Sports: Belmont High Girls’, Boys’ Soccer Are Now Playoff Bound

Photo: Senior Captain Daron Hamparian

Belmont High’s soccer squads have extended their seasons by qualifying for the MIAA playoffs this past week.

The Boys’, with a record of 7-3-5, secured their place in the post-season with an emphatic 4-1 road victory over the SpyPonders of Arlington High on Thursday, Oct. 13. It marks a return for the Marauders to the Division 2 North playoffs after missing the post-season in 2015, a disappointing follow-up to the sectional semi-final appearance in 2014.

The team, under third-year coach Brian Bisceglia-Kane, has been powered by senior leadership with a backline headed by defender Edward Stafford, with Luckson Dambo controlling the midfield and team scoring leader Daron Hamparian adding punch to the lineup. The season highlighted so far was a 1-0 away victory over a then undefeated and ranked Lexington team.

The boys’ play Woburn home at The Harris on Tuesday, Oct. 18

Belmont Girls’ again visits the playoffs after defeating a depleted Watertown High squad, 8-0, on Tuesday, Oct. 11. The Girls’, at 7-2-3, lost only its second game this season, falling at home to Arlington, 2-0, on Thursday, Oct. 13.

It comes as no surprise that junior left wing/forward Carrie Allard has been the go-to player as she is one of the Middlesex League leading scorers. Goalie Georgia Parsons has six shutouts while seniors Emma Sass and Rachel Berets control the midfield for Paul Graham’s squad.

The girls travel of Woburn on Tuesday for a 5:30 p.m. game. 

Both teams are now seeking to finish in the top eight places in Division 2 North to secure an opening round home game.

Town Meeting Preview: Warrant Briefing on Leaving Minuteman Monday

Photo: Warrant Committee Chair Michael Libenson.

A warrant briefing on the Special Town Meeting to determine if Belmont will withdraw from the Minuteman School District will be held tonight, Monday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m. in the Chenery Middle School auditorium, 95 Washington St.

The briefing, co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters and the Warrant Committee – Town Meeting’s financial watchdog – will include town officials and department heads providing information and answer citizen inquire concerning the article.

In May, Town Meeting voted by a little more than a 2/3 margin to  approve leaving the Minuteman School District due to an ongoing dispute with the administration on the size and scale of a new $145 million building. 

In September, Belmont was the only member community to vote against the project in a special district-wide election.

Warrant Committee Chair Michael Libenson will moderate the event. 

Allard, Jones Named Belmont Boosters BHS Student-Athlete of the Month

Photo: Carey Allard (left) and Ben Jones. (Belmont Boosters)

Belmont High junior Carey Allard (soccer) and senior Ben Jones (football) are the inaugural recipients of the Belmont Boosters BHS Student-Athlete-of-the-Month award for September.

Sponsored by the Boosters and in coordination, with the Belmont High School Athletic Department, each month a girl and boy varsity athlete will be selected by an independent panel as a BHS Student-Athlete-of-the-Month.

Nominations are made at the end of every month by Belmont High  varsity coaches.

Belmont Town Clerk Announces Early Presidential Voting Dates, Hours

 

Photo: Town Clerk Ellen Cushman registering Belmont High School students allowing them to vote in the 2016 Presidential Election. 

Recent changes to the Massachusetts General Laws gives all registered voters the opportunity to cast a ballot for the Presidential and State Election before the Nov. 8 Election Day, according to a statement from Belmont Town Clerk Ellen Cushman. 

The new law permits voters to cast ballots during the designated period of Early Voting from Oct. 24 and Nov. 4. Those times includes Saturday, Oct. 29 and night hours until 8 p.m.

“In Belmont, we are excited to offer this opportunity to our registered voters, an expanded, accessible schedule of hours at one central location, Belmont Town Hall, for this ‘no excuse’ vote-ahead option,”
said Cushman. 

Unlike absentee voting that is available in every election only to those voters who will be absent from Belmont, or have a physical disability preventing the voter from going to the polls or with a religious belief preventing the voter from going to the polls on Election Day, Early Voting is available to anyone.

