SOUTH DEERFIELD — One drawback of postseason play is the time gap between the end of the Western Mass. basketball tournament and the start of the state tournament. After more than two weeks away from an actual game setting, Frontier Regional showed few signs of rust Saturday in its girls Division 4 state tournament opener.
All 13 players in uniform played for Frontier, and 10 of them cracked the scoring column, led by double-digit outputs from Whitney Campbell (16 points), Addie Harrington (15) and Skyler Steele (14) in the Redhawks’ 79-17 conquest of Falmouth Academy in the Division 4 Round of 32 at Goodnow Gymnasium.
Top-seeded Frontier ran its record to 18-3 and earned another home game in the Round of 16, facing the winner of Sunday’s matchup between New Heights Charter of Brockton and Tahanto Regional of Boylston.
“You’d always rather have a quality game,” said Frontier coach Dave Hastings. “We haven’t played in 15 days, but we’ve been running some joint practices with (Division 2) Northampton. That’s been a big help for both teams to stay as fresh as possible.”
Frontier led 21-3 after one quarter and pitched a 29-0 shutout in the second, for an overwhelming 50-3 advantage at the half. It was 14-0 before Falmouth Academy finally got on the board with an old-fashioned 3-point play by Nina McKim Kight with 1:56 to go in the first.
In all, the Redhawks mounted a 42-0 run that covered 13:25 of game time, finally ended when the Mariners’ Elyse Sharpe hit a 3-pointer with 4:31 remaining in the third.
The starting five came off the floor for good shortly thereafter, allowing the Redhawks’ “Sub Patrol” to finish out their day’s work. Abby Schreiber scored eight points, Jazzy Hayes had seven, Harper Modestow six and Rowan Reilly five in a well-balanced contribution.
“It’s nice when any of those kids (reserves) have the opportunity to experience what it’s like to play in the state tournament,” said Hastings. “The idea that they can get into a state tournament game and contribute is incredible. They’ll never forget it.”
Falmouth Academy dressed only eight players after losing starting guard Sophie Holmes to injury in its preliminary-round win over Sturgis Charter West of Hyannis. Less than two minutes into Saturday’s action, another starter, Faye McGuire, took a knock to the head falling to the floor, and played only briefly afterward.
Sharpe led the 32nd-seeded Mariners (14-5) with 11 points.
Drury 62, Mohawk 33 — The 32nd-seeded Warriors did not survive their trip to the Berkshires against the top-seeded Blue Devils in the Division 5 Round of 32. Mohawk trailed 32-10 at halftime. Sadie Wilcox scored 16 points for Mohawk. Emmalee Inman added eight points.
Natalie Lanoue scored five points, with Zephyr Jetzon chipping in with four points.
Boys basketball
Hull 75, Franklin Tech 53 — The 44th-seeded Eagles could not stay with the No. 13 Pirates on the seacoast in the Division 5 Round of 32.
Track & Field
Louise Flagollet of Frontier Regional and Carter Berthiaume of Pioneer Valley Regional competed at the New England Championship at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center in Boston on Saturday.
Berthiaume finished tied for 11th (6-1.0) in the high jump for the Panthers. Ethan Rich of Lyman Hall in Connecticut placed first (6-9.0) int the event.
Flagollet placed tied for 23rd in the high jump (5-1.0) for the Redhawks. Danielle Bates of Timberland Regional in New Hampshire jumped five feet, nine inches for a first place finish.