WA varsity hockey players beat Westford first responders in fundraiser game

February 24, 2026
- By Alex Svenson

Free to read. Not free to make.

If local news matters to you, here’s how to help:

WESTFORD — A combined boys and girls team made up of Westford Academy varsity hockey players defeated a team of Westford police officers and firefighters in a fundraiser game on Sunday.

The Ghosts beat the first responders 7-4 to win the game, which took place at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at the Skate 3 Ice Arena in Tyngsborough.

Kiley Carmichael and Peter Burns of the Ghosts were awarded the inaugural Golden Helmet Award as the game’s most valuable players.

The Westford Police Department congratulated the Ghosts in a social media post on Monday, where they called the game “a fun, competitive and spirited matchup” and said the first responders are “already looking forward to a rematch next season and another great battle on the ice.”

They also thanked the Westford Police and Fire Department Honor Guards, the Westford Firefighters Pipes & Drum Unit, the Friends of Westford Academy Hockey, the coaching staff for both the boys and girls varsity teams and the school staff members who helped make the event possible.

All proceeds from the game went to support the hockey program at Westford Academy and the Westford Police and Fire Department.

Alex Svenson

Alex Svenson joined WestfordCAT as a multimedia journalist in July 2025. He is responsible for researching, writing and producing news stories for WestfordCAT's website and newspaper, as well as creating video content for WestfordCAT's news show and social media platforms, expanding coverage of town meetings, community events, local businesses and the stories that make Westford unique. Alex began his professional journalism career as a part-time reporter for WestfordCAT in 2022. He has since worked for NBC 10 Boston, Boston.com and WCVB NewsCenter 5 Boston, before rejoining WestfordCAT in 2025. Alex also has experience working in local government at the Boston City Hall and Massachusetts State House. Originally from Arlington Massachusetts, Alex graduated from Suffolk University in 2022, where he wrote for The Suffolk Journal and was a student reporter for NECN's 'Suffolk in the City'. When he’s not in the newsroom, Alex enjoys traveling, watching sports, playing soccer, running, hiking, fishing, playing guitar, listening to music and going to the movies.