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HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFFS
WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS
First Round

DIVISION 1
Pool A
#1 Mater Dei d. #8 Harvard-Westlake, 25-13, 25-14, 25-22
#5 Santa Margarita d. #4 Oaks Christian, 25-21, 29-27, 24-26, 25-22

Pool B
#7 Marymount at #2 Sierra Canyon, postponed
#3 Mira Costa d. #6 Los Alamitos, 3-1

DIVISION 3
Sunny Hills d. Cerritos, 3-2
Santa Ana Foothill d. Oak Park, 20-25, 25-23, 25-17, 22-25, 15-10
Cerritos Valley Christian d. Chaminade, 16-25, 25-23, 25-20, 25-23
Beckman d. Alemany, 3-0
Newbury Park d. Corona Santiago, 26-24, 25-19, 18-25, 25-13
Redlands d. Rosary, 21-25, 25-22, 25-20, 25-16
Etiwanda d. Murrieta Mesa, 3-0
Thousand Oaks d. Saugus, 23-25, 21-25, 25-20, 25-14, 15-12
Corona del Mar d. Claremont, 3-0
Flintridge Prep d. Millikan, 25-17, 28-26, 25-20
St. Margaret’s d. Bishop Amat, 3-0
La Salle d. Huntington Beach, 3-1
Crescenta Valley d. Chaparral, 25-16, 22-25, 27-25, 25-21
La Canada d. Crossroads, 25-13, 25-15, 25-21
Lakewood St. Joseph at Marina
Windward d. Aliso Niguel, 3-0

DIVISION 5
Marlborough d. West Torrance, 3-0
Liberty d. Academy for Academic Excellence, 3-1
Hesperia Christian d. Peninsula, 3-0
Canyon Country Canyon d. Moorpark, 3-0
El Toro d. Troy, 3-0
Valencia d. Western Christian, 3-1
San Jacinto d. Culver City, 3-1
St. Anthony d. Santa Monica Pacifica Christian, 23-25, 25-9, 25-19, 25-21
Viewpoint d. Southlands Christian, 3-1
Westridge d. Arrowhead Christian, 3-1
Irvine d. Beaumont, 3-2
Paraclete d. Gahr, 21-25, 27-25, 25-21, 26-28, 15-13
Maranatha d. Sultana, 3-1
La Serna d. Burbank Providence, 3-1
Quartz Hill d. Temple City, 3-0
Capistrano Valley d. Palm Desert, 19-25, 25-16, 25-14, 25-9

DIVISION 7
Pasadena d. CAMS, 3-2
Tustin d. Immaculate Heart, 3-0
Laguna Blanca d. Brea Olinda, 3-0
Sacred Heart of Jesus d. Chino, 3-1
Placentia Valencia d. South Hills, 25-16, 25-17, 23-25, 25-20
Nordhoff d. Trinity Classical Academy, 3-0
Barstow d. Highland, 25-20, 25-16, 25-21
Webb d. Mary Star of the Sea, 3-0
Pasadena Marshall d. Eisenhower, 25-23, 25-19, 25-22
Beverly Hills d. Whittier, 3-0
Vistamar d. Rialto, 3-1
Northview at Calvary Baptist
Fullerton d. Indio, 3-0
Buckley d. Tahquitz, 3-0
Rio Hondo Prep d. Arlington, 20-25, 16-25, 25-23, 25-21, 16-14
Foothill Tech d. St. Genevieve, 3-2

DIVISION 9
Rancho Mirage d. Santa Paula, 3-0
Canoga Park AGBU d. Saddleback, 3-2
San Jacinto Valley Academy d. Cobalt, 3-0
St. Monica Academy d. Anaheim, 25-20, 27-25, 25-19
Nogales d. Carter, 3-2
Santa Rosa Academy d. Carpinteria, 3-0
Westminster d. Vasquez, 3-2
Azusa d. Moreno Valley, 3-2
St. Jeane de Lestonnac d. Santa Clarita Christian, 3-2
Jurupa Hills d. Sierra Vista, 3-2
Desert Christian Academy d. Victor Valley, 3-0
Wildwood d. Hillcrest, 3-2
Buena Park d. Excelsior Charter, 25-17, 22-25, 25-8, 25-10
Milken Community d. Eastside, 25-17, 22-25, 25-8, 25-10
California d. Garden Grove, 3-0
Twentynine Palms d. Shadow Hills, 3-2

DIVISION 11
Compton Early College d. Grove, 3-0
El Monte Arroyo d. Ambassador Christian, 3-0
Mesrobian d. Rubidoux, 3-2
Ramona d. Animo Leadership, 3-1
La Sierra Academy 3, Long Beach First Baptist 0
Pacific Lutheran d. Thacher, 3-0
Grace d. Shalhevet, 3-1
Newport Christian d. New Covenant, 3-0
Tarbut V’ Torah d. Oak Grove, 3-0
Workman d. California Lutheran, 3-2
Santa Clara d. EF Academy, 3-0
Lynwood d. Desert Chapel, 25-17, 25-9, 25-22
Norton Science Academy d. Newbury Park Adventist, 25-21, 25-22, 5-25, 25-22
Joshua Springs d. Liberty Christian, 3-0
Downey Calvary Chapel d. River Springs, 3-1
Silver Valley d. Riverside Bethel Christian, 3-0

THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE
(Matches at 6 p.m. unless noted)
Second Round

DIVISION 4
Portola at Burbank Burroughs
Yorba Linda at North Torrance
Notre Dame Academy at Arcadia
Vista Murrieta at Ventura
Ayala at Santa Barbara, 5 p.m.
Rancho Cucamonga at Hemet
Royal at Glendora
Bonita at Linfield Christian

DIVISION 6
Alta Loma at Villa Park
Temescal Canyon at Dos Pueblos
St. Bonaventure at Temecula Prep
Capistrano Valley Christian at Ridgecrest Burroughs
Castaic at Santa Fe
Rim of the World at Santa Ana Calvary Chapel
Mayfair at Schurr
Yucaipa at Lakewood

DIVISION 8
Samueli Academy at Bellflower
San Gabriel Academy vs. San Gorgonio at Indian Springs
Fairmont Prep at San Jacinto Valley
Burbank at Riverside Prep
Lighthouse Christian at Garden Grove Pacifica
Rio Mesa at Jurupa Valley
Big Bear vs. Geffen Academy at UCLA SAC gym, 5 p.m.
Bell Gardens at Artesia

DIVISION 10
Leuzinger at Glendale
Canyon Springs at Orange
Adelanto at Orange County Classical Academy, 4:30 p.m.
Chaffey vs. New Roads at Park Century School, 5 p.m.
La Quinta at Miller
Redlands Adventist at Loara
Ganesha at Lancaster
Cornerstone Christian

Note: Second round (Divisions 3, 5, 7, 9, 11) Sat., Oct. 24; Quarterfinals (Divisions 2, 4, 6, 8, 10) Tues., Oct. 27; Second Round pool play (Division 1) Tues., Oct. 27; Quarterfinals (Divisions 3, 5, 7, 9) Wed., Oct. 28; Semifinals (Divisions 2-11) Sat., Oct. 31; Third Round pool Play (Division 1) Sat., Oct. 31; Finals (all divisions) Sat., Nov. 7 at TBA.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Defensive back Keaton Fields (Chandler, Arizona/ Hamilton High School) was officially honored as a 2027 Navy All-American during a virtual jersey presentation as part of the Road to the Dome tour.

Navy All-American Bowl

Defensive back Keaton Fields (Chandler, Arizona/ Hamilton High School) was officially honored as a 2027 Navy All-American during a virtual jersey presentation as part of the Road to the Dome tour.

Second to None

Welcome ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ @Keaton_Fields14 to the 2027 Navy All-American Bowl @NBCSports#NavyAAB@AmericasNavypic.twitter.com/5DavGbAvbn

— Navy All-American Bowl (@AABonNBC) October 22, 2026

Fields will play in the annual East vs. West matchup inside the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 9, 2027, live on NBC and Peacock, which marks the twenty-seventh anniversary of the event.

The nationwide Road to the Dome tour will honor 100 Navy All-Americans with live and virtual jersey presentations. The series will be released weekly through social platforms across NBC Sports.

Fields was selected by the Navy All-American Bowl Selection Committee, comprised of the All-American Bowl, Andrew Ivins (247Sports), Brandon Huffman (Rivals), and NXGN. Navy All-Americans are eligible for the Navy All-American Bowl Player of the Year Award, Anthony Muñoz Lineman of the Year Award, Navy All-American Bowl Defensive Player of the Year Award, Navy All-American Bowl Man of the Year, and Navy All-American Bowl Game MVP Award.

About the All-American Bowl

As an NBC Sports-owned property, the All-American Bowl is part of a marquee lineup of elite events that includes the Olympics and Paralympics, the NBA, WNBA, Major League Baseball, Notre Dame Football, the Premier League, and primetime’s #1 show for an unprecedented 15 consecutive years: Sunday Night Football. The All-American Bowl is annually the most-watched, most-talked about, and most-prestigious high school all-star event with more than four million unique television viewers and more than 25,000 fans in attendance. The history and tradition of the All-American Bowl is unparalleled, as it features: 665 draft picks; 110 Super Bowl champions; 300 Pro Bowl selections; and 18 Heisman finalists. For more information, visit nbcsports.com/college-football/navy-all-american-bowl or follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram (@AABonNBC).

Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

The Los Angeles Lakers are now Luka Doncic’s team, and he is doing everything he can to get the fans to support them going into the new season.

LeBron James left the Los Angeles Lakers after eight seasons this summer, and it has changed LA’s landscape entirely. Luka Doncic, who has just entered his prime, is now the undisputed main man when it comes to the Purple and Gold.

As they say, with great power comes great responsibility. Doncic is aware of the burden he is now carrying on his shoulders. The Slovenian wants the fans on his side, and he is already making efforts to ensure that happens.

Luka Doncic takes out massive ‘championship run’ ad in LA Times,

The Lakers are one of the NBA’s most successful franchises. For fans, nothing short of the ultimate success is enough. The Slovenian star knows this, too. He took out a full-page advertisement in the LA Times on Wednesday addressing the fans.

“Dear LA, tonight we start our run for a championship,” it reads. “Every player dreams of holding that trophy. To do it for all of you amazing fans would mean everything to us. Each of us understands what it means to put on this purple and gold jersey and follow the players who wore it before us. It means so much because of the passion and dedication that generations of you all have shown for this team.

“I see it everywhere. The hats, the flags on cars, the murals. This city has people from all over the world, speaking every language, and the Lakers are the thing that brings everyone together. We have a special team. We know what you expect, and we are going to do everything in our power to deliver it. From the moment I arrived in LA, you welcomed me with open arms. That is something I will never forget.

“So here is my promise to you: we are going to give you everything we have, every single night. No excuses. No nights off. But we cannot do this alone. You are the best fans in the world, and we are going to need you. Every game, bring it with us. Let’s go.”

Just words aren’t enough, so Doncic even lets Lakers fans know how much he appreciates them through his actions.

Luka Doncic arranged free parking for Lakers fans attending Golden State Warriors clash

It is common knowledge that one of the most expensive things about going to catch a game at the Crypto.com Arena is parking. Doncic, a lover of cars and a man of the people, decided to help his fans out with that as a gesture of goodwill.

“According to the Lakers’ communications department, Doncic arranged free parking for fans at a lot near Crypto.com Arena and partnered with Metro Bike Share to offer complimentary rides throughout Los Angeles,” the New York Post reported.

Doncic backed up these gestures on the court as well. In a blowout win over the Golden State Warriors on opening night, Luka had 28 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and three steals.

All things considered, he seems prepared to take up the mantle of being the next Lakers superstar. If he can actually deliver a championship this season, this will go down in history as one of the gutsiest and epic moves by a superstar.

Read more:

• Charles Barkley takes a ‘dangerous’ Kash Patel dig at Shaquille O’Neal
• ‘Don’t do it rook’ – Warriors rookie’s heated exchange with Luka Doncic has fans buzzing after backfiring
• Shaquille O’Neal says another name must be mentioned in GOAT debates along with MJ, Kobe and LeBron

Former Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has praised Kimi Antonelli's performances in the 2026 F1 season, claiming the Italian has completely outclassed his Mercedes teammate George Russell. With a lead of more than 100 points in the Drivers' Championship, Antonelli is now closing in on his first world title, which he could secure as early as this weekend's United States Grand Prix.

The Mercedes youngster has enjoyed a remarkable second season in Formula 1, taking a series of victories during the opening part of the championship and establishing himself as the driver to beat. Russell, who began the year with victory in Australia, has been unable to match his teammate's results over the course of the campaign.

Marko believes Antonelli has outclassed Russell

Speaking to Austrian outlet oe24, Marko expressed his admiration for Antonelli, particularly the way he combines his speed with a more consistent approach than he showed during his rookie season.

"It's wonderful to see how this young lad makes the car fly and the joy with which he celebrates his successes," Marko said.

"He's incredibly fast, and if winning isn't possible, he aims for a good result. Last year, he wasn't as consistent and made several mistakes. This year, however, he's overshadowed Russell. He's outclassed him."

Marko's comments come after a season in which Antonelli has steadily increased his advantage over his teammate. The Italian won four consecutive races early in the year and continued to build his championship lead, despite occasional setbacks.

Photo: Race Pictures

Photo: Race Pictures

Russell has also experienced difficult moments, including reliability problems that cost him valuable points. His retirement from the Canadian Grand Prix was particularly costly, allowing Antonelli to extend his advantage to 43 points at that stage of the season.

By September, the gap had grown considerably. Antonelli's victory at Monza, where he recovered from 19th on the grid, left Russell 66 points behind despite the Briton finishing second.

Russell himself acknowledged the situation after the Italian Grand Prix, admitting that Antonelli deserved to be leading the championship. The Mercedes driver explained that his focus was now on winning individual races rather than worrying about the points deficit.

"Definitely Kimi’s in control of it an. He’s deserving to be in control of it. For me personally, I’m not even thinking about a fight or a comeback or anything. I’m just focused on taking it race by race and trying to maximise every single weekend."

When can Antonelli become F1 world champion?

Antonelli's third-place finish at the Singapore Grand Prix increased his championship advantage over Russell to 102 points, putting him within reach of securing the title at the United States Grand Prix in Austin.

However, the exact scenario depends on the final composition of the 2026 calendar, with the Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix having been subject to uncertainty because of the situation in the Middle East.

If both races remain on the calendar as planned, Antonelli would need three results to go his way to become world champion in Austin: he must win the Grand Prix, Russell must finish ninth or lower, and Lewis Hamilton must finish no higher than fifth.

The situation would be considerably different if Qatar and Abu Dhabi were cancelled and replaced by a single race at Imola, leaving five Grands Prix on the calendar after Austin.

Under that scenario, Antonelli would only need to avoid losing more than two points to Russell, 11 to Hamilton and 19 to Max Verstappen to secure the championship mathematically.

A victory would therefore guarantee him the title, while finishing second or third ahead of Russell would also be enough. Even a lower points finish could see the Mercedes driver crowned champion, depending on the results of his closest rivals. For Antonelli, the title would also end a long wait for Italian motorsport. No Italian driver has won the F1 Drivers' championship since Alberto Ascari in 1953.

Warriors’ Steve Kerr reveals how close Golden State was to landing LeBron James originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Offseason reports indicated the Golden State Warriors were a legitimate suitor to land LeBron James, who decided to leave the Los Angeles Lakers and sign with the Philadelphia 76ers. 

Landing a player of James' caliber would have helped the Warriors a ton, for many reasons. The Warriors not only need more talent on both ends of the floor, but bringing in a guy like James also attracts other free agents. 

It would have let the Warriors make other cheaper moves, help sell jerseys and make money, and ultimately give them a better chance of winning a championship than they have now.

While James might not be the player he once was, given his age, there's still a feeling he can help a championship-caliber team. Pairing him with Stephen Curry would have been must-see TV, though Steve Kerr recently said landing James wasn't as close as some of the media made it out to be.

“It never went wrong,” Kerr said, per the Ringer. 

“We were never really that close. Steph and Dray obviously are friends with him, so they were doing the recruiting. I know LeBron now pretty well from the Olympics, and so I reached out to him during free agency and he’s always really good about responding to texts. He’s one of the guys who you text, you get a response. I just said, ‘Hey, if we have something to chat about, let me know.’ And I never heard back. And I wasn’t offended at all.”

When James became available, people assumed he might be interested in playing in Golden State, given his relationship with Curry, Draymond Green, and Kerr. 

However, it was important to recognize that the likelihood of him going there was low because of the battles he had with the organization early in his career.

More NBA news:

• Warriors get positive Jimmy Butler injury news from Steve Kerr on Opening Night
• Draymond Green hints at retirement heading into 15th NBA season
• NBA insider Shams Charania throws doubt at 76ers and Joel Embiid after recent comments
• Karl-Anthony Towns unlikely to be traded, despite contract problems
• Warriors have perfect Karl-Anthony Towns trade to make if Knicks keep messing around

Minnesota's Anthony Edwards reacts during the Timberwolves' NBA victory over the Miami Heat (Carmen Mandato)

Luka Doncic scored 28 points and Walker Kessler delivered a spectacular 26 as the Los Angeles Lakers launched life after LeBron James with an emphatic 127-105 NBA victory over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday.

Doncic, dubbed the future of the franchise when he arrived from Dallas in February 2025, starts the season as the undisputed leader of the team after superstar James's move to Philadelphia as a free agent in July.

The 27-year-old Slovenian delivered a mission statement in a full-page advertisement in the Los Angeles Times on Wednesday -- telling fans "Tonight we start our run for a championship."

He followed up with an exuberant display against a Warriors team led by 23 points from veteran Stephen Curry.

He answered some chirping from Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg with a halfcourt three-pointer at the first-half buzzer, just one highlight on a night that saw the Lakers lead by as many as 35.

"It was just how everybody played," Doncic said. "I think first quarter our defense wasn't that good, but then after that we just locked in and I think everybody had fun."

