Marc R. McGarry
Special to The Express
The 2024 Silver Lake Warrior D2 Peewee’s football team is compiled both of fifth and sixth graders. Due to the amount of skilled fifth graders, we decided to also volunteer for a D7 team within Old Colony Youth Football. This allowed these talented athletes to also play to potentially win their own Super Bowl.
On Nov. 17, the D7B Silver Lake Warriors made it to play in the 2024 D7B Super Bowl against the Scituate/Cohasset Sharks.
The game was a straight defensive battle right from opening kick off. During the first quarter, neither offense teams could get the ball going. Also, both defense teams were playing a straight “Smash Mouth Football” game.
In the second quarter, Beckham Rondeau (#37) caught a running back screen pass from quarterback Jack Kelley (#7). Rondeau’s catch made an outstanding run up the sideline defeating tacklers to reach a forty-six yard touchdown. This would be the only touchdown in the game!
A special shout-out goes to Warriors  quarterback, Jack Kelley. Kelley’s “18 keeper” has been his trademark play throughout the season. Kelley’s skill allowed him to consistently run two-point conversations, without the help of head coach, Marc McGarry.
Coach McGarry considers the unsung heroes of the offense team is not just a skilled position, but he also considers it the “meat of the line”. These five hard-hitting players consistently complete their blocks, and it is the reason the team scored a touchdown.
For the remainder of the game, the Warriors continuously faced a defensive battle. The defensive line held strong keeping the SciCho Sharks from the red zone all game! Every tackle was a team effort, and there was never just one Warrior on a tackle. Every time SciCho got the ball, they saw a “sea of red”. Coach McGarry said it was hard to pick out just one defensive player that made a game-changing play. The Warriors on defense made the game.
Throughout the entire game, the Warrior fans were on their feet, eyes glued on the game. The supportive cheering encouraged every athlete making it a truly amazing game.
Coach McGarry would like to send a special thank you to all of the parents for their hard work and dedication for the past three months. This season has had it challenges, but winning the 2024 D7B Super Bowl was a true representation of everyone’s hard work!

Cutlines
Silver Lake Warriors D7B super bowl champions
Head coach Marc McGarry receiving Super bowl trophy from OCYFL president Bob Long
Offensive line unsung heroes
Team Mom Erin Mota congratulating her son 93 Kayden Mota after victory.
The Sea of Red DEFENSE
7 Jack Kelley two-point conversion
37 Beckham Rondeau 46 yd touchdown
Captains walking out to the coin toss Head coach Marc McGarry