No advance application is necessary to vote in person; voters can decide the date and time to cast their ballot in person at Town Hall during the Early Voting hours. Once the voter has cast an Early Voting Ballot, that voter may not vote at the polls on Election Day or receive an absentee ballot. 

Only residents who were registered to vote by Oct. 19, are eligible to vote in this year’s Presidential State Election. To find out whether and where you are already registered, and where to vote or to inquire about absentee voting, visit www.123Voter.com

Visit the Belmont Town Clerk’s pages on the Town of Belmont website to explore elections information.

Early Voting for Belmont Voters will be available ONLY at Town Hall, 455 Concord Ave., and only on the following schedule of dates and hours: 

  • Monday, Oct. 24; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Tuesday, Oct. 25; 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Wednesday, Oct. 26; 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Thursday, Oct. 27; 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Friday, Oct. 28; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Saturday, Oct. 29; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Sunday, Oct. 30; No Early Voting Hours
  • Monday, Oct. 31; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Tuesday, Nov. 1; 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Wednesday, Nov. 2 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Thursday, Nov. 3; 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Friday, Nov. 4; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“Pick the most convenient date and time for you and give Early Voting a try. It’s always advisable to have your ID with you when you go to vote either on election day or for Early Voting,” said Cushman.

“Written, signed absentee applications and Early Voting applications that request us to mail you a ballot are also available, online or at the Town Clerk’s office at Town Hall.  If you have questions or need additional information, email the Town Clerk’s office at townclerk@belmont-ma.gov or phone us at 617-993-2600,” she said.

“We’re here to help,” said Cushman.

 

Sports: Belmont’s Comeback Victory Over Winchester Brings Playoffs Closer

Photo: Belmont senior Dylan Ferdinand intercepts Winchester pass that led to Belmont winning TD. 

Senior Running Back Ben Jones’ third touchdown with 19 seconds remaining proved the margin of victory as Belmont High School scored 21 second half points to defeat visiting Winchester High (2-4) Sachems, 28-21, under the Friday night lights, Oct. 14, and send the Marauders (3-3) closer to the MIAA playoffs.

“Ben Jones was a horse, Cal [Christofori] was a horse, Jake Pollack was a horse, the defense came up with a huge, huge interception that gave us the chance to drive the field. A real team effort,” said Belmont Head Coach Yann Kumin after the game.

When asked about a possible playoff appearance, which Belmont has not been a part since 2009, senior co-captain Kevin Martin said this group of players has begun to dispell the past reputation of Belmont football as not being good enough to be invited to the postseason.

“‘Why not us’ has been our mantra this season. Right now it looks like we’re in but why not beat Lexington [Belmont’s opponent next Saturday] and bring a home game to Harris,” said Martin on Senior Night. 

Jones ran for 190 yards on 28 carries along with 26 receiving yards. Fellow senior QB Christofori threw for 108 yards – many of those yards to junior WR Pollack – and had a running touchdown as the team gained 356 total yards. 

Winchester’s QB Liam Fitzpatrick led the offense for the Sachems with a throwing and running touchdowns. With Belmont keying on his running, the Marauders were exposed by Fitzpatrick’s arm who went 13 of 23 for 248 yards, completing several long passes to his favorite receiver Henry McDonough.

“Fitzpatrick is such a good running quarterback that is what we were concerned with, and it did come back to bite us because he went over the top of our linebackers,” said Kumin.

After a scoreless first quarter – which included a dropped TD by Winchester on its first drive – The Sachems took a 7-0 lead after a sustained drive, including converting on a fourth and one, ending with a screen pass to McDonough who scored at 8:29.

After Belmont could not garner a first down on the next possession, Winchester used trickery with running back Pat Costello taking the hike then handing to Fitzgerald who found McDonough for a 40-yard pass to the Belmont 8. Two plays later, Fitzgerald waltzed into the end zone to put the Sachems up 14-0 with just under six minutes.

Belmont responded with a seven play, 62-yard drive ending with Jones taking it in for his first TD of the night at the two minutes remaining. But the drive nearly came to a premature end when Jones fumbled the ball just after picking up the first down on the 20. Yet senior OLB/WR Dylan Ferdinand outraced Winchester’s linebackers to recover the bouncing ball at the 6-yard line. 

