LINCOLN, Neb. — The gates opened early as cleats hit the turf and teams from across the US stepped onto the hallowed grounds of Memorial Stadium for the annual Battle at the Boneyard 7-on-7 football tournament.

For many young athletes, it was a unique opportunity to compete where legends have played and chase dreams of collegiate football glory.

“This is a chance for these kids to play in Memorial Stadium,” said Brad Ewing, parent of one of the players. “There are a lot of players from the area, but also from surrounding states like South Dakota. For many, this is a dream come true.”

The event is free and open to the public, allowing fans from near and far to watch some of the region’s premier high school athletes in action.

“It’s good for our younger kids to learn from them,” said Jason Batter, coach of Spirit Elite- Omaha. “And I can learn as a coach too. The atmosphere is really cool — the stands, the field — everything’s awesome.”

Adding to the excitement was the presence of former NFL star Cam Newton, who participated alongside his team and shared advice with the players.

“As a 7-on-7 player myself, it’s really cool to see Cam Newton here,” said Kamden Longs, a fan watching the events. “I want to be in that position one day — playing on a stage like this against great competition.”

Every matchup was a test of mental and physical toughness, with every team vying to walk off the field at Memorial Stadium with bragging rights and, perhaps, a future scholarship offer.

The tournament provides high school athletes with the opportunity to compete on a Division I college field, learn from some of the best coaches, and take a step closer to their dream of playing at the next level.

The PA announcer began with the Connecticut player intros for this Sunday matinee against the Liberty at Barclays Center. The first name he called had a familiar ring to it from a few years ago in the WNBA, a 32-year-old point guard from North Babylon rising again with the Sun.

“At guard, 5-9 from UConn, No. 14, Bria Hartley.”

The player who once scored 51 points in a game for North Babylon and made All-America in both her high school and college days had to deal with a couple of devastating  issues during her pro days.

She tore both ACLs in the span of three seasons, the second time in 2022.

Hartley wasn’t in the league the last two seasons after playing nine years, including three with the Liberty. But the rebuilding Sun summoned her during training camp in May.

And so she’s back where she wanted to be in 2023 and 2024, playing basketball again in the best women’s league in the world.

“It means a lot,” Hartley said, standing on the court before Connecticut fell to the Liberty. “That was kind of my goal. That’s what my main focus has been the last two, three years is getting back into the league and just showcasing what I can do. I’ve gotten here and I’ve proven that I can still move pretty well.

“It took time, but I got here and proved that I didn’t give up.”

Upsetting times

After her run with the Liberty, she signed as a free agent with Phoenix for the 2020 season when the WNBA played all of its games in the so-called “bubble” — IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida — due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hartley was having her best season, averaging 14.6 points and 4.5 assists. But she tore her right ACL against Washington in her 13th game and underwent surgery.

“I love Bria Hartley, one of my favorite players that I ever coached,” said Sandy Brondello, now the Liberty coach and then  Hartley’s coach with the Mercury. “She was really rolling in that bubble season that we had with Phoenix. She was our best player in the bubble and then she went down, and that was tough.”

She came back to play six games the following season with Phoenix, then got traded to Indiana before the 2022 season. The Fever waived her that July. She signed three days later with Connecticut.

And then came another bad twist to her story in her third game.

Her left knee took a wrong turn against Minnesota after she attempted to keep a ball inbounds.

ACL No. 2.

One was bad enough.

“It kind of just compounded off of the reaction from the first one,” Hartley said. “The first one, the timing and everything just didn’t necessarily feel right, just how I was playing in the moment.

“And then kind of the same thing that year, going from Indy, kind of not really getting the chance to play in that rotation and then coming to Connecticut and finding a role that fit me really well and then going down (after) only three games with them, it’s just upsetting.

“It’s upsetting and it sucks when it’s like in your prime, most of the time the best years in your career. So it was definitely upsetting, but at the same time, I still wanted to play. I wanted to be able to get back and play basketball, whether it was in the W — yes, that was the goal — but just getting back and being able to play basketball. Like last year, I was overseas.”

That was in Turkey. The year before, she returned to play in Spain. Las Vegas also had her in training camp last year, but the Aces waived her.

So Hartley and the WNBA went on without each other for those two seasons.

“I missed it a lot,” Hartley said. “And then also, at the same time, it was kind of all I knew. Coming out of college, every summer, I was playing in the W. So that first year, 2023, kind of not playing, it was a little weird. It was foreign to me. So it was an adjustment. Most of my friends were on teams and playing. So (I was) missing even that time being spent with them.”

There was more mom time with her now 8-year-old son, Bryson, and there was time to spend in other fulfilling ways.

