Vote for Landmark Fine Homes girls high school athlete of the week for May 5-11
The Oklahoman's spring sport girls athletes of the week poll for May 5-11 presented by Landmark Fine Homes is now live at oklahoman.com.
Heritage Hall sophomore soccer player Mia Berrong was last week's winner.
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Voting is open until noon Sunday. Here are the nominees.
More: Vote for Landmark Fine Homes boys high school athlete of the week for May 5-11
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More: Edmond Memorial, Heritage Hall win Oklahoma high school girls tennis state titles
Shelbie Caveness, Sr., Washington softball: Caveness finished a perfect 3 for 3 at the plate with seven RBIs and led the charge with two home runs to guide Washington to a slowpitch state title.
Jasmine Crain, Sr., Heritage Hall tennis: Crain helped Heritage Hall claim a state title while winning the Class 5A state championship in No. 1 singles (6-1, 6-3).
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Allie Dolezal, So., Edmond Memorial tennis: She helped Edmond Memorial secure its first-ever team state tennis title with a 5-7, 6-1, 6-0 win in the No. 2 singles.
Harlow Gregory, Fr., Norman North golf: She shot an even-par 144 as she won the Class 6A title May 6 at MeadowBrook Country Club in Tulsa.
Gabriella Gross, Jr., Heritage Hall golf: She finished as the Class 4A runner-up after shooting a 4-over 75 in the first round of the state tournament Monday at Shawnee Country Club before the final round was called off due to weather.
Brianna Jones, Sr., Douglass track: Jones defended her Class 4A title and broke her own state record from a year ago in the 200, winning with a final time of 25:09 seconds. She also won the 100 in 12.19 seconds while winning the 400 in 55.27 seconds.
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Gracie Levonitis, Sr., Christian Heritage golf: She finished in a three-way tie atop the leaderboard at the Class 2A state tournament after firing an 8-over 80 in the first round Monday at Winter Creek Golf & Social Club in Blanchard. The second round was canceled due to weather.
Aniston Marks, So., Oklahoma Christian School track: She captured her first individual state titles in both the 100 (12.06) and 200 (25.09).
Helen Olszewski, Sr., Casady soccer: The Cyclones won their two Class 3A playoff games last week, and Olszewski — a Virginia signee — played a role in every point they scored in their 4-0 victory over Fort Gibson in the quarterfinals. Olszewski had three goals and one assist.
Heartly Snyder, Sr., Dale softball: Snyder hit a walk-off solo home run to seal Dale's state championship in a dramatic 11-10 victory over Pocola.
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More: Oklahoma high school winter sports: 2024-25 All-State, All-City teams in basketball, swimming & wrestling
Jordan Davis covers high school sports for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Jordan? He can be reached at jdavis@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @jdavis34_ . Sign up for The Varsity Club newsletter to access more high school coverage. Support Jordan's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Vote: Landmark Fine Homes girls HS athlete of the week for May 5-11

