Preview: Steelers heading to LA this weekend on Sunday Night Football By Nathan Crispell

The Steelers have been looking good so far this season. With a record of 5-3, they have been a solid opponent every week. They just came off of a win at home against the top ranked Indianapolis Colts 27-20. This was a great win for Pittsburgh as the rest of their schedule is tough with Detroit, Buffalo, and Baltimore twice left on their schedule. 

The Chargers are going to be a tough matchup for Pittsburgh, but the possibility is absolutely there after the win against the Colts. The Pittsburgh defense needs to keep up the good work that they had on Sunday last week, forcing six turnovers and keeping Jonathon Taylor to 14 carries for 45 yards. Aaron Rodgers also needs to keep the good throws coming, but probably needs to target Pittsburgh’s star wide receiver DK Metcalf more often.

Here are my predictions for Los Angeles: Quarterback Justin Herbert will throw for 240+ yards, with three passing touchdowns. Running back Kimani Vidal will rush for 95+ yards, with a touchdown catch. Wide receiver Ladd McConkey will have 75+ yards, 9 catches, one being a touchdown. The LA defense will have 2 turnovers, and 4 sacks.

Here are my predictions for Pittsburgh: Quarterback Aaron Rodgers will throw for 215+ yards, with two passing touchdowns. Running back Jaylen Warren will rush for 65+ yards, with a touchdown, and the other running back, Kenneth Gainwell, will rush for 45+ yards. Wide receiver DK Metcalf will have 85+ yards, with a touchdown catch. The Pittsburgh Defense will have one turnover, and 2 sacks.

Finally, my score prediction for this game is 33-24 Chargers.

Top Five MLB Free Agents by Miles Laskowski

I will preview the top 5 free agents for the 25-26 MLB offseason.

1. Kyle Tucker

Kyle Tucker had one of his most productive seasons of his career in his first season with the Cubs. He led the Cubs to a playoff berth but was out in the wild card with a hand injury. If not for that injury he could probably be in the MVP conversation. I think he could go to the Cubs, Dodgers or Giants because he was with the Cubs and both those teams needed an outfielder and were willing to spend the money.

2. Kyle Schwarber

Kyle Schwaber is a fan favorite this season and loves hitting in the Bank (Phillies Stadium). And the states show for it. He had 56 home runs and will likely come second in MVP voting, to Shohei Ohtani. I think that he will go back to the Phillies because he clearly loves it there and the fans love him. 

3. Alex Bregman 

Alex Bregman is an unbelievable hitter and he has been through his career. He hit 18 homers with and posted a .822 OPS in 2025. He helped the Red Sox make another playoff appearance but they got eliminated in the wild card of the playoffs. I think the Red Sox will pay him and he will play another season with the Sox.

4. Bo Bichette

Bo Bichette missed the first 2 rounds of the Blue Jays deep playoff run and the end of the season with a knee injury. But he came up clutch in Game 7 of the world series hitting a three run home run. But it wasn’t enough for the Blue Jays. I think the Blue Jays' big payroll will pay for Bichette.

5. Pete Alonso

Pete Alonso has been good for the Mets all his career and the fans love “Polar Bear”. He is a power hitter solely and doesn't hit for that great of average. The Mets owner spends some of the most money in the big leagues. So I think Pete will go to the Mets or the Red Sox. Both teams are in need of a first baseman.

Source: MLB.com 

What happened to the Ravens? By Nathan Crispell, Miles Laskowski, and Cole Potoczny

The Ravens were one of the best teams in the league, making the playoffs. And having a 12-5 record and winning the AFC North. They made it to the playoffs in the 2024 season and beat division rival, the Steelers, in round one. But fell short on the road to the Bills. 

However, this season, the Ravens have shown many struggles through their first five games. Baltimore is 1-5 and tied for last with the Browns, who they beat, meaning they are in third in the AFC North, and have given up many points on defense. They have given up 41 points to the Bills, 38 to the Lions, 37 to the Chiefs, and 44 to the Texans, who are 2-3, making it a very bad loss, also giving up 17 points to a good Rams team but only scoring three. Giving up 32.3 points a game. Their defense has not been living up to their standards.

If the Ravens want to have a chance at making the playoffs then their defense really needs to step up. And so does their offense, only scoring 120 points in 6 games. Which, for their offense, is not great. The Ravens probably have to win out to make the playoffs, and to do that, they will need their offense and defense to step up. 