Kessler, acquired from Utah in July, made a historic Lakers debut, going a perfect 12 for 12 from the floor with 10 dunks.

"What he did today was unbelievable for us," Doncic said.

The second night of the new season featured an array of familiar faces in new places.

Minnesota star Anthony Edwards erupted for 45 points as the Timberwolves spoiled two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo's Heat debut with a 131-106 triumph in Miami.

Edwards joined Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan as the only players with multiple 40-point season openers.

He teamed seamlessly with new arrival LaMelo Ball, added 10 rebounds and three assists. He had nine of the Timberwolves' 21 three-pointers while Ball, who joined from Charlotte this season, drilled five treys on the way to 21 points.

"At this point, me and him are gonna be like best friends," Edwards said before exchanging a beaming hug with Ball.

Antetokounmpo, the former Bucks talisman who captured one championship and two Most Valuable Player awards in his 13-year tenure in Milwaukee, looked the part, connecting on 13 of 19 attempts from the floor on the way to 35 points with six rebounds.

But the Heat as a whole -- widely tipped as Eastern Conference contenders after landing Antetokounmpo -- had no answer for the Timberwolves.

In Washington, Anthony Davis made his Wizards debut nine months after he was acquired from Dallas in a blockbuster trade and spearheaded a 128-118 victory over the Bucks.

Now recovered from hand and groin injuries, Davis scored 34 points and pulled down 12 rebounds drawing chants of "MVP!" from Wizards fans who suffered through the team's league-worst 17-65 campaign last season and saw top draft pick AJ Dybantsa suffer an ankle injury in the team's pre-season finale.

Trae Young added 20 points and 13 assists in the Wizards' first season-opening win since 2022.

It was back to the future in Toronto, where the Raptors welcomed the return of Kawhi Leonard with a 135-92 blowout of the Chicago Bulls.

Leonard, who led Raptors to their first title in 2019, is back after a trade from the LA Clippers -- a deal delayed by a league probe that found the Clippers and Leonard violated salary-cap circumvention rules, leading to stiff sanctions for the club.

Leonard, Scottie Barnes and Immanuel Quickley scored 23 points each for the Raptors, who led by as many as 48 points in the wire-to-wire triumph.

- Haliburton return -

Indiana guard Tyrese Haliburton, playing his first game since he tore his right Achilles tendon in game seven of the 2025 NBA Finals, scored 13 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter and added 12 assists as the Pacers edged the Pelicans 123-120 in New Orleans.

Haliburton, who put the Pacers ahead for good with a driving basket with 1:23 to play, was overcome with emotion in an on-court postgame interview.

"It means a lot to be back out here," he said, wiping away tears.

Dallas guard Kyrie Irving, playing his first game in more than 19 months after recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament, scored 15 points for the Mavericks in a 128-110 loss to the Houston Rockets.

bb/rcw

‘Doesn’t Play Situational Football,’ ‘Gets His Team in Trouble’ — 4-Time Pro Bowler Boldly Claims 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan Will Never Win a Super Bowl

Leading the San Francisco 49ers to the NFL’s best record at 6-0, Kyle Shanahan has made a strong case as one of the league’s top head coaches. His offensive schemes are also widely mimicked by other coaches and playcallers.

Shanahan has an impressive 88-67 regular-season record, a 56.8% winning percentage, and a 9-5 playoff record.

However, despite leading the 49ers to two Super Bowl appearances, Shanahan has yet to win a championship. And according to one former Pro Bowler, he never will.

Roddy White Predicts Kyle Shanahan Will Never Win a Super Bowl

Before becoming the 49ers’ head coach, Shanahan coordinated the Atlanta Falcons’ offense, including during their 2016 Super Bowl run, which ended in a loss to the New England Patriots.

Roddy White played under Shanahan in Atlanta in 2015. Now, the four-time Pro Bowler and First-Team All-Pro is making a bold prediction about his former offensive coordinator, saying he will never win a Super Bowl.

During an appearance on the “Up and Adams Show,” host Kay Adams directly asked White, “Do you think Kyle (Shanahan) will win a Super Bowl?”

After a long pause, White gave his honest take, even as Adams reminded him that the 49ers were undefeated and Shanahan had already reached the Super Bowl.

“No,” White said. “They start like this every year. That team starts very fast every year. The only time they haven’t started fast is when they had everybody hurt. And this year, they’re still managing to get people hurt, but they’re off to a good start.”

The 49ers have not always started quickly under Shanahan; they were 1-5 through six games in 2018 and 2-4 at the same point in 2021.

“I think, me personally, that he’s a great offensive mind. But in tough situations, in pressure situations, the over-aggressive play calls always give you trouble, and I think that’s just his mentality.”

PREDICT THE NFL SEASON:PFN’s Free NFL Playoff Predictor

White then pointed to Shanahan’s biggest flaw as a play-caller: his struggles with situational football.

“He doesn’t play situational football well,” White explained. “That’s the only thing that I think is really like a knock on his game… That’s what gets his team in trouble when you play against great quarterbacks.”

“When you make it to the Super Bowl, you’re gonna be playing against a great quarterback. Your ability to understand the flow of the game, it’s going to help you win those games.”

While Shanahan can’t control which opponent he faces or which quarterback lines up against him, he can control his play-calling. White believes the 49ers coach needs to rethink his approach, particularly in high-pressure situations.

BE THE GM OF YOUR FAVORITE TEAM:PFN’s Free NFL Mock Draft Simulator

“I think especially if you have to play Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl. That guy has learned from Tom Brady. Just playing him, each and every year, playing him in the Super Bowls, he knows what it takes,” White continued.

“Mahomes can read what’s going on. He knows how to handle those situations, and he always comes out as a winner because he doesn’t give himself an opportunity to lose the game. And I think that Kyle always thinks about, ‘I have to win the game,’ instead of putting his players in the best position to win the game.”

The 49ers are ranked third in PFN’s Offense Impact Score with an 82.4 grade, with quarterback Brock Purdy ranking first in PFN’s QB Impact Score with a 90.8 grade through six weeks.

That’s a pretty harsh take from White on his former offensive coordinator. Still, the issues he pointed out are ones Shanahan could work on if they are really getting in the way of his Super Bowl dreams.

This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.

Punter Nolan Balke (Queen Creek, Arizona/ Casteel High School) was officially honored as a 2027 Navy All-American during a virtual jersey presentation as part of the Road to the Dome tour.

Navy All-American Bowl

Punter Nolan Balke (Queen Creek, Arizona/ Casteel High School) was officially honored as a 2027 Navy All-American during a virtual jersey presentation as part of the Road to the Dome tour.

Desert Dawg

Welcome @NolanBalke27 to the 2027 Navy All-American Bowl @NBCSports#PurpleReign ☔️ #NavyAAB@AmericasNavypic.twitter.com/r0K6L65i3m

— Navy All-American Bowl (@AABonNBC) October 22, 2026

Balke will play in the annual East vs. West matchup inside the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 9, 2027, live on NBC and Peacock, which marks the twenty-seventh anniversary of the event.

The nationwide Road to the Dome tour will honor 100 Navy All-Americans with live and virtual jersey presentations. The series will be released weekly through social platforms across NBC Sports.

Balke was selected by the Navy All-American Bowl Selection Committee, comprised of the All-American Bowl, Andrew Ivins (247Sports), Brandon Huffman (Rivals), and NXGN. Navy All-Americans are eligible for the Navy All-American Bowl Player of the Year Award, Anthony Muñoz Lineman of the Year Award, Navy All-American Bowl Defensive Player of the Year Award, Navy All-American Bowl Man of the Year, and Navy All-American Bowl Game MVP Award.

About the All-American Bowl

As an NBC Sports-owned property, the All-American Bowl is part of a marquee lineup of elite events that includes the Olympics and Paralympics, the NBA, WNBA, Major League Baseball, Notre Dame Football, the Premier League, and primetime’s #1 show for an unprecedented 15 consecutive years: Sunday Night Football. The All-American Bowl is annually the most-watched, most-talked about, and most-prestigious high school all-star event with more than four million unique television viewers and more than 25,000 fans in attendance. The history and tradition of the All-American Bowl is unparalleled, as it features: 665 draft picks; 110 Super Bowl champions; 300 Pro Bowl selections; and 18 Heisman finalists. For more information, visit nbcsports.com/college-football/navy-all-american-bowl or follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram (@AABonNBC).

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Chris Finch isn’t worried about Heat’s Giannis, Bam Adebayo playing together appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Miami Heat’s trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo was met with healthy criticism from fans. While Antetokounmpo is still a top-five player in the league at worst, the fit between him and the rest of the team was questionable. In particular, fans and critics wondered if Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo’s playstyles would mesh well.

The Heat’s first game of the season might not inspire much confidence in the duo working out. However, Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch has faith that the new duo will figure it out eventually. After their win against Miami, here’s what the Timberwolves head coach had to say about Antetokounmpo and Adebayo.

