Belmont Student Artists Set Gold Standard at Scholastic Art Awards

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 Image: “Olga,” by Olga Brevnova, Gold Key/American Visions nominee from Belmont High School. 

For the past week, seven Belmont High School and three Chenery Middle School artists had their works prominently displayed at Boston University’s 808 Gallery as part of the “Exhibition of Gold Key Work” part of the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, run by the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (SMFA), in partnership with the Boston Globe.

The Scholastic Art Awards are the nation’s longest-running, largest, most prestigious recognition program for creative teenagers in the visual and literary arts. The works, from 17,000 entries, are judged on originality, technical skill, and the emergence of a personal voice or vision.

This year, a total of 28 Belmont students earned awards:

Belmont High School                                                                                                                                                                                           

  • Olga Brevnova      Gold Key/American Visions Nominee      Painting               “Olga”
  • Della Copes-Finke             Gold Key                                            Painting               “Mirror Mirror”
  • Darcy Feeley                       Gold Key                                            Painting               “Virus”
  • Chihiro Ichikawa               Gold Key                                            Painting               “Records of My Universe”
  • Austin Ickes                        Gold Key                                            Photography       “The Gang’s All Here”
  • Sabine Strauch                   Gold Key                                            Painting               “Nausea”
  • Vinutna Veeragandham   Gold Key                                            Painting               “Frame Of Green”
  • Suyeon Ji                             Silver Key                                          Painting               “paint my identity”
  • Kimberly Paquette             Silver Key                                          Painting               “Disintegration”
  • Hae Soo Park                      Silver Key                                          Painting               “Emptiness”
  • Cheng Qin                           Silver Key                                          Digital Art            “Origin”
  • Amy Wang                          Silver Key                                          Painting                “Cast From the Garden: Self and the Seven Deadlies”
  • Adam Alper                        Honorable Mention                        Painting               “Party Like Its 1899”
  • Hayoung Jo                        Honorable Mention                        Painting               “Hide and Seek”
  • Najin Kim                           Honorable Mention                        Painting               “The Show”
  • Yuzhe Li                              Honorable Mention                        Painting               “Peanut Butter”
  • Shreya Patel                       Honorable Mention                        Painting               “Incased”
  • Sierra Tseng                       Honorable Mention                        Painting               “Staring Contest”

Chenery Middle School                                                                                                                                                                                           

  • Zoe Armstrong                    Honorable Mention                        “Sophie”
  • Laurel Carpenter                Honorable Mention                        “Untitled”
  • Laurel Carpenter                Gold Key                                            “Good Things Come in Threes”
  • Samantha Dignan              Gold Key                                            “Red Apple Roosters”
  • Leon Fan                              Honorable Mention                        “A Tale of Two Souls”
  • Octavia Leeb                        Gold Key                                            “Queen Bee”
  • Hallie Liu                             Honorable Mention                        “A Man’s Burden”
  • Johanna Matulonis            Honorable Mention                        “Songbird”
  • Viola Monovich                  Honorable Mention                        “Try Everything”
  • Viola Monovich                  Honorable Mention                        “Purple Haze”
  • Victoria Shaw                      Silver Key                                           “Reading Alone”
  • Emily Zhang                        Silver Key                                           “Neptune”

Belmont School’s Calendar Could See Changes, Adding Jewish Holiday, Earlier Start to Year

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Photo: The Belmont school calendar could see changes on adding religious holiday and the start of school. 

Every year since she’s had children attending the Belmont schools, School Committee member Elyse Shuster has been in the same situation as so many Jewish parents at the beginning of every school year: should we keep the kids out of school during the High Holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur?

Even under the district’s current policy – the system officially doesn’t recognize religious holidays – that allows students to miss a day or two without penalty (and teachers are advised not to schedule tests on those days), Shuster and others have feared their children will not be fully caught up with their school work during the important first days of the school year as the important holidays occur between September and early October.

“It’s extremely hard to miss those days especially for high schoolers,” Shuster told the Belmontonian.

“The teachers will say that students won’t be penalized for missing class, but they also won’t hold up teaching for those days. Those kids are on their own,” she said.

For some families, the choice is one of education rather than faith.

