Latest news with #Zepeda
Chicago Tribune
7 days ago
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Sophia Zepeda pitches like the ace Mundelein needs her to be. ‘I saw my potential.' Now she's reaching it.
Mundelein senior pitcher Sophia Zepeda's run of bad luck appears to be behind her. Zepeda, who pitched sparingly behind then-sophomore Shae Johnson during the Mustangs' run to fourth place in Class 4A last year, was anointed the ace of the staff after an injury sidelined Johnson for this entire season But Zepeda, a College of Lake County commit, then suffered back-to-back injuries that forced her to sit out some games. 'It was frustrating because I reinjured myself the very first game back and missed five or six games,' she said. 'I knew I had to be ready when I came back and thought it would be difficult after a few weeks off. It was good to rest my body.' Zepeda, who returned in early May, certainly was on her game Friday. She didn't allow a hit until the sixth inning to lead fourth-seeded Mundelein to a 6-0 victory over fifth-seeded Libertyville in the 4A Buffalo Grove regional championship game. Zepeda (8-4) struck out 18, walked five and surrendered just two hits in seven shutout innings for the Mustangs (22-10), who advance to the Stevenson Sectional semifinals to play another North Suburban Conference rival, the top-seeded host Patriots, at 2 p.m. Wednesday. 'Sophia has always been ready to step in and do what she can do for the team, so this year she knew she would get more of the pitching responsibility with Shae out with her injury,' Mundelein coach Heather Ryan said. 'She's such a tough, resilient, hardworking kid. She had some injuries but did a great job rehabbing and getting ready for the playoffs. 'She brought the heat today, and her pitching was really hitting. She hit her spots.' Zepeda struck out five over the final two innings and finished her stellar performance by snaring a hard-hit hopper and throwing to first base for the last out. She struck out 16 against Buffalo Grove in the regional semifinals and has 164 strikeouts in 103 1/3 innings this season. 'I threw a lot of rise balls, and that was working in our semifinal game as well,' Zepeda said. 'That's what I've been working on every day.' Zepeda, who also plays volleyball and basketball, was impressive in relief in the third-place game last year. She said she then prepared in the offseason to be the Mustangs' No. 1 pitcher. 'The state experience was really good for me because I saw my potential and how good I can be,' she said. 'That really drove me in the offseason. I just lit up the offseason and went to the cages and threw a lot.' The Wildcats (23-9) split the season series with the Mustangs but failed to get a hit on Friday until junior Taylor Higham, who took the loss after pitching six-plus innings, ended Zepeda's bid for a no-hitter in the bottom of the sixth. Libertyville junior Maddy Kleemann followed with a single up the middle, but Zepeda escaped a two-out, bases-loaded jam with a strikeout. '(Zepeda) dominated us and pitched great, and they made all the plays defensively,' Libertyville coach Dar Townsend said. Mundelein senior first baseman Claire Connelly, an Indiana State recruit who holds multiple program records, said Zepeda has proved she's a gamer. 'Not pitching much last season, she has stepped up and come back stronger after her injuries,' Connelly said. 'She's become a more dominant pitcher and always stays composed. I don't think she missed a pitch today. She was nonstop and didn't take a pitch off.' Mundelein freshman catcher Sarah Benes agreed that Zepeda is rounding into elite form. 'She hit her spots today,' Benes said. 'She was strong and hasn't missed anything since her injury.'
