“THE SCOREBOARD”
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL WEEK 8 SCHEDULE
ADAMS CENTRAL (7-0) AT BLUFFTON (6-1)
ALEXANDRIA (6-1) AT FRANKTON (3-4)
AVON (0-7) AT ZIONSVILLE (3-4)
BEN DAVIS (6-1) AT LAWRENCE CENTRAL (3-4)
BENTON CENTRAL (1-6) AT LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC (4-3)
BLACKFORD (0-7) AT OAK HILL (3-4)
BLOOMINGTON SOUTH (6-1) AT BREBEUF JESUIT (3-3)
BOWMAN ACADEMY (1-3) AT TRI-COUNTY (3-3)
BREMEN (4-3) AT SOUTH BEND RILEY (6-1)
BROWN COUNTY (1-6) AT NORTH PUTNAM (2-5)
BROWNSBURG (7-0) AT NOBLESVILLE (3-4)
CAMBRIDGE CITY LINCOLN (1-5) AT WINCHESTER (5-2)
CARROLL (FLORA) (7-0) AT CLINTON PRAIRIE (5-2)
CARROLL (FORT WAYNE) (5-2) AT FORT WAYNE NORTHROP (0-7)
CASTLE (4-3) AT EVANSVILLE CENTRAL (0-7)
CASTON (1-6) AT WINAMAC (2-5)
CENTRAL NOBLE (3-4) AT EASTSIDE (5-2)
CLARKSVILLE (0-7) AT NORTH HARRISON (5-2)
COLUMBIA CITY (5-2) AT LEO (5-2)
COLUMBUS EAST (2-5) AT JEFFERSONVILLE (0-7)
COLUMBUS NORTH (3-4) AT BLOOMINGTON NORTH (7-0)
CONCORD (4-3) AT MISHAWAKA (5-2)
CRAWFORD COUNTY (0-7) AT WEST WASHINGTON (4-3)
CRAWFORDSVILLE (0-7) AT TRI-WEST (6-1)
CROWN POINT (7-0) AT CHESTERTON (2-5)
CULVER ACADEMY (3-4) AT SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH (3-4)
DEKALB (4-3) AT BELLMONT (0-7)
DELPHI (2-5) AT CLINTON CENTRAL (1-5)
DELTA (5-2) AT GREENFIELD-CENTRAL (6-1)
EASTERN HANCOCK (4-3) AT SHENANDOAH (1-6)
EDGEWOOD (1-6) AT NORTHVIEW (5-2)
EDINBURGH (1-6) AT NORTH DECATUR (4-3)
ELKHART (3-4) AT MISHAWAKA MARIAN (3-4)
ELWOOD (1-6) AT MISSISSINEWA (7-0)
EVANSVILLE BOSSE (2-5) AT EVANSVILLE REITZ (7-0)
EVANSVILLE MATER DEI (1-6) AT EVANSVILLE HARRISON (1-6)
EVANSVILLE NORTH (5-2) AT JASPER (4-3)
FAIRFIELD (4-3) AT LAKELAND (5-2)
FISHERS (5-2) AT WESTFIELD (6-1)
FORT WAYNE BLACKHAWK (0-6) AT GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN (4-3)
FORT WAYNE CONCORDIA (0-7) AT HOMESTEAD (3-4)
FORT WAYNE SNIDER (6-1) AT FORT WAYNE DWENGER (3-4)
FORT WAYNE SOUTH (1-6) AT FORT WAYNE LUERS (5-2)
FORT WAYNE WAYNE (4-3) AT FORT WAYNE NORTH (3-4)
FRANKLIN CENTRAL (4-3) AT HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (6-1)
FRANKLIN COUNTY (3-4) AT BATESVILLE (6-1)
FREMONT (1-6) AT PRAIRIE HEIGHTS (0-7)
GARRETT (3-4) AT ANGOLA (0-7)
GIBSON SOUTHERN (5-2) AT MOUNT VERNON (POSEY) (4-3)
GREENSBURG (0-7) AT EAST CENTRAL (7-0)
GREENWOOD (4-3) AT FRANKLIN (4-3)
GRIFFITH (3-4) AT CALUMET (2-5)
HAMMOND CENTRAL (4-3) AT EAST CHICAGO CENTRAL (1-5)
HAMMOND MORTON (3-3) AT HOBART (5-2)
HAMMOND NOLL (2-5) AT GARY WEST (4-3)
HANOVER CENTRAL (7-0) AT ANDREAN (3-4)
HERITAGE (6-1) AT SOUTHERN WELLS (1-6)
HERITAGE CHRISTIAN (5-2) AT SOUTH PUTNAM (6-1)
HUNTINGTON NORTH (1-6) AT NORWELL (1-6)
INDIAN CREEK (4-3) AT SULLIVAN (4-3)
INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL (5-2) AT INDIANAPOLIS RONCALLI (3-4)
INDIANAPOLIS RITTER (3-4) AT INDIANAPOLIS SCECINA (4-3)
INDIANAPOLIS SHORTRIDGE (3-4) AT INDIANAPOLIS CHATARD (7-0)
INDIANAPOLIS TECH (0-7) AT MCCUTCHEON (4-3)
INDIANAPOLIS TINDLEY (3-4) AT CHRISTEL HOUSE MANUAL (2-4)
INDIANAPOLIS WASHINGTON (4-3) AT INDIANAPOLIS ATTUCKS (6-1)
IRVINGTON PREP ACADEMY (0-7) AT MONROE CENTRAL (2-5)
JAY COUNTY (4-3) AT LAPEL (3-4)
JENNINGS COUNTY (3-4) AT FLOYD CENTRAL (6-1)
JOHN GLENN JV AT SOUTH BEND CLAY (0-6)
KANKAKEE VALLEY (3-4) AT HIGHLAND (3-4)
KOKOMO (6-1) AT RICHMOND (1-6)
LAKE STATION (2-5) AT BOONE GROVE (5-2)
LAVILLE (6-1) AT NORTH JUDSON (4-3)
LAWRENCE NORTH (5-2) AT CENTER GROVE (6-1)
LAWRENCEBURG (5-2) AT CONNERSVILLE (2-5)
LEWIS CASS (3-4) AT MANCHESTER (3-4)
LINTON-STOCKTON (6-1) AT EASTERN GREENE (3-3)
LOGANSPORT (3-4) AT HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE) (6-1)
MACONAQUAH (5-2) AT WABASH (1-6)
MADISON (1-6) AT BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE (4-3)
MADISON-GRANT (6-1) AT EASTBROOK (5-2)
MARION (2-5) AT LAFAYETTE JEFF (3-4)
MERRILLVILLE (5-2) AT LAKE CENTRAL (4-3)
MICHIGAN CITY (4-3) AT LAPORTE (1-6)
MONROVIA (5-2) AT CASCADE (5-2)
MOORESVILLE (3-4) AT MARTINSVILLE (4-3)
MOUNT VERNON (FORTVILLE) (3-4) AT SHELBYVILLE (3-4)
MUNCIE CENTRAL (2-5) AT ANDERSON (2-5)
MUNSTER (2-5) AT LOWELL (2-5)
NEW ALBANY (2-5) AT SEYMOUR (4-3)
NEW CASTLE (1-6) AT NEW PALESTINE (5-2)
NEW HAVEN (7-0) AT EAST NOBLE (5-2)
NORTH CENTRAL (INDIANAPOLIS) (0-7) AT PIKE (1-6)
NORTH DAVIESS (4-3) AT NORTH KNOX (4-3)
NORTH MONTGOMERY (4-3) AT FRANKFORT (1-6)
NORTH NEWTON (0-6) AT NORTH WHITE (7-0)
NORTH VERMILLION (5-2) AT FOUNTAIN CENTRAL (4-3)
NORTHEASTERN (6-1) AT KNIGHTSTOWN (3-4)
NORTHWOOD (5-2) AT WAWASEE (1-6)
PAOLI (6-1) AT MITCHELL (2-5)
PARK TUDOR (7-0) AT SOUTH NEWTON (3-4)
PENDLETON HEIGHTS (5-2) AT YORKTOWN (4-3)
PENN (6-1) AT NEW PRAIRIE (6-1)
PERRY CENTRAL (4-3) AT SPRINGS VALLEY (6-1)
PERRY MERIDIAN (2-5) AT DECATUR CENTRAL (5-2)
PERU (7-0) AT NORTH MIAMI (1-6)
PHALEN ACADEMY (1-5) AT PURDUE POLYTECHNIC (2-5)
PIKE CENTRAL (1-6) AT FOREST PARK (4-3)
PIONEER (4-3) AT CULVER (0-7)
PLAINFIELD (6-1) AT WHITELAND (3-4)
PLYMOUTH (2-5) AT NORTHRIDGE (6-1)
PRINCETON (1-6) AT HERITAGE HILLS (6-1)
PROVIDENCE (7-0) AT CORYDON CENTRAL (0-7)
RENSSELAER CENTRAL (3-4) AT NORTHWESTERN (3-4)
RIVER FOREST (4-3) AT SOUTH CENTRAL (UNION MILLS) (3-4)
RIVERTON PARKE (2-5) AT PARKE HERITAGE (2-5)
ROCHESTER (5-2) AT SOUTHWOOD (4-3)
SALEM (1-6) AT CHARLESTOWN (4-3)
SCOTTSBURG (4-3) AT EASTERN (PEKIN) (3-4)
SHERIDAN (6-1) AT EASTERN (GREENTOWN) (5-2)
SILVER CREEK (5-2) AT BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL (6-1)
SOUTH ADAMS (4-3) AT WOODLAN (2-5)
SOUTH BEND ADAMS (1-6) AT JIMTOWN (3-4)
SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON (2-5) AT HAMILTON HEIGHTS (7-0)
SOUTH DEARBORN (4-3) AT RUSHVILLE (2-5)
SOUTH DECATUR (6-1) AT MILAN (4-3)
SOUTH SPENCER (2-5) AT NORTH CENTRAL (FARMERSBURG) (1-5)
SOUTH VERMILLION (6-1) AT SEEGER (6-1)
SOUTHMONT (4-3) AT LEBANON (3-4)
SOUTHPORT (1-6) AT TERRE HAUTE SOUTH (3-4)
SOUTHRIDGE (5-2) AT NORTH POSEY (6-1)
SOUTHSIDE HOME SCHOOL AT SWITZERLAND COUNTY (4-3)
SPEEDWAY (2-5) AT INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN (7-0)
TAYLOR (1-6) AT TRI-CENTRAL (1-6)
TELL CITY (4-3) AT TECUMSEH (0-7)
TERRE HAUTE NORTH (0-7) AT GUERIN CATHOLIC (5-2)
TIPTON (1-6) AT WESTERN (3-4)
TRI (4-3) AT HAGERSTOWN (5-2)
TRITON (5-2) AT KNOX (7-0)
TRITON CENTRAL (6-1) AT BEECH GROVE (3-4)
TWIN LAKES (4-3) AT WEST LAFAYETTE (5-2)
UNION CITY (2-5) AT CENTERVILLE (7-0)
UNION COUNTY (0-7) AT WES-DEL (2-5)
VALPARAISO (5-2) AT PORTAGE (0-7)
VINCENNES LINCOLN (5-2) AT EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL (6-1)
WARREN CENTRAL (3-4) AT CARMEL (4-3)
WARSAW (6-1) AT GOSHEN (1-6)
WASHINGTON (2-5) AT BOONVILLE (4-3)
WEST CENTRAL (6-1) AT FRONTIER (4-3)
WEST NOBLE (7-0) AT CHURUBUSCO (2-5)
WEST VIGO (1-6) AT CLOVERDALE (2-5)
WESTERN BOONE (5-2) AT DANVILLE (5-2)
WHEELER (4-3) AT WHITING (2-5)
WHITKO (1-6) AT NORTHFIELD (2-5)
OWEN VALLEY (2-5) AT GREENCASTLE (5-2)
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL SECTIONAL BRACKETS
CLASS 4A
1. MUNSTER (7) | BRACKET
EAST CHICAGO CENTRAL, GARY WEST SIDE, HAMMOND CENTRAL, HAMMOND MORTON, LAKE CENTRAL, MERRILLVILLE, MUNSTER
2. CROWN POINT (7) | BRACKET
CHESTERTON, CROWN POINT, HOBART, KANKAKEE VALLEY, LOWELL, PORTAGE, VALPARAISO
3. MICHIGAN CITY (6) | BRACKET
LAPORTE, MICHIGAN CITY, MISHAWAKA, PLYMOUTH, SOUTH BEND ADAMS, SOUTH BEND RILEY
4. ELKHART (6) | BRACKET
CONCORD, ELKHART, GOSHEN, NORTHRIDGE, PENN, WARSAW COMMUNITY
5. DEKALB (6) | BRACKET
CARROLL (FORT WAYNE), DEKALB, EAST NOBLE, FORT WAYNE NORTH SIDE, FORT WAYNE NORTHROP, FORT WAYNE SNIDER
6. HOMESTEAD (6) | BRACKET
COLUMBIA CITY, FORT WAYNE SOUTH SIDE, FORT WAYNE WAYNE, HOMESTEAD, HUNTINGTON NORTH, NEW HAVEN
7. LOGANSPORT (6) | BRACKET
HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE), KOKOMO, LAFAYETTE JEFFERSON, LOGANSPORT, MARION, MCCUTCHEON
8. ZIONSVILLE (6) | BRACKET
CARMEL, FISHERS, HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN, NOBLESVILLE, WESTFIELD, ZIONSVILLE
9. PENDLETON HEIGHTS (8) | BRACKET
ANDERSON, GREENFIELD-CENTRAL, MT. VERNON (FORTVILLE), MUNCIE CENTRAL, NEW PALESTINE, PENDLETON HEIGHTS, RICHMOND, YORKTOWN
10. LAWRENCE NORTH (7) | BRACKET
INDIANAPOLIS ARSENAL TECH, INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL, INDIANAPOLIS CRISPUS ATTUCKS, LAWRENCE CENTRAL, LAWRENCE NORTH, NORTH CENTRAL, WARREN CENTRAL
11. BEN DAVIS (8) | BRACKET
BEN DAVIS, BREBEUF JESUIT, DECATUR CENTRAL, FRANKLIN CENTRAL, PERRY MERIDIAN, PIKE, RONCALLI, SOUTHPORT
12. TERRE HAUTE NORTH VIGO (5) | BRACKET
AVON, BROWNSBURG, PLAINFIELD, TERRE HAUTE NORTH VIGO, TERRE HAUTE SOUTH VIGO
13. GREENWOOD COMMUNITY (6) | BRACKET
BLOOMINGTON NORTH, BLOOMINGTON SOUTH, CENTER GROVE, GREENWOOD COMMUNITY, MARTINSVILLE, MOORESVILLE
14. FRANKLIN COMMUNITY (6) | BRACKET
COLUMBUS EAST, COLUMBUS NORTH, EAST CENTRAL, FRANKLIN COMMUNITY, SHELBYVILLE, WHITELAND COMMUNITY
15. SEYMOUR (6) | BRACKET
BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE, FLOYD CENTRAL, JEFFERSONVILLE, JENNINGS COUNTY, NEW ALBANY, SEYMOUR
16. JASPER (6) | BRACKET
CASTLE, EVANSVILLE CENTRAL, EVANSVILLE F.J. REITZ, EVANSVILLE HARRISON, EVANSVILLE NORTH, JASPER
CLASS 3A
17. GRIFFITH (7) | BRACKET
BOONE GROVE, CALUMET, GRIFFITH, HAMMOND BISHOP NOLL, HANOVER CENTRAL, HIGHLAND, RIVER FOREST
18. BREMEN (5) | BRACKET
BREMEN, CULVER ACADEMY, GLENN, KNOX, TIPPECANOE VALLEY
19. JIMTOWN (6) | BRACKET
JIMTOWN, MISHAWAKA MARIAN, NEW PRAIRIE, SOUTH BEND CLAY, SOUTH BEND SAINT JOSEPH, SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON
20. WAWASEE (5) | BRACKET
FAIRFIELD, LAKELAND, NORTHWOOD, WAWASEE, WEST NOBLE
21. ANGOLA (7) | BRACKET
ANGOLA, FORT WAYNE BISHOP DWENGER, FORT WAYNE CONCORDIA LUTHERAN, GARRETT, HERITAGE, LEO, WOODLAN
22. FRANKFORT (7) | BRACKET
BENTON CENTRAL, FRANKFORT, NORTH MONTGOMERY, RENSSELAER CENTRAL, TWIN LAKES, WEST LAFAYETTE, WESTERN
23. NORWELL (7) | BRACKET
BELLMONT, MACONAQUAH, MISSISSINEWA, NORTHWESTERN, NORWELL, OAK HILL, PERU
24. NEW CASTLE (5) | BRACKET
CENTERVILLE, DELTA, FRANKTON, JAY COUNTY, NEW CASTLE
25. MONROVIA (6) | BRACKET
CRAWFORDSVILLE, DANVILLE, LEBANON, MONROVIA, TRI-WEST HENDRICKS, WESTERN BOONE
26. NORTHVIEW (7) | BRACKET
BROWN COUNTY, EDGEWOOD, INDIAN CREEK, NORTHVIEW, OWEN VALLEY, SOUTH VERMILLION, WEST VIGO
27. INDPLS. BISHOP CHATARD (6) | BRACKET
GUERIN CATHOLIC, HAMILTON HEIGHTS, HERITAGE CHRISTIAN, HERRON, INDIANAPOLIS BISHOP CHATARD, INDIANAPOLIS SHORTRIDGE
28. SPEEDWAY (6) | BRACKET
BEECH GROVE, CHRISTEL HOUSE, INDIANAPOLIS CARDINAL RITTER, INDIANAPOLIS WASHINGTON, PURDUE POLYTECHNIC, SPEEDWAY
29. BATESVILLE (7) | BRACKET
BATESVILLE, CONNERSVILLE, FRANKLIN COUNTY, GREENSBURG, LAWRENCEBURG, RUSHVILLE, SOUTH DEARBORN
30. PROVIDENCE (8) | BRACKET
CHARLESTOWN, CORYDON CENTRAL, MADISON CONSOLIDATED, NORTH HARRISON, PROVIDENCE, SALEM, SCOTTSBURG, SILVER CREEK
31. PRINCETON (7) | BRACKET
BARR-REEVE, HERITAGE HILLS, PIKE CENTRAL, PRINCETON COMMUNITY, SOUTHRIDGE, VINCENNES LINCOLN, WASHINGTON
32. GIBSON SOUTHERN (6) | BRACKET
BOONVILLE, EVANSVILLE BOSSE, EVANSVILLE MATER DEI, EVANSVILLE REITZ MEMORIAL, GIBSON SOUTHERN, MT. VERNON
CLASS 2A
33. NORTH NEWTON (7) | BRACKET
21ST CENTURY CHARTER, ANDREAN, ILLIANA CHRISTIAN, LAKE STATION EDISON, LIGHTHOUSE CPC, NORTH NEWTON, WHITING
34. SOUTH CENTRAL (UNION MILLS) (6) | BRACKET
HEBRON, LAVILLE, NORTH JUDSON-SAN PIERRE, CAREER ACADEMY, SOUTH CENTRAL (UNION MILLS), WHEELER
35. CENTRAL NOBLE (6) | BRACKET
CENTRAL NOBLE, CHURUBUSCO, EASTSIDE, FREMONT, PRAIRIE HEIGHTS, WESTVIEW
36. PIONEER (6) | BRACKET
LEWIS CASS, NORTH MIAMI, PIONEER, ROCHESTER, WINAMAC COMMUNITY, WABASH
37. BLUFFTON (6) | BRACKET
ADAMS CENTRAL, BLUFFTON, FORT WAYNE LUERS, MANCHESTER, SOUTH ADAMS, WHITKO
38. COVINGTON (6) | BRACKET
CARROLL (FLORA), CLINTON PRAIRIE, COVINGTON, DELPHI, LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC, SEEGER
39. EASTERN (GREENTOWN) (7) | BRACKET
BLACKFORD, EASTBROOK, EASTERN (GREENTOWN), ELWOOD, MADISON-GRANT, TAYLOR, TIPTON
40. WES-DEL (7) | BRACKET
ALEXANDRIA MONROE, LAPEL, MONROE CENTRAL, MUNCIE BURRIS, WAPAHANI, WES-DEL, WINCHESTER
41. HAGERSTOWN (5) | BRACKET
HAGERSTOWN, KNIGHTSTOWN, NORTHEASTERN, SHENANDOAH, UNION COUNTY
42. TRITON CENTRAL (5) | BRACKET
EASTERN HANCOCK, INDIANAPOLIS SCECINA, IRVINGTON PREPARATORY ACADEMY, RIVERSIDE, TRITON CENTRAL
43. SHERIDAN (5) | BRACKET
CASCADE, COVENANT CHRISTIAN (INDPLS.), PARK TUDOR, SHERIDAN, UNIVERSITY
44. SOUTHMONT (7) | BRACKET
CLOVERDALE, GREENCASTLE, NORTH PUTNAM, PARKE HERITAGE, RIVERTON PARKE, SOUTH PUTNAM, SOUTHMONT
45. SOUTHWESTERN (HANOVER) (6) | BRACKET
HAUSER, MILAN, NORTH DECATUR, SOUTH RIPLEY, SOUTHWESTERN (HANOVER), SWITZERLAND COUNTY
46. HENRYVILLE (7) | BRACKET
AUSTIN, BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL, CLARKSVILLE, EASTERN (PEKIN), HENRYVILLE, MITCHELL, PAOLI
47. NORTH DAVIESS (6) | BRACKET
EASTERN GREENE, LINTON-STOCKTON, NORTH DAVIESS, NORTH KNOX, SOUTH KNOX, SULLIVAN
48. FOREST PARK (6) | BRACKET
CRAWFORD COUNTY, FOREST PARK, NORTH POSEY, PERRY CENTRAL, SOUTH SPENCER, TELL CITY
CLASS 1A
49. WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP (7) | BRACKET
BOWMAN LEADERSHIP ACADEMY, DEMOTTE CHRISTIAN, HAMMOND ACADEMY, KOUTS, MORGAN TOWNSHIP, TRI-TOWNSHIP, WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP
50. MARQUETTE CATHOLIC (6) | BRACKET
ARGOS, CULVER COMMUNITY, MARQUETTE CATHOLIC, OREGON DAVIS, TRITON, WESTVILLE
51. LAKEWOOD PARK CHRISTIAN (6) | BRACKET
BETHANY CHRISTIAN, ELKHART CHRISTIAN ACADEMY, FORT WAYNE BLACKHAWK CHRISTIAN, FORT WAYNE CANTERBURY, HAMILTON, LAKEWOOD PARK CHRISTIAN
52. NORTH WHITE (5) | BRACKET
FRONTIER, NORTH WHITE, SOUTH NEWTON, TRI-COUNTY, WEST CENTRAL
53. SOUTHWOOD (5) | BRACKET
CASTON, LAKELAND CHRISTIAN ACADEMY, NORTHFIELD, SOUTHERN WELLS, SOUTHWOOD
54. ROSSVILLE (6) | BRACKET
ATTICA, CLINTON CENTRAL, FAITH CHRISTIAN, FOUNTAIN CENTRAL, NORTH VERMILLION, ROSSVILLE
55. COWAN (5) | BRACKET
ANDERSON PREPARATORY ACADEMY, COWAN, DALEVILLE, LIBERTY CHRISTIAN, TRI-CENTRAL
56. CAMBRIDGE CITY LINCOLN (7) | BRACKET
BLUE RIVER VALLEY, CAMBRIDGE CITY LINCOLN, RANDOLPH SOUTHERN, SETON CATHOLIC, TRI, UNION (MODOC), UNION CITY
57. WHITE RIVER VALLEY (7) | BRACKET
BLOOMFIELD, CLAY CITY, DUGGER UNION, LIGHTHOUSE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY, NORTH CENTRAL (FARMERSBURG), SHAKAMAK, WHITE RIVER VALLEY
58. BETHESDA CHRISTIAN (6) | BRACKET
BETHESDA CHRISTIAN, INDIANA MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY, INDIANA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF, INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF INDIANA, MTI SCHOOL OF KNOWLEDGE, TRADERS POINT CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
59. INDPLS. LUTHERAN (7) | BRACKET
CENTRAL CHRISTIAN ACADEMY, EMINENCE, GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN ACADEMY, INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN, PROVIDENCE CRISTO REY, TINDLEY, VICTORY COLLEGE PREP
60. WALDRON (7) | BRACKET
EDINBURGH, JAC-CEN-DEL, MORRISTOWN, OLDENBURG ACADEMY, SOUTH DECATUR, SOUTHWESTERN (SHELBYVILLE), WALDRON
61. CHRISTIAN ACADEMY OF INDIANA (6) | BRACKET
BORDEN, CHRISTIAN ACADEMY OF INDIANA, LANESVILLE, ROCK CREEK ACADEMY, SOUTH CENTRAL (ELIZABETH), WEST WASHINGTON
62. MEDORA (5) | BRACKET
CROTHERSVILLE, MEDORA, NEW WASHINGTON, RISING SUN, TRINITY LUTHERAN
63. LOOGOOTEE (5) | BRACKET
LOOGOOTEE, ORLEANS, SHOALS, SPRINGS VALLEY, VINCENNES RIVET
64. NORTHEAST DUBOIS (5) | BRACKET
CANNELTON, EVANSVILLE CHRISTIAN, NORTHEAST DUBOIS, TECUMSEH, WOOD MEMORIAL
WEDNESDAY’S SCORES: https://www.maxpreps.com/in/volleyball/scores/?date=10/4/2023
INDIANA BOYS SECTIONAL SOCCER SCORES WEDNESDAY: https://www.maxpreps.com/in/soccer/scores/?date=10/4/2023
INDIANA BOYS SOCCER SECTIONAL BRACKETS: Class 3A Brackets | Class 2A Brackets | Class 1A Brackets
INDIANA GIRLS SOCCER SECTIONAL SCORES WEDNESDAY: https://www.maxpreps.com/in/soccer/girls/scores/?date=10/4/2023
INDIANA GIRLS SOCCER SECTIONAL BRACKETS: Class 3A Brackets | Class 2A Brackets | Class 1A Brackets
INDIANA BOYS REGIONAL TENNIS OCTOBER 3/4
COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 6 SCHEDULE
WEEK 6
WEDNESDAY
JACKSONVILLE STATE 45 MIDDLE TENNESSEE 30
NEW MEXICO STATE 34 FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL 17
THURSDAY, OCT. 5
SAM HOUSTON AT LIBERTY | 7 P.M. | CBSSN
WESTERN KENTUCKY AT LOUISIANA TECH | 8 P.M. | ESPNU
FRIDAY, OCT. 6
CORNELL AT HARVARD | 7 P.M. | ESPNU
KANSAS STATE AT OKLAHOMA STATE | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN
NEBRASKA AT ILLINOIS | 8 P.M. | FS1
SATURDAY, OCT. 7
OKLAHOMA VS. TEXAS (AT THE COTTON BOWL IN DALLAS, TEXAS) | 12 P.M. | ABC
MARYLAND AT OHIO STATE | 12 P.M. | FOX
LSU AT MISSOURI | 12 P.M. | ESPN
BOSTON COLLEGE AT ARMY | 12 P.M. | CBSSN
WESTERN MICHIGAN AT MISSISSIPPI STATE | 12 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
RUTGERS AT WISCONSIN | 12 P.M. | PEACOCK
WILLIAM & MARY AT VIRGINIA | 12 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
TOLEDO AT UMASS | 12 P.M. | ESPNU
RHODE ISLAND AT BROWN | 12 P.M. | ESPN+
STONY BROOK AT MORGAN STATE | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
STONEHILL AT MERRIMACK | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
HOLY CROSS AT BUCKNELL | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
GEORGETOWN AT PENN | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
LAFAYETTE AT PRINCETON | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
LEHIGH AT FORDHAM | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
DAYTON AT MOREHEAD STATE | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
STETSON AT PRESBYTERIAN | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
YALE AT DARTMOUTH | 1:30 P.M. | ESPN+
SAMFORD AT WOFFORD | 1:30 P.M. | ESPN+
MARSHALL AT NC STATE | 2 P.M. | CW NETWORK
UTSA AT TEMPLE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
CENTRAL MICHIGAN AT BUFFALO | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
VIRGINIA LYNCHBURG AT SOUTH CAROLINA STATE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
WESTERN ILLINOIS AT NORTH DAKOTA | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
VALPARAISO AT DRAKE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
TENNESSEE TECH AT LINDENWOOD | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
THE CITADEL AT FURMAN | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
WASHINGTON STATE AT UCLA | 3 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK
HOWARD AT NORTHWESTERN | 3 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
NORTH DAKOTA STATE AT MISSOURI STATE | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
MURRAY STATE AT SOUTH DAKOTA | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
UT MARTIN AT EASTERN ILLINOIS | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
TENNESSEE STATE AT KENNESAW STATE | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
VIRGINIA TECH AT FLORIDA STATE | 3:30 P.M.
