Intermittent mist and harsh winds — not unusual Island fall weather — provided no advantage when the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School football team faced off against division 2A Somerset High School on Friday. The Vineyard suffered a decisive 34-6 defeat, upsetting hopes of a late season win.
“[Somerset is] perennially strong,” MVRHS statistician Greg Rollins said. “They run a bland and strong offense that would put anyone to sleep, but they do it well.”
The Vineyard executed some interesting plays and creative footwork that kept Somerset working hard, but their defense was not strong enough to keep them from scoring. Senior Ennis Foster had 10 tackles in the first half of the game while John Morris and Michael Courtney had six each. In the fourth quarter, James Sashin punted the ball to Somerset and Ennis Foster caught the resulting fumble. In the next play, Foster ran the ball back for the Vineyard’s only touchdown that evening.
“We knew it was going to be uphill,” coach Steve McCarthy said. “We had a lot of injuries. It’s been a difficult season being a new coach and working with a new staff. We played hard and the team shows signs of hope.”
“This team has a lot of heart,” Terry Donahue, president of the Martha’s Vineyard Touchdown Club, said. “They’re not having a great year but they didn’t quit tonight, and that’s what matters.”
The Vineyard will play Apponequet Regional High School in Lakeville next on Friday at 6 pm. After that will be a home game against Sandwich High School on Friday Nov. 4 at 6 pm.
