It’s Viva Las Vegas for the top girls volleyball teams in Southern California. They’ll be in Las Vegas this weekend for the 30th Durango Classic that will be played at four sites beginning Friday.
Seven of MaxPreps’ top 10 teams nationally are scheduled to compete, including Sierra Canyon, Mater Dei, Redondo Union, Marymount and Mira Costa.
Sea Hawks go on the road and sweep in 3 close sets against a scrappy El Segundo squad. Redondo moves to 13-3, 2-0 league.
Next up the #1 girls high school tournament in the country, Durango!
Sierra Canyon is ranked No. 1 in the Southern Section power rankings after knocking off Redondo Union last week.
It’s also one of the first chances to see teams strengthened by players who had to sit out the first half of the season after transferring without moving. The sit-out period ended Sept. 13. …
The Ivy League football season begins on Saturday, and there are 39 players from Southern Section high school teams listed on Ivy League rosters.
It’s my annual look at players from Southern California playing in the Ivy League. There’s 39 from Southern Section. Loyola and Harvard-Westlake have five each. Brains and brawn. pic.twitter.com/pePe8PDhOC
From Ben Bolch: The DeShaun Foster era is over after 15 games and just five victories, the former UCLA star running back’s storybook rise to head coach at his alma mater coming to an abrupt, deflating end.
After an 0-3 start that included back-to-back losses to Mountain West Conference teams, Foster was dismissed on Sunday in a move that showed the Bruins will no longer accept their status as the laughingstock of the college football world.
Tim Skipper, the former Fresno State interim coach who was brought in as a special assistant to Foster before this season, will serve as the interim coach for the rest of the season as the school commences a search for a permanent replacement.
UCLA was outscored by a 108-43 margin in its first three losses, leading to trolling tweets from the Big Sky and Pac-12 conferences in addition to widespread ridicule from national media figures who noted that the Bruins had clinched last place in the Mountain West and were the only remaining winless team in the Big Ten.
Athletic director Martin Jarmond said he made the decision to remove Foster after consultation with UCLA chancellor Julio Frenk, acting swiftly because there was no clear path to success in the Big Ten even with an extra week to prepare for the conference opener against Northwestern on Sept. 26.
“I felt with the timing, the bye week,” Jarmond said, “it gave our young men the opportunity to just take a breath, recalibrate and change some things that give them the best chance to finish out the season strong and also as a signal to our fans that this is not what Bruin football is going to be.”
The Dodgers’ Mookie Betts, center, celebrates with Kiké Hernández after scoring on Miguel Rojas’ single during the sixth inning Sunday against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park.
(Godofredo A. Vásquez / Associated Press)
From Bill Shaikin: This is the time to bring on the rivals. The Dodgers are used to taking on challengers down the pennant stretch: the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres — and, in a previous version of the National League West, the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds.
The final two weeks of the regular season are upon us. The Dodgers have one remaining head-to-head matchup that really matters — and that series starts Monday at Dodger Stadium, against the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Phillies?
The Phillies have not been realigned into the NL West. However, although the three division champions automatically qualify for the playoffs, the two with the best records earn a bye into the division series. The division champion with the third-best record — right now, that would be the Dodgers — must play in the first round.
The Milwaukee Brewers, the presumed champions of the NL Central, boast the best record in baseball. The Phillies, the presumed champions of the NL East, lead the Dodgers by 4 ½ games. The Dodgers have 13 games to play.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford speaks during a news conference after a 33-19 win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.
(John Amis / Associated Press)
From Gary Klein:Sean McVay did not plan to wait long to begin dissecting the Rams next opponent: the defending Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles.
After his team stayed unbeaten on Sunday with a 33-19 victory over the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium, McVay aimed to take in the Eagles’ game against the Kansas City Chiefs during the plane ride back to Los Angeles.
“It will be fun to watch it,” said McVay, whose team plays the Eagles next Sunday, “as long as the damn WiFi on the plane works.”
Technical difficulties or otherwise, McVay and the Rams are feeling pretty good about themselves.
And rightfully, but perhaps cautiously, so.
Victories over the Houston Texans and the Titans were nice tune-ups that showed the Rams can indeed be Super Bowl contenders.
Now the real season — and test — begins.
The Eagles are the real measuring stick for the Rams, who are seeking their third Super Bowl appearance in eight years.
Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sept. 5.
(Doug Benc / Associated Press)
From Anthony De Leon: The Chargers embracing an opposite approach in play-calling — moving away from a run-heavy philosophy — left many bemused during their season-opening win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Brazil.
Justin Herbert was given free rein to showcase his arm, firing pass after pass against the defending AFC champions. This approach hinged on trust; not necessarily in Herbert’s ability, but in his receivers’ capabilities.
“It’s all about having a clear mind and trust,” Quentin Johnston said. “Trusting the play call, and then trusting yourself to get open. Trusting Justin that the ball will be in the right place when you get open.”
A byproduct of learning a new system last year, with young receivers thrust into pivotal roles, Herbert and his wideouts looked out of sync at times, whether from a lack of trust, chemistry or rhythm.
From the Associated Press: Cal Raleigh tied Mickey Mantle’s season record for most home runs by a switch hitter with his 54th, and the Seattle Mariners extended their winning streak to nine by routing the Angels 11-2 Sunday to take sole possession of the AL West lead for the first time since June.
With the loss, the Angels will finish the year without a winning record for the 10th consecutive season.
George Kirby matched his career high with 14 strikeouts as the Mariners completed a four-game sweep and won for the 20th time in their last 23 home games.
1899 — Willie Smith wins the U.S. Open golf title, beating George low, Val Fitzjohn and W.H. Way.
1923 — Bill Tilden wins the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association championship, beating William Johnston in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1, 6-4.
1962 — Frank Tripucka of the Denver Broncos passes for 447 yards and two touchdowns in a 23-20 win over the Buffalo Bills.
1971 — Stan Smith wins the U.S. Open title over Jan Khodes and Billie Jean King beats Rosemary Casals for the women’s title. It’s the first time in 16 years both titles were won by U.S. players.
1973 — Three-year-old Secretariat wins the Marlboro Cup Invitational Handicap in the then-world record time of 1:45 2-5 for 11/8 miles.
1973 — Archie Griffin of Ohio State starts his NCAA record string of 31 games of rushing for at least 100 yards, leading the Buckeyes to a 56-7 rout of Minnesota in Columbus.
1978 — Muhammad Ali becomes the first three-time heavyweight champion with a unanimous 15-round decision over Leon Spinks at the Superdome in New Orleans.
1991 — The United States women’s gymnastics team makes history with its first team medal — a silver — at the World Championships in Indianapolis.
1995 — Cards shortstop Ozzie Smith sets record of 1,554 double plays.
2002 — Sam Hornish Jr. wins another incredible race at Texas Motor Speedway, and his second straight IRL title. Hornish side-by-side with Helio Castroneves for many of the last 25 laps in the season-ending Chevy 500, crosses the finish line 0.0096 seconds — only a few inches — ahead of the other driver in contention for the season championship. Hornish wins his IRL-record fifth race of the season and becomes the first driver to win two IRL championships.
2002 — Oakland quarterback Rich Gannon begins NFL record-tying (Kurt Warner, Steve Young) streak of 6 consecutive 300-yard passing games, throwing for 403 yards in Raiders’ 30-17 victory at Pittsburgh.
2004 — NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announces a lockout of the players union and cessation of operations by the NHL head office.
2012 — LSU beats Idaho 63-14 to give the Tigers an NCAA FBS record 40th-straight non-conference regular season victory. LSU also set a Tiger Stadium mark with 20 straight home wins. Kansas State had 39 straight non-conference regular-season wins from 1993-2003.
2013 — Philip Rivers is 36 of 47 for 419 yards and three touchdown passes to Eddie Royal to lead San Diego to a 33-30 victory at Philadelphia. Michael Vick of the Eagles passes for a career-best 428 yards and two touchdowns and runs for a score.
2017 — The Cleveland has its AL record run stopped at 22 straight games as the Indians are beaten 4-3 by the Kansas City Royals.
2018 — Zlatan Ibrahimovic scores his 500th worldwide goal in the Los Angeles Galaxy’s 5-3 loss to Toronto FC. The 36-year-old Swede joins Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as the only active players with 500 goals for in club and international play.
2021 — US gymnasts, including Simone Biles, testify against former team doctor Larry Nassar at a Senate Committee hearing, criticizing a system that allowed it to happen.
2022 — Tennis great Roger Federer announces his retirement from professional tennis at 41 with 20 grand slam wins and 103 ATP titles.
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 [email protected]. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Several common themes emerge. These guys are sharp. Passionate. Dynamic. They can command a room. They have won as the guy in charge, after having done so as a coordinator. They have that “it” factor. They know why they win and can pinpoint reasons for falling short.
These are the qualities UCLA must seek in its next football coach after dismissing DeShaun Foster on Sunday. Foster was a nice guy and a great Bruin who loved the program, but he did not have the personality or the wherewithal to get the job done at even a modest level.
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Put aside, for a moment, any qualms about athletic director Martin Jarmond making the next hire after so badly botching the last one. Unless chancellor Julio Frenk intervenes and fires Jarmond or installs a football general manager à la Andrew Luck at Stanford or Ron Rivera at California, all that matters is Jarmond and his search committee getting this move right.
Jarmond, who said he wanted someone who yearns to take the Bruins to the College Football Playoff, should create a checklist of the aforementioned traits. Those who don’t check every box — we’ll make one exception, for promising coordinators — shouldn’t be considered.
That will eliminate many candidates who could probably win six to eight games a year while sustaining the sort of blah existence the program endured under coach Chip Kelly. A lot of them are current head coaches on preliminary candidate lists being widely circulated. And they’re all decent coaches and probably great people … and not good enough to elevate this program to where it needs to go.
Also, let’s make one thing abundantly clear: Being a former Bruin should have no bearing on one’s candidacy.
Several of the most successful coaches in UCLA football and men’s basketball history — John Wooden,Red Sanders and Ben Howland — had no previous ties to the school. The list of failed coaches with UCLA ties would require multiple pages.
Here at The Bolch Group, we think the list of candidates should fall into four broad categories:
Head coaches on the rise: Those who fit into this mold include Tulane’s Jon Sumrall (going a combined 35-9 at Troy and Tulane is no small feat) and Boise State’s Spencer Danielson (took the Broncos to the Fiesta Bowl in Year 2) plus an untold amount of promising candidates at the Football Championship Subdivision level.
Coordinators who deserve a promotion: Defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann (Georgia) and offensive coordinators Will Stein (Oregon), Brian Hartline (Ohio State) and Ben Arbuckle (Oklahoma) could be the next big thing. Don’t you want to be the one who identified great talent before anyone else?
The wildcards: Pat Fitzgerald, who compiled three 10-win seasons at the coaching graveyard known as Northwestern, is back on the market after being essentially exonerated in the school’s hazing scandal. As someone who covered Fitzgerald for the Daily Northwestern when the linebacker helped the Wildcats reach the Rose Bowl in 1996, I can safely say this guy is a winner with integrity. UCLA might be scared off by the optics, but it shouldn’t be.
Big names who might emerge: Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer, who should have been hired by Jarmond after a 2021 season in which DeBoer’s Fresno State Bulldogs toppled the Bruins at the Rose Bowl, could be back on the market if things further deteriorate in Tuscaloosa. Marcus Freeman would be another candidate who should be quickly snatched up if Notre Dame can’t rebound from its 0-2 start.
