Field Hockey Seeded 5th, Host Playoff Tussle With Natick Thursday 6PM

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Photo: Seniors will have one more game on Harris Field.

With a strong finish to the regular season – three shutouts in as many games – Belmont Field Hockey dodged playing the top three squads in potential quarterfinal matchups in the Division 1 North Sectional Playoffs by securing the fifth seed, after the MIAA rankings were released on Monday, Oct. 30. 

The Marauders’ reward for a 12-2-2 campaign – its only losses were to two top five teams in the Boston Globe Field Hockey Poll – is an opening round home game at Harris Field against Natick High at 6 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 2. 

“When you earn a home game, you want to win it,” said Belmont Head Coach Jessie Smith. “So my only goal so far is just win the first game, but I would like to see this team go even further and I think they can.”

“If they can put together those small moments when we are dominating the game into bigger moments, I think we are a very strong team,” she said.

After taking it on the chin, 5-0, from Middlesex League Liberty champions Winchester (17-0-1) at Harris Field on Friday, Oct. 20, the team quickly righted the ship with a 1-0 squeaker against Lexington who held the Marauders to a 1-1 tie in Lexington the previous week.

Senior forward and co-captain Lilly Devitt scored in close from a pass by sophomore defender Emma Donahue at the mid-point of the first half. The initial 30 minutes was mostly played in Lexington’s end of the field with the Marauders getting several good looks at steering the ball into the box but just could not connect.

The improvement in Belmont’s game came after Smith reviewed the Winchester game which the Marauders were able to stay competitive with the Globe’s number one ranked team – Belmont is the only team to take a point from the Sachems holding them to a 1-1 tie in September – but could not sustain its attacks due to Winchester’s physical play.

“[Winchester] was winning 90 percent of the 50/50 balls, and that was the difference in the game,” said Smith, who started incorporating the same in close marking against Lexington.

Belmont survived a final Minuteman attempt to even the score only to have a pair of hard low efforts stopped by senior goalie Christine MacLeod, who posted ten shutouts this season. 

On Seniors Night, Friday, Oct. 27, Belmont’s speed and stick skills were too much for Arlington as junior forward Hannah Power‘s hat trick was the highlight of the 4-0 victory. 

“It was all good vibes, and I was feeling good out there,” said Power. “Our team was doing amazing in midfield and on defense especially with passing the ball to the forwards.”

And the key to scoring a hat trick? “Just keeping in mind, what [Smith] said ‘stop the ball and shot it. It’s that simple’,” said Power. 

Just 11 hours after the Arlington victory, Belmont was in Reading to meet the Rockets Saturday morning. And despite the early morning hour and a nearby hornets nest, the Marauders methodically pressed the ball up the pitch, scoring twice in each half for the 4-0 victory. Sophomore midfielder Katie Goden got the brace with sophomore mid Marissa Cecca and senior co-captain Bridget Gardiner each pocketing one apiece.

Of special note was senior Tina Noonan, a dedicated role player who used her opportunity to take a penalty corner outlet pass, spin and pass to Guden who scored in the final minute. 

“I was a little nervous when they had me taking the pass, but I did my job,” admitted Noonan. “It’s really encouraging and helps me to play better when [my teammates] want me to score.”

For Smith, the final three games was an excellent warm-up leading into a playoff season that she believes the team can go on a run. 

“I have high hopes for the tournament. It’s like March Madness. You never know who’ll end up in the Final Four. Why not us?”

Belmont Football Ends Frustration Running By Cambridge, 28-21

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Photo: Tyler Reynolds on his game-winning TD run vs. Cambridge.

Seven weeks of frustration for Belmont High Football came to an end on a last minute 40-yard touchdown dash by senior running back Tyler Reynolds gave the Marauders a 28-21 victory over host Cambridge Rindge and Latin School on Friday night, Oct. 27.

