Valkyries forward Janelle Salan, who scored 24 points, shoots a 3-pointer over Toronto's Kia Nurse in the first half Sunday at Chase Center. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) The Golden State Valkyries have a tendency to struggle at the end of quarters. Coach Natalie Nakase and players speak at length about their desire for the team to play a complete 40 minutes of basketball.Sunday's late-first half execution offered a perfect test case.Valkyries 96, Tempo 79FGFTRebTORONTOMinM-AM-AO-TAPFPTSConde33:415-140-01-55210Juskaite34:445-74-62-42315Sabally24:506-124-72-81419Allemand33:534-60-00-36311Rice26:496-124-42-53516Nurse17:151-42-20-0214Harrison17:032-90-01-2114Fagbenle10:420-20-01-6020Key1:030-10-01-1000Totals200:0029-6714-1910-34202179Percentages: FG .433, FT .737.3-Point Goals: 7-30, .233 (Allemand 3-5, Sabally 3-5, Juskaite 1-3, Fagbenle 0-1, Rice 0-2, Nurse 0-3, Harrison 0-4, Conde 0-7).Team Rebounds: 10. Team Turnovers: 1.Blocked Shots: 1 (Allemand).Turnovers: 12 (Sabally 3, Conde 2, Rice 2, Allemand, Fagbenle, Harrison, Juskaite, Key).Steals: 3 (Allemand, Conde, Rice).Technical Fouls: None.FGFTRebGOLDEN STATEMinM-AM-AO-TAPFPTSThornton11:181-10-00-1003Zandalasini15:322-52-20-1517Stokes32:174-60-03-11148Burton28:466-102-31-26317Williams19:185-112-20-21115Salaun29:309-152-20-32424Hayes20:294-106-70-34315Chen20:201-50-00-1422Charles17:011-42-20-1225Amihere5:290-00-00-1100Totals200:0033-6716-184-26262096Percentages: FG .493, FT .889.3-Point Goals: 14-29, .483 (Salaun 4-9, Williams 3-3, Burton 3-4, Charles 1-1, Thornton 1-1, Zandalasini 1-2, Hayes 1-5, Chen 0-2, Stokes 0-2).Team Rebounds: 9. Team Turnovers: 1.Blocked Shots: 5 (Stokes 5).Turnovers: 7 (Burton, Charles, Chen, Hayes, Salaun, Williams, Zandalasini).Steals: 8 (Hayes 3, Burton 2, Salaun, Stokes, Williams).Technical Fouls: None.Toronto20231818-79Golden State25192329-96A: 18,064 (18,064).Despite leading the Toronto Tempo 44-33 with 1:53 to go before halftime, Golden State entered the locker room with a one-point lead. Toronto scored 10 unanswered points to close the period, putting a damper on an otherwise strong first half.The energy inside Chase Center was momentarily zapped. The Valkyries, instead of holding a comfortable lead, allowed the lowly Tempo to remain within arm's reach to open the second half. Toronto even flipped a two-point deficit into a five-point lead midway through the third quarter.The Tempo seemed poised to hold their lead, but Janelle Salan had other thoughts.A banked 15-footer. A 3-pointer. A timely baseline cut leading to a layup plus the foul. A sidestep 3 from the left wing.Salan scored 11 third-quarter points, more than half of Toronto's total output in the period. It was a perfect stretch for the sweet-shooting forward, who changed the course of the game and gave the Valkyries a lifeline in an eventual 96-79 win, snapping their two-game skid.The French forward, who leads Golden State's league-best bench unit, barely sat in the second half. She scored 24 points in a masterful performance, which, combined with strong nights from Veronica Burton and Gabby Williams, helped the Valkyries avoid an ugly loss.Toronto, which entered on a five-game losing streak, played without All-Star guard Marina Mabrey, who sat out due to a neck injury. Williams, Golden State's All-Star, returned to the lineup after missing Wednesday's game against the Phoenix Mercury due to reconditioning. Nakase said Williams had to ramp up her body after a week of All-Star festivities in Chicago.The usual purple and black Ballhalla court turned blue Sunday for a Chase Freedom partnership- the Valkyries' first-ever custom court design. The floor will remain in place for Tuesday night's game, also against the Tempo.Many fans expressed their displeasure online when the court design was unveiled. It didn't seem to affect Golden State's play early on Sunday.A 5-for-8 start from 3-point range gave the Valkyries a 25-20 lead at the end of the first quarter. The hot shooting extended into a 9-for-16 start, with reserves Salan, Tiffany Hayes and Kaila Charles contributing four of those makes.The Valkyries ended the period shooting 52.6% from 3-point range. But much of the good work they did- which resulted in as large as a 13-point advantage- was undone in the quarter's final two minutes when Toronto went on its run.But luckily for the Valkyries, Salan came alive. Her 24 points were the second-most of her young career, only rivaling her 26 points scored against the Tempo in these teams' last matchup on July 8.WIth another comfortable lead, Golden State didn't slip up this time. It won the final quarter handily and earned its 20th win of the season, already just three shy of its 2025 total.Sunday marked the return of former Valkyrie Temi Fagbenle. The Toronto reserve, who started 38 games with Golden State last year, was the recipient of a pregame tribute video and a loud applause from the Chase Center crowd- as was Warriors forward Draymond Green, who sat courtside and chatted with Warriors and Valkyries owner Joe Lacob.SubscribeTheres more to San Francisco with the Chronicle. Subscribe today for just 25.This article originally published at Valkyries top Tempo for 20th victory despite second-quarter letdown.

