Prep talk: Kai Minor is having MVP season for Orange Lutheran softball
Oklahoma's softball program has been taking away top players from Southern California for years, from Tiare Jennings (St. Anthony) to current star Ella Parker (Sherman Oaks Notre Dame).
The next great Sooner from Southern California will be Kai Minor, who is having an MVP-like season for Orange Lutheran.
Advertisement
She has led the Lancers to a 20-3 record, batting .535 with 38 hits, 16 doubles and 28 RBIs.
She also makes an impact with her fielding in the outfield. She's been a four-year starter for the Lancers. She's committed to Oklahoma...
The Southern Section boys and girls lacrosse playoff pairings will be released on Friday.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
Sign up for the L.A. Times SoCal high school sports newsletter to get scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
23 minutes ago
- USA Today
3 Chargers players on the roster bubble who helped themselves vs. Rams
The Chargers lost to the Rams, 23-22, in their third preseason game. Despite the outcome, several players boosted their chances of earning a spot on the 53-man roster or practice squad with strong performances. Following the game, here's a look at which roster-bubble players helped their cause: WR Luke Grimm Backend of the roster spots can be won on special teams, and Grimm stood out in that department on Saturday. Grimm, the undrafted rookie out of Kansas, returned a punt for a 66-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to give the Chargers a 22-17 lead. He almost had another punt return TD the weekend before against the Saints, but he was tripped up. It'll be a tall task to beat out WR Derius Davis for return duties, but plays like this could at least warrant a spot on the practice squad. DT TeRah Edwards Edwards might have had the best play of the preseason, as he picked off Rams quarterback Stetson Bennett and returned it 27 yards. Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter dropped the former Illinois product into coverage. He secured the football into his chest and truck-sticked Bennett along the way before being brought down. Like Grimm, he will likely be a practice squad candidate. But plays like this will carry on with him forever. S Tony Jefferson Jefferson, the preseason MVP, finished with three tackles and a pass breakup at the goal line on a fourth-down play, which prevented a Rams touchdown. He also added a special teams tackle. Jefferson leans more toward a near-lock to make the roster, but RJ Mickens, the sixth-round pick, could fend him off if the Chargers choose to only carry four safeties on the initial 53-man roster.
Associated Press
23 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Caleb Williams looks sharp in Ben Johnson's offense as Bears rout Bills 38-0 in preseason
Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] CHICAGO (AP) — Caleb Williams took advantage of his first preseason playing time, connecting with Olamide Zaccheaus for a 36-yard touchdown on the opening drive as the Chicago Bears cruised to 38-0 preseason victory over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night. After sitting out a 24-24 tie with Miami last week, Williams came out firing against Buffalo (0-2) in his first chance to operate coach Ben Johnson's offense during a game. The first pick in the 2024 draft completed throws of 18 yards to rookie first-round pick Colston Loveland and 29 yards to tight end Cole Kmet on a game-opening 92-yard march that concluded when Zaccheaus snagged a throw in the middle of the field on third-and-6, hurdled a tackler and went the distance. Williams' play throughout training camp has been spotty but he was sharp from the start. He hit on six of his first seven throws, then left after the second possession. He finished 6 of 10 for 102 yards. Tyson Bagent came on to lead three second-quarter touchdown drives as the Bears (1-0-1) took a 28-0 halftime lead. Bagent finished a 61-yard drive by rifling a 10-yard strike in the corner of the end zone to Tyler Scott. Before halftime, newly acquired Bears running back Brittain Brown finished an 86-yard drive with a 1-yard TD plunge, and Ian Wheeler's 1-yard TD run completed an 84-yard drive. Bills coach Sean McDermott held reigning MVP Josh Allen and all of his other starters out of the game. Buffalo's backups struggled throughout the first half on both sides of the ball. After Wheeler's TD plunge, the Bears had outgained the Bills 343 yards to 22 and owned an 18-1 advantage in first downs. Bagent played until midway through the third quarter and went 13 of 22 for 197 yards, while Wheeler rushed 19 times