Final Four! Belmont Girls Upend #1 Needham, 4-2, To Meet Natick In State Div. 1 Semifinals, Tuesday, Nov. 18

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Photo: Belmont HIgh School advance to its first MIAA Final Four since 2010 by defeating number one ranked Needham, 4-2. They await a semifinals vs. Natick on Tuesday, Nov. 18 in Woburn.

On paper, an eight-seed beating a number-one ranked team in the state would be considered an upset.

But in Needham Thursday night in the Elite Eight round of the MIAA Div. 1 Girls Soccer state championships, make no mistake: the better team wore “Belmont” on its shirt.

In a thrilling late afternoon match under the lights between two top rated squads in the state, Belmont High captialized on its chances with two goals in each half to down host Needham High Rockets to launch its trajectory into the tournament’s Final Four with a convincing 4-2 victory on a field Needham had been undefeated this season.

“You shocked the world,” said Belmont High Head Coach Jemmy Cange sitting on the pitch with his team and coaches after the game. “They didn’t give us a chance against a number one team,” Cange said later. “But we are a team with a big heart and that means a lot in the playoffs.”

Belmont (17-2-2) will meet four seed Natick High (14-3-3) on Tuesday, Nov 18, at 4:45 p.m. at Woburn High School Stadium, 88 Montvale Ave. The game marks 15 years since the last time the Marauders played in a state semifinal when it faced Medfield in 2010.

Belmont’s youngsters came to the fore as sophomore midfielder Cassie Griener recorded a brace – including the game winner – 9th grader Mackenzie Teirney put the icing on the cake with a late goal, and first year Ruth Christensen was steady between the posts, coming in for Belmont’s injured starting keeper Martha Dimas.

But it was Belmont’s talisman, scoring ace Danica Zicha, whose presence on the grounds was the X Factor, that unique talent who tilted the game to Belmont’s advantage. Despite Needham providing a dance partner for her throughout the game, Belmont’s number 10 still garnered an upmost attention from the Rockets allowing Danica’s teammates with opportunities in the Rockets half of the field. Her speed and strength on the ball saw her directly involved in Belmont first three goals.

After an auspicious start for the hosts, a goal in the first 30 seconds – through sophomore Sydney Kalaw – of the opening whistle, Belmont steadied themselves. With Needham playing with numbers in the front seeking a second tally, Belmont would find wide tracts of space to exploit the Rockets lack of defenders with quick breaks into the Rockets end.

Belmont would take advantage of Needham’s lapse for its first goal: on the break, Zicha took a picture perfect 30 yard pass from midfielder Madhavi Ramadas on the run, rounded her defender and, on her favorite right foot, blasted at Rockets’ outstanding first-year keeper Maggie Peterson who parryed the ball onto a rushing Griener. Her one-timer snuck under Peterson to even the score at the 34 minute mark.

Belmont came close twice more – a great close-in save by Peterson off Griener and a weak strike with an open net – as the Marauders began taking the measure of Needham.

Every team on the road to a championship benefits from at least one moment of good fortune. As a Needham defender was clearing the ball from the goal area with 13 minutes remaining in the first half, the kick hit an on-rushing Zicha and slingshot straight into the net, reminisant to a goal in the Women Euros four years ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JO5nNne4UII (start video at 1:14)

“I’d be lying that I had planned it,” said Zicha of her 36th goal this season. “But a goal’s a goal, right?” she quired matter-of-factly.

But to write off the Rockets after 40 minutes would be total folly, as Needham require only four minutes into the second half to square the contest at two when Sam Levine’s cross found Michelle Faynstein who cut in front of Christensen to head the ball into the net.

But the tie wouldn’t last long. A long pass by Tierney found Zicha who spun away from her marker and it was off to the races. Alluding four defenders, Zicha’s bullet from 15 yards out was barely deflected by Peterson before hitting the crossbar. The ball rebounded to the waiting Griener who bundled the ball in from five yards out to put Belmont back into the lead at 30:37.

For the last 30 minutes, it was up to the Marauders quartet of defensive stalwarts – seniors Farah Harris and Ashley Waters, junior Elizabeth Schreiner and sophomore Vianne Capitani – fronting Christensen, who was starting her first game of the season. Needham was at its most opportunistic on set plays and corner kicks which they held a 10-1 advantage, coming close twice after Belmont took the lead.

In the midfield, a pair of juniors stood out with their ability disrupt Needham’s attack and transitioning to the offense. While Madhavi Ramadas is known for her polished ball skills – especially her deft passing – Zoe Merion gave the Marauders an edge with that willingness to conduct an all-out battle for possession. Both effectively used their quickness to get to the ball first while winning the majority of 50/50 challenges. As time ground down on the scoreboard, neither team held the upper hand with shots coming from distance or being blocked.

But Belmont would have the final word as with six minutes remaining, two first years contributed. From the throw in, first year midfielder Clara Sciandra headed for the baseline and sent a pin-point pass to an open Tierney who one-timed the ball that Peterson blocked back to the first year starter. Tierney didn’t waste her second chance, burying the ball into the net with 6 minutes left.

When the final whistle blew, unqualifed joy and excitment erupted as players engulfed a somewhat stunned Christensen. When an MIAA official attempted to give the winners their final four trouphy and banner, no one was sure what to do with them. But that was sorted away when everyone took photos of them with the silverware.

“We are going to celebrate tonight and at school [Friday],” said Cange. “But we are going back to work on Saturday. We have unfinished business to take care of.”

After Slow Start, Belmont High Girls Soccer Shuts Out Framingham, 2-0, In MIAA Div. 1 First Round

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Photo: Belmont High senior mid Nora Goulding (number 5) readies to celebrate with goal scorer first year Clara Selandraski (21) after the midfielder scored the game-winning goal in Belmont’s first round tournament shut out of Framingham.

