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Treble winners Hull KR will start the defence of their Super League title with a visit to newly promoted York Knights in the opening game of the 2026 season.

Rovers will travel to York’s LNER Community Stadium on Thursday, 12 February (20:00 GMT).

Hull KR won the Challenge Cup, League Leaders’ Shield and Grand Final last season, sealing the title by beating previous champions Wigan Warriors 24-6 at Old Trafford in October.

York are one of three new clubs in Super League for next season as part of an expanded 14-team competition.

The Knights and Toulouse Olympique were selected to join the top flight by an independent panel, while Bradford Bulls were promoted in place of financially troubled Salford Red Devils after climbing to 10th in this year’s grading system.

York will play in Super League for the first time while Toulouse return to the top tier after their one-season stint in 2022.

Both the Bulls, who return to Super League after an 11-year absence, and Toulouse start the campaign with away games on Saturday, 14 February.

Bradford will make the journey east to face Hull FC, while Toulouse travel to Wakefield Trinity.

Max Sasson and Drew O’Connor scored in a late 2:10 span, Nikita Tolopilo made 37 saves in his first NHL appearance of the season and the Vancouver Canucks beat the Ducks 5-4 on Wednesday night.

Sasson gave Vancouver the lead with 4:02 remaining on a tip, and O’Connor followed with 1:52 to go on a wrist shot. Cutter Gauthier got one back for the Ducks with seven seconds left, his 14th of the season.

The 6-foot-6 Tolopilo was called up Monday from Abbotsford of the American Hockey League. He has won both of his career NHL starts.

Linus Karlsson, Evander Kane and Conor Garland also scored for Vancouver. The Canucks had lost three straight and six of seven.

Jackson LaCombe, Leo Carlsson and Mason McTavish added goals for the Ducks, who have three victories in the first five games of a six-game homestand.

Eberechi Eze, Arsenal, £7.7m – Chelsea (a)

Why not ride the hot hand of London derby hero Eze?

His hat-trick against Spurs was not out of the blue and he makes this team of the week before because of his underlying statistics.

With 31 shots in 11 starts, Eze leads the way among Arsenal players. He had six in the derby alone.

The only note of caution is that he is yet to have a ‘big chance’ this season. While he has 21 shots in the box, they tend to be from near the edge of the area. His goals against Spurs were all from about 15-16 yards out.

But when you are that good shooting from range, is it really an issue?

Morgan Gibbs-White, Nottingham Forest, £7.3m – Brighton (h)

Speaking of hot streaks, Gibbs-White has three goals in three games for Sean Dyche’s revitalised Forest.

He scored a 10-pointer in this team of the week in his most recent home game against Leeds, so he comes back in.

Forest have a nice fixture run coming up too, with Wolves away next.

Morgan Rogers, Aston Villa, £6.9m – Wolves (h)

It would be negligent not to target Wolves this week – they have lost five in a row and conceded 27 goals in 12 games.

If you are feeling brave then Donyell Malen is Villa’s most explosive midfield option, with the highest expected goals (xG) of 2.08 this season, four big chances (three more than any other midfielder) and three goals.

But his gametime is not guaranteed and Rogers showed with last week’s double at Leeds what a key part of Villa’s attack he is. His goal and assist threat make him an easy choice this week.

Phil Foden, Manchester City, £8m – Leeds (h)

Since his two goals against Manchester United in week four, Foden has only one assist, but that does not tell the full story of some fine performances.

For a start, he has created 20 chances. He has had more shots in that period than any City player except Haaland – 14 – and has an xG of 1.29.

This game against struggling Leeds is surely the moment Foden turns underlying data into returns.

Dango Ouattara, Brentford, £6m – Burnley (h)

Burnley have the leakiest defence in the league away from home and are a team to attack this week.

It is a toss-up between Outarra and Kevin Schade for a midfield spot. Per start, they have almost an identical xG of 0.27 and 0.28.

What swings it Outtara’s way is his 0.88 big chances per 90 minutes compared to Schade’s 0.33.

If you have watched Outarra recently, he always seems to be getting chopped down in the box, so his assist potential is high.

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS
BOYS
CITY SECTION
Harbor Teacher 67, Alliance Ted K. Tajima 27

SOUTHERN SECTION
Apple Valley 91, Lawndale 70
Ayala 52, Beckman 43
Barstow 74, Bloomington 44
Bell Gardens 49, Baldwin Park 31
Beverly Hills 57, Ontario Christian 47
Brea Olinda 62, Irvine 51
Burbank 56, Keppel 52
Chadwick 77, HMSA 25
Chaminade 62, Pilibos 44
Corona 83, Rialto 65
Corona Santiago 62, Silverado 48
Crescenta Valley 70, Camarillo 64
El Dorado 80, Garden Grove 56
Elsinore 59, Adelanto 44
Estancia 53, San Gabriel 37
Garden Grove Pacifica 54, Huntington Park 35
Inglewood 96, Bishop Diego 82
Knight 73, Simi Valley 66
Liberty 94, Perris 58
Palmdale 72, Paraclete 56
Patriot 56, Arroyo Valley 44
Ramona 70, Montebello 59
Rolling Hills Prep 63, Palos Verdes 33
San Jacinto 75, Banning 57
Santa Monica Pacifica Christian 59, La Serna 50
Santa Paula 71, Laguna Beach 57
Sierra Canyon 82, Santa Barbara 43
St. Francis 51, Arcadia 43
St. Genevieve 58, Santa Clara 46
Torrance 68, Dana Hills 39
Valley Torah 54, Castaic 46
Villa Park 66, Walnut 55
Westlake 64, Milken 60
Wiseburn Da Vinci 70, Orange County Pacifica Christian 68
Woodbridge 61, Long Beach Wilson 51

