Westfield’s defense works to bring down the Chicopee Comp ball carrier Friday night at Bullens Field. (Photo by Marc St. Onge)
WESTFIELD – The Westfield High School football team took two steps forward with consecutive wins against East Longmeadow and Agawam. On Friday, the Bombers took one step back.
Chicopee Comp senior quarterback Nathaniel Lepage executed his team’s hurry-up offense to perfection, throwing for four touchdowns in downing Westfield 35-14 Friday night at Bullens Field.
Chicopee Comp (2-3) struck with surprising deftness, blindsiding Westfield (3-2) with three first quarter touchdowns. After stalling out on their first drive, the Colts scored on five straight possessions.
On their second drive of the game, Chicopee Comp drove 55 yards in four plays. The Colts scored their first touchdown when Lepage connected with senior wide receiver Travis Kagan on a 14-yard pass with 5:53 remaining in the first quarter.
Two plays into Westfield’s drive, the Bombers fumbled the ball away.
Chicopee took over on the Westfield 16-yard line and immediately took advantage, scoring on a 16-yard touchdown pass to senior running back Isaias Gomez. The score came with 4:36 left in the quarter and resulted in a 14-0 Colts lead.
Westfield charmed their way to a touchdown on their third series. Needing just two plays, Bombers senior running back Nick Clauson rushed for 33 yards, and sophomore quarterback Matt Adamites followed that up with a 32-yard scoring strike to junior wide out William Brewster with 4:08 on the first quarter clock.
Chicopee Comp responded with another touchdown, driving 80 yards in less than two minutes on their ensuing drive. The Colts scored on an 11-yard TD pass from Lepage to Kyle Jones.
The second quarter featured much of the same.
Westfield turned the ball over early in the second quarter when Gomez intercepted the ball near midfield.
Once again, Chicopee Comp took advantage of the turnover. The Colts soon scored on a 2-yard TD run from Gomez with 7:54 remaining in the second quarter.
Westfield moved the ball some on their next possession, but stalled out on the Chicopee Comp 15-yard line.
Chicopee Comp continued its assault. The Colts drove 85 yards in 2 minutes, 42 seconds and capped it all off with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Lepage to Jones. The score was 35-7.
Westfield nearly came away with a score late in the first half, but the drive ended just a few yards away from the goal line when time ran out.
Westfield came out with a renewed purpose in the second half. The Bombers put together a 14-play drive that chewed up 67 yards, ate up nearly five minutes of clock, and culminated in a 1-yard plunge by Clausen.
Chicopee Comp countered with a drive deep into Westfield territory. The Bombers escaped unscathed though as C.J. Flores-Skribiski stepped in front of a Lepage pass and returned the interception 90 yards for a touchdown. It was now 35-21.
The two teams exchanged possession of the ball twice in the fourth quarter, and the score remained unchanged until the final seconds ticked off the game clock.
GOLF
Westfield Technical Academy 20, Sabis 4
Westfield Technical Academy qualified for the postseason with their fourth win in four days to finish the regular season 7-6.
Dave Romani shot a 44, Trent Adam shot a 46, Hunter Loomis shot a 47, and Jake Collier shot a 48 to lead the Tigers into their second season.
“(It was a) great way to cap off the week,” Westfield Technical Academy golf coach Bob Eak said. “The Tigers proved they belong.”
It is Westfield Tech’s first tournament appearance in more than a decade.
GIRLS SOCCER
St. Mary’s 6, Westfield Technical Academy 2
Emma Bialas and Emma Goodreau each scored twice to lead St. Mary’s. Allie Goodreau and Chloe Lussier had one goal apiece; Nadia Podolyanchuk delivered three assists; and, Jess Crosby, Jess Armstrong, and Bialas each had one.
St. Mary’s goalie Amelia Willenborg had 12 saves.
Christina Mosijchuk and Jess Buch tallied one goal apiece – – both off direct kicks – – for Westfield Technical Academy. Tigers’ Caitlin Carter and Ari Levere combined for 12 saves.
BOYS SOCCER
Westfield Technical Academy 1, Putnam 0
Darryl Reopel scored off a cross pass for the lone Westfield Tech goal, the game-winner.
Westfield 3, Easthampton 1
Westfield experimented with Jack Fortier up top and it paid off handsomely. Fortier drew a penalty 11 minutes in, and buried it. Ten minutes later, Mike Grochowski took a loose ball at the top of the box and buried it for a nice goal. Seven minutes after that, Shea Drugan scored off an assist from Zack Edelseon.
“(Things) just really clicked for us today,” Westfield boys soccer head coach Andrew Joseph said. “They couldn’t deal with the speed and movement from our front three. Our backs and central midfielders were very thorough and won their 1-v-1 battles.”
