Boys’ tennis handles first-round opposition
On June 2, the No. 2 Vineyarders welcomed No. 34 Ludlow to the Ned Fennessy Courts for their first-round match of the MIAA Division III playoffs. MVRHS’ All-Star lineup took care of business, beating the Lions 5-0, advancing themselves to the second round.
At second and third singles, sophomore Zak Potter and senior Clyde Smith each won 6-0, 6-0, as did first doubles partners senior Teagan Myers and sophomore Caleb Dubin.
At second doubles, sophomores Kert Kleeman and Kyle Levy lost only one game, winning it 6-0, 6-1. Last but not least, Cape and Islands MVP senior Jacob Riis won first singles 6-2, 6-1.
After the match, first-year Coach Nicole Macy stated, “[I’m] excited for the win, but nervous for each next one. There are high expectations for the team, so it just feels like a lot of pressure to help get them there. We’ll do the best we can!”
Next up, the Vineyarders will host No. 15, Boston Latin Academy, on Wednesday at 3 pm, after our paper deadline. MVRHS will have home court all the way through the Elite 8 (the state semifinals are played in neutral locations), assuming they beat Boston Latin in the Sweet 16. The Vineyarders finished third in the state last year.
Girls’ tennis postseason run ends in Sweet 16
This past week, the No. 16 Vineyarders played in the first and second rounds of the MIAA Division III playoffs, ultimately losing to No. 1 Weston on Tuesday.
Last Wednesday, they played No. 17 Middleborough at the Ned Fennessy Courts, winning their first-round matchup 4-1. At third singles, senior Cape and Islands All-Star Andrea Morse quickly got the Vineyard on the board with a 6-0, 6-4 win, followed by junior Sofia Balsas and sophomore Ellie Pennington at first doubles with a 6-1, 6-3, victory.
Pennington and Balsas were partners at first doubles all year, developing good chemistry along the way. “We have good communication … I like how we’ve improved a lot,” Pennington said.
At first singles, back-to-back Cape and Islands MVP senior Cali Giglio punched MVRHS’ ticket to the second round with a 6-3, 6-0, win, targeting her opponent’s weaknesses in the second set to clinch the sweep. “I got in the hang of things, warming up to my opponent; that’s what made me stronger in the second set,” Giglio said. “Coach Rigali and I had a little talk, and he said to target her backhand.”
Last but not least, senior All-Star Evelyn Brewer won second singles in a back-and-forth super-tiebreaker, coming back from a 6-2 loss in the first set. Giglio, Brewer, and Morse have led the way for the Vineyarders since their rookie seasons, and were Coach Bill Rigali’s tri-captains this year.
“We missed out on one season because of COVID, but we’re making up for it now,” Morse joked. “We work hard to ensure that the team is there for each other.”
Giglio added, “We’re a young team, so we worked hard to make sure we had captains’ practices; encouraging people … I’m really proud of the team for taking the time [to get better].”
After the Vineyard’s loss to Weston on Tuesday, Coach Rigali expressed his gratitude for his tri-captains. “Buzz saw up in Weston, but a good season for the team overall … Great senior leadership from Cali, Evelyn, and Andrea, and wonderful improvement from Sofia and Ellie.”
Boys’ lacrosse loses to No. 11 Rockland
The No. 22 Vineyarders’ upset bid fell short on Monday, losing to No. 11 Rockland 16-7 in the first round of the MIAA Division IV playoffs. The Bulldogs jumped out to a 9-1 lead in the first quarter, and staved off a potential MVRHS comeback.
“Their face-off man was dominant at the dot, and we just couldn’t get out of the defensive zone,” Coach Chris Greene said after the game. “The season was a success overall, [though] … 12-0 finish in the Lighthouse Division was a first, and we had a few young players get their feet wet at the varsity level.”
In the loss, junior Aiden Conley scored twice, and his twin brother Liam scored once. Sophomore Holden Brew and freshman Finn Callen also got on the board.
Midfielder Liam Conley was named Cape and Islands MVP this past week, and Aiden was recognized as an All-Star. Sophomores Frankie Paciello, Chase Toomey, and Michael Perry also earned All-Star honors. “All are deserving,” stated Coach Greene. “With regards to the off-season, we’ll take a little time off, and then I know the kids will get back to work on their craft.”
Girls’ lacrosse back in the playoffs
The young Vineyard squad reached the playoffs for the first time in four years this past week, unfortunately losing to No. 9 Cape Cod Academy in the first round of the MIAA Division IV playoffs. Despite the early exit, however, first-year Head Coach Lacey Dinning saw the season as a big step in the right direction.
“It was the best season we’ve had in the last couple of years. The team has gotten a lot closer, and it was a good learning year … I’m excited for next year,” Dinning said.
The Vineyarders are graduating only two seniors this spring, defender Nelly Long and midfielder Lily Moran: “They were a huge part of our team; hopefully missing them won’t be too much.” Long was named a Cape and Islands All-Star this week.
In addition to Long and Moran, Dinning lauded the contributions of junior All-Star Ali Dyke, junior All-Star Elena Giordano, sophomore All-Star Charlotte Scott, and junior Brooke Ward. Dyke and Scott were forces on offense, while Ward and Giordano served as the glue. “Brooke was a huge aspect [of our] defense, and Elena is always working as hard as she can, and never asks for a sub; everyone relies on her.”
