Cape 20 Something

Cape Women's Soccer is Back: Falmouth goes 3-0

Falmouth's stats for the first 2 weeks of the season. Next game Tuesday 6/23 vs Barnstable at CCCC.

Kathryn Ross takes the ball down the field. Below Jenna Rabesa scores.

6/11 - After Tuesday's game versus Sandwich was rained out, Falmouth came out eager to play their frist game versus Orleans (formerly the Lower Cape team). A lot of back and forth play and chances for both sides until about the 30th minute when Jenna Rabesa got a break right through Orleans' back four and placed the ball to the goalie's right side. Falmouth kept the momentum going through the reaminder of the half but couldn't put anymore shots away before halftime.

In the second half, about the 55th minute the ball trickled out on top of Orlean's 18 after some ping-pong type play in the box. The goalie was out so I booted it up and over her for our second goal of the night. Orleans had a few scary breaks down the center and flanks by the speedy "Mckenzie," but Abby was able to pull in all the shots taken and even a real nice corner that bent out of bounds and then curled back in just to land on her fingertips.

Rabesa got the third goal for the home team when Orleans' keeper came out to make a save, deflected the ball, popped it back out and Jenna launched a shot just up and over her to make it 3-0. Orleans, lacking any substitutions, began tiring. Shortly after a give and go right up the middle of the field to to the top of the box, Falmouth's Kathryn Rose placed a nice shot just passed the keeper into the right side of the net making it 4-0, which would stand until the final whistle.

6/16 - Falmouth, now 2-0, still plans to make up the rained out game at home with Sandwich. But in the meantime had a game slated  for today at Sandwich's Water District Fields. In the first half Falmouth keeper Abby Gove made an unbelievable diving save. She launched and just got her fingertips enough on the ball to push it past the far post and out for a corner kick which did not amount to much. After getting a run for their money up and down the field, Falmouth's first goal came about halfway through the 1st half when Kathryn Rose was awarded a direct kick after getting pummeled by three Sandwich defenders. Hala Coker took the kick and drilled a hard low shot past the keeper to make it 1-0. The first half was very much back and forth with a former Falmouthian, Ali Smrcina, being a threat down the flanks with overlapping passes. Falmouth forwards hit the cross bar at least three times in the half.

At halftime Coker still had the lone goal. But it didn't take Jenna Rabesa too long into the second half to get one. She ripped a shot after taking on a couple defenders to make it 2-0. After several more close shots and a few more crossbars and sidenets, Julie Lamson sent a beautiful ball through to Rabesa who placed it past the keeper for the 3-0 score that would stand despite some close calls.

6/18 - Undeafeted and unscored upon, Falmouth hosted defending league champs, Mashpee, at Trotting Park Fields. Mashpee would break Falmouth keeper's streak and score the first goal on her this season shortly into the 1st half when Falmouth's midfield and defense broke down. Since it was rainy and wet they found themselves hesitating, being overly cuatious not to miss-kick or make a mistake, especially on defense. Well it worked to their disadvantage on at least this play when Mashpee's speedy striker, "Monique," stole the ball from a Falmouth defender and made her way down the middle of the field to slide a shot to the back of the net. Despite several chances on the other end of the field, Falmouth came out empty handed in the 1st half.

Then just 8 minutes into the 2nd half, after getting knocked around by Mashpee's pushy back four, Tara Faria made her way through the crowded box to receive a nice pass laid off by Yvonna Rowinski. She took a shot and tied it up. Jenna Rabesa kept the momentum going by dribbling through a mass of blue shirts to rip a shot off and make it 2-1 just a few minutes later. Falmouth kept the pressure on and the ball in Mashpee's half, but the rivals were able to take full advantage when the ball escaped to Falmouth's end of hte pitch. A nice chip shot from the flank lofted up and over keeper Abby Gove's reach tying the game up yet again.

At about the 70th minute Rowinski was surrounded by blue, but wound up and blasted a low, hard shot past the Mashpee goaltender to make it 3-2. Despite the rain, the teams played on but Falmouth held onto the lead to beat the two-year defending champs.

Falmouth plays Barnstable next at McBaran Field off Old Falmouth Rd. in Marstons Mills at 6:15 pm on Tuesday 6/23.

