Sports
RCBL Playoffs begin
The Lakers and the Heat went one up in the RCBL playoffs by defeating the Warriors and the Bulls at the Boys & Girls Club, Monday evening.
The Lakers, who finished the season in fourth place, outscored the top-seeded Warriors in the first quarter, 35-24 and added 13 more to their lead by the half, 62-38.
Jason O'Donnell and Damon Mello were often in the thick of it when the Heat and the Bulls tangled.
Photos by Ralph Stewart
They grew that lead to the final score of 119-83.
It was the third time in four meetings that the Lakers had bested the league-leading Warriors.
Lakers scoring in double figures were Jeff LaBell (34), Caleb Nicholson (15), Nate Scott (14), Karl Kallinich (14), Adam Rebello (13), and Jared Silvia (10).
For the Warriors, Tim Scott was high with 21, Pat Rolston added 17 and Jade Cash had 10.
In the second game of the evening, the Heat singed the Bulls, fueled by Damon Mello's 30 points and Jason Dyer's 20. Each of the Heat's big men, Sterling Bishop and Vic Cruz, added 11.
Top-scoring Warriors were Tim Scott (21), Pat Rolston (17), and Jade Cash (10).
Jeff LaBell shoots over Matt Rivers.
The game started slowly with a combined total of 29 points posted in the first 12 minutes. Players warmed to the task in the second period with a combined point total of 54. At the half the Bulls led by one, 43-42. At the three-quarter mark, the Heat had a three-point edge, 69-66.
The lead was tossed back and forth like a hot potato in the final frame and it took 15 minutes to play the final ten seconds after Ryan Murtha's three-pointer brought the Bulls within one. Both teams called time out repeatedly to stop the clock or retain possession of the ball. When the buzzer sounded, the Heat still held the one point advantage, 85-84.
Three referees enforced the rules: Greg Rollins, Mark Rivers, and Richie Roy.
The teams go back at it tonight, Thursday, beginning with the Heat-Bulls imbroglio at 6:15 to be followed at 7:45 with the Lakers - Warriors skirmish.
The playoffs continue next Monday.
Sports Highlights
Tennis at Martha's Vineyard Regional High School
The boys tennis team opened the bidding of the spring sports season, Thursday, with a come-from-behind win over Sandwich, 3-2.
At first singles, Luke Martin, a USTA-ranked player was too much for the Vineyard's co-captain Andrew McHugh, 6-2, 6-1, but Reid Yennie won for the home team at second singles, 6-1, 7-5, evening the count at 1-1.
In the other three contests, third singles and the doubles matches, Sandwich won the first set but Nik Wojtkielo, the other Martha's Vineyard co-captain, charged back to win the second and third sets, 6-4, 6-4, to win at third singles, giving the Vineyard a short-lived lead.
At second doubles, after losing the first set, Zack Rabin and Bill Reagan captured their second set but Sandwich prevailed in the third to even the score at 2-2.
In the longest match of the day, at two hours, the first doubles match became the deciding factor. After the Blue Knights won the first set, 6-3, Win Grimm and Grant McCarthy took the second in a tie-breaker, 8-6. Solid overheads and poaching by Grimm and strong crosscourt forehand ground strokes by McCarthy were too much for Sandwich in the third set which Martha's Vineyard won, 6-3. Coach Ned Fennessy's crew claimed the hard-fought match, 3-2.
In a return match, at Sandwich on Tuesday, the Blue Knights reversed the outcome, taking both doubles matches as well as the first singles to claim the meeting, 3-2. At second and third singles, Dylan Hutchinson swept 6-0, 6-4, as did Reid Yennie, 6-0, 6-1.
The Bourne match was rained out Tuesday and will be played tomorrow, Friday.
Girls give Sandwich tussle
Coach Grace Bochicchio's Martha's Vineyard Regional High School girls tennis team came close but lost their two matches with Sandwich by the same 3-2 score.
Tuesday, here, Haley Koorse outlasted her opponent at first singles, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, and Alyssa Alder was successful at second singles, 5-7, 6-2, 6-1. But Sandwich took the other matches to claim the win.
Lacrosse - boys
The Martha's Vineyard boys lacrosse team began its 18-game season at Falmouth, Friday, losing to the Clippers, 10-7. The Islanders trailed 2-7 after three quarters, then staged a rally that netted them five goals in the final frame but Falmouth managed to add three more and claimed the win.
