RUTHERFORD COUNTY, TN – Despite one day of bad weather, the 2025 Spring Fling event, which concluded a week ago in Rutherford County, proved to be another successful series of tournaments. Nate Williams, director of the Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation Department, told WGNS that future Spring Fling events could look slightly different, with possible changes on the horizon…

Tournaments like Spring Fling are not the only athletic events being held within our park system…

Sports of all type continue to be popular throughout Murfreesboro, but overall, soccer has proven to be a major draw. Over a 12-month period in 2024, the number of soccer players and spectators that visited the Richard Siegel Soccer Park is nearing the one-million mark…

While final figures from the most recent Spring Fling tournaments are still being calculated, it’s clear that the event generates significant revenue. This is largely due to the influx of high school athletes and their families who visit Rutherford County during the week of games. Additionally, the more events held in the immediate area, the more likely it is that Murfreesboro will be selected to host future tournaments through other leagues.

SOUTH ZANESVILLE, Ohio – Inflation affects many goods and services that fill the needs of the public as well as the specialty items and tasks that keep the first responders on duty. 

South Zanesville Fire Chief Russell Taylor announced their 64th Annual Chicken Dinner Fundraiser that will be taking place at the fire department this Sunday.

“This chicken barbecue helps fund the day-to-day operations here at the fire department but one of our main goals here is this community tradition,” Taylor said. “It’s been going on so long, we see the same people here every year that show their support for the fire department. Plus the Zanesville Boosters cook fantastic chicken. You’ll get a half-a-chicken, you’ll get our homemade coleslaw that we will make tonight and also you’ll get applesauce and a roll. And you can dine in or you can take it with you.”

The South Zanesville Fire Department engages with the community in countless ways, including their support with the local youth athletics and education. Each dinner sold, helps allow the department to give back to the community.

“You can show up that day, food starts at 11 O’clock,” Taylor said. “We have people get here a little earlier, if we’ve got the chicken ready. I want to get it out the door while it’s good and hot. You can stop by the fire station before Sunday and buy tickets or that day we will have tickets available to sell. There will be 1,300 dinners and they’ll go fast. So if you’d like a good hot meal for Sunday, get here early.”

Meals are $10 dollars and Taylor anticipates fair weather with steady conversations and hot meals satisfying everyone in attendance.

Feeney, White were also named male and female athletes of the year

Durango High School quarterback Cully Feeney throws to his receiver while playing Heritage High School on Nov. 16 during the second round of playoffs at DHS. (Jerry McBride/Herald file)

Jerry McBride

On May 12, three of Durango High School’s top student-athletes got the surprise that an athlete works for their entire high school career.

All they were told was to attend an awards ceremony at Durango High School.

Seniors Ryan Dugan, Cully Feeney and Ellie White then found out they were going into the Durango High School Athletic Hall of Fame after fantastic student-athlete careers.

“Ellie and Cully are in a category and then Ryan’s in his unique category,” Durango High School Athletic Director Ryan Knorr said. “Ellie and Cully were a part of some really amazing teams who had some incredible success; they both contributed to those teams’ success from an early age … Dugan is one of the best wrestlers I’ve ever had a chance to watch. He didn’t get the top of the podium, but man, he was close.”

It was a very rigorous process for a student-athlete to be inducted into the hall of fame. Two coaches must nominate a student-athlete. They must be a senior, must have two athletic letters, must have qualified for state in an individual or team sport, must have been selected to an all-state team, must have a 2.6 GPA or above and more.

There’s also a points system for nominees to help the coaches and athletic administrators differentiate the student-athletes. Points are given out based on GPA, how far a student-athlete’s team went at state and individual awards. For example, a first-team all-state student-athlete would get seven points while an honorable mention all-state athlete would get three points. A student-athlete with a GPA above 4.0 would get four points, while a student-athlete with a GPA between 3.0-3.5 would get two points.

