Belmont Girls Hockey Takes Hingham To Last Minute Before Falling 2-1 In MIAA Quarterfinal

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Photo: Belmont High goalie Jil Costa making one of her 37 saves against Hingham High in the quarterfinal in the MIAA Division 1 quarterfinals.

Speaking in the narrow hallway leading to his team’s locker room in Stoneham Arena, Belmont High Girls Hockey Head Coach Brendan Kelleher was trying to find the right words to describe the game his team played on Wednesday night. In the state quarterfinals for the second consecutive season, the Marauders fell just short, 2-1, against Hingham High on a final-minute goal.

Despite the disappointment of the result, Kelleher looked back at the effort and toughness of his team against the top Division 1 team in the state.

“We knew it was going be a one-nothing game, a two-to-one game,” said Kelleher.

“Well, the customers got their money’s worth today,” said Kelleher with a shurge and a smile. 
In a tightly fought contest that spotlighted both team’s top players, Hingham finally broke through Belmont’s stout defensive game plan on a reflexive pass toward the Marauder’s goal, “And you had a couple of sticks in there that ended with the puck in the net, and that’s the difference maker.”

For 44 minutes and 7 seconds, Belmont’s junior goalie Jil Costa stood as Belmont’s resolute redoubt, the last line of defense as the Marauders took on the onslaught from number 1-ranked Hingham.

“She stood on her head like she does every day for us,” said Kelleher. 

With her typical calm demeanor, Costa was rock solid between the posts. Only once in 38 attempts did Hingham get past Costa on a second-period goal via its all-star center Caroline Doherty. 

“They were just trying everything. I mean, they had girls coming and going all the time. We just tried keeping the outside, which we did for three periods,” said Kelleher.

The match was finally resolved on the Harborwomen’s 39 attempt: the game’s final shot. Hingham’s Callie Crean, who was parked just outside the crease, stabbed at a Doherty-induced rebound that slipped between Costa’s pads into the net. 2-1 with 53 seconds left in the game and the season. 

“They were bringing it,” said Kelleher. “We would bend a little, but we didn’t break. And then it was just a puck that popped in.” 

It was nothing less than a dream start for the Marauders when first-year winger Alexcia Fici, cycling behind the net, found co-captain Sadie Taylor alone in the slot. The team’s only senior whistled a slap shot by Hingham’s Izzi Puleo, and Belmont grabbed a 1-0 lead on the Marauder’s first shot on net just 2:37 in the first period.

“Sadie drove the ship all year for us. Her work ethic is stays alone. She drove the first line – Mackenzie and Alexi – which was the reason our season was such a success,” said Kelleher. 

The top D line of sophomore Elise Lakin-Schultz and eighth grader Amelia Long and Kelleher’s second line, Middle School Kate Townsend with junior co-captain Thea Menovich, were in top form. On several occasions, the defenders tracked down Hingham’s talented forwards, pushing them to the outside where their shots were a leisurely game of catch for Costa. Lakin-Schultz was often took on the laborious task of rooting out Harborwomen and screening her goalie.

The offense in the first half of the game was buzzing the Harborwomen’s defense. “We had our chances,” said Kelleher. Belmont’s leading scorer, junior Mackenzie Clarke, had three chances as the clock wound down in the first period, which ended with 10 shots for Hingham and 7 for Belmont. 

The start of the second period turned out to be a bright point for Belmont as momentun sided with them, with Menovich coming close when her shot confused Puleo. But the 10-minute mark would be the zenith of the Marauder’s attack as Hingham would reestablish their dominance as it kept possession for long stretches, forcing Belmont deeper into its own end. 

Hingham’s breakthrough came after Long blocked a shot that Doughty collected to the right of Costa. The Holy Cross-commit picked up her own rebound and buried the puck at 8:35 of the second to knot the game at one. The one-way play was evident as Hingham held a more than 2-1 advantage in shots, 12-5, in the period. 

The ultimate period saw Hingham pressure the Belmont defense, adding a fourth forward on the ice as they sought to finish the job before the vagaries of sudden death would decide the game. Costa would be peppered with 17 shots as Belmont mustered four in the period. 

The winning play began with a positive play as Belmont’s Long tracked down attacking winger Hannah Lasch and sent her to the boards. Lasch turned and quickly passed the puck toward the crease, where Lakin-Schultz covered a pair of Hingham players. Doherty redirected the puck that Costa saved. The rebound was directed to Hingham’s Crean, who came from the blind side, and she squeezed the puck between Costa’s pads.

“What can you say? Hingham is a great team, solid up and down the lineup with great coaches. They deserve their placement, and we proved tonight that we can play with them for an entire game. I’ll take that,” said Kelleher. 

