ORANGE, MA (FRANKLIN COUNTY NOW) — For the first time since 2017, the Mahar girls basketball team is a league champion.

The Senators clinched the Franklin County League South title with a decisive 55-22 victory over Pioneer Tuesday night in Orange.

This one was never in doubt. A suffocating Mahar defense and cold shooting by Pioneer resulted in a 16-0 Senator run to start the game. The Panthers finally got on the board on a Kiara Gruszkowski three-pointer late in the first quarter.

The Senators pushed the lead to 33-7 at halftime and a 43-10 advantage at the end of three quarters before cruising to victory in the fourth quarter.

Hayden Comeau had 15 first-half points on the way to a game-high 21 for the Senators. Stasi Sanders had 11 and Taylor Paluk 10 for Mahar.

Gruszkowski led Pioneer with 10 points, including two three-pointers.

The Senators (14-2, 9-1 FCL South) return to action Friday night at home against Greenfield. Pioneer (9-6, 6-4 FCL South) is at home Thursday night against Mohawk.