Derrick Henry was a huge part of their deep playoff run last year, producing as much this year. One of his biggest problems compared to recent years is that he is fumbling a lot. Over the past three years he has only fumbled six times in the past three years and three of them were this year. Henry is also 31 years old and is nearing the end of his career. Last year he was almost one of the rushing titles but came short to Saquon Barkley, who also hasn’t been as productive this year.. Overall, I think Henry won’t have the season he usually has because he is older, but he will pick it up and have a huge game or two this season to help the Ravens win some crucial games. 

If the Ravens want to rise up from their huge 4 game drought, then they need Lamar Jackson back. It is clear that without the star quarterback, they can’t produce points on offense. In the three, they only have 33 combined points, which is very unlike them. This is proof that without Jackson, they are going to struggle with scoring. However, it sounds like Jackson will be ready to play in week 8 against Chicago. If they get Jackson back as quickly as it sounds, this will put them in a good spot to start winning games again. It will also be helpful to Baltimore to have a bye in week 7, to help get their leader healthy and back on the field.

Also their tight end Mark Andrews has not been as good as he has been in past seasons. But the Ravens have found their new tight end/old backup I, Saiah Likely, who has been much better than Andrews lately. Andrews dropped a pass that would have won their playoff game against the bills. And everything has spiraled since then.

The Ravens need to figure things out on defense and offense, especially if they don’t get Jackson back soon. Most importantly, they have to start finding ways to stop offenses. Fewer points given up and Jackson returning are two factors that can help rebuild the Ravens’ season.

Eagles vs. Giants by Maverick Popchak, Murph Connor, and Paul Lukac

This Thursday, ranked number 2, the Philadelphia Eagles will take on the 29th ranked  New York Giants. The Eagles just came off a tough loss against the Denver Broncos, but they will correct that in practice. The Broncos team performed very well on both sides of the field and pulled off a major win.

As a fan I think the Eagles will win 35-10. Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley leading the offense will play a very good game. Cooper Dejean and the defense will play a great game and have one interception and the D-line will have 3 sacks and a forced fumble. The Eagles will have a good rest of the season and win back to back Super Bowls.

The Top 5 Soccer Leagues in the World by Aiden Arvin

Europe's 54 soccer leagues

Out of 55 member nations in UEFA (United European Football Association),  54 have a soccer league, but only a handful of these leagues are notable. These are my top five leagues in European soccer

5. French Ligue 1

At 5th place, we have the French top league of soccer, Ligue 1. The nation of France has produced some of the world's best players like Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele, but also is home to Europe’s 2025 Champions League winner PSG (Paris Saint-Germain). There are some more notable teams like AS Monaco and OL Lyonnes.

4. Italian Serie A

At 4th there’s the Italian League or Serie A. Serie A has withstood the test of time. All the way back in 1898 Serie A played its first season with only 4 teams. Over the years Serie A has seen remarkable players come and go like Paolo Maldini, Gianluigi Buffon, and Francesco Totti. The most notable successful teams in the Serie A are Juventus, AC Milan, and Inter Milan.

3. German Bundesliga

The team in third is the German League or Bundesliga. The Bundesliga is one of the most elite leagues in Europe, known for its loyal fans, who will do anything for their team. The Bundesliga also has many majestic teams, like Bayern Munich with 33 Bundesliga titles and 6 Champions League titles. Other teams to take note of are Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayern Leverkusen.

2. Spanish LaLiga

The runner up is the Spanish LaLiga. Founded back in 1929, with Barcelona winning the first title. Teams from LaLiga also have the most wins of the most prestigious tournament in Europe, The Champions League. The Spanish LaLiga also has some of the worlds best teams like Real Madrid, who has 15 Champions League titles. Barcelona is also a notable team with an incredible fanbase. LaLiga is also known for the rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona, known as El Clasico.

1. English Premier League 

The English Premier League is the biggest League in Europe. Known to have some of the best teams known including world champions Chelsea, Defending league champions Liverpool, and Arsenal with the most FA (Football Association) cup titles. The Premier League is also known for their remarkable players like Mo Salah, Cole Palmer, Declan Rice, Rodri, and Erling Haaland. The Premier League is also home to some of the greatest rivalries, like, Manchester City and Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal, and Liverpool and Everton. 

