CHICO AND PV GIRLS MEET FOR SECTION TITLE

     The Chico High Girls Basketball (26-4) team will meet the Pleasant Valley Vikings (22-8) for the Division III North Section Championship Friday night at 6pm at Butte College.

     The Panther girls easily disposed of Enterprise 59-28 on Tuesday night while the Vikings beat host Foothill 59-48 setting up the title tilt.

     Chico has beaten the Vikings twice this year but will need a third to sweep the season series and secure the Championship.

CHICO AND PV BOYS MEET IN 2ND ROUND OF HOOPS PLAYOFFS

     Rivalry renewed at The Pit on the Chico High campus tonight as the Chico High boys (16-10) takes on the Pleasant Valley Vikings (14-14) for the right to play in the Section Title Game on Friday night.

SUPER BOWL LX IS HERE

      A heralded defense vs. an underrated one. A celebrated second-year quarterback vs. a veteran QB who has gone from perceived bust to beloved. An All-Pro wide receiver vs. one of the NFL’s best young cornerbacks.

     This year’s Super Bowl matchup between the New England Patriots (17-3) and Seattle Seahawks (16-3) is all about contrasts.

     And it starts with the coaches who will lead their teams onto the field.

     Being a part of the final game of the NFL season is nothing new for Patriots coach Mike Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls as a player with New England.

     Vrabel, 50, can become the fifth person in NFL history to win the Super Bowl as both a player and a head coach, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Mike Ditka, Tony Dungy and Tom Flores as well as Doug Pederson.

    He’ll match wits with 38-year-old Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald, who is in his first Super Bowl in just his second year in Seattle.

     While this technically is a rematch of Super Bowl 49, won by the Patriots in dramatic fashion thanks to Malcolm Butler’s interception of Russell Wilson, this is certainly a new era for both teams.

     New England’s season has a Cinderella-like feel to it, but the belief and trust that Vrabel’s players have in him is very real. They feel like they are taking the field with a guy who gets what they’ve gone through.

     And that could be the thing that gets this Patriots team over the hump.

     The Seahawks, meanwhile, dominated this season in a way that they expected of themselves. En route to rattling off the most regular-season wins in franchise history, Seattle nicknamed its defense the “Dark Side.”

     The confidence this group exudes is abundantly clear, whether it be in practices, games or media availabilities.

     For Seattle, this Super Bowl is not a shot at redemption for 11 years ago; rather, it is a chance to separate itself as one of the best teams in franchise history.

CHICO STATE BASEBALL SOLVES HITTING WOES IN 11-0 ROUT OF POINT LOMA 

     The Chico State baseball team was mired in a befuddling season opening slump. Through their first six games of the season the Wildcats were hitting .238 as a team, only .200 with runners on base and a woeful 5-for-47 with runners in scoring position. Even more alarming were their struggles to get any extra base hits, managing only four extra base hits in six games.

     That all changed on Saturday afternoon as Chico scored 11 runs in their first three innings and banging out seven hits with runners in scoring position in an 11-0 win over west region powerhouse Point Loma. Despite losing three-out-of-four in the series the Wildcats head into a four game series next Friday against Western Oregon with new-found confidence after their offensive onslaught on Saturday.

     The Wildcats wer led by senior Jesse Gadd who went 3-for-3 with 5 RBI. Six Chico State pitchers combined on the six-hit shut-out as Wildcat hurlers kept the Sea Lion potent offense in check surrenderring only two walks in the shut-out. 

     With the win the Wildcats are now 2-5 on the season, while Point Loma falls to 4-3. Chico will host Western Oregon in a four game series next week with a double-header on KpaySports 1290 & 102.9 beginning at 1:45pm on Friday, a single-game on 93.9 KPAY on Saturday at 1:45pm and a single game on KpaySports 1290 & 102.9 at 11:45am on Sunday.

WILDCAT WOMEN STOP SKID WHILE MEN FALL IN MERCED

CHICO WOMEN 83-73 WIN

CHICO MEN FALL 86-76

      It has been a long three weeks for the Chico State women's basketball team. They not only lost possibly their most impactful player to a knee injury (Meadow Aragon) but the team has been besieged by what is begrudgingly being called the "yuckity yucks" with congestion, flu-like symptoms, fevers and coughs matriculating it's way through the squad, the Wildcats have been swallowed up by a four-game losing streak that has seen them fall from a first place tie, to a tie for 3rd in the CCAA. 

     After falling to last place Stanislaus on Thursday one had to wonder what was in store for the Wildcats on Saturday in Merced. The hot-shooting Wildcats would build a double-digit lead seeing it balloon to 26 points early in the 4th quarter only to see Merced stage a furious 4th quarter rally going on a 19-0 run and cutting the lead to seven with just over 4 minutes to go. But, Chico right the ship and hang for the 83-73 win. 

     Madison Parry led Chico with 22 points 13 rebounds and 4 assists. Kamil Reid scored 18 points on 8-for-12 shooting. 

DIVISION II & III HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL 

CHAMPIONSHIPS HIGHLIGHT A BUSY SATURDAY 

          After a 1-9 season the Chico High Panther Football team is now one win away from an improbably Division II North Section Championship as they host the Foothill Cougars on Saturday night.

          Chico beat Foothill on Halloween night 7-6. Foothill held a 6-0 lead late in the 4th quarter but a botched punt was recovered by Chico with under four minutes to go and the Panthers would punch it in with just over two minutes left. After converting the extra point Chico would hold on for the win. It's that victory that is allowing the Panthers to host this Division II title game at home.

         Game time is set for 7pm at the Chico High Stadium.

         It's been a magical season for the Gridley Bulldogs. But, to punch their ticket to a Division III Section Title they will need to beat a team and program that has been the class of Division III for several years running. The Orland Trojans are looking for their second straight section title and bring a 10-2 record to the championship game. A hallmark of the Trojan program is taking a step up in class during the preseason to prepare them for games in late November. Gridley beat Orland on October 10th 29-26. This game should be a thriller. Kick-off at 7pm.

         The Chico State men's basketball team is looking to turn the page after a sub-par performance against Simpson University on Wednesday. Chico gave up 76 points to the Redhawks on 53 percent shooting while only shooting 30 percent in their 76-60 loss. With the loss Chico falls to 1-2 with this being their final tune-up before CCAA play begins next Thursday. You can hear Chico and St. Martin's on KpaySports 1290 & 102.9 FM as well as the KpaySports app.

NINERS STUN RAMS IN OT

     The 49ers made a stop on fourth down and held off the Los Angeles Rams 26-23 in overtime on Thursday Night Football.  Mac Jones completed 33-of-49 pass attempts for 342 yards and two touchdowns while filling in for injured starter Brock Purdy.  Kendrick Bourne had 10 receptions for 142 yards while Christian McCaffrey totaled 139 all-purpose yards and a receiving TD.  Eddy Pineiro kicked the game-winning 41-yard field goal in OT to help the NFC West-leading Niners improve to 4-and-1.  They visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week Six.

(Indianapolis, IN)  --  The Raiders are aiming for their first win since Week One.  Las Vegas will visit the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday morning at Lucas Oil Stadium.  Tight end Brock Bowers and linebacker Brennan Jackson did not participate in yesterday's practice.  Defensive end Maxx Crosby, tight end Michael Mayer, wide receiver Justin Shorter and cornerback Eric Stokes were limited during the session.  The Raiders are at the bottom of the AFC West at 1-and-3.

(Undated)  --  One former 49er and a handful of former Raiders have advanced as senior nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2026.  Former San Francisco and Raiders running back Roger Craig is among 52 remaining senior candidates for the class.  He is joined by fellow former Raiders Lester Hayes, Albert Lewis, Matt Millen and Art Powell.  The list will continue to be narrowed over the next few weeks.

(Las Vegas, NV)  --  The Sharks are back on the ice for more preseason action.  San Jose visits the Vegas Golden Knights tonight in Sin City.  The Sharks are 1-3-and-0 in exhibition play.  They close out the preseason on the road against the Utah Mammoth tomorrow evening.

(Undated)  --  The NBA preseason is tipping off.  The Warriors host the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday evening in San Francisco.  Jonathan Kuminga made his first comments since re-signing with Golden State earlier this week and said that he is happy to be back with the team and his focus is on helping the team win this season.  In other preseason action, the Kings host the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night in Sacramento.

      After a tough loss last week the Pleasant Valley Vikings football team takes a week off to get ready for league play. The Vikings will open EAL play against the undeafeated Spartans of Red Bluff on the road. That game next Friday at Red Bluff High.

      Chico High puts their 4-0 record on the line as they take on Elk Grove on the road. The Panthers have rattled off wins against Nevada Union, Antelope, Yuba City and Ukiah. They will open EAL play at home against Enterprise next Friday.

     Orland will take a week off after their 35-14 loss to Red Bluff last week. The Trojans have had an impressive 4-1 start to their season taking on a couple of bigger schools and holding their own. The Trojans open Butte View League play against Gridley next week.

     Gridley enters their game tonight against Willows at 4-0 after squeaking by Paradise last week 7-3. The Bulldogs look to enter Butte View league play at 5-0 with a win tonight.

     Biggs is looking to bounce back after two tough losses. The Wolverines are 2-3 on the season. They host Quincy tonight at 7:30pm

     Los Molinos opens Mid-Valley league play against Williams in their homecoming game. The Bulldogs are 3-2 coming off a 42-6 win over Portola last week. Kickoff at 7:30.

     Hamilton is rolling they are 5-0 after a 55-0 win over Quincy. They will take on Portola tonight at 7:30pm.

     Our high school football game of the week is on the farm in Durham as the Trojans host the Paradise Bobcats. Durham coming off of a 32-8 Sac Valley League loss to Winters while Paradise fell to Gridley. We will have the game for at 7:30pm tonight from Durham on our sister station KpaySports 1290/102.9 FM.

     Chico State men's and women's soccer opens up CCAA play this afternoon and tonight as they host Dominguez Hills. The men enter 2-3-1 while the women open CCAA action at 2-3-2. The men play at 4:30 while the women are on the pitch at 7. Both teams will host Cal State San Marcos on Sunday with the men at 11:30 and women at 2pm 

     Chico State Volleyball is on the road to continue CCAA playthey are 4-7 overall and 0-4 in conference. Chico had a near miss against UC Merced last Saturday falling in five sets and losing in the decisive last set 15-13. Chico will play Dominguez Hills at the Torodome tonight at 5pm and Cal State LosAngeles tomorrow at 5pm.

