CHICO, Calif. – The Chico Unified School District has cleared a Chico High School volleyball coach of all misconduct allegations.

Head coach Chas Konopka will remain in his position as the volleyball coach.

In March, Action News Now reported that student team members filed a formal complaint against Konopka. They described his coaching style as mean, rude, and out of line.

Athletic Director Jason Alvistur said the district investigated the claims thoroughly and found no misconduct.

The district confirmed with Action News Now that Konopka will continue as the head coach, maintaining his role with the team.

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Over 100 athletes from 22 nations leapt from the Gloria Sports Arena platform and springboards, during seven days of competition as 11 of the 13 defending champions from Belgrade 2024 returned for the latest instalment of the continental championships.

Oleksii Sereda, who became the youngest-ever European champion diver at the age of 13 back in 2019, was undoubtedly the standout star in Antalya, adding to his already impressive list of honours with the three further titles.

His nation, Ukraine, topped the medal standings with five golds, but it was Germany who won the ‘team of the tournament’ trophy, after attaining 12 podium finishes.

For their athletes, like many of the elite divers in the field though, the event served as key marker ahead of this year’s World Aquatics Championships.

Here World Aquatics takes a look at some of the standout results at the European Diving Championships and assesses what it might mean for Singapore 2025, across July and August.

The now 19-year-old began his campaign with a strong Mixed Team victory alongside Kseniia Bailo, Kirill Boliukh and Sofiia Lyskun, in what served as a strong warm-up for his main disciplines, the synchronised 10m and individual 10m platform contests.

Although a strong favourite in the men’s traditional blue-ribbon event the teenager has struggled with sporadic back injuries in recent seasons and in a sport like diving, with margins so acutely fine, there was no guaranteed he would return to the European summit.

While he will face stronger challenges at the Worlds – via athletes most likely hailing from China, Japan, Mexico and Australia – Sereda was supreme against his continental opponents.

In the post-Tom Daley era Sereda is arguably now the most recognisable name in Europe and despite the war in his homeland understandably impacting his preparations for this event, as well as last year’s Olympics, he was peerless.

His victory alongside 15-year-old Mark Hrytsenko was particularly impressive given they are a new pair and something of an unknown quantity at this level.

“I’m very happy with my results and three gold medals shows I am on the right track,” Sereda told World Aquatics.

“For me this is just another step towards a big goal, so I have to keep moving forwards with more confidence at the World Championships.” 

Moritz Wesemann attained breakthrough successes in 2023 with individual 3m titles at both the European Games and European Championships, the former of which secured Germany a place in the discipline for Paris 2024.

While the Olympian had to settle for bronze in his favoured event in Antalya, with silver in the Mixed Team discipline, but he would land both the 1m and synchronised 3m titles, for the first time in his career, the latter alongside Timo Barthel.

“The first time I competed at the European Championships (in 2022) I was fourth and to now be winning gold is very, very encouraging,” he said.

Also heading back to her homeland with four European honours was Wesemann’s countrywoman Lena Hentschel.

As Olympic disciplines, successes in the synchronised 3m – silver alongside Jette Muller – and individual 3m bronze, will understandably gain the most attention, but her dramatic victory with teenage debutant Luis Avila was also highly celebrated.

The pair impressively overalled multiple World medal-winning duo Chiara Pellacani and Matteo Santoro in the final round, much to the delight of the strong German support on site.

“I’m so proud to be part of this amazing team and finishing the European Championships with four medals feels incredible,” said Hentschel, who was also part of Germany’s silver medal-winning Mixed Team line-up on the opening day of competition.

Another German diver worthy of strong acknowledgment is Ole Johannes Rosler, with the 17-year-old World junior medallist claiming three maiden senior honours – silver in the 10m platform, synchronised 10m and Mixed Team events.

Italian Sarah Jodoin di Maria is no stranger to success, having previously claimed six European medals since her first in 2021, but for the first time in her career the 25-year-old attained a maiden individual title, with an impressive 10m victory.

The Canada-born diver finished ahead of surprise medal-winners Pauline Alexandra Pfeif of Germany and Else Praasterink, who created a rare moment of Dutch delight in the sport, with bronze.

