When Lia McCarthy isn’t on the soccer field for Shepard, you can probably find her riding a horse.

McCarthy competes in show jumping equestrian events, giving her another outlet to complement her passion for soccer.

“I love horses,” McCarthy said. “My parents actually met on a horse farm. Horses are a big thing in my family. My sister is pursuing a career with horses now while she’s in college in Montana, and I’m going out there in the fall to attend the University of Montana.”

When it comes to soccer, McCarthy — a senior midfielder — is definitely the Astros’ workhorse.

The four-year varsity regular came through again Tuesday night, providing a goal and an assist as host Shepard spoiled Argo’s bid at an outright South Suburban Red title by beating the Argonauts 2-1 in Palos Heights.

Wiktoria Skupien also scored for the Astros (10-9-1, 6-4-1), who won their sixth game in a row. Clarissa Sanchez added an assist, while Jannel Balbuena made five saves and Mariah Perkins chipped in with three saves.

“This win means a lot,” Skupien said. “I played against a lot of my friends who play for Argo, so it was like a friendly competition. It was fun.”

Klara Cicha scored the goal for Argo (9-5-3, 6-2-3), which now shares the SSC Red championship with Reavis.

Cicha pulled the Argonauts even 1-1 with 35:21 to go before McCarthy provided the answer for Shepard, taking a pass from Sanchez and sprinting down the middle of the field before burying a high shot from 20 yards with 23:43 to go.

“We were mad because we were up and then everyone maybe took their foot off the gas a little bit and then we’re back to square one being tied,” McCarthy said. “We had to lock back in and really push our hardest. Scoring that goal, we knew it’d bring the energy back up.”

It was the 19th goal of the season for McCarthy, and Shepard coach Dan Cordes knows he can always lean on her.

“Lia just does a little bit of everything,” Cordes said. “She scores goals. She assists. She helps us defend to close out games. She’s a leader vocally and with her play.

“It’s obvious every game that she’s the best player on our team. Everyone follows her lead.”

Speaking of doing a variety of things, McCarthy was also a hockey player before giving up that sport after her freshman year. Now, it’s soccer and horses.

“Competing with horses, it’s a fun thing,” McCarthy said. “It’s an out-there thing because not a lot of people do it, but when you meet other people who do it, it’s really cool. You get your own little horse friends. It’s like a whole community.

“Then you have that relationship with the animal. I think it’s pretty amazing.”

McCarthy believes she still has a hockey mentality inside of her as well.

“Hockey is what made me a better soccer player,” McCarthy said. “My freshman year, I was doing both at the same time and that was a lot. I decided I wanted to focus on soccer because I liked it more.

“But I feel I’m a very physical player because of hockey. I have some friends who went from hockey to soccer, too. Hockey players make great soccer players.”

As a three-year captain, McCarthy has certainly left her mark on the program. Playing in her last regular-season game Tuesday brought about some mixed feelings.

“It’s a bittersweet thing,” she said. “I’ve played four years and it’s been a long journey, and at certain points this year, I was ready for it to end. I got frustrated early in the season because I had big expectations, but as the season’s going on, we’re getting better.

“It’s going to be a good ending for me.”

LAS CRUCES — Organ Mountain’s girls won in their hometown, if not their home course.

And La Cueva’s boys wrote a happier ending for themselves.

The Knights and Bears won Class 5A state golf championships on a scorching Tuesday afternoon at New Mexico State University Golf Course. La Cueva, with diminutive but immensely talented freshman Nixon Knee continuing his late-season heater, won by 22 shots over Alamogordo.

The Bears shot 20-over par 596 over 36 holes, with the Tigers at 618.

Organ Mountain, whose home course is nearby Red Hawk Golf Club — but who are nevertheless quite familiar with NMSU’s layout — won by 16 shots over La Cueva (655-671; the course played as a par-74 for the girls). Bears junior Kendall Trujillo was the medalist, and hers was a three-shot triumph.

La Cueva’s boys — and girls, for that matter — were all adorned in shirts that featured so many tiny splatches of color that they could have, if he were still alive, been designed by Jackson Pollock.

The look was, well, singular. As was the performance by the La Cueva boys.

They gained some atonement, as the sting of their playoff loss to Volcano Vista last year at San Juan Country Club in Farmington had not really subsided all that much, and they were itching to replace, that memory.

“We let Day 2 (last year) slip away. The kids that were a part of that knew it, and they didn’t want to let that happen again,” Bears coach Eric Orell said. “And you saw collectively, that’s what they did.”

Knee, in stature the smallest member of La Cueva’s team, played large down the stretch of this season. He won the Albuquerque metro title two weeks ago at Arroyo del Oso, and won the District 2-5A tournament in Santa Fe last week.

“Winning metros and district definitely was a confidence builder, just to know my game was in a great spot coming into this, and knew that I could perform and compete with all the kids out here,” Knee said.

Knee shot rounds of 71 and 70 at NMSU to finish at 3-under 141. He registered a four-shot victory over Alamogordo sophomore Dyson Wright, one of five related Wrights competing in the boys and girls 5A event.

“It didn’t feel real at first,” said Knee. “I wanted to win as a team so bad, that when I figured out I was individual (champ) and (we won) team, I didn’t know what to think.”

Knee at one point was 4-under for the tournament, with birdies at Nos. 2, 4 and 10. He bogeyed the 11th and 13th, but his lead was comfortable throughout the day, and he closed in style with a birdie at the 18th.

“Crazy that a 14, 15-year-old can come in and do what he did through these last three tournaments, and honestly all season,” Bears coach Eric Orell said.

La Cueva had three other boys finish in the top six, which is how the all-state performers are determined. Sophomore Ian Pierce was tied for fourth, eight shots back of Knee. Sophomore Lukas Strassner (who competed as an individual), along with junior Brett Wall, were part of a five-way tie for sixth.

For Trujillo, she shot 79 on Monday and was two shots out of the lead, co-held by Organ Mountain’s Eleanor Warden and Alyssa Serna.

But Trujillo’s 1-under 73 Tuesday was the lowest girls score by five shots. Warden’s 78 was the next lowest on a hot, wind-less day.

She drained a 12-footer for eagle at the par-5 12th, her third hole of the day, and added birdies at 14, 15 and 18, and also birdied Nos. 1 and 3 after she made the turn.

“I just wanted to make some good shots out there and play to the best of my ability,” Trujillo said. “I’m thankful for the win.”

Trujillo and Organ Mountain senior Eleanor Warden — who is headed to Brown University of the Ivy League, but only for academics — were tied briefly in the early stages of the back nine, at 3-over.

But Warden, playing in the final group, one group behind Trujillo, triple-bogeyed the par-4 fifth hole, her 14th hole of the day, fell three shots behind, and never recovered. She drove out of bounds, then her second tee shot found a divot in the fairway. She hit that approach over the green.

And she quickly noticed that she had lost her position on the scoreboard.

“I think I looked at it the hole before, and then I looked at it after,” she said. “I was like, dang it, I should have played better on that hole.’ ”

Up ahead, Trujillo said she had no idea of Warden’s misfortunes behind her, and in fact said she didn’t scoreboard watch the entire day.

“I wanted to focus on myself and my own game and not focus on anyone else,” she said.

A bogey on her final hole was anti-climactic, since she had things well in hand.

“Kendall just played a phenomenal tournament,” Orell said. “She puts in a ton of work, and it doesn’t always show, but today it did, and I’m so proud of her.”

Trujillo was La Cueva’s only top-six finisher. For Organ Mountain, freshman Sofia Torrez had two outstanding days and tied for third, and Serna was fifth.

Volcano Vista, last year’s 5A boys champ, finished third after a scorecard playoff with rival Cibola. Alamogordo’s girls also were third, six shots behind runner-up La Cueva.

James Yodice covers prep sports for the Journal. You can reach him at jyodice@abqjournal.com or via X at @JamesDYodice.

Lobo hoops transfer portal tracker

The Journal is keeping tabs on all offseason roster moves for the Lobo men’s basketball team — who is leaving, who is returning, who hasn’t decided — on its Transfer Portal Tracker (CLICK HERE).

There was a time when the five-year coaching contract was said to be a must-have for recruiting.

Without them, the coaches themselves, their agents and the athletic department administrators behind negotiating the deals would tell you, high school players would never feel comfortable committing to a program if they didn't know their coach and school weren't committed to one another for the long haul.

Well, times certainly have changed in college athletics.

"I don't think recruits care about my contract," UNM men's basketball coach Eric Olen said with a smile Tuesday.

But fans and donors, sure do. At least that's the hope of Olen and UNM Vice President/Director of Athletics Ryan Berryman. On Tuesday, Berryman spoke about the evolving college landscape and the value in giving Olen a new five-year contract after just one — albeit successful — season. Olen’s contract was announced Monday.

VIDEO: UNM coach Eric Olen, AD Ryan Berryman talk new contract at Tuesday news conference.

The pair held a news conference to talk about the new deal — one that includes a modest pay raise and a bump in assistant coaching salary. Also included is a clock reset on buyout terms, which adds some protection for UNM if Olen gets lured away by another school. His predecessor Richard Pitino was lured away just 14 months ago.

It's the second major contract deal — and public showing of investment and commitment — UNM has made in the past six months. First-year football coach Jason Eck received a new contract after his program’s success amid bigger schools showing interest.

"There's a tangible aspect to maybe the dollars and cents that we're talking about, but there's an intangible aspect of the community pride and the sentiment about our athletic department, locally and nationally as well. And it's hard to put a number on that," said Berryman.

"I think having key individuals come back, and our ability to retain talented individuals helps with that. ... It's sometimes hard to quantify, but if you look at it holistically and the narrative in the community and nationwide, it's certainly positive."

Olen, who technically isn't getting a raise on his base salary or compensation for the first year of the deal, but did get a $100,000 retention bonus for signing, said the university's obvious investment in him, but more importantly into other aspects of the program — assistant salary increases, revenue sharing for players, etc. — is undeniable. Olen is set to make $1.35 million for the 2026-27 season.

"A lot of it is investment in the program," Olen said. "Obviously the result is a contract that I'm signing, and my compensation and those kind of things. But it's bigger than that in terms of commitment to the program in a lot of different ways. Obviously, college basketball is a competitive space and as competition continues to grow and elevate, we want to continue to do the same.

"So, it's important, specifically right now with some of the conference realignment and (playing in) the new Mountain West and trying to stay relevant outside of our conference as we continue to pursue NCAA Tournament appearances and national relevance for this basketball program."

So, about that retention...

While fans sure were excited about the return of Lobo guards Jake Hall, Uriah Tenette and Chris Howell from this past season's roster, Olen said Tuesday that building a roster anymore is part retention, part new talent acquisition, part chemistry building and that the old way of building a product has changed.

Even for program veterans now, with so much roster turnover, it's about getting all the players on the same page and just because you're back doesn't give you a pass on that process.

"It's important for everybody involved to understand that we're starting from scratch every year and things that happened in the past — the experience is helpful, but last year's over," Olen said. "We're on to the next one. And I think that investment in our program, investment in our staff, investment in our players, all those things are great as long as they're handled the right way and we keep the right approach.

"I think any time that there is that type of investment following any degree of success, then you have to worry about complacency and making sure people have the right mindset and understanding that we're just getting started and that we haven't accomplished anything."

Where are the bigs?!

UNM wasn't a great shot-blocking team last season. Olen knows that, and would love to address it. He also knows how much Lobo fans — some more vocal about it than others — think all he needs to do now that he has the first 10 players for the 2026-27 team signed is simply sign two 7-foot shot blockers who can shoot the 3 and average a double-double.

That's all.

"College basketball recruiting has a financial component to it," said Olen, uttering a phrase never heard publicly just two or three years ago. "Size and rim protection are some of the things that are at most premium in terms of the market.

"It's easy to look at like our statistical model and say this is a weakness, but it's not as simple to sort of fill that hole. Rim protection for the sake of rim protection if they don't fit into other things and contribute to how we're operating, can be a misuse of resources. There's a lot of factors in those decisions and we'd like to have the most complete team we possibly can. We also feel like there's other ways to win basketball games."

Reach Geoff Grammer at ggrammer@abqjournal.com or follow him on Twitter (X) @GeoffGrammer.

High school state golf champions could be found up and down the I-25 corridor on Tuesday.

In Socorro, Albuquerque Academy’s girls won the Class 4A state title at New Mexico Tech in Socorro, and the Chargers produced both individual state champions.

