Latest news with #AAAA
Fox News
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
Minnesota transgender softball pitcher left out of All-State selections
A transgender high school pitcher in Minnesota was not included in an annual coaches' poll of All-State selections despite a dominant season that ended with a championship. The trans athlete, Marissa Rothenberger of Champlin Park High School, was absent from the Minnesota Fastpitch Coaches Association list of 2025 All-State honors. Rothenberger previously made the list as a first-team All-State selection in Class AAAA in 2024. Rothenberger also won all-tournament honors in 2025. This year, Rothenberger was left off the list despite a 12-1 record, a 0.74 ERA and a 0.65 WHIP. Rothenberger's 0.74 ERA was among the best in the state, and the athlete pitched five straight games in the postseason, giving up just one earned run in 35 innings while striking out 27 batters. Rothenberger also went 5-for-16 at the plate, with two doubles, three RBIs and a run scored in the Rebels' run to the 2025 AAAA Minnesota softball state championship. The pitcher's 2024 season, recognized with first-team All-State honors, did include a better ERA at 0.40. A Minnesota Fastpitch Coaches Association source told Fox News Digital selections are determined through a vote of member coaches, and an athlete must be nominated by her own coach to be considered. Fox News Digital has reached out to Champlin Park High School softball head coach Bryan Woodley asking if he nominated Rothenberger. Rothenberger's presence in Minnesota girls softball brought national scrutiny, a lawsuit and a federal investigation this year. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services launched a Title IX investigation into the state of Minnesota June 27, citing a male softball pitcher who had won a state championship. The state was already under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education for its laws allowing biological males in girls sports and defying President Donald Trump's "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" executive order. That investigation was elevated to a federal Title IX investigation team, which operates in conjunction with the Department of Justice, June 12. Three softball players in Minnesota filed a lawsuit against the state, citing their experiences competing against a biological male. The organization representing the plaintiffs suing the state over its policies, Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), previously provided a statement from one of the female players about her experience facing the trans athlete. "Hitting against him is not only a physical challenge but a mental, too. It's a mental battle knowing that he has an advantage in the sport that I grew up playing, making it hard to even want to hit against him," the player said. "His ability to get outs and spin the ball is a strong advantage, but, like I said, it's also incredibly mentally challenging knowing that you're competing against someone who has unfair advantages leaving you with little to no confidence. "This issue has affected me in ways that I never imagined. It's simply unfair, and I hate that nothing is happening to change that. Boys should not be able to take girls' spots on teams just because they are capable of doing so. I hope that more girls affected by this issue will stand up against this." The anonymous player also called out Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison for aggressively defending trans inclusion in girls sports in the state. Ellison has filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump and the U.S. Department of Justice over Trump's "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" executive order. "It's really upsetting to know that [Ellison] isn't taking rights of girls and women seriously. He is allowing boys to compete with girls, and it is not safe and completely unfair. To know that AG Ellison is in complete support of letting boys and men take advantage of females in sports is absolutely disgusting and wrong," the player added. The Champlin Park School District provided a statement to Fox News Digital defending the decision to allow the athlete to compete on the softball team. "Throughout the entire season, and as the Rebels advance to the state tournament, it is important to note that all of the student-athletes participating for the Champlin Park Softball team are eligible to compete in compliance with Minnesota State High School League rules and applicable state law. Due to data privacy laws, the district is not able to provide public comment regarding a specific student-athlete," a statement from the Anoka-Hennepin School District stated. "In addition, the district is named in an active lawsuit, which limits what information can be shared." Ellison's office previously released a statement responding to the lawsuit against the state over Rothenberger's participation in the girls softball season. "In addition to getting exercise and the fun of competition, playing sports comes with so many benefits for young people. You build friendships that can last a lifetime, you learn how to work as part of a team and you get to feel like you belong," Ellison said. "I believe it is wrong to single out one group of students who