WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

The Rogers State Hillcats women’s basketball team erased a 4-point deficit entering the final quarter and exploded for 27 fourth-quarter points to defeat Oklahoma Christian Eagles 70-66 last Saturday at the Claremore Expo Center.

RSU [4-8] leaned on pressure defense and efficient ball movement to flip the game, scoring 19 points off turnovers and piling up 40 points in the paint. Despite Oklahoma Christian [5-6] leading twice and tying the game five times, the Hillcats’ late surge proved decisive.

RSU set the tone early, opening the game on a 7-0 run sparked by an Ella Hafer layup and a fast-break 3 from Samantha Shanks.

The Hillcats controlled the paint throughout the opening quarter, building an 18-12 lead behind inside buckets from Destiny Jones and Michelle Arens.

The Eagles rallied late in the second quarter, capitalizing on RSU turnovers to edge ahead 25-24 at halftime.

Oklahoma Christian maintained momentum into the third quarter, but steals from Hafer and Kate Melton helped keep the Hillcats within striking distance. RSU entered the final frame trailing 47-43.

Everything changed in the fourth.

Shanks drilled a 3-pointer at the 6:53 mark to tie the game at 50, and the Hillcats never looked back.

Bailey Layman buried a clutch 3 with 2:05 remaining to give RSU the lead, then added a jumper moments later. Ataya Casaus sealed the outcome with a tough jumper in the paint with 37 seconds left, as RSU closed the quarter on a 27-19 run.

Casaus and Shanks each scored 14 points, with Shanks adding 8 rebounds and 5 assists. Layman finished with 12 points, while Jones added 10 points and 2 steals.

Taylor Jackson led Oklahoma Christian with 22 points and 9 rebounds, while Sofia Lopez chipped in 10 points.

The Hillcats return to action on New Year’s Day in Wichita, Kansas, against Newman Jets at 5:30 p.m.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

On the men’s side, Jabryn Anderson delivered a performance rarely seen in Claremore.

Anderson recorded a triple-double — 12 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds — to lead Rogers State men’s basketball to an 87–59 win over Texas A&M–Kingsville at Northside Sports Gym in the final game of the River City Holiday Classic on Dec. 17. He became just the second Hillcat to record a triple-double in program history.

RSU dominated from the opening minutes, building a 17-point halftime lead behind sharp shooting and relentless defense.

The Hillcats knocked down 11 3-pointers, dished out 25 assists and forced 16 turnovers, converting those miscues into 23 points.

Caden Fry sparked the offense early with multiple 3-pointers and closed the first half with a dunk as RSU led 46-29.

The Hillcats continued to pour it on after halftime, with Benard Omooria opening the half with a 3 and Fry adding another moments later.

Fry finished with a game-high 20 points and 6 rebounds, while Omooria added 14 points. Damondre McKnight chipped in 12 points as RSU cruised to the 28-point victory.

The Hillcats will face Newman on New Year’s Day in Wichita at 7:30 p.m.

MEN'S SOCCER

Rogers State men’s soccer capped a historic season with its highest national ranking ever.

The Hillcats [14-4-5] finished sixth in the final United Soccer Coaches Top 25 poll, marking a landmark achievement in coach Jake Simpson’s first season.

RSU hosted the first three rounds of the NCAA Tournament, earning home wins over No. 17 Cedarville and No. 15 Lincoln before advancing to the quarterfinals.

Rogers State also finished second in both the GAC/MIAA regular-season and tournament standings.

Alex Laing claimed the program’s first GAC/MIAA Defensive Player of the Year award, while Louis Bassett and Artur Carvalho earned All-GAC/MIAA First Team honors.

The accolades continued at the national level.

Laing was named a D2CCA All-America Second Team selection, Bassett earned United Soccer Coaches All-America Third Team honors and Brandon O’Rourke and Jaxon Kendall were recognized as College Sports Communicators Academic All-Americans.

The hardware followed the history in Inola.

When the 2025 Class 3A-4 All-District honors were released, they read less like a list and more like a recap of one of the most significant seasons Inola football has ever produced.

Coming off a 9-3 campaign that delivered a long-awaited return to playoff relevance, the Longhorns were rewarded with a wave of major awards and all-district selections that reflected both individual excellence and a program-wide breakthrough.

Inola finished 9-3, earning a home playoff game for the first time since 2016 and securing its first winning season since 2019. The nine-win total marked just the sixth time in school history the Longhorns reached that benchmark, and the postseason success carried historic weight as well.

Inola’s first-round playoff victory over Checotah was its first playoff win since 1994 and first home playoff win since 1984 — milestones decades in the making.

The district awards were headlined by Brennan Lawley, who was named Offensive Player of the Year after spearheading an offense that consistently delivered in key moments.

On the defensive front, Inola’s dominance in the trenches was recognized twice, with Alejandro Gallegos and Brock Landsaw both earning Defensive Lineman of the Year honors. Elsewhere, Eddie Yang was named Special Teams Player of the Year.

