Sports
Five miles of fudge
Thirty-eight-year-old Kevin Collins of Manlius, N.Y., won the Murdick's Fudge five-mile Run the Chop Challenge, Saturday, in the impressive time of 25.49 - better than three minutes faster than Mark Engerman's winning time of 28:54 last year, and even beating Kevin Grey's 2006 great run of 25.57.
Kevin Collins led from the start and set a blistering pace in this year's five mile Run The Chop Challenge. Photos by Ralph Stewart
Collins, a nationally ranked distance runner, was the runner-up in the 2003 national marathon competition.
Three hundred eleven runners accepted the challenge of Saturday's five-mile Murdick's, 118 more than last year.
One reason for the high number certainly was the weather, a beautiful sunny morning, warmer, perhaps. than many of the runners would chose, but still a welcome change from the wet and unhappy conditions that prevailed through late June and early July.
Finishing 1:43 behind Collins was Barry Donovan, 23, of Edgartown in 27:32.
The rest of the top ten were: (3) Jake McCauley, 16, Darien, Conn. 28:26 (4) Chris Schmidt, 34, Chicago, Ill., 29:09 (5) P.J. Marinez, 28, Washington, D.C., 29:30.43 (6) Alan Harris, 41, Madison, Wis., 29:30.85 (7) Tyler Jordison, 21, Fort Dodge, Ia., 29:51 (8) Mark Engerman, 42, Edgartown, 29:52 (9) Matt Plant, 31, Falmouth, 30:22, (10) Dale Heys, 36, Saugus, 30:34.
Victoria Lynch of Washigton D.C. was the first woman to reach the finish line. She was 17th overall.
The first female to complete the run was Victoria Lynch, 35, Washington, D.C. She was 17th overall in 32:44. Second female finisher was Devon Smith, 31, of Oak Bluffs in 33:40. Then came Julie Schmidt, 36, of North Attleboro, who was 28th overall in 34.44, just behind Jeremy Tarter-Alley, 13, of Oak Bluffs and nine seconds ahead of Dana Gaines, 52, of Edgartown.
The fourth female to finish was Liz Ryan, 29, of Washington, D.C., in 36 minutes flat, seven seconds ahead of 66-year-old Jim Austin of Vineyard Haven, a perennial winner in his age group. Liz was 35th overall.
The rest of the top10 females were Dara Kelly, 38, Brookline, 36:34; Jessica Reilly 38, Cranston, R.I., 36:49; Amy McGaraghan, 39, Lexington, 37:34; Caitlin Martin, 20, Wappingers Falls, N.Y., 37:40; Katie Pratt, 21, Bantam, Conn., 37:52; Mary Dinan, 33, Cumberland, Me., 38:36; Ruth Rowe, 42, Sandy Hook, Conn., 38:41, and Pam Millshon, 22, Vineyard Haven, 39:06.
Females finishing first in their gender-age group were: 12 and under: Grace Hartigan, 6, of Boston; 13-19: Kelsey Sullivan, 19, of Edgartown; 20-29: Molly Lester of Atlanta, Ga.; 30-39, Victoria Lynch of Washington, DC; 40-49:Ruth Rowe of Sandy Hook, Conn.; 50-59 Dominica Gutierrez of Edgartown; 60-69, Phyllis Kulger of West Tisbury.
Males completing the run first in their age group were: 12 and under: Willy Anderson of Chilmark; 13-19, Jake McCauley of Darien, Conn.; 20-29: Barry Donovan of Edgartown; 30-39, Kevin Collins of Manlius, N.Y.; 40-49: Alan Harris of Madison, Wis.; 50-59: Dana Gaines of Edgartown; 60-69: Jim Austin of Vineyard Haven; 70 and over: Samuel Feldman of Chilmark.
Streetball Classic
WBA of Boston upended the defending champion Cheez-its to win the high school bracket of the 7th annual Vineyard Streetball Classic at Niantic Park, Oak Bluffs, on Saturday afternoon.
Bragging rights for the 10-12 year-olds went to the Martha's Vineyard Ballers.
Five teams in each age group participated in the three-on-three tournament.
Dozens of spectators were courtside for the sundrenched event, including former NBA and ABA great "Dr. J" Julius Erving.
