South Deerfield native G.P. Gromacki becomes fastest in NCAA history to reach 600 career victories

By GARRETT COTE

Dynasty isn’t a term that gets thrown around loosely – that word holds a ton of weight in the sports world. It takes a lot of success over an extended period of time to call something a dynasty.But that’s exactly what South Deerfield native G.P....

UMass basketball: Minutemen look to keep momentum going at St. Bonaventure – where they haven’t won since 2015

By GARRETT COTE

The UMass men’s basketball team is coming off arguably its most important win of the season, as the Minutemen finally found themselves on the plus side of a thrilling finish when they beat George Mason 66-65 on Saturday at the Mullins Center.For the...

H.S. Roundup: Greenfield takes command of Hampshire League South with win over Drury (PHOTOS)

GREENFIELD — The Hampshire League South title race has taken many twists and turns in the past two weeks.The Greenfield boys basketball team took a step toward clarifying the picture on Monday night.Jon Breor’s tip-in with 14 seconds remaining helped...

Girls basketball: Lenox secures Franklin County League North title with 48-37 win over Frontier

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

SOUTH DEERFIELD — It was a must-have game for the Frontier girls basketball team against Lenox on Monday to stay in the race for the Franklin County League North title. The Millionaires entered the game holding a one-game lead over the Redhawks for...

Bulletin Board: New Salem's Jack Reynolds wins gold at Powerlifting America’s Bench Press Nationals

New Salem’s Jack Reynolds continues to make a name for himself in the powerlifting community. Reynolds traveled to Austin, Texas for the 2024 Powerlifting American Bench Press Nationals on Jan. 27 and took first place in the 183 pounds sub-junior...

Fit to Play with Jim Johnson: One game, 125 commercials

I watched a lot of college football this year and am happy it’s over. Next year will be longer as eight teams are added to the playoffs. Baseball in November, basketball and ice hockey in June, football in February — will seasons ever...

Indoor track: Mohawk Trail’s Virginia Krezmien enjoys record-breaking PVIAC Meet No. 7

It was a record breaking indoor track season for Mohawk Trail's Virginia Krezmien. The freshman placed second in the girls 1,000 meter run (3 minutes, 28.69 seconds), second in the 1 mile (5:41.86) and 12th in the high jump (four feet even) in the...

On The Run with John Stifler: Come one, come all

Recreational running has been part of mainstream American culture for fifty years. Nowadays anyone wanting to run a 5-kilometer road race can find one somewhere nearby. Marathons have grown so popular they have waiting lists.Track meets are different....

UMass hockey: Early goal the difference as Maine blanks Minutemen 1-0

By JESSE KOLODKIN

AMHERST – Maine’s Brandon Chabrier got out on a breakaway, was 1-on-1 with UMass goalie Michael Hrabal and fired a laser bottom left just 1 minute, 16 seconds into Saturday’s game.That early goal turned out to be the game winner.No. 6 Maine hung on to...

High schools: Nevaeh Scribner (17 points) helps Mahar take down rival Athol

A stout defensive effort, and some deadly shooting from Nevaeh Scribner powered the Mahar girls basketball team to a convincing victory on Saturday.The Senators held rival Athol to just six points in the first half, and Scribner knocked down four...

UMass basketball: Last-second George Mason foul helps Minutemen pull off 66-65 victory

By GARRETT COTE

AMHERST — Hanging on desperately to a two-point lead in the final minute against George Mason, the UMass men’s basketball team needed one stop to secure its second consecutive Atlantic 10 victory for the first time this season.The Minutemen forced the...

UMass hockey: Lucas Mercuri’s third period tally lifts Minutemen past Merrimack 3-2

Lucas Mercuri came through in the third period for the No. 10 Massachusetts hockey team on Friday against Merrimack. Tied 2-2, Mercuri smashed home a shot off a dish from Scott Morrow with 16:03 left in regulation to give UMass the lead. Minuteman...

Mohawk Trail’s Will VanVleet becomes first wrestler in program history to reach 100 wins

Will VanVleet accomplished something that no wrestler at Mohawk Trail has ever done before. VanVleet walked away with a win in a match at 215 pounds on Friday against Northampton. The victory was the 100th in his career, making him the first Warrior...

Boys basketball: Pioneer bounces back, hands Duggan 1st loss of the season 51-45

After back-to-back league losses, the Pioneer boys basketball team was in need of a big win Friday night. With undefeated Duggan Academy in town, the Panthers found a way to get their season back on track.It was a balanced scoring effort as the...

Boys basketball: Mahar locks down late, secures season sweep of Athol 54-36

By THOMAS JOHNSTON

ORANGE — The first meeting of the season between the Athol and Mahar boys basketball teams saw the Senators outscore the Bears 22-7 in the fourth quarter to earn a comeback victory. When the two rivals met for the second time on Friday in Orange, it...

After years of moving around, Matt Cross has found a home at UMass; and the Minutemen have found their leader

By GARRETT COTE

As Matt Cross woke up each day during the offseason, it felt like another teammate was heading for the exit. The UMass men’s basketball team lost eight of its final 10 games – including a 33-point blowout to Richmond in the first round of the Atlantic...

Keeping Score with Chip Ainsworth: Surviving a ‘trip’ to Lowell

Good morning!The traffic jams up early on Fridays in Lowell, and the Tsongas Center is four miles and countless stoplights off Interstate 495. It was dark, wet and cold, the canals were half frozen and railroad tracks criss-crossed through the city’s...

Report: UMass football offensive coordinator Steve Casula leaving Minutemen for tight end coaching job at Michigan

The UMass football team will have a new offensive coordinator next fall. Steve Casula — who spent the last two seasons as both offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Minutemen — will be joining Sherrone Moore’s staff at the University of...

Theo Epstein to return to Red Sox as advisor and part-owner of parent company, Fenway Sports Group

By JIMMY GOLEN

BOSTON — Theo Epstein, who as Red Sox general manager was the architect of two World Series championships, is returning to the organization as a minority owner and part-time senior adviser to its parent company, Fenway Sports Group.Epstein, who also...

Bulletin Board: Greenfield Knights of Columbus Hoop Shoot winners crowned

The Greenfield Knights of Columbus Hoop Shoot took place on Saturday at Franklin County’s YMCA in Greenfield. Greenfield’s Savannah Thomas was the winner in the age nine girls group. On the boys side Kent Warner of Leyden won the age nine group, South...