Sports
Fall Sports preview
Martha's Vineyard will not meet Nantucket on any athletic playing field this fall, this year for that matter - not football, not girls soccer, not boys soccer, not field hockey, not golf, not cross country. Why? Because both schools have sworn off airplanes. Of course its possible that both schools might show up at the same off-Island event such as the Winthrop soccer invitational or the Franklin Park, Boston, cross-country meet. But the Whalers will not be coming here nor will we be sending a team over there.
The boys soccer hopefuls do laps, among other things, under the critical eye of new coach Damon Burke.Boys Soccer
After 23 years of coaching the high school boys soccer team, Bob Hammond has decided the time has come to pass the baton to someone else, specifically to Damon Burke and John Walsh.
John is no stranger to most of the team having coached the boys junior varsity for several years.
The team opens its season at the Winthrop Invitational, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 12-13. The first home game is Saturday, Sept. 19, vs. Westport. The league opener is here with Somerset, Thursday, Sept. 24.
Fleet-footed Jenny Lindland leads the pack toward the North Quincy goal in a scrimmage.Girls Soccer
Russ McDonald has also stepped aside as girls soccer coach making room for Ariadne Nevin, a graduate of MVRHS in the class of 2000, to fill the position.
Aria's bachelor degree is from Smith College in Northampton.
The girls soccer season opens here Tuesday, Sept. 8, with visiting Sandwich. The next day, Wednesday, finds the girls at Wareham.
The first league game is with Somerset, here on September 22. Two days later the girls are at Bishop Stang.
Joe Schroeder.Cross-Country teams
Veteran track and field (20 years) and cross-country (14 years) coach Joe Schroeder looks forward to the challenge of the new league, one of the strongest track and cross-country leagues in the state, despite being heavily hit by June graduation. Seven of the 15 runners on the boys team graduated including the team's leader, Mark Reppert. But Willy Nevin, Max Conley, Forrest Harcourt, and Anthony Piland form an impressive and competitive phalanx.
The girls cross-country team was wounded as much by graduation. Half of last year's team are gone, including top guns Kim Carlomagno, Hilary Dreyer, and Sarah Flanders. Coach Schroeder looks to Megan Dreyer, a junior, and sophomore Shivonne Schofield to set the pace for this year's team.
As of this date the first meet will be the Vineyard Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 12. Thus far schools expected to race include Notre Dame, Falmouth, Barnstable, Durfee, Foxboro, and Canton.
The first league meet will be Wednesday, Sept. 23, with Somerset.
Coach Schroeder is assisted by Jason Peringer.
Co-captain Ashleen Cafarelli executes a perfect toe touch jump with the support of Anna Cass.Cheerleading
Coach Becky Cass has ten girls in training for the opening of the football season. "We are definitely not happy with the schedule and the loss of Nantucket," the coach said, "but we are trying to hold a positive attitude and we're going to be there to cheer on Donald and the boys no matter what the season brings." Ashleen Cafarelli and Brianna Strelecki, both juniors, are co-captains
Golf
Doug DeBettencourt's golf team faces a tough schedule made tougher by membership in the Eastern Athletic Conference. Speaking of his team, the coach said, "It's a wonderful bunch of kids and I look forward to coaching them." By a scheduling quirk, most of the teams that the Islanders beat last year are missing from this year's schedule, while all of the teams that bested the Islanders are rescheduled for this year's season.
Football
The season opens with the visit of Old Rochester on Friday, Sept. 11, for a 6:30 pm game. The following Friday finds the Vineyarders at Charlestown. The first EAC game is with Coyle-Cassidy on Friday, Sept. 25, here.
Linemen step lively for coach Bill Belcher.As of this writing, the cancellation of the Nantucket game leaves the team with an eight-game schedule. No replacement for the Whalers has been found, but Coach Herman has not given up the search.
Regarding the team. Coach Herman told The Times, "there is no lack of talent, but we have some inexperience at some positions which makes our scrimmages the more important." The team scrimmaged with Mashpee on Wednesday and visits Falmouth on Friday.
The junior varsity team is presently scheduled to play four games beginning Monday, Sept. 14, here, versus Old Rochester. Next, the jayvees are at North Dartmouth playing Bishop Feehan on Monday, Oct. 12.
Lisa Knight.Field Hockey
Coach Lisa Knight anticipates an exciting season of field hockey beginning at Sandwich on Tuesday, Sept. 8, and then Play Day at D/Y on Saturday. The first home game is with West Bridgewater on Thursday, Sept. 17, and the Eastern Athletic Conference opener is the following Tuesday with visiting Somerset. The coach hopes to improve on last year's record of 10 wins, 8 losses, and 4 ties.
