The scouting reports are in and Whaler Pride is back. The last Nantucket team the Vineyard faced finished the season 0-10, capped by an embarrassing 43-22 Island Cup thrashing that saw Vineyard coach Don Herman pull most of his starters by halftime.
Vineyard football fans can dust off their cowbells and Harpoon the Whalers signs, because the Island Cup game is back.
After a brief one-year hiatus, the fabled football game between the Vineyard and Nantucket will return this year, scheduled to be played on the Vineyard the Saturday before Thanksgiving. School and athletic officials from both Islands have been busy in recent weeks hammering out an agreement to bring back the game, which was canceled last season for the first time in nearly 50 years.
The varsity football team defeated the Nantucket Whalers 10-7 Saturday afternoon, ensuring that the Island Cup’s visit to Nantucket would be nothing more than a day trip. A large crowd gathered on Saturday night at the Steamship Authority to greet the returning victors, who hoisted the trophy above their heads.