Sports Highlights

By Don Lyons - September 14, 2006

Aggies can't keep up

Coach Joe Schroeder's cross-country teams trotted up to Norfolk, Tuesday, to run with the future farmers there and walked off with dominant wins. The Island boys won their season opener, 16-46, filling six of the top seven places.

Ryann Emin was first to finish in 18:14, closely followed by Evan Kendall at 18:18. Freshmen Forrest Harcourt (18:58) and Max Conley (18:59) were third and fourth.

Mistler was fifth for the Aggies. Connor Rasmussen and Ben Williams were sixth and seventh.

The MV girls winning score was 18-38. They were led by Hilary Dreyer who ran the course in 20:50.

At place and show were Sarah Jean Flanders (22:20) and Elizabeth Reid (22:21). Fourth and not far back was Emily Sobel at 23:32.

Norfolk filled the 5-6-7 spots. Freshman Julia Sadowski was 8th (25:03), completing the Vineyard's score.

The MV girls had opened their season with a close run with Fontbonne Academy here. The Bonnies squeaked out a 25-30 win. MV missed its number two runner, Sagitta Woodman, regrettably sidelined indefinitely with a knee injury.

Norfolk was the MV boys first meet.

Both Island teams are host to Seekonk, Friday, which should be a real test.

Football varsity begins with a win

The MVRHS varsity football team spotted Old Rochester a 9-point lead in the first quarter of their season opener at Mattapoisset, but scored 10 of their own in the second quarter to lead at the half, 10-9.

The Bulldogs' ground game was stymied by the Vineyard's defense, especially Mike Cecilio and Tyler Hathaway, but they moved the ball consistently through the air. OR quarterback Reed Bacchiochi had a half dozen sure-handed receivers to whom he could pass. Jake Seroussi put the Bulldogs on the board with a field goal in the first quarter. Then a 21 yard pass play opening the second period gave them a 9-0 lead. The PAT attempt was blocked.

The Islanders then embarked upon a 17-point scoring run. David Amabile dashed into the end zone from 24 yards out and Zach Coutinho added the extra point. Coutinho kicked a 17-yard field goal and QB Cliff Ibarrondo connected with Jon Nelson in the end zone for six more. Coutinho's valuable toe made it 17-9.

Old Rochester was not through. Bacchiochi threaded the needle from 30 yards out to close within two. However, a two-point try for tying extra points was foiled and MV claimed the 17-15 win.

This Friday the Vineyarders are home to Carver at 6:30.

The Arnold Brown regatta

Arnold Brown was a major force in the growth of junior sailing and high school sailing on the Vineyard. Before he died in 2001, Mr. Brown was Commodore of the Vineyard Haven Yacht Club and later its manager.

The annual Arnold Brown Regatta was created to keep alive his spirit and honor his life.

The regatta has been held each fall since 2001, bringing together high school sailors from all over New England.

Winner of the regatta receives a berth in the Great Oakes Regatta, a national competition held in New Orleans in November. The MVRHS sailing team qualified for the Great Oakes in both 2004 and 2005.

Potpourri

The MVRHS field hockey team was shut out at North Dighton by Dighton-Rehoboth, 1-0, Thursday. D-R's Deanna Knight's goal 12 minutes into the second half was the only score in an evenly played game.

B & G benefit

The winning team at the 22nd annual Boys & Girls Club tournament at the Edgartown Golf Club was Chris Boyle, Tony Bettencourt, Norm Vunk, and Caroline Taylor.

Second was the team of Tom Prendergast, Ann Heron, Joel Coslov, and Paul Pertile. Third were John Farrington, Butch Downs, Andy Downs, and John Dutton. and fourth were Pete Ives, Phil Demers, Ryan Bushy, and Dan Merry.

Stick 'em up

Jonathan Cristea of Edgartown made a sweep of both the small and large caliber divisions of the annual MV Pistol Championships at the MV Rod & Gun Club, Saturday. Cristea turned in a score of 340 out of a possible 350 in the small bore category and 330 with large bore.

Schedule changes

No shows, requiring rescheduling of games, matches or meets, is one of the headaches of Athletic Directors, especially Island AD's. New MVRHS AD Mike Joyce already has three on his desk. Taunton somehow became confused as to time and place of their boys and girls cross-country meets Saturday and the Case field hockey coach elected not to brave wind and waves in order to face Coach Lisa Knights troops, Monday. Then again Tuesday! Remember Tuesday ? It was a beautiful September day. VH Harbor looked like a lake. To the Seekonk golf coach it looked more like surf's up at Malibu and he cancelled the trip to the Vineyard.

All of the events have yet to be rescheduled.

Jayvees

The junior varsity football team lost its game with Old Rochester, Monday, 22-14.

Digging divots

After losing their first two matches with Apponequet and Old Rochester, the MVRHS golf team defeated New Bedford Voke and Diamon Voke.

Reminder

Saturday is the George V. Tankard Memorial NAACP 5K road race and one-mile fun run beginning at 10 am and 9:30 am at the Wesley Hotel, Oak Bluffs.

Islanders at Hyannis Triathlon

Saturday, Todd Christy, 41, of Chilmark, sliced three and a half minutes off his 2005 Hyannis Sprint Triathlon time of 1:03:20. Last year Todd finished 59th out of 766 tri-athletes. This year he was 12th of 671 finishers in 59:44..

The race winner, for the 8th consecutive year, was George Bent of Centerville, whose winning time was 53:25.

Also competing in the quarter-mile swim, 10-mile bike ride, 3.5-mile run event were Amy Wallace of Edgartown, Sue Miller, 46, of Vineyard Haven, Michael Amster, 56, of West Tisbury and Beth Flaherty of Vineyard Haven. Amy was 392nd in 1:24:41. Sue was 457th in 1:28:35. Michael was 512th in 1:30:52 and Beth was 516th in 1:30:54.

Sign up!

Open to all from 2nd grade to 6th grade, MV Youth Flag Football will register players at the MVRHS McCarthy field parking lot Monday through Friday, Sept 18 - 22, from 5 to 6:30 pm. Registration fee is $60. Games will be played in two divisions, one for kids in grades 2-3 the other for those in 4-6.

Tonight, sign up for '06-'07 MV Dart League at the PA Club from 5:30 -7 pm. League play begins next week.

FB & WG begins sailing

The Frost Biters and Winter Guys, the off-season sailing association that looks a lot like the Holmes Hole Sailing Assn., began its fall season Thursday evening with eight boats reporting at Nun 6 for the start.

With only a 5 mph SSW wind blowing, the race committee of Michael Jacobs and Harry Duane decided to change the familiar triangular course to a leeward-windward course from Nun 6 to Nun 4 off West Chop and back.

Only three boats made it close to the leeward mark: Phil Hale's Mischief, Mike Olivera's Hero and Woody and Susan Bowman's Julia Lee. But the wind died and the tide took the boats east, preventing them from rounding the mark. The race committee decided to abandon the race.

Sailors enjoyed a post-race dinner at Bob's on Main Street.

Soccer and pictures, page 18.