UMass roundup: Allie Palmieri scores 31 points as Minutewomen open A-10 play with 78-61 win over Fordham

It was an impressive start to the UMass women’s basketball team’s final Atlantic 10 Conference season.The Minutewomen opened A-10 play in fine fashion on Sunday afternoon, building an early lead and keeping Fordham at arm’s length en route to a 78-61...

Girls Basketball Roundup: Frontier opens game on 24-1 run to knock off Franklin Tech, 82-28 (PHOTOS)

The Frontier girls basketball team was ready to go from the opening tip against Franklin Tech on Friday. The Redhawks broke open a 24-1 lead just seven minutes into the contest before taking a 56-14 halftime advantage. That allowed them to run away...

HS Roundup: Pioneer pulls away in second half to knock off Hoosac, 51-43 (PHOTOS)

A pair of teams that reached the 2023-24 MIAA Division 5 boys semifinals met at Messer Gymnasium on Friday. Pioneer hosted Hoosac Valley, with the Panthers taking a 25-23 halftime lead after an Alex McClelland layup before the buzzer sounded. It was...

Keeping Score with Chip Ainsworth: Breaking down UMass’ ‘vision’ for football

Good morning!UMass athletic director Ryan Bamford has released a four-page memo to season ticket holders titled “A Vision for UMass Football” that promises a phoenix will rise from the ashes of a broken program.The 2,666-word document reads at times...

HS Roundup: Hot start lifts Mahar boys basketball past Hopkins Academy for first win

A hot start sent the Mahar boys basketball team to its first win of the season on Monday night.The Senators led 23-6 after one quarter and cruised to a 72-29 Hampshire League South victory over Hopkins Academy in Orange."Nice to get a win on the...

Jon Breor becomes second Greenfield boys basketball player to reach 1,000 points though Green Wave fall to Pioneer (PHOTOS)

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

NORTHFIELD — Greenfield High School has waited a long time for its second boys basketball player to join the 1,000 point club. Angelo Thomas became the first Green Wave boy to hit the 1,000 point mark in 1993, and while seven Greenfield girls...

Indoor track: Greenfield, Frontier, Mahar, Mohawk Trail compete in second meet of season

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

The second PVIAC indoor track meet of the season took place on Sunday at Smith College, with Frontier, Greenfield, Mahar and Mohawk Trail participating. The Green Wave and the Senators opened the day in the early meet before the Redhawks and the...

UMass basketball: Arizona State swarms Minutemen in second half to capture Basketball Hall of Fame Classic in Springfield

By GARRETT COTE

SPRINGFIELD — Sometimes when a team loses, self-inflicted wounds or a poor performance stand as the reasons why. Other times, however, the opposing team is simply better.Both were the case on Saturday evening at the MassMutual Center in Springfield,...

HS Roundup: Greenfield boys basketball’s late surge falls short in 63-57 loss to Wahconah (PHOTOS)

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

GREENFIELD — A late surge from the Greenfield boys basketball team on Saturday wasn’t enough. Hosting Wahconah, the Green Wave trailed 59-47 with under three minutes to go but turned up the heat defensively late. Jon Breor scored in the paint...

HS Roundup: Frontier girls basketball moves to 5-0 with win over Ludlow

The Frontier girls basketball team has shown its dominance on the defensive end of the floor to open the season. Taking on Ludlow on Friday, the Redhawks held the Lions to 14 points in the first half and just four in the second half,...

Wrestling Preview: Returning deep and talented squad, Franklin Tech has eyes on Suburban League North title

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

Mike Aiken and the Franklin Tech wrestling team have waited a long time to have a roster like the one they’ve got this year.The Eagles will have an advantage over just about every team in the area during dual meets, seeing as for the first time in...

Keeping Score with Chip Ainsworth: The dishonest world of sport betting

Good morning!Sports betting ads are ubiquitous on media platforms from radio to television to podcasts. Online betting companies pay good money for the airtime and nobody wants to kill the golden goose. Consequently it took a British periodical to...

High schools: Athol holds off late Turners Falls charge to win Hampshire League North opener (PHOTOS)

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

TURNERS FALLS — The Turners Falls boys basketball team made things interesting in the fourth quarter against the defending Hampshire League North champions on Thursday. Athol led just 36-33 going into the fourth, but a 7-0 run by the Bears to open the...

The Real Score: The power of service through sport

Sport fandom is all about building community in the professional sport industry, but most sport takes place within our communities. From a financial perspective, participatory sports accounted for 63.5% of the global sport market in 2023 and in the...

UMass basketball: Jaylen Curry's big shot helps Minutemen survive late Northeastern scare for 77-72 win

By GARRETT COTE

AMHERST — After Northeastern erupted for 10 straight points as part of a 12-1 run late in the second half, the UMass men’s basketball team saw its double-digit lead with under seven minutes left evaporate as the clock ticked under two to go.But as he...

HS Roundup: Pioneer girls basketball falls in season opener to Lenox

The Lenox girls basketball team gave Pioneer all it could handle in the Panthers’ season opener on Wednesday. The Millionaires — winners of the Franklin County League North a season ago — built a 27-4 halftime lead to pull away with a...

Turners Falls swimming starts season on high note under new coach Abby Heathwaite

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

New Turners Falls High School swimming coach Abby Heathwaite has hit the ground running. It was a unique situation for the first year coach as Heathwaite graduated from Coastal Carolina University this past weekend, meaning she wasn’t able to be in...

On The Ridge with Joe Judd: Last-minute gift ideas for your favorite outdoor enthusiast

As I take pen in hand, the holiday season is totally upon us, and family traditions of celebrating and spending time together are key components to making it all so special. These traditions hold the same importance for Massachusetts outdoors people,...

Hockey: Matt Garvin’s hat trick lifts Greenfield past Amherst 7-1

By RYAN AMES

AMHERST – Four points from Matt Garvin pushed the Greenfield boys hockey team past Amherst Regional, 7-1, in an independent contest Tuesday night at Orr Rink.Garvin recorded a hat trick and added an assist as the Green Wave cruised to their second win...

High schools: Frontier girls basketball scores 22 straight points to open game, leading to 70-16 victory over Greenfield (PHOTOS)

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

GREENFIELD — The Frontier girls basketball team is rolling to open the season. After picking up wins over Southwick and Easthampton, the Redhawks made the trip to Nichols Gymnasium to take on Greenfield Tuesday in Franklin County League North action,...