MLB playoffs Series-by-Series Preview by Miles Laskowski

#3 Cleveland Guardians vs. #6 Detroit Tigers

The Tigers were leading the division by 15 ½ games at one point. Then Terik Skubal injured his chest. Then the Tigers collapsed completely, blowing that lead and losing the division. Skubal will likely win the Cy Young for the second straight year. But during the late-season collapse, the Guardians went on a surge coming back from 15 ½ games and winning the division on the last game of the season. 

That set the stage for this series starting in Cleveland tomorrow afternoon. The Tigers will start Skubal in this game, and I think they will win this game. But I think Cleveland pulls away in the next two games at home and moves on to the next round to play the surging Seattle Mariners. 

#4 New York Yankees vs. #5 Boston Red Sox. 

This is one of the biggest rivalries in all of sports. And it is set in New York. The most notable series in the playoff was in 2004 when the Red Sox came back from three to zero in the ALCS. Then the Red Sox won the World Series.

Homefield advantage is huge in this series because these are two of the oldest franchises. I think the Red Sox will win because they are most likely starting Garret Crochet also competing for the AL Cy Young. The Yankees won the season series this year. I think the Yankees will win the next to games at home and have momentum going into the next series against the Toronto Blue Jays

#3 Los Angeles Dodgers vs.  Wild Card (WC) Cincinnati Reds

The Dodgers and Reds are two very good teams. I think that the Dodgers with their huge roster loaded with stars will sweep the Reds. The Reds made a great run to get into the postseason, but I don’t think they have much of a chance to win this series. The Dodgers will play another star studded Phillies team.

#4 Chicago Cubs vs. #5 San Diego Padres

The Cubs need their start back. Pete Crow-Armstrong had an incredible first half. But after the all star break Crow-Armstrong had a very bad second half. The Cubs though do have their other all star in Kyle Tucker back going back into the playoffs.

The Padres are one of the best teams in the playoffs and are very good. But the Cubs are at home and haven’t made the playoffs in a full season since 2018. I think that the Cubs will lose Game 1 but comeback in the second game for a big win. But the Padres will win Game 3 off of a Fernando Tatis go-ahead home run in the 8th. This will set them up to play the Milwaukee Brewers. 

This will be one of the best playoffs in recent years.

Penn State at UCLA Preview by Maverick Popchak, Paul Lukac, and Murphy Connor

This Saturday, October 4th at 3:30 P.M. The Penn State Nittany Lions will play the unranked UCLA Bruins. The game will be played in Pasadena, California at the Rose Bowl Stadium. Penn State just recently took a loss to the Oregon Ducks in the Whiteout game. But they will recover from it.

The score will be 33 to 0 Penn State. Nick Singleton will run for 133 yards rushing and Devonte Ross will have two passing touchdowns. Dom Deluca and the defense will have two interceptions and two forced fumbles. And Dani Dennis Sutton will have two sacks and a tipped pass. Ryan Barker will have three field goals in the game. Penn State will win decisively.

Will the Philadelphia Phillies Stay Hot for Playoffs? By Cole Potoczny

Right now, the Philadelphia Phillies are hot and are on a huge run, clinching the playoffs with around two weeks left in the season. They have been giving up a lot of runs recently, though, usually coming through with 6 or 7 runs towards the end of most of their games. The Phillies have started bringing up younger players like Max Kepler to the top of their lineup. He has started really coming through, and they moved him up in the lineup. 

Pitching is a huge part of how a team does in a playoff series. The Phillies' pitching room is really good, but they lost their ace about a month ago. Zach Wheeler went out to get a blood clot removed just as he was starting to get on fire. Aaron Nola just had his best start of the season, which is really helpful if he can keep this up for the playoffs. The Phillies, even without Zach they will be a threat to any team they are playing in the playoffs.

Overall, the Phillies have had some really good playoff runs in the past and are one of the best teams in the MLB. I believe that the break will help the Phillies prepare and stay hot for the playoffs. The Phillies are pretty healthy with not too many people hurt, and I believe that with their full roster, they are one of, if not the best, team in the league.

Will The Brewers Come Through? by Nathan Crispell

Will the Brewers come through?

