Archive for April 2012
Girls lax earns first conference victory
Last Thursday at Veterans Field at Stone Park, the Marauders gained their first win of the season against a Bay State Conference foe by edging Brookline, 17-14. Jodie Munchbach tallied 8 times to lead the offense. The win was Dedham’s third of the spring.
Head Coach Jessie Koffman praised Munchbach for her outstanding performance, which included taking draws: “She did a lot of work for us.” Another standout was Emma Child, who scored four times for the hosts.
Coach Koffman noted the squad’s excellent level of effort. “That’s something I don’t have to worry about,” she said. “At the start of the second half, we got the first two goals and that really pumped the girls up.”
The starting lineup featured co-captain Sabrina Fahy, Delaney Brandon, Emma Child, Lexi Tropeano, Caroline Black, co-captain Jodie Munchbach, Andrea Bradbury, Meghan Simone, Kassandra Costello, AnnieJoy Abbott, Jackie St. Cyr and Juliette Alger.
Dedham faces two foes on the road over the next few days, both at 4 p.m.: Norwood today, Friday April 27, and Framingham Monday.
Annual Town Election results: Town Meeting Reps.
In the annual Town Election held on Saturday, April 14, all the candidates for Town Meeting Representative appeared on the ballot, since the town’s precincts were redrawn in the past year due to results of the federal census of 2010. For each precinct the top 13 vote-getters earned three years as TM reps, the next 13 earned two years, and the next 13 received one year terms.
Graphic by Bob Stanley
DHS boys track defeated by Needham
Birchall, Kumar, LaRoche earn first place points
In a meet at Needham High on Wednesday, the Rockets prevailed over the Marauders 87-21 despite several strong individual performances for the visitors. The result put Dedham’s record at 2-2 thus far in the season.
Earning top honors for DHS in their respective events were Sean Birchall in the high jump at 6-3 and the triple jump at 39-6.5, Rohit Kumar in the long jump at 20-2 and Reggie LaRoche in the shot put at 47-4. LaRoche brought home 3 points in another event, the discus, with a throw of 108-3, good for runner-up. Other standouts included second place finishers Keegan Schofield in the 200 meters in 24.3 as well as third-place performers Bryan Simone in the 400 m in 60.6, Mack Farrell in the 400 m hurdles in 70.0, Matt Caissy in the 800 in 2:12.9, Jimmy Lawless in the 2 mile in 12:45, Thomas Downing in the discus at 96-10 and Mike Reda in the shot at 38-2.
In addition, numerous athletes participated well for DHS. They included Manuel Troncoso in the dash and the 200, Scott MacNeil and Nick Rumpp in the 400, David Sullivan in the 800, Joey DeVirgilio and Michael Fay in the mile, and David Jenkins, James Sheehan, Sean Coughlin and Matt McMillan in the discus.
The Marauders travel to Walpole on Tuesday for a 3:45 p.m. meet against the Rebels.
New Avery Elementary School set to welcome students on Monday
After years of planning, the new Avery Elementary School is slated to open for classes on Monday when the students and staff return from April vacation. Among several other speakers, Massachusetts Treasurer Steven Grossman, at right, offered remarks at the dedication of the new school on Pottery Lane last Thursday, April 12. Included among the dignitaries seated on stage were, left to right: Assistant Town Administrator Nancy Baker, School Building Rehabilitation Committee Chair Michael Butler, School Committee member Thomas Ryan, School Committee Chair Kevin Coughlin, School Committee member Susan Butler Walko, School Committee member David Roberts, School Committee member Joseph Heisler.Photo by Scott Heald
New Avery School dedication ceremony marks both a culmination and a beginning
The ceremony occasioned the presence of the Dedham High School Jazz Ensemble, many parents and grandparents, students of the Avery School Council, and numerous dignitaries including the state treasurer, both legislators representing Dedham on Beacon Hill, most of the School Committee, and the principal of each of the town’s seven public schools.
Superintendent of Schools June Doe gave a brief introduction, followed by the Avery School Council leading a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. School Committee Chair Kevin Coughlin welcomed the students to their sparkling new school. Then School Building Rehabilitation Committee Chair Michael Butler reflected on both the past and the future in remarks. “This school honors the memory of Dr. William Avery,” and was named for him in 1867, Butler said. He said the edifice contains 19 classrooms, a cafeteria/auditorium combination known as a cafetorium, plus a gymnasium, each equipped with 21st Century technology. He quoted Avery students Griffin Moulton and Kevin Krueger, who when asked about the new facility expressed thoughts like “‘It’s awesome'” and “‘The teachers are just as excited as we are.'”
Town Administrator William Keegan thanked both the Commonwealth and the voters of this town for approving the necessary funding. “You should all be very proud of this accomplishment,” he said. Soon thereafter Norfolk County Commissioner Francis O’Brien presented a bright bouquet of flowers to Emma Chapman Guilfoyle McNulty, a member of the class of 1921 which was the first group of students to conclude their elementary years at the building on High Street that served students for over 90 years.
Massachusetts Treasurer Steven Grossman discussed the process of financing the school, and the results the education it would furnish promised to yield. “The young leaders of Dedham are students here at Avery as we speak,” he said. Grossman noted that his chief deputy, James MacDonald, is a Selectman in Dedham as well as a skilled member of the Treasurer’s office. “There is no prouder moment than this morning. The young people are our most precious asset.”
State Senator Michael Rush of the Suffolk and Norfolk District discussed the importance of public education, and noted that a statue of Horace Mann, a great education reformer of the 19th century, graces the grounds of the State House. Then he asked the students seated on stage, “How many are thrilled about this new school?” and the children raised their hands to show their answers.
State Representative Paul McMurtry of the 11th Norfolk District spoke about the vital role of public education, and thanked the people and groups responsible for making the school a reality. “We are grateful to the citizens of Dedham,” he said. “May this new Avery School symbolize all we value as a community.”
Other speakers included Mass. School Building Authority Executive Director Jack McCarthy, Executive Director of the University of Massachusetts Building Authority Katherine Craven, and Dore & Whittier Architects Principal Brad Dore. Following the conclusion of the speakers’ talks, attendees assembled outside as the Avery students led a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the front of the building.
Marauders earn victory in extra innings as Sheehan sparkles in relief
DHS Softball
The Marauders earned a 9-8 conquest of Weymouth on Wednesday in 14 innings in a back-and-forth contest. The win, which kept Dedham undefeated at 5-0, was sparked by 7 innings of shutout relief pitching by senior co-captain Brooke Sheehan.
Dedham led 2-0, 4-0, 7-0 at the ends of the 2nd, 3rd, and fifth innings, respectively. Weymouth cut the lead to 7-3 in the sixth, then went ahead 8-7 in the top of the seventh. Sam Girard hit a solo leadoff homerun in the bottom of the 7th to tie it for DHS.
Dedham changed pitchers from Meaghan Paton (7 innings, 8 Ks, 0 walks, 12 hits, 8 runs, 6 earned runs) to Brooke Sheehan for the remainder of the game (7 innings, 12 Ks, 3 walks, 1 hit, 0 runs), and the senior kept the Wildcats off the scoreboard while the Marauder bats tried to get hot.
In the bottom of the 14th, Katie Nosky walked to get on, then advanced to second on a passed ball. Brianna Dozier hit an infield grounder that advanced Nosky to third with one out. Laura Tavalone put a grounder into play and Katie Nosky scored on an error to win 9-8.
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