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  • Southside volleyball reclaims Etowah County Tournament title

    Southside volleyball reclaims Etowah County Tournament title


    Once again, Southside volleyball are the queens of Etowah County after winning the Etowah County Schools Volleyball Tournament on Saturday.

    Southside downed Sardis in the finals, finishing a dominating day where the Lady Panthers didn’t drop a single set. It was an impressive response to the 2024 tournament, which saw an end to their 14-year winning streak in the county tournament. Sardis was the defending champions, defending its title with a strong performance ahead of the finals.

    In the finals, Southside’s front line dominated, making it hard for the Lady Lions to launch their attacks. The second set was much of the same, with Southside pulling away more as the set went on after a close start.

    All Etowah County Tournament Team

    • MVP: Rylann Shaw, Southside
    • Avery Barkley, Glencoe
    • Makenna Bennich, Hokes Bluff
    • Chloe Dodd, Hokes Bluff
    • Ava Garrard, Sardis
    • Emersyn Greer, Sardis
    • Cati Lamberth, Southside
    • Zoey McKinney, Southside
    • Emma Rogers, Southside
    • Charlee Skaggs, Gaston
    • Mia Talbot, Glencoe
    • Hannah Westcott, Southside
    • DaLeigha Wheeler, West End
    • Vada Willmore, Sardis

    Scores from Etowah County tournament

    Final

    Southside 2, Sardis 0 (Set 1: 25-14; Set 2: 25-14)

    Semifinals

    Southside 2, Glencoe 0

    Sardis 2, Hokes Bluff 0

    Quarterfinals

    Glencoe 2, West End 0

    Hokes Bluff 2, Gaston 0

    Pool A

    Sardis 2, West End 0

    Sardis 2, Gaston 0

    West End 2, Gaston 0

    Pool B

    Southside 2, Glencoe 0

    Hokes Bluff 2, Glencoe 1

    Southside 2, Hokes Bluff 0

    Maxwell Donaldson covers high school sports, Jax State athletics, the outdoors in Alabama and more for the Gadsden Times. Find him on Twitter/X @_Max_Donaldson and contact him at MDonaldson@gannett.com.





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  • Winless UCLA stuns No. 7 Penn State in biggest upset of the season

    Winless UCLA stuns No. 7 Penn State in biggest upset of the season


    UCLA’s losses this season: Utah, UNLV, New Mexico, Northwestern.

    UCLA’s wins this season, after Saturday: No. 7 Penn State.

    The biggest upset of the college football season landed in Pasadena on Saturday, with the winless Bruins not just defeating a top 10 opponent but persistently overwhelming them on offense in a 42-37 win. UCLA outgained the Nittany Lions 446-357, with 280 of their yards on the ground.

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    With Penn State favored by 24.5 points at BetMGM, it was the biggest upset of the college football season. The loss also snaps a streak of 34 straight wins over unranked opponents for Penn State.

    Per the broadcast, it was the first time since 1985 that a top 10 team lost to an 0-4 team or worse.

    However, it needs to be emphasized: UCLA wasn’t just winless, they were winless with a scheduled that was half Mountain West. They weren’t just winless, they hadn’t led in a game all season until a touchdown on their opening drive. They weren’t just winless, they entered Saturday as the second-worst team in the Power 4 by Sagarin ratings, ahead of only Oklahoma State.

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    UCLA fired head coach DeShaun Foster after its third loss and let go defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe shortly after. They were as dead in the water as a program can be while still getting Big Ten checks.

    Meanwhile, Penn State entered this game trying to recovering from a top 10 clash with Oregon a week prior, which it lost 30-24 in double overtime. Despite being on the road, a day game at a Rose Bowl not nearly close to full appeared to be the perfect bounce-back opportunity.

    Instead, the Bruins offense worked over Jim Knowles’ defense from the opening whistle. They entered halftime up 27-7, with 370 yards on offense. Penn State had the personnel to erase a 20-point deficit in a half of football, but got off to a bad start in the third quarter with a fumble by Luke Reynolds on their second play.

    Penn State held the Bruins scoreless on the subsequent drive, though, and began a comeback that felt inevitable after a blocked punt narrowed the deficit to six points with a quarter and a half to play.

