This is the first of a four-part series looking back on the local sports world in 2017. Coming Thursday: Spring ’17.
In the beginning…
The Year 2017 began like many before it for the New England Patriots – with another Super Bowl title.
Flash back to the beginning of the 2016-17 NFL season. Tom Brady served a suspension. Backup and backup-to-the-backup quarterbacks Jimmy Garoppolo and
Jacoby Brissett tossed the Patriots wins in relief duty. New England went on to win its fifth Super Bowl championship, joining the likes of the Steelers, 49ers, and Cowboys from bygone eras as unflappable dynasties.
Beat The Putz 2017 winner Rita Hurt, second from right, accepts the grand prize, a flat screen television from Manny’s TV & Appliances local store manager Patrick Barrett, second from left, Wednesday. Westfield News sports editor Chris Putz, right, and sales director Flora Masciadrelli were on hand for the award presentation. (Staff Photo)
Back at our office on School Street, confetti and streamers rained all over local resident Rita Hurt. Not exactly, but Hurt was showered with praise after winning our Beat The Putz pro football contest.
Hurt’s Week 13 winner – she went 11-2 that week to capture a gift certificate to The Tavern Restaurant – eventually led to her grand prize net of a flat-screen television, courtesy of Manny’s TV & Appliances.
Westfield High’s Rebecca Stephens, center, junior Grace O’Connor, left, and sophomore Lauren O’Connor, right, are all smiles after successfully completing a challenging season (thanks in large part to Mother Nature) with a nice run at the state championship in March at Wachusett Mountain in Princeton.
Speaking of championship runs, Westfield skiers Rebecca Stephens and Grace O’Connor dominated the Pioneer Valley Interscholastic Athletic Conference leaderboard all winter season. Stephens won a silver medal at the individual championships in February; O’Connor finished just short of the top 10 in 11th place.
At the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association state championships, O’Connor became a gold medal winner on the Giant Slalom. Stephens placed third on the slalom.
St. Mary’s skier Matthew Masciadrelli one-upped his fellow competitors, navigating past a field of 150 skiers and blazing the trail en route to first place in the Giant Slalom championship.
Masciadrelli wasn’t the only Saint feeling blessed.
St. Mary senior boys’ ice hockey player Shaun Gezotis is recognized for scoring the 100th point of his career.
St. Mary center Shaun Gezotis netted his 100th career point in a late season boys ice hockey game, joining legendary locals Nick Masciadrelli and Trey Tremblay on a select list of 100-point hockey scorers.
Gezotis finished the 2016-17 season with 55 goals and 45 assists.
The good times continued in the local sports world when the Westfield High School boys ice hockey team secured its fourth west sectional title in five seasons, and 10th since 2002, with a 4-2 win over Longmeadow. The Bombers and Lancers have produced 15 of the last 16 champions.
WESTFIELD BOMBERS
2016-17 D3 Boys’ Ice Hockey West Sectional Champs
