The Panel - June 3, 2023 - Volume 72, Issue 2

350 Prospect Street Belmont, MA 02478

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A Student Publication of Belmont Hill

Volume 72, Issue 2

June 3, 2023

ADIEU, ADIEU, ADIEU, DOC FAST

Doc

Fast

Retires

By Noah Farb ’24 Panel Staff After an extraordinary 35 years, Belmont Hill is saying goodbye to a revered member of our community. Through his various roles as a teacher, coach, mentor, friend, and administrator over the last three and a half decades, Dr. Jeffrey A. Fast leaves an indelible mark on countless students who will forever be grateful for his contributions to their lives.

From a young age, Dr. Fast showed a commitment to both academic and athletic pursuits, excelling in both. He attended the Pingry School in New Jersey, where he was a three-sport varsity athlete, participating on the soccer, swim and dive, and lacrosse teams. Reflecting on his own high school experience, Dr. Fast said that Pingry was “similar to Belmont Hill in many ways, in that both schools employ the teacher-coach model.” After high school, Dr. Fast attended Oberlin College, where he again was a three-sport varsity athlete, playing on the soccer, hockey, and lacrosse teams. This feat was made even more impressive due to the fact that when Dr. Fast joined the Oberlin hockey team, he had not played hockey since middle school. By senior year, his team elected him captain on both the soccer and lacrosse teams, showcasing his leadership and commitment to each team. Dr. Fast capped off his athletic career by being named to the All-Ohio Lacrosse Conference First Team in 1967.

Following his impressive collegiate

By Kevin Weldon ’24 Panel Staff Belmont Hill Class of ’23, Congratulations! Today is your graduation, and we hope that you are all enjoying your well-deserved celebration. We at The Panel want to recognize you for being an exemplary Form VI this year, as the whole student body admired you and the way you carried yourselves, both in victory and defeat. The Panel Volume 72 Issue 2 is dedicated to the Class of 2023, and throughout the paper we have detailed what you have accomplished.

Included with your final Spring season updates, there are article detailing your academic and athletic achievements, along with the backpage featuring a graphic that shows where your classmates will be attending college next fall. Additionally, the centerspread includes a list of all those who won a prize this year. Some of these prizes include The Milton I. Dodge Prize was won

by Mark Butler ’23 and Davi Souza Ribeiro ’23. The Margaret V. Lawless Prize was won

Look Inside The Panel News 3 Advanced Science Research Poster Night Duncan Kilbride ’24 writes about the research undergone

by Belmont Hill Advanced Science Research Students and what they discovered

After

35

career, Dr. Fast joined the U.S. Peace Corps, and was sent to teach at Aquinas University of Legazpi in the Philippines for two years. While abroad, he taught a number of electives, including a semester-long Shakespeare course to over fifty students.

Teaching this course sparked his lifelong passion for the famed British playwright.

After his time in the Peace Corps, Dr. Fast attended York University in Toronto, Canada, where he received an M.A. in English Literature. On a recommendation from a professor at York, Dr. Fast then enrolled in a Ph.D. program at the prestigious Shakespeare Institute in Stratford, England, where he completed a 550 page thesis entitled Shakespeare, Verdi, and Boito: A Study of Boito’s Shakespeare Libretti and Verdi’s Shakespeare Operas.

Upon completing his own studies, Dr. Fast began his illustrious teaching career at Webb Schools, in Claremont, California. During his fifteen years of teaching English and Literature at Webb, he also held many administrative roles, including Academic Dean, Dean of Students, English Department Head, Chair of the Curriculum Committee, and Director of Webb Schools Summer Studies program. While on a semester sabbatical from Webb, he taught English at the Toin Gakuen School in Yokohama, Japan in 1984.

After fifteen years at Webb, Dr. Fast was welcomed into the Belmont Hill community in the Fall of 1988. While at Belmont Hill, Dr. Fast has served in an impressive variety of roles. He was English Department

by Daniel Drucker ’23 and Jeremy Eaton ’23. The George Von L. Meyer III Memorial Prize was won by Michael Bobo ’23. The Wright Award was won by Connor Smirl ’23. The Henry S. Robsinon Physics Prize was won by Max Wagner ’23 and Jeremy Eaton ’23. The Thomas G. Walter Mathematics Achievement Prize was won by Alexander Lo ’23 and Max Wagner ’23. The Downes History Prize was won by Jason Cannistraro ’23 and Cooper Nelson ’23. The Charles F. Kenney ’06 Prize was won by Anthony Pellegrini ’23. The Independent School League Award of Excellence was won by Calogero LoGrasso ’23 and Turner Rayment ’23. The Max Warburg Community Service Award was won by Daniel Drucker ’23. The Paul Z. Zofras ’65 Environmental Award was won

by Trey Penna ’23. Many more awards were won by the senior class and can be found in the centerspread. Congratulations again, enjoy the summer, and The Panel along with the whole Belmont Hill community wishes you luck on all your future endeavors! ☐

photo from Landau gallery that isn’t used in the article Arts 4 Student Landau Gallery

Luke Trevisan ’24 details students’ impressive artistic achievements being displayed in the Landau Gallery

Years

at

Belmont

Doc Fast Speaking at His Retirement Celebration Head for twenty-one years. Additionally, he held administrative roles as Form V Head Advisor, Director of Curricular Affairs and served on the Disciplinary Committee.

In the classroom, he has taught countless Belmont Hill students in a variety of electives: Shakespeare, Inner Voyages, Faulkner, American Literature, African American Literature, Literature of Social Reflection, and an Inquiry course entitled Pathways to Social Justice. As part of Belmont Hill Athletics, Dr. Fast was the driving force behind the creation of the JV Lacrosse program in 1989, a team he coached for thirty years before moving on to middle school lacrosse.

Furthermore, he coached various levels of Belmont Hill soccer, and for seven years, he was in charge of an exchange program for the 3A Soccer team with a school in Knuts-

Sports 9 Bruins Record Season Ends in Faliure Ben Gong ’25 writes about the Bruins collapse after record-setting season

John Gillooly

ford, England. Each year, one team would travel to the other’s school during August, playing matches with neighboring schools and clubs. 2013 was a particularly successful season for Dr. Fast, as JV Lacrosse completed an undefeated 15-0 season and 3A Soccer finished the year 14-1-1. Dr. Fast sees the playing field as an extension of the classroom and believes that sports are a vehicle for teaching students how to work together towards a common goal. Even though he was part of the swim and dive team in high school, as both a player and a coach, he prefers team sports to individual competitions because of the collaborative nature of teammates acting as a single unit. Additionally, Dr. Fast believes that sports help boys “learn self-control and equanimity.” As a coach,

Continued on Page 2.

Class of 2023 Sports 8 Athlete of the Issue: Matthew Torrey Christopher McEvoy ’25 discusses Matthew Torrey’s ’24 BH Lax career.

Hill!

Sports 9 Belmont Hill Baseball Wins ISL Title Christopher McEvoy ’25 describes the baseball team’s incredible first season under the leadership of Coach Cunningham.

John Gillooly

B elmont Hill News

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T he Panel

Mrs. Richards Departs Belmont Hill For Maine

By Aaron Stanger ’24 Panel Staff Having joined the Belmont Hill community in 1996, Mrs. Richards, Director of the Office of Academic Support Services (OASS), will depart at the school year’s end. She was initially drawn to the school through her own private tutoring program. When she tutored a Belmont Hill student, the Director of OASS at the time, Mrs. Hundley, reached out to her, saying that his parents found her incredibly helpful and wished that she would join the school.

At the time, she tutored all around the greater Boston area, including at Needham High, St. Sebastians, and from her own home. At first, Mrs. Richards was hesitant: “I did not want to drive up 128.” Furthermore, she was a little overwhelmed by the athletic culture at Belmont Hill. She vividly remembers (Continued from cover page) Dr. Fast respects referees and will never intervene “unless he sees unchecked malice out in the field of play.” This belief comes from when he was intentionally injured in a college lacrosse game against Ohio State.

