Marsh Street Mess: Road Reconstruction To Last Several Weeks

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Photo: Marsh Street in the fall.

Beginning last Friday, Oct. 12, Belmont’s General contractor, E.H. Perkins has begun road construction on Marsh Street specifically at 178 Marsh St. This work will include, saw-cutting, grading and paving the roadway.

Road closures and delays are expected during construction hours between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Work is expected to continue for several weeks.

Residents and Commuters are advised to seek alternate routes. “We apologize for any inconveniences this construction work might cause,” said Arthur O’Brien, resident engineer in the Office of Community Development.

For any questions or concerns about the project, residents can contact O’Brien at 617-993-2665

Girls Tourney Bound: Soccer, Field Hockey, Volleyball Earn Tickets To Postseason [VIDEO]

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Photo: Belmont High Girls Soccer, pictured below are securing another trip to the Division 2 North playoffs.

It was quite a week for three of Belmont High girls’ fall season teams as each secured playoff spots in the coming state MIAA tournament.

Within a few minutes of each other on Monday, Oct. 8, Girls’ Soccer and Field Hockey punched their tickets to the postseason while Volleyball completed its task on Wednesday, Oct. 10.

After a pair of losses – a heartbreaker, 3-2, at Woburn after leading 2-0 at the half and a 4-0 rout at Winchester – left the team at 2-2-1 early in the season, Girls’ Soccer has rattled off five straight wins including a 3-1 home victory on Columbus Day to see its season extended. While not raking up the goals, the Marauders have been efficient in their games, using senior center forward Ella Gagnon as the cornerstone of the offense with speedsters senior Morgan Krauss and youngster Jenna Thomas (a pair of hat-tricks for the sophomore) creating opportunities on the wings. 

Since clinching the playoffs, Belmont took its revenge on Woburn, defeating the Tanners, 2-1, on Wednesday, Oct. 10 to extend its winning streak to seven and currently in second place in the Middlesex Liberty division with a 9-2-1 record. They will take on Lexington on Tuesday, Oct. 16 before meeting up with league leader Winchester at home on Thursday, Oct. 18.

Field Hockey came into its annual match with perennial Division 2 state champions Watertown on a seven-game winning streak. The night game on Oct. held at Belmont’s Harris Field saw the Marauders come out and controlled the match, dominating possession, especially in the second half, ending the game with 11 shots on goal and a 13 to 1 margin in penalty corners. The one area they didn’t hold an advantage over Watertown was on the scoreboard as the Raiders tallied on both of their two shots of the game in a two-minute stretch in the final five minutes of the first half, defeating the disappointed hosts, 2-0.

To make the playoffs, Belmont had to take a trip to an improving Wakefield High team and came away with a solid 2-0 win with senior co-captain Jordan Lettiere scoring both times to continue her hot stick at the inner forward position.

After reaching the playoffs, Belmont traveled Wednesday, Oct. 10 to the environs of Lexington to battle it out with a very good Minuteman squad. Starting at 6:30 p.m. (on a school night!) on a field – situated on the border of a mosquito-infested swamp – apparently illuminated by mood lights as no one could see the ball. In an evenly fought battle, Lexington took advantage of the not so common “man” advantage when the refs called Belmont’s junior Emma Donahue, the team’s top defender, for a push then sent off junior Katie Guden, the squad’s leader, for not respecting the five-meter space when the ball is restarted. And the Minutemen scored both times as Belmont’s best players were sitting by the scorer’s desk, winning 2-0, as the Marauders had to contend with the odd custom in Lexington of allowing dogs to wander along the sidelines.

Belmont, which defeated Woburn, 8-0, on Friday, Oct. 12 will have its rematch with Lexington on Wednesday, Oct. 17 with the winner in control to capture the Middlesex League Liberty title. This game played during the day, sans the threat of malaria and without mutts on the field. 

After just making the playoffs last year, Volleyball’s goal this year was a return act. And Belmont got there, but even faster than they thought, reaching its 10th win in just 12 games as the Marauders swept Wayland, 3-0, in an out-of-league match on Wednesday, Oct. 10. Led by kill specialist Jane Mahon (who is leading the Middlesex League) , and a pair of three year junior starters; setter Mindee Lai and libero Sophia Estok, Belmont was pushed in each of the three sets including having an 11-0 service run against them in the third to fall behind 21-20. But good digging and returning from the back line as well as a few unforced errors on the part of the Warriors allowed the Marauders to take the win.

After defeating Woburn on Friday, Oct. 12, Belmont, at 11-2,. will host Lexington on Tuesday, Oct. 17.

