Complete Team Victory As Belmont High Boys’ Hockey Sweep Aside Chelmsford, 4-0, In D1 Tourney First Round

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Photo: Belmont High’s Peter Grace, with the C on his jersey, celebrates with his teammates the 4-0 victory over Chelmsford in the first round of the 2022-3 MIAA Div. 1 Hockey State Championships.

Not a bad way to close the doors to the ol’ Skip.

In the final scholastic game to be played in the venerable – but completely dilapidated – Skip Viglirolo Ice Skating Rink, the Belmont High Boys’ Ice Hockey squad sent the home fans of the near sell out crowd happy as the entire lineup of 10th-ranked Marauders did Yeoman’s work sweeping aside a strong Chelmsford squad in the first round of the Division 1 state championship on Thursday, March 2.

Belmont dominated all parts of the game, controlling the pace of play with a stout defense and free flowing offense keeping the Lions caged in their end for the 45 minutes, making for a long night for Chelmsford sophomore tender Mark Bierwirth (40 saves on 44 shots).

Player of the Match was senior defender and co-captain Peter Grace who scored the brace from distance and teamed with his long-time line-mate senior co-captain Joseph Gaziano to prove again they are one of the best D pairing in the state. The three defensive lines limited the Lions’ opportunity to challenge Belmont senior goalie Greg Federico who made 14 saves Thursday night.

“It was a solid game from the whole team,” said Belmont Head Coach Tim Foley.

The Marauders are off to Canton on Sunday, March 4, for a noon time face off in a Sweet 16 matchup with 7th-ranked Xaverian Brothers High School, a rematch of last year’s Elite Eight battle where the Marauders’ were eliminated in a 2-1 heart breaker.

Belmont took the game straight to Chelmsford scoring three and a half minutes in the first as junior defender Ryan Halloran shot got through a Shay Donahue screen. Chelmsford could not generate an offense to strike back as the Belmont put up a wall on the Lions blue line; on four consecutive break outs, Chelmsford clearing pass was intercepted at the line and sent back behind the net.

“All three lines played the system well of forechecking well, kept our structure and hemmed Chelmsford in their zone which is a good, hardworking team,” said Foley. “Our game plan was to wear them down and it worked.”

The first eight minutes of the second stanza witnessed a continuous march of Marauders into the penalty box with the Lions skating 5-3 for nearly three minutes. But the defense along with senior forward Cam Fici were rock solid on the penalty kill, ending the deficit even in shots on net at one.

Back at even strength, it was four-year starter Grace who doubled Belmont’s lead with a rocket from the left circle that clanged off the crossbar and in.

It wouldn’t be a Belmont game if there wasn’t a Fici goal, and the fan base was not disappointed as the Marauders’ sniper snapped the goal in from the left circle early in third. Unlike when Chelmsford held a two-man advantage, Belmont was like a cat with a cornered mouse; you knew how this was going to end: Grace walking in and burying the puck by Bierwirth to finish the scoring.

Belmont High Girls’ Hockey Tripped Up By Malden Catholic, 4-1, In First Round Of D2 Tourney

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Photo: Belmont Lola Rocci (4) reacts to the Marauders’ tie the game vs. Malden Catholic

After being in the wilderness since its last tournament appearance in 2018, Belmont High Girls’ Hockey’s return to the MIAA Division 2 playoffs was a short one as the Marauders fell short against a quick team from Malden Catholic, 4-1, in a first round matchup on Wednesday night, March 1, held in Malden’s Valley Rink.

While more than holding their own against the team that beat Belmont, 4-3, earlier in the season, Malden Catholic were just a step faster on both ends of the rink, taking a 2-1 lead late in the second period on a freakish goal where the puck wobble its way through Belmont four-year starting goalie Bridget Gray’s stick and pads.

“Unfortunately our MO has been playing from behind in the third period all season,” said Belmont Head Coach Ken Murphy. “You can do that right up until you can’t, because you’re gonna come up short one time and tonight was that night.”

