The 37th Island Cup contest pits the Mayflower Small League-leading Nantucket Whalers against a Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) Vineyarders team that topped the .500 mark one week ago Friday.
The game will begin at 1:30 pm, Saturday, at Nantucket High School. The Vineyarders hold a 19-17 edge in the series.
The 37th Cup also pits second-year Whalers Coach Brian Ryder against 28-year Vineyarder Coach Don Herman, who will retire after the final whistle. An interesting matchup, since Coach Ryder, with 16 wins in his first two seasons, is rebuilding a once storied program, just as Coach Herman did 28 years ago when he took the MVRHS helm.
Interesting also because Coach Ryder tells his young team what Coach Herman told his 1988 squad: The goal is to win every game, not just the Island Cup.
Last week, Coach Ryder said his Whalers are due more respect than they get from the Vineyarders. “I saw a Facebook post where someone in the Vineyard put a cupcake next to our logo,” he said. “That’s like schoolyard bullying to me. We’ve played close [Island Cup] games the past couple of years. We deserve more credit.”
Informed of Coach Ryder’s comments, Coach Herman offered some historical cupcake context. “Back when we were going bad, we used to receive cupcakes delivered from Nantucket before the game,” he said.
“I’m betting a former Vineyard player remembered that and posted the cupcake. We’ve taken the post down,” he said with a chuckle.
Baked goods aside, Coach Ryder said, there is one goal. “Our principal goal is to win the league and make the playoffs, which we’ve done for two years,” he said. “We coach and play the Cup game like it’s a championship game. Really, it’s David versus Goliath.
“The Vineyard is playing down a division; we’re playing up. We just try to get better every week and play hard. We will compete until the final whistle. We have a young team [three seniors] with a sophomore quarterback, Jack Holdgate, and we’ll mix run, pass, and power.”
“The game is not what it used to be when we were in the same league,” said Coach Ryder, who played in three winning Cup games for the Whalers in the 1980s. “The Vineyard has struggled in their league the past couple of years, so the Island Cup game is one they really point to, I think.
“I like to play teams from larger schools. I wish we played more of them during the season. It gives our kids a chance to see what they’ll face in the playoffs so they won’t be shell-shocked.”
Coach Ryder knows what he is facing across the field. “As a player, we were in the same league. I respect what Don Herman has done. He’s been great for that program,” he said.
For his part, Coach Herman said the matchup will be special. “This is my final Island Cup, so it’ll be a day filled with extra emotion. The Cup game is a beast of its own nature. We definitely want to have kids prepared for it. We’ll approach the game the same as always. I’ll soak things up more, probably pay attention to noise — even if I tell the kids not to,” he said.
“I’d like to win a game over there and have my last Cup win on Nantucket, but I don’t want the kids to feel extra pressure. Just hope for good weather, play the game, and let the chips fall where they may.”
The coaches agree the essence of the Cup game has changed.
“It’s not the same since we left the Mayflower League,” Coach Herman said. “We played Cup games where the league championship hinged on the outcome.
“But for our players, and past players, certainly for our hardcore fans, this game is as important as it’s always been.”