It’s ‘B’ Sunday: Belmont Boosters Annual Fundraising Drive Oct. 14

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Photo: Belmont Boosters’ ‘B’ decale.

The Belmont Boosters annual “B” Drive will held on the afternoon of Sunday, Oct. 14, during which Belmont High School student-athletes will engage in a door-to-door fundraising campaign encompassing all of Belmont.

All proceeds support the Belmont Boosters LLC, a 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to promote and support the athletic programs and related educational programs of Belmont High School. This is a major fundraiser for the Boosters, which provides financial support to BHS athletic teams and programs individually as well as to broader capital initiatives in support of all teams and programs.

Parent-volunteers, especially parent-drivers, are critical to the success of this fundraising event. For more information please go to the Boosters website.

You also can email the Boosters at: belmontMAboosters@gmail.com

Belmont Light Sends Crews To Restore Power To Florida’s Panhandle After Hurricane [VIDEO]

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Photo: Belmont Light crews are heading to Florida’s Panhandle to help restore power after devastating hurricane. 

The photos and videos don’t do justice to the destructive force which Category 5 Hurricane Michael brought to northwest Florida.

In response to the natural disaster, Belmont Light has sent two crews down to the Florida Panhandle to help in the massive work to restore power after the devastation from Hurricane Michael. The four workers and two trucks will be based in the state capital Tallahassee, but may be moved around to where the damage to the electrical grid has been most severe.

This is part of the larger Public Power response, which has public-owned utilities like Belmont Light sending crews from across the country. The storm struck during Public Power Week and October is Public Power Month, so the response by the local electric utility highlights the benefits of community-owned power in being able to bring people together to help those in need.

Below is a video from Aidan Leary, Belmont Light’s executive assistant and communications coordinator made as the trucks began their travel south.

Friends’ Annual Fall Book Sale At The Library This Weekend, Oct. 13-14

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Photo: Lots of books on sale this weekend at the Belmont Public Library.

If you love books but not looking to pay an 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. 13 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 14 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Assembly and Flett rooms at the library, 336 Concord Ave. And don’t forget that Sunday is the Bag o’ Books sale. 

A preview party for Friends members takes place from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on a new night, Thursday, Oct. 11. In addition, Belmont teachers will spend Friday picking out books for their classrooms, thanks to the Friends.

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 all patrons.

Performance Arts Season Begins With ‘Broadway Night 2018’ On Friday, Saturday

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Photo: This year’s poster for Broadway Night 2018.

The Great White Way finds its way to the Town of Homes as Belmont High School Performing Arts Company presents its annual musical theater showcase Broadway Night 2018 at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 12 and Saturday, Oct. 13 in the Little Theater at Belmont High School.

Students will perform classic show tunes and contemporary works in an evening of song, dance, and storytelling featuring solos duets, and group songs, with a mix of humor, heart, romance and high-energy fun.

Broadway Night represents the core mission of the PAC, with an emphasis on showcasing student work. The performers have selected, staged and rehearsed the songs almost entirely on their own. Also, the lighting design is done entirely by students, and the show traditionally ends with a student-directed number featuring the whole company.

Tickets are $5 for students, $12 for adults and can be purchased online at bhs-pac.org or at Champions Sporting Goods on Leonard Street in Belmont Center. Performances ALWAYS sell out, so be sure to get tickets in advance!

Belmont Serves Proves Big Help For Those Made Homeless In Lawrence

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Photo: Working hard at Clay Pit Pond during Belmont Serves.

The folks at Lazarus House in Lawrence debated whether to make the trip to Belmont on Columbus Day with both of its trucks.

The anti-poverty non-profit received word that due to the upcoming move of the Belmont Food Pantry to Town Hall, Belmont Serves – the annual service day in Belmont organized by the Belmont Religious Council that celebrated its 10th year – was seeking to donate its food drive which is part of the annual event to the ministries which has been inundated with thousands of people from Lawrence, North Andover and Andover impacted by a natural gas disaster that occurred on Sept. 13. 

When told to expect more than 1,000 bags of donated food and sundries, “they said ‘you’re the answer to our prayers’,” said long-time Belmont Serves volunteer Tina John at a noontime pizza and ice cream lunch at the end of the event. 

Earlier in the morning, some at Lazarus House didn’t believe “[we] had that many bags of food,” said John retelling the conversation. While the ministries brought both trucks, “the whole way down [from the Merrimack Valley] we were talking, saying ‘I’m sure they don’t have that much food.” 

But when they turned into Beth El Temple and saw the food and other goods being sorted, “they said, ‘You do have that much’,” said John.

In fact, both the large and medium-sized trucks were stacked to their roofs with parcels with what was collected earlier in the day. And the volunteers had enough to send food to the Waltham and Arlington food pantries. 

