Sports
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...
High schools: Amherst softball starts fast, routs St. Mary’s 14-0 (PHOTOS)
Sofia Holden and Mia Shaw did the job in the pitching circle, and the Amherst softball team pounded out 14 hits en route to a dominant 14-0 win over St. Mary’s in a five-inning run-ruled contest on Friday in Amherst.Holden struck out five in two...
Northampton’s Roan Dunkerley signs contract with Boston Glory in the Ultimate Frisbee Association
CONNOR PIGNATELLO
Northampton senior Roan Dunkerley has signed a one-year contract with the Boston Glory, a semi-pro team that competes in the Ultimate Frisbee Association. On a team primarily made up of college students and recent graduates, Dunkerley is the lone high...
Former UMass basketball player Josh Cohen follows Eric Musselman, will transfer to Southern California
By GARRETT COTE
Former UMass men’s basketball forward Josh Cohen announced last week he would be transferring to Arkansas, ending his Minutemen career after one season. And on Thursday, he broke some more news to the college basketball world.Cohen announced he would...
Defying the odds: Hadley’s Owen Earle back competing less than two years removed from horrific accident
By GARRETT COTE
Lying flat on his back in the middle of a field at Four Rex Farm in Hadley, Owen Earle stared straight into an endless stretch of overcast sky, raindrops gently splashing him.Although he didn’t feel much pain, he knew there was no getting up.“I had...
On The Run with John Stifler: It’s officially Tuesday race season in Northampton
That hill in the third mile is a little toughie. You’ve been pacing yourself around the large field next to the Mill River, keeping mind, lungs and legs together, and ahead lurks the abrupt turn into the woods where the trail rises gradually, then...
Tennis preview 2024: PVCICS loaded again, looking to defend WMass title
By GARRETT COTE
Less than a year removed from a Western Mass. Class C championship, the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School boys tennis team is gearing up for yet another deep postseason run this spring.The Dragons defeated Lee 4-1 in the title match last...
2024 high school baseball preview: Loaded Hopkins Academy aiming for third state final berth in four years
By GARRETT COTE
Fresh off its second state championship appearance in three seasons, the Hopkins Academy baseball team and head coach Dan Vreeland are hungry for more.The Golden Hawks fell 10-5 to Bourne in the 2023 MIAA Division 5 state final, but they return all...
High schools: Sofia Holden strikes out 21 as Amherst takes down Pope Francis
Sofia Holden stole the show both in the circle and at the plate on Tuesday afternoon.The Amherst softball senior struck out 21 Pope Francis batters and reached base three times while driving in two runs as the Hurricanes defeated the Cardinals 4-1 on...
UMass notebook: Josh Cohen (Arkansas), Robert Davis Jr. (Old Dominion) have new homes as transfer portal remains busy
By GARRETT COTE
AMHERST — Two former UMass men’s basketball players have already found new homes after announcing they would be entering the transfer portal in mid-March.Josh Cohen told On3Sports last week that he would be joining Arkansas for the upcoming men’s...
Caitlin Clark leads Iowa back to Final Four, scoring 41 points in 94-87 win over defending champ LSU
By DOUG FEINBERG
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Caitlin Clark put up another sensational performance to carry Iowa to its second straight Final Four.The Hawkeyes’ superstar guard, whose record-breaking exploits have brought unprecedented attention to women’s basketball, made...
High schools: Amherst sweeps singles matches, takes down Belchertown
In a battle of two of the top programs in western Massachusetts over recent years, the Amherst boys tennis team came out on top over Belchertown during action Monday.The Hurricanes won all three singles matches en route to a 4-1 victory.Amherst’s...
Baseball: Josh Misiaszek, Belchertown open with 12-1 win over Northampton
By GARRETT COTE
BELCHERTOWN — After trading a run with Northampton in the first inning, Belchertown pitcher Josh Misiaszek got out of a small jam in the top of the second with back-to-back strikeouts and gave his team some juice headed into the dugout.The Orioles...
Softball: Ella Schaeffer tosses gem, South Hadley blanks Easthampton 1-0 in season opener (PHOTOS)
By CONNOR PIGNATELLO
EASTHAMPTON – After an offseason spent playing travel ball, Ella Schaeffer was counting down the days until South Hadley’s first game of the season at Easthampton.After a playoff loss two years ago on the same field, Schaeffer said she started out...
Fit to Play with Jim Johnson: Exercise Prescriptions Are Just The Beginning
Exercise prescriptions first started in 1968 when Ken Cooper recommended that everyone amass 40 points a week to achieve aerobic fitness. For example, this could be achieved by running one eight-minute mile a day, five days a week. Cooper’s...
High schools: Quinn Cook, Granby slug past Mahar in softball season opener
A Quinn Cook grand slam and three triples and three RBIs from Grace Roy catapulted the Granby softball team to over 20 runs in its first game of the season.The Rams rolled to a 21-9 win in five innings of Mahar on Friday in Granby.Cook went 2-for-4...
Baseball: Big first inning powers Granby past Smith Academy in season opener (PHOTOS)
By CONNOR PIGNATELLO
GRANBY — After inclement weather caused every outdoor game on Thursday’s opening day of the spring season to be postponed, Hampshire County teams finally started spring regular season play Friday on a sunny, 50-degree afternoon.And the Granby baseball...
Clark and Reese bring star power to Albany 2 Regional that features Iowa, LSU, Colorado and UCLA
By DOUG FEINBERG
ALBANY, N.Y. — Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese bring a lot of star power to the Albany 2 Regional as two of the biggest names in college basketball.Clark’s Iowa squad and Reese’s LSU team would both have to win their Sweet 16 games for the two to meet...
UMass’ leading rusher Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams re-enters transfer portal
By CONNOR PIGNATELLO
Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams, UMass’ leading rusher in 2023, announced he is re-entering the transfer portal on Thursday. Lynch-Adams’ announcement comes in the first week of full spring practice for the Minutemen.In 2023 as a redshirt junior, Lynch-Adams...
Denver’s Tristan Broz scores in double-overtime to knock off UMass, 2-1, in NCAA Tournament opening round (PHOTOS)
By THOMAS JOHNSTON
SPRINGFIELD — When the Massachusetts and Denver hockey teams meet in the NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Championship, 60 minutes doesn’t seem to be enough to decide a winner. After playing to overtime in the 2019 NCAA tournament semifinals, the fourth-seeded...
