MIAA tourneys: Lockdown defense powers Frontier girls past Manchester Essex, into Round of 16 (PHOTOS)

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

SOUTH DEERFIELD — After a hard-fought loss to Pittsfield in the Western Mass. Class B semifinals, the Frontier girls basketball team was more than ready for its MIAA Division 4 tournament opener against Manchester Essex on Thursday. 

Women’s basketball: Top-seeded Smith College eyeing another NEWMAC title

By GARRETT COTE

NORTHAMPTON — The Smith College basketball team has its eyes set on a fifth consecutive NEWMAC tournament championship, and the Pioneers started their quest off on the right foot on Wednesday night at Ainsworth Gymnasium. Smith, the top seed in the NEWMAC following an unblemished 11-0 conference record, used 21 points and 11 rebounds from Ella Sylvester to get past a pesky No. 8 Coast Guard team, 70-62, in the quarterfinals.

UMass basketball: Daniel Rivera to miss remainder of Minutemen’s regular season due to injury; Jaylen Curry likely to return against Rhode Island

By GARRETT COTE

AMHERST — UMass men’s basketball head coach Frank Martin confirmed Thursday that senior forward Daniel Rivera would miss the remainder of the regular season with a knee injury. The third-year Minutemen head coach didn’t offer a timetable for Rivera’s return, but did say that he had been playing through an injury for about a month.

High Schools: Smith Academy boys basketball falls to Community Charter School of Cambridge, 65-55, in D5 prelims (PHOTOS)

By GARRETT COTE

HATFIELD — Nothing was going the No. 26 Smith Academy boys basketball team’s way through nearly three quarters of play in its MIAA Division 5 preliminary round matchup with No. 39 Community Charter School of Cambridge. And when a Cougars player banked in a 3-pointer from the top of they key to give the visitors their largest lead of the game at 45-31 late in the third frame, the mountain seemed almost too steep to climb.

Deerfield Academy girls hockey hands Williston its second loss of the season following 2-1 victory (PHOTOS)

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

DEERFIELD — After taking the Williston Northampton girls hockey team to overtime the last two years, Deerfield Academy finally got over the hump on Wednesday. 

UMass basketball: Minutewomen rally late, close regular season with 61-55 win over George Washington

It was a winning conclusion to the regular season for the UMass women’s basketball team.

Girls basketball: Belchertown’s Chloe LaRoche scores 1,000th career point in state tourney win over Dover-Sherborn

It was a special night for Chloe LaRoche and the Belchertown girls basketball team.

MIAA tourneys: Frontier boys’ late rally falls short in 58-55 prelim loss to Assabet Valley (PHOTOS)

Trailing by three points with five seconds to go in its MIAA Division 4 preliminary round game against No. 33 Assabet Valley Tuesday night, the No. 32 Frontier boys basketball team had one last chance to prolong its season.

Hampshire County contingent closes alpine ski season at MIAA Championships

By GARRETT COTE

CHARLEMONT — Tuesday marked the end of an era for the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School alpine ski team. For the first time in the program’s history – boys or girls – there won’t be a Scott on the team next season. Juliet Scott helped start the team in the winter of 2018 when her younger brothers, twins James and Teddy, were in sixth grade. The two were both on the inaugural boys team that season, and have been a part of the Dragons squad ever since.

Youth hockey: Nonotuck Valley Knights capture Adirondack tourney title

It was an impressive weekend for the Nonotuck Valley Hockey Association Knights.

MIAA tourneys: Samone Young, Easthampton thump Tri-County for opening-round MIAA Division 4 victory

By RYAN AMES

EASTHAMPTON – The Easthampton girls basketball team began its postseason with a bang in its 59-24 win against Tri-County Regional of Franklin, during the preliminary round of the MIAA Division 4 girls state tournament on Monday night.

MIAA wrestling/swimming: Hampshire’s Adin Clifford, Holyoke’s Steven Santiago snag runner-up showings at state wrestling tourneys

A pair of Hampshire County wrestlers made it to their respective championship bouts on Saturday afternoon, as Hampshire Regional’s Adin Clifford and Holyoke’s Steven Santiago earned runner-up finishes at the MIAA Wrestling Championships.

UMass basketball: Rhode Island survives for 42-40 win in Minutewomen’s final A-10 home game

By GARRETT COTE

AMHERST — Emotions continued to run high well past the 40 minutes of action between the UMass women’s basketball team and Rhode Island. The two rivals had not only just played their last-ever Atlantic 10 matchup, but it was also the Minutewomen’s senior night – where they recognized Stefanie Kulesza and Mikenzie Jones. Head coach Mike Leflar and Kulesza both shed tears in the post game press conference following UMass’ 42-40 loss to the Rams on Sunday afternoon at the Mullins Center.

UMass basketball: Minutemen drop 4th game in a row in blowout loss to George Washington

By GARRETT COTE

It feels like an eternity ago that the UMass men’s basketball team was in the mix for a second consecutive double bye in the Atlantic 10 Conference tournament. Back on Feb. 4, the Minutemen gave away a late lead to Saint Louis with third place in the conference on the line. They beat La Salle the very next game, but have since dropped four in a row – losing by an average margin of 18.5 points.

UMass hockey: Owen Murray, Cole O’Hara help Minutemen capture important 3-1 win over New Hampshire

By RYAN AMES

AMHERST – Two goals just 56 seconds apart helped the No. 16 UMass hockey team take down New Hampshire, 3-1, Saturday night at the Mullins Center.

Indoor track: Amherst 4x400 relay team captures title at MIAA Meet of Champions

The Amherst girls 4x400-meter relay team of Ololara Baptiste, Skylar Fox, Emilia Luetjen and Moriah Luetjen won the event in a time of 4 minutes, 1.49 seconds to highlight area runners competing at Saturday’s Meet of Champions at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston.

Boys basketball: Granby pulls off rally for the ages, stuns Drury in OT to capture PVIAC Class C title (PHOTOS)

By GARRETT COTE

WESTFIELD — It will go down as the greatest comeback in Granby boys basketball program history.

Girls basketball: Pittsfield denies South Hadley’s bid for repeat in 52-47 Class B title-game win (PHOTOS)

By RYAN AMES

HOLYOKE – In a rematch of last year’s PVIAC Class B girls basketball final, South Hadley couldn’t go back-to-back as it was edged by Pittsfield, 52-47, Saturday afternoon at Holyoke Community College.

Girls basketball: Northampton can’t keep pace with powerhouse Central in PVIAC Class A final loss (PHOTOS)

By GARRETT COTE

WESTFIELD — It wasn’t a secret that the No. 2 Northampton girls basketball team would have its hands full against top-seeded Springfield Central in Saturday’s PVIAC Class A final. The Blue Devils had lost 10 straight to the Golden Eagles coming in, including a pair of decisive defeats already this winter.

UMass hockey: Minutemen cough up third-period lead to UNH

The No. 16 UMass hockey team failed to hold onto a 3-1 third-period lead in its 4-3 shootout loss to UNH on Friday in Durham.