WESTFIELD – For quite some time now, the Westfield High School boys volleyball team has been leaps and bounds better than the competition.
The Westfield Bombers secured their fourth consecutive Western Massachusetts championship with a sweeping victory over the Agawam Brownies, 25-21, 25-20, 25-17 Wednesday night at Holyoke Community College.
“Hustle – that’s all we had,” said all-star setter Luis Castro, who jump-started his teammates’ kills with some 30 assists. “Hustle, hustle, hustle.”
Westfield (21-1) outhustled and outmuscled Agawam. The Bombers will have to do that and then some to defend their 2017 state championship title. That journey begins Monday against northern champ Chelmsford (19-5) at Concord-Carlisle High School. Game time is 5 p.m.
“We’re just thinking on to the next step,” Castro said. “We’re trying to just grow as a team, trying to make it to the state championships.”
Westfield’s Ryan Murray smashes one against Natick during the 2017 state semifinals at Holyoke Community College. Murray and the Bombers are seeking a return trip to the state championship when they travel to Concord-Carlisle High School to take on northern champ Chelmsford Monday in the semifinals. (Staff file photo)
Westfield will be hard-pressed in trying to play the underdog role this time around, at least for the state semifinals. Their upcoming challenger owns that moniker.
Chelmsford opened their 18-team field in the northern tournament bracket as the eighth seed. After sweeping ninth-seeded St. John’s 3-0, they stunned No. 1 Winchester 3-2, snuck past No. 4 Wayland 3-2, and toppled No. 3 Lawrence 3-0.
So on one hand, Westfield gets the north region’s lowly No. 8 seed. On the other, they have to face a team wearing the glass slipper and creating a tale that would make Cinderella proud.
Defeating the defending state champs would be another feather in Chelmsford’s hats.
“That’s an impressive run,” Westfield boys volleyball head coach Tyler Wingate said of his team’s upcoming opponent. “When I initially saw it, I thought to last year.”
Last season, Westfield faced 11th seeded Natick.
“Natick had a couple of five-set wins and people weren’t necessarily talking about them, but they were playing the best in that (Central) section,” Wingate said.
Westfield won that matchup 3-2.
“The eight seed (for Chelmsford) may not do them justice in the quality of team that they are,” Wingate said. “It’s important this time of the year to be playing best. This is a big test for us Monday night.”
Westfield won the last meeting between the two teams in five sets.
“We’re going to need some good balance,” Wingate said.
It all starts with Wingate, a former Bomber whose lack of championship titles as a player has fueled his hunger for titles as the head coach.
“That’s been motivation for me to get this program where it needs to be,” Wingate said. “The players have really bought in to what we are trying to do, our vision to play championship-level volleyball.”
Wingate credits much of his success to, not only his players, but also the other members of his coaching staff.
Matt Cribbin, who coaches American International College women’s volleyball in the fall, devotes the spring season to the Westfield boys’ team.
WEST D1 BOYS VOLLEYBALL
4x Champion Westfield Bombers
“He has really helped in my development as a coach and ultimately our player’s development,” said Wingate, noting Cribbin’s recent success with AIC, which made the Elite 8 in the Division 2 tournament two years ago.
Those two are joined by city middle school teacher Matt Wroth, who Wingate said brings a “passion for teaching.”
“He’s a people person and motivator,” Wingate explained. “He brings a nice dimension.”
Eric Shilyuk, who last played on the 2015 championship squad, and his older brother Roman complete the all-star cast.
“It’s a great tandem,” Wingate said. “The continuity between all of us is great. It is the underlying reason to our success – the good stuff we got going on the sidelines.”
