THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” THURSDAY AUGUST 7, 2025

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“THE SCOREBOARD”

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INDIANA GIRLS GOLF SCORES

TRI-WEST 207 CACADE 247

WNBA SCORES

LAS VEGAS 78 GOLDEN STATE 72

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MLB SCORES

SAN FRANCISCO 4 PITTSBURGH 2

BALTIMORE 5 PHILADELPHIA 1

MINNESOTA 9 DETROIT 4

CLEVELAND 4 NY METS 1

CHICAGO CUBS 6 CINCINNATI 1

NY YANKEES 3 TEXAS 2

TORONTO 20 COLORADO 1

TAMPA BAY 5 LA ANGELS 4

ST. LOUIS 5 LA DODGERS 3

MIAMI 6 HOUSTON 4

WASHINGTON 2 LAS VEGAS 1

KANSAS CITY 7 BOSTON 3

MILWAUKEE 5 ATLANTA 4

SEATTLE 8 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 6

SAN DIEGO 3 ARIZONA 2

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MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

OMAHA 5 INDIANAPOLIS 4

SOUTH BEND 8 FT. WAYNE 2

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MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER

NO GAMES SCHEDULED

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

WEEK 0

SATURDAY, AUG. 23

WEEK 1

THURSDAY, AUG. 28

FRIDAY, AUG. 29

SATURDAY, AUG. 30

SUNDAY, AUG. 31

3 P.M. | VIRGINIA TECH AT SOUTH CAROLINA | ESPN (IN ATLANTA, GA)
7:30 P.M. | NOTRE DAME AT MIAMI (FL)| ABC

MONDAY, SEPT. 1

8 P.M. | TCU AT NORTH CAROLINA | ESPN

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COLTS TRAINING CAMP SCHEDULE

SAT., AUG. 9: PRACTICE (4-5:10 P.M.)

SUN., AUG. 10: PRACTICE (4-5:30 P.M.)

MON., AUG. 11: PRACTICE (4-5:40 P.M.)

THUR., AUG. 14: PRACTICE (3-5 P.M.)

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2025 NFL PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE

*****WEEK 1*****

THURSDAY, AUGUST 7

INDIANAPOLIS AT BALTIMORE, 7:00
CINCINNATI AT PHILADELPHIA, 7:30
LAS VEGAS AT SEATTLE, 10:00

FRIDAY, AUGUST 8

DETROIT AT ATLANTA, 7:00
CLEVELAND AT CAROLINA, 7:00
WASHINGTON AT NEW ENGLAND, 7:30

SATURDAY, AUGUST 9

N.Y. GIANTS AT BUFFALO, 1:00
HOUSTON AT MINNESOTA, 4:00
PITTSBURGH AT JACKSONVILLE, 7:00
DALLAS AT L.A. RAMS, 7:00
TENNESSEE AT TAMPA BAY, 7:30
KANSAS CITY AT ARIZONA, 8:00
N.Y. JETS AT GREEN BAY, 8:00
DENVER AT SAN FRANCISCO, 8:30

SUNDAY, AUGUST 10

MIAMI AT CHICAGO, 1:00
NEW ORLEANS AT L.A. CHARGERS, 4:05

*****WEEK 2*****

FRIDAY, AUGUST 15

TENNESSEE AT ATLANTA, 7:00
KANSAS CITY AT SEATTLE, 10:00

SATURDAY, AUGUST 16

MIAMI AT DETROIT, 1:00
CAROLINA AT HOUSTON, 1:00
GREEN BAY AT INDIANAPOLIS, 1:00
NEW ENGLAND AT MINNESOTA, 1:00
CLEVELAND AT PHILADELPHIA, 1:00
SAN FRANCISCO AT LAS VEGAS, 4:00
BALTIMORE AT DALLAS, 7:00
L.A. CHARGERS AT L.A. RAMS, 7:00
N.Y. JETS AT N.Y. GIANTS, 7:00
TAMPA BAY AT PITTSBURGH, 7:00
ARIZONA AT DENVER, 9:30

SUNDAY, AUGUST 17

JACKSONVILLE AT NEW ORLEANS, 1:00
BUFFALO AT CHICAGO (FOX), 8:00

MONDAY, AUGUST 18

CINCINNATI AT WASHINGTON (ESPN), 8:00

*****WEEK 3*****

THURSDAY, AUGUST 21

PITTSBURGH AT CAROLINA, 7:00
NEW ENGLAND AT N.Y. GIANTS (PRIME VIDEO), 8:00

FRIDAY, AUGUST 22

PHILADELPHIA AT N.Y. JETS, 7:30
ATLANTA AT DALLAS, 8:00
MINNESOTA AT TENNESSEE (CBS), 8:00
CHICAGO AT KANSAS CITY, 8:20

SATURDAY, AUGUST 23

BALTIMORE AT WASHINGTON, NOON
INDIANAPOLIS AT CINCINNATI, 1:00
L.A. RAMS AT CLEVELAND, 1:00
HOUSTON AT DETROIT, 1:00
DENVER AT NEW ORLEANS, 1:00
SEATTLE AT GREEN BAY, 4:00
JACKSONVILLE AT MIAMI, 7:00
BUFFALO AT TAMPA BAY, 7:30
L.A. CHARGERS AT SAN FRANCISCO, 8:30
LAS VEGAS AT ARIZONA, 10:00

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TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES/PRESS RELEASES

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

MLB IS CALLING UP ITS FIRST FEMALE UMPIRE, PROMOTING JEN PAWOL FOR SATURDAY’S MARLINS-BRAVES GAME

NEW YORK (AP) — Jen Pawol is set to become the first woman to umpire in Major League Baseball when she works games this weekend between the Miami Marlins and Atlanta Braves.

Pawol will work the bases in Saturday’s doubleheader at Truist Park and the plate on Sunday, MLB told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

Pawol, a 48-year-old from New Jersey, worked spring training games in 2024 and this year.

MLB’s move comes 28 years after the gender barrier for game officials was broken in the NBA, 10 years after it ended the NFL and three years after the men’s soccer World Cup employed a female referee. The NHL still has not had a woman referee.

Pawol in 2024 became the first woman to umpire big league spring training games since Ria Cortesio in 2007. Cortesio spent nine years in the minor leagues, including the last five in the Double-A Southern League, then was released after the 2007 season.

Pawol was an all-state softball and soccer player in New Jersey for three seasons in each sport at West Milford High School. She went to Hofstra on a softball scholarship and became a three-time all-conference pick and was on the USA Baseball women’s national baseball team in 2001.

Pawol got a master’s degree and was living in the Binghamton area of New York and taking teacher certification classes at Elmira College while still playing on the side.

“I wasn’t really satisfied,” she said last year. “Coming off of a huge competitive career, just playing locally, I wasn’t getting my fix. And I remember looking at the umpire and being like, I think that’s it. I got to go for that.”

After umpiring NCAA softball from 2010-16, she attended an MLB umpire tryout camp in 2015, was invited to the Umpire Training Academy at Vero Beach, Florida, and was offered a job in the Gulf Coast League in 2016.

Violet Palmer became the NBA’s first woman referee when she worked Dallas’ opener at Vancouver on Oct. 31, 1997, and Sarah Thomas was the NFL’s first woman on-field official when she served as line judge for Kansas City’s game at Houston on Sept. 13, 2015.

Stéphanie Frappart of France became the first woman to referee a men’s World Cup game when she worked Germany’s 4-2 group stage win over Costa Rica on Dec. 1, 2022, and Rebecca Walsh became the first to referee in England’s Premier League when she officiated Burnley’s 2-0 win at Fulham on Dec. 23, 2023.

MLB has 76 full-time staff umpires and uses fill-ins on crews for openings created by injuries and vacations.

REPORT: RED SOX, ANTHONY FINALIZING 8-YEAR, $130M EXTENSION

The Boston Red Sox are finalizing an eight-year, $130-million extension with rookie outfielder Roman Anthony, sources told ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

Anthony’s deal will reportedly include a club option and keep the 21-year-old under team control through 2034.

Anthony was considered baseball’s No.1 prospect before the Red Sox called him up to make his major-league debut June 9.

Since arriving in MLB, he’s slashed .283/.400/.428 with 18 extra-base hits and 19 RBIs in 46 games.

Anthony’s extension follows the Red Sox trading Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants in June. Devers was in the second year of a 10-year, $313.5-million contract when he was dealt.

The Red Sox also inked fellow youngster Kristian Campbell to an eight-year, $60-million extension in April.

MLB ROUNDUP: JAYS CAP EPIC SWEEP WITH 20-1 ROUT OF ROCKIES

Davis Schneider hit two of Toronto’s five home runs to back seven strong innings by Kevin Gausman as the Blue Jays routed the Colorado Rockies 20-1 on Thursday to complete a historic three-game sweep.

Toronto scored in double digits in all three games, finishing with 45 runs, 13 home runs and 63 hits in the series. The hit total was the highest for any team in a three-game set since 1900.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette and Ernie Clement also went deep for the Blue Jays, while Ty France reached base six times with four hits and twice being hit by a pitch. Clement and Guerrero added four hits apiece for Toronto, which posted a season-high run total for the second time in the series.

Gausman (8-8) yielded one run on three hits and two walks. He fanned eight and didn’t allow a runner past second base after the first inning.

Guardians 4, Mets 1

Gavin Williams was two outs away from Cleveland’s first no-hitter in 44 years before Juan Soto belted a solo homer, but the Guardians still completed a series sweep.

Williams (7-4) struck out six and walked four before he was removed after throwing 126 pitches over 8 2/3 innings. Hunter Gaddis recorded the final out for his second save of the season. David Fry and Angel Martinez homered for the Guardians, who have won seven of eight.

Mets left-hander David Peterson (7-5) allowed four runs and five hits in six innings.

Orioles 5, Phillies 1

Trevor Rogers logged six solid innings and Coby Mayo hit a three-run homer to guide visiting Baltimore over Philadelphia.

Rogers (5-2) struck out six while working around eight hits and a pair of walks for Baltimore, which had dropped the first two games of the series by a combined margin of 18-3. Mayo finished with two hits, as did teammate Adley Rutschman.

Ranger Suarez (8-5) allowed five runs and nine hits over 6 1/3 innings for the Phillies, who saw their three-game winning streak come to an end. Trea Turner went 3-for-4 with an RBI.

Giants 4, Pirates 2

Dominic Smith’s go-ahead RBI double in the ninth inning propelled San Francisco over host Pittsburgh.

Smith’s double followed a one-out double by Jung Hoo Lee off reliever Dennis Santana (3-4) and led to the Giants’ second consecutive victory over the Pirates, who have lost four of their past six.

Randy Walker (4-4) pitched a scoreless inning for the win, and Randy Rodriguez tossed a shutout ninth for his third save. The Pirates lost for only the fourth time this season in 41 games in which they led after seven innings.

Nationals 2, Athletics 1

CJ Abrams hit a walk-off single in the ninth inning as Washington ended a six-game losing streak with a win over the visiting Athletics.

Riley Adams homered for the Nationals, who had allowed 70 runs while losing their previous six games. Jose A. Ferrer (3-3) pitched a scoreless top of the ninth for the win.

Tyler Soderstrom homered for the Athletics, who lost for the third time in four games. Jeffrey Springs wasn’t involved in the decision after firing six innings of one-run, one-hit ball.

Twins 9, Tigers 4

Luke Keaschall had two doubles and three RBIs, Thomas Hatch pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings in relief, and Minnesota topped host Detroit to win the series.

Alan Roden and Austin Martin homered to add insurance for the Twins in the eighth inning. Minnesota starting pitcher Pierson Ohl allowed four runs and four hits in 2 2/3 innings, and Hatch (1-0) gave up two hits.