“The [observances] are important to us, but I’ve known families who have sent their children to school rather than miss two or three days of class,” Shuster said.

Elected to the committee in 2013, Shuster was approached by parents and friends on the subject.

“People would come up to me to ask, ‘When are you going to bring it up?'” said Shuster.

That time came at the Belmont School Committee meeting held Tuesday, March 10 at the Chenery Middle School when Shuster received the handout with the draft 2015-16 school calendar.

On the sheet, in March, was scheduled an early release for Good Friday.

“If the district’s rule is not to observe religious holidays, why are we having a half-a-day on Good Friday?” asked Shuster.

For the next half hour, the school committee and district officials discussed how to put into effect either including those observances and how it could affect future discussions.

“I’m glad you’ve brought that up because this comes up, and we then forget about it,” Lisa Firo

Shuster is not asking to strike a sacred Christian day from the calendar, “that a religious holiday is … only being taken away in a tit-for-tat way,” said Shuster. In fact, she was hoping to draw interest in adding a holiday – most likely a day set aside for Yom Kippur which takes place on Wednesday, Sept. 23 – for an important observation to a sizable minority in the school population.

“If it’s all or nothing, then I think that’s fair. But I want to us to think about the High Holidays of the major religions in this town and have a dialog in this town,” she said.

Belmont Superintendent John Phelan said Belmont should not look how other cities and towns have broached he matters since every community is made up “of folks who have … different experiences and religious backgrounds and be respectful of where our local community feels is important and then try to reflect that.”

Just this week, the Easton School Committee voted to eliminate three religious holidays – Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Good Friday – from its calendar.

What Shuster is attempting to change is, at times, harder than discussing religion or politics with your relatives; the status quo. For as long as anyone can remember, the school year in Belmont begins after Labor Day and there is a half-a-day of work on Good Friday. When presented to past school committees, calendars were approved after a curtsey look.

“It alway seems like it’s the status quo and even when we bring it up, how does it change? I hope that people … will appreciate that this discussion is happening about religious holidays,” said Shuster, inviting people to the next school meeting to discuss this issue.

With Schuster opening the door to altering the calendar, Phelan said he wants to re-examine the long-standing tradition of a post-Labor Day beginning of the school year.

“If we start going down the path of additional days recognized, we may also simultaneously entertain starting school before Labor Day,” he said, a change that could led to schools opening in August.

Current school policy is that Belmont schools open on the first Wednesday in September. Under the proposed 2015-16 calendar, the school year does begin before Labor Day – tentatively a full day for 1st to 12th grades on Wednesday, Sept. 2 – due to the late date of the holiday, falling on Monday, Sept. 8.

“I think it’s good for the kids, and I just want to make sure that is discussed,” said Phelan.

School Committee Chair Laurie Slap said she was eager to start that conversation “when we have that opportunity.”

Other important dates in the draft calendar are the winter recess beginning on Thursday, Dec. 24 and running through Monday, Jan. 4; February break begins the week of Feb. 15 and a late Spring break week starting April 18.

The earliest the last day of school will occur will be Tuesday, June 14, that is if no snow (or any other weather/emergency) days are declared.

Approving changes to the calendar will need the cooperation of the Belmont Education Association, the bargaining representative of teachers, aides and staff. Language in the teachers’ contract pertaining to the calendar will need to be reviewed by all sides before action can be taken, said Phelan.

With more research needed and with Phelan meeting with other superintendents this week where he will bring up the subject, Slap said the committee will take up the issue at its next meeting on Tuesday, March 24.

Mark it down on your calendar.

Get Out the Vote: Belmont Schools in Race for Recycling Award

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Photo: From left, Emma and Chloe Ellis along with Brady Chan and Brent Hudson recycling milk cartons at the Wellington Elementary School. 

After they finish their lunches, the last thing students at the Roger Wellington Elementary School on Orchard Street do is head for the refuse barrels.

But before they throw away anythings, students will be pouring out the milk and water from the containers into a pail then tossing the boxes along with papers and plastic boxes into a blue recycling bin.

“The more you do, the more it helps the earth,” said fourth grader Rachel Hudson.

Recycling is not just a lunchroom activity at the Wellington, but an activity that goes on throughout the day.

