Following a slow start, the Frontier girls basketball team found its footing on the offensive end of the floor in the final 16 minutes of action Friday against Belchertown. 

The Redhawks trailed 12-7 at the intermission but outscored the Orioles 12-11 in the third to cut the lead to 24-18 heading into the fourth quarter. Frontier tallied 16 points in the fourth quarter, with Kylie Laford knocking down a pair of 3’s, while holding Belchertown to just three points to pull ahead and earn a 35-26 independent victory on the road, snapping a three-game losing streak. 

Laford led the way with 14 points in the win, all coming in the second half. Claire Kirkendall finished with nine points while Delaney Fifield chipped in four points for the Redhawks. 

Mahar 46, Athol 36 — The Senators led 21-20 going into the break before outscoring the Bears 25-16 in the final two quarters to earn an independent victory over rival Athol at Mallet Gymnasium Friday. 

Hayden Comeau and Kendrah Doane each had double-doubles for Mahar, Comeau scoring 16 points and snagging 11 rebounds while Doane had 14 points and 12 rebounds. Sophia Woods and Alivia Patch each scored five points while Nevaeh Scribner had four points and snatched eight steals in the win. 

Sammy Mailloux led the Bears with 13 points. Lizzy Mailloux added eight points, Kyluh Blundon tallied seven points and Emma Bacigalupo had four points in the loss. 

Boys basketball

Pioneer 61, Drury 46 — Leading 28-25 at the half, the Panthers outscored the Blue Devils 13-10 in the third quarter to stay in control and closed out the game by outscoring Drury 20-13 in the final eight minutes to pull away with a Hampshire League South win in Northfield Friday. 

“I thought we handled physicality of the game well,” Pioneer coach Scott Thayer said. “We showed some growth tonight.” 

Kurt Redeker and Brayden Thayer provided the offense for the Panthers, Redeker scoring 21 points and Thayer adding 20 points. Hugh Cyhowski put up 12 points and snatched seven rebounds, Alex McClelland scored four points and grabbed 10 boards while Gavin Gammell had four points and dished seven assists in the victory. 

Mahar 46, Frontier 39 — The Redhawks trailed by one with just under a minute to play before the Senators pulled away late, with Mahar picking up a Hampshire League South victory in Orange Friday. 

Hunter Martin scored a team-high 15 points for the Senators. Gavin Sullivan chipped in 12 points, Connor Sluder put in 11 points and Will Barnes tallied six points in the win. 

Max Millette put up 16 points, Danny Fellows recorded 11 points and Aleks Carey scored six points for Frontier. 

Hopkins 77, Greenfield 76 — Trailing 57-51 heading into the fourth quarter, the Golden Hawks put up a late charge to keep its unbeaten record in tact, picking up a Hampshire League South win over the Green Wave in Hadley Friday. 

Caleb Thomas dropped 22 points for Greenfield, with Jon Breor and Caleb Murray each recording 19 points and Jackson Campbell and Petru Cojocaru each adding six points in the loss. 

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