The Cincinnati Bengals were told by a former player to go out and send two first round picks in a trade for Maxx Crosby. GettyLas Vegas Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby GettyCincinnati Bengals edge rusher Shemar Stewart GettyThere were a few different obvious things this offseason. The Las Vegas Raiders wanted to trade Maxx Crosby, and the Cincinnati Bengals wanted help along the defensive line and at edge rusher.Despite that, the Bengals and Raiders never came together on a deal. Instead, Cincinnati would send a first-round pick to the New York Giants for Dexter Lawrence and theyd sign Boye Mafe before drafting Cashius Howell. Meanwhile, a Crosby trade to the Baltimore Ravens would ultimately fall through.With that context in mind, former NFL player Willie Colon recently appeared on First Things First. There, hed advocate for the Bengals, among a couple of other teams to send two first-round picks to the Raiders for Crosby.I think if youre the Cowboys, the Bills, the Bears, theBengals, youre offering two first-round picks in an opportunity to go get Maxx Crosby, Colon said. Hes the finished product you want if you feel like youre a championship contender, so go get him.By all accounts, the Raiders are still shopping Crosby, and that two-first round picks is the price. However, if there hasnt been a move for him yet, its hard to imagine that comes before the start of the regular season.That Maxx Crosby Price Was Already Too High for the Cincinnati BengalsGettyLas Vegas Raiders edge rusher Maxx CrosbyWhen the Raiders agreed to send Maxx Crosby to the Raiders, it was for two first-round picks. However, a failed physical ended up torpedoing that deal.Since then, the Raiders have stuck to that price tag. However, nobody has been willing to pay it, including the Bengals. Instead, the Bengals were reportedly willing to send one first-round pick to Las Vegas. When that didnt get the job done, they pivoted by making a similar trade with the Giants for Lawrence. Edge rusher was then filled in at free agency and in the draft.Sources tell me that long before the Cincinnati Bengalssurrendered the 10th pick of the draft to theNew York GiantsforDexter Lawrence, the team discussed trading that selection to the Las Vegas Raiders for Maxx Crosby, Tony Pauline reported this Spring. But the Bengals were unwilling to match the pair of first-round picks the Baltimore Ravens initially sent to Vegas for Crosby before a failed physical nixed the deal.Defense has been an issue for the Bengals in recent years. Particularly, rushing the passer. In fact, a season ago, the Bengals had 35 sacks. That was tied for just 22nd in the NFL. Crosby would certainly address that.The Bengals Lost One Edge Rusher to Injury AlreadyGettyCincinnati Bengals edge rusher Shemar StewartOne thing that could make the Bengals reconsider their offer for Maxx Crosby is injuries. Those have already come home a bit for Cincinnati.Edge rusher Shemar Stewart, who was a first-round pick in 2025, suffered what looked like it could have been a catastrophic knee injury. The clip, which was ugly, circulated on social media.Luckily, when the Bengals got an update on Stewart, the news was not as bad as it looked like it could have been. He suffered a hyperextended knee and avoided ligament damage. An exact timeline for his return isnt clear just yet, but its just about the best-case scenario for Stewart.For now, its probably not enough to make the Bengals go add a new edge rusher. However, injuries are the kind of challenge that teams need to account for throughout the course of the season.Like HEAVY's content?Be sure to follow us.This article was originally published on HEAVYThe post Bengals Told to Give Massive Trade Package to Raiders for Maxx Crosby appeared first on HEAVY.

