Sky-high ticket prices won't be the only thing emptying the wallets of soccer fans attending World Cup matches at some U.S. venues this spring.

In a vote that ended April 17, Cincinnati.com readers selected the 2025-2026 Cincinnati Enquirer/Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine Athletes of the Week from high school sports action through April 12.Winners can print their certificates from this week starting Monday and other weeks now using this Drop Box link. Send a photo of the winners with their certificates for our photo gallery.Here are this week's winners.More: How to add names to Cincinnati Enquirer's high school athletes of the week ballot in 2025Ohio big-school baseball team: Fairfield Fairfield won a pair against Colerain, including a 4-3 walk-off win in the eighth, then beat Lakota East for a 3-0 week.Ohio small-school baseball team: Taylor Taylor had an undefeated 3-0 week with two wins over Mariemont and a 4-1 victory over Wyoming.Northern Kentucky/Indiana baseball team: Cooper The Jaguars took home three wins last week against Taylor County, Glasgow and Hart County.Ohio big-school softball team: Milford Milford is now on a five-game winning streak, securing a pair of wins against Walnut Hills before beating Mason, Anderson and Mount Notre Dame.Ohio small-school softball team:Norwood Norwood won three straight, beating Cincinnati Christian, New Miami and Roger Bacon.Northern Kentucky/Indiana softball team: Beechwood Beechwood locked up three wins in a row, beating Ludlow, Newport Central Catholic and Dixie Heights.Boys spring team: Covington Catholic track The Colonels scored 155 points to take first place at the Cincinnati Country Day Invitational.Girls spring team: Mount Notre Dame flag football The Cougars beat Seton 15-13 to take the lead in the Girls Greater Catholic League.Ohio big-school baseball: Tyler Zimmerman, Lakota West The senior drove in two runs, one with a sac fly, in a 3-2 win over Sycamore.Ohio small-school baseball: Johnathan Danzinger, La Salle The senior had a triple, home run and four RBIs in a 13-7 win over Miamisburg.Northern Kentucky/Indiana big-school baseball: Ian Wallace, Scott The junior pitched a complete game shutout in a 5-0 win over St. Henry, allowing two hits and one walk while striking out 15. He also had a single and an RBI at the plate.Northern Kentucky/Indiana small-school baseball: Colton Eden, Williamstown He picked up his first varsity win against Community Christian, striking out four batters while not allowing a hit in 5.1 innings.Flag football: Kisanet Micheal, Walnut Hills The sophomore threw for 461 yards and eight touchdowns in three wins last week against Summit Country Day, Clark Montessori, and Withrow.Ohio boys lacrosse: David Simonson, Kings The sophomore tallied four goals and an assist in a 14-5 win against La Salle.Northern Kentucky/Indiana boys lacrosse: Eli Lawson, Dixie Heights The senior scored seven goals in a 13-9 win against Moeller.Ohio girls lacrosse: Kennedy Schulte, Oak Hills The senior scored five goals in a narrow loss to Fairfield, then scored 10 goals in an 18-10 win over Miamisburg.Ohio big-school softball: Maddie Varner, Milford She fell a triple short of the cycle, going 3-for-4 with three RBIs and a run scored in a win over Mason, then went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored in a win over Mount Notre Dame.Ohio small-school softball: Skye Shaw, Goshen In a 4-1 week, she was 12-for-21 with two doubles, a grand slam, seven RBIs and seven runs scored. She also went 2-0 with a save in the circle, striking out 25 batters while allowing four hits and one run over 15 innings.Northern Kentucky/Indiana softball: Rachel Shewmaker, Bishop Brossart She hit for the cycle in a win over Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin, driving in six runs and scoring twice.Boys singles tennis: Colin McClure, Dixie Heights After getting a win against Mason County, McClure had a 6-0, 6-0 win over Scott.Boys doubles tennis team: Mason Parker/Alexander Natale, Campbell County They helped Campbell County to a win over Bracken County by taking their first doubles match 6-0, 6-0.Northern Kentucky girls singles tennis: Madison Offner, Dixie Heights Against Simon Kenton, she had a 6-1, 6-1 win in third singles.Northern Kentucky girls doubles tennis: Cassidy Derry/Isabella Norvell, Dixie Heights They picked up Dixies only win against Scott, going 6-0, 6-0 in first doubles.Ohio boys track and field: Will Sten, Miami Valley Christian Academy He won the 1,600-meter run at Madeira with a time of 4:45.12.Northern Kentucky/Indiana boys track and field: Aaron Eckler, Ryle He dipped under 10 minutes in the 3,200-meter run for the first time, winning at Elder in 9:54.4.Ohio girls track and field: Sasha Brandenburger, Bethel-Tate The freshman won the 100-meter hurdles in 18.43 seconds and won the high jump with a leap of 4 feet, 8 inches at Cincinnati Country Day.Northern Kentucky/Indiana girls track and field: Lilly Ratliff, Ryle She earned new personal bests to win the 100-meter hurdles in 16.84 seconds and the 300-meter hurdles in 50.42 seconds at Elder.Ohio boys volleyball: Will Lenz, Fenwick In a sweep of Bishop Watterson, the senior hit .412 with a pair of blocks and aces while passing 2.4.Northern Kentucky/Indiana boys volleyball: Maddox Kuryla, Boone County The senior had 19 assists to lead Boone County to a five-set win over Scott on April 11.If you win, what's next?The Enquirer will no longer mail certificates to schools after getting feedback that families weren't receiving them. Alex Harrison will make digital copies of all certificates available to families by 8 a.m. the Monday after the Friday win. Families will access the PDFs through this public Dropbox link.Once printed, families can email a photo to mlaughman@enquirer.com.This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Enquirer names high school athletes of the week, April 17