Approximately 6,000 bags were distributed around town which was collected by dozens of teams and later sorted by weight – no one wanted to have light crackers placed next to large cans of tomato sauce – then placed in the trucks.

“Some people said they had done routes for years and usually they’d get one bag and this year people put out more bags,” said Janet McMullen, who organized the distribution and pickup.

Just the food distribution drive would have been a success by itself, but Belmont Serves is more than that. It included service projects – from cleaning around elementary schools like the Burbank and Butler and other public spaces such as Clay Pit Pond – with the goal of making the town a better place for all residents. 

“Because Belmont Serves is now in its 10th year, many residents know about it and want to help,” said Rev. Joe Zarro of Plymouth Congregational Church who is council president this year. “The schools help a lot by giving service community hours to the students whic

Trout FG Gives Belmont 17-14 OT Win Over Winchester

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Photo: Belmont High’s kicker Hampton Trout hits the game-winning field goal in overtime to defeat Winchester.

Belmont High’s kicker Hampton Trout just hoped he would get a second opportunity to decide the game with Winchester after his 43-yard attempt sailed wide left as time ran out with the score knotted at 14. And when the Belmont defense stuffed Wilmington on its attempt to score in overtime, Trout got that chance to play hero with a 19-yard attempt.

“Everyone was coming up to me yelling ‘You got this, you got this’ and it getting into my head a little bit. But when I got out there and took my three steps back from where I was going to kick it, I knew it was going in,” said the junior kicker who was having a great night with a pair of touchbacks on kickoffs and punts that twice flew and rolled for more than 50 yards.

And Trout didn’t disappoint, splitting the uprights to defeat the Sachems in the first overtime, 17-14, on Friday, Oct. 5 to put Belmont (3-2, 1-2 in the league) in the driver’s seat for its first trip in the program’s history to the MIAA Division 3 North playoffs.

“While I practice as a wide receiver and quarterback, I stay after practice to work in my kickoffs and punting. And it really made a difference tonight,” said Trout whose exploits earned him the game ball.

The win against Winchester (3-2, 2-1) both a Middlesex Liberty Division and Division 3 North rival, 

“These guys worked so hard that they deserved this win,” said Belmont Head Coach Yann Kumin who was his ecstatic self when Trout’s kick went through the uprights. 

Under the Friday night lights, Belmont’s defense shined as it put the clamps on the high scoring Winchester offense led by DB and co-captain Jared Edwards who slapped away numerous attempts directed at his side while junior Justin Rocha continued his outstanding all-around play. And it was a big night for the big men led by junior defensive lineman Derrick Brown who garnered two-and-a-half sacks and a number of hurries on Winchester QB Tony Fiorentino while marshaling the D-line and putting the clamps on running backs Brendan Curran and Jakob Flores.

“I’m really proud of the defense. I threw the gauntlet down about our defense being physical and doing great work. We felt we were pretty physical against Reading but we gave up too many big plays. Today we only gave up two so we know we have something going on defensively,” said Kumin.

Offensively, Belmont’s vaunted ground game was finding it hard to get a rhythm going, but it only needed a fortunate bounce to get on the scoreboard. 

Junior QB Avery Arno fumbled the ball that hit off the turf and straight into RB Rhaki Joseph’s hands. The senior running back continued the play, sweeping around the left end where Edwards had the key block and into the clear along the sideline for a 49-yard second quarter touchdown.

“The ball bounced up like it’s supposed to. That’s how we drew that one up,”said Kuman, who pointed to the heavens in silent thanks as Joseph scored.

On an unfortunate note, the game was halted for 20 minutes after a Winchester player suffered a severe lower-body injury requiring him to be taken by ambulance for treatment.

Belmont nearly took the one touchdown lead into the half, but an Arno pass into double coverage was picked off at the Belmont 47 with just more than two minutes left. After a 15-yard penalty put the Sachems behind the 8 ball with a fourth down and 12 at the 39 with 16 seconds left, Fiorentino found Matt Romagna with a perfect pass for the touchdown.

After a defensive third quarter, Winchester began its one sustained drive in the game after recovering a Belmont fumble at the 48-yard line. The Sachems were resourceful, converting a pair of third and fours, survived a sack from senior interior linebacker Sam Harris and Brown.

After allowing an 18-yard pass completion on a 4th down and 15 that put the ball on the 10-yard line, the Belmont defense came through forcing a 4th down on the 5. The subsequent field goal attempt by Fiorentino was blocked by Harris.

