FHS Alumni News

Hall of Fame Inducts Seven New Members

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Seven new members of the FHS Hall of Fame were inducted on Sunday, June 30, 2019 at the annual Banquet held at the Century House.  Pictured are: Front Center: Lifetime Achiever Donald J.B. Dufour, Middle Row: Kathryne (Olsen) Moniz '08, Maggie Rossi '08, Robin (Smith) Smullen '91, Back Row: Sean Riley '03, Steven Ponte '71, Lyle Drew '90 representing his father Norris Drew '51. (Photo by Carol & Jim Mahaney '68)

                                                                     Donald J. B. Dufour
                                                                      Lifetime Achiever

    Donald Dufour was educated at St. Joseph’s School in New Bedford, Assumption Prep, in Worcester and Assumption College.  He began his teaching career at Dematha Catholic High School in Maryland then served in the military.  Following his discharge from the military, he was hired by the Town of Fairhaven to teach at the Rogers School and also coach the grade seven basketball and football teams.  Eventually he taught foreign languages at the high school level and became head of that department in 1962.  He remained in those positions until his retirement at the end of the 1989-90 school year.

     While at Fairhaven High School, he began a long association with the American Field Service’s foreign exchange program and served as the school’s AFS coordinator for 28 years.  Over almost three decades Mr. Dufour was responsible for placing scores of FHS students in the homes of families in countries all over the world while they attended school and expanded their education in another culture. He also coordinated the placement of a similar number of foreign students with Fairhaven families while they spent the entire school year at FHS immersing themselves in our American culture. He also organized memorable summer field trips to Quebec (for students studying French) every other year. 

      He was an outstanding tennis player at Assumption College and brought his expertise to the Fairhaven High School Girl’s Tennis program in 1981.  He ultimately led the team to the Division 2 Championship of the Southeastern Massachusetts Conference with a victory over Bourne High School.  This was the first and only Fairhaven Girl’s Tennis Team to accomplish this feat.  Members of that championship team included Chris Louganis, Sue Nolette, Debbie Rapoza, Joanne Reedy, Jennifer Young, Sue Jacobson, Cindy Mark, Lee Vaudry, Tammy Pereira, Anne Gonsalves and Carol O’Brien.

      Currently the 91 year old Dufour and his wife Muriel reside in Fort Myers, Florida where he has served as the captain of the 50-plus-year-old tennis team and continues to play tennis at a high level three times a week.  He also was president of his condo association in Fort Myers for five years and presently carries the title of President Emeritus and is “on call as needed.”

                                                                Kathryne (Olsen) Moniz
                                                                       Class of 2008

       Kat’s love for volleyball began at recreation camps when she was in elementary school.  Hard work, dedication, a passion for the sport and encouragement from her family, including from her aunt, future Blue Devils coach and FHS Hall of Famer Karen Arsenault ’88 all contributed to her success on the volleyball court as an athlete and team leader.

       Kat was a star setter and three-year varsity starter for the FHS Girls Volleyball Team.  She finished her high school career with an impressive 1,540 assists (548 assists in her senior year alone).   As a co-captain her senior year, Kat and her fellow FHS Hall of Fame Memorable Season teammates went undefeated in the South Coast Conference (16-0) earning the conference championship title that year and finishing the season 23-1 overall, a record for the FHS Girls Volleyball Team.

       Kat’s contributions and leadership led to her being named to the Standard Times All-Star team her sophomore, junior and senior years.  In just her senior year alone, she was named the MVP of the New Bedford Whaler Volleyball Camp, the FHS Team MVP, the Standard Times Player of the Year, and honored as a Boston Herald Volleyball All-Star..

       After graduating from FHS in 2008, Kat went on to Emmanuel College, where she continued to shine on and off the volleyball court.  In her time as an Emmanuel Saint volleyball player, Kat was recognized by the Great Northeast Conference (GNAC) and Emmanuel College for her talents throughout her four years as a Saint.  Since her college days, Kat has paid her experience and success in volleyball forward as a JV coach at Winthrop High School while teaching special education and in Hangzhou China coaching volleyball while teaching school.  Even now, her passion for volleyball has not waned – Kat continues to play, participating in Yankee Volleyball – USAV National Tournaments.

                                                                          Maggie Rossi
                                                                         Class of 2008

       Maggie Rossi’s athletic career at Fairhaven High School was highlighted by conference championships, personal accomplishments, and awards and recognition throughout the area.  Maggie was a four year, three sport stand-out athlete at Fairhaven High School.

