Belmont High Boys’, Girls’ Hockey Enters Final Week Coming Off Big Wins At Woburn

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Photo: Belmont’s Mackenzie Tierney vs Reading

When push came to shove on Saturday, Feb. 7, it was the Belmont High hockey program that shouldered past host Woburn in a pair of late season matches giving a boost to the Marauders’ playoff hopes as the state Division 1 tournament looms only a fortnight away.

Belmont High’s Girls’ continued its best stretch of the season with five wins and a tie in its last six games with a convincing 3-1 away victory over 10th-ranked Woburn in the midst of Saturday’s snowfall.

It was Belmont’s Mackenzie Bookends – first year Mackenzie Tierney and senior Mackenzie Clarke – who tallied Saturday with the youngster collecting the first goal in the first period from the point while the veteran put home an empty netter with 30 seconds remaining in the third to go along with her first period backhander to seal the deal.

Along with sophomore Mia Smith – whose second goal scored in the final minute salvaged a 2-2 against Reading the previous Saturday – the “Macs” have stepped up in February after Belmont’s top scoring threat, sophomore Alexcia Fici, was lost to a season-ending injury.

Belmont High’s Mia Smith scoring her second goal in 2-2 tie with Reading.

The Marauders defensive lineup – led by junior Elsie Larkin-Schlutz, first years Amelia Long and Kate Townsend and senior Martha Dimas – has been stellar in front of goalie Elinor Dorn who has replaced consenus All-Star Jil Costa. The sophomore put up 43 minutes of shut out goaltending against Woburn which was on a seven-game winning streak.

With the weekend win, Belmont (10-4-3) sweeps the season series over the Tanners with its second 3-1 victory, the first coming at home in early January. The Marauders inflicted the only league losses to Woburn which came into the game 10th in the MIAA Division 1 Power Rankings. Belmont was 15th in the all important rankings, the penultimate place that secures a home game in the first round of the playoffs.

Belmont’s final three games of the season includes its final regular season home game at 5 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 11 vs. Lexington, a Valentine’s Day love match against Winchester in Woburn at 2 p.m., and a season ending romp with Waltham at Bentley University on Tuesday, Feb. 17, at 1:45 p.m.

It’s been a trying season for Belmont High Boys’ Hockey. Last year’s squad was one of the state’s elite, sixth in the final MIAA power rankings, with 15 wins (15-6-1), shutting out the state’s top-ranked team (Pope Francis) while winning the Ed Burns Coffee Pot tournament. A three overtime loss to league rivals Winchester in the Sweet 16 of the MIAA tournament was a shocker but the team appeared ready to reload for the 2025-6 campaign.

But the loss of nine seniors and the transfer of the team’s three lynchpin players raised a large question mark for the season. The answer to that quiry was that it would be a tough rebuilding year for the Marauders. Playing in one of the state’s most competitive leagues – three teams in the top ten of their power rankings – with a very difficult non-league schedule, the Marauders have been in games where they could not match up in talent or bulk.

“Do you a weight room we could use?” joked Belmont Head Coach Tim Foley between periods of one of the matches where his players were pushed around.

The result has been a 3-12-2 record with the team sitting in 28th in the Power Rankings, percariously close to the 32nd ranking that marks the final automatic playoff place. What Belmont needed in the final stretch of the season would be a big time win.

And that is exactly what the team did, swamping 6th-ranked (in Division 2) Woburn, 6-3, at the O’Brien rink, as junior defender John Connolly racked up the hat trick and forward Michael Rowan took home three points with his own brace while adding an assist in the team’s performance of the year.

The three-goal margin gave the Marauders the maximum points avaliable as they seek to secure a playoff spot. Belmont – which is coming off a 2-0 win on Sunday against Braintree in the consolation game of the Ed Burns Coffee Pot tournament – will meet 8th-ranked Pope Francis in the final home game on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 7:15 p.m. and Winchester on Valentines Day in Woburn with a noon start. The team finishes its season playing in West Springfield in the Cardinal Classic on Tuesday, Feb. 17 and Wednesday, Feb. 18.

Belmont Boys, Girls Hockey Open MIAA Tournament With A Pair Of Home Matches

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Photo: Belmont High Boys’ Hockey after winning the Ed Burns Coffee Pot trophy after winning the tournament beating Arlington.

