WESTFIELD – No matter the records, the Northampton Blue Devils have more-often-than-not been a thorn in the side of the Westfield High School football team. But this is not any old Bombers squad.
Westfield senior quarterback Austin St. Pierre and sophomore wide receiver Bailey Collier connected not once, not twice, but three times as the Bombers bedeviled Northampton 49-18 Friday night at Bullens Field.
Westfield senior running back Wilton Royal also ran for two scores.
It was another textbook start for Westfield (5-1).
Westfield sophomore wide receiver Bailey Collier leaves Northampton defenders in his wake on his way to a touchdown Friday night at Bullens Field. (Photo by Marc St. Onge)
After forcing Northampton (5-1) into a 3-and-out on its first possession of the game, Westfield put together a long, time consuming drive that ate up 80 yards, six minutes, 15 seconds and set the tone for the game.
The drive culminated with a three-yard QB keeper from St. Pierre at the 4:09 mark of the first quarter. Westfield led 6-0 after a failed two-point conversion.
Northampton wasted little time in knotting up the contest.
On its second possession, Northampton drove 69 yards in six plays – all on the ground – and scored on senior running back Elijah Davis’s 50-yard touchdown run. Davis took the ball up the gut and broke free for the long score with 33 ticks left on the first quarter clock.
A failed two-point try left the game tied at 6-all.
On Westfield’s next drive, Royal said “take that” to Davis (in not so many words) with a 49-yard touchdown run of his own, scoring 1:38 into the second quarter to regain a six-point lead, 12-6.
Northampton responded with a long drive. After starting out at their own 36-yard line, the Blue Devils marched 67 yards in 10 plays. They punched it in on a three-yard plunge by senior quarterback Ryan Bredin with 5:21 remaining in the first half.
After a relatively clean game played by both teams, Westfield committed the first turnover on the first play from scrimmage on its next drive. Northampton took over on the Bombers’ 31 and managed just four plays after being stopped on fourth-and-inches. Collier caught a pass out along the left sideline, eluded the cornerback and safeties and raced 58 yards for a touchdown. The score came with 24 ticks on the clock, and, following a two-point run from St. Pierre, the Westfield Bombers led 20-12.
Collier struck again just as the WHS marching band exited the field, catching a 70-yard bomb from St. Pierre on another wheel route and scoring 16 seconds into the second half. After a two-point run from St. Pierre, Westfield led 28-12.
The points kept on coming.
Northampton fumbled on the ensuing kickoff. Westfield took over from the Blue Devils’ 40, and two plays later the Bombers’ St. Pierre-Collier connection resulted in a 40-yard TD pass out in the middle of the field. St. Pierre’s two-point run made it 36-12.
Senior running back Beau Garbarini scored with just under four minutes remaining in the third quarter but a late third-quarter TD plunge from St. Pierre and a short fourth-quarter score from Royal sealed it. Tommy Smith drilled Westfield’s first extra point kick of the season.
BOYS’ SOCCER
Bombers punch tourney ticket
Westfield 3, Northampton 0
Dante White, Ryan Prenosil, and Jimmy Hagan scored one goal apiece, Bombers’ goalie Ian Saltmarsh made a couple of big first half saves en route to a shutout, and Westfield qualified for the Western Massachusetts Division 1 boys’ soccer tournament with a shutout on the road Friday night.
It was Hagan’s first varsity scoring effort.
“We had probably two of our best training sessions of the year Wednesday and Thursday,” Westfield coach Andrew Joseph said. “The boys were really flying out there, so we came into this game with a lot of confidence. We had a good idea of what we were doing with the ball when were in possession of it and it showed tonight.”
Tigers shut out HCSS, earn postseason berth
Westfield Technical Academy 5, Hampden Charter School of Science 0
Ruvim Suprunchuk scored two goals, and Philip Lisyanyy, Josh Bush, and Mike Durkee tallied one apiece for Westfield Tech (8-3-3), which qualified for the postseason with a home victory. Mason Washington, Brad Nelson, Suprunchuk each earned one assist.
“We are going to try our best to finish with (the) best possible record and hope for (a) first round home game,” Westfield Tech coach Kyle Dulude said. “I can’t say enough about how well these guys have come together and understand the team concept. It’s exciting to see their growth and development.”
GOLF
WHS qualifies for postseason
Westfield 156, West Springfield 65
Jack Hogan shot a team-low 38, and teammates Liam Whitman and William Webster each finished with a round of 39 at Shaker Farms Country Club to help Westfield officially earn a postseason berth as the Bombers improved to 9-5.
GYMNASTICS
Walker leads Bombers way
Westfield, 129.25; Agawam, 124.425; Chicopee Comp, 113.9
Westfield’s Liz Walker finished first on the vault (9.325) and uneven bars (8.1), second on the balance beam (8.425), and third on the floor exercise (8.4) en route to winning the All-Around competition (34.25).
GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL
Indians shut out Rams
Ware def. Southwick 25-15, 25-14, 25-13
Chloe Emond (2 kills, 6 digs), Riley Felix (3 aces, 6 digs), Caroline Methe (1 ace, 10 digs, 13 assists, 1 kills), and Emily Lachtara (3 kills, 5 digs) contributed for Southwick.
