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SOLO highlights the joys and struggles of single Black fatherhood in Baltimore

SOLO, a new book by Carl Douthitt, PH.D., explores the untold stories of Black fathers in Baltimore who are raising their children alone. Based on unfiltered interviews of real fathers, SOLO sheds light on the struggles, joys and triumphs of men who are often overlooked in the parenting narrative. It’s an upfront, powerful look at […]

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SOLO highlights the joys and struggles of single Black fatherhood in Baltimore

SOLO, a new book by Carl Douthitt, PH.D., explores the untold stories of Black fathers in Baltimore who are raising their children alone.

Based on unfiltered interviews of real fathers, SOLO sheds light on the struggles, joys and triumphs of men who are often overlooked in the parenting narrative. It’s an upfront, powerful look at resilience, responsibility, love, and Black fatherhood.

SOLO shines a spotlight on Black men in Baltimore City who are raising their children alone without a spouse or mate. The book takes a question and answer format, allowing men to tell stories using their own voice, words, and experiences.

Black fathers are too often underestimated, stereotyped, or erased. With Father’s Day approaching, SOLO is a raw, unfiltered look at the power of a father’s love.

Learn more and buy the book here.

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2025 Home Run Derby Highlights

MLB All-Star festivities continued Monday evening with the 2025 Home Run Derby at Truist Park in Atlanta. Raleigh, 28, is the first Mariners player to win the derby since Ken Griffey Jr. won it back-to-back in 1998-99. Live Coverage for this has ended 10:53p ET Finals 10:29p ET Semifinals 9:55p ET First Round 8:16p ET […]

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2025 Home Run Derby Highlights

MLB All-Star festivities continued Monday evening with the 2025 Home Run Derby at Truist Park in Atlanta.

Raleigh, 28, is the first Mariners player to win the derby since Ken Griffey Jr. won it back-to-back in 1998-99.

Live Coverage for this has ended

10:53p ET

Finals

10:29p ET

Semifinals

9:55p ET

First Round

8:16p ET

Participants and odds

6:55p ET

A family affair for Cal Raleigh

Live Coverage for this began on 10:56p ET

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High School Sports

Big guys revel in their chance to shine in the sun

Zack Jacobs got up, moved out from underneath comfort of the shade tent, stood in the sunlight and looked around. What Jacobs saw brought a big smile to his face. Everywhere the offensive line coach for the Tigard High School football team looked, he saw linemen. And those linemen were running, jumping, lifting, flipping tires […]

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Big guys revel in their chance to shine in the sun

Zack Jacobs got up, moved out from underneath comfort of the shade tent, stood in the sunlight and looked around.

What Jacobs saw brought a big smile to his face.

Everywhere the offensive line coach for the Tigard High School football team looked, he saw linemen. And those linemen were running, jumping, lifting, flipping tires and more.

It was all a part of the Metro Area Lineman Challenge, held Saturday under warm, sunny skies at Hare Field in Hillsboro.

“Honestly, it’s for linemen, by linemen,” Jacobs said. “Coach (Ian) Reynoso has a lot of experience doing this, and it’s the one thing that gets the big boys together. I know our guys love it, I love it, all these teams love it. It’s just a day to come out here and compete, not necessarily worrying about football.”

The event featured such events as the 40-yard dash, the shuttle run, vertical jump, standing broad jump, bench press, farmer’s carry, tractor tire flip, two-man blocking sled relay and the team tug of war.

“Oh, it’s awesome,” Sherwood senior-to-be Isaac Bean said. “I love coming out here and being able to compete. It’s a lot more fun than 7-on-7, in my opinion. It gives the big boys a chance to show their athleticism, and, also, in some ways, their physicality, with the strength events.”

Sprague claimed the team championship at the lineman challenge.

“It really shows that linemen are appreciated,” said Sprague junior-to-be Ayden McVey.

This year’s event marked the 15th year for the Metro Area Lineman Challenge, which was started by, and run by, Reynoso, who also is the head football coach at Glencoe. And, like in previous years, this year’s competition seemed to be one of the highlights of the summer for many of the high school linemen who were at the event.

“It’s definitely a big part of our culture at Tigard,” said Tiger senior-to-be Mason Gilliland, who took first place in the heavyweight division in Saturday’s competition. “We really love this challenge. Our linemen, all we do is talk about it until it happens. We love it.”

Jacobs is probably a big reason for that. The 2016 Tigard graduate, who went on to play on the offensive line at Linfield University, fondly recalls his days competing as a Tiger at the Metro Area Lineman Challenge.

“I remember beating (Tigard teammates) Conner (Crist) and Derek (McMurray), those big guys, I beat them in the farmer’s carry,” Jacobs said. “I remember that it was such a fun day. It was great being out here with your best friends, competing and hyping each other up. That’s why I love it. Now, I get to relive it.”

While Jacobs wasn’t out there seeing how many time he could bench press 185 pounds, or how fast he could run the 40-yard dash on Saturday, he did seem to revel in his chance to coach the Tigers at the competition that he once shined in.

