By Ignacio Mattoras, Belmont Voice Contributor
Girls Basketball: The girls basketball team lost its opening game of the season on Dec. 12, falling to rival Watertown by a score of 63-54. Belmont was led by senior captain Sophia McClendon, who scored 20 points, and sophomore guard Sarah Geller, who contributed 18.
Boys Basketball: The Marauders opened their season on Dec. 12 with an impressive victory over Watertown, 76-59. Senior guard and captain Andre Chavusian led the offense, registering a double-double with 11 points and 10 assists. Other contributors included juniors Braiden Dargon who scored 17 and William Murphy who added 12. The team looks to continue this success under new coach Dan Burns.
Cheerleading: The cheer team wrapped up tryouts on Dec. 12 and is beginning to prepare for the basketball doubleheader on Dec. 19, as they plan to support both teams.
Alpine Ski: The ski team has been preparing for its first meet on Jan. 6 by focusing on conditioning, while waiting for Nashoba Valley Ski Area in Westford to open. The team’s first practice on snow will be Dec. 17.
Boys Hockey: The boys hockey team had an eventful week, with two games. The first of the two was the inaugural regular-season game at the new Skip Viglirolo rink against defending state champion Catholic Memorial on Dec. 11. The team knew it would be a tough challenge, and it showed, with a 6-0 loss. Despite the score, goalie Quinn Harrington made 43 saves, keeping the game close for a long period of time. Following that, on Dec. 13, Belmont faced off against Watertown and came away with a convincing 4-1 win. Sophomore Gabriel Kiomejian led the scoring with three goals, and sophomore Thomas Courtney added the fourth.
Girls Hockey: The girls hockey team opened its season with a 3-0 loss against Duxbury High School in the new Belmont rink. This year’s team, led by a mixture of veterans and younger players, looks to improve as the season progresses.
Boys Swim and Dive: The team began the season with a strong performance, defeating Newton North by nearly 30 points. The leadership on the team has fostered a strong sense of community within the group, with senior captains Brendan Han, Rohan Bhagwati, Dhruva Suri and Ivan Cai all excelling in their respective events. Additionally, sophomore William Qin, Juniors Aodhan Mitchell, David Chen, Benjamin Wu have all contributed meaningfully.
Wrestling: Belmont held its first tournament on Dec. 13, and the team enjoyed substantial success. Junior Fergus Williams earned second place in his weight class, and senior captain Walter Pressey, junior Omar Albarbari and sophomore Ramy Baghdady all finished third in their respective weight classes.
Girls Indoor Track: The girls track team opened its season with a loss on Dec. 16 against Lexington. Belmont had many standout performances. Senior Kira Van Kelsted placed first overall in the mile, and senior Siri Iagnemma placed eighth.
Boys Indoor Track: The boys also fell to Lexington on Dec.16, but the team put up 30 points, considerably more than last year’s performance. Sophomore Malcom Were provided the highlight by setting a school record in the triple jump at 43 feet, 2 inches. Additionally, freshman Ishaan Kanagaraj finished second overall in the mile, while sophomore Will Olmsted took first in the two-mile.
