Sports
West Tisbury and Oak Bluffs win Island basketball titles
The Oak Bluffs girls varsity basketball team claimed the interscholastic league championship by besting Edgartown at the high school's Sancy Pachico gym, Wednesday, February 17, 38-29, completing the '09 -'10 season undefeated. It was the second year in a row that the Lady Blazers were unscathed.
The 2010 undefeated Lady Blazers. front row, L-R: Kaitlin Maciel, Sabrina Reppert, Grace Oslyn, Tayza Browne. top row: Kenya Peters, Isabelle Wadleigh, Mariah Duarte, Emma Yuen, Hayley Maciel, Coach Alex McClusky, Josie Iadicicco, Diamond Araujo, Emily deBettencourt. Click on photo to enlarge. Photos by Leslie LookO.B. started Wednesday's game warm, quickly running up an early 14-5 lead and sitting pretty, 21-9, at the half.
Hayley Maciel and Mariah Duarte were high scorers for the Blazers, each with a dozen points.
Edgartown mounted an impressive drive late in the second half as Aubrey Ashman sank four three-pointers. Her 15 points were the team's high. Rae Filley added nine points and game-long hustle to the Eagles effort.
The champion O.B. girls coach was Alex McCluskey, who also coached the Oak Bluffs boys team. The Edgartown girls coach was Tara Morris.
The 2010 champion Hawks celebrate with their coach, John Roberts. Click on photo to enlarge.Up-Island boys win
Also Wednesday at the Sancy, the West Tisbury boys defeated Oak Bluffs, 56-44, avenging last year's title game loss to the Blazers.
O.B. jumped off to a 9-0 lead in the first four minutes, then went cold and the Hawks, paced by Tim Roberts, used three-pointers to catch and pass the Blazers on their way to an 18-13 edge at the half.
A full-court press served the Hawks well in the second period.
Oak Bluffs's Alex Gordon-Beck led all scorers with 14 points. Both Nat Marchand and Ben Wadleigh finished with an even dozen for the Blazers. Kane Araujo's 13 was high for the Hawks. Joe Turney contributed 10 more. Sam Entner's rebounding was a key to the Up-Islanders' win.
Sam Griswold contributed to this story.
Hayley Maciel leaps for a layup and two of her team-high 12 points. Click on photo to enlarge.
Blazer Yannick Gonsalves starts a fast break. Click on photo to enlarge.Seniors Day
Senior appreciation day, Friday, was a day to celebrate at the Martha's Vineyard Arena as the Vineyard girls team edged the Westwood Wolverines, 1-0, and the MV boys skated by the Dennis-Yarmouth Dolphins, 5-1.
Cody Pachico takes the puck to the DY net. Click on photo to enlarge. Photos by M.C. WalloThe games were a study in contrasts. The girls teams played three periods without committing a single foul. The boys teams, on the other hand, committed a combined total of 16 fouls, 12 in the third period alone.
The Island boys stepped off on the right foot when Jock Cooperrider scored unassisted just a minute and a half into the game. Cody Pachico followed with another unassisted goal at the 3:51 mark.
The only penalty in the period was a minor called on DY.
Shots on goal were all but even, MV 7, DY 6.
Both teams scored in the second frame. The Islanders went up 3-0 when Connor Chisholm beat goalie Mike Lambias at 4:05, aided and abetted by the Davies, Max and Chris.
Christian Saunders gave the Dolphins their only point in the final minute of the period, assisted by John Fanara and Joe Slovak, at 14:17.
Chris Davies lets it fly. Click on photo to enlarge.One minute and 23 seconds into the third period, Charles Goldthwait upped the ante to 4-1 with help from Colby Gouldrup and Tyler Araujo. Gouldrup and Araujo combined to give the Islanders their final counter with six minutes remaining on the clock.
The game had been a physical one from the outset, but the roughhouse level grew as the end approached. The Dolphins were whistled for five infractions during the final nine minutes. The Vineyarders were sent to the sin bin seven times. The most popular call seemed to be unsportsmanlike behavior, often enough a euphemism for taking a swing at an opposing player.
The Islanders took 32 shots on goal to the Dolphins 20.
Senior Alex Dorr made 19 saves in his final appearance in goal for the Vineyard.
Other seniors who were recognized in a pregame ceremony were: Darren Gazaille, Chris Davies, Cody Pachico, Ted Kram, Brooks Billingham, and Henry Smith.
The boys team finished the season with a record of seven wins, 12 losses, one tie. During the season they scored 63 goals to their opponents 69.
MV girls win
Only three girls on the '09-'10 MVRHS hockey team were seniors: Leah Selby, Phoebe Kelleher, and Jaime Forend. Friday, each took a turn at presenting her parents with a bouquet while accepting the applause of teammates, family, and spectators, just before the puck was dropped beginning the team's final game of the season with the Westwood Wolverines at the M.V. Arena.
The first period was scoreless and free of penalties. The Islanders had a slight advantage in shots on goal, 7-6.
The SOG advantage was Westwood's, 9-8, in the second frame, the only period that produced a goal, that by Gillian O'Callaghan, assisted by Lily Gazaille at 3:46. Again, the period was without a penalty.