CHICO HIGH PANTHER FOOTBALL MOVES TO 3-0 AS PV FALLS AT HOME

     The 49ers remained unbeaten early in the season.  San Francisco defeated the Saints 26-21 in New Orleans.  Mac Jones completed 26-of-39 passes for 279 yards and three touchdowns while filling in for injured starter Brock Purdy.  Jauan Jennings had five catches for 89 yards and a TD.  Christian McCaffrey totaled 107 all-purpose yards and found the end zone through the air.  The 49ers are 2-and-0.  They host the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday afternoon.

     (Las Vegas, NV)  --  The Raiders are taking the field for a primetime matchup.  Las Vegas will host the Los Angeles Chargers tonight on Monday Night Football at Allegiant Stadium.  Right guard Jackson Powers-Johnson has already been ruled out for the game while tight end Brock Bowers is listed as questionable for the AFC West clash.  The Raiders enter the game at 1-and-0.

     (San Francisco, CA)  --  The Giants capped off the weekend with a second straight loss.  San Francisco fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-2 in the finale of a three-game set at Oracle Park.  Wilmer Flores and Casey Schmitt each had an RBI in the setback.  Starting pitcher Robbie Ray was charged with his seventh loss after allowing five runs through four frames.  The Giants are 75-and-74.  They visit the Arizona Diamondbacks tonight.

     (Sacramento, CA)  --  The Athletics completed a sweep of the Reds at home.  The A's defeated Cincinnati 7-4 in the finale of a three-game series in Sacramento.  Nick Kurtz, Brent Rooker, Colby Thomas and Jacob Wilson each homered and combined for six RBIs.  Starting pitcher Luis Morales earned his fourth win and Michael Kelly recorded his first save as the A's improved to 70-and-80.  They visit the Boston Red Sox tomorrow afternoon.

     (Minneapolis, MN)  --  The Valkyries started out the postseason with a loss.  Golden State fell to the Minnesota Lynx 101-72 in Game One of their first round series in Minneapolis.  Veronica Burton and Cecilia Zandalasini tied with a team-high 14 points in the losing effort.  The Valkyries will host the Lynx for Game Two on Wednesday night.

The Pleasant Valley Vikings fall to Spanish Springs high from Sparks Nevada

on Friday night.

Cougars QB Tyler McNeil goes 29-of-43 for 417 yards with 6 TD's

Brady Hummel 9-112 and 2TD

Jackson Sundeen 8-174 and 2TD

PV's QB Brayden Wynkoop throws for 259 yards and TDbut the Vikings struggled running the ball...rushing for only 61 yards

and averaging only 2.3 yards a carry.

PV falls to 1-2 and will host Tracy this Friday night. You can hear the game on KpaySports 1290/102.9 FM

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Chico High crusing to an easy 26-6 win over Yuba City on Friday

night.

Chico racks up 205 yards on the ground with Zavion Patrick rushing 12 times for 86 yards.

Henry Heckathorn had 3 catches 98 yards and a TD

Chico is now 3-0 on the season and they travel to Ukiah next Saturday night to play at 7pm

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Orland 47-0 win over Willows battle for the AXE Trojans rush for 286 yards and score 5 TD's 

They are now 3-0

Las Plumas 2-0 with a 21-14 win over Anderson LP runs for 204 yards in the win

Durham gets a 44-6 win over Oroville.

Durham is now 2-1 on the season while Orovilledrops to 0-3

Corning with another dominant win as they beat Central Valley 62-24. Corning has now scored at  least 40 points in all three of their wins to move to 3-0. Cardinals will take on Red Bluff next Friday night.

Gridley moves to 2-0 with a hard fought 21-20 win over Winters. The Bulldogs are at Colusa next Friday night.

Paradise was a winner as they down Live Oak 33-27. First win of the year for the Bobcats.

Biggs is now 2-1 with a 27-0 win over Highlands.

They will be on the farm at Durham next Friday night in a battle of 2-1 teams.

The Hamilton Braves are now 3-0 as they run for  296 yards in their 37-2 win over Trinity. Mateo  Cardenas had two receiving TD's

Hamilton will take on the Pershing County Mustangs from Lovelock Nevada next Friday night. 

Los Molinos had a BYE....they will be hosting Anderson next Friday

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Butte College Roadrunners move to 3-0 with a 34-14 win over SF College.

Butte took advantage of 21 San Francisco penalties that cost them 206 yards. 

ROADRUNNERS LOOK TO MAKE IT TWO STRAIGHT TO OPEN SEASON

PLEASANT VALLEY ON THE ROAD; BOBCATS HOST LP

     Butte College Roadrunners are 1-0 and they hit the road as they take on Laney College in Oakland tonight. Roadrunners coming off a 38-7 win over Reedley.

        Butte outgained Reedley by nearly 200 yards.....had 5 sacks and 6 different receivers had catches. Game time tonight is 5:30pm

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Pleasant Valley @ Inderkum (SAC) 7:15pm 

Chico BYE

Las Plumas @ Paradise 7:30pm

Trinity @ Durham 7:30pm

Central Valley @ Oroville 7:30pm

Orland @ Kelseyville 7pm

Gridley BYE

Redding Christian @ Biggs 7:30pm

Esparto @ Los Molinos 7pm

Willows @ Hamilton 7:30pm

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     It did not take long for the Chico State men's soccer team to get on the scoreboard, but in the end Western Washington would find a way to play the Wildcats to a 1-1 draw....scoring a goal in the 81st minute while playing a man-down. 

     Dane Peterson scored for Chico State 21 seconds into the contest. But the Vikings Jack Hagel scored playing short-handed in the 81st minute to secure the draw. Western out-shot the Wildcats 12-8. Chico will host Seattle Pacific at Noon tomorrow at University Soccer Stadium.

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     The Chico State women open the season in Hawaii as they will take on Hawaii Hilo today 3:30pm and Chaminade on Sunday. It opens the 25th and final season for Chico's legendary head coach Kim Sutton who will be retiring at the end of the year....

     The Wildcat Volleyball opens the year at the Fresno Pacific tournament. They will play two matches today against Menlo at 2pm and host Fresno Pacific at 7pm. Chico rounds out play tomorrow at 11:30am against Westmont.

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  The 49ers have added their superstar running back to the injury report prior to the start of the regular season.  San Francisco tailback Christian McCaffrey was added to the list Thursday because of a calf issue.  McCaffrey was limited during the team's practice on Thursday.  The 29-year-old sat out most of 2024 training camp while dealing with a calf injury that was later described as bilateral Achilles tendinitis.  The three-time Pro Bowler finished last season with 202 rushing yards and 146 receiving yards in four games played.

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More changes are coming to college football.  The NCAA FBS Oversight Committee voted Thursday to move to a January transfer window and eliminate the spring window.  The proposed lone transfer window would be a 10-day period that opens one day after the College Football Playoff quarterfinals are completed.  The Division One Administrative Committee must approve the legislative changes before it can take affect.  A vote is expected to occur before October.  

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The defending Super Bowl champion Eagles opened the NFL season with a 24-20 victory over the Cowboys.  Jalen Hurts threw for 152 yards and ran for a pair of touchdowns.  The first week of the season continues Friday night with the Chargers taking on the Chiefs in Sao Paulo.  On Sunday, the new-look Packers are hosting the Lions, the Rams host the Texans, and the Bills host the Ravens in primetime.  Week One wraps up Monday night with the Bears hosting the Vikings.  

(Santa Clara, CA)  --  The 49ers have added their superstar running back to the injury report prior to the start of the regular season.  San Francisco tailback Christian McCaffrey was added to the list Thursday because of a calf issue.  McCaffrey was limited during the team's practice on Thursday.  The 29-year-old sat out most of 2024 training camp while dealing with a calf injury that was later described as bilateral Achilles tendinitis.  The three-time Pro Bowler finished last season with 202 rushing yards and 146 receiving yards in four games played.

(Undated)  --  A couple former Jets teammates could reconnect for the first time on Sunday.  Wide receiver Garrett Wilson said Thursday that he hasn't kept in touch with veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers since he left New York for Pittsburgh.  Wilson, who caught 98 passes from Rodgers in 2024, mentioned that the two haven't spoken with each other since the departure, but he wishes Rodgers "the best this season."  The Jets host the Steelers in their season opener on Sunday.

(Philadelphia, PA)  --  The NFL rich nearly got richer.  ESPN reports the Eagles made a strong push to trade for former Cowboys gamewrecker Micah Parsons.  Dallas had no interest in trading the pass rusher within their own division, especially to the defending Super Bowl champions.  Parsons was eventually dealt to the Packers for a pair of first-round picks and defensive lineman Kenny Clark.

(Undated)  --  Week two of the college football season is underway.  Number 13 Michigan will face 24th-ranked Oklahoma in Norman in the lone Top 25 matchup of the week.  The two college football powerhouses have not played since the 1976 Orange Bowl.  Three more ranked teams are hitting the road for games, as number 10 Arizona State will face Mississippi State, 12th-ranked Illinois will take on Duke and number 14 Ole Miss meets Kentucky to open SEC play.  Rivalries will be renewed around the country, as number 18 Iowa State will host Iowa as they play for the Cy-Hawk Trophy, and Baylor will host number 16 SMU for their first matchup in nine years of a rivalry that began 125 years ago.

(Undated)  --  Bill Belichick isn't ready to do any favors for his former team.  According to ESPN, the North Carolina head football coach has banned the New England Patriots' staff from accessing the Tar Heels' program.  UNC football general manager Michael Lombardi and pro liaison Frantzy Jourdain informed the Patriots they would be banned from the program the day before one of their scouts was scheduled to visit in August.  

(Undated)  --  More changes are coming to college football.  The NCAA FBS Oversight Committee voted Thursday to move to a January transfer window and eliminate the spring window.  The proposed lone transfer window would be a 10-day period that opens one day after the College Football Playoff quarterfinals are completed.  The Division One Administrative Committee must approve the legislative changes before it can take affect.  A vote is expected to occur before October.  

(Undated)  --  Caitlin Clark's season is officially over.  The Fever guard announced via social media on Thursday that she will miss the remainder of the 2025 WNBA season.  She has been sidelined since July 15th with a right groin injury, and also suffered a bone bruise at a later date during her recovery process.  Clark appeared in 13 games during the regular season, and helped lead Indiana to the Commissioner's Cup title. 

(Madison, IL)  --  The NASCAR Cup Series playoffs roll on this Sunday.  The Round of 16 resumes at World Wide Technology Raceway as the field battles in the Enjoy Illinois 300 from Madison.  Chase Briscoe is through to the next round after securing a victory at Darlington last weekend.  Joey Logano, Austin Dillon, Alex Bowman and Josh Berry are on the bubble.  Four drivers will be eliminated after next weekend's race. 

