An inspired Vineyard football team, dedicated to beating Nantucket in what was the final game for 12 seniors, did just that Saturday afternoon - Vineyard 14, Nantucket 12.
Vineyard quarterback Mike Gibson scored the first Vineyard touchdown and Matt Ferro the second, but the deciding margin of victory was gained by Gibson booting both extra points.
Asked if he could single out any players for the sweet victory, Coach John Bacheller said, “The whole team played magnificently. They were just sky-high for this game. Credit should also go to my assistant coaches, Bob Tankard, Dave Maddox and Tim Anthony.
The Vineyard fumbled on the second play of the game, and Nantucket recovered on the 24 yard line. The Vineyard defense, which received recognition in the Boston Globe last week as one of the strongest in the league, was tested early. They threw Nantucket for a loss on its first play and then broke up two pass plays, but on fourth down Tim McNamara, Nantucket’s great back, completed a pass to the siz yard line. Nantucket tried the center of the line but only gained a yard. McNamara then toted the ball around the right end for the game’s first score.
David Morris’ interception of the pass for the extra point proved to be an important moment as the game progressed.
Here was the Vineyard team, playing before the largest crowd of the year and behind after only a few minutes of play, 6-0. They got the ball on the eight yard line after the kick, and with the fans urging them on and roaring at every gain they marched steadily down the field 92 yards for the score. In eight carries Matt Ferro picked up 39 of his game high 82 yards. Gibson twice picked up vital first downs when needed to gain 30 yards, and he passed to Gerry Searle for a vital 25-yard gain. Mark McCarthy carried to the 14 yard line, Ferro to the five, Gibson to the one and then Gibson again for the touchdown.
The Vineyard’s second touchdown was set up by Morris who recovered a Nantucket fumble on the 16 yard line. Ferro picked up two yards, Searle six, McCarthy four, and then Ferro plowed through the line for the touchdown.
Nantucket gambled with fourth down and three to go at its own 28 yard line, faked a kick, and McNamara picked up the first down. That noted Vineyard defense stiffened, and the Vineyard took over to halt a good Nantucket surge.
Vineyard fans, led by charming, buoyant Laurie Woodruff in her clown get-up, erupted in cheers urging the Vineyard to score again before the end of the half, but McNamara intercepted a Vineyard pass and that ended that.
More drama and excitement was in store in the second half as these two great teams battled each other while both coaches, Vito Capizzo of Nantucket and Bacheller of the Vineyard, tried to outguess each other.
The Vineyard tried a fake kick of its own, and McCarthy connected with Chris Welch for a first down which was, unhappily, nullified because of an illegible receiver downfield.
The other islanders got the break they were looking for when they punted and Gibson missed catching the ball. Nantucket recovered the kick, and then a 15-yard penalty moved the ball to the 12 yard line. McNamara then passed to Pat McGrady for the second Nantucket score, and all that was needed was a two-point conversion by the Whalers. Ferro made sure they would not get the vital two points to tie the game by charging through the line and tackling McNamara before he could get going.
Nantucket got the ball on the 19 after a kick by McCarthy and moved it quickly to the 37 on another McNamara pass. David Driscoll made a savage hit on McNamara, and the ball squirted free for Ferro to recover on the 32.
Nantucket had finally come up with a defense that was stopping Ferro’s short gains, so Coach Bacheller shifted to a single wing offense, and the Vineyard moved the ball to the 12 yard line before Nantucket halted the Vineyard attack.
McNamara got off a beautiful kick that pinned the Vineyard back on its three yard line. The Vineyard worked the ball out to the 10, and then McCarthy booted one to the 40.
McNamara came back with a pass to the 15, and the Vineyard got a big break when the play was called back because of holding. With only a minute remaining on the clock Gibson intercepted a Nantucket pass, and that was quickly the game because the Vineyard ran out the clock.
The Vineyard had 182 yards’ total offense to Nantucket’s 88. Of the total, 156 yards came on the ground. The insertion of the single wing formation by the coach offset Nantucket’s defensive unit once again lived up to its reputation.
The Vineyarders won their last four games and finished in a three-way tie with Nantucket and Bristol-Plymouth, both of whom they’d beaten. The Vineyard coaching staff must be given a lot of credit. During the year they made some changed in the backfield, moving Gibson to quarterback and bringing in Ferro from his line position, but as Coach Bacheller says, the credit should go to the boys who just got better as the season rolled along until they reached this final game all fired up to take Nantucket, which may prove a victory also for the future of football on the Island.
Seniors who played in their last high school game were: co-captains Scott Bermudes and David Morris, William Anderson, Robert Correllus, David Driscoll, Matt Ferro, Mike Gibson, David Rossi, Chris Welch, Joe Fragosa, Brian Gonsalves and Clarence Taylor.
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