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Reggae party at Beach House Restaurant tomorrow

Take a break from those winter blues with some upbeat roots reggae tomorrow at the Beach House in North Falmouth. The reggae party, free of cover charge, starts at 2 pm and will go until 8 pm. Red Stripe beer, Appleton Rum, jerk chicken and Jamaican goodies will be served, as well as the regular menu items. Jamaican entertainment will be provided by One Drop Sound System, who will certainly be playing the reggae beats of legends like Bob Marley, Joseph Hill Culture, Lucky Dube, Dennis Brown, Burning Spear and many others.

Mary Starr of Hatchville has been working on grass roots promotional “street team” for the reggae legend, Burning Spear since 2006. Starr said, “Basically [Burning Spear] was screwed by the music industry and went on to start his own record label. He asked any fans who were interested in helping to work on small events to share his music.” Burning Spear and his wife, Sonia, provide the street teams with free give away items to introduce and promote the music.

Starr will begin the Burning Spear give aways at 4 pm. Items include posters, t-shirts, CDs, and gift certificates, including $100 to the Dead Zone in Yarmouth. So get there early to get the goods! Also, free raffle tickets will be given at the door.

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WHOI grad student earns Ph. D and respect for local scientists

"People in science aren’t doing it for fame or money."

"They do it because it’s really fun and they’re fascinated by all the questions," explained Stephanie Waterman (below, right), a recent graduate of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute/Massachusetts Institute of Technology Joint Program. After five and half years of scientific research with ocean currents and academic studies in Boston, Waterman was awarded her Ph. D in oceanography on January 20, 2009 from the Joint Program that celebrates its 40th anniversary of producing world-renowned scientists.

Since she was very young, Waterman certainly had been "fascinated by all the questions," particularly those posed by fluid mechanics. The Toronto native learned to sail as a youngster and remembers quickly becoming interested in how and why things moved like they did. "In order to understand how a sailboat works and moves forward, you have to learn a little bit about physics," she said. "When I was young I thought that was really fun so I wanted to know how to sail faster!” Little did she know that this youthful curiosity would develop into a lifetime passion for geophysical fluid dynamics and oceanography.

Waterman earned her B.S. in engineering from Queen’s University in Canada in 2001 and her M.S. in aeronautics from California Institute of Technology in 2002. She applied fluid mechanics to design airplane wings and boats, but later decided she was more interested in studying how these things could be applied to the earth. Waterman then went through the application process for the WHOI/MIT Joint Program, which typical takes between five and six years to complete. She was accepted and entered the program in 2003 with about 30 other students across various scientific disciplines, including biology, geology, and engineering. Waterman immediately began working on a pre-designed observational research project on a major ocean current near Japan, which was funded by the National Science Foundation.

"The Joint Program is quite unique from other academic programs because WHOI is not a school per se, it’s a scientific research institution. I felt like when I was working there I was much more of a scientist than a student. The ratio of scientists to students was about ten to one as opposed to the reverse," she explained. Waterman, who split her time between WHOI and MIT campuses, did her thesis research on The Kuroshio in the North Pacific, an equivalent ocean current to the Gulf Stream.

The research project involved many scientists from different institutions in both the United States and Japan. Waterman helped position, maintain, and retrieve the instruments in the waters off Japan, and she also took part in the data collection. "This observational research study of Kuroshio was much larger than me," Waterman said. "My particular little piece of the study had to do with understanding what process controls the variability of the current and how that variability affects things we care about, such as the strength and heat of the current." She found a very large variability in the ocean jet and now research will investigate where this variability is sourced.

Although Waterman completed her thesis work and has received her degree from the Joint Program, she is still passionately involved with the Kuroshio project. "The Ph. D was a necessary step for my education, but it wasn’t the purpose of the work. My involvement in the project still remains with understanding the system and communicating that with the oceanography community," she explained.

Being a full-time student and scientist certainly consumes a great deal of time, however, Waterman still manages to squeeze in sailing and summer cross-country bicycle trips with her boyfriend. She rode tandem across Canada, Great Britain, and circumnavigated Iceland. "Grad students are very busy and have lots of work to do, but at the same time they have lots of flexibility if they’re organized. Making time for these bike trips is exploiting my flexibility. It’s easy to get all wrapped up in work, especially if you like your work—but it’s important to like other things too," Waterman said. Her country to conquer this summer is still up in the air, but stay tuned by visiting her new website, AdventuresByTandem.com.