Detroit starter Jack Flaherty (6-11) surrendered six runs (five earned) and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings. Kerry Carpenter, Spencer Torkelson and Zach McKinstry went deep in the loss.

Yankees 3, Rangers 2

Paul Goldschmidt’s pinch-hit solo home run in the seventh inning was the difference as New York salvaged the finale of a three-game series in Arlington, Texas. The Yankees snapped their five-game losing streak.

Mark Leiter Jr. (5-6) got the win in relief. David Bednar pitched the final 1 2/3 innings, overcoming a two-on, two-out situation in the ninth to earn his 18th save of the season.

Ezequiel Duran had three hits to lead the Rangers, who had an eight-game home winning streak snapped. Goldschmidt’s round-tripper came against Robert Garcia (1-7).

Cubs 6, Reds 1

Rookie Cade Horton threw 5 2/3 shutout innings to lift host Chicago over Cincinnati as Cubs avoided getting swept for the first time since March.

Horton (6-3) allowed two hits, no walks, and struck out six on 67 pitches. His 23 1/3 scoreless innings streak is the longest by a rookie in Cubs history. Chicago got homers from Seiya Suzuki, Dansby Swanson and Ian Happ.

Reds starter Andrew Abbott (8-2), who was 2-0 against the Cubs this season, went 6 2/3 innings, giving up seven hits and four runs.

Rays 5, Angels 4

Christopher Morel hit a go-ahead home run to lead off the seventh inning and Junior Caminero homered twice as Tampa Bay beat Los Angeles in Anaheim, Calif.

Garrett Cleavinger (1-4) picked up the win with a scoreless inning of relief, and Pete Fairbanks pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to record his 19th save.

The Angels’ Mike Trout hit a three-run homer, the 398th of his career, moving him into a tie with Dale Murphy for 61st place on the all-time homer list.

Cardinals 5, Dodgers 3

Jordan Walker hit a game-tying single in the eighth inning and Masyn Winn scored the go-ahead run on an error as St. Louis rallied for a win over host Los Angeles to earn its second series win over the National League West leaders.

Brendan Donovan had two hits and drove in a run while Lars Nootbaar was 1-for-5 with two RBIs for the Cardinals. JoJo Romero (4-4) pitched one scoreless inning to log the win, and Riley O’Brien got the last four outs for his first save.

Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani collected the 1,000th hit of his career with a third-inning homer, his 39th of the season. He also struck out eight batters over four innings on the mound while surrendering one run.

Marlins 6, Astros 4

Xavier Edwards connected on four hits and Heriberto Hernandez homered and drove in two runs as Miami defeated visiting Houston.

The Marlins produced 14 hits, stole four bases, made no errors and had several fielding gems. Janson Junk (6-2) went five innings and allowed three runs on five hits. Lake Bachar pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his second career save.

The Astros, who were looking to finish off a three-game sweep, got a two-run homer from Christian Walker. Spencer Arrighetti (1-2) yielded 11 hits and five runs in 3 2/3 innings during his first appearance since April 5. He had been sidelined by a broken thumb.

Royals 7, Red Sox 3

Kansas City put up a pair of crooked numbers as they overcame an early two-run deficit and beat Boston to salvage the finale of a three-game series.

Jonathan India hit a three-run home run in the seventh inning and had two hits and two runs to pace the Royals’ offense. Michael Wacha (6-9) threw six innings of two-run ball against his former team.

Romy Gonzalez had two doubles and two RBIs for the Red Sox. Dustin May (6-8), making his first appearance for Boston, gave up three runs on six hits in 3 2/3 innings.

Brewers 5, Braves 4

Andrew Vaughn and Blake Perkins hit home runs to support the solid effort of starter Jose Quintana and help visiting Milwaukee beat Atlanta, completing a three-game sweep.

Vaughn went 2-for-4 with a solo homer while Perkins finished 3-for-5 with a two-run shot for the the Brewers, who have won six in a row. Quintana (9-4) pitched six innings and allowed three runs on seven hits. Trevor Megill surrendered a homer to Michael Harris II in the ninth but still earned his 26th save.

Braves starter Spencer Strider (5-9) gave up five runs on 11 hits in 4 2/3 innings. Jurickson Profar also homered for Atlanta.

Mariners 8, White Sox 6

Josh Naylor and Julio Rodriguez homered and George Kirby pitched six quality innings as Seattle defeated Chicago to improve to 5-1 on a 10-game homestand.

Naylor hit a two-run shot in the first inning and Rodriguez added a three-run blast in a five-run second as the Mariners built a 7-1 lead. Kirby (7-5) allowed two runs while striking out nine. Andres Munoz worked the ninth for his 26th save.

Mike Tauchman, Lenyn Sosa and Michael A. Taylor homered for White Sox, who took their third straight loss. Chicago starter Jonathan Cannon (4-9) permitted seven runs on four hits in 1 2/3 innings

Padres 3, Diamondbacks 2

Ryan O’Hearn tied the game with a leadoff homer in the ninth inning, Jose Iglesias singled in the go-ahead run, and San Diego beat Arizona in the decisive game of a three-game series at Phoenix.

O’Hearn went deep off Kyle Backhus (0-2), his first homer since being acquired by San Diego at the trade deadline. Freddy Fermin had three hits for the Padres, who have won nine of 11.

San Diego reliever Adrian Morejon (9-4) threw two shutout innings, and Mason Miller fanned three in the ninth for his first save with his new team, his 21st overall. Corbin Carroll hit a 443-foot homer in the first inning for the Diamondbacks.

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NFL NEWS

PANTHERS CB JAYCEE HORN NOT SERIOUSLY INJURED IN CAR ACCIDENT, IS DAY TO DAY WITH THUMB INJURY

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Carolina Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn escaped serious injury on Wednesday morning after being involved in a car accident on his way to the team’s stadium.

Horn injured his left thumb and sat out a joint practice with the Cleveland Browns.

Panthers coach Dave Canales said Horn will be day to day moving forward.

“I’m glad that Jaycee was OK,” Canales said. “He did have to have a few stitches in his left thumb area. So they got that all cleaned up and sutured up. … It doesn’t seem like anything else happened, but you know we’re just gonna kind of evaluate him each day.”

Canales said Horn will not play in Friday night’s preseason game against the Browns, but hopes to have him available for the team’s second preseason game against Houston on Aug. 16.

“Hopefully we can get him turned around so we can take advantage of an opportunity in Houston for that game, which was kind of the plan all along,” Canales said.

Horn was alone in his car when the incident occurred at an intersection just outside the stadium. The team announced that no one involved in the incident was transported by emergency medical personnel. Horn was later evaluated by team medical personnel.

Horn took in practice from the sideline in street clothes and was seen moving around and joking with teammates.

The Panthers signed Horn to a $100 million contract extension earlier this offseason, which at the time made him the league’s highest-paid cornerback. Horn was the eighth overall pick in the 2021 draft by the Panthers out of South Carolina.

ROOKIE QB SHEDEUR SANDERS TO START IN BROWNS PRESEASON OPENER AGAINST THE PANTHERS

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Rookie Shedeur Sanders will start Cleveland’s preseason opener Friday night against the Carolina Panthers.

Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said Tyler Huntley, who signed with team earlier this week, is also expected to play if he can get up to speed with the playbook. Joe Flacco, Cleveland’s projected starting quarterback this season, is healthy but will not play. Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel will sit out while rehabbing from injuries, Stefanski said.

“My expectation for Shedeur is no different than the rest of the guys,” Stefanski said prior to the team’s joint practice with the Panthers. “I just expect him to go out and operate. When you get in these preseason games you try to keep it very simple so guys can play very fast. It’s all concepts that these guys know and don’t have to think too much about.”

Stefanski was initially coy during his news conference when asked directly if Sanders would start, saying “we’re going to work through it. (Huntley) just got here yesterday and I want to see how he is doing with the terminology.”

However, the Browns communications staff confirmed later to The Associated Press that Sanders will start.

Pickett and Gabriel were scheduled to participate in 7-on-7 drills in practice, but not team drills.

The 6-foot-1, 212-pound Sanders fell to the fifth round of the NFL draft after winning the 2024 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm award following his final season playing for his father Deion Sanders at Colorado. Sanders remains fourth on the Browns’ depth chart, but injuries have increased his reps in practice. He took some reps with the second team in practice Wednesday.

Sanders has had some recent shoulder soreness, but Stefanski said that is no longer an issue.

Sanders played two seasons at Jackson State before transferring to Colorado, where he played for two more seasons. He played in 50 games in college, completing 1,267 of 1,808 passes for 14,353 yards with 134 touchdowns and 27 interceptions. He also ran for 17 touchdowns.

Panthers coach Dave Canales had previously said Bryce Young will start at quarterback against the Browns, a notable change from last year. The 2023 No. 1 overall draft pick did not play in the first two preseason games last year and only saw action in one series in the preseason finale.

Carolina’s starters are expected to play one or two series against the Browns, per Canales.

Canales said his decision was based on having a young team, adding that he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to get players some reps and develop some chemistry.

Young said he’s “super excited” about the chance to play more in the preseason.

“Every year we’re a new team, so I think it’s just a great opportunity for us to, at the first opportunity we can, get out there and try to establish ourselves, get more and more comfortable (and) get reps,” Young said. “I think it’ll be a great thing for myself, for all of us, just to kind of get our feet wet a little bit in the preseason.”

Young wouldn’t say if not playing much in the preseason contributed to his slow in 2024.

He was benched two games into the season after the team started 0-2 and was outscored 73-13 by the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Chargers. He didn’t return to the starting lineup until Oct. 27 after Andy Dalton injured his thumb in a car accident midseason.

Young said he didn’t have any input with Canales in the decision to play more in the preseason this year.

“I trust the coaches and the decisions they make,” Young said. “I’m sure that they look at things from a year-to-year basis, whatever they feel like the team needs. Whatever decision is made, that’s the best for the team. There’s no pointing fingers, there’s no blaming. And again, all that’s last year. This was a decision for this year. I’m excited for it, and that’s all I’m focused on.”

CAM WARD, TRAVIS HUNTER AND ASHTON JEANTY ARE AMONG THE NFL ROOKIES TO WATCH THIS SEASON

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Impressive and fantastic are a couple of the words that have been used to describe Tennessee quarterback Cam Ward as the No. 1-overall pick in April’s draft takes over as the starter for a franchise that won just three games last season.

Yes, the preseason means many rookies will be surrounded by the hype that made them top draft picks, even if some might be tagged already as potential busts soon to be forgotten. Ward isn’t the only one being watched closely to see how his first NFL season turns out.

Travis Hunter will have to show he really can play wide receiver and cornerback in the NFL, just like he did in winning the Heisman Trophy at Colorado. The Las Vegas Raiders certainly hope Ashton Jeanty runs through defenses like he did at Boise State.

Abdul Carter won’t have to carry the New York Giants’ pass rush by himself.

Then there’s Shedeur Sanders, who was projected to be a first-round selection but who wasn’t taken until the fifth round by Cleveland. After his draft slide, everybody will be monitoring what Sanders does all season long.

Here’s a closer look at some of the NFL rookies to watch this season:

Cam Ward

The Titans tried to temper expectations for the rookie during the offseason. They embraced giving him as much work as possible and listed him as the starter to start the preseason with Will Levis’ decision to have season-ending shoulder surgery.

Ward has shown the ability to adapt quickly after playing at three different colleges. He set a Division I record with 158 touchdown passes in his career. He threw for 18,184 yards during his college career while running for 473 yards and 20 more TDs. He became an AP All-American at Miami.

