Belmont Baseball Host Reading Wed. With Winner Taking League Pennant

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Photo: Belmont Marauders

It’s all on the line as Belmont High Baseball hosts Reading Memorial High this afternoon, Wednesday, May 24, in what is a one-game, winner takes all contest that will determine the champions of the Middlesex League Liberty Division.

Today’s dramatic finale to the 2017 league season saw Belmont receive a huge break on Tuesday, May 23, from a squad scrambling for its playoff life. Needing to win its remaining games to earn a playoff berth, the below .500 Winchester High Sachems nipped Reading, 4-3, to drop the Rockets’ record to 15-3 and 12-3 in league play.

Belmont was standing at 12-3 in the league as they defeated non-league Arlington Catholic, 5-0, on Tuesday, behind senior reliever Zach Colleran’s first career start. The righty spun a masterful performance on the mound, mixing his fastball with a changeup to go six shutout innings, giving up a pair of hits and earning three Ks. 

“I knew I wasn’t going to blow anyone away so I threw pitches that they couldn’t make solid contact,” said Colleran, who earned the win. Junior starter Max Meier got an inning of work in pitching a 1, 2, 3 7th.  

Colleran was helped by outstanding plays in the field including from shortstop Steve Rizzuto who dove to snag a grounder heading up the middle, throwing out the runner by half-a-step at first to end the sixth. 

Belmont cobbled together 3 runs in the second with Colleran helping himself with a RBI single followed by a sacrifice from first base Dennis Crowley and a RBI knock by senior catcher and captain Cal Christofori. 

Crowley scored in the 4th after ripping a double into right, stole third and scored on a fielder’s choice from Colleran. 

Junior pinch hitter Andrew Mazzone took a first pitch fastball 322 feet over the right field fence to add the final run of the game in the fifth. 

Wednesday’s game (start time 3:45 p.m.) at “The Grant” in Belmont will see not just attempt to grab its first league pennant in more than a decade against the defending champion but also giving the Marauders the opportunity to avenge a 1-0 extra inning loss earlier this month to the Rockets.

Belmont will throw its ace, junior Nate Espelin (5-1), to start. Espelin is coming off a 15 strikeout effort against Lexington and will face the team that defeated him this season. 

Red, Bright and Cool: Belmont High’s PreProm Promenade 2017 [270 Photos]

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Photo: Red twirl.

Stunning prints, flowing gowns and lots of red. Traditional ties vs. the bow variety, muted-color suits and high-polished dress shoes. 

But also tights over a suit coat, jackets of all patterns and texture, and casual footwear. 

The annual Promenade that preceded the Belmont High School Senior/Junior Prom on Friday, May 19, was once again a spectacle of fancy dress wear that ranged from the classic – the black tux and Empress cut party gown – to the slightly daring (high-cut dresses) and those who took an original track on what to wear that evening.

Each couple, group or individual who crossed the Belmont High School auditorium’s stage was greeted with applause from the packed house as the students headed to Principal Dan Richards who assumed his traditional station at the stairs to assist anyone needing a hand.

[Editor: Sorry if I missed anyone in the photos. If you would like a jpg of one of the shots from this past Friday, just send an email to editor@belmontonian.com]

Belmont Girls’ Rugby Will Play in First-Ever State Championship Game

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Photo: Belmont’s Girls’ Rugby Head Coach Kate McCabe.

It’s official: the Belmont High School Girls’ Rugby squad play for the first-ever High School state title after going undefeated through rugby’s inaugural season as a varsity sport in Massachusetts.

The 3-0-1 Marauders will take on Algonquin Regional High School (2-1-1) in the next two weeks at a neutral site, according to Jim Davis, Belmont’s athletic director who sits on the sport’s governing board for the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association which oversees high school athletics.

“The girls’ set the goals at the beginning of the season,” said Belmont’s Head Coach Kate McCabe, who started the squad three years ago with a handful of girls, many who are still playing.  

“[The coaches] asked them what they wanted to do and they said we better make state championship. And they came out for each game ready to play,” said McCabe, who is a social studies teacher at the school.

