Field Hockey: Belmont Unexpectedly Thrown Into Top Division for Tournament

When Belmont High School Field Hockey Head Coach Jessie Smith first read the tournament web site on her cell phone on Monday, Oct. 28, she thought someone made a big error. 

Her team, which finished the season with an outstanding record of 13 wins, four losses and a tie, was no where to be found on the web page for the Division 2 North sectional tournament.

"Initially I thought it was a mistake. I actually felt bad for the tournament officials because they would have to redo the draw," Smith said as her team practiced around her. 

But there was no mistake. Belmont, along with its Middlesex League cohorts Arlington and Winchester high schools, discovered the uptick in student enrollment seen in many suburban towns over the past few years is having an impact on areas  beyond an increase in class sizes and the need to hire teachers.

In Belmont's case, an increase of 50 female students in the past few years has resulted in the field hockey team pushed up to the Division I level in the post-season tournament for the next four years.

"I was very surprised to find out that we were being moved up to the top division," said Smith. 

One of her players was more blunt.

"This stinks!"

Because of the move, Belmont will meet Middlesex League co-champions and rivals Lexington High on Halloween, Oct. 31 at 2 p.m. in Lexington.

Belmont beat the Minutemen, 2-0, at Lexington in September then lost to Lexington, 3-1, in the penultimate game of the season. 

According to Belmont District Athletic Director Jim Davis, every four years the sports committees in Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association, which oversees athletic competition throughout the state, realigns the schools into divisions that are based on enrollment figures. 

"And our enrollment in respect to girls moved us up into Division 1," said Davis. 

The result of the movement of several schools into the top division has made the lower division far more equitable in terms of the number of students at each school.

"[Belmont] and Winchester were the larger schools in Division 2 but not by much," said Davis.

In addition, unlike most sports, field hockey has only two divisions which eliminates a "mid level of competition" that would suit schools the size of Belmont and Arlington. 

"There are just not enough teams to justify the need for another division," said Davis. Because nearly all other Belmont sports are in divisions with three or more levels, it's unlikely that another sport, such as Boys' Soccer, will be effected, he said.

While there is an appeals process to attempt to drop the team back into the lower division, "since we were so successful in Division 2 and our size, that would be a really hard sell to bring to the MIAA," said Davis.

But for the three Middlesex League schools, whose enrollments are just north of 1,100 students, they are now the minnows throw into a pond with some very big and hungry fish. Belmont's next opponent, Lexington High, has an enrollment of 2,000. And if they win on Halloween, Belmont would likely meet two-time (and defending) Division 1 champions Acton-Boxborough which has an enrollment of more than 2,000.

"It means they have much more girls who go out for field hockey and usually that means an increase in talent," said Smith, noting that Acton-Boxborough has a pair of players who will be playing for the University of Michigan next year. 

Just as the move will not effect who the Marauders play during the season – they will continue to play in the Middlesex League – it will not impact how they play the tournament.

"We play a number of Division 1 teams each year and we do well against them," said Smith, adding that the team will not meet Watertown, the four-time Division 2 state champions which has not lost a game in nearly five years.

"So there was an immediate benefit for the move," said an upbeat Smith. She then turned back to her team on the training ground.

"Come on! You've got to run! Do you think Acton-Boxborough will be walking? You're Division 1 players now!"