“THE SCOREBOARD”
INDIANA SRN PRE-SEASON FOOTBALL POLLS
6A
- CENTER GROVE
- CATHEDRAL
- FW CARROLL
- BEN DAVIS
- HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN
KEEP AN EYE ON: WARREN CENTRAL, FISHERS
5A
- VALPARAISO
- BLOOMINGTON SOUTH
- FW NORTH
- FW SNIDER
- MERRILLVILLE
KEEP AND EYE ON: WHITELAND, HARRISON
4A
- EAST CENTRAL
- EVANSVILLE REITZ
- NEW PALESTINE
- NORTHWOOD
- EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL
KEEP AN EYE ON: KOKOMO, MOORESVILLE
3A
- BISHOP CHATARD
- LAWRENCEBURG
- SOUTHRIDGE
- GUERIN CATHOLIC
- WEST LAFAYETTE
KEEP AND EYE ON: GIBSON SOUTHERN, HANOVER CENTRAL
2A
- EVANSVILLE MATER DEI
- LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC
- ANDREAN
- TRITON CENTRAL
- HERITAGE CHRISTIAN
KEEP AN EYE ON: EASTBROOK, FT. WAYNE LUERS
1A
- INDY LUTHERAN
- SHERIDAN
- ADAMS CENTRAL
- COVENANT CHRISTIAN
- PARK TUDOR
KEEP AND EYE ON: CARROLL FLORA, NORTH DECATUR
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL COACHES ASSOCIATION PRE-SEASON FOOTBALL POLLS
6A
1 CENTER GROVE (9) 91
2 BEN DAVIS 76
IND. CATHEDRAL (1) 76
4 HAMILTON SE 62
5 CARROLL (ALLEN) 46
6 WARREN CENTRAL 43
7 WESTFIELD 35
8 CARMEL 33
9 BROWNSBURG 32
10 FISHERS 9
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES:
PENN (8), CROWN POINT (7), HOMESTEAD (7), LAFAYETTE JEFF (7),
LAWRENCE CENTRAL (6), ELKHART (4), FRANKLIN CENTRAL (2), LAWRENCE NORTH (2)
5A
1 VALPARAISO (8) 96
2 FW SNIDER 84
3 WHITELAND (1) 77
4 MERRILLVILLE 54
5 BLOOMINGTON SOUTH (1) 49
6 FW NORTH 45
7 MISHAWAKA 33
8 CASTLE 25
9 DECATUR CENTRAL 23
10 HARRISON (WL) 22
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES:
FW DWENGER (16), CONCORD (7), PLAINFIELD (6), BLOOMINGTON NORTH (4),
CHESTERTON (3), FRANKLIN (3), MICHIGAN CITY (3)
4A
1 EAST CENTRAL (9) 99
2 NEW PALESTINE (1) 81
3 IND. RONCALLI 61
4 EVANSVILLE REITZ 56
5 NEW PRAIRIE 55
6 KOKOMO 45
7 NORTHWOOD 40
8 EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL 32
9 MOORESVILLE 21
10 BREBEUF JESUIT 15
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES:
COLUMBIA CITY (13), GREENFIELD CENTRAL (8), MT. VERNON (FORTVILLE) (8), LEO (5), HOBART (4),
MARTINSVILLE (2), NORTHRIDGE (2), NORTHVIEW (2), FW WAYNE (1)
3A
1 IND. CHATARD (10) 100
2 LAWRENCEBURG 80
WEST LAFAYETTE 80
4 GIBSON SOUTHERN 61
5 SOUTHRIDGE 39
6 GUERIN CATHOLIC 32
HANOVER CENTRAL 32
8 TRI-WEST 22
9 WESTERN BOONE 21
10 NORWELL 15
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES:
YORKTOWN (12), DANVILLE (9), OAK HILL (9), MISHAWAKA MARIAN (7),
MONROVIA (6), KNOX (4), SOUTH DEARBORN (4), VINCENNES LINCOLN (3), DELTA (1)
2A
1 EVANSVILLE MATER DEI (9) 92
2 TRITON CENTRAL (1) 74
3 FW LUERS 69
4 LAFAYETTE CC 63
5 ANDREAN 58
6 EASTBROOK 52
7 LINTON-STOCKTON 39
8 IND. SCECINA 34
9 BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL 19
10 LAVILLE 13
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES:
ROCHESTER (11), HERITAGE CHRISTIAN (8), LAPEL (8), NORTH POSEY (8),
BLUFFTON (7), EASTERN (GREENTOWN) (2), LEWIS CASS (2), TIPTON (1)
1A
1 IND. LUTHERAN (10) 100
2 ADAMS CENTRAL 90
3 NORTH DECATUR 59
4 NORTH JUDSON 58
5 SHERIDAN 45
6 CARROLL (FLORA) 40
7 SOUTH PUTNAM 33
8 PROVIDENCE 24
9 PARK TUDOR 22
10 COVENANT CHRISTIAN 20
SOUTH ADAMS 20
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES:
TRI (16), TECUMSEH (15), TRITON (12), MONROE CENTRAL (6)
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL “SPORTSPAGE” PRE—SEASON FOOTBALL POLLS
1A
1 INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN
2 SHERIDAN
3 CARROLL FLORA
4 ADAMS CENTRAL
5 NORTH DECATUR
6 PARK TUDOR
7 COVENANT CHRISTIAN
8 SOUTH ADAMS
9 TRITON
10 NORTH JUDSON
2A
1 EVANSVILLE MATER DEI
2 LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC
3 TRITON CENTRAL
4 EASTBROOK
5 ANDREAN
6 FORT WAYNE LUERS
7 EASTERN
8 LAVILLE
9 ROCHESTER
10 NORTH POSEY
3A
1 LAWRENCEBURG
2 GIBSON SOUTHERN
3 BISHOP CHATARD
4 SOUTHRIDGE
5 GUERIN CATHOLIC
6 WEST LAFAYETTE
7 HANOVER CENTRAL
8 WESTERN BOONE
9 NORWELL
10 MONROVIA
4A
1 EAST CENTRAL
2 EVANSVILLE REITZ
3 NEW PALESTINE
4 NORTHWOOD
5 EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL
6 KOKOMO
7 MOORESVILLE
8 RONCALLI
9 NORTHVIEW
10 GREENFIELD CENTRAL
5A
1 VALPARAISO
2 BLOOMINGTON SOUTH
3 FORT WAYNE NORTH
4 FORT WAYNE SNIDER
5 MERRILLVILLE
6 WHITELAND
7 HARRISON
8 CASTLE
9 MISHAWAKA
10 BLOOMINGTON NORTH
6A
1 CENTER GROVE
2 CATHEDRAL
3 FORT WAYNE CARROLL
4 BEN DAVIS
5 HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN
6 WESTFIELD
7 WARREN CENTRAL
8 FISHERS
9 CROWN POINT
10 PENN
TOP INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SENIORS
WR Mylan Graham, New Haven (New Haven, IN) (OHIO STATE)
OL Ian Moore, New Palestine (New Palestine, IN) (OHIO STATE)
ATH Brauntae Johnson, North Side (Fort Wayne, IN)
OL Styles Prescod, Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers, IN) (NOTRE DAME)
QB Danny O’Neil, Cathedral (Indianapolis, IN) (COLORADO)
CB Hudauri Hines, Franklin Central (Indianapolis, IN) (PURDUE)
WR Jo’Ziah Edmond, Northwood (Nappanee, IN) (PURDUE)
OT Ransom McDermott, Noblesville (Noblesville, IN) (LOUISVILLE)
OL Adedamola Ajani, Speedway (Indianapolis, IN) (INDIANA)
WR Corey Smith, Brownsburg (Brownsburg, IN) (MINNESOTA)
QB Tyler Cherry, Center Grove (Greenwood, IN) (DUKE)
RB Xavier Williams, Lake Central (Saint John, IN) (IOWA)
TE Aidan Steinfeldt, Bloomington North (Bloomington, IN)
RB Jaden Hart, Michigan City (Michigan City, IN) (SYRACUSE)
CB Christian Peterson, Carmel (Carmel, IN) (INDIANA)
WR Patrick Clacks, Crown Point (Merrillville, IN)
OT Jordan King, North Side (Fort Wayne, IN) (PURDUE)
OT Evan Lawrence, Danville Community (Danville, IN) (INDIANA)
WR Donovan Hamilton, Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers, IN)
ATH Tysen Smith, Bloomington South (Bloomington, IN) (TOLEDO)
TE Zach Meeks, Cathedral (Indianapolis, IN)
TE Lane Wadle, Greenfield-central (Greenfield, IN) (NORTHERN ILLINOIS)
OT Matt Hofer, Valparaiso (Valparaiso, IN) (TOLEDO)
LB Nylan Brown, Ben Davis (Indianapolis, IN)
RB Khobie Martin, Fishers (Fishers, IN) (MIAMI, OHIO)
ATH Josh Ringer, East Central (Brookville, IN) (MIAMI, OHIO)
OL Harlen Summers, Evansville Reitz (Evansville, IN)
OL Zach Bandy, Avon (Avon, IN) (BALL STATE)
ATH Ryan Brotherton, East Central (Brookville, IN) (WESTERN MICHIGAN)
QB Thomas Gotkowski, Ben Davis (Indianapolis, IN) (MIAMI, OHIO)
S DJ Morton, Lawrence Central (Indianapolis, IN)
OL Joshua Thoman, Brownsburg (Brownsburg, IN) (WESTERN MICHIGAN)
LB Sam Feeney, Bishop Chatard (Indianapolis, IN)
DE Artemas Bryant, Carmel (Carmel, IN)
DE Terrelle Elmore, Merrillville (Merrillville, IN)
OL Quentin Boeke, Evansville Reitz Sch (Evansville, IN)
DE Dantu Gardner, Lawrence North (Indianapolis, IN)
TE Braxton Strong, Peru (Peru, IN)
DE William Goodvine III, Westfield (Westfield, IN) (MIAMI, OHIO)
QB DJ Gordon, Park Tudor (Indianapolis, IN)
OL Jayden Hazelwood, North (Evansville, IN)
OL CJ Zeltwanger, Lafayette Harrison (West Lafayette, IN)
QB Jace Stuckey, Triton Central (Fairland, IN) (EASTERN MICHIGAN)
TOP JUNIORS
TE Brock Schott, Leo HS (Leo, IN)
DB Mark Zackery IV, Ben Davis (Indianapolis, IN)
DE Damien Shanklin, Warren Central (Indianapolis, IN)
DE Tyrone Burrus, Warren Central (Indianapolis, IN)
ATH Jamari Pearson, North Side (Fort Wayne, IN)
DL Michael Thacker, New Palestine (New Palestine, IN)
S Freddy Brown, Hammond Morton (Hammond, IN)
WR Eugene Hilton Jr., Zionsville (Zionsville, IN)
CB Mason Alexander, Hamilton Southeastern (Fishers, IN)
OL Cameron Herron, Warren Central (Indianapolis, IN)
DE Mariyon Dye, Elkhart (Elkhart, IN)
LB Lennox Williams, Westfield (Westfield, IN)
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
WASHINGTON 8 OAKLAND 7
MINNESOTA 3 PHILADELPHIA 0
TORONTO 11 CHICAGO CUBS 4
MIAMI 8 NY YANKEES 7
MILWAUKEE 7 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 3
SAN FRANCISCO 3 TEXAS 2 (10)
BOSTON 6 DETROIT 3
CLEVELAND 9 TAMPA BAY 2
LA ANGELS 2 HOUSTON 1
BALTIMORE 5 SEATTLE 3 (10)
PITTSBURGH 4 CINCINNATI 2
CINCINNATI 6 PITTSBURGH 5 (10)
LA DODGERS 8 COLORADO 3
ARIZONA 5 SAN DIEGO 4
NY METS 7 ATLANTA 6
BOX SCORES: http://hosted.stats.com/mlb/scoreboard.asp
STATS: http://hosted.stats.com/mlb/index.asp
PLAYER NEWS: http://hosted.stats.com/mlb/news.asp
NFL PRE-SEASON
NEW ORLEANS 26 KANSAS CITY 24
LAS VEGAS 34 SAN FRANCISCO 7
MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
INDIANAPOLIS 4 NASHVILLE 0
FORT WAYNE 11 LANSING 6
LAKE COUNTY 7 SOUTH BEND 6
LAKE COUNTY 6 SOUTH BEND 3
WNBA
WASHINGTON 83 CHICAGO 76
NEW YORK 100 INDIANA 89
SEATTLE 81 PHOENIX 71
LAS VEGAS 86 ATLANTA 65
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
NO GAMES SCHEDULED
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL WEEK 1
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
| BOYLE COUNTY (KY.) | AT | GIBSON SOUTHERN | 6:00 PM | ||
| CENTER GROVE | VS. | ST. EDWARD (OHIO) | 12:05 AM | ||
| SOUTHSIDE HOMESCHOOL | AT | PHALEN ACADEMY | 5:00 PM |
BIG 10 WEEKLY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
WEEK 1
MINNESOTA VS. NEBRASKA
THURSDAY, AUG. 31
WISCONSIN VS. BUFFALO
MICHIGAN STATE VS. CENTRAL MICHIGAN
MICHIGAN VS. EAST CAROLINA
PURDUE VS. FRESNO STATE
RUTGERS VS. NORTHWESTERN
INDIANA VS. OHIO STATE
ILLINOIS VS. TOLEDO
MARYLAND VS. TOWSON
IOWA VS. UTAH STATE
PENN STATE VS. WEST VIRGINIA
WEEK 2
MARYLAND VS. CHARLOTTE
PENN STATE VS. DELAWARE
MINNESOTA VS. EASTERN MICHIGAN
ILLINOIS AT KANSAS
INDIANA VS. INDIANA STATE
IOWA AT IOWA STATE
NEBRASKA AT COLORADO
PURDUE AT VIRGINIA TECH
MICHIGAN STATE VS. RICHMOND
RUTGERS VS. TEMPLE
MICHIGAN VS. UNLV
NORTHWESTERN VS. UTEP
WISCONSIN AT WASHINGTON STATE
OHIO STATE VS. YOUNGSTOWN STATE
WEEK 3
MICHIGAN VS. BOWLING GREEN
WISCONSIN VS. GEORGIA SOUTHERN
INDIANA VS. LOUISVILLE (IN INDIANAPOLIS, IN)
MINNESOTA AT NORTH CAROLINA
NEBRASKA VS. NORTHERN ILLINOIS
NORTHWESTERN AT DUKE
ILLINOIS VS. PENN STATE
PURDUE VS. SYRACUSE
MARYLAND VS. VIRGINIA
RUTGERS VS. VIRGINIA TECH
MICHIGAN STATE VS. WASHINGTON
IOWA VS. WESTERN MICHIGAN
OHIO STATE VS. WESTERN KENTUCKY
WEEK 4
INDIANA VS. AKRON
ILLINOIS VS. FLORIDA ATLANTIC
PENN STATE VS. IOWA
NEBRASKA VS. LOUISIANA TECH
MICHIGAN STATE VS. MARYLAND
NORTHWESTERN VS. MINNESOTA
OHIO STATE AT NOTRE DAME
MICHIGAN VS. RUTGERS
PURDUE VS. WISCONSIN
WEEK 5
PURDUE VS. ILLINOIS
MARYLAND VS. INDIANA
MINNESOTA VS. LOUISIANA
NEBRASKA VS. MICHIGAN
IOWA VS. MICHIGAN STATE
NORTHWESTERN VS. PENN STATE
RUTGERS VS. WAGNER
WEEK 6
NORTHWESTERN VS. HOWARD
OHIO STATE VS. MARYLAND
MINNESOTA VS. MICHIGAN
ILLINOIS VS. NEBRASKA
IOWA VS. PURDUE
WISCONSIN VS. RUTGERS
WEEK 7
MARYLAND VS. ILLINOIS
MICHIGAN VS. INDIANA
WISCONSIN VS. IOWA
RUTGERS VS. MICHIGAN STATE
PURDUE VS. OHIO STATE
PENN STATE VS. UMASS
WEEK 8
MICHIGAN STATE VS. MICHIGAN
IOWA VS. MINNESOTA
NEBRASKA VS. NORTHWESTERN
OHIO STATE VS. PENN STATE
INDIANA VS. RUTGERS
ILLINOIS VS. WISCONSIN
WEEK 9
PENN STATE VS. INDIANA
NORTHWESTERN VS. MARYLAND
MINNESOTA VS. MICHIGAN STATE
WISCONSIN VS. OHIO STATE
NEBRASKA VS. PURDUE
WEEK 10
MINNESOTA VS. ILLINOIS
NORTHWESTERN VS. IOWA (IN CHICAGO, IL)
MICHIGAN STATE VS. NEBRASKA
RUTGERS VS. OHIO STATE
MARYLAND VS. PENN STATE
MICHIGAN VS. PURDUE
INDIANA VS. WISCONSIN
WEEK 11
ILLINOIS VS. INDIANA
NEBRASKA VS. MARYLAND
PENN STATE VS. MICHIGAN
OHIO STATE VS. MICHIGAN STATE
PURDUE VS. MINNESOTA
WISCONSIN VS. NORTHWESTERN
IOWA VS. RUTGERS
WEEK 12
IOWA VS. ILLINOIS
MARYLAND VS. MICHIGAN
INDIANA VS. MICHIGAN STATE
OHIO STATE VS. MINNESOTA
WISCONSIN VS. NEBRASKA
NORTHWESTERN VS. PURDUE
PENN STATE VS. RUTGERS
WEEK 13
NEBRASKA VS. IOWA
FRIDAY, NOV. 24
PURDUE VS. INDIANA
RUTGERS VS. MARYLAND
ILLINOIS VS. NORTHWESTERN
MICHIGAN VS. OHIO STATE
MICHIGAN STATE VS. PENN STATE
MINNESOTA VS. WISCONSIN
COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
WEEK 0
SATURDAY, AUG. 26
NOTRE DAME VS. NAVY (DUBLIN, IRELAND) | 2:30 P.M. | NBC
MERCER VS. NORTH ALABAMA (MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA) | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN
JACKSONVILLE STATE VS. UTEP | 5:30 P.M. | CBSSN
NEW MEXICO STATE VS. UMASS | 7 P.M. | ESPN
SAN DIEGO STATE VS. OHIO | 7 P.M. | FS1
VANDERBILT VS. HAWAI’I | 7:30 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
JACKSON STATE VS. SOUTH CAROLINA STATE (ATLANTA, GEORGIA) | 7:30 P.M. | ABC
USC VS. SAN JOSE STATE | 8 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK
LOUISIANA TECH VS. FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL | 9 P.M. | CBSSN
WEEK 1
THURSDAY, AUG. 31
WAKE FOREST VS. ELON | 7 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
UCF VS. KENT STATE | 7 P.M. | FS1
GEORGIA STATE VS. RHODE ISLAND | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
WESTERN MICHIGAN VS. ST. FRANCIS (PA) | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
UCONN VS. NC STATE | 7:30 P.M. | CBSSN
MINNESOTA VS. NEBRASKA | 8 P.M. | FOX
MISSOURI VS. SOUTH DAKOTA | 8 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
UTAH VS. FLORIDA | 8 P.M. | ESPN
TULSA VS. ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
UAB VS. NORTH CAROLINA A&T | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
ARIZONA STATE VS. SOUTHERN UTAH | 10 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK
FRIDAY, SEPT. 1
EASTERN MICHIGAN VS. HOWARD | 6:30 P.M. | ESPN+
MICHIGAN STATE VS. CENTRAL MICHIGAN | 7 P.M. | FS1
MIAMI (FLA.) VS. MIAMI (OHIO) | 7 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
GEORGIA TECH VS. LOUISVILLE (MERCEDES-BENZ STADIUM IN ATLANTA) | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN
KANSAS VS. MISSOURI STATE | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
HAWAI’I VS. STANFORD | 11 P.M. | CBSSN
SATURDAY, SEPT. 2
IOWA VS. UTAH STATE | 12 P.M. | FS1
KENTUCKY VS. BALL STATE | 12 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
LIBERTY VS. BOWLING GREEN | 12 P.M. | CBSSN
MICHIGAN VS. EAST CAROLINA | 12 P.M. | PEACOCK
PURDUE VS. FRESNO STATE | 12 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
