CARROLL Brayden Kennedy was not going to let his team be denied another Class 2A Iowa high school state baseball championship.Kennedy threw a masterful game and also drove in three runs to lead Pleasantville to an 8-1 rout of Durant in the state title game on Friday, July 24, at Merchants Park.The Pleasantville ace went the full seven innings and only allowed one run on six hits. He struck out eight batters and walked only two to help the Trojans cruise to the title."I had my stuff working pretty well tonight," Kennedy said. "Throwing the sliders and then working in some fastballs. Catcher (Logan Roff) called a great game. I just had to fill the zone up for my guys and they're going to have the bats behind me."The only time Kennedy got into trouble was in the top of the third inning.Durant loaded the bases with no outs, but Kennedy forced three consecutive pop outs to get out of the jam. Roff made a sliding catch in foul territory for the first out and then first baseman Luke Vestal and center fielder JJ Phillips caught the next two.Kennedy also did a lot to help his own cause at the plate. He drove in the first three runs of the game with a two-run single to left field in the bottom of the first and added an RBI sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third."I started with a slow bat these last few games," Kennedy said. "It feels good getting some hits going into it."More: Iowa high school state baseball tournament 2026: Scores, bracketsDurant did not go away quietly. Ben Feuerbach hit a solo home run to left field with one out in the top of the fourth to make it 3-1. But Pleasantville showed why it has only one loss this season, responding with three runs in the bottom of the fifth.Will Mesecher had the key hit for Pleasantville in the fifth with a two-run single up the middle."I got down to two strikes, and I knew the next thing I (saw), I was going to swing at it no matter what," Mesecher said. "I saw a pitch I liked, and I hit it right up the middle."Owen Rule, who pinch-ran for Mescher, later scored on a Durant error after a single from Brody Adreon to put Pleasantville up 6-1 after five innings. The Trojans tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the sixth on a two-run double by Braylon Bingham.Pleasantville finished the season at 34-1. The Trojans followed up last year's 33-1 effort with an even more impressive performance as they were ranked No. 1 and had a big target on their backs all year.More: Des Moines Register seeks fall high school sports internThe Trojans took care of business at the state tournament, crushing Ridgeview, 10-0, in five innings during the quarterfinals and handling Cascade by an 8-5 score in the semifinals before downing Durant to complete the repeat."It starts with the offseason," Mesecher said. "We're always hitting in the offseason every day and just keeping the momentum from last year and pushing forward through this year. Our motto is 'Together, Today'. Every day is a new day, and you've got to win every day to win it all."Durant finished 24-9. The Wildcats started the season 9-9, but then reeled off 15-straight wins, including a 2-1 upset over No. 2 Roland-Story in the state quarterfinals and a 9-4 victory over No. 7 Unity Christian in the semifinals to reach the title game."We expected to be here from January," said Durant coach Colin Meyer. "Obviously, things didn't go the way we wanted them to at the beginning of the year, but these boys especially the seniors could have folded, and instead they turned the page and we went on that run."In the end, Pleasantville was just too talented for the Wildcats to overcome."Everybody knew who the No. 1 team was all season," Meyer said. "Defensively, they're sound and offensively, they battle every pitch. There are no holes in their lineup."Feuerbach took the loss on the mound after giving up three runs on six hits and one walk in 3 1/3 innings. Owen DeLong was 2-for-3, Reid Hollenback hit a double, while Kaden Sickels and Colby Gast each singled once for the Wildcats.Joe Randleman covers high school sports for the Ames Tribune. Contact him at jrandleman@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JoeRandlemanThis article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Pleasantville tops Durant to repeat as Iowa baseball state champions

