Sports: Brams Takes 14th in All-States X-C Championship, Belmont Girls’ Race to 14th

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Belmont’s Leah Brams in the lead pack early in the Div. 1 All-States meet. 

Belmont High four-year star Leah Brams finished her brilliant high school cross-country career running to a 14th-place finish in a stacked field in the MIAA Division 1 All-States Cross Country Championships held at Stanley Park in Westfield on Saturday, Nov. 21.

The three-time Middlesex League champion led Belmont to a 14th place finish with 312 points, the first time Belmont has been in the championship in more than a dozen years. 

Screen Shot 2015-11-22 at 8.20.32 AM

Belmont’s Sara Naumann.

Screen Shot 2015-11-22 at 8.22.40 AM

Belmont senior Sophia Klimasmith.

Brams’ time, 18 minutes, 32.56 seconds over the 5 kilometer (3.1 miles) course, is a personal best in the state championships for the senior. The race was won by Lincoln-Sudbury senior Ariel Keklak in 17:25 with Needham taking the team title. 

Following Brams in second was junior Sara Naumann (who also finished her career at Belmont High School with the championship race) who scored 41 points for Belmont racing in at 19:.37.8.

Running her strongest race of the year, senior Sophia Klimasmith once again scored top points for the Marauders with 64 points finishing in 20:10.3.

Finishing up Belmont’s scoring was freshman Audrey Christo in 20:23.8 (81 points) and senior Meredith Hughes in 21:15.8 (114). Sophomore Camilla Carere (21:44.2) and senior Emma Chambers (22:16.6) rounded out the effort. 

Now the top runner in the state can breathe a sigh of relief knowing they don’t have to worry about Brams’ day-glo socks tracking them down as the Belmont resident transititions to her strongest sport, nordic skiing, and an opportunity to seek national recognition in cross country skiing. 

Sports: Belmont Swimming’s Final Goal, Winning a State Championship

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Belmont High Swimming and Divings captains, (from left) Sara Noorouzi, Sarah Steward, Jessica Blake-West, Emily Quinn, readies for the state championship on Sunday at Harvard.

At the beginning of each swim season, the Belmont High Swimming and Diving’s senior captains come together to set a team goal.

Train harder, chase pool records, take home the Middlesex League title, those are the common aspirations made every year.

On Aug. 25, the four senior co-captains – Jessie Blake-West, Emily Quinn, Sarah Stewart and Sara Noorouzi – set the team’s target to a level not sought by past leaders.

Let’s win the state championship.

“We have never said, as long as I’ve been on the team, said our goal is to win states,” said Stewart on Thursday, Nov. 20, after the team was feted at the Belmont High School Athletic Awards Night. 

“So for us to even vocalize that to the team and to think of that goal ourselves is huge,” said Stewart.

On Sunday morning, Nov. 22, at Harvard’s Blodgett Pool, the final step in that goal will be taken when the Marauders take to the water in the MIAA Division 2 State Championship.

“It’s what we’ve been seeking since August, and we have given ourselves that chance,” said Stewart. 

Three teams will battle for the Championship: Belmont, fellow Middlesex League team Reading Memorial and two-time defending state champions Bishop Feehan. In the Shamrock’s past two victories, Belmont placed second each time.

But long-time Head Coach Ev Crosscup and the team’s expectation were peaked this past weekend at the MIAA North Sectionals where Belmont finished fourth behind Andover, Acton-Boxborough and Reading.

But it wasn’t the team’s placement that sparked all the hubbub, but the times recorded, which broke or matched season bests.

“We were asking, ‘where are these times coming from?” said Crosscup, pointing to the 200 Medley Relay. Those kids dropped four seconds,” said Crosscup.

Leading the way were freshman Nicole Kalavantis in the 200 (rated the best time coming into the meet according to the “Psych Sheet”) and 500 yard freestyle (in which she is considered the odds-on favorite to win the event), Quinn in her speciality the 100 breast where she cut four seconds from her season’s best to rank first, and senior diver Cynthia Kelsey who has registered a rare “10.0” on a dive this season.

But when you talk about the leader of the Marauders in the pool, it is Blake-West. Her 54.67-second 100-yard butterfly win at the North Sectionals earned her National Scholastic All-American honors.

