The Westfield High School hockey team gets ready for its 2012-13 debut. First up for the Bombers, the West Springfield Terriers on Dec. 6 at the Olympia in West Springfield. (Photo by Fred Gore)
WESTFIELD – Every season, the Westfield High School hockey team sets out to win a Western Massachusetts Division III championship. But this season, that takes on a bit more meaning.
Last year, Longmeadow freshman Charlie Kelleher kept heads spinning with his sparkling play in the title game to help the Lancers score five unanswered goals and stun the Bombers 5-3.
Even more important was the play of senior goalie Tom McCarthy, who finished with 35 saves. Fortunately, for Westfield, he has since moved on. Unfortunately, for the Bombers, Westfield’s spectacular senior forward Nick Sibilia has also departed.
But as things change, they appear to be the somewhat the same.
“All of the Berry Division teams are coming to get us,” Westfield coach C.B. “Moose” Matthews said. “They’re pumped to come out and beat us. It’s a big win for a team to beat the Bombers or Longmeadow.”
The two teams combined have won all of the Western Massachusetts titles in D3 over the past decade. Longmeadow, which claimed the crown last season, won consecutive championships in 2009-10 and 2005-06. Westfield, which last won in 2011, won the title in successive years from 2006-08 and 2002-04.
Over the course of those years, Matthews’ teams have either featured an all-out display of offensive weaponry or a defensive unit which resembles a brick wall that no one can pass. This season is shaping up to take on the look of the latter.
“We have one of the strongest cores on defense,” Matthews said.
The blue line will be manned by senior defensemen Nate Barnes and Ethan Nasser, and Brendon Miemiec, who may also find himself on the front lines as well. Junior Nick Liberto, senior Mike Chaderjian, and sophomore Andy Gale were all in the mix for the starting goaltending position leading up to the Dec. 6 opener against West Springfield at Olympia Ice Center in West Springfield.
“If our goaltending comes up for us, we will have a pretty good year,” Matthews said. “We have the horses up front and a strong defense. If our goaltending comes up like we think it will, we will have a good year.”
Matthews is expected to name the starting goalie following Saturday’s scrimmage against Tri-Town in Enfield, Conn.
This season will be a true test for Westfield in that it now plays 10 independent games, primarily against Division I foes. The Bombers, Lancers, and the other Berry Division teams, which includes West Springfield, Minnechaug, East Longmeadow, and Ludlow, will play each other twice, rather than three times as in the past few years.
“We will be ready,” Matthews promised. “We’re playing pretty much as a team right now.”