As high school flag football continues to grow in popularity, so does the number of Section V players earning recognition among the state's best.The New York State Sportswriters Association put together the first set of all-state flag football teams in 2025. This year's selections include seven players at Section V schools named first team all-state, one more than last season. Webster Schroeder quarterback Emma Rascoe has completed her high school playing days as a two-time member of the Class B all-state first team offense. Rascoe, the 2026 Democrat and Chronicle All-Greater Rochester Player of the Year, finished with 63 touchdown passes and 78 total touchdowns during her senior season as Webster Schroeder went 14-2. She finished with 4,729 all-purpose yards, including 3,776 passing yards, while helping the Warriors win the Section V Class B championship. The Warriors were state champions in 2025.Bishop Kearney standout Nela Lopusanova, a three-time AGR first team member, and East Rochester defensive star Payton Kinney earned Class C first-team all-state honors for the second consecutive year.There are 29 players in Section V who were named all-state at some level in Class A, B or C:Section V flag football Class A all-state playersPlayer of the Year: Samantha Heyman (Half Hollow Hills-Section XI).Section V: Sophia Puccia (Penfield quarterback) first team; Paige Dean (Hilton quarterback/receiver) fourth team; Naliah Ramos (Hilton linebacker) fifth team; Gianna Ciavarri (Penfield linebacker) fifth team.Section V flag football Class B all-state playersPlayer of the Year: Gina Iannuzzi (MacArthur-Section VIII).Section V: Emma Rascoe (Webster Schroeder quarterback) first team; Jazzy Ealey (Webster Thomas defensive lineman) first team; Mariah Elliott (Churchville-Chili linebacker) second team; Navaeh Jackson (Webster Thomas linebacker) second team; Jillian Pagano (Webster Schroeder receiver) third team; Kaitlyn Muniz (Eastridge linebacker) third team; Alexa Cummings (Victor quarterback) fourth team; Sadie O'Neill (Eastridge quarterback) fourth team; Lilyanna Tracz (Greece Arcadia quarterback) fifth team; Olivia Zizzo (Webster Thomas quarterback) fifth team; Emilee Montagliano (Greece Athena defensive back).Section V flag football Class C all-state playersPlayer of the Year: Ellie Edwards (Pioneer-Section VI) Section V: Selena Maldonado (Hornell receiver) first team; Nela Lopusanova(Bishop Kearney receiver) first team; Bles'Ng Muhammad (Aquinas linebacker) first team; Payton Kinney (East Rochester rusher/defensive lineman) first team; RaeganEvingham (Hornell quarterback) second team; Bailey Cook (Wayne rusher/defensive lineman/linebacker) second team; Ajaya Orr (Aquinas defensive back) second team; Sydney Howard (Wayne running back/receiver/quarterback) third team; Kora Button (Canisteo-Greenwood linebacker) third team; Lainey Vargas (Finney quarterback) fourth team; Ja'Yonna Willis (Mercy receiver) fourth team; Paris May (Canisteo-Greenwood utility) fourth team; Tiyanna Martino (East High defensive back) fourth team; Olivia Bucci (Geneseo linebacker) fourth team;Embedded content: https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/sports/high-school/2025/07/23/webster-schroeder-flag-football-was-nationally-ranked-won-nys-title/85271084007/James Johnson, who grew up in the city of Rochester, has worked as a full-time journalist covering high school sports for the Democrat and Chronicle since 1996. His career began as an intern during the summer of 1990, before the start of his senior year at Edison in the Rochester City School District. He has become a two-time winner of the Rochester Press-Radio Club's Sports Media Excellence Award. Follow him @jjDandC on X (Twitter). Please contact him at JAMESJ@Gannett.comThis article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Section V flag football stars rack up all-state honors

