Sports Highlights

By Ralph Stewart - February 8, 2007

Register for MV 20 Miler

The tenth annual Martha's Vineyard 20 Miler will be February 17 at 11am. The USATF sanctioned event is open to serious and recreational runners alike.

The entry fee is $30 and registration is limited to 500 runners.

The race starts at the Vineyard Haven Steamship terminal and ends at the Oak Bluffs School, passing through East Chop, Beach Road along Sengekontacket Pond, the Edgartown-West Tisbury Road and sections of the state forest. The awards ceremony begins at 3 pm, followed by a post-race feast, featuring Chief Petty Officer Larry Santos' clam chowder, fruit, yogurt, and other snacks.

The course is mostly flat with a few sections of mildly hilly terrain. Aid stations will be provided approximately every two miles.

Runners are advised to use bike paths and sidewalks whenever possible. The course will close at 3pm. Because participants may encounter bad weather and volunteers are out on the course, walkers are highly discouraged.

Buses are available for the return trip to the start and to transport equipment and guests to the finish area.

Participants and guests attending from off-island are advised to take the 8:15 or 9:45 ferries from Woods Hole.

To register and for more information visit www.mv20miler.com

Girls hockey auction

The MVRHS girls hockey dinner and auction is this Sunday at 6pm at the Ocean View Restaurant. Tickets are $35.

Call Cheryl Kram at 508-693-5818 or Colleen Sylvia at 508-693-5185 for tickets and donation information.

Skillful skaters

Diana Woods captured two gold medals at the 22nd Bay State Winter Games in Williamstown on Friday.

She placed first in both the Freestyle 6 and Artistic Solo 6 to claim the medals and the BSWG championship jacket.

Her accomplishments have qualified Diana for the State Games of America, to be held in Colorado this August.

Diana is a skating professional at the Martha's Vineyard Skating Club. She and other coaches at the club will be skating in the end-of-season show on March 24 & 25.

Boston Basics

Skaters from the Martha's Vineyard Figure Skating Club participated in the 2007 Basic Skills Competition at the Skating Club of Boston, Saturday.

Placing were:

Aidee Espino, 1st Basic 7 Elements, Basic 7 Program, and Basic 7 Showcase.

Lindsy Dario, 1st Basic 8 Showcase, 2nd Basic 8 Elements.

Avery Hazell, 1st Basic 3 Elements.

Alexandra Mazza, 2nd Beginner Compulsory, 2nd Limited Beginner Freestyle.

Kaelin Nelson, 2nd Basic 8 Elements, 2nd Basic 8 Program.

Maya Segal, 2nd Basic 7 Elements, 3rd Limited Beginner Freestyle.

Kendall Robinson, 2nd Pre-Preliminary A Compulsory Moves, 4th Pre-Preliminary A Freestyle.

Alexandra Clark, 4th Basic 8 Elements, 4th Basic 8 Program.

Olivia Ogden, 4th Pre-Preliminary A Freestyle.

Girls basketball

The Vineyarders survived a sluggish first half and powered past winless Seekonk 51-31 on Friday night at the Sancy.

Tiffany Smalley paced the Vineyard attack with 18 points as M.V. overturned a 20-18 Warrior lead. Kelly Silvia had a great game at both ends of the court, scoring eight points and forcing eight steals. Brittany Stone gave her usual outstanding effort. "Brittany is our leader on and off the court," head coach Lisa Stewart said. "Even if she doesn't score, she does a lot of other things. She guards so well and creates a lot of turnovers with her defense."

The Vineyarders traveled to Wareham on Tuesday night and dropped a 52-39 decision to the Vikings.

Tiffany Smalley had 9 points and 13 rebounds. Julie Perry scored 8, and Kia Minor had 5 points and 13 rebounds. "She [Kia] played her heart out," coach Stewart said.

The jayvee girls continued their terrific season by defeating visiting Nantucket, 38-20, on Friday.

Katie Hines drained 18 points, 14 in the first half, and six other Vineyarders made the score sheet.

The JV's won again, matching their JV boys counterparts at 13-2, beating Wareham 28-26, Tuesday.

The Vineyard freshmen girls lost to the Vikings 46-22.

All three M.V. squads host Dighton-Rehoboth on Friday.

Baseball coaches needed

Vineyard Baseball is looking for coaches at the Babe Ruth (13-15 yr. old) level and for assistants at the high school level.

Please contact 508-989-8154.

Girls hockey

M.V. got their long-awaited second win of the season, beating hosts Quincy/North Quincy, 3-1, Saturday afternoon.

Shelby Ives, Samantha Cooperrider, and Zoe Fisher lit the lamp for the Vineyarders. Nica Sylvia earned two assists. Jen Ward was the winning goaltender. M.V. travelled to Sandwich yesterday afternoon.

Youth Hockey

The Vineyard girls won their first game of the season, edging out host Falmouth, 2-1, on Sunday. Angela Casey and Lily Gazaille put the biscuit in the basket for the victors. Anna Sylvia was stellar in net.

The M.V. Travel Mites continued their outstanding season, using a sharp passing game and stifling team defense to blank Barnstable 5-0 at the MV Arena, Saturday.

Nick Vukota, Tristan Araujo, Joe Davies, James Sashin, and Nainoa Cooperrider were the goal scorers. Vukota, Sashin, Davies, Mason Jeffers, Brahmin Thurber-Carbone, and Greg McCarron earned the assists. Joshua Forend and Anthony Jackson also had strong games.

The Travel Mites will host Nantucket, Falmouth, and the Starhawks in the Jimmy Smith Memorial Tournament on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

In squirt play, the M.V. Warriors bested the visiting Barnstable Avalanche 5-2, Sunday. Tyson Araujo scored first, followed by Alexander Vukota off a rebound of Emerson Mahoney's shot.

Vukota returned the favor, setting up Mahoney for goal three. Araujo got his second on an end-to-end rush, and Mahoney sealed the win on a breakaway. Oren Osnoss, Andrew Wiley, and Max Sashin were defensive standouts.

The M.V. Islanders thrashed Falmouth 9-1 on Saturday. Kyle Francis and Dorian Johnson had three goals and an assist each for the hosts. Matt Davies scored once, with a playmaking hat trick. Brian Fraser (one goal, one assist), Mike Mazza (one goal), and Callie Jackson (one assist) also made the score sheet for M.V.

The Vineyard Pee Wee's opened the weekend by clipping the Barnstable Hawks 4-2. Kyle Francis broke a 2-2 deadlock with two unassisted goals to lead M.V. Eamon Mackenzie and Harrison Rodriques potted the other Vineyard goals. Jason Millen and Charlie Ashmon set them up.

M.V. spent too much time in the penalty box in game two and fell to the Lower Cape Coyotes, 4-2. Goalie Zoltan Clarke was peppered with 32 shots on goal. Max Davies scored the first Vineyard goal from Kyle Francis, and Thomas Wilkins had the second from Jake Hart.

The Pee Wees will also host the Jimmy Smith Memorial this weekend, facing off against South Shore, Groton, and the Coastal Stars.

JV boys hockey

The Vineyarders fell to Needham 2-1 in an exciting contest played at the icy open-sided Daly Memorial Rink in Brighton on Monday.

M.V. rotated goalies Mike Capen and Chris Hathaway just to keep them warm.

David Flanders and Ben Ferry set up Brooks Billingham for the Vineyard goal late in the third period. M.V. pulled the goalie and had a six-on-four advantage, but couldn't get the tying marker.

The JV's played at Marshfield, yesterday.