BUCKLAND — It was only fitting that the Mohawk Trail and Turners Falls volleyball teams got to play each other for a third time this season. 

The Warriors and Thunder met twice in Northern League action during the regular season, with Turners taking 2-0 leads in each contest before Mohawk Trail stormed back to win the final three sets each time to walk away with 3-2 victories. Those wins helped the Warriors snatch the Northern League title from the Thunder. 

After second-seeded Mohawk Trail and third-seeded Turners won their quarterfinal matches in the Western Mass. Class D tournament, the third showdown between the two commenced on Thursday, with a spot in the Class D finals on the line. 

Unlike the first two matchups, the Warriors took the first set but the Thunder stormed back to win the second. Mohawk Trail seized the all-important third frame before pulling away in the fourth, leading the Warriors to the title match via a 3-1 victory. 

“I couldn’t be more any proud of these guys,” Mohawk Trail coach Sherri Lannon said. “They put every bit of energy and heart into this game. We may not always be the best but we play our hardest. We came out on top tonight and I’m very proud of them.” 

The Warriors (15-1) will face top-seeded Lee in the finals on Saturday at 10 a.m. at West Springfield High School.

It was the play of Mohawk Trail senior Palmer King that proved to be the difference on Thursday. 

King finished with 18 kills, seven aces, five assists and 12 digs, helping lead the Warriors to the finals while preventing Turners (13-7) from winning its second straight Class D title. 

“They played hard tonight,” Turners Falls coach Kelly Liimatainen said. “We just couldn’t stop [King]. Good for them; they beat us three times. Good luck to them against Lee in the finals.” 

Unlike the two regular season matchups, the Warriors got off to a fast start on Thursday by earning a 25-13 set win to take a 1-0 lead. 

Mohawk Trail kept the momentum going into the second set, building a 9-4 lead, but Turners came roaring back as back-to-back aces and kills from Madi Liimatainen tied things at 13.

A kill from Madisyn Dietz tied the set at 20 before Marilyn Abarua smashed an ace and Liimatainen put down a kill, helping Turners tie things up following a 25-22 set win. 

The third set was as close as it could get. The Thunder built a 10-7 lead following a kill and an ace from Liimatainen, but that was the largest lead either team would get until the final point. 

After Mohawk Trail tied things at 12, neither team was able to build a lead larger than one point until Emma Canaday and King cracked back-to-back kills to give the Warriors a 23-21 lead. Mohawk Trail eventually closed things out with a 25-22 set win to take a crucial 2-1 lead. 

“Before the game, we said we weren’t going to go down two sets and have to fight for three,” Lannon said. “That’s what we usually do. We go down a set or go down two sets and have to claw our way out. They really wanted it tonight.

“I was thrilled,” Lannon added about winning the third set. “Our captains do a great job of keeping our team up. We go in before each game to go over team goals and self goals. The big thing today was to pick each other up and they definitely did that throughout the match.” 

The fourth set belonged to the Warriors, as they built a 22-14 lead before earning a 25-17 win to clinch a spot in the finals. 

Canaday recorded four kills, eight assists and three aces, Megan Gabaree had three kills and two blocks, Zoe Mojallali had three kills while Jade Wheeler recorded three aces and 15 digs for Mohawk Trail, which now sets its sight on the Wildcats. 

“I’m going to go home and watch some videos on them,” said Lannon. “I’ll see what I can figure out but we’ll just go down there and give it our best shot.” 

Liimatainen led Turners with 12 kills and two aces while Dietz tallied three kills, one ace and 14 assists, Janelle Massey had four kills and three aces and Abarua finished with one kill, two aces and two blocks. 

Though a repeat Western Mass. title is off the table, the Thunder will look to make another run in the MIAA Div. 5 state tournament, having made the semifinals last fall. 

“It’s not over yet,” Kelly Liimatainen said. “We still have a good push to go in states. We’ll be on the road a little bit this year but that’s alright.” 

Class B semis

Wahconah 3, Frontier 1 –For the first time in nearly two decades, the Frontier girls volleyball team will not be hoisting a Western Mass. trophy.

The No. 2 Redhawks fell to No. 3 Wahconah in the Class B semifinals in four sets, 3-1, at Goodnow Gymnasium in South Deerfield on Thursday night. Frontier had won the previous 18 consecutive Western Mass. championships.

Frontier started off strong, storming out to a commanding 24-12 lead in the first set before eventually winning the frame 25-18. From there, the Warriors took over. Wahconah flipped the script in set two, winning 25-15, and jumped out to a quick 17-7 advantage in the third en route to another 25-15 score.

The Redhawks then showed good fight in the fourth, but ultimately dropped the set 25-20.

Abigail Hernandez put down a loud 17 kills for Frontier while Olivia Machon (eight) and Greta Hale (seven) combined for 15 of them. Hannah Davis was strong on defense, digging up 23 balls, Parrish Stilla tallied 32 assists and 11 digs while Ariana Miller had a dozen digs and a pair of aces in the loss.

Wahconah will take on top-seeded Baystate Academy in the finals on Saturday morning.

As for Frontier, head coach Courtney Parent and Co. will shift its focus to the MIAA Division 4 state tournament, where the Redhawks were most recently ranked No. 5 in the latest edition of the power rankings.

“We started the game really strong and then we picked a bad night to have a bad night,” Parent said. “We will come back stronger for states.”

Class C semis

Lenox 3, Mahar 0 – The sixth-seeded Senators couldn't spring a second straight road upset on Thursday, falling to No. 2 Lenox on the road in the Berkshires in the Class C semifinals.

The Millionaires, which won their 18th match in a row, will play No. 1 Mount Greylock in the title match on Saturday.

Set scores were 25-13, 25-12, 25-17.

Madelynn Burgess had seven assists, four digs and two kills for Mahar, while Hayden Comeau had four kills and 11 digs and Mia Santana put down three kills.

Mahar (9-9) took down Smith Vocational in the quarterfinal round, securing a berth in the state tournament in the process. The Sens now await the release of the MIAA brackets next week to find out their opponent.

Girls soccer

Franklin Tech 4, Westfield Tech 1 — Have a day, Laken Woodard.

The Franklin Tech star netted all four goals for her team in Westfield on Thursday, scoring twice in each half to lift the Eagles to a much-needed 4-1 victory.

Franklin Tech improved to 7-7-3 overall, setting up a scenario in its season finale next week where it needs a win or a tie to earn an automatic berth into the MIAA Division 5 state tournament.

“We came into today needing a win and a tie [to make the state tournament] and we got the win out of the way,” Tech coach Jason Butynski said of the result. “I’m really proud of the way the kids played. I’m proud of them for handling their business and I told them, every game is like a tournament game from here on out.”

It was a satisfying performance for Woodard, who has had an unkind relationship with crossbars this season. On Thursday, she grabbed the upperhand, putting all four shots from outside the 18-yard box under the bar. Mia Marigliano assisted on three of those goals.

Tech’s opponent for next week’s final game is still to be determined.

Boys soccer

  Granby 3, Greenfield 1 — Gavin Moreno scored a pair of goals to knock off the Green Wave in Greenfield Thursday. 

Nathan Gheorghita had the lone goal for Greenfield, doing so off an assist from Jack Laurie. Liam Grahame-Lawson made 13 saves in the loss.

Four Rivers 3, Berkshire Arts 0 — Marley McConkey, Kolin Broderick and Russell Herbert each found the back of the net, lifting the Otters to a victory Thursday.