“They’ll figure out how to play off each other really well,” Finch said. “It just takes time. I mean, trying to mesh bigs is a lot harder. I’ve done it many times. It’s a lot harder to mesh bigs than it is to mesh smalls. And a lot of that just has to do with spacing and understanding that. And whatever that is in their offense, I can’t speak to that. But it’ll happen for them, and they’re gonna be able to handle them now.”

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Finch knows his stuff about trying to piece together an offense with two bigs. Previous iterations of the Timberwolves featured some combination of Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert, and Julius Randle. While the dynamics are different from what the Heat are dealing with, Finch knows that this type of stuff takes time.

Antetokounmpo had an excellent debut for the Heat, scoring 35 points on relatively efficient shooting along with six boards. However, aside from him, no other player on Miami scored more than 20 points. Adebayo had 15 points as the next-best scorer, but it was clear from how the offense moved that both stars were still uncomfortable with less space. Miami’s shooters also struggled from three-point range, making just eight of their 33 attempts from deep.

There’s reason to believe that the Heat’s shooters will bounce back after this game. However, it’s also painfully clear that the offense needs to figure out their spacing to truly maximize Antetokounmpo and Adebayo’s strengths. The Heat will take on the Detroit Pistons on Friday.

Related: Giannis Antetokounmpo calls out issues in his regular-season Heat debut vs. Timberwolves

Related: 35-point Giannis Antetokounmpo Heat debut wasn’t enough for Miami to beat the Timberwolves

Where to watch figure skating Grand Prix de France: Schedule, times, channels, live streams for 2026 event originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The International Skating Union's 2026-27 Grand Prix series will kick off in France this weekend, marking the first of six events for the season.

Many of the top skaters in the world, including several Olympic medalists, will return to competition over the coming months. Athletes will be scattered across different events, each only skating twice as they attempt to qualify for December's Grand Prix Final.

There will be plenty of American talents to look out for this weekend in France. While Olympic champion Alyssa Liu is taking the season off, fans can expect to see other top skaters like Jacob Sanchez, Jimmy Ma, Christina Carreira, Anthony Ponomarenko, Sarah Everhardt and more on the ice. 

Be sure to tune in for all the action from Angers, France.

Here's everything you need to know about the 2026 Grand Prix de France, including TV channel and streaming options for the annual figure skating competition.

Where to watch Grand Prix de France 2026: TV channels, live streams

• TV channels: NBCSN,NBC (encore presentation)
• Live streams:Peacock, Fubo (encore presentation)

Viewers can stream the entire competition on Peacock. Saturday's encore presentation will air on NBC and can be streamed on Fubo.

Peacock features live coverage of NFL Sunday Night Football, the NBA, the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Premier League soccer, Big Ten football and basketball, Notre Dame football, Big East and Big 12 basketball, PGA Tour golf, the Tour de France and more.

Fubo offers a free trial for new subscribers, so you can try the service before you buy. Stream ESPN, ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and 100+ top channels of live TV and sports without cable. (Participating plans only. Taxes and fees may apply.)

Grand Prix de France TV schedule 2026DateEventTime (ET)TV/Live streamOct. 23Rhythm DanceNoonPeacockWomen's Short1:50 p.m.PeacockOct. 24Men's Short6:30 a.m.PeacockFree Dance8:20 a.m.PeacockPairs' ShortNoonPeacockWomen's Free1:30 p.m.PeacockHighlights4 p.m.NBC, FuboHighlights9 p.m.NBCSN, PeacockOct. 25Pairs' Free6:30 a.m.PeacockMen's Free8 a.m.NBCSN, PeacockExhibition Gala2:30 p.m.PeacockGrand Prix of Figure Skating schedule 2026

The Grand Prix de France is the first of six stops in the Grand Prix series, which runs through early December.

DatesEventLocationOct. 23-25Grand Prix de FranceAngers, FranceOct. 30 - Nov. 1Skate Canada InternationalKelowna, CanadaNov. 6-8Cup of ChinaShenzhen, ChinaNov. 13-15Skate AmericaEverett, WANov. 20-22Finlandia TrophyHelsinki, FinlandNov. 27-29NHK Trophy Tokyo, JapanDec. 10-13Grand Prix FinalChongqing, China

Sunderland's Kevin Danso, Granit Xhaka and Enzo Le Fee during a training session at the Academy Of Light, Sunderland. Picture date: Wednesday October 21, 2026. (Photo by Owen Humphreys/PA Images via Getty Images) | PA Images via Getty Images

Stats at a glance: Poznan (A) Europa League: 22/10/2026

Average home goals predicted: 0.75

Average away goals predicted: 1.6

Confidence of Roker Report’s writers: 4.9/10

Predicting a win for the Lads: 50%

Martin Wanless (Cautious Optimist) says…

Score prediction: Poznan 1 Sunderland 1

I don’t know whether we just go all in for the Europa league now and see what happens in the Premier League, or we need to rotate heavily today and rest players for Sunday.

Mind, given the lack of effort at Bournemouth there won’t be many needing a rest.

Hopefully we’ll avoid defeat and more importantly play with something resembling some intensity and desire.

Key differentiator: Bitting

Confidence: 3/10

Bold call:We’ll pass the ball to someone moving, and they’ll continue to moving forward with the ball.

Malc Dugdale (Scarred happy clapper) says…

Score prediction: Poznan 0 Sunderland 2

I have learned over the years never to base anything around Sunderland AFC on stats. Just when you expect us to lose we tend to show up and win, and when you expect a win, we often dont.

I think in the aftermath of Bournemouth we will rally and get a decent win. Hopefully the situation we are in fires up the players and encourages the coach to do something to kick start our form in the Premier league by making it three wins in three in the Europa.

I have nothing to base this on other than typical SAFC weird behaviour, blind faith and a lot of hope, but I’ll go with that.

Key differentiator:We simply have to learn from the defensive errors, and I think this will make us tight in Poland, but better on the break

Confidence: 5/10

Bold call:At least one scorer for SAFC will have a visible tash ready for Movember.

Jack Howe-Gingell (Eternal optimist) says…

Score prediction: Poznan 0 Sunderland 2

We need to get back to better performances. That’s it.

I’m not sure what’s causing it but back to back lack-lustre showings is understandably causing cause for concern, but ours lads can arrest that.

I’m unsure what kind of rotation we will see, with another big game on Sunday against Leeds. What I do know is that winning is always useful and we need to try and do that.

Poznań are second domestically, but have lost both of their opening Europa League games by a four goal margin, with a poor performing Crystal Palace even getting in on it.

Key differentiator: Poznań for their league form are of a different standard. I think we will have too much for them, and there will some wanting to prove a point.

Confidence: 7/10

Bold call:Both our goals inside the first ten minutes.

“Champion” Will Jones (Heart over head) says…

Score prediction: Poznan 1 Sunderland 3

Well, Bournemouth was a bit of a disaster. Two goals conceded, a defensive calamity and Danso getting sent off after just 17 minutes. Not exactly the sort of performance you want going into another away trip, but thankfully we don’t have long to dwell on it.

Back in Europe, hopefully the lads can put things right. Poznań will be a tough place to go, but Thursday is a chance to get that confidence back and remind ourselves what this team can do. Maybe I’m being hopelessly optimistic, but I fancy us to turn it around and come home with a big three points.

Key differentiator: We need to cut out the defensive mistakes and show a bit more composure at the back.

Confidence: 5/10

Bold call:Sunderland score from a corner, a penalty and a goal from outside the box, with all three goals coming from players who started on the bench against Bournemouth. Absolute European nonsense.

Matty Foster (Pragmatist) says…

Score prediction: Poznan 1 Sunderland 1

We’ve fared better in Europe than we have in the league that’s for sure. And whilst we’ve won both games so far, I think this will be the toughest so far, for travel and fatigue alone.

Will be happy to remain unbeaten, and keep ourselves on track to be in the upper reaches of the table.

Whilst Thursday was a magical moment in our history, I reckon the tired legs will show in this.

Key differentiator: It will be dependant on what changes are made in the squad. Something needs switching up tonight.

Confidence: 6/10

Bold call:Both goals will be scored after 80 minutes

Anthony Gair (Depreciating optimist) says…

Score prediction: Poznan 1 Sunderland 1

My confidence is waning in our team, and we’re off to volatile Poznan for a wild night in Poland to try and fix the issues we’re having as a team.

I think Regis will play an understrength squad with us being bottom of the Premier League table, putting his focus on trying to survive.

This being the case, we’ll field a youthful, energetic side which will concede due to naivety, but nick one at the other end.

Key differentiator: Basically what the lineup is. If we field a strong side, we’ll win. If we field young’uns, we’ll draw.

Confidence: 2/10

Bold call:We’ll have more than 5 corners in the first half.

Gary Winter (Glass almost empty) says…

Score prediction: Poznan 1 Sunderland 1

I’m trying to convince myself this is a nice distraction from our disastrous league start, but I can’t help but look at the league table and ahead to Leeds at the weekend, with some concern I might add.

Poznan are doing well in the league but have taken two thumpings in Europe.

Ordinarily, I would think we should win this game, but it could go any way depending on our reaction.