Fans of Belmont High hockey will have a double dose of playoff action this week as the boys and girls squads will host “home” openers of the 2025 MIAA Division 1 state tournament, which will be played at the JAR—that’s the John A Ryan Arena—in Watertown.

The girls take the ice on Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 5:45 p.m. against Arlington Catholic while the boys will face off against Bishop Feehan at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 27.

Both teams will have a second home contest if they come off the ice victorious this week. 

Marauder Girls’ 

The 8th-ranked Marauders (15-1-4) will be seeing some familiar faces in the two home games. They will start off against the 25th-ranked Arlington Catholic (7-11-2), which the girls’ met two weeks ago, winning 1-0. Belmont’s Sweet 16 opponent is likely to be Middlesex Liberty rival Reading Memorial (13-6-1), who will take on Pope Francis in the first round. The 9th-ranked Rockets lost to the Marauders 4-3 in January and tied up Belmont 3-3 in February.

Belmont is backstopped by junior goalie Jil Costa—who has given up one goal per game for the season—along with a solid defense made up of youngsters, including the first-line defense pairing of eighth grader Amelia Long with sophomore Elsie Lakin-Schultz.

The offense will depend on leading scorer junior Mackenzie Clarke and the team’s lone senior Sadie Taylor to spark the attack over the tournament, receiving help from first-years Alexcia Fici and Mia Smith and eighth-grade standout Mackenzie Tierney.

Belmont stumbled a bit leading up to the tournament, waiting late to tie a non-tournament Lexington in its penultimate game before losing its only contest of the season against Waltham, 3-2, in the season’s finale. Belmont does have some momentum behind them, capturing its second Middlesex League title in as many years.

For second-year Head Coach Brendan Kelleher, the season—which started on Dec. 2—has been a long one, but he sawthe team continue to battle the entire way. 

“These girls have answered the call every time in the last few games,” he said. Kelleher admitted losing an undefeated season in the final two minutes of the last game “stings a bit” but said as a team “we’ve never talked about wins and losses all season. We’re extremely proud of these girls, of what they’ve accomplished,” he said.

Kelleher said the postseason is “an exciting time for all these student-athletes, for the town and the high school and these families. Anything can happen. Now it’s a survive and advance situation.”

Belmont Boys’

The Boys undertook one of the toughest regular season schedules of any Bay State team, including encounters with five teams in the Boston Globe’s top 20, including Pope Francis (twice), Hingham, and Catholic Memorial, to finish with a 15-6-1 record and ranked 6th in Division 1.

Tuesday’s opponent is Bishop Feehan from Attleboro, who enters the rink with a 9-12-1 record and is ranked 27th. The Crimson and White’s likely next opponent will be Middlesex Liberty rival 11th-seed Winchester (12-10-0), which the boys beat twice in the regular season (4-1, 3-1). If the seeding holds up, Belmont will face third-rank Hingham in the Elite Eight, which they defeated in the semi-finals of the Ed Burns tournament, 2-1.

Feel good, said Belmont Head Coach Tim Foley. “And we have some work to do. We have some things to work on, but obviously we’re heading in the right direction.”

Belmont enters the playoffs with silverware in hand, having won the Burns tournament and the Cardinal Classic, where they defeated number 1-ranked Pope Francis, 2-0. With a first line of junior Leo Packard, sophomore phenom Liam Guilderson (21 goals, 43 points), and senior captain Adam Bauer, Belmont can score on nearly all defenses and goalies in the state. 

A wall of solid defenders, including sophomores John Connolly, Michael Rowan, and seniors PD Dimas and Tim Carere, has garnered Foley’s praise. 

“Our defensemen are just so fundamentally sound, good stick positions all the time. It’s something we work on a lot, and it’s something they really thrive on. They take pride in keeping pucks out of and on net, not scoring goals,” said Foley.

Sophomore goalie Ethan Bauer—Adam’s younger brother—has been standing on his head in the past month, giving up a single goal over three games in the Ed Burns tourney and shutting out the state’s number one and two teams. 

“Bauer is so solid, when we do make a mistake, we have that extra layer back there. That’s what you want, a hot goaltender going into the tournament,” said Foley.

