Two unbeaten high school football teams, San Pedro and Bell, played on an old-school unmowed grass field on Friday night at Bell. The football disappeared at times when placed among the thick grass before the snap.
“Hey coach, do you need me to bring my lawn mower,” a Bell player joked.
San Pedro assistant coach Andres Srsen was pulling grass before the game to clear an area so kicker Dylan Moreno could practice field goals. “This is crazy,” Srsen said.
No one showed up to mow the field this week, coach Noel Padilla said.
It was the perfect environment for two blue-collar communities: San Pedro, known for its bustling port and dock workers, and Bell, known as a densely packed working class industrial city.
San Pedro (4-0) had little trouble navigating the thick grass, rolling to a 49-7 victory behind quarterback Seth Solorio, who completed 13 of 17 passes for 303 yards and four touchdowns.
Braeden Villegas caught touchdown passes of 52 and 17 yards. Solorio rarely faced defensive pressure because of strong blocking from his offensive line. He was 10 of 11 for 175 yards in the first half when San Pedro led 35-7.
If any player proved he was in shape, it was San Pedro punt returner Chazz Fugatti, who returned a punt 80 yards for a touchdown and easily ran through the thickest part of the grass. The only question was how tired he felt pumping his legs as the grass got thicker.
“Yeah, I was pretty exhausted after the touchdown,” he said. “Honestly, it was surreal. I was just excited to be out here and excited to play. It does feel like a corn field. It was fun.”
Another player having no issues running was tight end Joaquin Fernandez, who took a screen pass and ran 94 yards for a touchdown.
Solorio, who has 14 touchdown passes in four games, said of his team’s progress: “We’re really building chemistry. I love my guys. I love my receivers.”
Jaxon Brown and Villegas were Solorio’s primary targets.
San Pedro is considered a strong contender to be one of the final four teams in the City Section Open Division playoffs but will be gearing up for its annual Marine League rivalry game at defending champion Carson on Oct. 23, when the Pirates will really find out where they stand.
San Pedro players hoist Braeden Villegas after his touchdown reception against Bell.
(Craig Weston / For The Times)
San Pedro had too much size and strength on its offensive and defensive lines for Bell (3-1), which hopes to offer competition to Garfield in the Eastern League. The Eagles’ only touchdown came on a 15-yard Aaron Hernandez touchdown reception in the first quarter after the Pirates lost possession by touching a punt and not recovering the ball. Or maybe they couldn’t find the ball?
Bell has five baseball players playing football, including quaterback/pitcher Manuel Pasillas, who showed off his toughness, being sacked only once in the first half by San Pedro’s Jaxon Moore.
Bell is supposed to get a new field and new scoreboard, with construction scheduled to begin as early as this month for a two-year project. Until then, the Eagles will need someone to keep cutting the grass.
The eighth edition of the Sunset Showdown lasted long after the sun went down — about fours hours and 10 minutes later — before host Palisades prevailed 56-50 over crosstown rival Brentwood in four overtimes. By the end, at 11:43 p.m., the coaches and fans were as exhausted as the players.
Robert Holohan passed for four touchdowns, LJ Stephens ran for three and Malachi Ross had a 38-yard touchdown reception and intercepted a pass in the end zone on fourth-and-goal to clinch the victory for Palisades after Brentwood moved to the Dolphins’ six-yard line. The game ended 17 minutes before midnight thanks in part to several long deliberations by the officiating crew.
Host Palisades (1-3) had a chance to win at the end of regulation but missed a 25-yard field goal with 30 seconds left and the teams headed to overtime with the score tied 31-31. Brentwood missed a chance to end it in the second overtime but had an extra point blocked. Each team scored quickly in the third overtime but the two-point conversion passes were incomplete (starting with the third overtime teams must go for two). Stephens’ five-yard scoring run gave the Dolphins a 56-50 lead but the two-point attempt failed.
Ben Mikail threw for four touchdowns — two to Kruz Jackson, who also scored on a 90-yard kickoff return — and JJ Lublin ran for two touchdowns for Brentwood (2-2). The series debuted in 2018 and is now tied at four wins apiece with five of the games being decided by a touchdown or less. Brentwood won in double overtime on the same field two years ago.
Premier League club, Hull City, confirm car accident involving their player Sorba Thomas, but say no injury sustained.
Published On 11 Sep 202611 Sep 2026
Hull City winger Sorba Thomas escaped “completely unscathed” when he was involved in a crash near their training ground, his Premier League club said on Friday.
British media reported that his car ended up on its roof on Friday morning in the village of Cottingham in the East Riding of Yorkshire. Images of his upturned car with shattered glass on a narrow street went viral on social media.
“Hull City is relieved to confirm that Sorba Thomas is unharmed following a road traffic accident near to the club’s Cottingham training ground,” the club said in a statement.
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“The club is aware of images of Sorba’s car circulating on social media and can reassure supporters that he has sustained no injuries and emerged from his vehicle completely unscathed.”
Thomas, 27, joined newly-promoted Hull City from second-tier Championship club Stoke City on the transfer deadline day earlier this month.
The Wales international has made two appearances for Hull, who are third in the league standings after three games and visit Chelsea on Saturday.
Gabriel Jesus claims he was forced to train alone before Barcelona move, but Arsenal ‘surprised’ by criticism.
Published On 11 Sep 202611 Sep 2026
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said he was “very surprised” by Gabriel Jesus’s claim that he was forced to train alone and was given no information prior to joining Barcelona.
Jesus ended his four-year spell with the Gunners in September and has since made it clear he felt disappointed with the way his exit was handled.
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The Brazilian striker said in an interview this week that “out of nowhere they put me to train apart from the group,” adding that “nobody told me nothing” before he signed for Barcelona.
Responding to Jesus’s criticism, Arteta insisted he had spoken to the former Manchester City star about the transfer and had parted on good terms.
“Very surprised, to be fair. Especially because with Gabi (Jesus) I had an individual talk in the dressing room,” he told reporters on Friday.
“I don’t know what words were said; it’s fine. The words that we used were all about gratitude.”
Arteta also came under fire from former Arsenal striker Ian Wright, who recently said he was “uncomfortable” with what he perceived to be a lack of dialogue between the club and Gabriel Martinelli, who moved to Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal on September 3.
But Arteta used the presence of Leandro Trossard, who was sold to Besiktas in July, to watch Arsenal’s victory over Chelsea last weekend as an example of the club’s bond with their former players.
“I don’t know, it’s OK. Sometimes I understand that when you have to deliver bad news, or news that people don’t expect, somebody has to be the bad cop. If I have to be, I have to be and I understand,” he said, before the Premier League champions’ trip to Sunderland on Saturday.
“What is important is normally what happens three months or six months later. When Trossard comes, he’s in the dressing room with all of us, the atmosphere and the relationship you have.
“Thank God so far that with all the players that left, at some point the relationship has been really good. I hope this is the same case.”
RIYADH: “Ivan Toney is an exceptional striker, in every sense of the word,” said Faisal Zaid, director of the Al-Ahli media center. “He is a player that loves to win, is not fazed by challenges, and has a strong personality on the pitch.”
Zaid’s words came after Al-Ahli’s 3-2 defeat to Al-Qadsiah this week, which saw Toney reach a new milestone at the club: 80 goals in his first 100 games.
After Al-Ahli fell 3-0 behind in the first half, Toney rallied his teammates and scored a brace to bring them within a whisker of completing a remarkable comeback in Dammam — but Brendan Rodgers’ side ultimately held on.
Toney’s impact at Al-Ahli has been unmatched since his arrival in the summer of 2024.
In his first season, he finished among the top scorers in the Saudi Pro League, netting 23 in 30 league fixtures, in addition to a goal in the King Cup and six more on the way to Al-Ahli’s first-ever AFC Champions League Elite triumph.
He followed that with an even better campaign in 2025/26.
