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By GARRETT COTE

WORCESTER — Since the inception of the new statewide tournament format, Joseph Case has been a thorn in Hampshire Regional’s side. The Cardinals knocked off the Raiders in the 2023 state championship game, and again defeated them in last season’s quarterfinal matchup en route to a second-straight MIAA Division 4 crown.

By GARRETT COTE

BELCHERTOWN — The Belchertown Post 239 Senior American Legion team improved to 2-0 on the season, with its latest victory coming in walk-off fashion in extra innings on Wednesday evening at Belchertown High School.

By GARRETT COTE

WESTHAMPTON — A dozen Western Massachusetts titles – including 15 Western Mass. final appearances – in 18 seasons, and two state championships (2015 and 2016) to go along with it. That’s the Hampshire Regional softball program’s resume since head coach Brian McGan took over in 2008. Raiders players of the past two decades only know what it’s like to play in high-leverage games. That’s all they have done under McGan.

By GARRETT COTE

WORCESTER — The Hampshire Regional softball team has played like a No. 1 seed all year, and when it earned the top mark in the MIAA Division 4 state tournament as the brackets were released in late May, the Raiders only elevated their already magnificent play on the field.

By GARRETT COTE

It was about as ideal a start as the Belchertown Post 239 senior legion baseball team could have asked for on Monday evening on the road against West Springfield Post 207, as Belchertown earned a 4-1 win to start the 2025 season fresh off its second consecutive District 3 title.

By GARRETT COTE

For the last two years, the Belchertown Post 239 Senior American Legion team has been the cream of the crop in Western Massachusetts. Post 239 breezed through their regular season schedule without a loss in 2024 before earning a 6-5 win in the District 3 championship over Aldenville Post 337 for their second consecutive title.

By GARRETT COTE

Only one team has been able to beat the Amherst Regional girls tennis team all season, as the Hurricanes have ripped through their fellow western Massachusetts opponents and their first two state tournament foes en route to an MIAA Division 2 state quarterfinal appearance.

By GARRETT COTE

NORTHAMPTON — Jack Carpenter did everything he could in the offseason to put himself in the best position to have a big senior year as captain of the Northampton boys lacrosse team.

By GARRETT COTE

SOUTH DEERFIELD — For the third time in just over two weeks, the Frontier and South Hadley softball teams squared off – this edition coming in the MIAA Division 4 Round of 16 with a trip to the quarterfinals on the line on Wednesday afternoon.

By GARRETT COTE

NORTH ANDOVER — It only took a handful of regular season dual meets for Amherst Regional track and field coach Chris Gould to realize just how special his ‘Canes girls team could be in 2025. After blowing out teams throughout the spring, including rival Northampton in early May, Gould tabbed this Amherst girls squad as the program’s “best team ever.”

By GARRETT COTE

Day 1 of the MIAA Division 6 Outdoor Track & Field Championships was pleasant to Hampshire County participants, as a couple of local athletes earned state titles in their respective events at Tufts University in Medford on Friday evening.

By GARRETT COTE

WESTHAMPTON — Jacob Sicard made quick work of No. 39 Roxbury Prep in the top of the first inning, and after Zach Phakos smashed a two-run home run in the bottom half of the frame, the party was on in Westhampton.

By GARRETT COTE

HOLYOKE — They say the third time is the charm, and it most certainly was for the top-seeded Pioneer baseball team on Wednesday afternoon at MacKenzie Stadium.

By GARRETT COTE

SPRINGFIELD — A frantic pace filled the third quarter of the Western Massachusetts Class C girls lacrosse championship on Tuesday evening at Berte Field. Only 10 total goals were scored in the first half between No. 1 South Hadley and No. 3 Wahconah, and the two teams erupted for a dozen in the third frame alone.

By GARRETT COTE

WESTFIELD — The Hampshire Regional softball team is back where it belongs.

By GARRETT COTE

Just a week ago, the South Hadley and Frontier softball teams met in their regular-season finales, knowing that there was a strong possibility of meeting in the Western Massachusetts Class B semifinals a handful of days later. And after the No. 3 Tigers and No. 2 Redhawks earned decisive wins in their respective quarterfinal bouts, sure enough, they were back on the diamond on Sunday – battling it out for a spot in the Class B championship.

By GARRETT COTE

As has been the case in each of the big tournaments – the Amherst Invitational, Pioneer Valley Invitational and now the Division 1 state championship – this season, the Amherst Regional girls varsity ultimate team met Four Rivers in the finals on Sunday. And just as the previous two times played out, the Hurricanes prevailed to earn first place and bring home a trophy.

By GARRETT COTE

WILLIAMSTOWN — Conditions were less-than-ideal at the Western Massachusetts Div. 2 Track and Field Championship on Saturday at Mount Greylock Regional High School, but Hampshire County athletes persevered and shined through the heavy fog, clouds and occasional rain to turn in some terrific performances.

By GARRETT COTE

PITTSFIELD — Michael Locher knew Friday’s Western Mass Class C boys tennis championship match wasn’t going to come easy. The head coach of No. 2 Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School came into it aware his team was shorthanded, as the Dragons were without their first doubles pair of James Scott and Teddy Scott – the team’s only two seniors – and their typical third singles player, Gabe Loinaz (injury).

By GARRETT COTE

On Thursday, May 22, members of the Williston Northampton School community piled into the Phillips Stevens Chapel for the Wildcats’ annual Spring Athletics Awards Assembly – which honors spring sports teams and top senior athletes for their contributions to athletics at Williston.

By GARRETT COTE

SOUTH HADLEY — The pouring rain didn’t seem to slow down the No. 1 Northampton boys lacrosse team on Thursday afternoon at South Hadley High School, as the Blue Devils used goals from seven different players and a monster defensive effort to cruise past No. 4 South Hadley in the Western Massachusetts Class B semifinals.