Belmont High Volleyball On Seven Win Run As Marauders Enters A Gauntlet This Final Week

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After coming off a “season to remember” last year – finishing 15-2 and wearing the Middlesex League Liberty crown for the first time – the 2024 campaign for Belmont High Girls’ Volleyball was, at best, underwhelming. For a team that returned a slew of veterans from Head Coach Jennifer Couture’s championship squad, the Marauders stumbled out of the blocks going 4-6 for September.

One big reason for the slow start was the loss of graduating senior Bella Radojevic who was the team’s offensive stalwart who could be relied on to ring up points in bunches. While Couture’s defensive set up is solid, finding the right combination of a new “go to” outside hitter and a steady setter from a group of candidates who were not-as-tall as the players they were facing across the net proved frustrating.

“So we have (junior) Sadie Boaz as our middle [blocker] and she is amazing (18 attacks, nine kills and no errors against powerhouse Melrose), but we are not swimming in starting level middles and [an outside hitter]. We were switching players from other positions to see what could fit where,” said Couture.

“This year is one of those years where we have what we need to do well, but we’re still figuring some things out,” she said.

And soon after a loss to Burlington, all the pieces fell into place as the Marauders are coming off a 7-0 winning streak to up its record to 11-6. Stepping into the hitters role, junior Wuyee Ke (one of nine juniors on the 15 player roster) leads the team averaging 20.5 kills in the last two games with a rocket of a shot which has translated into 50 serving aces this season. Much of Ke’s success comes from the steady hand of returning setter junior Sophia Qin.

Belmont’s team foundation is built on the D. Junior Erin Dailey has become a presence as its defensive specialist who is the team’s top ranked server (7 aces while placing 26 of her 27 serves in play in a clutch performance against Concord-Carlisle which Belmont won 3-2) Add Boaz blocking skills – she is joined up front by sophomores Yekaterina Polina and Stella Ivkovic – with senior Gabrielle Hashioka who leads the team in digs and the Marauders’ defense with the best in the Middlesex League.

And they will need to be at their best during the final week of the regular season as the Marauders will be heading into a gauntlet of top teams beginning with a visit Tuesday, Oct 22, by 14-3 Lexington who defeated Belmont 3-2 in September. On Thursday, the opposition just gets tougher as league leaders Winchester, sporting a 15-2 record, welcomes the Marauders. The Red and Black also defeated Belmont, 3-2, when they met earlier. To finish the season, Belmont travels to a strong D-3 Wayland squad, (11-4) who handed the Marauders a 3-0 defeat at home.

At 11-6, Belmont will make the post season as they currently sit 26th in the MIAA Division 1 Power Rankings.

MBTA Communities, Citizen’s Petition On 5 Member Select Board Headlines Three Nights Of Special Town Meeting

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Photo: Mike Widmer, Belmont Town Moderator

Expect some late nights next month in the Belmont Middle and High School Auditorium as the Town Moderator announced the schedule for the Special Town Meeting.

Mike Widmer, the town’s long-standing Town Moderator, announced in a Friday, Oct 18 email after a planning session took place concerning the fall Special Town Meeting.

The “Special” will take place on three consecutive nights: Monday, Nov. 18; Tuesday, Nov. 19 and Wednesday, Nov. 20.

“We will not meet for a fourth night under any circumstances,” said Widmer, as the extra day(s) would bleed into the week of Thanksgiving which the planners said would be too inconvenient for members planning to travel and preparing for the extended holiday.

With a 72-hour limitation in mind, there’s a good possibility members can expect some rare – for Belmont Town Meetings – “Cinderella” meetings taking place.

“Though I would prefer not, we may need to go as late as 11 p.m. in order to complete our business in just three nights,” said Widmer.

