Most varsity high school teams with a majority of underclassmen take some time to figure things out. No matter the sport, they endure a losing skid, shuffle the lineup, or even go through a season full of trials and tribulations.
Belmont High School’s girls hockey team experienced no such waiting period. With a varsity roster of four eighth-graders — yes, you read that right — five players apiece from the freshmen-junior classes and just one senior, the Marauders (10-0-1) expect to repeat as Middlesex League champions and were No. 8 in the Jan. 24 Division 1 Power Rankings.
“Our young teammates are really nice, bring the energy and pull their weight a bit,” junior captain and defender Thea Monovich said. “It just takes a little organization running through drills and set plays. Those are the new things, but they’re all doing really well.”
No longer a co-op with Watertown, Belmont won its first four games by a combined 16-3 before a 0-0 tie against rival Winchester. They’ve won six straight since, five decided by a single goal.
Despite graduating eight seniors, including Watertown’s Molly Driscoll, who scored more than half the goals for a team that went 13-2-3 last season, and losing two transfers to prep schools, Belmont, which still plays its home games at John A. Ryan Arena in Watertownas the town awaits its new rink, remains among the state’s top teams thanks to the emergence of new stars alongside reigning All-Middlesex League netminder Jil Costa.
“You lose 11 players and you don’t know how to rebound, but the beauty of high school sports is getting to see who’s up next?” said head coach Brendan Kelleher, who credits the upperclassmen with setting the tone with leadership and a welcoming environment. “You wonder who’s going to fill the void and step up, and I think we have our answers. These student-athletes have grown up pretty quickly.”
Costa, now a junior, boasts a 94.5% save percentage and allows just a goal per game. She recorded 11 shutouts last year with an experienced defense in front of her. Though her shutout number isn’t as high in 2024-25, she’s kept Belmont ahead in numerous one-score games. Costa said she sees fewer shots this year than last, a testament to the defenders in front of her. Lines mix players from all grades. Defensive pairings usually are an upperclassmen alongside an eighth-grader or freshman.
“I don’t think the difference has been that great between the two years,” Costa said. “We’ve had a lot of talented, good players that we can rely on during the game.”
Two experienced Marauders rejoined the program after a year off. Junior forward Mackenzie Clarke, who did not play ice hockey at any level last year, leads the team in scoring. A standout field hockey midfielder committed to UConn, Clarke owns a team-high 8 goals to go with three assists.
Senior Sadie Taylor (6 goals, 3 assists) returned to the program after playing with a junior team last year. Taylor said her younger teammates’ immense talent comes from their club play. The experience on club teams helped them make an immediate impact.
“I do notice that it’s a young team, but I feel like it works in our favor a bit,” Taylor said. “When you’re an underclassman, you have so much energy, which is awesome. Everyone is into it.”
Youngsters making a difference include eighth-grader Mackenzie Tierney (5 goals, 3 assists), freshmen Mia Smith (4 goals, 5 assists) and Alexcia Fici (2 goals, 4 assists).
Junior Sydney Mun (2 goals, 2 assists) is a difference-maker, as are a bevy of blueliners: Monovich (5 assists), sophomore Elsie Lakin-Schultz (2 goals, 4 assists) and eighth-graders Kate Townsend (1 goal, 2 assists) and Ava Keefe (2 assists).
Key games against Waltham and Middlesex League Liberty Division rivals Arlington and Woburn remain on the schedule before the regular season wraps up in mid-February and the Marauders turn their attention to tournament play.
“Our mentality going into the game is, instead of thinking about improving on our win streak, is showing the league that we can keep winning,” Mun said. “We’ve been working a lot on things off the ice. Having good energy in the locker room and keeping our heads up [shows] on the ice.”
