MIAA to Revisit Decision to Drop Boys' Gymnastics

The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association voted in January to drop boys' gymnastics from its roster for sponsored sports.

The Newton North and Newton South boys' gymnastics teams may have a chance at another official season.  The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) recently voted 7-2 to reconsider its decision to drop boys' gymnastics as an official high school sport, according to a report in the Boston.com High School Sports Blog.  Citing low participation numbers, the MIAA voted on January 16 to end sanctioned competition for the seven boys' gymnastics teams in the state. The seven schools with boys' gymnastics teams include: Newton North, Newton South, Braintree, Burlington, Lowell, Attleboro and Andover.  Richard Ellis, coach of the Braintree High School boys gymnastics team, and Braintree Athletic Director Michael Denise, presented …

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What's Happening

Five Things You Need to Know Today: April 26

NNHS lacrosse, the Boston College Arts Festival and a Russian Cultural Festival.

1. Russian cultural festival. After being postponed last weekend, Newton's "From Russia with Art and Culture" festival will kick off tonight with a grand opening celebration at the Newton Cultural Center. The celebration will include a concert as well as remarks, which start at 5 p.m. The cultural festival will continue tomorrow, April 27 and Sunday, April 28 at the Cultural Center. 2. Tomorrow: Medication take back day. The Newton Police Department will host a medication take-back day tomorrow, April 27, at Newton Police Headquarters in West Newton from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Residents are welcome to donate prescription and over-the-counter medications anonymously. Intravenous solutions, injectable drugs or needles and illegal drugs are …

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What's Happening

Five Things You Need to Know Today: April 12

An art reception, a NNHS LaX game and...a Grilled Cheese Throwdown!

1. Grilled Cheese Throwdown! Whole Foods on Walnut Street will host a"Grilled Cheese Throwdown" today at 11 a.m. to celebrate National Grilled Cheese Day. Sample and vote for your favorite grilled cheese creation! 2. Newton natives playing at Brighton Music Hall. Two Newton natives -- Michael Ian Cummings and Noah Rubin -- who are a part of the New York band SKATERS are playing tonight at the Brighton Music Hall (doors at 8 p.m., show at 9 p.m.) Check out our story on the band here. 3. Art reception. The Scandinavian Cultural Center will host a reception tonight for the opening Elizabeth Mitsuye Horwitz's exhibit of Japanese Washi paper. Jazz guitarist Jeremy Quick will provide some tunes for the free reception, which will run from 5 p.m…

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What's Happening

Five Things You Need to Know Today: April 8

A zoning presentation, a Relay for Life benefit and School Committee meets to vote on the budget.

1. School Committee. The Newton School Committee will meet tonight at 7 p.m. in the Education Center. The committee will hold a regular meeting but will also take a final vote on the fiscal 2014, $187.7 million school budget. Other agenda items include an update on the new middle school transition plan for Cabot Elementary. 2. Zoning presentation. Interested in improving Newton's zoning? The city will host a presentation tonight that will cover assessment of Newton's zoning and recommended changes from Code Studio, a zoning consultant. The presentation will be held at 6 p.m. in the War Memorial at Newton City Hall. 3. Benefit Relay for Life...by eating pizza. Relay for Life of Newton/Brookline is hosting a "DoughRaiser" tonight at Uno's in…

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How to Get Your Spring Sports Team Featured on Newton Patch

Have info to share on your favorite sports team? It's easy to get it featured on Newton Patch.

Newton Athletes Take Home Two New England Track & Field Championship Titles

The 26th New England Track & Field Championships were held on Saturday, March 2 at the Reggie Lewis Track & Athletic Center in Boston.

Newton came home with a pair of championship titles and a few top achievements following Saturday's New England Track & Field Championships in Boston.  Newton South senior Jung Park placed first in the boys' 55-meter hurdle race, finishing ahead of Isaiah McEwen of Bloomfield, Conn. and Ben Colello of Lincoln-Sudbury, Mass., according to stats provided by MileSplit Mass. Park also took home the 55-meter hurdle title at the all-state tournament on Feb. 23.  Newton's second championship title went to Newton North senior Carl Whitham, who finished first in the boys' shot put. Whitham topped second place finisher Evan Dombrowski of St. John's Prep (Mass.) and Jared Bell of Deering, Maine. Whitham had finished third in the all-state tournament …

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Newton South Girls' Basketball Shocks Cross-Town Rival in Playoff Victory

The Lions faced the Newton North Tigers Wednesday night at Newton North

In a thrilling overtime finish, the No. 17 Newton South girls' basketball team (11-10) defeated No. 1 Newton North Wednesday night, 49-45, securing a spot for the Lions in the South Div. 1 quarterfinals.  Although Newton South came in as the underdogs, they jumped on their opponents early on in the game, taking a 7-0 lead in the first quarter, the Newton South Denebola reported.  Going into the half, North had a 20-18 lead, but the Lions regained ground and had a 35-33 lead heading into the final quarter, the Denebola reported. After trading the lead in the fourth quarter, North eventually tied it up and the two teams went into overtime.  Once the teams were into extra time, both senior captain Kayla Burton and junior Lauren Levey sunk …

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Newton North, South Basketball Teams Headed to Playoffs

The Newton North girls' ice hockey team will also head to the Div. 1 playoffs.

Newton will be well-represented in this year's South Div. 1 basketball playoffs, as all four teams from Newton North and Newton South are headed to the post-season.  The Newton North girls' team landed the top spot in this year's South Div. 1 tournament with a 19-1 regular season record. The team has a bye in the preliminary round and will play a first round game on Wednesday, Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. at Newton North. The No. 1 Tigers will face the winner of a Newton South-Taunton game played earlier in the week. With an 18-3 regular season record, the Newton North boys' team was seeded in the No. 2 spot in the South Div. 1 tournament and has a bye in the preliminary round. The Tigers will face No. 15 Madison Park (8-8) in a first round match on …

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Tigers Headed to Girls' Volleyball State Championships

The Newton North girls' volleyball team continued their winning streak last night.

In what has been a nearly perfect season thus far, the Newton North girls' volleyball team is hoping to bring their winning ways to the state Division 1 championships.  The Tigers defeated Andover last night 3-0 in the state Div. 1 semifinals, giving them a seat in the Division 1 finals. The state Division 1 championship game will take place this Saturday, Nov. 17 at Algonquin Regional High School, 79 Bartlett St., Northborough. Game time is 6 p.m. Newton North will face the winner of the other state Div. 1 semifinal match, which will be played tonight between Central/West champion Lincoln-Sudbury and South champion Barnstable. The Tigers -- who are now 22-1 on the season -- started the postseason ranked No. 1 in the Central/East Div. 1 …

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Redemption for Newton North Girls' Volleyball Team

The Tigers faced King Philip in the Central/East Div. 1 finals on Saturday.

After the championship slipped out from their hands last season, the Newton North girls' volleyball team held on this season to bring home the Central/East Div. 1 title.  The Tigers swept King Philip High School Saturday night at Babson College to take the sectional championship with a 3-0 victory.  Similar to last season, the Tigers entered the playoffs in the No. 1 spot and moved through the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds with two 3-0 victories. But last year, the No. 3 Brookline High stopped Newton North's playoff momentum and took the sectional title.  This year, though, the Tigers pounced early with a 25-9 victory in the first set. Later in the second set, King Philip kept it close again early on, taking a 5-3 lead a one point, but…

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