He scored 32 in 32 league fixtures to finish just one goal behind top scorer Julian Quinones — with 10 more across all competitions, bringing his season tally to 42 — as another AFC Champions League Elite title was added to his trophy cabinet.
He has shown no signs of slowing down in the current season, sitting at the top of the scoring charts six weeks in with eight goals already. That takes his overall tally to 80 goals in 100 games for Al-Ahli, with 17 assists taking his total contributions to almost one per game.
Perhaps the most striking statistic is just how much Toney has contributed to Al-Ahli’s attacking output since his arrival in 2024. Al-Ahli have scored 229 goals in that time, with Toney’s 80 accounting for 35 percent of that total.
“I remember when he signed in 2024 — his transfer was a huge shock for the English media,” Zaid told Arab News. “There were many questions surrounding whether he would return to the England squad.”
Initially, that seemed likely. Toney played just two minutes of international football between his move to Al-Ahli and the summer of 2026, with no indication he would be called up to Thomas Tuchel’s side.
The battle for a starting striker berth was fierce between Toney and recent Al-Hilal signing Ollie Watkins in the presence of Harry Kane — but Toney ultimately made his way back into the England squad after his stellar campaign at Al-Ahli.
“Toney proved that playing in the Saudi Pro League would not derail his path back to the England squad,” Zaid said.
The former Brentford striker is more than just a prolific goalscorer. He has consistently been a voice for Al-Ahli in the media, supporting his teammates and connecting with the fans at a level few other foreign players in Saudi Arabia enjoy.
“His value is not just in his goals,” Zaid explained. “He has a powerful presence in the dressing room, and he commands the love and respect of his teammates — foreign and Saudi alike.”
Toney’s character and leadership face their biggest test this season — his first at the club without Matthias Jaissle, now head coach at Newcastle.
Al-Ahli have had a rocky start, with their dreams of winning the Saudi Pro League title for the first time since 2016 dented by three defeats in their first six games. Life under Marino Pusic may have fans anxious, but if there is any player to rely on in difficult times, it is Toney.
He has already shown that this season.
In Al-Ahli’s 5-0 victory over Al-Riyadh, new signing Artem Bondarenko was booed by fans at halftime. Toney — alongside Roger Ibanez — stepped forward to shield the new signing from the crowd’s hostility.
Toney may have been a central figure in Al-Ahli’s stellar back-to-back campaigns, but the biggest challenge lies ahead.
Can he help drive Al-Ahli’s resurgence in a season where they look to compete for the FIFA Intercontinental Cup, the King Cup, the Saudi Pro League and the AFC Champions League Elite?
Fenerbahce president refuses Ismail Kartal’s resignation after fans threw bottles at coach in Roma Champions League tie.
Published On 11 Sep 202611 Sep 2026
Fenerbahce coach Ismail Kartal quit his role with the Turkish club after he was targeted by a bottle thrown from the crowd during hit side’s 1-1 Champions League draw with Roma on Thursday, only for his president to reject the resignation minutes later.
The 65-year-old Kartal told a press conference he was leaving “never to return”, adding that he had taken the decision “to clear the way for the club”.
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Immediately after the press conference, Fenerbahce president Aziz Yildirim told reporters that Kartal “continues in his role”.
“Some fans threw a bottle at the coach’s head this evening during the game. He is upset about it,” Yildirim said.
“I just spoke to Ismail Kartal. He mentioned the bottle incident and he also complained about being under pressure.”
Asked if Kartal had told him that he would stay, Yildirim said: “There’s no need for him to say (openly) that he’d continue. I am his senior, I told him to continue and that’s it. We are a family.”
Kartal, who spent a decade at Fenerbahce as a player, coached the club in 2014-15, then on an interim basis in 2021-22 before returning for a full campaign in 2023-24. He was assistant manager at Fenerbahce the last two times the club won the Super Lig and returned for a fourth managerial spell in June.
Fenerbahce have finished second in the Turkish top flight in the last five seasons and reached the league phase of the Champions League this season for the first time in 18 years.
FFF aligns position with of other European federations, such as Belgium, England, Italy, Scotland, and Sweden.
Published On 10 Sep 202610 Sep 2026
The French Football Federation is withdrawing its support for Gianni Infantino’s re-election bid as FIFA chief next year, FFF President Philippe Diallo has said, saying trust in the head of world football’s governing body had been broken.
The decision was taken unanimously by the FFF’s executive committee, Diallo said on Thursday.
“The trust placed in the FIFA president has been broken,” Diallo told reporters. “The way in which we envisage the running of world football no longer corresponds with the way it is being conducted.”
Infantino, who is seeking another term as FIFA president, has faced mounting criticism since his failed proposal to sell a 20 percent stake in FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, to private investors was abandoned in July following widespread opposition from football’s regional confederations.
Diallo said France had initially backed Infantino’s candidacy at the end of June, when he was the only declared candidate, but that subsequent events had fundamentally changed the circumstances.
“The conditions for our support for his candidacy were no longer there,” he said.
Diallo added that the proposed stake sale, which emerged without what he described as proper consultation or information being provided to federations, had raised serious questions over FIFA’s governance and decision-making.
Several European federations, including England’s and Italy’s, have withdrawn their backing for Infantino since the collapse of his proposal.
UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and North America’s CONCACAF have called for change at the top of FIFA and are seeking a credible alternative before the March election.
Diallo said France’s decision formed part of a broader movement within UEFA and beyond and that discussions would now focus on governance reform and finding a candidate capable of defeating Infantino.
“It is not enough simply to criticise if you want things to move forward. You also have to make proposals,” Diallo said.
He added that UEFA would need to define a platform for the next FIFA leadership cycle and, when the time came, choose a candidate for the election.
“We will need to be ready by then to put forward a candidacy capable of winning the FIFA presidency,” Diallo said.
Infantino still has the support of South America’s CONMEBOL and Africa’s CAF.
The FIFA presidential election will take place in Rabat on March 18, 2027, with the deadline for candidacies on November 18.
The chatter among Barcelona fans this summer was all about who would be the club’s next star striker after Robert Lewandowski – the team’s top scorer for the past four seasons – left to play in the United States.
The 18-year-old Egyptian, Hamza Abdelkarim, was not an answer anyone would have given at the beginning of preseason. This time last year, he had only played a single game at senior level, and that was for Cairo giants Al Ahly.
But as Barca’s dogged pursuit of Argentinian striker Julian Alvarez from rivals Atletico Madrid ended in failure, and the club only managed to secure a 10 million euros ($11.5m) move for Gabriel Jesus on the transfer window’s deadline day on September 1, Abdelkarim emerged from obscurity to dominate headlines in Catalonia and Egypt.
Abdelkarim’s four goals in five games made him Barcelona’s top scorer during preseason. He even scored against his boyhood club, Al Ahly, in the Joan Gamper Trophy – the fixture that is used to introduce the team to the fans and inaugurate the league season – but chose not to celebrate the goal as a mark of respect.
“Hamza offers something different,” Adrian Healey, ESPN’s La Liga match commentator, told Al Jazeera.
Fans in Egypt and Barcelona have taken to calling him the Egyptian Erling Haaland on account of his physical prowess and presence in the box.
When the striker caught the eye of FC Barcelona, a low-risk, low-commitment agreement was struck in the winter transfer window with Al Ahly to bring him to Spain. A six-month loan period was cut in half due to paperwork issues, but Abdelkarim made up for lost time by scoring goals; not for the first team, or even the reserves, but the Under-19 team – netting six times in 11 games.
Abdelkarim had also impressed for Egypt at the 2025 U17 World Cup, grabbing two goals and an assist in four appearances.
Despite the lack of top-level experience, Abdelkarim had done enough to prompt Egypt national team manager Hossam Hassan to take a gamble by selecting the uncapped teenager for his World Cup 2026 squad.