“It’s a big initiative at the school. Our school is very earth-minded … and we have been recycling almost since I started here,” said Wellington Principal Amy Spangler, noting the building was constructed to promote natural light and geothermal heating in an environmental-friendly way.

There are recycling bins in every classroom where children have a responsibility bringing to major receptacles and helping each other to be as diligent as possible in reprocessing material, participating in a six-week “Tray-less Thursday” program in the cafeteria that highlighted best menus to serve to reduce food waste and attending all-school assemblies that incorporated art from recycled material, presentations and taking part in national contest focused on sustainability.

“The Wellington is the model for the other schools. The staff, the parents, and the children, have been wonderful here,” said Mary Beth Calnan, the part-recycling coordinator with the town’s Department of Public Works.

“They really embrace even the little changes,” said Calnan. Much of the student’s enthusiasm comes from the most basic of reasons.

“Telling elementary students that what they are doing is good for the earth is a simple, strong message,” said Calnan.

“Mary Beth has been a great partner as kids are really conscious of recycling,” said Spangler.

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Students who don’t need to be told to recycle; they’re naturals at it: from left, Brent Hudson, first grade; Emma Ellis, first grade; Chloe Ellis, third grade; Rachel Hudson, fourth grade; and Brady Chan, first grade. With the students are (left) Belmont Recycling Coordinator Mary Beth Calnan and Amy Spangler, principal at the Wellington.

The Wellington’s recycling program is part of a district-wide approach to increasing recycling in the six schools in the system that includes a wide variety of programs and events.

Calnan thought the district-wide effort established in the past two years was worthy of attention.

“So I went ahead and nominated the district for a state-wide contest held by MassRecycle,” she said of the non-profit organization which highlighted local, business and school recycling for 20 years. 

In its first year of being nominated, the Belmont School District is one of the three finalists in the K-12 category.

And now until Friday, March 13, Belmont residents and students can vote on-line for the district to be honored with the first prize.

“I am extremely proud of this district’s effort of following the four R’s: refuse, reduce, reuse and recycle to become more sustainable in the last two years,” said Calnan.

The initiative has produced long-term changes in the schools and town, she said.

“The most far-reaching aspect of the recycling campaign has been changing the culture in the schools by way of the PTA/PTO’s,” Calnan said. “The thing I like the best is that the PTAs and PTOs have initiated their own ‘Green Teams’ made up of residents who are concerned about the environment and related issues such as local food and sustainability.”

Last year, the parent’s groups got together to create the Green Schools Alliance, which meets bimonthly with school district leaders to shape a comprehensive approach to environmental issues facing the schools and the wider world.

“We share ideas and success stories as well as programs that weren’t so successful. It’s a place to share,” said Calnan.

Last month, the Alliance and the elementary school Green Teams learned the results of the nationwide Green Cup Energy Challenge in which the Wellington and the Winn Brook schools finished in the top-ten at schools in the Northeast.

“This growth was a combined effort of students, parents and staff from the school and town departments working collaboratively to carry out these green initiatives,” Calnan said.

 

As Town Clarifies Permit, Belmont Uplands Opponents Speak Out

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Photo: The entry to the Belmont Uplands site in October. 

As the town clarifies what the building permit issued this past Friday, March 6 to A.P. Cambridge Partners II – the developer of the proposed $70 million, 299-unit apartment complex at Belmont Uplands – will allow the development team to do, opponents to the long-delayed project have begun to speak out on the effect of the project will have on Belmont and surrounding communities.

“The issuance of a building permit to executives from Prudential Real Estate Insurance and developer Brian O’Neill appears to confirm that neither the town of Belmont nor the [Commonwealth] of Massachusetts consider it their duty to protect the public and the earth from pollution and flooding … ,” said Anne-Marie Lambert of Chilton Street, who has been a strong critic of the proposed complex being built amidst the Silver Maple Forest in the Alewife Reservation.

After two decades of plans, proposals (that included a commercial research and development building in the early 2000s), lawsuits and delays, Belmont’s Director of Community Development Glenn Clancy as town engineer issued the first of three permits allowing the Philadelphia-based O’Neill Properties Group to construct a five-building complex situated on 15 acres on the Cambridge line on Acorn Park Drive.