The garden dominated the stage during the athlete's parade [Getty Images]The giant natural garden which featured in the Glasgow Commonwealth Games opening ceremony will be moved to the athletics venue before taking up a permanent home in Scotland.The creation featuring 2,400 plants greeted King Charles and Queen Camilla as they emerged from a Tardis at the start of the show.Athletes from 74 nations and territories then paraded past the 200 sq m (2,153 sq ft) green jigsaw before taking their seats in the Hydro. The garden, which is 15m (49ft) in diameter, was designed by Amalie White in collaboration with plantsman Jamie Butterworth.King and Queen emerge from Tardis to open Glasgow Commonwealth GamesGlasgow set to welcome the world for scaled-back Commonwealth GamesButterworth, who is a presenter on the BBC's Gardeners' World, said: "To have a huge natural garden at an international event is hugely important because it puts horticulture literally centre stage. "For me it was the very best of Scotland, Britain and the Commonwealth through the medium of plants and possibly the biggest garden jigsaw ever seen."During the opening ceremony, wooden batons decorated by each nation and territory were ceremonially planted.They will be now be placed in a special viewing cabinet at the Kelvingrove Park Game On Live Site.Meanwhile, the garden, which is on wheels, will be moved to Scotstoun sports campus in time for the athletics.It gets under way on Monday when Scotland's Eilish McColgan will bid to defend the 10,000m title she won in Birmingham.Louise Mahon, chief marketing and communication officer for Glasgow 2026, said: "The Scottish Nature Garden was a key part of our concept for the opening ceremony of Glasgow 2026, representing Scotland's natural landscape and evoking coastal paths, alpine landscapes and loch sides. "It's brilliant that it will continue to delight spectators at Scotstoun Stadium during the athletics programme there."The garden's final home is expected to be confirmed after the Games.King Charles and Queen Camilla walk through the garden, after emerging from a Tardis as cycling legend Sir Chris Hoy looks on [Getty Images]As well as the Royal couple's Tardis arrival, the opening ceremony featured Outlander star Sam Heughan coaxing a giant Loch Ness Monster onto the stage.The event was a colourful celebration of Glasgow, which stepped in to stage the 23rd Games after the Australian state of Victoria pulled out due to soaring costs.Singer Callum Beattie - flanked by dancing silver unicorns and stars - treated the audience to a memorable rendition of Scotland's unofficial football anthem, Yes Sir, I Can Boogie.Nina Nesbitt and Tom Walker also performed before KT Tunstall closed the show.The finale, a giant Tunnock's Teacake taking off like a rocket from the centre of the stage, showcased the city's famous sense of humour.It was also a nod to the dancing teacakes which featured during Celtic Park opening ceremony when Glasgow last hosted the Games in 2014.A giant Teacake took off on stage at the end of the two hour 20 minute ceremony [Getty Images]Organisers said the garden was designed to highlight the natural beauty of Scotland "by evoking its untamed wilderness of lochs, hills, and moorland".The plants were tended within 18 movable modular trays, which each weighed a ton.White's stage design was inspired by Scotland's pioneering textile industry and Glasgow's shipbuilding heritage.She said: "The stage was not just a performance space - it served as a crossroads where athletes from across the city, the country, and the Commonwealth met, a place where sport, nature, culture and art interconnected."Team Scotland passed the garden as they entered the Hydro to the biggest roar of the night [Getty Images]The plants were grown peat-free on Butterworth's Form Plants nursery and were chosen for their wild palette and texture. White explained: "These soft, muted colours and textures act much like a traditional tartan or tweed. "Up close, the individual details are intricate, but from afar, everything feels connected. "I selected plants that I'd seen and evoke memories of times spent in Scotland, from the wild coastline and mountainous landscapes to the urban environment."Outlander star Sam Heughan was partially obscured by the garden as he coaxed the Loch Ness Monster onto stage [Getty Images]Butterworth guided the selection so that the plants grew well together and made sense as a whole. On a practical level, they were carefully chosen to ensure the audience could clearly see the athletes and performers move through the space.He said: "The beauty and rugged Scottish landscape has inspired poets, artists and nature lovers and to bring a piece of that to the wider world last night was a highlight of my career as a plantsman. "It was the most challenging and thus most exciting horticultural installation I've been involved in."Butterworth described the experience - and the challenge - as