So far this season, Milwaukee has dominated all of baseball. With a regular season record of 97-65, they have been a tough competitor for all teams throughout the league, and they are a huge World Series contender. However, one question remains: Will they be able to finish out the season strong and bring a title to Milwaukee?

The Brewers have a loaded team with stars like Jackson Chourio, Christian Yelich, Sal Frelik, and William Contreareas, and all season they have played like a team should with that kind of talent in the lineup. Along with their dominant pitching staff, they have seemed unstoppable. The Brewers have swept teams including the LA Dodgers, not once, but twice, the Philadelphia Phillies, and most teams in their division. However, usually what happens in the regular season doesn’t translate exactly into the postseason.

So if they want to win it all, they are going to have to keep dominating on the mound and being razor sharp defensively. Their defense is going to be very important to their run for the championship.

Milwaukee has clearly shown the ability to win big games. Last season, the World Series champion Dodgers were able to do the little things right all across the board by making plays in the field, hitting for power, and shutting teams down on the mound. The Brewers have mirrored this Dodgers team throughout the entire regular season, which makes them a World Series favorite. Milwaukee has shown evidence that they can finish their season on a high note by winning the 11 playoff games (including the World Series) needed to earn the title. The future is bright for the Brewers and they should feel confident in a deep postseason run.

Penn State Set to Host Oregon Ducks by Paul Lukac, Connor Murphy, and Maverick Popchack

On Saturday, September 27th, at 7:30 P.M. The Penn State Nittany Lions will play the Oregon Ducks. Penn State is ranked #2 and Oregon is #6. Penn State is on a bye week currently but Oregon will play Northwestern this Saturday. This will be Oregon’s first White out experience. So this better be a hard fought game for both teams.

As a fan I think this will be a very good game. Penn State might be surprised at how skilled Oregon is compared to their first three games against not very skilled teams, like Villanova, FIU, and Nevada. The offense led by Drew Allar and Nick Singleton will have a tough game against the Ducks defense. Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen will gain at least 80 yards rushing. The Nittany Lions defense lead by Dani Dennis-Sutton and Dom Deluca will have a nice game combining with one interception and 4 sacks. The play of both teams special teams may be the determining factor in this game.

Our prediction: Penn State defeats Oregon 27-24.

Mariners Battle For Division in the AL West by Miles Laskowski

The Seattle Mariners were three games back of the division lead going into two games against the Braves in early September. The critical game in the series with Atlanta was the game on Saturday, September 6th.  It was 2-2 in the seventh inning when Julio Rodruigez was batting with a runner on base. Then Rodriguez proceeded to hit a home run giving the Mariners the lead.  They then proceeded to score 6 runs after that. Then they went on a tear, winning 10 straight games, two of them being one run games. Their pitching was so dominant.

Now going into the biggest series of the season for both teams… this weekend in Houston. 

Bryan Woo and Hunter Brown, two of the AL’s best pitchers, face off. The Mariners bullpen has been elite as of late. The Astros are coming off a big sweep of the Rangers. The Mariners have an elite offense consisting of Cal Raleigh (56 Homers), Julio Rodruijez (52 Multi-Hit games), Josh Naylor has been hot as off lately, and Egungio Suarez who is heating up at the plate, and Jorge Polanco who is on a tear. The Astros are really good, have very good pitching and a great offense. This  includes Jose Altuve, Yordan Alveres, Zach Cole (who had one of the greatest debut’s in MLB history) and a returned Carlos Correa who spent a few seasons in Minnesota with the Twins. 

These two teams are tied for the division going into a weekend series. The question is who will win?  I believe the Mariners will win the opening game 2-1 with a Cal Raleigh 2-run homer in the 7th inning. The Astros will get their run on a Yordan Alvares home run off of Matt Brash in the 8th. This will set up the Mariners to take the series and sole possession of first place in the American League West.

A History of Golf by Levi Laplante

A football field is 360 feet long and 160 feet wide. A professional basketball court is 94 feet long and 50 feet wide. A tennis court is 78 feet long and 27 feet for single matches. But a golf course never changes, always different and never the same twice, three times, or a hundred times!

 Every single course has its own special details.  And that is what makes it so peaceful, welcoming, and most definitely, one of the best sports ever. This game was invented in the 15th century in Scotland.  Though the game's ancient origins are debated, with possible precursors in ancient Roman and Chinese versions. The first written records of golf in Scotland appear around the mid-15th century, including a ban of the game by King James II in 1457. Later, King James IV adopted the game according to records showing the sale of clubs and balls purchased by King James IV in the early 16th century. 