The veteran Mostafa Mohammed was left at home in favour of Abdelkarim, who went on to make his debut against Brazil in a friendly and featured in four World Cup matches.
On the advice of Mohamed Salah, the striker decided not to take a vacation after the World Cup and returned to Barcelona immediately after Egypt were knocked out by Argentina in the round of 16.
“Mohamed Salah is always talking to me, and I follow everything he says. He is an example to be followed, and the success he achieved is not by accident,” he told Egypt’s OnSport after FC Barcelona lifted the Joan Gamper Trophy.
The exposure to a professional like Salah has only served to supercharge Abdelkarim’s development.
Barcelona had already seen enough and decided to make his loan move permanent in June, paying Al Ahly 1.5 million euros ($1.75m) for his services.
“I am not surprised at all in Hamza’s [emergence],” Ismail el-Hamalawy, a footballing content creator who has closely followed the young striker’s journey, told Al Jazeera, citing his World Cup performances.
“He is the striker Egypt has been missing for two decades,” el-Hamalawy told Al Jazeera.
The only other Egyptian-born player to have played in La Liga was Mido, who came through the ranks at Zamalek before leaving Egypt as a 17-year-old in 2000 and played in Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, France, Italy and England.
At the turn of the century, most Egyptians followed Mido’s progress through newspapers and local talk shows. Now, Egyptians can easily track Abdelkarim’s development in real time online.
The interest has been so profound that Barcelona signed a surprise sponsorship with EgyptAir through the 2028-29 season this week as both entities look to leverage the image of Egypt’s next great footballer for commercial gain.
The club is now scrambling to improve his contract so that a larger buyout clause can be installed. As it stands, the 18-year-old could be poached by a rival club for only 15 million euros ($17m), so the Catalan giants are looking to place a 150 million euros ($174m) buyout clause to ward off any potential suitors.
An unused substitute in the first two matches of the season, Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has repeatedly told the media that the striker’s time will come.
“He deserves to play, and he will play,” Flick said. “I see him improving day by day. He has the right attitude and mentality.”
With such little top-level experience, it could have been considered irresponsible of the club to give the youngster too much responsibility too soon.
“He will have to [be] patient, but he will get minutes,” Healey said. “[But] I am not sure the signing of [Gabriel] Jesus changes much for him, as I see [Jesus] as just a stopgap solution. Abdelkarim might have had less minutes had Alvarez signed.”
On August 31, Abdelkarim replaced Raphina in the final five minutes of Barcelona’s 5-2 win over Rayo Vallecano.
With an official debut out of the way, the striker can focus on clearing the next hurdle – scoring his first official goal for the La Liga champions.
MANCHESTER, England: Pep Guardiola’s departure was expected to shift the balance of power in Manchester.
The early signs suggest otherwise.
For the first time in 10 years on Sunday, Manchester United goes into the derby against a Manchester City no longer guided by the genius of Guardiola.
Yet, if City wins at Old Trafford, the team of new manager Enzo Maresca would open a 12-point lead on United only four rounds into the Premier League.
Even this early in the campaign that would be a huge gap for United to make up.
While City is still getting used to change at the top after a decade of Guardiola, United has endured a carousel of managers at the same time in a desperate bid to return it to former glories.
Michael Carrick is the seventh permanent manager since the retirement of Alex Ferguson in 2013.
United fans will hope Guardiola’s exit will prove as profound as Ferguson’s. United has not won the Premier League since Ferguson’s final season in charge.
In theory, Guardiola’s exit has removed the biggest barrier standing in the way of United’s route back to the top following his dominance of English soccer. Though he left without the title in his last two seasons, his run of six league crowns in seven years underlined City’s supremacy for the majority of his time at the club.
It would be asking a lot for Maresca — or anyone else for that matter — to emulate that level of success. Maresca, however, could not have made a better start to the season after a 100% winning record in the league and victory in City’s opening Champions League game this week.
Erling Haaland also looks at the top of his game with five goals in his last three appearances.
It’s been a different story for United after its resurgence under Carrick in the second half of last season led to a third place finish.
The opening day defeat to newly promoted Hull was an early blow. There was a win against another newcomer in Ipswich but a 2-2 draw at Everton after leading twice.
It is the type of inconsistency that has hindered United throughout the post-Ferguson years and something Carrick will need to quickly stamp out.
He has recent good memories of the derby. His first match in charge when appointed as Ruben Amorim’s replacement was a 2-0 win against City in Guardiola’s final Manchester derby.
Key matchups
The Manchester derby is the big one of the weekend, with pressure on United to get the season going, while it would be a first statement win for Maresca at City. Defending champion Arsenal is at Sunderland on Saturday.
Players to watch
Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard is in outstanding form with four goals in five games in all competitions. Haaland also has five goals and looks unstoppable.
Out of action
Cody Gakpo missed Liverpool’s game against Atletico Madrid because of an adductor issue. Bradley Barcola limped out of that match after appearing to hurt his calf, but coach Andoni Iraola said it was cramp.
Off the field
Manchester United fans plan to stage a protest ahead of the derby in opposition to a clampdown by the club on ticket touting.
The 1958 supporters group claims “loyal, generational” fans are being sanctioned or banned “without, clear and compelling evidence.”
United says its investigation has “uncovered significant and organized touting”.
Greek teenage star Konstantinos Karetsas faced ‘circulatory problems’ and was stretchered off against Villarreal.
Published On 9 Sep 20269 Sep 2026
Borussia Dortmund teenage star Konstantinos Karetsas was being treated at the hospital after slumping to the turf 25 minutes into his Champions League debut, the German club said.
“Konstantinos Karetsas had to leave the field due to circulatory problems,” Dortmund said in a statement late on Tuesday. “Kosta is doing well under the circumstances and is on his way to the hospital for further tests.”
Facing Villarreal, the 18-year-old Greek prospect passed the ball to a teammate, then signalled his distress to the referee before sitting on the grass.
Karetsas was treated lying down and then taken away on a stretcher. The score was 0-0 at the time in what became a 3-2 win for Dortmund.
“I hope and I think that everything is OK, and I hope that he’s back and fit with us soon,” Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel told a broadcaster.
Konstantinos Karetsas receives medical attention before being put on a stretcher [Leon Kuegeler/Reuters]
Karetsas and his Greek teammate Giannis Konstantelias were marquee signings for Dortmund in the off-season. Former Belgium youth international Karetsas joined for $34.9m from Genk and Konstantelias for $30.2m from PAOK.
Karetsas was reportedly a target for many clubs after impressing at Genk last season. He set up 11 goals in 28 Jupiler Pro League appearances. He signed a five-year contract through June 2031.
“With his creativity and game intelligence, Kos will enrich our team,” Dortmund sporting director Ole Book said. “He is technically very skilled and has the ability to find quick solutions in tight spaces, especially in the final third.”
Karetsas played for Belgium’s youth teams before opting to represent his parents’ country and making his debut for Greece in March 2025. He has scored three goals in 10 international appearances.
Meanwhile, 23-year-old Konstantelias’ season was likely ended last month by an ACL injury on his Bundesliga debut.
If Matthew Fine, a 5-foot-8, 165-pound senior running back and lacrosse star for Loyola High, needs a walk-up song, he can go back to 1969 when Frank Sinatra’s hit “My Way” came on the radio with the lyrics, “I did it my way.”
Fine, who lives in Manhattan Beach, declined to be interviewed last week before the Cubs’ game against the public school he lives five minutes from, Mira Costa. He didn’t want to give friends he grew up with any bulletin board material. Then he went out and rushed for 105 yards in a 14-7 Loyola victory.
It was fun for him to catch up with neighborhood kids he used to play with starting at age 5.
“I traded jerseys and traded photos,” he said. “It was nice talking to them.”
Asked if he walked home from the game, Fine said, “I actually considered it.”
