7 News’ Sports Director Amorosino At Belmont Woman’s Club Wednesday

April 11, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker Leave a Comment

Photo: Joe Amorosino of 7 News.

Belmont youth and adults are invited to meet Emmy recipient 7 News WHDH-TV’s Sports Director Joe Amorosino, who will speak at the Belmont Woman’s Club/the 1853 Homer House at 661 Pleasant St. on Wednesday, April 13, at 7:30 p.m.

Amorosino covered all four Patriots Super Bowl wins (2002, 2004, 2005, 2014), all three of the Red Sox recent World Series wins (2004, 2007, 2013), the Celtics’ most recent NBA Championship win (2008) and the Boston Bruins most recent Stanley Cup Championship (2011).

The talk and a reception with Amorosino will last one hour.

Th public is cordially invited with free admission.

Join Becca Sunday in the Pizzi Family Fun Run

April 9, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker Leave a Comment

Photo: Image

Join World Marathon Champion Becca Pizzi for the first ever Becca Pizzi Family Fun Run organized by the Belmont Boosters and sponsored by Belmont Savings Bank.

The Becca Pizzi Family Fun Run is a new race in Belmont celebrating Pizzi being the World Marathon Challenge Champion. The 5K race will also act as a special send-off celebration for Becca Pizzi and all Boston Marathon Runners.

The course will begin and end at the Belmont High School track. Registration and bib pick-up begins at 7:30 a.m., with the 5k beginning at 9 a.m., with the 1-mile kid’s race starting at 9:05 a.m.

The race will also include a 1-mile run for kids around the Belmont High School track.

T-shirts will be available to the first 200 5K registrants.

Proceeds will benefit the Becca Pizzi Scholarship Fund and Belmont Boosters.

Stick around after the race for awards and fun activities.

Registration:

Register here on Racewire.com. Registration fee is $25 for 5K runners and $10 for kids running in the 1-mile race (ages 12 and under).

Sports: Belmont Rugby Starts Season With Win Over AC, 43-0

April 2, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker Leave a Comment

Photo: Before the game Friday.

The young men and women of Belmont High School Rugby Club started its 2016 season with a convincing win over Arlington Catholic High School, 43-0, on the pitch at Harris Field on Friday, April 1.

The most successful Massachusetts public school playing rugby XV – Belmont won a Division 1 state championship in 2013 and a Division 2 title in 2011 while going to three consecutive state finals from 2013-2015 – Belmont will have a special Saturday matinee (Saturday, April 9 at 2 p.m.) when the team takes on an always strong Needham High squad at Harris Field.

And set aside “Tax Day” Friday, April 15 as the team hosts Boston College High in a rematch of last year’s state championship. The game is at 7 p.m. and will be a humdinger.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BDssCgskjQG/

Registration for Belmont Jr. Marauder Football Now Open ‘Til April 30

March 31, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker Leave a Comment

Photo: Belmont Junior Marauder Football players who played on Harris Field.

The Belmont Junior Marauder Football Program is holding its registration period for the fall 2016 season. The registration period ends April 30, and the program will not accept players after that date.

The Belmont Junior Marauders were created to provide Belmont’s 7th and 8th graders with the opportunity to play grade-based NO weight limit football. The team participates in the Eastern Massachusetts Middle School Football League and will play teams from Winchester, Arlington, Bedford, Melrose and Saugus among other regional middle school teams.

Preseason will begin on Aug. 22 and games are played on Wednesday afternoons. Practice will be held on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Bus transportation to and from away games will be provided. There will be a mandatory parent informational meeting April 14 at 7 p.m. at the Belmont Lions Club, 1 Common St.

Registration forms are available on or website and in the main office at the Chenery Middle School. You can also request a registration form by sending an email to jrmarauderfootball@gmail.com

All Registration Forms are due on or before April 30, 2016.

Appreciation: Belmont Girls’, Boys’ Basketball Did Themselves Proud.

March 21, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker 1 Comment

Photo: Girls’ Basketball after semifinal win over Arlington Catholic.