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Fox Sports
an hour ago
- Fox Sports
2025 Commanders game-by-game predictions: Next stop Super Bowl?
What will Jayden Daniels do for an encore after winning the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year Award in 2024? After leading the Washington Commanders to the 2024 NFC title game, can the star quarterback take the team one step further in 2025? The last time Washington appeared in a Super Bowl was 1992. The Commanders face a daunting 2025 schedule — the eighth-toughest in the league based on opponents' winning percentage last year — that includes five prime-time games, a trip to Madrid and a Christmas Day tussle with the Cowboys. Washington's road slate includes the Packers, Chargers, Chiefs and Vikings — all playoff teams last season. And in the final three weeks of the regular season, the Commanders play four straight games against NFC East rivals, including the Super Bowl-champion Eagles twice. Bottom line: Daniels & Co. have an uphill climb to duplicate the success of last year. Let's break down their season week by week. Week 1: vs. Giants, Sunday, Sept. 7 Head coach Dan Quinn gets his first look at a New York offense led by Russell Wilson, with whom he teamed up to win a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks. Daniels will have to contend with talented edge rusher Abdul Carter, the No. 3 overall pick in the draft. But the Commanders swept the season series with their NFC East rivals last year and have won four of the past six games. They'll continue to have the Giants' number here. Result: Win, 1-0 record Week 2: at Packers, Thursday, Sept. 11 Washington's first prime-time game of the season is in Green Bay, where the Commanders have a 5-13-1 all-time record. The last time Washington won in Green Bay was 1986. Packers QB Jordan Love has a new weapon in the passing game with speedy first-round receiver Matthew Golden. The Commanders do get the benefit of playing in Green Bay in late summer, avoiding cold weather, but they still take a loss. Result: Loss, 1-1 Week 3: vs. Raiders, Sunday, Sept. 21 Quinn faces his mentor in Pete Carroll as the Commanders host the Silver and Black. While Carroll-led teams have traditionally been competitive in cross-country games, the Raiders finished 2-7 on the road in 2024 and will still be finding their way at this point of the season. Result: Win, 2-1 Week 4: at Falcons, Sunday, Sept. 28 Daniels and fellow 2024 draftee Michael Penix Jr. meet for the second time in their short careers. Daniels won the first matchup, rushing for a season-high 127 yards in a hotly-contested 30-24 victory in Week 18. Former Falcons coach Quinn returns to Atlanta for the first time as a head coach, facing his former colleague Raheem Morris. Result: Win, 3-1 Week 5: at Chargers, Sunday, Oct. 5 Daniels and Justin Herbert face off at SoFi Stadium in a scintillating matchup between two of the top quarterbacks in the league. The Bolts also have one of the top defenses from the 2024 season, led by up-and-coming coordinator Jesse Minter. Washington's run defense will be tested by L.A.'s one-two punch in the backfield of first-round pick Omarion Hampton and free-agent signee Najee Harris. Result: Loss, 3-2 Week 6: vs. Bears, Monday, Oct. 13 Last season, the Commanders beat the Bears on a last-second Hail Mary, so Chicago will surely be looking for some payback. Plus, Caleb Williams, who was drafted ahead of Daniels, will want to show his progress under new head coach Ben Johnson, one of the league's best offensive minds. Note that Johnson spurned the Commanders during the 2024 hiring cycle, which ultimately led to the hiring of Quinn, who will beat the Bears again. Result: Win, 4-2 RELATED: Bears-Commanders among top 10 revenge games for 2025 Week 7: at Cowboys, Sunday, Oct. 19 The Cowboys have won six of the past eight games in this classic rivalry, including the last four games in Dallas. New Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer will experience some growing pains in his first season, but having a healthy Dak Prescott back leading the offense should alleviate some of those issues. In Prescott's first matchup against Daniels, the veteran will come out on top. Result: Loss, 4-3 Week 8: at Chiefs, Monday, Oct. 27 After facing Prescott, Daniels takes on Kansas City and Patrick Mahomes for the first time in his NFL career. He'll also face the daunting task of going against longtime Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, whose scheme has been tough to decipher for young quarterbacks. Result: Loss, 4-4 Week 9: vs. Seahawks, Sunday, Nov. 2 Legion of Boom founding member Bobby Wagner faces his former team for the first time as a Commander. And receiver Deebo Samuel is probably licking his chops in anticipation of seeing his former NFC West rival. Samuel totaled 766 receiving yards and four touchdowns in eight games against Seattle while playing for the San Francisco 49ers. Result: Win, 5-4 Week 10: vs. Lions, Sunday, Nov. 9 Washington faces one of last season's most explosive offenses in the Lions. However, how different will Detroit's offense be with John Morton replacing Ben Johnson as OC? The Lions also lost defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who left to become head coach of the Jets, so Dan Campbell will have his hands full resetting the culture on both sides of the football. Result: Win, 6-4 Week 11: vs. Dolphins, Sunday, Nov. 16 In the franchise's first international game since 2016, facing Miami in Madrid, the Commanders take on another explosive offense. Top of mind for Washington defensive coordinator Joe Whitt will be slowing down Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who loves to create explosive plays down the field for Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Result: Win, 7-4 Week 12: Bye Week 13: vs. Broncos, Sunday, Nov. 30 Daniels takes on another quarterback from the 2024 draft class in Bo Nix, who surprisingly helped lead Denver to the playoffs in his first season. The Broncos also bring one of the top defenses to Northwest Stadium, led by last year's Defensive Player of the Year, cornerback Patrick Surtain II. Result: Win, 8-4 Week 14: at Vikings, Sunday, Dec. 7 With J.J. McCarthy set to lead the Minnesota offense, Daniels will face the fourth different quarterback from his 2024 draft class. This is an important game for the Commanders, as it could affect playoff seeding in the NFC conference. The Vikings have won five of the past six games against Washington, and Minnesota will extend its dominance. Result: Loss, 8-5 Week 15: at Giants, Sunday, Dec. 14 New York's vaunted pass rush — led by Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux — finished with five total sacks and 19 pressures in two games against Washington last year. The Commanders worked this offseason to provide better pass protection for Daniels with the addition of Laremy Tunsil via trade and the selection of Josh Conerly Jr. in the first round of the draft. Games like this one against the Giants will test if those were good moves for the Commanders. Result: Loss, 8-6 Week 16: vs. Eagles, Saturday, Dec. 20 Saquon Barkley averaged 138 rushing yards a contest and scored seven touchdowns in three games against the Commanders last season. But Washington needs this win at home. Result: Win, 9-6 Week 17: vs. Cowboys, Thursday, Dec. 25 The Commanders play their first-ever game on Christmas, hosting a marquee matchup against America's Team. How Washington matches up defensively with star receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens will go a long way in determining who gets the last present under the tree. Result: Win, 10-6 Week 18: at Eagles, Flex Game These final three games will likely determine if the Eagles can become the first team to repeat as NFC East champs since Philly won the division in four consecutive seasons from 2001 to 2004. They could also determine which of the Eagles, Commanders and Cowboys will move on to the postseason. A lot of Washington's offseason moves were made with defeating the Eagles in mind. We'll find out if they were the right decisions at the end of the season. Result: Loss Final Record prediction: 10-7 Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him at @eric_d_williams . Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Get more from National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more


Washington Post
2 hours ago
- Washington Post
Deebo Samuel, Mike Sainristil and a promising sign for the Commanders
After the Washington Commanders finished practice Wednesday, veteran receiver Deebo Samuel and second-year cornerback Mike Sainristil kept working out together in a moment that encapsulated the state of the team. Samuel, who's entering his seventh season, ran about a dozen routes to show the young corner how receivers could use different release techniques at the line of scrimmage to create separation against him. One big focus was refining how to stick to receivers who use an outside release to set up an inside route. Sainristil has seen such moves before, of course, but he wanted to see them again and again so his reactions would become automatic. The moment was a metaphor. The team is Sainristil, a young upstart with lots of promise, and it wants to be Samuel, a proven winner and consistent presence in the biggest playoff games. Their work together distilled the purpose of this space in the NFL calendar between the roster-building flurry of the spring and the training-camp battles of the summer. These offseason workouts, which will end next week with mandatory minicamp, are for experimentation, relationship-building and skill development. 'You would've thought he's been here the past five years of his career the way he's adjusted,' Sainristil said of Samuel. 'He's a guy that loves extra work, loves football, loves to win. So, any way I can pick his brain about what receivers do to help myself, I'm going to do exactly that.' Coach Dan Quinn gushed about 'the environment that the players have created together.' 'We all know, to be at our best, it's gonna take all of us improving,' he said. 'If that's Mike asking Deebo a certain technique or vice versa, that's really where it takes place. And so, we take these times on the field seriously, 'cause it's not just the scheme, it's the individual skill work.' There's a massive difference, Quinn pointed out, between knowing what to do and having the minute details ingrained in muscle memory. 