Down the road in Elephant Butte, Cottonwood Classical Prep eighth-grader Ariana Williams not only captured the Class 1A-3A title, but she demolished the field, winning by an incredible 19 shots at Turtleback Mountain Golf and Resort.

“I never really imagined it,” Williams said in a phone interview. “After Day 1 … (I knew) I had this opportunity to win it, but I just didn’t realize I’d win by 19 shots. If you had told me that before the first day, I’d be like, ‘that’s crazy’.”

Williams shot rounds of 79 and 76 for a 36-hole total of 155. Robertson senior Payton Woolf, at 174, was a distant second.

In Socorro, freshman Thomas Whitten and junior Adelyn Haas won individual titles for Academy.

Whitten, who also plays baseball for Academy, was involved in the tightest of all the individual tournaments on Tuesday. At one point relatively late in the back nine, there were four boys tied for the lead at 5-over.

Whitten birdied the par-5 16th hole, with a nice chip and a short putt, to get to 4-over, and that’s where he finished. Artesia sophomore Beau Byers was a shot behind at the end, and Lincoln Hoffer and Javan Rael, both of Los Alamos, were two shots back of Whitten.

“It was very tight,” Whitten said by phone. “I like these moments. It’s always fun playing in high pressure moments, making something happen.”

Whitten said his short game bailed him out repeatedly on the back nine where he only hit several greens.

“It’s just an amazing feeling,” he said. “I just can’t be any more proud of myself. It was a mental battle out there, and it was very hard.”

Artesia’s boys won the 4A championship, 623-634 over Academy. Los Alamos was a close third, three strokes behind the Chargers. Jack Byers, Artesia’s top starting baseball pitcher, finished tied for 11th. Beau is his younger brother.

Academy’s girls romped at New Mexico Tech. The Chargers, led by Haas, walloped the field, beating runner-up Lovington by 47 shots (667-714). St. Pius, in third, also won a trophy.

Haas shot 75-81 to defeat Hayden Dan of Kirtland Central by five shots, and attributed her victory to being relaxed.

“You don’t play to win, you play to swing free,” she said. “That was my goal, to have fun and make good memories with the team. Having that freedom really helped me.”

Academy had two others in the top six, as sophomore Gabby Sanchez (fourth) and Addison Kiburz (fifth) also attained all-state honors.

“It was amazing,” Haas said. “Everybody contributed on the team and we all worked as one.”

Few small-school girls golf programs do it as well as Socorro, and the Warriors added more blue-tinted hardware on Tuesday.

Socorro won state for the fifth time in six years, and for the 23rd time overall, extending their own New Mexico record which includes all three classifications.

The Warriors beat Gateway Christian by 44 shots at Turtleback, which was being used as a state high school venue for the first time.

Mesilla Valley’s boys also earned first place in 1A-3A, finishing 31 shots in front of runner-up Dexter. Socorro junior Isaiah Silva was the individual champion, in a playoff with junior Rigo Regalado of Dexter. Both finished at 5-over 149, a shot ahead of Gateway Christian’s Troy Oswald.

James Yodice covers prep sports for the Journal. You can reach him at jyodice@abqjournal.com or via X at @JamesDYodice.

May 12—Last June, Izan Almansa was hunkered down inside a green room at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, waiting to hear if his name would be called in the second round of the NBA draft.

This fall, the Spanish native could be suiting up for Gonzaga and contributing to one of the top frontcourts in college basketball — yet another example of the rapidly changing NCAA hoops climate.

Almansa, a forward/center from Real Madrid who's spent the last two seasons playing professionally overseas, reportedly committed to Gonzaga on Tuesday although Mark Few's program will have to clear a series of eligibility hurdles to finalize the 20-year-old's addition.

A 6-foot-10, 200-pound big man with high upside, Almansa gave a commitment to Gonzaga on Tuesday, Spanish-based journalist Oscar Herreros reported on X.

A source close to the program told The Spokesman-Review that Gonzaga is counting on Almansa to join the roster next season, but cited "complex eligibility issues" that make his addition "far from official" at this point.

The issues likely stem from Almansa's time playing with NBA G League Ignite in 2023-24 and/or the forward's decision to stay in the NBA draft last season, coming off his 2024-25 season with the Perth Wildcats of Australia's professional NBL division.

Almansa was considered by many to be a second-round prospect in last year's draft and was one of 12 players invited to attend the second day of the event. He was ultimately the only player in the green room not to be selected, signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Philadelphia 76ers and played four games with the organization at Las Vegas Summer League, where he teamed up with former Gonzaga guard Hunter Sallis.

A handful of players with situations similar to Almansa's have been deemed eligible to play college basketball within the last year, sparking dialogue and debate among coaches, media members and others within the sport.

Former second-round NBA draft pick James Nnaji, who played for FC Barcelona of Spain's ACB — the league where Almansa is currently playing — enrolled at Baylor last December and appeared in 18 games for the Big 12 program.

Last season, the Zags played three West Coast Conference games against Santa Clara and Thierry Darlan, one of Almansa's former teammates on Ignite and the first ex-G Leaguer to gain NCAA eligibility, signifying a landmark case for the sport when the Broncos signed the forward last October.

Guard Dink Pate, a former Ignite guard who's made three stops in the NBA's developmental league, became the latest G League player to sign with a with a college program, joining Providence's roster last month.

If Almansa gains eligibility, he should solidify what's already shaping up to be one of the best frontcourt groups in the country, featuring Braden Huff, a 17.8 point-per-game scorer in 2025-26 prior to his season-ending knee injury, and top transfer portal prospect Massamba Diop, one of the best shot-blockers in the Big 12 last year at Arizona State.

Almansa's appeared in 15 games for Real Madrid at the Liga ACB level this season and made two appearances in EuroLeague play while competing for playing time with former NBA players Trey Lyles and Alex Len. He's averaging 4.2 points and 1.6 rebounds in 7.6 minutes during ACB play.

Last July, he averaged 3.0 ppg and 1.8 rpg in 11.2 mpg during a Las Vegas Summer League stint with the 76ers. In four games, Almansa made 44.4% of his shots from the field.

Almansa played in 29 games for the Perth Wildcats during the 2024-25 NBL season, scoring 7.6 ppg to go with 4.3 rpg. He shot 51.1% from the field and 33.3% from the 3-point line during his lone season with the Australian club.

Gonzaga has numerous ties to Almansa, who teamed up with freshman point guard Mario Saint-Supery on Spain's senior national team for a pair of FIBA EuroBasket qualifiers against Slovakia in November of 2024.

The Murcia, Spain, native has won Most Valuable Player honors at three separate international competitions: the 2023 FIBA U-19 World Cup, 2022 FIBA U-17 World Cup and 2022 FIBA U-18 EuroBasket. Current Gonzaga assistant Jorge Sanz, a native of Zaragoza, Spain, was a member of the coaching staff when Almansa helped guide the U-17 World Cup team to a FIBA silver medal in 2022.

Almansa played with a trio of former Gonzaga players on the 2023-24 NBA G League Ignite team that featured Jeremy Pargo, Admon Gilder and David Stockton. Almansa started in 30 of 32 games for Ignite that season, averaging 11.7 ppg and 7.4 rpg.

The Spanish prospect also played in two other American leagues, signing with the now-defunct Overtime Elite in 2021-22 before joining YNG Dreamerz in 2022-23.

Almansa becomes Gonzaga's third addition this offseason, joining Diop and Houston transfer Isiah Harwell, who announced a commitment to Few's program but has yet to sign a financial aid agreement with the school.

May 12—WILLMAR — The

are back in Class B and have one of their best pitchers back from Tommy John surgery. New manager Gunnar Banks is excited about the possibilities for the Willmar amateur baseball team in 2026.

"I think it's like a rebuild," said Banks, a 2019 Willmar High School graduate and long-time player for the Rails who takes over the managerial duties from Dustin Overcash.

"Dustin ran it for eight years, so it's going to be a little different," Banks said of the former manager, who announced his resignation before the beginning of last season.

One big difference from last season: Christian Lessman is back. The 24-year-old right-hander missed 2025 because of Tommy John surgery. When he's right, he's one of the top pitchers in the Corn Belt League. Banks is hoping for a return to form from the former St. Cloud State player.

Largely everyone else is back for the Rails, who open the Corn Belt season at 7:30 p.m. Friday against the Marshall Athletics at Marshall's Legion Field. Willmar played an exhibition game last Friday at Hutchinson, winning 7-3.

With Lessman back, it figures to take some heat off a pitching staff that includes Jayden Dierenfeld, Adam Herman, Jordan Steffer, Cullen Gregory, Jack Baumgart and Zach Reierson. Also returning to the Rails after a year off is Zak Madsen.

"Really, it's not a whole lot different," Banks said of the roster.

The Rails also have added a couple of high school players, including Hudson Sjoberg and Griffin Banks. Griffin Banks is Gunnar's younger brother. Gavin Banks, another brother, is also on the roster.

It's a Willmar-centered roster. with Connor Smith, Tyler Madsen, Mason Thole, Ashton Gregory and Sergio Fernandez. There is also Daniel Overcash, a Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg graduate and the former manager's son, on the roster, and Cody Hohl.

Gunnar Banks believes there is the talent to contend not only in the Corn Belt, but also for a state tournament berth.

"Our goal is to win the Corn Belt," he said, adding: "Obviously, our league is pretty tough."

Banks expects Bird Island and Raymond to be at the top, as they have been. This season, the Rails are in District 8B with six teams: Bird Island, Raymond, Marshall and the Willmar Indians from the Corn Belt League and the Janesville Gators from the 13/60 League. Two teams will earn berths into the state Class B tournament, which this year will be in Chaska, Jordan, New Prague and Shakopee.

Last year, the Rails were moved into Class A as part of a massive reshuffling of all three of the state's classes. Willmar received the top classification because of a paperwork snafu after a misinterpretation of the new rules. Everything's straightened out this year. Willmar went 0-2 in the District 8A playoffs, falling 10-8 to the Sabin Mets and 14-4 to the Moorhead Brewers.

This year, the Rails have a 24-game schedule, including eight home games, including six at Bill Taunton Stadium and two at Elsie Klemmetson Field across the street from Taunton. Among the highlights is an August 2 doubleheader with a team from Wahpeton, North Dakota that won the North Dakota state title and the Litchfield Blues.

The biggest challenge for the new manager was the off-season fund-raising required. Banks figures it costs about $400 per home game in expenses, including paying the umpires and supplying fresh baseballs. He spent a lot of time fund-raising.

"It's not the easiest thing," he said.

But like the former Willmar WarHawks goaltender said, it's not the hardest, either.

"We've been able to get some new hats and some new road uniforms," he said. "So it really is a new look."

May 12—GRAND FORKS — Growing up in Columbus, Neb., in the 1990s, Chad Mustard dreamed of being a football player at the University of Nebraska.

A 6-foot-7, 215-pound senior in high school, Mustard spent time at Nebraska's football camps in high school. Legendary Nebraska coach Tom Osborne knew Mustard.

Eventually, the Huskers called to ask Mustard to walk-on for the football program — a common practice at the time for in-state talent.

"Financially, I knew the best for me long term was to turn to basketball and get school paid," Mustard said.

Mustard then took a call from Fighting Sioux head basketball coach Rich Glas and assistant Ben Jacobson. With some encouragement from then-Wayne State (Neb.) head coach Greg McDermott, a former UND assistant, Mustard gave Grand Forks a chance.

Mustard would go on to a UND basketball career that earned him a spot in UND's Athletics Hall of Fame. He'll be honored this fall as part of the school's 2026 class of inductees.

Mustard's basketball career, though, was just the start of earning his place in the memory banks of Grand Forks sports fans.

As Mustard's college basketball career was nearing an end, he took a billiards class from UND football assistant coach Randy Hedberg, who would later go on to earn legendary status as a developer of quarterbacks at North Dakota State.

Hedberg suggested trying football after his basketball career.

"I was a typical college athlete, and I knew I had some schooling left and wouldn't have my degree after four years of basketball," Mustard said. "It seemed a natural fit to use football to figure that out.

"I had no idea what was going to come of it. I think I lasted so long in football because I had zero expectations. I didn't expect to be great. I just put my head down and found a way to figure it out. If I went in thinking I was hot stuff, I wouldn't have handled the failure of the NFL."

Hedberg didn't offer Mustard any promises. He told him he would have two years to play football, as Division II then had a six-year eligibility clock.

