Sports: Field Hockey in Driver’s Seat for League Title After Defeating Winchester

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Katherine McCarthy’s game-winning goal vs. Lexington.

In a pair of gutsy performances over a 48 hour period, the Belmont High Field Hockey team is out front in the race for its first league divisional title after defeating a tough Lexington squad, 3-2, Monday, Oct. 19 than avenging its loss to Winchester by beating the former league leaders, 2-0, on Harris Field Wednesday night, Oct. 21.

“That was truly amazing, to play two great teams back-to-back and win both,” said Jessica Smith, who has headed the program for the past decade.

With the victories, Belmont (13-2) needs a win in the final game of the regular season at Reading on Friday, Oct. 23 to secure its first Middlesex League Liberty Divison crown.

But for Smith, the best part of the wins were the final whistle.

“I can’t continue to do this,” said Smith, who described the two games as “insane.”

“I have never been this nervous for regular season games in my life!”

Belmont 3, Lexington 2

At Lexington, Belmont would take one-goal leads only to see the Minutemen tie up the match held in Lexington. Belmont was able to apply pressure on Lexington’s back line and midfielders, but could not find the final tip or shot to extend its lead.

While the Marauders’ defense was able to keep the Minutemen in check, they could be overpowered by the size and talent of the Minutemen forwards, including the Minuteman’s standout junior Emily Devine.

Belmont took the lead on the first shot of the game in the third minute as senior co-captain Serena Nally re-directed a shot from junior standout AnnMarie Habelow by Lexington’s freshman goalie Abby Ortyl.

That lead would stand until the midpoint of the half when Brigid Avery scored to tie it up at one. Belmont retook the lead when Habelow, the team’s leading scorer, rocketed a shot from 15 meters that eluded Ortyl with seven minutes remaining in the half.

Lexington pressured early in the second and earned the equalizer through Leah Strohmeyer from in front of the net. But slowly, Belmont’s midfield would begin to dominate play by clogging the passing lanes and intercepting passes.

The game winner came from a scrum in front of Lexington’s net where Katherine McCarthy’s third swipe at the ball proved to be golden.

Up by a single goal, Belmont needed to survive a frantic final minute when Belmont’s defenders somehow kept the ball out of their net with more than half a dozen Minutemen crashing the goal.

“We kept yelling at the official, ‘White foot! White foot!’ said senior defender and co-captain Molly Thayer, to inform the referees that the ball had come off of a Lexington shoe which would give Belmont possession.

A final penalty corner with time expired was cleared securing the emotional victory.

“I think we knew Lexington would be difficult at their home field, so we focused on keeping [players] in front of us and not give them any room,” said Thayer.

Belmont 2, Winchester 0

Wednesday’s game held some significants for Belmont’s players and coaches, as it provided the Marauders the opportunity to avenge a painful loss when Belmont allowed Winchester to score four goals in the final 12 minutes of their earlier game to fall 5-4 after leading 4-1.

While not possessing a star player, Winchester was fast on the ball and played a stubborn defense. It also had the first real tester on Belmont goalie Christine MacLeod as a steady shot hit the post but stayed out.

But Belmont made the most of their opportunities leading to Belmont’s first goal. With Marauders swarming the Sachems’ net, the Winchester goalie covered the ball under her body resulting in a penalty stroke, similar to a penalty kick in soccer. Habelow made no mistake sending the ball high into the back webbing to give Belmont a 1-0 lead.

Winchester kept up the pressure but were not sharp inside the scoring arc, unable to score on several penalty corners, a reversal of their win when they tallied four corners.

Midway through the second half, Belmont got the break they needed. After having an apparent goal called back for coming outside the arc, the Marauders’ co-captain Serena Nally stole the ball off a Winchester stick, turned and took a shot at goal. Standing before the goalie, Kerri Lynch got the tip, and the ball settled in the back of the goal.

While Winchester threatened, Belmont’s backline – Molly Goldberg, Thayer, Lilly Devitt, Sophie Stafford and sweeper Julia Chase – withstood each attack, allowing MacLeod to earn her tenth shutout of her first varsity season.

“This was a real team effort,” said Smith, noting that while not playing at their best, the players worked together as a unit defensively and were always looking to combine passes on offense.

A win at Reading, which Belmont defeated 5-0 earlier in the season, could see Belmont secure a top seed in the coming Div. 1 sectional as well as a banner to hang on the Wenner Field House wall.

Sold in Belmont: Three Colonials, Long Owned, Purchased This Week

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Million-dollar Colonial on Garfield.

A weekly recap of residential properties sold in the past seven-plus days in the “Town of Homes.”

• 35 Horne Rd. Center-entrance Colonial (1927). Sold: $930,000. Listed at $859,000. Living area: 2,485 sq.-ft. 10 rooms, 3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths. On the market: 42 days.

