Girls’ Tennis Streak Snapped

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In Old Rochester Regional school history, there is no team that can match the dominance of the girls’ tennis program. Coached by Bob Hohne, the girls have won 9 consecutive SCC championships, and they had not lost a regular season match since 2006. That makes 111 straight victories without a single loss. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and the girls’ streak was snapped when they lost 4-1 to Apponequet High School last Wednesday.

A tennis team has seven players. There are three singles players, and two doubles teams. If you win your match, you get one point toward the final score of the match. Senior all-star Abby Offringa was the only Bulldog to win her match. She easily won over Apponequet’s top player, April Locke, going 6-0, 6-1. Number two singles player, sophomore Julia Nojeim, played a hard game, but eventually lost in three hard-fought sets. Senior Casey Garstang, third singles player, won her first set 6-3, but would lose the next two 2-6, 2-6 to give Apponequet the third singles win as well.

The doubles matches were just as hard fought. Freshman Morgan Middleton and partner Jillian Reichert won their first set 6-4, but then lost the next two 1-6, 1-6. Junior Haley Dickerson and senior Kristin Nascimento also played well, but lost in two sets with a 6-7 decision in each of them.

The girls’ loss does not signify the end of an era, however. Once loss in 7 seasons is nothing to be ashamed of, and they are still in the running for the SCC title, as they play Apponequet later in the season, this time on their home courts. At that point, the girls will have more experience and hope to defeat the Lakers to attain their 10th consecutive title.

By Michael Kassabian

Car Wash to Support Class of 2015

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On Saturday, May 11, the sophomore class (Class of 2015) will be holding a car wash at the Mattapoisett Fire Station. The car wash is a fundraiser for the  class. It will take place from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.

According to Mrs. Morrell and Mr. Rogers, the advisors to the Class of 2015, each sophomore student will receive two tickets in their homerooms that they are encouraged to sell. Each ticket is $5. Students are also encouraged to sell more tickets if possible. Car owners attending the car wash are required to have a ticket, and tickets will be available on the day of the car wash. All are encouraged to attend.

The goal of the car wash is to raise money specifically for the Class of 2015’s Junior Semi-Formal and Senior Prom. Class advisors Morrell and Rogers have announced intentions for all future fundraisers for the class treasury to go toward the two events in the upcoming years. The advisors hope to give the class lower ticket fees for the two events than in years past. The lowering of ticket costs has becomes the class’s collective goal.

There will be two prizes awarded after the car wash. The first prize goes to the homeroom that collectively sells the most tickets. The prize will be a free breakfast for that homeroom. Another prize will go out to the individual that sells the most tickets. The individual prize has yet to be announced.

By Jessica Correia

A Working Vacation in Trinidad

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Eighteen Old Rochester Regional High School students and one Tabor Academy student, along with their fathers, spent April vacation working at an orphanage on the island of Trinidad. The students ranged from freshmen to seniors.

Trinidad Tobago is the official name of the country and consists of two southern Caribbean islands. They are located off the coast of Venezuela and south of Grenada.

“It was a very eye-opening experience,” said Ben Mattson, who went with his father, Wayne. “The kids were very excited to have us visit. They were so grateful and we could see what a big deal our work was to them. It was amazing to see how much we accomplished in such a short time.”

The group provided labor, materials, and good spirits to help paint the sleeping areas for the 35 children who live at the Christ Child Convalescence Home. The orphans range in age from five months to 14 years old.

The girls’ sleeping area was painted pink, and the boys’ area blue. The group also replaced the drop ceiling tiles, which were falling down and in disrepair. Cubbyholes were built for each child to store clothing and toiletries in the male and female changing areas.

The trip was organized by Erik Dyson of Mattapoisett. Dyson and his wife, Deb, worked for Habitat for Humanity in El Salvador and Costa Rica for three years managing housing projects.

“Groups from high schools, colleges, and churches would come down and help us, Dyson said, “and we were grateful for it.”

Dyson works for an international company and oversees the Caribbean and Latin America region.

“Our company donated a computer lab to the orphanage, and I met Anunciata, who runs the place,” he said. “She told me that she had so many projects and ideas, but no money. I asked if she would host us if we brought a group to help and it all fell into place.”

Hosting means that the orphanage would supply the group with daily lunch, water, and a place to sleep.

The group was formed by friends telling friends and neighbors about it. Some in the group knew each other, but others were strangers.

“We didn’t all know each other before the trip,” said Jane Kassabian, who went with her father, Jay, and brother, Michael (an ORR student who reports on sports for The Wanderer). The trio, from Mattapoisett, had never experienced a different culture. “The kids spoke English, with a strong accent, and we played with them when they returned from school,” Kassabian said.