With three goals and an assist, Liam O'Callaghan was high for the Vineyard. Matt Costello scored twice.
The team is at Fairhaven today and Nantucket next Thursday. April 9. The first home game is April 11 versus Barnstable.
Lacrosse - girls
Coach Betsy Dripps's squad ran off with a 16-4 thumping of New Bedford here, Tuesday, in the season opener. The game was less than two minutes old before the Islanders had posted two goals. Then Martha's Vineyard scored eight more times before the Whalers found a way around goalie Zoe Fisher who was credited with six saves.
Cristina Wiley sprints around a Whaler defender.
Laura Jernegan, Hayley Pierce, and Molly Fisher each scored three times. Both Sophie Lew and Catherine Todd scored twice. Also adding points: Ana Cristina Jurczyk, Brianna Davies, and Kate Cecilio. Strong defense was provided by Alexa Fisher, Taylor Chisholm, Olivia Gross, and Lonnie Phillips.
The Islanders entertained Fairhaven, a new program, yesterday.
Martha's Vineyard will be tested when two English schools bring their varsity and jayvees to Martha's Vineyard this week. The Cheltenham games will be played on Thursday beginning at 3 pm. The St. Helen's & St. Katherine's games begin Sunday, at 2:30.
Martha's Vineyard played both of these schools in England last year beating Cheltenham by one point and losing to the very talented saints.
The Martha's Vineyard girls will entertain the visitors in their homes.
Bounding Main
The Martha's Vineyard Regional High School sailing team was at Tabor Academy, Saturday, for the April Fools Invitational.
Led by co-captains Emmie Schreck and Conor Lodge, the Islanders took to the water in light southeasterly winds. Also competing were Solvig Sayre, Justin Kane, Caleb Gray, Jess Thomas, Paul Bagnall, and Beau Monsat.
Martha's Vineyard lost its first close match to Tabor, a national powerhouse, then beat North Kingston and East Greenwich, both of Rhode Island, to begin the season at 2-1.
Masters at Harvard again
Masters Rainy Goodale, Leslie Grimm, and Les Cutler joined some 850 swimmers for the second weekend of competition in the New England Short course Championships last week.
Rainy was the team's star performer, setting a New England record for the 50-yard breaststroke in the 35-39 age group at 33.18 seconds. She also was first in the 200-yard breaststroke, third in the 100-yard breaststroke, 100-yard medley, 50- and 60-yard freestyle and 50-yard backstroke. She swam in nine events over the three days and scored 118 of the team's 255 points.
Leslie Grimm placed second in her age group in the 500-yard freestyle, and fourth in the 200-yard freestyle. She also had solid swims in the 100-yard freestyle, 100-yard medley, 100-yard butterfly, and 50-yard backstroke. Over the course of the meet she swam seven events and scored 63 points for the team.
Les Cutler had good swims in the 50-, 100-, and 200-yard freestyles, 100-yard medley, 50-yard backstroke and 50-yard breaststroke. Les had six personal bests in his seven swims and scored 65 for the team.
Rainy and Leslie will be going to the US Masters National Championships at Fresno, Calif., in May.
Sail Martha's Vineyard classes
On Thursday, April 9, Sail Martha's Vineyard begins a series of continuing education classes with J.P. Uranker discussing quarterboards at the Sail Martha's Vineyard building, 110 Main Street, Vineyard Haven. The following Thursday Brock Callen will discuss the basics of coastal navigation and on April 30 Myles Thurlow will offer a lesson in marlinspike.
Classes will last two hours, 7 to 9 pm and cost $10.
For more information, call the Sail Martha's Vineyard office at 508-696-7644 or visit sailmv.com.
Senior Hockey Champions at B.U.
Martha's Vineyard seniors are champs
Martha's Vineyard's team in the New England Senior Hockey League won the season-ending tournament at Boston University, March 14-15, when Jack Holmes scored a breakaway goal in sudden death overtime, defeating the Ontario entry, 3-2. Also scoring for the Vineyard were Ales Fielder and Andre Levesque.
The Martha's Vineyard team has members as young as 32 and as old as 50. They won all four games they played in the NESHL tourney, two on Saturday, two on Sunday.
It was their first championship title in their seventh year of competition.
A perfect weekend
The Martha's Vineyard junior high girls travel basketball team beat all at the South Shore Complex in Kingston, winning all five games they played last weekend.
