Somerset Silver Palms softball keeps routine intact: Chick-Fil-A and a trip to state
For the fourth consecutive year, two of the best softball teams in the state, Miami Somerset Silver Palms and Coral Springs Charter squared off in the Region 4-3A final. About as evenly matched as you can get, the two teams, ranked 1 and 2 in the state in Class 3A and No. 4 (Charter) and No. 7 (Silver Palms) regardless of classification, once again turned in an instant classic.
And for the third straight year, it was Silver Palms, each time as the No. 2 seed on the road, which frustrated the Panthers, pulling off a down-to-the-wire 4-3 victory at Cypress Park in Coral Springs.
It also marked the third straight year that Silver Palms coach Gator Rebhan has turned it into a little bit of a mini-road trip for his players.
Leaving early in the day, the Stallions made the long drive north, stopped off for the team's pregame meal at a nearby Chick-fil-A, capped it off with some ice cream and then headed to the field a few hours early to start their preparations for the big game. The net result was 1-0 and 4-2 wins each of the last two years and then Thursday's victory.
'Chick-fil-A, that's our winner right there,' said a euphoric Rebhan following the game. 'That's been our routine the last two years, what we did again today and I've got news for you, if we're back up here again next year like we've been the last three years, we'll be back at Chick-fil-A again. I won't break that routine.'
For the third straight year, the Stallions (22-6) punched their ticket to the state final four and will head north as the No. 1 seed and take on No. 4 Dunedin in a Class 3A state semifinal on May 21 at Boombah-Soldiers Creek Park in Longwood, just outside Orlando. After a runner-up finish two years ago and losing in the semifinals last season, Silver Palms will look to bring home its first state title this time.
'Let's go up there and bring back the big trophy this time,' Rebhan told his excited players when they huddled up in left field after the game.
Silver Palms did it in comeback fashion. After seeing an early 2-0 lead disappear when Charter (23-4) rallied to score three times in the bottom of the fourth, the Stallions answered that by scoring twice in the fifth and then, thanks to some clutch pitching from Ava Stevens, hung on for the win.
Taylor Rebhan got the fifth started by drawing a leadoff walk and Stevens followed with an infield single. After Leilani Gonzalez hit into a force out, Caylee Cerda, an eighth grader, laced a base hit to left scoring Stevens from second, who barely beat the throw at the plate and the game was tied.
With runners on second and third and two outs, a changeup from Charter pitcher Courtney Wahlbrink was low, but nothing catcher Heather Robertson couldn't handle. But the ball hit the front of the plate and popped up over Robertson's head to the backstop and Gonzalez raced home for what turned out to be the game-deciding run.
Facing the No. 3-4-5 hitters in the lineup in the bottom of the seventh, Stevens induced two fly balls to right to record the first two outs before Wahlbrink lined a base hit to center to keep the Panther hopes alive. But Cerda handled a sharp grounder to third by Shelby Stephens and cooly fired to first for the final out.
'I knew I needed to keep the ball low in that last inning because they had their best hitters up and didn't want to give up anything deep,' said Stevens, a senior who has been on the team since sixth grade. 'Coming up here and beating this them again on their field is amazing. We know they're a really good team and that it's tough to beat them on their field but having done it the last few years, that builds your confidence that you can come up here and do it again and that's exactly what we did.'
Wahlbrink, Stephens and Addi Brown led off Charter's fourth inning with consecutive singles to load the bases with no outs. Just when it looked like Stevens would work her way out of the jam, Addi Michel and Bree Martinelli came through with 2-out base hits which brought in three runs.
'Sometimes – you just have somebody's number and right now, the last three years, we've had their number,' Rebhan said. 'Charter's a great team, ranked number one for a reason. What's really unfortunate is that these two teams have to meet in this round every year because, other than 6A with Doral, if we were in separate classifications, we'd probably both be state champions. It's unfortunate that one of us has to go home every year.'
On the other end of the spectrum, Charter coach Mark Montemurro was the picture of frustration.
