Sports
MVRHS Basketball
Girls vanquish Knights, Vikings
The MVRHS girls varsity basketball team opened their season last Thursday, at Wareham, defeating the Vikings 57-54. Freshman Jennie Lindland led the way with 14 points, including two clutch free throws to ice the game in the closing seconds. Alicia Oliveira contributed 13, Maddie Penicaud 11, Katie Hines 8, and Molly Fischer 6.
Maddie Penicaud, sprints upcourt pursued by a Sandwich defender. Photos by Ralph Stewart The Islanders then traveled to Springfield for the Coaches vs. Cancer Tournament. In the first round the Islanders defeated Sabis, 45-42. Jillian Sedlier led the parade with 17 points and just missed a double-double by one rebound. Crystal Miske drained two key treys and played a gritty defense.
The following day the girls took on a tough Division One team, the Tantasqua Warriors, overcoming a 13-point deficit to send the game into OT. The Islanders led by two with seven seconds left only to watch Tantasqua's star forward launch a deep three. Swish, nothing but net, game over, 47-46. Oliveira had 14, Lindland 11, Miske 9.
Crystal Miske drives by a Sandwich defender.Tournament trophies were awarded to Alicia Oliveira and Maddie Penicaud.
"The girls were heartbroken," Coach Lisa Stewart said. "They fought so hard against a very good team, and I am extremely proud of the heart and character they demonstrated. This is the most well-rounded, intelligent and competitive team I have had. They are a pleasure to be around and to coach."
Sandwich provided the worthy opposition Tuesday at the Sancy. But they bowed to the Islanders, 66-57. Oliveira scored 17 points and took down 11 rebounds. Jillian "The Chief" Sedlier had 15. Both Lindland and Hines contributed 10. Miske and Penicaud were more than a match for the Sandwich guards.
After Christmas, on December 28 and 29, the girls are entered in the Lapels Holiday Classic Tournament in Norwell.
Lamar Moreis is a difficult assignment.Boys strike back at Sandwich
Coach Mike Joyce's Vineyard high school boys basketball team won its second game of the season, defeating Sandwich here, Tuesday, 67-64, at the Sancy Pacheco gym, after losing their first game of the season Saturday, 63-73, at Sandwich.
The visiting Blue Knights led 18-16 after the first quarter, Tuesday, but trailed the Islanders, 40-31, at the half. After the third quarter the Islanders' lead had grown to 11, 57-46.
High-scoring Steve Handy eyes the hoop from up close.
The Vineyard went into a scoring slump in the fourth quarter giving the Knights an opportunity to make a move, and they did, even coming within a single point, 62-61, with two minutes remaining. The only Islander to score in the period was Randall Jette who turned a layup into a three-pointer by sinking a foul shot, then dropped two more in the bucket before cashing two more freebies.
Final score: 67-64.
High for the Vineyard was Steve Handy with 23 points, 15 from downtown. Jette had 16, and Lamar Moreis 10. Also scoring: Ben Ciciora 9, Justin Mercier 7, Will Stewart 4, T.J. Van Gerven 3, Pat Hart 2.
John Hendy (15) and Al Stanton (18) did the heavy lifting for Sandwich.
Friday the Islanders are at Bourne and over the weekend they are entered in the Cape Cod Classic. Their next home game is Saturday, Jan. 9, versus Bishop Feehan.
MVRHS Hockey
Maggie Johnson breaks from the pack against Whitman-Hansen. Girls drop first one
Coach Sam Sherman's girls varsity ice hockey team began its seasonal play Saturday at the M.V. Arena, losing 4-1 to a talented Whitman-Hansen team, basically the same team that went to the state finals last year.
The Panthers' swarming offense created problems for the Islanders' defense, which had trouble clearing the puck, which, in turn, put extra pressure on M.V. goalie Jaimie Forend. Jaimie was phenomenal, making 36 saves.
Whitman-Hansen scored once in the first period, and twice in the second, taking a 3-0 lead into the final frame, then again in the third. The M.V. goal was by Angela DeBettencourt, who was assisted by Gillian O'Callaghan and Emily Cimeno.
The girls hosted Sandwich yesterday at 4:30 and pay a visit to Duxbury on Saturday.
Boys action starts up
The MVRHS boys ice hockey team began its season at Franklin, yesterday. Two home games follow. Bourne visits Saturday at 6 pm and Quincy comes to call Tuesday, at 4:30 pm. The next two games are away at the North Reading tournament Monday and Tuesday, December 28 and 29.
Brandon Dwane and Tim Roberts of West Tisbury have the inside track. Edgartown's Matt Davies knows a good chance when he sees it. Interscholastic basketball
In the Interscholastic Basketball League, the Tisbury school boys team beat Edgartown, 43-35. The Edgartown girls reversed the outcome and beat Tisbury, 33-18.