“First time I’ve ever had an All-American in over 20 years,” said Crosscup. “I’ve had some real good swimmers, but no one has ever qualified for All-American automatically. Jessie’s very special,” he said.

Going into the pool for the last time for her school on Sunday, Blake-West said Thursday she’ll come to the pool “centered on my races and not get caught up in the meet.” 

Blake-West, who has committed to swim at Brown next year, said she’ll be chasing the state butterfly record – 53.56 set by Andover’s Rachel Moore in 2011 – and will be seeking a new title, in the 50-yard freestyle rather than defend her 200-yard individual medley.

“That was a tactical move so that I’m fresh for the relays,” said Blake-West.

“I think I have some good times still in me,” she said.

Crosscup believes the girls have not peaked despite the big time gains at sectionals. 

“We haven’t got the team fully tapered, so that’s why I think we have something left in the tank,” he said.

“But we’ll have to show up and swim become Bishop Feehan, and Reading are all within 10-15 points of each other,” he said.

But the captains’ goal of holding the state championship plaque poolside on Sunday afternoon is attainable, said Steward.

“Every day we work hard. We are in the pool and Ev pushes us and doesn’t hold back, and that’s really important,” she said.

“With all the freshmen, we’ve added to the team, and how they are swimming, we are looking really good and I am excited for Sunday,” Steward said.

For Crosscup, who has been forced to take a step back from coaching due to a serious lung illness, his team “will be in the hunt. It will be a lot of fun.”

“Even if we don’t make it, I couldn’t be prouder of this group of girls and how hard they have worked. Probably one of the strongest group of swimmers I’ve had in my career,” said Crosscup.

“I told the girls I’m going to do nothing but smile on Sunday regardless of what we do.”

Sports: Belmont Girls X-C Qualify for All-States, Brams 8th at EMass

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Over the top of the hill with Belmont’s Leah Brams. (credit for all photos: Milesplits.com)

A spirited effort from the entire squad of runners resulted in Belmont High School Girls’ Cross Country qualifying for the state championships as the team placed 4th in the Div. 3 Eastern Massachusetts Championships held at the Wrentham Development Center on Saturday, Nov. 14.

The result will see the entire team head to Westfield for the All-States championships next Saturday, Nov. 21. 

It has been 15 years since Belmont last qualified for the championships.

But it was close: if the five Belmont harriers had each placed just one spot lower at the finish, the team would have missed out of their chance to make a mark at the big stage.

Belmont finished 4th overall with 177 points, just four points ahead of Oliver Ames. The Marauders’ were only 14 points from second place Hopkinton.  

Leading the way for the Marauders was four-year star Leah Brams who finished 8th in 19 minutes, 38.5 seconds in the highly competitive race over 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) won by Abigail Long from Bishop Feehan High School in 18:23.4.

It was the impressive runs by Belmont’s middle four runners that put the Marauders into the finals.

Junior Sara Naumann and freshman Audrey Christo ran together for the race, finishing 27th and 28th in 20:16.5 and 20:16.6 while solid points grabber senior Sophia Klimasmith ran one of her best races of the season, finishing about 100 yards behind Naumann and Christo in 41st in 20:29.0.

Belmont’s final scorer was senior Meredith Hughes who came in 78th in 21:20.1. Non-scorers included sophomore Camilla Carere (95th in 22:05.7) and senior Emma Chambers 22:32.7 for 109th).

A video of the race’s highlights can be seen here. Brams can be seen finishing at the 8:10 min. mark with Naumann and Christo sprinting home at the 8:46 mark.

Belmont’s Boys’ finished 26th with 764 points led by senior Mike Ferrante 18:49.5 for 120th followed by fellow senior Ian Bowe in 138th in 19:18.4 then Gavin Li and freshman Kai Takayama in 20:31.6 and 20:32.4 (166th and 167th) with sophomores Connor Quinn and Elias Dionne in 172nd and 173th. 

