Last week marked my first experience at Friday Night Lights, and I must admit, it surpassed even the highest expectations. With all the stories I had heard and the excitement leading up to it, the event was nothing short of spectacular. The BDS community packed Harvard’s Jordan Field, coming together to celebrate the spirit of Belmont Day and cheer on our varsity soccer teams. A major shout-out and thank you to everyone who helped make the night such a memorable success.
While the results on the scoreboard weren’t what we had hoped for, the effort, resilience, and heart displayed by both the boys’ and girls’ varsity soccer teams were truly inspiring. On the boys’ side, Altay Jomazer, Graham Chisholm, and Ethan Antipov delivered strong performances. For the girls, Violet Hancock anchored the defense, supported by Alexis Franklin and Emily Wang, who both played outstanding games.
The girls’ varsity team also earned a dominant 5-0 victory over Nashoba Brooks as a warm-up just a day earlier. After a tense start, the momentum shifted completely when Fatoumata Bah, making her debut in goal, stopped a penalty kick just 10 minutes in. From there, BDS took full control, with goals by Lucy Rodriguez, Bea Stevenson, Etta Perkins, Piper Connors, and Colby Schneider, who impressively scored after stepping out of goal due to an injury.
Also coming back strong, the boys’ varsity had a strong win against a solid Dedham Country Day team that saw back-and-forth scoring until the final minutes. Locked in 2-2, Altay Jomazer drew a penalty kick, and Murilo Santos had a brilliant unassisted goal to take the 4-2 win. Clark Rutherford, Ben Street, and Rubin Xiao locked down the center of the field defensively and allowed BDS to spark counterattacks.
The girls’ JV soccer team battled through a muddy matchup against Nashoba Brooks. Despite the challenging conditions, co-captains Marina Hubbard and Rosie Smith showed relentless energy and quickness, creating several scoring chances. Sabine Rooney added strong offensive support from the right wing in a 0-5 loss.
On the boys’ side, JV soccer earned a hard-fought 2-2 tie with Shady Hill. Goals from Zade Wulfsberg and Freddie Mak led the way, while Henry Ward and Noah Woreta made an impact off the bench. Defenders Ben Walther and Stephen Zhang were key in holding the line, and Sebastian Quiroz-Attley and Andrew Lubarsky effectively directed the offense.
In varsity volleyball action, BDS faced Carroll in what ended as a heartbreaking loss on a technicality. Still, the effort was inspiring, led by captain Wren Kass, whose leadership, positivity, and growth this season have been nothing short of outstanding. Wren’s determination to learn and improve continues to set a powerful example for their teammate.
Field hockey notched another impressive win in their second home game of the season, defeating BB&N. After falling behind early, Ella Kamenski rallied the team with two goals, followed by a third from Josie Goldstyn to seal the victory. Midfielders Mame Gensler, Frankie Dowers, and Ashley Fleming kept the pressure high, while Rowan McCoy showed great versatility transitioning between forward and midfield. Clara Min shut down a key breakaway in the third quarter, and Helen Brady, returning from injury, added composure and strategy in her season debut.
As we head into the final week of the fall sports season, let’s keep up the energy, pride, and teamwork that make Belmont Day athletics so special. Let’s finish strong and as always … GO BDS!