    The UCLA offense shook off the setback and scored on its next two drives, with quarterback Nico Iamaleava posting big runs on both series. He ultimately finished with 166 yards and two touchdowns on 17-of-24 passing plus 128 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground, the kind of performance many were expecting when he arrived in Los Angeles after a controversial transfer from Tennessee.

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    Penn State still got a chance to even the score or take the lead in the final two minutes with a fourth-down stop in UCLA territory. Then they got stopped on their fourth-down attempt at the UCLA 9-yard line.

    UCLA gained nothing on its final drive while Penn State used all three of its timeouts, opening up the chance at the rare intentional safety to burn precious seconds off the clock. It worked, leaving only 12 seconds for Penn State to take shots at the end zone from its own territory.

    Fittingly, the Penn State special teams unit appeared surprised by the safety, waiting to rush the punter.

    The level of disaster here is unfathomable for Penn State head coach James Franklin. For so long, the narrative for his program has been coming up short in big games (e.g. last week) while steadily beating lesser teams (e.g. UCLA) to always ensure a positive record. There’s no telling what Penn State does from here, but they at least get another favorable game next week, at home vs. Northwestern.



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  • Zaon Laney runs for 143 yards and 2 scores in New Haven’s 28-14 win over Division II opponent

    Zaon Laney runs for 143 yards and 2 scores in New Haven’s 28-14 win over Division II opponent


    WEST HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — Zaon Laney rushed for 143 yards, scoring twice, and New Haven defeated Pace 28-14 on Saturday.

    Pace opened the game with a 70-yard touchdown pass from Ethan Coady to Elizjah Lewis on the first play from scrimmage. Not to be outdone, New Haven’s Jalen Smith returned the ensuing kickoff 85 yards to set up Laney’s first touchdown, tying the score.

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    Laney’s second touchdown made the score 13-7 after the first quarter. An 8-yard touchdown pass from AJ Duffy to Evan Chieca followed by a short Liam Quigley field goal made it 22-7 at halftime. Quigley added two more field goals in the third quarter.

    Lewis caught a 16-yard pass from Luke Porcaro for Pace’s other score.

    Duffy completed 19 of 24 passes for 142 yards for the Chargers (3-3).

    Coady threw for 232 yards for Division II Pace (0-6) and Lewis had 137 receiving yards to go with his two touchdowns.

    ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football



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  • D.C. United picks up 2 straight red cards in first 30 minutes of 1-0 loss to Charlotte FC

    D.C. United picks up 2 straight red cards in first 30 minutes of 1-0 loss to Charlotte FC


    The cards were flying on Saturday as D.C. United took on Charlotte FC at home. In a stunning turn, D.C. United picked up two straight red cards in the first half, losing two players within a nine-minute span.

    In the 21st minute, goalkeeper Luis Barraza went to grab the ball to keep Charlotte from a dangerous situation, but got his hands on it about a foot outside the goal box. The action, under PRO rules, is considered a denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, or DOGSO.

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    DC was also forced to burn an early substitute, taking out starting defender David Schnegg to bring on backup goalkeeper Jordan Farr.

    Then, in the 30th minute, winger Aaron Herrera got a red of his own. Herrera got tangled up with Charlotte star forward Wilifred Zaha while the two grappled for the ball, with Zaha eventually ending up on the ground.

    Herrera and Zaha started bickering as a result of the contact, with Herrera headbutting Zaha right in the chest during the row — another straight red card offense, categorized as violent conduct.

    Charlotte was awarded a free kick as a result of the red. After some passing, Zaha curled the ball into the net to give Charlotte a 1-0 lead in the 33rd minute.

    D.C. then had to play with only nine players on the field for the rest of the game, playing more than 60 minutes down two men.

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    Though there weren’t any more reds, the game stayed a little chippy after that: Two more players, Charlotte defender Nathan Byrne and 21-year-old D.C. midfielder Jackson Hopkins were given yellow cards before the end of halftime. In the second half, D.C. substitute Jared Stroud, Zaha and Charlotte midfielder Eryk Williamson were also carded.

    A win against Charlotte was a bit of a long shot for D.C., who sits dead last in the Eastern Conference and has the worst record in all of MLS. Charlotte, meanwhile, is sitting in third place, within a few games of the top spot in the conference.



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  • Cincinnati runs all over No. 14 Iowa State in first half, goes over the top to clinch upset in fourth quarter

    Cincinnati runs all over No. 14 Iowa State in first half, goes over the top to clinch upset in fourth quarter


    Cincinnati poured in more than 600 yards against FCS Northwestern State. The Bearcats eclipsed that mark again to open Big 12 play while pulling off a dramatic victory over Kansas.

