Sports highlights

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Female Softies

In Tuesday’s Women’s Summer Softball League triple header, the Snaps took on the Honeys in a game that – on paper – was a competitive, fair fight. Regrettably, for the Snaps, the game was played on the “wet field” at Tisbury’s War Memorial Veterans Park and ended in a 13-1 runaway for the Honeys.

In the big field early game, the spunky but still winless Rug Sox gave the Shady Ladies about all they could handle. The score was tied at three up after four innings, but that was it for the Sox while the Ladies crossed the plate three more times to claim, 8-3.

In the finale, the once impervious Creamers lost again to the much improved Late Fees, 6-3.

One of the delightful things about the women’s league is that everyone has fun, even the losers. When the game is over the teams not only line up for a ceremonial hand shake, they join in shouting congratulations to the other team and thank the umpire with enthusiasm.

Turner turns it on

With a USCA 2 handicap, Jim Turner of West Tisbury and Woodside, California, won this year’s Berkshire Invitational Croquet Tournament. In a rain-shortened match, Jim defeated David McCoy (USCA 0.5), Chris Loat (USCA 0) David Eckstrom (USCA 0) and a couple other high handicap players. Jim credited his win to the tough competition he faces at the Edgartown Croquet Club. Jim has won the New England doubles championship two years in a row but this was his first win at Championship Flight Singles.

On Sunday, July 10, the Boston Globe magazine’s article “No rest for the Wicket” made reference to Jim’s win at the Berkshire Invitational.

Edgartown Croquet Club Opener

The Edgartown Croquet Club’s first tournament of the season was July 8-9 at the Edgartown croquet lawn. A “Waterford” tourney, all games were played as doubles but scored as singles. Each player changed partners at each match.

Sixteen players participated. Play began at 9 am Friday and finished Saturday at 5 pm.

Winner was – who else – Jim Turner followed by Chris Cramton and Bill Blakesley.

On both days play was hampered by heavy rains and sodden lawns.

The Edgartown Croquet Club is open to anyone who wishes to play or learn USCA 6 wicket croquet

Sharks invite IEH

The MV Sharks will host Island Elderly Housing at their game with the Torrington (Conn.) Titans tomorrow, Friday, July 22. Game time is 5 pm.

Tuesday, the Sharks lost to the Nashua Silver Knights, 8-6, and fell to 17-14 on the season, well behind Nashua’s 20-12 and Torrington’s, 20-9. The Rochester, N.H. Seacoast Mavericks trail at 6-28.

Bourne again, again, again and again

The MV Under 12 Little League All Stars won all of their five games in the Bourne U12 Tournament, scoring a total of 46 runs while allowing 11. The Vineyarders hit 10 home runs, four by Jacob Cardoza, three by Nianoa Cooperrider, one each by Aksel Cooperrider, Jeffery Cimeno and Jonas Lukowitz.

Nantucket was the first to fall, 13-1, Friday. On Saturday, Yarmouth A was shut out, 6-0, and Yarmouth B was squelched, 12-1. In the Sunday semis Mashpee went down 6-3. MV trailed 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth when Cardoza homered to center, Tristan Araujo doubled followed by another circuit blast by Jeff Cimeno. MV added three more runs in the fifth to seal the victory.

The Islanders faced the Yarmouth A team for a second time in the tourney finals. Settling matters quickly, the Vineyarders scored eight times in the first inning and coasted to a 9-5 conclusion.

This same team has played 23 games in the Bourne tournament over a four year period and has won 22 of them. Their only loss was as 10 year olds to Mattapoisett in the finals by one run.

The champion roster: Tristan Araujo, Jacob Cardoza, Jeffery Cimeno, Aksel Cooperrider, Nainoa Cooperrider, Cody Chalifoux, Joe Davies, Jonas Lukowitz, Cameron Maciel, Chris Mayhew, Avery Miner, James Sashin, and Nick Vukota,

Coaches are Jonathan Mayhew, Paul Cardoza, Woody Araujo and Kris Lukowitz.

The team travels to Cooperstown All Star Village tomorrow for a week-long tournament with teams from around the country, then finishes its season with the Falmouth Tournament August 5-7.

More Little League Lore

MV Little League All Star teams at various levels have been engaged in tournament play. The Under 8 team took their first road trip to Bourne to face some of the best baseball programs in the state. After defeating South Boston, 9-7 the U8s came up just shy against powerful Mansfield and Braintree.

The Under 9 team visited Nantucket and dropped two games, both by a single run. They visit South Plymouth tomorrow.