The transition from basketball to football didn't start with much fanfare. The Grand Forks Herald featured a four paragraph clip on March 21, 2000, to announce the move.

"He's going to give spring ball a shot," UND head coach Dale Lennon said in the clip. "That's a very pleasant surprise. He has a football mentality."

"It didn't go great," Mustard said. "I was pretty crappy at first. They were patient and understood I was out of it for a while."

Mustard would spend five years in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns, Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos, with his most notable stop as a journeyman in Denver. Known as a blocking tight end, Mustard played in 12 games with the Broncos in 2006. He caught two passes for 23 yards. He had five catches for 62 yards in 2007, then played in eight games in 2008.

Mustard credits former UND head coach Chris Mussman, who was offensive coordinator in Mustard's football tenure, for installing the technique to excel with the Broncos.

"The zone run scheme is what got me hired initially," Mustard said. "We were running 40-50 times a game. It was the same footwork. It was like riding a bike. When I was in Cleveland, I was a square peg in a round hole."

En route to UND's Division II national championship, Mustard's most memorable play in Grand Forks came on Nov. 24, 2001, in the playoffs against Pittsburg State at the Alerus Center.

Mustard caught a 62-yard pass from Kelby Klostermann and bullied his way down the sideline for a touchdown.

Had social media been powerful in 2001, Mustard had his viral moment.

The video may appear grainy today, but it's still out there.

"The internet is a powerful thing," Mustard said. "I teach and coach (in Nebraska). I've taught at five schools and kids can find that stuff easily. The more I watch the more it looks like watching an old video of Pete Maravich. It was a play and awesome ... but it doesn't look that athletic. If you get a stopwatch out, I wasn't running very fast."

Still, Mustard's play holds a place in UND football history alongside Mike Mooney's 1993 fumble recovery, Jim Kleinsasser's 77-yard touchdown in the Fargodome in 1998 and Luke Schleusner's 2001 catch against Grand Valley State that led to UND's title-winning touchdown run.

Mustard's listed playing weight was about 270 pounds that season, but he said he was hanging out with offensive linemen at that time and was probably pushing 300 pounds when he scored the touchdown.

"I remember that was as far as I had run in some time," said Mustard, who played in the Indoor Football League and NFL Europe before his NFL break. "Guys were mobbing me, but I've got to breathe."

Mustard now lives in Omaha with his wife and twin 16-year-old daughters.

He was caught off-guard by the call of a Hall of Fame selection.

"It never really crossed my mind," he said. "Just gratitude. It's really a culmination of playing on some really good teams with some really great players. When a guy like me is going into the Hall of Fame, it's really the work of Hunter Reinke and Brady Larson and Marcus Travis and Hunter Berg ... I'm going to forget to say some names but no one guy does it by himself. I just wanted to win. It's a huge honor but I have so much gratitude for Coach Glas taking a chance on me.

"Grand Forks was so good to me. I felt like what I imagined a Husker feels like in Lincoln. People were so good to me and my family and took care of me 500 miles from home. I don't regret a single second of my time at UND."

May 12—Decatur is adding another national tournament to Jack Allen Recreation Complex's schedule with the announcement Monday that the city will host the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics' Women's Soccer National Championship in 2026 and 2027.

Mayor Kent Lawrence and Marc Burchard, NAIA director of championships, announced the two-year agreement at a press conference on Monday afternoon.

As part of the agreement, the city will host the national title tournament featuring 16 teams. This year's tourney will be Nov. 30 through Dec. 7.

Burchard and Lawrence made the announcement while the quarterfinals of the NAIA Women's National Lacrosse Championship were being played behind them on Jack Allen's championship field.

The women started Monday, and the men's national tournament begins Tuesday. They will alternate days until the women's championship on Friday and the men's title game on Saturday. Both matches start at 5 p.m.

Burchard said he believes NAIA has "forged a great partnership with the city."

It's a return to Decatur for the NAIA. The association held its national championship tournament for 11 years at Wilson Morgan Park through 2010. The Southern States Athletic Conference held its conference tournament at Wilson Morgan in 2023.

"It's an honor that NAIA continues to place its confidence in Decatur with another national championship competition," Lawrence said.

The city and Decatur-Morgan Tourism bid for the tournament in a joint partnership. Dan Dukemineer, who recently moved from Tourism to Parks and Recreation, said discussions with NAIA about hosting the soccer tournament began last summer when the city won the lacrosse bid.

"We told them, 'Hey, if there's other things that may come of interest and/or be available, we'd be interested to talk about it," Dukemineer said.

Burchard said he received more than 10 competitive bids and, after a site visit last fall, he notified the city on Halloween that Decatur would host the soccer tournament,

"I didn't know if it was trick or really a treat or whatever," Dukemineer joked.

The city paid a bid fee of $7,000 and agreed to host a student-athletes banquet and a "student-character event similar to the one we held (Monday) when our lacrosse team visited Oak Park Elementary," Dukemineer said.

Lawrence said the agreement "is huge" for the city, particularly because it's a sport that Decatur knows about. Jack Allen regularly fields national, regional, state and local soccer tournaments.

"It's great for us because it brings so many people to town," Lawrence said.

Lawrence said the lacrosse tournaments are an example of how the city will benefit from the soccer tournament. While games began on Monday, the lacrosse teams arrived Sunday and, along with their family and staffs, will be here all week.

The city has a three-year agreement with NAIA to host the national lacrosse championships.

Burchard said Decatur has continued to prove itself a championship-caliber host city.

"Decatur and Jack Allen Recreation Complex have created an outstanding experience for our student-athletes," Burchard said.

— bayne.hughes@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2432

LOS ANGELES — When it mattered most, the Hawaii men’s volleyball team played its best.

The second-seeded Rainbow Warriors came back from getting blown out in the opening set to claim their third national championship with a 15-25, 25-18, 25-18, 25-20 win over UC Irvine today in the final of the National Collegiate Men’s Volleyball Championship at Pauley Pavilion.

MAKE ROOM FOR BANNER NUMBER 3. wins the national championship. 18-25, 25-18, 25-18, 25-20 over UC Irvine.

— Billy Hull (@billyhull)

Kristian Titriyski finished with a match-high 16 kills, including the game-winner, to lead a balanced Hawaii offense that hit .410 for the match.

Adrien Roure finished with 15 kills and seven digs, and Louis Sakanoko had 12 kills, six digs, three blocks and three consecutive aces in the fourth set to help put the match away.

Sakanoko was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.

Middle blockers Justin Todd and Trevell Jordan combined for 12 kills in 17 swings and Hawaii controlled the rest of the match after the Anteaters dominated the opening set, hitting .562 with only one error.

Hawaii hit .452 or better in each of the next three sets, including .538 in the fourth.

Hawaii finishes with its first 30-win season in program history at 30-5, earning six of those wins against Big West rivals Long Beach State and UC Irvine, all either on the road or at a neutral site.

Freshman Andrej Jovanoic had 13 kills to lead the Anteaters (21-9).

The victory gives Hawaii nine team NCAA championships across all sports.

The WVU Tech men’s basketball program is officially in Corey Acord’s hands.

Acord, who served as the Golden Bears’ head coach last season, officially had the interim tag removed from his title by school administrators last week.

Acord, a Woodrow Wilson High School graduate, took to social media last week to express his gratitude.

“First off, I want to thank President (T. Ramon) Stuart, Athletic Director Kenny Howell, and the hiring committee for allowing me to continue to lead this program moving forward. It’s a great feeling to know that the values and vision of the university align with where we want to go as a basketball program. Your belief in me and the staff will never be taken for granted.

“I want to thank my family (Acord, Lusk, McDaniel, & Ayers) & friends for their constant love and faith in me throughout this process. Thank you to Ashley Acord for her years of support and helping me get to this point of my career. To all former players who allowed me to coach them, especially this past season, I will forever be grateful and not in this position without you all. Coaches who have mentored me along the way, you have played such an important part in my development and life.

“To Golden Bear fans, know that you will have a program that loves to compete, values getting better everyday on and off the court, and takes pride in making the university proud. We have some great young men in our program coming back from last season and have more on the way. Looking forward to a great 2026-27 season.”

A 2015 Woodrow Wilson graduate, Acord went on to earn a master’s degree in sport management from West Virginia University.

In 2020, he got his first coaching job when then-WVU Tech head coach James Long brought him on as an assistant. He remained on staff when Long left for the University of Charleston and assistant George Wilmore was elevated to head coach in 2022.

Wilmore left last summer for a job in the private sector and Acord was named interim head coach in August.

In Acord’s five seasons as an assistant, the Golden Bears went 85-50 overall and 39-28 in the River States Conference. They won the RSC Tournament in the Covid-abbreviated 2021 season and advanced to the second round of the NAIA National Tournament.

Tech earned an at-large national bid in 2022.

Last season, Acord was left with a depleted roster and had to essentially start from scratch. The Golden Bears finished 11-16 overall and 8-8 in the conference.

They clinched a spot in the postseason tournament and fell 76-71 to Indiana-Kokomo in the first round. Tech trailed by 15 at halftime but battled back and led 65-64 in the final three minutes before the Cougars reclaimed the lead.

May 11—GRAND FORKS — The UND Letterwinners Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2026 was announced Monday by athletic director Bill Chaves and Letterwinners Association President Tim Skarperud.

The group will be honored Friday, Oct. 2, at the Alerus Center.

Brian Strom (Swimming & Diving, 1990-2016), Weston Dressler (Football, 2004-07), Jeff Panzer (Men's Hockey, 1997-01), Chad Mustard (Men's Basketball, 1996-00), Michelle Karvinen (Women's Hockey, 2011-14), Jen (Cilz) Hodny (1999-01, 2003, Soccer), Becky (Moen) Behrens (1999-03, Women's Basketball) and Jenny (Boll) Christofferson (Women's Basketball, 1999-03) will be inducted as individuals, while the 1957-58 and 2000-01 men's hockey teams will be inducted into the team category.

In addition, former Minnesota high school swimming coach and Paralympic coach Steve Van Dyne will receive the Tom Clifford Award and longtime benefactor Susan and Scott Sayer will be recognized with the Honorary Letterwinner Award.

The 51st annual Athletics Hall of Fame event will take place with a dinner and induction ceremony on Friday, Oct. 2, at the Alerus Center. The Class of 2026 will also be recognized the next afternoon during UND's home football game against Murray State.

This year's eight inductees bring the total number of individuals in the UND's Letterwinners Athletics Hall of Fame to 304, with the team total at 50. The Hall of Fame can be viewed in the "Hawkway" path which connects Hyslop at Memorial Village to the Nodak Insurance Company Sports Performance Center.

Jenny (Boll) Christofferson, Women's Basketball, 1999-03: Boll provided one of the best 1-2 punches for the Fighting Sioux women's basketball team at the turn of the century, teaming up with fellow inductee Becky Moen.

Boll scored 1,651 points over her career to rank eighth all-time in program history while her 771 rebounds are just outside the program's Top 10. She earned three straight All-NCC Team selections and was an All-Region selection over her final two seasons while also earning multiple academic conference and national accolades.

She helped the Fighting Sioux capture two NCC titles, three conference tournament crowns and four NCAA Division II National Tournaments, including a run to the Elite Eight as a sophomore.

Jen (Cilz) Hodny, Soccer, 1999-01, 2003: Cilz sits as one of the most dynamic scorers in UND soccer history, ranking near the top of nearly every offensive category.

In her four seasons with the Sioux, Cilz scored 38 goals and dished out 11 assists for 87 points and ranks second all-time in program history in goals, points, game-winning goals and penalty kicks made. She finished either first or second on the team in both goals and points in each of her four seasons and helped UND reach its first NCAA Tournament in program history as a senior.

The Grand Forks native is one of only two players in program history to earn All-America and First Team All-Region honors, joining former inductee and teammate Stephanie Pfeiffer.

Weston Dressler, Football, 2004-07: Dressler is still one of the most dynamic players to ever wear the green and white for the football program, earning the title "Mr. Electricity."

He set 19 school records during his four seasons with the program and is the most nationally decorated player in program history with 14 All-America selections. He was a four-time All-NCC First Team selection and became the first player in NCC history to be named an all-conference player at three-different positions. He is also one of only two players at UND to have multiple 1,000-yard receiving seasons and the only player to have multiple 2,000-yard all-purpose seasons.

After his UND days, Dressler enjoyed a stellar professional career in the Canadian Football League, where he is one of only 17 players in league history with over 10,000 career yards. He was inducted into the Saskatchewan Roughriders Plaza of Honour (2022) and the CFL Hall of Fame (2004).