Titans coach Brian Callahan, who worked with Joe Burrow as a rookie in Cincinnati as the Bengals’ offensive coordinator, has studied how other top picks fared in their rookie seasons at quarterback, hoping to help Ward avoid missteps.

“There’s really no stone unturned when it comes to getting a rookie quarterback ready,” Callahan said. “And there’s nowhere I won’t look for potential edges or advice or anything like that. So it’s been a fun process for sure.”

Travis Hunter

Yes, Jacksonville plans to give the man they traded up to select at No. 2 overall a chance to play both offense and defense in the NFL. The Jaguars have Hunter listed as a starting wide receiver and a backup cornerback to start the preseason.

Hunter is getting plenty of work with the offense, where the Jaguars want Hunter to help receiver Brian Thomas Jr. and franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

Jacksonville also is making sure Hunter gets practice time on defense. Hunter did join Charles Woodson (1997) as the only full-time defensive players to win the Heisman Trophy. The Jags have packages for the rookie to contribute defensively.

“He’s still learning,” Jaguars coach Liam Coen said.

Ashton Jeanty

The Raiders finished last in the NFL in 2024 by managing just 79.8 yards rushing per game. That’s why they selected Jeanty at No. 6 overall and made him the highest-drafted running back since Saquon Barkley was taken No. 2 overall in 2018 by the Giants.

Jeanty’s production easily won over the Raiders, overcoming concerns about his size at 5-foot-8 and 208 pounds. Jeanty led the nation by rushing for 2,601 yards and 29 TDs last season, averaging 7.0 yards on 374 carries.

He just missed Barry Sanders’ college record set in 1988 by 27 yards and finished second to Hunter in the Heisman voting.

Now Jeanty just has to prove he can help the Raiders run in the AFC West.

Abdul Carter

Unlike Ward, who got Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon’s permission to wear his No. 1, Carter was sacked by Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor in his quest to wear No. 56 even though he came to the Giants after 12 sacks at Penn State and after leading the nation with 23 1/2 tackles for loss last year.

The third-overall pick in April won’t have the pressure of carrying the Giants’ pass rush, a unit that features three-time Pro Bowl tackle Dexter Lawrence and edge rushers Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux. The 6-3, 250-pound Carter will have the chance to be rested and strong throughout games.

Shedeur Sanders

Projected to be drafted as high as No. 2, Sanders had to wait until No. 144 overall to hear his name called during the draft.

Now the quarterback is at the back end of a crowded quarterback room. The Browns have him fourth on the depth chart behind veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel, a third-round pick.

But it is Cleveland, where four different quarterbacks started at least one game during the 2024 season.

COMMANDERS QB JAYDEN DANIELS WILL NOT PLAY IN EXHIBITION OPENER AGAINST PATRIOTS

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels will not play in Washington’s exhibition opener at New England, coach Dan Quinn said.

Backup quarterback Marcus Mariota was among multiple players that did not travel. Mariota is working through a lower leg strain, Quinn said. That means quarterbacks Josh Johnson and Sam Hartman will handle the offense in Friday’s game.

But Quinn said Daniels was expected to have a sizable workload during Wednesday’s practice, as would several others. He added that other players who received heavy reps would also not play Friday.

Among those not making the trip was receiver Terry McLaurin, who is on the physically unable to perform list with an ankle injury in addition to “holding in” as contract talks continue.

BUFFALO BILLS RELEASE LINEBACKER BAYLON SPECTOR FOLLOWING LATEST INJURY TO 4TH-YEAR PLAYER

PITTSFORD, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills released oft-injured linebacker Baylon Spector on Wednesday, two days after the fourth-year player was sidelined by a calf injury.

Spector was designated as waived/injured, essentially ending the once-promising player’s tenure in Buffalo.

A seventh-round pick in the 2022 draft out of Clemson, Spector showed flashes of potential to fill the Bills primary backup linebacker spot behind starters Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard. Injuries, however, derailed his development. The 26-year-old Spector was limited to appearing in 26 games, including four starts, and spent four stints on the injured reserve list over three seasons.

Spector entered camp competing for a backup spot with veteran offseason free agent addition Shaq Thompson and second-year players Joe Andreessen and Edefuan Ulofoshio.

The Bills filled the roster spot by signing linebacker Jimmy Ciarlo, a 2024 undrafted rookie free agent out of Army. He spent his rookie season on the New York Jets injured reserve list after being hurt in a preseason game.

49ERS’ GEORGE KITTLE ‘DISTRAUGHT’ OVER BAN OF SMELLING SALTS

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle is making a stink about the NFL’s recent ban on smelling salts.

Kittle interrupted an NFL Network interview at training camp on Tuesday to “air a grievance” about the policy.

“Our team had a memo today that smelling salts and ammonia packets were made illegal in the NFL, and I’ve been distraught all day,” said Kittle, who added that he uses the substances on “every drive.”

Starting this season, teams are prohibited from “providing or supplying ammonia in any form” on game days either on the field or in the locker room, according to the league memo.

“In 2024, the FDA issued a warning to companies that produce commercially available ammonia inhalants (AIs), as well as to consumers about the purchase and use of AIs, regarding the lack of evidence supporting the safety or efficacy of AIs marketed for improving mental alertness or boosting energy,” the memo says, per ESPN. “The FDA noted potential negative effects from AI use. AIs also have the potential to mask certain neurological signs and symptoms, including some potential signs of concussion.”

Kittle, 31, is far from the only NFL player who regularly uses smelling salts. That includes athletes in other sports, including ice hockey.

The six-time Pro Bowler said he has always used them for a boost of energy, joking that the change made him consider hanging up his cleats.

“I considered retirement,” Kittle said. “We have got to figure out a middle ground here, guys. Somebody help me out. Somebody come up with a good idea. That’s all I had to get out there. Get that off my chest.”

REPORTS: ESPN EXTENDS NFL DRAFT RIGHTS THROUGH 2030

ESPN will remain the home of the NFL draft through 2030, multiple media outlets reported on Wednesday.

ESPN’s draft rights had expired after the 2025 event in Green Bay.

The extension came in the wake of this week’s news that ESPN is selling a 10 percent equity stake to the NFL.

The NFL confirmed a “multi-year extension” on Wednesday but did not provide a specific end date.

The year 2030 is significant as it will mark the 50th edition of the draft on ESPN, which launched in 1979 and began broadcasting the event the following year.

Starting with the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, Disney+ and Hulu will also begin streaming draft coverage.

REPORT: RAMS’ MATTHEW STAFFORD ON TRACK FOR ON-FIELD WORK THIS WEEK

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is in line to resume working out this week, Pro Football Talk reported Wednesday.

Stafford received an epidural to address a back injury and has been considered week-to-week by head coach Sean McVay.

NFL Network reported that Stafford is nursing an aggravated disc, however the former Super Bowl champion remains in the plan to take the field for the Rams’ season opener against the Houston Texans on Sept. 7 in Inglewood, Calif.

Stafford, 37, completed 340 of 517 passes (65.8 percent) for 3,762 yards, 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions while starting all 16 games that he played in 2024. He also was 45 of 71 (63.4 percent) for 533 yards, four TDs and no picks in two playoff games last season.

A two-time Pro Bowl selection, Stafford has completed 63.4 percent of his passes for 59,809 yards, 377 TDs and 188 interceptions in 222 regular-season games (all starts) with the Detroit Lions (2009-20) and Rams. The Lions selected him with the first overall pick of the 2009 NFL Draft out of Georgia.

Stafford led the Rams to a 23-20 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI.

REPORT: STEELERS QB WILL HOWARD BREAKS FINGER, COULD MISS PRESEASON

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Will Howard broke the pinky finger on his throwing hand and is out indefinitely, The Athletic reported.

The rookie left practice early Tuesday after suffering the right-hand injury, which is believed to have occurred as he took the ball from the center at training camp in Latrobe, Pa.

NFL Network said Howard was having additional tests but would miss at least three weeks.

That timeline would knock Howard out of preseason games, where he had hoped to compete with Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson for the backup job to Aaron Rodgers.

Now, his preseason learning is likely to come by watching veterans Rodgers and Rudolph and not through getting preseason reps. Howard, 23, was expected to get a long look in the preseason opener on Saturday in Jacksonville.

Pittsburgh selected Howard in the sixth round of April’s NFL draft out of Ohio State, where he led the Buckeyes to a national championship in his lone season at the school.

In four seasons at Kansas State and one at Ohio State, Howard threw for 9,796 yards, 83 touchdowns and 35 interceptions, including 4,010 yards, 35 TDs and 10 picks in 16 games last year.

GIANTS QB RUSSELL WILSON TOUTS BRIAN DABOLL’S ‘BEAUTIFUL MIND’

He has yet to throw a pass in a game setting for the New York Giants, but new quarterback Russell Wilson, a 10-time Pro Bowler, is already singing the praises of head coach Brian Daboll’s offensive knowledge and understanding.

He expressed his thoughts on Daboll and other topics while speaking with reporters on Wednesday.

“Daboll’s got a beautiful mind, how he sees the game, he’s coached tremendous football players, he’s won Super Bowls, he’s been around winning — national championships, all that stuff,” Wilson said. “… I think that the best part is in terms of the knowledge and what we get to share back and forth is pretty cool.

“… Just over the years, all my experience, his experience, how we see the game the same way.”

Wilson also sang the praises of assistant head coach and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, who will continue calling plays for the Giants in 2025.

“Obviously Kaf’s played the game, played the position, he sees it like the quarterback does and he’s got a great viewpoint of the game,” said Wilson. “We get to spend a lot of time together in the quarterback room and I think Kaf is a really brilliant mind, too.

“I think the ability to share ideas, the collaboration, is what’s really special here.”

Kafka, with the Giants’ coaching staff since 2022, also highlighted the importance of communication with his new pivot.

“Yeah, just opening up (those) lines of communication, having dialogue on plays that he likes, things that I like, things that are within the offense already, maybe there’s some crossover, maybe there’s some new thoughts,” said the former journeyman QB. “It’s just about opening those lines of communication.”

After two down years with the Denver Broncos in 2022 and 2023, Wilson started 11 regular-season games for the playoff-bound Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024, posting a 6-5 record while passing for 2,482 yards (225.6 per game), 16 touchdowns and five interceptions. He added another two scores on the ground.

Now the 2013 Super Bowl champion is adapting to another new team in New York and transitioning well.

“It’s going great,” said Wilson. “I think guys are working their butts off, man. We’re battling every day, going against a really good defense every day, too, so it’s even better.

“You always want practice to be harder than the games, that mentality of that. … I think we’re getting better every day.”

Wilson has also expressed his eagerness to play alongside talented second-year receiver Malik Nabers.

“I mean, that was (the) first thing I told you guys when I watched him on film. … It was just his explosiveness,” said Wilson of the 2024 sixth overall pick out of LSU. “Once he catches the football, there’s only so many people in the world that can do it like he can and I think he’s one of the best in the world to do it.

“He’s going into a second year of it all and it’s all fresh and all new, but he’s definitely experienced in terms of how he sees the game, his mentality attacking the football in the air. … It’s going to be a special thing. I’m excited to play with him, obviously.”

At age 36, Wilson added that he’s already enjoying playing for his fourth NFL team.

“I love this locker room, the guys, just the fellowship that we have together all the way from the lunchroom to the film room after practice,” Wilson said. “…It’s been great, man. I am truly grateful to be a New York Giant.”

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL

OHIO STATE’S RYAN DAY: OPENING DAY STARTING QB REMAINS UNDETERMINED

With the defense of their national title beginning in just over three weeks, the Ohio State Buckeyes have yet to determine who will be under center when they host Texas on August 30.

