Irvin Compass’ new path: Hopkins Academy transfer puts past behind him

By ADAM HARGRAVES

HADLEY — Irvin Compass came to Hopkins Academy to start over.A new beginning in a different state, away from a dark cloud that hovered over him.According to the Sun Herald, while attending St. Stanislaus College in May, school officials caught Compass...

Patriots rookie Malcom Mitchell awaits Monday night stage

FOXBOROUGH (AP) — Things just keep getting better for rookie Malcolm Mitchell.The rookie receiver the past two games has suddenly become an important part of the New England offense. Now comes a big Monday night stage.“I know (there’s) a lot of...

UMass pulls away from Pacific in Gotham Classic opener, 72-48

By MATT VAUTOUR

AMHERST — In the first half, the UMass men’s basketball team looked like it thought Thursday was going to be an easy win and struggled. In the second half, the Minutemen came out like they had a fight on their hands and then cruised to that easy...

Rams doctor ElAttrache and Patriots star Tom Brady have bond

By SAM FARMER

LOS ANGELES – More than 66,000 bundled-up spectators will pack Gillette Stadium on Sunday and not only cheer for New England against the Los Angeles Rams, but for quarterback Tom Brady to claim another piece of NFL history. Last week, he tied the...

Bench carries UMass to 62-55 win over Wagner

By MATT VAUTOUR

AMHERST — On a night when the UMass starters never got into rhythm, the bench picked up the slack.C.J. Anderson and Malik Hines led the second unit, which scored 40 points in a 62-55 win over Wagner, Wednesday at the Mullins Center.With just under 5...

Free-agent compensation, international draft top MLB issues

By RONALD BLUM

NEW YORK — Negotiators for baseball players and owners are meeting this week in Irving, Texas, in an attempt to reach agreement on a collective bargaining agreement to replace the five-year contract that expires Thursday. After eight work stoppages...

NFL Week 12: Giants dump Browns for sixth straight win

CLEVELAND (AP) — Eli Manning threw two touchdown passes to Odell Beckham Jr., Jason Pierre-Paul returned a fumble for a TD, and the New York Giants extended their winning streak to six, holding off Cleveland 27-13 on Sunday to keep the Browns...

Amherst Regional senior Will Budington is an athlete for the seasons

By MIKE KNITTLE

Amherst Regional senior Will Budington began playing sports at the age of 5. His father Nate Budington took him out to their Williamstown backyard and taught Will how to toss a baseball back and forth. This was the first of many sports that Will — now...

At last in 17th season, Pats Tom Brady faces 49ers on road

By JANIE McCAULEY

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Not even in grade school, Tom Brady cried from his seat at The Stick when Dwight Clark made “The Catch.” The New England quarterback had so counted on playing at Candlestick Park in 2008, his first NFL game back home in the Bay...

42 Years later, Patty Freedson gets a Michigan letterman's jacket

By MATT VAUTOUR

Patty Freedson planned to wear her new jacket for a night out with friends and again to a football game on Saturday.After that, she wasn’t sure. But knowing it’ll be hanging in her closet will be a source of happiness, pride and a lot of good...

Much history surrounds Seahawks, Patriots Super Bowl rematch

By KYLE HIGHTOWER

FOXBOROUGH — Pete Carroll knows he can’t go back in time to 1997 when he arrived in New England as the Patriots’ giddy 46-year-old new head coach.But if he could, he says he certainly would have done things a lot differently.It’s been 17 years since...

Hoosac runs over Frontier Regional, 42-6

By CHRIS COLLINS

SOUTH DEERFIELD — On several occasions this season, the Frontier Regional football team used a high-powered rushing attack to grind up the opposition.On Friday, the Red Hawks got a taste of their own medicine.Hoosac Valley generated 437 yards of...

UMass alum Neal Brown a rising coaching star at Troy

By MATT VAUTOUR

Neal Brown’s life-changing decision came somewhere on the 5-hour bus ride between Lexington, Kentucky, and Wheeling, West Virginia, in early 2003.Back then, the recently graduated UMass wide receiver had just finished the season for the Lexington...

Jessica Van Heynigen nets hat trick for Gateway girls soccer in win over Renaissance

By ADAM HARGRAVES

HUNTINGTON — Scoring a hat trick is never easy work. Toward the end of her game Wednesday night, Jessica Van Heynigen watched from the sidelines with ice attached to both hips.“I just felt some bumps and bruises here and there,” Van Heynigen said....

Marcus Camby enjoying retirement, but interested in coaching

By MATT VAUTOUR

AMHERST — He’s the tallest dance dad now. Or the best shot-blocking barber shop owner.But most of the time, Marcus Camby, who visited the Derek Kellogg Basketball Camp at UMass Wednesday, is just enjoying being retired.For now.Camby still loves the...

Boston Bruin, former Minuteman Frank Vatrano hoping for another productive summer

By MATT VAUTOUR

WEST SPRINGFIELD To the people watching at the Olympia Thursday, Frank Vatrano is the guy with the heartwarming success story that landed him with the Boston Bruins.He’s also the kid that grew up nearby in East Longmeadow playing a men’s league game...

Former UMass guard Ross Burns has found his basketball niche

By MATT VAUTOUR

It’s easy to miss the familiar face that appears for just a few moments on Brandon Ingram’s pre-draft video blog on The Players Tribune.But there, behind Ingram, an almost certain top-two pick in Thursday’s NBA Draft, is Ross Burns feeding him the...