The fall high school season officially kicked off with a full slate of games on Tuesday. There were plenty of storylines and highlights from the first of what will be many exciting days throughout Franklin County. Here’s a closer look at some of the things that jumped off the page:
Last year’s WMass Division 3 championship went to overtime before Belchertown ended Frontier’s season with a 2-1 win.
The Red Hawks’ first game of the 2019 season was against the very same team that ended its 2018 campaign on Tuesday. The teams were again even after regulation, this time settling for a 1-1 draw in an independent tilt in Belchertown.
“It was a great game, back and forth,” said Frontier second-year coach Evan Horton. “I think both teams had ups and downs but it’s a good barometer for the season to play a team like Belchertown right out of the gate.”
Belchertown led 1-0 at halftime after converting a penalty kick late in the opening stanza, but Frontier (0-0-1) drew level after intermission. Freshman Matt Sicard tallied his first career varsity goal in his first career varsity game, taking a feed from sophomore Payton Sladeski to make it 1-1.
“We needed some life and those two helped us out,” Horton said.
Nick Jarvis made five saves in net for the Hawks.
Frontier opens its home slate Friday against Monument Mountain.
Have a debut, Sam Lashtur.
The Franklin Tech freshman made his varsity debut and didn’t disappoint on Tuesday. Lashtur scored all three of his team’s goal, including the eventual game-winner in the 73rd minute to propel the Eagles past Pioneer Valley Christian, 3-2, in boys soccer action in Turners Falls.
“Certainly he came to the program with a good amount of skill and has obviously spent some time on his game,” lauded Tech coach Kurt Richardson said of Lashtur. “It wasn’t the strongest defense we will face this year and he’ll have to work on his game, but his potential is limitless at this point.”
Lashtur scored goals in the 33rd, 34th and 73rd minutes for the Eagles (1-0), with Jake Burnett assisting on one of the trio. Matt Regnier turned away five shots in goal to help Franklin Tech open with a victory.
Judging by the statistics, it would appear the Greenfield field hockey team dominated Agawam on Tuesday.
The Green Wave outshot the Brownies 18-9, and finished with 16 corners to Agawam’s three. But on the road, the three-time defending WMass champions weren’t able to prevail on the scoreboard, falling 3-1.
The rust showed for Greenfield in its first action of the year, as it was unable to score on multiple chances in front of the net.
Emerson White scored the lone first-half goal for the Brownies, off an assist from Emma Thompson.
Thompson then scored the opening goal of the second half to give Agawam a 2-0 lead.
The Green Wave answered with a goal from Lilia Kachelmeyer off a penalty corner that was assisted by Katie Haselton.
The Brownies answered though, notching an insurance marker late from Brooke Szafran to secure the victory.
Ainslee Flynn finished with six saves in net for Greenfield in her debut between the pipes.
A first-half goal and an early second-half goal propelled the Easthampton girls soccer team past Athol, 2-1.
Kendall Deleo had the lone goal for the Red Raiders late in the game.
• Trailing 1-0 going into the halftime break, the Franklin Tech girls soccer team surrendered three second-half goals to fall to Smith Voke, 4-0.
Emily Merritt had 10 saves in goal for the Eagles.
• On the golf links, expected powerhouse Frontier made an emphatic opening statement with a 21-3 win over Hampshire.
Mikey Corduff was the match medalist with a round of 42 out of the No. 1 spot, winning three points there. Kyle Maynard and Porter Clancy swept four points apiece in the win, while Gunnar Moore, Bryan Baumann and Rowan Blair all won at least three points in their match.
Elsewhere, Ben Thompson shot 43 to earn match medalist honors but visiting Mohawk Trail dropped a 19-5 decision to Westfield Tech in action at East Mountain Country Club in Westfield. Sam Thompson was next for the Warriors with a 59.
At Ellinwood Country Club in Athol, the Mahar golf team dropped its season-opener to Hopkins, 20½-3½.
Tucker Ninteau opened his senior campaign with a low round of 41 in the No. 1 spot for the Senators, taking three points in his match there. Cam Doyle shot 50 out of the No. 3 hole.
BOYS SOCCER
FC Tech 3, PV Christian 2
|
PV Christian |
0 |
2 |
— |
2 |
|
FC Tech |
2 |
1 |
— |
3 |
Goals: (PV) Beck, Piscara. (FT) Lashtur 3.
Assists: (PV) Beck, Ande. (FT) Burnett.
Saves: (PV) Nichols 2, Wenniger 8. (FT) Regnier 5.
Frontier 1, Belchertown 1, tie
|
Frontier |
0 |
1 |
— |
1 |
|
Belchertown |
1 |
0 |
— |
1 |
Goals: (F) Sicard. (B) Lajeunesse (PK).
Assists: (F) Sladeski.
Saves: (F) Jarvis 5. (B) Bolton 4.
GIRLS SOCCER
Easthampton 2, Athol 1
|
Easthampton |
1 |
1 |
— |
2 |
|
Athol |
0 |
1 |
— |
1 |
Goals: (E) Fugiel, McClaffin. (A) Deleo.
Saves: (E) Coleman 6. (A) Wrigley 12.
Smith Voke 4, FC Tech 0
|
FC Tech |
0 |
0 |
— |
0 |
|
Smith Voke |
1 |
3 |
— |
4 |
Goals: (SV) Roberts, Sherman, Bryant, Clark.
Assists: (SV) Bryant, Clark.
Saves: (FT) Merritt 10. (SV) Stone 2.
FIELD HOCKEY
Agawam 3, Greenfield 1
|
Greenfield |
0 |
1 |
— |
1 |
|
Agawam |
1 |
2 |
— |
3 |
Goals: (G) Kachelmeyer. (A) White, Thompson, Szafran.
Assists: (G) Haselton. (A) Thompson, Frogameni.
Shots: Greenfield 18. Agawam 9.
Saves: (G) Flynn 6. (A) Croteau 17.
Corners: Greenfield 16. Agawam 3.