It was apparent that Carson Swanson, the Wolverines’ junior guard, was up to the challenge.

In the second quarter alone, he poured in 18 points and finished the game with 33.

“It was a real hot streak,” Westfield coach Nolan Swanson said of his son’s performance. “It was our first game of the year. (I was thinking), ‘What do we have here?'”

Two words now come to mind: “Something special.”

Westfield’s Carson Swanson led Section VI in assists per game with 6.9 this season. OBSERVER file photo

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Carson is a three-sport athlete at Westfield — soccer and golf fill his fall and spring calendar — but hoops is what he’s most passionate about. That was reflected in the numbers he put up in leading the Wolverines to a 20-3 record and a berth in the sectional final where the Wolverines fell to defending state champion Randolph 54-48 at Jamestown Community College.

In 22 contests — he missed one due to illness — Carson led the section in points per game (28.7), assists per game (6.9) and steals per game (5.5). For good measure, he brought down an average of 5.7 rebounds.

“This year was so exceptional,” Nolan Swanson said. “He had an attitude about him that is unwavering. He’s very even-keeled and he’s very tough. He faced a lot of weird defenses and triple teams, and he gets fouled a lot, but he doesn’t lose his cool. As a coach, I’m so proud he can move on to his next play. He’s like a 16-year-old professional.”

Carson, who stands 6-foot-2, scored more than 30 points nine times and set a school-record with 46 in mid-February against Maple Grove. And yet one of his most memorable performances came in Westfield’s postseason loss to Randolph. With the Wolverines trailing by 12 points at the midway point of the fourth quarter, Carson drilled three 3-pointers down the stretch to tie the game with 90 seconds remaining.

“He just kind of willed them to go in,” Nolan Swanson said. “He’s got a vertical, he can get over people and he can get to the rim. The shot he hit to tie the game was one of the biggest in school history.”

The Cardinals, behind the eye-popping 29-point effort from Drew Hind — another talented junior guard — ultimately prevailed, sending them into the Far West Regional and ending Westfield’s season.

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Carson concluded his junior campaign not quite a month ago, but basketball never truly ends for those who love the game. So earlier this week, the Swansons hopped in the car and drove to the Park School in Buffalo where Carson joined his travel team, the Buffalo Titans.

“With an evening available and a gym available, we go,” Nolan said.

As far as the success Carson enjoyed this season, his father/coach didn’t mince words:

“The kid worked for it, it’s just a fact,” Nolan said. “Lifting and offseason work with his travel team all came to a head for this season.”

For that reason, Carson Swanson is the OBSERVER/Post-Journal Player of the Year.