Sports Highlights
Bridgeheads
Six tables were in play at the weekly meeting of the Bridge Club of Martha's Vineyard at the Tisbury senior center. Loretta Young and Elizabeth Clanton were tops at north-south with Cheryl Neal and Dorothy Arnold in second place.
In the east-west seats, Brooks Robards and Jim Kaplan had the highest score. Frances Finney and Eleanor Hughes were runners-up.
Last week The Times was incorrect in giving credit for east-west winners. In fact, Jim Kaplan and Brooks Robards were number one.
Five at Falmouth
Of the 604 tri-athletes who finished the Falmouth Sprint last Sunday, five were Vineyarders.
The Sprint, an annual abbreviated Ironman race, begins with a 1/3 mile swim, followed by a nine-mile bike ride and a 3.1-mile run.
First Islander to complete the course was 60-year-old Andrew Flake of Vineyard Haven whose time was 1:01:58. He was 110th overall.
Next Islander to cross the finish line was Wayne Guyther, 52, of Vineyard Haven. He was 153rd in 1:04:12.
Marcela Pouliot, 36, of Edgartown finished in 1:10:01, at 288th overall.
Mary Jane Rogers, 49, of Edgartown did the triple chore in 1:21:10, in 488th place.
Beth Flaherty, 36, of Vineyard Haven, was 536th at 1:25:10.
Senior Babes
The Martha's Vineyard senior Babe Ruth team, coached by Geoff Phillips, finished a stellar season last week with a close win over Sandwich, 7-6, and in the league finals, a disappointing, error-prone loss to Bourne, 11-4. But all in all, it was a great ride.
HS hockey
In the high school summer hockey league, Thursday, the Reds topped the Golds, 4-3, Matt Flynn had a hat trick for Red and Cody Pachico added the fourth counter. Gold points were posted by Tray Rasmussen, Tad Gold, and Elliot Bilzerian
In the Black and White tie, Darren Gazaille (2), Colin Hurd (2) and Brooks Billingham (2) scored for the White, while Chris Davies (4), Tray Rasmussen, and Tad Gold evened the count for Black.
Sunday it was White shutting out Red, 5-0 with goals by Ben Tabah (2). Brooks Billingham (2) and Darren Gazaille.
In the nightcap, a 6-5 barnburner, Henry Smith (2), Chris Davies (2), Colby Gouldrup, and Jock Cooperrider scored for the Black, while Elliot Bilzerian (2), Jason Schwab (2) and Tray Rasmussen lit the lamp for the Gold.
R&G news
The winner of the Martha's Vineyard Rod & Gun Club's 11th annual Klays for Kids charity skeet shoot, Sunday, was Andy Braillard of Vineyard Haven. Andy bested 11 other Class A shooters to claim the title.
Bill Damora of Point Pleasant Beach, N.J., was the class of Class B and Nelson Sigelman of Tisbury took Class C honors.
Earlier in the week, Andy knocked down 25 of 25 clay pigeons, his first perfect game, and reason enough to have his name added to the R&G plaque reserved for perfect shooters.
As is the custom, Andy's hat was used as a target by members of the 25 club.
Shooters were "fined" 25 cents to a dollar for misses. Funds raised at the shoot support the Club's three annual projects for Island youngsters.
The Rod & Gun Club's skeet championship will be held on Sunday, August 17.
Men's league soccer
Five of the six Vineyard Football Assoc. games last week ended in ties.
On Tuesday it was Atlantic FC 0, Sport Haven 0 and Shirley's Hardware 1, Monto Orthopedics 1. Shirley's goal was by Erly Pinheiro; Monto's by Chris Larsen.
Wedneday's scores, or lack of same were, Celtics vs. Montos: 0-0 and the same for Coop de Ville and Sport Haven.
Thursday Shirley's and Coop de Ville tied, 2-2. Erly Pinheiro and Lucas Brewer scored for Shirley's. Luis Paolo Miranda and Pete Sprayregan posted points for Coop.
Team won lost tied pf pa
Atlantic 6 1 2 15 11
Monto Ortho 3 2 3 10 8
Coop de Ville 2 3 3 8 8
Sport Haven 2 3 3 2 4
Shirley's 1 2 5 9 10
MV Celtics 1 4 3 6 10
Dream a little
This year's Possible Dreams auction will offer a number of items of special interest to sports fans including insider looks at the Celtics, Red Sox, the Washington Capitals, the Philadelphia Eagles, the New England Patriots, a private clinic with Ernie Els at Farm Neck, special privileges at the 2009 Masters in Augusta, 18 holes and lunch with Vernon Jordan.
