Mason Hickman, a 21-year-old pitcher who played with the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks baseball team in 2017, has been drafted by the Cleveland Indians.

Hickman played with the Sharks when he was 18 years old after moving to the Island from Tennessee to stay with Dianne Powers, one of the team’s host mothers. On June 11, Hickman was drafted by the Indians in the fifth round. Normally, there are 46 rounds of drafts in Major League Baseball (MLB), but only five rounds were held this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hickman currently attends Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. 

According to president and general manager for the Sharks, Russ Curran, if there was a conventional 46-round draft this year, more Sharks players would have been drafted. 

In 2019, the Sharks moved out of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League (FCBL) after eight seasons to join the more prestigious 25-year-old New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL). The NECBL is supported in part by the MLB, and more than 100 players are drafted professionally from that league each year. Last year, Sharks player and power hitter Philip Clarke was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays. Clarke also attended Vanderbilt before being signed out of his final two years of eligibility. 

Now, Hickman will go through the contract signing process and begin his professional baseball career. Curran said that although there is no Minor League Baseball this year, Hickman and other draftees will most likely be sent down to Florida for extended training in September.

Curran said Hickman was a huge boon for the Sharks team, and is confident that he will make a great addition to the Cleveland Indians. 

“He is just a great kid. He is super hardworking and deserves everything that is coming to him,” Curran said.

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The Edgartown Yacht Club will host the 82nd  signature ’Round-the-Island (’RTI) race on August 1, in addition to the newer ’Round-the-Sound (’RTS) event the same day, according to a press release.

Even though the yacht club has canceled the buoy racing segment of its annual Edgartown Race Weekend, there is still an intense competition, and a great turnout to be had.

The ’RTI, which began in 1938 and counts as one of America’s oldest distance races, tracks 56 nautical miles around Martha’s Vineyard, while the ’RTS, inaugurated in 2018, gives sailors an alternative choice of sailing 20 nautical miles on a course around government marks in Vineyard and Nantucket Sounds.

All skippers’ meetings will happen on a digital platform, and sailors are highly encouraged to stay on their boats as much as possible. No overnight docking will be allowed at the clubhouse (this has potential to change), but provisions have been made for free moorings for competitors.

“To ensure the health and safety of sailors and the entire Martha’s Vineyard community, we have been working diligently to comply with the State of Massachusetts guidelines regarding COVID-19,” said race co-chair Alex Nugent in the release. “Because of the early-August scheduling of our event, we’ve had time to adapt our plans and prepare the competitors for what to expect. Despite necessary changes, registration numbers are robust, drawing teams from all over the East Coast who see Edgartown Race Weekend as the kickoff to the 2020 racing season.”

Skipper Camden Tougas of Marion and his crew of eight aboard the Kanga will compete in their fourth ’RTI this year, and have won their PHRF Spinnaker class twice before, in 2018 and 2019. 

“We’ll miss going ashore, but we’re packing some extra dinners. To be honest, I’m expecting the night before and after to be quiet, but racing will be some of the most competitive we’ve seen in a long time,” Tougas said in the release. “There’s a great turnout of boats, and with every other race cancelled and this one going on, everyone will want this.”

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The perfect summer evening on July 2 presented 13 sailors with a steady, light breeze, a rising tide, and a clear sky. Unfortunately, the race itself held enough confusion to remove it from the season’s standings. The posting of the course was changed after the committee boat anchored, with the effect that those who were there early went one way around the triangle, and the rest went the other way. Much self-doubt and qualms ensued on both sides, but both were right. Or wrong, depending on your point of view. Even though there was no coffee cup awarded, everyone had a lovely sail. We are quite happy to blame this indirectly on COVID, since there are new and unfamiliar procedures this summer.

A very nice 10-knot breeze showed up for the Sunday race at 1. The course was clearly signaled, and started on time. The 13 boats dragged a bit heading to Can 23A off East Chop, but had a nice dash to West Chop on the next leg. Some chose port and some chose starboard coming back to Nun 6 on the third part, but it wasn’t clear if one choice was the better one. 

For the first time in memory, it seems that some of the Woods Hole ferries are unwilling to compromise, accommodate, or acknowledge the racing sailboats, even when there is plenty of time and space to steer clear with little adjustment. Always in the past, the captain has seemed to sum up the situation, and calmly steer through the space available. Can we blame this change on COVID too?

in the end, Tyche, a Vineyard Haven 15 sailed by Bow Van Riper, won on corrected time even after being blasted unnecessarily by the ferry — David and Goliath. Adam Hayes sailed Bliss, a J35, into second place, and Altius, a Stuart Knockabout skippered by Alan Wilson, took third.