7 Jack Kelley, 45 Marc McGarry Jr, 18 Declan Berte, 37 Beckham Rondeau, 5 Mason Carbone.

By Linda Ibbitson Hurd
Special to The Express
My Grandfather Cyril, better known as Spud, and his two brothers owned a local cranberry bog in the 1960s. Grampa and my Grandmother Edrice also worked for the National Cranberry Association in Hanson that eventually was renamed Ocean Spray. Grampa worked the press and Gram screened the berries. The berries were picked by hand back then, scooped and put in wooden boxes where they stayed dry and protected until they were taken to Ocean Spray to be made into juice and sauce. Grampa stored the boxes of berries in the loft of his barn which was across the street from their house and diagonally across from ours.
My friend Donna, who was 12, and a year younger than me, lived next door with her aunt and uncle and their four sons. One Friday after school I asked my mom if Donna could come to supper and stay overnight. She said it was okay if it was okay with Ann, Donna’s aunt, which it was. It was a warm November afternoon and Donna and I went for a walk in the pine grove off of Elm Street. On the way back we passed by my Grampa’s barn and walked into the barnyard to visit Mike the ram who was a big white sheep with no horns. He was gentle and let the smaller kids ride on him.
I opened the barn door so Mike could go in. The smell of hay greeted us and brought back memories. I remembered grampa putting me on a three-legged stool when I was about five. He put his big hands over my little ones and we milked one of the cows. He turned our hands to one side where the barn cats were waiting for a taste and we squirted milk into their mouths. They were so cute and funny that we laughed. Donna brought me back to the present when she said, “Let’s go up to the loft.” We climbed the stairs and saw wooden boxes full of cranberries stacked on both sides of the loft. We looked at each other. “I got this side, you take that side!”, I said and so it began. I saw something move as I ran to the other side of the loft. Mike was perched on top of a pile of hay watching us.
Through shouts and squeals of laughter we threw handfuls of berries at each other.
There were berries strewn all over both sides of the loft and the floor below. I saw the sun setting through the window and knew it was getting close to supper time. I told Donna we better get going or we’d be late.
It was getting dark when we left the barn and walked down the street the short distance to my house. Mom greeted us with a big smile and the aroma of spaghetti sauce filled the kitchen, making me very hungry. Donna and I washed up and set the table for mom.
When we were almost finished eating, the phone rang. There was a wall phone in the kitchen near the dining room and Dad got up to answer it. He didn’t say much, just listened, ending with, “Yup, I agree”.He sat down at the table, looking across at mom, then at me and Donna while my siblings looked on. “That was Grampa on the phone”, he stated, giving us a harsh look. My heart sank and my stomach churned; Donna hung her head. “It seems when Grampa got home tonight he noticed the barn lights were on and his neighbor came out to tell him he heard a lot of noise in the barn this afternoon. Do you know why he’s upset?” Donna and I nodded in unison. “Grampa is meeting you both over there in five minutes, good luck.”
Donna grabbed my hand and was shaking and crying as we walked over. I was trying to calm her down even though I was scared myself. Grampa didn’t raise his voice but was very stern, telling us every single berry that wasn’t damaged needed to go back in the boxes and to make sure there was no hay on any of them.
He explained how important the berries were to people who made their living growing and selling them and what trouble he would be in and how much it would cost him if the berries were damaged and couldn’t be delivered. He told us how important it was that this get done tonight because they were being taken to Ocean Spray tomorrow morning to be processed. He also told us that each berry cost a penny and whatever we didn’t get back in the boxes, we would owe him. Before he left, he said he’d see us in the morning at eight o’clock at the barn and to be on time. We counted the berries that were ruined, and we owed Grampa a total of ninety two cents. We both took money out of our piggy banks to pay him. We finally got to bed that night at midnight.
We were at the barn on time the next morning and Grampa was outside waiting for us. He was a slender man, and a bit of light red hair was still visible through the strands of white and grey. He commended us for a job that he said was done even better than the mess we had made, which made us blush. He was looking at me and there was a twinkle in his blue eyes and a smile he was trying to hold back. “You are a true Ibbitson”, he said, “now you both take your money and put it back where it came from; I think you’ve learned your lesson well”.
With that, his brothers, Hollis and Edwin, who were my grand-uncles, drove up in their trucks. After greetings and goodbyes Donna and I each went home to our own houses, we were exhausted.
Thanksgiving was less than two weeks away and we were going next door to my grandparents that year. I was still feeling bad and ashamed at what I had done and so was Donna, even after we had apologized. I was also thinking about all I had found out about my grandparents that I hadn’t known. I knew they both worked but didn’t realize it was in the same place or that Grampa was part owner of a cranberry bog. I was also still perplexed about what Grampa said to me about being a true Ibbitson.
When Thanksgiving Day finally came, we could smell the turkey before we entered the house. Once inside, the mood was festive, and we all sat at the big round table with enough leaves in it to accommodate all of us. Grace had been said and we all dug into the delicious meal. Every year that I can remember, my four uncles, my dad and Grampa would start telling stories. That year it was about things they did growing up. The stories were funny, entertaining, some a bit daring and some tender and it dawned on me, I was just like them and that’s what Grampa meant. A very nice feeling encompassed me. I felt safe, accepted, loved and very thankful for my family.

