NORTHFIELD — After pulling out a 53-50 win in the opening round of the Western Mass. Class D Tournament against Monson on Monday, the Smith Academy boys basketball team ran into a buzzsaw in the semifinals. 

On the road at top-seeded Pioneer, the fifth-seeded Falcons fell behind 23-2 after eight minutes and the Panthers defense didn’t allow the visitors to get back into the game in the second quarter, as Smith trailed 32-7 at the half. 

Pioneer held on in the second half to knock off the Falcons, 61-23, in Northfield. 

“We’re a defensive team,” Smith Academy coach Matt Zerneri said. “When they knock down a bunch of shots it’s tough. There’s not much we can do about it. I give all the credit to Pioneer. They’re a great team. I’m just happy our boys competed, didn’t quit and made them work for it.” 

It was Panther seniors Kurt Redeker and Brayden Thayer that controlled the game in the first half, Redeker scoring seven points while Thayer knocked down a 3 to give Pioneer a 10-0 lead with 3:33 to go in the first quarter. 

Cameron Graves got Smith (12-8) on the board but the Panthers (20-0) closed the quarter on a 13-0 run to take its commanding 23-2 lead after one. 

The pace slowed significantly in the second quarter, with Pioneer being held to a trio of 3-pointers in the frame. The Falcons offense was unable to get going against the Panther defense however, being held to five points as Pioneer took a 32-7 lead into the halftime break. 

Smith Academy opened the second half with baskets from Rowan Jeffress and Jake Wilcox before the Panthers went on a 15-4 run to close the quarter and take a 47-15 lead after three. 

Wilcox finished with six points, Harry LaFlamme tallied five points while Grant Murray scored four points for the Falcons, whic now prepare for the MIAA Div. 5 state tournament. 

Class A semis

No. 2 Central 84, No. 3 Holyoke 53 — The rubber match between the Purple Knights and Golden Eagles was never much of a contest, as Springfield Central earned a decisive victory to punch its ticket to the Class A finals against the winner of No. 5 Putnam and No. 1 Pope Francis on Saturday.

Holyoke defeated Central 77-74 in overtime back on Jan. 6, but the Eagles exacted revenge on the 24th, winning 90-70 in Springfield. It was more of that same dominance in the third bout between the two programs on Wednesday, as Central raced out to an early lead and never looked back.

Girls basketball

Class B semis

No. 1 Pittsfield 73, No. 5 Frontier 64 – A Herculean effort nearly enabled the Frontier girls basketball team to take down powerhouse Pittsfield Wednesday night.

The fifth-seeded Redhawks trailed the top-seeded Generals by just one point with under three minutes remaining in their Western Mass. Class B semifinal.

Pittsfield (19-1), which lost just once all season and also beat Springfield Central, was on the ropes on its home floor.

But the Generals found a way through, outscoring Frontier 13-5 over the final 2 minutes, 40 seconds to secure a 73-64 victory and a spot in the Class B final against No. 2 South Hadley.

Frontier, which won its quarterfinal game in the Berkshires when it took down Wahconah in the quarterfinals on Monday, closed out its regular season 17-3 overall, and now awaits its seeding in next week’s MIAA Division 4 tournament.

The Generals led 34-14 in the first half before Frontier got back within 36-29 at halftime. The hosts extended the lead to 57-44 after three quarters.

Frontier never went away. The Hawks stormed out of the gates in the fourth on a 15-3 run, capped by a 3-pointer from Addie Harrington and a Harper Modestow putback that got the visitors within 60-59 with 3:12 to play.

Pittsfield answered with a 3 before Modestow cut the deficit to 63-61 with a bucket inside with 2:27 to play. A Harrington jumper with 1:19 left had Frontier within 67-63, but Pittsfield survived in the final minute-plus, and hit free throws to punch its title-game ticket.

Class D semis

No. 1 Hoosac Valley 68, No. 4 Granby 27 – Three-time defending Class D champion Hoosac Valley showed its mettle Wednesday night in a dominant semifinal win in Cheshire.

The Hurricanes used a big second quarter to snatch control of the Rams, as the hosts outscored Granby 20-6 in the frame to take a 33-12 halftime advantage it would not relinquish.

Granby (10-10) now awaits its draw for next week’s Division 5 tournament.

Non-playoff games

Girls basketball

Pioneer 41, Hopkins 38 — The Golden Hawks led by one entering the fourth quarter, but the Panthers turned up their defensive pressure and help Hopkins to just four points in the final eight minutes. Morgan Augustin led the way with 16 points, a game-high, while Maggie Potter (nine points) also turned in a solid performance for the Hawks.

Hopkins finished the season 3-17.

Greenfield 37, Smith Voc 36 — Makayla Tatro scored 13 points for the Vikings in a loss to the Green Wave in Northampton on Wednesday. Sofia Zina tallied eight points while Julianis Suarez added six points in the loss. 

Smith Academy 51, Baystate 24 – Caitlin Graves tallied 13 points and Anna Scagel joined her in double figures with 10 as the Falcons closed their regular season with a decisive victory on Wednesday.

Boys basketball

Frontier 54, Belchertown 53 — It may have been a consolation game to the naked eye, but it was everything for the Orioles – which ne ded a win to secure a spot in the Division 3 state tournament entering the contest with a 9-10 record.

Belchertown led 38-31 entering the fourth quarter, but the Redhawks erupted for 23 points in the frame to storm from behind and hand the Orioles a heartbreaking loss to end its season. The Belchertown defense was fantastic in the first half, holding Frontier to six points in the first quarter and  just 17 at the half (Belchertown led 27-17). The Os were ranked No. 51, well outside the top 3 2, in the latest MIAA D3 power rankings and had to win to get in.

Brice Letendre scored a team-high 19 points, Jacob Pacunas tossed in a dozen and Shea MacLean scored 11 in the Belchertown loss. Frontier’s Max Millette scored a game-high 25 points to wrap up his stellar regular season, and Rowan Modestow joined him in double figures with 13.

Easthampton 78, Renaissance 74 – Jasper Alvarez poured in 23 points and the Eagles closed out their season in style with a victory on Wednesday.

Patrick Larson scored 16 points in the win for Easthampton (5-15), followed by 13 points from Logan Boyle and 12 from Brayden English.

 Lenox 73, Smith Voc 53 – Dom Sanchez posted another big offensive night with 26 points for the Vikings. Harrison Roberts added 10 points for Smith Voc.

Commerce 85, Hampshire 69 – Jack Wresien led the Raiders with 18 points and Vynce Carr tallied 16 for the Raiders in a loss to Commerce on Wednesday.