“The permit is the approval for foundations for each of the five buildings,” said Clancy Monday, March 9.

Clancy said the development team has acquired the necessary paperwork to being utility work at the site that is a stone’s throw from Route 2 and Arlington.

The actual building permit to do the remaining work that includes the framing and actual building is pending final sign-off from the Fire Prevention Office, said Clancy.

“A final building permit to do all work on the foundation is the only outstanding approval I am aware of,” he told the Belmontonian.

The town has been handcuffed in imposing local zoning bylaws on the proposed development as O’Neill is building the complex under the state’s Chapter 40B law.

Enacted in 1969, the law allows a developer to bypass local restrictions if the municipality’s housing stock is less than 10 percent is deemed affordable for moderate-income residents and when the builder sets aside a specific percentage – at Belmont Uplands it will be 60 units – for buyers with income less than the 80 percent of the median in the region.

For those who have kept a constant battle to prevent the construction of the development, the permit comes after six months of increasing evidence – the clearing of the site of trees and vegetation beginning in October and a recent request to allow the placement of construction parking – O’Neill Properties was preparing to begin actual building.

For Idith Haber of Oliver Road who is president of the Coalition to Preserve the Belmont Uplands, the town’s issuing O’Neill a building permit continues the lack of support groups that have been attempting to thwart the project, which included the Board of Selectmen withdrawing a lawsuit backed by the town’s Conservation Commission.

“The Coalition believes that issuing the building permit similarly inappropriate,” said Haber.

Both Haber and Lambert have long contended the site can not sustain a major development as it will impact local neighborhoods – in Belmont around Little Pond – with increased flooding and to the public health due to the potential of higher-than-expected stormwater activity.

“[It] appears to confirm that neither … Belmont nor the (Commonwealth) of Massachusetts consider it their duty to protect the public and the earth from pollution and flooding which will result from the undisputed 150,000 gallons of storm water runoff this project will generate,” Lambert said.

In 2014, Lambert presented data showing the amount of storm water at the site used by O’Neill to win approval by the state to move forward with the permitting process underestimates the storm water levels by a large percentage since the developer uses data published in 1961 instead of rainfall statistics from 2011 due to the impact of global warming.

With this new data, O’Neill would be in violation of the town’s Storm Water Bylaw passed by Town Meeting last year.

“It is shameful that [the developer] claims to have sensitivity to environmental issues yet invests in a project which blatantly ignores current climate change reality,” stated Lambert, adding that “ensuring enforcement of Belmont’s stormwater bylaw regulations throughout the town is also critical.”

While the town has issued the permit, there remains pending litigation filed to enforce Belmont’s stormwater bylaw and the Massachusetts Clean Water Act. Clancy said the court did “not explicitly” say the town could not issue the go-ahead.

“The applicant proceeds at their own risk,” he said.

Despite the town’s action, Haber has received words of encouragement to continue the fight.

“We continue to receive a lot of moral and financial support from Belmont, Cambridge, and Arlington residents,” Haber said.

On the Market: A Great ‘White House’, A Bit of History, An Updated Condo

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A sample of Belmont homes “on the market” ranging from the affordable, the average and the quite expensive.

52 Alexander Ave. “The White House,” Modern colonial, new construction (2014). 3,500 sq.-ft. of livable space: 9 rooms, 5 bedrooms, 4 full baths. One-car garage. A quarter-acre lot. What’s special: What isn’t special about “The White House”? It has its own website! The building, designed by architect Robert Linn – you can see one of his designs on Grove Street in Cambridge known as “Red House” – is so clean in its lines (emphasized by the dominate white color scheme), the placement of the windows and wonderful use of open space – the second floor encompasses the attic in a more traditional home – it’s the classic New England Colonial infused with the sensibilities of contemporary European residential architecture. I even like the bathroom; it’s designed as a room rather than a space filled with fixtures. And it’s not on “the Hill” but a block from the commercial “Belmont Center.” It’s immediately a great house in Belmont. Now let’s see if the initial asking price can hold up. Price: $2 million. 

