Despite the snow and cold, the winter sports season is off to a hot start at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School with the boys’ basketball and hockey teams posting early big wins.

Meanwhile, the girls’ hockey team has been shaken by the sudden departure of longtime head coach Sam Sherman just two games into the season. Athletic director Sandy Mincone said Mr. Sherman turned in his resignation last Friday; the Vineyarders were 0-2 on the season after opening with losses to Whitman-Hanson last Saturday and Sandwich last Wednesday.

It was an overtime thriller for the high school football team this week in its inaugural game in the Eastern Athletic Conference, while the field hockey battled both opponents and illness.

Football

After winning by forfeit last week against Charlestown, the football team was eager to take to the gridiron at home this week against Coyle-Cassidy in what proved to be an exciting contest that went down to the wire on Friday night under the lights.

As the fall athletic season heads into the home stretch, the field hockey and boys’ soccer teams this week moved closer to a berth in the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association tournament.

Meanwhile the football team stumbled with a crushing loss to Somerset last Friday, while boys’ and girls’ cross country each posted wins against Bishop Stang and Barnstable as they wrap up another stellar season under coach Joe Schroeder.

Cross Country

After losing their season opener, the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School field hockey team went on a hot streak this past week, winning two games in impressive fashion while tying two others, including a stalemate against Division I powerhouse Somerset, widely considered to be one of the strongest teams on the Vineyard’s schedule this year.

Coach Lisa Knight is ecstatic about her team’s performance. After a frustrating loss to Sandwich in the opener, team members were eager to get back on the field and prove themselves.

Vineyard sports fans who love edge-of-your-seat contests had a good holiday week as both the boys’ hockey and boys’ basketball teams went down to the wire in thrilling but ultimately disappointing games.

The basketball team lost 55-54 to Harwich in the final seconds of the second round of the Cape and Islands Christmas Classic in Mashpee on Saturday, while the boys’ hockey team on the same day skated to a 5-5 tie against Bourne in an early season match-up of old rivals.

The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School hockey team rolled over Bridgewater-Raynham by a score of 5-0 on Wednesday to win both ends of a home-and-home series with the Trojans and run their record to an impressive 6-1-1 on the season.

As they near the half-way mark of the season, the boys’ hockey team is almost a lock to qualify for the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association tournament.

The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School boys’ hockey team suffered two of its toughest losses of the season this week, losing 3-2 in the closing minutes Friday to old rival Han-over, and then losing 4-1 to a top Division I team from Framingham at home Saturday.

Coach Matt Mincone said his team actually played better in the more lopsided 4-0 loss to Framingham than they did against Hanover the night before.

The coach said the Vineyarders played flat and uninspired hockey against Hanover in a game they easily could have won.

The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School boys’ hockey team bounced back from a rough mid-season stretch to win big against Cambridge Rindge and Latin at home on Saturday, scoring five goals in the second period en route to an easy 8-0 win.

With the win the Vineyarders’ record stands at 8-3-2 on the season.

The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School boys’ hockey team bounced back from a rough mid-season stretch to win big against Cambridge Rindge and Latin at home on Saturday, scoring five goals in the second period en route to an easy 8-0 win.

With the win the Vineyarders’ record stands at 8-3-2 on the season.

The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School boys’ hockey team fought to the bitter end against the Nauset Warriors in Orleans on Wednesday but gave up a goal in the final minutes to lose 2-1, in a battle of two teams battling for position in the division 2 south sectionals.