Silver Lake Peewee Warriors clinch overtime victory, bringing home the Old Colony Youth Football League Division 2 Super Bowl Trophy!
By Katie Rondeau
(Team Mom)
The Silver Lake Pee Wee Warriors have done it again, thrilling their fans with a heart-stopping Super Bowl win in overtime, defeating the Plymouth North Vikings in a defensive showdown! Coming off a victorious season in Division 3, the Warriors advanced this year into the highly competitive Division 2. Facing stronger teams with standout talent, the Warriors fought hard throughout the season, and their determination paid off with an unforgettable Super Bowl victory.
The Warriors’ journey to the Super Bowl began with an impressive season and continued with a gritty playoff win, setting up this unforgettable championship game. On game day, the team donned patriotic red, white, and blue in honor of Veterans Day, with families, friends, and supporters all decked out to cheer them on. Every play, every tackle, and every pass showcased the passion and unity of this football family.
In a game that held fans on the edge of their seats, the Warriors and Vikings locked horns in a tight defensive battle, with both teams running backs skillfully held in check. After four quarters, the score was tied at 0-0, forcing the game into overtime. Plymouth North scored first but missed a crucial 2-point conversion, leaving Silver Lake a chance to rally. On 4th down, quarterback Jack Calter connected with Brendan Barrette to tie the score at 6-6, keeping the Warriors hopes alive.
In the final moments, with the trophy on the line, Silver Lake executed a outstanding play: a handoff to Cole Ryan, who sprinted finding his lane, crossing into the end zone untouched, clinching the victory for the Warriors. The crowd erupted as fans flooded the field in celebration, cheering on the young champions who had given everything for this moment. In a gesture of sportsmanship, Plymouth North’s head coach presented #28 Brendan Barrette with the game ball, honoring his pivotal role in the team’s triumph.
The Silver Lake Pee Wee Warriors now proudly hold the Division 2 Super Bowl trophy, capping off a season defined by grit, resilience, and incredible teamwork. Congratulations to the Warriors and their coaches for an unforgettable season!

Veterans’ Day services began at 11 a.m. at the Halifax Town Hall to honor all veterans in the community and abroad.
Retired Naval Chaplain Rev. James Hopkins opened the program with a prayer, followed by the National Anthem, sung by Aria Littlefield, daughter of Veterans Agent Steve Littlefield.
Selectman Jonathan Selig gave the proclamationn and Littlefield welcomed those in attendance
Nathan Campbell, talented Halifax bagpiper, played.
Halifax unveiled 69 new Hometown Heroes banners that were displayed on the Town Green before being hung up throughout the town.
Thanks also to Boy Scout Troop 39 with the Color Guard and VFW Post 6258 for their support at the event.
Littlefield also thanked the Highway Dept. for all of their help in puttiing all the banners up on the green and making the area look especially nice.

Photos by
Linda Redding

We’re excited to share an inspiring story from our Silver Lake Youth Football Pee Wee Varsity team as they gear up for the Super Bowl once again! After their 2022 championship win as Varsity Mites, the Warriors advanced to a more competitive division this season with one goal in mind: re-turning to the Super Bowl in 2024.
Saturday night, Nov. 2, The Silver Lake Pee Wee Warriors faced off against the Duxbury Dragons, battling on their home turf in Duxbury for a spot in the championship. Both teams fought hard, and as regulation time ended in a tie, the game headed into an intense four rounds of overtime. Our defense held strong, making block after block, including a game-saving block from #85 Faolan Mahoney of Plympton, sending our offense back in for one final shot at victory.
In the final moments, all eyes were on #16 Deegan Rondeau, who charged toward the end zone. With a perfectly timed pass from quarterback Jack Calter, Deegan made a game-winning catch, securing the Warriors place in the Super Bowl with an unforgettable play! Silver Lake, led by head Coach Erik Barrette, slew the Dragons.
The Silver Lake Pee Wee Warriors will take on the Plymouth North Vikings on Sunday, Nov. 10, at 1 p.m. at Hanover High School. We’re calling on our community to come out and support these dedicated young athletes as they pursue their dreams.
Thank you for helping us share our team’s journey with the community!
~ Katie Sances,
Team Mom