• 17 Garfield Rd. Center-entrance Colonial (1935). Sold: $1,300,000. Listed at $1,299,000. Living area: 2,438 sq.-ft. 9 rooms, 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. On the market: 63 days.

• 442 Pleasant St. Center-entrance Colonial (1935). Sold: $750,000. Listed at $775,000. Living area: 2,058 sq.-ft. 9 rooms, 3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths. On the market: 92 days.

• 43-45 Gilbert Rd. Two family (1925). Sold: $880,000. Listed at $899,000. Living area: 2,935 sq.-ft. 13 rooms, 3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths. On the market: 27 days.

• 46 Slade Rd. Condominium (1925). Sold: $497,000. Listed at $459,500. Living area: 1,388 sq.-ft. 6 rooms, 2 bedrooms, 2 baths. On the market: 27 days.

Three Belmont homes, owned by the sellers for between 37 to 50 years(!), selling in a market where their initial purchase price is considered quaint. 

The original prices and the year the property was bought by the most recent owners:

Horne Road: $88,900 in 1979.

Pleasant Street: $78,500 in 1977.

Garfield Road: $8,600 in 1965.

First, each of the homes are center-entrance Colonials built within a decade of the others – in the economic optimism of the 20s to the depth of the Depression – each with an uncomplicated, refined floor plan: two stories, a welcoming central hallway where on one side (the right?) there is a formal living room with a dining room on the other, and the kitchen and “family” room in the back. Upstairs are the bedrooms and not much else. 

Because the homes have a timelessness that good taste provides, it wasn’t hard to find buyers for these “typical” Belmont houses. The most impressive sale was Horne Road in Cushing Square that sold for nearly $70,000 above list. And to think it will just a few hundred feet from the Cushing Village construction site. (BTW, weren’t the Village developers having its groundbreaking this past June?)

The Belmont Hill colonial sold what was expected, but the Pleasant Street structure needed to cut its price to come off the market.

 

MBTA, State To Discuss Waverley Station’s Future At Nov. 16 Meeting

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Waverley Station/Fitchburg line.

The Belmont Board of Selectmen and officials from the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and Massachusetts Department of Transportation are holding a public meeting next month to updated the public on the future of the Waverley Commuter Rail Station.

At an initial meeting held on  Sept. 28, the MBTA expressed a desire to build a new commuter rail station near the present Waverley station, either on Pleasant Street or to the west of the business center and closing down the existing stations at Waverley and adjacent Belmont Center.

The meeting, which will take place on Monday, Nov. 16, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Beech Street Center, 266 Beech St., will discuss:

  • potential options to bring the facility into required compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations,
  • the future of the Belmont Center Station, and
  • a possible new Belmont Station alternative on Pleasant Street, as well as other options.

The meeting is an opportunity for the public to provide ideas to the MBTA. Any resident or community member who has an interest in this matter is highly encouraged to attend.

View a power point presentation made by the MBTA to the selectmen on Sept. 28 at www.belmont-ma.gov/sites/belmontma/files/file/file/belmont_meeting_09282015.pdf

In addition, State Sen. Will Brownsburger provides a detailed explanation and breakdown on why a small level of repairs could lead to the building of a new facility.

Mount Auburn Sponsoring 8-Week ‘Living with Cancer’ Workshop

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Mt. Auburn Hospital. 

Cancer diagnosis brings with it a world of testing and treatments, as well as heavy emotional and physical demands. At times, these elements can seem overwhelming, but they don’t have to be.

Mount Auburn Hospital – the closest full-service hospital for Belmont residents – recognizes these difficulties and has developed its Mind/Body Medicine Program to help patients maintain good mental and emotional health through their treatment and recovery.

This fall, the hospital is pleased to present the Living with Cancer Workshop, an eight-week group focused on reducing stress and promoting resilience.

Participants will be introduced to relaxation techniques, meditation, spirituality, yoga, Tai chi, and nutrition. Unlike most other therapies, these techniques can be learned and practiced independently to foster the mind-body connection and ease the process. 

The workshop will meet every Tuesday for eight weeks from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. beginning Nov. 3 at Mount Auburn Hospital, 330 Mount Auburn St. in Cambridge.

This course is complementary to patients. To enroll, contact Meredith Hobson, LICSW at 617-499-5665 x 4664.

Founded in 1886, Mount Auburn Hospital is a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School, with a mission is to deliver healthcare services in a personable, convenient and compassionate manner, with respect for the dignity of patients and their families.  

More Paving! Concord Avenue Work Begins Wednesday morning

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Paving on Concord Avenue. 

Just as paving begins for ten days on Trapelo Road, the town’s Office of Community Development announced the second – albeit much shorter in duration – major paving project on the main thoroughfare happen this week.