Finally, 75% of coaches have to vote for a student-athlete nominee to get into the hall of fame. It’s a very prestigious honor with an average of two student-athletes inducted per year, according to Knorr.

“Even as we’re nominating, we agree, anything that we say in that meeting as we discuss nominees stays at the table,” Knorr said. “There are times where coaches say, ‘This person does not deserve this,’ and it’s very open conversations. It is seen as a pretty huge honor to get in. It’s purely your high school achievements that go into it.”

Feeney starred on the football field for the Demons. As a junior, Feeney was a standout defensive back and finished with 82 total tackles and three interceptions as the Demons went 9-2 overall and 4-0 in the 3A Western Slope.

In 2024, Feeney stepped into the starting quarterback role to replace three-year starter Tyler Harms. The senior lefty finished 10th in 4A in passing yards with 1,753 yards. He had 20 passing touchdowns and eight interceptions as the Demons went 7-4 overall and 4-1 in the 4A Soco 2 League. Feeney also finished with 668 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. He was awarded second-team all-state.

Feeney was also a part of the Durango baseball program. He played in 14 games as a senior and had two hits. Feeney was used a lot as a designated runner and helped the Demons finish 15-10 overall and finish their season in the state playoffs.

He was also named male athlete of the year for Durango High School.

“I’m honored to receive the award,” Feeney said. “There have been a bunch of great athletes who have gone through Durango High School who have gotten that award. To be a part of that list was pretty cool.”

Feeney and the other two Hall of Famers graduated last Friday from Durango High School. His favorite memory from his football career is graduating with all of his football friends that he’s been playing with since second grade. The football family with these seniors has always been so strong, especially since this class has been undersized their whole careers, according to Feeney.

The dual-sport athlete said that younger athletes should realize a career can pan out many ways. Feeney never envisioned himself playing quarterback on Friday nights when he was playing running back growing up. His advice is to never quit a sport you have a role on because that role can change over time.

Dugan was a dominant wrestler for most of his high school career, won over 20 tournaments, had a career record of 181-25 and made it to state multiple times. He finished second in 4A at 126 pounds in his senior year and made second-team all-state.

Ryan Dugan of Durango High School and Connor Martindale of Bayfield High School wrestle in the 120-pound class on Jan. 14 at DHS. (Jerry McBride/Herald file)

Jerry McBride

“I didn’t really expect to get into the Hall of Fame,” Dugan said. “I didn’t know if I had all the requirements and I didn’t even know what the requirements were. But once I found out, it was pretty special. It’s pretty cool to know that my name will be up on the wall for as long as the school’s up.”

Despite not achieving his ultimate goal of winning a state championship, Dugan had plenty of great memories from his high school career. He remembers winning a tournament in Moab during his freshman year fondly and he’s proud of being the state runner-up his senior year. He won big tournaments in his junior year in Arizona and at the Warrior Classic in Grand Junction.

“Stick with it and learn to love the process more than the final destination,” Dugan said. “Losses aren’t detrimental to you as a person. A lot of young kids quit because they lose matches and it’s hard to lose a match when it’s just you out there … I would tell the underclassmen and the kids coming up to just stick with it and put in as much work as you can to be the best that you can.”

Dugan’s work ethic is so great that it turned into a joke for Knorr. He joked that if the school had to shut down, the first person he’d contact is Dugan to let him know he couldn’t access the building because he was in the weight room and on the mat so often.

The star wrestler also played running back on the football team and finished with six touchdowns over three seasons.

White was a great golfer and girls basketball player. She was a part of a state final four team in basketball, her sophomore year, and made it to the state quarterfinals her senior year. White started all 26 games and averaged 6.3 points per game and 5.7 rebounds per game.