The first sentence of the sale’s pitch: “A rare opportunity to own new construction in Belmont and have it all: a flexible, true open floor plan encompassing a large kitchen with show-stopping quartzite island, Thermador stainless appliances, wine storage, convection oven, breakfast bar and walk-in pantry, family room with wall to wall windows, dining room with French doors leading to a covered patio and garden, and an entertainer’s dream living room.”

692 Pleasant St. An antique single-family in the Italianate style (1851). 3,188 sq.-ft. of livable space: 12 rooms, 6 bedrooms, 4 full and a half baths. Two-car garage. A little more than a third-of-an-acre lot. What’s special: History! This residency is from Belmont’s earliest days, a home for the son of the founder of Little Brown Publishing. The interior appears to have been kept in great condition with substantial renovations to keep it so nicely preserved. There are original wooden floors, the undulating curves of the main rooms and a great staircase. You also have to accept some really cramped spaces including the kitchen and some of the bedrooms. All in all, a wonderful space for those who love history or not. Price: $895,000.

The first sentence of the sale’s pitch: “Welcome to the Brown House built circa 1851 for the son of James Brown, founder of Little Brown Publishing Company. This lovely Italianate home boasts a beautifully detailed hooded doorway, bay window and slate roof and is surrounded by well thought out gardens and terraces.”

226 Trapelo Rd. #1. Renovated ground floor condominium (1922). 1,334 sq.-ft. of livable space: 6 rooms, 2 bedrooms, 1 full bath. Two-car garage. A little more than a third-of-an-acre lot. What’s special: This single-floor condo near Harding was renovated last year so it looks to be in great shape. It comes with nice period features – molding, trim, a built-in cabinet, brick fireplace and hardwood floors – with some surprisingly spacey room. The kitchen has those evil granite tops – this is not the 1980s! – and you’re facing a major thoroughfare. This is a bargain for a young couple. Price: $439,000. 

The first sentence of the sale’s pitch: “Picture perfect’ first floor condominium with lots of curb appeal in desirable Belmont. This immaculate home has 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, and is full of natural light.”

Sold in Belmont: Supply and Demand Effecting Prices on Farnham

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A weekly recap of residential properties sold in the past seven days in the “Town of Homes.”

• 119 Farnham St. Cape (1938) Sold: $750,000. Listed at $699,000. Living area: 1,200 sq.-ft. 7 rooms, 2 bedrooms, 1.5 baths. On the market: 52 days.

• 33 Trowbridge St. Brick spilt level (1957) Sold: $600,000. Listed at $685,000. Living area: 1,435 sq.-ft. 6 rooms, 2 bedrooms, 2 baths. On the market: 148 days.

• 115 Farnham St. Sideways Garrison Colonial (1932) Sold: $728,000. Listed at $799,000. Living area: 1,740 sq.-ft. 7 rooms, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. On the market: 52 days.

Three homes close enough to the commuter rail line for their new owners to hear the trains traveling to and from Boston were sold this week at prices well below Belmont’s median price of $845,000. What may come to a surprise to many, it was the smallest of the trio – a classic Cape on Farnham Street, a five-minute stroll to Belmont Center – that brought in the most for its seller, a cool three-quarters of the million dollars for 1,200 sq.-ft. of livable space. Compare that to the house one door down the street with an extra bedroom, half-bath and 500 sq.-ft. sinking to $728,000.

Sure, there are plenty of reasons for the difference in price: needed repairs, renovations, lot size, the terrible decision to place the side of the Colonial facing the street and more. Or it could have been the entry of the a second home into the market at a price that appeared to be a bargain. Let’s see how it worked out.

The larger house at 115 Farnham went on the market in November, 2014 at $799,000, more than $110,000 greater than its assessed value by the town. Likely the coming holidays and winter’s arrival deadened the market and so it sat at that price into the New Year.

Come Jan. 6, 119 Farnham hits the market at $699,000. While it too is well above its assessed value of $571,000, it’s the bargain on the street compared to the house one door down. The pressure of added supply and a lower cost alternative forced the hand of those selling 115 Farnham, who cut the price by $50,000 that day.

Here’s where supply and demand took charge: greater eyes viewing the more “affordable house” at 115 Farnham brought in more competition and bids at the expense of the larger house a few feet away.