Sophomore Julian Sayin and junior Lincoln Kienholz are the prime competitors for the job left open by the departure of Will Howard.

Howard, who transferred from Kansas State and led the Buckeyes to their sixth national championship in January, is now a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“The competition continues,” head coach Ryan Day said. “They both have had good moments and moments where they’re growing. I will say I’ve been pleased with the progress. It’s going to go right down to the wire.

“The positives of having a competition is that you know every day you got to bring it. The guys are always on edge, they’re uncomfortable, they’re working at it. I think that’s healthy for the entire building.”

Sayin, a native of Carlsbad, Calif., got into four games last season, completing 5-of-12 passes for 84 yards, including a touchdown in an early rout of Western Michigan.

Keinholz did not play in 2024, but got into three games in 2023, including OSU’s 14-3 Cotton Bowl loss to Missouri. The Pierre, S.D. native struggled in that outing, completing only 6-of-17 attempts for 86 yards and no touchdowns.

Freshman Tavien St. Clair is technically in the competition, but the early enrollee is a long shot to earn the starting role.

Sayin has the better pedigree and is regarded as a slight favorite to line up against the Longhorns. He was the top-rated quarterback of the class of 2024 and enrolled at Alabama when Nick Saban retired. He entered the transfer portal in the spring of 2024 and wound up in Columbus.

But Kienholz made great strides this offseason and earned one of eight Iron Buckeye awards, which goes to players who excel in offseason training and workouts.

“This is moving week,” said Day. “We want to have our identity, and it doesn’t need to be in stone, but the players can tell us what we’re doing and what our identity is coming out of this week.”

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GOLF NEWS

JUSTIN THOMAS ‘RESTED AND REFRESHED’ FOR START OF PLAYOFFS

Justin Thomas thinks he has had a nice season. He knows how to erase all doubts.

“I definitely know three ways I could make it a lot happier and feel a lot better about it,” he said Wednesday in Memphis as he prepares for the first of three FedEx Cup Playoff events this week.

Thomas arrived at TPC Southwind for the FedEx St. Jude Championship ranked No. 6 in the FedEx Cup standings and No. 4 in the world rankings.

“I’m definitely not going to make any judgments or assess anything for the time being with three big events left and three tournaments I feel like I could have a good chance to go out and try to win and put myself in contention,” he said. “That’s the goal, just to try to do that each week. I’m teeing it up these next three, and hopefully we can try to get a couple of them and ultimately the FedEx Cup.

“It’s hard to say right now but ask me again in three weeks hopefully.”

Thomas, 32, won his 16th career PGA Tour title at the RBC Heritage in April and also has runner-up finishes this year at The American Express in January, the Valspar Championship in March and the Truist Championship in May.

He has not played since finishing T34 at The Open Championship in Royal Portrush, Northern Ireland, a nice bounce back after missing the cuts at the PGA Championship and U.S. Open.

“It was just nice to honestly take some time away, just relax a little bit, not do much and get back into it,” Thomas said of the past couple of weeks. “I think at least for me, the time off is nice to where I’m excited to go out to the course and practice and feel like I’m getting ready for something again because if not it can become a little — some days wake up and maybe not quite as motivated or excited as others.

“Honestly, just happy to be here and rested and refreshed.”

Thomas finished T30 in Memphis last year, 12 shots behind winner Hideki Matsuyama of Japan.

After playing the back nine on Wednesday morning, Thomas said he was impressed with the recent changes and updates made to the course.

“The course looks awesome,” he said. “Obviously having been closed with the changes and no play, it’s in unbelievable shape. The fairways are so perfect. The greens are brand new. They’re firm but they’re some of the best surfaces that we’ll ever putt on.”

Thomas said he wants to finish strong and earn his place on captain Keegan Bradley’s U.S. Ryder Cup team for September showdown at New York’s Bethpage Black.

“I want to be in that top six,” he said. “Just for me personally, it just would mean a lot to me to get that done because having been picked or having to rely on a pick a couple times, I definitely like the level of low stress and just the sense of calm knowing that you’re qualified versus waiting for that phone to ring.”

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER LEADS FAVORITES AS PLAYOFFS BEGIN AT ST. JUDE CHAMPIONSHIP

MEMPHIS — Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1 golfer in the world, enters the FedEx St. Jude Championship — the first leg of the season-ending PGA Tour playoffs — on a successful stretch. Scheffler will be coming off 11 consecutive top-10 finishes.

With that momentum, which includes last month’s Open title, Scheffler has handled the FedEx Cup playoffs preparation a bit differently than he would have for an event earlier in the season. For Scheffler, at this stage of the golf year, he’s finding that less is better.

“That extra practice is maybe only going to be draining for me a little bit, and that’s something that I’ve learned to manage as my career has gone on,” he said Wednesday from TPC Southwind, site of the St. Jude Championship. “I would say my prep week last week definitely looked a bit different than it would have looked before the Scottish Open and definitely looked a little bit different than it would have looked if you go back to the beginning of the year when I was coming off injury.

“So making sure I’m rested, ready to play. My game is in a good spot, and I feel like some extra practice at this point in the year can almost be detrimental in terms of just physical and mental fatigue.”

The opening tournament of the playoffs features 69 of the top 70 golfers in the FedEx Cup standings, including Scheffler, defending champion Hideki Matsuyama of Japan and resurgent Justin Thomas. Reigning Masters champion Rory McIlroy decided to skip the first leg and is the only eligible golfer among the top 70 sitting out the tournament.

With four wins this season, including two victories in majors, Scheffler is among the favorites. Expected to earn a fourth straight PGA Tour Player of the Year award, he is looking forward to playing on a TPC Southwind course that underwent renovation after last year’s St. Judge Championship concluded.

Each of the 18 greens was rebuilt and resurfaced. The tee boxes were also resurfaced, and Bermuda grass around the greens was replaced by tightly mowed Zeon Zoysia.

“They did a good job, I think, with the runoff areas around the greens here,” Scheffler said. “The new greens right now are really firm. I think this is a golf course that’s typically been pretty popular on Tour, so I appreciated they didn’t come in when they renovated it and just completely change the golf course.

“I think they had a really good base for a solid golf course where ball-striking is important. You’ve got to hit it well around this place. I think they did a really good job. The golf course is healthy. They kept the DNA of what’s made this course really good and then enhanced it with some of the pitching areas.”

Harris English, enjoying the best year of his career, returns to the site of his first PGA Tour victory. He won the event when it was part of the regular-season schedule in 2013.

“After playing (practice rounds) the last couple days, the improvements obviously with the new greens, the greens are really firm,” English said. “I feel like the rough is up from years past. Even (Wednesday), hitting some balls in the rough, it’s hard to find them. You get this gnarly Bermuda rough, it’s so hard to figure out if it’s going to jump, if it’s going to come out dead.

McIlroy’s absence has created some off-course controversy. He will easily qualify for the second stage of the playoffs next week at the BMW Championship at Caves Valley Golf Club near Baltimore, but PGA Tour officials are concerned he elected to bypass the first leg.

Those who finish Sunday ranked in the top 50 not only move on to Baltimore but are also eligible for each of the eight PGA Tour signature events in 2025.

–Phil Stukenborg, Field Level Media

2025 FEDEX ST. JUDE CHAMPIONSHIP: PREVIEW, PROPS, BEST BETS

The 2025 FedEx Cup playoffs officially tee off with this week’s FedEx St. Jude Championship, which begins Thursday at TPC Southwind in Memphis.

Only the top 70 players at the end of the regular season qualified for this week’s event, and the field sits at 69 with Rory McIlroy opting to skip the first playoff leg. Our golf experts preview the tournament and share their favorite prop picks along with best bets to win this week.

FEDEX ST. JUDE CHAMPIONSHIP
Location: Memphis, Aug. 7-10
Course: TPC Southwind (Par 70, 7,288 Yards)
Purse: $20M (Winner: $3.6M)
Defending Champion: Hideki Matsuyama
FedEx Cup leader: Scottie Scheffler

HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday-Friday: 2-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday: 1-3 p.m. (GC), 3-6 p.m. (NBC); Sunday: Noon-2 p.m. (GC), 2-6 p.m. (NBC)
Streaming (ESPN+): Thursday-Sunday: 8 a.m.-6 p.m. ET
X: @FedExChamp

PROP PICKS
–Hideki Matsuyama to Beat Ben Griffin (-105 at DraftKings): Based on 2025 to date, this appears a mismatch in the wrong direction, with Griffin having twice as many wins as Matsuyama has top-10 finishes — the latter’s lone one coming in a victory at the season-opening The Sentry. But keep in mind that not only is Matsuyama the defending champion at TPC Southwind, he has also found far better form with three consecutive top-20s entering this week. Griffin is making his playoff debut, and while he posted a T11 last week, that did follow consecutive missed cuts.

–Sepp Straka Top 20 Finish (+148 at BetRivers): Considering we see Straka — a two-time winner already this season — as a pre-tournament threat, we certainly see a top-20 finish as well within reach. Remember, he only needs to beat 49 players in the field for this to pay out. Straka has been on a yoyo of late, mixing a win at the Truist, a solo third at the Memorial and a seventh at the Scottish Open with four other results of T45 or worse.

–Winning Score Over 262.5 (-120 at DraftKings): Granted, TPC Southwind has only played host to the event three previous times, and Matsuyama set the scoring record among those with his 263 total that beat Viktor Hovland and Xander Schauffele by two strokes.

2025 Prop Pick Record: 21-24

BEST BETS
–Scottie Scheffler (+280 at DraftKings) is coming off a victory at The Open as he attempts to become the first back-to-back winner of the FedEx Cup. Despite his enormous pre-tournament favorite odds, Scheffler leads the field by a wide margin with 18 percent of the money and 22 percent of the total bets backing him to win.
–Schauffele (+1800) has yet to win this season, but he has consecutive top-10s entering this week and needs a solid result to advance to the BMW. He is fifth in the field with 5 percent of both the money and total bets backing him this week.
–Tommy Fleetwood (+2200) has yet to win a stroke play event on U.S. soil, but he does have 12 top-25s in 16 starts this season, including a runner-up at the Travelers. The Englishman ranks third in the field with 7 percent of the money supporting him to break through this week.
–Justin Thomas (+2500) has a win at the RBC Heritage among seven top-10s in 17 starts this season.
–Matt Fitzpatrick (+2800) has been in excellent form with a pair of T4s and a pair of T8s in his past four starts.
–Hovland (+3500) offers longshot odds despite finishing second here last year and winning the FedEx Cup in 2023. It has been a largely frustrating 2025 for Hovland, but he did win the Valspar and has been backed by 11 percent of the outright winner money wagered at the book.
–Straka (+4000) lost in a playoff here in 2022 and is already a multiple-time winner on tour this year. However, he has garnered just 4 percent of the total outright winner money thus far.

NOTES
–The top 50 players in the standings after this week will advance to the BMW Championship, with the top 30 after that event qualifying for the season-ending Tour Championship.
–Schauffele and Tony Finau are tied for the longest active streaks, having qualified for the playoffs for the eighth consecutive season.
–Daniel Berger qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
–Aldrich Potgieter, at No. 43 in the FedEx Cup standings, is the only one of the 35 rookies this season to advance to the playoffs.
–Chris Kirk was the lone player to move into the Top 70 last week, jumping from No. 73 to No. 61 with a T5 at the Wyndham.