The district also acknowledged toughness, resilience and impact beyond the stat sheet, as Jenner Estes received the Purple Heart Award.

At the top of it all, Brett Thomas was voted Coach of the Year, a fitting honor for the architect behind Inola’s resurgence.

That success extended well beyond the major awards. Several seniors earned First Team All-District honors, including Micah Schwing at wide receiver, Tyler Yoder on the offensive line, Caleb Helling at defensive line, Angel Mata at inside linebacker and Huston Wilhite in the defensive backfield.

Additional recognition went to Zeke Rodriguez, Caleb Sims, Chance Lawrence, Alejandro Pando and Gus Robertson, all of whom received Honorable Mention honors after playing key roles in the Longhorns’ historic run.

Former Boles Lady Hornet Bailey Miller, who just finished her college career with 28-4 Arizona State, is joining an Austin team in an indoor professional volleyball league.

The Austin team in the League One Volleyball league announced the addition of the 6-3 Miller.

As an outside hitter this past season at Arizona State, Miller earned first-team All-Big 12 honors, All-Pacific All-Region honors, academic all-district honors and was named to the honorable mention list on the American Volleyball Coaches Association’s all-America team.

Miller finished second on the team in kills for the season with 392 to go with 37 assists, 39 aces, 52 blocks and 293 digs.

She played two seasons at Arizona State and two at West Virginia after leading the Boles Lady Hornets in kills and blocks during her high school career.

There are other LOVB pro teams in Houston, Madison, Wisc., Salt Lake City, Atlanta, Ga., and Omaha, Neb.

League play starts on Jan. 7.

---

Dr. Marcus Sedberry, a former Greenville Lion athlete, served as the General Manager for the University of Wisconsin’s football program this season.

His duties included overseeing roster management, player personnel and operations for the Badgers. He’s also served as a Deputy Athletic Director for Wisconsin.

Sedberry, who ran track at Nebraska after running on a state finalist 4x400 relay for the Greenville Lions, has also been an administrator at Baylor, Central Florida, Arkansas and in the National Football League with the Philadelphia Eagles.

His father Marvin Sedberry Sr. coached three stints as the head football coach of the Greenville Lions and his brother Marvin Sedberry Jr. is the head football coach of the Terrell Tigers.

---

Nevaeh Zavala’s double-double helped High Point to an 85-83 double-overtime women’s basketball victory over Yale.

Zavala, a 6-0 senior from Royse City, scored 21 points and pulled down a team-high 14 rebounds.

Zavala is averaging 9.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game for the 11-2 Panthers, who’ll next play at North Carolina-Asheville on Dec. 31.

---

Maggie Hutka, a 6-0 junior from Royse City,scored two points and pulled down a rebound during Montana’s 90-85 women’s basketball victory over Tarleton State.

---

Brett Nix, a former Wolfe City basketball player, has scored 14 points and pulled down three rebounds in two basketball games this season for Oklahoma Science and Arts.

Nix, a 6-0 freshman who transferred from Wayland Baptist, is shooting 57.1% from 3-point range for the 5-8 Drovers.

Sequoyah boys basketball head coach Zac Briscoe has been preaching that winning is a skill.

So far, the Indians are starting to learn how to win, piecing together three in a row before a two-week break for Christmas vacation. Prior to the break, the Indians picked up wins over Lincoln Christian, Keys and Kingston.

“We’ve been telling the guys for a year and a half that winning is a skill,” Briscoe said. “So any win is a good win. Winning is a skill, and they’re developing that skill more and more. You know, a couple of early losses of the season were real close, and then we’ve had some competitive games lately and found a way to come up with wins. So I’m just proud of the way they’re battling and growing up a little bit.”

The Indians took down Kingston to go into the break with a statement win over a potential State Tournament qualifier. A big key to the win was jumping out to a 21-7 lead after the first quarter.

“It was huge because we got in foul trouble after that and guys running out of the game, and we were kind of having to piece it together,” Briscoe said.”So getting that cushion kind of helped it from getting too scary.”

The early lead was needed, with Kingston focusing on SHS’ top scorer, Aidan Hopper. In addition, the Indians started fouling on the defensive side of the ball.

With the Indians having to make different rotations, nine different players ended up scoring vs. Kingston. Developing more scoring is a goal for the Indians as the season goes on.

“We believe we got a bunch of guys that can do good things on the offensive end, and you know, Aiden gets a lot of attention, so it can open up some things for those guys, and they’re taking advantage of it,” Briscoe said. “That’s the way it should be. We want to see three or four guys getting into double figures and eight or nine guys got in the scorebook tonight – have some guys step up at key moments with some big shots, knock down some free throws, all that kind of thing.”

Through the first month of the season, the Indians played a tough schedule against teams ranked higher than they are.

After playing eight games, the Indians sit at 4-4 and the No. 15 ranking in 3A.