Ancient and Early Origins

• Ancient Roots: Some historians trace the sport's beginnings to the Roman game of paganica, played with a bent stick and a stuffed ball. 

• Chinese Game: Another possible ancestor is chuiwan, a Chinese game from the 8th to 14th centuries, depicted in a Ming Dynasty scroll from 1368. 

• Early European Games: Similar games, like the Dutch kolf or English cambuca, also existed in Europe before the modern game. 

• Development in Scotland: 15th Century Scotland. The game that developed into modern golf was played in Scotland with sticks and pebbles, initially on natural courses. 

• Royal Involvement: King James II banned golf in 1457, considering it a distraction from mandatory archery practice for military training. He believed a sport was less important than a military.

• Royal Patronage: In the early 16th century, the ban was lifted when King James IV became a golfer, and the first royal golf clubs and balls were purchased. 

• Standardization: The rules of golf began to be established in 1744, and the first 18-hole course was constructed in 1764, marking steps toward the modern game.

All these steps led us straight towards our modern game called golf! 

• Precursors= A person or thing that comes before another of the same kind; a forerunner. - Oxford Dictionary

Source: https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofScotland/The-History-of-Golf/

Penn State Hosts Villanova At Beaver Stadium by Paul Lukac

This Saturday Penn State Football will face off against Villanova. The game will be played at Beaver Stadium here in State College, P.A. at 3:30 P.M. The odds for this clash are Penn State winning by up to 49.5 points. Penn State will walk into this battle ranked #2 in the country while Villanova is unranked.

As a fan I think Penn State will win 35-10. Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton will each rush for 100 yards. And Dom Deluca and the defense will combine for 3 sacks and 2 interceptions. The team should also shape up for their big game in two weeks facing the #4 Oregon Ducks.

Huge Win for the Thunder as Shai Drops 40 By Miles Laskowski

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA) performed great in this pivotal game 6 for the Oklahoma City Thunder against the Minnesota Timberwolves. SGA led the team in points, rebounds and assists. He had a great supporting cast as well in this game. And that consists of Chet Holmgret and Jaylen Williams. Holmgret had a total of 21 points which helped this team a ton in this game. Williams' performance was stellar; he had 34 points, which was the second most on the team. Holmgret had three blocks in this game which can be huge down the stretch in the playoffs. 

The Timberwolves did not have their best game getting only 16 points from their star player Anthony Edwards. Nickeil Alexander Walker who is SGA’s cousin had a total of 23 points off the bench and bench points are key as these points led the team. Dante Divencino had 21 points off the bench. Jaden McDaniels had a big game as well, hitting some early threes and knocking down good shots. But in the end it wasn’t enough for the Timberwolves and they took a big loss. These two teams will face off on Wednesday in Oklahoma City.

College Football Conference Ideal Realignment by Grant Potoczny

College football is changing rapidly, and one of those changes is conference realignment. Now some of these teams you’re never sure where they will go and I can’t predict where they’ll go, so I’ll be going over best case scenarios.

Taking the Top Teams from the FCS

Montana State- Montana State was a top team getting to the FCS championship and losing to North Dakota State. Montana State would be a great pick-up for some of these smaller conferences because it reaches into a new territory due to the lack of FBS teams in the Northern-Midwest, so I would put them in a Grouper 5 or Big 12.

South Dakota State- South Dakota State is a team that is always on top of the FCS. They are consistently fighting for the FCS championship with North Dakota State and are again in uncharted territory for the FBS, so I would say either they go to a Grouper 5 or the Big 12.

North Dakota State- North Dakota State is arguably the best team to ever exist in the FCS. They have won 10 of the last 14 FCS championships and have completely dominated the FCS. Again it’s in uncharted territory for the FBS, which the reason why it’s so important, is that it introduces a whole new audience to the FBS, which i why I think they belong in also go to a Group of 5 or Big 12.

Picking Out the American Conference

UTSA- UTSA is typically pretty consistent in being at least a decent team. They bring in a decent amount of money and they have a decent following, although they aren’t good enough for the SEC or Big Ten I do feel like they would be good enough for Big-12 or PAC-12.

