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Second year of boys volleyball brings improved play

Second year of boys volleyball brings improved play Published 12:46 pm Wednesday, April 30, 2025 1 of 7 Crook County’s Caleb Decker, left, tries to block a spike from Summit’s Anand Groves, during the Summit-Crook County volleyball match at Summit High in Bend Monday afternoon. 4-28-25 Andy Tullis/The Bulletin Summit’s 3Edward Archer, left, bumps the […]

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Second year of boys volleyball brings improved play

Published 12:46 pm Wednesday, April 30, 2025

One of the main differences between the first and second year of high school boys volleyball in Oregon is in the eyes of Summit’s Gavin White.

White can’t remember a single set during the high school season a year ago en route to a state title where the matches were competitive. This year, the competition level, he feels, has been raised.

“We haven’t had many close games except for this year,” said White, a junior setter. “I think it is good to see some better teams that are going to put up a fight.”

Monday evening two of the three Central Oregon boys volleyball teams squared off at Summit High. Summit rolled past Crook County in straight sets (25-8, 25-13, 26-24). The Storm have won eight of nine matches this spring, and have won 22 of the possible 26 sets.

But against the Cowboys, despite winning handily in the first two sets, the Storm found themselves in unfamiliar territory in the third set. They were in a major hole and needed to dig their way out to avoid dropping the set.

“They are working on meshing together as a team and keeping that excitement up,” said Crook County coach Mallory Hall of her team. “Because when they do, they play great.”

Crook County built a 13-5 lead midway through the set and had the set tied at 24 before the Storm were ultimately able to pull away. Being on the ropes, even for a set, isn’t something Summit was used to.

“We don’t have a lot of these situations in school volleyball,” said Summit sophomore Aiden Woods. “But we do in club volleyball.”

With boys volleyball being such a new sport at the high school level – the second year of its trial run as an “emerging activity” with the chance to be a fully-sanctioned sport by the Oregon Schools Activities Association next year – there is a high variance of skill level.

But perhaps it is to be expected with so many schools and the majority of the athletes giving the sport a try for the first time. Some teams have a core of players who play volleyball for a club, while others are starting from scratch trying to build and introduce a new sport.

That is the case for Crook County. When the program started a year ago, only one of its players had played volleyball competitively.

“The difference in skill for each player has been amazing,” Hall said. “Just seeing them come back from last year and realized where we started last year and seeing how well they have honed their skills has been really great to see as a coach.”

The Cowboy have put together a quality season, winning five of their eight matches with two of their losses coming to Summit.

There are four games remaining in the regular season and the Cowboys are hoping to get better in time for the eight-team Class 4A culminating event in late May.

“We are just hoping that they can continue to improve,” Hall said. “We don’t want them to plateau. We are going to keep practicing. I’m just hoping that they are able to make the improvements that they are hoping for.”

Brian Rathbone has been the sports reporter for the Bulletin since 2019. He likes playing basketball, running and spending time with his dog, Rodger.

He can be reached at 541-668-7538, brian.rathbone@bendbulletin.com, or on X/IG @ByBrianRathbone

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A-State Track and Field Qualifies Seven for NCAA West Preliminary Rounds; Eddowes Qualifies for NCAA Championships

Story Links NCAA Preliminary Rounds Qualifiers JONESBORO, Ark. (5/22/25) – Arkansas State track and field has qualified seven athletes for the NCAA West Preliminary Rounds, set for May 28-31, in College Station, Texas. One of those seven – Colby Eddowes – also secured a […]

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JONESBORO, Ark. (5/22/25) – Arkansas State track and field has qualified seven athletes for the NCAA West Preliminary Rounds, set for May 28-31, in College Station, Texas.

One of those seven – Colby Eddowes – also secured a bid to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the decathlon. He is among 24 entrants into the field and ranks 18th nationally with a total of 7,681 points. Eddowes will compete in the two-day event Wednesday and Thursday, June 11-12, in Eugene, Oregon. Eddowes will be A-State’s first decathlete since 2008 to compete at the outdoor championships.

The preliminary rounds will be hosted by Texas A&M at Cushing Stadium, and a full schedule can be found at NCAA.com. Portions of each day’s events will be streamed live on ESPN+ beginning with the first track event.

Athletes who rank among the top 48 in their respective events earn bids into the prelims, with others added due to scratches among the initial top 48. The top 12 individuals in each event at both the East and West Prelims advance to the NCAA Outdoor Championships, held June 11-14 in Eugene, Oregon.

Noa Isaia will be first to contest for a bid to nationals, qualifying for the hammer throw first round with a best throw of 66.22m (217-3). The sophomore will compete at 10 a.m. Wednesday, with each of the 48 competitors getting three throws and the top 12 advancing to Eugene.

