May 28—(Editor's Note: This story will be updated later tonight with comments from coaches and players.)ROCHESTER — Stewartville's seniors remember their early years in the Tigers' boys golf program.Some of those years, the Tigers had teams that were hands-down talented enough to get to state and challenge for a championship.One problem stood in their way: The Pine Island/Zumbrota-Mazeppa Wildcats.For three consecutive years — 2021, 2022 and 2023 — Stewartville finished as the Section 1, Class 2A runner-up to PIZM, including falling by just seven total strokes in 2022, when PIZM went on to win the state championship.That hurdle has finally been cleared, and by the slimmest of margins.Stewartville played one of its best collective rounds of the season on Thursday, shooting a team score of 305 on the final day of the Section 1-2A meet at Northern Hills Golf Course. That gave the Tigers a two-round total of 615, good for a one-stroke victory over runner-up PIZM (615) and three shots ahead of third-place Rochester Lourdes (618).For the first time in 33 years, the Stewartville boys golf team is headed to state.The Tigers will tee off in the morning session on June 9 and 10 at The Ridges at Sand Creek, in Jordan.This will mark Stewartville's fourth-ever trip to state. Head coach Dave Honsey played on the Tigers teams that reached state in 1982 and 1983. Stewartville also qualified in 1993.The Tigers trailed PIZM by five shots entering Thursday's final round.They made up those five shots, plus one more.Stewartville golfers shot four of the top 14 rounds on Thursday, and three Tigers finished in the top eight overall.Sophomore Isaiah Nelson led the way, tying for third individually after shooting 78-74—152. Walker and fellow senior Carson Jannsen tied for eighth, at 154. Senior Aric Cruz rounded out the team's scoring, with an 18th-place finish (159). The team's two non-counters on the scoreboard, junior Aidyn Voyna and senior Luke Nelson, would have counted for most teams in the field; they both finished at 160.Walker played on the 2022 team that finished as runner-up to PIZM, as an eighth grader, while he and Jannsen played on the 2023 team.PIZM shot a 311 Thursday to finish the two-round meet at 616, while Lourdes also made a strong push for the team title. The Eagles had the best team score of the day Thursday, at 304, which left them at 618 for the tournament.Kasson-Mantorville sophomore Logan Johnson surged up the leaderboard in the final round. He was in 12th place and on the outside of the cut line to qualify for state after the opening round, when he shot a 7-over-par 79.Johnson didn't mess around on Thursday, firing an even-par 72 to finish the meet at 151 and share medalist honors with Winona junior Logan Larson, who shot the tournament's best round, with a 71 on Thursday. That came on the heels of his 80 on Tuesday.After recording two birdies and nine bogeys in the first round, K-M's Johnson steadied himself and recorded five birdies and five bogeys in the final round. Three of those birdies came on the back nine, which he played in 1-under-par.Lourdes senior Owen Hoehn finished in a tie for third place (79-73—152) to earn a trip to state.PIZM's Josh Scripture and Logan Schurke survived a three-way playoff with Lourdes' Gavin Groettum to earn the final two state berths available for Section 1 players. Scripture, Schurke and Groettum tied for fifth place at 153.SECTION 1, CLASS 2AFinal Round, Thursday(At Northern Hills Golf Course, par 72)INDIVIDUALS(Top 10)1t. Logan Johnson (K-M) 79-72—151, 1t. Logan Larson (Winona) 80-71—151, 3t. Isaiah Nelson (Stewartville) 78-74—152, 3t. Owen Hoehn (Lourdes) 79-73—152, 5t. Josh Scripture (PIZM) 73-80—153, 5t. Logan Schurke (PIZM) 77-76—153, 5t. Gavin Groettum (Lourdes) 78-75—153,8t. Austin Walker (Stewartville) 77-77—154, 8t. Carson Jannsen (Stewartville) 78-76—154, 10t. Charlie Moeschler (Lourdes) 76-79—155, 10t. Jake Moran (PIZM) 77-78—155, 10t. Owen Cordes (PIZM) 78-77—155,13t. Ayden Horsman (K-W) 76-80—156, 13t. Carter Holst (PEM) 81-75—156, 15t. Carson Harstad (Chatfield) 81-76—157, 15t. Lincoln Burgess (K-M) 84-73—157, 17t. Kyle Keller (Winona) 79-80—159, 17t. Casey Vermilyea (Triton) 81-78—159, 17t. Aric Cruz (Stewartville) 77-82—159, 20t. Aidyn Voyna (Stewartville) 80-80—160, 20t. Luke Nelson (Stewartville) 82-78—160, 20t. Leyton Johnson (Red Wing) 81-79—160,23t. Landen Tully (La Crescent) 81-80—161, 23t. Brandt Hogenson (Winona) 82-79—161, 25. Josh Vossler (Lourdes) 85-77—162, 26t. Alex Ratz (Lake City) 81-82—163, 26t. Charlie Wieser (La Crescent) 80-83—163, 26t. Aden Ronken (Triton) 81-82—163, 29t. Colton Ernste (Byron) 82-82—164, 29t. Nolan Kohrs (Lake City) 84-80—164,31t. Portland Grobe (Lake City) 83-82—165, 31t. Jag Foster (PIZM) 80-85—165, 31t. Lincoln Jones (Byron) 79-86—165, 34. Callan Bain (Byron) 80-86—166, 35t. Landon Riley (D-E) 81-86—167, 35t. Charlie Kor (Lourdes) 85-82—167, 37t. Charlie Murakami (Byron) 80-88—168, 37t. Tripp Clemens (Byron) 82-86—168, 37t. Michael Norman (Lourdes) 79-87—168, 40. Cooper Christopherson (Cotter) 169,41t. Isaac Schurke (PIZM) 83-88—171, 41t. Lane Grobe (Lake City) 84-87—171, 41t. Carter Ask (Chatfield) 84-87-171, 44. Eamon Corcoran (Cotter) 82-93—175, 45. Mason Brommer (Byron) 83-94—177.TEAM SCORING(Top 4 individuals count to team total)Stewartville (310-305—615): Isaiah Nelson 78-74—152, Austin Walker 77-77—154, Carson Jannsen 78-76—154, Aric Cruz 77-82—159, Aidyn Voyna 80-80—160, Luke Nelson 82-78—160.Pine Island/Zumbrota-Mazeppa (305-311—616): Joshua Scripture 73-80—153, Logan Schurke 77-76—153, Jake Moran 77-78—155, Owen Cordes 78-77—155, Jag Foster 80-85—165, Isaac Schurke 83-88—171.Lourdes (314-304—618): Owen Hoehn 79-73—152, Gavin Groettum 78-75—153, Charlie Moeschler 76-79—155, Josh Vossler 85-77—162, Charlie Kor 85-82— 167, Michael Norman 81-87—168.Byron (321-340—661): Colton Ernste 82-82—164, Lincoln Jones 79-86—165, Callan Bain 80-86—166, Charlie Murakami 80-88—168, Tripp Clemens 82-86—168, Mason Brommer 83-94—177.

May 28—CANNON FALLS — For Flora Bolster, Tuesday was all about putting herself in position for Thursday.And the Rochester Mayo senior's plan worked perfectly.Tuesday night, she was in a tie for third place after shooting 79 in the opening round of the Section 1, Class 3A girls golf meet at Cannon Golf Club.That gave her a little wiggle room heading into Thursday's final round, but she didn't need it.The course toughened a bit, but the Spartans' standout shot a final-round 82 to finish the 36-hole meet at 161 and in a tie for fourth place.She also fairly comfortably earned a repeat trip to the Class 3A state meet, set for June 9-10 at Bunker Hills Golf Club in Coon Rapids.Bolster is no stranger to state or to pressure-filled rounds of golf. A year ago, she tied for seventh place, earning the final trip to state from Section 1. She finished solidly in the top half of the field there, following up a first-round 89 with a sterling 76 to finish in 36th place.Her goal is for an even better finish to her season — and her high school career — this time around. And if her play over the past two days is an indication, she's ready to move up the leaderboard at Bunker Hills.The highlight of her final round at this year's section meet came on hole No. 11 at Cannon Golf Club, a 280-yard par-4. After making a 7 on the par-4 10th, Bolster responded with an eagle on the 11th. She also had one birdie — on the opening hole — and eight pars in her round of 82.Owatonna's Carmen Jirele won her second individual section championship in three years, shooting a 1-over-par 73 on Thursday to pull away for a nine-shot victory over runner-up Karina Johnson of Northfield, who was last year's section medalist.Jirele also won the section title in 2024, when she went on to win the Class 3A state championship.Jirele's strong showing this week helped Owatonna capture the section team championship with a 36-hole score of 651. That gave the Huskies a resounding 33-shot victory over runner-up Lakeville North.Rochester Mayo placed fifth (713) and Austin placed sixth (750).Austin was led by junior Ailani Thiravong, who finished ninth, with a 168 total. She missed a state-qualifying spot by just one stroke.John Marshall junior Ashtyn Krenke also had a strong finish to her season. She shot consecutive rounds of 86 in the section meet, to finish at 172 and in a tie for 13th place.Century's top finisher was freshman Charlotte Perry, who fired rounds of 90-92—182, to tie for 22nd place.SECTION 1, CLASS 3AFinal Round, Thursday(At Cannon Golf Club, Cannon Falls; par 72)TEAM TOTALS1. Owatonna 325-326—651, 2. Lakeville North 327-357—684, 3. Farmington 340-345—685, 4. Northfield 350-357—707, 5. Mayo 351-362—713, 6. Austin 370-380—750.INDIVIDUALS(Top 10, local scorers)*1. Carmen Jirele (Owt) 76-73—149, *2. Karina Johnson (Nfld) 80-78—158, *3. Paige Thompson (Owt) 79-80—159, *4t. Olivia Hanson (LN) 72-89—161, *4t. Flora Bolster (Mayo) 79-82—161, *6. Chloe Friesz (Farm) 79-86—165, *7. Danica Hager (Owt) 83-83—166, *8. Olivia Streefland (Faribault) 80-87—167, 9. Ailani Thiravong (Aust) 82-86—168, 10. Cindy Kraus (LN) 82-87—169.Mayo (351-362—713): *4. Flora Bolster 79-82—161, 21. Sloane Bolster 89-92—181, 25. Dylan Raukar 87-96—183, 29. Aubrey Evenson 96-92—188, 41. Josie Meyer 99-108—207, 48. Molly Landherr 116-122—238.Austin (370-380—750): 9. Ailani Thiravong 82-86—168, 20. Lucy Annis 93-87—180, 36. Gracie Greenman 96-101—197, 41. Reagan Harty 99-108—207, 44. Adalyn Coyle 101-108—209, 46. Ali Muzik 105-106—211.Local Individuals: 13. Ashtyn Krenke (John Marshall) 86-86—172, 22. Charlotte Perry (Century) 90-92—182, 30. Cora Erickson (Century) 94-96—190, 36. Stella Link (Century) 99-98—197, 43. Kaleigh Risser (John Marshall) 96-112—208.* — state-meet qualifier

SCRANTON — The FIFA World Cup Soccer Tournament Fan Zone at Lackawanna County Courthouse Square downtown on four days in July will feature a full slate of fun, family-friendly, free activities, organizers said Thursday.Representatives of the county, city, Lackawanna County Convention and Visitors Bureau and Times Shamrock Media announced the fan zone watch party schedule and activities at the square in Scranton for the FIFA World Cup Soccer Tournament rounds scheduled for July 4-5 and July 18-19.With Philadelphia as a U.S. host city for World Cup matches at Lincoln Financial Field, an organization called Philadelphia Soccer 2026 is the host committee planning and executing World Cup matches there.In March, Gov. Josh Shapiro announced Scranton will serve as one of just three “Pennsylvania World Cup Fan Zones” hosting FIFA World Cup watch parties between Independence Day and July 19, the date of the 2026 World Cup Final. Pittsburgh and Reading will host the other two fan zones in the state.“It is an honor to be selected. It shows that the governor and that Philly Soccer know that we can pull off a great, safe party right here in Scranton,” city Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti said.Scranton Fan Zone schedule and hours of operation(Note: Start times reflect when gates open and live entertainment begins. All events are free and do not require tickets.)• July 4, Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.1 p.m.: Round of 16 Knockout Match5 p.m.: Round of 16 Knockout Match• July 5, Sunday, 2 p.m. to 11 p.m.4 p.m.: Round of 16 Knockout Match8 p.m.: Round of 16 Knockout Match• July 18, Saturday, 3 p.m to 8 p.m.5 p.m.: World Cup Bronze Final (Third-Place Match)• July 19, Sunday, 1 p.m to 6 p.m.3 p.m.: FIFA World Cup FinalOthers also spoke of the local fan zone having the potential to draw thousands of people per day and providing an opportunity to showcase and promote the city, county and Northeast Pennsylvania and all of its various tourist attractions and businesses.Lackawanna County Commissioner Bill Gaughan said: “This afternoon is more than just about soccer and more than just about FIFA. Today is about Scranton and Lackawanna County stepping onto a global stage and reminding the world who we are. For generations, this region has been built by hard-working people who welcomed others, who showed pride in their neighborhoods and who understood the meaning of community. And now, during one of the biggest sporting events on Earth, the eyes of the world will turn to courthouse square and downtown Scranton and that is really something very special.”While the region is known for its history involving coal mines, railroads and factories, the FIFA fan zone presents an opportunity to showcase the area’s future “that’s vibrant and welcoming, family-friendly and alive with culture and alive with possibility,” Gaughan said. “When we first started discussing the possibility of this event, we understood from the very beginning what this could mean — not just excitement for soccer fans, not just visitors filling our hotels and our restaurants, but a chance to inject energy, pride and optimism into our downtown and into our entire county. And that matters, because communities like Scranton and Lackawanna County deserve moments like this.”Organizers hope the event promotes the region by showing “This is just a great place to live and a great place to work and a great place to play,” Lackawanna County Commissioner Chairman Thom Welby said.Curt Camoni of the visitor’s bureau noted the Meadowlands in northern New Jersey also will serve as World Cup host for games, and Scranton’s fan zone possibly could draw fans from New Jersey and New York, as well from Pennsylvania. Travelers attending a fan zone might use it as a two-week vacation, he said.“We want people to understand we are an outstanding destination” for tourism, Camoni said. “It’s an affordable, family-friendly destination.”Dave Mehall of Times Shamrock Media said the Scranton Fan Zone will have a 24-foot-by-32-foot stage with a 13-foot-by-29-foot screen, as well as four additional 6-foot-by-9-foot screens for viewing the games. Activities will abound around the square.“There’s four days full of all kinds of great games and entertainment for everybody — younger, older,” Mehall said. “We just want to bring as many people to the downtown as we possibly can and we know we’re going to do that.”Some of the activities will include:• An Onvo Kids Zone on Adams Avenue, featuring and inflatable soccer game and target, obstacle course and slide.• Skills & Drills clinics hosted by local soccer clubs in designated areas throughout the event.• An LED Soccer Simulator, a 15-foot-by-15-foot simulator tentatively scheduled for fan use during the event.Terry Deitz of Times Shamrock Media noted the Scranton police and fire departments have been working “tirelessly and effortlessly behind the scenes” to ensure public safety during the fan zone days.“We really hope that everyone in the area will get behind this,” Deitz said. “It’s going to be one heck of an opportunity to celebrate our community.”

