Belmont Volleyball Falls To Powerhouse Newton North In Sectional Finals

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Photo: Belmont High Volleyball Captains (from left) Leah Barbroudi, Jane Mahon and Mindee Lai along with Athletic Director Jim Davis and Head Coach Jen Couture with the runners up trophy.

At least the Belmont High School volleyball team could smile coming off the court at Wellesley High School early Saturday morning, Nov. 10. 

In the team’s historic season – a record 18 wins and a place in the Central East Division 1 sectional finals – the players and coaches have met a number of very good teams. On Saturday, they met a program that has dominated the Central East for more than a decade. Number one seed Newton North, who just happened to be last year’s Division 1 state champions, had won six consecutive sectional titles and was looking for its seventh against the Marauders.

“We knew it would be a challenge,” said Head Coach Jen Couture. “They are simply a great team.” 

After an impressive 3-1 set victory over second seed North Quincy in Wednesday’s semifinals, Couture believed her team had to transition its strengths on the defensive side of the ledger to scoring quickly against a Tiger team that brought back most of last year’s state title team.

And while Belmont had its moments, especially in the third set led by setter Mindee Lai and senior middle Jane Mahon, the power and skills built into the Tigers DNA was far too much for the Marauders to overcome as Belmont fell to Newton North, 3-0 (25-12, 25-11, 25-15), in a display of power and tactics.

The one person on Newton North who dominated the match was senior Ashley Wang, a strong and tall player who was not only adept at the net where she was deadly with her kill attempts but also quick on defense. Her service game was “on” in the first set when she went on an eight-point run to take the Tigers from a 7-4 lead to a 15-4 advantage. Wang’s skill to drive serves to vacant spots on the floor forced Belmont to place four players on the back line.

Joining Wang in pushing Belmont was senior Chelsea Simmons – who is a teammate with Wang and three other Tigers on a successful Newton-based AAU-type club – who was one of the morning’s most impressive blockers, while stepping in as setter and taking the ball down the line as an opposite hitter. 

Belmont did demonstrate a strong defensive game but the offense was hampered by the Tigers dominate front three which threw up walls of blockers against Belmont. 

The Tigers built an early second set lead at 7-2 and stretched it to 16-5, Belmont began putting up some effective blocking, including senior Gabby Viale stopping Wang one-on-one at the net. But Newton North was too strong on the offense, always looking for the quick kill. 

After going down 11-4 in the third, Belmont started its best rally chipping away with some strong net play to reduce the lead to 16-13 after a big block by Mahon and 17-14 from a Viale floater that just dropped inside the line. But once again, Newton North had so many options to go on a seven point run to extend the lead to 24-15. The final point found Belmont tied up in the net and Newton North getting ready to take on undefeated Lawrence in the state semifinals.

“[Newton North] was a fun team to play. It was the best serving we’ve seen all year,” said Couture. “By the third set, we showed them why we are here. But ultimately, we were overpowered as they were hitting to great spots to beat us.” 

Couture said reaching a sectional final should be a great motivator for future players in the program.

“No more should Belmont just settle with making the state tourament but to see us winning championships. I hope this game opens doors at some point where we no longer look at ourselves as underdogs,” she said.

Bells Rung In Belmont To Commemorate Armistice Day Centennial

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Photo: Belmont Veterans Agent Bob Upton reading the names of each Belmont resident who died in WWI.

It was just about two dozen veterans and residents who came out on a cool, bright Sunday morning, Nov. 11 to the World War One memorial just outside of Belmont Center to mark the day 100 years ago when the guns fell silent for the final time.

Belmont’s commemoration of the Armistice Day Centennial was likely one of the smallest and shortest in the state, if not the country. But thanks to Bob Upton, the town’s veteran agent, the Town of Homes was able to join the ceremonies around the globe to honor the young and in some cases not so young who fought and died in “the war to end all wars.”

“I’m so glad that there are people in this town that will come out for what is a truly historic remembrance,” said Upton.

The steeple bells of First Church Belmont and the United Methodist Church in Cushing Square were ready to ring out while a bell was set up in front of the memorial to record the losses Belmont bore a century ago.  

At 11 a.m., on the 11th day of the 11th month, traffic was stopped along Common Street and the church bells chimed. Finally, the bell at the memorial tolled 10 times for the residents who died in combat and from illness during the war: 

  • Joseph Cirino
  • Victor Craigie
  • William Finn
  • Frederick Lincoln
  • Dearborn McAleer
  • Hugh Nimmo
  • Carleton Patriquin
  • William Smith
  • Leon True 

In the past year, another resident, John Cormier, whose name and sacrifice was lost for nearly a century, was added to the roll of honor.

