Cape 20 Something

Women's Soccer: Falmouth heads to finals for a rematch with rivals

Falmouth 5 - Lower Cape 2

   Adrienne Okon playing rock solid defense. She's one of the oldest players in the league and still one of the toughest!

With a hatrick and a third (4 goals) Jenna Rabesa proved that she was back on her game last in Falmouth’s semi-final win against Lower Cape. She had to leave Tuesday's game eary due to illness.

Usually when playing Lower Cape, despite the score, it’s very evenly matched, but last night Falmouth attacked from the flanks and up the middle, played tough defense, and basically dominated most areas of the field.

Rabesa started out the scoring in the 17th minute when she just took the ball herself and bombed a shot right through the LC keeper's hands. Falmouth started getting the hang of how to work through the LC defense, which appeared to be a flat back. They continued to penetrate with little chips over the top all night. Then, 34 minutes in Rabesa got her second off an unassisted play on the top of the 18 where she just snuck through a crowd of LC jerseys and somehow through the wall of yellow launched a shot up and over the keeper into the back of the net. With just minutes to play in the first half, she got her hatrick with another nice shot.

Falmouth went into halftime feeling pretty good with a 3-0 lead.

Again, Rabesa started off the scoring just five minutes into the second half with another shot lofted up and over the keeper's reach, making it 4-0. But then Falmouth started to get a little bit complacent and stopped attacking as hard and often. They dropped one of the two forwards back slightly to help out on defense, as one of the LC backs kept pushing further up to help on offense as Falmouth’s goals piled up. As the home team reacted to this change in formation for LC, they lost their own shape and got a couple of goals scored on them in the middle of the second half, now with a score of 4-2.

After this, Falmouth started attacking with speed and numbers again, with nice through balls to beat the flat defense and little chips over them so their speedy front runners could chase down the ball. The changes were effective because Falmouth was able to tally up one more goal before the final whistle blew. A great chip over the top led Lizzie Allen right down the middle of the field, blowing by 3 defenders, then she ripped a great shot into the back of the net bringing the score to 5-2 with about 10 minutes remaining. With only a few minutes remaining LC had an excellent opportunity with a arching cross from the outside of the field and a nice redirection to put the ball passed Falmouth’s keeper, however, this goal was discounted as the scorer was very much offside.

So the 5-2 score would stand and be plenty to send Falmouth to the finals to play their league rivals, Mashpee, Tuesday at 6 PM at Mashpee High School.

Images right: (top) Lizzie Allen battling passed a LC defender.  She topped the scoring last night for Falmouth's 5th and final goal; (bottom) Falmouth defending an LC corner kick.

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Sunsets, Sandy Neck and more: the Upper Cape in pictures

Sunsets, Sandy Neck & more: the Upper Cape in pictures

Editor's note: Just because you live on Cape Cod, doesn't mean you don't see it as a special, magical place.  We don't all take our beautiful daily surroundings for granted. Our Sam Pearsall put down the pen (but luckily, only for a minute) and picked up the camera capturing some lovely shots of the Upper Cape.

The Sunset: Nothing like a couple of Cape Codders (gotta be Ocean Spray cranberry and Absolut vodka) to make a Cape Cod sunset that much more perfect. This photo was taken at Chapoquoit Beach in West Falmouth in June when the sun was setting at almost 9 PM. Going to watch the sunset on a daily basis was something I learned out in San Diego... I saw my first “green flash” there too! Everyone goes as often as they can out there and it never gets old, so I started thinking I’d better start taking advantage of the gorgeous sunsets we have on the Cape so now I go all the time. 

The Cast: This photo was taken while cruising down Sandy Neck in Sandwich in my friend’s bright yellow Jeep last summer. A couple cast their poles out into the surf hoping for a bite. Sandy Neck is a great place to hang out, cookout, and soak up the sun on a perfect summer day on the Cape. The only thing is, if the tide comes in you’re stuck ‘til it goes back out.

Tiger Lilies: These orange tiger lilies were blooming all around Spohrs Gardens in Woods Hole in July. The 6-acre garden has countless paths winding up hills and through the wooded area alongside Oyster Pond with beautiful flowers and plants everywhere you turn.