already face higher levels of bullying and harassment and tell these kids they cannot be on the team because of who they are. I will continue to defend the rights of all students to play sports with their friends and peers." The controversy involving Rothenberger was a catalyst for a viral feud between Simone Biles and Riley Gaines in June. Biles initially called out Gaines in response to a post by Gaines pointing out that the Minnesota State High School League disabled comments on its post announcing Champlin Park's softball team as state champions. A January 2025 New York Times/Ipsos survey found the vast majority of Americans, including a majority of Democrats, don't think transgender athletes should be permitted to compete in women's sports. Of the 2,128 people who participated, 79% said biological males who identify as women should not be allowed to participate in women's sports. Of the 1,025 people who identified as Democrats or leaning Democratic, 67% said transgender athletes should not be allowed to compete with women. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Dominion Post
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Dominion Post
COLUMN: MHS, UHS football will significantly benefit from EPAC inclusion and scheduling
MORGANTOWN – With the ever-changing landscape of high school athletics in the state of West Virginia, some decisions need to be made with the thought of the present and future of a program in mind. That's precisely what both Class AAAA schools in Monongalia County have done for the betterment of their football programs, as both Morgantown and University High School have joined the Eastern Panhandle Athletic Conference (EPAC) as members for football. This coming season, MHS will play five games against opponents from the EPAC (excluding Washington). Both schools will begin scheduling all six EPAC schools (Martinsburg, Spring Mills, Jefferson, Hedgesville, Musselman, and Washington) starting in 2026. Last season's HS football season was nothing short of unique, with multiple schools filing injunctions against the WVSSAC for their place in the 2024-2025 reclassification conundrum. With so many schools moving up and down among the four classes, some programs were negatively impacted by their schedule seeming 'weaker' due to opponents moving into a smaller class. One thing this decision does for MHS and UHS is solidify a schedule every year that simply can't be questioned, as all six of the EPAC schools are classified in Class AAAA. Another strong point is that the competition the Mohigans and Hawks will face each week will increase. The state championship last season included two of the six teams from the EPAC: state champion Martinsburg and runner-up Spring Mills. Four of the six teams in the EPAC had winning records last season, with a combined record of 43-30 among the six schools. 'This was done out of necessity and respect,' MHS athletic director John Bowers said. 'Geographically, where we are located, we have a difficult time finding games north of us, like the WPIAL teams. In our state, there are pockets of schools that we should consider scheduling, and one made the most sense for varsity football at MHS. By next year, we and UHS will both be full football members of the EPAC.' There won't be a shortage of college scouts in attendance either, as multiple EPAC schools have produced Division-I signees and prospects. Both the Hawks and Mohigans have their own D-I signees and prospects that now have the chance to be seen by more coaches and schools that they haven't been seen by in the past. Although they may lose sleep preparing for games on Friday night, both the UHS and MHS coaches and players can sleep well knowing that seven of your ten regular-season games on the schedule going forward are guaranteed to be quality opponents that are also Class AAAA schools. It won't be long before we see both programs at Morgantown and University positively impacted by the change. The future of Class AAAA football in Mon County is certainly looking bright.
Hamilton Spectator
23-06-2025
- Hamilton Spectator
Women's group stands up for the Pines
Kawisaiénhne Albany was driving past the Onen'tó:kon Preservation Spot in the Pines on Tuesday when she caught glimpse of a disturbing sight - an excavator tearing into the last remaining plot of land along a strip on precious forest that has been decimated by ever-expanding cannabis stores. It's not the first time the area, community land that lies between Big Chiefs and the AAAA cannabis dispensary - both of which are also built on community land - has been encroached upon since being declared a preservation zone by the Ionkwatehontsénhne women's group, which has fought since 2020 to protect the site from further development. 'It's tiring, but I knew, and a lot of us know, this is going to be an area we're going to have to keep fighting for because it is the last lot in the Pines,' said Albany. 