Sports

JIM’S VIEW: Boys Basketball Goes Down to Defeat to Woburn in Home Opener

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Watertown Boys Basketball has enjoyed a rich history the past 31 years, all under the stewardship of Head Coach Steve Harrington. Three State Titles (’07, ’09, ’18), as well as appearances in five title games and nine Final Fours. Beyond those numbers are the many young men who have passed through the program and accomplished great things on the Watertown hardwood, and quite often beyond. There is never a time when Watertown basketball goes into a season expecting anything less than competing for the Middlesex League title and a trip to the MIAA Div. 3 Tournament. This year is no different, but the challenges facing this squad as they try and reach those goals are greater than years past. Last night’s 57-46 loss to the Woburn Tanners at the Watertown Middle School inside the Palladino Memorial Gymnasium made that very clear. The Raiders (0-2) fell behind early in this contest, committing way too many turnovers which Woburn (2-0) was more than accommodating converting into points. Junior guard Aiden Brown was the leader among five Tanners on the scoresheet in the quarter, his sweet jumper and smooth stroke counting for 10 points. Raiders junior forward Michael Nshanian did his best to keep the score close, scoring 6 points on a variety of moves, but the Raiders trailed 21-12 after one quarter. The Raiders are minus their big man of the past two years, as Will Carty moved onto prep school over the summer while choosing to repeat his junior year.

Sports

Five Watertown Wrestlers Place in First Tournament of Season

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Watertown senior Jimmy Shrestha finished second at the Wakefield Lisitano Tournament over the weekend. Here he competes at the 2025 State Meet. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

The Watertown wrestlers had a successful return to the mats when five Raiders placed in the top five at the Wakefield Lisitano Tournament on Dec. 13. Jimmy Shrestha and Hagop Shabazyan each finished second, while Fahad Khan and Billy Werra placed third, and Ruben Kostanyan got fifth place, said Watertown Wrestling Coach Kevin Russo.

Sports

JIM’S VIEW: Girls Basketball Rides Youth Movement In Season-Opening Win Over Belmont 

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The lights are back on at the Watertown Middle School Gymnasium and the 2025-26 Basketball Season is underway. While Boys Hoops travelled to Belmont to open their campaign, the Girls opened at home to begin the the third and final interim season of hoops at the Middle School before beginning play at the new High School Gym in December of 2026. Coach Mike Tempesta, in his third year at the helm, and his young and small (as in only ten dressed) squad got off to a good start with a 63-54 win over the cross-town rival Marauders. The Raiders graduated four seniors, all starters, so change was in the air, but at the same time, not so much. The starting five on this night included senior captain Sophia Setouhi, who played a significant role on last year’s team. It also included returning  junior Aisling Brennock, fresh off an excellent Field Hockey campaign and ready to play a more significant role on this year’s team.  Brooke Lambo, the third Lambo girl on the way to being a hoops star in Watertown and beyond, returns after a fine Freshman season. And rounding out the starting five were two fabulous freshman, Natalie Haley and Natalia Keuchkarian, who contributed significantly to last year’s 14-8 team as eighth graders, and already seemed ready to take on starring roles. Tonight’s game did not play out like a first game of the season, full of nerves and turnovers and lack of a shooting eye. Well, don’t get me wrong, all those things were in play, but up and down competitive basketball was just as much the theme. Neither team ever led by double digits, and lead changes were as frequent as honking horns at the Common Street rotary. Sophomore Guard Sarah Geller had 7 first quarter points for Belmont on the way to a 16-12 lead after one quarter. But Watertown picked up its defense in the second, especially after going to a 2-3 zone, although they didn’t have an answer for forward Sophia McClendon, who had 8 in the quarter.

Sports

Watertown Boys Hockey Seeks Another Tourney Bid, Season Begins at Belmont on Satuday

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The Watertown hockey team seeks another trip to the State Tournament in 2025-26. Here the Raiders celebrate a 4-3 double overtime victory over Pembroke in the MIAA Div. 3 State Tournament. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

The Watertown boys hockey team faces off with Belmont on Saturday in the first regular season game of the year. The Raiders look to return to the State Tournament and make a run as they have in recent years.

Sports

Watertown Boys & Girls Basketball Teams Both Tip Off Seasons Against Rivals

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The Raiders hope to celebrate more State Tournament wins in 2025-26. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

Basketball is back for Watertown High School (well, at Watertown Middle School for one more year). The season tips off for the boys and girls varsity teams on Friday when each face rival Belmont, as both look to return to the MIAA State Tournament. Boys Basketball

In 2024-25, the Raiders boys squad went 15-7, and defeated Oakmont in the first round of the State Tournament. Abington ended Watertown’s season in the Round of 16.

Sports

Watertown Field Hockey Coach Receives National Award

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Watertown Field HockeyWatertown Field Hockey Coach Eileen Donahue celebrated win number 700 in 2021. Watertown High School Field Hockey Coach Eileen Donahue received the Coach of the Year award from the National Federation of State High School Associations. Donahue was one of 24 high school coaches from across the country in a range of sports to be selected as 2023-24 National Coaches of the Year by the NFHS Coaches Association. She was the only honoree from Massachusetts. The coaches are nominated by the NFHS member state associations, which often works with the state coaches’ association in its respective state, according to the NFHS announcement, which continued: “The state association then contacts the potential state award recipients to complete a coach profile form that requests information regarding the coach’s record, membership in and affiliation with coaching and other professional organizations, involvement with other school and community activities and programs, and coaching philosophy.”

Sports

JIM’S VIEW: Watertown Beats Belmont in the 103rd Edition of the Thanksgiving Day Rivalry

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Watertown’s defense celebrates after stopping Belmont on fourth down late in the Thanksgiving Day Game. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

On a beautifully sunny Thanksgiving morning, with a gusty wind making it feel a little cooler then it really was, the 3-7 Watertown Raiders welcomed the 0-9 Belmont Marauders to Victory Field for the 103rd meeting of these two schools that dates back to 1921. In a game that was close throughout, Watertown won its second straight Thanksgiving Day game, this time by the score of 21-12. There’s so much great that comes from sport. The practice and the training and the education and the challenge and the joy, and even the heartbreak. Football provides all of that and more, and it’s why the sport is so popular. It’s also so because there’s a comradery that is formed from battling it out on the football field, and winless or undefeated or somewhere in-between, there’s so much to value in the experience of being part of a football team. It was clear from the start that Belmont, despite a difficult season that had them scoring only 36 points in nine games and being shut out five times, was together as a team and ready to give it its all to win the rivalry game. The sideline was into it, the players on the field were into it, and it was a sign of good coaching that Belmont was showing no quit on this day. 

The Raiders block a Marauders punt on Thanksgiving.

Sports

Thanksgiving Game: Final – Watertown 21, Belmont 12

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Watertown celebrates defeating Belmont in the 2025 Thanksgiving Game. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

Watertown triumphed over rivals Belmont in the 103rd Thanksgiving Game on Thursday morning at Victory Field. The Marauders scored first and kept it close for the first half, but the Raiders struck twice in the second half to clinch a 21-12 win. 1st Quarter

Raiders get the ball

7 mins: Watertown punts, Belmont at its own 20

4:31 left: Punt, Watertown gets it at the Belmont 38

2:17 left: Watertown punt, touchback

End of the first: 0-0, Belmont driving. Has ball on the Watertown 38.