“It was a brutal schedule, so before the season even started, I had told our staff, we’re 500 at break, we might feel like it’s a win, and at this point, we do,” Briscoe said. “A couple of really close losses to highly ranked teams or 6A teams.”

The Indians will have about 10 practices over break and will return to the court Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, at the Kingston Tournament.

“I want to try to build a little depth over break, try to improve the things we’re currently working on and add a few wrinkles to some things,” Briscoe said. “Coming out of break, we go to a big tournament down at Kingston for three days. So we’re looking forward to that; we have about nine or 10 practices before we get back to playing a game. It’s almost like a little preseason right here where we can try to get a little better.”

Christmas is a time to enjoy family.

In the Clark household, as it has for decades, the large gatherings include sharing stories and reflections on memories. Many were created on the hardwood floors of the iconic former Catholic Youth Center, now known as the Lackawanna College Student Union.

Competing in basketball, a sport they all love.

Dunmore senior Jimmy Clark is part of the next generation. He, along with his sister, Maggie, a sophomore forward at Scranton Prep, will write their own chapters when they compete in the Lynett Memorial Basketball Tournament that starts on Dec. 27.

In the first game of the 74th boys tournament, Scranton Prep faces Scranton at 6 p.m., and Dunmore challenges defending champion Holy Cross at 7:30 p.m.

“Everyone always talks about the Lynett tournament,” Jimmy said. “It is the best Christmas tournament. This is going to be really nice. All of my uncles are looking forward to the game. My whole family is going to be there.”

Playing in the Lynett Tournament is as much a tradition as opening presents for the Clark family.

Jimmy’s father, Pat, played on the 1997 tournament championship team for Dunmore. Pat introduced the game and how it should be played to his oldest of six children.

“My dad coached me from when I was younger, but he stopped after my freshman year,” Jimmy said. “He shaped who I am. He never asked me how many points I scored, only if the team won. He always stressed to me to be the hardest-working player on the court. He says to me that he wasn’t the most skilled guy on the court, but that he was always the hardest working.

“He was the biggest influence in my life, and I look up to him.”

Pat’s success at Dunmore only scratches the surface of the impact the family has had on the holiday event that has spanned decades.

The Clarks are a basketball family.

Brian Clark, who scored 14 points to lead Scranton Prep to the tournament title in 1972, and his wife, Margi, have eight children. Pat is the oldest; Maggie, Chael, Jordan, Kevin, Courtney, Allie, and Matthew all competed in the sport.

Pat’s wife, Kristen, also has ties to the Lynett Tournament. Her brother Peter Mackrell won a championship at Scranton Prep in 1983, 1984, and 1985, and her brother, Paul, won a title at Dunmore in 1995.

“It’s a big deal for our family and always has been,” said Pat, who led the Bucks to the championship with 11 points and 10 rebounds, 25 years to the day after his father’s tournament win.

“We probably do more talking than we should. My dad won it back in the 1970s, and when we talk about it, we almost just use codes. We ask whether you are early or late. Meaning, are you playing the first game or the second game on the first day? We tell Jimmy, you’d better be in a prime time game on the second day.”

Jimmy listens to all the stories.

They include Chael’s tournament most valuable player award effort in 2002, Jordan’s all-tournament selection in 2004, Kevin’s two all-tournament teams, Courtney’s debut in the fourth girls tournament, and Matthew’s all-tournament effort.

Those are his inspirations as he leads the Bucks into this year’s tournament.

“You get razzed a lot,” Jimmy chuckled. “Everyone asks if this is the year I am going to win the Lynett. I tell them, I hope so. But I do think we could get it done. They have all played, and I see the banners and 1,000-point scorers, and their names are up there. It’s a legacy thing. I just try to pick things up where they left off and build upon that.

“My family is always asking how I am doing. They are engaged with it. They are all phenomenal basketball players. It is a lot to live up to, but I do my best.”

A sharpshooter, Jimmy is a multi-sport athlete at Dunmore, also excelling in baseball. He has developed into a weapon on offense for the Bucks. He also provides an intense focus on the defensive end.

In his freshman season, Jimmy saw some minutes of action. He scored 12 points and knocked down four 3-pointers. The following year, he scored 47 points with 10 3-pointers.

“Growing up, I wasn’t overly into basketball,” Jimmy said. “In eighth grade, I didn’t start, and that really motivated me. I started to work hard at my game at Riverfront with my uncle, Kevin. They have a shooting machine, and that was when I focused on basketball. Uncle Kevin helped me develop my jump shot, which wasn’t very good. I played JV as a freshman, and that was where I learned how to play against older and bigger players.”

As a junior, Jimmy made huge strides and elevated his game. He scored 240 points with 40 3-pointers. He finished as the third-leading scorer for the Bucks. Brayden Canavan had 325 points, Carter Sload added 257, and Nate Aviles was fourth with 221 points.

All four players returned to the lineup this year, which heightened expectations.

So far, so good.

Dunmore entered the holiday break 7-0. The Bucks average 70.6 points per game, and Jimmy is averaging 11.6 points per game with 13 3-pointers.

