High school sports programs are filled with dozens of volunteers — manning the snack bar, taking tickets, helping provide security, cleaning floors, carrying equipment and taking statistics.
On and on it goes.
One of the most entrusted volunteers in football is the cameraman. That person must film the entire game, whether from the press box or the sideline.
Bennett Rogers is in his first year as Palos Verdes High’s cameraman. He sits in the end zone and has a camera that goes up so high on a tripod that it could be waving a flag. His son coaches for Palos Verdes, so he volunteered to shoot the games.
His most important equipment is a portable, comfortable chair that lasts through four quarters.
“That’s the key for my age,” he said.
To all the moms and dads volunteering, you’re the unsung heroes. Just make sure you have a sturdy chair when taking video.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
Who: Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur What: English Premier League Matchweek 6 Where: Old Trafford, Manchester, United Kingdom When: Saturday, October 9, at 5:30pm (16:30 GMT) How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will bring you all the build-up from 13:30 GMT.
Manchester United and Tottenham are accustomed to battling it out at the top end of the Premier League, albeit for UEFA Champions League rankings as opposed the domestic crown in recent years for the former in particular.
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Recent seasons have seen both slide to dramatic lows by their standards and a concerned Old Trafford welcomes a Spurs side, whose immediate concerns are far greater than those of the hosts.
Roberto De Zerbi’s struggling North Londoners are bottom of the table with only two points to their name after five games. United’s have one only once in that time and a Spurs win will see the sides level on points.
Al Jazeera Sport takes a closer look at a match that, although early in the season, could well shape the months ahead for both sides and the immediate futures of their managers in a game that has been labelled: “El Sackicko”.
Carrick casts an eye across Manchester to eye City’s woes
United head coach Michael Carrick has plenty of problems of his own, but has called for a swift resolution to Manchester City’s financial charges case, saying the long-running process had raised many questions and affected him personally.
Last month, an independent commission found City guilty of all charges relating to breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules over nine seasons, between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 campaigns, as well as three of four charges concerning their failure to cooperate with the investigation.
City, who currently top the Premier league table as the only side with a perfect record after five matches, have denied wrongdoing and lodged an appeal.
Carrick spent 12 years at United from 2006 to 2018, winning five Premier League titles and the Champions League among numerous honours, before taking charge in January following Ruben Amorim’s departure.
During his playing career, the 45-year-old former midfielder lost out in two title races won by City, including the 2011-12 campaign when United fell short on goal difference after Sergio Aguero’s dramatic title-clinching goal on the final day.
“It’s thrown up a lot of questions. As it’s still ongoing, and we don’t know how long it’s going to go,” Carrick told a press conference when asked about the City charges.
“It’s affected me personally in different ways over a period of time.”
Would medals make up for lost titles for Man United?
Asked if he wants the titles United missed out on, Carrick said he would reserve judgement until the process was complete.
“I think regardless of anything, a medal anyway, in any sport in history, I think later on you get the medal and it’s proven at different times,” the Englishman added.
“It’s the moment that you strive for to win and achieve in that moment, so the medal here or there, not getting blase about it, but that doesn’t bring the feeling of when you initially win or you don’t win. That’s essentially what we’re all in it for.”
De Zerbi calls on struggling Spurs to react in Man Utd clash
Roberto De Zerbi has urged bottom-of-the-table Tottenham to “react” to the pressure of their crunch clash with fellow strugglers United.
Spurs have been waiting for the chance to erase the bitter taste of a 3-2 home defeat against Aston Villa in their last match before the international break.
And, with scrutiny mounting on the Italian, the Spurs manager demanded his players rise to the challenge against United.
“I’ve been waiting for this game from three weeks. After the defeat at home against Villa, personally I wanted to play the day after,” he told reporters on Friday.
“It was difficult, it was very tough, especially the first week. But it is football. It is part of the situation in this moment. We have to react, to work in this moment.”
Misfiring Tottenham must improve their aim
Tottenham failed to score in their first four league games before finally finding the net twice against Villa.
De Zerbi conceded his team have to improve in attack if they are climb out of the bottom three.
“We created chances to score many other goals in these seven games but we didn’t. We are working to improve in the last third, the assists and the finishing,” he said.
“We are fourth in the table for the team who brings the ball into the opponents’ area the most times.
“It is nothing but it shows we can arrive in the area. We are not good enough to score goals so far when we have clear chances.”
Can Carrick or De Zerbi survive ‘El Sackicko’?
With Carrick also under pressure following their poor start, Tottenham’s trip to Manchester has been dubbed ‘El Sackicko’.
De Zerbi saved Tottenham from relegation after arriving late last season, but that final-day survival feat is unlikely to save him from the axe if results don’t improve soon.
“We are Tottenham. United and Tottenham are still big clubs in the Premier League,” he said.
“We have to deserve to work in this club, playing better and making different results.”
What happened the last time Man United played Tottenham
The sides last met in February in a Premier League encounter at Old Trafford with the home side winning 2-0.
Cristian Romero was shown red on the half-hour mark for Spurs before Bryan Mbeumo and Bruno Fernandes netted the United goals.
When did Tottenham last beat Manchester United?
Spurs famously beat United 1-0 in the UEFA Europa League final in May 2025, thanks to Brennan Johnson’s first-half strike.
The match marked Ange Postecoglou’s last game in charge of the club before being sacked for their lowly league finish.
Ruben Amorim paid the same heavy price the following season.
When did Tottenham last win a match at Manchester United?
Spurs piled the pressure on Amorim early in the 2024-2025 season with a 3-0 Premier League win at Old Trafford.
Johnson gave the away team a third-minute lead, before United had Bruno Fernandes sent off on the stroke of half-time.
Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke completed the scoring in the second half.
Head-to-head – Manchester United vs Tottenham
This will be the 205th meeting between the clubs with United winning 96 matches compared to Tottenham’s 56 victories.
Prediction – Manchester United vs Tottenham
The Opta supercomputer has given United a 54 percent chance of winning, while offering Spurs only a 22 percent chance of emerging victorious.
Manchester United team news
“It’s a bit mixed really through the internationals,” Carrick said. “(Wing back) Patrick Dorgu came off and it looks like he’ll be out probably for a number of weeks.
“(Defender) Noussair Mazraoui came off and took a knock. He’s not quite right yet, we’ll have to see how he is.”
He added that Carlos Baleba was improving, while fellow midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, winger Amad Diallo and forward Marcus Rashford had resumed limited training. Striker Benjamin Sesko remains further away from a return.
Kulusevski, Xavi Simons, Wilson Odobert and Mykhaylo Mudryk all remain sidelined due to injury.
Jan Paul van Hecke has overcome a foot injury, but may miss out after his wife gave birth to twins – the club has said emotional needs will be taken into consideration.
Predicted Tottenham Hotspur starting lineup
Kinsky; Gray, Senesi, Van de Ven, Robertson; Gallagher, Tonali, Fernandes; Savio, Solanke, Marmoush
And you probably figured Freddie Freeman would get it going. You had faith in playoff risers Max Muncy, Kiké Hernández and Teoscar Hernández — and in the Dodgers’ playoff-proven offense overall.
You were not, however, so bullish on the bullpen.
That was the proverbial, annual question mark entering the best-of-five National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves, whom the Dodgers vanquished with a 4-1 victory Wednesday at Truist Park to set up an NL Championship Series rematch with the Milwaukee Brewers.
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Dodgers: Reasons to believe, reasons to worry
From Bill Shaikin: As Dave Roberts delivered his victory address, dressed in a gray cap and a gray T-shirt that commemorate a triumph the Dodgers consider merely a speed bump on the road to the main event, the manager was not shy.
“There is no more talented team than the Los Angeles Dodgers,” Roberts told his players amid clubhouse floods of champagne and beer. “This is the best organization in sports, top to bottom. We’re smarter. We’re better. And we’re tougher.”
“This one is going to be special,” infielder Miguel Rojas said. “We have the motivation of winning three times in a row. That’s all we can think about right now. It’s never going to be easy in baseball. You have to go through tough things. But this team showed it before, and it showed it in this series.”
Nothing is guaranteed in October, not even the Dodgers in the World Series. For the Dodgers, here are four positive signs and four warning signs:
And though it was just a preseason game Thursday night, Doncic and Reaves showed why they form one of the most dynamic offensive backcourts in the NBA.
The Lakers duo linked up on the very first play against the Sacramento Kings, with Reaves passing to Doncic as he cut to the basket before scoring while being fouled.
Both played 25 minutes, with Doncic finishing with 23 points on six-for-16 shooting during the Lakers’ 114-110 win over the Kings at Crypto.com Arena. Reaves had eight points on two-for-seven shooting, eight assists and five
No. 2 Cleveland vs. No. 6 Chicago White Sox Chicago White Sox 3, at Cleveland 0 (box score) Chicago White Sox 4, at Cleveland 3 (box score) Cleveland 9, at Chicago 3 (box score) Cleveland 9, at Chicago 5 (box score) Saturday at Cleveland, 5 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max
NLCS
No. 1 Milwaukee vs. No. 2 Dodgers Sunday at Milwaukee, 5 p.m., FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One Monday at Milwaukee, 2 p.m., FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One Wednesday at Dodgers, 5 p.m., FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One Thursday at Dodgers, 6 p.m., FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One *Friday, Oct. 16 at Dodgers, 6 p.m., FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One *Sunday, Oct. 18 at Milwaukee, 5 p.m., FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One *Monday, Oct. 19 at Milwaukee, 5 p.m., FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One
ALCS
No. 1 Tampa Bay vs. Cleveland/Chicago winner Monday, at Tampa Bay, 5 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max Tuesday at Tampa Bay, 5 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max Thursday at Chi/Cle, 3 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max Friday, Oct. 16 at Chi/Cle, 3 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max *Sat., Oct. 17 at Chi/Cle, 5 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max *Monday, Oct. 19 at Tampa Bay, 2 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max *Tuesday, Oct. 20 at Tampa Bay, 5 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max
* if necessary
World Series starts Friday, Oct. 23
Secret to Matthew Stafford’s success
From Sam Farmer: Both NFL most valuable players. Both bound for Canton. Both surgically precise with their passes.
Peyton Manning sat in the studio and cued the video. Stafford looked off a Philadelphia safety last Sunday to hold him in place. He froze a cornerback with a glance. Then he threw an out-and-up to Puka Nacua, absorbing a big hit as he released the ball.
“That’s a lot of looking off,” Manning said.
Hall of Fame linebacker Luke Kuechly, watching from his own home studio, agreed.
“The quarterback will lie to you,” Kuechly said. “He’s going to look you off. He’s going to pump you. But the one thing that never lies to you is the route.”
1943 — Bob Hoernschemeyer throws six touchdown passes, an NCAA record for a freshman, to lead Indiana past Nebraska 54-13.
1965 — The United States wins the Ryder Cup 19½-12½ at the Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England. Arnold Palmer clinches the title, beating Peter Butler 2 up. It’s the 13th victory for the Americans in this event, which began in 1927. Britain, a three-time winner, last won in 1957.
1974 — The Washington Capitals lose their first NHL game, 6-3 to the Rangers at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
1982 — Al Del Greco kicks six field goals for all of Auburn’s points in an 18-3 triumph over Kentucky.
1983 — Buffalo’s Joe Ferguson passes for 419 yards and five touchdowns in an 38-35 overtime win against Miami. Uwe Von Schamann of the Dolphins misses two field goals in the overtime and Joe Danelo ends the game with a 36-yard field goal.
1991 — The San Jose Sharks gain their first NHL victory, defeating the Calgary Flames 4-3.
1993 — Minnesota’s Scott Eckers passes for 402 yards and a school-record six touchdowns in his first college start, sending the Gophers past Purdue 59-56.
1993 — Carey Bender rushes 33 times for 417 yards, setting an NCAA all-division single-game rushing record, in Coe’s 69-7 Division III victory over Grinnell.
2004 — Texas Tech beats Nebraska 70-10, the worst lost in the Cornhuskers’ storied 114-year history.
2004 — Texas loses to Oklahoma 12-0, getting shut out for the first time in 282 games and ending the longest streak in the country.
2010 — Mike Brinkley passes for six touchdowns and Armond Smith runs for five scores to lead Union (Ky.) to an 84-55 victory over Bethel (Tenn.) in an NAIA game.
2010 — Derek Stepan becomes the fourth player to score three times in his NHL debut to lead the New York Rangers to a season-opening 6-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres.
2011 — Sebastian Janikowski kicks four field goals, including three from at least 50 yards (54, 55, 50), in Oakland’s 25-20 win over Houston. Houston’s Matt Schaub throws for 416 yards and two touchdowns.
2011 — The NHL returns to Winnipeg, but Carey Price stops 30 shots and the Montreal Canadiens dampen a city celebration with a 5-1 victory over the Jets.
2015 — Sepp Blatter, hoping to return to power as FIFA president, is banned for 90 days, essentially ending his 17-year reign as the leader of soccer’s governing body. UEFA President Michel Platini also gets a 90-day ban following an investigation of financial misconduct at FIFA in a Swiss criminal case.
2016 — Tom Brady returns from his four-game “Deflategate” suspension, passing for 406 yards and three touchdowns to Martellus Bennett in the New England Patriots’ 33-13 victory over the Cleveland Browns.
2022 — Dutch Red Bull driver Max Verstappen secures his second consecutive World F1 Drivers C’ship after finishing in front of Sergio Pérez and Charles Leclerc in the Japanese GP at Suzuka.
Compiled by the Associated Press
This day in baseball history
1928 — Baseball World Series: NY Yankees beat St. Louis Cardinals, 7-3 at Sportsman’s Park to become first to sweep consecutive World Series; Babe Ruth hits smashes three HRs for Yanks.
1934 — Baseball World Series: St Louis Cardinals rout Detroit Tigers, 11-0 at Navin Field to clinch 4 games to 3 series victory and third championship.
1966 — Baseball World Series: Baltimore Orioles claim first championship in franchise history; edge Dodgers, 1-0 at Memorial Stadium for 4-0 sweep; MVP: Orioles outfielder Frank Robinson.
1988 — Dennis Eckersley saves all four games in Oakland’s ALCS victory over Boston.