When the sales were completed, the smaller house sold for $180,000 more than its assessed value while the larger home brought in a little more than $50,000 above its value. The winner in this case are the new owners at 115 Farnham, getting a bargain while over at 119, the new owners will love their new house just as much at $625 per square foot.

On the Market: A New Manse, a Ranch and a Trip Back to the ’20s

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 Photo: The newest manse in Belmont.

Examples of homes “on the market” in Belmont ranging from the affordable, the average and the very expensive.

529 Concord Ave. New construction, blown-out Colonial (2014). 4,954 sq.-ft. of livable space: 12 rooms, 5 bedrooms, 4 full and two partial baths. Two-car garage. Half-an-acre lot size. What’s special: Just about everything (it’s just been built) from the view – yup, that’s Boston out your window – to the custom mill work, red oak hardwood floors, high ceilings (calling all Boston Celtics seeking a cool place to live) and a granite backsplash in the kitchen. This place has six separate heating zones and is full of “smart home” technology. Although one person pointed out recently the owners will like catch the lights from cars traveling west as they ascend the twisting hilly section of Concord Avenue. Price: $2.25 million. 

The first sentence of the sale’s pitch: “Perched atop Belmont Hill and sited in an exclusive enclave with other significant properties, this newly constructed Colonial-style residence features views of Boston and beyond.” 

 

103 Shaw Road. The typical 50’s style ranch (1955). 1,562 sq.-ft. of livable space: 7 rooms, 3 bedrooms, 1 full and two partial baths. A garage for a very small car. Just less than a fifth-of-an-acre lot size. What’s special: It’s got a new roof! If you like ranch homes – not on most people’s list of favorite styles – it doesn’t appear to need much renovation work to bring out the charm and a return to the era of Laura and Rob Petrie. But it does seem a bit pricey although it’s in a nice location. Price: $809,900.

The first sentence of the sale’s pitch: “Custom crafted single owner 3 bedroom Ranch in prime Burbank location offers fireplaced living room, formal dining room with chair rail, eat-in kitchen with Italian tile flooring, a full finished lower level with fireplaced family room, storage and utility rooms, 1 full and 2 half baths, walk-up attic with expansion potential plus a three season porch and direct entry garage.” 

39 Bartlett Ave. Colonial-ish (1927). 1,400 sq.-ft. of livable space: 6 rooms, 2 bedrooms, 2 baths. One-car garage. A small lot of about 3,000 square-feet. What’s special: You may have a tiny backyard but who cares when you a stone’s throw from a town playing field? PQ is next door which is great for the kids. The exterior is tired but the inside has some nice features including an enclosed porch for that bit of Southern livin’, wooden floors, good architectural details from the 1920s including the brick fire place and up-to-date Home Depot-ish cabinets and drawers in the kitchen. A real bargain in Belmont. Price: $525,000  

The first sentence of the sale’s pitch:”Charming two bedroom two bath colonial with enclosed front porch and level backyard in MOVE IN CONDITION!”

Positive Energy, BHS Musicians Present a Belmont Musical Collaboration Saturday Night

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The cold and snow got you down? Need a much needed lift to your spirits?

Then head over to the Cultural Hall of the LDS Meetinghouse at 15 Ledgewood Place tonight Saturday night, Feb. 28 between 7:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. for a concert and dance party dubbed My Generation: A Belmont Musical Collaboration.

Sponsored by the Parents of Music Students (POMS), the night will feature critically-acclaimed band, Positive Energy, renowned for its eclectic mix of popular music, jazz, and folk styles while talented brass and wind players from Belmont High School are preparing to blow you away.

The BHS performers are Rowan Wolf and Yilei Bai are on saxophone; Jack Stone, trombone; Riley Grant, trumpet; and Gillian Tahajian and Hannah Read, flute.

These musicians will perform together, promising entertainment and synergy that is rarely witnessed and will long be admired.  It’s an event for all ages.

Tickets for “My Generation” are available through the POMS website: www.belmontpoms.weebly.com, with a small fee; and at Champions Sporting Goods in Belmont Center, with no fee. Donations will be accepted at the door.

