ATHOL — Haley Bigwood scored 17 points, and ended the game a little roughed up for the Athol girls basketball team in a 69-37 loss to Frontier Regional, Thursday night.
Bigwood spent a lot of time diving for loose balls for Athol (2-4 , 0-2 Franklin North) and had a sore right wrist after the game.
“It’s fine,” Bigwood said. “It’s just right on the bone.”
Frontier’s size and depth was a little too much for the Red Raiders (3-2, 2-1). After a competitive first quarter the Red Hawks began to pull away.
Bigwood had eight points in the first quarter.
Amelia Sobieski scored 19 points for the Red Hawks, with Marie Diemand adding 14 points.
Olivia Deane, coming off the flu, scored 12 points for Frontier.
A slow offensive second quarter allowed the Red Hawks to pull away. Frontier outscored Athol 20-5 in the second.
The score was 40-17 at halftime.
Frontier jumped out to a 20-12 lead in the first quarter behind a trapping press that forced some turnovers.
The Red Hawks’ size allowed for several second-chance points as well.
Bigwood’s outside shooting and her ability to get to the rim kept the Red Raiders close early in the game. Taylor Cleveland’s court vision led to a couple easy baskets for Athol.
Cleveland added an emphatic block in the second quarter on a Frontier breakaway.
The Red Raiders had a better third quarter offensively, with Geca Baptista hitting a 3-pointer and Cleveland adding three points.
Baptista finished with nine points for the Red Raiders.
Smith Academy 45, Athol 42 — The Red Raiders (2-3, 0-1 Hampshire North) made a comeback, but came up short in their league opener in Hatfield.
Athol had some late chances to tie the game but the shots missed.
Nick Bousquet and Mark Ferrari led Athol with 11 points. Riley Paine was also in double figures with 10 points.
Mahar 55, Turners Falls 49 — The Senators (4-2, 1-1 Hampshire South) won on the road behind 12 points and seven rebounds from Deven Patch.
Jordan Desrosiers scored 11 points, with five assists and four steals for Mahar.
Jakob Carron added 10 rebounds.