In the postgame wrap-up in the Stoneham hallway, Kelleher said his team’s despondency from the loss – consecutive MIAA quarterfinals that ended up short – should not overwhelm its achievements: one-loss season, a top 10 power ranking, a place at the end of the regular season in the Boston Globe’s Top 20, and notably, consecutive Middlesex Liberty titles.

“This [game] takes nothing away from what the season was and what they accomplished,” said Kelleher. “Someone said to me before the season that this was a rebuilding year. So I think what they did was something else.”

Belmont High Girls Hockey Reach State Elite Eight As Clarke Continues To Be Reading’s Curse

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Photo: Belmont’s fans and the team celebrate the Marauders 1-0 shutout victory over Reading in the MIAA Division 1 Girls Hockey state tournament.

Belmont High’s MacKenzie Clarke has a knack for scoring big goals against Middlesex Liberty rival Reading Memorial on the field hockey pitch. In October, Clarke – a Boston Globe All-Scholastic – scored twice in a 2-1 win over a top-10-ranked Rockets, propelling the Marauders to a league title. 

You can now add the ice rink where Clarke broke Reading’s heart as the junior forward buried a power play goal with two minutes left on the clock to put Belmont in the Division 1 state Elite Eight as the Marauders defeated Reading, 1-0, in a Sweet 16 match held at Watertown’s Ryan Arena on Saturday, March 1. 

Belmont High Hockey’s Sadie Taylor in her usual place in front of the opponent’s goal crease

Belmont, the eighth-seed, will now face the epic challenge of facing number one-ranked Hingham High at Stoneham Arena. The puck drops at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 5.

Clarke’s game-winner came while Belmont was on a 5-4 power play after Reading was called for a trip with 2:40 left in the third period. Off the face-off, first-year forward Alexcia Fici took the puck at the left circle and slotted a pass to Clarke who was waiting in the slot. With senior co-captain Sadie Taylor camped in front of the goalie, the season’s leading scorer redirected the puck into the back of the net with approximately 2:30 remaining. 

“That was our first powerplay of the game, and we have been working on being up a player. We finally got into our positions … and Lexi Fici passed it to me, and I just tipped it in,” said Clarke.

The league rivals faced off on Saturday for the third time this season, with Belmont claiming a victory and a tie. Familiar with each other approach to the game, the match was tightly fought over the 45 minutes. 

As throughout the season, Belmont’s second-year Head Coach Brendan Kelleher relied on his top defense pairing of sophomore Elise Lakin-Schultz and eighth grader Amelia Long to stifle Reading’s quickness. All-star junior goalie Jil Costa (giving up less than one goal on average per game) was solid in the net, especially when the Rockets swarmed the crease.

“Anxiety does have a tendency to build as a tie game goes on,” said Costa. “I instead focus on what I can control, which is keeping my body forward, keeping my hands in front, cutting off whatever angles are possible. My mentality the whole time is just save the puck and win the game.” 

Belmont had its chances on offense with Taylor, the team’s only senior, showing her dominance along the boards, both behind and in front of the net. Taylor had a golden opportunity in the second period when she nearly slipped in a loose puck in the crease only to see it sneak off her stick’s blade. 

The Taylor, Clark, and Fici line created scoring opportunities but could not find the finishing touch in the game. It didn’t help that Reading stole the momentum on three consecutive power plays, two in the second period. The Marauders’ second line of first-year Mia Smith, junior Sydney Mun, and eighth-grader Mackenzie Tierney effectively put their time in the offensive zone. 

As the third period was winding down and the players and fans were preparing for sudden-death overtime, fortune struck for the Marauders when the Rockets were called for a consequential trip in the Belmont zone, a decision that isn’t usually called so late in a playoff game. 

And Reading would be punished harshly for the infraction with Clarke’s poke. The Rockets did make it interesting in the final two minutes by pulling the goalie, a decision that Clarke nearly made them pay for when she rocketed a rink-long attempt that clanged off an inside post.

After a sigh of relief, Belmont’s attention now turns to Hingham (21-1-1) which defeated Shrewsbury, 4-2, on Saturday.The Harbormen have held the top spot in the D1 power rankings and the Boston Globe Top 20 poll for most of the season, while Belmont (17-1-4) is 17th in the Globe.

“It’s not worrying about their place in the tournament; it’s about fighting as hard as we can,” said Clarke. “It will be a hard game, but I think we can still give them a good fight.”

Belmont Boys, Girls Hockey Open MIAA Tournament With A Pair Of Home Matches

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Photo: Belmont High Boys’ Hockey after winning the Ed Burns Coffee Pot trophy after winning the tournament beating Arlington.

Fans of Belmont High hockey will have a double dose of playoff action this week as the boys and girls squads will host “home” openers of the 2025 MIAA Division 1 state tournament, which will be played at the JAR—that’s the John A Ryan Arena—in Watertown.