Sitting quietly in the dugout while his players sobbed and hugged each other, Montemurro, who led the Panthers to a state record-tying five straight state titles from 2015-19, could only lament on coming up short for a third straight season.
'We actually outhit them 9 to 7 and then we get a ball that hits the front of the plate that brings in the game-deciding run,' Montemurro said. 'What really killed us was that our No. 3 and 4 hitters went a combined 0-for-7 at the plate and when you lose a game by one run, that can be the difference.'
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NBC Sports
2 hours ago
- NBC Sports
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Cristian Javier returns, Hurston Waldrep has a rotation spot
Welcome to Waiver Wire Watch, where I review my favorite waiver wire adds and drops for each week of the MLB season. The premise is pretty straightforward. I'll try to give you some recommended adds each week based on recent production or role changes. When I list a player, I'll list the category where I think he'll be helpful or the quick reason he's listed. I hope it will help you determine if the player is a fit for what your team needs. For a player to qualify for this list, he needs to be UNDER 40% rostered in Yahoo! formats. I understand you may say, 'These players aren't available in my league,' and I can't help you there. These players are available in over 60% of leagues and some in 98% of leagues, so they're available in many places, and that can hopefully satisfy readers who play in all league types. Matthew Pouliot, Waiver Wire Hitters Colson Montgomery - 3B/SS, CWS: 39% rostered (HOT STREAK, PROSPECT GROWTH?) Montgomery remains at 39% rostered in part because we've seen his batting average take a real hit of late, going 9-for-42 (.214) over his last 12 games. That's not a huge surprise to me since Montgomery was hitting so poorly in Triple-A that he got sent back down to the complex to fix his stance and approach. When he came back, he hit marginally better at Triple-A, but nothing like what we're seeing at the MLB level right now. In fact, he hit .215 in 60 games at Triple-A this year and .214 in 130 games at Triple-A last year. I just can't connect that with a hitter we're seeing right now, and I recorded a video on Montgomery last week to explain my hesitation with Montgomery. He does have a 119 Process+ score since July 15th (which is a Pitcher List score that weighs Contact Value, Decision Value, and Power Value. A league average score is 100, so Montgomery is above league average, but his contact value is brutal. So basically, he has good power, is making solid swing decisions, and struggles to make contact. That sounds about right. I also don't quite believe what Paul DeJong - 3B/SS, WAS (2% rostered) is doing, but we have to acknowledge that he's doing it. He has done 15-for-47 (.319) in his last 13 games with four home runs, nine RBI, and two steals. That initially started against a stretch of lefties, but DeJong has now pushed into pretty much a committee with Brady House. I think this will only last as long as DeJong's bat is forcing them to give him some reps, but that could be enough in deeper leagues. Sal Frelick - OF, MIL: 37% rostered (EVERY DAY JOB, HOT STREAK) Frelick has been good all season, but, much like many of his teammates, his profile is a bit boring from a fantasy perspective. He will steal a good number of bases and hit a few home runs and hit for a solid batting average, but none of his skills are GIF-able, and so we forget about him. However, he leads off for the Brewers, has 18 steals on the year, and is hitting .294 over his last 15 games. That's a profile that fits in a lot of league types. The same applies to Joey Ortiz - SS/3B, MIL (9% rostered), who plays every day on the best team in baseball and has been hitting second in the order lately because he's racking up hits. In August, Ortiz is hitting .370 with 13 runs scored, 11 RBI, and two steals in 14 games. His multi-position eligibility also makes him a strong bench option. Jordan Beck - OF, COL: 34% rostered (EVERY DAY JOB, HOT STREAK) Beck has been on fire coming out of the break, hitting .326 with four home runs, 13 RBI, and four steals in 26 games. The Rockies will start next week with a four-game set at home against the Diamondbacks and then start the week after with four more home games against the Dodgers, so we