Screen Shot 2015-11-16 at 1.42.26 AM Screen Shot 2015-11-16 at 1.51.44 AM Screen Shot 2015-11-16 at 1.53.10 AM Screen Shot 2015-11-16 at 1.53.53 AM Screen Shot 2015-11-16 at 2.01.16 AM Screen Shot 2015-11-16 at 2.09.21 AM Screen Shot 2015-11-16 at 2.09.50 AM Screen Shot 2015-11-16 at 2.10.47 AM

Like a Butterfly: Blake-West Sets Sectional Record, Swim Team Prepares for States

By 1 Comment

Photo: Jessie Blake-West.

Senior star Jessie Blake-West threw down a couple of gauntlets as the Belmont High Swimming and Diving team prepares their game plan as the team put some serious times on the board finishing fourth in the MIAA North Sectional Meet held at MIT Saturday, Nov. 14.

If this weekend’s times are any indication of what the Marauders – which finished fourth with 236 points as powerhouse Andover won the meet with 474 points – are looking to do this weekend at the Div. 2 State Finals at Harvard’s Blodgett Pool, the Marauders – who placed second behind Bishop Feehan in consecutive years – will have something to say who wins. 

And Saturday’s meet showed that Blake-West must be considered one of, if not the best, all-around swimmer in Massachusetts.

In her favorite race, the 100 yard butterfly, Blake-West destroyed the field taking out the race in 25.5 seconds for the first 50 yards and coming home in 54.67 seconds, smashing the meet record by a second-and-a-half and defeating her nearest challenger, Taryn Waite of Lexington, by nearly four seconds in races that are usually measured in tenths of seconds.

A few events earlier, Blake-West took home the 50-yard freestyle sprint title in 23.95 seconds, just missing the meet and state record. 

If all that wasn’t impressive enough, she joined freshman Sophia Butte, sophomore Julia Bozkurtian and fellow captain and senior Emily Quinn to defend the team’s title in the 200-yard medley relay. Blake-West’s mind-blowing 24.9-second butterfly leg (the next nearest time for the same segment was nearly three seconds slower) led the team to the win in 1 minute, 51.8 seconds, beating out Reading by three-quarters if a second. 

Blake-West finished the night with a 51.6-second final leg in the 400-yard relay to bring Belmont up to third in that race.

Following Blake-West in high finishes was freshman distance specialist Nicole Kalavantis, who took first in the 200, breaking two minutes with a 1:59.6, thanks to a 30.7 second last 50 yards. Kalavantis took second behind another frosh, Andover’s Victoria Amborse, in the 500 yards free, taking more than 12 seconds off her qualifying time, swimming the distance in 5:16.45. 

Quinn (who also scored in the butterfly) upped her game for the meet, placing third two more Andover freshman, with a 1.09.87 in the 100-yard breast stroke final. She was joined by Dervla Moore-Federick in 8th in 1:11.4. Moore-Federick also finished 16th in the 200-yard individual medley relay.

Senior diver Cynthia Kelsey placed a solid third behind fellow seniors Michaela Sliney of Haverhill and Lexington’s Emily Zitkozsky in the one-meter springboard with 460.35 points. 

Also swimming well were Elizabeth Levy and Sara Noorouzi in the 200 and 500 free, senior Solvay Metelmann in the 50 free, freshman Angela Li in the 200 IM, Butte and Bozkurtian scoring in the 50 and 100 free, Allie Beecroft in the 500 free, Molly Thomas scoring in the 100-yard backstroke which also saw sophomore Stephanie Zhang and Grace Newberry in the competition and a couple of sophomores, Caroline Daskalakis and Katerena Nalbandian in the breaststroke.

Sports: Belmont Football Falls Just Short to Masco in Home Finale, 20-17

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Joe Shaughnessy catches an eight-yard pass from Cal Christofori for a touchdown against Masco.

For the third time this season, Belmont High School’s football team came close, really close, to pulling out a fourth quarter comeback in front of the Harris Field home crowd.

But just like games against Woburn and Lexington, the Marauders could not convert late game critical short third and fourth down plays against visiting Masconomet Regional High School and fell, 20-17, to the Chieftans in the final home game of the season on Friday, Nov. 13.

“Tough game because we had a couple of great opportunities late to take the lead,” said Yann Kuman, Belmont’s head coach after the game.