Matt Blewett-Imagn ImagesLynxs Olivia Miles reacts to Dawn Staleys push for WNBA logo change appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Dawn Staleys reaction towards Olivia Miles latest performance in the Minnesota Lynxs matchup against the Indiana Fever went viral on social media on Sunday night.Miles is going through the rookie campaign of her WNBA career, having an incredible start with the Lynx. She is on pace for Rookie of the Year honors, having the squad perform at an elite level.In 32 minutes of action, Miles shined on the court with her display against Indiana defenders. She finished with a stat line of 28 points, six assists, four rebounds, and a block. She shot 11-of-14 from the field, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc, and 3-of-3 from the free-throw line.Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)Staley was at home watching the game on her television, expressing amazement towards Miles performance. Her comment on the game garnered the latters attention, having a laughing emoji in response to the post.@oliviamiles06 got me in my house cursing on a Sunday. Lord have mercy! @WNBA I saw a logo change in this app..use it! Staley wrote., Miles replied.How Olivia Miles, Lynx played against FeverOlivia Miles will be happy to have Dawn Staleys praise, one of the greatest head coaches of all time. Meanwhile, the Lynx rookie led the squad to a solid 108-100 win over a strong Fever side.Five players scored in double-digits for Minnesota in the win, including Miles. Courtney Williams backed her up with a great performance of 27 points, five assists and four rebounds. She shot 12-of-20 overall, including 2-of-4 from downtown, and 1-of-2 from the charity stripe. Napheesa Collier came next with 18 points and eight rebounds, Natasha Howard had 13 points and five assists, while Kayla McBride provided 10 points and three rebounds.Minnesota improved to a 25-6 record on the season, controlling the top spot in the Western Conference standings. They are above the Las Vegas Aces and the Golden State Valkyries at the moment.Rolling with 10 consecutive wins, the Lynx will look forward to their next matchup. They remain at home when they host the Los Angeles Sparks on Aug. 6 at 9 p.m. ET.Related: Valkyries Natalie Nakase shares eye-opening take on Sophie Cunningham situationRelated: Lynx HC Cheryl Reeve sounds off on viral pregame chat with Sophie Cunningham

ANAHEIM, Calif. Walbert Urea pitched three-hit ball over six innings and Wade Meckler hit a two-run homer off Milwaukee ace Jacob Misiorowski as the Los Angeles Angels beat the Brewers 3-0 on Sunday.Urea (7-7) struck out seven and walked three as the Angels snapped a five-game losing streak. The rookie right-hander has a 2.54 ERA this season and a 2.25 ERA since May 1, a stretch in which he has allowed one or fewer earned runs in 12 of 16 starts.Angels reliever Ryan Zeferjahn replaced the injured Sam Bachman with a runner on second and one out in the eighth. He struck out Brice Turang, gave up an infield single to Jackson Chourio and struck out Garrett Mitchell with runners on first and third to end the inning.Zeferjahn then struck out two of four batters in the ninth for his fourth save.Misiorowski (11-5) gave up two hits in seven innings, striking out 10 and walking one. Misiorowski extended his franchise record of double-digit strikeout games to 10 while throwing 66 of his 83 pitches for strikes.The game was a matchup of two of the hardest throwing starters in baseball. Misiorowski and Urea each struck out the side on 10 pitches in the first and the pair combined to throw 10 pitches at 100 mph or more.Vaughn Grissom hit a 91-mph slider to center for a leadoff single, and Meckler followed by driving a 95-mph cutter 388 feet to right for his third homer of the season and a 2-0 lead.Misiorowski then retired 16 straight batters before issuing a two-out walk to Jo Adell in the seventh.The Angels added an insurance run off Brewers left-hander DL Hall in the eighth when Denzer Guzman walked, took second on a groundout, third on a wild pitch and scored on Zach Netos two-out RBI infield single.