(Queens, NY)  --  The women's Final is set at the US Open.  Top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka defeated fourth-seeded American Jessica Pegula in a three-set battle to advance to her third straight US Open Final.  In the other semifinal match, eighth-seeded American Amanda Anisimova took down 23rd-seeded Naomi Osaka in three sets to advance.  Sabalenka will defend her tournament title against Anisimova when they go head-to-head on Saturday.  On the men's side on Friday, second-seeded Carlos Alcaraz takes on seventh-seeded Novak Djokovic, while top-seeded Jannik Sinner will challenge 25th-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime.  The winners will square off in the Final on Sunday.

PLEASANT VALLEY AND CHICO HIGH WITH BLOWOUT WINS TO OPEN THE 2025 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SEASON

          It's a tradition like no other.....Pleasant Valley Viking Football under head coach Mark Cooley scheduling a very difficult out of league early season schedule and then playing their best football by the end of the year. The Vikings got the season off to a great start with a 41-21 win over Central Catholic High in Modesto on Friday night. 

          The Chico High Panthers also had their way with a non-league opponent easily handling Nevada Union 42-13 at Chico High. Both the Panthers and Vikings hope it springboards them into a successful 2025 campaign.

          Most teams in the North Valley will get their seasons started next week. KpaySports will be broadcasting live from Om Wraith Field on the campus of Paradise High when the Bobcats take on powerhouse Orland. We will be on the air at 7pm on Friday night.

         Tonight 100-thousand dollars is up for grabs in the 40-lap main event at the Silver Dollar Speedway as four days of racing culminates with the Gold Cup Championship. Drivers have been qualifying for the last two days to gain entry in this main event race tonight. 

          The Giants continue to struggle falling seven games under .500 with a 5-4 walk-off loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. Former Brewer Willy Adames hit two home runs fo the Giants but it was Willam Contreras who hit a two-out walk off home run in the bottom of the 9th giving the Brewers a 5-4 win over the Giants. San Francisco now sits at 61-68 while the Brewers have the best record in baseball at 81-48 and have a 7-and-a-half game lead over the Cubs in the NL Central.

          The A's saw their 3-game losing streak come to an end falling to the Mariners in the Seattle. The A's got the tying and go-ahead runs on base in the 9th but fell to 59-71 with the loss.

     The 49ers are set to take the field this weekend for preseason football.  San Francisco will host the Denver Broncos on Saturday afternoon in Santa Clara.  Running back Isaac Guerendo departed Saturday's practice early due to an apparent shoulder injury.  The team has also activated linebacker Curtis Robinson from the PUP list.

      A member of the Raiders' secondary has suffered a serious injury during training camp.  ESPN is reporting that Las Vegas safety Lonnie Johnson Jr. suffered a broken fibula during Saturday's practice at Allegiant Stadium.  Johnson is set to undergo an MRI to determine if there is any additional damage to his leg.  The 29-year-old was carted off the field after he collided with defensive end Maxx Crosby while attempting to tackle running back Raheem Mostert.  Johnson had been competing for a rotational role in the secondary and has received some first-team reps during camp.  In other news, the team has signed wide receiver Kawaan Baker and tight end Albert Okwuegbunam while waiving tight end Pat Conroy and wideout Kyle Philips.  The Raiders visit the Seattle Seahawks in their preseason opener on Thursday night.

      The Giants cruised to a 12-4 win over the New York Mets in Queens.  Giants designated hitter Rafael Devers went 3-for-4 and hit his 20th home run of the season in the victory.   Casey Schmitt was 2-for-5 with one homer, two runs scored and three RBIs.  Starting pitcher Carson Whisenhunt earned his first career win after allowing just two runs, one earned, through five-and-a-third  innings.  The Giants have won two of three and sit third in the NL West at 56-and-56.  They visit the Pittsburgh Pirates this afternoon.

     The Athletics capped off their weekend with a second straight loss.  The A's fell to Arizona 6-4 in interleague play in Sacramento.  JJ Bleday went 4-for-4 with three runs scored and one RBI.  Starting pitcher Jack Perkins was handed a second loss after allowing four runs through three frames.  The A's are last in the AL West at 49-and-65.  They travel to play the Washington Nationals tomorrow afternoon.

      The Valkyries were crushed on the road.  Golden State lost to the Las Vegas Aces 101-77 in Sin City.  Iliana Rupert led the charge with a team-high 17 points and eight rebounds.  Laeticia Amihere and Carla Leite chipped in 14 points apiece.  The Valkyries had a three-game win streak snapped to fall to 14-and-14.  They host the Aces on Wednesday night.

     The 49ers and Raiders are continuing training camp.  The Niners had wide receiver Jauan Jennings on the field as he continues to seek a contract extension with the team.  Jennings led all the receiver drills during individual periods and came up with several catches during 11-on-11.  Fellow wideout Jacob Cowing injured his hamstring during the session and it is unclear how much time he will miss.  In Nevada, the Raiders had linebackers Elandon Roberts, Devin White and Germaine Pratt taking the field at the same time.  Defensive tackle Christian Wilkins and offensive lineman Thayer Munford Jr. were the lone players that did not participate in the practice.

(Atlanta, GA)  --  The Giants claimed their three-game series over the Braves following a 9-3 victory in the finale from Atlanta.  Justin Verlander earned his first win of the season after giving up just one hit over five scoreless innings.  The win ended a historic 16-game winless streak for the future Hall of Famer.  Rafael Devers led the offense, going 3-for-5 with two home runs and four RBIs.  Matt Chapman also homered as the Giants improved to 54-and-49.  They will host the New York Mets tomorrow night.

(Arlington, TX)  --  The Athletics are on a four-game losing skid.  The A's fell to the Texas Rangers 2-1 in Arlington.  Nick Kurtz drove in the only run for the A's on a double in the sixth inning.  Jack Perkins allowed a run in three innings out of the bullpen, getting the loss.  The A's have lost five of six since the All-Star break and sit last in the AL West at 42-and-62.  They visit the Houston Astros tonight.

(San Francisco, CA)  --  The Valkyries are closing in on their return to the hardwood.  Golden State will host the Dallas Wings tomorrow night in San Francisco.  The team is coming off a 67-58 loss to the Seattle Storm last Wednesday.  The Valkyries have lost five of six and sit fifth in the Western Conference at 10-and-12.

     Chico's Kurt Kitayama shoots a first round 65 at the 3M Championship at the TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, Minnesota. Kitayama sits at 110 in the Fed Ex Cup points race and needs a strong finish to earn a spot in the Fed Ex Cup playoffs. 

     Kitayama got off to a great start registering birdies on holes 1, 5 and 6. The Chico High alum then had birdies on 10, 14, 16 and 18 with his lone bogey on 13. 

 49ers veterans will report for training camp today in Santa Clara.  The team's rookies reported last Tuesday.  The Niners will host the Denver Broncos in their first preseason game on August 9th.  Elsewhere, the Raiders will see their veterans report to camp today.  Las Vegas had its rookies report last Thursday.

(Atlanta, GA)  --  The Giants have now lost six straight games.  San Francisco lost to the Braves 9-5 in the opener of a three-game set in Atlanta.  Willy Adames led the way at the plate, going 4-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs.  Matt Chapman finished with two RBIs on two hits.  Starting pitcher Hayden Birdsong struggled mightily and allowed five runs without recording a single out before being pulled from the mound.  The Giants are now 52-and-49.  They visit the Braves again this afternoon.

(Arlington, TX)  --  The Athletics were handed a loss against an AL West rival.  The A's fell to the Texas Rangers 7-2 to open a three-game set in Arlington.  Nick Kurtz was 2-for-3 with one RBI and two runs scored in the setback.  Jacob Lopez was tagged with the loss after allowing five runs through five frames.  The A's have lost three of four to sit at 42-and-60.  They visit the Rangers again this evening.  In other news, rookie center fielder Denzel Clarke is heading to the injured list due to an adductor strain.

D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser isn't concerned about President Trump's recent comments.  Bowser said Monday that she knows Trump is a Jayden Daniels fan, and that the land Congress has leased to the city is the best site of any he has seen for a stadium.  The mayor is downplaying a recent post by the president that included his demand for the Commanders to go back to being called the Redskins as part of any deal to get a new stadium on federal land in the district.  Team owner Josh Harris has said the team will not be changing its name back.

(Cincinnati, OH)  --  The owner of the Bengals is sharing his thoughts on a major team issue.  Mike Brown told the media on Monday that "foolishness" is the reason why Shemar Stewart hasn't signed his rookie deal.  Brown said the impasse is over guaranteed money in the contract which would not be honored if Stewart engaged in conduct detrimental to the team.  The edge rusher was taken 17th-overall in April's draft.

(Undated)  --  The Chargers are inking a veteran running back to the roster.  ESPN reports that Los Angeles has reached an agreement on a deal with free agent running back Nyheim Hines [[ nah-HEEM ]].  The 28-year-old has not played in the NFL over the past two seasons because of a knee injury.  The Chargers decided to sign Hines after having him in for a tryout on Monday.  He was originally tore his left ACL while with the Buffalo Bills after a personal watercraft struck him.  He was signed to the Cleveland Browns last season but did not play due to the injury.  Hines has amassed just shy of 3,000 scrimmage yards and has 18 total touchdowns.

(Green Bay, WI)  --  The Packers are making sure star quarterback Jordan Love has top tier protection.  ESPN reported on Monday that Zach Tom agreed to a four-year, 88-million dollar extension.  The deal includes a more than 30-million dollar signing bonus, which is the largest-ever for an offensive lineman.  The right tackle was taken in the fourth round of the 2022 draft and has started every game over the past two seasons.

(Westfield, IN)  --  Colts owner and CEO Carlie Irsay-Gordon still has faith in a former first round pick.  Irsay-Gordon said Monday that she believes there is still time for quarterback Anthony Richardson to prove he's capable of starting in the NFL.  In an interview with Colts.com, Irsay-Gordon mentioned that she would like to bring "urgency" to the situation.  Richardson will be competing with 2019 first rounder Daniel Jones for first-team reps in training camp.

(Undated)  --  Chris Paul will be returning to the hardwood for a 21st NBA season.  The free agent point guard has agreed to a deal with the LA Clippers for what is expected to be his final NBA season.  The 40-year-old decided to join the contending Clippers over other suitors such as the Bucks, Hornets and Mavericks.  The 12-time All-Star will now rejoin the team that he played for from 2011 through 2017.  He is the franchise's all-time assists leader after totaling 4,023 across his previous six-season span with the team.  He averaged 8.8 points and 7.4 assists while playing all 82 games for the San Antonio Spurs last season.

