This is the final installment of our four-part 2016 Sports Year in Review series. This section highlights fall 2016 in sports, locally.
WESTFIELD – As temps cooled and leaves began to change color, kids returned to school. That meant the return of fall sports.
The Westfield High School football team returned to Bullens Field in a big, big way when senior quarterback Austin St. Pierre victimized Hoosac Valley for five touchdowns as the Bombers rolled past the Hoosac Valley Hurricanes 54-22 in a season opener.
The 2016 Westfield High School football team runs out of a “tunnel” of smoke in a large inflatable helmet to begin a regular season game at Bullens Field. (Photo by Marc St. Onge)
Westfield quickly improved to 2-0 with a 38-19 win over Agawam the following week before being trampled in a “Gold” rush in Springfield when Central senior running back De’Andre Goldson took four out of five touches to the end zone, racking up 153 yards in the process in dismantling previously unbeaten Westfield, 39-6.
Westfield senior running back Wilton Royal rushes for the second of of his three touchdowns scored against Commerce during the 2016 regular season. (Photo by Marc St. Onge)
Westfield responded by reeling off five consecutive victories though, defeating Commerce 34-6, West Springfield 44-0, Northampton 49-18, Putnam 36-8, and East Longmeadow 51-35, to close out the regular season 7-1.
Westfield High School football senior quarterback stiff arms an Agawam player during a Friday night matchup at Bullens Field. (Photo by Marc St. Onge)
Westfield, which entered the postseason as the third seed, stunned No. 2 Central 26-25 in one of the program’s biggest playoff victories. The Bombers held off a late Golden Eagles rally, sending players and fans into a frenzy as the team stormed the field and the school’s marching band played along.
The Westfield Bombers celebrate a Division 2 West Sectional championship victory at Holyoke High School. (Photo by Marc St. Onge)
Westfield marched past West Springfield 40-16 in the Division 2 West Sectional final, cementing their status as the region’s best. In that game, Bombers’ senior Zach Adam scored twice (once on defense, another time on special teams), and senior running back Wilton Royal had three touchdowns.
Westfield fell just short of a trip to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough though. Shrewsbury sophomore quarterback Drew Campanale played light years ahead of his time, throwing for three touchdowns in leading the Colonials past the Bombers 42-12 in the Central-West matchup at Westfield State University.
Westfield junior gymnast Liz Walker was all smiles at the 2015 west sectionals, winning the All-Around title and helping extend their Bombers’ decade-long winning streak. The Year 2016 was more of the same as Walker led her team to a repeat performance. (Photo by Marc St. Onge)
For the Westfield High School gymnastics team, it was just another ho-hum season. For the Bombers, that simply means another humdinger.
Westfield held off a resilient Minnechaug squad to win its 10th straight West Sectional crown and extend its epic winning streak to 173-0. This time around it was Liz Walker who led the way. Walker, a senior gymnast, won the All-Around competition for the second straight year.
It may not have been a gold medal performance from the Southwick golf team, but in Southwick coach Al Selden’s seventh season, the Rams posted their best finish at Western Mass., by finishing runners-up.
Matthew Garrity follows through on a swing for Southwick in a championship round. Garrity and the Rams will swing for the fences in ’17, seeking a Western Massachusetts championship (Photo by Chris Putz)
Selden, who seeks his 100th career win in 2017, and the Rams are likely to challenge for the trophy next time around.
While one coach is poised to etch his name in the local sports history books, another turned the page on a new chapter.
Westfield High School baseball coach Rich Discenza announced his retirement following a resume that included three Western Massachusetts Division 1 crowns in eight seasons, and some 200-plus victories in a career that spanned nearly 19 seasons between Westfield and Cathedral high schools.
Discenza leaves behind a team likely to challenge for the D1 trophy in ’17. Several others will attempt to make their mark on Western Mass. as early as this winter.
The Year 2016 was a memorable one. Here’s hoping ’17 can match that excitement!
The Westfield High School gymnastics team captures the Western Mass championship for the 10th consecutive season. (Photo by Bill Deren)