Jodoin would complete the set of medals with silver in the Mixed Synchronised 10m event and bronze in the Mixed Team discipline.

Team-mate Chiara Pellacani was also part of that latter line-up and had entered the 2025 Europeans with an impressive haul of 20 continental honours already to her name.

She would further expand her collection by adding 1m gold to her synchronised and team successes in Antalya.

“I’m just very happy because I was missing this gold medal – it’s my first one in the 1m,” the Italian said after the final.

The USA-based diver would suffer two fourth-place finishes though, alongside new partner Elisa Pizzini in the synchronised 3m event as well as the individual 3m discipline, which was won my Michelle Heimberg of Switzerland.

While Heimberh would top the women’s 3m podium, Aleksandra Bibikina of Armenia made history in that event, placing second and recording her nation’s best-ever European Diving Championships result.

Andrzej Rzeszutek of Poland continued to show that age does not have to be a barrier to elite performance with the 33 -year-old adding to the 1m title he claimed in 2024, with his nation’s first-ever men’s European 3m title.

It was a final which also saw Britain’s Noah Penman secure a shock silver in what was a high-class line-up featuring serial medal-winners Timo Barthel, Giovanni Tocci and Kirill Boliukh.

At the other end of the age range, Ukrainian teenagers Kseniia Bochek (16) and Diana Karnafel (18) marked their international debut with gold in the women’s synchronised 3m springboard final.

12 months after Anton Knoll helped secure Austria a first European diving medal for eight years, with gold alongside Dariush Lotfi in the synchronised 10m platform event, he achieved another landmark with individual 10m bronze.

For a full run-down of the results at the 2025 European Aquatics Championships, CLICK HERE.

Marcelo Gomes, a Massachusetts high school student who was suddenly detained on his way to volleyball practice over the weekend, was still being held by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Monday.

Gomes, an 18-year-old junior at Milford High School, was one of four volleyball players on their way to practice Saturday morning when three unmarked vehicles pulled up behind them. One of the students in the car told WBZ-TV that’s when an ICE agent knocked on the window.

“They asked him what his documentation was,” said the student, who did not want to be identified because he is also undocumented. The agent questioned everyone in the car and Gomes was taken into custody, separating him from his friends and family. The student who spoke to WBZ said he was not detained because he is underage.

“He’s been here 13 years”

“He’s been here for 13 years. This is all he knows. Milford and Massachusetts is all he knows,” said Gomes’s cousin Ana Julia Araujo.

“It’s kind of heart-breaking. Marcelo is such a kind person and he’s the last person that this should be happening to, I guess. His siblings are so young and they’re asking questions like, whether they’re ever going to see him again,” Araujo said.

She said he was supposed to play the drums at Milford High School’s graduation Sunday. Instead, the community held a rally for him at town hall. That brought Araujo hope.

“It makes me really happy, because I don’t think the community would come together like this for any other person. It shows how special he is,” she said.

Held at ICE detention center in Burlington

Araujo said Gomes was able to call his parents and that he’s currently being held at an ICE detention center in Burlington.

There has been no comment from ICE about the Gomes case. U.S. Attorney Leah Foley will have a news conference with the agency Monday at 11:30 a.m. in Boston to discuss the immigration enforcement surge in Massachusetts.

Milford Police Chief Robert Dusino said his department didn’t learn about Gomes’s detention until after it happened.

“We want an open dialogue with the federal government about who’s getting detained, why they’re getting detained. We don’t want people just coming into town and being detained or arrested solely because they’re here illegally,” he told reporters.

“He was targeted”

“Marcelo was a good kid. He was excited for his future. He did absolutely nothing wrong. He was innocently going to a practice and he was targeted,” said Gomes’s girlfriend, Julianys Rentas, who graduated from Milford High School on Sunday.

She said many students are living in fear of ICE.

“There’s no patterns, so no one knows who’s next,” Rentas said.

Cherie Peterson, who taught English to Gomes, said students “deserve to feel safe.”