In addition to his nationals bid in the decathlon, Eddowes will also compete in preliminary-round action in the 110-meter hurdles, qualifying with his time of 13.45 set at the Sun Belt Championships. He will run in the first round at 6 p.m. Wednesday and then again Friday at 6:15 p.m. should he advance.

Bradley Jelmert will vie for his second bid to the outdoor championships, entering next week tied for fifth in the region with a height of 5.55m (18-2.5). John Carswell also qualified in the event with a mark of 5.28m (17-3.75) at the Sun Belt Championships. The pair will compete Wednesday with the event slated to start at 5:30 p.m.

Sun Belt Track Performer of the Year Jacob Pyeatt is slated to compete in the 5000 meters at 8:10 p.m. Friday, qualifying with a time of 13:35.90.

2025 SBC Indoor and Outdoor pole vault champion Carly Pujol is set to continue her record-setting season in the women’s pole vault at 5:30 p.m. Thursday. The Cape Girardeau, Mo., native qualified with a program-best mark of 4.31m (14-1.75) at the conference meet.

Also competing Thursday will be Michelle Ogbemudia, who will compete at 6 p.m. in the shot put – an event in which she posted a mark of 16.40m (53-9.75) this season. She earned silver in the event at the conference championships and will be making her third trip to the West Prelims – her second in the shot put.

SOCIAL MEDIA

For the latest on the A-State track and field and cross country programs, follow @AStateTrack on Twitter and @astatetfxc on Instagram, while also liking the team’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/AStateTrackAndField.



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Leder and Richwine Preview the NCAA Championship Meet

Story Links GENEVA, Ohio – This week the Dickinson men’s and women’s track and field team will be represented by two athletes at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championship hosted by the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio. Senior, Annie Leder will take part in the women’s long jump beginning […]

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GENEVA, Ohio – This week the Dickinson men’s and women’s track and field team will be represented by two athletes at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championship hosted by the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio. Senior, Annie Leder will take part in the women’s long jump beginning this afternoon at 5:30pm, while junior, Trevor Richwine has to wait one more day to get his competition started as he will compete in the men’s 800m. The prelims start Friday at 4pm, followed by the final on Saturday at 2:50pm.

The two athletes and their head coach Eric Bologa caught up with Director of Athletic Communications, David Adamovage to preview the championship as well as reflect on a very successful 2024-2025 campaign.

You can follow the action this weekend with the live results by clicking here.



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Five Patriots Qualify for NCAA First Round Track & Field Championships

Fairfax, Va. – George Mason University will be well represented at the NCAA First Round Qualifiers as five standout student-athletes – Geni Roberts, Kailynn Tyson, Wesley Bond, Davian Burke, and Joziah Johnson – have earned their places among the nation’s best in their respective events.  Kailynn Tyson will compete in both the long jump and […]

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Fairfax, Va. – George Mason University will be well represented at the NCAA First Round Qualifiers as five standout student-athletes – Geni Roberts, Kailynn Tyson, Wesley Bond, Davian Burke, and Joziah Johnson – have earned their places among the nation’s best in their respective events. 

Kailynn Tyson will compete in both the long jump and triple jump after an outstanding outdoor season. She posted a mark of 6.16 meters in the long jump, ranking 38th in the East region. Her triple jump performance at the Atlantic 10 Outdoor Championships earned her a distance of 12.99 meters, the 15th best mark in the region.

Freshman Davian Burke made an immediate impact this season, qualifying for the 110m hurdles with a time of 13.87. His debut season continues with a trip to the NCAA First Round, demonstrating his potential on a national stage.

Joziah Johnson, the A-10 gold medalist in the 400m hurdles, enters the NCAA First Round ranked 38th in the East region. He secured his spot with a time of 51.10, capping off a strong outdoor campaign.

Returning to NCAA postseason competition is Geni Roberts, who qualified in the triple jump. Roberts landed a mark of 15.75 meters, the 16th best in the region, adding to his already impressive career as a Patriot.

Wesley Bond rounds out the Mason qualifiers with a strong showing in the 3000m steeplechase. Bond clocked a time of 8:43.50 at the A-10 Outdoor Championships, earning the 23rd best time in the East and a well-deserved place in the First Round.

NCAA East First Round Schedule:





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WATCH: Women’s Water Polo 2025 Season Recap

Story Links Ted Minnis discusses the 2025 women’s water polo season and what is to come for the Crimson after its most successful season in program history.  Veterans Ruby Hodge, Maya O’Dea, Emma Gilbert, Heidi Heffelfinger, and Ella Schneider, along with rookies  Orli Cooper and CWPA Rookie of the Year Niki Piovan, led the way in 2025 and helped Harvard […]

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Ted Minnis discusses the 2025 women’s water polo season and what is to come for the Crimson after its most successful season in program history. 

