117th Mass. Am Day 1: Lenane shines, Mrva surges with eagle-fueled comeback at GreatHorse

By GARRETT COTE

HAMPDEN — Fans and followers of annual Mass Golf events have almost certainly heard of Joey Lenane by now after last summer’s dominant 10-shot win in the Mass. Amateur Public Links Championship at Ledges Golf Club. And after just one round at the 117th Mass. Am Championship, Lenane’s name was right back at the top of the leaderboard.

Leaderboard tight after Round 1 of 92nd Mass. Girls Junior Amateur at Crumpin-Fox

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

BERNARDSTON — The 92nd Massachusetts Girls Junior Amateur Championship got underway Monday at Crumpin-Fox Club, with Granby’s Ryley Regan, representing Orchards Golf Club, putting herself in a good position heading into the second day of the tournament.

Scenic and severe: WMass gem GreatHorse puts golfers to the test at 117th Massachusetts Amateur

By GARRETT COTE

HAMPDEN — Prior to this summer, it had been a handful of years since Cody Booska teed the ball up competitively. The Turners Falls native who now lives in Boston but represents Country Club of Greenfield, earned medalist honors with a 3-under 69 at a qualifier for the Massachusetts Amateur Championship on June 18 to welcome himself back to the competitive golf scene.

End of an Era: Remembering UMass athletics' glory days in the Atlantic 10

By RYAN AMES

The UMass athletic department has a new home.

The 92nd Girls’ Junior Amateur Championship to kick off Monday at Crumpin-Fox Club

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

The top amateur girls golfers in the state will be heading to Bernardston this week.

Western Mass. set to host 117th Mass. Amateur at GreatHorse this week

By JEFF LAJOIE

For the first time in nearly a decade, Western Massachusetts will play host to the state’s biggest amateur golf tournament.

From Omaha to the Valley: Blue Sox reap rewards from spring’s hottest college baseball teams

By RYAN AMES

HOLYOKE — Two of the best stories in college baseball this past spring came from two programs about 1,000 miles apart in Murray State and Northeastern.

Local briefs: Amherst Koufax takes down Hatfield

The Amherst 14U baseball team downed Hatfield, 7-1, at Amherst Middle School in a PVYBL Sandy Koufax game on Wednesday to improve to 5-1-1 on the season.

On The Run with John Stifler: Eminem or Saint-Saëns? The playlist that powers your run

Three weeks before this year’s Boston Marathon, the Boston Globe’s “Weekend” section featured a piece titled “A playlist for your long run this weekend.” Three weeks prior to race day is when marathoners typically do a long training run, perhaps 18 or 20 miles. The idea of the Globe piece was that such a long run can be mentally as well as physically challenging. Are you really up for spending that much time putting one foot in front of the other? Would some music help you get going?

Southampton 10U softball team repeats as District 2 champs, eyes state title defense (PHOTOS)

By RYAN AMES

SOUTHAMPTON — A three-run third inning set the wheels in motion for the Southampton 10U softball team’s second straight Little League District 2 title as the all-star squad got past Wilbraham, 6-3, at Norris Elementary School on Wednesday night.

Legion baseball: Northampton Post 28 rallies past West Side, continues push in District 3 standings

By RYAN AMES

NORTHAMPTON — The Northampton Post 28 American Legion baseball team has got a good thing going.

Alum returns: Brandon Borges takes helm of Williston Northampton boys hockey

By RYAN AMES

Brandon Borges is the new varsity boys ice hockey coach at Williston Northampton School after serving as an assistant coach with the Wildcats the past two seasons. 

Local baseball: Jake Smith homers, Belchertown Post 239 holds off Sheffield

By RYAN AMES

Belchertown Post 239 built a 9-1 lead after two innings and held on, edging Sheffield Post 340 for an 11-9 win in an American Legion Senior Division baseball game Monday night at War Memorial Field in Sheffield.

Hometown Heroes: Hadley's Ciaglo and Elson making their mark with the Blue Sox

By GARRETT COTE

HOLYOKE — It’s impossible to ignore the presence of young fans attending Valley Blue Sox games throughout the summer. There are a handful of kids bouncing around from the concession stands to the patch of grass behind home plate to play catch, to the bleachers where their laser-focused glares fix in on the high-quality baseball being played at beautiful MacKenzie Stadium.

Fit to Play with Jim Johnson: Second class athletes

In May 1965, I got on a bus going from Baton Rouge to Lexington, Kentucky. I wasn’t alone as I was working as the athletic trainer for the 28 members of the LSU track team. We were going to compete in the SEC championships. A few days before departure we were given the news that the school was not flying us to Kentucky, but that we had to take the bus about 700 miles — about 15 hours. One doesn’t need advanced training in exercise science to know that sitting on a bus that long prior to athletic competition is not ideal.

NHL Draft: Nestrasil taken by Blackhawks at No. 25, becomes 2nd-highest drafted player in UMass history

By RYAN AMES

The Chicago Blackhawks selected incoming UMass hockey freshman Vaclav Nestrasil with the 25th overall selection during the first round of Friday’s NHL Draft.

James Lavallee pitches Northampton Post 28 past Greenfield Post 81, 3-1

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

GREENFIELD — Northampton Post 28 put three runs on the board in the top of the first inning against Greenfield Post 81 and Northampton’s James Lavallee did the rest. 

Putala era begins: Young gun takes the helm as new Amherst Regional High School football coach

By GARRETT COTE

AMHERST — The Amherst Regional High School football team will be under new direction next season, as 24-year old Jack Putala steps in to take the reins of the Hurricane program. Putala served as Amherst’a defensive coordinator for the last three seasons and is replacing Vinnie Guiel, who coached the team from 2022-2024.

Granby’s Regan surges late to finish top 20 at New England Women’s Amateur Championship

The final round of the 2025 New England Women’s Amateur Championship took place on Thursday afternoon at Haverhill Country Club, and Ryley Regan and Julianna Megan – members of the Orchards Golf Club in South Hadley – both cracked the top 25 in a pair of strong showings throughout the week.

Minutemen reload: 11 newcomers set to suit up as UMass completes 2025-26 roster

By RYAN AMES

UMass hockey head coach Greg Carvel has assembled his roster for the upcoming 2025-26 season following the announcement of its final two recruits, this past week.