Spencer Schofield of the Purple Pandas cuts around Marc Green of the Vineyard Ballers. Photos by Ralph Stewart
Matthew Britwell of Shaqthis throws up a hook shot over Mike DeBettencourt and Ben Dwane of the Freshmen.
Hoops at Niantic
Rain cancelled the basketball games in the Oak Bluffs Summer League at Niantic Park on Tuesday, but in previous action the high school team lost to Mike Baptiste's squad, 60-55. James Holenko and Heath Estrella led the Baptistes with 15 and 10 points. Steve Handy's 19 was tops for the high-schoolers.
Matt Rivers led the Monstars narrowly over The Future, 56-55. Terrell Johnson (18) and John Swan (11) were high for The Future.
The Stone Cold Hustlers ran away from Nicholson's Contemporary Landscape, 73-40 . Jason Dyer's 14 led the Landscape offense. Nick Viera (19) and Cody Brewer (17) paced the Hustlers.
Casey Ray's team outscored Pat Robertson's, 68-42, behind Brandt Sylvia's 23 points. Pat Ralston was high in the losing cause with 14 points.
Maddy Penicaud (right) battles Jenny Lindland in the paint. Photos by Ralph Stewart
Steve Handy soars over Jade Cash for a lay-up.
Men's Softball
The Highlanders took two from the Treds last Thursday at Manter Memorial field, winning both games of the double header by single runs. Monday the Highlanders took the first game of a twin bill with the Land Sharks, 30-20, then conceded the second contest 20-27 despite a full compliment of five home runs by Gunn, Scheffer, Kurth, and Hickman (2).
At the West Tisbury School, the Stampede took two from the Treds, 12-11 and 15-11.
Holmes Holers
Stephen Besse led the Holmes Hole Sailing Assn. to the finish line on Thursday, completing a familiar triangular course from Vineyard Haven Harbor to West Chop to East Chop and back. Besse finished ahead of Phil Hale, Roger Becker, Dan Culkin, Bob Jewett, Jerry Goodale, Bow Van Riper, Matthew Thomas, David Lott, and John Amabile - in that order.
Sunday the HHSA sailed to Chappaquiddick on a bright, clear, dry summer morning with a robust west-southwest wind of 12 to 20 knots.
Fifteen boats reported to the starting line at red nun 6 outside of the Vineyard Haven breakwater. The fleet sailed to can 27 at East Chop on a broad reach and run, then sped across Cow Bay on a beam reach on the starboard tack to red nun 4 near Cape Pogue, then sailed a close reach on the starboard tack to the finish line at red nun 8 near the entrance to Edgartown Harbor.
The first boat in the A Division was Stormalong, skippered by Jerry Goodale, followed by (2) Mike Loberg in Masquerade, (3) John Amabile in Solitude, (4) Rob Hale in Wicked, (5) Roger Becker in Gloria, (6) Bob Jewett in Andiamo II and (7) Matthew Thomas in Grasshopper. The guest boat Stormalong II was sailed by Peter Goodale.
The B Division leader was Rebecca Colson in Silhouette. Michael Hoff was second in Evelyn May, followed by (3) Dan Culkin in Magic Time, (4) Dan Pesch in Sparrow, (5) David Lott in Avanti, and (6) Woody Bowman in Julia Lee.
Jonathan Burke sailed his Cape Dory Blue Moon as a guest boat.
The summer series continues with a harbor race on Thursday at 6 pm and Sunday at noon.
New members and guest boats are welcome. Call Diana Hartmann if interested: 693-4592.
Leslie Grimm launches herself in the 400-meter individual medley at Middlebury College.
Masters at Middlebury
The Mansion House Masters Swim Team, Rainy Goodale, Leslie Grimm, and Les Cutler, competed in the 2009 New England Long Course Meters Swim Championships at Middlebury College, Vermont, June 26-28.
Rainy Goodale swam in nine events during the three -day meet, setting three New England records and three meet records in the 35-to-39-year-old age group. She won the 50-meter breast stroke in 37.33 seconds, the 100m breast stroke in 1:22.38 seconds, and the 200m breast stroke in 3:02.15, setting the New England and meet records in each event. Rainy also placed second in the 50m backstroke, third in the 50m butterfly, fourth in the 100m freestyle, and fifth in the 200m individual medley and 800m freestyle.