Dear Belmontonian:

I write to congratulate the members and coaches of Belmont High’s Varsity Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball teams for their fine seasons and appearances in the MIAA basketball tournament.

The boys’ finished a triumphant regular season as Middlesex League’s Liberty Division champions earning a first-round tournament bye before dropping a hard-fought game to Brighton High before a raucous home crowd.

The girls’, seeded 10^th, advanced deep into the tournament, besting tough #7 Marblehead, #2 Newburyport and #3 Arlington Catholic teams along the way.

Last Saturday evening, a huge Belmont crowd attended the Girls Division 2 North finals against archrival Watertown. Belmontians from all walks of life, young, old, “townies,” “newbies,” liberal and conservative alike were there in unison supporting and cheering for our Belmont team. Events like this can galvanize a community, bringing everyone together in a common spirit regardless of cultural, ethnic or political differences, if only for a few hours. Disappointingly, Belmont’s girls’ lost the game decided in the final seconds but it was not from lack of effort.

Although our Marauder teams did not win the tournament, Belmont’s young men and women played hard to the end, played to the best of their ability and displayed good sportsmanship throughout.

While academics are high school’s primary purpose, the lessons displayed by our young men and women student-athletes are just as important. I witnessed discipline, selfless team play, perseverance, sacrifice, pride, integrity and sportsmanship played out on the courts. I watched them revel in victory and be humble and gracious in defeat. These valuable life lessons cannot be taught from a textbook, but must be experienced to be learned. From my perspective, they learned their lessons well.

Congratulations again to Belmont’s Varsity Basketball teams. They did their town, their school, their families, their friends and, most of all, themselves proud.

Stephen B. Rosales

Farnham Street

Sports: Belmont Girls’ Hoop Dreams End to Watertown in Sectional Finals

March 13, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker 1 Comment

Photo: Belmont players listening to Head Coach Melissa Hart as Watertown receives the Sectional trophy.

The hoop dreams of Belmont High School Girls’ Basketball team came to an end at 8:37 p.m. on Saturday, March 12, as the final buzzer ended a brilliant two-week run of upsets and spirited play as arch rivals Watertown (once again) walked off the court at Woburn High School with their second consecutive Division 2 North title.

And as the Raiders swept onto the floor to accept its trophy, Belmont’s girls – many in tears – circled arm in arm around their coaches, to hear why this loss did not define their season.

“I think we tried our hardest, but the calls were not on our side in the second half, to say the least,” said Sarah Stewart, the senior co-captain who was its leader on and off the court.

After a first half in which Belmont executed its game plan to near perfection against the four-time consecutive North finalists (the past three years in Division 2 and the first in Division 3) to enter the half with a five-point lead, 26-21, the second half saw the Marauders slip from “drive” to “neutral” scoring just 20 points, five in the third quarter.

“Obviously, Watertown made and shots and we didn’t. Our defense was really good in the half, but we struggled with scoring,” said Belmont Head Coach Melissa Hart, who praised Watertown’s senior forward Katelyn Rourke, her division’s MVP, who along with junior center Shannon Murphy, scored 12 points, both making only two baskets while scoring eight points from the free throw line.

“[Rourke] showed today why she’s the MVP. We should have adjusted better in the third quarter when she started to take command,” said Hart.

The Raiders would also benefit from 16 minutes of generous officials whistles. While the free throws were slightly in Belmont’s favor in the first half, 18-13, the second half saw Watertown go to the line 25 times to Belmont’s nearly non-existent 6. At one point early in the fourth quarter, the team fouls benefited the Raiders 10-3.

“It’s tough when both teams are playing physical, and the fouls are so one-sided,” said Hart.

While reluctant to speak of the reason for the five-to-one margin in the second half, a seven-year-old son of a friend came to Hart to ask “Why didn’t they call the penalties?”

“What he said,” said Hart.

If the game ended in heartbreak, it started as a mirror of the Marauders’ final five games in which the team played an aggressive defense that led its offense.