Early in the second half of a scoreless match in Belmont’s first round playoff game against Framingham, first year midfielder Clara Selandraski was unceremoniously dumped to the Harris Field pitch from a hard tackle. As she was preparing to launch the free kick 20 meters from goal along the left sideline, Belmont Head Coach Jemmy Cange came up to her with set play that orginated on the training ground.

Rather than pitching the ball “into the mixer” – the penalty area that was crowded with players – Jemme saw the Framingham goalie was favoring the left side of the box where the ball was expected to be placed. Following the classic advice of Baseball Hall of Famer Wee Willie Keeler: “Put’em where they ain’t,” Selandraski took a quick shot to the open right post. The play worked like a charm, surpising the goalie who could only follow the ball into the back of the net.

The foul that led to …
… the game winning goal against Framingham.

“The goal just put away the game,” said senior co-captain Danica Zicha “Then we calmed down, because [the game] won’t go to PKs. We’re winning now.”

“It was good that we finally get one of those goal that we really walk on practice all,” said Cange. “It was a great goal that came from the practice field.”

Asked if he should be awarded an “assist” on the goal, Cange said, “Oh, that goal was mine!”

Selandraski’s goal was the first of a pair of tallies in the second half that secured the Marauders a trip to the MIAA Division 1 Sweet 16 as Belmont shut out Framingham, 2-0. Belmont’s second came from Marauder ace scoring leader Zicha who slotted in her 31st goal of the season from 10 meters out with 18 minutes remaining in the match.

Senior Danica Zicha, Belmont High’s ‘Der Bomber’, scores her 31st goal of the season against Framingham in the first round of the MIAA Div. 1 tournament 

“I saw the ball, and I just went for it. I was like, ‘No, that’s my ball’,” said Zicha who took the shot off the ground and despite the goalie getting her gloves on it, the ball broke through into the net.

Eight-ranked Belmont (15-2-2) will host ninth-seed Central Catholic High School (16-1-2) – the alma mater of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt – in the rain on Monday, Nov. 10 at 6 p.m. The Raiders defeated Attleboro, 6-0, to advance.

The first 40 minutes saw both teams unable to put together a cohesive attack. While the offense was sputtering, Belmont defensive line put the kabash on the Falcon’s attemps to put pressure on Belmont junior goalie Martha Dimas.

Belmont High junior goalkeeper Martha Dimas registered her 10th clean sheet of the season against Framingham.

“We’ve been working with the backs for a lot. They’ve been stepping up since the whole season,” he said of seniors Farah Harris and Ashley Waters, junior Elizabeth Schreiner and sophomore Vianne Capitani. “They all went in there and did a wonderful job.”

The second half had the familiar feel of past Belmont matches with a dominance of the midfield – thanks to rangy junior Madhavi Ramadas and physical presence of sophomore Catherine Greiner – that freed up space for passes to first year winger Mackenzie Tierney and senior Nora Goulding, whose speed caused problems for the Falcon’s D-line.

What the team has to improve to take the win against a Central Catholic squad that lost a single game in the regular season (to Bishop Feehan, 2-1) and is one an 18 game unbeaten streak, will be about consistancy throughout the game.

“We definitely need to come out the way we came in the second half (against Framingham),” said Zicha. “We just need to play like that throughout the whole game. Obviously, there are gonna be a lot of nerves going into the second game, probably even more than against Framingham, but I think we can definitely do it. I think we come out strong just how we played in the second half. Everyone was connecting, everyone was talking, everyone was hyping each other up. I think if we do that, we’re gonna be like, unstoppable,” said Zicha.

“We have a slow start, but they keep fighting,” said Cange. “That’s the spirit of that team that we have all year. They never put themselves down. They keep fighting. And at the end, we were the better team, and we got the result that we wanted.”

Return To The Elite Eight: Belmont Field Hockey Shuts Out Wachusett, 4-0, In MIAA Sweet 16

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Photo: Belmont High run to celebrate with sophomore goalie Zoe Bruce after shutting out Wachusett Regional, 4-0, in the Sweet 16 of the MIAA Div. 1 Field Hockey tournament.

Belmont High Field Hockey has punched its ticket for a return trip to the Elite Eight as the 6th-ranked Marauders made easy work of 22nd-seed Wachusett Regional, shutting out the Mountaineers, 4-0, to advance to its second MIAA Division 1 state quarterfinal in as many years.

Belmont (17-3-0) will head to Wellesley to meet the one-loss Raiders (19-1-0) which needed two second half goals to defeat No. 14 Westborough, 3-1, to advance.

The quarterfinal match will take place at noon on Saturday, Nov. 8 at Wellesley High School, 50 Rice St. off of Route 16.

“I love Elite Eight!” said Belmont’s long-time Head Coach Jess Smith after the game. “I think our passing has been great and we’re moving the ball really well and that has been the difference maker tonight getting the ball down the field.”

A pair of goals in the games’ first three minutes set the tone for the night as Belmont’s sophomore forward Kendall Regan and senior co-captain Mackenzie Clarke scored in consecutive playoff games to give the Marauders an immediate cushion in its Sweet 16 match played under a near-full moon at Harris Field.

As the Mountaineers pushed hard to reverse the tide, it pressed Belmont’s solid defense – a back line of co-captains senior Niamh Lesnik and junior Elsie Lakin-Schultz with first-year Kate Townsend in the center with senior sweeper Caroline French fronting sophomore keeper Zoe Bruce who earned 10 shut outs coming into the game. As Wachusett pressed the Marauder net, including packing the shooting circle with eight players on penalty corners, Belmont’s defenders continued its steller performance having conceded 17 goals over 20 games this season, blocking attempts before they reached Bruce.

Especially impactful was Lakin-Schultz, the junior commit to Brown, who used her speed and length to shut down attacks down the favorite right side, while also contributing to the offense with rushes and passes deep in the opponant’s zone. Clarke, who next year will play Division 1 college field hockey at UConn, continued leading Belmont’s attack while slipping just infront of the defensive “wall” to disrupt the Mountaineers offense and be an outlet to start the counter attack.

