Sports: Belmont Football Surge To 35- 20 Win Over Medford, First of Season

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After a season in which his team was blown out, were competitive but gave up big plays and struggled against more-established programs, Belmont High School’s first-year Head Coach Yann Kumin was able Friday night, Oct. 31, to look at the big scoreboard at Medford’s Hormel Field announcing that his Belmont High School Football team was now a winner on the field.

After falling behind at the half, 14-7 – “We had some serious hiccups early,” Kumin said – the Marauders (1-7) demonstrated a season’s worth of persistence and effort as they surged for 28 unanswered points to win its first game in nearly two years, 35-20, over Medford High (1-7).

“This is the most amazing feeling in the world. I’m so happy to experience this with these guys, to do it in Belmont. It’s the first of many more to come,” said Kumin after the Halloween night game.

Led by sophomore quarterback Cal Christofori, Belmont rode a stellar night from senior running back and co-captain Max Jones who rushed for three touchdowns as the defense owned the second half, giving up its only touchdown with a minute left in the game.

“We got down in the first half but at the half we said to each other, ‘This is the one. We are not losing this one’,” said Christofori after the game.

“For us who have been here this entire time, and waiting this long, it’s an incredible experience,” Christofori said.

“We got this first win, and now we are rolling,” he said.

As the clock ran down to zero, the joy of accomplishing their first program win resulted in an explosion of emotions. While rarely at a loss for words – always encouraging his team to believe in the coaching and their teammates – “Coach Q” could only hug his assistant coaches (Dave Pereira, Brendan Bonn, Brian Shea, Hakeem Barge, Dick Quigley and Leo Harrington) and players who continuously bellowed their praise for their teammates.

When his assistant coaches presented Kumin the game ball for what is his first win as a high school coach, the 30-year-old had tears in his eyes as his team surrounded him in a boisterous celebration.

“It’s a tribute to these guys,” he said, waving his arm to the players still on the field enjoying the victory. “We are a family in the truest sense of the word. We live and breathe and work and practice for each other.”

“Coming to practice with the adversity that’s facing them and just keep working to get better. I said it a couple of weeks ago; I’m not sure I would have been able to do that in high school. I’m crying right now with absolute pride for this team,” he said.

As the Marauders gathered to leave, the Belmont supporters – mostly parents – stormed the field to greet the coaches and team.
It was only as Kumin was steps from the buses to take the team home did a few players decided to give their coach the traditional “Gatorade shower.”

“I’m a little moist,” said Coach Q, as the players cheered.

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Sports: Field Hockey into Quarterfinals After Mowing Over Danvers, 2-0

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It was hard enough that the Belmont High School Field Hockey had to board a bus and travel for 45 minutes to play in their playoff opener against Northeastern Conference championships Danvers High School on Thursday, Oct. 30.

The potential difficulties of playing on the road in the MIAA Div. 2 North sectionals were only heightened when the Marauders saw the pitch they would be battling.

Grass. While a decade ago playing on a natural surface was just part of the game, today, with the rapid proliferation of synthetic Tuff fields, many teams will not play on grass for an entire season.

Not only was the surface uneven, the field outside of Danvers’ newly constructed high school had a noticeable drop from the north to the south end of the field.

Danvers’ Head Coach Jill McGinnity was banking on that familiarity to pressure Belmont for the entire game.

“Field hockey is a completely different sport on grass than turf, so being on grass right away certainly helps because we practice on it all the time,” she told the Salem (Massachusetts) Daily News. “We’d love to be able to make a nice little run (in the postseason.”

Belmont’s head coach, Jessica Smith, was not as enamored playing a tournament game on the natural stuff.

“This is a … ,” Smith said, finishing the sentence with a colorful term to describe the field’s condition.

“Grass slows everything down, so you have to hit much longer balls to move upfield,” said Smith. “And we are a pass-oriented team, so we have to make some adjustments.”

Despite reservations on how the grass would impact their game, Belmont’s higher skill level and total team approach soon showed itself as the Marauders defeated the Falcon’s, 2-0, to advance to the quarterfinals.

