Former Red Sox player Nomar Garciaparra could not bat without checking his batting gloves. Kevin Garnett of the Boston Celtics will not get on the floor without patting his hands in the rosin.
The pro athletes have their pre-game rituals and so too do the Vineyarders.
For members of the varsity football team and the cheerleading squad, the superstitions are sometimes hidden, oftentimes underneath the jerseys, helmets and uniforms, but they are there nonetheless.
The sounds of a bloody brawl direct me to the football field behind the regional high school where the junior varsity team is warming up for Saturday. Getting nearer, one cry stands out. “I want to see Balboni get killed!” I quicken my step, wondering whether I’m about to scoop an altogether more serious event.
There was no fighting to the top this year. No tooth and
nail-clawing to inch past the next-highest class rank, no daily status
updates with the guidance department computer system, no strategic
scheduling of classes to yield a higher-weighted grade point average,
regardless of interest in the subjects.
The girls field hockey and girls lacrosse teams are holding a benefit yard sale, Saturday, Sept. 29, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Chilmark Community Center. A wide variety of items will be available.
Both teams are raising monies for uniforms and team travel for the current season. This is a collaborative effort with both girls’ sports sharing all proceeds to support field hockey and lacrosse.
As August heat gives way to the cooler temperatures of fall, so too changes the sporting landscape of the Vineyard.
In recent weeks, beach volleyball and recreational league softball have been replaced by high school football, cross country and field hockey. Eight teams compete in six sports during the fall high school sports season, more than any other season.
From back swings to forechecks to half-back options, the signs of autumn are everywhere.
With two wins already under their belt, the high school golf team is off to a fast start.
Anchored by Tony Grillo, arguably the best young golfer in the state, who recently won his second consecutive Massachusetts junior championship, many already are calling the team a lock to make the state tournament.
But in the match-play style of high school golf, even the most talented player cannot carry a team alone.
According to coach Doug DeBettencourt, young Grillo won’t have to.
It wasn’t a score-fest like Sunday’s game between the New England Patriots and New York Jets, but the regional high school football team’s 7-0 win over Old Rochester in the home opener Friday was equally impressive.
The Vineyarders’ defense shut down the potent Bulldogs attack, while the offense did not turn the ball over all game.
The Vineyard football team passed its second test of the season on Saturday, defeating a dangerous opponent on the road in Carver High School by 14-0 to remain undefeated on the young season.
For the second week in a row, the Vineyarders found themselves locked in a tight battle to bitter end. After beating Old Rochester 7-0 in their home opener last week, the Vineyarders on Saturday again led only a single score going into the fourth quarter when Nick Viera scored on a 45-yard punt return to seal the win.
The Vineyarders and Whalers renewed their long rivalry on the soccer field this past week. The boys’ team traveled to the Grey Lady to turn back a hostile crowd and defeat a talented team, while the girls lost a tight yet ultimately frustrating game to the Whalers at home.
After defeating the Whalers last week, the boys’ golf team followed with an up-and-down week, beating Mashpee on the road, losing a nail-biter to Old Rochester at home and then winning a match at Sturgis.
Martha's Vineyard Regional High School principal Margaret (Peg) Regan quietly announced late last week that she will resign at the end of the school year.
Mrs. Regan submitted a letter of resignation to Vineyard schools superintendent Dr. James H. Weiss on Friday.