Mr. and Mrs. Spohr acquired the property and planted the gardens over 50 years ago and although both have since passed away, volunteers still maintain the beautiful gardens.

The Paddle: West Famouth Harbor is an excellent spot for kayaking with the calm waters and picturesque views. I paddled from the boat ramp across the harbor to “Chappy” (Chapoquoit Beach) for a nice picnic and swim. Although there was barely any wake, rowing somewhat into the wind on the way to the beach was a great workout. Then, on the way back to the boat ramp, I just cruised along in the breeze, paddling here and there just to keep myself headed in the right direction.

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Women's Soccer: Falmouth ends regular season play with a nice win

An impressive come-from-behind win ensures Falmouth home field for Thursday's semi-finals

Falmouth 5 - Lower Cape 3

   Our own Sam Pearsall makes her move. Both photos courtesy of Debbie Gove.

After last Thursday’s match against Barnstable was cancelled because of the thunder and lightening storms that passed through, Falmouth was due for a good match. Last night Falmouth played Lower Cape at home in yet another hard fought match. Falmouth took the 5-3 win, but it was neck and neck the entire game until the last 15 minutes or so. Striker Jenna Rabesa had to leave in the first half due to illness and with their usual scoring weapon gone, Falmouth had to rely to other key players to step up.

LC started the scoring off in the middle of the first half off a corner kick. LC’s strongest player sat at the top of the 18 and the ball dropped right at her feet after Falmouth tried to clear it. She wound up and booted a shot passed Falmouth’s keeper Abbey Gove.

Abbey Gove making her first save of the night.

Falmouth collected themselves and shortly thereafter, Caroline Pierce sped down the flank passed a couple LC defenders and lofted a shot up and over the LC keeper's reach to tie it up. With about 20 minutes left in the first half, the same LC midfielder who owned the first goal bolted down the field, ran onto a chip over the top of Falmouth’s defenders and placed a shot to the lower left corner of the net. Coach Boyd argued that two players were offside, including the scorer, but the referee ignored the complaint.

With just seconds to play in the half, Avery Pierce, one of Falmouth’s backs, came racing down the middle of the field and got a brilliant shot off that, of course with Falmouth’s luck with hitting metal, hit the crossbar and deflected away from the net. Falmouth went into halftime down by a goal.

Falmouth was vying for home field advantage for Thursday's playoffs, so with this incentive they headed back out for the second half ready to get some goals. Pierce would start off this half's scoring with a shot that, as usual, hit the post, and then luckily rolled along the length of the goal line untouched and eventually just made it into the other side netting to tie it up again at 2-all. The tie would not stand for much longer because about halfway into the second half, LC was able to press forward again and get enough on the ball so that Gove couldn't handle it.

This would be the last time Falmouth would be coming from behind. Forward Caryn Oppenheim took the ball up the wing and blasted a shot from a ways out that just floated right above the keeper's hands into the far post net to tie it up again for the last time this game. A few minutes later, Julie Lamson, playing striker to fill Rabesa’s spot, basically reenacted Oppenheim's shot from the same spot and made it 4-3. Then, on the LC restart after this goal, Falmouth midfielder, Jen, rushed the LC forwards kicking off and stole the ball away. With the LC defense looking very flat and high and the keeper way out of position, Jen took a sneak attack approach and shot from outside the 18 to make it 5-3. LC had a couple more great opportunities, but would none would alter the 5-3 win for Falmouth. Falmouth will play the first round of the playoffs at their home field, Trotting Park, at 6 PM on Thursday. Their opponent has yet to be determined.

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Women's Soccer: Falmouth plays Mashpee to another draw

Falmouth 0 - Mashpee 0

  Above is rookie Caroline Pierce, photo courtesy of Debbie Gove. Below is Julie Lamson, CCWSL president, Sam Pearsall's photo.

Falmouth played home team Mashpee to another draw last night for their last regular season match up. The 0-0 final score certainly is a good indicator of how evenly matched these two teams played. Falmouth’s defense played rock solid and made Mashpee’s offense work real hard to get any type of shots off, most form outside the 18. Falmouth was missing Rachel Boyd, the reliable stopper, but other players really stepped up in the back, like Avery Pierce and Kristen Frederoski. Falmouth's stingy keeper, Abbey Gove, made at least 25 saves.

