RALEIGH, N.C. — Jalen Chatfield’s first goal of the season was a tiebreaker and goalie Frederik Andersen snapped a personal nine-game losing streak as the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Ducks 5-2 on Thursday night.
Chatfield, a defenseman playing in his 300th career game, scored during the Hurricanes’ three-goal second period. He also had an assist.
Logan Stankoven and Taylor Hall each had a goal and an assist, and Mark Jankowski and Jackson Blake also scored for the Hurricanes (27-14-3), who won their third straight. Andersen made 11 saves for his first victory since Nov. 6. He had gone 0-7-2 during his winless stretch.
The Ducks had leads in each of the first two periods.
Poehling scored with 6:42 left in the first period. Jankowski tied the score on Carolina’s 17th shot of the game at 8:56 of the second period, with the puck swept into the goal by Ducks defenseman Drew Helleson’s skate.
Granlund shot wide through the crease on an open net, but pretty much stayed in the same position and then tapped in a pass from Mason McTavish for the Ducks’ 2-1 lead with 6:42 left in the second. Stankoven scored for the third game in a row, taking a pass from Taylor Hall on a two-man rush to pull the Hurricanes even.
Chatfield’s goal came with 3:52 remaining in the second period. Carolina outshot the Ducks 18-3 in the period.
Blake and Hall scored in the third period, with Hall’s goal into an empty net.
Winger Troy Terry, who co-leads the Ducks with 42 points, missed a game for the first time this season because of an upper-body injury.
Up next for the Ducks: Close out a four-game trip at Buffalo on Saturday.
On the scene at A Concert for Altadena, featuring fire victims Dawes and many other acts to mark the anniversary of the Eaton fire.
When Liz Wilson saw the Eaton fire advancing, from her home in Pasadena last year, she knew that life would never be the same in her corner of Southern California. On Wednesday, the one-year anniversary of the disaster, A Concert for Altadena felt like the most optimistic place to be.
“People didn’t just lose their homes, they lost their community,” Wilson said, in the lobby of the Pasadena Civic Auditorium where scores of local acts had gathered for the benefit show. Organizers booked it to raise funds for the Altadena Builds Back Foundation, and to give locals something hopeful to attend on the painful day of Jan. 7.
“This is not just a fundraiser, but a way to reconnect and show support for community that’s surviving,” she said. “Altadena was and is an arts community, that’s a big part of it. We have so many friends and neighbors continuing to figure out if they’re coming back, if they’re able to rebuild. The more distant you get from it, you may forget. But we haven’t.”
The anniversary of the Eaton and Palisades fires, beginning one of the city’s most difficult years in recent history, was largely marked by quieter reflections on the loss and how much work still laid ahead. But Altadena in particular was a historic community for musicians and artists. For them, getting together for a show felt like a natural way to honor the occasion and look ahead.
Kevin Lyman, the Vans Warped Tour founder and USC music industry professor, is a two-decade Altadena resident who was displaced from his home for four months after the Eaton fire. He organized the concert for the community to use the day to reconnect, and keep focus on the work left to do.
“In this business, I’ve got to be an optimist, and every day I see more trucks coming into Altadena with lumber and workers. You go away for a few days and see a frame of a new home. But then you go to the next block, and there are five empty lots,” he said.
“One of the hardest parts is that if you’re living up there, you can go two miles away and life just goes on,” he added. “You’ve got to remind people that we’re still here, people still can still use help. Artists that survived and reestablished themselves are here supporting artists that haven’t been.”
Altadena resident and actor John C. Reilly hosted the night, noting the resilience of rebuilding efforts and tossing barbs at the utility company Southern California Edison, whose equipment ignited the fire: “A company that prioritized profits for shareholders over improving infrastructure,” as he put it. He pilloried President Trump’s reactions to the blaze: “He told us to go rake leaves? Go f— yourself, dude.”
The night highlighted ground-level activism from organizers like Heavenly Hughes of My Tribe Rise, who led the crowd in a raucous chant of “Altadena’s not for sale.” But the live performances found poignancy in the city’s spirit as a music town. L.A. Latin rock group Ozomatli started the night with a jubilant jam down the aisles, while Everclear’s Art Alexakis noted between riffs that after the Eaton fire displaced him, “I had to live in a hotel for five months, but I’m lucky.”
Travis Cooper drove down from Northern California for the show, moved by the ways Altadena held to its cultural identity after the Eaton fire. His parents lost a home in a fire in Redding a few years back, so “I can relate to how devastating that feels,” he said. “Even the threat of it growing up was horrific, so to have that actually happen was another level. But my parents had people donate clothes, places to stay, and that meant a lot to them, so we wanted to come support this community too.”
The headline act of the night was the Altadena folk-rock group Dawes, whose founders lost homes and gear in the Eaton fire. They’ve become emissaries for the neighborhood within the music industry, performing at last year’s Grammys just weeks after the fire.
At the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, they led a round robin of acts including Brad Paisley, the Killers’ Brandon Flowers, Aloe Blacc, Jenny Lewis and Rufus Wainwright. They were accompanied by vocal virtuosos Lucius and blues-rock rippers Judith Hill and Eric Krasno, each fixtures in the local music community trying to rebuild itself in the wake of the Eaton fire.
Altadena is a deeply intergenerational community, and the crowd felt the decades of L.A. music history in Stephen Stills coming out for Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth” next to a younger act like Lord Huron covering the Kinks’ “Strangers.”
Dawes is a veteran L.A. act, and songs like “All Your Favorite Bands” had new texture in the light of how the fire upended the lives of so many artists. “I hope the world sees the same person that you always were to me,” Taylor Goldsmith sang. “May all your favorite bands stay together.”
For those bands still trying to stay together, the night was redemptive. Jeffrey Paradise, the Poolside frontman who lost his home in the Palisades fire, DJed the concert’s official after-party. He’s since relocated to Glassell Park, and acknowledged that the fires are still a challenging topic, for him and for friends trying to support those displaced.
“It’s hard to talk about because so many things are mixed up in it,” he said. “It was the worst year of my life, but also great and heartwarming to see support from people. It’s so hard to answer how you’re doing because I don’t have an easy answer,” he said.
A concert like this was one way to acknowledge the gravity of last year’s loss, but also to raise money to help everyone get back to the land, people and music they love.
“It’s a disaster, and we’re getting through a disaster. I want to be resilient and help others, and do what I can to move forward,” he said. “It forces you to reinvent who you are and redefine what matters. I don’t have an option not to.”
Emmerdale star Amy Walsh shared sad news with her Instagram followers on Wednesday
Emmerdale star Amy Walsh has suffered a heartbreaking loss as fans rushed to support her. The 38-year-old actress, who plays Tracy Robinson on the ITV soap, took to Instagram to share sad news on Wednesday (January 7).
Amy shared a post on her Story which announced the death of actor Frazer Hammill. “Rest in peace you wonderful man,” she wrote alongside his picture.
Frazer was known for his appearances in Justice League, Last Laugh, Happy Valley and Abraham’s Point, as well as playing a prison guard in Emmerdale back in 2021.
The John Godber Theatre Company shared the devastating news on their official Instagram page, writing: “We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Frazer Hammill. It is impossible to put into words how much he will be missed by all of us who had the absolute joy of working with him.”
The Yorkshire-based company added, “Frazer had a huge, loving heart and enormous talent. We are all heartbroken.”
A devastated Amy wrote in the comments: “There are no words,” alongside three broken heart emojis. Lots of other people shared their sadness, alongside memories they had of the former youth theatre member.
“Shocked and saddened to see this, sending my thoughts to his family and loved ones,” one person wrote, with another adding: “A gentle spirit and a huge heart. Love to all.”
A third said, “What a brilliant person and performer he was! We’re all deeply saddened to hear this,” with another sharing similarly, “Truly heartbroken.”
A fourth fan echoed the sentiment, saying: “Such sad news, I’ll always remember his lessons and his kind words. Thinking of his family and friends at this hard time,” with someone else writing: “What an absolute gem of a man. A true loss to the world. RIP Frazman.”
Amy joined the cast of Emmerdale in 2014. The star has been part of several memorable storylines during her time in the Dales. Tracy notably endured the death of her father, Frank Clayton (Michael Praed), embarked on an affair with Caleb Miligan (William Ash), and was caught up in last year’s horrific limo crash.
The shop worker also lost her husband, Nate Robinson (Jurell Carter), after he was murdered by killer John Sugden (Oliver Farnworth) in September 2024.