Unlike previous annual and special Town Meetings when the more important articles are taken up on the final nights, Widmer said the fall special will begin with the big ticket items: implementing the MBTA Communities Act (3A) and amendments to the Inclusionary Housing and Design and Site Plan Review zoning sections. A citizens’ petition article to expand the Select Board to five members will be the first item of business on Wednesday, Nov. 20.

And due to the complexity of the zoning issues, Widmer set an earlier deadline of noon, Tuesday, Nov. 5 for members to submit proposed amendments to alter the articles.

While a growing number of member have been hankering for a virtual meeting, Widmer said given the current limits of town resources, the Special will only take place in person. But those campaigning for off-site attendance, Widmer said that “town leaders are committed to holding some form of hybrid at the 2025 Annual Town Meeting [in May 2025] and into the future if permitted by state law.”

The current remote and hybrid entitlement approved by the state legislature during the pandemic is due to expire in early 2025. “While this is my final year as Moderator, I will strongly recommend to my successor that Town Meeting have a permanent hybrid option, if permitted,” said Widmer.

Indigenous Peoples’ Day Is Monday, Oct. 14: What’s Open/Closed In Belmont; Trash Pickup Delayed By A Day

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Photo: Monday is a federal holiday.

Indigenous Peoples’ Day, celebrated annually on the second Monday of October – this year Oct. 14 – is a new federal holiday observed by the Town of Belmont to celebrate Native American peoples and commemorate their histories and cultures. 

You can read an essay on the native people who live in what is today’s Belmont by resident Dr. Mark Jarzombek, PhD, a history and theory of architecture professor at the MIT School of Architecture and Planning that was first published in the Belmont Citizen’s Forum of March/April 2024.

Curb side trash and recycling pickup will be delayed by one day due to the holiday.

What’s Closed:

  • Belmont Town offices, Belmont Public Library, and Belmont Light are closed.
  • The US Postal Service will not deliver mail, and post offices are closed.
  • Most banks, although branches will be open in some supermarkets.

What’s Opened:

  • Retail stores
  • Coffee shops
  • Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts
  • Supermarkets and convenience stores
  • Establishments that sell beer and wine are also allowed to be open.

MBTA: Holidays such as Juneteenth, Columbus Day, Indigenous Peoples Day, and Veterans Day do not have modified schedules; all services will operate on a regular schedule today and on those days.

Mill Street Construction Work Beings Thursday, Oct. 10; Will Disrupt Traffic For Three Weeks [Map]

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Photo: Contruction starts at 7 a.m. on Thursday

On Thursday Oct. 10, town contractor Newport Construction will begin day-time road construction work on Mill Street between Trapelo Road and Stanley Road. The estimated time the work will be completed – which will impact travel around McLean’s Hospital – is three weeks.

North bound traffic will remain open during the day. Residents and commuters should seek alternate routes between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.

“We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and we thank you for your patience,” read a press release. For any questions or concerns about the project, contact Tom Hodgson of the Town of Belmont’s Engineering Division at 617-993-2656

Late Goal, Later Save Secures Belmont High Field Hockey Win Over Winchester; Top 10 Reading On Thursday

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Photo: Belmont High junior co-captain Mackenzie Clarke

Belmont High senior co-captain Ryan Brodigan’s game-winning goal with three minutes remaining followed by a match saving stop by first year netminder Zoe Bruce with less than 10 seconds left on the clock securing a key 3-2 victory over a top-ranked Winchester squad on Tuesday, Sept. 24 at Harris Field.

The afternoon matinee was a back and forth affair that was contested between the scoring circles with both team’s outstanding junior midfielders – Winchester’s Samantha Gal (2 goals) and Belmont’s Mackenzie Clarke (1 goal, 1 assist) – directing the offenses.

Belmont twice took the lead – through an early first quarter goal from Brynn Connolly and a spot penalty shot by co-captain Clarke in the second quarter – only to see the Red and Black answer back to knot the game entering the final quarter. The match was finally decided by the steady pressure applied by the Marauders which bottled up Winchester in its end of the pitch.