Belmont High Teams In A Winning Way As Winter Sports Season Gets Underway

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Photo: 2023-4 Belmont High Girls’ Hockey

After a successful fall in which each team participated in the MIAA tournament, Belmont High begins the winter sports season with

Girls’ Basketball: Belmont High Head Coach Shantell Jeter opened her second campaign with the Marauders thumping Melrose, 68-24, at the Wenner Field House on Dec. 13. Coming off an impressive first-year campaign, Sophomore Sophia McClendon continued her outstanding form, scoring 12 of her game-high 16 points in the first quarter on two 3s and three baskets. Senior captain Mia Ferrari scored in double digits with 10 points, including a pair of 3s. Emily Donahue, Lean Attridge, and Brynn Connolly each contributed 8 points to the lopsided victory. The Marauders (1-0) head to Reading (1-0) to meet the Rockets on Friday, Dec 15.

Belmont High sophomore Sophia McClendon in action.

Girls Hockey: Under the tutelage of new head coach Brendan Kelleher, the newly-created co-op team of Belmont and Watertown high schools started the 2023-4 season with a stellar performance, shutting out hosts Melrose, 3-0, on Wednesday, Dec. 13. Goals were courtesy of seniors Ruby Jones, Allison Caputo and Molly Driscoll while sophomore Jil Costa in goal did an outstanding job replacing four-year starter all-star Bridget Gray.

Boys’ Basketball: In a tight, low-scoring season opener, Belmont took down Melrose, 49-45, at the Wenner. Senior Donovan Holway netted 21 points while leading the Marauders back from a double-digit deficit to squeak through in the final minute. Next up for the Marauders (1-0) is a matchup with Reading (1-0) on Friday, Dec. 15.

Boys’ Hockey: With losing its top defensive line and all-star goal-scoring forward due to graduation, it will be a rebuilding year for the Marauders, which will be playing the next two seasons in Watertown as the town builds a new rink.

The season got underway against Catholic Memorial, ranked fourth in the Boston Globe preseason Top 20. The West Roxbury team proved a real test for the Marauders as the Knights scored a 4-1 win at the Warrior Arena in Brighton. Sophomore Leo Packard scored Belmont’s lone goal, assisted by senior co-captain Adam Bauer, while first-year goalie Ethan Bauer stopped 26 shots. Against Melrose, Adam Bauer collected two points with a goal and an assist on Packard’s second goal of the season to secure a 2-2 tie vs. Melrose. Belmont will be in Watertown to take on the Raiders on Saturday, Dec. 15.

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.

Belmont Playoff Bound: Three Marauder Teams Start Their Tournament March This Week

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Photo: Belmont High Girls’ Ice Hockey four-year starter Bridget Gray will backstop the Marauders as they take on Malden Catholic in the first round of the MIAA Div. 2 tournament on Wednesday, March 1

Three Belmont High winter sports teams will be playing their first games in the 2022-3 postseason beginning Wednesday, March 1, and running through Friday, March 3. And the middle game will likely be the scholastic farewell for the town’s long-standing skating rink.

On Wednesday, March 1, the 23rd Belmont High Girls Ice Hockey (8-8-3) team will travel to Malden as the Marauders take on 10th-ranked Malden Catholic (9-9-2) in the MIAA Division 2 tournament. The puck will drop at 7:10 p.m. at the Valley Forum in Malden. How to get to the rink? Just get on Route 60 (Pleasant Street) and keep going east; the roadway will deposit you in the facility’s parking lot.

The 10th-ranked Belmont High Boys Ice Hockey (13-6-3) squad will officially end high school sports at Belmont’s Viglirolo Skating Rink on Concord Avenue with a home tournament game as the Marauders welcome the 23rd-seeded Chelmsford High Lions (11-6-3) to the “Skip” on Thursday, March 2. Faceoff will take place at 6:30 p.m.

The Belmont High Girls’ hoopsters (13-9) finished the season as the 16th-ranked team – and the last position to secure a first-round home game – in Division 1 and will host a familiar rival in 17th-ranked Central Catholic of Lawrence (8-12) at the Wenner Field House. Tip-off will be at 6:30 p.m. Fans will remember Belmont losing to the Raiders in consecutive Division 1 North finals (2018-19). The winner will likely meet the number 1 seed Andover next week.

Marauder Hockey: After ‘Skip’ Finale, Belmont High Boys’ To Host Playoff Opener While Girls’ Will Likely Cruise To The Vineyard

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Photo: Skip Viglirolo (right) with Belmont High Assistant Coach Bob Shea at the final league match at the namesake rink

In the final regular season matches ever to be held at the “Skip” – that would be the Skip Viglirolo Skating Rink on Concord Avenue – on Saturday, Feb. 18, the Belmont High Boys’ and Girls’ did the double with the boys’ winning in a workmanlike effort, 4-1 over Woburn High, while the girls’ recent lack of a needed finishing touch left their all-star goalie stuck with a 2-1 loss to the Tanners.