“It was cool having a father, daughter, and son trip. I shared a tiny, crowded room, with bunks on top of bunks, but it was really great,” she said. Another benefit to giving back is that it brought the families as well as the students closer to one another. “We knew each other from school but now we are friends, definitely,” Kassabian said.

After the project was completed, the group visited a hummingbird sanctuary, where 14 different varieties of the bird live. Another trip included a visit to a beach, at night, where the group saw leatherback turtles, which were eight feet long and weighed up to 1,000 pounds.

“Everybody got along, we worked as a team, and we have great memories of our school vacation week,” Dyson said.

By Joan Hartnett-Barry

Lightning Strikes Home in Mattapoisett

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A brief yet violent storm moved through the area this afternoon creating large puddles and damaging at least one home. Just after 4pm the Mattapoisett Fire Department was called to Bridal Path for a home that was struck. The homeowners reported they also smelt smoke in the house. After the initial investigation the Fire Department reported that a tree in the yard had been struck and the charge had traveled into the home though a water line but there was no fire found. The building inspector and electrical inspector were also called to the scene to check the safety of the home.

The US Weather Service is forecasting unsettled weather with possible intermittent rain and thunder showers for the next few days for our area.

Plumb Library News

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Local author Ed Lodi will give a talk about his latest book The Women of King Philip’s War on May 9 at 6:30 pm at the Plumb Library, 17 Constitution Way, Rochester. Though often overlooked by historians, women played major roles in the war. Included are three squaw-sachems: Awashongs, Weetamoo, and Quaiapen, who rose up with Philip against the settlers. Also included is the fascinating tale of Mary Rowlandson, the Englishwoman taken captive in a raid against the village of Lancaster, whose extraordinary narrative of her captivity became America’s first bestselling book. There are other women in the book whose names have been lost to history, but whose exploits have become the stuff of legends. Lodi rounds out his talk with accounts of what daily life was for women in the settlements; the “stealth and stratagems” used by Indian women acting as spies; and the restrictive laws and how some Englishwomen defied them. There will be a question and answer period. Copies of the book will be sold and can be signed by the author. The talk is free and sponsored by the Friends of Plumb Library. Call us at 508-763-8600 for more information.

On May 23 at 6:30 pm, financial advisor Bill Geasey will be giving a talk on “Plan, Save, and Pay for College … without Going Crazy or Broke!” This program is suitable for parents of children ages 4-14. Mr. Geasey will cover: How to make a college game plan now; the key to college affordability is within your child; how will you avoid the highly counterproductive effect of college debt; what is financial aid, and will it work for you? This workshop is for you if you have young kids and/or early teenagers; you take the need for higher education seriously; you are concerned about future costs and possible debt; plan to contribute to the cost of your child’s higher education; hope your child gets the very best education, but want to know how. Please make a point of attending this informative and timely workshop. Call the library at 508-763-8600 for more information or to register.

The Mad Scientists of “Mad Science” will amaze the children as they “dig” into the layers of the Earth to see its make-up. They will also investigate how scientists evaluate what they find. The presentation really pops when they see what happens when what’s inside the Earth tries to get out. This presentation rocks! This program will take place on May 31 at 4:30 pm at the Rochester Congregational Church, 11 Constitution Way, and is suitable for children ages 5 and up. This program is funded by the Friends of Plumb Library.

Café Parlez’ selection for May is The Age of Miracles, by Karen Thompson Walker. On a seemingly ordinary Saturday, Julia and her family awake to discover, along with the rest of the world, that the earth’s rotation has started to slow. Days and nights grown longer, gravity is affected, and the environment is beginning to suffer. As she struggles to navigate this shifting landscape, Julia is also coping with the ordinary stresses of everyday life. As she adjusts to the new normal, the slowing inexorably continues. This compelling debut novel will have the reader thinking about how they would cope in this situation. We will be discussing this book on May 30 at 6:30 pm. Books are available at the desk, or bring your own copy.

Just the Facts, the nonfiction book discussion group, will be reading Lost in Shangri-La: A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of World War II, by Michael Zuckoff. In 1945, 24 American servicemen and women boarded a plane to see “Shangri-La”, a beautiful valley deep within Dutch New Guinea. But when the plane crashed, only three pulled through to fight for survival. Drawn from interviews, Army documents, photos, diaries, and original film footage, this is the first time this true-life adventure has been told. We will be discussing this book on May 16 at 6:30 pm. Copies are available at the desk.

An Evening of One-Act Plays

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The Marion Art Center Players Will Perform “An Evening of One-Act Plays by Christopher Durang” on May 16, May 17, May 24, and May 25. All shows will start at 8:00 pm. Tickets are $12.50 for Marion Art Center Members and $15 for non-members.