Key differentiator: I can’t see us fielding a side close to our strongest available with one eye on Leeds. We might bring a few starters on with 15 minutes or so left but we probably won’t be as fortunate again as we were in Leiria.

Confidence: 6/10

Bold call:Two or more goals scored between 45-67 minutes.

Brett Lyons-Davis (Gut feeling guy) says…

Score prediction: Poznan 1 Sunderland 2

Well it’s all gone a bit crap the lads need a reaction and vs a Poznan team who have lost both there first two Europa games, this is the game to do it.

(I’m ignoring they are second with a game in hand and won 6-1 at the weekend)

Key differentiator: We are unstoppable in Europe

Confidence: 5/10

Bold call: There will be no European goal scorers but all bookings will be European.

Last game thoughts…

The performance at the weekend needs to have a line drawn under it, and huge lessons learned from it.

The road to recovery starts in Poland, and if we can get a win we will be well on the way to the knockout stages, and hopefully we will also work out how the hell we sort out the lads for Leeds in the Prem at the weekend.

A certain manager had an issue like ours last season, and he sorted that out with a few changes in bodies and shape.

Lets use Poznan to see what our options are and lets see Regis show us that anything Daniel can do…

Last game predictions…

A number of the lads backed us to get something at Bournemouth, and were hence even more disappointed than the rest of the fan base.

Gair went from mega optimist to mega pessimist and has grabbed three valuable points to hoist him up the table.

Predictions table and standings

Gary overtakes Matty to top the table after getting a point, and Matty taking a deduction for tardy submissions twice in 2 weeks.

Gair joins Will in 3rd and immediately staunches a nose bleed given his elevation in the table compared to past norms.

The chasing pack isn’t far behind, apart from Jack who is having an Omar moment of his own.

How the points are awarded

Just a quick reminder of how we allocate points to our match-by-match predictions:

• Correct score = Three points
• Correct outcome (but not correct score) = One point
• Correct Bold Call = One point
• Possible deductions for being lazy and not submitting on time = a two-point deduction.

Sunderland supporters cheer after their second goal during the Europa League round 1 day 2 football match between SCU Torreense and Sunderland AFC at the Dr. Magalhaes Pessoa Stadium in Leiria on October 15, 2026. (Photo by FILIPE AMORIM / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images

HAVE YOU GOT SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT SUNDERLAND? Drop us an email and we’ll feature it here on the website in the next edition of Fan Letters! You can find us on RokerReport@Yahoo.co.uk

Dear Roker Report,

As a Sunderland supporter living in Dorset, I was lucky enough to get a ticket in the away end for the Bournemouth game. I know we self-destructed at Bournemouth, but there were already too many rumblings of discontent in the away end for my liking.

Everyone can see that we are not playing well, but let’s not forget that these players gave us one of the most memorable seasons in the history of Sunderland Football Club last season. These players don’t become bad players overnight.

Having said that, before the Bournemouth game, although we had lost our last three games, these were against the top three teams in the strongest league in the world, and on no occasion were we outclassed or outplayed.

Now more than ever, the players, the management and the ownership need our support, not our criticism.

Steve Williamson

Ed’s Note [Gav]: There’s no doubt that last season was special, and the players deserve enormous credit for what they achieved. Nobody should forget that, nor should we underestimate how difficult it is to establish ourselves in the Premier League.

However, last season’s achievements cannot give the team a free pass when performances fall below the required standard. Supporting Sunderland doesn’t mean we have to pretend everything is fine when it clearly isn’t.

You’re right that the games against the top three were difficult fixtures, and Sunderland weren’t necessarily outclassed in those matches. The performances against Ipswich and Bournemouth, though, were much harder to defend, particularly the manner of the defeat at Bournemouth.

The frustration in the away end is understandable. Supporters travel considerable distances, spend their hard-earned money and want to see the team compete. They’re entitled to express their concerns when that doesn’t happen.

That doesn’t mean the players should be written off, or that we should forget what they’ve achieved. But support and criticism aren’t mutually exclusive. You can appreciate what a team has done while expecting better from it.

The important thing now is how Sunderland respond. The players and management need the supporters behind them, but they also need to give those supporters something to believe in again.

Dear Roker Report,

I find it slightly ironic that there is some negativity around Sunderland’s start to the season.

The irony is that this is the start many predicted we’d have last season, and where many were also concerned that second-season syndrome and the demands of European football would see us struggle this season.

So eventually, the pundits and experts got it right. So why should anyone be shocked or overly disappointed about where we stand? It’s surely what was anticipated!

Expectation, or too much expectation, mustn’t influence our thinking. We’re right where we deserve to be. Even Mukiele and Xhaka have said it, so now is not the time for too much finger-pointing.

It has been a poor start, but we have played the top three and actually did OK in all three games. Ipswich was disappointing and Bournemouth very poor, but we had games like that last season too – at Burnley, West Ham, Brentford, Forest at home and Port Vale in the cup.

This season, we came into it having had 13 players away on World Cup duty and an opening fixture list that everyone recognised as difficult.

We just need to stay together (club and supporters), resist the temptation for overly dramatic inquests and, heaven forbid, personnel changes (we know how that usually turns out). With players returning from injury and a kinder set of fixtures ahead, we should see some better results materialise and move back up the table.

Stay calm.

Derek Cox

Ed’s Note [Gav]: There’s certainly an argument that Sunderland’s current position is closer to what many people expected before the season started than last year’s performances might have suggested. We’ve faced a difficult opening run, players have been away on international duty, and adapting to the demands of European football was always likely to present challenges.

However, just because some people predicted a difficult season doesn’t mean we should automatically accept every poor performance as inevitable. Expectations should be realistic, but they shouldn’t be so low that we excuse standards slipping.

The defeats against the top sides need to be considered in context, and there were positives in those performances. Ipswich was disappointing, while Bournemouth was a significant concern. The manner of that defeat, in particular, raised questions that go beyond simply losing a football match.

And you’re right – Sunderland had poor performances last season, too. Every team does. The question is whether the current problems are isolated setbacks or signs of something that needs addressing. It’s too early to reach a definitive conclusion, but it’s reasonable to ask the question.

I agree that knee-jerk reactions and unnecessary personnel changes rarely help. Stability matters, and the club deserves time to work through a difficult period. But staying together doesn’t mean avoiding scrutiny or pretending concerns don’t exist.

Hopefully, players returning from injury and a more favourable run of fixtures will help Sunderland find their rhythm. Ultimately, the best way to calm the debate is on the pitch.

Stay calm, certainly – but let’s also be honest about what we’re seeing.

Dear Roker Report,

This season, we have four points. Against the exact same teams last season, we had two points. The only exception is Ipswich, so I swapped that result with another promoted team, Burnley. We lost that game too.

It is too early to panic. Ask me again after 10 games.

The main trouble that I can see is that we don’t have a winger who can beat his man on the outside. The very expensive ones we have bought can’t do it, so they have to cut back inside, where it is packed, and lose the ball. Talbi?

Also, what has happened to the fight? I can’t remember a thunderous tackle, which was great to see last season. Hume?

Gerald Kearney

Ed’s Note [Gav]: There’s a sensible point behind your comparison with last season. Four points from the opening fixtures doesn’t necessarily tell the whole story, particularly when the opposition and circumstances are taken into account. It’s too early to panic, and judging a team after ten games is a more reasonable approach than drawing firm conclusions after every result.

However, the concern isn’t simply the number of points Sunderland have collected. It’s the way some of the performances have unfolded, particularly against Ipswich and Bournemouth. Results can be explained by the quality of the opposition, but a lack of intensity, creativity or organisation is harder to overlook.

We need players capable of creating something in one-on-one situations, stretching defences and providing a different attacking threat. If opponents can anticipate that our wide players will cut inside, it becomes easier to crowd the central areas and limit our options. Talbi is certainly one player most of us fans will be looking towards to provide more of that threat, but he’s clearly not fancied at the minute. Honestly, I reckon Reggie would solve a lot of his problems by just giving him another chance, but there’s clearly something going on there that we haven’t heard the full story about.

The question of fight is equally important. Nobody expects Sunderland to dominate every game in the Premier League, but supporters do expect commitment, aggression and a willingness to compete. Those qualities were a significant part of what made last season so enjoyable, and it’s understandable that their apparent absence in recent performances has caused frustration.

That said, we shouldn’t confuse a lack of crunching tackles with a lack of effort in every instance. There are different ways to compete, and the real issue is whether Sunderland are matching their opponents’ intensity and showing the determination required at this level.

It’s too early to write the team off. But the next few games need to show signs of improvement, both in the quality of the football and in the attitude the team brings to the pitch.

POZNAN, POLAND - OCTOBER 18: General view of Lech Poznan fans during the PKO BP Ekstraklasa 2026/27 match between Lech Poznan and Korona Kielce at Stadion Poznan on October 18, 2026 in Poznan, Poland. (Photo by Ernest Kolodziej/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images) | Getty Images Thursday 22nd October 2026Lech Poznań v Sunderland – Europa LeaguePoznań Stadium – Kick-Off: 17:45Match Coverage

TV/Stream: Full live match coverage is available via TNT Sports.