Even though the games honored the team’s seniors and the doubleheader ended more than half a century of high school games played in the rink – the girls’ team began playing there a little more than 30 years ago – supporters barely filled the stands, likely due to the start of February school vacation the day before. The day’s highlight was the presence of the rink’s namesake. Skip Viglirolo, his family and friends took in the boys’ game knowing it was likely the last time they would have a chance to see the old arena.

The Belmont Select Board recently declared it would not authorize the approximate $200,000 needed to repair critical infrastructure into the dilapidated structure. Town voters will have to opportunity to approve a $29 million debt exclusion to construct a new 40,313 sq-ft rink at the annual town election in April. Residents voted down a $35 million exclusion on an earlier rink design in November 2022.

The Boys’ were looking to right the ship Saturday – having gone 1-4-2 in the run-up to the game – with a victory as it prepared for two non-league post-season games in Springfield against juggernauts Pope Francis and Central Catholic [Update: Belmont would lose, 8-3, to Francis on Tuesday, Feb. 21, and defeat CC, 3-2 with senior co-captain Cam Fici earning the brace and senior co-captain Peter Grace putting in the third] to prep for the playoffs.

The game started with little urgency, as both teams were sparing to probe where they could take advantage of their opponent. However, by the second period, Belmont would strike three times, including a spectacular short-handed goal from – who else? – Fici, who deked and put the puck between the defender’s legs before rounding the goalie to put Belmont up, 3-1, at the end of two. Senior forward co-captain Shay Donahue would finish the scoring with a brace, and Fici picked up his third assist.

“It’s great to see what the seniors accomplished over four years including the shortened Covid season,” said Belmont Head Coach Tim Foley before the game.

In the finale, the Belmont girls came out and dominated the first two periods against a Tanner team playing for pride after missing the playoffs. But despite a flurry of chances, only first-year standout Mackenzie Clarke could send the puck into the netting with a second-period tally, while Belmont senior captain Bridget Gray was solid between the pipes throughout the opening two stanzas.

But the Tanners took advantage of Belmont’s propensity of finding the penalty box in the second and third to reverse the momentum and twice find the back of the net. The first came off a deflection when a Marauder defender attempted to knock down a shot that skipped by Gray, followed by a Woburn breakaway that Gray appeared to cover only to see it breakthrough. Belmont could not muster a challenge for the final 10 minutes to leave the ice empty-handed for the last time.

“I wouldn’t call that lack of scoring a problem this year,” said Belmont’s Head Coach Ken Murphy who noted that most of the team’s wins were in low scoring games as Gray and the back line led by junior Alex Townsend were the keystones of the defense.

“At the end of the season we didn’t have that one person who could score, and I don’t want to have that players, to be honest. I like three or four on the ice that work together to set up a good shot,” said Murphy, who has a good feeling about the upcoming playoffs.

“Coming from one of the strongest leagues out there, I feel good about anyone we go to see, that we’ll have a good chance because we are a solid team. We are three lines deep and a lot of teams can’t say that. We are solid with [Gray] so we are looking to make a mark in the playoffs,” said Murphy.

In the next to last MIAA power ranking of the season, while both teams are comfortable in the post-season, each just missed out of more favorable schedules. There are slim chances that due to other teams not releasing updated scores or late recalculations the rankings could change by the time the playoff pairings are announced this weekend.

Currently, 9th in Division 1, the boys (13-6-3) are one spot out of securing a pair of home games at the “Skip” which will close its doors one last time in early March. With the current standings, Belmont will host 24th-ranked Chelmsford (10-6-3) next week.

After missing the postseason last year with a 6-10-2 mark in 47th place, the girls were on the right side of the 16th seed, guaranteeing a home fixture in the first round. But a late-season falloff in scoring saw the Marauders limp in at 0-4-2 down the home stretch to finish the season at 8-8-3 in 18th in the Division 2 power rankings.