On the other end of the field, it was tough to get a rhythm going for Falmouth because Mashpee's sweeper tends to play kick-n-run soccer and booted the ball away as hard as she could from the back at every opportunity. Falmouth began to build plays out of the back and work their way up the field, which, despite not being able to get even a tally on the scoreboard, was effective.

Striker Jenna Rabesa played an excellent game with Mashpee defenders knocking her around all game and not giving her an inch. She had several great shots, at least three hitting the post or crossbar, and made some excellent passes up front but nothing got by Mashpee's keeper.

So after last night’s match up, Mashpee keeps their lead in the league and Falmouth now has a record of 4-3-3, good for second place. Falmouth plays Barnstable at Trotting Park Field on Thursday at 6:15 PM.

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Jamaican Night at Coonamessett Farm Tomorrow 7/23

If you’re looking for something fun to do this week with the whole family, and not just the usual dinner outing to a typical Cape seafood restaurant, stop by Coonamessett Farm in Hatchville tomorrow night for the Jamaican Buffett. The event is held every two weeks on Wednesday nights during the summer. There’s live Jamaican music with traditional steel drums, non-stop dancing for all ages, and all-you-can-eat amazingly mouth-watering Jamaican food.

This week’s Jamaican menu includes jerk pork and chicken form the grill served with fruit salsa, steamed callaloo, festival dumplings, fried plantains, Spanish town style potato salad, Millie’s cucumber salad, lentil soup, and do not miss the freshly baked jalapeño cornbread. There are countless other dishes to choose from as well.

The buffet starts at 5 PM and goes until 8 PM. Adults are $18, children 5- 11 are $9, and kids under 5 are free. Don’t forget to pack a cooler with your Red Stripe Jamaican beer, or any other alcoholic drink you want to bring because the buffet is always conveniently BYOB.

The Coonamessett Farm is located at 277 Hatchville Road in East Falmouth, 508-563-2560.

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Women's Soccer: Falmouth gives up season-long run in first place

Falmouth takes a big ol' goose egg and coughs up first place standing

Falmouth 0 : Mashpee 2

Falmouth lost again to Mashpee last night in a back-n-forth 2-0 match at Mashpee High School. Falmouth was missing a few key offensive players, Jenna Rabesa, Caroline Pierce, and Kathryn Rose. It was a very even match for the first half as both teams had some excellent shots and great opportunities made from aggressive, skilled playing. Both teams' back four played rock solid defense too.

Falmouth just could not get a rhythm going without Rabesa’s prowess it seemed. Then, trying to defend an unusual 3-4-3 formation, Falmouth was unable to get anything at all going offensively in the second half. Mashpee came out hard and just a couple minutes in, scored a goal as Falmouth’s  defense was caught flatfooted in the back and quickly lost their shape. Only about 10 minutes later the home team scored again as player from outside the 18 rocketed a bullet above the reach of keeper Abbey Gove.

Kristen Frederoski and Rachel Boyd played well in the back for Falmouth. Yvonna Rowinski had a great game as well and had a couple excellent headers off corner kicks and blistering shots, one that deflected off the crossbar. Toward the end of the second half Falmouth’s defense and midfield began to get warn down and disorganized from all the kick-and-run both teams were playing.

Falmouth now drops to second place in the league with a record of 4-3-2 while Mashpee jumps up to first place with a record of 4-2-3. This big loss was certainly not due to a lack of trying and despite a lack of luck against neighboring Mashpee, Falmouth looks forward to playing the club again at the same place and time next  evening.

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Women's Soccer: Lamson-Rabesa duo makes for a high scoring match

Falmouth hands the skilled home team another loss

Famouth 5 - LC 2

In another lopsided win against Lower Cape, Falmouth tried a new formation that might have cost them the 2 goals against. Falmouth and LC got together again for their second-to-last match up of the season. As usual, LC dominated the midfield and definitely possessed the ball more but they just couldn't seem to finish. Just 7 minutes in, Jenna Rabesa got a break away but the LC keeper was able to come out and bat the ball away. Julie Lamson then collected the rebound and get a nice shot off to start the scoring. Then in about the 30th Rabesa sent a perfect ball arching across the top of the penalty box to Lamson who then volleyed it in to make it 2-0.

