New University of Massachusetts football coach Charley Molnar will earn a base salary of $250,000 over the five years of his contract, but that only scratches the surface of his earning capability.

SPRINGFIELD - Amherst Regional sophomore Ciaran Dillon-Davidson won his first Western Massachusetts Swimming Championship on Sunday at the Art Linkletter Natatorium at Springfield College.

Dillon-Davidson overwhelmed his competition in the 500-yard freestyle, pulling away from the pack while building a sizable lead.

Frontier Regional sophomore alpine skier Sean Doyle flew down the slopes of Berkshire East Ski Area in Charlemont on Tuesday and surpassed even his own expectations, placing second overall in the PVIAC Ski League individual finals.

"I feel like I had a really good season all around and I'm very pleased with how I did" Tuesday, Doyle said.

Forbasaw Nkamebo and Brianna Leonard each had double-doubles Tuesday as the Amherst Regional girls basketball team won its seventh straight game with a 53-39 victory over Westfield.

Nkamebo (12 rebounds) and Leonard (10 boards, six steals, five assists) both scored a game-high 13 points for the Hurricanes (15-2, 7-0 Suburban).

Kate Sullivan set the tone defensively at the top of the Hopkins Academy full-court press and led the offense with a game-high 18 points as the Golden Hawks beat Easthampton 46-32 on Feb. 10 to take over first place in the league.

The Turners Falls hockey team is on the doorstep of the postseason.

Trevor Peduzzi's two goals helped keep the Indians (9-9, 3-5 Wright) rolling with a 5-4 victory over Chicopee Saturday in Holyoke.

Brandon Lenois, Travis Holloway, and Cody Booska had the other goals for Turners, which has won seven in a row and features Frontier Regional athletes.

The path to a state football tournament took another step forward Thursday.

Marilyn Higgins was a teacher in every sense of the word. Higgins taught in the Belchertown school system for over 25 years, and coached at the high school for over 40 seasons and she affected the lives around her daily.

Simply referring to Belchertown’s Chris Ladd as a quarterback doesn’t begin to tell the whole story of his ability as a football player.

Indeed, the senior did it all on the gridiron for the Orioles, leading them into the postseason for the second straight season following a four-year drought.

For all his exploits, Ladd has been named the Daily Hampshire Gazette Football Player of the Year for the 2011 season.

Brianna Leonard scored a game-high 19 points and made 10 steals to lead the Amherst Regional girls basketball team to a 57-42 victory over Chicopee Comp Tuesday at home.

Forbasaw Nkamebo (12 rebounds, five steals) and Victoria Stewart (seven assists) each had 14 points for Amherst (13-2, 5-0 Suburban).

Three players scored in double digits as the Hopkins Academy girls basketball team soared past Greenfield 59-18 Tuesday.

Olivia Mathieu paced Hopkins (12-5, 12-3, Franklin South) with 16 points, followed closely by sharp-shooting Madi Stevens (15 points, including four 3-pointers). Emma Konieczny rounded out the trio with 11 points.

Amanda Calvo knocked down a 3-pointer from the corner with 8 seconds left as the Frontier girls basketball team survived a scare from Mohawk Trail 36-35 in Buckland on Tuesday night.

The Red Hawks (9-7, 9-6, Franklin South) moved to within one win of qualifying for the postseason with the victory and officially eliminated the Warriors (3-11, 3-11, Franklin North) from contention.

FOXBOROUGH - For James Ihedigbo, it's always been about just getting an opportunity.

Give him an opportunity to walk on and the Amherst Regional standout not only earned a scholarship at the University of Massachusetts, but All-American honors too.

In August, Connecticut defensive coordinator Don Brown will spend countless hours devising a game plan to defeat the University of Massachusetts, the school where he once coached, as the Huskies prepare to open the 2012 season against the Minutemen on Aug. 30.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Victor Cruz has had a season full of improbable moments, and the Super Bowl is set to be another.

In less than six months, the obscure second-year wide receiver from the University of Massachusetts has set a single-season receiving record for the Giants and become one of the most popular athletes in the New York area.

The second Hall of Fame class at Amherst Regional includes a soon-to-be Super Bowl participant.

James Ihedigbo, currently a starting safety for the New England Patriots, is the youngest member of the 2012 Hall of Fame class, which was announced at halftime of Monday's boys basketball game between Amherst and Northampton.

The Amherst Regional girls basketball team defeated Longmeadow 67-56 Tuesday.

Victoria Stewart led the Hurricanes (11-2, 3-0 Suburban) with 19 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, four blocks and four steals. Forbasaw Nkamebo (17 points, 10 rebounds) and Brianna Leonard (15 points, 10 rebounds, five steals) also had double-doubles in the victory.

A strong start to each half and a balanced offensive attack helped the Hopkins Academy girls basketball team defeat Pioneer Regional 47-30 Tuesday night in Hadley.

Nine players scored for the Golden Hawks (11-4, 11-2 Franklin South), with five netting at least six points.

Olivia Mathieu had nine points and seven rebounds, while Mackenzie Sullivan added eight points.

The girls basketball team moved to within two wins of clinching a postseason berth with a 44-13 victory at Greenfield Tuesday night.

Courtney Parent had 11 points, while Amanda Calvo added 10 for the Red Hawks (8-6, 8-5 Franklin South).

Belchertown girls soccer star Breanne Moreau has proven that experience is overrated.

In just her second varsity season, the sophomore midfielder earned just about every honor that can be bestowed upon a high school athlete, and also helped lead her team to its second consecutive Western Massachusetts Division 2 title.