What’s most important is the person and the potential.
Go ahead, listen to them. Watch them speak.
UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) has struggled to lead the Bruins’ offense so far this season.
(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
This is sort of like being placed on academic probation three weeks into the quarter and now you’ll be reporting to a substitute teacher.
Quarterbacks: C. At this rate, Nico Iamaleava will either be in the NFL next season … or playing for another college team. Might he hit the transfer portal before the Bruins’ next game?
Running backs: D. Who’s handling the rotation here? Jalen Berger is obviously not the answer in short-yardage situations.
Receivers: C. Rico Flores Jr. and Carter Shaw can’t return from injuries soon enough.
Offensive line: D. Talk about being a double threat, these guys get pushed around and commit penalties.
Defensive line: D. Providing close to zero resistance in the run game after New Mexico rushed for 298 yards and could have had considerably more with better playcalling.
Linebackers: C. These guys continue to be productive in cleanup duty but aren’t making many meaningful plays.
Defensive backs: D. Whether in press coverage or playing way off the line of scrimmage, the results are the same.
Special teams: A. Bids are being solicited for the Mateen Bhaghani statue outside the Rose Bowl.
Coaching: F. Foster clearly wasn’t the only issue here. Offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri and defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe also deserve some questioning. Does anyone know what they’re doing?
Olympic sports spotlight: Women’s soccer
It’s hard to keep a good team down.
After opening the season with two losses in its first three games, the UCLA women’s soccer team has reeled off four consecutive victories, including a 2-0 triumph over Oregon on Saturday in its Big Ten opener.
The fourth-ranked Bruins (5-2 overall, 1-0 Big Ten) are rising quickly after their 2-0 victory over top-ranked Stanford on Sept. 7 showed they are once again one of the nation’s top teams. UCLA’s defense has led the way in the season’s early going, with five shutouts in seven games. Goalkeepers Daphne Nakfoor and Mariangela Medina combined for the shutout against the Ducks.
UCLA will open conference road play against Michigan State on Thursday and Michigan on Sunday.
Remember when?
This one hurt deeply.
As a Northwestern alumnus, it looked like I would be able to savor the Wildcats’ first bowl victory since 1949 when they intercepted three Drew Olson passes in the first quarter and raced to a 22-0 lead over UCLA in the 2005 Sun Bowl.
Then the Bruins did what they had done all season — they came back.
Having already wiped out a pair of 21-point deficits, UCLA decided a school-record comeback was in order. Olson went on to throw three touchdown passes and backup running backs Chris Markey and Kahlil Bell capably filled in for an injured Maurice Drew by combining for 286 yards rushing and two touchdowns.
Perhaps the most stunning part of the comeback was its speed. When Olson completed an eight-yard touchdown pass to Marcus Everett with 29 seconds left in the second quarter, the Bruins seized a 29-22 lead. They would never trail again.
Brandon Breazell added some late-game hilarity when he returned one onside kick 42 yards for a touchdown, only to later grab another onside kick and return it 45 yards for a touchdown, capping UCLA’s wild 50-38 triumph.
Interestingly, I was the UCLA sidebar reporter that season alongside the late, great Lonnie White, who was the Bruins beat writer. I had attended every previous road game, but the sports editors left me off the travel roster, like a sixth-string quarterback, for the game involving my alma mater. Not that I’m bitter or anything, two decades later.
Fortunately, I’m planning to be there for UCLA’s Big Ten opener against Northwestern on Sept. 26 at the Wildcats’ temporary lakeside stadium. It will be the first time the teams have met since the Sun Bowl.
Opinion time
Who will end up as UCLA’s next football coach?
A known commodity such as Michigan State’s Jonathan Smith
A former Bruin such as Florida State defensive coordinator Tony White
Do you have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future UCLA newsletter? Email me at [email protected], and follow me on X @latbbolch. To order an autographed copy of my book, “100 Things UCLA Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die,” send me an email. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates – A day prior to the marquee India-Pakistan cricket clash at the Asia Cup 2025 in Dubai, it’s a tale of two teams positioned on opposite ends of the pre-match hype metre as political frenzy envelops the fixture.
As a result of the hoopla, the game of cricket has been reduced to a supporting act.
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India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate faced the heat as his side’s designated news conference representative on Saturday.
The former Netherlands international cricketer was sent to tackle a barrage of questions on the tense atmosphere in the wake of the four-day conflict in May, when the South Asian archrivals came close to an all-out war.
Unlike the pre-tournament news conference, where media persons were discouraged from asking political questions, Saturday’s event was heavier on politics and lighter on cricket.
Doeschate, who has been part of the Indian coaching set-up for over a year, was asked to talk about the players’ mindset in the lead-up to the match and whether the simmering sentiments back home will affect them.
“It will play on the minds of the players, who share the compassion of the Indian public,” Doeschate said.
However, the coach urged them to “put the sentiments and emotions behind” when they step on the field.
“It’s something we have addressed in the dressing room in team meetings. We are aware of the feelings [of Indian fans], but the guys have to play for their country, so they will be as professional and focused as they can be given the circumstances.”
While the conversation occasionally turned to India’s team combination for the match and tackling a new-look Pakistani T20 side, some sections of the media kept steering it back to themes such as “using the sports field as an avenue for protest [against the opponent]” and, cynically, protecting the players from the outside noise.
However, ten Doeschate was careful in his handling of questions on the delicate theme and did not attempt to shut down the constant probing.
He revealed India head coach Gautam Gambhir’s message to the dressing room in the lead-up to the Pakistan match.
“It’s been about being professional, not worrying about things not in our control and trying to be emotionless when approaching the cricket side of things.”
The 45-year-old former allrounder wrapped up by saying the way the Indian team plays on Sunday will “represent how the players feel about the country.”
India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav and head coach Gautam Gambhir at a practice session [File: Sajjad Hussain/AFP]
‘Just another cricket match’
Meanwhile, Pakistan took the opposite approach to the media scrutiny by sending Saim Ayub, a very nonchalant young member of the squad, to deal with the barrage of critical and deceptively political questions.
The allrounder flat-batted the inquest into Pakistan’s inability to beat India in recent games by repeating the “past is past” mantra that every athlete knows so well.
Pakistan’s last win over India, in all formats and competitions, came in October 2021, when Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan guided them home by 10 wickets.
The 23-year-old has never played a match against India, and when he was asked to recount his experience of being on the reserves’ bench during the India-Pakistan game at the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, he simply blamed amnesia for his inability to recall his feelings from last June.
“I could have answered your question better had you asked last year,” he quipped.
Ayub, whose main role in the team is to open the batting, has seen a dip in his run-scoring form since his return from injury this year.
In his 15 T20I innings since May, Ayub has scored 40 or more runs on four occasions, only one of which came during the recent tri-nation T20 series in the UAE.
The left-handed batter dealt with the criticism of his performance with a smirk and said, “The same player can’t be expected to win the match every time.”
“The team is made up of 11 players, and we try that every player stands up on a different day. We can only try to give our best effort and hope that the result goes our way.”
When it was his turn to face questions on the hyped up match and how it could lead to on-field nerves, Ayub was happy to term it “just another cricket match”.
“It can be a big fixture for some people, but for us, it’s just another match where we must improve our performance.”
A changed-up Pakistan team led by a new captain and coach will look to change the recent trend in results against India, while their opponents will aim to not only win the contest on the pitch, but also placate a charged-up fanbase back home.
Pakistan will rely on Shaheen Shah Afridi’s experience against India on Sunday [Sajjad Hussain/AFP]
The European Commission has accepted commitments from Microsoft regarding its Teams platform to address competition concerns.
These commitments involve offering versions of Office 365 and Microsoft 365 suites without Teams, at a reduced price, and implementing other changes. The decision follows an investigation initiated by a complaint from Slack Technologies (now owned by Salesforce) and a similar complaint from alfaview.
EU regulators had preliminarily determined that Microsoft conferred an undue competitive advantage upon Teams and restricted competition in the market for cloud-based communication and collaboration products by bundling it with productivity applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
While Microsoft unbundled Teams after the EU probe commenced, regulators found the subsequent changes insufficient. Reports had indicated Microsoft was likely to avoid an antitrust fine as the EU regulators were expected to accept its offer.
From Ryan Kartje: When he first started spreading the word about Waymond Jordan, Mike Bennett figured the film would speak for itself. The Escambia High coach had been in the South Florida preps scene long enough to know what he was seeing from his new running back.
“Just watching him run the football for the first time, he was amazing,” Bennett said. He figured scholarship offers would roll in soon enough.
Jordan had similar expectations. Since he first picked up football, at 4 years old, he’d always told himself that he’d play at a big school, on the biggest stage. He’d come to Escambia as a senior with that in mind.
But in 2021, four years before Lincoln Riley and USC would see that same star potential, other college coaches, for whatever reason, weren’t paying much mind.
Given where Jordan stands today — the top running back on one of the nation’s top rushing offenses through two weeks of the college football season — plenty of them probably regret that now.
“Every coach in the country, I sent stuff to,” Bennett said. “I mean, everybody. I sent it out to everybody.”
Some smaller schools monitored Jordans’ senior year at Escambia, keeping a close eye as he rushed for 1,225 yards and 12 touchdowns. A few schools said he could walk-on. But none of them extended a scholarship offer. Jordan couldn’t understand why.
Hutchinson Community College, a junior college in Hutchinson, Kan., was one of the only places to give him an opportunity. Hutchinson was a thousand miles from his hometown of Pensacola, and a world away from the major college football he thought he’d be playing. But the staff there knew Escambia well, and they believed in what they saw in Jordan’s tape.
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NBA
Former NBA and UCLA basketball star Reggie Miller rides along a road in the Gypsum Canyon Wilderness.
(Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)
From Kevin Baxter: Early on a muggy Saturday morning, seven dozen riders lined up five and six abreast and aimed their mountain bikes toward a narrow, rocky trail leading away from the 91 Freeway and into the wilderness of Anaheim’s rugged Gypsum Canyon.
In their white helmets and monotone synthetic racing kits, the riders were more an indistinct mob than a collection of individuals. But in the middle of the pack, perched on a pricey, Santa Cruz Blur XL, one cyclist stood out if for no other reason than, at 6-foot-7, Reggie Miller was a foot taller than most of the people around him.
Miller is also, it should be noted, a basketball hall of famer and five-time NBA All-Star who seamlessly transitioned into a career as one of the sport’s most-respected TV analysts. He has earned fame and riches most will never know and competed at a level few have ever achieved.
Yet on the day before his 60th birthday, he was about to pedal his way along 19 miles of treacherous trails, swallowing the dust kicked up by cyclists a third his age. And he couldn’t have been happier because bike racing has not just given Miller a competitive outlet, it’s provided an avenue for addressing issues of importance to him, among them equality, inclusion and social justice.
“You see so many retired football, baseball, basketball players turn to golf. That’s their vice,” he said. “Mine is cycling.”
Except, perhaps, fantasy football players who drafted Adams.
“That’s not in the forefront of my mind,” Adams, chuckling, said this week. “I know they think it is. I’m just out here trying to win games and contribute and make plays when I can.”
Nacua brushed off a cut above his eye that required stitches and caught 10 passes for 130 yards. Adams, making his Rams debut, caught four passes for 51 yards.