for 80 yards and Brown 16 times for 73 yards. Former Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky relieved Bills starter Mike White and completed 7 of 13 passes for 56 yards. White went 4 of 11 for 54 yards. Waiting it out Allen hasn't played in either of Buffalo's preseason games. He has thrown at least three passes in every preseason since he came into the league in 2018. Also held out was running back James Cook, who had been staging a hold-in before getting a contract extension . Cook returned to practice this week. Injuries Bills: DB Jordan Hancock left in the third quarter with a shoulder injury. Bears: Second-year DE Austin Booker injured a knee covering a kick return and did not return. Booker was off to a fast start with 4 1/2 preseason sacks, including 1 1/2 in the first half against the Bills. ... Rookie RB Deion Hankins suffered a knee injury on the second possession and did not return. The Bears were already without RBs Roschon Johnson and Travis Homer. ... CB Terell Smith suffered a knee injury while making a tackle just before halftime and left the field on a cart. ... DE Dominique Robinson left in the second half with an ankle injury. ... Rookie WR J.P. Richardson (ankle) left in the fourth quarter. Up next Bills: Wrap up the preseason by playing at Tampa Bay on Saturday. Bears: Finish the preseason Friday at Kansas City. ___ AP NFL:
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Little League Classic: Mets roll over Mariners as Little Leaguers embrace teams in Williamsport
The Seattle Mariners and New York Mets finished their three-game series with a field trip to Williamsport for the Little League Classic on Sunday night. Though things were a bit delayed due to rain, it was the Mets who cruised to the dominant 7-3 win at the BB&T Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field, which was packed with players competing in the Little League World Series this summer. The Mets kicked things off with a hot second inning, with Francisco Alvarez, Brett Baty and Mark Vientos hitting three straight RBIs to give the Mets a 3-0 lead. After a quiet stretch, the Mariners finally got on the board in the top of the fourth inning, with Jorge Polanco hitting an RBI single to send Julio Rodriguez home. Though Seattle was able to load the bases, the Mets got out of the inning without conceding any more. The Mets then pushed their lead in the fifth when Mark Vientos hit a three-run homer. Francisco Lindor added another with an RBI double after, too. Cal Raleigh hit a two-run homer for the Mariners in the seventh to help cut the deficit a little bit. It marked his 47th of the season. From there, the Mets simply held on to pick up their win. While it was a blowout almost from the jump, the Little Leaguers were in it the entire time — and even repeatedly badgering Juan Soto. Big Leaguers meet the Little Leaguers ahead of the Little League Classic As part of the matchup, both the Mariners and Mets had plenty of face time with the participants in the Little League World Series throughout Sunday. Players were greeted by swarms of kids hoping for autographs, or to trade hats or items. Of course, there was plenty of sliding down the iconic hill outside the stadium on cardboard boxes — with some of the players getting a few close calls, injury-wise. Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh also had his own tribute to the Little Leagues, with custom gear featuring pictures of the Mariners players and staff from when they were Little Leaguers. The gear was also in line with MLB Players' Weekend, as players get to play with gear outside of the league norm. Raleigh later wore a special T-shirt, gifted to him by Bonney Lake, WA shortstop Colton Audette — a member of the Northwest squad nicknamed "Little Dumper." Audette gave Raleigh a shirt that said "Lil Dumper," and the catcher wore it ahead of the game. (Overall, Raleigh had an eventful time with the Little Leaguers — in addition to balls and shirts and hats, Raleigh was also asked to sign a toilet seat.) Several players also got a chance to meet some of the kids representing their home countries at the Little League World Series. From the Mariners, Canadian natives Josh Naylor and Matt Brash met up with the Little League squad from Vancouver. Mets players Edwin Díaz and Francisco Lindor met the team from their native Puerto Rico. In addition, some Mariners players, including Mexican native Andres Muñoz, met up with the team from Chihuahua, Mexico. A few Mets players, meanwhile, played some wiffleball with Team Southwest, from Richmond, Texas. Overall, it was a fun and exciting Sunday for the kids in Williamsport.
