Sports
How sweep it is! M.V. girls and boys beat Nantucket
By Ralph Stewart
Colby Gouldrup takes off upfield en route to scoring the winning goal in overtime. Click on photo to enlarge. Photo by Ralph Stewart The Vineyard girls and boys lacrosse squads rode the fast ferry to Nantucket on Saturday and returned home with a pair of Maritime League victories over their archrivals.
The girls got three goals from Hayley Pierce in a 12-6 win, and the boys survived a furious fourth-quarter Whaler comeback to win 9-8 on Colby Gouldrup’s goal in overtime.
Both varsity teams, jayvee players, parents, and fans —over 100 people in all — boarded the New England Fast Ferry on a beautiful Saturday morning and made the one-hour trip to Nantucket.
The company offered the Vineyard lacrosse boosters a generous rate, just enough to cover its costs on the day.
Alayna Hutchinson battles a Whaler for a loose ball Click on photo to enlarge.NEFF Island terminal manager John Tiernan emphasized the importance of the Island rivalry. “Nantucket is the last true rival we have and this [lacrosse] is the only sport where we’re in the same league,” he said. “We’re doing whatever we can to keep the rivalry alive. We’re here for the Island. We encourage all the schools to contact us, anytime they have to go to Nantucket, or go anywhere. We are open for charters. We’ll make it affordable, no matter what they want to go over there and do.”
The girls were first to take the field at Vito Capizzo Stadium and quickly had their hosts three goals down, thanks to goals from Molly Fischer, Hayley Pierce, and Kate Cecilio.
Fischer tallied again and Pierce scored twice more to put the Vineyarders ahead 7-2 early in half two.
M.V. increased its lead to 10-3 on goals from Maddie Hughes, Cat Todd, and Brianna Davies before the Whalers scored three straight to briefly make things interesting late in the second half.
Maddie Hughes leaps and fires on goal in the first half. Click on photo to enlarge.Coach Betsy Dripps wisely called a time out and M.V. responded by milking the clock and getting insurance markers from Kate Cecilio and Alayna Hutchinson to seal the win.
Coach Dripps was pleased with her balanced offense and cited Olivia Gross and Lonni Phillips for their defensive efforts and Brianna Davies for tenacious midfield play.
“I was proud of them, they’re good and they’re on a roll,” coach Dripps said. “Our new goalie Maggie Johnson did a superb job, the defense did well, and I was pleased with everybody.”
Boys also win
The boys game was a story of two quarters. The Vineyarders broke the game open in the second period, scoring four times to lead 5-1 at the break. Then the Whalers overturned a 7-2 deficit, scoring six times in the final stanza to tie the game at 8 with one minute left in regulation.
Erik Dolliver, Brooks Billingham (2), Chris Costello, and DJ Kaeka scored in the first half. Colby Gouldrup and Shane Schofield netted M.V. goals six and seven in half two.
The four-minute overtime was a microcosm of a game that crackled with the kind of intensity one has come to expect from the Island rivalry through the years. Both teams ran furiously up and down the field, each coming close to scoring and leaving their respective fans breathless, until Louis Jacobs-Walsh fed Colby Gouldrup for the game-winner with 45 seconds remaining.
Back on the fast ferry, coach Chris Greene needed to catch a few breaths before offering his analysis.
“Great game…that is the rivalry that is Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. It’s always a nail-biter,” he said.
“I knew if we didn’t shut the door that Nantucket would have one of its patented runs. They got back in the game, but today was just our day…We played with heart.”
Thursday the M.V. boys dropped Bridgewater–Raynham, here, 14-7. Eric Dolliver and Max Conley led the purple attack each with four goals.
Sophomore goalie Nelson Dickson was credited with 17 saves on 24 chances. Colby Gouldrup, also a sophomore, won 12 of 14 draws. Darren Gazaille won seven of 10.
On Tuesday, M.V. beat New Bedford here, 13-2. Billingham, Conley, and Gouldrup each scored three times. Jacobs-Walsh had two goals and Shane Schofield, Chris Costello, and Jordan Wallace contributed one.
The Islanders tackle Westford Academy away on Saturday.
Also Tuesday, the M.V. girls crushed New Bedford here, 15-4. Kate Cecilio led the offense with four goals and three assists. Both Hayley Pierce and Molly Fischer scored three times. Alayna Hutchinson and Maddie Hughes each had two. Angela DeBettencourt also scored.
Goalie Maggie Johnson had 11 saves. The unbeaten M.V. girls travel to Norwell, today.
Alyssa Adler hits a forehand winner in the first singles match against Mashpee. Click on photo to enlarge.Tennis teams triumph
Both the girls and boys tennis teams swept Mashpee, 5-0, Monday.