Reynold’s sprint – sprung by a critical block from senior wide receiver Luke Hopkins – up the gut of the Falcon’s defense with 59 seconds remaining came after Cambridge tied the score at 21 with 4 minutes remaining, negating a Belmont 21-7 halftime lead. 

“Even when [Cambridge] tied it back up in the fourth quarter, my O line kept blocking for me. Then we scored, it was the best feeling in the world,” Reynolds told the Belmontonian after the game.

“Even after all the adversity we’ve faced to go 0 and 7 in our first seven games to come out and win this game on the road just shows a lot about what we do here and all the heart this team has,” said Reynolds. 

“I’m so proud of these guys. They never quit, not in our previous games and not here when they tied it up late in the fourth [quarter],” said Belmont Head Coach Yann Kumin, whose team piled up 408 yards in total offense, most of that on the ground.

Belmont (1-7) is on the road again Friday as they take on Burlington (1-7) which won its first game of the season Friday, 21-20, over Revere. 

Held at Russell Field in the Alewife neighborhood, Belmont’s game plan changed from a pass-oriented system to pounding the ball at the Falcons’ after both Reynolds and junior back Killian O’Connell took “huge chunks of yards” on the initial offensive series, Kumin said.

“We were really anticipating to be that heavy in the run. But we came out, and it was clicking. So we said ‘forget the plan’ and keep feeding them the ball,” said Kumin.

Reynold’s scored the game’s first in the first quarter before Cambridge lit up the scoreboard with a 50-yard over the top reception by Cyrus Singh from QB Jovan Harding

In the second half, Belmont relied on junior back Killian O’Connell who scored a pair of TDs, from 19 yards and from 6 yards with 40 seconds remaining in the half to increase Belmont’s lead to 14 points.

Belmont was on the march again until midway through the third quarter when they fumbled the ball. Cambridge would capitalize through the air as Lucona grabbed his second TD pass from 11 yards out to cut the Marauder lead to 21-14 with 2:46 left in the third quarter. 

After a Belmont punt, Cambridge was on the move when sophomore outside linebacker Justin Rocha recovered a fumble on the Cambridge 28 with 6 minutes left in the game. But an attempted field goal from 30 yards out by senior kicker Aidan Cadogan hit the right upright with 5:41 remaining. And it was that man Lucona who grabbed a simple sideline pass and scampered 63 yards before scoring on the next play on an 11-yard catch to tie the game at 21 with 4:31 left.

Taking over at the 10 yard line, Belmont converted a third and five (on a 15 yard pass from senior QB George Fitzgerald to senior wide receiver Jake Pollard) and a fourth and four on a Reynolds’ 11 yard carry one play before the senior co-captain took the ball to the house for the winning score. 

Allard Breaks Century Mark As Belmont Girls’ Soccer Downs Rockets, 3-0

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Photo: Carey Allard of Belmont.

In her first varsity game as a freshman four years ago, Belmont High senior co-captain Carey Allard scored five goals including the game’s first four in an eight-minute stretch in the first half  and added an assist in the Marauders’ 10-0 blitz of arch-rival Watertown High School.

“She’s going to have some career if she can keep that up,” said Head Coach Paul Graham back in September 2014.

Just how good Allard would be since that hot summer morning was answered on a muggy and damp Tuesday evening, Oct. 24, when the four-year starter broke the career century point mark scoring a brace against visiting Reading High on Seniors Night as Belmont downed the Rockets, 3-0.

The two goals gave the co-captain 101 points with two games remaining in the season and upping her goals this season to 18 with seven assists.

Allard is the first Marauder to reach 100 points since Michelle (Sheehan) Henry accomplished that goal in 2006. Henry is currently in her second year as the varsity assistant coach with Graham. 

The record-breaker came midway through the second half with Belmont leading 1-0. Playing on her off side near the right sideline, Allard cut with the ball 20 meters from goal and hit a pinpoint shot into the left side of the net. 