Credit: Fox News; Green Light PodcastWhile media and content creators fall into a familiar culture war over Jaxson Dart’s support for Donald Trump and the issues it seems to have caused in the New York Giants’ locker room, former NFL star Chris Long sees it as part of a far larger pattern facing young men in the U.S. and particularly in sports.Last weekend, Dart gave an introduction at a Trump rally in New York. Giants defensive lineman Abdul Carter called out the move on X before later revealing that he had made good with Dart directly. A media firestorm predictably followed, with people pointing fingers at both Giants stars, calling Dart out for publicly embracing a deeply unpopular political figure and calling Carter out for criticizing a teammate over social media.The story will likely end as NFL news now that the two have hashed it out, but Long took the time this week on his Green Light podcast to address the situation, explaining why NFL locker rooms are uniquely equipped to bridge political and cultural divides and why Dart’s position is far more understandable than many left-leaning pundits or fans might want to admit.Long first noted that he has “no problem” with Carter’s call-out of his quarterback, because of the “unprecedented time” America is going through politically since Trump’s re-election.Then Long explained what he believes would drive an athlete like Dart, and the large swaths of young men who have embraced Trump since 2024, to do so: hypermasculinity and being cool.“Most young men right now are making determinations off of vibes, which way the culture has swung, their favorite content creator, their favorite streamer, their circle, OK?” Long argued.“I think it’s one of the biggest impediments to finding some logical middle-ground in America right now. Young men don’t want to be called ‘betas,’ and they don’t want to be called ‘gay,’ as ridiculous as that sounds. The branding of this debate, this culture war that’s going on, as unbelievably stupid as that sounds, [the locker room is] the most hypermasculine setting in sports.”Long pointed out that in addition to youth and masculinity, many athletes are also driven by religion.“These guys are going to do whatever appeals to their masculinity. It’s such an insecure time in your life as a young man. And you also have to remember, a lot of these guys are very religious,” he explained. “So as stupid as it sounds to be like, ‘This is my moral navigational beacon, is President Trump, as a religious man,’ it’s pragmatically the choice that religious people are making, deeply religious people making. And there’s a lot of religious guys in the NFL that come from deeply religious places.”Addressing those who still want an explanation from a Trump-supporting athlete like Dart, Long called out what he sees as “naïveté” and a fundamental misunderstanding of how most Americans choose sides politically.“The naïveté of people like me who can’t f*cking stand the president … I can’t stand the naïveté of my side looking at NFL players and saying, ‘I am shocked. I’m incensed, and I’m shocked that any of these young men support a guy like Donald Trump,'” Long said. “I’m sorry to tell you, but there’s a lot of guys in the NFL who are conservative. And if you haven’t noticed, American politics is more about, like, picking a side than weighing every individual leader or decision or bill or what have you … it’s just about, what is my side like?”In addition to this fair-weather engagement with politics, Long posited that many athletes see the right side of the political spectrum as more likely to let them keep more of their money.But big picture, Long offered a reminder to commentators or fans demanding an explanation or passing judgment on Dart, noting that they are not much different from other young American men. Football players, Long said, are swayed by their own personal beliefs, values, and affinities far more than the news coverage that extremely online reporters and social media users might.“These guys aren’t watching C-SPAN, they’re not following the IRS settlement. Get them to explain what’s going on at the Strait of Hormuz. Ask Jaxson Dart to explain, like, tariffs. You know? Or any of this sh*t,” Long said.“I’m pretty sure he probably isn’t that plugged in… I’m not giving everybody a pass for what I think is a bad take or whatever, but it is not pragmatic to think none of your neighbors think differently than you. But if you live in this idealistic world in your bubble, it’s just going to continue to be the same. I’m not saying you have to accept it, but just don’t act like you’re shocked.”While Long’s argument poses new questions about how to change Americans’ media diets for the better or keep politicians from manipulating celebrity for their benefit, it is far more specific than the constant pro- and anti-Trump chatter that fills most shows’ run times. Long is drawing a connection between how young star athletes operate and how most young men in this country increasingly behave.Those in the media who are concerned about Dart’s choices might do better to focus on that, as they have for more than a decade now, rather than whether he was right or wrong to speak at a rally.The post Chris Long calls out ‘naïveté’ of fans, media over Jaxson Dart’s Donald Trump support appeared first on Awful Announcing.

President Trump’s pendulum swings on Iran have often seemed driven by mood and moment rather than any discernible strategy.

The babies were part of a vaccine trial for a respiratory virus in the 1960s and died shortly after. Their families said they had been unaware of the trial until recently.

The condition of the climbers was not immediately known.

The remaining spellers are 12 to 14, and represent five states as well as the District of Columbia.

GALION — With how the evening started, the Plymouth Big Red felt like they would have plenty of scoring chances.With runners on second and third with one out in the bottom of the first inning, the Big Red stranded the two runners on base, but felt like it wasn’t going to be the last scoring opportunity of the game.POSTSEASON TRACKER: 2026 spring sports postseason tracker | First state track and field tickets punchedUnfortunately, it was as the Big Red suffered a 1-0 Division VII district semifinal loss to Mohawk on Thursday, May 28 at Galion’s Heise Park.“It fell off from there,” Plymouth coach Adam Beverly said. “It’s unfortunate that we couldn’t string the hits together, but that is baseball. We made some great plays behind Evan after having a terrible practice yesterday where we dropped fly balls and let easy ground balls go through our legs. We played a great defensive game and I am proud of them for that.”The Big Red stood tall behind freshman pitcher Evan King, who took a no-hitter into the top of the sixth inning before Mohawk scraped two hits together to score the game’s only run. King finished with allowing one run on three hits with five strikeouts and the Big Red had one error behind him.Beverly opted to go with King over staff ace Lincoln Distl for a few reasons and none bigger than the confidence he had that King could pitch well enough to win, which he did.“Evan is a freshman and we put him in a big spot in a big game and he more than did the job,” Beverly said. “We saw him pitch a huge game against South Central in the regular season, so we had a lot of confidence in him. We also felt we have a better defense when he is on the mound and knowing how well Mohawk hits the ball, we wanted to make plays on defense and everything worked out how it was supposed to. We just didn’t score.”Jarrett Burrer led the Big Red with two hits while Distl and King had one apiece. Burrer and Lex Grose played their final game for the Big Red as the only two seniors on the roster.“Those two seniors are two of the most talented baseball players we have had come through Plymouth in a long time,” Beverly said. “Lex and Jarrett are guys who lived baseball since they were old enough to join t-ball. I love those guys like they are my own. It’s terrible to see them go down like this.”Plymouth ended the season 15-10.jfurr@usatodayco.com740-244-9934X: @JakeFurr11This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Plymouth Big Red loses to Mohawk Warriors in district semifinal

For the past three months, 308 Division I baseball teams have been competing for the chance to participate in the NCAA tournament. This weekend, just 64 schools remain as regional play begins, marking the starting point on the road to Omaha and the Men’s College World Series. Four-team double-elimination brackets at 16 campus venues across the nation will unfold starting Friday, with the winning teams advancing to super-regionals next weekend — those are best-of-three series — that will determine the eight teams competing for a championship in June. Here’s a look at the four biggest storylines in this year’s tournament, featuring the players and teams that will define this year’s road to Omaha.Can UCLA complete the season as the No. 1 team?Led by star junior shortstop Roch Cholowsky, the Bruins held firm as the No. 1 team in the country from start to finish of the regular season, just as Cholowsky maintained his status as the top prospect in July’s MLB Draft. This kind of staying power through the duration of an unpredictable and chaotic college season is incredibly rare for a team or a player, but Cholowsky delivered another fantastic campaign while the Bruins won every weekend series en route to a gaudy 28-2 conference record and the Big Ten tournament crown. All along, the regular season felt like a lengthy prelude to a more pressing question: Can they finish the job and claim the school’s second national championship and first since 2013? The Bruins made it to Omaha last year with a mostly underclass roster, which set the stage for their title pursuit in 2026 with so many key players returning and another wave of talent arriving via the transfer portal. They’ve lived up to the hype so far, but the competition promises to increase as the postseason progresses. The Bruins’ first challenge will be No. 4 seed Saint Mary’s, which ranks third nationally with a .333 team batting average. Within the L.A. regional, No. 2 and No. 3 seeds Virginia Tech and Cal Poly have the caliber of talent to push UCLA as well. After that comes a potential super-regional matchup with the winner of the Morgantown regional, which could be the host West Virginia Mountaineers or a battle-tested power conference foe in Wake Forest or Kentucky. Any slip-up before Omaha would be considered a massive disappointment for UCLA, and expectations will remain lofty for their entire tournament run.The biggest wild card for the Bruins is the availability and effectiveness of ace right-hander Logan Reddemann, who has not pitched since April 17 due to arm fatigue. UCLA has substantial pitching depth beyond him, but most teams with championship aspirations have a no-doubt frontline starter to lean on come tournament time. Reddemann won’t be available this weekend but could return to the rotation if UCLA advances. With or without him, the pressure will be on the Bruins to demonstrate that they are indeed one of the truly great teams in college baseball history.Play 2026 Soccer Pick 'Em with FOX One and make your picks for the world's biggest soccer tournamentIs Georgia Tech actually the favorite?While UCLA was stampeding through the Big Ten without much trouble, Georgia Tech was enjoying similar success against far more potent competition in the ACC. The Yellow Jackets weren’t quite as flawless, dropping one weekend series at No. 5 overall seed North Carolina in mid-April, but they still finished 25-5 (three games ahead of the Tar Heels in the conference standings) and took down UNC in the championship to claim the ACC tournament crown. This tremendous Tech run has happened under first-year head coach James Ramsey, who took over for Danny Hall, who had been at the helm since 1994 and retired after last season. Ramsey had been a top assistant and recruiting coordinator for the Yellow Jackets since 2019, and he was tabbed to take over and help elevate the program to new heights. Georgia Tech has been a regular in regionals for years but hasn’t been to Omaha since 2006 and has never won a national championship. With a ridiculously stacked position-player group headlined by two potential top-10 draft picks in catcher Vahn Lackey and center fielder Drew Burress, the Yellow Jackets feature one of the most prolific offenses in modern college baseball history. As a team, they hit a combined .358/.470/.636 across 57 games this spring. That eye-popping amount of collective offensive firepower might be enough to fuel an Omaha run on its own, but the pitching staff — which has let down so many quality Yellow Jackets teams over the years — will need to step up as the competition increases if Tech wants to emerge as the national champion.Will the SEC continue its championship streak?For as dominant as UCLA and Georgia Tech have been all season, to win the title, either would need to overcome recent history suggesting that the national champion will most likely emerge from the Southeastern Conference. The SEC has produced the past six title winners, with Oregon State the most recent non-SEC team to hoist the trophy back in 2018, when the Beavers defeated Arkansas (from the SEC, of course) in the championship series. Since then, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, LSU (twice) and Tennessee have won it all, with runner-up showings from Florida and Texas A&M as well.This astonishing level of SEC dominance in Omaha speaks to the quality of talent in the conference relative to the rest of the country, as well as the sheer number of teams the SEC regularly sends to the tournament, giving the conference more bites at the apple on an annual basis. That’s true again this year, as 12 of the 16 teams in the SEC are in the postseason field. Remarkably, that doesn’t include LSU, which won two of the past three national championships, or Vanderbilt, which had a Div. I-best 19-year streak of qualifying for the tournament. Both teams had uncharacteristically poor seasons, failing to earn at-large bids like the majority of their conference peers.So, if the SEC is going to win a seventh straight national championship, who are the most promising contenders? As always, there are several heavyweights to choose from, including seven teams hosting regionals this weekend as top-16 national seeds: No. 3 Georgia, No. 4 Auburn, No. 6 Texas, No. 7 Alabama, No. 8 Florida, No. 12 Texas A&M and No. 14 Mississippi State. Georgia, with a deep roster made up almost entirely of transfers, has been the most consistent club all spring, finishing with by far the best conference record at 23-7 before storming through the conference tournament. The Bulldogs’ best player is Daniel Jackson, an athletic catcher with 25 homers and 27 steals; he should be a first- or second-round pick come July.If you like offense, Georgia (leads Div. I in home runs with 149 through 58 games) and Texas A&M (.988 team OPS) are the SEC squads to monitor. On the pitching side, Auburn’s 3.47 ERA is bested nationally by only Oregon State, UCLA and UC Santa Barbara — West Coast schools that didn’t face nearly the offensive opposition that Auburn had to deal with. Texas and Mississippi State are more balanced clubs across the board, with both star power in the lineup and serious stuff on the mound. Among the non-hosts, Ole Miss has a championship-level pitching staff and could be poised to make a deep run. Don’t be surprised if Omaha is overflowing with SEC representation yet again.Kansas is … a baseball school?One of the best features of the Division I baseball tournament is that the first two rounds take place on campus, offering an excellent variety of environments that amplify the high-stakes on-field action. Some of these venues are used to hosting regional play because of how consistently good their programs are; that includes the usual SEC and ACC powerhouses but also mid-major staples such as Southern Miss, which is hosting this weekend for the fourth time in the past decade. These classic sites always deliver lively atmospheres for players and fans to enjoy. But while some campuses have become almost annual destinations for the college baseball postseason, it’s even more exciting when programs rise up to earn hosting duties unexpectedly, giving their fan base the chance to create a new playoff environment of their own. The best examples this year can be found in the heartland, where Nebraska and Kansas are slated to host two of the most compelling regionals in the field. The Cornhuskers have some rich baseball history, having made three trips to nearby Omaha at the beginning of the century (2001, 2002, 2005), but they haven’t hosted a regional since 2008. Head coach Will Bolt played at Nebraska from 1999 to 2002, so he understands how special it can be when Huskers baseball is humming. Lincoln should be an absolute party all weekend, especially with two formidable foes in Ole Miss and Arizona State arriving as the No. 2 and No. 3 seed, plus the ultimate underdog South Dakota State, Summit League champion despite a 24-31 record, as the No. 4.Meanwhile, Kansas is hosting in Lawrence for the very first time. The Jayhawks have reached the College World Series once, back in 1993, and have qualified for regionals only four times in the subsequent three decades. Head coach Dan Fitzgerald, now in his fourth season at the helm, has rejuvenated the program with a fascinating collection of junior-college transfers and overlooked gems. After reaching the tournament last season but going winless at the Fayetteville regional, the Jayhawks leveled up this spring and embarked on a dominant run through the Big 12, claiming both the regular-season and conference tournament titles.Hoglund Ballpark in Lawrence typically holds around 3,000 fans, but to increase capacity for the postseason, Kansas replaced the left-field wall with a see-through fence enabling a new viewing section beyond the outfield labeled “The Backyard.” This kind of creativity exemplifies a program embracing the special circumstances and doing its best to maximize the experience for both players and fans.Advancing to supers won’t be easy for the Jayhawks. Like the Huskers, Kansas will welcome very talented No. 2 and No. 3 seeds in Arkansas and Missouri State, while Northeastern has the best record of any No. 4 seed at 38-20. But no matter the result for the home team, the Lawrence regional promises to be a must-watch this weekend. Buckle up.

The MVPW-03: Han vs. Holm II final press conference took place on Thursday ahead of fight night in El Paso, Texas. The fight card features four world title bouts. The main event features a WBA lightweight world championship rematch between Stephanie Han and combat sports legend Holly Holm. In the co-main event, Amanda "The Real Deal" Serrano faces Cheyenne Hanson. On Thursday, the fighter appeared at the pre-fight press conference.

Veteran edge rusher Joey Bosa is one of the top players remaining on the free agent market.The question is: Does he want to continue his career? If he does, Bosa will have options.His brother, 49ers edge rusher Nick Bosa, seems to have doubts about how much Joey Bosa wants to play an 11th season."I think he's working on his golf game right now," Nick Bosa said Thursday, via David Bonilla of 49erswebzone.com. "So, I don't think he's thinking too much about football."The 49ers finished with an NFL-low 20 sacks last season, with Nick Bosa tearing the ACL in his right knee in Week 3. Nick Bosa is back, and Kyle Shanahan addressed whether Joey Bosa might join his brother in San Francisco this season."I look at our team as kind of we have our team, and anyone else that we can figure out to bring, especially someone like that, that would be awesome," Shanahan said. "But that stuff's not always possible."Joey Bosa, who turns 31 in July, has not had a double-digit sack season since 2021. The five-time Pro Bowler has only 19 across the past four seasons, including five in 2025.

