Belmont High Volleyball Two For Two In Season Openers [VIDEO]

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Photo: Belmont’s Leah Babroudi at the net against Burlington.

Last year Belmont High volleyball’s young team squeaked into the playoffs with a .500 record than losing in the first round.

Now, with a year’s worth of experience under their belt and a familiarity playing as a team, Belmont’s Head Coach Jen Couture has high hopes for a strong run in the league race and for a post-season run.

And so far the team has not disappointed, winning its first two contests in the 2018 season; 3-1 (25-20, 25-18, 20-25, 25-22) in the home opener over Burlington on Wednesday and a 3-0 (25-16, 25-9, 25-15) whitewashing of Wilmington Friday.

In its game with Burlington – a semifinalist in last year’s Division 2 North sectionals – Belmont never allowed the Devils to run off long service games while countering with a complete game plan.

“We started off the match playing with confidence,” said Couture. “Burlington took a little while to warm up and really started getting into a groove in the third set which they inevitably took. In the fourth set we just focused on minimizing unforced errors, keeping everything in play and hitting smart shots. [Belmont] didn’t get shaken or down on themselves after dropping the [previous] set and bounced back to finish the match.”

Junior captain setter Mindee Lai set a new record for assists in a single match with 35.

“Mindee always gives 100 percent effort every match and does an excellent job setting up our offense. Burlington’s middle blockers really challenge our hitters to hit to smart spots and Mindee adjusts the sets to give hitters more time to hit around the block,” said Couture.

Senior Captain Jane Mahon led the offense with 11 kills (17 total in two games) and 6 aces. Mahon, who plays as the opposite hitter and middle blocker, also led the team in blocks with 6. She’s followed by junior Nena Babroudi with 10 kills and 5 services aces.

Leading from the back was junior Libero Sophia Estok who came up big serving in the fourth set along with her solid defense. In the two games, Estok has 36 defensive digs and 38 services received while senior Leah Babroudi has 14 digs and 24 services. 

Belmont Girls’ Soccer Leaves It Late In 2-1 Home Opener Win As Frosh Goalie Shines

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Photo: Ella Gagnon (21) scoring the equalizer vs. Wilmington.

It wasn’t the way freshman goalie Bridgette Martin wanted to start her first varsity game against Wilmington.

On the first ball that came her way, Martin – who admitted being nervous when the game got underway – hesitated for a second and saw it go behind her and tapped in by Jocelyn Palmer less than 30 seconds into the home opener on Saturday night, Sept. 8.

But that “oops” moment didn’t get the 9th grader down, just mad. 

“I got pretty angry after the goal and that anger fueled my adrenaline. It kicked in and it got me going to the ball hard,” she said. 

While her mistake put Belmont (2-0-0) behind the Wildcats (0-2-0) for nearly 70 minutes, Martin was superb the remaining 79 minutes, stopping three breakaway and a looping shot heading goalward to keep the match within one. That allowed the usual goal happy Marauder offense (it won its opener 11-0 over Burlington) to find a way by a disciplined Wilmington defense to score twice in the final 12 minutes to eek out a 2-1 victory at Harris Field.

“I really have to say Martin showed a heck of a lot of class,” said longtime Marauder Head Coach Paul Graham. And that effort was crucial, said Graham, “because despite dominating the game especially in the first half, we couldn’t find any way to score.” 

Not that the Marauders didn’t come close, including hitting the crossbar and seeing two through balls miss everyone in the six-yard box. At the other end of the pitch, Martin heroics was highlighted in the 23rd minute when she made a reflex save off freshman Alyssa Granara from 10 meters out then hurried back to the goal line to snag the rebound that was floating just under the crossbar.

The second 40 minutes saw Wilmington play a much tighter game and began controlling the ball with better success. One area that Belmont continues to take advantage was its physical play, continuing to knock Wildcats off the ball or winning possession with their speed. Senior center forward Ella Gagnon was a constant threat but Wilmington’s goalie Alyssa Morrison, in only her second varsity start, made her share of reaction stops. 

Just eight minutes into the second half saw Martin make the game-changing save as Wilmington’s Annie Wingate received a perfect pass to face the Belmont goalie alone eight meters from a wide-open goal. Closing the distance, Martin left arm got just enough of Wingate’s rocket shot to see it dribble pass the right post. 