In a flashback clip, John, who was killed by his sister Victoria (Isabel Hodgins) in the Corriedale crossover this week, injected Nate with an unknown substance with the intention of “saving” him. However, Nate had an adverse reaction to the medication and tragically died.
John then drove Nate’s body to the bridge and pushed the concealed corpse into the lake, where the limo crash had notably taken place.
Since joining the ITV soap, Amy has been nominated for several awards for her portrayal of Tracy. She was nominated for Serial Drama Performance at the 25th National Television Awards, as well as Best Actress at the 2021 Inside Soap Awards and Best Soap Performance at the I Talk Telly Awards the same year.
Emmerdale airs weekday nights at 8pm on ITV1 and STV, and Coronation Street airs weekday nights at 8.30pm on ITV1 and STV as part of ITV’s new soap power hour scheduling pattern for Coronation Street and Emmerdale
In a game that the Bruins needed to win to get their season back on track and have any realistic chance at an elite finish in the Big Ten, they fell flat once more.
Another terrible first half led to another failed comeback for UCLA during an 80-72 loss to Wisconsin on Tuesday night at the Kohl Center, leaving the Bruins in search of answers that seem elusive.
There was a dustup with 10 seconds left when UCLA’s Eric Dailey Jr. pushed Wisconsin’s Nolan Winter after absorbing a hard foul, forcing a scrum of players to congregate along the baseline. Winter was assessed a flagrant-1 foul and Dailey a technical foul that was offset by a technical foul on Badgers guard Nick Boyd.
About the only thing to celebrate for the Bruins was not giving up.
Thanks to a flurry of baskets from Dailey and a three-pointer from Trent Perry that broke his team’s 0-for-14 start from long range, UCLA pulled to within 63-56 midway through the second half. Making the Bruins’ rally all the more improbable was that much of it came with leading scorer Tyler Bilodeau on the bench with four fouls.
But Wisconsin countered with five consecutive points and the Bruins (10-5 overall, 2-2 Big Ten) never mounted another threat on the way to a second consecutive loss.
Dailey scored 18 points but missed all five of his three-pointers, fitting for a team that made just one of 17 shots (5.9%) from long range. Bilodeau added 16 points and Perry had 15.
Boyd scored 20 points to lead the Badgers (10-5, 2-2), who won in large part by their volume of three-pointers, making 10 of 30 attempts (33.3%) from beyond the arc.
Unveiling a turnover-choked, defensively challenged performance, UCLA played as if it were trying to top its awful first-half showing against Iowa from three days earlier.
It didn’t help that the Bruins were shorthanded from tipoff.
With Clark unavailable, UCLA coach Mick Cronin turned to Perry and pivoted to a smaller lineup featuring forward Brandon Williams alongside Bilodeau as the big men.
For the opening 10 minutes, it felt like a repeat of Wisconsin’s blowout victory over UCLA during the Big Ten tournament last March. The Badgers made seven of 11 three-pointers on the way to building a 20-point lead midway through the first half as Cronin continually tinkered with his lineup, trying to find a winning combination.
It never came.
He tried backup center Steven Jamerson II for a little more than a minute before yanking him after Jamerson committed a foul. He put in backup guard Jamar Brown and took him out after Brown gave up a basket and fumbled a pass out of bounds for a turnover. Backup guard Eric Freeny got his chance as well and airballed a three-pointer.
Wisconsin surged ahead with an early 13-0 run and nearly matched it with a separate 11-0 push. The Bruins then lost Perry for the rest of the first half after he hit his chin while diving for a loose ball, pounding the court in frustration with a balled fist before holding a towel firmly against his injured chin during a timeout. (He returned in the second half with a heavy bandage.)
Just when it seemed as if things couldn’t get worse, they did. Williams limped off the court with cramps late in the first half and the Bruins failed to box out Wisconsin’s Andrew Rohde on two possessions, leading to a putback and two free throws after he was fouled on another putback attempt.
UCLA almost seemed fortunate to be down only 45-31 by the game’s midpoint, though being on pace to give up 90 points couldn’t have pleased a coach known for defense.
Another comeback that came up short didn’t make things any better.
EAST LANSING, Mich. — Coen Carr scored 18 points and Jaxon Kohler added 16 on perfect shooting to lead No. 12 Michigan State to an 80-51 blowout against USC on Monday night.
Jeremy Fears Jr. had 15 points and seven assists for the Spartans (13-2, 3-1 Big Ten), who took control with a 27-6 run early in the game and led by at least 20 for much of the second half.
Kohler made all six of his field-goal attempts, including a trio of three-pointers, and sank his only free throw. He also grabbed eight rebounds, two short of becoming the first Spartans player since at least 1996-97 to have six straight double-doubles in a season, according to Sportradar.
Ezra Ausar scored 16 points and Jerry Easter added 12 for the Trojans (12-3, 1-3), who lost consecutive games for the first time this season.
Michigan State was ahead 33-17 at halftime with Kohler leading the way offensively, scoring eight points while seven teammates contributed at least two.
Carr and Fears picked up their scoring in the second half to build a bigger cushion, combining to score 25 points after halftime.
Michigan State held Chad Baker-Mazara to four points after he entered the game averaging a team-high 20.4 for USC.
The Spartans bounced back from a 58-56 loss to No. 10 Nebraska to win for the fifth time in six games.
The Trojans, coming off a 30-point loss to No. 2 Michigan, are probably ready to go home after getting routed twice in the state of Michigan, but they’ll be in the Midwest for four more days because they play at Minnesota before flying back to California.
Michigan State made half its shots and held USC to 33% shooting.
The Spartans enjoyed a 25-5 advantage in fast-break points and a 21-9 edge in points off the bench.
SANTA CLARA — Zach Charbonnet scored on a 27-yard run in the first quarter and Seattle shut down the high-powered San Francisco offense in a 13-3 victory over the 49ers on Saturday night that secured the No. 1 seed for the Seahawks in the NFC playoffs.
Seattle (14-3) won its first division title since 2020 and is two home wins away from returning to Levi’s Stadium for the Super Bowl next month after besting San Francisco (12-5) in just the fourth season-ending game ever where the winner was guaranteed the No. 1 seed in the playoffs.
The loss sends the 49ers on the road for the wild-card round next weekend against an opponent that will be determined after Sunday’s games.
Coach Mike Macdonald’s defensive unit flummoxed a 49ers offense that had been the NFL’s most potent since Brock Purdy returned from an injury in Week 11.
The Seahawks didn’t allow a first down in the opening quarter, generated three sacks and made the biggest defensive play early in the fourth quarter when Drake Thomas got an interception at the Seattle three on a pass that went off the hands of Christian McCaffrey.
Sam Darnold did just enough for the Seahawks as he won a Week 18 showdown this season after falling flat a year ago for Minnesota against Detroit in a loss that cost the Vikings a chance at the No. 1 seed. Darnold went 20 of 26 for 198 yards and didn’t turn the ball over once as Seattle relied heavily on the running game.
Kenneth Walker III ran for 97 yards, Charbonnet had the long touchdown and the Seahawks finished with 180 yards on the ground, their second most in a game this season.
Purdy went 19 of 27 for 127 yards and the interception and McCaffrey was held to 23 yards in eight carries as the 49ers had their lowest-scoring game since losing 23-3 to Carolina in coach Kyle Shanahan’s debut in 2017.
The 173 yards gained by the 49ers were their fewest in any regular-season game under Shanahan.
The Seahawks controlled the first half, outgaining the 49ers by 127 yards and allowing only three first downs, but led only 10-3 at the break after two long drives ended with no punts.
Seattle got stopped on fourth and goal from the four on the on the opening drive but managed to force a three-and-out that set up a short field and Charbonnet’s touchdown run.
Jason Myers also missed a 47-yard field goal attempt. He went two of four on the night, missing from 26 yards late in the fourth quarter.
The former Dundee player added: “It’s not nice. I’ll tell you that as a player’s perspective. It doesn’t leave you. It haunts you every minute of every day when you’re not winning.
“Getting home, not speaking to anybody, sitting on the couch, not moving, just doing that black screen instead of having the darts or having the football highlights on.
“But, as I said, that is what it comes with playing with Celtic. You need to take that pressure on. You need to get there. You need to show personality and at times within games, we’ve not done that good enough.
“Within the structure, we’ve not done it good enough. But that’s just the kind of rubbish message just now. We need to stick together and keep going.”
