Belmont High Bags 3 State Titles As Marauders Takes Third In Div. 2 Swim/Dive Championships

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Belmont High’s state championship 4×400 yard free style team (from left, Elizabeth Guevara, Lily Glavin, Reina Yano, and Karen Tao) that broke the school record in the 4×200.

Belmont High swimmers took home a trio of state titles and broke two long-standing school records on their way to a third place finish in the MIAA Div. 2 state championships held at Boston University’s Recreation Center Pool on Sunday, Nov. 9.

Belmont’s total of 275 points was just 17 points behind champion Wellesley High (292 pts.) and a mere seven from Chelmsford (282 pts.) in one of the closest three-way competitions in meet history.

“The girls did a great job today. They fought really hard,” said Maria ‘Lulu’ Emmons, Belmont High’s Head Swimming Coach, as the team finishes the campaign as champions of the Middlesex League meet and placing fourth in the North Sectionals just a week before.

Belmont came to the meet with high expectations – looking to place higher than last season’s third – as well as high spirits, having “sleeve” tatoos (not to worry they were temporary) of lions, tigers and other fearsome preditors applied at the team get-together the night before.

In the individual events, senior Elizabeth Guevara swam away from her competition by nearly two seconds in the first 50 to set an unrelenting pace in winning the 200 yard free style by nearly five seconds. She was the only swimmer to break two minutes coming home in one minute, 55.83 seconds, a time two seconds clear of the Div. 1 winning time set by Victoria Sigmundstad Callahan of Newton North in the afternoon.

The former club swimmer who is competing in her first – and final – season with the Marauders, finished second in the 100 yard (53.35) after leading favorite Mackenzie Gibbons of Academy of Notre Dame, Tyngsboro at the midway mark. Despite being a runner up, it was time to celebrate as Guevara’s time of 53.35 seconds broke a quarter century old school record.

But it was in the three relays where the Marauders shined, earning 110 of its 275 points via the team races. Coming into the meet as either favorites or co-favorites in each event, Belmont would take home a pair of state championships.

“Our [free style] relays absolutely dominated,” said Emmons at poolside after the meet.

Coming out with the same lineup in the two freestyle races: 200 yard sprint and the 400 yard relays, Guevara would receive her second and third winner’s medal anchoring with junior Karen Tao leading off, junior second Reina Yano, and senior third Lily Glavin. In the sprint, the team mates took the lead from the start and swam away with the title in 1:41.42, with Guevara swimming the concluding 50 yard leg in 24.19 which would have won the individual 50 yard race. It was of little surprise that the quartet broke the school record in the event.

In the final event of the meet, Belmont was trailing Wellesley after the first leg of the 400 yard relay, and was in a real dog fight lying third by a tenth of a second with Woburn/.Burlington in second and Winchester leading. Then Glavin came through with a solid 57.03 third 100 to hand a four-tenth of a second advantage to Guevara, who simply obliterated the field with a blistering 53.10 anchor leg to finish in 3:44.57 as league rivals Woburn/Burlington would sneak past Winchester for second in 3:47.70.

In the first event of the morning meet, Belmont was right in the middle of a battle royal for the 200 yard Medley Relay title as five teams were all within a second or two for the entire race. Juniors Summing Chan and Ahana Sharma, sophomore Aislinn Reynolds and senior Lily Glavin would take 4th in 1:57.74, just 3/4 of a second – about on stroke – behind winners North Andover as the five teams were all finished within 9/10ths of second at the end.

Other scoring Marauder highlights included:

  • First year 1-meter diver Margaret Han finishing in the medals compiling 346.5 points in 6th place.
  • Chan who took nearly six second off her qualifying time as she grinded out a 5:39.78 in the grueling 500 yard free of sixth place and 13 valuable points, then coming back less than an hour later with a 7th place finish in the 100 backstroke.
  • Three points winners in the 100 breast stroke with Sharma in 8th, junior Sophia Bufano in 10th and first year Caroline Sweeney in 14th.
  • As her teammate was taking second in the event, Tao touched in sixth in the 100, just .06 seconds from 4th place coming through with 13 points. She would show off her free style stroke with the third fastest 50 free (31.94) in the 200 IM final to climb to 8th, as Sharma rounded out the points in 15th.
  • Burfano picked up four points in the 200 free.
  • Glavin was just .03 seconds out of the top ten in the 50 free.
  • Reynolds came through with a 9th and 9 points in the 100 butterfly.
  • Yano and sophomore Delaney Gutierrez pointed in the 500 yard marathon while first year Sophia Li scored in the 100 backstroke.