2005 — Chris Burke hits a home run in the bottom of the 18th inning and Roger Clemens pitches three scoreless innings of relief in Houston’s 7-6, series-ending victory over Atlanta in the NLDS. The longest postseason game in history takes 5 hours, 50 minutes.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
His October track record suggested he was an unlikely hero. He entered Wednesday with a .123 playoff batting average. He was benched in Game 5 of the World Series last year. He’d even started this postseason hitless in the first two games of the National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves, and was given the red light on ABS challenges.
He didn’t carry any of that up to the plate with him in the seventh inning, with the score tied, the bases loaded and hard-throwing Braves reliever Robert Suarez entering the game to face him.
“I like being in those at-bats,” Pages said in Spanish after the Dodgers’ 4-1 win in Game 4 of the NLDS. “There are times the result comes, sometimes not, but I prepare to be in those spots. And today I was able to get the result.”
He was patient, working a full count as he fouled off and then foul-tipped a pair of fastballs in the zone.
The next one, he sent through the middle of the infield for a two-run single to finally give the Dodgers the lead in the deciding moment of the series.
The Dodgers are headed to the NL Championship Series for the ninth time in 14 seasons. They will play the Milwaukee Brewers, who finished off the San Diego Padres in four games, starting Sunday. And they came one step closer to their goal of winning a third straight World Series.
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When asked about his quarterback Tuesday, Trojans coach Lincoln Riley quickly replied that Maiava is not injured.
“Jayden has been pretty healthy,” Riley said. “They’ve kept him upright all season long.”
Maiava has adapted to shifting receiving options, calling it a learning experience as he connects with new pass catchers. USC freshman Trent Mosley was an early breakout star, but Maiava has had to look to others with Mosley out the past two games because of injury.
From Thuc Nhi Nguyen: The five Buss siblings who voted to sell the family’s shares of the Lakers filed their formal opposition to team governor Jeanie Buss’ attempts to block the sale on Wednesday, calling Jeanie’s petition “legally and factually baseless” in a statement provided to The Times.
“While discussions among the siblings continue, their focus remains on facilitating the proposed transaction and the Trust’s participation in it, while ensuring that all beneficiaries, including Jeanie, are treated equally,” Jimmy, Johnny, Janie, Joey and Jesse Buss said in the statement.
“Today’s filing is a necessary step to protect those interests and ensure the transaction proceeds on schedule.”
Evan Bouchard had two goals and an assist to become the second defenseman in NHL history with at least six goals through the first four games of a season, and the Edmonton Oilers used a five-goal second period to beat the Ducks 5-2 on Wednesday night.
Bouchard has a league-leading six goals through four games. Harry Cameron had eight goals in four games for the Toronto Arenas during the NHL’s inaugural season in 1917-18.
Leon Draisaitl had four assists, Connor McDavid had a goal and two assists, Kasperi Kapanen and Vasily Podkolzin also scored, and the Oilers overcame a sluggish start to win their third straight game. Devon Levi made 28 saves.
No. 2 Dodgers vs. No. 3 Atlanta at Dodgers 5, Atlanta 3 (box score) Atlanta 3, at Dodgers 2 (box score) Dodgers 3, at Atlanta 1 (box score) Dodgers 4, at Atlanta 1 (box score)
No. 1 Milwaukee vs. No. 4 San Diego at Milwaukee 3, San Diego 2 (box score) at Milwaukee 4, San Diego 3 (box score) at San Diego 4, Milwaukee 3 (box score) Milwaukee 3, at San Diego 1 (box score)
American League
No. 1 Tampa Bay vs. No. 4 New York at Tampa Bay 1, New York Yankees 0 (box score) at Tampa Bay 5, New York Yankees 2 (box score) Tampa Bay 4, at New York Yankees 3 (box score)
No. 2 Cleveland vs. No. 6 Chicago White Sox Chicago White Sox 3, at Cleveland 0 (box score) Chicago White Sox 4, at Cleveland 3 (box score) Cleveland 9, at Chicago 3 (box score) Thursday at Chicago, 2 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max *Saturday at Cleveland, 2 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max
NLCS
No. 1 Milwaukee vs. No. 2 Dodgers Sunday at Milwaukee, TBD, FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One Monday at Milwaukee, TBD, FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One Wednesday at Dodgers, TBD, FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One Thursday at Dodgers, TBD, FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One *Friday, Oct. 16 at Dodgers, TBD, FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One *Sunday, Oct. 18 at Milwaukee, TBD, FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One *Monday, Oct. 19 at Milwaukee, TBD, FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One
ALCS
No. 1 Tampa Bay vs. Cleveland/Chicago winner Monday, at Tampa Bay, TBD, TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max Tuesday at Tampa Bay, TBD, TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max Thursday at Chi/Cle, TBD, TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max Friday, Oct. 16 at Chi/Cle, TBD, TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max *Sat., Oct. 17 at Chi/Cle, TBD, TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max *Monday, Oct. 19 at Tampa Bay, TBD, TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max *Tuesday, Oct. 20 at Tampa Bay, TBD, TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max
* if necessary
World Series starts Friday, Oct. 23
This day in sports history
1933 — Cliff Battles of the Boston Redskins becomes the first NFL player to gain more than 200 yards rushing with 215 yards in a 21-20 win over the New York Giants.
1949 — Walt Pastuszak has five of Brown’s 11 interceptions in a 46-0 rout of Rhode Island.
1950 — Bill Grimes of the Green Bay Packers gains 167 yards in 10 carries in a 44-31 loss to the New York Yankees.
1966 — Jerry DePoyster of Wyoming becomes the first player in college football to make three field goals of 50 yards or more in a game. DePoyster connects on two 54-yard tries and a 52-yarder in the Cowboys’ 40-7 rout of Utah.
1961 — Paul Hornung scores 33 points, with four touchdowns, six extra points and a field goal, to lead the Green Bay Packers to a 45-7 romp over the Baltimore Colts.
1977 — No. 7 Alabama beats No. 1 USC 21-20 in Los Angeles. USC fullback Lynn Cain scores with 38 seconds remaining but the 2-point attempt fails.
1992 — Doug Smail scores two goals and the expansion Ottawa Senators rock the Montreal Canadiens 5-3 — the first regular-season NHL game by an Ottawa franchise in 58 years.
1993 — The Anaheim Mighty Ducks, before 17,174 at the Arrowhead Pond, lose 7-2 to the Detroit Red Wings in their first NHL game.
1995 — Dolphin’s Dan Marino breaks Fran Tarkenton’s NFL career completions record.
1997 — Adam Oates reaches 1,000 points with three goals and two assists as the Washington Capitals post a 6-3 victory over the New York Islanders.
2005 — Baylor wins a Big 12 road game for the first time in the league’s 10-year history, beating Iowa State 23-13. The Bears had been 0-37 on the road in the Big 12 Conference.
2006 — Randy Moss’ 22-yard TD catch between two defenders 51 seconds before halftime is the Oakland receiver’s 100th touchdown reception. He’s becomes the seventh receiver in NFL history with 100 TD catches.
2011 — Howard scores all its points in the fourth quarter, including 16 in the final 1:27 to beat 29-28 Florida A&M. Parker Munoz caps the improbable comeback by hitting a 21-yard field goal with 4 seconds left following FAMU’s Damien Fleming fumble on the 28-yard line.
2015 — Tampa Bay’s Jason Garrison scores his second goal of the game at 2:17 of the extra period to lead the Lightning past the Philadelphia Flyers in the first 3-on-3 overtime game in NHL history.
2016 — Will Worth and Navy stuns No. 6 Houston, romping to a 46-40 victory. Worth runs for 115 yards and throws two scoring passes for the Midshipmen. Navy hadn’t beaten a top 10 team since 1984, when it topped then-No. 2 South Carolina in Annapolis.
2017 — Aaron Rodgers throws a 12-yard touchdown pass to Davante Adams with 11 seconds remaining, lifting Green Bay over the Dallas Cowboys 35-31 in another thriller nine months after the Packers’ divisional playoff victory on the same field.
2018 — Drew Brees’ 62-yard touchdown pass to rookie Tre’Quan Smith makes him the NFL’s all-time leader in yards passing and sends the New Orleans Saints well on their way to a 43-19 victory over the Washington Redskins. Brees enters the game needing 201 yards to eclipse Peyton Manning’s previous mark of 71,940 yards. He finishes 26 of 29 for 363 yards and three touchdowns.
Compiled by the Associated Press
This day in baseball history
1956 — Don Larsen of the New York Yankees pitches the only perfect game in World Series history, a 2-0 triumph over Brooklyn.
2018 — Red Sox utility player Brock Holt becomes the first MLB player to hit for the cycle in a postseason game.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
From Maddie Lee: The Dodgers’ first few innings Tuesday night were riddled with strikeouts and missed opportunities. But the work they did racking up Atlanta Braves ace Chris Sale‘s pitch count culminated in Kiké Hernández’s big fourth-inning moment in Game 3 of the National League Division Series.
“I felt hitting at the bottom of the lineup, my responsibility was to not chase him around, not give in to what he was trying to get me to do, which was roll over and hit into a double play,” Hernández said after the Dodgers’ 3-1 win against the Braves. “So my mentality was to grind out the at-bat, try to get a good pitch to hit. If not, just be patient so I could turn the lineup over to Mookie [Betts] at the top.”
Hernández let Sale’s first pitch, a changeup in and off the plate, go for a ball. Then, he recognized the pitch again, heading toward the inner third of the plate. And Hernández demolished it, taking three slow steps out of the batter’s box before dropping the bat.
Go beyond the scoreboard
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Hernández has too many big postseason moments — a three-homer game against the Cubs in Game 5 of the 2017 NL Championship Series, for example — for a single homer in a non-elimination game to rank at the top. It was his 17th career postseason home run, which accounts for 11% of his home runs over 13 years in the majors, putting him in a category of his own.
It was, however, the biggest offensive moment of the Dodgers’ postseason so far. As the series teetered, in a matchup of rotation aces, all tied up and in Atlanta for the first time, he got his first at-bats of the 2026 postseason and immediately delivered.
“We played tonight like an elimination game,” manager Dave Roberts said. “Collectively it was probably one of our better performances, certainly with the [opposing] starter, as far as 1 through 9.”
Kiké Hernández celebrates after hitting a two-run home run in the fourth inning of the Dodgers’ 3-1 win over the Atlanta Braves in Game 3 of the NLDS at Truist Park on Tuesday.
Stepping warily into Atlanta’s Truist Park with their five-game division series tied at one game apiece and Braves’ ace Chris Sale waiting for them on the mound Tuesday, the Dodgers marched out three hours later on the verge of another champagne shower.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto was brilliant, showing everyone that they were focusing on the wrong ace.
The Dodger bats were reborn, showing everyone that they still know how to hit in October.
And, yes, the Dodgers finally have a closer, Edwin Díaz entering the ninth and allowing a leadoff double to Ozzie Albies before retiring the next three hitters for the biggest save of his brief Dodgers career.
The most forgotten hero in Dodger history stepped out of the shadows in 1987 as their instant general manager and created the miraculous monster that came to be in 1988.
The resuscitation of a Dodger brand during what was quite possibly its darkest moment? It all started with Fred Claire, the longtime Dodger executive who died Monday in his Pasadena home on his 91st birthday.
That is what UCLAcoach Bob Chesney told his team when he showed them their Associated Press Top 25 ranking during Sunday’s team meeting, reminding the Bruins what their priorities are as they come off their bye week and prepare for a showdown in Eugene, Ore., against the No. 13 Ducks.
“If you pay attention to this number it will go away,” Chesney said. “If you pay attention to what you did to get that number, and only focus on that and improve that, maybe the number even gets better. Who knows as time goes on, but that can’t be anything we talk about or worry about, and that’s why I wanted to bring it up one time and that was the end of it.”
The commitment to the process remains Chesney’s top priority as his team stares down its biggest test of the season to date.
Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper makes a glove save during the first period against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday.
(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
From Kevin Baxter: Before the first home game of their upcoming 60th anniversary year Tuesday, the Kings honored their past by unveiling a modest Hall of Fame on the concourse of Crypto.com Arena.
An hour later, this season’s Kings took the ice and made some history of their own, though not the kind they had hoped for, falling to the Florida Panthers 2-1 to open a season with three consecutive losses for the first time since 2020.
For Peter Laviolette, the history was even more unwanted since the team’s 0-2-1 start makes him the first Kings coach to go winless in his first three games since Robbie Ftorek in 1987.
Laviolette was a 23-year-old defenseman with the U.S. national team then. He would go on to win 934 NHL games as a coach, the most ever for an American, but he has yet to add to that total with the Kings. It didn’t help that two of the first three games with his new franchise came against Colorado and Florida, popular picks to finish the season in the Stanley Cup Final.
Lakers forward Adou Thiero looks to pass around Golden State forward Yaxel Lendeborg during the Lakers’ 124-98 preseason loss Tuesday.
(Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)
From Thuc Nhi Nguyen: This was never going to be a game for the Lakers to remember. But with nearly half of the roster sidelined because of injuries or resting, Adou Thiero at least tried to inject some life into a sleepy preseason back-to-back.
Thiero’s towering one-handed dunk over two Golden State defenders provided a highlight in the Lakers’ otherwise forgettable 124-98 preseason loss to the Warriors at Chase Center on Tuesday. The Lakers leaned on their depth to get through their second short-handed preseason game in as many nights.
Guard Quentin Grimes, the only player starting a second consecutive game for the Lakers, had 12 points and three assists. Forward Sandro Mamukelashvili started at center and had 15 points and a trio of three-pointers. Thiero, getting a rare starting moment, scored seven points and grabbed four rebounds while Bronny James had four points and five assists in a starting role.