It was the second time in a matter of weeks that Celtic had led by one at the break but ended up losing after a similar defeat away to Dundee United.
“Rangers changed their shape and we didn’t react well enough to it,” said McCowan.
“We just aren’t reacting to it as well as we should be. It’s just not good enough.
“I’m probably going to say that at least 20 times in these interviews, but it needs to be better.
“Rangers can’t be coming here and winning 3-1. It’s just not good enough.”
IOWA CITY, Iowa — From an existential crisis to a gritty comeback, UCLA ran a gamut of emotions over the course of a few hours here.
The final sentiment was one of disappointment.
After whittling what had been a 24-point deficit to four with a little more than three minutes left Saturday, the Bruins could not find the miracle finish they were seeking.
Iowa won 74-61 inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena, the No. 25 Hawkeyes holding off the Bruins by making the plays they needed over the final foul-filled minutes.
Iowa made all eight free throws down the stretch, the Bruins failing to get the stops they needed even with point guard Donovan Dent (25 points) putting on a dazzling offensive display.
After Iowa’s Tavion Banks went in for a dunk in transition to extend the lead back to double digits in the final minute, the Bruins’ comeback hopes were over. Iowa point guard Bennett Stirtz added a 30-foot three-pointer in the final seconds for good measure.
Even with a much better effort in the second half, UCLA (10-4 overall, 2-1 Big Ten) wasn’t nearly good enough on either end. The Bruins will need to decide if they want to continue to go with a small lineup after using one to spark their huge comeback.
After one of the worst first halves of the Mick Cronin era following a 10-day layoff, UCLA played as if it took a glance at the rally towels inside the arena featuring the slogan “Impose Your Will.”
The Bruins went on a 18-2 run early in the second half after going small, breaking out a full-court press in pockets and making seven of eight shots. Dent was in the middle of it all, snagging a steal that led to a Brandon Williams dunk, driving for a couple of layups and rising for a mid-range jumper.
UCLA guard Donovan Dent chases after the ball in front of Iowa’s Cam Manyawu, left, and Kael Combs during the first half Saturday.
(Charlie Neibergall / Associated Press)
When UCLA’s Trent Perry poked the ball away for a steal and went in for a layup in transition, the Bruins were within 47-42 with 10:44 left and Iowa’s only move was to call a timeout. But a big issue loomed for UCLA as guard Skyy Clark had gone to the bench with a hamstring injury that sidelined him for the rest of the game.
Stirtz finished with 27 points for the Hawkeyes (12-2, 2-1), who shot 46.8% to UCLA’s 44.6%.
The first half couldn’t have gone much worse for the Bruins.
It all started with an inability to finish at the rim. There were two Tyler Bilodeau misses at point-blank range — including a dunk — a Xavier Booker layup that was blocked and a Dent lob that was deflected and stolen. And that was just in the first five minutes.
Equally atrocious was the Bruins’ defense, players leaving the perimeter open on drive-and-dishes that led to a flurry of three-pointers.
Cronin was so disgusted with his team down by 23 points late in the half that he took off his suit jacket and lit into Perry during a timeout. UCLA went on to score the final five points of the half … and still trailed 40-22.
UCLA arrived here facing questions about its big men, its defense and its rebounding.
After opening the season as the starting power forward, Bilodeau had increasingly shifted back to center in recent games as part of a three-guard lineup. The move provided a clear advantage on the offensive end, where Bilodeau could outmaneuver slower counterparts, while not giving up anything on defense given the struggles of Booker and ongoing foul trouble of Steven Jamerson.
More troublesome for the Bruins was a defense that ranked among the worst of Cronin’s seven seasons in Westwood. Most of the problems have come around the rim, UCLA providing little resistance on the easiest of shots. The Bruins also entered the game ranked third-to-last in the Big Ten in rebounding.
None of those problems were solved Saturday, leaving the Bruins to contemplate further changes.
Jake Paul’s defeat by Anthony Joshua in their heavyweight bout in December has seen American boxer lose his WBA ranking.
Published On 3 Jan 20263 Jan 2026
Share
Jake Paul has slipped out of the WBA cruiserweight rankings after the YouTuber-turned-boxer was soundly beaten by former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua last month.
Paul’s jaw was broken in two places and the American needed surgery to repair the damage after Joshua’s sixth-round knockout victory in a heavyweight bout in Miami.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
The event had drawn criticism ahead of the bout due to the disparity in the sheer size and experience of the boxers, while Paul spent much of the fight dancing around the ring rather than engaging Joshua.
Paul (12-2, 7 KOs) had entered the WBA’s cruiserweight rankings at No 14 in July shortly after he beat 39-year-old Julio Cesar Chavez Jr by unanimous decision in Anaheim, California.
He was at No 15 entering the bout against Joshua. Bosnia’s Edin Puhalo has taken Paul’s place in the top 15, having recorded his 29th career win in December.
The WBA ranking announcement and changes were for the period ending December 31.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Morez Johnson Jr. scored a career-high 29 points, including 17 in the first half, and No. 2 Michigan beat No. 24 USC 96-66 on Friday night.
Roddy Gayle Jr. added 12 points for the Wolverines (13-0, 3-0 Big Ten), and Will Tschetter, Trey McKenney and L.J. Cason each scored 10.
Michigan is off to its best start since it won 17 straight games to start the 2018-19 season.
Jaden Brownell scored 16 points and Ezra Ausar added 15 for the Trojans (12-2, 1-2), whose only previous loss was by eight points against Washington on Dec. 6. Chad Baker-Mazara, who came into the game averaging 21 points, was hampered by early foul trouble and finished with 12 points on three-of-11 shooting.
Michigan starting guard Nimari Burnett was helped from the court with 16:25 left after falling during a battle under the basket. He went down to the floor and appeared to be bleeding above his eyebrow and holding his ankle. He sat on the bench the rest of the night.
The Wolverines bolted out to an 11-0 lead thanks to a defense that forced six early turnovers. USC got within five points twice in the first half and Michigan responded with a 32-19 run to build a 49-31 halftime advantage.
Coronation Street legend Beverley Callard, who starred as Rovers landlady Liz McDonald, has hit back at accusations she has taken weight loss medication to get into shape
Coronation Street legend Beverley Callard has shown off her weight loss (Image: ITV)
Beverley Callard has insisted she has not been using jabs to lose weight. The actress, 68, who is best known for her legendary portrayal of former Rovers Return landlady Liz McDonald on Coronation Street, is also a qualified fitness instructor alongside her television career and took to social media on Friday to show off her trim new figure.
But some followers did not believe that she had simply adopted a healthier diet and exercise regimen to drop the pounds and accused her of turning to “skinny jabs” as a quick fix.
In the video, Beverley said: “No girls, I am not on a skinny jab. I have worked out my whole life and I have been working my a** off, literally. Although I must say, I would not knock anybody who is on it. Just do what you’ve got to do.” The former I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! star, who was last seen in her signature soap role in 2020, also used the caption of her post to quash the accusations.
She wrote: “Just addressing some of the comments I’ve been getting recently about my weight… as there have been quite a few! I’ve spent my whole life doing fitness and working my arse off… literally! Each to their own when it comes to weight loss, but I’m not on any weight loss jabs. Just clearing that up!”
During the height of her television fame in the mid to late 1990s, Beverley released a series of workout videos and also wrote a fitness-themed column for the Mirror. Fans of the Two Pints of Lager and A Packet of Crisps actress rushed to the comments section to throw praise on the star.
One wrote: “You have always looked amazing @beverleycallard ignore all the comments those who love you and follow you know you’ve done this with healthy eating & good exercise happy new year to you & keep doing what your doing xx”
Another said: “I still use your exercise DVD, it’s still fab! You need to upload it or do a new one!” and a third wrote: “I’ve been working out to your DVDs for years. Along with Rosemary Conley, you are my favourite fitness instructor. I’d love to train with you for real if you ever decide to hold some local classes.”
Since quitting her role as Liz, Beverley moved from Manchester to Norfolk with her husband Jon McEwan and quickly started offering exercise classes in her local area. When she launched them in 2022, she said: “I can’t wait to meet you all. Thank you to all of you who have been in touch already! Those of you who have emailed but not filled in the questionnaire yet, please send me them!
“If you’re interested in being one of my 25 strong women and part of my new fitness classes.” Beverley was an aerobics teacher before she was cast as Angie Richards in Emmerdale in 1983, and when she left Coronation Street for the first time in 1998, she decided to focus on her fitness career once again.
