Girls’ Soccer: Merrily They Roll Along; Boys’ Find Its Scoring Touch

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Photo: Courtney Gray scoring for Belmont.

For Belmont High Girls’ Soccer, the past week saw the undefeated/untied Marauders secure a playoff spot with half the season still to come while the Boys’ regained its scoring punch after a mid-season stumble

Girls’ Achieve Playoffs, Await Home and Home vs. One Loss Woburn

The Broadway composer and lyrist Stephen Sondheim titled one of his lesser-known musicals “Merrily We Roll Along.” While that book is about three friends over the years, one could steal the title and use it to describe the Belmont High Girls soccer team this season as they happily run the table. After a 4-0 victory at Wakefield on a rainy Columbus Day, the team had secured a perfect record at 10-0-0 as well as a playoff place in the Division 2 North Sectionals. 

Just before he left for an annual trip to an employers conference in Chicago, longtime Belmont Head Coach Paul Graham said he would not discount making the tournament this early in the season.

“It was one of our goals, so it’s important to recognize it. Sometimes you don’t make it so you should celebrate it,” he said after defeating an undermanned Watertown team, 7-0, before capping the week at Wakefield where junior forward Ella Gagnon tucked in a brace, each goal assisted by senior forward and co-captain Carey Allard who scored three times against Watertown.

After three consecutive shutouts where Belmont dominated play, the Marauders will have its hands full at the end of the week as they meet one-loss Woburn High School in a rare home and home matchup. The opener will be played on Thursday, Oct. 12 at 5:30 p.m. in Woburn and the return fixture is on Saturday afternoon, Oct. 14, at 5 p.m. at Harris Field. 

After Stumble, Boys Re-establish Scoring Touch 

After scoring one of the program’s most significant victories in recent years by defeating Winchester 2-0 back in September, the Boys’ Soccer team suddenly couldn’t find its way to the back of its opponent’s net. 

A 2-1 shock home loss to then-winless Reading matched with a 1-0 heartbreaker to top-ranked Arlington coupled with an uninspiring 1-1 tie against Melrose left the Marauders dog paddling with a 4-3-2 record.

But “with a few adjustments to our lineup” by Belmont Head Coach Brian Bisceglia-Kane, the Marauders have reestablished its attacking. 

Senior captain Jake Carson, who is now playing as a true center forward, scored the lone goal in the final minutes to give the Marauders a much needed 1-0 victory over hosts Watertown on Friday, Oct. 6. Then braces by Carson and junior Seamus Dullaghan along with a solo goal from junior Jorge Mejia saw Belmont break out for a comfortable 5-0 victory over Wakefield to up its record to 6-3-2, putting it on the verge of a return to the postseason. 

“We are playing some of our stronger players for long stretches, and that has worked well. The last couple of games we have started to gain momentum, and we are about to play the teams we have already played before (in the Liberty division of the Middlesex League),” said Bisceglia-Kane.

After a home game against Woburn at the end of the week, Belmont will be on the road for the next three games against two teams above them in the league standings, leaders Arlington and Winchester. 

“We feel confident that we’ll be in every game that they play in. We have to score earlier, so the other team doesn’t feel that they are competitive despite us outplaying them,” he said. 

Volleyball: Belmont Puts A Scare Into Melrose In Five Set Thriller

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Photo: Action with Belmont High Volleyball.

On Monday, Columbus Day, Belmont High Volleyball traveled to Watertown and beat the Raiders three sets to zero (25-17, 25-9, 25-23) to up its record to 5-6, exceeding the number of victories last years campaign.

But Belmont Head Coach Jen Couture would instead talk about a lose from last week. In a thrilling home match held at Wenner Field House, Belmont was upended in a five-set marathon, 22-25, 25-11, 23-25, 25-18, 15-8, to perennial Middlesex League Freedom champs Melrose on Thursday, Oct. 5.

Melrose is once again cruising through its regular season, at 13-0, and had not been extended to five sets since the previous year. That was until they met the Marauders.

“It was an amazing match,” said Couture. “Melrose has just historically been so dominant that we usually go into the match with hopes of taking a set and when we took the first set it was little surreal.”
 
Sophia Estok broke the one-game record for digs with 43 (besting the 40 successful serves received she set vs. Lexington) having done a great job reading the Raiders hitters. “She’s a very smart player who learns from every kill and adjusts to prevent another.” Leah Babroudi and Mindee Lai were next in digs with 21 and 17 respectively.
 
