Sports
Whalers repulsed
Nantucket sent its high school boys' and girls' lacrosse teams to the Vineyard, Saturday, to test their metal against their inter-island adversaries.
Maddie Hughes charges toward the goal, aggressively pursued by a Whaler defender. Photox by Ralph Stewart Click on photo to enlarge.The Vineyard girls ran away with their game. At the half time break MV enjoyed an 11-1 lead. which grew to 18-2 after 20 minutes of the second half. Facing certain one-sided defeat, the Whaling ladies did not quit. In the last three minutes of the contest they scored three times. Final score: 18-5.
The girls played two 25-minute halves. The boys played four 12-minute quarters.
The boys' game was closer, but once again, the winners wore purple.
Darren Gazaille began the scoring with the game not quite one minute old. Three minutes later, Shane Schofield upped the ante to 2-0. Nantucket posted its first point with 3:42 left in the first quarter and in the final minute Nick Costello made it 3-1,
Both teams scored twice in the second quarter. Erik Dolliver and Colby Gouldrup did the damage for the Vineyard. At the half the home team was up 5-3.
Gazaille scored his second goal off the face off. It took only eight seconds. Nantucket kept pace and with the game clock reading 9:21, the Whalers scored their fourth.
Jenny Lindland leaps and fires the ball into the twine against Falmouth. Click on photo to enlarge.Brooks Billingham and Nick Costello (2) put together a three-goal run to reach the 3/4 mark up 9-4.
Both teams added a goal in the fourth quarter, the Vineyard's by Billingham.
Taylor Thayer paced the Whaler attack with three goals.
MV goalie Nelson Dickson stopped seven shots on goal.
Final score: MV 10, Nantucket 5.
Senior day versus Falmouth
Tuesday the Vineyard girls were home to a feisty, strong, revenge-seeking Falmouth team. Molly Fischer started the scoring, fed by Hayley Pierce, just 10 seconds into the game. Falmouth tied the score 19 minutes later but not for long. Jennie Lindland converted a perfect pass from Fischer. Fischer scored the next two goals and Pierce added another to make the score 5-3 at the break.
Chris Costello navigates rough seas to rip off a shot through a host of Whalers. Click on photo to enlarge.The second half demonstrated the Vineyard's superior teamwork. Final count: MV 13, Falmouth 5. Fischer finished with 4 goals and an assist. Pierce scored thrice and assisted four times. Freshmen Jennie Lindland and Alayna Hutchinson both scored twice.
The win earned the Vineyarders a 15-3 season record.
It was senior appreciation day. Recognized were Niki Alexander, Alayna Hutchinson, Molly Fischer, Hayley Pierce, and Madison Hughes.
Thursday, the Islanders were undermatched by Fairhaven. The MV girls scored 10 times in the first 12 minutes of the game. Slowing their pace and refusing to shoot on goal proved harder for the girls than their normal high powered play. The final score was 15-1.
Hayley Pierce passes the ball, badgered by a Whaler. Click on photo to enlarge.Jayvees too
Finishing strong, the MV junior varsity girls whipped Falmouth, 14-7. Ambika Datta led the attack with four goals and three assists. Alex Mark scored three times. Both Taylor Poggi and Rila Hammett scored twice.
Youth lacrosse
The boys' youth lacrosse Under-11 team played Hanover to an 8-8 tie, Sunday, at Hanover. MV scoring was by Sam Wallace (2), Henry Wallace (4), Jacob Gunderson, and Jackson Mahaffey. Assists were credited to Riley Amaral (3), Jacob Gunderson, Henry Wallace, Jackson Mahaffey and Donald O'Shaughnessy. Jack Rizza was in goal.
Coach Bruce Mahaffey's brief, well earned comment, "Good effort against a strong opponent."
Also Sunday at Hanover, the Under-13 boys team took on the Indians and lost, 9-5. MV goals were by Austin Chandler, Wyman Harrison, Wyatt Jenkinson, Greg McCarren, and Henry Wallace.
The Under-15 boys team outscored Lower Cape, Saturday, 8-3, in an intensely competitive game. Kyle Stobie led scorers with three counters. Tyler Paulson had two. Spencer Schofield, Bo Hurwitz and Julio Brito also scored.
