Sports

Group Club Meet in Watertown Each Week for Runs of Various Distances

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Each week a group called the Watertown Pacemakers gather at spots around Watertown to go on runs of various lengths, and they welcome runners of different levels. 

The free community running group was started in January by Jimi Oke, and so far a handful of people have joined them, said fellow group member Cat Sherrill. Runs begin at 7 a.m. on Saturdays, starting at a location in town. “We have several starting locations that rotate weekly (Starbucks on Mt. Auburn St, Panera Bread, Lilly’s Bakery, Linda’s Donuts, Kefi’s Kitchen) and offer 3, 5, 8 and 10 mile runs typically,” Sherrill said. The runs can go other lengths, depending on the starting point.

Boston Marathon

Watertown Woman Ran Toward Danger at 2013 Marathon, Event Still Inspires Her

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Last month, Kelsey Barry ran the Boston Marathon for the fourth time. The 28-year-old Watertown resident also ran in 2013, and it profoundly changed her life. Barry was about five minutes from finishing the Marathon in 2013 when she and other runners came to a sudden stop. At first police and spectators could not provide any information, but a few minutes later word spread that a first b0mb had gone off near the finish line. Unlike others, however, Barry did not flee from the danger.

Schools

Committee Selected to Choose New Mascot to Go With Watertown Raiders Name

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An 18-member committee has been appointed to find a new image to represent Watertown High School. The Committee is called the Mascot Screening Committee, but on Monday night School Committee Chairman John Portz said the Raiders name will not be changed, nor will the school’s red and black colors. The group has been given the task of finding a mascot, or logo, that represents the high school, its teams, clubs and other organizations. The current status of the mascot is confusing. While the image of the dancing cartoon American Indian can be seen around town, that is not the official mascot for the high school.

Entertainment

Watertown Resident Brings Red Sox Mascot Wally to Life in Animated Tale

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Watertown’s Danielle Gillis was just getting her animation production company off the ground when she got the call from the Big Leagues, and received a challenge that thrilled the lifelong Red Sox fan – bring Wally the Green Monster to life in an animated special. 

Wally’s Opening Day premiered the day before opening season on NESN, and features the voices of many actors hailing from the Boston area (watch the video here). It features Wally, the Red Sox mascot, his sister Tessie, a fictional rookie player (voiced by Boston-raised Sedale Threatt Jr.) and the Boo Birds, a couple of smart-mouthed seagulls. The cartoon was the vision of Linda Pizzuti Henry, wife of Red Sox owner John Henry. “She wanted a create A Charlie Brown Christmas type of evergreen children’s special about Wally,” Gillis said. Gillis had met Pizzuti Henry when she was working at Soup2Nuts.

Around Town

Watertown Police 5K Honors Fallen Firefighter Joe Toscano

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The Watertown Police Finish Strong 5K Race and Walk started as a way for the community to come together after the lockdown and manhunt for the Boston Marathon Bomber, and this year it came together to honor one of the town’s fallen heroes. 

Watertown Police Chief Michael Lawn said the fourth annual race was dedicated to Watertown Firefighter Joe Toscano, who died fighting a fire just a couple blocks from Tufts Health Plan, where the race started and ended. He told Toscano’s wife, Maureen, that not only are Watertown Firefighters and firefighters around the state behind her family, the entire community supports them. Maureen thanked those who supported Joe, and said he would have enjoyed the celebration. “I know Joe’s looking down, just so impressed by the crowd, by the beautiful day and by the love and support that you all provided for us,” she said. “This is getting harder instead of easier right now, but it’s time like this that we really feel stronger because of you guys.”

This year the race drew 607 registered runners and walkers.

Sports

Watertown High School Athletic Hall of Fame Names Class of 2017

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The Watertown High School Athletic Hall of Fame is proud to announce its class of 2017, organizers said in an announcement. Inductees for this year’s celebration to be held at the St. James Armenian Hall on Saturday, Oct. 21 include four distinguished athletes, two State Championship teams, and one extraordinary coach. Sarah York and Jay Quinn, two dominant athletes from the class of 2002, will be joined by basketball All-Scholastics Max Kerman ’06, and Anthony Coppola ’07.

Around Town

Watertown’s Canino Inducted into Westfield State’s Criminal Justice Hall of Fame

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Town native and Watertown High School graduate Carlos Canino was honored by his alma mater – Westfield State College – for his accomplishments in criminal justice and on the athletic field. Canino currently works as the Deputy Assistant Director Field Operations for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, after a long career with the agency. He also was a standout in football at Westfield state. Canino be inducted in to the WSC Criminal Justice Hall of Fame along with fellow 1988 Westfield graduate Cheryl Bassett. Westfield State sent out the following announcement before the event:
Former Westfield State University athletic standouts Carlos Canino ’88 and Cheryl Bassett ’88 will be inducted into the school’s criminal justice Hall of Fame on April 5.

Boston Marathon

See How Watertown Runners Fared in the 2017 Boston Marathon

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Watertown had 33 runners take on and complete the 121st Boston Marathon, and three finished in under three hours. The top runner was 28-year-old Eric Wyler, who finished 364th overall and was the 336th male finisher. Watertown’s best female runner was Deborah Downs, who was the 281st fastest woman in the race. Jason Dunklee finished 177th in the men’s 40-44 age group. Here are the results for all the finishers from Watertown.