Melrose Tripped Up by Belmont, Falling 12-1

Red Raiders fall below .500 at 5-6.

It was a rough Friday for the Melrose High School baseball team, as Belmont tallied three runs in the first and eight in the second leading to a 12-1 loss on Friday at Brandon Grant Field in Belmont. Melrose falls just below the tournament line at 5-6 while Belmont goes over the .500 mark at 6-5. The afternoon started on a perfect note for the Marauders as the first three batters singled and scored on Marauders' clean-up hitter and pitcher Mike Richardson's double clearing the bases.  Red Raider Jon Botelho's double in the fifth scored Melrose's only run of the evening. 

• Photos (16)

Melrose Beats Arlington, Plays New Mission in Quarterfinals Saturday

The top ranked Melrose High School boys' basketball team beat no. 16 Arlington 76-52 Thursday night in Melrose in the first round of the North Division 2 tournament. Currently, Melrose has a 21-game winning streak and is undefeated this season.

The No. 1 ranked and undefeated Melrose High School boys' basketball team eliminated no. 16 Arlington 76-52 Thursday night in Melrose in the first round of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association's North Division 2 tournament. Melrose (21-0), which earned a bye in the preliminary round, advances to the quarterfinals, where they will host No. 8 New Mission (15-6) at 7 p.m. Saturday. New Mission advanced to the quarterfinals by narrowly beating no. 9 Reading 60-57 Tuesday at home. The Spy Ponders finish the season 11-11. Arlington did win once during the tournament, beating no. 17 ranked Tewksbury (9-12) 68-52 at home on Monday night. During the contest, Melrose staked itself to an early lead that it would not relinquish, as …

• Videos (2)

MHS Girls' Volleyball Team Captures Div. 2 State Title

The Melrose High School girls' volleyball team captured the Division 2 state championship on Saturday, beating Longfellow 3-1 at the Algoquin Regional in Northborough, according to an ESPN report.

The Melrose High School girls' volleyball team captured the Division 2 state championship on Saturday, beating Longfellow 3-1 at the Algoquin Regional in Northborough, according to a report on ESPN Boston. Melrose sought to improve up last season's campaign, after the team fell short against Marlborough in the finals. “Last year, after the match ended, we all look at each other and we knew that we didn’t finish,” Red Raiders senior Sarah McGowan told ESPN. “We didn’t go out there and give it a 100 percent. So learning from that, we knew this was the last game of the season, the last game of my career, so I really wanted to come and win this last one.”  “Every year, this is our ultimate goal,” Melrose head coach Scott Celli told ESPN. “But …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (4)

Should Native American Mascots be Removed from Mass High Schools?

Oregon and Washington State have banned the use of Native American Mascots. Should Massachusetts do the same?

As part of an effort to close what Washington state education officials call a "widening gap" between Native American students and their white counterparts, the Washington State Board of Education is asking all schools in that state to do away with Native American mascots. Seattle’s King5.com reported, “Education officials point to studies that show self-esteem issues among Native American students.” Last May, neighboring state Oregon’s Board of Education voted to ban Native American mascots, nicknames and logos. According to the American Indian Cultural Support website, in Massachusetts there are currently 29 high schools—including Melrose High School—that have Native American mascots–including 16 Indians, nine Warriors, two Red Raiders, …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

New Morelli Field To Open On May 19

Opening of the new baseball field, scheduled for this spring, was delayed after the city wasn't satisfied with the soil and sod that was used and resulted in water pooling in spots on the field.

Melrose High School baseball players should get the chance to play at least two games on the new Morelli Field this spring, Mayor Rob Dolan said, after the field's opening was delayed due to unsatisfactory soil and sod used during construction. The field should open on May 19 for practice, Dolan said, and the first game should be played on Monday, May 21 versus Matignon. The Red Raiders baseball team closes out the regular season the following day at home against Belmont. The city previously said that the field would not be available for play this season, after the project management team noticed that water was pooling in some areas of the field. Soil and sod samples were sent to an independent laboratory and found they did not meet "did …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (4)

Melrose Basketball Falls to Brighton in Semifinals

The Red Raiders lost 65-59 in the semifinal round of the tournament.

Red Raiders Basketball Beats Reading, Advances to Semifinals

Melrose defeated the Rockets 61-56.

Scocca Realizes Division I Basketball Dream

The Melrose High School grad will play for Bryant University next year.

Athletic Fees Bump Funds Absorbing New Varsity Level Teams

The first increase in Melrose High School athletic fees in at least five years will support five club teams moving to the varsity level and funded through the district's budget.

The success of five Melrose High School club teams over the past five years has led administrators to recommend moving those teams to the varsity level, necessitating an increase in athletic fees next year to fund those teams. Fees will increase by $25 per sport and the family cap will increase by $100, in the memo approved by School Committee on Tuesday night. The committee also approved two other fee increases. The Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School summer enrichment program will increase from $100 to $120 per week, as the program lost money last year and the increase will allow the program to break even. Incoming 6th graders will also now be allowed to enroll in that program. Also, Education Stations field trip fees will increase …

• Photos (1)

Melrose Patch Is Looking for Sports Bloggers

Want to be the next Howard Cosell? Patch is looking for Sports Bloggers!

Melrose Patch is seeking out those interested in local sports to blog with us about the on-going winter sports season in the city. We are looking for people to write about basketball, hockey, gymnastics, indoor track, wrestling, and any other winter-related sports activity. Those with experience and those new to blogging are equally welcome to join our growing team. This is a great way to get experience in the blogging world and also looks great on college resumes! If writing isn't your thing, we are always on the look out for photographers/videographers to share their best pictures/video of town sports too. If you are interested in writing about sports in town, please email Community Producer, Amanda Kersey, at Amanda.Kersey@patch.com and…

• Photos (1)