What’s Open/Closed Veterans Day In Belmont: Town Offices, Schools, Post Office Shut For The Holiday; Trash/Recycling Delayed A Day

By Leave a Comment

Photo: The World War I memorial during its rededication in 2015

Standing before the Belmont Lions Club, in the delta fronted by Common Street and Royal Road where in just a few weeks Christmas trees and wreathes will be sold, stands the staid and beautiful monolith bearing the names of the nine residents who gave their lives in the struggle known as the “War to end all wars.”

Cirino, Craigie, Finn, Lincoln, McAleer, Nimmo, Patrioun, Smith, and True. 

Dedicated on this day in 1923 then known as “Armistice Day” and renovated in 2015, it stands as the town’s Cenotaph – an empty tomb – its monument to those Belmont sons who are buried elsewhere.

Belmont’s World War I memorial, the town’s Cenotaph for residents who sacrificed their lives and who are buried overseas.

Laid on the back of the Bethel white granite monument to those who died in World War I are the last lines to Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Voluntaries,” written in 1863 to pay tribute to another company of young men prepared to sacrifice their lives for the sake of the nation.

“So nigh is grandeur to our dust,
So near is God to man,
When Duty whispers low, ‘Thou must,’
The youth whispers, ‘I can.”

Known since the mid-1950s as Veterans Day, Tuesday is a federal and state holiday.

What’s Closed:

  • Belmont Town offices, temporary library locations at the Beech Street Center and the Benton Library and Belmont Light are closed. They will reopen to the public on Wednesday, Nov. 12.
  • US Postal Service offices and regular deliveries.
  • Banks; although branches will be open in some supermarkets.

MBTA: Buses and subways on a Sunday schedule, while the commuter rail is on a weekend schedule. Go to www.mbta.com for details.

Trash and recycling collection: There will be no collection Tuesday, Nov. 11; trash and recycling will be delayed ONE DAY this holiday week.

What’s Opened:

  • Retail stores.
  • Coffee shops: Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts are serving coffee all day.
  • Supermarkets.
  • Convenience and drug stores (CVS/Pharmacy) open regular hours.
  • Establishments that sell beer and wine are also allowed to be open.

After Slow Start, Belmont High Girls Soccer Shuts Out Framingham, 2-0, In MIAA Div. 1 First Round

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Belmont High senior mid Nora Goulding (number 5) readies to celebrate with goal scorer first year Clara Selandraski (21) after the midfielder scored the game-winning goal in Belmont’s first round tournament shut out of Framingham.

Early in the second half of a scoreless match in Belmont’s first round playoff game against Framingham, first year midfielder Clara Selandraski was unceremoniously dumped to the Harris Field pitch from a hard tackle. As she was preparing to launch the free kick 20 meters from goal along the left sideline, Belmont Head Coach Jemmy Cange came up to her with set play that orginated on the training ground.

Rather than pitching the ball “into the mixer” – the penalty area that was crowded with players – Jemme saw the Framingham goalie was favoring the left side of the box where the ball was expected to be placed. Following the classic advice of Baseball Hall of Famer Wee Willie Keeler: “Put’em where they ain’t,” Selandraski took a quick shot to the open right post. The play worked like a charm, surpising the goalie who could only follow the ball into the back of the net.

The foul that led to …
… the game winning goal against Framingham.

“The goal just put away the game,” said senior co-captain Danica Zicha “Then we calmed down, because [the game] won’t go to PKs. We’re winning now.”

“It was good that we finally get one of those goal that we really walk on practice all,” said Cange. “It was a great goal that came from the practice field.”

Asked if he should be awarded an “assist” on the goal, Cange said, “Oh, that goal was mine!”

Selandraski’s goal was the first of a pair of tallies in the second half that secured the Marauders a trip to the MIAA Division 1 Sweet 16 as Belmont shut out Framingham, 2-0. Belmont’s second came from Marauder ace scoring leader Zicha who slotted in her 31st goal of the season from 10 meters out with 18 minutes remaining in the match.

Senior Danica Zicha, Belmont High’s ‘Der Bomber’, scores her 31st goal of the season against Framingham in the first round of the MIAA Div. 1 tournament 

“I saw the ball, and I just went for it. I was like, ‘No, that’s my ball’,” said Zicha who took the shot off the ground and despite the goalie getting her gloves on it, the ball broke through into the net.

Eight-ranked Belmont (15-2-2) will host ninth-seed Central Catholic High School (16-1-2) – the alma mater of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt – in the rain on Monday, Nov. 10 at 6 p.m. The Raiders defeated Attleboro, 6-0, to advance.

