FHS Alumni News

On Sunday evening, June 30, 2013 the Fairhaven High School Hall of Fame inducted six new members at their annual banquet at the Century House in Acushnet.  Pictured (L-R) are: front row: Dorothy Dean (representing her Uncle John Hawkins ‘24), Jennifer (Nowak) Longo ‘99, back row: Tom Johnson ‘67, David Teixeira ‘70, and Coach Mark Southworth.  Barbara Barstow ‘35 was also recognized as a Lifetime Achiever posthumously.

David M. Teixeira 1970

David Teixeira or “Flea”, as he was commonly referred, was a three sport athlete at Fairhaven High School. Flea earned a varsity letter for three seasons of football playing running back. In 1969 he was named team captain and because of his 13 touchdowns earned all Bristol County honors.  In baseball, David also lettered for three years, playing outfield, he again was honored as an all Bristol County player in 1970 with a batting average above 300. David also lettered for two seasons of winter track running the sprints, including the 50 yard dash and the 300.  He was a state finalist at the Class C 50 yard dash in 1969.  David went on to college at Worcester Polytechnic Institute where he again lettered for three seasons of football as a punt and kick returner and a starting tailback in 1973, Academically David received his Bachelors degree in Civil Engineering and went on to Stanford University to receive his Masters degree in Civil Engineering. He then went to work on the Alaska pipeline and in Saudi Arabia. Currently Dave is a Vice President of Operations for Suffolk Construction of Boston. Dave and his wife Pauline live in Fairhaven and have one son, Alex, a special education teacher and mountain climbing guide in New Hampshire.

John Hawkins 1924     His best and most productive sport was football in which he excelled on both sides of the ball on his way to winning All Bristol County League honors.   But John Hawkins was more than just a football player. During his four years at Fairhaven High School, Hawkins competed in every sport the school had to offer - football, basketball, baseball, track and tennis - and in 1923 was one of three Fairhaven athletes to earn varsity letters in all five sports. Hawkins was the fullback on a strong 1923 team and the strong, aggressive running back had some memorable games, like scoring a touchdown and intercepting three passes in a 20-0 victory over Bridgewater. He also found the end zone twice and added a pair of conversion points in a key game against Attleboro. But his best game may have come against Roxbury when his excellent play on both offense and defense helped hand the Boston District Champions their first loss in nine seasons. These heroics and many more earned him a spot on the All BCL Team in a year in which Hawkins was labeled the ‘best fullback in Southeastern Massachusetts. His most cherished award, however, came following his senior year when Hawkins was presented the Sparrow Cup which was awarded annually to a Fairhaven senior who “has rendered the best service to the school in all branches of its activities.”  Hawkins was a four-year member of the football, track and baseball teams, a three-year participant with the basketball squad and played tennis for two seasons.       Following his graduation from high school, Hawkins enrolled at New Bedford Textile School and was later employed in foreign and domestic service for Saco-Lowell Shops, a textile machinery company of Biddeford, ME and Easley, SC.       At the close of World War II when the Swiss and U.S. textile and machinery companies were vying for the South American market, Hawkins was sent to Brazil on loan to Glossops and Sons, agents for Saco Lowell Shops where he supervised the installation of spindle mills. He remained in Brazil for eight years, later going to Colombia, Venezuela and Europe. In Spain, he entered for exhibit in the 1956 Barcelona Trades Fair the new model of Saco Lowell’s Comber and remained in Europe on loan to Saco Tex of Milan, Italy, the European agents for Saco Lowell machinery.       Three years later Hawkins returned to the United States and lived in Greenville, SC carrying out company-ordered assignments in various southern states, Mexico and Canada. After 37 years of service, Hawkins retired and returned to Fairhaven.       Hawkins was a member of both the Fairhaven Historical Society and the Old Dartmouth Historical Society and passed away on March 17, 1989 in Fairhaven at the age of 84.

Mark Southworth       Although he was only there for six years (from Fall 1982- Spring 1988), Mark Southworth left an indelible mark on the FHS basketball program and will forever be recognized as one of the Blue Devils’ finest coaches. While struggling to a 5-14 record in the first season after taking over the program, Coach Southworth experienced nothing but success after that. His ’82-’83 team narrowly missed the state tournament with a record of 13-7. The next four years, however, Southworth’s team qualified for the tournament with ease.      His teams finished both the 84-85 and 85-86 seasons with a record of 15-5 but his most memorable and celebrated team was the 86-87 Blue Devils. That team finished the season with a record of 18-2, the highest winning percentage of any team since the Standard Times began keeping records in 1972. That team not only won the tough South Coast Conference championship, but also won the South Sectional and Eastern Massachusetts titles before losing a hard fought battle to a talented Frontier Regional High School team in the Division 3 State Championship game. Following this season, Coach Southworth was named Division 3 State Coach of the Year by the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association. He coached one more year at Fairhaven, finishing with a 16-4 record and a second round loss in the State Tournament.        Mr. Southworth left FHS in the summer of 1988 after accepting a dual position at Cape Cod Community College as the Head Basketball Coach and Academic Retention Officer for Athletics. From there he went back to his roots, coaching the Bourne High School Boys Basketball team and also serving as the Athletic Director. Mark Southworth was an outstanding coach at Fairhaven High School. His teams were talented, aggressive, and fundamentally sound because of who he was as a coach but his players also learned about discipline, character, strength of heart, and the difference between right and wrong because of who he is as a man.