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
This Tohono O'odham linguist is fighting to keep indigenous languages alive in Arizona
A Tohono O'odham girl growing up in the 1950s spent her formative years helping her farmworker family pick cotton in the fields in central Arizona. With a thirst for learning but few books at home, Ofelia Zepeda would play make-believe school with her siblings using discarded textbooks during the summer breaks when she wasn't working the fields. Years later, Zepeda would become a renowned poet and linguist, and one of the world's foremost experts on the Tohono O'odham language. Now a member of the University of Arizona's faculty, she works to advocate for disappearing and endangered indigenous languages. At 71 years old, Zepeda is a regents professor in the linguistics department, the highest faculty rank at the University of Arizona. She wrote the world's first grammar book on the Tohono O'odham language and has published several poetry books in O'odham and English. She is also the director of the American Indian Language Development Institute and has been a member of the UNESCO Decade of Indigenous Languages International Task Force. Zepeda grew up speaking only O'odham, which was originally a spoken language and was deeply connected to her indigenous culture. 'That's what language can do for you,' she told The Arizona Republic in April. But she didn't live on a reservation, a detail which she said surprises many people. 'My family's not from any community within the O'odham Nation. And that's why my background has to start with the town of Stanfield,' Zepeda said, sitting in her office at the University of Arizona among the well-manicured lawns and palm trees that swayed in the breeze on campus, miles away from the cotton fields where she grew up. Zepeda recalled the poverty she experienced growing up in the 1950s in Stanfield, a farming community in Pinal County near Casa Grande. Cotton was picked manually back then, a task she would often help with. "I didn't think that much of it, you know. Sometimes you sort of worked and helped, and then a lot of times you just played," she said. She was seven or eight years old when she began attending Stanfield Elementary School. Zepeda liked school and learning, and was supported by teachers who saw something special in her. "In the school system, there is always one teacher who for some reason they find something in you and make it their mission to nurture it, to support you," she said. When she was older, a high school counselor submitted her and her cousin's names to Upward Bound, a federally funded program that supports low-income, first-generation, high school students as they prepare for college. She was accepted, and after she completed the program, she attended community college before being accepted to the University of Arizona. Once at UA, she was studying sociology, but all she wanted to do was read O'odham books. She would scour the library for books written in her native tongue. 'I would check them out and try and figure out how to read them,' Zepeda said. But she couldn't figure them out. 'It's challenging to try and teach yourself. And it's better to have a teacher. So that was it. That's all I wanted to do. I wanted to read and write.' Looking for someone to teach her, Zepeda met world-renowned linguist Kenneth Hale. Hale was knowledgeable in the O'odham language and had helped create one of the O'odham writing systems with Tohono O'odham linguist Albert Alvarez. Zepeda began studying with Hale and helped him lead a small class teaching other O'odham students. After learning the basics of linguistics from Hale, she excelled and in 1984 she obtained her Ph.D. in linguistics and went on to win a MacArthur Fellowship in 1999 for her work as a poet, linguist, and cultural preservationist. MacArthur fellows are 'extraordinarily' creative and have a 'track record of excellence' in their fields. Despite Zepeda's success, she remains humble about all she has accomplished. 'When there's so few of us, you're bound to be one of the people that benefits from these (federal programs) for targeted populations,' she said. "Over the years, I've appreciated the benefits that I have been offered, and I've tried to use them the best way that I can." Amy Fountain, an associate professor of practice, met Zepeda in the early 1990s when she was in her first year of graduate studies in linguistics. Zepeda was a hero to her, and in the decades since she first assisted in Zepeda's class, Fountain has seen firsthand Zepeda's work around indigenous language revitalization, language teaching, and language policy. 'She's the only scholar I know of her level of accomplishment who is universally respected, admired, and beloved,' Fountain said. She added Zepeda's way of teaching is 'humble and warm and sweet, but incredibly wise.' Zepeda is also working to bring awareness of the state of indigenous languages to the forefront. Part of this effort came to fruition in 2022 with the creation of the Native American Language Resource Center. 