Sports Highlights

By Don Lyons - April 13, 2006

Dartmouth downed
The MVRHS boys varsity lacrosse team jumped off to a stellar start of its 18-game schedule, outlasting Dartmouth at Dartmouth, 11-7, and trouncing Nauset, in the rain Saturday, 14-2. (The Warriors had beaten Bourne, Friday, 12-2.)

The win at Dartmouth was especially gratifying. It was the first opening-game win in six years and Dartmouth is a Division one team. M.V. is in Division two.

Taylor Pierce's four goals paced the Vineyard at Dartmouth. Edison Parzanese scored three times and assisted four. Other scorers were Tim Scott (2), Duncan Meyst, and Pete Ferrini.

The junior varsity also won at Dartmouth, 2-0.

Parzanese led the Island's reign in the rain with five goals. Scott added three more. Also scoring were Duncan Meyst (2), Taylor Pierce (2), and Josh Paulson (2). Mark Levesque was big in goal. Tristan Atwood and Alan Fortes controlled the face-offs.

M.V. advanced to 2-0.

Tisbury sweeps
For the third year in the last four, Tisbury claimed the Island Interscholastic Volleyball Championship, Wednesday.

Wednesday, after narrowly getting past West Tisbury in the semi finals, the Tigers took on Oak Bluffs, which had upset top-seeded Edgartown in the other semi final match.

Home court proved no help to the Blazers. Tisbury won three games in a row, 25-10, 25-9, and 25-22.

Lauren McLane was effective from the serving line; Mark Nickowal made a peck of circus saves and Troy Small figured large in the scheme of things.

Three championships in four years may not qualify as a dynasty, but it certainly smacks of a healthy habit approaching tradition.

Ajax wins again
The futsal game to which everyone was looking forward with eager anticipation did not disappoint. The meeting of Ajax (8-0-0) and Ilha (8-0-1), Sunday at the B&G Club had all of the expected intensity and display of remarkable skills.

The first nine minutes were fast and furious - and scoreless. Then a shot was blistered by Ilha goalie Wagner. A minute later it happened again and Ajax was up by two. In the next ten minutes Ajax increased its lead to 4-0 and Ilha fans began to sit on their hands. But in the closing minutes of the first 25-minute half, Ilha scored twice, waking Ilha aficionados. At the half the score was 4-2.

Ilha began the second half applying pressure but the Ajax goalie succeeded in stopping shots on goal for ten minutes when some fancy passing created an opening Ilha did not waste.

There was a lot of great futsal left. Sometimes action was halted as players with opposing opinions discussed matters noisily with the referees and a couple of yellow cards were imposed. But although the game continued to be played with a high degree of intensity it produced no more scoring and at the buzzer Ajax claimed the win, 4-3

Futsal standings

G W T L Pts
Ajax 9 9 0 0 27
Ilha 10 8 0 2 24
Colorado 7 6 0 1 18
Matheus 8 4 1 3 13
Corona 6 3 1 2 10
Estopas FC 9 3 0 6 9
Tigres 8 2 2 4 8
Holmes Hole 9 2 1 6 7
Imigra 8 1 2 5 4
Estrella Azul 7 1 0 6 3

Netmen drop two
The MVRHS boys tennis team lost its second match to Cape Cod Academy at home, Monday, 4-1. Once again, Andrew McHugh was the only Vineyarder to win, defeating Eric Eldridge at third singles, 7-5, 7-5.

At first and second singles, Tim McHugh and Timo Nivala lost in straight sets.

The doubles teams went three sets before conceding. Daniel Han and Dylan Hutchinson won the first set convincingly, 6-1. But their Academy opponents turned the tables, taking the next two sets 6-0, 6-3.

The second doubles pair, Seth Seeman and Jonah Lipsky won the second set, 6-4, between CCA wins of 6-3 and 6-4.

Tuesday, at Sandwich, Tim McHugh won at first singles in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1. His brother, Andrew, did as well at third singles, 6-2, 6-0.

But that was all the points the Islanders would muster. Timo Nivala won his first set at second singles and things looked good for an upset win, but the Blue Knights' Brendan Somerville rallied to win the next two sets.

Both MV doubles teams lost in straight sets.

Rowe, Rowe, Rowe
The MVRHS baseball team was shutout by Dolphin ace Travis Rowe on four hits at D/Y Thursday, 13-0. Rowe struck out six and walked none.

Mike Cecilio started for the Vineyard. He went four innings, giving up seven runs, four earned, on seven hits and two walk. He struck out five. Joe Keaney relieved and was touched for seven hits and six runs, five earned, in two innings. He fanned two.

The Vineyarders hit safely four times, twice by Billy Johnson (one a double) and twice by Joe Cortez.

Ladies at the net
The high school girls tennis team's lost to Cape Cod Academy at Osterville, 4-1. At first singles Caetlyn Hutchinson won the first set 6-4, then lost 6-3, 6-1. Laura Kimball and Lauren Bagnall lost the other singles matches in straight sets.

