Cherries host Bursledon to begin cup defence as Sports host Bristol Rovers
THE Cherries begin their Hampshire Senior Cup defence at home against Bursledon FC at the Ringwood Community Hub.
AFC Bournemouth were due to start their cup campaign away at Southampton FC Women in December, but the Cherries' opponents withdrew from the competition.
Steve Cuss's side will be aiming to win the trophy for the third consecutive season.
They beat Southampton FC's U21s to take their third title in a row in May 2023, after a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw at Fratton Park, with Kelly Fripp netting for Bournemouth.
The Cherries come into the game on fine form, extending their winning run in the National League to 13 games with a comfortable 7-0 win over neighbours Bournemouth Sports. They went past 100 goals in the season to date in that win, and Erin Foley kept her tenth clean sheet in a row in the league, meaning she has not conceded a goal in the National League for more than 16 hours.
The visitors to the Ringwood Community Hub on Sunday play in the Southern Region Division One South and they sit in seventh in the league.
Bursledon beat QK Southampton in the last round of the cup to reach this stage against the Cherries.
Sports, meanwhile, will be aiming to bounce back from their defeat to the Cherries at home against Bristol Rovers in the National League.
Ninth-placed Sports will be aiming at extending their gap to the relegation zone, which currently stands at two points at Fawcetts Field Sports Ground in New Milton.
Both games kick off at 2pm on Sunday, February 16.
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Washington Post
41 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Brad Marchand embraces Panthers' rat-throwing tradition, which goes back 30 years
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — There's a giant, gold-outlined rat emblazoned on the hat that dangles in Brad Marchand's locker. The scrappy NHL veteran has been likened to the tiny rodent for much of his career, notoriously known as 'The Rat' among hockey fans for his brash play. So when Marchand was traded from Boston to Florida back in March, it didn't take long for him to embrace Panthers fans' longstanding tradition of tossing plastic rats onto the ice after wins.
Miami Herald
an hour ago
- Miami Herald
The Marlins have traded seven veteran pitchers in past year. An update on who they got back
The Marlins have traded seven veteran pitchers, including two starters, during the past 10 months, with promising results on some of the returns and question marks surrounding several others. It was widely assumed that Sandy Alcantara would be the eighth pitcher to be dealt, until he imploded this season, posting an ERA (7.89) that ranks worst in baseball among all pitchers who have started at least 10 games. The Marlins also are sensitive about the need to sell high with their best remaining trade chip, and that's why it wouldn't be surprising if they wait until he pitches well again over a sustained period before they seriously entertain trades. (Alcantara is coming off one of his best performances of the season.) He's under contract 2 ½ more seasons, with a $21 million team option for 2027. In the meantime, here's a look at how Marlins executive Peter Bendix's trades sending away pitchers have worked out so far, with many of these prospects requiring far more time before any final judgment: Rousing success Dealing Trevor Rogers to Baltimore for third baseman Connor Norby and outfielder Kyle Stowers was a brilliant move, even though Norby has regressed this season. Stowers (.280, .347 on base, 10 homers, 33 RBI in 60 games) seems like the team's most deserving All-Star representative. And despite a recent slump, he has outperformed any reasonable expectations after last season's post-trade struggles. His 10 home runs are tied for 25th in the National League, but he hasn't homered in his past 20 games (since May 16) and is 5 for his last 45. 'He probably wasn't and isn't going to be as good as he was when he had that really good run earlier this season,' Marlins TV analyst Tommy Hutton said in an off-air conversation this week. 