Sports
Merfield wins the Sullivan
Forty-six-year-old Graham Merfield of Titusville, N.Y., was first to complete the 21st annual Dr. Louis Sullivan 5K Run/Walk, Saturday, a benefit for the Martha's Vineyard Hospital.
Ageless bearded Jim Austin, a sure bet to win his age/gender class, is easily identified in the middle of the front row of runners. Photos by Ralph Stewart Merfield's time was 17:56, 14 seconds better than David Diriwachter, 40, of Tisbury but no threat to the race record of 16:43 set last year by Jonevan Hornsby.
Nine of the first ten runners were men: After Merfield and Diriwachter came (3) Greg Shea, 35, of Chester, Vt., 18:37; (4) Steve Eick, 45, of New York, N.Y., 19:00; (5) Chris Spinney, 49, of Arlington, 19:01; (6) Chase Disher, 17, of Elmsford, N.Y., 19:09; (7) Brittany Heninger, 20, of Bristol, Conn., 19:17, the first female to finish; (8) David Metz, 27, of Washington, D.C, 20:00; (9) William Karis, 22, of Potsdam, N.Y., 20:16; and (10) Todd Cleland, 40, of Oak Bluffs 20:17.
Outstanding in their gender/age groups were Devon Higham, 14, of Armonk, N.Y., 21:02; Silas Berlin, 11, of Vineyard Haven, in 21:28; Jim Austin 66, of Vineyard Haven in 21:45; and Olivia Collins, 17, of Milton in 21:56.
The fastest walkers - Jill Zamarro, 36, of Oak Bluffs and Marston Clough, 65, of Vineyard Haven - finished in a dead heat in 34:11.
Dr. Louis W. Sullivan, former Secretary of Health and Human Services, founder of the road race that bears his name, walked the 5K Saturday in 1:02:07 and finished 230th, just behind five-year-old Lucas Austin of Seattle.
Kelly Silvia's first-inning triple was the longest hit of the game.How sweet it is
The Honeys scored five runs in the bottom of the first inning at Nunes Field, Edgartown, Tuesday, and made that hold up through seven innings to defeat the Creamers, 5-2 and claim the Women's Softball League Championship.
The Creamers were first up. Melissa Randall bounced back to pitcher Susie Schofield. Emily Rooney flied out to Amy Maciel in left center. Lori Rezendes singled. Trisha Jendrick walked. Alleyne Hughes fouled out. No runs, one hit, two left on base.
In the bottom of the first, Amy Maciel and Margaret Mirko singled. Beth Sawyer doubled. Darcie Hanaway grounded out. Kelly Silvia tripled clearing the bases. Nicole Gazaille reached on an error. Rachel Baumrin singled. Schofield grounded out to short. Five runs, six hits, one left on base.
In the Creamers' second inning, Carolyn Stapleton walked but was erased when Julie Perry hit into a 4-6 fielder's choice. Veronika VandeGeer singled. Krista Ben David popped out to short. Teri Arias walked loading the bases, Taylor Hughes drew another base on balls scoring Perry. Randall lined out to the pitcher. One hit, one run, three left on base.
The Honeys were retired three up, three down.
In the top of the third, Cooney singled, Rezendes hit back to the pitcher, Jendrick popped out to first. Hughes drove in Cooney with a double. Stapleton fanned. One run, two hits, one left on base.
In the Honeys' third, Sawyer and Hanaway flied out to left. Silvia reached on an error. Gazaille struck out. No runs, no hits, one left on.
The Creamers were retired in order in the top of the fourth.
The Honeys' Trudel lined out to short. Baumrin singled. Schofield flied to left center. Van Aken's drive went for a hit in left. Maciel popped out to third. No runs, two hits, two left on base.
In the top of the fifth, Arias and Hughes walked. Randall hit into a 7-5 fielder's choice. Cooney grounded into a 6-5 fielder's choice. Rezendes lined out to second. No runs, no hits, two left on base.
The Honeys were put out on a ground ball to third and two outfield flies.
Jendrick led off the sixth with a single into left field. Hughes grounded into a 5-4 fielder's choice. Stapleton hit into a 6-4 fielder's choice. Perry flied out to center. No runs, one hit, one left on.
