Sports

Watertown Runner Breaks Two School Records on Same Day

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Watertown High School sprinter Mangé Camara recently had what his coach called “perhaps the finest individual performances in the history of Watertown indoor track and field.” The junior broke not one, but two Watertown High School records at the MSTCA Speed Classic at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center on Dec. 29. The meet includes the top sprinters in Massachusetts in all divisions, said Watertown track and field coach Tom Wittenhagen.

“In this history of Watertown indoor track and field I can think of no other athletic performer who set two outstanding school records in a single day. I don’t think that has ever been duplicated,” Wittenhagen said.

Government

Victory Field Committee Makes Decision on Storage for Track Area

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Storage for the track area of Watertown’s Victory Field will be provided in a small storage building behind the football bleachers and on the track in a movable shed that will protect the pads for pole vault.

In one of the final meetings of the Victory Field Phase 2 Committee, held Nov. 21, the group recommendations group decided on storage options and to reorient the field. When the track is renovated and a new surface is installed, one end of the field will have a “D” made up of rubberized surface similar to the track surface. Originally, the D was going to be on the east side of the field – the far side from the football field. Last week, the Committee decided to flip the field so the D would be on the side closest to the football field.

Sports

Three Raiders Sign Letters to Continue Playing Sport in College

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Three outstanding Watertown High School athletes made it official Monday, they will be taking their game to the next level. Two field hockey player and a track and cross country runner signed their letters of intent during a ceremony in the Watertown High School Gym. Jonna Kennedy
Watertown’s field hockey goalie Jonna Kennedy will be playing for Boston College next year. She has been part of three state championships and hopes to win another one this week. Watertown field hockey coach Eileen Donahue said her goalie played both for the varsity and JV her freshman year. Sometimes playing with such a talented team in front of her can mean little action, but Kennedy responds when called upon.

Government

Netting at Victory Field Track Scrapped, Walkers to be Prohibited at Certain Times

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The Victory Field Committee made compromises when addressing safety of Victory Field by voting against having netting on the ends of the field, but the compromise also means that the track will be closed to walkers during certain times while high school teams use the field. When deciding whether to put up the safety netting, the Ad Hoc Committee on Victory Field Phase 2 tried to balance the needs of athletic teams using the track and turf area inside with the needs of people using field as a public park. For years the oval area has served as home to the Watertown track and field team, and the field inside the track is used by both high school and youth sports groups. The facility is also part of the Watertown park system, and the track is a popular place for residents to walk and run. A proposal by designers at CDM Smith made two years ago, when the project was first discussed, includes netting at the ends of the field to protect users of the track from flying balls – particularly lacrosse and soccer balls.

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.

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

Meetings Scheduled for Group Looking at Renovation of Victory Field Track Area

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The group looking at renovating the track and courts area at Victory Field had their first meeting this week, and set dates for in-depth discussions of different portions of the complex. The first meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee on Victory Field Phase 2 was taped by Watertown Cable and will be shown on cable and on the WCATV.org website. The committee includes town officials and residents representing youth sports, the neighborhood and the Watertown Schools. All meetings will be open to the public and will be held in the Lower Hearing Room at Town Hall, unless noted. Here are the upcoming meeting dates and the focus of the meeting:

 
Thursday, June 15, 2017, 5-6 pm: Site visit to Victory Field.

Indoor Track

Watertown’s Koufos Grabs 3rd at Divisional Track Meet, 3 Relays Place

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Watertown’s relay teams showed they could compete with the best teams in their division during the MIAA Div. 4 Indoor Championships, and two runners placed in their individual events on Thursday at the Reggie Lewis Track & Athletic Center. The Raider’s top finish came from Watertown junior Emily Koufos, who battled her way through the pack in the mile run, and closed a gap of more than 25 meters on the final lap to nip a runner at the line for third place. “I knew the pace was fast, and said I have to run my own race,” Koufos said. “I kept my composure and started by passing two girls, which put me in fourth.