WESTFIELD – The sleeping giants awoke Friday afternoon.
After a slightly lethargic start to their 2011-12 high school hockey season, the Westfield Bombers blew the doors off Amelia Park Ice Arena with an 11-1 blowout victory over the Minnechaug Falcons yesterday.
Longmeadow, be warned.
Westfield senior Conner Laraway enjoyed a career day, scoring five goals – including the game’s first two scores in the first seven minutes of the game – and adding two assists.
“We’re just trying to prepare for our bigger games of the season,” said Laraway, whose next opponent is the mighty Lancers. Westfield will play Longmeadow Wednesday at 7 p.m.
“We worked the puck, worked the goalie, got rebounds,” Laraway said. “Any way to win the game. We proved we could get goals here and there. Maybe it will matter later in the season in big games.”
Sean Spohr recorded a hat trick, and Nick Sibilia recorded two goals for Westfield (5-3). Bombers’ Mike Santinello also had a goal. Santinello and Adam Collier had five assists apiece.
“We got a lot of soft goals,” Westfield coach C.B. “Moose” Matthews said, “but we got the puck to the net.”
Westfield’s Nick Liberto played the first two periods in goal. Matt Blascak saw time in goal during the third. Both goaltenders looked solid in net.
“We’re going down the pike here,” coach Matthews said, alluding to a key stretch of upcoming games. “We were a lot more aggressive on the puck (today), moving it a bit better. We’ve still got some work to do. To go beyond Western Mass, you have to be well tuned – we’re not there yet. Now we have to win the big wins.”
The team will get two days of rest before two straight days of practice leading up to Wednesday’s big, big game against Longmeadow. The Lancers already have a 1-0 series lead this season.
BOYS’ HOOPS
Westfield 60, Holyoke 57
Westfield pulled off a big win Friday night, slowing the momentum of Holyoke (5-2), which reeled off five wins through its first six games of the season. The Bombers led for much of the game, but struggled offensively in the fourth quarter and fell behind 57-52 before rallying in the final two minutes.
Joe Meade made an and-one, almost, missing the free throw. But Justin Crosby rebounded the ball and passed to Devin Wells, who was fouled. Wells made both free throws to pull Westfield within one, 57-56.
The Bombers prevented Holyoke from scoring on its trip down the court, and Wells nailed an 8-foot, turnaround jumper with 11 seconds remaining to take a one-point lead. Meade blocked the Purple Knights’ potential game-winning shot, and Crosby slammed the door shut with a dunk as time expired.
Daley said Crosby was a difference-maker in Westfield’s victory Friday night, as too was Connor Sas, who made three 3-pointers and finished with 11 points.
Renaissance 75, Gateway 38
Austin Cook netted a double double for Gateway, scoring 15 points and collecting 10 rebounds. Cook also had five steals.
Hampshire Regional 50, Southwick-Tolland 38
Tommy Mahoney pumped in 14 points for Southwick, and Dylan Grunwald and Mark O’Neill each chipped in eight.
Pathfinder 30, Westfield Voc-Tech 20
Monica Iglesias scored a team-high eight points in a losing effort for Westfield Voc-Tech. The Lady Tigers limited Pathfinder to just 10 points in the first half, but scored just 10 of its own.