In the bottom of the sixth, Silvia flied out to right field. Gazaille singled to left. Trudel singled up the middle. Baumrin walked loading the bases. Schofield fanned. Van Aken hit back to the pitcher. No runs, two hits, three left on base.
The Creamers had one more shot.
In the top of the seventh, VandeGeer's hit was mishandled and she went from first to second to third. But home plate was a bridge too far and she was out, 5-3-5-2.
Ben David walked. Arias hit into a 1-4 fielder's choice. Hughes walked. Randall's pop fly was caught by catcher Cathy Van Aken and the inning, the game, the playoffs and the season were over. Honeys 5, Creamers 2.
Flying spiders
Ninety-five women competed in the annual Women's Skillet Throw at the Martha's Vineyard Agricultural Society Show and Fair, Sunday.
Skillet throwing techniques varied. Some used a running start, others launched their spiders from a standing position.
Some, most in fact, used some variation of a windup. Others chose to wing it with only the briefest prior motion.
Harriet Kantowitz sent the spider 31' 10", farthest in her 65 and older age group. Of the 15 ladies in Lot 1 (18-29 years old) the longest throw, 46' 0", was by Ashley Medeiros, more than three feet longer than Andrea Myers who was second at 42' 11". Third through sixth places were filled by Katie Kaminski 42' 2", (4) Elizabeth Willette, 38' 4", (5) Grace Gordon, 38' 00" and (6) Darcie Lee, 37' 11.
Karera Hammarlund's toss of 49' 9" was the best of the 30- to 45-year-olds. It was also the longest throw of the day. It was nowhere near Kara Shemeth's last year's winning heave of 58' 6", but an improvement over her own '08 second place toss of 44' 6".
Second at 30-45 this year was Wanda Moreis at 46' 1". Then came (3) Tammy Moreis, 40' 7", (4) Veronica VandeGeer, 38' 10", (5) Kris Henriksen, 38' 9", and (6) Jen Oliver, 37' 11".
In the 46-64 class the best throw was by Lisa Hagen 46' 2". Second best was Robin Snyder-Drummond, 43' 8".
At 3 through 6 were (3) Cynthia Kaminski, 43' 4", (4) Melissa Manter, 42' 2", (5) Brenda Gingras, 41' 9" and (6) Cheryl King 41' 4".
Harriet Kantowitz's 31' 10" throw was the best among women admitting to 65 or more years. Susan Boass was second a 30' 6", followed by (3) Norma Zack, 30' 4", (4) Joyce Rickson, 28' 8", (5) Norma Unsworth and Kitty Johnson both at 28' 1" and (6) Ann Heywood, 28' 0".
In the final toss-off, when winners of the several classes competed with each other, Karera Hammarlund won with a toss of 46' 4".
Crowned heads
At Lenox, Mass., August 12-15, Jim Turner of West Tisbury, President of the Edgartown Croquet Club and Jack Schott of Oak Bluffs, President Emeritus of the club, beat the top doubles teams in the Northeast. Jim and Jack defeated teams of the Greenwich (Conn.) Croquet Club, the Lenox (Mass.) Croquet Club and the Royal St. Catherine Croquet Club of St. Catherine, Ontario.
In first flight singles, Jim Turner went undefeated and claimed the individual championship title.
Previously, on August 8, Jim Turner and Tim Rapuano, of the New York Croquet Club, played a demonstration match at the Field Club, Edgartown. Tim won the match by two hoops as time ran out in the very close match.
To learn more or to learn to play the game, all are invited to the Edgartown Croquet Lawn adjacent to Nunes Field and the Boys & Girls Club at 9 am, Saturdays, between June and October.
Rainy's days
Rainy Goodale, of Tisbury, one of the Mansion House Masters swim team, competed in the U.S. Masters Swimming Long Course National Championships in Indianapolis at the Univ. of Indiana world class pool, August 6-10 with some 1,200 other swimmers from the U.S., Russia, and Puerto Rico.
Rainy swam in five individual events and on three relay teams as a member of the New England Masters team.
She finished second in the 200-meter breaststroke in the 35-39 age group in 2:58 breaking her own New England record for the event by four seconds. She was also second in the nation in the 50m breast stroke and third at 100 meters. Rainy also came in fourth at 50 meters in the butterfly and eighth in the 50m freestyle.