Jane Mahon and Lai led the offense with 10 and 7 kills, and Jen Tan chipped in 7 service aces.
Couture pointed to Lai’s overall contribution to the team’s effort on the court.
 
“The match … highlighted Lai’s athleticism as she also recorded three blocks and a couple of pancake [saves],” said Couture. “Lai is on the court 100 percent of the time, through many four and five set matches, chasing down every shanked ball and making great plays. It’s no wonder her teammates refer to her as ‘the Machine’.”
After winning the fourth set by seven points, Belmont was entering into well-worn territory.
 
“This was our fourth five-set match [of the season]” – recently defeating Wayland and Lexington in five – “but it was the first one where you could really notice the fatigue, due to the many long rallies throughout the match.  Melrose setter came out serving strong, going on a nine-point run to push its lead to 0-9. 
“I was afraid that we had given up, assuming Melrose was going to win because we had never known anything else. The set continued 2-10, 4-12, and at 5-14 before Lai came back to serve. 
Despite match point, “Lai served aggressively and consistently making it difficult for Melrose to set up a kill bringing the team to 8-14 when ultimately during a long rally Melrose setter put the ball away,” said Couture. 
“The run came just a little too late. But for those four points, something changed, and we all started to believe anything was possible. The biggest take away from the game was if we play our smart and consistently aggressive game, we can compete with any team in our league,” she said.
With a playoff berth within reach, Couture suggests a change in her line up with an eye on the future.
“Some Junior Varsity hitters have been dressing and participating in varsity matches, and I think we will be seeing some of them in more matches, to give our starters little rest so they can continue to play at their highest level until the very last point,” she said.

Unbeaten Belmont Field Hockey Readies For Watertown Clash Thursday

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Photo: Belmont High’s Alexa Sabatino scoring against Melrose

Belmont High Field Hockey had an eventful past week: the team tied up one of the leading squads in New England (and Watertown slayer) Winchester, 1-1, on the Sachems’ home turf, knocked off Reading 2-0 at home and earned an excellent 1-0 away victory at Arlington.

And on Tuesday, Oct. 3, the team showed off its good form beating Melrose, 5-1, under the lights of Harris Field.

And the team’s reward for being 7-0-1 with six shutouts? Being excluded from the Boston Globe Top 20 rankings and having to take on 8-1-0 Watertown away at Victory Field for the second year running.

I ask you; where’s the love?

For Jessie Smith, Belmont’s long-serving head coach, the past four games have been preparing for the battle with the Raiders, the six-time Div 2 State champion who had its record unbeaten streak ended by Winchester in September.

“I’ve been pleased with how we have been playing. Our passing has been outstanding, and we’ve been scoring when we needed to,” Smith said.

In her best match of the bunch, Belmont hung tough against Winchester behind senior goaltender Christine McLeod who stopped 14 of 15 hard shots thrown at her, including making a spectacular diving save early in the second half. Smith pointed to the defensive back line of Emma Donahue, Johnna Crowley, Hanna Power and sub Meaghan Noone breaking up a number of Winchester’s attacks.

While Winchester did break through with 12 minutes to play as Shannon Crowe scored from a penalty corner, Belmont’s senior captain Alexa Sabatino beat Winchester goalie Brooke Ross with the equalizer five minutes later off of the Marauders’ first penalty corner of the game.

“After they scored, we really stepped it up. You could see they hadn’t given up and wanted to get that goal back,” said Smith.

After a solid 2-0 win over Reading, Belmont traveled to Spy Pond country where they encountered an improving Arlington squad.

With Arlington deploying a defense consisting of its entire team stationed between the ball and the goal when Belmont was on the attack, it took the Marauders a good 50 minutes to solve the labyrinth  of sticks and players as junior right attack Morgan Chase lifted the ball into net from eight meters out with nine minutes remaining in the game.

“Their defense was really strong which made it difficult to make our passes,” said Chase who is one of team’s leading scorers.

Tuesday’s game against visiting Melrose allowed Smith to clear the bench and use her entire team leading up to the Watertown match. Junior Mia Kaldenbaugh punched in a pair with Sabatino and sophomore midfield Katie Guden both scoring.

