ED. NOTE – Barring any last-minute cancellations or postponements of the upcoming high school sports spring season due to the coronavirus, or COVID-19, tryouts are set to begin across the region Monday. As of late Tuesday evening, the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association stated it had no plans of suspending the start of the season but will update the public on any late-breaking changes on its website.
Westfield’s Rabin Gurung (4), Stephen Hinch (10) and Alex Robitaille (3) celebrate the Bombers’ third straight boys volleyball state championship in 2019. (WESTFIELD NEWS FILE PHOTO)
WESTFIELD – Now that the winter high school postseason has come to a close, it’s time to spring ahead!
On Wed., March 25, the Westfield High School boys lacrosse team gets things going for the spring sports season when the Bombers travel to Glastonbury for a 5 p.m. contest.
Last time we saw WHS boys lax, they were caught up in a tomahawk chop as their postseason run was cut short by top-seeded Algonquin in the Central-West D2 quarterfinal. The Tomahawks turned back the eighth-seeded Bombers 14-6.
One year earlier, Westfield delivered a stunning knockout blow to Algonquin, bouncing the Tomahawks from the playoffs.
The two teams meet again this season at Roots Athletics Center on April 18.
The Westfield High School spring sports schedule kicks into high gear, beginning Mon., March 30 with a healthy dose of regular season action.
Former Westfield Technical high school baseball head coach Kyle Dulude instructs his players during a spring training practice in the school parking lot in 2014. Dulude, who also served as head coach of the Tigers softball team, has been named the Westfield High School softball head coach for the 2020 season. (WESTFIELD NEWS FILE PHOTO)
The Westfield softball team, under the direction of first-year head coach Kyle Dulude hosts Central at 4 p.m. The Bombers girls tennis team travels to Pope Francis Preparatory High School for a 4 p.m. contest. The girls lacrosse team hosts Minnechaug at Roots Athletics Center, and boys lacrosse plays at St. John’s. Both lax games begin at 5:30 p.m.
Dulude takes over a softball program which has seen a revolving door of coaches throughout much of the last decade. The new varsity head coach has produced positive results as a former coach of Westfield Technical’s softball and girls soccer teams, and is the current Tigers’ boys basketball head coach.
The rest of Westfield High’s varsity sports teams open March 31 with track and field traveling to Agawam, boys tennis at Sabis, and boys volleyball versus Agawam (March 31).
The Westfield boys volleyball team is seeking its fourth straight state title and sixth straight Western Massachusetts Division 1 championship crown.
The St. Mary’s High School JV softball team enjoyed an amazing season in 2019. This season, the Saints’ squad will step up as a first-year varsity unit. (WESTFIELD NEWS FILE PHOTO)
At Westfield Technical Academy, Tigers baseball opens against Putnam at Blunt Park April 7 and Tigers softball hosts Smith Vocational and Agricultural at Whitney Park. Both contests begin at 4 p.m.
St. Mary’s begins its journey this spring with girls lacrosse opening on the road at Monson March 27 at 4 p.m. They will be followed by Saints boys lacrosse at McCann Tech (March 31), softball vs. Lenox at Whitney Park (March 31), girls tennis vs. Renaissance at Municipal Tennis Courts (April 1), and boys tennis vs. Springfield High School of Science and Technology (April 2).
Southwick Regional High School’s spring slate begins March 27 when the Rams girls track and field team travels to Springfield to face the High School of Science and Technology at Central High School’s Berte Field at 4 p.m.
Southwick boys volleyball opens against visiting Sabis March 31 at 5:15 p.m., followed by boys track and field at Hampshire Regional April 1 at 4 p.m.
Southwick softball hosts Westfield in its season opener April 6 at 4 p.m.
The Southwick softball team scores a run against Athol in a 2019 tournament opener. The Rams, who were shut down by the Hampshire Red Raiders in the quarterfinals, will open their 2020 season against the Westfield Bombers. (WESTFIELD NEWS FILE PHOTO)