She then appeared as Liz again from 2003 until 2011, and then again from 2013 until 20202. Once she left for the final time, Beveley admitted she had worked six days a week and filmed from 7am to 10pm in the evening.
Beverley also took a swipe at the writers of the long-running ITV soap as she spoke of why she doesn’t think the “scripts are as good now”, in comparison to when she first made her appearance as Liz in 1989.
In an interview with The Sun, Beverley said of her decision to leave: “As an actor, you’re scared to say no to a job, but the scripts came and I thought I’ve just got to trust my instincts really. It’s not nine to five, it’s like seven until ten at night and it’s six days a week, it’s really full on and you have no life, like it used to be a lot harder years ago when the cast was smaller. I personally don’t think the scripts are as good now, I think we’re overloaded with soap operas, which is a shame.”
Tight end Tyler Higbee is on track to return on Sunday for the season finale against the Arizona Cardinals.
Safety Quentin Lake will be back for the playoffs. Star receiver Davante Adams also could be held out till then.
The Rams, coming off consecutive losses to the Seattle Seahawks and the Atlanta Falcons, might appear to be limping toward their seventh postseason appearance in nine seasons under coach Sean McVay.
But a team that was regarded by many as the class of the league midway through the season should be at or near full strength when they play an NFC wild-card game next weekend.
“We’re getting healthy at the right time,” McVay said Friday.
Lake agreed.
“The league and the world kind of knew where we were at when we were at full strength,” Lake said. “We’re getting guys back at the right time and I feel like we’re going to hit our stride at the right time.”
The Rams, who at one time were seeded No. 1 in the NFC, are currently seeded No. 6.
If the San Francisco 49ers lose to the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday, and the Rams defeat the Cardinals on Sunday at SoFi Stadium, the Rams will climb to No. 5.
Regardless, McVay reiterated Friday that starters would play against the Cardinals, though how much remains to be seen.
Several starters are questionable because of injuries, including running backs Kyren Williams and Blake Corum because of ankle injuries and left tackle Alaric Jackson because of a knee injury that kept him out of last Monday’s loss to the Falcons.
Right guard Kevin Dotson, who also sat out against the Falcons because of an ankle injury, will not play Sunday, and his status for the wild-card round remains uncertain.
The Rams also at some point will make a decision regarding veteran right tackle Rob Havenstein. The 11th-year pro has been on injured reserve since mid-November. Warren McClendon Jr. has played well in his place, but Havenstein would give McVay flexibility if Jackson were injured and McClendon moved to the left side.
The Rams’ 27-24 loss to the Falcons did not result exclusively because of injuries, but the holes left by missing starters were apparent and in some cases glaring.
Veteran tackle D.J. Humphries struggled in Jackson’s place, and guard Justin Dedich is not as big and strong as Dotson. Falcons running back Bijan Robinson ran roughshod through a defense that was missing Lake.
Rams offensive tackle Alaric Jackson, right, blocks Detroit Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson during a Rams win on Dec. 14.
(Harry How / Getty Images)
“There is a reason why those guys that have been missed are starters,” McVay said, speaking generally, “because they give us the best chance to play at the optimum levels.”
Rams tight ends have played well during Higbee’s absence, but McVay and quarterback Matthew Stafford are eager for the 10th-year pro’s return.
Higbee caught 20 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns in nine games before he was injured during a Nov. 16 victory over the Seahawks.
He is looking forward to getting back into the flow on game day.
“Just try to be myself, bring the energy, bring the physicality and try to make some plays when it’s my turn,” Higbee said.
Stafford has deftly utilized tight ends Colby Parkinson, Davis Allen and Terrance Ferguson. Now he said he will welcome back Higbee, “the ultimate team player,” who helps bind teammates.
“Everybody calls him a glue guy,” Stafford said, “probably an understatement.”
Lake, a team captain, also brings more than talent to the field, which the Rams formally recognized this week when they awarded him a three-year extension that includes more than $25 million in guarantees.
Lake has been sidelined since suffering a left elbow injury that required surgery. He began practicing this week, and said he would be ready for the playoffs.
“The doctor was saying, ‘You came back pretty fast, but if you feel good and you have all the strength and range of motion, go ahead and cut it loose.’
“That’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
Adams sat out the last two games because of a hamstring injury, but he still leads the NFL with 14 touchdown catches.
Adams was limited in practices this week.
“We want to make sure that we’re getting everything ready to roll and being smart with him because of the position that he plays and the stress that that hamstring takes with some of the different things that we activate with him,” McVay said.
Star receiver Puka Nacua is among those happy to see Higbee, Lake and Adams on the practice field again.
“It’s fun to have all those guys out there,” he said. “I’d say their presence is definitely missed.”
Gage Goncalves scored the tiebreaking goal with 1:41 to play, and the Tampa Bay Lightning rallied from a late deficit to beat the Kings 5-3 on Thursday night for their sixth consecutive victory.
Anthony Cirelli scored the tying goal with 3:19 left in regulation for the Lightning, who fell behind early in the third period on Kevin Fiala‘s power-play goal.
Cirelli crashed the net and pushed home his 11th goal on a play set up by Brandon Hagel and Nikita Kucherov. Moments later, Cirelli and Goncalves drove the net again, and Goncalves eventually converted a behind-the-net pass from Jake Guentzel for his fourth goal.
Brayden Point had his first two-goal game of the season and Kucherov capped a three-point night by putting his 19th goal into an empty net for the Lightning, who have won back-to-back games to begin their three-game California road trip. Point also scored in Tampa Bay’s 4-3 overtime victory against the Ducks on Wednesday.
Jonas Johansson stopped 17 shots for Tampa Bay (24-13-3), which hasn’t lost since Dec. 18.
Fiala and Andrei Kuzmenko each had a goal and an assist on the power play for the Kings (16-14-9), who collapsed late in their eighth loss in 10 games despite scoring multiple man-advantage goals for the first time all season. Los Angeles entered the night with the NHL’s worst power play, scoring on just 14.4% of its chances.
Corey Perry had his first three-assist game since November 2019, setting up both power-play goals and giving him 499 career assists.
Jeff Malott also scored, and Darcy Kuemper returned from injury to make 18 saves in the Canadian Olympic team selection’s first appearance since Dec. 15.
Up next for the Kings: vs. Minnesota at Crypto.com Arena on Saturday.
A TEEN Mom favorite has shown off her drastic weight loss for the new year, and she looks like a completely different person.
In an emotional video, the MTV reality star revealed two scary health emergencies led her to totally change her eating and fitness habits, resulting in an incredible slim-down.
Sign up for the Showbiz newsletter
Thank you!
Shae Kogut said she was once so exhausted she had to take daily napsCredit: Instagram/shae_kogutShae said she now has more energy after her drastic weight lossCredit: Instagram/shae_kogut
Briana DeJesus‘ best friend Shae Kogut, 35, took to Instagram to cover her health journey over the course of 2025.
She said in 2024, she began suffering “gallbladder attacks,” and scheduled a surgery to get the organ removed.
“That’s where my health journey really began. My entire eating habits have changed,” Shae wrote.
“I learned what my body needed for fuel, I learned that protein is my best friend, I also learned that drinking water isn’t so bad.
“Before this heath journey started, I was drinking weekly, I was in taking so much sugar, my energy crashes were so bad to a point I couldn’t even function without daily naps.”
PAINFUL SURGERIES
In August 2025, the Teen Mom pal suffered “bloating and pain” in her stomach area, and discovered she needed to get cysts removed from her ovaries.
“Since my recovery, I’m able to do so much more physically than ever before because I don’t have the pain anymore!” she said.
“Truly thankful for this year, it taught me resilience, perseverance, and believing in myself again!
“I only share my life on here because I know others may be going through similar things! 2026 is going to be a ‘Me year.’
“Toning my body, being the best version of myself all around and I’m really excited to see what this year brings!”
She currently works as an Orlando-based influencer and Salty Honey brand ambassador.
Shae looks unrecognizable in new photos after her weight lossCredit: Instagram/shae_kogutShae has been close friends with Teen Mom star Briana DeJesus for yearsCredit: Instagram/@shae_kogut
A state Senate candidate whose picture was erroneously published on primary day with a story about a fraud case asked a judge to order a new election and make the Star Tribune pay for it. John Derus of Minneapolis said in his lawsuit that the use of his photo with the unrelated story about a charity fraud in Philadelphia hurt him in the election. Derus, a Democrat, lost to Linda Higgins by 104 votes out of about 6,300 cast in the Minneapolis district Sept. 10. He wants the newspaper to pay for a new primary, estimated at $20,000.