INTERSECTIONAL
Cleveland 109, Whittier 44
Cypress 66, LACES 28
Garden Grove Pacifica 54, Huntington Park 35
Granada Hills 48, Highland 43
Grant 52, Lancaster 51
La Jolla Country Day 88, Linfield Christian 40
Lynwood 64, Diego Rivera 22
Morton (IL) 73, Mater Dei 71
North Torrance 58, Eagle Rock 33
Orange Lutheran 69, Carlsbad 59
Pasadena 66, Metamora (IL) 59
Rancho Christian 72, San Diego Lincoln 43
San Pedro 68, West Torrance 62
Tesoro 79, Fresno Bullard 68
Triumph Charter 55, Hoover 53

GIRLS
SOUTHERN SECTION
Arcadia 58, Riverside Poly 37
Bishop Amat 55, El Segundo 35
Cerritos 51, West Covina 29
Chino 62, Chaparral 59
Chino Hills 49, Beaumont 47
Colony 62, Brea Olinda 56
Cypress 64, Santa Ana 19
El Toro 63, Mission Viejo 25
Irvine 38, Northwood 22
Lakewood St. Joseph 58, Los Alamitos 28
Leuzinger 59, West Torrance 51
Mary Star of the Sea 35, Lawndale 28
Moreno Valley 69, Bishop Montgomery 43
Murrieta Valley 57, Temecula Prep 11
Newport Beach Pacifica Christian 50, Great Oak 35
Notre Dame Academy 44, Adelanto 29
Ontario 55, El Segundo 35
Orange County Pacifica Christian 50, Great Oak 35
Orange Lutheran 45, San Juan Hills 33
Rosary Academy 68, Edison 19
Royal 39, Riverside North 36
San Bernardino 67, Don Lugo 25
Santa Ana Foothill 55, Marina 51
Schurr 42, St. Paul 38
Segerstrom 47, Ayala 40
Sierra Vista 61, South El Monte 13
South Hills 63, University Prep 18
St. Genevieve 50, Faith Baptist 22
Summit 63, Elsinore 11
Temecula Valley 61, Linfield Christian 34
Temescal Canyon 55, Canyon Springs 43
Trabuco Hills 71, Whitney 46
Westminster La Quinta 26, Rancho Alamitos 20
West Ranch 87, Ramona Convent 20
Whittier Christian 53, Arroyo 18
Windward 61, Canyon Country Canyon 46

INTERSECTIONAL
Burbank 90, Bravo 23
King/Drew 58, Crean Lutheran 56
La Jolla Country Day 81, Silverado 28
Mater Dei 66, Sierra Pacific 52
Oak Park 65, Portola Valley Priory 47
Red Mountain (AZ) 48, Corona del Mar 33
Sacred Heart of Jesus 57, Rise Kohyang 2

Next five fixtures: Sharks (H), Ospreys (A, Challenge Cup), Black Lion (H, Challenge Cup), Dragons (A), Ulster (A)

It has been a difficult start to life in Galway for former England boss Stuart Lancaster, who replaced Pete Wilkins as Connacht head coach in the summer.

After an opening win over Benetton was followed by the Storm Amy-enforced postponement of their Scarlets game, the western province lost to Cardiff, Bulls and Munster before the international break.

The 28-27 loss to the Bulls in Galway and 17-15 reverse to Munster in Limerick were tough pills to swallow, but Lancaster has had a solid month to devise a plan for breathing new life into Connacht’s season.

It starts with the visit of the Sharks to Dexcom Stadium on Saturday (19:45 GMT). After three defeats in their first four games, the South African side signed off before the November break with a 29-19 win over Scarlets.

The Sharks will be without most of their Springboks, including Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Bongi Mbonambi, Ethan Hooker and Andre Esterhuizen.

For the hosts, Ireland internationals Bundee Aki, Cian Prendergast and Finlay Bealham are available for selection, but Mack Hansen has been ruled out.

Hansen, who starred at full-back in Ireland’s win over Australia earlier this month, is nursing hand and foot injuries with Connacht unsure on a timeline for the 27-year-old’s return.

After facing the Sharks, Lancaster will lead Connacht into European action for the first time as the Challenge Cup returns with a trip to Ospreys followed by a home game against Georgian side Black Lion.

When community members crowd into a Metro meeting room next Thursday to argue for and against the proposed Dodger Stadium gondola, the board of directors will listen before they vote on whether to proceed with the project.

Will the directors speak?

In a public meeting, officials often explain their position on a high-profile issue. In the Metro meeting next week, the board of directors could vote on the gondola without any of the board members saying a word about it.

Metro released the meeting agenda late Tuesday night. The agenda includes the gondola vote as part of what public agencies call the consent calendar — that is, a package of items that can be approved with one vote, and without any discussion among the officials doing the voting.

The items on any consent calendar generally are routine. Based on a staff report, Metro considers the gondola approval to be routine too: Metro approved the gondola last year, a judge ordered fixes to the environmental impact report, and all Metro needs to do now is rubber-stamp the fixes. The gondola project still would need approvals from the Los Angeles City Council and various state agencies.

