It was a big Hampshire League North showdown at Mallet Gymnasium in Athol on Tuesday between the host Bears and Hampshire Regional. 

Both teams came into the game with identical 7-2 records in the league and through the first half it showed, with Athol leading 30-21 at intermission. 

It was all the Bears in the second half however, as the home team outscored Hampshire 35-22 in the second half to pull away with a 65-43 victory. 

Vynce Carr tallied 10 points while Koleton Kolodziej, Joseph Moro and Isaiah Isa each scored seven points in the loss for the Raiders. 

Smith Academy 54, Mount Greylock 32 – The Falcons got to the all-important 10 win mark, sewing up a spot in the MIAA state tournament via a decisive Hampshire League North road triumph on Tuesday in Williamstown.

Garret Willard led the way with 14 points for Smith Academy (10-6), while Cam Graves joined him in double figures with 12. Jake Wilcox and Ryan McCoy went for nine points apiece in the win, as the Falcons turned a modest 21-19 halftime lead into a 22-point win via a 33-15 edge in the second half.

Smith travels to Hampshire Regional for a key HL North contest on Friday night.

Smith Voc 49, PV Christian 41 – The Vikings won their fifth game in a row and eighth in their last nine outings via an eight-point victory on Tuesday night.

Smith Voc, which led 14-3 after one quarter, was led by Jack Riley with 18 points. Dom Sanchez added 13 in the win for the Vikings (12-4), which look to make it six in a row when it travels to Gateway on Thursday.

Frontier 65, Hopkins 45 – Ten different Redhawks scored points as visiting Frontier cruised to a Hampshire League South victory on Tuesday at Reed Gymnasium in Hadley.

Max Millette (13 points), Alex Ellis (11) and Rowan Modestow (10) paced a balanced scoring effort for Frontier. Hopkins’ Chace Earle led all scorers with 18 points, and Logan Bye tossed in 10.

Girls basketball

Frontier 54, Palmer 22 — A 22-point performance from Addie Harrington helped power the Redhawks to a Franklin County League North triumph over the Panthers at Goodnow Gymnasium Tuesday. 

Frontier led 37-13 at the half. 

Olivia Machon scored seven points while Whitney Campbell, Skyler Steele and Jazzy Hayes each scored six points in the win. 

Alpine skiing

Northampton’s Keller Mahoney was the top Hampshire County finisher at the seventh and final PVIAC alpine ski race of the regular season on Tuesday at Berkshire East in Charlemont.

Mahoney took third place overall in the boys race, completing the slalom course in a time of 45.72 seconds. Minnechaug’s Ted Holt was first in 44.69.

Hampshire Regional’s Coleton Duda (fourth, 46.66), Billy Warren (fifth, 47.21) and Isaac Stith (sixth, 47.30) were right behind, with PVCICS’ Teddy Scott just outside the top 10 in 11th place overall (50.63).

Other top 20 finishers on the boys side included Hampshire’s Cobyn Barry (13th), PVCICS’ James Scott (14th), and Northampton’s Henry Fallon (18th). Amherst’s Wes Dunford was 37th to pace the Hurricanes.

In the girls race, Amherst’s Amelia Morse was the lone top 10 finisher from Hampshire County as she took 10th overall with a time of 34.43 seconds in the giant slalom.

Mohawk Trail’s Addie Loomis won for the seventh consecutive race with a time of 31.00 seconds, just ahead of teammate Lydie Pinkham (31.69).

PVCICS’ Sarah Fardal took 14th overall, while the Northampton duo of Simone Pagar (18th) and Crystal Eichwald-Hoopes (20th) also earned top 20 showings.

Hampshire’s Emmie Florek-Grader was 25th overall to pace the Raiders on the slopes.

Next up is the annual PVIAC Individual Championships, slated for next Tuesday, Feb. 11 back at Berkshire East.