Michelle Karvinen, Women's Hockey, 2011-14: Karvinen shined on the ice for UND in her collegiate career, helping the women's hockey program reach new heights.

She scored 56 goals and notched 75 assists for 131 points to rank top-5 all-time in program history in each of those categories to earn All-WCHA honors in just three years at UND. During her freshman campaign, Karvinen was named WCHA Rookie of the Year and an All-USCHO Rookie Team selection to help the Fighting Sioux reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.

One of the most decorated international players of all-time, Karvinen has appeared in five Winter Olympic Games and captured a trio of Olympic bronze medals for her home nation of Finland. She recently tied the all-time record for Olympic women's hockey games player with 29 in Feb. 2026.

Becky (Moen) Behrens, Women's Basketball, 1999-03: The other half of the 1-2 punch for the UND women's basketball team during her time, Moen was a dominant scorer and guard for the Fighting Sioux.

Moen currently ranks seventh all-time in program history with 1,762 career points and scored over 600 points in each of her final two seasons. A two-time All-NCC and All-Region selection, Moen exploded for 657 points as a junior to earn NCC Co-MVP honors and a trio of All-America honors. Her 22.7 points per game in 2001-02 still sit as a school record while her total point output in that season is third all-time at UND for a single year.

She is the only player in program history to have multiple 600-point seasons in her career and went a whopping 104-20 during her four seasons with two NCC titles, three conference tournament titles and four NCAA DII National Tournament appearances.

Chad Mustard, Men's Basketball, 1996-00: Mustard was a force in the paint for the men's basketball program, shining on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball.

The forward was dominant on both ends, ranking Top 10 in program history in both points and rebounds. His 1,568 points currently sit 10th in program history while his 741 rebounds are eighth. Mustard also ranks Top 10 in program history in field goal percentage, free throws made and free throw attempts to earn All-NCC honors and an All-America selection as a senior. He is one of only 15 players in program history to be named an All-American.

Following his basketball playing days, Mustard helped the UND football program capture the 2001 NCAA Division II National Championship before enjoying a five-year career in the NFL.

Jeff Panzer, Men's Hockey, 1997-01: Panzer is arguably one of the most dynamic scorers in program history and lit up the scoreboard in his four seasons with the men's hockey program.

In 164 games, Panzer scored 80 goals and dished out 148 assists for a whopping 228 points over his career to sit third all-time in program history in points and assists. He is one of only five UND players to eclipse 200 career points and is the only player in the program's Top 10 scoring list to play this century.

Panzer earned a trio of All-WCHA Team selections and was named WCHA Player of the Year in 2000-01. He also was a two-time All-America First Team selection and is one of only four players in program history to be a multi-time finalist for the Hobey Baker Award. He captured three WCHA titles and helped UND win its seventh NCAA National Championship in 1999-00.

Brian Strom, Swimming & Diving, 1990-2016: One of the most influential coaches ever at UND, Strom had an illustrious career with the swimming and diving program for nearly 30 years.

Strom earned multiple accolades at the local, conference and national levels, as he was named NCC Diving Coach of the Year 10 times — including a stretch of three straight years from 2003-05. He was also a two-time NCAA Division II Diving Coaching of the Year in 2003 and 2004.

During his tenure, 21 divers earned a total of 69 All-America honors while competing for UND. Strom also coached UND to 44 NCAA Division II top-five finishes and 16-different divers captured NCC Diver of the Year. In 2003, Strom guided Erin Borgschatz to an NCAA DII National Championship before coaching Kasey Moseley to a NCAA DII title the following season.

1957-58 Men's Hockey Team: The 1957-58 North Dakota men's hockey team provided many "firsts" for the now-historic program with its 24-7-1 overall record.

Coached by Bob May, the Fighting Sioux were the first team in program history to win 20 games in a single season and captured the first of a now NCAA-record 22 conference titles. The conference crown helped UND advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history.

In the national tournament, UND defeated Harvard by a 9-1 score before eventually falling to Denver in the program's first national championship game appearance.

2000-01 Men's Hockey Team: The 2000-01 UND men's hockey team was an appropriate bookend to a dominant five-year span for the program, a stretch that saw two NCAA National Championships.

Coming off the program's seventh title, the 2000-01 Sioux were captained by fellow inductee Jeff Panzer and finished 29-8-9 and went 18-4-6 to capture yet another WCHA title before reaching the conference tournament championship game. UND rolled to another NCAA Frozen Four and defeated Michigan State, 2-0, to advance to its second straight national title game.

Head coach Dean Blais, known for his unique antics, pulled his goaltender with over four minutes remaining and UND struck twice to force overtime before eventually seeing its bid for back-to-back championships come up just short in overtime to Boston College.

Honorary Letterwinner Award

The Letterwinners Association Honorary Award is awarded to those who have contributed significantly to the furtherance of UND Athletics.

Susan and Scott Sayer, Benefactor: Susan Sayer, alongside her late husband Scott, have been loyal supporters since they began their gift giving in 1996. They have given annually at a high level towards a football impact scholarship since 2011 before Susan began a football endowment in 2021. Susan also provided a major impact gift to the Nodak Insurance Company Sports Performance Center.

Over their time, they have contributed to the North Dakota Champions Club, Champions Golf Tour, Champions Ball, a variety of established endowments when additional support is needed and the Athletic Department Annual Excellence Fund.

Susan is a longtime hockey and football season ticket holder and can often be found in the stands with her daughters and grandchildren cheering next to her.

Thomas J. Clifford Award

The Clifford Award, established to honor former UND President Thomas J. Clifford, recognizes the UND alumni who serve as athletics coaches at the high school or collegiate level and have been notably successful in their sport

Steve Van Dyne, Swimming & Diving: One of the most decorated coaches at both the prep and Paralympic levels, Van Dyne has left his mark wherever the sport of swimming has taken him.

After a tremendous prep coaching career at Eagan High School in Minnesota that saw him coach multiple individual state champions and teams to a top-3 finish at the state meet, Van Dyne began coaching one of his former prep stars Mallory Weggemann on the international stage as a Paralympian.

Van Dyne and Weggemann teamed up to reach four Paralympic Games and win seven Paralympic medals, including four golds. The duo have also won 17 medals at the World Championships, including a whopping 15 golds.

Van Dyne swam at North Dakota and is married to UND Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2015 inductee Shelly (Ebbighausen) Van Dyne.

The tight Missouri Valley Conference baseball race remained so after Sunday's series finale between the Indiana State Sycamores and host Murray State at Johnny Reagan Field in Murray.

The Racers prevailed 8-7 in a back-and-forth, 10-inning duel. Racer Anthony Perritano's walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th inning gave Murray the win over the first-place Sycamores.

ISU is tied for the top spot at 14-7 in MVC play, along with UIC. Murray is in second at 13-8.

Indiana State (28-23 overall) struck first with Colin Sander's RBI sacrifice bunt in the top of the second inning, while Murray State (28-24 overall) countered with Connor Chisolm (two-run) and Kainen Jorge (solo) home runs in the third to take the lead, according to the ISU sports information report.

The Sycamores tied the game up in the fifth as Nomar Garcia (RBI grounder) and Mason Roell (RBI single) made it a 3-3 contest, before Connor Chisolm homered for the second time with a two-run shot in the bottom of the fifth inning to put the Racers back up 5-3. Nick Sutherlin answered for the Sycamores with a two-run home run to left field in the top of the sixth to even the game back up at 5-5.

The Racers scored twice in the bottom of the seventh on Kainen Jorge's RBI double and Daylan Pena's RBI single, while Indiana State answered on Emil Estrella's RBI single and Weston Fulk's RBI groundout to make it a 7-7 game.

Colby Morse (4-2) entered the game in the bottom of the eighth and shut down the Murray State offense in both the eighth and ninth innings, retiring six in a row before running into trouble in the bottom of the 10th.

Connor Cunningham reached on a one-out single in the bottom of the 10th. Cunningham was able to advance to second on Kris Hokenson's grounder, before coming around to score on Anthony Perritano's walk-off RBI single to left field to secure the series finale win for the Racers.

Caden Miller and Nick Sutherlin both recorded two-hit games for the Sycamores on Sunday afternoon with Sutherlin connecting on his ninth home run of the 2026 season. Weston Fulk added a double in the loss.

Colby Morse took the loss on the mound allowing three hits and a run while striking out three over 2.2 innings of relief work. Spencer Johnsen worked the first 5.0 innings in the Sunday start, while Owen Roberts pitched 2.0 innings in relief.

Indiana State returns home to start a four-game home stand at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday against Lindenwood at Bob Warn Field.

In the NFL, “cut-down day” has long been an established part of the league calendar.

Each August, each of the 32 NFL franchises are tasked with cutting its roster size from 90 to 53 players ahead of the season. More than 1,100 players — long shots, aging veterans and agonizingly close calls — lose their jobs on a day coaches, front office personnel and players have long referred to as the worst of the year.

This summer, college teams face something similar — albeit at a smaller scale.

By opting into the House v. NCAA settlement last year, FBS programs are now subject to a 105-player roster limit. Unlike previous rules allowing for only 85 full scholarships — on rosters that could swell to 120 — all 105 players can be put on full or partial scholarship.

The 105 is, however, a hard cap. Teams didn’t have to worry about meeting that number last summer due to protections afforded to players who might have lost a roster spot after the settlement went into effect.

This summer? There will almost assuredly be cuts as teams — New Mexico among them — work to meet that cap.

How, then, are the Lobos managing it?

UNM carried 101 players into spring practice, including seven designated student-athletes (DSAs). DSAs are players “whose roster spots would have been impacted by immediate implementation of the roster limits” last summer, per an NCAA governance update, and do not count towards the 105-player limit.

Likely starting defensive end Darren Agu and running back Cameron Mathews are among UNM’s seven DSAs. The Lobos are also bringing in 20 incoming freshmen, putting the Lobos at 121 rostered players on paper when they likely need to be at 112 by the first game.

In April, coach Jason Eck said UNM would use a two-pronged approach split across the spring and late summer to meet that number. That approach is already underway. Friday, Eck said he and his staff met with some players this week to let them know “where they stood” as that number looms.

“Some of them, we’re not going to be able to bring back,” he said. “Some of them, (it’s) kind of, ‘Hey, you’re back, but you’re still at risk. You’re one of the guys who’s kind of in a pool that needs to improve.’”

Depending on the timeline, players have some options. Those that won’t be coming back for training camp can go try and play at another non-NCAA program, like a junior college or an NAIA team. Those programs are not subject to the NCAA’s rules against “ghost transfers,” players who leave one NCAA program and enroll at another without formally entering the transfer portal.

For players coming back for training camp but might not make it to the season, Eck said he’s told some he would bring them back for spring practice if they stay enrolled at UNM.

“The guys who are leaving right now, if we can’t bring them back for camp (this summer), we’re trying to help those guys figure out what they want to do,” Eck said. “If they wanna stay here in school and try to get their degree from the University of New Mexico, if they wanna play — you know, one of the guys is a graduate, so he wants to move on as a grad transfer (and try) to find some place where he can play and go to grad school.

“Everyone’s a little different (with) different scenarios.”

But it might not be as simple as making it to 112, which might work to UNM’s advantage. Last year, Eck said players who suffered a season-ending injury before games started were not subject to the roster limit, which could give UNM some wiggle room beyond 112.

Regardless, Eck says he sees UNM coming to camp with “no more than” 115 on the roster.

“It is a little tricker that way,” he said. “But it’s also, you gotta play by the rules. If guys are frustrated, you just gotta tell them, ‘Hey, we gotta make tough decisions.’

“And these are tough decisions.”

Sean Reider covers college football and other sports for the Journal. You can reach him at sreider@abqjournal.com or via X at @lenaweereider.

