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Boston College’s James Hagens could fall to 4

James Hagens is no stranger to the Utah Mammoth. When asked which players he has looked to in the NHL to model his game after, a familiar name surfaced. “I grew up watching Patrick Kane, I grew up watching John Tavares. Now, Jack Hughes and Logan Cooley,” Hagens said. “The way [Cooley] has been able […]

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James Hagens is no stranger to the Utah Mammoth.

When asked which players he has looked to in the NHL to model his game after, a familiar name surfaced.

“I grew up watching Patrick Kane, I grew up watching John Tavares. Now, Jack Hughes and Logan Cooley,” Hagens said. “The way [Cooley] has been able to jump in the league and the things he’s done, it’s special. He’s a special player. He’s always been so good in the way he controls the game and the way he thinks it — it’s something that separates him.”

Hagens, who is one of the top players in the 2025 draft class, has taken a path that somewhat resembles Cooley’s. Both centers played for the United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP) before jumping to NCAA hockey. Each went into their drafts as highly-touted, undersized options, too. Cooley went third overall in 2022 to the Arizona Coyotes.

Utah now has the fourth overall selection this year and Hagens sees landing in Salt Lake City as an option.

“I’ve watched a ton of the Utah games,” Hagens said. “I’m a big fan of the new logo as well, the Mammoth. It’d be super cool to be able to be a draft pick for the new logo Mammoth.”

(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Hockey Club center Logan Cooley (92) brings the puck down the ice at Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Monday, March 24, 2025.

A year ago, Hagens was widely viewed as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. Since then, Matthew Schaefer, Michael Misa and Caleb Desnoyers have drawn more attention and bubbled to the top of mock orders.

Part of it is because players like Misa, a 6-foot-1 center, tore it up in the Ontario Hockey League this season. Misa had 134 points (62 goals, 72 assists) in 65 games. Hagens played for Boston College last year and had 37 points (11 goals, 26 assists) in 37 games. It is not a fair comparison, though. The level of the NCAA sport — particularly in Hockey East, which is one of the best conferences — is much more of a challenge than the Canadian Junior routes.

Hagens has also been knocked for his size. The 18-year-old stands at 5-foot-11, 176 pounds. His draft-class counterparts are bigger.

There has been a lot of noise around Hagens. He is trying to stay grounded.

“You just kind of have to be grateful about it. Being able to hear your name in those conversations. Obviously, leading up to the draft now — having the opportunity to get drafted to any organization in the league, it’s something you have to be grateful for,” Hagens said. “The noise will always be there, but you just have to make sure you’re living in the moment and taking it day by day.”

(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Utah Hockey Club General Manager Bill Armstrong answers questions during media day at the Delta Center, on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024.

The ambiguity around Hagens’ ranking makes the possibility of him being available for Utah at No. 4 real. If it were up to his former head coach, Nick Fohr, who had Hagens at the USNTDP, the decision would be easy.

“I’ve had NHL teams calling and talking to me about him. I tell them all, ‘If you get a chance to pick him, pick him. You’re not going to be disappointed,’” Fohr said. “This kid has just proven it over and over again everywhere he goes.”

Fohr and his staff knew about Hagens far before his name started hitting the NHL headlines. The USNTDP selects the best 16- to 18-year-old players around the country for its U-17 and U-18 teams. Accordingly, scouts and coaches are following these guys through their youth careers.

Some players don’t pan out. Others take the opportunity and run with it. That is what Hagens did.

“I think his coming out party for everybody on the world stage was the Under-17 World Challenge where he set the record for the most points in the history of that tournament,” Fohr said. “I think that’s when everybody went, ‘Oh boy, this kid’s pretty good.’ They started talking about him being a really high pick for this coming draft.”

Hagens posted 102 points (39 goals, 63 assists) in 58 games with the U18 Team in 2023-2024 before transitioning to Boston College. He was dominant in all three zones against older, stronger opponents. Fohr never saw Hagens’ size as a deterrent.

“It hasn’t affected his game at the younger levels at all. His intelligence, his hockey IQ, his skating ability, his ability to make plays and to think the game at a higher level — size doesn’t impact him with those types of assets and attributes,” Fohr said.

“People fall in love with size because it’s size and you can’t coach it, but I think you see guys like Jack Hughes, Clayton Keller and Logan Cooley — the success that they’re having as undersized guys. There’s a place for him in the game.”

While Hagens no doubt got knocked around a bit more in college hockey, he still centered Boston College’s first line between Gabe Perreault and Ryan Leonard (who are both now in the NHL).

