You know the saying: “Slow and steady wins the race.”

It could be applied to the Old Rochester Regional hockey team—which, despite an 0-1-4 start, has a history of finishing strong.

“We’ve made the tournaments seven years in a row,” says head coach Scott Hartley. “We always keep a tough schedule, but we’re a consistent, winning program.”

The team finished 11-9-3 overall last year and 8-1-1 in the South Coast Conference.

Hartley is in his fourth year as head coach and an ORR alumnus. Like every kid growing up in Rochester, he says, he grew up playing hockey on the cranberry bogs.

“We’re a young team, but our freshmen get better with each game,” he says. “Our defense especially. And we have Max Sherman back, which is important.”

Sherman, a Rochester resident and ORR senior, is one of three captains, along with seniors Tim Kelleher of Marion and Blake DeSousa of Mattapoisett. Sherman was the team’s leading scorer last year with 21 goals and 17 assists.

“We have to always keep working harder,” says Sherman. “Effort beats talent. We’re young, but consistent.”

The seven freshmen on the Bulldog team contribute to the youth, but Hartley says that presents a fun challenge.

“Hockey is interesting, in that you can have 13-year-olds up against 18-year-olds,” he says. “There’s a lot of management involved, and different styles of play or attitudes. But it’s unique. And a good thing.”

Kelleher agrees.

“We always adjust to the freshmen or underclassmen,” he says. “But we trust each other, and can rely on one another to play well.”

And play well they have.

Despite the losses, the team has scored against big teams like Cohasset and Silver Lake, and held the opponents to low scores.

Hartley remains optimistic as the season chugs on.

“Our defense and goaltending is excellent,” he says. “The offense needs to come around. But all we want is to win our conference. That’s the goal.”