Rogers and Eden Prairie advanced to the inaugural boys volleyball state championship game on Wednesday night after winning in the semifinals. KSTP Sports was there.

***Click the video box above to watch highlights from the 2025 Boys Volleyball State Semifinals on June 11***

In the first semifinal, Rogers, the tournament’s 3-seed, took on 2-seed Eastview. Eastview won a tight opening set, but Rogers rallied in the next three, winning the match 3-1. Rogers won its three sets 25-22, 25-23 and 25-19.

Similarly for top-seeded Eden Prairie, it dropped the first set to 4-seed Spring Lake Park but strung together three-straight set wins to claim the match. Eden Prairie won its three sets 25-13, 25-16 and 25-15.

The state championship match between Eden Prairie and Rogers is Thursday at 4 p.m. at the University of St. Thomas.

To view the full boys volleyball state tournament bracket, click here.

Netflix has had a slew of successes translating the world of sports into compelling series with emotional storylines. Check out the very best titles across a wide range of professional leagues and competitions below.

This 40-minute documentary is a high-stakes snackable dose of sports drama that picks up in the wake of Lewis Hamilton’s shocking departure from the Mercedes F1 team after twelve years and six world champions, and follows 18-year-old Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s promotion to the most prestigious racing league in the world.

It’s a great supplement to Netflix’s Formula 1: Drive to Survive series which exploded the league’s popularity, and proved that the elite racing community could deliver as much drama as the Real Housewives. An excuse to see Mercedes Team Principal and F1 zaddy Toto Wolff in his crisp white button down is reason enough to queue this title up.

The riveting story of one woman’s journey to overcome gender stereotypes in rural Nepal and follow her dreams of becoming a professional mountaineer, achieving historic success summiting Mount Everest ten times, the current record for female climbers.

Spanning Sherpa’s life from childhood to motherhood, an abusive marriage, and her immigration to the United States, we see her perseverance and determination impact her life on and off the mountain. Thoughtful attention is paid to her Nepalese roots and the Sherpa culture, and her effort to impart both to two daughters as they grow up in Connecticut.

Following the massive success of Formula 1: Drive To Survive, Netflix took a stab at humanizing the world of professional golf. By following major names like Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, Scottie Scheffler and others on and off the course, the series was able to generate compelling suspenseful storylines around a sport without the fights, fouls, or impact of the NHL, NBA, or NFL.

The series explores player friendships and rivalries, the expanding diversity of the league, and the growing tension between the PGA-Tour and Saudi-funded LIV Golf league to provide a modern, nuanced, and evocative view on one of the world’s oldest modern sports.

A household name that simultaneous represents an international soccer career, a high-profile marriage, fashion icons, and pop culture sensations, this documentary literally has something for everyone familiar with the family whether you’re a sports fan or not.

The journey through Beckham’s career from childhood to present day was especially riveting for an American viewer like me who grew up in during his rise to fame and didn’t have previous knowledge of highs and lows, wins and losses. The game clips and interviews with Victoria Beckham and Sir Alex Ferguson felt like experiencing 30 years of sports and pop culture suspense at once.

The Drive To Survive team strikes once again with another behind the scenes series, this time focused on the world of international tennis. Featuring participation from ATP and WTA pros like Nick Kyrgios, Frances Tiafoe, Alexander Zverev, Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Świątek, and Coco Gauff, the series not only exhibited balanced coverage of men’s and women’s sports, but the physical and mental tolls of training.

Like it’s sister F1 and PGA series, Break Point focuses on the interpersonal relationships between pros, career highs and lows, as well as the immense pressure fame and media attention bring to competing at such an elite level.

The epic 10-part series covering the Chicago Bull’s 1997-98 NBA season as they pursued their sixth championship during Michael Jordan’s final season with the team, brought together over 500 hours of unseen footage, along with in-depth interviews with players, coaches, and other commentators.

The film also covers Jordan’s journey to super-stardom, along with his first retirement after his father’s murder, and pivot to pursue a career in baseball. As with the Beckham documentary, it provided an incredible opportunity for younger sports fans to relive the magic of not just an epic career, but an entire era of basketball.

WASHINGTON – On day two of Washington Commanders minicamp, receiver Noah Brown was carted off the field at the end of practice.

According to FOX 5’s Chad Ricardo, Brown had an on-field collision with Commanders safety Will Harris during practice. 

When Brown entered the locker room he was in either clear frustration or pain as he let out a “loud yell,” Ricardo said.

There is no update on the exact status of Brown’s injury.

Commanders minicamp highlights

Local perspective:

Over 100 high school coaches were in attendance at Commanders minicamp on Wednesday. Commanders Head Coach Dan Quinn spoke about the importance of welcoming those coaches to learn about a National Football League practice. 

