Sports
High school basketball notebook: Frontier’s Max Millette, South Hadley’s Jack Loughrey turn in area’s top performances this year & more
By GARRETT COTE
Installment No. 4 of the weekly high school basketball notebook is upon us, and to be honest I’m excited for this one – the last edition in the month of January. We’re that much closer to postseason basketball, so we will take a look at where each team (boys and girls) in Hampshire County currently stands in the Western Mass. and state tournament rankings in their respective classes/divisions.
Boys basketball: Big second half lifts Granby over Easthampton, 68-44 (PHOTOS)
By GARRETT COTE
GRANBY — Any time the Easthampton boys basketball team put together a strong stretch of play on Tuesday night, Granby always seemed to have an answer. The Rams were aggressive, precise and relentless for all 32 minutes of their contest with the Eagles, and a 38-point second half propelled them to a 68-44 win on their home floor.
High Schools: Hampshire shines at fifth PVIAC alpine ski race
The fifth PVIAC alpine ski meet took place at Berkshire East Mountain Resort on Tuesday as area skiers competed in the slalom.
UMass basketball: Streaking Minutemen eyeing fourth straight win head to struggling Rhode Island
By GARRETT COTE
AMHERST — After starting Atlantic 10 play 0-2 and having struggled throughout its non-conference slate, it looked as if the UMass men’s basketball team was headed back toward the bottom half of the league following a promising 20-win season a year ago.
Olympic gold medalist Gabby Thomas calls out racist comments on X
By RYAN AMES
Former Florence resident Gabby Thomas, a three-time gold-medalist during the Paris 2024 Olympics, called out social media users questioning her degree from Harvard over the weekend.
High Schools: Big fourth quarter powers Smith Academy girls basketball past Hampden Charter
By RYAN AMES
HATFIELD — A fourth-quarter surge sent the Smith Academy girls basketball team past Hampden Charter, 64-46, on Monday night.
Boys basketball: Jack Loughrey's 34 points lifts South Hadley past Frontier, 73-62
By GARRETT COTE
SOUTH HADLEY — With South Hadley’s Jack Loughrey sidelined tending to a lower leg injury in the fourth quarter, the Frontier boys basketball team clawed its way back into the game after trailing by 17 points entering the frame. The Redhawks went on a 12-3 run – Max Millette scoring 10 of those points – to make it 59-51 midway through.
Indoor track: Northampton girls lead local pack with three first place finishes at PVIAC meet No. 6
By GARRETT COTE
NORTHAMPTON — The sixth meet of the PVIAC indoor track season took place at Smith College on Sunday, and six Hampshire County schools were in action across the two meets.
UMass hockey: Minutemen win third straight, thump Alaska 7-3
By RYAN AMES
AMHERST — Six Minutemen skaters had multi-point nights in the UMass hockey team’s 7-3 win over Alaska on Saturday at the Mullins Center.
UMass basketball: Minutewomen secure 10th win, edge VCU 54-49
A double-double from Stefanie Kulesza helped the UMass women’s basketball team get past VCU, 54-49, Saturday afternoon in Virginia.
UMass hockey: Minutemen rally in the third period to defeat Alaska, 4-2 (PHOTOS)
By RYAN AMES
AMHERST – The UMass hockey team overcame a slow start in its 4-2 win against Alaska on Friday night at the Mullins Center.
High Schools: Hampshire Regional boys basketball scores season-high in 81-71 triumph over Turners
The Hampshire Regional boys basketball team erupted for a season-high 81 points en route to an 81-71 win over Turners Falls in Westhampton on Friday night.
Hockey: Three third period goals propel Easthampton past Chicopee, 4-2 (PHOTOS)
By RYAN AMES
AMHERST – Threes are wild for the Easthampton hockey team.
UMass football notebook: Joe Harasymiak reflects on first weeks as head coach
By GARRETT COTE
AMHERST — For the first time since his introductory press conference back on Dec. 6, UMass football head coach Joe Harasymiak spoke with the media on Friday afternoon at the Martin Jacobson Football Performance Center.
Former UMass quarterback and coach Liam Coen announced as the new head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars
By GARRETT COTE
It has been quite an adventurous week for former UMass quarterback Liam Coen. On Wednesday evening, it was reported that Coen, who served as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator during the 2024 season, would be returning to the organization as the highest-paid assistant coach in the National Football League – turning down a head-coaching offer from the Jacksonville Jaguars in the process.
High Schools: Easthampton girls basketball pulls away from Hopkins, 54-27 (PHOTOS)
By RYAN AMES
EASTHAMPTON — The Easthampton girls basketball team used a fast start to ease past Hopkins Academy, 54-27, Thursday night at home.
UMass hockey notebook: Young Minutemen defensemen growing quickly
There’s a belief in the hockey community that young defensemen take longer to develop compared to young forwards.
UMass hockey: Minutemen prepare to host Alaska for two-game set
By RYAN AMES
For the first time ever, the UMass hockey team will host Alaska for a two-game set, beginning Friday at the Mullins Center.
UMass men’s basketball: Minutemen extend win streak to three following 74-61 triumph over George Washington
By GARRETT COTE
AMHERST — For the early portion of the first half, anxious murmurs spread through the Mullins Center as the UMass men’s basketball team racked up as many turnovers (6) as points nearly 10 minutes into the game. The 2,772 fans that showed up were wondering if the Minutemen would too. But as he did on Sunday against La Salle, Minutemen sophomore Jaylen Curry changed the trajectory of Wednesday night’s contest with George Washington.
High Schools: Granby wrestling falls to Athol, 64-16 (PHOTOS)
It was always going to be a challenge for the Granby wrestling team against Athol on Wednesday.
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