Fine, with his speed and strength from lacrosse training, could be the comeback player of the year in football. He quit football after his sophomore year to focus on lacrosse. Loyola has one of the best lacrosse programs in the state, winning last season’s Southern Section championship. He’s earned a lacrosse scholarship to Utah.
Football coach Drew Casani had lobbied Fine to return to football before his junior year with no success. Last school year, after the lacrosse season ended, Casani sent him a text inviting him to return.
“I’m in,” Fine responded.
“I love football,” Fine said. “There was a lot of uncertainty. My junior year is where you get recruited for lacrosse. After sitting out a year and watching all the guys playing football, I got really jealous and wanted to jump back in.”
He rejoined the team this year starting at the bottom of the depth chart. Now he’s had back-to-back games rushing for more than 100 yards. This will be his first and only year playing on varsity.
“I’m doing this for fun,” he said. “I love football. I’ve been doing it longer than any other sport.”
Whenever the season ends, it will be Fine’s final football game.
“I don’t think I’ll have any regrets,” he said. “I’ll just be sad. I don’t want to think about that.”
Incredibly, as much as people believe football gets players in the best shape of their life, Fine once flunked his conditioning test for lacrosse after playing football.
“It’s a different type of conditioning,” he explained.
Casani is thrilled that Fine’s one year off from football has had little effect.
“He picked up seemingly where he left off,” Casani said. “ He’s fast, has vision and is hard to tackle.“
Don’t ask his father, Mickey, what Fine might do next or any day.
“My son does things his own way,” he said. “Sometimes I don’t understand it.”
With a 4.0 grade-point average and terrific lacrosse talent as an attacker, Fine has a bright future. For those who play intramural flag football on Utah’s campus, Fine could be the ringer to deliver a championship next year.
Southern Section Adelanto 27, Victor Valley 8 Alta Loma 19, Covina 13 Antelope Valley 18, Eastside 0 Aquinas 41, Arrowhead Christian 6 Arlington 34, Vista del Lago 0 Arroyo Valley 47, Fontana 0 Ayala 18, Glendora 6 Baldwin Park 15, Garey 7 Banning 19, Indio 8 Burbank Providence 19, Pasadena Poly 18 Cajon 14, Vista Murrieta 6 California 19, Mayfair 0 Camarillo 25, Royal 21 Cerritos Valley Christian 19, Village Christian 7 Chaminade 20, Thousand Oaks 7 Citrus Valley 18, Norte Vista 7 Colony 7, Etiwanda 0 Dos Pueblos 49, Lompoc 0 Downey 19, La Serna 6 Eastvale Roosevelt 6, Rancho Cucamonga 0 Edison 39, San Clemente 14 Eisenhower 26, Carter 6 El Rancho 13, Paramont 0 Elsinore 27, West Valley 12 Fillmore 38, Bishop Diego 0 Gahr 60, Long Beach Jordan 0 Garden Grove 34, La Palma Kennedy 6 Grand Terrace 19, Bloomington 14 Hart 46, Golden Valley 6 Heritage 32, Citrus Hill 12 Highland d. Littlerock, forfeit Hillcrest 25, Canyon Springs 6 Hueneme 37, St. Bonaventure 25 Indian Springs 21, Rialto 19 Jurupa Hills 20, Summit 14 Jurupa Valley 36, San Bernardino 0 Knight 0, Palmdale 0 Liberty 31, Orange Vista 12 Los Alamitos 31, Lakewood 6 Los Osos 29, Ontario 0 Moorpark 20, Oak Park 6 Moreno Valley 39, Valley View 6 Mountain View 13, Pomona 6 Nogales 51, Duarte 0 Norco 33, Riverside North 7 Northview 21, Temple City 6 Oaks Christian 24, Ventura 13 Orange Lutheran 19, Mater Dei 12 Oxnard Pacifica 38, Rio Mesa 20 Patriot 34, Corona 27 Quartz Hill 31, Lancaster 0 Rancho Verde 13, Paloma Valley 7 Rim of the World 20, Colton 14 Rio Hondo Prep 33, Chadwick 0 Riverside Poly 32, Hemet 0 Rowland 19, Whittier 6 Sage Hill 33, San Juan Hills 9 San Gorgonio 14, Kaiser 6 San Jacinto Valley Academy 7, Nuview Bridge 6 Santa Barbara 13, Santa Paula 0 Saugus 14, West Ranch 12 Segerstrom 7, Placentia Valencia 6 Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 52, Louisville 0 Simi Valley 32, Newbury Park 12 St. Paul 24, San Marino 6 Sunny Hills 20, Chino Hills 0 Tahquitz 13, San Jacinto 6 Temecula Prep 47, Desert Christian Academy 0 Temescal Canyon 34, Riverside King 26 United Christian Academy 14, Public Safety Academy 0 Valencia 12, Castaic 7 Vasquez 32, PACS 6 Windward 53, YULA 0
From the moment they arrive at school, Dos Pueblos High seniors Ruby Streatfeild and Brooklyn Hedricks are practically inseparable.
Whether in class, at lunch or in practice, the two spend so much of their time together they can finish each other’s sentences, and that synergy is one reason the Chargers are in the hunt for a CIF flag football championship. Their competitiveness is another.
“Me and Brooklyn are besties,” Streatfeild said. ”The biggest thing we have in common is we both want to win.”
Streatfeild began the season as a receiver but transitioned to quarterback when Ava Taiji sustained a tricep strain at the Chargers Invitational. She has flourished in her new role, passing for 823 yards and 18 touchdowns.
“It’s a lot harder, but I like it,” said Streatfeild, who has also rushed for 248 yards and five touchdowns. “I like getting the ball every play and being able to make more plays. It’s taught me to be a leader. It’s not just about being vocal, it’s about the energy you bring to the field and not letting a loss bring you down.”
The Chargers are 10-2 and have shut out five opponents. Their only defeats came within hours of each other at the Chargers Invitational, to reigning Southern Section Division I champion JSerra and Bonita Vista, the second-ranked team in the San Diego Section. They have won seven straight, giving up only 25 points in the process.
Naturally, Hedricks is Streatfeild’s favorite target.
“Brooklyn has the best hands and really good speed,” Streatfeild said. “If I throw her the ball, it’ll be caught.”
Hedricks, a receiver on offense and a linebacker on defense, has mutual trust in her quarterback. She already has 27 receptions for 355 yards and eight touchdowns.
“I know when Ruby throws it, it’s going to get there,” she said.
Both grew up playing soccer and their AYSO teams were once matched against each other at a tournament in Bakersfield when they were 12, although neither knew it at the time.
Dos Pueblos quarterback Ruby Streatfeild throws on the run during a 31-0 win over Santa Barbara.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
“My family figured it out later,” said Streatfeild, who ended the first drive of last week’s nonleague game at Santa Barbara by rolling to her left and zipping a perfect pass to Hedricks in the corner of the end zone. Hedricks later scored on a 40-yard interception return in the team’s 31-0 victory.
“Ruby and Brooklyn have been with us since Day 1, they’re both three-sport athletes and both have sisters who also play,” said Dos Pueblos coach Doug Caines, who started the program in 2023. “It’s incredible for Ruby to be clicking this fast at a new position. As for Brooklyn, she’s so gifted at reading the quarterback. She had two pick-sixes at the Ventura Showcase.”
In the winter, the two play on the varsity soccer team (Hedricks plays forward; Streatfeild left back) under the guidance of Hedricks’ father George, who is also the head baseball coach.
“I don’t think we’ve ever assisted each other in soccer,” said Hedricks, who tallied six goals and three assists last season.
Asked which is more exhilarating — scoring a goal or a touchdown — the two looked at each other and said in unison: “A touchdown!”
Hedricks plays outfield in softball and will move from right field to center in the spring.
“I got a promotion,” she joked.