    Their offense couldn’t be stopped in the first half Saturday against No. 14 Iowa State, either.

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    The Cyclones entered Cincinnati’s Nippert Stadium undefeated. They had trailed just 28 seconds the entire year and allowed 14.2 points per game over their 5-0 start.

    Then Cincinnati spun Iowa State around and thrust itself into the Big 12 title conversation.

    The Bearcats (4-1, 2-0 Big 12) scored on all five of their first-half possessions, piling up four touchdowns and 342 yards along the way. Iowa State (5-1, 2-1) threatened a comeback, at one point turning a 24-point deficit into a 9-point game in the second half, but Cincinnati held on to win 38-30.

    Cincinnati rode a three-pronged rushing attack to victory. Running back Evan Pryor led the way with 111 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Tawee Walker wasn’t far behind with 89 yards on the ground.

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    Quarterback Brendan Sorsby found paydirt with a 20-yard keeper that put the Bearcats up 31-7 late in the second quarter. He put Iowa State away in the fourth quarter with a touchdown pass to speedster Caleb Goodie, who caught a deep ball and raced for an 82-yard, catch-and-run score.

    Sorsby entered the day ranked sixth among all FBS players in total offense. He accounted for 278 yards against Iowa State, throwing for 214 yards and rushing for 64 more.

    Both of Iowa State’s first-half touchdowns arrived on quarterback runs, which bookended the second quarter. Rocco Becht cut back for a 14-yard score on the first play of the frame and then surged forward for a 4-yard score on an untimed down just before intermission.

    His second trip to the end zone followed a defensive pass interference penalty that extended the first half. Becht, who missed a play the previous drive after he was the victim of face mask and targeting penalties on a flag-ridden sack, made the most of the opportunity for points. The Cyclones dove into their bag of tricks for a two-point conversion that made it a 31-15 game at halftime.

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    Becht finished 30 of 48 for 314 yards through the air to go along with his four total touchdowns.

    The first of his two passing scores came on a 11-yard throw to wide receiver Brett Eskildsen midway through the third quarter.

    Becht’s second aerial touchdown strike was too little, too late. After Goodie took the top off Iowa State’s defense, Becht converted three fourth downs: a fourth-and-5, a fourth-and-11 and a fourth-and-goal that saw him fire a three-yard score to wideout Chase Sowell.

    Although 6-foot-7 tight end Benjamin Brahmer played some basketball in the end zone for a two-point conversion reception, the Cyclones’ onside kick was easily recovered by Cincinnati.

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    Kicking didn’t do Iowa State any favors Saturday. Walk-on Chase Smith also pushed a 35-yard field goal right in the second quarter, rendering a 14-play, 58-yard drive that took up 7:12 of clock obsolete.

    Iowa State began Saturday with the second-fewest penalties per game (2.6) and third-fewest penalty yards per game (22.6) in the country this season.

    But Matt Campbell’s team committed eight penalties for 60 yards against Cincinnati. Campbell himself was called for unsportsmanlike conduct after Becht’s third-and-7 pass fell incomplete and Iowa State went three-and-out on its first drive of the fourth quarter.

    Cincinnati had a bunch of dirty laundry, too. The Bearcats were flagged 13 times for 128 yards. Plus, Walker fumbled an option pitch in the third quarter.

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    But timely fourth-down stops and a fourth-quarter haymaker that saw Goodie reel in a deep ball and sprint for six proved sufficient for the Bearcats, who dominated the first half.

    Cincinnati fans stormed the field, celebrating a team that’s suddenly demanding attention in the Big 12.



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  • Milwaukee Brewers just short of MLB playoff record in NLDS Game 1 vs. Chicago Cubs

    Milwaukee Brewers just short of MLB playoff record in NLDS Game 1 vs. Chicago Cubs


    Milwaukee Brewers just short of MLB playoff record in NLDS Game 1 vs. Chicago Cubs
    originally appeared on The Sporting News

    The team that scored the second most runs in Major League Baseball did what they do best on Saturday afternoon. In Game 1 of the NLDS, the Milwaukee Brewers scored in the first two innings to jump out to a 9-1 lead after two innings.

