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Chicago Tribune
4 days ago
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Known for his pitching, West Aurora's Zach Toma takes his hitting to whole nother level. ‘Just feeling confident.'
West Aurora's Zach Toma is best known for his pitching, and rightfully so. The junior left-hander has been one of the area's breakout stars this season. What casual observers may not realize is he has also become the Blackhawks' leading hitter this spring. So, bring on the spotlight in the batter's box. 'I really wanted to be the guy up in that situation,' Toma said. 'I felt like I was seeing the ball really well, and I kind of felt like he was going to throw me a curveball in that situation. 'I got it and didn't miss it.' Indeed, Toma's two-run double in the bottom of the fourth inning Wednesday was the difference in a 5-3 victory over Neuqua Valley in a Class 4A Waubonsie Valley Regional semifinal in Aurora. Toma also settled in on the mound after his big hit and finished off a complete-game win for the Blackhawks (27-7), who will play at 11 a.m. Saturday for the regional title against the semifinal winner between Naperville Central (19-11) and Waubonsie Valley (14-12). While Toma struck out six and allowed three runs, two earned, on three his and two walks, Braiden Williams came through with a pinch-hit, two-run single in the fourth to tie the game. Henry Hinkle and Eliseo Liscano added two hits apiece for West Aurora. Colton Maita doubled and scored for Neuqua (13-17-1). But the big double by Toma loomed large in the end. 'I expected it out of him,' West Aurora coach John Reeves said. 'He's been great with the bat in his hands. He can do it both ways, on the mound and at the plate.' That's true on both accounts. Offensively, Toma leads the team with 46 RBIs. As far as the pitching part of the equation goes, Toma improved his record to 7-2 with a 1.07 ERA. Reeves credited a program-wide mandate to increase time in the weight room as helping with that process. Mason Atkins and Toma, two football players, took it to heart the most. 'They spent a lot of time in the weight room, which I think shows,' Reeves said. 'Especially with guys like Mason and Zach.' Toma cited several factors for his offensive breakout, including switching travel teams and reworking his swing. The biggest factor, he agreed, came in the weight room. 'The strength part of it especially, we lift all the time,' Toma said. 'We lift in season. In past years, I haven't lifted in season. This year, that's been a huge difference-maker with my strength. 'Just feeling confident up there. Our coaches pushed the whole team into the weight room. And then Mason, he's always getting on me about lifting after practice, so it helps.' Toma's offense was needed after he got off to an uncharacteristically shaky start on the mound. Through 3 1/3 innings Wednesday, he trailed 3-1. He retired the final two batters of the fourth to get out of a jam, however. After his double, he retired Neuqua's final nine hitters in order. 'The beginning of the game, I wasn't getting that first-pitch strike down,' Toma said. 'Then toward the end, I really started to get that pitch down. 'Getting that first-pitch strike is huge, man. Then you have every pitch in your arsenal to throw.' Toma's heroics were set up by Williams' clutch hit, which helped the Blackhawks catch their collective breath. 'It felt really good to help the team out and win this game,' Williams said. 'That just raised our confidence and helped us.' It's always nerve-racking to be in a close game in a one-and-done scenario, but Toma was unfazed. He hopes that paves the way to the program's first regional title since 2006. 'It got me nervous a little bit, but to be honest, we had so much time left and I have a lot of confidence in our hitters,' Toma said. 'I knew we'd come through and scrap out some runs.'
New Straits Times
21-05-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Popov brothers, Lanier leading the French badminton revolution
KUALA LUMPUR: France have never really been known as a badminton powerhouse. But that may soon change, and Toma Junior Popov is part of the reason why. The world No. 18 made a strong start at the Malaysia Masters on Tuesday, beating China's world No. 32 Wang Zheng Xing 21-17, 21-8. It was also his first-ever win at the tournament in since his debut in 2023. "I'm happy with the way I started. It's good to be back after the European tour and four weeks of training," said Toma, who made it to the quarter-finals of Malaysia Open in his last visit to Kuala Lumpur earlier in January. The 25-year-old also feels his form is on an upward trend. "I'd say I'm better than last year. I had a good run in Europe — maybe could've done a bit more at the All England, but overall I'm happy. Even when I wasn't at my best, I still made the final at the European Championships and won the men's doubles," he said. Toma, along with his younger brother Christo and 20-year-old Alex Lanier — one of the most exciting young players on the circuit — are putting French badminton on the world map. France are now the second-ranked team in Europe behind Denmark, and for good reason. The Popov brothers are strong in both singles and men's doubles, while Thom Gicquel-Delphine Delrue are a consistent top pair in mixed doubles. Toma is one of the few players in the world who juggles singles and doubles at the highest level, and he plans to continue doing both. "For now, yes, I'll be playing both events regularly — that's the plan moving forward." So what has changed in French badminton? "Things are more structured now. The clubs, federation, academies and national centres are working together better," said Toma. "There are also more good coaches coming in and more young players showing promise. It's exciting." Toma says there's also been a big improvement in junior development, with more young French shuttlers doing well in Europe every year. But the real challenge is exposure. "In France, badminton doesn't get shown on TV much. It's mostly football, handball, rugby. But if we win medals and stay in the spotlight, I believe more people will follow the sport," he said. That's why the World Championships in Paris later this year is a big deal. Toma will be playing both events. "My goal is simple — a medal, any colour," he said with a smile.