ALABAMA AT TEXAS A&M | 3:30 P.M. | CBS
SYRACUSE AT NORTH CAROLINA | 3:30 P.M.
PURDUE AT IOWA | 3:30 P.M. | PEACOCK
WAKE FOREST AT CLEMSON | 3:30 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
NORTH TEXAS AT NAVY | 3:30 P.M. | CBSSN
BALL STATE AT EASTERN MICHIGAN | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
BOWLING GREEN AT MIAMI (OHIO) | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
KENT STATE AT OHIO | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
NORTHERN ILLINOIS AT AKRON | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
GRAMBLING AT ALCORN STATE | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
MERCER AT EAST TENNESSEE STATE | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
VANDERBILT AT FLORIDA | 4 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
UCF AT KANSAS | 4 P.M. | FOX
ARKANSAS STATE AT TROY | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
JACKSON STATE VS. ALABAMA A&M (IN MOBILE, ALA.) | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
HOUSTON CHRISTIAN AT NICHOLLS | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
NORTHWESTERN STATE AT LAMAR | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
WESTERN CAROLINA AT CHATTANOOGA | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
UCONN AT RICE | 5 P.M. | ESPN+
SE MISSOURI STATE AT CENTRAL ARKANSAS | 5 P.M. | ESPN+
SE LOUISIANA AT UIW | 5 P.M. | ESPN+
TULSA AT FLORIDA ATLANTIC | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS AT YOUNGSTOWN STATE | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
ROBERT MORRIS AT GARDNER-WEBB | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
COLORADO AT ARIZONA STATE | 6:30 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK
KENTUCKY AT GEORGIA | 7 P.M. | ESPN
SOUTH ALABAMA AT UL MONROE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
OLD DOMINION AT SOUTHERN MISS | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE AT ILLINOIS STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
FLORIDA A&M AT SOUTHERN | 7 P.M. | ESPNU
SOUTHERN UTAH AT TARLETON STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
MONTANA AT UC DAVIS | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
UNI AT INDIANA STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
MICHIGAN AT MINNESOTA | 7:30 P.M. | NBC/PEACOCK
NOTRE DAME AT LOUISVILLE | 7:30 P.M. | ABC
ARKANSAS AT OLE MISS | 7:30 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
GEORGIA TECH AT MIAMI (FLA.) | 8 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
FRESNO STATE AT WYOMING | 8 P.M.
TEXAS TECH AT BAYLOR | 8 P.M. | ESPN2
TCU AT IOWA STATE | 8 P.M.
SAN JOSE STATE AT BOISE STATE | 8 P.M. | CBSSN
IDAHO AT CAL POLY | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
MCNEESE AT TEXAS A&M-COMMERCE | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN AT UTAH TECH | 9 P.M. | ESPN+
OREGON STATE AT CAL | 10 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK
ARIZONA AT USC | 10:30 P.M. | ESPN
SOUTH FLORIDA AT UAB
TEXAS STATE AT LOUISIANA
WEEK 5 SCHEDULE
CHICAGO BEARS AT WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (THU) 8:15P (ET) 8:15P PRIME VIDEO
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS VS BUFFALO BILLS (TOTTENHAM) 2:30P (BST) 9:30A NFLN
HOUSTON TEXANS AT ATLANTA FALCONS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX
CAROLINA PANTHERS AT DETROIT LIONS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX
TENNESSEE TITANS AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS
NEW YORK GIANTS AT MIAMI DOLPHINS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS
BALTIMORE RAVENS AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS
CINCINNATI BENGALS AT ARIZONA CARDINALS 1:05P (MST) 4:05P FOX
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES AT LOS ANGELES RAMS 1:05P (PT) 4:05P FOX
NEW YORK JETS AT DENVER BRONCOS 2:25P (MT) 4:25P CBS
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS 3:25P (CT) 4:25P CBS
DALLAS COWBOYS AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS 5:20P (PT) 8:20P NBC*
GREEN BAY PACKERS AT LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (MON) 5:15P (PT) 8:15P ESPN
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
FULL SCHEDULE FOR 2023 MLB POSTSEASON
WILD CARD SERIES
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 4
TEXAS 7 TAMPA BAY 1
MINNESOTA 2 TORONTO 0
ARIZONA 5 MILWAUKEE 2
PHILADELPHIA 7 MIAMI 1
DIVISION SERIES
SATURDAY, OCT. 7
TEX @ BAL, GAME 1, 1 P.M. ET (FOX/FS1)
PHI @ ATL, GAME 1, TBD (TBS)
MIN @ HOU, GAME 1, TBD (FOX/FS1)
AZ @ LAD, GAME 1, TBD (TBS)
SUNDAY, OCT. 8
TEX @ BAL, GAME 2, FOX/FS1
MIN @ HOU, GAME 2, FOX/FS1
MONDAY, OCT. 9
PHI @ ATL, GAME 2, TBS
AZ @ LAD, GAME 2, TBS
TUESDAY, OCT. 10
HOU @ MIN, GAME 3, FOX/FS1
BAL @ TEX, GAME 3, FOX/FS1
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 11
ATL @ PHI, GAME 3, TBS
HOU @ MIN, GAME 4 (IF NECESSARY), FOX/FS1
BAL @ TEX, GAME 4 (IF NECESSARY), FOX/FS1
LAD @ AZ, GAME 3, TBS
THURSDAY, OCT. 12
ATL @ PHI, GAME 4 (IF NECESSARY), TBS
LAD @ AZ, GAME 4 (IF NECESSARY), TBS
FRIDAY, OCT. 13
TEX @ BAL, GAME 5 (IF NECESSARY), FOX/FS1
MIN @ HOU, GAME 5 (IF NECESSARY), FOX/FS1
SATURDAY, OCT. 14
PHI @ ATL, GAME 5 (IF NECESSARY), TBS
AZ @ LAD, GAME 5 (IF NECESSARY), TBS
LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
SUNDAY, OCT. 15
ALCS GAME 1, FOX/FS1
MONDAY, OCT. 16
NLCS GAME 1, TBS
ALCS GAME 2, FOX/FS1
TUESDAY, OCT. 17
NLCS GAME 2, TBS
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 18
ALCS GAME 3, FOX/FS1
THURSDAY, OCT. 19
NLCS GAME 3, TBS
ALCS GAME 4, FOX/FS1
FRIDAY, OCT. 20
NLCS GAME 4, TBS
ALCS GAME 5 (IF NECESSARY), FOX/FS1
SATURDAY, OCT. 21
NLCS GAME 5 (IF NECESSARY), TBS
SUNDAY, OCT. 22
ALCS GAME 6 (IF NECESSARY), FOX/FS1
MONDAY, OCT. 23
NLCS GAME 6 (IF NECESSARY), TBS
ALCS GAME 7 (IF NECESSARY), FOX/FS1
TUESDAY, OCT. 24
NLCS GAME 7 (IF NECESSARY), TBS
WORLD SERIES
FRIDAY, OCT. 27
GAME 1 (AT BETTER 2023 RECORD), FOX
SATURDAY, OCT. 28
GAME 2 (AT BETTER 2023 RECORD), FOX
MONDAY, OCT. 30
GAME 3, FOX
TUESDAY, OCT. 31
GAME 4, FOX
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 1
GAME 5 (IF NECESSARY), FOX
FRIDAY, NOV. 3
GAME 6 (IF NECESSARY, AT BETTER 2023 RECORD), FOX
SATURDAY, NOV. 4
GAME 7 (IF NECESSARY, AT BETTER 2023 RECORD), FOX
NHL PRE-SEASON
COLUMBUS 5 BUFFALO 3
DETROIT 2 PITTSBURGH 1
NEW JERSEY 5 NY RANGERS 2
EDMONTON 7 CALGARY 2
SEATTLE 2 VANCOUVER 1
WNBA SCORES
FINALS GAME 1 SUNDAY
NEW YORK AT LAS VEGAS 3:00
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
CHARLOTTE 3 TORONTO 0
NEW YORK 2 CINCINNATI 1
HOUSTON 1 MONTRÉAL 1
COLUMBUS 2 NEW ENGLAND 1
PHILADELPHIA 3 ATLANTA 2
AUSTIN 3 DC 0
CHICAGO 4 MIAMI 1
DALLAS AT COLORADO POSTPONED
ORLANDO 1 NASHVILLE 0
LAFC 5 MINNESOTA 1
SEATTLE 2 LA 1
VANCOUVER 3 ST. LOUIS 0
TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
TWINS ADVANCE FOR 1ST TIME IN 21 YEARS WITH 2-0 WIN TO SWEEP BLUE JAYS BEHIND GRAY, CORREA
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Carlos Correa endured the worst hitting season of his career after signing the richest contract in Minnesota Twins history, playing through a painful bout of plantar fasciitis in his left foot.
The defense, intelligence and leadership were always there, though. Postseason prowess was part of the package, too.
Correa had an RBI single and a quick-twitch tag on a pivotal pickoff throw from Sonny Gray, and the Twins swept the Toronto Blue Jays with a 2-0 win in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series on Wednesday.
“Everything is October. The mentality is different. I’m just giving everything out there, everything I have,” Correa said. “I’m going to keep doing that for the rest of the time that I’m here in Minnesota.”
The Twins advanced – for the first time in 21 years – to play the defending World Series champion Astros. Game 1 of the best-of-five AL Division Series is in Houston on Saturday.
That’s familiar territory for Correa, who spent seven seasons with the Astros. He signed with Minnesota in 2022 and re-upped for $200 million this year after agreed-to deals with the Giants and Mets fell apart over concern about an old ankle injury.
“Superstars show up in the biggest moments,” Gray said. “Just the way he sees the game, the way he can slow it down, is a special player.”
Correa helped Houston reach three World Series, winning it all in 2017, and he’s one round into another memorable October.
“They’ve got a great team, and so do we,” Correa said. “Everywhere you look, we’re ready.”
The two-time All-Star, who went 3 for 7 with a hit-by-pitch against the Blue Jays, ripped a bases-loaded single in a two-run fourth. The patient Twins delivered precisely when they needed to at the plate, and their bullpen tossed 7 1/3 scoreless innings in the series.
Jhoan Duran, after a delay to tend to a cut on his thumb following his warmup, struck out the side in the ninth to trigger a celebration around the mound.
The Blue Jays, who lost their seventh straight game in the playoffs since the AL Championship Series in 2016, left nine runners on base in each game. Matt Chapman had a line drive hook just foul before grounding into an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded in the sixth against Caleb Thielbar.
“One run in two games, one extra-base hit isn’t going to cut it,” Toronto manager John Schneider said.
Minnesota, after stopping a record 18-game postseason skid with the 3-1 win in Game 1, ended a nine-round losing streak that started with an ALCS defeat in 2002. The Atlanta Braves (2001-2019) and Chicago Cubs (1910-1998) share the all-time mark with 10 straight series lost.
The Blue Jays made Gray work for his first career win in the playoffs, but the veteran right-hander finished five effective innings. He had three inning-ending strikeouts, before the slick move to finish the fifth when he was in the most trouble.
Gray threw a wild pitch that put runners on second and third. But with a full count on Bo Bichette, Gray whipped around and threw to the shortstop Correa, who grabbed the ball and grazed Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s chest with his glove a split-second before Guerrero’s hand hit the base.
Correa noticed the Blue Jays were taking big leads and having trouble hearing with the crowd noise, so he told Gray he’d signal when to try a pickoff.
“I told him there were some free outs on the bases,” Correa said. “It felt like the right situation to do it.”
The sellout crowd of 38,518 was even more into the action than Game 1, standing in anticipation of every inning-ending out for the Twins and thriving off the bulldog energy that Gray brought to the mound. He finished third in the major leagues in ERA (2.79) during the regular season and logged 184 innings, his most since 2015.
Gray, who is eligible for free agency after the World Series, grew emotional in his pregame news conference on Tuesday when talking about the motivation that he gets from his two boys. His son, Declan, even issued an ultimatum to his dad before the series: “You better not lose.”
BOLD MOVE
Blue Jays starter Jose Berríos threw three scoreless innings against his former team, but Schneider followed through on his promise that the entire pitching staff, excluding Game 1 starter Kevin Gausman, was available to try to extend the series.
Schneider pulled the right-hander Berríos after a leadoff walk by Game 1 star Royce Lewis in the fourth inning. Left-hander Yusei Kikuchi, one of four Blue Jays who made 31 or more starts this season, was greeted by a single by Max Kepler. Pinch-hitter Donovan Solano walked, Correa put the Twins up with his single, and pinch-hitter Willi Castro’s double-play groundout got another run on the board.
“He had electric stuff,” Schneider said of Berríos. “Tough to take him out. But I think with the way they’re constructed, you want to utilize your whole roster. It didn’t work out.”
CAREFUL LEWIS
Lewis, whose recovering hamstring strain has limited him to designated-hitter duty, hit a slow roller up the third base line in his first at-bat that prompted a sprint out of the box. The ball rolled foul, making his hustle moot. Then when he hit a grounder straight to shortstop for an inning-ending double play, he cautiously jogged at about half-speed to first.
LONG LIST
Minnesota’s postseason series losing streak started with the Angels in 2002 and included the Yankees six times, in the divisional rounds in 2003, 2004, 2009, 2010 and 2019 and in a single wild-card game in 2017. The Twins also lost a division series to the A’s in 2006 and a wild-card series to the Astros in 2020. Their division tiebreaker win over the Tigers in 2009 was considered part of the regular season.
DIAMONDBACKS ERASE EARLY DEFICIT AGAIN AND BEAT BREWERS 5-2 TO SWEEP NL WILD CARD SERIES
MILWAUKEE (AP) Two years after suffering through a 110-loss season, the Arizona Diamondbacks are spraying champagne and heading to the NL Division Series.
They feel like they belong, too.
“In ’22, you kind of saw the shift toward the end of the year, and then we came in this year and this is what we expected to do,” Zac Gallen said after he pitched the Diamondbacks to a 5-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday night and a sweep of their NL Wild Card Series. “We expected to be playing in October.”
It’s the first NL Division Series for the franchise since 2017. The Diamondbacks will take on the NL West champion Dodgers in the opener of their best-of-five series on Saturday in Los Angeles.
The NL Central champion Brewers have dropped nine of their last 10 playoff games, a stretch that started with their Game 7 home loss to the Dodgers in the 2018 NL Championship Series.
“The playoffs are a tough animal to conquer,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “They are. Unfortunately, we have not.”
Attention in Milwaukee now turns to the future of Counsell, who has managed the Brewers since 2015 and guided them to five playoff appearances over the last six seasons. Brewers principal owner Mark Attanasio has said the team wants Counsell back, but the manager hasn’t indicated whether he wants to return.
The 53-year-old Counsell declined to address his future after Wednesday’s loss.
“That ain’t for tonight, man,” he said.
Ketel Marte put Arizona ahead for good with a two-run single during a four-run rally in the sixth inning as Milwaukee right-hander Freddy Peralta faded after a strong start. Gallen allowed two runs in the first, and then sailed through the rest of his six innings.
The sweep was another step in a rapid climb for the Diamondbacks.
Arizona’s 52-110 record in 2021 tied the Baltimore Orioles – another team currently in the playoffs – for MLB’s worst record that year. The Diamondbacks went 74-88 last season.
Now they’re in the playoffs thanks in part to Corbin Carroll’s breakthrough rookie season and stellar performances by Gallen and Merrill Kelly atop the rotation.
“Considering what we’ve walked through and the dark times that we had, this is a pretty special moment,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “There’s a lot of emotion inside of this organization, inside of this clubhouse right now.”
Arizona showed its grit by rallying each of the last two nights. They erased an early 3-0 deficit against Corbin Burnes to win 6-3 in Game 1. They trailed 2-0 on Wednesday and were hitless for the first 4 2/3 innings.
The only other teams to win their first two postseason games after trailing each by multiple runs are the 1956 Brooklyn Dodgers, 2008 Tampa Bay Rays and 2009 New York Yankees.
“You’re down like that, you can’t get back into the game with one swing, right,” Carroll said. “You’ve got to have a full team bought in willing to take quality at-bats. We had that both nights.”
One swing from Alek Thomas sure helped, though.
Thomas gave the Diamondbacks their first hit when he homered on a 2-0 changeup from Peralta in the fifth.
“I think maybe my at-bat maybe changed a little bit of his flow,” Thomas said.
Arizona took the lead in the sixth as Peralta and Abner Uribe faltered on the mound.
Geraldo Perdomo drew a leadoff walk and moved to third on Carroll’s double, a broken-bat shot that got past first baseman Carlos Santana and went down the right-field line. Marte singled home both runners and advanced to second on the throw to the plate.
Tommy Pham then greeted Uribe with a single to right that put runners on the corners. One out later, José Herrera walked to load the bases. Uribe threw a wild pitch that brought home Pham and then allowed an RBI single to Lourdes Gurriel Jr. before departing with the Diamondbacks ahead 5-2.
The Brewers tried to put together a late rally, but an Arizona bullpen that was criticized earlier this season closed it out. Arizona’s relievers combined for 9 1/3 scoreless innings in the series.
Milwaukee loaded the bases with one out in the eighth, but 26-year-old rookie Andrew Saalfrank preserved Arizona’s 5-2 lead with some stellar relief work.
When Sal Frelick hit a comebacker to the mound, Saalfrank threw Christian Yelich out at the plate. Willy Adames then hit a shot up the middle, but Marte was positioned perfectly behind second base and stepped on the bag for the final out.
The Brewers had runners on second and third after Yelich’s two-out double in the ninth, but Paul Sewald struck out William Contreras to end the series.
“I think the bullpen has been our MVP the last month or so, and I think it’s the part of our team that’s kept us in a lot of games,” Gallen said.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Diamondbacks C Gabriel Moreno left with a head injury after getting hit by a backswing. When Milwaukee’s Brice Turang struck out swinging to lead off the second inning, his bat his Moreno’s helmet. After a delay of several minutes, Moreno remained in the game for the rest of that inning. Herrera took over for him in the third.
PHILLIES SWEEP MARLINS TO EARN NL DIVISION SERIES REMATCH WITH MLB-BEST BRAVES
PHILADELPHIA (AP) Bryson Stott swung the bat, then stared almost in a daze as the ball plopped 412 feet away into the right-field seats. Stott swears he has almost no memory of the second grand slam in Philadelphia Phillies postseason history.
His light trot, then – slam! – the thud of his bat as the lumber spiked the turf, well, Stott doesn’t remember that, either. This playoff highlight was a blur. He yelled something at his Phillies teammates, who had already turned the dugout into a jubilant mosh pit.
What did he say? Who knows? Stott couldn’t hear himself or anyone else near him – the slam set off pandemonium inside another packed Phillies ballpark.
“I was running around the bases in kind of a blackout,” Stott said. “I don’t know, I have to go back and watch it.”
Stott’s grand slam punctuated a postseason sweep and Aaron Nola tossed seven shutout innings in a performance worthy of a playoff ace that led to a 7-1 win over the Miami Marlins in Game 2 of their NL Wild Card Series on Wednesday night.
“We know we’re a really good team and we’ve just got to continue to do that,” slugger Bryce Harper said inside a rowdy, boozy clubhouse.
After making quick work of the surprising Marlins, it’s time for an anticipated rematch.
J.T. Realmuto also homered as the Phillies advanced to another best-of-five Division Series against Ronald Acuña Jr., Matt Olson and the Braves. Game 1 is Saturday in Atlanta. The Phillies did not announce a scheduled starter.
The NL champion Phillies finished third last season in the NL East at 87-75, a full 14 games behind the 101-win Braves, only to beat them in four games in the NLDS. The Braves were even better this season with a major league-best 104 wins and a sixth straight NL East crown – clinched last month in Philadelphia – while the Phillies again earned a wild card with 90 wins.
“It’s going to be an electric series and we can’t wait,” Harper said.
More postseason thrills are surely ahead.
Stott provided one Wednesday when he turned on reliever Andrew Nardi’s first-pitch fastball in the sixth and launched it into the right-field seats for a 7-0 lead. He slammed his bat as he ran down the first-base line, and the Stott Shot sent Phillies fans into a delirious frenzy with the countdown to a clinch officially on.
Nola followed Game 1 starter Zack Wheeler’s excellent effort with one of his own, and had 46,000 fans on their feet chanting “Let’s Go, Nola!” when he needed a lift.
“He went through a lot this year because he struggled at times and there were the home runs and the big innings and things like that, but he just kept grinding and he kept fighting, kept working,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “Finally, he found some stuff at the end of the year, and he’s been lights out.”
The one knock on Nola, eligible for free agency after the World Series, is his trouble with shutdown innings. After Realmuto went deep to make it 3-0 in the fourth, Nola ran into a jam in the fifth. He put runners on first and second with one out before he got Jesús Sánchez to ground into an inning-ending double play.
Nola picked – more than pitched – his way out of Miami’s only other serious threat.
The Marlins briefly caught a break in the third when Jon Berti’s deep drive into the left-center gap knocked off left fielder Cristian Pache’s glove for a one-out double. Berti then inexplicably tried to steal third and was busted by Nola as the righty went into his delivery. Nola noticed Berti taking off and, instead of throwing a pitch, simply stepped toward third and threw him out.
“I feel like there was a little momentum shift,” Nola said. “For a pitcher, it’s definitely a plus to pick a guy off in a situation like that, especially when a guy that can run is on second base with less than two outs.”
Those are the kind of mistakes a postseason novice like the Marlins make.
“I think the culture changed,” manager Skip Schumaker said. “I believe that there’s a new standard in that clubhouse now. Now it’s up to them to protect that standard, honestly.”
With fans again waving their red rally towels, many wearing Phillies overalls popularized by backup catcher Garrett Stubbs, and the team on the brink of a clinch, the Phillies had their way with Miami starter Braxton Garrett.
Philadelphia again had six 20-homer hitters in the lineup but – a night after failing to go deep in Game 1 – again stitched together runs against Garrett.
Kyle Schwarber ripped an RBI double to right in the third that scored Pache for a 1-0 lead. Pache raced around the bases from first, his helmet still bouncing on the dirt as he slid headfirst into home. Trea Turner, the $300 million shortstop, smacked an RBI single that scored Schwarber for a 2-0 lead.
By then, the Game 2 victory seemed inevitable.
After all, there’s a reason the Phillies call the postseason Red October: They just don’t lose at Citizens Bank Park. At least, not often.
The Phillies, who won the 2008 World Series at home, moved to 24-11 in the postseason at the ballpark, the top postseason winning percentage for any team in any park (minimum 20 games).
Realmuto crushed his fourth career postseason homer off David Robertson in the fourth to make it 3-0.
“I think we’ve got a really good club, and I think we’re built for series-type baseball,” Thomson said.
OH, BABY!
Nola’s night got even better after his wife Hunter Jayde announced on Instagram the couple is expecting a child.
BRING A BROOM
The Phillies joined Minnesota, Arizona and Texas in pulling off first-round sweeps as all four Wild Card Series ended in two games. There have been seven sweeps – including the Phillies over St. Louis last season – in the eight Wild Card Series during the first two years of expanded playoffs.
SLAM STAT
Shane Victorino hit the other postseason grand slam for the Phillies in Game 2 of the 2008 NLDS off Milwaukee’s CC Sabathia.
RANGERS BEAT RAYS 7-1 FOR WILD CARD SERIES SWEEP BEHIND GARCIA AND CARTER HOME RUNS
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) Two years after losing 102 games, the resilient Texas Rangers are savoring a journey that’s transformed them into a playoff team.