No. 2 Dodgers vs. No. 3 Atlanta at Dodgers 5, Atlanta 3 (box score) Atlanta 3, at Dodgers 2 (box score) Dodgers 3, at Atlanta 1 (box score) Wednesday at Atlanta, 3 p.m., FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One *Friday at Dodgers, 5 p.m., FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One
No. 1 Milwaukee vs. No. 4 San Diego at Milwaukee 3, San Diego 2 (box score) at Milwaukee 4, San Diego 3 (box score) at San Diego 4, Milwaukee 3 (box score) Wednesday at San Diego, 7 p.m., FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One *Friday at Milwaukee, 1:30 p.m., FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One
American League
No. 1 Tampa Bay vs. No. 4 New York at Tampa Bay 1, New York Yankees 0 (box score) at Tampa Bay 5, New York Yankees 2 (box score) Wednesday at New York, 5 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max *Thursday at New York, 5 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max *Saturday, Oct. 10 at Tampa Bay, 5 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max
No. 2 Cleveland vs. No. 6 Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox 3, at Cleveland 0 (box score) Chicago White Sox 4, at Cleveland 3 (box score) Wednesday at Chicago, 1 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max *Thursday at Chicago, 2 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max *Saturday, Oct. 10 at Cleveland, 2 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max
* if necessary
NLCS starts Sunday, Oct. 11 ALCS starts Monday, Oct. 12 World Series starts Friday, Oct. 23
This Day in Sports History
1904 — Jack Chesbro registers his 41st victory of the season as New York defeats Boston 3-2.
1916 — Georgia Tech, coached by John Heisman, beats Cumberland 222-0 in the most lopsided college football game in history.
1933 — Baseball World Series: NY Giants beat Washington Senators, 4-3 at Griffith Stadium to clinch 4 games to 1 series victory.
1935 — Baseball World Series: Detroit Tigers beat Chicago Cubs, 4-3 at Navin Field for 4 games to 2 series win; Tigers win first championship in 5 WS appearances.
1945 — The Green Bay Packers score 41 points in the first quarter in a 57-21 win against the Detroit Lions.
1950 — Baseball World Series: New York Yankees beat Philadelphia Phillies, 5-2 at Yankee Stadium to sweep series, 4-0 for 13th WS title in team history; MVP: NY 2B Jerry Coleman.
1952 — Baseball World Series: NY Yankees beat Brooklyn Dodgers, 4-2 at Ebbets Field in Game 7 to tie own record 4th straight WS; MVP: NY 1B Johnny Mize.
1962 — Judy Kimball wins the LPGA championship with a four-stroke victory over Shirley Spork.
1967 — Tulsa wide receivers Ricky Eber and Harry Wood have the best day by a receiving duo in college football history. Eber has 20 receptions for 322 yards and three touchdowns, while Wood grabs 13 passes for 318 yards and three scores in Tulsa’s 58-0 win over Idaho State.
1970 — Willie Shoemaker wins his 6,033rd race to pass Johnny Longden as the winningest jockey. His first race was won on April 20, 1949.
1984 — Walter Payton breaks Jim Brown’s career rushing mark of 12,312 yards and Brown’s career mark of 58 100-yard rushing games in a 20-7 victory over New Orleans. Payton breaks the record on Chicago’s second play from scrimmage in the second half.
1985 — Lynette Woodard, captain of the women’s basketball team that won the gold medal at the 1984 Olympics, is chosen to be the first woman to play for the Harlem Globetrotters.
1995 — Coach Eddie Robinson gets his 400th victory as Grambling beats Mississippi Valley State 42-6.
2000 — Zamir Amin of Menlo College sets an NCAA all-divisions record, passing for 731 yards in the Division III school’s 37-32 loss to Cal Lutheran. Amin, 39-of-66 with four TDs and three interceptions, breaks the mark of 716 set by David Klingler of Division I-A Houston against Arizona State on Dec. 2, 1990.
2001 — San Diego’s Rickey Henderson becomes the 25th player with 3,000 hits with a bloop double in a 14-5 loss to Colorado.
2001 — Barry Bonds wraps up his record-breaking season with his 73rd homer and shatters the slugging percentage record that Babe Ruth had owned for 81 years. He finishes with a slugging percentage of .863, easily surpassing the mark of .847 that Ruth set in 1920.
2006 — Denis Hopovac’s fifth field goal of the game, in an NCAA record-tying seventh overtime, gives North Texas a 25-22 victory over Florida International. The other two seven-overtime games involved Arkansas — against Mississippi in 2001 and Kentucky in 2003.
2011 — Minnesota Lynx beat the Atlanta Dream 73-67 to complete a three-game sweep of the WNBA championship series.
2012 — Drew Brees finishes 29 for 45 for 370 yards with four TD passes and an interception in New Orleans’ 31-24 win over San Diego. Brees breaks the NFL record by throwing a touchdown pass in his 48th straight game. His 40-yard pass to Devery Henderson eclipses the mark of 47 consecutive games set by Johnny Unitas from 1956-60.
2017 — Jarvion Franklin runs in from the 12 to give Western Michigan a 71-68 victory over Buffalo in a record-tying seven overtimes with a record-breaking 139 total points.
2017 — Backup Khalil Tate rushes for 327 yards, an FBS record for a quarterback, and accounts for five touchdowns to help Arizona hold off Colorado 45-42.
2017 — Alex Ovechkin scores four goals to become the first player in 100 years with back-to-back hat tricks to open a season, and the Washington Capitals beat the Montreal Canadiens 6-1.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. I’m Eric Sondheimer. Football forfeits have been happening. Athletic directors and coaches have been scrambling to make sure players are eligible and parental paperwork is accurate. That’s just a small part of the ethical dilemmas taking place in the high school sports world.
Let the debate begin on ethics
Nobody likes to be told what to do. Nobody likes to be told they are wrong. Nobody likes bureaucracy because it moves slowly. Everybody likes to find shortcuts and to be told they are right. It’s almost a daily experience working in the high school sports world, figuring out ethical dilemmas and how to proceed.
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Coaches are supposed to tell their players every season that hazing is wrong and won’t be tolerated. Then hazing happens, and the coach is the one held accountable, sometimes even losing their job.
There always are internal politics at play. A winning coach will be treated differently from a losing coach. That’s a fact. In my job as a sportswriter, I’ve been monitoring decisions on ethics for decades. I was around when the California Interscholastic Federation adopted lessons from the influential Michael Josephson, who created the Character Counts coalition. Awards continue to be given out to those who hold their ground and choose the ethically right decision to make.
Do you go out and check the address of transfer student or trust the paperwork submitted? Do you report another team using an ineligible player immediately or hold it back until right before the playoffs, causing the entire team to lose out on the playoffs because of forfeits?
Tahj Skinner of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame accounted for four touchdowns — throwing for three and returning an interception for another— in a 28-21 win over Chaminade.
(Craig Weston / For The Times)
Tahj Skinner of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame intends to play safety for UC Davis. But he’s been doing such a fantastic job playing quarterback for the unbeaten Knights that being a wildcat quarterback could be in his future. He had three touchdown passes and returned an interception for a touchdown in a win over Chaminade. Here’s the report.
In a battle of very good defenses, Santa Margarita defeated Mater Dei 14-7. Here’s the report.
Another week, another historic win for unbeaten Cleveland in the City Section. The Cavaliers defeated longtime power Birmingham 14-9 in the West Valley League opener. Here’s the report.
In a battle of unbeaten teams, Corona del Mar got past Villa Park, 24-10. Here’s the report.
Granada Hills Kennedy (6-0) has won 20 consecutive Valley Mission League games.
Ceasar Reyes of Garfield continues to pile up rushing yards. He had 374 yards in 39 carries and scored five touchdowns in a 42-28 win over Bell. He‘d better bring doughnuts to his offensive linemen on Monday mornings.
Quarterback Shawn Sanders of Paracete had a game for the ages in a 56-36 win over St. Paul. He was 14 for 15 passing for 205 yards and two touchdowns. He rushed for 188 yards and two touchdowns. He kicked seven PATs and seven balls into the end zone for touchbacks. Did he bring out the water bottles too?
Corona Centennial has nine players in its football program with variations of the same first name. Here’s the report.
One of the great teams from the 2026-27 school year is going to end up being JSerra flag football. The Lions won the Southern Section Division 1 title last season and are even better this season with 21 consecutive victories. If any opponent gets close, that will be news.
You need to go watch the duo of quarterback Kate Meier and receiver Tessa Russell.
Carson has taken over as No. 1 in the City Section.
Girls’ volleyball
There’s a clear pecking order in the Southern Section. Mater Dei and Sierra Canyon have been the top teams all season. Mira Costa, Los Alamitos and Marymount are right behind.
From Chaminade AD: Bryan Cantwell is taking personal leave and we have named long time assistant coach Chris Johnson as interim Head Coach. We expect Bryan to return at some point in the future. Basketball.
Yorba Linda’s football team has been forced to forfeit four victories, which means its record is 0-6 and making the playoffs would require earning an automatic berth from the Alpha League. The school district indicated there were violations involving bylaws 503.B (1) and 510, which involve administrative oversight and undue influence….
Todd Therrien, a former football coach at St. Bonaventure who won two state Division III championships, died on Sept. 30, the Ventura County Star reported. He was 47. He recently had a stroke and was a quadriplegic after a spinal cord injury from a car accident in 2022. He succeeded Jon Mack in 2007….
Freshman Emiliano Plascencia of Whitter has more than 100 goals for his water polo team this season.
(Los Angeles Times)
Whittier has a freshman water polo player scoring goals in bunches. Here’s the report. …
JSerra made it to the championship game in water polo at the Elite 8 tournament before losing to Cathedral Catholic….
The Southern Section football playoff pairings will be announced on Sunday, Nov. 1 at 10 a.m. That’s also the end of daylight savings time when the clocks move back one hour, so no sleeping in for coaches, parents or players….
The Luderer twins, Keira and Kelsey, from Sherman Oaks Notre Dame committed to Florida State for softball. Here’s the report….
Chaminade has begun construction of a $66-million project that will include new baseball and softball diamonds. Here’s the report.
From the archives: Jamie Dixon
Jamie Dixon was a star guard at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, went on to Texas Christian, became a top assistant to Ben Howland at Northern Arizona, then an assistant at Pittsburgh before becoming coach. He has been TCU’s coach since 2016.
From the Los Angeles Times, a story on Inglewood football coach Mil’Von James saying he played three ineligible players in Texas because he didn’t know they were ineligible outside of California.
From the Los Angeles Times, a story on how unbeaten Sierra Canyon’s football team has found a top sophomore linebacker in Eli Zamorano, who spent nearly three months living on Easter Island when he was 15.
From Yahoo, a story on former Mater Dei receiver Cooper Barkate having a breakout performance for Miami.
Tweets you might have missed
𝘿𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝘿𝙞 𝙈𝙖𝙜𝙜𝙞𝙤
Matti Di Maggio crushes one for a leadoff solo shot!
One reason why it’s going to be so difficult to get high school softball teams to play in state championships instead of club ball is seen in X profiles. Players mention their club team, not their high school team.
The JSerra Girls Flag Football team improved to 20-0 on the season, as the Lions defeated the Santa Margarita Eagles 34-20 in a Trinity League game on Tuesday at JSerra Catholic High School.
JSerra has now won 48 straight games dating back to last season.
The City Section will soon consider a proposal that would punish an individual student for playing on outside team (think soccer) when discovered in the playoffs and not eliminate the team.
BREAKING: Moorpark High striker Bella Sanabria Cora, the cousin of former Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora and MLB All-Star Joey Cora, was named to the U17 World Cup team for Puerto Rico.
Keep an eye out for my exclusive interview with Sanabria Cora in The Star early next week. pic.twitter.com/aw3JmJPSN7
Matti Di Maggio (Dos Pueblos) and Bryant Ju (Cypress) are coming home with gold medals after USA won the 15U World Cup in Mexico with a 5-4 walk-off win over Dominican Republic in the B 8th.
A special night was had tonight as this ALL FEMALE officiating crew made history in Orange County! 👏✨
White Hat: Mary Margaret Montgomery Head Lines: Kristi Wilson Umpire: Maryann Menlove Line Judge: Nina Berbiglia Back Judge: Sarita Stamps pic.twitter.com/DrM86nO8ku
I’m hearing a growing concern of high school football players directing the N word at opponents. Enough. And coaches need to intervene before someone gets fired, suspended, kicked off. Just like hazing, it’s unacceptable. Officials have already thrown flags trying to stop the taunting.
Former Gardena Serra running back Kai Honda rushed for 219 yards and scored four touchdowns for Princeton in win over Columbia. Always knew his time would come in the Ivy League. https://t.co/SpDT0qeXDq
Have a question, comment or something you’d like to see in a future Prep Rally newsletter? Email me at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com, and follow me on X at @latsondheimer.
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All season long, Golden State Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase has been begging her team to empty the tank. In the winner-take-all Game 3 win over Dallas on Friday, it seems she took that too literally.
“The stress at this time of year is real,” said Becky Hammon, Las Vegas Aces coach and Nakase’s former mentor. “The pressure, you don’t get a lot of sleep. You’re not eating as well as you probably should. There’s a lot of factors that go into that. That was kind of scary actually to watch, and just you know, that little sucker popped right back up, though. Got right back up on that marker and kept it pushing.”
Nakase said Sunday she is fine and just battling exhaustion, something she is taking seriously in her quest to prioritize self-care.
“[My father] told me about 10 years ago when I never knew what I was going to do with my career, and he just said, ‘do not let your career ever get involved if your mental health or your health gets complicated,’” she said. “So when that happened, it definitely was like a wake-up call for me.”
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But anyone who knows Nakase is not surprised to see her truly empty the tank like this. Ever since the Huntington Beach native and Marina High graduate was a walk-on to UCLA’s team in 1998, she has had an unwavering intensity.
“She has that [intensity] but with a smile on her face,” said her high school coach Pete Bonny. “From the get-go, this is who she is.”
In her second season as a WNBA coach, those around her have seen her willingness to adapt to the situation.
“She has always found ways to keep us winning,” Valkyries assistant coach Landon Tatum said. “Her ability to change in real time and make adjustments I think is the biggest difference for her this year.”
Golden State Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase talks with Kaitlyn Chen during Game 1 of a WNBA semifinal series against the Las Vegas Aces in San Francisco on Sunday.
(Tony Avelar / Ap Photo/tony Avelar)
Nakase walked on at UCLA after turning down a scholarship offer from UC Irvine. With the Bruins, she became a starter and captain, earning honorable mention All-Pac-10 honors in 2002 and finishing her career ranked 10th in program history with 358 assists.
