Sports
By Don Lyons - January 19, 2006
Double-teamed, John Swan finds a way out.
Photos by Ralph Stewart
Vineyarders plead their Case
Boys win their case
All three MVRHS boys basketball teams successfully prosecuted their "Case" at Swansea, Monday.
The varsity triumphed, 57-47. The junior varsity won by a wider margin, 54-23. The freshmen were even more dominant, 59-21.
At the Sanci, Friday
John Swan (23) and Matt Rivers (22) accounted for more than half of the Vineyard varsity's points in its 77-67 defeat of Bourne here, Friday. Bourne's Harold Rose had the game-high 28.
The Islanders enjoyed an 11-point lead at the half, 44-33, and grew that in the first five minutes of the second period to 54-37. The Bourne coach called a time out and when play resumed his charges embarked upon a 15-point run that brought them within two, 54-52.
MV girded its collective loins and responded with a 14-3 run of their own, putting double numbers between them and their guests. which they maintained to the end, thanks in large part to some cool-headed foul shooting by team captain John Swan.
Also at the Sanci, the junior varsity downed the visiting junior Canalmen, 62-41.
In the cosier confines of the B&G Club the MV freshmen lost a squeaker, 43-44. The Vineyard led at the half by five.
Boys vs. Case
At Swansea, Monday, the varsity won its sixth game of the season besting Case, 57-47. Mark Rivers collected his 11th double double with 22 points and 15 rebounds. John Swan finished with 23 points. Coach Mike Joyce told The Times he gave Terrell Johnson and Ben Madeiras the job of stopping Case's leading scorer. "They did a great job holding him to four points in the first half."
Case made a run at the lead late in the game but three pointers by Jacob Vanderhoop and two blocks by Ben Madeiras sealed the game.
The team looks forward to Apponequet's visit, Friday.
Taylor MacDonald searches for a way past 6' 4" Sarah Fullmer.
Girls at Bourne
For the MV girls at Bourne, the results were just the opposite. The Vineyard freshmen girls triumphed, 36-15. Coach Ena Thulin said that point guard Alexia Schroeder was "fantastic" stealing the ball, leading the MV fast break and scoring the most points, 12.
The varsity girls lost to the ladies of the Canal, 43-51. Tiffany Smalley's 18 points led the Islanders on the scoreboard. She was also the Vineyard's most effective rebounder.
The junior varsity held a 15-11 lead at the half, but Bourne hustled in the second half and ran off with a 39-25 win.
Julie Perry finished with 17 points. (The team is 2-5)
Case visits
In the freshmen girls game at the Sanci, the Islanders led at the half, 31-10, then coasted to a 40-25 win.
The jayvees trailed at the break, 31-10. All of the Vineyard points belonged to Julie Perry. The Cardinals lengthened their lead in the second half and won handily, 49-19.
The varsity had to contend with 6'4" Sarah Fullmer and two 6'3" teammates. Fullmer presided at meetings of the boards and finished with a game high 14 points. Kelly Silvia and Ilikea Scott both had nine for the Vineyard. Case won the game, 58-46.
Damon Mello soars over Adam Rebello for a block.
Heat burns the Wolves
Legends win a first
The Timberwolves and the Heat met in the early RCBL game at the B&G Club, Monday, winner to claim undisputed first place in the league standings. Both teams stood at 6-1. Their only losses were to each other in two previous games.
The teams jockied for the lead through the first quarter until the final minute when a bucket and two freebies by Nathaniel Scott gave the Heat a five point advantage, 21-16. In the second quarter Travis Baptiste's 17 points led the Sharky's Wolfpack, overtaking the warm ones to reach the break with a three-point edge, 41-38.
The third quarter belonged to the Heat. Teejay Roginski (10) and Damon Mello (8) more than matched Adam Rebello's 11 points, nine of which came from long distance, and the Heat reached the three quarter mark with a 75-62 bulge, enough to carry them through the fourth frame to a 98-83 win.
The game was a challenge for the striped shirts, one that was squarely met by Mark Rivers and Dale Rogers.
Who's on first? The Heat!
The second of the twi-nighter pitted the winless Legends against the once great Lakers. The Legends won.
A steady drum-beat of points by the league's rookie high scorer James Jennings - 9 in the first quarter, 9 more in the second, 14 in the third, 12 in the fourth - kept the Legends close in the first half and pushed them to the top in the second. Capt. Julius Middleton grabbed 19 rebounds and contributed 17 points to the Legendary cause. Jeff Labell (24), Brian Scott (20) Heath Estrella (15) Carl Kallinich (14) of the Lakers all reached double figures but it wasn't enough.
RCBL standings
Heat 7-1
Timberwolves 6-2
Lakers 2-6
Legends 1-7
The Bourne goalie foils a Vineyard bid in the junior high game.
Bourne came to call
The junior high Vineyarders skated to a fast-paced 5-5 tie with Bourne at the Arena, Saturday. Seven goals were posted in the first period, four by Vineyarders: Darren Gazaille (2), Tyler Araujo, and Chris Davies. The next day the team met Middleboro at the Bridgewater arena, and came away with a 3-1 win. After a scoreless first period, Darren Gazaille started the scoring in the second. Josh Naylor's was the second goal, his first of the season on his 14th birthday. The Vineyard continued to dominate and scored a final goal in an empty net, credit going to Jock Cooperrider. Alex Dorr tended net and gave up a single goal.
The MV varsity was outskated by Bourne, Saturday, and lost, 4-1 at the Arena. Bourne took 26 shots on goal to the Vineyard's 19. Stephen Greenberg had the lone MV goal assisted by Mitch Pachico and Zach Sylvia..
Monday the Islanders took it on the chin from D-Y at Tony Kent, 7-1, Goalie Alex Minnehan had to deal with 38 shots on goal. MV had 22 chances. Joel Rebello teamed with Stephen Greenberg for the Vineyard's only goal in the first period.
Last Wednesday the purple puckmen got a last-minute goal from Alex Avakian with 24 seconds remaining on the clock to beat Greater New Bedford Voke, 2-1. Lights in the Arena (and much of Vineyard Haven) had gone out with less than a minute to go.
The first two periods had been scoreless. Scott Maciel put the first mark on the board 44 seconds into the final frame, assisted by Ryan Rossi and Avakian. The Bears' Kevin Mulruy tied it at 6:34, setting the stage for Avakian's dramatic play.
Captain Jenny Murphy chases a Dragon up ice.
Dragons foil would-be slayers
Since the Duxbury girls varsity puck chasers scored seven points to the Vineyard's one the last time they met off Island, on January 7, losing to Duxbury at the Arena, 3-2, Saturday may be regarded as some sort of a success story.
But most of the action was in the purple end of the ice and goalie Jen Ward finished with 32 saves compared with 13 for Dragon goalie Sarah Griffen.
Alaina Aristide had the MV goal just 15 seconds into the game.
This weekend the girls host the annual Nan Rheault tournament with guests North Quincy, Hingham, and Acton Boxboro. The first game is at 5 pm. MV plays North Quincy at 7 pm.
The junior varsity tourney is with North Quincy, Newton North and Austin Prep beginning Saturday at 12:30.
Consolation and championship games will be played Sunday mornings starting at 9 am.