Waterman nostalgically packed up and said goodbye to Woods Hole a couple weeks ago. She will be moving to England on Sunday, but she had some kind words to say of our local village: "I think of Woods Hole as both a scientific place and a community, and both are very unique and very special. I feel quite fortunate to have been able to spend time in Woods Hole and meet those who are living and working there; they’re very inspiring people doing this work out of passion and fascination for the world."

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Cape Cod vs. Hawaii: Observations from a lowly traveler

   Kailua Beach Park.

“Aloha! Do you girls know what that means?” said the native-looking salesman adorned in leis and a brightly colored Hawaiian shirt. Of course, I thought. My aunt has lived here for 15 years, I’ve been here before, and who doesn’t know what aloha means when they come to Hawaii? (For those of you who don’t know, aloha means hello, goodbye, and love).

Hanauma Bay.

So he approached us from his kiosk on the major strip in touristy Waikiki called Ala Moana. He demanded we choose one of the colorful folded slips of paper from his basket. We each blindly stuck our hands in and pulled out a coupon for 50% off. What a deal! But 50% off what?

Our salesman spoke so hurriedly and forthright that we had no time to butt in or even comprehend what he was saying. Before we knew it, we were both plucking oysters from a bucket of water. “Choose the ugliest one! They are more likely to have a pearl for you young ladies.” They all looked the same. I chose one and he swiftly opened it up, much quicker and smoother than my father opens oysters I remember thinking. Then, a beautiful black pearl!

Kaneohe Bay.

“You both deserve something this beautiful for yourself on your vacation!” he told us. How did he know we were even on vacation? We were both quite tan and dressed in our best attempt at Hawaiian dresses with sandals and bathing suits underneath.

There I was trying on rings and pendants and bracelets with the black pearl that I had chosen. All were gorgeous, but none less than $200. From the start of this charade I felt something was off. I continually told the salesman I was not in the market for jewelry, especially on my last day when all I had was a single dollar bill floating in a sea of receipts in my purse. Like a good guilt-tripping pearl salesman, he was persistent: “This is the Hawaiian way. We need your help.” And also rude. “Come on, have a heart!”

Refusing to be a victim, I sternly refused to buy anything—not a ring, not a necklace, and not even the eight-dollar pearl that I had unknowingly “agreed to purchase.” This guy had quite a knack for preying on tourists, or so I was realizing. And what better place to do it than the tourist center of Hawaii?

“You deserve this! And the Hawaiian culture needs your help. We want to share our Hawaiian beauty with you. These pearls are one of a kind.” I tugged on my friend’s dress sleeve and tried to prevent her from being ripped off. Unfortunately, she just couldn’t give our spry salesman an altogether “no.” She paid him the $7.95 in cash and pocketed her phony oyster pearl—but no jewelry. Then off we went.

Shark Cove.

For the first time all week there were several consecutive moments of silence between my best friend and I as we sank into our bitterness of being taken advantage of. It hurt. Bad. So bad we had to drink off the sting at a quaint Hawaiian bar where we were told “Aloha is served daily.” And our adorable bartender did not have to ask us if we knew what aloha meant. The mai tais did the trick.

Being a native Cape Codder, I’m not used to playing the part of the tourist. The beach feels different laying on it when it’s not yours and shopping is much different when you’re the one being ripped off. At least when you’re a tourist on the Cape you go out to a restaurant knowing your seafood scampi and pinot grigio are blatantly overpriced. You shop for tacky Cape Cod hooded sweatshirts knowing $49.99 is mostly just profit for Cuffy’s. You pump gas knowing they just upped the price by 15 cents on Friday morning before the influx of tourists arrives. At least when you’re on the Cape you are being happily ripped off instead of obliviously taken advantage of.

I traveled from just about the farthest eastern shore in the U.S. to the farthest west and found the beaches have remarkably different personalities just like those who live there. Cape beaches are cozy and calm, generally protected by the sand dunes, beach grass, and the bays. Hawaii’s beaches are spectacled with volcanic rock, expansive, and vulnerable to the huge surf in the middle of the Pacific. Cape seas are a deep, dark blue while Oahu’s ocean reflects a soft, translucent turquoise. The views are picturesque on both sides of the country; the Cape’s are soothing while Oahu’s are striking. But I’ll gladly take our slimy seaweed and overpriced seafood dinners over captivating coral reefs and fake pearl salesman any day.