The girls take the ice on Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 5:45 p.m. against Arlington Catholic while the boys will face off against Bishop Feehan at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 27.

Both teams will have a second home contest if they come off the ice victorious this week. 

Marauder Girls’ 

The 8th-ranked Marauders (15-1-4) will be seeing some familiar faces in the two home games. They will start off against the 25th-ranked Arlington Catholic (7-11-2), which the girls’ met two weeks ago, winning 1-0. Belmont’s Sweet 16 opponent is likely to be Middlesex Liberty rival Reading Memorial (13-6-1), who will take on Pope Francis in the first round. The 9th-ranked Rockets lost to the Marauders 4-3 in January and tied up Belmont 3-3 in February.

Belmont is backstopped by junior goalie Jil Costa—who has given up one goal per game for the season—along with a solid defense made up of youngsters, including the first-line defense pairing of eighth grader Amelia Long with sophomore Elsie Lakin-Schultz.

The offense will depend on leading scorer junior Mackenzie Clarke and the team’s lone senior Sadie Taylor to spark the attack over the tournament, receiving help from first-years Alexcia Fici and Mia Smith and eighth-grade standout Mackenzie Tierney.

Belmont stumbled a bit leading up to the tournament, waiting late to tie a non-tournament Lexington in its penultimate game before losing its only contest of the season against Waltham, 3-2, in the season’s finale. Belmont does have some momentum behind them, capturing its second Middlesex League title in as many years.

For second-year Head Coach Brendan Kelleher, the season—which started on Dec. 2—has been a long one, but he sawthe team continue to battle the entire way. 

“These girls have answered the call every time in the last few games,” he said. Kelleher admitted losing an undefeated season in the final two minutes of the last game “stings a bit” but said as a team “we’ve never talked about wins and losses all season. We’re extremely proud of these girls, of what they’ve accomplished,” he said.

Kelleher said the postseason is “an exciting time for all these student-athletes, for the town and the high school and these families. Anything can happen. Now it’s a survive and advance situation.”

Belmont Boys’

The Boys undertook one of the toughest regular season schedules of any Bay State team, including encounters with five teams in the Boston Globe’s top 20, including Pope Francis (twice), Hingham, and Catholic Memorial, to finish with a 15-6-1 record and ranked 6th in Division 1.

Tuesday’s opponent is Bishop Feehan from Attleboro, who enters the rink with a 9-12-1 record and is ranked 27th. The Crimson and White’s likely next opponent will be Middlesex Liberty rival 11th-seed Winchester (12-10-0), which the boys beat twice in the regular season (4-1, 3-1). If the seeding holds up, Belmont will face third-rank Hingham in the Elite Eight, which they defeated in the semi-finals of the Ed Burns tournament, 2-1.

Feel good, said Belmont Head Coach Tim Foley. “And we have some work to do. We have some things to work on, but obviously we’re heading in the right direction.”

Belmont enters the playoffs with silverware in hand, having won the Burns tournament and the Cardinal Classic, where they defeated number 1-ranked Pope Francis, 2-0. With a first line of junior Leo Packard, sophomore phenom Liam Guilderson (21 goals, 43 points), and senior captain Adam Bauer, Belmont can score on nearly all defenses and goalies in the state. 

A wall of solid defenders, including sophomores John Connolly, Michael Rowan, and seniors PD Dimas and Tim Carere, has garnered Foley’s praise. 

“Our defensemen are just so fundamentally sound, good stick positions all the time. It’s something we work on a lot, and it’s something they really thrive on. They take pride in keeping pucks out of and on net, not scoring goals,” said Foley.

Sophomore goalie Ethan Bauer—Adam’s younger brother—has been standing on his head in the past month, giving up a single goal over three games in the Ed Burns tourney and shutting out the state’s number one and two teams. 

“Bauer is so solid, when we do make a mistake, we have that extra layer back there. That’s what you want, a hot goaltender going into the tournament,” said Foley.

Belmont High Girls’ Hockey Sneak By A Tough Red And Black, 3-2, To Remain Unbeaten

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Photo: Eight-grader Kate Townsend (right) celebrating her game-winner in Belmont High Girls’ Hockey 3-2 victory over Winchester

The best thing about the end of the Belmont vs. Winchester Girls Hockey tussle for the home team was the Marauders had seen the last of the Red and Black for this season.

After a combined 90 minutes over two highly competitive games concluding Saturday night, Feb. 1, the teams were separated by a single goal as the Marauders defended their undefeated 2024-25 campaign with a 3-2 victory played at the JAR (John A. Ryan Arena) in Watertown, thanks in large part to the goal-scoring prowess of the Marauders’ backline.