Holmes Hole races are held on Thursdays and Sundays. All are welcome. Please consult holmeshole.org for details. 

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Another perfect Thursday evening race and a spanking Sunday breeze gave Holmes Hole sailors two more memorable outings. Fourteen sailors turned out on Thursday, along with a serviceable wind that brought everyone around the harbor triangle in under an hour. The falling tide and moderate breeze favored the smaller boats, and the lovely sunset favored all. After scores were calculated, Bow Van Riper’s Vineyard 15, Tyche, edged out Roger Becker’s C&C 24, Gloria, by a one-minute margin. Third place was won by a VHYC Sonar sailed by King family members.

Nine sailors met the challenge on a sparkling Sunday of a 15- to 20-knot southwest wind, with recorded gusts to 32 knots. Six finished. The start was delayed by a few minutes, as the committee boat had trouble getting the anchor to hold in the high wind. Some times were hurt by the drifting start line, but the corrected time results were not close enough to contest. Everyone completed the 6.9-mile course in under an hour and a half, with the shortest elapsed time being one hour and 18 minutes, recorded by Adam Hayes sailing Bliss, a J35. Sienna, a Catalina 34, always happiest in heavier wind, took first place. She is sailed by Jerry Goodale. Frank Sutula brought his Hanse 335, Soma Holiday, into the second spot, and Jim Dixon and his crew maneuvered At Last, an Alerion 28, into third. 

The most exciting sailing news for the week and the summer is the introduction of a Herreshoff 12½ fleet to Vineyard Haven Harbor. This is one of the oldest one-design fleets still actively sailing in the U.S. Through the tireless efforts of Phil Hale, this newest fleet will be taking the line in Holmes Hole racing. The first outing will be on Thursday, July 16.

There were also rumors of a couple of Vineyard 15s found on the Island after having been tucked away for years. Let’s hope they get refurbished and provide some competition for Tyche!

Holmes Hole races are held on Thursdays and Sundays in Vineyard Haven throughout the summer. All are welcome. Please consult holmeshole.org for details.

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Thursday evening saw the first appearance of the Herreshoff 12½ fleet for an inaugural race around Vineyard Haven Harbor. The three 12½s started 15 minutes ahead of the 14 Holmes Hole sailors, and sailed a shortened course. In the end, Charlie Felder, sailing Bazinga, beat out Whirlwind and Pandora for his first win. The unusual east wind at 10 knots made for a reaching start, and a speedy triangle for both fleets.

Bow Van Riper scored his third win in a row sailing Tyche, a Vineyard 15, which (good news and bad news), subjects him to a 10-second-per-mile penalty for the rest of the season. Jerry Goodale skippered Sienna, his Catalina 34, into the second spot, while Roger Becker’s Gloria, a C&C24, slipped into third.

It was good sailing news Sunday morning, with clear skies and a good southwest breeze of 15 knots. With temperatures near 90, it was certainly more comfortable on the water than ashore. After a half-mile windward leg, the course headed across the sound to Falmouth. With strong ebbing current and substantial wind, the waves set up, and the water was confused, making for a pretty bouncy and exhilarating ride.

The 10.6-mile HHSA course took most sailors just about two hours. The speediest sailor was Steve Besse at 1.41.51 (elapsed), and the longest sail was by Gloria at almost 2½ hours. The J 35, Bliss, sailed by Adam Hayes, won first place, just two seconds ahead (corrected time) of Angelina, an Alerion 28, sailed by John Stout. Another Alerion 28, Jim Dixon’s At Last, was third. Among the four Herreshoffs, sailing a separate course, the order was: Whirlwind, Bazinga, Pandora, Sweet Pea. They are such a fine addition to the races, looking like cheerful little birds skimming over the water.

Holmes Hole races are held on Thursdays and Sundays. All are welcome. Please check holmeshole.org for details. 

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David McDonough sailed his C&C 37, Trinity, to victory on Sunday in the Holmes Hole Sailing Association race to Chappaquiddick. Under cloudless skies, on a calm sea, with a good 10- to 15-knot southwest breeze, it was a pleasure for all nine skippers and crew. The race had a pursuit start, meaning that each sailor is assigned a start time, with the slower boats going first, the fastest going last, all in the hope that they will arrive at close to the same time, a hope that was realized: Only 10 minutes separated the first and last finishers in the two-hour race. Altius, Alan Wilson’s Stuart Knockabout, was four minutes behind Trinity, and Michael Loberg crossed the line 45 seconds later, sailing Masquerade, his Morris 36. The last two over had a photo finish. Congratulations to Bow Van Riper, sailing Tyche, who won for the third time in a row on Thursday evening. (No good deed goes unpunished: His handicap gains another 10 seconds). 

