Kayleigh Kennedy (23) holds on to the ball as Longmeadow’s Emma Robin defends. (Photo by Chris Putz)
LONGMEADOW – The Longmeadow High School girls’ basketball team displayed balance – and a bit of might – outmuscling Westfield 49-31 on Monday night.
Longmeadow got off to a fast with four different players – Emma Robin, Jill Scyocurka, Jen Hurwitz, and Emily Martin – scoring six points apiece in the first half. The Lancers (9-3) led 28-4 at the half.
“That’s us – balanced,” said Longmeadow coach Terry Britner when asked about his team’s ability to spread the ball on offense. “We can go pretty deep. That’s our biggest strength. We don’t have any superstars. We have a bunch of kids who work their tails off and work pretty well together.”
Longmeadow allowed just one first half field goal – a 2-pointer from Kayleigh Kennedy. Kennedy and Jules Sharon also had one free throw each in the half.
Westfield stepped up its intensity in the second half with Keri Paton fighting for a couple of 2-point baskets, and Alicia Arnold draining three 3’s. She nearly hit a fourth late, but it rimmed in and out.
The Bombers scored 15 of the game’s final 16 points. Arnold finished with 13 points. Robin had a team-high 12 for the Lancers.
Longmeadow, who finished runner-up in Western Massachusetts a year ago, has its sights set on a championship this season. The Lancers are off to one of their best starts under their fifth-year head coach.
“I feel pretty positive,” Britner said. “We’re starting to play better and better. We’ve never been to the finals two years in a row. But our first goal is to win a league championship. We’ll worry about the rest later.”
Westfield Voc-Tech 40, Dean Tech 25
Brandi VanGelder scored a game-high 16 points, and teammates Johanna Velazquez and Nadine Tran delivered seven points apiece for Voc-Tech. The Tigers improved to 3-6.