Last week, Belmont appeared that they would be driving and taking a ferry 100 miles and three hours (one way!) to Oak Bluffs to take on Martha’s Vineyard Regional. And as if it by destiny, as Belmont dropped a spot in the past week, the Vineyarders (12-6-2) rose one place to 15th, clinching a home game against the Marauders next week to be played at the YMCA Martha’s Vineyard Ice Arena in Oak Bluffs.

Belmont Boys’ Hockey Falls To Xaverian, 2-1, As Season, Playoff Run Ends

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Photo: Belmont High sophomore Michael Pomer on the attack against Xaverian in the quarterfinals of the 2022 MIAA Division 1 ice hockey tournament.

The playoff run for Belmont High’s boys’ ice hockey squad ended on a dreary Saturday afternoon in far off Attleboro.

The defense and goaltending that gave up just 25 goals in 22 games was keeping Belmont High in its Division 1 boys’ hockey quarterfinals with Xaverian Brothers High. The Hawks relentless offense and clear shots should have given the opponent more than a single goal deep in the third period but for senior standout goaltender Ryan Griffin who stopped 43 of 44 shots late in the stanza.

Yet in the end, the consistent pressure the Hawks applied in Belmont’s end of the ice foretold the playoff game’s outcome as the Hawks’ senior forward Max Lockwood steered in an in-close rebound on his team’s 45th shot on net with just under four minutes remaining to seal a 2-1 victory over Belmont, sending the Xaverian (19-3-1) into the state semifinals where they meet Arlington on Tuesday, March 15.

Belmont ends the season at 19-2-3 with the program’s second deep playoff run in as many tournaments.

“Great season, great game. We played our usual game, we weren’t going to deviate from that,” said Belmont’s first year head coach Tim Foley postgame. “We have to strike when the opportunity presents itself. We had a couple of chances but didn’t really capitalize on them.”

Belmont High’s senior Matty Rowen and Xaverian’s Max Lockwood face off in the first period of the quarterfinal of the 2022 MIAA Division 1 Boys’ Ice Hockey championships in Attleboro.

“We had nothing left on the bench when this game was over which is all you can ask for,” he said.

Belmont fans and student supporters – bused to the game thanks to a donated bus paid for by Lynn Findlay Homes – hoofed the 80-mile round trip to Attleboro to provide a true playoff experience for the Marauders who were very much the away team.

As they had done all year, Belmont “wanted to jump on them right from the start” said Foley to grab an early lead. With the drop of the puck, Belmont skated by the Xaverian defense and just missed going up in the first 10 seconds as a shot deflected just beyond junior Cam Fici’s reach at the doorstep.

On the other end, the Hawks’ came out banging, looking to sit any Marauder with the puck onto the ice. The Hawks’ game plan was to spread out its forwards and breakout with long “stretch” passes or solo carry the puck deep into Belmont’s defensive zone, somewhat negating the Marauders defensive set up on blocking passing lanes and winning the stick-on-stick battles.

“We knew that was coming and and think we were successful most of the game. But they really dug in and played their game,” said Foley.

Xaverian broke through midway into the first on a text book passing play had the Marauder defense somewhat static leaving junior first liner Joe DiMartino wide-open in front to beat Griffin.

The Marauders spent most of the second watching Xaverian control the puck deep in the Belmont end as Griffin made a series of one-on-one saves. As the clock ticked down to the end of the period, that one opportunity the Marauders were hoping for opened and they took advantage.

Belmont High before the game vs Xaverian in the 2022 MIAA Div. 1 boy’s hockey tournament.

While on the penalty kill, junior defender Joe Gaziano sent junior Shay Donahue and Fici away on a two-on-two break. With both Xaverian defenders preoccupied by Fici – who scored 35 goals in the season – Donahue shot from the left slot was blocked but landing back down on his stick. The junior would not miss from six feet away knotting up match at one with two minutes remaining.

While reminiscent of Marco Santagati’s shorthand goal in Belmont’s 2020 Division 1 semi-final classic vs St. John’s (Shrewsbury) tying that game late, the Marauders could not capitalize on the change of momentum that included a power play that stretched into the third.

Soon Griffin was under assault as the Hawks would station a player at the top of the crease to bang away at every advantage. The stubborn Belmont defense led by Gaziano and junior Peter Grace finally cracked when Lockwood scored from right of the goal with just under three minutes to play. With Griffin pulled, Belmont could only send a few long distance testers at senior goaltender Brendan Flanagan as the horn sounded.