Sophomore Elise Lakin-Schultz, senior Thea Monovich, and 8th grader Kate Townsend’s game-winner connected from distance in each period as the trio of defenders provided the offense punch that propelled Belmont to its 13th victory with only an earlier tie against the Rossoneri to blemish its record.

The Marauders are 9-0-1 and atop the Middlesex Liberty table. They are ranked 13th in the Boston Globe Top 20 and 8th in the MIAA Division 1 Power Rankings.

“Winchester is a good team, and we had some kids who weren’t feeling well; they were under the weather tonight. When you have that, the sign of a great team is kids stepping up to fill those spots,” said second-year Head Coach Brendan Kelleher. “We got three goals by three different players, three on defense. And Jil [Costa, Belmont’s outstanding junior goaltender] did a great job stopping 22 shots. She gives you the confidence a team needs, which helps in these tight situations.”

At the start of the game, it was all Belmont as it controlled play up and down the ice. Just after the halfway point in the first, Lakin-Schultz launched a rocket of a slap shot that flew by senior goalie Claire Zhang to give the hosts the first goal in the rivalry.

But after a Belmont penalty two minutes later, the ice tilted toward Belmont’s end for the remainder of the period as Costa was required to be on her toe box as the Red and Black occupied their offense zone, at one point keeping the Marauders on the ice for two minutes.

Belmont regained the game’s momentum in the second and scored when co-captain Monovich got into a long rebound and ripped it home at the 10-minute mark. But as Carrie Bradshaw says, “And just like that … ” Winchester was back level. Just 18 seconds after Belmont’s second, knuckler from first-year defender Anna Beaudry handcuffed Costa, giving the Red and Black a lifeline at 2-1. Two and a half minutes later, while on the power play, Winchester knotted it up at two when a rugby scrum suddenly occurred in Costa’s crease, resulting in the puck – along with Belmont’s goalie – pushed into the back of the net with senior defender (yes, yet another from the D line!) Amelie Corvi credited with the goal.

For the remainder of the second and into the first half of the third period, the game was a toss-up, with both teams moving the puck into dangerous positions as Costa and Zhang held down the forts.

It took one of the youngest players on the ice to put her stamp on the game as Townsend took a pass from fellow Chenery classmate Mackenzie Tierney and placed her shot just under the crossbar with 10 minutes left on the scoreboard. While Belmont had two great chances that Zhang saved, they were not needed as Belmont’s defense stood solid as the clock hit triple zeros.

With the season down to a handful of games, the Marauders will see the likes of at Reading (9-5-0), Woburn (8-5-0), and Arlington (9-4-0) over the biweek. But Kelleher said he will not change his preparation with these challenging games before them.

“I always joke with the girls that we will do what’s on the back of my shampoo bottle: rinse and repeat,” he said. “We talk about working our systems, being aggressive, and keeping the fun meter on high. We don’t discuss wins and losses. They play the game, and at the end, we figure out who wins and who loses.”

Unbeaten Belmont Girls’ Hockey Prepares For Burlington Rematch By Shutting Down Reading, 1-0

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Photo: Senior co-captain Molly Driscoll has 16 goals this season

The script the Belmont High Girls’ Ice Hockey squad has been following in the 2023-24 season is fairly straight forward: Have Molly score and let Jil do the rest.

That was certainly the case on Wednesday, Feb. 8 when senior co-captain Molly Driscoll scored in the first period and sophomore goalie Jil Costa stopped each of the 44 shots for her 8th shutout of the season as the host Marauders secured a hard-earned 1-0 shutout against the Reading High Rockets in a Middlesex Liberty showdown at John A. Ryan Rink in Watertown.

Wednesday night’s victory gives the Marauders double digit wins this season and they remain the only undefeated team in all divisions of the MIAA at 10-0-3 record.

Driscoll scored her 16th goal of the campaign on a nice pass from line mate sophomore Evey Long less than four minutes into the game. It was up to Costa to stand tall in net in the second period with Belmont playing short handed including nearly two minutes when they were down to three skaters.

“That was a good effort, obviously from [Costa] who turned everything aside,” said first-year Head Coach Brendan Kelleher. “We kind of bent a little late in the second [period] and the third but we didn’t break and she was a big reason why we won letting nothing through.”

Belmont defense, lead by first liners sophomore Thea Monovich and senior co-captain Aislin Devaney, kept the Rocket attackers at bay forcing the wingers to the side boards while using their long reach to poke check Rocket forwards attempts.

“They’re blocking a lot of shots,” Kelleher said. “We kept shots contained to the outside and away from the goal scoring area in the middle.”

Belmont’s next big challenge awaits them in less than 24 hours on Thursday, Feb. 8, as the 14th-ranked Marauders head to Burlington for a rematch against the 5th-ranked Red Devils, a fortnight since the teams battled to an thrilling overtime 2-2 draw.