According to NBA president of league operations Byron Spruell, Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman and team president Jason Wexler were both heavily involved in the process. Kleiman played an active role in the league’s general manager committee discussions, while Wexler participated in Board of Governors meetings, where Memphis ultimately became the lone organization to vote against the proposal.Memphis Commercial AppealThis article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: According to NBA president of league operations Byron …

Jalen Williams is active and in uniform for the Oklahoma City Thunder lineup in Game 6 of their Western Conference finals matchup with the San Antonio Spurs. He is available to play, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports.However, Williams is not in the starting lineup and was still listed as questionable on the injury report leading right up until game time. He did not initially participate in the Thunder’s layup line as both teams took the court, but joined his teammates with five minutes remaining on the pregame clock.Williams, 25, was sidelined for the previous three games of the series due to a lingering left hamstring injury. He was listed as questionable on the Thunder’s injury report on Wednesday, but was given the go-ahead to play after going through pregame warmups. Play 2026 Soccer Pick 'Em with FOX One and make your picks for the world's biggest soccer tournamentThe fourth-year forward played Game 1 of the West finals, but re-aggravated his hamstring in Game 2. Prior to that, Williams missed six consecutive playoff games for the Thunder, including their four-game sweep over the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round. Ajay Mitchell remains out of the Thunder lineup with a calf strain that sidelined him for Games 4 and 5 of the series. He was ruled out for Game 6 on Wednesday and his status for a return, either in a Game 7 versus the Spurs or Game 1 of the NBA Finals is uncertain. With Williams and Mitchell out, Jared McCain got the start in Game 5 and scored 20 points, his second-highest total of the postseason. It was also the second time he’s scored 20 or more against the Spurs. During the regular season, Williams was Oklahoma City’s second-leading scorer, averaging 17.1 points per game (tied with Chet Holmgren). He added 4.6 rebounds and 5.5 assists while shooting 30% on 3-pointers. In four postseason games, Williams is scoring 17.7 points, four rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. He’s shot 5-for-11 from long range.

Michigan State football has reportedly added a big-time visitor for this weekend's recruiting festivities.The Spartans are set to reportedly host four-star athlete Deontay Malone of Massillon, Ohio for an official visit this upcoming weekend. Michigan State insider Justin Thind of 247Sports broke the notable recruiting news on Thursday afternoon.Malone is listed as a four-star prospect, with a recruiting rating of 90.65 in 247Sports' composite system. He ranks as the No. 18 athlete and No. 12 player from Ohio in the 2027 class. He is also listed as the No. 303 overall prospect in the class.Michigan State is one of more than 10 schools to extend an offer to Malone and actively recruiting him. Other notable schools to offer Malone includes Ohio State, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Purdue and a host of group of six teams.Malone is teammates with Spartans' commit Savior Owens, who was one of the first to commit to new head coach Pat Fitzgerald in the 2027 class. That could help swing Malone in favor of the Spartans and is something to monitor this upcoming weekend.NEWS: #MichiganState is set to host 2027 ATH Deontay Malone, a 247Composite four-star.The Massillon (OH) product is the 14th visitor we’ve confirmed for this upcoming weekend’s docket.More from @C_Robinson247 (VIP): https://t.co/kY0gKR6miipic.twitter.com/R76W5cTA3M— Justin Thind (@JustinThind) May 28, 2026Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: Spartans to reportedly host elite, 4-star ATH Deontay Malone of Massillon, Ohio

UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria is still eyeing a fight with Arman Tsarukyan.Tsarukyan was snubbed out of the interim lightweight title bout when the promotion opted to book Justin Gaethje against Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324. Gaethje won the fight and will now unify his interim belt with Topuria (17-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) in the UFC Freedom 250 headliner on June 14.Topuria expects his next title defense to come against Tsarukyan (23-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC), who has been patiently waiting for his opportunity. Tsarukyan's past three wins have come over Beneil Dariush, former champ Charles Oliveira, and most recently Dan Hooker at UFC Fight Night 265."The fight with Arman is going to be a good fight," Topuria said in an interview with DeepCut. "The thing is that they used to take a lot of confidence because they fight with fighters that – his last fight was against Dan Hooker. He has, I don't know, 20 losses in his professional career. It's like, bro, you never, ever, like forget about it, never ever in your entire life you faced someone like me."Tsarukyan has kept himself busy by winning numerous grappling matches. However, Topuria is confident that even Tsarukyan's elite ground game won't be enough against him."It's like, I'm going to embarrass you in front of everyone," Topuria said. "Because with him, he thinks that he's tough, he thinks that like his wrestling is I don't know what. Like, he feels that he's an Olympic champion. Anyway, if he's the best in the world in wrestling, when it comes to the octagon, bro, I'm the king. In there, I'm the king. I do with you whatever I want to f*cking do. And I told him like I'm going to break his jaw in the first round."He's going to try to take me down since the beginning of the fight and when he's going to realize that, bro, it's not that easy. It's not that easy to take these legs and take me down, especially to control me on the ground. You crazy? And then he's going to start (to) panic. He's going to be panicked and then when I break his jaw, bam. In front of all his crowd, all his people, his family, who gives a f*ck. Bam!"This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC champion Ilia Topuria vows to 'embarrass' Arman Tsarukyan

UCLA vs. Alabama softball box score: Live stats from Women's College World Series game originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The Alabama Crimson Tide comes into the Women's College World Series as the top seed facing the UCLA Bruins on Thursday evening.This year has been special for the Tide, who ended the 2026 season with a 53-7 record. However, the Bruins have hit a hot streak as of late and are dangerous coming into this tournament.For Alabama, the 16th trip to the Women’s College World Series could start out sweet or turn sour. Having swept its regional and Super Regional rounds by allowing just one total run is impressive. On the other side, UCLA's offense is powerful and hasn’t scored less than seven runs in any of its NCAA tournament games. All but two have been double-digit affairs as well. 2026 NCAA Women's College World Series 1234567RHENo. 8 UCLA (52-8)00300350No. 1 Alabama (53-7)1000150UCLA vs. Alabama live box score Women's College World SeriesUCLA BruinsBatterPOSABRHRBIBBSOAVGOBP29Rylee SlimpLF311201.426.53343Megan GrantRF211100.470.64915Jordan Woolery1B201001.500.59421Aleena GarciaSS200001.363.49122Bri Alejandre3B200001.324.40928Alexis RamirezC200001.398.47811Soo-Jin BerryDP200001.317.41356Mia PhillipsPR/2B111000.255.3447Jolyna LamarCF200001.331.43523Taylor TinsleyP000000-0.0%33Kaniya Bragg2B101000.391.491Total1935307H: Slimp 1 (17)Grant 1 (41)RBI: Slimp 2 (58)Grant 1 (88)PitcherPOSIPHRERBBSOBFERA23Taylor TinsleyP4.051104183.00Total4.05110418Tinsley 60 (39 strikes)Alabama Crimson TideBatterPOSABRHRBIBBSOAVGOBP4Jena Young2B212000.340.43915Brooke Wells1B201001.380.50031Alexis PupilloDP200001.397.49521Ana RomanRF200001.308.44834Marlie GilesC201100.380.48812Audrey VandagriffLF201000.331.41536Ambrey Taylor3B200001.300.38147Salen HawkinsSS100000.285.3523Kristen WhiteCF200000.351.42523Jocelyn BriskiP000000-0.0%Total1715104RBI: Giles 1 (32)PitcherPOSIPHRERBBSOBFERA23Jocelyn BriskiP4.253307191.4Total4.25330719Briski 67 (48 strikes)How to watch: UCLA vs. Alabama 2026 NCAA Women's College World SeriesDate: Thursday, May 28Time: 7 p.m. ETTV: ESPN22026 Women's College World Series schedule. All times Eastern. May 28Game 1: Mississippi State vs Texas Tech (Noon, ESPN)Game 2: Tennessee vs Texas (2:30 p.m., ESPN)Game 3: UCLA vs Alabama (7 p.m., ESPN2)Game 4: Arkansas vs Nebraska (9:30 p.m., ESPN2)May 29Game 5: Game 1 loser vs Game 2 loser (7 p.m., ESPN2)Game 6: Game 3 loser vs Game 4 loser (9:30 p.m., ESPN2)May 30Game 7: Game 1 winner vs Game 2 winner (3 p.m., ABC)Game 8: Game 3 winner vs Game 4 winner (7 p.m., ESPN)May 31Game 9: Game 5 winner vs Game 7 loser (3 p.m., ABC)Game 10: Game 6 winner vs Game 8 loser (7 p.m., ESPN2)June 1Game 11: Game 7 winner vs Game 9 winner (Noon, ESPN)Game 12 (if necessary): Game 7 winner vs Game 9 winner (2:30 p.m., ESPN)Game 13: Game 8 winner vs Game 10 winner (7 p.m., ESPN2)Game 14 (if necessary): Game 8 winner vs Game 10 winner (9:30 p.m., ESPN2)June 3Finals Game 1 (8 p.m., ESPN)June 4Finals Game 2 (8 p.m., ESPN)June 5Finals Game 3, if necessary (8 p.m., ESPN)More NCAA Softball NewsMississippi State vs. Texas Tech final box score Women's College World SeriesMiss. State vs. Oklahoma box score: Final stats from NCAA Softball Super RegionalsTexas Tech vs. Florida box score: Final stats from NCAA Softball Super RegionalsTexas vs. Arizona State box score: Final stats from NCAA Softball Super Regionals

Photos from Chicago Bears organized team activities on May 28, 2026, at Halas Hall.

The San Francisco 49ers made some important offseason moves this year. They added some key players in free agency, made a blockbuster trade and drafted a bunch of players who could contribute in 2026.However, not every move was lauded. ESPN's Bill Barnwell picked out every team's worst offseason move and named the selection of Indiana running back Kaelon Black as the biggest blunder of the spring for San Francisco.The 49ers naturally hope and expect that Black, their third-round pick, won't follow in the footsteps of Isaac Guerendo, Tyrion Davis-Price, Trey Sermon and Joe Williams, all backs Shanahan added in the middle rounds of drafts before quickly losing interest. However, ESPN's Jordan Reid had Black as the 177th-best prospect in the draft on his board, and ESPN's Matt Miller placed Black at No. 226. Shanahan pounced on Black at pick No. 90. I'd give one of the league's best coaches some benefit of the doubt with his running back evaluations, but that might not be warranted given the evidence.If the 49ers' worst move was taking a flier on a young running back, then that's a pretty good offseason for head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch. While Black may not have been the best pick, the team didn't have a true backup plan for Christian McCaffrey after Brian Robinson Jr. signed with the Atlanta Falcons.Black has already noted the recent history of the position on the 49ers and wants to change the perception. He'll have a great chance to take on a big role behind McCaffrey if he can beat out Jordan James and Isaac Guerendo this offseason. The former Indiana star isn't a perfect prospect but proved in college and in the pre-draft process that he has a solid skillset to bring to the NFL.Could the 49ers have gone in another direction with the No. 90 pick? Sure. But the draft is all about taking risks. One of these days, a mid-round running back will work out. Right?This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers draft pick RB Kaelon Black tabbed as SF's 'worst' offseason move

Real Madrid give huge boost in bid to sign Liverpool defenderReal Madrid are planning to sign a new central defender in the summer, as they seek to replace the departing David Alaba. Their pursuit has been very unsuccessful so far after a string of rejections, but they could now be set to land one of their original leading targets.As far back as last summer, Real Madrid showed strong interest in Ibrahima Konate. The Liverpool defender was identified as their leading target for this summer, when he was projected to become a free agent.Real Madrid have used the free agent market very well over the years, signing the likes of Antonio Rudiger, Kylian Mbappe and Trent Alexander-Arnold. Konate could be next one to arrive, as he has been back on their agenda in recent months after a deal was originally ruled out in November.However, it has been reported of late that Konate was closing in on signing a new deal at Liverpool, which would have scuppered Real Madrid’s plans to pick him up as a free agent. But the good news for the Bernabeu club is that this no longer appears to be the case, with Ben Jacobs reporting that 27-year-old is very likely to leave at the end of next month when his current contract expires.New manager will have to sign off on Konate dealKonate and Liverpool are still far apart when it comes to contract negotiations, and with only a month to go until his current deal runs out – and with his involvement at the upcoming World Cup meaning that talks would be difficult – it is expected that nothing will materialise before the start of July.This would open the door for Real Madrid to get their man, although the final decision would land at the door of their next head coach – which would be Jose Mourinho if Florentino Perez is successful during the upcoming presidential elections.

For the last year, schools have been operating with a cap on the amount of money they can directly pay athletes through revenue-sharing. But there isn’t a cap on third-party NIL deals, which are subject to the NIL Go clearinghouse if they’re worth more than $2,000, and Rich Rodriguez argued for that to change.As Rodriguez gets ready for his second season back at West Virginia, roster costs around college football are on the rise. The expectation is multiple teams will reach the $40 million mark and the sense is $50 million might also be on the horizon.[ $19.99 gets you a FULL year of On3 | Rivals national coverage ]While he said paying players felt “inevitable,” Rodriguez called for a cap on third-party NIL deals to help create more balance in spending. He drew comparisons to the NFL’s model to make his point.“I think having the rev-share and having a cap is perfect,” Rodriguez said on Next Up with Adam Breneman. “It makes perfect sense. It’s great for the guys. But there’s no cap now because there’s no cap on NIL. If they can somehow – I think they should model, as much as we can, the NFL. It’s the most successful pro organization by far, and they have so many rules that people don’t even realize.“The rules are for competitiveness and fairness. Well, let’s try to follow them as best we can. They say you can’t do it. I think you can.”Rich Rodriguez: Coaches look out for their schoolsAlthough the NCAA’s quest for federal help is ongoing – a bipartisan Senate bill released this week was a notable step – Rich Rodriguez argued Congress might not be the way to go for a solution. Instead, he said athletics directors and coaches should be part of the process to find more balance in the sport.SUBSCRIBE to the On3 NIL and Sports Business Newsletter“The ADs should be helping make decisions,” Rodriguez said. “Coaches should be involved in making decisions and trying to get it so there’s some kind of competitiveness. The NFL, the worst team gets the first pick, right? In college, the best teams are getting the best pick and they’re going to continue – when you have a team that has a $90 million roster or an $80 million roster, which they’re saying [it’s] going to, somebody else in the same league has got a $15 million roster, that’s not competitive fairness.“I think all coaches, they’re going to do what’s best for them in their own school. But if you asked them all, ‘Hey, what needs to be done to have the competitiveness more fair,’ it would be a cap on the total number you have to buy players.”

Thunder vs Spurs box score: Full stats from NBA Playoffs Western Conference Finals Game 6 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Spurs will look to even the Western Conference Finals series and force a Game 7. The Spurs opened this series with a surprising win over the Thunder in Oklahoma in Game 1. They then went onto lose two games back-to-back, one in each city. Heading into Game 4, the prevailing belief was that OKC would run away with this series. The Spurs won Game 4 in convincing fashion 103-82. In that game, Victor Wembanyama had 33 points and eight rebounds. A noticeably bounce back from Games 2 and 3. Game 5 was a different story. The pendulum swinging back the other way with similar intensity. While OKC won that game by only 13, the Spurs were effectively never in that game in the second half. Game 6 tonight represents the first elimination game in this series. If the Thunder pull out a win, they will face the New York Knicks in the NBA Finals. If they do not, then the Spurs live to fight another day in a winner take all Game 7. Statistically this is simple. If Wembanyama is the future face of the league in this game (more than 25 points and at least double-digit rebounds) and they can keep Gilgeous-Alexander to not superhuman numbers, the Spurs should win this game. If Wembanyama has a low production game or isn't a major factor defensively, this series could end tonight. Spurs vs. Thunder Western Conference Finals Game 4 Box ScoreOklahoma City ThunderStartersMinPtsFG3PTFTRebAstStlBlkS. Gilgeous-AlexanderPG1:2700-00-00-00000J. McCainSG1:2700-10-00-00100L. DortSF1:2700-00-00-00000C. HolmgrenC1:2700-00-00-00000I. HartensteinC1:2721-10-00-01000BenchPtsFG3PTFTRebAstStlBlkA. CarusoSG00-00-00-00000K. WilliamsPF00-00-00-00000I. JoeSG00-00-00-00000A. WigginsSG00-00-00-00000J. WilliamsSG00-00-00-00000J. WilliamsPF00-00-00-00000C. WallaceSG00-00-00-00000N. TopićPG00-00-00-00000Team Totals21-20-00-01100San Antonio SpursStartersMinPtsFG3PTFTRebAstStlBlkD. FoxPG1:2700-00-00-00000S. CastlePG1:2731-11-10-00300D. VassellSG1:2700-00-00-00000J. ChampagnieSF1:2700-00-00-00000V. WembanyamaC1:2762-22-20-00001BenchPtsFG3PTFTRebAstStlBlkB. BiyomboC00-00-00-00000H. BarnesPF00-00-00-00000K. OlynykC00-00-00-00000M. PlumleeC00-00-00-00000L. KornetC00-00-00-00000J. McLaughlinPG00-00-00-00000K. JohnsonSF00-00-00-00000L. Waters IIISG00-00-00-00000C. BryantPF00-00-00-00000D. HarperSG00-00-00-00000Team Totals93-33-30-00301WATCH:Stream Thunder vs. Spurs Game 6 with PeacockMore NBA Playoff news:San Antonio has best NBA Playoff win since 198310,170 days: Spurs vs. Thunder Western Conference Finals is a generational NBA Playoff seriesSpurs vs. Thunder: 2026 NBA Western Conference Finals schedule announcedFull stats from NBA Playoffs Western Conference Finals Game 1Spurs vs. Thunder final score, results: Victor Wembanyama goes off with 41 points, 24 rebounds in 2OT thriller

Mets right-hander Clay Holmes has seemingly avoided a worst-case scenario. The Post's Jon Heyman reports that the Mets starter will not need surgery on his fractured fibula. It remained unclear what Holmes would need to recover from the injury, but even the right-hander believed he would avoid surgery when asked, although Holmes could not rule it out. If Heyman's report is correct, then it's good news for Holmes and the Mets.However, Heyman points out that the latest guess for Holmes' return is early August. If the Mets can right the ship, getting Holmes back for the home stretch would be a bonus. When he went on the IL, Holmes was arguably the Mets' best pitcher. In nine starts, Holmes pitched to a 2.39 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP while consistently going deep into games. His shortest outing was the May 15 game against the Yankees when he pitched 4.1 innings. That was the same night he fractured his fibula.Holmes suffered the injury when he took a 111.1 mph liner from Yankees prospect Spencer Jones.