The first 40 minutes saw both teams unable to put together a cohesive attack. While the offense was sputtering, Belmont defensive line put the kabash on the Falcon’s attemps to put pressure on Belmont junior goalie Martha Dimas.

Belmont High junior goalkeeper Martha Dimas registered her 10th clean sheet of the season against Framingham.

“We’ve been working with the backs for a lot. They’ve been stepping up since the whole season,” he said of seniors Farah Harris and Ashley Waters, junior Elizabeth Schreiner and sophomore Vianne Capitani. “They all went in there and did a wonderful job.”

The second half had the familiar feel of past Belmont matches with a dominance of the midfield – thanks to rangy junior Madhavi Ramadas and physical presence of sophomore Catherine Greiner – that freed up space for passes to first year winger Mackenzie Tierney and senior Nora Goulding, whose speed caused problems for the Falcon’s D-line.

What the team has to improve to take the win against a Central Catholic squad that lost a single game in the regular season (to Bishop Feehan, 2-1) and is one an 18 game unbeaten streak, will be about consistancy throughout the game.

“We definitely need to come out the way we came in the second half (against Framingham),” said Zicha. “We just need to play like that throughout the whole game. Obviously, there are gonna be a lot of nerves going into the second game, probably even more than against Framingham, but I think we can definitely do it. I think we come out strong just how we played in the second half. Everyone was connecting, everyone was talking, everyone was hyping each other up. I think if we do that, we’re gonna be like, unstoppable,” said Zicha.

“We have a slow start, but they keep fighting,” said Cange. “That’s the spirit of that team that we have all year. They never put themselves down. They keep fighting. And at the end, we were the better team, and we got the result that we wanted.”

Return To The Elite Eight: Belmont Field Hockey Shuts Out Wachusett, 4-0, In MIAA Sweet 16

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Belmont High run to celebrate with sophomore goalie Zoe Bruce after shutting out Wachusett Regional, 4-0, in the Sweet 16 of the MIAA Div. 1 Field Hockey tournament.

Belmont High Field Hockey has punched its ticket for a return trip to the Elite Eight as the 6th-ranked Marauders made easy work of 22nd-seed Wachusett Regional, shutting out the Mountaineers, 4-0, to advance to its second MIAA Division 1 state quarterfinal in as many years.

Belmont (17-3-0) will head to Wellesley to meet the one-loss Raiders (19-1-0) which needed two second half goals to defeat No. 14 Westborough, 3-1, to advance.

The quarterfinal match will take place at noon on Saturday, Nov. 8 at Wellesley High School, 50 Rice St. off of Route 16.

“I love Elite Eight!” said Belmont’s long-time Head Coach Jess Smith after the game. “I think our passing has been great and we’re moving the ball really well and that has been the difference maker tonight getting the ball down the field.”

A pair of goals in the games’ first three minutes set the tone for the night as Belmont’s sophomore forward Kendall Regan and senior co-captain Mackenzie Clarke scored in consecutive playoff games to give the Marauders an immediate cushion in its Sweet 16 match played under a near-full moon at Harris Field.

As the Mountaineers pushed hard to reverse the tide, it pressed Belmont’s solid defense – a back line of co-captains senior Niamh Lesnik and junior Elsie Lakin-Schultz with first-year Kate Townsend in the center with senior sweeper Caroline French fronting sophomore keeper Zoe Bruce who earned 10 shut outs coming into the game. As Wachusett pressed the Marauder net, including packing the shooting circle with eight players on penalty corners, Belmont’s defenders continued its steller performance having conceded 17 goals over 20 games this season, blocking attempts before they reached Bruce.

Especially impactful was Lakin-Schultz, the junior commit to Brown, who used her speed and length to shut down attacks down the favorite right side, while also contributing to the offense with rushes and passes deep in the opponant’s zone. Clarke, who next year will play Division 1 college field hockey at UConn, continued leading Belmont’s attack while slipping just infront of the defensive “wall” to disrupt the Mountaineers offense and be an outlet to start the counter attack.

Belmont’s third score came off a penalty corner mid-way through the second quarter when a 10-meter blast from Lakin-Schultz was tipped by junior “12th player” Avery Reinold in front of the goalie.

Sophomore midfielder Mia Smith pocketed the final goal as her shot somehow its way by three defenders and a goalie with four-and-change remaining in the third quarter. By the final quarter, Smith had emptying the bench and the team cruised into the next round.

