Monday and Tuesday’s slate wiped out, more postponements today
By JIM SOUTHMAYD
WAKEFIELD — The Blizzard of 2015 has resulted in the postponement of all of Wakefield Memorial High’s sporting events the past two days and could result in more postponements for today’s events.
As of press time, one out of three contests were still on although Director of Athletics and Student Activities Mike Boyages said that could change. A decision was expected to be made on all those games later this morning.
The three scheduled events are boys’ and girls’ hockey and wrestling.
The boys’ hockey team was scheduled to play Belmont tonight at 5 p.m. at the Viglirolo Rink in Belmont. That game has already been postponed. The makeup date is Monday, Feb. 9 at 5 p.m. at the Viglirolo Rink.
The girls’ hockey team has a non-league game scheduled to be played against Austin Prep tonight at 6 p.m. at the Stoneham Arena.
The wrestling team was slated to square off against rival Melrose for the Middlesex League Freedom division title tonight at 7 p.m. at the Charbonneau Field House. The meet has been postponed. The makeup is to be announced.
“The first thing we have to consider is the safety of the athletes,” said Boyages. “The two hockey games are away, so I have to talk with them (the Belmont and Austin Prep Athletic Directors) about tonight’s games. With hockey it’s always difficult to get ice time.
“The wrestling is a home meet and I want to go down to the school and see if the parking lot is cleared of snow,” continued Boyages. “I also want to check with the Superintendent (of Schools, Dr. Stephen Zrike) before we make a final decision on tonight’s meet.”
The weather has already resulted in two days worth of the WMHS sports scheduled being wiped out.
On Monday, both the varsity and JV boys’ hockey games, scheduled for 4 p.m. that afternoon, were called off in advance of the storm. The varsity was scheduled to have played at Ryan Arena in Watertown and the JV boys’ hockey team was scheduled to have played Belmont at home.
Both games have yet to be rescheduled.
On Tuesday with the blizzard battering the region and a travel ban instituted by Governor Charlie Baker, there was no way any contest could have been played. In fact, all the hoop games, girls’ gymnastics meet, and girls’ track meet were all called off on Monday.
The only event from Tuesday that has been rescheduled is the girls’ track meet. Wakefield will run against Burlington on Thursday, Feb. 5 at 5:30 p.m. at the Lexington Field House. That is when the entire Middlesex League runs in the fifth block of dual meets.
The varsity and JV boys’ and girls’ basketball games were scheduled to have been played at Belmont, while the freshman boys’ and girls’ basketball games against Belmont were scheduled to have been played at the Charbonneau Field House.
“The basketball games (the varsity and JV) are in Belmont, so I don’t know when those games are going to be made up,” said Boyages. “I don’t know if Belmont has any non-league games scheduled or not. I think we may have to go some weekend. Those games are difficult to reschedule as well. The girls’ track is a little different and that has been rescheduled for later next week.”
The girls’ gymnastics team was scheduled to have hosted Malden in a non-league meet. That also will be made up at later date to be announced.
Games are not the only events to be affected by the storm. All the athletes have been unable to practice for the past couple of days as well. Boyages is hoping that the teams will be able to hold practice later this afternoon.
“It’s tough when 30 inches of snow has fallen,” said Boyages.
Like everyone else digging out from the blizzard, life will get back to normal as soon as possible and the Warrior sports teams will once again return to competition.