SMU VS. LOUISIANA TECH | 12 P.M. | ESPNU
TENNESSEE VS. VIRGINIA (NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE) | 12 P.M. | ABC
TCU VS. COLORADO | 12 P.M. | FOX
BOSTON COLLEGE VS. NORTHERN ILLINOIS | 12 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
OKLAHOMA VS. ARKANSAS STATE | 12 P.M. | ESPN
OLE MISS VS. MERCER | 2 P.M. | ESPN+/SECN+
IOWA STATE VS. UNI | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
TEMPLE VS. AKRON | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
OHIO VS. LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
AIR FORCE VS. ROBERT MORRIS | 2 P.M. | ALTITUDE SPORTS
OREGON VS. PORTLAND STATE | 3 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK
INDIANA VS. OHIO STATE | 3:30 P.M. | CBS
AUBURN VS. UMASS | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN
MARYLAND VS. TOWSON | 3:30 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
WISCONSIN VS. BUFFALO | 3:30 P.M. | FS1
WESTERN KENTUCKY VS. SOUTH FLORIDA | 3:30 P.M. | CBSSN
WASHINGTON VS. BOISE STATE | 3:30 P.M. | ABC
NOTRE DAME VS. TENNESSEE STATE | 3:30 P.M. | NBC
PITT VS. WOFFORD | 3:30 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
CINCINNATI VS. EASTERN KENTUCKY | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
TEXAS VS. RICE | 3:30 P.M. | FOX
APPALACHIAN STATE VS. GARDNER-WEBB | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
ARKANSAS VS. WESTERN CAROLINA | 4 P.M. | ESPN+/SECN+
MISSISSIPPI STATE VS. SE LOUISIANA | 4 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
NORTH TEXAS VS. CAL | 4 P.M. | ESPNU
SYRACUSE VS. COLGATE | 4 P.M. | ESPN+/ACCNX
GEORGIA VS. UT MARTIN | 6 P.M. | ESPN+/SECN+
CHARLOTTE VS. SOUTH CAROLINA STATE | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
FLORIDA ATLANTIC VS. MONMOUTH | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
GEORGIA SOUTHERN VS. THE CITADEL | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
JAMES MADISON VS. BUCKNELL | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
MARSHALL VS. ALBANY | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL VS. MAINE | 6:30 P.M. | ESPN+
USC VS. NEVADA | 6:30 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK
TEXAS A&M VS. NEW MEXICO | 7 P.M. | ESPN
UL MONROE VS. ARMY | 7 P.M. | NFL NETWORK
VANDERBILT VS. ALABAMA A&M | 7 P.M. | ESPN+/SECN+
COLORADO STATE VS. WASHINGTON STATE | 7 P.M. | CBSSN
BAYLOR VS. TEXAS STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
HOUSTON VS. UTSA | 7 P.M. | FS1
KANSAS STATE VS. SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
OKLAHOMA STATE VS. CENTRAL ARKANSAS | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
MEMPHIS VS. BETHUNE-COOKMAN | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
SOUTHERN MISS VS. ALCORN STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
TROY VS. STEPHEN F. AUSTIN | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
ALABAMA VS. MIDDLE TENNESSEE | 7:30 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
ILLINOIS VS. TOLEDO | 7:30 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
SOUTH CAROLINA VS. NORTH CAROLINA (CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA) | 7:30 P.M. | ABC
PENN STATE VS. WEST VIRGINIA | 7:30 P.M. | NBC
WYOMING VS. TEXAS TECH | 7:30 P.M. | CBS
LOUISIANA VS. NORTHWESTERN STATE | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN+
VIRGINIA TECH VS. OLD DOMINION | 8 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
TULANE VS. SOUTH ALABAMA | 8 P.M. | ESPNU
NEW MEXICO STATE VS. WESTERN ILLINOIS | 9 P.M. | ESPN+
UTEP VS. UIW | 9 P.M. | ESPN+
ARIZONA VS. NORTHERN ARIZONA | 10 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK
BYU VS. SAM HOUSTON | 10:15 P.M. | FS1
UCLA VS. COASTAL CAROLINA | 10:30 P.M. | ESPN
SAN DIEGO STATE VS. IDAHO STATE | 10:30 P.M. | CBSSN
SUNDAY, SEPT. 3
RUTGERS VS. NORTHWESTERN | 12 P.M. | CBS
SAN JOSE STATE VS. OREGON STATE | 3:30 P.M. | CBS
FLORIDA STATE VS. LSU (ORLANDO, FLORIDA) | 7:30 P.M. | ABC
MONDAY, SEPT. 4
DUKE VS. CLEMSON | 8 P.M. | ESPN
NFL PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE
WEEK 2
THURSDAY, AUGUST 17
CLEVELAND AT PHILADELPHIA, 7:30
FRIDAY, AUGUST 18
CAROLINA AT N.Y. GIANTS, 7:00
CINCINNATI AT ATLANTA, 7:30
SATURDAY, AUGUST 19
JACKSONVILLE AT DETROIT, 1:00
MIAMI AT HOUSTON, 4:00
BUFFALO AT PITTSBURGH, 6:30
CHICAGO AT INDIANAPOLIS, 7:00
TAMPA BAY AT N.Y. JETS, 7:30
KANSAS CITY AT ARIZONA, 8:00
NEW ENGLAND AT GREEN BAY, 8:00
TENNESSEE AT MINNESOTA, 8:00
DENVER AT SAN FRANCISCO, 8:30
LAS VEGAS AT L.A. RAMS, 9:00
DALLAS AT SEATTLE, 10:00
SUNDAY, AUGUST 20
NEW ORLEANS AT L.A. CHARGERS, 7:05
MONDAY, AUGUST 21
BALTIMORE AT WASHINGTON (ESPN), 8:00
WEEK 3
THURSDAY, AUGUST 24
PITTSBURGH AT ATLANTA, 7:30
INDIANAPOLIS AT PHILADELPHIA (PRIME VIDEO), 8:00
FRIDAY, AUGUST 25
DETROIT AT CAROLINA (CBS), 8:00
NEW ENGLAND AT TENNESSEE, 8:15
L.A. CHARGERS AT SAN FRANCISCO, 10:00
SATURDAY, AUGUST 26
BUFFALO AT CHICAGO, 1:00
SEATTLE AT GREEN BAY, 1:00
CLEVELAND AT KANSAS CITY, 1:00
ARIZONA AT MINNESOTA, 1:00
N.Y. JETS AT N.Y. GIANTS, 6:00
CINCINNATI AT WASHINGTON, 6:05
MIAMI AT JACKSONVILLE, 7:00
BALTIMORE AT TAMPA BAY, 7:00
LAS VEGAS AT DALLAS, 8:00
L.A. RAMS AT DENVER, 9:00
SUNDAY, AUGUST 27
HOUSTON AT NEW ORLEANS (FOX), 8:00
WEEK 1 REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE
DETROIT LIONS AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (THU) 7:20P (CT) 8:20P NBC
CAROLINA PANTHERS AT ATLANTA FALCONS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX
HOUSTON TEXANS AT BALTIMORE RAVENS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS
CINCINNATI BENGALS AT CLEVELAND BROWNS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS 12:00P (CT) 1:00P CBS
TENNESSEE TITANS AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS 12:00P (CT) 1:00P CBS
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX
ARIZONA CARDINALS AT WASHINGTON COMMANDERS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX
GREEN BAY PACKERS AT CHICAGO BEARS 3:25P (CT) 4:25P FOX
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS AT DENVER BRONCOS 2:25P (MT) 4:25P CBS
MIAMI DOLPHINS AT LOS ANGELES CHARGERS 1:25P (PT) 4:25P CBS
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 4:25P (ET) 4:25P CBS
LOS ANGELES RAMS AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS 1:25P (PT) 4:25P FOX
DALLAS COWBOYS AT NEW YORK GIANTS 8:20P (ET) 8:20P NBC
BUFFALO BILLS AT NEW YORK JETS (MON) 8:15P (ET) 8:15P ESPN/ABC
TOP NATIONAL RELEASES/HEADLINES
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
MLB ROUNDUP: NATS RALLY WITH SIX-RUN NINTH TO EDGE A’S
Jeter Downs hit a walk-off single with two outs to cap a six-run ninth inning as the Washington Nationals rallied to an 8-7 victory against the visiting Oakland Athletics, completing a three-game series sweep on Sunday afternoon.
Shaky relief from Oakland’s Trevor May in the ninth inning led to Kirby Snead (1-1) coming on and issuing a two-out, bases-loaded walk to Dominic Smith before shortstop Nick Allen’s error led to two runs to tie the game. Downs, who began the inning with a walk, won the game with a single to center field.
Zack Gelof hit solo home runs in the first and fifth innings and racked up four hits, but the Athletics lost for the ninth time in their last 12 games. Seth Brown also homered and drove in four runs for Oakland.
Joe La Sorsa (1-0) pitched two shutout innings for the victory — his first in the majors.
Marlins 8, Yankees 7
Jake Burger hit a game-ending single with one out in the ninth inning as Miami rallied for a victory over visiting New York.
The Marlins got their eighth walk-off win by rallying for five runs in the ninth against Clay Holmes (4-3) and Tommy Kahnle. Holmes committed a two-run throwing error on a comebacker by Josh Bell, and Bell scored from first base when Luis Arraez lined a game-tying, two-run triple down the right field line.
Before the collapse, rookie Anthony Volpe hit a two-run homer and Ben Rortvedt hit a solo homer to help New York build a 7-1 lead through 5 1/2 innings.
Orioles 5, Mariners 3 (10 innings)
Cedric Mullins hit a two-run homer with one out in the 10th inning as Baltimore defeated host Seattle in extra innings for the second straight day.
The Mariners’ streak of winning six straight series came to an end. Orioles reliever Nick Vespi (1-0) got the victory, and Shintaro Fujinami earned his first major league save. Seattle’s Trent Thornton (0-1) took the loss.
After Baltimore broke a 2-2 tie in the top of the ninth, the Mariners again knotted the game on Dominic Canzone’s solo home run with two outs in the bottom of the inning. The bomb came just after Mullins made a leaping catch in center field to rob Ty France of a homer.
Giants 3, Rangers 2 (10 innings)
Patrick Bailey lined a two-out, two-run home run in the bottom of the 10th inning, allowing San Francisco to escape a wild finish with a walk-off victory over visiting Texas.
Attempting to get their manager, Bruce Bochy, a three-game sweep in his San Francisco homecoming, the Rangers rallied from down 1-0 in the ninth to draw even in regulation and then went ahead 2-1 in the top of the 10th on a Camilo Doval balk. Doval (4-3), who was docked with his fourth blown save in the ninth, was credited with the win.
Rangers closer Will Smith (1-4) got the first two outs in the last of the 10th with automatic runner Wilmer Flores anchored to second base before Bailey lashed his sixth homer of the season over the fence in left field.
Dodgers 8, Rockies 3
Julio Urias tied a career high with 12 strikeouts and Miguel Rojas drove in four runs and hit a go-ahead home run as Los Angeles finished off a four-game sweep of visiting Colorado.
Mookie Betts had a two-run double as the Dodgers won their season-high eighth consecutive game. Los Angeles also has won 12 of its last 13 and is a major-league-best 20-8 in the second half. Urias (10-6) gave up three runs on four hits over seven innings with no walks as he won his third consecutive start.
Alan Trejo hit a two-run home run for the Rockies while left-hander Kyle Freeland (4-13) saw his winless streak extend to 14 consecutive starts. Freeland moved into a tie for the major league lead in losses.
Blue Jays 11, Cubs 4
Daulton Varsho hit a three-run home run and had a career-best five RBIs as Toronto ended a three-game losing streak by beating visiting Chicago.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. added two RBI singles and Whit Merrifield had four hits, drove in a run and stole a base for Toronto. Winning pitcher Hyun Jin Ryu (1-1) allowed two unearned runs, two hits and two walks in five innings. It was his third start after coming back from elbow surgery.
Patrick Wisdom hit a two-run home run for the Cubs, who won the first two games of the three-game series. Right-hander Jameson Taillon (7-7) allowed eight runs, eight hits and two walks in three-plus innings.
Angels 2, Astros 1
Rookie right-hander Chase Silseth remained unbeaten over his last four starts while Shohei Ohtani clubbed his American League-leading 41st home run as Los Angeles salvaged the finale of a three-game series with a win over host Houston.
Ohtani ended an eight-game homerless drought by drilling a 1-0 slider from Astros left-hander Parker Mushinski 448 feet to straightaway center field with two outs in the sixth inning, doubling the Angels’ lead to 2-0. Silseth (4-1) allowed four hits and two walks with five strikeouts over five scoreless innings.
Astros starter Jose Urquidy pitched well in his second start following a three-month stint on the injured list with right shoulder discomfort. He allowed one run on three hits and did not issue a walk while recording seven strikeouts over five-plus innings.
Red Sox 6, Tigers 3
Adam Duvall homered and drove in four runs and Trevor Story had four hits to lead Boston past visiting Detroit.
Justin Turner, who was playing in his 1,500th major league game, also went deep for the Red Sox. It was his 19th home run of the season and his second in as many games. Duvall and Turner each had two of Boston’s 12 hits.
Akil Baddoo launched a solo home run in the fifth inning for the Tigers, who lost twice in the three-game series.
Twins 3, Phillies 0
Sonny Gray tossed six shutout innings as Minnesota beat host Philadelphia in the rubber match of their three-game series.
Gray (6-5) lowered his ERA to 3.04 after giving up just two hits en route to his fifth consecutive quality start. Jordan Luplow homered and Jorge Polanco had a pair of RBI singles for Minnesota.
Polanco’s run-scoring single provided the Twins with an insurance run in the top of the ninth, and Jhoan Duran worked the bottom of the inning for his 21st save. Philadelphia wasted a stellar outing from Ranger Suarez (2-6), who gave up two runs on six hits in 6 1/3 innings.
Pirates 4, Reds 2 (Game 1)
Jared Triolo’s pinch-hit, three-run homer in the seventh inning gave Pittsburgh a win over visiting Cincinnati in the first game of a doubleheader.
Alika Williams added an RBI single for the Pirates. Pittsburgh starter Mitch Keller allowed two runs (one earned) and five hits in six innings. Angel Perdomo (3-2) pitched a scoreless seventh to earn the win, and David Bednar pitched the ninth for his 24th save.
Matt McLain hit an RBI double and Christian Encarnacion-Strand had an RBI single for the Reds. Cincinnati starter Brandon Williamson pitched 5 2/3 innings, giving up one run and two hits. Losing pitcher Alex Young (4-1) gave up two runs in one inning.
Reds 6, Pirates 5 (Game 2, 10 innings)
Stuart Fairchild’s forceout drove in Tyler Stephenson in the 10th inning to give visiting Cincinnati a win over Pittsburgh and a split of the twin bill.
Stephenson was the pinch runner for the automatic runner to open the inning against Osvaldo Bido (2-3). With one out, Stephenson took third on TJ Hopkins’ single and scored on Fairchild’s grounder. Elly De La Cruz added a home run for the Reds.
