The Varsity Insider from MassLive
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Thursday, January 1, 2026 |
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Hello, subscriber. Welcome to the Varsity Insider newsletter, an in-depth look at high school sports across Massachusetts from Jeff Lajoie and MassLive's high school sports team delivered exclusively to MassLive subscribers. |
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Happy New Year!
By this weekend, I'll have already dated multiple items with the year '2025,' something I've seemingly never grown out of. Do you remember being a kid in school and writing the date on every assignment? It took me until February to start getting the year right.
To say 2025 was a great sports year would be an understatement. I came on board here at MassLive in late September, and even in just a few short months, we've seen many successes. The West Springfield boys soccer team won the MIAA Division II state title, while the Xaverian football team won another Division I crown and the Walpole field hockey team continued its dominance with a Division I championship. I was along for the ride with the Longmeadow girls soccer team, which marched all the way to the Division II final before falling just short.
In the spring, I was there working for a different publication during the epic MIAA Division V Turners Falls-Greenfield softball final that lasted 10 innings at UMass' Sortino Field. Marilyn Abarua came through with the game-winning hit for Turners, which won its 12th state title via the 2-1 victory over its top rival. There are going to be so many more moments in 2026, and I'm looking forward to our staff being able to bring them to you! Here's to another trip around the sun. |
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Longmeadow girls hockey coach Melissa Vandermyn gets her team ready before the start of a previous game against Pope Francis at Amelia Park Arena. (DAVID HOSMER PHOTO) |
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In this section, we'll highlight the games and events we're watching each week. Consider this your heads up so you can clear that busy schedule and hit some of these games in person. |
Boys basketball: Chicopee Comp at Springfield Central (Friday, Jan. 2): As the Valley League standings continue to heat up, a huge game at the newly-minted Travis Best Court in Springfield takes place on Friday night. The Colts held serve at home in Chicopee when the teams met last month, and if they can steal a game on the road, they put themselves in solid position to try and win a league title.
Girls hockey: Pope Francis at Longmeadow (Saturday, Jan. 3): The only two girls' hockey programs in WMass meet for their first of two annual regular season meetings on Saturday at Smead Arena in Springfield. Pope Francis won both meetings last year, including a 2-1 overtime victory. Girls basketball: Minnechaug at Pittsfield (Tuesday, Jan. 6): Two of the best in the West face off in the Berkshires on Tuesday with an early peek into the Valley League race. The teams have split their regular season meetings each of the past two seasons. Boys basketball: BC High at Saint John's (Shrewsbury)(Tuesday, Jan. 6): Two of the top teams in the Catholic Conference meet in Shrewsbury for a key early-season matchup. The two teams split a pair of regular season games last winter. |
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THIS WEEK IN HISTORY Each week in this space, we'll highlight a piece of local high school sports history from yesteryear. JAN. 2, 2016: This week 10 years ago, East Longmeadow hockey player Ben Wosky recorded the 100th point of his career in the Spartans' 7-1 win over Ludlow at the Olympia Ice Center in West Springfield. Wosky scored two goals and three assists, giving him 50 goals and 52 assists for his career. |
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All-Western Mass. selections conclude |
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Springfield Central quarterback Jareth Staine rears back to pass against St. John's Prep on September 5, 2025 in Danvers. KATIE MORRISON-O'DAY |
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As the Fall 2025 season has come to an end, MassLive rolled out its final All-Western Mass. selection. These honors are bestowed upon players for their achievements during the fall; picked by the MassLive staff, with nominations from high school coaches.
Football (released 12/29): With high school teams playing across six of the eight divisions in the MIAA, a large number of players were honored for their outstanding seasons this fall. Other All-Western Mass. lists over the past week: |
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