Starting at 6 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 21, and continuing for the remainder of the week, the E.H. Perkins Construction will begin the final paving of Concord Avenue (east and westbound) from the US Post Office near the commuter rail bridge to Cottage Street.

Also, the entire length of Cottage Street, from Concord Avenue to School Street, will also be rehabbed.

According to Belmont Police, Concord Avenue will be open for traffic. However, motorist, residents, and tenants are advised that all vehicles will be traveling on one side of the roadway or the other during the working hours as delineated by the traffic cones.

On-street parking on both sides of Concord Avenue will not be allowed from Goden Street to Common Street and on Cottage Street, affecting several sporting events being held at Harris Field.

Finally, Cottage Street may not be available at brief times during the placement of the asphalt.

The Town’s contractor and the Town will make every effort to reduce any inconveniences as possible.

For any questions or concerns about the project, contact Robert Bosselman, resident engineer in the Office of Community Development, at 617-993-2650.

 

Paolillo: ‘Seriously Leaning Towards’ Selectman Re-election Run

By 1 Comment

Photo: Mark Paolillo.

Belmont Selectman Mark Paolillo said he “is seriously leaning towards” running to retain his seat on the Board of Selectmen as his term will expire in April 2016.

“At some point, I will need to make a definite decision but as of now, I’m heading in that direction,” said the Pilgrim Road resident. 

Paolillo said he was not ready to commit fully to the race due to “changes in the circumstances of my family.” Paolillo’s father, former Cambridge Police Chief Anthony Paolillo, died this summer, and he is assisting his mother after her husband’s death. 

“I just want to wait to see how things are in the next month,” he said.

Paolillo pointed to several unfinished issues facing the town, such as a number of major building projects – a new High School, police station and Department of Public Works facility – as well as the implementation of a community path, that he would like to see either decided or “directed towards completion” as reasons for seeking re-election. 

Paolillo said if he does win a third election, “it will be my final term. There needs to be new blood coming on the board.” 

Paolillo, a financial executive, won his first term in April 2010 by handily defeating incumbent Daniel LeClerc and fellow challenger Anne Mahon. He ran unopposed in 2013. 

Seven Projects Make Initial Cut for $1M in Community Preservation Funding

By 1 Comment

Photo: Clay Pit Pond

Repairing another of town’s tennis courts, installing a walking path and revitalizing a well-known park are some of the seven projects that past muster with the Community Preservation Committee after it announced which applications were approved in the preliminary round of assessments.

The seven applications moving forward in the CPC process are:

Accepted:

  • $75,000 Town Hall Exterior Railings Improvements (Gerald R. Boyle, Town of Belmont – Facilities Dept.)
  • $50,000 Conservation Fund (Mary Trudeau, Agent, Belmont Conservation Commission
  • $250,000 Construction of Intergenerational Walking Path at Clay Pit Pond, (Mary Trudeau, Agent Belmont Conservation Commission)
  • $150,000 PQ Park Revitalization (Julie Crockett, Friends of PQ Park)
  • $325,000 Winn Brook Tennis Courts (Jay Marcotte, Town of Belmont – DPW)
  • $100,000 Preserving Belmont’s Original Vital Records (Ellen Cushman, Town of Belmont – Town Clerk)
  • $60,000 Digitizing Belmont’s Town Meeting Records (Ellen Cushman, Town of Belmont – Town Clerk)

The only project that did not make the initial cut was the largest request this year: $1 million to renovate Hittinger Field – which is adjacent to Belmont High School – from a request from Belmont Youth Baseball and Softball Association, which is adjacent to Belmont High School, by replacing the grass field with a Turf surface. The rejection came after it was determined artificial turf is prohibited under Massachusetts General Law from receiving Community Preservation Act funds.

The remaining applicants are now required to submit more detailed proposals to the committee. A final committee recommendation on funding any of the remaining projects will take place early in 2015. The 2016 annual Town Meeting will have the final say on allocating CPA funds.

The Community Preservation Act was adopted by Belmont voters in 2010. The fund is financed by property tax surcharges and annual distributions received from the State “Massachusetts Community Preservation Trust Fund.”

Ten Days of Paving On Trapelo Road Begins Monday, Oct. 19

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Road work on Trapelo Road will last one week. 

It’s official; the town administrator’s office has released the schedule for the night time work on Trapelo Road as part of the $17.1 million state-financed Trapelo Road/Belmont Street Reconstruction Project.

Beginning Monday night, Oct. 19, Newport Construction will be paving the main thoroughfare.  Weather permitting, work is expected to be completed by Wednesday, Oct. 28 and will occur between 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.

The paving will occur from Mill Street to Cushing Square. 

Access to driveways along the work area may be restricted so residents should park on side streets away from Trapelo Road if you need access to your vehicle overnight.