(Philadelphia, PA)  --  One of the top prospects in this year's NHL draft is committing to a highly touted college program.  Sportsnet reported on Monday that Porter Martone will play for Michigan State this upcoming season.  The 18-year-old winger was taken sixth-overall by the Flyers.  Martone scored 37 goals and put up 98 points in 57 games for the Ontario Hockey League's Brampton Steelheads last season.

(New Orleans, LA)  --  Former BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff has decided where he will continue his college playing career.  ESPN is reporting that Retzlaff has verbally committed to Tulane.  He is reportedly expected to enroll soon as a walk-on and will compete for the starting job in training camp over the upcoming weeks.  Retzlaff formally withdrew from BYU on July 11th in the wake of the school's planned seven-game suspension of him for violating the school's honor code.

(Undated)  --  The American Athletic Conference is undergoing a rebrand.  The league announced on Monday the name will be changed to the "American Conference" and won't use the "AAC" acronym anymore.  Instead, the conference will be referred to as "American" and feature a first-ever mascot, an eagle named "Soar."  There are 15 schools that make up American, which sent eight football teams to bowl games last season.

The 49ers are facing a difficult decision with one of their offensive play makers.  ESPN reports that San Francisco wide receiver Jauan Jennings wants a new contract or a trade away from the franchise.  Jennings is scheduled to make 7.5-million-dollars in the final year of his deal.  If a new deal does not come to fruition by the start of the team's training camp next week, the 28-year-old is planning to request a trade.  Jennings finished last season with 77 receptions for 975 yards and six touchdowns.

  The Rays have a new owner.  The Athletic reported on Monday that Patrick Zalupski bought the team for one-point-seven-billion dollars.  Current owner Stu Sternberg agreed to sell the team to the Florida-based developer.  The deal is expected to close as early as September and Zalupski is committed to keeping the team in Tampa.  Sternberg bought the Rays for 200-million in 2004.

  A pair of college football powerhouse conferences are still at odds over a playoff reformat.  Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey told the media on Monday that the Big Ten has a "different view" for a College Football Playoff structure.  The SEC is lobbying for a "5-plus-11" model, which includes the five highest-ranked conference champs and 11 at-large bids.  The current playoff field has 12 teams.

 Los Angeles 2028 Olympics organizers are releasing its schedule of events.  When the Olympics begin on July 14th, 2028, they'll begin with track and field instead of swimming, which has been the tradition.  That will ensure there is enough time to build an indoor pool after the opening ceremony at SoFi Stadium.  There are a number of events that kick-off two-days before the opening ceremony  --  including soccer, basketball, cricket, field hockey, handball,  rugby, and water polo.  That's the most sports to start before the opening ceremony since the 1920 games in Belgium.

The 2025 MLB All-Star Game is set to be played in Atlanta tonight.  The American League is aiming to notch its second straight victory and win its 11th of the last 12 All-Star contests when they take on the National League at Truist Park.  The AL won last year's game 5-3 after the NL snapped a nine-game losing skid in 2023.  Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes is slated to start on the mound for the NL opposite the AL's Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers.  Shohei Ohtani is set to start as the NL's designated hitter, while current MLB home run leader and Home Run Derby champion Cal Raleigh is set to start at catcher for the AL.  The AL is 22-4-and-1 against the NL since 1997.

The Jets are locking up one of their top play makers.  According to ESPN, the Green and White have signed wide receiver Garrett Wilson to a four-year, 130-million-dollar contract extension.  The deal includes 90-million-dollars in guaranteed money.  He has caught 279 passes for over 32-hundred yards and 14 touchdowns since being taken with the 10th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.

     On the men's side, top-seeded Jannik Sinner advanced following a win in straight sets over 10th-seeded American Ben Shelton.  Sixth-seeded Novak Djokovic punched his ticket to the semifinals following a four-set victory over 22nd-seeded Flavio Cobolli.  Sinner and Djokovic play Friday for a chance to play the winner of Friday's other semifinal match between second-seeded Carlos Alcaraz and fifth-seeded American Taylor Fritz.  

     All 30 NBA teams will descend upon Sin City for Las Vegas Summer League, which begins on Thursday.  Each team will play at least five games with the results of the first four determining which four teams will move on to the playoffs and play for the summer league championship.  The action begins with seven games on Thursday, featuring a matchup between top pick Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks taking on Bronny James and the Los Angeles Lakers.

     The San Francisco Giants see their four-game winning streak end falling to the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday afternoon 13-0. Phillies Bryce Harper went 4-for-6 with a home run and scored three runs. The Giants managed only two hits and were 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position. The Giants remain in 2nd in the NL West five games behind the Dodgers who have lost six in a row.

     The A's fall to Atlanta 9-2 in Sacramento. Atlanta hits five home runs including two by Ronald Acuna Jr. The A's have lost three-of-four. 

     Chico's Kurt Kitayama posted a strong 5th place finish at the John Deere Golf Tournament in Silvis, Illinois. The Chico native and Chico High product posted four rounds in the 60's and moved from 131st to 110th in the FedEx Cup points race. The top 70 get into the FedEx Cup Playoffs at the end of the season. Kitayama has not gained entry into the Scottish Open this week. 

     Mexico has claimed its record 10th Concacaf Gold Cup title with a 2-1 victory over the United States in Houston.  Edson Alvarez scored the go-ahead goal in the 77th minute to give Mexico a lead that they would not relinquish.  Raul Jimenez also found the back of the net for Mexico in the 27th minute.  Mexico is now 6-and-2 against the U.S. in Gold Cup finals.  Chris Richards scored the lone goal for the Americans in the fourth minute.  It was the earliest goal in Gold Cup final history.  

     Willy Adames and the San Francisco Giants took down the Athletics 6-2 in the series finale of a three-game set in Sacramento.  Adames hit his 11th home run of the season and finished the game 1-for-3 with two walks and three RBIs.  Luis Matos drove-in a pair of runs and starting pitcher Hayden Birdsong earned his fourth win after throwing five innings of one-run ball. The Giants are now 49-and-42.  Tyler Soderstrom hit his 15th homer of the season in the setback.  Jacob Lopez was tagged with the loss as the A's dropped to 37-and-55.  The Giants host the Phillies tonight.  The A's host the Braves beginning tomorrow.

     San Francisco Giants pitchers Robbie Ray, Randy Rodriguez and Logan Webb have been selected to the All-Star Game along with A's designated hitter Brent Rooker.

      The Warriors capped off the weekend with a Summer League loss. Golden State fell to the San Antonio Spurs 90-88 in the California Classic in San Francisco. LJ Cryer scored a team-high 19 points while Isaiah Mobley and Will Richard finished with 16 apiece in the losing effort. The Warriors are now 1-and-1. They will play the Miami Heat tomorrow afternoon.

      The Kings are getting set to tip off Summer League play this week. Sacramento will face the Orlando Magic on Thursday afternoon in Las Vegas. Assistant coach Dipesh Mistry will serve as the team's Summer League head coach. The roster is headlined by draft selections Nique Clifford and Maxime Raynaud. Devin Carter and Mason Jones will also participate in the action.

     The Valkyries are continuing their four-game road trip. Golden State will visit the Atlanta Dream this afternoon in College Park. The Valkyries are coming off an 82-71 loss to the Minnesota Lynx on Saturday. Tiffany Hayes scored a team-high 23 points in the setback. The Valkyries enter at 9-and-8. In other news, Kayla Thornton has been selected to her first All-Star Game.

The Giants were beaten on the road by their NL West rivals.  San Francisco lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-2 in Phoenix.  Willy Adames hit his 10th homer of the season on a solo shot in the second inning.  Starting pitcher Hayden Birdsong was charged with his third loss after allowing four runs through four frames.  The Giants have lost four straight to sit at 45-and-41.  They visit the D-Backs again tonight.

(San Francisco, CA)  --  The Giants will be keeping their skipper around beyond this season.  San Francisco has exercised manager Bob Melvin's contract option for the 2026 season.  The 63-year-old is currently in his second season with the franchise and 22nd season as a major league manager.  The three-time Manager of the Year has over 16-hundred career victories as a manager and has taken eight trips to the postseason.  Melvin is a Palo Alto native and played for the Giants as a catcher from 1986-to-1988.

(Tampa, FL)  --  The Athletics knocked off the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 in a 10-inning contest in the Sunshine State.  Austin Wynns hit a sacrifice fly that scored Colby Thomas in the top of the 10th to bring home the game-winning run.  Shea Langeliers and Max Muncy both homered and combined for three RBIs in the victory.  Michael Kelly earned his second win in relief and Mason Miller notched his 17th save as the A's improved to 36-and-52.  They visit the Rays again this morning.

(Undated)  --  The Sharks are locking up a key member of their lineup with a new contract.  San Jose is signing forward William Eklund to a three-year, 16.8-million-dollar contract extension.  The 22-year-old's new deal will start with the 2026-27 season.  He set career highs with 17 goals, 41 assists and 58 points in 77 games last season.  The team also signed defenseman John Klingberg to a one-year, four-million-dollar pact and re-signed forward Colin White to a one-year, two-way deal.

(Undated)  --  The Kings are adding a veteran playmaker to their backcourt.  ESPN reports that Sacramento is signing free agent guard Dennis Schroder to a three-year, 45-million-dollar contract.  Schroder averaged 13.1 points in 75 games split between the Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors and Detroit Pistons last season.  The team is also working to sign big man Drew Eubanks to a one-year deal.  The Kings also traded center Jonas Valanciunas to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for fellow center Dario Saric.

(Minneapolis, MN)  --  The Valkyries are taking some time away from the court.  Golden State will visit the Minnesota Lynx on Saturday evening in Minneapolis.  The team is coming off an 84-57 win over the Seattle Storm on Sunday.  Tiffany Hayes scored a team-high 21 points in the victory.  The Valkyries are fourth in the West at 9-and-7.

The action continues on the grass courts at Wimbledon.  Top-seeded Jannik Sinner, fourth-seeded Jack Draper and sixth-seeded Novak Djokovic each won their matches to advance to the second round.  Third-seeded Alexander Zverev and seventh-seeded Lorenzo Musetti were both upset in the first round, while Americans Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton and Tommy Paul collected victories.  On the women's side, three of the top five seeds went down with second-seeded Coco Gauff, third-seeded Jessica Pegula and fifth-seeded Zheng Qinwen all failing to advance.  Defending Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova, eighth-seeded Iga Swiatek and 10th-seeded American Emma Navarro have each locked up their spots in the second round.