       During Maggie’s junior season the Girls’ Basketball program reached new heights.  Maggie’s team earned the first South Coast Conference championship for Fairhaven High School.  In addition to the conference championship the 2006-2007 team made it to the Division 3 South Sectional Final in the State Tournament.  Maggie and the Girls’ Basketball team followed up that outstanding season with another South Coast Conference championship during her senior season.  This time the girls went undefeated in SCC play. 

       In Volleyball, there was another SCC championship during Maggie’s senior year, knocking off traditional volleyball powerhouses Bourne and Case along the way.  Her senior year volleyball team was also undefeated in SCC play.  For the spring seasons Maggie went to the tennis courts, and only lost one match playing First Singles during her senior season. 

       In addition to the success of Maggie’s three athletic teams over her career at FHS, Maggie had an impressive list of personal accomplishments.  In her four years of high school Maggie earned 11 varsity letters from her three sports.  In Tennis she was selected an SCC all-star her senior year, and also served as the team captain.  In Volleyball, she led her team in kills as a senior, and was selected to the SCC All-Conference team as well as the Standard-Times Super Team. However, it was on the basketball court that Maggie left her biggest mark.  Maggie was a four year starter for the Blue Devils, being named a team captain for both her junior and senior years.  She was named to the SCC All-Conference team three times in her four years at FHS.  She was also named to the Standard Times Super Team three times.  Maggie also joined the 1,000 point scoring club.  At the conclusion of her sophomore year Maggie was named the Standard Times Girls’ Basketball player of the year. 

                                                                                Sean Riley
                                                                             Class of 2003

        A three-season athlete at Fairhaven High School, Sean Riley played golf, baseball, and basketball all four years. Sean was accomplished in all three sports. In the winter he hit the hardcourt for the Basketball Team, in the spring you could find him on the pitching mound for the baseball team, but it was in the fall when he took out his driver that he stood out most playing for the Golf Team.  Sean was a two time letterman for the Basketball Team, averaging 9 and 10 points per game respectively during his junior and seasons. For the Baseball Team he was a four time letterman, and was twice named to the SCC All-Conference Team while compiling an impressive career batting average of .496. Defensively he played shortstop and also was in the pitching rotation, but it was his hitting that earned him a spot on the Standard Times All-Star team his junior year and the the Super Team after his senior season. 

      It was on the golf course that Sean stood out during all four season for the Golf Team. During his junior season he was the individual SCC champion and the Golf Player of the Year. Then in his senior season he placed 2nd in the SCC, and then earned 3rd Place in the State Golf Tournament.  As a senior Sean was honored as the Standard Times Golfer of the Year after completing the regular season with a record of 14 wins, no losses and two ties.

      After graduation Sean went on to play baseball at Eckerd College and Bridgewater State University. Sean operates the family business “Batting Cages” in Fall River with his father Matt Riley. He now resides in Fairhaven with his wife Olivia and his son Grayson.

                                                                         Robin (Smith) Smullen
                                                                              Class of 1991

     Robin (Smith) Smullen was a well-rounded athlete during her four years at Fairhaven High School. She was a member of the first ever FHS Girls’ South Coast Conference Track & Field Championship Team, and she was an SCC All-Star all four of her spring track seasons. Robin was named Outstanding Female Athlete at the 1991 SCC Championship Meet winning three events (100m high hurdles, javelin and 440m relay). Her victory in the high hurdles set a meet record, and was also the best time in all of southeastern Massachusetts that season.

      Robin also enjoyed great success during the winter track seasons as well. She was co-captain of the Girls’ SCC Championship team, and was a SCC All-Star in 1991 after going undefeated in dual meet competition.  Robin set the area’s best time in the 50m hurdles three different times during the same season, and won that same event at the SCC Championships, as well as the GNB Voc-Tech Invitational Meet.

      During her fall seasons Robin played for the Volleyball Team, serving as a co-captain for two years. She was also a four year Varsity Cheerleader, a co-captain, NCA All-American Cheerleader in the 1987-88 season, and an NCA All-American Finalist for the 88-89 season. Robin was the Class of 1991 Salutatorian, Student Council President, Math Team Captain, Class Vice-President, and a member of the French, Ski and AFS Exchange Clubs. She was an Exchange Student to Norway in 1989.