Exhausted to the point of collapse and parked in the driveway of his Oakland Hills home, he briefly allowed himself to close his eyes — was it for a minute? An hour? — before jolting awake at 4 a.m. in a foggy panic. Had he just returned from his round-the-clock job with the Oakland Raiders, or was he supposed to be on his way back?
Here he was, a first-round pick from Michigan, a 15-year NFL veteran, and now a coaching grunt for the Silver & Black, ready to do whatever was asked.
“I always remember him with the hair all over his head going everywhere,” recalled receiver Tim Brown. “The veteran guys on the team were saying, ‘Jimmy, you don’t have to do this, bro. There’s other ways you can make money. You don’t have to be in here.’ Because he was literally the guy printing the papers, working the copiers. We were like, ‘All right, if that’s what you want to do with your life then OK.’”
Angels star Mike Trout hits a solo home against the Seattle Mariners on Thursday night.
(John Froschauer / Associated Press)
From the Associated Press: Rookie pinch-hitter Harry Ford drove in the winning run with a sacrifice fly in the 12th inning and the Seattle Mariners beat the Angels 7-6 on Thursday night to move into a tie with Houston atop the AL West.
It was the second straight walk-off victory in extra innings for the Mariners, who extended their win streak to six games. Leo Rivas hit a two-run homer in the 13th inning Wednesday night to complete a series sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals.
Mike Trout launched his 399th career home run for the Angels, tying it 4-4 in the fifth inning after they fell behind 4-0 in the second.
Sparks guard Kelsey Plum, right, tries to shoot over Las Vegas center A’ja Wilson during the Sparks’ loss on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena.
(Harry How / Getty Images)
From Anthony De Leon: Being out of postseason contention didn’t make the Sparks’ season finale meaningless.
It was a chance to avoid finishing with a losing record for the first time since 2020. An opportunity to foil the Las Vegas Aces’ push for the No. 2 seed in the playoffs while derailing a 15-game winning streak. And, above all, a matter of pride.
But just as with their season-long goal of reaching the playoffs, the Sparks fell short of their goal, as A’ja Wilson and the Aces dominated in a 103-75 victory at Crypto.com Arena.
From Chuck Schilken: Retired NBA player and former Harvard-Westlake star Jason Collins is undergoing treatment for a brain tumor, the NBA said Thursday in a statement released on behalf of Collins and his family.
“Jason and his family welcome your support and prayers and kindly ask for privacy as they dedicate their attention to Jason’s health and well-being,” the league said.
A 46-year-old native of Northridge, Jason Collins and twin brother, Jarron, led Harvard-Westlake to state Division III titles in 1996 and 1997, with the former being named the state Division III player of the year both seasons. His 1,500 career rebounds stood as a CIF state record until 2010, when Hemet West Valley’s Joe Burton finished his career with 1,721 rebounds.
1895 — Defender wins three straight matches from the British challenger Valkyrie II to defend the America’s Cup for the United States.
1936 — Fred Perry becomes the first foreign player to win three U.S. men’s singles titles when he defeats Don Budge, 2-6, 6-2, 8-6, 1-6, 10-8. Alice Marble ends the four-year reign of Helen Jacobs as U.S. women’s singles champion, with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory.
1955 — Tony Trabert wins the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association championships with a victory over Ken Rosewall. Doris Hart wins the women’s title.
1966 — Australia’s Fred Stolle beats countryman John Newcombe to win the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association championships. Stolle wins in four sets, 4-6, 12-10, 6-3, 6-4.
1976 — Jimmy Connors beats Bjorn Borg in four sets to win the U.S. Open.
1979 — Carl Yastrzemski reaches 3,000 hits off of NY Yankee pitcher Jim Beattie.
1981 — Tracy Austin wins her second U.S. Open singles title, edging first-time finalist Martina Navratilova, 1-6, 7-6, 7-6.
1982 — Jimmy Connors wins the U.S. Open, defeating Ivan Lendl, 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4.
1984 — N.Y. Met Dwight Gooden sets rookie strike out record at 251.
1988 — 1st NFL regular-season game played in Phoenix; Dallas beats Arizona.
1995 — The Harlem Globetrotters’ 24-year, 8,829-game winning streak is stopped. It ends in a 91-85 loss to a team led by basketball great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who scores 34 points in a competitive, unscripted game in Vienna, Austria.
1998 — Lindsay Davenport captures her first Grand Slam tournament singles title, defeating Martina Hingis, 6-3, 7-5 at the U.S. Open.
1999 — Andre Agassi comes back from two-sets-to-one down to win his second U.S. Open singles title. Agassi, who never loses his serve, defeats Todd Martin, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-7 (2), 6-3, 6-2. It’s the first five-set U.S. Open final in 11 years.
2004 — Roger Federer becomes the first man since 1988 to win three majors in a year, thoroughly outclassing Lleyton Hewitt 6-0, 7-6 (3), 6-0 to add the U.S. Open title to those he took at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
2005 — Mark Messier announces on ESPN radio that he will retire from the NHL.
2010 — Houston running back Arian Foster rushes for a franchise-record 231 yards and three touchdowns in the Texans’ 34-24 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Foster is the first player in NFL history to rush for at least 200 yards and three touchdowns for an opening weekend.
2011 — Tom Brady passes for a team-record 517 yards and four touchdowns, including a 99-yarder to Wes Welker, and the New England Patriots beat the Miami Dolphins 38-24.
2011 — U.S. Open Men’s Tennis: Novak Djokovic wins his first US title; beats Rafael Nadal 6-2, 6-4, 6-7, 6-1.
2014 — Diana Taurasi and Candice Dupree score 24 points each and the Phoenix Mercury, playing without star center Brittney Griner, beat the Chicago Sky 87-82 to complete a three-game sweep of the WNBA Finals for their third championship.
2015 — Kent State dominates Delaware State in the Golden Flashes’ home opener, 45-13, but it’s overshadowed by a single point-after kick in the second quarter by April Goss. Goss, a four-year member of the Kent State team and a former high school soccer player, becomes the second female to score in a Division I game in NCAA history. Katie Hnida kicked a pair of extra points for New Mexico in 2003.
2015 — David Ortiz homers twice to become the 27th player in major league history to reach 500 homers, and Boston beats Tampa Bay 10-4.
2018 — Breanna Stewart leads the Seattle Storm to their third WNBA title, scoring 30 points in a 98-82 victory over the Washington Mystics in Game 3 of the best-of-five series.
2020 — Naomi Osaka of Japan wins her second US Open title beating Victoria Azarenka of Belarus 1-6, 6-3, 6-3.
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 [email protected]. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Sept. 12 (UPI) — The European Union has accepted assurance from Microsoft that it will cease forcing its Teams application onto users and allow similar apps a chance to compete.
“Today, the European Commission has accepted commitments from Microsoft addressing its concerns that the distribution of Teams, Microsoft’s communication and collaboration product, harmed competition,” said EU Director for Information, Technology, Communication and Media Carlota Reyners Fontana in a video statement posted to social media Friday.
Those commitments mean that Microsoft will detangle Teams from its Office 365 and Microsoft 365 suites for business customers, freeing up consumers to obtain productivity apps like Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Word minus Teams for a lesser cost.
The promise also long-term licensed Microsoft customers the ability to switch out of suites that contain Teams, to allow competing apps to operate on Microsoft products and permit users to move data out of Teams and into competing apps.
However, should the commission deem Microsoft to be skirting its commitments, it could be fined as much as 10% of its global profits, or face 5% fines daily until in compliance.
The European Commission opened proceedings against Microsoft in July of 2023 following complaints by the companies behind the Slack and Alfaview communication apps for potentially breaching EU competition rules and determined that by tying Teams to its suites, the company “abused its dominant position,” according to Fontana.
“Teams competitors could not offset that advantage,” she continued.
In a press release, the European Commission announced Thursday that the guarantees made by Microsoft are now considered legally binding under EU antitrust rules.
“By helping to restore fair competition, these commitments will open up the market for other providers of communication and collaboration tools in Europe,” the commission stated in a press release on Thursday.
Teams features calling, messaging, video meetings and file sharing cloud-based capabilities that can further tie into other Microsoft apps. When Teams was first released, it was bundled with Office 365 and Microsoft 365.
After the commission opened its investigation, Microsoft at first released some suite options without Teams in 2023 and 2024, but “these changes were insufficient to address its concerns and that more extensive changes were necessary to effectively end the anticompetitive tying practice and its effects,” the release noted.
Microsoft then arrived at the commitments eventually accepted by the commission in May, and after market testing both Slack and Alfaview withdrew their complaints.
The commitments made by Microsoft will remain in effect for seven years, except for the interoperability and data portability promises, which will stand for 10 years.
The European Commission on Friday accepted the concessions proposed by Microsoft concerning its Teams platform Teams to resolve an antitrust case it has been entangled in since July 2023.
To allay charges of abuse of dominance, Microsoft has proposed to offer customers its Office 365 and Microsoft 365 applications without Teams at a lower price than the suites including Teams and committed not to offering discount rates on Teams higher than those offered on suites without Teams.
It also offered interoperability to competitors with certain Microsoft products and proposed to allow customers to extract their Teams messaging data for use in competing solutions.
The case was opened in July 2023 following complaints from competing office platform Slack and in 2024 from Alfaview, accusing Microsoft of abusing its dominant position by bundling Teams with its Office and Microsoft 365 suites.
In June 2024, the Commission made a preliminary finding that the US tech giant was abusing its dominant position in the professional software market.
A year later, the Commission launched a market test on commitments offered by Microsoft which lead Slack and Alfaview to withdraw their complaints.
“Organisations big and small across Europe and around the world rely heavily on videoconferencing, chat and collaboration tools, especially since the coronavirus pandemic,” EU competition commissioner Teresa Ribera said in a statement, adding that the decision “opens up competition in this crucial market, and ensures that businesses can freely choose the communication and collaboration product that best suits their needs.”
The Commission’s decision makes Microsoft’s commitments binding for seven years and for 10 years regarding interoperability and data portability.
“We turn now to implementing these new obligations promptly and fully,” Nanna-Louise Linde, Vice President of Microsoft’s European Government Affairs, said in a statement.
If the company fails to meet its commitments, the Commission could impose a fine of up to 10% of its global annual revenue.
TWO men have died while unloading glass panels from a lorry in a freak accident.
The horror unfolded in the car park of one of England’s oldest football clubs, Hitchin Town FC, on Saturday.
Emergency services were called at around 2pm, and paramedics sadly pronounced two men dead at the scene.
A third man was treated for minor injuries.
Hertfordshire Police confirmed the men had been “unloading glass panels from a lorry” when tragedy struck.
A spokesperson for the force confirmed: “Police attended an incident in the Hitchin Town Football Club car park at approximately 2pm on Saturday 6 September, following reports that two men were seriously injured.
“The men, who were unloading glass panels from a lorry parked in the overflow car park, were injured in the process.
“Two men sadly died at the scene. Their next of kins have been informed and are being supported by officers. A third man sustained minor injuries and was treated at the scene.
“The incident is currently under investigation and enquiries continue.”
Hitchin Town Football Club has been contacted for comment.
Hitchin is the childhood home of several Premier League names, including Kevin Phillips and Jack Wilshere.
The club are seventh in Southern League Division One Central and through to the second-round qualifying of the FA Cup.
1
Two men have died while unloading glass panels from a lorry in a freak accidentCredit: Google
In December, DeShaun Foster touted mass turnover as a reason to think he could win big in Year 2, citing the quick turnaround at Colorado under Deion Sanders.
