Field hockey preview: Can Frontier make another deep state tourney run?

By HANNAH BEVIS 

Last year’s Frontier field hockey squad was one of the best in Western Mass., downing rival Greenfield 2-1 in the Western Mass. Class C final and making it all the way to the quarterfinals of the MIAA Division 4 state tournament before Uxbridge...

UMass football: Injury status of QB Taisun Phommachanh unknown as Minutemen prep for home opener against Miami (Ohio)

By GARRETT COTE

AMHERST – Home sweet home; it’s about time.After two long road trips to New Mexico and Alabama, the UMass football team is finally geared up for its home opener. The Minutemen welcome Miami (Ohio) Saturday at 3:30 p.m., a game that UMass head coach...

High schools: Dan Martin’s tally lifts Hampshire Regional past Monument Mountain

A single first-half goal was all that was needed to decide a defensive battle between Hampshire Regional and Monument Mountain on Thursday night.Dan Martin found the back of the net on a pass from Owen Miller to give the Raiders the lead for good, as...

Boys cross country preview: Amherst eyeing another big season with mix of veterans and underclassmen

By HANNAH BEVIS 

Every so often, a high school team has all the pieces fall into place at the right time. They have enough veteran leadership on the team to keep them grounded, promising young athletes to step up and boost the rest of the squad, and solid coaching...

H.S. Football Preview: Offensive firepower has Amherst optimistic about 2023 season

 By GARRETT COTE

During the second-to-last regular season football game a year ago, Amherst matched up with Holyoke on a Friday night in Amherst. Both teams lit up the scoreboard. The Hurricanes had no answer for Purple Knights quarterback Gavier “NeNe” Fernandez, as...

Youth football: Northampton opens 2023 season against Quabbin

The Northampton Youth Football programs opened their 2023 seasons on Saturday against Quabbin at Smith Vocational High School.In the first game of the day, the upstart PeeWee squad won 12-6 behind two rushing touchdowns by new star running back Aevin...

Boys soccer preview: Defending state champion South Hadley has an entirely new look in 2023

 By GARRETT COTE

The South Hadley boys soccer team proved to be the best team in Division 4 last season, as the Tigers rolled through the state tournament before trouncing Blackstone Valley 5-2 in the title game to clinch the program’s first state championship. South...

High schools: Sam Busone hat trick lifts Northampton past Monson 7-0

Sam Busone netted a hat trick and Northampton’s defense and goalie earned a shutout in a 7-0 boys soccer victory over Monson on Wednesday.In addition to Busone’s hatty, Jasper Cantor netted a pair in the win. Also scoring for the Blue Devils were Owen...

Girls volleyball: Senior-laden Amherst shakes off slow start, sweeps past Minnechaug (PHOTOS)

By GARRETT COTE

AMHERST — Nerves settled in and contagiously spread throughout the Amherst girls volleyball team while the Hurricanes took the court for their first match of the season against Minnechaug on Wednesday night.During the first few plays, those jitters...

High schools: First full day of fall sports kick off in sweltering conditions (PHOTOS)

It was a dramatic season opener in South Hadley on Tuesday night, as the South Hadley girls volleyball team kicked off the 2023 campaign in style with a wild 25-20, 26-24, 9-25, 25-27, 15-8 victory over Southwick.Junior middle blocker Isabella...

Boys soccer: Patrick Staudenmayer tallies twice as Amherst blanks South Hadley, 2-0 (PHOTOS)

By GARRETT COTE

AMHERST — Patrick Staudenmayer was the Amherst boys soccer team’s leading scorer as a junior a season ago, and on Tuesday, he kicked off his senior campaign in style.Staudenmayer netted two goals and the Hurricanes defense swarmed South Hadley en...

Girls soccer preview: Belchertown, South Hadley loaded once again as 2023 season gets underway

 By GARRETT COTE

Over the past two girls soccer seasons, the Western Mass. Class B championship has been battled out between Hampshire County foes South Hadley and Belchertown. In 2021, the Orioles squeezed out a 3-2 victory behind a last-minute strike from now-junior...

High schools: Balanced Belchertown gets past South Hadley in golf opener

Three Belchertown’s golfers shot the lowest three rounds of the day on Thursday to propel the Orioles to a 163-176 win against South Hadley at Cold Spring Country Club in Belchertown.Henry Poissant shot a 39 for the Orioles to earn medalist honors,...

UMass football: Minutemen look to carry momentum into SEC showdown at Auburn

By GARRETT COTE

AMHERST — UMass football head coach Don Brown may sound a little bit like a broken record when talking to his team about game-plan preparation and handling business, but being around the game of football for as long as he has, he knows just how...

On The Run with John Stifler: Sugarloaf Mountain Athletic Club track workouts a resounding success

In the 1984 U.S. Women's Olympic Marathon Trials, one of the competitors was Sister Marion Irvine. Right: a nun.A nun who was a national-class runner.I mentioned this bit of running history to Laure Van den Broeck Raffensperger. A strong runner...

UMass soccer: Minutewomen use quick start to take down Syracuse in home opener, 2-0

By GARRETT COTE

AMHERST — It took the UMass women’s soccer team just shy of three minutes to find the back of the net – off the foot of Sarah Defreitas from well outside the box – against Syracuse on Thursday evening.From there the Minutewomen didn’t look back,...

Northampton Youth Football opens 2023 season Saturday against Quabbin

The Northampton Youth Football teams are back in action this weekend to kick off the 2023 season.Northampton will host Quabbin on Saturday at Smith Vocational High School, with the PeeWee game beginning at 4:30 p.m., followed by Junior Division action...

H.S. Golf Preview: Fowles brothers, Northampton loaded once again for 2023

By GARRETT COTE

The Northampton golf team doesn’t need any extra motivation. The Blue Devils have been one of best, if not the best program in Hampshire County over the past several years. They know they have a target on their backs, and that alone is the only...

Track community remembers longtime coach and Northampton native Ron Hebert, who passed away at age 83

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

Longtime Turners Falls High School track and field coach Ron Hebert passed away last week at the age of 83.Hebert, who grew up in Northampton, attended Northampton High School and later graduated from Springfield College, was heavily involved in the...

Easthampton High School Athletic Hall of Fame induction set for Sept. 30

EASTHAMPTON — The Easthampton High School Athletic Hall of Fame will induct its Class of 2023 on Saturday, Sept. 30.The event, which will run from 2-5 p.m., will be held at Easthampton High School (70 Williston Ave.). Tickets are $25/person in advance...