1
2
1.Dos Pueblos receiver Brooklyn Hedricks catches a pass.2.Dos Pueblos quarterback Ruby Streatfeild runs with the ball.(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
Hedricks had 30 hits, 23 RBIs and 20 runs with 26 putouts in 26 chances last season as Dos Pueblos advanced to the Division 3 semifinals.
Streatfeild’s spring activity is track and field, where she competes in the 100-meter dash, long jump and both relays. She ran the anchor leg as the Chargers set a school record in the 4×100 meters with a time of 48.66 seconds at the Division 2 prelims last year.
However, both consider flag football their primary sport and have received offers to play in college.
“My dad encouraged me to try out and I loved it from the start,” said Hedricks, who is the school’s all-time leader in interceptions with 45. “I’ve never struggled learning plays.”
Hedricks’ sister Reagan is a freshman linebacker and punter on the junior varsity team.
Streatfeild’s inspiration was her sister Sterling, who was a tailback and free safety and now attends Vanderbilt. Last June, the sisters helped the Conquer Chargers’ U17 team win the inaugural Roma Bowl in Italy after Sterling’s graduation. Ruby was named the tournament MVP.
“She was in ninth grade and came to watch her older sister try out and after that first day she said ‘I want to do that,’” Caines said of Ruby, who caught a team-best 104 passes for 1,101 yards and 18 touchdowns last fall.
Ruby Streatfeild has thrown for 823 yards and 18 touchdowns since switching from receiver to quarterback early in the season.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
Streatfeild and Hedricks’ bond grew even stronger as teammates on the Conquer Chargers, which won the high school girls division at the NFL Flag championships in July in Westfield, Ind. That roster also featured Kacey Hurley, who quarterbacked Dos Pueblos to the Southern Section semifinals last fall and is now a freshman at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
“We tried out in November and were with the team for eight months prior to nationals,” Hedricks said. “We trained once or twice a week in Camarillo and some days we carpooled.”
“It was fun experience but that was five-on-five not seven-on-seven, which is a whole different format,” added Streatfeild, who was thrilled to learn the next morning that a play she made — diving to catch the ball before it hit the ground — was No. 1 on the ESPN “SportsCenter Top 10.” She also made the list for her 60-yard touchdown catch in the playoffs last season against Edison.
“That just shows what a game-changer Ruby is,” Caines said. “I mean, to make an ESPN highlight not once but twice? Amazing!”
While they do not socialize much off campus, the hours they spend together on it have forged a close friendship.
“It’s harder to hang out after school because of where we both live,” said Hedricks, who has a 45-minute commute from Lompoc to Goleta. “Not a big deal — I’m used to it by now.”
Caines is grateful for the attention his stars have brought to Dos Pueblos, located in the foothills across the 101 Freeway from UC Santa Barbara.
Dos Pueblos’ Brooklyn Hedricks, left, celebrates with teammate Kindah Ahmad-Reda after returning an interception for a touchdown against Santa Barbara.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
“We’re not in Orange County or San Diego, we’re the northernmost school in the Southern Section and we don’t get as much exposure but we’re fighting for relevancy,” he said. “It was so cool seeing 805 [area code] girls beat more established club teams from Texas and Florida. It shows we have good teams up here.”
Dos Pueblos finished 24-3 last season and played even with JSerra for almost three quarters before losing 20-0 in the Division 1 semifinals. This year’s goal is to make it to the finals.
“We’ve had a different quarterback every season, so this is nothing new,” Streatfeild said. “We’re still progressing but beating Westlake was huge. We have the best coach, so I think we can make the top division. We’re going to give it our all.”
The midfielder, who will return to training in two weeks, will miss Wednesday’s Champions League game against Arsenal.
Published On 8 Sep 20268 Sep 2026
Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay has had successful surgery on a minor heart issue on Tuesday and will return to training in two weeks’ time, his club Napoli said.
The former Manchester United player recently experienced a heart rhythm disorder, something which is not considered serious but did require surgery.
“On Tuesday morning, Scott McTominay underwent an ablation procedure at Spire Manchester Hospital. The operation was a complete success,” the Serie A club said in a statement.
“McTominay will rest for two weeks and then resume training.”
McTominay, 29, has been a key player for Napoli since joining from Manchester United in 2024, scoring 27 goals in 82 matches.
But he was off-form in their opening two Serie A games.
Napoli previously said McTominay would miss Scotland’s upcoming Nations League fixtures against Slovenia (twice), Switzerland and North Macedonia.
Napoli, who have just three points from their opening three Serie A games this season, host Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday and then play Bologna and Fiorentina before the international break.
Who: Real Madrid vs Inter Milan What: Champions League league phase Where: Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain When: Tuesday, September 8, at 9pm (19:00 GMT) How to follow:Al Jazeera Sport will bring you all the build-up from 16:00 GMT ahead of our live text commentary stream
When Jose Mourinho left Inter Milan for Real Madrid in the summer of 2010, after leading the Italian outfit to Champions League glory, he was at the peak of his powers.
The Portuguese coach claimed an historic treble with Inter, clinching Serie A in the last week of the season and lifting the Coppa Italia.
Inter beat Bayern 2-0 in the Champions League final at Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu stadium, winning the trophy for the first time since 1965 and becoming the first Italian team to win the treble.
The day after the final Mourinho said it was likely his last match in charge and about a week later his appointment at Real Madrid was finalised.
Now 16 years on, and beginning his second stint at Madrid, Mourinho kicks off the record 15-time Champions League winners’ European campaign against Serie A champions Inter on Tuesday at the Bernabeu.
Mourinho denies feeling pressure to lift Champions League
The Champions League is the only trophy that evaded Mourinho during his first stint at Real Madrid.
“No, it is two different spells,” he said when asked at a pre-match news conference if he was in debt to the club. “When I left in 2013, we won what we won and lost what we lost and we gave it our all. And that was that. What I need to do now has nothing to do with the past.”
“Back in 2010, we weren’t even reaching the quarterfinals of the Champions League and it had been ages since we’d played in a semifinal. Now we’ve won six Champions Leagues in a little over a decade.”
All eyes will be on how Real respond to their first setback of Mourinho’s second spell – a 1-0 defeat by Real Betis in La Liga on Friday.
“We want to win every match, every competition,” he said. But you have to work to accomplish stability. Stability. Stability … Structure …
“So Real Madrid need to reach that stability that is so important to achieve something great. But Real Madrid are Real Madrid, you need to win here no matter what.”
‘We all need to improve’
Sitting alongside Mourinho, star striker Kylian Mbappe was asked several times about his relationship with Vinicius Jr and the atmosphere in the Real dressing room.
“What does an improvement in the dressing room mean?” Mbappe said when asked if there had been a change from last year.
“Do you have the feeling that something wasn’t right last year? No, it’s the same as last year. It’s true we have a different coach, but it’s the same.”
Mbappe acknowledged his side have to improve in front of goal.
“I could say that I score more goals than some PSG players so they need to score more, but I have to be smart and acknowledge that I need to improve too, even if I do certain things that others don’t,” he said.
“It’s an endless debate. We all need to improve [in front of goal], and also with the ball.”
Mbappe after his penalty is saved by Betis keeper Alvaro Valles on Friday [Marcelo Del Pozo/Reuters]
What happened in Madrid’s last match?
Mbappe missed a late penalty as Troy Parrott scored his first goal for Real Betis in their 1-0 win on Friday, ending Mourinho’s perfect start to the La Liga season.
Madrid had won each of their first three matches under Mourinho in his second spell in charge, but Betis goalkeeper Alvaro Valles denied Mbappe from the spot deep into stoppage time to seal a memorable victory at La Cartuja.
Vinicius Junior hit the post in the first half from Arda Guler’s pass across the face of goal, with Mbappe foiled twice by heroic blocks from Natan Bernardo de Souza and Marc Bartra.
As Madrid struggled to break Betis down, the hosts took a surprise lead nine minutes from time when Parrott fired home the rebound after Thibaut Courtois had produced a fine save to deny Nelson Deossa’s header.
