The Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation will auction off green Sports Matter Penguins jerseys on Saturday, January 10 when they take on the Calgary Flames at PPG Paints Arena in support of The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation Sports Matter program.

The jerseys up for auction feature current Pittsburgh Penguins and other athletes, including former NFL players Brett Keisel & Ben Roethlisberger, Snoop Dogg, and Pittsburgh’s own Donnie Iris and The Clarks. The jerseys, as well as other memorabilia and experiences, will be available for auction for one week beginning on January 10 at 3:30 PM at http://sportsmatter.givesmart.com/with all proceeds going to The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation Sports Matter program.

Other Sports Matter initiatives on Saturday include:

• The first 7,500 fans to enter the building will receive a Sports Matter rally towel.
• Penguins coaches and front office staff will wear special green lace pins.
• Sports Matter cheer cards with personal stories from local youth hockey participants will line the players’ walkway, enabling players to read why sports are important to Penguins fans on their way to the locker room.
• The Ice Crew will be using green shovels.

The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation believes that sports have the power to change lives, which is why the Sports Matter program was created in 2014 to provide more opportunities for youth to play sports. Since then, Sports Matter has helped keep over three million kids in the game and committed over $100 million to deserving teams and organizations.

The Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation and The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation continue to support youth hockey initiatives through their partnering programs such as the Willie O’Ree Academy, DICK’S Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Penguins Elite and the Little Penguins Learn to Play program.

$10 from each ticket purchased through this special Sports Matter ticket offer will benefit The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation and Sports Matter initiatives. Tickets can be purchased here.

For more information on The DICK’S Foundation Sports Matter program, or to make a donation, please visit www.sportsmatter.org

About The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation

The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation is a tax exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation with a mission to inspire and enable sports participation. It was created by DICK’S Sporting Goods as a private corporate foundation to support DICK’S charitable and philanthropic activities. Driven by its belief that sports have the power to change lives, The DICK’S Foundation champions youth sports and provides grants and support to under-resourced teams and athletes through its Sports Matter program and other community-based initiatives. Additional information about The DICK’S Foundation can be found on sportsmatter.org and on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

Photo provided by Lori Kremsreiter
Gunner Bartreau, age 12, is seen with the buck he shot in Hubbard Lake during the 2025 youth hunt.

GROVE LEAGUE

ORANGE 60, ESTANCIA 59 (2 OTs): Orange won at the buzzer when Vic Ceja hit a three-pointer. He finished with 14 points. Sophomore Anthony Randle had 15 points and senior Sebastian Nunez 14 points for the host Panthers (6-14, 10).

WESTERN 68, SAVANNA 54: Kalani Tran had 17 points, four assists and four rebounds; Shadyn Rodriguez 15 points, seven rebounds and three steals; Shaan Rana had 12 points and Tywon Nesby 12 points and 10 rebounds to lead Western (6-13, 2-0).

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

LAGUNA BEACH 69, UNIVERSITY 48: Laguna Beach went on a 13-0 run to end the first half to cruise at home with a PCL win over Uni Friday night.

Senior power forward Brody Azadian led the Breakers (6-14, 1-1) with 29 points, 21 rebounds and six assists. A trio of seniors also scored in double figures for Laguna Beach: point guard Kiyan Ashadi with 12 points, small forward Owen Fouhy with 11 points and guard Mason Tate with 10 points.

The top scorer for University (5-13, 1-1) was sophomore guard Yousuf Chalan with 12 points and five rebounds. His brother, junior guard Nader Chalan had eight points and four steals. Junior center Abdallah Shami had seven points, seven rebounds, three assists and four blocks. Senior reserve center Kaden Moss also had four blocks.

—Courtesy Daryl Bogard, For OC Sports Zone

WOODBRIDGE 66, ST. MARGARET’S 50: Jahan Adloo had 22 points, Garrett DiContazo 20 points and Zacc Saleh 11 points to lead Woodbridge (13-7, 1-1).

“It was a great senior night,” said Woodbridge Coach Steve Scoggin. “All seniors played. Highlight of the night, senior Kameron Townsend hit a big three in the corner.”

PORTOLA 69, IRVINE 44: Portola notched a league win Friday at Irvine. Steve Yang scored 28 points, Lucas Ip had 10 points and Max Paulsen nine points to lead Portola (14-5, 2-0). Irvine (10-10, 1-1) was led by Francisco Martinez with 13 points and Sina Saferzadeh with eight points.

FREEWAY LEAGUE

EL DORADO 69, SONORA 60: The Golden Hawks were led by Elias Rodarte who had 21 points and three 3-pointers. Noah Barker scored 19 points and made three 3-pointers and Evan Nam had 16 points for league-leading El Dorado (18-2, 4-0).