Belmont’s third score came off a penalty corner mid-way through the second quarter when a 10-meter blast from Lakin-Schultz was tipped by junior “12th player” Avery Reinold in front of the goalie.

Sophomore midfielder Mia Smith pocketed the final goal as her shot somehow its way by three defenders and a goalie with four-and-change remaining in the third quarter. By the final quarter, Smith had emptying the bench and the team cruised into the next round.

It was also the final time Belmont seniors – Clarke, Lesnik, French, and Catherine Killeen – would play field hockey on Harris Field. “You’re going to make me cry,” laughed Lesnik when asked about the emotions of the moment. “It’s such a beautiful field. Mackenzie and I have played for three year on field hockey and four years on lacrosse so this is one of our many ‘happy’ places.”

“Finishing off with a win. For the past two years we’ve been undefeated on Harris and that’s major for us,” said Clark.

“Absolutely major,” Lesnik replied.

Smith said there are areas for improvement including not giving up so many penalty corners, which has been a bugaboo since last year’s quarters when Andover scored twice off the corner in a 3-0 victory. “I also think that we have to be a little further apart because we tend to get on top of each other.”

“We need to go into the game [against Wellesley] with an emphasis on our energy against such a good and skilled team,” said Lesnik. “A lot of it will come down to the team that is … hustling the most, going forth the most, bringing that mentality knowing that it could be our last game. So put everything out there.”

While Wellesely is the third-ranked team in the tournament, “that doesn’t mean anything,” said Clarke. “We play a lot of competition” that’s just as strong as who they played, she said.

Wellesley will be a tough opponant, said Smith. “They’re fantastic. They’ve won 19 games in a row and haven’t lost since the first game of the year (to number 1 ranked Walpole). I think they are full of athletes and some kids who are good at field hockey. It will be a challenge. We match up with the athletic ability on the field and we have some really strong players. It’s anyone’s game.”

After Dominate Opener, Belmont High Girls Lacrosse Swept Aside By L-S In Sweet 16

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Photo: Belmont High vs Lincoln-Sudbury Regional in the Sweet 16

The 14-seed Belmont High Girls Lacrosse team faced a challenging task on Tuesday, June 3: a Sweet 16 away match against the 3rd-ranked Lincoln-Sudbury Regional in the MIAA Division 1 state championship.

Belmont (14-7) had seen its fair share of top-level opposition this season, facing five top 10 playoff seeds during the regular season, losing to the top three by two goals or less, and a big late-season victory over Central Catholic. However, L-S (12-5) was a different competitor, with a physical defense and experience in attack.

And those cumulative advantages L-S possessed resulted in the Marauders’ 12-4 defeat in the quarter-final matchup.

Belmont High junior defender Fiona Rodriquez-Clark barking out the defense against L-S Regional

“Lincoln-Sudbury’s a great team from a great program,” said Belmont’s Head Coach Dan O’Brien. “They won the state championship two years ago and are at the next level that we’re aspiring to get to in terms of execution.”

If there was a hopeful playoff vibe for the Marauders, it was the first round 12-6 victory over 19th-ranked Braintree in the opening round at Harris Field on Friday, May 30. O’Brien had one word for the team to remember as they headed onto the pitch: “Dominate.” It took half of the first quarter to get rolling – Braintree tied the game at 2-2 at the 6:38 mark – as Belmont would go on a 6-0 run over the next 12 minutes with senior attack Charlotte Mayall (2 goals and an assist) planting the ball to give the Marauders the lead for keeps at 5:14.

Junior all-star mid Niamh Lesnik scored four goals to her team-high season total. At the same time, sophomore draw specialist midfielder Natalie Merrow controlled the center circle and showed her scoring prowess with Belmont’s eighth goal to give the Maruaders an 8-3 halftime lead.

Belmont High’s Neive Lesnik vs. L-S Regional High

Belmont Goalie Brooke Whalen registered 10 saves to backstop Belmont’s strong senior-rich defense, which includes co-captains Keira Healy and Anna Santos, Tyler Mayall and Bailey Cumbo, junior Fiona Rodriquez-Clark, and sophomore Lily Cook.

On Tuesday, at L-S’s turf field – situated beyond a vast meadow from the parking lot – the key word was less “dominate,” but rather “control” the Warriors. And for the first half, Belmont put the clamps on L-S offense. After a less-than-confident start as L-S senior attack Lexi Morrissey scored twice in the first three-plus minutes, the Marauders hunkered down and stalled out the Warriors’ pressure game.

“We kept it really close [in the first half],” said Belmont’s Charlotte Mayall. “We were very prepared coming into this game. We watched film and had a plan in place how we were gonna play D and what we’re gonna do an offense. And in the first half, we really showed how prepared we were.”

While Belmont’s defense was holding its own, Belmont’s offense struggled, not coming up with draw controls as L-S had a nose for ground balls. More than once, when Belmont was in control, its cautious setup for a shot resulted in unforced errors. When a shot was taken, L-S’s outstanding goalie Lydia Mossi was lights out with big saves. Belmont’s Whalen, who surrendered a single goal in the second quarter, made a point-blank save with 25 seconds in the half to keep the deficit manageable.

Belmont High’s Noura Goulding (7) celebrates goal by Charlotte Mayall (21) against Braintree.

While the Belmont’s first half defense was successful in a “bend but don’t break” en mode, the third quarter L-S figured out the back line with six goals, two from sophomore Nina Fragale (including her second with five seconds remaining in the quarter) and a hat trick by fellow sophomore Emerson Acquaviva. While Belmont found the back of the net with its first two tallies from Lesnick and Mayall, the Marauders couldn’t generate the momentum needed to make a late-game rally.

