Island Cup
Island Cup
September 6, 1985
Bob Tankard Means to Win In Work with Vineyard Youth
Personal victories are what Bob Tankard cares about. He relies on them, he says, because they are messages that validate life and each person’s place on earth. Bob Tankard is the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School football coach.
He’s got the winner’s attitude and it just won’t quit.
When Bob Tankard says “I have a firm belief” or when he says “I mean it, I really mean it,” he clenches black hands into tight fists and squeezes his dark, merry eyes shut. His face forms a solid, peaceful expression.
November 23, 1984
The Vineyard Battles Valiantly In Season Finale on Nantucket
Early on Saturday morning, a prevailing westerly sweeps the steppe called Martha's Vineyard Airport, and the regional high school football team hustles from the terminal into a potbellied Gull Airlines plane bound for Nantucket and The Game.
November 25, 1983
Nantucket Prevails in Football Finale Against the Vineyard
For the seventh straight year, Nantucket defeated Martha's Vineyard last Saturday in the historic contest between the two Island football teams, 30 to 20.
The game was played under majestic blue skies before a crowd of 2,500 spectators. It brings the overall record between the two schools to 23-10-2, in favor of Nantucket.
November 26, 1982
Vineyard Football Team Plays Gallantly Against Nantucketers
Saturday was a good day for flying to Nantucket — for a change. The PBA terminal was full of anxious Vineyarders hoping for an upset in the annual clash of the Islands on the football field. It was a gallant effort but in the end the Whalers were still undefeated for the season and the Vineyard has lost another close game to them, 12 to 0.
November 27, 1981
Breaks Go Against Vineyard In Football Loss to Nantucket
The script for homecoming weekend was not followed as planned. The Vineyarders were supposed to beat Nantucket and then celebrate with a victory dance at the high school. The dance was a success, but the Vineyarders were on the losing end of a 25 to 0 football game on a gloomy Saturday in a freezing, 30-knot gale.
Of course, for Nantucket it might as well have been Miami Beach. The win put them in third place in the Mayflower League with a 6 and 4 record. The Vineyard finished the season 4 and 6, which is quite respectable.
November 28, 1980
Nantucket Scores Against Vineyard In Annual Match
The 40 knot wind howled on Saturday afternoon and it was guaranteed that the Nantucket Whalers football team and their fans would be screaming with delight Saturday night. They had won their 10th game in a row to cap an undefeated league season. Unfortunately, the Vineyarders were the team they beat, 31-12.
November 23, 1979
Island Fans Face Chilling Winds, Traditional Foe
The end-zone boys were the only ones in or around the high school field Saturday afternoon who didn’t flinch at the negative-five windchill factor.
These hardies stood under the goal posts dressed in light sweatshirts and watched the Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard football teams battle up and down the hard-packed field. When the Vineyard broke a big gain, they threw their fists into the air and shouted approval.
November 23, 1979
Vineyard Scores One Against Nantucket’s First Line
The wind was blowing a gale across the field — the fans were all bundled up and the two classic rival teams, the Vineyarders and Nantucket Whalers were on the field, ready to play an excellent football game.
At the end of four quarters the Whalers had defeated the home team 28-6. They were undefeated in league competition this year and the Vineyard win clinched the Mayflower league title.
November 24, 1978
Season Ends on Downbeat in Drubbing at Nantucket
There are times when every reporter figures there must be another angle from which to look at something. When the score ends up 36-0 for the bad guys, it’s one of those times. Fortunately, the Vineyard-Nantucket clash is a story in itself, beyond the football field.
Saturday morning, you may recall, was a bit on the blustery side. Not to mention soggy. I called Lois DeBettencourt hoping for a cancellation in the flight plans, but she said, “We’re going!”
November 25, 1977
Apathy Aside, Purple Fans Turn Out in Noisy Numbers
Multi-colored confetti burst through the cold fall air whenever the Vineyard gained or Nantucket slipped. Orange plastic horns delivered toots of approval at touchdowns and penalty calls. Pompoms waved wildly and feet stomped the bleachers in loud, chaotic support.
All signs at the Saturday afternoon battle with Nantucket said this was a football Island: a community which cheered or jeered every play and never missed a game.