It was also the final time Belmont seniors – Clarke, Lesnik, French, and Catherine Killeen – would play field hockey on Harris Field. “You’re going to make me cry,” laughed Lesnik when asked about the emotions of the moment. “It’s such a beautiful field. Mackenzie and I have played for three year on field hockey and four years on lacrosse so this is one of our many ‘happy’ places.”

“Finishing off with a win. For the past two years we’ve been undefeated on Harris and that’s major for us,” said Clark.

“Absolutely major,” Lesnik replied.

Smith said there are areas for improvement including not giving up so many penalty corners, which has been a bugaboo since last year’s quarters when Andover scored twice off the corner in a 3-0 victory. “I also think that we have to be a little further apart because we tend to get on top of each other.”

“We need to go into the game [against Wellesley] with an emphasis on our energy against such a good and skilled team,” said Lesnik. “A lot of it will come down to the team that is … hustling the most, going forth the most, bringing that mentality knowing that it could be our last game. So put everything out there.”

While Wellesely is the third-ranked team in the tournament, “that doesn’t mean anything,” said Clarke. “We play a lot of competition” that’s just as strong as who they played, she said.

Wellesley will be a tough opponant, said Smith. “They’re fantastic. They’ve won 19 games in a row and haven’t lost since the first game of the year (to number 1 ranked Walpole). I think they are full of athletes and some kids who are good at field hockey. It will be a challenge. We match up with the athletic ability on the field and we have some really strong players. It’s anyone’s game.”

Middlesex DA: Watertown Man, 18, With Belmont Ties Killed In Moped/Vehicle Accident

By Leave a Comment

Photo: A Google Maps image of the location of the fatal accident involving a moped and a SUV in Belmont

An 18-year-old Watertown resident with Belmont ties was killed in a two-vehicle accident at the intersection of  Stults Road and Fairview Avenue at approximately 9 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 4.

In a joint press release from the Middlesex County District Attorney and the Belmont Police Department, a young man on a moped was first identified by Belmont Police driving “erratically” on the wrong side of Trapelo Road heading eastbound onto Belmont Street.

When Belmont officers attempted to stop the moped, the driver continued down Belmont Street before turning left onto Stults Road. It was at the first intersection where the moped ran a stop sign and struck a Honda CR-V, a compact SUV, travelling on Fairview Avenue.

It is still not clear if there was an active police pursuit of the moped at the time of the accident.

“The teen was transported to an area hospital where he was subsequently pronounced dead,” said the release. The driver of the Honda CR-V was also sent to the hospital with “minor injuries.” The man has not been identified by authorities. According to several local sources, the young man, who attended school in Cambridge, was the son of a Belmont town employee.

The Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, Belmont Police, Massachusetts State Police Collision Reconstruction Section and Massachusetts State Police Crime Scene Services Section are investigating the incident.

Belmont Field Hockey Returns To Form, Defeats Newton North, 5-1, In Playoff Opener

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Belmont’s Kendall Regan slots in her second goal as Avery Ranold who assists watches in its 5-1 victory in the opening round of the 2025 MIAA Division 1 playoffs.

It was all treats on Halloween Friday as forwards sophomore Kendall Regan and junior Gigi Mastrangelo each scored a brace to go along with senior co-captain Mackenzie Clarke (1 goal, 1 assist) netting her 93rd career goal to see 6th-ranked Belmont comfortably set aside 27th-seed Newton North, 5-1, in a first-round match in the MIAA Division 1 tournament contested in gusty conditions on the Harris Field pitch.

The Marauders (16-3-0) advance to the Sweet 16 to host 22nd-ranked Wachusett Regional (8-9-2) on Tuesday, Nov. 4 at 4 p.m. for a rematch of a contentious contest in the 2022 tourney in which a Belmont player left the field in an ambulance after being hit by an errant stick. (Note: she was OK). Wachusett will be looking for consecutive upsets after upending 11th-seed Natick, 1-0, in overtime.

Belmont junior Gigi Mastrangelo scored twice against Newton North

After finishing the regular season with two narrow 1-0 decisions and a pair of losses to Top-10 tournament teams – Winchester (5th in Div. 1) and Dover-Sherburn (3rd in Div. 3) – the Marauders returned to its midseason form against the Tigers, highlighted by stellar passing from the back with co-captains senior Niamh Lesnik and junior Elsie Lakin-Schultz (1 assist) bookending first-year defensive standout Kate Townsend with senior Caroline French as sweeper fronting sophomore keeper Zoe Bruce.