   Aloha served daily!

   Sunset Beach.

   Surfing Waimea Bay.

   Coral Reef.

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Polarized Reds & Blues

Why not purple?

After canvassing in New Hampshire Saturday, I  listened Senator John Kerry, who by the way, I am still not so sure about even after having met him.

I’m no longer apathetic and I’m no longer floating along in a red stream of my family’s ideology.

Growing up in a family full of conservative republicans, it’s no surprise that when it came time to register to vote when I was 18, I checked off the Republican party. My parents listen to conservative radio shows every night after work and even call into some like Howie Carr and Jay Severin. I never really knew anything more than the conservative ideologies I was immersed in at home, and I never took the time or had the interest to explore any others myself.

Honestly, I’m glad I wasn’t old enough to vote in the 2004 election during high school. I was not educated enough to make any sort of informed decision then. As we all know, politics and religion are two big no-nos for discussion in schools, public ones anyways. I certainly would have voted for George Bush; he was all I knew. Besides, John Kerry was a “leftist flip-flopper” according to my father, so why would I ever consider him?

Fast forward four years and almost a bachelor’s degree later

Despite the colors, this is not a Yankees – Red Sox game. There doesn’t have to be a loser if we’re all in this thing together. Fast forward four years and almost a bachelor’s degree later, and here I am with John Kerry’s arm around me taking a picture to compliment my article about campaigning for Barack Obama for my college newspaper. Talk about flip floppers.

Coming to college was certainly a pivotal transition, in many ways, but specifically in regards to political principles. I am by no means a hardcore campaigner or the most politically informed, but I have done something I am awfully proud of that I think older generations—even my own parents—don’t believe young people are capable of these days. I’ve figured out what I believe in, I’ve decided what I think is important, and with this, I’ve found my place in all this campaign chaos. I’ve gotten engaged with the most critical presidential election my generation has ever lived through.

I am not a democrat nor am I registered as a republican anymore. I am not restricted or obligated to vote either way.

I’m no longer apathetic and I’m no longer floating along in a red stream of my family’s ideology, absorbing and never actually owning my thoughts. My generation is tagged as uninterested and I just don’t believe that. Not after seeing hundreds of students out there today canvassing; involved, inspired, and as interested as ever. We have to care, for this election determines what our next years will bring. Will we be able to afford college tuition next semester? Is health care going to be available to us after we graduate—if we even can afford to? Are jobs going to be created domestically so we can take these skills and knowledge and apply them? When will our friends and siblings return from Iraq, and North Korea, and Afghanistan, and Pakistan, and shall I continue?

My parents love me to death and are prouder of me than anything, but disagree with me more than you can believe. They are scared, everyone’s scared, and fear is certainly not what this country needs right now. Maybe John McCain does know what this country needs, or perhaps it’s Obama who ought to have a run in office. Who knows? We can’t predict the next four years, or eight. We can’t guess either. All we can do is constantly educate ourselves, engage ourselves, and make the best decisions we can with what we have.

Canvassing door-to-door in rural New Hampshire opened my eyes

Above, from left to right is Amy Gelineau, a sophomore; Beatriz Zarur, a junior from Endicott's Mexico City campus; Senator John Kerry; me; and Matt Gelineau, a senior. We are all members of Endicott's Political Awareness Coalition, which Matt created and got rolling last spring.

Despite the colors, this is not a Yankees – Red Sox game. There doesn’t have to be a loser if we’re all in this thing together. Canvassing door-to-door in rural New Hampshire today opened my eyes to the polarized reds and blues of this country. Why must we be “against” the candidate with whom we do not entirely agree? Is it possible to simply not support them? Aren’t our fundamental ideals and goals at least similar? It’s how we plan to reach them that differs, so can’t we agree to disagree on the route and just accept the common destination?

I am not a democrat nor am I registered as a republican anymore. I am not restricted or obligated to vote either way. I just happen to agree more with Obama than McCain right now, today. Maybe in the next few days or even these last few weeks of the campaign McCain will change my mind-- or continue to open it. Though doubtful at this point, the possibility is there because I’m purple. But it’s not the color that counts, it’s that we even care.