After making a series of stops on defense, including a blocked fourth-down pass by senior Justin Wagner with 2:27 left in the fourth quarter to give Belmont the ball on the Marauders’ 8 yard line, Belmont held the momentum after QB Cal Christofori threw three completions to senior wide receivers Trey Butler (two catches for 11 and 13 yards) and Joe Shaughnessy. An eight-yard run by injured running back Mahki Johnson put the ball on Belmont’s 47 yard line with a little less than two minutes remaining.

But the final drive stalled on Masco’s 48 as a pair of runs and two passes, including an attempt to Butler on fourth and five, could only gain five yards. 

Belmont began the game allowing the Chieftains to march down field uncontested in just under two minutes to take the lead, 6-0, on a 20 yard run by running back Dan Strow, the first of his three TDs. 

“Our biggest thing is coming out the gate with with some urgency and some speed. If we do that this is a very different game. That first drive we decided they were just going to walk down the field and score. There was very little we can do to keep us in ball games when that is our first drive,” said Kuman.

Belmont came back with a steady diet of running plays with Johnson and junior Ben Jones and a 14-yard pass from Christofori to Wagner to put the ball on Masco’s 8 yard line for Christofori hit a diving Shaughnessy at the plyon to give Belmont a 7-6 lead with 2 minutes remaining in the first quarter. 

Despite big stops by Butler and Hasset, Belmont could not make a fourth down stop and soon Strow dove in for his and Masco’s second touchdown of the half, and a 12-7 lead as Noonan stopped the Chieftain’s running back on the two-point c0nversion. 

After Christofori was intercepted by Masco on its 10 yard line, Belmont’s defense stepped it up, holding the Chieftains to no yards on three plays before Butler deflected the subsequant punt to give Belmont the ball on the 17. But the Marauder offense stalled which saw kicker Aiden Cadogan make a 30-yard field goal to cut the lead to 12-10 at the half. 

After holding Belmont on its first drive of the second half, Masco took six minutes off the clock as it ran the ball effectivley ending with Strow running in from five yards out with three minutes remaining in the third. The two-point PAT was successful and gave the Chieftains a 20-10 lead. 

Belmont went back to the Johnson/Jones running combination before Christofori scrambled and found Jones in the flats with a swing pass and the junior sprinted 30 yards to the Masco 6. Jones would score at 8:29 remaining to cut the lead to 20-17. 

The Marauders halted Masco at midfield forcing a punt. But a missed handoff and a great defensive play forced Belmont to punt with 3:49 to go. That’s when Belmont D stood tall leading to the final drive. 

Kuman said preparation for the annual Thanksgiving Day game, at Watertown this year, in 13 days, is to play with urgency and pace against the Raiders which lost a sectional final against Stoneham. 

 “That will be a focus for us going into Watertown is coming out of the game fast with commitment,” said Kuman. 

IMG_2245 IMG_2256 IMG_2281 IMG_2296 IMG_2309 IMG_2320 IMG_2323 IMG_2325 IMG_2331 IMG_2339 IMG_2366 IMG_2374 IMG_2380 IMG_2411 IMG_2419 IMG_2420 IMG_2423 IMG_2431 IMG_2433 IMG_2436 IMG_2439 IMG_2455 IMG_2483 IMG_2490

Sports: Top-Ranked Acton-Boxoboro Ends Belmont Field Hockey Playoff Run

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Belmont’s penalty corner team: senior co-captain Molly Thayer, junior Molly Goldberg, sophomore Christina MacLeod, junior AnnMarie Habelow and junior Julia Chase.

A bit of nerves, a defending champion, and a numbers game all combined to end a brilliant season and strong playoff run by Belmont High School’s Field Hockey team as number-one seed Acton-Boxborough Regional High defeated the fourth-ranked Marauders, 3-0, in the Divison 1 North Sectional semifinals in Reading, Wednesday, Nov. 11.

“I’m so, so proud of you guys. I had a blast coaching you. You proved me wrong at the beginning of the season,” said an emotional Head Coach Jessie Smith to her team, many in tears, as they huddled on the field for the final time under the lights on a cool, damp night at Reading Memorial High School.

