The Martha's Vineyard Times The Martha's Vineyard Times
The Martha's Vineyard Times The Martha's Vineyard Times The Martha's Vineyard Times
The Martha's Vineyard Times The Martha's Vineyard Times

Sports Highlights

By Ralph Stewart - March 1, 2007

Now hear this

Athletic Director Mike Joyce announced that John Stabile has been appointed head coach of boys lacrosse, effective immediately.

Elise Chapdelaine

Midshipman Chapdelaine

Elise Chapdelaine, MVRHS '02, now a senior at the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md., has been named co-captain of the women's lacrosse team. Navy is in the midst of a transition into Division I of the Patriot League. Elise has scored 22 times in eight games. Six in a recent defeat of James Madison Univ. Her coach, Cindy Timchal. said of Elise, "She's a very dynamic player and the other girls feed off her energy."

Darts report

In recent MVDart League action, Dave Bettencourt's Bombers (Fred Pekari, Mike Lipinski) took all the points in their game with Jake Gifford, Jen Fozlee, and Scott Snipe, despite Snipe's ton-80, to win, Feb 15, 11-0.

A week later the Bombers tied Robert O'Sullivan's Stars with 8-3 wins. The Stars won the playoff. Eric Pachico hit a ton-80.

The DeBettencourt combo leads the league with 52 points, followed by O'Sullivan's 45 and Pachico's 36.

Charlene Alley and Dave Bettencourt won the sweetheart mixed doubles tourney, Feb. 18. Brenda Mullins and James Rowell were runners up. Linda and Wes Wood were third.

Coaching clinic

The Friends of Vineyard Soccer will sponsor the Mass. Youth Soccer Assn. Course at the Oak Bluffs school gym, Saturday, March 10, from 10 am to 2 pm.

This beginning course for soccer coaches teaches both coaching organization and theory aimed at helping coaches become more resourceful and confident leaders by combining enthusiasm and commitment with basic theory and practical exercises. The course will cover dribbling, passing, and shooting techniques as well as particular characteristics of under 6 and under 8 players.

FOVS encourages existing youth soccer coaches as well as those interested in learning more about coaching youth soccer to contact Neal A. Sullivan at 508-693-8501. Space in this free course is limited and pre-registration is required. Call today.

Vineyard Bridge

A dozen Vineyard duplicate bridge aficionados traveled to Cromwell, Conn., for the New England Regional Knockout Tournament. Six players finished in the top third of all point winners for the six-day event, which attracted thousands of competitors from all over the United States.

Hugh Knipmeyer of Vineyard Haven and Bill Blakesley of West Tisbury were the big masterpoint winners for the Island, both ranking in the top 10 percent of all players at the tournament. They won their bracket in one knockout series and reached the semi-finals in another. In the latter effort, they played on a team that also included Jim Kaplan of Oak Bluffs and were tied with a team that included Barbara McLagen of Edgartown.

Claus Buchthal of Chilmark, aged 93, was the top side-game winner in the whole tournament, besting more than 100 other players in that category. He played with a variety of pick-up partners (including former Vineyarder Eileen O'Neill), winning or placing high in most sessions.

Gail Farrish of Edgartown and Dotty Arnold of West Tisbury played in the Intermediate/Novice games and did very well, winning several times and finishing third and fourth overall for the tournament in the I/N division.

Other Vineyard players who earned masterpoints were Eniko and Robert Fokos of Chilmark, and Barbara Besse and Art Flathers of Vineyard Haven.

Love fest

The Vineyard Tennis Center Workout and Spa hosted "Love at First Set", the annual Valentine's mixed doubles tournament, Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 10-11. Thirty players entered the draw, some choosing partners and others being paired for the event. Close matches opened on Saturday with Bruce and Jean Lewellyn beating John Cahill and Doreen Rezendes in a seasaw match 6-2,1-6,10-8.

Bill and Julie Skinner upset two teams Rob Doyle and Eve Suhr, 6-4, 6-2 and Kathy and Steve Pogue, 6-4, 6-1.

Grand winners were Carla and Doug Cooper. They defeated Gene Erez and Cathy Lattanzi, 6-1, 6-1. John Cahill and Doreen Rezendes took the consolation final beating Kathy Upson and Richard Cohen in a barnburner, 7-6, 4-6, 7-6.

RCBL week 10

A week before taking time off during school vacation week, the RCBL played two games at the Boys and Girls Club with the league's two top teams, the Lakers and Celtics mixing it up in the early game and the Heat and Legends meeting in the twin bill.

The Lakers led most of the game, 39-29, after a quarter, and 59-44 at the half. At the 3/4 mark their edge had shrunk to five, 80-75. But Celtic captain Adam Rebello had found the range and hit four from beyond the arc to lead his team to a come-from-behind win, 105-102. Both Rebello and Laker captain Heath Estrella finished with game-high 37 points. Also in double figures were the Celts' Marc Rivers (17), Travis Baptiste (14) and Pat Ralston (10), and Lakers Jeff LaBell (28), Caleb Nicholson(14) and Karl Kallinich (10).

Sandy Fisher led his Heat troops to a 99-69 win over the Legends with 28 points. Damon Mello (18), Steve Brand (16), and Jason Dyer (11) made it to second columns. For the Legends, Joe McCormack led with 16 points, R. Sheppard and Monte Bizzarro each had 15, and Julius Middleton 11.

After ten weeks of play the standings are: (1) Lakers, 7-3; (2) Celtics, 6-4; (3) Heat, 5-5; (4) Legends, 2-8.

Next play date is Monday, March 5, when the Legends take on the Celtics and the Heat does battle with the Lakers.