“We practice these shots in practice a lot. Normally I close the girl down and see what I can do,” said Martin.

With the margin still at one, Belmont finally broke through with less than 12 minutes to go when senior left wing Morgan Krauss stayed wide and squared a perfect centering pass that Gagnon tapped in from five meters out. And just after the nine-minute to go mark, sophomore Jenna Thomas looped a shot that beat Morrison who was well off her line. Gagnon had a hand in preserving the win. With seconds remaining in the match, she jumped as part of the defensive wall and deflected a shot by senior Thea Alberti that was heading into the upper right corner of the goal. 

“Wilmington is a team that is always good and these are the teams that you have to beat if you want to go deep in the playoffs,” said Graham. “This win puts us on the map,” he said. 

 

State OKs $80.6M Grant To Build New 7-12 School; Critical Debt Vote In November

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Photo: The design of the new Belmont 7-12 High School.

The future of the new 7-12 High School is now in the hands of Belmont voters.

Last Wednesday, Aug. 29, the Massachusetts School Building Authority approved a $80.6 million grant towards the $295.2 million Belmont High School Building Project, endorsing more than two years of collaboration by the authority, the Belmont High School Building Committee, the Belmont School Department, citizens, town committees and boards, and various town departments, according to the head of the Building Committee.

“We are incredibly pleased that the MSBA has voted to approve funding for the Belmont High School Building Project,” said William Lovallo, Building Committee chair.

The next step in the project process is the all-important town-wide vote on Election Day, Nov. 6, where voters will decide to approve a debt exclusion of $214.6 million to fund the balance of the project, an amount for which Belmont’s taxpayers will be responsible.

If the town votes in favor of the debt exclusion, the project will move forward with the first evidence of construction occurring in the Spring of 2019. The current project timeline is to complete installation and open the 9-12 High School portion of the school in September 2021 and to open the 7-8 grade portion of the school in September 2023.

“We are especially grateful for the support of State Sen. Will Brownsberger and State Rep. Dave Rogers, who attended multiple MSBA board meetings and were strong advocates for the Belmont High School Project. The project has reached this stage thanks to the collective efforts of so many throughout the town, and it is a testament to how invested Belmont’s citizens are in the continued success of our schools,” said Lovallo.

The BHSBC was formed to explore solutions to the Belmont High School building deficits, including an aging infrastructure and space constraints due to overcrowding. In January 2018, after more than 50 public meetings, forums, and workshops, the Belmont School Committee voted for a 7-12 grade configuration for the school. Also, at that time, the BHSBC determined that a school design with a significant addition and minor renovation would most appropriately and effectively address the educational and facility-related needs of Belmont’s students, and would support continued enrollment growth and evolving teaching models, according to a press release from the Building Committee.

Go to belmonthighschoolproject.org for additional information on the Belmont High School Building Project and to view interior and site designs, and to follow the project journey.

US Sen. Markey Holding Climate Crisis Summit At Belmont High, June 28

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Photo: Massachusetts US Sen. Ed Markey

Massachusetts U.S. Sen. Ed Markey is inviting residents and the general public to a Climate Crisis Action Summit at Belmont High School’s auditorium on Thursday, June 28 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.

Markey and three leading climate change experts will discuss what they believe is the greatest crises of our time. Following a discussion of the current state of affairs of climate policy and possible solutions, questions will be taken from the audience.

The expert panelists are:

  • Gina McCarthy, former EPA Administrator and current Director of C-CHANGE (Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment) at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
  • Dr. John Holdren, former Chief Science and Technology Advisor to President Barack Obama and current Teresa and John Heinz Professor of Environmental Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
  • Todd Stern, former U.S. Chief Negotiator for the Paris Climate Accord and current Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and Distinguished Fellow at the World Resources Institute.

The summit is asking interested attendees to RSVP in order to gather an estimated headcount. Please note that registration here does not guarantee a seat, as attendees will be seated on a first come, first serve basis. Though we do hope to accommodate each and every individual who attends.

CHAMPS AGAIN: Belmont Girls’ Rugby Repeat As State Champions Defeating Lincoln Sudbury

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Photo: Senior Jess Rosenstein raise the state championship trophy.

Belmont High Girls’ Rugby Head Coach Kate McCabe huddled with her team just before the beginning of the second half of the state championship finals against Lincoln Sudbury Regional. Trailing 10-8, Belmont had been outplayed by the Warriors for long stretches of the match held at Newton South High School.

