Westfield’s Cody Neidig makes the catch during the first quarter of Friday night’s game against West Springfield. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
WEST SPRINGFIELD – An MVP performance, at the very least, is worthy of a win. Unfortunately for one Westfield High School upperclassman that was not the case.
Westfield senior halfback Cody Neidig piled up nearly 300 all-purpose yards in Friday night’s football game at West Springfield. The Bombers lost 28-14.
Neidig rushed for 147 yards and a touchdown, hauled in a 42-yard TD catch, and was solid in the return game before he and his teammates ran out of steam.
West Springfield struck first.
After stopping Westfield on a short fourth down red zone conversion on the game’s opening drive, West Side ripped off big chunks of yardage to score after just five plays. The Terriers scored on senior running back Joe Motta’s 7-yard touchdown jaunt with 6:53 remaining in the opening quarter.
The key plays on the drive featured a 35-yard run from shifty junior Marquise Murphy, and a 26-yard run from elusive junior quarterback Anthony Costa that Costa opened by running to the left and cutting back all the way to the right sideline before turning upfield.
Westfield responded.
On its next series, Westfield took over at midfield and marched 50 yards in four plays. The Bombers, for the second time in the game, enjoyed good field position thanks to great special teams play.
Neidig returned the opening kickoff 25 yards; Craig Ward took the second kickoff 35 yards, setting up Westfield for the tying score.
Junior quarterback Scott Hoiberg connected with Neidig on a 42-yard catch-and-run touchdown up the middle on fourth-and-1 to knot the game at 6-6 with 4:15 left in the quarter. Neidig’s extra point kick gave the Bombers a 7-6 lead.
Westfield’s Austin St. Pierre, left, looks for his receiver during last night’s game against West Springfield. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
West Springfield answered.
After beginning on its own 39, West Side drove 51 yards in six plays. The Terriers scored on a 40-yard run from Costa with 43.1 ticks left in the quarter. A 2-point pass made it a 14-7 ballgame.
With 21 points scored in less than 15 minutes, the game appeared to be shaping up as a real barnburner … until the offenses slowed to a crawl.
Westfield was stopped on a couple of long, time-consuming drives, one of which ate up more than five minutes before resulting in a punt. West Springfield had an efficient seven-play, 60-yard drive swallowed up in a Ward interception at the Bombers’ own 12-yard line just before the half.
Both teams’ offenses stalled early in the second half, and then the floodgates opened.
After Hoiberg intercepted a pass deep in Westfield territory, Neidig bounced outside on the Bombers’ first play from scrimmage and raced 92 yards for a touchdown. His score and subsequent extra point tied the game 14-all with 6:11 left in the third quarter.
Westfield ball carrier Scott Hoiberg, left, attempts to elude West Springfield’s Temitope Baily during the first quarter of last night’s game in West Springfield. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
The tie lasted for all off eight seconds as West Springfield’s Pat Masi returned the ensuing kickoff 62 yards for a touchdown. With 6:02 remaining in the quarter, the Terriers reclaimed the lead, 20-14. The two-point run failed.
The two teams played hot potato early in the fourth quarter.
West Springfield moved the ball into the red zone before fumbling. Three plays later, Westfield returned the favor when Terriers’ Dan Garvey stripped the ball and recovered on the Bombers’ 34-yard line.
West Side immediately scored when Costa completed a 34-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Jared Costa with 9:32 left on the clock. After converting on the two-point try, the Terriers led 28-14.
West Side put the game out of reach a short time later.
After a Westfield drive stalled after four plays, West Springfield punched it in on a 23-yard TD pass completion between the Costas with 4:45 left.
The Bombers moved the ball deep into the Terriers’ end of the field in the waning minutes before an interception killed their drive.
Stanlewicz, Saints prevail
GIRLS’ SOCCER
St. Mary 5, Commerce 0
Alison Stanlewicz had one goal and three assists in a superb afternoon for the St. Mary Saints.
Lancers squeak past WHS
Longmeadow 1, Westfield 0
Longmeadow’s Olivia Shapiro broke a scoreless tie, scoring the game-winning goal with 11:04 remaining in regulation.
Lancers’ Morgan Strassburg made 16 saves in shutting out Westfield. Jessica Healey collected 12 saves for the Bombers.
Bombers rout Athol
FIELD HOCKEY
Westfield 9, Athol 0
Gabbi Lunardini scored two goals, and seven other Westfield players scored in a road rout.
Bombers’ goalie Karly Mastello finished with six saves in a shutout effort.