The light and variable breeze favored the smaller boats. Altius, a Stuart Knockabout sailed by Alan Wilson, took the second spot one minute later, and a VHYC Sonar was 25 seconds later than Altius to finish third. Three Herreshoff 12½s raced their shorter course, and finished in the following order: Whirlwind, Bazinga, Pandora.

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A contentious, confusing, and competitive start on Thursday evening miraculously avoided any collisions. A strong west-southwest wind gusting up to 20 mph called for quick thinking and strategic maneuvering for the first windward leg. Artful Dodger from Falmouth joined the fleet on Thursday, as two sonars from the VHYC sparred with each other over the 3.7-mile course. Jerry Goodale won the coffee mug sailing his Catalina 34, Sienna, followed by two Alerion 28s: Jim Dixon’s At Last and John and Lisa Stout’s Angelina.

Four Herreshoff 12½s competed with one another as well on Thursday, over a shortened course. They finished in the following order: Piece of Cake, Ethan Federowicz; Whirlwind, Phil Hale; Lila, Jim Jones; Providence, Stuart Halpert. 

Sunday brought a strong south-southeast wind for a 12.1-mile trip across the sound and back. The windward leg home from can 15 was challenging but exhilarating, due to a strong ebbing current and confused seas. Sailors on the larger boats stayed a lot dryer than those on the smaller ones. In the end, most finished in about 2½ hours under cloudless skies, making the occasional dousing welcome.

Clayton Henke took first place sailing Kintail, a 102 Etchells. Angelina, an Alerion 28 sailed by John and Lisa Stout, came in second, and Adam and Elizabeth Hayes brought Bliss, a J35c, over the finish in the third spot.

Three Herreshoffs raced on Sunday. Providence finished first, Whirlwind second, and Lila third. Holmes Hole races are held on Thursday and Sunday. All are welcome. Please consult holmeshole.org for details. 

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On Saturday, former Secretary of State John Kerry won the highly competitive Venona Trophy at Edgartown Race Weekend’s 82nd ’Round-the-Island Race, after a noteworthy comeback.

Kerry, a seasonal Chilmark resident, sailed with his team of five on his Alden Cutter 44 Lark, which was originally built in 1932 and recently relaunched after some work. Kerry and his team were squeezed out at the start of the race, and forced to circle back and restart behind the eight other boats in his class division. However, over the course of the 54.7-nautical-mile race, the crew found brief breaths of air to make up for lost time. 

By the race’s completion, Kerry and his team posted the best corrected time from among all entrants in the Spinnaker Division. “Some of it was luck being in the right place; there are all sorts of variables in sailboat racing, and they were all at play here,” Kerry was quoted as saying in the Edgartown Yacht Club press release.

A fleet of 46 boats competing in eight classes participated in this year’s ’Round-the-Island Race. A circumnavigation of Martha’s Vineyard, the race starts along the east beach of Chappaquiddick before heading west along the south coast, rounding the Cliffs of Gay Head and finishing along Vineyard Sound. The annual regatta is one of the country’s oldest distance races, and other than the years of World War II, has been held annually on the Island since 1938. 

During the Virtual Awards Ceremony, Kerry praised the Edgartown Yacht Club for being able to hold the annual regatta during the COVID-19 pandemic. “The club did a brilliant job,” Kerry said. “Thoughtful and well executed, without onerous but, nevertheless, clear restraints.” 

Here’s a full list of 2020 Special Award recipients: 

Martha’s Vineyard Ocean Race, Best Corrected Time among entries by the EYC members. Skipper: Jim Swartz; boat: MoneyPenny

Upbeat Cup, overall winner Best Corrected Time of the non-spinnaker division. 

Skipper: Joshua Dennerlein; boat: Phantom

Eolis Trophy, double-handed overall winner. Skipper: Stephen Besse; boat: Apres

Hobart A.H. Cook, Best Corrected Time among service academy entries. 

Skipper: Kenneth Luczynski; boat: Vamp, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy

Yacht Club Team Trophy, Best Corrected time of a three-boat team from any given yacht club or service academy: Hyannis Yacht Club — Camelot, Robert Labdon; Ruse, Bill Marsh; Slide Rule, Scott Bearse

Ralph D. Osborne Trophy, Lowest elapsed time of the PHRF Spinnaker Division. 

