The Vineyard boys hockey team successfully defended home ice Wednesday with a 5-1 victory over Fitchburg in the opening round of the playoffs.

On the hardwood and on the ice, in the pool and on the track, the regional high school winter sports teams have excelled in every arena this year.

Winter sports feels the heat as swim team sends five to sectionals, boys basketball rolls to 13-1 and boys hockey win their 13th straight game.

It was the battle of the Islands on the ice last weekend as the Vineyard boys and girls hockey teams trekked to Nantucket to defeat the Whalers dramatically and defiantly.

The Vineyard’s high school boys basketball team has gotten off to a scorching start to their season despite the winter cold, winning all three of their games by 20-point margins.

The Vineyard boys and girls high school hockey teams began the winter sports season last weekend with a flurry of scrimmages against teams from all over New England.

The Vineyard boys soccer team fell 3-2 in an overtime heartbreaker against Dover-Sherborn on the road Wednesday, ending their season in the second round of the playoffs.

A decisive shutout for the Vineyard boys that showcased an unsung defense and a bittersweet loss for the girls that capped a strong season were the benchmarks of the weekend as the early rounds of high school soccer playoffs got underway.

The Martha’s Vineyard girls soccer team is moving on to the second round of the playoffs after a physical 2-1 victory over Dighton-Rehoboth Friday at home.