In business, strategies evolve. Approaches change. Successful models mature, adapt and often take organizations in a new direction. ESPN is no different. The Worldwide Leader in Sports has consistently reshaped its talent roster, programming philosophy and distribution strategy to attract each new generation of sports fans. The networks next evolution could involve moving away from its long-standing embrace debate philosophy on studio programming. If thats the case, what does it mean for First Take, a show built on spirited arguments and larger-than-life personalities?Lets start at the beginning.Its well documented why ESPN embraced debate-driven programming in the first place. At the time, it made far more business sense to produce opinion-based programming that generated conversation than to rely solely on highlights and news. Audiences were drawn to watching two personalities clash in a public arena, hearing opposing viewpoints before deciding which side they agreed with.That was 2011. Fifteen years later, the viewership figures still suggest the formula still works.Stats Dont LieIn June, First Takeaveraged 505,000 viewers per episode. Thats a 26% increase over the programs figures from a year earlier. When Skip Bayless returned for a one-day reunion with Stephen A. Smith in May, the episode averaged 647,000 viewers, a 24% increase over the shows average audience from January through May.Looking strictly at the numbers, its fair to question whether moving away from embracing debate right now is the smartest strategy. That may also explain why Smith was so vocal following the recent departures of key contributors Ryan Clark and Cam Newton. Both became regular sparring partners for Smith, embracing the opportunity to go toe-to-toe on the biggest stories of the day.Following Clarks departure, Smith devoted nearly 18 minutes of his show to reacting to the decision, saying he wasnt happy ESPN had included Clark in its latest round of layoffs. He also publicly shared a year-by-year breakdown of ESPNs layoffs dating back to 2013, listing both the numbers and many of the names affected.Im sorry for us that we arent going to have the opportunity to continue having you on the airwaves for ESPN, and specifically First Take. It aint going to be the same without you, said Smith.Did Smith know ESPN was preparing to shift away from the philosophy that helped make First Take one of the networks signature programs?Shifting AwayAccording to John Ourand of Puck Media, new ESPN Executive Vice President and Executive Editor of Sports News and Entertainment Mike Foss wants programming that feels more authentic. If youve followed sports radio over the past decade, youve likely already witnessed this shift.Rather than manufacturing conflict, Foss reportedly wants ESPN personalities to start revealing more on the air. According to Ourand, Foss cited internal research suggesting synthetic conflict no longer resonates with audiences the way it once did. Heated debate isnt difficult to find today. In fact, its everywhere. Social media feeds flooded with hot takes rewarded by engagement and reach. Cable news adopting many of the same techniques ESPN helped popularize years ago.After nearly two decades of debate-first programming across multiple platforms, its understandable why ESPN believes the audience may be ready for something new. The bigger question is whether First Take should be the show leading that transition.Its viewership remains strong, and its centered around the networks highest-profile personality. Thats why the timing of this potential philosophical shift, coming on the heels of cuts to two of the shows most recognizable contributors, is particularly intriguing.Its also difficult to fundamentally change a show built on an established identity. Viewers know exactly what theyre getting from First Take, just as they know what to expect from Pardon the Interruption. When a formula continues to deliver results and remains central to a shows identity, changing it during growing success rarely makes sense.That principle applies across television.Pardon the Interruption recently posted its best June audience in five years. Would anyone seriously argue the network should reinvent one of its most successful programs? Sometimes things simply dont need fixing.Build On Instead Of ChangeYes, ESPN can continue adding new contributors to First Take, especially with football season approaching. It can continue searching for personalities capable of challenging Smith the way Bayless and Max Kellerman once did. But altering the very foundation of how the show creates content for a growing audience should remain off limits until the results suggest otherwise.The best executives arent simply the ones with the boldest new ideas. Theyre also the ones who recognize when to stay out of the way of something thats already working. Foss deserves credit for recognizing that sports fans are increasingly looking for authenticity over theatrics. Thats a smart long-term vision for ESPN. But successful executives also understand the difference between identifying an industry trend and disrupting a proven winner.First Take remains one of ESPNs biggest successes, and its audience continues to show up for exactly what the program has always promised. When that changes, then its time to rethink the strategy. Until then, the smartest move ESPN can make with First Take is the same one every great coach makes with a team on a winning streak: dont overhaul whats already winning.Let the show continue doing what it does best while building around its success.Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries.Sign upfor our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.John MamolaJohn Mamola is Barrett Medias sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medis Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.linktr.ee/johnmamolaThe post Why First Take Has Earned the Right To Continue Embracing Debate on ESPN appeared first on Barrett Media.