Ellie White of Durango High School drives to the basket as the Demons play Montrose High School on March 5 at DHS during the Sweet 16 of the 5A state playoffs. (Jerry McBride/Herald file)

Jerry McBride

Durango’s Ellie White attempts and sinks a four-foot putt on the tenth at the 3A State Preview golf tournament on April 21 at Riverview Golf Course in Kirtland. (Curtis Ray Benally/Special to the Tri-City Record)

Curtis Ray Benally

On the golf course, White was one of the top players in her entire high school career. She won player of the year in the league twice and was a part of two teams that were state runner-up in 4A. White was first-team all-state her senior year and second-team all-state her junior year. She was named female athlete of the year at Durango High School.

“It’s a huge accomplishment,” White said about the Hall of Fame. “I’ve worked really hard as an athlete in both of my sports to be successful and be the best that I can. I was very proud of myself and it showed how much I really worked.”

The Hall of Fame honor was especially a surprise for White because she wasn’t at the awards ceremony at Durango High School. White was traveling back from golf regionals with her mom when she got a surprise FaceTime from Knorr to give her the good news.

White appreciates all the friendships she’s gained from both sports and the coaches she’s worked with. Golf has helped her with her mental state and her confidence. Basketball reinforced that confidence is the key to everything.

Dugan and Feeney will attend Colorado School of Mines in the fall. Dugan will wrestle and Feeney will compete as a preferred walk-on in football. White will attend Fort Lewis College to play golf there.

Full list of awards/scholarships:

Barnes Award: Connor Theine (Boys Basketball)

Courage & Leadership: Sofia Voss (XC/Track), Marcus Cullum (Basketball)

Stan Bell: Lilly Fitzpatrick (Basketball, Soccer), Malakai Baier (Football/Track)

Cheryl Newton/Cheryl Oxsen Award-Top Female Athlete: Ellie White (Basketball, Golf)

Tom Halley/Pat Tabor-Top Male Athlete: Cully Feeney (Football, Baseball)

Hall of Fame: Ellie White, Ryan Dugan and Cully Feeney

Invictus Award: Mya Trujillo, Elijah Ponce

Hillcrest Jr Golf Foundation Scholarship: Ellie White, Owen Muraro

Bryan Merry Golf Scholarship: Ellie White, Owen Muraro

Rodney Ems Memorial Golf Scholarship: Owen Mauraro, Ben Ogden

Bryan Merry Basketball Scholarships: Lilly Fitzpatrick, Tyler Trujillo

Mary Ruth Bowman Swimming Scholarship: Emma Ebner

Walt Anderson Memorial Scholarship: Elijah Oyler

Dan Patterson, Sr. Memorial Award for DHS Coach of the Year: Lauren Moran

Ron Keller Scholarship: Sophia Voss, Malakai Baier

bkelly@durangoherald.com

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For Aaron Graves, 2025 will be remembered as an emerging year for his Riverdale Baptist School’s baseball team.

In his seventh year coaching at the Upper Marlboro, Maryland-based school, Graves has rebuilt its baseball program — once a national power — into a contender. In mid-May, the Crusaders defeated Southern Maryland Christian Academy 5-0 to win the Old Line Conference Championship, the private school’s first varsity title since 2018.

However, to Graves, raising the conference title was only part of the journey.

“In my eyes, we’re averaging four to five championships a season, because that’s how many young men we’re sending to college every year,” Graves told WTOP.

In an era where money is gaining influence in youth sports, Graves uses his personal struggles battling cancer and injuries to encourage his players to put their academic success before their athletic goals.

This year, seven Riverdale Baptist seniors plan to go to college, while five juniors have already received college offers.

“The one thing that we will continue to do is put these young men in position academically first and athletically to move on to college to pursue their dreams,” he said.

‘Man of God first, cancer survivor, and I’m a coach’

At 13 years old, Graves, a Maryland native, was diagnosed with brain cancer and given only a month to live. He had surgery to remove the cancer in 1990, where an issue during the procedure caused his heart to stop.

“I actually flatlined during that surgery,” he said. “So I’ve seen heaven’s gates. I’ve seen the clouds.”

