Little League

White Sox Capture 2017 Watertown Little League Championship

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The White Sox won the best-of-three series over the Diamondbacks to win the Watertown Majors League Championship. 

The first game was very close because of great pitching from the White Sox’s Robbie Iannetta and Mason Lombard and the Diamondback’s Zane Davis and Daniel Tattrie, said White Sox Manager Rob Iannetta. It took two extra innings to decide this one but with 2 out and men on first and second in the 8th inning Caden Salzman came through with the walk-off base hit scoring Cam Reed to win the game for the White Sox 3-2. In game 2 the White Sox bats came alive as James Grady, Cam Reed and Mason Lombard combined for 7 hits and 5 runs, Iannetta said. The White Sox played great defense all year and this game was no exception, behind Riley Donlan’s 2 hit shutout and solid plays by Jack Kelley, Antonio Puleo, Owen Newlon, Mike Nilan, Jack Brennan and Lucas Pizzutto the White Sox won 11-0.  

Sports

Watertown Youth Softball Team Wins Trophy in End of Year Tournament

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Watertown Youth Softball’s 12U team ended the season by claiming a trophy in the City Town Tournament. The team defeated Waltham 10-2 on Monday in the championship game. The tournament also includes teams from Belmont and Brighton. The Watertown 12U squad is coached by John Husson and David Reilly. The players are Lara Cordeiro, Katie Haley, Liliana Souza, Ava Husson, Victoria Reilly, Abigail Bass, Cela Hoyt, Elizabeth Parmley, Sadie David and Riley Doss.

Sports

Watertown Youth Baseball Team Plays in NESN Tournament for Players with Disabilities

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The Watertown Youth Baseball Challengers joined other teams with players with disabilities at the second annual NESN Connects Baseball Tournament last weekend. The tournament is a one-day, four team event at Joseph Lalli Miracle Field in Acton. Along with the Challengers, the Newton Tigers, Miacle Leauge All Stars and the Miracle League Dream Team played in the tournament. More than 30 NESN employees volunteered to assist athletes as part of the NESN Connects program, according to the Watertown-based sports channel. The mostly served as “buddies” and assisted players on the field and provided support and encouragement.

Government

Committee Debates Victory Field’s Dual Role as Athletic Complex and Park

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Plans to rehabilitate and renovate the track area at Victory Field began to take shape Tuesday night, but members of the Committee making recommendations about the project had trouble agreeing on some aspects of the project. The Ad Hoc Committee on Victory Field Phase II is made up of town officials, neighbors of the site and representatives of groups who use the site – the Watertown Public Schools and Watertown youth sports. The disagreements rose from the balance of the how much the use of the track and court areas should be athletics vs. being a public park and recreation area. What arose as an area of contention was something not for track and field, but a net to protect people from balls thrown or kicked by teams using the grass area inside the track.

Government

School Subcommittee Recommends Adding Another Artificial Turf Field

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The demand for artificial turf field space has grown for Watertown High School’s athletic squads, and a School Committee subcommittee has recommended that the town install a second artificial turf field with lights somewhere in town. 

With football/baseball area of Victory Field covered in artificial turf it has allowed the area to be used for more hours and in more inclement weather, said WHS Athletic Director Michael Lahiff. However, there is a lot of demand for that space. In the fall, for instance, it is used by the football, field hockey, and boys soccer teams. However, the football team has priority because they cannot practice or play on the nearby Victory Field Track Oval because players would tear up the grass, Lahiff said. They are not the only team that wants to use the turf. “Field hockey wants to be on the turf, it’s a different game now (on artificial turf), and boys soccer prefers it,” Lahiff said.

Mascot

Committee Narrows Down Possible Mascots/Logos for Watertown High School

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Knights, Colonists, American Indians, foxes, bobcats, and many more – these are some of the choices that the Watertown High School Mascot Screening Committee has to choose from for the school’s new logo. 

The group of students, alumni, parents and school staff met Tuesday night to review the 17 submissions for the new WHS mascot/logo, and shortened the list for the graphic designer working with the group to have some ideas. The submissions came from students and others in town, said School Committee Vice Chair Kendra Foley, who is chairing the Mascot Screening Committee. One even came from a fifth grader. The group was asked what characteristics they wanted the mascot to have. One of the students on the committee, Abbie Peterson, said she wanted to show that Watertown is “a strong community, we don’t let anything hold us back and we strive to be the best.”

Sports

WHS Sports: Softball Battles to the End, Runners Compete in All-State Meet

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After a successful regular, Watertown High School’s softball team made the MIAA State Tournament for the first time since 2013 and almost pulled off a win in their game against Arlington. 

The Raiders fell behind 5-0 in the game at Arlington on Thursday, but like they have this season Watertown battled back. Destiny Santalucia hit a triple to drive in Caroline Costa and Cali McMahon. Lauren Burns got a hit to center an scored Santalucia to bring the game within two runs. In the fourth, the Spy Ponders added to their lead, but with the  bases loaded with two outs in the fifth Stella Papadopoulos got on base and sent Christine Zhu home to score. Costa got a hit to score Jacquie Furbish making the score 6-5 Arlington.

Government

Groups Seek More Time on Watertown Fields, But Space and Time is Limited

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Youth sports groups want more time on the town’s playing fields, adult sports groups want to make sure they don’t lose their space, but the answer appears to be something more elusive that time in Watertown – space. Last week, the Town Council’s Human Services subcommittee heard from many groups who use the town’s fields and tried to find a way to accommodate all of them. After the Watertown Schools (both physical education and athletic teams) the next two users that receive the most hours are Watertown Youth Baseball and Softball, and Watertown Youth Soccer. Bill Furtado, president or Youth Baseball and Softball said while his group gets a lot of hours, the have specialized fields – diamonds – that cannot really be used for other sports. Soccer, meanwhile, seeks to use the same fields as many other users.