can target Rockies hitters for those Coors Field games. That means we could also add Tyler Freeman - OF, COL (8% rostered), who is hitting .294 in 14 games in August with one home run, nine runs scored, and four steals. Ryan Ritter -SS, COL (0% rostered) is also off the IL and playing every day if you're in an NL-only league. Lenyn Sosa - 1B/2B/3B - CWS: 32% rostered (EVERY DAY ROLE, QUALITY UNDERLYING METRICS) Sosa was just 14% rostered when I had him here last week, and I've had Sosa on here a few times now because he pops on Process+ leaderboards and has been making quality contact with a 113 score since July 15th. In that span, Sosa is hitting .293/.343/.511 with four home runs, 13 runs scored, and 18 RBI in 25 games. He's playing every day, and the White Sox lineup is starting to wake up a little bit. He's not a bad add in deeper formats. Casey Schmitt - 1B/2B/3B/SS, SF (3% rostered) also popped on the Process+ leaderboard with a 114+ mark since July 15th. That has led to a .247/.293/.416 slash line with three home runs and eight RBI, which isn't great, but Process+ would suggest he's making good swing decisions and contact, so that number should tick up. Especially now that Matt Chapman is on the IL and Schmitt could start more regularly. Of course, Schmitt also got dinged up this weekend, so just check his status before finalizing your claims. Blaze Alexander - 3B/SS/2B, ARI: 29% rostered (HOT STREAK, POWER UPSIDE) This is probably only a short-term add with Blaze since I expect Jordan Lawlar to push for at-bats in September, and I think Blaze will revert back to his normal career marks. In fact, he's already just 1-for-11 in his first three games at Coors Field this weekend, which is a huge bummer. However, he has been producing and playing regularly, so maybe he's still worth an add in deeper formats. I should note that things look good under the hood for Ryan McMahon - 3B, NYY (36% rostered). He has a 117 Process+ score since July 15th and remains an everyday player for the Yankees, which has some value in deeper formats. Ryan Mountcastle - 1B: 25% rostered (OFF THE IL, POWER UPSIDE) Mountcastle came off the IL last week after missing months with a hamstring injury. The 28-year-old has proceeded to go 8-for-29 (.276) with two home runs, three RBI, and two steals. He and Coby Mayo - 1B/3B, BAL (6% rostered) should be the 1B/DH for the rest of the season, and that would make both worth adding. Mayo's results have been inconsistent so far, but I think regular playing time will help him. We saw what Kyle Stowers was able to do when he was given regular playing time, and Mayo is a better prospect than Stowers. Mayo has a 107 Process+ score since July 1st, and is above average in all components of that score (Decision Value, Contact, and Power), so the results should come soon. I'd be adding in deeper formats in case the results start to click in. Noelvi Marte - 3B/OF, CIN: 24% rostered (HITTING STREAK, EVERY DAY JOB) Coming into Sunday's game, Marte is riding a seven-game hitting streak, where he has gone 13-for-30 with two home runs, nine RBI, and six runs scored. He's been a solid contributor for Cincinnati all year and should be added in most formats, especially now that he has outfield eligibility. It also seems like Miguel Andujar - 3B/OF, CIN (12% rostered) is becoming an everyday starter at designated, which (along with the trade for Ke'Bryan Hayes) shifted Marte to the outfield. In 12 games with the Reds, Andujar is hitting .389/.463/.694 with three home runs and nine RBI. Despite all the stops in his career, Andujar is a .279 career hitter with a 15% strikeout rate in 444 games and is now playing in the most offense-friendly environment he's ever been in. Kyle Manzardo - 1B, CLE: 19% rostered (HOT STREAK, POWER UPSIDE) Kyle Manzardo went through a really cold stretch earlier in the summer, but we now know that his mother was going through a heart transplant. These guys are human beings too, and it's only logical that stress and emotional turmoil off the field would impact their performance and preparation on the field. Since July 1st, Manzardo has hit .286/.388/.561 with eight home runs and 21 RBI in 32 games. The Guardians are surging, and I think it's time to buy back in. Spencer Horwitz - 1B/2B, PIT (19% rostered) has also popped on Process+ leaderboards with a 109 score since July 15th. Over that stretch, he's hitting .300/.376/.456 