'But he's not as bad as [recently]. He could be a .275, 20-to-25 home run guy; he's capable of doing that. He made some nice adjustments from last year.' Optimism about Norby's ceiling has been tempered this season because of modest production: .247, three homers, 17 RBI and just six walks compared to 49 strikeouts in 45 games and 171 plate appearances. Most troubling: His .287 on base average is tied for 146th among 168 big-league players. He might become a good starter, but anything more than that — a hope last season — might be unrealistic. 'I thought he would be better this year,' Hutton said. 'I liked him better than Stowers. I don't think his future is as a third baseman. And if his future is as a second baseman, they made that decision to move Xavier Edwards there. I don't know if playing third has affected Norby's offense. He doesn't walk at all. I want to see more walks. I think he can be a decent starter, but I don't know why' the production hasn't been better this season. Rogers, meanwhile, has continued his struggles in Baltimore. After posting a 7.11 ERA in four Orioles starts last season, he missed the first seven weeks this season because of a knee injury, pitched well in his only Orioles appearance when needed to pitch the second game of a doubleheader May 25 and is now back at Triple A. 'That turned out to be a great trade,' Hutton said. 'You get two starting players for a No. 5 starter.' Promising 1). The Marlins hope they landed two future big-league rotation members in the Tanner Scott trade to San Diego, which also sent Brian Hoeing to the Padres. Whether that happens with Robby Snelling and Adam Mazur remains to be seen. Either way, the Marlins were in no position to keep Scott, who signed a four-year, $72 million deal with the Dodgers this past winter and hasn't been as good this season (4.11 ERA, 12 saves). Snelling, a 21-year-old left-hander, has a 4.14 ERA and 2-5 record, and 60 strikeouts in 50 innings in Double A Pensacola. The Marlins believe he can be a mid-rotation starter. He has been dominant at times but struggled in three starts when he failed to advance past the fourth inning. He was 2-2 with a 4.00 ERA in seven starts for Pensacola last season after the trade. Also obtained by Miami in that Scott trade: Mazur, infielder/outfielder Graham Pauley and infielder Jay Beshears. The right-handed Mazur, who was a dark horse contender for a rotation spot to start the season, has been solid, with a 3.44 ERA (and 3-4 record) in 11 games at Triple A Jacksonville. He has allowed two or fewer runs in 7 of his 10 starts this season and is coming off a season-high eight-strikeout performance against Durham, a game in which he allowed two runs and four hits in six innings. Mazur, 24, had a 7.49 ERA in eight starts for the Padres last season, his only big-league appearance to date. The sentiment from the Marlins is that the Padres rushed him to the big leagues prematurely last year. Pauley, 24, struggled at the plate in 28 games (89 plate appearances) this season for the Marlins (.210, .261, five RBI) and is now back at Triple A, where he's hitting .235 (.270 on base) in 37 plate appearances at Triple A Jacksonville. If he hits, he can be a decent long-term utility player. The Marlins used him at first, second, third and center field this season. Beshears, 23, is hitting .247 (but with a .398 on base average) with three homers and 12 RBI in 23 games and 98 plate appearances at High A Beloit. does not rank him among the Marlins top 30 prospects. If Snelling and Mazur become above-average starters, this will be a very good trade. If only one does, it will be a good trade. ranks Snelling and Mazur third and 12th, respectively, among the team's top 30 prospects. 