“We have done a good job,” Jimmy said. “Nate started as a freshman, and Brayden played. We had a good group in our grade. We have worked our way up. We have almost the same starting group as last year’s team, and we have built toward this year. It is the culmination of our work, and we are ready to make a big jump.”

Jimmy’s goal is to earn some family bragging rights and lead the program to its first Lynett title since 2009.

“We like to play fast,” Jimmy said. “But we have to stay calm and under control. Our goal is to play unselfish basketball. We don’t care who scores as long as we win. We have to focus on defense.”

While Jimmy is a senior, playing in his final Lynett Tournament, it won’t be the last one where a Clark will add to the family legacy.

Maggie has already been part of a Lynett title winner at Scranton Prep. The siblings also have a younger brother, Brian, and three younger sisters, Annie, Cecelia, and Noelle, all coming up through the basketball ranks.

Jimmy is looking forward to taking the court with his family filling a huge section of the bleachers, as they have for decades.

That is what will make his experience the most special.

“You are probably going to be able to hear my family in the stands,” Jimmy said. “I am really excited. I want to win it for my school and for them. I want to be able to look back 20 years and say, “That was my team that won a Lynett tournament.”

------------

74th LYNETT MEMORIAL BOYS TOURNAMENT

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME RESULTS

1951: St. Rose 65, Old Forge 62

1952: Old Forge 54, Swoyersville 53

1953: Old Forge 71, Scranton Central 62

1954: Scranton Prep 39, Swoyersville 30

1955: Scranton Prep 43, Swoyersville 42

1956: Scranton Central 67, Luzerne 48

1957: Scranton Central 53, Scr. Prep 50

1958: Old Forge 51, Scranton Central 39

1959: Nanticoke 74, Dunmore 47

1960: Scr. Prep 64, South Catholic 45

1961: Cathedral 49, Scranton Central 46

1962: Scranton Central 76, Dunmore 62

1963: Swoyersville 54, Scranton Prep 52

1964: Scranton Central 80, Old Forge 56

1965: Cathedral 74, Scranton Tech 50

1966: Nanticoke 74, Montrose 68

1967: Cathedral 88, Pittston Area 74

1968: Nanticoke 63, Williamsport 42

1969: West Scranton 65, Dunmore 57

1970: Nanticoke 68, Scranton Prep 67

1971: Riverside 80, Scranton Prep 68

1972: Scranton Prep 73, Scranton Central 49

1973: Nanticoke 58, Riverside 56

1974: Nanticoke 80, Scranton Prep 48

1975: Nanticoke 73, Scranton Central 54

1976: Scranton Central 66, Nanticoke 63

1977: Scranton Central 72, Pittston Area 59

1978: Scranton Prep 77, Riverside 59

1979: Nanticoke 47, Scranton Central 30

1980: Dunmore 58, Scranton Central 47

1981: Bishop O’Reilly 70, Scranton Prep 60

1982: Bishop Hannan 80, Scranton Tech 66

1983: Scranton Prep 81, Old Forge 57

1984: Scranton Prep 73, Scranton Central 59

1985: Scranton Prep 66, Scranton Central 61

1986: Scranton Prep 77, Valley View 59

1987: Scranton Central 44, Scranton Prep 42

1988: Scranton Prep 57, Scranton Central 46

1989: Dunmore 47, Scranton Prep 43

1990: Scranton Prep 74, Dunmore 54

1991: Scranton Prep 59, Dunmore 58 (OT)

