Sports Highlights

By Don Lyons - February 2, 2006

Vineyard athletes honored
MVRHS seniors Brielle Leonard and Taylor McDonald have been chosen to participate in the Massachusetts celebration of National Girls and Women in Sport Day at Faneuil Hall in Boston on February 3 from 10am to 12 noon.

The ceremony is held annually to honor female athletes in the Commonwealth. Ms. Leonard and Ms. McDonald were cited as positive, contributing members of both their teams and their school.

Red Raiders rumble
Barnstable proved rude guests in an 8-0 humbling of the Vineyard hockey girls, Saturday at the MV Arena.

The Red Raiders stormed the Vineyard cage for five scores in the first period, and led by seven after two, improving to 9-3 overall and 9-2 in the Southeastern Mass. Girls Hockey League. MV fell to 2-9-1.

The JV Girls traveled to Acton-Boxborough Friday night, falling 3-2 to the Colonials in a rematch of the Nan Rheault final. Marguerite Cogliano scored both goals, the first assisted by Bethany Strelecki, the second by Lauren Townes.

RCBL Week 10
The Sharky's T-Wolves stopped a two-game losing skid with a 101-97 win over the Legends in Monday's exciting opener. The keys to the game were the re-emergence of Chris Joyce as an offensive force (19 points), brother Mike racking up seven treys (23 points overall), and Jason O'Donnell coolly sinking eight of nine from the stripe.

Four Wolves had double-doubles - the brothers Joyce, O' Donnell (16 points, 10 rebounds) and Brian Welch (10 points, 11 boards), and five shot in double figures - the aforementioned four plus Adam Rebello (11 points).

The Legends, who twice erased 12-point deficits, battled until the end and led after three quarters, thanks to an 18-5 run. The men from Sharky's responded with a 9-0 run to start the 4th and held on from there. James Jennings, had a modest 45 points (considering his latest legendary performances) for the Legends. Nakia Timmods tossed in another dozen, and Wayne Elliott a baker's dozen.

In the nightcap, the Lakers had the league-leading Heat on the run for much of the first half, but faded down the stretch, falling 90-81.

Karl Kallinich, Jeff Labell, and Bryan Scott sparked a 14-3 run in quarter two to put the Lakers up 45-33 just short of halftime, but Damon Mello and the Heat fought back with an 8-0 run of their own in the final minute.

Nathaniel Scott and Sandy Fisher took over in the third quarter combining for 19 points to put the Heat up 67-63 heading into the final session. Mello and Fisher finished with 31and 25 points respectively. Scott finished with 23 points and hauled down 20 boards.

Bryan Scott led the Lakers with 31 points, with Jeff Labell adding 23 more.

RCBL Standings
Heat 9-1
Sharky's T-Wolves 7-3
Lakers 3-7
Legends 1-9

Youth Hockey
In a busy weekend of play, The Martha's Vineyard Peewee Open Class and MV Squirt A's hosted the Ryan Mone Invitational Hockey Tournament.

The Peewees aquitted themselves well indeed, reaching the championship game against Concord-Carlisle before losing out with 20 seconds left in overtime, 4-3.

Tyler Araujo had two goals, Tony deBettencourt one, and Charles Goldthwait 2 assists.

MV stormed into the final on the wings of three impressive wins, outscoring the opposition 15-5.

Friday, the Vineyard topped CC 5-2 in the opener. Tyler Araujo and Tony deBettencourt led the MV attack with two goals and an assist each. Dakota Delviento also scored and Charles Goldthwait had one assist. Mike Sylvia was outstanding in net, but on the downside, Vineyard defenseman and captain Nelson Dixon suffered a season ending injury.

In game two, Saturday, MV came from behind to stun Duxbury 2-1 as Tony deBettencourt scored from Tyler Araujo with 25 seconds left in the game.

The same combo set up Charles Goldthwait earlier in the period for the tying goal. Mike Sylvia was nearly perfect tending the twine, getting yeoman help from defensemen Daniel Serusa and Nick Dorr.

In the evening contest, the Vineyarders romped over Hanover 8-2, behind an Araujo hat trick. Brian Hurley tallied twice with Kyle Francis, Bobby Ferry, and Tony deBettencourt adding one each. Assists went to deBettencourt (2), Araujo, Hurley, Francis, Maggie Johnson (2), Charles Goldthwait (2), and Thomas Wilkins.

The Squirt A's finished the round-robin schedule with a win and two defeats, before beating Medfield 5-2 in the consolation game. Tyson Araujo lit the lamp twice, Shay Hill, Max Davies, and Connor Chisholm, once. Araujo and Hill also had assists, as did Callie Jackson.

MV dropped the tourney opener to eventual champs Concord-Carlisle, 6-1. Matt Davies scored unassisted for the Vineyard.