Residents with questions should contact the office of Community Development at 617-993-2665.

Belmontians Stock Up on Winter Reading at Friend’s Sale

By Leave a Comment

Photo: A final buyer on Sunday afternoon at the Friends of the Belmont Public Library’s Fall Book Sale. 

Nancy Dignan, president of the Friends of the Belmont Public Library, has a theory about the group’s annual fall book sale and the coming winter that doesn’t bode well for those hoping for a reprise from last year’s massive snow totals.

“People said they were loading up on books like they did last year feeling they’ll be stuck inside!” Dignan said Sunday afternoon, Oct. 18.

 

She and her crew of Friends and volunteers from the Chenery Middle School were waiting for the final shoppers fill books into grocery bags and boxes – only $5 a bag for as many books as you could carry – before  starting the final task of the two-day yearly sale: putting all the unwanted books into barrels that a recycler would take away.

“What’s not to like about a bag of books,” said one of the final stragglers before heading out the door. 

According to Dignan, this year’s sale “was very civil” with a half a dozen book dealers who came on Friday night’s Members sale “and we moved a lot of books.”

“This is one of our major fundraisers for the year, maybe 50 percent of what we raise comes from the annual book sale,” said Dignan, raising about $5,000 after expenses.

The money will go to funded discount passes to local museums, young adult and children’s programs, author and music series, the One Book One Belmont community read and other gifts to the library.

Sports: Belmont Volleyball Stage Epic Comeback Victory, Stunning Woburn

By Leave a Comment

Photo: Belmont celebrates its improbable comeback victory over Woburn.

Belmont High School Volleyball’s pending loss to host Woburn High on Thursday, Oct. 15 was signed, sealed and all but delivered.

Having dropped the first two sets and trailing the Tanners 21-8 in the third, it appeared the Marauders would lose their third straight game and all but end their chances of returning to the MIAA postseason for a school-record third year in a row.

But a combination of pinpoint serving from a pair of senior leaders and a demonstration of heart and guts from those on the court gave the Marauders the opening it needed to defeat Woburn 3-2 (21-25, 12-25, 25-22, 25-21, 15-10) and complete the most epic rally in program history.

“In my five years coaching this team I’ve never witnessed such a comeback,” proclaimed Belmont Head Coach Jen Couture.

“They were able to completely forget the first two sets and transform into the team they needed to be to win that game. Everyone was cheering and screaming. It was a magical atmosphere. There were even some tears at the end of the match,” she said.

The win ups Belmont’s record to 8-7, leaving the Marauders needing to win two of its remaining four games to secure a spot in the playoffs. 

Woburn won a somewhat tightly contested first set, 25-21, before taking the second quickly, 25 to 12.

“The team started off flat. We weren’t moving or communicating at all,” said Couture.

The Tanner’s quickly took charge of the third set, building a 21 to 8 lead and “running away with the match,” said Couture.

With the side out to Belmont, senior back row starter Su Jing Chen took the ball and the game in her hands as she went on a 12-point serving run before Woburn sided out bringing the score to 20-22.

The Marauders won the ball back with an immediate side out (21-22), and Chen’s fellow senior Shannon Corrigan served out the set, giving Belmont the improbable set victory as the Marauders outscored the Tanners, 17-1, after trailing by 13 points.

But the Marauders was still behind two sets to one against a team that defeated it earlier in the season. Belmont surged to a 7–1 lead in the fourth set but Woburn came back to knot the score up at 14. The score seesawed to where Belmont had a slim single-point lead 20-19, Before the Marauders outscored the Tanners, 5-2, to take the fourth set 25–21.

In the 15-point winner take-all-final set, Woburn took an early 6-4 lead before Belmont scored 4 out of the next 5 points to lead 8 to 7.

Belmont moved to a two-point lead at 10-8. Woburn drew to within one at 10-9 but would never come closer as Belmont won 5 of the next 6 points to win the set, 15-10, to complete the victory.

Couture pointed to several players as keys to the comeback, noting that senior co-captain Katelyn Messer was solid in her hitting and contributed superb defense.
                                                                                               
“[Messer] was everywhere on the court. She read the hitters so well and was able to anticipate where to be on defense,” Couture said.
 
Messer’s fellow senior co-captain Faye Reagan and junior Colleen McVay provided beautiful, consistent sets on the front line while freshman Jane Mahon in her varsity debut recorded three kills and a solo block, in addition to clutch serving in the 5th set.
 
Couture said junior front row Fiona Martin “had a fabulous day in the middle hitting 32 for 33 with five kills.”
 
“Martin” was incredibly consistent and did a great job of moving the ball around the court and mixing up her attacks.”
 
Next for Belmont is traveling to Lexington on Monday, a team the Marauders defeated earlier in the season.