Sports Highlights
By Ralph Stewart - February 1, 2007
Boys hoopsters win one, lose one
Greater New Bedford ended the Vineyard boys six-game winning streak with a 64-55 victory Tuesday night in the Whaling City.
The Vineyarders shot poorly for the second game in a row and were sloppy defensively. "It was disappointing that we lacked the intensity and fire we had been playing with, but now we have to regroup and get ready for Seekonk," M.V. head coach Mike Joyce said.
Terrell Johnson (17 points, 12 rebounds) and Nick Viera (13 points, 10 rebounds) had double-doubles. Tim McHugh had ten points and seven rebounds. Bubba Brown also had a good night, scoring eight and grabbing seven rebounds.
M.V. stands at 10-5 overall and 8-5 in the South Coast Conference. They are one win away from clinching a berth in the state tournament, but face stellar opposition in Seekonk tomorrow and at home against Wareham, Tuesday.
M.V. defeated Old Rochester Friday night at the Sancy, 63-51. The Bulldogs gave the Purple all they could handle, battling back from a 51-29 deficit early in the second half and cutting the M.V. lead to 55-46 with five minutes to play.
The Vineyarders had trouble finding their shooting touch all night, often needing two or three put-backs to get what should have been easy baskets.
On the plus side, the Vineyard got multiple chances to score, thanks to tenacious play on the boards and 10 steals.
Nick Viera recorded the double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Ben Post had 14 points and Terrell Johnson had eight points and seven rebounds.
The JV squad improved to 11-2, with a 66-63 win at Greater New Bedford, Tuesday. Nick Gross was the hero, sealing the game with two late buckets in a 20-point, nine-rebound performance. James Todd tossed in 10 points and Cody Brewer hauled down eight rebounds. "Everybody dressed and everybody played well," Coach Jason O' Donnell said.
Friday, against Old Rochester, M.V. was overwhelming in a 52-25 win. Justin Mercier had 13 points, Nick Gross had nine, and Billy Reagan was the anchor on defense with seven rebounds and four steals.
Girls hoops
The Bulldogs got even against the Vineyard girls in Mattapoisett, Friday, rolling to a 65-35 win.
Nina Butler and Tiffany Smalley had eight points apiece.
ORR also handled the tough Vineyard jayvees, 34-29, only the second loss in 11 contests for Justine Shemeth's squad.
The Bulldogs completed the sweep with a 25-15 win over the Vineyard freshmen girls, who fell to 3-6.
Tuesday was a different story for the girls on the home court against Greater New Bedford. Nina Butler matched her jersey number with 11 points, while Tiffany Smalley and Kelly Silvia chipped in eight each to lead M.V. to a 49-21 win. Brittany Stone was the other Vineyard standout, with seven points, nine assists, and 12 steals.
The Vineyarders played one of their finest games of the season, surging to an 11-2 lead at the start and a 29-8 halftime lead. Their passing was accurate all night and the Lady Bears had a miserable time dealing with the Purple's pressure defense.
The Vineyard varsity is now 4-9.
The lady jayvees improved to 10-2 with a 66-35 win over GNB.
Katie Hines had 18 points, 14 in the first half. Others in double figures were Shikha Datta with 12 points and Kate Cecilio with 10.
RCBL week 7
The Lakers took their second straight against the youthful Celtics, 104-94, Monday night.
Heath Estrella had a monster game with 31 points, 19 rebounds, and 5 steals.
Brion Scott, (15 points), Karl Kallinich (14), and Caleb Nicholson (13) also had strong games for the Lakers.
In the opening contest, the Heat left the Legends out in the cold, 87-70, behind 25 points from Jade Cash. Sandy Fisher (17 points), Jason Dyer (16), and Damon Mello (14) also hit double figures.
Dale Rogers and Shawn Chalifoux were the leading Legends with 13 points each.
RCBL standings
Lakers 5-2
Celtics 4-3
Heat 3-4
Legends 2-5
Grand Prix tennis
Patrick McCarthy, 10, of Oak Bluffs, won the A division in the Jan. 20 Grand Prix event at Vineyard Youth Tennis.
He defeated Win Grim, 14, of Vineyard Haven in the semi-finals and 12-year old Kent Leonard in the final.
Patrick also won the boys 10 division at the New England Divisional Tournament last weekend in East Providence, R.I.
He defeated Wareham's David Foster 6-1, then knocked off the number six seed Samuel Cohen, 6-4, and lost only three points in a 6-0 win over Chase Holding of Needham.
In the B division of the VYT Grand Prix, Reid Yennie finished first, with Samantha Potter placing second.
The next Grand Prix event at VYT is Feb. 17 at 12:30 pm
Girls hockey
The MVRHS girls suffered a 6-0 defeat at the hands of mighty 11-0-1 Barnstable, Saturday at the Arena. The Red Raiders fired 60 shots at Laura Jernegan, while allowing M.V. a paltry 11.
The Vineyarders fell to 1-11-1 and play at Quincy on Saturday.
Darts take flight
Dave Bettencourt's team (Bettencourt, Fred Pekari and Mile Lipinsky) took home the money on Jan. 18, beating Charlene Alley, James Rowell and Peter Valentzas, 10-1.
Last Thursday, Dave Bettencourt's team won again, defeating Wes Wood, Fred Hall, Helene Hall and Jeff Canha, 10-1
League Standings:
1st Place - 20 points
Dave Bettencourt, Fred Pekari, Mike Lipinsky
2nd Place - 16 points
Robert O'Sullivan, Peter Searle, George Valentzas
3rd Place - 12 points
Eric Pachico, David O'Sullivan,
Linda Wood, Cindy Corner
Best three-dart-on is Eric Pachico with 80; Best three-dart-out is Eric Pachico with 75.
Most Tons: Dave Bettencourt with 13.
Island skaters medal
Eleven skaters from the Martha's Vineyard Skating Club competed and medalled at the first annual Brockton Blizzard Competition held in Brockton on January 6 and 7.
The skaters are coached by
Julie Meader, Diana Woods, Beth Blankenship, and Jane Taylor.
Alex Clark placed 3rd in Solo Compulsories and 4th in Artistic Solo for level 1.
Alex Mazza took 2nd in Solo Compulsories 2, 3rd place in Artistic 2, and 2nd place in Jump and Spin Medium.
Alyssa Whitney claimed 1st place in Artistic 2 and Interpretive 2.
Darci Whitney placed 2nd in Artistic 2 and Interpretive 2. Hailey Meader placed 2nd in Artistic 2.
Elizabeth Smith won 4th place in Freestyle 1 and 5th in Artistic 1.
Lindsy Dario placed 1st in Solo Compulsories Delta, 1st in Jump and Spin Low and 5th place in Spotlight Delta.
Aidee Espino placed 2nd in Solo Compulsories Delta, and 1st in Jump and Spin Low; she also placed in Interpretive Delta.
Olivia Ogden placed 3rd in Solo Compulsories 3, 4th in Freestyle 3, 1st in Artistic 3, and 2nd in Jump and Spin Medium.
Katie Stewart placed 5th in Freestyle 4, 3rd in Interpretive 4, 6th in Artistic 4, and 2nd in Jump and Spin Intermediate.
Kendall Robinson placed 4th in Solo Compulsories 4, 5th in Freestyle 4, and 2nd in Jump and Spin Intermediate.
