PRINCETON – It was one of the most challenging seasons for high school skiers this season with Mother Nature often raining – and snowing – on everyone’s parade. While most failed to gain firm footing on often treacherous grounds, one Bomber stayed the course, tracked down the rest of the field, and rose above it all.
Westfield’s Grace O’Connor finished the giant slalom in 57.24 seconds to become a gold-medal winner at the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association State Championships Tuesday at Wachusett Mountain.
From left to right, Westfield’s Grace O’Connor, Rebecca Stephens, and Lauren O’Connor are all smiles after completing a challenging season (thanks in large part to Mother Nature) with a nice run at the state championship Tuesday at Wachusett Mountain in Princeton. (Submitted photo)
O’Connor also cracked the top 10 on the slalom, finishing eighth with a time of 40.50.
Only two female skiers were better than Westfield’s Rebecca Stephens on the slalom. Stephens managed a third-place finish after crossing the finish line in 39.84.
Lauren O’Connor was the third Bomber to place on the giant slalom (66.25) and slalom (48.14).
“It was a challenging season trying to keep everyone focused, but they did a good jov,” Westfield High School ski coach Monique Piotte said, regarding a schedule that featured a half-dozen postponements and half an individual championship that also stood for a race.
On the Westfield boys’ side, Jacob Stephens was the first Bomber to finish (slalom, 44.15; GS, DNF), followed by Dan O’Connor (slalom, 50.83; GS, 67.84), and alternate Ethan Flaherty (slalom, 50.95) and GS (72.97).
Matt Masciadrelli posted St. Mary’s best finish, racing to a sixth-place standing in the giant slalom (57.40). The Saints came in ninth on the slopes as a team.