    That nearly broke the record of the St. Louis Cardinals from 2019. They scored 10 runs in the first two innings in a win over the Atlanta Braves.

    The Cubs were forced to use three pitchers during the first two innings. Matthew Boyd retired just two batters, allowing four hits and six runs. Michael Soroka went an inning and allowed five hits and two runs. Aaron Civale came into the game with two outs in the second inning.

    His first batter was Jackson Chourio. After a single and a double in the first inning, the 21-year-old reached on an infield single to third base to make it 9-1. Chourio was forced to leave the game following that play with an injury. Bryce Turang then struck out to end the inning.

    MORE: Chicago Cubs vs. Milwaukee Brewers: every game that fueled the 2025 rivalry

    Game two of the best-of-five series will come on Sunday. The series will remain in Milwaukee before they head to Chicago for Game 3, and a potential Game 4.

    More MLB News:



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  • ESPN’s Tim Legler says Rockets are on the short list in the West with Durant leading the way

    ESPN’s Tim Legler says Rockets are on the short list in the West with Durant leading the way


    On October 21st, the spotlight will fall on two superstars at opposite ends of their careers. Kevin Durant, now 37, faces Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, ten years his junior, in Oklahoma City. The night doubles as the Thunder’s championship banner-raising ceremony, a moment both triumphant and bittersweet.

    For Durant, who averaged a career-best 32 points per game in his sixth season with OKC back in 2013–14, the banner symbolizes a title he couldn’t deliver. For Gilgeous-Alexander, it’s the crowning achievement of his own sixth year, a signature breakthrough that elevated him among the league’s elite. While the crowd celebrates, Durant can only watch as the opposition when the banner ascends inside Paycom Center.

    The drama stretches beyond nostalgia. Houston has emerged as a legitimate challenger to Oklahoma City in the West, thanks to Durant’s late-career arrival and the steady leadership of coach Ime Udoka. I caught up with ESPN’s Tim Legler, who believes the Rockets are ready to make that push.

    “Ima Udoka has proven he’s a top tier coach in this league. He’s a guy who can mold a team to take on his personality. A year ago, he didn’t have a proven offensive answer in terms of his personnel. He has it now in Durant. The Van Fleet loss is big, but the Rockets are going to be on the short list of teams that can be the last one standing in the West.”

    Legler feels Durant can still deliver at the highest level. “I expect K.D. to do what he’s always done. He’ll score against any defense and do it efficiently. I don’t think he needs to average 27-30 points a night with this roster and the defensive identity of their team. So that might help him stay healthy. If he drops say 25 a night, he’s still a candidate for 1st team all-league, assuming the Rockets stay top 3 in the West.”

    Ultimately, Houston’s fortunes may ultimately hinge on Amen Thompson’s rapid rise.

    “Amen is going to be a super star. It’s just a matter of when. He’s already top 5 defensively in the NBA. Now with the added ball responsibilities, he can really flourish as an all-around player. He needs to keep extending his range and confidence beyond 20 feet. If he adds that dimension to his game, he’ll be a dominant force every night.”

    As Durant enters the twilight of his career and Gilgeous-Alexander sits atop the league’s current throne, the West has rarely looked more competitive. For the Rockets, their window to climb is wide open, and Legler believes they belong among the few who can finish the climb.

    More NBA News: 





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  • You make the call: Did officials wrongly call an incomplete pass after UNC DB Marcus Allen’s apparent interception?

    You make the call: Did officials wrongly call an incomplete pass after UNC DB Marcus Allen’s apparent interception?


    Did North Carolina defensive back Marcus Allen get robbed of an interception in the first quarter against Clemson?

    Allen appeared to intercept Cade Klubnik in the end zone when he snatched the ball away from Clemson wide receiver Bryant Wesco Jr. Wesco got his hands on the ball as the two fell to the ground out of the back of the end zone but Allen appeared to retain control the entire time. Take a look.

    Officials conferred after the play and didn’t call it an interception or a touchdown catch. Instead, they agreed the pass was incomplete even though the ball never hit the ground.

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    The play was quickly reviewed by the ACC’s replay command center, though the call on the field was upheld with no further explanation. Saturday’s game on ESPN was not one of the ACC games with a live look into the review process for fans, so those watching on TV were unable to hear why the call on the field wasn’t changed to an interception.