“I had my son with me in the summertime,” Hartley said. “I was rehabbing and working out in Minnesota. I gained a community of friends and everything in Minnesota. So I was able to venture out and kind of find my community. I was coaching high school in Minnesota. That was really cool training some kids out there.

“I found my purpose with things I wanted to do while also keeping my eyes on trying to make it back to the W.”

The pride of North Babylon

Back in her hometown, Hartley joined the varsity during eighth grade. By the time five seasons had passed, she finished just 22 points shy of 2,000 for her career.

In her senior year at North Babylon, she was Newsday’s Long Island Player of the Year, the New York Gatorade Player of the Year, just as she was in her junior year, and a McDonald’s All-American. Hartley averaged 28.8 points per game.

“I think my last two years in high school, I really showcased my ability to score versus my first two years in high school,” Hartley said. “I think I’ve carried that on with me as my career has gone on, being a scoring point guard, being able to facilitate but also being able to shoot. The biggest thing I think I’ve improved on is my three-point shooting.”

Her final game for North Babylon in 2010 was the ultimate showcase. She scored 51 points in the Suffolk AA championship game against Sachem East — and lost. The Bulldogs fell 72-69.

“I’ll never forget,” Hartley said.

She had some unforgettable days at UConn — four trips to the Final Four, back-to-back national championships and nearly 2,000 more points, finishing with 1,994.

Seattle took her with the seventh overall pick in the 2014 WNBA Draft and immediately traded her rights to Washington. After three seasons with the Mystics, she was traded to the Liberty in late January of 2017, about two weeks after her son was born. She averaged 8.6 points and 2.9 assists across the next three seasons.

“Those were some of my best years,” Hartley said. “I was still fairly young, and after having my son, that’s when I was with a team that really taught me how to be a pro or continue to be a pro.

“We had a really good year my first year with the Liberty, playing with someone like Tina (Charles), MVP-caliber player, just kind of growing and just getting better in my game. That helped me earn that contract, going to play with Phoenix.”

The comeback

She played in the nearly monthlong Athletes United season earlier this year, averaging 15.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists. Now she’s playing for new Connecticut coach Rachid Meziane.

They already knew each other. He was an assistant coach when she played with the silver medal-winning French National Team in the EuroBasket championship in 2019. She was at 7.6 points and 2.6 assists in the Sun’s 1-6 start while continuing to get her rhythm back.

“She brings a lot of experience,” Meziane said. “She knows my system, so it’s easier for her to fit with my offensive system. She has good three-point shooting ability. It means that she can give more space to our post players … She’s coachable.”

Hartley said she may want to be a coach in the WNBA someday.

“The biggest thing for me is time with my son when I’m done playing,” she said. “So I don’t think I’d want to be a college coach and that crazy schedule. If it’s like a W season, where I’m able to be in one spot a little more, I’d probably like that. We’ll see.”

For now, Hartley is showing again that she can rebound.

“She’s faced a lot of adversity since (2020) with two ACLs,” Brondello said. “But what she is, she’s tough. She’s resilient. She’s come back and she knows she can play at this level, and she’s getting the opportunity to show what she’s capable of. … Great to see her back in the league.”

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – A homeless encampment behind Publix on Wildwood Drive is receiving attention from the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, highlighting how local organizations and law enforcement are addressing homelessness in the area.

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Tents and backpacks line the area, creating a makeshift walkway that leads into the woods on Wildwood Drive.

Judith Dembowski, executive director of St. Augustine Society Inc., shared insights into the challenges faced by those experiencing homelessness.

“Absolutely, everyone’s story is different,” she said.

Last year, the St. Augustine Society Inc. helped 250 people transition off the streets, some of whom were living in encampments like the one behind Publix.

“The overarching story is that we need more housing,” Dembowski said. “Our street outreach team picked up a mom with three adolescents who were living in a storage unit just three weeks ago.”

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She highlighted the struggles of young adults, stating that among those aged 18 to 24, 68 individuals are in their program, with 60 actively working but lacking stable housing.

“It’s hard to live here. It’s hard to afford to live here,” Dembowski said.

The encampment is also being monitored by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. Sergeant Mike Clark leads the reentry and outreach program.

“What we do from reentry and outreach is go and address that, see if there are homeless individuals in that camp, and offer them opportunities to get off the streets,” Clark said.

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This includes programs like Operation New Hope, transitional housing, and substance abuse treatment. Clark said that while they have not yet made contact with the individuals living in the encampment, they are committed to following up and providing assistance.

“I’m trying to keep you from coming to jail. That’s our objective. We don’t want you to come to jail,” he said, noting that many individuals end up incarcerated for minor offenses like trespassing.

