Sports
By Don Lyons - November 17, 2005
Laker Brian Scott rushes to the basket, with the Lobo's Noah Hazelton in hot pursuit. Photos by Ralph Stewart
RCBL opening night
The 20th RCBL season got underway Monday night at the Martha's Vineyard Boys and Girls Club. The marquee matchup of the doubleheader was a rematch of last year's final between the Lakers and the defending champion Timberwolves. Last April, Los Lobos pulled of a worst-to-first transformation in winning their first crown.
The 2005-06 edition will go by the moniker Sharky's T-Wolves and added some youth and depth to the line-up in the form of ex-MVRHS standouts Travis Baptiste and Adam Rebello.
Monday's contest was an often offensively challenged affair. On this night, the champs were merely good enough and gutted out a 77-62 win.
The T-Wolves started slowly, trying to shake off the cobwebs of a long hibernation. Both teams played a patient, half-court game, but neither could find the net without difficulty. A see-saw 1st period ended with the meager scoreline of 16-15, the Lobos up by a nose.
Sharky's T-Wolf Jason O' Donnell tries to find a way through the big reach of Laker Carl Kallinich.
Sharky's Captain Chris Joyce "The King of Cottage City," had some stern words for his rusty troops before quarter two. "We didn't come here to hang out, we came here to work."
The words took awhile to sink in as John Healy put the Lakers up by seven, 25-18. Newcomers Baptiste and Rebello responded, keying an 8-0 run as the Wolves finally showed some bite and took the lead 26-25. By halftime, the board read 31 for the Pack, 29 for the Lakers.
The third quarter was the game's shining moment —an offensive oasis in a desert of missed opportunities. Both teams lit up the scoreboard, and with three-pointers no less.
Adam Rebello (2), Noah Hazelton, Mike Joyce, and Chris Joyce all hit treys, while Heath Estrella (2), Jeff Labelle, and Caleb Nicolson did the same for the Lakers.
The Wolves were starting to gain their legs, though, and began to pull away. Five straight points from Adam Rebello put the defending champs ahead 54-42. The quarter ended with the Lakers looking up from a 63-50 hole.
The action heats up as Jamal Brown tangos with TJ Roginski.
On the scorecard, Travis Baptiste was far and away the leader of the pack with 21 points. Adam Rebello and Vineyard JV coach Jason O' Donnell had 10 points each. Heath Estrella (16 points) was the leading Laker, but not by much, as Jeff Labelle finished with 15. Brian Scott also hit double figures with 11. Carl Kallinich was strongest on the boards, hauling down 14 rebounds.
The opening game of the night pitted the Legends against the Heat.
Like two runaway trains careening through the night, the teams smashed, ripped, and hurdled their way through one another. The Heat started each period with a spurt — 8-2 in the first, 8-0 in the second, and 10-4 in the third — but the Legends clawed their way back to within 21-19 after one and 43-40 at the half. Midway through the third quarter, the Heat, as heat is wont to do, started to rise, slowly percolating to a 71-60 lead, and coming to a full boil in the fourth quarter, en-route to a 101-84 win.
For the victors, TJ Roginski was en fuego indeed, piling up 31 points. Acrobatic Damon Mello drained 25 more, while Nathaniel Scott had 17 and Clint Merrill 11.
Legend Dale Rogers, who endured much of the bruising physicality in the perilous paint, had 23 of the hardest earned points imaginable. The other legendary performer was Captain Juilius Middleton with 21 points and a titanic 21 rebounds. Wayne Elliott had 17 points and Jamison Loveday 10.
The 2005 MVRHS Cheerleaders: Back Row (from left): Head Coach Becky Stevens, Keosha Walker, Fr., Jana Donahue, Jr., Jesse Donahue, Fr., Courtney Skiffington, Jr., Assistant Coach Teresa Nelson. Middle Row: Anna Cass, 8th grade Mascot, Tricia Nelson, So., Mave McAuliffe, Fr., Leanne Jackson, Fr., Jocelyn Randall, Fr. Front Row: Kayla Roper-Manning, Fr., Holly Elliott, Sr., Jessica Walsh (capt.) Sr., Sarah Bergeron (capt.) Sr., Lucie Rodegast (capt.) Sr., Gabi Kolar, Fr.
MV cheerleaders get into the spirit
The Vineyard cheerleaders kicked off a busy Island Cup week with a demonstration in the MVRHS gym Sunday afternoon.
The squad worked on three new dance numbers and several cheers, including "Fired Up!" "Tradition," and most importantly, "Beat Those Whalers!"
New Varsity Coach Becky Stevens has a young squad of 15, including seven freshmen. This year's Vineyarders are senior Head Captain Sarah Bergeron, senior Co-Captains Jessica Walsh and Lucie Rodegast, senior Holly Elliott, juniors Jana Donahue and Courtney Skiffington, sophomore Tricia Nelson, and freshmen Jesse Donahue, Leanne Jackson, Gabi Kolar, Mave McAuliffe, Kayla Roper-Manning, Jocelyn Randall, and Keosha Walker. Eighth grader Anna Cass is the mascot. Teresa Nelson is the Assistant Coach.
Hilary Dreyer nailed down the seventh and final spot at the All-States. Photo by Michael Brisson
Cross-country State Class Meet
Three Vineyard runners qualified from the State Class Meet last weekend to race in the All-State Championships at Franklin Park in Boston Saturday.
The Vineyard girls finished sixth overall, a scant 18 points away from securing one of the five team spots in the finals. The bonus is that the seven highest individual times not from the five qualifying teams also make the cut.
Allison Flanders ran a personal best 19:42, the fastest time ever for a Vineyard girl, to finish the 5K Franklin Park course 4th overall.
Hilary Dreyer was the seventh and final individual qualifier, clocking in at 20:52, 20th overall.
Sagitta Woodman had the third best Vineyard time, finishing 44th in 21:46, followed by Sarah Flanders (personal best 22:17, 66th), and Liz Reed (personal best 22:20, 72nd).
Edison Parsanese (17:10, 9th) was the lone individual qualifier for the Vineyard boys team, which finished 7th. Jackson Parker was 17th at 17:23, Mason Fisher ran a personal best 18:10 for 56th, Lucas Emin was 79th at 18:26, and Evan Kendall 100th at 18:47.
The All-State Championships get underway at 11:30 am for the girls and 12 noon for the boys.
