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Today’s edition · Fri., Nov. 6

High school football state finals won't be at Gillette this year

Plus, Springfield schools report 800 fewer students and Mercy Medical Center is now Baystate Mercy Hospital.

The Springfield Morning News team2 stories16 sources5 min read

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High School SportsTop story

Gillette Stadium won't host this year's high school football state championships

The Gillette decision came days before the playoffs began

  1. Nov. 2 announces Gillette Stadium won't host this year's football state championships.
  2. Nov. 5High school football state playoffs get underway.
  3. Early Dec.Football state championship games had been scheduled to be played in the first week of December.
  4. Dec. 6The Patriots have a home game at Gillette Stadium.

Sources: Western Mass News, Daily Hampshire Gazette

If you follow high school football, the finish line just moved. The announced Monday that Gillette Stadium won't host this year's state championships, ending a run that began in 2007. The association says it was informed late last week and thanked the Patriots for nearly two decades of hosting.

  • Reason given: Revolution playoff schedule and Patriots home game
  • Today's playoff games: Belchertown vs. Norwell, Easthampton vs. Saint Bernard's
  • New site: none named yet by the MIAA

MassLive reports that all eight title games are without a venue. The MIAA says it will "work diligently to secure host sites." Chicopee coach Alex Efstratios told Western Mass News the timing was wrong: "you don't make a decision last minute right before the playoffs start." He's a Springfield College alum, and he'd love to see the games there.

8state title games without a venue

Gillette had hosted the championships since 2007. As of Thursday, the hadn't said where they'll be played.

Sources: Western Mass News, Daily Hampshire Gazette, MassLive.com

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High School Sports

25 Hampshire County teams and 15 Berkshire County soccer teams head into state tournament play

If you've got a soccer, field hockey or volleyball player at home, the brackets are out. The unveiled its state tournament brackets this week, and 25 Hampshire County teams made it. Granby girls soccer is the top seed in Div. 5, and Northampton boys soccer is No. 3 in Div. 2.

Local teams open state tournament play Friday and Monday

GameMatchupWhen
Div. 4 field hockeyNo. 20 Seekonk at No. 13 South HadleyFri., Nov. 6, 5 p.m.
Div. 3 volleyballNo. 17 Belchertown at No. 16 MedfieldFri., Nov. 6, 6 p.m.
Div. 5 girls soccerNo. 1 Granby vs. Hoosac/Lowell CharterMon., Nov. 9, 2 p.m.
Div. 4 boys soccerNo. 18 Mount Greylock at No. 15 South HadleyMon., Nov. 9, 4:30 p.m.

Source: Daily Hampshire Gazette

  • Fri., Nov. 6: Easthampton volleyball at No. 5 Mount Greylock, 5:30 p.m.
  • Sat., Nov. 7: Gardner at Easthampton girls soccer, 11 a.m.

Across the Berkshires, 15 teams earned entry in soccer, led by the Monument Mountain boys at No. 3 in Div. IV. Mount Greylock is at South Hadley Monday at 4:30 p.m. The Gardner News posted the volleyball seedings, too: Springfield International, the No. 19 seed at 13-7, drew a Thursday trip to No. 14 Millbury.

Western Mass. fills out the fall state tournaments

25
Hampshire County teams qualified
9
Hampshire County girls soccer teams, the most in any sport
15
Berkshire County soccer teams earned entry

Sources: Daily Hampshire Gazette, Berkshire Eagle

News Notes

Schools

Springfield Public Schools announced Tuesday that 800 fewer students are enrolled this school year, a figure over three times higher than what figures projected for 2026-27. "We're still grappling with the why," Superintendent Sonia Dinnall said. Connecticut Public

Hospitals

On Nov. 2, Baystate Health completed its acquisition of Mercy Medical Center and renamed it Baystate Mercy Hospital. Springfield will keep operating two hospitals. The Reminder

West Springfield

The Town Council unanimously approved a 10% sewer rate increase, the first change since 2021. The rate goes from $4.62 to $5.08 per on Jan. 1, 2027. The Reminder

Food drives

The Springfield Thunderbirds and M&T Bank are hosting food drives at four western Mass. branches in November, with donations benefiting Rachel's Table of Western Massachusetts. The team encourages fans to bring non-perishable food items. The first stop is Westfield on Sat., Nov. 7, with mascot Boomer. WWLPSpringfield Thunderbirds

The Thunderbirds' M&T Bank food drives start Saturday in Westfield

  1. Nov. 7Food drive at M&T Bank, 10 Elm St., Westfield, 11 a.m. to noon.
  2. Nov. 14Food drive at M&T Bank, 50 Elm St., West Springfield, 11 a.m. to noon.
  3. Nov. 18Food drive at M&T Bank, 445 Montgomery St., Chicopee, 3 to 4 p.m.

