Martha's Vineyard Sports
Storming a South Shore
Friday's game with South Shore Vocational was played on a fog-shrouded McCarthy Field.
As has been customary this year, the Vineyard scored early.
The Vineyard received the long opening kickoff and Nick Gross ran the ball out to the 25-yard line. Mike McCarthy's 13-yard run for a first down put the ball on the 38. On the very next play Cody Brewer scored on a 62-yard dash to the end zone. Brooks Billingham kicked the extra point, and with just 41 seconds of the clock the Vineyard led, 7-0.
Photos by Ralph Stewart
South Shore made it clear that they were not about to roll over. A pair of strong and fleet runners, Jon Sullivan and Frank Mogavero, found ways to penetrate the Vineyard defense and a pass from quarterback Eric Austin capped a drive to the Vineyard 15 before handing the ball over on downs.
The Islanders were unable to gain more than four yards in three plays and Andres Silva punted to midfield.
The Vikings moved the ball steadily, collecting three first downs on their way to pay dirt.
The Vineyarders thwarted the two-point conversion try and Martha's Vineyard's lead was reduced to a single point, 7-6.
Josh Baker fielded the Vikings' kick and returned it to the Martha's Vineyard 47. Brewer ran for nine yards. After a failed pass play McCarthy followed a surging line for a first down then ran 38 yards to the South Shore 4 yard line. It took four tries at a stubborn Viking line but McCarthy scored the home team's second TD. Billingham was good again and it was 14-6.
Brewer's kick to the goal line was returned 30 yards from where South Shore began an impressive drive picking up three more first downs until Matt Costello intercepted an Austin pass. The turnover was accompanied by a personal foul called against the Vikings. But a fumble gave the ball right back and South Shore made no mistake, using seven plays to score their second TD. The two point-after was good and the Vineyarders found themselves tied, 14-14.
Less than a minute and a half remained in the first half but it was time enough for the Islanders to cash in on a McCarthy to Gross 15-yard scoring pass. McCarthy ran for a two-point conversion.
Brewer's kick pinned the Vikings deep in their own territory, and the half ended with Martha's Vineyard up, 22-14.
South Shore began the second half on their own 37. The Martha's Vineyard defense prevented any advance and the Vikings punted out of bounds on the Martha's Vineyard 33. Runs by McCarthy and Brewer earned a first down on the 44. From there Brewer launched a 56-yard TD run. The two-point conversion try was unsuccessful and the score stood at 28-14.
The Islanders added 13 points to their lead in the next few minutes. Brewer's kick pinned the Vikings at their own 20. Zack Maciel covered a fumble and McCarthy passed to Costello for the Vineyard's fifth TD. Billingham kicked the extra point. Moments later, Costello intercepted a Viking pass. Runs by McCarthy and Costello advanced the ball to the South Shore 1 yard line. From there McCarthy plunged to make the score 41-14. Billingham added the point after.
To their credit, South Shore did not fold its tent and quietly slip away. Instead, it launched a 65-yard touchdown drive in 13 plays and added a two-point conversion. That made the final score 42-22.
Coach Herman substituted freely in the fourth quarter, especially inserting seniors playing their last game on the Dan McCarthy Field. It was also the Vineyard's final football game as members of the Mayflower Large League as next year the Vineyard will compete in the Eastern Athletic Conference (EAC) with Bishop Feehan, Bishop Stang, Coyle & Cassidy and Somerset High. (Last year Bishop Connolly left the EAC to join the Mayflower League.)
Prior to the opening kickoff the team's 18 seniors and their parents were acknowledged and introduced: Nick Billingham, Cody Brewer, Mike McCarthy, Doug Asselin, Paul Bagnall, Nick Gross, Thomas Fantasia, Matt Costello, Andrew McHugh, Cody Chandler, Christian Flanders, Bill Fielder, Tyler Moreis, Zach Maciel, Ben Ferry, D.K. Kaeka, Fin Kaeka, and Blair Rancich.
The post season playoff game will be played at Taunton, December 2, probably with South Boston.
