Gateway’s Ben Jameson (18) attempts to dribble the ball past the foot of a Smith Academy player Thursday in Huntington. (Photo by Chris Putz)
HUNTINGTON – It was such a hard-fought battle between the Gateway and Smith Academy high school boys’ soccer teams that no one deserved to lose. In fact, that just happened to be the case.
Gateway and Smith exchanged goals in each half of Thursday’s competition to net a 1-1 tie.
Gateway got out ahead of the competition in front of the home crowd 1-0 on a goal from Anthony Palazzi early on. Ben Jameson assisted.
Jack Zigmont notched the game-tying goal for Smith Academy at the 14:16 mark in the second half.
The outcome nearly tilted on a foot, leg, or header but both goalies protected their territory well.
Gateway keeper Brady Parker finished with five saves. Smith Academy’s Jack Hession had seven.
Both netminders were up to task, making two key saves apiece in the second half.
Gateway improved to 7-4-3.
Blanchard scores in Saints’ loss
Ware 2, St. Mary 1
Ware rallied for two second-half goals – one each from Brandon Foley and Leon Gaumond – to complete a comeback win over St. Mary at Westfield Middle School North.
Gaumond also assisted on Foley’s goal.
St. Mary led from the outset, following a score from Aaron Blanchard. Saints’ goalie Jacob Butler finished with 19 saves.
Tigers’ streak stopped
Lenox 6, Westfield Technical Academy 2
Lenox tripped up Westfield Tech, halting the Tigers’ unbeaten run through the regular season.
Michael Abdalla scored four goals to lead the Millionaires. Alex Stepanchuk led Westfield Tech with two.
GYMNASTICS
Kotfilia keeps WHS going strong
Westfield, 128.375; Minnechaug, 127.525; Agawam, 124
Emma Kotfilia helped keep Westfield’s nearly decade-long unbeaten streak going with a spectacular night on the road at Agawam.
Kotfilia won top All-Around honors with a 34.25. She was first on the uneven bars (8.75) and balance beam (8.75), and third on vault and floor exercise.
Mairead Hagan (2nd/bars/8.3; 4th/vault/8.25; 5th/All-Around), Kendall Neidig (4th/All-Around; 4th/beam/7.775), and Miranda Wozniak (5th/vault/8.2)
GIRLS’ SOCCER
Solokhina strong in defeat
Smith Voke 2, Westfield Technical Academy 0
Westfield Tech goalie Diana Solokhina made 24 saves in just her second time playing in net.
Hurricanes twist past Rams
Amherst 5, Southwick 1
Amherst raced out to a 3-1 first-half lead en route to a victory at Southwick.
Lydia Kinsman scored the lone goal for Southwick on an assist from Krista Girroir. Rams’ goalie Tori Richburg finished with eight saves.
GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL
Rams rally in thriller
Southwick def. PVCA 24-26, 23-25, 25-14, 25-12, 15-4
Southwick rallied from a two sets-to-none deficit to defeat Pioneer Valley Christian Academy at home.
Olivia Diamond (6 digs, 7 aces), Caroline Methe (7 assists, 5 aces), Ashley Consolini (5 kills), and Taylor Keiderling (8 aces) carried the load for the Rams.
JV GIRLS’ SOCCER
Southwick 5, Amherst 1
Emily Giancola scored two goals, and Julia Fox, Paige Arsenault, and Zelida Madera each had one for Southwick.
Arsenault had two assists, and Madera, Jodie Cahill, and Jillian Hess had one apiece.
Southwick improved to 5-4-2.
JV GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL
Southwick 3, PVCA 0
The Rams swept Pioneer Valley Christian Academy in Junior Varsity action.
