Westfield’s Brendan Whitman scored a team high 8.95 with his floor routine. (Photo by chief photographer Frederick Gore)
WESTFIELD – For the Westfield High School gymnastics team, it was like 2011 again, 2010, or any of the last five years, in fact.
Last night, Westfield collected its 64th and 65th straight meet victories, a record which includes both the regular season and championship meets, and stretches back more than five years. The Bombers placed first in its opener with a 130.2 total, some three points better than Minnechaug (127) and well ahead of host Chicopee Comp. (116.35).
Despite losing the all-around to Minnechaug senior sensation, Emily Murphy (34.65), Westfield juniors Taryn Hamel (33.05) and Angela Bonavita (32.3), who is coming off a knee injury which sidelined her for the 2011 season, placed second and fourth overall, respectively.
Hamel placed first on the vault with an 8.5, second on the uneven bars (7.9), and third on the balance beam (8.2) while helping Westfield nearly sweep the competition with her floor routine. She finished second on the floor exercise, tying Murphy with an 8.45.
Brendan Whitman hauled in the gold medal on the floor with an 8.95, followed by Bonavita (4th, 8.4), Josh Burrage (8.2), and Jaymie White (8.15). Whitman also placed third on the vault (8.45), while Bonavita was fourth (8.35) in the same event, and third on bars (7.5).
Alyssa Carson was fourth on bars with a 7.45 for Westfield; Bombers’ Rachel Patenaude placed fourth on beam (8.1).
“They did very well on the beam, and Rachel Patenaude, who was up first in the event, set the tone for the entire team,” said longtime Westfield coach Joanne Hewins, who just this past year graced the pages of Sports Illustrated with a “Face in the Crowd: Coaches’ Edition” appearance for her team’s remarkable achievements during the past decade. Our floor (routines) were real clean, real strong,”
“I’m happy how we did for our first meet,” she said. “They looked strong.”
