SOUTH DEERFIELD – The Frontier girls basketball team has grown accustomed to close games as of late. 

After defeating Lenox on a buzzer beater last Wednesday, it came down to the final minute once again Monday in a Franklin County League North showdown against Palmer. 

Madison McKemmie sank a deep jumper with 1:20 left to put the Redhawks ahead, 49-47. Palmer’s Charlotte Theriault was fouled with 48 seconds left and made one of two from the charity stripe. Frontier drained the clock down before Palmer was forced to foul, with McKemmie going to the line with 7.4 seconds left for a one-and-one. 

She missed the first, but the Panthers tipped the rebound out of bounds to give the ball back to Frontier. Molly Gates was fouled and went to the line but missed the first of the one-and-one. Palmer got the rebound but turned the ball over as time expired, with the Redhawks coming away with a 49-48 victory at Goodnow Gymnasium. 

“We’ve done it before and we know how to do it,” Frontier coach Dave Machon said. “The girls are the ones out there and they’re mentally tough. They took care of the ball in tough situations. We won’t see an easy game the rest of the season. We have to keep it up.” 

The win capped off a comeback for the Redhawks, which trailed 13-12 at the end of the first quarter, 24-20 at the half and 37-35 going into the fourth quarter. 

With the Western Mass. and state tournaments just around the corner, Machon said he is pleased to see his team learning how to win these close games, knowing there will likely be more down the road. 

“It’s almost like we’re practicing for the big one,” Machon said. “We want to keep rolling off these close wins because they get so excited after these. They don’t ever have a dull moment out there. I’m excited to watch this group. Earlier in the season we had some tough losses but now they’re showing mental toughness to get those wins.” 

Multiple players stepped up in the fourth quarter to lift Frontier to a victory. Claire Kirkendall drained a pair of 3’s, Delaney Fifield scored two baskets down low and stuffed a pair of shots on the other end while Hailey Hutkoski also drained a shot from outside in the frame. 

Redhawk leading scorer Kylie Laford kept Frontier in the game in the third quarter where she notched 10 of her game-high 19 points. With other players stepping up to hit big shots in the fourth quarter, Machon likes the way his team is playing down the stretch of the season. 

“We talked early on about not being a one person team,” Machon said. “We all have to step up and fill their roles. They’re doing that and doing it at the right time of year.” 

McKemmie finished with eight points in the win, with Kirkendall and Hutkoski each tossing in six points. Gates and Fifield each scored four points for the Redhawks. 

Theriault had a team-high 18 points for Palmer. 

Turners 46, Athol 36 — Leading 33-26 heading into the fourth quarter, Thunder guard Taylor Greene made sure the Bears weren’t able to get back in the game. 

Greene scored 11 of her game-high 25 points in the final eight minutes, leading Turners to a Franklin County League South win at Mallet Gymnasium. 

Morgan Dobias and Madi Liimatainen each tallied six points for the Thunder. Abbi Holloway tacked on four points while Steph Peterson finished with three points in the victory. 

Emma Bacigalupo finished with 15 points, Lizzy Mailloux recorded eight points, Jenna Bonenfant tallied five points and Kylah Blundon added four points for Athol. 

Mahar 52, Hopkins 48 — The Senators were hot at the charity stripe down the stretch on Monday against the Golden Hawks, finishing the night with 20 made free throws — nine of which came in the fourth quarter — to hang on to earn a Franklin County League North win in Hadley. 

Kendrah Doane led the way with 17 points and 11 rebounds in the victory, with Nevaeh Scribner joining her in double-figures with 12 points. Hayden Comeau tossed in nine points and 12 rebounds while Alivia Patch and Astha Bernard each scored five points for Mahar. 

Pioneer 62, Mohawk Trail 12 – The Panthers poured in 25 points in the first quarter and led 43-8 at halftime en route to the win on Monday in Buckland.

Addie Harrington led the way with 19 points, while Hailey Ring scored all 17 of her points in the first half for Pioneer. Kyler McClelland made it three Panthers in double figures with 14 points, and Laura Kalher added six points.

Mohawk Trail's Bella Pettengill and Grace Davenport paced the home team with four points apiece.

Lenox 47, Greenfield 29 – Amber Bergeron paced the offense with 11 points, but the host Green Wave fell into a double-digit halftime deficit en route to a loss on Monday at Nichols Gymnasium.

The Millionaires led 20-10 at halftime. Tayler Bergeron added six points for Greenfield, while Anna Bucala added five points and Mackensie Goncalves tossed in four.

Boys swimming

Turners 39, Sci-Tech 27 – Nik Martin and Liam Bliss  each captured two individual events in the final regular season meet o f the season for the Thunder on Monday.

Martin took first in the 100-yard freestyle (58.85 seconds) and 50 free (25.33), and swam with Matt Sibley, Cody McDonough and Bliss on the winning 200-yard medley relay team (2:18.90).

Sibley also won the 500 freestyle (8:19.82), while Bliss captured the 100 backstroke (1:17.02) and 200 IM (2:39.53). McDonough took first in the 100 breaststroke (1:31.12).

Girls swimming

Turners 62, Sci-Tech 18 – The Thunder closed their regular season in impressive fashion, rolling to a 62-18 win on Monday.

Avery Heathwaite won the 100 breaststroke (1:33.55) and 200 freestyle (2:35.65), while Sylvie DiBartolomeo captured the 100 backstroke (1:19.52) and 500 free (6:50.61).

Sophia McComb also won two individual events, scoring  victories in the 100 free (1:06.43) and 50 free (28.99). Turners’ Addy Wood was the 200 IM winner (3:19.08), and Adelaide Ehle won the 100 butterfly (1:45.67).

Turners swept all three relays, including a 200 freestyle relay squad of McComb, Wood, Kylee Gamache and Nicole Porter (2:28.40).

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