Gateway’s Angela Wright, left, blocks the path of Westfield Technical Academy’s Leilani Marsh, right. (Photo by Marc St. Onge)
WESTFIELD – Round One goes to the Gateway Gators.
The battle for a Tri-County crown tipped off in the Whip City on Monday night, and the Gateway Regional girls basketball team came out on top with a 36-17 win over host Westfield Technical Academy.
Gateway (1-1) raced out to a 14-3 first-quarter lead, but were held to just two points in the second quarter. The Gators went on a 13-2 run in the third quarter to put together a convincing lead 29-8.
Lily Waters led all scorers, netting 11 points for Gateway. Gators’ Becca Herman pumped in eight, Angela Wright had six, and Payton Bucko and Steph Paiva finished with four apiece.
Westfield Tech’s Arianna Levere scored a team-high eight points. Tigers’ Ashley Torres had five.
Westfield Tech (0-1) will look to rebound Wednesday at Smith Academy. Gateway returns to action Dec. 18 at home against Hopkins Academy.
WRESTLING
Bombers off to solid start
Westfield kicked off its season this past Saturday, going 3-1 at Frontier Regional. The Bombers defeated Northampton 60-15, Frontier 45-30, and Smith Vocational 60-18. Their only loss came against West Springfield, 62-12.
Senior heavyweight Joe Raco and freshman 106-pounder Colby Clauson led Westfield.
Raco went 4-0 with pins over Smith Voke’s Owen Whidden and West Springfield’s Jayden Andino in 37 seconds and 1:13, respectively, another pin against Northampton in 1:36, and a win by decision over Frontier’s Jackie Phong, 6-2.
Clauson went 3-0. He pinned Roman Conca in 18 seconds, Frontier’s Tanner Finch in 43 seconds, and a Blue Devil in 1:08.
At 126, senior captain Ed Borodin went 2-1 with wins over Northampton’s Sebastian Abend in 1:00 and Frontier’s Josiah Murry.
At 138, senior captain Vitaliy Borodin went 2-2 with quick pins against Frontier’s Jake Mattson (27 sec.) and Smith Voke (32 sec.).
At 145, senior captain Ed Towers pinned Northampton in 1:15.
Westfield junior Nick Clauson (152 pounds), Cam Foster (160), and junior Carlito Serrano each went 2-1. Sophomore Joe Lamere (113), senior Manny Cintron (132), sophomore Mike Boucher (145), and junior Nate Dinnie (132) also picked up wins for the Bombers.
Westfield will next wrestle Longmeadow in the Lancers’ Early Bird Tournament Saturday.