But in the view of Mayall, the game didn’t define the team’s

“I think we played amazingly today. I really don’t think the score ever defines our games. We played so much better than the scores showed. We played one of our best games today, but it wasn’t in our favor on the scoreboard. I’m definitely sad, but I’m happy with the memories that I made,” said Mayall.

“You never stop fighting. Really proud of you all,” O’Brien told the squad after the final horn sounded.

“I feel good about [giving up] 12 [goals] against this team,” said O’Brien. “And if you told me it would be 12, I would have told you the game would be something like 12-10. Their goalie played great, and we were just a half step late on some passes, which was the difference,” he said.

And this year’s team has built a foundation for future success,” said O’Brien.

“We’re gonna bring back the whole offense. We’re graduating three of the four starters on defense, but our goalie’s back, and we’ve got young girls who are hungry to play. We’ve got some incoming girls from a really strong youth program, so we’ll keep getting better, hopefully.”

Belmont Girls Hockey Takes Hingham To Last Minute Before Falling 2-1 In MIAA Quarterfinal

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Photo: Belmont High goalie Jil Costa making one of her 37 saves against Hingham High in the quarterfinal in the MIAA Division 1 quarterfinals.

Speaking in the narrow hallway leading to his team’s locker room in Stoneham Arena, Belmont High Girls Hockey Head Coach Brendan Kelleher was trying to find the right words to describe the game his team played on Wednesday night. In the state quarterfinals for the second consecutive season, the Marauders fell just short, 2-1, against Hingham High on a final-minute goal.

Despite the disappointment of the result, Kelleher looked back at the effort and toughness of his team against the top Division 1 team in the state.

“We knew it was going be a one-nothing game, a two-to-one game,” said Kelleher.

“Well, the customers got their money’s worth today,” said Kelleher with a shurge and a smile. 
In a tightly fought contest that spotlighted both team’s top players, Hingham finally broke through Belmont’s stout defensive game plan on a reflexive pass toward the Marauder’s goal, “And you had a couple of sticks in there that ended with the puck in the net, and that’s the difference maker.”

For 44 minutes and 7 seconds, Belmont’s junior goalie Jil Costa stood as Belmont’s resolute redoubt, the last line of defense as the Marauders took on the onslaught from number 1-ranked Hingham.

“She stood on her head like she does every day for us,” said Kelleher. 

With her typical calm demeanor, Costa was rock solid between the posts. Only once in 38 attempts did Hingham get past Costa on a second-period goal via its all-star center Caroline Doherty. 

“They were just trying everything. I mean, they had girls coming and going all the time. We just tried keeping the outside, which we did for three periods,” said Kelleher.

The match was finally resolved on the Harborwomen’s 39 attempt: the game’s final shot. Hingham’s Callie Crean, who was parked just outside the crease, stabbed at a Doherty-induced rebound that slipped between Costa’s pads into the net. 2-1 with 53 seconds left in the game and the season. 

“They were bringing it,” said Kelleher. “We would bend a little, but we didn’t break. And then it was just a puck that popped in.” 

It was nothing less than a dream start for the Marauders when first-year winger Alexcia Fici, cycling behind the net, found co-captain Sadie Taylor alone in the slot. The team’s only senior whistled a slap shot by Hingham’s Izzi Puleo, and Belmont grabbed a 1-0 lead on the Marauder’s first shot on net just 2:37 in the first period.

“Sadie drove the ship all year for us. Her work ethic is stays alone. She drove the first line – Mackenzie and Alexi – which was the reason our season was such a success,” said Kelleher. 

The top D line of sophomore Elise Lakin-Schultz and eighth grader Amelia Long and Kelleher’s second line, Middle School Kate Townsend with junior co-captain Thea Menovich, were in top form. On several occasions, the defenders tracked down Hingham’s talented forwards, pushing them to the outside where their shots were a leisurely game of catch for Costa. Lakin-Schultz was often took on the laborious task of rooting out Harborwomen and screening her goalie.

The offense in the first half of the game was buzzing the Harborwomen’s defense. “We had our chances,” said Kelleher. Belmont’s leading scorer, junior Mackenzie Clarke, had three chances as the clock wound down in the first period, which ended with 10 shots for Hingham and 7 for Belmont. 

The start of the second period turned out to be a bright point for Belmont as momentun sided with them, with Menovich coming close when her shot confused Puleo. But the 10-minute mark would be the zenith of the Marauder’s attack as Hingham would reestablish their dominance as it kept possession for long stretches, forcing Belmont deeper into its own end. 

Hingham’s breakthrough came after Long blocked a shot that Doughty collected to the right of Costa. The Holy Cross-commit picked up her own rebound and buried the puck at 8:35 of the second to knot the game at one. The one-way play was evident as Hingham held a more than 2-1 advantage in shots, 12-5, in the period. 

The ultimate period saw Hingham pressure the Belmont defense, adding a fourth forward on the ice as they sought to finish the job before the vagaries of sudden death would decide the game. Costa would be peppered with 17 shots as Belmont mustered four in the period. 

The winning play began with a positive play as Belmont’s Long tracked down attacking winger Hannah Lasch and sent her to the boards. Lasch turned and quickly passed the puck toward the crease, where Lakin-Schultz covered a pair of Hingham players. Doherty redirected the puck that Costa saved. The rebound was directed to Hingham’s Crean, who came from the blind side, and she squeezed the puck between Costa’s pads.

“What can you say? Hingham is a great team, solid up and down the lineup with great coaches. They deserve their placement, and we proved tonight that we can play with them for an entire game. I’ll take that,” said Kelleher. 

In the postgame wrap-up in the Stoneham hallway, Kelleher said his team’s despondency from the loss – consecutive MIAA quarterfinals that ended up short – should not overwhelm its achievements: one-loss season, a top 10 power ranking, a place at the end of the regular season in the Boston Globe’s Top 20, and notably, consecutive Middlesex Liberty titles.

“This [game] takes nothing away from what the season was and what they accomplished,” said Kelleher. “Someone said to me before the season that this was a rebuilding year. So I think what they did was something else.”