TOP 50 BUBBLE
Tom Hoge (No. 40), Matt Fitzpatrick (No. 41), Schauffele (No. 42), Potgieter (No. 43), Harry Hall (No. 44), Akshay Bhatia (No. 45), Si Woo Kim (No. 46), Jake Knapp (No. 47), Jordan Spieth (No. 48), Wyndham Clark (No. 49), Min Woo Lee (No. 50), J.T. Poston (No. 51), Kurt Kitayama (No. 52), Bud Cauley (No. 53), Joe Highsmith (No. 54), Aaron Rai (No. 55), Jhonattan Vegas (No. 56), Max Greyserman (No. 57), Stephan Jaeger (No. 58), Mackenzie Hughes (No. 59) and Finau (No. 60).

–Field Level Media

REPORT: TRUMP-OWNED COURSES TO HOST PGA TOUR, LIV EVENTS IN 2026

Courses owned by President Donald Trump will be hosting events on both the PGA Tour and LIV Golf for the first time in the same year in 2026.

LIV Golf has announced it will return to Trump National Golf Club Washington D.C. in Sterling, Va., next year. The Saudi Arabia-backed tour has had an event on a Trump-owned course every year since its inception in 2022. It last held an event at the Trump National Golf Club in 2023. The 2026 event, scheduled for May 8-10, will be one of 14 events on the tour.

The PGA Tour, meanwhile, has scheduled an event at Trump National Doral, just outside Miami, according to Sports Business Journal. The tournament is expected to be played April 30-May 3, which slots in three weeks following the Masters and two weeks ahead of the PGA Championship.

Per SBJ, the tournament could be a signature event that includes a $20 million purse.

Both LIV Golf and the PGA Tour have a history of hosting events at Doral. LIV tournaments were played there for the first four years of its existence, 2022 to 2025, before the circuit didn’t return to the Blue Monster this year.

That opened the door for the PGA Tour to return to Doral and add to its 54-year history of events there. The last one was the 2016 World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship.

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NBA NEWS

CELTICS FORWARD JAYSON TATUM SEEN WITHOUT BOOT OR BRACE AT PATRIOTS TRAINING CAMP

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Jayson Tatum was spotted at practice on Wednesday —- just not on a basketball court.

The Celtics star made an appearance at the New England Patriots’ joint training camp practice with the Washington Commanders.

Tatum, who had surgery in May to repair the ruptured right Achilles tendon injury he suffered in Boston’s Eastern Conference semifinal loss to the New York Knicks, was seen walking without a boot or brace.

It’s a welcomed sign for Tatum as he continues a rehabilitation that is expected to keep him out most — if not all — of next NBA season. Tatum mostly stood on the sideline during his appearance Wednesday, interacting with Patriots players and Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels.

Tatum has been seen in multiple social media videos working out in the weight room at the Celtics’ team practice facility.

Boston president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said in June that the All-Star is progressing well following surgery. But asked about whether the team had put a potential timeline on Tatum’s return, Stevens was definitive that there would be no rushing the star’s recovery process.

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WNBA NEWS

A’JA WILSON SCORES 27 AS ACES TOP VALKYRIES TO TAKE SEASON SERIES

A’ja Wilson led all scorers with 27 points, Jewell Loyd saved six of her 14 for the final 6:05 and the Las Vegas Aces completed a home-and-home sweep of the Golden State Valkyries with a 78-72 triumph Wednesday night in San Francisco.

Having been dealt a 24-point blowout loss in Las Vegas on Sunday, the Valkyries played the Aces evenly for the first 2 1/2 quarters before a Jackie Young 3-pointer sparked a 16-6 burst that allowed the visitors to close the third period with a 64-54 lead.

Golden State held Las Vegas scoreless for the first 3:55 of the final quarter, closing the gap to four, before Loyd hit the first of her two big late hoops, a 13-footer that ended the Valkyries’ run.

The hosts hung within 69-65 after two Janelle Salaun free throws with still 4:27 to play, but Loyd came through again, this time nailing a 3-pointer that opened a seven-point gap from which the Valkyries couldn’t recover.

Wilson hit eight of her 11 shots and all 11 of her free throws yet also found time for seven rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks.

Loyd buried three 3-pointers on a night when both teams struggled from long range. Other than Loyd’s 3-for-7, the Aces went 2-for-20, while the Valkyries made only four of their 22 3-point attempts.

Young had 14 points to match Loyd’s total for the Aces, who moved to 1.5 games up on the Valkyries in the battle for the league’s eighth playoff spot. Also, should it become necessary, Las Vegas earned the tiebreaker edge on Golden State by virtue of their 3-1 head-to-head record in the season series.

Young also had a game-high four assists and led a stingy Las Vegas defense with five steals, while NaLyssa Smith was the team’s leading rebounder with nine, one more than Chelsea Gray.

Tiffany Hayes had 14 points to lead a balanced attack for Golden State, which was coming off a 3-2 road trip. Hayes also tied Smith for game-high rebound honors with nine.

Salaun chipped in with 13 points, while Carla Leite and Kaila Charles added 11 apiece off the bench for the Valkyries, who shot just 39.7 percent (25-for-63).

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TENNIS NEWS

KAREN KHACHANOV UPSETS TOP SEED ALEXANDER ZVEREV IN TORONTO SEMIS

One point away from defeat, 11th-seeded Karen Khachanov escaped to defeat top-seeded Alexander Zverev 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (4) on Wednesday in the semifinals of the National Bank Open in Toronto.

The result is arguably the biggest for the 29-year-old Russian in nearly seven years.

Khachanov is through to the final of an ATP Masters 1000 event for just the second time, following his championship at the Paris Masters in 2018. Four other times he was a Masters 1000 semifinalist, including at the Canadian event in 2018 and 2019.

His best results at Grand Slam tournaments were semifinals losses at the 2022 U.S. Open and the 2023 Australian Open.

Khachanov will oppose a U.S. player in the championship match. Second-seeded Taylor Fritz and fourth-seeded Ben Shelton squared off in the second semifinal late Wednesday night.

Zverev had a match point at 5-6 on Khachanov’s serve in the third set, but the German came up short in a bid to reach his first Masters 1000 final of the year. Zverev won Masters 1000 tournaments in Rome and Paris in 2024.

Down 3-1 in the third-set tiebreaker, Khachanov won the next five points, then sealed the victory on his second match point.

“I had to dig deep and lift my level,” Khachanov said. “It was a very demanding, very mental, very physical match. So I’m very happy to get the win after losing some easy ones to him in recent years.

“Today was a real close one. I was match point down. If the ball touches the net and drops over, we wouldn’t be talking now.”

The match stats weren’t impressive, as both players had more unforced errors (44 for Zverev, 34 for Khachanov) than winners (36 for Zverev, 29 for Khachanov).

Khachanov owns two wins in three career matches against Fritz, though the American won their most recent (and most important) contest, prevailing in four sets in the Wimbledon quarterfinals last month.

Shelton beat Khachanov in their lone matchup, during the third round at Indian Wells, Calif., this spring.

VICTORIA MBOKO, NAOMI OSAKA TO MEET FOR NATIONAL BANK OPEN TITLE

Victoria Mboko is learning quickly how to handle the most difficult situations on the WTA Tour.

The 18-year-old Canadian performed the greatest feat of her journey through the National Bank Open in Montreal by rallying to defeat No. 9 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, 1-6, 7-5, 7-6 (4).

Mboko will face resurgent Naomi Osaka, who rallied in the second set tiebreaker to defeat No. 17 Clara Tauson of Denmark, 6-2, 7-6 (7). Osaka will make her first appearance in a WTA 1000 final since the 2022 Miami Open.

Mboko, who defeated top seed Coco Gauff in the fourth round on Saturday, staved off a match point in the third set and broke big-serving Rybakina in the final two games of the set to force a tie-breaker.

Moreover, the Toronto resident suffered a fall early in the third set and called for a medical timeout to tape an ailing wrist. Mboko was broken in the fifth game of the set and the 2022 Wimbledon champion served for the match at 5-4. She had a match point at 40-30, but produced an unforced error and Mboko earned the next two points to knot the set at 5-5.

Rybakina broke to lead 6-5, but Mboko responded, breaking her opponent at love to send the match to a tiebreaker.

The breaker was knotted at 4-4, but Mboko came up with winning forehands on the next two points and a Rybakina error on match point sent the Canadian crowd into a frenzy and Mboko into a state of disbelief.

“I had everyone supporting me and pushing me through,” said Mboko in her on-court interview. “Without you guys, I don’t think I would’ve been able to pull this through.”

Mboko became the first Canadian player to defeat three Grand Slam champions (Rybakina, Gauff, Sofia Kenin) in a WTA event during the open era. She is just the second Canadian in the last 56 years (Bianca Andreescu, 2019) to compete in the finals of her country’s national open.

Osaka, who had to retire and gift Tauson the 2025 Auckland title, won 13 of 15 first serve points in the first set, broke Tauson twice and captured the first set. Osaka got up a break in the second set, but Tauson responded late to force a tiebreaker. Tauson led, 5-2, in the tiebreaker, but the four-time Grand Slam champion rallied to win it 9-7.

The finals are set for Thursday at 6:00 p.m. ET.

VENUS WILLIAMS ON ’26 PLANS: SHOULDN’T ‘EVER RULE ME OUT’

Anyone who watched Venus Williams compete on the WTA Tour over the past three decades had to come away with at least one immutable truth.

She is a fighter.

Many of the tennis pundits and even Venus’ most ardent supporters had to believe that the 2024 Miami Open would be her final hurrah. Her latest — and most serious health issues — surely would lead the seven-time Grand Slam champion to put the racquets in the closet.

But not so fast. Williams earned a wild-card entry to the Citi Open in Washington, D.C. last month and knocked off 35th-ranked Peyton Stearns. Williams, 45, became the oldest player to earn a WTA singles victory since Martina Navratilova won a match at Wimbledon in 2004 as a 47-year-old.

She would lose in the next round to Magdalena Frech, but proved to herself that 45 is just a number.

“There’s one thing that I know: You’re never too young or too old to win or lose,” Williams said as she prepares to compete in the WTA 1000 event in Cincinnati. “Winning and losing knows no age. All that matters is that I’m prepared and ready. And the longer I play, the more I get into it, the more I train, the better I get.”

One year ago, Williams, who was diagnosed with Sjogren’s syndrome in 2011, fought a more serious health battle. She underwent surgery to remove fibroids and a large focal adenomyoma that was embedded in the muscle of her uterus.

She posted this on Instagram recently: “I was told I was inoperable. I was told I could bleed to death on the table. I was told to get a surrogate and forget the hope to carry my own children. I was misdiagnosed. I went untreated for years and years and years. It’s so important to advocate for your health! I suffered from severe anemia, debilitating pain, excessive bleeding and abnormally frequent menstrual cycles for many years. It affected my tennis and the trajectory of my career.

I told my story so other women don’t have to go through this and so they can get better sooner.”

The road to recovery was slow, but returning to the courts never left her thoughts.

“At the end of the day, you have to live your life on your own terms,” Williams said, as she prepares for an opening-round match against Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro. “Your terms should be yours. It doesn’t matter what anyone else says or what anyone else thinks. If you get to live life on your own terms, that’s a life well-lived, and I firmly believe in that.

“And I do what I do because I want to live life the way I want to, unapologetically, with no regrets and on my terms. … Make your terms and don’t surrender.”

After Cincinnati, Venus will compete in the 2025 US Open, partnering with Reilly Opelka in the new mixed doubles format and, hopefully, earning a wild-card entry into singles competition.

Will that be Venus’ final tennis chapter? Probably not. Could she compete again at age 46 in 2026?

“I don’t think you should ever rule me out,” she said.

