The Athol High School boys basketball program will have a new coach next season.
The school announced the hiring of Brian Patria as its new varsity boys basketball coach in a press release Tuesday. Patria will replace Dan Bevis, who stepped down at the conclusion of this past season for personal reasons. Bevis, who is also the athletic director at the school, had led the program for the past five seasons.
A 1994 graduate of Athol High School, Patria will step into his new position after nine seasons as the assistant varsity coach. He is a longtime resident of Athol and was a member of the football, basketball and baseball teams during high school. Patria, who was a member of the 1992 state finalist boys basketball team, went on to attend Worcester State, where he was a member of the football and men’s basketball teams.
Patria will look to improve a young team that recently finished the COVID shortened season with a 3-5 record.
“(I’m) honored and blessed to be named the head coach,” Patria said in the release. “I’m excited for the opportunity and challenge, as well as looking forward to working with and building relationships with the student-athletes.”
Patria currently resides in Athol with his wife, Angelica.
Post 81 tryouts
Post 81 American Legion Baseball, which features both a senior and a junior team, will be conducting final tryouts at Veterans Memorial Field in Greenfield this Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. (for seniors) and 3 p.m. (for juniors).
Players eligible to be on the seniors roster must be 19 and under by Dec. 31, 2021, while juniors must be 17 and under by Dec. 31, 2021.
Players from all Franklin County schools are eligible to try out. Please bring a glove, cleats and original birth certificate. Those players from a previous Post 81 roster also must attend tryouts to be eligible for the 2021 team. Attend as many tryouts as possible. COVID-19 protocols will be observed.
For more information, please contact Senior coach Kevin Luippold (413-522-9617, Kev.lupi7@gmail.com), Junior coach Colin Cloutier (413-824-0288, colincloutier58@gmail.com) or Program Chairman Bill Phelps (413 522-2613, bphelps12@yahoo.com).
GMLB
Carter Gary and Conner Bergeron combined to strike out 18 batters as Denny’s Pantry defeated Aubuchon Hardware 3-2 in a Greenfield Minor League Baseball Triple A contest on Wednesday.
Gary also hit a double in the win while Nicholas Ward scored the winning run for Denny’s.
Amasa Shippee hit a double for Aubuchon.
• Also in Triple A action, Rotary Club and Smitty’s Pub fought to a 7-7 tie on Wednesday.
Ethan Burgh and Tommy Clary each had a pair of hits for Rotary, one of Clary’s was a double. Casey Burke had a pair of hits for Smitty’s while Isaac Tripp, Aaron Turner and JJ Bartolon each hit safely.
Lexi Hawkins went 3-for-3 while Parker Walters and Raine Wonsey each had a pair of hits to lead Greenfield Elks Club to a 5-4 win over Freedom Credit Union in a Greenfield Girls Softball League Lil Nippers contest on Wednesday.
Emerson Russell and Miley Frey each had two hits for Freedom while Maisey Miller tallied a hit.
K of C League
The trio of Jim Koldis, Rodney Brunelle and Ron Lenois Jr. all finished with plus-4 Stableford scoring totals to top the field at Wednesday’s Thomas Memorial Knights of Columbus League.
Bill Roussel was fourth at plus-3. Ken Morin was closest to the pin at No. 7 (3-8), while Ken Adams was closest at No. 9 (15-6). Rod Herzig won a skin.
Thomas Memorial member/guest
The Thomas Memorial Golf Course is holding a member/guest tournament in a 2-person scramble format on Saturday, May 22 with a shotgun start at 9 a.m.
The cost is $40 for members and $60 for guests. As part of the tournament special, any playing guest can join for the 2021 season for $595.
Please contact the clubhouse at 413-863-8003 for more information.
Dustin Olsen and Jay Avery each had three hits and Kevin Downs had a three-run blast as Worth Your While Detailing defeated Smitty’s Pub, 13-5, in a Greenfield Adult Co-Rec softball game on Tuesday.
The Deerfield Academy boys lacrosse team defeated Loomis, 12-2, on Tuesday while the girls lacrosse team fell to the Pelicans, 11-10.
The Big Green girls tennis team picked up a 5-4 win over Loomis while the boys tennis team lost to the Pelicans, 4-3. In golf, DA beat Loomis 9-0 while the Big Green baseball team fell to the Pelicans, 13-5.