Allard – who will be playing defense for Division 1 University of North Caroline Wilmington next fall – finished the scoring burying a penalty kick after she was pushed from behind inside the penalty area with about 10 minutes remaining in the game. 

While Tuesday’s game was the final home game of the season, Belmont’s 13-1-0 record will likely see it playing a pair of home playoff games in the Division 2 North Sectional tournament. And likely more points into Allard’s high school point tally. 

Swimming: Unbeaten Belmont Girls’ Ready To Host Perfect Reading Friday

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Photo: Relay Exchange; Lexington at Belmont.

First-year Belmont High Girls’ Swimming Head Coach Gretchen Turner looks at the scoring sheet after a recent meet against Winchester and shakes her head: two freshmen swimmers had just qualified via time to swim the 100-yard breaststroke the state finals. That makes eight Marauders who have met the time requirement, but Belmont can only take four to the finals.

“What am I going to do with all those swimmers?” Turner asked.

Talk about an embarrassment of riches for Belmont’s new coach, who this year took over the squad from the legendary Ev Crosscup.

After spending two years as Crosscup’s assistant, Turner has made a smooth transition at the helm leading the team to a 7-0-1 Middlesex League record. The only blemish was due to “a classic rookie mistake” which resulted in a tie against a mid-level Stoneham squad.

But that small bump in the road has been the only one Turner, and her team has encountered. In the past week, Belmont defeated arch-rival Lexington and a good Winchester group.

But on the horizon looms the giant shadow of one of the strongest teams in eastern Massachusetts. Reading High has returned to being the dominating squad in Division 2 swimming as they come to Higgenbottom Pool on Friday, Oct. 20 as the two-time Middlesex League and last year’s state champions.

“We know where Reading stands regarding their times. So we’ll continue to try and get sectional and state times and having a good team come at the end of the season will pump our swimmers up,” said Turner.

Even before the final two league meets – against Reading and Melrose – and the Middlesex League meet, Belmont has qualified a multiple number of swimmers in each event with the relays all securing their place. 

“We’re going to have a big team at sectionals and states which puts us in the running,” Turner said. 

Belmont took care of business beating visiting Lexington by emphasizing the Marauders’ depth in the meet relays, resulting in 24 points – three firsts, a second and a third – from the three events. 

“I did that on purpose trying to get better times on our A relays by putting our three fastest swimmers in each which limited them to a single individual event,” said Turner. 

“And it worked as each swimmer hit their split times which means they were swimming really hard even though they didn’t have anyone swimming next to them,” she said. 

Belmont got off to a fast start going 1, 3 and 4 in the opening 200 yards medley relay with the quartet of Anna Doherty, Caroline Daskalajkis, Sophie Butte and Julia Bozkurtain taking the win in 2 minutes, 3.51 seconds.

Angela Li took the 200 free with a 2:10.5 while Belmont’s Katarina Chen prevented a Lexington sweep taking third in the 200 IM as Grace Zhang won the 200 yard free in 2:31.89.

Bozkurtain returned to win the sprint 50 free in 26.19 seconds with Doherty following in second in 26.93 to give Belmont a 33-29 lead at the diving break.

Lexington’s sole diver Ava Barrentine with consistent scores in the 6.5 range took first with 191.475 Belmont’s Marina Cataldo with 185.12  Sophie Cormier in second in 175.3

In the best race of the afternoon, Belmont senior Julia Cunningham overtook Lexington’s Irene Cheng in the final 40 yards to power to the victory in the 100-yard butterfly in 1:07.27.

Butte dipped under the minute mark to take the 100 free in 56.77 while Mary Kilcoyne broke the six-minute barrier in the 500 free (5:59.00) while Kate and Camille Sandage came through in fourth and fifth place.