On Saturday, UCLA’s football coach used mass turnover as an explanation for his team’s 0-2 start.
“I have a lot of new people,” Foster said after his team’s 30-23 loss to Nevada Las Vegas at Allegiant Stadium left it as the only winless team in the Big Ten. “I’m not somebody who’s going to come up here and give you guys excuses and everything, but I have a lot of new people and we’re still finding ways to come together and really rely on each other and we’re going to continue to build and it’s a long season.”
In other words, said a coach making $3.1 million this season, don’t blame me.
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Somebody needs to take accountability for spending all this money on such a lifeless product. New UCLA chancellor Julio Frenk posted a picture of himself at the season opener against Utah on social media, calling it a “blast” to cheer on the team, which was an admirable show of support in tough circumstances.
They just got a lot tougher for everyone in blue and gold.
Asked about his restrictive media policies before the season, Foster said winning would do the marketing for his team. Well, how’s that going?
There’s a real chance that the actual crowd inside the Rose Bowl on Friday night when the Bruins face New Mexico (1-1) could fall below 10,000, setting a record low.
Importing 57 new players on any team is going to lead to some misses, but it’s already apparent that UCLA’s talent evaluation was way off the mark. Maybe there was a reason a group filled with transfers coming off injuries and underwhelming starts to their college careers was available.
Compounding this situation in some fans’ eyes is the fact that these players are now getting paid — in some cases making CEO money — to play for a team that looks so woefully unprepared and undertalented, having fallen behind 20-0 against Utah and 23-0 against UNLV.
While quarterback Nico Iamaleava hasn’t been the savior some envisioned after arriving from Tennessee, he also hasn’t been the problem. He’s made some mistakes while also playing at a high enough level to win if he was surrounded by more talent.
He’s also been perhaps the only one associated with the team to take a measure of responsibility for UCLA’s worst start since it lost its first three games in 2019.
“I think that just starts with me, man,” Iamaleava said of the slow starts leading to losses. “I gotta be better coming out. I started off a little slow on the first drive coming out. And, yeah, I think overall, man, we got to clean up a lot of stuff.”
To their credit, UCLA coaches tried making some personnel changes after that clunker of a season opener. Edge rusher Kechaun Bennett and linebacker Isaiah Chisom moved into the starting lineup, and things started to coalesce on both sides of the ball in the second half while the Bruins outscored the Rebels, 20-7. (There was also some puzzling use of the running backs rotation when UCLA failed to score a touchdown after getting a first and goal at the UNLV one-yard line, but we digress.)
The bottom line is that there was a reason UNLV’s last win over a Big Ten team before Saturday had come in 2003 — the Rebels play in the Mountain West Conference and have far fewer resources than their Power Four conference counterparts.
So where do the Bruins go from here? Rebound and beat New Mexico before a smattering of friends and family on the way to four or five wins? Would that be good enough?
Somebody needs to step up and tell UCLA fans why they should still care about this team and spend money on a product that, frankly, isn’t even mediocre right now.
Kicker Mateen Bhaghani during the Iowa game last year.
(MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images / MediaNews Group via Getty Images)
Let’s just say if your kids got these kinds of grades two weeks into the school year, you’d be calling for a parent-teacher conference ASAP.
Quarterbacks: B. Iamaleava sparked his team’s comeback but also threw the pass that sealed defeat. It’s more than a little concerning that he’s the team’s leading rusher through two games.
Running backs: D. Jalen Berger was probably not the best option on those goal-line plays that came up empty. Jaivian Thomas and Anthony Woods need to be the guys moving forward.
Receivers: C. Kwazi Gilmer flashed his big-play potential again with a juggling catch and ability to continually generate separation. But it doesn’t appear he’ll need to clear room on the mantle for the Biletnikoff Award.
Offensive line: D. The lineup shuffle with Garrett DiGiorgio at left tackle and Reuben Unije at right tackle appears to be the way the rest of the season. But guard Julian Armella can’t keep committing dumb penalties.
Defensive line: C-. The Bruins got a sack! The Bruins got a sack! Sacks by Bennett and Anthony Jones that represented the team’s first of the season did little to mask the ongoing issues in generating a consistent pass rush.
Linebackers: C-. JonJon Vaughns has logged double digits in tackles in consecutive games, but does it matter when you’re 0-2?
Defensive backs: D. Getting burned by UNLV quarterback Anthony Colandrea for three touchdowns is not acceptable.
Special teams: B+. Kicker Mateen Bhaghani, now four for four on field goals, is on pace to be the team MVP.
Coaching: F. There’s no way you can justify falling behind 23-0 to UNLV one week after that abomination of a season opener.
Olympic sport spotlight: Men’s water polo
Ben Liechty was also a standout water polo player at Newport Harbor High.
(Raul Roa)
The best team in the country rolls on.
Having already beaten No. 14 Cal Baptist, No. 19 George Washington, No. 12 UC San Diego, No. 14 UC Davis and No. 20 Navy, the top-ranked UCLA men’s water polo team notched its most impressive victory of the season Saturday with a 16-9 victory over No. 4 Fordham.
For good measure, the Bruins added a 24-10 romp over Bucknell later in the day.
The Bruins (7-0) have been so dominant that they have posted 10 or more different scorers in every game this season. Redshirt senior Chase Dodd and junior Ben Liechty led the way against Fordham with one goal and three assists apiece.
The schedule doesn’t get any easier for UCLA, which plays No. 7 UC Irvine in its home opener at noon Friday before facing No. 16 Harvard later in the day. Might Bruins fans have a better time showing up at Dirks Pool at Spieker Aquatics Center than the Rose Bowl?
Opinion time
Who is most culpable for the state of UCLA football?
We asked last Monday, “Does UCLA’s football team rally immediately against the soft pocket of its schedule, or fall further into despair before facing Penn State on Oct. 4 at the Rose Bowl?” The results, after 607 votes:
The Bruins go 2-1 over their next three games, 38.9% The Bruins go 1-2 over their next three games, 29.1% The Bruins go 3-0 over their next three games, 21.1% The Bruins go 0-3 over their next three games, 10.9%
Do you have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future UCLA newsletter? Email me at [email protected], and follow me on X @latbbolch. To order an autographed copy of my book, “100 Things UCLA Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die,” send me an email. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. I’m Eric Sondheimer. It was another week of scandal in high school football. And also games with top performances. It’s an interesting balancing act for sportswriters.
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Scandal widens
There’s continuing fallout from an Archdiocese of Los Angeles investigation that self-reported violations by Bishop Montgomery’s football program to the Southern Section, resulting in the school ending its varsity season after playing one game and forfeiting another. Now the rest of the season will be forfeits as the school investigates its 24 transfer students.
President Patrick Lee has been placed on administrative leave, according to a parent who says faculty were told of the decision. The Archdiocese has declined to confirm, saying it doesn’t comment on personnel matters. Most interesting is that Lee was brought in last school year as Bishop Montgomery’s first president. Also faculty members have been directed not to speak to the media. The school’s principal resigned from her role as president of the Camino-Del Rey Athletic Assn.
The school is trying to play a junior varsity schedule while allowing eligible varsity players to participate, but that’s unlikely to gain traction. Hart canceled this week’s JV game with Bishop Montgomery, not wanting to subject its regular JV players that include freshmen to a game against possible varsity players out of concern for player safety.
The Southern Section has to decide whether eligible Bishop Montgomery varsity players can transfer and be eligible immediately since the school dropped its varsity program.
The Southern Section has continued its crackdown of transfer students who submitted inaccurate paperwork. Long Beach Millikan had to forfeit two games for using ineligible players and most of its transfer students are now listed under review on the Southern Section transfer web page. One of those players who didn’t play Friday after previously being cleared was quarterback Ashton Pannell, who transferred from Loyola after previously attending St. John Bosco. Other schools are also dealing with issues involving transfer students.
The Archdiocese held a scheduled meeting with principals and athletic directors. The Catholic schools chief indicated changes are coming on how to handle transfer students within Archdiocese high schools.
Remember, under CIF rules, you have to move physically with the entire family unit to be eligible immediately. Otherwise you get a one-time sit-out period transfer status that lasts for a portion of the season. Schools confirm the transfers through paperwork requirements. The Southern Section appears to be using AI technology to catch students using addresses that had previously been used. That can result in a violation of bylaw 202, which prohibits providing false information. It also is a violation to receive inducements to transfer, such as housing, known as bylaw 510, undue influence.
One good thing is the early season attention on ineligible players can prevent numerous forfeits at the end of the football season that could prevent a school from entering the playoffs because of an anonymous tip.
Marine League coaches who forfeited to Narbonne last season alleging money payments feel vindicated after a booster confirmed during a podcast that he paid parents to transfer their sons to Narbonne. Here’s a report.
Madden Williams of St. John Bosco prepares to make a game-tying 51-yard touchdown catch against St. Frances.
(Craig Weston)
It was the Madden Williams show in Bellflower. He made two spectacular catches in the fourth quarter to rally St. John Bosco to a 21-14 victory over Baltimore St. Frances. Here’s the report.
Los Alamitos improved to 4-0 with a 41-21 win over Gardena Serra. There’s no doubt no coach has done a finer job in the first month of the season than Ray Fenton.
Mission Viejo exposed the weakness in Northern California football, routing one its top teams, Folsom, 53-14. Folsom and De La Salle are considered the top Northern California teams in contention for a CIF state championship Open Division bowl spot. San Mateo Serra comes to town to play St. John Bosco on Friday.
Jason Miller, the Leuzinger coach who used to coach in Northern California, was asked to explain the downward trajectory.
“Lots of traditional football families have moved out of the Bay Area, replaced by tech families,” he said. “Black and white families with generations of football players have found the Bay Area unaffordable. Interest has lacked in college football as well. East Palo Alto and West Oakland were once treasure chests of athletes that have been watered down by gentrification.”
Bishop Amat came up with an upset win over Valencia behind a game-winning 79-yard touchdown run from Ryan Salcedo. Here’s the report.
Huntington Beach quarterback Brady Edmunds.
(James Carbone)
Quarterback Brady Edmunds of Huntington Beach had a big game in win over Western. Here’s the report.
Hamilton coach Elijah Asante poses next to campus mural of Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
The City Section’s top teams continue to struggle in nonleague games against Southern Section opponents, but the strategy is designed to prepare them for league play. Birmingham lost to Moorpark, Carson lost to Palos Verdes and San Pedro lost to Great Oak.
Meanwhile, Palisades and Granada Hills engaged in a passing vs. running scoring marathon before Palisades prevailed 59-44 behind 387 yards passing and six touchdowns from quarterback Jack Thomas.
Robert Garrett, the longtime coach at Crenshaw, continues to be on administrative leave. The Cougars suffered their first team in falling to Hamilton 23-6. Jacob Riley of Hamilton had three interceptions. Here’s the report.
Garfield got its first win for new coach Patrick Vargas over La Palma Kennedy. All-City running back Ceasar Reyes rushed for 172 yards and had 12 solo tackles on defense.
Verbum Dei President Father Travis Russell finally got around to putting up a photo of the new Pope.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
Verbum Dei is preparing to play its first football game later this month after dropping its varsity season last year for lack of players. It’s a re-start with a new coach and the backing of an energized school president who carries around a tool box acting like a handy man for any and all problems.
The Stillwell volleyball family. Sophomore Lucy (left), father Tom, a former UCLA All-American, and senior Maya. The daughters play at Harvad-Westlake.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
Tom Stillwell won three NCAA titles playing volleyball for UCLA. Now he has two daughters playing for Harvard-Westlake. He’s enjoying life as a Girl Dad. Here’s the report.
