Court rules against MIAA in forfeiture controversy, Northampton files its own motion in Hampshire County Superior Court

By JEFF LAJOIE

Field hockey and girls volleyball brackets were released for the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association state tournaments on Wednesday, but not without some changes after Hampden County Superior Court Judge Tracy E. Duncan upheld her...

High schools: Belchertown, South Hadley girls set up Class B title-game showdown

The No. 4 Monument Mountain girls soccer team gave top-seeded Belchertown a run for its money in the Western Mass. Class B semifinals, but the Orioles buckled down and prevailed – battling to a 2-1 victory on their home field Tuesday night.For the...

Class D boys soccer: Pioneer outlasts Smith Academy 2-1 in semis, punches title-game ticket (PHOTOS)

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

NORTHFIELD — After the Pioneer and Smith Academy boys soccer teams played twice in the regular season — and the Panthers won the second game just 1-0, the expectation was for a tough, low-scoring affair on Tuesday when the two Schmid League foes met...

Class D boys soccer: Monson nets game-winner in double overtime to take down Granby in semifinals (PHOTOS)

By GARRETT COTE

GRANBY — Riley Goodhind stepped to take a corner kick about two-thirds of the way through the second half of Tuesday afternoon’s Western Mass. Class D semifinal matchup between No. 2 Granby and visiting No. 3 Monson. With the game knotted at two...

MIAA field hockey, volleyball brackets delayed due to court injunction

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

Volleyball and field hockey teams will need to wait at least another day before finding out their seeds and opponents in the upcoming MIAA state tournament. The volleyball and field hockey brackets were supposed to be released on Tuesday, but after...

UMass football: Minutemen hope confidence from Wagner win carries into Mississippi State game

By GARRETT COTE

AMHERST — Win No. 2 was on the menu for the UMass football team last Saturday afternoon at McGuirk Alumni Stadium. The Minutemen defeated Wagner 35-7 to improve to 2-6 – both victories coming against FCS opponents.Just as UMass does following every...

Field hockey: Belchertown can’t rally from early deficit, falls to Southwick 4-2 in Class B final (PHOTOS)

By GARRETT COTE

HOLYOKE — Tears filled Dina Brunetti’s eyes as the Belchertown field hockey team lined up to accept its runner-up plaque following the No. 1 Orioles’ 4-2 loss to No. 2 Southwick in the Western Mass. Class B final on Monday night at Holyoke High...

HS Roundup: Granby girls soccer rallies in second half to defeat Hoosac, 3-2, and advance to Class D finals (PHOTOS)

By GARRETT COTE

GRANBY — Staring straight in the face of a 2-0 deficit to visiting No. 4 Hoosac Valley, the No. 1 Granby girls soccer team had to dig deep and find any source of energy if it wanted to reach the Western Mass. Class D finals for the second straight...

Field hockey: Frontier knocks off Greenfield, 2-0, to win third-straight Western Mass. championship (PHOTOS)

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

HOLYOKE — The Frontier field hockey team is making a habit of collecting Western Mass. championship trophies. For the third year in a row, the two-time defending champion Redhawks squared off with Greenfield in the Western Mass. Class C title on...

Gymnastics: Hampshire Regional edges Westfield, captures 3rd WMass title in four years

It was a meet to remember for the Hampshire Regional gymnastics team.The Raiders stole the show at Roots Gymnastics Center in Westfield on Sunday, overtaking host Westfield to capture first place and win the Western Massachusetts Championship by a...

High schools: Alayna Bailey's late goal lifts Hopkins Academy past Pioneer in Class D quarters

By GARRETT COTE

HADLEY — Throughout the first 75 minutes of action, the No. 2 Hopkins Academy girls soccer team was knocking on the doorstep. The Golden Hawks had attempted nearly 30 shots, but they had no goals to show for against visiting No. 7 Pioneer.Then Alayna...

Amherst girls dominant in capturing 3rd consecutive Western Mass. Class A Cross Country Championship (PHOTOS)

By GARRETT COTE

WESTFIELD — The Amherst Regional girls cross country team’s day almost ended before it even began on Sunday afternoon.The Hurricanes were awaiting a bus to pick them up at the school and take them to Stanley Park in Westfield for the Western Mass....

Hampshire Regional boys cross country wins Class B title at Western Massachusetts Championships (PHOTOS)

By GARRETT COTE

WESTFIELD — Sue Tracy wore the biggest smile as she wiped tears from her eyes underneath the Hampshire Regional cross country tent on the outskirts of Stanley Park’s cross country course.For the first time in program history, the Raiders boys team won...

UMass hockey: Minutemen’s late rally falls short in 3-2 loss to UConn

The UMass hockey team did all it could to climb out of another hole against UConn for the second night in a row, but the Minutemen dug this one a little too deep as they fell 3-2 in Hockey East action in Storrs, Conn. on Saturday night.UMass dug deep...

UMass football: Rushing attack helps Minutemen overwhelm Wagner for 2nd win of season, 35-7

By GARRETT COTE

AMHERST — UMass football wide receiver T.Y. Harding stood on his own 40-yard line as he awaited a punt from Wagner specialist Bailey Marzola midway through the fourth quarter.Having already botched a pair of punt returns earlier in the game, Harding...

Boys soccer: Chicopee scores twice in the second half to knock off Frontier, 2-0, in Class B quarterfinals (PHOTOS)

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

CHICOPEE — It was a tale of two halves for the Frontier boys soccer team against Chicopee on Saturday in the Western Mass. Class B quarterfinals.The seventh-seeded Redhawks came out and had the majority of the possession in the opening 40 minutes,...

Football: Dominant first half propels Wahconah past Northampton in Route 9 Rumble, 54-24

By MIKE WALSH

NORTHAMPTON — The Northampton football team took a step toward regaining the Route 9 Rumble trophy Friday night, albeit a small one.A year after getting shut out by rival Wahconah, Northampton managed to put the ball in the end zone three times in...

Football: Monument Mountain rallies past Smith Voc in Tri-County League showdown, 26-8

By DYLAN THOMPSONFor the GazetteGREAT BARRINGTON — In a battle with the Tri-County League title on the line, the Smith Vocational football team took an early lead but couldn’t sustain it on Friday night.The visiting Vikings led 8-0 after one quarter,...

UMass hockey: Minutemen score late before earning shootout win over UConn

It looked like the UMass hockey team was heading toward a loss in the final minutes of its Hockey East opener against UConn on Friday. The Minutemen trailed the Huskies 3-2 with under one minute to go, forcing UMass coach Greg Carvel to pull Michael...

Football: High-powered West Springfield takes control of Suburban South, runs away from Amherst in 52-8 win (PHOTOS)

By GARRETT COTE

AMHERST — After Amherst and West Springfield traded touchdowns on their opening possessions, the Terriers kicked off to the ‘Canes midway through the first quarter.Amherst kick returner Ty-Ty Beckett scooped it up, made a West Springfield defender...