The Marauders will play the winners of the match today, Oct. 31, between second-seed Andover High School and 15th-ranked Methuen High. The time and place for the quarters have yet to be determined.

Due to upsets of the third-seed Reading, Wilmington and 11th seed Lexington, Belmont and Watertown (who play in Division 2) are the last remaining Middlesex League teams in the tournament.

After a cautious start, Belmont’s quality soon dominated the Falcon’s athleticism as the Marauders controlled possession in Danvers’s end of the field for the final 20 minutes of the first half.

Led by midfielders senior Suzannne Noone and Olivia Castangno and junior Serena Nally occupying the center of the pitch, Belmont clogged the long-ball passing lanes as Danvers attempted to break into the Belmont end.

With some time on the ball, Belmont’s forwards adjusted their passing technique with slightly harder shots as the receiving players moved to the passes. Out on the wings, seniors Beth Young and Haley Sawyer were finding a straight move to the goal was paying dividends.

Belmont could concentrate upfront as its back line proved a tough challenge for the Falcon attack. Junior defender Molly Thayer and senior center back Emma Pejko stalked any forward with possession entering their zone, using good stick technique to knock balls from their opponents.

Belmont’s pressure soon resulted in a series of penalty corners – the Marauders would have seven in the first half while Danvers was shutout – allowing sophomore midfielder/defender AnnMarie Habelow to move up to the 16-yard scoring circle and become the focal point of the attack.

Belmont’s first score occurred when Habelow took a shot in close that got by Danvers’ goalie Julie Webster, which was steered in by junior forward Kerri Lynch with eight minutes remaining in the half.

Both Sawyer and Habelow nearly doubled the lead but for a new rule (Habelow’s backhand shot which was “rising with acceleration” is now considered a dangerous play) and a leg save from Webster.

With time running down and Smith urging the girls’ to “Get one more,” the team responded as Habelow’s directed a shot to the stick of sophomore forward Julia Chase five meters out for the goal with a minute remaining in the first.

It was 10 minutes into the second 30 minutes before Belmont goalkeeper senior Kate Saylor made her first save as Belmont’s offense peppered Webster, with another Habelow score taken away due to the new dangerous rule.

Danvers did begin to find their range late in the half, requiring the Belmont “D” to chase down some long breaks. Saylor made a strong pad save off junior forward Kristen McCarthy with help from Castagno and Habelow got her stick low to stop another shot from McCarthy.

“I love this team because everyone touches the ball throughout the game. We have our superstars, but they know we play better as a team that builds up from the back and work everyone into the game,” said Smith.

Get Spooked At a Pair of Halloween Events at Belmont High Today

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And you thought just going to high school was scary!

Two big terrifying events will be held at Belmont High School today, Thursday, Oct. 30, to get the whole family into a Halloween state of mind.

For the first time, there will be a Halloween Haunted House at Belmont High School from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. All profits made from this event will go to the Make a Wish Foundation. There will be a range of spooky activities for people of all ages. For younger guests, there will a face painting station and a pumpkin painting station. There will be a very small suggested donation for participants who want to be “boo-ed.”

After being frightened, head over to the fourth annual “Masquerade Concert” performed by the Belmont High Wind Ensemble and Concert Orchestra will begin at 7 p.m. in the school’s auditorium. The two ensembles will perform a family-friendly variety of seasonal selections, including creepy classics like the Tocatta and Fugue in D minor by Bach, selections from The Dark Knight Rises and FROZEN! Audience members should arrive in costume to maximize the fun. As always, the concert is free.

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Sports: Arlington-Belmont Crew Takes Top Prizes at State Fall Finals

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Coming off their best ever showing at the Head of the Charles Regatta, the boys from Arlington-Belmont Club Crew – made up of students from Arlington and Belmont high schools – powered their way to an overwhelming win in the prestigious Varsity Eights event at the 2014 Massachusetts Public Schools Rowing Association’s Fall State Championships.

