Sports
The 21st Pat West
Saturday's light to variable winds caused the 21st Pat West Gaff Rigged Schooner race to be shortened from 14 nautical miles to the alternate course of 10 nautical miles.
Skippers received the following instructions. "Start between Committee Boat and a yellow inflatable mark off East Chop. Leave G Can "23A" and Fl G Bell "23" off East Chop to starboard; G/R Bell, east end of Squash Meadow to starboard; R Bell "2" off Edgartown Harbor to starboard; both Fl G Bell "23" and G Can "23A" off East Chop to port. Finish between Committee Boat and a yellow inflatable mark off Eastville. Nominal distance 10 Nautical miles. "
Photos by Louisa Gould
Twelve boats completed the race.
Winner in the corrected time of 2:52:15 was Jim Lobdell in Malabar II, one minute and three seconds better than Scott Dibasio in Juno, last year's winner.
Juno was the fastest boat in the fleet completing the course in 2:38:38 elapsed time, corrected to 2:53:27.
First to cross the finish line, Juno was awarded the brand-new Zeb Tilton Trophy, "a perpetual Challenge Cup for friendly competition between gaff rigged sailing schooners," donated by Zeb's General Store of North Conway, N.H., and Detrick Lawrence Productions of Edgartown.
Next fastest in 3:00:32, corrected to 2:57:30, was Perception, sailed by James Wiseman.
Malabar's elapsed time was 3:01:10, third fastest.
After Malabar II, Juno, and Perception, the order of finish in corrected time was (4) Gary Maynard in Violet; (5) Jeff Robinson in Phra Luang; (6) Lu Yoder in Valora; (7) Bruce Davies in Estrela; (8) Myles Thurlow in Skipperkee; (9) Geoff McCullough in Rosalie; (10) Bill Bennett in Wilbur; (11) Ian Ridgeway in Alabama; and (12) Greg Coogan in Welwyn.
Heroics at Carver
In a game that saw the lead change hands twice in the final two minutes, Friday, the Carver Crusaders came from behind to defeat Martha's Vineyard at Carver, 23-21.
The Islanders began on the right foot. Nick Gross took the kickoff from the 20 to the 30-yard line. Quarterback Mike McCarthy mixed runs with passes, marching 70 yards in 14 plays to garner the game's first touchdown on a plunge from the two-yard line. Brooks Billingham kicked the extra point and the Vineyard led, 7-0.
Brandon Holbrook ran back Fin Kaeka's kick from the 25 to the 40-yard line. The Crusaders ground game moved the ball to the Vineyard 41 before it bogged down and Carver punted to the Martha's Vineyard 21.
McCarthy took to the air, completing passes to Randall Jette and Nick Gross, and collecting three first downs. But Carver intercepted on its own goal line to halt the Vineyard drive as the first quarter ended.
The Crusaders could only move the ball five yards in three plays and punted to their 40.
McCarthy's first down pass was intercepted, but Carver fumbled the ball at midfield to be covered by Eric Dolliver.
Martha's Vineyard turned the ball over again, this time fumbling on the Carver 40. Ten plays later the Crusaders posted a touchdown and added a point after. The score was tied at seven.
Martha's Vineyard immediately regained its advantage as McCarthy connected first with Nick Gross, then with Matt Costello and finally with Doug Asselin in the end zone. Billingham's big toe made the score 14-7. That was the score at the half.
Carver began the second half on their own 45-yard line and went three and out. But the out was blocked by Pat Hart and Martha's Vineyard took over on the Crusader 30. Four plays failed to gain 10 yards and Carver took over on the 30.
The Crusaders moved the line of scrimmage to the Martha's Vineyard seven where Costello intercepted a pass for the Vineyard on the one-yard line. Aided by a pass interference call, Martha's Vineyard advanced the ball 25 yards, then had to punt.
Beginning on their own 45, Carver wasted little time. It took just four plays to score their second TD on a 44-yard scamper by Holbrook
This time Carver went for a two-point conversion and made it to take the lead, 15-14.
Martha's Vineyard's next possession was cut short when Holbrook intercepted a McCarthy pass. Unable to advance the ball, Carver punted to the Martha's Vineyard 25. A roughing the kicker penalty extended the Vineyard's possession, long enough for McCarthy to break a 36-yard run to the Carver 6 and find Gross in the end zone, retaking the lead. Billingham was perfect on the day (and thus far for the year) and the score was 21-15.
It took Carver nine plays and a minute and ten seconds to tie the count, then add another two-point conversion. Carver 23, Martha's Vineyard 21. There were 32 seconds remaining on the clock - not enough, as it turned out, for Martha's Vineyard to mount a scoring drive.
This Friday's varsity game with Bishop Connolly, the newest member of the Mayflower Large, begins here at 7 pm.
The Martha's Vineyard junior varsity football team (0-2) plays at Carver, Monday.
Photos by Ralph Stewart
Whalers bite the Martha's Vineyard dust
Nantucket's undefeated field hockey team came to call Wednesday and left on the short end of a 2-1 score. It was not only the Whalers first loss. Those were the first goals scored against them.
Brianna Davies broke the scoreless skein, assisted by Phebe Bates, early in the first half. Nantucket's Kelly Reid knotted the count before the first half ended.
With six minutes left on the clock, Bates, assisted by Hayley Pierce, provided the winner.
On Saturday, the Vineyarders outscored Notre Dame by the same 3-1 margin. Sophie Lew (2) and Alexa Fisher did the scoring. Shelby Ives, Alexa Fisher and Emma Frizzell keyed the Martha's Vineyard defense.
Monday, Martha's Vineyard played stingy host to Seekonk, 1-0. An early first-period goal by Sophie Lew was the entire scoring story. It was Martha's Vineyard goalie Savannah Lawson's first shutout.
The Vineyarders season record improved to 4-1-1.
