Belmont High School Sports Wrap (Dec. 17 to Jan. 5)

The boys basketball team has already matched its win total from last season. (Patrick HB Nguyen/Belmont Voice)

Girls Basketball – Belmont had a rough start to the break, losing to Arlington 42-37 on Dec. 19 and Woburn 71-45 on Dec. 22. However, they bounced back quickly as they beat Cambridge Rindge & Latin 62-34 on Dec. 29, behind sophomore Sarah Geller’s 16 points. After a 61-53 loss to Brookline on Dec. 30, the team now stands at 2-4.

Boys Basketball – New coach Dan Burns’ relentless approach was the deciding factor for the Marauders, as they crushed rival Woburn, 73-56, on Dec. 22. They kept on rolling, taking down Weymouth 69-51, on Dec. 28, behind junior William Murphy’s 21 points. They fell to Braintree, 65-48, on Dec. 30. The team, now 4-2, already has as many wins as last season.

Girls Hockey – The Marauders continued a strong start to the year, beating Burlington 4-2 on Dec. 20, behind two goals from sophomore Lexi Fici, as well as one each from captains Mackenzie Clarke and Thea Monovic. They tied No. 1 Hingham – the team that eliminated them last year in the MIAA D1 quarterfinals – 2-2 in overtime on Dec. 23 . Goals were scored by Fici and freshman Elise Tandy, her first varsity goal. The girls lost to Arlington Catholic on Dec. 29, 2-0, in the first annual Dan Kelleher Girls Hockey Showcase, despite a strong showing from sophomore goalie Elinor Dorn. On Jan. 3, Dorn recorded a shutout, but Belmont remained scoreless as well, tying Reading 0-0.

Boys Hockey – Belmont blanked Wakefield 3-0 on Dec. 17, behind goals from freshman Sean Gallagher – his first – as well as sophomore Thomas Courtney and Nick Ianelli. However, they were shut out by Burlington in their next game, losing 5-0 on Dec. 20. The drubbings continued, as they were dominated by No. 8 BC High, 6-0, on Dec. 31, and lost to Reading, 5-2, on Jan. 3. Their record now stands at 2-4.

Girls Indoor Track – Belmont lost their third straight meet at the hands of Arlington on Dec. 29. Strong performances came from hurdler Roisin Reavey, who set a 10.56-second personal record in the 55-meter hurdles, and Nathallya DeAmaral, who ran a 7.93-second 55-meter dash. The girls fell short again on Jan. 5, this time to Reading, 69-31.

Boys Indoor Track – The Marauders won their second straight meet for the first time in six years, edging Arlington 51-49 in a contest that went down to the wire. Belmont’s 4×200-meter relay team notched a decisive win to clinch the team’s victory. The Marauders had strong performances all around, including Will Olmsted’s 10:06 in the two-mile, and Greg Zugman’s 6.91 seconds in the 55-meter dash. They lost to Reading, 73-27, on Jan. 5, and now stand at 2-2.

Boys Swimming & Diving – Belmont won their second straight meet as they continued their push for a third straight as Middlesex League championship. The boys beat Wellesley on Dec. 23, behind the swimming of Ethan Gong and William Qin, and diving from sophomore Hunter Olowinski.

David Klimasmith

David Klimasmith

David Klimasmith is a Contributor to the Belmont Voice.