Rowing at Quinsigamond State Park in Worcester on Sunday, Oct. 26, the A-B First Varsity boat – using the same rowers that finished 21st in the Youth Eights at the Head of the Charles: Max Halliday, Louis Pratt, Adrian Tanner, Liam Lanigan, Nicholas Osborn, Eryk Dobrushkin, Brendan Mooney, Alexander Gharibian with coxwin Brenna Sorkin – finished a full 14 seconds ahead of runners-up Wayland-Weston and Hingham, winning in 14 minutes and 20.03 seconds to defend the title the team won last year.

And the boys showed their dominance in the eights by winning the second varsity race and placing second in third varsity while taking first in the novice eights.

The A-B Varsity Girls’ Eights took home third behind winners Wayland-Weston and second Hingham, stoking home in 16:43.16 with Catherine Tiffany, Sara Hamilton, Jessica Keniston, Sophia Fenn, Bridget Kiejna, Alena Jaeger, Catherine Jacob-Dolan, Julia Blass and coxswain Ellen Cayer in the boat.

The Girls’ second varsity boat finished second in its race.

To cap off the successful fall season, A-BC coach Mark Grinberg was named last week Junior Coach of the Year in a fans poll conducted by USRowing, the national governing board. 

“Mark Grinberg guided Arlington Belmont Crew men to two consecutive Massachusetts state championships, becoming the first ever Massachusetts public school to qualify two eights for the 2014 USRowing Youth National Championships. His men’s varsity eight also won the Textile River Regatta and Massachusetts Public School Rowing Association Fall State Championship, just four years after the team had a mere six members,” read the honor. 

 

Sports: Volleyball Begins Playoffs at Home on Halloween Night

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The Belmont High School Volleyball team hopes they’ll be the ones receiving treats rather than being tricked as the Marauders being the MIAA Div. 2 North sectional playoffs on Halloween night hosting Danvers High School at Wenner Field House.

The 15-5 Marauders are seeded 7th as they take on the 10th seed Falcons at 6 p.m., Oct. 31.

Coincidentally, the Belmont High Field Hockey team, ranked 10th, will visit Danvers, seeded 7th, on Thursday afternoon, Oct. 30.

Danvers, 12-6, is the talk of the North Shore as the varsity program started last season. During its first season, the Falcons did not win any of their 18 games in 2013. This season, under Head Coach George LeVasseu, Danvers has joined another second year program, Marblehead, on the top of the Northeastern Conference South League. 

Sports: Boys’, Girls’ Soccer Await Playoff Fate

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It’s now all about waiting for the Belmont High Boys’ and Girls’ teams as they prepare for their first round matches in the Div. 2 North sectional playoffs that begin this weekend.

Coming off emotional wins over Lexington High School last Tuesday, Oct. 21 – the boys’ defeating the ranked Minutemen, 3-2, while the girls’ defeated their hosts 1-0 – the teams took points in their final two games.

Girls’ missing scoring punch in final two draws

On a rare Saturday evening romp on Oct. 25, the Girls’ team celebrated Seniors Night at Harris Field with a hard-earned 1-1 draw with arch-rival Winchester. A wonderful shot 15 meters out from forward Kristen Gay screamed by the outstretched arms of Winchester goalkeeper Sofia Herron with three minutes remaining in the first half.

“The goals I’ve had this season have all come from the great work down the wings. All of them are team goals,” said Gay who has become Belmont’s scoring threat in the past two weeks with her aggressive nature and ball striking skills.

Paul Graham, who is currently at 298 wins in his career, said he placed freshman Emma Sass on Winchester’s star player, Alix Curtin, “and she came up huge. [Sass] shut her down.”

Graham continues to sing the praises of another freshman Natalie Marcus-Bauer who is taking up the important task of keeping speedy forwards from moving into the penalty box.

Belmont also received stellar work from senior goalkeeper Linda Herlihy who made solid saves throughout the night, including a reaching glove save off a shot that was heading into the far right corner.

“[Herlihy] is starting to play her best right before the playoffs,” said Graham.

Twice in the second half it appeared Belmont would score the critical second goal; sophomore forward Julia Cella‘s breakaway shot from eight meters out was parried away by Winchester substitute goalkeeper freshman Silvia Dowdel.