“I think we’re moving the ball much better. We’re not trying to do it all with just one person,” said Belmont’s long-time Head Coach Jess Smith about the marked improvement in her team’s play. “The passing tonight was phenomenal. Each goal was pass, pass, pass, than a pass in, and a quick shot on the net. We were working on that at practice and we have been working on communicating and both things made the difference.”

Belmont junior co-captain Elsie Lakin-Schultz

Clarke, Belmont’s all time scoring leader (92 goals, 73 assists for 165 points), was a controlling factor in the midfield working with sophomore Mia Smith, Natalie Merrow, Nina Sheth-Voss and Nora Dolan (2 assists). Forwards Roisin Reavey (1 assist), Amelia Long and 12-player Avery Ranold (1 assist) were inside the shooting circle. The most threatening of the Marauders attack were wings Regan on the tricky left side and Mastrangelo down the right.

With most of the first quarter possession and playing inside the Newton North side of the pitch, the only question was if Belmont could end its late season scoring deficit. That occurred when Regan would redirect a pass laying at the goalies boot into the net midway through the first 15 minutes. Later in the quarter, Mastrangelo doubled the lead with a shot from five yards out. Belmont would continue its domination and up its lead to three as Regan took a baseline pass from Ranold to easily slot the ball into the back of the net to put her into double digits for goals scored this season.

Belmont sophomore Kendall Regan scored her 10th goal of the season vs Newton North

The Tigers would have its most prolong possession in the third quarter yet Belmont would secure a four goal advantage via Clarke who fired her trademark reverse bullet into the right side of the net with five and a half minutes remaining in the quarter.

Newton North would score from a fluky play as a shot from Tiger’s Alexis Blanchfield deflected high into the air and floated over Bruce before bouncing just inside the box. But Mastrangelo would have the final word with her second tally late in the final quarter.

The Brian Trust

“This game we had a lot more energy in the [attacking] circle,” said Mastrangelo, who scored her 16th and 17th goals of the season, only trailing Clarke’s 26. [See Mastrangelo’s second goal here]

“This is the start we wanted for the playoffs,” said Smith.

Tuesday will mark the second time the Marauders and the Mountaineers will meet in the Sweet 16, with Wachusett sweeping aside Belmont, 4-0, in 2022.

“We have some tough history up there on a very cold, windy night, on the night that the override didn’t pass. And one of my players came off the field in an ambulance so it’s a revenge game, for sure,” said Smith. “I don’t know how many of the same kids are there [for Wachusett] but I was there and so was Mackenzie.”

As SNAP Funding Runs Out, Belmont Farmers Market Tries To Help The 1,100 Local Residents Who Could See Their Food Security Lapse

By Leave a Comment

Photo: The red tokens representing the what the Belmont Farmers’ Market matches in federal SNAP funding

The rain had already begun falling on the final day of this season’s Belmont Farmers’ Market on Thursday, Oct. 30. The dank, wet afternoon could have been the reason for the much smaller numbers of shoppers arriving at the market’s long-time home in the back of the Claflin Municipal Parking Lot in Belmont Center.

But the conditions didn’t deter a steady stream of patrons coming to the Market Manager’s tent where red, white, and blue tokens – which resemble poker chips – were being handed out. Soon those markers would be used at the more than a dozen vendors waiting in the rain.

The red plastic vouchers represent he federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – formally known as food stamps – provides a boost in the earning power of each household’s food purchases. Under the BFM’s food assistance program, every week SNAP recipients can have their benefits matched up to an extra $25 to purchase any food items under the program’s guidelines.

“We have an average of almost 60 SNAP transactions every week. And last year, we had almost 300 separate households, families, individuals that came in to get benefits,” said Hal Shubin, the Farmers’ Market manager.

In addition, under the Massachusetts Healthy Incentives Program (HIP), SNAP recipients receive $40 of free produce every month. And the Belmont Food Collabrative created HIP Plus, its own program – those are the blue tokens – which gives anybody who wants it $20 a month to buy fresh food from any vendor.

The programs makes a difference for many patrons who come to the market from late spring to the end of October, said Shubin. “We have had people tell us that they can only eat well because of the match, because they’re getting that much extra money.”

A young man carrying his young daughter in his arms so her shoes wouldn’t get soaked said he hadn’t been to the market “lately” but want to come before the market closed for the season and due to the news he heard over the past few weeks.

“She really likes apples,” he said. “And I wanted to use the [program] before it’s gone,” he said.

The news he heard was as dreary as the weather. Due to a stalemate on funding a national budget, the federal government shut down that began Oct. 1 resulte in the funding for SNAP run out on Nov. 1. The program is used by more than 20 million households representing 412 million people across the country. A typical monthly SNAP payment is approximatley $188 per person, or about $332 per household.

