The Regional High School football team went down to its fourth defeat of the season Saturday in a game with Nantucket at War Veterans’ Memorial Park in Vineyard Haven. The score was 14 to 8.

 

Coach Dan McCarthy’s boys did not get themselves warmed up until the second half of the game, and by that time, Nantucket had already accumulated two touchdowns, one in the first quarter when Kevin Thurston ran 19 yards to pay dirt, and one in the second quarter when Larry Lema plunged over the Vineyard line from the 4-yard line. The extra two points were added following the second Nantucket TD when Dick Ryder completed a pass from Thurston.

 

 

The third quarter was scoreless, but the Vineyarders began to percolate deep down into Nantucket territory. From the 2-yard line Tim Downs took the final successful plunge that put the Vineyard in the scoring column. Tom Bennett achieved the extra two points on a rush through the line. The Vineyarders were still on the march when the final whistle blew.

 

The absence from the lineup of Butch Mayhew, on the injured list, doubtless hurt the team. The passing attack, which showed much promise early in the season, was almost entirely missing Saturday, but the ground attack in the second half was very impressive.

 

The band, under Allen Hovey, the cheerleaders for both sides, and a large and excited crowd lent the proper flavor to the afternoon.

 

A return match is scheduled for tomorrow, this time at Nantucket.