At a committee meeting last week — one week after the council had urged Metro to kill the project — Los Angeles Mayor and Metro board member Karen Bass put it this way: “Just real quickly, I just wanted to reiterate or clarify that what the vote is about today is about certifying the EIR, certifying the project’s environmental documents under CEQA, nothing more.”

Two other board members — county supervisors Janice Hahn and Hilda Solis — did address the concerns raised by the public speakers. Hahn voted no on the gondola; Solis voted yes.

Whether Hahn, Solis or any of the other 11 voting board members decide to speak up next Thursday remains to be seen. All it takes is one member to remove the item from the consent calendar and demand discussion on the issue.

The gondola, first pitched by former Dodgers owner Frank McCourt in 2018, would carry fans from Union Station to Dodger Stadium. Gondola proponents have not announced any financing commitments for a project with a construction cost estimated at $500 million and proposed as privately funded.

An emotional Scott Donaldson said “I think my dad was doing something” after he came back from 5-0 down to beat Stuart Bingham 6-5 in the final round of qualifying for the UK Championship.

Donaldson, whose father Hector died aged 70 on 2 October, was messaging his wife about driving home when he was 4-0 down against the 2015 world champion in Wigan.

Bingham had knocked in breaks of 71 and 117 on the way to moving one frame away from victory and a place in the main tournament.

However, Donaldson produced a stirring comeback to stun his rival as the Scotsman made breaks of 56 and 64 before a 110.

He then added breaks of 51, 91 and 64 to complete victory and book a spot at the UK Championship, which starts at the York Barbican on Saturday.

LAS VEGAS — Rori Harmon scored 26 points and No. 4 Texas held on to beat No. 3 UCLA 76-65 on Wednesday in the Players Era Championship.

After building a 23-point lead late in the third quarter, the Longhorns staved off UCLA’s late surge to advance to Thursday’s championship game.

Texas (6-0) will face South Carolina in Thursday’s title game, while the Bruins (6-1) will play Duke for third place.

Madison Booker finished with 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists for the Longhorns. Jordan Lee had 13 points and Justice Carlton chipped in 10.

The Bruins trailed by just four after a 24-7 run, sparked by Kiki Rice’s 12 points. But three failed possessions — a missed three-pointer and two turnovers — allowed Texas to pull away.

Gianna Kneepkens and Rice led the Bruins, each with 17 points. Charlisse Leger-Walker scored 13 points on 50% shooting.

Texas was superior defensively in the first quarter, forcing seven UCLA turnovers and turning them into six points. Despite going 0 for 4 from the three-point line, the Longhorns were nine of 15 (47.4%) from inside the arc in the opening period to take a 10-point lead after one.

The Longhorns doubled their lead in the second quarter, outscoring UCLA by 10 again, to take a 45-25 lead into the locker room at halftime. Texas shot a blistering 51.4% in the first half, while UCLA stumbled to a 44.4% clip after 20 minutes.

UCLA survived a scare when Lauren Betts left the game early in the third quarter with what appeared to be an upper-body injury.

Betts, an AP preseason All-American selection, collided with Booker and writhed in pain on the court, grabbing her arm as trainers tended to her. Betts returned to the game after spending several minutes in the locker room.

Liverpool’s stellar start was followed by a run of six defeats in seven matches that sparked concern and talk of a crisis.

Things started to look up earlier in November, with victories over Aston Villa and Real Madrid lifting morale and offering hope of a return to form.

But they ultimately proved not to provide a permanent change in their fortunes, but a momentary respite.

A 3-0 defeat by Manchester City just before the international break was tough, but can happen against Pep Guardiola’s side.

But a setback by the same scoreline to Sean Dyche’s Nottingham Forest left them 12th in the Premier League and now followed by this embarrassing loss against PSV – only their second at Anfield in their past 26 pre-knockout stage games in this competition.

It has left Slot with a massive task on his hands to return his side to the top half of the Premier League and remain in the hunt for a top-eight place in the Champions League league phase, having slipped down to 13th.

“I don’t think there should be a knee-jerk reaction, I think this is a very tough moment at Liverpool for one reason or another, but the one thing I’d say is that things weren’t right at the start of the season either, when they were winning,” added Warnock.

Sacking managers at the first sign of trouble is not a tactic Liverpool have frequently deployed. Let’s not forget too that last year Slot oversaw the best ever start – eight wins in his first 10 top-flight games – by a Reds boss, having just replaced Jurgen Klopp.

But his summer signings have not worked, putting him under pressure.

Record transfer Alexander Isak is still yet to get off the mark, German playmaker Florian Wirtz is currently injured and left-back Milos Kerkez continues to struggle.

Yet on Wednesday, Slot made just two substitutions as his side trailed. One was Isak for fellow new signing Hugo Ekitike, who looked to have picked up an injury, while the other was Italy forward Federico Chiesa for Ibrahima Konate during another tough evening for the French defender.

“This run is a shock for everyone,” admitted Slot.

“For the players, for me. I don’t easily shock and it’s very unexpected. We can all do better individually, but that goes for everyone including myself.”

The brightest spark has perhaps been Dominik Szoboszlai.

