Westfield’s Gavin Carzello (4) flips the ball ahead with an Algonquin defender in his face Thursday during a Central-West Division 2 boys lacrosse tournament game. (Photo by Chris Putz)
NORTHBOROUGH – Payback came in the form of a Tomahawk chop for the Westfield High School boys lacrosse team.
No. 1 Algonquin avenged a stunning 2018 postseason loss to Westfield, turning back the eighth-seeded Bombers in a Central-West D2 quarterfinal 14-6 Thursday.
From the outset, Algonquin showed exactly why they were deemed the region’s top team. The Tomahawks muscled their way to a first-quarter goal, flattening defenders like a wave crashing on the beach.
Algonquin opened the game with a 5-0 run. The Tomahawks kept Westfield scoreless for nearly the entire first quarter, until the Bombers scored a power play goal with 39.9 seconds on the clock.
Algonquin responded with a goal in the opening minutes of the second half. The Tomahawks would not budge.
Five players scored multiple goals for Algonquin. Dom Russo led the Tomahawks with four goals and one assist. Cal Willwerth finished with three goals and one assist. Nick Larsen, Noah Larsen, and Riz Carreras had two apiece. Larsen also had three assists.
Graham Ray played a pivotal role in Algonquin’s success, winning 75 percent of the face-offs.
Will Cameron led Westfield’s attack, contributing three goals and one assist. Bombers’ Ryan Metcalf collected two goals and one assist, and Cam Theriault had a goal. Nick Clauson and Danny Antonellis each had an assist.
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
WEST D1 SEMIFINALS
Bombers advance to finals again
No. 1 Westfield def. No. 5 Chicopee Comp 25-12, 25-19, 25-16
James Pavlyuk (16 kills, 2 aces), Ryan Rix (4 kills, 3 blocks, 2 aces), Eric Yurtuc (28 assists, 4 kills, 6 digs, 2 blocks), Ethan Flaherty (9 kills), and Alex Robitaille (3 aces, 2 digs) sent the Westfield Bombers to their fifth straight finals appearance.
Westfield (19-3) will take on the winner of No. 2 Minnechaug (16-4)/No. 3 Agawam (14-6) Wednesday at West Springfield High School at 6:30 p.m.
BASEBALL
WEST D3 FIRST ROUND
Rams advance to quarterfinals
No. 5 Southwick 7, No. 12 Monument Mountain 4
Frank Wynglarz (1-for-2, walk, hit-by-pitch, run), Dan Burnett (0-for-1, 3 walks, 2 runs), Bart Shea (1-for-1, 3 walks, 2 runs, 2 RBIs), Sam Mizanoglu (1-for-4, 2 RBIs), Jacob Garriety (1-for-4, run, 2 RBIs), Nick Michael (1-for-4, RBI), and Josh Lis (1-for-3, run) provided the bulk of the Southwick offense.
Bart Shea tossed four innings of four-run ball, striking out seven batters, while yielding four hits and five walks. Dan Burnett closed it out with three scoreless innings. He struck out five batters, walked none, and yielded no hits.
Southwick (14-7) next plays the winner of No. 4 Greenfield (15-5)/No. 13 Mahar (10-10) in a quarterfinal matchup Monday.
SOFTBALL
WEST D2 FIRST ROUND
Rams down Red Raiders
No. 8 Southwick 4, No. 9 Athol 2
Eighth-seeded Southwick (19-2) rallied from a 2-1 deficit, scoring three runs in the bottom of the fourth to advance out of the first round of the West Division 2 tournament.
Brittany Penland homered, and Sarah Hough had an RBI hit for Southwick. Hough also scattered five hits, one walk, and two runs over seven innings on the mound. She struck out six batters.
Southwick advances to take on top-seeded Hampshire (15-5) on the road Monday at 4 p.m.
WEST D3 FIRST ROUND
Gators win trip to Turners
No. 8 Gateway 12, No. 9 Smith Academy 9
Gateway earned a trip to play top-seeded Turners Falls on the road.
The win was made possible thanks to big hitting days from Kaitlyn Quinn (3-for-4), Nicole Hannigan (3-for-4, triple), Stephanie Paiva (2-for-4), and Grace Van Buren (2-for-4).
