Westfield’s Keri Paton, center, takes a jump shot during Thursday night’s game against Monument Mountain. Westfield won 56-48. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
WESTFIELD – For the Westfield High School girls’ basketball team, it truly is a new season.
Westfield stepped off into the 2013-14 season on the right foot, leaping past visiting Monument Mountain 56-48 Thursday night.
It was a trio of Bombers that catapulted the team into the win column on the season’s first day.
Beka Santiago (18 points), Keri Paton (13 points, 11 rebounds), and Alicia Arnold (13 points) each reached double digits in the scoring column for Westfield (1-0).
“We shot the ball pretty well,” said Bombers’ coach Ralph Loos, “and our defense picked up after the first quarter.”
After a shaky defensive effort in the game’s opening minutes, Westfield clamped down on the opposition and built a double-digit lead. The Bombers rarely ever wavered.
“Our goal is win Western Mass,” Loos said. “I think this team has the potential to do that. We need to get a little bit better each day.”
It may be only the first day of the regular season, but Loos is confident his team is better right now than the one that stepped off the court to end 2012-13. Santiago missed the entire season due to injury.
“We have a better offense, but we need to stop people,” Loos said.
Westfield will be tested next week with games on the road against Central (Monday) and Chicopee Comp (Wednesday), and a home contest against Amherst (Thursday).
“It’ll be a good test to see what happens,” he said.
Monson 60, St. Mary 20
In other games, Monson defeated St. Mary 60-20 at Westfield Middle School North. The Mustangs dominated from the outset, going on a 23-2 first-quarter run.
Monson’s Karyce Welsh (14 points) and Katie Sweeney (10) combined for 24 points. Lauren Chapdelaine and Alison Stanlewicz led St. Mary with five points apiece.
