Basketball trio earns a dominant win in ‘Senior Night’ game

Feb 14, 2020

MATTAPOISETT — Meg Hughes, Jill Higgins, and Mary Butler have been playing basketball together since the fifth grade, and on Friday, Feb. 14, the three teammates helped lead Old Rochester Regional High School to a dominating 53-25 victory in their “Senior Night” game. 

Just before the game against Bourne High School, the girls and their parents were given bouquets of flowers by Head Coach Bob Hohne, as part of the annual Senior Night celebration held on the last home game of the regular season.

Butler was also recognized as “Lady Bulldog of the Year,” the first athlete in the school’s history to win the award three years in a row. “She’s the epitome of a Lady Bulldog basketball player,” Hohne said, as Butler always puts the team first over any individual statistics or performances. 

ORR was first to score in the opening minutes of the game. After setting the tone early in the first quarter, the Lady Bulldogs kept a steady, relentless pressure to maintain, and build on their lead until the closing seconds of competition. 

Going into the second half, ORR had established a lead of 31-12, and Bourne was unable to adjust in the later portion of the game. 

After securing the dominant win, the girls said defense and team chemistry were the keys to their strong performance. They also said that passing from the outside, and not rushing shots on offense helped them to maintain their steady rate of scoring throughout the game. 

The girls said that they are best friends off the court as well, and that the senior night was a bittersweet occasion for them. 

“We’ve been playing together for so long that we don’t want to think it’s over yet,” Butler said. 

The girls weren’t alone in this sentiment, as Hohne said the trio of seniors have been the “right role models” for the young team. Outside of Hughes, Higgins, and Butler, the varsity squad has just one junior, and the rest of the girls are sophomores this year. Hohne explained that in their absence, new leaders will need to emerge to keep the team’s success going. 

“We lose the heart and soul of our team,” added Assistant Coach Glenn Gardner. 

Athletic Director Bill Tilden said that he is glad to have the girls for one last season in the spring, and that Hughes in particular “sets the track on fire when she gets on it.”