The Red Devils will host Belmont with an impressive 12-1-2 record, its only lost to Malden Catholic early in the season, a defeat Burlington redressed in beating the Lancers last month.

Belmont sophomore goalie Jil Costa making the save vs. Woburn to keep the game scoreless.

Burlington put on the ice a mix of experience – seven seniors, four of whom Renee Flett, and captains Shea McDonald (the team’s leading scorer with five goals and 11 assists), Katie Hayes, and Mia Lauder who are in their sixth season playing varsity ice hockey – and youth with five middle schoolers playing significant minutes.

On the Belmont side of the ice, the Marauders rely on its first offensive line for its scoring punch with Watertown-native Driscoll – a state all-scholastic in field hockey who is committed to Boston University – centering Belmont senior co-captain Lola Rocci and Long.

Thursday will be a night where a pair of sophomore goaltenders will be key for both teams. Burlington’s Isa Fischer and Belmont’s Costa each are allowing less than a goal a game. In Belmont’s past two games, Costa was a steady presence, shutting down Woburn while giving up a lone goal against Lexington while playing shorthanded five-on-three.

The last time they met, Burlington would take the lead twice through Abby Wojtaszik and McDonald only to see Driscoll come through with a brace, the final tally coming late in the third period. Draped by a pair of defenders, Driscoll sent a laser of a pass back to Rocci who took the shot. While Fischer made the initial stop, the puck rebound in the crease where Driscoll was parked. In true Phil Esposito fashion, the senior buried the puck with 2:59 remaining.

“[All] these games are big this time of year,” said Kelleher. “It could be a lot easier for me and the rest of the coaches to have a few more goals on the board.”

Belmont High Teams In A Winning Way As Winter Sports Season Gets Underway

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Photo: 2023-4 Belmont High Girls’ Hockey

After a successful fall in which each team participated in the MIAA tournament, Belmont High begins the winter sports season with

Girls’ Basketball: Belmont High Head Coach Shantell Jeter opened her second campaign with the Marauders thumping Melrose, 68-24, at the Wenner Field House on Dec. 13. Coming off an impressive first-year campaign, Sophomore Sophia McClendon continued her outstanding form, scoring 12 of her game-high 16 points in the first quarter on two 3s and three baskets. Senior captain Mia Ferrari scored in double digits with 10 points, including a pair of 3s. Emily Donahue, Lean Attridge, and Brynn Connolly each contributed 8 points to the lopsided victory. The Marauders (1-0) head to Reading (1-0) to meet the Rockets on Friday, Dec 15.

Belmont High sophomore Sophia McClendon in action.

Girls Hockey: Under the tutelage of new head coach Brendan Kelleher, the newly-created co-op team of Belmont and Watertown high schools started the 2023-4 season with a stellar performance, shutting out hosts Melrose, 3-0, on Wednesday, Dec. 13. Goals were courtesy of seniors Ruby Jones, Allison Caputo and Molly Driscoll while sophomore Jil Costa in goal did an outstanding job replacing four-year starter all-star Bridget Gray.

Boys’ Basketball: In a tight, low-scoring season opener, Belmont took down Melrose, 49-45, at the Wenner. Senior Donovan Holway netted 21 points while leading the Marauders back from a double-digit deficit to squeak through in the final minute. Next up for the Marauders (1-0) is a matchup with Reading (1-0) on Friday, Dec. 15.

Boys’ Hockey: With losing its top defensive line and all-star goal-scoring forward due to graduation, it will be a rebuilding year for the Marauders, which will be playing the next two seasons in Watertown as the town builds a new rink.

The season got underway against Catholic Memorial, ranked fourth in the Boston Globe preseason Top 20. The West Roxbury team proved a real test for the Marauders as the Knights scored a 4-1 win at the Warrior Arena in Brighton. Sophomore Leo Packard scored Belmont’s lone goal, assisted by senior co-captain Adam Bauer, while first-year goalie Ethan Bauer stopped 26 shots. Against Melrose, Adam Bauer collected two points with a goal and an assist on Packard’s second goal of the season to secure a 2-2 tie vs. Melrose. Belmont will be in Watertown to take on the Raiders on Saturday, Dec. 15.

Belmont High Girls’ Hockey Tripped Up By Malden Catholic, 4-1, In First Round Of D2 Tourney

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Photo: Belmont Lola Rocci (4) reacts to the Marauders’ tie the game vs. Malden Catholic

After being in the wilderness since its last tournament appearance in 2018, Belmont High Girls’ Hockey’s return to the MIAA Division 2 playoffs was a short one as the Marauders fell short against a quick team from Malden Catholic, 4-1, in a first round matchup on Wednesday night, March 1, held in Malden’s Valley Rink.