Driscoll’s Winner In 2OT The Difference In Belmont/Watertown’s 1-0 Victory Over Billerica In Div. 1 Playoff Opener

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Photo: Belmont/Watertown’s Molly Driscoll in action against Billerica/Chelmsford

A wrist shot from Watertown High Senior center Molly Driscoll that sent the puck slowly dribbling into the net 30 seconds into a second overtime period gave Belmont/Watertown a 1-0 shutout victory over Billerica/Chelmsford in the first round of the MIAA Division 1 Girls’ Hockey tournament held on Thursday, Feb. 29.

Playing on her home ice at the John A Ryan Rink in Watertown, Driscoll received a pass from her fellow co-captain, winger Lola Rocci, as both teams were playing three-a-side. The Boston University-commit in field hockey redirected the puck through Billerica/Chelmsford goalie Giovanna Gulinello’s pads which then took its time to cross the goal line for the only score of the night.

Belmont’s Jil Costa in net vs Billerica

“It was Molly Driscoll doing what Molly Driscoll does,” said Belmont Head Coach Brendan Kelleher about the senior center’s heroics. He praised Rocci on Belmont’s rush up the rink “carrying the puck up ice with a [player] draped all over. She has nothing in the tank but she kept her feet moving the whole time. She got free and fed it to Molly.”

“It was a great high school hockey game,” said Kelleher in his inaugural season leading the team. “Give Billerica a lot of credit. When you get to those sudden victory games, someone’s got to win, and someone’s got to lose. The paying spectators got their money’s worth.”

Fourteenth-ranked Belmont/Watertown (14-2-3) now advances to the Division 1 “Sweet 16” where it takes on 3rd-seed Lincoln/Sudbury Regional (17-2-1) in an afternoon matinee on Saturday, March 2. The puck drops at 5:30 p.m. at the Valley Rink in West Concord.

No place for the faint hearted in the crease

On the other end of the ice sophomore goalie Jil Costa earned her 10th shutout of the season, keeping a clean sheet for 51 minutes and 30 seconds as she spearheaded another defensive masterclass from a team that has given up a measly 15 goals in 19 games. The best of her clutch saves was with five seconds remaining in the first overtime when Costa swatted away with her stick blade a high puck heading towards goal, a reaction “that’s got to be on [ESPN’s] SportsCenter Top 10 plays,” said Kelleher.

Fronting Costa was Belmont’s defensive pairings – its core made up of Thea Monovich, Aislin Delaney, Martha Dimas and Elsie Larkin-Schultz – which continued their solid coverage they have provided the entire season, preventing clean breaks and keeping the majority of shots coming from the outside.

“I can’t say enough about pairs; they just play a great game again and again. We’ve got senior leadership back there along with freshmen that don’t playing like freshmen. It’s a confident group,” said Kelleher.

Belmont First Year Defender Elsie Larkin-Schultz

Belmont’s Player of the Match was first year defender Larkin-Schultz who provided coverage along the blue line while making a spark on offense, weaving her tall frame into the Warrior’s defensive zone.

While Billerica – a young team with just a pair of seniors while putting three 8th graders and seven first years on the varsity team – had their moments attacking Costa, Belmont had nearly double the shots taken by the Warriors. In the end, it would be left up to Driscoll, Belmont’s leading scorer and the most skilled player on the night, to end the contest.

Kelleher said while he would like to see a balanced scoring attack with all three lines – and a few defenders – getting on the scoring sheet.

“Nothing gets easier this time of year. It’s the old survive and advance. We came with the mindset that we will be back for another game.”

Belmont High Boys’, Girls’ Rugby Go Undefeated, With A Pair Of State Championship Trophies In Tow

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Photo: Belmont High Girls’ Rugby Head Coach Kate McCabe getting drenched after Belmont won its fifth consecutive MIAA Division 1 state girls’ rugby title.

The Belmont High School’s rugby program duplicated last year’s achievement as the Boys’ and Girls’ squads returned home to Belmont with a pair of Division 1 state championships in games played Sunday morning and afternoon on June 18 at Curry College.

Boys’ Back Line Leads The Way To Consecutive Championships

Win, return, repeat.

Belmont High Boys’ made it consecutive MIAA Division 1 state titles as the top-ranked Marauders defeated this season’s chief challenger, second-seed St. John’s Prep of Danvers, 24-14.

Belmont High finishes the season undefeated, 10-0, for the first time in the program’s 17-year history, which included three matches against out-of-state competition. The Marauders equals its traditional rival, Boston College High, with the most number of MIAA state titles with three.

“Day one of this season was, ‘Guys, you’re defending state champs, but that was last year’s team. This is a different team. We’ve won nothing,” said Belmont’s Head Coach Greg Bruce. That belief led to the team to adopt a “Zero, zero” mentality – which the team shouted out after every score by either team – which got the team grounded for the season.

Rather than viewing the score of individual games or an undefeated season as the measure of the team’s success, “they just wanted to come out here to play their rugby and have one last opportunity to be together,” said Bruce.

The match’s first 20 minutes was the expected heavyweight bout of hard tackling with no quarter given between programs that acknowledge a level of “bad blood” between the two. “[Chirpy] on the field and from the stands,” according to a Belmont coach.

“We knew they were going to be really physical, and they came out even more physical than we expected,” said Belmont High senior prop Asa Rosenmeier, a co-captain heading off to Brown, where he will play rugby. “We pride ourselves on our defense, so we took that challenge straight on.”

Playing without the senior inside center, co-captain, and the program’s all-time leading scorer Jake Cornelius who was injured in Belmont’s 49-14 semi-final victory over BC High, the Marauders stayed within their “game” of running at Preps’ front row led by the 6’5″, 280-pound Rosenmeier and keeping possession of the ball by controlling their rucks and winning the scrums.

