NORTHFIELD — Kathleen Pillsbury registered her first win as coach of the Pioneer Valley Regional girls soccer team after the Panthers defeated Franklin Tech, 3-0, on Thursday afternoon.
“I thought it was a really good showing for our first game,” Pillsbury said. “Everybody contributed. Everybody played and everybody got in. We saw some places where we need to focus our energy on in practices. But that’s the point of the early season.”
Pillsbury went from spectator to coach this season with her daughter playing on the team. Deveney Pillsbury scored two goals in the Bi-County victory.
Maddie Keefe of Pioneer attacks on the offensive end against Franklin Tech, Thursday in Northfield. Credit: ADAM HARGRAVES 
Amy VanDoren of Pioneer (left) and Sofia Melnik of Franklin Tech battle for possession, Thursday in Greenfield. Credit: ADAM HARGRAVES / Staff Photo 
Faythe Sobieski of Franklin Tech curls in the offensive end against Pioneer, Thursday in Northfield. Credit: ADAM HARGRAVES / Staff Photo 
Franklin Tech keeper Sheyenne Ballentine makes a stop against Pioneer’s Maddie Keefe, Thursday in Northfield. Credit: ADAM HARGRAVES / Staff Photo 
Maddie Keefe of Pioneer attacks on the offensive end against Franklin Tech, Thursday in Northfield. Credit: ADAM HARGRAVES 
Faythe Sobieski of Franklin Tech (left) and Leah Potter of Pioneer battle for possession, Thursday in Northfield. Credit: ADAM HARGRAVES / Staff Photo 
Maddie Keefe of Pioneer attacks on the offensive end against Franklin Tech, Thursday in Northfield. Credit: ADAM HARGRAVES
“I think everybody did really well,” Deveney Pillsbury said. “Everybody showed up and did their thing. We came out with intensity and that’s what we wanted to do.”
With 17 minutes, 40 seconds left in the first half, Jaelyn Boliski fed a nice through ball to Pillsbury who buried the opportunity. The goal gave the Panthers an early lead and their first win of the season. Pillsbury helped put the game away in the second half with her second goal of the contest. The goal came in the final minutes of the game. The freshman made it clear that it was a team effort that got the victory for her mother.
“It was good,” Deveney Pillsbury said. “The team did it. It wasn’t just me obviously. Nobody can score without a team. I think we all helped her. It felt really good for all of us.”
Dželila Cecunjanin scored Pioneer’s second goal. Maddie Keefe initiated the play, getting momentum up the right sideline before a beautiful cross to find Cecunjanin for the tally.
Franklin Tech did not generate much offense, but Kaelyn Mclean dinged a post with 21:26 left in regulation. Carly Walsh generated the opportunity with a nice feed from the right wing.
“We are starting to make some passes and string some passes together,” Franklin Tech coach Jay Butynski said. “We haven’t always been trusting of each other offensively. That’s something that’s starting to come as well.”
Franklin Tech’s young defense made some mistakes but there was improvement as the game progressed.
“We have an entirely new defense this year,” Butynski said. “We are going to make mistakes. They just have to learn from the mistakes… we have a lot of kids that are learning. We just have to be patient. But we do have some kids that are competitors and they want to win.”
Playing with assertiveness, Franklin Tech keeper Sheyenne Ballentine made 11 saves and stopped a breakaway early on in the game. For the Panthers, Avalyn Hall and Cecunjanin split time to earn the shutout.
Palmer 8, Greenfield 1 — The Green Wave couldn’t stay with the Panthers in a Pioneer North match up. Sarah McCloud scored the goal with an assist coming from Zephyr Jetzon. Valerie Bzomowski made 13 saves.
Athol 2, St. Mary’s 0 — The Bears knocked off last year’s Bi-County league champion at O’Brien field. Serena Nkengafe and Vera Cruz scored for the Bears. It was the first goal of Cruz’s varsity career at Athol. Ava Adams made 13 saves in the shutout.
Field hockey
Frontier 3, Agawam 0 — Addie Harrington had a goal and an assist for the Redhawks (2-0, 2-0 Suburban) in the win over the Brownies in South Deerfield. Bella Orrell and Brynna Fahey also scored. Ivy Cloninger added an assist. Brooke Charest recorded the shutout and made the 100th save of her career.
Palmer 4, Mahar 1 — The Senators got a goal from Makayla Beauchemin, but lost to the Panthers on the road in a County league match up. Greta Kelly made five saves for Mahar. Adeena Maselli had an assist for Mahar.
Franklin Tech 7, Turners Falls 0 — The Eagles shut out the Thunder on the road in County play. Amelia Rider had two goals for Franklin Tech. Izzy Allen, Leah Meattey (assist), Ava Worden, Abigail Dobias (assist) and Teagan Donahue (assist) also scored. Connor Glennon made 20 saves for the Thunder. Nora Cutting and Cammy Jacques had an assist each for the Eagles. Redyn Gutierrez recorded the shutout.
Golf
Pioneer 180, Hopkins Academy 190 — The Panthers (1-4) snagged their first win of the season against the Golden Hawks in a Bi-County East matchup at Northfield Golf Course. Weston Jones shot a 38 for the Panthers, while Carter Gerry managed a 43 on the day.
West Springfield 165, Frontier 180 — Braiden Dion and Jamie McCarthy both shot a 43, but the Redhawks (2-3) fell to the Terriers at Springfield Country Club. Addy Wood and Teddy McCarthy finished in the top four with a 47.
Hampshire Regional 174, Mohawk 186 — The Warriors lost to the Raiders at the Country Club of Greenfield. Chayton Massa finished with a 42 for Mohawk. Sam Mizula (45) and Conner Bergeron (46) also finished in the top four.
Late Wednesday results
Athol 5, Mahar 0 — The Bears got the better of their crosstown rivals at home in an independent soccer match up. Lucas L’Ecuyer had four assists and a goal for the Bears. Nathan Parayson (two goals), Dillon Boudreau and John Robertson also scored for the Bears. Drake Wing made eight saves for Athol. Lucas Hart stopped eight shots for the Senators.