Skipper: Gus Carlson; boat: Aurora

Commodores’ Concord Cup – Lowest elapsed time. Skipper: Sam Hallowell Boat: Midtown Racing

Venona Trophy – Overall winner Best Corrected Time of the Spinnaker Division. Skipper: John Kerry Boat: Lark

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The word “doldrums” seems to have first appeared around 1802 to describe melancholy, sadness, ennui, or the blues. By 1824 it was transferred to marine terminology to describe being becalmed or making no headway. By 1848 it had shifted once again to identify a specific equatorial area of the sea where there is very little wind, and ships could be becalmed for weeks at a time, and doubtless those sailors suffered from all of the symptoms above. Anyone who has been becalmed in a sailboat for more than a few minutes definitely experiences the “doldrums,” listening to the flapping, ringing, and clanking of the rigging while helplessly drifting with the tide. The HHSA Thursday evening race was an excellent example. Seven of the 14 boats that showed up actually finished, more or less at the same time, the 1.5-mile course taking almost an hour and a half, the last 100 feet alone taking 15 minutes. The other seven couldn’t get enough momentum, and stalled. In the end, Starfish, a Brenta 38 sailed by Sail MV, limped across first. As can happen, a fickle little breeze picked out Altius and Trinity to boost them across the line for second and third while everyone else looked on. Altius is a Stuart Knockabout sailed by Alan Wilson, and Trinity is a C&C 37 skippered by David McDonough.

Sunday brought fears of a repeat. The race was postponed for half an hour while 12 participants plus five Herreshoff 12½s bounced and bumped around in a cluster until, exactly as forecast, a very serviceable 11-knot southeast wind sprang up in the space of a few minutes, and off went the fleet for a 7-mile course across the sound and back on a flooding tide. A guest boat, Tango, sailed by Rob Hale, joined the race. Among the Herreshoffs, Bazinga, sailed by Charlie Felder, came in first, with Stuart Halpert’s Providence in second. Jim Jones sailed Lila into third. It’s exciting to see the Herreshoff fleet build.

Trinity took another first place in the larger fleet, only one minute, 40 seconds, ahead of At Last, Jim Dixon’s Alerion 28, on corrected time. Gloria, a C&C 24 skippered by Roger Becker, slipped neatly into third, just 5 seconds after At Last.

Upcoming races: The Jewett Bowl race will take place next Saturday, August 15. It is an annual pursuit race in honor of Bob Jewett, a lifelong Martha’s Vineyard sailor and racer. Open to any boat of 21 feet or longer, it is sponsored by the Vineyard Haven Yacht Club. Details may be found on that website. And once again it is time to think about the Moffett Race, to be held on Sept. 12. Registration for the Moffett may be found on the Holmes Hole website, as well as information about the weekly races, to which all are welcome.

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On Thursday evening, August 13th, there wasn’t a breath of air, and with rain predicted even the most unremittingly enthusiastic sailors had to admit it wasn’t worth raising a sail, and so the race was cancelled. By contrast, on Sunday, August 16th wind gusts were up to and above 30 mph, and  rain was starting to fall sideways. Nevertheless, two of the bigger boats rose to the challenge of the scheduled pursuit race to Tarpaulin Cove. With a strong falling tide helping them on, both finished the 8.5 mile course in about an hour. Sienna, a Catalina 34 sailed by Jerry Goodale finished twelve minutes ahead of David McDonough’s Trinity, a C&C 37. The sail back was another story, but both relished the test of their heavy craft and hardworking crew.

The races of August 20th and 23rd stood in contrast to each other as well. Thursday was perfect for an evening sail, with a steady 9 mph breeze carrying eleven regulars and four Herreshoffs neatly around the triangle. Kintail, an Etchells sailed by Clayton Henke, took first place. Beck Colson brought the (new) Silhouette, an Alerion 33 over the line in second. And Trinity was third, all in under an hour. The 12 1/2s finished as follows: Bazinga (Charlie Felder), Whirlwind (Phil Hale), Providence (Stuart Halpert) and Lila (Jim Jones). Bazinga, though, was reported to have been over early, so it’s unclear who officially won. 

Big surprises on Sunday. Although every forecast pointed to a SW wind filling in during the afternoon, it didn’t materialize except in random spots. Three boats worked their way west, and managed to catch something coming down the Sound and ended up with a thirty minute advantage over the rest of the fleet, who were “twirling in circles as the current carried them east” (Roger Becker). As the SW wind began to build to 12 knots, some on the eastern edge watched as one by one the others took off for Hedge Fence. A sailor’s life is a hard life. But not so hard for Jim Dixon, skipper of At Last, an Alerion 28, who closed the gap on the leaders to take first, just 45 seconds ahead of Silhouette, and, amazingly, surprisingly, Penelope, another Alerion sailed by Mo Flam. There may have been ties before, but certainly not in recent years. 

