SOUTH DEERFIELD — In a game that was decided in the first quarter, the Frontier Regional football team drubbed visiting Commerce, 60-0, in an Intercounty South matchup on Friday night.
Frontier (3-1, 1-0 Intercounty South) led 45-0 after 12 minutes of play. The Redhawks ran 12 plays in the first frame. Frontier knelt on the ball on every offensive possession of the second half. Running time began in the second quarter. With only 18 players dressed for the game, Frontier missed out on conditioning repetitions in the second half.
Scott Dredge addresses the Frontier football team after its game against Commerce, Friday in South Deerfield. Credit: ADAM HARGRAVES / Staff Photo 
Noah Poreda of Frontier knocks away a pass against Commerce, Friday in South Deerfield. Credit: ADAM HARGRAVES / Staff Photo 
Connor Sheldon (bottom) and Collin Healy smother a Commerce rush attempt, Friday in South Deerfield. Credit: ADAM HARGRAVES / Staff Photo 
The Frontier Regional captains prepare for the coin toss against Commerce, Friday in South Deerfield. Credit: ADAM HARGRAVES / Staff Photo
“We would like our varsity players to keep getting more reps,” Frontier coach Scott Dredge said. “If we get down the stretch, we are going to need those kids to last four quarters.”
It’s the first time in Dredge’s career that he’s knelt on offense for an entire half.
“There’s no need to keep putting points on the board,” Dredge said. “It was out of hand. Having recently had that happen to us at Franklin Tech, I wasn’t going to do that to another team. I wasn’t going to score for the heck of it.”
Noah Poreda had a dominant game with seven carries for 137 yards. The junior running back returned an interception 50 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter. Poreda had three rushing touchdowns. That wasn’t it for Poreda, who had a sack and a forced fumble.
“It definitely boosted our team morale a lot,” Poreda said. “Got the boys together and even though it wasn’t a good opponent we still had to do our jobs.”
In the fourth quarter, Commerce (0-4) quarterback Daviel Young had his eyes on the end zone. Poreda stonewalled him at the 3-yard line, preserving the shutout against the Red Raiders.
“That was my goal after the first half,” Poreda said. “To keep it a shutout. That’s what was going through my mind. That play was really important move.”
Ty Skroski opened the game with an almost casual 72-yard kickoff return touchdown. Some subtle moves through the first wave of Commerce players and then it was the speed that brought Skroski into the end zone.
Chase Green intercepted Young on Commerce’s first offensive possession. Skroski scored on a 15-yard rush to give Frontier a 14-0 lead just 32 seconds into the game.
A big sack by Levi Pickert helped squash Commerce’s next possession. After a 28-yard keeper by Konnor James, Poreda scored on a 20-yard touchdown. James later scored on a 6-yard touchdown with six minutes 28 seconds left in the first quarter.
Connor Sheldon’s 7-yard touchdown gave Frontier a 37-0 lead before Poreda scored again on a 6-yard rush. Poreda capped his night on offense with a 65-yard rush where he sprinted through the Commerce defense like a cheetah chasing its prey.
Max Hunter had a tackle for a loss for the Frontier defense. Gavin Hale added a sack in the second half for the Redhawks. Konnor James rushed for 51 yards on three carries.
Franklin Tech 32, Ware 28 — The Eagles went on the road and took down the Indians in an Intercounty North matchup. It’s the first win for the Eagles (4-0) over Ware since 2015. The Eagles trailed in the fourth quarter, 28-18.
Mason Bassett connected with Hunter Donahue on a 49-yard touchdown to get to within one possession. After forcing a three-and-out, Donahue returned a punt for 27 yards to set up the game-winning score. Bassett found Cole Bassett for a 61-yard touchdown with one minute, 39 seconds left in the game. The Indians drove to Franklin Tech 9-yard line, but Donahue and Landon Smead broke up a pass in the end zone to seal the win for the Eagles.
Mason Bassett finished 6-for-10 for 206 yards and two touchdowns. Justin Lent stepped into the starting role at running back and carried 19 times for 131 yards and a touchdown. Cole Bassett reached the century mark and more with 126 yards on three receptions. Donahue had 132 all-purpose yards for the Eagles.
