Sports Highlights
By Ralph Stewart - March 8, 2007
New MVRHS sailing coach
In a press release, Sail Martha's Vineyard announced that Andrew Burr has been named the Martha's Vineyard Regional High School Varsity Sailing Coach replacing the highly successful present coach, Doug Heil.
"Sail Martha's Vineyard is pleased to announce that Andrew Burr has been named the Martha's Vineyard Regional High School Varsity Sailing Coach," said the release. "Andrew is a familiar face to many of the high school sailors, having served as a volunteer assistant coach during the 2006 season. His sailing career includes impressive competitive credentials gained while sailing for Tabor Academy and the NCAA Division 1 University of Rhode Island. Andrew lives in Edgartown and is a well-known and respected face in the competitive sailing world both on the Vineyard and throughout New England."
When asked about the coaching change, Peggy Schwier, President of Sail Martha's Vineyard, said "We are really pleased to have someone with Andrew's experience and credentials leading our high school program. We look forward to working with Andrew to continue to develop and support a program in which Sail Martha's Vineyard places great value."
Talking tennis
Scott Smith, Executive Director of Vineyard Youth Tennis, is now producing a tennis talk show on MVTV called "Tennis Talk with Scott." The first installment of Tennis Talk aired Friday, Feb. 16, at 8 pm and will be repeated tonight. Check www.mvtv.org for schedules. The program features local tennis action, tennis tips and interviews.
Little League
Registration for Little League Baseball is now possible online. Go to www.Vineyardbaseball.com. Click on Little League Baseball and follow the links for registration. For persons wishing to register in person they may do so from 10 am to 1 pm at the high school gym Saturdays, March 10 and 17. It is best to register online to guarantee a spot as space fills up fast. Registrations after March 24 will be subject to a $25 late fee.
Wanted: coaches
Vineyard Baseball is looking for coaches for Babe Ruth teams (13-15 years) and for assistants at the high school level. Call 508-989-8154 with questions.
Well done
Jen Knight of Oak Bluffs finished her four-year basketball career at Hartwick College in Oneonta, N.Y., leading the Empire 8 league in field goal percentage. She was second in blocked shots and third in rebounding and was named Hartwick's Sportswoman of the year.
Edison Parzanese in his role as leader of the Vineyard team versus Austin Prep.
Collegian Edison shines
His many Vineyard friends and fans will not be surprised to learn that Edison Parzanese, MVRHS '07, a freshman at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, was named Patriot League Men's Lacrosse Rookie of the Week for his play in the Army and Lehigh games. He scored six times and assisted once. He scored four of the five Holy Cross goals against Army, Feb. 27, and posted two goals and an assist in the OT loss to Lehigh, March 3.
Edison leads all Patriot League freshmen with 2.25 goals per game and leads his team with nine goals and is second in assists with three.
The Crusaders are 1-3 overall and play league foe Colgate, Saturday.
End of the road
The high school boys basketball and hockey teams were bounced from MIAA tournament play last week, the hoopmen losing to Scituate, 73-41, and the hockey team was shut out by its nemesis, Coyle and Cassidy, 2-0.
The Scituate Sailors merited a third seed in Division 3 South with a season record of 18-2. The Vineyard was 14th at 13-9 and had advanced with a preliminary round win over Carver.
Third seeded Coyle finished its hockey season at 17-2-1.The Islanders' 11-4-5 record put them in sixth place in Division 2 South. They beat Mansfield, 3-1 in first-round play.
Kent Leonard, Le Vainqueur
Defeating Win Grimm and the last A Division Grand Prix winner, Patrick McCarthy, Kent Leonard won his first Grand Prix at the Vineyard Youth Tennis Center last week. Grimm had bested Stuart Hersh in a semi-final contest.
In the B Division, Reid Yennie won his second Grand Prix by defeating newcomer Alyssa Adler. Alyssa reached the finals by topping Julia Cooper while Reid was getting by Hannah Webster.
What's in a name
According to BoatUS, the top ten most popular boat names in 2006 were 1. Aquaholic, 2. Second Wind, 3. Reel Time, 4. Hukuna Matata, 5. Happy Hours, 6. Knot Working, 7. Life is Good, 8. Plan B, 9. Second Chance, 10. Pura Vida. The top five and Pura Vida have appeared on the list of popular names before.
Volleyball looms
The interscholastic volleyball season dawns today with Oak Bluffs visiting Tisbury and Edgartown hiking up-Island to take on West Tisbury.
Mixed gender games will be played Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout March with finals on April 3.
Like basketball, volleyball was invented in the Bay State. William G. Morgan, physical director of the Holyoke YMCA, created the game as a substitute for the "new" game of basketball which he believed to be "too vigorous" for businessmen.