Holmes Hole races are held on Thursdays and Sundays. All are welcome. Starting on August 27th, the Thursday start will be at 5:35 due to the shortening days, with the first warning at 5:30. Please consult holmeshole.org for more details. Also anyone interested in the Moffett Race scheduled for September 12th should consult moffett@holmeshole.org.

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Schools on-Island are still considering how to have sports this year while being safe and following health guidelines.

The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) and the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) have released guidance in collaboration with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) relating to amateur and high school sports.

One of the most important aspects of the guidance is to add a “wedge season” or a fourth sport season called “fall II,” in order to accommodate sports programs that may not be able to be held during their traditional season.  The wedge season will run from around Feb. 22 to April 25.

School sports at the elementary schools and charter school also fall under the guidelines issued by the state.

Recently, the Cape and Islands League athletic directors met to discuss the recently released guidance and consider the implications for member schools. 

According to Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) athletic director Mark McCarthy, the high school is looking to find ways to modify sports so that they can be compliant with EEA and MIAA guidelines, without having to move them to the wedge season. 

“If we can change these sports so they still look like the original sport but are safe to play during COVID, that is what we will do,” McCarthy said.

Individual sports committees of the MIAA are making recommendations as far as what changes can be made to each sport to make them compliant. 

“They’re not easy,” McCarthy said of the recommendations. “Some of the sports will be much easier than others to accommodate the guidelines.”

According to McCarthy, sports are categorized under three different COVID-19 risk levels under the MIAA guidance: low-risk, moderate-risk, and high-risk. He said low-risk sports include tennis, golf, and cross country. In those sports, some minor modifications will have to be made, but will be largely unchanged. In the moderate-risk category, there is baseball, softball, sailing, track and field, team swimming, field hockey, girls lacrosse, and soccer. 

High-risk sports like football, basketball, boys lacrosse, ice hockey, and cheerleading will either have to be drastically altered to comply with health restrictions, or moved to the fall II season, according to McCarthy.

He said football and cheerleading have already been moved to the fall II season. 

“It’s mostly contact sports and indoor sports that are in the high-risk category,” McCarthy said. “At any point, if sports leagues decide that the sport cannot be played safely during the regular season, it can be moved to fall II.”

And if some winter sports are unable to be played, McCarthy said they could “theoretically” be moved to the wedge season. 

State and regional sports associations, along with McCarthy, hope that there will be a reduction in case counts and a loosening of guidance as a result. 

“We don’t want to have to change these sports so they become a different game. There are some people that say ‘let’s make these modifications, let’s get these kids out there and get them playing.’ But there are also those saying it is too risky,” McCarthy said. 

According to McCarthy, a survey sent to parents about how they felt about their kids playing fall sports came back “pretty positive.”

“Athletics being an opt-in program, families can choose to have their kids play or not play. If a parent doesn’t feel comfortable, they can opt to not be involved with the sports season,” McCarthy said.

Currently, no school sports will start on-Island until Sept. 18, and McCarthy said all protocols that are in place will involve masks and social distancing. 

“As athletic directors, we are chomping at the bit — we want to plan, we want to have all this information readily available so we can make these sports safe for kids,” McCarthy said. 

The Cape and Islands League wrote in a press release that the new guidance shows that there is hope for school sports this year, and a “promise that everyone involved with interscholastic sports will do everything in their power to allow student-athletes to safely return to playing fields, courts, rinks, and pools this coming school year.”

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It was another week of contrasts to finish up the official season for the Holmes Hole Sailing Association. Thursday’s race was eventually canceled due to lack of wind, but not before many hardy souls had floated aimlessly until almost dark in the forlorn hope that some sort of breeze would materialize. With help from the VHYC launch and those sailors with motors, all boats were made safe on moorings, including the Herreshoffs. Some were a little peckish at the last.

Sunday served up a final helping of ideal sailing weather. With temperatures in the low 70s, clear skies, sparkling waters, a 12- to 15-mph west-southwest breeze, the conditions were just right for the 10-mile triangle across the sound, a windward leg of a mile and a half, and then home. Although most of the sail was a reach, some wind shifts and gusts kept it interesting as well as beautiful. The shortest elapsed time was 1 hour, 46 minutes (Silhouette), and the longest was 2 hours, 6 minutes (Gloria), so everyone of every size was moving right along. 

In the end, a new member of the 2020 fleet, Kintail, an Etchells sailed by Clayton Henke, took the coffee cup (again). In second place was the C&C 37, Trinity, skippered by David McDonough, who has had an excellent year as well. And Frank Sutula brought his Hanse 335, Soma Holiday, into the third spot. 