“Right now Lincoln Sudbury wants this game,” she told the team, looking at each player as she spoke. “I want you to want this game more. I want you to want to win this game,” said McCabe, imploring her squad to win each encounter on the field both as individuals and as a team. Now’s the time, she told them, to have the desire to win a state title.

And the Marauders responded with a dominating hard-fought second half punctuated with a pair of inspired trys by junior flyhalf Gabriella “Gabby” Viale – adding to her first-half strike – to defeat Lincoln-Sudbury, 20-10, to repeat as MIAA Division 1 state girls’ rugby champions.

“I can’t say enough about this team. They rose to the occasion when [the game] was on the line,” said McCabe after celebrating with her team with the state tournament trophy.

“I can’t describe it,” said team captain senior scrumhalf Jess Rosenstein who accepted the state championship trophy with fellow senior center Kiera Booth. “It’s great,” she said, pointing out the victory was due to a true team effort. “It’s all our[s] [championship].”

Top seed Belmont (8-0) won the two regular-season games against second-ranked Lincoln Sudbury (5-3) by five (17-12) and two points (14-12) in physical contests and the championship match played in sporadic sprinkles under overcast skies was just as rough and tumble as the previous matches. And it was the Warriors that took the game to the Marauders, keeping control of the ball while threatening to break runs from the back.

When Belmont did have the ball, it was losing possession in the ruck – when a player must release the ball after being tackled – as the Warriors moved the Marauders off the ball. 

“That was a sticking point which we had worked on so we knew that was going to happen,” said McCabe. “LS really pressured us on our first pass from the ruck and scrum and that took away our options.” 

Lincoln Sudbury struck first when junior center Shelley Zuckerman romped around Belmont’s right end to score the first of her two tries in the half to give the Warriors a 5-0 lead. 

Belmont responded on a flukish play as the Marauders’ drove the ball within 10 meters to the goal when a quick stoppage had both teams suddenly stop play. The only player to realize that the ball was free was Viale to picked it up and ran to try. The conversion attempt from an acute angle by junior lock Johanna Matulonis was missed to leave the game level at 5-5.

“I had these opportunities. I saw it and I had to go,” said Viale who has scored in consecutive championship games.

Belmont took a lead on Matunlonis’ penalty kick from nearly 22 meters with the wind to her back. That lead was shortlived as Zuckerman scored her second from 20 meters out to give the Warriors a 10-8 lead into the half. 

The Warriors came out of the half on fire as it quickly drove the ball to the Belmont 10 meters and then nearly scored on a solo run after a Marauder defensive kick, but for a last-gasp stop by junior fullback Clare Martin.

“Clare Martin was making amazing tackles all game, some were try-saving tackles,” said McCabe.

But once it weathered the assault, Belmont put its stamp on the game, retaining control and drove to the Warrior’s try line. Belmont came close to scoring, once losing the ruck within 5 meters to the line and once crossing the try line but did not touch the ball to the ground. The Marauders kept control in the Warriors’ end despite junior lock Sam Dignan being sent for 10 minutes to the “sin bin” with a yellow card. Both teams would soon be playing 14 aside when a Warrior was sent off with her own yellow.

The constant pressure Belmont placed on Lincoln Sudbury by running straight at its front line by junior 8-man Grace Christensen, Matulonis and sophomore prop Madeline Mulken finally gave Belmont open space along the flanks and Viale capitalized by taking a final pass down the right side to outpace the Warrior defenders to sweep 20 meters into try midway in the half. Matulonis’s successful conversion gave Belmont a 15-10 lead. 

The remainder of the half saw a tiring Warrior team unable to break Belmont’s defense, only passing the half line once in the final 18 minutes. Belmont once again drove into the offensive zone, keeping possession for a majority of the last minutes. After a penalty on the Warriors 25 meters from the try line, Viale quickly restarted play with a “tap-and-go” and ran by the Lincoln Sudbury defenders for her final try giving Belmont an insurmountable 20-10 margin with less than four minutes to play.

“I couldn’t have done it without the work of my teammates,” said Viale.

“Lincoln Sudbury was phenomenal today. At times we lost our focus that potentially could have changed the entire game,” said McCabe. “But at halftime, I asked them to make a difference in the game. It was that desire, the willingness to own how each of them played which made the difference.” 

