With three teams clinching bids in state tournaments, the regional high school athletic department is set to have a busy playoff season.
The boys and girls tennis teams and the baseball team have each secured a spot in the playoffs, and both lacrosse teams sit just on the cusp of a playoff bid. The boys lacrosse team sits at 33rd in Division 2, and the girls lacrosse team at 34th, according to Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association rankings updated Thursday. But for the two lacrosse teams to make it into their tournaments, they will have to rank 32nd or better in the final standings.
“It’s not like they’re out of it … but a lot’s gotta happen for them to get in,” athletic director Mark McCarthy said.
The girls tennis team begins their playoff run with a home match on Saturday at 2 p.m. The team finished the season with a 17-1 record and is ranked sixth in their division. They will play Pope Francis Preparatory School in the first round of the tournament.
Coach Bill Rigali said the captains and upperclassmen helped lead the team to a strong regular season.
“They kept the girls organized and kept this together for us,” he said.
The boys tennis team begins its playoff run with a home match on Tuesday at 3 p.m. against Northampton. The boys team finished the regular season with a 15-2 record and is ranked fifth in their division.
Coach Jonathan Bates said the team is a mix of new talent and upperclassmen who helped provide strong leadership.
“I think we’re ready to at least uphold our seeding and hopefully go further,” he said.
The baseball team is ranked 37th in their division and their first playoff game is on the road against Saugus High School on Saturday at 5:30 p.m.
Coach Kyle Crossland said he’s excited to watch the team play in the tournament after a hard-fought season.
“If you can get into the tournament, you know you’ve had a good season,” he said.
He attributed much of the team’s success to the leadership of a large group of seniors on the team. Mr. Crossland said the post-season has a lot of meaning for them.
“Really, the seniors set the tone this year,” he said. “These guys … have been thinking about baseball, thinking competitively, all year.”
Also making a run past the regular season are the boys and girls track and field teams. The Vineyard saw several strong performances at the Division 5 championship meet last week, including three first place finishes.
Zach Utz placed first in the mile, Jonathan Norton placed first in the 800 and the school’s nationally-ranked 4x800-meter relay also took home gold.
“Obviously the track team has had a very successful season as well,” Mr. McCarthy said.
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