And that number includes Belmontians, said Shubin. The Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance reported in September that, there are almost 700 households in Belmont that receive SNAP benefits, about seven percent of the town’s households.

“That’s about 1,000, 1,100 individuals in those households,” said Shubin, pointing out that while many are older residents, the number includes those who work full-time, new citizens, and children, which makes up nearly 40 percent of recipients nationwide.

“People think Belmont is very well-to-do town. It’s really more of a mix of people than that, and there are people who need help with putting food on the table. And again, not just food, but this is good food that we have here,” said Shubin.

And demand for food assistance is only growing. When the Farmers Market started the SNAP match program in 2011, it matched $1,000 for the five month season. In 2025 it will approach $28,000 “and we haven’t gone through this last day yet. So the need has been going up,” said Shubin.

The BFM’s SNAP match programs helps people in Belmont and surrounding communities. “We had one woman that used to come from Littleton, because we’ve got one of the very best SNAP matches of any Farmers Market around,” said Shubin.

SNAP recipients are not just buying food, “they’re supporting all of these vendors,” said Hal pointing to the tents pitched in the lower parking lot. “I don’t know if it brings the vendors [to the Farmers Market], but it helps to keep them here.”

“I was at [a SNAP] rally at the Massachusetts State House a couple days ago, and one of the farmers which used to in Belmont told how important it was for his business to receive SNAP dollars and supporting the farmers.” With the pressure of commercial and residential real estate development, “all the farms could turn into condo developments or shopping centers. Supporting the farms and the farmers keeps the open space as well, and they employ people. So [the SNAP program] goes really far,” said Shubin.

While a pair of federal judges on Oct. 31 ruled the federal government must use reserve funding to keep the SNAP program running, President Trump has frozen SNAP benefits for the Nov. 1 release date, impacting all who receive SNAP benefits.

A long-time member of the Belmont Food Cooperative, the Market’s parent organization, and market manager, Shubin said while he doesn’t have experience in the federal budget – he’s a software engineer by trade – he has a hard time getting his head around how the country has come to this point.

“We’re non-partisan here, so I’m not going to get into any details. But I can’t tell you why anybody thinks that it’s good to make people be hungry. It’s not even balancing the budget,” he said.

“Where do people go? If they had SNAP benefits and they’ll lose it for, maybe, I don’t know, how long? We don’t know when it’s going to come back. Where do they go? What do you tell people?” said Shubin.

The BFM is attempting to do its part. As the Nov. 1 deadline approached, the BFM created a four-page handout of food pantries, community fridges, meals programs, Meals on Wheels, even a food pantry for pets. It also lists local Winter Farmers Markets that have SNAP and HIP benefits (although the SNAP match doesn’t matter that much until there is a resolution). Brookline’s Allendale Farm will be conducting a free Farmers Market in Jamaica Plain for a couple of Thursdays in November, and looking for other people to join them, said Shubin.

“So folks are starting to help, but you can’t make up for this shortfall,” he said.

Red And Black And Blues: Winchester Makes For Awful Week For Belmont Sports As Playoffs Get Underway

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Winchester’s junior goalie Amelia Burke secure the ball as Belmont’s Danica Zinka was taken to the turf in the Marauders tie with the Red and Black.

In the last week of regular season, several Belmont High teams had “Winchester High School” on the schedule with a lot to play for: a pair of Middlesex League championships on the line and having a chance to making the playoffs.

And at the end of the week, things didn’t come out well for any of the Marauder squads as the Red and Blacks made for an awful week for Belmont. Still, three Marauder squads found their way into the playoffs, with two looking at long stays in their touraments.

Scoreless Tie With Belmont Gives Winchester Girls’ Soccer Middlesex League Title

When the final whistle was heard at Harris Field on Monday, Oct. 27, the Winchester Girls’ Soccer team rushed to swamp their goalie and celebrate its 0-0 “victory” over Belmont.

Both teams came into the final game of the regular season with identical overall records, 14-2-1, and side-by-side in the MIAA Division 1 power ranking with Belmont 8th and Winchester 9th. The winner of the game would bring home (figuratively) the Middlesex Liberty title as Winchester was playing to retain the crown while Belmont was seeking its first title in the past decade.

But Winchester was holding a golden ticket: a better league record. The Black and Red had lost one Middlesex game, to Belmont, 3-1, compared to Belmont’s two losses. If the contest ended in a tie, the crown was going back to Winchester for the fourth consecutive season.