1992: Dunmore 54, Scranton Prep 48

1993: Dunmore 39, Bishop O’Hara 32

1994: Dunmore 55, Bishop O’Hara 44

1995: Dunmore 45, Scranton Prep 35

1996: Scranton Prep 63, Scranton 58

1997: Dunmore 66, Bishop O’Hara 38

1998: Bishop O’Hara 59, Scr. Prep 38

1999: Dunmore 62, Bishop O’Hara 50

2000: Scranton Prep 61, Dunmore 54

2001: Dunmore 54, Scranton Prep 53

2002: Dunmore 54, Bishop O’Hara 47

2003: Scranton 58, Scranton Prep 47

2004: Scranton 42, Dunmore 40

2005: Scranton 49, Scranton Prep 45

2006: Scranton Prep 58, Bishop O’Hara 33

2007: Scranton Prep 53, Holy Cross 50

2008: Holy Cross 68, Dunmore 47

2009: Dunmore 71, Holy Cross 57

2010: Scranton 77, Dunmore 47

2011: Scranton 68, Dunmore 49

2012: Scranton 52, Scranton Prep 45

2013: Scranton Prep 69, Holy Cross 59

2014: Scranton Prep 71, Holy Cross 39

2015: Scranton Prep 72, Scranton 46

2016: Scranton Prep 67, Scranton 49

2017: Scranton Prep 70, Dunmore 46

2018: Scranton Prep 63, Holy Cross 36

2019: Holy Cross 55, Scranton Prep 54

2020: Canceled COVID-19

2021: Scranton 50, Scranton Prep 46

2022: Scranton Prep 39, Scranton 35

2023: Scranton 48, Holy Cross 46

2024: Holy Cross 51, Scranton 35

------------

20th LYNETT MEMORIAL GIRLS TOURNAMENT

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME RESULTS

2003: North Pocono 52, Bishop Hannan 39

2004: North Pocono 35, Scranton Prep 33

2005: Scranton Prep 42, Abington Heights 37

2006: Abington Heights 44, Dunmore 43

2007: Abington Heights 41, Dunmore 34

2008: Dunmore 51, Abington Heights 45

2009: Abington Heights 68, Scranton 64

2010: Scranton Prep 48, Abington Heights 41

2011: Abington Heights 39, Dunmore 29

2012: Scranton Prep 29, Abington Heights 24

2013: Dunmore 30, Scranton Prep 28

2014: Scranton Prep 40, Dunmore 30

2015: Dunmore 53, Scranton 36

2016: Dunmore 44, Scranton Prep 39

2017: Dunmore 45, Abington Heights 29

2018: Dunmore 57, Holy Cross 25

2019: Scranton Prep 44, Dunmore 28

2020: Canceled COVID-19

2021: Dunmore 46, Scranton Prep 17

2022: Scranton Prep 52, Dunmore 33

2023: Scranton 65, Scranton Prep 54

2024: Scranton Prep 56, Scranton 41

Postseason awards and honors continue to be handed out across the state of Pennsylvania and on Wednesday, the Maxwell Football Club announced its Mini-Max Award recipients which included a trio of local talents.

The award is given out to athletes from across the commonwealth that excel on the field, in the classroom, and within the community. This year, 55 athletes earned the award.

All 55 athletes will be invited to attend the Mini-Maxwell Awards ceremony in February. During the ceremony, one player will be announced as the state’s Player of the Year

Earning the award from the area was Minersville quarterback Dante Carr, Tri-Valley linebacker Cole Gemberling, and Panther Valley quarterback Brody Breiner.

Carr, a University of Central Florida signee, was recently named a Class AA All-State honoree at quarterback. The Minersville quarterback threw for over 1,800 yards this fall and 29 total touchdowns, setting a school record in the process. He also ran for nearly an additional 1,400 yards and picked up 19 rushing touchdowns. He finished his high school career with 5,891 passing yards, 3,535 rushing yards and 136 total touchdowns.

Gemberling, a Class A All-State selection, totaled a Schuylkill League leading 178 total tackles this season, bringing his career total to 408 total tackles. He also totaled 668 yards of total yards of offense and nine touchdowns this season for the Bulldogs.

Breiner for Panther Valley this fall, completed 145-of-239 passing attempts for 10 touchdowns while also rushing for 1,003 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. Defensively, he recorded 50 tackles including two tackles for loss.

In the late 1990s, UConn embarked on the world of top-level college football, a decision that has brought highs and lows. One of the rewards was the chance to play in a bowl game, which, before the playoff system was adopted and began expanding, was the ultimate destination.

After a transitional period of two seasons as an independent, coach Randy Edsall led the Huskies into the Big East, meant to be a formidable conference of traditional football schools like Syracuse, Pitt, Boston College, West Virginia, Miami, among others. The Huskies began to compete for a bowl bid and earned their first in 2004.

In the two decades since, UConn has played in eight bowl games, with No.9 to come against Army at the Fenway Bowl in Boston on Saturday at 2:15 p.m. Here is a look at the Huskies’ bowl history:

Dec. 27, 2004: Motor City Bowl

Ironically, UConn’s first bowl opponent was Toledo, the school from which their new head coach, Jason Candle, was lured. The Big Ten could not provide a qualifying team for its tie in, so the Huskies (7-4) were invited to Detroit’s Ford Field and knocked off the MAC champs, 39-10, before 52,552 fans.

UConn rolled up 398 yards in offense, with 239 though the air as MVP Dan Orlovsky kept the chains moving and threw a TD pass. Larry Taylor returned a punt 68 yards for a touchdown and Matt Nuzie kicked four field goals.

Dom Amore’s Sunday Read: UConn hasn’t lost appetite for bowls, Sun’s possible parting gift and more

Dec. 29, 2007: Meineke Car Care Bowl

Three years later, Edsall and the Huskies (9-3) were back in the bowl business, invited to play Wake Forest in the bowl game in Charlotte, N.C., providing a bit of a home field advantage for the Deacons, their campus 80 miles from the NFL home of the Panthers. Wake Forest won, 24-10, before 53,126. Taylor again returned a punt 68 yards for a touchdown as the Huskies took a 10-0 lead, but it was all Deacons after that. They gained 412 yards to UConn’s 213.