'Everybody keeps looking at it, and we realize we're going to have to keep fighting for this. I feel like it's never going to end.' The next morning, the women and a handful of supporters met at the site and confronted Joshua Gabriel, the owner of Big Chiefs, the store that did the construction work. Albany had been told the day before by a worker that the work was being done to make way for containers. Gabriel agreed to undo the work, although according to Albany, trees were cut in the process. Albany expressed skepticism about Gabriel's change of heart, with another member of the group echoing the same sentiment on social media, saying it is necessary to see action. Gabriel declined to comment on the situation when reached by The Eastern Door. In a letter to the community and storeowners following the incident, the Longhouse and the Ionkwatehontsénhne women's group call on Kanehsata'kehró:non to respect the sanctity of the plot of land they have declared protected. 'Our ancestors fought with strength and love to defend the Pines, and we carry that responsibility forward,' the letter reads. 'The goal of our group is to stop any further development in this sacred space and to preserve what remains - for ourselves, and more importantly, for the generations yet to come.' The letter said that the land has also been envisioned as a place to plant trees in memory of late loved ones, and that this invitation is being offered to the whole community. 'Let this land be a living memory - something that grows and protects the spirit of who we are as Onkwehón:we.' While the plot of land on Highway 344 is a symbol of resistance against a frenzy of land grabbing and environmental destruction over the past several years, many stores have continued to develop into the forest, meaning the harm to the Pines in favour of private profit has continued. 'It's the last one. They've taken so much of the Pines and turned it into - it almost looks like the Vegas Strip,' said Albany. 'I understand people need to make money, but at this point, it's just individual greed. The community doesn't reap the rewards for anything they're doing. If anything, we're being disrespected from outsiders,' said Albany, noting an uptick in stores encouraging customers to hang around rather than buy their product and leave the territory. Albany believes greater community participation is key to drawing a line in the sand on the destruction of the Pines, noting there were more people there Wednesday morning than in the past to take action. 'Maybe what we're saying, what we're doing, is creating a bigger impact, where people feel more comfortable to show up,' she said. According to Albany, the group faced a lot of blowback in 2023 when they fought against AAAA's incursion onto the spot, with rumours even circulating that they were being paid. 'This is to all the stores to let them know, you need to stop taking, but this spot specifically is the last lot we have in the Pines, and we're not giving that up and we're going to keep fighting for it,' Albany said. She recalled the Pines of her childhood, when she didn't feel the divide she feels now, when games and activities would bring Kanehsata'kehró:non together over meals and quality time. 'When I walk in the Pines, I can feel the strength from what happened in '90, and I've heard my whole life the stories my grandfather told my grandmother and my parents, and I carry that with me when I walk through the Pines,' she said. 'Why did our parents and our grandparents and our uncles and aunts fight so hard in '90 if it was just going to turn out to be this. I want my family and my ancestors to look and say okay, there's still people fighting. There's still a reason why we fought so hard in '90.' marcus@ Marcus Bankuti, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . 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Dominion Post
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Dominion Post
Messerly's relief effort sees Morgantown through to Class AAAA state title game with 7-5 semifinal victory over George Washington
CHARLESTON – The Morgantown High School baseball team earned its spot in the Class AAAA state championship game with a gritty 7-5 victory in the semifinals of the 2025 WVSSAC state baseball tournament on Friday night at GoMart Ballpark in Charleston. Senior relief pitcher Judd Messerly entered the game in the bottom of the fourth inning with two outs and a 6-5 lead as the Patriots had scored five runs in the frame. Messerly finished the game on the bump for the Mohigans, allowing only one hit in 3.1 innings with two walks and two strikeouts in 45 pitches. His effort, combined with a five-run second inning, propelled the Mohigans into the Class AAAA state championship game to battle top-seeded Hurricane Saturday night. The Redskins defeated Hedgesville 5-3 in the other AAAA semifinal. 'We came into a tough environment tonight against a very talented team and showed a high level of maturity to pull that win out,' MHS head coach Pat Sherald said. 