The third period continued the game's penalty-free state, and again the Wolverines outshot the Islanders, this time 6-3 to finish with a 21-15 edge in scoring opportunities But MV goalie Jaime Forend more than made up for the visitor's shooting edge, stopping every one of the challenges that came her way for a shutout, her second of the season.
The Vineyarders ended the season with five wins, 14 losses, and, one tie. They scored 33 points to their opponents' 67.
YD Squirts squashed
Powered by Hunter Ponte's seven goals, the MV Youth Hockey Squirt C team trounced visiting Yarmouth Dennis at the Arena in the first game of a doubleheader, Sunday, 12-1. Other M.V. goals were by Wilson Slayton (3), Jack Murray, and John Alexander.
Slayton, Murray, and Colin Buckley were credited with assists.
In the second game, the Vineyarders won by shutting out YD, 10-0. Ponte was held to two goals. Jack Murray, Justin Alexander, and Wilson Slayton also scored twice. Ian Trance and Colin Buckley also scored.
Assisting were Murray (3), Alexander, Slayton, and Buckley.
At the M.V. Arena, Saturday, Feb. 13,, the M.V. PeeWee B squad erased a one-goal deficit, overtaking Lower Cape and posting three goals in the third period. Scoring were Cooper Rogers, Nainoa Cooperrider, and Aubrey Ashmun, assisted by Mason Jeffers, Nick Vukota, and Greg McCarren. On Sunday, the 21st, at the Charles Moore Arena, the Vineyarders did it again before raucous Coyote fans. Belle Dining, assisted by Ansel Cooperrider, put the Islanders on the board. James Sashin was next, converting a smooth Oren Osnoss pass in the second period. Anthony Jackson netted the backbreaker in the third. Strong goaltending by Wyatt Jenkinson and all-around play by Nainoa Cooperrider, Josh Forend, Steve Brown, and Anthony Jackson kept the Coyotes at bay.
At the Kennedy Arena, Sunday, the PeeWees played a solid passing game but were stymied by the Barnstable Rainville goalies and came up short, 2-1. Emerson Mahoney scored on a first period breakaway, but that was it.
Saturday, at the M,V. Arena, the undermanned Vineyard Junior Highs worked hard to secure a 5-5 tie with Nantucket. Alexander Vukota scored the first goal, assisted by brother Nick and by Eamon Mackenzie. Also scoring were Andrew Wiley, Nick Vukota (2), and Matt Davies. Assist credits went to Steven Brown, Matt Davies, and another by Mackenzie.
Goalie Caleb Hallett made 21 saves. Mac Sashin won a bushel of face-offs. Jack Slayton and Mike Mazza had strong games.
In the nightcap of the double header, a sluggish Vineyard squad bowed to the Noreasters, 7-2. Dorian Johnson and Nick Vukota scored. Mike Mazza assisted.
Charter's thanks
The M.V. Public Charter School basketball team and coaches are grateful for the opportunity to practice in the several school gyms as well as the MV Boys & Girls Club. Having no home court of their own all of the Charter School's games were necessarily "on the road."
Falmouth Academy included the MV Public Charter school with an invitation to play in their tournament. Peter Breese, Diana Lazano, and Tom Penicaud gave generously of their time to mentor and coach the team.
Boys Basketball
With a season record of 15 wins and three losses, the Martha's Vineyard boys varsity basketball team was ranked sixth in Division 3 South by the MIAA and given a bye in round one of the postseason tournament. Today, Thursday, Feb. 25, at 5:15 pm, the Islanders host Rockland, which defeated Hanover in round one, Tuesday, 54-51. Rockland is the 11th seed. Hanover is seeded 22nd.
Ranked ahead of the Vineyard are 1.Cardinal Spellman, 19-1; 2. Medway, 19-1, 3. Wareham, 19-1; 4. Norwell, 18-2; and 5. Abington, 17-3.
Coach Mike Joyce was pleased with the team's Sunday scrimmage with Sandwich.
Darts fly at the PA Club
Donny Welty, Peter Searle, John Androitis Jr., and Linda Wood combined efforts to defeat Robert O'Sullivan's darts team, Thursday, February 4, 7-4.
A week later Wes Wood, James Rowell, John Rancourt, and Jack Welch earned the cash by besting Welty's Wonders, 8-3. David O'Sullivan tossed a 100 three-dart-on.
On February 18, The Welty Wonders won at the expense of Ray Blanchette, John Androitis Sr., and Charlene Barbosa, 8-3.
Team Standings: the Don Welty and Wes Wood teams are tied for first with 18 points. Robert O'Sullivan's team is right behind with 17.
Jack Welch leads with seven tons. David O'Sullivan, Donny Welty, and Linda Wood are tied with most singles, each has three.
Mea culpa
Some errors crept onto the sports pages last week and we hasten to offer corrections.
In the Highlight "Christina's fan club," Cristina Wiley's name was misspelled and B.U. did not lose the hockey game with Northeastern; they won.
The first Vineyard female runner to complete the 20 mile road race on February 20 was Marylee Schroeder of West Tisbury. She made the run in 2:41:16 and was 135th overall.