'This is the first time the federal government has put forth funding just for Native American languages,' Zepeda said, recalling her initial reaction to the resource center. Zepeda highlighted how indigenous languages hold knowledge that has helped society, like plant knowledge, which has impacted science and modern medicine, as well as the way people view nature and the environment, she said. 'All languages are part of all of us that are part of humanity, and so they should be acknowledged and supported,' she said. 'The notion of supporting a language is very foreign, especially in the U.S., and that's a very, very hard mindset to change, but we keep working on it.' Reach the reporter at The Republic's coverage of southern Arizona is funded, in part, with a grant from Report for America. Support Arizona news coverage with a tax-deductible donation at This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Tohono O'odham linguist, poet fights to keep the language alive
Epoch Times
06-05-2025
- Epoch Times
Man, 18, Charged in Knifepoint Assault on Woman Aboard Los Angeles Bus
An 18-year-old man faces felony charges in connection with the suspected sexual assault and robbery of a woman on a Los Angeles Metro bus, officials announced May 2. Edgar Javier Zepeda was arrested on April 30 after a 33-year-old woman was allegedly assaulted at knifepoint on a bus traveling between East Hollywood and Southwest Los Angeles, said L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman in a 'The brutal attack of a woman on public transportation—where she should have felt safe—is both deplorable and unacceptable,' Hochman said in a statement. 'No one in Los Angeles County should have to live in fear while riding a bus, walking down the street, or simply going about their daily lives.' The incident occurred at about 10:15 p.m. on April 12 near the University of Southern California (USC). According to a 'The suspect began a conversation with the victim before brandishing a knife and demanding money from her,' the LAPD reported on social media. 'When the victim did not have any money to give the suspect, he sexually assaulted her.' Related Stories 12/31/2024 12/27/2024 Zepeda allegedly fled the bus at a stop near Exposition Park a few blocks away. Prosecutors charged Zepeda with one count of forcible oral copulation, one count of attempted first-degree robbery of a transit passenger, and one count of sexual battery. The defendant was arraigned on May 2 and pleaded not guilty. His bail was set at $1.15 million, according to the district attorney's office. A preliminary hearing is set for May 15 at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center. Los Angeles police released photos and a video of a man suspected of sexually assaulting and robbing a woman on a city bus on April 12, 2025. LAPD If convicted, Zepeda would be required to provide a DNA sample, be tested for AIDS, and register as a sex offender for the rest of his life, according to the criminal complaint. Zepeda faces a maximum sentence of 15 years to life, plus four years and six months in state prison. Zepeda was also arrested and booked into county jail on a felony count on Feb. 4 and released 10 hours later on his own recognizance. He did not have to post bail, according to inmate records. The district attorney's office declined to provide information about Zepeda's prior arrest or details about his residency. Police did not immediately return a request seeking the information. The LAPD released a
Forbes
29-03-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
William Zepeda Vs. Tevin Farmer II: Odds, Records, Prediction
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - NOVEMBER 16: William Zepeda punches Tevin Farmer during their fight on the ... More Riyadh Season Latino Night at Kingdom Arena on November 16, 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Cris Esqueda/) Heading into their first meeting four months ago, William Zepeda was a big betting favorite against former world champion Tevin Farmer. But Farmer showed that he can still fight at a world-class level and left people wondering if perhaps they had overhyped Zepeda in the first place. Now, in the rematch, both fighters have even more to prove. Here's everything you need to know about William Zepeda vs. Tevin Farmer, including the odds, their records and a prediction on who will win. In the leadup to the first Zepeda-Farmer matchup in November, Zepeda was a 24/1 favorite (Farmer was about +800). So, it was a big surprise when Farmer knocked him down in the fourth round and nearly pulled off the massive upset. Zepeda was awarded the split decision (many believed it should have been recorded as a Farmer victory), but the result slightly tarnished the 28-year-old Zepeda's boxing reputation. Especially since the 135-pound prospect struggled with a light-hitting former 130-pound world titlist who, at the age of 34, is almost certainly in the twilight of his career. Zepeda is still the favorite entering Saturday's rematch, and there's been talk that he could be next in line to fight Shakur Stevenson. But he can't overlook Farmer. Farmer proved that last time. 'Last time, I let him live and let him do more than I should have,' Farmer said. 