Lonnie G. Bunch III, the Smithsonian secretary under pressure from the White House, organized an exhibit exploring America’s founding ideals.

When Matteo Messina Denaro died in 2023, many of his secrets died with him. That began to change with a tip about a wealthy Sicilian woman’s significant assets in a tiny European principality.

The Los Angeles Dodgers were expected to lose Santiago Espinal via waivers after he was designated for assignment, but will keep him in the organization. Espinal, an infielder who can play all four spots, is known for his great glove work and range, but his bat has lagged behind, making him hard to keep in the everyday lineup. View this post on InstagramA post shared by Dodgers Nation (@dodgersnation)The Cincinnati Reds had enough of his lackluster offense over his two years with the team, leading to his release after the season. He ultimately failed to secure a contract until the Dodgers came knocking with a minor league deal that included a major league option, giving him a chance to play in the spring. Mar 10, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Santiago Espinal against the Arizona Diamondbacks during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn ImagesEspinal was a friend and former teammate of Teoscar Hernandez, who played on the Blue Jays team during which Espinal made his sole All-Star team. In 19 Spring Training games, he hit .378 with a 1.059 OPS. He got five walks, seven strikeouts, including six doubles and two home runs. Additionally, he played all infield positions and made stellar defensive plays. He has the arm to make any throw, either from third base or shortstop, along with the field instincts. With the revamped swing as well, Espinal made the major league roster with Tommy Edman and Kike Hernandez on the injured list. May 23, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Santiago Espinal (21) prior to the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn ImagesSantiago Espinal’s limited major league runEspinal hit just .220 with 41 at-bats and a home run. He was more of a defensive replacement, giving Max Muncy some days off and covering for anyone else who needed time in the infield. With so many lefty bats, Espinal provided a right-handed bat to a Dodgers roster that needed those options as well. However, after fellow Latino Kike Hernandez was activated, Espinal was designated for assignment on Monday, a move many knew was coming. View this post on InstagramA post shared by Dodgers Nation (@dodgersnation)Without any minor league options left in his MLB career, the Dodgers had to designate him for assignment to clear a spot on the 40-man roster, putting him on waivers. As a result, any team could put a claim on him, and it was expected that he would leave. According to the Dodgers’ transaction log, however, Espinal has passed through waivers, and the Dodgers have moved him down to Oklahoma City Triple-A. Considering his professionalism and production, along with the positional flexibility, the Dodgers get to keep hold of a valuable player at a time when there are already injuries.

Mick Cronin and the UCLA Bruins saw another potential transfer leave the portal on Wednesday with former Baylor Bear Tounde Yessoufou committing to St. John’s. Yessoufou was rumored to the Bruins, who remain in need of an experienced scorer to round out their roster.UCLA will have to turn their focus elsewhere, with Yessoufou taking a deal that’s reportedly worth around $7 million dollars to join Rick Pitino with the Red Storm. St. John’s is coming off of a 30-7 season which ended in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Just before the NBA Draft withdrawal deadline, Tounde Yessoufou committed to St. John's for upwards of $7 million, a source involved in the process told me. Yessoufou, a Baylor transfer, chose the Red Storm over #UCLA and others because St. John's, a non-football school, could…— Aaron Heisen (@aaron_heisen) May 28, 2026According to reporter Aaron Heisen, UCLA was very much in the mix for Yessoufou. A source “on the financial side of the process” told Heisen that UCLA “did everything” to try and add Yessoufou to a Bruins roster that’s missing a No. 1 offensive threat.Yessoufou averaged 17.8 points per game as a freshman last season in the Big 12 Conference. The 6’5” guard added 5.9 rebounds and 2.0 steals.The source also told Heisen that UCLA had a "competitive offer” for Yessoufou but weren’t able to match the deal he ultimately signed with St. John’s. It wasn’t Yessoufou’s first time passing on Cronin and the Bruins, UCLA recruited the guard out of high school before Yessoufou eventually committed to Baylor.A source told Heisen that UCLA wasn’t able to match St. John’s fully guaranteed revenue share deal, due to the Big Ten Conference’s revenue sharing guidelines. Wow UCLA misses on Tounde Yessoufou https://t.co/VxnHai84Cf— Connor Morrissette (@C_Morrissette) May 28, 2026Regardless of the ‘why’ behind it, the Bruins are still without a truly elite scoring threat as we inch closer to the 2026-2027 season. UCLA will turn to Eric Dailey Jr. and Trent Perry to lead the way for Cronin’s offense.This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Tounde Yessoufou chooses St. John's over UCLA in the transfer portal

The NFL offseason has entered the voluntary workout phase, with minicamps and training camps soon to follow. The Los Angeles Rams will not only welcome back reigning NFL MVP Matthew Stafford, but they also added a potential successor under center. With the 13th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Rams selected Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson.The selection of Simpson generated mixed reactions from fans and media members, with some even speculating that there may have been differing opinions within the organization. However, head coach Sean McVay and the Rams’ front office have consistently expressed unanimous support for the pick.MORE: San Francisco 49ers star fires off on NFL turf to grass change for FIFA World CupThat support may even extend to Stafford, who signed a one-year contract extension this offseason. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Stafford addressed the selection of Simpson and made it clear that he understands both the business side of the NFL and the realities that come with being a veteran quarterback.Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) reacts as he celebrates a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images“Listen, I’m not 25 years old, and I get that,” Stafford told the media after Thursday’s OTAs. “We’re doing everything we can to be as good a football team as we can for now, for the future, for all of it.”That mindset is exactly why the Rams made the selection. After trading the 29th overall pick to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for Trent McDuffie, Los Angeles entered the draft with flexibility. The Rams also owned the Atlanta Falcons’ first-round pick as part of a 2025 draft-day trade.When Simpson remained available, the Rams saw a quarterback who checks many of the boxes McVay values. He processes the game well, possesses NFL-caliber arm talent, and still offers significant upside after limited starting experience at the collegiate level. Stafford has already taken an active role in helping the rookie adjust.MORE: Will the NFL suspend Kansas City Chiefs receiver Rashee Rice again?“He’s a guy that asks questions,” Stafford said. “I’ve been trying to answer those as honestly and as thoroughly as I possibly can. He’s a smart kid. He’s got talent, obviously. Happy to add good players to our team. He’s one of them.”Los Angeles Rams first-round draft pick Ty Simpson poses with his jersey during a press conference at Code Next at Hollywood Park. Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn ImagesIt is abundantly clear that this remains Stafford’s team for at least the next two seasons. He has earned the opportunity to finish his career on his own terms. Stafford delivered a Super Bowl championship to Los Angeles in 2021. He nearly guided the Rams back to the big game this past season.The Rams remain firmly in win-now mode. They feature a talented roster filled with offensive playmakers and impact defenders while also having the luxury of developing Simpson behind one of the league’s premier quarterbacks.These are the types of situations NFL franchises hope to create. The Rams can continue competing for championships today while preparing for the future. For now, their focus remains simple: helping Stafford chase another Super Bowl ring.

