Cathedral’s Lexi Levere (Westfield) make one of her 30 saves and earns her first shut out Friday. (Photo by Sonja Ashe)
WESTFIELD – There’s more than one team feeling somewhat super today.
The Cathedral (WHS Co-Op) girls’ ice hockey team completed a superb weekend on the ice, raising playoff expectations.
Late Friday, Lexi Levere (Westfield) made 30 saves, and Cathedral blanked Masconomet 3-0. The shutout was the junior goaltender’s first of the season, helping the Panthers improve to 7-3-2.
Katelyn Joyal led Cathedral with two goals, and Mackenzie Pelletier tallied one on a power play.
Pelletier, Kyra Ashe, and Brittany Kowalski delivered a strong game from the blue line.
Mackenzie Pelletier, of Westfield scores Cathedral’s first goal on power play against Masconomet Friday. (Photo by Sonja Ashe)
Joyal led the Cathedral attack on Saturday, as well, in the team’s hard-fought, narrow 2-1 loss to Billerica. Mackenzie Pelletier and Brenna Hoar assisted on the play.
Levere stopped 29 of 31 shots.
“I think we’re peaking at the right time,” said Cathedral assistant coach David Pelletier, of Westfield, whose team improved to 7-4-2. “We’re getting one or two goals and playing team defense led by Lexi, Makenzie, and Brittany (Pelletier).”
The Panthers will need to be in top form as they face the most grueling part of their schedule, an eight-game, 14-day stretch, including games against solid Division 2 foes Algonquin and Simsbury and tough D1 squads, Winthrop and Dedham.
KUTT-ING UP THE COMPETITION: Westfield Junior Bombers Tyler Kutt scored five goals against the Wilbraham Twin Meadows Saturday at the Olympia in West Springfield Saturday. It was Kutt’s second hat trick of the year.
Kutt is a student at Highland Elementary School. Is he a future high school star in the making? Time will tell.
BOMBERS TRACK DOWN FINAL SWEEP: In their final tune-up before championships, the Westfield High School girls’ indoor track and field team swept a tri-meet Friday night. The Lady Bombers defeated the Agawam Brownies 72-23 and the Chicopee Comp Colts 58-37.
Westfield produced a triple-threat.
Bombers’ sophomore Julia Santangelo won the 600-meter race (1:47.28), and also placed third in the 1000 meter run (3:31.94). Junior Morgan Sanders claimed first place in the 55-meter hurdles (8.74), second in the long jump competition (14-7.5), and third in the 55 meter dash (7.88). Amanda Hall finished first in the shot put (27-10.25).
Local track starts will get another chance to shine – on a brighter stage – this Friday at the Pioneer Valley Interscholastic Athletic Conference championships at Smith College in Northampton. The championship meet is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.
CHAMPIONSHIP SWIM: High school championships will continue this weekend at Saturday’s west sectionals for Division 1 swimming at Springfield College. The boys’ portion of the championship meet will start at 2:30 p.m., followed by the girls at 6:30.
