Latest news with #Foxes
Chicago Tribune
a day ago
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Bella Phillips, with Bunny written on her arm, helps Yorkville hop past Waubonsie Valley. ‘It's like my alter ego.'
Word up, Foxes. It's playoff time for senior shortstop Bella Phillips and her Yorkville teammates, and that means sporting their very own word or phrase of the day on their forearm for game day. It's a practice that can help ease the tension in one-loss-and-you're-done games. It can inspire, remind or simply be fun. 'We very much have a family chemistry and we all buy into the season and we work really hard and push each other,' said Phillips, described by Foxes coach Jory Regnier as a natural leader who plays a key role in building her team's culture. Phillips was among three key contributors bearing apropos messages in a 10-0 five-inning win Tuesday over Waubonsie Valley in a Class 4A Yorkville Regional semifinal — Phillips with 'Bunny,' junior catcher Kayla Kersting with 'Beast mode' and junior pitcher Ellie Fox with 'Confidence.' Fourth-seeded Yorkville (23-12) advances to a 4:30 p.m. Friday regional final against the winner of Wednesday's semifinal between fifth-seeded Plainfield East and 12th-seeded Naperville North. Phillips, meanwhile, got Yorkville rolling against 13th-seeded Waubonsie Valley (9-20) with an RBI single to highlight a three-run first inning. She then sliced a liner toward the right field line and legged out an RBI triple in the third. She celebrated with a rabbit-like hop at the third base bag to the delight of teammates in the nearby dugout. ''Bunny' is from softball,' said Phillips, who's also a starting guard in basketball. 'It's like my alter ego. I have like a funny (high-pitched) voice that goes with it, keeping like a positive mindset and cheering on the team.' Phillips isn't sure how that started, but after one of the assistant coaches heard Phillips doing the voice, Kersting said it became like a running joke from there that has helped keep the team loose. 'She's so funny — she's our comic,' said Kersting, the team's power-hitting leadoff hitter. Kersting hit three deep outfield drives into the wind that might have gone out on a calm day, running out two for triples. She was robbed by sophomore center fielder Dezirae Kelly with an outstanding sliding catch at the fence. 'Kayla brings the big hits for us for sure,' said Phillips, a defensive standout who has held up her end at the plate by hitting .337 with three doubles, four triples and 15 RBIs. Kersting, who leads the team with a gaudy .598 average to go with 12 triples, 10 homers and 38 RBIs, didn't mind having to work for her hits Tuesday. 'I like running the bases,' Kersting said. 'It's pretty easy to get triples here if you hit it in the gap, with the eight-foot fence all the way around. You really have to hit it to get it out.' Fox, a hard-throwing junior right-hander, pitched with confidence for the win, striking out six and giving up only three hits and a walk in her four innings. 'She did a great job,' Regnier said of Fox. 'Came in and was lights out.' Freshman righty Bella Rosauer struck out two in the fifth inning to get some playoff experience. This postseason run will be it for Phillips and her athletic career, however. She plans to attend Iowa State and major in marketing. 'I think she's had a phenomenal year,' Regnier said of Phillips. 'She just really has put it all out there. She's that person that helps get everything together and organizes, makes sure things get done the way they're supposed to get done. 'She has high standards and is part of a senior group that's big on our culture.' Over the last six seasons, it has helped Regnier's Foxes win 75% of their games by compiling a 155-51 record. 'Bella will do anything for the team,' Regnier said. 'She even went behind the plate last year when Kayla was hurt. She didn't love it, but she'd do it tomorrow if we asked and do her best. 'She's kind of the glue.'
BBC News
2 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
'Baby steps' behind Leicestershire rise
Head coach Alfonso Thomas says it is "baby steps" that have taken Leicestershire from the County Championship doldrums to the top of the Division Two Foxes are yet to be beaten this term, having won five of their opening seven matches - as many wins as they managed in the second-tier of the red-ball game between 2019 and 2011 and 2022, the Foxes had finished bottom of the table seven times. In four of those seasons, they had failed to win a were so poor their very existence as a first-class county was called into question., externalAnd while they remain the only Championship team to have never been promoted, Thomas has been instrumental in transforming the Foxes' was interim head coach - a job he initially shared with former England batter James Taylor - when they ended a 12-year wait for silverware by winning the One-Day Cup in 2023."To change things around was never going to happen overnight," Thomas told BBC Radio Leicester."And I still think we are a season ahead of where I'd like us to be." At Leicestershire they have a "passion" for proving people won two County Championship titles in three years between 1996 and 1998 and are among the English game's most decorated T20 clubs, having won the competition three One-Day Cup success of two years ago, after a barren period of more than a decade, earned Thomas the role of head coach on a permanent basis, and while his first full season in charge did not bring the same success, the former Proteas seamer says the club made valuable they managed only one win, they played out 10 draws and were defeated just twice with the red ball."Last year it was more a case of us being tougher to beat," Thomas said. "Now, I'm not saying that we've gone out to play games that I didn't want to win, because that is not how I operate."I wanted us to be a bit more mentally tougher, to fight a bit more and that is why we did well in terms of the baby steps that we wanted to take."And it is baby steps at the moment, there is a method and it is working."What Thomas needed next to turn the Foxes from being a side consistently competitive over four days into a team of winners, was a merciless bowling attack."It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what it takes to win four-day games of cricket - you have to take 20 wickets," he said. In Ian Holland, the all-rounder who made his move from Hampshire permanent in the winter after a loan with Leicestershire last season, they have the division's leading wicket-taker with 28 scalps at an average of just over international Logan van Beek is second on the list with 26 wickets, while fellow seam bowler Ben Green, who is on loan from Somerset, has 22 to his name and Tom Scriven has claimed international Josh Hull has also picked up 13 wickets in four matches of an injury-hit campaign so far."With the make-up of our bowling attack, we have four seamers that are very stingy, very disciplined, and then I have got a bit of X-factor with a Josh Hull and a Ben Mike - that seemed to work and it is working at the moment," Thomas with a run of games with the Kookaburra ball - to replace the seamer-friendly Duke ball - coming up in June and July, Thomas anticipates England spin-bowling all-rounder Rehan Ahmed will be able to impose himself more in a bowling attack that will also feature fellow spinner Liam Trevaskis."The next couple of games will be really key for us with how we navigate ourselves," Thomas said."It's four Kookaburra games, which is a different challenge, but I'm sure it is a challenge the boys will be taking head on."
