Southwick-Tolland Regional’s Megan Jansen (12) fights for a basket in the heart of the Dean Tech defense in Holyoke. (Photo by Chris Putz)
HOLYOKE – The Southwick-Tolland Regional High School girls’ basketball team left one more holiday gift for their fans, and it was a big one.
Southwick’s Jackie Maziarz scored a game-high 12 points and the Rams bottled up host Dean Tech, 41-11, Friday. The Golden Hawks’ leading scorer for the night, Tiana Ojeda, had just five points.
Tara Dowd and Morgan Harriman had seven and six points, respectively, for Southwick.
“It’s a good win because vacation (week) games are always tough,” said Southwick coach Mike Gill. “It got our spirits up.”
It was an especially joyful win for Gill, who coached the Dean Tech girls’ varsity hoops’ team from 1989-2002. It was an important victory, considering what is peeking around the corner in the New Year.
“Crossover games in the Tri-County are one thing,” Gill said. “Crossover games in the Bi-County Central and Bi-County East – the shoe will be on the other foot. I don’t think our girls realize what is coming. It is going to get really, really difficult.”
Southwick will enjoy a one-week layoff before returning to action next Friday, January 4 at home against Hampshire Regional. Tip-off is at 7 p.m.
Westfield Voc-Tech 36, Smith Voke 12
Voc-Tech also enjoyed a big victory, winning its first game of the season by tripling up Smith to improve to 1-2.
Elyza Colson scored a game-high 10 points to lead Voc-Tech. Brandi VanGelder had nine.
Zully Ortiz led Smith Voke with six points.
“It was, I guess, a defensive battle at first,” said Westfield Voc-Tech coach Matt Seklecki, whose team led 15-6 at the half. The Tigers closed out the game with a 15-1 fourth-quarter run.
“That was our strongest quarter by far,” Seklecki said.
Voc-Tech will next play St. Mary on Friday.
“Hopefully, hopefully we can even up our record and continue our winning ways,” the Tigers coach said.
Hampshire 40, Westfield 38
Hampshire knocked down a basket with 10 seconds remaining to escape Westfield with the two-point victory.
Alicia Arnold led Westfield with 14 points. Keri Paton had eight for the Bombers, who rallied from a 16-point, third-quarter deficit.
Two players scored in double-digits for the Red Raiders.
HOCKEY
Westfield 9, Keene (N.H.) 0
Unbeaten Westfield (5-0) continued its electric offense, scoring its 24th goal in two games. The Bombers were coming off a 15-1 drubbing of Concord on the first day of the Salem (N.H.) tournament.
Chris Sullivan and Branden Miemiec scored two goals apiece to lead Westfield, which opened with a 5-0 first-period lead. Sam Evans, Anthony Cagliostro, Chris Gentile, Neil Parrow, and Adam Collier scored one goal each.
“I think they wanted to run us out on the rails,” Westfield coach C.B. “Moose” Matthews said, jokingly, after the victory. “I don’t know if they’re going to let us back into New Hampshire again.”
Gentile also had two assists, as did Sean Spohr. Sullivan, Cagliostro, Miemiec, Ethan Nassar, Zane Collier, and Craig Lacey each had one.
“We’re still moving the puck,” coach Matthews said. “We played as a team and the result was almost as good as Thursday. They did their thing.”
Mike Chaderjian earned a shutout in goal for Westfield.
BOYS’ HOOPS
Monson 68, Gateway 46
Gateway’s Justin Edinger scored a team-high 17 points, and Curtis Dowers and Calvin Dowers had 13 and 11, respectively as the Gators produced three double-digit scorers.