Reinstated in his role in central midfield against PSV, he provided not only a goal, but energy and an attacking threat, while going some way to proving there are significantly better uses for him than as a stand-in right-back.

“With each defeat it gets closer to being a crisis,” former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard told TNT Sports. “I don’t think Liverpool are at that [yet] – crisis is too strong.

“There are no excuses for a performance like that at this football club

“You cannot deny the team is struggling massively, they are on a terrible run, their confidence is at an all-time low, they are wide open.

“Unless the manager can find answers and stability in his team, then this situation is going to continue.”

PSV, though, was never going to be an easy fixture for Slot to try to get his players back on track.

The former Feyenoord boss has only won one of his past eight games against the Eredivisie outfit in all competitions (D3 L4), and against no side has he suffered more defeats in his managerial career.

Slot says he is not worrying about his future at the club and is instead focused on turning things around.

“I need to do better, that’s what I’m trying to do every single day to improve the team and that is where my main focus is,” added the 47-year-old.

LAHAINA, Hawaii — Chad Baker-Mazara scored 23 points, Jaden Brownell added 16 points, and USC claimed the Maui Invitational championship with an 88-75 victory over Arizona State on Wednesday.

Baker-Mazara won the tournament championship for the second consecutive year after scoring 14 points in Auburn’s 90-76 victory over Memphis last season. Baker-Mazara made nine of 16 shots from the field against Arizona State with four three-pointers.

USC took the first double-digit lead of the game at 77-66 with 5:14 remaining on a basket by Ezra Ausar. The Trojans drew an offensive foul under the ASU basket and Jordan Marsh sank a jumper from the free-throw line to make it 81-69.

Marsh sealed it with a long three-pointer for an 86-71 lead.

Ausar, coming off a 25-point performance in the semifinals, finished with 14 points for USC (7-0), which was without leading scorer Rodney Rice. Jacob Cofie had 11 points, eight rebounds and three blocks, and Marsh added nine points.

Maurice Odum scored 17 points and Anthony Johnson added 15 for Arizona State (6-2). Santiago Trouet and Massamba Diop each scored 13. The Sun Devils trailed by double-digits in all three tournament games.

Frank’s formation moved away from the five-man defence that drew so much fury against Arsenal, operating with a traditional back four protected by Rodrigo Bentancur and Archie Gray. He paired Richarlison and Kolo Muani up front to good effect.

It was also line-up that suggested Frank may have had one eye on Saturday night’s key home game against Fulham, with Mohammed Kudus, Joao Palhinha, Destiny Udogie, Wilson Odobert and Xavi Simons left out.

Spurs, however were none the worse for that until they were submerged under PSG’s quality, Frank’s selection tireless out of possession using a man-for-man strategy which Luis Enrique’s side initially struggled to combat, getting up the pitch in a manner that seemed alien to them at Arsenal.

Spurs were pressing high, looking to win the ball back with a real competitive edge. This, at least, looked something like a Thomas Frank team, despite the painful end result.

Frank was furious at his team’s lack of aggression at Arsenal, visibly grimacing when he pointed out they only won 17 out of 53 duels and second-ball situations.

Commitment could not be questioned here, but Spurs were undone by momentary lapses that always risk the ultimate punishment against PSG.

Frank said: “I am very pleased with the performance. This was much more the identity of the team, the bravery and aggressiveness of the team.

“There were lots of positives, the two strikers scoring three goals between them, the whole team performed really well. The performance was to get something out of the game but then you need to have the margins with you, but we can’t concede some of the goals we did.”

Spurs looked like taking a deserved 1-0 lead into the interval, only to switch off after a set-piece, allowing the brilliant Vitinha to equalise.

It happened again when Pape Matar Sarr, with the score 2-2, carelessly ceded possession just before the hour, the mistake ending with Fabian Ruiz putting PSG ahead for the first time.

Vitinha, a stellar performer in PSG’s Champions League win, was the decisive performer with two stunning strikes to snuff out the Spurs lead, one with his right foot another with his left.

Frank said: “Vitinha is the best midfielder in the world. He will be the next Ballon d’Or winner.”

PSG simply proved too good in the end, but Spurs also went some way to answering justified criticism about a lack of threat, with Richarlison and Kolo Muani providing three goals between them.

It was a good night for Kolo Muani, who has seen his attempt to make an impact at Spurs held back by a dead leg and a broken jaw, restricting him to just four starts and 345 minutes of action before this game.

Former Spurs and England goalkeeper Paul Robinson told BBC Radio 5 Live: “What I will say is that Tottenham had a different attitude. Their application, their work rate, their pressing, they started higher up the field. There was a lot more to be positive about.

“Unlike at the weekend Frank can put his finger on things that went wrong rather than scratching his head and thinking he didn’t recognise his team.”

The scenery now shifts to the vital home game against Fulham – where Frank must again convince his detractors he has foundations to build on.

The Rams welcomed back two key players from injured reserve, placed another player on the injured list and claimed a former player off waivers.

It made for a busy Wednesday as the Rams prepared to play the Carolina Panthers on Sunday in Charlotte, N.C.

The Rams, who are 9-2 and hold the No. 1 seed for the NFC playoffs, designated receiver Tutu Atwell and cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon to return from injured reserve. Atwell was sidelined four games because of a hamstring injury but coach Sean McVay said Atwell is expected to play against the Panthers.

Witherspoon has been out since suffering a broken collarbone in the second game of the season.