“I love making plays. I love being able to find a guy backdoor. That’s something that I feel like is a big part of my game my whole entire career here. I wouldn’t say that I ever deflect away from shooting the puck,” Hagens said. “I know when to shoot and when to pass. Just something that really helps take my game to the next level is the way I’m able to find other guys.”

Some were expecting Hagens to make a bigger splash in terms of production in the NCAA, though.

In the past few years, centers like Macklin Celebrini and Adam Fantilli played in college ahead of their respective drafts. Celebrini had 64 points (32 goals, 32 assists) in 38 games with Boston University in his freshman season in 2023-2024. Fantilli had 65 points (30 goals, 35 assists) in 36 games in his freshman season with the University of Michigan in 2022-2023. Both won the Hobey Baker Award (given to the top men’s ice hockey player in the NCAA Division I). Celebrini was selected first overall in 2024 by the San Jose Sharks; Fantilli went third overall in 2023 to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Hagens did not close in on any of those numbers or accolades. He still took lessons from his first year with the Eagles. Hagens said no decision has been made if he will return for his sophomore campaign; that will be discussed after the draft. But he will be focused on “maturing [his] game — especially off the ice as well, making sure you’re doing all those little things that help you get ready for the games and prepare.”

Hagens’ focus now shifts to the NHL Scouting Combine, which will take place in Buffalo, New York, from June 2 to 7. All of the top prospects attend and go through interviews with prospective organizations and fitness testing. Hagens will meet with Utah general manager Bill Armstrong and his staff.

FILE – William Smith participates in the vertical jump during the NHL hockey combine June 10, 2023, in Buffalo, N.Y. Smith could go anywhere between fourth and seventh in the upcoming NHL draft. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes, File)

What does he want to get across in these conversations?

“Going into these meetings just really expressing how hard I compete and how badly I want to be on a team and hopefully win a Stanley Cup one day,” Hagens said. “I love winning. I will do anything to win. Something that’s helped me get to the point where I am today is just how hard I’ve been able to work my whole life. Nothing’s ever come easy. I’ve had to work for everything that I’ve ever gotten before.”

There is no saying for certain where Hagens will end up. Utah has been looking for size, but with the recent signing of Daniil But, its mindset going into the draft could change. Cooley and Hagens as the No. 1 and No. 2 centers could be the makeup of a contending team.

It seems Hagens wouldn’t mind playing with one of his role models, either.

“It is one step in your process but you just have to be ready. Getting drafted has been my dream my whole entire life,” Hagens said. “That’s why I started playing hockey, that’s why I still play. I’m really just grateful for everything right now.”





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Coaches race to master art of retention amid NIL, revenue sharing and transfer portal challenges | Sports

Whether it was an ACC, SEC, Big Ten or Big 12 coach taking the podium at media days, one theme remained consistent: In an era where revenue sharing and NIL opportunities can swiftly steer athletes toward the transfer portal, programs across the country are racing to master the art of player retention. Its importance is […]

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Whether it was an ACC, SEC, Big Ten or Big 12 coach taking the podium at media days, one theme remained consistent: In an era where revenue sharing and NIL opportunities can swiftly steer athletes toward the transfer portal, programs across the country are racing to master the art of player retention.

Its importance is clear to Arkansas coach Sam Pittman, who has seen all but five players from his 2023 recruiting class leave for different programs.


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PA Chamber of Business & Industry hosts roundtable at LCCC

NANTICOKE — Luzerne County Community College President John Yudichak on Wednesday praised the leadership of Luke Bernstein, President and CEO of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, and he reaffirmed LCCC’s commitment to supporting regional economic growth through higher education and workforce innovation. “The college stands ready to partner with the PA Chamber […]

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NANTICOKE — Luzerne County Community College President John Yudichak on Wednesday praised the leadership of Luke Bernstein, President and CEO of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, and he reaffirmed LCCC’s commitment to supporting regional economic growth through higher education and workforce innovation.

“The college stands ready to partner with the PA Chamber in building a world-class workforce to drive and sustain economic growth throughout Pennsylvania,” Yudichak said. “Together, we are laying the foundation for a stronger, more resilient economy that uplifts every corner of the Commonwealth.”

Bernstein, a NEPA native, hosted a regional Government Affairs Roundtable at LCCC in partnership with local leaders and business stakeholders.

The event brought together key figures from the public and private sectors for a candid discussion on the legislative landscape, economic development opportunities, workforce challenges and business investment trends across Northeast Pennsylvania.

