Sports
By Don Lyons
Published: May 7, 2009
Islanders roll on
Midway through the season, the Martha's Vineyard Regional High School girls varsity lacrosse team is unbeaten and untied with 11 wins.
On Wednesday, April 29, the Islanders edged a strong Falmouth squad at Falmouth, 7-6, on two first-half goals by Laura Jernegan and singles by Hayley Pierce and Christina Wiley. At the half the Vineyarders were up by one, 4-3.
Hayley scored the first goal of the second half but the Clippers answered with three of their own to take a 6-5 lead. Jernegan's goal with 7:45 left on the clock tied the score and Molly Fischer's at 3:51 regained the lead. The Islanders won the ensuing draw and ran out the clock to nail the victory.
The next day, Thursday, Coach Betsy Dripps's crew faced another test at Bishop Stang. The Spartans stayed close and trailed by a single point, 8-7, at the half, but the Islanders shifted to another gear in the second half and ran away to a 17-10 conclusion.
Hayley Pierce scored six times and assisted twice to lead the Martha's Vineyard attack, Laura Jernegan had five goals and Kate Cecilio had two. Molly Fischer, Ana Christina Jurczyk, and Briana Davies also scored. The Lady Bishops kept Martha's Vineyard goaltender Zoe Fisher busy. She made 15 saves.
The very next day the Islanders topped Barnstable at Hyannis, 12-9. The one-two punch of Jernegan (5) and Pierce (2) produced more than half of the winning score but five other Vineyarders - Molly Fischer, Brianna Davies, Sophie Lew, Ana Cristina Jurczyk and Cristina Wiley - also beat Raider goalie Ali Shopshire who made 10 saves. Martha's Vineyard goaltender Zoe Fisher stopped a dozen shots on goal. Martha's Vineyard's lead at the half was 8-4.
Tuesday's game here with Dartmouth was really two games - two entirely different games. The first half belonged to the visiting Indians, not just because they scored seven goals to the Vineyard's five. They consistently beat the Vineyard to the ball. It seemed that whenever there was a loose ball a green jersey would pounce upon it. But the second half was all Vineyard. The Islanders scored nine unanswered goals in 20 minutes. Dartmouth managed to score twice more before the whistle blew, but it was too little and too late. Martha's Vineyard 15, Dartmouth 9.
Martha's Vineyard goals were by Laura Jernegan (5), Kate Cecilio (4), Hayley Pierce (3), Christine Wiley (2) and Molly Fischer.
Aside from their sparkling 11-0 record, they are lots of fun to watch.
Jayvees too
The Martha's Vineyard Junior Varsity girls lacrosse team has a 7-1-1 record. Their most recent wins were at the expense of Bishop Stang, 15-11, and Barnstable, 5-4. Scorers in the Stang game were Rilla Hammett (4), Alex Mark (3), Maggie Johnson (2), and Nikki Alexander (2). Caitlin Serpa, Maddie Hughes, and Caroline Fournier. Ambika Datta had a key assist. Gen Hammond, Shelby Ferry, and Becca Tilton were strong defenders and center Ana Irwin consistently won draws.
The defense was especially key in the defeat of the Red Raiders. Maggie Johnson started the scoring from Rilla Hammett. Rilla followed with a breakaway goal and Ambika followed with two more. At the half Martha's Vineyard led, 4-1. Barnstable ran off three goals in a row early in the second half, tying the count. But with three minutes left on the clock, Caroline Fournier's perfect pass to Maggie Johnson produced the winning goal, 5-4.
The Dartmouth game here, Tuesday, ended in an 11-11 tie. Behind by three with just four minutes left on the clock, the Islanders turned up the heat and managed to pull off an unlikely tie. In the game's very last minute, freshman Maya Harcourt snagged the ball, ran the length of the field and beat the Dartmouth goalie to tie the game with 13 seconds to spare. Talk about fun to watch!
The Vineyarders fly to Nantucket Thursday (today) and Barnstable visits Saturday.