Cornerback Roger McCreary, acquired in an October trade with the Tennessee Titans, was placed on injured reserve after suffering a hip injury in the Rams’ victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. McCreary had been playing special teams, and he played only one defensive snap against the Buccaneers.

The Rams welcomed back cornerback Derion Kendrick, a 2022 sixth-round draft pick by the Rams, who was claimed off waivers from the Seattle Seahawks.

Kendrick started 18 games for the Rams before suffering a season-ending knee injury on the first day of training camp in 2024. He sat out last season, was released and re-signed before he was cut before the start of this season and claimed by the Seahawks.

Skip Mouat had sat out the previous two games through illness and said: “I thought I might have lost the momentum having those two games off, but I thought I threw pretty well in practice.

“I was glad to be back and there were a few misses by Sweden that let us off the hook.”

In the women’s event, Scotland secured their fourth win, against Norway, but sit sixth going into their final game against Sara Messenzehl’s Germany with only an outside chance of qualifying for the semi-finals.

Skipped by Sophie Jackson, they picked up four unanswered points over the first three ends against Marianne Roervik’s rink and finished strongly to see out a 8-5 victory.

Ranked second in this event, the Scots have also beaten Lithuania, Denmark and the Czech Republic, but losses to Turkey, Sweden, Italy and Switzerland mean they are requiring favours from other rinks to make the final four.

With Anna Hasselborg’s Swedes already qualified with seven wins, Denmark, Norway and Switzerland are all on five wins, one ahead of the Scots.

Jackson said: “That win was really important for us as we want that world qualification spot and that’s what we’re focused on now.

“I sadly had some news yesterday that my grandad passed away. It’s actually changed the mood in the team a little. We are just doing everything for each and make it the best time we can out there.”

It’s championship week in the high school football playoffs.

Here’s a look at top matchups on Friday and Saturday:

Southern Section

FRIDAY

DIVISION 1

Santa Margarita (9-3) vs. Corona Centennial (11-1) at the Rose Bowl, 7 p.m.

The last team standing will be the one able to execute on offense in a showcase of two aggressive, physically tough defenses. Santa Margarita has an advantage with versatile linebacker Dash Fifita and a defensive line second to none. Coach Carson Palmer twice played in the Rose Bowl as a player for USC. Centennial must find a way to run the ball or quarterback Dominick Catalano will have a long night. The pick: Santa Margarita.

DIVISION 3

Oxnard Pacifica (13-0) at Palos Verdes (10-3), 7 p.m.

Pacifica’s speed will cause Palos Verdes problems, especially if quarterback Taylor Lee can get the ball to his playmakers. Any team with quarterback Ryan Rakowski will not go down easily, but Rakowski suffered a broken thumb last week. Backup Giorgio Di Mascio has shown he can fill in when needed. The pick: Pacifica.

SATURDAY

DIVISION 2

Los Alamitos (11-2) at San Clemente (9-4), 7 p.m.

No team has turned around its season quicker than San Clemente, which has gone from unranked to playing in the championship game with a five-game winning streak. And the teams they’ve beaten were good — Los Alamitos, Edison, Beaumont, Vista Murrieta and Leuzinger. Defense has been key. Patrick Norman leads the team with 109 tackles. The Tritons will have to make sure Los Alamitos running backs Lenny Ibarra and Kamden Tillis are held in check. The pick: San Clemente.

DIVISION 5

Rio Hondo Prep (13-0) at Redondo Union (9-4), 7 p.m.

With a student population of just 150, Rio Hondo Prep faces its toughest challenge yet going for a 17th championship. Coach Mark Carson has schemes and strategies taught to players once they arrive in seventh grade. Running back Noah Penunuri (1,203 yards, 22 touchdowns) is recovering from an ankle injury. Redondo Union, with a student body of nearly 3,000, is in its first title game since 1944. Quarterback Cole Leinart is the son of Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart. The pick: Rio Hondo Prep.

City Section

FRIDAY

DIVISION III

Hawkins (10-2) vs. Santee (9-4) at Birmingham, 2 p.m.

It’s been a long road back for Hawkins after the program hit rock bottom in 2016 with forfeits, the firing of the coaching staff and an exodus of players during a season that ended up 0-13. Coach Ronald Coltress has stayed the course. Senior Jamarieah Wallace is closing in on 900 yards rushing. Santee’s Darnell Miller gets the chance to put on a show. He has rushed for more than 3,000 yards and 31 touchdowns. The pick: Santee.

DIVISION II

San Fernando (10-3) vs. Cleveland (5-8) at Birmingham, 6 p.m.

Everything changed when Cleveland quarterback Domenik Fuentes came back from an injury in Week 1 to lead the Cavaliers in the playoffs. San Fernando’s Julian Sarzo has passed for 1,500 yards. The pick: Cleveland.

SATURDAY

DIVISION I

Marquez (11-2) vs. South Gate (10-3), at L.A. Southwest College, 2 p.m.

It will be the passing of South Gate quarterback Michael Gonzalez vs. the all-around game of junior Elyjah Staples, perhaps the top college prospect in the City Section. He gets sacks, catches passes and makes plays. The pick: Marquez.

OPEN DIVISION

Crenshaw (10-1) vs. Carson (8-3) at L.A. Southwest College, 6 p.m.