Jan. 3, 2009: International Bowl

UConn (7-5) crossed north of the border to play in the Rogers Centre, retractable-roofed home of the Blue Jays. Buffalo, another opponent that didn’t have to travel far, was the victim when UConn got its first-ever FBS win. The Huskies beat the Bulls again, 38-20, before 40,184.

This was Donald Brown’s day, he ran for 261 yards, including a 45-yard touchdown, to win the game’s MVP, and declared afterward he would skip  his senior year and enter the NFL Draft, the first Husky ever taken in the first round. QB Tyler Lorenzen ran for two scores.

Jan 2, 2010: Papajohns.com Bowl

One of the most satisfying days in program history, UConn (7-5) was capping a season that included five losses by a total of 15 points, the dramatic OT win at Notre Dame and the death of teammate Jasper Howard. Now they faced the SEC’s South Carolina Gamecocks and famed coach Steve Spurrier at Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala.

Kashif Moore’s one-handed touchdown catch helped the Huskies take a 13-0 lead in the first half, and Andre Dixon’s 10-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter sealed the 20-7 victory before 45,254. Dixon was player of the game with 126 yards rushing.

Jan. 1, 2011: Fiesta Bowl

Still the high-water mark in UConn football history, Dave Teggart’s clutch 50-yard kick at South Florida lifted the Huskies (8-4) to the Big East championship and into a New Year’s Day game at Glendale, Ariz., site of Super Bowls. They Huskies hung in for a while with one of the sport’s blue bloods, but lost to Oklahoma, 48-20, before 67,232.

Dwayne Gratz’s interception return got UConn on the board, but the Huskies were trailing by 24 before Robbie Frey’s 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Teggart kicked two field goals, but UConn was overmatched. After the game, Edsall accepted the job at Maryland, abruptly ending his first tenure at UConn.

Dec. 26, 2015: St. Petersburg Bowl

After several losing seasons, coach Bob Diaco’s Huskies managed a 6-6 record and represented the American Athletic Conference at Tropicana Field, the stadium in which UConn won its first men’s basketball championship 16 years earlier. Marshall won a forgettable game, 16-10, before 14,652. Ron Johnson scored on an 8-yard run and Bobby Puyol kicked a 52-yard field goal for UConn.

Dom Amore: Joe Fagnano has taken his last snap for UConn football, now he’s aiming for the NFL

Dec. 19, 2022: Myrtle Beach Bowl

UConn was 10-41 between the St. Pete Bowl and Jim Mora’s arrival as coach in 2022, as neither Diaco nor Edsall, who returned in 2017, could turn things around. The Huskies, now an independent again, staged a series of upsets behind freshman quarterback Zion Turner, over Fresno State, Boston College and Liberty, to edge into bowl territory. At Myrtle Beach, S.C., they faced Marshall again and, after falling behind 28-0, lost 28-14 before 12,023. at Brooks Stadium. Turner threw three interceptions, but Bristol’s Victor Rose capped his freshman season with touchdown runs  of 14 and 24 yards.

Dec. 28, 2024: Fenway Bowl

Seeking an attendance surge, the Fenway Sports Group found another bowl for their AAC tie-in and invited the independent Huskies to face North Carolina. It worked, as a record 27,900 filled the ancient home of the Red Sox and UConn won, 27-14, in the shadow of The Green Monster — and Bill Belichick, who was soon to take over the Tar Heels.

Joe Fagnano, the game’s MVP, completed 16 of 23 for 151 yards and two touchdowns. Mel Brown rushed for 96 and Skyler Bell caught three for 77 and a touchdown. The Huskies (9-4) completed their first winning season since 2010.

Dec. 23—MORGANTOWN — The transfer portal opens up on Jan. 2, and this time around, there's just one period instead of there being one in the winter and the spring. This time last year, West Virginia was making waves in the portal because Rich Rodriguez arrived late and couldn't put together a major high school recruiting class. So, to be competitive, Rodriguez grabbed 70-plus players in the portal, hoping it'd all work.

Obviously, his plan didn't work, and the Mountaineers finished 4-8, third to last in the Big 12. But, at least this year, Rodriguez had a year to build a recruiting class, and he signed the biggest class in the country. Now, Rodriguez won't have to add so many transfers when the single period opens at the start of the new year.

That doesn't mean Rodriguez won't add any transfers. He still plans to add a few.

"To fill our roster, we went portal-heavy and brought some guys in " Rodriguez said about last year. "A lot more one-year guys than I'd ever want to have. Now, having been here for a year, you don't have to do as much. You still can and we will, but not nearly to the extent we went last year, where you had so many guys that we had for a year, or less than a year."

The new freshman class won't fix all the holes that WVU has, and a majority of them might not even start. They have to get adjusted to the system and the higher level of competition.

Rodriguez needs to fill some holes in the transfer portal. Here are WVU's biggest needs when the portal opens on Jan. 2.

Offensive line There is no question that a lot of WVU's offensive struggles were because of the offensive line. Whether it was in pass protection or run blocking, the offensive line was criticized by fans after every game. The criticism was deserved, especially with how much Rodriguez runs the ball.