Belmont and Algonquin – which won the state championship as a club side in 2014 and 2015 – drew 12-12 at Harris Field (in front of more than 100 spectators) in early May before Belmont scored four tries in the second half against the host T-Hawks to win 20-5 last week.

Belmont twice defeated the only other team to put out a varsity squad, Lincoln-Sudbury, 35-0 and 10-5.

McCabe, who started for four years at Boston University and was on the Boston Women’s Rugby Club before entering coaching, said she’s not just proud of her team for making the state final, “I’m also really proud for women’s rugby. It’s the first year under the MIAA … for both boys and girls and to see so many people come out to support us is very impressive.”

“We say at the end of practice and games, it’s not perfect, we make mistakes. We just asked them to come out and play rugby, and play for each other which they have every time they took the pitch,” said McCabe. 

It’s Prom Tonight! Belmont High Promenade Begins At 4 PM-ish

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Photo: How many proms can one young man attend?

Drive carefully through Belmont this afternoon as vehicles will be parked along roadways as residents haphazardly cross the street to get a good look at what’s happening.

Are people staring at the aftermath of an accident? Is a natural phenomenon occurring?

Nope, the gawking today is connected to an annual occurrence in which many teenagers are transformed from ultra casual to totally chic in Belmont’s version of “Fashion Week.”

Today is Belmont High School Senior/Junior Prom. It is also the final day of school for this year’s senior class. 

What is becoming a great annual community event will begin at approximately 4 p.m. as the students  attending the big dance will take part in the Pre-Prom Promenade, in which the high schoolers are “presented” before fawning parents, siblings, friends and the public in the Belmont High School auditorium. Get there early for the best seats.

The students will then head into the high school’s cafeteria for the “once over” by school officials before boarding buses to take them to a ritzy hotel in Newton for a night of dancing and fun.

Belmont’s Krafian Hurdling Towards Track Laurels

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Photo: Anoush Krafian

After missing out of a Divison 3 indoor championship by one-hundredth of a second, Belmont High School Anoush Krafian showed she hasn’t slowed down in the spring rain as the junior won the 100 meter hurdles at the prestigious Massachusetts State Track Coaches Association’s Girls Coaches Invitational Track and Field meet held May 13 at Sharon High School. 

Krafian took the win running away from the pack in 15.12 seconds, distancing Wellesley’s Isabelle Winkelman by more than half a second. Her performance was nearly equal to the top hurdler in eastern Massachusetts, Plymouth South’s senior Madelyn Sessler, who won the Andover Invitational in 15.04 on May 13. 

The Belmont native also finished 12th in the long jump at the meet. 

Krafian and her Belmont teammates on Girls and Boys Outdoor Track will now head to the Middlesex League championship Tuesday, May 16 before heading to the Division 3 meet. 

Krafian, who lost to junior Caitlyn Halloran of Hopkinton High in the 55-meter hurdle Division 3 indoor finals by .01 second before finishing a disappointing 7th in the state indoors, could battle her rivals in the outdoor states and possibly the state Heptathlon championship, a seven-event competition. At the indoor pentathlon championships (five events), Krafian took 6th behind both Halloran (3rd) and Sessler (4th).

Sports: 12-2 Belmont Baseball Face Tough Final Six Games

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Photo: Noah Riley at the plate.

After hitting a temporary speed bump (two losses in three games last week) on its record-setting winning clip, Belmont High School’s Nine will face a tough final stretch of games as the Marauders attempt to take the Middlesex League pennant at the same time securing a high playoff seed.

This week Belmont (12-2) will encounter a strong Lexington High (11-4) squad which Friday stopped Middlesex League leaders Reading Memorial High (10-1) for the Rockets’ first loss of the season.

“We play Lexington two out of the next three so we have to dial in on a couple of things like baserunning because it’s gonna be tough,” said Belmont’s long-time Head Coach Joe Brown. Belmont hosts Lexington on Monday, May 15 at 4 p.m.-ish, weather permitting.

Belmont hosts Lexington on Monday, May 15 at 4 p.m.-ish, weather permitting. (Update: The game has been postponed to a later date)

This past Friday and Saturday, Belmont rediscovered its offense after dropping a 3-0 away loss to Arlington by defeating Woburn 10-3 and getting a bit of revenge against the SpyPonders on Saturday, May 13, with a 4-1 victory.