These two defenses have given up a combined 14 points in the playoffs. As impressive as Crenshaw has been, Carson has reached another level behind quarterback Chris Fields III. Crenshaw’s speed on defense and resiliency should make for a defensive battle. The pick: Carson.

A British athlete crowned the world’s strongest woman says she was “robbed” of her winning moment after it emerged the original champion was a transgender woman who was ineligible to compete.

Andrea Thompson was awarded the title retrospectively after American athlete Jammie Booker was disqualified.

Thompson told BBC Sport the competition, held in Arlington, Texas, was “overshadowed by somebody who shouldn’t have been there”.

“I was very frustrated and angry with what she’s done,” she said. “She lied and was very dishonest, and took away a lot of things from a lot of women.

“The lady that came 11th didn’t get the chance to do the third day… to have the top 10 status in the world.”

Organisers, Official Strongman, said “competitors could only compete in the category for their biological sex recorded at birth”, and that they had disqualified the athlete in question “who is biologically male”.

Rio Hondo Prep in Arcadia is like “The Little Engine That Could.” The Kares are 13-0 and set to play for a 17th Southern Section football title on Saturday night despite having a student body of only 150, of which 82 are boys. Their opponent in the Division 5 final is host Redondo Union, which has a student body of nearly 3,000.

Coach Mark Carson said he embraces the challenge of his team moving up, from winning Division 9 two years ago to winning Division 7 last season after years of competing in Division XIII under old playoff systems based on size, geography and past performance. Now a computer algorithm decides divisional placement. The school has grades seven through 12, so Carson starts training players in middle school with the same offense through high school.

“The key is we have a great middle school tackle football program,” he said.

Every boy in the school knows they’re going to play football or work in the program as a manager. Many are multiple-sport athletes. The chemistry and knowledge they build together is apparent on the football field.

“We don’t really pay attention to numbers on the other team,” Carson said.

Quarterback Yanick Diaz said he has been with some of his teammates since kindergarten. They trust each other.

“I’ve known some of these guys for 15, 16 years,” Diaz said. “It’s still 11 versus 11. I’ll take my 11 over yours.”

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email [email protected].

Cowell has been moved from his current leadership role, as BBC Sport revealed on Saturday, following disagreements between the two over the running of the team and design of the 2026 car, according to insiders.

The statement added that Newey, who joined Aston Martin as managing technical partner in March, would be guiding the technical team, including the trackside operations of the car.

The move has come about through the realisation that Newey’s expertise and long experience – having won 12 drivers’ and 13 constructors’ championships with Williams, McLaren and Red Bull – make him the de facto authority in the team.

In that case, making him team principal is a logical step and Newey will be Aston Martin’s fourth team principal in four years, following Otmar Szafnauer, Mike Krack and Cowell.

Team owner Lawrence Stroll said in a statement: “Andy Cowell has been a great leader this year. He’s focused on building a world-class team and getting them to work well together, as well as fostering a culture that puts the race car back at the heart of what we do.

“This leadership change is a mutual decision we have reached in the interest of the team. We all look forward to continuing working with him in his new capacity.”

Stroll added that Newey’s new position would “enable him to make full use of his creative and technical expertise”.

Newey said: “Over the last nine months, I have seen great individual talent within our team.

“I’m looking forward to taking on this additional role as we put ourselves in the best possible position to compete in 2026, where we will face an entirely new position with Aston Martin now a works team, combined with the considerable challenge faced by the new regulations.

“Andy’s new role, focusing on the integration of the new power-unit with our three key partners, will be pivotal in this journey.”

Stroll had been considering a change of leadership for some time, and had approached a number of senior F1 figures, including former McLaren and Sauber boss Andreas Seidl, current head of the Audi F1 project Mattia Binotto and his former CEO Martin Whitmarsh.

Former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has also been pushing for a role at Aston Martin, and wants a shareholding.

Sources at the team say Horner, who is free to work for another team from next summer after being sacked by Red Bull in July, will not be given a role at Aston Martin.

However, Newey is said to have given his former Red Bull colleague a tour of the Aston Martin factory under cover of darkness on Tuesday night.

The statement said Cowell, a former Mercedes F1 engine boss, had “implemented the much-needed structural changes to support the transition to a full works team in readiness for the new regulations in 2026”.

Cowell said in the statement that “having set the foundations” for Newey, it was “an appropriate time for me to take a different role”.

Lakers guard Austin Reaves drives to the hoop as Clippers center Ivica Zubac defends in the second half at Crypto.com Arena.

(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

The Lakers locked up their spot in the NBA Cup quarterfinals, but there are still meaningful Cup games to be played.

With a 3-0 record in West Group B, the Lakers can clinch home-court advantage in the quarterfinals with a win Friday against the Dallas Mavericks in the group stage finale. A win would be the simplest way to avoid resorting to the point differential tiebreaker that could still be in play to decide the No. 1 seed in the West. Outscoring opponents by 36 points, the Lakers’ point differential is 27 points behind West Group A leaders Oklahoma City (2-0 in group play) for the potential No. 1 seed. The top-seeded team will host the wild-card team, which earns its spot in the quarterfinal by virtue of being the best second-place team in group play. Portland and Denver are tied atop West Group C with 2-1 records.

The three-year-old NBA Cup, inspired by similar in-season tournaments in European leagues, has sparked confusion about the colorful courts and ever-changing group stage scenarios. The potential extra road trip and extra championship game could end up putting more wear on teams that have larger playoff ambitions, but the prize makes it worth the trouble: $500,000 for each player.

