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Sports

MHS Sports Roundup: Islander Teams Enter Home Stretch With Title Hopes

A look back on the week and the top performers in MHS sports, with a glimpse toward playoffs as we enter the final weeks of the regular season.

Middletown High School has the distinction of having all four major spring sports teams in playoff contention as their regular seasons wind down. With a Super Bowl Title from the Boys Football team and a Division III State Title from the Girls Basketball team already under their belts this calender year, the Islanders' varsity teams could help make Middletown become known as "Title Town" by year's end.

Let's take a look at the most recent action this week and jump ahead to playoff outlooks as the regular seasons wind down:

BOYS VARSITY BASEBALL: The boys of summer had a rough couple weeks, dropping four straight during one stretch, but they turned it around winning their last three games entering Friday night's contest against Smithfield. They have two road games this week, at Coventry, and at NK, with a home game against SK sandwiched between.

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GIRLS SOFTBALL: The girls entered Friday night's game having outscored their last three opponents 36-2. They were undefeated overall on the season at (9-0). However, they found themselves on the receiving end of a 7-0 shutout at the hands of NK under the lights at "The Complex" on Friday night. It was a non-league game so the damage is minimal. The Islanders are in the middle of a five-game home stretch, and will host St. Ray's and SK before wrapping up their current home stand on Friday the 13th against Classical. 

BOYS LACROSSE: The Islanders at one point seemed like they might drop off the playoff radar, but they battled back, staying alive in the playoff race, and have the opportunity to make some noise as they host their next two games against divisional opponents, with Mt. Hope on Thursday and Prout on Saturday.  

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GIRLS LACROSSE: The LAX team had a beyond lopsided victory over Pilgrim on Wednesday, in a 24-5 blowout, but lost a heartbreaker to Tiverton on Friday, 9-8.  They will travel to Vets on Wednesday and host powerhouse Portsmouth on Friday night.

BOYS/GIRLS TRACK: The MHS Boys Track Team finished their season with a team record of (3-4).  The Girls Team finished with a team record of (3-3). Both track teams have wrapped up their regular season meets, with state qualifying meets up next, starting this Saturday.

THE PLAYOFF PICTURE

The Boys Baseball team sits at (6-5) in Division I South and are a game and a half behind third place SK, with six games to go in the regular season. They'll need consistent performances from their starting pitching if they hope to make a dent in the 2011 playoffs. Look for Armand Rugel and Dylan Gracia to lead the charge down the stretch.

The Girls Softball team, even though they lost 7-0 on Friday, are still undefeated in Division II South play, at 8-0. However, due to an abundance of weather-related postponements, they still have ten games remaining in the regular season, so it's too early to tell what's in store for their playoff future. With a near flawless 1,2 starting pitching combo of Grace Eng and Brittany Lewis, they stand a good a chance as anyone at capturing the #1 seed as the year winds down.  Look for continued clutch offensive play from Glenn Murphy, Nina Traglia, Chelsea Dowler, and Lauren Paiva to anchor the team for the rest of the regular season.

The Boys Lacrosse team sit in fourth place out of five teams in a very crowded Division II South. Despite a .500 divisional record of (5-5) they are only two games behind first place Prout. With their final three regular season games against divisional opponents, their playoff picture is simple.  Win out and their in, and have a shot at a #1 or #2 seed.  If they drop any of their remaining games, they'll need some help from other teams if they hope to extend their season beyond their May 19 finale.  Look for Captain Ian Larcom to lead his team on the defensive side, and keep an eye on Denis Turano and Field Martin to spark their team offensively down the stretch.

The Girls Lacrosse team sits right smack dab in the middle of Division II South, with a record of (5-3)  With only 4 games remaining on the season, two on the road and two at home, they need to win at least 3 of their final 4 games if they wish to realistically continue their 2011 season. Seniors Taylor O'Malley and Kirsten Perry are the keys to the defense for their team. Look to Zoe Mazzulli, Kindred Lowman, and speedster Freshman Sunny Kennedy to lead the way on offense.

BOTTOM LINE...

With strong contenders for the playoffs, a three-title or four-title championship year is a strong possibility for the Islanders for the 2010-2011 year.

Only time will tell.

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