'Be very specific; I think that's where the gold is,' he said. 'That's why I think the teaching this time of year has to shine on the coaches, and we've got some excellent ones because they'll get very specific on the certain techniques. 'Let's try that one again. Let's put the hand into this space.' You're not in a rush to get to the next play [like you are during the season]. … If they have to do it four or five times, that's okay.' Defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. recently did similar work. He had a group of safeties practice press technique against a tight end. That specific skill set might not always be top of mind for coaches. But it could matter a lot in a big moment of a big game if safety Will Harris has to press, say, Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert. It might not have been a coincidence that Wizards Coach Brian Keefe attended practice Wednesday. 'We learn a lot from the NBA [in terms of] what that small group would look like, of a specific two or three players getting better on something,' Quinn said. Samuel said he knows there are things he needs to work on himself. His top goal of the offseason was 'being in better shape for sure,' he said, though he declined to detail what he focused on or how it would show up in his game. He pointed out he also needed to learn a new offense. But Samuel showed through his work with Sainristil that he understands his value to the Commanders goes beyond his individual skills. He's been here just for a few weeks but has already embraced the word 'brotherhood,' the team's favorite way to express closeness. 'The guys in the locker room make it easy,' Samuel said. 'When I walked in the locker room, I felt like I've been here before because of how the guys treated me.' Said Whitt: 'When we went on that three-game losing streak [last season], it wasn't anything other than the brotherhood that kept them together.' The brief post-practice scene Wednesday carried all this subtle significance. Mentorship from talented veterans can help younger players — and therefore the team — actualize their potential. And the relationships built in those moments can help players stick together during tough times.


Newsweek
5 hours ago
- Newsweek
Former NFL QB Downplays Notion of Jayden Daniels Garnering MVP Buzz
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. After being drafted No. 2 overall in the 2024 draft, Jayden Daniels quickly burst on the scene for the Washington Commanders. Despite looking like the NFL's next quarterback sensation, one former player doesn't think he's ready to jump into the upper echelon just yet. With his combination of throwing ability and speed, Daniels is the ideal archetype of QB that thrives in the modern NFL. This was on full display during his rookie season, as he notched over 3,500 yards and 25 touchdowns to go along with rushing for nearly 900 yards. Led by their new young and dynamic quarterback, the Commanders went on to win 12 games in the regular season and punch their ticket to the playoffs. He managed to lead Washington all the way to the conference championship before eventually being knocked off by the Philadelphia Eagles. Second-year QB Jayden Daniels alone is good reason to like Washington to win at least 10 games in Year 2 for the 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year. Second-year QB Jayden Daniels alone is good reason to like Washington to win at least 10 games in Year 2 for the 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year. LaurenComing off a rookie campaign that had him finish seventh in MVP voting, Daniels is a player many will be keeping an eye on in 2025. However, when asked about him staying in the discussion for the award, Phil Simms quickly shot it down. While on the "Up & Adams" show earlier this week, he listed a handful of quarterbacks likely to be ahead of him. "He's not gonna take a step back, but I don't think he'll be the MVP," Simms said. "Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, these are them guys, even if the team is not good, they're still capable and willing and can still have outstanding seasons." While the NFL is loaded with numerous incredible talents at the QB position, Daniels is someone who shouldn't be overlooked. Seeing that he finished in the top seven last year, he has already put himself on a lot of people's radar. If Daniels is able to build off the season he had in 2024, he can certainly be in the same breath as the quarterbacks Simms mentioned. Another thing that Daniels has going for him is that the Commanders upgraded the cast of talent around him this offseason. Back in March, Washington pulled off a trade with the San Francisco 49ers to acquire wide receiver Deebo Samuel. They also upgraded in the backfield by signing running back Austin Ekeler. Between this duo, Terry McLaurin and Zach Ertz, Daniels has no shortage of offensive weapons at his disposal. The key for Daniels staying in the MVP race is Washington winning games. If they keep on making noise in the NFC, the rising star will have a pathway to being front and center in such debates.