“Obviously I’ll accept money,” Doncic said with a sarcastic smile. “That’s easy. … I played it in Spain, something like this, so I like it. Just the courts, please.”

Doncic said the Lakers’ NBA Cup court — bright yellow with the gold and black trophy painted into the key — caused problems for a few players as they slipped on the new hardwood. An area near the free-throw line in front of the Clippers bench appeared to be especially slippery. Doncic said he could tell immediately during warm-ups that the surface could be a problem.

“I slipped a lot of times and you could see a lot of players slipped,” Doncic said. “And that’s dangerous, man.”

Redick said he noticed players slipping, but also that they were falling prior to that. He said the team will look into the court.

He added: “The Chancellor has listened to our concerns and rightly recognised that racing is a unique national asset – culturally, socially and economically – and we welcome this support.

“We recognise that the increase in general taxation on the betting industry may have trickle-down effects on racing. We will work with our partners in the betting industry to understand the implications of this.”

Details of the government’s plans were mistakenly released early by the Office for Budget Responsibility before Reeves’ statement in the House of Commons.

The measures are expected to generate £1.1bn from the gambling industry by 2031 and shares in major companies fell immediately after the announcement, although some recovered later.

Before the Budget, bookmakers warned of betting shop closures if Reeves hiked taxes on gambling firms.

Each shop provides thousands of pounds in funding to racing through the levy and media rights payments.

Racing’s bosses say if bookmakers needed to cut costs, this could impact the sport through reduced sponsorship and promotion, worse odds and reduced bonuses for customers, and potentially turn people towards the black market.

An additional £26m of funding will be provided by the government to the Gambling Commission over the next three years to tackle the illicit market.

From Broderick Turner: Luka Doncic drilled a three-pointer right in front of the Clippers’ bench late in the first quarter and then glared at them, shaking his head as he ran back down court to play defense for the Lakers, just one of the many piercing stares he sent their way after delivering one of his three-point bombs.

It seems as if Doncic has his own personal rivalry against the Clippers and it just simply folded into the inter-city rivalry.

And once again, Doncic overwhelmed the Clippers in directing the Lakers to a 135-118 win Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena.

He came up one rebound shy of a triple-double, with 43 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds. He was 14 for 28 from the field, seven for 12 from three-point range and eight for 11 from the free-throw line.

In leading the Lakers to their fifth straight win, Doncic now has recorded 39 double-double games of at least 40 points, which moved him past Anthony Davis for the fourth most among active players and tying Magic Johnson for the sixth most 40-point double-doubles as a Laker.

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Lakers box score

NBA standings

UCLA BASKETBALL

From Ben Bolch: It was the sort of showing that left Mick Cronin with plenty to criticize, and he didn’t hold back.

In a somewhat subdued monologue after a loss that will probably knock his team out of the national rankings, the UCLA basketball coach lamented his team’s attitude, lack of toughness, inability to make free throws and shortage of savvy despite being filled with veterans.

His harshest verbal jab? Cronin saved that for himself.

“Look, I’m not happy with our performance,” Cronin said after the No. 18 Bruins’ 80-72 setback against California on Tuesday night at the Chase Center, “but I’ll take the blame. You guys can read the stat sheet, you saw the game, you make your own assessments, [but] when it comes to the game, how we play is my responsibility.”

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UCLA box score

USC BASKETBALL

From Ryan Kartje: When Lindsay Gottlieb put together a nonconference schedule she believed to be the hardest in the country, USC’s coach knew it would be an uphill climb. But that was the point. She wanted her team to be tested nightly, to play on “the biggest stages.”

“It’s not a schedule designed to win every nonconference game by an average of 40 points,” Gottlieb said earlier this month.

But after losing twice through a five-game gauntlet to start the season, a blowout nonconference win was precisely what the doctor ordered for USC.

Any pent-up frustration still lingering from USC’s last-second loss to Notre Dame was promptly taken out on Tennessee Tech on Tuesday in an 85-44 win for the Trojans.

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USC box score

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Ezra Ausar and Chad Baker-Mazara combined for 31 of USC’s second-half points to rally the Trojans to an 83-81 victory over Seton Hall on Tuesday after losing leading scorer Rodney Rice to an injury in a Maui Invitational semifinal.

Ausur finished with a season-high 25 points, hitting 15 of 19 free throws, and Baker-Mazara scored 18 for the Trojans (6-0).

Adam Clark scored 18 points, AJ Staton-McCray 17, Mike Williams III 13 and Elijah Fisher 10 for the Pirates (6-1).

Rice brought the Trojans back from a 13-point deficit to get them within four at halftime, scoring 13 points, but left early in the second half with an apparent upper arm/shoulder injury and trailing 46-44. Baker-Mazara stepped up, scoring 12 points over the next five minutes with his 3 finishing a 10-0 run and putting the Trojans ahead 63-57 with 12 minutes to go.

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USC box score

RAMS

From Sam Farmer: Rams defensive end Kobie Turner, a 294-pound man strong enough to carry a piano on his back, can also tap out a tune.

The country saw that Sunday night when, on two occasions, NBC aired video footage of Turner expertly playing a complex version of the “Sunday Night Football” theme song. He learned it by ear, then set up his phone to capture the clip.

