Football: Gavier Fernandez racks up 4 TDs in Amherst’s 31-12 win over Putnam

Gavier Fernandez racked up four touchdowns, and the Amherst football team got their 2024 season off on the right foot thanks to a 31-12 victory over Putnam on Saturday at Ted Plumb Field in Springfield.The game was played with no spectators after...

Football: Williston pulls ahead early to defeat Deerfield Academy, 34-21

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

DEERFIELD — The Williston Northampton football team came to play in its season opener against Deerfield Academy on Saturday. After falling to the Big Green last fall, the Wildcats came out with a different focus this time around, punching it into the...

UMass football: Buffalo outscores Minutemen 24-0 in second half, runs away for 34-3 victory

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

Through 30 minutes of action against Buffalo on Saturday, the Massachusetts football team was in position to try to earn its first win of the season. It was a different story in the second half. The Bulls outscored the Minutemen 17-0 in the third...

Football: Wahconah locks down South Hadley in second half, secures 26-6 victory

By DYLAN THOMPSON

DALTON – The South Hadley football team was given the unenviable task of opening its season on the road against a Berkshire County powerhouse.Host Wahconah held just a one-score lead at halftime, but the Warriors kept the Tigers off the scoreboard in...

Football: Easthampton’s late rally falls just short in 14-12 loss to Ware

By MIKE MORAN

EASTHAMPTON — The Easthampton football team’s rally fell short in a 14-12 season-opening loss to Ware, Friday night.The Eagles trailed 14-0, but they came back behind two Colin Hogan touchdown passes to Trevor Canon-Smith and a defense that held the...

Football: Jacoby Allard, Northampton rally past Belchertown 16-13 for Week 1 win (PHOTOS)

By GARRETT COTE

BELCHERTOWN — Trailing 13-8 and facing a fourth-and-3 in his own territory midway through the fourth quarter, Northampton football head coach Joe Kocot kept his offense on the field hoping a conversion would spark the team’s struggling offense.And on...

High schools: Smith Academy's Caitlin Graves joins 100 point club in win over Taconic

Smith Academy’s Caitlin Graves totaled an unbelievable eight goals and one assist on Friday to reach 100 career points in the Falcons’ 10-0 win at Taconic.Graves is the third player in Smith Academy soccer history to reach the milestone, joining Riley...

UMass football: Minutemen continue tour of the MAC with road trip to Buffalo

By CONNOR PIGNATELLO

The UMass football team travels to Buffalo on Saturday for its third of five matchups this season against future MAC opponents. The Minutemen are 0-2 following losses to Eastern Michigan and Toledo, and the Bulls are 1-1 after splitting games with FCS...

Improved defense hoping to bolster Williston Northampton football team in 2024

By GARRETT COTE

EASTHAMPTON — The scoreboard operator has a busy job at Williston Northampton School when the football team takes the field on Saturdays.For the past two seasons, the Wildcats have led the Northeast Prep League in points, and with a host of talented...

Football: Amherst-Putnam game moved to Saturday, will be played without fans due to a social media threat

Putnam and Amherst’s season-opening football game has been rescheduled and will be played without fans due to a social media threat, according to a MassLive report.Seth Keevaenthal, media and climate specialist for the Amherst Regional School...

Football: Second half miscues doom Holyoke in 36-12 season-opening loss to Pittsfield

By GARRETT COTE

HOLYOKE — It may not have been playing its most disciplined football, but the Holyoke football team capitalized on a gift from Pittsfield in the second quarter of its season opener at the Roberts Complex on Thursday night.Trailing 18-6 in the second...

High schools: After 3-0 start, Amherst field hockey suffers first loss to Franklin Tech (PHOTOS)

TURNERS FALLS – Following a 5-10-1 campaign in 2023, the Amherst field hockey team looks like a renewed group this fall. The Hurricanes opened the season with County League wins over Palmer, Hampshire and Holyoke to start 3-0, gaining confidence in...

High school football: Strength of schedule for each Hampshire County program in 2024

By CONNOR PIGNATELLO

Hampshire County football teams start their first full week of games on Friday, with five teams in action.The Daily Hampshire Gazette calculated the strength of schedule for each Hampshire County football team this fall. Strength of schedule numbers...

High school football preview: Which Hampshire County schools have what it takes to reach the state tournament in 2024?

By GARRETT COTE and CONNOR PIGNATELLO

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY — After four weeks of practice, the start of the high school football season in Hampshire County begins for most teams on Friday, with four crossover games for local teams. Frontier began its season on Sept. 6 with a loss...

High schools: Haly Doucette-Kaplan's late goal lifts Northampton field hockey past Mohawk Trail (PHOTOS)

Haly Doucette-Kaplan netted the game-winning goal with 3 minutes, 18 seconds remaining, and the Northampton field hockey team moved above the .500 mark on the season thanks to a 2-1 Valley League victory over Mohawk Trail on Wednesday in...

‘Everything is pointing toward a sellout:’ Ticket sales going well for UMass football team’s Oct. 12 home game against Missouri

By CONNOR PIGNATELLO

Five years ago, the UMass football program scheduled a series with a Missouri team that was less than a decade into its membership in the SEC and looking to save some money on its non-conference schedule.Instead of Missouri paying UMass seven figures...

Belchertown’s Daskam brothers cherishing chance to play college football together at Western New England

By CONNOR PIGNATELLO

Separated by five years, Cal and Chris Daskam never thought they’d get the chance to play together.The two brothers, alongside their older brother Clayton, all played football at Belchertown High School. They come from a long line of gridiron...

Youth football: Northampton Seniors cruise to 40-0 win over Warren/West Brookfield

The Northampton Youth Football programs had their first home games of the season this past weekend, and the “Main Event” Senior Division team blanked Warren/West Brookfield in a dominant showing – a 40-0 win.It was a rain-soaked evening for the three...

High schools: Murray, Hulmes lift Belchertown golf to tight win over Frontier (PHOTOS)

Michael Murray and Daniel Hulmes both fired rounds of 2-over 37, helping the Belchertown golf team edge Frontier, 154-158, in action played Tuesday at Cherry Hill Golf Course in Amherst.Jared Haynes shot 38 and Ryan Shea followed with a 42 for the...