_____

TOP INDIANA HEADLINES/PRESS RELEASES

INDIANA SRN FOOTBALL WATCH LIST-OFFENSE

QUARTERBACKS

OSCAR FRYE, BROWNSBURG

BO POLSTON, DECATUR CENTRAL

OSCAR SLOAN, CENTER GROVE

JOE GOSS, BEN DAVIS

JACK SORGI, TRI-WEST

GAGE STURGILL, FISHERS

JACOB DAVIS, NEW PALESTINE

MASON MEYER, MT. VERNON

TERRY WALKER III, HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN

SANTANA ALLEN, LAWRENCE CENTRAL

ANTHONY DENNISON, WARREN CENTRAL

CHRIS HARRIS, PARK TUDOR

MYCHAEL LEWIS, PIKE

ANTHONY COELLNER, CARMEL

DUNCAN COMBS, BLOOMINGTON SOUTH

CONNOR MORELAND, FRANKLIN CENTRAL

ELI NIX, HERITAGE CHRISTIAN

BRYCE SEBANC, PLAINFIELD

ELIJAH EDON, EASTERN HANCOCK

CARTER WARD, DANVILLE

COLLIN ASH, RONCALLI

BRADY TREBLEY, CASCADE

EVAN CLARK, INDIAN CREEK

JACK HARRINGTON, BISHOP CHATARD

CAMERON KOERS, CATHEDRAL

TRY DOBSON, GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN

JACE CAMERON, AVON

BISHOP MOORE, BEECH GROVE

CONNOR CRUZ, MOORESVILLE

DEVIN CRAIG, LAPEL

BRAYDEN HOLBROOK, LAKELAND

MICAH RANS, PIONEER

MASON MEYER, MT. VERNON

MICHAEL MCCOLGAN, CULVER ACADEMIES

BRADY GAST, ALEXANDRIA-MONROE

ELIJAH EDON, EASTERN HANCOCK

WYATT MARCH, MILAN

ASHER RATLIFF, COLUMBUS NORTH

TREY DOBSON, GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN

CHRISTIAN KRAMER, NORTH PUTNAM

RYLEE BIDDLE, EAST NOBLE

LANDON DUNCAN, CLOVERDALE

JACK MULL, FLOYD CENTRAL

CAMERON VILLARREAL, COLUMBUS EAST

TYTUS LEHMAN, SOUTH ADAMS

NATHAN BYRD SCOTTSBURG

SANTANA ALLEN, RITTER

LANNON NICOLOFF, HARRISON

JETT GOLDSBERRY, HERITAGE HILLS

COLTON BATH, NORTHVIEW

BO BRUNNER, CONCORD

AIDEN ROBINSON, MACONAQUAH

COLE STEPHENS, GREENCASTLE

GIBSON EAGLE, EASTERN GREENTOWN

BRYOR CARMICHAEL, KNIGHTSTOWN

BOBBY SHARPE, CORYDON CENTRAL

COOPER DOLD, TWIN LAKES

NOAH PATTERSON, LINCOLN

CARSON BELL, NEW CASTLE

KARSYN RUMFELT, NORTHRIDGE

KENNETH CHRISTMON, TINDLEY

CARTER DIAZ, GOSHEN

RYAN BULLION, GRIFFITH

AYDEN JUSTICE, TRI-COUNTY

AXTON BESTE, BLUFFTON

MICAH JARRELL, NORTHWOOD

CRUE GILMORE, LAWRENCEBURG

JACK HOLLENDONNER, CENTERVILLE

EVAN CLARK, INDIAN CREEK

QUINN TOLLE, TIPTON

KEN SACO, BOONE GROVE

RUNNINGBACKS

SHAKOVON SUMPTERBEY, BROWNSBURG

FA’REL CARTER, DECATUR CENTRAL

JAZZ COLEMAN, BEN DAVIS

XAVIER DANGERFIELD, CATHEDRAL

LUCAS DEWEY, MARTINSVILLE

LUKE STARNES, PLAINFIELD

ZACH DOZIER, RONCALLI

ALBERT GOODEN III, LAWRENCE CENTRAL

BRADY LEWIS, BROWNSBURG

BRAYLEN TOWNSEND, BLOOMINGTON SOUTH

ANDREW PEMBERTON, CARMEL

JOSH RANES, NEW PALESTINE

CARTER REED, HAMILTON SE

TOBY SAVINI, CASCADE

AHSTON CARTER, AVON

DEACON KING, WESTFIELD

DAYTON MINK, CASCADE

JAZZ COLEMAN, BEN DAVIS

RYAN THEMBULEMBU, FISHERS

ELI PIMENTAL, HERITAGE CHRISTIAN

ALEX CRAVENS, SHERIDAN

ALBERT GOODEN, LAWRENCE CENTRAL

IZAYVEON MOORE, LAWRENCE NORTH

KEYON THOMAS, WARREN CENTRAL

TYLER HOLMES, NOBLESVILLE

ALEX CRAVENS, SHERIDAN

DARRELL TAYLOR, CRISPUS ATTUCKS

THOMAS CAMPBELL, SHORTRIDGE

GUNNER RUPPERT, GREENWOOD

LELAND MORTON, GREENWOOD

NOLAN REES, CENTER GROVE

SAM MANNA, ZIONSVILLE

JACK MILLER, LAPEL

ZACH DOZIER, RONCALLI

BOBBY THOMAS, PIKE

MARK KUBE, EASTERN HANCOCK

XAVIER DANGERFIELD, CATHEDRAL

FAREL CARTER, DECATUR CENTRAL

JOSHUA PARKS, LEBANON

MYLES MCLAUGHLIN, KNOX

LANDON SHUCK, SCOTTSBURG

DANE PADGETT, PAOLI

BRANT BECK, ROCHESTER

CORBIN THACKERY, NORTH DECATUR

SIMON BARBER, NORTH DECATUR

TY BENTON, SOUTH PUTNAM

THOMAS CAMPBELL, SHORTRIDGE

BRYCE FESSEL, NORTH HARRISON

CHRISTIAN KRAMER, NORTH PUTNAM

MICAH RANS, PIONEER

JETT GOLDSBERRY, HERITAGE HILLS

LANDON SHUCK, SCOTTSBURG

NATHAN FOSTER, LEO

GRANT BOYD, PIKE CENTRAL

AH’LIJAH MONDAY, MISSISSINEWA

LEVI CRANDALL, MISSISSINEWA

JAMESON CRAWFORD, KNIGHTSTOWN

JUSTIN LEATHERS, SOUTHRIDGE

LOGAN DENT, SALEM

MASYN CHALFANT, TRI

MARCELL SIMS, MACONAQUAH

KALE SHOTTS, ROCHESTER

NOAH DOVE, EASTSIDE

TAVIEN FOX, RITTER

KAMARI TAYLOR, BLACKFORD

CAMERON PATTERSON, JENNINGS COUNTY

JERMIAH PATTON, JENNINGS COUNTY

HUNTER LONG, WHITKO

COOPER LUZADDER, FRANKTON

QUINN TOLLE, TIPTON

WIDE RECEIVERS

BRANDEN SHARPE, BROWNSBURG

AVIN ROBINSON, BROWNSBURG

KASMIR HICKS, DECATUR CENTRAL

KALEB HURT, EASTERN GREENTOWN

TREVIN LONG, GREENCASTLE

ANDREW SLOAN, HERITAGE CHRISTIAN

TAYSHON BARDO, PENN

DRAKE MCCLURG, CENTER GROVE

OMAR WILLIAMS, LAFAYETTE JEFF

BRYCE VANOSTRAN, LAFAYETTE JEFF

REESE BREVEARD, CONCORD

DEONDRAY MONROE, NORTHWOOD

CONNOR PARKER, BLOOMINGTON SOUTH

EDWIN WATSON, BREBEUF JESUIT

CARTER DOZIER, FRANKLIN COUNTY

PAUL OLIVER, LINTON-STOCKTON

ZEKE ROBERTSON, TRITON CENTRAL

GAGE BROADY, KNIGHTSTOWN

KEYSHAWN GALLOWAY, TAYLOR

DEREK MCKEAN, SOUTH ADAMS

MASON FULLER, ALEXANDRIA MONROE

PAUL OLIVER, LINTON STOCKTON

KEYAN ARROYO, LAKELAND

MADDOX PRITCHETT, CENTERVILLE

BRANSYN ENSORE, SOUTH PUTNAM

ARMANI JACKSON, NORTHWESTERN

JAXON CRIPE, LAPEL

ATHLETES

MYKUL CAMPBELL, DECATUR CENTRAL

JETT GOLDSBERRY, HERITAGE HILLS

JOSE BUTLER, FRANKLIN CENTRAL

RYAN MINGES, EAST CENTRAL

TYLER SIMEK, PLAINFIELD

LUCAS DEWEY, MARTINSVILLE

DARRELL TAYLOR, CRISPUS ATTUCKS

COOPER HINTON, GREENFIELD CENTRAL

BRYCE FESSEL, NORTH HARRISON

MAC MCCORMICK, VINCENNES LINCOLN

JAMISON ROACH, ADAM CENTRAL

BRADEN BROWN, TRITON CENTRAL

JARRETT HELMAN, SHENANDOAH

WESTON OTT, CHURUBUSCO

TYTUS LEHMAN SOUTH ADAMS

WYATT MARSH, MILAN

AIDEN WILES, CARROLL

JAYDEN OVERMYER, TRITON

ELI GUFFEY, PIONEER

TIGHT ENDS

DOM BERRY, CENTER GROVE

JALEN WILLIAMS, BLOOMINGTON SOUTH

PARKER ELMORE, COLUMBUS NORTH

TYLER RUXER, HERITAGE HILLS

TYLER KLANER, BOONEVILLE

ETHAN VECERA, CENTERVILLE

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN

WILLIAM JOHNSON, AVON

MALACHI MILLS, WESTFIELD

CASH BALLARD, WESTFIELD

C.J. SCIFRES, CENTER GROVE

JOB MAVERICK, WESTFIELD

BRADY WEBER, CENTER GROVE

PHILLIP BROWN, CATHEDRAL

ELZEA ROLLINS, WARREN CENTRAL

BROCK BROWNFIELD, NEW PALESTINE

JAMES WILLIAMS, LAWRENCE CENTRAL

CALEB JOHNSON, NOBLESVILLE

MASON MCDERMOTT, NOBLESVILLE

CORBIN MULLIS, HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN

BEN MAXEY, ZIONSVILLE

MEZZIAHS MCDANIEL, BROWNSBURG

NICK VECRUMBA, BROWNSBURG

TYLER COOPER, DECATUR CENTRAL

DREW SCHIEFER, COLUMBUS NORTH

ALEC SURBER, DECATUR CENTRAL

SAM DUTKANYCH, NORTH CENTRAL

JOSIAH JOHNSON, NORTH CENTRAL

GAVIN SHRAKE, MARTINSVILLE

RONNIE HAMBLEN, MOORESVILLE

HARRISON LAYMAN, PLAINFIELD

BRADY RAY, SCECINA

CARLOS LEON, CHESTERTON

BREYTON MELLOR, BLOOMINGTON SOUTH

LUKE GRAHAM, PENDLETON HEIGHTS

COLTON ROBERTSON, GREENFIELD-CENTRAL

JACOB HOOVER, GREENFIELD CENTRAL

ZION HANEY, BISHOP CHATARD

KRYSTIAN OAKLEY, BREBEUF

DAN FLEMMING, CRISPUS ATTUCKS

LUCAS JOST, RITTER

PAXTON TRUMP, DANVILLE

ANDREW TRAHIN, BISHOP DWENGER

HUNTER SHIRE, EAST NOBLE

PARKER ANDERSON, TRI-WEST

TUCKER BURNS, KNOX

THANE JONES, OAK HILL

RILEY DAVIS, INDIAN CREEK

GABE JACKSON, HERITAGE HILLS

AIDEN HUNT, GARRETT

NATE GEERKEN, ADAMS CENTRAL

AIDAN TORBESON, BOONE GROVE

LOGAN FREDRICKSON, BREMEN

BRODY DUNCAN, CASCADE

LEVI HOLLIFIELD, SULLIVAN

JACK ROACH, TIPTON

JORDAN SIMON, NORTH MIAMI

LIAM ROUCH, PIONEER

JOSEPH SCHROEDER, FRONTIER

KADEN JOHNSON, NORTH JUDSON

PARKER ZIMPLEMAN, CASTON

KICKERS

VAN KRISILOFF, CATHEDRAL

LUCAS NGUYEN, BISHOP DWENGER

NEFTALI SILVA, WEST NOBLE

DAX LOCKLEAR, INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN

_____

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL WATCH LIST

CAROLINE HANCHAR, CATHEDRAL

AVERY LEWIS, CATHEDRAL

CHLOE MOSS, CATHEDRAL

CHASE LEMMING, SEEGER

NORA BREITWIESER, JASPER

CHLOE RITCHIE, YORKTOWN

FINLEY DAKIN, TRI-WEST

BELLA DEL REAL, CROWN POINT

KATE VRABEL, BROWNSBURG

ELLIE HEPLER, WARSAW

KENDYL STRACK, WESTFIELD

REAGAN TURK, RONCALLI

AZURE FLAGLE, NEW PALESTINE

MAYE MCCONNELL, HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN

ADDIE DOAK, HAMILTON HEIGHTS

CALA HAFFNER, FW CARROLL

KYLA HURLEY, PENN

MADISON BROWN, NOBLESVILLE

MARLEE CHAFIN, SOUTHPORT

AUDREY UTTERBACK, PLAINFIELD

LILA BRUSZEWSKI, CARMEL

LONDON EVANS, CARMEL

CHLOE RITCHIE, YORKTOWN

NATALIE VANCE, CENTER GROVE

AINSLEY BROWN, SCECINA

MERRITT SLIWA, HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN

MARYKATE SCHEUMANN, BELLMONT

ALYSSA GUMBEL, BELLMONT

LUCA BOMBACINO, CHESTERTON

SOPHIA GISSLEN, FW CARROLL