2). Dealing often-injured A.J. Puk to Arizona for power-hitting first baseman Deyvison De Los Santos and center fielder Andrew Pintar was always a low-risk, high-reward gambit. Puk has been injured again, pitching only eight innings for the Diamondbacks. Pintar, rated the Marlins' 28th prospect, has shown promise at Triple A Jacksonville, hitting .287 (.340 on base), with three homers, 20 RBI and 14 steals (in 18 attempts) in 54 games this year. The Marlins have used him at all three outfield positions. The former BYU standout, now 24, hit .255 for four minor-league teams last season. But this trade largely will come down to whether De Los Santos ( No. 11 Marlins prospect) can make enough contact to become a successful big-league player. He has hit 45 home runs since the start of last season, but only five in 40 games (with 20 RBI) at Triple A Jacksonville this year. He has been out since May 16 with a quad strain, but is nearing a return. The contact must improve: He's hitting .250, with a .317 on-base average, with 50 strikeouts in 164 plate appearances. At 22, he's hardly a finished product. And he began flashing last year's enormous power in a few games before the injury. If he makes the majors, it likely will be as a first baseman or designated hitter. He has four errors in 30 games at first base this season. He has made five error-free appearances at third this year and has five starts as a DH. Last year, he had 11 errors in 110 games at first base and two errors in 20 games at third base. Jury out 1). This past winter's Jesus Luzardo trade, which sent Miami highly rated shortstop Starlyn Caba and speedy outfielder Emaarion Boyd. Heading into the season, Caba was ranked the 81st-best prospect by MLB Pipeline, 71st by Baseball America, 66th by ESPN and 72nd by The Athletic. But Baseball America recently dropped him out of the top 100. Caba, likely a few years away from the big leagues, hasn't played since April 17 because of a left thumb sprain. Before the injury, he was hitting .200 (7 for 35) — but with 15 walks at Class A Jupiter. His defense is considered elite. He's only 19 and his strength at the plate is expected to improve considerably with age and work with the Marlins conditioning staff. 'It's very unusual to find somebody so young who controls the zone the way he does,' Bendix said before a game earlier this season. 'He does not expand. He puts the bat on the ball and he's an excellent defender at shortstop. He's young. He needs to grow into his power, but we're real excited about the upside there.' The Athletic's Keith Law calls Caba 'one of the best defensive infielders in the minors… with a plus arm, incredible instincts, and quick actions at the position. 'His swings are good from both sides of the plate; he can open his hips too early from either side, robbing him of some of the power he might get from his lower half…. He doesn't need plus or even average power to be a quality regular given his defense and on-base skills.' As for Boyd, he became a neat national story earlier this season when he stole six bases in a game without getting a hit, thus becoming the first minor leaguer to achieve that since at least 2005. No major league player has ever accomplished that, at least since 1901. Eight players have stolen six bases in a minor-league game since 2005 and Boyd is the only one who has done it twice. The question, as with so many prospects, is whether he will hit well enough to become a big-leaguer. Drafted by the Phillies out of a Mississippi high school in the 11th round in 2022, Boyd, 21, is hitting just .218 (.333 on base average) at High A Beloit with five doubles, one homer and 15 RBI in 40 games and 150 plate appearances. He's 23 for 28 in steals. 'He's so young and has all the ingredients in place that we're very optimistic about [his bat],' Bendix said earlier this season. Luzardo is 5-2 with a 4.46 ERA in 13 starts for the Phillies. 2). Minor deals including JT Chargois to Seattle for pitcher Will Schomberg and Huascar Brazoban to the Mets for infielder Wilfredo Lara. Both prospects have struggled; Lara is hitting .184 (.284 on base) in his first 19 games and 81 plate appearances at High A Beloit, where he has five errors in 16 games at shortstop. But he's just 21, and the Marlins see room for growth. Schomberg, 24, has a 5.47 ERA in 10 appearances (including four starts) at High A Beloit. Up next: A look at what the Marlins received in trades for position players during the past year.
