Latest news with #Monarchs
Scotsman
4 days ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Edinburgh Monarchs are KO'd in Cup by fierce rivals
Skipper Paco Castagna top scored for the Monarchs with seven. Picture: Jack Cupido A lacklustre Edinburgh Monarchs were well beaten by arch-rivals the Glasgow Tigers to exit the KO Cup at the quarter-final stage. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Having travelled west with an eight-point advantage from the first leg staged at Armadale in May, Monarchs were hopeful of progressing to a last-four showdown against the Poole Pirates despite missing Swedish duo Victor Palovaara and Jonatan Grahn. However, the hosts blew the Capital side's eight-point lead out of the water with three 5-1s inside the opening three heats. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The visitors struggled with track conditions, although guest Jacob Hook, who deputised for Grahn, registered Monarchs first race winner when the Australian took the chequered flag ahead of Tigers guest and compatriot, Tate Zischke. There was no stopping a rampant Tigers outfit who are looking stronger by the week, amassing a 32-16 lead by the midway point. Monarchs did manage one heat advantage in the second half of the meeting, guest Jason Edwards taking the win, with skipper Paco Castagna third, to take a 4-2, however, the damage was done with the Tigers running out 58-32 winners, 99-81 on aggregate. Monarchs now must turn their attentions to tomorrow night's visit of the Workington Comets on league duty and their push for the play-offs. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Co-promoter Alex Harkess said: "The first three races were the killer because the track was much grippier and we couldn't cope with that to start with. As the match wore on we started to adjust, but the damage was done long before that. We didn't do ourselves justice and I'm sure it will not be that kind of score when we come back in the league at the end of the month. "To only come with an eight-point lead from the first leg, we should have come with atleast with 12. The tie should have been much closer. "The trouble with Edinburgh all year is consistency. The important thing for now is to win our next two home meetings. While I would like five points this weekend from home and away against Workington, three would be fine. Anything less would be disappointing. Victor is riding for Oxford tonight to blow the cobwebs away and he'll be back with us on Friday."
Fox Sports
7 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
2025 Old Dominion Football Predictions: Monarchs Ranked 102nd in RJ Young's Ultimate 136
College Football 2025 Old Dominion Football Predictions: Monarchs Ranked 102nd in RJ Young's Ultimate 136 Published Aug. 10, 2025 9:39 p.m. ET share facebook x reddit link This isn't your average college football ranking. My Ultimate 136 is a set of rankings that is fluid, but it's my job to look ahead and make a claim for all FBS teams based on what I know and why I know it. Here are the three pressing questions I started by asking when putting together this list: Who do I think is good? Why do I think they're good? What are the chances they will finish above or below my expectations? Here is a look at where Old Dominion lands in my Ultimate 136. Old Dominion ranking: 102 Last year's ranking: 73 Top player: LB Jason Henderson: Redshirted last season, was an AP Second Team All-American in 2023 and Third Team selection in 2022; his 436 total career tackles is a school record. [Old Dominion's 2025 schedule] RJ's take: If Ricky Rahne isn't on the hot seat, it's because it's broken. He's gone 20-30 as head coach of the Monarchs. He has lost at least seven games in three of the past four years in Norfolk, but the water ain't wet if he can't find a tackler at linebacker. In 2022, Shaun Dolan had 140 tackles, Cedric Gray had 153 and Jason Henderson had 167. In 2023, three Old Dominion linebackers had 140 tackles or more, including former Iowa star Jay Higgins (166). In 2024, Red Murdock, who's now at Buffalo, and Dolan each racked up more than 158. ADVERTISEMENT Henderson is back from injury in 2025. If Rahne can find a way to score down, though — giving up 30 or more in six games isn't gonna cut it — Old Dominion might be due for an eight-win season. [ Check out RJ Young's Ultimate 136 College Football Rankings here ] Old Dominion Win Total Odds: Over 5.5 (-170) Under 5.5 (+138) Have an issue with my rankings? Think your alma mater is too low, or your school's rival is too high? Get at me on X, @RJ_Young , and I'll select my favorite tweets and respond to them in a future article. RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports. Follow him at @RJ_Young. FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience College Football Old Dominion Monarchs share
Time of India
09-08-2025
- Science
- Time of India
7 Stunning Butterflies That Prove Nature Is the Best Artist
They don't roar, sting, or make much noise– but butterflies still manage to hold their own in nature. Their colourful wings aren't just pretty to look at; they've evolved over time to help them survive, blend in, or attract a mate. While many butterflies quietly flutter by without much notice, some stand out because of their size, patterns, or colours– almost like nature's way of showing off. In this article, we take a closer look at a few butterflies that are not only beautiful but also tell us something about the places they live and how nature works. Blue Morpho The Blue Morpho is one of the most eye-catching butterflies in the rainforest. Its bright blue wings seem to shine and change colour as it moves. Interestingly, the blue isn't from any pigment– it's how the light reflects off tiny scales on its wings. These butterflies mostly stay low in the forest, but when they fly, they're hard to miss. Emerald Swallowtail This butterfly is known for its deep green and black colours that almost look like velvet. The green sparkles in the light because of the way its wing scales are shaped. You can often find it in the forested areas of Southeast Asia. It's part of the swallowtail family– butterflies known for their detailed wing shapes and patterns. Monarch Butterfly The Monarch is one of the most recognised butterflies in the world, with its bright orange wings bordered by black and dotted with white. But what makes it even more special is its long-distance migration. Every year, millions of Monarchs fly around 4,000 km from Canada and the northern US to central Mexico. Apollo Butterfly The Apollo butterfly lives in high mountain areas and meadows across Europe and parts of Asia. It has white or see-through wings with black spots and bright red dots near the bottom. These red spots may help scare off predators and make the butterfly easier to identify. Birdwing Butterflies Birdwings are some of the biggest butterflies in the world. They're named for their large size and bird-like flight. Some can have wingspans of over 25 cm. They often have bright colours like green, yellow, and black, and are easy to spot in tropical forests because of their slow, gliding flight. Rajah Brooke's Birdwing This butterfly is named after a British historical figure, but it's the colours that really stand out– especially on the males. They have deep black wings with glowing green bands that catch the light. It's a protected species in many areas and is often photographed because of its striking look. Swallowtail Butterflies Swallowtails are a large group of butterflies found in many parts of the world. They're easy to recognise by the tail-like tips on their hindwings and their colourful patterns, which often include yellow, blue, and black. Some species even mimic poisonous butterflies to stay safe from predators.