Belmont Rugby Teams Meet Familiar Rivals In Saturday’s State Finals [VIDEO]

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Photo: Senior Scrumhalf Joe Viale racing down the pitch vs. St. John’s Prep

With a pair of dominating performances in the state championship semifinals last week, Belmont High School’s boys’ and girls’ Rugby squads now prepare to meet familiar foes in the state finals in a rare doubleheader where girls and boys high school teams will be seeking championships on the same day this Saturday, June 23.

The number one-ranked boys’ (6-0) in Division 1 will meet defending championships and second seed Boston College High School (5-1) in the late match of the three championship finals taking place at Newton South High School at 4 p.m. 

In the middle match at 2 p.m., the first seed and defending champs Belmont (7-0) is match up against second-ranked Lincoln Sudbury Regional High School (5-2) in the Division 1 Girls’ finals. 

The Belmont teams earned their place in the championship match with convincing victories in the semifinals that took place at Harris Field. On Tuesday, June 12, Belmont’s girls’ defeated the Needham High squad, 54-7, in a game that was more competitive than the earlier encounter between the teams.

Saturday’s opponent Lincoln Sudbury has been the one team which has placed the most pressure on the Marauders. It took Gabby Viale‘s ten-meter “tap and go” dash up the middle for a try on the last play of the game to give Belmont a 17-12 away victory on April 25. In the reverse fixture on June 12, Belmont’s defense and tackling kept a surging Warriors’ at bay for the 14-12 win, the margin of victory provided by junior Johanna Matulonis‘ converting both two-point conversion kicks after trys. 

Belmont will be relying on Senior Scrumhalf Jessica Rosenstein – who will be playing collegiately at national champs Lindenwood next year – to deliver the ball to the backline and direct the offense. Expect the team to rely on Number 8 Grace Christensen to take inside runs while Viale will be relied on to continue her season-long game-breaking runs while the back row wingers – highlighting juniors Hannah Hlotyak, Clare Martin, and Kiera Booth – will play a central role advancing the ball. 

The Marauders will need to protect the ruck – when a runner is stopped, their teammates attempt to push back the opponents so the scrumhalf can release the ball to the back row – and win the scrum when Belmont’s front eight players battle Lincoln-Sudbury’s front eight for the ball. 

On defense, watch for Belmont tackling attempt to counter the speed and physical nature of the Warriors.

If there is one advantage Belmont will carry into the game will be its experience – Saturday will be consecutive championship matches for nearly all the players on the field – and knowledge of the game which will 

Belmont Boys’ completed the season undefeated and rarely challenged in the late going of matches. And they showed its superiority in the semifinals as they dispatched St. John’s Prep High, 33-3, on Wednesday.

Boston College High squeaked into the championship game with a 12-10 semifinal victory over Lincoln Sudbury. Belmont defeated the Eagles on a rainy April 25, 26-14, with BC High scoring a late try. 

The Marauders will look to its senior front-runners, captain and flanker Will Lozano and scrumhalf Joe Viale, who will provide leadership by example on both sides of the ball, leading the attack into the heart of the BC High squad while being the first line of defense with an emphasis on stealing the ball from the ruck or during the run of play. 

And it will be in the ruck, side out and especially the scrum where Belmont will attempt to continue its season-long dominance. Despite being outweighed by BC High and St. John’s Prep by a significant amount, the forwards – front row Jake Parsons, Ryuichi Ohhata, and Mark Morash; locks Andra Duda and Maxwell Baskerville; flankers Connor Shea and Lozano; and 8-man Sam Sagherian – have controlled the majority of scrum restarts by working in concert as a single unit, resulting in the Marauders dictating how the game is played.

Look for Belmont to control the line-outs with Baskerville as the jumper who is lifted to capture the ball. Center back Sam Harris and wings Joe Altomare will give Belmont a great amount of pace in the open field. 

And the Marauders is expected to have an advantage in the kicking game as senior flyhalf Laurent Brabo has been hitting conversions and penalty kicks from well past 30 meters.

2018 Belmont High Graduation In Words And Pictures

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Photo: Mortarboard saying

With a cool 60-degrees outside keeping the temp ceremony below the usual sweltering conditions of past graduations, the Wenner Field House was packed with family, relatives, and friends who witnessed a record 331 seniors from the class of 2018  graduate from Belmont High School on Sunday, June 3.