SOUTH COAST LEAGUE

SAN CLEMENTE 78, DANA HILLS 44: Bryan Blake scored 18 points, Desi Gutierrez had 14 points and Deeter Hansen nine points to lead San Clemente (11-9, 1-0).

SAN JUAN HILLS 59, CAPO VALLEY 53: The Stallions (12-8, 2-0) were led by Rocco Jensen, who had 34 points and Garrett Brehmer who scored 11 points.

TRINITY LEAGUE

ST. JOHN BOSCO 74, SANTA MARGARITA 73 (2 OTs): Kaiden Bailey scored 29 points, had nine assists and five rebounds to lead the Eagles (19-3, 0-1). Drew Anderson had 20 points, six rebounds and two blocks, Brayden Kyman 16 points and Rodney Westmoreland eight points and five rebounds.

JSERRA 80, ORANGE LUTHERAN 68: The Lions (14-8, 1-0) were led by Jaden Bailes, who scored 16 points and Earl Bryson with 14 points. Orange Lutheran is 14-6.

Mater Dei 95, Servite 76

CRESTVIEW LEAGUE

La Habra 69, Crean Lutheran 56 (Check out OC Sports Zone coverage).

Canyon 75, Foothill 52

SUNSET LEAGUE

Los Alamitos 83, Marina 57

Edison 75, Newport Harbor 70

SEA VIEW LEAGUE

Aliso Niguel 39, Beckman 37 (OT)

Send basketball scores to timburt@ocsportszone.com

EUGENE – Oregon Ducks tight end Kenyon Sadiq has a big decision to make.

NFL Draft? Or one more year at Oregon?

“I really haven’t decided yet,” the junior said. “There are some things that I’d like to accomplish.”

One is winning a national championship, and Sadiq and the No. 5 Ducks are two wins away from that goal. They face No. 1 Indiana in the Peach Bowl on Friday night in Atlanta.

Shining on such a stage has driven Sadiq to this point. He began focusing on college football when his late grandfather first put a ball in his hands as a child.

Sadiq’s will to succeed was forged by a sometimes-tough upbringing as one of three children raised by a single mother in Idaho, where he encountered racism.

Living in three different cities, even more homes, and watching his mother struggle, while creating an environment where he and his two siblings could thrive, has inspired him.

“The adversity that my family kind of faced just in different phases of life, there’s definitely pieces my sister and my brother, we all take from our mom and use in our lives,” he said.

Music and laughter

Sadiq is one of three children born to Heather Pledger, a former track & field athlete at Pocatello High School. She dabbled in modeling and acting before becoming a mother, which changed her career path.

The relationship with Pledger’s children’s father ended, leaving her to raise three kids alone while in her early 20s.

“I’ve never really talked to him or nothing,” Sadiq, 20, said.

The family, which includes older sister Daisha, now 22, and younger brother Mikhi, 19, spent most of their childhood living in Pledger’s hometown of McCammon. The town of fewer than 1,000 people is located in Eastern Idaho.

They also spent time living in Pocatello, 20 minutes north, and in Idaho Falls, another 40 minutes north. Where they lived usually depended on where Pledger could find work.

Money was tight. Pledger sometimes worked three jobs and long shifts to make ends meet without financial help from her children’s father. Pledger was determined to create a happy home where her children could flourish.

“She always wanted us to do what made us happy,” Sadiq said.

Pledger’s work ethic inspired her children.

“I knew because she was working so hard, I had to work so hard,” Daisha said. “And I think Kenyon did the same thing.”

Sadiq was a cut-up, often making people laugh. Daisha recalls her brother being “super-outdoorsy.”

“He’d always drag me outside and make me dig in the dirt,” she said with a laugh.

Their homes were filled with music and laughter to mask the struggle.

“I did my best to try to protect them from our situation,” Pledger said.

A video on Pledger’s Instagram page shows Sadiq, still in his football pants following a middle school practice, turning on the kitchen faucet only to receive a surprise.

“I rigged it so it would shoot him in the face,” Pledger said. “They used to do that stuff to me all of the time.”

A grandfather’s influence

While living in McCammon, the group often stayed with Pledger’s parents. Her father, Terry Pledger, is responsible for first placing a football in his grandson’s hands.

A law enforcement officer with a large presence in the community, Terry Pledger played a significant role in Sadiq’s life. He taught his grandson how to fish, enjoy outdoor activities and other important lessons that helped shape Sadiq.

“He was kind of just like a father figure in my life,” Sadiq said. “Having a single-parent household, he kind of showed me how to really do everything. And he taught me the core morals of a man. What it means to help your community out.”

Terry Pledger, a three-sport athlete at Pocatello High, won a basketball state championship in 1969. He was an offensive tackle, and may have played college football if not for injuries. Instead, Pledger entered the workforce.

Football became the go-to activity between Sadiq and his grandfather. Pledger’s love for football was evident to Sadiq.

Pledger emphasized toughness.

“He’d say, ‘Be the hammer, not the nail,’ and things like that,” Sadiq said with a smile.

Grandfather would pay his grandson money for each touchdown he scored until it became too expensive. Sadiq was that good.

Heather Pledger was grateful for the role her father played in Sadiq’s life and for all the work he did with him on his football skills.

“It was their thing because his dad wasn’t involved,” Pledger said. “So, my dad was the role model to him. He coached him up a lot.”

Terry Pledger’s law enforcement background helped keep Sadiq in line.

“Kenyon was too scared to get into trouble,” Heather said with a laugh.

Sadiq excelled in any sport he tried. But football came naturally to him. He hit a growth spurt in middle school. Suddenly, Sadiq was even bigger and faster than those around him.

“I started thinking, ‘Wow, I’m pretty good at this,’” he said.

He soon realized that football could take him places.

Extreme focus

Skyline High School football coach Scott Berger first had his eye on Sadiq’s talents while he played in the Idaho Falls youth sports system. Sadiq’s family returned to McCammon in fifth grade when his grandmother, Alaina Pledger, was diagnosed with breast cancer.

In the years that followed, Berger heard from assistant coaches about how much Sadiq was growing and improving as a player across all sports.

When his grandmother’s cancer went into remission, Heather moved her family back to Idaho Falls. It was a better fit. She believed attending Skyline High would help her children’s dreams; Daisha had dreams of attending an elite college and Kenyon wanted to play football at a bigger program.

Pledger also believed her mixed-race children would be more accepted in Idaho Falls.

“They had to grow up fast out here,” Pledger said. “He dealt with a lot of racism out here, to be honest.”

Pledger recalled a freshman basketball game at Marsh Valley High School where the opposing crowd began chanting: “Go back to the cotton fields.”

“And they didn’t stop the game,” Pledger said.

But Sadiq persevered. He was 6-foot-2 as a sophomore, and his athletic skills had blossomed.

“When he showed up, it was a good day,” Berger said with a laugh.

The pandemic was part of Sadiq’s high school experience, but he was undeterred. After the pandemic, Sadiq continued homeschooling to have more time for workouts.

“He was so determined to get a scholarship,” Pledger said.

Sadiq got up early, made himself breakfast and did schoolwork through ISucceed Virtual Schools, an online program based in Boise. He then went to the gym where he worked out with adults. Then he’d return home, have a protein shake and lunch, do schoolwork then head to football practice.

“He was very dedicated,” Pledger said. “More so than most kids.”

Sadiq dived deeply into exercise science and nutrition. He would instruct his mom on what foods, supplements and vitamins he needed. He studied workout plans and exercises that were best for him.

Sadiq reached the point where he would design workout plans for guys at the gym and his high school friends.

“He was self-guided, the way that he built his body,” Pledger said.

Impressing recruiters

Berger, a Skyline coach for 36 years, said Sadiq is “by far” the best football player he has ever coached.

Skyline has won five state titles in 10 years, three with Sadiq, who also played defensive end.

On offense, Sadiq dominated.

“There’s times these DBs would turn and run away from him,” Berger said.

As a junior, Sadiq was named 4A All-Idaho Player of the Year after catching 78 passes for 1,162 yards and 19 touchdowns in 2021.

But few college offers came his way. Sadiq began working out with RARE Academy in Boise. It helped get his name out.

After Sadiq performed well at a track meet, football recruiters from Iowa State and Washington State called Berger to ask about the uber-athletic tight end.

Sadiq began participating in camps in the region against high-end competition. It became clear Sadiq belonged.

Soon, offers came in from Michigan, Vanderbilt, Kansas, BYU and Oregon.

“Oregon had always been a school that I loved,” Sadiq said.

Later, Texas, Washington and Colorado made offers.

Outside influences were strong. But his mother encouraged Sadiq to stifle the noise and settle on the best place for him in all aspects of his life.

The next day, Sadiq walked down the stairs of their home with a big smile on his face.

“Mom, I want to go to Oregon,” he said.

“I cried because I knew that’s what he truly wanted,” Pledger said.

After making the decision, Sadiq made a declaration to Berger.

“He told me, ‘Coach, I’m going to get you another state championship,’” Berger said with a laugh.

Sadiq delivered. He was again named 4A player of the year after catching 62 catches for 1,303 yards and 18 touchdowns. He graduated early and enrolled at Oregon in winter 2023.

“You’d like to have a whole team of Kenyon Sadiqs,” Berger said.

Oregon bound

Sadiq caught five passes for 24 yards as an Oregon freshman and scored his only touchdown in a Fiesta Bowl victory over Liberty.

Watching from Idaho was his excited grandfather.

A few weeks later, Terry Pledger unexpectedly died at age 74 without having watched Sadiq play in person at Oregon.

“It was a tragic situation,” Heather Pledger said.

Sadiq was a backup again last season, but opened eyes across the country by scoring two touchdowns in UO’s win over Penn State in the Big Ten Championship game.

Statistically, Sadiq hasn’t had quite the production this season that many projected in August. He enters the Peach Bowl with 46 receptions for 531 yards and eight touchdowns, the latter is a Ducks record for tight ends.

“You can’t be mad at the end of the day when your team is doing well,” Sadiq said.

Sadiq has one year of college eligibility remaining, though he is projected by many mock NFL draft pundits as a first-round selection.

Whenever his football career ends, Sadiq plans to be involved in real estate. He’s already made investments in properties.

“I’ve taken a big interest in real estate,” he said.

He is on schedule to earn his degree in General Social Sciences this summer. But that could be delayed should he enter the 2026 NFL draft.

After his football career, Sadiq sees himself continuing to spend a lot of time outdoors. Fishing. Hiking. Doing things he did with his grandfather.

“Just getting out and clearing your mind,” Sadiq said.

Heather Pledger is nearing the finish line of raising three children.

Kenyon is a step away from the NFL. Daisha will graduate this spring from New York University, where she attended on an academic scholarship, and plans to pursue a Ph.D. in criminology.

Mikhi recently graduated from ISucceed.

“He’s my tech guy,” Pledger said. “He can fix and build computers.”

The journey for the quartet was challenging, but rewarding.

“I have no regrets about my life and the beings that I brought into this world because I know they are going to make it better in whatever they do,” Pledger said.

House Bill 103, known as the Youth Athlete Protection Act, proposes new statewide requirements for youth sports organizations and local governments in Alabama. The bill mandates that all coaches, including volunteers, undergo criminal background checks and complete annual mandatory reporter training. Additionally, organizations must adopt a youth athlete protection policy outlining clear rules for coach behavior, one-on-one interactions, communication with athletes, and reporting suspected abuse.

Rep. Leigh Hulsey, the bill’s sponsor, explained the motivation behind the legislation. “This bill came about after several families in my district reached out to me with concerns about youth athletics and the need for stronger safeguards. There have been situations involving families that raised serious concerns. At the end of the day, I believe we will never be wrong when we take steps to protect children,” Hulsey said.

The bill requires youth sports organizations and local governments to certify compliance with the state annually or face prohibition from offering youth sports programs. Hulsey emphasized the bill’s preventative nature, stating, “I believe this bill can be very effective, especially in preventing individuals with a criminal history involving inappropriate behavior with minors from being placed in positions of trust with our children. It’s a common sense step that prioritizes safety while supporting youth sports in our communities.”

The legislation, which takes effect Oct. 1, 2026, does not apply to K-12 schools or informal pick-up sports but covers most organized youth leagues across the state. The Department of Human Resources (DHR) will oversee compliance, develop a model Youth Athlete Protection Policy by Jan. 1, 2027, and provide mandatory reporter training for coaches. Noncompliant organizations must suspend operations until compliance is verified.

This bill would authorize DHR to rely on national resources, such as the U.S. Center for SafeSport, when developing the model policy.

Below is Rep. Hulsey’s full statement in response to questions from ABC 33/40:

This bill came about after several families in my district reached out to me with concerns about youth athletics and the need for stronger safeguards. While I can’t speak to whether athletic abuse is a widespread issue across the entire state, I do know there have been situations involving families that raised serious concerns. At the end of the day, I believe we will never be wrong when we take steps to protect children.

This legislation wasn’t prompted by any organization or group, but as a result of conversations with parents and a belief that reasonable protections should be in place everywhere. The bill simply ensures that adults who are coaching children in youth athletic programs are able to pass a background check. I am sure many municipalities already do this, so in many cases it likely won’t change current practices, but it helps create consistency across the state.

I believe this bill can be very effective, especially in preventing individuals with a criminal history involving inappropriate behavior with minors from being placed in positions of trust with our children. It’s a common sense step that prioritizes safety while supporting youth sports in our communities.