Last year, the Old Colony Regional Vocational-Technical High School boys basketball team won two state tournament games on the road, both far away from Rochester. If the team wants to go far in the tournament again this year, it will once again mean many miles on the bus.
The 17th-seeded Cougars are 20-2 overall going into Friday night’s Division 5 state tournament game against 16th seed Notre Dame Cristo Rey (19-1) in Methuen.
It’s a long way to victory in more ways than one, but the Cougars have been there before. They’ve got a starting five consisting of all seniors, four of those five being Rochester residents.
“For us, we have to be ourselves,” said Old Colony Coach Matt Trahan. “We need to rebound well as a team, get out on the break, and play good, solid team defense.”
The results of those twin focal points has been an average of 66 points per game on offense while allowing 47.4 points per game.
Senior twins 15 Max and Wyatt Smiley improvise to complement whatever is successful or needed on any given night.
“Those two kids are quick, quick, quick off the dribble,” said Trahan. “It’s a lost art; the mid-range jump-shot is now a stretch three. Wyatt won a playoff game last year with a mid-range jumper at the buzzer.”
Senior point guard Landon Hunter scored a career-high 26 points when Old Colony recently won the state vocational Small Division championship with a 71-64 victory over Blue Hills. It was the second straight state Vocational championship for the Cougars, who have gone undefeated in Mayflower Small play three years running.
At the muscle end of the floor, senior power forward Max Finney of Lakeville reached the 1,000-point milestone on opening night of the season, and Trahan estimates Finney enters his final MIAA basketball tournament hovering around 1,400 career points.
“He’s at the point of our press so he’s picking up a lot of balls,” said Trahan, noting Finney’s football background makes him tough in the paint and especially effective in tandem with 6-foot-5 center Nick Fringuelli, who also played football. “They’re a tough matchup for anybody.”
Aiden Deree, 5-8 sophomore from Acushnet, and 6-foot freshman Tyler Johnson of Carver are first to come off the bench. Both punch above their weight. Johnson plays a high-level AAU basketball in the offseason.
Trahan builds the program’s culture around the work ethic of seniors James Simoes and Noah Gomes. Their battle level and dedication have made the Cougars better all season.
“Those two kids, they are the heart and soul of the team, they work extremely hard in practice,” said Trahan.
Even though Old Colony is a regional school without a community feeder system and students tend toward career-driven pursuits, he’s been awestruck by the ownership the alumni are taking in the current squad’s fortunes.
“The network stays the network,” said Trahan, estimating that from 10 to 15 alumni will show up after practice “and simulate the offense or defense that we will be facing. One text, and we had 15 kids two nights in a row.”
A victory on Friday will likely land the Cougars in a tough matchup at top-seeded Pioneer Valley Tuesday at 6:00 pm. That trip is 136 miles by car and lands the visitor within 2 miles of the point at which Massachusetts borders New Hampshire to the northeast and Vermont to the northwest.
ORR girls start at home
The Old Rochester girls basketball team faced New Bedford high school (10-10) on February 19 and won 67-44. Tessa Winslow was named the player of the game in the final regular season game for the Bulldogs, who ended the season with a 15-6 record and, as the 13th seed, will host 20th seeded Arlington Catholic (10-12) in the first round of the MIAA Division 3 state tournament on Thursday, February 27, at 6:30 pm. The winner visits 4th seeded Medway (date TBD).
ORR’s boys basketball team (11-9) is seeded 20th in Division 3 and will travel to 13th seeded Tantasqua Regional (14-6) for its opening-round game on Friday at 6:30 pm. Tantasqua is located in Fiskdale, just north of the Mass Pike approximately halfway between Worcester and Springfield.
The ORR/Fairhaven hockey team opened the tournament at home with a 4:30 pm Wednesday matchup against St. Bernard at Tabor Academy. Those who get The Wanderer online when it is posted on Wednesdays may see this article in time to go and support the Bulldogs at the Travis Roy Rink.
Sports Roundup
By Mick Colageo and Aiden Comorosky