The Southeastern Conference fined schools for field storming in 2004, it didn’t work then and is it really going to do anything now? The SEC has ramped up fines yet again for field storming but the college football tradition doesn’t seem to go down easily. 

The SEC flexed their muscles when they announced that rushing the field will now cost a home team a whopping $500,000. Commissioner Greg Sankey defended the decision, stating “…the motivation was ‘field rushing is field rushing, the first time or the 18th time.’”

Recently, there’s been a steady rising increase of posts that showcase students rushing the field. This newfound popularity has college students waiting for the opportunity to cause chaos themselves. Contributing to the excitement,Vanderbilt’s students tore out and actually carried around goalposts after their upset against No. 1 Alabama this year. 

In the past, the fines were issued on an escalating basis — first time offenders paid $100,000, the second fine was $200,000 and finally $500,000 on the third offense. 

Despite this widely unpopular new rule, there was one interesting caveat: the SEC can waive the fine if the visiting team is allowed to safely return to their locker room with no contact from the home team fans. 

This loophole was enforced during the most recent basketball season as multiple teams required fans to wait until the visiting team made it to the locker room before storming the court. Will this really  work in football, with the blood-pumping adrenaline of the students? Even if you could somehow get the fans to wait, it takes a lot longer to get roughly 80 players back through a tunnel. . 

Let’s be honest, this rule is only going to give college students a bigger adrenaline rush when attempting to rush the field, and give them more of an incentive to keep the tradition alive despite the consequences — which the students won’t even have to pay. 

Sure, colleges may have more security and barriers in their stadiums which might keep the students from rushing the field for some games, but with the rage of a rivalry game or an upset of a No. 1 seed, I doubt barriers will keep dedicated fans at bay.

After Arkansas beat Tennessee last year, it incurred a $250,000 fine for students rushing the field and Arkansas coach Sam Pittman said, “I think the AD’s going to be mad, or maybe he won’t be. I don’t know, but right now, I don’t care.” 

If this is the kind of attitude we have from coaches, imagine the energy of riled-up, drunk college students in the stands.

Field rushing is tradition, and tradition is what makes people keep coming back for college football. This new rule may reduce field rushing, but it will only increase the special and rebellious nature of the tradition, ultimately creating the exact opposite effect of what the SEC wants.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

SHAWN THEODORE

Abington Heights

Outside hitter, Senior

Led Abington Heights to the Lackawanna League championship, the District 2 Class 3A championship and the program’s first win in the PIAA playoffs. … He had 242 kills, 28 aces, 10 blocks, 132 digs, 14 assists this season. … He had 13 games with more than 10 kills and had a season-high 26 in the PIAA playoff win over Bethlehem Freedom. … He had 77 kills in four postseason matches. … He finished with 360 kills, 33 aces, 30 blocks, 165 digs, 19 assists in his career.

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LUKE PEEREBOOM

Delaware Valley

Middle hitter, Senior

Helped Delaware Valley reach the District 2 Class 3A championship match. … He had 168 kills, 26 blocks, 99 service points with 23 aces, and four assists. … He had 25 kills and 12 service points in the District 2 Class 3A postseason. … He finished his career with 205 kills, 42 blocks, 225 service points, 31 aces and five assists.

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SHANE BROWER

Abington Heights

Middle hitter, Senior

Helped Abington Heights to the Lackawanna League championship, the District 2 Class 3A championship and the program’s first win in the PIAA playoffs. … He had 179 kills, 44 aces, 50 blocks, 45 digs, and 17 assists this season. … Had a season-high 20 kills against West Scranton and had 15 kills in PIAA playoff win over Bethlehem Freedom. … He finished with 221, 44 aces, 74 blocks, 62 digs, 22 assists.

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VINNY SILON

Western Wayne

Outside hitter, Senior

Led Western Wayne to the District 2 Class 2A semifinals. … He had 314 kills, 121 service points, 35 aces, 17 blocks, and 147 digs this season. … He had a season-high 29 kills against West Scranton and 30 kills in the postseason. … He finished his career with 605 kills, 305 service points, 97 aces, 39 blocks, and 249 digs.