The Bruins made two NCAA tournament appearances during Nakase’s four seasons.
In her first year as a WNBA head coach, Nakase led the Valkyries to the postseason, the first time an expansion team ever accomplished that feat. It earned her the league’s coach of the year award.
“If you put all 44 games together, all 44 of the regular season, I don’t know if there’s a team that played harder than her team every [game] for the 44 games, and that’s that’s a tribute to her,” Hammon said. “That’s the highest compliment I can give someone.”
This year, Golden State went even deeper with a first-round series win over Dallas after finishing the regular season with the league’s second-best record. After top seed Minnesota was upset in the first round, the Valkyries now have home court throughout the postseason.
“She always sticks to her plan,” said Valkyries point guard Veronica Burton about how she has seen Nakase grow this season. “Every single game she approaches with the utmost respect. I think it says a lot about her as a coach, and then what she expects of us. I think every single game I know what to expect going in, and I know what she wants of me, and I know what she expects of me. She makes us feel prepared.”
Golden State Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase raises the WNBA Coach of the Year award before a playoff game against the Minnesota Lynx on Sept. 17, 2025, in San José.
(Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images)
Nakase was back on the sidelines on Sunday to face Hammon, wearing a heart monitor and trying to practice what she preaches about recovery. She ultimately led Golden State to a 71-60 win in Game 1 of the series.
Nakase does not plan on tempering her trademark fervor, even if this was an important learning experience. After all, she built an unlikely UCLA career and surging WNBA coaching career by sticking with who she is.
“She’s never been afraid that she knows she is going to mess up sometimes,” Tatum said. “Her ability to create a culture that fast, like that’s not easy. I think that’s when you kind of knew off top in training camp, like, oh yeah, I think she’s ready for this. She’s got this.”
Bruins’ Canada also thriving in WNBA playoffs
Dream guard Jordin Canada dribbles between New York Liberty center Han Xu, left, and guard Marine Johannes, right, during Game 1 of a WNBA semifinal series Sunday in Atlanta.
(Colin Hubbard / Associated Press)
The Associated Press’ Alan Cole highlighted a banner Sunday for UCLA alum Jordin Canada:
Jordin Canada scored 20 of her 25 points in the second half and had five steals to help the Atlanta Dream beat the New York Liberty 92-82 on Sunday in Game 1 of the best-of-five WNBA semifinals series.
DeWanna Bonner added 23 points and helped fill the void when Allisha Gray went down with a left hand injury in the second quarter. Atlanta once again played stellar defense, scoring 32 points off 21 forced turnovers, including 16 in a dominant third quarter. The 32 points off turnovers tied an all-time WNBA playoff record.
“Everybody stepped up, and that’s what we need,” Canada said. “Next-man up mentality. I just tried to do what I do best. I tried to be aggressive, find my shots and take my shots with confidence.”
Gray’s injury was the key moment of a very even first half. Neither team led by more than six points in a half that had 14 lead changes. New York went into the locker room with a slim 40-37 advantage. But Atlanta outscored New York 32-15 in the third quarter, seizing control with relentless defensive pressure.
“We knew we didn’t play our best in the first half,” Canada said. “We gave up a lot of defensive assignments, we weren’t playing up to our schemes and we just weren’t being aggressive enough on the offensive end.”
Angel Reese and Canada had three steals apiece in the third, keying a 13-3 run to start the half which gave Atlanta a lead it never surrendered. Seven New York players recorded at least one third-quarter turnover, and the team shot just four of 14 from the floor in a stretch that created a margin too big to overcome.
Oregon’s Lanning compares UCLA to national champs
Oregon coach Dan Lanning dodged questions this past week about the health of quarterback Dante Moore following a brutal hit during a win over USC by trying to focus on UCLA.
USC linebacker Desman Stephens II charged forward to tackle Moore on a run play on Sept. 26. Moore slid late and Stephens didn’t change course, lowering his shoulder and running into Moore’s head. Oregon players and fans were more offended after Stephens celebrated the play that nearly triggered a fight among the two teams and he was captured by NBC cameras smiling on the sideline while Moore was treated on the field before being transported to the hospital by ambulance. Stephens was ejected for targeting, but new NCAA rules allowed him to remain on the sideline and try to fire up his team during the second half.
A day after USC coach Lincoln Riley said he did not see Stephens’ sideline behavior and defended keeping him on the sideline in the second half, the school issued statements from Riley and Stephens apologizing for the hit and Stephens’ behavior while Moore received treatment. Stephens was suspended for one game.
Lanning called the play “disgusting” during his postgame news conference.
Oregon announced that Moore was diagnosed with a concussion, but tests showed no further injuries. Lanning said the team would be cautious as Moore recovers from the head injury.
Oregon, like UCLA, had a bye this past week and Lanning didn’t see reporters again until Wednesday. When asked for updates on Moore and for his thoughts on USC’s apologies and discipline, Lanning punted and instead compared UCLA to last year’s national champion.
“We’re about to play a UCLA team that reminds me a lot of Indiana from last year,” Lanning told reporters. “…Let’s just be honest. We’re not remotely close to what we need to be. We’re not remotely close.”
Lanning also said UCLA coach Bob Chesney texted him after the Ducks’ win over USC, offering to visit Moore if he had to remain in the hospital in Los Angeles. Moore instead was released and allowed to fly back to Oregon with his teammates.
Men’s water polo splits top-four matchups
The No. 1 UCLA men’s water polo split its marquee matchups to open Mountain Pacific Sports Federation play during the weekend.
The Bruins fell 19-15 to No. 2 Stanford on Saturday, but they rebounded for a 13-11 win over No. 4 California Sunday. Junior Ryder Dodd had five goals and three assists during the victory over the Golden Bears.
The Cardinal set a tougher pace on Saturday, leading by one goal at the end of the first, second and third quarters before extending their lead during a pivotal 7-4 fourth quarter. Dodd again paced the Bruins with four goals and five assists.
UCLA hosts Golden West College and California Baptist this weekend before the pressure rises again with a match at No. 3 USC on Oct. 17.
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Bruins on deck
Here are all UCLA games scheduled to be played this week across all sports, with all times Pacific:
Tuesday, Oct. 6
Men’s soccer vs. Westmont, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 8
Women’s soccer vs. Indiana, 7 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 9
Men’s tennis at UC Santa Barbara Fall Classic, All day
Cross country at Wisconsin’s Nuttycombe Invite, Time TBA
Women’s volleyball at Maryland, 3:30 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 10
Men’s tennis at UC Santa Barbara Fall Classic, All day
Football at Oregon, 12:30 p.m.
Men’s water polo vs. Golden West College, 1 p.m.
Women’s volleyball at Rutgers, 4 p.m.
Men’s water polo vs. California Baptist, 6 p.m.
Men’s soccer vs. Ohio State, 6 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 11
Men’s tennis at UC Santa Barbara Fall Classic, All day
Do you have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future UCLA newsletter? Email newsletters editor Houston Mitchell at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Sports editor Iliana Limón Romero contributed to this report.
Only one point separates Group A1 leaders France and second-placed Belgium before Monday’s clash.
Published On 5 Oct 20265 Oct 2026
Who: France vs Belgium What: UEFA Nations League 2026-2027, Group A1 match Where: Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France When: Monday at 8:45pm (18:45 GMT) How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will bring you all the build-up and live updates from 15:45 GMT.
Two-time world champions France host Belgium in the last of four Nations League games played over this extended international window.
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Monday’s clash in Saint-Denis pits the top two teams in A1 against each other with France looking to complete the double in this league phase after their initial victory in Brussels in late September.
France and Belgium both enter this match with their creative stars in red-hot form. Michael Olise scored a goal in back-to-back matches while Kevin De Bruyne’s double steered Belgium to victory last time out.
However, Belgium will have to do without De Bruyne for the Les Bleus test with the midfield sensation suspended alongside their captain, Youri Tielemans.
Here’s all you need to know about France vs Belgium:
What is the UEFA Nations League?
The UEFA Nations League was founded in 2018 to reduce the number of friendlies and give nations competitive matches against equally ranked teams.
In this competition, countries from across Europe participate in a league structure that features promotion and relegation.
How does the UEFA Nations League work?
The teams compete across four divisions, facing every other team in their group twice: once at home and once away. The league phase ends in November.
In the top-most league, League A, the top two teams from each group go through to the quarterfinals, which will take place in March.
The finals will again be contested between four teams. The host and the dates of the finals have not been confirmed yet.
How have France and Belgium played in the Nations League?
France lead Group A1 with seven points from three games.
Zinedine Zidane (France): “We always want to win. We are competitors. The most important thing is to prepare well for matches and to feel comfortable on the pitch. I am very satisfied with the mentality I have seen so far. I have clear convictions. I love the French national team, and I have top-class players, but I know it will take time. I am very happy with what I have seen.”
French head coach Zinedine Zidane has led the team to two wins and a draw in this year’s Nations League [AFP]
Mark van Bommel (Belgium): “France have an exceptional amount of quality. They’re a complete team. In the first match, however, we should have taken at least a point. So it is possible tomorrow. We have to be top in all areas.”
Team news and predicted lineups
France
Matteo Guendouzi and Dayot Upamecano are suspended, and Warren Zaire-Emery is out with a thigh injury.
Probable France XI: Mike Maignan; Pierre Kalulu, Jeremy Jacquet, Maxence Lacroix, Adrien Truffert; Rayan Cherki, Lucas Da Cunha, Eduardo Camavinga; Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue
Belgium
De Bruyne and Tielemans are both suspended after picking up two yellow cards in successive matches.
Probable Belgium XI: Senne Lammens; Timothy Castagne, Nathan Ngoy, Brandon Mechele, Maxim De Cuyper; Nicolas Raskin, Romeo Lavia, Hans Vanaken; Dodi Lukebakio, Charles De Ketelaere, Mika Godts
PHILADELPHIA — Safety Kam Curl did not see it happen initially because he was on the Rams sideline teasing the Philadelphia Eagles about what he thought was his team’s certain victory.
Punter and holder Ethan Evans had a close-up view of the first part, but could not stop the second.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford, an 18th-year pro, said he had never witnessed a game-ending play like it.
Those were just a few of the memories from Rams players when asked about last season’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.
Minutes after the Eagles blocked a late field-goal attempt, the Rams lined up for another one on the final play. Jordan Davis of the Eagles leaped and blocked the kick, scooped the ball and returned it 61 yards for a touchdown that sent the Rams to a 33-26 defeat.
“All I heard was ‘boom, boom,’” Curl said of the kick and subsequent block, “and then I looked and it was all bad from there.”
Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis prepares to pick up a loose ball after blocked field-goal attempt against the Rams on Sept. 21, 2025.
And they arrive with several special teams units that remain a concern for a star-studded team that opened the season as the overwhelming favorite to win Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium.
Not that the Rams have looked the part.
They lost their opener against the San Francisco 49ers in Australia, rebounded with a victory over the New York Giants, and last Sunday blew a 16-0 halftime lead in a 30-26 loss to the Denver Broncos in Denver.
Now they play an Eagles team coming off a 27-7 defeat by the Chicago Bears.
Late last season, coach Sean McVay fired special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn, and Ben Kotwica served as interim coordinator for the final two games. During the offseason, McVay hired Bubba Ventrone, who had coordinated special teams for the Indianapolis Colts and Cleveland Browns.
They also signed veteran long-snapper Joe Cardona and linebacker Grant Stuard, a special teams veteran.
The Rams’ field-goal unit is seemingly in a better place than it was last season.
Kicker Harrison Mevis replaced Joshua Karty several games after the debacle against the Eagles. He made 18 of 19 field-goal attempts in nine regular-season games and the playoffs, and has made four of five attempts this season, including two against the Broncos.
The Rams have improved in “that particular phase,” McVay said, “but you have to do it again” against a formidable Eagles field-goal block unit.
“That certainly is not anything we’re taking for granted,” McVay said.
On the same day the Rams lost to the Eagles last season, Ventrone was coaching for the Browns, who blocked a field-goal attempt by the Green Bay Packers with less than 30 seconds left, and then won the game with a field goal.
“It comes down to execution and playing with good fundamentals in those areas,” Ventrone said. “If we can do that, then we’ll be in a better spot.”
While the field-goal unit has mostly thrived, Evans has struggled with consistency, specifically directional placement of his kicks. On Friday, the Rams waived punt returner Xavier Smith, who fumbled in last season’s NFC championship game and made several decision-making errors against the Broncos. Alex Bachman will return punts against the Eagles, McVay said.
The kickoff coverage unit gave up a long return against the 49ers but appears to have improved.
The Rams will need solid performances from the offense, defense and special teams if they hope to defeat the Eagles for only the second time in eight games under McVay.
The Rams would be going for the second consecutive victory over the Eagles had they not blown a 19-point third-quarter lead and had two kicks blocked last season.
The Rams trailed 27-26 when they lined up for a 44-yard attempt with three seconds left.
“You knew it was going to be the last play no matter what,” Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula said. “You weren’t going to [overtime]. I think I put my headset down.
“You put everything away and you’re like, ‘All right, here we go. This kick is going to decide my mood for this next week.’”
Evans recalled that after Davis blocked Karty’s kick, the ball went over Evans’ head. He attempted to dive on the ball, but he was hit in the back.
“By the time I got up and looked,” Evans said, “[Davis] was already in the end zone.”
The Rams aim to avoid a repeat.
Curl said the formula for success was simple. And it applied for offense, defense and special teams.
History was made this week on Capitol Hill when a female senator womansplained sports to a male senator, and surprisingly, the gender-shaming reversal did not cause the universe to collapse on itself.
During a Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday, MAGA’s manhood cloak was breached when Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) revealed that Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri) had mixed up the names of basketball teams in an unsuccessful attempt to perjure former Special Counsel Jack Smith.
Smith was testifying before the committee because he had led the investigations into Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election and retain classified documents. Several Republican lawmakers have said that Smith overstepped his duties and launched a “witch hunt” against Trump and his allies.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) speaks during a 2020 event in Las Vegas.
(Ethan Miller / Getty Images)
Schmitt was trying to suggest Tuesday that Smith improperly colluded with Fulton County Dist. Atty. Fani Willis on their separate criminal cases against Trump by placing the former special counsel on Willis’ home turf of Atlanta in 2024.