with three home runs and 17 RBI. There won't be tons of power or any speed, which limits his overall fantasy ceiling, but there is some value here for deeper formats. Daulton Varsho - OF, TOR: 14% rostered (RETURN FROM THE IL, POWER UPSIDE) Varsho came off the IL in August and has hit .351/.455/.811 in 11 games with five home runs, 14 RBI, and nine runs scored. He has just one steal in 35 games this season, so that potential 20/20 upside no longer exists, but he's clearly selling out for power this season, and that statline above is something we're interested in for all league types. Samuel Basallo - C/1B, BAL: 9% rostered (RECENT CALL-UP, POWER UPSIDE) The only thing preventing that Mayo/Mountcastle platoon at first base is that the Orioles have called up their top prospect, Samuel Basallo. I don't quite get it. Basallo can play, no doubt. He's hitting .270/.377/.589 in 76 games at Triple-A with 23 home runs and 67 RBI. He has legit power in his bat and will be tremendous. He's only 20 years old, and there's no open spot in the lineup. I guess that means they're going to rotate Basallo, Mountcastle, Mayo, and Adley Rutschman at C, 1B, and DH. But how many starts will each get? Didn't the Orioles see with Kyle Stowers and Jackson Holliday that playing every day is what allowed those guys to settle in and hit their stride? I dunno. You should add Basallo though, because his catcher eligibility will erase any of those playing time concerns for now. Jordan Lawlar - SS, ARI: 8% rostered (STASH PLAY, PROSPECT UPSIDE) I'm keeping these recommendations here as stash plays. I think Lawlar and Kristian Campbell - 2B/OF, BOS (17% rostered) are both due for a call-up on September 1st at the latest. Lawlar is on the IL with a hamstring injury, but he has already started a rehab assignment, so his time is coming now that Josh Naylor and Eugenio Suarez are out of town. Lawlar is hitting .319/.410/.583 at Triple-A with 10 home runs and 18 steals in 53 games, and has little left to prove there. Similarly, Kristian Campbell has been on fire of late, while also playing solid defense at first base. I think he's a logical addition for Boston, who didn't add a first baseman at the deadline. Dylan Beavers - OF, BAL: 5% rostered (PROSPECT CALL UP, FIVE-CATEGORY UPSIDE) Shockingly, Beavers was called up as soon as he wasn't at risk of losing rookie eligibility. Beavers is a 2022 first-round pick who has been swinging a hot bat and is now hitting .304 on the season with 18 home runs, 22 steals, 51 RBI, and a .953 OPS. We know that rookie hitters can take a while to adjust to the big league level, but there is some five-category upside here that could be worth chasing in most league types. I should also point out that the Athletics are playing Colby Thomas - OF, ATH (1% rostered) a lot more of that, at the expense of Lawrence Butler. Thomas went 8-for-18 this week with eight RBI, two home runs, one steal, and five runs scored. He has some swing-and-miss concerns but also has real power/speed upside, so if he's going to play nearly every day in that home environment, then we should be adding him in most formats. Tommy Pham - OF, PIT: 2% rostered (STARTING JOB, HOT STREAK) I feel like I'm taking crazy pills. I've had Pham on here for over a month, and his roster rate keeps dropping. Pham has a 115 Process+ score since July 1st, but we also know that he has been dealing with a challenging situation related to his contact lenses due to a rare eye condition he has. Since he began working to correct that, around June 16th, we can see that he's hitting .341/.400/.548 in 41 games with six home runs, 20 runs scored, and 26 RBIs. That will play in any league type, and I'm not sure why people aren't scooping him up. Alex Freeland - 2B/3B/SS, LAD: 1% rostered (TOP PROSPECT, REGULAR PLAYING TIME) Look, I know the results haven't been there, but Freeland is playing every day for the Dodgers and just got even more job security with Max Muncy going on the IL. This is a 23-year-old who was the 43rd-ranked prospect in baseball and hit .253/.377/.421 in 94 games at Triple-A with 12 home runs and 18 steals. He has a tremendous feel for the strike zone and, in deeper formats, I'm still adding and hoping that the consistent playing time will help him get comfortable and see better results. Kyle Karros - 3B, COL: 1% rostered (RECENT CALL-UP, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE) The