Greenfield resident and Hopkins Academy boys’ basketball coach Angelo Thomas was named Tuesday the Massachusetts Basketball Coaches Association Division IV Coach of the Year.
“It’s a great honor,” Thomas said. “Even more because fellow coaches vote. That’s top-notch for me.”
Hopkins won just five games in the three years prior to Thomas’ arrival. Since then, the Golden Hawks are 57-13 and have won back-to-back Division IV championships.
Thomas has an unwavering coaching style, with all players playing a role and the expectation to not deviate from that role regardless of the player’s talent level.
“Everyone has defined expectations of what they can and can’t do,” Thomas said. “It’s about holding them accountable.”
Part of coaching is the student aspect, which Thomas takes seriously.
“The student part is first,” Thomas said. “They have a duty in school to work hard and be respectful.”
Thomas recognized that his players are role models, not only to kids in Hadley, but to his 6-year-old son Grayson.
“I don’t want to have to explain to him why a player might not be playing,” Thomas said. “I just want them to have good character on and off the court.”
Thomas will not hesitate to call players into his office to discuss character traits that go far beyond jump shots and bounce passes.
“I just want my players to be good people,” Thomas said. “To be a good teammate.”
Four Rivers results
Four Rivers Charter School won the boys’ race and its girls’ team finished fourth during a River Valley Athletic League cross country meet Wednesday at Eagle Hill School in Hardwick.
The Otters scored 31 points, followed by Berkshire Arts & Technology Charter Public School with 47 points.
Four Rivers’ Mac Sloan-Anderson was the overall winner of the 3-mile race in 17 minutes, 6 seconds. Teammate Oscar Gibson was second in 18:01, Jayden Skelly was seventh in 19:36, Casey Davey came in ninth in 20:00, and Tynan Hewes was 12th in 20:24.
Jemma Dickson was the top Otter in the girls’ race, finishing 11th in 26:27. She was followed by Sophie Jacobson-Carroll in 25th (29:09), Lilly Harris-Hendry in 28th (30:20), Amelia Worden in 32nd (32:43) and Tove Schweitzer in 34th (35:28).
Charlemont wins
The Academy at Charlemont posted a 3-2 win over Paulo Freire Social Justice Charter School in boys’ soccer action Wednesday in Charlemont.
Aiden Brenizer, Ben Schocket-Greene, and Tucker Zakon-Anderson scored for the Aardvarks, and Sam Fisher played a well in his debut in goal.
Deerfield scores
Deerfield Academy defeated Williston-Northampton School, 13-2, in a boys’ water polo match Wednesday in Deerfield.
The Deerfield JVs also beat Williston, 7-1.
Deerfield’s field hockey teams split their games — the varsity lost to Westminster School, 3-1, while the JV won, 3-1.
In boys’ soccer, both the Deerfield varsity and JV tied Loomis Chaffee School, 2-2.
Miller wins for Wilmington
Troy Miller of Turners Falls fired an even-par 70 to win medalist honors in the Griffin Invitational Tuesday at the Inniscronne Golf Club in Avondale, Pa.
Miller, a junior for the Wildcats, finished three strokes ahead of teammate Matthew Kettleson.
Miller is majoring in sport management.
Greenfeld beats Mahar middies
Greenfield Middle School scored with 30 seconds remaining to beat Mahar Middle School football, 14-8, in football action Tuesday afternoon.
Eli Gonzalez scored on a 60-yard run in the third quarter and added the two-point conversion for Mahar’s offense.
Matt Lyesiuk and Elias Spencer played well defensively for Mahar, and Jacob Tenney added an interception.