Monthly Archives: January 2016
Winter Athletic Success: A Pleasant Surprise? Or More Than That?
Joe Taft, Veritas Sports Editor
Last year was a difficult one for Rockland High School as a collective unit.
In a year when the only team to win a South Shore League title was the swim team, there is so much room to improve.
Fortunately for the Bulldog teams, there is a good chance of not just matching, but tripling or even quadrupling the amount of league titles from last year in just the winter.
How is that possible? So many talented seniors graduated last year. Weren’t we supposed to enter a period of “mediocrity” like some of the student body expected?
No way.
The winter teams this year have a chance to sweep the South Shore. With some key wins, there could be four new years being printed onto the gym banners sectioned “LEAGUE CHAMPIONS.”
The boys basketball team, with help from returning players Stephen Norris, Joe Kimball, and Jakigh Marcelin, are heavy favorites to win the league after defeating Randolph on Friday night on their home court.
Stephen Norris’ senior season has been everything we could have hoped for here at the high school. He was All-Scholastic for football, and leads the South Shore League in points per game. Coming off of a 45-point performance against Hull, (the most points a boys player has scored in a game in RHS history) the senior captain had 16 points in the effort against Randolph.
Another player with varsity experience, junior Jake Crawford, had a game-high 20 points. Crawford also knocked down an unbelievable three-point shot to end the first-half on a high note. Crawford faded away from way behind the arc as the ball went off the backboard and through the twine, immediately sending the student section into hysteria.
Rockland trailed by three points at halftime to an undefeated Randolph team who was ranked in the top twenty in the state by The Boston Herald. Three points at the half…
Wasn’t this year supposed to be a let-down?
In the third, Rockland went on an 18-5 run to take the lead. The defense-oriented Bulldogs held the Blue Devils scoreless for the first 4:30 of the fourth quarter. The Blue Devils battled back to come within five points, but in the end it was not enough. A 54-47 win put Rockland in sole possession of first-place in the South Shore League. The Boston Herald now has the Dogs ranked twenty-fourth in Eastern Mass, one spot above Randolph.
But… How?
We’ll get back to it in a second. The girls’ basketball team beat the Lady Devils by 52 on Friday night, and also lead the South Shore League. Randolph scored a mere 21 points against Rockland, while junior Maddie Olsen led the Lady Dogs with 20 points.
Before the season started, students at RHS did not know what to make of the girls’ team. Everyone knew senior Kyra Rose would have another stellar year. She already has three SSL All-Star selections under her belt, as well as an MVP award from her sophomore campaign.
Rose scored her 1000th point on January 5th in front of a packed gym against Cheshire, Connecticut. Her final season as a Lady Dog will probably go down as one of the best in girls’ history.
Returning players, like senior forward Caroline Kilduff and sophomore Danielle O’Brien, have made big contributions for the team. Their varsity experience is tremendously aiding the squad.
The girls are undefeated in league play, and are 8-2 overall. Led by coach Diana Mitchell, a 1000 point scorer herself when she played, the team will be highly competitive in the tournament this year.
But… How?
The wrestling squad has been on the radar this winter as well. The team is well on its way to taking the South Shore League, after a tough second place finish last season.
The team is led by senior Brad Gasdia who won the Cohasset Winter Tournament two weeks ago.
Gasdia also competed in the all-state tournament last year as a junior. He is poised for a big senior year on the mats.
The hockey team has been very good, and sit with a record of 3-3 divisionally and are in third place. The team is 9-3 overall on the season.
Junior captain Matt Dunn has been scoring from all angles this winter, as the three-sport athlete has two hat-tricks and some multi-goal-scoring games as well.
Senior captains AJ Clark and Dan Leary have been playing great hockey as of late, as well as senior Riley Lang and sophomore Michael Flaherty. Sophomore goalie Harry O’Brien has been great in net for the Dogs.
Head coach Mike Flaherty, Michael’s father, notched his 100th career win in the team’s victory over Silver Lake earlier this month.
At all times, any player is ready to have his number called and enter the game to make a play and give the stars an opportunity to score.
That has been the theme for every team this winter. Whether Coach Flaherty needs a goal out of Matty O’Brien, a sophomore who is finding the back of the net quite often even though he is not the star of the team. Or if coach Fred Damon needs a key 3-pointer out of senior Mickey Burns, or a defensive stop out of juniors Ryan Leavitt or Andrew Starkey. If Coach Mitchell needs a basket out of freshman forward Adiza Alasa, or anyone else on her bench, she can trust that the plays will be made. All of the winter coaches trust their players in crucial moments.
But… Why?
It’s because of the hours of preparation put in by Rockland athletes during the off-season. The blood, sweat, and tears, (and trust that there isn’t a single exaggeration in that statement) that the players put in day-in and day-out is what allows them to be so successful. The player who comes in and makes one big play and goes right back to the bench is training just as hard as the player who doesn’t touch the bench all game. The players are ready to lend a helping hand and pick each other up when they need it. They are ready to push their teammates during practice, in the weight room, and during the game.