There were only a couple of games where WVU could run the ball between the tackles: Pitt and Houston. Other than that, the only offensive success came when the running back bounced the ball outside or the quarterback rolled out.

Rodriguez realized the offensive line was an issue, too. After Fox took hit after hit, Rodriguez just took the O-line out of the question and had him throw the ball quickly, or roll out and throw on the run.

There are a lot of talented linemen coming in through the 2026 class, but a lot of them won't start right away. The only one who could start is 4-star Kevin Brown, but even that's a maybe because who knows how he adapts to the college level.

WVU needs to add some experience in the portal, especially with all the departures on the right side of the line. Kimo Makane'ole and Ty'Kieast Crawford are both redshirt seniors, so they'll be gone in 2026.

Secondary The secondary was very hit and miss in 2025. There were some great players, like corner Michael Coats Jr., and defensive back Fred Perry. But there were a lot of lows and a lot of blown coverages over the course of the season.

Still, probably the most losses for the graduating class are in the secondary and defense in general. Darrian Lewis is a redshirt senior, Jason Chambers, Jordan Scruggs and Kekoura Tarnue are also seniors. Then, Coats and Perry are also on their way out.

Some younger players are coming up. Safety sophomore Israel Boyce played in almost every game this season, and freshman Julien Horton also saw some action. There are also some talented players in the 2026 class. 4-star safety Matt Sieg is coming in and 3-star cornerback Vincet Jackson is arriving at some point this semester or in the summer. Both should be great players for WVU in the coming year, but probably not next year.

The Mountaineers need to add some experience in the secondary to take some weight off the younger players. Maybe a safety and a corner to help out a secondary that had its ups and downs in 2025.

Experience RB /QB WVU's starting running back and quarterback could both be transferring out in this cycle. Running back Jahiem White has made his intentions clear that he's leaving, and quarterback Nicco Marchiol was reported to be leaving, but there's nothing official yet.

Diore Hubbard, who was WVU's leading rusher in 2025 after White was hurt, and WVU backup quarterback Khalil Wilkins are also entering the portal.

WVU needs help at both the running back position and the quarterback spot. Running back a bit more because true freshman Scotty Fox showed he can win a game for the Mountaineers, whereas WVU's best running backs now become Cyncir Bowers and converted pass rusher Curtis Jones Jr.

Running back is a crucial part of Rodriguez's offense. Even with not the best blocking by the O-line, Rodriguez ran the ball 523 times, which was just seven shy of Utah for the most in the Big 12. He needs an experienced running back he can count on, and it'll probably come from the portal. WVU has a couple coming in the class, but it won't hurt to add one with size who can carry a big workload right away.

The quarterback isn't as big of a necessity because Fox will be back, but Rodriguez mentioned how he plans on still adding an experienced passer in the portal. Rodriguez is also worried he'd have a repeat of 2025, and have four quarterbacks injured, so he wants to add some depth behind Fox.

"We will probably still look at one for the portal, " Rodriguez said. "Get an experienced guy because of what we went through this year."