At Mashpee, all three boys singles players won in straight sets: Reid Yennie, 6-1, 6-0, at first singles; Kent Leonard, 6-0, 6-1, at second; and Win Grimm, 6-0, 6-0, at third. Grimm was one point shy of a “golden set” winning 23 straight points without a loss.
The M.V. doubles teams were equally dominant.
Grant McCarthy and Justice Yennie won their match, 6-0, 6-0. Thomas Tilton-Heylin and Grant Meacham won, 6-0, 6-2.
The boys next match is at Somerset, Friday. Saturday Bishop Stang visits at 11 am.
The M.V. girls team was equally impressive, playing their match at the Falcons’ nest.
Alyssa Adler won at first singles, 6-0, 6-1. Dylan Brockmeyer triumphed at second, 6-2, 6-2. Annie Burton completed the singles monopoly, 6-1, 6-1.
At doubles, Teanna Montoya and Michaella Gaines succeeded, 6-3, 6-3, and Julia Cooper and Annabelle Hackney swept to a 6-0, 6-1 victory.
We will watch the girls tennis team with special interest. Over the years the team has had a number of coaches, some of whom were volunteers with little knowledge or experience in the game. Now Grace Bochicchio, who set a record for wins at Vero Beach High School and played first singles at Duke, has taken up the coaching chores even as the Vineyard Youth tennis program is producing more talented players. Five of the girls on Monday’s winning tennis team are underclassmen.
It’s Heat versus Suns
The Heat eliminated the Lakers from the post-season playoffs, early Monday evening, at the B&G Club, winning the second of their three-game series, 115-107.
The game was closer than the final score suggests. At the half the Lakers were ahead, 62-54. After three quarters, the score was tied at 86. The teams exchanged one-point leads throughout the fourth quarter. With six minutes on the clock, the Lakers were up by one, 96-95. Three minutes later, it was the Heat 107-104.
The game was won and lost at the foul line. In the fourth quarter the Heat cashed 10 of 10 freebies. The Lakers missed 12 of their last 13 chances from the foul line.
Brant Silvia (32), Damon Mello (25) and Mike Joyce (21) led the Heat scorers, while Heath Estrella (25), Caleb Nicholson (24) and Jordan McNeal (20) paced the Lakers attack.
In the second game, Monday evening, the league-leading Suns burned the Bulls, 120-79.
The Sun’s Tim Scott had the game-high 34. Matt Brown donated 23, James Holenko had 20, and Sterling Bishop 19.
Tyson Lippincott (23) and Ryan Kurth (20) bore the brunt of battle for the Bulls.
The Suns vs. Heat best two of three finals for RCBL bragging rights begins Monday at the B&G at 6:30 pm.
Mike Mussell served out the match and the championship for Tisbury. Click on photo to enlarge.Tigers triumph
The Tisbury school’s volleyball team entered the West Tisbury Hawks’ aerie to take on the only team to have beaten them during the season, beaten them twice!
But this was the playoffs, another day. The winner would take home the championship trophy.
Tisbury won the first game, well-played on both sides of the net, 25-18. The second game went Tisbury’s way also, 25-14.
West Tisbury dug down a little deeper and came away with game three, 25-16.
The team from Vineyard Haven took the fourth game, and the match, 25-16. With the teams tied at 16, Mike Mussell rotated to the service line for Tisbury and served up the final nine points, three of them unreturned aces.
Certainly volleyball is a team game. Even so, a few Tisbury players keyed their team’s success, Tuesday, and are worthy of mention, especially Evandro Medici and Ariana Warren.
Winning pitcher Caroline Davey hurls the ball to the plate as a Falcon takes off from second. Click on photo to enlarge.Softies hard on foes
The high school softball season got off to a blazing start Thursday as fireballer Caroline Davey pitched a no-hitter at Dennis/ Yarmouth while her teammates were crossing the plate 20 times.
Monday’s game at home with Mashpee was a 15-7 win for the Vineyarders, their second of the season. M.V. scored in first, second, third, and sixth innings. Caroline Davey went the distance on the “mound,” picking up her second W.
Gail Herman collected three hits in four at bats. Both Taylor Perrotta and Martha Scheffer hit safely twice. Every girl in the lineup scored.
The girls are at Somerset Friday.
The junior varsity lost its game to Mashpee, 4-2.
Track teams off on right foot
Both the boys and girls track teams won their season- opening meets at Mashpee, Tuesday.
The girls ran away with a 98-37 win. Maddie Penicaud was a triple winner in the high jump, 200 meters (m), and long jump. Megan Dreyer doubled in the mile and 400 meters. Jesse Chandler was best with the javelin.