Adult ticket prices are only $12, while student and senior prices are $10. POMS (Parents of Music Students) will use all proceeds to support music programs in the Belmont schools, K-12.

Belmont Girls’ Hoops Takes Down Bedford in Thriller, Heads to Semis vs Watertown

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Did you miss Thursday night’s Girls’ Basketball Div. 2 North quarterfinals at Bedford High?

Oh, I feel sorry for you.

In a game that could have been lost in so many ways – questionable calls, missed shots, a quicker and fresher opponent – 15 girls from Belmont High School willed themselves with guts, determination and intensity to craft a thrilling victory, 57-51, against the fourth-ranked Bedford High Buccaneers.

Belmont (16-6) now book a date (Tuesday, March 3 at 7 p.m. at Mystic Valley Regional Charter School in Malden) in the semi-finals with their neighboring arch-rival, undefeated (19-0) and number-one seed Watertown High, for the right to play in the sectional championship game.

“They showed so much heart and poise to come back from being down away from home,” said Head Coach Melissa Hart after the victory in which Belmont parents and fans savored the emotion with the players on the opposition’s court.

“”We gave up a lot of points early, but they never stopped fighting, not once,” said Hart.

The statistics compiled at the scorer’s table could scarcely tell the narrative written on the court in the bandbox gymnasium filled to overflowing with especially boisterous Bedford supporters. From the relentless team defensive leaving Bedford’s five starters exhausted and broken in the fourth quarter to the individual acts of top-notch athletic skill allowed the Marauders to rip the game out of the Buccaneers’ hands in the crucial third quarter and calmly “seal the deal” from the charity stripe in the final minutes.

“I wasn’t playing well,” said junior forward Sarah Stewart, who had three early fouls.

“So when I went back in, [Hart] told us you have be fierce in this game. So I didn’t get angry; I went in determined that we are going to win,” she said.

Leading the Marauders was captain and center Linda Herlihy, who finished with a game-high 21 points, five rebounds, and two blocks. Not seen in the stats is what Herlihy also provided – senior leadership. Once, at the very moment Belmont was on the edge of collapse – falling behind by nine points late in the second quarter – Herlihy yelled to her teammates, “Get a grip! Find your man!” to set the defense.

“We needed to focus and keep our heads. You can’t look at the score. You just have to play the game,” recalled Herlihy.

Down the final stretch, Belmont relied on the ball handling skills of freshman Carly Christofori (16 points), who secured the victory by coolly knocking down free throws in the fourth quarter where she went 8 for 12.

“Do you ever miss a free throw?” Bedford’s head coach Matt Ryan asked Christofori after the game.

Christofori admitted feeling a bit anxious when she stepped to the line to take her shots.

“I was really nervous, but I knew the team needed the points, so I just thought about converting,” said Christofori.

Both teams came out fast with Belmont – which came in with a height advantage, on its inside game as Herlihy scored eight of the team’s 16 points, countered by Bedford’s senior guard duo Kristen Bullock (14 points) and Amanda Cohen, who was red hot early, hitting a pair of 3 pointers (the Buccaneers put five in from distance while Belmont came up empty from beyond the arc) to score 10 of her 19 points in the first quarter.

Leading 26-24 midway through the second quarter, Bedford made their move, spreading out the defense and driving to the basket for shots in close while Belmont was having trouble with the Buccaneer’s man-to-man defense, turning over the ball several times. Belmont could only hit two free throws while Bedford was making free throws to take a 33-24 lead at half time.

“They were good, but we didn’t play the sort of defense we needed to win,” said Hart.

But as with its first-round playoff game – a 71-43 home victory over Danvers where Belmont outscored the Falcons’ 45-19 in the second half – the Marauders stepped up its press defense which began to take a toll on the tiring Bedford players. While Hart was liberally substituting, Ryan kept his starters on the court, and it began showing as shots that were going in where staying out. With Belmont’s edge inside, Belmont took control under the boards.

“They were getting tired, so we just kept pushing,” said Herlihy.