  The Giants were knocked off by the Diamondbacks.  San Francisco lost to Arizona 4-2 in the series opener in Phoenix.  Tyler Fitzgerald was 2-for-3 with two RBIs in the setback.  Starting pitcher Logan Webb was tagged with the loss after allowing three runs through six-and-a-third innings.  The Giants are now 45-and-40.  They visit the D-Backs again tonight.  In other news, the team has placed infielder Casey Schmitt on the 10-day injured list due to left hand inflammation.

>>Athletics Defeat Rays In Series Opener

(Tampa, FL)  --  Lawrence Butler and the Athletics picked up a 6-4 win over the Rays in the opener of a three-game series in Tampa.  Butler hit a two-run triple in the top of the ninth to break open a tie ballgame and send the A's to their second win in the last three games.  Shea Langeliers hit his 11th homer of the year on a three-run shot in the first inning in his first game back from the IL.  Sean Newcomb earned his second win in relief while Mason Miller notched his 16th save.  The A's are now 35-and-52.  They visit the Rays again this afternoon.

>>Valkyries Visit Lynx This Weekend

(Minneapolis, MN)  --  The Valkyries are taking some time away from the court.  Golden State will visit the Minnesota Lynx on Saturday evening in Minneapolis.  The team is coming off an 84-57 win over the Seattle Storm on Sunday.  Tiffany Hayes scored a team-high 21 points in the victory.  The Valkyries are fourth in the West at 9-and-7.

PANTHERS WIN 2ND STRAIGHT STANLEY CUP

THUNDER ON BRINK OF 1ST TITLE

The Panthers are celebrating another Stanley Cup trophy.  The team took down the Oilers 5-1 in Game Six from Sunrise.  Sam Reinhart scored an eye-popping four goals to lead Florida to its second consecutive championship.  Sam Bennett won the Conn Smythe award given to the playoff MVP.  Meanwhile, Edmonton has lost to Florida in the final twice in-a-row and hasn't hoisted the Cup since 1990.

(Indianapolis, IN)  --  The NBA Finals are set to continue on Thursday.  The Indiana Pacers will play host to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game Six in Indianapolis.  The Thunder have won back-to-back games and now lead the best-of-seven series 3-2.  A win would mean that Oklahoma City has won its first NBA title in team history.  NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 30.4 points per game this postseason and has joined Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon and Kobe Bryant as the only players in history to record 15 games with 30 or more points in one playoffs.  A win by the Pacers would force a Game Seven in Oklahoma on Sunday.  

(Undated)  --  The Pacers are staying active on the trade market while in search of their first NBA championship.  Indiana has dealt its first round pick in next week's NBA draft to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for its own first round pick in 2026.  The Pelicans also received the rights to former Indiana G League player Mojave King.  The Pacers are now projected to enter the offseason about 20-million-dollars below the luxury tax.  New Orleans owns the seventh and 23rd picks in the upcoming draft.

(East Rutherford, NJ)  --  The Giants appear to be happy with their rookie quarterback.  Head coach Brian Daboll said Jaxson Dart has done an excellent job in "picking up information," as the G-Men held mandatory minicamp on Tuesday.  Dart, the 25th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, began the spring working with the third team, but has been with the second team for each of the past three open practice sessions.  He has also taken a few first-team reps.  

(Cleveland, OH)  --  The Browns are going to feature one of the biggest quarterback carousels this upcoming season.  Cleveland.com reported on Tuesday that Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders are all expected to make the 53-man roster.  All four combine for a cap hit of about eight-million dollars, which is significantly less than the injured Deshaun Watson's number at nearly 36-million.

(Asheville, NC)  --  The College Football Playoff selection process could undergo major changes this week.  Conference commissioners are meeting in North Carolina and are expected to discuss a tweak to the current system.  Expanding the field from 12-to-16 teams has already gained support, but choosing the "at large" bids based on strength of schedule metrics remains a sticking point.

(Philadelphia, PA)  --  The Phillies are disciplining one of their star players.  Manager Rob Thomson told the media that Nick Castellanos missed Tuesday's game against the Marlins for an "inappropriate comment" he made during the series opener on Monday.  The outfielder was upset after getting subbed out and "spoke his mind" to Thomson.  Castellanos played in 236 straight games going back to 2023.

(Undated)  --  One major league legend will be present for this year's All-Star Game on July 15th in Atlanta.  Major League Baseball announced Tuesday that Hall of Fame manager Joe Torre will be an honorary coach for the American League.  Torre, who led the Yankees to four World Series championships, will join Aaron Boone's AL staff alongside Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt.  After managing in the majors for 29 seasons Torre ranks fifth all-time in wins.  

(Omaha, NE)  --  Two teams had their Men's College World Series runs end Tuesday in Omaha.  LSU beat UCLA 9-5 in a continuation of a game that was suspended on Monday.  Louisville eliminated Oregon State with a 7-6 win.  The Beavers scored three runs in the ninth inning to tie the game before Eddie King Jr. drove in the winning run with a walk-off sacrifice fly.  The Bruins returned to the field for the final game of the night, a 7-3 loss to Arkansas.  The action continues Wednesday with the semifinals.  Louisville will play Coastal Carolina in game one, followed by an all SEC matchup between LSU and Arkansas.

The Giants dropped their series opener against the Guardians.  San Francisco fell to Cleveland 3-2 to begin a three-game set at Oracle Park.  Mike Yastrzemski was 3-for-4, while Rafael Devers and Dominic Smith each had an RBI.  Starting pitcher Robbie Ray was tagged with his second loss after allowing three runs through six innings.  The Giants are now 41-and-32.  They host the Guardians again tonight.

(Sacramento, CA)  --  The Athletics were crushed at home.  The A's lost to the Houston Astros 13-3 in Sacramento.  Gio Urshela was 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored after being activated from the 10-day injured list.  Starting pitcher JP Sears was charged with the loss as the A's slipped to 30-and-45.  They host the Astros again tonight.  In other news, the team has placed outfielder Seth Brown on the 10-day IL.

(Undated)  --  A former member of the 49ers is facing some off-field legal troubles.  Former San Francisco cornerback Richard Sherman has been charged with DUI following a February 2024 arrest in Washington.  Sherman is scheduled to be arraigned on June 30th.  The gross misdemeanor charge includes an enhancement for refusing a breath test.  The 37-year-old played three seasons for the Niners from 2018-to-2020.

(Arlington, TX)  --  The Valkyries failed to record a fourth straight win.  Golden State lost to the Dallas Wings 80-71 in Commissioner's Cup action in Arlington.  Kayla Thornton paced the team with 17 points in the losing effort.  The Valkyries are now 5-and-6.  They will host the Indiana Fever tomorrow night.  In other news, the team has signed Kaila Charles and Haley Jones to hardship contracts.

GIANTS LAND THEIR BIG BAT

     The San Francisco Giants welcomed their biggest offensive acquisition in years with Rafael Devers suiting up for the Giants in their series opener versus the Cleveland Guardians.

     The Pleasant Valley girls basketball team will be taking an 8-game winning streak into their Eastern Athletic League opener when they host Shasta on Friday night. The Vikings are 13-3 and have won 12 of their last 13. Their latest win coming against Arcata High on Saturday night 67-60. The Vikings are led by AJ Gambol who is averaging better than 19 points a game. The Vikings play Shasta 6:30 at Varley Gym on Friday night.

     The Chico High girls falling in their final tune-up before league play begins. On Monday losing to Marysville High on the road 58-52. Junior Corrina Stephens led the Panthers with 22 points in the setback. The Panthers fall to 8-6 on the season. Chico will open league play on Friday night when they travel to Palo Cedro to take on Foothill.

     The Pleasant Valley boys basketball team opens EAL play this Thursday when they travel to Redding to take on Shasta. PV comes in at 6-7 overall while Shasta is at 8-7. The PV boys are led by Anthony Sanchez averaging better than 13 points and 4.3 assists a game. Game time will be at 7:30 on Thursday night.

     The Chico High boys open league play with a home game against Foothill at The Pit. The Panther boys had a 7-game win streak snapped last Thursday in a 69-65 loss to Placer High. Chico comes in at 10-6 on the year. Magnus Nielsen paces the Panthers scoring 17 points a game. Vincent Boatwright averages better than 7.5 rebounds a game for Chico. Game time is 7:30 on Thursday night as the Panthers take on the Cougars opening CCAA play.

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     The Butte College women's basketball team opening Golden Valley Conference play this week as they take on Redwoods on the road. The Roadrunners make the trek to the coast with an 8-8 record. They are coming off a 75-48 win over Foothill on Saturday. Shade Shatica led the way with 24 points 8 rebounds and 7 assists. Shatica is averaging 23 points a game to pace the Roadrunner women. Game time on tomorrow night is at 7pm

     The Butte College men's basketball is also at Redwoods tomorrow. They will play

at 5pm. The Roadrunner men are 10-8 on the season and are coming off of a 94-82 win over Simpson College's JV team before the Christmas holiday. Freshman Kenechi Oh-nal-gul-uchi leads a balanced scoring attack for Butte scoring 12 points a game.

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      The Chico State women are rolling. 8 straight wins and an 11-1 record. Chico is tiedfor 1st in the CCAA with the Dominguez Hills Toros as the Wildcats get ready to host Pomona and San Bernardino this week. Senior Makenzie LaPorte leads the way for the Wildcats averaging 15.2 points per game and is shooting 47 percent from three point range. Both Meadow Aragon and Jordan Allred are averaging better than 13 points a game. Chico is scoring 74 points a game and only giving up 58 points a contest. Chico will take on Pomona at 5:30pm on Thursday at Acker Gym. The Broncos are 10-2 overall and 5-1 in the CCAA

     The Chico State men have won 9 in a row and are playing great basketball. Chico is tied with Dominguez Hills for 1st place in the CCAA with a 6-0 record and 10-2 overall. Junior PG JoJo Murphy is having a tremenous campaign averaging 20 points and 5 boards a game. Chico is averaging better than 80 ppg.

     The Athletics are locking up one of their star players with a long-term contract.  The Athletic is reporting that the A's are signing outfielder Brent Rooker to a five-year, 60-million dollar contract extension.  A vesting option can take the deal to six years and 90-million dollars.  The 30-year-old hit .293 with 39 home runs and 112 RBIs in 145 games played last season.  He has spent the past two seasons with the A's after beginning his career spending time with the Kansas City Royals, San Diego Padres and Minnesota Twins.

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      A member of the 49ers' secondary is uncertain about his return to the Bay Area next season.  San Francisco cornerback Charvarius Ward acknowledged that a fresh start elsewhere may be best for himself after enduring a traumatic past year that included the death of his daughter just before her second birthday.  Amani Joy passed away in late October following a lengthy battle with heart issues.  Ward mentioned that every time he returns to the Bay Area that "it just brings up bad memories."  The 28-year-old is set to become an unrestricted free agent in March.

