Pierce

Pierce College won’t have a football season in 2026.

The community college in Woodland Hills announced it has placed the football program “on hiatus” for 2026.

Players were informed Monday and were told they should look for another program if they wanted to play immediately.

Orange Coast College also has paused its season and won’t play in 2026.

In its official statement, a spokesperson indicated “health and safety concerns” as the reason for the hiatus. The school was monitoring the roster during the summer and delayed a final decision “as long as possible” hoping the roster would expand.

Here’s the statement:

“Los Angeles Pierce College has made the difficult decision to place its football program on hiatus for the 2026 season.

“This decision was made after a careful evaluation of the program and with the health and safety of our student-athletes as our highest priority. While we are disappointed that we will not field a football team this season, our immediate focus is supporting our student-athletes and helping those who wish to continue competing identify opportunities with other collegiate programs. We are working closely with the Southern California Football Association and other area colleges to provide opportunities for student-athletes to compete. Our priority is minimizing disruption to students’ academic progress and while supporting their athletic goals.”

Football teams have always been important contributors for enrollment at the junior college level.

Briton Mark Chamberlain stunned Republic of Ireland’s Pierce O’Leary as he dropped him twice on the way to securing a knockout win in the 10th round to claim the IBO light-welterweight belt.

Chamberlain had to climb off the canvas himself in the seventh round as O’Leary struck him with a ferocious body shot in front of a capacity crowd in Dublin.

But just as momentum appeared to be swinging in the favour of O’Leary, Chamberlain found a breakthrough and managed to get the stoppage late on.

Portsmouth’s Chamberlain now moves to 18 wins with one defeat, bouncing back to winning ways for the first time since losing to Josh Padley in 2024.

This was Chamberlain’s first fight since he drew with Jack Rafferty in Altrincham last summer.

“First of all respect to Pierce for giving me this opportunity,” Chamberlain told DAZN after the fight.

“I’m not a stranger to an away day and anyone that knows me knows that I will fight anyone and if that means that I have to go into the champions’ back garden then I will do that.

“I’ve never been hurt before in a fight but that body shot stopped me in my tracks but fortunately I was able to get thorugh it and weather the storm.

“We’ve been working on new things in the gym and it’s all paid off, I asked Frank (Warren) in the dressing room before the fight if we could bring a show down to Portsmouth, I’d love that. “

After a tight and cagey first round, Chamberlain stunned the home crowd of around 7,000 as he landed a flush left hand that sent O’Leary flying back onto the canvas.

Chamberlain then found another big shot in the next round as he sent his opponent to the floor again with a short left hook.

But O’Leary responded well to the knockdowns, rallied by his home crowd as he pressed on to find a way back into the fight.

He then found a breakthrough at the end of the seventh round as he backed Chamberlain into a corner and sent a punishing shot into his chest.

Chamberlain was slow to get to his feet but survived the count and managed to avoid major punishment before the bell sounded.

O’Leary continued to press on, with Chamberlain looking tired and the Irishman buoyed by the crowd.

But Chamberlain struck in the 10th with a combination that saw O’Leary drop his hands and then pressed on, landing a number of clean shots that included a straight right hand to send O’Leary tumbling into the ropes and to the canvas.

Fight promoter Frank Warren revealed after the fight that there is a rematch clause in the fight contract that could see the pair fight again in the near future.

PIERCE Brosnan, 73, has been spotted with his rarely seen wife Keely, 63, as they went out to lunch at celebrity hotspot E. Baldi in Beverly Hills.

The former James Bond actor, was all smiles as he left the restaurant with a bag and a cold drink.

Keely, looked stunning in a white summer dress and lemon cardigan which she paired with Chanel sandals and sunglasses.

The pair looked as loved up as ever as they drove back home after their lunch date.

Pierce and Keely have been married for 25 years and met at a beach party in 1994 – she was a journalist and had flown out to interview Cheers actor Ted Danson, who had attended the same party.

When Ted left, Keely found herself talking to Pierce, and the two hit it off.

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They shared their first date a few days later in Mexico, sitting under the stars as they held hands and talked until 3am.

The couple married at Ballintubber Abbey in County Mayo, Ireland, in 2001, just six months after welcoming son Paris.

“He was captivating. Tall, dark, and handsome. Everything that everybody would immediately be attracted to,” she said.

“He had a mischievous sparkle in his eyes.”

Pierce has said that when he first laid eyes on sultry brunette Keely at the beach party, he fell head over heels.

But in January this year, Pierce, who says he still fancies the pants off his “passionate” wife who makes him “weak at the knees”, was left blindsided by a cruel post targeting Keely online, which ended up going viral. 

Shared on X, it featured two snaps: one from the 1996 Governors Ball for the Academy Awards and another of the couple at the 2008 Mamma Mia! premiere.

The vile troll captioned it: “Dear men, this is why marriage should be avoided.”

The cutting words, which took a cruel swipe at Keely’s weight, sparked outrage. She was inundated with comments of support.

But insiders told us that Pierce, who shares sons Dylan, 29, and Paris, 25, with Keely,  has reached his limit with it all.

A pal of the star told me “He was really furious about it and finds it incredibly sad that their whole marriage is reduced to talk about Keely’s weight. 

“It is truly devastating for him that her body is all anyone talks about. For him, Keely is everything.”

Pierce has described his wife, who he tenderly calls “my girl”, as “a strength I wouldn’t be able to live without”.

He gushed in the past: “I love her vitality, her passion. When Keely looks at me, I go weak at the knees.”

Last week teaser images were released of Pierce in MobLand alongside telly hardman Tom Hardy and Dame Helen Mirren in what is gearing up to be the most explosive season yet.