Doctors were able to revive Graves, leaving him with a visible scar on his head. Gates had to relearn how to walk and take, as well as all his motor skills.

However, he was motivated by his desire to return to the baseball field. He played for Gwynn Park High School in Brandywine, where he used his skills to battle for a possible athletic scholarship.

In his senior year, another injury would derail those dreams.

“I had seven scholarship offers, and I also had seven pro teams that wanted me coming out of small Gwynn Park in Prince George’s County,” he said. “I ended up tearing my left quadricep and straining my right quadricep, simply by not stretching right before a legion game.”

After playing college baseball, Graves entered coaching, and said he wanted to make sure that the next set of stars coming up would be more prepared for life after their playing careers were over.

“(I’m) a man of God first, cancer survivor, and I’m a coach,” Gates said.

“We love baseball, we love athletics, but at any point in time, you can sustain an injury, and that’s it,” he added. “What do you have to fall back on?”

Living as a Crusader

In 2019, Riverdale Baptist hired Graves as its first African American head baseball coach in school history. He was previously the junior varsity coach at neighboring Bishop McNamara.

He was taking over a program that went 31-1 in 2018, ranked No. 1 nationally and went 97-5 over a three-season stretch.

Once the previous coaching staff left, so did many of its players, leaving Graves with only enough to field a junior varsity.

It was at that point Graves started the rebuild with an education-first philosophy: Students had to be enrolled in Riverdale Baptist and reach a 3.0 GPA on report cards. Players were giving practice suspensions if grades were low and no “D” grades were allowed. In his first year, Riverdale Baptist won a JV title.

“Having that in place really put an emphasis on the importance of academics and getting our young men to understand that if you don’t have the grades, you’re not going to be successful here, you won’t be successful in life,” Graves said.

Early in the 2025 season, in an away game against Archbishop Curley of Baltimore, the Crusaders pitched a no-hitter in a 4-0 win. That result was the turning point for Riverdale Baptist’s fortunes to become title contenders, Graves said. At one point, the Crusaders were ranked No. 9 among Maryland private schools.

Shortstop Dixon Monk, a Georgetown commit with a 4.75 GPA, said this year’s team is the “closest group of guys” he’s played with.

Players took on the challenge of following Graves’ grade requirements, Monk said, adding that the school’s community helped the team reach their academic goals with additional tutoring and support.

On May 12, all the hard work paid off. After right-handed pitcher Riley Blount threw the final out to win the Old Line Conference title, Monk said it “meant the world” to final win a championship wearing a Riverdale Baptist jersey.

“We’ve always gotten close, but could never finish the job,” Monk said. “So this last time around, at least my last time around, with the guys actually winning. It meant a lot to all of us.”

For Graves, the title was the continuation of his own legacy at Riverdale Baptist. While calling the school’s past baseball successes “awesome,” Graves said his path for the Crusaders can position students to succeed on and off the field.

“If you fit what we do, and you’re academically strong, I am interested in you coming to Riverdale,” he said.

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ST. LANDRY PARISH — The countdown is on—but there’s still time to make a difference in the lives of Opelousas youth.

Hope for Opelousas, a local nonprofit dedicated to empowering children through mentorship, academics, and enrichment programs, has launched a 24-hour fundraiser called “Hope for Adventure.” 

The campaign aims to raise funds for year-round programs that provide students with new experiences, leadership skills, and academic support.

Thanks to a generous $50,000 matching donation from the William C. Schumacher Family Foundation, every dollar donated will be matched up to $50,000, effectively doubling the impact of each contribution.

The organization has been expanding its reach, offering afterschool programs, summer camps, tutoring, mentoring, and leadership development opportunities to more students than ever before.

The fundraiser supports key programs such as Adventure Crew, Kids Across America Camp, and on-campus summer activities—initiatives that help students grow as leaders and dream beyond their circumstances.

“It builds one-on-one relationships with students—real relationships,” said Alyssa Daggs, a former student and current tutor with Hope for Opelousas. “They take us places we’ve never been before and help us dream big and set goals for ourselves.”