Throughout his time at Belmont Hill, Dr. Fast furthered his education by taking summer courses at both the University of Cambridge (twice) and University of Oxford. He also participated in a program called Teachers as Scholars, which offered classes in selected topics at colleges in the Boston area like Harvard and Tufts. Dr. Fast regularly seeks opportunities to teach students around the world, and has spent six summers teaching in Shenzhen, China, and another summer in Taipei. He has taught writing, grammar, ACT prep, GMAT, and Shakespeare to students applying to both U.S. and UK boarding schools. His experience teaching students worldwide showed him that “all teenagers are teenagers,” they all act in similar ways, regardless of their culture or circumstances.

Dr. Fast loves Belmont Hill, most prominently the camaraderie among the student body and the close relationships fostered between students and teachers. He says that the faculty are incredibly close and supportive of each other and that “we always have a good time pranking one another.” He credits the closeness of the entire community and the school’s commitment to its core values as the main reason he has stayed at Belmont Hill for so long. He has always felt aligned with the school culture. He has always felt supported by the administration, another reason for his extended tenure at Belmont Hill.

Dr. Fast has had an extensive career in education, teaching at independent schools for over fifty years.

He loves learning. His commitment to education, along with his educational philosophy, have made him a phenomenal teacher. His intense passion for teaching students and for his subject of matter make his classes fun, thoughtful, challenging, and engaging. Through his classes, students learn how to engage with literature, interact purposefully with others, and be disciplined. He teaches students to think with precision, ask productive questions, think critically, and see the distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic lenses. His banter with students provides his classroom with a comfortable feel, but he also reels in “rascals”

that when she asked a teacher how a Mr. Richards, and other teachers, Mrs. student was doing in her first year, she Richards soon found a great communiheard his running time, not his grades. ty and faculty in her part-time position.

When Mrs. Hundley retired, Mrs. Richards stepped into a full-time role coming to appreciate the school’s connection between academics and athletics. When a student struggles in the classroom, Mrs. Richards will often reach out to a coach or teacher to get a complete picture of the student’s needs. She remarks, “I used to think athletics took away from the boys’ time, but it actually keeps them more structured.” Over her time here, Mrs. Richards has come to greatly appreciate the faculty she works with, especially the daily interactions with her neighbors, Mrs. Richards BH Communications Mr. McAlpin and Mr. Trautz, along with other incredible faculty and staff.

In addition, she worked in the old Howe As an admissions commitBuilding, which did not even have a la- tee member, she has always been imdies’ room at the time. However, upon pressed with students’ academic growth meeting Mr. Goodband, Dr. Melvoin, throughout their middle and high

school years. She has facilitated tutoring, peer tutoring, and other educational programs to help struggling students get caught up and stay on track.

Her favorite memories have been when she hesitatingly accepted students who eventually thrived and graduated. She continues to work with Mr. Bradley and Mrs. Hamilton to see which students need help. Mrs. Richards also interprets neuropsychological testing; if needed, she helps facilitate learning accommodations, like extra time or laptop use.

During her time, Mrs. Richards has come to appreciate the community, primarily through the willingness of boys to peer tutor each other. She plans to spend her falls in Maine with her husband and continue to tutor at home. Mrs. Richards finally reminisces, “I won’t miss the paperwork but will miss the faculty, boys, and the beautiful campus!” The Panel wishes Mrs. Richards luck in her future endeavors. ☐

Push-ups are another example of Dr. Fast’s perseverance and determination.

In 2022, the Rashes Family, P’22, established the Dr. Jeffrey A. Fast Visiting Authors and Writers Fund, which helps the English Department recruit authors and writers to come to Belmont Hill each year, while honoring “the extraordinary teaching and mentoring of Dr. Jeffrey A. Fast.”

This year, the fund brought esteemed poet Regie Gibson to school for an entire week, a wonderful event for the entire Adam Richins Belmont Hill community. Dr. Fast feels grateful to be honored with this fund but is especially grateful that it will benefit the entire Belmont Hill community for many years to come, most particularly the students who will have an opportunity

to interact with inspirational authors.

As Dr. Fast heads into retirement, he does not yet have any set plans. He is following the advice of Dr. Melvoin, who told him to “not say ‘yes’ to anything in the first six months after retirement.” Doc is planning to help out with 3A Soccer in the Fall and 3rds Lacrosse in the Spring, along with plans to purchase a bike to help him stay fit.

Dr. Fast feels extremely fortunate to have been given the opportunity to do what he loves doing all his professional life. He is also incredibly thankful for all his teacher-colleague friends who taught him, or ribbed him, or came to his rescue during his long tenure.

Dr. Jeffrey A. Fast is an amazing, kind, humble, witty, man who leaves a significant, undeniable mark on everyone he interacts with, and Belmont Hill is lucky to have had such a talented teacher, coach, and mentor on its campus. The Panel thanks Dr. Fast for all the work he has done and wish him best of luck for all that lies ahead, and is excited that he will remain on the Belmont Hill campus, albeit in a smaller capacity, for the years to come! ☐

if and when the classroom becomes too rambunctious. His own experience as a student has informed his teaching. His senior English teacher at Pingry taught him the power of positive encouragement; his soccer coach taught him the power of commitment and hard work.

His approach to teaching has changed in significant ways since his early days as a novice.

T h e composition of every class is different.

He uses a variety of teaching tools to achieve his holistic goals.Dr. Fast

The resources he brings to the classroom table–from his own learning and teaching experience–have vastly increased since he began teaching half a century ago. Often, when he feels the need, he creates his own materials. After moving from Webb to Belmont Hill, he had only one semester to teach his Shakespeare elective, rather than the full year he became accustomed to at his previous school. To compensate, Dr. Fast created the remarkable Shakespeare Backstory, an online PDF full of Shakespeare excerpts and notes. He has always provided his students with segments from this compendium. To accommodate the constraints of a semester-long course, he opens his Shakespeare elective with a sequence of scenes selected from a variety of plays as a way to illustrate various scribal devices. Dr. Fast spent an entire summer on the Shakespeare Backstory, an example of his drive and passion to enhance the learning environment for his students.

Recently, Dr. Fast has taken on a new challenge: push-ups. What first started off as a way to exercise while living in an apartment in Shenzhen, China, push-ups have become a part of his everyday regimen, allowing him to stay fit. He records the number of his pushups in his calendar. Since April 2022, he has done over 165,000 push-ups, and currently averages around 600 a day. He does one set of about 200 when he wakes up, and another set upon arriving in his classroom in the morning. He does a third set mid-morning, and usually does his last set at home in the evening.

Online Editor Alex Laidlaw ’25

Editor-In-Chief Kevin Weldon ’24

Arts Editor

Executive Editors

Sports Editor

Brian Lee ’24 Noah Farb ’24 Luke Trevisan ’24

Lev Tolkoff ’24

Christopher McEvoy ’25

Article Support Editor Andrew Bittner ’24

Graphics Editor Daniel Xie ’24

Assistant Editors Benjamin Gong ’26 Jaiden Lee ’26 Brady Paquette ’25 TZ Snail ’26

Staff Artists/writers

Faculty Advisors David Hegarty Paige Wallace Juliette Zener

News Editor

Luke Guleserian ’24

Opinion Editor Aaron Stanger ’24

Copy Editor

Duncan Kilbride ’24

Back Page Editors Mac Greene ’24 Aidan Lee ’24 Nathan Pappas ’24

Ben Adams ’25 Ben Hack ’24 Andrew Hildebrandt ’25 Nathan Zhang ’26

The Panel, founded in 1953, is the official school newspaper of the Belmont Hill School. The Panel is the voice of the student body. We publish articles that are of consequence to the students, as well as the school communities. The views expressed in The Panel belong solely to the authors and editors and do not necessarily represent the student body, faculty or administration of the school. Any comment about the content should be addressed directly to the editors. The Panel encourages responsible opinion in the form of Letters to the Editor. We reserve the right to edit all submissions for length and content. Copyright © 2023 The Panel. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission of the Editor-in-Chief. Published by the Belmont Printing Co., Belmont, MA 02478.