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Negative News: Where's the Good Stuff?

Show me those soldiers who return home safe & proud;
Not just a death count of those who sadly did not

It’s tough to stay on top of Cape Cod news when I’m up here in Beverly working my butt off to graduate in the spring. I check out CCToday every morning and skim through the email updates when they come, but I’ve just kind of given up on watching the news. I am just oh so sick of the glorified and gory-fied stories that are all that seem to come from the Cape.

Ok let’s brainstorm. Senator Ted Kennedy had another mild seizure last night. He was rushed to Cape Cod Hospital, rightfully so. About three hours later, he was fortunately released, just in time to catch the first presidential debate. He’s got brain cancer. Has had it since last May. He’s going on 77 years old. A visit to the hospital is kind of a given, isn’t it?

But regardless of his rough shape, Senator Kennedy is still working from his Hyannisport home, communicating daily with the Senate, and having international guests visit. This in and of itself is a feat for what this man is currently dealing with. When will we hear about this positive news from the Kennedy Compound? Whether or not you’re a supporter of Uncle Ted, you are most likely rooting for his recovery. Right? Well I would hope so anyway.

I’m irritated by all the negatives that television news is feeding us. Why should I only care about the ‘oh nos!’ and the tear-jerking stories from the Cape—and from anywhere and everywhere? It’s not just the local stations either. It’s all the local and national news stations spoon-feeding us all these terrorizing tidbits of information. Where’s the good stuff? I know that this country is not overflowing with drunk driving accidents, shootings, rapes, murders, kidnappings, and soldiers dying.

Of course, these things do happen and are happening. But what about the lost-but-found 7-year-old girls, or the school shootings that were prevented in time to save uncountable lives, or the thousands of soldiers that return home and are healthy and proud? These things happen and are happening too, maybe even more often.

What about the convalescing Ted Kennedys as opposed to the hospitalized ones?

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All Aboard the Cape Cod Central Railroad

And a delightful five-course dinner aboard the Dinner Train

   Looking out the window at the Cape Cod Canal at sunset

Whether you’re climbing aboard with kids or for cocktails with friends, the Cape Cod Central Railroad, which is over 150 years old, has any type of train ride imaginable. There’s still over a month left of the season to take advantage of the unique opportunity to enjoy the Cape when vacationers are scarce. The train operates from May to October and has several different themed rides lasting at least 2 hours.

CCCR offers something for just about everyone, from 0 to 100+. The Elegant Dinner Train is geared toward adults and serves a delightful five-course meal with your choice of entrée, wine, and cocktails. It is a little bit on the pricey side at $65+fees a person, but well worth it. The service is wonderful and the brief history and narration along the way is very entertaining and engaging. The historic railcars make you feel as though you are journeying back to the late 19th century.

The Rail/Sail Combo includes a tour of Hyannis Harbor and then a scenic train ride to the Cape Cod Canal. Tickets for the Hy-Line Cruises are not booked through CCCR. The Mystery Train is a 3-hour ride for adults only with a murder mystery play to go along with your dining and riding experience. The tickets cost $85+fees.

Bringing children aboard? No problem, the Family Supper Train includes ‘kid friendly’ food and a fun atmosphere for children with Choo Choo Charley. With children costing $30 and adults $40, this makes for a fun and affordable dining experience for the whole family. The Scenic Fun Train is for all ages as well, there is no food/beverage included though, but this helps to keep the prices starting at just $16 a ride.

Maybe you’re just looking for an entertaining dining atmosphere that strays from the typical stationary eatery. The Luncheon and Brunch Trains offer delicious meals for adults and choices appealing to kids as well. Prices are $30 for children and $40 for adults.

Groups of 20 or more are welcome aboard too. The train is a great spot for wedding receptions, business events, birthday parties, and family gatherings. CCCR can accommodate groups as big as 175 in their five-car train.

There are three depots the train departs from, depending on which train ride you are taking: Hyannis Depot at 252 Main Street, Sandwich Depot at 38 Jarves Street, and Buzzards Bay Depot at 70 Main Street. Visit the website to make reservations today or call 508-771-3800.

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Cape Native Sees From Visitors' Perspective

Ever had to decide whether to take the Sagamore Bridge or the Cape Cod Tunnel to get to the Cape for your weekend trip?