“We didn’t know what team we would have this year; there were so many young players who we didn’t even know their names. But it because such a great group to play with,” said co-captain and senior defender Molly Thayer, who with her fellow Molly, junior Molly Goldberg bookend standout junior sweeper midfield Julia Chase in the defensive backline. 

In the game, Belmont’s tempo could not match the Colonials’ which had several fast forwards and a big rangy defense. The typical short and long-ball passing accuracy was not in evident and the quick ball movement was frustrated by the athletic Colonials. 

Smith believed the team “sort of psyched themselves out” playing a top-ranked team and with it the confidence a team needs to defeat such a squad. 

“I wanted to shake them and say, ‘They’re not an army of field hockey players. They’re just high school kids who are applying to college and studying for exams just like you’,” said Smith after the game. 

Belmont’s cautious approach allowed Acton-Boxborough to pressure through the midfield where they took advantage with a long-shot from sophomore Emma Kearney eluded Belmont’s sophomore keeper Christine MacLeod just past the 10 minutes mark in the opening half.

Now on the front foot, the Colonials kept the pressure on, leading to a pair of penalty corners and a goal taken questionably away from the one-seed team. 

Smith called a timeout in an attempt to calm the team, but only to see the Colonials up their lead to two as junior Camille Grigsby scored 10 meters out of the fourth penalty corner of the first half.

It was the second goal that woke the Marauders from its malaise. Led by the midfield tandem of senior co-captain Serena Nally and junior MVP AnnMarie Habelow, passes began to connect, pressuring Acton-Boxborough backs and leading to a series of penalty corners. 

An apparent goal off a Habelow shot was not tipped inside the 15-yard scoring circle, a pair of outstanding pushes inside five yards just missed the far post or a Belmont stick before going out of bounds while senior Kerri Lynch’s turnaround shot from 7 yards out was barely kicked out by Colonials’ goalie.

At the half, with shots (4) and penalty corners (6) equal, Smith continued to urge the players to take every opportunity to take shots and crash the net “because we will only have a few, so we need to score.”

But it was the Colonials that came out with a rush on Belmont’s goal, only to see MacLeod, in her first year in the varsity net, make two point-blank saves. 

Belmont’s offense started clicking, especially down the right-hand side with sophomore midfielder Lilly Devitt making critical stops and quickly transitioning to freshman Morgan Chase, who continued her outstanding season with an excellent display of dribbling and passing. 

Belmont’s forwards, Lynch and Kate McCarthy, were also connecting with McCarthy’s heads up play caused the Colonials’ goalie to scramble to parry an in-close shot from going into the net.

But just as the Marauders attack began to take shape, the Colonials scored against the run of play, by Kearney for her second goal midway through the period. 

With Acton-Boxborough experience in the defensive end of the field – many of the nine seniors were back line and midfielders – the chances for Belmont were rare as the Colonials laid back to absorb Belmont’s efforts forward. 

When the final horn came, the Marauders left the field feeling they may have left a little too much on the sideline.

But Smith was philosophic about the game against a team from a school in which the coach has 400 more girls to select from for her team. (Acton-Boxborough’s enrollment is closing on 2,000 students to Belmont’s 1,200).

“How can you not be proud at all they accomplished,” she said.

In fact, the 2015 Belmont High Field Hockey team’s list of honors is quite long: 

  • A 14-2 regular season, likely the best in program history and a final record of 16-3. 
  • The Middlesex League Liberty division championship.
  • Defeating several Boston Globe ranked teams in the regular season and the playoff while ending the regular season at number 15. 
  • A prolific offense with 91 goals, a top five total in eastern and central Massachusetts. 
  • A stellar defense securing 12 shutouts in 19 games (including a 3-0 whitewash in the quarterfinals over Masco Regional)
  • Of the three losses, two were to currently undefeated and untied defending state champions (Watertown and Acton-Boxborough) while the third was redressed in dominating fashion with a 2-0 victory over Winchester, another playoff team. 
“This was a team that liked to work, especially the seniors and it showed on the field,” said Nally, speaking of her follow 12th graders in Lynch, McCarthy, Thayer and Sophia Stratford. 
“It was a good team to be on,” said Nally.