The final goal was by the future of Belmont Field Hockey as sophomore Cleo Theodoropulos grabbing the late tally, her first of the season.

Belmont will take on the one-loss Watertown team on Thursday, Oct. 5 at 3:30 p.m. at Victory Field

After losing to Winchester in a one-sided contest, Watertown has been on a tear, winning six consecutive games all by shutouts while scoring six goals four times.

For Smith, the game will be won by the team that controls the midfield.

“We have to keep our feet moving on defense and really push forward when we have the chance,” said Smith.

Belmont Football Nearly Got The Best Of Powerhouse Reading

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Photo: Belmont wide receiver Will Ellet 6-yard touchdown vs. Reading

Last time Reading High Football was at Harris Field back in 2015; the matchup was ugly in many ways.

On a rainy Friday night, the Middlesex League powerhouse steamrolled the Marauders, leading 42-0 at halftime, while displaying an utter lack of sportsmanship.

This past Thursday, it was the winless hosts against the 2-1 Reading team, smarting from its second loss to Lexington in as many years six days before. After Reading’s star running back Jack Geiger took the first carry of the game 66 yards for a touchdown; it appeared the Rockets would make quick work of the Marauders.

But in a game that could prove to be a watershed for the team, Belmont refused to turn tail and run. Rather, the squad took the measure of the Rockets, staying within arms-length of the visitors throughout the contest, taking a near-record performance by Geiger to secure a 29-24 victory over the hosts. 

Geiger rushed for 266 yards – the fourth most by a Reading player – and scored Reading’s four touchdowns, with most of his yards coming from sweeps around the tackles as his speed was, at times, too much for the Marauder defense.

“That’s two weeks in a row that we’ve seen tough backs,” said Belmont Head Coach Yann Kumin. “Last week Woburn running back Isaiah Cashwell-Doe, and obviously [Geiger] is a great back, we saw him last year as a great back.”

While Reading (3-1) relied on Geiger, Belmont’s (0-4) senior quarterback George Fitzgerald was outstanding, throwing for 182 yards on 19 for 25 passing and a pair of touchdowns. With the passing game clicking, the Marauders’ running attack led by senior fullback Adam Deese and running back Tyler Reynolds was able to pick up critical yards in the game. 

After the Rockets’ initial score, Belmont – using short passes and runs up the middle – took the ball 47 yards to the Reading 25 yard line where Fitzgerald lofted the ball to the back of the end zone where wide receiver Jake Pollock outleaped two defenders to come down with the ball for the TD at the 4:08 mark in the first quarter to knot the game up at 7. 

Reading would retake the lead behind the running of Geiger, finishing the job with a 12-yard run midway through the period. Just to add insult to injury, a muffed hold on the point-after-touchdown was take in for a two-point conversion to up the Rocket lead to 15-7.

After both teams could not make their first downs, Belmont would take nearly six minutes off the clock on a 56-yard scoring drive, culminating with a Fitzgerald to wide receiver Will Ellet 6 yard touchdown with 21 seconds left to cut the lead to 15-14 at the half.

Belmont’s positive play in the first half was put sorely under pressure on the first play in the second half when that man Geiger repeated his first quarter heroics by romping 58 yards on the first play in the third quarter for his third touchdown in as many quarters. 

But once again, Belmont would not quit, marching from the Marauders’ 10 to Reading’s ten where Marauder senior kicker Aidan Cadogan hit a 27-yard field goal with 5:28 remaining in the third to cut the lead to 22-17. 

In the fourth quarter, Reading took the ball and grinding it down the field behind Geiger, ending on a 6 yard run straight up the gut to up the lead to 29-17.

Belmont appeared ready to head over the ball on downs, facing a fourth and one from the 30-yard line when lightning struck in the guise of running back Kilian O’Connell who hit the hole and found daylight, scampering all alone 70 yards for the TD that caused the bleachers to rattle and roll.

Down just five, 29-24, with 5:15 to play, it appeared Belmont’s fortune had finally smiled on the Marauders as Reading seemed to be falling apart with three consecutive penalties resulting in a first and 30 from its 25-yard line.

But facing a second down and 26 yards, it was Geiger again coming down the line and turning up the field to gain 25 critical yards. Reading would convert that and two other first downs to run out the clock to take home the victory. 