SAN ANTONIO — For a nine-win team such as USC, once again on the outside looking in at the College Football Playoff, the bowl season can feel a bit like purgatory. One foot in the past season, the other in the future, your team trapped somewhere in-between.
There were glimpses of each Tuesday night for USC in a brutal 30-27 overtime defeat to Texas Christian in the Alamo Bowl. There were equal reminders all night both of what could have been this season, had USC ever played at its best for long, and also flashes of why it never managed to be.
In one moment, there was freshman Tanook Hines, sprinting to catch a deep ball in stride, announcing himself as a rising star. In another, a TCU running back was busting his way through tackles on third-and-long, rumbling improbably into the end zone, deflating any such delusions of grandeur.
But after oscillating between those opposing poles, the final minutes against TCU took the Trojans on a tour of all their most glaring concerns from the 2025 season, from the leaky defense to the missed opportunities on offense.
Highlights from Texas Christian’s 30-27 overtime win over USC in the Alamo Bowl.
The Trojans saw a two-score lead evaporate in the final minutes of regulation. They got all the way to the five-yard line in overtime, only for the offense to stall and settle for a field goal. They even sacked TCU quarterback Ken Seals on second and 10, pushing the Horned Frogs out of field-goal range and forcing a third and 20.
All signs in that moment pointed toward the Trojans securing their 10th win, a feat they achieved only once over the past eight years. But then, against a three-man USC rush and with eight defenders in coverage, Seals checked down to running back Jeremy Payne in the flat.
“We did everything right defensively to put them in that position,” USC coach Lincoln Riley said.
Nothing, though, went right for USC after that. Payne broke through a tackle from cornerback Marcelles Williams. Two defenders, linebacker Jadyn Walker and safety Kennedy Urlacher, collided as they reached Payne next, missing him entirely. Then, he slipped through safety Christian Pierce’s hands and was suddenly sprinting free 35 yards for the win.
“Wasn’t a lot of time this year that we missed multiple tackles on a play,” Riley said. “It just happened in the worst time possible.”
That’s how most of the fourth quarter and overtime felt for USC, as TCU racked up 159 yards and 17 points over its final three drives.
Of course, there had been multiple chances before then for USC to put the game away, just like there were multiple chances for USC to make more of its 9-4 finish this season. The Trojans averaged nearly a full yard per play more than TCU. They racked up eight plays of 20 yards or more — a reminder of how explosive they could be.
In the red zone, though, the offense unraveled. Quarterback Jayden Maiava, who was inconsistent most of the night, threw a third-quarter interception in the end zone, just as USC looked primed to go on a roll.
Four other times, the Trojans stalled inside of TCU’s 25-yard line and settled for field goals as kicker Ryon Sayeri set the USC record for field goals in a season at 21.
“We just did not execute good enough in the red zone on either side of the ball,” Riley said. “If we did that, it’s probably a different feeling.”
Instead, the Trojans will have to carry this bitter taste into the offseason, with questions already looming about what comes next. Not the least of which being what direction USC will take its defense, after coordinator D’Anton Lynn departed for Penn State just before the game.
USC running back King Miller is stopped short by the Texas Christian defense in the first half during the Alamo Bowl on Tuesday night.
(Eric Gay / Associated Press)
Riley wouldn’t comment on why Lynn was replaced as playcaller the day of the bowl game. But when asked how he felt about the future of his defense, Riley projected a particularly sunny outlook.
“I feel fantastic,” he said. “But those who really study the game and watch how we’ve played and the way we’ve been able to improve, the arrow is just pointing straight up.”
Of all the questions raised Tuesday, how USC might replace its No. 1 wideout next season was not one of them. Hines had already done his part to earn that role, but declared it to the world anyway in a six-catch, 163-yard performance.
King Miller also continued to solidify his place in a tandem with Waymond Jordan in 2026, as he rushed for 99 yards and a touchdown, coming up just short of the 1,000-yard mark in a season he started as a walk-on.
USC coach Lincoln Riley, right, greets TCU coach Sonny Dykes after the Trojans’ overtime loss in the Alamo Bowl on Tuesday night.
(Kenneth Richmond / Getty Images)
But the silver linings largely stopped there, even if the circumstances made for an unusually uphill climb with USC’s roster. Over a dozen starters or would-be starters sat out. Three of the Trojans’ starting offensive linemen didn’t dress. Both of their top receivers and top tight end were in street clothes, having declared for the NFL draft. Twenty-five players listed in USC’s two-deep Tuesday were either freshmen or redshirt freshmen.
Without Lynn calling plays, which a source described as “a mutual agreement”, defensive line coach Eric Henderson stepped into the role.
It went quite smoothly at first. USC held TCU to two straight three-and-outs — and just 11 total yards in two drives — to open the game.
But on the ensuing possession, Maiava threw into heavy coverage and was intercepted, his first of two on the night. The momentum USC had built up early dissolved almost instantly.
The defense’s strong start faded into disarray. And while it came roaring back after halftime, forcing an interception and limiting TCU to just 35 yards in the third quarter, USC’s offense couldn’t fully capitalize. A one-handed touchdown pass to Jaden Richardson nearly did the trick, giving the Trojans a 21-14 lead that seemed primed to balloon from there.
But it never did. And in the final, stunned moments of its season, Riley was left offering the same assurances that USC will soon be out of purgatory.
“When you’ve been in those programs and been a part of those teams that have done those things, you feel what it’s like,” Riley said. “And this place is doing all the things that you need to do to put yourself in position to go bust that door down and do it.”
TCU players celebrate after beating USC in the Alamo Bowl on Tuesday night.
From Ryan Kartje: For a nine-win team such as USC, once again on the outside looking in at the College Football Playoff, the bowl season can feel a bit like purgatory. One foot in the past season, the other in the future, your team trapped somewhere in-between.
There were glimpses of each Tuesday night for USC in a brutal 30-27 overtime defeat to Texas Christian in the Alamo Bowl. There were equal reminders all night both of what could have been this season, had USC ever played at its best for long, and also flashes of why it never managed to be.
In one moment, there was freshman Tanook Hines, sprinting to catch a deep ball in stride, announcing himself as a rising star. In another, a TCU running back was busting his way through tackles on third-and-long, rumbling improbably into the end zone, deflating any such delusions of grandeur.
But after oscillating between those opposing poles, the final minutes against TCU took the Trojans on a tour of all their most glaring concerns from the 2025 season, from the leaky defense to the missed opportunities on offense.
The Trojans saw a two-score lead evaporate in the final minutes of regulation. They got all the way to the five-yard line in overtime, only for the offense to stall and settle for a field goal. They even sacked TCU quarterback Ken Seals on second and 10, pushing the Horned Frogs out of field-goal range and forcing a third and 20.
All signs in that moment pointed toward the Trojans securing their 10th win, a feat they achieved only once over the past eight years. But then, against a three-man USC rush and with eight defenders in coverage, Seals checked down to running back Jeremy Payne in the flat.
“We did everything right defensively to put them in that position,” USC coach Lincoln Riley said.
Detroit Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart scores during a 128-106 win over the Lakers at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday night.
(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
From Broderick Turner: The Lakers are still searching for an identity after 31 games, a task complicated by injuries that have depleted their rotation for much of the season.
They’re lacking a defensive personality. They haven’t been a physical team, an overly athletic team or a fast team.
The Lakers got a close look at a team that embodies all of those characteristics in a 128-106 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena.
Coach JJ Redick acknowledged the Lakers are still trying to figure out who they are and how they can fix their issues after losing for the fourth time in five games.
“The players, staff, everybody, we’ve really tried to play the right way every night and have the right intent,” Redick said. “The flow of lineups and rotations and all that has been challenging for everybody, not just the coaches. It’s a challenge for the players. And building an identity is difficult.”
James Harden had 21 points while John Collins and rookie Yanic Konan Niederhauser each added 16 for the Clippers, who have found a successful formula after not winning more than two consecutive games before their current run of success began.
Leonard’s productive night came after he scored a career-best 55 points in a victory over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday. He has averaged 37.8 points over the past five games.
How Curt Cignetti Indiana into a Rose Bowl favorite
Indiana players say coach Curt Cignetti’s honesty and accountability have helped the team go from the Big Ten basement to No. 1 in the country.
(Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press)
From Anthony Solorzano: Curt Cignetti knows winning. No matter where he finds himself, whether it’s James Madison or with the Division II IUP Crimson Hawks, success follows him. Since getting the opportunity to lead a program, Cignetti has never had a losing season.
When Indiana hired him in November 2023, the Hoosiers were the program with the most all-time losses in college football history, and ended the season with a 3-9 record under Tom Allen.
It wasn’t a work in progress, the Hoosiers football program needed to be rebuilt.
On New Year’s Day, Indiana will face Alabama in the highly anticipated Rose Bowl matchup. The Crimson Tide have a rich postseason history and a tradition of championships, but the Hoosiers are the favorites to win.
Anthony Rendon clears path to end his Angels tenure
Anthony Rendon’s tenure with the Angels could be drawing to a close with the third baseman agreeing to a restructured contract with the team.
(Tony Gutierrez / Associated Press)
From the Associated Press: Anthony Rendon has agreed to restructure the final year of his $245-million, seven-year contract with the Angels, a person with knowledge of the decision told the Associated Press on Tuesday night.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Angels hadn’t announced any developments with Rendon, who didn’t play last season following hip surgery.
The team and Rendon have amended the deal to restructure the remaining $38 million owed to the third baseman in 2026, presumably spreading the money over time.
Rendon is still on the roster and continuing to rehab at home in Houston, but his horrendous tenure with the Angels could be over.
1961 — Paul Hornung, on leave from the Army, scores 19 points to lead the Green Bay Packers to a 37-0 win over the New York Giants for their seventh NFL championship. Green Bay’s Bart Starr throws three touchdown passes in the first title game ever played in Green Bay.
1962 — The American Basketball League folds. The ABL played one full season, 1961-1962, and part of this season. The ABL is the first basketball league to have a three point shot for baskets scored far away from the goal. The league also had a 30-second shooting clock and a wider free throw lane, 18 feet instead of the standard 12.
1973 — Third-ranked Notre Dame edges top-ranked Alabama 24-23 in the Sugar Bowl. Notre Dame’s Bob Thomas kicks a 19-yard field goal with 4:26 left to give the Irish a one-point lead. With two minutes left, the Irish clinch the victory when on third-and-8 from the their own 3, Tom Clements completes a 35-yard pass from his own end zone to Robin Weber, and Notre Dame runs out the clock.
1982 — Jockey Pat Day edges Angel Cordero Jr. by two races to capture leading rider honors. Day rides Dana’s Woof and Miltons Magic to victory during the evening program at Delta Downs for 399 wins for the year.
1988 — A blinding fog rolls in during the second quarter of the Chicago Bears’ 20-12 NFC semifinal victory over the Philadelphia Eagles at Soldier Field in Chicago. The fog obscures the game from most of the 65,534 fans present and a national television audience that could watch only ground-level shots.
1989 — Jockey Kent Desormeaux sets the world record for most number of wins in a single season. His 598th win is aboard 2-year-old East Royalty in the Inner Harbor Stakes at Laurel Racecourse.
2005 — Harness drivers Catello Manzi and Brian Spears each set single-season records. Manzi, 55, becomes the oldest harness driver to lead North America in victories (727), even without a win on the last day. Sears becomes the first driver to surpass $15 million ($15,085,991) in pursue earnings.
2013 — Johnny Manziel lives up to his nickname “Johnny Football,” leading 20 Texas A&M to another comeback win, 52-48 over No. 22 Duke in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. The Aggies are down 38-17 at halftime but with Manziel at the helm they came back in the highest-scoring game in the bowl’s history. The 2012 Heisman trophy winner throws four touchdown passes, completes 30 of 38 passes for 382 yards and runs for 73 yards and a touchdown.
2016 — Top-ranked Alabama relies on a stifling defense and the bruising runs of Bo Scarbrough to wear down Washington for a 24-7 victory in the Peach Bowl semifinal game.
2016 — Deshaun Watson runs for two touchdowns and throws another and No. 3 Clemson crushes No. 2 Ohio State 31-0 on in the Fiesta Bowl to set up a rematch with Alabama for the College Football Playoff national championship.
2017 — The Cleveland Browns complete the second 0-16 season in NFL history with a 28-24 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
2017 — The Buffalo Bills snap the longest current non-playoff streak in North American pro sports with a 22-16 victory at Miami and Cincinnati’s victory at Baltimore. The Bills hadn’t made the postseason since 1999.
2018 — Houston guard James Harden scores 43 points in Rockets’ 113-101 win over Memphis Grizzlies; 4th straight NBA game with 40+ points and 8th straight with 35+; joins Oscar Robertson as only player with at least 35 points & 5 assists in 8 straight games.
Until next time…
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Ethan Hill and Shalen Sheppard were the twin towers for Brentwood’s boys basketball team last winter. Now, without one of his best buddies, Hill is learning to cope just fine — and his teammates are following his lead.
The 6-foot-7 sophomore forward had 32 points and 18 rebounds while earning all-tournament honors as the Eagles held off Millikan 75-68 to win the Silver Division championship Tuesday afternoon in the Classic at Damien.
To the surprise of his coaches and teammates, Sheppard decided at the end of September to transfer to Crossroads in Santa Monica. He is one of the highest-rated players in his graduating class.
Shalen Sheppard scores 22 points for Crossroads in a Gold Division consolation game against San Joaquin Memorial during the Classic at Damien on Dec. 30, 2025.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
“Honestly, I was just shocked,” Hill said upon learning of Sheppard’s departure. “We’ve been playing together since eighth grade. We just had the craziest chemistry. It’s a bigger challenge without him, but I believe we’re up to it. Our coaching staff pushed us hard every day.”
Led by their two fantastic freshmen, the Eagles went 25-5 last season. Sheppard averaged 16.6 points and 8.0 rebounds per game while Hill averaged 8.4 points and 5.5 rebounds.
“Leaving Ethan was one of the hardest parts about transferring,” said Sheppard, who scored 22 points in the Roadrunners’ 57-48 loss to San Joaquin Memorial in a Gold Division consolation game earlier in the day at Ramona Middle School. “I play AAU with him and he’s one of the first people I called the night I decided.”
The sit-out period for transfers ended right before the Damien tournament. With four games under his belt, Sheppard is adjusting to being without his frontcourt mate.
“I was getting double-teamed a lot so I got a little tired but as a squad we’re playing real tough teams right now,” he said. “It’s hard without Ethan. Him being a big body and taking up the middle cleared a lot of space for me. I might go over and watch his game later.”
Crossroads (9-8) faces a huge test Saturday against Crean Lutheran, ranked fifth in the Southland by The Times. On Tuesday, Crean Lutheran fell to No. 10 Crespi 57-54 for third in the Platinum Division.
“I have more gym time because Crossroads is not as academically rigid,” Sheppard said. “Traffic was a factor also. I live in the same place, but I can take the Metro or the bus to school. Sunset [Boulevard] at rush hour wasn’t fun.”
Brentwood guard AJ Okoh drives for a layup on his way to MVP honors in the Silver Division championship game of the Classic at Damien on Tuesday.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
Meanwhile, Hill and junior guard AJ Okoh are building chemistry, and it showed against Millikan. Okoh dished out four assists and scored 23 points, including a three-pointer which gave the Eagles a five-point cushion with 1:30 remaining. He was named most valuable player. Fellow guard Auggie Sugarman netted 14 points and named to the all-tournament team.
“AJ and I complement each other well,” said Hill, whose scoring was as balanced as can be — 11 points in the first quarter, six in the second, eight in the third and seven in the fourth. “He gets downhill quick and his passing ability is amazing.”
Senior Jeremiah Hunt made seven three-pointers to keep the Rams (11-6) in striking distance and finished with a game-high 34 points. Freshman guard Quali Giran, who entered the contest averaging 24.5 points per game, finished with 18 points and eight assists and joined Hunt on the all-tournament team.
Crespi’s Rodney Mukendi tries to block a jump shot by Crean Lutheran’s Chadrack Mpoyi in the third-place game of the Platinum Division in The Classic at Damien on Dec. 30, 2025.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
Brentwood, ranked 19th in The Times’ Top 25 poll, has won seven in a row since its lone loss to Goodyear (Ariz.) Millennium on Dec. 17 and improved to 17-1. The Eagles beat Woodland Hills Taft, Newport Beach Pacifica Christian and Dublin on their way to the finals.