But just as important, the Belmont defense finally stopped Winchester’s offense after it quickly reached the Belmont 35 yard line.  

The Marauders kept the momentum rolling into the second half as Jones nearly singlehandedly to0k the offense down the field allowing Christofori to sneak the ball into the end zone to knot up the game at 14 at the 7-minute mark. 

Winchester’s Fitzpatrick took to the air to retake the lead highlighted by a 38-yard pass to receiver Max Ebner to the Belmont 8. His two-yard TD gave the Sachem’s its final lead of the game with 3:45 left in the mark. 

But in this rock em’ sock em’-styled game, Belmont got down the field quickly with a Christofori 10 yard scamper followed by a 19-yard pass to Pollack to bring the ball to the Winchester 25. A quick hitting 14 yard rush by Belmont’s big junior fullback Adam Deese rumbled the ball to the 1-yard line where Jones finished the drive with a one-yard plunge and a 21-21 tie.

With its air attack successful for most of the night, Winchester’s Fitzgerald winged it to McDonough at midfield. But attempted to repeat the pass down the middle of the field, Ferdinand intercept the pass on Belmont’s 16-yard line at 7:47 remaining in the biggest play of the game.

“My coaches always tell me to turn and look when I’m out in coverage. And I actually listened to them this time. Good things happen when you listen to the coach,” said Ferdinand. 

Belmont would then keep the ball for the following 7:28 on a grinding, time-consuming drive that included a fourth down Jones run (he would carry the ball 10 times) and a Jones run off the right side of the offense to the one-yard line with less than 30 seconds left. When Jones walked into the end zone one play later, he was so exhausted he didn’t celebrate the 28-21 lead and had to be helped back to the sideline.

“We just have faith in our offense that it can execute when we need them to. So it was a no-brainer for us to go for it on fourth down because we want to get the win the right way,” said Kumin. 

When Jones walked into the end zone one play later, he was so exhausted he didn’t celebrate the 28-21 lead and had to be helped back to the sideline. 

After the game, with a crowd of students and residents outside the White Field House cheering and making noise, players were excited about the near future with the playoffs on the horizon. 

“Anything can happen in the playoffs in high school football. If we are the eight seed and we are playing the one seed, you could say, ‘Why even play the game?’ But we are going to play whoever we get because you never know. We hope to have a good run,” said Martin.  

“This team plays with heart. It’s not a one-player team; it’s everybody together. That’s what Coach Q has been telling us from day one, that it’s family,” said Ferdinand.

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Banking on Children’s Book For the Benton Library at Belmont Savings

Photo: Benton Library.

Belmont Savings Bank has announced it is holding a Children’s Book Drive to benefit Benton Library. Residents can bring in any old or unused children’s books to the bank’s main Belmont branch before Oct. 31, and the books will be donated to the Benton Library.

Residents can bring in any old or unused children’s books to the bank’s main Belmont branch before Oct. 31, and the books will be donated to the Benton Library.

The Benton Library, at the corner of Oakley and Old Middlesex is a nonprofit, independent community library in Belmont run by volunteers and supported entirely by staff donations. The historic site was designed in 1892 as a chapel for the Belmont School For Boys, and was eventually purchased by Everett C. Benton in 1903 who made the chapel available for Belmont public meetings. After his death, his family offered the chapel to the town to use as a library. 

Belmont Savings Bank is located at 2 Leonard St. in Belmont Center. It will be accepting book donations during normal hours of operation.

 

Belmont’s Tiny Connection to The Lives of Thai Royalty

Photo: Princess Srinagarindra with her children including the future King Bhumibol Adulyadej (center)

If you look next to the elevator on the first floor of Belmont Town Hall, you’ll find a plaque with photos and documents that tell the tale of Belmont’s brief connection to a land half a world away.

It begins with an engagement between a commoner and a prince in, of all places, Hartford, Conn. Sangwan Talapat, who would become the Princess Srinagarindra and mother of two kings of Thailand, was living in the Connecticut capital while preparing to study nursing on a royal scholarship, when Prince Adulyadej of Siam – who first met Talapat and other Thai students on their arrival to the US the year before – fell in love with the 18-year-old country girl. (As a young orphan, Talapat was taken under the wing of a sister of a King of Siam and was presented to court.)

