Westfield junior Neil Sheehan shoots past a giant slalom gate in Tuesday’s Western Mass Individual championship race. (Photo by Liam Sheehan)
CHARLEMONT – With the Pioneer Valley Interscholastic Athletic Conference ski championships now in the books, one thing is apparent – Westfield saved the best for last.
Westfield High School’s Neil Sheehan won silver in the sport’s main event Tuesday, and two fellow female skiers raised eyebrows with a lightning-quick, pulse-pounding finish.
Sheehan compiled a total time of 60.79 (34.13, slalom; 26.66, GS), finishing second only to the victor, Longmeadow’s Kyle Gagne (60.53 combined time). Sheehan was second on the slalom (34.13) behind Gagne (34.0).
Westfield sophomore Rebecca Stephens blocks a slalom gate during her second run Tuesday. (Photo by Liam Sheehan)
St. Mary’s Matt Masciadrelli (6th overall), Nate Bonini (13th), and Jack Masciadrelli (21st) also posted impressive times.
Matt Masciadrelli won the GS with a time of 26.43, edging Gagne (26.53).
“It’s great that we put three skiers in the top 30, especially when you consider that we do not have the depth that some of the other teams have,” said St. Mary’s ski coach Andy Lussier, whose team was missing two skiers due to illness.
Westfield’s state qualifying freshman, Grace O’Connor races through the GS course on her first run Tuesday. (Photo by Liam Sheehan)
“This (was) a great re-entry into the PVIAC ski league for St. Mary’s,” Lussier noted. “Remember that we are a young team and that two of our skiers in seventh grade.”
Westfield owned the top five in the girls’ competition as the only such high school to lay claim to two top five finishes.
Grace O’Connor (66.6 combined time) and Rebecca Stephens (67.01) finished third and fourth overall, respectively.
O’Connor took second in the slalom (39.02) and third in the GS (27.58).
Agawam’s Jillian Scherpa was the event’s top skier (66.26), followed by Minnechaug’s Mary Clare Crocher (66.43).
Hannah Green (Gateway) was 21st in 79.18.
The Bombers and Saints will next turn their attention to the state meet.