After coming close in the first minute, Belmont struck first at the 17-minute mark as junior Number 8 Max Cornelius took a “tap and go” and snuck over the try line after being set up by a 30-meter run by senior outside center Ben Williams that put the ball inside the 10-meter mark. Junior inside center Stephen Hong – who moved into Jake Cornelius’ number 12 role on short notice – nailed the conversation despite the acute angle to stake the Marauders to a 7-0 lead.

“I was ready for this moment,” said Hong. “We got the ‘W’ so I’m pretty happy about my performance.”

It took just five minutes for the Marauders to add its second tally as Hong hopped by a defender and sprinted 40 meters to score after Rosenmeier stole a Prep pass to give Belmont the ball 35 meters from goal.

Prep got on the scoreboard through Luke Rinklin, the Eagles’ Man of the Match, when the junior fly-half quickly took the ball on a touch and go and weaved 30 meters unopposed to place Prep within one score of the lead, 12-7.

But Belmont would have the final word in the half as senior flanker Matt Doban broke two tackles in the last ten meters to lunge over the try line at the 35-minute mark to up the Marauders’ lead to 19-7 at intermission.

During the opening 15 minutes of the second half, Prep’s task was straightforward: Get an early try and keep the score tight over the final 20 minutes. And the Eagles attempted just that, possessing the ball 20 meters from the Belmont try line as they pressed the attack.

But Belmont’s hard-pressed defense would bend but not break. While the Marauders’ front row punished St. John’s Prep’s runners in the center of the field, it was Belmont’s young back six – Henry Thomas, Luke Wilgren, Hong, Williams, Myles Torres, and Wyatt Sclafani – who made up for their lack of size with speed and tackling prowess prevented Prep from breaching the defensive line including twice inside five meters of the goal line. And when Prep crossed the try zone seven minutes into the half, Hong and junior fly-half Thomas prevented the Prep player from grounding the ball, allowing sophomore full-back Torres to come in for the steal.

“We got down low around the breakdown and then fired up and hit them. You can’t be scared playing defense. That’s how we held them,” said Rosenmeier.

“We asked them to put out their best defensive performance of the year,” said Bruce after the game. “Even though the score might not be the lowest points we’ve given up, that was by far the best defensive performance.”

The Marauders’ victory was secured with one of the season’s flukiest tries. On their first venture into the Eagles’ territory 15 minutes into the half, as Belmont was kicking towards the touchline, a Prep player made what one MIAA official called “an extraordinary athletic play,” leaping for the ball three meters out of bounds to tap the ball back into play. But Belmont had two players covering the kick, and the ball bounced once straight into Wilgren’s arms, who walked over the try line in what the left wing said is “the easiest try I’ll ever score.”

With Belmont up 24-7 and time draining, St. Johns’ was looking to the always dangerous Rinklin to spark a final comeback. And when Prep scored through senior Ryan Albano’s three-meter run with 12 minutes remaining, the Eagles would only cross the midfield line with less than a minute to play. When the final whistle blew, the team received their medals, and Rosenmeier and Cornelius raised the trophy aloft.

Girls’ Dominating Win Results In Five-peat

Just one word describes the championship game and season for Belmont High Girls’ Rugby.

Supremacy.

Belmont pocketed its fifth consecutive MIAA state championship (completed in seven years), defeating a young Brookline High squad 59-0, placing a capstone on a 9-0 undefeated season.

“The team wanted to make a statement about defense, and I think they really came out in the first half and did what they needed to do,” said Head Coach Kate McCabe, who received a celebratory drenching at midfield.

Belmont was only threatened once in the season by a rapidly improving Weymouth squad in the Division 1 tournament semifinals. The Marauders fell behind 7-5 at Harris Field before scoring 26 unanswered points on four tries for a convincing 31-7 Final Four victory.

“The girls walked away from that semi-final match saying the defense and the spread that we were doing wasn’t enough. It really motivated them,” said McCabe.

Already without star Number 8, senior co-captain Val Detheux, on the pitch – lost to a knee injury suffered during the fall soccer campaign – Belmont would suffer a second blow when its all-around commanding presence, junior right flanker Alek Townsend, left the field with a knock to her knee in the first half. But the team didn’t miss a beat Sunday, as there was no loss of skill and talent with the substitutes who were sent in.

“Honestly, the privilege that I have with the depth of this bench is unbelievable,” said McCabe. “The ability to turn around and know exactly who you can put in and make a difference is amazing.”

In a game in which the weather changed by the minute – rain, sun, a dose of showers – Belmont began scoring in the first two minutes with a driving run from junior lock Rowan Dragon with the conversion from junior fly-half Lucy Kabrhel, – who went 7 of 9 in conversion attempts – as the team began a masterclass on all aspects of the game.

Brookline couldn’t string the passes needed to stretch the Marauder back line, forcing them inside where they could not make headway against a physical Belmont front. When the Warriors attempted to push the ball out wide, their runners would meet Townsend, who laid out several crushing tackles before she departed.

On offense, the Marauders were much stronger up front while Belmont’s passes, starting from senior scrum-half Shelby Ball, were quickly delivered and on the mark.

Belmont junior lock Sally Amer punched in Belmont’s second try at the 10-minute mark, followed by junior inside center Olivia Mann diving across the line at 19 minutes to give the Marauders a 21-0 lead at the half.

The Marauders’ junior full-back Mia Taylor finished the game early in the second half with two scores, including a 45-meter solo gallop and a 30-meter run around the edge.

“I was committed to finding the openings as I got the passes from my teammates,” said Taylor, who garnered a second-half hat trick. Taylor saw her sister, sophomore flanker Sadie score her try while senior prop Elise Conroy finished her career with a pair in the final minutes.

And for the fifth time, Belmont took home the state tournament winners trophy as an emotional Detheux raised the silverware with senior co-captain Number 8 Sage Tonomura-MacDonald in front of their ecstatic teammates.