While more than holding their own against the team that beat Belmont, 4-3, earlier in the season, Malden Catholic were just a step faster on both ends of the rink, taking a 2-1 lead late in the second period on a freakish goal where the puck wobble its way through Belmont four-year starting goalie Bridget Gray’s stick and pads.

“Unfortunately our MO has been playing from behind in the third period all season,” said Belmont Head Coach Ken Murphy. “You can do that right up until you can’t, because you’re gonna come up short one time and tonight was that night.”

“They played as hard as they could tonight and they played so they would be in the right place where they would get the shot to tie it up. But it just didn’t go our away tonight.”

Belmont’s Bridget Gray with one of her 30 save in the playoff game vs Malden Catholic.

Gray – who would end with 30 saves adding to her more than 2,000 career saves – was her stellar solid self in the first period as the Lancers held the slight edge keeping Belmont’s first line defenders Katyla Pisuk and Alex Townsend busy. The Marauders’ had the better chances to break the deadlock with a pair of Mackenzie Clarke solo rushes against Malden Catholic’s goalie Daniella DeJon, the second a clear breakaway. Clarke’s wrister barely missed the left post, which the first-year left wing slammed her stick in frustration. Just before the period ended, Belmont’s Charlotte Wright came close on the near side left post followed by an open shot from forward Sadie Taylor on the same shift.

The Lancers took the lead midway through the second all with their speed, intercepting a clearing pass that resulted in a Samantha Crowley in close shot that beat Gray. It took Belmont only two minutes to knot it up with a long-distance blast from Pisuk, assists from Mia Taylor and Euey Long. It appeared that the game would enter the third tied but then came the wafflier from Alyssa Jankowski that lucked its way into the net.

Less than five minutes into the final period, MC put the game on ice as Mikayla Holland snapped a shot from a face-off that found the net by Gray’s right pad. Jankowski would earn the brace with an open netter in the final minute.

“That they put every effort they can into it,” said Murphy. “And they did. So we’re happy with what they did. We wish we went a little further, but all in all, I think they had a good season.”

With the loss of a handful of seniors, Murphy’s young team will have valuable playoff experience when they regroup in November.

“We have an exciting, fast group of freshmen coming up. We will have to fill in on defense [especially with the Gray graduating in June] but even with that need, Belmont has a good program coming next season,” said Murphy.

Belmont Playoff Bound: Three Marauder Teams Start Their Tournament March This Week

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Photo: Belmont High Girls’ Ice Hockey four-year starter Bridget Gray will backstop the Marauders as they take on Malden Catholic in the first round of the MIAA Div. 2 tournament on Wednesday, March 1

Three Belmont High winter sports teams will be playing their first games in the 2022-3 postseason beginning Wednesday, March 1, and running through Friday, March 3. And the middle game will likely be the scholastic farewell for the town’s long-standing skating rink.

On Wednesday, March 1, the 23rd Belmont High Girls Ice Hockey (8-8-3) team will travel to Malden as the Marauders take on 10th-ranked Malden Catholic (9-9-2) in the MIAA Division 2 tournament. The puck will drop at 7:10 p.m. at the Valley Forum in Malden. How to get to the rink? Just get on Route 60 (Pleasant Street) and keep going east; the roadway will deposit you in the facility’s parking lot.

The 10th-ranked Belmont High Boys Ice Hockey (13-6-3) squad will officially end high school sports at Belmont’s Viglirolo Skating Rink on Concord Avenue with a home tournament game as the Marauders welcome the 23rd-seeded Chelmsford High Lions (11-6-3) to the “Skip” on Thursday, March 2. Faceoff will take place at 6:30 p.m.

The Belmont High Girls’ hoopsters (13-9) finished the season as the 16th-ranked team – and the last position to secure a first-round home game – in Division 1 and will host a familiar rival in 17th-ranked Central Catholic of Lawrence (8-12) at the Wenner Field House. Tip-off will be at 6:30 p.m. Fans will remember Belmont losing to the Raiders in consecutive Division 1 North finals (2018-19). The winner will likely meet the number 1 seed Andover next week.

Marauder Hockey: After ‘Skip’ Finale, Belmont High Boys’ To Host Playoff Opener While Girls’ Will Likely Cruise To The Vineyard

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Photo: Skip Viglirolo (right) with Belmont High Assistant Coach Bob Shea at the final league match at the namesake rink

In the final regular season matches ever to be held at the “Skip” – that would be the Skip Viglirolo Skating Rink on Concord Avenue – on Saturday, Feb. 18, the Belmont High Boys’ and Girls’ did the double with the boys’ winning in a workmanlike effort, 4-1 over Woburn High, while the girls’ recent lack of a needed finishing touch left their all-star goalie stuck with a 2-1 loss to the Tanners.

