Class of 2011
TERRY (PACHECO) MAHJOORY, Class of 1993
The No. 1 field hockey player in Durfee history, Mahjoory started for four years and finished with school records for goals in a career (70) and in a season (30, 1991. She had 30 goals and 11 assists as a junior and 26 goals and 19 assists as a senior. A two-time all-stater, she earned a field hockey scholarship at Michigan State University, where she was the MSU rookie of the year, a three-time Big Ten all star and a College Field Hockey Coaches Association all-America. At Durfee, Mahjoory also played varsity basketball (guard) and softball (catcher) and helped the softball team to a 20-0 regular season as a sophomore. Mahjoory lives in Somerset with her husband and four children.
SUE ST. LAURENT, Class of 1991
Her name is synonymous with Durfee running excellence. St. Laurent excelled for four years in cross country and track and led the 1990 Hilltoppers to the state Division 1 cross country championship. In cross country, she was a four-time Boston Globe All Scholastic and won 40 of the 41 dual meet races she competed in during her career. She capped her cross country career with a seventh-place finish at the State Championships, leading Durfee to the team victory. Twenty years after her career ended, St. Laurent still holds 10 school class records in track and field, including the high jump, triple jump, 800 meters, 1,000 meters, 800 yards, mile, two miles, 4x800 relay and 4x1600 relay.
BRIAN NAWROCKI, Class of 1996
A well-rounded athlete, Nawrocki excelled in football, indoor track and baseball and was named Durfee’s Male Athlete of the year in 1996. In football, the speedy running back became the school’s first back-to-back 1,000-yard rusher and its first Otto Graham Award winner. He was MVP of the 1995 Thanksgiving win over New Bedford. On the track, he set the junior class record for the 300 yards and helped set the school 4x400 record. In baseball, Nawrocki was a three-year starter (.373 avg., 40 RBI, 53 steals, 79 runs), and starting shortstop on the ‘95 team which won the state Division 1 title and is the all-time offensive contribution leader during coach Ray Medeiros’ tenure. A resident of Jupiter, Fla., he is the son of Hall of Famer Stephen Nawrocki.
WENDY (MONIZ) GRILLO, Class of 1987
Grillo’s resume caught the eye of the selection committee for good reason. She was a top-notch athlete in track and field, field hockey and cheerleading. In track, she set 12 school or class records – some of which will stand –including most points in a season (178). Her specialties were sprints (up to 400 meters) and jumps. In 1986, she was sixth in Class A and eighth in the state in the 400, with a best of 59.9 seconds). She produced points in eight different events in her career. Moniz was a four-year letter winner in field hockey and a two-year letter winner in cheerleading and a Team All-American Cheerleader in 1987. Grillo lives in New York City.
LUIS PACHECO, Class of 1986
A four-year team member, Pacheco played a huge role in the renaissance of Durfee soccer. In his senior season, he set the school record for goals in a season with 32. In his four years, Pacheco racked up 72 goals and 34 assists. He was a two-time State Division 1 all star. Following his graduation from Durfee, Pacheco played three years for the University of South Carolina at Costal for three season, with a sophomore year knee injury leading to the premature end to his career. Pacheco is a businessman in Fall River.
SHEILA FREITAS, Class of 1993
A three-sports (volleyball, basketball, softball) athlete, Freitas is best remembered for her terrific four-year basketball career in which she started as a center and then moved from forward to shooting guard to point guard. A career 1,000-point scorer, Freitas averaged 18.7 points per game as a senior and nailed the legendary buzzer-beating 3-pointer to help win a crucial game at Brockton. In college, she played at Salem State and then at Pine Manor College in Chestnut Hill where she was all-league in 1999. She played two years of varsity volleyball and two years of varsity softball. Freitas is supervisor of attendance at the Kuss Middle School in Fall River.
THOMAS BURNS, Coach, Director of Athletics
Burns was a major player on the Durfee athletics scene for almost three decades. For the last 10 years (1996-2006), he served as director of athletics and in his last year was named the MIAA Athletic Director of the Year Districts C and D. He served as president and vice-president of the Big 3 Conference. Burns coached varsity girls’ basketball from 1985-2006 and was the schools’ first boys’ volleyball coach, holding that post from 1995-2006. He also served as equipment manager and as junior varsity coach for both girls’ basketball and girls’ volleyball.
BOYS’ TENNIS, 1956-57
With largely the same core of players, the Hilltoppers captured the Massachusetts championship both years. The team both seasons was led by No. 1 singles standout Kalmon Pollen, the state individual champion both years (sophomore, junior) who went on to captain and play No. 1 singles at Harvard. Jerry Hahn and Sid Poritz were Durfee co-captains both seasons, and the teams were coached by Frank Jordan. In 1956, the Hilltoppers posted a record of 12-3, with all three losses to prep schools. On May 31 at Brookline High School, they won the state titles, with Winchester second, Wellesley third and Newton fourth. In 1957, after an 8-2 regular season, Durfee returned to Brookline High School to defend its title, finishing first ahead of Brookline and Springfield. Larry Pollen and Mike Mendell were also member of both teams. Dan Oldham, Ken Palmer, Doug Salmond, Lionel Spiro, and Bob Chapman rounded out the ‘56 team while Marty Cohen completed the ‘57 team.
GIRLS’ CROSS COUNTRY, 1990
A season that began with coach Dave Ozug making a public plea so the Hilltoppers could have some depth ended in a state Division 1 championship. The Hilltoppers had been undefeated in league dual meets the previous three years and repeated that in 1990, the first year of the Big 3 Conference. Runners-up at the Eastern Massachusetts Championships the previous two years, Durfee in 1990 barely qualified for the All State Meet at Northfield Mountain. Running a brilliant tactical race at Northfield – conserving energy on the long uphill start and then picking off competitors the rest of the way – the Hilltoppers charged to decisive first-place finish. Led by all-stater Sue St. Laurent (seventh place at Northfield), Durfee boasted a talented, deep roster that also included Goretti Pacheco (who also played field hockey), Jen Bougie, Megan McCloskey, Kara Brogan, Shannon Harrington, Michelle Silvia, Rachel Hunt, Mary Murphy, Stephanie Bougie and Becky Masterson.