Kumin said the game showed the best of his team “with the effort they put forward and executing in the big moments when they had to to keep this game tight.”

“I’m proud of the team identity the boys brought to the table,” he said.

Boys Soccer Hits High On Soccer Night But Find Scoring Wanting Since

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Photo: Belmont’s Jake Carson celebrate his goal vs. Winchester.

Jake Carson sure knew how to end “Soccer Night In Belmont” on a high note.

The Belmont High senior co-captain broke an offside trap from the Winchester High School back line and slotted the ball by goalie Justin Polcari – who was spectacular in net making three full stretch saves – in the final eight minutes of the game for the winning goal as the Marauders defeated the  Sachems – at the time ranked 7th in the Boston Globe’s weekly Top 20 poll – 2-0 on Saturday night, Sept. 23.

“The ball came across and [Winchester’s defenders] stepped up to put Andre [Duda] offsides, but that move let me run into space,” said Carson. With only Polcari between him and the net, Carson cut the ball back “and placed it into the corner and hoped for the best.” The pass that sent Carson away came from sophomore Will Hoerle. 

Oh, just so you know, “Soccer Night in Belmont” – the wildly successful soccer festival that brought more than 800 players, parents, and spectators to Harris Field – was founded by Jake’s dad, John Carson.

“It was probably one of the best feelings I had this soccer season, if not my whole career,” he said.

Belmont sealed the win when Duda himself beat another trap, catching up to a pass from the senior defender and co-captain Kostas Tingos and put the ball by Polcari with three minutes remaining. 

For Head Coach Brian Bisceglia-Kane, while the match was special because it was played before a large crowd – about ten times the size of a regular season game – “but it’s just one-sixteenth of our season and then into the playoffs hopefully.”

“You have to temper the expectations of the players thinking that this means more, but whenever you play Winchester … they are always great to play against. It was just a fun overall match,” he said.

Bisceglia-Kane said this associate head coach, Matt Berk – who was Bisceglia-Kane’s teammate at Brandeis – has made a big difference in freeing up the team’s practices for specialized training sessions. 

After the high of Saturday – which led to Belmont being named the 9th ranked team by the Globe – the weekend’s scoring boom turned into a bust as the Marauders lost at home Monday to winless Reading, 2-1, (giving up a pair in the second half) before being shut out 1-0 to league leader, Arlington on Wednesday, Sept 27. At midweek, Belmont’s record stood at 4-3-1.

Bisceglia-Kane said that scoring ultimately comes down to the scoring chances the team creates. “And sometimes it’s just luck.” 

Sports: Allard’s Wonder Goal Gives Unbeaten Belmont 3-2 Win Over Winchester

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Photo: Carey Allard celebrates the winning goal vs. Winchester.

When Winchester forward Anna Carazza’s centering “pass” dropped into Belmont’s net with 12 minutes remaining in Saturday’s exciting battle of the unbeaten between Belmont and Winchester, it appeared the game’s momentum was about to turn in the Sachems’ favor.

But as Winchester – ranked 7th in the Boston Globe’s top 20 poll – celebrated, 60 meters down the pitch Belmont’s Carey Allard was preparing to enter the match, a substitution no one had expected.

Six days earlier, the four-year varsity starter suffered a high ankle sprain against Lexington ending up wearing a medical boot and on crutches. By game day, Allard was able to warm up with her teammates but told Belmont Head Coach Paul Graham she wasn’t fit enough to start against Winchester.

For 70 minutes, Allard sat on the Marauders bench, watching with more than 800 fans on “Soccer Night in Belmont.’

Then with 10 minutes to go, Graham approached his All-Star captain with a question.

“[Graham] asked if I thought I could play the final 10 minutes and I said, ‘Why not?'” Allard told the Belmontonian after the game. 

A Division 1 commit heading to the University of North Carolina – Wilmington next fall, Allard has been the Sachem’s nemesis over the past four years including scoring a long-range stunner in last year’s first-round playoff game that ended in Belmont’s upset victory. With that in mind, Winchester junior Hannah Markham was assigned the task of playing Allard with a tight man-to-man coverage. After eight minutes, Allard had a few brief touches and nothing more.

Winchester’s focus on Allard opened the field to allow other Marauders the opportunity to attack the goal. Sophomore Marina Karalis came close to scoring twice 20 seconds apart; once striking the ball over the crossbar and barely missing the right post. 

