, so many of them have never played at the high school level and we want it to go smoothly for them.”

Tilden is proud of ORR’s athletic participation number, which he estimates to be over 450 of the school’s 800+ students in just fall sports.

With girls’ volleyball, boys’ and girls’ soccer, boys’ and girls’ cross country, and football and field hockey all in the mix, there’s always a game happening somewhere once the season gets going in September.

At Old Colony, AD Matt Trahan is happy to see another strong turnout in the fall.

“Where we stand right now is two hundred and twenty athletes in the fall – that’s the highest here as long as I can remember,” he said. “Participation is great, and the kids seem to really enjoy being part of it.

“For me, it’s really fulfilling to see things moving in the direction they’re in,” said Trahan.

Here’s a look at what’s happening on the three Tri-Town athletic fields:

Tabor Academy

Tabor is gearing up for the regular season in most sports, which start midweek, and will be competing in a new league this year: the prestigious ISL (Independent School League).

“We have been wanting to get in for years,” said Leary, a long-time Tabor coach who is in his second year as AD and is still the school’s wrestling coach. When St. Paul’s of New Hampshire left the league, Tabor was one of nine schools to apply.

“Luckily, we were selected, and we were very grateful,” Leary said. “It’s a very reputable league, catches a lot of eyes, turns a lot of heads in terms of recruiting for colleges.

“And a big thing is, just as far as distance, this puts us in a Boston-area league, where we were going 90 minutes, two hours away to play just about every road game. It’s great for the kids, and stretches them and our coaches so much less.”

One athlete who college recruiters are sure to be looking at is Aly Hussein, who won the boys’ cross country New England title last year for Tabor and returns to lead a stacked team.

The football team won the Class B New England title last year, winning at home under the (rented) lights in an exciting affair. They will compete for it again despite longer odds and a tougher schedule, led by running back Angel Santiago (Plymouth) and wide receiver Seth Kourtesis.

“They seem positive and upbeat, they know they’re up against it this year,” Leary said, noting that the team had two scrimmages this week before opening on the road September 23 at St. Mark’s. “My overall evaluation is that they’re athletic but small.”

And Leary says watch out for the girls’ soccer team, which has been on a run since winning the New England title earlier in the decade. Led by scorer Kat Barry and the speed of Jaydah Bedoya, he thinks they have a playoff run ahead under Coach Steve Sughrue.

“They’ve got a great attitude, and they work hard,” he said. “They really work together; they’re definitely the model for teamwork.”

Old Rochester Regional

While Tilden isn’t ready to crown the Old Rochester versus Wareham football opener as the ‘Game of the Century,’ he’d have to admit it was pretty darn good – especially since his Bulldogs came up with the 41-40 Cranberry Bowl win.

The game was a battle of top running backs, ORR’s Harry Smith vs. Wareham’s Isaac Nascimento, with Smith scoring four touchdowns and topping 300 yards in the comeback win. Smith and Nascimento both set school touchdown scoring records along the way.

“Harry is one of those fun-loving kids that’s great to be around, his intensity is great, he’s having a good time,” Tilden said. “I think the kids enjoy blocking for him, they know he appreciates what they do.”

As to the game, which was played at Wareham, “It was pretty electric, the rain showers came through to add a layer to it, and it stayed close all the way through. You never knew what was going to happen. The two offenses were so spectacular,” said Tilden.

And it was good to see the long-time rivals both playing at their peak.

“I was looking at the Cranberry Bowl trophy, and there have been a lot of lopsided games on there,” he said. “But I think everyone knew walking in that these teams have high hopes, and I don’t think losing takes away from Wareham’s – they played a fantastic game.”

Next up for the Bulldogs is another road game versus a rival, this Friday night at Apponequet.

While ORR’s “Dawg Pound” was largely in Wareham for the football showdown last week, the girls’ volleyball team was coming up with an equally thrilling 3-2 comeback home win over Fairhaven that went past the two-hour mark.

“We haven’t beaten Fairhaven in a long time,” Tilden said, noting that the game went past two hours. ORR followed it with a 3-1 win over Somerset on Monday, and they play Sturgis on Friday.

“They had high hopes for this season, and this group seems to have jelled very well,” he said, adding that JV coach Jimmy Oliveira, a veteran of the New Bedford High program, was taking over the varsity for the first time.

Off the field, Old Rochester soccer and track athlete Mikayla Gardner was chosen to serve on the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association’s student council, the first member of the school to be chosen.

“It’s just a small group of kids. They meet once a month on rules, tournaments, and it’s really an honor to be selected,” he said. “Mikayla is an incredible kid.”

Old Colony

While the 20-0 defeat in the season opener versus Sacred Heart wasn’t indicative of the type of game the Cougars played, it was still a disappointment.

But AD Trahan knows that coach Brandon Mendez and his staff will get things back on track as they prepare for Game 2 on Saturday versus Holbrook at Brockton High (11:00 am).

“For us, it’s a regroup, recommit type of thing,” he said. “The coaches know it’s about keeping upbeat and emphasize the positive. I saw them in the film room. They were going over what was good and what was off, working together on it.”

New sophomore QB Kyle Schultz is finding his way, and a healthy return by RB Jarred Gagne should help.

The boys’ soccer team lost star Paul Soucy to graduation, but Coach Sergio Pedrosa has younger brother Zach Soucy and sophomore Hunter Soares to fill the void. Their first big test comes next Wednesday versus Upper Cape. “The league’s been between us and them the last couple of years, always a good matchup,” Trahan said.

The volleyball team turned heads with a 3-0 win over Diman (about double OC’s enrollment), and Trahan says the team has record numbers.

Looking ahead, Old Colony is excited about Homecoming Week in October, where a donation of lights from D.W. White means night soccer games (boys’ and girls’) and a Friday night football game.

“We play Saturday morning football, so to have that and the soccer games under the lights is special,” Trahan said. “To be even able to do that is kind of a bucket list thing for us.”

By Jonathan Comey