HAYDEN RAMSEY, NEW PALESTINE

SAMANTHA GOODING, NEW PALESTINE

KEIRA DOMMER, FW CONCORDIA LUTHERAN

ROSE MAHIN, FRANKLIN

ADDI SHIPPY, FW CARROLL

ADDIE HABERTHY, RONCALLI

KENLEE BARNARD, EVANSVILLE NORTH

ELLA VANDERMARK, DANVILLE

ELLI STRECKER, ZIONSVILLE

ADDISON HUMMEL, PENN

ADDISON MARTIN, JENNINGS COUNTY

CARSYN COMER, WESTFIELD

MADDIE CARNES, SPRINGS VALLEY

BROOKLYN WAKE, FRANKLIN CENTRAL

REESE RESMER, NOBLESVILLE

MILANA MAYS, FISHERS

EMILY UHLMANN, NORTHWOOD

LEXI SHONDELL, MCCUTCHEON

MARLEY VANWANZEELE, PLAINFIELD

ANABELLE SCHEMBRA, CENTER GROVE

SHANIA RHAMY, SOUTHWOOD

CALI FOSTER, BENTON CENTRAL

MACIE SMITH, HAMILTON HEIGHTS

HAYDEN MANDSAGER, CATHEDRAL

MADI MILES, HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN

BRE MORGAN, HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN

FINLEY WHEELER, BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL

MAYA HARRIS, ANGOLA

CLAIRE BROCK, BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL

EMMERSON GOTT, WESTERN BOONE

SARAH STEGALL, FW CARROLL

LYDIA STAHLEY, RONCALLI

KAREN DUTRO, COLUMBUS NORTH

CAROLINE WARD, TRI-WEST

TENLEY DAVIS, CHESTERTON

JOSIE IMES, ZIONSVILLE

LILY JONES, RONCALLI

RYLEE BUMGARDNER, DANVILLE

CALLIE GIBSON, BROWNSBURG

ADDISON JONES, BARR-REEVE

LANIE MARIE GRABER, BARR-REEVE

OLIVIA BARBER, FAITH CHRISTIAN

REESE BLANCHARD, BREBEUF JESUIT

KYLA COOLMAN, PENN

GRACE HARGIS, TRI-WEST

KYRA JOOSTBERNS, LAWRENCE NORTH

CALISTA PENCE, AVON

ELYSAH LEE WILLIAMS, NEW CASTLE

EMILY WILLIAMS, FRANKLIN CENTRAL

NATALIE SEVIER, NEW PALESTINE

ELLA WARRICK, LINTON-STOCKTON

SOPHIE WISCHMEIER, BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL

ELLE SCHARA, CROWN POINT

MARYKATE SCHEUMANN, BELLMONT

BAILEY SINISH, FW CARROLL

_____

INDIANA FEVER

GAME PREVIEW: FEVER CLOSE OUT ROAD TRIP ON THURSDAY NIGHT IN PHOENIX

Indiana Fever at Phoenix Mercury
Thursday, August 7
PHX Arena | 10:00 p.m. ET

TV: Amazon/WTHR/Fever Direct
Radio: 93.1 WIBC

Probable Starters

Indiana Fever (17-13)

Guard – Aari McDonald
Guard – Kelsey Mitchell
Forward – Sophie Cunningham
Forward – Natasha Howard
Center – Aliyah Boston

Phoenix Mercury (18-11)

Guard – Monique Akoa Makani
Guard – Kahleah Copper
Forward – Alyssa Thomas
Forward – Natasha Mack
Center – Satou Sabally

GAME PREVIEW:

After seeing their five-game win streak snapped on Tuesday night in Los Angeles, the Fever will try to bounce back on Thursday night when they close our their four-game road trip in Phoenix against the Mercury.

The Fever beat the Mercury last week at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in the first meeting between the two teams this season in a 107-101 offensive shootout. Point guard Aari McDonald scored a career-high 27 points in the victory, while All-Star center Aliyah Boston scored 17 of her 22 points in the fourth quarter to power Indiana to a victory.

Indiana is coming off a 100-91 loss on Tuesday to the Sparks. The Fever trailed by 22 with 5:41 remaining before mounting a furious rally with an 18-2 run over the next 2:32 to get back within six before ultimately running out of gas. The Fever offense was excellent, tallying 23 assists to just four turnovers, but on the other end they allowed Los Angeles to shoot 56.1 percent from the field and 50 percent from 3-point range.

The Mercury have won their last two contests and are currently in fourth place in the league standings, 1.5 games ahead of the Fever. Thursday’s game could have major ramifications on the playoff race, as Indiana can secure the head-to-head tiebreaker over Phoenix with a victory. If the Mercury win on Thursday, the tiebreaker will come down to which teams takes the third and final regular season meeting on Sept. 2 in Phoenix.

Center Satou Sabally (17.5 points and 6.6 rebounds per game) and guard Kahleah Copper (16.2 points per game, .455 3-point percentage) are the Mercury’s two leading scorers, but All-WNBA wing Alyssa Thomas is the driving engine behind Phoenix’s offense. Thomas ranks 15th in the league in scoring at 15.8 points per game, third in rebounding (8.6 per contest), and leads the league by a wide margin in assists (9.1 per game). Thomas had 32 points, 15 rebounds, and seven assists last week against Indiana, but the Fever also were able to force her into a season-high eight turnovers.

_____

INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS

OMAHA AVOIDS INDIANS’ COMEBACK IN 5-4 TRIUMPH

INDIANAPOLIS– Nick Pratto kicked off a four-run third inning with a home run for the Omaha Storm Chasers as they took down the Indianapolis Indians, 5-4, on Wednesday afternoon at Victory Field.

Pratto’s homer came off Drake Fellows (L, 7-4) and kicked off the scoring for Omaha (12-23, 43-66). The Storm Chasers then proceeded to load the bases with no outs on two singles and a hit by pitch, setting up Carter Jensen to break the tie with a two-run ground-rule double. Luca Tresh rounded off Omaha’s game-deciding frame with a sacrifice fly, putting them on top, 4-1.

The Indians (23-12, 65-44) wasted no time getting on the scoreboard in the first frame. Ji Hwan Bae walked and stole second before being brought home on a Nick Solak double. The hit extended Solak’s on-base streak to 39 games since June 10, the longest run in Triple-A this season. Indy tacked on another run after Omaha’s big inning, courtesy of an RBI single from Matt Fraizer in the fourth inning, to make it 4-2.

Dairon Blanco led off Omaha’s seventh inning with a double and Tresh added a final run to the Storm Chasers’ tally with a triple. The Indians responded by loading the bases and plating a run on a sacrifice fly from Fraizer but stranded the game-tying runs at second and third in their half. Ronny Simon scratched across another run for Indy with an RBI single to pull the Indians within one, but Indy’s rally stopped there.

John Gant (W, 3-3) made the start for Omaha and allowed two runs in 5.0 innings on his way to a victory and Michael Fulmer (S, 4) blanked Indianapolis across the final 2.0 innings for the save.

Indy and Omaha meet at the halfway point of their six-game series on Thursday night at 6:35 PM. Southpaw Hunter Barco (2-1, 4.29) is set to take the mound for the 14th time for Indianapolis across from RHP Chandler Champlain (3-7, 8.10).

_____

INDIANA HOOISERS FOOTBALL PREVIEW

HEAD COACH: CURT CIGNETTI (2^ND SEASON)

NATIONAL PRE-SEASON RANKING: 16

BIG 10 FORECAST: 5

2024 RECORD: 11-2

BIG 10 RECORD: 8-1

2025 SCHEDULE

AUG 30 OLD DOMINION

SEPT 6 KENNESAW STATE

SEPT 13 INDIANA STATE

SEPT 20 ILLINOIS

SEPT 27 AT IOWA

OCT 4 OPEN DATE

OCT 11 AT OREGON

OCT 18 MICHIGAN STATE

OCT 25 UCLA

NOV 1 AT MARYLAND

NOV 8 AT PENN STATE

NOV 15 WISCONSIN

NOV 22 OPEN DATE

NOV 29 AT PURDUE

OFFENSE PREVIEW: The turnaround for Indiana started when Head Coach Curt Cignetti brought his up-tempo style to Bloomington. Indiana has had powerful offenses in the past, but nothing like what we saw in 2024. IU recorded 72 touchdowns, and eight 40+point games. That’s exciting football in any college program. Like any program, the question is who will be the Hoosiers starting quarterback? Kurtis Rourke is gone as is QB Coach Tino Sunseri. Coach Cignetti was able to bring in transfer Fernando Mendoza from California. Mendoza completed 68.7% of his passes for a bad Cal football team.

Mendoza will have much more time to throw at Indiana with three starters returning on the offensive line including LT Carter Smith, LG Drew Evans, and RG Bray Lynch. Two transfers will make the line even better with Pat Coogan (Notre Dame), and Kahlil Benson (Colorado) coming to Bloomington. Indiana will feature one of the conferences top receivers in Elijah Sarratt. He will be joined by Omar Cooper, EJ Williams, and 4-star recruit Davion Chandler.

Indiana lost several key running backs, but transfers Roman Hemby (Maryland), and Lee Beebe (UAB) will make the running attack formidable.

DEFENSE PREVIEW: The Indiana defense is loaded with talent at every level. Up front Indiana features Pre-Season All-American DE Mikail Kamara. Kamara led all FBS pass rushers with 68 quarterback pressures, and 10 sacks. Kamara will need help after losing veterans James Carpenter and CJ West on the inside.