As the field clock fast approached the final two minutes and Winchester moving up the pitch, freshman forward Grace Kane – who took Allard’s place in the starting lineup – stepped in front of a pass and fed the senior co-captain who was nearly 25 meters to the left of Winchester’s goal.

One touch, a half turn, and Allard looked at Winchester’s net.

“I honestly said, ‘This is my chance,'” said Allard

The ball flew heading for the right top corner then curving inside the far post by Winchester’s senior goalkeeper Silvia Dowdell. 3-2 Belmont.

Allard’s wonder goal in the final two minutes put the exclamation mark on what was an early season classic pitting two undefeated teams playing at their best before a packed Harris Field in the opener of Belmont’s annual soccer celebration.

“Allard is a threat anytime she’s in that range,” said Graham, who saw his team improve to 5-0-0, tied with undefeated Woburn at the top of the Middlesex League Liberty division. The only blemish to the game’s result; despite defeating a top ten team and recording a perfect record, the Marauders have yet to break the Globe’s Top 20 poll. 

It was a game that saw each team take control of the field, lead changes and physical plays with girls ending up on the turf throughout the contest. 

Winchester had the better of Belmont early on, with their collective speed and quickness putting a damp on Belmont’s plans to set a more controlled pace to the game.

Winchester opened the scoring on a deep cross from finding a streaking senior captain Shelley Blumsack beating Belmont’s defender to put the ball into the upper net.

Winchester’s lead could have been two or three times what they had but for decisive defensive work by the backline anchored by senior captain Natalie Marcus-Bauer who made two sliding tackles deep in the penalty box on solo runs by Winchester wingers.

“I was just focused on containing [any challenge] and forcing them out to the side,” she said, knowing she could rely on the other defenders including juniors Megan Tan and Emily Dexter, while 

Belmont tied the score 18 minutes into the first half on two consecutive free kicks, the second at the edge of the box after a Winchester push. Senior midfielder and co-captain Emma Sass curling shot hit the right post then came out for an onrushing senior forward Morgan Krauss – who was named the player of the match by members of the Soccer Night in Belmont – who headed the rebound inside the left frame.

After going into the half tied at one, Krauss doubled Belmont’s advantage midway through the second half, taking in a Kane pass and rifling it by Dowdell.

But ever so slightly, Winchester found a half step advantage and began pressing resulting in Carazza’s goal. 

For Graham, the victory was a culmunation of switching this alignment – starting with a 3-4-3 and ending with a 4-4-2 and the knowledge that he could put in most of the players on the bench without a drop off in performance. 

“I used 17 players including two freshmen and a number of seniors who don’t start and they all played well. That’s a luxury to have,’ said Graham.

Girls’, Boys’ Soccer Meet Top 10 Winchester Saturday After Scrappy Week

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Photo: Belmont against Leington.

It will an early test of just how good both Belmont High School soccer teams are in 2017 as the Girls’ and Boys’ soccer programs take on league-leading and top 10 Winchester sides on Saturday, Sept. 23  during the annual Soccer Night in Belmont festivities.

Both teams are coming off a week of scrappy games which concluded with the girls’ facing the challenge of possibly playing without its acknowledged leader and star player as it takes its undefeated record up against fellow unbeaten Winchester.

In the match at Lexington on Monday, Sept. 18, which Belmont won 3-1 to up its record to 4-0-0, senior captain Carey Allard suffered an ankle injury late in the game against the Minutemen. In a match which Lexington had tightly marked the Division 1 commit (UNC-Wilmington), the Marauder star came up lame after a collision. As of Friday, Allard’s availability to participate in the contest will be a game-time decision. 

At Lexington, Belmont led 2-0 at the half from a 20-yard blast from Ella Gagnon into the top right corner with an assist from Allard followed 15 minutes later by a left-footed volley into the side netting by Courtney Gray. Belmont added a late goal on an Emma Sass corner kick to the head of Marina Karalis. Natalie Marcus-Bauer anchored the defense and ran down several Lexington breakaways. 

For the Boys’ the previous games showed the teams continued defensive promise if not its scoring punch. In a shocker, the boys’ lost to host and then-winless Woburn, 1-0 on Friday, Sept. 2, before battling back against Lexington to take a 1-1 tie at home. After falling behind after 11 minutes, Belmont took control of the game both on offense and defense. With five minutes remaining in half, a long throw-in from Mich Pomer found Marauder’s Seamus Dullagham who fired a low shot into the net. 

