NORTHFIELD – It didn't take long for the Pioneer boys basketball team to find its groove against Turners Falls on Tuesday. 

The Panthers raced out to a 12-4 lead and ended the first quarter on a 12-0 run to take a 24-7 advantage after eight minutes. Pioneer pulled ahead 46-15 at the half and eventually walked away with a 74-26 triumph at Messer Gymnasium. 

“It's always good to get a win,” Panthers coach Scott Thayer said. “Now we have to get ready for Lenox on Thursday.”

It was a balanced scoring attack from Pioneer (2-0), with just about every player who got in the game getting in on the action. 

Josh Wood led the way with 18 points while Brayden Thayer sank four 3-pointers to finish with 16 points while adding six rebounds. Hugh Cyhowski and Alex McClelland joined them in double-figures with 11 points apiece, and Cyhowski added eight rebounds while McClelland snagged nine boards. 

Romello Rios (eight points), Kurt Redeker (six points, seven assists), Noah Gamache (two points) and Gavin Gammell (two points, four assists, four steals) also got in on the action for the Panthers. 

Branden Truesdell was the go-to option on offense for the Thunder (0-2). The senior scored all seven of Turners' first quarter points and tallied nine of the Thunders' 11 third quarter points to finish with a team-high 16 points. 

Jackson Cogswell tossed in five points, Caden Williams finished with three points while Dylen Richardson scored two points in the loss. 

Four Rivers 61, BART 25 – Three Otters finished in double figures, as Four Rivers rolled to a 61-25 River Valley Athletic League win on Tuesday in Greenfield.

Four Rivers led 18-11 after one quarter and 32-17 at halftime before outscoring BART by a 22-2 margin in the third quarter to run away.

Isaiah Goleman led the way with 15 points, while Cooper Whitney and Caleb Bird-Richards each went for 10 in the win. 

Girls basketball

Franklin Tech 57, Ludlow 31 — Make it three wins in a row to open the season for the Eagles. 

Tech opened up a 28-10 halftime lead after holding the Lions to a mere two points in the second quarter, paving the way to an independent victory in Turners on Tuesday. 

Lea Chapman finished with 19 points, 20 rebounds — 15 offensive — six steals and four blocks in the win. Hannah Gilbert tossed in 16 points to go along with five steals, Cordelia Guerin tallied 12 points, Kyra Goodell scored four points and snatched four rebounds while Kait Trudeau had two points and six steals in the win. 

Mohawk Trail 40, McCann 24 — Natalie Lanoue and Rachel Pease controlled the game offensively for the Warriors, each tossing in 13 points to lead Mohawk Trail to a road victory in North Adams on Tuesday. 

The opening night win matches Mohawk Trail’s win total from a season ago. 

The Warriors (1-0) led 21-9 at the half and held the Hornets to just one point in the third quarter to take command of the game. 

Valerie Bzomowski finished with nine points while Bella Pettengill recorded five points in the victory. 

Pioneer 39, Putnam 32 — Leading 25-21 going into the fourth, the Panthers were outscored 10-5 in the final frame to go to overtime.

The overtime period was dominated by Pioneer, however, who outscored the Beavers 9-1 to walk away with a Franklin County League South overtime win in Springfield on Tuesday. 

Addison Harrington dropped 17 points, Kyler McClelland added 11 points while Natalie Rios (6), Fota N’Diaye (3) and Kiara Gruszkowsi (2) rounded out the Pioneer scorers. 

Ware 34, Athol 17 — The Ware defense kept the Bear offense at bay throughout, with Ware picking up a Franklin County League South win over visiting Athol. 

Allison Robertson led the Bears with six points while Brooklyn Hopkins scored four points and Jenna Bonenfant added three points in the defeat. 

Renaissance 64, Mahar 38 — Nevaeh Scribner knocked down five 3’s to finish with 22 points in the Senators’ road loss to Renaissance on Tuesday. 

Hayden Comeau tallied nine points, Irati Martinez scored five points while Alivia Patch scored three points for Mahar. 

Boys swimming

Turners 61, Chicopee 20 – Liam Bliss (first place), Cody McDonough (second), and Tyler Galenski  (third) all posted personal-best times in the 100-yard breaststroke, sweeping the top three spots to power the Thunder to a road victory on Tuesday.

Turners’ Connor Glennon posted a second-place finish in the 200 IM, while McDonough, Matt Sibley, Galenski, and Bliss teamed for a win in the 200 medley relay.

Girls swimming

Turners 85, Chicopee 67 – Sophia McComb captured the win for the Thunder in the 100-yard breaststroke, with teammates Ava Fortin (second) and Breanna Kempf (third) sweeping  the podium in the event as Turners clipped Chicopee on Tuesday.

McComb teamed with Tristan Bliss, Kempf and Madi Liimatainen to capture the 200 freestyle relay (2:05.5), while the other Turners entry of Jess Schimmel, Rose Fortin, Maya Deramo and Sylvie DiBartolomeo nabbed third place.