Friday’s game saw Belmont’s junior starter Andrew Mazzone get nicked up for a run in the first only for the Marauders to put up a eight-run bottom of the first on the scoreboard to end the game early. The highlight was back-to-back fence-clearing dingers to deep center right from junior right fielder Max Meier (batting ninth) and from junior leadoff Connor Dacey (2-3 against Woburn) while shortstop Steve Rizzuto went 3-4 with a run and a stolen base.

“Connor’s on fire at the plate,” said Brown as Dacey repeated his 2-3 performance vs. Arlington.

Against the SpyPonders, Belmont got out to a strong start with Connor Dacey driving in his brother, Kevin, from second while senior captain/catcher Cal Christofori singled a 1-2 pitch to bring home Connor. Belmont nearly broke it wide open in the fourth after Dennis Crowley led off the inning with a double and Kevin Dacey and Meier walked to load the bases. But both Crowley and Meier were cut down at the plate before Rizzuto hit a 1 and 1 count by the shortstop to drive in Dacey for the only run.  Belmont’s final run came in  the bottom of the 6th when that man Connor Dacey rocketed a double that brought Crowley in for the score.

The games highlighted Belmont’s greatest strength, frontline starting pitching. Following Mazzone’s one-run, seven strikeouts over five innings on Friday afternoon Saturday, Belmont’s junior ace Nate Espelin pitch a workman-like seven-inning complete game collecting seven strikeouts to his burgeoning total of Ks.

“I thought the kids played very well after losing to [Arlington] on Tuesday. They bounced back, hit the ball hard and made some nice plays in the field,” said Brown.

With the pair of outstanding outings, Belmont’s earned-run average is hovering at a gaudy 1.0.

“[The starters] have been doing it all year. Even when someone like [Espelin] isn’t as sharp as he usually was [against Arlington], he still held a great hitting team to one run. He’s a big-time pitcher for us,” said Brown.

One aspect of the Marauders’ game that has improved by leaps and bounds from previous seasons has been fielding, not just making fewer miscues for errors but make the outstanding plays for outs. Prime example was the work at second base by Noah Riley, who made a trio of outstanding defensive plays including completing a double play while under pressure and making a Gold-Glove diving grab of a bloop in foul territory to end an inning.

“In our freshman year, he had 60 errors and now just six or seven,” said Riley. “The improvements is because we are doing fundimentals before every practice, and in the off season, throwing each other ground balls and working on the little things.”

Giving Brown some assurance this week is the hitting of senior centerfielder Bryan Goodwin, who has “been like a machine for the past two weeks,” said Brown, as the Roger Williams-commit battles Lexington High junior shortstop Sal Frelick in the batting race.

“We’ll have to be on our game to really challenge for the league title. But all the pieces seem to be there for it to happen,” said Brown.

Sports : Girls’ Rugby First-Ever Varsity Home Game a Memorable Tie

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Photo: Georgia Parsons of Belmont High’s Girls’ Rugby squad.

Kate McCabe could finally smile only after the game recalling the final seconds of the historic first ever girls rugby match at Belmont High School.

A fullback from Algonquin Regional High School had turned the corner beyond the Belmont defenders and was heading full bore for the Marauders’ end zone, looking to break a tie game with a stunning run to glory.

But there would be no miracle finish for the T-Hawks as a pair of Marauders had the angle on the back and pushed her out of bounds 20 meters short of the try line, ending the game.

“That was close!” said McCabe, the Belmont High School social studies teacher and Belmont’s girls’ rugby head coach since the team’s inception as a club sport in 2015.

On a misty late evening under the lights of Harris Field, Belmont High and Algonquin Regional settled for a 12-12 tie in the first-ever MIAA sanctioned girls’ rugby contest in Belmont, serving as the inaugural varsity match at the school.

The MIAA – Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association – is the governing body that supervises high school sports in the state. Before this season, rugby was club sport at schools and regionally. 

“I am so proud of the girls tonight,” said McCabe, who started four years at Boston University and was on the Boston Women’s Rugby Club before entering coaching. Despite missing two flybacks and another starter, “[Belmont] played an outstanding game despite the rain” which caused a number of miscues (for both teams) that hampered the game.