“We had been with each other since 10:30 [in the] morning, so we were like so sick of each other. But when we entered this gym, we were like sisters. And in the first half, we were like a family on the court,” said Stewart.

After allowing a quick basket, senior co-captain Samari Winklaar (5 points) hit two from the free throw line and sophomore Jenny Call (game-high 10 points) sunk the first of two threes to give Belmont the lead.

Watertown’s senior Felicia Korte (11 points) made her own three to up the Raider lead by one, 7-6, only for Belmont sophomore all-star guard Carly Christofori (9 points) to hit her own three to recapture the lead, 9-7. Senior Irini Nikolaidis (3 points) drove the baseline to make the basket and hit the foul shot to increase the Marauders lead to 12-7. Finally, Stewart (7 points) threw in a long two to up Belmont’s lead by 7, 14-7, at the 2:20 mark. Belmont would take a 15-11 result in the second quarter.

On the defensive end, Belmont freshman center Jess Giorgio (2 points) made life miserable for Murphy, playing the Holy Cross-bound even up including stuffing the league all-star once (for a jump ball), causing a turnover and causing her to pick up three first half fouls.

Watertown would knot the game up at 16 before Call hit a contested jumper to put Belmont in the lead again, 18-16.

If there could have been a turning point in the game, it occurred at the 4:20 mark when it appeared Christofori was fouled as she was making a driving basket. But the referee said the violation happened before the shot and disallowed the chance for a three-point play.

On Watertown’s next possession, the gym erupted when it clearly appeared the Raiders’ guard was guilty of a carrying violation. The sequence ended with Watertown scoring to reduce its deficit to two, 20-18.

Belmont sophomore Greta Propp (2 points) and freshman point guard Meghan Tan (3 points) each hit a pair of free throws while driving Giorgio was fouled by Murphy. She made her two and Belmont would match its largest lead of 7 points, 26-19, and then take a five-point lead at the half.

“We were trusting on the court which was not the case in the regular season,” said Stewart. “Coming to the tournament, we really learned to trust each other. So when someone has the ball, they are going to do something best for the team, not just them,” she said.

The third quarter saw both teams up the defensive pressure with Watertown attempting to go inside at every chance while Belmont kept firing from the outside. Soon, Watertown was heading to the charity stripe while Belmont’s shots were rimming out.

Watertown would take the lead when senior Nicole Lanzo (9 points) knocked in a straightaway three to give the Raiders’ a 29-26 lead.

Then a Winklaar three followed by a Winklaar-to-Giorgio-to-Stewart jumper saw Belmont with the lead with 48 seconds remaining in the quarter. But a free throw each from Rourke and Murphy tied the score game up at 31 entering the final eight minutes.

Rather than a free-flowing last quarter, the game was reduced to a seemingly constant trip to the free throw line for the Raiders as they went 11 for 15 from the line. Watertown would only make four baskets in the final 16 minutes, one less than Belmont.

An NBA-styled move in the lane from Christofori got Belmont within a single possession at 40-37 with three minutes to go. But even when Murphy fouled out with 1:40 remaining, Belmont could not come closer than Call’s final points, a three, to cut the lead to the final score.

For Stewart, the team came one game short of its goal of making it to the TD Garden for the Eastern Massachusetts. But the past fortnight, the girls created a unique experience in defeating three higher seeds and came together as a group.

“This team, this year, was definitely a huge challenge to be a captain because there were so many players (18 during the season). We were scared at first but having a big team changed us because everybody brought something to the table, and that’s what made us-us. And that’s what brought the team this far,” she said, finally flashing a smile.

Championship Bound: Belmont Upsets Arlington Catholic for Spot in Sectional Finals

March 9, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker Leave a Comment

Photo: Samari Winklaar (center) after the team’s victory vs. Arlington Catholic. (photo by Kenneth Leinbach)

With just seconds left in the third quarter and Belmont with a tenuous three-point lead over favorite Arlington Catholic, Belmont High’s senior co-captain Samari Winklaar wasn’t thinking about playing it safe and holding onto the ball near the right corner of the court to allow the clock to run out.

