Sports
Vineyard takes Fairleigh Dickinson, finally
Photos by M.C. Wallo
The boys varsity hockey team finally lifted the Fairleigh Dickinson Jr. Tournament trophy on Sunday, the first victory for the hosts in the competition's 12-year history. Beating Lynnfield 3-1 in the championship game, the Vineyarders completed an impressive weekend sweep, following a 3-2 overtime win over Hanover the night before. North Reading beat Hanover, 3-0, in the consolation game.
In the opener on Saturday, the Vineyard took on a hungry Hanover team that had to win to keep their playoff hopes alive. But the Vineyard struck first, with hardly two minutes gone, when Henry Smith took an in-zone feed from Colin Hurd and sent a quick wrist shot into the top of the net. But only three minutes later Hanover took advantage of a second straight power play, when Captain Pat Martin's deflected point shot fell right on the stick of Evan Shea for the easy tap-in.
As expected, the game was physical from the outset, with plenty of penalties on both sides and several skirmishes in front of each team's net.
Each team found the net in the second period with Vineyard playmaker Tad Gold firing in a wrist shot off a smart feed from linemate Nick Billingham. Despite absorbing most of the pressure, Hanover managed to equalize as Martin, the main threat for the Indians, scored on a power play after an impressive individual display.
The Vineyard out-shot and out-chanced their opponents heavily in a scoreless third period.
With less than a minute gone in overtime, Billingham tipped home a Trey Rasmussen shot to send the Vineyard into Sunday's final, after a well-earned victory.
In Sunday's final, the Vineyard took on Lynnfield, a 3-0 winner over North Reading the night before. In a much tamer affair, the Vineyard looked in control from the outset. Darren Gazaille found the net just 30 seconds into the game. Lynnfield equalized midway through the period, but the lead was quickly restored when Gazaille's pass deflected in off of Gold who was in front of the net.
After a scoreless second period in which the Vineyard continued to dictate much of the play, the hosts struck early in the third with Hurd finding the net after a well worked two-on-one with Henry Smith, effectively sealing the game. A late push by Lynnfield forced Vineyard goalie Mike Capen to make a few sharp saves, but the result was never in doubt. Capen wrapped up an impressive weekend, allowing only three goals in the tournament. In the end, the Vineyard's top-line trio of Gazaille, Billingham, and Gold were the real difference makers.
The boys' record is now 11-4-4. Nauset is at the rink on Friday at 6 pm, the last game of the regular season.
Island teams are second best
Both of the Martha's Vineyard Regional High School basketball teams advanced to the Monday finals of the Martha's Vineyard Island Invitational with strong victories on Sunday.
The Vineyard girls jumped off to a 19-15 lead over Sabis of Springfield in the first quarter and were never headed. At the half they had retained their four-point edge, 31-27. But in the second half the Islanders extended their lead to 44-33 at the 3/4 mark and grew that to finish 14 up, 59-45.
Katie Hines had the hottest hand with 24 points, including 10 of 12 from the foul line. Alicia Oliveira and Kia Minor made it to double figures with 13 and 12 points.
The tourney finals versus Nantucket, which had taken Harwich to the woodshed, 84-46, was a case of too much Shantel Hanniford and Angela Paterson. Between them they scored 39 of the Whalers' 65 points. Their physicality took the Vineyarders out of their game. Both of the Whalers were recognized in the post game presentations, Angela as tourney MVP and Shantel a tournament All Star.
Crystal Miske's 12 points, all from long range, were the high water mark for the Islanders.
Pembroke takes the cake
The speed and dexterity of boys tournament MVP Sam Neagle and the height (6' 6") of Matt Devine were determining factors in the Titans' 66-53 defeat of the Vineyarders in Monday's championship game.
Andrew McHugh scored all 12 of the Vineyard's first quarter points and ended the game with 14. Steve Handy was high for the Islanders with 15. Steve was chosen as the Vineyard's player on the All Star team.
The Martha's Vineyard boys reached the finals by running away from Easthampton 84-46, Sunday. Five Islanders were double-digit scorers: Steve Handy (16), Lamar Moreis (15), Alex Poole (14), Jess Swaringen (10), and Randall Jette (10). Martha's Vineyard had a comfortable 56-33 lead at the half and grew that to 74-35 after three quarters.