May 10—WPIAL softball playoffs

Class 4A

First round

11-Freeport (8-10) vs. 6-Laurel Highlands (10-5)

2 p.m. Monday at Norwin

Winner plays: 3-Blackhawk (10-4) on Thursday in quarterfinals (time and location TBD)

Players to watch: Addyson Caruso, Freeport; Kayla Howell, Laurel Highlands

Extra bases: Freeport is back in the WPIAL playoffs after missing out last year in its first season back up in Class 4A. The Yellowjackets scored a crucial victory over Greensburg-Salem in dominating fashion last Monday and finished in a tie with the Golden Lions for first place in Section 1 at 5-7. Junior Ali Smith pitched a two-hitter in the win. Freshman Mady Bell also has pitched games for the Yellowjackets this season. Caruso, a senior third baseman and a Waynesburg commit, senior center fielder Addi Gourley (Pitt-Johnstown), and senior first baseman Lauren Clark lead the Freeport offense from the heart of the lineup. ... Laurel Highlands finished second (8-4) to top-seeded Elizabeth Forward in Section 2. The Mustangs qualified for the WPIAL playoffs for the first time since 2013. Laurel Highlands is seeking its first WPIAL title. Howell, a senior, fronts the Mustangs in hitting at .408 (20 of 49). The 20 hits and her 16 runs scored are team-bests. Sophomores Payton Senge and Chloe Komacko and senior Harlie Dirda lead the way with 16, 12 and 10 RBIs, respectively. Senge (9-4) paces the Mustangs with a 0.88 ERA and 146 strikeouts over 80 innings.

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

In what’s become a Mother’s Day tradition, Harford Community College defended its reign over junior college men’s lacrosse.

HCC won its fourth consecutive National Junior College Athletic Association national championship Sunday with an 18-17 comeback victory over Onondaga, of New York, extending a dominant run that’s made the Harford County school the most successful in the recent history of the sport.

“This is where it all kind of builds up to,” HCC coach Aaron Verardi said. “The standards are really high. They know what the expectations are here.”

HCC led by one after the first quarter and by four at halftime before Onondaga outscored the Owls in the third quarter to cut the No. 1 seed’s deficit entering the fourth. And after Onondaga scored four goals in the first two minutes of the final frame, HCC trailed for the first time and needed a rally to maintain its streak.

The Owls scored five goals in the game’s final 10 minutes while holding the opponent to three scores in that span to mount that come-from-behind effort in a one-goal victory.

Cody MacNeil, Hugo Peel and George Shonfield all had three goals. Four other Owls added two apiece.

“We’ve worked so hard this year, ups and downs the whole season, but just to be able to say that we’re national champions, it’s just a surreal feeling,” said MacNeil, a Canadian who ironically discovered HCC through a cousin who played for Onondaga years ago.

Onondaga took this year’s regular-season meeting, 17-12, in March, the start of an unusual road for the Owls this season. They lost more games this year (two) than they did over the previous three seasons combined (one). Then, HCC lost in the NJCAA Region 20 tournament to Howard Community College, which the Owls thrashed in the regular season.

That made HCC the No. 5 seed and road team through the rest of the postseason. The Owls bounced back to beat CCBC Essex in the national quarterfinals, avenged the loss to Howard in the semifinals on Saturday, and ended the weekend with a fourth consecutive trophy on their home turf. HCC and the NJCAA agreed two years ago to host the national championship weekend through 2028.

“Every team has its own story. I really think this team needed that,” Verardi said. “We had a lot of adversity. We battled through it all year, and I think we were able to put it all together at the most critical time.”

Sunday was HCC’s fifth title game appearance in the past six years. It beat Nassau (New York) in the championship in 2023 and 2025 and CCBC Essex two years ago. Verardi said this Onondaga team gave his group their toughest test on this stage of all their past opponents.

Most players on this year’s team weren’t around for those victories. Turnover is expected at the junior college level, and HCC has become known for producing future NCAA players. Verardi estimates 90% of his players find homes at four-year schools after their two years with him.

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This run has brought national, perhaps even global, notoriety to HCC. Six of the team’s players are from Canada, and three starters come from England. Others came to Harford County from California, New Mexico and Florida.

“We get to bring some of our Canadian ball down here to teach that to the Brits, to the Americans,” MacNeil said. “We learn the American ball. We learn the Brit ball. Our whole offense just meshes together, and it’s a perfect fit.”

Lacrosse players around the world want a chance at contributing to, and continuing, this historic stretch.

Have a news tip? Contact Taylor Lyons at tlyons@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/TaylorJLyons.

Pushing his body to the edge, Punahou sophomore Koji Ho overcame a gritty effort by defending state champion and top seed Bryan Assi for a 6-3, 7-5 win in the boys singles final of the Island Insurance/HHSAA Tennis State Championships on Saturday morning at Patsy T. Mink Central Oahu Regional Park.

Within moments after the match, Ho was on his back. Quadriceps in both legs cramping. Abdominal cramps. Chest cramps. Shoulders. Back. He consumed mustard and pickle juice, and athletic trainers taped bags of ice to his legs.

Roughly half an hour later, the awards ceremony began and Ho was back on his feet.

“It was so worth it. The most worth it ever. I would do it all again. It’s the best feeling ever,” Ho, the second seed, said. “I think it put more pressure on me that Bryan was injured. I just tried to stay positive and focus on the good things in our match. I’m just grateful for all my teammates and my coaches — everybody who’s helped me get here.”

Punahou coach Ikaika Jobe praised Assi, a Hilo senior.

“Bryan made it to the final. He made it through the pain,” Jobe said. “He’s a great player. He still has all that experience. Koji did a good job staying present, staying focused. Koji keeps playing with people, putting in the time. He won doubles last year, and I think that helped build his confidence. I like that he kept going after it today, kept trusting his shots.”

Assi played through the tourney, which began Thursday, with a right wrist injury that he suffered three weeks ago while working out with a personal trainer, running sprints. He tripped, fell and braced himself with his strong hand.

The 6-foot-2 right-hander’s powerful serve wasn’t 100%, however, and Ho was ready to pounce.

“Koji is really good — he kept balls in, kept the rallies going,” Assi said. “ His returns were really good.”

Ho matched forehand shots with Assi and had the slight edge in long rallies as Assi continued to wince. The injured wrist was wrapped up but limited his flexibility.

Assi battled back in the second set and led 5-4, but double faults allowed Ho to rally.

“I tried my best, kind of came back in that second set. I had my chances, but the serve was a little off, the forehand was a little off,” Assi said.

In girls singles, top-seeded Ashley Kurizaki of Moanalua outlasted second-seeded Mami Daysog of Roosevelt 6-2, 6-1.

“I feel pretty good. I almost expect myself to win, so it’s more of a relief, but I’m also excited,” Kurizaki said.

Daysog, a sophomore, often mirrored her counterpart … unsurprisingly — the two are often doubles partners in junior tennis. Kurizaki, a senior, played the long game, using long rallies to grind out hard-earned points.

“I know her game and she knows mine. Mami is a good player overall. Staying in the points long enough, not pushing too much, was important,” said Kurizaki, who trailed 2-0 in set one. “After I got more into a rhythm, I mostly just tried to play my game. There were a few times when I had to adjust. I threw in some drop shots, but otherwise I played my game.”

After winning the state singles title as a sophomore, Kurizaki did not play high school tennis last year, opting to tour and prepare for college.

“I went to California and Florida, played in tournaments,” said Kurizaki, who signed with Santa Clara. “I definitely missed my team.”

She returned for her senior year and relished the camaraderie of her team under first-year coach Tyler Kinoshita.

“As a whole, we’ve been really blessed with kids with great character. That’s what we as coaches are most proud of,” Kinoshita said. “As a captain, she was a role model with her sense of determination and passion. She has a genuine love for the game.”

Daysog found positives even in a loss.

“I had a lot of fun especially since it’s Ashley’s last year. I’ve known her so long, since I first was a tournament player. I really value her friendship and I’m glad we played each other,” Daysog said. “We definitely try our hardest. We don’t want to lose. Ashley’s game is so amazing. She’s so adaptive to every ball and her touch is amazing.”

The Buffanblu swept the doubles titles — both finals were all-Buffanblu affairs.

Second-seeded Mia Tom and Sophia Howell edged top-seeded Isabella Jube and Mari Dela Cruz 6-2, 2-6, 6-4.

Top-seeded Allen Kudo and Owen Allison captured the boys doubles title, defeating second-seeded Ethan Loo and Bradley Hirohata 7-5, 6-3.

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Josyah Napoleon-Umeda and his Honokaa teammates came for the Monarchs, and they didn’t miss.

Napoleon-Umeda struck out nine batters and didn’t allow a run to beat Damien 3-0 for the Wally Yonamine Foundation Division II state baseball championship on Saturday at Les Murakami Stadium.

The Dragons were undefeated in 17 contests this season but still went into the game overlooked because the team in the other dugout is state royalty in Division II baseball. Honokaa had won only one game on the biggest stage, and that came way back in 2009. The Monarchs, on the other hand, had ruled for two years and sported an 18-2 record in the state tournament, with their only losses coming in championship games. Their state winning percentage of 86% remains the highest in state tournament history, ahead of Maryknoll (83%) and Punahou (82%).

That made the victory all that much sweeter for the scrappy lads from the Big Island and their little lefty.

“We wanted to play the best and beat the best,” Honokaa coach Waylon Salazar said. “It’s just a blessing, good stuff for the kids. We are just super blessed with a super blessed team.”

Napoleon-Umeda allowed only three hits and three walks and never let a Monarch pass second base. His 104th pitch was a weak ground ball to first baseman Rory Crabbe, who ended the Damien dynasty by himself before the Dragons converged on him for the celebration.

“All I had to do is throw strikes and these boys made the plays for me and I am grateful for them,” Napoleon-Umeda said. “I knew that we had it from the very beginning, I just wanted my boys to know that we had it.”

Damien starter Max Detrinis struck out the first batter he faced, but the Dragons punched back immediately. Jayden Salazar laced a single to center and Crabbe bounced a ball over the first baseman for another single. A fielder’s choice ground ball to short scored Salazar and Chrys Coelho placed a long fly ball between the left and center fielders for a double to send Isaac DeRego home with a two-run lead.

The Dragons loaded the bases with one out in the fifth but came away empty on a ground ball back to Detrinis followed by an emphatic strikeout of Hauoli McGurn on a 3-2 pitch. The Dragons, who left 11 runners on base in the game, delivered in the following inning when Napoleon-Umeda walked, stole second and went to third on a wild pitch before Salazar knocked him in with a clean single to left. They threatened but didn’t score again, with Kekona Begonia taking over for beleaguered Detrinis after his 109th pitch and shutting the Dragons down 1-2-3 in the seventh.

Damien had been blanked before, but Napoleon-Umeda befuddled them as much as any pitcher has even though the Monarchs play in the rugged ILH. Napoleon-Umeda’s gem was the first championship game shutout since Bryce Ueno and Damien blanked Radford over five innings in 2018.

“They are a great team, Josyah kept us off balance all day,” Damien coach Skylar Tengan said. “Our hitters had a hard time, and if you can’t hit the ball you can’t win. That was pretty much the bottom line for us. (Detrinis) battled and kept us in the game and that’s all we ask but you can’t win with zero runs.”

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The author of the greatest moment in Mililani baseball history will have to wait for the television replay to fully appreciate it.

Koa Marzo bounced Colten Amai-Nakagawa’s 103rd pitch over the third baseman’s head and into left field for a walkoff single in a 1-0 win over Pac-Five in the Division I championship of the Wally Yonamine Foundation/HHSAA State Baseball Championships at Les Murakami Stadium on Saturday for Mililani’s first title.

“To be honest, I didn’t even know I walked it off until I saw all of my boys rushing toward me,” Marzo said. “I was just trying to get there. It felt great, I mean that’s what we came here for and worked so hard for.”

Mililani and Pac-Five were locked in a scoreless duel until the Wolfpack’s defense finally cracked. Ian Murasaki started the telling inning by pulling a grounder to third but was safe when the first baseman came off the bag to receive the throw. A perfect bunt by Taye Marxen put him on first when the Wolfpack didn’t come up with the ball and Kameron Pongasi loaded the bases with no outs when Pac-Five’s first baseman tried to nab the runner at third but was late. That set up Marzo’s heroics.

“Sometimes you need a little bit of luck to win this tournament,” Mililani coach Mark Hirayama said. “You just have to keep coming out and battling. These guys love each other and like playing for each other. They are close, they are tight. That is the big difference with this group.”

Both pitchers, Mililani’s Ezra Ugale and Amai-Nakagawa of Pac-Five, were superb. Ugale struck out four and allowed only four hits on his 93 pitches and Amai-Nakagawa scattered seven hits on 104 pitches three days after throwing 85 in a first-round win over Kaiser.

“All of our pitchers are dogs,” Marzo said. “Nobody should ever doubt them. They are all good every day. (Pac-Five) did great on their side, too. They have a good pitcher on the mound and we just tried to attack him as soon as possible and do some damage.”

