AGAWAM – It may not have been their best effort of the 2017-18 high school basketball season, but their effort proved effective and the result was positive.
Westfield’s Gabe Santos scored a game-high 20 points, and the Bombers defeated the Agawam Brownies on the road Tuesday night, 60-46.
More importantly the win extended Westfield’s hot start as the Bombers improved to 4-0.
“(Agawam) is a well-coached team,” said Westfield coach Josh Balestracci, whose team beat the Brownies for the second time this season. “A win is a win so we will take it.”
Westfield’s Javi Santos (23) makes an aggressive play with the ball in between the Agawam defense Tuesday. (Photo by Chris Putz)
Coach Balestracci praised Javi Santos’s relentless defensive intensity for keeping Agawam’s offense from getting on track.
“Javi Santos really helped us out,” Balestracci said. “He plays great defense and is unselfish. We didn’t have our ‘A’ game, but our kids played really hard.”
Javi’s level of play allowed Gabe Santos to put points on the board.
“If we are monsters on the defensive end, our offense will come,” Javi Santos said.
Through two quarters, Westfield put together a 29-22 lead. In the second half, they kept a relatively comfortable lead to pick up their fourth straight win to begin the season.
“With our defense playing the way it is, we have confidence,” Javi Santos said. “I hope we play every single game like it’s our last.”
BOYS SWIMMING
Bombers stay unbeaten
Westfield 121, Chicopee Comp 64
Matt Morash (50 freestyle, 24.37; 500 free, 5:19.48), Tommy Russell (200 IM, 2:09.70; 100 breaststroke, 1:10.08), and Jack Beaulieu (100 butterfly, 1:01.46; 100 backstroke, 1:06.38) won two events apiece to lead Westfield, which stayed unbeaten at 3-0.
GIRLS SWIMMING
WHS swims to 3-0
Westfield 137, Chicopee Comp 49
Elizabeth Fraser (50 free, 28.35; 100 fly, 1:08.42), Kathryn O’Connor (200 free, 2:12.19, 100 free, 1:01.17), and Alexa Richter (200 IM, 2:24.34; 100 breaststroke, 1:15.78) each won two events to lead unbeaten Westfield (3-0).
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Gators top HCSS
Gateway 36, Hampden Charter School of Science 22
Gateway secured a win over Hampden Charter School of Science Monday by outscoring Hampden Charter 13-5 in the fourth quarter.
Gateway’s Lily Water scored a team-high nine points, and Megan Wright had seven. Gators’ Angela Wright finished with six.
Hampden Charter’s Madison Sheehan led all scorers with 11.
It was a nice bounce back effort from Gateway, following a 31-26 loss to Easthampton last Friday.