Four-year starter Abby Zimmerman has led Redondo Union girls volleyball.
(Steve Galluzzo)
What a week it was for Redondo Union volleyball with wins over previously unbeaten Marrymount and powerful Mater Dei. Here’s the report from the Marymount victory.
The schedule doesn’t get any easier with a home match against Sierra Canyon on Tuesday.
Venice handed Palisades its first defeat in winning its own tournament championship. Gaia Adeseun-Williams and Samantha Lortie was named co-tournament MVPs from Venice.
JSerra is 11-0 and continuing to look like one of the best flag football teams in the Southern Section. The Lions began the El Toro tournament with shutout wins over Classical Academy of San Diego and Edison.
Freshmen receivers Tessa Russell and Ava Irwin continue to be impact players.
The JSerra Girls Flag Football team produced two convincing victories to start the El Toro Girls Flag Football Tournament on Saturday at El Toro High School in Lake Forest.
The Lions opened with a 35-0 triumph over Classical Academy of San Diego.
Infielder Trevor Deack of Orange Lutheran has committed to Utah Tech. . . .
Pitcher Damian Catano of Arcadia has committed to St. Mary’s. . . .
A refurbished outside basketball court at Crenshaw High was dedicated Saturday and painted in the school’s colors. . . .
Sophomore point guard Josh Lowery has transferred to Sierra Canyon. . . .
Swimmer Tori Yamamura of Valencia has committed to Missouri. . . .
Bishop Alemany baseball has picked up Mikey Martinez from Crespi. He was a starting infielder and top relief pitcher as a sophomore for the Mission League champions. Also senior pitcher Jaden Lee, the younger brother of UCLA pitcher Justin Lee, has left Sherman Oaks Notre Dame for Alemany. . . .
Casey Patterson is the new boys volleyball coach at Newbury Park . . . .
The stadium fields at Newbury Park, Thousand Oaks and Westlake will be receiving refurbishment beginning Dec. 1, forcing soccer teams to seek alternative sites. . . .
Long Beach Millikan has forfeited wins over Las Vegas Foothill and Newbury Park for using ineligible players.
From the archives: Ty Dieffenbach
Former Agoura quarterback Ty Dieffenbach
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
Former Agoura quarterback Ty Dieffenbach, who originally signed with and spent two years at Pittsburgh, made his debut for Cal Poly last week and passed for 263 yards and ran for 69 yards in a win over San Diego. He accounted for three touchdowns and was named the Big Sky player of the week. On Saturday, things didn’t go as well in a 63-9 loss to Utah. He passed for 82 yards.
TY Dieffenbach already making headlines!
263 passing yards, 69 rushing yards and three total touchdowns in his Mustang debut has earned him Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week honors! 👏 💥#RideHighpic.twitter.com/OZemxKMUwx
From Burlisononbasketball, a story on top girls basketball players making an impression at a local camp.
From Communityforwardredlands, a story on the return of Hall of Fame football coach Dick Bruich.
From SFGate.com, a story on the rapid growth of girls flag football.
From the Los Angeles Times, a story on the soccer Thompson sisters gaining money and attention.
From the Los Angeles Times, an excerpt from a book on Newbury Park’s cross-country success.
Tweets you might have missed
Remember four Marine League coaches last season forfeited to Narbonne trying to get an investigation under way. “We got treated so horribly trying to stand up for something that was right,” former Banning coach Raymond Grajeda said. He was proven right.
The coaching opening that should draw lots of applicants is Harvard-Westlake flag football coach. Coming in winter or spring. Imagine the players who could join. There’s a Thompson soccer sister arriving next year as a freshman.
Everyone is lawyering up in this latest high school football scandal. Whether it leads to reform or the usual “it’s just one program” remains to be seen. At a minimum, the CIF needs to do a better job educating the general public about its rules and penalties.
Two famous Sherman Oaks Notre Dame alumni showed up to Notre Dame-St. Francis football game last night. Former NFL defensive lineman Travis Johnson, who works for the Texans, and TCU basketball coach Jamie Dixon. Travis is known to talk a little bit more than Jamie.
Have a question, comment or something you’d like to see in a future Prep Rally newsletter? Email me at [email protected], and follow me on Twitter at @latsondheimer.
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Who: Armenia vs Portugal What: UEFA qualifiers for FIFA 2026 World Cup Where: Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium in Yerevan, Armenia When: Saturday, September 6 at 8pm (16:00 GMT).
How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 13:00 GMT in advance of our live text commentary stream.
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Portugal begin their quest to reach the FIFA 2026 World Cup when they travel to Armenia on Saturday for their UEFA qualifying match, but much of the focus is on the first match for the Portuguese since the passing of their forward, Diogo Jota.
Portugal midfielder Ruben Neves will wear the number 21 jersey of his late friend, Jota, during games for the national team and has revealed a tattoo on his left calf in honour of the former Liverpool striker, who died in July.
“I and the entire national team will do everything we can to keep Diogo here with us, on our team,” Neves said late Tuesday at a ceremony at Portugal’s training base held ahead of the team’s World Cup qualifiers against Armenia and Hungary. Republic of Ireland are the other team in Group F
Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, died in a car accident on July 3.
Neves, who plays for Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia, was very close to Jota – they played together at English club Wolverhampton and Portugal – and spoke on behalf of the Portugal squad about his former teammate at the ceremony, which was also attended by Cristiano Ronaldo, Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Luis Montenegro, the recently appointed prime minister.
The Portuguese federation posted a video on X of Neves with a tattoo that shows him embracing Jota, who was wearing the number 21 jersey.
Tuesday’s ceremony was also a tribute to Jorge Costa, the former Portugal international who died last month of cardiac arrest.
Pedro Proenca, president of the Portuguese Football Federation, described Jota and Costa as men “who loved football; who loved their country; who loved their national team; men who defended, with courage and dedication, the colours of our flag”.
Jota and Costa were posthumously honoured as Commanders of the Order of Merit and awarded medals, which were accepted by family members.
The federation said the squad was made up of “23 (+1)” players – in another nod to the memory of Jota.
Why have Portugal not played any World Cup qualifiers yet?
Portugal, along with 23 other teams, are only joining the qualifying programme for the World Cup now due to the progress of some of the top seeds in the 2025 Nations League, which culminated in June.
Portugal beat Germany in the semifinal, while Spain overcame France. The rest of the qualifiers for the latter stages of that tournament are also only entering the World Cup qualifiers now.
Head-to-head
This is the seventh meeting between the countries, with four Portugal wins and two draws recorded previously.
The last meeting came in a Euro qualifier in 2015, which the Portuguese won 3-2 in Armenia.
Armenia team news
Narek Grigoryan is injured, while Norberto Briasco misses out due to a family issue.
Lucas Zelarayan and Grant-Leon Ranos are both, however, back in the first-team plans.
Portugal team news
Rafael Leao is out with a calf injury, while Diogo Dalot has a muscle problem and has been forced to withdraw.
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored five goals in four games against Armenia, including a hat-trick in the last meeting between the sides.
Who: Ukraine vs France What: UEFA qualifiers for 2026 FIFA World Cup Where: Tarczynski Arena Wroclaw in Wroclaw, Poland When: Friday, September 5, at 8:45pm (19:45 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 5:45pm (16:45 GMT) in advance of our live text commentary stream.
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European football’s focus switches to qualifying for the 2026 World Cup for the next two weeks, but that is only the beginning of an 11-week period in which six games each will be played to help decide who advances to the tournament.
The European qualifying programme involves 54 teams but 24 of them are only kicking a ball for the first time on their intended road to play on football’s biggest stage in the United States, Canada and Mexico starting next year on June 11.
France, the 2018 World Cup winner, starts its qualifying campaign for the 2026 edition away against Ukraine in Les Bleus’ first game in the competition since losing an epic final against Argentina in December 2022 at the Qatar World Cup.
Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at Ukraine’s game against France and explains why so many of the teams are only joining qualifying now.
Why is Ukraine vs France being played in Poland?
Ukraine will host that game in Wroclaw in neutral Poland because of security concerns at home during the Russian military invasion.
Russia’s teams were banned by UEFA and FIFA from all international competitions in February 2022 when the war began.
Why have France not played any World Cup qualifiers yet?
France, along with 23 other teams, are only joining the qualifying programme for the World Cup now due to the progress of some of the top seeds in the 2025 Nations League, which culminated in June.
Portugal were crowned champions as they beat Spain 5-3 on penalties in the 2025 final in this year’s final.
Spain overcame France in the semifinal, while Portugal beat Germany. The rest of the qualifiers for the latter stages of that tournament are also only entering the World Cup qualifiers now.
Paris Saint-German Desire Doue, left, is fresh from his club’s UEFA Champions League win last season and is part of the new generation of France stars [Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters]
Who else is in Ukraine and France’s group?
Iceland and Azerbaijan complete Group D of the UEFA World Cup Qualifiers.
How do the qualifiers work for France, Portugal and the other teams joining the qualifiers now?
There are already six groups under way in the European qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, comprising five teams each. Four rounds of games have already been played.
The further six groups entering qualifying now are made up of four teams each.
The top teams from the 12 groups advance directly to next summer’s finals, while the 12 runners-up go into playoffs where they will be joined by the four best-placed Nations League sides that don’t qualify at this stage.
For more on the format of the playoffs, click here to read our full breakdown in our preview of Wednesday’s first set of qualifiers at this stage.
What are France’s thoughts on joining the qualification now?
France defender Jules Kounde has called for a reassessment of football’s increasingly congested calendar, warning that the sport’s excessive schedule is affecting not only players but the broader ecosystem around the game.
Speaking ahead of France’s games against Ukraine and Iceland, who the French host in Paris on Wednesday, Kounde said the relentless pace of fixtures was taking a toll.
“It’s not just about the players,” he said. “There are families. I also think about all the people who work around football and who are sometimes victims of this relentless pace.”
France’s Jules Kounde, left, and Mbappe celebrate after the Nations League quarterfinal against Netherlands in March [Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters]
Kounde, who plays for Barcelona, did not feature in this year’s expanded FIFA Club World Cup, which ran from June 14 to July 13 in United States, but the 26-year-old still hinted at the tournament’s impact on the already packed season.
Manchester City’s Rayan Cherki and Arsenal’s William Saliba have pulled out of the double header with injury while Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele missed training on Tuesday because of a thigh injury.
PSG, who reached the Club World Cup final, played 65 matches in the 2024-25 season.
“It’s a whole ecosystem,” he said.
“Sometimes in life, when we overdo things, we stop appreciating them. When we see too much, we no longer give it the same importance. That’s what’s happening with football – it’s overconsumption.”
The inaugural 32-team Club World Cup added 63 matches to the summer schedule, prompting criticism from players and clubs over fatigue and injury risks.
Kounde urged football’s governing bodies to reflect on the long-term sustainability of the current model.
“These are things we need to put into perspective,” he said. “And I think they need to change.”
Head-to-head
This is the 13th meeting between the countries with France winning on six occasions while Ukraine have won only once.
What happened in the last Ukraine-France match?
The sides last met in a World Cup qualifier in September 2021 in Kyiv with the match ending in a 1-1 draw.
Mykola Shaparenko gave the home side the lead but Anthony Martial levelled for the French.
The reverse fixture in the group also ended in a 1-1 draw in Paris.