At first doubles, Megan Honey and Allison Brown won their second set 7-6 after a tie-breaker (9-7) and stayed close to their opponents throughout the match losing the third set in another tie-breaker, (7-4). At third singles Daphne Hickman and Haley Koorse lost their first set with yet another tie-breaker (7-4), won the second, 6-4, before bowing, 4-6.

MV is 0-2. CCA is 2-0.

FOVS travel soccer
The U-11 boys hosted Taunton in a driving, cold rain and played to a 3-3 tie. Midfielders Shay Hill and Kip Cooperrider scored for the Vineyard as did Evandro Medici, a forward.

The U-13 boys lost a rain-soaked home game to Fall River, Saturday, 2-0. The Islanders had a clear geographical advantage and had more shots on goal but the Fall River goalie was unbeatable. The U-13s are 0-2.

The U-16 girls handed Y/D a 5-0 spanking. Molly Fischer, the 7th grade phenom playing with freshmen, scored three times. Natalie Lucier also scored.

Emma Lee Iversen and Jocelyn Andrade had strong defensive games in front of shutout goalie Kia Minor.

Anchors aweigh
The MVRHS sailing team's season record stands at 4-0. According to Coach Heil, the team is focused on the New England Championship regatta for the Mark Trophy which will be held here, May 20-21.

One week later the National Team Racing Championship regatta will be held and the nation's 12 best teams will gather at Vineyard Haven to vie for the Baker Trophy.

The MVRHS jayvees, whose championship regatta will also be held here, are 2-0.

The varsity has defeated Sandwich, 3-0; Chatham 3-0; Nauset, 3-0; and Falmouth, 4-0. The junior varsity wins have been at the expense of Lincoln-Sudbury, 2-0, and Sandwich, 3-0.

To learn more, see nessa-sailing.org

Grom clinic
Saturday, from 10 am to noon a "grom" clinic will be held at the MV Skate Park. Pros Erik Albert and Nick Briggs will be on hand to help introduce "groms" 12 years old or younger to the sport. Learn how to skate the best lines, proper safety measures and improve your understanding of the park. Skateboards are not required.

Parental participation is recommended; helmets are required; donations are encouraged. A parent must accompany children under eight. Rain date is Saturday, April 22.

To learn more, call Erik Albert at 508-693-7172.

On ice
Twenty four M.V. Skating Club members competed in the 28th annual 3-day Lower Cape meet at Orleans, March 31-April 2 and skated off with a lot of the precious metal, finishing fourth as a team.

The production team took the gold and won a trophy with "Shark Tales."

Katie Stewart won gold in footwork 3 and Interpretive, and she was fourth in freestyle and artistic.

Jessica Seidman won gold in footwork, silver in freestyle, and she was 6th in artistic.

Olivia Ogden took silver in Artistic.

Breanne Russell won gold in footwork 5, interpretive and artistic, and was 4th in freestyle.

Hunter Meader won gold in spotlight pre alpha.

Lindsy Dario took gold in spotlight alpha, bronze in alpha FS.

Aidee Espino took gold in spotlight delta, bronze in stroking delta and was 5th in delta FS.

Elizabeth Smith won gold in stroking delta and silver in delta FS.

Hailey Meader took gold in spotlight FS, bronze in artistic, and silver in interpretive.

Anna Flaherty won gold in spotlight FS and silver in freestyle.

Kendall Robinson silvered in spotlight FS, took bronze in interpretive, was 4th in freestyle and 5th in artistic.

Alyssa Whitney won the gold in interpretive and solo comp, and bronze in freestyle.

Darci Whitney silvered in interpretive FS, solo comp, and artistic. She was 4th in freestyle.

Alex Mazza won gold in interpretive FS2, silver in solo comp and freestyle 2. She was 4th in artistic.

Alex Clark was 5th in freestyle and won bronze in artistic FS.

Diana Woods took the gold in interpretive FS 6 and in artistic FS 6.

In Coupled spotlight, Alyssa Whitney and Hailey Meader won bronze. Alex Mazza and Darci Whitney finished 5th.

Hunter Meader, Hailey Meader, and Diana Woods took the gold in family spotlight.

Losses at Lakeville
The MVRHS softball team lost a squeaker to Apponequet at Lakeville, Tuesday, 4-3. Brielle Leonard gave up eight hits but no earned runs as the Vineyard defense proved error prone. Brielle struck out five. She and Kelly Silvia went 2-for-3 at the plate and each stole a base. MV errors opened the door for the Lakers.

Apponequet also defeated the Vineyard baseball team, 9-3. Laker Rob Rushton scattered five hits, fanned nine, and walked none. Joe Keaney started for the Vineyard, gave up eight hits and seven runs - four earned. Zach Coutinho finished the game. Tony Cortez stroked a double. Both Josh Flanders and John Nelson had RBI singles.