With high school soccer season just a couple of weeks away, here is the Enquirer's final list of position previews in boys soccer. We have saved the top forwards and goalscorers for last. Here is our look at the top players in the city at finding the back of the net.Make sure to vote in the poll at the bottom of the story. The poll will close at 4 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 7. The USA Today Co. network is debuting a new polling service that allows readers to vote more often while protecting against fraudulent voting methods. User experience feedback can be sent to mlaughman@enquirer.com.More: Kicking off 2026 Enquirer fall football coverage with previewsBen Angelica, WilmingtonThe senior is the top returning scorer in Cincinnati, posting 30 goals and nine assists to lead the Hurricane to a 14-1-3 record. He enters his senior season with 62 career goals.Marco Barrios, Simon KentonThe senior had 25 goals to help the Pioneers to the 32nd District championship and the Eighth Region semifinals.Ethan Brandhorst, TurpinThe senior is the top returning scorer for the Spartans, who were 16-2-4 last season. He had nine goals and seven assists.Cristian Dominguez, NorwoodThe sophomore had an outstanding debut season with 18 goals and 10 assists, leading the Indians to a 7-8-2 record.Tyler Hahn, Bethel-TateThe senior posted 17 goals and eight assists to lead the Tigers to a 7-8-3 record. He was first-team all-league in the SBAAC-National.Carter Lund, Summit Country DayThe senior capped off a big season by scoring a hat trick in the Division V state final. He had 10 goals and four assists for the season and enters his senior year with 17 career goals and eight assists.Luke Neltner, Bishop BrossartThe senior had 22 goals and 12 assists to lead the Mustangs to a 16-8-1 record and the 10th Region championship.IsaiahRodgers, Summit Country DayThe junior was a key player on offense for the Division V state champions, posting seven goals and five assists. He was second-team all-league in the Miami Valley Conference-Scarlet and has 11 career goals with eight assists.Santino Serger, MariemontThe senior had 15 goals and eight assists to lead the Warriors to a 17-3-1 record and second place in the Cincinnati Hills League. He was all-league and all-city.Miles Steininger, WyomingThe forward is Wyomings only returning first-team All-CHL player returning from their state semifinalist team. As a junior last year, he had seven goals and six assists.On the radar in 2026Paxton Ball, Cincinnati Christian; Ross Barrett, Waynesville; TairBegzhan, Mason; Alessandro Caggioni, Madeira; AndrewCornejo, Madeira; Martin Cowden, Madeira; Jean Luc Davis, Madeira; Aldo Dokouzov, Mason; Mamoudou Diaw, Winton Woods; Jackson Engel, East Central; Eli Gaffney, Harrison; Charlie Gehringer, Milford; Devon Gregory, Williamsburg; LoganGriffin, McNicholas; Francisco Hernandez, Norwood; LucasInderhees, East Central; Alex Lopez, Sycamore; Salem Mayala, Boone County; CooperNeace, Ryle; Hudson Ostertag, Elder; Jayse Riggs, Eastern; Anthony Soltero, Monroe; Landon Swaynie, Bethel-Tate; ChaseWagner, Harrison; Elijah Witt-Brewster, Oak Hills; SammyWoolery, Clermont Northeastern.This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Vote for Cincinnati's top forwards in 2026 boys soccer preseason

With high school soccer season just a couple of weeks away, here is the Enquirer's final list of position previews in girls soccer. We have saved the top forwards and goalscorers for last.And what a list it is. Greater Cincinnati high school girls soccer fans had much to enjoy as well in 2025, as there is an abundance of players who put up big numbers last season or who will play for major colleges after they graduate. Because of that, limiting to 10 players to spotlight, as we do for other positions, was impossible. So we are listing 16 players to watch.Make sure to vote in the poll at the bottom of the story. The poll will close at 4 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 7. The USA Today Co. network is debuting a new polling service that allows readers to vote more often while protecting against fraudulent voting methods. User experience feedback can be sent to mlaughman@enquirer.com.More: Kicking off 2026 Enquirer fall football coverage with previewsAva Bergman, AndersonThe senior had 11 goals and 14 assists last season, helping the Raptors to a 14-5-4 record. She is the top returning scorer for Anderson after senior Nina Brandon suffered a season-ending injury. She was an all-district player and has committed to Robert Morris.Aubrey Blakely, Summit Country Day The sophomore came onto the scene in a big way during her freshman season, scoring 18 goals with nine assists for the Division IV state champions. She is the top returning