The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) banned Belmont High School’s football program from the 2026 playoffs during the sport’s committee meeting Wednesday.
Because the Marauders did not play their scheduled second non-playoff game last fall against Revere, the program committed a rule violation and therefore will be penalized. Multiple requests for comment to Athletic Director Adam Pritchard and second-year head coach Francois Joseph were not returned.
“I think Belmont is like many teams in Massachusetts that face the same challenge every year,” said Alex Agrella, a statewide high school football expert and owner of Recruiting Board and a high school football expert, “once the regular season ends, if you aren’t in the playoffs, it’s really tough to be told you have to play games.”
According to a report from MassLive, Belmont was originally given the option to take a bye week Nov. 14, the penultimate game of the season, but decided to schedule a game. The rule, instituted last year, says any team that does not declare a bye week and decides not to play its selected opponent faces a one-year playoff ban.
According to a story in The Boston Globe, Stoneham Athletic Director David Pignone said Belmont was “well aware of what the consequences were.”
“We had multiple conversations,” said Pignone, whose Spartans, like Belmont, compete in the Middlesex League.
“We have to enforce the penalty,” said Milton coach Steve Dembowski, per The Globe. “This is why we put the rule in so people wouldn’t pull this. We have to show some backbone here.”
In an email obtained by The Belmont Voice from Nov. 11, the Monday prior to the scheduled game against Revere, Joseph addressed the “Belmont Football Families” about the situation.
“After careful discussion with our coaching staff, we have made the difficult decision not to participate in the final consolation game versus Revere this week,” Joseph wrote. “This was not an easy choice to make, as we know how much our players love to compete and take the field every chance they get. However, with several players currently nursing bumps, bruises, and lingering injuries, we feel it is in the best interest of our student-athletes to prioritize their health and prepare ourselves to be as close to 100% as possible for Thanksgiving Day.
“The Thanksgiving game versus Watertown is one of the most meaningful traditions in our program and community. Our team is excited, motivated, and determined to finish the season strong. In order to give them the best opportunity to do that, we feel it is important to use this week to recover, reset, and focus all our energy on this historic matchup.”
A Revere Journal article from Nov. 12quoted Revere High School football coach Lou Cicatelli as “not happy” with Belmont’s decision to cancel the game. Revere athletic director Frank Shea called the news “shocking,” at the time.
“All year long they [Belmont] knew that they were going to be a young team, as we are, and they had the choice in this playoff format to take the bye,” Cicatelli said. “They could have taken the bye and opted out. I am disappointed by Belmont’s actions in this matter.”
Belmont played its annual Thanksgiving bout with Watertown, falling 21-12 in a spirited and competitive battle.
Belmont, which went 0-9 last fall and 2-8 the year before, last qualified for the postseason in 2023, the same year the Marauders captured the conference championship for the first time in nearly 60 years.
Agrella said the “situation shouldn’t have happened.”
“You can look at it from a higher scope… this situation is one of other firsts we are seeing,” Agrella said. “This year, we had a team decide to opt out of the playoffs after making it. Something has to be re-evaluated.”