“I knew I was going to take that shot,” said Winklaar.

With a pair of Cougars draped over her and off a bad angle, Winklaar half pushed/half flung a prayer towards the basket as she fell into the first row of the benches in the Billerica High gym in front of a bus load of noisy Belmont fans.

And as the buzzer went off, the prayer was answered as the ball hit nothing but the bottom of the net.

As Winklaar (who led Belmont with 13 points (2 threes) and going 7-8 from the free-throw line) dove into her teammates arms, the Marauders’ lead doubled to 29-23 while the confidence of the 2014 State Champions was all but crushed by the improbable hoop.

“We said ‘we made it this far, we just need to keep going,” said sophomore point guard Carly Christofori.

Employing its trademark suffocating defense and running past the Cougars in the third quarter, Belmont defeated the three seed – the third higher seed the team has beaten – in a Division 2 North semifinal thriller, 45-38, on Tuesday, March 8. For the first time in decades, Belmont will play in a sectional final on Saturday, March 12.

“We kept our composure well. We didn’t rattle easily today and even though we had trouble scoring, we gritted it out,” said Belmont Head Coach Melissa Hart.

[Unfortuantly, the game was virtually ignored by the three major sports outlets – the Boston Herald, Boston.com and ESPN Boston – while the media focused on nearly all other playoff games on Tuesday.]

While the time and location remain to be determined, the Marauders’ opponent will be the winner of the Triton/Watertown match on Wednesday, March 9, which could result in a dream match with the defending Division 2 North champions attempting to repeat with its traditional rivals standing in its way.

“Another shot at Watertown. I love it,” said Hart.

Belmont is heading to the finals on a foundation of a tenacious defense that proved as psychologically devastating as it is physically exhausting for Arlington Catholic.

“Our defense frazzled them, and Arlington Catholic is a good team,” said Hart as Belmont’s in-their-face defensive approach prevented the Cougars from running its set plays, requiring them to search for alternatives, and launching more difficult shots.

In the key matchup of the game, Arlington Catholic’s big players 6′ 1″ Lena Perez and 6’3″ Demiana Fogarty were kept in check by Belmont’s counterparts; senior Sarah Stewart and freshman Jess Giorgio.

(from left) Jess Giorgio and Sarah Stewart.

“The problems for us happened when she got the ball, so we just tried to stop her from getting it. She didn’t have much success because she wasn’t getting that many put-backs,” said Giorgio after the game.

And it is no coincidence that the effort opponents need to put out against Belmont has affected them in one important area. Against Belmont, the three opponents have gone 29-74 from the free throw line, a dismal 39 percent. Last night, AC hit 8 of 22 from the charity strip, about 36 percent.

Belmont came out shooting in the first, but only hitting a fraction of what they put up, finally scoring on a Jenny Call baseline bucket and a foul shot to give Belmont the lead, 3-2, after three minutes of play.

Call hit a floater to bring Belmont within one, 8-7, before Winklaar swished a three to give Belmont a 10-8 lead entering the second quarter.

While Belmont kept the Cougars to seven points, the Marauders’ only found the basket once, via a Stewart jumper as the teams went into the half 15-12 AC.

The Cougars took its biggest lead when freshman guard Erin Donlan hit a straight away three giving her team an 18-12 lead. But an Irini Nikolaidis put-back of an offensive rebound, a Meghan Tan layup, a Giorgio free throw and a Tan three at 2:47 in the third tied the score at 20.

In the final two-and-a-half minutes, Belmont made its move: after Perez had missed a pair of free throws, Stewart hit a jumper, Giorgio took a perfect pass from Tan to hit her only basket of the night and Winklaar hit both free throws after being fouled with 50 seconds remaining. With a three point lead and 20 seconds remaining, Belmont didn’t get the shot they wanted, but Winklaar made it count.

Neither team was all that productive in the first four minutes, with Belmont stretching its lead to 34-24. And while AC cut the lead to four, 36-32, with two minutes to play, a Stewart spin jumper for two, and a slew of Marauder free throws shut the door on Arlington Catholics comeback.