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Ms. Ginsberg Leaves The Hill To Pursue Counseling

By Luke Trevisan ’24 Panel Staff After four dedicated years at Belmont Hill, middle school counselor Ms. Ginsberg is departing to pursue her own practice. Working out of her room in the Howe ouse, she has provided the Belmont Hill community with valuable insight, guidance, and support. She has come to be an integral part of campus and in her time here has enjoyed her experience connecting with the boys. Although we will miss her in her departure, we congratulate her on her decision and wish her luck in her new practice.

Ms. Ginsberg first learned of Belmont Hill through a friend she knew who worked at Nobles. She thought that Ms. Ginsberg would be a good fit for the school and suggested that she apply for a position. Ms. Ginsberg mentioned that she was at first apprehensive about entering the community, having “never worked in an all-boy

environment.” She recognized that she would be one of the few female faculty members on campus. Nevertheless, she was gladly taken in by the community and long-term faculty. She was also surprised by the brotherhood between the boys, and with their arms around each other, she related them to puppies.

After overcoming the initial nervousness, she quickly dove into what she enjoyed doing most: working with boys one-on-one. Previously, she had done so in New York. As a guidance counselor, she offered a time and space for kids to talk and share about their experiences and emotions and how they reacted to them. She highlighted that she believes there needs to be “more emphasis on boys’ emotional lives,” as while they may not express their feelings as much, the emotions are still there and should be thought over.

Ms. Ginsberg especially wants to give them space for development, both at Belmont Hill and in general. She voiced that “emotions are normal but

complex,” as, for many, it can take time to identify how they feel and how they are affected. She wants to encourage boys to learn the language of their emotions and to feel comfortable talking

Ms. Ginsberg Adam Richins about them in order to then identify them and move on. At Belmont Hill, she has particularly appreciated the advisory groups and the affinity groups, like the Family group, in addition to the personal conversations

that she sees as being so valuable.

While at Belmont Hill, Ms. Ginsberg counseled in school but also practiced after hours through an outside business. Due to this stress on her schedule, along with a long commute and a busy home life, she has decided to fully transition to working on her own.

She is looking forward to meeting with a wider range of kids, from school children up to young adults, with more flexibility in her schedule and the opportunity to talk virtually. On her own, she said that she “can do what she loves in a more concentrated way,” and focus more on the one-on-one aspect in particular.

Even though she is leaving, she remarked that she “still loves the community and watching the boys grow,” and is looking to continue to be a part of campus as much as she can after she leaves. The Panel thanks Ms. Ginsberg for her dedicated time at Belmont Hill and wishes her luck in her future counseling endeavors! ☐

Senior Academic Legacy Mr. Payne Departs BH

By Duncan Kilbride ’24 Panel Staff

Science Medal. Finally, Jeremy Eaton, Turner Rayment, Max Wagner won the Williams College Book Prize, and Mac Bobo ’23 was awarded with the Harvard Club of Boston Book Prize. There were many other awards and students not mentioned here that also deserve recognition for their intellect and hard work over their Belmont Hill careers.

The Panel congratulates and thanks all members of the Class of 2023 for their undying academic legacy that is sure to inspire many classes to follow. ☐

As the graduating seniors prepare to depart from Belmont Hill, it is clear the Class of 2023 has left a distinct impression on campus. This is perhaps best seen through their incredible hard work and academic accomplishments over their time at Belmont Hill. This year, 17 students were inducted into the Cum Laude Society: Jack Abbrecht, Jerry Austin, Mac Bobo, Jason Cannistraro, Daniel Cho, David Cho, Jeremy Eaton, Malcolm Grant, Quinn Healey, Alex Lo, Cooper Nelson, William Nolan, Frederick Pimental, Turner Rayment, Jack Shah, Kevin Simmons, and Max Wagner. At last years’ Prize Day, 6 students earned the Maureen O’Donnell Book Prize: Jason Cannistraro, David Cho, Jeremy Eaton, Turner Rayment, Mac Bobo, and Jerry Austin. Jason and David also won the Jared Waterbury Scudder Latin Prize. Furthermore, James Hurd and Cooper Nelson were recognized for the Raymund A. Kathe Prize and Max Wagner was recognized for the Rensselaer Mathematics and Cum Laude Society BH Communcations

By Ben Gong ’26 and Nate Zhang ’26 Panel Staff

to the Shady Hill School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He describes his time at Belmont Hill as “a good professional experience being able to work with my old teachers in a different way and for them to teach me in a different way.”

His experiences at this school will have lasting impacts on the future of his career. The Panel thanks Mr. Payne for his contributions this year and wishes him the best at his next job. ☐

Mr. Payne is an alumnus of the Belmont Hill Class of 2018. During his time as a student at Belmont Hill, he participated in the theater and B Flats, as well as winning a Woodbury Speaking Contest along the way. He graduated from Tufts University in 2022 with a major in sociology. Over the summer, he taught at Phillips Andover Academy.

As a new teacher this year, Mr. Payne taught a section of English 1 and a section of English 3. He was also part of the fall and winter plays and coached Third Tennis in the spring. Using one word to describe his entire year here, Mr. Payne chose “growth”. His favorite part about teaching this year was that he could connect with students in a different way due to his role as a teacher. Every Monday, he would engage with his students through an activity called “Rose Bud Thorn.” Each student had an opportunity to share one good thing, one bad thing, and one thing they were looking forward to during the week. Now, Mr. Payne is moving on Mr. Payne

John Gillooly

Advanced Science Research Poster Showcase Night

By Duncan Kilbride ’24 Panel Staff In May, graduating seniors from the Advanced Science Research (ASR) class held their annual ASR Poster Showcase. The ASR program is a highly esteemed additional class run

by Mr. DeCaprio. Students apply in Form IV and, if accepted, find their own labwhere they assist in research and are mentored by scientists over the next two years. ASR is a fantastic opportunity for students curious about science and STEM as the program allows participants to gain valuable laboratory and research skills. At the end of their work, students summarize their findings on a poster and present the research at the ASR Poster Showcase. This year, five seniors shared their findings and achieved impressive feats along with their labs.

Merhawi Ghebrelul researched rare genetic disorders in his poster entitled “Investigation of private homozygous SCN1A variant in a family

with homozygous SCN9A-related pain insensitivity.” Merhawi was also published in the scientific journal Gene.

Quinn Healey analyzed the genetic causes of Alzheimer’s disease research and specifically what genes make someone more susceptible to the disease in his poster called “Association of Alzheimer’s Disease Neuropathology and Risk Genes on Gene Expression.”

Alex Lo focused on future applications of machine learning in his poster “Attention Based Multiple Instance Learning for Ischemic Stroke Etiology.” Will Nolan researched ways to electronically monitor if a wind turbine is damaged in his poster “Piezoelectric Energy Harvester’s Viability in Structural Health Monitoring Devices for Wind Turbines.” Finally, Turner Rayment investigated different kinds of kidney cancers in his poster “Using Tertiary Lymphoid Structures (TLSs) to Understand Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD).”

Remarking on the success of the event, Mr DeCaprio says, “it was a great night for the boys to display their

work from the last two years. It’s really impressive what our students are able to do in these labs and exciting to see them really dive deep into their research and do so on such a high level.”