Tournament at the Meadows
Twenty-four five-member teams teed off at Mink Meadows, Sunday, competing for bragging rights in the annual Holy Ghost Scholarship Golf Tournament.
The winning team was David Murphy, John Dutton, John Farrington, Jane Shigley, and Paul Breen followed closely by Steve Furtaw, Keith Fullin, Jason Balboni, J.T. Marhar, and Eric Perry.
Joseph Ferreira, Mike Snowden, Andrew Phillips, Jason Forend and Ryan Ruley were third.
Another at EGC
Also last weekend the fifth annual Peter DeBettencourt Memorial Scholarship Tournament, a benefit for the annually awarded scholarship, was played at the Edgartown Golf Club. Winner of the tourney was the team of Mike and Ken Silvia, Joe Fontaine, Wayne Barrett, and Jeff Tomkins. The winning team donated the prize money to the scholarship fund.
Purple smashpee
The Bishop Stang softball team stung the Islanders here, Thursday, 18-2.
The Spartans scored eight times in the first inning and never looked back.
Starting pitcher Martha Scheffer took the loss.
Friday, the Vineyard softball team batted around, then batted around again in the sixth inning at Mashpee, crossing the plate 17 times. Katie Hines's base-clearing double started the eruption, which included a two-run triple by Holly Robinson. Taylor Perrotta collected three hits and scored four runs in the six-inning game. Emma Frizzell reached base five times, scored four and drove in three. Both Gail Herman and Alicia Oliveira had three RBIs.
The final score was 24-6. Pitcher Caroline Davey was the recipient of the purple largesse. Not that she needed it. She gave up just two earned runs.
Martha's Vineyard improved to 5-4 on the season.
Racqueteers romp
The Martha's Vineyard varsity boys tennis team swept Bishop Stang at North Dartmouth, Thursday, 5-0.
Andrew McHugh's victory at first singles was a whitewash, 6-0, 6-0. Reid Yennie's win was almost as one-sided, 6-2, 6-0. The Win Grimm - Dylan Hutchinson duo dominated 6-1, 6-1 at first doubles. Grant McCarthy and Thomas Tilton-Heylin also won in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2, at second doubles.
Only Nik Wojtkielo was pressed to three sets at third singles, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. Having missed the last three matches, Nik was a bit rusty and error-prone in the first set, but he found his stride in the second. Stang's Myles Olean jumped off to a 4-1 lead in set three, but Wojtkielo regrouped and ran off five straight games to win and nail down Martha's Vineyard's sweep.
There goes Bill
On Tuesday, May 12, legendary marathoner Bill Brown of Tisbury will take off from Boston for Nepal and the Tenzing - Hillary Himalaya Expedition's Mount Everest Marathon. Bill will fly through London and Bahrain to Katmandu. He will then be taken to Lukla, Phankding, and Namche Bazaar. From the latter he hill begin a seven-day hike to the Mt. Everest Base Camp. Race day will be Friday, May 29, beginning at 7 am.
The course will be hilly - not to say mountainous - but mostly down hill from an elevation of 5,364 meters at the start to 3,449 at the finish.
The race is held biannually, weather permitting, in May and November, and is limited to 100 runners.
When The Martha's Vineyard Times suggested to Bill that this must be the unbeatable climax to his legendary marathon career, which includes more than 100 races, he murmured something about the Antarctic.
Another marathon
It wasn't in Nepal. It was in Ohio. Garry Metters ran the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati, Monday. Garry finished a better than respectable 294th in a field of 4,481.
Lacrosse at Lakeville
The under-11 boys youth lacrosse team defeated Lakeville, Sunday, 13-8 on four goals each by Henry Wallace and Jack Garrett, three by Jackson Mahaffey and two by Donald O'Shaughnessy.
The under-13 Sharks team narrowly lost to Lakeville, 5-6. Martha's Vineyard scorers were Spencer Schofield (2), Jack Yuen, Austin Chandler, and Jeffrey McCormick.