From the start, both teams were giving no quarter and didn’t expect none, as crushing shoulder checks, pushing in the back and hard sliding tackles sent student athletes from both sides to the turf. The teams tactics were clear from the start: Belmont was looking for the long pass to stretch the Red and Black defense and find a runner with senior forward Danica Zicha – the league’s leading scorer and Boston Globe All-Scholastic candidate – the likely target. Winchester was play making through the center of the field while playing a high line with the plan to keep Belmont’s forwards thinking about the offside trap. It also kept a bevy of defenders on Zicha’s hip, for good measure.

Marauder sophomore midfielder Madhavi Ramadas

Belmont came close in the first four minutes as Zicha turned the corner of the defense with a clear path to the net. But her shot was stuffed by Red and Black junior goalie Amelia Burke who left a short rebound at Belmont’s scoring leader’s feet as Burke was facing away from the ball. But before she could get a stab at the ball, Zicha was subsequently shoved into the turf by a forearm to the back. While a likely foul anywhere else on the pitch, no ref was going to call a potential penalty shot so early in the game.

Each team had stellar chances with Belmont sophomore mid-fielder Catherine Greiner just missing a one-timer from first year Catherine Tierney. The save of the game came from Belmont’s Martha Dimas with a full stretch, two handed punch save late in the first half. The junior keeper came back from a knee injury to claim nine clean sheets this season.

Continuing her season long all-star-worthy performance, Marauder sophomore midfielder Madhavi Ramadas moved from quarterbacking the offense with deft weighted passes to being the first line of the defense, influencing the run of play.

While Belmont did have the better chances in the second half – including a floater that barely sailed over the crossbar and a pair of shots that skipped by the post – Winchester’s defense was solid enough to keep Belmont, which led the league with 59 goals, off the ball until time ran its course.

The tie has had ramifications in the upcoming tournament with Winchester leap frogging over Belmont to 7th while Belmont has stayed in the eight slot, which gives them two playoff home games. Belmont will know its dance card in the D1 playoffs by Saturday, Nov. 1.

Belmont’s Great Start Didn’t Deter Host Winchester As Marauders Can Keep Its Crown

Through 14 games in the 2024 season, Belmont High Field Hockey was a scoring machine, netting a total of 73 goals. Then over the final four matches of the season, the Marauders prowess putting the ball in the net went bitterly cold as Belmont scoring average fell to just one per game and resulted in a .500 record. That drop in form resulted in the once unstoppable Belmont squad tumbling from 3rd in the MIAA power rankings to 6th.

And in the middle of it all, Belmont took the short trip to Winchester on Friday, Oct. , to battle the Red and Black for the Middlesex Liberty championship. And the teams could not be any closer with Belmont coming in with a 14-2-0 record to Winchester 14–3-0 records with Belmont as the five seed and the Red and Black sitting sixth.

Belmont started the match on the right foot as Belmont’s Kendall Regan slotted in a centering pass by Winchester’s goalie three minutes into the game. And Belmont would continue to pressure the Red and Black in its end.

But Winchester would come out of its shell and use long balls down the sidelines to bring the fight to Belmont. Subsequently, the Red and Black would pile up a growing number of penalty corners through the first half. And giving a strong opponent the advantage of placing numbers in front of the goal, the inevitable occurred as scored on a loose ball inches from Belmont’s goal with remaining in the half.

Kendall Regan (18) scoring vs. Winchester

The match in the second half would resemble a tennis match as the teams would bounce from one end of the pitch to the other. What would decide the game had a little of everything – a Belmont penalty hit, a brilliant solo run and an ignored infraction. The Marauders had a solid try on a penalty corner which was deflected towards the sideline. A Winchester defender played it up the right line to who proceeded to zigzag past Marauders before sending a running shot by sophomore goalie Zoe Bruce.

But during her slalom run, a whistle was heard calling an infraction against a Belmont player. While the Belmont players turned to where the penalty was called, continued her scoring run. Belmont players and Head Coach Jess Smith questioned the non-call to no avail.

With the home squad up by a single score, Belmont’s own attack turned tepid as frequent foyers into Winchester’s end would flounder without a shot on goal. Over the final 20 minutes, Belmont registered zero chances on the Red and Black goal. Belmont would have a final penalty corner after time ran out but the ball was safely turned aside.

Along with a 3-1 loss to a very strong Dover-Sherborn team (3rd in Division 3), Belmont’s razor thin 1-0 results against Lexington and Arlington resulted in its power ranking to fall to 6th in the final MIAA posting.

