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

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

JIM’S VIEW: Gold Kings Win Overtime Thriller at Ryan Arena on Military Appreciation Night

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The Boston Gold Kings won an overtime thriller Saturday night at John A. Ryan Arena, 6-5 over the Norfolk Mallards. 

But, before the game details take over this column, lets catch up on who the Boston Gold Kings are and the league they play in. For those still learning about the league and the team, the following (re)introduction: the Power Play Senior Hockey League (PPSHL), is comprised of teams in a close range demographic throughout central New England. This is a Full contact Pro Style hockey league where players will get to continue their hockey journey without the feeling of settling for men’s league hockey. Teams play on the weekend only, occasionally Saturday & Sunday, but typically one day or the other. Teams are individually owned and operated by owners, not by the PPSHL. Current teams

Boston Gold Kings

Holyoke Paper Men

Hudson Valley Reapers

Norfolk Mallards

Salem Sasquatch

The Gold Kings are essentially Watertown’s team, despite being “Boston.” Since their inception, the Gold Kings have played their games (as well as practiced) at John A. Ryan Arena and have been a presence at local events such as Faire on the Square. They also work hard at being a positive citizen in the community, and on Saturday night, in game five of the still early ’25-26 season, the Gold Kings stuck to their model by honoring the Military in pre-game festivities. 

Included in their efforts was: the presentation of the Color Guard courtesy of the Shutt Detachment Marine Corps League & VFW Post 1105, a ceremonial puck drop by Lincoln Rocca, young son of parents and proud veterans of the U.S. Army, Tony & Kendra Rocca, and the introduction of four hockey players on the ice Saturday night who have served, three with the U.S. Army and one with the National Guard. The Gold Kings also ran an auction and raffle, with proceeds going to Operation American Soldier. This was a wonderful show of support and appreciation by the Gold Kings, and kudos to them! On to the hockey game!

Sports

Rivals Square Off Thursday Morning at Victory Field With Pride & Bragging Rights on The Line

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Watertown hopes to keep the Thanksgiving Gam trophy in 2025. Last year. the Raiders won the Thanksgiving Game at Belmont. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

On Thursday morning, Nov. 27th, better known as Thanksgiving, young men from Watertown and Belmont will suit up to play football for the chance to say “we beat them” in the 103rd edition of the Raiders versus Maurauders rivalry. And the beauty of it all is that it doesn’t matter what has transpired leading up to this game, either this season in terms of each schools overall record or past Thanksgiving Day games. It’s all about the day at hand and trying to put together 48 minutes of winning football.

Sports

JIM’S VIEW: Watertown Field Hockey Runs Into A Dominant Opponent in the State Div. 3 Semifinal

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Watertown field hockey players Kaylee Master, Ava Lamacchia, and Lola Venezia defend against Uxbridge in the MIAA Div. 3 Tournament Semifinal. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

WEST BRIDGEWATER — Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure … than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.  ~  Theodore Roosevelt

The Watertown field hockey team lines up before the 2025 State Semifinal against Uxbridge. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

Unless the players and coaches of Watertown Field Hockey had lived under a rock the past three months, except for when practicing and playing field hockey, they certainly knew the challenge they faced Wednesday night.

Sports

JIM’S VIEW: Watertown Boys Soccer Season Comes to a Harsh End In the Round of 16

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Senior Gavin Foley scored one of Watertown’s goals in the Round of 16 game against Greater New Bedford. Here he receives the ball against St. Mary’s. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

There’s always another game is a common-used cliche in sports, but come tournament-time that couldn’t be further from the truth. On this night, either the Bears of Greater New Bedford (GNB), the No. 4 seed at 17-4, or the Raiders of Watertown, the No.

Sports

JIM’S VIEW: Watertown Field Hockey Punches Its Ticket to The Div. 3 Final Four In a Thriller

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Watertown celebrates Sophia Setouhi’s go ahead goal in the State Tourney Round of 8 at Medfield on Saturday. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

MEDFIELD — You almost always know when a game has “it.” That special excitement and intensity and competition. Saturday at 1 p.m. was one of those days, as the fifth seeded Raiders took on the fourth seeded Medfield Warriors at Medfield High School. The winner would earn the right to play the No. 1 seed Uxbridge in the Final Four next week.  

On a sunny and unseasonably pleasant afternoon, with players all in shirtsleeves, Medfield relished the opportunity to knock off the four-time defending state champs and earn a hallmark win for the program. They looked ready to fulfill that dream when in the first minute of play Medfield, who put the ball in play to start the game, stormed down the field and immediately put the Raiders on their heels.

Sports

JIM’S VIEW: Watertown Boys Soccer, Back in Tournament Play, Shows No Jitters On The Way to a Victory Over St. Mary’s

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Watertown senior Gavin Foley (number 6) gets congratulations from his teammates after scoring against St. Mary’s in the State Tournament Round of 32. (Photo by Charlie Breitrose)

Election Day turned into a landslide for Watertown Boys Soccer in their return to tournament play for the first time since 2019, with an impressive 3-0 blanking of St.Mary’s of Lynn. 

Watertown, the 13 seed, moves on to the Round of 16. If 29th-seed Auburn can upset fourth seed Greater New Bedford on Thursday, Watertown will accept the nomination and play another home game. Otherwise, the Raiders will face the challenge of beating a top-four seed on the road, probably Monday or Tuesday. But those are matters for another day.  Today was about stuffing the ballot box and meeting another goal in the season-long campaign to victory. Watertown senior Aidan Anker shoots against St. Mary’s.