Alexis Diaz (4-4) pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings. Daniel Duarte got his first career save. Bryan Reynolds homered twice and Liover Peguero homered and hit an RBI single for the Pirates.
Guardians 9, Rays 2
Andres Gimenez collected four hits, including a home run, and Oscar Gonzalez chipped in with three doubles to power Cleveland to a win over Tampa Bay in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Tanner Bibee (9-2) held the Rays in check, giving up two runs on seven hits with five strikeouts in seven innings. Gabriel Arias added a home run for the Guardians.
Rays starter Zach Eflin (12-7) surrendered a season-high six runs in just three innings. In the bottom of the third, Rays shortstop prospect Osleivis Basabe, making his major debut, doubled in his first big-league at-bat. Yandy Diaz’s RBI single plated Basabe for the Rays’ first run.
Brewers 7, White Sox 3
Freddy Peralta pitched six shutout innings and Carlos Santana hit a three-run home run as visiting Milwaukee defeated Chicago to secure a three-game sweep.
Peralta (9-8) won his third straight start, scattering four hits — all singles — while walking three and striking out six. The Brewers won their fourth straight game overall, stretching their lead in the National League Central to 3 1/2 games.
Carlos Perez delivered an RBI double with two outs in the ninth to help the White Sox avoid the shutout. Elvis Andrus added a two-run single to account for the final margin. Andrew Vaughn singled three times to pace the White Sox, who have lost four of their last five.
Diamondbacks 5, Padres 4
A two-run home run by Lourdes Gurriel Jr. in the seventh inning helped Arizona come back from a three-run deficit and beat San Diego in Phoenix.
Arizona has won consecutive games after losing nine straight and earned its first series win since winning two out of three games against the Atlanta Braves on the road from July 18-20. San Diego has lost six of its last seven games.
After Gurriel’s two-run home run tied the game at 4, the Diamondbacks took the lead in the eighth on a sacrifice fly by Alek Thomas. Kyle Nelson (6-3) won in relief and Paul Sewald earned his 23rd save. The Padres had held a 3-0 lead in the first inning.
Mets 7, Braves 6
Kodai Senga survived a rocky first inning to toss six solid frames and earn the win for host New York, which salvaged the finale of a four-game series by edging Atlanta.
Senga (9-6) gave up three runs on four hits and two walks while striking out seven. Rafael Ortega had three hits, including a two-run single to cap a fifth inning in which the Mets scored six times while sending 11 batters to the plate.
Sean Murphy homered in the seventh and Matt Olson added a two-run shot in the eighth for the Braves before Adam Ottavino recorded his seventh save with a 1-2-3 ninth. Atlanta starter Yonny Chirinos (5-5) allowed six runs on seven hits.
ANGELS TWO-WAY STAR SHOHEI OHTANI TO SKIP HIS NEXT PITCHING START AFTER FEELING ARM FATIGUE
HOUSTON (AP) Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani will skip his next scheduled pitching start Wednesday at Texas after telling manager Phil Nevin he was feeling some arm fatigue.
Nevin said Sunday that Ohtani is not injured and will return to the rotation during a series at home against the Reds that begins Aug. 21.
“I’ve told you guys many times he knows his body better than anybody,” Nevin said. “I trust him when he talks about it. He’s assured me there’s no pain, there’s no injury. He’s got some regular arm fatigue that some go through at times. I trust him when he tells me this and he’ll be ready for his next time out.”
Nevin said Ohtani told him Saturday that he needed to take a start off. The right-hander will not take any time off as the team’s designated hitter.
“He feels good at the plate,” Nevin said. “He feels healthy swinging at bat. It’s just the (throwing) right now, he’s got some normal arm fatigue that happens at times.”
Ohtani is 10-5 with a 3.17 ERA in 22 starts this season. He is hitting .305 with an American League-leading 40 homers and 83 RBIs.
MLB INVESTIGATING ALLEGATIONS ABOUT RAYS SS WANDER FRANCO
The Tampa Bay Rays confirmed Sunday that Major League Baseball is investigating social media posts that accuse Rays shortstop Wander Franco of having an inappropriate relationship with an underage girl.
Franco, 22, did not play in Tampa Bay’s 9-2 home loss to the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday afternoon.
“During today’s game, we were made aware of the social media posts that are circulating regarding Wander Franco,” the team said in a statement two hours after the game. “We take the situation seriously and are in close contact with Major League Baseball as it conducts its due diligence.”
The Spanish-language social media posts were made Saturday night and went viral Sunday. Franco was given Sunday’s game off despite a scheduled Wander Franco hat giveaway for fans aged 14 and under.
According to reports, Franco began the game in the dugout but left during the fifth inning.
Rays manager Kevin Cash later told reporters that Franco was given a “day off,” but acknowledged that he knew about the discussion brewing on social media.
“I am aware of this speculation,” Cash said. “I’m not going to comment any further on that. But the day off was because (of) the day off.”
The Rays handed Franco a $182 million, 11-year contract in November 2021, with a team option for 2033 that could make the deal worth up to $223 million.
Franco made his first All-Star Game this year and has had a strong season on the field. He is batting .281 with 17 home runs, 58 RBIs and 30 stolen bases over 112 games for a team in line to make the postseason.
The Rays also chose to bench Franco for two games in July in response to his behavior around his teammates and how he would deal with frustration.
RANGERS ACTIVATE ALL-STAR CATCHER JONAH HEIM FROM INJURED LIST
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Texas Rangers All-Star catcher Jonah Heim was activated from the injured list and was in the lineup for Sunday’s game at San Francisco.
Heim had missed 14 games with a left wrist tendon strain that he suffered while swinging a bat on June 26. The 28-year-old, who started 80 of the Rangers’ first 103 games, had been doing catching work and taking live at-bats the previous two days.
To make room, catcher Sam Huff was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock.
ROCKIES’ JURICKSON PROFAR SLAMS INTO THE OUTFIELD WALL AT DODGER STADIUM, INJURING HIS LEFT KNEE
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Colorado left fielder Jurickson Profar the Rockies’ game against Los Angeles on Sunday with a twisted left knee after he ran into the wall while making an inning-ending catch.
Profar made an impressive play on Mookie Betts’ sharp liner to end the Dodgers’ second inning, but he also ran hard into the long section of the left field wall with a mesh cover over a video board at Dodger Stadium.
Profar was down on the warning track for at least two minutes before he was helped up by the medical staff and escorted to the Rockies’ nearby bullpen. He needed help to walk, and the Rockies confirmed two innings later that Profar had injured his left knee.
Profar will be reevaluated after the Rockies return home Sunday night.
MARINERS LEFT-HANDER MARCO GONZALES WILL HAVE SEASON-ENDING FOREARM SURGERY
SEATTLE (AP) — Seattle Mariners left-hander Marco Gonzales will undergo nerve surgery and will miss the rest of the season.
Gonzales will have surgery Aug. 22 to decompress the anterior interosseous nerve in his left forearm. The 31-year-old hopes to recover by spring training.
“This comes after a lengthy process of trying to find answers,” Gonzales said Sunday. “This gives me the best chance to move forward and get past this so it doesn’t happen any further.”
Gonzales was 4-1 with a 5.22 ERA in 10 starts. He hasn’t pitched since May 28, when he felt discomfort in the forearm after throwing 5 2/3 innings against Pittsburgh. At the time, the Mariners thought Gonzales had a forearm strain.
“It became harder and harder to get loose each inning,” Gonzales said. “I felt some achy soreness in my forearm, in the middle of it. Basically ever since then each time I go to throw a baseball I feel this aching, sore pain in the middle of my forearm.”
Gonzales said throughout the summer that every time he went through a treatment plan and started throwing, pain remained and the underlying cause wasn’t clear. He worked with specialists over the past few weeks in a process he described as “popping the hood” when the issue with the nerve was found.
He has a $12 million salary next year in the final season of a $30 million, four-year contract. The deal includes a $15 million team option for 2025 with no buyout.
RED SOX RELIEVER RODRÍGUEZ COULD BE DONE FOR THE SEASON WITH LATEST INJURY SETBACK, CORA SAYS
BOSTON (AP) — Red Sox reliever Joely Rodríguez’s season could be over following another setback in the left-hander’s injury-riddled season, manager Alex Cora said Sunday.
Currently on the 15-day injured list since July 31 with right hip inflammation, the 31-year-old Rodríguez felt something in the upper hip when he was throwing a bullpen session a few days ago.
“It’s tough because he was throwing the ball well,” Cora said. “The upper hip, the other side of it.”
Asked if it was possible that Rodríguez wouldn’t be back this season, Cora said: “Yeah, there’s a good chance.”
Signed to a $2 million, one-year contract during the offseason with a team option for 2024, Rodríguez has been on the injured list three times. He started the season on the IL with a strained right oblique and has pitched in just 11 games, posting a 6.55 ERA over 11 innings.
He also missed a little more than a month because of left shoulder inflammation before coming back in early July.
“Now, we just have to make sure we get him right,” Cora said.
NFL NEWS
NFL ROUNDUP: SAINTS SNEAK PAST CHIEFS IN FINAL MINUTE
Kyle Phillips snagged an interception with one minute left in regulation to set up Blake Grupe’s game-winning 31-yard field goal as time expired, lifting the New Orleans Saints over the visiting Kansas City Chiefs 26-24 in a preseason game on Sunday afternoon.
The Chiefs trailed 17-7 at halftime, but Shane Buechele completed touchdown passes to Justyn Ross and Kekoa Crawford during the third quarter to put Kansas City ahead.
It was 24-17 until Saints rookie quarterback Jake Haener found Ellis Merriweather for a 2-yard touchdown pass with 1:20 remaining in the game. New Orleans failed to score on a 2-point conversion.
But Chiefs QB Chris Oladokun tried a screen past left and Phillips, a defensive lineman, tipped it down to himself to give the Saints the ball in field-goal range.
Patrick Mahomes and Derek Carr each started and played one drive for their respective teams. The Saints started with the ball, and Carr led his new team on a 12-play, 80-yard drive punctuated by a 4-yard touchdown to Keith Kirkwood. Mahomes went 2-for-2 passing for 15 yards.
Raiders 34, 49ers 7
Rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell threw for 141 yards and a touchdown as host Las Vegas broke away from a tie just before halftime to blow out San Francisco.
O’Connell played the first three quarters and went 15-of-18 passing. His 9-yard pass to Keelan Cole Sr. with 34 seconds left in the second quarter put the Raiders ahead 14-7.
Running back Sincere McCormick scored two touchdowns in the second half. His 2-yard run expanded the Raiders’ lead to 24-7 late in the third quarter, and after Daniel Carlson’s second field goal of the game, McCormick caught a 2-yard pass from Chase Garbers to close the scoring.
Quarterback Trey Lance played the first half for the 49ers and completed 10 of 15 passes for 112 yards and a touchdown. Sam Darnold and Brandon Allen followed, each going 5-of-8 passing, with Allen intercepted once. San Francisco’s lone score came on Lance’s 9-yard toss to Ross Dwelley. It tied the game at 7-7 with 8:29 left in the second quarter.
FALCONS CUT 2022 STARTING LINEBACKER MYKAL WALKER IN SURPRISE MOVE
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) The Atlanta Falcons waived 2022 starting linebacker Mykal Walker in a surprise move Sunday.
Walker started and had four tackles in the Falcons’ 19-3 preseason win at Miami on Friday night. Falcons coach Arthur Smith did not play most of his projected starters against the Dolphins.
On Sunday, the Falcons signed linebacker Frank Ginda, the 2023 USFL defensive player of the year.
The Falcons did not announce an injury to Walker in Friday night’s game, but the 2020 fourth-round draft pick apparently was unavailable for the remainder of training camp. Smith said several players were held out Sunday with soft-tissue injuries.
Smith indicated Walker may have been unavailable the remainder of training camp.
“The thing you have to do in training camp, going through 90 guys, when we’re working guys out, if a guy is going to be out the rest of camp you’ve got to make decisions on him, so there’s a lot of things going on,” Smith said when asked about Walker.
Walker had a career-high 107 tackles with two interceptions and one sack in 16 games, including 12 starts, in 2022. He was fighting for his starting spot on the revamped Atlanta defense in training camp.
Walker posted a thank you to the Falcons on social media for his three years with the team.
“Allowed me to achieve my dreams, I’ve meet brothers for life, and brought my son into this world. My journey is far from over excited for what comes next!” Walker wrote.
The Falcons could have as many as six new starters on defense. Linebacker Kaden Elliss, a free-agent addition, has been working with Troy Andersen in the middle of the defense, ahead of Walker. Lorenzo Carter and Bud Dupree may have the lead in the competition at the outside linebacker spots.
Falcons rookie cornerback Clark Phillips III returned to practice on Sunday. Phillips was carted off the practice field with a leg injury during Tuesday’s joint practice with the Dolphins.
Smith plans to play his starters, including quarterback Desmond Ridder, in Friday night’s home preseason game against Cincinnati.
Smith said cornerbacks Mike Hughes and Cornell Armstrong, wide receiver Frank Darby, running back Cordarrelle Patterson could miss “maybe a week or so” with what the coach described as “soft-tissue” injuries.
“We’ll just take it and be smart with it,” said Smith when asked about Patterson. “Nothing we’re concerned about long term.”
REPORT: VIKINGS SIGN FREE AGENT LB TANNER VALLEJO
The Minnesota Vikings signed free agent linebacker Tanner Vallejo, NFL Network reported Sunday.
Vallejo, a noted performer on special teams, declared free agency in March after playing three-plus seasons with the Arizona Cardinals.
A sixth-round draft pick by the Buffalo Bills in 2017, the 28-year-old has 114 tackles over 82 career games (eight starts) with the Bills (2017), Cleveland Browns (2018), Washington (2019) and the Cardinals. He has three forced fumbles, including one last season, and recorded 2.5 sacks.
Vallejo was on the field for 82 percent of the Cardinals’ special-teams snaps last season, and participated in 859 special-teams snaps with Arizona over 45 games going back to 2019.
COMMANDERS SIGN FORMER GIANTS TIGHT END KADEN SMITH
The Washington Commanders added to their depth at tight end on Sunday by signing former New York Giants player Kaden Smith.
Smith, 26, played from 2019-21 for the Giants, totaling 52 receptions for 413 yards and three touchdowns in 33 games (22 starts).
A sixth-round pick of the San Francisco 49ers in 2019, Smith was waived that September and claimed by the Giants, who waived him in March 2022 after he failed a physical. Smith signed with the Indianapolis Colts in May and was waived on Aug. 1.
The Commanders sought another tight end with veteran Logan Thomas sidelined by a calf injury. Thomas, 32, has battled a series of injuries in his career, including to his calf that cost him three games last season.
The Washington roster also includes tight ends John Bates, Cole Turner, Curtis Hodges and Brandon Dillon.
In a corresponding move, the Commanders released punter Colby Wadman, who signed with the team last week while longtime punter Tress Way dealt with a back injury. Wadman, 28, punted four times for a 45.5-yard average in the preseason opener Friday at the Cleveland Browns.
EAGLES’ SPECIAL TEAMER SHAUN BRADLEY (LEG) OUT FOR SEASON
Philadelphia Eagles linebacker and special teams standout Shaun Bradley will miss the 2023 season, he confirmed Sunday on social media.
He sustained a lower leg injury on Saturday in Philadelphia’s preseason loss to the Baltimore Ravens, and multiple outlets reported he sustained a torn Achilles.
“(N)ot how I wanted the season to end for me,” he posted to Instagram, continuing, “I will be back better than i ever was … i can promise that.”
Bradley, who played collegiately at Temple, was taken by the Eagles in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He’s appeared in 45 games (one start) and has 45 tackles. He’s played 878 snaps on special teams, including 80 percent of all special teams plays in 2022.
The 26-year-old New Jersey native was carted off and into the locker room Saturday in the 20-19 loss.
DOLPHINS SIGN WR KEKE COUTEE, DB JAMAL PERRY
The Miami Dolphins signed wide receiver Keke Coutee and defensive back Jamal Perry on Sunday.
In corresponding moves, the team waived cornerback Mark Gilbert and wide receiver Freddie Swain.
The New Orleans Saints released Coutee, 26, on Friday, so he wasn’t out of work long.
A fourth-round pick by the Houston Texans in the 2018 NFL Draft, Coutee has played in 33 games (10 starts) with 85 catches for 966 yards and four touchdowns. He has added five carries for 14 yards and a touchdown, as well as 24 punt returns for 200 yards and five kickoff returns for 97 yards in his career with Houston (2018-20) and the Indianapolis Colts (2021-22).
Perry, 28, played in 31 games (seven starts) with the Dolphins from 2019-21 and spent part of last season on the practice squad. He has 86 tackles, one interception and two passes defensed in his career.
The Dolphins signed Gilbert, 26, on Aug. 4. He has played in eight career games, all with Detroit in 2021, and most recently was with the Pittsburgh Maulers of the USFL.
Swain, 25, signed with the Dolphins on March 15. A sixth-round draft pick by the Seahawks in 2020, Swain spent two seasons in Seattle before splitting the 2022 campaign between the Dolphins and Denver Broncos. In 37 career games (10 starts), he has 42 receptions for 576 yards and six touchdowns.
TEXANS ADD WR ADAM HUMPHRIES, QB E.J. PERRY
The Houston Texans signed wide receiver Adam Humphries and quarterback E.J. Perry to contracts on Sunday.
Terms of the deals were not disclosed by the Texans, who also activated tight end Teagan Quitoriano, released cornerback Kendall Sheffield and waived running back Xazavian Valladay.
Humphries, 30, did not play in the NFL last season after recording 41 catches for 383 yards with the Washington franchise in 2021.