“It’s all about bouncing back, dealing with the tough times. You know you’re going to have them,” manager Bruce Bochy said Wednesday after the Rangers beat the Tampa Bay Rays 7-1 to finish a two-game AL Wild Card Series sweep.
“What’s important is how you handle it, and thse guys have handled it so well,” Bochy added. “I think we were counted out earlier in the season or late August … but what a job they did to bounce back and to be in this position.”
The Rangers rode a rollercoaster of emotions while losing three of four games at Seattle and letting the AL West division title slip away on the final day of the regular season. Instead of returning home with a first-round playoff bye, Texas was rewarded with a cross-country flight to Florida.
“We had to fly to fly right over Dallas, so that could have been really a downer for the club,” said Bochy, a first-year manager with Texas after winning three titles with San Francisco. “They reset, refocused, and just put together two of the best games back to back that we probably have had all year when you look at the pitching, the offense, the defense – everything we knew we had to do to beat a club like Tampa.”
The next stop is Baltimore, where the Rangers begin a Division Series against the AL East champion Orioles on Saturday.
Adolis Garcia and Evan Carter, a 20-year-old rookie who became the second-youngest postseason player in franchise history, homered off Zach Eflin, a 16-game winner unable to save Tampa Bay’s season.
Nathan Eovaldi gave Texas an outstanding pitching performance. The Rays’ scoreless streak reached 33 innings, one shy of the postseason record held by the 1966-74 Los Angeles Dodgers, before Curtis Mead’s RBI single in the seventh.
Texas won a postseason series for the first time since 2011, when the Rangers reached the World Series before losing to St. Louis.
Meanwhile, Tampa Bay followed a stellar start with a fizzling finish.
The Rays opened 13-0 to match the 1982 Atlanta Braves and 1987 Milwaukee Brewers, trailing only the 20-0 start by the 1884 St. Louis Maroons of the Union Association. They led the AL East from opening day and then were overtaken by the Orioles in mid-July.
After gaining the AL’s top wild card, Tampa Bay extended its postseason losing streak to seven straight. In getting swept in consecutive Wild Card Series, the Rays scored two runs over four games while hitting .161.
Injuries were a factor in the fade to second in the AL East. The Rays also had to play down the stretch without All-Star shortstop Wander Franco, on administrative leave while Major League Baseball and authorities in the Dominican Republic investigate an alleged relationship between Franco and a minor.
Cash didn’t offer any excuses for being swept again.
“Look, that’s the easy narrative,” Cash said. “We are who we are, and we finished the regular season with the guys that we had. I still feel that we could have had a better showing with the roster that we had.”
Eovaldi, beating the Rays for the third time this year, allowed six hits while striking out eight and walking none over 6 2/3 innings.
Garcia’s leadoff homer began a four-run fourth inning against Eflin. Josh Jung had a RBI triple and Carter hit a two-run homer to right for the Rangers, 7-0 in postseason games at Tropicana Field.
Carter batted .306 with five homers and 12 RBIs over 23 games after making his major league debut on Sept. 8. He reached base in his first six postseason at-bats, doubling twice and drawing three walks.
Tampa Bay finally got an out from the No. 9 hole when Colin Poche fanned Carter in the sixth inning. Marcus Semien and Corey Seager followed with run-scoring doubles.
“Carter, gosh, this young kid has come up – I don’t even know if he knows that he’s in the big leagues,” Bochy said. “This guy has such a calmness about him.”
EMPTY SEATS
Attendance for Game 2 was 20,198, another below-sellout crowd at Tropicana Field but up slightly from Tuesday’s 19,704. That was the lowest figure for a major league postseason game since the 1919 World Series, other than 2020 games played during the coronavirus pandemic.
SWITCHING IT UP
The Rays removed CF Jose Siri and inserting Josh Lowe into the cleanup spot. Manuel Margot shifted from right field to center, while Lowe played right .
Siri returned for Game 1 after being sidelined since Sept. 12 with a fractured right hand. He and went 0 for 3 and committed a throwing error that allowed a run.
GOOD OMEN?
The Rangers also beat the Rays in the 2010 ALDS and 2011 ALDS, clinching both series at Tropicana Field. Texas went on to appear in the World Series each of those years.
CORREA VS. ASTROS? PHILS-BRAVES REMATCH? THAT’S JUST THE START
As fun as the first two days of postseason baseball were, it’s fair to say: It would have been nice if the Wild Card Series hadn’t all ended in sweeps. Not only would we have a win-or-go-home game on Thursday, well, jeez, we would have a game on Thursday. Instead, we have two days with no baseball at all. That’s a bummer.
But that also allows us to look forward to this weekend’s start of the four Division Series, all of which will commence on Saturday. Those matchups may be known more quickly than we might have anticipated, but that doesn’t mean we can’t already be thinking about them. Here are five Division Series storylines that immediately jump out. Memorize these: They’ll be all you’re thinking about until Saturday.
1) Carlos Correa returns to Houston in October
There may be no player more synonymous with the Astros’ postseason successes from 2015-21 than Correa, who has a tendency to keep coming up, and coming through, at the biggest moments. The man who was arguably the best player on the Astros’ first World Series championship team will be back at Minute Maid Park in the postseason, this time as a member of the Minnesota Twins, who, apparently, are capable of winning postseason games again.
Correa didn’t have the best regular season, to say the least, but he was hot down the stretch (September was his best month by OPS) and has already been at the center of a few huge plays this October. He made an acrobatic throw to nail Bo Bichette at home in Game 1 against Toronto, drove in the first run in Game 2 and pulled off a deft tag of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. on a timing play pickoff at second that may have ended Toronto’s hopes once and for all.
If you had forgotten what this player was capable of in October, you have now been reminded. This was the Astro for so many postseasons. Now he has a chance to break Astros fans hearts.
2) The Phillies aren’t going to do this to the Braves again, are they?
The Braves had one of the best regular seasons in their history and have felt like MLB’s juggernaut pretty much since May, finishing with an MLB-best 104 wins. But they were one of the best teams in baseball last year too, and it didn’t matter once the buzzsaw that was the Philadelphia Phillies showed up. Once the Phillies got going last October, Atlanta’s 101 wins didn’t mean much of anything, with sixth-seeded Philadelphia knocking out the Braves in four games in the NLDS. Can the Phillies pull off the same trick again?
It’s fair to suspect that the Braves were cheering for the Marlins in their Wild Card Series, because seeing Bryce Harper and company is going to bring back a lot of bad memories. The Braves were 14 games better than the Phillies in the regular season in 2023. That’s the exact same number of games they were better than the Phillies in 2022 as well. It meant nothing last year. It could mean nothing again this year. Look out for Game 1 here: If the Phillies can steal it in Atlanta, you’re going to see a whole bunch of Braves fans feeling all sorts of unpleasant déjà vu.
3) The D-backs are the next NL West team to shoot their shot against the Dodgers
The Dodgers have won 10 out of the last 11 NL West titles, and that one they didn’t win, they avenged in the NLDS shortly after the season ended. (That would be in 2021, when they won 106 games and took out the 107-game-winning Giants in the playoffs.) Everyone is always aiming at the Dodgers in this division, and usually … they miss.
That is, until last year, when the Padres, in glorious fashion, took down the Dodgers in the NLDS, seemingly serving notice that the days of Dodgers dominance were over. Well: They weren’t. But now the D-backs get their chance to erase the regular-season standings in a short series. The D-backs actually faced the Dodgers the last time they were in the playoffs, in 2017, a series in which they were resoundingly swept. There are only two D-backs (Christian Walker and Ketel Marte) still around from that year, but the roster is full of players who have watched the Dodgers eat their lunch for years now … just like they’ve eaten everybody else’s lunch in the NL West.
The Dodgers have been as wobbly this year as they’ve been in a decade, and they still won the division with ease. Will that dominance continue for one more series? Another fun question: If the Dodgers win, will they jump in the Diamondbacks’ pool again? (For you younger fans out there, this was a big deal 10 years ago.)
4) Can the Orioles take advantage of this opportunity?
There is a sense, because the Orioles are so stacked with young talent, that this is just the start for the team, that this year isn’t that important because they’re surely going to have a lot more bites of the apple. But it doesn’t always work out that way: Teams you think have a clear runway ahead of them for years to come take unexpected steps back all the time. (Ask the Padres last year, or the Blue Jays over the last half-decade, for that matter.)
Considering how tough the AL East is, it’s certainly possible that this is the best opportunity the Orioles will have. After all, they have the top overall seed in the AL and home-field advantage in a year when a pair of the usual AL juggernauts (Boston and New York) didn’t even make the playoffs. The O’s have all that young talent healthy at the same time. They have a Camden Yards crowd that, after years of suffering, is going to be roaring (and splashing) with every pitch of every game. And they are facing a Rangers team with a terrific lineup but an extremely thin pitching staff, both in the rotation and the bullpen. The Orioles don’t have to look to the future for a great chance to win the World Series: They have a great chance to win one right now. They best not let this opportunity elude them.
5) Will we see the same old same old in the LCS and World Series? Or will we see new blood?
There is a non-zero possibility that the World Series this year will be a very familiar matchup. The Astros have been in three of the last four World Series, and four of the last six; they’re still around. The Dodgers have been in three of the last six; they’re still around. The Braves just won the World Series two years ago; they’re still around. The Phillies were there last year; still around. No one will be stunned if we see any of those teams again. But on the other hand … look at all the opportunities we have to see teams that haven’t been in the World Series in a long, long time.
The D-backs haven’t been there since 2001 (or the NLCS since 2007); they’re here. The Twins haven’t been to the World Series since 1991 (or ALCS since 2002); they’re here. The Orioles haven’t been to the World Series since 1983 (or the ALCS since 2014); they’re here. And the Rangers have never won a World Series and haven’t been to the Fall Classic (or ALCS) since 2011.
Will the World Series be a thrilling matchup? Will it be something we have never seen before? The next week will begin to tell us. Starting Saturday. We can’t wait, even though we have to.
NFL NEWS
THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL GAME NOTES: CHICAGO AT WASHINGTON
DATE: Thursday, October 5, 2023 GAME TIME: 8:15 PM EST
Prime Video: Al Michaels, Kirk Herbstreit, Kaylee Hartung
Westwood One: Ian Eagle, Ross Tucker
SiriusXM (team name linked to SXM App) CHI: 158 or 226 WAS: 83 or 225 National: 88
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY
REG. SEASON: WAS leads series, 23-21-1 (won 8 of past 9)
POSTSEASON: WAS leads series, 4-3
THE LAST TIME …
REG. SEASON: 10/13/22: WAS 12 at CHI 7
POSTSEASON: 1/10/88 NFC-DIV: WAS 21 at CHI 17
BEARS NOTES:
QB JUSTIN FIELDS completed career-high 28 of 35 atts. (80 percent) & had career highs in pass yards (335), pass TDs (4) & rating (132.7) in Week 4. Had 278 total yards (190 pass, 88 rush) & TD vs. INT in last meeting. • RB KHALIL HERBERT had season-high 122 scrimmage yards (103 rush, 19 rec.) & 2nd-career TD catch last week, his 3rd-career game with 100+ rush yards. Rushed for 74 yards in last meeting. • WR DJ MOORE led team with 8 catches for 131 yards & had 2nd rec. TD of season in Week 4, his 17th-career game with 100+ rec. yards. Aims for his 3rd in row with TD catch. Had TD catch in his last game vs. Was. (11/21/21 w/ Car.). Aims for his 4th in row vs. Was. with 5+ receptions. • WR DARNELL MOONEY had 51 rec. yards last week. Had 7 catches for 68 yards in last meeting. • TE COLE KMET had 7 catches for 85 yards & 2 rec. TDs in Week 4, his 3rd-career game with 2 TD catches. • LB T.J. EDWARDS had 8 tackles last week. Ranks tied-2nd in NFL with 50 tackles in 2023. Aims for his 4th in row vs. Was. & 4th in row on road with 10+ tackles. • LB TREMAINE EDMUNDS had 8 tackles in Week 4. Has 3 TFL in 4 games in 2023. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Was. & 5th in row this season with 8+ tackles. • LB JACK SANBORN had season-high 5 tackles last week. • DB JAQUAN BRISKER has 5+ tackles in 17 of his 19 career games, incl. each of his 9 road games. Had sack in last meeting. • DB TERELL SMITH (rookie) aims for his 3rd in row with 5+ tackles, TFL & PD. Is 1 of 4 rookie DBs (Brian Branch, Emmanuel Forbes & Devon Witherspoon) with 2+ TFL (2) & 2+ PD (2). • DL ZACCH PICKENS (rookie) had 1st-career half sack in Week 4.
COMMANDERS NOTES:
QB SAM HOWELL completed career-high 29 of 41 atts. (career high 70.7 pct.) & totaled 330 yards (290 pass, career-high 40 rush) with TD pass vs. 0 INTs for 98.6 rating in Week 4. Has TD pass & rush TD in 2 of his 3 career home starts. • RB BRIAN ROBINSON had career-high 3rd rush TD of season last week & is 1 of 5 NFC RBs with 4+ scrimmage TDs (4) in 2023. Aims for his 12th in row with 50+ scrimmage yards. Had 1st-career rush TD in last meeting. • WR TERRY MCLAURIN led team with 8 catches for 86 yards last week. Aims for his 4th in row with 5+ receptions. Had 6 catches for 70 yards & rec. TD in last home meeting. • WR CURTIS SAMUEL had 7 catches for 51 yards & 7th-career rush TD last week. Has 50+ scrimmage yards in 3 of 4 games in 2023 & aims for his 3rd in row at home with 50+ rec. yards. • WR JAHAN DOTSON had 1st TD catch of season last week, his 8th-career rec. TD. • DT JONATHAN ALLEN had sack & 2 TFL last week. Had sack, FF & INT in last meeting. • DT DARON PAYNE had PD in Week 4 & aims for his 4th in row with PD. Had sack in last meeting. • DE MONTEZ SWEAT has TFL in 3 of 4 games in 2023. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Chi. with sack. • DE CHASE YOUNG had sack last week & aims for his 4th in row with TFL. • LB CODY BARTON aims for his 4th in row with 9+ tackles. • CB EMMANUEL FORBES had 2 PD last week & leads all rookies with 5 PD. • S KAMREN CURL led team with career-high 12 tackles & had 5th-career sack last week. Has TFL in 3 of 4 games in 2023.
Ron Rivera understands what the Chicago Bears are going through.
In his first three seasons as coach in Washington, the former Bears linebacker and assistant dealt with one off-the-field distraction after another, from the NFL and Congress investigating owner Dan Snyder’s dealings to the Drug Enforcement Administration raiding the facility and home of trainer Ryan Vermillion.
Earlier this season, Rivera relished a line of questions about the long snapper situation because if that was the Commanders’ biggest problem, it’s good to just be worried about football.
“Things have changed, and it’s been different,” he said. “It’s been refreshing.”
Not so much with the Bears, who are mired in chaos off the field and winless on it. They visit Washington on Thursday night with a player in exile for undisclosed reasons, their defensive coordinator gone for what he said was health and family reasons and little reason to believe they’re primed for their first victory in nearly a year.
“When you lose, we’ve lost a couple games here this year, for me, everybody has frustrations,” said Matt Eberflus, who has lost more than a couple of games – 18 of 21 games actually – since taking over as Chicago’s coach. “But you got to be able to control your emotions and focus on the task at hand.”
The task at hand is a prime time matchup against the Commanders, who are 2-2 after back-to-back losses but feeling better about themselves after pushing defending NFC East champion Philadelphia to overtime. Moral victories don’t amount to a hill of beans in the NFL, but players see the upcoming schedule starting with the Bears and know this is the time to stack wins.
“We’ve got a lot of games in front of us that are, for sure, winnable,” second-year receiver Jahan Dotson said. “We should do pretty well during this little stretch.”
Upcoming for Washington are games at Atlanta and the New York Giants, who have been outscored 94-15 in their three losses. But first the 0-4 Bears, who are coming off blowing a 21-point lead to lose to Denver.
And that’s just the start of the problems at Halas Hall, where receiver Chase Claypool is no longer welcome to work at. Eberflus declined to say why he and general manager Ryan Poles asked Claypool to stay away from the team.
“We feel right now this is the best decision for us,” Eberflus said.
The drama surrounding Claypool comes after defensive coordinator Alan Williams abruptly resigned earlier this season and franchise quarterback Justin Fields suggested he was being overcoached, comments he tried to walk back later the same day. Fields on the field has rebounded; he’s coming off throwing for a career-best 335 yards and four touchdowns against the Broncos, which is one glimmer of hope for the Bears, who last won a game on Oct. 24, 2022.
“You want to win,” Fields said. “I’d rather throw for 50 yards with three picks and we still win the game than what happened this past Sunday. At this point, winning is just the No. 1 thing on my mind.”
Same for the Commanders, who because of their favorable, last-place schedule could be in the mix for a wild-card spot if they get on track. Despite FanDuel Sportsbook setting Washington as a 5 1/2-point favorite, receiver Terry McLaurin insisted he and his teammates aren’t taking Chicago lightly.
Left tackle Charles Leno, who played his first seven pro seasons with the Bears before being surprisingly released, also knows better than to underestimate his former team.
“Chicago, I don’t care what’s going on out there, but I guarantee you their players and their coaches are telling their team they can come in here on Thursday night to Washington and try to kick our (butts) in our house,” Leno said. “That’s what I’m worried about. That’s what I care about.”
MOORE OF THAT, PLEASE
The Bears expected big things from DJ Moore when they acquired him from Carolina for the No. 1 pick in the draft. He finally delivered last week.
Moore caught eight passes for 131 yards and a touchdown. He had 11 receptions for 170 yards combined in the first three games.
It helped the Bears were moving Fields in and out of the pocket. He looked more comfortable throwing the ball.
“I do think we took a step closer in finding our identity as an offense, so that’s always a positive,” Fields said.
SLINGIN’ SAM HOWELL
Even in a losing effort, Commanders starting quarterback Sam Howell bounced back in a big way against the Eagles. After throwing four interceptions and getting sacked nine times in a blowout loss to Buffalo, Howell had 330 yards combined in the air and on the ground and avoided a turnover at Philadelphia.
Howell goes into just his sixth pro start looking to build off that performance.
“The more games that we play collectively as an offensive unit, the better we’ll be,” Howell said. “The more we get more comfortable with ( first-year offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy ) calling the game and just everybody, – the whole process, players, coaches, everybody included – the more we can do that together, the better we’ll be.”
MORE PRESSURE
The Bears doubled their sack total last week, though that’s hardly a point of pride for them.
Chicago remains at the bottom of the NFL with two on the season after taking down Russell Wilson once last week. The New York Giants, who are 31st, have twice as many.
Then again, the Bears could have some opportunities this week. No one has allowed more sacks this season than the Commanders’ 24.
“We have to remind ourselves about getting off the ball, being able to play fast and physical, and those opportunities will present themselves,” said defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, who has one sack – in the opener against Green Bay.
FORBES FOCUS
Rookie cornerback Emmanuel Forbes had a rough day against the Eagles trying to cover A.J. Brown with Jalen Hurts throwing the ball his direction early and often. Brown finished with a game-high nine catches for 175 yards and two TDs.
Targeted 25 times and allowing 18 catches for a league-worst 356 yards, the first-round pick out of Mississippi State had a reassuring conversation with Rivera after the game and hasn’t gotten down on himself.
“I’m still the same person, confident in my game, knowing what I can and can’t do,” Forbes said. “I just got to dial in to the smaller details. … I just got to make the best of my opportunities when they do target me.”
BROWNS GM BERRY SAYS ‘EASY DECISION’ TO SIT QB DESHAUN WATSON AGAINST RAVENS WITH SHOULDER INJURY
BEREA, Ohio (AP) Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry said it was “a very easy decision” – made by several people – to sit quarterback Deshaun Watson on Sunday against Baltimore because he was unable to throw effectively.
Watson was sidelined by a bruised right shoulder and the Browns (2-2) were trounced 28-3 by the Ravens, who intercepted rookie QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson three times and sacked him four times in his NFL debut.
Berry reiterated coach Kevin Stefanski’s comments earlier this week that Watson’s shoulder is structurally sound and the injury is not a long-term issue. Watson is expected to be back for an Oct. 15 game against San Francisco.
During his bye week news conference Wednesday, Berry also tried to clarify what led to the decision for Watson to be one of Cleveland’s inactive players.
There had been some conflicting, confusing comments about who ultimately made the call.
On Monday, Stefanski said the decision was made solely by Watson, and that he had been medically cleared by the Browns’ training staff. As late as Friday, Watson was adamant he would make his 10th start since joining Cleveland.
However, Berry indicated that after seeing Watson struggled to even play catch on the field about three hours before kickoff, there was a consensus among those who were present that he couldn’t perform adequately.
“We were optimistic that he would play. He was optimistic that he would play,” Berry said. “He worked his tail off during the week to rehab and be ready. When we got out on Sunday and when we took him through the pregame workout, it became obvious to all of us that he couldn’t throw or drive the ball well enough to perform in the game.
“It just wasn’t at a level where we felt comfortable that he could ultimately perform the duties of his position.”
Berry said if Watson played anywhere else on the field that the injury would have been more manageable.
“But this is your quarterback and his job is to throw the ball anywhere from 30 to 35 times a game,” he said. “If he can’t push it. If he can’t drive it. If he can’t throw it down the field, which became very evident early in the workout, it became a very easy decision for us not to put him out there.”
While there has been speculation about how Watson’s choice not to play was received in Cleveland’s locker room, Berry said the QB’s teammates understood his reasoning.
“It was pretty obvious what he had done to try and get ready throughout the week and he really was here 24/7 doing stuff at home and it was obvious that he couldn’t throw the ball on Sunday,” he said. “He couldn’t throw the ball ball enough to play.”
Berry noted that Watson has played through injuries earlier in his career, so this was not a matter of pain tolerance or toughness. This was entirely about being able to function at a level that he could be competitive.
Berry brought up Watson taking a 12-hour bus trip to Jacksonville in 2018 to play for Houston despite a punctured lung that kept him from being medically cleared to fly.
“So there’s no doubt in terms of his resolve or his toughness or his desire to be on the field with his teammates, and honestly I want guys who are wired that way,” Berry said.
“You want guys who want to be on the field with their teammates, but there also is an element where you have to be realistic in terms of, ‘Hey, can they go out there and perform at a level that would allow you to win a game?’”
WR COOPER KUPP RETURNS TO PRACTICE, ENTERS IR ACTIVATION WINDOW FOR LOS ANGELES RAMS
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (AP) — Los Angeles Rams receiver Cooper Kupp is returning to practice this week after missing the first four games of the season with a hamstring injury.
The Super Bowl 56 MVP entered the 21-day window for activation from injured reserve Wednesday along with rookie linebacker Ochaun Mathis, who also hasn’t played this season. The Rams (2-2) host Philadelphia on Sunday.
The 30-year-old Kupp strained his hamstring early in training camp and aggravated it in late August. He began this season on the injured list after also missing the final eight games of last season with an ankle injury.
Kupp won the NFL’s triple crown of receiving in 2021, catching 145 passes for 1,947 yards — the second-highest total in league history — and 16 touchdowns. He had 75 receptions for 812 yards and six TDs last season before his injury.
Kupp’s absence hasn’t been a crushing blow to the Rams so far. Quarterback Matthew Stafford is having an outstanding season, and rookie Puka Nacua improbably has become one of the NFL’s most productive receivers in Kupp’s place.
Nacua leads the league with 39 catches, and his 501 yards receiving are second to Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson. He made his first career touchdown reception in overtime last Sunday, leading Los Angeles to a 29-23 road victory over the Indianapolis Colts.
Tutu Atwell also has stepped up impressively in Kupp’s absence, catching 22 passes for 270 yards and a touchdown.
Mathis, a sixth-round pick who played at TCU and Nebraska, injured his knee early in training camp. He could provide depth for the Rams at edge rusher, where rookie Byron Young and Michael Hoecht have played most of the snaps.
FALCONS SIGN DEFENSIVE LINEMAN ANKOU AND PLACE WIDE RECEIVER ALI ON INJURED RESERVE
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons signed defensive lineman Eli Ankou to their active roster on Wednesday.
Wide receiver Josh Ali was placed on injured reserve after missing last week’s game against Jacksonville in London with an ankle injury.
Ankou has 43 tackles and 2 1/2 sacks in 33 games with Jacksonville, Cleveland, Dallas and Buffalo. Ankou, a native of Ottawa, Ontario, was with the Falcons for the 2021 training camp.
The Falcons added wide receiver Frank Darby to their practice squad on Tuesday and he was with the team for Wednesday’s practice. Tight end Parker Hesse was placed on injured reserve with an undisclosed injury.
TEXANS’ C.J. STROUD IS OFF TO A SIZZLING START AS SEVERAL OTHER NFL ROOKIE QBS STRUGGLE
Rookie quarterbacks are getting their chances early this season.
One is taking advantage of the opportunity in extremely impressive fashion.
After all three first-round quarterbacks started the opener, two more were forced into action because of injuries this week, with Aidan O’Connell getting the nod for the Raiders and Dorian Thompson-Robinson for the Browns.
This marked just the third season since the 1970 merger when at least five rookie quarterbacks started in the same week this early in the season, with it also happening in 2012 and 2021.
While Bryce Young, Anthony Richardson, O’Connell and Thompson-Robinson all ended up on the losing side, No. 2 overall draft pick C.J. Stroud extended the solid start to his career.
Stroud threw for 306 yards and two TDs to lead Houston to its second straight win, 30-6 over Pittsburgh. Stroud’s 1,212 yards are the second-most ever for a player in his first four games — trailing only Cam Newton’s 1,386 in 2011 for Carolina — but it’s his ability to protect the ball that might be most impressive.
Stroud joined Brock Purdy and Joshua Dobbs as the only quarterbacks this season to start all four games and not throw an interception.
Stroud is now part of a far more elite group, joining Aaron Rodgers (2020), Patrick Mahomes (2018 and ’19), Drew Brees (2018), Tom Brady (2015 and ’17) and Peyton Manning (2013) as the only players to throw for at least 1,200 yards with no interceptions in the first four games of the season.
It hasn’t been as easy for the four other rookie quarterbacks with Young ranking in the bottom five in passer rating and yards per attempt and O’Connell and Thompson-Robinson looking overmatched in their first starts.