“They played as hard as they could tonight and they played so they would be in the right place where they would get the shot to tie it up. But it just didn’t go our away tonight.”

Belmont’s Bridget Gray with one of her 30 save in the playoff game vs Malden Catholic.

Gray – who would end with 30 saves adding to her more than 2,000 career saves – was her stellar solid self in the first period as the Lancers held the slight edge keeping Belmont’s first line defenders Katyla Pisuk and Alex Townsend busy. The Marauders’ had the better chances to break the deadlock with a pair of Mackenzie Clarke solo rushes against Malden Catholic’s goalie Daniella DeJon, the second a clear breakaway. Clarke’s wrister barely missed the left post, which the first-year left wing slammed her stick in frustration. Just before the period ended, Belmont’s Charlotte Wright came close on the near side left post followed by an open shot from forward Sadie Taylor on the same shift.

The Lancers took the lead midway through the second all with their speed, intercepting a clearing pass that resulted in a Samantha Crowley in close shot that beat Gray. It took Belmont only two minutes to knot it up with a long-distance blast from Pisuk, assists from Mia Taylor and Euey Long. It appeared that the game would enter the third tied but then came the wafflier from Alyssa Jankowski that lucked its way into the net.

Less than five minutes into the final period, MC put the game on ice as Mikayla Holland snapped a shot from a face-off that found the net by Gray’s right pad. Jankowski would earn the brace with an open netter in the final minute.

“That they put every effort they can into it,” said Murphy. “And they did. So we’re happy with what they did. We wish we went a little further, but all in all, I think they had a good season.”

With the loss of a handful of seniors, Murphy’s young team will have valuable playoff experience when they regroup in November.

“We have an exciting, fast group of freshmen coming up. We will have to fill in on defense [especially with the Gray graduating in June] but even with that need, Belmont has a good program coming next season,” said Murphy.

Belmont Playoff Bound: Three Marauder Teams Start Their Tournament March This Week

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Photo: Belmont High Girls’ Ice Hockey four-year starter Bridget Gray will backstop the Marauders as they take on Malden Catholic in the first round of the MIAA Div. 2 tournament on Wednesday, March 1

Three Belmont High winter sports teams will be playing their first games in the 2022-3 postseason beginning Wednesday, March 1, and running through Friday, March 3. And the middle game will likely be the scholastic farewell for the town’s long-standing skating rink.

On Wednesday, March 1, the 23rd Belmont High Girls Ice Hockey (8-8-3) team will travel to Malden as the Marauders take on 10th-ranked Malden Catholic (9-9-2) in the MIAA Division 2 tournament. The puck will drop at 7:10 p.m. at the Valley Forum in Malden. How to get to the rink? Just get on Route 60 (Pleasant Street) and keep going east; the roadway will deposit you in the facility’s parking lot.

The 10th-ranked Belmont High Boys Ice Hockey (13-6-3) squad will officially end high school sports at Belmont’s Viglirolo Skating Rink on Concord Avenue with a home tournament game as the Marauders welcome the 23rd-seeded Chelmsford High Lions (11-6-3) to the “Skip” on Thursday, March 2. Faceoff will take place at 6:30 p.m.

The Belmont High Girls’ hoopsters (13-9) finished the season as the 16th-ranked team – and the last position to secure a first-round home game – in Division 1 and will host a familiar rival in 17th-ranked Central Catholic of Lawrence (8-12) at the Wenner Field House. Tip-off will be at 6:30 p.m. Fans will remember Belmont losing to the Raiders in consecutive Division 1 North finals (2018-19). The winner will likely meet the number 1 seed Andover next week.

Two-Hour Opening Delay For Belmont Schools on Tuesday; Half-Day AM Pre-K Cancelled

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Photo: Students will get a chance to stay in bed for a couple of hours due to the pending snowstorm

Due to the pending winter storm, the Belmont Public Schools will have a two-hour delay for the opening of school on Tuesday, Feb. 28, according to a press release from the Belmont Schools District.

