Sports
High schools: Holyoke boys volleyball sweeps Athol for 5th straight victory (PHOTOS)
By GARRETT COTE
HOLYOKE — Already down two sets to none against Holyoke, the Athol boys volleyball team was in a do-or-die situation late in the third set. With the frame tied at nine apiece, the Bears used a 7-2 run to storm ahead 16-11 and capture all momentum...
More history for Tiger Woods. He makes the Masters cut for a record 24th time in a row
By PAUL NEWBERRY
AUGUSTA, Ga. — A howling gust – the kind that created havoc at Augusta National all day long – struck the 18th green just as Tiger Woods was lining up yet another testy putt. Fine particles of sand stirred from the pearl-white bunkers, whipping across...
Track & field preview 2024: Not happy with last year’s performance, Northampton boys seeking redemption
By GARRETT COTE
The Northampton boys team entered last year’s Western Massachusetts outdoor track and field championships with lofty expectations.The Blue Devils felt they had plenty to not only compete with their peers, but win the whole thing. And following a...
High schools: South Hadley girls lacrosse pulls away from Belchertown for 14-7 win (PHOTOS)
By GARRETT COTE
SOUTH HADLEY — Entering the second quarter of Thursday afternoon’s game between visiting Belchertown and the host South Hadley girls lacrosse teams, the score was tied at three apiece after each team held a one-goal lead but couldn’t gain any more...
Boys lacrosse preview 2024: Amherst program led by family, friends
By CONNOR PIGNATELLO
Rich Ferro has been around Amherst boys lacrosse for decades. He played at Amherst in the 1990s, served as the Hurricanes’ athletic director from 2001-2019 and has been coaching hockey and lacrosse on and off for most of the past two decades.This...
High schools: John Viola shuts down Monson as South Hadley baseball picks up 1-0 win
Two days removed from a 1-0 loss to Ware, the South Hadley baseball team came out on top in another pitchers’ duel on Wednesday.John Viola went the distance for South Hadley, striking out four while walking just two and scattering three hits to help...
Softball: Bats come alive as Granby pulls away from Smith Academy 21-8 (PHOTOS)
By CONNOR PIGNATELLO
GRANBY – After an even first few frames, the Granby softball team’s bats came to life late against Smith Academy. The Rams captured a 21-8 victory under a consistent drizzle on Wednesday afternoon.With the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth...
UMass basketball: Rahsool Diggins signs NIL deal to stay with Minutemen
By GARRETT COTE
AMHERST — Another member of the band has made his decision, and it’s a good one for the UMass men’s basketball team.Following a career year, junior Rahsool Diggins has signed an NIL deal with The Massachusetts Collective, the collective announced on...
Girls lacrosse preview 2024: Hampshire Regional program continues to grow
By CONNOR PIGNATELLO
The Hampshire Regional girls lacrosse team has come a long way since head coach Grace Ahrensdorf helped start up the program in 2017.Hampshire joined St. Mary and Westfield Tech’s cooperative program in 2018 and played a varsity schedule under the St....
High schools: Hampshire Regional baseball thumps Easthampton
Each of the Hampshire Regional baseball team’s nine starters crossed home plate as the Raiders picked up their second Hampshire County win of the week via a 17-4 five-inning victory over Easthampton on Tuesday afternoon.Hampshire senior Liam Pond went...
Boys lacrosse: Northampton rolls past Chicopee Comp, moves to 2-0 (PHOTOS)
By GARRETT COTE
NORTHAMPTON — After surrendering an early first quarter goal, the Northampton boys lacrosse team shook off some early nerves and responded accordingly.The Blue Devils rattled off the game’s next 13 goals, and Chicopee Comp had no answer for the hosts’...
Red Sox honor 2004 championship team, Tim Wakefield’s family ahead of home opener
By KYLE HIGHTOWER
BOSTON — When the Red Sox swept the St. Louis Cardinals to capture the World Series title in 2004 to end their 86-year title drought, Johnny Damon was one of the first to grab the trophy. He immediately found Tim Wakefield – who’d bounced back after...
Baseball: Beau Elson pitches Hopkins Academy past Greenfield (PHOTOS)
By THOMAS JOHNSTON
GREENFIELD — Welcome back to western Mass. baseball, Beau Elson. The Fordham commit who returned to Hopkins Academy from Phillips Exeter this year, made his first start on the mound this season for the Golden Hawks against Greenfield on Tuesday.The...
High school softball preview 2024: Can Hampshire Regional keep it rolling?
By CONNOR PIGNATELLO
The Hampshire Regional softball team lost just two seniors from last year’s squad that won the program’s fourth consecutive Western Mass. title, but the Raiders have quite a bit of production to make up.Jocelyn Mettey, the 2023 Daily Hampshire Gazette...
UConn concludes a dominant run to its 2nd straight NCAA title, beating Zach Edey and Purdue 75-60
By EDDIE PELLS
GLENDALE, Ariz. — A basketball beatdown. A coaching clinic. A double-digit domination. Take one guess who finished off a romp through college basketball again. You bet, it’s UConn — a program built to win now, and often, and by a lot every time the...
High schools: Northampton track & field drops dual meet with Minnechaug
By BRADYN COTE
NORTHAMPTON – Both the Northampton boys and girls track and field teams faced off against Minnechaug Monday afternoon, with the Falcons earning the sweep.The Northampton boys fell short 91-54, but were carried via the distance running efforts. The...
Softball: Northampton blanked by defending state champion Greenfield
By GARRETT COTE
NORTHAMPTON — Not a bad way to start a bid for a three-peat.Behind a 13 strikeouts from MacKenzie Paulin and a whopping 23 runs from the Greenfield offense, the Green Wave – winners of the last two MIAA Division 5 state championships – picked up right...
Softball: Hopkins Academy falls to Turners Falls in state semifinal rematch (PHOTOS)
By THOMAS JOHNSTON
TURNERS FALLS — The Turners Falls softball team’s bats were on fire to open the season on Monday against Hopkins Academy. In a rematch of last year’s MIAA Division 5 semifinal, the Thunder cracked six hits in the opening two innings to race out to a...
Reports: John Calipari leaving Kentucky to take Arkansas job
CONNOR PIGNATELLO
John Calipari has taken the head coaching job at Arkansas, according to multiple reports late Sunday night. The contract is expected to be completed within 24 hours.Calipari spent 15 seasons at Kentucky, where he won over 400 games and a national...
Boys volleyball preview 2024: Frontier eyes 3-peat in new, challenging league
CONNOR PIGNATELLO
After two Western Mass. Class C titles in two seasons as a varsity program, Frontier boys volleyball has ditched its independent schedule and is joining the Eastern League in pursuit of a Western Mass. three-peat.Sean MacDonald, who led the Frontier...