And Belmont began seeing shots drop: a jumper from junior Irini Nikolaidis (4 points), a tough two under the basket from Herlihy, a free throw by Christofori and finally senior Sophia Eschenbach-Smith (4 points) pretty bounce pass to an open Stewart (4 points) completed a four-minute, 10-0 run, giving the Marauders their first lead since 10-8 in the first quarter.

Belmont kept the lead, going ahead 39-35 on a sweeping hook from freshman Jenny Call (2 points), before two Bedford free throws and a three from Cohen gave the Buccaneers the lead, 40-39, entering the fourth.

And it appeared Bedford caught a second wind, pushing their lead up to 46-41, but it was apparent the Buccaneers were drained, committing turnovers – including an easy steal and bucket by Christofori – and unable to keep up with Belmont’s defense, demonstrated when Bedford could not attempt a shot within 30 seconds and holding a one-point lead.

Belmont grabbed the lead (47-46) for good on a driving layup by Christofori with 3:50 remaining before Herlihy showed her touch by taking the ball and kissing it off the backboard to up Belmont’s margin to three at 49-46 with 3:12 left.

While Bedford cut the lead to 52-51 with 88 seconds remaining, Belmont forced a turnover and was soon fouled every time up the court. A pair from Christofori gave Belmont a 54-51 lead while Bedford blew a bunny in close. Christofori knocked down two more to bring the lead up to 56-51 with 45 seconds left.

And it was preserving the lead against some accomplished three-point scorers where Belmont players showed their grit. Senior Elena Bragg (5 points) grabbed a critical defensive rebound on a missed free throw followed by Stewart ripping down an offensive rebound after Christofori missed her second of two free throws and, finally, Herlihy pulled in an offensive rebound between three Bedford players with 20 second left.

Then the celebration began.

“This is a great win. Now we have to bring all that with us against Watertown,” said Hart.

Sold in Belmont: What Would You Have Bought? The Renovated Condo or One of the Smallest Houses in Town

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A weekly recap of residential properties sold in the past seven days in the “Town of Homes.”

• 68 Unity Ave. #1 Condominium (1924) Sold: $489,750. Listed at $439,900. Living area: 1,018 sq.-ft. 6 rooms, 2 bedrooms, 1 baths. On the market: 33 days.

• 33 Knox St. Ranch (1957) Sold: $526,000. Listed at $549,000. Living area: 1,027 sq.-ft. 4 rooms, 2 bedrooms, 1 baths. On the market: 92 days.

The town residential properties that sold last week in Belmont are similar in two ways; each are affordable relative to the median value of homes in these parts – nearly $840,000 according to town data – and each a tad more than 1,000 square feet of livable space. While the Unity Avenue property is a single-floor condominium on the Cambridge line, the Knox Street ranch is snug in Belmont Hill.

So, which would you have bought?

The ranch: The structure is yours, you don’t have to share common spaces and parking have a neighbor living above you – God only knows who’ll move in next year – or pay a condo fee on top of property taxes. It’s located on “the hill,” it’s quiet and you can jump right onto Rt. 2.

But it’s just a smudge more than 1,00o square feet of interior space, making it one of the smaller homes in Belmont. You better be on good relations with whomever you are living with because there is limited private space available. It’s one of the few houses in this one-time subdivision previous owners didn’t build-on extra space. In fact, a look at the interior shows a great deal of original detail. Ranch developers wanted to put them up as cheaply as possible. The result: middling-quality material that should be torn out and replaced. The ground floor rooms need extensive rehab and fast.

The condo: As a South End developer once told me, people who buy condos are “purchasing air,” as the owner’s property rights extend only to the four walls in which the condo lies. Want to improve the common area? Renovate the garage? Replace the grass with stone in the backyard? Hello, neighbor! You are constantly seeking someone else’s cooperation to increase the properties value, improve your quality of life or just park your car in a slightly different location. It’s like being a kid again, living in the same room with your brother. That’s fine if you like him; if not, it’s potentially a nightmare.

But just look at the Unity Avenue condo’s interior: now this is great detail. French door, built-in cabinets, closets with real doors, hardwood floors that you can polish, an open kitchen design with new everything. Recently renovated, you can move in and not worry about putting mucho dollars into the property. It shouldn’t surprise anyone the condo sold for $50,000 above asking in only a month.

I pick the condo.