But a watershed Watergate moment this was not. If Schmitt’s effort to ensnare Smith was set to a musical score, it would have been far more “Curb Your Enthusiasm” than “Mission Impossible.”
His gotcha moment became a schooling by Klobuchar on basketball, turning the tables on the age-old art of mansplaining. For those who need a quick definition, it’s when a man explains something to a woman in a patronizing way, with sports usually at the top of that talk-down-to-her list. He assumes she knows less than he does, even if she’s versed on the subject.
Klobuchar is an avowed sports fan and the daughter of respected Minneapolis sportswriter Jim Klobuchar and a former prosecutor known for her sharp questioning. The combination proved unfortunate for Schmitt during the hearing when he tried to catch Smith in a lie.
The Republican senator asked Smith, “Did you go to an NBA game between the Golden State Warriors and the Atlanta Hawks on Feb. 3, 2024?”
Smith, whose normally commanding presence has launched countless memes, appeared genuinely perplexed. “What city would that be in?” he asked.
“Atlanta,” replied Schmitt.
Smith denied he was there.
“So your testimony today is that you did not go to a Hawks game on Feb. 3, 2024. Is that correct?” Schmitt said.
“I have no recollection of that,” a bewildered Smith said.
As evidence, Schmitt introduced text messages from Smith’s security detail about seating arrangements for a game, displayed on a poster board that was taken down so quickly that Smith and various senators said they didn’t have time to read it.
“I think you’ve already perjured yourself,” said Schmitt, a former Missouri attorney general who then used the rest of his time to condemn Smith for subpoenaing the communications of Republican lawmakers while investigating Trump.
“You have weaponized the Department of Justice against political enemies to an extent that has never happened in the history of this country,” Schmitt proclaimed. “You will go down as a total dirtbag.”
Klobuchar, who was up next to question Smith, asked if the poster board could be produced again.
“I’m a former prosecutor too, and I have never seen anyone just say, ‘What do you think of this?’ and put it down,” she said.
Schmitt’s evidentiary board was produced again, and this time for more than a few seconds. There was no mention of Atlanta in the text messages.
One could almost hear the sound of Schmitt’s perjury trap crumbling under Klobuchar’s heel.
“Could it then be that it was the University of Iowa, [which] is the ‘Hawkeyes,’ could that be it?” she asked Smith. “That might be the confusion over the names of the team.”
Then she addressed Schmitt: “Perhaps you should have looked at it more carefully. I think people should have their facts straight before they accuse people of being a ‘dirtbag,’ and not get the teams wrong.”
Leave it to a man to confuse the Atlanta Hawks, an NBA team, with the Iowa Hawkeyes of women’s college basketball. Perhaps his emotions got in the way.
Smith said he attended the game in Maryland to see the Hawkeyes’ supremely talented star, Caitlin Clark. Regardless of his whereabouts, Republicans contend that Smith was on a political witch hunt after then-Atty. Gen. Merrick Garland appointed him to oversee the twin investigations into Trump. Smith’s team scrutinized the retention of national defense information and classified documents at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, as well as the president and his allies’ efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election and impede the peaceful transfer of power.
When Trump won the presidency a second time, Smith moved to dismiss both cases because Department of Justice policy prohibits the criminal prosecution of a sitting president.
Now, it’s game time for Judiciary Committee members who’d like to put Smith on the ropes. There’s just one new rule: Don’t talk sports around the ladies. They deliver a knockout punch.
Who: Portugal vs Norway What: UEFA Nations League 2026-27, Group A4 match Where: Estadio do Dragao, Porto, Portugal When: Sunday, October 4, at 8:45pm local time (18:45 GMT) How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will bring you all the build-up and live updates from 15:45 GMT.
For the second time in a week, Portugal and Norway clash in the UEFA Nations League. But this time, things are not quite the same in the Selecao camp.
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Sunday’s fixture in Porto will see the Nations League title holders play without their talisman, Cristiano Ronaldo, after the 41-year-old abruptly left their camp, raising questions about his international future.
Ronaldo’s dramatic exit and apparent rift with new coach Jorge Jesus have dominated headlines worldwide. Portuguese players have largely blocked the outside noise, however, maintaining a perfect record at the tournament where they are chasing a record-extending third crown.
However, their striker Erling Haaland – one of Europe’s most lethal players – poses enough danger to put Portugal under pressure ahead of this weekend’s thrilling encounter.
What is the UEFA Nations League?
The UEFA Nations League was founded in 2018 to reduce the number of meaningless friendlies and give nations competitive matches against top-ranked teams.
In this competition, countries from across Europe participate in a league structure which features promotion and relegation.
What is the latest news on Cristiano Ronaldo?
Ronaldo left the squad late on Wednesday, shortly after a news conference in which coach Jesus confirmed the five-time Ballon d’Or winner would be left out of his starting line-up for a second consecutive Nations League game.
The 41-year-old’s decision to walk out came as a shock as he had been due to train with his teammates at the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen.
Portugal’s leading scorer with 146 goals had already spent the entirety of last weekend’s 2-1 Nations League win in Norway on the bench, having captained the side in the 1-0 home victory over Wales last Thursday.
He appeared to indicate that the reasons behind Jesus’s decision ran deeper and hinted at a departure from the national team he has graced for more than two decades.
“In due course, I will tell the truth to all the Portuguese people about my reasons for leaving the national team, to which I have always been dedicated,” Ronaldo said in a cryptic Instagram post, announcing his sudden exit from the camp.
Spanish sports daily Marca said that Jesus and Portuguese federation president Pedro Proenca followed Ronaldo to Copenhagen airport in an attempt to persuade him to stay with the squad, before the player boarded his private jet.
Jesus insisted earlier on Wednesday that there was no rift between them, although the 72-year-old, who was appointed in July, acknowledged that his captain was disappointed to remain on the bench against Norway.
How have Portugal and Norway played in the Nations League?
Portugal are on top of Group A4 on nine points, with three wins out of three. They started their campaign with a 1-0 home win over Wales, before adding a 2-1 victory over Norway in Oslo. In the last match, they thrashed Denmark 4-2 in Copenhagen.
Norway are second-bottom in the group, with only three points. They started their campaign with a 3-2 home win over fellow Scandinavians Denmark but suffered identical 2-1 defeats at home to Portugal and to Wales in Cardiff.
Joao Felix and Goncalo Ramos scored for Portugal, while Haaland struck the consolation goal for Norway.
Portugal vs Norway: Head-to-head
Matches: 12
Portugal wins: 9
Norway wins: 1
Draws: 2
Portugal vs Norway: Form guide
(Last five games, latest results first)
Portugal: W-W-W-L-W
Norway: L-L-W-L-W
Who are the top players to watch?
Joao Felix and Goncalo Ramos (Portugal): Al Nassr forward Felix has emerged as the reliable scorer in the Portugal setup, finding the net in each of the three games this term. Meanwhile, Ramos, playing in place of Ronaldo, has made up for CR7’s absence with goals in the last two matches.
João Felix of Portugal has scored in every Nations League game this season [File: Diogo Faria Reis/MB Media/Getty Images]
Erling Haaland and Oscar Bobb (Norway): All of Norway’s goals in the ongoing competition have come through Haaland (three) and Bobb (two). While their partnership proved successful in the opening match, their goals were not enough in the following matches, as the Norwegians suffered back-to-back defeats. Norwegians will demand better from Haaland, especially after the Manchester City talisman’s incredible start to the club season that features seven goals in as many games.
Team news and predicted lineups
Portugal
Winger Francisco Conceicao is doubtful for the game due to a thigh injury.
Probable Portugal XI: Diogo Costa; Joao Cancelo, Ruben Dias, Renato Veiga, Nuno Mendes; Ruben Neves, Vitinha; Pedro Neto, Bruno Fernandes, Rafael Leao; Goncalo Ramos
Norway
Wing-back Julian Ryerson is doubtful with a muscle injury, while centre-back Torbjorn Heggem is suspended.
Probable Norway XI: Orjan Nyland; Julian Ryerson, Kristoffer Ajer, Torbjorn Heggem, David Moller Wolfe; Martin Odegaard, Sander Berge, Patrick Berg; Oscar Bobb, Erling Haaland, Antonio Nusa
Norwegians need Erling Haaland to be on the scoresheet if they are to beat Portugal [File: Marius Nordnes / Nordnes Foto/Getty Images]
Portugal vs Norway: TV channel, livestreaming
Portugal
Norway
United Kingdom: ITV1
United States: FOX Sports, FuboTV, ViX
India: Sony Sports Network
Middle East and North Africa: beIN SPORTS
South Africa: DStv Stream
You can find your regional broadcaster on UEFA’s official broadcaster listing.
Heavyweights England play away to Croatia, with captain Harry Kane going up against veteran Luka Modric.
Who: Croatia vs England What: UEFA Nations League 2026-27, Group A3 match Where: Rujevica Stadium, Rijeka, Croatia When: Saturday, October 3, at 6pm local time (16:00 GMT) Howto follow: Al Jazeera Sport will bring you all the build-up and live updates from 13:00 GMT
Action in the Nations League continues this weekend with a matchday three tie between Croatia and England.
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With a win and a defeat each, Croatia and England have both made a mixed start to this year’s competition.
Drawn in a group alongside the reigning world champions Spain and minnows Czechia, Croatia and England find themselves in an interesting yet challenging pool.
Captain Harry Kane has led from the front for the Three Lions, excelling in front of goal alongside winger Anthony Gordon, while Luka Modric continues to defy age, still playing a vital role in Croatia’s midfield even at 41.
Al Jazeera breaks down everything ahead of Croatia vs England:
What is the UEFA Nations League?
The UEFA Nations League was founded in 2018 to reduce the number of meaningless friendlies and give nations competitive matches against top-ranked teams.
In this competition, countries from across Europe participate in a league structure which features promotion and relegation.
How have Croatia and England played in the Nations League?
Both Croatia and England have won once and lost once.
Croatia started their Nations League campaign with a 2-1 win over Czechia in Prague before losing 4-1 to world champions Spain in Seville.
England, on the other hand, fell 3-2 to Spain in their campaign opener in London before beating a 10-man Czechia side 2-0 in Prague.
When did Croatia and England last meet?
They last met at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
England beat Croatia 4-2 in a World Cup group game on June 17 in Arlington, Texas. Captain Harry Kane scored a brace, while Marcus Rashford and Jude Bellingham scored a goal apiece.
Croatia vs England: Head-to-head
Matches: 12
Croatia wins: 3
England wins: 7
Draws: 2
Croatia vs England: Form guide
(Last five games, latest results first)
Croatia: L-W-L-W-W
England: W-L-W-L-W
Who are the top players to watch?
Luka Modric and Ivan Perisic (Croatia): The evergreen Modric, very much the heartbeat of the Croatian midfield even at 41 years old, scored the opening goal in their away win in Czechia. Time and again, the captain has pulled the strings in the middle of the park, proving age is just a number. His fellow experienced teammate, Perisic, is also chipping in style, bagging back-to-back assists.
England international Anthony Gordon has scored in back-to-back games [Justin Setterfield/Getty Images]
Harry Kane and Anthony Gordon (England): The script for England has looked the same in the last two games: Gordon opens the scoring, and Kane follows suit. While that wasn’t enough to beat the mighty Spain, it did the job against Czechia. Can this dynamic duo strike again? The numbers swing in their favour – Gordon has five assists already for Barcelona this season, while Kane has scored six times for Bayern Munich.
Team news and predicted lineups
Croatia
Centre-back Martin Erlic is out injured until mid-October, and right-back Josip Juranovic is sidelined with illness.
Probable Croatia XI: Dominik Livakovic; Josip Stanisic, Luka Vuskovic, Josko Gvardiol, Ivan Perisic; Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic; Luka Sucic, Petar Sucic, Franjo Ivanovic; Dion Beljo
England
England are without left-back Nico O’Reilly, who withdrew from the squad with injury.
Probable England XI: James Trafford; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Trevoh Chalobah, Marc Guehi, Lewis Hall; Elliot Anderson, Miles Lewis-Skelly; Bukayo Saka, Morgan Rogers, Anthony Gordon; Harry Kane
Croatia vs England: TV channel, livestreaming
Croatia: gol
United Kingdom: ITV1
United States: FOX Sports, FuboTV, ViX
India: Sony Sports Network
Middle East and North Africa: beIN SPORTS
South Africa: DStv Stream
You can find your regional broadcaster on UEFA’s official broadcaster listing.
The Dodgers were less than 48 hours away from the first pitch of the National League Division Series. The “2026 Postseason” decals had been freshly painted up the baselines that afternoon. All that was left to be decided was their opponent — the winner of the game serving as the backdrop of their intrasquad scrimmage.
About a half an hour after the Dodgers cleared the field, the Braves advanced to the NLDS with a 6-2 win over the Phillies. The Dodgers and Braves will open the best-of-five series at Dodger Stadium on Saturday at 1 p.m. PDT.
The Atlanta Braves finished off the Philadelphia Phillies in the wild-card round in three games and move on to face the Dodgers in the NLDS.
“We are the team to beat,” veteran utility player Kiké Hernández said. “We are the team that you have to go through. And that’s all nice words and everything, but we got to take care of business on the field. But I feel great about my team.”
The Dodgers are the reigning back-to-back champions and are aiming to become the first National League team to win three World Series in a row.
“Obviously it’s there, but it’s not something we’re really focused on,” veteran third baseman Max Muncy said of the three-peat chase. “We’re trying to focus on ourselves getting ready this week, paying attention to whoever we might be playing and just trying to get ready for a postseason series the same way we’ve always gotten ready for it.”
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Horton will take over the mic as the Lakers’ home public-address announcer, the team announced Thursday, stepping into the role for legendary Lakers announcer Lawrence Tanter, who died last week.
“There’s no way you can fill his shoes,” Horton said in an interview with local reporters. “And so you just come here with a passion and a goal to be informative and entertaining and be a part of Showtime.”
