Sports: Boys' Tennis Reach Playoffs

The Belmont Boys' Tennis team defeated Woburn, 5-0, Monday, May 21, securing its ninth win of the year against six losses. The win secures a playoff place for the Marauders in the MIAA team tournament.

The team's number two and number three singles Richie Yuan and Daniel Seleznev won 6-0, 6-0. Seleznev's win is a team leading tenth against just four losses.

Chris Gortmaker playing first singles and the first doubles, Jack Ramsey and Matt Lewis, both won 6-0, 6-1. Seconds doubles, Ian Wooster and Jeff Gortmaker, scored an 8-0 victory to complete the sweep.

On May 16, Belmont lost a close 4-1 match to Reading in which four of the five matches had tie-breaker sets. Winning for Belmont was Seleznev, with a come from behind 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 victory.

The first doubles team of Andrew Slap and Kevin Tsang lost 6-7, 6-2, 6-2, while first singles Gortmaker was defeated at first singles 6-3, 7-6. Number two singles lost 6-3, 6-2 and the second doubles, Evan Green and Wooster lost 6-1, 7-6.

Boys' Lacrosse seniors honored at final home game

It was not the weather or competition level – under threatening skies and trailing a team, Lexington High, desperate for a win to make the playoffs – that Belmont wanted to be in. And despite working throughout the game, the Minutemen took the game, 7-4, on Monday, May 21; the final game of the season.

The twist and turns of fate over the season – losing many games by a single goal – was disheartening. But the truth is that problems and setbacks happen more frequently than any team would like.

But the adversity of the season was an opportunity for the players to discover that hard work and commitment has its own rewards, of a self satisfaction that doesn't show up on the scoreboard.

The year created friendships and companionship that allowed the players to cope with the disappointments, providing the positive strength of being part of a team, the pride to perform despite the score without giving up.