Scotsman
09-08-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Edinburgh Monarchs speed past Scorpions to boost play-off hopes
Justin Sedgmen (red) and Paco Castagna (blue) lead the way for the Monarchs. Picture: Jack Cupido The Edinburgh Monarchs are creeping ever closer to clinching a coveted Championship play-off berth. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Last night's hard-fought 48-42 victory over the Scunthorpe Scorpions was the club's fourth win on the trot and seventh consecutive victory on home shale in both league and cup. Both Justin Sedgmen and skipper Paco Castagna turned in exceptional performances to score 15 and 14 (paid 16) respectively, the former unbeaten by an opposing rider in five outings. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad However, the team, minus No.1 Victor Palovaara, who is suffering from pneumonia, all chipped in to fend off a dogged Scorpions side, who have stuggled for consistency this season. Monarchs are now six points clear in third in the race to secure a top-four spot. And with just four league fixtures remaining, the Capital side are sitting nicely with both Redcar and Oxford trying to hunt them down. Attentions quickly now turn to a crucial KO Cup quarter-final second leg clash against arch-rivals the Glasgow Tigers at Ashfield on Wednesday night. Monarchs are eight points up from the first leg but will be without Swede Palovaara, and compatriot Jonatan Grahn, who is riding in his homeland that evening. However, Castagna says there is a real air of confidence about the team just now. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He said: "We're in good form and the good thing is we can cover for each other. The team is the goal so even if somebody does bad, we have cover. It's been a while since we've been in the play-offs so I now really feel we deserve our spot. We all feel like that so it's a fantastic feeling. We all know we can get there so we just need to focus on ourselves. It's going to be a busy week next week and I can't wait." Sedgmen added: "The real reason I didn't do heat 15 is I've felt I've been struggling a bit all year, just not hitting the ground running. I asked John (Campbell) and the other guys to see if I could move to No.3, just to make my nights a little bit easier, and try and gain a bit of confidence round here and it's definitely worked out."
Scotsman
02-08-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Edinburgh Monarchs shoot down Berwick Bandits to keep play-off ambitions on track
Kye Thomson (blue) and Justin Sedgmen (red) were Monarchs top men. Picture: Jack Cupido The Edinburgh Monarchs edged closer to securing a coveted play-off berth after a 51-39 victory over the Berwick Bandits. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The Capital outfit remain third in the Championship table and on course to seal a top-four finish - Poole and Glasgow, currently first and second respectively, have all but guaranteed their play-off berths. Crucially, Monarchs also grabbed the aggregate bonus point ahead of what is a pivotal four weeks for the club in both the league and KO Cup. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The hosts continued where they left off at Scunthorpe last week and had the Bandits pinned where they wanted them - 20-10 ahead with Monarchs claiming four heat advantages inside the opening five races at Armadale. However, by the midway point, the Borderers, who still harbour their own play-off aspirations, had cut the home side's lead to just four. Heats nine and ten were shared with Bandits top duo Peter Kildemand and Drew Kemp taking the chequered flag. There was a tenseness in the air with Berwick now threatening to turn the meeting on its head. However, a superb gate from both Michael Palm Toft and Jonatan Grahn saw Monarchs produce a timely 5-1 in heat 11 and increase their advantage to eight with four races remaining. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A brilliant ride from Justin Sedgmen then nullified the Bandits tactical substitute and Monarchs were now within touching distance of maximum points. A brace of 3-3s followed and the three points were in the bag. However, the Blue and Gold rounded off the evening in fine style with an impressive Kye Thomson following team-mate Sedgmen home to secure a 12-point triumph. Australian Thomson, 26, said afterwards: "We were under pressure for a while as they were coming back so we had to dig deep. It was nice to make some strong heats at the end and a great ride by Justin to knock their tactical ride. I'm happy with my own form and have a good heat 15 and put it to bed. "We've just got to try and win every meeting and we're going to be busy over the next month. We're looking forward to it and we want to be right up there."
