Sports highlights

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Suns still on top in RCBL

As the league entered the second half of regular-season play, the Suns stayed in first place after an 86-75 win Monday night over the winless Bulls.

The Suns won without a bench: only five players were in the lineup. The Bulls dressed only six. Jade Cash had a monster game for the league leaders, scoring 43 points. Asil Cash added 21, and James Holenko 16.

Asa Ray led the Bulls with 26 points, followed by Jared Silvia (21), and Jeff Boughton (13).

In the first game of the Monday night double-header, the second-place Lakers kept pace with the Suns and downed the two-time defending champion Heat 112-103.

The game was a three-point shooting clinic between Jeff Labell of the Lakers and Heat captain Sandy Fisher, who torched the net with six treys apeice. Tim Scott of the Heat was no slouch and added five more.

Both teams had superb balance on the attack. The Lakers had six players in double figures: Heath Estrella (26 points), Jeff Labell (22), James Rolston (15), Pat Rolston (15), Lamar Moreis (12), and Dave Bettencourt (11). All five Heat players in the lineup reached double digits: Tim Scott (26 points), Sandy Fisher (21), Lucas Brewer (19), John Netto (19), and Matt Rivers (18).

RCBL standings

Suns 6-1

Lakers 5-2

Heat 3-4

Bulls 0-7

Girls Travel Hoops

The Vineyard 7th graders took over first place in the Cape Hoops League at 5-1 with three wins over the weekend.

The girls began the rise to the top of the standings by winning twice Saturday on the home floor at the Oak Bluffs School. The Vineyard first repelled the Nauset Warriors, 26-16. Kat Roberts and Meghan Sawyer shared high-scoring honors with eight points each. Devin Hill chipped in five.

The girls followed up by atoning for their lone defeat with a 39-10 rout of Plymouth North. Devin Hill was the top scorer with 12 points. Kat Roberts added 11 and Meghan Sawyer posted 8.

The girls took their show across the pond Sunday to play at first-place Falmouth. Up 10-8 at the half, the Vineyard used a 1-2-2 zone to confuse the Clippers and break open a close game. The visitors forced numerous turnovers and converted them into points for a 22-12 win. Devin Hill again topped the score sheet to score 10 points. Kat Roberts and Meghan Sawyer chipped in 4 apiece. Lily Pigott was a stalwart on defense.

The Vineyard 8th-grade girls were impressive last weekend as well as they picked up a pair of wins to improve to 4-2.

The Vineyard traveled to Plymouth North on Saturday with only six girls and gutted out a 47-39 win.

Erin Hill, Molly deBettencourt, and Whitney Schroeder got the job done at both ends of the floor. Erin had 25 points and eight blocks. Molly scored 18 points and worked hard breaking up the North press. Whitney was the defensive stopper and assist leader.

Next the girls played at Tiverton, Rhode Island, and won handily, 51-26. The “Big Three” spread out the scoring. Erin Hill racked up 17 points, Whitney Schroeder scored 14, and Molly deBettencourt totaled 12. Julia Bettencourt also got on the board with eight.

Jayvee girls edge Dolphins

Lucy Hackney scored 13 points, Mariah Duarte added nine, and Sam Hargy had eight, as the Vineyard jayvee girls basketball team beat Dennis-Yarmouth 46-43 Saturday in South Yarmouth.

Interscholastic hoops

Coach Alex McCluskey has his Oak Bluffs boys and girls junior high teams playing inspired basketball this season.

The Blazer boys took down the upstart 2-0 Charter School Chargers, 37-24, on December 11 in Oak Bluffs. The Chargers came into the game having smoked the competition by a combined 149-46, but they were missing three 8th-grade starters and had to go with five players for the whole 32 minutes.

Using their usual tenacious defense and unselfish team play, O.B. was able to quiet the Chargers ‘O,’ save for Ricardo Andrade, who scored 18 points.