Northeast Pennsylvania legislators served on the panel: Sen. Lisa Baker, R-Lehman Township; Sen. Dave Argall, R-Pottsville; Sen. Linda Schlegel Culver, R-Northampton; Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, D-Wilkes-Barre; Rep. Alec Ryncavage, R-Hanover Township; Rep. Dane Watro, R-Hazleton; Rep. Jamie Walsh, R-Ross Township; and Rep. Jim Haddock, D-Pittston Township.

The roundtable was held in LCCC’s Educational Conference Center.

In his opening remarks, Yudichak said recent higher education reforms, like the passage of the College Affordability and Transparency Act, have empowered LCCC to partner with Commonwealth University to address workforce shortages in the region through innovative partnerships.

“Like the TEACH in NEPA Project, that will deliver a four-year teaching degree at the college’s Hazleton Center for less than $35,000,” Yudichak said. “The college is currently expanding its partnership with Commonwealth University to address additional work force shortages in the health care industry and the criminal justice profession.”

Yudichak also touted the Dual Credit Innovation Grant that inspired the creation of the LCCC Career & Technology Academy. The Academy is a partnership with the Hazleton Career Center, the Wilkes-Barre Career CTC, and the West Side CTC that will provide Luzerne County’s 2,000 CTC high school students a clear pathway to a post-secondary credential in the college’s trade and advance technology programs while they are still in high school.

“LCCC recently received a $1 million dual credit innovation grant from the PDE and a $100,000 scholarship from local businessman, Bill Rinaldi, as a result students will pay no tuition to attend the LCCC Career & Technology Academy over the next two years,” Yudichak said.

He said LCCC is responding to historic economic development announcements that detail the billions of dollars being invested in hyperscale data center development across Pennsylvania. He said LCCC is leading collaborative efforts to build a statewide Technology and Trade Workforce Consortium through the PA Commission on Community Colleges.

“Partnerships, collaborations, and innovations are driving everything we do at LCCC,” Yudichak said. “It is in exciting time here at the college and an exciting time in PA — rest assured LCCC is grateful for the support of its sponsors, Luzerne County and the Commonwealth of PA, and we are determined to fulfill our mission as a student-centered community college dedicated to student success and positive community impact.”

Bernstein thanked LCCC for hosting the event and he praised the college’s forward-thinking approach.

“It’s inspiring to see a college so aligned with the needs of its community and so determined to be a part of the solution,” Bernstein said. “LCCC is not just educating students — it’s helping to reimagine how Pennsylvania competes in a 21st-century economy.”

The roundtable served as a forum for candid dialogue on legislation, regulation and policy proposals that impact businesses and workers across Luzerne County and the broader NEPA region. Topics included workforce shortages, dual-enrollment funding, regional infrastructure investment, child care, natural gas development, education, and how to accelerate public-private partnerships for sustainable economic growth.

“Partnerships, collaborations and innovations are driving everything we do at LCCC,” Yudichak said. “It is an exciting time here at the college — and across Pennsylvania. Together with the PA Chamber, we are determined to build a brighter future.”

Lindsay Griffin-Boylan, President/CEO of the Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber, said, “Today is about working together to find solutions to create a better future for NEPA.”

Bernstein added, “It’s time to put politics aside to grow jobs and grow Pennsylvania’s economy.”

Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.



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Patricia McEvoy Smith, 82, lawyer, grandmother, activist

Patricia McEvoy Smith, attorney, wife, mother, grandmother, active volunteer, 60-year member of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church, and longtime former Chestnut Hill resident, died peacefully of ovarian cancer on July 18 at Foulkeways Life Plan Community in Gwynedd, surrounded by her family. She was 82. Smith’s daughter, Dr. Christina Smith, said, “Mom was very loving and […]

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Patricia McEvoy Smith, attorney, wife, mother, grandmother, active volunteer, 60-year member of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church, and longtime former Chestnut Hill resident, died peacefully of ovarian cancer on July 18 at Foulkeways Life Plan Community in Gwynedd, surrounded by her family. She was 82.

Smith’s daughter, Dr. Christina Smith, said, “Mom was very loving and had a great sense of humor. She had an incredible work ethic and led by example. She was also an excellent mom and grandmom. She said, ‘You can do it all, just not all at the same time.’”

Smith was born on July 15, 1943, in New York City, to John Joseph McEvoy and Ellen Hoffman McEvoy. She grew up in Manhasset, New York, where she enjoyed water skiing and playing clarinet in her school’s marching band. When she was 16, she traveled throughout Europe with her grandmother.

Smith attended Newton College of the Sacred Heart in Massachusetts, majoring in history, and wrote her senior thesis on the “Brown v. Board of Education” Supreme Court case. That process blossomed into an early fascination with the legal system.