This first season of girls rugby under the guise of the MIAA sees three schools – Algonquin Regional High School (Southboro and Northboro), Lincoln-Sudbury Regional and Belmont – with past playing experience competing on the varsity level as other schools, such as Newton North, are creating their own programs.

Algonquin is the most experienced of the playing team, having won the Massachusetts Youth Rugby Organization’s State championship from 2011 to 2014 while Lincoln-Sudbury was victorious in 2016, beating Belmont in the semi-finals.

This year, Belmont defeated Lincoln-Sudbury in its first-ever MIAA girls game and after the tie with Algonquin, the T-Hawks (which defeated L-S, 5-0, in its first go around) and Marauders are both standing at 1-0-1.

The match itself was a bruising affair with Belmont’s strength from the ruck and maul pressured Algonquin, which countered with sharp passing and skillful tackling – led by player of the match ARHS’s senior Sam Dickie – especially close to the try (goal) line. Three times Belmont was within 10 meters of scoring a try (worth five points) but were stopped by Algonquin’s solid defense or by mistakes on their part.

Algonquin’s pressure offense, using quick passes and counter running, earned it the first two tries of the match, building a 12-0 lead. Belmont cut the lead to 12-5 when senior Georgia Parsons – a three-year varsity goalie for the girls’ soccer team – bulldozed her way for a try after the 35 minute half had expired. (In rugby, a half or the game only ends when the ball is kicked, or a player is dragged out-of-bounds.)

The second half saw Algonquin being to feel the effects of Belmont’s punishing runs into the center and experience in the scrum, ultimately resulting in sophomore Claire Martin crossing the line for Belmont’s second try. Parson’s secured the two-point conversion with a well-struck kick through the center of the uprights.

Both teams had their chances in the final 20 minutes with Belmont coming ever so close in the last two minutes only to see a wet ball bound away within 10 meters of the try line in the final two minutes.

As with any rugby match, there was the rash of knock-on injuries, a bloody nose, a painful dislocated finger and the need for many bags of ice. But after the match, it was also time for players who are teammates on club sports to exchange greetings, coaches to discuss the game and the sharing of pizza. 

Sports Update: Softball Earns Big Win, Baseball Rolls Along

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Photo: Senior Bryan Goodwin driving in a run vs. Winchester.

After a rough start, Belmont High Softball got off the snide and earned a 9-4 home victory over Winchester High at the Concord Avenue Field on Friday, April 28. The girls are now sporting a 1-4 record but with progress coming on a daily basis under first-year coach Kristin Ciappina.

• How wet has it been? So dank that despite a day of drying, Branden Grant Field, the home of the undefeated Belmont High Baseball Marauders remained soaked requiring the game played Thursday, April 27 against Winchester to be switched to the JV/Freshman field adjacent Harris Field. The nearness to the ball field of the school’s all-purpose turf field caused a few nervous moments as about four foul balls landed into the midst of the Girls’ Lacrosse contest vs. Woburn. Yikes.

But the return to the old field did not faze the Belmont Nine as they came away with a comfortable 7-1 victory to extend the team’s opening season win streak to six games (6-0). Southpaw whiz kid Nate Espelin (2-0) pitched five strong innings, striking out nine while surrendering a double in the fourth.

Junior reliever Jake Pollock gave up an earned run in the sixth, escaping further damage by an outstanding 6-3-2 relay out as senior centerfielder Bryan Goodwin fielded a single up the middle and fired a bullet to junior first base Ryan Noone who turned and delivered a strike to senior catcher Cal Christofori to nail the runner who took off from second at the plate.

Offensively, Belmont continues to put runs on the imaginary scoreboard, seeing four runs score on four solid hits in the fourth, finishing with eight knocks led by Connor Dacey’s two leadoff doubles and a pair of runs scored. 

While liking to see the bats come alive this year, Head Coach Joe Brown is more impressed with the team’s excellent pitching.

“Our pitchers have given up five runs in six games,” observed Brown. “You’re going to win a lot of games if you do that.” 

Next up for the team will be a match of undefeateds Monday; the first of two games this season with last year’s Middlesex League champion Reading Memorial which comes into the game unbeaten at 5-0. The game is scheduled for May Day at 3:45 p.m.