Tulane- Tulane is also a very consistent team, with a larger fanbase than most Grouper 5 schools. They actually have had some great seasons over the last few years and could maybe be middle of the pack in some of these worse Power 5 Conferences, so I would place them in the Pac-12 because they desperately need more teams.

Tulsa- Tulsa has been really struggling, but with some of these conferences struggling, some other Grouper 5 schools will be brought in, that they could maybe compete with. The reason why they might be a team to grab is because there are not a huge amount of teams in Oklahoma, so they might be a good pick up for the Pac-12.

Choosing from Conference USA

Western Kentucky- Western Kentucky probably has one the larger fanbases in Grouper 5 conferences. Western Kentucky is at least decent every year and puts up a decent record. They don’t belong in the Big Ten or SEC but could survive in the Big-12.

Liberty- Liberty is always pretty solid and there aren’t any really strong teams in Virginia. Liberty has some richer alumni, which might help them build an even stronger team with NIL, which could make them a good contender for the SEC and Big Ten in the future, but right now they would be good for the Big-12.

Jacksonville State- Jacksonville State, again, is always pretty solid. Jacksonville State ended the season at the top of Conference USA, and is at the top of their conference pretty consistently. They also could start a natural rivalry since they are close to Florida State and Miami, which is why I think the ACC is good for them.

New Teams From the Mountain West

For the Mountain West the conference is so bad I think that only 2 teams will be worth bringing into a Power 5 conference.

UNLV- UNLV is consistently near the top of their conference and is in an area where there really isn't much competition for an audience and should bring in good money to the conference. They also should keep improving because they have rich alumni and I think they belong in the PAC 12.

Boise State- Boise State really needs no explanation to be on this list. They won their conference, went to the college playoff, and built one of the best college football running backs to ever exist. They have a lot of potential, in an area with no other teams to compete with an audience for. This is a really strong team and they are up north. I would say that they would actually be middle of the pack in the SEC or Big Ten, so I would say that they might belong in the Big Ten.

Derailing the MAC

Miami (OH)- Miami (OH) is always solid. They come in the top of the MAC almost every year, and are really solid. Unfortunately for them, they are around Ohio State which takes away viewers, but still have a decent amount of fans. With how they play I would say that they deserve to be in the Big 12 also.

Ohio- Ohio is also always pretty solid. I would say that Bowling Green and Ohio are very similar in most aspects. I do think that Bowling Green is slightly better though, but since they are still pretty solid and a little better than Miami (OH) I would say that they belong in the Big 12 also.

Bowling Green- Bowling Green has actually had some really competitive games this season with some good teams. They’ve actually done better than some of the Big Ten teams have done against an opponent like Penn State. Although I don’t think they belong in the Big Ten, I think that they could fare well in the Big 12. 

(I didn’t get lazy, all these teams are in Ohio, so geographically they should go to the Big 12)

Taking From The Sun Belt

James Madison- James Madison is also always pretty good. It seems like every year they show up in a close game, or even beat a really good team. They might struggle with fans since they are so close to Wisconsin, but they definitely deserve to be in a better conference like the Big 12.

Marshall- Marshall is a lot like James Madison, they’re in the North part of the Midwest, sort of overshadowed by a powerhouse in the state (Ohio State), and always seem to have one really good game each year against a top team. Due to geography they are tough to line up with a fitting conference, but I would say that they belong in the Big 12.

Louisiana- Louisiana is always pretty good. This year they made a push for the playoffs, won their conference, and were just solid all around. The only problem with them is that they do have to compete with LSU for fans, but they are completely deserving to be in a better conference, which is why I would place them in the Big 12.

To The Biggest

For this section I will choose the best teams from each Power 4 conference that are not in the Big 10 or SEC to go to one of the conferences.

SMU- SMU is not a historically great program, but with NIL I do think that they can make a really good team in the two biggest conferences, and yes I think they would be better than Miami and Clemson, since in such a short period of time they became such a good team. Because of geography I do think that they belong in the SEC.

Iowa State- Iowa State is just such a solid team year after year, even though the Sun Devils were better than them this year I do think Iowa State will be more consistent, this would also give Iowa another rival. So for those reasons I think they belong in the Big 10.