The tension didn’t begin building until the top of the second, when the Wolfpack loaded the bases on a walk, a single and a hit-by-pitch. Ugale snuffed the rally, though, getting Titan Dixon to pop to right and Alika Ahu to ground out to second.

Pac-Five’s Amai-Nakagawa kept the momentum, striking the Trojans out in order in the bottom of the frame.

Mililani had the next scoring chance, even if it didn’t come until the fifth inning. Ugale walked and stole second and third bases and took off in a sprint for home on a 3-2 pitch with two outs, but Marzo took a healthy cut at the ball and drove it to deep center field. Jaxon Cadiz got turned around on his way to the warning track and somehow made a stumbling catch, displaying the ball in his glove from flat on his back.

The zero on the scoreboard was Pac-Five’s 19th straight in this state tournament, passing a slew of teams — 2008 Saint Louis, 1963 Farrington and 1960 Baldwin — for third longest scoreless streak in state history. Only ‘Iolani in 1979 (25 scoreless) and 1972 Saint Louis (22) can claim longer streaks than Pac-Five’s.

The streak reached 20 when Amai-Nakagawa, a Hawaii commit, struck out Xavier Sawa looking to strand two runners in the sixth, but ended in the most painful way in the bottom of the seventh inning to lose the game.

“(Amai-Nakagawa) is great on the mound, good command, change of speeds and a little bit of velocity there,” Hirayama said. “UH has got a good one.”

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Synnove Robinson fired home six goals and Hope McCarren added four scores as top-seeded Punahou overpowered Kamehameha 17-4 in the title match of the Kyo-ya Hotels &Resorts/HHSAA Water Polo State Championships on Saturday night at Kamehameha Schools.

McCarren was essentially Punahou’s point guard, a tall, deceptively sharp playmaker. She finished with three assists and a host of unofficial hockey assists as the Buffanblu carved out good looks against a tough Kamehameha zone defense.

Ava Aguilera anchored the squad on both ends, giving Punahou a perfect 22-0 record and back-to-back state crowns under veteran coach Ken Smith. This is girls state title No. 17 under Smith.

The three playmaking seniors — Robinson, McCarren and 2025 ILH Player of the Year Aguilera — played their final match in buff and blue. Robinson will suit up for Harvard next season. Aguilera will play for Claremont-McKenna, while McCarren, who Smith considers the linebacker of Punahou’s rugged defense, will play at Fresno State, a top-10 program.

“Coach says, ‘You’re always guarding two people.’ Always hustling, your head’s on a swivel,” McCarren said. “This team inspires me to be a leader. They’re the root of it.”

“It feels incredible. We put in all this work the whole past few years. Coming back and getting that championship game in our last year together means everything,” Aguilera said.

Punahou’s balanced attack included two goals by 5-foot-4 junior Zoe Pang, whose athleticism above the water seemed more like a 6-footer all night. Pang had a team-high five assists. Kaia Chaney, another junior, also had two goals.

“These guys make it easy for you,” Smith said. “It’s a joy to be around them. I don’t think I’ve ever had a group from day one to the end that worked like this team has every single day. They’re No. 1 in that.”

Senior Ava Carlson led the Warriors (12-6) with three goals. Kalea Pascua added a goal in the second half. Robinson added two assists in her final prep contest.

“It’s great that we have so many people on the team we can trust to get the job done. I trust every single person on the team. I know I can pass them the ball and they’re going to make it happen,” Robinson said.

Robinson scored two goals in the first quarter as Punahou opened a 4-1 lead. In the second quarter, the Buffanblu allowed only one shot on goal, using tenacious, physical defense to constantly push Kamehameha backward on the perimeter. The visitors led 9-1 at halftime behind four goals by Robinson and three by McCarren.

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The Mililani girls track and field team successfully defended its Oahu Interscholastic Association championship Saturday — sort of.

The Trojans have to share this year’s title with Kahuku, as the Red Raiders ran a blistering 4 minutes, 2.66 seconds to take the 10 points for first in the meet- closing 4×400 meter relay. Mililani went into the finale with a two-point lead, but finished tied with Kahuku with 92 points as the Trojans got eight points for finishing second in 4:06.47.

Zen Kaopua led off for Kahuku on that relay. She was here, there and everywhere throughout the meet at Mililani’s John D. Kauinana Stadium.

Early on, about five minutes after Kaopua won the 100 meters in 12.51 she was back at the long jump pit, where she won with a leap of 18 feet, 1⁄2 inch.

The sophomore also won the 200 meters in 25.40, and led off for the winning 4×100 relay.

During spring break Kaopua was away from the islands.

“I was on the mainland snowboarding with my mom and dad,” she said.

Did that bother her coaches?

“They told me I should have made up a better lie,” she said with a laugh.

Kaopua got plenty of help, including Faith Mataele sweeping the hurdles.

Mililani’s girls picked up points here and there but won just one event. It was the first of the day on the track. Jenna Hasegawa, Hailey Taira, Riana Steward and Sophia Timoshchik held off Kalaheo in the 4×800 relay by .87 of a second, running 9:53.08. Timoshchik brought in eight points for being second to Moanalua’s Sadie Krueger in the 800. Krueger, the state cross country champion, also won the 1,500.

As expected, Moanalua’s state champion boys eased to their second consecutive OIA title, as James Millare continues to put together one of the greatest distance running careers in Hawaii high school history in just two years.

Millare won the 800 in 1:57.01 and the 3,000 in 9:00.08, but it was not a one-man show.

Jaydon Grevious and Tristen Cole got Na Menehune off to a good start, first and third in the long jump on Thursday for 16 points, and Grevious got 20 more for winning the 100 and 200 on Saturday. Cole also won the triple jump, and Hayden Ramiscal the pole vault as Moanalua piled up 125 points. Mililani was second with 117.

Millare — a triple winner in the track distance events at OIA and states last year — looked like he’s ready to do it again.

Millare ran a slow pace for the first 31⁄2 laps of the 1,500, but no one dared try to pass him. Then, on the last turn he accelerated, pulling away from Radford’s Stephen Kozuma to win in 4:02.53.

“He’s very focused on the 800, but he’s even more focused on the 1,500 (for states),” said Moanalua boys distance coach Pono Gandeza, who is also the cross country coach for Na Menehune, where Millare is two-time state champion.

The HHSAA state track and field championships are Friday and Saturday at Kamehameha.

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LOS ANGELES — As the Hawaii men’s volleyball team stormed the court after match point against Long Beach State, the shakas started forming, pointing up to the sky.

Two weeks after Long Beach State freshman Wojciech Gajek angered a team, and an entire fan base, when he flashed the double shaka and then pointed to the ground in the Beach’s five-set win in the Big West tournament final, the Rainbow Warriors got their revenge on the sport’s biggest stage.

Kristian Titriyski put down a match-high 14th kill for the final point and No. 2 seed Hawaii advanced to its seventh national final in school history with a 25-15, 18-25, 25-21, 25-22 win over the Beach in the semifinals of the National Collegiate Men’s Volleyball Championships on Saturday at Pauley Pavilion.

Louis Sakanoko added 12 kills and Adrien Roure finished with 10 to give UH three players in double figures in kills. Justin Todd, who missed the previous match against Long Beach State with an injury, added a career-high 10 blocks and Hawaii (29-5) finished the season 3-1 against the Beach (25-5), who lost only two other matches.

After it was over, the ’Bows celebrated on the court near the net with a lot of the team, and even coaches, flashing the shaka sign toward both the Beach and the crowd.

SHAKAS UP IN PAULEY. advances to the national championship with a 25-15, 18-25, 25-21, 25-22 win over Long Beach State.

— Billy Hull (@billyhull)

“I think everyone took it a little personally,” Sakanoko admitted after the match. “That was a little way to send it back in a classy way.”

Hawaii improved to 7-3 in the semifinal round of the NCAA Tournament and will face UC Irvine for the national championship on Monday at 1 p.m.

The match was similar to the one played two weeks ago when UH won sets one and three and Long Beach State took set two.

Hawaii, which couldn’t convert five match points in the fourth set in the previous meeting, trailed 18-14 on Saturday before closing on an 11-4 run with Sakanoko, Kainoa Wade and Roure all delivering serving turns of at least two points.

“One of the mantras that we have is good turns late,” Hawaii coach Charlie Wade said. “Guys going back to the service line when there is a lot on the line and guys like Kainoa come in and have a really good turn for us, Adrien came back there late and guys just kind of embraced this moment in being able to deliver when it counts.”

Gajek, who hit .071 with 11 kills and nine errors, had one of Long Beach State’s 18 service errors after the Beach led 18-14.

Sakanoko, who had six service errors and no aces, served his first one in that led to a Roure kill and a Beach timeout. They couldn’t freeze Sakanoko, who put another one in that led to a Trevell Jordan kill to get within one point.

“I was playing so bad from the service line that I couldn’t do worse,” Sakanoko said. “My team needed me at that moment and I had to (serve) in a good way. Get my ideas together and I know how to serve. Just tried to lock in a little more.”

The match was tied for the final time at 21-all when Titriyski pumped a kill off the block.

Todd, whose absence in the Big West final was certainly felt, teamed with Titriyski on a block of Gajek, and then Roure put one down from the back row for the first of UH’s two match points.

Long Beach State senior All-American Skyler Varga got to serve down 24-22 and forced Hawaii setter Tread Rosenthal to make a two-handed bump set back over his head as he tumbled near the courtside tables that was put in the perfect position for Titiryski to hammer off a double block to end it.

“I wanted to show what I can do against Long Beach and our team does an amazing job, but I wanted to contribute,” Todd said. “For the blocking part, I give a lot of credit to my teammates because at the net, whenever we are blocking, everybody is communicating to each other what we have to do and it just makes it a lot easier for me and my teammates.”

Rosenthal, who finished with 36 assists, five blocks, five digs and two aces, fell to the ground midway through the third set on a non-contact play and had to be looked at by the trainer.

He finished the match but was struggling to move around on the court.

“I know they are evaluating him now, but he was playing on one leg at the end pretty much, so, our team doctor is here with us and they are taking a look at him and we’ll get a little more info,” Wade said.

Varga finished the match with a team-high 13 kills to lead the Beach, who lost the first set by double digits after combining for 13 hitting and serving errors.

The Beach seized control of the second set on a challenge of a UH touch that wasn’t called on an out ball. The call was overturned to put the Beach ahead 21-18 instead of 20-19 and Gajek served out the set.

Hawaii used a 7-1 run, spurred by aces from Kainoa Wade and Titriyski, to take control of the third set leading 22-16.

Long Beach State served out to fall behind two sets to one.

LBSU finished the night hitting .200. Hawaii had 14.5 blocks to Long Beach State’s six.

“In order to win a national championship, which all of these guys have done, it’s one of the most special experiences out there,” Long Beach State coach Nick MacRae said. “When you’ve done it, then it’s like oh I want nothing more than to keep going after it, and you have to be in this very special moment in the Final Four to have a shot. You have to execute at a really high level, there is a little bit of lady luck that goes into it, and everything has to really be rocking. That’s what makes it so special.”

The Beach are the first team not to repeat as national champion since Ohio State won in 2011. UC Irvine (2012-13), Loyola Chicago (2014-15), Ohio State (2016-17), Long Beach State (2018-19), Hawaii (2021-22) and UCLA (2023-24) all won in consecutive years.

Hawaii is 3-3 all-time in the national final. One of those wins was later vacated (2002).

Aside from Las Cruces’ pitching dominance, there wasn’t much about the opening weekend of the Class 5A baseball playoffs that moved the needle.

The 12th-seeded Bulldawgs shut out No. 5 Centennial for the second consecutive day, and a 2-0 victory Saturday propelled Las Cruces into next week’s quarterfinals in Albuquerque.

The other seven top seeds join the Bulldawgs in the quarters.

The Thursday quarterfinals look like this: No. 1 Rio Rancho versus No. 8 Mayfield at 4 p.m., and No. 2 Cleveland against No. 7 Eldorado at 7 p.m., both at Santa Ana Star Field.

The other two quarters Thursday are at the Riordan Complex on the West Side, with No. 3 La Cueva facing No. 6 Carlsbad at 4 p.m., followed by the Bulldawgs and No. 6 Piedra Vista at 7 p.m.

Armando Gonzalez twirled a three-hitter for Las Cruces in its win over the Hawks. The Bulldawgs scored both their runs in the fifth.