The Under 10s outlasted Rochester in an extra inning affair at Freetown’s “Mini Fenway” field. Their next tourney date is this weekend at Rochester!

The Under 11 team went 3-0 at the Rehoboth Summer Slam, then dispatched Tiverton, R.I. in the semi-finals before losing to host Rehoboth in a tight test. They will take on Bourne this weekend.

Klays for Kids shoot-out

Bill Damora of Oak Bluffs and Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey, won the 14th annual Klays for Kids Skeet Shoot at the M.V. Rod and Gun Club, Sunday. Joe Smith of Edgartown and Brian Welch of Oak Bluffs took place and show.

The annual event raises funds in support of the club’s programs for children. Shooters are “fined” up to a dollar per missed target. More than $176 was collected.

The Club’s 2011 Annual Skeet Shooting championship will be held August 14.

Road race

Run to the Rink, a 5K road race beginning at the Oak Bluffs School and ending at the Martha’s Vineyard Arena, Sunday, July 17, signaled the opening of the Arena for summer skating.

The first male to cross the finish line was Christopher Magill in 15:29. The first female to complete the run was Dara Kelly in 19:44. Dara was sixth overall.

Sixty-five runners made the effort on a clear, warm morning.

For information about Arena scheduling see www.mvarena.com. Available groups include Men’s A, Men’s B, Senior’s, Women’s Intermediate and Novice. Call Pamela Thomas at 508-577-8398 for more information.

Summer school on ice

Three skaters of the MV Figure Skating Club spent a week training at the Olympic Center in Lake Placid, New York, accompanied by their coach, Jane Elizabeth Taylor, an alumna of the Lake Placid program. Amanda Bernard, Eva Wilson and Lily Davey spent four hours on the ice each day and two hours off the ice working with national and internatioal level coaches.

Backus is boffo at the Bay States

Rod Backus of Vineyard Haven won a second place medal in table tennis competition at the Massachusetts Bay State Games on Saturday, July 16. Rod bested four opponents in qualifying matches winning each, 3-0. Three players finished 1-1 in a finalist playoff with Backus defeating the first place medal winner but placing second in tie-breaker points.

Games were played at the Boston Table Tennis Center in Medford.

Rod Backus plays for MV Table Tennis, the local club playing at the YMCA this summer each Wednesday from 1:30 -3:30 pm, and Saturdays and Sundays from 3:30 – 6:00 pm.

For more information call Bob O’Rourke, 508-627-7902.

Grillo goes on

Tony Grillo of West Tisbury and Farm Neck Golf Club made it to the semi finals of the 103rd Massachusetts Amateur Championship Tournament before being edged in match play by the eventual winner of the tourney, Ryan Riley of Norton CC.

Tony then entered the New England Amateur Championship in Rhode Island and shot a one-over-par 71 in the first round but failed to make the cut on the second day of the tourney, posting an un-Tony-like 10 over 80

Bridgeheads

With seven tables in play at the Bridge Club of MV session, Saturday morning at the Tisbury Senior Center, Foster Green and Ken Judson led North-South players with Ann Brown and Duncan Walton following in second place. Claudia Bowser and Judy Morse were third.

The East West honors went to Cheryl Stark and Brenda Davenport, Maggie Gasnick and Brenda Davenport were runners up, followed by Stanley Kissel and Betty Dixon.

The Island Bridge Club was host to two ACBL sanctioned games. Barbara Besse and Sandy Kindheimer were first at North-South and first overall, Thursday, at the high school. First at East-West were Ken Judson and Larry Levine. Thirteen tables were in play.

Saturday, a special memorial game honoring Claus Buchthal was played at the Howes House, West Tisbury. Charley Harff and Foster Osborne finishd on top. Joe Ashcroft and Mollie Whalen were second. Five tables were in play. Fees collected went to MV Community Services.

Soccer Academies

For the first time ever, Mass Youth Soccer will offer full day and half day instructional soccer academies on the Vineyard conducted by nationally licensed professional coaches.

The full day program goes from August 1 to August 4, from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm.

The half-day program is August 15 to August 18.

For more information and/or to register go to www.mayouthsoccer.org or contact Academy Director Coach Tom Geis at TGeis@MAYouthSoccer.org.

Doubles tennis tourney at Mattakesett

The Mattakesett Tennis Club, in Edgartown, will hold an open tournament at the Winnetu Oceanside Resort, Edgartown, August 5th to 7th for men’s doubles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles. All players are guaranteed at least two matches per event entered. Registration fee is $35. Call (508) 627-9506.