CHICOPEE — The second-seeded Westfield boys volleyball team reclaimed the Western Massachusetts Class A title on Saturday, knocking off No. 1 Agawam 3-1 (25-22, 25-19, 23-25, 25-20) to secure their ninth regional title in program history.
Westfield (18-4) entered Saturday ‘s match at Chicopee Comp High School having dropped both regular season matchups to Agawam (19-2)—one of the most experienced and consistent teams in the region. But this time, the Bombers weren’t rattled.
Instead, they controlled the match from the opening points, attacking early and setting the tone with aggressive blocking and lockdown defense.
“It says something to be in this match 10 seasons in a row… Today was just a really good beginning to end performance,” Westfield coach Tyler Wingate, who is in his 16th season with the team, said. “Even we dropped the third set, we didn’t play our best, but we gave ourselves an opportunity there even at the end. So, it’s really been a nice steady climb from this group.”
Jacob Satkowski led with 13 kills and 2.5 blocks, while Bogdan Kuzin had three blocks and 10 kills of his own. Zachary Kukharchuk and Giovanni Gonzalez each tallied 16 digs, and setter Max Yurtuc orchestrated the attack with 42 assists.
For Agawam, senior captain David Dzhenzherukha led the team with 37 assists and added 13 digs in a strong all-around performance. Joseph Culhane powered the offense with a team-high 17 kills.
Dzhenzherukha reflected on what made Westfield’s performance in the final so different from their regular season matchups.
“I would say they played a lot smarter,” Dzhenzherukha said. “They played a lot more clean. Their passing was good. Nolan, their libero, played a phenomenal game. Got every ball up, digging very well. They played with good energy. Played good volleyball. They outplayed us.”
Despite the loss, he remained confident in his team’s outlook heading into the state tournament.
“It’ll just give us more energy for states,” Dzhenzherukha said. “I’m not worried.”
Westfield took the first two sets 25-22 and 25-19 before Agawam, facing elimination, dug deep to stay alive in the third, winning 25-23.
The Brownies jumped out to a 12-8 lead before the Bombers clawed back to tie the score at 14-14. The two sides continued to trade points, battling to a 16-16 deadlock before Westfield took a brief 17-16 lead after a miscue from Agawam.
But the Brownies responded with a 5-1 run, regaining control and prompting a Westfield timeout with Agawam leading 21-18. The Bombers didn’t go quietly, rallying again to tie the set at 23-23 and electrifying their fans with a thrilling extended rally.
Dzhenzherukha delivered a clutch kill to push his team ahead, and a Westfield error on the next serve sealed the set in favor of the Brownies, 25-23.
“We’ve always been in close sets with them,” Dzhenzherukha said. “We’ve always had high pressure games, and it’s like a second age for us. We’re expected to do good, and we do good.”
Even in the fourth set, Agawam rallied to cut an 11-6 deficit down to 18-16. But the Bombers responded with a decisive 7-3 run, sealing the title.
“I think it came down to grit, being scrappy, and just not letting plays die,” Agawam coach Kevin Ponder said. “I think we do a pretty good job of that during the season. We train a lot in practice, but there’s only so much you can simulate that tension of a big game moment against a great team.
“I think we could have responded a little better, a little more height in some of our touches. Gives our team milliseconds that help us make plays. And that’s what it came down to for both teams, milliseconds, and inches on the lines. We were tight, and we’re looking forward to, hopefully, another chance to play again in the state bracket.”
With the Western Mass title now in hand, Westfield heads into the state tournament, ranked No. 2 in Division II, riding high and looking to build on the momentum from Saturday’s statement win.
“Hopefully we can make another deep run,” Wingate said. “But I’m just excited for this group to get some success here, play well, and just get some valuable experience, because that’s what we’re lacking versus a senior heavy Agawam team.”
Meanwhile, Division II’s No. 1 team, Agawam, will regroup with hopes of making a deep run of its own.