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RYAN HORUTZ

Abington Heights

Setter, Sophomore

Helped Abington Heights to the Lackawanna League championship, the District 2 Class 3A championship and the program’s first win in the PIAA playoffs. … He had 596 assists, 31 aces, 31 blocks, and 110 digs. … Had a season-high 54 assists in the PIAA playoff win over Freedom. … Finished career with 863 assists, 84 kills, 57 aces, 44 blocks, and 187 digs.

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GINO GUALANDI

Delaware Valley

Outside hitter, Senior

Helped Delaware Valley reach the District 2 Class 3A championship match. … He had 165 kills, four blocks, seven assists, 71 service points and 32 aces. … He had 25 kills and five aces in the District 2 Class 3A postseason. … He finished career with 303 kills, 26 blocks, 22 assists, 162 service points and 58 aces.

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LUKE STEVENS

Valley View

Outside hitter, Junior

Led Valley View to 10 wins and the District 2 Class 2A quarterfinals in the second year for the program. … He had 145 kills to lead the team and added 46 blocks and 44 aces. … He had 10 kills and four blocks against District 2 Class 2A runner-up Crestwood. … Had 10 kills and three blocks against District 2 Class 3A champion Abington Heights.

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THEO BLACK

Western Wayne

Setter, Senior

Led Western Wayne to the District 2 Class 2A semifinals. … He had 584 assists, 128 service points, 14 aces, 12 kills, and 87 digs this season. … He had a season-high 49 assists against West Scranton and had 70 assists in the postseason. … He finished his career with 1,087 assists, 320 service points, 40 aces, 19 kills, and 117 digs.

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JOHN PYATT

Western Wayne

Middle hitter, Senior

Led Western Wayne to the District 2 Class 2A semifinals. … He had 224 kills digs, 162 service points, 40 aces, 51 blocks, and 84 digs this season. … He had a season-high 17 kills in wins over West Scranton and Nanticoke Area. … He had 33 kills, 20 service points, five aces, five blocks and 19 digs in two postseason matches.

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JAMIE SPANGLER

Abington Heights

Guided the Comets to an undefeated season in the Lackawanna League, the program’s second District 2 Class 3A championship and its first PIAA victory in history. … Has a career record of 183-30 in 13 seasons. … Fourth Coach of the Year award.

The sites may change and the events may be different, but one thing remains the same — the Herbst sisters win.

Competing in the Nike National Championships under-20 division in Eugene, Ore., Makenna and Morgan Herbst of Carlsbad High School again proved unbeatable.

Morgan Herbst jumped up to the international distance of 400-meter hurdles and after taking the United States lead with a time of 55.89 seconds in the prelims and then improved to 55.78 while easily capturing the event over Jasmine Robinson of Georgia, who ran 57.49.

Twin sister Makenna even had an easier time, running away with the 800-meter U-20 title with a time of 2:02.48 — second only to her state-championship and section-record time of 2:02.28. She won her race by just under 5 seconds.

Makenna and Morgan Herbst graduated from Carlsbad earlier this month. Both are headed to the University of Arkansas. The twins will have an opportunity to qualify for the United States national team in 2026; the World U-20 Championships are held in even-numbered years.

The sister-brother team of Anisa Bowen-Fontenot and Jasir Fontenot also fared well over the weekend.

Bowen-Fontenot came within .004 seconds of winning the 100-meter hurdles as she and Joslyn Hamilton, who just finished her freshman season at the University of South Carolina, had to go to 1,000ths of a second after both ran 13.36 seconds into a 0.7 meters-per-second wind.

The San Diego High School graduate who is headed to a different USC — the University of Southern California — was the leading qualifier out of the prelims at 13.40.

Her brother Jasir, who is expected to move from San Diego High to Mater Dei Catholic in the fall — his father, Bazz, has been named the school’s boys basketball coach — placed fourth in a blanket finish in the 110-meter hurdles.

He clocked a time of 13.37 seconds in the prelims and came back to run a 13.39 in the finals.

Texas’ Ja’Shaun Lloyd won in 13.31, Virginia’s Joshua-Kai Smith was second in 13.32 and New Jersey’s Jamir Brown was third in 13.35. At 15, Fontenot was youngest in the field by an average of three years.

Elsewhere, Eastlake senior-to-be Jaelyn Williams placed second in the U-20 1,500 at 4:22.32 before coming back to finish fourth in the 3,000 at 9:36.11; 2024 La Jolla High graduate and current Michigan quarter-miler Payton Smith placed fourth in the 400 at 53.17 and Oceanside junior Jayden Gibbs had a big improvement in the shot with a PR of 54 feet, 3¾ inches to place fifth.

