Sports
MIAA tennis: PVCICS girls, boys both advance in state tournaments
By HANNAH BEVIS
AMHERST – The Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School girls’ tennis team quietly put together a stellar season.The squad continued that streak into the preliminary round of the MIAA Division 4 Tournament on Thursday. The No. 26 Dragons handily...
High schools: Belchertown girls tennis holds off Dedham in Div. 3 state tourney
Staff Reports
Belchertown’s No. 2 doubles team of Mia Corish and Emalee Chaisson won a crucial second set in their match (6-3, 7-5) to send the Orioles to the next round of the MIAA Division 3 girls tennis tournament with a close 3-2 victory over No. 29 Dedham.Also...
South Hadley runs away from Belchertown to claim Class B girls lacrosse crown (PHOTOS)
By KYLE GRABOWSKI
AGAWAM – A ferocious defensive effort delivered the South Hadley girls lacrosse program its first Western Massachusetts championship.The No. 2 seed Tigers defeated No. 4 Belchertown 13-5 on Wednesday at Agawam High School, holding the Orioles to their...
All-around effort powers top-seeded Hampshire Regional to 6-0 win over Pittsfield in Class B final (PHOTOS)
By HANNAH BEVIS
WESTFIELD – The culture of success has been ingrained into Hampshire’s softball program for decades. Every year, it’s well-known that the Raiders are going to be one of the teams to beat in Massachusetts. But whispers of doubt swept around the team...
Brackets released for MIAA baseball, softball tournaments
By JEFF LAJOIE
It’s time to play for a state championship.The brackets for the MIAA baseball and softball tournaments were officially released on Wednesday, and a total of seven local softball and seven local baseball have qualified.State title games for baseball...
Class D softball: Hopkins Academy reaches 1st WMass final since 2005, falls to powerhouse Turners Falls (PHOTOS)
By HANNAH BEVIS
WESTFIELD – For Turners Falls pitcher Madi Liimatainen, Tuesday’s Western Mass. Class D final was everything she wanted and more. The sophomore struck out eight batters and allowed just two hits in an 8-1 victory over No. 2 Hopkins, returning the...
Wyatt Edes’ RBI single caps Frontier rally in 3-2 Class C championship-game win over Smith Voc (PHOTOS)
By KYLE GRABOWSKI
GREENFIELD - The Rooster hummed a song of victory in his head staring defeat in the eyes.Frontier Regional junior Wyatt Edes, nicknamed after the barnyard crower for his flowing red locks and crimson goatee, stood in the Veterans Field batter’s box...
Northampton girls capture 3rd consecutive WMass Div. 1 track & field championship (PHOTOS)
By HANNAH BEVIS
AGAWAM — While she wouldn’t call it a dynasty, Northampton head girls track and field coach Linda Rowbotham was thrilled with her team’s three-peat at the Division 1 PVIAC meet on Sunday afternoon.The Northampton girls won in convincing fashion,...
Amherst’s Luca Harwood helps UMass ultimate to runner-up finish at USA Ultimate Division I College Championships
By LUKE WHITEHOUSE
The University of Massachusetts ultimate team made their mark at the USA Ultimate Division I College Championships in Mason, Ohio over the weekend.Over 24 Div. 1 men's teams from all over the country competed over a four-day slate, and the ‘Zoodisc’...
MIAA Div. 4 track championships: Amherst boys win 4x800 state title
By HANNAH BEVIS
HINGHAM — Amherst’s distance relays always show up when they get to compete on the biggest stages, and their 4x800-meter team did it again on Sunday at the Division 4 state championships at Notre Dame Academy. The quartet of Nico Lisle, Miguel...
Girls lacrosse: Belchertown, South Hadley will meet for Class B title after semifinal wins
By KYLE GRABOWSKI
NORTHAMPTON – Adrien Wise put away five of her six goals in the first half, as No. 4 Belchertown upended top-seeded Northampton 18-15 on Sunday in the Western Massachusetts girls lacrosse semifinals.Sam Pacunas (assist) and Paige Magner added five...
Ultimate state championships: Amherst wins No. 26; Northampton girls take 2nd
By KYLE GRABOWSKI
NORTHAMPTON — Amherst’s casket never closed.Lexington celebrated like it won the boys ultimate state title Sunday at Oxbow Marina. The Fooligans ran off the sideline into the end zone to scream and hug then lined up. They thought they slayed the...
South Hadley’s Emma Sanford captures shot put title at MIAA Div. 6 Track & Field Championships (PHOTOS)
By KYLE GRABOWSKI
WESTFIELD – Emma Sanford proved she can win a state title with her feet firmly planted.The South Hadley senior typically earns her gold medals flying in the high jump or long jump or levitating over hurdles. A glance at the meet entries told her that...
Girls tennis: Ludlow outlasts Belchertown to capture Class B title, 3-2 (PHOTOS)
By KYLE GRABOWSKI
BELCHERTOWN – The Western Massachusetts Class B final delivered everything the Belchertown girls tennis team could ask for except the final score line.Playing No. 2 Ludlow at home, the top-seeded Orioles opposed familiar faces. Many of the players...
High schools: Northampton’s Camilla Brewer, Amherst’s Logan Alfandari win track state titles; Hopkins softball advances to Class D final
By HANNAH BEVIS
HADLEY — The Hopkins Academy softball team punched a ticket to its first-ever Western Mass. final in style on Friday afternoon, run-ruling No. 6 Lenox in the Class D semifinals. The Golden Hawks cruised to a 14-2 win in five innings backed by strong...
Boys tennis: Dragons take down Lenox to secure PVCICS’ 1st-ever Western Mass. championship (PHOTOS)
By KYLE GRABOWSKI
WEST SPRINGFIELD – Teddy Scott noticed the dust in the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School trophy case.The runner up trophy from last season’s Western Massachusetts Class C boys tennis final loss against Lee also caught his eye. Scott...
Boys tennis: Northampton edges Amherst 3-2 to capture WMass Class B championship (PHOTOS)
By HANNAH BEVIS
NORTHAMPTON – The Northampton boys tennis team had taken both regular season matches against Amherst, 4-1. But with the Western Mass. Class B title on the line, the Battle of the Bridge rematch got a little more heated on Friday afternoon.Northampton...
Amherst’s Catie Spence sets new Williston Northampton school record in 800 meters
By HANNAH BEVIS
Before this track season, Williston Northampton School’s Catie Spence had never competed in the 800 meter run before. By the end of the year, she held the school record in the event. The Amherst native set the school record during the Division II New...
South Hadley’s Emma Sanford wins pentathlon title at MIAA Division 6 Track & Field Championships
By HANNAH BEVIS
WESTFIELD – Emma Sanford, the model of consistency, captured another state title at the MIAA Division 6 Track & Field Championships at Westfield State University on Thursday. The senior took first place in the pentathlon with a score of 3,160 points,...
High school tourneys: Hampshire, Hopkins, Granby baseball all eliminated in WMass semis
By the time Monument Mountain and Hampshire Regional got to the bottom of the fifth inning of their Western Mass. Class B baseball semifinal, it had gone from a one-sided affair to a back and forth battle. The Spartans, which once led 6-0, found...
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