Nolyn Stafford had nine tackles with two coming for a loss. Stafford added a sack to lead the defensive effort. Donahue had an interception for the Franklin Tech defense.
Golf
Franklin Tech 154 Westfield Tech 166 — Jack Day shot a 31 for the Eagles as they stayed perfect (13-0) with a win over the Tigers at Thomas Memorial. Brady Wood carded a 40 Franklin Tech. Grady Deery shot a 41, with Braeden Talbot carding a 42.
Pioneer 173, Turners Falls 193 — The Panthers won their second straight at Northfield Golf Course. Weston Jones finished with a 40 for Pioneer. Carter Gerry and Parker Gerry both finished with a 43. Cam Cogswell shot a 46 for Turners Falls.
Girls soccer
Holyoke 7, Greenfield 4 — The Green Wave lost a Pioneer North contest to the Purple Knights at Gilligan Field in Holyoke. Tayler Bergeron had a hat trick for the Wave. Zephyr Jetzon added a goal and two assists. Lexi Berry also had an assist. Val Bzomowski made 11 saves.
Franklin Tech 4, Smith Academy 0 — Faythe Sobieski netted four goals for the Eagles in the Bi-County win over the Falcons in Turners Falls. Kaelyn Mclean, Sofia Melnik and Carly Walsh had assists. Sheyenne Ballentine made three saves in the shutout.
Mahar 4, Athol 0 — Mackenzie Matthews scored twice as the Senators shutout their crosstown rivals at the Woodward Complex in Bi-County play. Lexi Ares and Carla Hardy also scored. Addie Winters and Erin Parse had assists. Jaya McBroom made two saves, while Ava Adams made 10 stops for the Bears. Lili Bajnoci added an assist for the Senators.
Boys soccer
South Hadley 4, Franklin Tech 2 — The Tigers handed the Eagles their first loss of the season in Turners Falls. Cody Yetter and Nate Gheorghita (assist) scored for Franklin Tech.
Drury 2, Mohawk 0 — The Blue Devils got goals from Diego Luna and Ben Harrington in the win over the Warriors in Buckland.
Field hockey
Clinton 1, Greenfield 0 — The Green Wave got shut out on the road in an independent matchup.
Franklin Tech 8, Mahar 0 — Amelia Rider (two assists) and Leah Meattey (assist) both scored two goals for the Eagles in the win over the Senators in County League play. Abigail Dobias, Ava Worden (assist), Nora Cutting and Emmy Godfrey also scored. Mahar (0-6, 0-6) got 28 saves from Bella Burnett. Redyn Gutierrez made one save for Franklin Tech (4-1, 4-0 County). Kiera Taylor added an assist for the Eagles.
West Springfield 6, Turners Falls 0 — The Terriers were too much for the Thunder in Montague.
Hampshire 0, Mohawk 0 — The Raiders and the Warriors deadlocked in an independent matchup in Buckland.
Volleyball
Frontier 3, Westfield 1 — Aimee Talbott had 13 kills for the Redhawks in the win over the Bombers at Goodnow Gymnasium. Set scores were 21-25, 25-18, 25-10 and 25-13. Kesenia Miller had six aces while Avah Spearance led the defense with 20 digs. Karinna Kostov had 20 assists.
Lenox 3, Mohawk 0 — The Millionaires swept the Warriors in the Berkshires. Emmalee Inman had six kills for Mohawk. Maddie Finna added four kills, two assists and two aces.
Late Thursday results
Volleyball
Franklin Tech 3, Athol 2 — The Eagles stormed back to beat the Bears in a Western League match up at Mallet Gymnasium. Set scores were 26-24, 23-25, 24-26, 25-18 and 15-6. Lily Baldwin had 24 assists, 10 digs and nine kills for the Eagles. Taylor Underwood added 10 digs, with Laura Fuess contributing seven kills. Kendra Steiner chipped in with seven digs.
Field hockey
Turners Falls 0, Palmer 0 — The Thunder settled for a draw against the Panthers in Montague. Connor Glennon made four saves for Turners Falls (2-3-1).
