The Real Score: Sports fandom everything, yet nothing in life

By LIZ DELIA

In August, I spent a week in Vienna, Austria. A year earlier, our family had secured tickets to the Vienna leg of Taylor Swift’s hugely popular Eras Tour. Less than 24 hours before our concert, news broke of a foiled terrorism plot targeting the...

HS Roundup: Ashlie Galenski’s hat trick leads Frontier field hockey past Minnechaug

 It was a second quarter to remember for the Frontier field hockey team on Wednesday.Trailing 1-0 after 15 minutes, the Redhawks struck for four goals in the second period, and ultimately secured an impressive 5-2 Suburban League victory over...

Bulletin board: Steve Call wins Knights of Columbus Golf League at Thomas Memorial

After an exciting season at Thomas Memorial Golf & Country Club in Turners Falls, the Knights of Columbus Golf League saw its season come to an end on Wednesday night with Steve Call capturing the league championship.Call’s plus-6 point quota led the...

Girls volleyball: Madi Liimatainen, Turners Falls sweep Easthampton (PHOTOS)

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

TURNERS FALLS — After a slow start, the Turners Falls volleyball team found its rhythm early in the second set against Easthampton on Wednesday. The Thunder fell behind early in the opening set against the Eagles but battled back, with Madi...

HS Roundup: Mahar field hockey erases 5-1 deficit to tie Turners (PHOTOS)

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

ORANGE — It wasn’t looking good for the Mahar field hockey team during the third quarter against Turners Falls on Tuesday. The Sens found themselves trailing 5-1 after the Thunder tallied twice in the opening two minutes of the half, dropping Mahar —...

Bulletin Board: United Church of Bernardston holds 19th annual golf tournament

The 19th United Church of Bernardston Golf Tournament took place over the weekend at Northfield Golf Club, with the team of Braeden Talbot, Jeff Jackman, Paul Bernard and Bobby Betsold winning a match of cards over Henry Argueto, Paolo Matti, AJ...

UMass football: AD Ryan Bamford breaks down Minutemen’s difficult 2024 schedule, future opponents

By CONNOR PIGNATELLO

Another week, another big win for a MAC school.A week after Northern Illinois beat No. 5 Notre Dame on the road 16-14 in a game it was paid $1.4 million to play, Toledo went down to Starkville, took the Bulldogs’ $1.2 million check and beat...

HS Roundup: Frontier girls soccer nets seven goals in win over Pathfinder

It’s been an offensive explosion to start the year for the Frontier girls soccer team. In their first four games of the season, the Redhawks have outscored opponents 30-1 to open with a 4-0 record. The offensive onslaught continued on Monday against...

Bulletin Board: Franklin County Bulldogs and Frontier youth football teams square off

Benjamin Woodard threw a pair of touchdowns to Avery Lococo while Jackson Puchalski ran in an 8-yard score in the Franklin County Bulldogs Junior football team’s 21-0 win over Frontier on Sunday. Wes Darling had two sacks and an interception, Lococo...

Football notebook: Athol, Franklin Tech take care of business in Week 1

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

The two local football teams that reached the state tournament last fall looked the part in their season openers on Friday. Athol, which earned the No. 14 seed in the MIAA Div. 8 state tournament a season ago, opened its campaign with a 48-16 rout of...

UMass football: Don Brown implores Minutemen to ‘finish the game’ after second-half shutout

By CONNOR PIGNATELLO

The UMass football team had finally built a long drive. After 70 yards of hard work, mostly through the running game, the Minutemen had a third-and-goal chance. Trailing 20-3 in the closing seconds of the third quarter, a touchdown could bring them...

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: Franklin Tech thumps McCann 42-6 for season-opening win (PHOTOS)

By GEORGE MILLER

TURNERS FALLS — Franklin Tech used its air game to build up a commanding lead in its season opener Friday night and the legs of Josiah Little to keep the ball and the clock moving, as the Eagles thundered past McCann Tech of North Adams, 42-6.Tyler...

Football: Big first half propels Athol past Murdock, 48-16

Athol football coach Josh Talbot couldn’t have scripted a better start to the season for his squad. Taking 0n Murdock in their season opener, the Bears came out flying and dominated the first half to take a 48-0 lead into the intermission. Athol ended...

High Schools: Ella Guidaboni's goal lifts Turners Falls past Mohawk Trail for 1st win

Ella Guidaboni buried a penalty stroke in the waning minutes of regulation, and the visiting Turners Falls field hockey team won their first game of the season on Friday.Guidaboni’s goal broke a scoreless tie and lifted the Thunder to a 1-0 Valley...

Football: Greenfield drops season opener at Chicopee, 30-6

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

CHICOPEE — Every time the Greenfield football team had the Chicopee offense backed up and facing a long conversion, Pacers quarterback Braeden Siano came through for his team. Siano and the Chicopee offense converted five third downs and two fourth...

Patriots and Seahawks, two once-proud franchises fallen on hard times, meet with a chance to go 2-0

By JIMMY GOLEN

FOXBOROUGH — The New England Patriots were so bad last year they fired six-time Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Belichick. The Seattle Seahawks weren’t much better, reason enough to get rid of Pete Carroll — the only coach ever to lead them to the NFL...

Keeping Score with Chip Ainsworth: Great River Challenge Off-Road Triathlon fast approaching

Good morning!Three weeks from today upward of 150 people will arrive at Northfield Mountain from Boston and central New York to embark on the 9th annual Great River Challenge Off-Road Triathlon.The race will begin near the Quinnetukut boat launch with...

High School Sports Roundup: Franklin Tech field hockey wins third game in a row with triumph over Amherst (PHOTOS)

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

TURNERS FALLS — After tying with Hampshire in its season-opener, the Franklin Tech field hockey team has found a groove. The Eagles — which have made it to three straight Western Mass. finals — came back to win their next two games and on Thursday,...