The game winner came when Belmont intercepted a Rossoneri clearing attempt. Clarke advanced the ball off the left side just outside the scoring circle than sent a low screamer that found Brodigan who slotted the ball into the back of the net with 3:07 remaining.

But Winchester would not get on their bus without a final say when the Red and Black had a clear shot at the net in the final ten clicks of the game. But Bruce, who was playing in her eighth ever game in the nets, denied the shot that would have stolen a win from Belmont’s grasp.

“I’m sure I burned 9,000 calories during the game,” Belmont Field Hockey Head Coach Jess Smith told her team after the match. Smith reflected on the total team effort that secured the victory.

“”It’s like what [Brodigan] said [after the game], ‘Everyone brought it today. Everybody worked as hard as they could for as long as they could.’ When I took kids off the field and gave them instructions, they made the moves I asked them to make.”

The victory was the fourth of seven consecutive win for the Marauders (9-2-0) keeping them in the mix for the Middlesex Liberty title. In the latest MIAA power rankings – which will determine the placement of the teams in the divisional playoffs – rated Belmont 10th in Division 1.

Belmont will welcome one-loss Reading Memorial – 6th in the Boston Globe top 20 poll – to Harris Field on Thursday, Oct. 10 as the 18th ranked Marauders will seek redemption for a 2-1 away loss to the Rockets in the fourth game of the season. The ball gets rolling at 4:15 p.m.

The Winchester victory had its origins a fortnight before after a disappointing performance against the leading team in the Middlesex Liberty division. After loss, 2-1, at the time an unbeaten Reading on Sept. 13, which left her team at .500 at 2-2, Smith identified fairly quickly the major problem plaguing the team.

“We may have had a slight advantage on the field, but with the exception of Clarke, we just weren’t taking that many shots on their goal. We didn’t give ourselves the opportunities we could have had,” said Smith.

So, on the next Sunday before a busy week on the pitch, Smith called an extra evening practice where the players had one objective: firing balls into the net. The extra work appeared to do the trick for the next three games as the Marauder took home three wins netted 17 goals.

Complimenting the reenergized offense has been the Marauders outstanding trio of defenders. Belmont’s backline of junior Niamh Leskin, sophomore Elise Lankin-Schultz with senior co-captain Ana Hopkins anchoring the middle of the defense proving themselves as one the league’s leading D-lines with the quickness to cover speedy forwards and the ability to slide into the offense on the counter attack.

“The backs are really pushing their forwards and midfield away from the [scoring] circle,” said Smith.

“Normally, I tend to hang back,” said Hopkins. “But Coach [Smith] was just talking about pushing up the field. It really helps to just go for the ball because Elise and Niamh can get back on defense quickly. We did that against Watertown (a good performance despite a 0-3 final score line) and when the forwards press, it definitely helps a lot,” she said.

Smith remains hopeful the team can continue to mesh the offense and defense to find success in the backend of the season.

“They really pulled through and got it done. That was a huge win so now we got to keep rolling.”

State Rep. Rogers Is Holding October Office Hours

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Photo: Belmont’s State Rep Dave Rogers

State Rep. Dave Rogers, who represents Belmont and parts of Cambridge and Arlington, has announced his October office hours. They are:

If you wish to speak to Rogers directly, email your comments to Dave.Rogers@mahouse.gov so that he can ensure that he will be attending. If Rogers cannot make it, he can always set up a meeting at a mutually convenient time.

HOOONNNKKKK! Touch A Truck Returns To Belmont Center On Saturday, Oct. 12

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Photo: Large vehicles like a Belmont Fire Truck will be at Touch A Truck this Saturday

Bring your noise cancelling headsets or earplugs! The noise returns to Belmont.

Belmont Youth Activities and D.A.R.E. Inc. in partnership with Belmont Center Business Association will present Belmont Touch-A-Truck on Saturday, Oct. 12, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The cavlcade of vehicles will be located at the Claflin Street Municipal Parking Lot in Belmont Center.