“I want them to know what they’re doing really matters,” Quinn said. “If we can help them establish our professional practices in their schools and communities, I think it just helps grow everything.”

Representation of schools across the local area were present for that growth. High school coaches from Prince George’s County, Fairfax County, Washington D.C. and more, were in attendance. Those who came out had the opportunity to appreciate the atmosphere, learn the drills and receive advice from the Commanders coaching staff.

Head Coach Mike Hunter of Friendship Collegiate Academy in Washington D.C. was impressed with the team’s professionalism and attention to detail.

“Just how they conduct themselves at practice, they’re all focused and locked in, running from drill to drill,” Hunter said. “Those are the things we implement with our guys. If the pros are doing it, we should be doing it at the high school level.”

A scouting report on NBA draft prospect VJ Edgecombe: 

• Position: Guard 
• Height: 6-foot-4 (without shoes) 
• Weight: 193 pounds 
• College: Baylor 

Strengths 

Edgecombe has the sort of athleticism that makes you stop whatever you were doing and watch replays in amazement. 

While he’s still learning how to harness it all, he’s currently got a nice feel for how to both shine in obvious ways (rapid bursts to the rim, highlight slams) and subtle ways (snagging rebounds in a pack, recovering after falling a step behind defensively). The 19-year-old had a productive all-around freshman season at Baylor, posting 15.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.1 steals and 0.6 blocks per game. 

Edgecombe enjoys and takes pride in his defense. He doesn’t have the size of a guard-everyone stopper or the wingspan (6-foot-7.5) of a player destined to rack up steals and blocks, but his effort and explosiveness are great foundational traits. 

“I feel like I’m an elite defender, but I also have a ways to go,” Edgecombe told reporters at the NBA draft combine. “I’m just willing to play defense with all my heart. I know if there’s anything I can do on the floor to impact the game, it’s guarding. That’s something I’m ready to do for sure.” 

Edgecombe was a good college rebounder, ranking in the Big 12’s top 20 in rebounds per game. Rebounding is not one of his core tools, but it might lead Edgecombe’s NBA team to be a bit more comfortable using guard-heavy lineups. 

Last summer, Edgecombe played with the Bahamas in the FIBA Olympic qualifying tournament and showed his game already could be quite impactful against grown men. With NBA veteran teammates Deandre Ayton, Buddy Hield and Eric Gordon, he was one of his country’s key players. Edgecombe averaged 16.5 points on 57.1/38.5/81.3 shooting splits, 5.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists. 

Weaknesses 

Edgecombe’s far from a polished ball handler and isolation scorer. He doesn’t have the tight, advanced handle to suggest he’s on the verge of consistently, efficiently creating his own shots in the NBA.

He also won’t enter the league as a crafty, comfortable finisher in traffic. When faced with resistance inside, he sometimes seemed to lack a real counter, flinging the ball toward the rim or trying to power through bigger bodies. 

Edgecombe’s shot is not a strength at the moment. The numbers weren’t bad in college; 34 percent from three-point range on 4.6 attempts per game, 78.2 percent at the foul line. That said, Edgecombe has a rather narrow base on his jumper, isn’t smooth off the dribble and generally doesn’t look the part of a pure shooter.

No apparent need for deep concern there, especially given Edgecombe’s willingness to let it fly, but shooting improvement would certainly enhance his odds of becoming an NBA star. 

Fit 

Notably, Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey’s general philosophy is to take the best player available.

If the Sixers drafted Edgecombe with the third overall pick, he’d add to the team’s list of guards 6-foot-4 and under, which includes Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain. Morey has said he intends to bring back restricted free agent Quentin Grimes, too. 

The idea of Edgecombe as a Sixer would sound better if he proves capable of defending wings well at times and grows as a shooter. His size alone doesn’t appear like it should be a disqualifying factor.

AI-assisted summary
• Coach Smith announced his departure from Bozeman High School softball after 11 seasons, citing administrative decisions.
• During his tenure, the team achieved academic success with a 100% pass rate on state assessments and four players earning 4.0 GPAs this year.
• The 2024 season saw the Bucks break team and individual records, culminating in their first-ever playoff win.
• Smith and his wife, Amber, have accepted positions at Arnold High School, where they will join the softball coaching staff.

The firing of Deane Bozeman School head softball coach Jared Smith stunned the community, but now the longtime coach has released a statement on the firing.

Smith, who coached the Bucks for 11 seasons, culminating in 118 wins and four playoff appearances, expressed gratitude toward players, parents and colleagues in a message that also touched on the team’s academic and athletic achievements.

“I would like to start by acknowledging and thanking everyone who has publicly and privately expressed support and encouragement for Amber and me,” Smith said. “More specifically, I would like to thank each and every player who has played for me during my time at Bozeman and to each of their parents for trusting me to guide their children during their high school softball careers.”

