The MIAA released its winter tournament brackets Saturday. Here’s where Belmont teams stand as they chase a Division I state title.
Editor’s Note: This article will be updated with dates and times as the schedule is released.
Boys Hockey, No. 26 at No. 7 Pope Francis, TBD
As a young team with 11 underclassmen in the regular lineup, the Marauders (5-14-2, 4-9-1 Middlesex League) ran a gauntlet in the regular season and look to parlay those challenges into postseason success.
“I definitely think our team’s grown and improved throughout the season,” leading scorer and sophomore assistant captain Gabe Kioumejian said. “We’ve experienced some big losses and big wins, which can help us learn a lot.”
Kioumejian (13 goals, 8 assists) and fellow sophomore forward and assistant captain Thomas Courtney (8 goals, 11 assists) lead Belmont in scoring. Junior forward Peter Fotis (5 goals, 4 assists), senior captain and defender Michael Rowan (4 goals, 6 assists) and freshman forwards Cam Burns (4 goals, 6 assists) and Sean Gallagher (3 goals, 6 assists) all pack a scoring punch. Senior goalkeeper Quinn Harrington collected two shutouts.
The return of junior captain and defender John Connolly from an injury in late January helped boost the team to three wins.
Coach Tim Foley said the group has “learned a lot” during the season and adjusted to the physicality of playing teams with older players.
“Big strides,” Foley said. “They’re getting more confident, stronger, growing into their game and getting used to the speed and strength of opponents.”
Kioumejian pointed out a few games where Belmont played its best. A 4-0 win at Melrose in Connolly’s return on Jan. 28, a 6-4 win at Woburn on Feb. 7, and holding Pope Francis, their first-round opponent, to a tie through two periods on Feb. 11 before falling 5-2.
Belmont, Kioumejian said, is “better than what the record says,” with hopes of challenging for postseason success.
“I feel like we’re ready, we know we’re going to be playing a really good team,” he said. “It’s nothing like we haven’t played in the regular season.”
The coach believes his team has what it takes to pull off an upset if they “play a perfect game and get a couple of breaks.”
“We’ve done it for two, two and a half periods [against top teams],” Foley said.
Girls Hockey, No. 16, vs. No. 17 Shrewsbury, TBD
A mix of experienced veterans and young stars helped the Marauders (11-6-3, 9-3-2) to a first-round home game, the first postseason contest to be held at the new Skip Viglirolo Rink.
Senior forward Mackenzie Clarke and freshman forward Mackenzie Tierney lead Belmont in scoring, each with double-digit goals and assists.
Clarke owns a team-best 14 goals to go with 10 assists. Tierney has 11 goals and a team-best 12 assists. Sophomore forwards Mia Smith (9 goals, 9 assists) and Lexi Fici (8 goals, 3 assists), junior defenders Elsie Lakin-Schultz (9 assists), Martha Dimas (3 goals, 3 assists) and freshman defenders Amelia Long (1 goal, 6 assists) and Kate Townsend (3 goals, 2 assists) provide consistent secondary scoring and playmaking.
Sophomore goalkeeper Elinor Dorn, a first-year starter, boasts a 91% save percentage and 1.76 goals-against average.
“We play in low-scoring games and will rely on the defense and Elinor to keep us in the games,” coach Brendan Kelleher said. “An aggressive forecheck will generate offense for us.”
Boys Basketball, No. 31, vs. No. 34 Chelmsford, TBD (prelim)
Belmont reversed fortunes from a 4-16 season last year for a turnaround in the first year of coach Dan Burns tenure, closing the regular season with a Spartan Classic tournament win.
The Marauders (12-8, 9-7) qualified for the postseason because of their winning record.
Junior Braiden Dargon leads the Marauders in scoring and rebounding. The 6-foot-4 forward averages a double-double, 16 points and 12 rebounds per game. Senior point guard Andre Chavushian also averages double-figure scoring (10 points) and three steals per game. Senior guard Charlie Tingos and junior guards Peter McLaughlin and Will Murphy also play key roles on a deep team.
“We need to continue to use our size and physicality,” Burns said. “We have really taken advantage of our forwards being able to consistently control the glass.”
Girls Basketball, No. 24 at No. 9 Needham, TBD
The Marauders (13-7, 10-6) are among the Middlesex League’s top teams this year.
Thousand-point scorer and senior captain Sophia McClendon leads the team in scoring (15.6 points per game) and averages 7 rebounds per contest. Sophomore guard Sarah Geller stuffs the stat sheet (13.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.6 steals per game) and junior forward Rebecca Christensen 7.8 points, 8.7 rebounds provides a steady post presence.
First-year coach Antonia Macklin said the keys for a long tournament run include program members holding each other accountable and understanding their roles while building toward a common goal.
The team wants to “accept the challenges as they come and not run from the battles,” Macklin said, “stay focused, play together and have fun.”