Interscholastics
The first in a series of interscholastic dual track meets will be held at the high school track on Thursday, Sept. 24.
The season ends four weeks later with a four-way meet for the Island boys and girls championship teams.
Veterans Park to reopen
Tisbury's Veterans Memorial Park has been refurbished and is now ready for resumed use by softball players, soccer players, beach volleyball players, frisbee throwers and others looking for an open field or meadow on which to romp and play.
On Saturday, Sept. 12, the park will be opened officially by the 10th Annual Richie Madeiras Memorial Softball Tournament, a series of one pitch games by teams of men and women, boys and girls.
Dan Sharkovitz, Ray Tattersall, and Veronika VandeGeer are in charge of arrangements.
Fred LaPiana of Tisbury's Department of Public Works, which was responsible for the park's renewal, will preside at a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The tournament entry fee is $100 per team, all of which will be donated to the Richie Madeiras Children's Education Fund.
Call a member of the committee if you can volunteer to umpire.
Photo Courtesy of Chris PaffendorfTennis
The Tisbury Summer Tennis Program served its final serve at the Lake Street courts this week. Tommy Flanders, Aiden Gomez-Bianco, and Libby Flanders, with instructor and program director Chris Fecitt, declared a brief recess to let the camera in on the fun.
Holmes Holers
Sunday's Holmes Hole Sailing Assn. planned rendezvous race to Tarpaulin Cove was cancelled by the weather.
But on Thursday, 11 boats reported to the starting line for a short race to East Chop and back. The air was light but all entrants finished the race in the following order: (1) Steve Besse in Apres, (2) Jerry Goodale in Stormalong I, (3) Brian Roberts in Starfish (4) Roger Becker in Gloria, (5) Mike Loberg in Masquerade, (6) Dan Culkin in Magic Time, (7) John Amabile in Solitude, (8) Mo Flam in Lumina, (9) Ernie Mendenhall in Rocinante, (10) Rebecca Colson in Silhouette, and (11) David Lott in Avanti.
This was the first race for the HHSA newest members, Mo and Pam Flam, skippers of the new Alerion Express, Lumina.
The Holmes Hole sailors plan two harbor races this Sunday, at 10 am and 2 pm. New members are encouraged and guest boats are welcome.
Please Note Tomorrow, Friday, is the last day for Moffett Race applicants to register.
Bridgers
With seven Bridge Club tables in play at the Tisbury senior center, Saturday, the north-south high points belonged to Paul Howes and Stanley Kissel. Second were Sue Collison and Patsy McCormack. Barbara Silk and Bea Phear were third.
At east-west, the top guns were Shirley Strother and Claudia Bowser followed by (2) Joan Byrd and Thelma Hurd and (3) Charity Randolph and Geraldine Jones.
Girls soccer to clean up
A car wash to benefit the MVRHS girls soccer program at the high school will be held at the Oak Bluffs school, 50 Tradewinds Road, on Thursday, Sept. 3, from 9 am to 2 pm. Charge for cleanliness is $10. In case of rain, the wash will be held Sunday, Sept. 6.
A touching game, a new name
In its seventh season, Flag Football at the Boys & Girls Club (next to the Edgartown School) is open to all children in grades 2 to 6. There will be two divisions, one for youngsters in grades 2 and 3, the other for 4th through 6th graders.
New this year is Cheerleading, open to all children in grades 2 to 5.
Register for flag football or cheerleading on Friday, Sept. 11, from 2:30 to 6 pm at the B&G Club, 44 Robinson Road. Call Peter Lambos, 508-627-3303, with questions or see www.mvbgclub.org for more information, schedules, and printable registration form.
Volunteer coaches and referees wanted. No experience required.
The B&G after-school program opens for the 2009-10 year on Monday, Sept, 14. Children in grades K through 6th are eligible for the program which is in session Monday to Friday from 2:40 to 6 pm. Youngsters have a variety of activities from which to chose, including art, computer technology, athletics, and social recreation.
Also Monday, Sept. 14, the Boys & Girls Club facility will be dubbed the Anthony H. Meyer Clubhouse, named for the late long-time friend and board member whose dedication and commitment to the club and Island youth was without parallel. The brief dedication ceremony will take place at the club's front entrance at 4:30 pm.
The 25th annual Boys & Girls Club Fall Golf Tournament will tee off on Saturday, Sept. 12, at the Edgartown Golf Club at 8 am and 1 pm. Registration fees are $75 for an individual, $300 per team.
Call the Boys & Girls Club for more information: 508-627-3303. unproofed
Go Alabama!
Among the eleven schooners entered in the annual Great Provincetown Schooner Regatta and Yacht Race this Saturday, at 12:30 pm, is the Alabama, the Black Dog entry.
