Monument Mountain Outlasts Wahconah in D3 West

By Ethan Winter (@EWints)

Amherst, Mass. – For the second straight night, a Western Mass boys’ basketball semifinal game came down to the final shot, and fortunately for the top-seeded Monument Mountain Spartans, this one didn’t go in.

With the game on the line, all tied up at 59 apiece, Monument Mountain junior forward Graham Herrick stepped up to the line and sank both free throws to give the Spartans a 61-59 lead with just under seven seconds remaining in regulation. That lead would hold up as Monument Mountain advanced to the Division 3 West championship game against Easthampton, which will be played Saturday at UMass.

RECAP: Big Plays Lift Mashpee Past Wahconah for D4 Title

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

FOXBOROUGH, Mass.- Mashpee captured its second consecutive state championship with a 34-13 victory over Western Mass power Wahconah, but things were a lot closer than the final score would indicate.

In fact, Wahconah (10-2) grabbed the lead midway through the third quarter when quarterback Will Geneway broke loose for his second touchdown run, putting the Warriors up 13-12. But, it would be all Mashpee (12-1) after that, as the Falcons scored 22 unanswered points, powered by long touchdown runs by Devaun Ford and Dominick Fellini.

PHOTOS: Mashpee Pulls Away from Wahconah for D4 Title

Devaun Ford's two touchdowns helped Mashpee pull away from feisty Wahconah.

Photos by Brendan Hall (@BHallESPN)

FOXBOROUGH, Mass.- Wahconah showed it could hang, but Mashpee used big plays late to pull away 34-13 in the Division 4 state title game at Gillette Stadium.

Continue below for photos from today's second game, which included a visit from New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft. Click to enlarge.

Postgame Blog: Holliston Cruises to D4 Title

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

Holliston's Zach Elkinson has a knack for racking up odd stats.

At one point during Holliston's 43-0 demolition of Wahconah, Elkinson had rushed for 107 yards on just three carries… And one of those carries went for negative three yards.

He would finish the day rushing for 212 yards and an MIAA Super Bowl record-tying five touchdowns… On just nine carries.

Massachusetts HS Football State Championship Preview: Divisions 4-6

Northbridge quarterback Koby Schofer will look to lead the Rams to a state title on their return trip to Gillette.

By Joe Parello (@HerewegoJoe)

A dozen Massachusetts high school football teams have finished their journeys down the #RoadToGillette and are preparing to play for state championships.

Year Two of the MIAA's new statewide football playoff system has produced another slew of intriguing matchups, so let's take a look at everything you need to know about Saturday's games in the smaller divisions.

*All game times listed below are approximate. Each game will begin 15 minutes after the previous one ends.