From the first tip-off Tuesday afternoon at a lightly attended contest, the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) girls varsity basketball team was in total control of the game against the Dennis-Yarmouth Dolphins. Freshman Molly deBettencourt got the first basket within the first few seconds of the game, one of many that would help her team to a lopsided 61-24 victory.
It was downhill from there for the Dolphins as the Vineyarders racked up basket after basket. Erin Hill was the game’s leading scorer with 20 points and Molly deBettencourt was a close second with 15 points.
Dennis-Yarmouth Athletic Director Paul Funk told The Times in a pre-game interview that his Atlantic Coast League team was going into the Vineyard game with an 0-2 record. “I don’t think we won a game last year; I think we went winless,” Mr. Funk said.
The Dolphins in hunter green were no match for the Vineyarders in bright white. The Vineyard’s ball-handling skills were strong. Offensively, Erin Hill and Molly deBettencourt were executing layups with ease and sinking shot after shot. The Vineyarders often sent extremely long passes down the court and there was always a small group of Vineyard girls ready to make a play and capitalize on the ball movement.
“That was awesome!” exclaimed junior Mya Houston just after her teammate Kaitlyn Marchand nailed a basket at the first quarter ending buzzer, making the score 26-4. Mya also has a crazy-accurate hook-style pass that leads the ball like a bullet through waving defensive arms into the hands of a Vineyard teammate.
The second quarter saw more of the same Vineyard dominance with Dennis-Yarmouth unable to convert opportunities like stolen balls into points. Molly deBettencourt turned a rebound into a basket just at the buzzer ending the second quarter, for a halftime score of 40-10. The score at the close of the third quarter was 52-19.
The Vineyarders played Tuesday after back-to-back weekend games where they had mixed results. Friday, they beat Sandwich, 61-25. Erin Hill had 23 points and Molly deBettencourt had 14 points. Saturday saw the reverse. The Vineyarders lost 38-62 against Abington High School. Molly deBettencourt had 14 total points on the day. The Abington girls were just, “bigger, stronger, faster,” one fan told The Times.
The girls varsity team is comprised of four seniors, four juniors, three sophomores, and one freshman. They are led by head coach Maureen Hill and assistant Coach Asil Cash.
“Erin Hill was an All-Star last year as a freshman and she’s going to be a leader on the team,” MVRHS Athletic Director Mark McCarthy said before the game. “Emily deBettencourt is a senior and has been playing for four years, so she has some experience and will lead the team. Molly deBettencourt (cousin to Emily) is starting as a freshman and Sam Hargy with her height will get her share of rebounds.”
The Vineyarders play in the tough Eastern Athletic Conference which includes Bishop Feehan and Coyle & Cassidy, which have traditionally been strong. “Hopefully we’ll be able to do some damage within the non-league schedule,” Mr. McCarthy said.
There are currently three girls out for medical reasons — Whitney Schroeder, Jackie Lupinski, and Taija Browne.
“It’s tough,” Coach Hill said. “When we play teams like this I have to keep putting in starters which I don’t like to do, but I don’t have enough people.”
Ms. Hill is in her first season coaching the girls varsity after a five-year stint with the junior varsity.
Preceding the girls varsity game, the junior varsity girls also beat Dennis-Yarmouth 40-21. Mid-game there was a medical emergency in the stands and junior varsity coach Dylan Spencer Kenney raced to the person’s aid. EMS arrived quickly and the person was taken to the hospital.
The junior varsity also had a strong showing last weekend, beating Sandwich before losing in overtime to Abington.
The 2-1 Vineyarders are on the road the next four games in a row, beginning at Lowell High School on Friday, December 19. The next home game is Tuesday, January 6, against Somerset Berkley at 4:30 pm.