The M.V. boys needed a win in the final 4x400 relay to claim the meet and they got it from Rafael Maciel, Mike Kendall, Willie Nevin, and Andres Silva.
Nevin also led a Vineyard sweep of the mile with Mike Schroeder and Luke Sederholm. The Islanders also took all the points in the high hurdles: Conor Estes, Rafael Maciel, and Vincent Carlomagno. The also won the 4x100 relay.
Mashpee earned most of its points in the field events.
Others who won their events were: Sidra Dumont, discus; Kaya Nivala, high and low hurdles; Constance Chandler, javelin.
Megan Dreyer, mile and 400m; Jill McHugh, 800m; Shivone Schofield, 2 miles; Micah Agnoli, discus; Je’Vaughn Crooks, 400m; Conor Estes, low hurdles; Marcus Hopkins, 2 miles.
M.V. boys 71, Mashpee 64.
Correction
Last week’s Times reversed the credits in the Squirt C’s 1-0 championship game with the Barnstable Thrashers. M.V.’s winning (and the game’s only) goal was scored by Hunter Ponte, assisted by Kyle Hatt.
Soccer success
The Under-13 boys M.V. travel soccer team scorched Norton, 5-0, at Bliss Field in Rehoboth, Saturday. Scorers were Gabriel de Oliveira, Ryan Uva, Lee Faraca, Silas Berlin, and Colin Cameron.
The U-13 girls edged Dartmouth, 1-0, on a goal by Jessica Campbell.
Squirts triumph
The Lower Cape Spring tournament was held at the Moore Arena in Orleans last weekend, won by the Vineyard Squirt C team.
Friday the Islanders trounced Waltham, 4-2, Wilson Slayton scored twice. Both Hunter Ponte and Jack Murray also found the back of the net.
Early Saturday, Slayton led the Island’s 9-3 attack on NRI with four goals. Also scoring: Ellie Hanjian (2), Hunter Ponte (2), and Jack Murray.
Later Saturday, the Vineyarders took Groton to school, 5-1. Slayton led again with three goals. Both Ponte and Ian Trance also scored.
Sunday the final game was a reprise with NRI, but this time the game ended in a 2-2 tie. Slayton and Ponte did the M.V. scoring.
Hardball
The Vineyard baseball varsity lost their third game in as many starts, Monday, at home to Mashpee, shut out by Tyler Shute, 8-0. M.V. had just two hits, one a double by Anthony Piland. It was the Islanders third loss of the early season.
Last Thursday, the Vineyarders were shutout by Falmouth, 2-0. M.V. pitcher Will Stewart deserved better, He went 5-plus innings and gave up just one hit. Lamar Moreis and Cody Coutinho were both 2 for 3 at the plate.
Duplicate bridge news
There were four tables in play in West Tisbury last Thursday. First were Dan and Nancy Cabot. Barbara and Susan Silk were runners-up. For third, Ed Russell and Deirdre Ling, tied with Hugh Knipmeyer and Bill Blakesley.
There were 5.5 tables in play on Tuesday this week in Vineyard Haven. David Donald and Michele Riel won. Hugh Knipmeyer and Bill Blakesley were second, Barbara Besse and Sue Collinson were third, and Bob Iadicicco and Norman Fried were fourth.
Gail Farrish and Dottie Arnold played in the Vermont Spring Sectional in Burlington last weekend and earned 3.80 silver points apiece. They placed in pair events on Friday afternoon and evening, and were on a Swiss team that finished second in flight C on Saturday.
Over the winter in Florida, Ed Russell and Deirdre Ling both passed the 300 master-point total and became Life Masters. The pair had finished amassing the necessary 25 gold points at the Newton regional tournament in January.
Darts at the PA
On Thursday, March 18, Robert O’Sullivan, Dave Bettencourt, Cosmo Creanga, and Tom Landers had the oh-so-hot-hand, winning all 11 points and shutting out Donny Welty, Pete Searle, Mike Lipinsky, and Linda Wood.
The next week the O’Sullivan crew tied with Wes Wood, James Rowell, Jack Welch, and Dave Morgan. The O’Sullivan team won the tie-beaker, 6-5. Jack Welch hit a 140 three-dart-out.
April 1, no fooling, Robert and David O’Sullivan with Brenda Welch, won another 6-5 playoff against Ray Blanchette, John Androitis, Tom Landers, and Charlene Barbosa.
With three weeks to go in the season, Robert O’Sullivan’s team leads the league with 62 points. Wes Wood’s Wonders are second, 10 points back, Donny Welty’s Warriors are third at 46.
Wes and Robert are tied each with 17 tons, and Robert, David O’Sullivan, and Linda Wood have each won seven singles matches.