Radio: Full live match commentary available via BBC Radio Newcastle (not online)

It’ll no doubt still be a party over in Poland as our European adventure takes us to Poznań, but it’s getting a little bit weird.

If we want a bit of escapism from the Premier League at the moment, then it’s a perfect tonic. Looking at the Europa League table at the moment, we are one of ten sides currently sitting on maximum points. This puts us above the likes of upcoming opponents AC Milan and on the same points as Juventus.

If we remind ourselves of the journey we’ve been on, then that’s a reason to celebrate. But the fact that we’ve hit rock bottom of the Premier League following the type of performance we saw at Bournemouth does cast a slight shadow over the evening.

If we’d had a different start to the bread and butter of the domestic league, then there would be different conversations. With points on the board, we might be a little happier to play a stronger side and take a risk or two with players carrying knocks. But Sunday already looms large over this fixture and the decisions made around it. Should we pick up an injury or two and be weakened at the weekend, questions will inevitably be asked.

On the other hand, with the make-up of the European squad list and the lack of depth beyond that, there may potentially be a worse-case scenario than being knocked out, and that’s the additional fixtures a play-off would bring.

As I mentioned earlier, none of these conversations may have entered the equation had we been more awake from the off at Ipswich, taken our early chances at Brentford, taken something from one of the big boys, come out focused after the break against Brighton, or actually turned up at all at Bournemouth. But they have.

We’ll enjoy it because we don’t know when we’ll be here again, but tonight’s fixture will be viewed through the lens of asking how it can help us on Sunday.

As we’ve said, our next adventure takes us to Poland and its fifth-largest city, Poznań. We’re taking on their football team, Lech Poznań, who are currently second in the Polish top division, the Ekstraklasa.

They are ten-time champions of the Polish league, and they’ve won it three times in the last five seasons. Their record in Europe hasn’t been great, but they did reach the quarter-finals of the Europa Conference League a few years ago. Alongside regaining their title, you would think progression in this competition would be high on their to-do list.

However, they find themselves bottom of the Europa League table after coming through the hardships of the qualifying rounds and a play-off. Their two games in the league stage have both ended in 4-0 defeats, the first away to Crystal Palace and the second in their own back yard against Leverkusen.

On paper, if we have ambitions in the competition, then we should be picking up maximum points, but as we know, it doesn’t work out like that.

The betting…

The bookies have the Lads at 4/6 to win the game, while Poznan are 18/5 for the victory, and the draw is 29/10.

Quarterback Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears host the New England Patriots on Thursday at 5 p.m. (Prime Video) (David Dermer, FRE / Associated Press)

THURSDAY

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

4p Liberty at Kennesaw State CBSSN

4p James Madison at Appalachian State ESPNU

4:30p East Carolina at Memphis ESPN2

COLLEGE SOCCER

3p Women: Penn State at Michigan State Big Ten

4p Women: Auburn at Florida SEC Net

6p Women: Texas A&M at Missouri SEC Net

GOLF

10a PGA: Bermuda Championship Golf Ch.

7p LPGA: BMW Ladies Championship Golf Ch.

GYMNASTICS

10:30a World championships: men's all-around final NBCSN Peacock

HORSE RACING

10a America's Day at the Races FS2

1p America's Day at the Races FS2

NBA

4p Cleveland at Philadelphia ESPN

6:30p Denver at Oklahoma City ESPN

NFL

5p New England at Chicago Prime Video (1050)

NHL

4p Sharks at Ottawa NBCSCA

SOCCER

7:50a U-17 Women's World Cup: Spain vs. Australia FS2

10a Europa League: Juventus vs. Stade Rennais CBSSN

10:50a U-17 Women's World Cup: United States vs. Kenya FS2

Noon Europa League: Bournemouth vs. AC Milan CBSSN

TENNIS

7a Brussels-ATP, Lyon-ATP & Almaty-ATP T2

7:30p Brussels-ATP, Lyon-ATP, Almaty-ATP, Osaka-WTA & Ningbo-WTA Tennis Ch.

10p Brussels-ATP, Lyon-ATP, Almaty-ATP, Osaka-WTA & Ningbo-WTA T2

3a Fri Brussels-ATP, Lyon-ATP, Almaty-ATP, Osaka-WTA & Ningbo-WTA Tennis Ch. T2

FRIDAY

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

4p   Duke at Virginia ESPN

4p   Massachusetts at UConn CBSSN

4p   Yale at Pennsylvania ESPNU

5:30p   Army at Tulsa ESPN2

6p   Air Force at Wyoming KRON (4)

7:30p   NC State at Stanford ESPN (1050)

COLLEGE SOCCER

3pWomen: Stanford at North CarolinaACC Net

5p Men: North Carolina at Duke ACC Net

COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL

4pIndiana at Ohio State Big Ten

6pWashington at WisconsinBig Ten

GOLF

10a   PGA: Bermuda Championship Golf Ch.

1p   PGA Champions: Stifel Charity Classic Golf Ch.

7p   LPGA: BMW Ladies Championship Golf Ch.

GYMNASTICS

10:30aWorld championships: women's all-around final NBCSN Peacock

HORSE RACING

11aBreeders Crown FS2

5pBreeders Crown FS1

MOTOR SPORTS

9:30a   NASCAR trucks: Love's RV Stop 225 qualifying FS2

10:10aF1: U.S. Grand Prix practiceApple TV

1p   NASCAR trucks: Love's RV Stop 225 FS1

1:30pF1: U.S. Grand Prix practiceApple TV

8:55p   MotoGP: Grand Prix of Australia sprint race FS2

NBA

4pNew York at Boston Prime Video

6:30pHouston at San AntonioPrime Video

7pMemphis at Warriors NBCSBA (95.7)

NHL

5p   Montreal at Chicago NHL Net

SOCCER

6:15aSaudi League: Al Faisaly vs. Al Nassr FS2

Noon EPL: Ipswich Town vs. Nottingham Forest USA

Noon EFL Championship: Bolton vs. Middlesbrough CBSSN

7pNWSL: North Carolina at PortlandPrime Video

TENNIS

6aBrussels-ATP, Lyon-ATP, Almaty-ATP, Osaka-WTA & Ningbo-WTA T2

8pOsaka-WTA semifinals Tennis Ch.  

MidNingbo-WTA semifinalsT2

3a SatBrussels-ATP, Lyon-ATP, Almaty-ATP, & Ningbo-WTA Tennis Ch.T2

WORLD SERIES

5p Game 1: Tampa Bay at Milwaukee KTVU (2) KTXL (40)

SubscribeThere’s more to San Francisco with the Chronicle. Subscribe today for just 25¢.

This article originally published at Bay Area sports calendar, Oct. 22-23.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Golden State center Kristaps Porzingis is not expected to be around the Warriors after all as he deals with an undisclosed health matter.

The Warriors announced Wednesday that Porzingis isn't going to be with the team for “the immediate future.”

When asked ahead of the Warriors' season opener on the road against the Lakers what had changed, coach Steve Kerr didn't provide details.

“I don't know,” he said. “I don't really have anything to add on this. I haven't seen him and we've stayed in touch via text and a phone call. But we put out the statement today and there's not much more to it. We don't really know.”

This is a contrast from exactly a week earlier. The Warriors last Wednesday said Porzingis had come to Chase Center on Oct. 13 for meetings with general manager Mike Dunleavy and Vice President of Player Health and Performance Dr. Rick Celebrini and that he would spend time with staff and teammates in some capacity while still out indefinitely.

“We are not going to comment on trade speculation or reports regarding his health-related matter or future,” the team said Wednesday. “As noted last week, conversations between the Warriors, Kristaps and his representatives will remain private. We are not anticipating Kristaps being around the team in the immediate future. We’ll provide additional updates when available and appropriate.”

Porzingis also had provided his own update last Wednesday on social media.

“Hello people, I’m working with doctors and experts to figure out how to be fully back to good health asap. Honestly, I’m getting better and better. I just have to stay patient, and I believe I’ll be feeling great again soon,” he wrote.

“It has definitely been frustrating dealing with some health stuff that you can’t exactly pinpoint, on top of injuries throughout my career, so it has added up for sure, but we will get through it. Health is wealth. Thank you for all the support.”

On media day last month, Dunleavy provided no details on what Porzingis is dealing with and didn't categorize it as a long-term concern.

Porzingis didn’t travel with the team to Hawaii for training camp. In March when he missed time with a medical issue and illness, Kerr referred to it as “mysterious.”

Porzingis reached an agreement on a two-year, $40 million contract in late June.

The 31-year-old Latvian joined Golden State at the February trade deadline from Atlanta in a swap that sent Buddy Hield and Jonathan Kuminga to the Hawks.

The 7-foot-2 veteran played only 32 games last season combined with the Hawks and Warriors, averaging 16.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.2 blocks. Porzingis missed significant time after coming to the Warriors — his sixth NBA team — playing in just 15 games with 11 starts.

___

AP Sports Writer Greg Beacham in Los Angeles contributed.