In a nail-biter consolation game, Monday, Nantucket's Delroy Lawrence launched a buzzer beater trey to edge Easthamption, 72-71.
Connecticut man wins 20-Miler
Of the 347 runners, 16 fewer than last year, who completed the 12th annual running of the Martha's Vineyard 20-miler, Saturday, half (173) were women.
By general consensus, the sunny, 40-degree, all but windless day was perfect for the race.
Speediest of all was 25-year-old John Ciccarelli of Southbury, Conn. who finished the run in 1:52:47, more than a mile ahead of Joe O'Leary, 41, of Medford, who was second in 2:03:07. Ciccarelli's winning time was almost exactly the same as Kevin Gray's winning time last year.
The rest of the top 10 were: (3) Jon Chesto, 37, South Boston, 2:04:20; (4) Geoff Newton, 41, Chatham, 2:06:06; (5) Adam Bulewich, 32, Windsor, Conn., 2:06:27; (6) Peter McBride, 23. Wilmington, Del., 2:08:23; (7) Jack Sullivan, 48, West Roxbury, 2:10:44; (8) Todd Brown, 44, Rocky Hill, Conn., 2:09:59; (9) Michael Murphy, 35, Warren Center, Penn., 2:12:19; and (10) Sean Doherty, 44, Osterville, 2:12:29.
The first woman to reach the finish line was Claire Gadrow, 39, of South Kingston, R.I., who covered the 20 miles in 2:19:45. She was 31st overall.
Not far behind in 34th and 35th places were 41-year-old Emily Bryane of Schenectady and Juli Chivetta, 42, of Arlington. Jen Wilson, 27, of Waltham was 39th and 28-year-old Maura Adams of Penacook, N.H., was 41st.
The first Vineyarder to complete the run was Paul Vertefeuille, 44, of Vineyard Haven. He was 58th in 2:30:15. Next was Bonnie Kingsbury, 30, of Vineyard Haven, 102nd in 2:39:17. Blake Edmunds, 35, of Edgartown was 108th. Also ran, and in order of finish: Robin Breen, Marylee Schroeder, Jack Breen, Max Conley, Leonard Verville, Greg Rollins, Peter Hatt, Jonathan Klaren, Darren Belisle, Susan Gunnels, Peter Hodgson, Skipper Manter, Melissa Manter, Jane Taylor, and Jennifer Fiore.
Sports Highlights
Bulls, Warriors win
At the Boys & Girls Club, Monday, the Bulls squeezed by the Heat in a low scoring game, 62-57. Four Bulls made it to double figures: Clark Agnew (14), Ryan Murtha (13), Jay O'Donnell and Will Burvey (12 each). Sterlin Bishop generated some heat with 23 points. The only other Heat in twin columns was Damon Mello with 15. Jason Dyer had nine.
The Warriors conquered the Knicks in the late game, 122 - 93, Jade Cash (30), Tim Scott (29) and Matt Rivers (25) led the assault on the Knicks net. Brant Silvia also reached double digits with 17.
Five Knicks also reached dual columns: James Holenko (25), Tyson Lippincourt (17), Kevin Magnuson (14), Caleb Costas (12), and Chris Bager (10).
The Warriors lead at the half was 64-38.
RCBL Standings: Warriors 5-1, Heat 3-3, Bulls 3-3, Lakers 2-3, Knicks 1-4.
Falcons caged
Last Thursday Mashpee sent its three boys basketball teams to the Vineyard to play the Islanders at the Sancy Pachico gym.
The Falcon freshmen ran off the first 16 points in the opening contest, then saw the Vineyard Frosh respond with 10 points of their own.
At the half, Mashpee enjoyed a 36-19 advantage.
The home team scored 20 to the Falcons nine in the middle of the second half but the best they could do left the Islanders 13 points shy of catching the high-flying young Falcons at the finish. Mashpee, 60-47.
Martha's Vineyard high scorers were Ryan Fisher (16) and Carlos Guzman (14).
The Junior Varsity game was two games in one, Mashpee won the first by reaching the half with a 10-point lead, 32-22. But the Vineyard won game two and enjoyed the last laugh scoring 35 points in the second period to the Falcons 17. Final count: Martha's Vineyard 57, Mashpee 49.
The varsity game was tied 30-30 at the half. The score had been tied at 10, at 14, at 16 and at 28.
Martha's Vineyard ran off six points to open the second half and managed to hold a lead to the 60-55 conclusion.
Steve Handy led all scorers with 20 points, 16 in the second half. Randall Jette also made it to double figures with 12.
It was senior night at the Sancy. Each of the team's eight seniors was recognized and each in turn recognized his parents and presented his mother with flowers.
Varsity Coach Mike Joyce paid tribute to "as fine a group of young men as I have ever coached."
Finish with a flourish
The Vineyard girls hockey team gave Barnstable all it could handle Wednesday before bowing, 2-1. The Islanders goal was by Angela DeBettencourt, assisted by Celia Mercier, late in the second period.
Barnstable scored twice in the first period, but was kept scoreless after that by goalie Jamie Forend, who stopped 28 of 29 shots on goal. It was the Red Raiders' ninth victory.
The Vineyarders, finishing their season with a sprint to the tape, posted two late-season wins, edging Falmouth, Saturday, 2-1. Both Martha's Vineyard goals were by Alexa Fisher, the first assisted by Shelby Ives and Phebe Bates. The second was unassisted.
Monday the Islanders shut out Scituate at the Hockomock Arena in Pembroke, 7-0. The Islanders scored five times in the first period on goals by Maggie Johnson, Alexa Fisher (2), and Shelby Ives (2).
Second and third period goals were by Gillian O'Callaghan and Olivia Higham.
Assist credits were assigned to Celia Mercer, Olivia Higham, Angela DeBettencourt, Phebe Bates, Phoebe Kelleher, and Emma Forbes.
Travelers
The Martha's Vineyard boys 6th grade travel basketball team finished its Cape Cod Youth Basketball League season at South Plymouth last weekend.
Sunday morning the Islanders faced Middleboro, a team they had just beaten by 20 points. The Middleboro boys were eager to even the score and quickly opened a double-digit lead which they maintained until the waning minutes of the game when Mike Mussell's trey and a fast break gave the Islanders the lead. But Middleboro dropped its own three-pointer, sending the game into OT. Trailing by two in extra innings, Tim Roberts was fouled while sinking a bucket from the low post, then cashed the free throw to retake the lead. Final score: Martha's Vineyard 50, Middleboro 48.
Sunday evening the Islanders went up against Yarmouth and came in second: 54-35.
The Islanders finished the season with an impressive 12-4 record. The team's roster: Colin Cameron, Ben Dwane, Kyle Dostal, Alex Gordon Beck, Yannick Gonsalves, Mike Mussell, Charlie Parkhurst, Ben Poole, Tim Roberts, and Matt Stone.
Martha's Vineyard Youth Hockey
The Martha's Vineyard Squirts Cape & Islands team lost to Barnstable, Saturday, 6-1. Belle Dinning scored assisted by Saige Araujo. Zach Fullin was strong in goal despite the score.
In the Needham PeeWee Tournament the Islanders lost to Warwick, R.I. in the championship round but claimed second place honors. The Martha's Vineyard roster: Tyson Araujo, Dorian Johnson, Marco Petricone, Alexander Vukota, Barry Lima-MacDonald, Austin Morley, Callie Jackson, Andrew Carroll, Matt Davies, Brian Fraser, Nicklas Kent, Emerson Mahoney, and Mike Mazza.
On Sunday, The Martha's Vineyard Squirts lost to Barnstable, 5-1. Belle Dinning found the back of the net with help from J.J. Mendez and Kyle Hatt. Strong defensive play by Cathal Robinson and Gus Pizzano was evident.
Samantha is Champion
Samantha Potter, a Vineyard Youth Tennis student, won the girls 12 and under division at the Mid Cape Racquet Club tournament last weekend. Sam defeated the top seed with a 3 set victory to earn the championship title. Down 3-5 in the third set, she fought back to win 6-2, 5-7, 7-5.
Only 14 years old, Reid Yennie advanced to the semifinals of the boys 18 an under division. Before losing in the semis, Reid had won two rounds.
Another VYT student, Connor Downing, reached the semifinals of the Boys 12 and under division.
