The Bombers converge for a tackle. (Photo by Chris Putz)
WESTFIELD – Despite all its struggles, the Westfield High School football team is poised to complete a charmed ending to the 2014 regular season.
Westfield strung together its first win streak of the season with a 33-14 rout of Chicopee Friday night at Bullens Field. The Bombers, with a win against Cathedral on Thanksgiving Day, can finish the season with three straight victories.
It took Westfield (3-10) a little while to warm up on a brutally cold evening, but after that the Bombers sizzled.
Late in the first quarter, Westfield senior fullback Craig Ward scored the first points of the game with a 31-yard touchdown jaunt down the right sideline.
Westfield half back Cody Neidig (39) tries the turn the corner against the Chicopee defense Friday night at Bullens Field. (Photo by Chris Putz)
After the extra point the Bombers led 7-0.
Senior halfback Cody Neidig set up the scoring play with a long run.
Chicopee fumbled the ensuing kickoff deep in its own territory, setting up a quick score for the Bombers.
Bruising Westfield senior tackle/nose guard Hunter Dekarski lined up at fullback and plunged into the end zone from one yard out as time expired in the opening quarter. The Bombers led 14-0.
Westfield’s defense flexed its muscles on Chicopee’s next drive, stopping the Pacers’ defense on their own 19-yard line with 3:39 remaining in the half.
Dekarski scored on another short carry to make it 20-0 with 2:13 left on the first half clock.
Westfield put the game out of reach in the waning seconds of the half when sophomore quarterback Austin St. Pierre connected with senior tight end John Bucko on a high arcing 55-yard touchdown pass. The Bombers led 26-0 with only seven ticks left.
The Westfield defense twists a Chicopee ball carrier to the ground. (Photo by Chris Putz)
Chicopee cracked the goose egg on its side of the scoreboard in the second half.
The Pacers opened up the half with a kick return for touchdown, and later in the quarter scored on a three-yard touchdown run.
Westfield squeezed a sensational touchdown in between Chicopee’s two scores, with a five-yard TD pass from St. Pierre to Bucko. The Bombers’ quarterback went back to pass, rolled out to his right, and, just as he was getting knocked backward, spotted Bucko in the end zone for the score.
Early in the fourth quarter, Westfield turned over the ball but forced Chicopee into turning the ball over on downs. Bombers’ Tyler Delgado made an interception late.