He totaled 320 receptions for 3,314 yards and 13 touchdowns in 96 games (32 starts) with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2015-18), Tennessee Titans (2019-20) and Washington (2021).
Perry, 25, spent time with the Texans this offseason before playing with the Michigan Panthers of the USFL. He was on the practice squad of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2022.
Quitoriano, 23, had seven catches for 113 yards and two touchdowns in nine games (six starts) last season with Houston. He missed the start of the season with a knee injury.
Sheffield, 27, notched 101 tackles and two forced fumbles in 38 career games (20 starts) with the Atlanta Falcons (2019-21).
Valladay, 25, rushed for 1,192 yards with 16 touchdowns in 12 games last season with Arizona State.
REPORT: RAVENS QB TYLER HUNTLEY HAS MINOR HAMSTRING INJURY
Baltimore Ravens backup quarterback Tyler Huntley is nursing a minor hamstring injury, NFL Network reported on Sunday.
Huntley exited in the fourth quarter of the Ravens’ 20-19 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday after completing 8 of 11 passes for 88 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for 13 yards. Huntley began the second half in place of Josh Johnson, who got the start with starting quarterback Lamar Jackson sitting out the preseason game.
Anthony Brown relieved Huntley for the Ravens, who have won 24 consecutive preseason games.
Huntley, 25, signed a one-year, restricted free-agent tender worth $2.63 million in April.
He appeared in six games (four starts) for the Ravens in 2022, throwing for 658 yards and two touchdowns against three interceptions. He also rushed 43 times for 137 yards and a touchdown and earned the first Pro Bowl selection of his career.
Huntley is 3-5 as a starter across three seasons in Baltimore.
SAINTS ROOKIE RB KENDRE MILLER (KNEE) TO UNDERGO MRI EXAM
New Orleans Saints running back Kendre Miller will undergo an MRI exam after injuring his knee during Sunday’s 26-24 preseason victory over the visiting Kansas City Chiefs.
Miller injured the knee in the third quarter and didn’t return. Coach Dennis Allen said he believed Miller injured his right knee.
If so, that is the same knee Miller injured while playing for TCU in the College Football Playoff semifinals against Michigan on Dec. 31. The injury forced Miller to miss the ensuing national championship game against Georgia.
Miller was a third-round pick (71st overall) by the Saints in April’s draft.
If Miller is seriously injured, it will further deplete the Saints at running back. New Orleans will be without star running back Alvin Kamara for the first three weeks while he serves a suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.
In addition, Eno Benjamin is out after rupturing his Achilles tendon in a recent practice.
New Orleans worked out Kareem Hunt last week but didn’t sign the former 1,000-yard rusher.
Offseason free-agent signee Jamaal Williams is slated to open the season as the starting running back. He had 28 yards on nine carries against the Chiefs.
Williams is coming off a career-best season for the Detroit Lions in which had rushed for 1,066 yards and an NFL-leading 17 rushing touchdowns. Only Austin Ekeler of the Los Angeles Chargers (18) scored more total touchdowns.
Undrafted free agent Ellis Merriweather gained 24 yards on nine rushes and also caught had two catches for 17 yards against the Chiefs. One of the receptions was a 2-yard touchdown.
Overall, New Orleans rushed for 93 yards on 28 rushes against Kansas City.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW: CLEMSON
2022 Record: 11-3 overall, 9-0 in ACC
Head Coach: Dabo Swinney, 16th year: 161-39
Clemson is still amazing, everyone.
The program didn’t make the College Football Playoff over the last two seasons and all of a sudden it’s doom and gloom, and the game has passed Dabo Swinney by, and Florida State is about to take over the ACC, and …
Clemson was one decent fourth quarter drive away from going to the CFP.
I got into a few friendly debates about this, but had Clemson been able to hang on/get BT Potter in field goal range in the 31-30 loss to South Carolina, and assuming it would still go on to throttle North Carolina 39-10 for the ACC title, no way, no how, NO CHANCE does the College Football Playoff committee leave out a 12-1 ACC Champion Clemson.
Not only that, but Clemson almost certainly would’ve been the 3 seed vs Michigan – TCU, who lost the Big 12 Championship, would’ve been 4 vs Georgia – and then take your guess on whether or not the Wolverine team that showed up against the Horned Frogs would’ve played the same way vs the Tigers, and then …
Clemson would’ve likely been annihilated in the national championship against Georgia, just like it couldn’t push past Ohio State in the 2020 season’s semis, and just like it got throttled by the epic 2019 LSU team in the title game – but now we’re dealing with first world college football program concerns.
Again, Clemson was almost certainly two points away from seven playoffs in eight years. Instead, it suffered the indignity of losing to the hated rival, and went on to look totally outclassed by Tennessee in the Orange Bowl.
And that’s going to be the issue going forward. Clemson can win 11 games, go unbeaten in conference play – not counting losing to Notre Dame – win the ACC title, and go to a fantastic bowl game, and it all seems like a – it’s the wrong word, but okay – failure because of what Dabo Swinney has created.
But his style and stubbornness needs to prove his way really is the right way.
The guy who supposedly was going to quit if college players got paid – but has a contract worth well over $100 million – is still around even though Clemson has joined the world of NIL, too. That’s fine – he’s hardly alone among coaches in his NIL thoughts – but what Swinney hasn’t relented to is the transfer portal.
It’s so crazy it just might work. Part of the success at Clemson was the continuity, especially in the coaching staff, and Swinney has vowed his teams would be built from within. There’s something to that – more of a sense of loyalty, less stress when it comes to making a mistake, more of a one-of-us feeling that the players really are part of something. It’s actually a terrific selling point.
That’s fine, but as the South Carolina game – and others throughout the season – showed, Clemson might have been one reliable healthy deep threat and one extra veteran playmaking defensive back away from maybe playing for the national title. So this year, all of that in-house talent had better be the stuff, because this is it. There is no going the free agent route to do any upgrading.
It all needs to lead to 12-1. Next year in the expanded College Football Playoff, Clemson should have a permanent residence as long as it keeps the losses to two or fewer every year.
To take that extra step, though, and be back in the national title picture – and God forbid Florida State really does rise up and rock the ACC and/or it’s a third straight year without a CFP appearance – this needs to be the season that proves Dabo right.
Clemson Tigers Preview: Offense
TCU’s offense hit the downfield shots Clemson’s O struggled to come up with last season. The Horned Frog attack was balanced, explosive, and very, very clutch, and now it’s up to its former offensive coordinator Garrett Riley to reboot the Tigers.
Clemson was hardly awful – 410 yards and 33 points per game, great on third downs, solid at running the ball – but there were too many turnovers, not enough big passing plays, and the whole thing was too inconsistent. And now …
You don’t have DJ Uiagalelei to kick around anymore. He was better than he got credit for considering the receivers had an okay season, but he wasn’t Trevor, Deshaun, or Tajh, and he wasn’t Cade Klubnik. Now Uiagalelei is an Oregon State Beaver, and all the pressure is on Klubnik to play up to his superstar recruit status.
He was amazing in the ACC Championship – 20-of-24 for 279 yards – but even with the 320 yards in the Orange Bowl against Tennessee, he struggled a bit. The talent is undeniable, the next level passing skills are there, he can run, and now the gig is all his. But …
Not to position shame, but again, the receivers – who were hardly bad – weren’t always amazing. Uiagalelei wasn’t always great, but he didn’t get a ton of help, either. Like everywhere else on Clemson, there’s a ton of potential star power in the receiving corps, but it needs to shine through.
That starts with getting the deep shots on the outside from Adam Randall – who should be amazing now that he’s healthy; more on that in the Key Player blurb – Beaux Collins has to show off that NFL upside even more after averaging 17 yards per catch on his 22 grabs, and leading receiver Antonio Williams has to build on a solid 56-catch season with 604 yards. The pieces are there, and that includes 25-catch TE Jake Briningstool to work as more than just a safety valve for Klubnik.
Will Shipley is a great all-around back – 1,182 yards and 15 scores, 38 catches – and 230-pound Phil Mafah added 515 yards and four scores. Between these two and Klubnik, the ground game will be strong behind a line that was decent at keeping defenses out of the backfield and good enough for the ground game.
The interior with guards Marcus Tate and Walker Parks along with C Will Putnam will be among the best in the ACC, and now it’s up to the young sophomore tackles Blake Miller and Tristan Leigh to take over as steady mainstays.
Clemson Tigers Preview: Defense
Yes, the secondary needed to do a bit more against the better passers considering the pieces in place, and yeah, the run defense was a bit concerning in the loss to Notre Dame and fight against Florida State, but the pass rush was among the best in the country, overall the run D was great, and talent-wise, this group is LOADED and deep. It starts with
The tackles. What’s the difference between the SEC and everyone else? No one has the 300-pound guys inside who can move like that conference gets. Clemson is obviously not in the SEC, but it’s one of the reasons it’s been able to compete at the highest of levels in the Dabo Swinney era – the tackles are always phenomenal.
The combination of Duke Orhorhoro and Tyler Davis is right there with the best in the country. The proven depth is way thin, but the two main guys are killers, and now …
The ends have to come through. Xavier Thomas has been fine, but he hasn’t been up to his 5-star super-recruit potential quite yet, and it’s asking a ton for Justin Mascoll to be another Myles Murphy on the other side.
The same issues with developed depth are there with the linebacking corps, too – cost of doing business if you don’t dabble with the portal – but the starting three is potentially devastating. The 1-2 punch of Jeremiah Trotter inside and Barrett Carter outside will get to everything – 161 combined tackles last season with 13 sacks, 24 tackles for loss, four picks, and 13 broken up passes. Wade Woodaz is a great looking outside linebacker taking over for new Baltimore Raven Trenton Simpson.
The talent is there in the secondary, but now the big plays have to come. Nate Wiggins is a future NFL starting corner with 12 broken up passes last season with an end-to-end pick six in the ACC title game against North Carolina, but that was his only interception. Sheridan Jones has been around for forever and has NFL tools, but he has just two picks and four broken up passes in four years. They’re both great, but again, they need to come up with more game-changing plays.
S Jalyn Phillips was second on the team with 74 tackles, and Andrew Mukaba is a Swiss army knife who can play anywhere and produce. RJ Mickens is a good safety in the mix – he led the team with three picks to go along with 47 tackles.
BASKETBALL NEWS
DWYANE WADE, DIRK NOWITZKI AMONG THOSE INDUCTED TO HOF
After going head-to-head in the NBA Finals in 2006 and 2011, Dwyane Wade and Dirk Nowitzki found themselves on the same side for once on Saturday night.
Wade and Nowitzki were among those enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass., part of a loaded 2023 class that featured a total of 12 new inductees.
Wade led the Heat to a title in 2006, being named Finals MVP after averaging 34.7 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists as Miami toppled the Mavericks in six games.
Dallas got its revenge five years later, though, beating the Heat in six games for its only championship in franchise history. This time it was Nowitzki’s turn to secure Finals MVP honors, as he went for 26.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.
Twelve years removed from their latest clash on the NBA’s biggest stage, the two have gotten to know each other as people as opposed to competitors.
“For Dirk and me, it’s been therapy,” Wade said about his post-career journey with Nowitzki and some of the other inductees. “Who would have thought that we would be on the same team after all of our battles, but here we are, and it’s one of the greatest teams I’ve ever been on.”
Wade, 41, went on to win two more titles by the time his 16-year NBA career was all said and done. He was a 13-time All-Star and posted career averages of 22.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.4 assists, spending most of his time with Miami, where he spent 15 seasons.
After coming up short in the Finals in 2006, Nowitzki, 45, was named league MVP following the 2006-07 campaign. A 14-time All-Star, Nowitzki was a beacon of loyalty for over two decades, spending his entire 21-year career with the Mavericks. He averaged 20.7 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists across 1,522 games (1,460 starts).
If Wade and Nowitzki weren’t battling each other, they were often trying to fend off the Spurs. San Antonio was well-represented on Saturday night, as guard Tony Parker and longtime coach Gregg Popovich were also part of the Class of 2023.
Parker, 41, won four titles during his 17 seasons with the Spurs. Popovich, 74, was at the helm for all four of those championships, plus a fifth in 1999. Next season will be his 29th as San Antonio’s coach, and he heads into it with 1,366 regular-season wins along with 170 in the playoffs.
One of Popovich’s disciples, Becky Hammon, was also inducted to the Hall of Fame on Saturday. Following a successful playing career in the WNBA and overseas, the 46-year-old Hammon worked as an assistant on the Spurs’ staff from 2014-22. She is now head coach of the Las Vegas Aces, who currently own the best record in the WNBA at 26-3.
In her first season as coach of the Aces, Hammon led Las Vegas to its first title in franchise history.
“You’re a man of principle and excellence,” Hammon said to Popovich. “I know you weren’t trying to be courageous when you hired me, but you did do something nobody else in professional sports has ever done.
“You display excellence, you expect excellence and model how to become excellent in your everyday routine and how you go about your work.”
Longtime Los Angeles Lakers center Pau Gasol also made his way into the Hall of Fame. Gasol, 43, was a two-time NBA champion, six-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA selection and was the 2002 Rookie of the Year.
Earlier this year, the Lakers retired Gasol’s No. 16 jersey, putting it up in the rafters next to the No. 24 jersey of the late Kobe Bryant, whom Gasol played with for seven seasons.
“The person who elevated my game like no other. Who taught me what it took to win at the highest level. Who showed me how hard you had to work, and the mentality you needed to have in order to be the best. The commitment you had to make, what it meant and what it took to be a leader,” Gasol said. “Kobe.
“… I wouldn’t be here without you brother. I wish more than anything that you and Gigi (Bryant’s daughter) were here today with us. I miss you and love you.”
Other inductees included legendary Three Rivers College coach Gene Bess, longtime women’s NCAA coach Gary Blair, former Amherst College coach David Hixon, former Purdue men’s basketball coach Gene Keady and Jim Valvano, who had a successful career as a men’s college coach and broadcaster after playing at Rutgers from 1964-67.
The 1976 U.S. Women’s Olympic team also cracked the 2023 class.
Saturday’s induction ceremony was held at Symphony Hall in Springfield, less than a mile away from the Hall of Fame.
76ERS SIGN GUARD JAVONTE SMART
The Philadelphia 76ers signed point guard Javonte Smart on Sunday.
Smart, 24, played for the Milwaukee Bucks and Miami Heat in 2021-22 as an undrafted rookie out of LSU. He also spent time in the G League that season before playing all of 2022-23 for the G League’s Birmingham Squadron.
As part of the 76ers’ Summer League roster in June, Smart played in eight games and averaged 15.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.3 steals per game.
In 17 games (one start) at the NBA level, the 6-foot-4 guard has averaged 3.0 points over 11.8 minutes per contest. In the G League, Smart has career averages of 16.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.3 steals.
Philadelphia did not disclose contract terms, but multiple outlets reported that Smart signed an Exhibit 10 deal, a one-year minimum-salary contract that can be converted into a two-way agreement before the season.
WNBA NEWS
A’JA WILSON, ACES COME ON STRONG, KNOCK OFF DREAM
A’ja Wilson warmed up after a slow start Sunday night to score a game-high 21 points and the host Las Vegas Aces upped their record to 27-3 by stopping the Atlanta Dream 86-65.
Wilson added nine rebounds and five steals for the Aces, who also got 17 points and six boards from Jackie Young. Kelsey Plum and Chelsea Gray each tallied 13 points and Cayla George came off the bench to contribute 11, including going 3 of 5 from the 3-point line.
It was the 20th straight home win in regular-season play for Las Vegas, which pulled away in the fourth quarter, outscoring Atlanta 28-15. The Aces forced 16 turnovers overall and limited the Dream to 37.1 percent shooting from the field.
Allisha Gray scored 19 points for Atlanta (15-16), which lost for the fifth time in six games and fell to 0-3 on its western road swing. Cheyenne Parker added 13 points and while Rhyne Howard netted 12 but was just 4 of 14 from the field. Nia Coffey chipped in 10 points and 10 rebounds.
The first three quarters were tighter than one might have expected as Atlanta was able to slow Las Vegas’ high-powered attack. The Aces scored 104 and 113 points in their previous two games but had only 36 by halftime, making just 12 of 35 shots from the field.
Most notable was that Wilson, who was coming off a career-high 40 points in Friday night’s 24-point rout of Washington, hit only 2 of 9 attempts in the first half. What’s more, the 6-foot-5 center found foul trouble, picking up her third foul with 3:26 left in the half.
However, Las Vegas was able to lock in on defense and hold Atlanta to 12 of 34 shooting from the field in the half. And when Young drilled a 3-pointer right before the end of the third quarter, the Aces took a 58-50 advantage.
Las Vegas will host New York on Tuesday night in the league’s third annual Commissioner’s Cup game, with players from the winning team earning $30,000 apiece and the game MVP picking up an extra $5,000.
BRITTNEY SYKES GOES FOR 30, MYSTICS END SKID BY BEATING SKY
Brittney Sykes scored 13 of her season-high 30 points in the third quarter to fuel the host Washington Mystics to an 83-76 victory over the Chicago Sky on Sunday afternoon.
Sykes, who also had six assists, five steals and four rebounds, made 11 of 18 shots from the floor and all six of her attempts from the foul line. She eclipsed her season high of 29 points, set during Washington’s 96-88 win over the Indiana Fever on July 7 and matched in a 96-87 loss to the New York Liberty on July 21.
Queen Egbo scored a season-high 16 points off the bench and Tianna Hawkins added 13 for the Mystics (14-16), who snapped a season high-tying three-game losing skid by completing a four-game season sweep of Chicago. Washington pulled even with the idle Minnesota Lynx for sixth place in the standings.