Lower Cape had some chances off some corner kicks and good breaks on the outside and through the middle but just couldn't get the ball through Falmouth’s backs and passed goaltender, Abbey Gove. In the 35th minute Mary Porter sent a ball down the flank to Lizzie Allen who sent a shot passed the keeper's reach to make it 3-0. Only minutes later, Kathryn Rose blasted a shot in the penalty box but the LC keeper was right on top of it and deflected the ball out again to set up Sam Pearsall who then took a shot to the upper right corner making it 4-0 to go into halftime.

During halftime, Falmouth decided to try a new formation and switched from a 4-4-2 to a 4-3-3. It was tough in the middle for the lone central midfielder doing so much running. Yet, Falmouth started off the scoring again in the 65th minute when Lamson got a nice break away that, again, the Lower Cape keeper made the initial stop on, but Rabesa got the quick rebound making it 5-0. Just two minutes later LC came down the field in numbers for the counter attack that brought the score to 5-1 after a bullet in the lower left corner. With just ten minutes to go in the game, LC was not finished yet. Midfielder Margarett Owen from Middlebury College, who has been a challenge for Falmouth all summer, sent a rocket too much for Gove to handle.

The final score was 5-2 with Falmouth, again, on top. Defensive efforts from Avery Pierce, Rachel Boyd, and Alicia Lyons helped keep Lower Cape to just 2 goals despite their great movement down the field and excellent passing. Falmouth is back in action tonight against Mashpee at Mashpee High School. They will again try to bring home a 'W' from the stingy Mashpee team.

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Falmouth library improved building, now must work on staff...

The building is beautiful, but the people could use a little work
How to turn $8 million dollars into sour grapes

Katharine Lee Bates would have had a harder time writing "America the Beautiful" if she had lost her library card. That's our preeminent local author standing guard over the new Famouth Library.So curiosity of what $8 million+ could do for an old library brought me to the Falmouth Public Library the other day. I was thoroughly impressed and satisfied, as I am a taxpaying Falmouth resident. I walked in through the front door into the vestibule, looked up at the stained glass town seal above. It was gorgeous and coaxed me to keep walking up the stairs to see the rest of the library restoration project.

I’ve been a CLAMS member since probably before I could even read. I’ve always enjoyed going to the library because I always find just what I’m looking for and am always pleased with how helpful everyone is there.

I must have lost my CLAMS card almost a dozen times in my lifetime and have always been able to easily and without a problem replace them.

So I walked through the stacks upstairs in the fiction area and meandered my way through the reference section and downstairs to the children’s room and checked out the new conference area. There were dozens of smiling kids running around with books to check out… people young and old on computers, reading, and checking out books. I was really feeling like this $9 million was well spent… until I went to the circulation desk for some assistance.

With much irritation in her voice, she asked for my name and the spelling of it.There were a couple of people in line ahead of me. I waited patiently. After a few moments, I got to the gray-haired librarian-esque woman at the desk and told her how beautiful the new building was and how I am so happy it’s open again. She just stared at me like I had 3—maybe even 4—ugly heads and they had all just said something really offensive to her. I figured she was just crabby because it was busy and she wanted me to get to the point. What did I need from her?
 
So I explained I had lost my CLAMS card and wanted to make sure I was still in the system. With much irritation in her voice, she asked for my name and the spelling of it. Sure enough I was in the system. She looked up from the computer screen and said with that same annoyed look, “Well, it’s going to be a dollar to replace the card…” She said it as if I was going to take back my simple request for a replacement library card because of the measly dollar. So I told her it was fine and handed over the dollar.

“You need to have your PIN number to use the wireless that came with your CLAMS membership... And if you don’t have it anymore, I can’t give it to you.”Then I, regrettably, complimented the library and her, indirectly, on the new wireless Internet. She paused just long enough to think of a way to unpleasantly respond to this one and rudely informed me, “You need to have your PIN number to use the wireless that came with your CLAMS membership... And if you don’t have it anymore, I can’t give it to you.” I took my new library card, laughed, and just walked away. After that encounter with the unjustly rude librarian I wondered if I even wanted to come back here and use my new CLAMS card or if I even wanted to be a CLAMS member anymore at all. Hmmph. Look lady, you have a town job and I know how good you are being treated for simply sitting at a desk swiping books through a scanner.

