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COLLEGE PARK, GA — Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese picked up her eighth technical foul of the season on Aug.28, triggering an automatic one-game suspension unless the technical is rescinded. Reese received the technical with 8:45 remaining in the fourth quarter of the Dream's matchup against the Portland Fire after Reese made contact with Carla Leite. Reese appeared to shove Leite while the two were battling for position in the lane. The play that led to Angel Reese's 8th technical foul and a suspension for Sunday against the Lynx unless it is rescinded:pic.twitter.com/G8wsa09F37— Underdog WNBA (@UnderdogWNBA) August 29, 2026Under WNBA rules, a player or coach is automatically suspended for one game upon receiving their eighth technical foul during the regular season. Every additional technical comes with a $1,500 fine, while every two additional technical fouls received during the regular season will result in an additional one-game suspension. The league has the option to rescind every technical or flagrant foul assessed during each game. But if the technical foul stands, Reese will serve out her suspension for the Dream's matchup against the Minnesota Lynx on Sunday, Aug. 30.Reese previously exceeded the technical foul limit during the 2025 WNBA season while playing for the Chicago Sky and served out a one-game suspension on Sept. 5, 2025. More: Caitlin Clark won't be suspended after 8th technical foul rescinded by WNBAThe USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Angel Reese picks up 8th technical foul, set for 1-game suspension pending review

TAMPA, FLORIDA - JULY 20: Head Coach Will Stein of the Kentucky Wildcats speaks at the SEC Football Media Day at Tampa Marriott Water Street on July 20, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Parker S. Freedman/Getty Images) | Getty Images Big Blue Nation and many others are anticipating the start of the Will Stein era, as we are just days away from the kickoff of the 2026 season for Kentucky Football.FanDuel has released the preseason odds for every SEC team to make or win the championship, and Kentucky slots in third-to-last. The only two teams with longer odds are the Mississippi State Bulldogs, in year three under Jeff Lebby, and the Arkansas Razorbacks, in year one under Ryan Silverfield.The odds for Kentucky are +12500 to win the championship and +6000 to make the championship game at FanDuel.The chances of Kentucky being the “Next Indiana” aren’t very high right away, but not impossible. When Curt Cignetti was headed into his first year in Bloomington, the Hoosiers were +30,000 to win the Big Ten, so it’s certainly not impossible for the Wildcats to do something similar.Now, the Hoosiers didn’t win the league that year, but they went 11-1 in the regular season and made the College Football Playoff in 2024.Although Kentucky doesn’t play the two teams with the highest odds to win the SEC this year, the Wildcats will end up playing the teams with the third-, fourth-, fifth-, seventh-, eighth-, and ninth-highest odds. So the odds are stacked against the newly renovated Wildcats. As for the favorites, Georgia leads the way at +290, though it’s just barely ahead of Texas at +310. The Dawgs have one of the more favorable league schedules, hosting games vs. Oklahoma and Missouri while playing at Alabama and Ole Miss.If you’re looking for a sleeper pick to make the SEC Championship, Tennessee (+700) has one of the more favorable schedules in the league this year. The Vols have most of their hard games at home, including Texas, LSU, and Alabama, with a road game at Texas A&M. True freshman Faizon Brandon was a top-five recruit in this year’s class and could be the best quarterback Josh Heupel has ever had, so the Vols could be a sneaky team to watch this season.So, are you going to buy stock in the 2026 Kentucky Wildcats and place a wager on the underdogs to come out on top in year one under Stein?

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation logo is projected onto a screen on May 29, 2019, in Toronto. (Tijana Martin/The Canadian Press via AP,File)2026-08-29T01:06:30Z OTTAWA (AP) — Canada’s public broadcaster said Friday it is making an exception to its policy of not labeling specific attacks as terrorism for the 9/11 attacks after coming under fire over a memo restating it.Like other news outlets including The Associated Press, CBC/Radio-Canada’s standards normally don’t allow reporters to describe events as terrorist attacks unless they are quoting someone else’s words. But the director of the FBI, the U.S. ambassador to Canada, Republican members of Congress and Canada’s Conservative party all criticized the CBC following media reports about a memo reminding journalists of the policy sent to staff ahead of the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. Basem Boshra, senior director of journalistic standards and public trust, said in a blog post late Friday afternoon that CBC would make an exception to the rule for the 9/11 attacks. He said a “leaked excerpt” of its language policy had raised questions that the public broadcaster must now answer.“We are doing so to remove what has unfortunately (and unintentionally) become an impediment to clarity and public understanding,” he said.“At the same time, as new acts of politically or ideologically motivated violence occur in our world, we will continue to follow the journalistically sound practice of attributing causes and motivations to officials and experts.” Canadian minister praises CBC’s decisionCanada’s Culture Minister Marc Miller praised the move on social media, calling it a “welcome change to what was a piece of pedantic and foolish guidance that caused legitimate anger.”Boshra’s post was published less than an hour after Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree issued a press release saying the Canadian government “has always recognized 9/11 as the deadliest terrorist attack in history, and we unequivocally condemn terrorism in all its forms.” Read More In the post, Boshra said CBC News “has never said what happened on Sept. 11, 2001, was not terrorism, as some commentators have stated in recent days. We have reported fully and accurately on the reasons and motivations for those attacks as determined by police, governments and an independent commission. We’ve just made sure to do it with attribution.”The fracas began after Toronto Sun columnist Warren Kinsella reported on a memo, in which he said CBC News staff were told “do not refer to the Sept. 11 attacks as terrorist attacks.” US officials react with angerThat led to a wave of criticism in the United States.“Any agency in Canada that doesn’t publicly reject this bastardization of history, and an insult to the souls lost during our largest terrorist attack in U.S. history will no longer have friend in this FBI,” FBI Director Kash Patel said an online post late Thursday. Sign up for Morning Wire: Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. Email address Sign up By checking this box, you agree to AP's Terms of Use and acknowledge that AP may collect and use your data pursuant to our Privacy Policy. A group of Republican representatives in Congress also posted earlier in the day: “What possible motive could there be for sanitizing the worst terrorist attack on American soil? Care to explain, @Canada?”On Friday, U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra weighed in, sharing Patel’s post and saying the FBI has been responsible or instrumental in disrupting terrorist and violent criminal organizations operating in Canada multiple times this year.Hoekstra added: “Failure to recognize and confront radical and terrorist ideologies significantly endangers our efforts to establish and harmonize a shared national and economic security partnership.” CBC spokesperson Kerry Kelly told the The Canadian Press that it was the public broadcaster’s practice to use “extreme caution” in using the words terrorism or terrorist.She said the memo “was a reminder of the long-standing practice that favors the use of these terms with attribution in our reporting, a practice shared by many of the world’s top journalistic organizations.” Kelly did not provide a copy of the memo.She pointed to a 2023 blog post in which CBC editor-in-chief Brodie Fenlon wrote that the outlet often uses the word terrorist, but with attribution.“Attribution of the word ‘terrorist’ has been our policy for decades — mirrored by other news organizations such as the BBC, AP, AFP and Reuters, among many others,” Fenlon wrote.

Ryan Sieg took the lead on the overtime restart to win the Winn-Dixie 250NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series race on Aug. 28 at Daytona.Sieg earned his first career O'Reilly Auto Parts Series victory in his 424th career start.Joe Gibbs Racing's Brent Crews and William Sawalich missed the Chase field after separate crashes in the first half of the race.Rajah Caruth moved up two spots in the points standings to 12th and claim a Chase spot after earning 18 stage points, allowing for a margin of error when he spun on Lap 98.Taylor Gray also moved into the Chase field.Here are the full results from Friday's race:Who won the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series Daytona race? Winner, race results for Winn-Dixie 250 raceUnofficial results from the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series race on Aug. 28, 2026 at Daytona International Speedway.Ryan Sieg, No. 38 RSS Racing ChevroletAustin Hill, No. 21 Richard Childress Racing ChevroletCarson Kvapil, No. 1 JR Motorsports ChevroletAnthony Alfredo, No. 96 Viking Motorsports ChevroletBrandon Jones, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing ToyotaJustin Allgaier, No. 7 JR Motorsports ChevroletBrennan Poole, No. 44 Alpha Prime Racing ChevroletHarrison Burton, No. 24 Sam Hunt Racing ToyotaJeb Burton, No. 27 Jordan Anderson Racing ChevroletSheldon Creed, No. 00 Haas Factory Team ChevroletPreston Pardus, No. 92 DGM Racing ChevroletGarrett Smithley, No. 0 SS Green Light Racing ChevroletLeland Honeyman Jr., No. 71DGM Racing ChevroletParker Retzlaff, No. 99 Viking Motorsports ChevroletBlaine Perkins, No. 31 Jordan Anderson Racing ChevroletNick Sanchez, No. 87 Peterson Racing Group ChevroletRyan Ellis, No. 02 Young's Motorsports ChevroletLavar Scott, No. 45 Alpha Prime Racing ChevroletMason Maggio, No. 91 DGM Racing ChevroletJesse Love, No. 2 Richard Childress Racing ChevroletKyle Sieg, No. 28 RSS Racing ChevroletNatalie Decker, No. 42 Young's Motorsports ChevroletJoey Gase, No. 55 Joey Gase Motorsports FordCarson Ware, No. 53 Joey Gase Motorsports ChevroletSam Mayer, No. 41 Haas Factory Team ChevroletTaylor Gray, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing ToyotaDean Thompson, No. 26 Sam Hunt Racing ToyotaJosh Bilicki, No. 07 SS Green Light Racing Chevrolet (OUT)Corey Day, No. 17 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet (-1 lap down)Andy Jankowiak, No. 39 RSS Racing Ford (-2)Caesar Bacarella, No. 4 Alpha Prime Racing Chevrolet (-2)Rajah Caruth, No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet (-2)Jeremy Clements, No. 51 Jeremy Clements Racing Chevrolet (-11)Patrick Staropoli, No. 48 Big Machine Racing Chevrolet (-32)Brent Crews, No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (-44)Sammy Smith, No. 8 JR Motorsports Chevrolet (OUT)William Sawalich, No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (OUT)Daniel Dye, No. 32 Jordan Anderson Racing Chevrolet (OUT)This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Who won NASCAR O'Reilly Series Daytona race? Winner is Ryan Sieg, plus full results

