Former rivals pair for racquetball win

For years, Acton neighbors Mark Scheier and Bob Ferrara battled each other on the racquetball courts at the Westford Regency. Then they decided to join forces and test the waters of doubles competition. The results have been gratifying. In their first competition, the 61-year-old Scheier and the 63-year-old Ferrara advanced to the final of the Seacoast Shootout in Portsmouth, N.H., before bowing out.

In their second tournament, the Massachusetts Doubles State Over-60 tourney at the Boston Athletic Center, the duo won the title in a three-set thriller, overcoming an 8-2 deficit in the tiebreaker to put the finishing touches on what Scheier called a "very intense" match.

"That tiebreaker match alone took almost two hours to play," said Scheier, an attorney with a specialty in real estate and business law. "We won the first match, 15-14, lost the second, 15-11, and both of those were drawn-out affairs, also.

"Overall, we played about five hours of racquetball. At the end, at our age, it was an Advil moment. We grabbed our trophies and then some Advil."

With the state championship safely tucked away, Scheier and Ferrara hope to compete at the National Masters International next month in West Allis, Wis.

"Bob is definitely playing singles there," said Scheier, "and if I can work out some scheduling, we'll play in doubles."

Ferrara is a distinguished singles player. He beat Scheier in three sets in the Seacoast Shootout before they paired to compete in doubles. He's also won the Massachusetts Over-60.

"It's a great outlet for us," said Ferrara, who works in MIT's alumni office. "Mark and I have been friends and competitors for many years. We were playing one-on-one for many years at Westford, so it just seemed logical that we team up.

"There's a rivalry but we don't get worked up about it. We're just happy to be playing."

NorthWest area runners had a great deal of success at last weekend's MIAA State Track & Field divisional championships held at various venues.

The Central Catholic girls and the Reading boys won their respective Division 2 titles and Wilmington's boys won in Division 3. Individual winners included:

Division 1 boys: Ryan Buckley, Chelmsford (400 meters); Joshua Adams, Methuen (long jump); Steve Lattari, Andover (javelin).

Division 1 girls: Vanessa Singleton, Andover (300 hurdles); Julia Funaro, Lowell (discus); Acton-Boxborough (4x400 relay team).

Division 2 boys: Ryad Bencheikh, Woburn (400); Peter Finigan, Reading (300 hurdles); Andy Scott, Central Catholic (pole vault); Chris Martin, Woburn (long jump); Kabir Oshodi, Central Catholic (triple jump); Dave McKenna, Concord-Carlisle (discus); Woburn (4x400 relay).

Division 3 boys: Roy Monson, Stoneham (100); Davis VanOpdorp, Winchester (300 hurdles); Shaddi Ali, Stoneham (high jump); Nick Farnsworth, Wilmington (javelin).

Division 3 girls: Stephanie Baima, Wilmington (high jump).

Division 4 boys: John Mitton, North Reading (800); Matt Sexton, North Reading (300 hurdles).

Division 4 girls: Alexis Capozzi, North Reading (100); Shannon Conway, North Reading (400); North Reading (4x100 and 4x400 relays).

In winning the 400 for the fourth straight year, Conway's clocking of 56.82 broke the record 57.16 she set last year.

Medford's Mustang Hall of Fame is seeking individual nominations for its 2008 induction class. Two of Medford's most successful teams - the 1955 baseball and 1992 girls basketball team - have already been selected for induction.

The baseball team, which featured pitcher Bill Monbouquette and was coached by Arthur Terrill, won the Greater Boston League title and advanced to the state championship game at Braves Field, where it lost to Newton, 14-11.

Monbouquette made it big with the Red Sox and among his highlights was a no-hitter against Detroit.

Three other members of the team - Leo Mericantante, Rich DiGiacomo, and Charlie Pagliarulo - signed pro contracts.

The girls' basketball team went 19-1 en route to GBL and EMass titles and lost to Haverhill in the Division 1 state final. Among members of the team, which was coached by Ernie Ardolino were All-Scholastics Maura Fleming and Alyssa Sluz. Nomination forms are available at mustanghalloffame.com. Deadline for submitting nominations is June 30.

Soaring With Pride, the University of Massachusetts at Lowell online auction, is underway. Among the more than 150 items to be auctioned off is a New England Patriots helmet autographed by Tom Brady, a David Ortiz autographed photo shadowbox, and a Phil Mickelson-autographed 2004 Masters photo collage. Also being auctioned are UMass-Lowell summer camp scholarships and athletic apparel. The auction runs through June 27 and is accessible at goriverhawks.com. Proceeds benefit UMass-Lowell athletics. . . .Seniors Matt Dyer of Westford and Janneke Quick of Winchester are among 48 Connecticut College athletes named to the New England Small College Athletic Conference Spring All-Academic Team. Dyer and Quick were members of the men's and women's track teams, and each had a grade-point average of 3.35 or better.

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