After the event, Mr. DeCaprio shifted his focus to helping rising seniors as they continue their rigorous research internships over the summer. The ASR

Program is another amazing offer by Belmont Hill to students willing to go above and beyond in science. The Panel commends all the current ASR students for their hard work and wishes them the best. We can only wait to see the incredible research these aspiring scientists will engage in over the next year!☐

ASR Students

Mr. DeCaprio

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T he Panel

Celebrity Series: Igor Levit and Doric String Quartet

By TZ Snail ’26 Panel Staff The Celebrity Series of Boston is a non-profit organization whose mission is to present performing artists who inspire and enrich the community.

It believes that by bringing culturally rich music, dancing, and public events to Boston, in turn, these performances will transform lives and build better communities. The Celebrity Series was established in 1938 and has since continued to present renowned artists at venues across Boston, Cambridge, and Somerville. The artists perform in places ranging from Jordan Hall, located in the New England Conservatory, to public streets in Greater Boston.

They are one of the nation’s most highly regarded independent presenting organizations. Partnering with established, internationally-acclaimed artists and emerging talent, they curate a diverse lineup of performances. They have performances almost every night, showcasing the true talent of many upand-coming artists at affordable prices.

Igor Levit, a German-Russian pianist, started his career at the age of three. He was taught by his mother, Elena Levit, and in his childhood began studying at the Mozarteum in Salzburg.

Although through the early 2010s, Levit won prizes and performed within the European nations, it was not until

2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic, that he became well-known around the globe. He began live-streaming his performances and pretty soon attracted thousands of viewers. In 2021, Levit announced his multi-year collaboration with the Boston Celebrity Series.

Igor Levit’s performance instantly captured the audience’s attention, both by his intense and intriguing touch, and the way he evokes emotions. Even from the first note, Levit reeled in his audience, keeping them in the moment throughout his hour-long concert.

Later, it was revealed that until 5 minutes before showtime, he was sleeping backstage, trying to shake off his jetlag. Despite this, during his showing of Beethovan’s “Last Three Sonatas,” he captured many emotions through his tension between light and playful and heavy and powerful playing. This exaggeration caused the audience to go on a roller coaster of emotions, at one moment happy and excited, and suddenly, the next, in a dark and almost scary atmosphere. By the end of the meticulous and marvelous performance, everyone in Jordan Hall, people ranging in age from 8 years old to 80 years old, stood up and gave Levit a standing ovation for his wonderful playing.

The Doric String Quartet is based in the UK and was established in 1998.

Currently, its members consist of Alex Redington and Ying Xue on violin, He-

lene Clement on viola, and John Myerscough on cello. The quartet was formed for a London String Quartet Foundation and performed in the UK area until the late 2000s. In 2008-9, the quartet took their first tour to Japan, and in the following year, made their American debut. Since then, they tour the US annually, with concerts in New York, Washington, and most recently, Boston.

The Doric String Quartet, like many other well-known quartets, worked together to express their music, passing the melodic melodies to each other, while accompanying backgrounds. Their first piece, Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 11, started with a rush of excitement, introduced by all 4 musicians, surprising the audience.

After the initial uptick in energy, the quartet began to settle down, falling into more calming and peaceful playing, passing the melody from first the violins, to the cello, then to the viola.

This soothing tone did not last long, for many times during the piece, the violins and cellos would come in with

an angry and harsh sentence, shocking the audience. After this, Beethoven was followed by a more lively and carefree piece, written by Haydn, nicknamed “The Frog.” The piece jumps between the violins and cello, each with its own distinct melodies. The audience during the piece felt joyful and lighthearted, for the music flowed in all directions, like a river with no distinct current.

Finally, the quartet introduced a fifth musician, Benjamin Grosvenor on the piano, to finish the concert with a piano quintet composed by Frank Bridge.

Although the piano served mostly as an accompaniment, its relaxing and intricate sub-melodies filled all the slightest gaps in the quartet’s playing.

Like Beethoven, Bridge’s quintet fights between the viola and cello’s contrasting melodies and in the last sentence, resolves into the original D-minor chord progression. A sense of relief is felt over the whole audience, and similar to Levit, Jordan Hall is filled with a standing ovation for the quintet. ☐

Igor Levit (Left) and Doric String Quartet (Right)

Boston Celebrity Series

Belmont Hill Private Lesson Recital Dazzles The Audience tive pieces that they have been working on throughout the school year. Piano students of Mr. Dan Loschen, trumpet students of Throughout the year, students have Mr. Kevin Tracy, percussion students of been taking part in private lessons at school with professional music instructors, learning and improving their respective skills in various instruments and singing. In early May this year, studio recitals were held by private lesson students at Belmont Hill to demonstrate their enjoyment and appreciation for music in the Prenatt Music Building. Saxophone students of Mr. Kenji Kikuchi, voice and singing students of Ms. Maria Jane Loizo, and guitar students of Mr. Matthew Wright performed their respec- Belmont Hill Prenatt Music Building

By Jaiden Lee ’26 Panel Staff

Mr. Patrick Gaulin, guitar students of Mr. Manny Pettine, and violin students of Ms. Paola Caballero played their respective repertoire. It was an evening filled with great

Google Images

music in the music building to celebrate and acknowledge students’ hard work with their private lesson teachers throughout the year. It was definitely a fun and entertaining event for the audience, which included parents of the musicians, teachers and faculty, Mr. Fiori, and Mr. Patterson, to enjoy the various forms of music that was played by every student in both recitals in the music building. The Panel congratulates all private lesson teachers who helped the students work on their pieces throughout the spring, and acknowledges a fantastic job by all musical performers in the two recitals those evenings for the audience to enjoy. ☐

Landau Gallery Displays Students’ Masterful Artwork

By Luke Trevisan ’24 Panel Staff As the school year draws to a close, the Landau Gallery features its last exhibits of student artwork.

Throughout May, the gallery displayed the award-winning art, both photography and painting and drawing, of Belmont Hill and Winsor students. From Belmont Hill, there were works from Brian Lee ’24, Daniel Xie ’24, Ethan Xie

Daniel Xie ’24

’26, Ben Keuchle ’23, Rafael Rodriguez Montgomery ’24, Griffin Calhoun ’26, and Will Nolan ’23. Of particular note is Rafael Rodriguez Montgomery ’24 who was featured in a display earlier this year after returning from a semester away, where he studied photography.

The exhibit was a wonderful

Luke Trevisan Brian Lee ’24

opportunity for the Belmont Hill and Winsor schools to come together in a collective showcase. As featured artist Daniel Xie ’24 mentioned, “It was really cool to see such amazing art from so many people from Belmont Hill and Winsor come together.” Just as the theater productions unite Bel-

mont Hill students with the sister schools, the multi-school exhibit is a step in the right direction for creating connections between the schools.

Overall, the exhibit was a success. Students and faculty alike were able to enjoy the showcased art and with the extra attendance of parents and relatives during the end-of-year theater productions, even more visitors were able to witness the incredible art. ☐

Luke Trevisan Ben Kuechle ’23

Luke Trevisan

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Yearly B elmont RecHIll ap inSec Phtion oto s

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BH Communication, Adam Richins

Prize Day 2023

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The Panel

Extracurriculars & Arts B Flats Music Awards

William Kelly, Calogero LoGrasso, Leonardo Montoya, Davi Souza Ribeiro

Choral & Vocal Music Prize

William Kelly, Calogero LoGrasso

Instrumental Music Prize

Cameron Connell

Ensemble Award

Daniel Cho, David Cho, Cameron Connell, William Kelly, William Lloyd, Davi Souza Ribeiro

Diversity Leadership Award

Merhawi Ghebrelul, James Hurd, Alexander Lo, Jack Shah, Reuben Siegel

Woodbury Public Speaking Prize

Nathaniel Voss (Fall), Ethan Sidman (Spring)

The Hayden G. Coon Drama Prize

William Austen, Thomas Cannistraro, Jeremy Eaton

The Paul J. Zofnass ’65 Environmental Award

Trey Penna

Hampers Lyceum Award

Sam Atalla, Cameron Connell, Turner Rayment, Max Wagner

Edward M. Burt Community Service Award

Jack Abbrecht, Rylan Dean, Peter Fiumara, Connor Goodband, Quinn Healey, Giacomo Kaplan, Christopher Milmoe, Leonardo Montoya, Daniel Moran, Eli Norden, Carver Porter, Davi Souza Ribeiro, Davin Roy, Ethan Sidman, Adrian Tan, Chase Teeson, Cord Vallis

Max Warburg Community Service Award

Daniel Drucker

Global Citizenship Award

Henry Hagedorn, James Keefe

Angelo Togneri Art Prize

Rafael Rodriguez Montgomery

Thomas Photography Prize

Benjamin Kuechle

Panel Carving Prize

Jeremy Eaton

Athletics Babe Ruth Sportsmanship Award

Anthony Pellagrini

Red and Blue Key Society

Thomas Dolan, Peyton Fox, Anthony Galvagna, Benjamin Hack, Calogero LoGrasso, Daniel Markham, Mark Price, Joseph Puglielli, Declan Reilly, Miles Sandoski, Daniel Slatkavitz, Davi Souza Ribeiro, Garrett Theberge, Charles Webb

Darren D. Gallup Three Sport Athlete Award

Christian Brunner, Calogero LoGrasso, Luca Mezzanotte, Christopher Milmoe, Reuben Siegel, Davi Souza Ribeiro

Charles F. Kenney ‘06 Prize

Anthony Pellagrini

The Independent School League Award of Excellence

Calogero LoGrasso, Turner Rayment

Classics Maureen O’Donnell Book Prize

Alexander Behn, Andrew Bittner, Luke Guleserian, Angus Harrison, Duncan Kilbride, Aidan Lee, Brian Lee, William Nolan, Frederick Pimental, Mark Price, Aaron Stanger, Kevin Weldon, William Austen, Michael Bobo, Jason Cannistraro, David Cho, Jeremy Eaton, Turner Rayment

Jared Waterbury Scudder Latin Prize

Mark Price, Aaron Stanger

Modern Language

Spanish Prize

Davin Roy

French Prize

Nathaniel Voss

Raymund A. Kathe Prize (Asian Studies)

Benjamin Hack, Mark Price

Prize Day 2023

J u n e 3, 2023

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History Downes History Prize

Jason Cannistraro, Cooper Nelson

Form IV History Prize

Alejandro Laidlaw, Henry Hagedorn

Middle School

Middle School Public Speaking Prize

William Achtmeyer (Winter and Spring), Timothy Snail (Spring)

Middle School Drama Award

William Achtmeyer, Andrew Agular

Prospector Prize

Samuel Flood, Jaiden Lee, Griffin Vail

The Hill Prize

Benjamin Gong, Jaiden Lee

Newell Howes Morton Award

Cameron Kelley

Form I – Paisley Boney, John Creedon, Tristan Dolan, Henry Greene, Savion Cineus, Brody Sayers, Norbert Unger Form II – Chase Kaufman, Hunter Lee, Isaac Novod, Leandro Nuernberg, William Raymond, Hunter Steeves

Middle School Award of Merit

Form III – William Achtmeyer, Rylan Dean, Boston Ezedi, William Hennigar, Nicholas Jones, Timothy Snail, Mason Iandiorio

Gregg Citizenship Award

Brady Yoo

Helena Weister Funk Award

Babikir Saeed, Samuel Flood

Math

Rensselaer Mathematics & Science Medal

Alexander Behn

Maxwell Mathematics Prize

Dane Carter

Thomas G. Walters Mathematics Achievement Prize

Alexander Lo, Max Wagner

Science Henry S. Robinson Physics Prize

Max Wagner, Jeremy Eaton

Frederick C. Richardson Chemistry Prize

Aaron Stanger

Clifford Goodband Biology Prize

Connor Emmert, Chad Sidel

English Willey Sextant Prize for Creative Writing

Jack Abbrecht, Jake Kornmehl

Brown Book Award

Brian Lee, Mark Price

Henry S. Robinson English Prize

David Cho, Luke LoPresti

Upper School Awards General Mark A. Milley ’76 Prize

Juan-Pablo Fernandez del Castillo, Christopher McEvoy, Michael Sullivan

Form V Book Prizes

Mark Price, Aaron Stanger (Harvard), Luke Travaglini, Luke Trevisan (Williams), Jake McManus, James Mullowney (Yale)

Senior Awards Milton l. Dodge Prize

Marc Butler, Davi Souza Ribeiro

Margaret V. Lawless Memorial Prize

Daniel Drucker, Jeremy Eaton

George von L. Meyer III Memorial Prize

Michael Bobo

Wright Award

Connor Smirl

B elmont Hill Sp Orts

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By Brady Paquette ’25 Panel Staff The Belmont Hill Varsity Lacrosse team has thrived over the past few years, excelling both in ISL play and in out-of-conference games against some of the best high school lacrosse teams in the country. Leadership is a key factor in the team’s continued success and Captain Matthew Torrey ’23 has exemplified this. Torrey is the starting goalie for the team. Torrey started playing lacrosse in 3rd grade and was soon selected to play on the Laxachusetts Club Team in 4th grade.

Coming into Belmont Hill in Form IV, Torrey mentions how Laxachusetts was helpful in enabling him to connect with members of the Belmont Hill community. Furthermore, he recounts how he was the backup goalie for Belmont Hill once and fully believes that his current backup, James Mullowney ’24, is ready to fill his place for next season.

When asked how the team has done this year compared to previous years, Torrey states, “this is the best defense I have ever played with in my life, and that’s not an exaggeration.” Defensive poles such as Finn Fox ’24, Declan Reily ’24, Josh Doolan ’23, Charlie Hazard ’23, and Ben Wood ’23 proved vital to the team’s success, and Torrey emphasized how grateful he was for their extra layer of protection. Torrey also mentions that playing behind them “relieves pressure” for him in the net, as he is confident that they will perform. As a 4-star

the

Issue:

recruit, averaging only 4.1 goals allowed per game, and a best-in-ISL 73% save percentage, it is clear that Torrey is one of the many talented players on the team. His humility was clearly portrayed when speaking about his younger teammates, mentioning how future Belmont Hill Lacrosse leaders

Matthew

Lacrosse is one of the fastest-growing sports in all of America and is becoming not only more popular but also far more competitive.

When asked about the future of the sport, Torrey states that it is still heavily concentrated in “hotbeds such as Long Island, Connecticut, and Maryland.” Torrey talks

Matthew Torrey Adams Richins such as Preston Evans ’25, Lindan Verville about women’s college lacrosse and how the ’25, Dylan Castillo ’26, Eli Friedman ’25, Title IX laws are positive for the lacrosse Ben DiBattista ’24, and Will Stewart ’24 will movement by providing equal opportunity lead “a scary [good] team next year,” and across gender lines. However, he mentions that the younger guys are “only getting bet- that women’s lacrosse powerhouse schools ter, shaping into stars and future recruits.” without Men’s Lacrosse teams such as USC,

T he Panel

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UCLA, and BC will struggle in adding men’s lacrosse to their athletic department because of all-male sports, such as football that do not have a female counterpart, creating difficulty with Title IX rules. The lack of young viewership and international popularity has also hindered the growth of professional lacrosse. Torrey spoke on professional lacrosse, stating, “I am not a big fan of pro lacrosse and I’m sure my teammates agree that it is a route to not making any money, and when it is evident that you can make a substantial amount of money through pro lacrosse, I think that’s when it will take off.”

Through all of Matthew Torrey’s accomplishments and achievements on and off the field, he wants to tell the Belmont Hill community a message about the recruiting process through his junior and senior years; “One thing that I think people need to realize is that the process is fun and shouldn’t drag you down too much. When you look back on your accomplishments, it’s not really the result that matters, but it’s the hard work and fun moments to enjoy yourself that really stick with you!” Torrey wishes he did not stress as much about the recruiting process as he did and instead had a calmer attitude about all of it. The Panel wishes Matthew Torrey success in his future years attending the United States Air Force Academy, wherehe will continue his lacrosse journey! ☐

BH Tennis’ Successful Season BH Golf Secures ISL Title

By Noah Farb ’24 Panel Staff

The Belmont Hill Varsity Tennis team completed another successful season, finishing 3rd in the ISL and reaching the semi-finals of the NEPSAC Class B Tournament with a 14-5 record. The team, led

by Coach Speer and Captain Bobby Cooper ’23, who will continue with his tennis career at Williams College, showcased their impressive drive and commitment to improving each and every day. From top to bottom, the entire lineup stepped up to help the team achieve its impressive record.

Highlights of the season include wins over Milton, Rivers, BB&N, Nobles, a sweep of St. Sebastians, and an opening round win in the New England Tournament over Westminster. While the final result fell short of the team’s ultimate goal, everyone worked hard and gave it their all until the end.

When asked to sum up the season, Coach Speer responded, “We had a very successful season, with our record of 14-5 placing us third in the ISL. I’m proud of how all ten players bought in and contributed to our success, and am especially grateful to our seniors for their positive leadership.” Captain Bobby Cooper ’23 finishes off an exceptional high school career, rarely losing over his four years and will begin playing tennis for Williams College next spring. The team has had an extended run of ISL success and will look to continue to achieve strong results next season, even though they are graduating three seniors. This team will hopefully continue their dominance next year with the strong foundations that remain and new faces that are to come next year and the years to come. The Panel congratulates the entire tennis team and Coach Speer on their season and wishes the three graduating seniors luck as they enter college.☐

By Alex Laidlaw ’25 Panel Staff The Belmont Hill Golf Team boasts a history of excellence, and this year was no different. In a season where many expected the squad to take a step back, having lost six seniors and being unable to play on their home course, Belmont Country Club, the golf team continued to impress. Lacking any seniors and comprised of five newcomers, two of whom were eighth graders, there were many questions going into the season.

Immediately, the team was met with some resistance, losing twice outside of ISL play in the first two weeks. However, Coach Doar quickly righted the ship, teaching that you “don’t need your A game to win matches.”

Soon the team began to rack up wins, and when the clock struck midnight on the season, the group was undefeated in ISL play, with a tie against St. Sebastian’s being the

only blemish on the record. After cementing the ISL championship against Milton in dramatic fashion, the team would continue its tear through the league at the ISL Kingsman Championship at Newport Country Club.

There, the team won in a commanding fashion, with Captain CJ Winchenbaugh ’24 taking the individual title, shooting a 67. Having won both the ISL league title and the ISL tournament title, the team is the sole league champion for the 2023 season. Additionally, with Winchenbaugh ’24winning the individual title, this season marks the first in Coach Doar’s tenure that the team has won the league, tournament, and individual titles all in the same year. After a long and arduous season, the team can sit back, knowing they have accomplished a remarkable feat. ☐

Devastating End to Record-Breaking Bruins Season

By Ben Gong ’26 Panel Staff On April 30, the Boston Bruins’ record season came to a disappointing end after being eliminated from the playoffs in the first round. During the regular season, the Bruins surpassed the record for most wins in a regular season by three wins (previous record holders were the Detroit Red Wings in 1995-1996 and the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2018-2019, both with 62 wins) with an overall record of 65-12-5. After such an incredible and record-breaking regular season, fans were optimistic about the postseason. However, the Bruins were set to face the Florida Panthers, who are now advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals after running through the Eastern conference playoffs. The Bruins started the series well with a comfortable 3-1 home victory.

However, in game two, they were un-

expectedly dominated in a 5-2 loss.

They responded with back-to-back wins at Florida, putting them 3-1 up in the series. In a tightly contested game five at the TD Garden, the Panthers’ goaltender Bobrovsky made 44 saves, including one on a breakaway by Brad Marchand with one second remaining in the third period, which helped the Panthers make it to overtime. In overtime, Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark made a dreadful error which led to the Panthers winning the game 4-3. In game six, the Panthers forced a game seven in a 7-5 win, despite the Bruins taking the lead in the third period. Ullmark performed horrendously in this game, which led to Jeremy Swayman starting over him in game seven. In the grand finale, the conclusion of a hardfought series, the Bruins somehow blew it again. The Bruins had a rough start to the game by conceding the first two goals of the game. However, they

fought back, grabbed a 3-2 lead, and held onto it for 18:05 until the last minute of the third period. Empty net, season on the line, the Panthers equalized with just 59 seconds left in the game.

Although the momentum was slightly favoring Boston, 8:35 into overtime, Carter Verhaeghe won the series on a wrist shot into the top right corner from the right face off circle. The crowd in the TD Garden was shocked

into silence, and many Boston hearts were broken that night. Game seven could be the last for 37-year-old Bruins Captain Patrice Bergeron. After such an incredible record-breaking regular season, a first-round playoff exit was undoubtedly a disappointment for all Bruins fans, especially after an early 3-1 lead. The Bruins’ disappointment only added to an already underwhelming season for Boston sports fans. ☐

Boston Bruins vs Florida Panthers

Google Images

B elmont HIll SP ORTS

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also used his blazing speed to record 13 doubles in 32 games. His fielding has also greatly improved since his 2022 blunder leading to an inside-the-park grand slam against the Toronto Blue Jays. This year, Duran has had a perfect fielding percentage and has used his

to

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Red Sox Google Images speed to serve as a black hole in the out- base. The Red Sox’s star players have field. Triston Casas, a 2018 first-round also been playing beyond expectations. pick by the Red Sox, has also begun to After signing a massive 10-year $313.5 show his true talent. After playing a few million extension over the offseason, games in the Major Leagues last season, Rafael Devers has performed excelCasas joined the 2023 Major League lently at the plate and in the field. He

has hit 13 home runs, tied for 4th best in the league and 2nd in the American League alongside all-stars like Aaron Judge and Matt Olson. Alex Verdugo has served as a solid lead-off hitter and has sealed many games with three walkoff hits, including a walk-off home run.

Unfortunately, the team has also faced a few setbacks. Many key players have been injured. Trevor Story has been out all season due to an elbow procedure during the offseason. The primary issue this year has been the Red Sox pitching. The pitchers combined have only the 25th-best ERA in the league.

Starting pitchers Chris Sale, Nick Pivetta, and Corey Kluber have been below average, giving up crucial runs in the first few innings of the game. The bullpen has also been subpar, with relief pitchers like Ryan Brasier giving up many runs in the middle innings.

Kenley Jansen has served as a bright spot in the bullpen with ten saves recorded thus far, one of which was his 400th career save, becoming the 7th all-time to record such a feat. Recently, he has blown a few saves leading to the Red Sox losing games that they should have won. Overall, the Red Sox have been a solid team, and although they are 4th in the American League East, with injured players returning and the pitchers beginning to play well, the Red Sox are not far away from success. ☐

Belmont Hill Varsity Baseball has wrapped up yet another triumphant season, boasting an impressive record of 14-1 and securing their 13th Independent School League championship.

Guided by a talented roster of 12 seniors and two outstanding starting pitchers, John Mileswki ’23 and Brady Miller ’24, the team’s success can be attributed to their dominant pitching performances. Since their opening game loss to Thayer, the Belmont Hill pitchers have not allowed more than three runs in any ISL matchup.

The pitching staff ’s exceptional performance includes four ISL shutouts, highlighted by a remarkable no-hitter against the reigning champions, Lawrence Academy. While the

offense initially struggled, they found their groove after the fourth victory against Milton. In the last eight games, Belmont Hill has scored double-digit runs in six, including an impressive 12-run game against Rivers, 10 against St. Sebs, and a staggering 15 against Dexter, the thirdranked baseball team in New England.

Contributions from every player in the lineup have been instrumental to Belmont Hill’s offensive success. However, Anthony Pellegrini ’23 and Brennan Barlage ’23 have truly stood out as exceptional hitters. Pellegrini leads the team with three home runs and boasts an impressive on-base percentage (OBP) of .600, while Barlage leads the team with an impressive batting average of .560.

The team’s motto, “run through the storm not away from it,” has been a driving force behind their achieve-

a remarkable achievement for the team and their first ISL championship since 2019. Looking to next year the team has 12 seniors that will be graduating this year including Antony Pellegrini ’23, Reuben Siegel ’23, Brennan Barlage ’23, and Cam Carey ’23, which will leave quite the hole in the team’s roster. Coach Cunningham will be forced to rely on younger players on the roster and new students coming in next year. This team does have a plethora of young talent on the roster. This includes Brady Miller ’24 who has been an absolutely dominant pitcher the entire season pitching multiple shutout games.

Overall, it has been an extraordinary year for these talented young athletes, as they continue to make Belmont Hill proud. The Panel wants to congradualte the entire Baseball team and Coach Cunningham on Fantastic year. ☐

2023

Draft

By Nathan Zhang ’26 Panel Staff Forty-eight games into the MLB Season, the Boston Red Sox have shown off their strengths and weaknesses as they experiment with new signings and battle injuries. At the beginning of the season, the Red Sox made some major signings, picking up first baseman Justin Turner from the Los Angeles Dodgers. He has played the majority of games in the Designated Hitter position, with a 0.272 batting average and 14 extra-base hits. Another player the Red Sox signed was Masataka Yoshida, a star batter from Japan. After an exceptional World Baseball Classic performance, recording a tournament record 13 RBIs, Yoshida joined the Red Sox, playing most of his games as both a Left Fielder and Designated Hitter. He has proven to be a great hitter, showing off his power on his lengthy extra-base hits. He has a 0.308 batting average with six home runs, nine doubles, and one triple. Other notable new players include Raimel Tapia from the Toronto Blue Jays and Enmanuel Valdez from the Triple-A Affiliate WooSox. Many familiar faces have also begun to step up their play. After a disappointing 2022 season, Jarren Duran has started off his 2023 campaign hot, with a solid batting average of 0.321. He has

roster as a starter, playing in 42 of the 48 games so far. He has shown off his excellent power after a game-clinching 442-foot moonshot against the Atlanta Braves. However, he has proven inconsistent with a below-average 0.176 batting average and a few errors at first

Start

Baseball Wins First ISL Title Under Coach Cunningham

By Andrew Hildebrandt ’25 Panel Staff

NFL

By Christopher McEvoy ’23 Panel Staff This year’s NFL draft was primarily highlighted by the QB Group. Prior to the draft, rumors swirled around NFL circles regarding who would be the number one overall pick. Some reports believed Bryce Young would be chosen first overall. Others said CJ Stroud would be a perfect fit with new Panthers head coach Frank Reich, and others believed that the Panthers would try to replicate their success with Cam Newton by drafting athletic specimen Anthony Richardson. Still, some circles believed that Will Levis would be a surprise first-overall pick. This controversy around the quarterback position and a draft class with a plethora of talent across all positions made this year’s NFL Draft win to remember.

To start the draft with the first overall pick, the Carolina Panthers

Filled

ended all rumors by selecting Alabama quarterback Bryce Young. Many people thought that this pick was straightforward, but many rumors made it seem that the Panthers could go in another direction. Bryce Young offers the Panthers stability at the quarterback position which they have not had since Cam Newton. Another team that made a significant splash in the NFL draft was the Houston Texans who selected CJ Stroud with the number two overall pick and traded up to the number three overall pick to select the consensus number one defensive player, Will Anderson from Alabama. With the fourth overall pick, the most physically talented quarterback, Anthony Richardson out of Florida, was selected by the Indianapolis Colts. One of the more surprising picks of the night was when the Lions selected Jahmyr Gibbs out of Alabama with the 12th overall pick. Many analysts believe that Gibbs

ments. In a midseason game against Sebs that was abruptly canceled, with Belmont Hill in the lead, the team rallied and went on to secure six consecutive victories, three of which were won by double digits. On Monday’s game against Middlesex, Brady Miller ’24 took the mound and delivered a commanding performance, leading Belmont Hill to an 8-2 victory with two home runs by Nick Anderson ’23. Their win solidified at least a shared ISL championship. In a crucial match against Brooks, a win was imperative to secure the entire ISL title. Despite a sluggish start, Belmont Hill managed to edge ahead with a pivotal single by Jake McManus ’24 in the sixth inning, resulting in a hard-fought 2-1 victory. This season also marks the first-ever ISL championship for Coach Cunningham, Belmont Hill’s first-year head coach. It is

with

Shocking

was a late first or early second-round talent and the Lions organization faced criticism over how early they selected the prospect. Another surprising moment of the first round was when Jalen Carter slid to the 9th pick. This slide was related to an incident that occurred earlier this year when Jalen Carter was involved in a tragic car accident that led to the deaths of two people.

In the middle of the first round, the Pittsburgh Steelers traded up with the New England Patriots to jump ahead of the New York Jets and select offensive tackle Broderick Jones out of Georgia. Reports after the draft revealed that the Jets intended to select Broderick Jones but had to pivot to defensive lineman Will McDonald after the trade. The New England Patriots moved back to pick 17 where they selected Christian Gonzalez. Gonzalez was believed by many to be the best cornerback in the draft, and it was a

Moves

surprise that he lasted all the way to 17.

In arguably the biggest surprise of the NFL draft, quarterback Will Levis was not selected in the first round and instead fell into the second round where he was selected by the Tennessee Titans.

Levis was mocked by many analysts as an early first-round pick, and it was a surprise to all that he lasted so long in the draft. This year’s NFL Draft was an addition to a long line of successful, fun, and exciting NFL drafts. The draft has led to many fans being optimistic about their team’s future and has shaken up the foundations of the NFL. ☐

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Celtics Advance to 2023 Conference Finals 100 Years of Belmont Hill Athletics

By Ben Adams ’25 Panel Staff

The Boston Celtics find themselves deep in the midst of another thrilling playoff run, displaying their resilience and skill on the court. Their path to success took an unexpected turn as they faced the Atlanta Hawks in the first round; the Hawks defeated the Miami Heat in the Play-In tournament. While the significance of this matchup may have been overlooked initially, in retrospect, the Celtics are grateful for the opportunity to face the Hawks instead of the scorching-hot Heat.

The Celtics emerged victorious against the Hawks in a six-game series, although it could be argued that their triumph should have come more easily. Trae Young led the charge for the Hawks, averaging an impressive 29 points per game throughout the series. Notably, Derrick White stepped up as a crucial third option for the Celtics, making significant contributions in every game. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum also showcased their skills, delivering solid performances for the team’s success.

With the first-round victory secured, the Celtics advanced to the second round to face the formidable Philadelphia 76ers.

The 76ers had just completed a dominant sweep of the injury-ridden Brooklyn Nets.

In a stunning turn of events, James Harden stole Game 1 at the Garden, displaying his prowess with an astonishing 45 points. Undeterred, the Celtics responded by winning

Games 2 and 3, asserting their strength.

However, in a dramatic Game 4, despite a valiant comeback attempt, the Sixers managed to even the series in overtime, subsequently securing a crucial win in Boston to take a 3-2 lead. Reminiscent of their performance against the Milwaukee

sent the Sixers home in the second round for another disappointing playoff exit.

The Celtics’ journey continues to captivate fans as they defy expectations and exhibit their championship potential. With their eyes set on the ultimate prize, the team’s determination and resolve serve as a testa-

Jayson Tatum Google Images Bucks in the previous year, the Celtics once again defied the odds, staging a remarkable comeback to ultimately claim victory in Game 7. Jayson Tatum, who had struggled to find his rhythm throughout the series, delivered a stellar performance, scoring a career-high playoff total of 51 points. With this heroic display, Tatum and the Celtics

ment to their incredible talent and unwavering spirit. Tatum and the Celtics then faced Jimmy “buckets” Butler and the Miami Heat who proved themselves to be stornger than the typical 8-seed that they entered the playoffs as. After going down 3-0, the Celtics battled back to tie the series but unfortunately weere unable to win Game 7.☐

By Kevin Weldon ’24 Panel Staff From its founding in 1923, Belmont Hill has been committed to fully educating young men of character. The school has always maintained that alongside the essential work done in the classroom, the fields play just as integral a role in the development of Belmont Hill boys–teaching values such as humility, respect, and most of all working together. Starting with only a few sports upon its founding, Belmont Hill now features fifty-seven teams competing in sixteen different sports. Our school has a unique teacher-coach model, which allows students and teachers to form an even stronger bond as students develop both physically and mentally. Our school celebrated this unique and core aspect of the community during the Alumni Reunion weekend, similar to the Chapel seen by students in March. Athletics have been a cornerstone of Belmont Hill life for an entire century, and we can be sure that they will continue to be just as celebrated and successful for the next hundred years as Belmont Hill keeps growing and expanding its legacy. ☐

Lacrosse Historic Season Comes to an End 6-4 victory against a formidable Deerfield team. They also had a stellar victory against long-time rivals St. Sebastian’s School under Heading into the 2023 season, the the lights at Boston University. Highlighted lacrosse team faced considerable pressure by a remarkable performance from Senior following their successful previous sea- goalie and Air Force commit Matthew Torson and a roster brimming with talented players. Even with the surprising ending, “Despite the result [against Tabor] on it is fair to say the team lived up to expec- Wednesday, this has been one of the best tations. The team ended the season with teams I have ever played with. I cherish an outstanding record of 15-1. In the regthe boys and everything they do for this ular season, however, the team finished team.” - Matthew Torrey ’23 with an undefeated record and won their 14th ISL regular season championship.

One standout moment was their com- rey ’23, the team won 8-5. The team domimanding victory over St. Georges, where nated against Brooks and St. Marks where they triumphed with a score of 20-2 after they won both games by at least seventeen traveling to their opponent’s turf. Addi- goals. Leading the charge this year was Finn tionally, they had both a thrilling 6-5 win Fox ’24 and captains Eli Goldstein ’23, Matagainst Avon Old Farms and a hard-fought thew Torrey ’23, and Charlie Hazard ’23. In

By Christopher McEvoy ’25 Panel Staff

Finn Fox ‘24

Adam Richins

one of the most recent high school power rankings by the National Lacrosse Federation, Belmont Hill secured the eighth spot in the country, an incredible achievement.

This year’s lacrosse seasonis was truly one of the best that Belmont Hill has seen in recent memory. Future Belmont Hill lacrosse teams will hope to replicate the success of this year. Unfortunately in the first round of the ISL playoffs, Belmont Hill suffered a stunning loss to Tabor which ended their season. Despite this loss, Belmont Hill’s season was magnificent and despite the loss of many important seniors the team looks poised to have a strong season next in the coming years. ☐

BH Crew Proves Successful Track Triumphs in ISL

By Kevin Weldon ’24 Panel Staff The erg fans have been spinning since long before March, as the Crew team got prepared for another season with high goals. Beginning on the second week of spring break, thirty-six boys gathered at the boathouse and rowed in the brisk March weather.

The season quickly swung into action, and the team was more than prepared for the task ahead. As the season began, Belmont Hill set their sights on defending the two cups which they currently held–the Ducey Cup with BB&N and the Bassett Cup with Nobles. The team retained both, with a 4-0 victory over BB&N and a close 2-2 tiebreak victory–with wins from the 1v4 and 4v4, 3v8, 4v8, and 5v8–over rival Nobles. Boats continued to gain speed as the fours swept Brooks and Groton while the eights continued to

dominate competition on the Powerhouse, and seedings were released for the New England Interscholastic Rowing Association (NEIRA) Regatta.

The Belmont Hill Varsity Crew completed another outstanding season, with two of their fours going undefeated and all four crews placing top two at the NEIRA Regatta. The team retained both regular season cups, and will be taking home four trophies this year, both NEIRA trophies and the team trophy as well. The 1v4 will travel down to Sarasota next weekend to compete at Youth Nationals, and The Panel congratulates Belmont Hill Varsity Crew on another successful year. ☐

BH’s 1v4

Adam Richins

By Christopher McEvoy ’24 Panel Staff It has been an exceptionally successful track and field season for Belmont Hill this year. This is the fifth ISL Championship victory for the squad, dating back to 2017. Leading the way were exceptional captains Davi Souza Ribeiro ’23, Miles Sandowski ’24 and Will Lloyd ’23, who each played instrumental roles in the team’s success.

Runners Miles Sandowski ’24, Ashton Cruz ’24, Jordan Summers ’25, and Chris Milmoe ’23 all performed admirably. Their respective times in their events all ranked among the fastest in the ISL. In the long jump, Justin Lee ’26 played a crucial role in the team’s success by consistently achieving impressive jumps of 18 ft. Additionally, Garrett Theberge ’24 led the pole vaulting group to a highly successful season. On the Field side, athletes such as Scott Black ’24, Josiah Gomes ’24, Tommy Rupley ’25, and Samson Onuoha ’25 contributed sig-

nificantly to the team’s accomplishments in events such as javelin, shot put, and the discus. Mr. Harder noted that “Jackson Pagan was stellar in the two hurdles events and 4 x 400m relay all season, with second place finishes in all of his races at the ISL Championship meet.” And that, “We had a GREAT season... They worked hard, and it paid off big-time at the two championship meets. We are a young team, with most of our point scorers returning for 2024.” With an overall record of 14 wins and 1 loss, the team’s sole defeat came in a hard-fought regular season meet against Middlesex.

The season culminated with a big victory at the ISL meet, securing the team an ISL title. At New England’s, the squad placed an impressive 5th in the top division. Mrs. Gorman commented, “We won the ISLs not due to one star, but because individuals— whether they were veterans or new to the sport—committed themselves to working hard throughout the season and ultimately stepped up at the championship meet.” ☐

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T he Panel

Senior Destinations As of June 3rd American University New York University Babson College (3) Northeastern University Bentley University Pomona College Boston College (3) Providence College (2) Bowdoin College (3) Southern Methodist University Brandeis University Syracuse University (4) Brown University (2) Texas Christian University Bucknell University Trinity College Carnegie Mellon University Tufts University (2) Colby College (2) Tulane University of Louisiana (2) Colgate University (2) United States Air Force Academy College of the Holy Cross (2) United States Naval Academy Colorado College University of Pennsylvania Cornell University University of Richmond (3) Dartmouth College (5) University of Vermont Davidson College Villanova University Dickinson College Wake Forest University (2) Emory University Washington University in St. Louis Georgetown University (3) West Virginia University Harvard College (4) Williams College Johns Hopkins University (2) Worcester Polytechnic Institute (3) Lafayette College Yale College (3) Middlebury College (2)