The top-seeded Rams (23-5) spotted Atrisco Heritage the first two runs but won comfortably, 12-2 in five innings. Wyatt Tinker homered and drove in three runs for Rio Rancho.

Down the road at Cleveland, the Storm (25-3) ousted Sandia with an 8-1 victory. Cleveland put up four runs in the top of the first, which was more than enough run support for Treven Polanco who tossed five solid innings. Peyton Noel doubled twice and drove in a pair of runs for the Storm.

No. 3 La Cueva outscored Hobbs 30-2 in two games; the Bears (25-3) romped 13-1 in Game 2 of this series on Saturday morning.

Dylan Blomker drove in four runs for La Cueva, including a bases-clearing, three-RBI double in the first inning, and Everett Burdett struck out 11 in five innings of work. Mikey McMullan had three RBIs for the Bears.

Piedra Vista (24-4) had 20 hits in an 18-8 rout of Clovis. Kyle Murphy went 4-for-4 with five runs to lead the Panther offense, which put the Wildcats away with seven runs in the first.

No. 6 Carlsbad (18-10) is into Week 2 after a tight, come-from-behind 4-3 win over Organ Mountain. In the fourth inning, EZ Lopez and Ricardo Herrera each drove in a run in the fourth to put the Cavemen ahead for good.

Eldorado (24-4) pounded Rio Grande 16-2 to get to Week 2. Sully Wilson belted a pair of home runs for the Eagles, who finished with 20 hits and jumped on Rio Grande early with a six-run first inning.

Eldorado belted four home runs. Sebastian Mestes went deep and had four RBIs, and Maddox Gonzales hit a homer and drove in three.

In Las Cruces, Mayfield (20-7-1) shut out Los Lunas 10-0 as Brad Springer surrendered just one hit and struck out seven in a complete game. Aden Garcia doubled and had four RBIs for the Trojans.

From Class 4A, ninth-seeded St. Pius (15-12) authored another fantastic finish and ousted No. 8 Grants on Saturday, winning Game 2 of their series 7-3. Diego Trujillo’s two-RBI triple was the key blow in the seventh for the Sartans who next play No. 1 Artesia.

No. 5 Albuquerque Academy and No. 6 Hope Christian both won Game 2’s on Saturday and are into the 4A quarterfinals.

The Chargers (20-7) overcame an early 3-0 deficit, and put up four spots in both the second and third innings for a commanding 9-3 lead. Academy eventually eliminated Los Alamos with a 13-6 win.

Joseph Rounds went 4-for-4 for Academy, and Langston Leigh drove in four runs on three hits.

At Santa Ana Star Field, the Huskies (22-6) looked strong in an 11-6 victory over Belen.

Caleb Pena and Hunter Solwick each recorded three RBIs for Hope, which turned a close game (a 4-2 Huskies lead in the fifth) into something larger with seven runs in that inning.

As with 5A, not a single best-of-3 series required a third game. Artesia, Deming and No. 10 Bloomfield joined the other five in the quarterfinals.

Valley, the 14 seed, lost a pair of one-run decisions to No. 3 Santa Teresa. The Desert Warriors won 2-1 on Friday and 7-6 on Saturday. Bernalillo was swept by No. 2-seeded Goddard.

Thursday’s quarterfinals at the Riordan Complex are as follows: Bloomfield-Goddard at 10 a.m., Santa Teresa-Hope at 1 p.m., Academy-Deming at 3:30 p.m. and Artesia-St. Pius at 6:30 p.m.

In 3A, Sandia Prep advanced, blanking Hot Springs 7-0. The Sundevils (18-8) won by shutout in Game on 1 on Friday, as well.

Logan Lemons was magnificent on the bump for Sandia Prep, firing a 1-hitter while striking out 17 batters. He also had three hits.

James Yodice covers prep sports for the Journal. You can reach him at jyodice@abqjournal.com or via X at @JamesDYodice.

May 9—ROCHESTER — The Lourdes baseball team started a new tradition this year, going out to eat breakfast together at the Canadian Honker on Saturday mornings before games.

It was senior outfielder/pitcher Easton Gasner's idea and his teammates were on board immediately.

"It was really nice the first time we did it," said senior centerfielder Nolan Rolih, who will play Division I college baseball at the University of Minnesota in 2027. "We had a really cold game later that day, but the game just didn't feel as cold after having an hour or two with your boys at breakfast. It just felt nice. So we kept doing."

Gasner, one of Lourdes' captains, has been an asset to the Eagles on and off the field for a few years. He continues to reach higher after making the 2025 Post Bulletin All-Area Baseball Team as a junior for what Lourdes head coach Dave Jenson described as his "breakout" season.

He is batting .333 through 14 games with two doubles, 10 RBIs, seven runs scored and is 3-for-3 on stolen-base attempts. On the mound, Gasner holds a 3-2 record and a 2.26 ERA across 31 innings pitched. He has limited opponents to 16 runs — 10 earned — and just three walks, with 28 strikeouts.

Gasner's journey on the diamond began with T-ball when he was 4 years old. He eventually transitioned to the Rochester Youth Baseball Association, competing there until his freshman year, when he earned a spot on the varsity roster.

He's grown a lot since that first varsity season at age 14.

"I think I've learned to hit the ball a little better," Gasner said. "Credit to the coaching staff for that one."

Gasner won't play baseball in college, but plans to attend Creighton University to study neuroscience on a pre-med track. It's a career path he's been interested in for a while, growing up with a nurse for a mom. Even though he won't be continuing his playing career at the next level, Gasner said if a spot opens up to be a manager for the baseball team, he would be interested.

He keeps in touch with 2025 Lourdes graduate and PB Baseball All-Area Player of the Year Nick Bowron, who is a freshman catcher for the Bluejays. Gasner said Bowron is among some of his biggest baseball influences.

"I think past seniors, especially Nick and then Isaac Wenszell, who graduated two years ago," Gasner said. "I really look up to those guys to keep working hard and being my best every day."

It's safe to say baseball has been a true passion for Gasner for nearly 15 years. As he finishes up his senior season, he reflected on his favorite part of the sport.

"Being around the guys, for sure," Gasner said. "I won't remember all the wins and losses, but everything we do together will stick with me."

Rolih grew up playing with some of his teammates, including Gasner.

"We've been playing the guy since we were eight," Rolih said. "So it's pretty special to watch these guys grow up and continue to excel in the sport. And it's sad (to be graduating), but it's also a happy ending. We all get to play the game we love together for one last time. And it's a little bit sad at the same time, knowing that I'll never get to play with some of these guys again."

Jenson said this year's group of seniors is the team's strength as the Eagles hold an 8-6 overall record (5-3 Hiawatha Valley League), sitting just behind Cannon Falls and Kasson-Mantorville in HVL standings.

"They work hard together, they have fun being together, they have fun at practice," Jenson said. "We call ourselves brothers because we want to make sure that we hold each other accountable and that we're enjoying each other's successes and then also helping each other if there's something that we need to learn from.

"Or in those situations where things get hard, whether it's in baseball or in life somewhere else. I want to help them know that there's someone there pulling for them, and so I'm really proud of the culture that these seniors have helped develop and promulgate as we move forward."

With Section 1, Class 2A playoffs set to begin Wednesday, May 20, the Eagles are powering through the home stretch of the regular season, which has included playing five games in six days from May 4-9.

"Last year ... we only had four seniors, and so a lot of games, there were three seniors in the lineup last year, so there were a lot of opportunities for guys this year to grow and improve," Jenson said. "All of our six seniors this year had starting roles last year as well. So they've contributed a lot to the success of the program, winning multiple playoff games sophomore year, junior year and we'll see senior year how it goes."

Yes, Albuquerque native Angelo Leo is still the International Boxing Federation featherweight champion. But Leo’s retention of the title came about on Friday, not Saturday, and in a most peculiar and unsatisfying way.

Challenger Ra’eese Aleem’s failure to make the 126-pound featherweight limit at Friday’s weigh-in has led to the cancellation of Leo’s Saturday IBF title defense in Atlanta.

Leo, who had the option of fighting Aleem with no title at stake, opted not to do so. As reported by boxingscene.com, Leo, having weighed in successfully at 125 pounds, is still entitled to his contracted pay, reported to be $147,000.

Aleem, who had called Saturday’s fight the greatest opportunity of his career, weighed in at 128.8 pounds. Two hours later, given a second chance, he still weighed 128 pounds. The fight was cancelled at that point.

An attempt by the Journal to reach Leo for comment was unsuccessful. But Albuquerque’s Luis Chavez, Leo’s longtime co-trainer, said by phone from Atlanta that the champion was “very upset. … We trained so hard for nothing.”

Leo, Chavez said, “Looked terrific (in training), and then this happened.”

Chavez said Leo had no wish to fight a non-title bout against an overweight opponent.

What’s next for Leo (26-1, 12 knockouts) is anyone’s guess. He last fought on May 24, 2025, when he successfully defended his title with a victory over Tomoki Kameda in Osaka, Japan. Leo had won the title via a victory by 10th-round knockout of then-champion Luis Alberto Lopez at Albuquerque’s Tingley Coliseum on Aug. 10, 2024.

Before the IBF ordered a mandatory title defense for Leo against Aleem, the organization’s No. 1 challenger, a group including Santa Fe promoter Pat Holmes and international promoter Sampson Lewkowicz had been working on a possible title defense for Leo in Albuquerque against South Africa’s Lerato Diamini.

Chavez said he’d been told a fight in Albuquerque is once again a possibility.

Could Leo-Aleem be rescheduled? Perhaps, but trust that Aleem would make weight given a second chance would be low at best. Missing weight for a world title fight by 2 pounds is viewed within the sport as close to unforgivable.

If the IBF were to remove Aleem as the mandatory challenger, elevate No. 2 challenger Omar Trinidad (20-0-2, 14 KOs) of Los Angeles and again order a mandatory defense, there’d be the obstacle of Trinidad’s scheduled June 28 fight against Jarwin Ancajas in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Could a title-unification fight be arranged for Leo against one the other three featherweight champions? That, as always when rival sanctioning bodies are involved, is complicated.

Bruce Carrington, who won the WBC featherweight title in January, already has a July 4 title defense scheduled against Rene Palacios.

Rafael Espinoza, the WBO champion, last fought in November. Brandon Figueroa, the WBA champion, upset then-champion Nick Ball in February. Neither Espinoza nor Figueroa has a fight scheduled.

NO TITLE SHOT FOR PEREZ: Aaron Perez, unbeaten Albuquerque flyweight Abraham Perez’s father, trainer and promoter, says his son had signed to challenge Anthony Olascagua for the Los Angeles boxer’s WBO 112-pound title — only to have Olascagua’s camp reject the fight.

“We signed the contract and made the deal,” Aaron Perez said. “However … we got a response from the promoter (All-Star Boxing) saying that Anthony’s team didn’t want the fight.

“Apparently Abraham was a little too dangerous for them.”

No title defense by Olascagua has been scheduled, as per boxrec.com.

Aaron Perez’s company, Legacy Promotions, has a card scheduled for July 31. Because of the offer to challenge Olascagua for a world title, Abraham was not placed on the July 31 card — headlined by Albuquerqueans Josh Torres and Cristian Cabral in separate fights.

Rather than rearrange the Legacy Card, Aaron Perez said he hoped to secure a fight for his son on another card in July.

Abraham Perez (14-0, 7 KOs) does not appear in the most recent WBO flyweight rankings (though that’s not always a barrier to getting a title shot). He’s ranked 12th by the IBF. He last fought on a Legacy Promotions card on April 4, defeating The Philippines’ Esneth Domingo (22-5, 14 KOs) by lopsided unanimous decision.

May 8—A year ago, Valley baseball went 7-11 and missed the WPIAL playoffs.

That was last year.

This year, the Vikings (14-5) bounced back to have one of the most accomplished regular seasons in Class 4A.

Now, the Section 3 co-champion with Indiana (8-2) is ready to begin what it hopes is a deep postseason run.

Valley will have to wait until May 18 to begin that journey. The WPIAL baseball playoff committee Friday awarded the Vikings the No. 3 seed and a first-round bye. They await the winner of Monday's matchup between No. 7 West Mifflin and No. 10 Ambridge

"I don't think you can measure the excitement level of the guys right now," said coach Jaron Minford, who saw his Vikings hand Class 3A No. 4 Freeport its first loss of the season by a 4-2 score Thursday afternoon.

