High schools: Athol boys right the ship late, holds off Narragansett in season opener

Staff Report

Published: 12-16-2024 9:22 PM

After putting together a league title-winning season a year ago, the Athol boys basketball team started its 2024-25 campaign in winning fashion on Monday night.

The Bears used a 6-0 run midway through the fourth quarter to snatch control, and ultimately held off visiting Narragansett for a 59-56 independent victory at Mallet Gymnasium in Athol.

Ethan Goodwin led the way with 18 points, while Aaron Ouellet (14 points) and Ben Kearney (13) also scored in double figures for the Bears.

Athol (1-0) trailed 51-50 with 4 minute, 18 seconds remaining, but a putback with four minutes to go gave the hosts a 52-51 advantage. Two free throws and a layup on the fastbreak extended the lead to 56-51 with 2:58 to play.

The Bears clung to a 59-56 lead in the waning seconds, and survived a pair of Narragansett missed 3-pointers that would’ve tied the game.

It didn’t look like a game that would go down to the very end after three quarters. Athol led 50-35 entering the fourth frame, but ’Gansett ripped off a 16-0 run over the first 3:42 of the stanza to take the 51-50 advantage.

Tied 12-12 after one quarter, Athol outscored Narragansett by a 21-5 margin in the second quarter to take a commanding 33-17 halftime lead.

Athol heads to Turners Falls for its first road game of the season on Thursday. 

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In JV action, Athol picked up a 45-24 victory on Monday thanks to 11 points from Brody Brockney.

Frontier 70, Hampshire 45 – Max Millette poured in a game-high 22 points, and the Redhawks used a 23-3 edge in the second quarter to capture their second win in as many days to open the season on Monday.

Trailing 21-12 after one quarter, Frontier got to work in the second period thanks to six points apiece from Millette and Diego Frazier, who had 10 in the win. Garrett Dredge scored 14 points for the Hawks, and Rowan Modestow made it four players in double figures with 13.

Vynce Carr paced Hampshire with 20 points.

Lenox 64, Turners 52 – Jackson Cogswell paced the visiting Thunder with 14 points in a road loss in Lenox on Monday.

Caden Williams Senethavisouk tallied 11 points for Turners, while Kainen Stevens and Cameron Johnson tossed in six points apiece.

Girls swimming

Turners Falls 109, Chicopee 59 – Sylvie DiBartolomeo and Rosie Fortin each won two individual events for the Thunder in Monday’s victory.

DiBartolomeo was first in the 200-yard freestyle (2:29.26) and 500 freestyle (6:39.21), while Fortin was the winner in the 100 butterfly (1:32.42) and 100 backstroke (1:30.26).

Boys swimming

Turners Falls 125, Chicopee 7 – Liam Bliss and Malcolm Tyler were double individual winners for the Thunder in a dominant victory.

Bliss won the 100 fly (1:03.14) and 200 IM (2:26.37), while Tyler was victorious in the 100 breaststroke (1:31.21) and 500 free (6:48.18).