What happened in Inter’s last match?
A last-gasp winner from Lautaro Martinez sealed a breathless win for Inter as the Serie A champions fought back from two goals down to edge visiting Napoli 3-2 on Saturday.
The game exploded in the second half when Matteo Politano guided home a shot in the 50th minute before Rasmus Hojlund’s curler doubled the Napoli lead three minutes later.
Inter responded almost immediately when Martinez hammered in his first goal of the season from a Dimarco cross. Substitute Marcus Thuram came agonisingly close to a leveller when he headed off the post.
The France international would not be denied twice, though, and smashed a towering header past Alex Meret in the 82nd minute to level the scores.
Chances fell at both ends before Martinez’s penalty box instincts proved decisive in the 91st minute as Napoli failed to clear in a goalmouth scramble and the Argentina striker pounced to settle an extraordinary match.
Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez scoring his team’s winner against Napoli on Saturday [Isabella Bonotto/AFP]
Prediction
The Opta supercomputer makes Real Madrid the favourites, with a win probability of 56 percent. Inter given a 22.3 percent chance of winning.
Head-to-head
They have faced each other on 19 occasions; Madrid won 10 games, Inter won seven, and two ended as draws.
Somewhat surprisingly, Inter have not beaten Real Madrid since 1998, a game in which the great Roberto Baggio scored a brace for the Italians.
Last five encounters:
December 07, 2021: Real Madrid 2-0 Inter Milan (Champions League)
September 15, 2021: Inter Milan 0-1 Real Madrid (Champions League)
November 25, 2020: Inter Milan 0-2 Real Madrid (Champions League)
November 03, 2020: Real Madrid 3-2 Inter Milan (Champions League)
November 25, 1998: Inter Milan 3-1 Real Madrid (Champions League)
Real Madrid’s team news
Eduardo Camavinga, Arda Guler and Bernardo Silva will all miss the game due to suspensions carried over from last season.
Madrid also have a host of injuries to contend with as Eder Militao, Rodrygo, Ferland Mendy and Raul Asencio are all ruled out.
Aurelien Tchouameni, Thiago Pitarch, Endrick and Marc Cucurella face late fitness tests as they struggle to recover from injuries, but all are reportedly back in training.
Left-back Federico Dimarco is unavailable due to a knee injury, while new signing Djed Spence is still working his way back to full fitness after an undisclosed injury and is unlikely to feature.
Will star defensive lineman Aaron Donald be with them?
“Feeling good, feeling really good,” Donald said Monday. “Come up with a game plan and see.”
But could he say for certain he will make the trip?
“I’m feeling really good. Feeling great,” he said. “Come up with a game plan and see what’s going on but I’m telling ya, I feel great.”
Donald, 35, returned from a two-year retirement to join a Rams team that is favored to win Super Bowl LXI. But the three-time NFL defensive player of the year has gone through only one 11-on-11 practice.
2026 NFL season preview
He did that on Sunday, but did not practice Monday. Donald said he did a cardio workout as part of a scheduled day off.
“I’m 35,” he said, chuckling. “You don’t play football in two years, you got to be smart. Even if I feel good, you still gotta be smart.”
Coach Sean McVay has said that Donald’s situation would be evaluated daily.
Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula, asked if a decision had been made regarding whether Donald would play against the 49ers, said “everything’s” day by day.
“We’re ready for him if he does, ready for him if he doesn’t,” Shula said, “and we’ll have a plan for however many plays he feels like he can go and we’ll go from there.”
Donald said his ramp-up has gone better than he anticipated.
“Thought I’d be a lot more rusty,” he said, adding that things were “clicking.”
Donald said that during his first full practice, he settled in after a few plays. He is not where he wants to be, “but pretty pretty damn good, if you ask me, to not play football in two years to be moving how I’m moving.”
Donald came back, in part, to team with edge rusher Myles Garrett, a two-time NFL defensive player of the year. They have been in meetings and walkthroughs together, and now have practiced.
“It was good to be on the grass with him and do some stuff, and get a feel,” Donald said. “Because the chemistry of playing with each other, kind of learning how each other rush, how each other play, not just Myles just the whole front. … It’s exciting.”
Donald said he was ready for whatever role he fills, and that he was not going to worry about playing 60 or 70 snaps.
“There’s no pressure on me. I can just go out there play free, play ball, let the game come to me,” Donald said. “Play with the guys around me. Help them, they help me.”
Donald, an eight-time All-Pro, has 111 career sacks.
Star receiver Davante Adams is happy that he returned to join the Rams.
“Nobody knows exactly what he’s going to do statistically, if he’s going to be exactly what he was,” Adams said. “But … I know the type of person that he is and I know the way he’s going to work and I know the way he looks right now.
“It looks like it’s going to be a familiar picture for us all out there.”
Puka Nacua ready for opener
Star receiver Puka Nacua said he was happy to be participating in full-team drills after being sidelined for a few weeks because of a psoas injury sustained during a joint practice with the Dallas Cowboys a few days after the end of training camp.
The NFL has been investigating an incident that led to Nacua being the defendant in a civil lawsuit. If the league determines that Nacua violated the NFL’s personal conduct policy, he could be suspended.
But the league has not taken action, and McVay said he expected Nacua to play against the 49ers.
Did the possibility of a suspension before the season weigh heavily on Nacua?
“Definitely feeling emotion of some of the things that, just trying to handle that in the ways that I can and what’s in my control,” he said. “But also having a realistic understanding of the consequences of some of the things that I put myself in this offseason.
“But I feel like I’ve been able to feel grounded and feel present when I step out there on the football field. That’s been one of the positive things, of every time I step on that football field, never taking that moment for granted.”
“Pravac Potocari” or “Direction Potocari” were the words used by former Bosnian Serb general Ratko Mladic as he entered Srebrenica on July 11, 1995.
Mladic was referring to the nearby village of Potocari, which hosted a United Nations peacekeeping base and was the initial gathering point for Bosniak refugees during the war in Bosnia. Under Mladic’s command, Bosnian Serb forces committed a genocide against thousands of Bosniak men and boys in the days that followed.
“Pravac Potocari” was also the slogan the fans of the Serbian football team Red Star chose on Sunday to honour the so-called “butcher of Bosnia”, who died in The Hague, the Netherlands, on August 27, while serving a life sentence for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. During a match against city rivals Partizan in the Serbian capital, the supporters also unveiled a giant image of Mladic and observed a minute of silence in his memory.
The tribute came days after European football governing body UEFA fined Red Star a total of 98,250 euros, or $114,100, over a banner -“General, eternal glory and thanks” – dedicated to Mladic that was unveiled by the club’s ultras during a Europa League playoff away leg in Plzen, in the Czech Republic.
The penalty included a ban on Red Star supporters travelling to the club’s next two European away fixtures, in Lugano, Switzerland on October 15 and Ghent, Belgium on November 26.
It was not the first time Red Star supporters had expressed support for Mladic during a European match. Nine years earlier, fans displayed similar messages during a Europa League tie against Belarusian club BATE Borisov.
‘Most shameful event this stadium has seen’
For Slobodan Georgiev, a news director at TV Nova S in Serbia, the minute of silence at Belgrade’s Marakana stadium marked a qualitative shift rather than a repeat performance.
“Glorifying a convicted war criminal is nothing new, but officially paying tribute to him with a minute of silence is new – and it’s the most shameful event this stadium has witnessed,” Georgiev said. “Displaying the shameful slogan ‘Pravac Potocari’ cannot be justified, though in the coming days we’ll surely see attempts to do so.”
He placed the display in a much longer lineage. “Since the breakup of Yugoslavia, the terraces have served as a recruitment centre for paramilitary formations, and in various forms that haven’t changed to this day,” he said. “The worst messages have always travelled through the terraces – everything the authorities didn’t dare say themselves, they most often said through the stands, as they did … at the Red Star–Partizan match.”
