While other Islanders are out trick-or-treating or putting finishing touches on their costumes, the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School varsity football team will be spending Halloween on the field under the lights tonight when they play Cape Cod Tech at home in what is easily their most important game so far this season.
The game, which begins at 5:30 p.m. at the high school athletic field, has major Division 3A Eastern Massachusetts playoff implications. Both teams are undefeated in the Mayflower League Large and will exit with a good shot at the division title and berth in the Superbowl.
“Right now, this game is our season. It’s all right there before us,” said coach Donald Herman this week.
Coach Herman said he was pleased with his team’s 42-8 win last week at home over nondivision opponent Charlestown — especially the defense, which held the visitors scoreless except for a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the first half.
Ever the perfectionist, Coach Herman said his team could have played better on offense at times.
“Offensively we sputtered a little in the first half. We missed some blocks we should have made . . . overall am I happy with a 42-8 win? Yes. I’m happy. But we can’t make those same mistakes in [tonight’s] game against Cape Cod Tech.”
Senior quarterback Mike McCarthy again had a strong game against Charlestown, scoring on touchdown runs of 1, 3 and 3 yards. Senior Matt Costello also had a 19-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. Early in the third quarter Cody Brewer (136 yards on 10 carries) scored on a 75-yard kickoff return.
Brewer had a good night. As part of the homecoming game tradition he was named homecoming king at halftime, along with homecoming queen Sophie Lew.
Coach Herman said his team is hitting its stride at the right time going into tonight’s game. He said a foursome of players dubbed the Four Horsemen — McCarthy, Brewer, Costello and Nick Gross — have taken charge on offense while the defense is playing some of its best football of the season.
“But we can’t be too confident. We can’t let up for one second tonight,” he said.
Cross Country
Both the boys’ and girls’ cross-country teams recently clinched their respective Mayflower League championship titles, building on an already impressive dynasty of excellence. Both teams won league meets last Thursday at Kingston, sending the boys to their eighth consecutive title and the girls to their third.
The boys were paced by Mark Reppert who finished second overall with a time of 17:20; teammate Willie Nevin was fourth at 17:38 while Max Conley finished fifth with a time of 18:03. Anthony Piland, Forrest Harcourt, Max Miner and Robbie Osmers finished seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth respectively.
The girls’ team faced a reduced field of only three other schools, and nearly swept all top positions. Meg Dreyer set a new course record, finishing with a time of 20:26; Shivonne Schofield was close behind with 21:04, good for second. Ellie Hehre finished fourth with 21:33, Kim Carlomagno was fifth in 23:43, and Sarah Flanders was sixth in 22:14.
At the League Invitational held at Wrentham on Saturday, the boys finished second overall while the girls placed third.
The boys were paced by Nevin and Reppert, who finished with nearly identical times of 16:33 and 16:36 respectively, good for sixth and seventh place. Piland finished with a time of 17:01 for 15th, Max Miner finished with a time of 17:13 for 20th and Max Conley was 24th with a time of 17:27.
The girls were again led by Meg Dreyer, who finished second overall, followed by Schofield with finished 7th, Carlomagno who finished 15th and Hilary Dreyer who finished 21st.
Field Hockey
The varsity field hockey team won its opening round game of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association tournament at home on Wednesday, defeating 18th seeded Carver by a score of 4-2 on a chilly, windswept field at the regional high school.
After a one-year absence from the state tournament, the 15th seeded Vineyarders (8-6-4) looked poised and polished, shaking off a tied score at the half to defeat 18th seeded Carver.
Things won’t get any easier for the Vineyarders, who now travel to North Dartmouth to play powerhouse Bishop Stang, which boasts a number two seed in the tournament and a 15-1-1 record.
But the Vineyarders played to a 3-3 tie against the Mustangs on Oct. 23, a game which helped them earn a berth in the tournament.
On Wednesday, the Vineyarders were the first to light the scoreboard when Olivia Gross scored on an assist from Hayley Pierce 12 minutes into the game. Carver would tie the score at the half, but the Vineyarders came out blazing in the second when Phebe Bates scored on an assist from Cayla Morris.
Sophie Lew later scored on an assist from Bates and Leah Selvy to seal the win.
Mayor’s Cup
Oak Bluffs resident Jeremy Alley-Tarter won the 1.1-mile Mayor’s Cup cross-country race for 11 and 12-year-old boys held at Franklin Park in Boston on Sunday with a winning time of 6:11. His next race is the 3,000 meter New England Junior Cross Country Championship at Burrillville, R.I. on Nov. 16.
Skateboarding
The Martha’s Vineyard Skateboard Association will host its fifth annual skating competition tomorrow at 1 p.m. at the skate park next to the Martha’s Vineyard Arena. Registration is $10 and may be paid at the park beginning at noon. Skaters must wear helmets.
Preregistration forms are available at the Green Room on Main street in Vineyard Haven.
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