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Women's Soccer: Falmouth kindly plays down a man and pays dearly for it

Barnstable (3-4), with just 10 players, comes out on top of a 1-0 match up against Falmouth (3-2-2)

Coming off a hard fought battle at Tuesday night’s All-Star Game, both teams came ready to play a good match. Tonight's game at Trotting Park was an interesting one. Barnstable came out on top of a 1-0 game against Falmouth who only had one loss on the season before. Barnstable has been playing down players for the past few games and only had 9 tonight so Steve Boyd, Falmouth’s coach, decided it would be kind to call and see if Falmouth’s veteran player and All American from Tufts, Martha Furtek, was around tonight to step in and help out the red team. Unfortunately for Falmouth, she was. Furtek was unable to get on Falmouth’s roster again this year because she was unsure if she would be on-Cape for the summer.

Since Barnstable still only had 10 players Falmouth decided play down a man as well to even things out. It was a tough match for both teams without that extra player on the field. Both teams saw a few great chances in the first half. Abbey Gove came up with some nice stops and Falmouth’s back four played some tough defense despite Furtek dancing all over the field as they expected. Despite Barnstable not even having their keeper, Falmouth could not get anything passed the stand-in goalies. There were balls plenty shot right at the keeper and just shy of the corners, but Falmouth couldn't actually get anything into the net. At halftime Falmouth was shocked to be playing Barnstable to a tie, a team they have seemed to easily handle.

About halfway through the second half, Barnstable’s striker came speeding down the flank right through a couple defenders into the 6. She shot a bullet that was too much for Falmouth’s keeper to handle. The home team was now down 1-0 to a team that just an hour earlier almost had to forfeit the game. Falmouth thought it was a good time to put in their 11th player and they came out strong after the goal. They dominated the end of the second half but shot after shot went high, wide, and short... and hit just about everything but the back of the net.

The 1-0 score would stand as Falmouth took their second disheartening loss of the season. Falmouth currently leads the league with a record of 3-2-2, but depending on tonight’s match up of Mashpee and Lower Cape, they may get tied for first if Mashpee took the win there. Falmouth plays again on Tuesday night at Cape Cod Community College against Lower Cape.

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Women's Soccer: Late Mashpee goal makes for a 2-2 draw vs. Falmouth

Thursday night Falmouth played at home against Mashpee who has served them up their only loss on the season last week after a goal late in the game to make it 1-0. This time Falmouth would play Mashpee to a 2-2 draw with another late Mashpee goal to tie it up at the very end.

Falmouth came out sluggish to start and were missing some key players (Kathryn Rose, Tory Robinson, and Kristen Frederoski). In the 17th minute Janet Nye sent a nice ball from the flank into Jenna Rabesa who was able to squeeze right between two Mashpee defenders for a break away. She was able to get the ball to the side net for the first goal of the game. Rabesa had another sweet break shortly after but the Mashpee keeper came out to the middle of penalty box and was able to make a stellar diving save to keep the score at 1-0.

After a barrage of corner kicks in Falmouth’s own end, Mashpee’s Allison Casiles was able to get a head on one and send the ball to the top corner of the net, out of the reach of Falmouth’s keeper, Abbey Gove, just minutes into the second half. In the 50th Lizzie Allen got the ball to Rabesa again for her second of the game to take back the lead.

Falmouth had several more great chances off some quick breaks and some balls chipped just over Mashpee’s last defender's head that Rabesa and Allen were able to get around. But excellent goaltending by Mashpee kept the game to 2-1 until three minutes before the final whistle blew. Scrambling in the back, Falmouth lost their shape and a Mashpee forward was able to get a great shot off and beat Gove to the right side to tie the game back up. The final score of 2-2 would stand.

Falmouth, disheartened again at not being able to beat Mashpee, looks forward to another rematch in two weeks, this time at Mashpee’s home turf. A handful of Falmouth players will be back in action Tuesday night at CCCC playing in the CCWSL All Star Game. But their next game will be played at home against Barnstable on Thursday, July 10 at 6:15 PM.

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