The foursome of Bozkurtain, Ella Baurele, Doherty and Butte swam away with the 200 free relay in  1:47.81

By the time of the 200 free relay, the score was 86-85 in Belmont’s favor. Win the relay, win the meet. And Bozkurtain, Doherty, Butte and Angela Li finished the job with a first in 3:53.70 and a 94-91 victory.

Sports: Boys’ Soccer Upsets Lexington (Again); Field Hockey Fit To Be Tied; W for Girls’ Soccer

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Photo: Belmont High Junior Alex Rokosz is patroling the midfield.

Boys’  Soccer Upsets Top-Five Lexington, again

For the second time this season, Belmont Boys’ Soccer has played spoiler to Lexington High’s drive to repeat as the state’s Division 1 champions as the visiting Marauders’ (8-3-2) defeated the 5th-ranked (in the Boston Globe poll) Minutemen (10-2-1), 2-1, on a second-half goal by senior forward Andrew Karalis. Along with its 1-1 tie at home in September, Belmont has taken 3 of 4 points from the c0-Middlesex League leaders along with Arlington.

The Marauders have three games remaining in the season, at Winchester on Thursday, Oct. 19; at Reading on Tuesday, Oct. 24; and home vs. 17th ranked Arlington on Seniors Night, Thursday, Oct.26.

Field hockey fit to be tied

In what Head Coach Jess Smith called a “sluggish” performance, Belmont High Field Hockey could only take away a 1-1 tie against host Lexington on Wednesday, Oct. 18. After falling behind 1-0 early in the match, sophomore midfielder Katie Guden slotted in the equalizer midway through the half. Despite some golden chances, the Marauders could not find the final touch in front of Lexington’s net in the second half.

The tie leaves Belmont at 9-1-2 as it awaits Middlesex League leader and 5th-ranked Winchester, who comes to Harris Field on Friday, Oct. 20 with a record of 13-0-1, its tie coming against the Marauders. Belmont finishes the season at home (Seniors Night) against Arlington next Friday, Oct. 27 at 5:30 p.m.

Girls’ Soccer wins again

Belmont Girls Soccer took the measure of Lexington, 3-0, at Harris Field on Tuesday, Oct. 17, upping its record to 12-1-0 atop the Middlesex League Liberty Division and ranked 5th by the Boston Globe. Senior Co-Captain Carey Allard scored a brace in the one-sided affair.

The Marauders will finish the season against three tough opponents who they beat by single goals the first time around: Reading on Seniors Night on Tuesday, Oct. 24; away to Arlington on Thursday, Oct.26 and finishing the season away against 11-1-2 Winchester next Saturday, Oct. 30.

Belmont Field Hockey’s Big Week Taking On Lexington, Winchester

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Photo: Meri Power vs. Wakefield.

After a pair of victories last week, Belmont High Field Hockey play three games against the best the Middlesex League Liberty Division has to offer with a chance for a third consecutive division title … if they win the final five games of the season.

On Wednesday, Oct. 18, Belmont (10-1-1) will travel to Lexington to a game against the Minutemen (8-3-1) before coming back home to Harris Field on Friday, Oct. 20 for a clash with undefeated Winchester (12-0-1) whose only blemish is a 1-1 tie against the Marauders back in September. Lexington makes the return trip to Belmont on Monday, Oct. 23.

Last week saw Belmont host Wakefield on Columbus Day, Oct. 9, in a morning matinee and a struggling Woburn squad on Thursday, Oct. 12.

Wakefield, in the mix for a place in the postseason for the first time in recent history, came out fighting against Belmont. Falling behind 1-0 and 2-1, the Warriors struck back with two innovative penalty corners using give and go passing to find the goal. But four goals in the second half saw Belmont pull away with junior Mia Kaldenbaugh scoring the final tally.

“They were so much better than I expected from the last few times we played,” said Belmont Head Coach Jessica Smith. She credited her team’s penalty corners – scoring twice – with the win.

“They were not missing the pass out and really striking the ball hard to the net,” she said.