Former Arizona State star WR is drawing NFL comparisons to Brandon Lloyd

Rajasthan Royals manager Romi Bhinder will most likely to escape a serious sanction despite his "injudicious and indiscreet" behavior during the IPL 2026 clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Injuries to star players have been a common theme holding back the Baltimore Ravens of late, and wide receiver Zay Flowers thinks he knows why it has been a recurring issue. "We were in full pads all the time [under former head coach John Harbaugh]. However many practices in pads you can get, every single one. We're doing one-on-ones in Week 17. Week 17, we're doing one-on-ones, everybody out there, we're tired; we're still going. You don't manage that. Low-key, that's why we had a lot of injuries, because of how we practiced," Flowers said on "4th And South w/ Jarvis Landry & Leonard Fournette." "The load was heavy." The Ravens are coming off an 8-9 season that saw them miss the playoffs for the first time since 2021 and ultimately fire Harbaugh after 18 seasons at the helm. Quarterback and two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson, linebacker and three-time All-Pro Roquan Smith, cornerback and two-time All-Pro Marlon Humphrey, defensive lineman and two-time Pro Bowler Nnamdi Madubuike and tight end Isaiah Likely were among the many Baltimore players to miss multiple games due to injury in 2025. Over Harbaugh's 18 seasons as Baltimore's head coach (2008-25), the Ravens went a combined 180-113 in the regular season and 13-11 in the postseason, highlighted by winning Super Bowl XLVII and six AFC North division titles. While acknowledging that Harbaugh taught Flowers how to be "prepared" for games, the receiver feels that new head coach Jesse Minter who was a defensive assistant under Harbaugh from 2017-20 will have the players in a routine more conducive to success. "[Minter] knows how we worked with Harbaugh. So he's like, 'You're going to get your work, but it's going to be a little easier on your body. You're going to be fresher for the game,'" Flowers said. Last season (2025), Flowers totaled a career-high in receptions (86), receiving yards (1,211) and receiving touchdowns (five). Flowers, whom Baltimore selected with the No. 22 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Boston College, has been a Pro Bowler and logged 1,000-plus receiving yards in each of the past two seasons.

Texans and All-Pro defensive end Will Anderson Jr. have agreed to a historic three-year, $150 million extension to make him the highest-paid non-quarterback, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Weve written recently that teams like the Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets could give the Cincinnati Bengals problems during the first round of the NFL draft.Those are trade problems, as the Cowboys and Jets seem like threats to trade up, jumping over the Bengals for a prospect like Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles and his teammate and safety Caleb Downs.But as it turns out, some NFL draft rumors hint that the New York Giants could cause some problems for the Bengals, too.According to ESPNs Jordan Raanan, John Harbaugh and the Giants could be going hard after Downs and Styles: In an ideal world, the Giants would like to move back a few spots, add more picks (they have just two in the top 100) and draft a player like Ohio State safety Caleb Downs. But that's easier said than done.Those Giants hold the No. 5 pick and also really like Styles and Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love.Those are all prospects the Bengals like.The Bengals would love Styles to upgrade the unit featuring Demetrius Knight and Barrett Carter. Downs would upgrade safety and perhaps nickel corner. The Bengals have even met with Love and have Chase Brown on an expiring contract and not much else behind him at running back.None of this means the Bengals should panic and trade up. Not happening, anyway, given how the front office in Cincinnati operates.But an old rival like John Harbaugh and his new team are very much a club to watch as the NFL draft unfolds soon.This article originally appeared on Bengals Wire: NFL draft rumors around Giants could impact Bengals

Hoosiers coach Darian DeVries' transfer haul looks better than last season's

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has released the schedule of the inaugural Women's T20I Challenge Trophy, which will be held in Rwanda.

