Sports Highlights
By Don Lyons - May 4, 2006
Futsal finals
The final Futsal League games attracted the largest Sunday morning crowd yet to the Boys and Girls Club to see the top four teams square off.
In the first game of the morning, 4th-seeded Matheus upset the second seed, Ilha, 4-3, in a game marked by brilliant defensive play.
The second game was just the opposite; it was an exercise in offensive skills pitting Central Esporte Clube (aka Colorado), the only off-Island team in the league, against unbeaten Ajax.
The teams were tied, 2-2, late in the first 25-minute period when Ajax cashed a penalty shot to lead at the half, 3-2.
Two and a half minutes into the second period, Ajax went two up, 4-2. But Colorado, appropriately garbed in fire-engine-red shirts, shorts, and socks, scored quickies at 4:55 and 5:40 tying the score.
Ajax retook the lead a minute later, but just 30 seconds went by before Colorado tied it up again.
At 9:32, the redmen took a lead, 6-5, that it would not relinquish.
The lead grew to 8-5 before Ajax scored at 15:43 and again at 14:36, narrowing the gap to one. But Colorado answered with a goal at 23:14. In the closing minute, with 19 seconds left on the clock, Ajax demonstrated the "ain't over 'til its over" spirit, making it 9-8, the final score.
Most of the Futsal players will be found on the soccer field at Veterans' Park behind the Tisbury Fire Station in the opening games of the Vineyard Summer Soccer League.
More soccer
Outdoor pickup soccer games are being played Tuesdays and Thursdays at Tisbury's Veterans Park behind the fire station. Everyone is welcome.
The summer league, when things get serious, will begin in mid-June, "when the college kids return."
Netmen improving
Last Wednesday, the MVRHS boys tennis team lost its fifth match without a win to Old Rochester, 1-4. Only the first doubles team of Daniel Han and Dylan Hutchinson prevailed, and did it in style, 6-1, 6-2. The second doubles duo, Ben Ferry and Jonah Lipsky went the distance before bowing, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Friday, the Red Raiders grew their win-loss boys tennis record to 6-1 and the Vineyarders lost their sixth match at Barnstable without a win. But that wasn't the whole story,
The McHugh brothers, Tim and Andrew, playing first and third singles, pushed their opponents to long hour-and-a-half matches. Both MV doubles teams did the same and the Islanders had the Red Raiders talking out loud to themselves.
Coach Ned Fennessy is a realist. "To improve, you have to play better teams," he says, and the Vineyarders are improving.
Next test is Chatham, 5-3.
Summer ice
Chabot's specialized Hockey Programs will be in session Monday to Friday, July 10-14 from 10 am to 5:20 pm. The school welcomes boys and girls from 7 to 17 years old. Goal tending, shooting, and checking programs are offered. Call 603-929-4967 or see www.louischabot.com to learn more.
Sam shines
The Sunshine State Conference pitcher of the week the first week of May was Sam Reece of Oak Bluffs, now a senior at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida. Sam pitched seven innings of two-hit ball as the Tritons shut out Florida Southern, 4-0. Sam walked four, fanned two, and allowed just two hits, both in the fifth inning.
Little League lore
Dodgers pitchers William Stewart and Ben Ciciora combined to hold the A's to two runs on two hits and three walks while striking out 14 batters, Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Dodgers were circling the bases 24 times on 16 hits and 14 walks off the servings of Oliver Filley, Harry West, and Mike Mussell
Carlie Ashmun, Ramon Espino, Chris Morris, and William Stewart had multiple hits for the Dodgers. Eli Berlow had the only hit for the A's.
The Cubs and Red Sox split their series, Cubbies winning Wednesday, 8-6, and the Sox taking the second game, 3-2.
Highlight of the Wednesday game was Tyler Araujo's two RBI double and Kyle Altieri's work behind the plate, his first stint as a catcher. Michael Hill pitched well in a losing cause for the Sox.
Friday the Sox scored the winning run in the sixth inning. Chris Mayhew was 2-for-3 and Colby Gouldrup tripled.
