Sports
Martha's Vineyard squirts win Ryan Mone Tourney
The Vineyard Cape and Islands Squirt C team played an absolute gem of a game, getting a hat trick from Jack Sleyton and two more goals from Tristan Araujo to stun Concord-Carlisle 5-3 and win the Ryan Mone Tournament Sunday at the Martha's Vineyard Arena.
Most remarkable is that Martha's Vineyard scored two goals while shorthanded on the same power play, to lead 2-0 in the first period.
Soon afterwards, Sleyton broke in alone on the C.C. goalie and was hauled down in the act of shooting, the classic case for a penalty shot and further indication that this might not be your ordinary hockey game. Jack converted the penalty by tucking a slick wrister neatly in the side of the mesh for his second goal and the Vineyard's third.
From there, Martha's Vineyard hung on through an onslaught of C.C. pressure. Unflagging Vineyard forechecking, however, made sure that the visitors never got comfortable. Their passes were broken up, their skating was impeded, and their shots blocked. Everywhere C.C. went, a Vineyard stick was tickling at the puck.
Araujo scored his second to make it 4-1 and Sleyton iced his hat trick with 4:11 left to play. Concord finally hit their stride in the dying minutes, scoring two quick ones before pulling the goalie, but they would get no closer.
Vineyard goalie Thaylsson Rebeiro tended the twine with aplomb, stopping 28 shots.
Martha's Vineyard opened the tourney on Friday with an exciting 4-3 win over the South Shore Seahawks.
Aksel Cooperrider and Jack Sleyton shared the goal-scoring honors with two goals each. Brahmin Thurber-Carbone, Ella Jernegan, and Leo McDonald had assists.
Next up was Concord-Carlisle on Saturday morning. Martha's Vineyard spotted the visitors an early 2-0 lead before falling, 5-2. Joshua Forend and Aksel Cooperrider scored the goals, unassisted.
The Vineyard made amends in the evening contest, outshining the Coastal Stars from Marshfield and Cohasset, 4-1.
Martha's Vineyard struck thrice in the first period. Tristan Araujo set up Jack Sleyton for the first, Sleyton returned the favor assisting Araujo on the second, and Sleyton scored unassisted with 45 seconds left.
Josh Forend made it 4-0 in the third period, assisted by Shay Sullivan.
In the Peewee side of the tournament, the Martha's Vineyard Islander C's did a fine job, finishing third with a 2-1 consolation game victory over a Norwood side that blanked M.V. 2-0 in the first round.
Eamon MacKenzie, assisted by Kyle Stobie and Austin Morley, assisted by Sydney Davies staked Martha's Vineyard to a lead they would not relinquish.
In Friday's opener, Martha's Vineyard played a great game and still lost 5-0 to a Reading team that simply overwhelmed the field, piling up 30 goals to none conceded in winning the title.
The Vineyard defeated the Coastal Stars 3-2 Saturday night to gain their first win. Austin Morley potted a pair of goals and Brian Fraser had the other. Marco Petricone (2), Kyle Stobie, and Aaron Figueroa earned assists. Noah Kleinhenz was solid between the pipes throughout the tournament.
Coaches Bill Jacobs and Josh Forend want to thank all of the parents for their time and support in making the tournament a success.
Girls youth hockey
The under-14 Lady Vineyarders travelled to Burrillville, R.I., Saturday and left with a 3-2 loss.
Martha's Vineyard fought back from an early 2-0 hole, when Emily Cimeno broke up a Burrillville breakaway and turned it into a nifty give and go with cousin Olivia Cimeno. Emily fired in the puck, Olivia got the assist. Elizabeth Kelleher scored the second M.V. goal with the extra attacker on in the closing seconds.
Big kick-off for Strictly All Contact
Martha's Vineyard's martial artists from Strictly All Contact in Edgartown scored a knockout at the annual Kick-off Tournament in Fitchburg on Jan. 19, sweeping the men's division in every age and weight class.
The eight- to nine-year-old intermediate competitors also dominated, eliminating all other regions in the first round to set up a Vineyard vs. Vineyard final.
In the team sparring event, Cord Bailey, Ian Brew, Hunter Cleary, Stanley Dutton, Daniel Gaines, Madison Hughes, Tayla Kuehne, Grace Oslyn, and Evan Sosa led the Islanders to a third-place finish.
All told, the locals placed first 12 times, second 12 times, and third 10.