Speaking to his team after the game, Foley told the senior class they “have a lot to be proud of … and had nothing to be ashamed of the way they played and competed in every single game of this season.”

“I know going forward in life, I have no worries that’s any of them rate going to be anything but a success because of the way they performed on the ice and conducted themselves with class everywhere they went,” he said.

Day after the quarterfinals, Belmont High team mates surround Cam Fici after he was recognized by Belmont Youth Hockey for his dedication to learn to skate instruction.

Griffin Leads Belmont Boys’ Hockey Into D1 Quarterfinals With 3-1 Victory Over Marshfield

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Photo: Belmont High Senior Ryan Griffin in action.

A good goalie will keep a team in the game. A great goalie will lead it to a championship.

On Wednesday afternoon, March 9, Belmont High senior goaltender and co-capt.Ryan Griffin demonstrated once again the elevated level of first-rate quality and coolness under pressure which is the backbone of Belmont’s season in leading the Marauders’ past Marshfield, 3-1, in the “sweet sixteen” round of the MIAA State Division 1 playoffs.

“Ryan Griffin just stood tall today,” said said Tim Foley, Belmont’s first year head coach after the “home” game played in Woburn [The “Skip,” Belmont’s home rink, was considered too small to accommodate supporters and students from both schools].

“[Ryan] just works hard,” said Foley. “He’s focused. He’s a guy that we know is back there. And he’s a momentum breaker. I’ve been saying this all year; teams come in and try to break him and they haven’t been able to.”

“My defense does a great job of getting guys coming to the net,” Griffin said postgame. “So I knew that if I could just make the first save, they could clear them out.”

The victory sends the 7th-ranked Marauders’ (18-1-3) into the Elite Eight quarterfinals against second-seed Xaverian Brothers High School (18-3-1). The game will take place at New England Sports Village in Attleboro, on Saturday, March 12 at 2 p.m. Only online tickets will be accepted. Tickets can be ordered at gofer.co

The matinee contest started with Belmont’s stellar defense – giving up 25 goals in 22 games – not allowing the motivated, if not as technically adept, Rams to establish a cohesive offense while the Belmont attack, fronted by the first line of senior Matty Rowen and juniors Shay Donahue and Cam Fici, forced Marshfield to focus all its attention on trying to hamper Belmont’s high scoring trio.

While looking dangerous early one, it was only a matter of time before Belmont struck first when Rowen swept a blocked shot past a surprised Brady Quackenbush, Marshfield’s junior goaltender.

By the second 15 minutes, Marshfield upped the tempo in an attempt to out hustle the Marauders which they did with ever greater success. Led by the Rams’ man-of-the-match sophomore Tommy Carroll, Marshfield took the game to the Marauders. By the end of the period, Belmont was finding opening for the counter coming off its defensive scheme. Yet it was Marshfield who nearly found an opening late in the period but Griffen stoned the Rams’ Cam McGettrick who saw his open net attempt blocked away by Belmont’s senior net-minder.

Marshfield took advantage early in the final stanza of an interference call by scoring on the man advantage when a puck ping-ponged off a skate and the post to be knocked in by senior Colleen Doyle to tie it early in the third. With the Marshfield supporters – many wearing yellow safety vests – in high sprits, the Rams began flooding zone with attackers with the promise of taking the lead. But again Griffin was not to be beat from distance or when the scrum packed the crease.

But an unusual outcome from an attempted clearing pass from deep in the Marshfield end would result in the game winner for Belmont. A defender’s lofting shot hit one of the banners hanging over center ice resulting in a face-off in the Rams’ zone. Rowen won the face-off and, bang-bang, Donahue slipped it by Quackenbush from the slot to recapture the lead, 2-1.

“When an opponent gets a face-off in their own zone … we try to make the team pay for that,” said Foley. “We want to make sure we take advantage of every offensive end face-off because we know we have Griffin in the net.”

Soon after the goal, Belmont benefited from a Rams’ roughing call on Fici and the subsequent power play. After the conclusion of the man advantage, Belmont’s defense rose to the occasion. For the remainder of the seven minutes of the game, the Marauders essentially playing pitch and catch with the Rams, intercepting passes and stealing pucks off the sticks and dumping it back into the Marshfield zone.

For the third game running, Belmont faced a team willing to gamble on pulling their goalie. And the Marauders made them pay as Fici sent a long distance volley into the back of the net for the 3-1 final.