Losing just a handful of senior starters from this year’s first 15, McCabe said the program is on track to continue its impressive championship run.

“We’re building from a good place,” she said.

PLAYOFFS: ‘Nickel’ Desantis Hits 100 Goal Mark In Belmont Girls’ Play-In Win; Belmont Boys’ Tennis Sweep In First Rounder; Girls’ Tennis Exits

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Photo: Belmont High attack junior Tess (the Nickel) Desantis reached 100 career goals against Milford High in the Marauders’ 17-6 victory.

On short notice due to graduation week events, three Belmont High teams found themselves battling the 90 degree-plus Thursday afternoon heat along with the

The Nickel Gets Her Century In Girls Lax Play-In Victory Over Milford

After the Dime (senior Mary Mullan) in Belmont’s Nickel and Dime attack partnership reached 100 career goals against Braintree, the wait began to see if junior Tess Desantis – the Nickel – would join her front line team mate and reach her own century of goals.

Late in Thursday’s dominating 17-6 victory over Milford High School (11-8) in Belmont’s (14-5) MIAA Division 1 play-in game held on the toasty Harris Field turf surface, Desantis took a pass from senior defender co-captain Nina Leveroni and reached triple digits with a bouncer by the goalie for Belmont’s 16th of the day.

Belmont High junior Tess Desantis (#5) scoring her 100 career goal in play-in game vs. Milford.

With both teams under the pressure to accommodate their senior players to attend graduation week events, the game was moved up to the first day tournaments games were to be played. And the game was played at its earliest available time at 4 p.m., with temperatures reaching 92 degrees F with no wind under cloudless skies.

“It was brutal,” said Belmont High Girls’ Lacrosse Head Coach Dan O’Brien. “We were feeling [the heat] by the second half.”

After junior goalie Julia Herlihy stopped a one-on-one on the first offense turn by the Scarlet Hawks, Belmont countered quickly with Desantis scoring from a pass from senior midfield co-captain Stella Lesnik. The Nickel scoring her second from an 8-meter penalty just 40 seconds later and the Marauders were on their way to its first playoff win since 2012.

Desantis and first year mid Niamh Lesnik shared top scoring honors with six points with five goals and an assist each. Junior attack Carli Gaziano contributed three goals and a pair of assists with sophomore attack Charlotte Mayall and first year attack midfield Sydney Mun each with a goal.

“Our leading scorer [Mullan] had one goal but we don’t just rely on one player [scoring]. Everyone stepped up from the senior and juniors to our freshmen,” said O’Brien, who praised the first line defense

Belmont will have just a few days to savor this win as they will travel nearly the entire length of the state to take on perennial powerhouse Longmeadow High (17-3) in a first round match on Monday, June 5. The Marauders will spend more than two hours on the bus to go against a team that has reached the Division 1 final four in every MIAA tournament in the past two decades (last year the Blue Devils were eliminated in the round of 16), finally winning the state title in 2015.

“We will need a lot of breaks on ground balls and on defense. We can’t be put off by the competition. We need to keep the game close so we have a chance at the end of the game,” said O’Brien.

Boys’ Tennis Sweeps Wakefield In First Round; Girls’ Drop 4-1 to CC

Eighth ranked Belmont High Boys’ Tennis began its playoffs with a stellar 5-0 sweep over Middlesex League rival Wakefield on Thursday, May 1 in the first round of the MIAA Division 2 tournament at the overheated Winn Brook courts. Number one singles senior Alek Karagozyan, second singles junior Charlie Osborn, and third sophomore Julian Wong led the team in the victory.

Belmont High’s Charlie Osborn mashing a return at a recent match

Next up for Belmont (12-6) will be hosting Marblehead (9th ranked at 16-3) in the Sweet 16 round on Monday, June 5, at 5 p.m. at Winn Brook. The Magicians swept Oliver Ames, 5-0, on Wednesday.

After missing the tournament last year, Belmont Girls’ Tennis return to the playoffs was a short one as the 17th-ranked Marauders lost to 16th rated Central Catholic, 4-1, at Lawrence High School on June 1.

After Dream Start, Belmont Boys’ Hockey Brought Back To Reality By Xaverian, 5-2, In Div. 1 Tourney

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Photo: Belmont High sophomore forward Adam Bauer celebrates his goal 31 seconds into the playoff contest with Xaverian Bros, March 5, 2023 in Canton

The Belmont High Boys’ Hockey coaching staff could not have drawn up a more perfect start to its MIAA tourney matchup against Xaverian Brothers High School. A spot-on pass by senior forward Cam Fici allowed sophomore forward Adam Bauer the space to rocket the first shot of the game past Hawks’ junior goalie Cole Pouliot-Porter giving the Marauders a dream start just 31 seconds into its Sweet 16 contest played Sunday afternoon, March 5 in Canton.

But the reality of a one-zip code team battling a regional all-star squad soon became apparent as Xaverian would pull even two minutes later and take the lead by the end of the first period. And despite a late charge by Belmont in the final stanza, the Hawks scored twice in the last 10 minutes to pick up the 5-2 victory, eliminating the Marauders from the Division 1 tournament for the second year running.

Belmont ends the season at 14-7-3.

For Belmont’s Head Coach Tim Foley, his team had a lot to be proud on their performance Sunday.

“We played hard but they have a little more depth and had their share of good bounces here and there,” said Foley. “But we don’t make excuses. We can compete with anybody; we’re talented enough, we’re strong enough and good enough. We just came out on the wrong end of the final score.”

“My father would say you have two choices: ‘you can accept the challenge in front of you or you can fold up like an accordion’ and I didn’t see any accordions out on the ice today,” said Foley.

After playing a near flawless game in the first round shutout of Chelmsford – a team which beat Xaverian, 3-1, in late January – and going up early, Foley said Xaverian “came hard at us and the harder that you work the more opportunities you make for yourself.”