The afternoon was filled with pomp and circumstance, a cappella singing, thoughtful remarks, senior pranks, an hour of presentation of diplomas and throwing of hats at the conclusion of the ceremony. 

Three students addressed their classmates and the audience: 

Class President Benjamin Brody

“As we sit where we are, right now, we are on the precipice of the old and the new. We can look retrospectively on our lives as high school students as we look prospectively on whatever comes next. … When we get to the beginning of the next part our prospective journeys, that same confident, that same level of comfort, that same feeling of belonging and of ‘I’ve made it’, all the stuff that makes up our right foot, our best foot, our ‘pedidextrous’ … it can all stay with us if we put our minds to it. … All us can look to the future and put our best foot forward … take on this journey with the same zeal and confidence that I know we will all have as we walk across this very stage.

Kosta Tingos, School Committee Award for Outstanding Achievement in Scholarship

“It isn’t a fluke that his class of 2018 is special. I believe we were not born this way but instead we fought for every inch of our success and made a mark at BHS and our greater community. … Today we find ourselves facing a similar transition, one from high school to a new chapter in our lives, whether it be college, career, gap year, or some other pursuit. We have been through a lot and accomplished a lot and now we have an opportunity to start fresh and do what we love and dream of. Everything is possible, and relish all the unexpected twist and turns. … Go into the world, wear your heart on your sleeve, win your own championship and, most importantly, enjoy your life. 

Sofia Schlozman, School Committee Award for Outstanding Achievement in Scholarship

“As we step away from the familiar routines of Belmont High School and the next stages of our lives, we will all encounter setbacks. There will be moments when we will feel small, confused and a little bit lost. But while the prospect of these challenges  [is] truly frightening, there is also excitement and the opportunity to work for something new and to learn from the moments that don’t immediately go our way. … Let’s learn to embrace the difficult moments and to celebrate what we accomplished, whether the outcome is as perfect as we hoped it would be or not. After all, the beauty of things that don’t come easily is that they always matter more.”

A Cruise For Graduating Seniors At The Annual All Night Party

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Photo: All Aboard. 

Entering Belmont High School less than three hours after graduation last Sunday, June 3, you’d have found yourself on the gangplank to a voyage into the future.

The 44th annual Belmont High School All Night Party transformed the hallways, the lunchroom and the school’s auditorium into a cruise ship – “USS Marauder” – with shuffleboard, casino games, Karaoke in the auditorium, a DJ and lots of food in the cafeteria and Pitch Perfect 3 on the widescreen. 

The annual eight hour-long party allowed Belmont High seniors a night to celebrate their graduation with their friends in a controlled, alcohol-free environment rather than going out on their own for unsupervised activities. Starting at 9 p.m. on June 3 and concluding at 5 a.m. on June 4, the “All Nighter” provided games, contests, dances, entertainment, music, food, refreshments and good times.

Thanks to the effort by the All Night Party Executive Committee, run by junior and underclass parents, which met for more than a year, and with the help of business supporters and food contributors, the committee undertook the monumental task of building out and decorating the rooms and cafeteria, organizing a boatload of volunteers, keeping the kids fed and raise the money – think north of $20,000 – to put it all together.

“Wow it’s hard to send our beautiful Belmont kids off to college next fall but I was lucky enough to be asked to be the lead sponsor of the year-end bash where the kids could wrap up the year together in a variety of fun and friendly and exciting events….while being safe,” said Anne Mahon. “Having coached some of these kids in basketball and soccer and worked with them in our after school program all I can say is the world is a better place when them in it and I’m so glad I got to know so many of these great kids.”

One Run Playoff: Belmont High Baseball Bows Out To Arlington In First Round

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Photo: Senior Steve Rizzuto crossing the plate after hitting a home run in the bottom of the 10th against Arlington.

The playoffs ended way too soon for Belmont High baseball.

A pair of errors on fly balls in the outfield proved the difference as Belmont walked off Brendan Grant Field as 12-ranked and Middlesex League rival Arlington (12-9) celebrating a 5-4 upset victory over the fifth-seed Marauders (15-6) in the first round of the Division 2 North sectional playoffs on Thursday, June 7.

“It’s a tough one,” said Head Coach Jim Brown after the game. “We were winning those lately.” 