Veterans from Korea, Vietnam and the recent conflicts in the Middle East stood at attention, residents had hands over hearts in paying their respects.

And just like that, the ceremony was done. Vehicles resumed driving along Common, the bells around town were quiet and people went on with their weekend chores.

Belmont High Volleyball To Sectional Championship After Dispatching N Quincy

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Photo: Senior Jane Mahon winning a point blocking a kill attempt at the net.

Belmont High Volleyball’s historic run continues as the 3rd seeded Marauders are heading for the Central East Sectional Finals after defeating North Quincy, 3 sets to 1, (27-25, 25-17, 20-25, 25-22) in the semifinals on Wednesday, Nov. 7. 

Belmont (18-3) will meet top-seed Newton North (14-2) on Saturday, Nov. 10 at 10 a.m. at Wellesley High School. With a win, the Marauders will secure its first-ever sectional crown in program history.

The Marauders came up big in its strength, defense from the back and at the net along with outstanding serving, to defeat North Quincy which in many ways mirrored Belmont’s tactics.

Belmont started the game tentatively falling behind 23-18 before a solid service run by senior defensive specialist Leah Babroudi brought the score level at 23. Down to set point at 24-25, Belmont took the first set on a North Quincy service error and a tip at the net by senior middle Jane Mahon.

North Quincy trailed throughout the second set as both teams went on long service runs with Belmont’s sophomore opposite hitter Kat Cosic hitting a pair of aces as she scored four points to up the Marauder lead to 16-7. Playing an outstanding game both serving and on the back line, junior outside hitter Nena Trifunovic ran down many “free” hits and kill attempts.

In the third set, North Quincy’s star senior captain and outside hitter Alexandra Qose stepped up as her teammates set her up for several crosscourt kills as Belmont appeared to need a breather.

The fourth set was close early with Belmont up 10-9 when they went on a small run to build a three-point lead, 18-15, after sophomore opposite setter Sam Lin’s hit broke a two-player block. Mahon then increased the lead by scoring on a little floater and then won a one-on-one block against Qose. North Quincy got close to the delight of their loud fan base to 23-22 but a net ball on their serve allowed Belmont to win the final point. 

Editorial: Vote Yes On 4; An Investment In Our Shared Future

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Photo: An outward expression of our investment in the future of our community, our children and the nation.

A no vote on Question 4 Tuesday to approve a $213 million debt authorization for a new 7th-12th-grade school building is not a rejection of a tax increase but an admission Belmont’s collective futures are not worth the investment.

The numbers and facts concerning the design, cost, and history of the proposed high school (here and here) has been public for several months. Town Meeting spent $1.75 million in a feasibility study that breaks down the project to the cost of the final nut and bolt. The changes in taxes have been calculated by the town treasurer. The school district has forecast a continued increase in students enrolling in the six public schools that requires a large building project. Those are the facts. 

But Tuesday’s vote is more than a series of self-interested personal decisions; it is an opportunity to show how this community views the most important function for all municipal government, educating its children.

Marking the ballot “no” on Tuesday may feel penny wise but it is indeed pound foolish to the extreme. A negative response is not simply a rejection of the future, its a clarion call for the slow decay of the outstanding education system it took nearly five decades to create. 

My standard response to people who ask why people live here is “You don’t move to Belmont for the roads. You come for the schools.” What prospective homeowner would knowingly bring their children into a community that won’t make a commitment to education? Home values will likely begin lag behind surrounding cities and towns which have decided to make education a priority. 

Rejecting a decade of work by committed volunteers and professionals will require Town Meeting to vote over a decade on three ever increasing large debt exclusion measures to house the skyrocketing number of students entering the district for the next decade and extending the life of a fifty-year-old school building that has no business being renovated. How likely will a future Town Meeting be willing to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on putting lipstick on a pig?

If any of the three debt questions – totaling $50 million more than the debt exclusion being considered Tuesday – is rejected, the outcome would be jammed packed classrooms that will swiftly bring the school district’s accreditation into question. It’s truly an unimaginable conclusion to   

Tuesday’s vote is also an opportunity for Belmont to recommit itself to the great American uniter of public education which has increasingly come under attack by reactionary forces who believe “government schools” – a new pejorative created by the right – are wasteful, run by overpaid bureaucrats who spew progressive messages rather than “real” learning. They call for education to be run as a publicly funded business with vouchers, charter and private schools replacing our shared heritage.

But for communities that take pride in and nurture public schools, the benefits are boundless. Belmont ranks in the top percentile of public schools in a state which leads the country in the quality of schools. While the nation as a whole meanders with lackluster rankings in the core curriculum, Belmont students are on par with the top-ranked education provided in the schools of Europe and Asia. The education our students receive from first-rate teachers and educators provides a world of future options that children from too many communities lack.