The Holmes Hole Season Awards will be presented at the Moffett Awards presentation on Saturday at around 5:30 on the Vineyard Haven Yacht Club beach (bring your own refreshments this year). However sad it is to have the summer season over, postseason racing will be announced soon, and is expected to be well attended this fall, as people linger on our lovely Island rather than face the perils of the mainland. Consult holmeshole.org for details.

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On Saturday, Sept. 12, Mo Flam took first place out of 29 contenders in the 43rd annual Moffett Race. The win, aboard his Alerion 28, Penelope, capped off a great season for the commodore of the Holmes Hole Sailing Association. The 20-mile course was a double triangle rounding buoys off the Nobska Light, Makonikey Head, and West Chop. A strong and steady north-northeast wind of 15 knots with higher gusts kept the sails well filled, while challenging seas made the 1½-mile beat to the East a wet one. Luckily the skies were clear, and the visibility endless. As Mo said, “The race committee picked a great course. It was a beautiful end to a good season, despite the pandemic.” 

The second and third spots also went to Alerion 28s. Remarkably, all three crossed the finish within four minutes of each other after a three-hour, 45-minute race. Jim Dixon’s At Last was second, and Tamu, skippered by Tom Wescott, finished third. 

This year the HHSA awarded the Jewett Cup to Alan Wilson, who had a consistently fine and successful summer singlehandedly sailing his Stuart Knockabout, Altius. This seasonal championship comes with a hitch, however: a 15-second-per-mile penalty in 2021. This year’s races featured fewer boats, but no less enthusiasm. All agree with Mo that, with luck, “next year will bring more boats and normal post-race get-togethers.”

Alan shared the Culkin Cup with Tom Wescott. This cup is the best attendance award, and the appearance of Tamu and Altius was a reliable part of the seascape on Thursdays and Sundays. It is awarded in honor of Dan Culkin, a longtime and enthusiastic Holmes Holer who rarely missed a race on his beloved Magic Time. 

Finally, the Herreshoff invasion was very well received this summer. As many as six showed up for races on a shortened course, providing a visual treat as well as an example of close competitive spirit. 

Postseason racing will begin soon, and continue until the last spar freezes, or less than three boats sign up. Please consult holmeshole.org for details. 

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John (“Jack”) Kelley, the inaugural head coach of Martha’s Vineyard high school football and a famed hockey coach with Boston University and the New England/Hartford Whalers, died on Tuesday at the age of 93.

In 1953, Kelley taught physical education at the Tisbury School, and had an idea of establishing an Island football team. At the time, the Vineyard had three separate high schools, one each in Tisbury, Oak Bluffs, and Edgartown. Kelley didn’t think that enough players could be assembled for three teams, and approached Superintendent Chester Sweatt about creating an all-Island football team. Through persistence, Kelley got his wish, and became the head coach, with Dan McCarthy and Stan Whitman his assistants. The Vineyard played a seven-game schedule against the likes of Ashland, Somerset, Bourne, Provincetown, and Nantucket.

After a rousing 21-15 win over Bourne, the Vineyard team traveled to Nantucket on Nov. 20, 1953, for their first-ever gridiron clash with the Whalers. Kelley’s charges played well in a 33-20 loss, and held the Whalers to a 0-0 tie at Veterans Park in Vineyard Haven the following season. The series went on hiatus until 1960, following the establishment of Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School in 1959, and has since become one of the nation’s great high school football rivalries. 

Kelley went on to become a renowned hockey coach, earning NCAA Coach of the Year honors at Colby College in 1961–62, and leading his alma mater, Boston University, to six Beanpot titles and two NCAA championships in 10 seasons. In 1972, Kelley entered the professional ranks, becoming head coach and general manager of the New England Whalers in the World Hockey Association (later the NHL Hartford Whalers and Carolina Hurricanes), winning one championship and WHA Coach of the Year for the 1972–73 season. He left the Whalers in 1975 and returned as GM from 1977 to ’81.

Kelley spent the remainder of his career in professional hockey as the director of hockey operations for Adirondack of the American Hockey League (1982–93) and president of the Pittsburgh Penguins (1993–98) before retiring and settling in Maine.

Kelley was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 1993.

With all of his accomplishments in hockey, Kelley said in a 2006 interview with the Times that the birth of Vineyard football remained one of his proudest moments.

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Updated Oct. 16

Whit Hanschka ran and finished the 100-mile Midstate Massive Ultra Trail on Oct 10-11. Though official results are not yet available, Hanschka’s self-recorded time showed 30 hours and 27 minutes. “I’m sore and very satisfied,” Hanschka said about his feat. 