Many of Belmont’s bench players got into the game against winless Woburn who despite its record has the most reliable goalie in the league in senior Nora Newman. She kept Belmont at bay for the first half, allowing only three goals. But Belmont broke through with five more in the 8-0 home win. Junior forward Morgan Chase added to her top goals total with two more joined by junior Hannah Power with her own brace. 

Looking towards the next three games, Smith was pleased with the team’s collective speed and passing “which was so much better. They are using each other so much more, and we are working on using the long ball drive.” 

The team has taken to knocking the ball deep downfield after seeing their former teammate AnnMarie Habelow as her college team, the Louisville Cardinals, played Boston College in Newton. 

“I’m trying to get them to take longer passes, but it didn’t seem to them like it was necessary until they actually watched another team do it,” said Smith.

“And now they saw that they were successful using it in our games and hopefully that helps them get used to it,” she said.

Birthday Girl Allard Gifts Belmont 1-0 Payback Win Over Woburn

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Photo: Belmont’s Cary Allard (right) celebrating her goal as Woburn goalkeeper Kelsey Qualey (right) looking on.

The adage goes it’s better to give than receive. And Belmont High Girls’ Soccer senior co-captain Cary Allard who turned 18 Saturday, Oct. 14, decided to give her teammates a gift to celebrate her birthday: a game-winning goal.

Allard’s strike midway through first half was enough to give the Belmont (11-1-0) a 1-0 shutout victory over a physical Woburn (12-2-0) squad in a Saturday afternoon matinee to avenge a 1-0 defeat the Tanners put on a then-undefeated Marauders Thursday, Oct. 12.

“I don’t think you’ll see us play much better than this especially passing,” said Belmont’s long-time head coach Paul Graham.

Belmont’s goal was the result of a build up from the midfield with Allard picking up a through pass from sophomore midfielder Marina Karalis splitting a pair of defenders and tipping a right footed shot by Thursday’s hero Woburn goalkeeper Kelsey Qualey at the 20-minute mark. 

Belmont held the front foot for most of the first half with twice as many shots on goal, 4-2, during the first half hour. Woburn took advantage of its quickness to increase its presence in Belmont’s defensive end in the final 10 minutes with Belmont goalkeeper junior Chloe Tingos making a difficult save facing away from the field with five minutes remaining in the first half.

The second 40 minutes was a rough and tumble affair with plenty of whistles and players on the field with a Belmont player earning a yellow card. Belmont found room down the wings with Courtney Gray working with Allard on the left. The Marauders also found success in the middle with junior center forward Ella Gagnon and senior center midfielder and co-captain Emma Sass forcing the Tanners to keep players in their defensive end.

“We were using a lot of one-touch passes to beat their speed, and that allowed us to control the game,” said Graham.

With time running out in the game, Woburn stepped up its push towards Belmont’s end which kept Mauraders’ defenders juniors Emily Dexter and Megan Tan and senior co-captain Natalie Marcus-Bauer busy. Tan was specifically active on the left side using her pace to win the majority of 50/50 challenges. 

Woburn had one final push in the last five minutes as sophomore Ashlyn Pacheco – who scored the Tanners ‘ goal on Thursday – came close to earning the tie just pushing a free header by the right post. 

“We had several players come off the bench,” said Graham. “[Senior forward Emily] Duffy played, [senior forward] Eliza [Filler] did a great job as did [junior forword] Drew [Bates]. They didn’t play 40 minutes, but when they came in, they did their jobs.” 

The victory gives Belmont a slim lead in the three-team race for the Middlesex League Liberty title with the Marauders facing a rematch with Winchester (10-1-2) away on Thursday, Oct. 19.

Girls’ Soccer: Merrily They Roll Along; Boys’ Find Its Scoring Touch

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Photo: Courtney Gray scoring for Belmont.

