Sports
By Don Lyons - January 26, 2006
The Vineyarders had a tough time taming the Newton North Tigers in the JV final.
The 5th Nan Rheault
Both the MVRHS varsity and junior varsity girls hockey teams won their Saturday games, qualifying for the Sunday finals of the fifth annual Nan Rheault Tournament.
The Vineyard jayvees defeated Austin Prep, 5-2, pitting them against Newton North, 5-1 conquerors of Quincy/North Quincy, in the Sunday championship round.
In Sunday's consolation round, The Quincy team dropped Austin Prep, 7-3. In the Sunday championship game the Vineyard jayvees were outhustled by Newton North, 5-1. MV's only goal was by Jacqueline Panek.
Varsity
In varsity competition Saturday, Acton Boxboro just got by Hingham, 2-1, and the Vineyard, playing its best hockey of the year, put the boot to Quincy/ North Quincy, 7-3.
Quincy scored first with the game just 2:19 old. Alaina Aristide evened the count three minutes later, assisted by Shelby Ives. Zoe Fischer put the Vineyard ahead to stay unassisted, lifting the puck over the Quincy goalie's right shoulder. Alexa Fischer made it 3-1, assisted by Christina Wiley, with five and a half minutes left in the first period.
Both teams scored in the second period, the Vineyard's goal coming from Melanie Dickson with Zoe and Alexa Fischer assisting.
The purple's third-period goals were by Phebe Bates, Carol Mercier, and Katherine Clark, assisted by Nica Sylvia, Melanie Dickson, and Sarah Sylvia.
Championship game
The Vineyarders faced a disciplined Acton Boxboro team Sunday in the tourney's championship game.
A-B scored three times in the first period before Sophie Willey found the back of the net and put MV on the scoreboard. A-B would add a fourth goal at 9:09 in the second period which ended the scoring.
One up, one down
Prior to the Nan Rheault tourney, the MV junior varsity lost a 1-0 game at Newton North, Saturday, Jan. 14, and shut out Needham 1-0 the next day, on a goal by Ana Jurczyk, assisted by Stephanie Strelecki and Jackie Panek.
Albion Alley splits the Laker defense in the JV game.
Lakers swamped
Apponequet's boys basketball teams all lost to the Vineyarders Friday, and by substantial margins.
At the Boys & Girls Club, Coach Rebello's freshmen team wasted no time running up a two-digit lead as point guard Alex Poole dropped in three straight treys, interrupted only by his two free throws (made), putting the Islanders comfortably ahead to stay, 21-8. At the half the score stood at 32-18. Final count: 51-41.
At the Sanci, Coach O'Donnell's junior varsity squad trailed by one at the half, 28-29. But two minutes into the second period, a scrambling purple defense sent the Lakers into a 12-minute drought at the end of which the Islanders led 63-37. Matt Lucier scored 19 points in the second half. Zach Coutinho finished the game with 11. Final score: 67-44.
The varsity's 69-46 drubbing of the Lakers was especially satisfying to Coach Mike Joyce's team as the Lakers had won their first meeting at Lakeville on Dec. 20, 34-47. Matt Rivers (14), Terrrell Johnson (10) and Jacob Vanderhoop (10) were top scorers for the Vineyard but ten players contributed to the winning margin.
Shootout
During the varsity half-time break, Chris Joyce supervised an interscholastic three-point shootout from the NBA arch. Tyler Pelletier representing the Charter school, Mike Kendall of the West Tisbury school and Justin Mercier of the Edgartown school, all saw their shots bounce off the rim. But Oak Bluffs's Peter Keaney's shot caught nothing but net, winning a $100 dollar prize from The Locker Room.
At Fairhaven, the MV boys varsity lost a heart-stopper when the tying shot bounced off the rim just before the game-ending buzzer. Fairhaven claimed the win, 58-56. John Swan (17) and Jacob Vanderhoop (15) were leading purple scorers.
Also at Fairhaven the MV junior varsity won their eighth game against three losses, 43-38. The MV freshmen also prevailed, 52-47. It was their eighth win against two defeats.
Kia Minor looks for a friendly jersey against Fairhaven.
Girls at Lakeville
While the boys were sweeping the Lakers here, the MV girls, except the freshmen, were being beaten at Lakeville. Coach Mary MacDonald's varsity lost its eighth game against four wins, 44-33. Taylor MacDonald led the Vineyard offense and defense with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Six of her points were from long range. Both Brielle Leonard and Tiffany Smalley contributed seven.
The Lakers scored 10 more points than the Islanders from the free throw line.
Jayvees
The junior varsity's 34-16 loss was their eighth against two wins. High-scoring Julie Perry was double teamed throughout but still managed to score 10 purple points. The jayvees have lost eight and won two thus far for Coach Amy Maciel.
Freshmen
The girls frosh team, like the boys, is enjoying a winning season. Defeating Apponequet, 35-22, the girls improved to 6-1. With 13 points, Alexia Schroeder scored more than a third of the team's total. She also ran the floor as point guard.
A Fairhaven day
All three girls teams played Fairhaven here on Monday. The last time they met, the varsity lost, 37-53, and the JV were spanked, 13-47. Only the MV freshmen won, and that handily, 40-21.
Home court didn't help much as history repeated itself. The MVRHS varsity lost its game to the Blue Devils, 69-44, falling to 2-9 on the year, just the opposite of Fairhaven's 9-2.
The JV girls also lost to Fairhaven, 26-35. Julie Perry scored 15 of the Vineyard's points. The Coach Amy Maciel's team is at 2-8.
Coach Ena Thulin's freshmen won their 8th game against two losses, 26-21 The MV frosh ran up a 16-4 lead, then let the Blue Devils back into contention. At the half the score was 16-13. After the break the Islanders took off again, scoring 24 points to Fairhaven's eight and coasting to a 42-21 win. Loren Gibson had the game-high 12 points and a bushel of rebounds. Both Kia Minor and Erin Morris finished with 10 points.