Richardson has been better, with three touchdown passes and four TD runs in three games.
LOPSIDED WINS
The Buffalo Bills have rebounded from a Week 1 loss in impressive fashion.
The Bills beat previously undefeated Miami 48-20 on Sunday for their third straight win by at least 28 points. That is tied for the longest streak of wins by that many points in the Super Bowl era. The only team in NFL history with more was the 1942 Chicago Bears — a mark Buffalo will try to tie in London on Sunday against Jacksonville.
The Dallas Cowboys also have put together some blowout wins, with their 38-3 victory at New England on Sunday the most lopsided loss ever for Patriots coach Bill Belichick. The Cowboys have won three games by at least 20 points so far this season, with one slip-up in a Week 3 loss at Arizona.
Before this season, only 15 teams since the merger had three wins by at least 20 points in the first four games. Thirteen of those teams made the playoffs and six made the Super Bowl, with the 1996 Green Bay Packers and 1999 St. Louis Rams winning it all.
SACK DANCE
It was a notable weekend for pass rushers, led by Khalil Mack of the Chargers and the entire Seattle defense.
Mack had six sacks on Sunday against the Raiders, one shy of Derrick Thomas’ NFL single-game record. The only other players with six in a game since sacks became an official individual statistic in 1982 are Thomas, Adrian Clayborn, Fred Dean and Osi Umenyiora.
Mack also had five sacks in a game in 2015 for the Raiders against Denver, joining Thomas as the only players with two games with at least five sacks.
The Seahawks tied a franchise record with 11 sacks on Monday night against the Giants with a balanced unit. Bobby Wagner, Jordyn Brooks, Devon Witherspoon and Uchenna Nwosu all had two sacks in the game.
It was the sixth time since 1982 that a team had four players record multiple sacks in the same game. It last happened in 1987 for Dallas against the New York Jets in a game featuring replacement players.
ORANGE CRUSHED
The Denver Broncos have been known for some dominating defenses over their history, from the Orange Crush unit from the 1970s to the dominant squad that won a Super Bowl in the 2015 season.
This year’s edition is far different.
Denver is off to one of the worst defensive starts in NFL history, ranking in the bottom five in the Super Bowl era in points per game allowed through four games (37.5), yards per play (7.05) and passer rating against (133.4).
While much of the damage was done in Miami’s 70-point outburst in Week 3, the Broncos weren’t much better at the start of this past week’s game against Chicago.
They allowed Justin Fields to complete his first 16 passes before an incompletion on a desperation heave to end the first half as Fields had his first career game with either 300 yards passing or four TDs.
Denver got two takeaways in the second half to rally from a 21-point deficit in the second half to win 31-28, matching the largest blown lead in Bears history.
It was the second comeback from 21 points down in the second half to win already this season, with the Giants doing it in Week 2 at Arizona. The only other time that happened in the first four weeks of the season was 1999.
STANFORD STARS
It was quite a day for Stanford alumni when the 49ers hosted the Cardinals a short drive away from campus.
Former Stanford star Christian McCaffrey scored four touchdowns for San Francisco and another former Cardinal player, Michael Wilson, caught two TD passes for Arizona in the 35-16 Niners’ win on Sunday.
That marked just the third game since the merger when players from one college scored at least six touchdowns. It last happened on Christmas Day in 2020 when former Tennessee star Alvin Kamara scored six TDs for New Orleans against Minnesota.
Former USC stars O.J. Simpson (four TDs) and Sam Cunningham (three) had seven touchdowns in a Buffalo win over New England on Nov. 23, 1975.
REPORTS: BRONCOS TO RELEASE LB RANDY GREGORY
The Denver Broncos are releasing linebacker Randy Gregory, multiple media outlets reported on Wednesday.
Signed to a five-year, $70 million contract prior to the 2022 season, Gregory recorded nine tackles and a sack in four games (three starts) this year for the Broncos. He is slated to make a $14 million base salary this season, with $5 million in 2024 being fully guaranteed.
Nik Bonitto, 24, replaced Gregory as a starter in Denver’s 31-28 victory over the Chicago Bears last Sunday. He assisted in forcing a game-tying sack-fumble that was returned for a touchdown.
Gregory, 30, has totaled 106 tackles, 19.5 sacks, 10 forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in 60 career games (18 starts) with the Dallas Cowboys (2015-21) and Broncos. He was selected by the Cowboys in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft.
REPORT: CHARGERS TRADE J.C. JACKSON TO PATRIOTS WITH GONZALEZ LIKELY OUT FOR SEASON
J.C. Jackson is returning to the New England Patriots.
The Los Angeles Chargers are sending the cornerback to the Patriots in exchange for a swap of late-round picks, sources told NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The 27-year-old provides
The 27-year-old provides reinforcements at an opportune time. First-round pick Christian Gonzalez will likely miss the remainder of the 2023 season after suffering a torn labrum in the club’s 38-3 loss on Sunday, sources told Rapoport.
The 6-foot-1, 198-pound Jackson began his career with the Patriots as an undrafted free agent. He quickly became a ball-hawking playmaker, hauling in 25 interceptions from 2018-21, including nine in 2020 and eight in 2021.
Jackson struggled to replicate the impact he made in New England with the Bolts. He only played in five games last season because of a serious knee injury, was a healthy scratch in Week 3 of this year, and did not play in Week 4 despite being active.
Jackson had one interception in seven games with L.A. and has a 48.7 overall grade from PFF for the current campaign.
As part of the trade, the teams are reworking the 2023 portion of the five-year, $82-million deal that Jackson signed with the Chargers ahead of the 2021 season. The Patriots will cover approximately $1.5 million of Jackson’s remaining $9.33 million salary for this year, with L.A. paying the remainder as a signing bonus, sources told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
On top of his interceptions, Jackson has accumulated 176 total tackles and 58 pass deflections in 69 career games.
COLLEGE ATHLETICS
NCAA APPROVES SMALLER TRANSFER PORTAL WINDOWS FOR FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL FROM 60 TO 45 DAYS
The NCAA Division I Council on Wednesday approved a smaller window during which football and basketball players can enter their names into the transfer portal and retain immediate eligibility for the following season from 60 to 45 days.
The council was finishing up two days of meetings in Indianapolis, during which it also approved a package of proposals that would regulate name, image and likeness compensation for athletes and another that recommends stricter penalties for individuals who commit rules violations.
The NCAA also announced on Wednesday that it would begin advocating for changes to state gambling laws and regulations to provide more protections for college athletes from harassment or coercive behavior.
The association is calling for mandatory reporting hotlines to report inappropriate behavior to law enforcement, increased penalties for bettors who harass college athletes and mandatory education for operators to help identify harassment.
The NCAA also is advocating for states to prohibit individuals younger than 21 from wagering on sports.
Transfer windows for undergraduate athletes were first implemented last year, and the timing of the transfer period is determined on a sport-by-sport basis. In football, there were two windows: a 45-day window starting in December, after the regular season, and a second in the spring.
The first window will shrink to 30 days.
Football coaches had called for shorter windows, and it became apparent that most players were acting quickly so they could switch schools and join their new teams in time for the winter/spring semester.
The basketball window opens after the season. Coaches in that sport were hoping to shorten the window to 30 days, but athletes advocated for 45 and their position was supported by NCAA President Charlie Baker.
Graduate transfers have more flexibility, with a deadline to enter the portal by May 1 for fall sports and July 1 for spring semester sports.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICKS: SEC FUTURE AND PRESENT HIGHLIGHTS WEEK 6 WITH RED RIVER, ALABAMA-TEXAS A&M
The Southeastern Conference, both present and future, takes center stage Saturday.
At the state fair in Dallas, No. 3 Texas and No. 12 Oklahoma play the final Red River Rivalry game as members of the Big 12 before joining the SEC next year.
Instead of Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark being at the game, Greg Sankey of the SEC will drop by to check out two incoming members who rolled through the first month of the season undefeated. The Longhorns and Sooners will both bring unbeaten records to the Cotton Bowl for the first time since 2008.
The grudge match is the first part of a Lone Star State doubleheader for Sankey, who plans to head over to College Station to catch the midafternoon game between No. 11 Alabama and Texas A&M, the only two remaining unbeaten teams in conference play in the SEC West.
Maybe the biggest game in the actual SEC is between the East Division’s two highest-ranked teams: No. 20 Kentucky takes on No. 1 Georgia, with the Wildcats out again to prove they are more than just in contention for second-best in the East.
The most-under-the-radar ranked SEC team is No. 21 Missouri, which welcomes No. 23 LSU to Columbia. After an epic collapse by the defense last week, the two-loss Tigers from Baton Rouge are already in danger of being buried in the SEC West basement.
The five most intriguing games of Week 6 have big-time SEC bias.
No. 3 Texas vs. No. 12 Oklahoma at Dallas
The Longhorns beat the Sooners last season in historic fashion, 49-0, snapping a four-game losing streak in the series. The Sooners played that game without injured QB Dillion Gabriel and it was the third loss of a three-game skid that effectively ended any hope of contending for a Big 12 title.
Gabriel enters this game healthy and, like this team, not getting much attention for what has been a torrid start. The fifth-year quarterback has thrown for 1,593 yards and 15 touchdowns.
On the other side, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers has thrown for 1,358 yards and 10 scores.
LINE: Texas by 6 1/2. PICK: TEXAS 31-28.
No. 11 Alabama at Texas A&M
An enormous opportunity for coach Jimbo Fisher and the Aggies to seize early control of the West, a division they have yet to win since joining the SEC in 2012.
It was just a couple of seasons ago that A&M knocked off a top-ranked Tide team as an unranked team in College Station and then proceeded to finish the season 8-4. So, no, don’t crown the winner of this game.
But considering the state of the West, this feels like a case where either Alabama restores order or the Aggies finally have a real breakthrough under Fisher.
LINE: Alabama by 2 1/2. PICK: Texas A&M 23-22.
No. 20 Kentucky at No. 1 Georgia
The Bulldogs have won 13 straight in the series, including two meetings in the last five years where both teams were ranked. Georgia won both of those games by 17 points and outrushed the Wildcats 497-135 combined.
Vanderbilt transfer RB Ray Davis is coming off a monster game for Kentucky (280 yards rushing on 26 carries).
The two-time defending national champions have yet to have a statement game this season. Here’s their chance.
LINE: Georgia by 14 1/2. PICK: Georgia 31-14.
No. 10 Notre Dame at No. 25 Louisville
Third straight week with a ranked opponent for the Fighting Irish, and second straight on the road against an upstart Atlantic Coast Conference team. Notre Dame has won 30 consecutive regular-season games against ACC competition.
In Year 1 under hometown hero Jeff Brohm, the Cardinals are 5-0 for the first time since 2013.
LINE: Notre Dame by 6 1/2. PICK: Notre Dame 27-21.
No. 23 LSU at No. 21 Missouri
LSU is trying to avoid dropping to 3-3 with two SEC losses after starting the season No. 5 in the country. The Tigers’ defense has been a mess, tied for 121st in the nation at 6.47 yards per play allowed.
Unbeaten Missouri (5-0) has the weapons to take advantage, starting with WR Luther Burden III, who is second in the nation at 128.8 receiving yards per game.
LINE: LSU by 6 1/2. PICK: MISSOURI 35-31.
The rest of Saturday’s games involving ranked teams and FBS foes, with lines by FanDuel Sportsbook:
No. 2 Michigan (minus 19 1/2) at Minnesota
Can the Gophers be the first opponent to break seven points against the Wolverines? … MICHIGAN 35-13.
Maryland (plus 19 1/2) at No. 4 Ohio State
Buckeyes are 8-0 against the Terps since Maryland joined the Big Ten, averaging 57.5 points per game … OHIO STATE 38-21.
Virginia Tech at No. 5 Florida State (minus 23 1/2)
Seminoles have scored at least 30 in 10 straight games … FLORIDA STATE 45-17.
Arizona (plus 21 1/2) at No. 9 Southern California
Status of Wildcats QB Jayden De Laura (ankle) remains unclear after he missed last week’s game … USC 49-31.
No. 13 Washington State (plus 3 1/2) at UCLA
Bruins lead the Pac-12 in defense at 3.75 yards per play allowed … WASHINGTON STATE 27-24.
Syracuse (plus 8 1/2) at No. 14 North Carolina
Only the third meeting since the Orange joined the ACC in 2013 … NORTH CAROLINA 31-24.
No. 15 Oregon State at California (plus 9 1/2)
Matchup of the Pac-12’s top two rushers in Cal’s Jayden Ott and OSU’s Damien Martinez … OREGON STATE 24-16.
Arkansas (plus 11 1/2) at No. 16 Mississippi
Hogs and Rebels have recent history of close, high-scoring games … MISSISSIPPI 34-24.
Georgia Tech at No. 17 Miami (minus 20 1/2)
Quietly, the Hurricanes are third nationally in offense, averaging 8.24 yards per play … MIAMI 42-17.
No. 24 Fresno State at Wyoming (plus 5 1/2)
Bulldogs have won four straight in the series, including the last two by shutout … WYOMING 20-17.
TWITTER REQUESTS
Colorado (minus 4 1/2) at Arizona State (@DanaBecker). Deion Sanders’ team steps off the big stage on onto the Pac-12 Network … COLORADO 34-27.
Wake Forest (plus 20 1/2) at Clemson (@BlakleyRon). Tigers have won 14 straight over the Demon Deacons, including a wild, double overtime game last year … CLEMSON 31-14.
Rutgers (plus 13 1/2) at Wisconsin (@jcsteer). Badgers are 4-0 against the Scarlet Knights by an average of 34.5 points per game … WISCONSIN 24-14.
UCF (plus 2 1/2) at Kansas (@lilerq74). Knights still looking for first Big 12 win after blowing a 28-point lead last week to Baylor … UCF 34-31.
Marshall (plus 6 1/2) at North Carolina State (@ThenotfakeBG). Thundering Herd looking for its second victory of the season against an ACC team as Wolfpack makes QB change … NC STATE 23-20.
RECORD
Last week: Straight-up — 16-5; Against spread — 11-9-1.
Season: Straight-up — 90-27; Against spread — 50-66-1.
NBA NEWS
HARDEN JOINS 76ERS TRAINING CAMP AFTER MEDIA DAY ABSENCE
James Harden is participating in Philadelphia 76ers practice at Colorado State University on Wednesday as the team continues its training camp.
Harden arrived in Colorado on Tuesday after missing the first day of training camp, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
76ers president of
76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey said Monday that the Sixers “expect” Harden to participate in training camp as the 10-time All-Star wasn’t present at media day.
It’s unclear how willing of a participant Harden will be in training camp.
Harden opted into his $35.6-million player option in June with the intent of working with the Sixers on finding a trade, reportedly favoring the Los Angeles Clippers as a destination. Philadelphia took him off the trade market in August.
After being taken off the trade block, the veteran guard referred to Morey as “a liar” in August and said he never wanted to play for him again. The NBA fined Harden $100,000 for his comments. Harden remains steadfast in his trade request, throwing a party last week in Houston that featured a sign saying, “Daryl Morey is a liar.”
Harden averaged 21 points, a league-leading 10.7 assists, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.2 steals last season for the Sixers.
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
TOP 20 FRONTCOURTS FOR 2023-24
(THE ALMANAC)
Last season, The Almanac debuted with a simple theme: the Year of the Big. We highlighted 11 of the country’s premier big men on our cover. Among them were five consensus All-Americans, including the 2022 and 2023 winners of the National Player of the Year award, as well as the leading scorer for the 2022-23 national champions.
It’s safe to say that bigs played a huge role in how the season played out.
Now, we still feel that having a solid backcourt is the most crucial piece to success, but there’s no doubt that dominating big men — and really, size in general — can be a very difficult problem for many college programs to solve. Here’s a look at the 20 best frontcourts in the country going into the 2023-24 season.
1. Kansas
Picking out the best frontcourt in college basketball this season is a brutal task, but at the end of the day, I’m going with the team that is anchored by my personal Preseason Player of the Year: the Kansas Jayhawks and Hunter Dickinson.
There is no one in college basketball that is better at scheming ways for a 5-man to score than Bill Self. He’s never had a senior center that was as productive and storied as Hunter Dickinson is, either. There is a reason that he is a two-time All-American, and it has so much to do with his size and ability in and around the basket. Did I mention that he’s now a 40% 3-point shooter? Because that is a big part of this ranking, too.
KJ Adams was entirely underrated last season as Kansas’ 5-man. This year, he’ll be playing the 4, and he is much more suited to that role. Dickinson’s shooting will create space while Adams’ ability to roll to the rim also manipulates defenses. I love this pairing, and while I do have some concerns about their depth, the talent of the two starters is too much to overlook. Zach Clemence and Parker Braun are not total slouches, though, and they give Self options behind the starters.
2. Purdue
Zach Edey was as dominant as any college basketball player that we have seen in this millennium. At 7-4 and 290 pounds, he has mobility, soft hands and a sweet touch that, when combined with his inclination to play bully-ball, is damn-near unstoppable. Every year that Edey has been in college, he’s added a new dynamic to his game, and I fully expect that he’ll continue to build on his NPOY season in 2022-23.
His presence alone is enough to put Purdue at No. 2. The question is: Who will help him?
Is Trey Kaufman-Renn going to be ready to make the leap this year? Just how much will Mason Gillis and Caleb Furst have improved in the offseason? Shooting from the 4-spot is going to be critical for the Boilermakers this year as they try to find a way to punish teams that sell out to stop Edey in the paint.
3. Duke
Unlike guys like Edey and Dickinson, Kyle Filipowski opting to come back to school for another season was unexpected. He was projected as a first-round pick this past June, and his return instantly put him in the conversation as a first-team All-American. It also thrust Duke into the conversation as the best team in college basketball.
Mark Mitchell should be in line for a big sophomore season, and the added talent of a pair of freshmen in Sean Stewart and TJ Power will make the Blue Devils as deep and as skilled up front as they have been since Jayson Tatum was roaming Cameron Indoor Stadium. Veteran Ryan Young is also back in the fold to do some yeoman work off the bench. There are questions about where the rim protection comes from, and on the defensive side of the ball in general, but there’s no denying the ability or the upside with this group.
4. UConn
The easiest pick in America for breakout star in college basketball during the 2023-24 college basketball season is UConn’s sophomore center Donovan Clingan. He’s the reason why Adama Sanogo left for the NBA without getting drafted. He’s a monster defensively and on the glass, and with an offseason to polish up his post-game — and his 3-point stroke? — he is in line for an All-American campaign as the Huskies try and win back-to-back national titles.
Alex Karaban’s ability should not be overlooked, even though it often was during the Huskies’ title run last year. He’s an intelligent ball-mover and a smooth shot-maker that really improved defensively throughout the season, while Jaylin Stewart and Jayden Ross will be effective spelling Karaban on the wing. The key is going to be the supremely athletic Samson Johnson. Can he be good enough to force Dan Hurley to put Clingan on the bench for 12-14 minutes a night?
5. Villanova
There may not be a more underrated big man in college basketball than Eric Dixon, who is a bully on the block that developed into one of the best 3-point shooting bigs in America last season. A first-team All-Big East talent, Dixon is the anchor for what should be a really good Villanova team.
Tyler Burton and Hakim Hart are both versatile, veteran forwards that fit the Jermaine Samuels/Brandon Slater mold, while Lance Ware is a former top-40 recruit that will hopefully thrive in a new system after struggling to find consistent minutes at Kentucky the last two years.
6. Creighton
Ryan Kalkbrenner is as good of a defensive center as you are going to find in college basketball, and Creighton knows how to play to his strengths. As he develops his offensive arsenal, he is only going to continue to be able to impact games. Bluejays fans also got a glimpse of a bright future with Fredrick King when Kalkbrenner missed three games with mono in December.
Either Mason Miller or Isaac Traudt will have to step in and contribute at a high level to earn this frontcourt ranking, but Traudt’s shooting will translate from Day 1. Meanwhile, Miller is one of the sneaky breakout stars in the sport this season. If they both pop, this ranking could be too low.
7. North Carolina
Armando Bacot got all the plaudits after UNC’s run to the 2022 national title game, but he didn’t quite live up to his lofty expectations that last season. That should change in 2023-24, as the pieces around him should fit better. Jae’Lyn Withers and Harrison Ingram should be able to provide a better threat shooting the ball, while Jalen Washington is a potential breakout candidate. Overall, if Bacot returns to his 17-and-10 form while Ingram and Withers do what they’ve done over the last two seasons, that should be enough to make UNC a top-15 team this season.
8. Gonzaga
This ranking is based on Graham Ike remaining healthy and rediscovering the form that made him a 20-and-10 guy in the Mountain West back in 2021-22. Mark Few knows how to utilize big men that thrive in the post, and that’s Ike to a T. Anton Watson is criminally underrated as a connective piece at the four, and Steele Venters’ shooting ability will create space for them to operate. Ben Gregg is also still around, and he oozes still-untapped potential.
9. UCLA
UCLA has by far the hardest frontcourt to project this season. On the one hand, there are three potential first-round picks and as many as four guys that could end up playing in the NBA. But the two of the first-rounders — Aday Mara and Berke Buyuktencel — are European freshmen that didn’t make it to L.A. until August, while Adem Bona could struggle to find his way into the lineup if those newcomers are as good as expected. (It’s hard to play two 5-men together.) Brandon Williams, Kenneth Nwuba and Devin Williams round out the frontcourt. This group is why UCLA is the team I’m most excited to watch in 2023-24.
10. Providence
The most important thing that new Friar head coach Kim English did when he landed the job was ensure that his star 4-man, Bryce Hopkins, kept his name out of the portal. Hopkins was a frontrunner for Big East Player of the Year when PC’s season took a turn last year. Rafael Castro looks like a solid bench piece (and he needs to be after Will McNair re-entered the portal late), but Josh Oduro is the key here. If Oduro’s leap from the Atlantic 10 goes as well as Tyler Kolek’s, or Ed Crosswell’s, or Jared Bynum’s, Providence will be a top-20 team in the sport.
11. Arizona
Last year, it was Azuolas Tubelis that made the leap from good player to All-American. This year, that should end up being Oumar Ballo, who could thrive without Tubelis taking so many touches away from him in the post. Henri Veesaar should also be expected to take a leap, while the addition of Keshad Johnson should not be overlooked. The San Diego State transfer was terrific playing a role as a versatile 4 while the Aztecs made a run to the national title game, and that has been an archetype that Arizona has been lacking in recent seasons.
12. Miami (FL)
Norchad Omier had a lot of doubters heading into last season. Was Miami really going to rely so heavily on a 6-7 transfer from the Sun Belt when he has to play the 5? In the ACC?
Yes, they were. And it worked. Omier averaged 13 points and 10 boards for a team that made it to the Final Four, and while the faces around him will be different this season, the way that Jim Larranaga wants to play won’t change. Throw in Matthew Cleveland, who will be an adequate replacement in the Jordan Miller role, and depth pieces like Michael Nwoko and AJ Casey, and Miami should be right back in the mix at the top of the ACC.
13. Marquette
Last year, Olivier-Maxence Prosper was the Marquette frontcourt piece that everyone overlooked until it came time for the NBA Draft. This year, Oso Ighodaro is going to be that guy. A terrific defender and passer, Ighodaro is going to be one of the linchpins for this Marquette team that will be in the top 10 all season long. David Joplin should see his numbers explode playing starters minutes at the 4, while Ben Gold has a very high ceiling.
14. Auburn
Johni Broome and Jaylin Williams were not Walker Kessler and Jabari Smith, but few are. Of course that doesn’t mean that they weren’t still one of the best frontcourts in the SEC. Broome’s adjustment to the SEC was impressive, while Williams embraced the larger role that he was afforded with Smith in the NBA. With Dylan Cardwell providing impactful minutes off the bench and the addition of Chad Baker-Mazara, Bruce Pearl will have more options at his disposal.
15. Kentucky
It’s really hard to figure out where to rank this Kentucky front court due to the injuries. If you could guarantee that Aaron Bradshaw and Ugonna Onyeso would be 100% healthy and play every game, this group would be higher. If you’re skeptical about Bradshaw’s availability this season, this will look too high.
Zvonimir Ivisic is a high-upside late swing, but he may not get into school. Even if he does, that may not be enough immediate help to make up for the fact that Tre Mitchell has not exactly been known as a winning basketball player at his three previous stops. The good news? Justin Edwards is an absolute stud that has a chance to be the No. 1 overall pick.
16. Arkansas
Trevon Brazile may be the single most entertaining player in college basketball to watch given his ability to make 3s, put the ball on the floor and throw down the most vicious of dunks. He’s coming off an ACL tear but should be back to 100%. Makhi Mitchell and Jalen Graham grew into effective pieces in their roles last season, while Jeremiah Davenport should be a really good 3-and-D wing. Keep an eye on freshman Baye Fall, who is a super-versatile defensive-minded forward.
17. Colorado
We are not talking nearly enough about just how good Colorado has a chance to be this season. Cody Williams is a top-10 freshman and a potential lottery pick, while Tristan da Silva and Eddie Lampkin are proven commodities at the high-major level. If the Buffaloes are going to live up to what little hype they’re getting, it’s going to be because this talented frontcourt leads the way.
18. Houston
For the most part, the names don’t really matter when it comes to Houston’s frontline. What matters is the way they are used. Kelvin Sampson has an endless supply of 6-8, athletic and aggressive bigs that have 7-3 wingspans, attack the offensive glass and win every fight defensively. J’Wan Roberts is the current ‘name to know of this group,’ while Ja’Vier Francis will be the next ‘name to know of this group.’ JoJo Tugler is a top-75 freshman who could become a vital piece someday, too.
19. West Virginia
The Mountaineers may have lost Bob Huggins and Tre Mitchell back in June, but new head coach Josh Eilert was able to keep together the core of what the program had already built in the offseason. Jesse Edwards was the star of the transfer class after averaging 14 and 10 for Syracuse last year. He’ll anchor the bigs, while Akok Akok and Quinn Slazinski battle for minutes at the stretch-4 spot.
20. Clemson
PJ Hall is one of the best players in America that no one is talking about. A 6-10 center, Hall averaged 15 points and six boards in each of the last two seasons while seeing his shooting go up to 40% from beyond the arc last year. The Tigers are a trendy pick to make the NCAA Tournament this season, and that has everything to do with their anchor at the five. Alongside Hall, the group of Ian Schieffelin, Chauncey Wiggins and Bas Leyte push this frontcourt group into our top 20.