According to daughter Leslie Jannetta, “Mom said that a neighbor in Wyndmoor set up our dad (Rush) on a blind date with her during a snowy evening to watch a Cornell vs. Harvard ice hockey game.” Smith married Rush — who grew up in Wyndmoor and attended Penn Charter High School — before settling in the Chestnut Hill area shortly after Kimberly, the first of their three daughters, was born.

“We lived on the 100 block of W. Mermaid Lane when I was growing up,” Leslie said. “My parents lived on Crefeld Street in the 1970s. We all went to GFS [Germantown Friends School], then Springside. Mom was ahead of her time. She was going to law school when I was in the eighth grade, and dad supported her completely.”

Smith earned a master’s degree in education and became a reading specialist at Enfield Middle School in Erdenheim and Temple Lab School. She worked on her doctorate in education until switching gears in her early 40s and entering Rutgers Law School, where she was soon named an editor of the Law Review. After graduating, she was an associate for Wolf, Block, Schorr and Solis-Cohen and ultimately worked for the Social Security Administration for 30 years, serving as Deputy Chief Counsel for the Mid-Atlantic region.

Even with her busy career and family, Smith always managed to find time for activities at the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields. She chaired the church’s annual fundraiser, the Christmas Bazaar, and co-chaired the altar guild. Her family remembers her driving a parishioner from Chestnut Hill to Vermont and back after the woman’s husband died.

Susan Doran, Smith’s close friend of 55 years, told the Local, “Pat was the most interested person I have ever known. She was truly interested in everything, but when it was time to be home for her girls, she would be home. That attests to her organizational skills. It’s why she was such a good lawyer.”

Smith learned to golf at 50 and to garden at 80 and often told her children, “It’s never too late to learn new things.”

Since the late 1960s, the Philadelphia Cricket Club was like a second home to Smith. She played on a PCC tennis team and, with Rush, supported the USTA grass court junior tournament. They also enjoyed hosting tennis players at their home in Chestnut Hill. “She was a fantastic self-taught cook,” Leslie said. “Any time a friend came over, she would cook. She was always looking for healthy, nutritious meals.”

Smith and Rush moved to Erdenheim in 1996 until 18 months ago, when they moved into Foulkeways.

The couple traveled to Israel in 2019 on a trip led by former Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church and St. Martin’s rector Frank Griswold. She told friends that the trip was “faith affirming.” In March of this year, the couple was recognized by the church vestry with the Polly Randall Award for their years of exceptional service. As an active volunteer, Smith loved to bake for others, take meals to parishioners, and lend a helping hand through numerous ministries.

She loved nature and planted a large vegetable garden within the Foulkeways retirement community garden. She produced magic with both flowers and vegetables and gave most away to family and friends.

Smith is survived by her husband of nearly 60 years, Rush Blackfan Smith; three daughters Kimberly Smith Guerster (Jonathan M.), Leslie Hughes Smith Jannetta (Gregory) and Christina Topley Smith; as well as six grandchildren (Bela, Mason, and Brooke Guerster; Finley and Richard Paul; and Hannah Jannetta); and sisters Eloise and Denise McEvoy. Her brother, John J. McEvoy Jr., predeceased her.

A funeral service was held Friday, July 25, at the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent in Smith’s name to the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, 8000 St. Martin’s Lane, Phila., PA 19118.

Len Lear can be reached at LenLear@chestnuthilllocal.com.





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South Carolina’s Nyck Harbor donates $10K in NIL earnings to high school program

South Carolina wide receiver Nyck Harbor is using his NIL earnings to give back. The rising junior hosted Nyck Harbor Community Day over the weekend at his alma mater, Archbishop Carroll (Washington, DC). The former five-star recruit donated $10,000 of his own NIL earnings back to Archbishop Carroll’s athletic department as part of the event. […]

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South Carolina wide receiver Nyck Harbor is using his NIL earnings to give back. The rising junior hosted Nyck Harbor Community Day over the weekend at his alma mater, Archbishop Carroll (Washington, DC).

The former five-star recruit donated $10,000 of his own NIL earnings back to Archbishop Carroll’s athletic department as part of the event. Harbor is the latest college football player to use his NIL dollars to give back.

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Harbor was a football and track star during his time in high school, and ran for the Gamecocks during his first year in college. He ran a 10.38-second 100-meter time and a 21.36-second 200-meter time as a sophomore in high school, and had Olympic hopes.

The wide receiver has now fully committed to playing college football, opting to skip indoor and outdoor track season this year. The move allowed him to practice strictly with the football team ahead of the 2025 season.

