Westfield High School gymnastics coach Joanne Hewins greets Caitlin Daniels after Daniels’ successful uneven bar routine Friday night. (Photo by Marc St. Onge)
WESTFIELD – The Westfield High School gymnastics team continues to take steps toward regaining their throne atop Western Massachusetts.
The program’s winningest coach, Joanne Hewins, who returned to coach the team this season has Westfield off to an unblemished 4-0 start. The latest victory came Friday night as the Bombers posted a first-place finish of 131.35 points. Hampshire Regional and Chicopee Comprehensive placed second (128.65) and third (113.9), respectively.
“They have definitely improved over last week,” Hewins said of her gymnasts. “We had a lot of falls last week, but just a few falls (tonight).”
While Hampshire freshman Hailey Raffa claimed victory in the all-around competition, posting a score of 33.7, Westfield managed to take second and third with sophomore Kaela Johnson recording a 33.6 and junior Kylie Liptak a 33.2.
Johnson was first on vault (8.3), second on uneven bars (8.4), fifth on balance beam (8.1) and fourth on floor exercise (8.75). Liptak was second on vault (8.1), beam (8.4), and floor (9.0).
“Kaela and Kylie looked stronger,” said coach Hewins, also noting that the two gymnasts introduced new skills during Friday’s competition.
There were other individual success stories for Westfield. Bombers’ Claire Smith took home gold on the bars (8.65). Caity Daniels was fourth (8.2). Daniels also tied for third on vault with teammate Kelly Burns. They each scored an 8.0. Lindsey Jacobs placed fifth with her floor routine, garnering an 8.35.
This season, former Bomber gymnast Rachel Midwood will serve as the team’s assistant.
Westfield will take all the help it can get as the Bombers will take on what figures to be this season’s toughest foes, the Minnechaug Falcons, who currently boast an unbeaten mark of 2-0.
So what’s it going to take to keep things rolling for the Bombers?
Said Hewins: “It is going to take being consistent and keeping the scores up.”
FIELD HOCKEY
Longmeadow 8, Westfield 0
Longmeadow raced out to a 5-0 halftime lead and cruised to a convincing 8-0 victory over Westfield Friday afternoon.
Leah Sabatini and Beth Yorns scored two goals apiece to lead Longmeadow. Sabatini tallied a pair of goals within a span of 62 seconds two-thirds of the way through the first half; Yorns notched two second-half scores.
Olivia Cunningham and Jackie Frank each had a goal and assist.
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Westfield def. East Longmeadow 25-12, 25-17, 25-11
Westfield improved to 6-2 overall, 4-0 Western Division with solid efforts from Viktoria Pavlyuk (8 kills, 1 ace), Brigid Moriarty (23 assists, 2 aces), Grace Regan (6 kills, 3 aces), Irelis Rodriguez (6 kills, 3 aces, 7 digs), Olivia Hadla (3 kills), and Emily Gelinas (3 kills).
Southwick def. Pioneer Valley Christian Academy 23-25, 25-23, 23-21, 25-10
Alexandra Methe (10 aces, 10 digs, 5 kills), Emily Buchter (9 digs), Jen Motsko (9 digs), Sarah Cerone (8 kills, 3 digs, 2 blocks, 1 ace), Kaitlyn Haseltine (13 assists, 8 digs, 5 aces, 3 kills), and Kayla Andrade (8 assists, 5 kills, 5 digs) fueled the latest Southwick victory.
GIRLS SOCCER
Westfield 2, Ludlow 0
Westfield scored two second half goals – one each from Catie Bean and Chandler Pedolzky – and the Bombers recorded a shutout on the road.
Kaela Mochak and Mackenzie Liptak each finished with an assist.
Westfield Technical Academy 0, Putnam 0
Westfield Technical Academy center defender Leillani Marsh and sweeper Christina Mosijchuk allowed just two shots by Putnam, and Tigers goalie Caitlen Carter (2 saves) earned a shutout.
Westfield Tech managed six shots, but Putnam thwarted the Tigers’ effort.
GOLF
St. Mary’s 13, Westfield Technical Academy 12
St. Mary’s Manny Umana shot a match-best 46 at Tekoa Country Club. Saints’ Ryan Sweeney finished with a 47. Riley Sullivan also had a 47 for Westfield Tech.
Thurs., Sept. 26
BOYS SOCCER
Minnechaug 1, Westfield 0
Minnechaug scored early off a cross pass and held off Westfield at Roots Athletics Center.
“We did a decent job absorbing pressure and countering to the areas behind their outside backs – they push them high,” Westfield boys soccer coach Andrew Joseph said. “We had several good looks but couldn’t put one in.”
Westfield also had a shot that appeared to be batted away by a defender’s hand in the box, but no penalty was called.
Aiden Van Oostveen had his best game in net to date, making nearly a half dozen key saves.
“He’s not looking like a sophomore any more,” coach Joseph said of his starting keeper.
GIRLS SOCCER
Palmer 4, Southwick 0
Southwick goalie Sydney Demyon collected 14 saves.