Boston Globe
09-05-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Retailers say they're not feeling China tariff disruptions. They will soon.
Local retailers say that they have enough inventory for now — and they're hoping the trade war subsides before they feel the full effects. 'Something's got to change,' said George Toma, owner of Similar worries have beset retailers of every size throughout the United States. Many began buying extra quantities of foreign goods right after Trump's reelection. 'People were bringing in a lot of imports because once Trump got elected they said, 'Looks like tariffs are going to go up,'' said Advertisement For example, Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles, Toma said he's not panicking yet, 'because we have enough depth and bench strength with the inventory we have.' Advertisement Toma belongs to the A view of George Washington Toma TV and Appliances in East Weymouth in 2012. John Tlumacki Recently, the group has imported extra merchandise to help its members ride out the tariffs. 'We've been loading up inventory knowing this was coming,' said Toma. But Toma does worry about what will happen if the tariff war drags on. Related : With tariffs of 145 percent, a $1,000 Chinese-made refrigerator will now cost $2,450, making it unaffordable for many consumers. And 'buying American' won't entirely solve the problem, because so many made-in-USA appliances contain Chinese parts, also covered by the tariff. 'The problem is you don't know,' said Toma. 'They may assemble them here, but do the parts come out of China? You really don't know what's going to be affected.' Say a $1,000 US-made refrigerator contains a $200 Chinese-made compressor. At the new tariff level of 145 percent, the appliance maker must now pay $490 for the compressor, a cost increase of $290. If there are other Chinese parts in the icebox, the price goes up still more. Meanwhile, the manufacturer must raise its price to the retailer, who in turn hikes the retail price. Toma takes comfort in knowing that his competitors are in the same boat. 'The upside for us is people aren't going to go without appliances,' he said, 'and they're going to be the same price everywhere. It's not like they can go someplace else and get it cheaper. ' The tariff is also a menace for Advertisement 'Ninety-nine percent of our items are made overseas somewhere,' said co-owner Jerry Michelson, but they're stocked up for months to come. 'What we have for springtime and even for summer has already landed in the United States,' said Michelson. 'It's really going to be the fall and even the holiday season when we're going to be affected.' Children's shoes are seen in the window display of Michelson's Shoes in Lexington in 2022. Jessica Rinaldi/Globe Staff Only about half of Michelson's shoes come from China. But even shoes from other countries such as Vietnam are subject to a 10 percent tariff that the Trump administration has levied on imports from any country. (Trump has also threatened an additional wave of 'reciprocal' tariffs, but has delayed it until July 10.) Much of Michelson's autumn and winter inventory has already been ordered from about 40 US shoe importers, at pre-tariff prices. Now these suppliers are deciding how much of the tariff must be paid by the retailers. At least one has said it will hike the price for pre-ordered shoes already in the pipeline, while a couple of others say they'll hold prices steady on pre-orders but will demand price hikes on future shipments. Co-owner Eric Michelson, Jerry's brother, said that one distributor that buys shoes from China has halted all shipments while they wait to see if the United States and China can come to terms. 'The result of that is that your fall shoes are probably going to come late,' Eric Michelson said. 'We don't know what's going to happen. It's really a crazy frustrating problem, causing a lot of stress.' It's just as stressful for model train vendor Charles Ro, owner of Advertisement Ro remembers a time when model train makers like Lionel built their products in the United States, and most imported models came from Germany. But these days, 'almost all the hobby is made in China,' he said. 