A rebound off Dowdel from a corner that freshman Carey Allard put into the net was ruled a no goal due to a Belmont player being in an offsides position.

It appeared that Belmont would walk away with both available points, but Winchester was fortunate that a quick counter pass into the Marauders penalty box came just as the Belmont back line began moving forward. Winchester’s Emily Price stayed on side and slipped the ball past a defenseless Herlihy.

Graham said he would like to see more scoring punch from his forwards but all-in-all, “we are in good shape heading into the playoffs.”

On Monday, Belmont traveled to Medford but could not get the same result as when the Mustangs came to Belmont, a Marauder win. The match ended in a scoreless draw. The girls’ record is 9-5-4.

Boys’ scoring and winning

The boys’ wrapping up the regular season with a 3-1 victory away at Winchester on Saturday, Oct. 25 and a 2-1 squeaker against Div. 3 Pentucket Regional at Harris Field on Monday, Oct. 28.

Rediscovering its scoring touch, the Marauders put a pair past the Winchester goalkeeper with forward Daron Hamporian driving the first one home 12 minutes into the game with Luke Gallagher netting the second at the half hour mark taking a pass from midfielder Norman Kilovutitu. Tokio Kobyashi finished the scoring with a breakaway blast with a dozen minutes to play.

On a glorious fall afternoon, Belmont hosted the emerald-clad Pentucket Regional High School squad to Harris Field. Monday became the breakout performance for sophomore Marvyn Dorchin to scored a brace in the first half.

Belmont’s back-up goalkeeper to senior standout Peter Berens, fan-favorite Dorchin – who spent his early years in France – has proven to be a skilled defender and recently a dangerous attacking midfielder. Monday, Dorchin became a Gallic goal scoring machine with his two within five minutes of each other late in the first.

Berens would not get his 12th shutout of the season as Pentucket’s Ian Sands punched one passed the ‘keep with 11 minutes remaining.

 

Sports: Volleyball Spiked by Minutemen in Four Sets

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Despite losing for the second time this season to a strong Lexington High School team, Belmont High Volleyball Senior Becki Sandvos came off the Wenner Field House court with a smile on her face.

“It’s definitely tough but it’s really fun to play against these good teams,” Sandvos said after Belmont suffered it’s fifth loss of the season on Friday afternoon, Oct. 24, falling to the Minutemen 3-1 (15-25, 25-14, 10-25, 19-25) to see their record sit at 14-5 going into the last game of the season against Winchester on Monday, Oct. 27.

“A lot of [today’s match] was a mental game. We know we can play better than that,” Sandvos said. But Belmont has the same issue so many teams have while playing the Minutemen and that is junior Nikita Selivan, a 6 foot, 160 pound who is one of the best middle-hitters in the region.

With a powerful shot and an approach jump of more than 9 feet, it’s small wonder that Division 1 college programs are already knocking on her door. In the game with Belmont, Lexington would routinely pass up easier set ups at the net and direct its attention to Selivan who would beat the majority of blocks set up by Belmont’s front line. She would also block a number of shots from Belmont players.  

In the second set, Belmont took control. Trailing 7-8, Belmont rode Sandvos’ serving and junior Kabita Das and senior Rosy Fitzgerald’s excellent play at the net to a 8-0 run to lead 15-8, an advantage Lexington could not break.

“We had a lot of confidence in the second set. Everything we did was working,” said Sandvos, who played one of her best games of the year especially setting up offensive strikes.

Early in the third set with the score 3-7, the Lexington head coach vigorously disputed a call and yelled at a supposed fan touting him (which turned out to be Belmont AD Jim Davis simply viewing the action). That stoppage seemed to both rattle the Marauders and take it out of its rhythm. Lexington build the lead to 16-9 as the Minutemen continually going to Selivan on the left side of the court.

With the score knotted at nine in the fourth set, Belmont committed several errors on its service, preventing any semblance of a rally to occur. The Minutemen pushed the lead up to four, 14-18, which the Marauders cut to 17-19. But that’s as close as Belmont would get.

