The Martha’s Vineyard high school wrestling team recently celebrated a big win, becoming the Cape and Islands league champions. They triumphed over Barnstable and Nauset, marking a significant achievement for the program, especially since it was their first win against Barnstable since restarting varsity wrestling last year.
The championship came down to a nail-biting heavyweight match. Xander Laiacona clinched the victory with a 4-3 decision against Maxwell Fernandez from Barnstable. This was Xander’s first varsity win, and it couldn’t have come at a more important moment!
Before Xander’s match, Odin Robinson led the team with three victories, each by pin. Jordan Souza also secured a pin. Both Isaac Lefebvre and Xeandre Miller won matches even after being behind in points.
Meanwhile, at the Cape and Islands League indoor track championship, Martha’s Vineyard athletes had a strong showing. Madison Mello shone bright, winning the shot put with a throw of 34’05.25, more than three feet ahead of the runner-up. Luis Costa finished second in the 600 meter at 1:28.5, while Enzo Reis took silver in the 55 meter hurdles with a time of 8.41 seconds. The boys 4×200 relay team, consisting of Lucas Martins, George McDow, Costa, and Reis, also grabbed silver with a time of 1:41.46. Broden Vincent and Arjuna Begle added to the team’s success with solid performances in the mile and 1000-meter events, respectively.
The swim team performed well at the south sectional championships at MIT. They started strong with the 200-yard medley relay team setting a new school record and qualifying for the state championship. Grady Stalgren, Michael Calheta, Kaua De Assis, and Ronan Mullin all contributed impressive splits, bringing their total time to 1:49.13.
Ronan Mullin didn’t stop there; he set a new personal record in the 100-yard butterfly, finishing at 55.37 seconds. He played a key role in another relay, helping the team qualify for the state championships with a total time of 1:37.54.
The boys scored 21 points overall, placing 26th out of 41 teams, which is the highest they’ve finished at Sectionals. They will compete at the state championships this weekend at Boston University.
On the basketball court, the boys’ team kicked off a series of away games, managing to secure wins against Cape Cod Academy (66-61) and Cristo Rey Boston (42-31). They need a couple more victories to ensure a spot in the playoffs.
The girls’ team also found success recently, winning their games against Cape Cod Academy (54-41) and Monomoy (50-38). Agata Rodrigues stood out in the game against Cape Cod, scoring 27 points and making significant contributions on defense. They too aim for a playoff spot and look forward to upcoming games against Nantucket.
The girls’ hockey team enjoyed a remarkable run, winning three consecutive games while outscoring their opponents 17-4. Their latest victory was a dominant 6-0 win over Barnstable, highlighted by contributions from multiple players. They have four games left to clinch the league title.
Although the boys’ hockey team had a recent win against Nantucket (4-1), they faced a few challenges in subsequent matches. Adrian Alberghini shone in the Nantucket game, scoring two goals to help secure the victory. This weekend, they will take on Dover Sherbourne and hope to regain their momentum.