Mystics center Shakira Austin collected four points and four rebounds in 14 minutes off the bench in her return from a 16-game absence due to a hip strain.
Washington star Elena Delle Donne, however, sat out her 12th straight game due to an ankle injury.
Chicago’s Kahleah Copper scored 17 points and Marina Mabrey added 15. Elizabeth Williams recorded 14 points and 12 rebounds, Courtney Williams had 13 points and Alanna Smith posted 10 points and 10 boards for the Sky (12-18), who have lost three in a row.
Sykes scored 11 points to lift Washington to a 40-39 lead at halftime before erupting for 13 in the third quarter. She sank a 3-pointer on her team’s first possession and capped the period with a layup just before the buzzer to give the Mystics a 61-55 advantage.
Sykes sank a 3-pointer and added a layup to push Washington’s lead to 75-63 with 5:11 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Copper drained 3-pointers on consecutive possessions and Elizabeth Williams’ layup trimmed Chicago’s deficit to five points with 3:12 to play. Sykes set up Egbo for a layup on the ensuing possession and Hawkins drained a 3-pointer to give the Mystics some breathing room.
GOLF NEWS
GLOVER MAKES IT 2 IN A ROW BY WINNING FEDEX CUP OPENER IN A PLAYOFF OVER CANTLAY
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) Mostly from the stifling heat, maybe from the pressure, Lucas Glover needed to keep his hands from sweating and he learned a trick long ago from not wearing a glove.
On the 17th tee Sunday, tied for the lead with Patrick Cantlay, he dunked his hands in the ice water of a cooler for as long as he could stand it and then quickly dried them.
“It literally stops them from sweating for a little while,” Glover said.
And it did nothing to cool him off.
Glover won the FedEx St. Jude Championship, his second title in two weeks, this time by making three big putts – one of them for bogey – on the back nine, closing with a 1-under 69 and then beating Cantlay in a playoff with what ultimately was the most important shot.
His tee shot on the 18th hole in the playoff found dry land. Cantlay’s did not.
Glover won with a par to extend a most amazing run. Just 10 days ago, he started the PGA Tour’s postseason at No. 112 in the FedEx Cup – No. 119 in the world ranking – and was looking at an early end to the season.
He won the Wyndham Championship to get into the FedEx Cup playoffs. He won at the TPC Southwind and now already has locked up a spot in the Tour Championship. He is No. 30 in the world. He has earned just short of $5 million in two weeks.
Is the Ryder Cup on the horizon? Glover would have to win the BMW Championship next week to make the team. If not, he felt worthy of a pick.
“Playing pretty good golf, and I think I’d be pretty good in the team room and be a good partner,” he said. “So yeah, absolutely I would.”
Not even Glover could have imagined this less than three months ago, when he thought the yips would stay with him forever, prompting a change to a long putter that must feel like a magic wand these days.
“If you would have told me this three months ago, I’d tell you you’re crazy,” he said “But at the same time, if you asked me legitimately did I think I was capable, I’d say yes, even then. It’s just one of those sad ways athletes are wired.
We always believe in ourselves no matter how bad it is.”
Belief was at its peak on the back nine. Glover made a 20-foot par putt on the 13th, a 30-foot bogey putt on the par-3 14th after a tee shot into the water, and a 12-foot par putt on the 17th to stay tied with Cantlay, who had finished his superb round of 64 and was watching on TV.
The playoff effectively ended with one shot. Cantlay hit 3-wood that was about a foot from being perfect. Instead, it hopped down the bank and into the water. Glover found the fairway with his 3-wood and two-putted for par. Cantlay took a penalty drop and his 20-foot par putt just slid by the right edge.
“Just hooked the ball a little too much off the tee,” Cantlay said. “Bad shot, obviously, and paid the price.”
Glover becomes only the third player in his 40s to win back-to-back weeks on the PGA Tour over the last 25 years, joining Kenny Perry (2003) and Vijay Singh, who did it three times, most recently in the FedEx Cup playoffs in 2008.
“Whether you’re fighting something or playing great, you just work hard. You never know when it can turn,” Glover said. “And it’s turned very quickly for me.”
The biggest fight was the back nine when some of the game’s best lined up trying to take catch him – Cantlay and Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Jordan Spieth and Max Homa.
Cantlay played superbly on the back nine, starting with a chip-in on the 10th hole and giving himself birdie on practically every hole after that. Glover looked to be on the ropes and briefly fell one shot behind. But it could have been a lot worse if not for those putts.
“Got to a point there middle of the back nine where it was just kind of survive and try to give myself as many chances as I could coming in,” Glover said. “That kept us in the game.”
McIlroy birdied the last hole for a 65 and tied for third with Fleetwood (68), who had a birdie chance on the 18th to join the playoff.
Spieth was close most of the way until twice hitting in the water over the last four holes. He shot 70 and joined a large group tied for sixth. Spieth only moved to No. 27 in the FedEx Cup with the late mistakes, and now will have to earn his way to the Tour Championship next week.
Cameron Davis and Hideki Matsuyama played their way into the top 50 in the FedEx Cup. That gets them into the BMW Championship next week, and it assures them a spot in the $20 million signature events next year.
Davis closed with a bogey-free 67. Matsuyama, who has made it to the Tour Championship each of his nine years on the PGA Tour, amazingly has a chance to extend the streak.
He was at No. 57 in the FedEx Cup and was in a tie for 38th going into the final round at the TPC Southwind, still only 2 under for his round after a birdie at the 15th. And then came a storm delay of 90 minutes.
“I looked and saw what I needed to do on the final three holes. I knew I had to birdie them all,” Matsuyama said.
He hit 6-iron to 10 feet for eagle on the par-5 16th. He holed a 12-foot birdie putt on the 17th. And then he made a superb up-and-down from behind the 18th green for par and a 65. That was just enough to crack the top 50 and send him to Chicago.
MICKELSON MELTDOWN AND A 7-SHOT WIN FOR CAM SMITH IN LIV GOLF
BEDMINSTER, N.J. (AP) Phil Mickelson’s bid for his first LIV Golf title ended early and spectacularly. Cam Smith rarely made winning look so easy Sunday at LIV Golf-Bedminster.
Mickelson, playing in the final group for the first time since joining the Saudi-funded circuit last year, hit two tee shots in the water and made a quintuple-bogey 8 on the par-3 seventh hole at Trump National, effectively ended his hopes.
Smith, who had two early bogeys that dropped his lead to three shots over Mickelson at the time, closed with five birdies and a clean card for a 3-under 68 and seven-shot victory.
Smith won for the second time in three LIV Golf events and took over the season points race in his attempt to claim the $18 million bonus at the end of the season.
He finished at 12-under 201.
Anirban Lahiri closed with a 70 to finish alone in second. Abraham Ancer (69), Patrick Reed (71) and Dean Burmester (72) tied for third.
“That was the goal since the start of the year, to be up with a shot at it,” Smith said of the season points race. “Got a couple of weeks left.”
LIV Golf is now off for the next five weeks until returning outside Chicago.
Mickelson ended an attention-filled week with a 75. He tied for ninth, his first top 10 of the year. The day before the tournament began, an excerpt from gambler Billy Walters’ book was released that claimed Mickelson placed over $1 billion in bets over the last 30 years and asked Walters to bet $400,000 on the U.S. team to win the 2012 Ryder Cup that Mickelson played in.
Mickelson said he never placed a bet on the Ryder Cup.
Smith earned $4 million for the win, raising his total to just over $13.6 million for the year. He said he would put the clubs away for the first few weeks of his break.
“My clubs deserve a rest,” Smith said.
His Ripper team won the team competition by 11 shots.
DÉJÀ VU: AMERICAN GOLFER LILIA VU CAPTURES 2ND MAJOR IN 2023 AT WOMEN’S BRITISH OPEN
WALTON-ON-THE-HILL, England (AP) Lilia Vu was already smiling when her long, snaking birdie putt dropped into the cup on the 18th green, confirming her – not that it was ever in doubt – as the Women’s British Open champion and a two-time major winner.
The 25-year-old Californian has plenty to smile about.
A first LPGA Tour win. Two major championships. An imminent ranking of No. 1 in the world.
How that’s for a breakthrough season?
“It sounds almost unreal,” Vu said.
With accurate driving and relentless reliability on the greens, Vu took any potential drama out of the final round of the year’s last major by staying largely out of trouble at Walton Heath and shooting 5-under 67 for a six-stroke victory on Sunday.
She began the day tied for the lead with popular home hope Charley Hull, with 11 players within five shots of them. By the time she teed off on No. 11, Vu led by five after seeing all of her rivals – including top-ranked Nelly Korda – falter one by one.
Hull, roared on by the locals on a course located just 30 minutes from where she grew up, holed out from a greenside bunker for eagle at the par-5 11th to trim the lead to three shots.
Vu responded with an approach to 3 feet for birdie at No. 12 and was never threatened down the stretch.
She walked down No. 18 leading by five shots and, after rolling in a sixth birdie of her round, she was drenched in champagne by fellow players.
Vu won an LPGA event in Thailand in February, then the Chevron Championship in a playoff two months later. Since then, she has missed the cut in four of her six stroke-play events, saying she struggled to deal with a change in expectations as a major champion.
“How I felt afterward,” she said, “honestly I was thinking those two wins were a fluke.”
Now, she is the first female player to win two majors in the same year since Jin Young Ko in 2019, and the first American woman since Juli Inkster in 1999.
From being outside the top 100 midway through 2022, her first year back on the LPGA Tour, she will become Monday the fourth American to top the women’s ranking since it was introduced in 2006.
And heading into next month’s Solheim Cup, what a year this has been for U.S players. Three of the five women’s majors have been won by American – Allisen Corpuz won the Women’s U.S. Open title at Pebble Beach – and that’s not happened since 2014.
Vu finished on 14-under 274 for the tournament, a great score on a heathland course southwest of London that provided a tough test for the world’s best, mainly because of the thick heather running beside the fairways.
She had five bogeys all week. The only one Sunday came at the par-5 No. 15 when she drove into the heather for the only time in the round and then found a bunker with her third shot.
“It just comes down to not thinking about winning, just playing one shot at a time,” Vu said. “This golf course forces you to do that. It really tests you. That was my only goal. To drive the ball well and give myself chances for birdie.”
Hull couldn’t deliver a first major title in front of fans who backed her passionately – and fairly, according to Vu. She shot 73 and was runner-up for the second time in the last three majors.
“She played unbelievable, really,” Hull said of the champion.
Hull couldn’t keep the pressure on after the eagle at No. 11, buckling with bogeys on Nos. 15 and 17 – the latter after a protester walked onto the green and opened a canister filled with purple spray. There was no disruption to play as the protester was escorted away.
“It’s just annoying because this is my fourth second-place finish of the year and second second-place finish in a major,” Hull said. “But I really feel like next year will be my time for me.”
What promised to be an exciting final round, given the state of the leaderboard at the end of play Saturday, turned into a procession.
Korda, who will lose her No. 1 ranking to Vu, started five off the leaders, bogeyed the second hole, and wound up shooting 74 to finish 12 strokes back.
Linn Grant, the highly rated Swede, faded with a 76 and was tied with Korda in 11th place.
Former two-time winner Jiyai Shin shot 70 and was alone in third place, one stroke behind Hull.
AUTO RACING NEWS
MCDOWELL DOMINATES BRICKYARD 200 FOR 2ND NASCAR CROWN JEWEL VICTORY
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Michael McDowell raced to his second NASCAR crown jewel victory Sunday, dominating the Brickyard 200 — and putting himself in the playoffs for the second time in three years.
The 38-year-old Arizona driver who has made more than 450 career starts beat Chase Elliott across the yard of bricks by 0.937 seconds in the road-course race that had only one yellow flag. Pole winner Daniel Suarez was third as the regular season winds down.
McDowell, also the 2021 Daytona 500 winner, gave Front Row Motorsports its fourth victory.
“We did it, we won Indy,” he shouted into the radio. “So thankful.”
McDowell made it look easy this time, too, winning the first stage, finishing behind only Denny Hamlin in the second stage and then inheriting the lead on Lap 54 during a round of pit stops and never trailed again. He led a career-best 54 laps in the 82-lap race.
He had to sneak through traffic following a wild crash to win at Daytona.
“These guys gave me everything today,” he said. “We had the fastest car. I don’t know if it was dominant, but it felt dominant.”
Shane van Gisbergen finished 10th in his second career start, failing to become the first Cup driver to win his first two career starts. Van Gisbergen won in his NASCAR debut on the streets of Chicago in early July.
LARSON’S DOUBLE
Kyle Larson’s late-night arrival after winning the Knoxville Nationals sprint car race Saturday in Iowa, didn’t make any difference to the 2021 series champ. He still made it to a scheduled news conference before noon to unveil Arrow McLaren’s No. 17 car for next May’s Indianapolis 500.
Larson is scheduled to attempt the double and the two cars will feature familiar colors — the traditional blue and white paint scheme with a touch of papaya for the 600-mile Charlotte race and papaya, blue and white livery the McLaren team.
“Obviously, I’m extremely excited, but at the same time, I’m so busy racing and trying to take care of my family that I haven’t — like it hasn’t really set in yet that it’s truly a reality,” Larson said. “When you have days like today and you unveil the car, all those little steps, it definitely makes it seem more real. But I’m sure once things slow down in the off-season and I have a lot of time to sit around and think about the upcoming season is when it’s really going to hit.”
BYRON
William Byron’s No. 24 Chevrolet started from the back of the field Sunday after failing inspection three times Friday. Then he was forced to do a drive-thru penalty at the end of his first lap.
But the series’ only four-time winner this season snaked his way back through the field to finish 14th.
UP NEXT
The series makes its annual stop at Watkins Glen next Sunday, the second-to-last regular-season race.
TOP INDIANA NEWS/RELEASES FROM ORGANIZATIONS
INDIANA HS FOOTBALL
TOP QB’S IN CENTRAL INDIANA
Tanner Aspeslet, Lawrence North: The emergence of the 6-4, 205-pound Aspeslet will allow coach Pat Mallory to move previous quarterback, senior Montez Jones, to some other areas to help the offense. In five games last season as a sophomore, Aspeslet was 19-for-31 for 300 yards and two TDs with two interceptions and ran for 26 yards and one TD. Jones, who passed for 3,416 yards and 24 TDs and ran for 1,228 yards and 16 TDs, could also still see time at quarterback, but will like factor in more as a slot receiver, running back and free safety.
Tyler Cherry, Center Grove: All the 6-5, 205-pound Cherry did as a junior was help Center Grove to a third consecutive Class 6A state championship when most expected the Trojans to take a step back with inexperience at several key spots. Cherry completed 65.1% of his passes for 2,269 yards and 22 touchdowns with five interceptions. Top receiver Noah Coy returns after receiving more than half of Cherry’s passing yards last season. Cherry, an IndyStar Mr. Football candidate going into the season, committed to Duke last month over offers from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan State, Penn State and Pitt, among others (he was offered by Missouri and Maryland after his commitment). Center Grove will go into the season as the favorite again in Class 6A in large part due to Cherry’s talent and experience.
Bodie Derrer, Hamilton Heights: The 6-3, 200-pound Derrer completed 58.7% of his passes as a junior for 1,787 yards and 24 touchdowns with three interceptions as a junior. Derrer helped Hamilton Heights to an 8-3 season, the Huskies’ highest win total since 2014. He recently picked up his first offer from Morehouse College and is receiving interest from several Division I programs. Derrer’s top receiver, junior Tyler Champion, also returns for the Huskies.
D.J. Gordon, Park Tudor: The 6-1, 195-pound Gordon is one of the top-dual threat quarterbacks in the state and one of the most experienced. Gordon completed 67% of his passes for 2,065 yards and 32 touchdowns with just three interceptions as a junior and ran for 572 yards and 10 TDs. For his career, Gordon has 4,027 passing yards with 58 TDs and 12 interceptions. He has rushed for 1,413 yards and 25 TDs. The Panthers are coming off a 9-4 season and the program’s first sectional championship since 2005. Gordon has offers from Army, Navy, Air Force, Austin Peay, Lindenwood and Penn.
Thomas Gotkowski, Ben Davis: The 6-1, 185-pound Gotkowski, a Miami of Ohio commit, stepped into the starting role as a junior and completed 62.9% of his passes for 2,341 yards and 24 touchdowns with eight interceptions. The Giants finished 6-4. Gotkowski returns with a roster that looks to be loaded for a strong season under first-year coach Russ Mann. Gotkowski is an elusive runner, too, accounting for 107 yards and four TDs on the ground. Junior quarterback Isaiah Rogers is also competing for playing time.
Bryson Luter, Lawrence Central: The 6-foot, 180-pound Luter, coming off a strong track season, was limited to eight games last season due to injury, but still passed for 1,415 yards and 11 touchdowns (eight interceptions) with a 50.6% completion rate. Luter is one of the best running quarterbacks on this list, accounting for 491 yards and six TDs on the ground. In two seasons as a starter, Luter has 2,893 passing yards and 22 TDs with 15 interceptions and has 927 rushing yards and 14 rushing TDs. Terry Walker III (469 passing yards, six TDs) gained valuable experience as a freshman in Luter’s absence.
Hunter Newell, Plainfield: In his first year as a full-time starter, the 6-3, 205-pound Newell completed 58.2% of his passes for 1,850 yards and 16 TDs with 12 interceptions. He also ran for seven TDs for the 6-6 Quakers, who won a sectional championship for the first time in 22 years. In 19 games total, Newell has 2,521 passing yards and 21 passing TDs. He picked an offer last week from St. Francis. Having an experienced quarterback like Newell coming back is a positive for first-year Plainfield coach Tyler Bless.