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
IOWA AND CAITLIN CLARK LEAD BIG TEN PRESEASON WOMEN’S BASKETBALL HONORS
ROSEMONT, Ill. – For the second consecutive year, the University of Iowa has been selected as the preseason Big Ten Conference favorite by both the league’s 14 head coaches and a select media panel, the conference office announced on Wednesday. The coaches and media also selected Hawkeyes’ senior guard Caitlin Clark as the 2023-24 Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year, marking the third consecutive season the coaches have chosen Clark for the honor.
The coaches voted Ohio State second in the poll, followed by Indiana. The order was reversed in the media poll, with Indiana at No. 2, followed by Ohio State. Maryland claimed the fourth spot in both polls, while Illinois and Michigan rounded out the top five in the coaches and media polls, respectively.
Each of the polls’ top four teams also appear in the 2023-24 “Way Too Early” Rankings recently released by espnW and The Athletic. On Sept. 28, espnW listed Ohio State at No. 4, followed by No. 6 Iowa, No. 10 Indiana, and No. 13 Maryland.
The Athletic’s most recent preseason poll, announced on Sept. 27, includes Iowa ranked No. 6, followed by Ohio State at No. 7, Indiana at No. 9, and Maryland at No. 15.
While Clark was the only player unanimously named to the media’s Preseason All-Big Ten Team, she was joined by Indiana’s Mackenzie Holmes, Maryland’s Shyanne Sellers, Michigan’s
Laila Phelia
Laila Phelia and Ohio State’s Cotie McMahon as unanimous selections by the coaches.
The quintet was joined by five other Big Ten standouts on teams selected by both the coaches and media, Ilinois’ Makira Cook, Nebraska’s Alexis Markowski and Jaz Shelley, Ohio State’s Jacy Sheldon and Penn State’s Makenna Marisa. Minnesota’s Mara Braun was also recognized by the coaches.
Ten of the 11 players honored were all-conference selections last season, including six who earned First Team honors, in Clark, Cook, Holmes, Marisa, Sellers and Shelley. Three of the Big Ten’s four individual award winners from last year are also listed among Wednesday’s honorees, Clark (Player of the Year), Holmes (Defensive Player of the Year) and McMahon (Freshman of the Year).
The Big Ten Conference is coming off another successful season that saw a record-tying seven programs selected for the 2023 NCAA Tournament, with conference teams combining to win a record 13 games. A conference record three teams advanced to the Elite Eight, with Iowa becoming the first Big Ten team since 2015 to reach the Final Four and the first since 2005 to appear in the National Championship game.
Preseason practices are underway for all 14 Big Ten member institutions, with all Big Ten head coaches and selected student-athletes from each school preparing to make their way to Minneapolis for the 2023 Big Ten Basketball Media Days Oct. 9 at the Target Center (more details to come at bigten.org/23BBMD). The 2023-24 regular season tips off Nov. 6, while the 31st Big Ten Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament will take place March 6-10, also at the Target Center in Minneapolis. The 2023 NCAA Women’s Final Four is scheduled for April 5 and 7 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio.
The 2023-24 Preseason All-Big Ten Teams and rankings are as follows:
2023-24 Coaches Big Ten Preseason Rankings
1. Iowa
2. Ohio State
3. Indiana
4. Maryland
5. Illinois
2023-24 Coaches Preseason All-Big Ten Team*
Makira Cook, sr., G, Illinois
MACKENZIE HOLMES, Grad., F, INDIANA
CAITLIN CLARK, SR, G, IOWA
SHYANNE SELLERS, JR., G, MARYLAND
LAILA PHELIA, JR., G, MICHIGAN
Mara Braun, So., G, Minnesota
Alexis Markowski, Jr., C/F, Nebraska
Jaz Shelley, Grad., G, Nebraska
COTIE McMAHON, SOPH., F, OHIO STATE
Jacy Sheldon, Grad, G, Ohio State
Makenna Marisa, Senior+, G, Penn State
*Additional player due to tie in voting
2023-24 Coaches Preseason Player of the Year
Caitlin Clark, Sr. G, Iowa
2023-24 Media Big Ten Preseason Rankings
1. Iowa
2. Indiana
3. Ohio State
4. Maryland
5. Michigan
2023-24 Media Big Ten Preseason All-Big Ten Team
Makira Cook, Sr., G, Illinois
Mackenzie Holmes, Grad., F, Indiana
CAITLIN CLARK, SR., G, IOWA
Shyanne Sellers, Jr., G, Maryland
Laila Phelia, Jr., G, Michigan
Alexis Markowski, Jr., C/F, Nebraska
Jaz Shelley, Grad, G, Nebraska
Cotie McMahon, Soph., F, Ohio State
Jacy Sheldon, Grad., G, Ohio State
Makenna Marisa, Senior+, G, Penn State
2023-24 Media Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year
Caitlin Clark, Sr., G, Iowa
Unanimous selections listed in ALL CAPS
WOMEN’S GOLF
LEXI THOMPSON TO COMPETE AGAINST MEN AT THE PGA TOUR’S UPCOMING STOP IN LAS VEGAS
LAS VEGAS (AP) LGPA Tour trailblazer Lexi Thompson will compete against men at the PGA Tour’s upcoming event in Las Vegas.
The Shriners Children’s Open announced Wednesday that Thompson received an unrestricted exemption into its tournament that begins Oct. 12 at TPC Summerlin. She will compete with 131 men for a $8.4 million purse.
Thompson will become the seventh woman to compete in a PGA Tour event and the first since Brittany Lincicome did so at the 2018 Barbasol Championship. Babe Didrikson Zaharias became the first woman to receive a sponsor exemption at The Cascades Open in 1935.
“I’m hopeful that my ability to play with the men next week at the Shriners Children’s Open sends a great message to the young women that you can chase your dream regardless of how hard it is,” Thompson said in a statement. “I cannot wait to come to the city of Las Vegas, and I’m grateful to Shriners Children’s for this opportunity to spend the week alongside these inspirational kids.”
Thompson, 28, has 11 victories on the LPGA Tour after beginning her professional career at age 15. She was the youngest player ever to qualify for the U.S. Women’s Open when she made it to her first major in 2007 at age 12.
“Shriners Children’s mission is to help all children live their best life regardless of what medical challenges lay in front of them,” said Patrick Lindsey, executive director of the Shriners Children’s Open. “We are eager to have Lexi on the course and continue to break through barriers, just as our more than 1.5 million patients do every day.”
Thompson hasn’t won on the LPGA Tour since June 2019. She’s ranked No. 114 in the Race to the CME Globe. Only the top 60 make it to the CME Group Tour Championship. The top 80 have a full card for the following season. The top 100 still have cards and get in most tournaments.
INDIANA RELEASES/TOP HEADLINES
COLTS NEWS
JONATHAN TAYLOR PARTICIPATES, ANTHONY RICHARDSON ON HOW RB CAN IMPACT OFFENSE
The Colts on Wednesday opened a 21-day window for running back Jonathan Taylor to be activated to the 53-man roster from the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list, clearing the way for Taylor to begin participating in practice.
Taylor’s first true practice will be Thursday, though, as head coach Shane Steichen opted to downshift Wednesday’s practice to a walkthrough with the Colts coming off consecutive overtime games in Weeks 3 and 4.
“I decided to go walk-thru today just cause we had, shoot, back-to-back overtime games,” Steichen said. “So just making sure these guys are fresh and ready to go for Sunday.”
The Colts will evaluate Taylor’s readiness to be activated from PUP and play Sunday against the Tennessee Titans over the next few days, with practices Thursday and Friday at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center. Taylor, though, was listed as a full participant in the Colts’ estimated practice report on Wednesday.
Steichen said he isn’t worried about Taylor’s knowledge of the offense, too, as he participates in practice for the first time since mid-December of 2022.
“With OTAs and training camp stuff, being around – shoot, the system, obviously the verbiage stuff, he’s heard it all,” Steichen said. “Obviously, in the meetings getting ready today and all that stuff. So, taking his notes, getting ready. With anything, obviously he’s been around it, but anytime you sign a player – you sign players on Wednesday that start on Sunday. So, feel good about his mental.”
What a JT, AR pairing could look like
Anthony Richardson said he has a “tight” relationship with Taylor, and added he doesn’t think it’ll take too long to get in sync with him on the field.
“I know he’s a great player and I know I can do some things pretty well,” Richardson said. “Just trying to combine those two things, I can only imagine what it’s like but we won’t see until it actually happens. We’ll see and I’m excited.”
Since his debut in 2020, Taylor has the NFL’s third-highest yards per carry average (5.1) among running backs, while his 106 explosive runs (10+ yards) rank fourth. Richardson, meanwhile, is averaging 5.7 yards per carry along with four explosive runs and four rushing touchdowns.
But in addition to imagining the kind of explosiveness a Richardson/Taylor duo could bring to the Colts’ backfield, Steichen said getting Taylor on the field could have a positive impact on the team’s passing game.
“When you have an explosive player like him in the backfield that can hit the home runs, obviously you might get heavier boxes obviously with him running the football,” Steichen said. “Then it leaves some shots down the field depending on how defenses are playing it. But, it definitely adds a huge element to our offense.”
Again: The Colts still need to evaluate where Taylor is physically over the next two days of practice before making a decision on his availability for Week 5 – the earliest possible game he could play in after being placed on the PUP list on roster cut-down day. But as he takes the field with the Colts for practice this week, the vision of how he could effect Richardson and the offense is coming into focus.
“Watching his highlights and stuff,” Richardson said, “he’s a dog, he’s a great player and I’m glad I’m a quarterback with him.”
INDIANA PACERS
TOPPIN, MATHURIN POISED FOR POTENTIAL BREAKTHROUGHS
Pacers fans are hopeful that the 2023-24 season turns out to be a breakthrough year that sees the franchise return to the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
If that does come to fruition, two players that could play a big role in making it happen are Obi Toppin and Bennedict Mathurin — each of whom is poised for potential breakthrough seasons individually.
After spending his first three NBA seasons as a reserve for the Knicks, Toppin has a chance for a bigger role in his first year in Indiana. The 6-9 forward is a leading candidate to start at power forward, a position where the Pacers didn’t have a natural fit for much of last season.
Mathurin, meanwhile, thrived in a sixth man role last season, earning first-team All-Rookie honors. He could be ready to move into a starting role for his sophomore season, if he can demonstrate enough growth on the defensive end.
Both players have had strong starts to training camp, according to head coach Rick Carlisle. Over the first two days of camp, Carlisle decided to implement a one-on-one tournament to encourage competition among the players. Mathurin made the finals of the tournament at Tuesday’s practice, while Toppin reached the finals on Wednesday.
“We’ve got to guard people,” Carlisle said about the motivation behind the drill. “You can get into a lot of things with schemes, but being able to guard your position, guard your man is an enormously important thing in the game today and it always has been. We’ve just got to recommit to it in a big way. Guys have really battled hard the first two days and we’ll continue to do a lot of it.”
Mathurin is already known for his intense competitiveness, which helped him flourish on the offensive end in his debut season. He finished second among all rookies in scoring average last year at 16.7 points per game and led the Pacers in free throws attempts with 454, nearly six per game (Myles Turner was a distant second at 276 attempts).
The Pacers moved Mathurin into the starting lineup for the last few weeks of the season, but he’s in a fierce competition for a starting spot in training camp this year. To earn a permanent starting role, Mathurin will have to show improvement defensively. The 6-6 wing from Montreal has all the physical tools to be a strong defender, but had some expected struggles on that end as a rookie.
Mathurin focused heavily on the defensive end over the summer. He said his biggest focus is “taking matchups more personally” this year, but he’s also spent plenty of time studying film and getting advice from his new teammate Bruce Brown, a five-year veteran with a reputation as a strong perimeter defender.
Early in camp, Carlisle has seen positive strides from the 21-year-old Mathurin on the defensive end.
“He realizes and we’ve reinforced to him that for him to be the kind of player that he can be and for us to advance as a franchise, he’s got to become really good at both ends,” Carlisle said. “The first two days, he’s doing a lot of really good things to take that challenge.”
Toppin, meanwhile, is ready for a more significant role after being traded to Indiana. Drafted out of the University of Dayton (where he was the consensus National Player of the Year as a sophomore) with the eighth overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the New York native played in 201 games over three seasons with his hometown Knicks, but started just 15.
Toppin was a productive player in a reserve role, making a name for himself as one of the league’s top players in transition thanks to his high-flying prowess (he won the Slam Dunk Contest in 2022). But he always believed he had more to show, and he’s getting the opportunity to prove it in Indiana.
“He’s shooting the ball well,” Carlisle said. “We know he can run like a deer. I think for him, he obviously has a very good opportunity here. Day to day, he’s come in and just (kept) building on little things…He’s a sponge. He’s a wonderful guy to work with every day.
“Off the first month of September (in voluntary workouts) and these two days (of training camp), we’ve seen a lot of good things.”
Much has been made of how Toppin would be a natural fit next to All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton and the potential for that duo to connect on numerous highlight-reel lobs over the course of the season.
But just as important is Toppin’s fit next to 6-11 center Myles Turner in the frontcourt.
“Myles, he does a lot defensively and offensively,” Toppin said. “Him being able to stretch the floor, pop out to the perimeter, allows me to be in the paint a little bit. Use my athleticism, if I roll, he’ll pop type of thing. I feel like me and Myles can be pretty good together.”
It’s only the first week of practice, but Toppin is seemingly meshing well with his new teammates. He appears energized by the change of scenery and the potential to be a key part of helping the Pacers return to the playoffs.
“It’s amazing here,” Toppin said. “I love it here. It’s the fact that I’ve got good people around me, too. Players, coaches, everybody’s so welcoming and willing to help me learn and get better. With the players, we’re all pushing each other to be successful because we all want to win. We’re going to continue doing that throughout the whole season.”
INDIANA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
HOLMES NAMED PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN; HOOSIERS PICKED TO FINISH SECOND
ROSEMONT, Ill. – Graduate student forward Mackenzie Holmes was named to the 10-member preseason all-Big Ten teams while the Indiana Hoosiers were picked to finish second by the media and third by the coaches in the annual preseason honors on Wednesday.
A three-time first team All-American last season, Holmes was a unanimous preseason all-Big Ten honoree from the coaches and was also selected by the media vote, enters her fifth and final season with the Hoosiers in 2023-24. The Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a unanimous selection for All-Big Ten first teams in 2022-23, the Gorham, Maine native averaged 22.3 points (second in B1G), a team-high 7.8 rebounds and shot a NCAA second-best 68.0 percent from the floor.
Holmes led the Hoosiers in scoring on 25 occasions as a senior while posting double figures in 31 games, scoring 20 points 19 times and three 30-point scoring efforts. Her nine double-doubles led the team, as six of her double-doubles occurred in conference play which ranks eighth all-time in a single season. She also led the league in blocks (58) and blocks per game (1.9) and averages 1.1 steals (35) per game. Holmes is now in the top five in scoring in school history (1,897) and second in all-time blocks (208).
Indiana was selected to finish second amongst the league’s media while third in the coaches’ vote. The 2023-24 Hoosier roster will feature four returners from a team that finished 28-4 overall and 16-2 in Big Ten play. The program won the Big Ten regular season championship outright for the first time in 40 years on its way to a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. In addition to Holmes, Indiana’s roster for the upcoming season is highlighted by five other All-Big Ten selections from last season in senior guards Chloe Moore-McNeil, Sydney Parrish and Sara Scalia along with sophomore guard Yarden Garzon.
INDIANA SWIMMING
INDIANA BEATS KENTUCKY IN OPENING MEET
BLOOMINGTON – Indiana swimming and diving pulled off an emphatic win over Kentucky in its season-opening meet on Wednesday (Oct. 4) inside the Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatic Center.
The two programs raced long course meters, and IU won all but two events after a strong summer in the 50-meter pool. Nine Hoosiers won multiple events, and Indiana swept the diving competitions.
On the springboards, junior Skyler Liu won the women’s 1-meter and 3-meter events, and junior Carson Tyler did the same on the men’s side. IU diving’s most dominant performance came in the women’s 1-meter, as Liu and freshmen Lily Witte and Ella Roselli took the top three spots.
“It was a great start for IU diving,” IU head diving coach Drew Johansen said. “There were solid performances throughout the team. Carson and Skyler were great on both boards. It was nice to see so many postseason cuts so early in the season, and our freshmen stood up against a strong SEC school to help sweep the 1-meter. I look forward to seeing what we look like in three weeks when we go to Missouri.”
A pair of swimmers made solid first impressions as well. Freshman Ahmed Hafnaoui started his afternoon winning the 800-meter freestyle by almost 16 seconds in 8:04.76. Two events later, he placed second in the 200 free with a 1:49.63. Hafnaoui closed his individual performance with a win in the 400 free, leaving a nine-second gap, before dropping a 51.97 split to open IU’s 400 freestyle relay victory.
Coming off a breakout performance at the Asian Games last week, freshman Mikkel Lee earned his first collegiate win in the 50-meter freestyle with a 22.59 in front of junior teammates Finn Brooks (23.42) and Luke Barr (23.72). Lee finished his day in the 400 freestyle relay as the opening leg for the second-place finishing quartet. In 49.51, Lee had the fastest opening leg of any swimmer and was one of two under 50 seconds.
TEAM SCORES
Men
Indiana 218, Kentucky 82
Women
Indiana 232, Kentucky 66
HOOSIER WINNERS
Men
Luke Barr – 400 medley relay (3:43.92)
Finn Brooks – 400 medley relay (3:43.92), 100 butterfly (53.55)
Brendan Burns – 400 medley relay (3:43.92)
Ahmed Hafnaoui – 800 freestyle (8:04.76), 400 freestyle (3:56.51), 400 freestyle relay (3:22.57)
Mikkel Lee – 50 free (22.59)
Josh Matheny – 100 breaststroke (1:02.14)
Rafael Miroslaw – 200 freestyle (1:48.62), 100 freestyle (49.69), 400 freestyle relay (3:22.57)
Maxwell Reich – 400 medley relay (3:43.92)
Carson Tyler – 1-meter (393.90), 3-meter (386.40)
Kai Van Westering – 100 backstroke (56.75), 200 backstroke (2:08.64), 400 freestyle relay (3:22.57)
Gavin Wight – 400 freestyle relay (3:22.57)
Jassen Yep – 200 breaststroke (2:15.99), 200 IM (2:05.93)
Women
Brearna Crawford – 400 medley relay (4:10.94), 100 breaststroke (1:10.43), 200 breaststroke (2:34.36)
Katie Forrester – 200 butterfly (2:14.54)
Anna Freed – 200 IM (2:19.57)
Lily Hann – 400 medley relay (4:10.94), 100 butterfly (1:01.31)
Skyler Liu – 1-meter (301.88), 3-meter (303.30)
Kacey McKenna – 100 backstroke (1:02.34)
Kristina Paegle – 400 medley relay (4:10.94), 50 freestyle (25.82), 100 freestyle (56.14), 400 freestyle relay (3:49.25)
Anna Peplowski – 400 medley relay (4:10.94), 200 freestyle (2:00.86), 200 backstroke (2:12.76)
Ella Ristic – 400 freestyle (4:20.17), 400 freestyle relay (3:49.25)
Ashley Turak – 400 freestyle relay (3:49.25)
Chiok Sze Yeo – 400 freestyle relay (3:49.25)
NCAA ZONE QUALIFYING SCORES
1-meter: Quinn Henninger (357.98), Skyler Liu (301.88), Ella Roselli (280.50), Carson Tyler (393.30), Lily Witte (293.48)
3-meter: Morgan Casey (280.20), Quinn Henninger (332.70), Skyler Liu (303.30), Carson Tyler (386.40)
UP NEXT
Indiana returns to action October 18 in Columbia, Missouri, to challenge Missouri and Auburn in a tri-meet.
PURDUE FOOTBALL
GAME 6 PREP: PURDUE EYES FIRST BIG TEN ROAD TEST
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Following a dominating 44-19 victory over Illinois to keep the Cannon Trophy, Purdue Football hits the road to battle the Iowa Hawkeyes in another Big Ten West matchup. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on Peacock.
The Boilermakers have won four of the past six games against the Hawkeyes, their best stretch in the series since winning 20 straight from 1961-1980.
After three straight home games, three of Purdue’s next four games are on the road. The matchup will be Ryan Walters’ first Big Ten road game as head coach of the Boilermakers, looking to become the first Purdue head coach to win his Big Ten road debut since Joe Tiller in 1997 (59-43 at Minnesota).
Purdue and Iowa are the only teams in the Big Ten to score a touchdown in all three phases of the game (offense, defense and special teams).
OPPONENT SNAPSHOT
• Iowa enters Saturday’s matchup with a 4-1 record, including a 1-1 mark in Big Ten play after a 26-16 victory over Michigan State.
• Tight end Erick All leads the Hawkeyes in receiving with 183 yards, while Leshon Williams paces the rushing attack with 211 yards.
• Defensively, Jay Higgins tops the conference and ranks third in the nation with 12.4 tackles per game.
• Tory Taylor, a finalist for the 2022 Ray Guy Award, remains one of the best punters in the country by averaging 48.2 yards per punt to lead the Big Ten and rank sixth nationally.
• Kirk Ferentz is in his 25th season as Iowa’s head coach.
LAST TIME IN IOWA
• The last time Purdue made the trek to Iowa City, the Boilermakers steamrolled its way to a 24-7 win over No. 2 Iowa and handed the Hawkeyes their first loss of the season.
• The Purdue defense had four interceptions, four sacks and 10 tackles-for-loss, while holding Iowa’s offense to 271 total yards (76 rushing and 195 passing).
• Cam Allen had two INTs in the contest.
• TJ Sheffield caught a career-high eight passes for 48 yards and a touchdown.
CANNON STAYS IN WEST LAFAYETTE
• On a special Homecoming that saw the official dedication of the Tiller Tunnel, Purdue steamrolled to a 44-19 win over Illinois to keep the Cannon Trophy for the fourth straight year.
• Purdue’s defense made a living in the Illinois backfield, racking up seven tackles-for-loss, including six sacks from six different players for the most sacks in a game since Sept. 8, 2018 vs. Eastern Michigan.
• The Boilermakers held Illinois to 2-for-14 on third down (14.2%), the fourth-lowest third down percentage by a Purdue opponent since 1996.
• The defense scored the Boilermakers’ first points with a game-changing strip-sack from Markevious Brown as Malik Langham fell on the end zone fumble for his first career touchdown.
• Purdue ran for 189 yards behind the stable of Tyrone Tracy Jr., Devin Mockobee and Dylan Downing, with all three of them finding the end zone. Tracy extended his touchdown scoring streak to five games and also eclipsed 100 yards rushing for the first time in his career, totaling 112 yards on 21 attempts (5.3 yards per carry).
THREE-HEADED MONSTER
• While Purdue runs the Air Raid offense, the Boilermakers have a dynamic trio of running backs who have excelled when hearing their number called.
• Tyrone Tracy Jr. (288), Devin Mockobee (283) and Dylan Downing (104) have combined for 675 yards (135 yards per game) and nine touchdowns through the first five games of the season.
• The three-headed monster was perfectly on display in the win over Illinois. All three Boilermakers scored a touchdown, while racking up 209 yards.
• Tracy ran for a career-high 112 yards against the Illini, while Mockobee added 67 yards. Downing contributed 30 yards on four carries, including his 16-yard touchdown run for the first rushing touchdown of the game.
THE TYRONE TRACY SHOW
• Tyrone Tracy Jr. has found the end zone in every game this year, with five rushing scores and a kickoff return for a touchdown.
• Tracy leads the running back room with 288 yards, averaging 6.3 yards per carry. With 46 attempts on the year, the senior has only lost 6 yards compared to 294 positive yardage.
• The two biggest games of Tracy’s career have been in Big Ten play. He ran for 84 yards against Wisconsin, a career high at the time, before rumbling for 112 yards in the win over Illinois to earn the first 100-yard rushing game of his career.
• The Indianapolis native also proved his versatility with a pair of touchdowns against Fresno State, rushing for a touchdown in the first half before returning the opening second half kickoff all the way to the end zone.
• The 98-yard score is the only kickoff return by a Big Ten player this season.
• Tracy’s touchdown return was Purdue’s first since Raheem Mostert took a 100-yard return to pay dirt at Penn State in 2013. It was the first kickoff return for a score at Ross-Ade Stadium since Akeem Hunt went 99 yards against Indiana State in 2013
YES YANNI
• Stop us if you’ve heard this before, a Karlaftis recorded a sack for Purdue.
• Making his first career start with OC Brothers out due to injury, Yanni Karlaftis came up with a big game to help the Boilermakers beat Illinois.
• Karlaftis, the younger brother of Purdue All-American and current Kansas City Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis, entered the game with eight tackles on the season.
• The sophomore linebacker made a career-high eight tackles, the second-most on the team throughout the game, to double his season output.
• He also added a sack, one of six Boilermakers to sack the Illinois quarterback.
KJ KA-BOOM
• Kydran Jenkins has been a force in creating negative plays for opposing offenses.
• The senior outside linebacker leads the Big Ten in sacks (4.0). With all of them being solo, Jenkins ranks seventh nationally in solo sacks.
• He has recorded at least one TFL in all five games.
• Against Wisconsin, he paced Purdue with a career-high nine stops.
SECOND HALF ADJUSTMENTS
• Purdue has come out on fire to start the second half this season, especially as of late.
• The Boilermakers have outscored opponents 49-14 in third quarters this season.
• Purdue has scored touchdowns on six of their last seven drives in the third quarter, including 5-of-6 in Big Ten play.
• The Boilermakers scored on both of their third quarter drives against Wisconsin.
• Outscoring Illinois 21-0 in the third quarter, Purdue broke open a three-point game to cruise to victory.
IOWA NOTES
HAWKEYES | 1st & 10
• The Hawkeyes will welcome Purdue to Iowa City for Homecoming for the second time in three seasons. Iowa has won 10 of its last
13 Homecoming games dating back to 2009 and is 61-44-5 all-time on Homecoming.
• Saturday’s game is the 1,300th in school history since beginning football in 1889.