Notre Dame- Notre Dame is the crown jewel of what each conference wants. Notre Dame is always in a playoff run, and can always compete with these really good teams. Do they always lose to teams like Ohio State, yes, but are they good enough to beat Penn State, also yes. The problem for Penn State is that they have no really competitive, natural rivalry. They always lose to Ohio State, always crush Rutgers, but I think Notre Dame, being the just two states over, would bring a natural competitive rivalry. That is why I think Notre Dame belongs in the Big 10.

NBA Playoff Update #3 by Marshall Laskowski

The NBA playoffs are in the final stretch. The Western Conference and Eastern Conference finals are halfway through. The series has been pretty lopsided thus far. The East is Pacers and Knicks, and the Pacers lead 2-1 with Game 4 tonight. In the West, it is 3-1 Thunder over the Minnesota Timberwolves. I will go in-depth about how these teams got here and how the playoffs will finish out.

Let’s start with the Knicks, they won their first series in 6 games against the Pistons. That was a fun series, but almost everyone knew the Knicks were going to walk away with it. Then the fun began in New York after the Knicks took a commanding 3-1 lead over the Celtics; the city was on fire. The Jalen Brunson-led Knicks then won in 6 and advanced to their first Eastern Conference finals in 25 years. They find themselves in a bit of a hole down 2-1, but got a big comeback win in game three. They have the talent to win this series.

Next up is the Pacers, another team that has gone on a fun ride through the playoffs. They steamrolled the Bucks in 5 in the first round, capped off by a Tyrese Haliburton game winner in game 5. Then, Indy took on the best team in the East, the Cavs. The Cavs were the favorite, but the Pacers had the magic and took down Cleveland in 5 and moved to the ECF. Now they go toe-to-toe with New York. Haliburton has been amazing in clutch time with three game-winning shots this postseason. They look to take a commanding 3-1 lead tonight at 8 PM. 

Then we’ve got the almighty Thunder. They breezed past the Grizzlies in a four-game sweep, which we all expected. However, in the second round, they ran into some trouble but ended up squeaking out a 7-game series win against the Nuggets. Now they have a big 3-1 lead over the young and talented Twolves. This team can win it all, they just need to play well. 

Finally, there is the Timberwolves. They seemed unbeatable in the first two rounds after taking out Lebron and Curry in five games. This series against the Thunder has not gone very well due to the lack of play from Anthony Edwards. They will need him to step up big in order to pull off a comeback in this series.

I think that the finals matchup will be the Oklahoma City Thunder and the New York Knicks. This would be a great matchup that I think the Thunder would take in 7 games. There is no way the Thunder can blow a 3-1 lead the way they have played, and the Knicks will just need to play better and with a little luck, they should be in the finals. 

Wake Forest early exit in ACC Baseball Tournament By: Andrew Zajac

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons have exited in the second round of the ACC Baseball Tournament after a heartbreaking loss to the California Golden Bears 14-12 on 5/21/25. 

The Deacs made the tournament as the eighth seed after a tragic collapse at the end of the season losing series to Clemosn, UNC, Virginia Tech, and Boston College. The Golden Bears on the other hand, cruised through their first round matchup against Miami and secured the upset, then got the upper hand early and never gave it back in this game against Wake. Wake Forest finished the season with a 36-20 record and a 16-14 conference record. They started the year with a 15-3 record and swept Notre Dame and Miami to start the ACC year, then had a generational collapse only winning two of their last six ACC weekend series. Stars such as Marek Houston, Dalton Wentz, Matt Scannell, and Kade Lewis put this team on their back and carried them through the gauntlet of ACC play while they mightily struggled with their pitching with early-year stars such as Logan Lunceford, and Matt Dallas seemed to get worse as the year went on. Superstar returning first-baseman Jack Winnay had a very disappointing season as well, with his plate discipline really declining as the year progressed. The team as a whole went from a pre-season top 15 team, to dropping out of the rankings entirely by the end of the year.

Now the good side: The Demon Deacons still have a good shot at making a deep postseason run and maybe even the College Baseball World Series in Omaha in June. They will most likely be the second or third seed out of four at any regional in the nation. Even though they don’t have a shot at the coveted ACC Baseball Championship trophy, they still have a shot at Omaha.

• I want to thank Mr. Cunningham, Mr. Harper, and Mr. Cimino for helping and encouraging me in my newspaper journey and nurturing my love for sports writing. They all gave me ideas when I had none, and I really enjoyed my time writing for the PFMS times and in their classes. I hope to continue at the high school and eventually in college. Thank you to them for playing a big role in that dream. 