The NBA postseason tips off this weekend, as the Oklahoma City Thunder look to become the leagues first repeat champion since the 2017-2018 Golden State Warriors. After an exciting play-in tournament concludes Friday night, we will be down to 16 teams, with the playoffs beginning early Saturday afternoon. Lets take a look at every series that is set so far, and preview each from a betting perspective. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. No. 5 TORONTO vs. No. 4 CLEVELAND The first playoff game will take place Saturday afternoon in Cleveland, as the Cavaliers are heavy -550 favorites (a $55 bet pays $10) to win the series. While the Raptors are the underdogs, it is notable that they swept the season series against the Cavs, winning all three matchups. However, all of those games took place prior to Thanksgiving, and are not enough to compel me to pick the upset here. The Cavaliers have had some disappointing early postseason exits in recent years, but the duo of James Harden and Donovan Mitchell will be too much for the Raptors to handle, and I expect a relatively quick series. PICK: Cavaliers win series in exactly five games (+240) No. 6 MINNESOTA vs. No. 3 DENVER The Nuggets come into this matchup as -330 series favorites (a $33 bet pays $10). Two years ago, the Timberwolves derailed the Nuggets hopes of back-to-back titles, eliminating the defending champs in the second round of the 2024 playoffs. Some will remember that series upset and predict a similar outcome, but this is a very different Timberwolves team. The Wolves from two years ago had big man Karl-Anthony Towns to help defend Nuggets superstar Nikola Joki, and also had rangy guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker to use against Jamal Murray. Those two names are now elsewhere, and the Nuggets should be able to exploit the Timberwolves weakness of fouling at a high rate. The Nuggets averaged nearly 26 free-throw attempts per game in the regular season (fourth-most in the league), while the Timberwolves committed 21.2 fouls per game (third-most in the league). I like the Nuggets to get some revenge this time around. PICK: Nuggets win series in exactly six games (+450) No. 6 ATLANTA vs. No. 3 NEW YORK The Knicks are -275 series favorites, as they look to advance past the first round for the fourth consecutive season. They take on a Hawks squad that wasnt expected to be here back in January, after starting the season 20-25 before winning 26 out of its next 36 games. While that run is impressive, a lot of those wins came against tanking teams. I expect the Hawks to put up a respectable fight, but if we were to draft players from each team "playground style," the Knicks would be picked early and often. They have the more talented roster, as well as a strong home-court advantage here. PICK: Knicks win series in exactly six games (+425) No. 5 HOUSTON vs. No. 4 LOS ANGELES LAKERS The Rockets are the only favored team in the first round that does not have home-court advantage, as they come into this series at a hefty -600. The Lakers will be without two of their three best players for the foreseeable future, as Luka Doni and Austin Reaves recover from injuries. If the Lakers were healthy, they would be the favorites, but are currently too shorthanded for me to expect much. I think the Rockets to roll through the beat-up Lakers. PICK: Rockets win series in exactly four games (+275) No. 7 PHILADELPHIA vs. No. 2 BOSTON The Celtics are -900 series favorites, as they take on a 76ers team that defeated the Magic in the play-in tournament to earn a playoff bid. The 76ers are without Joel Embiid for the time being as he recovers from appendicitis, but the team has experience playing without its star center. The Celtics and 76ers played four times this season, with each team winning twice, and Embiid only playing in two of those matchups. The Celtics now have Jayson Tatum back and healthy, and they should win, but Im surprised they are such a heavy favorite, especially in Game 1, where they are laying 12.5 points. PICK: Celtics win series in exactly six games (+550) No. 7 PORTLAND vs. No. 2 SAN ANTONIO The Spurs are jumbo -2000 favorites to win their first playoff series of the post-Tim Duncan era. They went 2-1 against the Blazers in the regular season, and barring injury, San Antonio should advance with ease. The Blazers are a good story and have had a surprising season to make it to the playoffs for the first time since trading franchise legend Damian Lillard in 2023. However, the Spurs are monster favorites for a reason, and probably wont drop more than a game in this series. PICK: Spurs win series in exactly five games (+210)

Outfielder Garret Anderson, who played 15 of his 17 major league seasons with the Angels and is a member of the team's hall of fame, has died at the age of 53.

Following arguably the biggest splash of the WNBA offseason, Atlanta Dream fans heard from the teams newest superstar, Angel Reese.A two-time All-Star selection, Reese was acquired via trade last week from the Chicago Sky.In her first two seasons, the former LSU Tiger led the WNBA in rebounds per game. As a rookie, Reese set the league record with 15 consecutive double doubles.Her acquisition paired with the re-signings of Jordin Canada, Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Naz Hillmon and Brionna Jones make the Dream a contender for the WNBA Championship.The buzz around Angel Reeses move to the Atlanta Dream has already translated into big business for the franchise.[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]Just hours after the announcement, demand for Dream merchandise and tickets surged.In the first four hours after the announcement, we sold half as many jerseys as we did the entire year in 2025, said Morgan Shaw Parker, the teams president and chief operating officer.The Dream acquired the two-time WNBA All-Star in a high-profile trade that included two first-round draft picks in 2027 and 2028. However, early signs suggest the investment is already paying off.TRENDING STORIES:Video shows people running for their lives following gunfire near Georgia beachShooting at Chick-fil-A in metro Atlanta during breakfast rushDoctor, Atlanta practice to pay $14M settlement over alleged unnecessary proceduresAccording to Shaw Parker, ticket sales are climbing rapidly, with inventory updating in real time as fans rush to secure seats.The stats come in, and every 10 minutes it gets updated in terms of being sold out of different products from a ticket perspective, she said.The team is also planning to host five games at State Farm Arena this season, with hopes of packing the venue to its full 17,000-seat capacity.Our goal was to sell all of those out, Shaw Parker said. I have a good feeling were going to be sold out of every single one of them.[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]