Sports
By Don Lyons
Published: April 29, 2010
Little Leaguers to march
Aksel Cooperrider applies the tag to a sliding Tristan Araujo at second base in the Cards-A's game. Photos by Ralph Stewart. Click on photo to enlarge.This year's Little League opening ceremonies, Saturday, include a parade of uniformed players up Circuit Avenue to Veira Park accompanied by an Oak Bluffs Police cruiser, four fire trucks (from O.B., Edgartown, Tisbury and West Tisbury), and a band. The parade begins at 9:30 am.
At Veira all the uniformed baseball players (Little League, Minor League, Farm League, Teeball League) will line up on the foul lines for the singing of the National Anthem by two Vineyard young ladies, Sarah Dawson and Emelia Cappelli.
A ceremonial first pitch will be thrown by Brian Rose. Born and raised in New Bedford, Mr. Rose is a former major league pitcher with the Boston Red Sox. Team pictures will be taken followed by three baseball games. At 11 am the Mets play the Cubs. At 1:30 pm it's A's vs. Cardinals, and at 4 pm the Red Sox try to tame the Tigers.
Nick Vukota took a turn on the mound for the Cards. Click on photo to enlarge.Already open
In fact, the Little League began play on Monday with a meeting of last year's finalists: the A's and the Cardinals.
It was a raw, overcast day that felt more like football than baseball.
The two teams, which looked so sharp at the end of the '09 season, played a less than impressive game with many walks, wild pitches, passed balls, and strike outs.
In short, they looked like a couple of young teams playing their first game after a long lay-off, which, of course, is precisely what they were.
The A's won, 10-4, accepting 16 bases on balls from Cardinal pitchers.
Tuesday it was the Mets vs. Cubs and Wednesday the Tigers took on the Red Sox.
We're number one!
The Vineyard FC Masters soccer team hosted its first home game ever in the New England Over The Hill Soccer League, Sunday, as Needham, the league's leading team visited Tisbury's Veterans Memorial Park.
At the half, the Vineyard FC Masters were ahead, 3-1, on the strength of a hat trick by striker Rodolfo Fernandez.
The Islanders added a fourth point in the second half when Vander "Buick" DeOliveira scored on a direct kick from 25 yards out.
The win moves MV into first place in Division 6 of the New England Over The Hill League with seven points.
Next Sunday the Vineyard FC Masters will tackle Dover Sherborn off Island.
Striker Rodolfo Fernandez occupies the attention of the Needham goalie. Good reason! Rodolfo had a hat trick. Click on photo to enlarge.
"Buick" de Oliveira scored on a direct kick. Click on photo to enlarge.Suns even the series
The Suns ran away with the second of three final RCBL games setting up a winner-take-all game with the Heat next Monday at the B&G Club beginning at 7:00 pm.
The Heat's Brant Silvia pursues Tim Scott of the Suns in the "paint." Click on photo to enlarge.It was as physical a game as a game could be and still be called basketball.
The Suns led from the start and were never headed. After the first 12-minute quarter, the Suns were up 32-24. In the second period, Matt Brown scored 14 points and Adam Rebello dropped three from beyond the arc and the Suns increased their lead at the half to 65-42.
The Heat held their own in the second half, even outscoring the Suns, but the horse had left the barn and the Suns beamed at the end, 106 - 93.
High scorer for the Suns was Adam Rebello with 29, including four from downtown. Six of the seven Suns finished in double figures: Matt Brown 23, Sterling Bishop 14, James Holenko, 12, James Laney 12, and Mike Baptiste 10.
Chris Joyce had 26 for the Suns, also including four treys.
Damon Mello had 23 and Brant Silvia added 17.
David O'Sullivan was a member of the winning darts team and a competitor in the annual season-ending tournament. Click on photo to enlarge.Darts finals
At the end of a season that began February 4, the MV Dart League had its last fling Thursday at the P-A. Steve Maciel, Peter Searle, Mike Lipinsky, and Linda Wood claimed top money with a 7-4 defeat of Ray Blanchette et al.
Robert O'Sullivan's team finished the season in first place with 83 points, 11 better than Wes Wood's team.
Robert and David O'Sullivan, father and son, tied for the most singles won with 10.
