The Westfield High School hockey team gets set to take the ice against Deerfield for a preseason scrimmage Friday at Amelia Park Ice Arena. (Photo by Marc St. Onge)
WESTFIELD – The defending Division 2 West Sectional hockey champion Westfield Bombers are back.
The Westfield High School boys’ ice hockey team returns for the 2017-18 season fresh off winning their 12th championship in 16 years, thanks to a 4-2 win over Longmeadow.
In the finals, Westfield received goals from four different players to secure its fourth title in five years and 10th since 2002. It was the fifth time in 15 years that the Bombers repeated.
Thus, they now seek a three-peat.
“Everyone loves beating Westfield and Longmeadow will always be there,” Westfield head coach C.B. “Moose” Matthews said, just prior to Friday afternoon’s scrimmage against Deerfield Academy.
Together, Westfield and Longmeadow have combined for 15 of the last 16 championships.
The winning goalie in that game, Westfield’s Cam Parent, returns for his penultimate senior season.
“I’m impressed,” coach Matthews said in reviewing his team’s showing through a week of tryouts. “I didn’t think we would be as strong (as we’ve looked).”
It appears early on that Westfield has strong lines of attack, but Matthews cautioned, “Only time will tell.”
The clock will start ticking on the new season Dec. 12 against East Longmeadow at the Olympia Ice Center in West Springfield. The puck drops at 8:30 p.m.
