On Saturday morning, the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School girls and boys varsity and junior varsity soccer teams, alongside the varsity and junior varsity field hockey teams, lined up on Oak Bluffs Harbor to catch the Hy-Line ferry for a competitive day of inter-island rivalry games against the Nantucket High School Whalers.
On the varsity soccer side, outcomes were split with the Vineyard girls getting a win and the boys taking a loss.
The girls varsity game kicked off at 11:30 and the offense quickly asserted themselves.
Early in the first half, Eleanor Mone (No. 10) scored with a low, right side beam from just inside the penalty box, putting the Vineyard team up 1-0. Mone scored two more goals before the second half, finding a lane during a scrum off a rebound from a Vineyard corner kick, then a long aerial pass from Esme Colon (No. 18) sent Mone off to the races with Whaler defenders, securing her first hat-trick of the season and giving the Vineyard a 3-0 edge to end the first half.
In the second half Charlotte Sebastian (No. 8) expanded the Vineyard team’s lead, capitalizing on a rebound after a deep shot by Reese Malowski (No. 13).
Nantucket snuck one in during a scramble in front of the Vineyard net after a corner kick, but the Vineyarders refused to let off the gas. Sydney Bruguiere (No. 9) skillfully headed in another Vineyard goal off an impressive cross pass from Talia Maccaferri (No. 3), sealing a 5-2 victory for the girls team.
The girls soccer team showcased resilience as Mone battled an injured ankle and Leah Thomson (No. 15) controlled the midfield despite a sore hip flexor.
“It’s always stressful with the pressure of inter-island rivalries,” said head coach Matt Malowski. “They didn’t play as composed as they normally do but they gritted and I’m happy the girls pulled out a win.”
“Going forward we have some tough games coming up, the girls are going to have to figure out how to keep that composure under some stress,” said coach Malowski.
The Vineyard girls have set an encouraging precedent, earning a 3-1 record to the start of their season.
The boys’ varsity soccer game started at 1:30 am and was equally intense. Nantucket took an early lead with a disputed header, but the Vineyarders never gave up, Kaio Coutinho (No. 34) tied the game 1-1 with 18 minutes left, chipping the ball over the Nantucket goalie after a desperate race for control pulled him out of the net.
Ultimately, Nantucket scored the game-winning goal with 13 minutes left. Despite a fast-paced finish, the Vineyard boys couldn’t find an equalizer, losing 2-1.
With head coach John Walsh absent, assistant coach Deklen McBride and Flavio Sousa led the team.
“We played really well. It’s a rivalry game, and I think we did the best we could,” said coach McBride. “Sometimes things don’t bounce our way, but we’re due for some good luck.”
Solid defensive efforts from Kaio Sempio (No.6), Caleb Dubin (No. 12) and strong midfield performances from Kaua De Assis (No. 9) and Yury De Maraes (No. 8) kept the Vineyard squad in the game. Some questionable calls were disputed by players and fans alike, adding to the intensity of the rivalry game. One official gave a Vineyard player a yellow card while discussing a call. “Don’t touch me,” the official shouted.
On the season, the varsity boys team’s current record is 1-4-1 after a challenging early schedule.
Meanwhile, the Martha’s Vineyard varsity girls field hockey team suffered a 0-7 loss to the Nantucket Whalers and the junior varsity team lost 0-5. The boys junior varsity soccer team also lost in a close 2-3 game, but the girls junior varsity soccer team was able to pull out a 3-1 win, finalizing the day.
Next up on the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School girls soccer team’s schedule is Barnstable High School on Oct. 1, away, and the varsity boys squad takes on Nauset Regional high school on Oct. 3, away.