School start times with a two-hour delay:

  • Belmont High School – 10 a.m.
  • Chenery Middle School – 9:55 a.m.
  • Burbank Elementary – 10:40 a.m.
  • Butler Elementary – 10:40 a.m.
  • Wellington Elementary – 10:40 a.m.
  • Winn Brook Elementary – 10:40 a.m.
  • Pre-K All half-day AM classes (9 a.m.-11:30 a.m.) are canceled; 11 a.m. for students attending full-day classes (9 a.m.-1 p.m. or 9 a.m.-2 p.m.); students attending half-day PM classes will begin at the usual time (12:15 p.m.)

Breaking: Snow Emergency Parking Ban Starts At Midnight; Trash/Recycling Will Be Picked Up

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Photo: Snow emergency parking ban starts at midnight

Belmont has declared a Snow Emergency Parking Ban on all roadways and municipal parking lots, effective at midnight, Tuesday, Feb. 28, and continuing until further notice. 

All vehicles parked violating the ban will be towed at the owner’s expense. 

Trash and recycling will be picked up per the regular schedule on Tuesday.

Belmont Town Hall and other town offices will open at 9 a.m.

The Office of Community Development would like to remind residents that the town’s residential snow removal bylaw requires sidewalks along residential property to be cleared of snow and ice by 8 p.m. the day after a storm ends. Snow and ice should be removed or treated from sidewalks to a width of at least 36 inches. 

Refer to the town’s website for further information regarding winter weather and the Town’s snow removal bylaw.

Opinion: On April 4, Yes For Belmont, Yes For The Rink

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Photo: A debt exclusion for a new rink will be on the April 4 town election ballot.

Dear Fellow Belmont Citizens:

If you would be so kind, please allow me a few minutes of your time. April 4 is the day to vote for the approval of a new rink. You may have voted in November for this already or decided you didn’t want to approve a new rink.

If you are the latter, would you please consider this:

I could tell you the rink desperately needs replacing, which is costly, but, unfortunately, remodeling is not a viable option. 

I can tell you the price of the rink has been reduced significantly to $29 million.

I could tell you the price of a new rink ten years ago may have been a third of the price and the price ten years from now may be a third more. 

Money – yes – top of mind / important, of course, but can we also think about this:

What makes a great town great?

Most would agree town services, town facilities, infrastructure, schools & school services, town center, homes / real estate property values, proximity to Boston and the community itself. 

When we fall short, we all fall short. 

We diminish our greatness and great potential when we vote from a narrow viewpoint. 

Often we are called to vote for the greater good, the good of our town and your town!

If providing a facility:

For our little ones to learn how to skate,

For the public to enjoy public skating at any age and be able to rent skates,

For the high school field sports athletes to have changing rooms and bathrooms,

For those attending community events on Harris Track & Field to have bathrooms and a concession area,

For the recreation department to have a space to offer expanded community programming in the summer, like camps, adult classes, movie nights, concerts,

For our youth and high school boys and girls to play hockey and compete with other towns,

For families to gather and make memories and friendships to last a lifetime.

If all this doesn’t personally hit home with you, OK. But please consider the fact is we all live in this town. We all live in a great town. Let’s keep Belmont great. Let’s not remove a piece of our town and not replace it for future generations. 

Think again. Think about voting YES for Belmont, YES for the Rink on April 4.

Thank you in advance for your time. 

Laureen Federico 

Ivy Road

Belmont Affected By Three Month Shutdown Of MWRA Fluoride Facility

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Photo: The treatment plant in Marlborough will be offline for the next three months.

The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority will shut down the fluoride feed that supplies Belmont for approximately 90 days starting this week as part of a project to replace portions of a 20-year-old fluoride feed piping and equipment at the Carroll Water Treatment Plant in Marlborough that serves two million customers in 47 communities in MetroWest and metro Boston.