And one important component to keeping the stellar standard the Belmont schools have created is for its residents to commit the financial resources in teaching, activities and, yes, modern facilities. There are no other options.

Public education binds us as Americans, it is in our common ethos that an enlightened young is the best path to preserving our country for generations to come.

The time is not to look inward with provincial expectations, but to approve a building project that will become an outward expression of our investment in the future of our community, our children and the nation.

Vote Yes on 4.

Belmont Girls’ Soccer Rolls Over Salem In Playoff Opener

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Photo: Belmont senior forward Morgan Krauss in action against Salem. (Credit: David Flanagan)

It was over before it started as 7th seed Belmont High Girls Soccer scored four goals in the first 20 minutes in its first-round Division 2 North Sectional game against an overwhelmed 11th ranked Salem High squad, defeating the Witches 11-0 on a blustery cold Saturday afternoon, Nov. 3.

After all was said and done, Belmont (11-4-2) was sparked by senior forward Ella Gagnon who had a five-point night with a hat trick and two assists. Gagnon’s linemates senior Morgan Krauss and junior Marina Karalis each had two goals and an assist. Salem (9-7-3) who play in the Northeastern South League, were just not in the same level of speed or skills as Belmont or likely most suburban schools with strong town programs that provides a constant supply of experienced players. 

It will be a quick turnover for Belmont as the Marauders is scheduled to play second seed and Middlesex League Liberty rivals Winchester (17-1-0) on Monday in Winchester at 4:30 p.m. Belmont has had its hands full with the League champion Sachems, falling 4-0 at Winchester and 5-1 at home.

“We have to worry about (Hannah) Curtin, that’s for sure,” said longtime Belmont head coach of Winchester’s star forward (who is also a champion indoor sprinter). “We’ll probably have to play her man-to-man but then we are playing much better than we have been even just a couple of weeks ago. When we played them here, we had our scoring chances and if we buried them, it would have been a different story.” 

 

Belmont Wellness Coalition Awarded $625K Grant To Support Youth Substance Use Prevention 

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Photo: A poster of one of the several services provided by the Belmont Wellness Coalition.

Under the auspices of Wayside Youth & Family Support Network’s Multi-Service Center in Watertown, the Belmont Wellness Coalition (BWC) was awarded a five-year Drug Free Communities grant from the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Belmont is one of only 120 communities nationwide to receive an award this grant cycle. The Town of Belmont is eager to bolster its youth substance use prevention efforts and to work collaboratively with a cross-section of town departments as well as community and youth members.

“This funding is a recognition by the federal government, that Belmont, through the establishment of the Belmont Wellness Coalition, is poised to roll up its sleeves and continue the work of reducing youth substance use through collaborative community efforts,” said Lisa Gibalerio, prevention specialist at Wayside, a long-time Belmont resident, and parent of three teenagers.

The BWC meets about once a month and enthusiastically welcomes new members.

Belmont will rely on the coalition to mobilize partners from across the community with the ultimate goal of implementing town-wide prevention strategies that reduce youth use of alcohol, marijuana, and other drugs. The focus of the first year is twofold; identifying the problem and capacity building.

This past year, the Coalition made a NARCAN training available for Belmont residents, provided a workshop at the Chenery Middle School on best practices for parenting teens, instituted a “Relaxation Station” at the high school during final exam week, and implemented a mini YRBS survey to 335 eighth graders in order to establish a baseline of data concerning substance use, perception of harm, and rates of parental disapproval.

The BWC hopes to develop an awareness campaign and to support parent education in order to shift the community norm away from the inevitability of underage substance use, i.e., that substance use is a “rite of passage” for youth.

The Belmont Wellness Coalition was founded in 2017 to support substance use prevention and education efforts.  Its membership includes parents, youth, community leaders, clergy, local business representation, as well as school department and town employees, all of whom work collaboratively to support the Coalition’s mission: to use education and empowerment to reduce substance use and to promote healthy choices and positive decision-making. 

For more information about the Drug Free Communities grant or the Belmont Wellness Coalition, please contact Lisa Gibalerio, MPH, prevention specialist at lisa_gibalerio@waysideyouth.org.

Belmont High’s Ski Team Hosts Ski and Snowboard Sale Saturday, Nov. 3

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Photo: The Belmont High Ski Team.
The Belmont High School Ski Team will host its annual Ski and Snowboard Sale on Saturday, Nov. 3 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the high school cafeteria, located at 221 Concord Ave.
You will find great deals on new and used skis, snowboards and sports equipment. Rodgers Ski and Sport will have new skis and snowboards. All proceeds raised from the event benefit the high school Ski Team. Folks can drop off used skis, snowboards and sports equipment in good condition between 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the high school cafeteria. Sellers will receive 50 percent of their sold items with the other half going to the BHS Ski Team. Credit cards are accepted.