From the Herald

From the Boston Herald’s MIAA Top 25 Baseball Rankings – Week Four (4/26/17)

Let’s take a look at our most recent high school baseball poll as we approach the beginning of May.

#4 Belmont High School – (5-0) – Led by Cal Christofori the Marauders are off to a hot start and look to prove to be one of the best teams in the state.

Sports: After Rough Start, Youthful Boys’ Lax Finds a D That Works

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Photo: Belmont’s Jackson Pullman vs. Tewksbury

In its first two matches of the season, Belmont High Boys’ Lacrosse looked really good … for the first 12 minutes. 

In each game, Belmont outplayed two tough, experienced teams in Melrose and Newton South, outscoring them 2-1 and 1-0 in the first quarter.

But Boys’ Lacrosse games are comprised of three 12 minute quarters, during which Belmont’s young players were overrun like the humans by the zombies in “World War Z” to the tune of 16-4 (Melrose) and 13-6 (Newton South). 

But Belmont’s Head Coach Josh Streit saw something in those games that gave him a lot of hope in the matches to come.

“We are a very young team, mostly juniors, and sophomores. We are taking some time learning a new offense and finding our positions. But what we are is very, very talented and that’s why we could stay with those teams,” said Streit.

And wouldn’t you know it, change for the better arrived in the next four games. An opening win vs. Stoneham (17-5), then a pair of defensive standout games away at Wilmington (7-3) and Dracut (4-2) before returning home on Monday, April 24 against non-league Tewksbury in which the team continued its winning streak with a 14-3 walk over to bring the team’s overall record to 4-2 as it enters league play this week.

“I told the guys that our first quarter and the first half has been unbelievable,” said Streit.

While praising his newly-found offense led by attacker Alec Morin (8 goals vs. Tewksbury) and a pair of sophomores, James Nally and Jacob Smialek, Streit targeted his defense and goaltending for the recent run of success.

“We’ve only given up 14 goals in four games, and it starts with Micheal Delhomme in net who have been lights out in net,” said Streit, who said the sophomore netminder was become much more aggressive facing up to the opponents (including one play against Tewksbury where he leaped and nearly mugged the attacker) and has been the “quarterback of quarterbacks” clearing the ball to the offense.

He said over the stretch the team’s long poles (the central defenders), Caleb Henman, Avery Gartland and the 6’4″ junior Thomas Ballard, have been gaining possession of the ball and making quick clearing passes “that gets to our attackers.”

The team now heads into the Middlesex League gauntlet facing very skilled teams – weather permitting – from Arlington, Woburn, Burlington, Arlington Catholic, Wakefield.

“It’s boom, boom, boom, boom. One playoff team after another” said Streit.

While cognizant of the difficult few weeks before them, Streit said he is still building a program that started four years ago.

“We’re just trying to get better in each quarter, getting more looks at goal. I know it’s cliche but it is the next play, the next move, the next pass. That’s how we’ll be a winning program.” 

Belmont High Dems Screening Oscar-Nominated Documentary ’13th’ Thursday

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Photo: The poster for the documentary 

The Young Democrats of Belmont High School invite the town to join them for a panel discussion featuring local politicians and others on the criminal justice system, following a screening of the 2017 Oscar-nominated documentary “13th”.

The 2016 documentary will be shown on Thursday, April 27 from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Belmont Studio Cinema, 376 Trapelo Rd. 

Directed by Ava DuVernay, “13th” explores the intersection of race, justice and issue of mass incarceration in the United States. It is titled after the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which freed the slaves and prohibited slavery, unless as punishment for a crime.

“This is an incredibly important event for the citizens of Belmont and surrounding towns to attend in order to educate themselves on the criminal justice system in the context of race,” said Rebecca Turner of the Belmont High Young Democrats.

“Also, this is a unique opportunity to be able to discuss our justice system and learn how to start these important conversations outside of the event. 13th is a stunning movie, and raises crucial questions on the nature of American society since slavery,” said Turner.

Tickets for the screening is $5 for students and $10 for adults. Bring your friends and family for an enlightening experience. All proceeds go to ACLU Massachusetts.