Belmont Basketball Heads to Wakefield Thursday in Playoff's First Round

The Belmont High School Boys' Basketball's first round game in the MIAA Division 2 North tournament will be in a familiar setting. The hoopsters will meet Middlesex League opponent, the 5th-ranked Wakefield Warriors Thursday, March 1 at 7 p.m. at Wakefield High School.

And the 11th-ranked Maruaders have happy memories of their Christmas-time visit, having handed the Warriors (14-6) their first loss of the year, a 54-44 Belmont victory on Dec. 23.

And Belmont could be seeing a second fellow Middlesex League team in the quarter finals as Arlington meets Boston's New Mission on Wednesday. 

Brothers Baghdady wrestling in the Witch City 

Today and tomorrow, Belmont's Baghdady brothers will attempt to use some wrestling black magic to advance deep in the MIAA All-State Wrestling tournament being held in Salem. 

Sophomore Roni and his brother, senior Sami, will be competing against wrestlers from all divisions and schools to determine state champions and who will advance to the New England tourney. 

Roni will be wrestling in the lightest weight division, at 106 pounds, which three years ago his brother won taking the championship.

Sami will be finishing up his stellar career in the 132 pound division, considered the third most difficult in terms of competition by a wrestling web site. Baghdady is currently ranked 7th in the state.

Sunday sprint for soph and senior Marauders

Belmont will have two quick harriers circling the very fast indoor track at Roxbury Community College's Reggie Lewis Center in the Massachusetts All-State Indoor Track Championships being held Sunday in Boston. 

Christopher Sandvik is one of only two sophomores racing in the 300 meters. Ranked 21, Sandvik best time of 36.69 seconds is about a second from a podium place, yet the underclassman has lowered his personal best in three consecutive races.

Senior Paul Green's 2 minute, 34.55 second time for the 1,000 meters (1 kilometer) ranks him 16th in the state, with the potential of a quick five laps earning him a high placement.