Tanter, who provided the smooth, baritone soundtrack for Lakers home games for 43 seasons, suffered a stroke on March 17 and missed the final six regular-season home games and the playoffs last season. Tanter announced his retirement in June, transitioning to a game-day advisory role with the team. Horton, a former KTLA broadcaster who has worked as an anchor, reporter, host, play-by-play announcer and voice actor, reached out to the team about the opportunity.
UCLA running backs coach A.J. Steward preaches it and it is the mantra adopted by the Bruins’ prolific running backs.
UCLA’s three-headed backfield, composed of fifth-year players Wayne Knight and Anthony Woods and senior Jaivian Thomas, is hailed for its undeniable impact on the ground, ranking first nationally in rushing touchdowns, third in yards per carry and fifth in yards per game this season.
Steward, who works in tandem with offensive line coach and run game coordinator Chris Smith, said it’s what his tailbacks do without the ball and the group’s commitment to each other that separates the group from the rest of the pack.
“The way we play without the ball in our hands is no different. It should be no different than what we do when we have the ball in our hands in terms of trying to make a play for our offense,” Steward said. “You cut the film on any of these guys, you’ll see they’re downfield making blocks. They’re there at the end of the play in case somebody puts the ball down [on] the ground and that’s because they hear it every day how you do anything’s how you do everything.”
The Ducks have signed promising young defenseman Tristan Luneau to a six-year contract extension worth $43.2 million after just 14 NHL appearances.
The Ducks announced the deal Thursday with the 22-year-old Luneau, whose promising career has been slowed by injury. Now healthy and ready for a full-time NHL role, he inked a long-term deal with the team that drafted him in the second round in 2022.
Luneau was the Quebec major junior league’s top defenseman in the 2022-23 season and he made the Ducks’ roster out of training camp the next fall. But Luneau came down with a viral infection that winter while practicing with Canada’s national junior team, forcing him to miss the rest of the year.
Wild-card series National League No. 3 Atlanta vs. No. 6 Philadelphia at Atlanta 5, Philadelphia 3 (box score) Philadelphia 4, at Atlanta 3 (10) (box score) at Atlanta 6, Philadelphia 2 (box score)
Division series National League
No. 2 Dodgers vs. No. 3 Atlanta Saturday at Dodgers, 1 p.m., FOX/FOX Deportes/FOX One Sunday at Dodgers, 5 p.m., FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One Tuesday at Atlanta, 3 p.m., FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One *Wednesday at Atlanta, 3 p.m., FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One *Friday at Dodgers, 5 p.m., FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One
No. 1 Milwaukee vs. No. 4 San Diego Saturday at Milwaukee, 5:30 p.m, FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One Sunday at Milwaukee, 1 p.m. FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One Tuesday at San Diego, 6:30 p.m., FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One *Wednesday at San Diego, 7 p.m., FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One *Friday at Milwaukee, 1:30 p.m., FOX/FS1/FOX Deportes/FOX One
American League
No. 1 Tampa Bay vs. No. 4 New York Saturday at Tampa Bay, 3:30 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max Monday at Tampa Bay, 5 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max Wednesday at New York, 5 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max *Thursday at New York, 5 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max *Saturday, Oct. 10 at Tampa Bay, 5 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max
No. 2 Cleveland vs. No. 6 Chicago White Sox Saturday at Cleveland, 10 a.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max Monday at Cleveland, 2 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max Wednesday at Chicago, 1 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max *Thursday at Chicago, 2 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max *Saturday, Oct. 10 at Cleveland, 2 p.m., TBS/truTV/UniMas/HBO Max
NLCS starts Sunday, Oct. 11 ALCS starts Monday, Oct. 12 World Series starts Friday, Oct. 23
This day in sports history
1906 — Canadian world heavyweight boxing champion Tommy Burns KOs American challenger ‘Fireman’ Jim Flynn in 15 rounds to retain his title in Los Angeles.
1950 — Jim Hardy throws six touchdown passes, including five to Bob Shaw, as the Chicago Cardinals pound the Baltimore Colts 55-13.
1970 — Fourteen members of the Wichita State football team are killed in a plane crash in the Rocky Mountains.
1980 — Larry Holmes registers a technical knockout in the 11th round against Muhammad Ali to win the world heavyweight title in Las Vegas.
1983 — The Green Bay Packers score 49 points in the first half, including 35 in the second quarter, in a 55-14 rout of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
1988 — Future world heavyweight boxing champion Lennox Lewis, representing Canada, wins super-heavyweight gold medal at the Seoul Olympics; beats American Riddick Bowe by 2nd round TKO.
1991 — Steffi Graf becomes the youngest woman to win 500 matches as a pro when she beats Petra Langrova of Czechoslovakia 6-0, 6-1 in the Leipzig International Tournament.
1993 — In the first all-British world heavyweight title fight, Lennox Lewis retains his WBC heavyweight title with a seven-round knockout of Frank Bruno in Cardiff, Wales.
1993 — California rallies from a 30-0 deficit to beat Oregon 42-41. Dave Barr throws three second-half touchdowns, including a 26-yarder to Iheanyi Uwaezuoke with 1:17 left in the game.
1994 — North Carolina’s 92-game winning streak in women’s soccer ends with a scoreless tie in overtime against Notre Dame.
1994 — Don Shula’s Miami Dolphins beat son Dave’s Cincinnati Bengals 23-7 in the first meeting between father and son coaches in pro sports.
2004 — Rice and San Jose State play in the highest-scoring regulation game in Division I-A history, with the Spartans winning 70-63. The 133 points surpass the total from Middle Tennessee’s 70-58 victory over Idaho on Oct. 6, 2001. The schools combine for 19 touchdowns to break the Division I-A record of 18.
2006 — Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth is given a five-game suspension — the longest for on-field behavior in NFL history — for stomping on Dallas Cowboys center Andre Gurode’s head and kicking him in the face.
2009 — Ninth-grader Alexis Thompson shoots a 3-under 69 for a share of the lead with top-ranked Lorena Ochoa and three others after the second round of the Navistar LPGA Classic.
2011 — Dallas has its largest lead blown in a loss in franchise history, frittering away a 24-point third-quarter cushion in a 34-30 loss to Detroit. The Lions turned a 20-point halftime deficit into an overtime win at Minnesota the previous week.
2016 — The United States win the Ryder Cup for the first time since 2008. Ryan Moore two-putts on No. 18 for a 1-up victory over Lee Westwood, giving the Americans a 15-10 lead that seals the win over Europe. The 17-11 victory over Europe is their biggest rout in 35 years at the Ryder Cup.
2016 — Atlanta’s Matt Ryan passes for 503 yards and four touchdowns, while wide receiver Julio Jones has 12 catches for 300 yards and a touchdown in Atlanta’s 48-33 win over Carolina.
Compiled by the Associated Press
This day in baseball history
1969 — Seattle Pilots’ last game in Seattle; crash to 98th season loss, 3-1 to Oakland in front of just 5,473; move to Milwaukee as the Brewers next season.
2001 — Sammy Sosa becomes the first player in major league history with three 60-homer seasons, but the Reds hold on for a 5-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs. Sosa’s solo shot comes in the first inning.
2004 — Jeff Kent becomes all-time home run leader for MLB second basemen when he hits two in Astros’ 9-3 win over the Rockies; 302 overall HR to break Ryne Sandberg’s major league record established in 1997.
2004 — Montreal Expos earn the last win in the franchise’s MLB history, beating New York Mets, 6-3 at Shea Stadium; Brad Wilkerson hits the Expos’ final home run in ninth inning, his 32nd of the year.
2016 — Vin Scully calls his final Dodgers game after a record 67 MLB Seasons.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Who: France vs Italy What: UEFA Nations League 2026-27, Group A1 match Where: Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France When: Friday, October 2, at 8:45pm local time (18:45 GMT) How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will bring you all the build-up and live updates from 15:45 GMT.
It’s time for Zinedine Zidane’s homecoming.
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Two-time world champions France face neighbours Italy in Friday’s Nations League match, with Zidane taking charge for the first time on home soil.
Appointed in late July as successor to Didier Deschamps, ex-captain Zidane has guided France to back-to-back away wins. Now he has the chance to complete a hat-trick of victories in front of Les Bleus faithful.
Despite losing captain Kylian Mbappe to injury, France have maintained their winning start, all thanks to their squad depth and talent across positions.
Like France, four-time World Cup winners Italy are also managed by a former player – Roberto Mancini – who is back in the job for the second time. Mancini’s first game back in charge ended in Roman jeers, but the Azzurri responded in style with an emphatic win in their second game.
Friday’s match is expected to be played in front of what will be a sell-out crowd of close to 80,000 fans at the national stadium north of Paris.
So, can Italy build on their dazzling display or will France give Zidane more reasons to rejoice?
Al Jazeera breaks down everything in this match preview:
What is the UEFA Nations League?
The UEFA Nations League was founded in 2018 to reduce the number of meaningless friendlies and give nations competitive matches against top-ranked teams.
In this competition, countries from across Europe participate in a league structure which features promotion and relegation.
How have France and Italy played in the Nations League?
France are on top of this group with six points after identical 1-0 wins over Turkiye and Belgium.
Italy, on the other hand, are second-to-last with three points after losing 2-0 to Belgium and thrashing Turkiye 4-1.
When did France and Italy last meet?
They last met in a Nations League group match in November 2024.
France defeated Italy 3-1 in Milan then, with a double from Adrien Rabiot and a Guglielmo Vicario own goal. Andrea Cambiaso netted the consolation goal for the Italians.
France vs Italy: Head-to-head
Matches: 41
France wins: 12
Italy wins: 20
Draws: 9
France vs Italy: Form guide
(Last five games, latest results first)
France: W-W-L-L-W
Italy: W-L-W-W-D
Who are the top players to watch?
Michael Olise and Desire Doue (France): Olise’s outrageous finish in Monday’s Belgium game had Zidane going berserk on the sideline. Such is his talent. He has been involved in both goals France scored in this year’s Nations League and is also enjoying a flying start at Bayern Munich this term with eight goals and four assists. Doue, 21, is equally impressive – he assisted Olise in the last game, earning player of the match.
Michael Olise of France celebrates scoring against Belgium in the match in Brussels on Monday [Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images]
Francesco Pio Esposito and Davide Frattesi (Italy): Pio Esposito not only scored a goal in the last game but also celebrated a sweet bit of history – he and his older brother Sebastiano played against Turkiye, marking the first time two brothers started for Italy in more than a century. Inter Milan striker Pio already has five goals in 10 Azzurri appearances. Italian fans should also watch out for Frattesi, another scorer from the last game who has also netted three times for Lazio in this year’s Serie A.
What have the coaches said?
Zinedine Zidane (France): “It is going to be really emotional,” said Zidane, whose last appearance at the Stade de France came as a player in a friendly against Mexico in 2006.
Roberto Mancini (Italy): “Facing Zidane will be a pleasure, but this isn’t a duel between us,” assured Mancini in his press conference.
“It is going to be a great game between France and Italy, teams who are still trying to figure things out. Whatever happens, I feel that this match will be very useful for the process.”
Team news and predicted line-ups
France
Mbappe is the biggest name missing from the France squad. He picked up a knee injury after scoring the winning goal against Turkiye and has since been sidelined for two weeks.
Elsewhere, central midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery is out with a thigh injury, and Matteo Guendouzi remains suspended.
Probable France XI: Mike Maignan; Jules Kounde, Jeremy Jacquet, Maxence Lacroix, Adrien Truffert; Rayan Cherki, Manu Kone, Adrien Rabiot; Desire Doue, Ousmane Dembele, Bradley Barcola
Michael Kayode (right) of Italy celebrates scoring his team’s third goal with teammate Sandro Tonali during last week’s game against Turkiye in Bursa [Ahmad Mora/Getty Images]
Italy
Italy have a fully fit squad.
Probable Italy XI: Gianluigi Donnarumma; Michael Kayode, Giorgio Scalvini, Alessandro Bastoni, Matteo Ruggeri; Sandro Tonali; Davide Frattesi, Nicolo Fagioli; Giacomo Raspadori, Francesco Pio Esposito, Sebastiano Esposito
France vs Italy: TV channel, livestreaming
France: la chaine L’Équipe, TF1+
Italy: RAI PLAY, Mediaset, Sky Italia
United Kingdom: Prime Video UK
United States: FOX Sports, FuboTV, ViX
India: Sony Sports Network
Middle East and North Africa: beIN SPORTS
South Africa: DStv Stream
You can find your regional broadcaster on UEFA’s official broadcaster listing.
From Maddie Lee: Dodgers right fielder Kyle Tucker has never shied away from just how bad his performance at the plate was for much of his first season in Los Angeles.
For the first five months of the season, when he’d show brief glimpses of progress before sinking back into an extended slump, Tucker’s .683 OPS was the third-worst among Dodgers hitters with at least 100 plate appearances, better than only Hyeseong Kim and Kyle Freeland, who both spent time in triple A.
In September, however, he found a sustainable adjustment. He fixed his bat path, extending through the ball more consistently instead of pulling off of it. He posted a .889 OPS in September, on par with his four straight All-Star seasons before signing with the Dodgers.
Now, all of a sudden, he looks like a potential difference-maker in the postseason.
“The last month or so is more or less what I expect out of myself,” Tucker said in a recent conversation with The Times. “The biggest thing is we have an opportunity now being in the playoffs to win another World Series. Once the playoffs start, you can forget about any stats or personal numbers. The only one that really matters is the win column. So that’s just what I’m gonna try and contribute towards.”
Here’s how some other key players are trending going into the postseason:
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Much competition to make Lakers’ roster
From Thuc Nhi Nguyen: Walker Kessler wasn’t focused on the stats. He wasn’t really counting the number of shots he swatted — “one or two” — or lobs he dunked — “like four probably” — in his official Lakers practice debut Tuesday.
The only thing the star center cared about was the competition on the court. He and his teammates delivered on that, Kessler said with a smile.
The Lakers opened training camp Tuesday with a focus on competition as the new-look team takes shape. Six of the team’s top nine players from last season are gone. A month’s worth of practices and five preseason games are the stage as players audition to fill the vacant roles.
“This is a meritocracy,” coach JJ Redick said. “You got to earn your minutes, and you cheer for your teammates while you’re doing it.”