The PIAA District One baseball playoffs have been completed.Here are all of the results involving Bucks County area teams, highlighted by roundups of Pennsbury in the Class 6A district championship game Thursday, Pennridge hosting Neshaminy in the 6A third-place game and Bristol playing for a regional 3A title. PIAA District One Baseball PlayoffsClass 6A: Six advance to statesChampionship: Thursday, May 28(4) Pennsbury 10, (7) Owen J. Roberts 3: The Falcons took control right away with seven runs in the bottom of the first inning on the way to the district title. “It’s an unreal feeling,” said junior center fielder Danny Seidler, who led a balanced attack with two hits, including a two-run triple to right field, and three RBIs. “All of our hard work is paying off.”Pennsbury, which won districts and the state championship in 2017, will host District Three fourth-place finisher Ephrata in the first round of the PIAA state tournament on Monday, June 1.Junior designated hitter Pierce Perry contributed three hits and an RBI. Seven players each had one RBI in the bottom of the first for the Falcons. Junior starter Quinton Shaffer earned the pitching victory at Villanova Ballpark with 5⅓ solid innings. Senior Connor O'Brien closed it out on the mound.Pennsbury (13-2 SOL Patriot) secured its second straight division title (fourth in five years) and then won four games at districts. Third-place game: Thursday, May 28(3) Pennridge5, (8) Neshaminy 2: A four-run second inning propelled the host Rams to the win. Four Pennridge pitchers combined for a three-hitter, while seniors Noah Keating, Tommy Ginnetti, Anthony Cox, TJ McGuigan and Brayden Robinson had the RBIs. For Neshaminy, senior Chase Bonner hit a two-run homer and sophomore Marlon Yon contributed two scoreless, hitless innings in relief.Pennridge will visit District 12 champion La Salle in the first round of the state playoffs on June 1, while Neshaminy will visit District 11 champ William Allen.Neshaminy (12-3 SOL Patriot) finished second in its division, while the Rams won the SOL Colonial with a 13-2 divisional record after going 6-9 in 2025. Neshaminy qualified for states for the third straight season; Pennridge had last made states in 2016 as the Class 4A district champion.Fifth-place game: Thursday, May 28(6) Downingtown West 12, (1) Haverford 9Semifinals: Tuesday, May 26(4) Pennsbury12, (8) Neshaminy 7: The host Falcons rallied from a 6-0 deficit in the second inning to prevail by scoring 12 of the game's final 13 runs. They did it with a five-run third and seven-run sixth inning. As a result, the Falcons will host a PIAA first-round state playoff game as either the No. 1 or 2 seed on June 1.Junior reliever Owen Hawkes limited Neshaminy to one unearned run and one hit over the final 5⅔ innings in relief of senior ace Keller Bradley. “I was ready from the start to come in and shut the door on them,” he said.Junior Ty Lee led Pennsbury with three hits, including a double and triple, and three RBIs. Junior Pierce Perry added two hits and three RBIs, junior Brendan Zuckerman had two hits and two RBIs, and junior Danny Seidler provided three hits, including a double, and two RBIs.For Neshaminy, which had also already clinched a spot at states, junior catcher Sam Hitchen had a bases-clearing double and senior Brandon Lall contributed a two-run single.(7) Owen J. Roberts 11, (3) Pennridge2: A nine-run fifth was too much for the Rams to overcome. For Pennridge, senior Anthony Cox had an RBI double, senior TJ McGuigan (two hits) contributed a run-scoring single and junior Tim Croyle provided a double.Consolations: Tuesday, May 26(1) Haverford 1, (4) West Chester Henderson 0(6) Downingtown West 3, (12) Garnet Valley 1Quarterfinals: May 22(8) Neshaminy 2, (1) Haverford 0: Senior Matt Gryn pitched the first 6⅓ innings, allowing six hits, two walks and striking out six, and senior Jared Kligerman recorded the final two outs to complete the shutout. Senior Chase Bonner had three hits, including a two-run single. Visiting Neshaminy advanced to the district semifinals for the second straight season and to states for the third year in a row.(4) Pennsbury7, (12) Garnet Valley 1: Junior Quinton Shaffer tossed a three-hit complete game, walking none and striking out six as the host Falcons nailed down another trip to states. Junior Tyler Lee went 3 for 4 with a double and two RBIs to pace the Pennsbury offense, while juniors Pierce Perry (double) and Brendan Zuckerman each had a pair of RBIs. Sophomore Finn Burke (triple) contributed two hits. The Falcons scored twice in the first, second and fourth innings.(3) Pennridge 4,(6) Downingtown West 1: Freshman Oliver Olson (four innings of shutout ball) and junior Connor Murray (three innings, one run) handled the pitching duties for the host Rams, who had last qualified for states in 2016 as the Class 4A district champion. Murray also had a two-run homer to key the Pennridge offense, while junior Tim Croyle added an RBI.(7) Owen J. Roberts 4, (18) WC Henderson 1Second round: May 20(1) Haverford 7, (16) Boyertown 2(8) Neshaminy11, (9) Souderton 1 (5 innings): Neshaminy senior Chase Bonner closed out the win with a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth for the 10-run victory. Bonner had three hits and two RBIs, in addition to pitching five innings, allowing five hits, walking four and striking out five. Senior Noah Wallace had a double and two RBIs, with seniors Matt Gryn, Brandon Lall and junior Dan Marable each providing two hits and an RBI. For Souderton, senior Evan Divens (double) contributed two hits and an RBI. ... The Big Red (11-4) took second in the SOL Colonial during the regular season.(4)Pennsbury13,(13) Wissahickon 4: Senior Carlton Crane went 4 for 5 with three doubles and three RBIs to lead the Falcons. Juniors Brendan Zuckerman and Tyler Lee had two RBIs apiece. Senior ace Keller Bradley picked up the win, striking out 12, walking one and allowing five hits in 5⅔ innings. Senior Connor O’Brien got the final four outs.(12) Garnet Valley 4, (5) Spring-Ford 2 (18) WC Henderson 3, (2) Coatesville 1(7) Owen J. Roberts 3. (10) Plymouth Whitemarsh 0(3)Pennridge4,(14) Downingtown East 3 (8 innings): Senior Noah Keating's single in the bottom of the eighth scored senior JP Colon, who pinch ran for junior Connor Murray (leadoff walk), for the walkoff win. Murray picked up the victory with 2⅔ innings of scoreless relief. Senior Brayden Robinson had a two-run single for the Rams.(6) Downingtown West5,(22) Council Rock South0: The Golden Hawks received two hits from senior Reed Curtier, while sophomore Jimmy Clark and freshman Caleb Dubas handled the pitching duties. CR South went 7-8 in the SOL Patriot.First round: May 18(16) Boyertown 7, (17) Cheltenham 3(9) Souderton 6, (24) Avon Grove 5 (12 innings): The Big Red fell behind 5-2 by allowing three runs in the top of the 12th inning, only to score four in the bottom for the walkoff win. Junior Gavin Wisnoski's two-run single ended it. Junior Brett Pollock contributed two hits and an RBI, as well as 5⅓ innings in relief and 10 strikeouts.(13) Wissahickon 5, (20) Great Valley 4(12) Garnet Valley 6, (21) Central Bucks West 5 (8 innings): The Bucks received two doubles and two RBIs from senior Christopher Katsikis, as well as a solo home run from senior Noah Gerstein. CB West ended up 8-7 and third in the SOL Colonial.(18) WC Henderson 5, (15) Quakertown 4: A five-run second inning by Henderson cost the Panthers, who got 3⅔ scoreless innings of relief from senior William Bowen. Quakertown finished 9-6 and tied for second in the SOL Liberty.(10) Plymouth Whitemarsh 11, (23) Lower Merion 1(14) Downingtown East5,(19) Council Rock North 1 : Sophomore Anthony Fedejko provided an RBI single for CR North, which finished 9-6 in the SOL Patriot.(22) Council Rock South 7, (11) Methacton 0: Senior Reed Curtier propelled the Golden Hawks to the second round with a complete game no-hitter, striking out 14 and walking two. Senior Jack Reynolds led the offense with two doubles and two RBIs, while senior Logan Kolimaga had two hits. Class 5A: Three to statesQuarterfinals: May 20(8) West Chester East 16, (1) Chichester 0(5) WC Rustin 2, (4) Radnor 1(7) Springfield-Delco 7, (2) Upper Moreland0: The Golden Bears trailed by seven runs when the game was suspended in the fourth inning Wednesday and nothing changed during Thursday's resumption at Wissahickon. Juniors Gavin Shaffert and Chase Moore combined for 3⅔ innings of scoreless relief and Moore was one of five UM players with singles ... The Bears earned the SOL Freedom title with a 13-2 divisional record.(3) Upper Perkiomen 4, (11) Strath Haven 0First round: May 18(8) West Chester East 14, (9) Upper Merion 4(5) WC Rustin10,(12) Hatboro-Horsham 0(5 innings): The Hatters managed two hits in the game and were undone by a five-run second inning. H-H (5-10 SOL Liberty) qualified as the final 5A playoff team by winning two of three against Abington in their regular season series finale.(7) Springfield-Delco 6, (10) Upper Dublin 5: Senior Eddie Stoffel (double) provided two hits and two RBIs for the Cardinals, while junior Gavin Litten contributed a double and RBI and senior Noah Watson had two hits. Defending state champion UD ended up 7-8 in the SOL Liberty.(11) Strath Haven 11, (6) Penncrest 7Semifinals: May 22(3) Upper Perkiomen 10, (7) Springfield-Delco 3Tuesday, May 26(5) WC Rustin 9, (8) WC East 6Championship: Wednesday, May 27(3) Upper Perkiomen 5, (8) WC East 2Class 4A: One to statesChampionship: May 22(1) Holy Ghost Prep 8, (2) Pope John Paul II 0: The Firebirds are headed to states as district champions for the second time in three years. Senior Mat Riendeau went the first 6⅔ innings, allowing one hit, walking six and striking out six, and junior Chris Schnauffer picked up the final out at Plymouth Township. Seniors Eddie Rosado (double) and Tyler Bergkoetter each had two hits and an RBI, while seniors Jake Keaser and Matt Evans provided triples and RBIs for Holy Ghost (13-9). PJP was the district champ a year ago. ... HGP won the 2024 state title with a stellar group of sophomores that are now seniors.Semifinals: May 19(1) Holy Ghost Prep 8, (4) Springfield-Montco 1: Senior Tyler Bergkoetter (two hits) contributed an inside-the-park grand slam to pace the Firebirds (12-9). Senior Eddie Rosado added a solo home run and double, while senior Matt Baker (triple) provided three hits and an RBI. Senior Bam McNabb tossed a three-hit complete game, allowing no earned runs, walking one and striking out eight as HGP won for the fifth time in six games.(2) Pope John Paul II 8, (3) Interboro 1District 1/11 Class 3A: One to statesChampionship: Thursday, May 28Notre Dame Green Pond (11-1)8, Bristol (1-1) 4: The Warriors went 10-2 in the BAL, falling only to defending 2A state champ Faith Christian and Class A district champion Dock Mennonite.Class 2A: One to statesChampionship: Tuesday, May 26(1) Faith Christian 8, (3) New Hope-Solebury 4: Senior Brandon Labs had a two-run homer in the first inning and pitched the first two frames for Faith at Plymouth Township. Senior Noah Wilson went the final five innings on the mound and contributed a two-run triple in Faith's six-run fourth inning. Junior Jagger Verbit contributed two hits as Faith won its third straight district title. For New Hope, sophomore Anthony Whelan and junior JT Bach handled the pitching duties, with Whelan providing two hits. ... Faith went 11-1 in the BAL. New Hope finished 10-5 in the SOL Freedom after ending up 3-12 in 2025.Semifinals: Tuesday, May 19(1) Faith Christian11,(4) Calvary Christian 1 (5 innings): Senior Noah Wilson led Faith with a complete game, striking out six, and also had a two-run homer and double. Senior Morgan Harp went 3 for 3 with two RBIs.(3) New Hope-Solebury 12, (2) Delco Christian 6(9 innings): The Lions prevailed Wednesday in the resumption of a game suspended Tuesday tied 6-6 in the ninth. Senior Joe Rickard (3 for 5) had an RBI single to begin Wednesday, with junior Blake McCagg hitting a two-run single after sophomore Gavin Caponegro (two hits) contributed a double. Sophomore Lucas Kevorkian added a two-run triple. McCagg picked up the win in relief after junior JT Bach threw four solid innings.Class A: One to statesChampionship: May 22(1) Dock Mennonite 4, (2) Plumstead Christian 0: Senior Riley Kling tossed a six-hit shutout, striking out nine as Dock repeated as district champion at Plymouth Township. Junior Ethan Kratz went 3 for 3 with three runs scored, while freshman Mason Bicht (home run, three RBIs) and junior Drew Bradica (one RBI) were each 2 for 3. For the Panthers, senior Declan Glass (1 for 3 at the plate) went the distance, allowing two earned runs and striking out 10. Freshman Levi Kobithen contributed two hits. ... The Pioneers, who downed Plumstead 3-0 during the regular season, finished 10-2 in the BAL and the Panthers went 9-3.Semifinals: May 19(1) Dock Mennonite 15, (4) Church Farm 1: The Pioneers rolled behind sophomore Garrett Adams, who went 2 for 2 with a homer and three RBIs, in addition to throwing three innings of one-run ball. Junior Andrew Bradica and senior Riley Kling were each 2 for 2 with two RBIs and junior Ethan Kratz also finished 2 for 2. ... Dock (10-2 in the BAL) defeated CFS 21-0 during the BAL regular season.(2) Plumstead Christian 13, (3) Jenkintown 7: The Panthers received five RBIs and two hits, including a double, from junior Asher Franklin. Senior Declan Glass had a double and scored three runs, with senior Micah Kulp also contributing three runs. Plumstead topped Jenkintown 7-1 in the regular season.District 12 6A Tournament: One to statesChampionship: Tuesday, May 26La Salle (PCL 1) 10, Central (PL 1) 0 (6 innings): The Explorers rolled to victory to earn the district championship. Junior Alex Hisem excelled as the starting pitcher, striking out nine, allowing one hit and one walk in the first four innings. Junior Grant Budurka tossed two hitless, walkless innings with three strikeouts. Senior Brycen Clarke had two hits and two RBIs, with junior Kaden Cortez contributing two RBIs for La Salle, which won the Philadelphia Catholic League title game with a 7-6 victory over Conwell-Egan after finishing 11-1 in the PCL regular season.PAISAA TournamentChampionship: Wednesday, May 27(1) Malvern Prep 2, (3) Germantown Academy 0: The Patriots were no-hit by two Malvern pitchers. Patriots senior Sean McGettigan went the distance, allowing three hits, five walks and striking out three. GA went 6-4 in the Inter-Academic League regular season and finished tied for second, losing twice to Malvern Prep (8-2, 5-1).Semifinals: May 22(3) Germantown Academy 5, (2) Shipley 0: Junior Thatcher Brown tossed a complete game, two-hit shutout with two walks and eight strikeouts for GA, which advanced to the title game for the first time since 2010. Senior Lucas Albert went 4 for 4 with a home run, triple, and three RBIs. Sophomore Cooper Wilson (double) added two hits and two RBIs. Shipley edged No. 7 Penn Charter 6-5 in the quarterfinals.(1) Malvern Prep 10, (5) Haverford School 0Quarterfinals: May 19(3) Germantown Academy 7,(6)Perkiomen School2: Senior Sean McGettigan tossed a complete game six-hitter, walking none and striking out nine to surpass 200 career strikeouts. Junior Rylan Jarmon had two hits and three RBIs for the Patriots, with senior Lucas Albert, junior Charlie Wetzel (double) and senior George Petrellis contributing two hits apiece. Sophomore Cooper Wilson added a triple and RBI, and junior Alex Myers provided a hit and RBI.This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: PA High School Baseball District One Championship Bucks County PIAA

May 28—FRANKLIN — Middletown Christian Schools stayed in-house with its search for a new boys basketball coach, promoting assistant athletic director and varsity assistant Jarred Jermacans to lead the Eagles program following the departure of Ryan Fairchild after the 2025-26 season.Jermacans spent the past year on Middletown Christian's varsity coaching staff while also serving full-time in the school's athletic department, giving him daily interaction with the Eagles' student-athletes and positioning him as a familiar presence within the program.School officials said Jermacans' background in Christian education, player development and mentorship made him a natural fit to continue building the program's culture both on and off the court."We are excited for the passion, leadership, and experience he will bring to our program," Middletown Christian athletic director Christian Vanover said in a statement. "His background in Christian school basketball, both as a player and a coach, gives him a strong understanding of how to lead young men both on and off the court. I have no doubt he will guide our boys the right way while continuing to push our program toward success every step of the way."Jermacans replaces Fairchild, who left Middletown Christian to become the head boys coach at Madison.The transition offered continuity for the Eagles, who already had an established relationship with Jermacans through his role as varsity assistant and assistant athletic director."A lot of my coaching philosophy is relationship-based coaching," Jermacans said. "I firmly believe if you have a positive reinforcing relationship with the student-athletes, obviously within basketball but also caring for them in their faith journey and academically and just caring for them on a day-to-day basis, it makes a huge difference."Jermacans said being inside the school building every day has helped him build trust with players beyond basketball."Being the assistant athletic director, I have a unique opportunity to know these students more," Jermacans said. "When you have that relationship, it's easier for them to be coachable. They can take critique a little bit better, and we can have tougher conversations together about things they need to improve on."Originally from Berks County, Pennsylvania, Jermacans graduated from Berks Christian School, where he later began his coaching career. He played varsity basketball there before receiving an opportunity to continue his playing career at the University of Valley Forge.After deciding to pursue coaching and mentorship opportunities, Jermacans returned to his alma mater and quickly climbed the coaching ladder. He served as an eighth-grade head coach during his freshman year of college, became the junior varsity head coach and varsity assistant as a sophomore, then took over as varsity head coach during his junior year — a season complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic."It was a heck of a year to have as your first year as a varsity coach," Jermacans said. "But it was a great learning experience. I really loved learning how to build a program."Jermacans later moved to Florida, where he coached at multiple levels while also focusing heavily on player development and individual training sessions. He eventually relocated to Ohio to pursue a master's degree in sport administration at the University of Cincinnati, where he worked as a graduate assistant in the school's club sports department.Last season marked his first year coaching high school basketball in Ohio.Jermacans said his basketball philosophy centers around developing players who can think and react rather than simply follow scripted actions."A big part of my philosophy is not wanting to build robots, but build basketball players," Jermacans said. "A lot of our offensive philosophy is conceptual basketball and teaching players how to read the game and understand what the defense is giving them."Defensively, Jermacans wants the Eagles to establish an aggressive identity."We like to get after it," Jermacans said. "Diving on the floor for loose balls, pressuring teams when we can and making the other team feel us. Hopefully our defense creates most of our offense."Jermacans said continuity will also extend to the coaching staff. Varsity assistant Eric Gwinn and junior varsity coach Alan Holtrey are both expected to return, while the Eagles continue searching for another assistant coach.School officials said the program's emphasis moving forward will remain centered on faith, accountability, player development and preparing student-athletes spiritually, academically and athletically.

Sean O'Malley is well aware that his fight at the White House could be affected by weather conditions, but he isn't letting that affect his preparation.Former UFC bantamweight champ O'Malley (19-3 MMA, 11-3 UFC) meets Aiemann Zahabi at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14, filling out the card at the most unique venue in MMA history. The fights will take place on the South Lawn of the White House, putting the octagon outdoors and introducing an unknown variable.UFC's longtime commentator Joe Rogan recently expressed concerns about not only the weather conditions, but the weather being a factor in championship-level fights, of which there are two on the card. O'Malley vs. Zahabi (14-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) isn't for a title, but it is a significant contender fight in which the winner's next fight could be for the division's championship."I just don't think you should compete in a world championship fight in a non-controlled environment," Rogan said on the "JRE MMA Show." "It should be inside an air-conditioned arena. ... Imagine if someone loses a fight because it's too hot outside."O'Malley was asked by MMA Junkie if he is worried about the elements being a factor in his fight, and in typical fighter fashion, he's simply prepared to roll with the punches."It's at the White House, so you gotta deal with whatever you gotta deal with," O'Malley told MMA Junkie. "That would suck to lose because of a reason outside of your skillset. May the best man win. If something plays a role because it's outside and it affects the fight somehow, that would suck. "It's unfortunate, but none of us signed the contract thinking it was inside, you know what I mean? We all know it's outside. We all know what we're getting into. Maybe not to an extent, we don't know what all is gonna happen, but we all know it's gonna be outside and we're gonna have to possibly deal with stuff. We all signed it."According to The Weather Channel's current projected forecast, the temperature on fight night day will range from 67-85 degrees. At the time of writing, the precipitation forecast is unavailable; however, thunderstorms are common in the Washington DC area during the summer months. As long as the conditions are tolerable, O'Malley will simply be focused on beating Zahabi by implementing his game, as he eyes another bantamweight title opportunity with a win."If the weather's not crazy, it's gonna come down to who's better," O'Malley said. "Who's more skilled, who's more prepared, and I think that's what it's gonna come down to with all these fights. So, I'm not too worried about all these weather conditions, and we're gonna have to adapt to it if it is messed up weather."This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Sean O'Malley addresses weather concerns for UFC Freedom 250