“While fluoridation is important for dental health, health officials indicate that this short-term shutdown does not require any special additional action by consumers,” said an MWRA press release.

“MWRA has been adding fluoride to the water since the 1970s to reduce tooth decay and promote community public health,” said Fred Laskey, MWRA’s executive director. “Like most other water suppliers, we follow the recommendations of the CDC, as well as the World Health Organization and the American Dental Association. These are the public health experts, and we look to them for guidance on this important issue.”

For questions about the fluoridation project, contact the MWRA at 617-242-5323 or ask.mwra@mwra.com

Belmont Police Promote Donahue To Captain

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Photo: BPD Lt. Christopher Donahue (left) being sworn in as a captain by Belmont Town Clerk Ellen Cushman at Police HQ

The Belmont Police Department promoted Lt. Christopher Donahue to captain on Thursday, Feb. 23, when Town Clerk Ellen Cushman swore in Donahue at Police Headquarters.

“I want to congratulate Capt. Donahue on his well-deserved promotion,” said Belmont Police Chief James Maclsaac. “Throughout his career, Capt. Donahue has shown unwavering dedication to the Belmont Police Department, and I am confident he will excel in his newly appointed role.” 

Donahue has been a member of the Belmont Police Department for 27 years, serving in various capacities, beginning his career in 1996 as a patrol officer. In 2000, Capt. Donahue was promoted to sergeant, where he helped the department for four years before his appointment to lieutenant in 2004. In 2020, Donahue was assigned as the Officer in Charge of the department’s Detective Division.

Donahue also graduated from the elite law enforcement leadership program at the FBI National Academy in Quantico, VA.

Donahue has received numerous awards and commendations over his career including the Chief’s commendation 2011 and the Sept. 11 Award, presented by the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office for his work with high-risk domestic violence cases. The award is presented annually to one or more first responders or investigators for demonstrating extraordinary courage, bravery and/or selflessness in a way that is reminiscent of first responders who responded to the World Trade Center on 9/11.

Celebrate Ensuring Belmont As A Welcoming Town On Saturday, March 11

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Photo: The Beech Street Center will host an informal, non-partisan gathering of community groups

On Saturday, March 11, various groups are coming together for an informal, non-partisan gathering of community groups dedicated to ensuring Belmont is a welcoming town.

Belmont Against Racism (BAR), The Belmont Human Rights Commission, and The Belmont Democratic Town Committee invite the community to celebrate our people, learn more about each other, and help create a more welcoming town. Let us know what you love about Belmont and what you would like to see improved. Meet with others from our community and share ideas with Belmont neighbors in an informal setting.

All are welcome to this free, non-partisan event.

Please RSVP – belmontagainstracism@gmail.com – so we know how much pizza and drinks to get!

We look forward to seeing you at the Beech Street Center, 266 Beech St., on Saturday, March 11, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Letter To The Editor: Belmont Hill Proposed Parking Lot Unhealthy For Wildlife, Community

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Photo: A portion of the land owned by Belmont Hill School adjacent to the proposed parking lot

To the residents of Belmont:

The Belmont Hill School intends to build a 100,000 sq. ft. parking lot in place of the current woodlands. This space, almost as big as two football fields, is home to many animal species and is an extension of the ecosystem of Mass Audubon’s Habitat. Important species like foxes, deer, and owls depend on that land to survive, as do the large trees that provide clean air to the entire town. 

The Belmont Middle High School project has no parking lot for students and minimal street parking. All 1,300 students can attend school by carpooling, bus, walking, or biking. We understand there is limited parking at Belmont Hill School, but destroying critical ecosystems and natural habitats is unhealthy for the local wildlife and our community. The size of the parking lot that Belmont Hill wants to build is unnecessary and not worth sacrificing valuable woodlands. 

As Belmont High School Climate Action Club members, we oppose this harmful project. We hope the people of Belmont agree and stand with us against the currently proposed parking design. 

The Belmont High School Climate Action Club

belmonthsclimateactionclub@gmail.com