Westfield’s Emilie Pease competes in the 200 meter medley relay during Tuesday’s swim meet against visiting Agawam. (Photo by Marc St. Onge)
WESTFIELD – New year, same results.
The Westfield High School swimming and diving team got off to a strong start to begin the 2019-20 season, going undefeated through the holiday break and helping their head coach, Tom Lewis achieve career victory No. 300.
Several days later, Westfield remains unbeaten following Tuesday’s victories over the Agawam Brownies.
BOYS SWIMMING
Westfield 97, Agawam 76
Three boys swimmers – senior Tommy Russell, sophomore Patrick Callahan, and freshman Jaden Noel – won two events apiece as Westfield (5-0) turned back visiting Agawam.
In the premiere event of the night, Russell touched out Agawam senior Elshama Privedenyuk in the 50 freestyle with a winning time of 21.93.
Last year, Privedenyuk finished runner-up in the event at Western Mass. Russell, the defending state champ, also won the 100 butterfly (56.32) Tuesday night.
Callahan took first in the 200 free with a personal best time of 2:04.83 and in the 500 free (5:50.77). Noel claimed gold in the 200 individual medley (2:11.69) and 100 backstroke (1:00.08).
Westfield also placed first in the medley relay (Russell, Anton Bonacci, Jack Beaulieu, Matt Morash) in 1:46.90 and 200 free relay (Beaulieu, Noel, Bonacci, Russell) in 1:37.93.
“It was a really, really good meet for us coming out of the break when we’re usually tired,” coach Lewis said. “It was just a solid, solid meet up and down.”
GIRLS SWIMMING
Westfield 124, Agawam 58
Alexa Richter led the Westfield girls swimming and diving team in a runaway. Richter finished first in the 200 freestyle and 100 free with times of 2:09.32 and 58.12, respectively. She was also part of two winning relay teams – medley (Emilie Pease, Emily Mihalek, Kathryn O’Connor) in 2:04.90 and 200 freestyle (Emily Langlois, Chloe Schumacher, Ally Russell) in 1:51.53.
O’Connor (500 free, 6:06.08) and Langlois (100 backstroke, 1:08.75) won individual events and teamed up with Mihalek and Russell to win the 400 free relay (4:09.89).
Westfield’s Jordan Bannish placed first in diving with 206.45 points. The Bombers improved to 5-0.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Tigers win!
Westfield Technical Academy 29, Pioneer Valley Christian Academy 23
Westfield Tech received a balanced scoring effort, and held the opposition to just a total of 23 points.
Jenna Folsom led Westfield Tech with eight points. Jeika Rios (7 points), Ashley Torres (6), Arianna Levere (5), and Meredith Ploof (3) also scored for the Tigers, who won for the first time in nearly three years.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Saints win!
St. Mary’s 55, Pioneer Valley Christian Academy 42
Jack Lamirande (19 points) and Mike Pepe (16) continued their stellar regular season play, contributing big second halves to fuel St. Mary’s first win of the 2019-20 season.
St. Mary’s dictated the pace of play throughout. Pioneer Valley Christian Academy cut its deficit to within six points with four minutes remaining in regulation before the Saints pulled away.
Brady Collins and Nick Montenaro scored eight apiece for St. Mary’s.
Smith, Purple Knights prevail
Holyoke 69, Westfield 63
Holyoke’s Jovaughn Smith scored a game-high 25 points, and three others joined the double-digit scoring column (William Cruz, 16; Brian Cristobal, 11; Jael Cabrera, 11) as the Purple Knights successfully defended their home court.
Tonny Torres led Westfield with 19 points. Bombers’ Will Cameron had 12.
Molta paces Rams
Ware 46, Southwick 40
Kevin Smith (17 points), John Soltys (14), and Dylan Slattery (11) each scored in double-digits to lead Ware at home.
Ryan Molta led Southwick (1-4, 0-1) with 13 points. Rylan Secovich chipped in with 10, and Leighton Billings had eight.
WRESTLING
Freshmen pave way for Bombers victory
Westfield 58, Ludlow 13
Westfield was led by its freshmen core.
At 120 pounds, Westfield freshman Anthony Ross recorded his first varsity win, a pin over Gabby Walczak in 1:09. At 132, freshman Anthony Gustafson pinned Ludlow’s Luke Morin in just 38 seconds. At 145, Bombers freshman Daniel Ptashuk won, pinning Nate Calabrese in 50 seconds. At 113, Tristan Conners lost a close decision to Lions’ Antonio Goncalves, 9-5.
“I’m very pleased with their progress,” Westfield wrestling head coach Chris Malinowski said in regards to his young underclassmen.
Westfield junior Zack Cernak defeated Ludlow’s Alexa Forjmester, 20-11, in a matchup of 126 pounders. Caitlin Carter (152 pounds) made her varsity debut for the Bombers, battling Aiden Robert before falling 10-2. Senior captain Cam Foster won a hard-fought battle over Lions’ Gabe Simard 7-6 in the most exciting match of the night.
Westfield’s Cam Clauson (182 pounds) returned to action after a long layoff, and although he was a bit rusty, came away with a narrow 6-5 win over Jake Paquin. Chris Barber moved up a weight class for Westfield, taking on Ludlow’s Donovan Dwyer in a heavyweight bout. Barber pinned Dwyer in 1:29.
“The guys are starting to believe in themselves and each other,” coach Malinowski said. “As long as we stick together and keep working hard, we will continue to improve.”
Westfield next wrestles as the Ludlow duals Saturday.