___

See AP’s full NBA coverage here

Wolcott's Brayden Wyner, center, at the midpoint of the boys race at the Naugatuck Valley League cross country championships at Veterans Memorial Park in Watertown on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. (Steve Barlow/For Hearst Connecticut Media)

WATERTOWN - At first glance, Wednesday's Naugatuck Valley League cross country championships held at Veterans Park might have looked like a rerun of last year: A runner named DeLuise captured a first-place plaque and a Watertown team ended a long victory drought.

But it wasn't exactly the same.

The DeLuise who won Wednesday was Callie, an Oxford junior who's the sister of 2025 boys champion Joseph DeLuise, who graduated. Callie took the crown by pulling away from Avah Hoxhallari of Watertown over the last mile to remain unbeaten against NVL foes.

And the Watertown team that ended a long dry spell was the girls, who captured the Warriors' first NVL team championship in 20 years while also snapping a three-year string of wins by Holy Cross.

The Watertown boys, who won a year ago for the first time since 2012, made sure it wouldn't take that long again by repeating as champions. And in the boys individual race, Wolcott junior Brayden Wyner outraced Naugatuck's Andrew DoNascimento to the finish line to win by just under six seconds.

Callie DeLuise finished fourth in 2025 in her first year of running cross country. With all three girls ahead of her graduating, this figured to be her year in the NVL. Aside from second place at the Nonnewaug Invitational and third place at the Wickham Invitational, she has won every outing.

She has raced Hoxhallari, a Watertown sophomore, four times this year and is 4-0. Wednesday, the two girls quickly put distance between themselves and the pack. Hoxhallari stayed a few paces behind DeLuise until the Oxford girl pulled away to win in 19:36.56. Hoxhallari was second in 19:48.35, with Wolcott junior Lily Ruscz third in 20:56.68.

"I went out fast and tried to see how long I could hold it," said DeLuise, who was well off her personal best of 19:13 after being sick over the weekend. "I did feel a little pressure halfway through, but I just kicked the last mile and felt pretty good with that."

She left Hoxhallari baffled about how to beat her.

"I have no clue," she said. "She's just a natural, and her amazing coach keeps her in great shape."

"She's a very strong aerobic runner," said her coach and father, Joseph DeLuise Sr. "She's very self-motivated. You lay out a workout, and she doesn't whine. She doesn't groan. She says, ‘OK, what can I do next to get better?' On her own, she decided to start doing double threshold workouts this year, which is a lot for someone going to school."

Hoxhallari could take comfort in leading the Warriors to a milestone triumph. A year ago, Watertown nearly beat Holy Cross. This year, it returned five runners from that squad.

Besides Hoxhallari, Lily Roberts took fourth and Madison Grimes 10th for Watertown, followed by Ana Correia in 17th, Alexis Crofford 21st, Emily Cronan 22nd and Olivia Rosario 27th. Their 39 points beat the Crusaders with 55. Woodland was third with 72.

"The girls really persevered and came through for each other," said Watertown coach Brian Lafontaine. "We've been runner-up six times in the past 11 years. We've had a lot of great races against great teams and just come up short. I think that was extra motivation."

The boys were in a different situation. Instead of returning most of the squad, the Warriors had graduated five all-league runners. But Watertown also placed nine of the top 10 in last year's JV race, so there was young talent on the team.

How did they pull off the victory again?

"That's on the kids. They wanted to repeat," Lafontaine said. "In the JV race last year, we took a lot of positives out of that. We had a lot of good performances, and they used that ‘next man up' mentality and got it done."

Two Warriors finished in the top 10: Nino Mattei in eighth and Chad Feliciano in 10th. Aiden Benjamin was 13th, and Jacob Goncalves, Tiege Gavallas and William Gauthier bunched together at 22nd, 23rd and 24th, respectively. Jacoby Rooney took 43rd.

They finished with 76 points to runner-up Naugatuck's 97. WCA was third with 102.

For Wyner, Wednesday's race was a chance to turn the tables on DoNascimento after losing to him by only two seconds just eight days before. It was the second time Wyner had lost to the Naugatuck junior this fall.

He flip-flopped their finish this time by keeping his foot off the throttle at the start.

"He usually goes out super fast, but he decided to hold back a little, which is why his kick was great," said Wolcott coach Becky Riviezzo. "He really was focused the last two weeks in his workouts, knowing his kick is where he needed to work. It showed today."

Midway through the race, a pack of four led the field. Ultimately, it came down to DoNascimento and Wyner. As they reached the final straightaway, Wyner went past DoNascimento to win in 17:04.21, less than six seconds ahead of DoNascimento (17:09.80). Naugy senior Adin Hasipi was third in 17:22.75.

"In the beginning, I was going more for place than time. I just wanted to stay to the front," said Wyner, who was 14th in this race as a sophomore. "Toward the end, I sped up. I was worried he would speed up."

"I went out too hard at the start," said DoNascimento, who improved from sixth last year. "I couldn't hold onto the pace. I couldn't handle it at the end."

NVL championships

Boys

Team results:Watertown 76, Naugatuck 97, WCA 102, Wolcott 114, Holy Cross 118, Woodland 120, Oxford 126, Derby 188, Seymour 222, Torrington 254, Crosby 326, Kennedy 365.

Individual Top 10:1. Brayden Wyner (Wol) 17:04.21; 2. Andrew DoNascimento (N) 17:09.80; 3. Adin Hasipi (N) 17:22.75; 4. Jordan Thomas (WCA) 17:27.87; 5. Benjamin Ciasulli (O) 17:31.30; 6. Chase Olmo (HC) 17:46.23; 7. Jake Sandberg (Wood) 17:53.77; 8. Nino Mattei (Wat) 18:01.07; 9. Colton Roginielewicz (S) 18:09.18; 10. Chad Feliciano (Wat) 18:12.80.

Girls

Team results:Watertown 39, Holy Cross 55, Woodland 72, WCA 86, Derby 114, Naugatuck 146.

Individual Top 10: 1. Callie DeLuise (O) 19:36.56; 2. Avah Hoxhallari (Wat) 19:48.35; 3. Lily Ruscz (Wol) 20:56.68; 4. Lily Roberts (Wat) 21:00.21; 5. Sofia Alonzo (HC) 21:08.45; 6. Ella Iannone (Wood) 21:34.46; 7. Giavanna Prince (WCA) 22:03.68; 8. Allie Obuobi-Djan (WCA) 22:07.53; 9. Madeline Saunders (HC) 22:22.12; 10. Madison Grimes (Wat) 22:44.87.

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This article originally published at Oxford's DeLuise, Wolcott's Wyner win NVL cross country titles; Watertown sweeps team crowns.

If you ever watch a NASCAR race at the Talladega Superspeedway, you will often hear about “The Big One.” Oftentimes, the TV announcers before a superspeedway race will say it is not if “The Big One” will occur, it is when it will.

“The Big One” is a common phrase used in NASCAR to describe any massive, multi-car crash. While the definition of “The Big One” is subjective, it is normally used to describe a crash of 10 or more cars.

With the bumper-to-bumper, drafting-style of racing seen at superspeedways like Daytona and Talladega, “The Big One” is almost bound to happen because of how close the cars are running next to each other and the high rates of speed.

History of ‘The Big One’ in NASCAR And Where They Are Often Seen

The late Bob Jenkins was one of the first NASCAR announcers to coin “The Big One” term. As a massive pileup ensued in the 1998 Winston 500 at Talladega, Jenkins said:

“This is the big one that we had hoped we would not have.”

NASCAR Hall of Famer and former TV color commentator Darrell Waltrip famously used the term as well. During a multi-car crash on the backstretch in the 2001 Daytona 500, Waltrip said:

“It’s the big one, gang, it’s the big one. It’s what we’ve all been fearing in this kind of racing is going to happen.”

One of the notable “Big Ones” that have happened in recent memory was in the 2024 YellaWood 500 at Talladega. With five laps remaining, a 28-car pileup ensued on the backstretch of the 2.66-mile track. In terms of total amount of cars involved, it was the largest crash in NASCAR’s modern era.

Another recent “Big One” occurred in the Jack Link’s 500 at Talladega earlier this year. After Bubba Wallace got turned out of the lead heading into turn 3, it caused a 26-car crash.

Chances are at Daytona and Talladega, “The Big One” is right around the corner.

Talladega Could Massively Shake Up NASCAR Cup Championship

The NASCAR Cup Series circuit heads to the Talladega Superspeedway this weekend for the eighth race of the Chase. With the unpredictability of Talladega and the looming “Big One” at any moment, the battle for the championship could see a massive shake-up this Sunday.

Here is a look at the Chase standings ahead of the YellaWood 500:

1. Kyle Larson — LEADER
2. Christopher Bell — (-5)
3. Chase Briscoe — (-24)
4. Denny Hamlin — (-31)
5. Ryan Blaney — (-40)
6. Joey Logano — (-44)
7. Tyler Reddick — (-56)
8. Austin Cindric — (-130)
9. Ty Gibbs — (-132)
10. Chase Elliott — (-149)
11. Carson Hocevar — (-158)
12. Bubba Wallace — (-162)
13. Daniel Suarez — (-188)
14. William Byron — (-190)
15. Chris Buescher — (-204)
16. Ryan Preece — (-211)

The YellaWood 500 is scheduled for Sunday, October 25 at 2 p.m. ET. It can be watched on NBC or listened to on the Motor Racing Network.