Dylan Araujo led the Blazers with 14 points and eight assists. Tristan Araujo had a solid two-way game with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

The Blazers (3-0) followed up the next day with a 51-17 win over West Tisbury (0-4). James Sashin had a game to remember, with 14 points, 12 boards, and eight blocks. Chris Mayhew led the Hawks with six points.

The Oak Bluffs girls (2-0) hosted West Tisbury (1-2) Friday and clipped the Hawks, 32-18. Molly deBettencourt burned up the hoop with 24 points.

West Tisbury fared better on December 12 in a 49-33 win over the Tisbury Tigers. Whitney Schroeder scored 22 points and Olivia Smith had 14 for the Hawks. Lily Pigott scored 14 for Tisbury. Amanda Bernard chipped in five.

The Charter School got back on track Monday with a 57-44 win over Tisbury. August Engler and Ethan Hall were back in the lineup and both played well. Ricardo Andrade had 26 points for the Chargers and Miles Jordi added 11. Cole Houston led the Tigers with 22 points, and Cody Chalifoux scored 10.

The Edgartown girls topped visiting Tisbury on Tuesday afternoon, 38-20. The Eagle boys also tamed the Tigers, 56-35. Ennis Foster (15 points), Nick Bond (15), and Thomas Weston (14) were the top scorers for Edgartown. Cody Chalifoux (14) and Devon Metters (8) led Tisbury.

Men’s Flex League tennis

Men’s Flex League tennis is underway Friday nights at the Vineyard Tennis Center. Matches are each Friday at 5:30 and 7 pm. Two teams get a bye each week.

December 14 in the opening match, the Smokin Aces defeated the Tie Breakers, 22-19.

The ‘Breakers took the men’s doubles match, 7-4. Paul Ullyatt and Leo Mchugh defeated Shawn Schofield and Jon Averill. Lynn Blake and Kim Averill prevailed in the women’s match for the Aces, 7-2, over Doreen Resendez and Maya Moran.

The mixed matches were split. The Tie Breakers took one match 7-5, while the Smokin Aces won the other, 7-3.

In the nightcap, the Poachers bagged the Alley Cats 27-13. The men’s match was the only close contest of the evening and ended in a 6-6 draw. Shawn Schofield and Patrick Cain played for the Poachers. Tjark Aldleborgh and Todd Hollister countered for the ‘Cats. Kelly Hess and Robin Mussell were the women’s Poachers and played opposite Marilda Hollister and Meghan Farell of the Alley Cats.

Men’s Flex League standings

Fire Balls 2-0

Poachers 1-1

Smokin Aces 1-1

Hard Courts 1-1

Tie Breakers 1-1

Alley Cats 0-2

PJPII edge Vineyard swimmers in first meet

The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School swim team hosted their first ever varsity meet December 12 at the YMCA pool against the Pope John Paul II Lions.

The visitors won out 83-69 in what was a girls only meet but the Vineyarders raced well. The 200-yard medley relay team of Katherine Donegan, Mariah Campbell, Galya Walt, and Taylor Brasefield placed first and put their names in the Vineyard record book first with a time of 2:30.42.

The Splash (as they like to be known) also took first in the 100-yard butterfly, 100-yard freestyle, and 200-yard free relay.

PJPII did not bring a boys team to the meet. As the event was an official Bay Colony League contest, the Vineyard boys raced against the clock. The times recorded counted toward qualification for the state meet and for the school and state record books. The boys first records were: 200-yard medley relay, backstroke, Liam Cosgrove, breaststroke, Raz Sayre, butterfly Tucker Cosgrove, and freestyle Derik Devine, 2:08:73; 50-yard freestyle, Derik Devine, 26:88; 100 butterfly, Tucker Cosgrove, 1:10:60; 100 freestyle, David DeSilva; 100 breaststroke, Raz Sayre, 1:36:51.

The Vineyard swimmers are back in action Friday at 4 pm in Barnstable against the Red Raiders.

A pep rally introducing the swimmers, along with the girls and boys hockey and basketball teams will be held Friday at 10 am in the high school gym.