"They are through the roof with so much energy to get the playoffs started. After last year when they didn't make it, they had something to prove. They set out to prove they belonged, and it is basically the same team as last year, so you can see the hard work they put in to get better paid off. They had goals in mind, and the playoffs were one of them. They are excited to be there, but now the work begins to achieve more of their goals. It won't be easy, as there are so many great teams wanting the same thing as we do. But the guys will be ready."

Indiana (15-4) and Elizabeth Forward (14-5) are the top two seeds in the Class 4A bracket.

Knoch (12-8) is the No. 8 seed and will face No. 9 Blackhawk (11-7) at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Pullman Park in Butler. The Knights, the third-place place team in Section 3 behind Indiana and Valley, will attempt to get back in the win column after a challenging slate of games against Pine-Richland, Montour and Ellwood City to close out the regular season.

There again is depth in the Class 5A field with several teams hoping to make a run.

Plum is squarely in the mix after a 17-3 regular season and a tie for second in Section 1 with Latrobe at 9-3.

The Mustangs are the No. 5 seed and will play close to home at 4 p.m. Tuesday. They will face No. 12 Upper St. Clair (9-8) at Gateway.

"To be honest, seeding doesn't really matter," Plum coach Carl Vollmer said. "We learned that last year. We were the No. 2 seed and lost (1-0) to (No. 15) Mars. It really comes down to who has good starting pitching. It's a matter of who is good that day, who executes and who makes the fewest mistakes.

"I feel we had another really good season. (Class) 5A is extremely difficult. There are many teams who could win this. It is tough to say if any one team is a heavy favorite."

Despite a sweep at the hands of Section 3 runner-up West Allegheny earlier this week, Fox Chapel (12-8) locked up fourth in the standings and will enter the Class 5A playoffs as the No. 15 seed. It takes on Section 1 champ Penn-Trafford (15-5) at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Plum.

In Class 3A, the four section champions are the top four seeds. Avonworth, Seton-LaSalle and Ellwood City are seeded No. 1 through No. 3.

Freeport, the Section 3 champion, is the No. 4 seed and will open the playoffs at 4 p.m. Tuesday close to home against No. 13 Quaker Valley (9-10) at Deer Lakes.

"We set a goal to be in the top four for the playoffs, and we are able to check off that box," Yellowjackets coach Ed Carr said. "Our previous goals were a section title and a spot in the playoffs. Every team, when you get into the playoffs, is good. Whether you have the perfect path is irrelevant. You have to win the games at hand and beat the best if you want to win it all."

Freeport and QV have some familiarity having scrimmaged each other in March.

The Yellowjackets averaged nine runs a game in the regular season and were undefeated through 17 games before their loss to Valley.

"I felt it was a necessary game for us to play. We saw their No. 1," Carr said. "It was just a really good baseball game. It was a coin-flip game right to the very end, and we had some good chances."

Burrell, third in Section 3 behind Freeport and Mt. Pleasant, is the 11th seed and will face No. 6 Mohawk (13-5) at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Pullman Park in Butler.

Some of the Bucs' players know all about making a run as a double-digit seed. Burrell, the No. 14 seed in 2024, advanced to the semifinals and earned a spot in the PIAA playoffs.

Riverview came from the No. 6 seed last year to claim a spot in the PIAA Class 2A playoffs.

The Raiders hope for a similar run over the next few weeks to get past the semifinals and into the title game. They will get that chance starting as the No. 4 seed with a first-round matchup against No. 13 Frazier (9-9) at 6:30 p.m. Monday at West Mifflin.

The Raiders tied OLSH for second in Section 3 at 9-3 behind South Side. The teams split their section-finale series earlier this week.

Apollo-Ridge (11-8), fourth in Section 3, two games behind Riverview and OLSH, owns the No. 7 seed and will face No. 10 Shenango (11-8) at 7 p.m. Monday at Seneca Valley. The Vikings split a series with South Side in late March.

Leechburg (9-7) was yet another A-K Valley team to play winning baseball in the regular season, and the Blue Devils, runners-up to Western Beaver in Section 2-A, will enter the Class A playoffs as the No. 5 seed.

Leechburg, which lost a pair of close games to Burrell and Apollo-Ridge to cap the regular season, will face No. 12 Bishop Canevin (6-10) in the first round at 4 p.m. Monday at West Mifflin.

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

May 8—Here are the top five times or distances for teams in the West Central Tribune circulation area. Results were taken from Athletic.net as of May 8, 2026. If there's a missing result, email sports@wctrib.com.

EMPORIA, Kan. — Three Lions logged home runs as the top-seeded Missouri Southern State University Lions softball team (47-7) earned a spot in the MIAA championship finals with a 6-1 win over the host team fourth-seeded Emporia State University Hornets (29-18) on Friday at Emporia’s Trusler Sports Complex.

Southern senior Katie Gray sparked the Lions offense in the bottom of the third inning with a two-run homer just inside the foul pole in left field. That homer plated Bailey Dillon and broke Gray’s single-season MSSU home run record with her 16th home run of the year. Emily Perry gave the Lions a 3-0 lead when she doubled to right center and drove in Carsen Tinkler.

The Hornets put a run across in the top of the fifth when Taryn Burkhard plated Kinsey Perine with a single up the middle.

MSSU answered with a trio of runs, all via the long ball, in the bottom of the frame. Maddie Rolfs scored Micah Snider after she busted one over left center field that sent Emporia State’s center fielder Burkhardt crashing into the fence.

Freshman Avery Sue Davis went back-to-back with Rolfs, sending one over the left field fence for a solo shot that made it a 6-1 Lions lead.

That score held as the Lions secured their spot in the finals, set for noon Saturday.

Three Lions logged multiple hits in the game. Tinkler was 2 for 3 with a run, Rolfs went 2 for 3 with two RBIs and a run, and Davis finished 2 for 3 with one RBI and one run.

Starter Kiki Pickens (20-3) earned her 20th win of the season. She gave up one run on five hits, while striking out four and walking two in four innings of work. Freshman Emily Davis earned the save after giving up no runs on two hits in three innings of relief. Davis fanned five and walked none.

“Kiki early on helping keep us composed was really big for us,” MSSU head coach Halie Blackney said. “I feel that paid off early in the game, and then we kind of settled in and were ourselves. Pitching and defense is what we hang our hat on. Kiki did her thing, and then Emily Davis came in and did her thing too.”

Burkhardt led Emporia State after going 2 for 4 with one RBI.

Hornets starter Hannah Butterbaugh was tagged with the loss after surrendering three runs on six hits. She struck out none and walked none in 2 2/3 innings.

Blackney shared her thoughts on the win.

“We knew playing the Hornets here in Emporia, there was going to be a lot of energy,” Blackney said. “They are an energetic bunch, and we knew we would have to weather the storm. I felt like the maturity and experience of our upperclassmen really carried us through that. It was a team win. I love our team, just because of how we pay, which is together always.”

The MIAA regular season champions Lions will look to win the MIAA Tournament title as well when they face Rogers State University on Saturday. Rogers State beat the University of Central Oklahoma by a score of 7-5 in the second semifinal Friday.

Tinkler talked abut what it would be like to capture both the regular-season and the tourney titles — something that hasn’t happened since 2001.

“We couldn’t end any better,” Tinkler said. “That’s the goal and that would be awesome.”

Tinkler shared what she believes it will take to win the MIAA tourney.

“I think we just stay who we are, stay consistent, and it will take care of itself,” Tinkler said.

CHICAGO — Injuries? No excuses.

Memorable comeback victories? Plenty.

The Chicago Cubs’ torrid stretch has them tied for the best record (26-12) in Major League Baseball coming off a four-game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds. They’ve won 19 of 22 games — a 10-game winning streak followed by a brief three-game skid on the West Coast and now nine consecutive wins heading into a road stretch against the Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves and Chicago White Sox.

“We’ve played really well,” president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said at the beginning of the homestand. “Now, the reality is that we’ve had a ton of bullpen injuries and pitching injuries and we have to overcome those. But, yes, all things considered, you look at where our record is and how we’ve gotten there, I think we’ve played well.

“But we have five more months to go and we’ve got to keep doing it.”

As the Cubs put together their latest impressive run, three numbers stand out.

1. 15 consecutive wins at Wrigley Field

The Cubs are loving the home environment, regardless of the sometimes finicky elements.

Who says a home-field advantage can’t provide a tangible boost? The Cubs certainly have been playing like it can. The 15 consecutive wins at Wrigley Field is their longest home winning streak since tallying 18 straight from Sept. 4-22, 1935. It also represents the longest such streak in the majors since 2023, when the New York Yankees won 15 consecutive at home.

“I’m not the type of person to believe something you can’t physically see,” pitcher Shota Imanaga told reporters through interpreter Edwin Stanberry after Thursday’s win. “But I feel like at Wrigley, there’s this power that you can’t see, but you can kind of feel where it’s like with the fans and the cheering, where the other team feels the pressure if you’re on the mound or if you’re up to bat.

“And then on the other side, when we’re up to bat or if we’re pitching, you feel that extra push and support of this power you can’t see. I think there is something there.”

The Cubs just completed their second 7-0 homestand this year — the first time they’ve accomplished that feat in a single season since 1880, according to team historian Ed Hartig.

A pair of four-game sweeps against the Philadelphia Phillies and Reds, both coming at Wrigley, marks the first time the Cubs have recorded multiple four-game sweeps in a season since 2018, when they did it three times against the Milwaukee Brewers, New York Mets and Reds. The last time the Cubs had at least two four-game sweeps within their first 38 games was 1920.

“It’s pretty special,” left fielder Ian Happ said Thursday. “Four-game sweeps in the big leagues is really hard. Any sweep’s tough, but four games is pretty impressive. Our ability to do it in a bunch of different ways (has) been the most impressive part and (with) contributions from all over the place.”

2. 2.83 rotation ERA

The injury blows haven’t stopped for the Cubs.

The rotation already had been tested with Cade Horton out for the season after elbow surgery and Justin Steele’s return from April 2025 elbow surgery, initial targeted for late May/early June, getting delayed until potentially after the All-Star break because of a flexor strain. Then Matthew Boyd needed surgery on the meniscus in his left knee this week, sustaining the injury while playing at home with his kids.

The Cubs rotation keeps stepping up, though. Its collective 2.83 ERA during the nine-game winning streak is second-best in the majors in that span. Left-hander Imanaga has been everything the Cubs have needed to set the tone. He has allowed just one run, on a homer, in 13 innings over his last two starts while striking out 15 and walking four. Imanaga has lowered his season ERA to 2.28 in eight starts, giving up one run or fewer in six of those games.

It hasn’t fallen solely on Imanaga’s shoulders to keep the staff rolling. Cubs starters’ 54 innings pitched over the last 10 days are the second-most by a big-league rotation. They’ve been able to put together strong innings in part by shutting down opponents’ chances when they do get on base — an MLB-leading 92.2% left-on-base percentage during this stretch — aided by an elite defense.

The Cubs will need continued consistency from Edward Cabrera, Jameson Taillon and Colin Rea to get through this stretch without Boyd and Steele.

3. 52 runs scored

As one of the best offenses in baseball, the Cubs can beat teams in a variety of ways.

The offensive versatility has been on display, especially their ability to win close games. Five of the wins during the nine-game streak were decided by one run, including three straight walk-offs Monday through Wednesday.

The three walk-off wins against the Reds was just the fourth time in franchise history the Cubs recorded three walk-off victories versus the same opponent, according to Elias Sports Bureau. It previously occurred in 1943 and 1932 against the New York Giants and 1932 against the Boston Braves.

Led by hot stretches from Happ (193 weighted runs created plus), first baseman Michael Busch (202 wRC+), center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (171 wRC+) and right fielder Seiya Suzuki (120 wRC+), the Cubs’ 52 runs scored over their last nine games trail only the Yankees (59), and they own the third-highest on-base percentage (.358) and wRC+ (124).

Crow-Armstrong has slugged more home runs (three) during this nine-game winning streak than he hit in his first 29 games (one).

“I just expect he and Michael to get hot here at some point soon,” Hoyer said at the start of the homestand of Crow-Armstrong and Busch. “That’s the thing I like about our offense the most is Nico (Hoerner has) carried us early. He’s not going to keep up that pace, but you know that when he comes down a little bit, we have other guys who sort of haven’t hit their stride yet.

“I look at Pete and Michael in that vein. It’s a matter of time until those guys break out, and when they do, both those guys have a chance to get hot and carry us for a while with their talent.”