Latest news with #Lancers
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Incoming Ellsworth Commander Criticized Air Force Base's Culture in B-1B Lancer Crash Report
An Air Force colonel set to take over Ellsworth Air Force Base's 28th Bomb Wing later this month harshly criticized the culture of the South Dakota bomber squadrons he's preparing to oversee in a scathing crash report last year. Col. Erick Lord will be the next commander of the 28th Bomb Wing. Senior Airman Jo Pepin-Rust, an Ellsworth spokesperson, told in an email that wing commanders "change out every two years as part of routine leadership assignments." Lord is presently the deputy commander of the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. Col. Derek Oakley is the current commander of the 28th Bomb Wing, according to an online biography. Read Next: Senators Demand Answers After Case Dropped Against Navy Federal for Charging Troops Overdraft Fees Notably, Lord heavily criticized and blamed, in part, the culture of squadrons at the 28th Bomb Wing, which he is now tasked with leading, in a crash investigation. He was the author of a July 2024 accident investigation board report into the circumstances of a B-1B Lancer crashing on the Ellsworth runway in January of that year. That analysis led to a leadership shake-up at the base, and several firings of commanders followed. The B-1B Lancer, while on a training mission, crashed about 100 feet short of the runway and skidded 5,000 feet before bursting into flames. The four aboard the bomber ejected, and two were injured but later released from the hospital. Lord, in his report, pointed to "an unhealthy organizational culture that permitted degradation of airmanship skills" as one of the main reasons for the crash. He also took aim in the report at a crew member's weight, and a family member said Lord's comments were unfair and disrespectful, previously reported. The 2024 incident marked the first time in more than a decade that a Lancer had crashed. In the wake of the crash report, Col. Mark Kimball, then the commander of the 28th Operations Group, was fired from his role "due to a loss of trust and confidence in his ability to command, based on the findings of an Accident Investigation Board report into the Jan. 4 crash of a B-1B bomber at Ellsworth," Air Force Global Strike Command told at that time. Several months later, in September, Ellsworth announced that another commander had been fired. Lt. Col. Carsten Stahr, commander of the 28th Force Support Squadron, was removed from his role. An Air Force Global Strike Command spokesperson told it was unrelated to the crash report, but a reason for the leadership change was not provided. The crash damage to the B-1B and the runway was estimated to be worth more than $456 million. Due to that damage, an undisclosed number of Lancers had to be flown across the country to Dyess Air Force Base in Texas and approximately 250 aircrew, maintainers and other support personnel relocated to support the bombers amid repairs. The Ellsworth runway was closed for nearly a month. Lord has experience as a B-1B weapon systems officer, and it's not his first assignment at Ellsworth. He received his commission from the Air Force Officer Training School in 2002 and has more than 2,600 flight hours, including in combat, for Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, Freedom's Sentinel and Inherent Resolve, according to a news release. "His career is deeply rooted in the B-1 community, including a previous assignment at Ellsworth as a flight commander and evaluator weapon systems officer with the 37th Bomb Squadron," Pepin-Rust said in an emailed statement. Related: $450 Million B-1B Lancer Crash Attributed to Crew Failures and 'Degradation of Airman Skills' Solve the daily Crossword
Boston Globe
16-06-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Ellie Kennedy ends three-hour marathon by securing perfect season for Division 2 girls' tennis champion Longmeadow
Related : Kennedy's win delivered a 3-2 triumph for top-ranked Longmeadow (24-0) at MIT's duPont Courts, sending home No. 2 Wayland (14-6) in a match that lasted more than three hours. The win secured consecutive undefeated seasons and state titles for the Lancers. 'She's one of the mentally toughest people I've ever met,' Framarin said of Kennedy. 'Forget mentally tough tennis player, she's just a mentally tough person. So she knew what she had to do. She stayed locked in. She played every point the same, and brought us a state title.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Longmeadow junior Ellie Kennedy walks off the court with the Division 2 trophy after her singles win clinched the Lancers' state title. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff Advertisement Kennedy spent most of the season playing on the Lancers' top doubles pairing, but Framarin shifted her to third singles. Though it was only her sixth time at singles this season, Kennedy was comfortable playing from the baseline and prevailed in numerous long rallies. 'I was especially nervous stepping into a singles role that I'm not used to,' Kennedy said. 