Take a tour of the parking lot for an up-close view of tractors, trucks, diggers, police cars, and fire engines from Belmont DPW, Light, Fire, and Police along with several local businesses and potentially room for a couple more. Sit in the driver’s seat, honk the horn, and take a photo in the front end shovel of the construction vehicles.

The rain date is Saturday, Oct. 19.

Belmont High Girls Volleyball Host ‘Marauders Dig Pink’ Match On Thursday, Oct. 10 [VIDEO]

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Photo: Funds raised by Side-Out go toward a clinical trial specifically for patients with stage 4 breast cancer,

Belmont High Girls Volleyball is hosting a “Dig Pink” match on Thursday, Oct. 10 against Reading with the junior varsity/first year game starting at 4:15 p.m. with the varsity to follow at 5:30 p.m. The team is raising funds for the Side-Out Foundation, a metastatic breast cancer research organization. There will be a concession stand and link/QR code for fans to donate to the cause. 

Belmont High Head Coach Jen Couture said the team is “excited to be part of The Side-Out Foundation and its Dig Pink initiative, and we need our fan’s help to make our campaign successful.”

Funds raised for Side-Out go toward a clinical trial specifically for patients with stage 4 breast cancer, the most advanced form of the disease and the least funded area of research.

Town Looks To Revamp Its Website From ‘Meh’ To ‘Wow’

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Photo: Out with the old: A new and improved town website will be rolled out later in the fall

As one resident said at a recent Select Board meeting, the best word to describe the Town of Belmont’s current website would be “meh.” He called it an example of a “last generation utilitarian site” with the basic components like a calendar, notices, and lists of departments and committees, but lacks that “wow” factor that would draw the average residents to use it.

But in the next month or so, the town will be launching a revamped website with a brand new appearance that will bring a vastly improved user experience the town is hoping will engage the public.

“We’ll be rolling out a new website later this fall,” said Belmont Town Administrator Patrice Garvin last week, with the aim of “putting a lot more on the website so people can easily access information and then, obviously, making more transparent,” she said.

“Hopefully it will have a new look and definitely a better and more information,” said Select Board Vice Chair Matt Taylor at the board’s meeting.

The path to building the new town website began in 2019 after complaints piled up for years pointing to the site’s rather meager usability.

“There was a lot of complaints that we had outdated material, you couldn’t find anything, and it’s hard to navigate and the like,” Garvin told the board. The site was “sorely in need updating,” she said.

The new website’s evolution resembles a relay race: A committee started to work out a solution before the pandemic that resulted in a list of recommendations “where we should be going,” said Garvin. A consultant was engaged to create a concept which was followed up by a review by key town officials Finance Director Jennifer Hewitt and the DPW’s Matt Haskell. Recently they passed the baton over to the town’s new Chief Innovative Officer Chris McClure who is tasked to “bring [the new site] over the finish line” where the goal is that it will be “more numble and efficient,” said Garvin.

Before an official launch date, the public will catch glimpse of the new design and features on the website as it is updated.

“At some point soon, we’re going to do some demos and tests,” said Garvin. “We’re very excited about that.”

Belmont Light’s Second Annual Public Power Week Open House On Monday, Oct. 7

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Photo: The Open House will take place on Monday from 3 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Belmont Light will be hosting its second annual Open House in honor of Public Power Week.

The Open House will take place on Monday, Oct. 7 from 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. at Belmont Light’s headquarters located at 40 Prince St., and will feature activities for the whole family such as:

  • Touch-a-Truck
  • Dress as a Line Worker
  • Safety Demonstrations
  • Kids Activities, and more

Public Power Week is a national event celebrating community-owned utilities and their benefits, such as reliability, accountability, and local focus.

Parking is available onsite. Refreshments will be served.