That’s what being a Bulldog is all about. Being able to tell the teammate next to you that you love them and would lay it all out on the line for them. It truly is a special thing to see.
But to opposing teams, don’t let the sincerity towards each other fool you. The Dogs’ bite is just as big as their bark.
(Pictures credited to Rockland High Sports Facebook page.)
RHS Holds Breakfast for Scholarship Recipients
Recipients of the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship.
Haley Macray, Veritas Senior Managing Editor
On Friday, January 22, Rockland High School hosted a breakfast for recipients of the John & Abigail Adams Scholarship.
The recipients of the scholarship were: Gavin Annis, Sara Bistany, Lucy Boggs, Jeremy Bradley, Alexandria Carchedi, Sean Carney, Leah DeCecco, Kaitlin Dorney, Mark Ewell, Meghan Foster, Brad Gasdia, Lauren Illes, Sarah Kane, Caroline Kilduff, Matthew Kirslis, Kevin Levesque, Haley Macray, Owen Mahoney, Gregory Markarski, Sarah Margolis, Kylie McKenna, Hunter Morris, Stephen Norris, Jenna O’Connor, Jared Ochenduszko, Ashley Pezzella, Zachary Pransky, Mitchell Rice, Celia Rosa, Harrison Shields, Thomas Spengler, Ryan Sugrue, and Erika Wiley.
The John and Abigail Adams scholarship pays for tuition for up to eight semesters of undergraduate study at any Massachusetts state college or university.
In order to receive this scholarship a student must have scored Advanced on one of the three high school MCAS tests in ELA, Mathematics, or STE (Biology, Chemistry, Introductory Physics, or Technology/Engineering), scored Proficient or higher on the remaining two high school MCAS tests, and must have combined scores from the three tests that place them in the top 25 percent of students in their graduating class at their school.
Veritas News Broadcast January 22, 2016
Get all the news on upcoming events in our latest news broadcast with Adiza Alasa and Danielle O’Brien anchoring, and Seth Rosczewski, Zach Pransky and Hannah Murphy on camera. In the control room were Theodora Panagiotidis, Hope Geary, Patrick Murphy and Kaylee Ellis. Copy written by Journalism class members.
RHS SGC Salutes SEMASC at Winter Conference
RHS SGC members at the first annual Winter SEMASC Conference at Hanover High School (Photo By: Haley Macray)
Haley Macray, Veritas Senior Managing Editor
HANOVER HIGH SCHOOL – On Thursday, January 14, the Rockland High School Student Government Council attended the first annual Winter Southeastern Massachusetts Association of Student Councils (SEMASC) Conference hosted by Hanover High School.
The conference’s theme was “Star Spangled SEMASC: Pride in Leadership” and attendees were encouraged to show their American pride by dressing in red, white, and blue. Overall, 300 high school students from the South Shore attended the event.
The night’s events consisted of an Opening Session, including a welcome from RHS’s own Ashley Pezzella, SEMASC President and Hanover High School’s Student Council President Mike Meads.
The Opening Session was followed by a round table idea exchange activity. Following the round table, students participated in a hands on community service project where they helped to prepare care packages for soldiers serving overseas in association with the local organization, Care Packs. Also, SEMASC Executive Board members and alumni facilitated several workshops. A dance that featured an American Pride inspired photo booth concluded the event.
Overall, RHS’s leaders left this first of its kind event energized and ready to use the ideas and newly strengthened leadership skills they received back at Rockland High.
Take SGC’s Alumni College Fair Survey
Members of the Class of 2015 and Ms. Lombardi (front left) pose for a picture at the annual RHS College Fair.
Veritas Staff
On Wednesday, January 13, Rockland High School’s Student Government Council released a survey regarding last month’s Alumni College Fair.
RHS SGC hopes to improve its annual event with the feedback they receive from this survey. The survey was e-mailed to all RHS students but you can also take the survey and share your opinions by clicking here.
Veritas News Program January 12, 2016
The Veritas staff has produced its first newscast of the new year.
The newscast updates the records of RHS’ sports teams and informs the viewer of important upcoming events at RHS. It also features Hannah Boben’s interview with RHS alumnus, Cam Stuart at Baylor University. Cam talks about college life, and how his academic experience at RHS has helped him to succeed as a Journalism major at Baylor.
Anchors are Adiza Alasa and Danielle O’Brien.
Not Your Average Joe’s to Help Support Quirk Scholarship Fund
Veritas Staff
For each Tuesday in January, when the above certificate is presented, Not Your Average Joe’s in Norwell will donate 15% of the cost of your meal to the Jared Lewis Quirk Scholarship Fund.
The Jared Lewis Quirk Scholarship Fund will provide two Rockland High School seniors with scholarships in memory of Jared Quirk who passed away last year. The “Good Guy Award” will be awarded to two future leaders of the Class of 2016 in his name.
The certificate may be printed out or shown on your phone. The certificate is good for lunch or dinner and is valid for dine-in or take-out; so stop by tonight before or after the basketball game!
THE VERITAS 