Not just tickets to games, we're talking owner's seats, meetings with players, autographed jerseys, airfare and hotel accommodations with gourmet meals. Check it out.
Biking in Beijing
You won't see it on TV like track and field, or basketball, or even beach volleyball, but mountain bicycle cross-country racing is an Olympic sport and the Vineyard has an interest in the outcome. Mary McConneloug has been an Islander off and on for nine years with her partner Michael Broderick of Chilmark, also a mountain biker, and Mary is a member of the US team.
The race is an endurance event and takes about two hours.
Women's soccer
Beginning Sunday, August 3, soccer games for and by women will be played at the high school beginning at 6 pm.
Ladies of high school age and more are encouraged to come and play the world's most popular game on Sunday and Tuesday evenings.
For more information, call Nell Coogan, 508-687-9052.
Vineyard victors
The Martha's Vineyard U-9 Little League all-star travel team won the Cal Ripkin Tournament at Bourne over the weekend, winning all six of their games in impressive fashion. The Islanders won their first and second games Saturday, defeating South Plymouth Black, 10-7, and South Plymouth Teal, 15-3.
Sunday the Islanders beat Westwood, 14-2, and Mattapoisett, 15-3.
The 4-0 record earned the Vineyarders a spot in the semi-finals.
The first semi-game was with host Bourne, and Martha's Vineyard won, 10-3, earning them a place in the finals versus Abbington. Martha's Vineyard jumped off to a 5-1 lead in the first inning and never looked back. They maintained their lead to a 12-8 conclusion.
The team had averaged 13 runs per game and were never headed.
Aksel Cooperrider and Jeffrey Cimeno alternated as starting pitchers and shared 3-inning stints throughout the tourney. The starters were backed by effective relief from Dylan Araujo, Jonas Lukowitz, and most impressively Nianoa Cooperrider. Tristan Araujo was stellar at second base. Chris Mayhew had clutch hits and was sure-handed at first base. Cameron Maciel, Nick Vukota, and Jacob Cardoza produced timely hits. So did outfielders Nick Fiore and Mitchell Chaves. Sam Bresnick showed speed on the base paths and anchored center field.
The team's coaches: Woody Araujo, Ernie Chaves, and Kris Lukowitz were supported by cooperative parents.
The team has one more tournament scheduled, at South Plymouth.
Up and coming
The annual Scoops 5K Tour of Edgartown sponsored by Martha's Vineyard Multisport Inc. and The Farm Institute at Katama Bay
will begin at 9 am from Katama Farm. A 1/2 K fun run starts at 8:45 am. Pre-race entry fee is $15. Day of race fee is $20. Fun run $5. Family rate $50. Call 508-627-8303 with questions.
Surfing
The 2008 East Coast Junior Windsurfing Championships featured 26 sailors from as far away as California and Florida.
The Gold Fleet of experienced windsurfers had 14 windsurfers led by Solvig Sayer of Vineyard Haven. Austin Esmer of Clearwater, Florida was second and Alex Herring of Huntington, N.Y., third.
In age groups, Solvig was first in the U-19 division followed by Alex Herring and Edgartown's Patrick Bryan.
The U-17 champ was Austin Esmer with Kaylen Vallentyne of Pocasset and Nicole Bussard of Salem, N.H., at place and show.
Christopher Waldo of Gainesville, Fla., was first in the U-15 class. Marion Lepert of San Francisco was second.
Rasmus Sayre was first in the U-12 class with Elie Jordi as runner-up.
The Silver Fleet had 11 competitors in 10 races. Nick Watts, Eli Hanschka, and Ben Nivala placed 1-2-3.
Event chairman and former national champion Nevin Sayre was delighted to "see all those windsurfers on the water and improving so quickly. Windsurfing is back on Martha's Vineyard," he said.
VHYC Regatta
More than 200 junior sailors from more than 20 Massachusetts sailing programs came to the Vineyard and the Vineyard Haven Yacht Club (VHYC) last weekend to compete in three dinghy classes: 420, Optimist, and new this year, an Open Bic class.
Sixty-nine boats vied for honors in the 420 fleet. Winners were Declan Kelleher and Matt Wordell of the New Bedford Y.C. with a net score of 23. Alex Sufula and Martha Peterson of the host VHYC were second at 41.
In the Opti Championship fleet, Michael Henry Johnson of the Nantucket YC was first at 25. Second was Sam Shannon of the VHYC at 31.
Kevin Coppola of Falmouth led the Opti Green Fleet at 27
Followed closely by Martha's Vineyard's Anna Flaherty at 29.
Vineyarders filled top places in the Open Bic class. Elie Jordi was first with a net score of 16. Rasmussen Sayre took second at 27.