The senior-heavy team nearly made off with another last inning victory, scoring three runs with two outs in the bottom of the 7th off Arlington reliever Jay Masci on four consecutive singles by seniors Dennis Crowley, Ryan Noone, Connor Dacey and Steve Rizzuto to tie the score at three. 

“That’s what is great about this senior class and these kids. They don’t panic and fight to the very end, to the last out. They never quit,” Brown. 

After allowing two runs to score on a two-out dropped fly ball in the top of the 10th off hard-luck loser Martin Marintchev who relieved senior starter Nate Espelin, Belmont quickly reduced the lead to one with a home run by the game’s hitting star Rizzuto, who went 4 for 4 with a double and the dinger, scored a run and drove in a pair. 

But with a man on second, a line drive to the Arlington shortstop started a 6-3 double play and an easy fly to right field ended the season which saw Belmont win consecutive Middlesex League championships, the first time since 1961 Belmont captured the league two seasons running. 

The one-run defeat was apropos for the team; in 21 games the Marauders played this season, 10 were decided by a single run.

“I love playing with this team. It was awesome,” said Espelin, Belmont’s ace southpaw who struck out 17 SpyPonders over nine innings while giving up two earned runs on five hits. “It was frustrating how it ended. It’s memorable the character that they all showed, how we stayed together no matter what.”

On Espelin’s first pitch of the game, leadoff hitter Brendan Jones sent the ball to deep center where the Marauder center fielder stumbles, recovers but then stumbles a second time to see the ball fall beyond his glove. Jones scored on Dara Conneely’s double.  

In the hole by a run after half an inning, the Marauders’ had its chances against Arlington starter Adam Bowler including leaving the bases loaded in the 2nd and 4th innings and stranding 12 men on base, 8 in scoring position. 

The SpyPonders increased its lead scoring twice in the top of the 4th with two singles and a double off Espelin.

It didn’t appear Belmont had anything in the tank offensively until the 7th when the bench erupted with each clutch hit by the middle of the order. But the team could not muster the one extra run to take the game.

Brown said despite the early exit, “it was definitely a good season. Obviously, these seniors, many who were three-year starters, wanted to go further in the playoffs. But I’m proud of them,” he said. 

 

Track: Krafian Repeats As Hurdles State Champ; Perkins 2nd In Record Time

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Photo: Anoush Krafian

Belmont High School Senior Anoush Krafian finished her Massachusetts High School track career in style by repeating as champion in the 100 meters hurdles, coming within one-one hundredth of a second of the state record as she left a talented field in her wake at the MIAA All-State Outdoor Track and Field Meet held at Fitchburg State University on Saturday, June 2. 

The Dartmouth-bound Krafian flew over the 10 33-inch barriers in 14.26 seconds, a personal best and a Belmont High School record to win by more than half-a-second over runner-up Saige Tudisco of Pentucket Regional in 14.80. Krafian’s time was .01 of a second back of the state record of 14.25 set in 2011 by Brockton’s Vanessa Clerveaux who currently runs for Haiti internationally.

Earlier in the meet, Krafian jumped to a fourth-place finish in the high jump with a 5-foot, 6-inch effort, which tied with two other athletes for the second highest attempt (Krafian took fourth on the number of misses she accumulated in the meet) behind Anna Jordahl-Henry of Wellesley who won scaling 5’8″.

On Thursday, Krafian came close to repeating as the state’s pentathlon champion – a title she won indoors in February – as she broke her own state outdoor record by nearly 150 points. But she was overtaken by sophomore Jada Johnson of Sharon who destroyed her own personal best by 300 points to win the five-event competition, 3,529 to 3,408.

With her first, second and fourth place showings, Krafian earned all of Belmont’s 23 points to place 6th out of 71 schools scoring in the meet. 

On the boys’ side of the ledger, Belmont High Senior Calvin Perkins repeated last year’s All-State result placing second in a school record 48.16, this time to Phillips Magre of Somerville who dipped below the 48 second line in 47.98. Perkins took a half-second off last year’s race time to come close to the state record set by Boston College High’s Mike Greene 35 years ago. 

Belmont’s 4X400 relay team of seniors Max Serrano-Wu, Mel Nagashima, Bryan Huang and junior Nicholas Picardi took 7th in finals in 3 minutes, 24.75 seconds. 

Belmont’s Boys finished 25th with 10 points out of 77 teams scoring.