IS THE RIVALRY HISTORY?
BY STEVE SHEPPARD INDEPENDENT SPORTS EDITOR
The 30th Island Cup game is now history - and the rivalry between Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard may be as well.

"I think it's come to a point in time where we're not going to be able to compete with the Vineyard anymore because of the numbers," Whalers coach Vito Capizzo said this week. "I don't want to be putting our kids in harm's way."

For the last two seasons Nantucket has played in the Mayflower Small division, while Martha's Vineyard remains in the Mayflower Large. The Vineyard listed 46 players on Saturday's roster, while Nantucket has played with fewer than 30 students all year.

Saturday's 42-point margin of victory is the biggest point differential in the history of the series dating back to 1953. Nantucket has won just one game against the Vineyard in the last nine meetings, but still holds a 17-13 edge in Island Cup games, and is 35-23- 3 in the 61 meetings of the two teams.

Because the schools play in different divisions, the Island Cup is now a non-league game and has no bearing on post-season play for either school.

Vineyard coach Don Herman addressed the issue after Saturday's 48-6 victory. In response to questions about the Island Cup that included Nantucket's smaller roster and size Herman said: "I know where you guys are going with this and I don't like it. Things are cyclical. They're a young team and they've got a lot of guys coming back with some significant varsity experience." Herman also pointed to the 24 seniors he'll see graduate this year.

Capizzo did say after the game that "we're going through a bad cycle right now," but added Sunday that the rivalry may have to be reconsidered.

The teams are contracted to play in 2008 - a

scheduled home game for Nantucket. I