“Not having Shalen puts a lot more attention on me and that frees up my teammates,” Hill said. “We have the same goal, to go all the way and I have all the confidence and belief in us.”
Hill and Sheppard look forward to reuniting Jan. 9 in the first of two Gold Coast League matchups between their schools.
GEMMA Collins has shown off her impressive three stone weight loss in a bikini after turning to fat jabs.
The 44-year-old took to Instagram to proudly share a picture of herself looking slimmed down in a turquoise and black two-piece bikini set.
Sign up for the Showbiz newsletter
Thank you!
Gemma Collins has proudly shown off her impressive weight lossCredit: InstagramThe reality star began using NHS-approved Mounjaro last yearCredit: Instagram
The reality star showed off the results of her huge weight loss as she stood on a beach with a pair of black sunglasses on.
She looked happier than ever and comfortable in her skin as her tanned body glistened in the sun.
Gemma took the opportunity to wish her followers an early happy new year as she captioned the post with an insightful message.
She penned: “As we step into 2026, do so with grace, confidence and unwavering self- belief. Your intuition is sacred guidance – trust it, honour it and allow it to lead the way.
“Never dilute the essence of who you are to meet the expectations of others. The foundations of your soul were divinely designed and do not need to be changed.
“True luxury is authenticity. True power is alignment. When you remain rooted in your truth, abundance flows naturally. Stay real, stay grounded and stay radiant. Your presence alone is powerful.”
The former TOWIE star continued: “May 2026 bring elevated success, abundant wealth, deep inner peace and soul-level happiness to everyone.
“May your path be blessed, your heart protected and your dreams manifested with ease.
“You are becoming. You are rising. You are exactly where you are meant to be. HAPPY NEW YEAR,” she signed off.
Her followers flocked to the comments section and many couldn’t help but compliment her on her figure.
One person gushed: “Well said Gemma, you look fabulous. Love to you all xxx.”
Another fan penned: “Looking fab, love your swimwear,” while somebody else enthused: “Wow! You look amazing x.”
A fourth added: “That’s so lovely, so beautiful. May you have the most amazing 2026. You look stunning by the way, radiant.”
The weight loss comes after she began getting help from the NHS-approved Mounjaro back in November last year.
Having struggled with weight gain since being diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome aged 28, Gemma weighed in at over 23st and a size 26 at her heaviest.
She proudly told OK! Magazine: “I’ve actually just lost another stone and four pounds, I feel really good.
“I love myself as I am – you’ve got to be kind to yourself, it’s just about constantly remembering to make those right choices and be mindful.”
The I’m A Celeb star added: “I don’t put pressure on myself.
“It didn’t take you five minutes to gain it and it’s not going to take you five minutes to lose it.”
The reality TV star, who is a poster girl for shapely women, now only eats one meal a day after a two-decade battle with her body.
However she refuses to lose her famous curves, previously telling The Sun: “Nothing against skinny people, but I don’t ever want to be thin.”
She added: “Darling, I became most famous being who I am.
“If I got stick thin overnight, it would kill my brand, my endorsements and it wouldn’t be me.”
Gemma has been open about her struggles with her weight over the yearsCredit: GettyShe now only eats one meal a dayCredit: Getty
ATLANTA — The Rams already knew they will be on the road for the playoffs, a difficult assignment for any team.
It’s trending toward becoming one especially tough for the Rams, who only a few weeks ago appeared to be the class of the NFC, if not the NFL.
Not anymore.
On Monday night, the Rams for much of their game against the Atlanta Falcons, looked like a team on the road to nowhere. Or one more interested in limping through the end of the regular season before turning it on for the playoffs.
Gary Klein breaks down what went wrong for the Rams in their 27-24 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night.
It was the Rams’ second loss in a row, both coming on the road.
“Here we are again in a disappointing situation,” coach Sean McVay said.
The loss dropped the Rams to 11-5 going into Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium.
On Saturday, the Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers will play for the NFC West title and the No. 1 seed in the NFC. The Rams are seeded No. 6. If the Seahawks defeat the 49ers, and the Rams beat the Cardinals, the Rams could move up to No. 5.
McVay said starters would play against the Cardinals rather than rest for the playoffs.
“They were going to play anyways,” McVay said. “We need to play better football.”
Way better.
Defensive lineman Kobie Turner said McVay told the team that if they play in the wild-card round like they did on Monday night, they were going to be sitting on their couches watching the rest of the postseason.
“It’s the reality of the situation,” Turner said, adding, “I back him. … That’s not where we want to be.”
The Rams have no choice about where they will begin their postseason as they attempt to earn a Super Bowl berth for the third time in McVay’s nine seasons.
They will not be at SoFi Stadium, where they have lost only once this season. The Rams’ other losses — to Philadelphia, Carolina, Seattle and Atlanta — came on the road.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford tries to avoid diving Atlanta Falcons linebacker Khalid Kareem during the second half of the Rams’ 27-24 loss Monday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
(Brynn Anderson / Associated Press)
Monday’s defeat by the Falcons (7-9), coming on the heels of their 38-37 overtime loss in Seattle on Dec. 18, gave the Rams consecutive road games defeats for the first time since the start of the 2024 season, when they lost their opener in overtime at Detroit and then got routed at Arizona.
Players could not explain Monday night’s first-half malaise.
“It’s a little embarrassing because we preach about the things we want to get done, and we know how good we can be,” offensive lineman Steve Avila said. “And today was probably the worst we’ve ever shown.”
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford moved past Ben Roethlisberger into sixth place on the NFL’s all-time passing yards list, but there was not much to be happy about on a night that had set up as a possible MVP-clinching stage.
Stafford completed 22 of 38 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns but had three passes intercepted, including one that was returned for a touchdown.
“I obviously didn’t play well enough,” he said. “That’s what it is.”
Rams coach Sean McVay speaks with quarterback Matthew Stafford in the fourth quarter Monday against the Falcons.
(Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)
The first half was a nightmare for Stafford, who went into the game with a league-leading 40 touchdown passes and only five interceptions.
The Falcons built a 21-0 halftime lead on Bijan Robinson’s touchdown catch, Jessie Bates III’s interception return for a touchdown and Robinson’s 93-yard touchdown run, which came one play after Xavier Watts got the first of his two interceptions.
Robinson finished with 195 yards rushing and also caught a touchdown pass.
If there was a bright spot for the Rams, it was special teams. Just over a week after McVay elevated Ben Kotwica to replace fired special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn, Jared Verse blocked a field-goal attempt and returned it 76 yards for a touchdown that cut the Falcons’ lead to 24-17 with less than a minute left in the third quarter.
The Rams’ chances for a comeback appeared to end when Watts intercepted another pass with just more than nine minutes left.
But Stafford’s 11-yard touchdown pass to Puka Nacua tied the score with 2:46 left.
Gonzalez’s field goal put the Falcons ahead by three.
Stafford got the ball one last time, but he missed a wide-open Xavier Smith on a route, and Tutu Atwell and Nacua could not come up with deep passes. With five seconds left, Stafford’s fourth-down pass to Nacua fell incomplete.
So instead of resting for the playoffs, starters will try to get the Rams back on track in the season finale.
“We don’t need rest right now,” Turner said. “We need momentum.”
Macklin Celebrini became the third player with 60 points this season with a goal and two assists in the San José Sharks’ 5-4 victory over the Ducks on Monday night.
Mario Ferraro, Igor Chernyshov, William Eklund and Zach Ostapchuk also scored for the Sharks, who earned their second win since the holiday break despite getting outshot 43-13. Yaroslav Askarov made 38 saves.
Troy Terry scored two goals, Cutter Gauthier got his 19th goal and Pavel Mintyukov also scored for the Ducks, who have lost three straight and seven of nine while falling out of first place in the Pacific Division. Lukas Dostal allowed four goals on nine shots before Petr Mrazek replaced him during the second period.
With his seventh multipoint game of December, Celebrini needed just 39 games to get 60 points — the most scored by a teenager before New Year’s Day in the NHL. He also extended his points streak to eight games.
Celebrini left the ice after getting hit in the face by a deflected puck in the third period, but returned several minutes later.
Alexander Wennberg set up San José’s first two goals with exceptional passes, but Anaheim scored off an atrocious turnover by Askarov. He gave away the puck behind his net to Nikita Nesterenko, who found an uncontested Terry.
Celebrini scored his 21st goal late in the first, and he set up Chernyshov’s second career goal in the second. Eklund chased Dostal with his 10th goal after another clever pass by Celebrini.