If you’re not familiar with the area, you wouldn’t really know any better than to believe a local when they give you wrong directions or even advise you “the tunnel” is a much quicker route than the bridges. Feeling like a tourist might not be something most of us experience too often because as the nice saying has it, we live where you vacation.

I’ll admit it. I am certainly not always the most patient, or understanding, or helpful to tourists… especially when it’s extremely busy at work and they want to talk about the must sees and dos the Cape and Islands have to offer. In fact, just last week a man was asking me all about Nantucket; is it fun for kids, where are good places to eat, can they bring their car? It occurred to me then that I really didn’t have a clue. I told him that I’ve only been there a couple of times, both were just for soccer games and then I left the island without even seeing it. He was just as surprised to hear this, as I was to realize it. It put things into perspective for me by making me want to explore this great island that for some reason I have taken advantage of living a one-hour boat ride from.

So this weekend after saving up my tips from the week at work and getting free ferry passes from a friend, my boyfriend and I decided to make the voyage across Nantucket Sound to the little island. We did the whole touristy thing of renting mountain bikes from famous Young’s right there on Broad Street near the wharf. And after being fitted for our $50-bikes and being read the “Rules of the Road,” Mike and I headed out with our helmets fastened properly planning to just ride around to no real destination. I figured that with just our bikes and backpack, we had a chance at blending with the residents. I always have hated going anywhere and sticking out like a sore thumb. After being a lifelong Falmouth resident, I can spot a tourist before I even hear them speak, as I’m sure many Cape Codders can. So I really did not want to take out that map right there on the side of the road and expose our true off-island identity. It would just be too shameful I thought.

After about 10 minutes of one-way roads and realizing that we didn’t even know which part of Nantucket we were in, we sucked up our touristy pride and whipped out the huge map, right there, for all passerby to witness. The gig was up. But I soon saw something from the visitors’ perspective that I haven’t noticed before on the Cape. Mike and I went into the little chochkee shops looking for a cheap Nantucket sweatshirt with a whale. As a frugal girl, I looked around the several shops in the area for a “good deal” and decided on one for $29.99 with hopes that it shrinks a full size. All those store employees were so helpful and friendly. Clearly I was a tourist and it didn’t even matter. One girl told me how much she liked my sandals. Another store employee told us she was “so sorry” because we stood at the counter for about point 2 seconds waiting to be rung up. At lunch, our waitress gladly told us where to go for the cheapest sweatshirts and gave us correct directions out of town to the famous bar, The Chicken Box. She drew the route with a marker right on our map for us. These people wanted to talk to you, they wanted to help you, and they really wanted you to leave the stores happy and carrying the items you were looking for.

So we ended up at the bar, off Dave Street right where she said it would be. And would you believe it, that bartender might have been the friendliest I’ve had since turning 21 six months ago. She even said that she wouldn’t consider us tourist, just “off-islanders.” Maybe she just wanted a good tip, but we were giving her one anyway for such good strong drinks. It was absurd. I was shocked that after almost the whole summer, these store clerks and waitresses and bartenders could still be so patient and kind to obvious tourists like us. We returned our bikes and the girl asked us if we had a good ride. We did, it was an amazing day.

So last night at work I was started to get frustrated with a customer, an obvious tourist, because they could not grasp the concept of one side order, not two. And then I caught myself and pictured Mike and I looking like drunken idiots on bicycles with our big map, searching for the cheapest sweatshirts on the island.

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Women's Soccer: An iffy penalty kick costs Falmouth the finals

Falmouth 1 - Mashpee 2

   Abby Gove trying to make the stop on the questionable penalty kick. Photo by Debbie Gove.

Although the actual teams played excellent soccer last night in the Cape Cod Women’s League final, the referees did not have their finest match of the season with bad calls that ended up costing Falmouth the title. Not too much to say about this match up of Falmouth and Mashpee except that both teams played rock hard defense, had some unbelievable shots—and saves, and gathered a great crowd of fans last night at Mashpee High School.