Linebacker Aiden Fisher decided to return to Bloomington for another season and that is a huge plus. Fisher is another All-American that is a difference maker and is expected to be better this season. In 2024, Fisher led IU in total tackles with 118. Rolijah Hardy will step in at the other linebacker spot.

The third All-American is cornerback D’Angelo Ponds. Ponds recorded nine pass breakups and three interceptions, and recorded 4.5 tackles for loss. Safety Amare Ferrell led the Hoosiers with four interceptions.

SPECIAL TEAMS: All is well with Indiana’s special teams with kicker Nicholas Radicic returning, and UCF transfer Mitch McCarthy replacing James Evans. Radicic recorded a single-season mark for PAT’s with 69. He also went 10-11 in FG attempts. Makai Jackson will handle the return duties.

SEASON OUTLOOK: Indiana may have had one of the biggest program reversals in football history. This is also evidence that NIL money can help turn your program around in a hurry. Coach Cignetti is another reason. His no-nonsense approach has changed the culture and players respect his approach. Yes, the schedule last season wasn’t the most challenging, but the team ignored the criticism and made the CFP. Can they make a return trip? Odds are they won’t, but don’t count the Hoosiers out just yet. The good news is they don’t have Ohio State or Michigan on the schedule. If they can survive the midsection of the schedule they could be in good shape late in the season. Trips to Iowa, Oregon, and Penn State will tell us just how good the Hoosiers are.

_____

NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL

FIELDS EARNS SELECTION TO BILETNIKOFF AWARD WATCH LIST

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Senior wide receiver Malachi Fields has been named to the 2025 Biletnikoff Award Watch List, which recognizes the nation’s outstanding college football receiver regardless of position.

2025 marks Fields’ second-straight season named to the award’s watch list. He has already been named to the 2025 Phil Steele Preseason All-America Fourth Team.

Notre Dame has had one prior winner of the Biletnikoff Award: WR Golden Tate (2009). WR Jeff Samardzija (2005, 2006) and WR Michael Floyd (2010, 2011) were also finalists for the award.

Fields transferred to Notre Dame in the summer of 2025 from Virginia. He ranks tied for seventh in the nation among all FBS players in consecutive games with a reception (27). Fields has played in 36-career games, starting 25. He has posted 129 receptions for 1,849 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Fields has posted more than 800 receiving yards in each of the past two seasons, in addition to five touchdowns in both the 2023 and 2024 seasons. In 2024, he garnered third-team All-ACC honors and fourth-team Phil Steele All-ACC honors. In 2023, he was a semifinalist for the Comeback Player of the Year Award.

His 2024 season was productive for Virginia, with several standout performances. Fields posted career highs of 11 receptions and 148 yards at Wake Forest, while he scored twice on four receptions and 65 yards at Coastal Carolina. He scored the go-ahead touchdown en route to a four-catch, 63-yard performance at Boston College, a game in which he also completed a 29-yard pass.

_____

IU INDY WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL ANNOUNCES 2025-26 NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

INDIANAPOLIS – The IU Indy women’s basketball program announced its non-conference slate on Tuesday, August 5, highlighted by road games at Northwestern (Nov. 6) and Wisconsin (Dec. 21). Head coach Kate Bruce’s team will also host five non-conference match ups in the Jungle this season.

The Jags will open the season at home against Indiana State on November 3 before heading out on the road to Northwestern on November 6. They will then return to Indianapolis to host Ball State (Nov. 9) and Bradley (Nov. 15).

IU Indy will then head back out on the road for back-to-back games. The Jags will face Evansville on November 20 before traveling to Marshall on November 23.

The Jags return to the Jungle to host Anderson on November 26 before taking a brief pause from non-con competition. They pick it back up with IU Columbus at home on December 17. IU Indy closes out their non-conference slate at Wisconsin on December 21.

_____

“SPORTS EXTRA”

TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

Aug. 7

1907 — Walter Johnson won the first of his 417 victories, leading the Washington Senators past the Cleveland Indians 7-2.

1922 — Ken Williams of the St. Louis Browns hit two home runs in the sixth inning of rout over the Washington Senators.

1923 — Cleveland’s Frank Bower went 6-for-6 with a double and five singles as the Indians routed the Washington Senators 22-2.

1956 — The largest crowd in minor league history, 57,000, saw 50-year-old Satchel Paige of Miami beat Columbus in an International League game at the Orange Bowl.

1963 — Jim Hickman of the New York Mets hit for the cycle in a 7-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals at the Polo Grounds. Hickman’s cycle came in single-double-triple-homer order.

1985 — The strike by the Major League Baseball Players Association ended with the announcement of a tentative agreement. The season resumed Aug. 8.

1999 — Wade Boggs became the first player to homer for his 3,000th hit, with a two-run shot in Tampa Bay’s 15-10 loss to Cleveland. Boggs already had a pair of RBI singles when he homered off Chris Haney in the sixth inning.

2004 — Greg Maddux became the 22nd pitcher in major league history to reach 300 victories, leading the Chicago Cubs to an 8-4 victory over San Francisco.

2007 — San Francisco’s Barry Bonds hit home run No. 756 to break Hank Aaron’s storied record with one out in the fifth inning, hitting a full-count, 84 mph fastball from Washington’s Mike Bacsik. Noticeably absent were Commissioner Bud Selig and Aaron. The Nationals won 8-6.

2016 — Ichiro Suzuki tripled off the wall for his 3,000th hit in the major leagues, becoming the 30th player to reach the milestone as the Miami Marlins beat the Colorado Rockies 10-7.

2016 — Manny Machado became the second player in major league history to homer in the first, second and third innings, driving in a career-high seven runs in a 10-2 victory over Chicago.

2018 — Bartolo Colon of Texas became the winningest pitcher from Latin America in the Rangers’ 11-4 victory over the Seattle Mariners. After six tries, the 45-year-old right-hander got his 246th career victory and finally broke the tie with Nicaragua’s Dennis Martinez. Colon gave up four runs and eight hits in seven innings and improved his record to 6-10.

2021 — Host nation Japan wins its first ever gold medal in Olympic baseball by defeating the United States 2-0.

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TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

Aug. 7

1907 — Walter Johnson wins the first of his 417 victories, leading the Washington Senators past the Cleveland Indians 7-2.

1952 — Bion Shively, 74, drives Sharp Note to victory in the third heat of the Hambletonian Stakes.

1982 — Speed Bowl wins the Hambletonian Stakes in straight heats with 25-year-old Tom Haughton in the sulky, the youngest to win the Hambletonian.

1983 — Norway’s Grete Waitz takes the women’s marathon in the first world track and field championships at Helsinki, Finland.

1992 — Sergei Bubka, the world record-holder and defending Olympic champion, fails to clear a height in the pole vault.

1999 — Wade Boggs becomes the first player to homer for his 3,000th hit, connecting with a two-run shot in Tampa Bay’s 15-10 loss to Cleveland.

2004 — Greg Maddux becomes the 22nd pitcher in major league history to reach 300 victories, leading the Chicago Cubs to an 8-4 victory over San Francisco.

2005 — Justin Gatlin dominates the 100 meters at the track and field championships in Helsinki. The Olympic champion wins in 9.88 seconds, finishing 0.17 seconds ahead of Michael Frater of Jamaica. The margin of victory is the largest in the 10 world championships held since the meet’s inception in 1983.

2007 — San Francisco’s Barry Bonds hits home run No. 756 to break Hank Aaron’s storied record. Noticeably absent are Commissioner Bud Selig and Aaron.

2012 — Aly Raisman becomes the first U.S. woman to win Olympic gold on floor. She picks up a bronze on balance beam on the final day of gymnastics at the London Olympics and just misses a medal in the all-around.

2016 — Jim Furyk becomes the first golfer to shoot a 58 in PGA Tour history. Three years after Furyk became the sixth player on tour with a 59, he takes it even lower in the Travelers Championship with a 12-under 58 in the final round.

2016 — Ichiro Suzuki triples off the wall for his 3,000th hit in the major leagues, becoming the 30th player to reach the milestone as the Miami Marlins beat the Colorado Rockies 10-7.

2016 — Manny Machado becomes the second player in major league history to homer in the first, second and third innings, driving in a career-high seven runs in a 10-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox.

2016 — American swimmer Katie Ledecky sets a new world record with a time of 3:56.46 to win the gold medal in the women’s 400m freestyle at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

2021 — Kevin Durant with 29 points leads USA to his third and the team’s 4th consecutive Olympic men’s basketball gold medal with an 87-82 win over France in Tokyo.

2021 — Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra wins his country’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in Tokyo.

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TV SPORTS

(All times Eastern)

Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts

Thursday, August 7

AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL (MEN’S)

5:30 a.m. (Friday)

FS1 — AFL: Essendon at Geelong

FS2 — AFL: Essendon at Geelong

CFL FOOTBALL

7:30 p.m.

CBSSN — B.C. at Hamilton

GOLF

7:30 a.m.

GOLF — DP World Tour: The Nexo Championship, First Round, Trump International Golf Links, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

2 p.m.

GOLF — PGA Tour: The FedEx St. Jude Championship, First Round, TPC Southwind, Memphis, Tenn.

6 p.m.

GOLF — USGA: The 2025 U.S. Women’s Amateur, Round of 32, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Bandon, Ore.

HORSE RACING

1 p.m.

FS2 — NYRA: Saratoga Live

LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL

1 p.m.

ESPN2 — Little League World Series Regional: TBD, Midwest Region, Whitestown, Ind.

3 p.m.

ESPN — Little League World Series Regional: TBD, Mid-Atlantic Region, Bristol, Conn.

5 p.m.

ESPN2 — Little League World Series Regional: TBD, Mountain Region

7 p.m.

ESPN — Little League World Series Regional: TBD, New England Region, Bristol, Conn.

9 p.m.

ESPN — Little League World Series Regional: TBD, West Region, San Bernardino, Calif.

LITTLE LEAGUE SOFTBALL

1 p.m.

ESPN — Little League Softball World Series: TBD, Winners Bracket, Greenville, N.C.

5 p.m.

ESPN — Little League Softball World Series: TBD, Winners Bracket, Greenville, N.C.

MLB BASEBALL

Noon

MLBN — Athletics at Washington (12:05 p.m.)

4 p.m.

MLBN — Regional Coverage: Chicago White Sox at Seattle (4:10 p.m.) OR Cincinnati at Pittsburgh (6:40 p.m.)

7 p.m.

MLBN — Regional Coverage: Miami at Atlanta (7:15 p.m.) OR Cincinnati at Pittsburgh (6:40 p.m.)

NFL FOOTBALL

7 p.m.

NFLN — Preseason: Indianapolis at Baltimore

10 p.m.

NFLN — Preseason: Las Vegas at Seattle

SOCCER (MEN’S)

7:30 p.m.

FS1 — Leagues Cup Group Stage: Monterrey at Charlotte FC, Phase One

11 p.m.

FS1 — Leagues Cup Group Stage: Santos Laguna at L.A. Galaxy, Phase One

RUGBY (MEN’S)

5:45 a.m.

FS2 — NRL: Brisbane at Melbourne

TENNIS

11 a.m.

TENNIS — Cincinnati-ATP/WTA Early Rounds

9:30 p.m.

TENNIS — Cincinnati-ATP/WTA Early Rounds

WNBA BASKETBALL

8 p.m.

PRIME VIDEO — Atlanta at Chicago

10 p.m.PRIME VIDEO — Indiana at Phoenix

THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” THURSDAY AUGUST 7, 2025

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