Ukraine team news
Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin misses out due to injury so Anatoliy Trubin starts in goal.
Defender Oleksandr Tymchyk is a late withdrawal from the squad due to a knock.
France team news
Defender Saliba sustained a muscle injury in Arsenal’s defeat at Liverpool on Sunday.
Manchester City’s Cherki has also been forced to withdraw due to a knock with Eintract Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike taking his place.
Dembele is expected to shake off his thigh problem.
The top men’s cricket teams in Asia will come together after two years to compete in the Asian Cricket Council’s (ACC) T20 Asia Cup 2025 from Tuesday.
Several new captains will be leading their charges with world T20 champions and Asia Cup holders India to be led by Suryakumar Yadav, while Charith Asalanka will be at the helm of 2023 runners-up Sri Lanka.
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Here’s what you need to know about the teams and their full squads for the tournament:
Which teams are playing in the Asia Cup 2025?
In addition to the five permanent members of the ACC – India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan – three other teams have qualified for the 2025 edition: Hong Kong, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates. They are divided into two groups of four each:
Group A: India, Pakistan, Oman, UAE Group B: Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Hong Kong
Will Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma play in the Asia Cup 2025?
No. The two former India captains announced their retirements after leading their team to their second T20 World Cup title in the West Indies in 2024. It was Kohli’s first T20 world title, while Rohit lifted the trophy for the second time, having been part of India’s triumphant side at the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007 in South Africa.
Suryakumar took over the T20 captaincy reins from Rohit in August 2024, while the likes of Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill have replaced both top-order batters.
India will defend their Asia Cup title without superstars Virat Kohli, left, and Rohit Sharma, who have retired from T20 cricket [File: Chandan Khanna/AFP]
Who is Pakistan’s captain at Asia Cup 2025?
The revolving-door nature of Pakistan cricket means the captain’s hat changes hands – or heads – fairly quickly.
Batting star Babar Azam had the role given and taken from him twice in the space of 11 months in 2023-24, while Mohammad Rizwan held the role for five months.
The incumbent, Salman Ali Agha, took over in March and has since led Pakistan to two series wins and one series loss.
He will continue in the leadership role at the Asia Cup.
Will Wanindu Hasaranga play in the Asia Cup 2025?
Yes, the Sri Lankan leg-spin bowling all-rounder has been declared fit for the tournament following his recovery from a hamstring injury. The 28-year-old missed out on the 2023 edition at home and will be keen to make an impact as Sri Lanka seek a seventh Asia Cup title.
Yasim Murtaza (captain), Babar Hayat, Zeeshan Ali (wicketkeeper), Nizakat Khan Mohammad, Nasrulla Rana, Martin Coetzee, Anshuman Rath, Kalhan Marc Challu, Ayush Ashish Shukla, Mohammad Aizaz Khan, Ateeq ul Rehman Iqbal, Kinchit Shah (wicketkeeper), Adil Mehmood, Haroon Arshad Mohammad, Ali Hassan, Shahid Wasif (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Ghazanfar, Mohammad Waheed, Anas Khan, Ehsan Khan.
Salman Agha (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem.
Muhammad Waseem (capt), Alishan Sharafu, Aryansh Sharma (wicketkeeper), Asif Khan, Dhruv Parashar, Ethan D’Souza, Haider Ali, Harshit Kaushik, Junaid Siddique, Matiullah Khan, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Zohaib, Rahul Chopra (wicketkeeper), Rohid Khan, Simranjeet Singh and Saghir Khan.
But the Rams’ kicker, punter/holder and long-snapper, respectively, have shown signs that they could have the collective staying power of former Rams stalwarts Greg Zuerlein, Johnny Hekker and Jake McQuaide.
From 2012 to 2019, Zuerlein kicked, Hekker punted (and occasionally passed) and McQuaide snapped for the Rams under former special teams coordinator John Fassel.
The current specialists can envision a similarly lengthy future together.
“We all work really well with each other,” said Evans, a third-year pro. “We all know exactly what each other’s do’s and don’ts are, what makes each other better.
“So I feel like we all complement each other really well — and I think we could do that for a long time.”
Karty, a 2024 sixth-round draft pick from Stanford, experienced and learned from the highs and lows after making 29 of 34 field-goal attempts and 32 of 36 extra-point attempts during the regular season.
Karty kicked a winning field goal against the San Francisco 49ers, navigated a stretch of misses and inconsistency and then finished by making 17 consecutive attempts during the last five regular-season games and two playoff games.
It was something of “a roller coaster,” said Karty, who aims to pick up where he left off last season.
Karty impressed coach Sean McVay with his ability to bounce back.
“I’m just super impressed with his mental resolve,” McVay said. “I think there was some instances last year where you could just see he just got better and better as the year progressed.
“He’s got a consistent process that he commits to. I don’t think you can take for granted the rapport between him, Ethan and Alex. That’s a big deal as those guys are continuing to grow together.”
Special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn said Karty has a “comfortability” from experience and working with Ward and Evans.
“The confidence that’s built in the offseason together and training camp together,” Blackburn said. “Going through it and having those, knowing that he has the confidence and the complete trust of all his teammates too.”
Evans, a third-year pro, last season averaged 41.5 net yards per punt. He placed 30 of 55 kicks inside the 20-yard line.
Evans said he has a refined daily routine and is not overthinking.
“I used to think, ‘Oh, my drop had to be perfect. My steps have to be this … I have to put the ball there, there, there.’
“Now, it’s just like, wherever Chase tells me to punt it, just punt it. Don’t think about anything. Just go and do it.”
Receiver Xavier Smith held off a challenge from veteran free agent Britain Covey during training camp to retain his role as a punt returner.
Receiver Jordan Whittington, running back Blake Corum and Smith could once again handle kickoff returns.
Undrafted rookie linebacker Shaun Dolac and veteran linebacker Troy Reeder are among other players expected to make an impact on special teams.
All good things come in threes — including reliability.
Anchored by kicker Cameron Dicker, punter JK Scott and long snapper Josh Harris, the Chargers’ specialists have been a bedrock of stability the past three seasons. That steadiness seemed in jeopardy when Scott’s contract expired this offseason.
Like a rock band losing its guitarist, it looked as though the group might have played its final tour together. But for Scott — whose bond with Dicker and Harris runs deeper than football — staying in L.A. felt like divine intervention.
“Truly, it was something me and my wife made a decision together from a place of prayer,” Scott said of re-signing. “We felt like we were supposed to be here. The relationships that we have here, we just felt like this was the right fit.”
Assembled by special teams coordinator Ryan Ficken, the unit thrives on contrast. Dicker is the lively free spirit. Scott brings a reserved, thoughtful presence. Harris, 36, is the seasoned veteran.
“They’re like big brothers,” Dicker, the youngest of the group, said. “It’s been really cool to have them in my life and helping with things on the field, off the field. Leading me through it all, and just going through the journey of life coming out of college, it’s nice to have those guys.”
The three specialists, along with Ficken, are holdovers from the previous regime. Ficken, one of the few coaches retained when Jim Harbaugh was hired as head coach, engineered the transformation.
Before his arrival, the Chargers ranked near the bottom in special teams DVOA, or defense-adjusted value over average — 32nd in 2020 and 28th in 2021. With Harris and Scott’s offseason signing and Dicker’s arrival midseason, the unit rose to sixth by the end of 2022 and second in 2023.
“The way they approach the game and how they respect one another and they understand that each other’s success is going to help all of us,” Ficken said. “Having all three of them back another year just continues to allow us to grow.”
Under Ficken’s guidance, Dicker has become one of the league’s most accurate, converting 89 of 95 kicks since 2022. He had a franchise-record 150 points last season with 39 field goals and 33 extra points.
Chargers special teams coordinator Ryan Ficken, left, works with long snapper Josh Harris before a game against the Buffalo Bills in December 2023.
(Kyusung Gong / Associated Press)
Scott finished top 10 in downed punts inside the 20-yard line and posted the second-highest hang time in the league at 4.65 seconds last season.
“Selfishly, I’m going to say we have the best room in the league,” Harris said. “Getting to come to work with JK, Dick and Fick, we really work well together. … There’s nobody else that I’d rather go out there with.”
When the Jacksonville Jaguars cut Scott early in the 2021 season and he went unsigned for the rest of the year, Ficken advocated bringing him to the Chargers.
“He called me and told me he wanted to have me as his punter for a while,” Scott said. “I attribute a lot of just me being here to him. So I’m grateful for him. Really, really love that guy.”
And when there was a chance the trio could drift apart, Ficken acted as the glue keeping them together. His faith in Scott ultimately factored into Scott’s decision to re-sign.
“He really believes in me, believes in Josh and Cameron,” Scott said. “He always expressed that, and it’s crazy, the power of when you have people believing in you, it helps you believe in yourself more.”
The group is guaranteed to stay together for at least one more year.
Scott signed a two-year, $6-million contract in March. Dicker secured a four-year, $22-million extension last season, making him among the highest-paid kickers. Harris, however, is in the final year of his contract and will miss at least the first four games after being placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. Rick Lovato will take over until Harris returns.
While the turnaround of a once-abysmal special teams unit is the measurement of success, the playful off-field moments define their time together.
Sometimes it’s Harris offering Scott smelling salts — a practice Dicker, who is naturally amped, skips. Or it’s Harris snapping a photo of Dicker, Scott and Ficken next to the Dicker’s famous fair-catch kick cleats on display at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Then there’s Scott, who asked Harris a loaded question during a recent news conference: “Who do you like more, JK Scott or Cameron Dicker?”
“I can’t answer,” Harris said with a chuckle. “You guys are the best, but you’re sitting in here, so I guess I’ll have to go with my guy right now, showing support.”
Karl Dorrell acknowledged not knowing where to stand on the sideline while losing his first game to Colorado in 2003?
Manual Arts High blew UCLA out, 74-0, in the program’s first game in 1919?
Regardless of your choice, what happened Saturday night at the Rose Bowl was awful. Putrid. Dreadful.
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UCLA’s 43-10 setback against Utah — the Bruins’ most lopsided loss in a season opener since they absorbed a 38-3 thrashing by top-ranked Oklahoma in 1986 — came largely as a result of losing the battle on both lines of scrimmage.
The offensive line couldn’t help the run game produce anything of note on the way to 37 yards from its three running backs.
The defense looked lost from the first snap. There was no containment of Utes quarterback Devon Dampier, who often saw more open field in front of him than closing defenders.
Quarterback Nico Iamaleava, appearing overly amped in his UCLA debut, overthrew several receivers on the way to completing only half of his passes but showed flashes of why his arrival was such a big deal. His slippery runs and perfect touch on a 19-yard touchdown pass to running back Anthony Woods were a possible harbinger of far greater success.
The big hope is that the Bruins accelerate their rebound from a year ago. Remember, UCLA looked equally pitiful in its home opener against Indiana last season (a 42-13 drubbing) as part of a 1-5 start, only to turn things around and nearly make a bowl game.
Defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe moved players around until he found the right combination, putting Oluwafemi Oladejo at edge rusher and inserting linebacker Carson Schwesinger into the starting lineup on the way to one of the greatest individual seasons in school history.
But is there enough talent on this team to spark a turnaround? These guys looked slow-footed and couldn’t tackle very well. Finding a capable edge rusher or two must be a top priority.