The race’s terrain is varied, stretching along roads and hiking trails in the woods from New Hampshire to Rhode Island. “It was long and tiring,” said the Vineyard blacksmith. “There were 15 aid stations. Psychologically, that is what you do, you go from aid station to aid station, rather than think, ‘Oh, how many miles do I have until the finish?’ It is much easier not to think about that, until you start getting close.”

Hanschka, who is 56 years old, didn’t seriously start running until he turned 50. When asked what motivated him to start this gargantuan challenge, Hanschka credited his friend Dave Diriwachter for introducing him to this practice, as well as happenstance. After meeting up with a small group of long-distance runners and realizing he was both having fun and not having too much trouble keeping up, he decided to aim for some longer races.

Though this was his first time running this particular race, Hanschka had already completed two other 100-milers in Arizona. In addition to meeting people during the race, discovering new and beautiful places is part of the fun: “It is a pretty cool way to see a new place,” Hanschka said. “I had no idea of the existence of this Midstate trail. Literally no idea. I had never heard of it.”

Before this race, Hanschka had signed up for a 100-mile ultramarathon in Vermont this summer, which was pushed back to July 2021 due to the pandemic, so he already has another challenge to start training for. 

Despite the post-race pain, Hanschka explained the emotional rollercoaster that accompanies such immense physical exertion and how he is already looking to the future. “There is this feeling like everything hurts and this is crazy, and then, like the next day: ‘I can’t wait for the next one; what’s gonna be the next one?’” 

Updated to correct the date, as well as the starting and ending point of the race.

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The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School golf team hit the links at Farm Neck with members of the high school faculty on a crisp, beautiful Tuesday afternoon. 

The golfers played a mixed team, nine-hole scramble format. By the time dusk settled on the course, the foursome of science teacher and varsity basketball coach Mike Joyce, Athletic Director Mark McCarthy, senior tri-captain Andrew Marchand and sophomore Ryan Harding, finished in first place with a six-under-par 29.

“It was very rewarding in that it was so nice of the teachers to play and also that the teachers could physically see some of their students for the first time this year,” Vineyard coach Doug DeBettencourt said.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Vineyarders were not allowed to travel, and played no Cape and Island League matches this fall. However, through the generosity of the Vineyard Golf Club, Edgartown Golf Club, and Farm Neck and their respective members, the high school team played two matches at each venue against club members.

Coach DeBettencourt has 11 players on his team this fall, led by senior captains Pete Gillis, Andrew Marchand, and Aiden Marek. Cam Geary and Jacob Silvia are juniors, and Nick Ben David, Richie Combra, Jake Glasgow, Ryan Harding, Liam Marek, and Jack Walsh are all sophomores.

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The Vineyarder sports teams finally had something to cheer about Saturday afternoon on the athletic fields at Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, as the field hockey, cross-country, and soccer teams all competed in front of 100 spectators, limited to family members only, to celebrate Senior Day.

The teams have been practicing and competing in intra-squad groups throughout the fall, but Saturday marked the first time that the student athletes have been able to show their stuff in front of an audience. The teams also held traditional Senior Day ceremonies, with family members joining their children on the field.

The field hockey players, split into Team Purple and Team White squads with seven seniors on each roster, were first onto Dan McCarthy Field, and played a spirited, entertaining match, with Purple coming out on top, 4-2. The seniors were in top form. Kylie Estrella tallied twice for Team Purple, with Emily Anderson and Lydia Carlos adding a goal apiece. Avery Simmons and Sydney Brown scored for Team White. Grace O’Malley made a pair of stellar saves in the White goal to thwart Charlotte Packer.

Following all COVID protocols, the stands were cleared after the match to make way for the girls soccer team.

For MVRHS Athletic Director Mark McCarthy, the day was off to a successful start. “Today is for the kids, for the families. I just wanted to give them the opportunity to have something that looks like normal,” he said. “With the field hockey, they had their senior recognition before the game, played the game, it was a 4-2 score, and the girls looked like, ‘Hey, we’re finally doing something normal again.’ I think it’s been a nice day so far, and I think they’re just excited to be playing. That’s what my goal was today, to give them a senior day and let the parents acknowledge and watch the kids play.”

The girls soccer match was another exciting contest, with the senior-heavy Team White holding off a promising group of Team Purple sophomores and freshmen by a 2-1 count. Play was divided into 20-minute quarters, allowing for extra stoppages to accommodate COVID protocols. 

Senior co-captain Klara Reimann scored both White goals, drilling a 20-yard shot off the keeper’s hands into the right corner early in the first quarter before completing her brace with a second goal before halftime. Paige Malowski got one back for Team Purple nine minutes into the third quarter, with a sharp 10-yard shot inside the right post.