Sunday, Oct. 20, was a perfect day for the Laker Strong Walk for Breast Cancer Awareness, raising funds for Dana Farber Cancer Center’s research.
Working with Silver Lake’s Key Club and its advisors Kristen Shoaf and Nichelle Armstrong, this fundraiser was one of many over the past 14 years to help bring attention to breast cancer awareness and has raised more than $125,000 through the many events.
This year was the sixth Laker Walk for Breast Cancer Awareness. In addition to the walkers, there were many great gifts and raffle items to add to the final tally.
More photos by Linda Redding on page 7.
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Sunday afternoon the grounds of the Dennett Elementary School were jumping with costumed kids and decorated vehicles to celebrate the coming of Hallowe’en. Kids had great fun, and collected enough candy treats to last until Thanksgiving!

The Plympton Zoning Board of Appeals hearing scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 9, to hear the proposal for a special permit to allow Four Silos Farm event center, was rescheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 20, at 6:30 p.m. because a quorum could not be reached due to the illness of one of its members, and another member away.
About 30 people were in attendance and they asked proponent Jeffrey Perette to give an overview of his project, realizing that it would not count as an actual hearing, just an informative gathering.
ZBA Chairman Suzanne Jefferian told Perette “Honestly, we’re dying to hear about it.”
Perette told the assembly that it is his intention to make a quality venue at 387 Main St., across from Outback Arms. He admited, “I have a thing for antiques …” as he told about the white oak barn that he has purchased from Ohio that was built in 1793. “I’m trying to keep the rustic antique look.” The barn is truly breathtaking. That will be used for functions, weddings, birthday and holiday parties, In the future he hopes to have another barn strictly for equestrian use, including an indoor riding area, all tying in to the agricultural feel.
Vicki Alberti asked about the significance of the four silos. Perette answered that those four are stricktly decorative.
The venue will hold up to 400 people. Perette also noted that the five dots on the map are actual grain bins, that he plans to convert into lodging for overnight guests to the event.
He hopes to break ground in the spring.

