Sunday
The boys’ basketball team rebounded from a tough one-point loss on Friday in their second game of the weekend as they defeated visiting Lexington 53-46 on Sunday afternoon. Senior Liam Weston had a standout game for the Vineyarders, shooting 78 per cent from the field en route to 16 points. Senior captain Jack Roberts scored three three-pointers to score 15 points overall, and seniors Navardo Anderson and Brandon Watkins notched 9 and 8 points, respectively. Nearly all of Anderson’s points were at the free throw line, where he made 5 of 7 shots.
The Vineyarders move to a 8-3 season record and will face Dartmouth, an MIAA Division 1 team, on Tuesday at home at 4:30 p.m.
On Saturday, the boys’ hockey team had a bounce-back of their own as they defeated league opponent Bishop Stang in an away game 6-3. The team fell 6-3 in their previous game, against Coyle and Cassidy, but as head coach Matt Mincone noted, neither score accurately represented how close the two matches were.
“It was a chippy game like I expected,” coach Mincone said. The Vineyard led by just one goal, 3-2, at the start of the third period, when they buckled down and took control of the game, slowly pulling away from their opponents.
Saturday’s game was a strong team effort by the Vineyarders as six different players scored for the team. Senior Shay Hill had one goal and two assists, and seniors Max Davies, Kyp Cooperrider, and Charlie Ashmun each scored one. Juniors Brian Fraser and Sam Burke added a goal apiece as well. Junior Tyson Araujo had 2 assists, and sophomore Alex Vukota had 3.
Coach Mincone noted that freshman goalie Wyatt Jenkinson and the rest of the defense are also improving with every game. The team is now 7-3, and travels to Bishop Feehan on Wednesday.
Saturday
After nearly a month of away games, the girls’ hockey and basketball teams returned to the Island for matches on Saturday afternoon. The hockey squad fought to a 2-2 tie against league opponent Norwell, while the basketball Vineyarders picked up their second win in two days with a 73-47 victory over Norton.
The basketball squad led Norton by 20 points at the half and never relinquished the lead. Nine different players scored for the Vineyard, with senior captain Katie Stewart leading the way with 20 points. Junior Kat deBettencourt scored 10 points. The starting five was able to rest in the later part of the game as freshmen Sam Hargy and Mya Houston and sophomores Lucy Hackney and Miranda Tokarz came off the bench.
On Friday, the girls defeated Eastern Athletic Conference opponent Somerset 61-46. Senior Maggie Riseborough scored 16 points and deBettencourt notched 14. Senior captain Jennie Lindland scored 13 points.
The Vineyard hockey girls last saw Norwell in the playoffs of the MIAA tournament last year, where they lost to the Clippers, who are now the first-place team in the Southeastern Massachusetts Girls Hockey League. Saturday’s game was a physical matchup, with both sides drawing penalties, particularly later in the game, and the Vineyard rallying twice to close with the tie.
Norwell scored the first goal midway through the first period, but Vineyard senior captain Emily Cimeno scored on a power play with six minutes to go in the second, finding the rebound from sophomore Aubrey Ashmun’s goal attempt and stuffing it in the net. Norwell regained the lead less than a minute later. Ashmun made a late run down the ice with five seconds left in the period and was unable to score against the Clippers before time ran out, but she picked up where she left off early in the third period, scoring on an assist from sophomore Sydney Davies two minutes in.
The remainder of the third period was marked by lopsidedness as the penalties came fast and furious. With nine minutes left, the Vineyard was playing 3-on-5 hockey, which quickly became 4-on-4 as they regained a player and Norwell went to the box. Three minutes later, the tables were turned as Norwell lost two players to penalties, but the Vineyard was unable to capitalize on the power play. Senior goalie Texe Craig held off Norwell during their final power play off the game and preserved the tie. The team is now 5-3-1 and 4-2-1 in the league.
Friday
The stifling Vineyard defense that has carried the boys’ basketball team throughout the season slipped as the team lost their first league game Friday evening, falling 59-58 to Eastern Athletic Conference opponent Somerset Berkley.
The Vineyard held Somerset to just 16 points in the first part of the game and led by eight points at the half. But Somerset scored 29 points in the final quarter of the game, more than either team had notched in the first half, and rallied from a 12-point deficit with just over two minutes to go in the game. By contrast, the Vineyarders scored 18 in the fourth.
“We had our chances to take care of business early, and didn’t put it away,” head coach Mike Joyce said after the game.
The Vineyarders, playing man-to-man defense, fell victim to Somerset’s three-point sharpshooting and fast breaks, and continued to struggle at the free throw line. The Blue Raiders scored eight threes in the game, with Connor Levesque a particular danger — the Somerset senior hit three treys en route to scoring 15 points overall.
“We just can’t leave those uncontested,” coach Joyce said.
Senior Izak Browne led the Vineyard in scoring with 20 points. Senior Jack Roberts scored 18, and senior Navardo Anderson had 10.
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