The tie puts Belmont’s record at 3-1-1 as they prepare to take on 4-1-1 Sachems on Saturday.

Soccer Night In Belmont Kicks Off Saturday, Sept. 23 With Doubleheader

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Photo:

It will be an afternoon and evening of top notch soccer the Belmont High School Boys and Girls varsity soccer teams  headline the second annual Soccer Night in Belmont on Saturday, Sept. 23, joined at the event by hundreds of younger players from Belmont 2nd Soccer and the Belmont Soccer Association, their coaches, and other members of the Belmont soccer community.

Soccer Night in Belmont will feature a doubleheader under the lights at Harris Field on Concord Avenue.

  • It is a game of the undefeated as Belmont High Girls at 4-0-0 take on 8th-ranked (by the Boston Globe) and 5-0-0 Winchester game at 4:30 p.m.
  • Two top 20 teams battle it out at 6:30 p.m. when 13th-ranked Belmont Boys (3-1-1) meet 7th-ranked Winchester (4-1-1). 

2nd Soccer and BSA players will participate by parading out with players during the pre-game ceremonies, acting as ball-boys and ball-girls, and competing in mini-games on Harris Field during halftime of both games.

“This event showcases our successful varsity teams and recognizes the role of Belmont 2nd Soccer and BSA in nurturing the talent that makes up these teams year in and year out,” said event organizer John Carson.  “We had a big crowd of 600+ in 2016 despite the rain, and we’re really hoping to exceed that this year.  It’s a really fun night that builds bonds between our “little kid” players and “big kid” high school players, virtually all of whom came up through the Belmont youth program.”

“We had a big crowd of 600-plus in 2016 despite the rain, and we’re really hoping to exceed that this year.  It’s a really fun night that builds bonds between our little kid players and big kid high school players, virtually all of whom came up through the Belmont youth program.”

Admission to Soccer Night in Belmont is free, and the first 100 kids wearing their team uniform will receive a commemorative soccer gift. Concessions including pizza, hot dogs, snacks and drinks will be available for purchase, provided by Parents of Music Students (POMS) so families can come for the games and feed the kids at the same time.  

Soccer Night in Belmont is sponsored by Belmont 2nd Soccer, Belmont Soccer Association, Belmont Savings Bank, Puma, The Rising, Phoenix Landing, with special thanks to Friends of Belmont Soccer  and Belmont High School Athletic Director Jim Davis.

Sports: Volleyball All Even Over The First Four Games

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Photo: Belmont Volleyball

Belmont High Volleyball is halfway to matching its total number of victories in the 2016 season as it has won two games in the four played so far.

Last week, Belmont beat Stoneham 3-1 (25-5, 23-25, 25-11, 25-14) on Tuesday, Sept. 12. Belmont came out serving strong in the first set with Leah Babroudi bringing the Marauders to 11-0 before Stoneham could side out. Another run of 9 points including 6 aces from Sophia Estok kept the ball rolling. In the second set the Spartans started passing, and with it came an effective offense that won them the set. 

The Marauders were able to adjust their play to take back control and win the last 2 sets. Katrena Daldalian played consistently aggressive all match in her hitting as well as near perfect serving, 20 for 21 with 9 aces. Outside hitters Julia Logan and Gabby Viale also contributed 8 and 3 kills respectively by hitting placement shots. 

On Friday, Sept. 15, Belmont lost to Woburn, 3-1 (25-18, 25-11, 22-25, 25-16). Estok played phenomenal defense, adjusting to hard-line hits from the outside hitters and strong right side attacks. She also led the defense with 25 digs and was also 14 for 14 serving with 2 aces. Babroudi and Daldalian contributed consistent passes on serve receive and Jane Mahon led the offense with 8 kills.

Sports: Belmont Football Edged In Home Opener, 20-14, by Framingham

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Photo: Belmont’s fullback Adam Deese leads running back Tyler Reynolds late in Friday’s game vs. Framingham.

Last Friday night’s home opener for Belmont High football squad had all the appearance of the last second, nail-biting victory for the Marauders. 

With 11 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter in a 20-14 game, Belmont had driven nearly 90 yards in five minutes to the Framingham High School Flyers 6 yard line and faced a fourth down and one yard to go. 