Rockies called up Karros last weekend. The son of former Dodgers first baseman Eric Karros has an advanced approach at the plate with a strong feel for the strike zone. The Rockies' 8th-ranked prospect makes a ton of contact and was slashing .301/.398/.476 on the season with six homers, 26 RBI, and seven steals in 269 plate appearances across three minor league levels. I've been impressed with his at-bats, so far, and he's gone 9-for-28 in eight games with six runs, three RBI, and a 5/4 K/BB ratio. Karros figures to get the rest of the season to stake his claim to the 3B job for 2026, and if you're in deeper formats and don't need power, I think Karros could be a solid corner infield option. Graham Pauley - 3B, MIA (1% Rostered) is also making the most of his time in the Marlins' starting lineup, hitting .267/.405/.600 in 13 games in August with three home runs, seven runs scored, four RBI, and one steal. The 24-year-old has never been an elite prospect but has a solid track record of production dating back to his time with the Padres, and he could be a deeper-league option. Bob Seymour - 1B, TB: 0% rostered (RECENT CALL UP, POWER UPSIDE) I should mention Seymour here because he was called up by Tampa Bay and started his first two games. He hit .263/.327/.552 in 105 games at Triple-A with 30 home runs and 87 RBI, which led the International League. The power is real, but he also posted an 18.3% swinging strike rate and only saw his strikeout rate decrease because he started to swing more often, which gave him more chances to make contact and not strikeout. This is probably not a profile you're after outside of AL-only leagues. Waiver Wire Pitchers Hurston Waldrep - SP, ATL: 35% rostered I covered Waldrep in detail in my starting pitcher news column this week. A mid-season mechanics change has led to some real improvement for the former first-round pick, and I'm fully bought in. Cristian Javier - SP, HOU - 28% rostered I covered Javier's debut outing that same Starting Pitcher News column linked abve, so check that out to see why I'm in on Javier. I also still believe in his teammate Spencer Arrighetti - SP, HOU (29% rostered) and their other teammate, Luis Garcia - SP, HOU (4% rostered), who might be just one more rehab start away from returning, so this entire Astros rotation is coming back. J.J. Romero - RP, STL: 29% rostered Romero was one of the big winners after the trade deadline, and he has emerged as the primary closer for the Cardinals. He did suffer a blown save this week against the Rockies, but he also struck out the side in that inning, so it was really one bad pitch that Hunter Goodman hit out of the park that was his undoing. I like adding Romero still, but he is also the only left-handed reliever in the bullpen, so this should likely be a committee with Romero sometimes needing to get big left-handed hitters out in the eighth inning. When that happens, we've seen Riley O'Brien - RP, STL (2% rostered) step in and pick up a save, so they can both have some fantasy value. Nolan McLean - SP, NYM: 24% rostered I recorded a video on McLean this week, so check that out for my full thoughts. There is some risk here, but the upside is immense, as you saw in his debut on Saturday. Nestor Cortes - SP, SD: 21% rostered Cortes now has a locked-in rotation spot on a playoff contender, so that's a win for him. I covered the veteran left-hander in a video I recorded last week, so make sure to check that out. Kyle Bradish - SP, BAL: 13% rostered Kyle Bradish made potentially his last rehab start on Thursday, allowing two hits and two walks in five scoreless innings while striking out nine batters at Triple-A. His fastball sat 95.5 mph, and he posted a 35% whiff rate thanks to a slightly revamped slider that's a little slower and with more drop than we've seen before. There may be some rust with Bradish as he comes off Tommy John surgery, but we also know that he has the upside of a top 20 overall starter. We also have Landen Roupp - SP, SF (29% rostered) off the IL. I know his first start was bad, but we bench starters coming off the IL for a reason. He has been good for the Giants all year and should settle back in. Cade Cavalli - SP, WAS: 9% rostered I recorded a video on Cade Cavalli last week before his season debut, and he has been far more impressive than I expected, shutting down the A's and Phillies, while struggling in his second start against the Royals. The former top prospect is working his way back from Tommy John surgery, and his Triple-A results have been inconsistent, so we should expect some inconsistency. But he has shown good velocity and a plus breaking ball, so I'm willing to grab him if I'm looking for upside. STREAMING STARTER PITCHERS MUST BE 40% ROSTERED ON YAHOO OR UNDER (ranked in loose order) Week of 8/18 Strong Preference Fairly Confident Some Hesitation Desperate / Uncertain Health or Role