• Head coach Kirk Ferentz moved into third place (alone) on the all-time Big Ten wins list. Ferentz has 116 career Big Ten victories,
only trailing Ohio State’s Woody Hayes (153) and Michigan’s Bo Schembechler (143). He won his 200th career game on Sept. 9 at
Iowa State, becoming the 27th coach to reach the milestone at an FBS institution and just the 99th college coach across all divisions
since 1890.
• DB Cooper DeJean was named the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week and LB Nick Jackson was tabbed as the Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of the Week after leading Iowa to a 26-16 victory over Michigan State on Sept. 30.
• DeJean had a 70-yard punt return touchdown – the 15th-longest in school history – to break a 16-all tie in the fourth quarter and
he had six tackles and his first interception of the season against the Spartans. It was DeJean’s first career punt return for a TD and
the first by a Hawkeye since 2020. He is one of 18 players to return a punt for a TD in 2023.
• Jackson had 10 tackles – his second straight 10+ tackle game – and a key forced fumble in the fourth quarter, which led to a
game-sealing field goal. He is leading the Big Ten in forced fumbles (2).
• A new age. Saturday’s game will be streamed on Peacock, making it Iowa’s first game on a non-linear network since the 1994
season.
• Iowa’s defense didn’t allow a touchdown against Michigan State. The Hawkeye defense has held six teams without a touchdown
since the start of the 2022 season.
• The Hawkeyes have allowed one touchdown or less in four of the first five games of 2023 and the unit has allowed a single touchdown or less in 13 of the last 18 games dating back to the start of the 2022 season. Iowa has allowed 14 or fewer points in 11 of its
last 18 games.
• Iowa > 400. The Hawkeyes haven’t allowed more than 400 yards in 19 consecutive games dating back to the 2021 season. The unit
ranks 21st nationally in scoring defense, surrendering 16.8 points per game.
• 1-2-3 – The Hawkeyes picked off three Michigan State passes on Sept. 30 inside Kinnick Stadium. It is Iowa’s first three interception
game since 2021 against Northwestern.
• LB Jay Higgins and LB Nick Jackson have combined for 53 tackles over Iowa’s last two games. Higgins is leading the Big Ten and
ranks third nationally with 12.4 tackles per game (he is the top Power 5 tackler), while Jackson is fourth in the Big Ten and 30th
nationally (9.2 p/game).
• Higgins had a career-high 18 tackles – tied for the second-most in a game this season — in Iowa’s road game at Penn State on Sept.
23. They are the most by a Hawkeye since Jack Campbell in 2021. Higgins has 30 tackles (15 per game) in two Big Ten contests.
• QB Deacon Hill is expected to make his first career start on Saturday against Purdue (and it will be Hill’s sixth career game played).
The Wisconsin transfer completed 11-of-27 attempts for 115 yards and one touchdown – the first of his career – against Michigan
State.
• Tight End U – Iowa’s tight end room has accounted for 51 percent of the team’s receptions in 2023. TE Erick All has a team-best 14
receptions for 183 yards and two touchdowns. All had a team-high four catches for 67 yards and one TD in the win over Michigan
State.
• Drew x 4 – K Drew Stevens tied a career high, drilling four field goals in Iowa’s 26-16 win over Michigan State. Stevens made kicks
from 40, 53, 36 and 34 yards with the 53-yarder being the second-longest field goal of his career. He is 8-of-9 this season and has a
team-high 35 points.
• The Hawkeyes have five interceptions through five weeks of the season, including Sebastian Castro’s 30-yard pick-six in the road
win at Iowa State. The interception return for a touchdown extended Iowa’s streak to 16 consecutive seasons (and 21 of the last 23
years). It is the second-longest active streak nationally.
• Since the start of the 2015 season, Iowa is 67-2 when leading by eight points at any point in a game.
MORE QUICK HITTERS • RB Leshon Williams recorded his first career 100-yard game against Western Michigan on Sept. 17, finishing with 145 rushing yards on 12 attempts. The Illinois native also had a 25-yard touchdown reception — the first of his career — en route to finishing with 172 all-purpose yards on 14 touches. • Iowa rushed for 254 yards against Western Michigan on Sept. 16 — the most for the program since 2019 against Middle Tennessee State (351 yards). • The Hawkeyes put up a season-high 41 points — the highest point total in a 25- game stretch – against Western Michigan. Iowa scored 51 points in the road win at Maryland in 2021. The team’s five touchdowns were the most since that 2021 game in College Park and Iowa finished with 387 yards of total offense, topping the 300- yard mark for the first time in its last seven games. • Senior DB Sebastian Castro was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 11 after returning an interception 30 yards for a touchdown, collecting four tackles and a pass breakup in Iowa’s 20-13 road win at Iowa State. • Iowa is 153-8-1 when allowing 10 points or less since 1970 and 386-59-19 when allowing 10 points or less all-time. • The Hawkeye defense has scored eight points during the 2023 season and 48 points since the start of the 2022 season. • Iowa blocked a kick in consecutive games against Iowa State and Western Michigan (and had a block wiped off the board because of penalty at Penn State). DL Logan Lee blocked Iowa State’s Chase Contreraz’s field goal on the opening possession and DL Anterio Thompson blocked a punt that resulted in a safety against Western Michigan. Iowa has blocked a kick/punt in each of the past three seasons. • The Hawkeyes are 1-0 this season and 7-1 dating back to the start of the 2022 season when not committing a turnover. The team is 9-1 in the same span when winning the turnover battle. • Special special teams… P Tory Taylor is averaging 48.2 yards on 30 punts this season with eight being fair caught, 10 being down inside the 20 and 13 traveling 50+ yards. Taylor had a career-best 52.3 average on seven punts at Penn State. K Drew Stevens is 8-for-9 in field goal attempts and 23 of his 25 kickoffs have resulted in touchbacks. • The Hawkeyes have 223 interceptions since 2009 — the second-most nationally. Iowa’s 34 interception returns for a touchdown are third-most in the nation in that span. AT THE TOP Kirk Ferentz is in his 25th season as Iowa’s head football coach. He is the longest tenured active head coach in college football. Ferentz has 116 Big Ten wins as Iowa’s head coach — the third most of any coach in Big Ten Conference history. • Ferentz’s 190 wins in all games coached as a member of the Big Ten Conference rank fourth all-time in league history. He is one of five coaches in Big Ten Conference history to win at least 150 games as a member of the Big Ten Conference. • Ferentz won his 200th career game on Sept. 11 at Iowa State. He is the 27th coach at an FBS institution to reach the 200-career win milestone and the 99th coach across all divisions. Former Hawkeye head coach Hayden Fry finished his career with 236 victories. STAFF CONSISTENCY Iowa is one of just seven programs from across the country that has retained all 10 of its assistant coaches from the 2022 season. Five of the Hawkeye assistants are in at least their eighth season on the Iowa coaching staff — the second-highest total nationally. ALUMS ON STAFF The Hawkeyes have five University of Iowa alums on the coaching staff — Brian Ferentz, Abdul Hodge, LeVar Woods, Kelvin Bell and Ladell Betts. The five alums are tied for the second most nationally (trailing only Air Force, 8). SHANNON SLIDES INTO COACHING ROLE After losing an appeal over his year-long suspension, sixth-year senior DL Noah Shannon will transition into a coaching position as a student assistant on the Iowa coaching staff. This move will allow Shannon to travel with the team on road trips and continue in his leadership position on the 2023 roster. DEJEAN/JACKSON EARN BIG TEN WEEKLY ACCOLADES • DB Cooper DeJean was named the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week on Oct. 2 after leading the Hawkeyes to a 26-16 win over Michigan State on Sept. 30. The Odebolt, Iowa, native had a 70-yard punt return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to break a 16-all tie. It was the 15th longest punt return in school history, the first of his career and the first by a Hawkeye since 2020. DeJean also had six tackles and an interception in the game.
PURDUE VOLLEYBALL
BOILERMAKERS BOUNCE BACK IN SWEEPING FASHION
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The No. 19 Purdue volleyball squad made a statement in its 3-0 (25-11, 25-19, 25-16) sweep over Illinois on Wednesday night, marking not only the most decisive victory of the season, but also one of the fastest.
The Boilermakers, fueled up after a pair of losses last week, posted one of its most balanced performances of the season, with six Boilermakers contributing offensively and every member of the team recording at least two digs in the match.
With the result, Purdue improves to 9-5 (3-2 Big Ten), while Illinois falls to (7-8, 2-3 Big Ten).
The Boilermakers return to Holloway on Saturday night with a 7 p.m. ET matchup vs. Iowa on B1G+.
Quick Hits
After four consecutive matches going to five sets vs. Illinois, the Boilermakers swept the Illini for the first time since April 2, 2021, which also came inside Holloway Gymnasium.
The Boilermakers came out firing, with their post decisive set victory with a 25-11 first set score. The last time Purdue had such a large margin of victory in a set was a year ago vs. Ball State (25-11, Set 1) on September 17, 2022.
It is the first time this season Purdue has held its opponent to under 20 points in every set.
Eva Hudson put on a clinic with 16 kills and a .394 hitting %. Not only was it the most efficient match of the season for the sophomore, the Boilermaker came two digs shy of a double-double. Additionally, she saw 18 receptions in the back court, making no errors in the process.
Lourdès Myers went errorless on the attack with six kills on 11 attempts (.545%), marking the first time since the season-opening weekend the middle has gone errorless. Defensively, she added two blocks (one solo, one assisted) and two digs.
Taylor Anderson recorded her third double-double of the season and first during Big Ten action. The freshman led the team with 11, coming one shy of her career-high (set vs. #19 Kentucky).
Illinois spread out the attack, leading to six Boilermakers with at least five digs in the match.
Kenna Wollard registered a career-high five digs, four of which came in Set 2.
Chloe Chicoine closed the match with 11 kills and a team-high four service aces
As a team, Purdue secured nine service aces, the most in a Big Ten match this season.
It was Purdue’s third sweep of the season and second during Big Ten play.
The match clocked in at 1 hour and 17 minutes. It is the second time the Boilermakers have won.
PURDUE WOMEN’S TENNIS
FODOR PICKS UP RANKED WIN AT ALL-AMERICAS
CARY, N.C. – Csilla Fodor wrapped up her action at the ITA All-America Championships in Cary, N.C., this week with a pair of impressive wins.
After falling in the opening round of the qualifying singles flight to Mae Canete from Missouri, Fodor rallied in the consolation bracket to post a pair of solid victories.
Fodor downed Pauline Ernstberger in straight sets. The fifth-year senior cruised to a 6-1, 6-3 victory over the three-time All-Mountain West singles honoree to set up a meeting with No. 55 Anna Arkadianou from Florida State.
Fodor needed just a pair of frames to coast to a dominant win over one of the top singles players in the ACC, winning 7-5, 6-1 to close out her week.
The fifth-year senior closed her All-American Championship career with a 2-2 record.
The Boilermakers will be off until Oct. 19 when they travel to Knoxville, Tenn., for the 2023 ITA Ohio Valley Regiona
BUTLER WOMEN’S SOCCER
BUTLER WOMEN’S SOCCER HEADS TO VILLANOVA
The Butler women’s soccer team looks to remain unbeaten in conference competition as it travels to Villanova for an afternoon kickoff on Thursday. The Bulldogs (5-4-3, 1-0-2 BIG EAST) are coming off a 1-1 draw with Providence, while the Wildcats (4-2-5, 1-2-0 BIG EAST) most recently lost 2-0 at St. John’s.
Bulldog Bits
(as of 10/2/23)
With seven goals, Norah Jacomen ranks second in the BIG EAST and 39th nationally. Her 15 offensive points rank third in the conference (75th), and her shot accuracy (.560) ranks third (71st).
Alexei Whittaker’s four goals rank eighth in the BIG EAST.
Talia Sommer’s four assists rank second in the BIG EAST and her four goals rank eighth. Her two game-winning goals rank third in the conference (70th nationally) and her 12 total points rank fourth.
vs. Providence
Caitlin O’Malley’s goal was her first of the season and the second of her career.
Abigail Isger’s assist was her third of the season and the 17th of her career.
Eight Bulldogs registered at least one shot, with Arianna Jalics, Talia Sommer, and Becky Dean each producing a pair.
The Matchup
SERIES RECORD: Butler leads, 6-4-1
PREVIOUS MEETING: Oct. 6, 2022 – Indianapolis – Butler 1, Villanova 0
Butler has won six of the last seven matches, dating to 2015. The sides battled to a 1-1 (2OT) draw in 2019.
Villanova’s most recent win was a 1-0 victory in Indianapolis in 2014.
Villanova won each of the first four matches of the series, from 2001 – 2014.
Scouting Villanova
Previous match: at St. John’s L, 0-2
In addition to St. John’s, notable losses for Villanova are ??????
Individual Statistics
Offensive standouts for Villanova include:
#21 Makayla Stadler (5g)
#34 Jackie Richards (4g, 1a)
#7 Maddie Fried (2g, 1a)
#27 Megan Donnelly (4a)
#30 Payton Woodward (4-2-5) has started all 11 matches in goal for the Wildcats. She has allowed eight goals (.73 GAA) and made 26 saves (.765 SV%) while producing four shutouts.
BUTLER MEN’S GOLF
DAMON DICKEY SHARES BIG EAST GOLFER OF THE WEEK HONORS
Following the best performance in Butler men’s golf program history, Damon Dickey has been selected as the BIG EAST Golfer of the Week. He shares the weekly honor with Connor Goode of Connecticut, who also won a tournament earlier this week.
The conference office made the announcement Wednesday, Oct. 4.
For Dickey, it marks the second BIG EAST weekly honor of his career.
Dickey captured medalist honors at the Tom Tontimonia Invitational with a 10-under 203, one stroke ahead of teammate
Daniel Tanaka
Daniel Tanaka who finished at 204 (-9). Both performances bettered the previous program record for 54-hole low total relative to par. Dickey’s 203 matched the best 54-hole scored in school history regardless of par. He shot rounds of 68, 66 and 69. Butler’s 15-under 289 in the final round was the best team score overall in program history. The Bulldogs finished first by 17 strokes over Bowling Green and IUPUI.
The Bulldogs are back in action beginning Monday at the Purdue Fall Invitational in West Lafayette, Ind.
BALL STATE WOMEN’S SOCCER
SOCCER HOSTS KENT STATE THURSDAY, VISITS BUFFALO SUNDAY
MUNCIE, Ind. – – The Ball State soccer team returns to the Briner Sports Complex Thursday for a 4 p.m. Mid-American Conference showdown with Kent State. The Cardinals then close the week Sunday at Buffalo for a 1 p.m. kick off.
Ball State maintains a 12-11-3 lead in the all-time series versus Kent State after the teams battled to a 0-0 draw last season in Kent, Ohio. The Cardinals hold an 8-2-2 advantage at home versus the Golden Flashes with four straight wins at the Briner Sports Complex.
Ball State owns a 14-9-3 edge in the all-time series versus Buffalo despite suffering a 2-0 road setback to the Bulls in the 2022 MAC Championship match played Nov. 6. That followed a 2-2 draw in the 2022 regular season meeting played in Muncie on Oct. 23. Buffalo holds an 8-5-1 edge in matches played on its home pitch, with BSU’s last road win in the series coming by a score of 3-2 in double overtime on Oct. 6, 2019.
SEASON TO DATE:
Ball State enters the week with a 4-5-2 (2-0-2 MAC) record after picking up a 2-1 home win over Toledo last Thursday, while battling to a 2-2 draw at Western Michigan last Sunday.
The Cardinals opened the year with a 5-1 win over Mercyhurst (Aug. 17), before facing a gauntlet which included losses at No. 3 Notre Dame (Aug. 20), at Texas Tech (Aug. 24), at Loyola (Sept. 3) and at Vanderbilt (Sept. 7). After a 3-0 home win over Austin Peay (Sept. 10), the Cardinals faced another tough opponent in Butler (Sept. 14) on the road.
Ball State opening league play with a 3-1 home victory over Miami (Sept. 21), while battling Eastern Michigan (Sept. 24) to a 1-1 draw on the road.
BALL STATE SOCCER QUICK HITS:
– Ball State has made the most of its four home matches this season, owning a perfect 4-0-0 record at the Briner Sports Complex … In fact, the Cardinals are out-scoring opponents 13-3 on its home pitch … Ball State’s 13 goals at home are more than six league teams have scored all season and ties Thursday’s opponent Kent State.
– Tack on five road goals and the Cardinals enter the week ranked second in the MAC with 18 total goals, trailing only Western Michigan’s 19 … Ball State has netted at least one goal in eight of its 11 matches, with its five goals in the win over Mercyhurst (Aug. 17) being the most scored by a MAC team in a match this season.
– Senior forward Avery Fenchel enters Thursday’s match versus Kent State leading the team and tied for second in the MAC in goals scored (6), while ranking third in the league in points (13) this season … She started the year with her first career hat trick in the season-opener versus Mercyhurst (Aug. 17) and added her first career assist at Loyola (Sept. 3). Fenchel has gone on to collect the final goal in the win over Austin Peay (Sept. 10), open the scoring with her goal versus Miami (Sept. 21) and net the match-winning goal versus Toledo (Sept. 28).
– With her six goals this season, Avery Fenchel has moved into a tied for fifth in program history with 19 career goals … She registered the second-most goals in a single season in the BSU record book last season, with 11, and scored two her sophomore campaign … Fenchel is currently seventh in program history with 39 career points (19 goals / 1 assist).
– Sophomore forward Emily Roper is currently tied for eighth in the MAC with three goals after tallying her first career brace in the team’s win over Austin Peay (Sept. 10) … Roper, who scored her first goal of the season against Mercyhurst (Aug. 17), is also tied for eighth in the MAC with 11 shots on goal.
– Junior forward Lexi Fraley picked up her third tally of the season to help Ball State earn a 2-2 draw at Western Michigan last Sunday … Fraley, who ranks second among active Ball State players with 12 career goals, scored her first goal of the season at Loyola (Sept. 3) and added another in the 1-1 draw at Eastern Michigan (Sept. 24) … Fraley has also dished out a pair of assists on the season and ranks first in the MAC in shots (38) and is tied for second in shots on goal (16),
– Overall, seven different players have scored at least one goal for the Cardinals this season, including sophomore forward Delaney Caldwell and junior forward Kaitlyn Fraser with two goals apiece … Caldwell has scored five goals over her Ball State career, while Fraser’s goals are the first two of her career … In addition, senior defender Ryan Locante (vs. Mercyhurst on Aug. 17) and freshman forward Annika Klauss (vs. Miami on Sept. 21) have each scored their first career goals this season.
– Ball State’s student-athletes have dished out a total of 12 assists so far this season, including two each from sophomore midfielder Tori Monaco, junior defender Maya Millis, Delaney Caldwell, Lexi Fraley and Emily Roper … Avery Fenchel and graduate defender Maya Turner each have one helper on the year.
– Goalkeeper Bethany Moser was named the MAC Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 12 after leading the league in goals against average (0.56) and save percentage (.875) for the previous week … She allowed just one goal over 160:49, with it being an 88th-minute tally by Vanderbilt (Sept. 7) … Moser also combined for the shutout win over Austin Peay (Sept. 10), playing the first 70:19 of the match and stopping all three shots she faced.
– For the season, Bethany Moser ranks seventh in the MAC with 4.09 saves per match, having collected 45 total saves on the year, the fourth-most among MAC goalkeepers … The effort also ranks 115th nationally, while her 45 total saves are 105th.
SCOUTING KENT STATE:
The Golden Flashes are currently 6-3-2 (3-1-0 MAC) after earning a 2-1 home win over Eastern Michigan last Thursday and suffering a 1-0 setback at Miami last Sunday.
Kent State ranks sixth in the MAC with 13 goals on the season, while its 13 goals allowed are tied as the fifth fewest. Seven different players have scored at least one goal for KSU, led by three each from Alisa Arthur and Josie Morgan. Callie Cunningham has a team-high four assists.
Goalkeeper Sarah Melén has recorded 46 saves over her 11 appearances in goal and owns a 1.03 goals against average, along with a 6-3-2 record. She has played 965:50 of the team’s 990:00 in the net, boasting a 0.807 save percentage.
SCOUTING BUFFALO:
The Bulls enter a Thursday showdown at Central Michigan with an 5-2-4 (2-1-1 MAC) record after picking up a 2-0 home win over Miami last Thursday and battling to a 3-3 tie at Eastern Michigan last Sunday.
Buffalo ranks fourth in the MAC with 15 goals scored this season, while allowing a league-low nine goals. Katie Krohn leads the league, ranks first in the MAC and is tied for 12th nationally with her 10 goals. Chip in a pair of assists and Krohn is 15th nationally with 22 total points.
Rebecca Winslow is currently holding down the net for Buffalo, playing all 90 minutes in UB’s last three MAC matches after entering for the final 17:36 in the team’s league-opener versus Akron. Over 377:36 of play, Winslow has a 0.95 goals against average and has stopped 11 of the 15 shots she has faced. Lexie Thompson has seven starts on the year, making 16 saves and boasting a 0.73 goals against average over 612:24.
BALL STATE FOOTBALL
CARDINALS VISIT EASTERN MICHIGAN AS BOTH TEAMS HOPE TO SNAP TWO-GAME SKIDS
MUNCIE, Ind. – Ball State continues its 49th season of Mid-American Conference play, visiting Eastern Michigan this week with hopes of garnering its first conference win.
** The Cardinals enter the week following a MAC-opening game at Western Michigan that began with a score on Ball State’s first possession — for the first time this season — but also saw the Broncos answer with three straight touchdowns following the opening field goal. The 21-3 deficit proved too much to overcome.
** Ball State’s offense improved greatly since its setback two weeks ago vs. Georgia Southern. Quarterback Layne Hatcher went the distance against Western Michigan, leading the offense and engineering a season-high 316 passing yards. Receiver Qian Magwood was the biggest beneficiary of Hatcher’s 300+ yards, hauling in a career-high nine receptions for a career-best 110 yards.
** For the first time this season, Ball State’s offense scored points in every quarter against Western Michigan – scoring a field goal on its opening drive, then a TD in each quarter
** The Cardinals are trying to get back on track in the MAC, three years removed from a conference title in 2020. After its 5-1 campaign in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season and a win in the Camellia Bowl, Ball State finished 4-4 in the league in 2021 and 3-5 in 2022. Behind veteran-laden offensive and defensive lines leading play at the line of scrimmage, Ball State has high hopes of returning among MAC contenders in 2023.
** Defensive standouts last week were Cole Pearce and Sidney Houston Jr., who both recorded season highs with 10 tackles. Pearce added his first sack of the season and was credited with a pass break-up.
WHAT A WIN MEANS:
** The Cardinals will run their record to 2-3 and win their first road game of the season. It would be the Cardinals’ first road win since beating Kent State 27-20 last season in Ohio.
** Ball State would snap a two-game skid and avoid a three-game losing streak.
** Mike Neu will capture his 35th victory as head coach of his alma mater, passing Brady Hoke’s win total from 2003-08 with the seventh-most career coaching wins at Ball State.
EASTERN MICHIGAN NOTES
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University football team returns home after two weeks on the road and will have a true celebration to welcome it back, as the Eagles will play host to Ball State University on Homecoming, Oct. 7. The home Mid-American Conference opener for the Eagles is set to kick off at 3:30 p.m. at ‘The Factory’ inside Rynearson Stadium to highlight a week of festivities on the Ypsilanti campus. Eastern enters the game with a 2-3 record and 0-1 mark in the MAC following a close, 26-23, loss at Central Michigan University last week, Sept. 30, while Ball State comes to town at 1-4 and 0-1 in the MAC following a 42-24 setback at Western Michigan University, Sept. 30. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ where Jason Ross, Jr. and Ryan Cavanagh will have the call. As always, fans can hear the game for free on WEMU (89.1 FM) or the Varsity Network app with veteran broadcasters Tom Helmer and Rob Rubick calling the action from the press box. HOMECOMING: PAINT IT GREEN Homecoming Week is set to begin Monday, Oct. 2, and will culminate with the Eagles facing Ball State on the gridiron, Oct. 7.Numerous events are planned on campus through out the week to celebrate everything that makes Eastern Michigan unique and special. For more information and a full schedule of events, visit emich.edu/homecoming. PITTANCE OF POINTS The Eastern defense has played well in 2023, ranking second in the MAC and 46th nationally at 22.8 points per game allowed. Through five games, opponents have scored 112 points on the Eagles and, for just the eighth time since joining the MAC in 1976, EMU has allowed 115 or fewer points in those opening contests. The other teams to do so include the squads from 1977, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1993, and 2017 to go along with the 2023 Eagles. TOUGH OUT THE GATE The Eagles allowed one touchdown from Central Michigan in the first quarter. This season, Eastern is allowing just 2.8 points on average during the opening quarter of play, tying the Eagles for 36th nationally in points allowed in the first quarter. Additionally, the Chippewas’ first quarter touchdown was just the second allowed in the first frame of the 2023 season. The first came when Jacksonville State drove 80 yards in five play slate in the first quarter, Sept. 23.
NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL GAME NOTES VS. LOUISVILLE
FIGHTING IRISH
IRISH ITEMS – BY THE NUMBERS
2
After junior tight end Mitchell Evans’ career-best 134 receiving yards
against Duke last weekend, Notre Dame is the only FBS team in the
country with two different tight ends posting 100-yard receiving performances this season
(Holden Staes had 115 yards at NC State).
5
The 21-14 victory over No. 17 Duke was the fifth ranked win in the first
20 games of the Marcus Freeman era at Notre Dame. Through those
20 games the Irish have scored the second-most points and have
earned the second-most ranked wins of any Irish head coach’s first
20 games.
4
This weekend’s prime time game is the third of an unprecedented
four-straight night games for the Irish. The team has only played
three night games in a row four times previously.
6
With Louisville entering both national polls and Southern Cal in the
Top 10, Notre Dame will end up facing four consecutive ranked teams
this year for the sixth time in school history and first time since 2000.
7
Mitchell Evans leads the Irish offense with seven third down conversions, while Javontae Jean-Baptiste owns 6.5 third-down stops for
the Irish defense. See page 19 for a complete breakdown of team third
and fourth down conversions/stops.
13
Senior defensive tackle Howard Cross III piled up a team-and-career-high 13 tackles at No. 17 Duke last weekend, becoming the only
Power 5 defensive lineman to amass double-digit tackles in a game
this season.