Gauthier scored late in the second before setting up Mintyukov early in the third.
San José scored on two of its three shots in the second period, and it didn’t put the puck on Anaheim’s net in the first 11 minutes of the third. Ostapchuk still made it 5-3 on a long tip with 6:13 to play, but Terry scored moments later with Mrazek pulled.
From Gary Klein: The Rams already knew they will be on the road for the playoffs, a difficult assignment for any team.
It’s trending toward becoming one especially tough for the Rams, who only a few weeks ago appeared to be the class of the NFC, if not the NFL.
Not anymore.
On Monday night, the Rams for much of their game against the Atlanta Falcons, looked like a team on the road to nowhere. Or one more interested in limping through the end of the regular season before turning it on for the playoffs.
They overcame a 21-point deficit to tie the score, but Zane Gonzalez’s 51-yard field goal with 21 seconds left sent the Rams to a 27-24 defeat at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
It was the Rams’ second loss in a row, both coming on the road.
“Here we are again in a disappointing situation,” coach Sean McVay said.
The loss dropped the Rams to 11-5 going into Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium.
Lincoln Riley takes aim at Notre Dame before Holiday Bowl
Before facing TCU in the Alamo Bowl, USC coach Lincoln Riley called out Notre Dame for turning down a chance to renew its series with the Trojans.
(Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times)
From Ryan Kartje: The century-old rivalry series between USC and Notre Dame is taking a few years off, and as far as Lincoln Riley is concerned, that’s the fault of the Irish.
In his first public comments since the series was officially put on hiatus, the USC coach put the blame squarely on Notre Dame for not accepting USC’s most recent offer to continue the rivalry, which would have moved the 2026 game, usually scheduled in November, to the very beginning of the season.
“It’s pretty simple,” Riley said Monday, ahead of USC’s bowl matchup with Texas Christian. “We both worked for months to try to find a solution. Notre Dame was very vocal about the fact that they would play us anytime, anywhere.
“Jen Cohen, our AD, went back to Notre Dame roughly a couple of weeks ago with a scenario and a proposal that would extend the series for the next two years. We took Notre Dame at their word that they would play us anytime, anywhere. That proposal was rejected.
“Not only was it rejected, but five minutes after we got the call, it was announced they scheduled another opponent, which I’ll give them credit, that might be the fastest scheduling act in college football history.”
USC guard Londynn Jones drives around Nebraska’s Britt Prince to score during the second half at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Monday in Lincoln, Neb.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
From the Associated Press:Londynn Jones scored all 13 of her points in a pivotal third quarter to help rally No. 17 USC to a 74-66 victory over previously unbeaten Nebraska on Monday in Big Ten play.
Jones, who took just one shot in the first half and missed it, buried three straight three-pointers after teammate Jazzy Davidson grabbed a rebound and scored to begin the third quarter. The Trojans (10-3, 2-0) used an 11-0 run to turn a two-point halftime deficit into a 47-38 lead in less than two minutes.
The Cornhuskers (12-1, 1-1) trailed 65-52 after three quarters but whittled the deficit to 69-65 on a rebound basket by Britt Prince with 2:42 left. Kara Dunn answered with a basket and then made one of two free throws with 59 seconds left to help USC prevail.
UCLA guard Kiki Rice, center, shoots between Ohio State guard Kylee Kitts, left, and UCLA forward Angela Dugalic during the first half of the Bruins’ 82-75 win.
Kiki Rice added 16 points and Angela Dugalic scored 15 as UCLA (12-1, 2-0 Big Ten) beat the Buckeyes for the fourth straight time, dating to December 2023.
Jaloni Cambridge led all scorers with 28 points, and Elsa Lemmila added 13 points and seven rebounds for Ohio State (11-2, 1-1), which had its nine-game winning streak halted in its conference home opener.
The Lakers responded to three blowout losses and a spirited team meeting by playing one of their most complete games of the season Sunday to earn a 125-101 win over the Sacramento Kings at Crypto.com Arena. For the first time this year, the Lakers (20-10) outscored their opponent in every quarter with Luka Doncic (34 points) and LeBron James (24 points) leading the way despite Austin Reaves’ absence.
“Hopefully,” forward Jake LaRavia said, “this is the first of a mini win streak.”
Colorado Avalanche goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood, left, stops a shot by Kings forward Adrian Kempe in the first period of L.A.’s 5-2 loss Monday night.
(David Zalubowski / Associated Press)
From the Associated Press:Nathan MacKinnon scored the 399th goal of his career, Brock Nelson had a goal and an assist, and the surging Colorado Avalanche won their eighth in a row 5-2 over the Kings on Monday night.
MacKinnon added an assist to go with his NHL-leading 32nd goal this season. Jack Drury, Cale Makar and Martin Necas also scored for the Avalanche, who have won 14 in a row at home.
Colorado has points in 28 of their last 29 games and are 10-0-1 in their last 11 to continue their historic start to the season. Colorado reached 65 points in 38 games, second all time to the 1929-30 Boston Bruins.
Mario Ferraro, Igor Chernyshov, William Eklund and Zach Ostapchuk also scored for the Sharks, who earned their second win since the holiday break despite getting outshot 43-13. Yaroslav Askarov made 38 saves.
Troy Terry scored two goals, Cutter Gauthier got his 19th goal and Pavel Mintyukov also scored for the Ducks, who have lost three straight and seven of nine while falling out of first place in the Pacific Division. Lukas Dostal allowed four goals on nine shots before Petr
1956 — The New York Giants win the NFL title with a 47-7 rout of the Chicago Bears.
1962 — The Green Bay Packers beat the New York Giants 16-7 to win the NFL title for the second straight year.
1973 — The Minnesota Vikings beat the Dallas Cowboys 27-10 to win the NFC championship.
1973 — The Miami Dolphins, behind 266 yards rushing, beat the Oakland Raiders 27-10 for an unprecedented third straight AFC title.
1981 — In the 39th game of the season, Edmonton’s Wayne Gretzky scores five goals, including his 50th into an empty net, to lead the Oilers to a 7-5 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. Gretzy betters the mark of 50 goals in 50 games held by Maurice Richard and Mike Bossy.
1990 — Orlando point guard Scott Skiles dishes out an NBA-record 30 assists in a 155-116 victory against the Denver Nuggets. Skiles breaks the record of 29 assists set by the Nets’ Kevin Porter in 1978.
2000 — Nebraska ends a disappointing season by setting a bowl record for points in a 66-17 victory over Northwestern in the Alamo Bowl.
2002 — TCU sets an NCAA record for fewest points allowed when the Lady Frogs beat Texas Southern 76-16. The 16 points allowed breaks the Division I record for fewest points. Prairie View scored 19 points against Jackson State in 1983.
2007 — Drew Brees sets an NFL record with 443 completions, passing the previous mark of 418 set by Rich Gannon in 2002. Brees completes 35 of 60 passes for 320 yards with three TD passes in New Orleans’ 33-25 loss to Chicago.
2008 — NFL head coach Mike Shanahan is fired by the Denver Broncos.
2010 — Top-ranked Connecticut’s record 90-game winning streak in women’s basketball ends when No. 9 Stanford outplays the Huskies from the start in a 71-59 victory at Maples Pavilion — where the Cardinal have their own streak going. Stanford hasn’t lost in 52 games at home. The Cardinal took an early 13-point lead, never trailed and didn’t let the mighty Huskies back in it.
2016 — Isaiah Thomas scores 29 of his career-high 52 points in the fourth quarter, setting a club record for points in a period and leading Boston to a 117-114 victory over the Miami Heat.
2017 — Alex Hornibrook throws four touchdown passes, three of them to Danny Davis, and No. 6 Wisconsin caps off the winningest season in school history by topping No. 11 Miami 34-24 in the Orange Bowl. Jonathan Taylor finishes his record-setting freshman season with 130 rushing yards on 26 carries for the Badgers (13-1). Taylor finishes the year with an FBS-freshman-record 1,977 yards.
2018 — Patrick Mahomes becomes only the 2nd quarterback in NFL history to throw for 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns during KC Chiefs’ 35-3 win over Oakland Raiders; achieves both marks with 3rd quarter 89-yard TD pass to Demarcus Robinson.
2020 — San Antonio assistant Becky Hammon becomes first female to coach an NBA team after Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich is ejected in a 121-107 loss to the Lakers
Until next time …
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