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Preston sign Foxes goalkeeper Iversen
Preston North End have signed Leicester City goalkeeper Daniel Iversen on a four-year deal. The 27-year-old Dane will join on a free transfer on 1 July when his contract with the Foxes expires. He previously spent time on loan with the Lancashire side in 2020-21 and 2021-22. "I love it here. It's the most I've been happy. Preston is where I've played my best football," he told the club website. Transfers - May 2025
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Leicester release ELEVEN players after Premier League relegation including Jamie Vardy and forgotten Liverpool star
IT'S ALL O-VAR Leicester release ELEVEN players after Premier League relegation including Jamie Vardy and forgotten Liverpool star Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) LEICESTER CITY have released 11 players following their relegation from the Premier League. The Foxes will drop down to the Championship once again for the 2025-26 season having finished 18th in the Prem table this term. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Jamie Vardy is among the group of Leicester players confirmed to be leaving Credit: Getty But they are set to be without three first team players. Danny Ward, Daniel Iversen and club legend Jamie Vardy have all been released following the expiry of their respective contracts. Eight junior pros will also depart, including Oliver Ewing, Harvey Godsmark-Ford, Ben Grist, Deniche Hill, Liam McAlinney, Arjan Raikhy, Joe Wormleighton and Brad Young. A club statement read: "All three leave with the heartfelt thanks of everybody at Leicester City for their contributions during their time at King Power Stadium, as well as our best wishes for the next chapters in their careers." Vardy announced that he was leaving the King Power Stadium last month after 13 years. The 38-year-old said: "It's something that I've thought about and spoken about with my family. I think it's time. If you ask anyone, I'm not really an emotional guy. "Nothing like that ever comes across with me, but when you've been somewhere for so long, and it is time to say goodbye, you just never know what your personal reaction is going to be. "I've spent 13 unbelievable years at this club, with lots of success, and some downs, but the majority have all been highs. "It's finally time to call it a day, which I'm devastated about it, but I think the timing it right." Vardy made his final Leicester appearance on the penultimate day of the Premier League season at the King Power Stadium. It was his 500th outing in a Leicester shirt and he scored his 200th goal for the club in a 2-0 win over Ipswich Town. Ward is also confirmed to be leaving the club. The goalkeeper joined the Foxes from Liverpool in 2018 and went on to make 52 appearances. Iversen is the final senior player set to move on as a free agent. The 27-year-old has made just 17 appearances for Leicester having been loaned out on numerous occasions. He is in line to join Preston North End at the start of July.
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Leicester release ELEVEN players after Premier League relegation including Jamie Vardy and forgotten Liverpool star
LEICESTER CITY have released 11 players following their relegation from the Premier League. The Foxes will drop down to the Championship once again for the 2025-26 season having finished 18th in the Prem table this term. 1 Jamie Vardy is among the group of Leicester players confirmed to be leaving Credit: Getty But they are set to be without three first team players. Danny Ward, Daniel Iversen and club legend Jamie Vardy have all been released following the expiry of their respective contracts. Eight junior pros will also depart, including Oliver Ewing, Harvey Godsmark-Ford, Ben Grist, Deniche Hill, Liam McAlinney, Arjan Raikhy, Joe Wormleighton and Brad Young. A club statement read: "All three leave with the heartfelt thanks of everybody at Leicester City for their contributions during their time at King Power Stadium, as well as our best wishes for the next chapters in their careers." Vardy announced that he was leaving the King Power Stadium last month after 13 years. The 38-year-old said: "It's something that I've thought about and spoken about with my family. I think it's time. If you ask anyone, I'm not really an emotional guy. "Nothing like that ever comes across with me, but when you've been somewhere for so long, and it is time to say goodbye, you just never know what your personal reaction is going to be. "I've spent 13 unbelievable years at this club, with lots of success, and some downs, but the majority have all been highs. Most read in Football "It's finally time to call it a day, which I'm devastated about it, but I think the timing it right." Vardy made his final Leicester appearance on the penultimate day of the Premier League season at the King Power Stadium. It was his 500th outing in a Leicester shirt and he scored his 200th goal for the club in a 2-0 win over Ipswich Town. Ward is also confirmed to be leaving the club. The goalkeeper joined the Foxes from Liverpool in 2018 and went on to make 52 appearances. Iversen is the final senior player set to move on as a free agent. The 27-year-old has made just 17 appearances for Leicester having been loaned out on numerous occasions. He is in line to join Preston North End at the start of July.