unique.He said: "As a gardener you don't usually get to work with premier set designers, in a stadium on the world-stage. I felt galvanised watching the ceremony last night."When the stage designer Amalie White said the whole garden had to be moved in two minutes flat, that just added to the fun."The garden used ornamental grasses to provide a baseline texture and featured plants including Molinia, Sesleria, Calamgrostis, Agastache, Catanache, Perovskia, Sanguisorba, Selenium, Nepeta and resilient thistles.White and Butterworth previously collaborated for the Gucci Cruise 25 at Tate Modern in London [Getty Images]The physical garden was enhanced by an immersive wrap-around screen that created the illusion that the stage was nestled in the middle of a boundless landscape. The opening ceremony was the second collaboration between White and Butterworth.The pair previously worked on last year's Gucci Cruise at London's Tate Modern. White, a creative director and stage designer, was also responsible for Rosalia's Brit Awards performance.Butterworth is a leading garden broadcaster and teamed up with Monty Don to create The Dog Garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Is Glasgow ready for the Commonwealth Games - and does the city care?Five big names to look out for at Glasgow 2026

Los Angeles Sparks Forward Nneka Ogwumike (30) drives middle and scores on a pull up jumper during a WNBA game against the Phoenix Mercury, Wednesday July 22nd, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.Alyssa Thomas has been around the WNBA long enough to know that one loss doesn't define a season. Even after Phoenix fell to the Los Angeles Sparks twice earlier in the summer, Thomas wasn't interested in dwelling on what went wrong. Instead, her focus remained on the bigger picture as the Mercury approached the Sparks for the third time Wednesday afternoon.We've been in a lot of games that have been close, Thomas said. They haven't gone our way, but when you think about playoff basketball, that's what pretty much every game is like.After helping lead Phoenix to the WNBA Finals last season, Thomas admitted this year has looked different. The Mercury have spent much of the season trying to climb back into the postseason picture, something she isn't used to.I'm definitely not used to being at the bottom, Thomas said. I'm accustomed to a different standard.Even so, she believes the Mercury have been closer than their record might suggest.Our record could look a lot different if we won a couple of those games, she said. There's still a lot of basketball to play, and we've still got to make this kind of push.Thomas backed up that message with one of her best performances of the season, finishing with a triple-double of 19 points, 11 rebounds and 15 assists. It was another reminder of the all-around impact she continues to have, even as the Mercury work to climb back into the playoff picture.Rather than looking at the standings, Thomas said the team's focus has been on the details that can help turn close losses into wins.I think we all had to look in the mirror, she said. Nobody wants to be at the bottom or losing, especially coming off a finals run. The biggest thing is just staying the course, continuing to put in the work and making this hard push.Now in her 13th WNBA season, Thomas said experience has also changed the way she sees the game.As I've grown as a player, my passing and reading the game has evolved, she said. The longer you play, the slower the game becomes for you.That ability to read the floor has become one of Thomas' biggest strengths throughout her career, helping her impact games in ways that don't always show up in the scoring column.Thomas also reflected on how much the league has changed since she entered the WNBA. While the game has grown in popularity, one improvement immediately came to mind.The charter flights, she said with a laugh. I played in Connecticut for 11 years, so flying commercial from there was definitely tough. I don't think people realize how big of a difference charter flights have made.For Thomas, though, the message hasn't changed. Whether it's navigating a difficult season, helping a new group come together or continuing to evolve her own game, she believes the only way forward is to keep working.We've still got an opportunity, Thomas said. It's going to come down to doing the little things.

The WNBA's 2026 All-Star Weekend gets started Friday night with the 3-point contest and Shooting Stars competition

Nicolas Milanovic says a return to Western Sydney Wanderers from Aberdeen "just felt right" after a disappointing season with the Scottish Premiership club.The 24-year-old winger has been sold back to the A-League outfit, for whom he won the Johnny Warren Medal - awarded to the league's player of the year - two seasons ago."This club has always meant a lot to me and I'm incredibly proud to be back representing Western Sydney," Milanovic told the club website."The opportunity to play overseas challenged me in a lot of ways and helped me grow as a player, and as a person. I'll bring those experiences back with me."Milanovic played 24 times for Aberdeen without scoring, only 10 of them starts.But, during his absence, Western Sydney dropped from fourth in the league two seasons ago to bottom of the 12 teams last term and he is confident of a resurgence on his return."I know what this club is building and I want to be part of it," he said. "We have a real talented group, a passionate supporter base and a real opportunity to achieve something special together."Western Sydney, who have Scotland cap Ryan Fraser on the other wing, say they are welcoming back a "hometown hero" and "one of Australian football's most exciting attacking talents" who can help them challenge for trophies.Head coach Ufuk Talay added: "Nic's an exciting player who brings energy, power and quality in the final third. "He's someone who can create and score goals and he is a fantastic addition to the squad we are building."His experience overseas will help him, but for me it's about making sure he enjoys his football again. When Nic is playing with confidence and freedom, he's one of the best players in the competition."

Will LeBron James and the 76es play the Lakers this season? originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.It's official: LeBron James is going from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Philadelphia 76ers. The NBA star, 41, announced the news on Friday, finally ending weeks of wondering where the basketball legend would end up.When announcing his new team, James even admitted that he wasn't sure if he was going to retire or not after the 2025 season."I thought I was done when the season ended. I wasn't ready to announce it, and I knew I needed some time to really decide, but I was pretty sure I played my last game," James shared. "I was honest at that last press conference when I said I needed to look at myself and decide if I still love this game. I still truly love this game, and I have more to give."LeBron James will face his former team this seasonJust like it was exciting seeing James take on the Cleveland Cavaliers for the first time after he left that franchise, it'll be just as interesting to see how he handles going up against the Lakers.So, will James and the 76ers play the Lakers this season? Of course.The Lakers and 76ers will go up against each other twice during the regular season. They do that each year in interconference play.Each NBA team plays cross-conference opponents twice per season: once at home and once away.Seeing LeBron go up against Los Angeles will really add a huge layer of interest to those two games this season. Plus, what if Bronny stays with the Lakers and they put him on the court? The possibilities are endless. The NBA is expected to release their 2026-27 schedule in mid-August, and that's when LeBron will learn when he goes up against his former franchise.More NBA news:Draymond Green just got recognition that should silence his criticsPistons' Cade Cunningham's New Sneaker Gets an Official Release DateLakers found a gem nobody expected to be this good

LeBron James will move up the all-time rankings in these 4 stats during 2026-27 NBA season originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.As of now, LeBron James remains unsigned, but we all know he's bound to find a home for the 2026-27 NBA season.Once he does find his next team, he can focus on the upcoming season, which is one where he'll have the opportunity to make up ground in several major all-time stat categories.LeBron James will move up in these all-time stat rankings in 2026-27 NBA seasonLet's take a look at some of the stats he will pass players in on the all-time rankings.MORE:When will the 2026-27 NBA regular season schedule be revealed?AssistsRankPlayerAssistsGames1John Stockton15,8061,5042Chris Paul12,5521,3703Jason Kidd12,0911,3914LeBron James12,0161,622James enters next season with the fourth most assists by a player in NBA history.Assuming he plays a healthy season, we'll estimate he plays around 60 games.He should be able to pass Kidd fairly easily, but it will be tougher to pass a newly retired Paul.James would need to average ~8.93 assists in an estimated 60 games to have a chance at passing Paul to claim second place in this stat.StealsRankPlayerStealsGames1John Stockton3,2651,5042Chris Paul2,7281,3703Jason Kidd2,6841,3914Michael Jordan2,5141,0725Gary Payton2,4451,3356LeBron James2,4171,622Using the 60-game estimation again, we can predict around what he'll finish with next season.If he averages at least 1.0 steal, he'll pass Gary Payton on the list.There has to be some motivation for James to pass Jordan on the list, but he'd need to have a great defensive season with around 100 steals to pass one of the greatest players of all-time.MORE:Why Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro got into an altercation at Summer LeagueDefensive reboundsRankPlayerDREBGames1Kevin Garnett11,4531,4622Karl Malone11,4061,4763Tim Duncan11,2321,3924Dwight Howard10,4761,2425LeBron James10,2531,622Even though the NBA only began keeping track of this stat in the 1973-74 season, there are still 50+ years of data, and he is in an elite group of centers from the past few decades.He should have no problem passing Howard for fourth place this upcoming season, but beyond that, don't expect to see him go further.WinsRankPlayerWinsGames1Kareem Abdul-Jabbar1,0741,5602LeBron James1,0481,622James recently passed Robert Parish and Tim Duncan in this category, but now has his eyes on claiming the top spot.It's very doable, as he'd only need to win 27 of the games he appears in next season.Considering he's likely to pick a team this summer that'll be a contender/top team in their conference, you can almost guarantee that he gets the job done, as long as he's healthy.More NBA news:Thunder send message to teams interested in trading for Chet HolmgrenWhy Spurs' Victor Wembanyama made $51 million sacrifice on contract extensionWarriors have a Draymond Green dilemma if they sign LeBron JamesLakers commitment to Walker Kessler could be costly for this key reasonJordan Clarkson's contract will help the Knicks avoid a major penalty

Credit: Wendell Cruz via Reuters Connect; The Dan Patrick ShowWhy is Sabrina Ionescu not in the WNBAs 3-Point Contest this weekend in Chicago? She won it last year, as well as in 2023, when she put up a record round of 37. Ionescu even briefly revitalized the NBAs competition in 2024 by going head-to-head with Steph Curry, only narrowly losing to the NBA legend.However, Ionescu is not even in the pool of participants this time around.There are a host of reasons that could explain this: Ionescu did not make the All-Star game amid an injury-plagued campaign for New York, while up-and-comers like Azzi Fudd and Rhyne Howard will replace some of Ionescus star power. But across the WNBA and NBA, if a reigning victor wants to participate in any of the All-Star weekend festivities, they are welcomed back.At a press conference leading into All-Star weekend, Ionescu claimed she was never invited.I cant decline an offer that I officially didnt get invited to, she said.To find out what really happened here, we return to Dan Patrick, who has become quite a pot-stirrer for the WNBA recently.During his radio show on Thursday and Friday, Patrick reported on the seeming miscommunication between the WNBA and Ionescus camp.We reached out to the WNBA, and surprise, surprise, they actually got back to us, Patrick teased. And they gave us a spokesperson, someone affiliated with the All-Star festivities. And this person said they reached out to Sabrina Ionescu the same way they did the two previous times now I dont know what that was, because the person didnt say.Then, Patrick said, his show reached out to Ionescus representatives to verify the story.We got one word, in capital letters: NO, Patrick said.Later, Patrick provided his analysis of what is going on behind the scenes.Somebody is covering up for something here, or someone, he said. It sounded like Sabrina Ionescu was miffed she didnt get invited, and wanted to get invited. And I dont know, since shes not an All-Star, and some players dont compete in events if theyre not All-Stars, I dont know if that had something to do with this.But once again, here we have a disconnect, a miscommunication moment, going into the All-Star game.Patrick also called attention to the word officially in Ionescus response, wondering whether she was subtly taking issue with an informal ask versus a more professional one she would have preferred.Coming off multiple instances in which Patrick has called out the WNBA for mismanaging bad PR and shying away from accountability, he once again lamented the constant distractions that he believes are self-inflicted by the league.The WNBA keeps having too many of these moments, he said. We should be celebrating, and were not.You do have great players, great stories. But we keep going back to the same ones. Why? It starts at the top. The commissioners gotta talk about this.Notably, Caitlin Clark will once again also not participate in the 3-Point Contest, which Patrick explained as perhaps the superstar trying to take the spotlight off herself. Ionescu, on the other hand, clearly relishes the chance to compete in the contest and is not getting it.The post Dan Patrick reveals conflicting stories from WNBA, Sabrina Ionescus camp over 3-point contest invite appeared first on Awful Announcing.