Golden Tempo became the 118th Kentucky-bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby on May 2, 2026Coady photography The Kentucky Derby and the Triple Crown races shine the spotlight on Thoroughbred racing every Spring. Of course, there is way more to the sport than these three races. A deeper look into the commitment to horse racing within the State of Kentucky speaks volumes as to why the Commonwealth is leading the race for the sport of kings in the 21st century. Thoroughbred Breeding Industry The Backbone For Success In Kentucky.Thoroughbred breeding in the state of Kentucky has always ranked among the highest in the world in both quality and quantity. In the rolling hills of the Commonwealth are some of the finest horse farms known to man. On these farms, champions are born and raised. The Kentucky Derby normally plays host to the best three-year-old horses in the world and as an example, of the 152 winners, 117 of them were bred within the state. In 2025, 69% of all grade 1 race winners in North America were Kentucky born. Currently the leading exporter of Thoroughbreds in the world, Kentucky has long been dedicated to producing the finest race horses on earth. “We have always had a focus on breeding,” says Chauncey Morris, executive director of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association. “Kentucky has always been a breeding state and we have maintained a focus on that aspect. A very strong emphasis on our broodmare (mother) population has allowed us to produce winners all over the world. The races run throughout the year for the females within the state are very important as we develop fillies and mares. Yes, the stallions (father) that stand are a big part, but we also understand the other part of the equation is having a good mother. We take great pride in sending our product all over the world as we have never wanted a captive product as far as breeding is concerned.”Keeneland is home to the world's largest Thoroughbred auction house in the worldLisa Brewer The movement of these fine Kentucky-bred horses throughout the country and the world is partly possible because of the Keeneland Sales. Located in Versailles, Kentucky, Keeneland serves as the largest Thoroughbred auction house in the world. In existence as a sales facility since 1938, business is booming as 2025 was a record year that saw a sales total of $836 million. “Our horsepower in Kentucky is about way more than just the equine aspect,” says Morris, who first got into the Thoroughbred business in 2002 as an exporter of Kentucky bloodstock to other countries. “Our human capital is equally strong as we have a tremendously dedicated group of people committed to doing this business better than anyone in the world.” Commitment to the Kentucky Racing Product Has Elevated The Game Kentucky has climbed the ladder in recent years as far as racing significance is concerned. As a sport that is contested year-round, there are many racing venues across the country. New York, California, Florida, Louisiana, and Arkansas are states where a lot of the major action takes place. In the past five or so years, the Bluegrass state has become the place to run. Churchill Downs and Keeneland have long been destination spots for horsemen and fans, but now other venues like Ellis Park, Turfway Park, and Kentucky Downs are luring in Thoroughbred teams and the people who follow the game. The two biggest factors in this racing renaissance have been money and cooperation. The dollar has absolutely driven the sport into the fast lane towards success in Kentucky. Historical horse racing gaming machines were introduced at Kentucky Downs in 2011 and this hybrid slot machine has been a major plus for Kentucky racing. Using a revenue-sharing plan, the gaming machines lit the fuse and Kentucky Downs and others have witnessed the explosion. In 2025, this European-style track located just north of the Tennessee state line featured seven race dates with purse money totaling at just over $40 million. Those numbers equal the highest per race payouts to horsemen of any track in the United States. As is the case with any sport, show’em the money and they will come. The races at Kentucky Downs usually feature full fields and facility improvements have made it a September destination spot for folks from all over the world.Kentucky Downs has infused millions of dollars into the entire state and the Thoroughbred racing gameDanny Brewer “It has been amazing to see the evolution of Kentucky Downs”, says Ted Nicholson, vice president of racing at Kentucky Downs since 2014. “We have enjoyed a lot of success and that has allowed us to offer up some big race purses while at the same time continue to improve our facilities for the horsemen and the fans.” Because the increased revenue has been so tremendous and all the tracks are willing to cooperate, the entire state has benefitted. Purse money at Kentucky Downs is like a Luis Vutton store, but all the other tracks have also seen huge increases in the money offered. As was previously established, the horsemen will follow the money and in recent years the field sizes for all races at the Kentucky tracks have increased significantly. Attendance has increased as well as over $1 billion has been invested in facility improvements across the state and more fans naturally equals a higher betting handle as well. “It has been a great situation for us at Kentucky Downs and we are thrilled to be able to help the Thoroughbred racing business thrive within the state,” says Nicholson. “I think we have been able to share $35 million with Ellis Park alone. We want Kentucky-based horsemen to be able to run here year-round and take great pride in helping the industry.”“Kentucky Downs is a great example of how team work makes our dream work here in Kentucky,” adds Chauncey Morris. “People from different tracks are colleagues, not adversaries. Thoroughbred Racing Success Is A Key to The State Of The State The state of Kentucky has many things to offer besides just the Thoroughbred business, but those looking after the Commonwealth understand the importance. Making for friendly conditions and a conducive business environment are very important for a $6.5 billion industry that produces 60,000 jobs. “Thoroughbred racing is kind of who we are here in Kentucky,” says David Osborne, speaker of the Kentucky state house of representatives since 2019 and a native of Kentucky. “The economic impact for us is immeasurable, but how the sport affects us is way beyond economic.” Thoroughbred racing has become a very important part of the state in many ways. Partnership with the government in helping provide disaster relief withing the state’s borders and offering aid to communities in need are just some of the charitable aspects present. The ability to thrive is of course a key to being able to extend that helping hand and that is understood by the state government. “It is incredibly important for the Thoroughbred industry and our government to work together,” says Osborne. “We have a proud history of horse racing within our state, but it is important to not take it for granted. It is a great source of pride for us to be leaders in the sport and we want to do the things necessary to ensure we continue to be in that position.” This article was originally published on Forbes.com

MADISON – Another piece of the Wisconsin basketball team’s non-conference schedule came to light May 28.According to a report by Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports, the Badgers will play in the Baha Mar Hoops Championship in Nassau, Bahamas. Rothstein wrote that North Carolina State and Seton Hall will also be in the field and that the fourth team has not been determined.The dates of this year’s tournament have not been announced, but the event is usually held in November the week before Thanksgiving.Add that contest to the previously known games on the Badgers’ 2026-27 schedule. Here is what we know about the Badgers' schedule so far.Dec. 5 at Marquette (Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee)Dec. 19 vs. Auburn (Bridgestone Arena in Nashville)TBD vs. Villanova (near Villanova’s campus)Big Ten games only at home: Indiana, Michigan, Nebraska, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue, WashingtonBig Ten games only on the road: Maryland, Michigan State, Northwestern, Ohio State, Rutgers, UCLA, USCBig Ten two-play opponents (both home and away): Minnesota, Iowa, IllinoisMore: What we know about Wisconsin basketball’s 2026-27 schedule (so far)This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin will reportedly play in basketball tournament in Bahamas

Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn ImagesAs college sports face numerous existential crises to try to map out a coherent path forward, the SEC is already signaling their opposition to one idea floated as a potential problem solver.There has not been much agreement throughout the past several months as power brokers across college sports and the government have failed to gain any traction at all. Donald Trump’s summits and executive orders have accomplished nothing. And the SEC and the Big Ten have been at loggerheads over expanding the College Football Playoff to 24 teams and what to do about conference championship games.However, this week showed the signs of real progress. Senate Commerce Committee leaders Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell presented a bipartisan bill that drafted an outline for the future of college sports. Its reforms included a one-time transfer rule, five years of eligibility, limits on coaching moves in-season, antitrust protection for schools, and protections for athletes. It also would adjust the Sports Broadcasting Act to allow conferences to pool their media rights together in what would be a landmark shift for the sport.And that’s where the SEC is already crying foul.As the conference’s spring meetings wrapped up in Florida, the chancellors and presidents of the SEC member institutions released a joint statement opposing any pooling of media rights and remaining in control of their own destiny.“The Southeastern Conference recognizes and appreciates the many ongoing discussions regarding potential system-wide improvements to ensure the future success of college athletics. The SEC has been intentional, through years of thoughtful planning and decision-making, in strategically positioning itself for future media negotiations. The Conference must retain the ability to act in the best interests of its membership. As such, the SEC does not support assigning its media rights to a third party and remains firmly committed to independently conducting its media negotiations.”The idea of pooling media rights has been kicked around by the likes of Texas Tech booster Cody Campbell as a way to modernize the sport, increase revenues, and bring long-term stability.But somewhat predictably, the SEC and Big Ten are opposed to the idea. The reasons why are purely economical, they have the most to lose. It would be like asking the Los Angeles Dodgers to pool the money they spend on salary with the Cincinnati Reds. The television revenue earned by the Power 2 far surpasses what any other conference is able to return. Pooling rights through a new joint venture would dilute not just the income of the Big Ten and SEC, but their power. The two conferences already control the College Football Playoff. By submitting to a new joint model, their dominance over the sport would effectively cease to exist.The first rumblings have started to come from SEC country that they are content to break away from the rest of the NCAA if they feel like they have no other choice. And the longer we go without finding a middle ground, the more that actually becomes a possibility.The post SEC firmly opposes pooling college media rights appeared first on Awful Announcing.

The Brooklyn Nets are currently in the early stages of their rebuild as they're hoping to get back to competing for a playoff spot sooner rather than later after what has happened over the past few years. Brooklyn drew some bad luck in the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery when they fell to the No. 6 pick, but it looks like they'll have to make the most of that selection."The NBA Board of Governors today approved a new NBA Draft Lottery system designed to eliminate incentives for teams to prioritize their position in the Draft over winning games," the NBA said in a statement about the league's Board of Governors approving the new "3-2-1" format. While the approval of the measure has been expected for some time now, the Nets will have to worry about this in the near future."The “3-2-1 Lottery” expands the lottery from 14 to 16 teams and flattens odds among teams that do not qualify for the NBA Playoffs or NBA Play-In Tournament. The new system will take effect beginning with the 2027 NBA Draft," the NBA continued in the statement. As part of the NBA's release, the main portions of the new anti-tanking measure were explained for all fans to see.To recap, the new rule will begin with the 2027 NBA Draft and essentially flattens the odds to the point that the worst teams in the league will have the same chance of getting the No. 1 overall pick as teams that were in the play-in tournament. The three worst teams will each have a 5.4% chance of getting the No. 1 pick while the seven other non-play-in teams (i.e. the relegation zone) each have a 8.1% chance of getting the same result.The Nets already have their pick for the 2026 NBA Draft in June and they owe their 2027 first-round pick to the Houston Rockets, but this new era of the Lottery will affect them soon enough. Brooklyn will have their own first-round pick in the 2028 NBA Draft and if they are still rebuilding by then, they will have to worry about being bad enough, but not being among the worst if the draft is going to work in their favor.The NBA Board of Governors today approved a new NBA Draft Lottery system designed to eliminate incentives for teams to prioritize their position in the Draft over winning games.Full release: https://t.co/I42k5HeUV0Additional information regarding the new system, including the… pic.twitter.com/o1QItNPIit— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 28, 2026This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: NBA approves "3-2-1" Lottery that could affect Nets rebuild in 2028

🚨 Official: Coudet banned after his sending-off in the finalEduardo Coudet received the Disciplinary Committee’s ruling this Thursday for his actions in River’s final against Belgrano, where he ended up being sent off. According to reports, the coach received a two-match suspension and a financial fine, so he will not be present for the Millonarios’ first two matches in the Clausura tournament. Falcón Pérez’s report indicates that Coudet allegedly called him “a disgrace, you’re a thief” after entering the field following the opponent’s third goal. This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

On Thursday night, the Alabama Crimson Tide opened play at the 2026 Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City against the No. 8 overall seeded UCLA Bruins.A game that was among the most anticipated of Thursday's slate, Alabama-UCLA certainly delivered on the hype it received going in, with the Crimson Tide eventually winning following a late comeback, 6-3.In the win, Alabama originally claimed an early lead following a Marlie Giles RBI single in the first, but saw UCLA take a lead in the third following back-to-back home runs. The Bruins would remain in control of the lead through the fifth inning until Alexis Pupillo tied the game for Alabama, doing so with a two-run home run.Alabama later eventually claimed the lead once more in the sixth inning via a three-run home run from Brooke Wells, a decisive swing which secured the win for the Crimson Tide.In addition to Wells and Pupillo, both of Jena Young and Audrey Vandagriff impressed offensively by combining for five hits, while Jocelyn Briski went the distance in the circle. Briski recorded nine strikeouts, and made essentially only two mistakes via the home runs.Here is a look at how social media reacted Thursday night following the Crimson Tide's comeback win vs. UCLA.Alabama opens play in OKC with a three-run win over UCLA!The Crimson Tide will play the winner of tonight's Arkansas vs. Nebraska game Saturday at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN#Team30#RollTide#WCWSpic.twitter.com/7bWOa2DvUw— Alabama Softball (@AlabamaSB) May 29, 2026THE TIDE KEEP ROLLIN' 🐘(1) @AlabamaSB gets the 6-3 win over (2) UCLA!#WCWSpic.twitter.com/0C8tdxTakh— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) May 29, 2026BROOKE WELLS IS ALIVE AND WELL‼️Her 3-run HR gives @AlabamaSB the lead 🔥 pic.twitter.com/brqvHLN3hU— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) May 29, 2026FINAL SCORE: Alabama 6, UCLA 3@AlabamaSB wins Game 3 of the #WCWS. pic.twitter.com/Lpn9NsQzJd— D1Softball (@D1Softball) May 29, 2026ALEXIS PUPILLO TWO-RUN HR 🔥The Tide tie it in the fifth 😤 pic.twitter.com/uiSmncpE40— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) May 29, 2026BAMA GETS THE DUB AGAINST UCLA IN OKC‼️ @AlabamaSBpic.twitter.com/iqpLb9vp5J— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) May 29, 2026Made for the Moment!#RollTide | @AlabamaSBpic.twitter.com/mBO4pkw3tC— Alabama Athletics (@UA_Athletics) May 29, 2026Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion.This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Alabama softball reactions to UCLA win in Women's College World Series

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Brooke Wells hit a go-ahead three-run homer in the sixth inning and top-seeded Alabama rallied to beat UCLA 6-3 on Thursday night in the opening round of the Women's College World Series.Alabama (55-7) will play Saturday against the winner of the nightcap between No. 4 seed Nebraska and fifth-seeded Arkansas. No. 8 seed UCLA (52-9) will play an elimination game against the loser on Friday.Kristen White and Jena Young had one-out singles off UCLA starter Taylor Tinsley before Wells homered for the 24th time to break a 3-3 tie.Young and Wells, who broke out of a 3-for-18 postseason slump, had singles leading off the first and Marlie Giles’ two-out base hit gave Alabama a 1-0 lead.Megan Grant clubbed her NCAA-record 41st home run this season following a two-run shot by Rylee Slimp off Jocelyn Briski and UCLA grabbed a 3-1 lead in the third.Grant tied Stacey Nuveman’s school record with the 90th of her career. She extended UCLA’s NCAA record to 202 homers on the season. It was the Bruins 47th multi-homer inning.Young, who went 3 for 3, also drew a leadoff walk in the fourth and scored on Alexis Pupillo’s 20th homer to tie it 3-3. Pupillo and Wells gave the Crimson Tide two 20-plus home run hitters for the first time in school history.Briski (24-3) entered with a 17-inning scoreless run in the postseason. She retired the first seven UCLA hitters, which hadn't happened in any game this season. Briski allowed three runs on six hits with nine strikeouts.Tinsley (32-7) surrendered six runs on 10 hits and became the first Bruin to make 16 straight starts on the mound since Rachel Garcia in 2018.UCLA lost for first time in 42 games this season when leading after four innings. The Bruins averaged 10.9 runs per game, nearly 1 1/2 more than any of the other seven remaining teams.__AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The ribbon-cutting ceremony to formally open the joint training facility shared by the WNBA's Portland Fire and the NWSL's Portland Thorns is set for Aug. 22. It is the nation's first performance center shared by pair of professional women’s teams in different sports. The $150 million campus sits on a repurposed facility formally owned by Nike on 12 acres west of Portland. Both the Fire and the Thorns are owned and operated by Raj Sports, led by Lisa Bhathal Merage and Alex Bhathal. The opening of the Kaiser Permanente Performance Center will be part of a celebration of women's sports dubbed Epicenter Week, presented by Raj Sports and Nike, to run Aug. 19-23. Included in the program will be the second Women's Global Sport Summit held at Nike's Beaverton headquarters on Aug. 20. Last year's summit included panels with South Carolina coach Dawn Staley and New York City Marathon winner Shalane Flanagan, and other executives and leaders in women's sports.“As women’s sports continues its global rise, there is an increasing need for collaboration, shared learning, and aligned leadership across the industry," said Karina LeBlanc, executive vice president of strategic growth for RAJ Sports. "Epicenter Week builds on Portland’s longstanding foundation by bringing together global leaders across sport, business, media, and culture to explore how women’s sports can continue to grow with greater collaboration, innovation, and long-term impact.”The Thorns currently train and play their matches at downtown Portland’s Providence Park. The expansion Fire currently practice at Portland State University. Amenities of the new performance center include locker rooms and lounges for both teams, two soccer fields and an additional outdoor training area, a gym that will include two basketball courts, strength training, conditioning and rehab areas, film theaters, a dining room and team offices.___AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

May 25, 2026; Paris, France; Ben Shelton of the United States celebrates winning his first round match against Daniel Merida of Spain (not pictured) on day two at Stade Roland Garros. © Susan Mullane-Imagn ImagesMajor upsets continued to shake up the 2026 French Open as No. 5 seed Ben Shelton suffered an unexpected loss in the second round, following world No. 1 Jannik Sinner out of the tournament. His opponent, Raphael Collignon, was overcome with emotion after the stunning victory and later revealed the reason behind his heartfelt reaction.Raphael Collignon Explains Emotional Reaction to Shocking Ben Shelton UpsetDespite entering the second-round showdown as the underdog, Collignon produced a commanding display to secure a 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 victory over Shelton. The world No. 62 committed just 13 unforced errors while striking 30 winners, notching up the first top-5 win of his career.The magnitude of the moment overwhelmed the Belgian, who cried tears of joy before his post-match interview. Collignon’s emotional state prompted the crowd to loudly show their support as he tried to regain his composure.Speaking to Caroline Garcia once he had collected himself, Collignon explained that his emotional reaction stemmed from achieving his lifelong dream of competing at Roland Garros and earning such a memorable win in front of his loved ones.“It was incredible [atmosphere]. It’s very emotional because being Belgian, I used to come here to Roland Garros quite regularly. So, just being able to play on this court was a dream. And then to win in front of my loved ones, in front of my family, it’s incredible,” he said.MORE:“Cannot Believe” – Jannik Sinner Stuns Tennis World With “Sad” French Open Exit After Physical CollapseThe Belgian also shed light on his plans for Friday, May 29, saying he would turn his attention to his second-round doubles clash with partner Zizou Bergs and enjoy a relaxing day before his third-round encounter on Saturday.“Well, I have a doubles match with Zizou who’s here too. So, yeah, try to take good care of myself, try not to stay up too late, and then have fun playing doubles tomorrow and prepare well for Saturday’s match. So, it’s going to be pretty relaxed tomorrow. We’re going to have a good time and I hope to be ready for Saturday,” he added.With Shelton joining Jannik Sinner, Daniil Medvedev, and Alexander Bublik in crashing out of the clay-court Major, No. 4 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime and No. 10 seed Flavio Cobolli are now the only top-10 players remaining in the top half of the draw.MORE: “Definitely Helps Us” – Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, and Tommy Paul Explain French Open Advantage for AmericansUp next, Raphael Collignon will lock horns with Matteo Arnaldi, who defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 in the second round. If he triumphs in their third-round encounter, the Belgian will face either Frances Tiafoe or Jaime Faria in the round of 16.Meanwhile, Ben Shelton will look to bounce back stronger during the upcoming grass-court swing. The American is scheduled to compete at the Boss Open in the lead-up to Wimbledon, joining Alexander Zverev, Taylor Fritz, and Tommy Paul on the entry list for the ATP 250 event in Stuttgart.