       After graduation from FHS Robin earned both her Bachelor and Master Degrees from M.I.T. in Aeronautics and Astronautics. She found time to play on the Women’s Volleyball Team for four years where she earned the Straight T Award and was selected for the NEW 8 Academic All-Conference Team. As a graduate student Robin worked with NASA, Harvard University Medical School and the University of California (San Diego) on a project that flew on board Space Shuttle STS-95.  After college Robin moved to Southern California where she took a position as an Aerospace Systems Engineer with TRW, now Northrop Grumman Corp. She currently lives in Frisco, Texas with her husband Steve and their three sons, Zachary, Owen and Cameron.

                                                                             Steven Ponte
                                                                             Class of 1971

       From the years of 1967-1971 Steve’s path to the Hall of Fame saw him stand out in basketball, football, tennis and track and field.  As a basketball player for the Blue Devils Steve flourished under the tutelage of  Hall of Fame Coach Wayne Wilson.  During his junior and senior years Steve would lead the team in both scoring and rebounding, and would go on to be selected as a Capeway Conference All-Star for both of those seasons.  

      On the football field Steve was a two way player at defensive end and tight end. During his senior season he was commended by Coach Kevin Cadieux as “the best we had up front on both sides of the ball”, a season in which he earned All-Conference selection.  In the spring Steve was a member of the Track and Field Team where he would lead the Blue Devils as the top javelin thrower.  While a senior in the spring he not only competed in track and field, but also earned a varsity letter as a member of the Tennis Team, Steve went on to earn four varsity letters in the 1970-71 school year, something that was rarely done at Fairhaven High.  

       Steve has resided in Fairhaven his entire life, along his wife Ann, a 1970 graduate and lifelong Fairhavenite. They have raised four children all of whom graduated from FHS. Steve’s connections and contributions to Fairhaven are vast. He helped start many of the youth sports programs that are still active in town today.  He would also go on to coach countless youth teams always with a calm and calculated demeanor that was designed to have the kids interests first.  

       Steve quietly set the perfect example of everything an athlete should be!  His love of sports translated to his children and now his grandchildren. If you have ever watched his children play or continue to watch them coach, you can clearly see the work ethic, humbleness (well mostly), and love for the game instilled in them by their father.  Fairhaven athletics continue to be his home....you can find him at the fields or in the gym any night of the week and on weekends doing what matters most....supporting his family and the next generation of great athletes!

                                                                              Norris Drew
                                                                            Class of 1951

            In basketball, Norris was the 6th man as a junior on the 1949-50 team that went undefeated and captured the Class B Eastern Massachusetts State Championship.  The 5’11” left-handed shooter was primarily a back-up to guards John Hennessy and Lou Shurtleff but when the latter suffered a bad ankle sprain late in the regular season, Norris became a starter and Fairhaven never lost a beat in cruising to a 25-0 record in what most people still call the greatest basketball season in Fairhaven High School history.

            The following season Norris teamed with Biff MacLean in Fairhaven’s starting backcourt, and in addition to handing out a bushel of assists, Norris scored 110 points to help the Blues run off 13 consecutive victories to start the season, and he continued to play a key role in what resulted in a 20-1season record, a second consecutive Class B Championship and a New England title.

            While Bart Leach deservedly earned most of the headlines, head coach Mel Entin saved plenty of praise for Norris Drew, calling the unheralded but talented guard his VIP – as in Very Important Person. When Leach wasn’t working his magic in the pivot, Norris took over and became the key performer in Fairhaven’s familiar “Figure 8 Offense” where he could drive the lane or pass the ball to an open teammate for an easy layup.

            In a 1951 article in the Standard-Times, Don Harrington wrote:  “Norris Drew is the kind of ball player who seems to rise to the occasion. He’ll have his rough moments like any guy before he suddenly strikes it rich and then the fun begins. He did it in the Tournament last year as the team’s #1 sub. This year he’s on full time”.

            Coach Mel Entin said of Norris Drew, “He iced the New Bedford game for us over there with his late driving. He’s also a reliable man when he steps up to the foul line.” Norris was an “Original Blue” having started out as an 8th grader with Fairhaven standouts Shurtleff, Hennessy and Leach, the latter two who are already members of the Fairhaven High School Hall of Fame.

              After high school Norris attended New Bedford Tech and played basketball there for a year before joining the Marine Corps and serving in the Korean War.  He returned to Fairhaven in 1954 and lived here for the rest of his life.  He assumed a very active role in the Fairhaven Varsity Club and was indispensable as the club’s equipment manager for years.  Norris passed away in September 2018.

 

 

 

 

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