Belmont will host two playoff games starting with 23-ranked Newton North High School (4-10-3) on Friday, Halloween at an early start of 3:45 p.m. at Harris Field. If all favorites win in the first round – which is unlikely to occur – Belmont will match up with 11th-ranked Natick High (12-5-1) in the Sweet 16 with a possible battle against one-loss and three-seed Wellesley in the Elite Eight.

Volleyball On The Long Road To The Playoffs

After being roughed up by the 18-1 Red and Black in the final game of the season, Belmont Girls Volleyball finished the season at 9-8 in a very competitive league and secured a playoff spot as the 24th seed in Div. 1. The team will take the nearly 100-mile round trip to meet 9th-ranked Attleboro (17-2) on Thursday, Oct. 30 at 5 p.m.

The team recently had its signature win of the year defeating 7th ranked in Div. 2 Wayland, 3-1, in a revenge game for the squad. After losing to the Warriors, 3-0, earlier in the season, the Marauders used a combination of a strong back line and at the net defense with outstanding serving to come back from a one set deficit to sweep by one of the favorites on reaching the state semi-finals.

Boys’ Soccer

Winchester did no favors for Belmont as the Red and Black defeated the Marauders, 3-0, on Monday and sending the Marauders record into the red at 6-7-4. With the loss and sitting at 43rd in the power rankings, outside the 32 automatic playoff slots, Belmont needed a win against host Newton North on Wednesday. But the prospects of a tourament run ended when neither team found the back of the net.

Belmont High Bands Gets Halloween Started Early With Annual Masquerade Concert Oct. 30

By Leave a Comment

Photo: This year’s poster of the annual Masquerade Concert, this year on Thursday, Oct. 30.

Get a head start on Halloween by trying out your costume and heading over to Belmont High School on Halloween-eve to attend the annual Masquerade Concert in the school’s auditorium on Thursday, Oct. 30.

And best yet, the concert by the Belmont High School bands is free and open to the public with costumes encouraged.

While the concert begins at 6:30 p.m., the audience is asked to come early so everyone can view your neighbors horrorific outfits, include those worn by the band members!

The Home Stretch: New Opening Day For Sports Complex, Belmont Library Ready To Bring In The Books [VIDEOS]

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Municipal Skating Rink Building Committee Chair Mark Haley speaking before the Belmont Special Town Meeting

The new Belmont Sports Complex is not just coming in on budget, but is ready to open its doors earlier than originally scheduled.

OK, it’s pushing the official opening up by one day, and there’s going to be plywood instead of the thick exterior windows – the frames for the glass are just arriving. But the ice surface is in place and the complex is ready to welcome skaters and ice hockey players onto the newest rink in eastern Massachusetts.

In a presentation to the Special Town Meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 22, Municipal Skating Rink Building Committee Chair Mark Haley could hardly contain his excitement to announce the $32 million facility is just days away from coming to life.

“The Belmont Sports Complex is going to be a reality within 10 days,” said Haley to the applause of the members. Haley said the building is scheduled to receive in the next week a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy from the town which allows the new 40,300-square-foot skating rink to be used before all construction is finished, provided it is safe for partial occupancy. 

“If everything goes well, we’ll be able to rent ice come the third of November,” said Haley.

Haley also presented a video from the interior of the facility, providing a tour of the rink as well as a flyover to witness the partial installation of the 26,000 sq.-ft. of solar panels on the roof.

The opening day celebration will now occur on Saturday, Nov. 15, a day earlier than originally planned. The festivities will begin at 1 p.m. with a dedication, and then an open house with free, open skate for two hours.

“We want the community to come and enjoy this new facility,” said Haley. “It takes a village to complete a project of this type, and the village we have here is the town of Belmont.”

Across Concord Avenue from the rink, the public can tell the new Belmont Public Library is getting closer to completion is that the sidewalks have been laid along the building. Where the rink’s windows have yet to be installed, the library’s broad glass fracade reveils the nearly complete interior with stairwells and the large open space of the main lobby.

“I think you’ve all been witnessing the progress, and we are close,” said Clair Colburn, chair of the Library Building Committee, who made her presentation to the Town Meeting before Haley. “We’re really at the finish line.” And they are crossing that line with a little extra in their pockets as the project is coming in “significantly under budget” with any savings to be “given back to the town to reduce the debt and the final borrowing for the project,” said Colburn, to her own members applause.

In a few week, most of the library’s collection will come out of storage and be move into their new home when “substantial completion of construction” will occur, said Colburn. A soft opening for the public is scheduled for January 8, 2026, with a community grand opening on Saturday, January 10, with the snow date for the next day.