'As trains got more and more detailed…the costs went up, because of the amount of labor involved to put them together.' Racks of repaired customer trains at Charles Ro Supply in Malden, a retailer of model railroading gear. David L. Ryan/Globe Staff @font-face { font-family: BentonSansCond-Regular; src: url(" format('woff2'), url(" format('woff'); } @font-face { font-family: BentonSansCond-Bold; src: url(" format('woff2'), url(" format('woff'); } .dipgrid { display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; align-items: stretch; margin: 25px -28px; } .dip__main { position: relative; overflow: hidden; } .dip__image { position: relative; top: 50%; left: 0%; } .dip__image.portrait { height: auto; width: 100%; padding-top: 24px; } .dip__image.landscape { height: auto; width: 100%; padding-top: 10px; } @media only screen and (min-width: 700px) { .dipgrid { display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; align-items: stretch; max-width: 1200px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; } .dip { width: 48.5%; } .dip:not(:nth-child(2n)) { margin-right: 3%; } .dip__image.portrait { height: auto; width: 100%; padding-top: 10px; } .dip__image.landscape { height: auto; width: 100%; padding-top: 0px; } .dip__main { position: relative; overflow: hidden; } } .dip_cap_cred { font-family: "BentonSansCond-Regular", "Times New Roman", Times, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: .5px; text-align: left; margin: 3px 15px 0px 0px; font-weight: 200; } .dip_cap_cred span{ text-transform: uppercase; color: #6b6b6b; } .theme-dark .dark-mode .dip_cap_cred{ color: #fff; } .theme-dark .dark-mode .dip_cap_cred span { color: #fff; } David Hampton, an employee at Charles Ro Supply in Malden, puts together wheel sets with rubber tractions. (David L. Ryan/Globe Staff) Charles Ro Supply claims to be the nation's largest retailer of model railroading gear. (David L. Ryan/Globe Staff) Another Ro-owned company, Ro said the high tariff has priced Chinese products out of the US market. 'We have enough stock to weather it for awhile…maybe six to nine months," he said. Meantime 'the Chinese factories are going to bottle up with goods they can't deliver but they have to store.' He warned of possible shortages during the Christmas season and said there could be a backlash from mothers who support Trump. 'If their kids don't get toys for Christmas, somebody will be shouting at the president,' said Ro, who wants the administration to slash the tariff on model trains to zero Yet Ro supports what Trump is trying to do. 'I think we have to get manufacturing in the US ... We can't be a service industry and keep our wealth,' he said. 'Even though it's hurting right now, in the long run it'll be good for everybody.' Hiawatha Bray can be reached at
Herald Sun
04-05-2025
- Sport
- Herald Sun
Albury, Cohuna Kangas, Woorinen, Maffra: Country footy wrap
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local Footy. Followed categories will be added to My News. Albury put its faltering season back on track with a stirring come-from-behind win against Corowa-Rutherglen by two points in the Ovens & Murray league on Saturday. The former competition powerhouse, which missed finals last year for the first time since 2008, had lost its last two matches by a combined 179 points and found itself in early trouble trailing Corowa-Rutherglen by 31 points. Albury fought back in the second term, but didn't hit the front until late in the final term with Kolby Hennessy and Jake Pitt kicking late goals to pinch victory. A tiring Corowa-Rutherglen pushed forward in the dying stages, but a match-saving mark in the final 30 seconds from Albury defender Ben Kelly sealed the Tigers' second win. Kelly's direct opponent, Kaelan Bradtke, threatened to be the matchwinner for Corowa-Rutherglen with four goals and fellow forward Darcy Hope was equally damaging with two goals. Sydney premiership coach Paul Roos helped out former Swans teammate and first-year Corowa-Rutherglen coach Daryn Cresswell. Corowa-Rutherglen is sitting at 1-3 and in danger of losing touch with the top five. Albury regained ruckman Isaac Muller, Jacob Page and Jacob Conlan from the Anzac Day loss to North Albury. Geelong league recruit Pitt was also damaging up forward and finished with three goals. Albury is being coached by former Hawthorn and Collingwood player Max Lynch this season. Two other O&M matches were decided by 10 points or less with Yarrawonga coming from 23 points down at halftime to beat Myrtleford by 10 and North Albury also turned around a 10-point halftime deficit to win by five points. Myrtleford kicked 1.7 in the second half and North Albury coach Tim Broomhead dominated after halftime to help his team to its third successive win. Wangaratta also trailed at halftime against Wodonga before getting home by 21 points. CENTRAL MURRAY Cohuna Kangas star recruits Tom Toma and Ricky Monti played starring roles in taking down reigning premiers Nyah-Nyah West United by 49 points. The Kangas busted the match open in the second term by piling on six goals to two to lead by 32 points at halftime. Toma and Monti played for Essendon's VFL team and Bendigo club Golden Square before Toma returned to his original club this season and was joined by Monti in a major injection to the Kangas' midfield which also includes another star player, Joel Helman. Kangas coach Jack Geary didn't play on Saturday, but Toma booted four goals in the big win which leaves the reigning premiers with only one win from their first four games. Nyah-Nyah West young gun Ethan Curran was among the best with Brayden Bingham and Joel Campbell. Woorinen upstaged Mallee Eagles by 17 points