Sports

JIM’S VIEW: Boston Gold Kings Return to the Ice from Holiday Break in Style

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Power Play Senior Hockey action returned to the John A. Ryan Arena on the first Saturday night after the New Year, pitting the hometown Boston Gold Kings (BGK) versus the Holyoke Papermen. The Gold Kings started the night in second place, and by the end of the night they were still there thanks to an offense that clicked early and often, and a sterling performance from goaltender Mike Cowell. Final score of this one was BGK 7 and Holyoke 2. To say that the BGK’s dominated from start to finish is probably a little bit of hyperbole, but they scored 53 seconds in and again 6 minutes later to take a 2-0 lead, and they never looked back.  Goals were courtesy of a Brandon Garneau breakaway and a G.J. Grinnell backhander off a pretty feed from Matt Baldino. Holyoke mustered 10 shots in the period, but didn’t consistently threaten. They scored their only goal of the night (until a garbage-time goal with a minute left in the game) when a BGK breakdown allowed Papermen forward Sean Egan to finish a play that teammate J.D. Anderson started, with Cowell left out to dry. So, 2-1 after one period, but it didn’t feel that close. The Gold Kings made sure the score reflected their control of the game in the second period, with a three-goal flurry in the span of 7 minutes. J.T. Freedman, Dave Mackenzie and a power play goal by Matt Baldino accounted for the scoring. Defenseman Mackenzie was especially active at both ends, all night long, and was one of the stars of the game with two goals and an assist. Late in the period, and with a 5-1 lead, the Gold Kings committed back to back penalties and provided the Papermen with a 5-on-3 opportunity and a chance to get back in the game.

Sports

JIM’S VIEW: Boy’s Basketball Gets in the Win Column Just Before The New Year

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Every team, no matter the sport, wants to get the new season off to a good start. That’s as close to a universal truth as there is in team sports. The Boys Basketball program, perennially tournament-bound and most often among the upper-echelon in D3, has been less than that to start the season, with four losses to Middlesex foes. Tusesday was the last chance in 2025 to record a win, and the Raiders did just that by beating non-league opponent Fenway, 59- 40, at the Victor J. Palladino Gymnasium. Watertown ran off 7 points to start the game, and was up 14-4 late in the quarter, largely thanks to the Michaels — sophomore Caterino and Junior Nshanian — who both came out aggressively at both ends of the floor and contributed 4 and 7 points respectively. Two late hoops off Raiders turnovers pulled Fenway within 6 at 14-8 after one quarter. In the second quarter the Fenway Panthers couldn’t buy a bucket even though they’ve averaged 64 points a game during a 1-3 start to their season.

Sports

JIM’S VIEW: Boston Gold Kings Explode for 8 Goals, Break a Two-Game Losing Streak

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The Boston Gold Kings(BGK), essentially the Watertown Gold Kings and one of five teams in the Power Play Senior Hockey League (PPSHL) Northeast Division, returned home to the John A. Ryan Arena Saturday night to take on the Salem Sasquatch. The Gold Kings had lost the past two weeks on the road, but remained in second place after 7 games. This was the second time these two teams were meeting this season — the Sasquatch won the first game 5-4 at home back on Nov. 8. Tonight was a different story, as the Gold Kings defeated Salem 8-4. Things didn’t start out well, as BGK was assessed a bench minor before the game even began — they submitted their lineup card after the time required to do so — and Salem took advantage scoring a power play goal only 77 seconds into the game. But BGK recovered and controlled play throughout most of the period. That translated into three goals, two on the power play courtesy of Matt Baldino and Brandon Garneau. Forty-three-year-old defensemen Jon Lounsbury scored the other goal; 3-1 BGK after one period. Evan Morelli was in net for the Gold Kings, and Keegan McGlaughlin for the Sasquatch.

Sports

JIM’S VIEW: Friday Night Lights Not Kind to the Raiders Boys Hoops in a Lopsided Loss

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The Boys Basketball Team came into Friday Night’s game versus Wilmington winless in two games and desperate for a win and looking for some Friday Night magic on their home floor. Wilmington had the same goal after starting its’ season 0-2 as well. But, as the rules state, only one team can win a basketball game — there are no ties — and that team would be the Wildcats, who put a lickin’ on the Raiders by the score of 55-30. 

The game started tight and clean and efficient as both teams executed with purpose, and even though the game was only a few minutes old, the 5-5 game had the makings of a good one. Scrap that keen observation. Wilmington played out the rest of the quarter on an 11-0 run, led by senior guard Ryan Gray’s 9 points. By the half it was 27-9 Wilmington, and all nine Raider points were scored by junior Michael Nshanian. Gray, in the meantime, already had 21 points. The Raiders early season woes are many.

Sports

JIM’S VIEW: Girls Basketball Pulls Out to an Early Lead and Never Looks Back

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Week two of the early season found Watertown Girls Basketball at 1-1 after a win at home versus Belmont and a road loss to Woburn by 20. Into the Victor J.Palladino Gymnasium at the Watertown Middle School came the Wilmington Wildcats and a 1-1 record of their own. So who went home with a 2-1 record at the end of the night? The Watertown Raiders to the tune of a 45-26 win that was never close. Wilmington averaged 49 points in their first two games, but tonight they couldn’t put the ball in the hoop if the ball was the size of an award-winning pumpkin at the Topsfield Fair and the basket was the size of 10 little red riding hood baskets for granny stitched together into one. And the irony is they ran their half court offense pretty well, and in some ways more smoothly than Watertown, but they could not finish. The ball and the the rim were worst of friends. They missed a lot. Are we clear? Watertown led 13-0 before Wilmington finally scored with a minute and a half left in the first quarter. At quarters’ end it was 17-4 Raiders. The second quarter was no friendlier to the Wildcats — they mustered one basket and trailed 25-6 at the half. Watertown was led by Brook Lambo with 8 and Natalie Haley with 7.

Sports

JIM’S VIEW: The Effort Was There, But the Scoring Wasn’t for Boys Hockey Home Opener 

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John A. Ryan Arena remains the place to go locally to catch hockey action.  Blink your eyes and one game is over and another begins. On Wednesday afternoon at 4 p.m. Woburn came to town, coming off a season-opening loss to Wakefield last Saturday. Watertown/Wayland (W/W) found themselves in the same place after losing at Belmont, also on Saturday, 4-1. Two teams therefore eager to get their first win played hard, but Woburn was simply better on this afternoon on the way to a 4-0 victory. Watertown and Wayland continue to rely on one-another in order to field a team, and the collaborative roster for this season is equally split – 11 Raiders and 11 Tanners. It’s a young roster, with one freshman, nine sophomores, six juniors and six seniors. Five captains represent the veteran presence — Wayland junior Adam Capello, Watertown junior Isaac Maillis, Watertown junior Luke Egan, Wayland senior Griffin Wood and Wayland junior Theodore Henrich. And John Vlachos returns for another season as Head Coach.

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

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.