Even though the games honored the team’s seniors and the doubleheader ended more than half a century of high school games played in the rink – the girls’ team began playing there a little more than 30 years ago – supporters barely filled the stands, likely due to the start of February school vacation the day before. The day’s highlight was the presence of the rink’s namesake. Skip Viglirolo, his family and friends took in the boys’ game knowing it was likely the last time they would have a chance to see the old arena.

The Belmont Select Board recently declared it would not authorize the approximate $200,000 needed to repair critical infrastructure into the dilapidated structure. Town voters will have to opportunity to approve a $29 million debt exclusion to construct a new 40,313 sq-ft rink at the annual town election in April. Residents voted down a $35 million exclusion on an earlier rink design in November 2022.

The Boys’ were looking to right the ship Saturday – having gone 1-4-2 in the run-up to the game – with a victory as it prepared for two non-league post-season games in Springfield against juggernauts Pope Francis and Central Catholic [Update: Belmont would lose, 8-3, to Francis on Tuesday, Feb. 21, and defeat CC, 3-2 with senior co-captain Cam Fici earning the brace and senior co-captain Peter Grace putting in the third] to prep for the playoffs.

The game started with little urgency, as both teams were sparing to probe where they could take advantage of their opponent. However, by the second period, Belmont would strike three times, including a spectacular short-handed goal from – who else? – Fici, who deked and put the puck between the defender’s legs before rounding the goalie to put Belmont up, 3-1, at the end of two. Senior forward co-captain Shay Donahue would finish the scoring with a brace, and Fici picked up his third assist.

“It’s great to see what the seniors accomplished over four years including the shortened Covid season,” said Belmont Head Coach Tim Foley before the game.

In the finale, the Belmont girls came out and dominated the first two periods against a Tanner team playing for pride after missing the playoffs. But despite a flurry of chances, only first-year standout Mackenzie Clarke could send the puck into the netting with a second-period tally, while Belmont senior captain Bridget Gray was solid between the pipes throughout the opening two stanzas.

But the Tanners took advantage of Belmont’s propensity of finding the penalty box in the second and third to reverse the momentum and twice find the back of the net. The first came off a deflection when a Marauder defender attempted to knock down a shot that skipped by Gray, followed by a Woburn breakaway that Gray appeared to cover only to see it breakthrough. Belmont could not muster a challenge for the final 10 minutes to leave the ice empty-handed for the last time.

“I wouldn’t call that lack of scoring a problem this year,” said Belmont’s Head Coach Ken Murphy who noted that most of the team’s wins were in low scoring games as Gray and the back line led by junior Alex Townsend were the keystones of the defense.

“At the end of the season we didn’t have that one person who could score, and I don’t want to have that players, to be honest. I like three or four on the ice that work together to set up a good shot,” said Murphy, who has a good feeling about the upcoming playoffs.

“Coming from one of the strongest leagues out there, I feel good about anyone we go to see, that we’ll have a good chance because we are a solid team. We are three lines deep and a lot of teams can’t say that. We are solid with [Gray] so we are looking to make a mark in the playoffs,” said Murphy.

In the next to last MIAA power ranking of the season, while both teams are comfortable in the post-season, each just missed out of more favorable schedules. There are slim chances that due to other teams not releasing updated scores or late recalculations the rankings could change by the time the playoff pairings are announced this weekend.

Currently, 9th in Division 1, the boys (13-6-3) are one spot out of securing a pair of home games at the “Skip” which will close its doors one last time in early March. With the current standings, Belmont will host 24th-ranked Chelmsford (10-6-3) next week.

After missing the postseason last year with a 6-10-2 mark in 47th place, the girls were on the right side of the 16th seed, guaranteeing a home fixture in the first round. But a late-season falloff in scoring saw the Marauders limp in at 0-4-2 down the home stretch to finish the season at 8-8-3 in 18th in the Division 2 power rankings.

Last week, Belmont appeared that they would be driving and taking a ferry 100 miles and three hours (one way!) to Oak Bluffs to take on Martha’s Vineyard Regional. And as if it by destiny, as Belmont dropped a spot in the past week, the Vineyarders (12-6-2) rose one place to 15th, clinching a home game against the Marauders next week to be played at the YMCA Martha’s Vineyard Ice Arena in Oak Bluffs.

Hockey: Gray’s Masterpiece Earns Belmont Girls’ Important Point Vs Winchester; Boys’ Rely On First Line, Again, To Eek Out A Tie

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Photo: Bridget Gray is Belmont’s GOAT in the nets.

There was no right for the Belmont High School Girls’ Ice Hockey squad to walk away with one point against ten-win Winchester. For most of the game, the action was one-way-only traffic heading into the Belmont zone as the Marauders were chasing the puck for three periods.