But what made Sunday’s so-called “eternal derby” notable was not only the Red Star display.
Partizan’s own hardcore supporters, the Grobari, had raised their own banner in tribute to Mladic – reading “General, thank you” – just a week earlier, on August 31, during a Serbian Super Liga match against OFK Beograd, with Mladic’s flag flying over the north stand for the full 90 minutes.
For Georgiev, the fan groups are not an autonomous phenomenon, but an instrument. “The state, through its secret services and through criminal groups, has always managed these groups and used them for the worst tasks: Mobilisation in war, crime in peacetime, and delivering the ugliest political messages,” he said. “A stand that boasts it was founded by Zeljko Raznatovic Arkan, and that sings in praise of Ratko Mladic without facing any legal consequence for it, speaks for itself.”
Georgiev was referring to Arkan, the Serbian paramilitary leader whose unit committed atrocities during the Yugoslav wars and who, before his assassination in Belgrade in 2000, was closely associated with Red Star’s hardcore fan base, the Delije – a group he is widely reported to have helped organise.
‘Clearest indication issue deeply ingrained’
Sasa Djordevic, a senior analyst at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC), sees the same continuity Georgiev described, tracing it back further still. “The connection between football hooliganism, nationalism and politics in Serbia dates to the late 1980s and became particularly evident during and after the breakup of former Yugoslavia,” he said. “Certain elements of the hooligan scene have since been exploited as a political ‘rent-a-mob,’ and some group leaders have reaped benefits from political protection or business opportunities.”
What worries him most now is not the display itself, but how unremarkable it risks becoming. “Incidents like those that occurred at Marakana last night risk being perceived as routine rather than serious manifestations of hate speech,” he said. “Public debate has nearly vanished, and society seems increasingly desensitised to violence and hate speech in stadiums. When such behaviour starts to feel normal, it may be the clearest indication that the issue has become deeply ingrained.”
Ivana Jeremic, an editor at the Balkan Insight publication, pointed to why sports venues serve that function so well. “Stadiums have long ceased to be merely sporting arenas – they are fertile ground for sending messages that can’t be spoken publicly, or that come wrapped in a softer form,” she said. “Matches involving Partizan, Red Star, and the national team stand out in particular for this.”
The political ties, she argued, are an open secret. “The political connections between the fans leading the stands and those in power are something of a public secret, with a number of documented examples of direct influence. What we hear or see on the terraces could hardly happen without some form of ‘permission’ from the authorities,” Jeremic said. “When it comes to Mladic, we’ve seen a rise in such messages in recent days. Red Star’s fans, as well as the club itself, are currently perceived as a mouthpiece of the government.”
On Thursday, a Serbian government plane carried Mladic’s body from The Hague to Belgrade for burial, where it was received with military honours.
Red Star fans wave a flag showing Ratko Mladic during the match against Partizan [Darko Vojinovic/AP Photo]
From the terraces to paramilitary structures
Djordevic traced the mechanism behind this convergence to the same period cited by Georgiev. “During the breakup of Yugoslavia, football stadiums became spaces for nationalist mobilisation, and for some young men the step from organised football violence to paramilitary structures was short,” he said. “Hooligan groups since then cultivate loyalty, hierarchy, readiness to use violence and rapid mobilisation to achieve their extremist views that go beyond strictly football supporter beliefs.”
That structure is not unique to Serbia, but it is particularly acute there. GI-TOC’s regional research examined 122 fan groups, identifying 78 as ultras – and found 21 groups combining violent hooliganism with links to extreme politics. “The most problematic situation was in Serbia, followed by Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Djordevic said, while cautioning against overreach. “The term ‘terrorism’ should be used cautiously: The evidence points to particular groups or individuals linked to violent extremism and paramilitary structures, not supporter groups as a whole.”
UEFA’s disciplinary decision detailed the layers of the punishment: A 50,000-euro ($58,000) fine for transmitting a message unfit for a sporting event, an 8,250-euro ($9,580) fine for team misconduct, and the activation of a suspended sanction originally imposed in April 2025 over racist conduct by Red Star fans – a suspended stadium ban now converted into a one-match travelling ban, conditionally extended for a further two years.
But fines on paper, Djordevic said, rarely reach the people who are actually liable. “The problem is that fines imposed on clubs do not necessarily affect those responsible for the incidents,” he said. “If hooligans remain untouched, financial penalties can become simply another cost of doing business rather than a tool for changing behaviour. That does not mean clubs do not care. They respond when sanctions are certain, substantial, and consistently enforced, as seen more clearly in basketball games than in football.”
The gap, he argued, is not a lack of rules. “Serbia already has a solid legal framework,” he said. “The real issue is enforcement. Sanctions need to be applied quickly, consistently and without exceptions, both to clubs and to individuals responsible for violence and hate speech.”
Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. I’m Eric Sondheimer. The high school football season is rolling along with some very good games this week. Let’s take a look.
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Big games
Week three in high school football has so many intriguing games that fans will have lots of choices this week. Let’s look.
Thursday
3 games of special teams film 🎥⚡️
Currently ranked #4 in the nation in Punt Return Yards Per Attempt and #11 in Total Return Yards on @MaxPreps.
It takes 11 every single play, and I give all the credit to my teammates for making this possible. Special teams is a big part of… pic.twitter.com/ZmcdDWYLA8
Corona del Mar (3-0) at Newport Harbor (2-1). The annual Battle of the Bay brings out the fans and pumps up the players so much you never can trust who’s the favorite. Corona del Mar has the favorite’s role after knocking off Edison last week. Corona del Mar has three standout athletes in tight end Jake Haley, receiver Tucker Murray and linebacker Nolan Scott. The pick: Corona del Mar.
Laguna Beach (1-2) at Westlake (3-0). The Breakers wanted tougher nonleague opponents, which has led to a slow start in the win column, but beware if quarterback Jack Hurst can get the passing game going. Westlake had a scare in its opening, beating Newbury Park in three overtimes, then routed two outmanned opponents. This opponent has some very good athletes to challenge the Warriors. The pick: Westlake.
Friday
Corona Centennial (1-1) vs. Mater Dei (3-0) at Santa Ana College. The Monarchs were not happy Centennial beat them twice last season. They’re coming in very motivated. Mater Dei has a strong defense and an offense that continues to use three quarterbacks — senior Cameron Pooley, junior Russell Sekona and freshman Paytyn Guess. It’s clear that running the ball successfully will be the key to victory to both teams. Centennial has had blocking issues because of injuries, but the dynamic duo of quarterback Jaden Jefferson and receiver Quentin Hale will give fans a reason to watch. The pick: Corona Centennial.
San Pedro (3-0) at Bell (3-0). This is an important game for City Section playoff seeding purposes and also provides more evidence which of these teams will compete for a league title. San Pedro has relied on the passing of Seth Solorio, who set a school record last week with seven touchdown passes against Westchester. Bell has been running the ball with Jordan Medrano and Christopher Luna. The pick: San Pedro.
University (2-1) at Crenshaw (3-0). Brothers Bryan and Jason Robinson grew up playing youth football for Crenshaw. Now they’re the head coach and defensive coordinator at University, and their father, former Locke coach EC Robinson, is a consultant. EC gave former Crenshaw coach Robert Garrett his first job. The brothers always get pumped up for this game. It’s a great matchup between two of the City Section’s best linebackers, De’Andre Kirkpatrick of Crenshaw and D’Elliott Jones of University. It’s the battle of the apostrophes. The pick: Crenshaw.
Orange Lutheran (2-1) at Gardena Serra (2-1). This is Orange Lutheran’s final tuneup before an epic game next week against unbeaten Sierra Canyon. The Lancers have the kind of balance on offense that gives Serra trouble. But Serra has running back AJ McBean, who can help his team chew up time on the clock. The pick: Orange Lutheran.
Rancho Cucamonga (2-1) at Chaparral (1-2). Chaparral has been without its standout quarterback, Dane Weber, because a thumb injury, so it has been a big adjustment for a team loaded with outstanding receivers. Rancho Cucamonga was upset by Oak Hills last week. Expect lots of points in this one. The pick: Chaparral.
La Cañada at South Pasadena (2-1). For those who like neighborhood teams, this is a good matchup. The Spartans have been relying on quarterback Joe Bell and his best friends from the baseball team. Evan Hyun has scored five touchdowns for South Pasadena. The pick: La Cañada.
The battle of the South Bay between Carson and Palos Verdes was played before a standing-room only crowd at Carson. Fans were treated to a game that lived up to expectations when it came to the play at quarterback.
Orange Lutheran has one of the toughest nonleague schedules and knocked off nationally ranked Basha from Chandler, Ariz. Here’s the report.
TOP 5 Winningest Active Football Coaches in Calif. 318 Jim Benkert (Simi Valley) 308 Matt Logan (Corona Centennial) 295 Roger Canepa (Central Catholic) 288 Don Morrow (Mira Costa) 286 Kevin Macy (Moraga Campolindo) All according to our own exclusive coaching state records.
Corona del Mar is 3-0 going into its rivalry game against Newport Harbor this week and proved this could be a special season with a big win over Edison. Here’s the report.
Northern California received a boost with Folsom defeating Mission Viejo 35-21. Corona Centennial travels to play De La Salle at Memorial Stadium later this month.
Mater Dei is 3-0 using three quarterbacks after a 38-22 win over Valor Christian from Colorado. The Monarchs are still strong along the offensive line and have a defense performing well under new co-defensive coordinator Ivan Stephenson, who came over from Gardena Serra.
The best individual performance of the week might have been the school-record rushing total of 306 yards from junior Rocky Martinez of Redondo Union in a win Culver City. Culver City quarterback Nick Hoang passed for 436 yards and four touchdowns.
Despite a loss to Moorpark, Birmingham made major improvement in its second game. Freshman quarterback Exavier Johnson passed for 171 yards and two touchdowns. As he gains experience, the Patriots’ chances in the City Section will grow stronger.
Crenshaw came away with a 34-13 win over Hamilton. The Cougars are looking like the No. 2 team in the City Section behind Carson.
Quarterback Joe Bell (left) and his sophomore brother, Jake, a linebacker, are two of seven baseball players on La Canada football team.
(Yary Photography)
There’s seven high school baseball players playing on the La Cañada football team this season, and the happiest of all is quarterback Joe Bell and star left-handed pitcher.
He loves to tell people how playing multiple sports has helped him in his main sport, baseball.
Moorpark’s Davis Benson is a multisport athlete, competing in football as well as multiple track and field events.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
Davis Benson is a terrific receiver at Moorpark. He’s also a decathlete who won Southern Section championships last spring in the long jump and 110 hurdles while finishing second in the high jump.
Not since the days of NFL receiver Drake London has Moorpark had such a talented athlete.
Sierra Canyon might be No. 1 in California, but Mater Dei is not far behind. The Monarchs won the Dave Mohs tournament, defeating Marymount in the final 25-11, 25-21.
Mater Dei also defeated Mira Costa earlier in the week. Mater Dei is unbeaten has has matches against San Diego powers Cathedral Catholic and Torrey Pines this week.
Sierra Canyon is 13-0 and opens Mission League play Tuesday at Marymount.
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame is hosting Harvard-Westlake on Saturday night at 7 in a unique outdoor volleyball match on the school’s baseball diamond, helped by Nike, which is flying in a custom-made volleyball court. There will be food trucks, a DJ and a party atmosphere celebrating volleyball and women’s sports.
MaxPreps is sponsoring a tournament Friday and Saturday in Chula Vista. No. 1 JSerra is among the schools participating.
St. Joseph in Lakewood continues to quietly keep winning at 9-0.
In the City Section, it still looks like the Open Division champion will come from the Northern League. Wilson is 4-0, Eagle Rock 3-1 and Franklin 9-2.
Cross country
The unofficial start of cross-country season happens with the first big invitational of the year, and that will be held Friday and Saturday with the Woodbridge Classic at the Great Park in Irvine. Saturday’s top competition will happen at night, always a fun and interesting experience.
Redondo Union’s boys team won the Saddleback Cup over Trabuco Hills. Mario Montoya of Redondo won the two-mile race in 8:59.5. Santa Margarita took the girls competition.
Water polo
JSerra and Oaks Christian had an intense early season match, with the Lions prevailing 8-7. The Lions face 3-0 Mira Costa on Tuesday.
Loyola has started off 3-0 in the Mission League and lost to Cathedral Catholic in a nonleague match. Harvard-Westlake is 4-0 and has matches coming up against Mira Costa and Corona del Mar.
Newport Harbor suffered a rare 12-10 defeat to Cathedral Catholic.
Santa Margarita is 2-0 and faces Mater Dei on Sept. 23 in a Trinity League showdown.
Notes . . .
Brad Wright, the 6-foot-11 former UCLA basketball player, announced his resignation from El Camino Real’s Board of Directors on Sunday.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
Brad Wright announced Sunday that he is resigning from El Camino Real’s board of directors after weeks of growing pressure after the placement of three coaches on administrative live. Here’s the report….
Junior shortstop Lennex Minor of St. Bernard has committed to UCLA baseball….
Pitcher Sam Principe from Orange Lutheran has committed to Cal State Northridge….
The court case filed against the CIF challenging transfer and NIL rules has been “terminated,” according to court documents. It was Calhoun vs. CIF. Now the CIF can move forward with discussions on policy changes, though the plaintiff can still appeal to a higher court….
Former UCLA basketball player Bobby Webb, who was a successful boys and girls basketball coach at Montclair Prep, has died, his good friend and former Montclair Prep player KJ Johnson announced….
Standout junior softball player Destinee Herrera from Oxnard announced she has committed to UCLA.
From the archives: Jeff Cirillo
Jeff Cirillo in 2013 at Providence High School.
(DAN WATSON/Dan Watson / The Burbank Leader)
One of the best hitters produced from the San Fernando Valley came from tiny Providence High in Burbank. Jeff Cirillo made it the major leagues and played for 14 years, the longest with the Milwaukee Brewers from 1994-1999. He also played baseball at USC and has been a pro baseball scout.
I don’t think people realize how good an athlete Davis Benson of Moorpark is. He’s a decathlete in the making and also a star receiver. Remember who the last great athlete from Moorpark was? His name: Drake London.
Simi Valley football coach Jim Benkert is still the winningest active coach with 318 career wins and counting, according to CalHiSports. Matt Logan of Corona Centennial is No. 2 among active coaches. No. 1 overall is the retired Bob Ladouceur with 399.
UCLA RHP Wylan Moss was recruited to a carnival by a content creator… and future MLB Draft pick won a prize in every game he played LOL pic.twitter.com/7ShJuBCoMd
High school sports is filled with jealous people on and off the playing field. It’s natural. This isn’t the Little League world where everyone gets to hit. Someone really is better than another. Someone really does get more attention. Getting mad is not the correct response.…
Three weeks into the high school football season I’d say No. 1 in Southern California is wide open. Lots of good teams have flaws and we’ll see who fixes them by end of the season.
Trouble for revamped Moore League in football. Long Beach Poly is 1-2; LB Milikan 0-3; LB Wilson 0-3; LB Jordan 0-3; Lakewood 1-2. The good news is they are playing better nonleague opponents, which should prepare them for league.
The first ramifications of UCLA’s impressive win on Saturday night involves recruiting. Keith Miller, the father of Ohio State commit Austin Miller, said of Bob Chesney, “From the first moment I met him, I thought UCLA was on the way back. He’s a CEO. He was so personable.…
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