Neighbors Against Dog Kennel License

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The meeting room was packed at the Marion Town House on March 12 when the Marion Zoning Board of Appeals opened its meeting. And nearly all in attendance were there to show opposition to Mary Lou Hanlon’s special permit application for a dog kennel license at 11 Shady Lane.

Hanlon, who has previously held such a license in another town and whose training in the care and boarding of dogs is extensive, was surprised by the number of neighbors who feared that approval of her application would harm their way of life.

The ZBA received nine letters, all listing quality of life issues, increased traffic and noise, and use of residential property for business purposes as reasons why Hanlon’s request should be denied. They also received a petition with approximately 45 signatures from this beach enclave all opposing the application.

Karen Marotta of Wilson Road said, “I commend her on her background,” but continued to agree with others that such a license would somehow bring unwanted consequences to the neighborhood. Steve Whittaker of Dexter Road agreed with Marotta.

Hanlon was seeking permission to have two visiting (boarding) dogs on her property at a time.

“I’ll make sure the dogs get along with one another,” said Hanlon, to ensure harmony among the dogs on her property. She explained that each dog she might care for would be evaluated prior to accepting them and that at no time would there be more than three dogs in her care.

Citing the need to review the application in greater detail, the board moved to take it under advisement for the next 90 days.

Also coming before the ZBA was Bernard and Eileen Bowers of 14 Bayview Road with a request to modify an approved footprint by changing the dimensions of a proposed addition from 14 feet to 16 feet on the northeasterly side of the property.

This request also reflected a change in the proposed round stone patio to a rectangular wood deck that would have the same overall dimensions. Setbacks would not be affected by the change, as noted in the revised plans. Determination of this request is also pending as it was taken under 90 day advisement.

The next meeting of the Marion Zoning Board of Appeals will be scheduled and publically posted if there are hearings.

By Marilou Newell

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Phyllis A. (Fleming) Magee

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Phyllis A. (Fleming) Magee, 77, of Mattapoisett died March 19, 2015 at home after a brief illness.

She was the wife of the late Harold E. Magee.

Born in Boston, daughter of the late Patrick and Frances (Bergeron) Fleming, she lived in Mattapoisett most of her life.

Mrs. Magee was a communicant of St. Anthony’s Church in Mattapoisett.

As a registered nurse, Phyllis had a rewarding career helping others. She retired from nursing as a Case Manager with Trust Insurance in Taunton. Prior to that, she held a similar position with Liberty Mutual Insurance in New Bedford.

Survivors include her 3 sons, Steven P. Magee and his wife Priscilla of Princeton, IN, David E. Magee and his companion Despina and Paul H. Magee and his wife Mary, all of Mattapoisett; her former daughter-in-law, Jennifer Magee of Mattapoisett; 2 brothers, Dick Fleming of Foxboro, MA and Paul Fleming of Sharon, MA; a sister, Jane Fortun of Lawrence, KS; 7 grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Her Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, March 28th at 10 AM in St. Anthony’s Church. Burial will follow in Cushing Cemetery. Visiting hours will be Friday, March 27th 4-8 PM in the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Route 6, Mattapoisett. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

Jacqueline (Dwyer) Hossfield

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Jacqueline (Dwyer) Hossfield, 89, of Mattapoisett died March 15, 2015 at home after a brief illness.

She was the beloved wife of George L. Hossfield, Jr., together for 67 years.

Born in Lowell, MA one of five daughters of the late William H. and Mary Hazel (Sullivan) Dwyer, she lived in Lowell, Lawrence, Boston and Walpole before retiring to Mattapoisett in 1984. She had wintered in Dunedin, FL for 27 years and summered in Mattapoisertt since 1972.

While living in Walpole Mrs. Hossfield was an active member of the Epiphany Episcopal Church, President of both the League of Women Voters and the Visiting Nurse Association (VNA). While President of the VNA she set up the qualifications for the VNA to care for Medicare patients. She was also a founder of “Project FACE” in Walpole, a troubled teen hotline in the 1960’s and 70’s.

She was formerly employed as a registered nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital before specializing in private duty nursing.

While wintering in Florida, Mrs. Hossfield enjoyed regular activities of the association of Cedar Creek Residents, serving as co-editor with her husband of the monthly newsletter for 17 years and serving on the board of directors.