Sunday the U-15 team played at Nantucket and returned with an 11-7 win. Both Tyler Paulson and Kyle Stobie had hat tricks. Michael Morris scored twice. Erik Faber, Sam Burk, and Julio Brio also scored. Goalie Orren Osnoss was stellar in goal, shielded by John Henry O'Shaughnessy and Marco Petricone.
Girls win, win
The MV Girls U-15 team ran away with a 12-3 pasting of Old Rochester, Sunday. Molly Wallace led the scoring with three goals. Both Alice Keenan and Samantha Maltais had two. Chantal Booker, Lucy Hackney, Mary Ollen, Aubrey Ashmun and Isabel Smith all found the net.
The U-13 girls game was a cliffhanger with the Islanders holding on to best Old Rochester, 7-6. Shannon Morris had a hat trick. Also scoring were Erin Hill, Belle Dinning, Audrey McCarron, and Kylie Hatt. Goalie Samantha Hargy's six saves sealed the win.
The team's final game of the season is Sunday, June 6th when the MV girls host Bourne.
Annie Burton hits a forehand return in Saturday's first singles match against Clinton. Click on photo to enlarge.Blood, sweat & cheers
Last Thursday the MVRHS boys' tennis team put its 12-3 record on the line by taking on the Falmouth Clippers who were sporting a 13-2 record of their own.
The match was a barnburner from the start. Kent Leonard, at second singles, gave the Vineyard the early lead 1-0, winning his tough match with Josh Fishbein, 7-5, 6-4.
At third singles two freshmen battled mightily. Falmouth's Sean Dugas finally claimed with a tiebreaker, 6-2, 7-6 (5) over MV's Justin Smith.
All the other matches went to three sets.
At first doubles, Falmouth's Mike Moore and Justin Mendes outlasted Win Grimm and Justice Yennie, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.
At first singles Reid Yennie faced off with Spencer Pinkney, a familiar and challenging opponent. After losing the first set 6-2, Yennie fought back to take the next two sets, 6-4, 6-4.
At second doubles Grant McCarthy and Kyle Moran claimed. After losing the first set, 2-6, the Islanders took the second, 7-3. The third set went to a tiebreaker that MV won by the slimmest possible of margins.
The very next day the Islanders won everything and sent D/Y home with a 5-0 whipping. It was the second time that Reid Yennie was able to defeat D/Y's Dan Rabinovich in three tough sets. 7-5, 3-6, 6-1
Completing the set
Monday, the Islanders hosted Somerset and completed a sweep of their League opponents in the EAC by downing the Raiders, 3-2.
Both of the Vineyard doubles teams won in straight sets.
But Somerset's first and second singles players defeated Yennie and Moran. Justin Smith made the difference for the Vineyard with a convincing 6-1, 6-1 win at third singles.
Fennessy's fighters now await the MIAA seeding.
Girls make it to playoffs
The MVRHS girls tennis team edged Somerset, Tuesday, qualifying for the MIAA post-season playoffs.
Annie Burton lost at first singles, 6-1, 6-4, 6-2.
Alyssa Adler won her tight second singles match, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5. At third, Dylan Brockmeyer conceded, 6-1, 6-1.
At first doubles Annabelle Hackney and Julia Cooper won in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4, as did Celia Mercier and Michaella Gaines at second.
The win earned the Islanders a 9-8 record and a ticket to the playoffs. The girls finished their schedule of matches at Bishop Stang yesterday.
MV United goalkeeper Dylan Araujo beats Dartmouth's high-flying Ben Paine to the ball in Saturday's under-11 match at Veteran's Park in Vineyard Haven. MV won 4-0. Click on photo to enlarge.Youth Soccer
For the very first time this season the Under-15 boys travel soccer team trailed at the half, 2-1, against Mashpee. MV fans were pleased when the Island boys scored four times to take their wonted place on top, 5-2. But Mashpee was not finished. In the time remaining they tied the score to finish the game even, 5-5.
Sunday the U-15 boys taught Falmouth a thing or two, 9-1.
Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket are contending for first place, both are undefeated, and will meet at Tisbury's Veterans Park on Saturday, June 5 at 1:45 pm.
The Under-13 boys team extended their undefeated string of games by topping Sandwich, Saturday, 8-2.
MV was shy five players but Yannick Gonsalves started the scoring, followed quickly by Lee Faraca's goal.
Sandwich responded and tied the score at two.
Before the half time break, Gordon Moore, Gabe DeOliveira and Gonsalves upped the count to 5-2.
The second half was all Vineyard with unanswered goals by Gonsalves (a hat trick), DeOliveira and Gordon Moore, making the winning margin, 8-2. Islanders Peter Ruimerman and Elie Jordi had strong games.
Sandwich will attempt to answer at Veterans Field this Saturday, at 11 am.
The U-11 boys shut out previously unbeaten Dartmouth, Friday, 4-0 on goals by Owen Hess, Nainoa Cooperrider (2) and Jordan Tate. Jonathan Santana assisted twice. The shut out was Dylan Araujo's first full game in goal. Saturday the U-11 boys dominated Fall River, 5-1. Goals were by Nicolas Andre, Theo Guerrin, Owen Hess, Jonathan Santana and Nevin Wallis.
The team is 6-1 on the season. Two games remain: Sandwich here, Saturday at 11 am. Nantucket away, Sunday at 2 pm.
Other MV Youth Soccer games at the Tisbury park, Saturday, are: U-11 boys vs., Fall River at 11 am. U-12 girls vs. Dartmouth at 1:15. The U-15 boys meet Falmouth, Sunday, at 1:30 pm.
Hardball
The MVRHS baseball teams dueled with Plymouth South on Monday. The MV varsity, leading 3-1 in the fifth, lost a close contest 4-3. Relief pitcher Evan Sosa took the loss.
The junior varsity overcame an 8-0 deficit after three innings to claim, 11-9. Relief pitcher Andrew Williamson was credited with the win.
Plymouth South visits on Saturday to close out the season.
Birthday boy James Cleary of Edgartown fires toward the plate in the Eagles' 4-3 interscholastic win over Oak Bluffs last Thursday. Click on photo to enlarge.
Edgartown's Rae Filley keeps her eyes firmly rooted on the ball and makes the put-out against Oak Bluffs in last Thursday's Eagle win. Click on photo to enlarge.Special Olympics
The fourth annual Special Olympics Cape Cod School Day Games will be held at Mashpee high school this Friday, May 28, in memory of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the pioneer of Special Olympics. More than 250 special athletes from the Cape and Islands, including three Vineyarders, are expected to compete during a fun filled day.
On the agenda are four throwing events, one kicking event and three races.
C&I Ladies race
Friday, at Nantucket, the first ever Women's Cape & Islands Fleet Racing Championship was held under near-perfect conditions with 10 to 15 knot winds out of the southwest. The teams sailed nine races on a windward leeward course. Competition was tight with six teams having a shot at winning. Ten of the 12 eligible teams competed.
Eventual winner was the team from Dennis Yarmouth with 28 points. Second was Barnstable at 31. The Vineyarders' senior co-captains Solvig Sayre and Julie Pringle, were third with 33. MV won the last three races. In fact, the Islanders finished first in four of the nine races, more than any other team. D/Y won one and Barnstable 2.
Good sportsmanship prevailed in what should prove to be the first of a long string of annual regattas.
Junior High softball
The interscholastic softball season has reached the playoff stage. Yesterday, Tisbury played Edgartown at Nunes Field and West Tisbury took on Oak Bluffs at Tisbury. Winners will meet at Veterans Park today.
Tennis camps
Vineyard Youth Tennis will provide five scholarships for MV children to attend the Adidas Tennis Camps during the summer.
The scholarship fund was established by Scott Smith, VYT executive director, three years ago. Applications are available at the VYT front desk, and will be reviewed by a committee of the VYT staff.
Applicants must write a one page summary of why he/she would like to attend the camp and why they love tennis.
For more information call VYT at 508-693-7762.