When the final buzzer went off, the Belmont players exploded off the bench as they thoroughly enjoyed the celebration.

“With had so many fans come here, we had to give them what they came for, and that was a win,” said Christofori.

Photo by Kenneth Leinbach

Photo by Kenneth Leinbach

Photo by Kenneth Leinbach

Photo by Kenneth Leinbach

Photo by Kenneth Leinbach

Time Change: Belmont/Arlington Catholic Sectional Semis at 5:30 PM Tuesday

March 8, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker Leave a Comment

Photo: Belmont High Girls’ Basketball team.

Tipoff for today’s Division 2 North sectional semifinals Tuesday, March 8, between Belmont High and Arlington Catholic, has been moved up to 5:30 p.m. from 7 p.m.

The matchup between the 10th-ranked Marauders (13-9) and the 3rd-seed (19-3) Cougars will take place at Billerica High School.

Belmont is the third Middlesex League team Arlington Catholic has met in the tourney, having beaten Wakefield (in overtime) last week and Melrose on Sunday. Belmont has upset its first two higher-seeded opponents, Marblehead and Newburyport, to reach the Division 2 North sectional semifinals for the third time in four years.

AC is led by seniors Demi Fogarty and Marie Gaffney – Fogarty had 22 points and wrapped up 15 rebounds in the Cougars’ latest win and Gaffney had 24 points against Wakefield – while freshman Erin Donlan is capable of hitting open threes.

Belmont uses a smothering defense to generate its offense which is led by sophomore guard and Middlesex all-star Carly Christofori.

Sports: Belmont Girls Hoops Defense Upends #2 Newburyport, Semis vs A/C

March 6, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker 1 Comment

Photo: Senior co-captain Irini Nikolaidis shooting the winning free throw as Belmont upsets Newburyport on Sunday.

Clutch free throws from senior co-captain Irini Nikolaidis and a critical steal by sophomore guard Carly Christofori in the final minute propelled Belmont High School Girls’ Basketball to the upset victory over host and second seed Newburyport High Clippers, 49-47, in the Saturday after quarterfinals of the MIAA Division 2 North sectionals, March 5.

The victory sends the 10th seed Marauders to the Division 2 North semifinals for the third time in four years, to take on 3rd-seed Arlington Catholic which defeated Melrose 55-43 Sunday. The game will take place at 7 p.m. Tuesday night, March 8, at Billerica High School.

Nikolaidis coolly knocked down a pair of free throws – the final of five consecutive successful free throws – after being fouled driving to the basket with one minute remaining in the game to give Belmont a one-point lead, 48-47. Then it was left up to Belmont’s defense to stop Newburyport and its star Emily Pettigrew, who scored her 1,000 career point while collecting a game-high 22 points.

“I missed my first two (free throws) of the game so I just had to block out their fans … and focus on making them,” said Nikolaidis.

Closing off the passing lane to Pettigrew, a drive by freshman guard Anna Hickman was blocked by freshman center Jess Giorgio (2 points) with 43 seconds but remained the Clippers’ ball. Then Christofori, who quarterbacked the offensive for all but a few minutes of the game, stepped in front of an outlet pass and sent sophomore Jenny Call into the forecourt.

“I was just thinking, ‘We needed the ball, we need the ball now’,” said Christofori.

After a timeout, Belmont hung onto the ball until the collision at midcourt in which senior co-captain Samri Winklaar ended up at the bottom of a Clippers pile, resulting in a 30-second violation.

With less than 12 seconds remaining, the Clippers again went to Hickman whose shot with 8.3 seconds was missed with Giorgio’s wingspan altering the attempt. In the resulting scrum for possession, Call dived onto the floor to tie up a Newburyport player for a jump ball with the all-important arrow pointing towards Belmont’s bench with 3.9 seconds remaining.

On the critical inbounds pass, Christofori found Giorgio, who quickly pass the ball to guard Meghan Tan in the forecourt where she was fouled with 0.2 seconds. Tan made the second of two foul shots, a full court shot fell much too short and the celebration began.

For senior captain Sarah Stewart, who fouled out after defending the taller and bigger Pettigrew, the playoffs have been an emotional ride, literally.

“I was crying on the way here because you’ll never have such a great community come out and all the fans that came here just made us win. That spirit just coming to Newburyport (a 50 mile journey from Belmont) that’s how we won tonight.”

Belmont’s Head Coach Melissa Hart said her team “is stepping up when they are being challenged.”

“They’re good, it’s a good group that shows its resilency with each playoff game,” she said.

The biggest assist for Belmont Saturday came from the Clippers themselves which collectively went a woeful 17 for 40 from the free-throw line, missing 23 times from the charity stripe, including going 5 for 19 in the second quarter.

Belmont was somewhat better from the line, making 17 for 32.

“I’m more surprised that they went to the free throw line 40 times,” said Hart, who said she got a headache after watching too many Belmont frees not fall through.

Unlike its previous playoff game against Marblehead, which they fell behind 12-0 in the opening period, Belmont started the game on the front foot as Call hit a pair of threes while Nikolaidis started the game with a breakaway layup to give Belmont a quick 8-1 lead. The host Clippers quickly got back in the game, mostly from driving against Belmont’s zone defense to go on a 6-1 run to end the first, down 9-7.

Belmont once again started fast, with baskets from sophomore guard Alexa Sabatino and Nikolaidis to see Belmont jump to a 13-8 edge and then 16-12 with a Christofori three-pointer midway through the second. The Marauders would lead going into the half, 21-18, after the Clippers missed six consecutive free throws in the final minute of the half.

The last 16 minutes turned into a rough-and-tumble affair – several times many girls would find themselves looking up from the court’s floor – with Pettigrew using her considerable stature (6 foot to her team’s benefit, keeping the Clippers close as Belmont used a three from Christofori, a floater by Call and a strong move by Winklaar for two increased its lead to 32-28 entering the final quarter.

But that advantage was gone after Hickman scored twice (a three and a two) and two free throws from Pettigrew gave the hosts a 35-32 lead at the 5:40 mark. It would be Belmont senior co-captain Sarah Stewart who led the way back with a bank shot for a basket before standing her ground against a full-speed Pettigrew to draw the charge.

Down by three, 37-34, with 4:40 left, Belmont made its stand; first Nikolaidis put in an offensive rebound while being fouled to complete the three-point play and tie the score then Tan knocked down a three-pointer (her only hoop in a six-point afternoon) to give Belmont the lead at 40-39.

The Clippers would go up by three once more before Call hit her two free throws at 3:22 to get Belmont within one, 43-42, before Winklaar went one for two to tie the score at 43.

Later down by one, Nikolaidis grabbed another offensive rebound and hit her second and third free throws at 2:10 to put Belmont up by one, 46-45. After Pettigrew had hit two free throws with a little more than a minute remaining to give Newburyport its final lead at 47-46, it was time for Nikolaidis, Christofori, and the defense to take the game from the Clippers.

Sports: Belmont Girls Hoops Upsets Marblehead, Heads to Newburyport Saturday [VIDEO]

March 4, 2016 By Franklin B. Tucker Leave a Comment

Photo: Belmont Girls’ Basketball team celebrates its victory at Marblehead.

The great American philosopher and pugilist Mike Tyson says that everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.

And for most of the opening quarter of its playoff game at 7th-seed Marblehead Thursday, March 3, Belmont High Girls’ Basketball took a good one on the chin as it was looking at a double-digit deficit and having yet to score a single point.

But a critical change in its game plan and contributions from nearly every player on the Marauders’ long bench – 18 players ready to play – turned the game on its head in Belmont’s favor as the visitors’ suffocating defense totally shut down the number host Magicians for a convincing 43-28 victory in the MIAA Division 2 North sectional playoffs.

“Everyone stepped up tonight, they really did. If they were on the floor, they contributed something good for us,” said a happy Belmont Head Coach Melissa Hart told the Belmontonian.

“We made mistakes, it wasn’t a perfect game. But the players came back from their mistakes which was a good step for us. We didn’t just get down and let it spiral down,” she said.

And the game could have gotten out of hand as there could not have had an uglier start to a basketball game then Belmont’s first four minutes. From the tipoff, the Magicians were off and running, winning rebounds, forcing Belmont to take long range shots and finding lots of room against Belmont’s zone defense to make baskets seemingly at will.

By the time Hart called a timeout, Belmont was looking up at a 10-0 scoreboard. But there was no panic from the players or Hart on the sideline.

“We have lots of time left in this game,” said Hart, as she told her starters to abandoned the zone they started the game in and revert to its time-tested man-to-man defense that has been the team’s bread and butter for the past two years.

“They came out and stunned us. We were a little nervous but Marblehead was ready to go and they took it to us,” said Hart.

While the Magicians would score on a quick break to take a 12 point lead at the five-minute mark, Belmont’s “in your face” defense appeared to unnerve the Magicians as it committed a pair of turnovers including a 30-second violation.

Belmont found the scoreboard from sophomore guard Jenny Call (7 points) who bagged a couple of threes to help cut Marblehead’s lead to six, 14-8, entering the second quarter.

The second eight minutes was one of the best of the season from the Marauders as it outscored the Magicians 17-4 as a pair of freshmen made their mark in the game.

Guard Megan Tan had her statement game of the season, making life a misery for her counterpart, Nicole Freedo (8 points, all in the first quarter) while complementing All-Star sophomore point guard Carly Christofori on offense. Tan (a team-high 8 points) also brought her shooting game with her, scoring on the break before hitting a three at the five-minute mark to give the Marauders’ its first lead of the game, 15-14.

After Marblehead had retaken the lead, Christofori (7 points) drained her own trey to provide the Marauders a lead (18-16) they would not surrender until the final buzzer.

Coming in for senior starter Sarah Stewart who picked up two quick fouls, ninth grader center Jess Giorgio held her own against Marblehead’s big girl duo of juniors Lindsay Walker (3 points) and Abby Settlemeyer (4 points) , grabbing 9 rebounds, hitting 2 of 4 free throws and unofficially blocking five shots in a standout performance.

Senior forward and co-captain Samri Winklaar (7 points) took advantage of the open space by hitting a pair of runners in the paint, the final hoop finishing off a 17-4 quarter to leave the court up 25-18 at the half.

Both teams came out of the break with an eye on playing defense with Belmont holding the edge with the return of Stewart. The senior would dominate under the glass, picking up phenomenal 14 rebounds, nearly all in the second half, to go with 6 points, most of those put backs from critical offensive rebounds.

The rebounding by [Giorgio] and Sarah Stewart was phenomenal. That was probably the biggest difference was the rebounding changed a lot and we were able to shot and miss and get something which wasn’t happening [early in the game],” said Hart.

Marblehead would come within six points, 29-23, when Tan wrestled the ball away from the point guard and stuck the easy layup. A turnaround jumper from sophomore Greta Propp and a free throw from Call put Belmont up by nine, 34-25, with eight minutes to play,

By the final quarter, Marblehead had no answer for the relentless Marauder defense, scoring just a three-point basket for their only points in the quarter. By the final minute, Belmont’s reserve players were on the court, with seniors Sophia Cellucci draining a buzzer-beating three pointer and Meghan Ferraro putting in a driving shot and draining the free throw after being fouled.

Next up for Belmont, 12-9, is a trip to Newburyport (which many of the players had no idea where it is located) on Saturday, March 5 to play the second-seed Newburyport High Clippers (17-3), with tipoff at 4 p.m.

The Clippers, which has not played a regular game in two weeks, is led by its only senior player, Emily Pettigrew, who is supported by younger players such as sophomore Krysta Padellaro, freshmen Katie Hadden and Anna Hickman and junior Olivia Olson.

But on Thursday, the underdogs took their time leaving the court, wishing to celebrate the upset before making the one hour drive home.