The under-15 Shoremen took it on the chin: Lakeville 8, Vineyard 1. The lone Island goal was by Thomas Wilkins.
This Sunday all teams play at Bourne.
Minors message
The Twins have started well in the Little League Minors, winning all three of their first games.
Game one was an 11-9 thriller with the Orioles. A seesaw affair, the O's took the lead in the top of the final (6th) inning only to see the Twins score four runs and claim the win in their half. The hit that hurt was a two-run single by Valentino Major. Jacob Gunderson led off the game for the O's with a home run.
The second game with the Orioles was not so close, 15-5. Lachlan Cormie and Miles Jordi led the Twins attack; each hit safely three times. The Orioles Dillon McAndrews had two hits and stole three bases.
The third win was a near thing, 7-6, over the Reds. Aiden Aliberti drove in three of the Twins runs and Auguste Pizzano had two RBI. The Reds' late surge fell just short as Willson Slayton shut the door in the final inning. Cai Lombardi's play at shortstop was outstanding. In his debut on the mound, Joey Burchill tossed two shutout innings before allowing the Reds to mount a late run at the lead.
The Marlins edged the Rockies in a game that saw the teams combine for 30 runs. The Marlins won, 16-14. Eliot Ferlander's long triple was a Rockies highlight. Max Eber's pair of well-stroked doubles driving in four runs stood out for the Marlins.
Saturday, the Rockies' bats boomed and drove in 12 runs against the Blue Jays. Andy DiMattia and Conner Downing had key Rockies hits. Joe Davies pitched well in the Jays loss.
Hollis Kelly homered for the Orioles but the Rays had the last laugh, 28-10.
In the Majors the Cubs topped the Mets, 5-1, behind Tim Roberts's 9-strikeout pitching over 4 2/3 innings. Andrew Jacobs-Walsh drove in two runs with a triple, and Alec Cobban added another with imaginative base running.
Too much Pratt
Mike Pratt of Bishop Stang slugged three home runs, including the game-winner in the bottom of the seventh to cap a nine-run come-from-behind surge and nail the win, 15-13, over the Martha's Vineyard Regional High School varsity baseball squad. The tough loss dropped Martha's Vineyard to a record of 2-9 on the season.
Clippers whitewashed
On Saturday, at West Tisbury, the under-12 boys soccer team shut out visiting Falmouth, 4-0, winning their third game in a row without a loss.
Goal scorers were Jason Lages (2), Ryan Uva, and Alex Gordon Beck.
This Saturday the team plays at Fall River.
Sunday the under-10 boys tied Freetown-Lakeville, 1-1, with a last-minute goal by Aksel Cooperrider. The Vineyarders are unbeaten and play at Bourne this Sunday.
Indoor yard sale
A "yard sale" to benefit the high school varsity and junior varsity girls lacrosse teams will be held Saturday, May 9, in the high school cafeteria. A "huge variety" of items is promised. All funds realized will be used to purchase equipment and uniforms tor the teams, both of which are undefeated.
For more information, call Teresa Temple, 645-3256.
Little League Majors standings
Team G W L T % RF RA
A's 4 4 0 0 1.00 49 2
Cubs 3 2 1 0 .67 24 10
Cards 3 2 1 0 .67 10 19
Red Sox 3 1 2 0 .33 11 23
Mets 3 1 2 0 .33 6 23
Tigers 4 0 4 0 .0 14 17
Monday, the A's caged the Tigers, 6-2. Colin Cameron was the winning pitcher fanning eight in five innings. Mike Mussell was 2-for-2 with a double and a triple. Aksel Cooperrider drove in a run with a double. Kevin Cleary pitched 4 2/3 innings for the Bengals giving up two hits supported by strong play by Emerson Mahoney and Nick Kent.
Sunday Tucker McNeely and Henry Gallagher held he Cards to a single run, while Tony Canha was striking out 12 Sox batters. Final: Cards 1, Sox 0.
