Javi Santos stops and pops for two for Westfield over a soaring Cardinal. Pope Francis visited the Bombers’ gymnasium Friday night. (Photo by Bill Deren)
WESTFIELD – Three high school boys basketball players netted double-doubles to fuel another Westfield victory.
Javi Santos finished with 10 points and 18 rebounds, Kam Wells had 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Aidan Dunn chipped in 13 points and made 10 steals as the Bombers improved to 6-2 with a 56-49 win over the Pope Francis Cardinals Friday night.
“Pretty big as effort goes,” Westfield coach Josh Balestracci said.
Three players scored in double digits for Pope Francis.
Westfield returns to action Monday at Watertown. Tip-off is at 2:30 p.m.
Butler nets 21
Pioneer Valley Christian 58, St. Mary’s 42
St. Mary’s pulled to within eight points early in the fourth quarter, but ran out of steam.
Jake Butler led St. Mary’s with 21 points. Jack Lamirande had 10.
Gators silenced
Baystate Academy 78, Gateway 9
Baystate Academy turned back visiting Gateway, stifling the Gators for four quarters.
Rams power past Mustangs
Southwick 64, Monson 52
Billy Strain (19 points) and Danny Scharmann (16) combined for 35 points in helping down Monson on the road.
McCann outmuscles Tigers
McCann Tech 61, Westfield Technical Academy 51
McCann Tech rallied from a 31-26 deficit as Logan Tower and Lukas Zelazo dominated the boards and combined for 44 points.
Westfield Tech center Cody Garwacki missed the game due to illness and the Tigers’ other big man, Josh Bush, ran into early foul trouble.
Kevin Flores led Westfield Tech with 16 points. Four other Tigers finished with seven apiece.
“I’m not upset at all with our play,” Westfield Tech coach Kyle Dulude said. “We played extremely well but just could not match up physically underneath.”
GIRLS SWIMMING
Westfield 101, Belchertown 69
Emilie Pease and Elizabeth Fraser steered Westfield on the unbeaten path as the Bombers improved to 6-0.
Pease won the 100 freestyle (1:00.31) and 100 backstroke (1:04.23), and teamed with Fraser, Emily Mihalek, and Emily Langlois to capture gold in the medley relay.
Fraser finished first in the 200 individual medley (2:21.08) and 100 breaststroke, an event that saw her claim the top time in Western Mass (1:12.64).
Fraser, Sara Russell, Kathryn O’Connor, and Emily Langlois placed first in the 200 free relay (1:51.56).
“Overall we swam very, very well,” Westfield coach Tom Lewis said. “Good solid effort from the girls.”
O’Connor also won the 500 freestyle in 5:56.94 and Emily Mihalek took home first in the 100 butterfly with a time of 1:06.90.
The road to Western Massachusetts is about to get a bit tougher, beginning at home Tuesday in a showdown with the Minnechaug Falcons. The much-anticipated meet will begin at 4 p.m.
“That will be our toughest contest of the year,” coach Lewis said.
BOYS SWIMMING
Orioles topple Bombers
Belchertown 93, Westfield 77
Matt Morash won two individual events to lead Westfield.
While Morash posted winning times in the 200 IM (2:11.36) and 100 free (51.93), he was also instrumental in helping orchestrate a pair of winning relay teams.
Morash, Cole Viamari, Patrick Lurgio, and Tommy Russell won the 400 free relay with a state Division 1 qualifying time of 3:36.75. Russell, Lurgio, Jack Beaulieu, and Morash won the medley relay in 1:46.08, the top time in Western Massachusetts.
Russell set a new school record in the 100 backstroke with a time of 54.18. Viamari finished first in the 200 free (1:56.54), Lurgio won the 100 breaststroke (1:08.99), and Beaulieu swam a season best 58.81 in the 100 fly.
“We had some very fast swims today,” coach Lewis said. “We just came up a teeny bit short. …a couple of touch-outs short and no diving.”
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Mochak delivers
Mount Greylock 63, Westfield 43
Kaela Mochak scored a team-high 18 points for Westfield. Bombers’ Olivia Hadla had 13.
Mochak had a nice all-around effort, also leading the team in rebounds and blocked shots.
PV stops STM
Pioneer Valley 48, St. Mary’s 33
Three players scored in double digits – Olivia Rowe (14 points), Steph Scoville (13), and Paige Loughman (10) – to lead Pioneer past St. Mary’s at Westfield Middle School North.
Madie Donais led St. Mary’s with 13 points, and Jessica Crosby collected 10.