      The Warriors are closing out a six-game homestand.  Golden State hosts the Miami Heat tonight at the Chase Center.  The Warriors come off a 129-99 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Sunday.  Stephen Curry led the way with 26 points and seven rebounds in the setback.  He is pacing the squad with 22.5 points and 6.3 assists per game this season.  The Warriors are eighth in the West at 18-and-17.

      The Kings extended their win streak to five games.  Sacramento defeated the Miami Heat 123-118 in a double-overtime contest at the Golden 1 Center.  Domantas Sabonis had a triple-double with 21 points, 18 rebounds and 11 assists to go along with three blocks on the defensive end.  DeMar DeRozan scored a team-high 30 points, while Keegan Murray posted a double-double with 14 points and 12 boards.  The Kings are now 18-and-19.  They travel to play the Boston Celtics on Friday afternoon.

       The Sharks are aiming for a third straight victory when they return to the ice.  San Jose hosts the Vegas Golden Knights tonight at the SAP Center.  The Sharks are coming off a 3-2 win over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday.  Cody Ceci, Macklin Celebrini and Nikolai Kovalenko each lit the lamp while Yaroslav Askarov finished with 28 saves in net.  The Sharks remain last in the Pacific Division at 13-23-and-6.

        The Athletics are locking up one of their star players with a long-term contract.  The Athletic is reporting that the A's are signing outfielder Brent Rooker to a five-year, 60-million dollar contract extension.  A vesting option can take the deal to six years and 90-million dollars.  The 30-year-old hit .293 with 39 home runs and 112 RBIs in 145 games played last season.  He has spent the past two seasons with the A's after beginning his career spending time with the Kansas City Royals, San Diego Padres and Minnesota Twins.

       PLEASANT VALLEY AND CHICO BOTH FALL ON THE ROAD

          Pleasant Valley falls to Spanish Springs High in Nevada 42-20.  The Vikings are now 1-2 on the  season and will travel to Tracy next week.The Chico High Panthers come up short in Yuba City on Friday night losing to the Honkers 21-16. The Panthers are also now 1-2 on the season. The will host Ukiah on Friday night 

     Durham a 43-12 winner over Oroville. The Trojans are now 3-0 and will travel to Biggs this Friday to take on the Wolverines. Oroville falls to 0-3 and will host Weed High on Friday. 

     Las Plumas is 2-0 winning two games by a total of three points. After their 29-28 win over Paradise two weeks ago....they pulled out a 10-8 win over Anderson on Friday. The TBirds will travel to Shasta Lake to play Central Valley this Friday looking to move to 3-0. Paradise is in the win column.....the Bobcats beat Live Oak 21-14. Paradise has a BYE this Friday.

     Red Bluff rolls to a 3-0 record with a 42-0 win over University Prep. The Spartans are averaging better than 40 points a game and will host Corning this coming Friday. Corning gets a win Friday as they rout Central Valley 49-0. First win of the year for the Cardinals. Biggs traveled to the North Coast to take on St. Bernard's High and comes up short 20-14. The Wolverines are now 1-0 and will host Durham on Friday night. Hamilton moves to 2-1 with a 41-8 win over Trinity. Hamilton has scored more than 40 points in each of their past two games. They will travel to Nevada to take on Dayton High in Dayton Nevada. 7pm start next Friday.

     Gridley falls to Winters 27-6 on Friday. The Bulldogs are now 0-2. They will host Colusa this coming Friday. Orland steam-rolls Willows on Friday night with a 50-0 win. The Trojans are averaging 47 points a game in their three wins. They will host Shasta at 7pm Friday night.

ROADRUNNERS RUN OVER LANEY

     The Butte College Roadrunner Football team moves to 2-0 with a 30-14 win over Laney on Saturday afternoon. The Roadrunner ground game was dominant as they rush for more than 250 yards and three scores.....The Roadrunners travel to SF City College this Saturday afternoon with a 1pm match-up.

CHICO STATE WOMEN'S GOLF IN ARIZONA

      The Chico State Women's Golf team is back in action today as they play in the RJGA Shootout in Goodyear Arizona. The Wildcats finished 9th out of 12 schools in the season opening Swan Memorial Tournament in Colorado last week. The Wildcats were led by Sophomore Kaylie Parola as she finished 17th shooting rounds of 78 and 74. The Wildcats will tee off at 7:30 this morning you can follow how they are doing on the Chico State Athletics website through LIVE STATS leaderboard on the women's golf page.

CHICO STATE MEN'S SOCCER SWEEPS HOME CONTESTS

     It was a good weekend at home for the Chico State men's soccer team as they complete the home sweep with an easy 5-1 win over St. Martin's on Saturday....Bryan Manriquez scored two goals while Preston Moll assisted on a pair of goals with the Wildcats outshooting the Saints 18-3. Chico is now 3-1 and will travel to Dominican University this Thursday to  take on the Penguins for a 3pm match....

     The Wildcat women's soccer team plays to a 2-2 draw against Seattle Pacific on Saturday afternoon in the Emerald City. The Wildcats played to a pair of ties on their Washington road trip. Camryn Toole scores a goal in the 80th minute to secure the draw. Chico is now 1-1-2 and will travel to Jessup University in Rocklin this Saturday at 12 noon. Jessup is a newly minted Division II program so matches and contests against them will count toward regional ranking.

RAIDERS STUN BALTIMORE IN 4TH

       The Raiders trailed by as much as 10 points before coming back to beat the Baltimore Ravens 26-23 at M&T Bank Stadium.  Wide Receiver Davante Adams had nine catches for 110 yards and a touchdown.  Rookie tight end Brock Bowers had nine receptions for 98 yards.  Pass rusher Maxx Crosby had two sacks.  Kicker Daniel Carlson had four field goals, including the game-winner with 27 seconds left in the fourth quarter.  The Raiders improved to 1-and-1.  They have their home opener against the Carolina Panthers in Week Three.

49ERS STRUGGLE IN MINNESOTA AGAIN

     The 49ers are now 0-8 in Minneapolis since 1992. The 49ers were handed their first loss of the season on the road.  San Francisco fell to the Minnesota Vikings 23-17 at U.S. Bank Stadium.  Brock Purdy completed 28-of-36 passes for 319 yards, one touchdown and an interception in the losing effort.  Jordan Mason had 20 carries for 100 yards and a TD after starting running back Christian McCaffrey was officially placed on injured reserve over the weekend.  Deebo Samuel Sr. had eight catches for 110 yards, while George Kittle finished with seven receptions for 76 yards and a TD.  The Niners are now 1-and-1.  They visit the NFC West rival Los Angeles Rams in Week Three.

       The Giants were handed their fourth straight loss.  San Francisco fell to the San Diego Padres 4-3 in a 10-inning contest at Oracle Park.  Heliot Ramos and Donovan Walton each homered in the setback.  Camilo Doval was charged with his third loss after he allowed two runs in one inning of relief.  The Giants have lost five of six and sit fourth in the NL West at 72-and-78.  They travel to play the Baltimore Orioles tomorrow afternoon.  Left-hander Blake Snell is slated to start opposite Baltimore righty Albert Suarez.

       The Athletics failed to win their series finale against the White Sox.  Oakland lost to Chicago 4-3 at Guaranteed Rate Field.  Shea Langeliers and Brent Rooker each homered in the setback.  Rooker leads the team with 37 home runs this season.  Starting pitcher JP Sears was charged with the loss and fell to 11-and-11 after letting up four runs through six frames.  The A's are fourth in the AL West at 65-and-85.  They travel to play the Chicago Cubs this afternoon.  Right-hander Joey Estes is scheduled to start the series opener opposite Chicago southpaw Shota Imanaga.

       Another week of the college football season is in the books.  Cal defeated San Diego State 31-10 in a non-conference matchup in Berkeley.  Fernando Mendoza passed for 198 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.  Jaivian Thomas erupted for 169 rushing yards as the Golden Bears moved to 3-and-0.  Stanford took the week off and will return to action on the road against Syracuse on Friday.

     The Pleasant Valley Vikings hit the road and head to Nevada as they will take on Spanish Springs High in Sparks, Nevada. The Vikings are 1-1 on the season after a 22-12 win over Yuba City. Kick off slated for 7pm tonight.

     The Chico High Panthers coming off of their bye week. They take on Yuba City on the road. Chico beat Antelope High two weeks ago. 31-6. Panthers are 1-1 on the year. Kick off tonight is at 7pm

Other match-ups tonight....

     Durham coming off a 42-0 win over Trinity last week will travel to Oroville taking on Tigers.

     Oroville lost 36-0 to Central Valley. Durham is 2-0 while the Tigers are 0-2. Kick off is at 7:30pm.

     Las Plumas was able to knock off Paradise last week 29-28. LP will host Anderson at Harrison Stadium. 7:30 kick off

     The Bobcats of Paradise are 0-2 after their near miss last week against LP. They will host Live Oak at Wraith Field. kick off at 7:30pm

     Red Bluff is 2-0. The Spartans won a thriller last week beating Lassen 480-40.

Red Bluff will take on University Prep in Redding on the road. Game time 7:30pm

Corning coming off a 28-26 loss of UPrep is 0-2 and will host Central Valley

at 7:30 tonight.

      Biggs plays tomorrow in Eureka. It will be an afternoon game against St. Bernard's High.

Biggs beat Redding Christian last week 36-14. Kick off at 2pm

      Hamilton is 1-1 after beating Willows last week 43-29. They host Trinity at 7:30pm

      Los Molinos is 1-1 after a 36-26 win over Clearlake. The Bulldogs take on Esparto

on the road tonight. Kick off is at 7pm

      Orland is putting up points. The Trojans are 2-0 and have scored 46 & 44 points 

in their two wins. Tonight they travel to Willows to play the Honkers. Kick off is at

7:30 in Willows. 

       It was a bye week for Gridley last week. They come into tonight's game at 0-1 and will play host Winters tonight. Game time is at 7:30pm

     Butte College Roadrunners are in action tomorrow afternoon at Cowan Stadium as they take on Laney College from Oakland. Kick off is at 1pm with our pregame at 12:35pm. Mike Wessels has the call.

     Butte beat Reedley last week 46-17 as the Roadrunner special teams dominated on the road. 