Thomas “Tom” Johnson 1967

Tom was an outstanding four sport athlete and student at Fairhaven High School for four years.  He earned thirteen letters for baseball, basketball, football and track. Tom was a member of the 1966-67 Capeway Conference Championship with a 20-0 record and an invitation to the Tech Tourney.  The team beat Scituate 75-66 and lost to Dennis-Yarmouth 50-46, a team they beat twice in the regular season.  Tom and his teammates were honored at a banquet and presented with silver bowls, wrist watches and blazers by Athletic Director Mel Entin and Hall of Fame members George Graves, chairman, and Barton Leach, guest speaker. In the 1966-67 undefeated basketball season, Tom played a key role in the win over Dartmouth 61-49.  He scored 16 points and was used by Coach Wayne Wilson to bring the ball up against the press.  In the win against Dennis-Yarmouth, Tom only scored 8 points, but scored two key fourth quarter baskets to help cushion Fairhaven’s lead.  Tom was immense defensively and switched between D-Y’s two best players and shut them down.  These performances earned Tom the Player of the Week honors of the Tops in Sports Award of Perfection Oil. In 1965, a stand-out performance in the Wareham Football Festival, QB Tom earned the Player of the Week honors of the Tops in Sports Award of Perfection Oil.  Although the team lost the game 20-7, Tom stood out as one of the best players on the field and directed a 50 yard scoring drive in the third quarter. In track and field, Tom excelled in the javelin and high jump. In baseball, Tom was a four year varsity catcher and Captain in his Senior year. Tom is retired and drives school bus for Reliable Bus Lines.  He enjoys taking the Blue Devil teams to their away games. Tom lives in Fairhaven with his wife Dawn.  They have two children and four grandchildren.

Jennifer (Nowak) Longo 1999

      Jenn was a dedicated four sport athlete earning eleven varsity letters during her years at Fairhaven High School. You knew she was going to be something when as a freshman on both the volleyball and basketball teams moved up to the varsity level and already had an impact on the team. She was a Standard Times All-Star or Honorable Mention recipient six times and a South Coast Conference All-Star five times throughout her stellar career. In volleyball, she captained the freshman team and progressed so well she was moved up to the varsity level for the State Tournament, her sophomore year she was the starting setter for the SCC co-champion team that made it to the Division 2 South Sectional finals for the first time. During her junior season she was the starting outside hitter and a team captain, earning honorable mention All-Star status. Senior season she was again captain, starting setter for the state tournament, and an SCC and Standard Times All-Star.     Starting out on the basketball team the first three years, she had a promising career in that sport. She moved up to varsity as a freshman, earned Honorable Mention All-Star status as a sophomore, and was the starting guard for the state tournament team her junior year. After achieving success in outdoor track, Jenn decided to dedicate her senior year to track, both indoor and outdoor.     A four year super star in track, she earned several All-Star Awards and set many records. As a freshman, she sprinted to an Area’s Best in the 200m with a time of 27.0 and placed 3rd at the Class D meet while earning her first All-Star award in track. As a sophomore she was the SCC Champion in the 200m and also as a member of the 4 x 100 team that set a meet record of 52.1.  Her Junior year she qualified for the State meet in the 100m, 200m, and the 4 x 400 with excellent times but was unable to compete at the state level because of an injury. But her senior year was phenomenal. She was the SCC Champion in the 200 with a time of 26.7 which broke the championship meet record. She was also an integral part in the team that won the SCC championship in the 4 x 100. The team of Jenn, Amy Furtado, Tiffany Therrien, and Crystal Therrien went on to set the school records in both the 4 x 100 and 4 x 200 relays, which still stand today.  In addition to those records, Jenn tied the high school record in the 200m with a time of 25.7, that record also still stands, while finishing third at the Class D meet.     Jenn received several awards throughout her career including the MIAA Outstanding Sportsmanship Award, The Principal’s Award and the Four Year Scholar Athlete Award. She was a member of the National Honor Society and graduated 16th in her class. Jenn earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Athletic Training with honors from the University of New Hampshire and became a Certified Athletic Trainer in 2003, Jennifer is married to Dr. Craig Longo and has two children, Jack and Madison. They live in Dartmouth.