He further explained the housing challenges in St. Augustine.

“You’re getting somebody a job for $18 an hour, they may not afford the rent in St. Johns County,” he said.

Both Clark and Dembowski are dedicated to helping those in need and cleaning up areas like the encampment.

“Homelessness is more than just what you’re seeing on the street corner. It is a much bigger issue,” Clark said.

According to Northeast Florida Realtors, the median sales price for a home in St. Johns County exceeds $500,000, while the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is around $1,400, as reported by Apartments.com.

Eight-plus months after launching, Chicago Sports Network will finally reach a wider Chicago-area audience.

Chicago Sports Network (CHSN), a TV channel that is a partnership between the Chicago Blackhawks, Bulls and White Sox, announced a carriage contract on Friday after a deal was finalized late Thursday night, according to a Comcast spokesperson. CHSN will be available within Comcast’s Ultimate TV package, its highest tier, on Channel 200 in the Chicago area. The channel went live on Friday morning.

“On behalf of the entire CHSN team, we’re proud to welcome Comcast’s Xfinity TV customers to a network built exclusively for Chicago sports fans,” CHSN president Jason Coyle said in a statement. “With more than 300 live Bulls, Blackhawks, and White Sox games each year, along with original programming that highlights Chicago’s pro, college, and high school sports, CHSN delivers the most comprehensive and locally focused coverage available. This deal allows us to reach even more fans across the city and suburbs, deepen connections, and reinforce CHSN as the home for Chicago sports all day, every day.”

When CHSN launched in October 2024, Chicago’s big three pro teams hoped Comcast could continue to feature them just as it had for NBC Sports Chicago, the network the teams left to launch CHSN in October 2024. The teams hoped CHSN would be able to remain on Comcast’s more readily available middle tier, just as NBC Sports Chicago had been. Instead, Comcast didn’t carry CHSN at all.

“Today’s announcement that Chicago Sports Network will now be available on Comcast marks the realization of the original vision for our games reaching to the widest audience possible,” Blackhawks chairman and CEO Danny Wirtz said Friday. “Blackhawks fans have been incredibly patient over the past year as CHSN has worked to create widespread availability of our games, and I couldn’t be more excited for what this means for them. This agreement puts us back in the homes of many Chicagoans who have been missing our coverage, ensuring sports fans across the city are able to enjoy exciting Blackhawks hockey as well as all the programming we have planned for our Centennial celebration next season.”

CHSN has been available on DirecTV and Fubo and through a direct-to-consumer streaming app. But without carriage on Comcast, the teams’ overall viewership plummeted from previous years. Sports Business Journal reported in February that the Bulls lost 63 percent of their viewership from the previous year. Wirtz confirmed a report in April that the Blackhawks were down 78 percent, or 40,000 homes, from the previous year.

Upon launch, CHSN was available to watch for free over the air via antenna in the Chicago area and other regional markets. Now that there’s a Comcast deal in place, the channel will no longer be available over the air in these markets, leaving fans with no free method to watch:

• Chicago, Champaign, Springfield, Peoria, Rockford and Quincy in Illinois
• South Bend and Fort Wayne in Indiana
• Davenport, Iowa

The channel is still available over the air in these markets:

• Indianapolis
• Milwaukee
• Grand Rapids, Mich.
• Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Sioux City in Iowa
• Paducah (Ky.), Cape Girardeau (Mo.), Harrisburg (Ill.)

“At the end of the day, the availability of our games on TV this past season was unacceptable — and our fans deserve better,” Wirtz told The Athletic in April. “I am focused on finding potential solutions for next season with our partners at CHSN. We are about to celebrate 100 years of hockey as well as usher in the next generation on the ice. I am committed to ensuring our fans can see that.”

The most obvious solution was always Comcast, but it was unclear whether there was an actual path to a deal. There had been whispers of a possible agreement in late December, which Bulls president Michael Reinsdorf acknowledged in April, but that fell apart.

Wirtz remained hopeful in March, but he was uncertain about the timing.

“I wish I could (have a timeline), and I’ve been hopeful before,” Wirtz said. “But we hope that we have the right pieces to put something together. Unfortunately, as you know in the media world, we are Chicago, and our teams are not the only piece to the puzzle of national media relationships and markets and things. We are, unfortunately, caught in the timing of all those other things that are less about our specific deal and more about how these deals come online across markets across the U.S.”

Comcast carriage, especially on its highest tier, won’t return all of the teams’ viewership from the past, but it should significantly help. Comcast has been moving a majority of its regional sports networks to its highest tier over the past year.

(Photo by Jon Greenberg / The Athletic)