18.2
The Notre Dame defense has held its opponents to 18.2 points below
their average scoring output of all other games this season. See page
8 for more. The Irish are 14th in the country in scoring defense (13.0).
30
Notre Dame is hoping to extend its 30-game regular-season win
streak against Atlantic Coast Conference teams this weekend at Louisville. The Irish have not lost a regular-season game to an ACC team
since 2017 and have won 15 consecutive games on the road against
ACC opponents.
33
The Notre Dame defensive line, led by Howard Cross III’s 13 tackles
and Rylie Mills’ 7, piled up 33 tackles against No. 17 Duke last weekend
while adding in 5.5 tackles for loss.
45.2
Bryce McFerson has moved into the top 20 in FBS punting this season, ranking 18th (45.2). He has posted 59- and 57-yard punts this
season and has just two touchbacks on 18 punts so far in 2023.
95
Notre Dame’s game-winning 95-yard scoring drive at Duke last
weekend was the longest in program history for a drive ending in
game-winning points since at least 1970.
145
Irish quarterback Sam Hartman has started the season with 145 pass
attempts without an interception. It is the longest such streak in program history to start the year, the fourth-longest overall and the second-best streak in FBS this year.
TWO-DEEP TIDBITS – OFFENSE Jayden Thomas is the leading returning receiver for the Irish in 2023. He leads all wide outs on the team this season with 13 catches for 195 yards. He missed the game at Duke with a leg injury. Chris Tyree has shifted to wide receiver after three years as a running back with the Irish. Tyree has made a key play in each of Notre Dame’s five victories this season, which includes a career-best 76-yard touchdown reception against Central Michigan. True freshman Jaden Greathouse nabbed a 35-yard touchdown pass on his first career touch against Navy. He followed up with a 20-yard scoring catch later in the game. He missed the game at Duke with a leg injury. Joe Alt, the son of former NFL All-Pro John Alt, is one of four team captains for the Irish this season, has been selected as a consensus preseason All-American and is on the Outland, Lombardi and Walter Camp Award watch lists. See page 7 for more on Alt. Pat Coogan made his first career start in just his second game played against Navy. He has helped the Irish average 192.2 rushing yards per game. Zeke Correll has played guard and center during his career and now enters the season as one of the top snappers in the nation. He will make his 29th-career start on the Irish offensive line at Louisville and is on the Rimington Award watch list. Rocco Spindler joined Coogan to make his first career start at guard for the Irish against Navy and helped pave the way for 236 rushing yards against Central Michigan. Blake Fisher is one of the more athletic right tackles in the nation, Fisher combines with Joe Alt to provide Notre Dame one of the best offensive tackle bookends in the nation. Mitchell Evans leads the Irish in receiving with 18 catches for 272 yards after establishing career highs in his last three game played. He peaked with 134 receiving yards in the victory at No. 17 Duke last weekend. He also plays a key role in some of Notre Dame’s short yardage packages by taking direct snaps. He rushed for five first downs and a touchdown from under center last season. Holden Staes capped the scoring against Central Michigan with a four-yard catch which followed up his career-best game at NC State which included four catches for 115 yards and two touchdowns. Both of those touchdowns came from more than 30 yards (30, 45). Staes and Evans combine as the only two TEs, from the same team, to post two 100-yard receiving performances this season. Rico Flores Jr. earned his first career start against Central Michigan and responded with early career-highs of three catches and 60 receiving yards. His first career touchdown reception against Ohio State provided the Irish their first lead of the game last weekend. Flores also nabbed a crucial two-point conversion in the game’s final minutes at No. 17 Duke. Sam Hartman continues his ascent up the FBS career passing touchdown and yardage lists this season. See page 6 for much more on Hartman. Audric Estimé leads all FBS running backs with 672 rushing yards this season and owns three 100-yard performances in the first six games of the year. Jadarian Price’s first career carry against Navy was a 19-yard touchdown. His second career catch was a 40-yard touchdown reception vs. Tennessee State. Spencer Shrader showed off his incredibly strong leg at NC State, connecting on a Notre Dame record 54-yard field goal in the first quarter, then just missing a 56-yard attempt later the in the game. The 56-yard effort had plenty of distance and hit the left upright. Shrader follwed up with a 50-yard field goal against Central Michigan. Shrader is already tied for fifth on the Notre Dame career charts for 50-yard field goals with two. The school record is four held by Jonathan Doerer (2017-21) and Kyle Brindza (2011-14). Bryce McFerson has a booming leg showed that off against NC State. He punted six times in the game, averaging 50.7 yards per attempt. He also posted a career-best 59-yard punt against the Wolfpack. He also uncorked a 57-yard effort last weekend at Duke. Michael Vinson is in his sixth year at Notre Dame and is one of the top long snappers in the nation. He has developed into a clear leader not only for the Irish special teams, but the entire roster.
TWO-DEEP TIDBITS – DEFENSE Jordan Botelho leads the team with two sacks this season and, among his 17 tackles, owns four third-down stops. Joshua Burnham is has 2.5 TFL this season, while also posting a sack and two quarterback hurries as a key role player off the bench. Rylie Mills is No. 10 on The Athletic’s Freak List for his work in the weight room and has been distruptive on the defensive line so far in 2023. Mills is coming off a career-best seven tackles in the victory at No. 17 Duke last weekend. Jason Onye posted an early-career-best game with five tackles against Tennessee State. He also blocked his first career field goal, preventing TSU points after the Irish fumbled a kick return and gifted the Tigers the ball at the ND 12-yard line. Howard Cross III is the only Power 5 defensive lineman with double-digit tackles in a game this season after his dominating 13-tackle, two-forced fumble performance at Duke last weekend. He was named the Senior Bowl Defensive Player of the Week on Monday, October 2. Javontae Jean-Baptiste played perhaps the best game of his career against Ohio State, posting a career-high eight tackles. JJB has been consistent across the Irish defensive line all season and is fifth on the team in tackles (26) and leads the Irish with six quarterback hurries. Nana Osafo-Mensah is a leader in the defensive line group and a steady force against the run. Marist Liufau enters his second full season as a starter in 2023 and has been all over the field through the first six games of the year. He has 23 tackles on the season, two quarterback hurries and a forced fumble. JD Bertrand missed the CMU game in concussion protocol and returned against Ohio State to tie for the team lead in tackles with eight. He followed up with 11 tackles against Duke last weekend. Jack Kiser does a little bit of everything for the Irish defense, and can appear on the line or even as a spot safety if necessary. He is third on the team with 30 tackles after piling up a career-best 10 while starting at Mike linebacker for JD Bertrand against Central Michigan. Cam Hart was voted a captain by his teammates this season, and looks poised for a highly productive final season with the Irish. Among the most veteran defenders on the team (41 games played) Hart has 78 career tackles, 16 PBUs and two interceptions. DJ Brown returned for a fifth year and is the ‘quarterback’ of the back seven for Notre Dame’s defense. Brown picked off his fourth career pass against NC State, missed the CMU game with a leg injury but returned against Ohio State to finish with three tackles and two PBUs. Xavier Watts has grown from a rookie wide receiver into one of Notre Dame’s starting safeties. Both of his interceptions this season (at NC State, at Duke) have set Notre Dame up in the red zone and directly led to 10 points (seven at NC State, three at Duke). Benjamin Morrison was a Freshman All-American last season, and is focused on taking his game to an even higher level in 2023. He intercepted his first pass of the season at NC State. See page 7 for more on Morrison. The Irish defense is filled with talented younger players eager to make their mark with increased playing time in 2023. Jaylen Sneed loves to pressure the quarterback and get downhill on running situations. Christian Gray, a true freshman, has earned the trust of position coach Mike Mickens to be listed as a back up to Benjamin Morrison. While those talented younger players are ready for their moment, there are three key veterans in the back seven of the defense who will play key roles. Clarence Lewis has played in 43 games at Notre Dame and scored his first career touchdown on a 33-yard interception return against Tennessee State. Thomas Harper, a transfer from Oklahoma State, made his first start in an Irish uniform against TSU and followed up with a team-high seven tackles at NC State. He continued his playmaking moments with his first career sack against Central Michigan. Antonio Carter II jumps up a level from Rhode Island and will provide the Irish safeties depth and contribute across the Irish special teams.
LOUISVILLE NOTES
STORYLINES: Cards Host Nationally Ranked Notre Dame: The University of Louisville hosts its first nationally ranked opponent in 2023 when No. 10 Notre Dame travels to L&N Stadium for a Saturday night game that will be televised on ABC. It’s the first game that will be broadcast on the network since 2020 when No. 18 Louisville and No. 17 Miami faced off in a match-up of nationally ranked teams. 5-0 for the First Time in 10 Years: The Cardinals moved to 5-0 for the first time since 2013 with a 13-10 win over NC State on Friday night. Louisville’s 3-0 conference record is the best since 2012 when the Cards were members of the Big East Conference. With the win, the Cardinals are 3-0 in the ACC for the first time in school history. Paced by its defense, the Cardinals allowed just 201 yards of offense and limited NC State to 3-of-15 on third down to grind out its sixth-straight win dating back to last season. Jeff Brohm is the Second: Louisville head coach Jeff Brohm is the second UofL head football coach to begin his coaching stint with a 5-0 record, joining Tom King who won his first 10 games coaching the Cardinals in 1925 and 1926. Home Winning Streak: The Cardinals bring a seven-game home winning streak into Saturday’s game versus the Fighting Irish. Louisville won five-straight home contests after losing its home opener 35-31 to Florida State. The seven-game streak is tied for the 11th longest in school history and the best since UofL won eight during the 2000-01 season. New School Record: Placekicker Brock Travelstead sent the Cardinals to their sixth-straight win dating back to last season with a school record 53-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to put the Cards ahead 13-10 with 5:32 to play. The field goal breaks the old mark of 52 yards set by Wilbur Summers, Ron Bell, Klaus Wilsmeyer, Nate Smith, and Chris Philpott. Travelstead kicked two field goals in the game to improve to 6-of-8 on the season. He booted four field goals in the opener versus Georgia Tech and two in Friday night’s win over NC State.
NOTING LOUISVILLE-NOTRE DAME SERIES: The Cardinals and Fighting Irish will meet for the fourth time in school history when the two teams square off on Saturday night. Notre Dame owns a 2-1 series advantage after winning a 12-7 contest during the COVID season in 2020. 3 Ian Book scored on a 13-yard run late in the third quarter to overcome a 7-6 UofL lead. The Cardinals announced a sellout for Saturday’s game versus the Fighting Irish, the program’s first since 2019 when ND opened the 2019 season at L&N Stadium. Notre Dame won that contest 35-17. Tony Jones Jr. rushed 15 times for 112 yards, including an 11-yard TD. Notre Dame trailed 14-7 in the first before Jones’ score tied it, and Book followed with an 11-yard score just before halftime. Book’s TD came after a bizarre sequence featuring three consecutive fumbles between the teams, the last of which Notre Dame recovered at Louisville’s 20. The Irish forced five fumbles overall and recovered three. Quarterback Jawon Pass rushed for touchdowns of 8 and 17 yards in the first quarter. 3 Louisville’s lone win in the series came in 2014 when Brandon Radcliff rushed for 136 yards and a touchdown and Reggie Bonnafon threw for 180 yards and a score in the 31-28 win over the Irish in South Bend. Head coach Jeff Brohm is 0-1 against Notre Dame while head coach at Purdue.
PURDUE FT. WAYNE WOMEN’S SOCCER
MASTODONS HOST LEAGUE FAVORITE MILWAUKEE AND VISIT DETROIT MERCY
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Purdue Fort Wayne women’s soccer team will host Horizon League preseason favorite Milwaukee on Thursday (Oct. 5) and visit Detroit Mercy on Sunday (Oct. 8) for a pair of league matches this week.
Game Day Information (Thursday)
Who: Milwaukee Panthers
When: Thursday, October 5 | 5 PM
Where: Fort Wayne, Ind. | Hefner Soccer Complex
Live Stats: Link
Watch: ESPN+
Tickets: FREE!
Match Notes: Purdue Fort Wayne | Milwaukee
Game Day Information (Sunday)
Who: Detroit Mercy Titans
When: Sunday, October 8 | 3 PM
Where: Detroit, Mich. | Titan Field
Live Stats: Link
Watch: ESPN+
Match Notes: Purdue Fort Wayne | Detroit Mercy
Know Your Foes
• Milwaukee is 7-2-2 and a perfect 4-0 to start Horizon League play. The Panthers have won their last three games by at least two goals. MKE is led by Kayla Rollins, who has scored eight goals this season, including at least one in each of the four league matches.
• Detroit Mercy is 4-6-3 and 2-3-0 in the Horizon League. The Titans are coming off a 2-1 loss at Robert Morris, but picked up a 1-0 win over Green Bay prior to that. Abbey Lodato and Gabby Ketola both have seven points this season to lead the Titans.
Series Histories
• The Mastodons and Panthers have played four matches in the series history, with the Panthers having won three of them. The meeting last season at the Hefner Soccer Complex resulted in a 0-0 draw. Samantha Castaneda needed to make six saves to get the clean sheet.
• The Titans lead the series against the ‘Dons 10-3-3. but the Mastodons have had more luck recently. In the last four matches, the ‘Dons are 2-0-2. Last year, the ‘Dons won 1-0 at Detroit Mercy thanks to a ninth-minute goal from Zoe Greenhalge.
In The Horizon League Record Book
Samantha Castaneda’s five Player of the Week awards ties for the fourth-most of any Horizon League player in league history.
15 – Sam Hagen, Milwaukee, 2008-11
9 – Elaina LaMacchia – 9, Milwaukee, 2018-21
6- Erin Kane, Milwaukee, 2005-08
5 – Samantha Castaneda, Purdue Fort Wayne, 2020-23
Defend The Fort
Samantha Castaneda is 18th in the country among goalkeepers with six shutouts to her name. She is the Horizon League leader in that category. She is also top-30 nationally and the Horizon League leader with a 0.861 save percentage and 62 saves.
A New Attendance Record
The Purdue Fort Wayne women’s soccer program set a new all-time attendance record on September 14 when Robert Morris visited the Hefner Soccer Complex. It was the fourth annual Party at the Pitch, which garnered a record attendance of 1,014.
No Goals For You
Purdue Fort Wayne had a 350:16 stretch without giving up a goal from August 25-September 7. It was the most consecutive minutes without conceding a goal in program history, topping a 297-minute stretch in 2013.
Give Me Some Mo
Morgan Reitano is a top-10 goal scorer in program history.
1. Kristin Macdonald – 25 (2000-03)
2. Lisa Underwood – 23 (2009-11)
3. Shacina Hersey – 21 (2000-03)
4. Anika Apar – 18 (2004-06)
5. Tara O’Toole – 16 (2008-11)
6. Morgan Reitano – 14 (2019-23)
Home Sweet Hefner!
Purdue Fort Wayne had an unbeaten streak at home from October 27, 2021 to September 30, 2023. In that time, they were 10-0-5 at the Hefner Soccer Complex. It was the longest home unbeaten streak in program history. There were only seven schools in the nation that had not lost a home game in that time.
Arkansas – 2/28/2021
South Alabama – 9/2/2021
Alabama – 9/9/2021
Stanford – 9/30/2021
Maine – 10/14/2021
Memphis – 10/17/2021
Liberty – 10/17/2021
Shut Down and Shut Out
Purdue Fort Wayne had eight shutouts last season, which was a program-best. The Mastodons have seven this season.
Brick Wall Castaneda
Samantha Castaneda owns a 0.98 career goals against average, which is the best in program history among those that played at least 750 minutes in the net. This beats out the second-best of 1.68 from Sam Pavlika (2012-14). Castaneda’s 17 shutouts in her career is also a program-best, topping Pavlika’s 10.
Last Time Out
The Mastodons dropped their first Horizon League match of the season, falling to Youngstown State 2-1 on September 30.
Coming Up
Purdue Fort Wayne will head to Green Bay to play the Phoenix, who are still seeking their first win of the season (0-7-3).
PURDUE FT. WAYNE VOLLEYBALL
‘DONS HOST PENGUINS AND COLONIALS FOR #HLVB ACTION
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Purdue Fort Wayne women’s volleyball is set for a pair of Horizon League matches this week when Youngstown State and Robert Morris come to town.
Game Day Information (Friday)
Who: Youngstown State Penguins
When: Friday, October 6 | 7 PM
Where: Fort Wayne, Ind. | Gates Sports Center
Live Stats:Link
Watch:ESPN+
Match Notes:Purdue Fort Wayne
Game Day Information (Saturday)
Who: Robert Morris Colonials
When: Saturday, October 7 | 4 PM
Where: Fort Wayne, Ind. | Gates Sports Center
Live Stats:Link
Watch:ESPN+
Match Notes:Purdue Fort Wayne
Know Your Foe
• Youngstown State is 6-11 this season, an identical record to Purdue Fort Wayne. The Penguins are 1-5 in Horizon League play with a win over Oakland standing as their lone conference victory.
• Robert Morris is 4-13 this year and also holds a 1-5 Horizon League record coming into the weekend. Their lone #HLVB win came at Cleveland State.
Series History
• Purdue Fort Wayne is 6-3 all-time against Youngstown State. The two teams first met in 2001, but didn’t meet again until 2016. The Penguins won both of the matches in 2022.
• The Dons are 8-1 all-time against Robert Morris including a perfect 5-0 record when the Colonials visit Gates Sports Center.
Fresh Faces
A pair of freshmen helped the Mastodons take down IUPUI last weekend. Panna Ratkai led the team with 17 kills and an impressive .429 hitting percentage along with three aces. Ashby Willis added 15 and hit .343 while adding 15 kills.
Rivalry Wins
The Mastodons have now won six of their last seven matches against in-state rival IUPUI. The ‘Dons won their fourth straight against the Jaguars on Sept. 30 in four-set fashion.
Coming Up Aces
The Mastodons served eight aces in last weekend’s win over IUPUI. Panna Ratkai led the team with three, Jena Medearis served two, and Taya Haffner, LonDynn Betts, and Savanna Rogers all had one.
Last Time Out
Panna Ratkai hit .429 with 17 kills and Ashby Willis hit .343 while adding 15 kills in Purdue Fort Wayne’s 3-1 Horizon League victory over IUPUI. Ratkai added three aces in the match, helping the ‘Dons to eight as a team. Taya Haffner had 32 assists while guiding a Mastodon offense, which out-hit the Jaguars .255 to .161.
Coming Up
Purdue Fort Wayne hits the road for Horizon League matches at Northern Kentucky (Oct. 13) and Wright State (Oct. 14).
MARIAN VOLLEYBALL
MARIAN DROPS FIRST ROAD CROSSROADS LEAGUE MATCH AT NO. 19 MOUNT VERNON NAZARENE
Mount Vernon, Ohio – The Marian volleyball team suffered their first road loss of the Crossroads League season on Wednesday night, as Marian was defeated by No. 19 Mount Vernon Nazarene in a three-set match. Marian’s defeat drops them to 14-7 overall on the season and 8-3 in conference action, as the Cougars secured their first season sweep of the Knights since the 2016 season. The loss drops Marian to third overall in the Crossroads League standings.
Mount Vernon led all for all but two rallies on Wednesday night, starting with a strong first set as they overpowered Marian 8-2 early. Marian would rally to get within striking distance of the Cougars twice in the opening game, using a pair of Averi Lanman points to creep within three at 8-5, but after allowing two more three-point swings, the Knights found themselves trailing 14-8. Marian found themselves behind 17-9 four rallies later and used a timeout to try and change the momentum, doing so briefly with Nicole Wilkinson scoring one of four unanswered points, but a side out off a service error triggered a six point swing for the home team. With their grasp on the set, Mount Vernon put away Marian’s chances as they closed the opening set with a 25-15 win.
The Knights yielded a similar start to the Cougars in the second set, as they played from behind early allowing the first four points to Mt. Vernon. The Cougars would go on to lead by five points before the 10th rally, and continued to hold a firm hold on the lead as they extended the lead to eight. Marian would get an extended rally on Emma Lyons’ serve as the Knights scored five unanswered to turn the eight-point deficit into three, but were unable to continue the run. Trailing 17-13 after Mount Vernon got the side out, the Knights allowed five of the next six points to fall behind by seven, as the Cougars continued their attack en route to their 25-15 win.
Trailing 2-0 in the match, Marian showed new energy on the opening point of the third set as Emma Hirchack landed a kill, but the Cougars immediately took action to defend their court. Mount Vernon scored five of the next six points to push in front 5-2, as they gradually pushed their lead to six points at 11-6. Marian slowly chipped away in the set as they didn’t go down without a fight, scoring in spurts of one or two points to inch back within two of the Cougars. Mount Vernon scored their largest lead of the set leading 19-13 after a 4-0 run, however the run was denied by back to back blocks from Averi Lanman. Lanman’s pair of rejections kept Marian in the set, as Hirchak and Wilkinson slowly brought Marian within a point, trailing 23-22. Kohri Dryden’s kill forced the timeout at 23-22, and after the break Marian got back to a tie score for the first time in the set since 1-1, but the Knights failed to hold their momentum, as an attack error and service error doomed the visitors, allowing the Cougars to complete the sweep with a 25-23 win.
As a team, the Knights posted a hitting percentage of 0.050, their worst of the season so far. Marian had 29 kills as a team and 23 attack errors, with Madison Brooks’ seven pacing the efforts. Logan Smith led the team with 14 assists and Katie Hardegree had 11, and Emma Lyons led the defense with nine digs. Alison Dreves had six digs in her lone set of work, and Hirchack had three kills in her lone game. Averi Lanman had three total blocks to lead the team.
Marian will be off for the next week, and will return to action at home on October 11, as they host Huntington University at 7 p.m.
SMALL COLLEGE ATHLETICS
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
NFL STANDINGS
| American Football Conference | |||||||||||||
| East Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Buffalo Bills | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | 0.0 | 139 | 55 | 2-0-0 | 1-1-0 | 2-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 3 W | |
| Miami Dolphins | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | 0.0 | 150 | 119 | 1-0-0 | 2-1-0 | 3-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 L | |
| New England Patriots | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 | 2.0 | 55 | 97 | 0-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 L | |
| New York Jets | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 | 2.0 | 62 | 84 | 1-2-0 | 0-1-0 | 1-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 3 L | |
| West Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Kansas City Chiefs | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | 0.0 | 101 | 60 | 1-1-0 | 2-0-0 | 2-0-0 | 0-0-0 | 3 W | |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 1.0 | 110 | 104 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-2-0 | 1-0-0 | 2 W | |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 | 2.0 | 62 | 101 | 0-1-0 | 1-2-0 | 1-3-0 | 1-1-0 | 3 L | |
| Denver Broncos | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 | 2.0 | 100 | 150 | 0-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 0-2-0 | 0-1-0 | 1 W | |
| North Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Baltimore Ravens | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | 0.0 | 99 | 58 | 1-1-0 | 2-0-0 | 3-1-0 | 2-0-0 | 1 W | |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 1.0 | 62 | 100 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 2-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 1 L | |
| Cleveland Browns | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 1.0 | 76 | 60 | 2-1-0 | 0-1-0 | 2-2-0 | 1-2-0 | 1 L | |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 | 2.0 | 49 | 94 | 1-1-0 | 0-2-0 | 0-3-0 | 0-2-0 | 1 L | |
| South Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Indianapolis Colts | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 0.0 | 97 | 99 | 0-2-0 | 2-0-0 | 2-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 L | |
| Houston Texans | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 0.0 | 96 | 79 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 2-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 2 W | |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 0.0 | 80 | 82 | 1-2-0 | 1-0-0 | 1-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 W | |
| Tennessee Titans | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 0.0 | 72 | 70 | 2-0-0 | 0-2-0 | 2-1-0 | 0-0-0 | 1 W | |
| National Football Conference | |||||||||||||
| East Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Philadelphia Eagles | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 0.0 | 118 | 90 | 2-0-0 | 2-0-0 | 3-0-0 | 1-0-0 | 4 W | |
| Dallas Cowboys | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | 1.0 | 124 | 41 | 2-0-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 1 W | |
| Washington Commanders | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 2.0 | 89 | 120 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 0-1-0 | 2 L | |
| New York Giants | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 | 3.0 | 46 | 122 | 0-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-3-0 | 0-1-0 | 2 L | |
| West Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| San Francisco 49ers | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 0.0 | 125 | 58 | 2-0-0 | 2-0-0 | 3-0-0 | 2-0-0 | 4 W | |
| Seattle Seahawks | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | 1.0 | 111 | 91 | 1-1-0 | 2-0-0 | 3-1-0 | 0-1-0 | 3 W | |
| Los Angeles Rams | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 2.0 | 98 | 85 | 0-1-0 | 2-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 W | |
| Arizona Cardinals | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 | 3.0 | 88 | 102 | 1-1-0 | 0-2-0 | 1-3-0 | 0-1-0 | 1 L | |
| North Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Detroit Lions | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | 0.0 | 106 | 83 | 1-1-0 | 2-0-0 | 2-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 2 W | |
| Green Bay Packers | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 1.0 | 100 | 96 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 2-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 1 L | |
| Minnesota Vikings | 1 | 3 | 0 | .250 | 2.0 | 90 | 95 | 0-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-2-0 | 0-0-0 | 1 W | |
| Chicago Bears | 0 | 4 | 0 | .000 | 3.0 | 75 | 137 | 0-2-0 | 0-2-0 | 0-2-0 | 0-1-0 | 4 L | |
| South Division | |||||||||||||
| W | L | T | Pct | GB | PF | PA | Home | Road | vs. Conf | vs. Div | Streak | ||
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | 0.0 | 84 | 68 | 1-1-0 | 2-0-0 | 3-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 1 W | |
| Atlanta Falcons | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 1.0 | 62 | 77 | 2-0-0 | 0-2-0 | 2-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 2 L | |
| New Orleans Saints | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 1.0 | 62 | 76 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 2 L | |
| Carolina Panthers | 0 | 4 | 0 | .000 | 3.0 | 67 | 102 | 0-2-0 | 0-2-0 | 0-4-0 | 0-2-0 | 4 L | |
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1888 At Swampoodle Grounds in Washington, D.C., James Francis Galvin of the Pittsburgh Alleghenys becomes baseball’s first pitcher to record his 300th victory when he defeats the hometown Senators, 5-1. The 31-year-old ‘Pud,’ a workhorse who will win 20 games ten of the 14 seasons he plays in the big leagues, will end his career with 361 victories.