Survivors include her husband; 3 sons, George Hossfield, III and his wife Jing of Charlotte, NC, Robin Hossfield and his wife Linda of Medway, MA and Dale Hossfield of Vero Beach, FL; a daughter, Brooke Thibeault and her husband Thom of Carbondale, IL; 2 sisters, Natalie Donahue of Salisbury, MA and Carole Gallagher of Dunedin, FL; 13 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews with whom she maintained close ties.

She was the sister of the late Beverly Dolan of Quincy and Barbara McEvoy of Methuen.

She has always been a gracious host, the life of the party and enjoyed a large circle of friends and family. She will be dearly missed.

A celebration of life is being planned for sometime in July. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St Gabriel’s Church, 124 Front St., Marion, MA 02738 or Southcoast Visiting Nurse Association, 200 Mill Rd., Fairhaven, MA 02719.

Arrangements are with the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Mattapoisett. For online condolence book, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.

2015 Inductees Announced

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The ORR Athletic Hall of Fame Committee is proud to announce that the following individuals and team have been chosen for induction into the Old Rochester Regional Athletic Hall of Fame. The 2015 Induction Banquet and Golf Tournament will take place June 13 and 14 respectively.

The 2015 ORRAHOF Inductees listed by year of graduation:

William “Bill” Garcia 1965: Football, Basketball, Baseball

Miguel “Buster” Brito 1966: Basketball, Football, Golf

William “Billy” Knapton 1971: Football, Track & Field

Kate Bauer Souza 1978: Volleyball, Softball

Jeremy Medeiros 1993: Football, Track & Field, Baseball

Jason Antonio 1995: Football, Basketball

Josh Bender 1997: Football, Track & Field

Jack Eddy – Coach: Baseball, Basketball

The 1997 Girls’ Soccer Team

Individual inductee accomplishments will follow. Congratulations to a great group of athletes.

All fans, friends, and ORR athletics alumni are cordially invited to “BULLDOGAPALOOZA!” a celebration of ORR athletics past and present, on Saturday, March 28 at 5:00 pm at the Reservation Golf Club in Mattapoisett. This casual event celebrates ORR’s Sports Programs and is a great time to share high school sports memories with fellow ORR athletes and friends. This free event is BYOT (Bring Your Old Teammates!) and there will be plenty of food and a cash bar available. Hope you’ll join us! For more information about all ORR Athletic Hall of Fame events, visit The Official Site of Old Rochester Regional Athletic Hall of Fame at orrathletichalloffame.com/Pages/index.

Gateway Youth Hockey

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Mites: The Mite C Gladiators finished the year taking second place in the tournament. In the semis, the Gladiators came out a little flat-footed and fell behind to YD in the first period by three goals. After a good pep talk and stressing team hockey, the Gladiators turned on the gas and never took their foot off the pedal. In the second period, they were able to tie the score at 10-10, which gave them a spark and they scored another three goals in a minute. The game ended with the Gladiators winning by a score of 16-10, securing them a spot in the finals. Brayden Cannon led the team with five goals with Pat Tripp with four, Ben Hebbel with three, Tommy Clavell with two. Jarrod Frates and Paxton Jones ended with a goal apiece. Charlie Carroll had 40 saves with a strong game. In the finals match-up, the Gladiators faced its arch rival, the SC Panthers. Unfortunately, the Gladiators didn’t have enough gas left in the tank and fell to the Panthers 13-8. The Panthers scored off the opening face-off and never looked back. The Gladiators never gave up though, playing until the buzzer with the belief that they could get back in it.

Squirts: In Game 2, the Gateway Squirts faced Lower Cape Black and suffered their first loss of the season 2-0. Gateway played hard with multiple chances to get the points, but L.C.B. goalie was on point. Gateway goalie Ryker King made great saves keeping the score low. Each player had its moment but they struggled as a team.

In Game 3, Gateway Squirts came out strong Sunday morning, determined to make up for Saturday’s loss. Early in the first period, Juni Suarez and Matthew Quinlan each got points assisted by Ty David Ribeiro setting the pace for the game. Suarez, Matthew Paling, and Ribeiro found the back of the net giving Gateway a three-point lead heading into the second. In the second period, Quinlan added two more goals with one assisted by Suarez, who added an unassisted goal. Goalie Ryker King was on target tracking the puck. It was back and forth hockey with defensemen Lucas Demoranville, Jacob Hebbel, Braden MacDonald, Paling and Thomas Leger all being on point. There was some great skating and strong hockey played by Nathan Ribeiro and Brady Kidney. In the third, Joe Urnek got one for Gateway. Suarez added two more and Paling got his second of the game giving Gateway the win 12-4. It was a well-played team game. This concluded the Squirts playoffs giving them a 2-1-0 standing and setting the scene for their championship game in two weeks.

Bantams: Nick Snow’s hot hand led the Gateway Gladiators to their second win in the Yankee Conference Bantam division “round-robin” playoffs. Snow scored the game-winner early in the first period, netting his third goal in two playoff games. Josh Smolinsky and Jared Westgate assisted. Westgate would later add an insurance goal of his own, as Jameson Woodward and Noah Demoranville were credited with the assist. Gateway’s powerplay struggled to find a rhythm, failing to generate even a handful of shots during their four advantage opportunities. However, shutout goaltending by Steven Strachan and Zachary Pateakos resulted in victory over the WHK Hawks, despite the Gladiators frequent inability to execute. Gateway will need to improve as the team meets the feisty Canton Bulldogs next Saturday night in game three of the tournament.

Free Movie: Last Tuesday of the Month

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The Theory of Everything (PG-13, 123 min) is being shown at the Mattapoisett COA Senior Center, Center School, 17 Barstow St., on Tuesday, March 24 at 12:00 noon. The free movie is sponsored by the Friends of the Mattapoisett COA.

The Theory of Everything is a 2014 British biographical romantic drama film about Jane and Stephen Hawking. It deals with Jane’s relationship with her ex-husband, theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking, his diagnosis of motor neuron disease, and his success in physics.

You get two pizza slices for only $2 prepaid. Pay for your pizza at the COA Senior Center by Monday, March 23. Also call 508-758-4110 to reserve your seat, so we’ll know how many chairs to set up.

St. Patty’s Dinner

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The First Congregational Church of Rochester will hold its annual St. Patty’s Dinner on March 22 at 5:00 pm; doors open at 4:30 pm. Tickets are limited and cost $14 adults/ $5 under 12. Tiffany Rozenas and family will perform traditional Celtic music and Chef Mike Daniel will prepare corned beef and cabbage with all the fixings. All proceeds will benefit our roof repair project. Please call the church office at 508-763-4314 to reserve your tickets.

Little Mermaid, Big Fun at ORRJHS

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The Old Rochester Regional Junior High School has resurrected its Drama Club and is ready to show the public how hard work, dedication, and the desire to have fun simply cannot be stopped by marathon snowstorms.

The Drama Club has been learning its lines, rehearsing its moves, and finding its singing voice since January 21, despite the cancelation of a number of its scheduled rehearsals due to the weather. But the show will go on with a rendition of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic The Little Mermaid, led by a group of dedicated parent volunteers who have been organizing and facilitating the production.

This production has been designed a bit differently than other school plays, said parent volunteer Beth Marsden. Multiple actors will be playing each of the roles as a way of giving everyone a chance to shine in the play.

“We were trying to make this play so that there’s really no lead … so that it’s easier,” said Marsden. “So that way all the kids could be a part of it.

Altogether, there are 31 actors and 10 crewmembers responsible for make-up and lighting, among other aspects of production.

“It’s fun because there really are no lead roles,” said parent volunteer Casey Quirk. “So there’s tons of chances for tons of involvement.”

This rendition of The Little Mermaid, adapted by Kathryn Schultz Miller, varies from the Disney version. For example, the names are different, although they echo of their Disney counterparts, and the story is based more on the Christian Andersen book and less on the cartoon.

At the center of the plot is Annabelle, played by Lyla Horton and Michaela Mattson, a young mermaid who is in love with a prince and would do anything to be a human. Her father, Neptune, played by both Emma Quirk and Emily Wilson, tries in vain to keep his daughter from mingling with humans, while Annabelle is pursued by the evil Odessa, played by Kate Marsden and Hannah Grace Johnson, who tricks Annabelle into giving up something precious in order to gain power over Neptune.

The Drama Club was formed again this year when the school asked some parents if they would revive the Drama Club after years of inactivity. This will help the young actors in the future, said Quirk.

“When they get to high school, they’ve already been introduced to drama,” Quirk said. “And the kids involved in this are awesome kids who work hard and are having fun. I’ll be sad when it’s over.”

The actors are enthusiastic and shine brightly on an underwater stage bursting with color. They are building their confidence and will really be “hamming it up” in the junior high auditorium on Thursday, March 19 at 7:00 pm during its public performance of The Little Mermaid. Tickets at the door are $10; $5 for students, seniors, and kids; and kids age four and under are free.

By Jean Perry

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Bulldogs Make History with State Championship

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It was a good week to be a Bulldog.

With national-caliber performances by individuals on the track team and a historic state championship win for the boys’ basketball team, this week exemplified the outstanding facets of the Old Rochester athletics program.

For many, the highlight of the week was watching as the boys’ basketball team won two huge games to finish off their incredible season with a Division 3 state championship, the first in the school’s history. The Bulldogs began their week by playing at the legendary TD Garden in Boston in the semifinals against fifth-seeded Pentucket. ORR’s defense was the star player in the game, as they applied consistent pressure to a tough Pentucket team to claim the Eastern Massachusetts title in a 63-49 victory. The Bulldogs had an explosive start, jumping out to a 10-point lead by limiting Pentucket to a mere two points in the first quarter. Playing a tight man-to-man, full court-press defense, the Bulldogs continued the defensive pressure throughout the remainder of the game, effectively squandering any opportunities for Pentucket to make a comeback against the Bulldog offense. Will Santos played very well on both ends of the court, scoring 16 points to lead ORR offensively while also shutting down Pentucket’s star player, Pat Freiermuth, underneath the basket.

The game was extremely well-attended by the Tri-Town community, as nearly 2,000 Bulldog fans clad in red flooded TD Garden to cheer the Bulldogs to a spot in the Division 3 finals at the DCU Center in Worcester.

Then came the championship game that will likely go down in ORR legend, as the boys claimed the program’s first-ever state championship with a 61-47 victory over Hoosac Valley. Thanks to an incredible performance by freshman Noah Fernandes, who scored a game high 20 points, the Bulldogs took a commanding lead in the first quarter and managed to more than hold their own for the remainder of the game. Fernandes was effective not only in the paint, but also beyond the three-point arc, as he hit four three-pointers to pull Old Rochester out of some tight situations later as the clock wound down.

Hoosac Valley came out in the third quarter seeking vengeance, and managed to tie the game up at 35 points apiece. According to senior co-captain Jordan Menard, the key was to stay focused defensively.

“We knew that playing better defense would win us the game,” said Menard. “We knew that the offense would come so we had to just work on defense and grabbing some rebounds.”

The refocusing worked. Thanks to the strong presence in the paint by Evan Santos, Will Santos, and Matt Valles, ORR held possession for a majority of the fourth quarter, and thanks to the sharp-shooting of Ryan Beatty and Fernandes, as well as the leadership of Menard, the Bulldogs fought back to extend their lead to an unreachable ten points with 3:52 remaining in the fourth quarter to all but secure the championship. As the final buzzer sounded, the team stormed the court to celebrate, cheered on by hundreds upon hundreds of ORR fans.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Beatty when asked on the feeling. “I couldn’t have asked for a better senior year and I’m so glad I ended my high-school basketball career with a state championship title.”

“The state championship was the best moment in my high school career,” said Menard. “It’s every kid’s dream and not many people get the chance to do it. It’s something I’ll remember forever and something that people will talk about for a long time.”

The Bulldogs graduate three talented seniors in Menard, Beatty, and Mitch Midwood.

And the boys’ basketball team wasn’t the only victory of the week for the ORR athletic community. Down at the New Balance Nationals Indoor Championships in New York, several track athletes performed on a national stage with incredible results. The highlight would be the girls’ shuttle hurdles team, consisted of Zoe Smith, Bailey Truesdale, Lexi Afonso, Morgan Middleton, and Brooke Santos, which placed seventh in the nation with a school-record time of 34.2 seconds. The girls were seeded last out of 22 teams, but managed to defy all expectations, each running a fantastic leg to grab a top-ten finish. The boys’ shuttle hurdles team also did well, placing 20th out of 36 teams and setting their respective school record in the process. On the squad was Eli Spevack, Ben Rounseville, Will Hopkins, and Kevin Saccone, who went on to compete individually in the 60-meter hurdles, where he placed 28th overall.

With the dramatic and exciting finale of the winter season, student athletes at ORR look to emulate the same success in the spring season, which starts Monday.

Below are the final winter team records, followed by the conference records in wins, losses, and ties as of March 15.

Boys’ Basketball: (22-3-0) (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

Sixth Man Plays Role in ORR Title Run

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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

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