      The Chico State men's soccer team wins their home opener last night at University Stadium as they knocked of the Simon Fraser Red Leafs from Canada. Chico getting goals from Vasilios Syrengelas in the 34th minute and Preston Moll in the 82nd minute. Chico goalie Emanuel Padilla had a solid outing as none of the 15 shots the Red Leafs attempted found the back of the net. Chico State Men's soccer is now 2-1 and will take on St. Martin's University tomorrow at University Stadium. Contest starts at 11:30am. Should be some great weather to see the Wildcats wrap up the weekend...

     The Chico State women's soccer team was in Ellensburg, Washington taking on Central Washington. They play Central to a 1-1 draw. The Wildcats would break the seal in the 11th minute on a goal by Caroline Souza on an assist by Jiana Martin. Central Washington would even the match in the 22nd minute. Both teams are now 1-1-1. Chico will take on Seattle Pacific tomorrow for an 11:30 match-up.....

      The Baltimore Ravens and Las Vegas Raiders both seek their first wins of the season on Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium.  The Ravens are 0-and-1 after losing 27-20 to the Kansas City Chiefs last Thursday.  Lamar Jackson was 26-for-41 with 273 yards and a touchdown in the defeat.  Tight end Isaiah Likely caught nine passes for 111 yards and a score.  The Raiders lost 22-10 to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week One.  Quarterback Gardner Minshew was 25-for-33 with 257 yards, one touchdown and one interception.  Alexander Mattison had four catches for 43 yards and a touchdown to go along with 19 yards rushing.

      The 49ers head to Minnesota this Sunday to square off with their former backup quarterback Sam Darnold and the Vikings.  Both teams enter the tilt at 1-and-0 with San Francisco notching a 32-19 win over the Jets on Monday Night Football despite missing their star running back.  Christian McCaffrey sat out the opener with calf and Achilles injuries, and his status for Sunday's game is questionable.  Darnold, who landed in Minnesota this offseason and took over at quarterback following the trade of Kirk Cousins, threw for 208 yards and two touchdowns in his Vikings debut last Sunday in a 28-6 win at the Giants.  Aaron Jones, also part of the Vikings' new-look offense, ran for 94 yards and a TD in his Minnesota debut.  The Niners haven't won a game in the Twin Cities since 1992, going 0-and-7 during that stretch.

      The Buffalo Bills cruised to their fifth straight win over the Miami Dolphins with a dominant 31-10 victory over their AFC East rivals at Hard Rock Stadium.  Josh Allen completed 13-of-19 passes for 139 yards and a touchdown.  James Cook had 11 carries for 78 yards and two TDs, while also taking his lone reception of the game 17 yards for a score.  On defense, Ja'Marcus Ingram had two interceptions and Christian Benford grabbed one.  The Bills are now 2-and-0.  Miami QB Tua Tagovailoa [[ TUNG-oh-vai-LO-uh ]] was 17-of-25 for 145 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions before departing with a concussion in the second half.  De'Von Achane [[ duh-VAHN AY-chan ]] had 96 yards on the ground to go along with seven catches for 69 yards and a TD.  The Dolphins slip to 1-and-1.

(San Francisco, CA)  --  The Giants were shutout in their series finale against the Brewers.  San Francisco lost to Milwaukee 3-0 at Oracle Park.  The Giants had five hits but went 0-for-6 with a runner in scoring position.  Starting pitcher Hayden Birdsong tossed four strikeouts through five scoreless frames before giving way to the bullpen.  Camilo Doval was charged with his second loss after he allowed one run through an inning of relief.  The Giants are fourth in the NL West at 72-and-75.  They host the San Diego Padres tonight.  Right-hander Logan Webb is slated to start opposite San Diego righty Dylan Cease.

(Houston, TX)  --  The Athletics failed to sweep the Astros.  Oakland lost to Houston 6-3 in the finale of a three-game series at Minute Maid Park.  Tyler Nevin and Brent Rooker each hit solo home runs in the setback.  T.J. McFarland was charged with his third loss after allowing two runs in just one-third of an inning of relief.  The A's are fourth in the AL West at 64-and-83.  They travel to play the Chicago White Sox this afternoon.  Left-hander Brady Basso is slated to start opposite Chicago southpaw Garrett Crochet.

PV and CHICO open play in Week Zero

     The 2024-25 high school football season gets underway tonight as the defending Division II Section Champion Pleasant Valley Vikings will take host Central Catholic at Asgard Yard. Kick-off is at 7pm.

     The Chico High Panthers will travel to Grass Valley to take on Nevada Union. The Panthers went 10-2 last year and captured the regular season EAL title. Kick-off slated for 7pm.

     The Giants are set to begin a six-game road trip.  San Francisco will visit the Seattle Mariners tonight at T-Mobile Park.  Right-hander Hayden Birdsong is scheduled to start opposite Seattle righty Luis Castillo.  Birdsong is 3-and-3 with a 5.01 ERA through nine starts this season.  The Giants won two of three over the Chicago White Sox in their last series and currently sit fourth in the NL West at 65-and-64.

     The Athletics salvaged a series split against the Tampa Bay Rays with a 3-1 win at the Oakland Coliseum.  Osvaldo Bido tossed five innings of one-run ball with six strikeouts to improve to 5-and-3 on the season.  Darell Hernaiz, Lawrence Butler and Zack Gelof drove-in runs for the A's in the win.  Mason Miller got his 20th save of the year.  The A's snapped a two-game losing skid and sit fourth in the AL West at 55-and-73.  They remain home to host the Milwaukee Brewers tonight.  Left-hander JP Sears is slated to start against Milwaukee righty Aaron Civale.

      The 49ers and Raiders are taking the field for their preseason finale.  Las Vegas will host San Francisco tonight at Allegiant Stadium.  In other news, the Niners have signed tight end Logan Thomas and waived defensive back Taylor Hawkins with an injury settlement.  In Vegas, wide receiver Jeff Foreman reverted to the team's injured reserve after clearing waivers.  The Niners enter the game at 1-and-1, while the Raiders are 0-and-2.

      The final week of the NFL preseason kicked off with a pair of matchups on Thursday.  The Chicago Bears wrapped up a 4-and-0 preseason with a 34-21 takedown of the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs.  In other action, Anthony Richardson led the Indianapolis Colts to a 27-14 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.  The second-year signal caller had 86 passing yards with one TD and an interception.  The action continues on Friday with three more matchups.  The Falcons host the Jaguars, the Dolphins visit the Buccaneers, and the Raiders entertain the 49ers.  There will then be eight games on Saturday and three more on Sunday.  The Washington Commanders will host the New England Patriots on Sunday night to close out the preseason.

      The Washington Commanders made a rare, in-division trade.  They sent 2022 first-round pick Jahan Dotson to the Philadelphia Eagles for a 2025 third-round pick and two seventh-round picks.  Dotson appeared in 29 games for the Commanders in two seasons, starting 26.  He had 84 catches for 1,041 yards and 11 touchdowns.  In other news, Washington traded a conditional seventh-round pick to the Cleveland Browns for kicker Cade York.  The Commanders also released kicker Riley Patterson and signed safety Sheldrick Redwin.  

       The Chiefs are rewarding their star center with a record-setting contract extension.  ESPN is reporting that Kansas City has signed Creed Humphrey to a four-year contract worth 72-million dollars.  The deal also includes 50-million dollars in guarantees and makes Humphrey the highest-paid center in league history.  The 25-year-old was selected in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Oklahoma.  He has started every game over the past three seasons and has been selected to two Pro Bowls.  Humphrey was entering the final year of his rookie deal.

       The Bengals are banged up heading into the regular season.  ESPN reports Myles Murphy is expected to miss four-to-six weeks with a sprained right MCL.  The team is planning a conservative recovery and won't rush the lineman until he's ready.  The 22-year-old suffered the knee injury at joint practice with the Colts on Tuesday and got carted off the field.  Murphy was taken 28th-overall in the 2023 draft and tallied three sacks as a second-unit edge rusher last season.

       The Falcons are keeping their secondary intact.  ESPN reports the team re-signed AJ Terrell on Thursday to a four-year contract worth 81-million dollars.  The deal includes nearly 66-million in guaranteed money, which is the largest given to a cornerback on a four-year agreement.  The 25-year-old is now the second-highest paid corner in the league behind the Packers' Jaire Alexander.  Terrell has four interceptions and 43 pass breakups after he was taken 16th-overall in the 2020 draft.

        The struggling Seattle Mariners have parted ways with their manager.  The M's have fired Scott Servais [[ service ]], who had been in the position since 2016 and led them to their first playoff appearance since 2001 two years ago.  The Mariners are five games back of the Houston Astros for first in the AL West after leading the division for much of the season.  They are 2-and-8 in their last 10 games and are last in MLB with a .216 batting average.  Longtime catcher Dan Wilson has been named the team's manager.  Seattle has also parted ways with hitting coach Jarret DeHart.  

       The Dodgers have made the decision to move on from a 15-year veteran.  Los Angeles designated veteran outfielder Jason Heyward for assignment on Thursday.  Heyward was the odd man out with the Dodgers choosing to activate Chris Taylor off the injured list.  Other teams will now have seven days to claim Heyward off waivers before he is released and becomes a free agent.  The 35-year-old was batting .208 with six home runs and 28 RBIs through 63 games played this season.
 

The Warriors have their Klay Thompson replacement.  According to ESPN, the team is picking up Buddy Hield via a sign-and-trade deal with the Philadelphia 76ers.  The contract guarantees the guard two seasons and 21-million dollars.  The Warriors sent the Sixers a 2031 second-round pick.  Hield is coming off a season in which he averaged 12.1 points per game and shot 38.6 percent from three-point range with the Sixers and Indiana Pacers.

>>Giants Edge Braves To Claim Series

(Atlanta, GA)  --  The Giants edged the Braves 4-2 to claim their series from Atlanta.  Heliot Ramos blasted a two-run homer.  Matt Chapman also went yard with a solo shot and drove in another run with a single in the sixth inning.  Logan Webb earned the win after giving up two runs and striking out six batters over seven innings.  San Francisco has won three of its last five games and improved to 43-and-45.  The Giants visit Cleveland starting today.

>>Athletics Blank Angels To Sweep Series

(Oakland, CA)  --  The Athletics shut out the Angels 5-0 to sweep their series from Oakland.  JP Sears earned the win after giving up two hits and striking out six batters over five innings.  The bullpen allowed just two more hits over the final four frames.  Lawrence Butler smashed a solo homer and Brent Rooker went 2-for-3 with an RBI.  Miguel Andujar also drove in a run for Oakland, which has won four of its last six games and remains last in the AL West at 33-and-56.  The A's host the Orioles tonight.  

Wildcats look to continue their road success in Grand Junction

By Mike Baca

     Fresh off their road series win against the reigning West Region champion San Bernardino Coyotes, the Wildcats head to Grand Junction, Colorado to take on perrenial power Colorado Mesa.

