Sports
By Don Lyons
Published: June 23, 2011
It's the Bulls and Lakers
On Monday evening the Bulls earned the right to face the Lakers in the final RCBL playoff series, beginning on Monday at 6:15 pm at the Boys & Girls Club.
In the first week of the playoffs the Bulls had beaten the Heat in a cliffhanger, 85-83, putting themselves into a position to qualify for the finals with another win. Monday they cashed the cheque.
The Bulls victory was not apparent from the start. Indeed, three treys by Sandy Fisher put the Heat on top early 11-7, a lead they would maintain until the final period.
After the first quarter the Heat were up, 24-16. At the half they led 44-38. After three periods they held a 12-point advantage, 65-53. But the Heat unexpectedly went cold in the fourth quarter and scored only four points in the period, while Ryan Murtha, Jay O'Donnell, Sam Berlow, and Eric Adams warmed to the Bulls' task. With three minutes left on the clock the Toros had pulled ahead, 73-67. At the buzzer, after the boring but seemingly required clock stopping intentional fouls, the Bulls claimed an 84-69 win.
Heat in twin columns were Jason Dyer with 23, and Nick Viera with 14. Double numbered Bulls were Ryan Murtha and Jay O'Donnell, both with 15. Sam Berlow had 14 and Kris Lukowitz 12. Berlow, O'Donnell, and Agnew ruled the boards.
The second game of the evening was a Lakers vs. Celtics mismatch, which the Lakers won, 114-83. Both Jeff LaBell and Chris Fischer finished the game with 24 points for the Lakers. Julius Middleton added 19, John Healey 16, Chris Wiggins 15, and Karl Kallinich 14.
Laker captain Heath Estrella twisted an ankle early and sat out most of the game.
Jeff Nader paced the Celtics offense, scoring a game high 29. Scott Dyer had 20 and Brian Scott 17.
During the winter season the Lakers and Bulls met four times. The Lakers won three of the games.
Plaaaay Ball!
The Martha's Vineyard Regional High School baseball and softball teams began play on Monday, losing their games to Sandwich.
The Blue Knights played long ball on The Vineyard's brand new baseball "Field of Dreams" and romped to a 20-3 win. Zach Coutinho was a bright spot in the Martha's Vineyard lineup going 3-for-3 at the plate, including a two run double. Nick Billingham started on the mound for the Islanders and took the loss.
The junior varsity, playing on the old field in the same cold and wet conditions under brand new coach Jeremy Scheffer, also lost to Sandwich, 10-5.
Nantucket's varsity and jayvee came to call on Wednesday.
The Vineyard softball team lost to Sandwich on the Cape, Monday, 9-5.
Lacrosse Openers
The Martha's Vineyard Regional High School varsity boys lacrosse team jumped off to an impressive start to its spring season crushing Salem at Salem on Thursday, 12-1, then routing Archbishop Williams at Braintree, 15-2.
Riley Dobel led the offense in both games scoring three goals at Salem with two assists, and five at Braintree with one assist.
Duncan Meyst scored twice, then thrice, and had two assists. Mike O'Donoghue contributed four goals in the two contests. Also scoring: Mike McCarthy, Cody Chandler, Erik Dolliver, Cooper Johnson, Ben Rossi, Liam O'Callaghan, Daron Stobie, Matt Costello, and Kenny MacDonald.
Goalie Gus Hayes accumulated 17 saves.
On Tuesday the Islanders went right on winning at Plymouth, 9-5. Doble scored five times. Meyst had two goals and two assists. Kenny MacDonald and Colin Day also scored.
Hayes added 10 more saves to his impressive cache.
Coach John Stabile's team is home to Mashpee and Sandwich, Thursday and Saturday.
Ocean takes a bronze
Ocean Eversley, 50, medaled in the 60-meter dash at the 2008 USA Masters Indoor National Track & Field Championship meet at the Reggie Lewis Center, Boston, last weekend.
As well as finishing third in the 60-meter sprint, she was fourth in the 200-meter dash.
Ocean's times bettered the standard of excellence for her 50-54 age group, for which she received an All American Award.
A member of the running Tarter family of Oak Bluffs - Ocean's nephew Jeremy Alley-Tarter is the New England Junior Olympic Champion at 1500 meters - Ocean is now training for the Outdoor National Masters Track Championships to be held in Spokane, Wash., in August.