For UCLA to have any meaningful success this season, it’s going to have to pile up wins against the soft patch of its schedule that starts next weekend. A road game against Nevada Las Vegas (2-0, albeit with victories over Sam Houston and Idaho State) will be followed by a home game against New Mexico (0-1) and the Big Ten opener on the road against Northwestern (0-1).
Was the Bruins’ opener just a bad night against a good team or an omen? We’ll know soon enough.
Joey and Dante watch
Former Bruin Joey Aguilar had a nice game against Syracuse on Saturday.
(Mike Stewart / Associated Press)
Compounding UCLA’s misery was the success that two former Bruins quarterbacks enjoyed in their season openers.
Joey Aguilar, briefly a Bruin in the spring before transferring to Tennessee as part of the so-called trade for Iamaleava, starred in his Volunteers debut. Joey Football, as he’s been known since his gunslinger days at Appalachian State, looked like a gamer Saturday during Tennessee’s 45-26 victory over Syracuse, throwing for 247 yards and three touchdowns.
Dante Moore, who looked so spectacular early in the 2023 season at UCLA before throwing a pick-six in three consecutive games and losing his starting job to Ethan Garbers on the way to the transfer portal, returned to a starring role during Oregon’s 59-13 victory over Montana State. Moore completed 18 of 23 passes for 213 yards and three touchdowns without an interception.
It’s important to note that Aguilar and Moore thrived against far lesser competition than Iamaleava faced in the Utes, a possible College Football Playoff contender. Iamaleava also projects as the best of the bunch in terms of NFL upside and could eventually lead UCLA to a renaissance in what’s likely to be his only season as a Bruin.
Perhaps the overriding takeaway after one week is that Iamaleava doesn’t have nearly the supporting cast that he enjoyed last season at Tennessee. The big question: Can he make something worthwhile out of what he has to work with and will others step up to help him?
New fan loyalty program
Airlines, hotels and even local coffee shops have loyalty programs, so why not college sports?
In an effort to strengthen the connection between UCLA and its fans while generating additional revenue, the Bruins athletic department last week announced the creation of the Blue & Gold Society, a loyalty program in partnership with sports marketing agency Two Circles.
Daniel Cruz, UCLA’s deputy athletic director and chief revenue officer, said he wanted to find a new way to connect with fans both inside and outside of Southern California.
“For our fans in New York or the Midwest,” Cruz told The Times, “how do they get access to different things that are cool and memorable and have that connection to the school and contribute directly to the student-athlete so that we can continue to support them and continue driving this program to winning?”
Fans who join the Blue & Gold Society will have access to limited-edition merchandise, behind-the-the scenes tours and specially curated game-day experiences, among other perks. Among the items that fans could secure are surplus jerseys or maybe a piece of the old Pauley Pavilion floor. Experiences could include getting to watch a select team practice.
The program has three tiers with a corresponding level of benefits. The signature tier (priced at $39.99 per month, or available at a discounted annual price) provides a welcome pack, exclusive video and editorial content, an annual merchandise box, quarterly sweepstakes opportunities and an Olympic sports card good for admission to every UCLA sporting event besides football and men’s basketball.
The premium tier ($59.99 per month) comes with enhanced benefits, including two merchandise boxes per year, two tickets to a UCLA sporting event and behind-the-scenes tour of Pauley Pavilion. Those who splurge for the elite tier ($99.99 per month) will receive four merchandise boxes per year, four tickets to two UCLA sporting events and behind-the-scenes tours of both Pauley Pavilion and the Wasserman Football Center, among other benefits.
UCLA is the third college to launch a fan loyalty program in collaboration with Two Circles, joining Kentucky and Colorado.
“It’s not just going to a game or buying a piece of merchandise; it’s really, truly like an immersive experience for the fan,” said Nick Garner, executive vice president for Two Circles. “We want them to know that by joining the Blue & Gold Society, you will have the opportunity to do something that you couldn’t otherwise.”
Cruz said the venture could be instructive in letting UCLA know where fan strongholds exist outside of Los Angeles.
“It could maybe help one day dictate, like, OK, we have a massive fan base in this state,” Cruz said, “why don’t we try to play a game there or do something special there when we do play a team in that region, so I’m pretty excited about that.”
Heard on campus
Delays in the completion of UCLA’s new football practice fields outside the Wasserman Center, which have forced the Bruins to use Drake Stadium and the intramural fields, were twofold, according to an athletic department spokesperson.
The new grass and artificial turf fields were not completed before the season because of extended approval and bid processes after the project was submitted for campus approval in August 2024. Once construction started in July, the schedule for completion has remained on the expected timeline.
The Bruins could start using their new practice fields as soon as the last week of September. The estimated cost of the project is $2.9 million.
A blue-and-golden anniversary
There was another season debut at the Rose Bowl on Saturday.
The UCLA Alumni Band, entering its 50th anniversary, performed before the game to kick off a yearlong celebration.
The band will perform a two-hour concert in the Fan Zone outside the Rose Bowl starting three hours before every home UCLA football game — including a show with the UCLA spirit squad 90 minutes before kickoff — followed by a 30-minute concert in the Court of Champions starting 45 minutes before kickoff. All fans are welcome to attend.
Olympic sport spotlight: Women’s volleyball
The free agency era of college sports could be a great thing for this team.
Coming off a sub-.500 season, the UCLA women’s volleyball team restocked its roster with a bunch of highly coveted transfers. Among the new arrivals are outside hitter Maggie Li, a former Pac-12 Conference freshman of the year at California; Zayna Meyer, a former Big West Conference setter of the year at Long Beach State; middle blocker Phekran Kong, a onetime star at Louisville; and defensive specialist-libero Lola Schumacher, a former All-Big Ten freshman from Wisconsin.
They will join senior outside hitter Cheridyn Leverette, a returning first team All-Big Ten selection, in the bid for a breakthrough. UCLA opens the season Monday evening against Long Beach State at the Pyramid in Long Beach.
Opinion time
So, does UCLA’s football team rally immediately against the soft pocket of its schedule — consecutive games against UNLV, New Mexico and Northwestern — or fall further into despair before facing Penn State on Oct. 4 at the Rose Bowl?
Do you have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future UCLA newsletter? Email me at [email protected], and follow me on X @latbbolch. To order an autographed copy of my book, “100 Things UCLA Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die,” send me an email. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Hi, and welcome to another edition of Prep Rally. What’s a high school football season without scandal and success. It’s just happening in the opening week.
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Bishop Montgomery woes
Bishop Montgomery announced the firing of its football coach after weeks of turmoil that saw the program lose five transfer students to ineligibility, saw numerous players suspended for leaving the team bench during a loss in Hawaii and finally was forced to forfeit to Mater Dei because it did not have enough players to compete.
Valencia quarterback Brady Bretthauer has his team at 2-0.
(Craig Weston)
Valencia has come out with a 2-0 start behind its dynamic duo of quarterback Brady Bretthauer and running back Brian Bonner. Here’s a report from its victory over Chaminade.
Santa Margarita went to overtime to beat Corona Centennial and deliver a first victory for coach Carson Palmer. Here’s the report.
Loyola, despite losing more than a dozen players in the off season to transfers, upset Long Beach Millikan behind Stanford commit Max Meier, who had 10 tackles and two sacks.
Yorba Linda rallied for a win over Edison in a battle of top 25 teams. Here’s the report.
It was a rough opening game for Hamilton freshman quarterback Thaddeus Breaux. The Yankees lost to Gardena Serra 47-0. But Breaux showed off a strong arm and looked resilient, good qualities for the future. Hamilton plays Crenshaw on Friday. Here’s the report from the Serra loss.
Crenshaw is 2-0 but longtime coach Robert Garrett has not been on the sideline. Here’s a report.
Referee Charles Davis & Co. deserves the MVP award for Thursday, except next time he needs a police escort. Was referee at Hamilton for flag football game. Then was referee at L.A. High for afternoon 11-man game. Then was referee for Serra at Hamilton night game.
San Pedro and Carson rebounded from losses in their opening games to rout City Section opponents Kennedy and Dorsey.
University coach Bryan Robinson (left) and brother Jason Robinson, an assistant, with their father, 80-year-old EC Robinson, a former Locke and Uni coach.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
The sons of former Locke and University coach EC Robinson have University at 2-0. Here’s the report.
Orange Lutheran (12-0) and JSerra (8-0) continue look like the top two teams in flag football and they will be meeting twice in league play with games on Sept. 30 and Oct. 9.
Redondo Union defeated San Pedro in the championship game to win the LA City Girls Flag Football Classic.
Agoura won the Malibu tournament championship. Kiyomi Kohno was named MVP.
It’s go tiime for Redondo Union in girls volleyball facing two huge tests this week. First up is a home match against 9-0 Marymount on Tuesday, followed by a road match against 7-1 Mater Dei.
Redondo Union is 13-1 and led by four-year starter Abby Zimmerman.
“Sea Hawks pull out a win vs. a TOUGH LB Poly team 25-20, 23-25, 25-11, 26-24 😎💪
Sea Hawks move to 9-1 on the year.
Next up, Thu 5:30 @ Bishop Montgomery
We had a SPECIAL guest before the match, All-American setter Kami Miner!! One of the ALL-TIME greats for Ruhs!!! pic.twitter.com/vJvgyB1BbF
Brandon McCoy gets fired up after a basket for St. John Bosco. He had 28 points in overtime win over Richmond Salesian.
(Nick Koza)
After rumors all summer that he would be transferring from St. John Bosco to Sierra Canyon, standout guard Brandon McCoy made it official, enrolling at the Chatsworth school last week. He didn’t attend St. John Bosco’s opening day of school last month, so it was only a question of the news becoming official. His arrival coincides with the arrival of JSerra transfer Brannon Martinsen at Sierra Canyon. The best player might be Maximo Adams, who’s being recruited by Duke and Kansas. It will make for a quite a Mission League season with Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, Harvard-Westlake and Crespi all having top players.
And don’t feel sorry for St. John Bosco, which picked up sophomore point guard Cam Anderson from Eastvale Roosevelt. . . .
Pauley Pavilion will be the site on Nov. 22 for a Mission League vs. Trinity League basketball challenge that features an 8:30 p.m. matchup of St. John Bosco vs. Harvard-Westlake. Santa Margarita will play Sherman Oaks Notre Dame at 7 p.m. and Sierra Canyon will face JSerra at 5:30 p.m as the featured matchups that begin at 9:30 a.m.. . . .
Cole Knupfer of St. John Bosco has committed to St. Mary’s for baseball. . . .
Sophomore 6-6 forward Evan Willis has transferred from Mater Dei to Crossroads. . . .
Tom Kelly is the new swim coach at Edison. He was at Crean Lutheran. . . .
Westlake pitcher Caden Atkinson has committed to UC San Diego. . . .
USA 18U baseball team headed to Japan. Anthony Murphy (Corona), James Clark (St. John Bosco), Jared Grindlinger (Huntington Beach), Jaden Jackson (St. John Bosco), Brody Schumaker (Santa Margarita) made the team.
Chaminade basketball coach Bryan Cantwell is such a big San Diego Padres fan that he listens to every game and his dogs are named Manny and Tatis. pic.twitter.com/3MWpZk0OMd
Loyola running back Tahj Owens on his way to scoring five touchdowns against Culver City in 2021.
(Brody Hannon)
Entering his senior season at Princeton, Tahj Owens is a former Loyola running back who’s become a key player at defensive back for Princeton. He started every game last season.