For Belmont High Girls’ Soccer, the past week saw the undefeated/untied Marauders secure a playoff spot with half the season still to come while the Boys’ regained its scoring punch after a mid-season stumble

Girls’ Achieve Playoffs, Await Home and Home vs. One Loss Woburn

The Broadway composer and lyrist Stephen Sondheim titled one of his lesser-known musicals “Merrily We Roll Along.” While that book is about three friends over the years, one could steal the title and use it to describe the Belmont High Girls soccer team this season as they happily run the table. After a 4-0 victory at Wakefield on a rainy Columbus Day, the team had secured a perfect record at 10-0-0 as well as a playoff place in the Division 2 North Sectionals. 

Just before he left for an annual trip to an employers conference in Chicago, longtime Belmont Head Coach Paul Graham said he would not discount making the tournament this early in the season.

“It was one of our goals, so it’s important to recognize it. Sometimes you don’t make it so you should celebrate it,” he said after defeating an undermanned Watertown team, 7-0, before capping the week at Wakefield where junior forward Ella Gagnon tucked in a brace, each goal assisted by senior forward and co-captain Carey Allard who scored three times against Watertown.

After three consecutive shutouts where Belmont dominated play, the Marauders will have its hands full at the end of the week as they meet one-loss Woburn High School in a rare home and home matchup. The opener will be played on Thursday, Oct. 12 at 5:30 p.m. in Woburn and the return fixture is on Saturday afternoon, Oct. 14, at 5 p.m. at Harris Field. 

After Stumble, Boys Re-establish Scoring Touch 

After scoring one of the program’s most significant victories in recent years by defeating Winchester 2-0 back in September, the Boys’ Soccer team suddenly couldn’t find its way to the back of its opponent’s net. 

A 2-1 shock home loss to then-winless Reading matched with a 1-0 heartbreaker to top-ranked Arlington coupled with an uninspiring 1-1 tie against Melrose left the Marauders dog paddling with a 4-3-2 record.

But “with a few adjustments to our lineup” by Belmont Head Coach Brian Bisceglia-Kane, the Marauders have reestablished its attacking. 

Senior captain Jake Carson, who is now playing as a true center forward, scored the lone goal in the final minutes to give the Marauders a much needed 1-0 victory over hosts Watertown on Friday, Oct. 6. Then braces by Carson and junior Seamus Dullaghan along with a solo goal from junior Jorge Mejia saw Belmont break out for a comfortable 5-0 victory over Wakefield to up its record to 6-3-2, putting it on the verge of a return to the postseason. 

“We are playing some of our stronger players for long stretches, and that has worked well. The last couple of games we have started to gain momentum, and we are about to play the teams we have already played before (in the Liberty division of the Middlesex League),” said Bisceglia-Kane.

After a home game against Woburn at the end of the week, Belmont will be on the road for the next three games against two teams above them in the league standings, leaders Arlington and Winchester. 

“We feel confident that we’ll be in every game that they play in. We have to score earlier, so the other team doesn’t feel that they are competitive despite us outplaying them,” he said. 

Volleyball: Belmont Puts A Scare Into Melrose In Five Set Thriller

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Photo: Action with Belmont High Volleyball.

On Monday, Columbus Day, Belmont High Volleyball traveled to Watertown and beat the Raiders three sets to zero (25-17, 25-9, 25-23) to up its record to 5-6, exceeding the number of victories last years campaign.

But Belmont Head Coach Jen Couture would instead talk about a lose from last week. In a thrilling home match held at Wenner Field House, Belmont was upended in a five-set marathon, 22-25, 25-11, 23-25, 25-18, 15-8, to perennial Middlesex League Freedom champs Melrose on Thursday, Oct. 5.

Melrose is once again cruising through its regular season, at 13-0, and had not been extended to five sets since the previous year. That was until they met the Marauders.

“It was an amazing match,” said Couture. “Melrose has just historically been so dominant that we usually go into the match with hopes of taking a set and when we took the first set it was little surreal.”
 