It's Week 1 of the Iowa high school football season.Some of the top games Friday night include Dowling vs. Valley, Iowa City High vs. Iowa City West, Ankeny vs. Waukee Northwest, Ankeny Centennial vs. Southeast Polk, Bettendorf vs. Pleasant Valley and Carlisle vs. Newton.See below for the list of IHSAA scores from Friday night.Friday's scoresCardinal won by forfeit over New LondonEast Mills won by forfeit over Exira-EHKThursday's scoresDes Moines East 49, Des Moines North 12Cedar Rapids Kennedy 49, Dubuque Hempstead 13This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa high school football scores for Week 1 of 2026 IHSAA season

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — New York Jets rookie running back Chip Trayanum was taken to a hospital with a neck injury after being tackled on the final play of the first half against the Giants on Friday night. The Jets announced Trayanum, an undrafted rookie from Toledo, was awake, alert and had movement in all of his extremities.The Jets got the ball with 10 seconds left before halftime and rather than have Cade Klubnik take a knee, they opted to run a play. Trayanum took the handoff from Klubnik and was immediately hit by Trace Ford.Trayanum stayed down on the field as trainers and doctors ran out to examine him. Jets players and coaches remained on the field — many on their knees and praying — as Trayanum was attended to.After several minutes, it appeared Trayanum was put in a neck brace, strapped to a backboard and loaded onto a cart and driven off the field. The running back appeared to be flexing both of his hands as he was driven inside.Trayanum scored the Jets' lone touchdown of the opening half, a 1-yard run that capped an opening drive on which he carried the ball nine times in 10 plays. He had 38 yards on 12 plays for the game.___See AP’s full NFL coverage here

TORONTO, ON - AUGUST 28: George Springer #4 of the Toronto Blue Jays celebrates after hitting a solo home run in the fifth inning during a game against the Seattle Mariners at Rogers Centre on August 28, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) | Getty Images Blue Jays 8, Mariners 1Notes from a secret admirer: Dominic Canzone, +0.03 WPAKeeping secrets: Emerson Hancock, -0.26 WPAGame Thread Comment of the Day

Nov 12, 2023; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan during the warm ups before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Morgan Tencza-USA TODAY SportsThe National Football League launched the official international series in 2007, and it’s continued to grow over the years. At the start of this season, the NFL will play its first international regular-season game opener as Sydney, Australia, will host the San Francisco 49ers vs. the Los Angeles Rams. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan had his own opinions on the league’s new agenda, as he doesn’t think his team benefits from opening the season in Australia.“I was so fired up. That was our goal, to go 19 hours away to play a game,” Shanahan said, via David Bonilla of 49erswebzone.com. “I think we’re going back in time or into the future. I think we gain a day or lose a day — I’m not sure which one yet.”He added, “But it is what it is. We’ll deal with it. I think there’s eight international games. We got two of them, so I’m fired up about that.”Shanahan revisited the matter after Thursday night’s preseason game vs the Las Vegas Raiders.“I wish we played them here, for what we usually look at as a home game, but we’ll see how it is in Australia, we’ll play the Rams wherever. Going there, it is what it is, but it’s going to be a fun atmosphere, and always when we play the Rams it’s a big, tough game, so looking forward to it,” Shanahan said.Fans aren’t thrilled eitherFans disagree with the NFL’s new schedule updates and posted on social media with their grievances.“Goodell and NFL= massively stupid Hey but player safety and stuff!” one fan posted on X.“PLAYERS COACHES FANS ALL HATE THE OVERSEAS GAMES,” another fan wrote.“I’m in Australia. I’m a 49ers fan. I am not surprised by the total lack of enthusiasm from both teams but the 49ers sure are banging that drum loud,” someone else added.San Francisco is scheduled to open the campaign against the Rams in Sydney on September 10th.The post ‘I’m fired up’: 49ers head coach not happy with NFL’s decision appeared first on The Comeback: Today’s Top Sports Stories & Reactions.

Ecuador's former President Lenin Moreno, who is charged with accepting bribes from Chinese company Sinohydro in connection with the construction of one of the country's hydroelectric power plants, attends a hearing at the National Court of Justice in Quito, Ecuador, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa)2026-08-29T01:41:12Z QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — Former Ecuadorian President Lenín Moreno was sentenced Friday to 5 years in prison after a court found him guilty of accepting bribes from a Chinese company in exchange for helping it secure a contract to build a hydroelectric plant.Moreno, who was present for the reading of the verdict, is 73 years old and has a physical disability that prevents him from walking. He will serve the sentence under house arrest. Moreno was convicted as a direct participant in the bribery scheme during his tenure as vice president under Rafael Correa. His wife and daughter, two brothers and a brother-in-law were convicted as accomplices. The wife and daughter each received 30-month sentences. Moreno is the third former Ecuadorian president to be sentenced for corruption, though he was tried for crimes before reaching the presidency. Correa was sentenced in 2020 to eight years in prison in a bribery case involving Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht but remains in Belgium, where he has lived for years. Former President Jamil Mahuad was also sentenced in 2014 to eight years for misuse of public funds. Another former president, Abdalá Bucaram, is awaiting sentencing after being convicted of organized crime.Prosecutors said a corruption network operated from 2008 to 2018, collecting bribes equal to 4% of the value of the project carried out by Sinohydro. They said the money was distributed through domestic and international transactions to public officials and other beneficiaries, including Moreno. Sinohydro began building the roughly $2 billion Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric plant in 2010 and handed it over to Ecuador in 2016. The project has since faced criticism over structural defects. Read More Moreno, a tourism entrepreneur, rose to national prominence in 2007 when he became vice president under Correa, who governed Ecuador for a decade. Moreno served until 2013, when Jorge Glas succeeded him.In 2017, Moreno won the presidency as a candidate of the Correísta movement founded around Correa, with Glas as his running mate. Glas later left office and is now serving a prison sentence for corruption. ___ Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america 获取更多RSS：https://feedx.net https://feedx.site

A helicopter from Marine Helicopter Squadron One, or HMX-1, flies past the White House after President Donald Trump arrived at the Ellipse near the White House, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, in Washington, on return from Houston. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)2026-08-29T01:39:41Z WASHINGTON (AP) — A former White House teleprompter operator accused of using inside knowledge to make bets on the prediction market Kalshi has been ordered to turn over more than $100,000 in profits and pay a $65,000 fine as part of a settlement with federal authorities.The settlement with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, announced Friday, also dealt Gabriel Perez a three-year trading ban. Perez was placed on unpaid leave from his job at the White House after reports emerged that he used his position to make bets on what President Donald Trump would say in speeches.The White House did not immediately comment on the settlement. A White House official said in July that Perez was no longer in his position but did not say if he had been fired or resigned.The commission found that Perez made $107,500 on prediction markets by betting on words and phrases that would appear in Trump’s speeches between December 2025 and February 2026. “In his position, Perez had access to presidential speeches prior to those speeches being delivered and Perez misappropriated that information — in breach of his duty of trust and confidence,” according to a release from the commission.Perez was ordered to repay his profits in full, along with the $65,000 civil penalty, which the commission said was a reduction because of his “exemplary cooperation.”As details emerged July 16, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said it was “unfortunate” and “a disgrace.” COLLIN BINKLEY Binkley covers the White House and education policy for The Associated Press. He is based in Washington and joined the AP in 2015. twitter mailto

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tarik Skubal throws against the Detroit Tigers during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)2026-08-29T01:31:49Z DETROIT (AP) — Tarik Skubal threw six solid innings against his former team, Freddie Freeman hit a tiebreaking single in the seventh inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers held on to beat the Detroit Tigers 2-1 on Friday night.Skubal allowed one run on four hits and struck out seven. He was welcomed back with mostly cheers, and a smattering of boos, from fans in his first game as a visitor at Comerica Park since being traded this month.In a crowd that had mixed emotions about Skubal’s return, a couple young fans had fitting outfits sporting white Tigers jerseys with 29 and Skubal on the back — and a blue Dodgers hat.Evan Phillips (2-2), Brock Stewart and Alex Vesia combined for three innings of scoreless relief and Tanner Scott pitched the ninth for his 20th save in 22 chances.Jacob Waguespack (1-2) gave up one run on two hits in 1 1/3 innings. Skubal allowed a leadoff double to Gleyber Torres and the two-time Cy Young Award winner went on to retire the next 12 batters, including striking out the side in the third inning.Eduardo Valencia led off the fifth with a double against Skubal and Max Clark followed with a two-out triple in the inning to break a scoreless tie.The Dodgers tied it in the next inning on Miguel Rojas’ RBI single off left-handed reliever Drew Sommers and they went ahead in the eighth. Freeman hit a two-out single to center that scored Teoscar Hernández for a 2-1 lead. The 29-year-old Skubal was drafted by Detroit out of Seattle University in the ninth round of the 2018 draft and spent his entire career with the Tigers until they dealt him for prospects earlier this month.___ Read More Up nextDodgers LHP Blake Snell (2-1, 2.57 ERA) is scheduled to face Tigers RHP Keider Montero (9-8, 3.30) on Saturday.___See AP’s full MLB coverage here LARRY LAGE Lage has been the Michigan Associated Press Sports Editor since 2000, serving as a beat writer for eight pro and college teams. He has covered the Winter Olympics four times. twitter instagram mailto

SHARON — Avenging a football loss from 30 years ago wasn’t on Cathedral Prep’s emotional radar after its Aug. 28 game at Sharon.The Ramblers still celebrated like that mattered.Prep, which only won three games last year and sat out postseason play for the first time since 1997, took an early 13-point lead and then persevered for a 15-13 victory at Sharon Tiger Stadium.Veteran head coach Mike Mischler, not one for hyperbole, said it ranked among the most satisfying wins in that role for his alma mater’s program.The first of Mischler’s three tenures in charge of the Ramblers was 1998, which was two years after Prep last played at Sharon. The Tigers won 19-10.Prep also beat a Sharon team that seeks to repeat as District 10’s Class 3A champion.This is a developing story that the Erie Times-News will continue to follow.Contact Mike Copper at mcopper@timesnews.com. Follow him on X @ETNcopper.This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Cathedral Prep wins at Sharon for first time in 30 years

At last some good news for Chivas! Ledezma back for PachucaGood news are coming from Guadalajara, as Chivas could have Ricardo Ledezma available to face Pachuca on Matchday 6 of the 2026 Apertura.The Mexican missed the match against Tijuana due to knee discomfort; however, this week he trained alongside his teammates and is an option to return to the starting lineup for El Rebaño.However, Gabriel Milito will not have a full squad for the match in Hidalgo, as he will be without Daniel Aguirre and Bryan González. Meanwhile, José Castillo will be out for one more week as a precaution to avoid aggravating the injury again, Fernando Lara reported on Fox Sports Radio.This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Rookie Miles Davis ran for a 1-yard touchdown, Ryan Fitzgerald kicked three field goals and the Carolina Panthers held on to defeat the Houston Texans 16-13 on Friday night in the preseason finale for both teams.Panthers fourth-string quarterback Kyle Trask, who was signed during training camp following a hamstring injury to Haynes King in the Hall of Fame game, finished 19 of 28 for 147 yards with one interception and led four scoring drives for Carolina (3-1).Mills ran for 34 yards on 11 carries and Anthony Tyus had 10 carries for 41 yards.Brett Rypien completed 13 of 23 passes for 101 yards, including a late 6-yard touchdown pass to Zay Jones for the Texans (0-3). He also threw one interception.Houston's last-ditch effort to take its first lead of the game ended when Jeremiah Moon sacked Rypien and forced a fumble and Cam Gill recovered with 54 seconds left.Both offensive coordinators were extremely conservative on offense playing on a field that has been waterlogged by heavy rains in the hours leading up to the game.Neither teams played its starters.Houston's Davis Mills and Carolina's Kenny Pickett started at quarterback, but neither could muster any points before being removed in the second quarter.Mills finished 3 of 7 for 18 yards with one interception, while Pickett was 5 of 8 for 48 yards.Gipson makes an impact for Panthers earlyPanthers outside linebacker Trevis Gipson Sr. was a difference-maker early on, sacking Mills on the game's first possession and then pressuring him into throwing an interception to safety Lathan Ransom.Gipson has played in 66 games during his first six seasons in the league, mostly on special teams.The Panthers will open the season without starting offensive tackles Ickey Ekwonu (knee) and Taylor Moton (blood clots), leaving opportunities for some young players to earn a spot on the 53-man roster.One of those is rookie Albert Reese IV, but he struggled against the Texans allowing four pressures and one sack.InjuriesTexans defensive lineman Solomon Byrd was helped off the field after his neck snapped back while trying to tackle Panthers tight end James Mitchell in the fourth quarter.Up nextTexans: Host Buffalo in Sept 13 in season opener. Panthers: Host Chicago on Sept. 13 in season opener.___See AP’s full NFL coverage here

ROYAL PALM BEACH — Corian Davis might want to get comfortable in the spotlight because his name is going to be everywhere this week.Pahokee's cornerback-turned-receiver delivered the play of the week, and perhaps the play of the year, Friday night with a stunning 75-yard 'Hail Mary' touchdown as time expired to lift the Blue Devils to a 16-14 victory over Royal Palm Beach.Facing an upset loss, Pahokee stood at its own 25-yard line with 10.1 seconds remaining. Quarterback Braylon Peterson started a desperate final play, lateraling to Uzarus Boswell, who launched a pass downfield to Davis.What followed was pure chaos.Davis hauled in the pass, slipped through would-be tacklers and zigzagged across the field before breaking free for the winning score. By the time he crossed the goal line, the clock had long since hit triple zeroes, triggering a wild celebration from the Pahokee sideline and cementing the play's place among the most memorable moments in the program's storied history."That was electrifying, man," Pahokee coach Carlos Lammons said. "I've been playing ball for a while. Played in college, played in bowl games, high school, state championships, four in a row. Man, I don't think I've ever been a part of a play of that magnitude. And for it to go down like that, the kid had to go over top of two people, break two tackles, and sprint another 40 yards. Man, that was amazing."Play of the year?"I think it can be," Lammons said. "I think it will be. I think it should be."How a wild ending helped Pahokee avoid upsetZyon Gilbert got the scoring started on defense for Pahokee, returning an interception for a touchdown in the first quarter to stake the Blue Devils to a 7-0 advantage.That was the type of start many expected. And when Pahokee nearly scored again, fumbling inside Royal Palm Beach's 10 yard line, it was seen as a hiccup. With Royal Palm fielding a team replacing its quarterback and lead running back from 2025 and with turnover on its defensive side of the roster, not many knew what to expect. But the Wildcats responded with a touchdown pass to Demetrius Gibson and began to take control of the momentum, and suddenly the game very much reflected the full-moon sky hovering above.The Wildcats would scored once more on a 58-yard punt return for a touchdown by Demetrice Rolle — and for a time, that appeared destine to be the play of the game. Pahokee added a field goal, but was unable to put together a go-ahead drive as the clock ticked down late into the fourth quarter.The Blue Devils got one more shot with fewer than 40 seconds left inside their own 10 yard line. An incomplete pass. A desperate run by Peterson. Still, it looked like the story of Friday's game had been written.Peterson, Boswell, and Davis rewrote it in a moment, turning the game on its side in a moment of both jubilation and heartbreak, an epitome of Friday Night Lights. "To be honest, I really can't tell you what went on," Davis said. "All I can tell you that the quarterback made a good throw. There wasn't really that much time left on the bar. So somebody had to make a big play and I made that big play. And we're gonna keep on doing it the whole year, the whole season.""My team they stayed in the game," he continued. "They didn't give up. We bent, but we ain't break."PAHOKEE CALLS GAME ON THE FINAL PLAY!A bubble-screen lateral sets up a Hail Mary with zeroes on the clock, and the No. 9 Blue Devils stun Royal Palm Beach, 16-14!@PahokeeFootballpic.twitter.com/GOgLChOlrR— ESPN Top 63 (@ESPNTop63) August 29, 2026Alex Peterman is a high school sports reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at apeterman@usatodayco.com.This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Pahokee football stuns Royal Palm on 75-yard 'Hail Mary' touchdown

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Tua Tagovailoa led a touchdown drive but lost a fumble while playing the first quarter for Atlanta against his former team, and the Falcons beat the Miami Dolphins 17-12 on Friday night.Tagovailoa was booed as he took the field and finished 7 of 8 for 95 yards while playing three series. The 28-year-old spent his first six seasons with Miami before the Dolphins released him in March.On his first series, Tagovailoa led a 60-yard drive, capped by Brian Robinson Jr.'s 3-yard touchdown run for a 7-0 lead.Tagovailoa fumbled the snap to start Atlanta’s second drive and Miami recovered. His third drive also ended in a turnover when Dolphins linebacker Jackson Woodard recovered Robinson’s fumble at the Miami 13.He was replaced by Cooper Rush, who went 13 of 18 for 106 yards and a touchdown.Michael Penix Jr., the Falcons’ starter for nine games last season who returned to practice Monday, participated in warmups but didn't play. He had been sidelined since last November with a torn ACL in his left knee.Riley Patterson kicked four field goals for the Dolphins, who didn’t score a preseason touchdown after their opening drive against Washington on Aug. 14.The Falcons (2-1) used a smattering of starters for limited plays while the Dolphins (0-3) went with reserves.Starting tight end Kyle Pitts also played the first quarter, catching three passes for 59 yards for Atlanta.Miami quarterback Malik Willis sat for the second consecutive week. He appeared only in the opening series at Washington.After Patterson’s 46-yard field goal early in the second, Rush connected with Jack Velling for a 3-yard TD pass to make it 14-3.Patterson and Atlanta’s Nick Folk exchanged field goals in the final two minutes of the first half.Cam Miller started for the second consecutive week for Miami and went 7 of 16 for 71 yards. Mark Gronowski replaced Miller in the second half and went 4 of 8 for 97 yards. He also ran for 28 yards on four carries.Miami had a chance to end its touchdown drought, but Theo Wease Jr. dropped Gronoski’s pass in the end zone midway through the third quarter. The drive stalled and Patterson kicked his third field goal, a 26-yarder.Up nextFalcons: At Pittsburgh in their season opener on Sept. 13.Dolphins: Open the season at Las Vegas on Sept. 13.___See AP’s full NFL coverage here

ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Dream star forward Angel Reese could be suspended for Sunday's home game against the Minnesota on Sunday after being assessed her eighth technical foul of the season during a loss to Portland on Friday night.Reese was tangled up in the paint with the Fire's Carla Leite as Dream guard Rhyne Howard made a 3-pointer from the right corner during the fourth quarter.Leite was facing the basket and trying to box out Reese, who was directly behind her. Leite had both arms extended backward in an effort to contain Reese, who pushed herself free after Howard's basket went down.Reese protested the call on the court and could appeal to the WNBA league office to have the technical rescinded. If successful, she would not be suspended on Sunday. Earlier this month, the WNBA rescinded a technical foul called against Caitlin Clark, sparing her from what would have been a automatic one-game suspension for her eight technical of the season.The Fire beat playoff-bound Atlanta, 101-83, with Leite scoring 26 points.___See AP’s full sports coverage here

Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Edit: Qwame Skinner -Comeback MEdiaDuring Friday night’s bout between the Indiana Fever and the Connecticut Sun, Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell put on another record-breaking performance. The Fever defeated the Sun 111-91 dominantly, as the duo has recorded 4 30-point games together in one season, surpassing former MVP Aja Wilson and Jackie Young’s record of two such games.Clark recorded 34 points and 12 assists as Mitchell matched her points, and both guards shot 12 for 19 from the field.Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell combined for 68 of the Fever’s 111 points vs. the Sun This marks the 4th time the pair both scored 30+ points in a game pic.twitter.com/Le2CFaAiWb— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) August 29, 2026“I think that we both want to see each other be great”Mitchell responded to the news in a post-game interview.“I think that we both want to see each other be great just for one…I want to read and react to anything she’s got going, and I did and so we both flow and if we can both stay in the flow throughout the course of the whole game that’ll be good for us, ” Mitchell said.Mitchell currently holds the WNBA record for most consecutive 20-point games at 23 following tonight’s matchup.Fans react to the phenomenal showing in excitement on social media.“They are the best duo in the WNBA HANDS DOWN,” one fan posted on X.“Kelsey Mitchell and Caitlin Clark continue to be a pair that do things that have NEVER been done in the history of this league. UNREAL,” another fan wrote.“68 points from Clark and Mitchell. When those two are cooking, the Fever are a PROBLEM. Four games with both scoring 30+ is absolutely wild!” someone else wrote. “To be honest, best backcourt in the league,” another fan posted.The Indiana Fever hold the fourth spot in the WNBA standings at 26-14 as the playoffs approach, and the duo remains among the best in the league. The MVP race is also still imminent, as Mitchell and Clark each have a legitimate argument for the award.The post Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell break former MVP’s WNBA record appeared first on The Comeback: Today’s Top Sports Stories & Reactions.

Caitlin Clark was left out of a post by NCAA March Madness which chose to celebrate ballers who stunned in college and then did more in the W. The post praised players like Paige Bueckers, A’ja Wilson, Olivia Miles and even Clark’s famous rival, Angel Reese.Strangely enough, the handle did not want to highlight Clark’s accomplishments, with her turning out to be one of the biggest stars in the W, with many even dubbing her as the ‘face of the WNBA.’The post got many riled up, since Clark was so evidently left out, that it looked like it was done on purpose. Linda Cohn, who is strong fan of Clark and keeps batting for her, took to her livestream to call out the handle for ignoring the Fever star, especially since she broke records during her time in the NCAA as the all-time lead scorer.“…You’re telling me the all-time leading scorer in Division I NCAA college basketball, the woman who owns more records than every player in that promo combined, the woman who helped take the popularity of March Madness to an incredibly new different level, you couldn’t find room for her in your small-minded promo post?”Linda Cohn said.https://www.youtube.com/live/weNVPQOujns?t=556sCaitlin Clark might not be the best performing player in the W right now. However, her contribution to both the NCAA and the W cannot be ignored. Clark is often credited for bringing a whole new audience to the league, with her games often being sold-out.Jul 22, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) dribbles the ball while Connecticut Sun guard Charlisse Leger-Walker (4) defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn ImagesAt the same time, there are also many who feel that Clark is not the only one who is responsible for all this new attention for the W. Clark’s rookie-class saw numerous icons who have huge fan-armies, including her rival Angel Reese, who has bagged success both on and off the court.Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese Rivalry Will Continue As Per Aliyah BostonCaitlin Clark and Angel Reese are huge rivals, with their rivalry continuing from the NCAA into their time in the W. More recently, Clark could be seen smirking openly after Reese missed an easy layup, which ended in the Dream losing to the Fever.Jul 18, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) in the second half against the New York Liberty at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn ImagesClark’s teammate, Aliyah Boston, could not help talk about this in a recent episode of her podcast with Candace Parker, admitting that there seems to be no end to the rivalry between Caitlin and Angel. In fact, the rivalry and the drama surrounding it is one reason why many fans love the two ballers.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling cannot catch a pass against the Los Angeles Chargers during a preseason game, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026, in Inglewood. (Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press) The San Francisco 49ers have 53 jobs to give to 90 guys, or 91 if you account for the international pathway exception. These few days following their last preseason game and when final rosters are due on Sunday can get pretty complicated, but in a nutshell the 49ers can put two players on IR (injured reserve) and keep the two players they already have on PUP (physically unable to perform) without using any of the 53 active roster spots on Sunday, if they are OK with having those injured players miss the required minimum of four games.A lot more can happen the next day when they fill out their practice squad, either with some of their own waived and released players, or others on the waiver wire and the open market. One thing at a time.Here is an initial 49ers roster projection. Just keep in mind, as head coach Kyle Shanahan likes to remind his players, "the final 53 … is the final 53 that day."Quarterback (3)In:Brock Purdy, Mac Jones, Kurtis RourkeOut:Adrian MartinezAnalysis:The question of a third quarterback was valid before Rourke went 12 of 14 for 101 yards in his only preseason game. He fractured a few ribs in the process, according to Shanahan, who suggested the 2025 seventh-round draft pick would be ready to return to practice as soon as next week. Rourke has undergone workouts on a side field during recent sessions. The trio of Purdy, Jones and Rourke should secure the position for the season.Running back/fullback (4)In:Christian McCaffrey, Kaelon Black, Jordan James, Kyle JuszczykOut:Sincere McCormick, Khalil HerbertPUP:Isaac Guerendo (pec)Analysis:Three backs seem to be enough this year, beyond Juszczyk. Deebo Samuel will take some carries, too, and Shanahan does not plan on using a three-man backfield anyway. The third, likely James, is there for depth and special teams. Guerendo may get cut eventually but the team has no need to explore that possibility right now because he is already on the active/physically unable to perform list. The can is easily kickable by moving him to the reserve version of PUP for now. McCormick and Herbert had their preseason moments. It would not be a surprise to see either of them get picked up elsewhere, or stay on as part of the practice squad.Wide receiver (6)In:Mike Evans, De'Zhaun Stribling, Deebo Samuel, Demarcus Robinson, Jacob Cowing, Jordan WatkinsOut:Malik Turner, Wesley Grimes, KhaDarel Hodge, Trenton Irwin, Will PaulingIR:Christian Kirk (calf)Analysis:Five ought to be written in at first glance. Evans is a future Hall of Famer, though he is getting up there in age at 33, and has dealt with nagging and quad and groin issues in camp. His health will be worth monitoring over the course of a 17-game season. Same goes for Kirk, whom the 49ers can let sit on IR for four games and figure what to do in the meantime. Stribling has looked the part in the preseason, although Shanahan could always be counted on to knock him down a peg. Samuel and Robinson are veterans who still have something left in the tank, if camp was any indication. Cowing has looked OK as a receiver in practices, certainly fast, but the 83-yard punt return touchdown emerged as the kind of event that would buy him some time. Watkins played a lot this preseason; his tape was decidedly mixed. But he is, at the end of the day, a fourth-round draft pick getting his bearings after an injury-riddled rookie season. San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy talks with tight end George Kittle during a joint football practice with the Los Angeles Chargers, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in El Segundo. (Ryan Sun/Associated Press) Tight end (3)In:George Kittle, Jake Tonges, Luke FarrellOut:Brayden Willis, Hayden Rucci, Khalil DinkinsAnalysis:This one isn't complicated. Kittle, Tonges and Farrell are the three tight ends suiting up on game days if they're healthy. One of Willis or Rucci could be insurance depth on the practice squad in case Kittle needs another week or two in his Achilles recovery beyond the Australia opener. Willis has been with the team for three seasons and counting as a serviceable option and he's most familiar with the Shanahan offense among the predicted cuts at his position.Offensive line (10)In:LT Trent Williams, LG Carver Willis, C Jake Brendel, RG Dominick Puni, RT Colton McKivitz, OG Robert Jones, OG Connor Colby, OT Enrique Cruz Jr., IOL Brett Toth, OL Austen PleasantsOut:Isaac Alarcon, Doug Kramer Jr., Drake Nugent, Brandon Parker, Nick ZakeljIR:OT Vederian LoweAnalysis:Willis played tackle his entire college career and could very well start at left guard for the 49ers as a rookie. Jones and Colby have competed with him. Even swing tackle Austen Pleasants was given a look there during practices and a preseason game. Perhaps the presence of four returning starters could help insulate another season of uncertainty at left guard after three different players made starts there last season. Toth has missed most of camp in the concussion protocol but is probably the best backup center on the roster when healthy, and even average centers are difficult to come by nowadays. Shanahan said Pleasants, currently nursing a knee injury, is expected back by Week 1. Cruz is an interesting one. He has proven as raw as advertised. The idea was to get him ready in two years for when Williams potentially calls it a career. The projected IR placement of Lowe makes keeping Cruz on the 53, as opposed to rolling the dice and trying to sneak him onto the practice squad, easier to stomach.Defensive line (9)In:DE Nick Bosa, DT Osa Odighizuwa, DT Alfred Collins, DE Sam Okuayinonu, DT CJ West, DE Romello Height, DT Gracen Halton, DE/DT Keion White, DT James Thomspon Jr.Out:DT Sebastian Valdez, DE Ogbo Okoronkwo, DT Bryson Eason, DE Quinton Bell, DE Jah Joyner, DT Viliam Fehoko Jr., DT Evan AndersonPUP:DE/DT Mykel WilliamsAnalysis:The biggest questions here concern health. Where is Bosa? He has not practiced or been observed on the side field for weeks due to tendinitis, a setback Shanahan characterized as "normal" for those recovering from major ACL injuries. He suggested Bosa would be back at practice next week in what may provide a better benchmark for how close the former he is to a Week 1 return. Williams has consistently worked out on the side field, but his timetable was always considered behind that of Bosa, because his ACL injury (which included a lateral meniscus tear as well) happened in Week 9 while Bosa was sidelined from Week 3 on. Thompson versus Valdez looks like a toss-up; Thompson, an undrafted rookie out of Illinois and Wisconsin, has outplayed his low profile, much like Valdez did last year. The 49ers would probably like to keep them both, perhaps with one on the active roster and the other on the practice squad.Linebacker (5)In: Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw, Luke Gifford, Jaden Dugger, Garret WallowOut:Nick Martin, Tatum Bethune, Jalen Graham, Larry Worth III, Deion JonesAnalysis:Linebacker promises require some of the most difficult decisions this weekend, outside of starters Warner and Greenlaw. Gifford just made a Pro Bowl (on special teams) last year. Dugger was just drafted in the fifth round. The 49ers have never cut a fifth-round pick or higher after one training camp under Shanahan and general manager John Lynch. Then you get to the logjam: Wallow, Bethune, Martin. Wallow saved the day, particularly with his 2025 wild-card performance on short notice, and has only built on that first impression. Bethune was next up when Warner got hurt last season, but ended up playing 51 defensive snaps and eight on special teams in the preseason finale Thursday, while Wallow received an evidently well-deserved night off. "He was having some back spasms during the week, and he's had a hell of a camp so far," Shanahan said. "I didn't want to push him too much with what he's been going through." Martin truly is a heat-seeking missile on special teams, but is he one of the top five linebackers on this team? Maybe a sixth spot, freed up elsewhere on the roster, would roll his way. But the 49ers need a MIKE backup, either Wallow or Bethune, and Martin has repped at WILL and SAM. San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner warms up during a joint practice against the Los Angeles Chargers Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in El Segundo. (Ryan Sun/Associated Press) Cornerback (6)In:Deommodore Lenoir, Renardo Green, Upton Stout, Nate Hobbs, Jack Jones, Ephesians PrysockOut:Jakob Robinson, Darrell Luter Jr., Eli AppleAnalysis:Of the six here, the selection that appears most iffy is Hobbs, who has barely practiced this camp and sports an already long injury history. He was supposed to offer nickel depth behind Stout, and perhaps he can still do that, but Robinson is a younger option who showed some flashes after his rookie camp (and season altogether) was derailed by a broken forearm. Recent side workouts seemed promising for Hobbs. There is a good chance, if he is the pick, the 49ers try to stash Robinson on their practice squad. Luter had his opportunities over three seasons with the organization. The signing of Jones and drafting of Prysock this past offseason put him squarely on the bubble. Luter doesn't play nickel so whose spot could he take?Safety (4)In:Ji'Ayir Brown, Marques Sigle, Malik Mustapha, Siran NealOut:Ashtyn Davis, Patrick McMorris, Jalen StromanAnalysis:The 49ers did not do anything to upgrade this position, and Brown, Sigle, Mustapha and Neal are all returnees, while Davis, McMorris and Stroman were not threats to displace them. It is OK to feel Lynch should have done more. The safeties had a very up-and-down 2025 season. Early in training camp, Brown started while Sigle and Mustapha rotated, seemingly in competition. But then Mustapha strained his hamstring and has been sidelined since. Neal is the special teams veteran rounding out this group.Special teams (3)In: K Eddy Piñeiro, P Corliss Waitman, LS Jon WeeksAnalysis:Piñeiro is a stud and just signed an extension. Weeks has reliably been around for a while. There was supposed to be a punter competition, but demands at other positions dealing with injuries squeezed out rookie Jack Bouwmeester before the first preseason game. Waitman subsequently left an impression. Keep an eye out for "trick shots" off of his left foot.SubscribeThere’s more to San Francisco with the Chronicle. Subscribe today for just 25¢.This article originally published at Predicting the 49ers roster before Sunday's cutdown to 53: Who stays, who plays, who's out?.

LESLIE 57, STOCKBRIDGE 30STOCKBRIDGE — Senior Braydin Johnson had five touchdowns — all in the opening half — and added a field goal for the Blackhawks in their season-opening rivalry victory over Stockbridge. The win was the eighth straight for Leslie over Stockbridge. Senior Joel Cranmore had TD passes of 76, 26, 80, 28 and 36 yards and added a rushing score for the BlackhawksPEWAMO-WESTPHALIA 17, NORTH MUSKEGON 9WESTPHALIA — Quarterback Luke Nurenberg had 68 yards passing, 50 yards rushing and a touchdown to help lead the Pirates to a season-opening home victory over North Muskegon. Alex Nurenberg ran for a team-best 68 yards rushing and a touchdown, Ethan Platte and Tyler Huhn each had an interception and Kevin Hafner hit a 35-yard field goal for Pewamo-Westphalia.PINCKNEY 42, OWOSSO 20Braden Reed threw for 219 yards and a touchdown and added a rushing score for the Trojans in their loss to Pinkney. Colten Pepin had six catches for 93 yards and a touchdown and Talon Newell added a rushing score for OwossoThis article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Football roundup: Leslie adds to rivalry win streak behind senior duo

Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell (0) dribbles the ball down court during the first half of a WNBA basketball game against the Connecticut Sun, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Marc Lebryk)2026-08-29T02:01:20Z INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell each scored 34 points as the the Indiana Fever got past the Connecticut Sun 111-91 on Friday.The pair scored 30 or more for the fourth game this season, extending their WNBA single-season record for a duo.Clark added 12 assists, marking the fifth time this year she’s had a double-double with at least 30 and 10.Mitchell notched her 24th straight 20-point game in the Fever’s final game before a three-week break for the FIBA Women’s World Cup. Indiana has won seven of nine as Clark, Aliyah Boston, and coach Stephanie White head to Berlin for the tournament. Boston scored 14 points.Diamond Miller finished with 19 points and Nell Angloma had 17 to lead Connecticut, who have lost six of their last eight games.Indiana went on a 10-0 run to end the first quarter and start the second, nearly erasing all of a 28-14 deficit. Clark and Mitchell then combined for the first 12 points in an 18-2 run to close the first half, giving the Fever 58-43 lead. After Connecticut cut the deficit to 62-52 midway through the third quarter, Indiana answered with a 14-5 run that extended the margin to 76-57. The Sun never recovered.During the third quarter, Mitchell dished her 911th assist, moving past current Fever assistant coach Briann January her into second on Indiana’s all-time leaders. The Fever paid tribute to the late Dolly Parton with a dance routine to the song “9 to 5” between the third and fourth quarters. Up nextSun: Make the second stop of a three-game road trip Sunday at Dallas. Fever: Return to action Sept. 18 at Toronto.___See AP’s full WNBA coverage here

Edge rusher Sabastian Harsh, sacking Panthers quarterback Kenny Pickett, had a strong preseason finale Friday in his bid to make the Texans' 53-man roster. (Jacob Kupferman/Associated Press) CHARLOTTE, N.C. - As much as DeMeco Ryans likely wanted to see his team win Friday, the Houston Texans' preseason game against the Carolina Panthers was more like a final audition.No starters played, and most of the key reserves also sat in Friday's 16-13 loss at Bank of America Stadium. About four or five spots were up for grabs, and several players made impressions both good and bad.Here's how these bubble players fared: DE Sebastian HarshIf there was one player who helped his case, it was Harsh. He finished with three tackles and one sack. He should have been credited with another and a forced fumble. However, the officials ruled the play an incomplete pass. Harsh was also credited with a team-high four pressures. Harsh has been solid throughout camp. It's unclear if this game helped push him over Solomon Byrd, whom he is competing with for one of the final spots. But he was one of the more impressive players. DE Solomon ByrdByrd didn't have a sack, but he was a constant presence in the backfield. He had four tackles and two quarterback pressures. He had an injury scare in the fourth quarter, going down briefly but was able to get up. Byrd has been on the practice squad in each of the past two seasons. He flashed in the first two preseason games, with some phenomenal plays, but he also had some blunders in those same games. WR Jared WayneWayne played only briefly but he had two catches for 16 yards. He's done enough to make the roster, but it's likely a numbers game. When the Texans made a trade for Kayshon Boutte, that pushed Wayne down the depth chart. If the Texans keep six, he'd likely be the odd man out. If they keep seven, they could keep him. However, Tank Dell is the X-factor here. If the Texans put Dell on injured reserve after their initial 53-man roster is set, they could re-sign Wayne if they cut him. Regardless, Wayne could find his way on someone's roster based on how he's played. WR Justin Watson Watson ran just eight routes and was targeted only once. He didn't record a catch. Watson has been steady all preseason and is a good special-teams player. He signed a two-year deal with the Texans last year. But like Wayne, it's a matter of numbers at receiver. Watson is currently on the outside looking in right now. Houston Texans' Owen Wright runs against the Carolina Panthers during the first half of an NFL preseason football game, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Scott Kinser) (Scott Kinser/Associated Press) CB Tremon SmithSmith performed well in coverage and didn't do anything to hurt his standing. He has positioned himself well as of late to win the No. 4 cornerback job. While Collin Wright initially had the edge on him, sometimes availability is the best ability. And Smith has been available. LB Jamal HillHill had four tackles and a quarterback pressure. He was also targeted four times in coverage and allowed only two catches. One of the incomplete passes was an impressive deflection. Hill had his best game of the preseason. And if anything, he helped his chances. C Jake Andrews Andrews played only five snaps, and blocked well. But it's hard to imagine him making the team with the numbers the Texans have at center. Evan Brown sat because he's the presumed starter. And Keylan Rutledge will likely play guard and back up Brown. What hurts Andrews is the fact that he only plays one position. G/C Jarrett PattersonPatterson played more than 30 snaps and well into the fourth quarter, which isn't typically a good sign for a player trying to make the roster. Patterson only gave up one quarterback pressure, but he hasn't particularly stood out in any way. RB Owen WrightWright was a late addition to the roster this summer, and has had to fill in out of necessity because of the rash of injuries at running back. He was OK on Friday. He had good moments and bad. He had one pancake block and one quarterback pressure that led to a sack. The most important stat was Wright rushing for 34 yards on eight carries. His performance might not have been enough to make the team. WR Josh KellyKelly is a prime candidate to make the practice squad. The undrafted rookie has played consistently enough to keep him around, but not good enough to usurp any of the automatic locks to make the roster. Kelly led all receivers with three catches for 36 yards. He had a touchdown in the joint practice with the Panthers earlier this week. S Kaevon Merriweather Merriweather, who has been mostly OK at camp, didn't have his best day Friday night. He had five tackles, but also missed two, and gave up four catches for 29 yards. He had a small chance to make the team coming into the game with Jaylen Reed being traded. But his play Friday likely hurt his chances more than it helped him.PANTHERS 16, TEXANS 13Houston0337-13Carolina0637-16Second QuarterHou_FG Fairbairn 38, 9:02. Drive: 4 plays, 8 yards, 1:37. Key Plays: Odum 16 interception return to Carolina 28; Rypien 8 pass to O.Wright on 3rd-and-10. Houston 3, Carolina 0. Car_FG Fitzgerald 30, 1:43. Drive: 7 plays, 22 yards, 2:18. Key Play: Trask 11 pass to Moore on 3rd-and-4. Houston 3, Carolina 3. Car_FG Fitzgerald 37, :15. Drive: 7 plays, 29 yards, 00:36. Key Plays: Miller 21 interception return to Houston 48; Trask 11 pass to Franks; Trask 14 pass to Moore. Carolina 6, Houston 3. Third QuarterCar_FG Fitzgerald 28, 7:12. Drive: 15 plays, 77 yards, 7:48. Key Plays: Trask 20 pass to Reed; Trask 5 pass to Ji.Horn on 3rd-and-8; Tyus 16 run; Trask 10 pass to Washington; Trask 7 pass to Franks on 3rd-and-1. Carolina 9, Houston 3. Hou_FG Fairbairn 47, 1:18. Drive: 13 plays, 36 yards, 5:54. Key Plays: Rypien 10 pass to Pryor; Vaughn 3 run on 3rd-and-4; Rypien 3 run on 4th-and-1. Carolina 9, Houston 6. Fourth QuarterCar_Davis 1 run (Fitzgerald kick), 8:41. Drive: 15 plays, 65 yards, 7:37. Key Plays: Trask 8 pass to Taylor on 3rd-and-3; Trask 11 pass to Mitchell; Trask 13 pass to Prieskorn on 3rd-and-4; Davis 2 run on 4th-and-2. Carolina 16, Houston 6. Hou_Z.Jones 6 pass from Rypien (Fairbairn kick), 3:25. Drive: 12 plays, 73 yards, 6:41. Key Plays: Rypien 7 pass to Shepard on 3rd-and-8; Rypien 9 pass to Pryor on 4th-and-1; Rypien 12 pass to Sobkowicz. Carolina 16, Houston 13. ___HouCarFIRST DOWNS1317Rushing34Passing811Penalty22THIRD DOWN EFF2-126-17FOURTH DOWN EFF2-21-2TOTAL NET YARDS172287Total Plays5869Avg Gain3.04.2NET YARDS RUSHING8198Rushes2432Avg per rush3.3753.063NET YARDS PASSING91189Sacked-Yds lost4-281-6Gross-Yds passing119195Completed-Att.16-3024-36Had Intercepted21Yards-Pass Play2.6765.108KICKOFFS-EndZone-TB4-4-24-3-3PUNTS-Avg.3-45.3334-42.75Punts blocked00FGs-PATs blocked0-00-0TOTAL RETURN YARDAGE4573Punt Returns1-42-2Kickoff Returns1-252-47Interceptions1-162-24PENALTIES-Yds3-1912-103FUMBLES-Lost3-21-0TIME OF POSSESSION28:4132:44___INDIVIDUAL STATISTICSRUSHING_Houston, Vaughn 12-36, O.Wright 8-34, Rypien 4-11. Carolina, Tyus 10-41, Davis 11-34, Dillon 6-12, Ji.Horn 1-6, Trask 3-3, Etienne 1-2.PASSING_Houston, Rypien 13-23-1-101, Mills 3-7-1-18. Carolina, Trask 19-28-1-147, Pickett 5-8-0-48.RECEIVING_Houston, Kelly 3-36, Pryor 2-19, Sobkowicz 2-17, Wayne 2-16, Shepard 2-7, Vaughn 2-6, O.Wright 1-8, Z.Jones 1-6, L.Hansen 1-4. Carolina, Moore 3-34, Franks 3-25, Dillon 3-20, Tyus 3-13, Reed 2-37, Mitchell 2-15, Prieskorn 2-15, Taylor 2-11, Washington 1-10, Cooks 1-5, Ji.Horn 1-5, Metchie 1-5.PUNT RETURNS_Houston, T.Smith 1-4. Carolina, Ji.Horn 2-2.KICKOFF RETURNS_Houston, Saunders 1-25. Carolina, Metchie 2-47.TACKLES-ASSISTS-SACKS_Houston, Odum 7-2-0, Merriweather 4-2-0, Bailey 4-1-0, A.Fisher 3-8-0, Hamilton 3-2-0, Codrington 3-1-0, Hill 3-1-0, Byrd 2-2-0, Johnson 2-2-0, Harsh 2-1-1, B.Hall 2-1-0, N.Jones 1-3-0, J.Smith 1-2-0, Huzzie 1-0-0, S.Hall 0-2-0, McDonald 0-2-0, Parish 0-1-0. Carolina, Njongmeta 5-2-0, Harrison-Hunte 4-1-0, Garcia 3-0-1, Nicholson 2-2-0, Simmons 2-1-0, D.Smith 2-1-0, Wallace 2-0-1, Funderburk 2-0-0, Hall 2-0-0, Kuwatch 1-2-0, C.Jackson 1-1-0, Rochell 1-1-0, Gipson 1-0-1, Moon 1-0-1, Barrs 1-0-0, Cherelus 1-0-0, Incoom 1-0-0, Mwansa 1-0-0, Thornton 1-0-0, Gill 0-2-0, Malone 0-1-0, Ransom 0-1-0, Richardson 0-1-0.INTERCEPTIONS_Houston, Odum 1-16. Carolina, Miller 1-21, Ransom 1-3.MISSED FIELD GOALS_None.___OFFICIALS_Referee Brad Allen, Ump Marcus Woods, HL Sarah Thomas, LJ Walter Flowers, FJ Anthony Flemming, SJ Chad Hill, BJ Tyree Walton, Replay Jim Van Geffen.SubscribeThere’s more to Houston with the Chronicle. Subscribe today for just 25¢.This article originally published at How these 11 bubble players fared in Houston Texans' loss to Carolina Panthers to end preseason.

People open umbrellas and seek shelter as rain pours over Alamo Stadium during a varsity football game between the Burbank Bulldogs and the MacArthur Brahmas in San Antonio on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026. (Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News) Inclement weather forced more cancellations on the Week 1 high school football slate Friday a day after South San-Jefferson was canceled on opening night.A thunderstorm rolled through the San Antonio area Friday, forcing delays because of lightning and pouring rain. Southwest led Victoria East 14-0 late in the second quarter when officials called the game. That was the first among many games in the San Antonio area to be canceled or postponed.These are games moved or canceled because of inclement weather Friday.NEWSLETTER:Don't miss out, get the latest high school football news delivered to your inboxCanceled gamesSmithson Valley-Katy Cinco RanchSouthwest-Victoria EastYMLA-PearsallHoly Cross-LanierBrackenridge-KennedyJudson-JohnsonMedina Valley-ChurchillPostponed gamesEast Central-Harlan (10 a.m. Saturday at Gustafson Stadium)SubscribeThere’s more to San Antonio with the Express-News. Subscribe today for just 25¢.This article originally published at Inclement weather forces wave of Week 1 high school football cancellations.

Football season officially returned to South Philadelphia as Eagles fans arrived at the parking lots with grills, green jerseys and plenty of E-A-G-L-E-S chants ahead of the team's final preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals."You can feel in the air everybody's excited, like I'm so hype to be here. You can feel it. It's gonna be a great year, I can feel it," said Amy Iuliucci of Atco, New Jersey.While the game served as a final test run for the Eagles, fans also viewed it as an opportunity to get back into the tailgating routine."It's also the first chance for us to tailgate, ya know, get the cobwebs off, ready for regular season. We're excited," said Danny McGinn of Coatesville.Fans were also eager to see wide receiver and first-round draft pick Makai Lemon take the field for the first time as an Eagle. A hamstring injury had kept him out of the team's first two preseason games."I want to see Makai Lemon score a touchdown tonight if he plays," said Max Raneiri of Reading.And in true Philadelphia fashion, many fans had already declared the Birds a shoo-in for a winning season well before the first snap."We already know they're gonna dominate the whole season. So it's really just about having fun because guess what? We're not worried," said Vanessa Logan of Richmond, Virginia."We about to win another Super Bowl. Yes, we're gonna win another Super Bowl. Philly, we here, we bout to get it done. Game tonight - it's on like butter popcorn baby," said George Logan of Washington, D.C.The preseason finale also carried added significance for players fighting for roster spots. By Sunday at 6 p.m., the Eagles must reduce their roster from 90 players to 53.The team's regular-season opener and home opener is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 13, at 4:25 p.m. against the Washington Commanders.

GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - AUGUST 28: Evan Hull #43 of the Arizona Cardinals breaks a tackle from Murvin Kenion III #39 of the Green Bay Packers during the second quarter of a preseason game at Lambeau Field on August 28, 2026 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images) | Getty Images It is finally over and now the Arizona Cardinals and the rest of the NFL prepare for the real thing.It was another offensive showcase for the Cardinals, as Gardner Minshew and Kedon Slovis combined for 309 yards passing and two touchdowns, but Slovis did throw two interceptions in his audition for the rest of the league.Meanwhile, the Cardinals running game was phenomenal, as the running backs ran for 166 yards on 32 carries and two touchdowns, led by Evan Hull who had 16 carries for 107 yards and two touchdowns.Of course, in what we hope is not a preview of what is to come, the Cardinals defense gave up a late lead as the Cardinals lost 42-38. Kyle McCord threw for 226 yards and four touchdowns including the game winner to Kisean Johnson.Let’s get to the real thing now.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Kyle McCord had a big night against Arizona Friday.Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.Pass rush.Cornerback play.The offensive line. Josh Jacobs.The Green Bay Packers, who lost five straight games to end the 2025 season, finished the preseason with more questions than they've had in many years.The Packers certainly didn't get many answers Friday, when they sat 37 players — including quarterback Jordan Love and all of their projected starters — for their third and final exhibition game.Green Bay won this affair, 42-38 a contest that no one will remember a few weeks from now. For the time being, though, Packers eighth-year coach Matt LaFleur has “bragging rights” over his little brother, Arizona rookie coach Mike LaFleur.Green Bay must now set its 53-man roster by Sunday at 5 p.m. The Packers will then begin planning for their Week 1 game at Minnesota on Sept. 13.Here’s the good, bad and ugly from Green Bay’s win.THE GOODWORTH A LONGER LOOK: It’s highly unlikely the Packers will keep three quarterbacks. That means No. 3 Kyle McCord will probably be released before Sunday night.If the Packers can get McCord to the practice squad, though, he’s worth a longer look.McCord continued his solid summer Friday, going 22-of-35 for 226 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions for a passer rating of 119.5. McCord led the Packers to two touchdown drives in the last 3 1/2 minutes, including the game-winner to Kisean Johnson from 10 yards out with 20 seconds left.McCord finished his summer 46-of-70 for 446 yards with four TDs, no interceptions and a 102.44 passer rating.“(McCord) doesn’t get a ton of opportunities in the regular practices, and so when we get out in these games and he gets these opportunities … he's taking advantage of it, and he's done a really, you know, the moment's not too big for him. I think he's, his career in college has kind of prepared him for this, and he's gone out and he's a gunslinger, and he goes out and he’s done a nice job.TOUGH DECISIONS: Green Bay wide receivers Will Sheppard and J. Michael Sturdivant gave themselves at least a punchers chance to make the 53-man roster.Sheppard, who spent last season on the practice squad, caught a 12-yard touchdown pass from Kyle McCord midway through the second quarter to tie the game, 17-17. Then late in the first half, Sheppard had an 81-yard punt return for a touchdown that was blocked magnificently well and the receiver was never touched.Sheppard also caught a touchdown pass in Denver on Aug. 21 on a night he led Green Bay with six catches for 47 yards.“He had a great offseason,” Green Bay wide receivers coach Jason Vrable said of Sheppard. “He came back, I thought, stronger, more confident. He's always been able to catch the ball really well, and he's always been a smart player for us. So he's done a great job.”Sturdivant, an undrafted free agent, had a big night with six receptions for 112 yards and a 29-yard touchdown. Sturdivant's touchdown came when McCord faked a wide receiver screen to Sheppard, then delivered a dart between two defenders to SturdivantWideouts Christian Watson, Matthew Golden and Jayden Reed are locks to make the team. Savion Williams and Bo Melton will almost certainly stick, and Skyy Moore is a good bet to make the final 53.While Sheppard and Sturdivant remain longshots to stick around, they gave their coaches something to think aboutSPECIAL TEAMS: Green Bay’s special teams have been abysmal for the better part of two decades.In fact the last time the Packers finished in the top-10 of overall special teams rankings was 2007, when they ranked seventh under coordinator Mike Stock.Since then, Shawn Slocum, Ron Zook, Shawn Mennenga, Mo Drayton and Rich Bissacia have all tried — and failed — to make Green Bay’s special teams, well, special.Granted, it’s just the exhibition season, but things are looking up under first-year coordinator Cam Achord.In the last two weeks, Sheppard had an 81-yard punt return for a touchdown, while Pierre Strong had a 68-yard kick return. Kicker Trey Smack went 9-for-9 on field goals this summer. And the Packers held opposing punt returners to average of just 5.4 yards per return in the three exhibition games.The hyperactive Achord has brought renewed energy to Green Bay’s special teams units, and the early returns have been encouraging. Whether that carries over into the regular season remains to be seen.“I try to be the same person every day, whether that's tackling a pad, headbutting a guy, whatever that may be,” Achord said. And I think it's contagious a little bit. I really do. “But I think the most important thing is to be yourself and be genuine. I think guys and people see through that when you're not yourself or you try to put on a mirage. That's just not me and I think the guys know that. They see the excitement.”NICE TO SEE YOU: Green Bay rookie defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton, who missed time in camp due to heat exhaustion, had a sack that helped slow the Cardinals’ opening drive. Dennis-Sutton ran an inside stunt and sacked Gardner Minshew, which forced Arizona to settle for a 35-yard field goal from Chad Ryland.Dennis-Sutton also had two quarterback hits, showing some of the reasons Green Bay took him in the fourth round in April.THIS AND THAT: With Green Bay sitting nearly half of its roster, John Williams, Donovan Jennings, Jager Burton, Travis Glover and Anthony Belton formed the Packers’ starting offensive line. … Defensive tackle Anthony Campbell continued his impressive summer with a sack. … Nyjalik Kelly had an interception after Jaden Crumedy had a quarterback pressure. Kelly also had a sack and three tackles for loss. … TJ Quinn forced a fumble after a Daniel Whelan punt. Quinn also had two tackles for loss.THE BADBUBBLE BURST?: Green Bay rookie sixth round draft pick Domani Jackson gave up a 41-yard touchdown to Arizona’s Simi Fehoko that gave Arizona a 10-3 lead on the first play of the second quarter.Fehoko ran right past Jackson, and Cardinals veteran quarterback Gardner Minshew threw a strike for an easy scoreJackson, fighting for a roster spot, certainly didn't help his cause. Green Bay general manager Brian Gutekunst has kept 10 of his 12 sixth round draft picks since taking over in 2018, but he’ll be hard pressed to keep Jackson.WAIT AND SEE: Green Bay sat cornerbacks Brandon Cisse, Keisean Nixon, Benjamin St-Juste and Carrington Valentine, and the starters for Week 1 at Minnesota remain unclear.Cisse, the Packers’ second round pick in April, appears to be a virtual lock at one spot. Nixon, St-Juste and Valentine are battling for the other job, with Nixon the current frontrunner.It might have been helpful to get one more chance to evaluate the corners, instead they were all given the night off.THIS AND THAT: Veteran offensive lineman Darian Kinnard, fighting for a roster spot himself, had a third quarter holding penalty. … Isaiah Neyor dropped what would have been a 65-yard, third quarter touchdown. … Damien Martinez lost a third quarter fumble that led to an Arizona touchdown. … The Cardinals held the ball for more than 37 minutes and outgained Green Bay, 492-282.THE UGLYPRESEASON GAMES: The Packers rested 37 players — all of their starters and several key backups. And while Lambeau Field was nearly full, the fans certainly didn't get their money’s worth.Season ticket holders pay $109 for seats between the 20-yard lines for preseason games. Endzone seats are $71.Unfortunately for those fans, they have to buy tickets to the preseason games if they want to purchase regular season tickets.When fans shell out good money, it’d be nice to see front-liners for at least a series or two. Instead, coaches have become more and more terrified through the years of seeing their players getting hurt during largely meaningless games in August.That means the fans are watching a lot of players who will be out of a job by Sunday evening — and paying top dollar to do so.This article was originally published on Forbes.com

The Florida High defense calls itself “B.I.A,” short for Best In America.After the unit’s showing on Friday, Aug. 28, it may be hard to challenge the Seminoles on that.Florida High (2-0) blanked the Lawton-Chiles (1-1) offense as the visiting Seminoles left Stan Goldstein Field with a gritty 24-14 non-district victory in Week 2 of the Florida High School Athletic Association season. Chiles only scored on defensive touchdowns.“We call ourselves ‘BIA’ because we’re the Best in America,” Florida High senior cornerback and NCAA Division I prospect Montell Holmes told the Tallahassee Democrat. “That’s what we stand by. We showed it tonight, holding them to zero points.”Aside from Holmes, the Seminoles defense is led by four-star cornerback Izayah Vickers, defensive backs Gavin Brown, Antonio Dickey Jr., Jaylen Lanier, linebacker tandem Jason Harville and Skyler Burger, and a “great” defensive line that can get “QB pressure.”Florida High built an early 14-0 lead. Sophomore running back-turned quarterback Brysin Brown connected with four-star wide receiver Ar’Tavian ‘Bubba’ Brown for two touchdown passes.Then adversity began to strike.Florida High would turn the football over four times in the first half. The deficiencies included a pick-six by Chiles Timberwolves cornerback Nolan Williams and a fumble by running back Ashton Callahan.By halftime, the Seminoles were staring at a tied 14-14 ballgame against an inspired Chiles team.“Interception in the beginning,” Brown recalled the game. “But my trust is in our defense. Our defense held it down the whole game.”The Seminoles rebuilt their lead with a one-yard rushing touchdown by senior running back Mike Jones, and then a field goal by Tucker Campbell in the fourth quarter. Chiles didn’t score in the second half.“Defensively, we did a great job of really making it tough on them all night long,” said Florida High head coach Jarrod Hickman. “Had a lot of faith in our defense there.”The game was sealed for the Seminoles when Holmes intercepted Chiles quarterback Cason Philley on the Timberwolves’ final drive. With less than 10 seconds remaining, all Florida High had to do was kneel the ball from that point.“I trusted my teammates and D-Line to give the quarterback pressure so I could make a play on the ball,” Holmes replayed the interception in his head. “Big playmakers make big plays.”Florida High heads to South Walton nextThe Seminoles have much to “clean up,” says Hickman.A week of improvements will lead into a two-and-a-half-hour trip to Santa Rosa Beach to face South Walton (2-0). The South Walton Seahawks have won two shutouts, 50-0 over Gulf Breeze in Week 1 and 35-0 against Fort Walton Beach in Friday’s Week 2 game.South Walton is led by University of Connecticut commit, quarterback JD Brown, and linebacker Connor Rooney, a Rice commit. They swept the small-school offensive and defensive player of the year awards from the Northwest Florida Daily.Last time Florida High and South Walton met, the Seminoles hosted and won 34-14 during the 2025 season, a year ago.“I think you have to handle the road. It’s two hours away, someone else’s backyard, we played them last year and got the better end of it,” Hickman previewed the game. “But I’m sure they’ve got it circled and know this is a big opportunity. They present some good challenges, and we’re going to have to be ready for that.”Florida High and South Walton kick off at 8 p.m. Eastern Time next Friday, Sept. 4.This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida High defense lives up to 'Best In America' moniker vs Chiles

Colson Montgomery set the tone in the first inning Friday night. This metaphor is probably only one that only the older siblings will understand but here goes: You know when you’re playing Mario Kart with your sibling and for one reason or another you try to let them win to make them feel better? Well that is exactly what happened on Friday night between the Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins. The only difference was that both teams appeared to want to lose.Anytime Luis Castillo takes the mound it’s best to protect your mental health and be willing to channel surf. Enjoying life without a three-hour block of straight Sox is a much better alternative than feeling the veins in your neck bulging while Castillo “pitches.”Friday night felt different out the gates, as the South Siders put up a four-spot in the very first inning. Surely with that kind of buffer, Castillo couldn’t completely hand it back, right? Unfortunately, I set the bar low for Castillo in the game thread, and somehow he still found a way to limbo right under it.Gifted a massive lead, he immediately gave up three runs in the first before the Twins tied it in the second. It was a weird night for Castillo, where the meatballs he threw went largely unpunished while his few actual decent pitches were taken for rides.Luckily, for the White Sox, Dean Kremer is also bad at baseball, and it almost looked like he realized that the Twins are essentially out of the playoff race and should be tanking at this point. Two doubles from the White Sox in the third gave the Sox the lead back, 5-4; Chicago had its first two batters reach in the fourth before the White Sox also remembered for whatever reason they did not want to win, and immediately grounded into a double play.It was at that time Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers saw the White Sox slamming on the brakes and responded by driving right into the path of his own green shell by letting a wild pitch get by, allowing Tristan Peters to score and give Chicago a two-run pad. Unfortunately for the few fans that the Twins have left, Jeffers would allow the same thing to happen again later in the game, allowing a crucial insurance run to score.It was still anybody’s game with Castillo still “pitching,” but he was able to gather himself enough to keep the lead intact. Still, using 75 pitches to get through four innings meant the White Sox bullpen was going to be taxed heavy in the game — and that’s only slightly better than having Castillo out there.Luckily, the bullpen went out and took care of business. A ton of credit goes out to Grant Taylor, who was absolutely lights-out in 2 ⅔ innings of high-leverage work. Will Venable asked a lot of him, and Taylor Grant-ed a win and a sigh of relief.Because the White Sox are the White Sox, they had to put themselves in harm’s way in the ninth inning, only for the Twins to squander the opportunity like they’ve squandered everything good they’ve had since the late 90’s.The Twins were shut out over the last seven innings of the game, although it didn’t seem like it with the amount of base runners they put on the base paths. Fortunately for the South Siders, Minnesota went just 1-for-11 with RISP, grounded into two double plays, and stranded eight base runners.Thanks to horrible pitching and an insane amount of delays, the game that was hard to watch from the bottom of the first inning was finally decided after three hours. It was the odd game where a win feels like a loss, but no matter how it may feel, the White Sox gained an important game on the Guardians. The Sox pushed themselves to a three and a half game lead. The magic number is down to 25, and that’s all that matters.MVPGrant Taylor: 2 2/3 IP, H, 3 KsRunners-UpColson Montgomery: 2-for-4, 3 RBIs, R, 2 KsAndrew Benintendi: 2-for-4, 2 RBIs, RRyan Jeffers: 2 runs allowed on wild pitches to help put the game away, 0-for-5, 2 KsCold CatLuis Castillo: 4 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, BB, KRunners-UpSam Antonacci: 0-for-4, BB, SBTristan Peters: 1-for-4, R, K

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 28: Center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela #3 of the Boston Red Sox is tagged out at home plate by catcher Austin Wells #28 of the New York Yankees in the seventh inning at Yankee Stadium on August 28, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Benjamin B. Braun/Getty Images) | Getty Images The Yankees starter walked five Red Sox batters on Friday night. The Red Sox scored zero runs. That’s the whole story, and it’s an ugly one.Cam Schlittler was not sharp. He walked five, put traffic on base constantly, and gave Boston every opportunity to cash in. They left ten men on. In a different game—in almost any other version of this game—five free base runners are enough to win. Tonight they weren’t, and the way the Red Sox wasted them made it worse than just a bad night at the plate.Ceddanne Rafaela had two baserunning blunders that each one capable of changing the score. The double play off the Abreu fly ball in the 5th was painful. Getting thrown out at home with the bases loaded in the 7th was a gut punch. Both mistakes killed rallies that could have given this team the lead. Rafaela stood up and took credit for both after the game, which is the right way to handle it. It still doesn’t change the math. The Sox had the opportunities and didn’t convert, and Rafaela’s legs cost them at least one run they desperately needed.Ceddanne Rafaela took accountability postgame for his base-running mistakes tonightOn the 5th-inning blunder: "It's a bad read, really bad… No excuses; that can't happen."One being thrown out at home in the 7th: "[Chad Epperson] tried to hold me. So that's on me…… pic.twitter.com/bIKmLUD9Qz— NESN (@NESN) August 29, 2026On the pitching side, it’s hard to ask for anything more. Patrick Sandoval was everything you want from your fifth starter in a tight road game—kept the Yankees in check, gave the offense time to work, left with the team still in it. Only one run allowed, but he eliminated most every threat otherwise. The bullpen was even better. Greg Weissert, Tyron Guerrero, and Wyatt Olds threw combined under 30 pitches and nailed the Yankees to the wall. New York finished with three hits. Three. The Red Sox pitching staff held the Yankees to three hits all night and still lost.That’s because one of those hits went over the fence. A solo shot in the third from Paul Goldschmidt, one swing, one run, final score. That’s baseball sometimes—empirically bad game, one moment, and it’s over.1-0 losses are the worst kind. The pitching was fine. The defense was fine, except for two specific moments from Rafaela. The offense just couldn’t score. Five walks and ten men left on base and nothing to show for it. The Yankees don’t need much when your offense goes quiet like that.Three more games in this series. Shake it off. Even with the horrific pitching matchups on paper.StudsPatrick SandovalEverything you can ask from a starting pitcher in a 1-0 game. Held the Yankees to minimal damage, kept the offense in a position to win, and gave the bullpen a manageable situation to work with. The result isn’t on him.The BullpenThree hits. The Yankees offense combined for three hits all night. All the arms Tracy used out of the pen, they were outstanding—and they’re the reason this game stayed 1-0 instead of becoming something uglier.DudsCeddanne RafaelaThe double play off the fly ball. Thrown out at home with the bases loaded. Two baserunning mistakes in one game, each one directly killing a rally that could have changed the outcome. He said the right things after the game—owned both of them completely. But in a game decided by a single run, those two moments are the loss.The Offense (10 LOB)Schlittler walked five Red Sox hitters. Five. And the team scored zero runs. You can’t be handed that many free runners and go home with nothing. The 10 men left on base isn’t a number, it’s a verdict.Play of the GameCan there be none? In a game that was so unremarkable, I can’t pick one for the life of me.

WESTLAKE — The young Wolverines are growing up fast.Wellington High's football team stumbled to a 3-7 record last year, capped off by a frustrating one-point loss to Seminole Ridge, but coach Pete Walker was laying a foundation.Now, in his second season, Walker's underclassmen are among the best in Palm Beach County. Sophomores accounted all five touchdowns as the Wolverines rolled to a 35-8 victory over Seminole Ridge in a non-district game on Aug. 28, avenging last year's loss and improving to 2-0 on the young season. "They are young," Walker said after the game. "Last year, we started a lot of freshmen, and now they are a year older and they put in year-round training."Two players who made their mark as freshmen showed how much they had elevated their games against the Hawks. Running back Jay'Lan Tyler, the second-leading rusher in 2025, carried 12 times for 112 yards and two touchdowns. Get discount to stream games on NFHS NetworkWide receiver Tarrens Catul, who already holds offers from Notre Dame, Miami and other Division I powers, caught four passes for 59 yards and a TD. Catul's night included a highlight-reel 24-yard reception between two defenders.With quarterback Jonathan Paul lost to graduation, Walker now has two sophomores, Makhi Price and Alanda Shaw, sharing the job. Price played the first half, passing for 109 yards and a touchdown. Shaw took over in the second half, weaving his way 23 yards for a touchdown and throwing a 42-yard scoring pass to yet another sophomore, Je'Relle Pierre."We wanted to come into the game and throw early, because we felt like we were going to get control of the game," Walker said. "It didn't turn out the way we wanted it to." The Wolverines led 14-0 at halftime, but it could have been much worse. Turnovers stopped two drives in the red zone and a penalty nullified Deandre King's punt return for a touchdown.Seminole Ridge (0-2) appeared to seize the momentum when it took the second-half kickoff and used a power running game to eat up more than seven minutes. Elijah Smith ran 2 yards for a touchdown and Tristan Kennedy threw a two-point conversion pass to Jayven Albert to make it 14-8.But Wellington responded quickly by running the ball five consecutive times, with Tyler scoring from 18 yards."I just wanted to get the ground game going," Walker said of the change in strategy. "The guys were blocking well. We need to be a balanced football team."Walker, a veteran coach who won three state championships at Glades Day and also led programs at Clewiston and King's Academy, had a measured response when asked about his team's progress."We've got a long ways to go," he said. "We're a better football team than we were a year ago. How good? We'll find out. We've got some tough football games ahead."Right now we're 2-0 and we'll focus on going 3-0."The Hawks, meanwhile, are going in the opposite direction, but first-year coach Eric Poyner said he saw some encouraging signs after a lopsided loss to Palm Beach Lakes to open the season. "We've got a very young team that is getting better," Poyner said. "They're working hard every day and it's starting to show. ... You look at it from the Kickoff Classic in Week 1 to last week against Lakes to this week against Wellington, we've gotten better every single week."As long as we do that, it's going to click. Hopefully it clicks next week." This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Wellington football on the rise? Sophomores lead Seminole Ridge routOur editors independently choose our recommendations. Some content is produced with paid support from a third party, however our editorial decisions remain independent. If you buy through our links, the USA TODAY Network may earn a commission. Prices and availability may change.

MISHAWAKA — Penn football head coach Pete Riordan said the Kingsmen’s No. 1 objective heading into the 2026 Backyard Brawl against Mishawaka was physicality.“Two years ago, we came over here and we weren’t,” Riordan said.Even to start last season’s contest, Penn wasn’t. In 2024, the Cavemen beat the Kingsmen 27-7 and got out to a 16-0 lead in 2025 before Penn stormed back for a 28-22 victory.This time around, there was no comeback to be had in a 49-7 domination by Penn Friday, Aug. 28. The Kingsmen set the tone right out of the gate. Against a Mishawaka offense that scored 40 points seven days prior, Penn’s defense forced a three-and-out in the first possession at Steele Stadium.From the other side: Cavemen confident that plenty of success still lies aheadThen the Kingsmen’s offense does what it does best, and that’s march right down the turf and score. The first touchdown was courtesy of senior Chase Buckwheat on the ground.Penn’s defense came right back and forced another three-and-out, then scored again. This time it was a rushing touchdown from senior quarterback Landon Hall.“That’s just a little something I’ve been working on this offseason,” Hall said with a grin.All of a sudden, it was a 14-0 Penn lead in the first quarter. On the next drive, with 45 seconds left until the second period, Mishawaka finally scratched for a first down.On the very next play, the Kingsmen’s defense forced a fumble, which was recovered by junior linebacker Noah Wallis. The play after that? A 38-yard touchdown pass from Hall to junior wide receiver Mason Biernacki to put 6A No. 9 Penn ahead 21-0 after the extra point.“I was nervous,” Wallis admitted. “Big atmosphere, big everything … Everybody is hype, we’re all on the same page and we all like to make plays.”More: IHSAA, MHSAA week 2 football scores, updates from South Bend areaThe defense – which graduated eight starters from last season, including Indiana Football Coaches Association (IFCA) All-State linebacker Vinny Freeman – continued making those big plays to which Wallis referred by quickly chasing Mishawaka off the field so junior Tate Clark could find the end zone for another Kingsmen touchdown.With 3:54 left in the second quarter, the Cavemen finally scored thanks to a 23-yard rushing touchdown from senior Ethan Flowers, but Penn and senior Miami (OH) commit Brayson Hurley answered right back with a score to put the Kingsmen in front 35-7 at halftime.On the first possession of the second half, Penn marched down the field in just 1:43 and Buckwheat found paydirt again to further extend the Kingsmen’s blowout lead. Then, their defense continued to impress with yet another forced fumble.Riordan decided to take his starters out at that point despite there being more than 19 minutes left to play. Everyone at Steele Stadium knew the game was decided, and Penn eventually sealed the deal with a 49-7 victory.What was expected to be a clash between area titans turned into the largest margin of victory in the Backyard Brawl since the Kingsmen won 51-0 in 2002. Hall, who threw for 194 yards and combined for two touchdowns, certainly did not lack confidence after celebrating with Penn’s large student section.“Everyone wants it,” Hall said. “We’re all on the same page. We’re winning state this year; that’s what we want. That’s all we’re thinking about [during] every practice.”More: The Tribune sports staff picks prep football winnersRiordan was respectful of Mishawaka, which falls to 1-1 with Northern Lakes Conference (NLC) rival Plymouth (1-1) on the horizon next week. But he also didn’t shy away from the Kingsmen’s lofty aspirations first spouted by his quarterback. While Penn hasn’t made the IHSAA state finals since 2017, the program has a lot of momentum as a reigning 6A sectional champ with 14 straight regular season wins under their belt.“The expectation is the same," Riordan said. "We have a really great coaching staff with guys who have been doing this for a long time. They know how to communicate, how to coach, how to teach and how to get things done. That’s always been the goal, our job is to help them get there.”Although the Kingsmen still have a long way to go sitting at just 2-0, a 42-point victory against Mishawaka in just the second week of the season is certainly an early indicator of what type of damage this squad could do in the state tournament a few months down the road. The Class 6A gauntlet will be extremely difficult to navigate, but Penn has the playmakers and confidence fit for one of Indiana’s best teams.“We all have the same goal in mind, and we’ll do whatever it takes to get there,” Wallis said. “We will be going to state, we will win state and it’s going to be a fun season.”Kyle Smedley is a sports reporter at the South Bend Tribune. Contact him via email at ksmedley@usatodayco.com or follow him on X @KyleMSmedley.This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Penn football makes statement with biggest win vs Mishawaka since 2002