scorer on the team after the graduation of All-American and Ms. Ohio Soccer Mia Stevens.Ava Bush, Ross She was one of the best freshmen in the city last season, posting 18 goals and 11 assists to lead the Rams to a 17-3-1 record and a league championship.Louise Guidugli, Seton The senior, who has committed to the University of Alabama, returns to the Saints after focusing on club ball the last two years. She had nine goals and seven assists her freshman year in 2023, helping the Saints to the state semifinals.Taylor Hamilton, Mount Notre Dame The junior returns to MND after skipping her sophomore season. The University of Missouri commit had four goals and two assists in 2024, helping the Cougars to the Division II regional finals.Kendall Hanlon, Western Brown The senior is one of the citys top returning scorers, posting 31 goals for the Broncos, who were 15-3 and co-champs of the SBAAC-American.Averie Layman, Batavia The senior scored 30 goals with 12 assists, helping the Bulldogs to a 12-5-3 record. She was the SBAAC-American player of the year, plus Division III all-state and all-region.Tylee Littlejohn, Purcell Marian The sophomore standout scored 30 goals for the Cavaliers last year, and she was first-team all-league in the MVC-Gray.Morgan MacDonald, Holy Cross The junior had 22 goals and four assists last year for the Indians, who were 9-10-2.Estelle Murphy, Sycamore The junior was the top goalscorer in the Greater Miami Conference and fourth among all DI players in Ohio last season with 22, plus four assists. She was first-team all-league and all-district.Abby Nisonger, Lebanon The senior scored 21 goals for the Warriors, who were 11-5-3. She was first-team all-league in the Eastern Cincinnati Conference.Kiley Smith, Bishop Brossart The junior was one of Kentuckys top scorers last season, posting 38 goals and 17 assists and leading the Mustangs to a 20-3-3 record and the state tournament.Taylor Spille, Oak Hills The junior led the team last year with 18 goals and 10 assists as the Highlanders finished 13-3-3 and second in the Greater Miami Conference. She was first-team all-league and all-district.Poppy Wakefield, Springboro The senior has committed to Kansas State and is ranked fifth in the state in the Class of 2027. She has played on the Panama national team in international youth competitions. She had seven goals and eight assists last year for the Panthers, who were 16-3-1 and lost in the regional tournament to Seton. She was first-team all-league in the Greater Western Ohio Conference.Anabelle Wiesemann, Harrison The junior has transferred to the Wildcats after a record-setting two years at Franklin County (Indiana). She had a school-record 44 goals last season after 32 as a freshman, and is weighing several Power-Four college offers.Addy Zawaly, Mariemont The senior led the Warriors to a 16-4 record with 20 goals and 11 assists. She has committed to Wisconsin. She was an All-American as well as all-state and was co-player of the year in the Cincinnati Hills League with Allie McCauley.Other forwards to watch in 2026Heather Albrinck, East Central; Bella Anderson, Mason; Aubrey Barber, Fayetteville-Perry; Julia Best, Clermont Northeastern; Audrey de Alarcon, Cincinnati Country Day; Anne Bowling, Calvary Christian; Mollee Erras, West Clermont; Megan Johns, Notre Dame; Zoey Kelch, Georgetown; Ally Lickert, Highlands; Taylor Murphy, Notre Dame; Olivia Naegeli, Madeira; Olivia Neal, Harrison; Lennon Newton, Purcell Marian; Sophia Reedy, Notre Dame; Stella Schaffeld, Holy Cross; Laylla Sears, Blanchester; Karringtyn Wilder, Walnut Hills; Macy Yelton, Beechwood.This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Vote for Cincinnati's top forwards in the 2026 girls soccer preseason

The calendar has turned to August, which means the preseason has officially started for volleyball teams in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. First serves are less than three weeks away as teams begin their journey to the postseason.As The Enquirer wraps up its preview of the top players by position, let's take a look at the top hitters this fall.Make sure to vote for the top hitter in the city in the poll at the bottom of the story. The poll will close at 4 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 7. The USA Today Co. network is debuting a new polling service that allows readers to vote more often while protecting against fraudulent voting methods. User experience feedback can be sent to mlaughman@enquirer.com.Jillian Forrest, UrsulineThe University of Washington commit was second in the Girls Greater Catholic League with 319 kills and fourth with 76 blocks in 2025. She will certainly be in the conversation for league player of the year after being named to the all-league and all-state