USA Today
2 days ago
- USA Today
Iowa special teams shine in 'EA Sports College Football 26' ratings
For the entirety of Kirk Ferentz's tenure with the Hawkeyes, he's prided himself on his teams taking care of the ball, playing great defense, and having elite special teams. And no one can deny that more times than not, Iowa's special teams have been well, special, over the past 26 years. From punting, to kicking and to the return game, the Hawkeyes' special teams units have won Iowa more games than fans can count. And it seems like fans can expect more of the same this season. With sophomore punter Rhys Dakin, senior kicker Drew Stevens, and senior return specialist Kaden Wetjen all returning this season, Iowa's special teams units should remain elite in 2025. And it's those three players who have earned their rightful lofty ratings in "EA Sports College Football 26." College Football 26 is the second installment in the series after a decade without a college football game. While the game has its flaws, fans have found a lot of joy in being able to play with their favorite teams and players daily. College Football 26 released some graphics to X on Friday, showcasing the highest-rated special teams players in the game, and all three of Iowa's starters were featured. Wetjen rightfully earned the top kick return rating in the entire game, at a 99 overall. The 2024 Big Ten Return Specialist of the Year was a first-team All-American following a great junior season. Wetjen led the FBS in kick return yards and was second in punt return yards as he captured the 2024 Jet Award, which is presented annually to the nation's top return specialist. The 5-foot-9, 196-pound return man scored a pair of touchdowns in 2024, one on a kickoff and another on a punt. Dakin was given the honor of having the highest kick accuracy in the game, tied with Tennessee's Jackson Ross at 97 overall. Dakin was a second-team All-Big Ten player as a freshman, booting 64 punts with a 44.1 yard average per kick. The 6-foot-4 Aussie pinned opponents inside their 20-yard line 29 times and had only five touchbacks. His place at the top of the list is very deserving. Stevens is seventh in the game in kick accuracy, coming in at a 94 overall. Stevens made 20-of-23 field goals last season and was a perfect 40-for-40 on PAT tries. Coming off a rough 2023 season where he made just 18-of-26 kicks, Stevens rebounded with a strong 2024 campaign and looks poised to take another step forward in 2025. It's nice to see Iowa's special teams receive some accolades and the attention they deserve. They've been an elite unit for a long time now, and should be talked about more by Iowa fans and national pundits. Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Zach on X: @zach_hiney
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
AC Milan signs Young Boys defender Athekame for 2nd major Swiss addition this month
MILAN (AP) — AC Milan signed defender Zachary Athekame on Friday, adding another Swiss player this month as the seven-time European champion tries to return to the Champions League. Milan said the 20-year-old Athekame signed a five-year contract. The transfer fee for the former Young Boys right-back is reportedly 10 million euros ($11.7 million). The Switzerland Under-21 international arrives in Milan days after former Lucerne playmaker Ardon Jashari joined from Club Brugge for a reported 36 million euros ($42 million). Milan placed eighth in Serie A last season and failed to qualify for any European competition. Athekame played in all eight of Young Boys' Champions League games last season. The Swiss title holder lost all eight to finish last in the 36-team standings. Milan placed 13th then was eliminated in the knockout playoffs by Feyenoord. Athekame was released by his hometown club Servette as a teenager and played in the Swiss second-tier division just 15 months ago with Neuchatel Xamax. ___ AP soccer: The Associated Press