Belmont High Cheer Team In Regionals for First Time in 58 Years

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Screenshot from a video of the Belmont High Cheerleaders (courtesy Marauder Media)

It was in 1957 when the Frisbee was introduced, “American Bandstand” had its first broadcast, the Soviets launched the first space satellite named Sputnik and Elvis Presley was on everybody’s transistor radio.

It was also the last time a Belmont High School cheer team was in a regional competition.

That was until last week, when Belmont High Cheerleaders, with a flawless performance at the Middlesex League meet in Woburn, advanced to the Massachusetts Fall Cheerleading North Division 2 Regional championships to be held Sunday, Nov. 15, at Woburn High School.

Congratulations go to Amanda Bonilla, varsity cheerleading coach, and the boys and girls of the team which have upped their game in the past few years.

Below is the performance captured by Marauder Media:

Sports: Belmont Field Hockey Dominates Masco, Heads to Sectional Semis

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Morgan Chase (6) passes to Bridget Gardiner (center in white) for Belmont’s third goal vs Masco Regional.

Two goals by junior sensation AnnMarie Habelow and a smothering defense was more than enough to send Belmont High School Field Hockey to the Division 1 North Sectional semifinals as the 4th-ranked Marauders dominated 5th-seed Masconomet Regional High School, 3-0, in a quarterfinals matchup at Belmont’s Harris Field, Saturday, Nov. 7.

“Everything happened the best way it possibly could, defensively and on offense. They couldn’t compete with you today,” said Jessica Smith, Belmont’s head coach while congratulating the team.

“I’m psyched. I didn’t know what to expect coming into this game,” said Smith, adding that she wanted the team to win this game because it proves that Belmont “deserves the four seed.” 

“We’re coming from the Middlesex League, maybe the towns aren’t as big but in the past few years, Belmont is really proving itself as a solid field hockey school in the state. Year-after-year we make it a couple of rounds (in the playoffs) and now it’s time to take the additional step and be one of the great ones,” she said.

While the game was supposed to be a wide-open affair between two athletically-inclined teams, Belmont (16-2-0) would command long stretches of the contest while keeping Masco, the Cape Ann League Kinney champions, on their heels especially in the first half when the Middlesex League Liberty titleholders outshot the Lady Chieftains, 14-1, and had seven penalty corners while Masco would go the entire game without a penalty corner. 

And it was the fifth corner when Belmont took the lead when Habelow – who ended the afternoon with nine shots – took the inbounds pass from sophomore forward Bridget Gardiner and rocketed a shot from 15 meters past senior goalie Amanda MacPherson-Peachy with 11 minutes left in the half.

“The big thing about the game before (a 5-3 victory over Central Catholic on Nov. 5) is we didn’t score on any corners, and they are a time you have to capitalize and I took advantage of that today,” said Habelow, whose play especially in the defensive midfield was critical for Belmont’s quick transition to offense. 

Masco were playing a slower more deliberate game, sending all but one player into the defensive zone when Belmont came within the 25-yard area from its goal, then push up players while delaying their restart until they were in position.

“It’s really hard to maneuver inside but sometimes that makes it easier because they will bump into each other so when you beat one person, you’re actually beating two,” said Habelow.

The Chieftains’ tactic worked in the Marauders’ favor as it allowed Belmont to set up its defense, clogging up the passing lane. Led by co-captains midfielder Serena Nally, Lilly Devitt, Sophia Stratford, Meron Power and the two Molly’s, defenders Goldberg and co-captain Thayer, thawed many Masco passes and attempts at dribbling the ball and by the Marauders’ ability to quickly close down on the attackers.

Offensively, senior forwards Kerri Lynch and Kate McCarthy, sophomore Bridget Gardner and freshman Morgan Chase harassed the Masco defenders on their outlet passes while taking ever opportunity to rush the Chieftains’ net.

“What it was is that we were passing to each other and they were hitting the ball and hoping that somebody would pick it up. And we were ready for that, so our kids were moving to the ball just like their players,” said Smith.

Not helping Masco was playing all but two of their previous games on a grass pitch, as opposed to the uniformity of the Harris Field “Turf” pitch.

“You have to be so much faster on ‘Turf’ and I think their style of play was to bring everyone up and back, and you can’t keep that up on an artificial field because the ball is moving so much faster,” said Smith. 