Danny O’Neil, Cathedral: The 6-1, 185-pound O’Neil owns most of the Cathedral passing records with another season to go. The Colorado commit completed 62.9% of his passes as a junior for 2,654 yards and 32 touchdowns with seven interceptions. He is also a capable runner as he totaled 293 yards on the ground last season with nine TDs. For his career, O’Neil has 5,718 passing yards and 67 touchdowns and nine interceptions and 604 rushing yards and nine rushing TDs. After winning a Class 5A state championship as a sophomore, O’Neil led Cathedral to a 10-1 record going into the 6A semistate last season, including a thrilling Week 9 regular-season win over Center Grove. But the Irish came a step short of Lucas Oil Stadium, losing 33-10 to Center Grove in the bitter cold at Tech in the semistate.
Bo Polston, Decatur Central: The 6-2, 200-pound Polston was the rare freshman to start at quarterback, completing 53.3% of his passes for 1,683 yards and 15 TDs with nine interceptions. Polston is also an athlete, running for 347 yards and three TDs. He already has received offers from Akron, Central Michigan, Indiana, Marshall and Toledo. Decatur Central dropped to 4-7 last season after eight consecutive winning seasons, but the Hawks figure to bounce back with Polston at the controls.
Mason Reynolds, Avon: Avon has struggled in the win-loss column the past seasons, but a bright spot has been the play of the 6-2, 210-pound Reynolds. The Western Michigan commit completed 50.3% of his passes as a junior for 2,111 yards and 16 TDs with eight interceptions. Reynolds rushed for 267 yards and four TDs. In his two years as a starter, Reynolds has a 53% completion rate with 4,403 passing yards and a 38-to-18 touchdown-to-interception rate. New coach Rob Gibson takes over a program that was 3-18 the past two seasons but has one of the best quarterbacks in the state to build around.
Jace Stuckey, Triton Central: The 6-3, 190-pound senior is coming off a breakout season that saw him complete 66.9% of his passes for 2,657 yards and 23 touchdowns with six interceptions. The Eastern Michigan recruit also rushed for 232 yards and eight TDs as a junior. Stuckey has 4,043 passing yards and 35 TDs for his career (12 interceptions) with 357 rushing yards and 17 TDs. Triton Central was 10-3 last season and reached the regional, losing by a touchdown to eventual Class 2A state champion Evansville Mater Dei.
Nevan Tutterow, Franklin Central: The 6-2, 185-pound Tutterow is just a junior but going into his third year as a starting quarterback for the Flashes. He completed 53.6% of his passes for 1,303 yards and eight TDs with nine interceptions. In his two seasons combined, Tutterow has 2,512 passing yards and 15 passing TDs. Franklin Central has been more competitive in Jayson West’s two seasons as coach. The Flashes were 3-7 last season, but led state champion Center Grove in the fourth quarter of a 14-10 first round sectional loss.
Carter Watson, Speedway: The 5-8, 155-pound Watson completed 61.8% of his passes for 1,577 yards and 16 TDs with 10 interceptions as a junior and has passed for 3,688 yards and 45 TDs in his two-plus seasons. Watson is also a capable runner with 321 yards on the ground and four TDs. The Sparkplugs are coming off a 6-5 season. There is another big-time talent at quarterback in sophomore Connor Moreland, who was 25-for-43 passing for 277 yards and three TDs last year as a freshman.
Jackson Willis, Lutheran: All the 6-2, 190-pound Willis did last season was step in as a sophomore and lead the Saints to a 15-0 season and Class A state championship. Willis completed 70.5% of his passes for 4,169 yards and 55 (!) touchdowns with six interceptions to become just the fifth quarterback in state history to pass for more than 4,000 yards in a season. Top receiver Micah Mackay is gone to graduation but DeVuan Jones and L.J. Ward return as juniors for the Saints, who will take a 30-game winning streak into the season.
Ryan Zimmerman, Guerin Catholic: The 6-6, 215-pound Zimmerman played in just four games last season due to a collarbone injury. He completed 66% of his passes for 1,035 yards and nine TDs with four interceptions in those games, though, and also ran for two scores. As a sophomore, Zimmerman passed for 1,280 yards and 10 TDs as a full-time starter and ran for 143 yards and three TDs. Guerin Catholic was 7-5 last year, playing for a sectional championship. Zimmerman has an offer from Valparaiso. Malcolm Houze played well in relief of Zimmerman as a sophomore, passing for 1,621 yards and 14 TDs with six interceptions.
Six more to watch: Jayden DeFalco, Indiana Deaf, Sr.; Luke Ertel, Mt. Vernon, Soph.; Maverick Geske, Brebeuf Jesuit, Jr.; Keith Jackson, Warren Central, Jr.; Heath Kizer, North Central, Sr.; D.J. Mendez, Scecina, Sr.
TOP RB’S IN CENTAL INDIANA
Jalen Alexander, Hamilton Southeastern
The 5-11, 190-pound Alexander, a Ball State commit, was one of the breakout stars for the Royals in last year’s 12-1 regional championship season. He ran for 1,533 yards and 15 touchdowns, putting up eight 100-yard rushing games and a pair of 200-yard games. Alexander picked Ball State over several other Division I offers.
Alijah Alfayyad, Carmel
The 5-9, 170-pound senior came on about halfway through his junior season, posting a pair of 100-yard rushing games and finishing the season with 603 rushing yards and two touchdowns. He also had five catches for 48 yards. Alfayyad will go into the season as the primary back for a program looking to improve on a 6-4 season.
Brayton Belcher, Monrovia
The 6-3, 200-pound Belcher rushed for 1,048 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior to help Monrovia to a Cinderella run to the Class 3A semistate game. He goes into his senior season with 2,461 rushing yards and 29 rushing TDs, along with 10 catches for 73 yards and a TD. Belcher also played defense during Monrovia’s tournament run.
Ray Crawford, Triton Central
The 5-10, 180-pound Crawford has rushed for more than 1,000 yards three consecutive seasons. He ran for 1,129 yards and 15 touchdowns as a junior and caught 12 passes for 73 yards and a score to earn all-Indiana Crossroads Conference honors. Crawford also contributed on defense with 19 tackles and three interceptions for the 10-3 Tigers, a Class 2A sectional champion. For his career, he has 3,705 rushing yards and 39 TDs and 40 catches for 518 yards and four TDs.
Kendall Garnett, Westfield
The 5-7, 180-pound Garnett has breakout potential after a sophomore season that saw him run for 835 yards and 12 TDs. He is also one of the team’s top threats as a receiver, catching 13 passes for 118 yards and one TD last season. Garnett also averaged 28.8 yards per kickoff return for an 8-4 sectional championship team.
Braylen Gillard, Franklin Central
The 6-1, 200-pound senior was a workhorse for the Flashes last season, rushing for 600 yards and four TDs in nine games and catching 16 passes for 143 yards and one score. Gillard has 1,143 career rushing yards and seven TDs for a program that is looking to turn the corner after a 3-7 season. He picked up an offer last month from St. Francis.
Khobie Martin, Fishers
The 6-foot, 200-pound Martin, a Miami of Ohio commit, rushed for 1,194 yards and 16 touchdowns as a junior, averaging 7.2 yards per carry. Martin posted six 100-yard games and one 200-yard game. He will be the captain of a team coming off a 7-4 season. Martin is averaging 7.1 yards per carry over two seasons.
Alijah Price, Ben Davis
The 5-7, 170-pound Price ran for 968 yards and 12 touchdowns as a sophomore and was also a threat catching passes out of the backfield, making 18 receptions for 159 yards and one score. He made a bit of a splash two years ago as a freshman with 313 rushing yards and three TDs. Price will be a major piece for a Ben Davis team looking to improve on a 6-4 season.
Garrett Sherrell, Brownsburg
The 5-8, 190-pound senior is one of the area’s most accomplished running backs. He rushed for 1,086 yards and 17 touchdowns as a junior and caught 18 passes for 242 yards and two TDs. Sherrell goes into his senior season with 2,012 career yards and 24 TDs. He has offers from Austin Peay, Butler, Illinois State, Tiffin and UIndy.
Logan Shoffner, Noblesville
The 5-7, 160-pound senior posted nine 100-yard rushing games as a junior and finished the season with 1,414 yards and nine TDs. He also caught 12 passes for 129 yards and averaged 23.8 yards per kickoff return. For his career, Shoffner has 2,684 rushing yards and 18 TDs and 24 receptions with 192 yards.
Brayden Shrake, Martinsville
The 5-10, 210-pound senior is a playmaker for the Artesians, rushing for 1,245 yards and 12 touchdowns last year on a team that finished 8-4 and lost to Class 4A state champion East Central in the sectional final. Shrake is also tough out of the backfield as a receiver, catching 16 passes for 177 yards and four TDs.
Grayson Thomas, New Palestine
The 6-foot, 185-pound Thomas suffered an ACL injury in last year’s sectional semifinal against Greenfield-Central. The senior is fully cleared now and ready to return after a junior year that saw him run for 1,509 yards and 26 TDs and catch five passes for 106 yards. Thomas has three 1,000-yard seasons under his belt with 3,898 career rushing yards and 59 rushing TDs.
Six more to watch
Jalen Bonds, Cathedral: The 6-foot, 195-pound Bonds played in just five games as a sophomore at Heritage Christian due to a collarbone injury, but rushed for 579 yards and six TDs and caught nine passes for 111 yards and two TDs. He figures to be the mix for the Irish.
Riley Kinnett, Bishop Chatard: The 5-6, 165-pound Kinnett is looking forward to a healthy 2023 season. He broke his wrist in the Week 5 Columbus North game but returned for the Class 3A state championship to run for 81 yards and two TDs. For the season, Kinnett finished with 495 rushing yards and seven TDs in six games.
Josiah Ottinger, Southport: One of the bright spots of an 0-10 season was the play of Ottinger, who posted four 100-yard rushing games and rushed for 707 yards and five TDs for the season in nine games. Ottinger also caught eight passes for 54 yards.
Slate Valentine, Whiteland: The 5-9, 160-pound Valentine came up big during Whiteland’s run to the Class 5A state championship game. He finished the season with 587 rushing yards and eight TDs.
Azariah Wallace, Hamilton Southeastern: Not only does HSE have one of the top senior running backs in Ball State commit Alexander, but also one of the top juniors with the bruising 5-11, 200-pound Wallace, who rushed for 515 yards and eight TDs as a sophomore.
Wild card
Three-time defending Class 6A state champion Center Grove does not have a running back returning with much experience after the graduation of Micah Coyle (2,072 yards, 22 TDs) and Jalen Thomeson (1,082 yards, nine TDs), but someone will certainly emerge. It could be a committee, though senior Rylan Cook (130 yards) is the likely frontrunner to get a first crack. Juniors Austin Hennessy and Jack Browning, senior Mathew Yoder and sophomore Nolan Rees are also names to watch at a position that is crucial to Center Grove’s success historically.
WHO ARE INDIANA’S TOP DEFENSE PLAYERS?
We talk so much about offense in high school football, but it’s defense that wins championships (as they tell us). Here are some of the top players to watch as the season draws near.
SAM FEENEY, BISHOP CHATARD. Feeney helped the Trojans to the state title last season by finishing with 83 total tackles, five sacks, and nine tackles for loss. Colleges are noticing as well with several D1 schools wanting his services.
JONNY HALL, LUTHERAN. 111 tackles tells us a lot. Hall has been a leader for the Saints over the last two years. Hall may reach 300 total tackles for his career.
JAKE HINTON, GREENFIELD-CENTRAL. Hinton has excellent size (6-4 200) and he is a headhunter.
Hinton registered 115 tackles for the Cougars last season.
CARTER MCKINSTRY, LAWRENCE NORTH. McKinstry is an All-State performer for the Wildcats after leading LN with 101 tackles and five sacks. 10 of his tackles were for loss.
WILL HARRIS, PARK TUDOR. Tackles are the name of his game. Harris had an incredible 152 tackles last season. Harris is 5-11 and weighs 220 pounds. He is a force for the Panthers.
LENNOX CRUZ WILLIAMS, WESTFIELD. Cruz Williams had an excellent sophomore season with 90 tackles and 4.5 sacks. College coaches are taking notice.
JACKSON WEINGART, CATHEDRAL. Weingart made the most of his junior season with 11.5 TFL and 6.5 sacks.
ARTEMAS BRYANT, CARMEL. Bryant has excellent size (6-2 230) and is very quick and athletic. He had 45 solo tackles last season and nine tackles for loss.
LUKE PENOLA, ZIONSVILLE. Penola had 57 tackles with 7 for loss last season.
DJ MORTON, LAWRENCE CENTRAL. Morton turned heads with a strong season as a junior. The senior DB had 61 tackles last season. He has many college coaches wanting his services.
JORDAN PALMER, WHITELAND. Palmer isn’t big (5-10 185) but he can play linebacker. The sophomore- to-be had 85 tackles last season, not bad for a freshman.
LEO MORROW, FISHERS. The speedy Morrow had 59 tackles and three INT’s last season.
LANDON DRENNAN, PLAINFIELD. Drennan is a monster for the Quakers, leading the defense with 91 tackles which included 10.5 for loss. Don’t forget the six sacks.
ELIJAH CHANDLER, CENTER GROVE. Chandler is the type of edge rusher than gives opposing teams fits. Chandler had 67 tackles and nine for loss last season.
MJ CAMPBELL, DECATUR CENTRAL: Campbell is amonsteron defense with 67 tackles and 14 for loss. And don’t forget the 12.5 sacks.
MICHAEL THACKER, NEW PALESTINE. Thacker registered 13 sacks and 34.5 TFL last season. Those are some crazy numbers for a DT.
OTHERS TO WATCH:
AIDEN BEADLES, SOUTH PUTNAM 17.4 TPG, 18 TFL
JAVON FROST, DELPHI 16.4 TPG
PEYTON MEYER, HAGERSTOWN 17 TFL
CARSON FOXEN, AVON 13.1 TPG, 13TFL
CANNON BRUNES, WESTERN BOONE 23TFL, 9 SACKS
CJ HUNT, NORTH WHITE 16.5TFL
ALEX PONCE, CALUMET TECH 14.6 TPG
ZACH BALES, SHERIDAN 11 TPG, 12TFL
MATAIO RUSSELL, LAWRENCE CENTRAL 12.6TPG, 11TFL
AUSTIN HASTINGS, NOBLESVILLE 12.5 TPG
SEAN MCAFEE, CHARLESTOWN 12.5 TPG
NICK JOHNSEN, HIGHLAND 11.2 TPG
NICK TROUT, PENDLETON HEIGHTS 13.0 TPG
KALEB ARCHER, NORTH KNOX 12.0 TPG
LANDON CLEMENTS, MOORESVILLE 10.9 TPG
BRANDON FREEMAN, TH SOUTH 11.6 TPG
JOB HOFFMAN, BELLMONT 11.5 TPG
AVERY MILLS, OAK HILL 12.7 TPG
NOAH JOURDAN, EASTERN 12.2 TPG
NYLAND BROWN, BEN DAVIS 10.9 TPG, 3 SACKS
NICK YATSKO, TH SOUTH 10.9 TPG
WYATT WOODALL, SOUTHMONT 12TFL
ZEKE TRUEBLOOD, BLOOMINGTON NORTH 10.5 TPG, 10TFL
CIAN MOORE, COVINGTON 11.3 TPG
NATE WELLS, CLINTON CENTRAL 10.8 TPG
GAGE BENNETT, FWBC 29.5 TFL, 17 SACKS
NOAH KNIGGA, KNIGHTSTOWN 17TFL
MARQUIS ALLEN, MUNCIE CENTRAL 10.3 TPG, 10TFL
KALEB UTLEY, EVANSVILLE REITZ 15 SACKS
LEVI OXLEY, EVANSVILLE REITZ 15 SACKS
BRADY WOLF, FISHERS 14 SACKS
ASHTON JOSEPH PESETSKI, FW CARROLL 11 SACKS
ELI EDWARDS, EASTERN 10.5 SACKS
DEMETRIUS DAVIS, INDY SHORTRIDGE 13 SACKS
TOBY BISHOP, SOUTH DECATUR 11.5 SACKS
SETH PIRTLE, SULLIVAN 9 INT
CHRISTIAN FUENTES, CALUMET CHRISTIAN 8 INT
DYLAN BOWMAN, EASTERN HANCOCK 7 INT
TYLER VERSCHURE, VALPO 7 INT
MYKELL ANDREWS, COLUMBUS CRUSADERS 6 INT
TYRONN LARKIN, GLENN 6 INT
COLTS FOOTBALL
COACH: RB JONATHAN TAYLOR EXPECTED BACK IN CAMP THIS WEEK
New Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen expects injured running back Jonathan Taylor to return to camp this week, although the extent of Taylor’s recovery from an ankle injury was unclear.
“He should be back this week. Do I know the exact date he’ll be back? No, but he should be back,” Taylor told the media on Sunday.
Taylor, who wants a new contract or a trade as he heads into his final season under his current deal, has said he does not intend to take the field until he is fully healthy in hopes of preventing reinjury. He left training camp early last week to rehab elsewhere.
An All-Pro in 2021, Taylor led the NFL in rushing that year with 1,811 yards. In his three NFL seasons, he has amassed 3,841 yards on the ground with 33 touchdowns, and 802 yards receiving with three scores.
Taylor is currently on the team’s physically unable to perform (PUP) list after offseason ankle surgery.
The team has refused to negotiate a new contract with Taylor, and owner Jim Irsay has stated that the front office won’t oblige his trade request.