    ESPN rules analyst Jerry McGinn said on the broadcast that it was clear to him that Allen had control of the ball with his foot down in the end zone. After the play was upheld, McGinn speculated that officials determined that no player had clear control of the ball when Allen and Wesco were out of bounds.

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    North Carolina trailed 21-3 when the play happened and instead of getting the ball at the 20-yard line via a touchback, Clemson retained possession. And sure enough, the Tigers scored four plays later for a 25-point lead.



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  • Is Chelsea vs Liverpool on TV today? Kick-off time, channel and how to watch Premier League fixture

    Is Chelsea vs Liverpool on TV today? Kick-off time, channel and how to watch Premier League fixture


    Chelsea host Liverpool in the Premier League with both sides looking to bounce back from a couple of disappointing results in recent days.

    The champions travel to the capital having lost back-to-back matches for just the second time under Arne Slot, with the Dutchman facing perhaps the first major test of his tenure as he attempts to balance a squad that includes five major summer signings.

    Meanwhile, Chelsea’s win over Benfica in midweek eased some of the pressure on Enzo Maresca, with the Italian facing some (perhaps undeserved) questioning after successive losses to Manchester United and Brighton.

    The Blues are without a win in the Premier League since 30 August though, and while Liverpool still lead the Premier League ahead of the weekend’s fixtures, a loss for either side tonight could provoke an uncomfortable international break for each manager, albeit for different reasons

    When is Chelsea vs Liverpool?

    The match is scheduled to take place on Saturday, 4 October at Stamford Bridge in London. Kick-off is set for 5.30pm BST.

    How can I watch it?

    Viewers in the UK can watch the match on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League, with coverage starting at 5pm BST on both channels. Subscribers can also stream the match online via NOWTV. If you’re not a Sky customer, you can grab a NOWTV Day Pass to watch without a subscription.

    Confirmed line-ups

    Chelsea XI: Sanchez; Gusto, Acheampong, Badiashile, Cucurella, James; Enzo, Caicedo; Garnacho, Pedro, Neto.

    Liverpool XI: Mamardashvili; Bradley, Konate, van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Mac Allister; Salah, Isak, Gakpo

    Team news

    Josh Acheampong starts alongside Benoit Badiashile in defence for Chelsea, with Malo Gusto, Marc Cucurella and Reece James all starting too. Is that a back-five? Enzo Maresca also goes with Alejandro Garnacho and Pedro Neto either side of Joao Pedro. Estevao is on the bench and Cole Palmer is among the injury absences.

    This match will come too soon for Palmer and Tosin Adarabioyo, who will likely be out until after the international break. However, Andrey Santos and Wesley Fofana could return to the squad after short-term injury lay-offs. Trevoh Chalobah is suspended after his red card against Brighton, while Levi Colwill, Dario Essugo and Liam Deal remain the longer-term absentees.

    Liverpool boss Arne Slot has already ruled out Alisson after the Brazilian was forced to come off in the loss to Galatasaray. Florian Wirtz drops to the bench as Arne Slot turns to his midfield three from last season, with Dominik Szoboszlai moved from right back and starting next to Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister. Conor Bradley starts, and Hugo Ekitike is fit enough for the bench. Alexander Isak leads the line.



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  • BSU volleyball snaps six-match losing streak in victory over Minot State

    BSU volleyball snaps six-match losing streak in victory over Minot State


    BEMIDJI — Snapping a six-match losing streak never felt so good for the Bemidji State volleyball team.

    In the Battle of the Beavers against Minot State, BSU cruised to a 3-1 win, its first in NSIC competition this season.

    While MSU started out on the right foot with a 25-22 win in the first set, it lost steam in the next three sets. The Beavers never let Minot State get close in 25-19, 25-16 and 25-19 wins to claim the match.

    Lily Riese led BSU with 17 kills. Ava Athman led the team in aces with three, while Karley Dunham led in blocks with seven. Madison Tripp led in assists with 27, and Jada Wlodarczyk led in digs with 13.

    Our newsroom sometimes reports stories under the byline “Pioneer Staff Report.” This byline is used when reporters rewrite basic news briefs that originate from official sources, such as an email or press release that requires little or no reporting.

    Other times, this byline is used when a news story includes numerous authors or when the story is formed by aggregating previously reported news from various sources. If outside sources are used, it is noted within the story.

    For questions about a staff report, call (218) 333-9796 or email news@bemidjipioneer.com.





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