After taking the ball on the 20, Belmont faced a 3rd and 8 from its own 22, when Aron hit Johnson with a swing pass looking for a short gain. As defenders Johnson exploded through a small opening inside then quick stepped it outside and sailed down right sidelines for a 78-yard touchdown with 7:22 remaining.

But the Sachems came straight back with a perfect pass action which saw Romagna romp 45 yards to the Belmont 5. The Sachems tied the score on a third down and inches plunge by Fiorentino with 3:28 left in the fourth quarter.

Belmont would keep the ball for nearly the remainder of the quarter, mixing runs and passes to Edwards to give Trout his first chance at winning the game. Despite the miss, Kumin had a feeling that his team would take home the win. 

 “I knew our defense wouldn’t make it easy for them to score so we had a chance,” said Kumin.

After last Saturday’s games, Belmont sits in third of the eight playoff places with two games remaining, insuring a home postseason game. Next Saturday, Belmont travels to 4-1 Lexington for a Saturday afternoon Prep School style tussle on the Minuteman’s grass field before ending the scheduled season against Arlington, currently at 1-4.

A Decade Of Helping: Belmont Serves Turns 10 This Monday; Come And Volunteer

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Photo: Belmont Serves has something for everyone.

The Belmont Religious Council is proud to announce the 10th annual Belmont Serves, a day of service for and by the Belmont community, will take place on Columbus Day, Monday, Oct. 8.

The family-friendly event is when Belmont comes out on one morning a year to make the town a better place for all.

This year’s headquarters for Belmont Serves is First Church Unitarian Universalist, 404 Concord Ave. Sign up on belmontserves.org or at the door; there is a great number of meaningful work to go around.

“You can help make a real difference in our town, have some fun, and meet others who share a willingness to serve the community,” said Jen Hoyda, vice president of the Belmont Religious Council.

Schedule of Events

  • 8:30 am: Breakfast for all at First Church Unitarian and sign in/project assignment
  • 9:00 a.m. to noon: Service projects
  • Noon to 12:30 p.m.: Pizza and ice cream and wrap up at the Unitarian church

Each volunteer/group will be able to sign up for a project then join a team which will work together for the morning – bonding and making our town a better place to be.

Projects will include but aren’t limited to the following:

  • Door-to-door collection of items for the Belmont Food Pantry — ideal for families with young children as well as other groups
  • Trails and conservation areas: Clearing trails at Lone Tree Hill
  • An assortment of clean up and landscaping projects

Door-to-door collection for the Belmont Food Pantry— Teams of volunteers will be assigned to specific routes, collecting bags of groceries left at doorsteps for delivery to the Belmont Food Pantry. These grocery bags are distributed door-to-door throughout the town during the week before Belmont Serves day. This service touches 8,000 homes and supplies food and much needed toiletry items for countless individuals in need.

Conservation projects at Lone Tree Hill — You can help with pruning, parking lot maintenance and invasive vegetation removal at Lone Tree Hill (former McLean Property) conservation lands. Wear long sleeves and long pants to avoid poison ivy. We will supply the tools, or bring clippers or loppers. This is a wonderful activity for families and individuals to spend time beautifying nature in our lovely fall weather.

Clay Pit Pond clean-up: Volunteers will work on pruning existing shrubs, cutting/removing invasives, and picking up trash and debris. “Last year, over the course of a couple of hours, walking the full perimeter of Clay Pit pond, I had the pleasure to get to know a fellow member of the community and bond over travel stories. This is someone I might have never otherwise met and it made me feel more connected to my town.” a volunteer said.

Learn more at belmontserves.org and sign up to volunteer!

About Belmont Religious Council:

The Belmont Religious Council was founded in April, 1954 as an organization of the various faith communities that serve Belmont. Its purpose is “to enhance the spirit of unity through fellowship, to develop understanding and appreciation for the various religious faiths represented and to exert a positive influence in the social and moral life of the Belmont community.”

By promoting interfaith dialogue and cooperation, the Council can also help enable Belmont’s faith communities to pursue important goals generally not attainable by a single congregation.

Rock The Canvas: Del Fuegos Alum Presents Musical Artist Talk Thursday at 7 PM

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Photo: Poster for the show.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Rocker and artist Woody Giessman will give an artist’s perspective with words and music during his Gallery Talk associated with “Rhythm & Hues,” the current show at the Belmont Gallary of Art.

Guests can expect a lively evening of stories and music performance with the BGA’s special featured artist. Giessman, former drummer for the Boston-based 80’s rock band, the Del Fuegos, founder of Right Turn recovery and survivor of a near-fatal brain aneurysm, will discuss his unusual life, art-inspirations and influences and the importance of art and music in all our lives.

The talk will take place at the gallery on the third floor of the Homer Building, on Thursday, Oct. 4, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.