'It was definitely tiring to keep falling down and having to fight, but I just [had to] not give up and keep pushing.' Lancers senior Maia Oh (foreground) and junior Anaya Mohanicq persevered for a 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 win at second doubles Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff Longmeadow's first point came at first doubles from juniors Kelci Talati and Nora McMahon, who topped Wayland senior Arya Samaratunga and junior Yumiko Niimi, 6-2, 6-0. At second doubles, Lancers senior Maia Oh and junior Anaya Mohani persevered for a 4-6, 6-2, 6-2, victory over Wayland juniors Emi Niimi and Ava Knourenko. Advertisement Wayland dominated on the top two singles courts, with Warriors senior Bella Camacho notching a 6-0, 6-0 victory at No. 1, and freshman Elena Tan rolling, 6-2, 6-1, at No. 2. Wayland's Bella Camacho won in straight sets at first singles. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff Having spent the season handling the pressure of defending their state title, Framarain was especially proud of his team's consistency. 'These girls had the weight of the world on their shoulders after winning this thing last year, and they never blinked,' Framarin said. 'We've played so many of these close matches, and they've pulled out every single one. I got a really tough team.' Wayland senior Olivia Todd battled to a three-set loss at third singles. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff Matty Wasserman can be reached at
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Lancers stave off Bettendorf softball 3-1, sweep double header
Lancers stave off Bettendorf softball 3-1 Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF -
Boston Globe
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
With poise beyond her years, freshman Akira'ley Vasquez pitches No. 10 Greater New Bedford softball past No. 2 Norton
Vasquez, who just turned 14, showed maturity well beyond her years. She pitched with poise, not backing down from a skilled Lancers lineup. 'Honestly, it means a lot,' said Vasquez. 'I've dreamed of playing varsity in high school since I was a little girl.' Norton , MA -June 7 Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School Softball pitcher #4 AKira'ley Vazquez during a pitch against Norton High School Women softball team during game action. They were playing in a Division 3 quarterfinal in Norton, MA on , June 7 22025. New Bedford won game 5-0. (Jonathan Wiggs Globe /Staff ) Jonathan Wiggs/Globe Staff Sophomore Leah Perez and senior Alexia Tsonis singled before senior Zoe Teixeira drew a walk, loading the bases for Vasquez with one out. Vasquez turned on a belt-high pitch and drove it hard into the left-field gap. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'I was just looking for a strike — anything in the zone,' she said. Related : Advertisement Teixeira scored on a fielder's choice and sophomore Janiah Cooper whacked a two-run single through the left side of the infield. 'That was huge,' said Soares of the five-run explosion. 'That's never expected, obviously, especially when you get this deep in the tournament.' From there, Vasquez entered cruise control, confident pitching in front of a strong defense while armed with a lead. Norton , MA -June 7 Norton High School softball player #29 Lucy Perachio collides with Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School Softbal player #4 AKira'ley Vazquez at home plate in game action. They were playing in a Division 3 quarterfinal in Norton, MA on , June 7 22025. New Bedford won game 5-0. (Jonathan Wiggs Globe /Staff ) Jonathan Wiggs/Globe Staff Vasquez has emerged as a vital piece for the Bears (17-8), anchoring the lineup from the No. 3 and commanding the circle. It's not an easy feat to jump in as a freshman — never mind take the reins, although the Bears have some experience with this when freshman Madison Camara helped pitch them to the 2018 championship.. Advertisement Greater New Bedford's Olivia Araujo attempts to tag out Maddie Medeiros at second base. Jonathan Wiggs/Globe Staff Before the season, Soares didn't know who Vasquez was. Now, she's counted on in key spots and has the team's full trust. 'She's already grown from the beginning of the year until now,' said Soares. 'She's a good kid. She's a competitor, she hates to lose. Hates to lose.' Junior Liana Danubio scattered six hits and three walks, striking out 10 for the Lancers (20-3). The Bears, who won state titles in 2018 and 2022, are back in the semifinals. Jonathan Wiggs/Globe Staff Division 3 State Dighton-Rehoboth 2, Gloucester 1 — Mia Ribeiro doubled and Skye Harrison drove her home to walk it off in the eighth inning for the top-seeded Falcons (22-2) in a quarterfinal victory. No. 8 Gloucester (18-5) had six runners caught stealing by D-R catcher Emma Horrocks, who scored the Falcons' other run on a Cam Cloonan sac fly in the first inning. Cam Kerry can be reached at
San Francisco Chronicle
04-06-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
St. Francis softball avoids another early NorCal exit with stirring 1st-round win
