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Volu m e 6 5 , Issu e 2
Ju ne 6 , 2 0 1 6
A Student Publication of the Belmont Hill School
A DYNASTY CONTINUED Lacrosse Team Captures Third ISL Title in Four Years
By Evan Ricci Panel Staff With a final record of 14-1 and a ranking in the nation’s Top 30, the varsity lacrosse team has been crowned ISL Champions for the second consecutive season, making it their third title in the last four years. Last year, the squad shared the title with Governor’s Academy as league Co-Champions. In an ultra-competitive league where one loss can ruin a chance of a title
Look Inside News Page 2 Sports Scoreboard Page 8-9 Prize Day Awards Pages 10 & 11 Matriculation List Back Page
season, the team squeaked out narrow wins against powerhouses Governor’s, Nobles (OT), St. Sebastian’s, and Thayer. An early season 9-8 victory against Governor’s moved Belmont Hill to the top of the league in April. Another crucial win came against St. Sebastian’s in enemy territory. With an enormous Arrows crowd watching, and only a few Belmont Hill fans, the team earned an 11-10 victory that would motivate the players for the rest of the season.
At home, Belmont Hill faced off against a stacked Nobles unit. In front of an excited and large crowd, the two battled until the final seconds, when Nobles tied the game at 7 to force overtime. With two minutes left in sudden death, senior attackman Timmy Seibel beat his defender from behind the net and scored to send Belmont Hill to a 10-0 record. Their hopes of an undefeated season were tarnished with a heated overtime loss against Rivers in what BostonLax dubbed “as close to a perfect
lacrosse game (in Massachusetts) this season.” Governor’s, Belmont Hill, and Rivers now all stood at the top of the table with one loss. The boys in blue refused to look back and won their remaining games, while Nobles defeated one-loss Gov’s and Rivers, leaving a lonely Belmont Hill at the apex of the standings. The team established themselves as sole champions on a Friday afternoon with a decisive 16-2 win over BB&N, as the senior class left on top as to finish their lacrosse careers at the school. ☐
Mr. Kirby Retires After Thirty-Four Years of Inspiring Service By John Markis Panel Staff Since the School’s inception, a Belmont Hill Student has epitomized a wellrounded person; each individual obtains success in a wide variety of fields through a brand of perseverance unique to the Hill. The same can be said of the teachers. Although most public schools and many Independent School League rivals hire outsiders to lead teams, Belmont Hill relies on the ingenuity and experience of its faculty to coach on the playing fields. No teacher at Belmont represents the School in a broader range of endeavors while still retaining effectiveness than Mr. Fran Kirby, a role model and character builder of young men for the entirety of his time (1982-2016) at Belmont Hill. Whether his leadership be observed on the track or in Morse, Mr. Kirby has been able
to touch and have an invaluable impact on the lives of anyone whom he has known. In the classroom, Mr. Kirby has inspired literally decades of students to enjoy reading and learning. His knowledge of the
subject matter, such as Fagles’ translation of The Odyssey, is unparalleled at Belmont Hill. Although many students imagine Mr. Kirby as solely an English teacher, he has assisted the Classics department a plethora of times. This aspect of his teaching ability is what
makes Mr. Kirby truly stand out; while many professionals can dissect Shakespeare’s Venus and Adonis and others Ovid’s Metamorphoses, not many individuals possess the mastery to cross-reference the two works. The most varsity letters a Belmont Hill athlete could even hope to attain are eighteen; in reality, the vast majority of students end up in single digits in terms of letters. Even the mere thought of fifty letters is blasphemous. By the cultivation of this Varsity Track season, Mr. Kirby will have coached 102 consecutive seasons over his time at the School, leading cross-country, crosscountry skiing, and track to over a thousand victories and myriad championships. Indeed, under his tutelage, his teams have emerged victors more often than not. Mr. Kirby has rebuilt the track team, especially, reverting the team back into a perennial powerhouse. By looking at the banners which list the championships, one could not be faulted for comparing his teams to the 1960s Boston Celtics. (continued on page 4)