High schools: Defense propels Smith Voc girls basketball past PVCICS

Smith Vocational’s Makayla Tatro (12) puts in a breakaway layup against Mohawk Trail earlier this season in Northampton.

Smith Vocational’s Makayla Tatro (12) puts in a breakaway layup against Mohawk Trail earlier this season in Northampton. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE

Staff Reports

Published: 02-02-2024 9:48 PM

Girls basketball

Smith Voc 50, PVCICS 16 – The Vikings’ defense dominated en route to the lopsided victory on Friday.

Smith Voc led 11-3 after one quarter and 27-5 at halftime.

Jayanna Daniels poured in a game-high 20 points, while Makayla Tatro notched 13 points and Annalise Kaczenski added seven.

PVCICS’ Sarah Nicolson (five points) and Emma Vasovic (four) paced the Dragons.

Smith Academy 47, Gateway 9 – It was all Falcons on Friday night, cruising to a road victory in Huntington.

Vivian Higuera scored 11 points to pace a balanced Smith Academy offense. Anna Scagel and Alexa Jagodzinski added six points apiece.

Monson 51, Amherst 36 – Zola Higham had the hot hand for the Hurricanes, scoring 22 points in a loss on Friday night.

Amherst’s Niyama Adadenoh scored six points on the night.

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Central 61, Northampton 48 — Playing without Anna Oravec, the Blue Devils trailed by just two late in the third quarter but the Golden Eagles dominated from there, with Central walking away with a victory in Springfield on Friday. 

Northampton entered the game with an 11-2 record and was the No. 10 ranked team in the MIAA Div. 2 state tournament. Central came in at 12-2 and ranked No. 3 in Div. 1. 

Ava Azzaro led the Blue Devils with 22 points. Bri Heafey tossed in 14 points while Emme Calkins added eight points in the loss. 

Boys basketball

Amherst 59, SICS 36 – Marcielo Aquino paced a balanced defensive effort with 14 points, helping the Hurricanes to a much-needed 59-36 victory on Friday night.

Sam Woodruff scored 13 points and Mitchell Carey made it three Amherst players in double figures with 12 points.

Frontier 72, Hampshire 45 — Owen Babb's 21 points and Max Millette's 20 points helped power the Redhawks to an independent win over the Raiders on Friday at Goodnow Gymnasium. 

Frontier led 27-25 at the half before a big third quarter put them ahead, 44-34.  

Sasha Dragicevich finished with 12 points while Garrett Dredge and Nico Fasulo each had six points in the win. 

Jack Wresen scored 13 points, Braylon Jarrett tallied 10 points while Adam Golasinski scored nine points for Hampshire. 

Late Thursday results

Girls basketball

Greenfield 64, Hopkins 20 — The Golden Hawks had no answer for Green Wave senior Amber Bergeron, who followed up a 36-point outing against Easthampton earlier this week with a career-high 40 to cruise to a win over Hopkins.

Juliana Eichenlaub and Cassidi Mushenski tied for a team-high six points, while Olivia Earle and Anna Conklin chipped in three points apiece.