“I can’t image how scared he is. He doesn’t know how to navigate this system. I wouldn’t know how to navigate this system,” she said.

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey said she wants ICE to provide “immediate information about why he was arrested, where he is and how his due process is being protected.” 

First team

As senior year comes to a close, members of the Class of 2025 are reflecting on what they’ve learned—both inside and outside the classroom. From time management tips to lessons in friendship and confidence, their advice offers a glimpse into the highs and lows that defined their high school experiences.

Linda Gabele: Be Open and Reach Out

“Be open to meeting new people and try to connect with them as well,” Gabele said.

Gabele also encourages students to step outside their comfort zones. “Stay locked in and make friends with people you normally wouldn’t be with,” she said. “It’s easy to stick with familiar faces, but some of the most meaningful friendships come from unexpected places.”

Casey Watkins: Try, Connect, and Slow Down

For Watkins, high school has been centered around connection, effort, and reflection. One of his most meaningful experiences has come from being on a team. “Being part of a sports community like water polo is a sense of brotherhood, and it’s so awesome,” he said.

He also encourages others to take initiative socially. “You should never be shy. You can’t go out and make friends without trying,” Watkins added. “Definitely try to make the best out of every difficult situation, and don’t forget to slow down and enjoy the time.”

Kasra Motamedi: It’s Okay, Just Keep Going

Senior Kasra Motamedi has learned a lot—sometimes the hard way. “Talk to your teachers when something is wrong. Teachers want you to succeed and they don’t want you to fail,” he said.

Motamedi also regrets waiting too long to finish assignments. “I wish I didn’t procrastinate as much,” he said. “I wouldn’t have had so much stress and I’d be able to have more fun.”

For Motamedi, keeping perspective is key. “It will be alright in the end—what college you go to, your friends, and everything else,” he said.

Don’t care too much about what people think. I used to think too much about what others thought, and it would ruin my mood. I’d even change how I act in front of others,” Motamedi shared.

Juliana Gamez-Diaz: Don’t Hold Back, and Study Hard

To Gamez-Diaz, social advice is just as important as academic tips. “Don’t be scared to talk to new people and  to do things that are embarrassing,” she said. “If you’re too scared to be embarrassed, you can hold back on a lot of things.”

When it comes to academics—especially in a big school—her biggest takeaway is the value of focused studying. “Focusing a lot on doing deep studying is better because multi-tasking is just a waste of time,” she explained.  “If you’re so distracted, it takes like hours to do things, but like, if you’re in deep focus, you can get it done in, like a small amount of time. Short forms of content and, like, TikTok, it’s like, it’s like your attention span decreases.”

Lainey Egnal: Stay Organized

If there’s anyone who figured out how to manage senior year wisely, its Lainey Egnal. As a Dance Team captain juggling college applications and a social life, Egnal found that planning ahead made all the difference. “Do as much as you can as a junior and the summer before senior year,” she said.

“You have UCPIQS (personal insight questions) and the Common App questions summer before senior year. If you get those done, by the time you get to first semester senior year, all you have left is supplementals,” she explained. “It will make your life ten times easier.”

“Don’t stress too much about doing something all the time, usually you are doing exactly what you need to be doing,” Egnal concluded.

Phoebe Matin: Live while you can

Matin encourages underclassman not to waste their time worrying about the wrong things. “Don’t care what other people think,” she said. “Do what you can to have a good time and live—these years go by so quickly.”

Her favorite memories were not made in the classroom, but rather outside with friends. “Go out on the Green and play spikeball with your friends,” she said. “The small, joyful moments stick the most.”

Alessandro Delfin Novoa: Work Hard and Enjoy

Alessandro Delfin Novoa has one big tip for balancing academics and fun: plan ahead. “Take all of your hard classes your junior year,” he said. “Taking hard classes junior year means you can enjoy your senior year.”

For Novoa, authenticity remains crucial in high school. “Just stay true to yourself. High school goes by a lot faster than you think, and I feel like every moment you have to make the most of it,” he said.

His biggest piece of advice? Embrace failure. “Don’t be afraid to fail. I feel like part of my high school journey was definitely shaped by my downs,” he said.