'This time, there's no mercy. He's not on my level, and on March 29, I'm not just winning — I'm making a statement. I'm going to show the world that I'm still a top dog in this game. Never doubt Tevin Farmer. Y'all should know that by now — I'm like a fly you can't get rid of. I just keep coming back.' But there's a good reason Zepeda had been considered one of the top prospects in the sport. He's aggressive, and he throws tons of punches. Plus, he's got good power behind his pressure. Farmer has rarely wowed anybody with his strength, but he's certainly been a world-class technician. He could give Zepeda more trouble in the rematch, but Zepeda said he's learned some lessons. 'The fans asked for it, and I'm ready to give them an even better version of myself,' he said. 'I'll leave no doubt in anyone's mind that I'm the clear winner." Here's more info on the William Zepeda vs. Tevin Farmer showdown that U.S. viewers can watch on DAZN beginning at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday. RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA - NOVEMBER 16: William Zepeda punches Tevin Farmer during their fight on the ... More Riyadh Season Latino Night at Kingdom Arena on November 16, 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Cris Esqueda/) Zepeda is once again the betting favorite vs. Farmer — this time, though, the odds are much narrower. As of this writing, Zepeda was the -750 favorite (bet $750 to win $100) while Farmer was the +475 underdog (win $475 on a $100 wager). Zepeda has minus odds to win by stoppage, but I wouldn't mind going with him to win by decision at +160. If you really like Farmer, you can take him to win by decision at +750. If you were looking for a fun parlay for this weekend's action of boxing (and this is only for entertainment purposes), I might take Zepeda to beat Farmer at -750, Bruce 'Shu Shu' Carrington to beat Jose Vivas by decision at +187 and Brian Norman to beat Derrieck Cuevas at -750. If all of those hit, you'd win $268 on a $100 wager. At 32-0 with 27 KOs, Zepeda hasn't faced many big tests where he was in true danger of losing his undefeated record. Until, that is, he met Farmer the first time. Still, Zepeda has been mostly dominant in his career and has beaten solid fighters like JoJo Diaz, Maxi Hughes and Mercito Gesta. At this point in his 14-year career, Farmer's record of 33-7-1 (8 KOs) doesn't look all that impressive. But even with all the defeats that have piled up in the past few years (losing to Zepeda, Ray Muratalla and JoJo Diaz), Farmer can still fight. And the fact he dropped Zepeda in the fourth round of their first meeting shows that he can land a good punch. Farmer has proven that he's got a good chin (he hasn't been stopped in a fight since 2012), and he's going to be just slick enough to make sure Zepeda doesn't land anything too heavy. But Zepeda still will overwhelm him with volume, and this time Zepeda will do enough to get the clear-cut decision victory. Say somewhere in the 117-111 range.
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
William Zepeda vs. Tevin Farmer 2 live results, round-by-round updates, ring walks, start time for interim title rematch
William Zepeda and Tevin Farmer face off in a WBC interim title rematch on Saturday in Mexico. (Cris Esqueda/) (Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy via Getty Images) Uncrowned has William Zepeda vs. Tevin Farmer 2 live results, round-by-round updates, highlights, ring walks and start time for the Zepeda vs. Farmer fight card on Saturday night at the Poliforum Benito Juarez in Cancun, Mexico. Zepeda looks to defend his WBC interim lightweight title in a rematch against Farmer following the pair's first battle in November, which Zepeda won via split decision. Advertisement Zepeda (32-0, 27 KOs) survived a fourth-round knockdown in his first fight with Farmer to edge out the polarizing 10-round decision at the Riyadh Season: Latino Night event. A 28-year-old hailing from San Mateo Atenco, Mexico, Zepeda has added former champions Maxi Hughes, René Alvarado and Joseph Diaz to his fast-growing résumé since making his professional boxing debut in late 2015. A former IBF super featherweight champion, Farmer (33-7-1, 1 NC) hopes to end the first two-fight losing streak of his career after dropping back-to-back decisions against Raymond Muratalla and Zepeda in 2024. Prior to that, the 34-year-old Philadelphia native won three consecutive bouts to successfully rebound from his IBF title loss to Diaz in 2020. Advertisement In the night's chief support, WBO and WBA strawweight champion Oscar Collazo (11-0, 8 KOs) of Puerto Rico defends his titles against Mexico's Edwin Cano (13-2, 4 KOs). The Zepeda vs. Farmer 2 fight card begins at 8 p.m. ET on DAZN, with main event ring walks expected around 11 p.m. ET. Follow all of the action with Uncrowned's live results and play-by-play of the main card below. Main card (8 p.m. ET, DAZN) WBC lightweight title: William Zepeda vs Tevin Farmer 2 WBO/WBA strawweight titles: Oscar Collazo vs Edwin Cano Cruiserweight: Robin Safar vs Roberto Silva Flyweight: Yokasta Valle vs Marlen Esparza Flyweight: Joselito Velazquez vs Adolfo Castillo Featherweight: Gregory Morales vs Jonathan Rojas Welterweight: Cayden Griffiths vs Fernando Ruiz
