Sports

Boys basketball: Greenfield’s season comes to an end against Maynard in MIAA Division 5 Round of 16, 84-39

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

MAYNARD — At times it felt like every shot the Maynard boys basketball team took against Greenfield found its way into the bottom of the net. The fifth-seeded Tigers came out roaring during the MIAA Division 5 Round of 16 contest against the No. 12...

Girls basketball: No. 1 Millis knocks off No. 17 Franklin Tech, 67-38, in Round of 16 

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

MILLIS — The Millis defense didn’t give the Franklin Tech girls basketball team an inch to work with on the offensive end the court Monday.The 17th-seeded Eagles scored the opening two baskets of the game, as Kendra Campbell hit a runner while the...

Boys basketball: Defense carries Pioneer in 60-31 thumping of Keefe Tech to punch Div. 5 Round of 16 ticket

By GEORGE MILLER

NORTHFIELD – The new-look state basketball tournament reached back a full quarter-century Friday evening and served up a silver-anniversary rematch, straight out of the Golden Era of Pioneer basketball.The 2023 Panthers encountered little difficulty...

Keeping Score: Sensory overload with the Springfield Thunderbirds

Good morning! Last Sunday at the MassMutual Center the Springfield Thunderbirds beat the Charlotte Checkers, 5-2, in front of 6,241 fans at the third annual “Sensory Friendly” game.“No goal horn, decreased volume on music, consistent lighting and two...

Boys basketball: Jon Breor goes for 31 points, 20 rebounds as Greenfield hammers Duggan 76-42 in Div. 5 tourney (PHOTOS)

By GEORGE MILLER

GREENFIELD — It's never easy, despite what the scoreboard may say, but Greenfield has certainly made it look easy while mopping up its first two opponents in the boys MIAA Division 5 basketball tournament.The Green Wave used a dominant second quarter,...

Bruins lock up Pastrnak with 8-year, $90M deal through 2031

By JIMMY GOLEN

BOSTON — The Boston Bruins were already on pace for the best record in NHL history when they added toughness and depth for what they hope will be a long playoff run. Now general manager Don Sweeney has helped secure the team’s future, too.The Bruins...

Smith College basketball team relishing role as No. 1 seed in NCAA Div. 3 tourney

By KYLE GRABOWSKI

Receiving the NCAA tournament’s No. 1 overall seed shocked the Smith College basketball team, but it won’t overwhelm the Pioneers.Smith has reached two straight NCAA Division 3 Sweet 16s and won three consecutive NEWMAC titles.“I don’t think it adds...

Alpine Ski: Mohawk Trail girls win second straight MIAA state title (PHOTOS)

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

CHARLEMONT — For the second straight year, an alpine ski state championship is headed to Mohawk Trail. After winning the state title last year at Wachusett Mountain, the Warrior girls set out to repeat this winter and accomplished that goal on their...

On The Ridge: Don’t feed the animals

As February leaves us, and March comes in with plenty of snow still on the ground (and more being predicted), it’s important to resist the urge to feed wildlife, especially species such as whitetail deer and wild turkeys. Granted, winter is hard for...

MIAA Alpine: Defending champion Mohawk Trail girls seek title repeat on home snow

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

While the best racers in the state will make the trip to Berkshire East Mountain Resort in Charlemont on Wednesday for the MIAA Alpine Ski Championships, the local/host school is looking to hang a banner for the second year in a row. The Mohawk Trail...

Girls basketball: Big second quarter lifts Pioneer past Salem Academy Charter in Div. 5 prelims

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

NORTHFIELD — Pioneer smelled blood in the water midway through the second quarter of its MIAA Division 5 Girls Basketball Tournament preliminary round contest against Salem Academy on Monday. The No. 32 Panthers found themselves tied at 11 with the...

Boys basketball: Drury closes game on 15-0 run to knock of Greenfield in Class C title game (PHOTOS)

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

HOLYOKE — The Greenfield and Drury boys basketball teams met twice during the regular season. The Blue Devils won the first game, 70-66, and the second, 67-64. With two close games already in the books, it came as no surprise that when the two...

Boys basketball: Pioneer holds off Hopkins Academy 63-57 for 1st Western Mass. title since 2018 (PHOTOS)

By JEFF LAJOIE

WESTFIELD – The train is, perhaps, ahead of schedule.Buoyed by a sophomore core of players who have been together since elementary school, the Pioneer boys basketball team added another chapter to its storied program history on Saturday. The...

Bulletin Board: Abduli Gilmore wins two matches at MIAA All State Wrestling Tournament

Mahar’s Abduli Gilmore won a pair of matches in the MIAA All State Meet on Friday at Reading High School. Gilmore, the No. 3 seed at 113, defeated Tyngsborough’s Carter Johnson via second period pin to earn a spot in the quarterfinals, where he faced...

Girls basketball: Franklin Tech defeats South Shore Tech to advance to MVADA championship game

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

TURNERS FALLS — The Massachusetts Vocational Athletic Director Association Small School girls basketball championship goes through Turners Falls. Franklin Tech earned the No. 1 seed and hosted No. 4 South Shore Vocational on Friday. Both teams started...

Frontier’s Caroline Crocker compete in Meet of Champions on Saturday

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

Frontier’s Caroline Crocker will be competing against the best Massachusetts has to offer on Saturday. Crocker impressed at the MIAA Div. 5 state meet last week at the Reggie Lewis Center, placing second in the 55-meter hurdles with a time of 8.78...

Girls basketball: Pioneer can’t spring road upset of top-seeded Hoosac in Class D semis

By HOWARD HERMAN

CHESHIRE – The Pioneer girls basketball team had already beaten one Berkshire County team in the Western Mass. Class D tournament.Taking down top-seeded Hoosac Valley proved to be a bridge too far.Hoosac, winners in last year’s inaugural Class D...

Boys basketball: Top-seeded Pioneer blows past Duggan, advances to Class D title game 

By GEORGE MILLER

NORTHFIELD — Progress in the Western Mass. basketball tournament can be defined by handling pressure situations, but it was the ability to relax that carried Pioneer through its boys Class D semifinal Wednesday night at Messer Gymnasium.The top-seeded...

Boys basketball: Caleb Thomas’ late 3-pointer lifts Greenfield past Mount Greylock, into Western Mass. Class C championship game

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

GREENFIELD — Caleb Thomas knew exactly what he needed to do when the ball swung over to him with 25 seconds left in the Western Mass. Class C semifinals on Wednesday night.Trailing No. 3 Mount Greylock by two points, the Greenfield sophomore was left...

Boys basketball: Danny Fellows, Frontier blow past Westfield to punch state tournament ticket

By JEFF LAJOIE

WESTFIELD – The task at hand for the Frontier boys basketball team was simple Tuesday night: win or go home.Danny Fellows and the Redhawks weren’t interested in missing out on the postseason completely.The senior poured in a game-high 22 points,...