A year after complete despair brought on by a stunning upset loss in the first round of the Northern California playoffs, the St. Francis softball team experienced the opposite on Tuesday. With her team having been down to its final strike three times, junior outfielder and three-time West Catholic Athletic League MVP Jaime Oakland delivered a run-scoring double to plate May Meltz to tie the score. A few moments later, Peyton Tsao doubled home the winning run to beat Rocklin 3-2 in a Division 1 contest. Last season, following a 4-1 loss to Amador Valley-Pleasanton, the then-undefeated and national No. 1 Lancers tearfully walked off their home field. On Tuesday, they skipped and joyfully celebrated. The third-seeded Lancers (28-3) next travel to No. 2 Del Oro-Loomis (29-2) Thursday in the semifinals. Tuesday's win did end with controversy. Tsao's liner in right-center field appeared to be caught on a diving play. But after huddling, umpires ruled that the ball had bounced. It took nothing away from the emotional win, said St. Francis coach Mike Oakland, who has led the team to a sparkling 209-30 mark since taking over in 2017, including five Central Coast Section titles. The fifth CCS title came Saturday, a wild 9-6, eight-inning win at top seed Willow Glen-San Jose when Hayden Hummel, Tsao, Gabby Rocha and Isabella Sandoval all drove in two runs. Sandoval, Rocha and Hummel are all seniors. 'Our girls have been resilient all year,' Oakland said via text. 'They kept fighting (Tuesday) and found a way to get it done. Rocklin is a very strong team with an elite pitcher. There were no easy innings and we had runners on base most of the game and couldn't get the hit we needed until the end.' More first-round softball: In Division 2, Isabella Rice, Kylee McKinney and Taylor Jennings all blasted home runs to lift No. 4 seed Liberty-Brentwood (24-4) to a 14-3 five-inning home win over Central Catholic-Modesto. The Lions will travel to play top seed Vanden-Fairfield, an 8-6 winner over Foothill-Pleasanton, which got a home run and two RBIs from Alexa Sponsel. … No. 6 seed King's Academy-Sunnyvale (22-7) beat No. 3 Destiny Christian-Sacramento 5-4 behind two hits and two RBIs each from Katia Nesper and Mia Bennette. … In Division 3, Callie Howard threw a two-hitter with 11 strikeouts and Andrea Mansberry and Izzie Kunimune each had two hits and two RBIs as second-seed Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa beat Calaveras 5-1. … In Division 5, seventh-seed Balboa (14-4) broke open a close game with a 15-run fifth inning to win 20-3 at Foresthill (Placer County). The Bucs will have another long bus ride to face host and third-seed King City (19-11). Baseball first-round: In Division 1, Tyler Spangler and Antonio Castro had three hits apiece and Bubba Vargas drove in three runs as host and top seed De La Salle-Concord defeated Del Oro 7-3. The Spartans will next host St. Mary's-Stockton (26-8), a 4-3 winner over Valley Christian. Mississippi State-bound Dax Hardcastle launched a game-ending leadoff homer in the seventh for St. Mary's. Christian Navarez had a home run for Valley Christian (25-8-1). … A bases-loaded walk to Tyler Harrison in the 12th inning gave No. 3 seed Serra a 2-1 win over College Park-Pleasant Hill. Kelley Crawford, Aiden Waters and Davis Minton combined to throw a five-hitter for Serra, which will host No. 7 seed Los Gatos, a 9-8 winner at Franklin-Elk Grove. Brayden Smith drove in three runs with a double and Rowen Smith added a two-run double for Los Gatos (25-5). … In Division 2, sixth-seeded Acalanes-Lafayette (18-10-1) continued its late-season surge with a 9-3 win over No. 3 Chico (28-2) as Ando Butner had a two-run homer and Drew Asadorian and Cominic Patiucci each drove in two. … Nick Chow threw a four-hitter and Henry Dommer added a homer and double, lifting St. Francis (21-10) to a 5-0 win over Central Catholic. … In Division 4, pitchers Jackson Flanagan and Reid Plamondon made a two-run first-inning double from Zach Roeder stand up for No. 5 seed Menlo School-Atherton in a 2-0 win at Las Lomas-Walnut Creek. … A Zach Gallegos RBI single capped Santa Clara's 10-9 comeback win over Oakland Tech, which led 7-2 in the third inning. John Depner, Drew Diffenderfer and Jaxton Chao all drove in two runs for the Bruins (28-3). … In Division 5, Nicholas Chiu hit a two-run homer and Jerry Hou and Everett Carvalho each drove in three runs leading sixth-seed Lincoln to a 16-4 win at No. 3 Vacaville Christian. The Mustangs (17-15), who got three hits and three runs by Aidan Castaneda, travel to No. 2 Stevenson-Pebble Beach, a 5-2 winner over Torres. State golf: Led by a 4-under round of 67 by Josh Kim and a 71 from Noah Eisen on Tuesday, De La Salle tied for second in the CIF State Golf Championships at Poppy Hills Country Club. The Spartans and Santa Margarita-Rancho Santa Margarita (Orange County) finished at 362, nine strokes back of champion and host Stevenson (353), which had three players finish under par, led by Luke Brandler (67). The individual champion was St. Francis-La Canada (Los Angeles County) freshman Jaden Soong, who shot a bogey-free round of 62 with seven birdies and an eagle to finish two strokes better than Evan Liu (64), of Torrey Pines (San Diego County). Palo Alto, led Brendan O'Keefe's 70 and Joshua Wang's 71, finished fifth out of six teams at 367.