'I can't tell you how proud I am of their effort tonight. Our mission was to come down here, compete, have fun, and give ourselves a chance to win a championship. They've answered that call, so now it's time to go back and rest up and come out prepared to face another very talented team.' Offensively, senior Vinnie Aloi was the difference for MHS as he drove in four runs in the contest, including a bases-clearing double that capped a five-run second inning. His sacrifice fly in the first inning opened the scoring. Sammy Watson reached on an infield single, followed by a walk to Kai Henkins. After two strikeouts, a pitch hit Bowers to load the bases, and a walk to Koa Silvers forced in a run, doubling the lead. Just three pitches later, Jackson Bredeson was also hit by a pitch, bringing in another run. With the bases still loaded, Aloi stepped up and delivered a massive blow with his double off the left field wall that cleared the bases and brought all three runners home, extending the lead to 6-0. George Washington punched back in the fourth with a five-run inning of its own, including a three-run double by Corbin Dixon off the left field wall. Messerly then entered the game for MHS and stopped the bleeding, making way for his offense to add an insurance run in the top half of the sixth. 'I literally told them 'thank you' after that happened,' Messerly said. 'That was such a huge run and helped me settle down in that seventh inning when my nerves started to set in. My heart started beating pretty fast in that last inning.' Sherald says Messerly has earned the nickname 'The Fireman'. 'When everything's burning down around, we call on him to come in and put out the fire for us, and that's exactly what he did,' Sherald said. He competed for us. We've put him in every high-leverage situation that we've had this season, and he's gone out and just competed for us.' Morgantown and Hurricane will battle for the Class AAAA state championship in the nightcap of Championship Saturday, with first pitch being scheduled for 50 minutes after the conclusion of the Class AAA championship, slated to begin at 5:30 p.m. BOX SCORE Morgantown 7, George Washington 5 MHS 150 001 0 – 7 4 1 GWHS 000 500 0 – 5 6 1 Morgantown – Mazey 3100 Bowers 2211 Silvers 2101 Bredeson 2101 Aloi 2014 Boggs 4000 Watson 3020 Henkins 3100 Nipper 2000 2B: Aloi 3B: Bowers George Washington – Fala 2111 Dixon 4013 Smith 3000 Kelley 4000 Gordon 2000 Barton 4110 Nelson 3120 Ellis 2100 Stewart 2100 2B: Dixon 3B: Nelson (W) Messerly: 3.1ip 1h 0r 2bb 2k (L) Barton 1.2ip 2h 6er 5bb 3k
7NEWS
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- 7NEWS
EV, hybrid servicing and repairs set to cost more, take longer under new laws
New regulations for technicians working on electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrids in New South Wales could cause delays and see service costs rise due to a shortage of technicians meeting the new qualifications. The proposed rules would require mechanics to complete additional battery tech and safety courses before they can legally work on EVs and hybrids. The regulations have been proposed as part of a new Act to replace the current Motor Dealers and Repairers Regulation which expires on September 1, 2025. Should these pass into law, the rules will be applied to new mechanics and the 49,000 existing mechanics in NSW – which make up one third of the total number across Australia – even those having already worked on EVs. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. The regulations extend to technicians carrying out 'steering, suspension and wheel alignment work' meaning tyre fitters may also be required to take the course in order to legally perform a wheel alignment on an EV. The Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA) estimates only around 10 per cent of technicians in NSW have completed any EV training. The AAAA also argues it's more challenging for technicians in regional areas to access the training and take the time out of their workshop to complete it. The regulations have been proposed by New South Wales (NSW) Fair Trading, which provides the regulatory framework for the buying, selling and repair of motor vehicles across the state. There are around 7.4 million cars on NSW roads, according to Fair Trading's data. The official course is the AURSS00064 Battery Electric Vehicle Inspection and Servicing Skill Set. It costs between $1500–$3000 and takes six days to complete, with some education providers advertising it over a four-day period. It's not just EV servicing and repair work affected, with hybrids – which also feature a high-voltage battery – also impacted. The proposed laws state that a tradesperson with certificates in three repair classes, such as electrical accessory fitting work, radiator repair work, and steering, suspension, and wheel alignment work, will also be prohibited from working on hybrid vehicles until they complete a mandatory course, dubbed Depowering and reinitialising BEVs – AURETH101 Depower and reinitialise battery. According to the AAAA the regulations, revealed in a Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS), are 'deeply flawed' and need to be reviewed. 'This is not just a workforce issue — it's a consumer issue,' AAAA chief executive officer Stuart Charity in a statement. 'This rushed approach will reduce access to essential repair services and increase costs for NSW motorists.' Mr Charity suggests the 'rushed approach' included a lack of consultation with industry groups such as the AAAA, which recommends 'transition plans' for EV training in NSW. 'We agree that technicians working on high-voltage vehicles must be trained and competent — and that's already happening,' Mr Charity added. 'But this proposal creates a legislative barrier that will drastically reduce the number of qualified service providers overnight. It will drive up costs for consumers and cause serious delays in repair and servicing.'