Down a goal after the first half, Masco came out running and passing, keeping the ball in Belmont’s end for the first three minutes.

But a quick turnover at midfield led to Belmont’s first corner of the second half and Belmont second goal as Habelow from a step within the scoring circle slammed the ball from Molly Goldberg by a charging MacPherson-Peachy for a 2-0 lead after five minutes.

Masco now dedicated players to the offense leading to it best scoring chance as senior defender and co-captain Tessa Ives made a stellar solo run to within 10 meters of Belmont’s sophomore goalie Christina McLeod (her 11th shutout this season) but her pass never hit a stick as it went skating by the net.

The final time Masco came close to threatening Belmont’s goal was with 12 minutes remaining when a midfield miscue saw five Lady Chieftains racing towards Belmont’s goal. But Julia Chase stepped in front of the first attacker taking the ball and with it Masco’s momentum.

Belmont sealed the game in the final minute when Morgan Chase squeezed a pass by MacPherson-Peachy’s pads to a wide-open Gardiner on the far post.

Belmont’s semi-final opponent will be known after the match between one seed Acton-Boxborough and 8th-ranked North Andover taking place on Sunday, Nov. 8. If the Marauders meet Acton-Boxborough, ranked 11th nationally by Max Field Hockey, it will be a game of taking advantage of every chance provided.

“When you play a team like Acton-Boxoboroug, you don’t know how many times you’ll have offensive opportunities and working on those. It’s also making the offense understand how important every touch is in the scoring circle which I think we improved a lot this game,” said Smith. 

“Defensively it will be practice on moving our feet and forcing them out wide. And just being confident because you play the game because you don’t know who’ll win,” said Smith.

Habelow noted that Belmont has some experience with highly-touted teams.

“We’ll prepare for them just like we did for Watertown (the fifth-ranked team in the country and undefeated in 160 games). We respect the best teams like it’s an honor to play the nationally best teams because it makes us better and it makes the entire program better,” said Habelow. 

Sports: Belmont Football Down Somerville Behind 4 TDs by Johnson

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Makhi Johnson on his 70-yard touchdown run Friday night.

Senior running back Makhi Johnson scored four touchdowns and gained 280 yards to lead a balanced rushing attack featuring the return of fellow back junior Ben Jones as Belmont High School Football (4-5) won back-to-back games for the first time this season to defeat Somerville High School, 38-28, on Friday night, Nov. 6 at Somerville’s Dilboy Stadium.

Belmont is expected to host Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School (1-8) at Harris Field on Friday, Nov. 13. A final decision will be made early in the week. 

“I thought our guys did a great job staying within themselves and continue to play football,” said Belmont Head Coach Yann Kumin, pointing out the running tandem of Johnson and Jones, “when they are both healthy and together are really a great combination of backs.”

While Johnson was a threat at breaking long runs, scoring on runs of 66 and 70 yards, Jones would power into the middle of the line to grab three to ten yards at a time.

“When [Johnson] has [Jones] as a compliment, and they can trade out the way they did today, our offense gains another dimension, which is nice,” said Kumin.

Belmont took charge on offense and defense from the start of the game against Somerville (1-8). After holding the Highlanders to a single first down to start the game, the Marauders scored on its fourth play as Johnson swept down right sideline 66 yards for the first of his quartet of touchdowns at 6:16 of the first. 

On Belmont’s second possession, Belmont’s QB Cal Christofori hooked up with senior wide receiver Trey Butler for eight yards on a fourth down and six yards to the Somerville 24 yard line. A facemask personal foul placed the ball on the 12 before Johnson scored on a one-yard run early in the second quarter.

Senior Grant Gilbert, who made several tackles in the backfield, had the individual play of the game by hustling downfield on kickoff coverage and causing a fumble and recovery that directly led to Belmont’s third touchdown, a 15-yard run up the middle by Johnson.

After Somerville had driven the field on a five-minute drive to score, Johnson took a pitch from Christofori and outran the Highlander team down the right sideline for a 70 yard TD, which gave Belmont a 28-6 lead at the half. 

The Marauder took the second half kickoff and using Johnson and Jones as battering rams set up Christofori’s pass to senior wide receiver Joe Shaunnessey for a 30-yard touchdown and a 35-6 lead. 