Illinois basketball is officially back…kind of. 

It was Cincinnati, it didn’t count, and Brad Underwood played 12 guys like he was running a science experiment. 

The Illini gave up 96 points, and Underwood himself said they didn’t even scout. If you’re nitpicking for a reason to overreact, I guess you could find one. 

However, the freshman class is one of the many reasons you should believe. 

The retention was real this offseason, prompting fans (and myself) to focus on what was coming back. It seems like no one was talking about what’s new. 

After watching the 105-96 win in Cincinnati, I think they should be. 

Ethan Brown

My apologies, Ethan Brown, I wasn’t familiar with your game.

Brown was the most impressive freshman we saw Saturday. Maybe I was just underestimating what he could bring to this team, but I think most people came away impressed.

It’s clear that Underwood was equally impressed, as Brown earned the start vs. Cincinnati. Yes, the lineup will be altered by the time the season officially begins, but it should be a sign of how much this staff trusts him.

We were spoiled by the calmness Keaton Wagler brought last year. Brown is clearly not Wagler, but he brings the same demeanor to the court, and he never seemed rushed. That’s something the Illini will desperately need, and something that is rare from a freshman.

In 25 minutes he recorded:

• 15 points (5-9 FG, 3-7 3PM)
• 5 rebounds
• 2 assists

But the stat that stood out most? Zero turnovers.

There’s not a glaring weakness in Brown’s game. He’s a natural scorer, putting up over 2,500 points in high school.

He was able to showcase some of that scoring ability Saturday, knocking down a few quick catch-and-shoot threes while getting to the paint and creating his own shot at points.

Just like his freshman counterpart Quentin Coleman, Brown showed relentlessness on the glass, tying for second on the team in rebounds.

Quentin Coleman

There’s a reason Sam Vecenie slotted Coleman at No. 7 in his latest NBA Mock Draft. NBA teams know what they want in a young guard, but so does Underwood.

Did my first 2027 NBA Mock Draft of the cycle over on Game Theory yesterday with guest @AdamFinkelstein breaking it down. Here's what the top-10 looks like in what is shaping up to be an insane cycle that will be very fluid. pic.twitter.com/lRJfRz7cEz

— Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) October 12, 2026

Rebound. Defend. Facilitate.

Coleman brought all of that, and some, to his first live matchup.

• 14 points (5-9 FG, 2-4 3PM)
• 7 (!) rebounds (led the team)
• 8 assists

If that isn’t the statline of a Brad Underwood guard, I don’t know what is.

The statline doesn’t paint the picture clearly enough either. While roles can certainly change throughout the season, Coleman possesses a motor that fans will see the entire year.

There’s a tenacity to the way he plays that’s evident. You can see the energy he plays with, and it flows through his teammates.

Offensively, Coleman was able to get two feet in the paint with ease, leading to layups or kick-out passes to open teammates and putting his playmaking abilities on notice. Knocking down two triples was a nice sign as well.

If you’re a sucker for a rebounding guard, you’re going to have a new favorite player. It’s one of the biggest reasons he will be such a prominent piece this year.

His length and athletic ability alone allow him to be a threat on the glass. When you complement that with his motor, you get a 6-foot-4 guard who can lead the team in rebounding, just like he did on the FIBA U18 team.

I can’t remember a better rebounding guard in the Underwood era.

Yes, I’m aware that it’s still an exhibition game and roles are bound to change. However, if Coleman is utilized in the regular season like he was against Cincinnati, I see no reason why Illinois can’t have another guard picked in the lottery.

Landon Davis

Frontcourt depth was a worry of mine before Saturday. Landon Davis has helped calm some of those nerves.

The length alone is an eye-opener. The 6-foot-9 forward boasts a 7-foot-3 wingspan, and he used it to his advantage with an impressive block on a three-point attempt by the Bearcats.

He also made a catch-and-shoot three, his only shot attempt.

While there wasn’t much else to go off, I think Davis could provide valuable frontcourt depth to a team that badly needs it. He’s athletic enough to run the floor and make plays defensively, while also able to knock down shots from the perimeter.

As a developmental piece, I’m extremely intrigued to see how Underwood can fit him into this scheme.

Morillo, Williams, Zens

We were able to see all freshman get some action on Saturday. 

It was a short stint for Lucas Morillo. He didn’t have a shot attempt and was ripped while bringing the ball up the court. He got five minutes of playing time. 

Lincoln Williams has been a hot topic this offseason, but it’s clear he needs more time to develop. He had a nice layup for his only points of the game. 

Zavier Zens got his first taste of action as well. In 11 minutes he had three rebounds and two points. He went 0-4 from three, which Brad Underwood expressed surprise in after the match. 

The first look at this freshman class was encouraging.

• Coleman looks like the type of guard Underwood has wanted for years.
• Brown played with confidence that’s hard to find in a first-year player.
• Davis could give the frontcourt some much-needed depth.
• And Morillo, Williams, and Zens have plenty of time to find their footing.

The retention is why Illinois has a high floor, and this freshman class might be why the ceiling is higher than we originally thought.

Jutta Leerdam is a Dutch speed skating star.

She's also a social media icon with more than 6 million followers on Instagram.

Leerdam won a gold medla in the 1000 meters event at Milano Cortina, as well as a silver in the 500 at the 2026 Winter Olympics. She added those to the silver she won in Beijing in 2022.

She is engaged to another social media powerhouse, Jake Paul. They announced their engagement on Instagram, of course, in March of 2025.

Jutta Leerdam

Jutta Leerdam

Jutta Leerdam

Jutta Leerdam

Jutta Leerdam

Jutta Leerdam

Jutta Leerdam

Jutta Leerdam

Jutta Leerdam

Jutta Leerdam

Jutta Leerdam

Jutta Leerdam

Jutta Leerdam

Jutta Leerdam

Jutta Leerdam

Jutta Leerdam

This article originally appeared on The List Wire: Best images of Dutch speed skating superstar Jutta Leerdam

Last season, the Richmond Hill softball team made the trip to Columbus as the Wildcats reached the Elite Eight in the state playoffs for the first time in school history under head coach Chris Jenkins.

This year the Wildcats won the Region 1-7A title, their first region crown since 2016 and Richmond Hill hosted Dacula on Wednesday, Oct. 21, in a second-round playoff matchup with another berth in the Elite Eight on the line.

The opening double header in the best of three series was a nail biter from start to finish as Richmond Hill won with a dramatic extra inning walk off to take Game 1 by a score of 5-4. Dacula returned the favor in the second game by hanging on for a 3-2 victory with the tying run on base in the Wildcats final at bat.

The deciding Game 3 will be held at Richmond Hill on Thursday, Oct. 22, with the first pitch set for 2:30 p.m.

"We had a good feeling coming into this series because the girls have worked so hard and were prepared to play," said Jenkins, in his sixth season leading the program. "They were in a good place mentally and at this point in the season you just turn them loose and let them play and enjoy the experience."

The first game was a back and forth affair. Richmond Hill scored a pair in the bottom of the fifth, but Dacula answered with two runs in the top of the sixth to tie things up at 4-4 in a battle that went to extra innings.

With one out in the bottom of the eighth, Ashella Matias lined a single past shortstop which set the stage for senior Ahnalya Estevez, who smoked a shot that landed on the left field foul line for a double that brought Matias home with the winning run in the 5-4 victory.

After earning the win with a complete game in the opener, junior Gessilyn Clark was in the circle again for the Wildcats in the second game and she went the distance once again.

Dacula was the home team in the second game and the Falcons scored twice in the bottom of the first on an RBI triple by Karsyn Plaisance, who came home on a RBI groundout. The Falcons added a run in the third on an error, but Richmond Hill showed off its excellent defense throughout the game.

Estevez drove in another run in the top of the fifth and Lennon Monaco drove in another run with a sacrifice bunt to cut the deficit to 3-2, but Dacula held on.

In the bottom of the sixth, Aubrey Ragins, the Wildcats senior shortstop, put on a show with a diving backhanded catch of a fly ball down the left field line, along with a pair of sterling plays on grounders ― the second a memorable play that showcased her smooth style on a shot straight up the middle.

Ragins, who has committed to play at the College of Coastal Georgia, had a double and a bunt single and scored a pair of runs in the first game.

"Everyone was a little stressed before the games started, but we calmed down and started playing well once things got going," said Ragins, a four-year starter and first-team all-region pick each year that she has played. "Dacula is a tough team because they never give in, but we never gave up either. We want to win it tomorrow."

Jenkins said Ragins' play has been at the heart of the program's success since her freshman season.

"We've seen that from Aubrey over the last four years," Jenkins said. "In a setting like this, is nice to see her get the chance to put her game on display."

Dennis Knight covers sports for the Savannah Morning News. Contact him at Dknight@savannahnow.com. Twitter: @DennisKnightSMN

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Richmond Hill softball splits with Dacula ― setting up deciding Game 3