…And the Bombers are off and running at Tuesday’s indoor track meet at Smith College in Northampton. (Photo by Chris Putz)
NORTHAMPTON – Six words best describe the Westfield High School girls’ indoor track team’s accomplishments this winter.
“It has been an incredible season,” Westfield girls’ indoor track coach Linda Rowbotham said, following the Bombers’ wins over Putnam and Central at Tuesday night’s Pioneer Valley Interscholastic Athletic Conference competition at Smith College.
Westfield trounced Putnam 89-6 and defeated Central 58-37 to secure its third straight Southern Division championship. The Bombers (10-2 overall) completed their division schedule with an unbeaten record of 6-0.
“It’s pretty exciting in terms of only having two losses, and beating Northampton and East Longmeadow – those two are definitely formidable foes,” coach Rowbotham said.
Westfield, who already knocked off Chicopee Comp, Agawam, Chicopee, and Sci-Tech earlier this season, completed the divisional sweep with wins over Central and Putnam Tuesday night.
The big winners that night for Westfield included: senior Morgan Sanders (55 hurdles, 8.66), senior Taylor White (1 mile, 5:45.29), sophomore Mia McDonald (600 meters, 1:47.85), and sophomore Moira McDonald (300 meters, 43.61).
MIA MCDONALD
Sanders has been on a tear for quite some time now. The elite senior speedster owns the fastest time in the 55 hurdles among high school track female track athletes in the entire state, having set that mark (8.56) in late December. She has been the top all season.
That is not Sanders’ only feat though. She is also the proud owner of the farthest long jump in Western Massachusetts, currently at 16 feet, seven inches.
The young McDonald sisters form a solid 1-2 punch for Westfield.
“Mia is a standout for us in distance events from 600 meters and above; Moira is our true blue speedster from 400 meters and under,” Rowbotham said.
White, who dedicates her fall seasons to soccer, has continued to make a smooth transition to indoor track. She and several other Bombers have already qualified for state competition.
The list of season-long accolades is impressive.
Just last Friday night, Westfield’s 4×200 relay team – Moira McDonald, Sanders, junior Gigi Katsounakis, and sophomore Aliya Yachteen – set a school record with a blazing time of 1:50.81.
“That was awesome,” Rowbotham said. “It was definitely a nice run.”
Others like junior shot putter Amanda Hall have made their mark as well.
MORGAN SANDERS
“We have a core of athletes winning their events the entire season,” Rowbotham explained. “They’re incredible, hard-working, and have tons of talent … We have tons of potential to do well in our post-meet season.”
The Westfield girls’ indoor track team will get the opportunity to put that talent and potential to work at the Western Massachusetts championships next Fri., Jan. 29 at Smith College in Northampton, beginning at 6 p.m.
A total of 25 female student-athletes from Westfield have qualified for WMass thus far.
BOYS’ STARS: Senior Jeff McConkey (300 meters, 37.23) and junior Ryan Prenosil (600 meters, 1:26.64) won individual events for Westfield Tuesday night. The Bombers’ 4×400 relay team struck gold with a winning time of 3:47.56 … Southwick senior Jared DeMaio finished first in the 1000 meters with a time of 2:56.02, and Rams’ Brandon Castor won the high jump (5-8).