As the girls soccer match unfolded on Dan McCarthy Field, the Vineyard girls and boys harriers turned in a strong effort on the MVRHS cross-country course in front of an appreciative and enthusiastic group of family members.

Juniors Zach Utz (17:25) and Borja Tolay (17:32) finished 1-2, with Isaac Richards (17:49) third, Jonathan Norton (18:05) fourth, and Daniel DaSilva (18:20) fifth. Nate Porterfield (18:47, sixth), Sam Fetters (19:00, seventh), Duncan Brown (19:19, eighth), Owen Atkins (19:38, ninth) and Matt D’Andrea (19:48, 10th) rounded out the top 10. 

Sophomore sisters Wren (20:05) and Eloise Christy (20:14) led the girls, finishing 11th and 12th overall. Yalya DeChiara (22:24, 18th), Maia Donnelly (23:04, 20th) and Alexa Schroeder (23:42, 21st) finished 3-5 for the girls.

The boys soccer team closed out the action under the lights with a barnburner of a match, as Team Purple (JVs and former MV United travel teamers) edged Team White (varsity) in a 4-3 thriller as the teams traded five goals in the final 18:30. Freshman Shaun Rogers-Thomas scored the match winner with 3:42 left on the clock by curling a perfect strike into the top right corner from the edge of the box. The talented frosh opened the scoring 15 minutes into the match. Lucas Cacique and Arthur DaSilva scored the other Purple goals. Kaio DaSilva notched a pair of goals for Team White. The second was a beauty, as DaSilva buried a perfect cross from Ryan Koster. Miguel Jirillo also scored for Team White.

Reflecting on a day that was special for players, coaches, and parents alike, girls soccer co-captain and standout goalkeeper Ruby Reimann said, “It’s super-special. I mean, with what we have, this is honestly more than I could ever ask for, the guidelines that we have to abide by and everything with COVID, this game and playing with the girls I’ve played with for five years [since eighth grade] are so special … I look forward to the next chapter of my life, hopefully playing soccer and seeing what the future has in store for all of us. It’s awesome to have people come here today; that was something I wasn’t expecting, but the fact that people were here, and I saw my parents and so many other people in our community that were allowed to come, was just a really special feeling and, you know, during all these times our community is always here for us, and that’s something I’m going to remember for the rest of my life.”

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Joan Malkin got her first hole in one at Mink Meadows on Tuesday. Malkin aced the 16th hole with a pitching wedge, according to an email. The feat was witnessed by Lloyd Feller and Sandy Shapiro.

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Updated Dec. 11

Zach Smith of Oak Bluffs, a senior at Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, has received an offer to play football at Division III Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa. 

Zach was the starting quarterback for the Vineyarders during the 2019 season, backup QB in his sophomore season, and has also seen action as a safety in his two varsity seasons with the team. He was the first junior to be named as a captain in Donald Herman’s tenure as Vineyard head coach, and is a captain again as a senior.

“He seems to be very excited about playing at the college level,” Coach Herman said. “He’s a very high-quality kid, the kind of kid you’d like your daughter to bring home. He’s spent a lot of time working with [former assistant coach] Mike McCarthy on quarterback fundamentals. We’re still hoping to have a season this year, and, if so, Zach will be able to showcase his talent.” 

Zach is a member of the National Honor Society, and has also played basketball and lacrosse at MVRHS.

“He’s the whole package academically and athletically,” Herman said. “In addition to being a three-sport athlete and carrying a high academic load, he’s still found time to be in the weight room, and has continued to work with Mike McCarthy. I think his time management skills are pretty good.”

Corrected that Zach Smith has received offer to Grinnell. — Ed.

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Kai Rose, son of India Rose and Sterling Bishop of Vineyard Haven, has committed to play Division I football as an offensive lineman at the University of Rhode Island in South Kingstown, R.I. 

Kai transferred from Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School as a reclassified freshman three years ago, and will graduate from Tilton School, a boarding prep high school in Tilton, N.H., as part of the 2021 class. Kai is an honor roll student at Tilton with a 3.2 GPA, and will major in sports communication and media. 

“I couldn’t be more excited about committing to URI,” Kai said. “My parents have been my biggest supporters, and I am so thankful for everything they have done to help me get to this point. I am also grateful to all of the other schools on the D1, D2, and D3 levels that reached out to me as a recruit as well. URI is a great fit for me both academically and athletically, and I look forward to the next challenge and playing at a D1 college level.”

URI plays football as members of the Colonial Athletic Association, alongside Albany, Delaware, Elon, James Madison, Maine, New Hampshire, Richmond, Stony Brook, Towson, Villanova, and William & Mary in the NCAA Division 1 Football Championship Subdivision. 

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