Minor league
The Twins had back-to-back doubles by Andrew and Austin Fournier and beat the Reds, 19-7, Wednesday.
Thursday the Indians landed the Devil Rays and the Rockies had their way with the Marlins, 10-2.
The Jays just got by the Orioles. After two extra innings the Jays were up, 7-6. There were two home runs in the game, one by Oriole Bryan Carter.
It was the second time the teams required overtime to declare a winner. Both times it was the Jays.
Monday, in foul weather, the Twins shut out the Orioles, 5-0, behind Colin Cameron. Adahy Gonsalves drove in four of the Twins runs.
Also Monday, the Reds edged the Devil Rays, 7-6. The Reds trailed, 5-1, until the fifth inning when they tied the score. The Rays went up 6-5 in the top of the sixth but the Reds scored twice in their half of the inning to claim the win.
The 12th
Players, teams, and sponsors are sought for the 12th annual Children's Benefit Golf Tournament in support of the MV Boys & Girls Club and Big Brothers/Big Sisters.
The tournament a will have a scramble format with a shotgun start at Farm Neck on Sunday, June 4.
Persons interested in playing and/or sponsoring should call Greg Rollins at the B&G; 627-3303.
Hard Case
Case high school gave the MVRHS baseball and softball teams a whuppin' Monday, at Swansea. The Cardinals hardball squad kept the Islanders off the scoreboard while piling up a dozen runs of their own.
Friday, M.V. lost to Bourne, here, 11-3. Max Shay was touched for just three hits, but he walked six and was victimized by eight fielding errors.
The Vineyarders' record fell to 1-10.
The Case softball team allowed one run and posted nine of their own. The lone Vineyard run was driven in by Krista Ben David. M.V. pitcher Brielle Leonard was charged with just two earned runs. Her battery mate, Kelly Silvia, played her usual solid game.
Last Wednesday the Vineyard baseball team lost to Dighton Rehoboth, 19-6, and the softballers were shut out in a well-played game, 2-0. D-R's runs were unearned, but the Vineyard could get just two hits off the Falcon's Jen Gilbert.
Kelly Silvia and Brittany Stone had back-to-back singles leading off the fourth and moved up a base on a sacrifice. But Gilbert struck out the next two batters.
Friday, the M.V. girls outscored Bourne here, 15-9. Beside pitching the whole game, Brielle Leonard smacked two triples and scored three runs. Kelly Silvia and Brittany Stone each had three hits. Stone hit a round tripper and Silvia scored four runs.
MV's record is 3-7.
Coach Burgoyne writes, "At the mid-way point we have drawn lots of praise from the SCC coaches and umpires with our energy and competitiveness. Of the seven losses, one was a 4-3 loss at Apponequet. Another was a 3-1 extra-inning loss to ORR. Last Monday we lost another tight one - 6-5 to Wareham. We lost to GNBVT due to one bad inning.... We have competed in almost every game and now we've played everyone. Six of our last ten games are at home."
Interscholastic action
A rule infraction in Monday's game at West Tisbury will result in a replaying of the final inning of the West Tisbury vs. Tisbury baseball game with WesTiz runners at second and third in the bottom of the sixth and Tisbury leading, 5-4. Following the completion of that game, another will be played at Veterans Park, Tisbury.
Tisbury fireballer Cole Maciel struck out 13 of the 21 batters he faced, walked none but gave up six hits, one a leadoff home run by Taylor Smith.
In the first inning Maciel struck out five Tisbury batters, two of whom reached on passed balls and ultimately scored.
Softball
The Oak Bluffs softball team is 2-0 after beating Tisbury twice: 10-4 and 22-2.
Saturday at Nunes
The Pitch, Hit, and Run competition sponsored by M.V. Little League begins Saturday at Nunes Field in Edgartown.
Youngsters 7 to 12 years old are eligible. Players must sign a registration/waiver form. Call or e-mail Ray Tattersall with questions: 508-696-6737 or icemanmv3@aol.com.