FEVER BASKETBALL
BREANNA STEWART SCORES 42 AS LIBERTY DOWN FEVER
Breanna Stewart was nearly unstoppable, scoring 30 of her game-high 42 points in the opening half to help pave the way for the New York Liberty in a 100-89 victory over the host Indiana Fever on Sunday at Indianapolis.
Stewart produced her third game of at least 40 points this season, hitting five 3-pointers, shooting 15 of 23 from the field and blocking three shots as the Liberty (24-6) set a franchise record for wins in a season and extended their win streak to six.
Jonquel Jones had 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Liberty, Betnijah Laney scored 12 points and Sabrina Ionescu added 10, hitting two 3-pointers to go over 100 made from distance for the year. New York swept the regular-season series against Indiana.
Four players scored in double figures for Indiana (8-23), including 22 from Kelsey Mitchell. Erica Wheeler poured in 21 points while Aliyah Boston had 17 and Nalyssa Smith added 15.
Indiana, which trailed by as many as 18 in the second half, closed the gap to 95-89 with 59.4 to play in the fourth quarter off a putback but a 3-pointer by a tightly guarded Laney with 37.4 seconds remaining iced the game.
The fourth meeting of the year between the teams opened with a first quarter that featured 12 lead changes and three ties.
Mitchell scored 10 in the opening quarter, including three of a layup and free throw that put Indiana up 23-19 with 3:07 left.
Stewart scored 14 in the first to keep the Liberty within striking distance, hitting a fadeaway jumper with four seconds left that trimmed the Indiana lead to 31-29.
Indiana maintained its lead into the second before back-to-back 3-pointers by Stewart pushed the Liberty in front 42-40 at the 4:54 mark of the half.
Those points were among the 13 straight by Stewart, who extended the Liberty lead to 49-42 with 3:32 left.
Mitchell then sparked a 7-0 run for the Fever, drilling a 3-pointer that tied the game at 49-49 with 2:09 left. New York responded and led 58-51 at the half.
INDIANS BASEBALL
INDIANS SILENCE SOUNDS WITH SUNDAY ONE-HIT SHUTOUT
INDIANAPOLIS – Backed by a pair of home runs by Canaan Smith-Njigba and Malcom Nuñez, the Indianapolis Indians pitching staff tossed a one-hit shutout to defeat the Nashville Sounds in Sunday’s series finale at Victory Field, 4-0.
The one-hit performance marks the fewest hits the Indians (52-60, 19-19) have allowed in a game since Chase De Jong, Austin Brice and Yerry De Los Santos combined on a no-hitter on April 13, 2022 at St. Paul. It is the first one-hitter for Indy since James Marvel, Montana DuRapau and Dovydas Neverauskas accomplished the feat at Syracuse on July 24, 2019.
The lone Sounds (60-52, 20-18) hit came via a fourth-inning infield single off the bat of Keston Hiura. Beau Sulser (W, 1-1) led the pitching staff with six punchouts over 5.0 innings, and John O’Reilly, Yohan Ramirez, Hunter Stratton and Rob Zastryzny followed with 4.0 near-perfect innings to finish.
Indianapolis got on the board in the fourth inning on Smith-Njigba’s 11th home run, a three-run shot to put the game out of reach against Caleb Boushley (L, 7-6). In the eighth, Nuñez then went yard to plate an insurance run, ending his day 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored.
The Indians begin a six-game road trip at CHS Field, home of the St. Paul Saints, on Tuesday night at 8:07 PM ET. Neither team has named a starting pitcher for the series opener.
PURDUE MEN’S GOLF
THREE BOILERMAKERS SET FOR U.S. AMATEUR IN DENVER
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue will be well-represented in next week’s playing of the U.S. Amateur, as three current Boilermakers begin play Monday looking to become America’s Amateur champion.
Seniors Herman Sekne and Nick Dentino and junior Luke Prall will all begin play Monday at the Colorado Golf Club, then will close out stroke play on Tuesday at Cherry Hills Golf Club.
The three qualifiers are believed to be the most Boilermakers in a field in U.S. Amateur history.
Sekne, from Oslo, Norway, will open play Monday at 9:11 a.m. ET, and play Tuesday at 2:41 p.m. ET, off No. 10 at Cherry Hills. The third-team All-American is ranked No. 27 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR) and will begin his season ranked No. 17 in the PGA Tour U. rankings.
In May, Sekne became Purdue’s first All-American since 2002 and competed this summer in the prestigious Arnold Palmer Cup and Bollanack Trophy. He is one of the top-25 players ranked in the field.
Sekne earned an exempt spot in the field by ranking in the WAGR’s top 50.
Dentino, a fifth-year senior in 2023-24, will play in his second U.S. Amateur after playing in the 2021 event at Oakmont. He will tee off at 3:25 p.m. ET on Monday off hole No. 10 at the Colorado Golf Club, then Tuesday off No. 1 at Cherry Hills at 9:55 a.m. ET.
Dentino qualified by finishing as the runner-up medalist in qualifying in Lansing, Michigan.
Dentino played all 11 events this last season at Purdue, registering a 72.90 stroke average with two top-10 finishes and 13 rounds of even-par or better.
Prall, a junior, will tee off Monday at 10:50 a.m. ET, off No. 1 on the Colorado Golf Club layout, then will finish stroke play Tuesday with a 4:20 p.m. ET tee time off No. 10 on Cherry Hills.
Prall fired a 9-under par 135 (69-66) to win medalist honors at U.S. Amateur qualifying in Kentucky, rallying to win the qualifier with a blistering final round, 6-under par 66. He entered the second 18 in a sixth-place tie out of the qualifying seeds (top two), but responded with a 66, including a big eagle on the par-5 16th hole to help him advance.
Live scoring will be provided on USGA.org, with streaming starting Wednesday when match-play begins. Television coverage also begins Wednesday on the Golf Channel, with NBC picking up the semifinals and finals on Saturday and Sunday.
IUPUI MEN’S SOCCER
MEN’S SOCCER FALLS ON THE ROAD IN PRESEASON OPENER
EVANSTON, Ill. – The IUPUI men’s soccer team scored first, but was unable to secure the victory as the Jaguars allowed two unanswered goals, the second of which coming in the game’s final minute of a 2-1 loss at Northwestern on Sunday (Aug. 13). NU’s Henri Richter deposited the winner on a header with under a minute remaining before the final whistle.
IUPUI WOMEN’S SOCCER
JAGUARS DROP PRESEASON FINALE AT TOLEDO, 3-2
TOLEDO, Ohio – The IUPUI women’s soccer team closed out its preseason slate on Sunday (Aug. 13) as the Jaguars fell on the road at Toledo, 3-2. IUPUI got goals from Avery Bangert and Leah Shumate, but allowed the winner in the 87th minute. IUPUI came off the mat to equalize on two different occasions, but ran out of time following the Rockets’ third score of the day.
Toledo wasted little time in opening the scoring, breaking through in the seventh minute on a Madison Medalle strike against Ashton Kudlo. IUPUI’s first shot on goal found paydirt as Jessica Jacobs setup Bangert’s shot from distance in the 33rd minute, knotting the score before halftime.
The Rockets recaptured the lead in the opening seconds of the second half before Shumate pulled the Jaguars even in the 55th minute, scoring her second goal of the preseason. Things stayed deadlocked until the 87th minute when Toledo’s Kaema Amachree put the guests ahead.
Toledo finished with a 14-8 shot advantage, putting seven of their 14 attempts on target. Shumate led the squad with 71 minutes played as head coach Chris Johnson once again spread minutes across the roster judiciously.
Kudlo played the bulk of the game in goal, logging three saves and yielding a pair of scores. Sophomore Cailynn Junk came on late, making one stop and allowing the winning score.
“I think today’s game was a really good challenge for us and I was proud of how we battled,” sophomore Sarah Henson said. “We are excited for games to come and preparing for Thursday’s home game. I think we are bonding together really well and getting a lot more comfortable playing with each other. It will definitely take time, but I’m excited for what’s to come with this team.”
IUPUI will now open the regular season on Thursday (Aug. 17) at 6:00 p.m. at the on-campus Michael A. Carroll Stadium. That game will be broadcast on ESPN+ as Jonathan Matthes is on the call.
SMALL COLLEGE ATHLETIC SITES:
INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/
EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/
WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/
FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/
ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/
ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index
TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index
BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/
DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/
HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/
MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/
HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/
OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx
ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index
IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/
IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/
IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/
PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/
INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx
GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/
ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/
GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/
HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php
TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/
VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index
“SPORTS EXTRA”
MLB STANDINGS
| American League | |||||||||||
| East | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Baltimore | 73 | 45 | .619 | – | 36 – 23 | 37 – 22 | 24 – 14 | 18 – 7 | 13 – 10 | 7 – 3 | W 2 |
| Tampa Bay | 71 | 49 | .592 | 3 | 40 – 22 | 31 – 27 | 20 – 14 | 20 – 6 | 11 – 11 | 5 – 5 | L 1 |
| Toronto | 66 | 54 | .550 | 8 | 31 – 26 | 35 – 28 | 11 – 23 | 18 – 8 | 14 – 11 | 6 – 4 | W 1 |
| Boston | 62 | 56 | .525 | 11 | 35 – 28 | 27 – 28 | 16 – 14 | 16 – 10 | 12 – 10 | 5 – 5 | W 1 |
| NY Yankees | 60 | 58 | .508 | 13 | 35 – 28 | 25 – 30 | 15 – 21 | 12 – 10 | 16 – 13 | 4 – 6 | L 2 |
| Central | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Minnesota | 62 | 58 | .517 | – | 33 – 24 | 29 – 34 | 12 – 17 | 22 – 18 | 11 – 8 | 6 – 4 | W 2 |
| Cleveland | 57 | 62 | .479 | 4.5 | 31 – 28 | 26 – 34 | 10 – 12 | 18 – 18 | 13 – 12 | 4 – 6 | W 1 |
| Detroit | 53 | 65 | .449 | 8 | 26 – 33 | 27 – 32 | 5 – 20 | 21 – 13 | 9 – 13 | 5 – 5 | L 1 |
| Chi White Sox | 47 | 72 | .395 | 14.5 | 25 – 33 | 22 – 39 | 8 – 17 | 19 – 17 | 9 – 17 | 4 – 6 | L 3 |
| Kansas City | 38 | 81 | .319 | 23.5 | 22 – 37 | 16 – 44 | 6 – 18 | 13 – 27 | 4 – 11 | 4 – 6 | L 1 |
| West | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Texas | 70 | 48 | .593 | – | 40 – 20 | 30 – 28 | 14 – 11 | 17 – 5 | 19 – 14 | 8 – 2 | L 1 |
| Houston | 68 | 51 | .571 | 2.5 | 33 – 26 | 35 – 25 | 10 – 10 | 11 – 11 | 26 – 14 | 6 – 4 | L 1 |
| Seattle | 63 | 54 | .538 | 6.5 | 34 – 28 | 29 – 26 | 12 – 15 | 12 – 11 | 19 – 11 | 8 – 2 | L 2 |
| LA Angels | 59 | 60 | .496 | 11.5 | 31 – 28 | 28 – 32 | 12 – 11 | 14 – 8 | 17 – 20 | 3 – 7 | W 1 |
| Oakland | 33 | 85 | .280 | 37 | 18 – 41 | 15 – 44 | 7 – 19 | 7 – 11 | 6 – 28 | 3 – 7 | L 3 |
| National League | |||||||||||
| East | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Atlanta | 75 | 42 | .641 | – | 37 – 20 | 38 – 22 | 25 – 7 | 16 – 6 | 11 – 9 | 5 – 5 | L 1 |
| Philadelphia | 65 | 54 | .546 | 11 | 34 – 24 | 31 – 30 | 15 – 17 | 11 – 8 | 14 – 13 | 6 – 4 | L 2 |
| Miami | 62 | 57 | .521 | 14 | 36 – 25 | 26 – 32 | 14 – 19 | 13 – 10 | 10 – 12 | 4 – 6 | W 2 |
| NY Mets | 53 | 65 | .449 | 22.5 | 29 – 27 | 24 – 38 | 17 – 17 | 7 – 15 | 15 – 13 | 3 – 7 | W 1 |
| Washington | 53 | 66 | .445 | 23 | 25 – 34 | 28 – 32 | 11 – 22 | 12 – 14 | 14 – 14 | 7 – 3 | W 3 |
| Central | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| Milwaukee | 65 | 54 | .546 | – | 33 – 27 | 32 – 27 | 10 – 9 | 24 – 12 | 10 – 16 | 7 – 3 | W 4 |
| Chi Cubs | 61 | 57 | .517 | 3.5 | 32 – 28 | 29 – 29 | 11 – 17 | 21 – 14 | 9 – 8 | 6 – 4 | L 1 |
| Cincinnati | 62 | 58 | .517 | 3.5 | 29 – 31 | 33 – 27 | 13 – 16 | 16 – 23 | 16 – 9 | 3 – 7 | W 1 |
| Pittsburgh | 53 | 65 | .449 | 11.5 | 29 – 32 | 24 – 33 | 9 – 8 | 14 – 19 | 16 – 15 | 5 – 5 | L 1 |
| St. Louis | 52 | 66 | .441 | 12.5 | 25 – 33 | 27 – 33 | 10 – 9 | 13 – 20 | 10 – 16 | 5 – 5 | W 1 |
| West | |||||||||||
| Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Home | Road | East | Central | West | Last 10 | Streak |
| LA Dodgers | 71 | 46 | .607 | – | 38 – 20 | 33 – 26 | 11 – 7 | 16 – 14 | 23 – 12 | 9 – 1 | W 8 |
| San Francisco | 63 | 55 | .534 | 8.5 | 34 – 26 | 29 – 29 | 10 – 12 | 18 – 9 | 18 – 11 | 4 – 6 | W 1 |
| Arizona | 59 | 59 | .500 | 12.5 | 30 – 31 | 29 – 28 | 13 – 15 | 11 – 10 | 20 – 17 | 2 – 8 | W 2 |
| San Diego | 56 | 62 | .475 | 15.5 | 30 – 28 | 26 – 34 | 13 – 13 | 8 – 15 | 16 – 19 | 3 – 7 | L 2 |
| Colorado | 45 | 73 | .381 | 26.5 | 25 – 30 | 20 – 43 | 14 – 17 | 11 – 13 | 7 – 25 | 3 – 7 | L 5 |
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1888 Tim Keefe’s nineteen-game winning streak ends when Gus Krock and the White Stockings defeat the Giants at the Polo Grounds, 4-2. The future Hall of Fame right-hander, who will amass 342 career victories, finishes the season with a 35-12 record.
1919 The Robins and Cubs split a doubleheader, needing only two hours and seventeen minutes to complete the contests. In the opener, the Cubs blank Brooklyn 2-0, in one hour and ten minutes, and their opponents take one hour and seven minutes to blank shut them out in the nightcap, 1-0.
1932 Brooklyn’s 10-inning, 2-1 victory over the Giants at the Polo Grounds makes reliever John Quinn, at 49, the oldest player to win a major league game. Johnny Frederick, who will have only six home runs during the entire season, hits a ninth-inning game-tying homer off Carl Hubbell, his fourth round-tripper as a pinch-hitter, establishing a new major-league record.
1933 Jimmie Foxx hits for the cycle with his two-run single off Belve Bean in the sixth inning of the A’s 11-5 victory over the Indians at Cleveland Stadium. The Philadelphia first baseman’s offensive output drives in nine runs to establish a new American League record, breaking the previous mark of 8 set in 1911 by Highlander outfielder Topsy Hartsel.
1937 At Navin Field, the Tigers sweep a doubleheader against the visiting Browns, 16-1 and 20-7. The thirty-six Detroit runs, including eight scored by Pete Fox, establish a new American League record for tallies in a twin bill, a mark not broken until the Rangers score 39 times in two games on August 23, 2007.
1939 In an evening event that attracts over 30,000 Windy City patrons to Comiskey Park, the White Sox beat the Browns, 5-2, in the first major league night game ever played in Chicago. Their crosstown rivals will take another 49 years before play under lights when the Cubs finally install illumination in the friendly confines of Wrigley Field under the threat of not being able to play postseason contests in their home ballpark.
1958 Vic Power, who will have only three stolen bases this season, becomes the first player in seventy years to steal home twice in one game. The third baseman’s tenth-inning theft of the dish ends the game, giving the Indians a 10-9 ‘slide-off’ victory over the Tigers.
1960 The fans at Yankee Stadium boo Mickey Mantle, benched by Casey Stengel, for not running out a routine ground ball that results in an ‘ugly’ inning-ending double play in a 6-3 nightcap loss in a doubleheader sweep by the Senators. The team loses Roger Maris when he bruises his ribs, sliding hard into second baseman Billy Gardner’s knee to break up the twin killing.
1961 The Phillies drop their seventeenth consecutive game, a 9-2 defeat to the Cubs’ Dick Ellsworth, and, for the eleventh straight time, the opposing pitcher throws a complete game against the team. The last-place club, extending their losing skein to 23 contests, finishing with a 47-107 record, 46 games behind the league-leading Reds.
1962 For the third time this season, the Aaron brothers hit home runs in the same game. Tommie and Hank’s solo round-trippers in the sixth and seventh innings, respectively, prove to be the difference in the Braves’ 5-4 victory over Cincinnati at Crosley Field.
1962 Al Jackson goes the distance in the Mets’ 15-inning loss to the Phillies. The hard-luck lefty, throwing an astounding 215 pitches, gives up only six hits, including a two-run single to third baseman Mel Roach in the fifteenth frame, which proves to be the difference in his 3-1 defeat at the Polo Grounds.
1964 In a battle of teenagers at Shea Stadium, 19-year-old first baseman Ed Kranepool homers twice off 18-year-old Phillies’ starter Rick Wise. The young Philadelphia right-hander prevails, earning the victory in the team’s 6-4 decision over the Mets.