During Smith’s leadership, Bozeman softball not only improved on the field but excelled in the classroom. The program earned the highest team GPA in Bay County four times over the last seven years, and this season, all players passed state assessments.“This year, our players in high school had a 100% pass rate on every State EOC/PM assessment. We had four high school players finish this school year with a 4.0 or higher GPA,” Smith said. “The players over the years deserve all of the recognition and credit.”Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

On the field, Smith described the 2024 season as “re-energizing,” with the team breaking four program records and six individual records. The Bucks reached the regional playoffs after a historic win—the program’s first-ever postseason victory.

“In their mind these girls weren’t doing anything special, but man, was this group special,” Smith said. “They earned a spot in the District Championship game and brought back the first playoff win in Bozeman Softball history.”

Reflecting on the season’s final game—a narrow loss to the No. 2-ranked team in the state—Smith recalled the team’s resilience and refusal to quit.

“I reminded them to ‘be present’ and to give me ‘more than enough,’” he said. “The players in that dugout at that moment may have been the only people alive who believed we had a chance. But they bought in and locked in… I have never been more proud of a team.”

Smith and his wife, Amber, have accepted teaching positions at Arnold High School and will join the softball staff under head coach Rick Green.

“We are incredibly excited to join their school and softball program,” he said. “This opportunity is an exciting one, both professionally and personally, as we both look to grow as educators and coaches.”

Smith concluded his statement with a message to his players,past, present and future.

“Be present in all that you do and if you are going to do something, always ‘do more than enough.’”

The full statement can be read below.

I would like to start by acknowledging and thanking everyone who has publicly and privately expressed support and encouragement for Amber and me. More specifically, I would like to thank each and every player who has played for me during my time at Bozeman and to each of their parents for trusting me to guide their children during their high school softball careers. I would also like to thank the administration, coaches, and teachers I have worked with side-by-side over my 18 years at Bozeman. And as I tell anyone who asks, I have been blessed to have the greatest booster club year in and year out. It is more than fair to say that the hard work and support of the parents (past and present) who have made up the Bozeman Softball Boosters have had a huge impact on every success that this program has experienced. 

During my time as the head coach of the Bozeman Softball program, there have been highs and lows, learning moments, and memories made that will last a lifetime. The positives outweigh the negatives 100 times over. 

From the beginning, I strived to set a standard of high expectations for my players, starting in the classroom and then continuing to hold that standard on the field of competition. In the last 7 years, these Bozeman Softball teams have earned the highest GPA in Bay County four times. Just this year, our players in high school had a 100% pass rate on every State EOC/PM assessment. We had 4 high school players finish this school year with a 4.0 or higher GPA. The players over the years deserve all of the recognition and credit for taking their role as a student seriously and meeting or surpassing every expectation that was set for them. 

Carrying this standard of excellence to the field has been the second phase of my vision for the program I was leading. In my 11 years as head coach at Bozeman, we won 118 games. There were 17 individual players who signed to play at the collegiate level. In the last 8 years, we have made the playoffs 4 times. In 2018, we won the Bay County Tournament title. We were seeing the fruits of the standards I was striving to set come to fruition right in front of our eyes. This current season was validating, in many ways, that we were on the right track. The way this current group of girls competed was exciting and re-energizing. I don’t think these girls even realized everything they were accomplishing, because they were simply performing the way we worked to prepare them every day at practice. In their mind, they weren’t doing anything special. But, man, was this group special! As a team, these girls broke 4 team records, 6 individual records, and took care of their academics (see above). 

Over the course of this season, in response to some adversity, I adopted a message to our players that, in a way, became a rallying cry. I encouraged them to “Be present” and to “Do more than enough.” Their response was incredible. They earned a spot in the District Championship game (in our first season after moving up into a larger classification). Then they earned the 4-seed in the Regional playoffs, but still had to travel to the 5-seed due to that team winning their district championship. No big deal…they went into that environment (for most of them, this was their first taste of playoff softball) and brought back the first playoff win in Bozeman Softball history. With this win, they earned a rematch from our District Championship game, against the team that finished #2 in the State (a truly great and talented team). In that game, we jumped out early, then fell behind in a BIG way. I called them together in the dugout and reminded them to “be present” and to give me “more than enough.” The players in that dugout at that moment may have been the only people alive who believed we had a chance. But they bought in and locked in and fought back from a huge deficit to end up tying the ballgame. In the end, we didn’t quite have enough to topple our talented opponents. I, however, have never been more proud of a team than I was at the conclusion of that game. 