Associated Press
an hour ago
- Associated Press
Brad Marchand embraces Panthers' rat-throwing tradition, which goes back 30 years
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — There's a giant, gold-outlined rat emblazoned on the hat that dangles in Brad Marchand's locker. The scrappy NHL veteran has been likened to the tiny rodent for much of his career, notoriously known as 'The Rat' among hockey fans for his brash play. So when Marchand was traded from Boston to Florida back in March, it didn't take long for him to embrace Panthers fans' longstanding tradition of tossing plastic rats onto the ice after wins. 'I hope we get some rats thrown at us,' Marchand quipped at his locker on Sunday, before Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final. 'I just hope it's on the ice and not outside.' Marchand got his wish. After the Panthers routed the Edmonton Oilers 6-1 on Monday, those unmistakable gray pests rained down on the ice in a tradition that has lasted three decades. As they've done after most games this postseason, Marchand's teammates fired the rats at his legs before exiting the ice. For Marchand, getting the rats thrown at him is like a badge of honor — a tiny, symbolic moment that represents how the Panthers have been able to keep things lighthearted while going for their second straight championship. 'This group has a ton of fun,' Marchand said. 'It's an incredible environment to be a part of. In the room, on the ice, even just in the city, there's a lot of excitement around right now.' The rat-throwing tradition goes back 30 years Before their 1995-96 season opener, Panthers players were waiting to take the ice in a cramped, makeshift dressing room at the now-demolished Miami Arena when a large rat scampered in. 'Players were jumping on top of their stalls ... big, tough hockey players,' said Billy Lindsay, Panthers left wing from their expansion season in 1993 to 1999, 'most of us were pretty scared of this big rat running around. We were ducking for cover everywhere.' Right wing Scott Mellanby then grabbed his stick and one-timed the rat into the wall. The rodent went flying across the dressing room. It died as soon as it hit the wall. Players later memorialized it by circling the small dent in the blood-stained wall and placing a rat statue there for the year. The Panthers went out and beat the Calgary Flames 4-3 that night. Mellanby scored a pair of goals with that same stick. 'Scott Mellanby didn't even have time to really tape his stick,' Lindsay said. 'So he's got a little rat and blood there on his stick and went out there and scored a couple of goals.' In his postgame news conference, goalie John Vanbiesbrouck noted that Mellanby had the NHL's first 'rat trick.' The incident was in the local paper the next day. About a week or so later, a toy rat hit the ice after a home game. The next game, there were a couple more. By the end of that season, which included Lindsay scoring the game-winning goal that clinched Florida's first ever playoff series win, the rat throwing had become such a phenomenon that the team earned a sponsorship from the pest control company Orkin. 'And funny enough, it's still around today,' Lindsay said, 'which is quite strange.' 'It's a feeling you can't replicate' Sports traditions are ubiquitous. Some are sacred. Many are quirky. And they can include just about anything. There's the Lambeau Leap at Green Bay Packers games. The 'Gatorade Bath' after a win in the NFL. LeBron James' patented pregame chalk toss. Detroit Red Wings fans occasionally celebrate wins by throwing octopuses on the ice. The Nashville Predators have their catfish toss. For the Panthers, who at the time were in just their third season as an NHL franchise, the rat throwing — buoyed by the fact that Florida made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final that year — became the first real way they got the South Florida fans in a non-traditional hockey market to embrace their team. Colin Fox, 32, a Panthers fan from Boca Raton, Florida, said it's 'a thrill' to be a part of the rat throwing at the end of games. 'Even when they weren't very good, when they weren't on these hot streaks, there were still rats on the ice,' said Fox, who wore a throwback Mellanby jersey to Game 3 of the final. 'It's something that has persevered through the years.' For opposing teams, the rats are often a nuisance, Lindsay said, recalling how some goalies would hide in their net between goals to try and escape them. So many hit the ice after that initial season the NHL changed its rules to say such in-game celebrations could lead to penalties, though the league still allowed rats to be thrown after games. There's plenty of rat-themed memorabilia for sale at Panthers games, and the plastic rodents themselves can be purchased all over Miami. At gas stations. Party stores. Some fans order them online. The rats that Panthers fan JP Kirkpatrick, 23, tossed onto the ice after a game this season came from a fan sitting next to him who brought plenty of extras. 'It's a feeling you can't replicate,' said Kirkpatrick, an Orlando, Florida, native. 'It's something you can't get (anywhere else). You've got to be there to get it. You can't watch it on TV. You can't get it in the parking lot. You've got to be out there, be in the seat. The fans, everybody there, it's electric.' No one from that 1995 Panthers group thought they'd be a part of creating a lasting, iconic symbol for the team, but as they look back on that moment amid all the Panthers' recent success, they're proud of what it's become. 'There's been enough people from back then to hang on to the tradition and pass it along,' Lindsay said. 'And now you get this unparalleled success where you get three Stanley Cup appearances in a row, you win a Stanley Cup championship, you're looking for a second. And that rat is just (still) going. 'It just makes me proud of what we started.' ___ AP NHL playoffs: and