But at the end of overtime, Belmont players swarmed their junior co-captain goalie Bridget Gray who gave the Marauders the lifeline to escape the Skip with a valuable 2-2 tie. If Gray has had a more impactful regular season game in her three varsity seasons please remind us as her performance against Div. 2 top-five Winchester was a masterpiece.

From the first 10 seconds where she stoned a clear breakaway to the final seconds of the 50 minutes she was on the ice, Gray stopped 54 of 56 shots, a monumental shot rate of 19 per period. But it’s unusual for Gray – who has been a starter since the 2019-20 season – to see a ton of pucks come her way as she surpassed 1,500 saves in her career.

The attempts at goal were a collection of challenging testers, many coming from open looks as opponents drove to the net forcing Gray to make instinctual reaction saves including after only six minutes when she stopped her second breakaway of the period and then smother the shot attempt off the rebound.

It was remarkable that Belmont (6-5-2) was only down 1-0 after 15 minutes as Winchester scored after crashing the net and ping-ponging the puck in. The second period didn’t look any more promising for Belmont, especially after a tripping call put a Marauder in the box for a second time in the period. But against the run of play, Belmont scored short handed when junior Lily Duffy sped into the Winchester zone and unleashed a wrister that hugged the ice beating the goalie stick side at 9:40 remaining.

Paraphrasing the line from Mel Brooks’ “Blazing Saddles,” scoring on Winchester only made them mad and they came out looking to retake the lead coming close with a shot that sat on the goal-line, another off the crossbar from a blocker save and Gray stealing a goal heading into the open net with her glove and pads. But Gray could not singlehandedly hold back the onslaught and gave up the second just past halfway in the period.

But once again, Belmont scored out of no where when sophomore forward Gretchen Hanley was at the right place at the right time to pickup the puck from a mangled attempt of a save to tie it up at two. After so much work just to tie the score, Gray and Belmont would bend but not break to secure the tie. (Belmont would secure a 1-1 tie vs Reading

While Belmont kept its record above .500, the importance of the Gray-inspired draw is realized when looking at the now all-important power rankings table as the Marauders jumped five places in Division 2 from 34th to 29th, just above the 32nd place cutoff to remain eligible for the state tournament. But the tie against a .500 Reading has Belmont right at the 32nd cutoff.

And Belmont will need to rely on Gray to come up big in the final four games of the year as the team faces a true running of gauntlet of stellar opponents in the next two weeks – Arlington (ranked 2nd in Div. 1), Woburn (12th in D2), Haverhill (9th) and undefeated Winthrop (14th). Conceivably the Marauders could loss each game and stay inside the 32nd placement due to the high ranking of the opponents which can actually be beneficial when calculating the rankings. But Belmont would need to keep each game close, something Gray will have a big say.

Tired Ties For The Boys

Midway through overtime in its game against Middlesex League rivals Reading, Belmont (15-1-2) replaced two of its top offense line and number one defensive pair from the ice. Those who saw the players coming off wouldn’t be so wrong to believe they were watching a recreation of Napoleon’s retreat from Moscow: there couldn’t be a more exhausted looking group dragging themselves back to the bench. Less than a minute later, the The reason for the image was clear: the five players were on the ice for much of the game which ended in a 1-1 stalemate.

And if you know who they are, you’d know why they should be out there for long stretches of time. The first line of senior Matty Rowen and juniors Shay Donahue and Cam Fici is the most productive and active group in the Middlesex League if not the state. They pop on the ice and suddenly it is theirs: they can dominate between the blue lines and then combine with deft passing and a deadly eye – especially from Fici who is nearing 30 goals this season – for the back of the net.

The stats tell it all: Of Belmont’s 16 goals in the past 7 games, 15 have been planted by the first line. The last non-Rowen, Donahue, Fici goal came from sophomore Matt Pomer against Woburn nearly a month ago.

Over on the defensive side, one of the best pairs in these parts is juniors Joe Gaziano and Peter Grace who have cultivated a partnership that provides a solid back line in front of all-star senior goalie Ryan Griffin.

And it’s not that Belmont is bereft of talented players: sophomore defender Adrien Gurung is a talented two-way worker (he scored Belmont’s first goal against top ranked Arlington in its 2-2 tie in January) while seniors Joe Michaud, Joe Dolan and Nathan Kefeyan have the toughness to play in the Middlesex League and youngsters such as the Pomer brothers (Matt and Mike) and junior Andrew Ferreira are getting their chance on the ice.

Yet when it comes to holding onto a slim lead, to be out there on the power play and short handed or if there is a need for a score, it’s likely the starting five will be called on. Just how much will Belmont’s bench use this set of assets as they come across giants such as Arlington away (Wednesday) and at home against Catholic Memorial (Friday) during the week will indicate their future use during the MIAA Div. 1 tournament where Belmont and Walpole are defending co-champions.