“It’s definitely different, but it’s the same thrill,” Jacobs said. “Obviously, my time is done, and I’d give anything to be in these kids’ shoes. But it is so awesome to transfer what I’ve learned, and the experience and the fun I’ve had, and give it back to these kids, who are going through it for the first or second time.”

Looking around the sun-drenched Hare Field turf on Saturday, there certainly didn’t seem to be any lack of fun.

“This is my second year, and I love it,” Lake Oswego junior-to-be Dylan Marquez said. “This shows some love for the linemen, and you get to see everybody compete. It’s good to see your friends from other schools, and get to hang out with your team.”

There’s also plenty of camaraderie to go with all of that fun.

“For sure, there’s a brotherhood,” McVey said. “Teams are teams, and, obviously, you want to beat the guy across from you, but as a whole, we’re linemen, we’re unappreciated, and we need to stick together.”

“The unique thing about linemen is that it’s such a niche group, and that there’s love for everyone,” Jacobs said. “You’re six inches from a kid’s face every play. It’s some kid you don’t know, then you come out here on days like this and you get to know the guys. You work hard, they work hard and it’s a good bonding experience.”

But, don’t get the linemen wrong. Even with all of that camaraderie and brotherhood, the competition on Saturday was very much present.

“We just want to compete,” Marquez said. “We love being out here, we love seeing other teams’ linemen, but we want to win.”

“We’re all rooting for everybody to do well, to do their best,” said Bean, who claimed the lightweight championship. “But we want to do our best, and do it better than all of them.”

When it came to team competition, it was Sprague that did it better than all the rest. The Olympians took the title with a score of 60 points, edging second-place Sunset by just one point.

“This was awesome, it couldn’t have been better,” McVey said.

Senior-to-be Bohdi Jones helped the Olympians claim the team crown, as he finished in fourth place, individually, in the lightweight standings. Sprague junior-to-be Emmett Hunsaker finished in a tie for first place in the heavyweight tire flip event with 12 flips.

Flynn Collins of Jesuit, Braden Krizan of Tigard, Glencoe’s Brock Sahlfeld and Tripp Johansen of Willamette also tied for first place in the heavyweight tire flip competition, each also with 12 flips.

Also in the heavyweight division, Sunset’s Alex Esuk had the fastest 40-yard dash with his time of 5.11 seconds. Esuk also triumphed in the farmer’s carry with a distance of 120 yards. Nelson’s Porter Maciag and Tony Cumberland of Willamette tied for first place in the shuttle run, each with a time of 4.49. Lake Oswego’s Josh Christensen had the top mark in the vertical jump with a leap of 31 inches. Sahlfeld topped the field in the standing broad jump with a distance of 101.5 inches, and he tied Jesuit’s Cooper Wright and Sunset’s Tony Semchuk in the bench press, each lifting 185 pounds 26 times.

In the lightweight division, Sunset’s Justin Duchek had the fastest 40-yard dash with his time of 4.98. Glencoe’s Alex Flores triumphed in the shuttle run with a mark of 4.51. Sherwood’s Charlie Moore had the day’s top vertical jump at 34 inches, and he tied teammate Andres Hernandez for the top mark in the tire flip, each with 12. Nelson’s Eli Escobar had the top distance in the standing broad jump with 109 inches. Eli Escobar was victorious in the bench press with 25 lifts and, in the farmer’s carry, Glencoe’s Porter Braun and Hernandez tied for the top spot, each with 105 yards.

In the team events, Sprague took first place in the two-man blocking sled relay race in a time of 1:12.

Jesuit turned in an impressive performance in winning the team tug of war title, topping Willamette in the bracketed finals.

Rounding out the top 10 team scores in the 27-team,18-school event, Sherwood finished in third place with 48 points, Lake Oswego was fourth with 45, Jesuit was fifth with 42, Willamette was sixth with 29, Sandy was seventh with 21, Oregon City was eighth with 19, Liberty was ninth with 16 and Tigard finished in 10th place with 14 points.

And, at the end, as the competitors were munching on hamburgers while sitting in the shaded grandstands at Hare Field, there were plenty of smiles, and looks of accomplishment, to be seen.

“This day was absolutely the best,” Jones said. “It was amazing.”

“This is really fun,” Gilliland said. “It’s fun to compete. It’s great to be out there with everyone. And there’s just love in the end.”

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Ntekpere Selected Second Team Academic All

Story Links AUSTIN, Texas – Central Washington University sophomore track and field athlete and three-time national champion Emy Ntekpere has been named Second Team Academic All-American selected by the College Sports Communicators, recognizing her exceptional achievements both on the track and in the classroom. “A mentor of mine used to say that these two awards (All-American, […]

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Ntekpere Selected Second Team Academic All

AUSTIN, Texas – Central Washington University sophomore track and field athlete and three-time national champion Emy Ntekpere has been named Second Team Academic All-American selected by the College Sports Communicators, recognizing her exceptional achievements both on the track and in the classroom.
 
“A mentor of mine used to say that these two awards (All-American, Academic All-American) are what we should all pursue,” CWU Head Track & Field Coach Jonathan Hill said. “These are the highest recognitions of our job as a coach. Great students, great athletes, great people. These awards represent excellence. To be the top of her field in athletics and academics is a tremendous accomplishment. Special people do special things and Emy is as special as they come. She works hard to achieve her goals and it’s wonderful to see her recognized for her efforts.”
 
Ntekpere, a sophomore from Vancouver, Washington, owns a 3.55 GPA in Biochemistry. She’s had a season for the ages during 2024-25 earning three national championships: indoor triple jump, outdoor high jump, and outdoor triple jump, becoming the first woman in GNAC history to win multiple national championships in field events. She earned four First Team All-Americans and won six GNAC Championship events this year on top of beign named the GNAC Indoor and Outdoor Championships Athlete of the Year and the GNAC Female Athlete of the Year.
 
View the full CSC Academic All-American teams HERE
 

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RGV Vipers Host Exciting Back To School Expo Amidst Sports Highlights

Table of Contents RGV Vipers Gear Up for Annual Back to School Expo The Rio Grande Valley is buzzing with excitement as the RGV Vipers prepare to host their fifth consecutive annual Back to School Expo. This much-anticipated event is set to provide students with essential school supplies, vaccines, and sports physicals, ensuring they are […]

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RGV Vipers Host Exciting Back To School Expo Amidst Sports Highlights

Table of Contents

RGV Vipers Gear Up for Annual Back to School Expo

The Rio Grande Valley is buzzing with excitement as the RGV Vipers prepare to host their fifth consecutive annual Back to School Expo. This much-anticipated event is set to provide students with essential school supplies, vaccines, and sports physicals, ensuring they are ready for the upcoming semester. The event, open to the public and free of charge, will take place on July 23rd from 3 PM to 7 PM. Attendees are encouraged to secure their spot through a QR code available on the screen, promising a seamless experience for families in need.

Club World Cup Final: Chelsea Triumphs Over PSG

In a thrilling display of soccer prowess, Chelsea emerged victorious in the Club World Cup Final held at MetLife Stadium. Facing off against PSG, Chelsea quickly established dominance, thanks to Cole Palmer’s remarkable performance, scoring two goals within the first half-hour. Pedro added another goal before halftime, leading Chelsea to a triumphant victory, clinching the 2025 Club World Cup title.

NBA Summer League: Notable Performances

The NBA Summer League continues to captivate fans as the Rockets took on Detroit. Reed Shepherd, last year’s number three overall pick, showcased his skills with an 18-point performance, hitting 6 out of 19 from the field. Meanwhile, the Mavericks have decided to play it safe with their number one overall pick, Cooper Flag, shutting him down for the remainder of the summer league after an impressive 31-point effort against San Antonio.

Historic MLB Draft Night

The Washington Nationals made history during the 2025 MLB Draft by selecting 17-year-old high school shortstop Eli Willits from Oklahoma as the first overall pick. This selection marks a significant milestone as Willits becomes the youngest player ever to be chosen number one overall in baseball history, surpassing the previous record set by Ken Griffey Jr. in 1987. Baseball enthusiasts eagerly await Willits’ debut in the major leagues.

MLB Showdowns: Astros vs. Rangers and Dodgers vs. Giants

In Major League Baseball, the rivalry between the Astros and Rangers continued as they faced off for their third and final game of the series in Houston. The Rangers took an early lead with four runs in the initial innings, while Zach Short responded with a solo shot for Houston in the sixth. However, the Astros couldn’t muster more offense, and Texas claimed victory in the final game of the series. These two teams are set to meet again on September 5th.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers and Giants engaged in a low-scoring pitching duel on the West Coast. After a grueling match that extended into extra innings, the Dodgers triumphed, thanks to the clutch performances of Freddie Freeman and Shohei Ohtani, who scored three runs in the 11th inning to secure the series win.

Additional Resources

RGV Vipers Official Website

Major League Baseball Official Website

National Basketball Association Official Website

RGV Vipers Host Exciting Back to School Expo Amidst Sports Highlights
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WNBA 2025 Highlights

July 15, 2025 07:59 AM Catch up on all the best moments from Monday’s WNBA games, where the Mercury fended off the hungry Valkyries down to the wire, and Napheesa Collier’s 29 points lifted the Lynx over the Sky. 1

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WNBA 2025 Highlights

July 15, 2025 07:59 AM

Catch up on all the best moments from Monday’s WNBA games, where the Mercury fended off the hungry Valkyries down to the wire, and Napheesa Collier’s 29 points lifted the Lynx over the Sky.

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Highlight

July 15, 2025 11:19 AM On the strength of Ava Stryker’s six goals, the U.S. women’s water polo team remained unbeaten through group play at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships thanks for a dominant 26-3 drubbing of Argentina. 1

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Highlight

July 15, 2025 11:19 AM

On the strength of Ava Stryker’s six goals, the U.S. women’s water polo team remained unbeaten through group play at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships thanks for a dominant 26-3 drubbing of Argentina.

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