1971 Bob Gibson doesn’t allow a hit when the Cardinals beat the Pirates, 11-0, the largest margin of victory ever in franchise history for a no-hitter. The first no-hitter in Pittsburgh in 64 years, and the first in the year-old Three Rivers Stadium, is made possible thanks to outstanding defensive plays made by outfielder Jose Cruz and third baseman Joe Torre.
1981 Dave Kingman’s home run, a monstrous blast estimated to have traveled 515 feet, will remain the longest round-tripper ever hit in the 44-year history of Shea Stadium. Kong’s tape-measure home run, a solo shot over the left-center wall, comes in the fourth inning off Larry Christenson in the Mets’ 8-4 loss to Philadelphia.
1981 In the Mariners’ 13-3 defeat over Minnesota in the nightcap, Jeff Burroughs hits three home runs off three different pitchers. The M’s right fielder drives in six runs with his two-run, three-run, and a solo round-tripper in the Metropolitan Stadium contest to help salvage a split of the twin bill.
1982 Phillies first baseman Pete Rose, with his 12,365th trip to the plate, passes Hank Aaron to become the all-time leader of career at-bats. The all-time hit king will end his 24-year tenure in the major leagues with an amazing total of 15,890 ABs.
1987 Mark McGwire’s 39th round-tripper breaks the major league mark for home runs by a rookie shared by Wally Berger (1930, Red Sox) and Frank Robinson (1956, Reds). The A’s freshman first baseman, who will finish the season with an American League-leading 49 homers, hits his record-breaking round-tripper off Don Sutton, giving up the freshman’s two-run sixth-inning blast in the Angels’ 7-6 loss to Oakland at Anaheim Stadium.
1993 The Yankees retire Reggie Jackson’s uniform number 44. ‘Mr. October’, recently inducted into the Hall of Fame, played as an embattled right fielder for the Bronx Bombers from 1977-81, helping the club reach the postseason four times, including winning two world championships.
1995 The Twins retire Kent Hrbek’s uniform #14 as a tribute to their former first baseman, who spent his entire career with Minnesota. The Minneapolis (MN) native, growing up less than a mile from Metropolitan Stadium, hit .282 during his 14-year tenure with the team, which included world championships in 1987 and 1991.
1998 The A’s Rickey Henderson’s stolen base in the first inning against the Tigers makes the thirty-nine-year-old the oldest player to steal 50 bases in a season. The veteran outfielder will end the season with a major league-leading 66 stolen bases.
1998 In a 15-3 rout of the Indians at Jacobs Field, Chris Hoiles becomes the ninth player in major league history and the only catcher to hit two grand slams in the same game. The Orioles backstop goes yard with the bases full in the third inning off Charles Nagy and does it again in the eighth off Ron Villone.
1999 Ivan Rodriguez becomes the first catcher in major league history to compile 20 homers and 20 stolen bases in the same season. The Texas backstop reaches the milestone when he swipes second base off Brook Fordyce in the team’s 8-7 loss to the White Sox at Comiskey Park.
2001 In the top of the ninth, Boston closer Derek Lowe allows the tying run to score when he gives up three consecutive singles to the only three batters he faces in Seattle’s eventual 6-3 victory in 11 innings at Fenway Park. The Red Sox fans show their displeasure about the blown save by tearing and throwing onto the field pieces of the giveaway they received as a promotion for attending tonight’s game, a Derek Lowe poster.
2003 Despite a massive blackout in the Northeast, the game between the Mets and the Giants at Shea Stadium is the only postponement on the major league schedule. Although Detroit, Toronto, and Cleveland were without electricity, the Tigers, Blue Jays, and Indians either had the day off or played on the road.
2004 The Florida State League’s Daytona Cubs shift their home games into away contests when Hurricane Charley causes extensive damage to their historic ballpark. The facility, built in 1914 and renamed for Jackie Robinson to commemorate the site where the future Hall of Famer and civil rights advocate played his first exhibition game with the Montreal Royals, was also damaged by Hurricane Donna (1966) and Hurricane Floyd (1999).
2006 Matt Diaz ties a National League record and establishes a club mark by collecting a hit in ten consecutive at-bats. The Braves’ 28-year-old left-fielder, who goes 4-for-5 in Atlanta’s 10-4 victory over the Nationals at RFK, surpasses teammate Marcus Giles, who held the previous franchise mark with nine straight safeties in 2003.
2007 Atlanta skipper Bobby Cox is ejected from a major league game for the 132nd time in his career, breaking John McGraw’s all-time ejections record. The Braves manager takes only 28 seasons to set the new mark, compared to the 42 years in which Mugsy compiled his tosses, including 14 as a player.
2007 Former Yankees second baseman Phil Rizzuto, the oldest living Hall of Famer, dies in his sleep at a New Jersey nursing home from complications of pneumonia at the age of 89. Scooter became a popular icon in New York for his unique broadcasting style, appearances in numerous commercials, and lending his voice on Meat Loaf’s “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” rock hit, which won a Grammy.
2007 After being arrested for hitting two players with a bat, former big-leaguer Jose Offerman is suspended indefinitely by the independent Atlantic League for the assault during a Bluefish and Long Island Ducks game. The incident, triggered when a pitch drills the former All-Star, results in Bridgeport backstop John Nathans sustaining a concussion and starter Matt Beech suffering a broken finger.
2008 In the sixth inning of a 9-2 rout of the Royals, the White Sox become the sixth team in major league history to hit four consecutive home runs in an inning. Jim Thome, Paul Konerko, and Alexei Ramirez go deep off KC reliever Joel Peralta, with Juan Uribe completing the record-tying feat by taking Robinson Tejeda yard at Chicago’s U.S. Cellular Field in the sixth inning of a 9-2 rout of the Royals.
2008 Mark Kotsay joins Albert Hall as the only Atlanta player to complete the cycle when he strokes a seventh-inning double, his 1,500th career hit. The outfielder’s 5-for-5 performance isn’t enough, with the Cubs beating the Braves, 11-7, to give Chicago their first season sweep of the Braves in franchise history, which dates back to 1876.
2010 Mike McClendon becomes the first rookie in Brewers’ history to retire the first nine batters he faces. The 25-year-old right-hander is perfect in the sixth, seventh, and eighth frames in Milwaukee’s eventual 5-4, ten-inning victory over Colorado at Coors Field.
2015 The Padres’ Matt Kemp hits a ninth-inning triple to complete the cycle, making him the first player in the 35-year history of the franchise to accomplish the feat. The San Diego outfielder’s home run in the first, single in the third, and double in the seventh contributes to the team’s 9-5 victory over Colorado at Coors Field.
2021 Joining Theodore Breitenstein (1891), Bumpus Jones (1892), and Bobo Holloman (1953), Arizona southpaw Tyler Gilbert becomes the fourth pitcher to hurl a no-no in his first big league start when he beats the Padres at Chase Field, 7-0. The Diamondbacks’ 27-year-old freshman becomes the 24th rookie to throw a no-hitter, with his gem being the eighth no-hitter of the season, equaling the big-league record set in 1884, the first year of overhand pitching.
BASEBALL HALL OF FAME
BUD SELIG
Executive
Allan H. Selig grew up wanting to be another Joe DiMaggio – until the curveball derailed his on-field career.
But from the owner’s box and ultimately the commissioner’s office, the man known as “Bud” became a lifelong friend to the National Pastime – and left an imprint few can match.
Born July 30, 1934, in Milwaukee, Wis., Selig came of age as an ardent baseball fan, giving up the game on the field after “a guy…threw a curve at me and I backed two feet out of the box.” Selig attended games of the minor league Milwaukee Brewers and eventually the Braves when they moved to Milwaukee in 1953. By then, Selig was at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, majoring in American History and Political Science.
He graduated in 1956 and – after a tour in the U.S. Army – joined his father at his Ford dealership in nearby West Allis, Wis.
“Joe Torre said he bought his first car from me in 1960,” Selig said of the former Braves catcher and future Hall of Famer. “That’s true.”
By 1963, Selig was the largest public stockholder in the Milwaukee Braves.
But by 1965, the Braves had announced they were moving to Atlanta for the 1966 season, ending their 13-year run in Milwaukee. Selig sold his team stock and began work on bringing baseball back to his hometown even before the Braves had left.
After organizing successful exhibition games with MLB teams in Milwaukee, hosting regular season White Sox games at County Stadium and nearly acquiring the White Sox in 1969, Selig finally met his goal when he led a group that purchased the American League’s Seattle Pilots out of bankruptcy court on March 31, 1970. Seven days later, the new Milwaukee Brewers began their 1970 AL schedule.
Under Selig’s ownership, the Brewers grew into a powerhouse, winning the AL pennant in 1982 with a team that featured future Hall of Famers Rollie Fingers, Paul Molitor, Ted Simmons, Don Sutton and Robin Yount. Selig quickly became one of baseball’s most influential owners, helping identify and hire Peter Ueberroth as commissioner in 1984.
“He should have been Senate majority leader,” said White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf, describing Selig’s ability to lobby for his position and form alliances. That skill would be tested when on Sept. 9, 1992 – two days after commissioner Fay Vincent was let go by the owners – Selig was named the Chairman of MLB’s Executive Council, making him the de facto commissioner.
Selig was quickly thrust into the battle between labor and management, which culminated with the 1994 strike and the cancellation of that year’s World Series. But with Selig in command, baseball slowly returned to normal with the resumption of play in 1995 and several key events – like Cal Ripken’s chase of Lou Gehrig’s consecutive games played record – that restored the game’s popularity.
On July 9, 1998, the owners removed the “interim” tag and made Selig the game’s commissioner. Over the next 16 years, Selig – whose total tenure as commissioner was exceeded only by that of Kenesaw Mountain Landis – oversaw expansion in 1993 and 1998, the addition of two Wild Card teams, the creation of interleague play, MLB.com, the World Baseball Classic and the introduction of instant replay as a tool for umpires.
“I learned that the best interests of the game are the most important thing,” Selig said. “They transcend my best interests, your best interests and everybody else’s.”
A $1.2 billion industry in 1992, the game’s annual revenues had grown to $9 billion by the time Selig left office in early 2015. He worked tirelessly to create revenue sharing policies that would benefit all teams, recognizing early in his tenure as commissioner that the game was growing and that all teams should benefit. In 2005, he launched the Commissioner’s Initiative on Sustainable Ballpark Operations, becoming the first professional sports league commissioner to create an initiative dedicated to promoting responsible environmental stewardship, which has now become standard practice in sports leagues throughout the United States and the world.
Under Selig, MLB enjoyed 20-plus years of labor peace following the 1994-95 strike and experienced a ballpark boom that featured almost two dozen new stadiums. Selig retired Jackie Robinson’s No. 42 throughout baseball in 1997 and oversaw the league’s expansion into three divisions per league and helped establish the toughest anti-drug measures in all of sport.
“First and foremost,” Selig said, “I’m a fan.”
Selig was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2017.
FOOTBALL HISTORY
August 14, 1919 – During the second of two meetings in the editorial rooms of the Green Bay Press-Gazette, the Green Bay Packers franchise is officially organized and founded by George Calhoun and Curly Lambeau. The first meeting took place on August 11, 1919. The nickname of Packers was derived from that of their sponsor for the first two seasons, the Indian Packing Company.
August 14, 1953 – The 23rd Chicago Charities College All-Star Game is played as 93,818 spectators look on to see the NFL Champion Detroit Lions defeat the College team 24-10. The game’s MVP, always the top College All-Star performing player was Gib Dawson from Texas.
August 14, 1958 – The first ever Canadian Football League (CFL) game is played as Winnipeg defeats Edmonton 29-21.
August 14, 1959 – The 29th Chicago Charities College All-Star Game is played as 70,000 spectators look on to see the Baltimore Colts defeat the College team 29-0. The game’s MVP, always the top College All-Star performing player was Bob Ptacek the fine Michigan running back.
August 14, 1959 – The AFL forms and their original teams organize which include:
Denver Broncos franchise forms AFL
Houston/Tennessee Oilers/Tennessee Titans franchise forms AFL
Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs franchise forms AFL
Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers franchise AFL
New York Titans/Jets franchise forms AFL
August 14, 1965 – The Continental Football League or COFL plays its first games. The league played from this inaugural season until 1969. The group of teams was mostly minor league teams assembled from a few smaller leagues.
August 14, 1973 – Legendary NFL quarterback Johnny Unitas sues the franchise he formerly played 17 season for, the Baltimore Colts for $725,000! The lawsuit had a claim that the Baltimore Colts were in breach of contract with Unitas that was made in 1970. The contract said Johhny U. would be with the team in some capacity either playing or on staff for 10 years but the team benched him and traded him to San Diego after only a couple years. Reports say that the Colts organization did pay their former signal caller the $30,000 per year for 10 years after he retired as agreed to.
Hall of Fame Birthday for August 14
August 14, 1907 – Johnny Baker was a guard from the University of Southern California and was a two time All-American at the position. In 1983 Mr. Baker was delivered the honor of entering the College Football Hall of Fame. After his playing days Baker became the head coach of football at the Iowa State Teachers College (now Northern Iowa), the University of Denver and Sacramento State College (now California State University, Sacramento).
August 14, 1916 – Wellington Mara Pro Football Hall of Fame was the famed owner of the New York Giants.
August 14, 1935 – John Brodie was a quarterback that played for Stanford University. The passer’s great play there earned him a place in the College Football Hall of Fame. Brodie went on to play professionally for 17 seasons at the helm of the San Francisco 49ers. There were multiple years where he led the NFL in both passing and touchdown throws and he played in two Pro Bowls and was the 1970 NFL MVP.
FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME
CLIFF BATTLES
Position: Halfback
Years: 1928-1931
Place of Birth: Akron, OH
Date of Birth: May 01, 1910
Place of Death: Clearwater, FL
Date of Death: Apr 28, 1981
Height: 6-1
Weight: 194
High School: Akron, OH (Kenmore HS)
Clifford F. “Gyp” Battles specialized in long runs. Grantland Rice wrote: “Battles simply ran over or around all opponents.” In 1929 he broke off a 50-yard run from scrimmage against Salem. In 1930 he returned a kickoff 98 yards and a punt 90 yards against Waynesburg and ran back a punt 90 yards against Georgetown (D.C.). That same year he also had runs of 80, 73, 68, and 66 yards. His 1931 log showed runs of 86, 62, 57, 54, 44, and 22; that year he made 15 touchdowns and four extra points. Against Salem in 1931 he made seven touchdowns. The score at the half was 12-6; after Battles’ charge, the final was 51-6. He had 354 yards rushing, 91 on kick returns, and 24 on pass receiving, total 469. At West Virginia Wesleyan he won 15 letters in five sports – four each football and track, three each baseball and basketball, and one in tennis. He played professionally with Boston and Washington 1932-37 and twice led the National Football League in rushing. Battles was assistant coach at Columbia 1938-43, served in the Marines in World War II, and coached the Brooklyn Dodgers of the All-America Football Conference 1946-47. Battles was born May 1, 1910, in Akron, Ohio; he died April 28, 1981. He was named to the West Virginia Hall of Fame in 1950, College Football Hall of Fame in 1955, and Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1968
NUMBERS IN SPORTS
22 – 3 – 20 – 14 – 25 – 49 – 44 -32
August 14, 1919 – Chicago White Sox outfielder Happy Felsch ties MLB record of 4 outfield assists in a game in 15-6 loss to Boston Red Sox
August 14, 1932 – Brooklyn Dodgers reliever John Quinn Number 22, at age 49, became the oldest pitcher to win a MLB game in a 2-1, 10th inning victory over New York Giants at the Polo Grounds
August 14, 1933 – Number 3, of the Philadelphia Athletics, Jimmie Foxx hit for the cycle and set a new American League record with 9 RBIs in a game
August 14, 1939 – The very first night MLB game in the City of Chicago is played at Comiskey Park; White Sox beat St. Louis Browns, 5-2
August 14, 1981 – Philadelphia Phillies Mike Schmidt, Number 20 hit his 300th career HR off NY Met Mike Scott
August 14, 1982 – Pete Rose, Number 14 then of the Philadelphia Phillies, reaches a milestone of 12,365 at bat sets record (passes Aaron)
August 14, 1987 – The Oakland A’s new player, Mark McGwire, Number 25 set a rookie home run record with 39 blasts, en route to a grand total of 49 by season’s end
August 14, 1991 – MLB California Angels outfielder Dave Winfield, Number 32 became the 23rd player in history to reach the 400 HR mark
August 14, 1993 – Reggie Jackson Day – NY Yanks retire 13th uniform number with Jackson’s Number 44
August 14, 2021 – Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Tyler Gilbert, Number 49 threw a no-hitter in his MLB debut, defeating San Diego Padres, 7-0 in Phoenix; record equaling 8th no-hitter of the season.
TV SPORTS MONDAY
AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL
4 p.m.
ESPNU — American Legion World Series: TBD, Semifinal, Shelby, N.C.
7 p.m.
ESPNU — American Legion World Series: TBD, Semifinal, Shelby, N.C.
MLB BASEBALL
7 p.m.
MLBN — Regional Coverage: NY Yankees at Atlanta OR Oakland at St. Louis (7:30 p.m.)
8:30 p.m.
FS1 — Arizona at Colorado
SOCCER (MEN’S)
3 p.m.
USA — Premier League: Wolverhampton at Manchester United
SOCCER (WOMEN’S)
4 a.m. (Tuesday)
FOX — FIFA World Cup: Spain vs. Sweden, Semifinal, Auckland, New Zealand
TENNIS
11 a.m.TENNIS — Cincinnati-ATP/WTA Early Rounds