Looking for finals results? Tap here for updates and recap from finals Saturday at the IHSA boys state track meet.The Illinois High School Association boys track and field state finals preliminaries have wrapped up Day 1 at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.The Class 1A prelims were Thursday, May 28, and the Class 2A and 3A prelims are Friday, May 27 with the top performers advancing to finals Saturday, May 30.Below are top qualifiers in each event across all three classes, plus every Peoria-area boys who advanced to finals in each event.Who's at state?A list of every Peoria-area boys athlete who qualified for the state finals2026 IHSA boys track and field state finals prelim resultsDiscus1A:Top seed — Graham Meister, Dwight, 131-2 (51.10 meters). Local qualifiers — 2 Harlin Toillion, El Paso-Gridley, 159-5 (48.61 meters).2A:Top seed — This event takes place on Friday, May 29.3A:Top seed — This event takes place on Friday, May 29.High jump1A:Top seed — 20 tied at 6-2. Local qualifiers — Nick Glisson, Illini Central/Delavan, 6-2; Mayson Renteria, Illini West, 6-2; Parker Tinkham, Monmouth United, 6-2; Jayvion Maxon, El Paso-Gridley, 6-2; Tysean Pullens, Knoxville, 6-2.2A:Top seed — This event takes place on Friday, May 29.3A:Top seed — This event takes place on Friday, May 29.Long jump1A:Top seed — Landyn Mitchell, Centralia Christ Our Rock, 23-3.5 (7.10 meters). Local qualifiers — 8 Carter Fretueg (Rushville-Industry, 22-3 (6.78 meters).2A:Top seed — This event takes place on Friday, May 29.3A:Top seed — This event takes place on Friday, May 29.Pole vault1A:Top seeds — 12 tied at 12-11.5 (3.95 meters). Local qualifiers — Riley Foglesong, South Fulton, 12-11.5; Brody Brush, Rushville-Industry, 12-11.5; Jude Eveland, Rushville-Industry, 12-11.5.2A:Top seed — This event takes place on Friday, May 29.3A:Top seed — This event takes place on Friday, May 29.Shot put1A:Top seed — Graham Meister, Dwight, 65-2.75 (19.88 meters). Local qualifiers — 9 Alex Rodriguez, Putnam County, 51-10.5.2A:Top seed — This event takes place on Friday, May 29.3A:Top seed — This event takes place on Friday, May 29.Triple jump1A:Top seed — Dawveed Holland, Crete Illinois Lutheran, 48-4 (14.73 meters). Local qualifiers — 3 Ian Escapa, Rushville-Industry, 46-6; Micheal Beckett, Fieldcrest, 44-5.5.2A:Top seed — This event takes place on Friday, May 29.3A:Top seed — This event takes place on Friday, May 29.100-meter dash1A:Top seed — Braden Gibson, El Paso-Gridley, 10.61. Local qualifier — 7 Taven Ostrander, ROWVA/Williamsfield, 10.77.2A:Top seed — This event takes place on Friday, May 29.3A:Top seed — This event takes place on Friday, May 29.200-meter dash1A:Top seed — Brady Anderson, Morrison, 21.10. Local qualifiers — 4 Taven Ostrander, R/W, 21.39.2A:Top seed — This event takes place on Friday, May 29.3A:Top seed — This event takes place on Friday, May 29.400-meter dash1A:Top seed — Evan Landers-Kristensen, Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley, 48.47. Local qualifier — 6 Nick Glisson, Illini Central/Delavan, 50.32. 2A:Top seed — This event takes place on Friday, May 29.3A:Top seed — This event takes place on Friday, May 29.800-meter run1A:Top seed — Coriell Green, IC/D, 1:54.88. Local qualifiers — 4 Darwin Herman, Elmwood/Brimfield, 1:57.76; 10 Jacob Bosch, Princeville, 1:59.18; 11 Everett Henderson, Tremont, 1:59.25.2A:Top seed — This event takes place on Friday, May 29.3A:Top seed — This event takes place on Friday, May 29.1600-meter run1A:Top seed — Chaz Oberkfell, Gillespie, 4:23.69. Local qualifiers — 2 Evan Knobloch, Stark County, 4:24.62; 6 Aiden Faulkner, E/B, 4:27.35; 12 Weston Hodel, El Paso-Gridley, 4:32.93.2A:Top seed — This event takes place on Friday, May 29.3A:Top seed — This event takes place on Friday, May 29.3200-meter run1A:Top seed — Evan Knobloch, SC, 9:32.76. Local qualifiers — 2 Aiden Faulkner, E/B, 9:42.85; 6 Weston Hodel, EP-G, 9:49.60; 9 Drew Cooper, EP-G, 9:52.47; 11 Danny Sharp, E/B, 9:52.68; 15 Hunter Keyster, Princeville, 9:56.09; 17 Peter Stoltz, IB, 9:57.77; 20 Caleb Scheirer, Lowpoint-Washburn/Roanoke-Benson, 9:59.39.2A:Top seed — This event takes place on Friday, May 29.3A:Top seed — This event takes place on Friday, May 29.110-meter hurdles1A:Top seed — Landyn Mitchell, Centralia Christ Our Rock, 14.25. Local qualifier — 2 Trae Brickner, Peoria Christian, 14.56.2A:Top seed — This event takes place on Friday, May 29.3A:Top seed — This event takes place on Friday, May 29.300-meter hurdles1A:Top seed — Trae Brickner, PCS, 38.43. Local qualifiers — 7 Emerson Ponce, R/W, 40.37.2A:Top seed — This event takes place on Friday, May 29.3A:Top seed — This event takes place on Friday, May 29.4x100 relay1A:Top seed — Morrison, 42.25. Local qualifiers — 8 El Paso-Gridley, 43.20.2A:Top seed — This event takes place on Friday, May 29.3A:Top seed — This event takes place on Friday, May 29.4x200 relay1A:Top seed — Morrison, 1:26.47. Local qualifiers — None.2A:Top seed — This event takes place on Friday, May 29.3A:Top seed — This event takes place on Friday, May 29.4x400 relay1A:Top seed — Auburn, 3:22.39. Local qualifiers — 4 Princeville, 3:26.96; 7 Illini Bluffs, 3:27.62.2A:Top seed — This event takes place on Friday, May 29.3A:Top seed — This event takes place on Friday, May 29.4x800 relay1A:Top seed — Rockford Christian, 8:03.02. Local qualifiers — 2 Illini Bluffs, 8:05.54; 5 Elmwood/Brimfield 8:05.54; 7 El Paso-Gridley, 8:13.29; 8 IC/D, 8:14.39.2A:Top seed — This event takes place on Friday, May 29.3A:Top seed — This event takes place on Friday, May 29.This article originally appeared on Journal Star: IHSA state track meet: 2026 preliminary results for Peoria athletes

Arkansas vs. Nebraska softball box score: Live stats from Women's College World Series game originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Arkansas Razorbacks softball team opens Women’s College World Series play Thursday night against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Devon Park in Oklahoma City. First pitch set for 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.The fifth-seeded Razorbacks are making their first WCWS appearance after a dominant NCAA Tournament run that included five straight run-rule victories. Arkansas capped off 14-5 and 10-2 wins over Duke to punch its ticket to OKC.The Razorbacks enter at 47-11 and have outscored opponents 447-153 this season. Their 26 run-rule wins set a program record.No. 4 seed Nebraska is making its eighth WCWS appearance and first since 2013. The Huskers advanced by sweeping Oklahoma State in the Lincoln Super Regional.2026 NCAA Women's College World Series 1234567RHENo. 5 Arkansas 0No. 4 NebraskaArkansas vs. Nebraska live box score Women's College World SeriesArkansas RazorbacksBatterPOSABRHRBIBBSOAVGOBP23Reagan JohnsonCF000000.320.4111Brinli BainRF000000.369.5326Ella McDowell3B000000.343.44020Tianna Bell1B000000.372.44922Dakota KennedyDP000000.378.47114Karlie Davison2B000000.368.47026Atalyia RijoSS000000.350.47246Kailey WyckoffLF000000.340.43717Kennedy MillerC000000.292.35211Robyn HerronP000000-0.0%Total000000Nebraska CornhuskersBatterPOSABRHRBIBBSOAVGOBP98Jordy FrahmP000000.416.51123Hannah CoorCF000000.331.4219Hannah CamenzindDP000000.389.4867Ava KuszakSS000000.311.38325Jesse FarrellC000000.305.35514Kacie HoffmannRF000000.354.40729Samantha Bland3B000000.310.4053Bella Bacon1B000000.333.3962Lauren Camenzind2B000000.277.33727Natalia HillLF000000.000.250Total000000How to watch: Arkansas vs. Nebraska 2026 NCAA Women's College World SeriesDate: Thursday, May 28Time: 9:36 p.m. ETTV: ESPN22026 Women's College World Series schedule. All times Eastern. May 28Game 1: Mississippi State vs Texas Tech (Noon, ESPN)Game 2: Tennessee vs Texas (2:30 p.m., ESPN)Game 3: UCLA vs Alabama (7 p.m., ESPN2)Game 4: Arkansas vs Nebraska (9:30 p.m., ESPN2)May 29Game 5: Mississippi State vs Texas (7 p.m., ESPN2)Game 6: UCLA vs Game 4 loser (9:30 p.m., ESPN2)May 30Game 7: Texas Tech vs Tennessee (3 p.m., ABC)Game 8: Alabama vs Game 4 winner (7 p.m., ESPN)May 31Game 9: Game 5 winner vs Game 7 loser (3 p.m., ABC)Game 10: Game 6 winner vs Game 8 loser (7 p.m., ESPN2)June 1Game 11: Game 7 winner vs Game 9 winner (Noon, ESPN)Game 12 (if necessary): Game 7 winner vs Game 9 winner (2:30 p.m., ESPN)Game 13: Game 8 winner vs Game 10 winner (7 p.m., ESPN2)Game 14 (if necessary): Game 8 winner vs Game 10 winner (9:30 p.m., ESPN2)June 3Finals Game 1 (8 p.m., ESPN)June 4Finals Game 2 (8 p.m., ESPN)June 5Finals Game 3, if necessary (8 p.m., ESPN)More NCAA Softball NewsMississippi State vs. Texas Tech final box score Women's College World SeriesMiss. State vs. Oklahoma box score: Final stats from NCAA Softball Super RegionalsTexas Tech vs. Florida box score: Final stats from NCAA Softball Super RegionalsTexas vs. Arizona State box score: Final stats from NCAA Softball Super Regionals

Photo provided by Matt LynchPITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates played poor defense behind Paul Skenes, and Ian Happ put the game out of reach with another home run for a 7-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park on Thursday night.Scoring PlaysTop 4th, 1-0 CHC: The Cubs (31-26) took the first lead of the game when Seiya Suzuki blooped an RBI single into shallow left field off Paul Skenes (6-5).Top 6th, 3-0 CHC: Michael Busch scored from third on an Ian Happ infield single plus a Jared Triolo throwing error at short. After Skenes left the game for Mason Montgomery, the Cubs tacked on another when Suzuki beat out a double-play ball to bring home Alex Bregman from third. Bottom 6th, 3-2 CHC: Bryan Reynolds hit his first home run since May 1, a solo shot to right field off Cubs starter Colin Rea (5-3). Later in the inning, Tyler Callihan ripped an RBI double to right-center off lefty reliever Hoby Milner to bring the Pirates (29-28) within a run.Top 8th, 6-2 CHC: Happ homered for the second straight game, this one a two-run shot off Brandan Bidois to give the Cubs some wiggle room. Later in the inning, Suzuki scored on a passed ball charged to Henry Davis. Top 9th, 7-2 CHC: Bregman hit a grounder to first baseman Spencer Horwitz, who fired home attempting to get Pete Crow-Armstrong at the plate. The throw was on time, and Crow-Armstrong was originally ruled out, but a Cuba challenge reveled he avoided the tag on the slide. Yohan Ramírez was on the mound. Key MomentsThe Pirates committed a pair of errors in the sixth inning, which led to a pair of Cubs runs. Third baseman Tyler Callihan was charged with a throwing error before shortstop Jared Triolo was one batter later. The Pirates had a late scoring chance when they were trailing by a run in the bottom of the seventh, but Caleb Thielbar struck out Oneil Cruz on a 3-2 pitch with two runners on and two outs. Player of the GameWho else but Ian Happ? The Pittsburgh-native again torched his former team, finishing 3 for 5 with a home run and two RBI. Happ has reached base safely in 41 straight games at PNC Park, which dates back to April 10, 2021. Stat to KnowThe Pirates have not won a series against the Cubs at PNC Park since winning three of four games from June 20-23, 2022. Pittsburgh had won five of its first six series against the National League Central to begin this season. Notable PerformancesPaul Skenes: 5.1 innings, four hits, three runs (one earned), three walks, 10 strikeouts, 103 pitches/62 strikesBryan Reynolds: 2 for 3, one home run, one RBI, one run, one walkTyler Callihan: 1 for 2, one double, one RBI, one walkNoteworthyPaul Skenes’ 10 strikeouts matched a season-high. He also struck out 10 against the Rockies on May 12. Tyler Callihan, who replaced Nick Gonzales in the top of the fourth inning, was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis prior to the start of the game. Gonzales left the game as a precaution due to left knee discomfort, which stemmed from Wednesday’s foul ball. His status is day-to-day. SS Konnor Griffin (right forearm soreness) was out of the starting lineup but was available off the bench. Jared Triolo started in his place.The Pirates optioned OF Esmerlyn Valdez to Indianapolis.Up NextRHP Jared Jones (right elbow surgery) will make his season debut for the Pirates against the Twins at PNC Park on Friday night. RHP Taj Bradley (5-1, 2.77 ERA) gets the ball for Minnesota. First pitch: 6:45 p.m. ET on Apple TV/93.7 The Fan. Around the NetworkPittsburgh Baseball Now:Pirates’ Jared Jones ‘Extremely Grateful to Be Back’ After Long RecoveryPittsburgh Hockey Now:Penguins Grades: 2C Began with a Bang, Now UncertaintySteelers Now:Steelers Sights & Sounds: Will Howard, Drew Allar Sling It at OTAsPittsburgh Sports Now: Pitt Men’s Basketball 2026-27 ACC Schedule AnnouncedThe post Pirates Settle for Series Split After Shaky Defense, Another Happ Homer appeared first on Pittsburgh Baseball Now.