First up, early Saturday, the team that gave the Islanders the most angst was North Adams which Martha's Vineyard edged, 26-23. Maggie Riseborough (6) and Kendall Robinson (5) were the Martha's Vineyard high scorers.
The second victims, from Cranston, R.I., went down 36-27. Jenny Lindland led the offense with 16 points. Riseborough had 6 and Katherine DeBettencourt added 4.
Saturday evening was Great Barrington's turn to bow, 46-24, as the Vineyarders seemed to gain strength.
Lindland (10), Katherine Robinson (9), Riseborough (8), and Haley Maciel (7) did most of the damage.
The early game Sunday was with Bourne, a 41-14 shellacking . Riseborough (12), Robinson (9), and Tiana Souza (7) led the parade to the hoop.
The tourney finals brought Cranston back to face the Vineyarders a second time. The Martha's Vineyard margin of victory was 15, 42-27. DeBetttencourt (15), Robinson (8), Lindland (7), Stewart (4), and Maciel (4) accounted for most of the points.
The triumphant Island team was presented with a plaque and a trophy to go along with some great memories.
Ocean is a close second at 400 meters.
Ocean
Running for the Liberty Athletic Club of Boston, Ocean Eversley of Oak Bluffs competed in the National Masters Track and Field meet at the Prince George Sports Complex, Landover, Md., and was awarded a gold medal for leading off the winning 4x400 relay team and two silver medals, finishing second at 400 and 800 meters.
"Gotchas" at VTC
The Round Robin March Madness doubles tournament for the Island Food Pantry at the Vineyard Tennis Center last weekend included some unique aspects. Each doubles team received a number of "gotchas" such as a team using only one racquet, or were forced to use only their non-dominant hand or hop on one leg.
The good-natured challenges served to level the playing field as each of the nine teams played all the other teams.
Highest scorers Paul Adler and Kent Leonard met Carla and Doug Cooper in the Sunday finals. The Leonard/Adler duo won the first set 6-4 and finished 6-2 in the second to claim the tourney title.
Tough softies
The Martha's Vineyard Regional High School fast-pitch softball team is poised for a good season beginning Wednesday, April 1, at Sandwich and continuing Friday, here, also versus Sandwich.
In preseason scrimmages, the girls won two and tied two versus Grafton, Amherst, Winchendon, and Lynn Classical before defeating Bourne, 12-2.
Josh Burgoyne returns for his fourth year as head coach and has help from Donald Herman and Ken Davey.
Kate Holter is the JV coach.
Martha's Vineyard girls at Bourne
After playing well but losing to Sandwich and a very strong Carver squad at Bourne in the Busnengo Tournament last weekend, the Martha's Vineyard sixth-grade travel basketball team, which includes some fifth-graders and even one fourth-grader, defeated Kingston, 27-14. Mya Houston was the Martha's Vineyard high scorer with 12. Emily DeBettencourt was outstanding at both ends of the court, snagging 10 rebounds, blocking four shots, and scoring eight. Point guard Abby Willoughby keyed the offense and was strong on D.
Coached by Maureen Hill and Joe Houston, the whole team contributed, including Diamond Araujo, Mariah Duarte, Erin Hill, Emily Turney, and Heidi White.
Two other players were unable to be present: Erin Hegarty and Meghan Hurley.
McCarthy
The Aleppo Shriners and the Mass. High School Football Coaches Assn. have announced the names of high school seniors chosen to play in the 31st annual Shriners Football Classic game to be played June 19 at Bentley College in Waltham.
The list of 51 players on the South team includes Michael McCarthy of Martha's Vineyard. A like number of players has been named to team North. The game is a fundraiser for the Shriners Hospital for Children.
Save the Dates
The Red Kennedy/Lois Crane Invitational Mite C tournament will be held at the Arena, April 3 and 4.... Late sign-ups for Babe Ruth Softball should see Inez at the high school front office or call 696-0461 to sign up.... Boys lacrosse benefit Italian Night Dinner & Raffle at the high school cafeteria, Wednesday, April 8 at 6 pm. Adults $15, Students $10. Tickets will be sold at the door.
Samantha advances
Samantha Potter of Oak Bluffs, who trains at Vineyard Youth Tennis, won the girls 12 & Under division at the Riverside Rhode Island USTA tournament last weekend. Ranked 72nd in New England, she defeated the number one seed 6-1, 6-3. She has now won five of her last eight tourneys and will surely improve her rank.
