The Frontier Regional boys basketball team defeated Greenfield 70-48 at Goodnow Gymnasium on Thursday night. It was a wire-to-wire win for the Redhawks in Hampshire North competition.
Frontier (8-1, 4-0 Hampshire North) worked the ball inside to Alex Ellis early and often against the Green Wave (4-3, 3-1). Ellis finished with 17 points with nine points coming in the second quarter.
“Every game our focus is to play inside out,” Ellis said. “We get the ball inside and force the issue then we get it out to our shooters. We have a lot of guys on this squad that can shoot. Like Rowan (Modestow). We have a lot of bigs inside that can score. That’s our bread and butter.”
Modestow did some work inside on the glass as well but scored nine points on three 3-pointers. Max Millette led Frontier with 20 points.
“We are getting better with our bigs,” Frontier coach Josh Morse said. “They are owning the rebounding edge every game. Even in the one loss we outrebounded Wahconah. We are winning the rebounding differential. We are getting them better looks. They are passing better out of trapping defense. I think they are getting better every game.”
The Frontier defense held Greenfield leading scorer to nine points. Thomas played sparingly in the second half. There was no specific game plan for Thomas.
“For us it’s not about one player it’s about us,” Morse said. “How do you play against that? We are not playing Jordan rules here. We are playing team defense. Our defense is we are going to shut down whoever’s got the ball.”
Conner Bergeron led Greenfield with 15 points. Davian Bala added 11 points with two 3-pointers. Greenfield got down early against the Redhawks and could never recover.
“We play a good team, and they jump on us,” Greenfield coach Angelo Thomas said. “They play aggressive and we face a little adversity, and I did not like what I saw tonight. Impulsivity is a character flaw right now. We really got to work on it. Starting from one all the way down.”
Thomas scored nine points, all in the second quarter. A 3-pointer by Bala cut the Frontier lead down to 50-35 going into the fourth quarter.
The Redhawks then went on an 8-0 run. Millette started the run with a midrange jumper followed by a smooth and controlled hook shot by Dean Gray. From there, Garrett Dredge got loose in the open court for consecutive finishes at the rim to make the score 58-35.
Greenfield plays again on Jan. 13 at Smith Academy in Hatfield. Frontier travels to Hadley to face Hopkins Academy on the same night.
PVCICS 62, Turners Falls 50 (OT) — The Dragons outscored the Thunder 14-2 in the overtime session to secure a home win in Tri-County North action. Turners Falls (2-3, 2-2 Tri-County) used a 16-8 fourth quarter to erase a deficit and force overtime.
Jackson Cogswell scored 22 points for the Thunder. Kainen Stevens added 13 points.
Athol 31, Mahar 28 — Karim Thompson (10 points) and Ethan Goodwin (12 points) both scored in double-figures in a road win for the Bears over the Senators at Grzesik-Bixby Gymnasium.
Thompson connected on two 3-pointers in the Hampshire North contest for Athol (3-4, 3-2). Max Kimball scored eight points for the Senators (1-7, 1-3).
Smith Academy 47, Pioneer 39 — The Panthers lost their seventh straight in a Hampshire North contest at Messer Gymnasium.
Matt Richotte scored 17 points for Pioneer (0-7, 0-5 Hampshire North). Judah Glenn added 14 points.
Franklin Tech 57, Westfield Tech 52 — Hunter Donahue and Mason Bassett both scored 13 points in the home win for the Eagles.
Nolyn Stafford and Cole Bassett each added 11 points for Franklin Tech (4-3, 3-1 Tri-County North).
Girls swimming
Turners Falls 62, Monson 30 — The Thunder got back in the win column after a victory over the Mustangs at the Wes Snapp Aquatic Center. Turners Falls (4-1, 4-1 Constitution) opened with a win in the 200-medley relay.
Alice Fortin followed with a first-place finish (2:35.69) in the 200-free. Madison Phillips was first in the 100-fly for the Thunder. Adeline Cardona took first (7:52.55) in the 500-free. Lillian Walker-Hanning swam to a first-place finish in the 100-breast (1:23.69)
Boys swimming
Turners Falls 72 Monson 16 — The Thunder swam past the Mustangs to remain undefeated at the Wes Snapp Aquatic Center.
Turners Falls (5-0, 5-0 Constitution) got a win from Malcolm Tyler in the 200 -free (2:38.66) . Max Myers won the 200-medley (2:57). Myers also won the 100-fly (1:15.75). Mario Pareja took first (27.90)in the 50-free.
William Tyler (100-free, 500-free), Gilbert Cardona (100-back) and Tyler Galenski (100-breast) also won events in the victory.
Hockey
Greenfield 4, Longmeadow 2 — After the win over the Lancers at Olympia Ice Arene in West Springfield, the Green Wave have now won three straight games.
Greenfield (3-4-1, 2-3-1 Berry) pulled away with two goals in the third period in the Berry Division match up. Chase Zraunig scored two goals for the Wave. Luca Siano and Nolan Kalinowski also scored for Greenfield. Shawn Beckwith, Max Caron, Brady Poreda, Jack Laurie, Nico Siano and Shawn Baumann each had assists.
Ben Johnston made 28 saves for the Green Wave.
Skiing
At PVIAC race no. 2 at Berkshire East, the Mohawk Trail boys team tested themselves at the giant slalom event. The Warriors had three athletes in the top 10.
Ben Zarotny placed fourth (34.68), while brother Liam Zarotny placed fifth (34.70) Xerxes Law took seventh overall (36.59) for the Warriors.
For the girls, Addie Loomis torched the field in the slalom event for Mohawk Trail. Loomis finished first overall (43.74) by four full seconds over second place. Amelia Morse of Amherst placed second (47.79)
Grace Sisum and Brooke Koshinsky also made the top 10. Sisum was third overall (49.98) while Koshinsky placed fourth (50.67)
Late Wednesday results
Girls basketball
Granby 48, Mahar 42 — The Senators suffered their first loss of the season at the hands of the Rams on the road. Mahar trailed 25-20 at halftime in the independent contest.
Hayden Comeau scored 25 points for Mahar (6-1). Lexi Ares scored six points for the Senators, all in the fourth quarter.
Wrestling
South Hadley 41, Mahar 35 — The Tigers edged the Senators (2-1, 2-1) at home in Valley Wheel competition.
Daniel Briand grabbed a win at 106 pounds (TF, 23-5) for Mahar. Orion Whitehouse won by decision (5-3, OT) at 132 pounds. Nikolas Fregeau pinned (5:30) Gavin Markham at 138 pounds. Elias Roberts won a 7-4 decision in overtime at 144 pounds.
Joshua Mazza pinned (1:10) Ethan Markham at 157 pounds for the Senators. Khalil Roberts pinned (1:13) Ryder Mayer at 190 pounds in the final win of the night for Mahar.