While Belmont connected on a field goal by sophomore Aidan Cadogan, they were outscored by Somerville 21 to 10 in the half.

“One of the things we need to focus on in our progression as a team is putting teams away,”

“When we have a three, four touchdown lead we have to learn how to lock it down on defense to enable to keep our advantage,” he said.

Still, Kuman was pleased with the defense on the night.

“We made some big defensive stops when we needed to,” said Kuman, including “sniffing out” a screen pass that linebacker Justin Wagner intercepted late in the fourth quarter.

With one game before the Thanksgiving game against Watertown (6-3) – which will be playing in the Div. 4 Northeast Sectional finals, next week against Stoneham – Kumin is looking to be at 500 with five wins against five losses “when it comes to Turkey Day. We want to come to that game on a high.” 

Sports: Belmont Swimming Back on Top Winning League Meet Championship

By 1 Comment

Photo: Jessica Blake-West waiting to swim at a recent meet.

A week after a dispiriting loss in the season’s final dual meet to rival Reading Memorial High School, Belmont High School’s Girls’ Swimming and Diving team followed the lead of one of the great swimmers in program history and a freshman phenom to take home the Middlesex League Meet Championship title contested at Bentley College on Thursday, Nov. 5.

Belmont took 369.5 points for first with Reading second with 349.5 followed by Lexington with 226.5 and Winchester at 218.

Senior Jessie Blake-West set a meet record in her favorite event, the 100 yard butterfly and came in second to a boy in the 200 Individual Medley while 9th grader Nicole Kalavantis took both freestyle distance events, the 200 and 500 yard, to go along with a slew of mid-level swimmers garnering points and positioning themselves to set times that will allow them to head to the state championships in two weeks. 

Blake-West’s 57.47 second time in the butterfly erased a record going back to 1989, destroying Belmont’s Lena Eriksson’s past record of 58.22, and winning the event by more than four seconds. Her 2 minute, 14.52 second time in the IM was two second clear of the next girl as Blake-West finished second to Wakefield’s Christopher Anastasiades who swims with the girls since the school does not have a boys’ program. 

In the relays, Blake-West threw in a 25.76 fly leg in the 200 Medley Relay (with Molly Thomas, Emily Quinn and Solvay Metelmann), a time faster than all but a few freestyle legs as Belmont finished second to Reading. 

Kalavantis has become a big time scorer, first winning the 500-yard race the day before in Belmont breaking the 5 minute, 30-second mark (5:29.61) while tying for first with Bryan Filard of Woburn in 2:03.41, coming home in 31.25. Kalavantis also anchored the 4×200 free relay, cutting a seven-second deficit to two to see Belmont finish second. 

With Belmont needing only to finish second in the final event, the 4×400, to win the title over Reading, Belmont’s junior Julia Bozkurtian and senior Sara Noorouzi kept the team within striking distance of Reading when Kalavantis, who swam a 56.87 third 100 yard, touch off to Blake-West who proceeded to cap the night with a stunning 52.79 last 100 to catch and out touch Reading by three-tenth of a second, 3:47.66 to 3:47.95.

Also of note in the meet were senior Emily Quinn, junior Dervela Moore-Federick and freshman Angela Li qualifying for the state championships in the Medley Relay, while the same swimmers finished second, third and fifth respectively, in the 100 breast stroke with state times. 

Belmont’s long-time head coach Ev Crosscup said he was a little disappointed with some of the times posted by his charges at the Middlesex League Meet Championships held at Bentley College on Thursday, Nov. 5.

“Some didn’t do what I thought they could,” said Crosscup. “We’ll see hope things work out.”

But in talking to him, one could tell that he was proud at what the girls accomplished in taking home the championship crown a week after falling to Reading at Belmont’s Higginbottom Pool.

Next for the team is the North Sectionals which Belmont will be placed with powerhouse programs such as Andover, Chelmsford and Acton Boxoborough. Crosscup said he will be focusing on girls who are within reach of achieving a state qualifying time.

Then, it will be the state championship meet in which Belmont finished second in the past two years.

“It’s looking good, it really is. I think this meet meant a lot to where we want to be heading to states,” said Crosscup.