Redick can confidently lock in three starters in Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Kessler. The other two starting positions, and even the last spots on the roster as the Lakers need to trim at least one player to reach the NBA-maximum of 15 guaranteed contracts by the Oct. 21 season opener, remain up for grabs.
LA28 announced Tuesday it will begin the U.S. portion of the 2028 Olympic torch relay in Atlanta in a return to the city that hosted the United States’ last Summer Games and provided the Olympic movement with one of its most iconic torch relay moments. The city where Evans passed the Olympic flame to Muhammad Ali changed the swimming champion’s view on the Games and fueled her desire to bring the torch back as LA28 hopes to write an equally influential chapter of Olympic history.
“I realized when I carried that torch that the flame represents so much more than medals,” said Evans, now LA28’s chief athlete officer. “It certainly represents victory and all those attributes about the Olympics. But it also brings people together, and it’s a symbol of hope and what the Olympic movement really does for everyone.”
National League No. 3 Atlanta vs. No. 6 Philadelphia at Atlanta 5, Philadelphia 3 (box score) Wednesday at Atlanta, 11 a.m., NBC/Peacock *Thursday at Atlanta, 11 a.m., NBC/Peacock
No. 4 San Diego vs. No. 5 Chicago at San Diego 8, Chicago 0 (box score) Wednesday at San Diego, 7 p.m., Peacock/NBCSN *Thursday at San Diego, 7 p.m., Peacock/NBCSN
American League No. 3 Houston vs. No. 6 Chicago Chicago 6, at Houston 3 (box score) Wednesday, 2 p.m., Peacock/NBCSN *Thursday, 2 p.m., Peacock/NBCSN
No. 4 New York vs. No. 5 Boston at New York 9, Boston 0 (box score) Wednesday, 5 p.m., NBC/Peacock *Thursday, 5 p.m., NBC/Peacock
*-if necessary
Note: NLDS and ALDS start Saturday. NLCS starts Sunday, Oct. 11 ALCS starts Monday, Oct. 12 World Series starts Friday, Oct. 23
This day in sports history
1939 — Fordham participates in the world’s first televised American football game. In front of the sport’s first live TV audience, the Rams defeats Waynesburg College, 34-7.
1984 — The Rams set an NFL record with three safeties in a 33-12 victory over the New York Giants. Two of the safeties are on blocked punts in the end zone.
1995 — Prairie View A&M sets the college football record for consecutive losses with a 64-0 loss to Grambling State. It is the team’s 51st straight defeat, an NCAA record for any level.
2007 — Osi Umenyiora has six of the New York Giants’ NFL record-tying 12 sacks in a 16-3 victory over Philadelphia.
2007 — Detroit scores an NFL-record, 34 points in the fourth quarter of a 37-27 victory over Chicago. The Lions combine with Bears for 48 points — also a league record.
2007 — Brett Favre passes Dan Marino to become the NFL leader in career touchdown passes, throwing Nos. 421 and 422 in Green Bay’s 23-16 victory over Minnesota.
2007 — Germany defeats Brazil 2-0 in the final of the FIFA Women’s World Cup held in Shanghai, China.
2012 — New England beats Buffalo 52-28 to become the first team since the 1950 New York Giants (48 points) to score at least 45 second-half points in a game in which it trailed at halftime (14-7). The Patriots become the second team in NFL history with a 300-yard passer (Tom Brady, 340 yards), two 100-yard rushers (Brandon Bolden, 137 and Steven Ridley, 106) and two 100-yard receivers (Wes Welker, 129 and Rob Gronkowski, 104). The only other team to accomplish the feat was the 2008 Packers.
2015 — The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agrees that the NCAA’s use of college athletes’ names, images and likenesses in video games and TV broadcasts violate antitrust laws but strikes down a plan to allow schools to pay players up to $5,000.
2017 — Troy’s defense forces four turnovers and the surging Trojans upset No. 25 LSU 24-21. Troy is the first team from outside the Southeastern Conference to win in LSU’s Death Valley since UAB in 2000.
2018 — The Ryder Cup is won by Europe 17½-10½ at Le Golf National in Saint-Quentin-En-Yvelines, France. The home team secures the victory when Phil Mickelson knocks one in the water at the par-3 16th hole, conceding his match to Francesco Molinari right on the tee box. Molinari becomes the first European player to go 5-0 in the competition since the current format was adapted in 1979. Tiger Woods loses all four of his matches, capped by a 2-and-1 loss to 23-year-old Jon Rahm of Spain, the youngest player in the event.
2018 — Brittney Griner scores 15 points to help the United States beat Australia 73-56 and win the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup.
Compiled by the Associated Press
This day in baseball history
1904 — Doc White of the Chicago White Sox pitched his fifth shutout in eighteen days, a 4-0 win over the New York Yankees.
1915 — The Boston Red Sox clinched the American League pennant when St. Louis beat Detroit 8-2, giving Boston a 2 1/2-game margin.
1916 — New York’s Rube Benton pitched a 4-0 one-hitter over the Boston Braves to give the Giants their record 26th straight win in the first game of a doubleheader.
1927 — Babe Ruth hit his 60th home run of the season in the eighth inning off Tom Zachary to lead the New York Yankees to a 4-2 victory over the Washington Senators.
1934 — Dizzy Dean beat the Cincinnati Reds, 9-0, for his 30th victory of the year as the St. Louis Cardinals clinched the NL pennant.
1934 — New York’s Babe Ruth played his final game as a Yankee, going 0 for 3 with a walk, in a 5-3 loss to the Washington Senators at Griffith Stadium.
1945 — Hank Greenberg’s grand slam in the top of the ninth inning gave the Detroit Tigers a 6-3 win over the St. Louis Browns and the American League pennant on the last day of the season.
1947 — In the first televised World Series, the New York Yankees beat the Brooklyn Dodgers, 5-3, in the opening game.
1951 — Jackie Robinson homered in the 14th inning to give the Brooklyn Dodgers a 9-8 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies, tying the New York Giants for first place in the National League and forcing a playoff.
1962 — Willie Mays homered to give the San Francisco Giants a 2-1 victory over the Houston Colt 45s in the season’s final day. That, coupled with the Dodgers’ 1-0 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals, forced a playoff for the NL pennant.
1972 — Roberto Clemente doubled off Jon Matlack during Pittsburgh’s 5-0 victory over the New York Mets. The hit was the 3,000th and last for the Pirates star, who was killed in a plane crash during the offseason.
1984 — Mike Witt of the Angels tossed 97 pitches in a perfect game against the Texas Rangers, winning 1-0.
1988 — Dave Stieb of the Toronto Blue Jays lost a no-hit bid with two out in the ninth for the second consecutive start and finished with a 4-0 one-hitter over the Baltimore Orioles.
1992 — George Brett became the 18th player to get 3,000 hits in the Kansas City Royals’ 4-0 win over the Angels at Anaheim. Brett went 4-for-5 and got the milestone with a single in the seventh off rookie reliever Tim Fortugno.
2007 — The New York Mets missed the playoffs when Tom Glavine was tagged for seven runs during the first inning of a season-ending 8-1 loss to Florida. No major league team had owned a lead of seven games or more with 17 to play and failed to finish in first place. New York, which had that margin on Sept. 12, matched the largest lead blown in September.
2014 — The Kansas City Royals overcame a 7-3 lead to force extra innings and outlasted Oakland 9-8 in 12 innings in the AL wild-card playoff. This was the first wild-card game to go extra innings.
2017 — Detroit’s Andrew Romine became the fifth player in baseball history to play all nine positions in one game, helping the Tigers to a 3-2 win over Minnesota.
2022 — Pinch-hitting for Luis Torrens with two out in the 9th, Cal Raleigh blasts a 406-foot homer against Domingo Acevedo to give Seattle a 2-1 win over Oakland and clinch a postseason spot for the first time since 2001, the longest active drought in the majors.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
As with every home game, the Salisbury FC players and coaching staff went to embrace the fans in the Andrews Terrace at The Mac Stadium after Saturday’s 2-0 win against Folkestone Invicta.
Alongside the normal applause and cheers, they were greeted with a chant that isn’t a regular from the songbook.
“Kuwait away ole, ole,” sang fans of the National League South outfit.
The players clapped back with an extra buzz – within 24 hours they would be travelling to the Middle East.
“Straight away we all said, ‘yeah, we’re all in,” explains Salisbury player Luke Russe.
“It’s a unique opportunity and as players, we are so thankful to everybody involved in making this trip happen. I’ve been involved in this level for a long time now and I’ve never had an experience like it.”
The five-day trip involves the club facing one of Kuwait’s most successful teams on Wednesday, Al Qadsia, who have won more than 50 trophies, before returning on Thursday to play Saturday’s FA Cup third qualifying round against Dulwich Hamlet.
It comes as part of the club’s continued link with Kuwait through their owner Ali Alhamad, who purchased the club in 2025.
The club hopes the trip will offer significant commercial growth and, for the players, an opportunity to experience football in a new environment and culture.
The Mohammad Al-Hamad Stadium holds 22,000 spectators, more than five times that of Salisbury’s The Mac.
“We’d love to win the game,” says Russe. “But at the same time I think it’s more about the experience and about the club as a whole, going over there, living that way of life and experiencing the game.
“We’ve got a very young group, so for them to experience that and kind of experience cultures and differences is great.
“It’ll be a fantastic opportunity for us players, for the staff, and I think it’ll bring the whole club even closer to what we are now.”
Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. I’m Eric Sondheimer. League play begins this week in high school football for the best of the best. That means get ready for some great matchups in the Trinity League, the Mission League, the Alpha League, the Marine League and many others.
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League play begins
Coach Carson Palmer of Santa Margarita will try to help his team win a Trinity League title.
(Craig Weston)
St. John Bosco’s Koa Malau’ulu looks to pass while pressured against Bishop Gorman.
(Ian Maule/ LA Times)
It’s time for a dose of reality. Lots of teams are off to great starts with nonleague schedules designed to get them enough early wins to be able to get an at-large playoff berth in case they stumble in league play.
League play begins, so some of the unbeaten teams are about to be no longer unbeaten.
Santa Margarita was the best team in the state in 2025, but the Eagles didn’t win the Trinity League. St. John Bosco was the champion, and with league play beginning Friday, both schools have ambitions to finish on top.
Santa Margarita (5-0) plays Mater De (3-2) in its opener at Saddleback College and St. John Bosco (4-1) hosts JSerra (4-1). The other league game is Servite (3-2) facing Orange Lutheran (3-2) at Orange Coast College.
What’s different this season is that any of the six Trinity teams look capable of winning on a given night. But some of the teams are about to be strengthened by the addition of sit-out period transfer students that become eligible effective Monday.
The Mission League is all about which team will finish second to unbeaten Sierra Canyon (5-0). A good Friday opener has Chaminade (5-0) hosting Sherman Oaks Notre Dame (5-0).
The new Alpha League will feature weekly battles with Mission Viejo, San Clemente, Edison, Yorba Linda, Los Alamitos and San Juan Hills. The likely title decider on Oct. 16 has Mission Viejo at San Clemente.
Harvard-Westlake has started 5-0, but the Wolverines receive their first major test with a Del Rey League opener against Salesian on Friday.
In the City Section, Birmingham, which has won every West Valley League title since 2018, faces unbeaten Cleveland on Friday at home in a West Valley League opener. San Pedro and Banning have their annual Marine League rivalry game Friday at Banning.
Marshall takes a 5-0 record into the start of Northern League play at Franklin.
Freedom day arrives
It’s freedom day on Monday for Southern Section football players who have been sitting out the first half of the season after transferring without moving.
St. John Bosco can’t wait to insert offensive tackle Elisha Mueller, a transfer from Servite and one of the top prospects from the Class of 2028. Also becoming available is sophomore defensive back Kingston Fatu, a transfer from Tustin who will help a secondary that has been struggling in trying to deny big plays.
Santa Margarita adds 6-foot-3, 285-pound sophomore transfer Karras Vandermade, a defensive lineman. Servite has six players who could compete for major roles, with four on defense that will add much needed depth. Orange Lutheran gains 6-5 tight end Hudson Ploog and linebacker Jamaal Fay, who started for two years at Leuzinger. JSerra adds 6-7, 315-pound offensive lineman Wyatt Martin.
Other schools are also about to be strengthened. Unbeaten Sierra Canyon adds physical wingback/linebacker Fletcher Thomas. Unbeaten Chaminade, hoping to challenge the Trailblazers in the Mission League, picks up sophomore receiver Champ Ross and junior cornerback Jayden Woods.
Long Beach Poly fans will get their first look at Mater Dei transfer Trevor Scott, a sophomore quarterback. Quarterback Daniel Mielke becomes eligible at Chino Hills. Corona Centennial gains Brody Black, an offensive lineman from Servite. San Clemente picks up receiver Titus King, a speedster from Santa Margarita. Amir Morton, a junior running back who transferred from Sierra Canyon, is expected to provide immediate help for Crespi.
Cornerback Tadd Mitchell, a Montana commit, joins Oxnard Pacifica along with lineman Miguel Macias Santiago.
Matix Frithsmith demonstrated his versatility in Hart’s 34-17 Foothill League win over Saugus. He rushed for 218 yards and four touchdowns, including a 91-yard run. Here’s the report.
Corona Centennial traveled to Northern California to take on De La Salle and what a game it was. De La Salle won 35-32 behind Duece Jones-Drew, who rushed for 211 yards. Here’s the report.
Centennial has lost three close games to Santa Margarita, Mater Dei and De La Salle. As soon the Huskies get back to full strength with the return of standout safety/kicker Jaden Walk-Green and others, beware.
Cleveland High running back Moyosoreoluwa Odebunmi gives the thumbs-up after the Cavaliers defeated Crenshaw on the road.
(Joel Beers / For The Times)
Cleveland pulled off the upset of the week in going on the road to improve to 5-0 and beat Crenshaw. Here’s the report.
Receiver Andrew Cordero (left) and quarterback Jeremy Mellalieu have led Chaminade to a 5-0 start.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
It’s midseason in high school football, so it’s a good time to check who has lived up to expectations or come out of nowhere to be a major contributor.
When a coach takes his team out of state and plays two players who are listed on the Southern Section transfer portal as not being cleared to play and are also missing from the team’s MaxPreps roster to possibly prevent others from knowing who’s playing, is a two-game coach suspension adequate punishment?