to also announce itself as a flag contender. Despite missing star forward Darcy Hourigan for the last two games, Woorinen is on top with 4-0 record under new coach Tim Free. Captain Henry Thompson dominated for Woorinen. GIPPSLAND Maffra upstaged reigning premier Traralgon by 19 points in a round loaded with upsets. A near full strength Traralgon led by 20 points at quarter time, but with only goal for the remainder of the match coming late in the final term as Maffra's young players helped engineer the shock result. Experienced midfielder Alex Carr returned to the Maffra line-up and led the way for Sam Richards, Archer Watt and Noah Christy. Bairnsdale won a rare match on the road against Warragul by 17 points after exploding out of the blocks with a six goals to two in the opening term. Tom Blenheim and Will Mitchell were prominent in the Bairnsdale midfield and Jamie Dore kicked three goals. Moe dominated after halftime to beat Leongatha by 47 points. Harrison Pepper and star recruit Ben Crocker booted three goals for the Lions, who have moved to top spot. Originally published as Ovens & Murray: Albury storms home in final quarter to beat Corowa-Rutherglen
Global News
25-04-2025
- Business
- Global News
Why filing your taxes last minute in Canada could be risky this year
With just a few days left before the tax filing deadline, many Canadians are still waiting until the last minute to submit. This tax year comes with new challenges, and experts say it is all the more crucial to file as early as possible. When is the tax filing and payment deadline? The deadline this year for most individuals to file their returns is April 30 by the end of the day, in addition to paying any taxes owed. Story continues below advertisement Although the deadline to file for self-employed Canadians and their spouses or common-law partners is June 15th, they still must pay taxes owed by April 30. 'The important thing is to file your tax return on time so that you're not considered a late filer,' says chartered professional accountant and GoFile software owner Daniel Toma. 'The penalty for filing late is substantial, and interest is incurred at CRA's prescribed rate on a daily basis.' 2:30 Consumer Matters: How to avoid tax scams What are the risks of waiting too long to file? The Canada Revenue Agency updated its online systems earlier this year to improve the way electronic documents are processed, but unfortunately there are still some bugs in the system. Story continues below advertisement Tax filers who may be kicking the can down the road until the deadline could be in for a surprise due to these technical issues, and in some cases could mean the process will take longer than expected. Get weekly money news Get expert insights, Q&A on markets, housing, inflation, and personal finance information delivered to you every Saturday. Sign up for weekly money newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Toma says that even with these issues, taxpayers will still be responsible for filing on time. 'The CRA's position is that you should be able to get copies of any slips separately from your CRA account.' If you run into issues uploading electronic documents to the CRA, you might need extra time to submit each document manually. Toma says 'the CRA wants you to do your best to include everything from the tax slips that you've seen and insert them manually into your tax return, which you can do.' Preparing your tax return in advance will also provide the insurance of extra time to adapt should there be any surprises. For example, in some cases, electronic documents might arrive just a few days before the deadline, as Toma describes. 'My staff finished a tax return yesterday for me to review, and then told me just today to wait because they downloaded more slips,' he says. 'So there are slips showing up today on April 25 that were not there yesterday.' If you are waiting to get all slips before calculating your taxes and are up against the deadline, Toma says an option is to send the CRA an overpayment that can be credited back after the fact. Story continues below advertisement 'If somebody is very concerned about having not included additional income that they think they've missed, they could always pay additional to the CRA account as insurance. Again, this would be a precautionary measure.' 4:08 Political analyst on the final sprint of the federal election Filing taxes can also come with the benefit of potentially getting a partial refund, so there is an extra incentive to file on time. A refund can be put to paying down expenses, and new polling shows younger Canadians plan on using the funds for investing. So, it's important to file on time to ensure the money owed to those taxpayers isn't replaced with penalties. 'More than half of filers will have a refund,' says Toma. 'Filing is often in your financial interest, not only for compliance, but you will be getting back some money.'