But senior quarterback George Fitzgerald’s pass skimmed just over the fingertips of his receiver for an incompletion, allowing Framingham to secure its first 2-0 record in more than a decade while Marauders left the field at 0-2, having dropped last week’s season opener, 28-7, against a tough Milton High School team.

“First and foremost, that was a great football game. It was fun to coach in and fun for everyone to watch,” said Belmont’s fourth year Head Coach Yann Kumin.

“We’re not satisfied being on the short end of a close game … with an opportunity to score. We just need not shot ourselves in the foot. We turned the ball over twice in the first half, and one led to a score.” 

Friday night’s game, which began 45 minutes late due to traffic that delayed Framingham arrival to Harris Field, saw Belmont’s defense spring to action with four takeaways including three interceptions of Framingham’s sophomore QB Jack Beverly. Leading the D-backs was senior Joe Viale who came up with a monster game including a pair of picks and a half dozen times breaking up certain completions.

It was Framingham’s ability to strike on special teams that proved the difference in the game as the Flyers were able to gain vital yards on kickoffs and punt returns. The game started with Flyers’ Christian Alicea returned the opening kick to Belmont’s 8-yard line. 

After Belmont’s defense held and took over the ball at the 18, Fitzgerald was sacked on third down and apparently fumbled the ball despite appearing being down in contact with the turf. Flyer junior Chidi Nna recovered the loose ball for a TD after less than three minutes into the game. 

Belmont’s second drive ended on a fumble at midfield but the Marauders to over on Vitale’s first interception. Late in the first quarter, Belmont’s senior Inside Linebacker Caleb Henman picked off Beverly with 1:15 to go. That turnover led to Fitzgerald finding senior wide receiver Jake Pollock who ran 12 yards into the end zone with 10 seconds left to give Belmont the first quarter lead, 7-6.

Framingham regained the lead in the second quarter when it took over the ball deep in Belmont’s territory. The Flyers then employed an offense more associated with rugby than football; placing all 11 offensive players within a five-yard “box,” handing off the ball to the back who would follow the scrum. With its size advantage up front, Framingham pushed its senior running back Isaac Blackman into the end zone. Missing its second two-point conversion, the Flyers led 12-7.

After Belmont’s offense failed to move the ball, the Flyers took over after another good punt return. After Viate knocked down a pair of passes thrown his way, the third time was the charm as Beverly hit junior Jon Lanzo in the corner of the end zone on a fourth-down and ten from the 18 yard line with 13 seconds left in the half. This time the two-point conversion was successful for a 20-7 visitor’s advantage at halftime.

“If we clean up those mistakes in the first half, we would have been in a better position in the second half,” said Kumin.

Belmont’s defense would stiffen and shut out the Flyers in the second half as the Marauders’ offense took the quarter to begin moving with confidence against a strong Framingham defense.

With senior fullback Adam Deese making much in each run against a defense targeting him, Fitzgerald started winging it out and found his senior receiving corp including senior Will Ellet for 12 yards and Pollard who fought off a pair of Framingham backs for a 30-yard touchdown reception midway through the fourth period.

Framingham began the next possession near midfield and drove the ball to Belmont’s 34-yard line when Viale snagged his second INT to give the Marauders the ball with 5:45 to play and 83 yards from pay dirt.

Fitzgerald found Pollard for 10 yards on a third down and Deese gained 15 yards on three plays before senior running back Tyler Reynolds took a pitch 15 yards to the Flyers’ 40 with 3:08 to play.

With Belmont facing a fourth and six from the 35, Fitzgerald got a Flyers lineman to move for a five-yard offsides penalty resulting in Deese plowing one yard for the first down.

A Fitzgerald scamper around the right edge gave Belmont a first and ten from the 16 with 43 seconds remaining. But a completed pass t0 Ellet and runs by Reynolds left Belmont looking at fourth down with 11 seconds remaining.  The rest is history.

“I am so proud of my team. This team can make some noise in the league,” said Kumin. “This is a team that battles back when things aren’t going exactly the way it was supposed to go. They were driven in what they did and executed in big moments. I’m fired up for next Friday.”

Belmont’s next game is Friday, Sept. 22 at Haris Field against Woburn to begin the Middlesex League part of the schedule.