Additionally, Cord Bailey, Jean Cleary, David Dutton, Michaella Gaines, Madison Hughes, Tayla Kuehne, and Jason Cournoyer placed in the overall standings for 2007, thereby qualifying for the demanding national events held later this year at various locales throughout the U.S.
The Fitchburg Kick-off, sporting a field of over 400 athletes, is comprised of three events: weapons (bo staffs), forms (kicks, jumps, and acrobatics), and sparring (full-contact Tae Kwon Do).
The Vineyard contingent particularly shined in the latter category, with Julia Bettencourt (9 years old, Intermediate Girls), Hunter Cleary (7, Beginner Boys), David Dutton, (56, Advanced Men's), Tayla Kuehne (13, Adv. Girls), Sandy Nadelstein (44, Beg. Men's), Tim Merriman (22 Blackbelt Men's), Grace Oslyn (11, Int. Girls), Timothy Peters (8, Int. Boys), and Gage Rancich (13, Int. Boys) all claiming first-place honors.
Finishing second in sparring were Cord Bailey (12, Int. Boys), Jean Cleary (45, Int. Women's), Madison Hughes (14, Adv. Girls), Ben Nadelstein (9, Beg. Boys), and Colby Scarsella (8, Int. Boys).
Ian Brew (14, Adv. Boys), Jacob Peters (8, Int. Boys), and Julia Peters (8, Int. Girls), finished third. Daniel Gaines (9, Int. Boys), placed fourth.
In forms, Julia Bettencourt, Tayla Kuehne, and Justin Oslyn (14, Beg. Boys) were first; Ian Brew, David Dutton, Ben Nadelstein, and Julia Peters, second; Hunter Cleary, Stanley Dutton (15, Beg. Boys), Madison Hughes, Grace Oslyn, Timothy Peters, and Gage Rancich, third. Jean Cleary, placed fourth.
Ian Brew, Jean Cleary, and Madison Hughes led the way in the weapons event, placing second, while Colby Scarsella took third.
The next big event for Strictly All Contact is the Worcester Classic in May, which attracts a field of over 800 competitors from all over New England.
Hoops round-up
The Martha's Vineyard Regional High School varsity boys got even with Bourne, Tuesday, sinking the host Canalmen 75-42. The Vineyarders used the full-court press to force 32 turnovers. Nick Gross (4 steals), Nico Cuba (3), Mark Reppert (3), Cody Brewer, and Jeff Osborn were the defensive standouts, forcing Bourne's best threat into early foul trouble.
Reppert led the scoring with 16 points, Pat Hart had a season-high 10 points and pulled down 12 boards. Cody Brewer had 9 points.
The jayvee and freshmen squads also won, to complete a Vineyard sweep. Nick Jerome scored nine of his 14 points in the first quarter as Martha's Vineyard pressed their way to a 20-6 lead and held on for a 42-36 win in the JV tilt.
Sunday, the Vineyard varsity hoped to gain revenge for a tough loss at Arlington Catholic last week, but the Cougars had other ideas, winning the return at the Sancy, 61-51.
The turning point was a 16-0 run that erased a 39-38 Vineyard lead in the third quarter.
Bubba Brown led the way for the Purple with 16 points, while Nico Cuba and Mark Reppert chipped in with 11 points each.
The jayvees also lost to A.C., 66-53. Nick Jerome was the high scorer for Martha's Vineyard with 13 points.
The varsity girls fell at home Saturday to Duxbury, 79-64, despite a tremendous effort from Kia Minor who piled up 27 points, including seven free throws from eight attempts.
Molly Fischer also had a strong game, with 16 points.
Tuesday, the Lady Vineyarders fought visiting Bourne tooth and nail, but succumbed 49-39.
The home side battled to within three at 38-35 early in the final period, but couldn't take control.
Kia Minor led Martha's Vineyard scoring with nine points.
The girls jayvees rebounded from a nine-point deficit to stun Bourne Tuesday at the Sancy, 48-44. Martha Scheffer and Gillian Sedlier had 11 points each for Martha's Vineyard
Next up for the Martha's Vineyard Regional High School squads: The girls are away against Notre Dame Friday and Wayland Saturday, while the boys host Sandwich Friday and also play at Wayland Saturday.
Youth girls hoops
There was good news and bad news for Martha's Vineyard last Saturday in Dartmouth. First, the bad: a 44-8 loss to the hosts. Next, the good: a 32-3 romp over Lakeville in which M.V. held their foe to zero field goals, just three free throws. Alex Marc and Jenny Lindland had six points each and Caroline Fournier was two for two from the stripe.