RCBL Week 2
The reigning champion Lakers lost their second game in as many starts Monday, at the B&G Club, this time to the Suns, 106-91.
Point guard Adam Rebello shined bright for the solar squad, scoring 19 points including six treys. James Holenko had 21 and Paul Linderson 20. Also in double figures for the Suns were Sterling Bishop with 16 and Tim Scott with 13.
Heath Estrella led the Lakers with 28. Jeff LaBell (14), Noah Hazelton (13), D.J. Dolan (12), and Jared Silva (10) gave the Lakers balanced scoring, but not quite enough.
Caleb Nicholson snagged 31 rebounds for the Lakers. James Laney had as many for the Suns.
In the other Monday RCBL game, the Heat roasted the Hornets, 100-71. Hottest of the Heat was Matt Rivers, who posted 23 points and grabbed 14 rebounds. Brant Silva had 21 and Sandy Fisher 19. Jason Dyer contributed 16,
Ryan Kurth's 22 and Brendan Long's 21 provided most of the Hornets' sting.
Boys & Girls Club Director Pete Lambos has extended the due date for players dues to January 4. Players who have not paid their way by that date will be ineligible to play until dues are paid.
Pete reminds players and fans that the RCBL is a recreational league and proper sportsmanship and behavior is expected. RCBL game night is a family affair and small children are apt to be in attendance.
Youth hockey
Sunday, the M.V. Mites played Barnstable at Barnstable to a 3-3 tie. Scoring was by Aiden Marek, with a goal and an assist, and single goals by Sean Hagerty and Hunter Ponte. Hunter Meader was credited with two assists. Ian Trance and Joe Serpa also assisted. Joe Kershaw was solid in net.
At the MV Arena, the Island Squirt B team shut out Nantucket, 5-0, in the first game of a twin bill. In the second game the Vineyarders prevailed, 7-1.
The coach was more than pleased with the team's showing, especially Jack Murray, Jacob Gundersen, JJ Mendez, and goalie Zach Fullin.
Friday, at the Arena, the MVYH House Mites played each other to a scoreless tie.
At Raynham's CDL Arena the MVYH Junior Highs defeated the Hopkinton Junior High A team, 5-3, in a Neponsiet Valley League contest.
At the Butler Arena in Barnstable, the Barnstable/Cazeaul Junior Highs swamped the Islanders Cape & Islands team, 19-2.
At the M.V. Arena, the MVYH PeeWee state team lost to Y/D's state team, 6-1.
Tomorrow, Friday, at the Arena the House Mites are in action beginning at 5 pm.
The MVYH NVL Jr. High team is at Butler Arena versus Barnstable/Cazeaul at 6 pm.
Saturday the MVYH C&I Jr. Highs play Barnstable/Cazeaul at Butler. Face-off is at 10:30 am.
At the M.V. Arena Saturday, the MVYH PeeWee State team takes on the YD State team in a round 3 tier State play down game at 11:40 am.
Also Saturday, the MVYH NVL Jr. Highs are home to Coastal at 8:10 pm.
Muzzleloaders
David Blackinton of Edgartown won the M.V. Rod & Gun Club's primitive firearms Championship, Sunday, and Steve Jordan, Sr., also of Edgartown, took top honors in the modern muzzleloading firearms competition.
Runner-up in the primitive shoot was Tom O'Hanlon. Steve Jordan, Jr. was second with a modern firearm.
The weather was ideal for the occasion and a goodly number of shooters registered to compete.
The Bill Nicholson Award went to Richard Carlson of Vineyard Haven. The plaque is presented to the outstanding participant in the annual Black Powder shoot in memory of primitive firearm enthusiast and Civil War buff Bill Nicholson.
Still other shooters took home hams donated by Cronig's Market, in recognition of their persistence in shooting their muzzleloading black powder rifles at difficult targets.
Youth basketball
In the second week of the Cape Cod Youth Basketball season the Vineyard 7th grade boys travel team played host to Barnstable. The Cape Codders began with a fast-paced, end-to-end offense and grew a 10-point lead by the half-time break.
In the second period the Vineyard employed a full court press, gaining control of the tempo and closing the gap, cutting the lead in half, 26-21.
The second half saw no letdown of the defensive pressure by the Vineyarders and a balanced scoring attack erased the lead entirely. Colin Cameron and Mike Mussell scored away from the basket, Tim Roberts and Alex Gordon Beck scored from the low post.
The Islanders pulled ahead and surged to a 61-51 win. Gordon Beck tallied 16, Cameron had 14, Mussell chipped in with 10 and Roberts had 9.
Earlier the Islanders tackled League powerhouse Sandwich. Out sized, the Islanders struggled to contain the Blue Knights offense. Final score: Sandwich 61, Martha's Vineyard 34. Roberts led the M.V. scorers with 18 points. Brandon Dwane contributed five.
The Vineyarders are even on the season, 2-2, and have two more games scheduled before the holiday break.