Player of the Year: Semaj Beals, Roman Catholic

Coach of the Year: Rick Prete, Roman Catholic

OFFENSE

Quarterback

Semaj Beals, Roman Catholic – 6-1, 180 senior

Nolan DiLucia, Peters Township – 6-2, 220 senior

Aaron Strader, Pine-Richland – 6-0, 170 junior

Trey Wingard, DuBois – 6-2, 220 senior

Running Back

Leo Brown, Exeter – 5-10, 180 senior

Carter Muth, Hollidaysburg – 5-8, 164 junior

Nazir Jones-Davis, Bishop McDevitt – 6-0, 195 senior

Cameron Small, Muhlenberg – 5-11, 185 senior

Johnny Garcia, Solanco – 5-9, 205 senior

Wide Receiver

Ashdan Roberts, Roman Catholic – 5-10, 180 senior

Khalil Taylor, Pine-Richland – 6-0, 180 senior

Eyan Stead, Roman Catholic – 5-10, 175 senior

Jaxson Hanzely, DuBois – 6-1, 185 senior

Gavin Anders, Abington Heights – 6-1, 185 senior

Tight End

Lucas Shanafelt, Peters Township – 6-4, 235 senior

Offensive Line

John Curran, Pine-Richland – 6-4, 295 senior

Ja’kye Logan, Bishop McDevitt – 6-3, 290 senior

Joel Ummarino, Exeter – 6-3, 260 senior

Roberson Louis-Jeune, Gateway – 6-0, 280 senior

Jimmy DeWire, Mechanicsburg – 6-2, 270 senior

Athlete

Scoop Smith, Woodland Hills – 5-6, 150 senior

Cole DeLattre, Hollidaysburg – 6-3, 185 senior

Quinlin Shearer, Red Land – 6-4, 213 senior

------------

DEFENSE

Defensive Line

Reston Lehman, Peters Township – 6-4, 230 senior

David Czapp, Spring Grove – 6-2, 260 senior

Vinny Bagonis, Warwick – 6-2, 215 senior

Collin Stare, Mechanicsburg – 6-2, 245 senior

Chris Thompson, Bishop McDevitt – 5-10, 250 senior

Linebacker

RJ Duffy, Bishop McDevitt – 6-3, 205 senior

James Spratt, Peters Township – 6-1, 205 senior

Josh Banks, Hollidaysburg – 6-1, 201 senior

Coron Russell, Roman Catholic – 6-3, 205 freshman

Hunter Strohm, Lower Dauphin – 6-2, 210 senior

Defensive Back

Jay Timmons, Pine-Richland – 5-10, 185 senior

Tyler Reinhart, Bishop McDevitt – 6-1, 190 senior

Gabe Forren, Solanco – 5-8, 150 senior

Jayden Ware, Exeter – 6-2, 165 senior

Justus Gaskin, Roman Catholic – 5-9, 175 senior

Specialist

Harran Zureikat, Fox Chapel – 6-2, 185 senior

Athlete

Lucas LoPresto, Pittston Area – 5-10, 175 senior

Brody Holmes, New Oxford – 6-2, 175 senior

CUMBERLAND — Zach Steckman knew he had something in Liam Hamilton when he coached the then 7-year-old’s JCP team.

Fast forward to 2025, and Hamilton capped a brilliant four-year career by leading Steckman’s Fort Hill Sentinels in goals and assists and to a 12-3 record — the program’s first double-digit victory campaign since 2019.

His opposing head coaches took notice too, awarding Hamilton the Ebbie Finzel Player of the Year.

“Liam is just an incredible kid,” Steckman said. “He’s an incredible player. It’s been an honor for four years to coach him and actually, a lot longer than that.

“It kind of came full circle, when I got the job in ‘21 and he came along in 2022. This is an incredible honor for him. He’s one of the best players in Fort Hill history. His stats prove that, his production proves that, but most importantly, he’s just a great person.”

Hamilton bested Calvary’s Sammy Scritchfield, Allegany’s Chris Manherz and Frankfort’s Liam Orndorff for the honor.

The boys soccer awards were chosen at a meeting of the area’s coaches following the season.

Hamilton rounds out the award recipients, which include Calvary’s Scritchfield (Dr. Raul Felipa Offensive Player of the Year), Allegany’s Jack Hensel (Joe Rowan Memorial Defensive Player of the Year), the Campers’ Eoin Mowbray (Dave Searles Memorial Goalkeeper of the Year) and Steckman (Coach of the Year).

The award winners, with the exception of Coach of the Year, will receive their awards at the 77th Dick Sterne Memorial Dapper Dan Sports Banquet at a date/time to be announced.

The All-Area boys soccer team will be revealed in Wednesday’s edition of the Times-News.

Hamilton is the eighth Fort Hill player to win boys soccer Player of the Year, joining Daniel Hott (2016), Austin Parker (‘13), Michael Moyer (‘10), Daniel Johnson (‘09), Eric Dudley (‘99), Adam Fletcher (‘98) and Brian Jennings (‘94).

The senior was tied for fifth in the area in goals (17) and first in assists (19) for 53 points. His 3.53 points per game ranked third locally behind Scritchfield (4.92) and Orndorff (3.73).

Hamilton’s production came a year after tallying 18 goals and 13 assists. He was co-Offensive Player of the Year locally as a sophomore.

“A player of his caliber, to have the 19 assists, that’s just incredible,” Steckman said. “Seeing him at practice every day and his leadership, especially this year, it’s just no surprise.”

Hamilton was a set-piece specialist, both on free kicks and long throw-ins.

Jacob Bone, a defensive midfielder, was a beneficiary of the latter, illustrated by his eight goals.

Bone wasn’t the only Sentinel to benefit from Hamilton’s wizardry with the ball. Three other players had at least seven goals in Sam Spencer (10), John Reinhardt (nine) and Anthony Palumbo (seven).

Hamilton had nearly four-times as many assists as his next closest teammates — Korbin McKenzie and Reinhardt had five each.

“We certainly were not a possession-based team,” Steckman said. “Our strengths were defend, counter and set pieces. I think teams knew that when we got a throw-in or corner kick or a free kick, our chances of scoring went through the roof.

“Liam was either chucking it in there because he could, he could really launch it, or he was using his 6-foot-2 height to just get up over top of people and put it in the back of the net.

“A lot of times he was able to read the ball a lot better than people in the air. He would know if it was coming down to the feet or if it was getting over somebody. He just was always a step ahead on set pieces.”

Hamilton and his senior Fort Hill teammates left quite a legacy in South Cumberland.

Fort Hill was 1-12 during their freshman year, which included an 18-0 loss to Allegany in Homecoming.

They capped their city soccer careers with a thrilling 4-3 overtime victory over the Campers on Oct. 2 in Homecoming on their way to a 12-2 regular-season finish and top seed in the region playoffs.