Backus & Lau win
Two MV table tennis players were awarded finalist trophies by winning the Under 1000 Division competition at the Quincy Table Tennis Club tournament, Sunday, May 23. Rod Backus of Vineyard Haven won five matches plus the championship final round, three games to one.
Albert Lau of Oak Bluffs was runner-up, winning four of six matches. Both players are members of MV Table Tennis, an Island club that plays Mondays and Thursdays at the West Tisbury School.
Baseball update
Monday, at Plymouth South, the MV varsity baseball team built a 3-1 lead, but the Panthers managed to pull off a 4-3 win. Starter Will Stewart pitched effectively. Reliever Evan Sosa suffered the loss.
The Junior Varsity nine found itself down 8-0 after three innings. Then lightning - or something - struck and Vineyard bats sang in a different key while relief pitcher Andrew Williamson stopped the bleeding. Stobie, Hersh, and Cooperrider had multiple hits. Everyone contributed and the Islanders rallied to an 11-9 victory. Seven of the Vineyard's runs were scored in the last inning.
Friday, at Falmouth, David Andrews pitched six innings of shutout ball, fanning five and holding the Clippers to four hits. David was consistently ahead of the batters with first pitch strikes. Noah Stobie had three hits. Alec Tattersall hit a base clearing double. MV scored seven runs in the final two innings.
The team is at Sturgis today and has a second date with Plymouth South, Friday, here, at 3:30.
Slow pitch softball
The venerable MV Men's Softball League begins play at Tisbury's Veterans Memorial Park on Monday, June 7, with the rejuvenated Hurricanes playing the Stampede at 7:30 pm.
The second game of the double header pits the Highlanders, against the Wildcats at 8:45.
On Wednesday the early game is Sharks versus Treds followed by the Brewhas and the new kids on the block, the Killers.
Bart Kent and Eric Hatt are co-commissioners of the eight team league.
Taylor terrific
Taylor MacDonald of Oak Bluffs, a senior at Eastern Connecticut State University, has been named to the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association Berkshire Region second team at midfield. Taylor won All New Engand honors for the third time leading the Little East Conference in ground balls, draw controls and caused turnovers, all for the third time. She was Eastern Conn's leader in assists and points. She was named LEC Defensive Player of the Year for the third year in a row.
Taylor was one of the two athletes from public schools to be chosen for honors.
Taylor is the second member of her family to earn All New England honors. Her sister Kelsey was an all star pick in 2006 while playing for Plymouth State in N.H.
Taylor and Kelsey are daughters of Russ and Mary MacDonald, both members of the faculty at MV regional high school.
Pigeons beware
Knowles Ward of Vineyard Haven won the Rod & Gun Club's annual trap shooting contest, Sunday, breaking more clay pigeons than any of the other contestants.
Shooters took aim at two rounds of 25 flying targets.
Wilson Kerr, also of Vineyard Haven, placed second. Matt Gamache of Vineyard Haven was third.
FC Masters fit to be tied
Sunday the MV entry in the Over-the-Hill League, the Vineyard FC, took on Mansfield at 8:30 am.
The home team scored first on a high bounce beyond the reach of Vineyard keeper Lee Carlos,
Minutes later, off a set play, MV sweeper back Neal Sullivan lofted a long feed to Vander "Buick" DeOliveira who beat two Mansfield defenders and chipped the keeper for the equalizer.
After a long, hard fought battle the game ended in a 1-1 tie. The Islanders retained their position in first place in the New England Over-The-Hill Soccer League Masters Division 6 South.
The Vineyard FC Masters travel to Needham on Monday, Memorial Day.
All Stars to shine
The Martha's Vineyard Little Leagues will showcase some impressive baseball talent on Sunday, May 30th at Veira Park, Oak Bluffs. At 2:00 pm some of the top Minor league talent will be on display. At 4:30 pm the best of the Majors will take the field. In case of rain the games will be played on Monday, May 31.
Little Leagues logistics
Minors W L
Rockies 5 1
Orioles 5 1
Rays 4 3
Marlins 3 4
Reds 2 5
Twins 1 6
Majors W L
Tigers 6 0
Cardinals 6 2
Red Sox 4 4
Athletics 3 3
Mets 2 6
Cubs 1 7