The 6-foot-5, 235-pound wide receiver posted a career-high 26 catches for 376 yards and three touchdowns as a sophomore during the 2024 season. More importantly, he appeared to make major strides as a receiver during the second half of the season.

He has already started to show up in some way-too-early 2026 NFL draft boards, going as early as the first round in Todd McShay’s mock draft. Harbor has signed a handful of NIL deals throughout his career, working with brands like Beats by Dre, TruSport, EA Sports and Champs Sports. He has an On3 NIL Valuation of $369,000.

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“He’s solely focusing on football right now and that was Nyck’s decision,” South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer recently said. “That was something that he talked to us about. We had some conversations around the bowl, after the bowl, within the last couple of weeks, as far as what he wanted to do.

“I think he realized that he did a lot of good things in track last year but missing spring practice — I don’t want to say set him back, but it was more of a challenge to be ready for the season. I think he just wanted to really focus on football, not that track is over, but right now, that’s where his focus is, just football.”





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Men’s Hockey to Host Second Annual Golf Outing at Warwick Country Club

Story Links EASTON, Mass. (July 30, 2025) – The Stonehill College men’s ice hockey program is excited to host its second annual Golf Outing on Tuesday, September 23 at Warwick Country Club in Warwick, Rhode Island. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Skyhawks men’s hockey program as it […]

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EASTON, Mass. (July 30, 2025) – The Stonehill College men’s ice hockey program is excited to host its second annual Golf Outing on Tuesday, September 23 at Warwick Country Club in Warwick, Rhode Island. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Skyhawks men’s hockey program as it prepares for the upcoming 2025-26 season.

Participants will enjoy a memorable day on the course while engaging with Head Coach David Berard, current student-athletes, and members of the coaching staff. The outing also offers a unique opportunity to gain insight into the program’s development and hear more about the exciting plans for the 2025-26 season.

Schedule of Events:

  • Check-In: 11:30 AM
  • Shotgun Start: 1:00 PM
  • Dinner Reception: 6:00 PM

We invite alumni, families, friends, and supporters to join us for a day of golf, camaraderie, and celebration of Skyhawks hockey.
 

GOLF AND DINNER
Individual Golfer  $325
Stonehill Young Alumni Golfer (Classes of 2021-2025)  $250
Stonehill Student-Athlete Golfer (Classes of 2026-2029)  $250
Dinner Only (golf includes dinner)  $65
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
 Title Sponsor $7,500
 Golf Sponsor $5,500
 Dinner Sponsor $3,000
 Player Gift Sponsor $2,500
 Beverage Cart Sponsor $1,000
 Putting Contest Sponsor $500
 Tee Sponsor $200

For any questions, please contact head coach David Berard (dberard@stonehill.edu), or Director of the Annual Fund, Lisa Richards (lrichards@stonehill.edu).

For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
 





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Yehya, Ballard FC competing for USL League Two national title on Saturday

Story Links Live Stream BURLINGTON, Vt. — Utah Valley men’s soccer alum Omar Yehya and Ballard FC will be competing for the USL League Two national championship against Vermont Green FC on Saturday in Burlington. The match is slated for a 5 p.m. MDT kickoff, and will be streamed live on SportsEnginePlay.com. Vermont Green will […]

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Yehya, Ballard FC competing for USL League Two national title on Saturday

BURLINGTON, Vt. — Utah Valley men’s soccer alum Omar Yehya and Ballard FC will be competing for the USL League Two national championship against Vermont Green FC on Saturday in Burlington.

The match is slated for a 5 p.m. MDT kickoff, and will be streamed live on SportsEnginePlay.com. Vermont Green will be the hosts, with the game being played at Virtue Field, home of the 2024 NCAA champion Vermont Catamounts.

Yehya, a two-time All-WAC honoree and the WAC’s leading goalscorer in 2024, concluded a highly successful two-year stint as a Wolverine last fall with a 12-goal campaign and a program record-tying 27 points. Yehya was named first team All-Region and became the program’s fifth Academic All-American with his first team selection.

Yehya joined Ballard midway through the 2025 season and made an instant impact in his first appearance for the club. Yehya scored a goal on his debut against Lane United on June 27, then helped secure BFC’s spot in the postseason with an assist against Portland Bangers on July 9. Among Yehya’s teammates are a trio of former WAC rivals in Austin Brummett (San Diego State), Charlie Lanphier (Seattle U), and Stockton Short (Utah Tech).

Ballard FC, which is in its fifth season in the semi-pro USL League Two, is seeking the second national title in the club’s history. Ballard posted a 9-3-2 regular season record to take the Northwest Division crown, and has won four games in a row to secure the Western Conference title and earn a spot in Saturday’s title game.

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