Letter To The Editor: A Better Diehl For Massachusetts

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Photo: Geoff Diehl on the campaign trail.
To the editor:
Our community is a special place. We deserve a senator who cares. I have been disappointed over the past 6 years with Senator Elizabeth Warren. Putting politics aside, she really hasn’t done her job. She has written books and gone on all the shows, but she has not put in the time for Massachusetts.
The office of senator should be to represent us. Warren has ignored us.
That’s why I am voting for Geoff Diehl for U.S. Senate. He led the successful fight to repeal automatic gas tax increases. He has saved drivers a ton of money. Warren has done nothing for us.
Geoff is committed to serving the full six-year term. He wants to be our Senator. I am going with the better Diehl.
Matt Sullivan   
Hammond Road

Opinion: The Closing Argument For A New 7-12 School In Belmont [VIDEO]

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Photo: Image from the video supporting the debt exclusion for a new 7-12 School.

By Ellen Schreiber and Sara Masucci

Why vote YES on #4?

A YES vote on Question #4 would provide the funding to replace Belmont High School with a new middle and high school – “two schools in one” – to serve grades 7-12.

A YES vote would solve the must-fix problem with overcrowding throughout Belmont’s schools – with one project, in five years, with the least disruption to students and residents.

A YES vote comes with an $80 million state grant that goes away if we do not use it now – and it can only be used for this project. Otherwise, we would likely wait 10+ years for another opportunity for state money.

A YES vote is the least expensive and best solution to the problems in our schools. The alternative is a series of piecemeal projects that will cost more for Belmont taxpayers, create 10+ years of disruption, and result in a much worse solution.

1. We get more and pay less.

High schools are expensive, complicated projects. And in Boston’s construction market, costs are rising 4% every year. If we wait one year, this school will cost another $12 million. Wait two years, and we are in for another $24 million. Wait three years, another $37 million. And so on.

We can’t afford to wait.

And there isn’t a cheaper solution. The state requires that we make prudent responsible decisions or we lose the state grant. This is just what a basic, 21st century high school costs. Want benchmarks? Arlington and Waltham are both planning new schools, but theirs will cost more than ours – over $300 million – for fewer students.

There is no good alternative.

If we vote no, Belmont taxpayers will spend more on a series of projects that do a poor job of patching the problems. We are voting on $213 million for the 7-12 school. The alternative is $247 million for an educational result that does not solve all of the problems.

Financially, the 7-12 school is the most responsible choice.

2. The Problem is Real and Urgent.

In 2012, Belmont High School’s accreditation was put on warning by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, calling it a “crisis” that our building “does not support the delivery of programs.” 

And that was before enrollment really spiked. Our schools are now bursting at the seams. We have added over 700 students in the last 7 years, and that tidal wave is rising through the system and will hit the high school in a few years.

There is no space.

We have “repurposed” every possible space in the buildings – converting closets into classrooms, tutoring students in lobbies, and using hallways as overflow space for classroom projects.

We have added temporary modular classrooms, but they cannot serve our long-term needs.

We have expanded class sizes, but it has gone beyond the tipping point and is impacting the education we provide to Belmont’s children.

The problems in our schools must be fixed. Now.

3. It’s The Right Thing to Do.

In Belmont, we care about our schools. They are a source of pride. Generations of Belmont children have been well-educated and gone on to happy and productive lives.

It’s who we are.

There are a lot of towns next to Boston and Cambridge, but few have what we have in Belmont. This is a great town with a strong sense of community, first-rate local businesses, friendly neighbors … and excellent schools.

Belmont is a great town today because of the decisions of generations who came before us. Now it is our turn to make an investment for future generations.

The choice is clear. Please vote YES on Question #4 on November 6.

Ellen Schreiber and Sara Masucci are leaders of the YES for Belmont committee.

Artists Will Explore Their Abstract Art On Saturday at the Belmont Gallery

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Photo: Visiting the art installation “Explorations of Abstract Art”.

The artists talk at the Belmont Gallery of Art for the show “Explorations of Abstract Art” will be held on Saturday, Nov. 3, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the gallery located on the third floor of the Homer Building located in the Town Hall complex.

Artists Kirsten Reynolds, Jeanne Arthur, Nedret Andre and Susie White will talk about their work at the Belmont Gallery of Art with guest speaker A. Melissa Venator, the Stefan Engelhorn Curatorial Fellow in the Busch-Reisinger Museum at Harvard, who will open with a brief talk about the foundations of abstract art in the early 20th century.

Snacks and drinks will be provided.