On Saturday the A's ran away from the Tigers, 15-0. Mike Mussell was touched for two hits in the shutout.
In Friday's Cubs-Mets game, Tim Roberts hurled 4 2/3 innings, fanning nine. Andrew Jacobs-Walsh stroked a two-run Triple. The Cubs won, 5-1.
Dartmouth bites the dust
The varsity boys lacrosse team tackled Dartmouth off Island, Tuesday, and came away with a 9-1 win. Erik Dolliver scored four times and assisted twice. Both Brooks Billingham and Chris Costello had two goals and two assists. Leif Iversen also scored. Goal-tender Gus Hayes made 13 saves.
Equestriennes
Vickie Thurber and Mariah Bendavid of Red Pony Farm, West Tisbury, competed in the Valinor Forms Combined Test/Dressage Schooling Show, Sunday, April 26, at Plymouth.
Vickie, on Poco Santo, tied for second place in the beginner novice senior division. Mariah, on Caledonia, placed sixth in the junior beginner novice division.
Both Vickie and Mariah are students of Martijn Stuurman.
Robyn Hanover of West Tisbury, a student of trainer Tom Davis at Flatlands Equestrian Center in Rehoboth was third in preliminary training novice on Festive Way.
Steve Medeiros remembered
Steven R. Medeiros, a graduate of Martha's Vineyard Regional High School in the class of 1970, will be honored at the 21st Annual Candlelight Vigil Ceremony at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., as part of National Police Week, Wednesday, May 13.
Steve was a Staff Sergeant with the Kennesaw State University Police Department in Marietta, Georgia. His engraved name will be added to the list of officers whose lives were lost in the line of duty.
Steve was a member of the varsity football team at Martha's Vineyard Regional High School.
Blue Hills scaled
The Martha's Vineyard track teams, boys and girls, flattened Blue Hills, Monday, and remained unbeaten on the year.
The Martha's Vineyard girls won every event with sweeps in the discus, long jump, and triple jump, 300-meter (m) hurdles, 800 meters and mile.
Placing first were Kia Minor, 29' 9" in the shot put, Emma Lee Iversen, 85' 2" in the discus and 14' 11" in the long jump, Lauren Lucas, 76' 3" with the javelin, Hilary Dreyer, 4' 8" in the high jump, and Alexia Schroeder, 29' 7" in the triple jump.
Ellie Hehre won the 2 mile, Lauren Lucas was first over the 300m low hurdles, Kim Carlomagno was fastest in the 100m dash at 12.9, Hilary Dreyer led a sweep in the 800m at 2:43, Emma Lee Iversen led another in the high hurdles at 17.3, Megan Dreyer won the 400m in 66.1, Alexia Schroeder won the 200m in 29.1, Shivonne Schofield led a sweep of the mile in 5:25.
Schroeder, Benedetto, Minor, and Lindland won the 4x100 in 55.0. Pennington, H. Deyer, Hehre, and Carlomagno took the 4x400 in 4:49.
The Martha's Vineyard boys won 14 of the 16 events, placing second in the shot put. They were scoreless in the long jump.
Winners were Tyler Araujo in the discus with a 93' 11" heave, Will Debettencourt in the javelin at 129' 7", Randall Jette at the high jump clearing 5' 6", and Marcus Hopkins in the triple jump at 34' 11".
The Vineyarders won all of the races. Max Miner covered two miles in 11:10. Doug Asselin led a sweep in the 400m hurdles. D.K. Kaeka was fastest in the 100m sprint, 11.9, and Jette took the gold in the 200m at 24.4.
Robbie Osmers led a sweep of the 800m at 2:14. Conor Estes won the 110m high hurdles at 17.7. Martha's Vineyard took all of the points in the 400m, led by Ryan Dwane at 55.9.
William Nevin was first to finish the mile in 5:11.
The Islanders won both relays: Baker, Jette, Dwane, and Brewer took the 4x100. Kendall, Sylva, Miner, and Smith won the 4x400.