She swam legs on the New England women's 400-meter freestyle relay and the 400-meter individual medley relay teams, both of which placed third in the country. Rainy was a member of the 400-meter individual medley relay team which also took the bronze.
Moving on
The Vineyard's Men's Summer Softball League has new hands on the steering wheel. Eric Hatt of the Brewhas and Bart Kent, captain of the '09 champion Treds, were elected co-commissioners of the league by unanimous vote of the team captains. Eric and Bart succeed commissioner Dan Sharkovitz, a tough act to follow.
In his farewell note to the league, "Shark" expressed confidence in the choice of Bart and Eric. "Both men have played in the league since its beginning, and possess a deep understanding and respect for the history of our league and its importance to all the players."
He also expressed gratitude for "the great learning experience" of working with co-commissioner Ray Tattersall.
Now hear this
Head Football Coach Donald Herman announces that football practice for the Junior High team begins Monday, September 7, at 5 pm on the high school field. All players must have a valid sports physical before being allowed to practice. Equipment issue and registration will be on Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 31 and Sept. 1, at the high school athletic field parking lot. The cost to play Junior High football is $100. Checks should be made out to the MV Touchdown Club.
Bridging the Island
Nine Martha's Vineyard Bridge Club tables were in play Saturday at the Tisbury senior center.
At north-south top marks were earned by Susan Silk and Patsy McCormack. Clara J. Hargrave and Stanley Segal were second, Cheryl Neal and Dorothy Arnold, third and Duncan Walton and Calvin Ross, fourth.
Sitting east-west, Phil Burch and Agnes Daly won best honors followed by (2) Tillie Foster and Emily Robinson, (3) Betty Dixon and Stanley Kissel, and (4) Charity Randolph and Geraldine Jones.
Pros top deputies
A team of former Boston Bruins and New England Patriots visited the Island Saturday to play a softball game with the Dukes County Sherriff's Deputies.
The local lawmen kept it close but came in second to the former pros, 19-14. The Deputies invited some of the high school girls softball players to join in the fun and three did: Gail Herman, Emilyanne Williston and Martha Scheffer.
The game was played on the high school's JV field.
Designated home run hitter Garin Veris, who led the Pats in sacks, hit two round-trippers for the Pros. 
Bob Sweeney, of the Bruins, watches Dispatcher Nicole Gazaille round third on her way to the plate.Holmes Hole Ahoy
The Holmes Hole Sailing Association sailed three races last week, one Thursday and two on Sunday.
Thirteen boats posted on Thursday for a triangular race from red nun 6 to nun 4 at West Chop to green can 23A at East Chop back to the start. The first leg was a run downwind, then a beam reach on the starboard tack, and finally a beat to windward.
Finishing first was Stephen Besse in Apres followed by (2) Mary Worrell in Second Wind, (3) Ed Cerullo in Undine, (4) Phil Hale in Mischief, (5) Roger Becker in Gloria, (6) Jerry Goodale in Stormalong, (7) Dan Culkin in Magic Time, (8) Mike Loberg in Masquerade, (9) David Lott in Avanti, (10) Rebecca Colson in Silhouette, (11) Sandy Alexander in Falcor, (12) John and Lisa Stout in Isabella and (13) John Amabile in Solitude.
The same triangular course was assigned by the race committee for Sunday's races.
The six boats that raced Sunday morning were (1) Gloria, (2) Stormalong, and (3) Masquerade in the A division and Magic Time in the B division. Solitude and Isabella did not finish in light westerly winds
Eleven boats posted Sunday afternoon. The first A division boat across the finish line was Roger Becker's Gloria. Then came (2) Ed Cerulllo in Undine, (3) Phil Hale in Mischief, (4) Stephen Besse in Apres, (5) Paul Hyman-Young in Eclipse, (6) Brian Roberts in Starfish, (7) Rob Hale in Wicked, (8) Michael Loberg in Masquerade, and (9) Matthew Thomas in Grasshopper.
B Division finishers were (1) Sandy Alexander in Falcor and Dan Culkin in Magic Time.
Next Sunday the HHSA race is the Tarpaulin Cove Rendezvous at 10 am.