More than 3,000 miles way in Philadelphia, La Jolla senior-to-be Chiara Dailey was seventh in the mile run at Franklin Field, clocking a 4:41.53 in the New Balance Nationals. Two weeks earlier, in the HOKA Festival of Miles in St. Louis, she ran 4:39.14 for the mile while being clocked at a 4:37.08 for 1,600 meters.

Since the 4:37.08 was run after the state meet, it can’t count for record purposes. Still, Dailey’s time is the fastest-ever 1,600 among section girls athletes. Her official section record is 4:40.28 run at Arcadia.

Originally Published: June 22, 2025 at 2:07 PM PDT

Audio By Carbonatix

Quincy Wilson won yet another national title at the New Balance Nationals. The 17-year-old track and field phenom silenced all of his haters with his sixth-straight crown, indoors or outdoors, in the 400-meter event.

He won the race by (almost) one full second after being fueled by unruly hecklers while in the blocks.

Wilson, who competed in track and field for the United States at the Olympics last summer, is going to be the United States’ next big star— if he isn’t already there. The rising senior owns just about every U18 record in the 400 and has not lost at New Balance Nationals during his high school career.

His latest win might be his most impressive. The second place finisher ran 46.33 and still lost. Wilson went 45.37 even though he slowed at the line! He would’ve won by more than a second if he kept pace.

Hayes, 61, of Hideout, died Sept. 25, 2024, after a late-night road rage altercation near the Ross Creek day use area ended in a gunshot.

Nine months later, dozens of people filled the beach just a mile from where Hayes died to remember a man they described as loving, kind and the life of any party.

His fiancée, Sue Ann Kern, said Hayes easily made friends.

“He was always gregarious, he was funny, he was always joking with people,” she said. “He gave the best hugs.”

His younger brother, Andy Hayes, said he was confident and always laughing.

Another brother, Matt Hayes, said he had a “huge heart.”

“He’d do anything for you,” he said.

And Michael Hayes said simply, “I love my brother.”

Hayes’ fiancée and brothers were among the many relatives and friends who traveled from near and far for the celebration of life June 21, where they shared photos and stories beside the water.

Kern said the shoreline was the perfect place to honor Hayes, a lifelong swimmer and avid water polo player.

“This is exactly what he would have wanted: by the water, in the sunshine, all of his friends,” she said.

She wore his favorite T-shirt, emblazoned with the name of his water polo team. And, like many of those in the crowd, she sported a pale blue hat embroidered with the words “I’ll be there for you.” Kern said a friend suggested everyone wear the hat in solidarity.

“It’s just a great way to show how all these friends have been so supportive and loving – it’s amazing,” she said.

Hayes’ siblings, Michael, Matt and Andy, got choked up as they remembered their brother. All three described a childhood in southern California spent constantly in the water. Later, when several of the siblings got swimming scholarships to the University of Utah, they fell in love with the mountains.

Michael Hayes, the oldest, said he was grateful for the way his relationship with his brother evolved as they grew into adults. He said they became close over long conversations about family, politics and parenting.

“That’s really what I remember about Pat – that relationship that we had, that was built over time and just being a really good friend and companion when we were together,” he said.

For Hayes’ loved ones, learning about his death was traumatic, and the months since have not brought closure. At Saturday’s celebration of life, his brothers said it’s been difficult to accept how the shooting has been handled by law enforcement.

Matt Hayes said the Wasatch County Attorney’s Office decision not to charge the shooter with his brother’s death still makes him angry.

“It’s actually moved from sorrow to frustration and anger that is now happening,” he said. “I’m sad that he’s gone, but now it’s, boy, something’s got to happen.”

Wasatch County sheriff’s deputies identified and arrested Greg Kyle DeBoer three months after the shooting. He told investigators he shot Hayes, drove away and buried the gun in the backyard of his Browns Canyon home. He was charged with a single count of obstruction of justice.

Detectives testified about the weapon at a preliminary hearing earlier this month. DeBoer hasn’t entered a plea, and a judge has yet to determine whether the case will head to trial.

In February, Hayes’ son, Christian Hayes, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against DeBoer. The suit said DeBoer should be held responsible for Patrick Hayes’ death.

Both cases continue to make their way through court.