Sports Roundup: Girls, Boys Lax Off To Fast Starts

The first Current Sports Roundup of the 2024 spring sports season includes updates on the girls and boys lacrosse teams – both of which have gotten off to fast starts this spring – and the baseball team following their season opener against Martha’s Vineyard on Saturday.

Girls Lax Shuts Down Vineyard In Blowout Win

The girls lacrosse team improved to 2-0 this season following their 16-1 victory over Martha’s Vineyard Saturday afternoon. The Whalers dominated from the very beginning - scoring three goals in the game’s first 90 seconds and held a 7-0 lead with 6:48 remaining in the first quarter before the Vineyard called a timeout.

“It is always fun to play the Vineyard and nice to have a lot of things to celebrate,” Nantucket head coach Jami Lower said. “It was a fun game day for the girls.”

Nantucket was led by senior Bailey Lower, who had three goals and five assists, but she was far from the only one who found the back of the net.

Emerson Pekarcik and Cydney Mosscrop each scored three goals and added one assist. Grace Hanlon scored her first two varsity goals. Claire Genthner, Maddie Lombardi, and Mayson Lower each buried one goal. Dylan Damian had one goal and one assist. Claire Misurelli was sharp in net once again.

In a game that was quickly out of reach, Lower said the message to the team was to continue working on the things they need to improve while sticking to the game plan and habits that need to improve in order to have success further along in the season.

"We were telling them to move the ball as fast as you can, work on the plays. They all have individual goals so work on those goals,” Lower said. “You want to continue to grow and develop. They all did what they were supposed to do. Our ground balls were absolutely atrocious but overall, Claire did great in net again. Bailey and Ev (Pekarcik) played great.”

Nantucket’s next game is scheduled for Friday, April 5th on the road against St. John Paul II at 4 p.m.

Boys Lax Explodes For 17 Goals In Season Opener Against Martha’s Vineyard

The Whaler boys lacrosse team couldn’t have begun their season any better when they traveled to Martha’s Vineyard for a Saturday afternoon game with the Vineyarders. The performance had head coach Sam Aloisi saying he felt his team played “pretty well.”

Nantucket handily beat their island rivals 17-1 and had contribution up and down the lineup. Sophomore goalie Jeremy Jenkinson made 10 saves in the game to help the Whalers put a stranglehold on the Vineyard offense.

Nantucket also had seven different goal scorers – including Tyler Miller who notched his first career varsity goal. Senior attacker Colby O’Keefe led the way with four goals and three assists. Senior attacker Cole Chambers had three goals and an assist. Senior midfielder Ryan Davis had three goals. Sophomore midfielder Arann Hanlon had two goals and two assists. Senior midfielder Michael Culkins had two goals and an assist. Sophomore attacker Nolan Mosscrop had two goals. Sophomore midfielder Owen Sullivan tallied an assist.

Seniors Griffin Starr and Hunter Strojny, as well as sophomore Oliver Marrero held down the fort on the defensive end with a solid performance.

The Whalers will attempt to improve their record to 2-0 on Wednesday, April 3 when they go on the road to play Old Rochester Regional High School at 3:45 p.m. ORR was the #10 seed in the Div. 3 state tournament last season and has yet to play a game this season. Their first game is scheduled for Monday, April 1 at home against Dennis-Yarmouth.

Baseball Loses Opener To Martha’s Vineyard

Nantucket head coach Jack Pearson spoke highly of his baseball team prior to the start of the season – calling the group “real ballplayers” who come to the field willing and ready to learn every day. The group is young and features seven freshmen to just four returning players from last year’s squad.

On Saturday, Nantucket began their season with a road matchup against Martha’s Vineyard – a notoriously strong baseball program who was last beaten by Nantucket in 2022 following a no-hitter from former Whaler ace Riley Williams, who is currently enjoying success at Mercy College as a pitcher for their Div. 2 program.

The Whalers lost the game 10-0, but Pearson said afterwards that while the score looks lopsided he felt his players were competitive and that they played better than the score. He said he believes there is a better baseline to work with following this game than in previous years.

Nantucket will get a shot to win their first game of the season on Saturday, April 6 when they travel to play Atlantis Charter School at 11 a.m.

SCHEDULE AHEAD:

Monday, April 1:

The boys tennis team will host the Monomoy Sharks at 4 p.m.

The softball team will host the Nauset Warriors at 4 p.m.

The girls tennis team will also be in action on Monday but on the road facing Monomoy at 4 p.m.

On Tuesday, April 2:

The sailing team will be on the road racing in their first regatta at 4 p.m. against Barnstable.

The outdoor track team will be on the road against Dennis-Yarmouth at 3:30 p.m.

For more coverage of all the Nantucket spring sports teams, follow us on Instagram, Facebook, or X(Twitter). You can follow photographer Chris Tran by clicking here.