In the middle of the first half, after much back and forth play up and down the field, there was a scuffle in Falmouth’s penalty box, neither player seemed to be at fault, just mutual pushing and tangling of legs, and both players ended up falling to the ground. The ref called a penalty kick for Mashpee, however, basically handing them over the first goal of the game, which would end up being the game winner for them. Falmouth keeper, Abby Gove guessed right and made a diving leap that was just shy of reaching the rocket of a shot to the left corner.

This wasn't the only questionable call of the night as Mashpee would get away almost with murder, knocking down Falmouth's keeper several times, and uncountable other rough plays that went unnoticed. However, each time a Falmouth player just put a hand on a Mashpee player's back or went for a solid tackle, Mashpee was awarded a free kick by the main ref.

Regardless of the calls going for the home team, Falmouth should have taken advantge of tall thier chances early. Falmouth had three break aways in the first half by Yvonna Rowinski, Jenna Rabesa, and Lizzie Allen. One was right into the goalie’s hands, the other two were just too far wide or just over the net. On a direct kick just outside the 18, Cara O’Connor blasted the ball just inches above the crossbar for the fourth could-be goal for Falmouth.

So the defending CCWL champs went into halftime with their 1-0 lead knowing what the score should have been and would  have been without the help of a certain head ref.

Falmouth came out even stronger in the second half, with a new plan to stop playing east to west and just slam it right up the middle of the field, always pressing forward with speed and numbers. This was effective as it made Mashpee play quicker out of the back and made them make mistakes through the middle. Falmouth was able to get several great through balls to Rabesa, Caroline Pierce, and Allen who all made some opportunities for themselves up top. Finally, the opportunity for a nice counter attack… Off a perfectly sent ball from Rowinski on the flank, Rabesa was able to lead the Mashpee keeper to the right side and Rabesa had a wide open net on the left where she shot one in to tie things up.

Falmouth gained momentum off their goal and kept attacking up the middle. After a barrage of corner kicks in Falmouth’s end, however, it was difficult to clear the ball. With just under two minutes remaining before overtime, Falmouth was trying to clear the ball but with no luck. A Mashpee midfielder got a hold of it right on top of the penalty box and ripped a shot through the crowd of blue and white jerseys and passed Gove in the net.

As Coach Steve Boyd said, “It really took the wind out of our sails,” however, we continued to attack and even had a few more shots in that last 120 seconds of the season, but the score would stand at 2-1 and Falmouth will have to wait until next summer to get revenge on the only opponent they could not beat this season, Mashpee.

This 2008 certainly was a great season and hopefully next year will prove to be the same. The league president, Julie Lamson, is hoping that players from this year will return again next year because that's what makes for strong teams. She also is expecting to get the age requirement lowered to 16 years old, opening it up to more high school players on the Cape.

Above right: Mary Porter, outside halfback, trying to strip a Mashpee forward of the ball. Photo by Debbie Gove.

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Cape Cod Baseball League Already Into Final Week of 2008 Season

With a family outing this much fun, you can't possibly strike out!

   The Falmouth Commodores hosted the Cotuit Kettleers at Guv Fuller Field.

The Cape Cod Baseball League winds down for the summer with the next few days being the final week of regular season games. If you haven’t made a game yet this season, you should make it a point to catch one. As the slogan has it, this is “where the stars of tomorrow shine tonight,” as many of these players end up playing professional baseball after college. These games are a great family atmosphere with vendors, souvenir shops, and plenty of chances to win things from cash prizes to team shirts given out by team members.

CCBL playoffs begin this Saturday, August 9 with the top two teams from each division playing the best out of three games. Then, the championship games between the two advancing teams will start Monday, August 11 or Tuesday, August 12. Currently Orleans leads the eastern division with Harwich in second place. In the western division, Hyannis is in first place with Falmouth holding onto second.

The new CCBL Hall of Fame & Museum opened recently in Hyannis at 397 Main Street. “The Dugout” is in the lower level of the John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum and is open weekdays and Saturdays 9-5, and Sundays noon to 5. There are currently 81 members of the Hall of Fame, which started inducting members about eight years ago. There are plaques of all inductees, team memorabilia of all 10 teams in the league, autographed equipment indicating the connection the CCBL has with the majors. There’s also a wide-screen TV featuring films about the league, including Summer Catch.

The Falmouth Commodores play at 7 PM Tuesday  at Orleans, Wednesday at home against Wareham, and Thursday at Hyannis. Check the CCBL website for other teams' schedules.

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