Sources: WWLP, Springfield Thunderbirds

East Longmeadow

Engineers from Bowman Consulting are crunching the numbers from their traffic study of the seven-way and plan to have a proposal next year. The town says about 31,000 cars enter the rotary each day. MassLive.comWestern Mass News

Home

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Today’s puzzles

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The Wrap

More than 400 glowing jack-o'-lanterns lit up the Aquatic Gardens at Forest Park in the nights just before Halloween for the Pumpkin Stroll After Dark. Central High School students, Springfield Conservatory of the Arts students and residents of the Women's Correctional Center carved them. Afterward, the pumpkins were left in the woods for local wildlife to eat. Talk about a second helping.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Roca reopens, sewer lining starts and a Forest Park train is coming

Read yesterday’s edition

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Every source in this edition16 links · 11 outlets
  1. The Weather Channelweather.com
  2. Western Mass Newswesternmassnews.com
  3. Daily Hampshire Gazettegazettenet.com
  4. WWLPwwlp.com
  5. MassLive.commasslive.com
  6. Daily Hampshire Gazettegazettenet.com
  7. Berkshire Eagleberkshireeagle.com
  8. The Gardner Newsthegardnernews.com
  9. Connecticut Publicctpublic.org
  10. The Reminderthereminder.com
  11. The Reminderthereminder.com
  12. WWLPwwlp.com
  13. Springfield Thunderbirdsspringfieldthunderbirds.com
  14. MassLive.commasslive.com
  15. Western Mass Newswesternmassnews.com
  16. Springfield events calendarspringfieldmorningnews.com

Past issues

  1. Thurs., Nov. 5Roca reopens, sewer lining starts and a Forest Park train is coming
  2. Wed., Nov. 4Mercy Medical Center is now Baystate Mercy Hospital
  3. Tues., Nov. 3A $30 million federal grant will fund a West Springfield rail overpass
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Springfield Morning Newsto me · Fri., Nov. 66:00 a.m.

High school football state finals won't be at Gillette this year

Plus, Springfield schools report 800 fewer students and Mercy Medical Center is now Baystate Mercy Hospital.

The TLDR

  1. Gillette won't host high school football state finals
  2. 25 Hampshire County teams reach fall state tournaments
  3. Springfield schools report 800 fewer students enrolled
Read this edition

More stories this week

From Springfield Morning News’ other editions

All the news
HealthMercy Medical Center is now Baystate Mercy Hospital after a $300 million dealIf you've passed Mercy Medical Center on Carew Street lately, the signs are changing. Baystate Health completed its acquisition of the hospital on Sun., Nov. 1, in a $300 million deal announced in April. Trinity Health had run Mercy, which faced financial pressures that threatened its long-term viability.Wednesday’s editionRead TransportationMassachusetts wins $30 million to replace two blocked West Springfield rail crossingsIf you've ever sat at the Front Street and First Street crossings in West Springfield waiting on a train, this one's for you. State and federal officials announced Friday, Oct. 30 that a $30 million federal grant will replace the two crossings with a single overpass. Trains entering and leaving the nearby CSX Intermodal Terminal block them, sometimes several times a day.Tuesday’s editionRead Around SpringfieldSuffield Academy's longtime head of school is on leave amid an IRS investigationIf you know Suffield Academy, you've likely heard the news. Charles Cahn III, known as Charlie, has led the school for 22 years and had planned to retire next summer. On Oct. 22, the school told its community he was on immediate leave after it learned of an IRS investigation involving him.Tuesday’s editionRead

Around Springfield

From Berkshire eagle, New Britain Herald and 2 more newsrooms, gathered by 6AM News, 6AM City’s local news service.

More local news

  1. Berkshire eagle5 hours ago

    State Volleyball Roundup: Lee advances to MIAA D-V Round of 15

    The Wildcats won a 5-setter, while Monument Mountain and Wahconah exited the D-IVbracket

  2. New Britain Herald6 hours ago

    Berlin football sufferers last-second loss to Enfield as Pequita rushes for three touchdowns

    BERLIN — Tied 21-21 with the Enfield Eagles’ football team, the Berlin Redcoats suffered its third loss of the season as Enfield quarterback Sawyer Pequita rushed for the go-ahead score

  3. Daily Hampshire Gazette7 hours ago

    A Look Back, Nov. 6

    50 Years Ago Voters in Northampton who thought Tuesday that they had done their civic duty for this year had better start sharpening their ballot marking pencils again. TOPICS is...

  4. Daily Hampshire Gazette8 hours ago

    MIAA girls volleyball: South Shore Tech shocks South Hadley in Div. 4 Round of 32

    SOUTH HADLEY — Head Coach Madelynne Kelleher took her team into the hallway to make one final plea to the South Hadley volleyball. "Those two sets cannot be how your...

  5. WWLP8 hours ago

    Josh Kraft visits West Springfield Boys & Girls Club to launch fundraising campaign

    The West Springfield Boys & Girls Club welcomed longtime nonprofit executive Josh Kraft on Thursday for an evening celebrating local youth, showcasing educational opportunities and launching a fundraising campaign to support children and teens.

  6. WWLP8 hours ago

    Springfield hosts free clinic to raise awareness about lead poisoning

    Springfield residents had an opportunity Thursday evening to learn about the dangers of lead poisoning and available resources to make their homes safer during a free community health clinic.