Leslie Grimm was the team's iron woman. Friday she was third in the 1500m freestyle and second in the 800m in the women's 50-to-54-year-old group. She swam personal bests in both events, lowering her previous best by an impressive 32 seconds.
Saturday Leslie was fifth in the 200m freestyle and third in the 200m individual medley. Sunday she was second in the grueling 400m individual medley and was third in the 400m freestyle.
Les Cutler, competing in the men's 65-to-69 age group, swam in six events. He placed first in the 1500m freestyle, then just a few hours later won the 800m freestyle. His time for the 1500 was a personal best by 43 seconds.
Saturday, Les was second in both the 400m and 200m freestyle events. Sunday he was second in the 100m freestyle and third in the 50m.
The Mansion House Masters placed second in the small (five or less) team category, just edged out by the five-member Concord YMCA team.
Reid succeeds
Reid Yennie, 14, of West Tisbury, who played second singles on the M.V. regional high school boys tennis team during the spring, defeated three opponents in as many matches and won the 16 and under USTA tournament at the Longfellow Club in Wayland, June 28 and 29. The wins justified his top seed in the tourney and advanced his rank to 53rd in the New England boys 14 and under class, 72nd in the boys 16 and under class.
Reid trains with Scott Smith and Mike Halisky at Vineyard Youth Tennis, Oak Bluffs.
Bridge deck
Five tables were in play at the Bridge Club of Martha's Vineyard games in the Tisbury senior center, Saturday.
Winners at north-south were Cheryl Neal and Dottie Arnold. Runners up were Bea Phear and Forester Greene.
Sitting east-west, Joan Byrd and Geraldine Jones took the honors with Stanley Segal and Claus Buchthal close behind.
Senior Babes
The senior Babe Ruth team lost its June 30 tussle with Lower Cape at Harwich, 5-2. Kendall Chaves drove in Anthony Piland and Taza Vercruysse with a blast that just missed being a home run. Lower Cape scored four times in the bottom of the first. Pitcher Ben Ciciora kept the Cape team in check the rest of the way. One more Cape run would cross the plate when a fly ball disappeared in the sun.
The team enjoyed a reunion with its former coach, Geoff Phillips, who now works in Chatham and helps coach Lower Cape.
The next home games will be Saturday, July 11, a double header with Lower Cape, beginning at noon.
Three Pros, no waiting
The Oak Bluffs Niantic Park summer tennis program is off to a good start with 35 families enrolled and three tennis pros prepared to improve everyone's games. The young men are Nick Barnard of Dedham and Colgate, Will Joyner of New Orleans and William & Mary, and Joe McCormick of Oak Bluffs.
There are women's 3.5-4.0-rated doubles Round Robins from 8 am to 9:30 am every Saturday and 2.5-3.0 from 4 to 5:30 pm. Also there are men's doubles 4.0-up Round Robins every Sunday from 8 to 9:30 am and 3.0-3.5 from 4 to 5:30 pm.
The program of the Oak Bluffs Park and Recreation department is intended to promote community healthy living.
Sign up 24 hours in advance: 508-693-2303.
Reminder
Today and tomorrow, July 9 and 10, register at the Arena for the summer hockey season. The Arena will be opening for skating on Saturday, July 11. For more information reach Beth O'Connor at Blankenship@yahoo.com
Women's Softball
Despite the wet ball, wet grounds, wet players and the heavy to light rain that fell throughout the contest on Tuesday evening, the Creamers and the Snaps kept their softball date at Nunes Field, Edgartown, and played a whale of a game.
The Snaps broke on top scoring in each of the first four innings while holding the Creamers to a single run in the bottom of the fourth. After four, the score stood at 7-1, Snaps up. Then things turned around. The Snaps would add two more runs to their total in the top of the seventh but the Creamers scored two in the 5th, three in the 6th and four in the 7th to claim the win, 10-9.
As of Wednesday morning the Women's League standings are: Creamers 2-0, Honeys 1-0, Shady Ladies 1-0, Swingers 1-1, Snaps 0-1, Late Fees 0-1 and Rug Sox 0-2.
Celtic at Jabberwocky
Boston Celtics star and 3-point specialist Ray Allen joined Camp Jabberwocky for a cookout on the beach on Monday. The visit was the idea of camp counselor Kelsey Grousbeck, daughter of Wycliffe Grousbeck, Managing Partner, Governor and CEO of the Boston Celtics.