Despite the loss, Belmont will likely have a home playoff game in the Div. 2 North sectionals that begins this week.

“We’re gonna come back and practice and work hard and be ready for for the states,” Sandvos said.

This Week: Spooky Things at the High School; Is That a Spelling Bee?

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“The Journey to College” featuring Belmont Savings President and CEO Bob Mahoney will be held on Monday, Oct. 27 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Chenery Middle School. Joining Mahoney will be Dr. Laurie Nash, an Independent Educational Consultant, to discuss the college admissions process, including choosing a school and how to increase a child’s chances of getting accepted. The talk is part of a series of lectures between the Belmont Savings Bank Foundation and the Belmont After School Enrichment Collaborative (BASEC) that will offer parents information on topics such as college, conflicts and anxiety.

Geoffrey Brahmer, an accomplished researcher and popular lecturer, will present “The Diary of Herman Kruk: A Librarian in the Vilna Ghetto” at the Beech Street Center on Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 1:15 p.m. In 1944, while detained in Vilna in now Lithuania, Kruk, a socialist librarian , was asked by fellow prisoners, “Why write a diary? We are all going to be killed anyway.” Kruk responded, “Drunk on the pen trembling in my hand, I record everything for future generations.”

Belmont resident Gerry Connolly – a graduate of the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts Professional Chef Program – will be conjuring up some great easy-to-make “tailgate” delicacies such as Spinach and Artichoke Dip, Vegetable Chili, Hummus, Tabouli and Mock Boursin on Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. in the Library’s Assembly Room. Connolly’s events are always well attended and space is limited, so please sign up online or by phone by calling 617-993-2870.

Justin Martin will speak on his book Rebel Souls: Walt Whitman and America’s First Bohemians at the Friends of the Belmont Public Library’s Author Series on Wednesday, Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. in the Library’s Assembly Room. Martin shows how this first bohemian culture – imported from Paris to a dingy Broadway saloon – nurtured an American tradition of rebel art that thrives to this day. All are welcome to attend this free program. Books will be available for purchase and signing.

Teens in 7th to 12th grade can start their Halloween early by attending Fright Feston Thursday, Oct. 30 from 
1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the Belmont Public Library’s Assembly Room. Come enjoy games, snacks and festivities.

Two big events at Belmont High School this Thursday, Oct. 30 to get the family into a Halloween state of mind.

The fourth annual “Masquerade Concert” with the Belmont High Wind Ensemble and Concert Orchestra will begin at 7 p.m. in the school’s auditorium. The two ensembles will perform a family-friendly variety of seasonal selections, including creepy classics like the Tocatta and Fugue in D minor by Bach, selections from The Dark Knight Rises and FROZEN! Audience members should arrive in costume to maximize the fun. As always, the concert is free.

There will be a Halloween Haunted House at Belmont High School from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. All profits made from this event will go to the Make a Wish Foundation. There will be a range of spooky activities for people of all ages. For younger guests there will a face painting station and a pumpkin painting station.

Get the little ones ready for the Halloween festivities with a Musical Spooktacular with Philip Alexander on Friday, Oct. 31 at 10:30 a.m. in the Belmont Public Library’s Assembly Room. Philip promises not to be too scary.

The Cushing Square Business Association will be holding its annual Cushing Square Halloween on Friday, Oct. 31 with the trick or treating begins at 3 p.m.

After filling up on sugar and chocolate the previous night, more than 500 Belmont students from kindergarten to 6th grade will participate in the 14th annual Foundation for Belmont Education Youth Spelling Bee on Saturday, Nov. 1. beginning at 3 p.m. The six-hour long event, which takes place in the Belmont High School auditorium, will see the students – many in team costumes – show off their spelling skills with words such as “frog” for the kindergarteners to “escargot” which won the bee in 2012.

The Beech Street Center is holding its annual Diwali Festival on Saturday, Nov. 1, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Center, 266 Beech St. Sponsored by the Belmont Council on Aging and Friends of the Indian Senior Citizens’ Organization, enjoy a fun-filled evening of cultural programming and three course vegetarian dinner.