That’s the scenario involving Inglewood football coach Mil’von James, who missed two games after the Southern Section alerted the school that James played two ineligible players during a game in Texas last month. Since Inglewood lost, forcing the school to forfeit was moot. James returned to coaching the team on Friday and told the Daily Breeze that it was an “administrative decision” for him to sit out two games.
The Southern Section has no power to discipline James, but schools and districts are expected to impose appropriate punishment for violating CIF rules.
Huntington Beach won its own tournament championship.
Los Angeles Wilson is off to a 9-1 start and could be the favorite in the City Section. Wilson at defending City Section Open Division champion Marshall on Monday is a big Northern League opener.
Carson is 8-3 and has handed the only loss to Wilson.
Girls golf
Santa Margarita keeps producing low scores in girls golf.
Santa Margarita girls golf are champions of the prestigious Lady Tritons Invitational (6th time in a row) at San Clemente Municipal GC (Par 73), hosted by San Clemente High School. 1st: Santa Margarita / 357 2nd: Peninsula HS / 380 3rd: Huntington Beach HS / 390 SMCHS Junior,… pic.twitter.com/pY4S7QRraA
— SANTA MARGARITA Catholic High School (@SMCHSEagles) September 15, 2026
The defending Southern Section Division 1 champions are stronger than ever. The team is 6-0 and 3-0 in the Trinity League.
Girls varsity golf final score: Santa Margarita Total: 175 OLutheran HS Total: 185 Trinity League Match Marbella CC – Par 36 Medalists: SM Nora Qu (33) and SM Sophia Nguyen – (33) Eagles are now: 6-0 Overall | 3-0 Trinity League pic.twitter.com/OvUqd2S4O3
— SANTA MARGARITA Catholic High School (@SMCHSEagles) September 25, 2026
All-female officiating crew
An all-female officiating crew for Orange County game on Thursday: Kristi Wilson (left, head linesman), Sarita Stamps (back judge), Mary Margaret Montgomery (referee), MaryAnne Menlove (umpire), Nina Berbiglia (line judge).
(Orange County Officials Assn.)
An all-female officiating crew is set to become a first for the Orange County Football Officials Assn. when they work a Thursday game between La Quinta and Garden Grove Santiago on Thursday night at Garden Grove High.
Notes . . .
There’s trouble brewing at Van Nuys High, where the baseball coach has been removed for building an unauthorized batting cage during the summer. Also the softball field had a protective fence demolished earlier this week that was a safety measure to protect fans and dugouts could be next demolished. Here’s the report.
El Camino Real’s boys’ soccer team, going for a third straight City Section championship, has three players committed to Cal State Northridge. Here’s the report….
In girls’ tennis, Corona del Mar defeated Portola in a rematch of last year’s Division 1 final. Here’s a report….
Orange Lutheran baseball player Evan Dugdale has committed to Oklahoma….
Junior catcher Jordan Lindsay of Birmingham has committed to Wake Forrest….
Junior pitcher Eli Martinez of Aquinas has committed to UC Santa Barbara….
Jaylen Maroney of Edison has committed to Sacramento State for women’s soccer….
Junior pitcher Julian Pardinas of La Mirada has committed to UCLA….
Junior pitcher Jayden Singer of Calabasas has committed to USC….
Junior outfielder/pitcher Noah Esquival of South Hills has committed to St. Mary’s….
Left-handed pitcher Charlie Hoye of Palos Verdes has committed to Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo….
Shooting guard Jeremiah Profit from Rancho Christian has committed to Northwestern….
Junior softball player Bailey Holder from Long Beach Poly has committed to Washington….
Junior slapper Makayla Encinas of Chino Hills has committed to UCLA….
Devon Richardson is the new basketball coach at Sun Valley Poly, replacing Joe Wyatt, who’s now the coach at North Hollywood. He was an assistant coach at L.A. Valley College and former head coach at Blair….
The Southern Section has announced its playoff schedule for fall sports. Here’s the link.…
The Orange County Football Officials Assn. announced that it will have its first all-female varsity officiating crew for an Oct. 1 game between La Quinta and Garden Grove Santiago.
Southern Section schools are required to pick a 14-day dead period each summer that all their sports teams have to follow. Now there’s a proposal to allow basketball players participate in CIF-approved recruiting events known as Section 7 and CaliLive. It will be voted on next year by the Southern Section Council….
Sophomore quarterback Marcus Washington of Cajon has committed to Kentucky….
Offensive lineman Kaden Franco of St. John Bosco has committed to Brown….
From the archives: Vernon Adams
Eastern Washington quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. in 2014.
(Elaine Thompson / Associated Press)
After being a star quarterback at Bishop Alemany, Vernon Adamswent on to play quarterback at Eastern Washington and Oregon and has made a strong career in the Canadian Football League. They season playing for the Calgary Stampeders, he has passed for 3,261 yards and 27 touchdowns.
He’s 33 and has been playing in Canada since 2016.
From The Times, a look at Orange junior quarterback Star Thomas III.
Tweets you might have missed
Two Narbonne football players have been given six-game suspensions for a fight during game with Compton. One Compton player was ejected. More Narbonne players are facing one-game suspensions for leaving the bench. Narbonne players can appeal to drop suspension to three games.
Have a question, comment or something you’d like to see in a future Prep Rally newsletter? Email me at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com, and follow me on Twitter at @latsondheimer.
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Who: Norway vs Portugal What: UEFA Nations League 2026-2027, Group A4 match Where: Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo, Norway When: Sunday at 7:45pm (18:45 GMT) How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will bring you all the build-up and live updates from 15:45 GMT.
Record two-time UEFA Nations League champions Portugal continue their title defence on matchday two with a trip to Oslo against an exciting Norway side.
Spearheaded by Erling Haaland, arguably one of Europe’s most dangerous strikers, and captained by midfield maestro Martin Odegaard, Norway made a winning start too, beating their Scandinavian rivals Denmark 3-2 in a thrilling opener.
Frustrated after a string of missed chances in the first game, Portugal’s talisman Cristiano Ronaldo will hope to rediscover his form as the team embraces a new chapter under coach Jorge Jesus, whose first game in charge was on Thursday against Wales.
What is the UEFA Nations League?
The UEFA Nations League was founded in 2018 to reduce the number of meaningless friendlies and give nations competitive matches against equally ranked teams.
In this competition, countries from across Europe participate in a league structure that features promotion and relegation.
When did Norway and Portugal last meet?
The teams last met in a 2016 international friendly in Porto when hosts Portugal defeated Norway 3-0.
Norway vs Portugal: Head-to-head
Matches: 11
Norway’s wins: 1
Portugal’s wins: 8
Draws: 2
Norway vs Portugal: Form guide
(Last five games, latest results first)
Norway: W-L-W-W-L
Portugal: W-L-W-D-W
Who are the top players to watch?
Haaland and Oscar Bobb (Norway): A double from Haaland and another goal from Bobb set Norway on course for a winning start, and the attacking pair should be in the limelight in front of their home crowd this weekend. Manchester City’s Haaland, especially, has been in top form this term with an incredible seven goals in as many games across all competitions.
Ronaldo and Joao Felix (Portugal): Portugal’s striking pair of Ronaldo and Felix ought to be careful in the final third this time out after Felix’s lone strike in the opening win in Lisbon. Ronaldo had a goal ruled out and was among the players who missed a flurry of chances as Portugal registered a whopping 23 total shots but with only five on target, of which just one hit the back of the net.
On average, Erling Haaland scores more than one goal a game for Norway [File: Marius Nordnes/Nordnes Foto via Getty Images]
Will Haaland, Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes play?
Both forwards are fit to play, but Portugal will miss the services of their talismanic midfielder Bruno Fernandes, who is injured.
Fernandes has played in all seven of Manchester United’s matches this season and featured from the start for Portugal against Wales before being withdrawn in the 90th minute.
Jesus said he doesn’t want to “risk” the player against Norway.
“Against Wales, we went in with practically everyone physically available and came out with a complicated problem with Bruno Fernandes,” the coach said.
“He’s coming off an injury at United, and he told me he’s been playing with that pain for the last three games, which is hindering him.
“It was one of the factors that prevented Bruno from playing at his best against Wales. I’ve already spoken to him, and I prefer not to risk it in this game, so he’s fully fit for the Denmark match.”
Haaland: The King of the North
Haaland’s double against Denmark on Thursday marked another milestone in the 26-year-old striker’s enviable career. He is now the highest-scoring Nordic man in international football history, surpassing Sweden’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Haaland’s goal tally for Norway stands at 64 goals compared with Ibrahimovic’s 62. Incredibly, Haaland has shattered that record in 56 appearances – less than half of the 122 matches Ibrahimovic needed.
“It is not possible to explain nor is it possible to learn. He is born with it. It is instinct,” Norway manager Stale Solbakken said about Haaland.
Having made his senior debut in 2019, Haaland boasts a record of scoring more than one goal per game for Norway.
“It’s madness,” midfielder Sander Berge said about Haaland’s talent. “It’s everyday business that Haaland scores goals, so it’s reasonable that he is up there, but it’s powerful.”
What have the coaches said?
Jesus: “Norway are one of the strongest teams in Europe. They have players we know like Haaland and Odegaard who play at a very high level in England. They will create more goalscoring opportunities against us than Wales, and I hope we have the defensive capacity.
“There’s not much to improve. We’ll evolve the game we’ve already played, but I trust that the team will respond defensively and will be more creative offensively.”
Solbakken: “They changed the coach, and if you look at what he did at his previous clubs and the football they played, the way they played against Wales was a little different to what it was with [Roberto] Martinez. There were players in other positions, and we took that into account in our game plan. Obviously, they have good players all over the field. We expect a close and balanced game. It’s our home game, so we’ll try to stop their biggest assets, but it’s also important for us to play our game and be loyal to the way we’ve been playing in recent years.”
Have Haaland and Ronaldo ever played each other?
No, the 26-year-old and 41-year-old greats have never crossed paths. Norway and Portugal have not played each other frequently either.
Who: England vs Spain What: UEFA Nations League 2026-27, Group A3 match Where: Wembley Stadium, London, United Kingdom When: Saturday, September 26, at 7:45pm (18:45 GMT) How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will bring you all the build-up and live updates from 15:45 GMT.
England begin their new Nations League campaign with a heavyweight home fixture against the reigning world champions, Spain.
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Saturday’s clash at Wembley will be a rematch of the UEFA Euro 2024 final, which Spain won 2-1 in Berlin, Germany.
La Roja, the 2023 Nations League winners, are looking to add a second title to their collection, having also finished runners-up to Portugal in the last edition in 2025.
England, on the other hand, enjoyed their best result in the inaugural 2019 edition, finishing third. They return to League A this time after winning Group B2 in their previous appearance.
Competing in the top division of the structured competition, Croatia and Czechia are the other teams in Group A3 with England and Spain.
What is the UEFA Nations League?
The UEFA Nations League was founded in 2018 to reduce the number of meaningless friendlies and give nations competitive matches against equally-ranked teams.
In this competition, countries from across Europe participate in a league structure, which features promotion and relegation.
England vs Spain: Predictions
Opta’s supercomputer has handed Spain a 40.2 percent probability of victory, while England have a 33.6 percent chance of winning. The odds of a draw stand at 26.2 percent.
When did England and Spain last meet?
Spain have won six of their last nine meetings with England.
England and Spain last met at the UEFA Euro 2024 final, in which goals from Nico Williams and Mikel Oyarzabal handed La Roja a 2-1 championship victory. That result marked a record-breaking fourth European crown for Spain.
England vs Spain: Head-to-head
Matches: 28
England wins: 13
Spain wins: 11
Draws: 4
England vs Spain: Form guide
(Last five games, latest results first)
England: W-L-W-W-W
Spain: W-W-W-W-W
Which are the top players to watch?
Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham (England): All English hopes will once again rest on captain and Ballon d’Or frontrunner Harry Kane of Bayern Munich, who recently became the fastest player to 100 German Bundesliga goals. Elsewhere, attacking midfielder Jude Bellingham has made an impressive start under new Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho, producing three goals and three assists in seven La Liga appearances.
Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona has seven goals and four assists in seven La Liga appearances this season [David Ramos/Getty Images]
Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal (Spain): La Roja fans will be excited to see Ferran Torres in the national team colours this weekend after he scored a hat-trick in his first Champions League appearance for new club Paris Saint-Germain. His former Barcelona teammate Lamine Yamal, too, is enjoying a strong start this season, with his seven goals rated joint-second-highest in La Liga.
What have the coaches said?
Thomas Tuchel, England coach: “I think the more you analyse Spain and their last matches they played in, you have to admire the way in which they defend. They added this to their game. It’s difficult for every single team in the world to create chances against Spain. But we have a plan, we have ambition, and we want to be the exception to the rule. At the moment, though, they are a very complete team.”
Luis de la Fuente, Spain coach: “I know what these players are made of. We are not satisfied with what we have done so far, I guarantee it. One story is over; now another begins. Another one in which we are very excited. We want to continue doing important things, to continue making records as historic as those that are being achieved.”
England manager Thomas Tuchel during a pre-match news conference [Bradley Collyer/Getty Images]
England vs Spain: TV channel, livestreaming
United Kingdom: ITV1
Spain: RTVE PLAY
Middle East and North Africa: beIN SPORTS
India: Sony Sports Network
South Africa: DStv Stream
United States: FOX Sports, FuboTV, ViX
England’s team news and predicted lineup
England are without winger Marcus Rashford, who picked up a knock, and attacking midfielder Cole Palmer, who has a muscle injury.
Probable England XI: Jordan Pickford; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi, Nico O’Reilly; Elliot Anderson, Miles Lewis-Skelly; Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon; Harry Kane
Spain’s team news and predicted lineup
Centre-back Marc Pubill is sidelined with physical discomfort, and goalkeeper Joan Garcia is out with a knee injury.
Probable Spain XI: Unai Simon; Eric Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, Dean Huijsen, Marc Cucurella; Fermin Lopez, Rodri, Fabian Ruiz; Lamine Yamal, Mikel Oyarzabal, Nico Williams