As it turns out, that game was my last game as the leader of the Bozeman Softball program. If you are waiting for me to air out grievances here, then I am going to have to leave you waiting. I am not going to publicly argue or refute any claims. I know, without a doubt, we did things the right way, every time. Whether I understand or agree with why decisions are made, the administration at Bozeman is tasked with making tough decisions daily and this was their decision. If you must know “why?” all I can do is point you to the statement that was released. I will forever be grateful for the opportunities I have had at Bozeman and every moment will be regarded fondly. 

As Amber and I are now moving on to a new adventure, we are ready to announce that we have both accepted teaching positions at Arnold High School and are incredibly excited to join their school and softball program. I would like to thank Principal Smith for welcoming Amber and me into his school and athletics program. His support has already been a huge encouragement to us. I am looking forward to learning from their legendary head coach, Rick Green, and immersing myself into their winning culture. This opportunity is an exciting one, both professionally and personally, as we both look to grow as educators and coaches. 

Banji Bamidele is a sports reporter for the Panama City News Herald. He can be reached at abamidele@gannett.com or through X, formerly known as Twitter, @AdebanjiBamide1.

NORTHEAST

Sophia Diaz, Bayport-Blue Point (N.Y.)

In a showdown of two nationally-ranked teams featuring a bevy of Division I commits, it was an uncommitted senior who made the difference for Bayport-Blue Point. Diaz, a first-year starter in goal, was rock-solid for the Phantoms in a 15-9 win over previously undefeated Nyack (N.Y.) in a NYS Class C regional final on Saturday. Diaz made 10 saves, including two at the end of the first half — one on an 8-meter attempt — to prevent the RedHawks from tying the score as Bayport-Blue Point overcame a slow start to reach the final four.

Also notable: Kaitlin Bogucki, Columbia (N.Y.); Michaela Fay, Suffern (N.Y.); Arcangela Haffner, Garden City (N.Y.); Gabby Lauretani, Ridgefield (Conn.); Maia Pronti, Victor (N.Y.); Elizabeth Smith, Cicero-North Syracuse (N.Y.)

— Dylan Butler 

MID-ATLANTIC

Annie Dignazio, Strath Haven (Pa.)

Dignazio has helped carry Strath Haven to a historic season. The senior midfielder had five goals and four assists, as Strath Haven roared to life for an 18-4 win over District 12 runner-up Archbishop Wood in the 2A state tournament opener. She followed that up with a hat trick, three assists, four draw controls, four caused turnovers and seven ground balls in a 17-9 quarterfinal win over Crestwood (Pa.). 

Dignazio scored her 200th career goal the week before, as Strath Haven won its first district championship ever. Dignazio, whose younger sister Tessa is a freshman on the team, is committed to Brown.

Also notable: Katie Adams, Ridgewood (N.J.); Bianca Antonacci, Conestoga (Pa.); Riley Austin, Haddonfield (N.J.); Devon Bush, Pleasant Valley (Pa.); Ashlyn Carpenter, Chatham (N.J.); Lyla Clark, Cherokee (N.J.); Stella D’Ambro, Bishop Shanahan (Pa.); Molly Davies, Summit (N.J.); Morgan Davis, Abington Heights (Pa.); Chiara Donohue, Trinity Hall (N.J.); Kate Fox, Strath Haven (Pa.); Adyson Griffin, Southern (N.J.); Maddie Kane, Springfield-Delco (Pa.); Ellie Kaplan, Twin Valley (Pa.); Mae Murphy, Moorestown (N.J.); Liv Parmer, Manheim Township (Pa.); Chloe Stevens, Manasquan (N.J.); Moira Sweeney, Sparta (N.J.); Sophia Tray, Villa Maria Academy (Pa.); Marleigh White, Allentown (N.J.); Tatum Woods, Cherry Hill West (N.J.)

— Justin Feil 

MIDWEST

Corinna Hilmas, Olentangy Liberty (Ohio)

It doesn’t get much better than scoring the game-winner in double overtime of the state championship game. Not that anyone was surprised when Corinna Hilmas provided the game-winner against Upper Arlington. Hilmas is Liberty’s all-time leading scorer, after all, with 261 goals, including 111 this season, despite playing her freshman season with the Golden Bears. Hilmas tallied a whopping 19 goals in the Patriots’ five postseason games; had a game-high five draw controls in the state title game; and was not just an explosive scorer but a remarkably efficient one all season.

Also notable: Madi Brinkman, Park of Cottage Grove (Minn.); Mia Darr, University School of Milwaukee (Wisc.); Abby Grove, Prior Lake (Minn.); Campbell Heald, St. Francis DeSales (Ohio); Laine Lewis, Hudson (Ohio); Emerson Mattox, Prior Lake (Minn.); Emily Morgan, Hathaway Brown (Ohio); Ella Parker-Briones, Hinsdale Central (Ill.); Madeline Pohmer, Olentangy Liberty (Ohio); Berkeley Thomas, Upper Arlington (Ohio)

— Jonah Rosenblum