The show, which will feature seven of playwright Christopher Durang’s one-act plays, will be directed by Rex McGraw, and will be acted by Cynthia Latham, Jeff Gately, Thom O’Shaughnessy, Suzie Kokkins, Michele Letourneau, Jay Ryan, Deborah Bokelkamp, Jeff Hallahan, and Joan Prescott, each taking on multiple roles.

The One Acts presented at the Marion Art Center are a crazy mix of comedy and drama. Durang takes his characters and themes from many plays and playwrights, including Shakespeare, Beckett, Tennessee Williams, and the classical Greek plays. He then chops them up and puts them in a blender!

Dogs Allowed on Planting Island Beach

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The current signs on Planting Island Beach say “No Dogs Allowed,” but that was inaccurate, according to the Marion Town Bylaws and confirmed by the Marion Conservation Commission at their meeting on Wednesday evening. Four new signs, stating “No Dogs Allowed on Beach May 1-Oct. 1” will be made and installed at Planting Island.

The board tackled various agenda items including a Request for Determination of Applicability for the Moore Marion Trust II of 470 Point Rd. to upgrade a septic system. The property was to be sold and the closing date was the next day, Thursday.

The applicant was represented by Richard Schaefer, of Schaefer & Kunz of Mattapoisett.

Mr. Schaefer discussed the request and noted that it was a repair of an existing septic system. At issue was that the leaching field is located in flood Zone X, while the three-bedroom home is located in a velocity zone of AE.

“This is a repair,” said Schaefer. Noting that there was nothing on the submitted plans showing the property line and the proposed new septic system, the board agreed that the abutter needed to be protected, along with the isolated wetland on the property.

The board reviewed the plans and approved the request with several conditions. The applicant must show the property line, where the new septic system will be installed, so that no trench work or disturbance will occur on the abutter’s property. The old system must be disposed of and filled in according to the Board of Health conditions. And, because there is an existing isolated wetland on the property, erosion control of hay bales must be installed to protect the wetland area.

Next up was a Notice of Intent for a pier to be built on Dexter Road by applicant Kathleen Mahoney. The pier would be built across the road from, and associated with house No. 40. The applicant is proposing to construct a 4-by-133-foot long timber boardwalk and pier, a 3-by-20-foot long gangway, and a 10-by-20-foot gangway, and a 10-by-20-foot float supported by four pilings.

The board considered the proposal but had questions regarding the impact on shellfish in the area. The Department of Environmental Protection suggested that work being done on this type of construction should have boats/barges be two and a half feet above the water during construction. The order has construction happening two hours before high tide and two hours after high tide. The committee continued the hearing until May 22 at 7:45 pm to hear from the applicant.

The board approved the purchase of fencing, up to $1,000 in cost, to be purchased by the Marion Department of Public Works, from unused Conservation Commission budget funds for use at the Sprague’s Cove Project (Silvershell Beach Storm Water Management).

Lastly, the board agreed to a request by Anne Hatton, of 183 Front St., who is reconstructing the garage, to keep the foundation dewatering hole pump to irrigate the lawn. In essence, the gravel under the home has an existing pipe that captures rainwater and a pump that is used to irrigate the property.

By Joan Hartnett-Barry

Route Six Crash Injures One

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Traffic between Mattapoisett and Fairhaven was a bit tied up this morning with a multi-vehicle crash that occurred at Route 6 and Mattapoisett Neck Road. The crash, which started with two passenger vehicles colliding, sent one of the vehicles into the oncoming lanes and head on with a dump truck. One person was injured and transported to Tobey Hospital. The highways was closed down for a short time while the vehicles were removed and clean up was conducted on a fuel spill.

Old Colony Students of the Month

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The following Tri-Town Old Colony students were recognized as School Council “Students of the Month” for May; the criteria for the Student of the Month Program are based on a student’s improvement, service, attitude and shop projects; the program is intended to raise self-esteem in the student: Kristen White, Rochester, Grade 10, Cosmetology; Danielle Bassett, Rochester, Grade 11, Health Careers; Eric Masse, Mattapoisett, Grade 10, Machine & Tool.

ORR Boys Lacrosse

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ORR fell to 7-4 on the year with 10-6 loss to Apponoquet. Leading the way for the Bulldogs were Cam Severino and Peter Krause with two goals apiece and Chris Nadeau and Max Houck each scoring once. Goalie Gerald Lanagan had 8 saves.

ORR qualified for the state tournament with an 18-4 win over Upper Cape to bring their record to 8-4. Leading the way was Cam Severino with three goals and six assists, while Max Houck added four goals and Chad Santello chipped in with three. Also scoring for ORR were Ryan Manning, Shane Mathews, Steve Durocher, Pat Tracy (first Varsity goal), Mike Pruchnik, Dakotah Jones, Chris Nadeau, and Nick Surprenant (first Varsity goal). Next up is Fairhaven on May 11 at ORR.