Westfield improved to 3-6-4. The Bombers have four games remaining, all league matchups, beginning with East Longmeadow on the road Tuesday at 4 p.m.
“We’re treating every game like it’s the postseason the rest of the way,” coach Joseph said.
FIELD HOCKEY
Frontier 2, Westfield 0
Lily Spenser and Lila Roche scored one goal apiece in leading Frontier to victory at Boardman Field.
Westfield goalie Lindsey Brown recorded 20 saves.
Thurs., Oct. 10
BOYS SOCCER
Westfield Technical Academy 4, Pathfinder 0
Dan Kontsimal scored two goals, and Adam Strycharz and Darryl Reopel tallied one apiece in Westfield Technical Academy’s shutout. David Tikhonchuk, Kaiden Feist, and Jon Vella assisted.
“Guys are enjoying their time together,” Westfield Technical Academy boys soccer head coach Kyle Dulude said. “It is time they need to step up. We have not peaked yet. (We are) hoping we will continue to improve and keep getting better as tournament time approaches.”
GIRLS SOCCER
Westfield 3, Northampton 0?
Three different players – Chandler Pedolzky, Kaela Mochak, Megan Alverado – scored one goal apiece for Westfield. Bombers’ Catie Bean and Saige Smith assisted.
Westfield goalie Adrianna Arona recorded a shutout in net.
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Westfield 3, Sabis 0
Viktoria Pavlyuk (6 kills, 1 ace), Irelis Rodriguez (3 kills, 7 aces, 8 digs), Grace Regan (7 kills, 2 aces), Emily Gelinas (4 kills, 6 aces), Brigid Moriarty (21 assists, 2 aces), Yanaira Henry (5 digs, 6 aces), and Grace Regan (4 kills, 2 aces) contributed to a sweeping victory for Westfield (12-2 overall, 8-0 Western League).
Southwick def. Mohawk Trail 25-12, 25-8, 25-16
Kaitlyn Haseltine (6 aces, 2 digs, 4 kills, 3 assists) put together a nice all-around effort to fuel Southwick’s latest victory, a sweep against Mohawk. Rams’ Kayla Andrade had five assists.
GOLF
Westfield Technical Academy 21, Central 3
Westfield Technical Academy staved off postseason elimination with their third win in three days.
Hunter Loomis, Riley Sullivan, Jake Collier, and Tanner Levasseur all posted 4-0 wins. For the third straight day, Loomis was the lowest scoring Tiger, finishing with a 47.
Westfield Tech improved to 6-6 with one match remaining against Sabis.
Southwick 12.5, Minnechaug 11.5
Southwick’s Matthew Garrity and Minnechaug’s Peter Wurszt finished deadlocked in a tie at Edgewood Golf Course. Each golfer shot a 37 to lead the field.
Wed., Oct. 9
FIELD HOCKEY
Smith Academy 2, Southwick 1
Amanda Novak and Charlotte Cavanaugh scored one goal apiece, and Smith Academy held off visiting Southwick for a narrow victory.
Emily Martin scored the lone Southwick goal. Avey Glynn assisted.
Southwick goalie Clare Stratton made four saves. Smith keeper Hadley Szhal had three.
In JV action, Southwick lost 2-0. Rams’ keeper Ezri Johnston finished with nine saves.
Tues., Oct. 8
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Southwick def. Commerce 25-2, 25-18, 25-19
Kaitlyn Haseltine has a solid all-around effort, collecting eight aces, two digs, seven kills, and 10 assists to lead Southwick in a sweep. Rams’ Kayla Andrade finished with six kills and 10 assists. Alexandra Methe had three aces and two kills.
GOLF
Amherst 18.5, Southwick 5.5
Amherst’s Evan Rutherford shot a match-low 39 at the Hurricanes’ home course, just besting Matthew Garrity, who shot a team-best 40.
St. Mary’s 19, Smith Academy 5
Manny Umana led St. Mary’s, scoring a 37 at Tekoa Country Club. Saints’ Ryan Sweeney shot a 43.
Mon., Oct. 7
GOLF
East Longmeadow 169, Southwick 182
Matthew Garrity (Southwick) led all golfers, shooting a 36.
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
West Springfield def. Southwick 25-11, 25-21, 25-10
Mia Pompi (2 aces), Alexa Rogers (5 digs), Jen Motsko (5 digs), Alexandra Methe (5 digs), Victoria Burkovskiy (3 kills), Kayla Andrade (2 digs, 2 kills, 2 assists), and Sarah Cerone (2 blocks) led Southwick.