Veterans Ruby HodgeMaya O’DeaEmma GilbertHeidi Heffelfinger, and Ella Schneider, along with rookies  Orli Cooper and CWPA Rookie of the Year Niki Piovan, led the way in 2025 and helped Harvard win its first CWPA Championship and go to the NCAA Championships for the first time. 

The Crimson finished the regular season with a 10-2 record in conference play and sits at 22-6 overall with one game to go next weekend ahead of the 2025 playoffs. Harvard started the season by going 16-1 with wins over No. 25 LIU, No. 19 Wagner, No. 15 UCSB, No. 13 Princeton, No. 11 UCSD, No. 16 Michigan, No. 23 CBU, and No. 22 Brown in one of its best starts in program history before beating Michigan and Princeton 

Harvard jumped up to its highest ranking in program history after coming in at No. 8/7 in the ACWPC and CWPA weekly polls earlier this season. 

The Crimson set a program record with 26 wins this year between the regular season and playoffs. 

 



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Victory+ to Deliver Global Broadcast of 2025 Memorial Cup, Capping Breakout Season in Digital Live Sports Distribution

05/22/2025 – Article has been updated to reflect changes to the accompanying image Scheduled from May 22 – June 1, the 2025 Memorial Cup will be streamed live worldwide (excluding Canada), as Victory+ expands its global footprint and redefines access to live hockey content. DALLAS, May 22, 2025 (Newswire.com) – The premium, free, sports streaming […]

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05/22/2025 – Article has been updated to reflect changes to the accompanying image

Scheduled from May 22 – June 1, the 2025 Memorial Cup will be streamed live worldwide (excluding Canada), as Victory+ expands its global footprint and redefines access to live hockey content.

The premium, free, sports streaming service, Victory+, owned by A Parent Media Co. Inc. (APMC), will broadcast the 2025 Memorial Cup from Rimouski, Québec, globally (excluding Canada) on the digital platform. The Memorial Cup pits the playoff champion from the Western Hockey League (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), along with the host club, in a four-team round-robin tournament to determine the champion of the CHL.

This year’s event will feature the Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL), Rimouski Océanic (QMJHL), Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL), and the London Knights (OHL), and it will mark a key moment in expanding the visibility of junior hockey through a modern, scalable distribution model.

Streaming the 2025 Memorial Cup continues the Victory+ commitment to opening up new international pathways for live sports content. By bringing the CHL to a global stage, the platform is accelerating fan discovery of the league’s rising stars while building new audiences for the sport at large.

“Making the Memorial Cup available for free to global audiences is at the heart of our mission,” said Neil Gruninger, President & CEO of APMC. “Victory+ was built to remove barriers, giving both lifelong fans and those discovering the sport for the first time easy access to live hockey. We believe the future of sports lies in accessibility, and this championship stream is another example of how we’re delivering on that promise.”

The broadcast follows a successful wave of WHL, OHL, and QMJHL playoff games on the platform, which drew strong engagement and underscored the demand for frictionless access to premium junior hockey. With more than 700 WHL games set for the upcoming season, Victory+ is scaling its coverage to meet growing demand while empowering leagues and rights holders with modern monetization tools and platform reach.

This event also serves as a capstone to a record-setting spring for the service. From the highly successful Texas Wins on Victory Day initiative to the record-breaking digital viewership during Round One of the NHL Playoffs featuring the Dallas Stars, Victory+ continues to establish itself as a leader in the future of live sports streaming.

For game schedules, exclusive content, and more information visit www.victoryplus.com.

For more information on the Memorial Cup, including on this year’s tournament, please visit chl.ca/memorialcup.

ABOUT APMC and Victory+

A Parent Media Co. Inc. (APMC) is a media and technology company focused on providing innovative solutions to consumers and brands. APMC is a leader in Safe Streaming™ delivering an end-to-end solution to brands and platforms with an emphasis on unlocking incremental revenue. Utilizing proprietary streaming and monetization technologies, APMC reaches millions of homes globally through its products including Kidoodle.TV®, Dude Perfect Streaming Service, Glitch+™, Victory+™ and Safe Exchange™. Victory+ a groundbreaking FREE end-to-end, direct to consumer, sports streaming service made for fans, by fans. Featuring free regional broadcasts of various sports teams including the Dallas Stars and Anaheim Ducks, Victory+ is also the home to a library of on-demand, premium sports-based, outdoors, and extreme sports content. Visit www.aparentmedia.com and www.victoryplus.com to learn more.

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/aparentmediacoinc

X: https://twitter.com/AParentMediaCo

Media Contact:

Contact | media@aparentmedia.com

Source: A Parent Media Co. Inc.





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Thirty-Five Empire 8 Standouts Earn 2025 USTFCCCA Women’s Outdoor Track and Field All-Region Honors

Women’s Outdoor Track and Field | 5/22/2025 12:19:09 PM Story Links 2025 NCAA Division III Women’s Outdoor Track & Field All-Region Thirty-five Empire 8 student-athletes from seven institutions earned 2025 United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Women’s […]

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Women’s Outdoor Track and Field | 5/22/2025 12:19:09 PM



Thirty-five Empire 8 student-athletes from seven institutions earned 2025 United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Women’s Outdoor Track and Field All-Region honors.
 
To earn All-Region honors, an athlete must be one of the top-5 individuals in their event in their respective region on the TFRRS Descending Order List. In addition, each member of a region’s top-3 relay team was selected for the distinction.

All Empire 8 institutions with the exception of Russell Sage compete in the NIagara region. Russell Sage is part of the Mideast Region.

 

ALFRED UNIVERSITY

Anne Splia, Senior — Heptathlon, 43,41 points – first

SUNY BROCKPORT

*Rebecca Heuler, Sr. — Discus, 42.44 meters – third

                                    Javelin, 41.23 meters – second

*Lexi Rodriguez, Junior — 400-Meter Hurdles, 1:01.36 – second

Sasha Schramm, Junior — Long Jump, 5.63 meters – fifth

Marissa Wise, Senior — 400-Meter Hurdles, 1:02.16 – fourth

SUNY GENESEO

*Sam Pynn, Senior — 4×100-Meter Relay, :46.33 – second

*Brynn Mooney, Sophomore — 4×100-Meter Relay, :46.33 – second

                                                 4×400-Meter Relay, 3:46.26 – second

                                                 100-Meter Dash, :11.76 – third

                                                 200-Meter Dash, :24.20 – second

                                                 400-Meter Dash, :54.45 – first

*Jill Ambler, Sophomore — 4×100-Meter Relay, :46.33 – second

                                           100-Meter Hurdles, :14.14 – fourth

                                           Long Jump, 5.90 meters – second

*Kayla Huba, Junior — 4×100-Meter Relay, :46.33 – second

*Nicole Gretzinger, Junior — 4×400-Meter Relay, 3:46.26 – second

*Janelle Eckl, Senior — 4×400-Meter Relay, 3:46.26 – second

                                      800-Meter Run, 2:08.89 – third

*Sierra Doody, Junior — 4×400-Meter Relay, 3:46.26 – second

                                      800-Meter Run, 2:08.09 – second

                                      1,500-Meter Run, 4:33.11 – fifth

Ava Bagley, Sophomore — 400-Meter Hurdles, 1:02.16 – fifth

*Ann Brennan, Junior — Steeplechase, 10:33.41 – second

*Zoe Connor, Senior — Shot Put, 12.77 meters – third

                                     Hammer Throw, 52.51 meters – second

*Lilly Fowler-Conner, Senior — 1,500-Meter Run, 4:30.46 – fourth

                                                 5,000-Meter Run, 16:48.40 – fifth

                                                 10,000-Meter Run, 35:04.34 – second

*Penelope Greene, Senior — 1,500-Meter Run, 4:22.23 – first

                                              5,000-Meter Run, 16:12.88 – first

                                              10,000-Meter Run, 33:42.16 – first

Skyler Klimow, Senior — Javelin, 39.79 meters – fifth

*Gabriella McCarthy, Senior — 10,000-Meter Run, 35.38.67 – fourth

Payton Mehalick, Junior — Shot Put, 12.85 meters – second

Lanna Wandy, Senior — Long Jump, 5.71 meters – fourth

                                      Heptathlon, 4,264 points – second

HOUGHTON UNIVERSITY

*Alexa Belanger, Freshman — High Jump, 1.71 meters – first

NAZARETH UNIVERSITY

Katie Jacques, Graduate Student — Triple Jump, 11.86 meters – second

Sydney LaSalle, Junior — Triple Jump, 11.48 meters – third

Samantha Luba, Junior — 100-Meter Hurdles, :14.81 – sixth

*Isabel Morse, Junior — Pole Vault, 3.89 meters – first

Lea Richard, Graduate Student – Hammer Throw, 51.97 meters – third

Kiara Tornusciolo, Junior – Pole Vault, 3..6 meters – fourth

ST. JOHN FISHER UNIVERSITY

Veronica Duell, Senior — Long Jump, 5.77 meters – third

*Ciarra Franz, Senior — 100-Meter Hurdles, :14.13 – third

Erin McGuinness, Junior — Shot Put, 12.58 meters – fifth

Anna Steed, Junior — 51.48 meters – fourth

UTICA UNIVERSITY

Hannah Allison, Sophomore — High Jump, 1.63 meters – third

Nora Devitt, Senior — Triple Jump, 11.29 meters – fifth

Stefania Grimaldi, Sophomore, Heptathlon, 4,139 points – third

* Qualified for 2025 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the event

ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE

The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit www.empire8.com.

 

EMPIRE 8 SOCIAL MEDIA

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