During the first period, Belmont was victimized by two goals that came after Marauder miscues. After Belmont failed to clear its zone, the Hawks’ senior Joe Di Martino slotted a low wrister across Belmont senior goalie Greg Federico and inside the right post to knot the contest up. At the midpoint of the period, a loose puck was not picked up by Belmont, leaving it up for third line sophomore Jackson Morse to handcuff Federico.

One the other end of the ledger, Bauer came close to doubling his goal tally tipping a shot that forced a right pad save from Pouliot-Porter while his counter part Federico stoned a clear break to keep the margin at one at the end of the first.

Soon after taking a two goal lead early in the second, Xaverian transitioned from playing the puck to punishing to body. Late hits, stray elbows, chirping from the bench, piling into Federico’s crease – with the expected retaliatory cross check – and the usual collection of cheap shots associated with the nasties.

“It’s the way they play,” said Foley. “They play a very chippy game and it’s not always clean.”

When the refs began cracking down on the argie bargie, it was usually one from each team heading to the box – the Hawks collected nine penalties including one 10 minute misconduct as Belmont took eight bookings – not providing Belmont the advantage those who are assaulted should expect. The Hawks’ rockum’ sockum’ tactics had its desired impact on the game, destroying any sense of rhythm on the ice and wearing down the battered Belmont players.

“They tried to keep us off our game and we kind of fell into it a little bit,” said Foley. “We have a lot of physically tough players … and we certainly were not going to back down from a challenge.”

The first minutes of the third provided the Marauders with a semblance of hope as senior defender Joe Gaziano took a back pass from Bauer and beat Pouliot-Porter with a classy backhander 90 seconds into the final frame to reduce the deficit to one, 3-2.

But that late lifeline was cut a minute and a half later by the prettiest goal of the early afternoon; a pass deep to the left side of Frederico, followed by a quick one timer to senior Liam Capplis sitting all alone out in front in the slot and, well, that was that. 4-2. The final nail came was driven in five and a half left in a solid season. Despite the score, Belmont would not stop looking for that next goal, with Fici being denied a final goal in his stellar career when his snap shot clanged off the post in the final 10 seconds.

While the team understandably took their time leaving the locker room – nine seniors for the final time – before their long ride home, Foley said the players accomplished much in a season with one of the toughest schedules in program history, playing 10 of the top 20 Division 1 teams.

“We certainly came out competitive in almost every game. The kids were battle tested [playing the schedule] and we did it for games like these. I’m very proud of the team, proud of how hard they worked in practice everyday,” said Foley.

There will be quite a bit of rebuilding for next year’s team, replacing three of four top line defenders – Gaziano, co-captain Peter Grace and Theo Martin – a varsity goalie and the squad’s two leading scorers in Fici and co-captain Shay Donahue. Yet Foley said there appears to be a good-size talent pool of new high school players on the way, with a great deal to live up to.

“The seniors that are leaving certainly had a great career over the last four years,” said Foley. “They’re leaving a good message and a good work ethic behind for the younger kids. So I think the future is bright.”

Complete Team Victory As Belmont High Boys’ Hockey Sweep Aside Chelmsford, 4-0, In D1 Tourney First Round

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Photo: Belmont High’s Peter Grace, with the C on his jersey, celebrates with his teammates the 4-0 victory over Chelmsford in the first round of the 2022-3 MIAA Div. 1 Hockey State Championships.

Not a bad way to close the doors to the ol’ Skip.

In the final scholastic game to be played in the venerable – but completely dilapidated – Skip Viglirolo Ice Skating Rink, the Belmont High Boys’ Ice Hockey squad sent the home fans of the near sell out crowd happy as the entire lineup of 10th-ranked Marauders did Yeoman’s work sweeping aside a strong Chelmsford squad in the first round of the Division 1 state championship on Thursday, March 2.

Belmont dominated all parts of the game, controlling the pace of play with a stout defense and free flowing offense keeping the Lions caged in their end for the 45 minutes, making for a long night for Chelmsford sophomore tender Mark Bierwirth (40 saves on 44 shots).

Player of the Match was senior defender and co-captain Peter Grace who scored the brace from distance and teamed with his long-time line-mate senior co-captain Joseph Gaziano to prove again they are one of the best D pairing in the state. The three defensive lines limited the Lions’ opportunity to challenge Belmont senior goalie Greg Federico who made 14 saves Thursday night.

“It was a solid game from the whole team,” said Belmont Head Coach Tim Foley.

The Marauders are off to Canton on Sunday, March 4, for a noon time face off in a Sweet 16 matchup with 7th-ranked Xaverian Brothers High School, a rematch of last year’s Elite Eight battle where the Marauders’ were eliminated in a 2-1 heart breaker.

Belmont took the game straight to Chelmsford scoring three and a half minutes in the first as junior defender Ryan Halloran shot got through a Shay Donahue screen. Chelmsford could not generate an offense to strike back as the Belmont put up a wall on the Lions blue line; on four consecutive break outs, Chelmsford clearing pass was intercepted at the line and sent back behind the net.

“All three lines played the system well of forechecking well, kept our structure and hemmed Chelmsford in their zone which is a good, hardworking team,” said Foley. “Our game plan was to wear them down and it worked.”

The first eight minutes of the second stanza witnessed a continuous march of Marauders into the penalty box with the Lions skating 5-3 for nearly three minutes. But the defense along with senior forward Cam Fici were rock solid on the penalty kill, ending the deficit even in shots on net at one.

Back at even strength, it was four-year starter Grace who doubled Belmont’s lead with a rocket from the left circle that clanged off the crossbar and in.

It wouldn’t be a Belmont game if there wasn’t a Fici goal, and the fan base was not disappointed as the Marauders’ sniper snapped the goal in from the left circle early in third. Unlike when Chelmsford held a two-man advantage, Belmont was like a cat with a cornered mouse; you knew how this was going to end: Grace walking in and burying the puck by Bierwirth to finish the scoring.