By July 1919, Adulyadej asked Talapat marry him. Once the engagement occurred, Adulyadey asked his bride to be to move closer to him. He was residing in Cambridge, studying public health at Harvard, the first prince to travel abroad to study. It was arranged for her to move to Cambridge and live with the Williston sisters, Emily and Constance, who would tutor her in algebra, Latin, French, and English .

But since her rooms would not be ready until the fall, it was determined that Talapat would reside for the summer with close friends of the prince. That couple was Dr. Norton Kent and his wife who lived in a brick Colonial at 49 Cedar Rd. in Belmont.

screen-shot-2016-10-14-at-3-19-08-pm

49 Cedar Rd. as it looks today.

From July to September, 1919, Talapat lived on Cedar Road, wrote letters to friends and family of the engagement and was visited by Adulyadej. She and the Kents also took a long summer excursion to northern New Hampshire.

By September, Talapat had left for Cambridge and soon was married to the prince. He would continue his studies at Harvard and then MIT while Talapat took classes at Simmons. Despite his royal heritage, they lived simply in a two bedroom flat at 329 Longwood Ave. in Brookline. They soon had three children: a daughter and two sons, the youngest named Bhumibol born in December 1927. 

The prince died in 1929 and Talapat (who would live to be 95 years old before dying in 1995), then known as Mom Sangwan, took the children to Switzerland to be educated. But only six years later, the oldest sonAnanda, would become King of Siam after the abdication of his uncle. By 1946, Ananda was killed in what was called an accidential shooting accident and Bhumibol became King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX). He would rule for more than 70 years before dying Thursday, Oct. 13, 2016. 

Take a Hike: Western Community Path Trail Walk Saturday Morning

Photo: Star Market parking lot.

Up until now, the many and varied routes that could make up a community path running the length of Belmont have been conceptional, drawn on a map or written in a report.

This weekend, residents will have the opportunity to discover exactly how those courses would ramble through town as the Community Path Implementation Advisory Committee invites the public to take a Saturday morning hike on the first of two Feasibility Study trail walks led by members of Pare Corporation, the Community Path’s consultant.

Saturday’s walk will encompass the western end of the path – Belmont Center to Waverley Square – Oct. 15, at 9 a.m. beginning at the Star Market parking lot. Boots and long pants are advisable.

Yearly Belmont Library Fall Book Sale This Weekend, Oct. 15-16

Photo: Patrons of the Friends of Belmont Library’s book sale.

If you love books but not looking to pay and arm and a leg, this is your weekend to stock up on fiction, non-fiction, children’s and every other sort of book as the Friends of the Belmont Public Library holds its annual Fall Book Sale this weekend.

The sale takes place on Saturday, Oct. 15 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 16 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Assembly and Flett rooms at the library, 336 Concord Ave.

A Preview Library Friends Book Sale for Friends members takes place from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 14.

The sale’s proceeds allow the Friends to purchase museum memberships, bring authors and demonstrations to the library while adding to the technology available to patrons.

Shockingly Fun: Test Drive Electric Cars Saturday at the High School

Photo: The choice of electric cars have exploded in the past five years.

Take a – quiet – test drive in an electric vehicle on Saturday, Oct. 15 and “experience the speed and power of these vehicles first hand” as the local electric utility partners up with Belmont energy and conservation groups to promote driving “plugged in.”

screen-shot-2016-10-14-at-2-28-56-pm

Sponsored by Belmont Light, in partnership with Sustainable Belmont, Belmont Energy Committee and residents, Belmont Drives Electric is a local initiative designed to highlight the benefits of driving electric vehicles and connect Belmont residents to rebates, incentives, and free test drives.

The test drive takes place from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Belmont High School off Concord Avenue in the large parking lot. 

According to the groups, plug-in electric vehicles are affordable, efficient and fun to drive! Fueling your car on electricity compared to gasoline is much cheaper and you will see additional savings from lower maintenance costs.  Plug-in electric vehicles offer a significant reduction in carbon emissions compared to gasoline vehicles.  Take a free test drive and experience the speed and power of these vehicles first hand!