1905 The Beaneaters suffer their 100th loss of the season when they drop the first game of a Washington Park doubleheader, 11-5, to the Superbas, a team that has already lost 103 games. It is the first occurrence in major league history that two teams with triple-digit losses have been opponents.
1906 Henry, Christy Matthew’s younger brother, sets a National League record when he issues 14 base-on-balls in the Giants’ 7-1 loss to the Braves. The 19-year-old’s defeat in the season finale at the Polo Grounds proves to be the only decision of his brief career.
1908 Defeating Detroit, 6-1, Ed Walsh wins his 40th game, establishing a White Sox single-season record. ‘Big Ed,’ a right-hander from Meriden (CT), finishes his 14-year Hall of Fame tenure with a 195-126 record and sets the all-time career ERA mark with an earned run average of 1.82.
1912 During the Highlanders’ last game played at Hilltop Park, Homer Thompson appears in his first and final game in the majors. Although the New York backstop doesn’t come to bat, his debut is memorable when he catches his younger brother Tommy, making the siblings the first brothers to form a battery in American League history.
1914 In the eighth, Robins reliever Pat Ragan throws an immaculate inning when he strikes out the first three batters he faces on nine pitches. Unfortunately, the right-handed will give up five runs in the next frame, taking the loss in the team’s 9-5 defeat to the Braves at Brooklyn’s Ebbets Field.
1918 Eddie Grant, a captain attached to the 307th Infantry in World War l, becomes the first major leaguer to be killed in action in service to his country. The former Giants’ third baseman is hit by a shell while leading a unit to rescue the Lost Battalion, a contingent of roughly 554 soldiers of the United States 77th Division isolated by the German forces after an American attack in the Argonne Forest.
1929 On the next-to-last day of the season, Reds reliever Rube Ehrhardt wins his first and only start, allowing five hits and issuing one walk when he blanks the first-place Cubs at Redland Field, 9-0. The shutout, which takes 75-minutes to complete, will be the 34-year-old right-hander’s final major league appearance.
1941 In the bottom of the ninth, with two outs and two strikes in Game 4 of the World Series, Tommy Henrich appears to be struck out, ending the game, but ‘Old Reliable’ reaches first base on Mickey Owen’s passed ball. The catcher’s blunder turns a sure 4-3 Brooklyn win into a heart-breaking 7-4 loss to the Yankees.
1942 At Yankee Stadium, the Cardinals stun the baseball world by beating the defending World Champions, 2-1, to capture the World Series in five games. Rookie right-hander Johnny Beazley (21-6) goes the distance, limiting the Bronx Bombers to seven hits to post his second complete-game victory of the Fall Classic.
1947 Al Gionfriddo, inserted in left field for defensive purposes, makes one of the most memorable catches in World Series history when he robs Joe DiMaggio of an extra-base hit with two men on base in the sixth inning. The outfielder’s heroics help preserve an 8-5 Dodger victory in Game 6 of the Fall Classic, which will be the 25-year-old’s last game in the major leagues.
1949 Dodger right-hander Don Newcombe, becoming the first black to start a World Series contest, allows only four hits in Game 1, including Tommy Henrich’s home run leading off the bottom of the ninth, giving the Yankees a 1-0 walk-off victory in the Bronx ballpark. ‘Old Reliable’s shot to right field, the first game-ending home run in the history of the Fall Classic, gives Allie Reynolds the complete-game win, and it is Casey Stengel’s first postseason victory
1951 Mickey Mantle’s season ends after severely injuring his right knee when his cleats get caught on a drainage cap in Game 2 of the World Series. Joe DiMaggio’s abrupt call for Willie Mays’ fly ball in center field in the Yankee Stadium contest leads many to believe that the last-minute decision contributed to the torn cartilage suffered by the 19-year-old rookie right fielder.
1953 In the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 6, the Yankees win their record fifth consecutive World Series when Billy Martin singles, scoring Hank Bauer to give New York a dramatic 4-3 walk-off victory over the Dodgers. The Bronx Bombers’ second baseman, named the Series MVP, bats .500 in the six contests, collecting a record-tying 12 hits to equal Babe Ruth’s mark, and compiles 23 total bases, the most in Fall Classic history.
1956 U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower indicates he doesn’t favor the Washington Senators shifting their franchise to another city and would like to see the District of Columbia get a new baseball stadium, a proposal the Congress has been working on for the past decade. According to Cal Griffith, who has acknowledged his willingness to stay in the nation’s capital if a new stadium plan is approved, other municipalities, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Louisville, have made attractive offers to attract his team.
1957 In the first World Series game ever played in Milwaukee, native son Tony Kubek hits two home runs in the 12-3 rout of the hometown Braves, putting his Bronx Bombers ahead two games to one in the Fall classic. The Yankee shortstop becomes the second rookie to hit two round-trippers in a Fall Classic game, a feat first accomplished by Charlie Keller, who blasted a pair of homers in Game 3 in 1939.
1960 At Forbes Field, Roger Maris becomes the seventh major leaguer to homer in his first World Series at-bat. The right fielder’s first-inning round-tripper off Vernon Law gets the Yankees off to a good start, but the Pirates win Game 1 of the Fall Classic, 6-4.
1960 In Game 1 of the World Series, Bill Mazeroski’s two-run fifth-inning home run off Jim Coates proves to be the difference when the Pirates beat the Yankees at Forbes Field, 6-4. The victory marks Pittsburgh’s first Fall Classic win since 1925 when the Bucs became the World Champions by taking Game 7 from the Senators.
1963 In Game 4, Mickey Mantle ties Babe Ruth’s record with his 15th World Series home run. In the seventh inning, the Yankees slugger turns around a Sandy Koufax fastball to tie the score, but the blast isn’t enough to stave off the Dodgers’ Fall Classic sweep of the Bronx Bombers.
1966 Reliever Moe Drabowsky ties a World Series record by striking out six consecutive batters in the Orioles’ 5-2 Game 1 victory at Dodger Stadium. Brooks and Frank Robinson hit back-to-back homers in the first inning.
1977 Glenn Burke greets Dusty Baker on the dugout steps to congratulate his Dodger teammate for hitting a grand slam against the Phillies in Game 2 of the 1977 NLCS. The greeting, consisting of the two players extending their right arms above their heads and slapping their hands to make a resounding clap, is considered the first ‘high five’ in baseball history.
1980 The Yankees break the American League regular-season attendance record when 35,879 fans watch the team beat the Tigers, 2-1, in the season finale, bringing the final total to 2,627,417. The 1948 Indians set the mark when 2,620,627 fans turned turnstiles to watch their Tribe capture the Junior Circuit’s pennant.
1980 Reaching first on a fielder’s choice in the top of the seventh in the 4-0 win over the Twins, Royals’ leadoff hitter Willie Wilson establishes a major league record for the most at-bats in a season with 705. The Kansas City outfielder will collect 230 hits and score 133 runs for the division-winning club.
1980 Brewers’ outfielder Ben Ogilvie becomes the first non-American-born player to lead the American League in home runs. On the last day of the season, the 31-year-old Panamanian goes deep off Oakland’s Rick Langford for his 41st homer, which ties Reggie Jackson for the most round-trippers in the Junior Circuit.
1980 In a duel between two 19-game winners on the last day of the season, Scott McGregor enters the 20-win circle for the first and only time when he bests Len Barker in the Orioles’ 7-1 victory over the Indians. The Cleveland right-hander, who gives up six runs in five innings to finish the campaign with a 19-12 record, will never again come close to being a 20-game winner.
1991 At the Kingdome, the Mariners whitewash the White Sox, 10-0, for their 83rd win of the campaign. The victory assures the team of their first winning season in the 14-year history of the franchise.
1991 Scott Erickson becomes a 20-game winner in his sophomore season when he hurls six scoreless innings in the Twins’ 3-1 victory over Blue Jays at the Metrodome. The 23-year-old right-hander, nicknamed the Prince of Darkness for using a black glove and wearing dark socks on the days he pitches, compiles a 20–8 record along 3.18 ERA for the eventual World Champs.
1993 Bob Watson replaces Bill Wood as the Astros’ general manager, making the former Houston player the first black GM in baseball history. Bill Lucas had performed many similar duties for the Braves in the late 1970s but never officially held the title.
1999 Randy Johnson suffers his sixth consecutive loss in postseason play when the Mets beat the Diamondbacks, 8-4, in Game 1 of NLDS. Edgardo Alfonzo, who had gone deep earlier in the Bank One Ballpark contest, blasts an eventual game-winning grand slam with two outs in the top of the ninth inning, sealing the future Hall of Fame southpaw’s fate.
2000 In Game 2 of the NLDS, the Mets rebound from J.T. Snow’s pinch-hit three-run game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth, when Jay Payton’s tenth-inning base hit drives in the eventual winning run to beat the Giants, 5-4. After giving up the devastating blow, New York closer Armando Benitez gets credit for the Pacific Bell Park victory.
2001 Arizona’s Albie Lopez hurls a three-hit shutout to beat the Brewers at Miller Park, 5-0. The Diamondback victory clinches a tie for the NL West flag, and with the win, the 30-year-old right-hander avoids becoming the first 20-game loser since Brian Kingman accomplished the feat in 1980.
2001 The Seattle Mariners record their 115th victory when they beat Texas, 6-2, at Safeco Field, breaking the 1998 Yankee record for most wins in an American League season. The team will tie the 1906 Cubs for the major league record of 116 wins when they add their final victory tomorrow in the next to last contest of the campaign.
2001 In the longest nine-inning game in major league history, Barry Bonds breaks and then extends the mark for home runs in a season during the 4 hours and 27 minutes, 11-10 loss to the Dodgers at Pac Bell Park. The Giant outfielder connects off Dodger starter Chan Ho Park to break Mark McGwire’s 1998 record of 70 and then homers again in his next at-bat to extend his record to 72.
2001 The Braves maul the Marlins, 20-3, to clinch the National League East title and become the first team in professional sports to win ten consecutive division titles. The Boston Celtics (1957-65) and Los Angeles Lakers (1982-90) won nine in a row.
2001 On the last day of the season, 38-year-old Jamie Moyer (20-6) becomes the oldest first-time 20-game winner when the Mariners beat Texas at Safeco Field, 6-2. The Seattle southpaw will also compile a 21-7 record in 2003.
2002 The Angels win a playoff series for the first time in its 42-year-old history when they beat the Yankees, 9-5, to take the ALDS 3 games to 1. The postseason appearance is the first for the Halos since 1986 when, after being a strike away in Game 5 of the ALCS from advancing to the World Series, the team lost to the Red Sox in seven games.
2005 According to his uncle and a witness, Nomar Garciaparra, the former Red Sox shortstop jumped into Boston Harbor, pulling two women in danger from the water. The two-time American League batting champ responded when he heard the splashes and cries for help in his Charlestown condominium.
2006 At Game 2 of the NLCS played at Petco Park, Padres closer Trevor Hoffman, who recently became baseball’s all-time saves leader, catches the ceremonial first pitch thrown by Lee Smith, the reliever he surpassed with his 479th save. The two ‘firemen’ exchange autographed baseballs after the toss.
2009 The Indians, with six games left on the schedule, announce they have dismissed Eric Wedge, their manager for the past seven years. The Cleveland skipper, whose firing was no surprise, asks to remain in the dugout to manage the fifth-place Tribe for the remainder of the season.
2010 Hanshin Tigers outfielder Matt Murton breaks Ichiro’s Japanese record for the most hits in a single season when he strokes his 211th hit of the year, a two-run single in a game against the Yakult Swallows. The 29-year-old former major leaguer, a 2003 first-round draft pick of the Red Sox who became part of a trade to the Cubs in a four-team deal that included Nomar Garciaparra, also played with the A’s before being released by the Rockies last season.
2011 During the fifth turn of Game 4 of the NLDS against the Cardinals, a squirrel runs across home plate just as Phillies’ right-hander Roy Oswalt delivers a pitch to Skip Schumaker. Umpire Angel Hernandez calls the pitch a ball, much to the chagrin of the right-hander and Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel, who believe that “no pitch” should be the call due to the distraction caused by the grey rodent, immortalized by the Redbirds fans as the “rally squirrel.”
2012 In the first NL one-game winner-take-all wild-card playoff, the Cardinals beat the hometown Braves, 6-3, in a game-best remembered for a disputed infield fly rule call in the eighth inning. The irate Turner Field fans show their displeasure with the umpires’ decision on what appears to be a critical Redbird error on a dropped pop fly in the outfield by littering the playing field with debris, causing a 19-minute delay when the ground crew cleans up the assorted trash.2014 The Royals complete a three-game sweep of the ALDS, beating the Angels at Kauffman Stadium, 8-3. The victory advances Kansas City to the league championship series for the first time since the team played in the postseason en route to winning a world championship in 1985.
2016 Giants southpaw Madison Bumgarner goes the distance, throwing a 3-0 shutout against the Mets in the winner-take-all National League Wild Card Game. Conor Gillaspie’s three-run homer off Jeurys Familia in the top of the ninth breaks a scoreless tie, wasting a great start by Noah Syndergaard, who had matched zeros with the San Francisco postseason legend for the first seven innings of the Citi Field contest.
2020 In the ALDS, Shane McClanahan takes the mound against the Yankees, becoming the first pitcher and fifth player to make his major league debut in the postseason. The Rays’ 23-year-old southpaw follows Bug Holliday (10/17/1885), Mark Kiger (10/13/2013), Adalbert Mondesi (10/30/2015), and Alex Kirilloff (9/30/2020).
WORLD SERIES HISTORY
1907 WORLD SERIES
Chicago Cubs (4) vs Detroit Tigers (0) |
The 1907 World Series once again, featured the National’s Chicago Cubs going up against the American’s Detroit Tigers, who had just edged out the previous year’s champion Philadelphia Athletics in a fierce pennant race.
The opening contest rewarded fans on both sides of the field with neither team backing down. After twelve innings, the game was called because of darkness. Tigers 3, Cubs 3. Although Detroit had clearly started Game 1 with more momentum, Chicago showed it’s resolve and snatched the victory from the Tiger’s grasp. The Cubs seemed inspired by their stunning loss to the underdog White Sox in the last years Series and had obviously learned from their mistakes. It was only the beginning as Manager Hugh Jennings’ Tigers would fail to recapture the initial fire and fail to score more than one run in any of the remaining Series games. Chicago’s Jack Pfiester dominated Detroit, 3-1, in Game 2 and Ed Reulbach continued the streak beating American League champs, 5-1, the next day.
The Tigers showed some signs of life in Game 4 when they seized a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning as an up-and-coming twenty year-old named Ty Cobb, having just won his first batting championship, slammed a triple and scored on a Claude Rossman single. Unfortunately that was all they could muster and went down to a 6-1 defeat against Orval Overall. Game 5 was Detroit’s last chance at turning the series, but Mordecai Brown threw a seven-hitter clinching the 2-0 triumph and a Cubs sweep of the Series. Chicago’s boys from the West Side had dominated the entire contest and made amends for the Series loss to their cross town rivals the previous year.
Most fans were not surprised by Chicago’s supremacy. The Cubs were quickly becoming baseball’s first “dynasty” making their second (soon to be third) post-season championship appearance, getting there by winning one-hundred seven games and finishing seventeen games ahead of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Detroit never had a chance as the Cubs aggressive play on both sides of the plate stole the show. They had outstanding offense from Steinfeldt and Evers, who batted .471 and .350, respectively (with Steinfeldt getting seven hits in the last three games of the Series and Evers getting seven in the first three games). They ran with reckless abandon against the Tigers, stealing seven bases in Game 1 and finishing the Series with eighteen. Most importantly, Chicago’s pitching staff held a potentially threatening Tigers line-up to forty-three scoreless innings out of forty-eight and shut down the American League’s top hitters of 1907, Cobb and Sam Crawford. Cobb managed only a .200 average in the Series after batting .350 in the regular season; Crawford hit .238 after a .323 season.
FOOTBALL HISTORY
October 5, 1907 – Canadian Interprovincial Rugby Football Union (IRFU) plays its first game as Montreal defeats Toronto, 17-8 in Montreal, Quebec. The IRFU, also known as the Big 4 and the Western Interprovincial Football Union (founded in 1936) merged in 1958 to form the Canadian Football League.
October 5, 1985 – Legendary Grambling State University Head Coach Eddie Robinson notches a record 324th win in a football game. Coach ended up being the headman at Grambling for a total of 56 years and eventually ended his coaching career totaling a whopping 408 victories!
October 5, 1924 – The NFL’s Kansas City Blues (later in 1925 to be known as the Cowboys) played the franchise’s first game, a 3-0 loss to the Milwaukee Badgers per the Sportsencylopedia.com.
October 5, 1935 – Per princetontigersfootball.com/history-of-the-program/ Princeton head coach Herbert O. “Fritz” Crisler introduced to his team a black leather helmet with three stripes along its length and triangular “wings” meant to represent the folded-back ears of a tiger. The bold color combinations and distinctive design helped quarterbacks more easily identify receivers downfield. Crisler would later take this design with him to the University of Michigan after leading the Tigers to two of its record 28 National Championships.
October 5, 1986 – A new NFL overtime rushing record is reached, when Eric Dickerson of the LA Rams, sprints for a 42 yard touchdown run to lead the Rams over the Tampa Bay Bucs 26-20 in Anaheim Stadium.
October 5, 1991 – An NCAA record is tied when Fresno State reeled off 49 points in the 2nd quarter against New Mexico at home in Bulldog Stadium. The Bulldogs routed their guests 94-17 in the contest.
October 5, 2003 – Prolific return specialist Dante Hall of the Kansas City Chiefs returned a punt 93 yards to paydirt to help lead his team to a 24-23 victory over rival Denver. The game winner was the fourth consecutive return that Mr. Hall had taken a kick all the way back!
Hall of Fame Birthdays for October 5
October 5, 1911
October 5, 1911 – Bill Corbus was a guard from Stanford University. The website footballfoundation.org tells the story that the 1933 Stanford Cardinal lineup consisted of nine sophomores who were referred to as the “Vow Boys”, since they took an oath to not lose to USC during their playing days at Stanford. They were true to their word as the Cardinal ripped off wins against their rival the Trojans those three straight years. The 1933 victory of the Vow series can be directly attributed to the accolades of Bill Corbus as he booted two second-half field goals to lift the Cardinal to a 13-7 win over Southern Cal. Bill was described by many as having cherub-like facial features and his 5-11, 195 pound frame, but he had the ferocity of a wolf in a chicken-coop when placed on the gridiron. Bill’s low center of gravity allowed him to get under opponents and knock them off balance, giving him a great advantage against larger opposition. Corbus was voted in as an Al-American in his final two seasons of collegiate football and in the classroom, he excelled with honors. Corbus was the student body president and he graduated magna cum laude from Stanford. Bill was hired by the A&P grocery chain after graduation and he clambered the organizational ladder to the rank of vice- chairman before his career with the chain was over. Bill was honored by the Stanford Athletic Board with their Distinguished Achievement Medal in 1978. His high school in Vallejo, California, named a stadium for him. The National Football Foundation voted Bill Corbus into their College Football Hall of Fame in 1957.
October 5, 1921 – Bill Willis was a tackle from Ohio State University. Bill joined the Cleveland Browns in 1946 andd entered into the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s museum of legends in 1977.
October 5, 1958 – Ken Margerum was a two-time Consensus All-American wide receiver from Stanford University. When he graduated in 1980, MArgerum was the all-time leader in Cardinal history with 41 receptions for 2,430 yards and 30 touchdowns per the National Football Foundation’s website. Ken was a 1980 Second-Team Academic All-American and tied a Pac-10 Conference record when he had four TD receptions in one game. He was honored with the Pop Warner Memorial Trophy for being the West Coast’s most valuable senior player in 1980 and entered into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2009.
October 5, 1977 – Sean Brewer was a defensive tackle from Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi. Sean is the only Division III defensive lineman to have ever reached the First-Team All-American Honors status in three different seasons according to the website footballfoundation.org. Sean finished his outstanding career with 435 tackles, 332 of them of the solo variety and a whopping 52 sacks of the quarterbacks! In recognition of his outstanding career, the Division III Defensive Lineman of the Year Award was named the Sean Brewer Award in 2013. The National Football Foundation voted Sean Brewer into their College Football Hall of Fame in 2015. After graduation Sean went into educational vocation and at last look was serving as the principal at Rosa Scott High School in Madison, Mississippi.
NUMBERS IN SPORTS
10 – 5 – 14 – 8 – 27 – 9 – 99 – 29 – 25 – 23 – 51 – 82
October 5, 1908
October 5, 1908 – Chicago White Sox pitcher Ed Walsh beats Detroit Tigers, 6-1, his 40th victory of the MLB season. This win forces AL pennant race to go to the final day of the season.
October 5, 1915 – Detroit Tigers speedster Ty Cobb steals his 96th base of the season in 5-0 loss to Cleveland Indians. This total stood as an MLB record until 1962 when Maury Wills, broke the barrier with 104.
October 5, 1932 – With new ownership Detroit Falcons officially change name to Detroit Red Wings, and the Winged Wheel is introduced; previous names Cougars (1926-30), Falcons (1930-32)
October 5, 1941 – Brooklyn Dodgers catcher Mickey Owen, Number 10 dropped a 3rd called strike and Tom Hendrick reached 1st base safely for Yankees for a famous Baseball World Series error. This failed K would have been the last out, instead Yankees score 4 and win 7-4 and eventually won the series, 4-1
October 5, 1947 – Brooklyn outfielder Al Gionfriddo wearing Number 18 made his famous catch of Yankee Number 5, Joe DiMaggio drive to the outfield in Game 6 of Baseball World Series. The Dodgers beat the Yankees, 8-6 as the catch inspired the now famous sportscaster “back-back-back” expression
October 5, 1950 – Boston Celtics owner Walter Brown & coach Red Auerbach draw lots out of hat for 3 members of defunct Chicago Stags franchise; hit jackpot with future 6-time NBA champion, Bob Cousy, who would wear Number 14 for the Celtics
October 5, 1956 – Catcher Yogi Berra, Number 8 in pinstripes became the 4th NY Yankee to hit a Baseball World Series grand slam in Game 2 at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn; Dodgers win, 13-8 but lose series, 4-3
October 5, 1963 – At the 17th NHL All-Star Game, Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, ON: Toronto Maple Leafs tie All Stars, 3-3. MVP: Frank Mahovlich, Toronto Maple Leafs, LW who wore Number 27
October 5, 1982 – First regular season NHL game is played in New Jersey (Newark; NJ Devils play a 3-3 tie against Pittsburgh Penguins at Brendan Byrne Arena. Don Lever, Number 9 scores first Devils’ goal
October 5, 1983 – Edmonton super star Wayne Gretzky, Number 99 scored a goal and assist in 5-4 win over Toronto in the Oilers season opener; starts NHL record 51-game scoring streak; ends 28/1/84
October 5, 1986 – Rams running back Number 29, Eric Dickerson runs for an NFL overtime record 42-yard touchdown as LA defeats Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 26-20 at Anaheim Stadium
October 5, 1990 – Pittsburgh Penguins left wing Number 25, Kevin Stevens had 2 goals & 4 assists in 7-4 opening-night win against the Washington Capitals at Capital Centre to set NHL record for most points in a season opener (6)
October 5, 1994 – The NBA shortens the 3-point distance to a uniform 22 feet in attempt to help offensive players score more. Chicago Bulls guard, Number 23, Michael Jordan set career highs in 3-point attempts & converted 3-point field goals, nearly double previous statistics
October 5, 1996 – New York centerfielder Number 51, Bernie Williams homers from each side of the plate as the Yankees beat Texas, 6-4 to win the AL Division Series, 3 – 1
October 5, 2001 – Barry Bonds, Number 25 of the San Francisco Giants hits his 71st and 72nd home runs in 11-10 loss v LA Dodgers at Pacific Bell Park; breaks Mark McGwire’s MLB single season HR record
October 5, 2003 – Kansas City wide receiver Dante Hall, wearing Number 82 scored on a game winning 93-yard punt return in Chiefs 24-23 victory v Denver Broncos at Arrowhead Stadium; returns for score in an NFL-record 4th straight game
TV THURSDAY
| COLLEGE FOOTBALL | TIME ET | TV |
| Middle Tennessee at WKU | 7:30pm | CBSSN |
| Temple at Tulsa | 7:30pm | ESPN |
| Jacksonville State at Sam Houston | 8:00pm | ESPNU |
| NFL REGULAR SEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| Chicago at Washington | 8:15pm | PRIME |
| NBA PRESEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| Dallas at Minnesota | 12:00pm | NBATV |
| NHL PRESEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| Boston vs NY Rangers | 7:00pm | TNT |
| Colorado vs Vegas | 10:00pm | TNT |
| SOCCER | TIME ET | TV |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: Astana vs Viktoria Plzeň | 10:30am | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: Bačka Topola vs Olympiakos Piraeus | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: Freiburg vs West Ham United | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: Olympique Marseille vs Brighton & Hove Albion | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: AEK Athens vs Ajax | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: Real Betis vs Sparta Praha | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: Aris vs Rangers | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: Sporting CP vs Atalanta | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: Raków Częstochowa vs Sturm Graz | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: KÍ vs Lille | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: Olimpija vs Slovan Bratislava | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: Breidablik vs Zorya | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: Gent vs Maccabi Tel Aviv | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: Ballkani vs Dinamo Zagreb | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: Beşiktaş vs Lugano | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: Bodø / Glimt vs Club Brugge | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: Liverpool vs Union Saint-Gilloise | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: Molde vs Bayer Leverkusen | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: Liverpool vs Union Saint-Gilloise | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: Häcken vs Qarabağ | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: Slavia Praha vs Sheriff | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: Roma vs Servette | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: Maccabi Haifa vs Panathinaikos | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: Villarreal vs Rennes | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: Aston Villa vs Zrinjski | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: AZ vs Legia Warszawa | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: Fiorentina vs Ferencváros | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: Čukarički vs Genk | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: PAOK vs Eintracht Frankfurt | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: Aberdeen vs HJK | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: Spartak Trnava vs Fenerbahçe | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: Nordsjælland vs Ludogorets | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |