SOUTH DEERFIELD — Through three quarters at Goodnow Gymnasium, the Athol boys basketball team stayed within striking distance against No. 3 Frontier Regional in the first round of the Western Massachusetts Division 3 Tournament.

The 14th-seeded Red Raiders trailed by 11 entering the fourth quarter, but in the final eight minutes, the Red Hawks made sure they weren’t able to pull off the upset.

Following a Mark Ferrari bucket to start the fourth, Frontier took off on a 13-0 run and cruised into the quarterfinals with a 62-41 victory.

Frontier (17-4) will host No. 6 Monument Mountain (16-5) on Friday at 7 p.m.

“For us as a team, we brought a whole lot more energy,” Frontier’s Gabe Jones-Thomson said. “We dialed in, locked in and finished the game and ran away with it. We were all on the same page. In the first half, we didn’t seem to be working as a team. In the second half, the high-low passing was great. Athol had good intensity, they played a good game. That’s what tournament play is.”

Jones-Thomson helped lead the fourth-quarter charge. The senior scored all eight of his points in the final frame, including seven during the Hawks’ 13-0 run.

Peter Carey scored two of his 13 points during the run, Donovan Hoffman knocked down a 3-pointer and Ethan Machon made a free throw.

“When we were organized offensively and getting the ball to the middle, we were successful,” Frontier coach Ben Barshefsky. “It was the opposite when we weren’t organized. The key for us is controlling what we can control. Making the correct cuts, being organized in the press break and half-court set.”

Athol (9-12) felt it was in decent position to make a comeback entering the fourth, but had to take chances while trailing which led to easy buckets for the Red Hawks.

Frontier got going in the second quarter when it knocked down outside shots and Carey dominated in the paint.

The big man scored six points in the quarter and rejected four shots. With the attention going to Carey on the inside, Sean Richter knocked down a trio of shots from outside to put the Red Hawks up 32-17 at the half.

While Frontier started pulling away, Ferrari did his part to keep the Red Raiders in the game, getting to the rim for a bucket before knocking down a 3 late in the quarter.

“They made us uncomfortable tonight, from the beginning to the end,” Barshefsky said. “So credit to those guys. It’s been fun coaching against their seniors and I wish them the best of luck.”

Ferrari kept his groove going in the third quarter, scoring seven points, but Frontier never allowed its lead to drop into single digits, leading 43-32 into the fourth.

Frontier turns its focus to the Spartans, who dismantled Palmer, 99-47, on Tuesday.

“We’re excited,” Jones-Thomson said. “We expected to be here. We have a lot of work to do. Monument is a great team. We have a lot to prepare for and study for to get ready for Friday.”

Frontier Regional 62, Athol 41

Athol (9-12)

Pottinger 4-0-9, Paine 2-1-5, King 3-4-11, Heath 1-0-2, Ferrari 6-0-14. Totals: 16-5-41

Frontier (17-4)

Carey 5-3-13, Robinson 1-0-3, Machon 3-2-8, Walkowicz 2-1-5, Richter 5-2-14, Boudreau 0-2-2, Hoffman 2-1-6, Jones-Thomson 3-2-8, Hernandez 1-0-3, Hanieski 0-0-0. Total: 22-13-62

Athol

9

8

15

9

—41

Frontier

11

21

11

19

—62

3-Pointers—Athol 4 (Pottinger, King, Ferrari 2) Frontier 5 (Robinson, Richter 2, Hoffman, Hernandez)