The song was written by legendary composer John Williams and originally was called “Wide Receiver,” although NBC never adopted that name.

“He listened to it a couple of times and was able to play it and add his own flair,” NBC coordinating producer Rob Hyland said of Turner, who majored in music theory and composition at University of Richmond.

“I was completely blown away. Kobie has so much talent on the football field and just as much with musical instruments. His nickname, `The Conductor,’ is very fitting.”

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Da Bears and ‘Super Bowl Shuffle’: HBO doc revisits ‘perfect storm’ that became a phenomenon

Drew Brees, Philip Rivers, Larry Fitzgerald lead Pro Football Hall of Fame modern era semifinalists

LAFC

From Kevin Baxter: Steve Cherundolo’s first season at LAFC ended in a penalty-kick shootout that decided one of the most compelling playoff games in MLS history. His final season ended in the same way last Saturday.

Cherundolo and LAFC won that first classic match, beating the Philadelphia Union in the 2022 MLS Cup final. They lost the second one, falling to the shorthanded Vancouver Whitecaps in a Western Conference semifinal that had more plot twists than an Agatha Christie mystery.

In between, Cherundolo proved to be one of the best coaches in league history, winning an MLS Cup, a U.S. Open Cup and more than 100 games in all competition in his short four-year stay. He took LAFC to a CONCACAF Champions League final and to the first round of the FIFA Club World Cup, compiling a resume no coach in MLS history can match.

And while his departure will clearly hurt, the club he leaves is in good shape with the core of its roster signed for next season. Of the 16 players Cherundolo used Saturday, just five — goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, defenders Nkosi Tafari and Ryan Raposo and midfielders Andrew Moran and Frankie Amaya — are out of contract.

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THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

1917 — The NHL is formed with five charter members: Montreal Canadiens, Montreal Maroons, Toronto Arenas, Ottawa Senators, Quebec Bulldogs. Frank Calder is elected president.

1949 — Boston College beats Holy Cross 76-0, with Al Cannava rushing for 229 yards.

1956 — In the Melbourne Olympics, Vyacheslav Ivanov of the Soviet Union wins the single sculls. After receiving the gold medal, he jumps up and down and accidentally drops it through the slats in the float and it sinks to the bottom of the lake.

1961 — Jerry Norton of St. Louis becomes the only NFL player to have four interceptions in a game twice. He picks off four, two for touchdowns, in the Cardinals’ 30-27 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

1988 — For the first time in their long rivalry, Notre Dame and USC enter the game undefeated and ranked Nos. 1-2. The top-ranked Fighting Irish win 27-10.

1989 — Willie “Flipper” Anderson of the Rams sets an NFL game record with 336 yards receiving. Anderson has 15 catches, one for a touchdown, in the Rams’ 20-17 overtime victory over the New Orleans Saints.

1994 — The Cleveland Cavaliers sets an NBA record by attempting just two free throws, during a 101-87 home victory over Golden State. John Williams and Tony Campbell go 1-for-1 from the line.

1995 — Dolphins QB Dan Marino sets NFL record with 343rd touchdown pass.

1997 — Charles Jones scores a school-record 53 points and Long Island University beats Division III Medgar Evers 179-62, breaking the NCAA record for margin of victory. The 117-point difference eclipses the mark of 97 set by Southern in a 154-57 victory over Patten in 1993.

1999 — Detroit’s Steve Yzerman scores his 600th career goal in the Red Wings’ 4-2 win against the Edmonton Oilers at Joe Louis Arena. He’s the 11th player in NHL history to reach 600 goals.

2005 — Defenseman Marek Malik ends the NHL’s longest shootout in the 15th round, fooling goalie Olie Kolzig with a trick shot to give the New York a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals. Malik wins it by taking a shot with his stick between his skates.

2005 — Florida International ties an NCAA record by returning four interceptions for touchdowns in a 52-6 rout of rival Florida Atlantic.

2010 — UConn defeats Howard 86-25 to win its 82nd straight game, setting an NCAA women’s basketball record for consecutive victories.

2010 — Cam Newton passes for three touchdowns and runs for another, rallying No. 2 Auburn from a 24-point for a 28-27 victory over No. 9 Alabama that kept the Tigers on course for a shot at the national championship.

2011 — Illinois finishes the season with its sixth straight loss, 27-7 at Minnesota. The Illini become the first FBS team to open the regular-season with six straight wins and close it with six losses in a row.

2013 — Jordan Lynch breaks his single-game rushing record for quarterbacks with 321 yards, and No. 18 Northern Illinois completes its first unbeaten regular season in 50 years with a 33-14 victory over Western Michigan.

2016 — Nate Peterman throws for 251 yards and four TDs and runs for another score to lead Pittsburgh past Syracuse 76-61 — the most combined points for a regulation FBS game.

2016 — Will Worth accounts for four touchdowns while becoming the first Navy quarterback with more than 100 yards rushing and 100 yards passing in three consecutive games when the Midshipmen rout SMU 75-31. The Midshipmen, who beat East Carolina 66-31 the previous week, have consecutive 60-point games for the first time since 1917.

2017 — Julio Jones finishes with 12 receptions for 253 yards and two touchdowns in Atlanta’s 34-20 victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It’s Jones’ third career game with at least 250 yards receiving; no other player has more than one.

Compiled by the Associated Press

Until next time…

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