     This once-heated rivalry has simmered over the years after Mesa left the West Region to play Division-II baseball in the South Central Region. The Wildcats and Mavericks have played some thrilling post-season and regular season games and they will renew acquaintances this weekend in the rockies.

     The two teams met last year and the Wildcats took two-of-three from Mesa at The Nett. It was their first match-up since 2009 when the Wildcats lost three-of-four regular season games in Grand Junction. 

     The post-season match-ups have been epic. In 2005 the Sergio Romo-led Mavericks hosted the West Regional and after both teams won their opening games, they played in one of the more memorable contests in Chico State Wildcat baseball history.

    Despite being the home team, Mesa was designated as the visitors in the head-to-head match-up. The Mavericks took a 5-1 lead in front of a thunderous home crowd at Suplizio Field. But, Chico would rally for three runs in the bottom of the 7th and two more in the 8th to take a 6-5 lead headed to the 9th. Mesa would tie it with a solo home run, setting the stage for one of the biggest home runs in Wildcat history.

     Mired in post-season slump, Chico State first baseman Ryan Martin would come to the plate leading off the bottom of the 9th and blasting a solo home run setting off a wild celebration. Chico would beat Western Oregon the next day and punch thier ticket to Montgomery, Alabama and Division-II College World Series.

     In 2007 the two teams met in the West Regional again. This time in an elimination game. Chico held a late lead before Mesa rallied to beat the Wildcats ending Chico's attempt at making a fourth straight trip to the D-II World Series. 

     In the years that followed Mesa has made four trips to the Division II College World Series (last being in 2019) under their long time head coach Chris Hanks. They are  a national power and play in one of the best ballparks in the country, the newly refurbished Suplizio Field. The ballpark seats 10-thousand fans and in 2012 the ballpark underwent 8-point-3 million dollars in renovations.

     Chico State leads the all-time season series 9-7. The two teams are slated to play a four-game series at Nettleton Stadium in February 2025

     You can hear the four-game series on KpaySports 1290 & 102.9 FM as well as the KpaySports app on Friday at 4:45pm with the first pitch at 5pm

    WILDCATS BEGIN EIGHT GAME ROAD TRIP IN SAN BERNARDINO

BY Mike Baca

     The Chico State Baseball team is hitting the road for a pivotal eight-game stretch to begin the second half of their 2024 season........and they couldn't be happier.

     The road has treated the Wildcats well this season as they have gone 8-4 with series wins over Stanislaus and Cal State Los Angeles and a split against Pomona.

Nettleton Stadium has been a different story.

     Chico has struggled in the not-so-friendly confines. The Wildcats are 4-7 against CCAA foes at The Nett with series losses against SF State and Dominguez Hills. Digging deeper the numbers show the Wildcats have come up clutch on the road hitting .371 with runners in scoring position. At home the Cats are only hitting .266 with runners in scoring position. Chico is also driving in runners at 3rd with less than two outs 65 percent of the time on the road and only 57 percent of the time at home. 

     The Wildcats will welcome the road trip and prepare for four games against San Bernardino and then four against Colorado Mesa in Grand Junction, Colorado. It marks a criticial stretch for Chico as they sit in 5th place in the CCAA....four games behind second place San Marcos and 4 1/2 back of first place Monterey. The top two teams get first round byes in the CCAA Tournament in early May. Chico will host the Otters on April 19th, 20th and 21st in what could be a critical conference series.

     You can hear the entire four game series on KPAYSports 1290 AM & 102.9 FM also on the KpaySports app you can download for free in the app store 

APRIL 5th    Chico State Baseball @ San Bernardino          1:45pm 1290/102.9

APRIL 6th    Chico State Baseball @ San Bernardino DH   11:45am 1290/102.9

APRIL 7th    Chico State Baseball @ San Bernardino          10:45am 1290/102.9

     Tough day for the Chico State Baseball and Softball teams. Both teams get swept in CCAA series on Monday. 

     Wildcat softball loses all four games to the Stanislaus State Warriors losing yesterday 7-2 and 1-0. Chico suffers their second sweep at the hands of a CCAA opponent falling to 3-11 overall and 3-9 in the CCAA.

Chico softball will host Sonoma in a four game series this weekend.

The Chico State Baseball team gets swept by the SF State Gators in a double-header at The Nett yesterday.

The Wildcats could not get out of the first innings of both games as SF State batted around in both games.

     Chico starters last a total of 2/3 of an inning combined in the two games. The Gators scored five runs in the 1st inning of game one and 6 runs in the 1st inning of game two. SF State wins by scores of 13-9 and 9-2. 

Armando Murillo and Derek Lafarriere combined for 20 hits in 33 at-bats in the series.

The Gators scored 34 runs on 54 hits in the four game series. 

Chico falls to 8-5 overall and 3-5 in the CCAA. Chico hits the road to take on Stanislaus

in a four game series this weekend in Turlock. Game one of the series is Friday at 6pm.

The Pleasant Valley Vikings girls basketball team will take on Colfax tonight at Varley Gym with berth in the Division II State Championship game on the line. Colfax comes in at 33-2 and is the 4th seed in the tournament. PV comes in at 26-7 and couldn't be riding higher after AJ Gambol's fabulous fling to win their game against Oakland Tech on Saturday night. 

Game time is 7pm at Varley Gym. The winner takes on the Southern California representative at the Golden One Center this weekend.....

Butte College Women get ready for Consumnes River this Saturday. Butte trailed 48-47 against Hartnell but countered with an 18-2 run and won going away 81-57. Butte is 28-1 and has won 24 straight.

Consumnes River knocked off San Jose City 71-61 and comes in at 23-6.

Butte is in the Sweet Sixteen for the second straight year and is ranked number one in the state. They will play Consumnes River at 6pm at Cowan Gym on Saturday night.

All-State 1st Team Selection Morgan Triguero led the Roadrunners with

21 points and 10 boards knocking down 5 threes, Sarah Tait had 15 points and 7 rebounds while Jocelyn Medina had 14 points 6 assists and

5 steals. 

      Today is the official deadline for NFL teams to use the franchise tag on players that are set to become free agents.  Teams are allowed to "tag" one player, which allows them to play under a one-year contract in the upcoming season.  The value of the deal is based on the average of the top five salaries in the player's position.  Wide receiver Tee Higgins has already been tagged by the Cincinnati Bengals and star cornerback L'Jarius Sneed has also been tagged by the Kansas City Chiefs. The deadline is set for 4 p.m. Eastern this afternoon

       Iowa women's basketball superstar Caitlin Clark continues to draw millions of television viewers.  Nearly three-point-four-million people tuned in to Fox to watch Caitlin Clark break Pete Maravich's all-time NCAA scoring record against Ohio State on Sunday.  More people watched her final regular-season game than the Boston Celtics-Golden State Warriors game on ABC the same day.  The game was the most-watched women's basketball game since at least 2010 and shattered this season's previous high mark of almost one-point-nine million viewers when Iowa and Ohio State played in January.  Last week, Clark announced her decision to head to the WNBA following the end of her season at Iowa.

Two high profile starting pitchers are apparently gaining more interest as Opening Day in the MLB approaches.  Scott Boras told the media on Monday that four new teams have inquired on Jordan Montgomery and Blake Snell.  The agent for both players said there's a "pitching panic" going on in the league and some teams' "competitive seasons" are at risk.  Montgomery is coming off a World Series title with the Texas Rangers and sported a 3.20 ERA in nearly 189 innings pitched.  Snell won the NL Cy Young award with the San Diego Padres last season and led the majors with a 2.25 ERA.  Opening Day is on March 28th.

      The Warriors are back on their home hardwood.  Golden State hosts the Milwaukee Bucks tomorrow night at the Chase Center.  The Warriors come off a 140-88 loss to the Boston Celtics on Sunday.  Lester Quinones paced the team with 17 points in the setback.  Stephen Curry was limited to four points and went 0-for-9 from beyond the arc.  The Warriors are ninth in the West at 32-and-28.

      The Kings failed to pick up a win at home.  Sacramento lost to the Chicago Bulls 113-109 at the Golden 1 Center.  The Kings were outscored 36-18 in the fourth quarter.  De'Aaron Fox led the way with 20 points and 10 assists.  Domantas Sabonis chipped in 18 points and 21 rebounds in the losing effort.  The Kings have lost three of four and sit seventh in the West at 34-and-26.  They visit the Los Angeles Lakers tomorrow night.

       The Sharks are looking to put an end to their seven-game losing streak.  San Jose hosts the Dallas Stars tonight at the SAP Center.  The Sharks come off a 4-3 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Sunday.  Anthony Duclair, Mikael Granlund and Nico Sturm lit the lamp in the losing effort.  The Sharks are at the bottom of the Pacific Division at 15-39-and-6.

      The Giants are continuing spring training action.  San Francisco hosts the Milwaukee Brewers this afternoon at Scottsdale Stadium.  The Giants are coming off a 12-10 loss to the Colorado Rockies yesterday.  J.D. Davis was 2-for-3 with two RBIs, while Nick Ahmed went 2-for-2 with an RBI and three runs scored in the setback.  Jose Cruz was charged with the loss on the mound.   The Giants are 2-6-and-2.

      The Athletics are taking the day off from the diamond.  Oakland visits the LA Angels tomorrow afternoon at Tempe Diablo Stadium.  The A's come off a 15-8 loss to the Cincinnati Reds yesterday.  Shea Langeliers homered for the first time this spring in the setback.  Zach Jackson was charged with the loss on the mound.  The A's are 5-and-5.

      A former American League MVP is retiring from baseball.  Josh Donaldson joined former player Sean Casey's podcast on Monday and announced that he's hanging up his cleats for good.  The 38-year-old won MVP honors with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2015 after slugging 41 homers and driving in 123 runs.  The third-baseman finished with 279 home runs and 816 RBI over his 13-year career.  He was originally selected by the Chicago Cubs in the second round of the 2007 draft out of Auburn.  Donaldson made stops with the Oakland Athletics, Cleveland Guardians, Atlanta Braves, Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees and Milwaukee Brewers.

      The Cardinal and Golden Bears are going head-to-head on the hardwood this week.  Stanford will host Cal on Thursday night at Maples Pavilion.  The Cardinal have lost six in-a-row to enter at 12-and-17.  The Golden Bears are riding a two-game losing streak to enter at 13-and-17.

       The Earthquakes are back on the pitch this weekend.  San Jose hosts the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday night at PayPal Park.  The Quakes come off a 3-1 loss to the LA Galaxy last week.  San Jose sits at the bottom of the Western Conference at 0-2-and-0.