Sometimes, it seems, one makes the best decisions when there’s not much time to think about it.
That was certainly true for Matt Wood, who found himself losing an automotive job about seven years ago – one that he held for 16 years.
“My wife’s like, ‘do something else,’” he recalls, “I said, OK, I want to open a coffee shop, so I just started that.”
It’s a people-centered business, whose founder used to love working behind the counter and hearing customers greet him by name.
That is reflected in the people he hires – happy people – because those are the people skills he feels can’t be taught and is just as welcoming to people who like to work or hold meetings in his shops. So far, the business is making fixtures of some of his regulars.
“We have a lot of people who come in every single day,” Wood said. “We have a guy who’s writing a book who comes in every day and just sits at the counter and does his research and writing. That’s what [the shop] is here for.”
It’s a can-do attitude that is in synch with how this small business chain was born and was among those few businesses that enjoyed expansion during the COVID pandemic.
“We opened two shops during the pandemic, in Whitman and Bridgewater,” he said. Some of that was luck of location as the Better Bean in Bridgewater center had closed, during COVID and never reopened. Since Wood had already rented space for his photography studio from the same landlord, on the third floor of the same building, he called as soon as he heard the Bean was not reopening.
“I told him we need to take the space,” Wood said. The place needed a lot of work, but he got it done and finds the shop is something of a magnet for the Bridgewater State University community, especially.
He opened his first Restoration Coffee business as a corner counter in the Bostonian Barbershop in Whitman in 2017 and recently opened his latest shop in a new mixed-use apartments and commercial property at 999 Main St., in Hanson. He left the Bostonian during COVID when occupancy regulations would not allow the coffee counter to stay and Hanson embodies the most recent growth.
“I’ve been waiting for a while for this, but I’m glad it’s all done,” he said of the property investment. “Once we got the OK to start putting stuff in here, we were open about two weeks later.” He had already been accumulating the equipment he needed. “My whole basement was full of everything,” he said.
The Steve Egan development replaced the burned-out remains of a former dress shop torched during a string of South Shore arson cases about a decade ago, an abandoned, building where a construction firm used to be and the vacant house where “The Whole Scoop” ice cream parlor had also been located at 965 Main St.
The coffee shop business is not Wood’s first career change. He had also been a wedding photographer for six years at one point.
“I was always meeting with customers in coffee shops,” he said. “I always liked that whole vibe. It’s kind of like that ‘Cheers’ thing with ‘everybody knows your name,’ and they come in every day.”
Wood still has locations in East Bridgewater, the Bridgewater common area and Whitman center.
It took a little while to get the Whitman location, he said.
“The owner of that, who also owns this, would come into the East Bridgewater shop during COVID, telling me ‘I’ve got a spot for you, I’ve got a spot for you.’” Wood recalled. But at the time, he wasn’t ready for that leap and he had been trying to get a spot in Hanson in the plaza where Shaw’s is located. A non-competition clause in the plaza owner’s agreement with Shaw’s, which also sells baked goods, ended that quest.
“I called Steve and said, ‘Let’s just do it,’” he said.
It was the first location he’s moved into that didn’t require work on an older building, such as straightening walls, and the apartments on the upper floors were already rented out. Egan is building another similar business at 965 Main St.
“I’m glad that Steve built this,” Wood said. “The place looks beautiful and he did such a good job.”
Wood said there were Hanson residents who were upset about losing the house where The Whole Scoop had been, but noted there were no takers even after Egan offered the house free of cost to anyone who wanted to move it.
“The people that owned the house were going to do something like this,” he added. “They were going to knock it down.”
Egan has built a similar project in Whitman center, where Supreme Pizza, Whitman Wellness Center and John Russell Studio have moved.
When Wood started his business, it was just coffee, and finding a name was the first order of business.
“It’s wild, trying to figure out business names,” he said. “Every single name’s been taken. He hit on Restoration Coffee because it’s a beverage that restores you.
“Coffee brings you back to life, but also both the Whitman and Bridgewater shops both needed full rehabs before you could do anything – like a full restoration.”
When they added a menu, they started out easy with toasts and simple fare, and chicken salad sandwiches adding what they’ve wanted to the menu as they go along.
Much of that took place during the pandemic when business was slow.
“We were all very tight and [at times] were just hanging around for hours, waiting for people to come in,” Wood said. “It was so slow, so that was when we ended up kind of experimenting with things, going with cravings and stuff like that.”
One of those sandwiches, the Marley, leads some customers to wonder if there’s “something different” in it, he said with a laugh.
“It’s got [tomato] jam,” he said. “We have a food team now, that makes all the sauces, the tomato jam and things like that.” Most of that, as well as the bean roasting is done out of the Whitman shop at the corner of Washington and Temple streets and distributed to the other locations. The muffins are baked on-premises in each shop.
They buy green coffee beans from Colombia, Ethiopia and Guatemala through a supplier in Rhode Island who, in turn, deals directly with the farmers. Then Restoration roasts their own beans.
At the very beginning he used another roasting company, but before long Wood started roasting his own coffee.“I watched every YouTube video [on coffee roasting] I could possibly find and read every book I could on roasting,” he said.
The décor is practically identical in each shop, bowing only to differences in the lay of the floor plan. The tables and chairs are something of a logo and he builds all the main counter tops and even paints the sign affixed to the front counter in each shop.
“I’d like to have 10, but that makes it that much more of a headache,” he said of his ultimate goal for the business, he said, adding it is “just a number at this point.
Stay tuned.