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.

Women’s hockey: Cara Mancini, Amherst College take down Hamilton 5-1 for key NESCAC win

By RYAN AMES

AMHERST – Cara Mancini’s first career multi-goal game lifted the No. 6 Amherst College women’s hockey team past Hamilton, 5-1, Friday night at Orr Rink.

Wrestling: Hampshire’s Adin Clifford, Holyoke’s Steven Santiago reach semifinals at MIAA state meet

After taking second place at 144 pounds during the Western Mass. Div. 3 sectional last week, Hampshire’s Adin Clifford said he was hoping for a better performance at the MIAA Div. 3 state tournament than he’s had in the past. 

Williston Northampton community raises $50,000 for Elise Ollmann-Kahle endowed scholarship fund

By GARRETT COTE

EASTHAMPTON — The large crowd on hand at the Williston Northampton School basketball doubleheader last Friday night had no idea they were attending something much bigger than just a pair of games.

WMass basketball: Three Hampshire County teams to play in sectional finals Saturday

By GARRETT COTE

A trio of Hampshire County basketball programs have made it to championship Saturday, as the Northampton and South Hadley girls teams and Granby boys team will compete in their respective title games looking to raise hardware. These same three squads all competed in the Western Mass. finals last winter and are once again back in the big game.

Connor McDavid scores in OT to give Canada 3-2 win over United States in 4 Nations Face-Off final

By JIMMY GOLEN

PVIAC Class B hockey semifinal: Brach Applegate scores twice but overtime sinks Amherst in 3-2 loss to Taconic

By RYAN AMES

WEST SPRINGFIELD – Taconic’s Eric Harrington scored in overtime to sink the Amherst hockey team, 3-2, in the PVIAC Class B semifinal round at Olympia Ice Arena on Thursday.

PVIAC Class B hockey semifinal: Easthampton's season comes to an end in 4-1 loss to Agawam (PHOTOS)

By RYAN AMES

WEST SPRINGFIELD – The Easthampton hockey team’s push for the postseason came to a close in its 4-1 loss to Agawam during the PVIAC Class B semifinals on Thursday at the Olympia Ice Center.

High schools: Monument Mountain boys knock off South Hadley, 86-64, in Class B semifinals

The South Hadley boys basketball team was facing an uphill battle on the road against Monument Mountain on Thursday in the semifinals of the Western Mass. Class B Tournament. 

UMass hockey: Minutemen prepare for series with New Hampshire

By RYAN AMES

The No. 16 UMass hockey team will make its first visit to the Granite State this season when it opens a home-and-home series against New Hampshire in Durham on Friday.

The Real Score with Ajhanai “AJ” Keaton: Sport is the mirror Americans now need most

Within the disciplines of sport management and sociology of sport, there is a common phrase that many sport academicians know to be true: Sport is a microcosm of our social world. This phrase argues that sport is a repackaged enterprise of our values, politics, culture, economics, etc.

Girls basketball: Cara Dean, South Hadley headed back to Class B final after win over SICS (PHOTOS)

By RYAN AMES

SOUTH HADLEY – Cara Dean’s 22 points helped the South Hadley girls basketball conquer Sprinfield International Charter School, 62-46, during the semifinal round of the PVIAC Class B girls tournament on Wednesday night.

Girls basketball: Defense propels Northampton past Minnechaug, into Class A final (PHOTOS)

By GARRETT COTE

NORTHAMPTON — The third quarter of Wednesday night’s Western Mass. Class A semifinal between No. 2 Northampton and No. 3 Minnechaug marked the most points the Blue Devils had surrendered in a frame in the sectional tournament. Northampton led by 10 at halftime, and a Bri Heafey triple boosted its advantage to 25-12. But the Blue Devils watched their once 13-point lead slip to six as a stretch of defensive lapses allowed the Falcons to go on a 10-3 run.

High schools: Top-seeded Pioneer boys handle Smith Academy in Class D semis (PHOTOS)

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

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.