Cost in advance: $7 per person, non FISCO members: $10, Children ages 6-12 $5 each. Cost at the door: FISCO members  and immediate family, $14 per person. Nonmembers $20 per person, Children ages 6-12, $10 each

To purchase tickets in advance call Nava at 617-993-2975.

Belmont Girls Swimming in League of Their Own Winning Middlesex Title

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Ev Crosscup isn’t known for showing much emotion poolside when his Belmont High School Girls’ Swimming squad is competing. He’s usually sitting placidly with his assistant coaches, reviewing times and quietly watching as the action swirls around him.

But after reviewing the score with one event remaining in the biggest duel meet this season, the long-time Marauders’ leader briefly pumped his fist as a little smile come to his face as he headed for the rear of the pool at Minuteman Tech.

“We got it,” Crosscup said while passing to meet the girls.

For the past two seasons, host Lexington High came to the 400 yard freestyle relay to prevent Belmont from securing outright the coveted Middlesex League title.

Not this time.

In a maelstrom of screaming teenagers (and parents), suffocating humidity and over-the-top drama, Belmont revamped its event lineup and received important contributions from the deep and talented squad to pile up just enough points to make the final event irrelevant as the Marauders defeated the Minutemen, 84-82, to win sole possession of the Middlesex League title on Friday evening, Oct. 24 in Lexington.

“What a meet and what a win for the league championship,” said Crosscup. “We knew it was going to be a close on and it came down to the end so you have to credit all the kids and coaches,” he said.

The win left team veterans, who twice felt the sting of an only defeat of the year to the Minutemen, speechless.

“Knowing that we just won, I really have no words to explain how I feel right now,” said senior Kaitlin Feloney, who was first in line to congratulate the Minutemen after the win was announced.

“We knew we were strong this year and that it would come down to Lexington. It’s incredible that I was able to lead the team with the three other captains” said Feloney, who shares the team’s captaincy with fellow seniors Eunice Lee, Klaudia Nagrabska and Maya Nagishima.

“We kept a positive attitude throughout the year, and it all paid off tonight,” she said.

The meet was as much a chess match as a contest of straight-line swimming speed when Crosscup dropped his two best swimmers, juniors Jessica Blake-West (the defending Div. 2 state champion in the 100 butterfly and second at states in the 200 individual medley) and Emily Quinn (a state finalist in the 100 breaststroke) into freestyle events which have been Belmont’s weakest stroke for the past few years.

In the meet’s biggest showdown, the pair would battle it out in the 100 freestyle with the Minutemen’s free specialist Jayne Vogelzang, who finished second in the same event at last year’s Div. 1 state championships with a 54.27.

But on this night, Blake-West showed why she, along with Bishop Feehan’s senior Mari Reidemeister (who will attempt next month to qualify and represent Costa Rica in the 2015 World Swimming Championships) are two of the best all-around swimmers in the state by powering away from Vogelzang to win by a second-and-a-half in 54.69 seconds.

Quinn took the vital third place (1:00.27) points with the ever-improving freshman Ophelie Loblack – who was an impressive youth swimmer in Maryland – stormed home in fourth (1:01.15). The event gave Belmont 11 points to Lexington’s 5 to build a 52-42 lead midway through the meet.

“It was a good move,” said Crosscup. “In this particular incident, it took a first place away from their best swimmer with our best swimmer. That matched up perfect. You worry about it working out, but this time it did so wonderfully.”

Belmont was building on a lead after the opening event, the 200 yard medley relay – in which the four relay members swims a different stroke – when Belmont’s top team (Blake-West, Quinn, Nagishima and Alison Sawyer) won going away in 1:56.12 with Belmont’s second squad, made up of Nagrabska, Molly Thomas, Julia Bozkurtian and Solvay Metelmann, took a strong second (by a third of a second over Lexington’s ‘A’ team) as the Marauders’ third relay – Sarah Osborn, Sarah Stewart, Stephanie Zhang and Julia Cunningham – came in fourth, giving the Marauders a 12-2 advantage off the bat.

