On Sunday, Dec. 11, Martha’s Vineyard Youth Hockey’s Bantam Wales Mariners took on the Southern Rhode Island Junior Rams in a doubleheader on the road. The play was competitive in the first period of game one, leaving both teams scoreless. The Mariners’ offense came out strong in the second. Pete Gillis netted the game’s first goal on a pass from Jake Scott. Minutes later, Hunter Meader gave the Vineyard a 2-0 lead, assisted by Mike Wallace. Ava BenDavid scored the final goal of the period with assists from Jake Scott and Pete Gillis. The Mariners led 3-0 at the half.
In the third period, Mike Wallace scored on a pass from Hunter Meader. Then, in the final minutes of the game, Jake Scott scored twice on assists from Ava BenDavid and Pete Gillis. Solid goalkeeping by Graham Stearns, along with strong defensive play by Eli Gundersen and Jackie Pizzano, held the Rams scoreless, and the game ended 6-0.
The Junior Rams scored first in game two, and their defense briefly quieted the Mariners’ offense. Mike Wallace scored the Vineyard’s lone first-period goal with assists from Hunter Meader and John Coogan. The score was tied 1-1 after one.
The Mariners’ offense exploded in the second, scoring five. Hunter Meader scored first, followed by Fynn Monahan and Cam Geary. The Mariners were up 4-1. In the final minutes of the period, Alexa Pil and Mike Wallace tallied a goal apiece, giving the Mariners a 6-1 lead.
The Mariners did not let up in the third. Hunter Meader scored on a pass from John Coogan. Mike Wallace netted one more, giving him a hat trick. The defense, led by Ruby Reimann and Cam Geary, held the Rams to one. Graham Stearns was once again solid in the net. Cam Geary scored the final goal of the doubleheader, leading to a 9-1 victory for the Mariners.