Cheerleading Seminar
The South Shore cheerleaders demonstrated their outstanding athleticism using the football field for gymnastic-style floor exercises and throwing their lightest members to heights unseen before and earning a standing ovation from Vineyard fans. There ensued an impromptu seminar with Martha's Vineyard cheerleaders taking their turns at being launched into the atmosphere.
Youth hockey
Friday, at Raynham, the Martha's Vineyard Junior High team played to a 2-2 tie with Medfield Jr. High. Leaving it all on the ice were Brian Fraser, Marco Petricone, Callie Jackson, Alexander Vukota, Austin Morley, Dorian Johnson, Andrew Carroll and Matt Davies. Noah Kleinhenz was brilliant in goal.
Saturday at Foxboro, the Martha's Vineyard Squirts came in second to Tri-County, 7-2.
The Martha's Vineyard Bantams played Tri-County to a 3-3 tie. Shay Hill, Thomas Wilkens, and Kip Cooperrider did the scoring.
The Martha's Vineyard PeeWees were drubbed in a Neponset Valley League game by Tri-County, 12-1.
Saturday, at the Martha's Vineyard Arena. The Martha's Vineyard Squirts were shut out by the Barnstable Thrashers, 7-0, despite good games by Colin Buckley and Auguste Pizzano.
Sunday, the Squirts lost to Nantucket, 6-1. Colin Buckley scored the Martha's Vineyard goal assisted by Alex Figueroa and J.J. Mendez. Elinor Hanjian played well on defense and Zachary "Tim Thomas" Fullin was outstanding.
The Martha's Vineyard Mite C&I team and the YD C&I Mites played a double-header, Saturday, at the Arena. YD won the first game 4-3. The second game was a 2-2 tie.
Sunday at the Kennedy Arena, the Martha's Vineyard Mite C&I team bowed to Barnstable Wild, 3-8.
Winners of $100 in the calendar fundraising draw were Walter Pizzano, Kelsey Forend-Healy, Glenn Hearn, Sharon Jackson, Dan Townes, Rebecca Tattersall, Erin Gilles, Mary Holmes, Tyson Araujo, and Susan Chapman.
Josh Forend won $200.
The Martha's Vineyard Mites tied Y/D, Saturday, 2-2 on goals by Wilson Slayton and Cabot Thurber assisted by Thurber, Hunter Meader, Gino Chick and Hunter Ponte. In a second game with Y/D the Islanders lost, 4-3. Scoring were Slayton (2) and Ponte assisted by Thurber, and Ponte.
Sunday, the Mites lost to Barnstable Wild, 3-8. Jack Murray scored twice, Hunter Ponte once.
Turkey Open results
Thirty-four tennis players competed in the 13th annual Turkey Open at the Vineyard Tennis Center, Workout and Spa last weekend won by Jeff Young of Oak Bluffs and his partner, Lisa Lipkin of New York.
The format was mixed doubles and the Tennis Center did most of the pairing.
The Young-Lipkin team defeated Jeff Meeks and Susie Safford in the first round, 6-4, 6-1, then went on to dominate Darren Belisle and Ann Williamson, 6-1, 6-2. In the finals, it took an 11-9 tie-breaker to get the best of Richie Walker and Diane Morgan, to claim the championship title.
In the consolation round, Susie Safford and Jeff Meeks mastered Steve and Kathy Pogue, 6-1, 6-2.
First-time winners Mollee and Lorne Lewis captured the attention of the gallery on their way to victory in the second main draw. They capped the end of day one with a win over Christine Paffendorf and Marin Street. Sunday morning, in a classic case of experience versus youth, the Lewis pair defeated Edie Blake and Rob Doyle, 6-2, 7-5, then closed out the tourney with another win over Elliott Bennett and John Potter, 6-4, 6-0.
The marathon match of the tournament was the consolation match of the second draw. The first game alone took a half hour. The match lasted more than two hours. Carmen Wilson and Leo McHugh squeezed by Todd Hollister and Anne Lucas, 7-6, 7-5.
Turkeys won by the winners were provided by Cronig's and Stop & Stop, both long-time supporters of the tournament.