Crosscup’s tactical move meant the team would need to rely on many underclassmen and role athletes scoring well against an experienced Lexington team. And in nearly every race, a Marauder challenged for placements from their host to cut the points the Minutemen could accumulate.

“I know for a fact whether you swam first heat or second or you came in first or sixth, we won that meet because of our emotion and depth. They may have been a better team, but we relied on that emotion,” said Feloney.

In the 200 freestyle, Sara Noorouzi took 4th (2:11.35) by just over a tenth of a second, Dervla Moore-Frederick finished 5th in individual medley (won by Blake-West) to win the event 9 to 7, Loblack and Sawyer took second and third in the 50 free (27.15 to 27.16) that would not have been anticipated in September while Nagashima and Thomas broke up the top two Lexington backstroke specialists by bringing home a second and third.

“I couldn’t be prouder and pleased with what they contributed,” he said.

“The one I was most pleased with was [co-captain Eunice] Lee. Because of her times and the situation we found ourselves in, I had her go in the 100 [butter]fly (finishing second after a false start moved her up a spot in 1:08.03), rest an event and then go the 500 free (taking 4th in 5:52.15). That was an ironman type of job. And despite the lack of rest, she did beautifully,” said Crosscup.

“I could have used another swimmer who would have been good, but that swimmer could not make up the seconds Lee has in the 500,” he said.

With Lexington just four points back coming into the penultimate event, Crosscup pulled out three aces there were up his sleeve; a trio of the best breaststroke swimmers in Eastern Massachusetts. At last year’s state championship, Quinn (3rd), Nagrabska (4th) and Osborn (10th) were three of the four Belmont swimmers in the top 10. And the experience of swimming in big meets paid off as the three swept the event, Quinn (1:11.53) first, Osborn (1:13.60) second and Nagrabska (1:15.87) third.

The wins pushed Belmont’s lead to 14, 85-71, with the 400 free relay to come. With only 12 points available to the Minutemen, the long-awaited league victory was secured. While the crowd and swimmers could only guess at the score – no announcement is given and the score is not put up on a scoreboard – they knew something was up when Blake-West and the other top swimmers did not line up for the final event.

All that was left was an exchange of hugs and high fives, congratulate Lexington and for the team to scream in unison as it traveled through Belmont Center and by the football field.

“We’re Middlesex League champions. That’s a nice sound,” said Crosscup.

 

Sports: Belmont Volleyball Has Minutemen in Its Sight for Friday

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The Belmont High School Volleyball team is seemingly on cruise control heading into the Div. 2 North sectional tournament with a school record 14 win season (14-4), playing some of its best games in the past few weeks with the squad currently on an 8-1 streak.

But the girls’ have circled Friday, Oct. 24 on their team’s calendar.

“Lexington, home, 4 p.m.”

“This is The game before the playoffs,” said Belmont Head Coach Jen Couture after her squad defeated visiting Winchester High in straight sets; 25-16, 25-9, 25-7, on Seniors Night, Wednesday, Oct. 22, in Wenner Field House.

Led by junior outside hitter Kabita Das, senior middle forward Rosy Fitzgerald and senior libero Sam Nelson, Belmont had its way with the Sachems, running off points multiple times with set spikes, block winners and strong serving. 

So it’s on to Lexington this Friday, one of only three teams to best Belmont this season – powerhouse Melrose and Bedford twice are the others. The Marauders lost in four sets at Lexington on Sept. 30 with Belmont always close to winning but could never complete the comebacks.

A win at Wenner would result in Belmont and Lexington being co-league champions and the Marauders securing a good seed in the sectionals, possibly as high as sixth.

“It’s a big game,” Couture said.

But she said the team will first have to play the game before start thinking of their position in the playoffs.

“We have to prepare to dig a lot harder hits than today because [the Minutemen] are the hardest hitting team we are going to see before the tournament,” said Couture.

“If we dig better than last time, we have become much better with our placement shots and we could give them a lot more competition this time around,” she said.