“We weren’t playing as well as we have been but they just find a way to win. I don’t know how but we do,” said Foley. “We are looking forward to the game Saturday. We’ll go down there and we’ll compete as hard as we can and well see what end up.”

Belmont High Hockey Throws Off Natick, 3-0, In First Round of Div. 1 State Playoffs

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Photo: Belmont High senior Matt Rowen scores the game’s first goal off a Tim Cushing rebound as Belmont defeated Natick, 3-0, in the first round of the MIAA Div. 1 state hockey championship Friday, March 4

The 800 fans who stuffed themselves into the ancient forum known as “The Skip” Friday night, March 4, had the opportunity to witness the quintessential “Belmont” game played by the High School Boys Ice Hockey during the successful 2021-22 season.

In its 3-0 home shutout over Natick High in the first round of 32 in the MIAA Division 1 state tournament, the Marauders demonstrated the three elements that produced a 17-1-3 record: solid goaltending from senior Ryan Griffin, a defensive scheme based on frustrating and tiring opponents with an attack that can strike anywhere inside the blue line.

A physical game, for sure.

“We’ve established this year an identity and that we’re a defensive team that strikes when the opportunity presents itself and that we did tonight,” said first-year head coach Tim Foley.

Belmont set the tone of the game scoring within the first two minutes of the puck being dropped when four Red Hawk skaters playing a high line defense lost senior forward Matty Rowen who drifted behind them and lifted an in-close rebound by Natick senior goalie Tim Cushing with 13:03 on clock.

“It’s always important in the playoffs to strike first, you don’t want to be playing from behind and trying to catch up to the team,” said Foley. “You’ve got to get out in front, you got to make that push early on.”

For the remainder of the first, Belmont’s defense – which has surrendered a mere 24 goals in 22 games – took the play from the Red Hawks by thawing its attempts to establish any cohesive tactics by forcing Natick to fight for the puck along the boards while blocking the rare centering passes.

Belmont High’s Joe Gaziano (left) covers Natick’s top goal scorer freshman Sam Hubbard as Belmont’s Ryan Griffin guards the net during a second period Natick power play. Host Belmont defeated Natick, 3-0, in the first round of the MIAA Div. 1 playoffs.

While Friday demonstrated Belmont’s three tier team approach to victory, sophomore forward Matt Pomer was a presence on all corners of the rink. On several occasions in the second and third period he was a handful for Red Hawk defenders around the net, nearly scoring on a solo rush from behind the net. On the first penalty kill, he out-muscled Natick’s leading scorer Matt Haskell and striped the puck early in the second period.

“Mattie is a very good player who is very steady and plays hard,” said Foley of his second line forward. “We knew that Natick was going to come with a physical plan and that’s Mattie Pomer’s game. He loves the physical part of the game, taking pucks away from people, hitting players with his shoulders down. He was in his office today.”

Belmont was at its strongest midway through the second as they squeezed the Red Hawks into their zone which produced Belmont second tally. With junior Shay Donahue screening Cushing, Fici deftly slotted the puck from his favorite left side circle into the back of the net to double Belmont’s advantage with 3:15 remaining. The goal was Fici’s 35th of the extended season.

“I told the team they have to get the pucks in deep, get pressure on the other team and that will get pucks to the net and hopefully in the net,” said Foley.

The Red Hawks entered the final 15 minutes on the front foot to get back into the match but Griffin held the fort as the Marauders’ defensive stalwarts – first pair of juniors Joe Gaziano and Peter Grace along with fellow junior Theo Martin, sophomores Adrien Gurung and Ryan Holloran, junior Henry Melanson and senior John Whouley – shut the door on any comeback.

A late interference call against the Marauders allowed Natick to pull Cushing with two-and-a- half minutes remaining, but the resulting two man advantaged could only produced a pair of long-range shots against Griffin. Down a man, Belmont sealed the victory when Grace picked up a loose puck and “waltzed” to the blue line to fill the empty net before falling on his back while attempting a rare goal celebration.

Belmont (18-1-3) will host 10th-ranked Marshfield High (which took down Lincoln/Sudbury Regional, 2-0, on a pair of goals in the final four minutes. Time and date to come.

“I know [Marshfield] … and they play hard, they play physical and they’re going to be tough to play against. But we have to rely on our attributes and our abilities and we’ll execute our game plan and hopefully, have another win,” said Foley.