The Purple rebounded with a 3-0 blanking of Medfield behind goals from Hill (2) and Araujo and the stellar netminding of Zolie "the Goalie" Clarke.

Saturday ended with a 5-1 loss to the Brewins. Shay Hill set up Tyson Araujo for the lone MV goal.

The MV Travel Mites improved their record to a stirling 12-1-1 with a pair of victories over the weekend.

Saturday, the Mites were far too mighty for Lower Cape, mauling their hosts, 14-0.

Emerson Mahoney had a Texas Hat Trick (4 goals), Dorian Johnson and Christopher Perry, Hat Tricks proper. Andrew Wiley, Aubrey Ashmun, Mason Jeffers, and Austin Morely had to be content with one goal apiece. Assists went to Jeffers (2), Ashmun (2), Perry (2), Johnson (2), Mahoney (1), Wiley, James Sashin and Joe "Kamikazi" Davies.

Sunday, at the MV Arena, the Mites took on the Nantucket Whalers and avenged their only loss of the season with a 5-1 win.

Dorian Johnson fed Austin Morley for the first goal at 9:30 of the first period. Emerson Mahoney doubled the lead 5:30 into the second. Morely scored his second goal from Mason Jeffers to make it 3-0, before the Whalers got one back by the intermission.

The final tallies came from Barry Lima compliments of Andrew Wiley and from Dorian Johnson, unassisted.

Last but not least, the Vineyard junior high team topped Franklin 6-1 at the Bridgewater Arena, Friday, thanks to, let's say, an Alaskan Hat Trick (5 goals) from Darren Gazaille. Chris Davies chalked up a goal and an assist. Patrick Hart had the other assist.

Girls basketball
The Vineyard girls picked up a win at Greater New Bedford Tuesday night, 58-40, snapping a six-game losing skid.

Eight Vineyarders lit up the scoreboard, with Brielle Leonard draining 11 points and Nina Butler tossing in 10 more.

A swarming pressure defense kept the Bears at bay all night. Taylor McDonald and Ilikea Scott roared on the boards, gobbling 14 and 9 rebounds each. MV improved to 3-10 overall and 1-10 in league play.

Last Friday, the girls suffered a home defeat to Old Rochester, 46-28.

MV outscored the Bulldogs in the second half, but simply had too much to overcome, down 29-10 at the half.

Taylor McDonald had 10 points, Brittany Stone 7, and Natalie Lucier 6 points and a game-best 5 steals.

Head coach Mary McDonald remained positive. "Our kids are playing with all their heart, no matter what the score is," she said. "They have a lot of pride."

The JV Girls also bested the Bears, 36-12, with a balanced offensive attack. Head Coach Amy Maciel brought in several members of the freshman squad and shrewdly played the JV and freshman in separate blocks to keep their chemistry intact.

The plan worked as freshman Erin Morris (8), Kia Minor (8), and Alexia Schroeder (6) combined for 22 points. Julie Perry also had 8 points.

Friday, the Jayvees lost to the Old Rochester Bulldogs 58-31, one of the strongest squads in the South Coast Conference. Julie Perry led the Vineyarders with 14 points. Jocelyn Andrade and Kate Mahoney had 5 each.

The JV record stands at 3-9. "All in all, I've seen great improvement and nobody gives up," Coach Maciel said.

The Bulldogs also bit the Vineyard freshman, 36-30.

ORR is the only team to beat the lady frosh this season, also winning the first encounter in December. MV is 8-2.

Darts
The second half of the M.V. Dart League's 2005-06 season started on Jan. 19 with a playoff between the Wes Wood quartet and Dave Bettencourt's team.

Wood's Warriors (Wood, Tom Norton, Peter Searle, and Kim Cottrill) won their match 7-4 against Robert O' Sullivan, Mike Dow, Linda Wood, and (sub) Steve Doyle.

Bettencourt's Bombers (Bettencourt, Joe Andrade, Laurie Maciel, and Charlene Barbosa) also won 7-4, over Ken Cottrill, David O' Sullivan, Joe Blais, and Bill Frizzel.

Wood's team won the playoff and took home the money.

George Valentzas hit a Ton-80 and James Rowell hit an 84 three-dart-out.

On Jan. 26, Ken Cottrill's team won the money outright, besting Steve Maciel, Charlene Alley, Cindy Corner, and (sub) Tim Corner, 7-4.

Ken Cottrill hit a 120 three-dart out and Brenda Donahue had a 104 three-dart in.

Futsal
Colorado journeyed from their home base in Quincy to take on Ajax in a battle for second place Sunday at the MV Boys and Girls Club.

Colorado's Marlon became the league's top scorer with 16 goals, but Ajax took the three points with a 7-4 victory.

The other two contests ended in stalemates, with Corona tying Holmes Hole Builders 5-5, and Tigres tying Imigra 6-6.