first teams and the district player of the year.Teagan Kondik, Notre Dame AcademyThink about some of the great hitters the Pandas have had just in this decade. Anna Long, Sydney Nolan, Ava Tilden, Audrey Dyas and Grace Portwood come to mind. Now Kondik can join that list after finishing with 310 kills, 105 digs and 30 blocks as a junior. At 6-foot-1 with an approach touch of 9-foot-5, she levitates on the attack and converts any serve placement into a kill. She is committed to the University of Cincinnati.Makenna Meibers, SetonShe will step into a starting role for the Saints after they graduated a trio of powerful hitters. She came on strong in the second half of her junior season, posting nine kills in a win over Roger Bacon and 10 in a win over Anderson. She ended the campaign with 136 kills, 47 blocks and 41 digs. She is committed to Northern Kentucky University.Morgan Meiring, FenwickShe was named the Greater Catholic League-Coed player of the year and to the all-district and all-state first teams after leading the league with 343 kills to go with 258 digs and 21 aces. The Falcons return a plethora of talent and should be considered frontrunners to return to the state tournament for the second time in three years and win their first title since 2019.Paige Murray, AndersonShe is the top returning hitter in the Eastern Cincinnati Conference with 280 kills as a junior. Murray also dug 111 attacks, served up 44 aces and rejected 34 attacks. If she can improve on her hitting percentage of 16.7, she will truly be one of the most dangerous hitters in the city. She was named to the all-district first team and is committed to Northern Kentucky.Isabel O'Brien, BeechwoodO'Brien was a centerpiece for arguably the most successful season in program history. The Tigers graduated plenty of talent after the 2025 season but have just as deep a senior class this fall. A Bellarmine University commit and all-state second-team member, O'Brien put up 314 kills, 296 digs, 64 aces and 18 blocks as a junior.Charlotte Patton, ConnerShe burst onto the scene as a freshman and has proved herself as a valuable six-rotation player. As a sophomore, Patton ranked 14th in Kentucky with 511 kills while adding 211 digs, 38 blocks and 30 aces. She was named to the first-team all-state and is receiving plenty of attention from Division I colleges.Savanna Stacey, McNicholasHer recent commitment to Morehead State University means the Rockets have four seniors committed to DI college programs. The Rockets moved up to Division III this season and may have to face three of last year's state tournament qualifiers to repeat as state champions, but they have the talent to do so. Stacey was named to the all-league and all-district first teams and all-state third team after posting 278 kills, 254 digs, 41 aces and 30 blocks.Aubrey Templin, HarrisonSince 2006, Templin is one of just two Wildcats to eclipse 400 kills in a season. Faith Young did it as a senior in 2023 and Templin did it as a freshman last year. In fact, she finished 15th in the country among freshmen with 456 kills while adding 204 digs, 56 aces and 27 blocks. She was named to the all-district first team.Lola Waleskowski, St. UrsulaThe Bulldogs will have one of the top front lines in the GGCL as Waleskowski leads a quartet of skilled attackers. As a junior, she finished with 244 kills, 53 digs and 30 blocks. She is committed to Belmont University.Additional hitters to watch in 2026Ellie Albers, Cincinnati Country Day; Blakely Bennett, Villa Madonna; Lydia Berube, Milford; Gianna Bruemmer, Anderson; Lindsey Cameron, Goshen; Reagan Draper, Fairfield; Sadie Ellis, Sycamore; Lizzy Hilvert, Taylor; Maisie Jones, St. Ursula; Lowe Long, St. Ursula; Brooklyn Meinberg, Mason; Amerie Mullins, Campbell County; Ruth Pryor, MVCA; Mina Radaszewski, Ursuline; Laura Raines, Kings; Kail Ricketts, Little Miami; Callie Ritter, Bishop Brossart; Evie Schiller, Madeira; Leah Seeger, Mount Notre Dame; Parker Terrill, St. Ursula; Emma Tharp, Oak Hills; Lily Thornberry, CHCA; Annie Tully, Mariemont; Alexi Walters, Clermont Northeastern; Layna Wilkinson, Ryle; Lauren Williams, MilfordVote for the top hitter in Greater Cincinnati girls volleyballThis article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Vote for Cincinnati's top volleyball hitters in the 2026 preseason

Singapore Eyes USD 609.65 Billion in Export Potential by 2031, with USD 38.50 Billion Beyond Existing Trade Corridors Singapore’s next export growth wave is likely to emerge from markets it already knows best. China accounts for 27.78% of existing export potential in 2031 and, together with the United States, represents major areas of Singapore Export Potential, creating opportunities...

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