Wes Wood had the most tons, 72.
Best 3-dart-on was 101 by Pete Searle.
Best 3-dart-out was 140 by Jack Welch.
Some 80 darters registered for the annual MV tournament at the P.A. Club.
In the seven events, two Islanders claimed prize money. Kim Cottrill claimed second place money in Friday's Luck of the Draw competition. On Sunday, Linda Wood was third at Ladies Singles.
Off-Islanders came from New York, New Jersey, and all New England states.
High school lacrosse teams roll
Sandwich visited Thursday for a boys lacrosse game and made it as close as anyone could ask but the Blue Knights sailed away on the short end of a 5-4 score.
Sandwich scored first, five minutes into the game, but Ray Perry answered for the Islanders with two and a half minutes remaining in the first quarter.
MV went up 3-1 on bang-bang goals by Erik Dolliver and Max Conley. both in the fourth minute of the second quarter.
Before the quarter was over, Sandwich found the back of the net to make the score 3-2 at the half.
Late in the third quarter Sandwich tied the score.
Dolliver untied it with his second goal 1:14 into the final period and Perry added another on a power play a minute later which proved to be the winning margin.
With five minutes remaining and a Vineyard player serving time in the penalty box, Sandwich scored its fourth goal.
In the closing minutes the ball changed hands repeatedly but neither team could score.
MV net tender Nelson Dickson was credited with 12 saves on 16 shots on goal.
Dartmouth beaten here and there
Wednesday, here, the Dartmouth boys scored first but would not post another goal until Dolliver, Conley, Costello and Dolliver again had given the Vineyard a 4-1 lead. The final count was 10-4. Dolliver finished with five goals and Conley had three. Schofield and Costello also scored.
Nelson Dickson was strong in goal stopping 8 of 12 shots on goal. D.J. Kaeka won all but one of 16 faceoffs. Patrick Hart was a bulwark on defense.
M.V. improved to 6-3 on the season, 4-1 in the Maritime.
Girls also win
Tuesday, the MV girls lacrosse team met the challenge posed by a talented Dartmouth team at South Dartmouth, 18-12. MV scored the first four goals , two by Maddie Hughes, one each by Hayley Pierce and Molly Fischer. The Indians responded, taking the lead with five goals. Goals by Fischer, Hughes, and Kate Cecilio put the Vineyard back on top, temporarily, as Dartmouth answered and led 9-8 at the half.
Goals by Pierce and Fischer gave the advantage back to the Islanders only to be tied at the 18-minute mark.
The final minutes belonged to the Vineyard as they scored five times in a row. Dartmouth scored two more goals but two was not enough and the Islanders came home with the win.
Scoring was by Molly Fischer 6, Hayly Pierce 4, Maddie Hughes 4, Kate Cecilio 2, Jennie Lindland 2, Alayna Hutchinson had 4 for assists.
The varsity girls are 7-1 on the season, 6-0 in the Maritime.
The Vineyard Jayvees also won their game at Dartmouth, 19-9. They hold a similar 7-1 overall record, 6-0 in the league.
The teams next tough assignments are at Hopkinton there today, and Norwell here, Sunday at 12:10.
Hopkinton is rated #5 in the state, Norwell is #3.
Interscholastic ball games
The Junior High baseball and softball teams begin play on Tuesday, May 4, at Vineyard Haven's Veterans Memorial Park as the Edgartown softball team takes on Tisbury. The next day the same schools play baseball.
All of the interscholastic Junior High games, baseball and softball, will be played at Veterans Park.
The Charter school enters the fray this year to play a full schedule of softball and baseball games versus Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, Tisbury and West Tisbury.
Make up and semifinal games will be played May 25. The finals will be on May 27, weather permitting of course.
Pitch, Hit, Run
The Diamond Club and Vineyard Baseball will host a free Aquafina Major League Baseball Pitch, Hit and Run competition on Sunday, May 2 from 10 am to 2 pm at the MVRHS "field of dreams" baseball field.
The Pitch, Hit and Run competition is designed to provide youngsters with an opportunity to compete, without charge, and recognize excellence in core baseball/softball skills.
Competitors will be divided into four age divisions: 7/8, 9/10. 11/12, 13/14 (age as of July 17, 2010).