Victor Wembanyama stats today: Spurs superstar dominant out gate in must-win Game 6 vs. Thunder originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.For the first time in his NBA career, Victor Wembanyama faced elimination from the playoffs on Thursday night. He quickly responded.With the Thunder owning a 3-2 series lead in the Western Conference Finals, and the Spurs needing a win at home to keep their season alive, Wembanyama came out of the gate with a few early 3-pointers while making his typical defensive impact.Following a fairly lackluster performance in Game 5, the Spurs star set the tone for Game 6.Here's a look at Wembanyama's updated numbers against the Thunder on Thursday night.NBA PLAYOFFS HQ:Live NBA scores | NBA playoff schedule | NBA playoff bracketVictor Wembanyama stats todayMinutes: 17Points: 22Rebounds: 6Assists: 1Blocks: 1Steals: 2FG: 9-163PT: 4-8FT: 0-0By halftime of Thursday's Game 6, Wembanyama was on pace for his second 40-point double-double of the series, the Spurs taking a 60-53 advantage into the break.If there was one area Wembanyama's impact was felt immediately, it was from 3-point range. He connected on three shots from deep in the first quarter alone — and as a team in the first half, the Spurs went 11-of-25 from 3-point range. WEMBY'S 3RD TRIPLE OF THE FIRST QUARTER!And… the Spurs Nuns love what they’re seeing 😆He leads all scorers with 11 PTS on 4-6 FGM! pic.twitter.com/HdEp80qGFx— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2026In the first half alone, Wembanyama surpassed his Game 5 points and shots totals. WHAT A START FOR WEMBY IN GAME 6 🔥Three-pointer.Block.Three-pointer.San Antonio out to the early lead in the first quarter on NBC/Peacock! pic.twitter.com/XlzLNaTIP6— NBA (@NBA) May 29, 2026MORE: Updates, highlights from Spurs vs. Thunder Game 6Victor Wembanyama WCF statsMPG: 38.8PPG: 28.2RPG: 11.8APG: 3.6SPG: 1.4BPG: 3.0FG%: 48.4%3PT%: 34.6%FT%: 91.3%Wembanyama came into Thursday fresh off arguably his worst performance of the playoffs so far. In a 13-point loss in Game 5, he managed 20 points on 15 shots, making just four of them. Of his 20 points, 12 came from the free-throw line.Otherwise, however, Wembanyama has been excellent against Oklahoma City, including his 41-point, 24-rebound Game 1 and 33-point Game 4, both of which resulted in wins.Now, he's on track for another elite performance in Game 6, needing a win to avoid elimination.Victor Wembanyama heightWembanyama's length has been on display throughout his first playoff run. He's officially listed at 7-foot-4 by the NBA, making him the tallest player in the league.

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectThe Boston Bruins know there is work to do this summer. The front office tore the roster down in March 2025, leaving a core of David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, and Jeremy Swayman, all near or in the prime of their career. Then they hired a first-time NHL head coach, and he helped to establish the culture that shaped the Bruins’ identity. Jeremy Swayman bounced back to form and is a finalist for the Vezina Trophy, and the Bruins involved some youth, giving Fraser Minten and Marat Khusnutdinov trusted full-time roles.Entering the season, the expectations were low. The Bruins proved those wrong, finishing with 100 points and a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. But once they got there, they met a Sabres team that was better, and that highlighted how much work still lies ahead of the front office this summer. Cam Neely pointed out the lack of a true number-one center during the end-of-season press conference. The words “speed” and “skill” were echoed throughout the presser, showing what Don Sweeney plans to address before September. The Bruins have other needs to address, including right-handed defensive depth. They may be able to address that need on July 1, when free agency opens. However, the market is scarce, and players still have plenty of time to re-up with their teams. The Bruins are not going to find their number one center in free agency. They will have to look for a trade.“Whether it’s this time or the summertime, you realize that when you do make a call about a [number one center], the guy on the other side says there’s not even 32 of them in the league,” Sweeney said at the end-of-season press conference. Yes, Elias Pettersson and Robert Thomas have been listed as trade targets this summer, but with the market as dry as it is, those players will command a high return. Especially Thomas, who is on a team-friendly deal ($8.125 million until 2031) and had a high price at the trade deadline. By virtue of their retool, the Bruins have a prospect pool and a pile of draft picks. They can use those pieces, or other NHL players, to address their need, but becoming too aggressive may set them back. The Bruins have five first-round picks in the next three years, including two unprotected picks. They also have NCAA prospects like Dean Letourneau, Will Zellers, and Chris Pelosi, who are all coming off strong seasons at school. Fraser Minten, 21, and James Hagens, 19, are young, in-house options for the Bruins at center. Both are candidates to be a 1C in their careers, and Cam Neely spoke highly of their potential at the end-of-season press conference.“I think they both have that skill set. They’re both a little different players,” said Neely. “One’s more like Bergy (Patrice Bergeron) as far as a 200-foot player and maybe [doesn’t] see the ice as well as Hagens does. Hagens’ head is up all the time, he’s constantly looking to distribute.”Cam Neely on Hagens and Minten: “I think they both have that skill set.”“Once [Minten] figures that out, like every player does over time, or most players do over time. I think he’s going to grow and continue to grow. Whether they either become number one centers is up to… https://t.co/qUTuJNsUuKpic.twitter.com/CPG9MbaAPx— Jack Studley (@jackstudley13) May 6, 2026Neither is a finished product, and Hagens’ NHL spot is not guaranteed. Putting the onus on them to be the No. 1 guy is an extremely tall ask this early in their careers, but the true lack of a 1C allows Marco Sturm to put his young guys into big situations, much like this past season. Minten occasionally skated alongside David Pastrnak on the first line during the season, and while they played together, they had a plus-15 goal differential (22-7).With a thin market and high prices, the Bruins cannot become desperate for their 1C. But standing completely still may do more harm than good. Pastrnak is turning 30; he wants help. He wants to win, and he said it after the season. Don Sweeney applauded him for his comments, but he’s been around for a while, and he has seen this before. “I’d say, 10 years ago, when [Pastrnak] was working his way into our lineup, maybe the Bergeron, Chara said, ‘How good is this young man?’ We might say the same thing about Fraser Minten and [Marat Khusnutdinov] and James Hagens,” said Sweeney. The Bruins spent the 2025 trade deadline laying the foundation for a retool. They tore the house down, and just over a year later, they have a deep prospect pool, extra first-round picks, and young NHL contributors. They also have $15,415,417 in cap space next season, according to PuckPedia. The Bruins should use both their money and trade chips to improve the roster. They should pursue upgrades. But they exceeded expectations this season, and forcing a blockbuster may undermine what they started building during the retool. They need a 1C, but they cannot be desperate for one. FOLLOW @JACKSTUDLEY13 ON 𝕏 | FOLLOW @BOSHockeyNow ON 𝕏The post How Aggressive Should Bruins Be in Search for a 1C This Summer? appeared first on Boston Hockey Now.

The Justice Department is said to be examining the funding of lawsuits brought by E. Jean Carroll, an author who has never sought a public role, political power or governmental authority.

Two monetary judgments against Mr. Trump are winding their way through the legal system, with the Supreme Court likely to be the final word on both.

May 28—It's hard enough to win a state title playing against an opponent with a healthy amount of competitive disdain. "Us against them" is a tried and true coaching philosophy for a good reason.But it's even harder when you're face to face against friends and teammates.That was the case in the State 4A boys tennis doubles championship on Saturday, when two teams from Mead battled at the Pacific Campus in Kennewick.When Robbie Wrigley and Peter Farley topped Josh Knaggs and Nate Shannon 7-6 (2), 6-4 to take the doubles title, everybody won — and Mead's boys team joined the girls team in placing second overall at state."The moment that we had a Mead-Mead final secured, I told the guys, 'This is our encore right now, let's just go have fun,' " Mead boys coach Bryce Borland said. "I could not have asked them to do better.""It's amazing. This moment's what we've trained for," Farley said. "We put a lot of work in. I think we just deserve it for the work we put in."It was the third time that teams within the team faced off with high stakes — they played each other at subdistricts and districts as well — with Wrigley and Farley emerging victorious each time."It just kind of speaks volumes to the depths of the program that we have going on here," Knaggs said. "We hit with these guys all the time, so we know kind of the ins and outs of how they play and everything. It definitely makes it more competitive when we play.""It is a little bit annoying to play against your teammates in the final. But at the same time, it was really cool that both of us were in the final as well," Farley said. "We treat each other well, we have respect for each other, but we both want to win. And we're both glad we were there in the first place.""I will say this team is, if nothing else, ambitious. And then they set the goal in our preseason meeting," Borland said. "And the girls, we knew that they had a lot of people in depth, but they just really snuck in points here and there with good play. ... The girls did the work, and it showed."When the state bracket came out, all parties were relieved to see the two Mead teams on opposite sides, meaning if they continued to win they would not meet until the state championship match."We did kind of what we wanted. We got the double Mead final, so we accomplished that. So it's kind of just extra, whoever got first place," Shannon said."It was definitely kind of a moment of relief, because we knew ... they'd be our biggest competition," Knaggs said. "And so being on opposite ends (of the bracket), it was like, yeah, there's a chance that we can maximize our points, which would be what we were shooting for.""I think we all knew it was possible, but in all of our bingo cards, none of us had a Mead final going," Borland said. "When we made it to the semifinals that's when we really started to ask the question, is this possible? The guys showed up, they did the work, and they deserved it."Obviously, the teams trained with and against each other all season, learning each other's strengths — and weaknesses — over the grind."A lot of us are really competitive, so it's, like, tense — but not in a bad way," Wrigley said. "We all want to get better, so it's competitive.""Practice is the most competitive, because we kind of know that this is the best (team) we're going to be playing, so it's our opportunity to test each other," Shannon said. "I was least stressed out about (the final) match than I had been about a match all year. It was just for fun."It was a big win for both programs, and for East Side tennis in general. Borland said fellow Greater Spokane League teams, as well as Mid-Columbia Conference teams, were cheering his team on at state."We are not enemies. We are allies on the path to play the West Side, and that really came through at state," he said. "A month ago teams we were competing against, is now in this collective brotherhood of East Siders.""Peter and I knew a lot of the guys we were playing from club stuff," Wrigley said. "I think definitely there was some underestimation, for sure. ... But I think it makes the whole east side of the state look good."

May 28—PULLMAN — Even after securing a spot in the program's NCAA Regional in more than a decade and a half, even after capturing the Mountain West Tournament crown, Washington State didn't exactly arrive back in town to the red carpet.On Sunday morning, the Cougars piled into a room at their hotel in Mesa, Arizona, where they had just topped San Diego State in the conference tournament title game the day before. Their names were announced on the NCAA Tournament selection show — WSU was headed to the Eugene regional to play Oregon State, met by applause from an armada of crimson polo-clad players on the screen — which represented the next step in head coach Nathan Choate's resurrection of a once-great program.But even after all that, WSU faced some travel issues. The team wasn't able to fly back to Spokane until the next day, Monday, and at night. So they killed time in the hotel, in downtown Tempe, before heading to the Phoenix airport and boarding two flights: One at 9 p.m. and another at 10:30 p.m. That meant the Cougars didn't arrive back in Pullman until 2 a.m. and 3:30 a.m., respectively.And even on their way to Eugene, where WSU will square off with national powerhouse Oregon State at noon Friday on ESPN+, the Cougars faced some hurdles. Instead of flying, WSU took busses, which is about a 7-hour drive from Pullman."Definitely a long couple days," Choate said in a phone interview, "but it's a good exhaustion."If there's good news folded in somewhere for WSU, it's this: The Cougars were able to get some rest before Friday's game. They will certainly need it against the Beavers, who join WSU, Yale and host school Oregon in the double-elimination regional bracket.After WSU and OSU's tilt, No. 11 seed Oregon and Yale will play the second game of the day. The winners of those games will play Saturday night, while the losers will play in an elimination game earlier Saturday."It's definitely pretty hectic," Choate said. "I think the guys are really proud, but at the same time, I feel like they feel like the job's not done. The goal was not just to get to a regional, and so obviously, trying to stay focused, but it has been a pretty hectic week, for sure."WSU (30-26, 15-9 MWC) will try to avoid things getting hectic against Oregon State (43-12), which went 1-1 against the Cougars in the regular season. Back in April, the Beavers shellacked the Cougs to the tune of an 18-0 run-rule victory, only for WSU to respond the next day with an 8-7 victory — in Choate's eyes, a key milestone in the Cougars' turnaround season.The Cougars expect to start their ace, lefty Nick Lewis, the Mountain West Pitcher of the Year. The Beavers will likely go with right hander Eric Segura, who has paired a 5-2 record with a 2.31 ERA, including 72 strikeouts against 26 walks in 66 1/3 innings pitched. But it's also possible OSU gives the nod to lefty Ethan Kleinschmit, who leads the team with nine wins, plus a 3.91 ERA.In fact, that will be one theme to watch in Friday's game: Can WSU break through against OSU's pitching staff? The Beavers are anchored by their pitching, even without star Dax Whitney, who went down with an injury earlier in the season. Their top bullpen arm, closer Albert Roblez, sports a 1.67 ERA with 14 saves. OSU finished the regular season ranked first in the country in ERA, WHIP, FIP, strikeout rate and K-BB%.That much will be on the Cougars' top bats: Max Hartman, Gavin Roy, Matt Priest and Ryan Skjonsby, the latter of whom leads the Cougs with eight home runs."Offensively for us, the key is to find ways to put pressure on them," Choate said. "Working an at-bat, getting a walk, laying down a bunt, holding our ground where we get a hit-by-pitch, where we get pitchers out of the stretch. Just try to make them throw a lot of pitches and really try to work counts, and not necessarily just sit back for, like, a 3-run home run. Just trying to grind out and play the old-school game of baseball from an offensive standpoint."On the other end, WSU does have the benefit of squaring off with an OSU offense that doesn't rank among the country's best. Only one everyday player in the Beavers' lineup finished the regular season hitting north of .300, indicating they lack the offensive firepower of other national contenders — heck, of previous great OSU teams. It's especially noteworthy considering that because of their independent schedule, the Beavs have played only one high-major opponent in the last two months, which resulted in a 7-3 loss to Oregon in late April.Can the Cougars take advantage? They certainly aren't favored — those honors go to Oregon at -125, according to DraftKings, which has WSU at the worst odds in the regional at +1400 — but maybe that experience can play to the Cougs' advantage. At least that's the approach from Choate, the architect behind this memorable WSU season, no matter how the rest of the team's season unfolds."I think perspective is probably the most powerful tool," Choate said, "and by that I mean, they're in a spot that nobody thought that they could get to. I think if you take all the people that maybe have doubted you in your career as a player, thought you weren't good enough, maybe passed you over in recruiting. You have an opportunity to prove those people wrong on a stage like this."

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Ian Happ homered for the second consecutive game and the Chicago Cubs handed Paul Skenes his third straight loss with a 7-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday.The win came one night after the Cubs ended a 10-game losing streak. Happ hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the seventh inning of that game.Happ had three hits on Thursday, including a two-run homer in the eighth that pushed the Cubs’ lead to 5-2. He has reached base safely in 41 games in the city where he grew up. Seiya Suzuki had two hits and two RBIs for Chicago.Skenes (6-5) lost his third straight start despite striking out 10 in 5 1/3 innings. The 2025 NL Cy Young Award winner fanned six batters in a row from the first to the third.Only one of the three runs against Skenes was earned, as third baseman Tyler Callihan and shortstop Jared Triolo made throwing errors in a two-run sixth inning that extended the Cubs’ lead to 3-0.Colin Rea (5-3) won for the first time in five starts, allowing two runs in 5 1/3 innings. Hoby Milner, Caleb Thielbar and Trent Thornton combined for 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief.Bryan Reynolds homered for the Pirates.Pittsburgh third baseman Nick Gonzales exited after the third inning with left knee discomfort.Up nextCubs: Open a three-game series Friday night at St. Louis with LHP Shota Imanaga (4-5, 4.04 ERA) facing RHP Andre Pallante (5-4, 3.76).Pirates: Host the Minnesota Twins and former Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton in a three-game series beginning Friday. Pirates RHP Jared Jones will make his first major league appearance since 2024, a little more than a year after undergoing elbow surgery. RHP Taj Bradley (5-1, 2.77) starts for the Twins.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB