Sports

One of the Best WHS Basketball Players Looking to Play at College’s Highest Level

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Gabe Spinelli returned to Watertown for his senior year. Coach Steve Harrington called him one of the best players he has coached. The pandemic has altered plans for many. While most of those changes fall in the negative column, there was a positive one for the Watertown High School boys basketball team, as it led to the return of a star player who’s looking to take his game to the Division I college level. Gabe Spinelli spent his first two years playing for the Raiders, and got some quality playing time on Watertown’s 2018 State Championship team his freshman year.

Basketball

Watertown Claims League Basketball Crown by Beating Winchester

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The Watertown boys basketball team poses after winning the Middlesex League Tournament by beating Winchester, 64-57. An empty Watertown High Gym does not have the same feel as a rowdy TD Garden, but Saturday’s Middlesex League Boys Basketball Championship on Saturday had a special feel for the victorious Raiders. The league tournament was the only postseason on offer during COVID-19, and senior Gabe Spinelli put an exclamation mark on the win by dunking the ball as time ran out in Watertown’s 64-57 defeat of Winchester. “It’s not the state championship but it’s something,” Spinelli said. “The fact that we had (a game with) a postseason feel is huge, and that helped us a lot in this game.”

Sports

Girls Hoops Coach Thanks Team After Challenging 2021 Season, Boys Hoops Makes League Final

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Three seniors on the Watertown girls basketball team closed out their career this week, from left, Leah D’Amico, Morgan Beirne and Christina Zouein. The season ended Wednesday for the Watertown High School girls basketball team with a loss in the first round of the Middlesex League playoffs, but Head Coach Pat Ferdinand still called it an “incredible season.” The Raiders had to adjust to the season shortened by COVID-19, and the safety guidelines put in during the pandemic, including having to wear masks while playing and not having fans in the stands. The team even had to find ways to work on their game even when they couldn’t practice in person, Ferdinand said. He particularly thanked the three seniors, Leah D’Amico, Morgan Beirne and Christina Zouein.

Sports

Watertown Boys Hoops Cruises vs. Lexington, Girls Fall & Boys Hockey Triumphs

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Watertown senior Gabe Spinelli scored 39 points in the Raiders’ win over Lexington in the Middlesex League Tournament. Gabe Spinelli’s 39 points led Watertown’s dominating 75-57 win over Lexington in the first round Middlesex League boys basketball tournament game, Wednesday at WHS. The Raiders claimed the second seed in the special tournament organized by the league after the MIAA decided not to hold winter sports tournaments due to COVID-19. After the game, Watertown Head Coach Steve Harrington said he would love to be coaching the team in the State Tournament, but was happy with how his team played in the league tourney. Lexington, the seventh seed, kept the game tight in the first half.

Sports

Post Season Play for Watertown Basketball, Hockey Teams

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The boys basketball team will be one of three Watertown High School teams playing in Middlesex League postseason games on Wednesday. While the MIAA will not be having winter state tournaments due to the pandemic, Watertown High School has three teams playing postseason games on Wednesday. The Raiders had a successful winter, with two teams winning the Middlesex League Freedom Division — boys basketball and girls hockey — and a third having a winning season. This week, three teams will be playing Middlesex League foes in a special tournament, said WHS Athletic Director Ryan Murphy. “We knew we couldn’t have a State Tournament, but wanted to have some kind of year ending, season ending experience for the kids,” Murphy said.

Sports

Watertown Basketball, Hockey Teams Playing Reduced Schedule in 2021

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The winter high school sports season will begin right after New Year’s, and in the condensed schedule Watertown will only play teams in the Middlesex Freedom Division. Due to COVID-19, the schedule had been reduced to 10 games this year. Only the WHS basketball and hockey teams will be participating in the winter season, and they will play the same team at home and away each week. No fans will be allowed at games, according to the Boston Globe. Home games will be broadcast on Watertown Cable (WCATV.org).

Sports

Nine Watertown High School Athletes Named Winter Middlesex League All-Stars

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A belated look at the Watertown High School students who stood out during the winter season. Nine Raiders were selected as Middlesex League All-Stars. Boys Basketball: Devon Breen and Gevork Karapetyan

Girls Basketball: Taylor Lambo

Girls Ice Hockey: Elizabeth Loftus and Margaret Driscoll

Wrestling: Jason Santos and Leah Knipper-Davis

Indoor Track: Kai Landry and Rose Muldrew

Note: the boys ice hockey team did not play in the Middlesex League this year.

Sports

WHS Girls Basketball Seniors Helped Rebuild the Program

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The five graduating seniors on the Watertown High School girls basketball team, from left, Ashley Shaughnessey, Milagros Ortiz, Brianna Williams, Brittany Catsoulis and Annabella Beck. The season ended miles from home for the Watertown High School girls basketball team when they fell at Amesbury in the State Tourney, and suddenly a long journey they had taken together ended. But the four year trek was a successful one. WHS girls basketball head coach Patrick Ferdinand said the end of the season is always hard, and this year’s group of five seniors helped reestablish Watertown as a team to reckon with. When they were sophomores, Watertown only won one game, but they not only qualified for the tournament in their junior and senior years, but won a game each year.