The Vineyard boys tennis team is on a roll this year as they notched their ninth straight win of the season Wednesday, defeating Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School 5-0.
Last Friday the undefeated squad was tested in a hard fought 3-3 win on the Cape against the Barnstable Red Hawks 3-2.
The Red Hawks were a formidable opponent for the Vineyarders who have routinely swept the competition this year but the Vineyard’s top two singles players Zak Potter and Jacob Riis and their second doubles pair of Kyle Levy and Tommy Flynn secured victory for Martha’s Vineyard. Potter won his match 6-3, 6-4, Riis won by default 2-5, 6-4 while Levy and Flynn were untouched 6-0, 6-0 in victory.
With both teams locked into a playoff spot there’s a chance an even-higher stakes rematch could be in the making. For now, the boys have five more matches before the playoffs beginning with back to back home clashes with Sandwich and Nantucket Friday and Saturday beginning at 3 p.m. and 12:30 p.m.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the girls tennis team earned their sixth win of the season with a 4-1 result against Dennis-Yarmouth on the Cape. Cali Giglio didn’t surrender a point in first singles for MV, winning 6-0, 6-0. Evelyn Brewer took the second singles match 6-1, 6-2 and in third singles Andrea Morse also swept 6-0, 6-0. In doubles, Ellie Pennington and Saige Balsas won a close one in the first match 6-7(6), 6-2, 1-0(6) while Pickle Eville and Sophie Winters were defeated in the second match 3-6, 2-6.
Overall the girls are 6-4 on the season and 6-1 in their division. They will also take on Sandwich and Nantucket this Friday and Saturday but will hit the road to do so. Their next home contest is against Sharon on Monday at 3 p.m.
The sailing team, after wrapping up their regular season ranked 11th in New England, qualified for the Terk team race championship and hauled off to Cambridge Saturday to compete. The team raced seven other schools on the Charles River and finished in third behind East Greenwich and Sharon. The Vineyard Skippers were Griffin Stead, Sam Riley and Simon Hammarlund. MV’s crew consisted of Lyla Solway, Walker Brescia, Jocelyn Balinuas, Juliet Morse, Finn Robinson and Peter Miller.
Back on the Island, the softball team earned a 19-7 win over English High School of Boston last Monday. Genevieve Hyland was on the mound for the Vineyarders and turned in a solid performance with seven strikeouts. At the plate, Maddi Mello had an RBI triple, GG DeBlase hit a double with two RBI, Kelly Pacheco had two RBI and Isabella Webster also drove in a run with multiple hits.
Coach Tiffany McCarty noted that Pacheco and Isabella Bollin were outstanding defensively for MV, Bollin flashing the leather at second with a double play and Pacheco holding it down behind the plate.
Against Saint John Paul II last Thursday, Webster struck out nine for the Vineyard and Hyland had a big day at the plate with multiple hits and RBI but it wasn’t enough to get the win. Friday the girls play Sturgis East at home; first pitch is 3 p.m.
The baseball team blanked Nauset 7-0 last Wednesday on the road in the first of a back-to-back that saw English High visit the Vineyard the following day. In the first matchup, Tobey Roberts hit two doubles and drove in two runs while Wyatt Loughman also smacked a double that scored two. Hunter Johnson also went 3-4 with an RBI for MV. On the mound, Cam Napior toed the rubber for purple and threw a complete game shutout. He struck out three and allowed three hits in the win.
Against English High the following day MV fell 4-3. The Vineyarders briefly captured a 2-1 lead in the fifth on RBIs from Roberts and Bryan Sornas but lost it on runs in the sixth and seventh in the defeat. On Friday the boys take on Sandwich at home; first pitch is at 3:15 p.m.. Then, on Monday, Bristol-Plymouth comes to town for a rematch of one of the first games of the year. First pitch is also scheduled for 3:15 p.m.
The boys lacrosse team played their second divisional game of the season last Thursday against Cape Cod Academy in Barnstable and came home with a 12-7 win. After withstanding a first quarter rush from their opponents, the Vineyarders found their groove and didn’t stop scoring. Aiden Conley led the team with six goals and two assists. John Hoff scored twice while Wyatt Nicholson, Liam Conley, Frankie Paciello and Finn Callen also all scored for MV. On defense, Paciello was a difference maker with six takeaways and six ground balls. Goalie Michael Perry also played well with eight saves.
“A major part of our success has been Liam Conley at the face of X,” said coach Chris Greene. “He won 18 of our 21 face off wins on the day. This really allows us to work the tempo with the hopes of keeping our opponents offensive rhythm out of whack.”
On Tuesday, the boys kept the offense scorching with a 14-2 victory over Dennis-Yarmouth on the Cape. Aiden Conley had five goals, his brother Liam scored four, had six ground balls and won 11 out of 19 faceoffs taken. Nicholson scored twice with an assist, Paciello had a goal, an assist, six ground balls and eight takeaways. Jack Walsh and Will Baliunas also found the back of the net. Next up is Fairhaven on Friday at home starting at 3 p.m.
The girls lacrosse team has also been in action despite concern over a lack of referees available for their games. Last week they defeated Sturgis West 13-7 at home on Thursday and more recently, on Tuesday at home, defeated Dennis-Yarmouth 8-3 for their sixth win of the season. Saturday they are scheduled to take on North Reading on the Island starting at 12:30 p.m.
Finally, last weekend, members of the track and field squad traveled to Proctor Field for the Weston Twilight invitational. The best result on the evening for the Vineyarders came from the 1600 sprint medley relay team of Caroline Bettencourt, Camille Brand, Maia Donnelly and Adrienne Christy who finished second with a 4:23.20 time. Brand also tied for second in the high jump with a 5’02 leap and Daniel Serpa finished 14th in the 800 with a 1:58.6 time. On Wednesday they have a league meet with Falmouth before gearing up for the Coaches Invitational Saturday in Norton.
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