Do high school football players understand they are being filmed at all times during a game? Their actions and decisions will be publicized, for good or bad. That’s why it is so important to learn lessons from coaches about discipline. Yes, mistakes are made. It’s what you learn.
The feel good story is former Stanford walk-on WR Brycen Tremayne from Venice High (yes City Section) making Carolina Panthers 53-man roster. From 2020. https://t.co/5ObXY0IZ44
Soccer parents are not pleased at Newbury Park, Westlake and Thousand Oaks. The Conejo Valley Unified School District signed off on turf and stadium refurbishment starting Dec. 1, leaving 18 soccer teams without fields until February.
Have a question, comment or something you’d like to see in a future Prep Rally newsletter? Email me at [email protected], and follow me on Twitter at @latsondheimer.
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Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch celebrates scoring their first goal at Newcastle [Lee Smith/Reuters]
Who have Arsenal beaten in the Premier League so far this season?
Arsenal have yet to concede in the new campaign and last Saturday romped to a 5-0 home victory over Leeds United that was realistically decided when Bukayo Saka scored the Gunners’ second goal in first-half stoppage time.
The north Londoners opened the new season with a 1-0 win at Manchester United, although the goal came after a mistake by the home keeper in an underwhelming performance by the Gunners.
Do Liverpool still need Alexander Isak?
The Reds have had one bid for Newcastle striker Alexander Isak turned down, and manager Arne Slot has hinted a second offer could be on the cards.
The meeting between the two clubs at St James’ Park was a contentious environment fuelled by the transfer saga surrounding Liverpool’s pursuit of Isak.
But the good news for Slot is that so far, his side appears less reliant on the veteran Salah for their attacking production, thanks in no small part to their summer transfer business.
In particular, former Eintracht Frankfurt attacker Hugo Ekitike is off to a quick start at Anfield with two goals and an assist, including Liverpool’s second tally at Newcastle.
“I think he has already made a big impact in the attacking part of our game,” Slot said Friday. “Not only scoring goals but also being part of build-up situations where he was someone that started the attack or was part of us starting an attack. I’m talking about a difference a bit more than last season, although when [Luis Diaz] played there he was also a lot of times part of our build-up.”
How are Arsenal shaping up for another Premier League title bid?
Saka, Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard are already dealing with injuries, with the former two expected to miss at least several weeks.
That will put the focus on recent signings like Noni Madueke, Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze, who were acquired in part to help Arsenal combat exactly these kinds of situations.
Gyokeres scored his first two Premier League goals – including one from the penalty spot – against Leeds. Eze has yet to debut for the Gunners after completing his transfer from Crystal Palace for a reported fee just north of $80m this week.
“It’s the start of the season and we lost three of our main players, but that’s the reality,” Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said. “A very unfortunate situation, three very different situations. But that’s why we keep insisting, like everybody else, you need a big squad to be able to cope and sustain the level.”
Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres celebrates scoring their fifth goal against Leeds United [Andrew Couldridge/Reuters]
What happened last season between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield?
The Gunners have drawn their last three trips to Anfield, but lost the last six prior to that.
It will certainly be all hands to the pump once again for Arsenal, having not won at Anfield in the Premier League since 2012.
“The favourite is always the one that won in the previous year. Someone has to come and take that crown away from them, and that’s what we, the rest, are going to try to do,” Arteta said of Liverpool’s title win.
“Very important game. You want to continue building the momentum we are in right now. Going to those grounds, against this kind of opposition, is what you want. Coming from those big games winning in a really convincing way is the objective.”
One player who could help in that regard is Eze.
“When you are next to him, you are comfortable. He’s got a big smile. He picks teams apart,” Arteta said.
“He asks you the right questions and then just let him flow with the ball and the ability he has to pick passes, to drive past people effortlessly and just to understand the timing of things, it’s very impressive.”
Head-to-head
This is the 245th meeting between the clubs.
Liverpool have won 94 of the meetings, with Arsenal claiming victory in 81 of the encounters.
Liverpool team news
Liverpool have no new injury concerns for the match.
Conor Bradley substitute appearance against Newcastle was his first of the season, while Alexis Mac Allister is available after missing the trip to St James’ Park.
Anthony Gordon was sent off for a tackle on Virgil van Dijk in that match, but the Reds captain has been passed clear to play against Arsenal.
Arsenal team news
Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz will be sidelined for many weeks after picking up injuries, while skipper Martin Odegaard is a doubt for the Premier League clash, manager Mikel Arteta said on Friday.
Saka limped off during Arsenal’s 5-0 home win over Leeds United, and Arteta said he injured his hamstring. However, he will not require surgery, which kept him out for months last season.
“Bukayo is doing better but he is out for a few weeks, unfortunately. No surgery, it’s not as bad as the previous one,” Arteta told reporters.
“Obviously, it’s very unfortunate to pick it up, but it’s on the other side … Let’s see how he evolves in the next few days and weeks, repeat the scan and see where he’s at.”
Havertz injured his knee in their season opener at Manchester United and Arsenal confirmed the German underwent a minor surgical procedure.
“I think it will be weeks, but I don’t know how many months. Very unfortunate, very sad for him,” Arteta said of Havertz, who also underwent surgery on a hamstring injury earlier this year.
“He did tremendously well to recover from the previous one; he’d never had an injury before, and suddenly this happens.
“But this is our profession… we need to live with that. We lost another big player for many, many weeks, but it [surgery] was the right thing to do.”
Odegaard was also substituted early in the win over Leeds with a shoulder problem, and Arteta said he is unsure if his skipper will play a part.
“We don’t know yet. He hasn’t trained yet, and if he does, it will be tomorrow,” he said.
New recruit Christian Norgaard and Ben White are also being monitored.
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Kratos has confirmed it is working together with Taiwan’s National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) on a derivative of its jet-powered MQM-178 Firejet target drone called the Chien Feng IV. The Chien Feng IV is said to be eyed primarily as a lower-cost, longer-range kamikaze drone, and NCSIST is reportedly looking toward potential export opportunities along with sales to the Taiwanese military.
United Daily News in Taiwan was the first to report on the Chien Feng IV this past weekend, citing comments from NCSIST. A government-owned organization, NCSIST conducts advanced military research and development and test and evaluation work. The drone is set to make its official public debut at the biennial Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition next month.
“We can confirm the exciting partnership” with NCSIST and that the Chien Feng IV “is a derivative of the MQM-178 system,” Steve Fendley, president of Kratos’ Unmanned Systems Division, told TWZ. “Development started early this year and is progressing rapidly.”
An MQM-178 Firejet target drone seen being launched via catapult. Kratos
“We expect that by the end of this year, we will receive a sole-source contract for the Kratos Airwolf tactical jet drone, which could lead to a production contract in late 2026,” Kratos’ CEO Eric DeMarco had also said during a quarterly earnings call earlier this month.
Airwolf, also referred to as Tactical Firejet, is based on the MQM-178 design, as well.
DeMarco’s “comment was tied to two opportunities, this partnership [with NCSIST] being one of them,” Fendley also told TWZ.
An Airwolf (Tactical Firejet) drone. Kratos
Fendley declined to provide more details about Chien Feng IV, saying that more information would come at the exhibition in Taipei in September. United Daily News‘ report also offered few specifics, but said that NCSIST had described the drone as being able to serve as a “low-cost cruise missile.”
The Firejet/Airwolf family offers a logical starting place for a Chien Feng IV drone that skirts the increasingly blurry line between longer-range kamikaze drones and cruise missiles, as well as decoys.
Kratos says the 10.8-foot-long MQM-178 with its wingspan of 6.5 feet can carry around 70 and a half pounds of payload internally, as well as nearly 35 pounds more under each wing and an additional 20 pounds in pods on each wingtip. It can get up to speeds of 0.69 Mach, as well as fly at altitudes anywhere between 20 and 35,000 feet. Designed as a target to fire air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles at during training and testing events, Firejet can pull turns down to -2 and up to +9 Gs. The drone is launched via catapult, but no mention is made of it being designed to be recoverable.
Airwolf has the same physical dimensions and general mode of operation as Firejet, but has a reworked internal arrangement to better allow it to be configured for tactical mission sets, including acting as a ‘loyal wingman’ for crewed aircraft. Kratos says it is recoverable via parachute and has a maximum range of 400 nautical miles and a maximum endurance of 1.3 hours.
Another look at an Airwolf (Tactical Firejet) drone as seen from the rear. Kratos
Kratos’ website also describes Airwolf as being “low signature,” but does not offer specifics. On top of its relatively small size to begin with, the drone’s carbon fiber composite construction would help its radar cross-section. Route planning involving a low-level flight profile masked by terrain features could also help it evade detection.
With all of this in mind, the MQM-178-derived Chien Feng IV could possibly be configured for other roles beyond one-way attack, including electronic warfare and communications signal relay.
United Daily News‘ report this past weekend said that NCSIST had stressed that there was no commitment yet from any branch of Taiwan’s armed forces to buy Chien Feng IVs. At the same time, the organization said that it could be a valuable companion to traditional cruise missiles in Taiwanese service, like the Hsiung Feng IIE (HF-2E).
Oh my God, we’ve got the first ever image of the HF-2E land attack cruise missile, taken during a secret firing last night.
The missile was briefly illuminated by the still burning solid booster, which was being discarded. pic.twitter.com/LZVMpEUHxU
With help from the U.S. government, Taiwan has been working to significantly expand its arsenal of one-way-attack drones, as well as other uncrewed aerial and maritime systems, in the past few years. There has been a certain degree of additional openness with regard to this cooperation from U.S. defense contractors recently. Earlier this month, Anduril very publicly announced the opening of an office in Taiwan and expanded cooperation with NCSIST, all with a heavy focus on its ALTIUS line of drones, which can be configured as loitering munitions and for other roles. The U.S. government approved the sale of nearly 300 ALTIUS 600M-V loitering munitions to Taiwan last year.
Anduril founder Palmer Luckey, at left, presents Taiwanese Defense Minister Wellington Koo, at right, a model of an ALTIUS 600 drone. Taiwan Ministry of National Defense
For Taiwan, this is part of a broader effort, which has been referred to in the past as “Hellscape,” that envisions the Taiwanese military flooding the air and waters around the island with relatively uncrewed platforms in the event of a military invasion from the Chinese mainland.
Especially if it is a relatively low-cost design, Chien Feng IV, as well as other longer-range kamikaze drones, could also offer a way to extend the Hellscape plan to attacks on targets on the other side of the Taiwan Strait. As noted, Airwolf’s stated maximum range is 400 nautical miles. The Taiwan Strait, at its widest, is some 97 nautical miles across. Massed Chien Feng IV attacks would also force Chinese forces on the mainland to expend commensurate amounts of interceptors. Higher-flying jet-powered drones would, in turn, require higher-end interceptors to be employed, as well.
In addition, United Daily News‘ report said that NCSIST had explicitly highlighted potential export opportunities for Chien Feng IV, which speaks to the growing global interest in the kinds of capabilities this drone could offer. Hurdles would exist for any direct exports from Taiwan, which occupies a complicated space when it comes to foreign relations, but a partnership with a U.S. company like Kratos could help in that regard. In 2023, reports emerged that the United States could buy retired HAWK surface-to-air missile systems from Taiwan and then transfer them to Ukraine, as another example of an indirect workaround.
More details about the Chien Feng IV are set to emerge next month at the Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition. However, it is already an important reflection of new and expanding ties between Taiwan and the U.S. defense industry, as well as global trends when it comes to the new, longer-range kamikaze drones.