The local winners in each age group may advance to sectional levels of competition.
All participants must bring a copy of their birth certificate and fill out a registration/waiver prior to competing. Registration begins at 10 am.
For more information call Anthony Piland Sr. at 508-693-0809 or see http://mlb,mlb,com/mlb/ kids/mlb pitch hit run.jsp.
How to go, Pete!
Peter Ferrini, a senior student and lacrosse player at St. Andrew's School in Boca Raton, Florida, son of Pete and Linda Ferrini of Edgartown, has received the Tartan Award given to a "superior athlete who reaches his highest potential through courage, perseverance and integrity."
The Boca Raton lacrosse team has a record of 68 wins and three losses and has won the Florida State Championship three years in a row. It is ranked 8th nationally.
Pete will attend St. Mary's College, Maryland, in the fall.
Softball loss
The MVRHS softball team was shut out, 5-0, by Bishop Feehan at Attleboro, Monday. Alicia Oliviera had a hit and made a diving catch in the outfield. The Islanders dropped to 4-5 on the season, 0-3 in the EAC.
Baseball update
The MVRHS varsity baseball team lost its game to Norwell at the Westwood Tourney a week ago Wednesday, 5-3.
Will Stewart started on the mound and gave up two earned runs in 5 2/3rds innings, walking three and fanning two. Norwell scored four of its runs in the second inning, taking full advantage of two MV errors.
Island bats could manage only one hit, that by Lamar Moreis. Two of the Vineyard's three runs were aided and abetted by Norwell errors.
The team lost to Bishop Feehan here, Monday, 7-2. Ben Ciciora took the loss giving up six hits and three earned runs. He fanned four and walked two. The score was tied, 2-2, after four innings. Both Lamar Moreis and Ryan Fisher had two hits.
The team is 1-7 on the year, 0-3 in the EAC.
Girls Youth LaX teams excel
The MV girls Youth Lacrosse Under-15 team has won its first three games of the season beginning with a 12-2 thrashing of Falmouth, and continuing at Weymouth where the Islanders were led by Molly Wallace's five - count 'em - five goals. Samantha Maltais added two more. Chantal Booker, Emma Yuen, Aubrey Ashmun, and Alex Clark also contributed points to the 12-6 victory. Dartmouth visited on the 18th and were treated to an 8-6 defeat. Molly Wallace had a hat trick and Alice Keenan scored twice, Isabel Smith and Lee Hayman also scored.
MV coaches acknowledged the good works of goalies Kayla Geddis and Sam Hargy.
The Under-13 girls have kept up with their elders, beating Falmouth, 8-2, topping Weymouth 6-3 on goals by Audrey McCarron (2), Belle Dinning (2), Kyle Hatt and Lee Hayman.
The U-13s went right on winning Sunday, beating Dartmouth here, 7-3. Lee Hayman, Kylie Hatt, and Shannon Morris each scored a pair. Belle Dinning also scored.
This Sunday the girls are at Dartmouth.
Boys win, lose
On Sunday, April 18, the Under-13 boys Youth Lacrosse team traveled to Bourne and returned with a 4-1 win under their belts. Greg McCarron scored twice. Austin Chandler, Wyatt Jenkinson, and Robert McLaughlin also scored.
The Under-11 boys team hosted Hanover, Sunday, and lost to the visitors, 9-5.
MV goals were scored by Hunter Ponte, Sam Rollins, Jacob Gunderson, and Donald O'Shaughnessy (2) assisted by Gunderson, Jackson Mahaffey (2), Lucas DeBettencourt, and O'Shaughnessy.
Coach Bruce Mahaffey lauded MV goalie for "gutsy play in the net all afternoon."
Duplicate bridge results
There were two and a half tables in play on Thursday last week in West Tisbury. Nancy Neil and Sue Collinson were first with a 72 percent game. Ed Russell and Deirdre Ling were a distant second.
Tuesday's winners in Vineyard Haven were Eric Stricoff and Rhonda Cohen. Bill Blakesley and Cecily Greenaway were second; Barbara Besse and Sue Collinson, third; and Nancy Neil and Ency Fokos, fourth. There were five and a half tables in play.