Sophia Estok broke the one-game record for digs with 43 (besting the 40 successful serves received she set vs. Lexington) having done a great job reading the Raiders hitters. “She’s a very smart player who learns from every kill and adjusts to prevent another.” Leah Babroudi and Mindee Lai were next in digs with 21 and 17 respectively.
 
Jane Mahon and Lai led the offense with 10 and 7 kills, and Jen Tan chipped in 7 service aces.
Couture pointed to Lai’s overall contribution to the team’s effort on the court.
 
“The match … highlighted Lai’s athleticism as she also recorded three blocks and a couple of pancake [saves],” said Couture. “Lai is on the court 100 percent of the time, through many four and five set matches, chasing down every shanked ball and making great plays. It’s no wonder her teammates refer to her as ‘the Machine’.”
After winning the fourth set by seven points, Belmont was entering into well-worn territory.
 
“This was our fourth five-set match [of the season]” – recently defeating Wayland and Lexington in five – “but it was the first one where you could really notice the fatigue, due to the many long rallies throughout the match.  Melrose setter came out serving strong, going on a nine-point run to push its lead to 0-9. 
“I was afraid that we had given up, assuming Melrose was going to win because we had never known anything else. The set continued 2-10, 4-12, and at 5-14 before Lai came back to serve. 
Despite match point, “Lai served aggressively and consistently making it difficult for Melrose to set up a kill bringing the team to 8-14 when ultimately during a long rally Melrose setter put the ball away,” said Couture. 
“The run came just a little too late. But for those four points, something changed, and we all started to believe anything was possible. The biggest take away from the game was if we play our smart and consistently aggressive game, we can compete with any team in our league,” she said.
With a playoff berth within reach, Couture suggests a change in her line up with an eye on the future.
“Some Junior Varsity hitters have been dressing and participating in varsity matches, and I think we will be seeing some of them in more matches, to give our starters little rest so they can continue to play at their highest level until the very last point,” she said.

Nearly 800 Runners Set Record For Scharfman Race

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Photo: Elsa Kimberly winning the 2K race at the Dan Scharfman Memorial Run.

A bright cool fall Sunday morning; just the right combination for a road race in New England.

And 784 runners took the opportunity to help Belmont school to best use technol0gy as a record number of entries took part in the fifth annual Dan Scharfman Memorial Run 5K/2K Road Races held Sunday, Oct. 1. 

While the amount was still coming in mid-week, between $25,000 to $30,000 will be raised to fund the Dan Scharfman Education Innovative Fund which supports professional development for teachers and supply technology to all students.

“We were so excited that the 5th annual race had the most pre-registered runners for the 5K,” said Jamie Shea, the chair of The Foundation for Belmont Education which hosted the race that started and finished at Harris Field.

“This was a very very good day for runners and the [foundation],” she said.

Merle Kummer, Dan Scharfman’s wife, spoke to the runners before the race how her husband lived by the phrase; “If not me, who? If not now, when.”

“After Dan died [as a member of the School Committee], it was overwhelming to think about filling his size 13 running shoes. Today, we’ve matched him and raising him thirteen hundred running shoes!” she said.

Race sponsors included Cityside Subaru which also sponsored a pace car for the race, Belmont Savings Bank, Belmont Orthodontics, and Didriks and Local Root, which will be opening stores in Belmont Center in the next few months.

Belmont High senior Zack Tseng powered home to an impressive 16:43 to win the race with Joe Shaw second and Tseng’s teammate James Kitch in third. On the women’s side, Cambridge’s Rachel Henke – who is married to Jonathan Henke, the owner of Didriks and Local Root – won the 5K in 19:34 followed by Heidi Kimberly and Becca Pizzi. Chenery 5th grader Elsa Kimberly won the 2K for women in 8:57 while 15-year-old HaiYaing Peng won the men’s division in 7:30.