NBA Playoffs Update Number Two by Marshall Laskowski

The NBA playoffs are wrapping up, and they have been pretty exciting with many surprises as well. We have a couple of series that are in games 6 and 7 in both the West and East, but after those are over, we will have the conference finals set. I will update you on the remaining games and give you my prediction of how it will finish. 

The series in the West is the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Denver Nuggets. The series is tied at 3-3, and game 7 will be at 3:30 on Sunday, May 18th. This series has been back and forth between the two excellent teams. The Thunder are the one seed and were excellent all year, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. They were up 3-2 last night with a chance to win it, but lost in the end, which led to game 7. The Nuggets are the four seed and have tons of experience in this spot, led by Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. I think game 7 will go back and forth and come down to the wire, but the Nuggets' experience will pay off, and they will advance to play the Timberwolves in the Western Conference final.

The series in the East is the Knicks and Celtics, which is 3-2 New York leading. The Knicks fans are on a high and have so much energy going into games 6 and 7. Jalen Brunson has been balling out for this team and has been so much fun to watch. The Celtics trailed 3-1 but came back to win game 5 and make it 3-2 even with Jayson Tatum out for the playoffs with a torn achilles. Game 6 will be tonight at 8 and should be a ton of fun in Madison Square Garden. I think the Knicks will get it done tonight and move on to face the Pacers.

The two teams that are already set in the conference finals are the Timberwolves, led by Ant, and the Pacers, led by Haliburton. Ant has been on an absolute tear and led his team to this point by taking down the Lakers and Warriors in 5. I think the Twolves are going to move on to the NBA finals and take down whoever they play. The other series I think the Pacers are going to have trouble and run out of playoff magic from Haliburton and probably go down in this round. 

The wrap-up of these playoffs should be fun and exciting, and I can’t wait to watch it!

Mariners On A Tear by Marshall Laskowski

The Seattle Mariners are on fire. They have won 9 series in a row. The Astros were the first victim during this run when they took two out of three from them. Next up was the Rangers, whom they swept, and that is truly when things started to go really well for this squad. Then the Reds, whom they took two of three from, with two of the wins being fun, and got the boys going. Next, the Blue Jays, whom they also took two of three from, and that is when the offense started to come alive, as that aspect of the team was carrying them. Rowdy Tellez and Cal Raleigh were big in that series. After that were the Red Sox in Fenway, which had the whole fanbase's vibes up.  The next team they beat twice was the lowly Marlins, whom they killed 14-0 in Game 2 of the series. Then they won both games of a two-game series against the Angels for their seventh straight series win. Then they took another two from the Rangers in Texas, including a 13-1 win in the first game. In their ninth and final series, they took the last two of three from the “Sacramento” A’s, including a huge comeback win yesterday. 

The offense has carried them throughout this stretch, which is a big surprise because that was the low point for the team last year. They have been led by Jorge Polanco, who can’t get out, Cal Raleigh, who leads the MLB in homers, and JP Crawford has been a bright spot. The key has been hitting up and down the lineup and striking out much less. The pitching has been good enough to keep them in these games, and Andres Munoz, the closer, has yet to give up a run. The all-time record for series wins is 15, and hopefully, this team can reach it. They have been a lot of fun to watch, and they can definitely reach the playoffs or further. They are currently 2nd in the entire AL, only behind the Detroit Tigers. 

Anthony Edwards: A Force to Be Reckoned With...by Miles Laskowski

Anthony Edwards has taken down two of the greatest players of all time in the past two years in the playoffs. He swept Kevin Durant arguably the greatest forward of all time last year in round one. Then this year he won in five games over Lebron James, who is the second greatest player of all time…not to mention Luka Doncic of the Lakers too. Also the Timberwolves were the 6 seed and the Lakers were the 3 seed. 

Now in the second round he is playing the greatest shooter of all time (Steph Curry) and Jimmy Butler. If the Timberwolves win this series, then Anthony Edwards would’ve taken down three of the greatest players of all time. The Warriors have an early lead in the series 1-0 taking down the Timberwolves by 11 in Minnesota. Steph Curry is out with injury, but Edwards still has stop Butler. They play again tonight at 8:30 on TNT.