“Every dollar you donate supports local kids and makes a real impact,” added Co-founder and Executive director, Loren Carrier. “These programs are critical to the future of our youth.”

The fundraiser runs until midnight tonight. To donate click here

Despite needing immediate upgrades, the Falcons made only modest free-agent additions. And after spending four of five draft picks on defense, they’re in the development game. If new defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich is going to orchestrate a turnaround, it will be because he and his staff proved good teachers.

What a treat for Ulbrich and defensive-minded coach Raheem Morris in his second season. They should view this as a privilege. They’re tasked with overseeing a largely homegrown unit that can help guide the Falcons out of this defensive malaise.

“That’s the biggest part of our game (player development),” Morris said. “Free agents are expensive. You get the chance to go out there and draft guys. You get to watch them go play and be exciting. You watch your own, raised at home. That is truly exciting for us. I’m so excited about the last two (draft) classes and what that can look like, everybody getting their opportunity to play this year.”

In 2024, the Falcons drafted defensive lineman Ruke Orhorhoro (second round), edge rusher Bralen Trice (third round), defensive lineman Brandon Dorlus (fourth round) and linebacker JD Bertrand (fifth round) to assist their defense. All players contributed in a limited capacity except Trice, who tore his ACL in the exhibition opener (he’s expected to be ready for training camp). The team needs more from this group moving forward.

This spring, the Falcons added edge rushers Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr., who instantly assumed the pressure of fixing a moribund pass rush. The team also drafted defensive backs Xavier Watts and Billy Bowman Jr., adding a couple of big-school, experienced defenders to the back end. The Falcons need a couple of home runs here.

“Let’s face it: We have some young guys who are going to have to make some impactful plays for us this year,” All-Pro safety Jessie Bates said Tuesday.

Ages of some notable Falcons defenders (*denotes drafted by team):

DL- David Onyemata (32), Morgan Fox (30), Ta’Quon Graham* (26), Brandon Dorlus* (24), Zach Harrison* (23), Ruke Orhorhoro* (23).

Edge- Jalon Walker* (21), Leonard Floyd (32), James Pearce Jr.* (21), Arnold Ebiketie* (26), DeAngelo Malone* (25).

ILB- Kaden Ellis (29), JD Bertrand* (25), Troy Andersen* (26), Divine Deablo (26).

CB- A.J. Terrell Jr.* (26), Mike Hughes (28), Clark Phillips III* (23), Dee Alford (27), Billy Bowman Jr.* (22), Cobee Bryant (23; the bet here is the undrafted rookie, whom the Falcons have lauded, makes the team).

S- Jessie Bates (28), Xavier Watts* (23), Jordan Fuller (27), DeMarcco Hellams* (24).

The depth chart includes three prominent players aged 30 or above. Beyond that, some of these individuals have very little experience, like Dorlus, Orhorhoro and Phillips, and some have none at all, such as Walker, Pearce and Watts.

This shifts the spotlight to the coaches, who must prepare the youngsters not only to contribute but to do so at a level that’ll help the team qualify for the playoffs. If the Falcons are left on the outside again, the prevailing thought is there will be more changes. The franchise’s stability hinges on its draftees.

But the responsibilities here aren’t just on the coaching staff, as Bates notes.

“Just getting those guys in here, making them feel comfortable,” Bates said of his leadership role as a veteran. “Making them feel comfortable in the scheme and just let them know that you’re in your dream. You just started your dream. But there’s a whole lot more that you can do in this league. You didn’t just get here to get drafted and play one year. You want to have a long career. Just teaching those guys the daily habits. Not just talking about it but being an example for these guys every single day. You do little stuff every day, the type of stuff that adds up. Next thing you know, you’ll be on year eight like me. Good things will happen for you and your family. So just talking to those guys about that.”

Bates continued elaborating, explaining that players like him, Floyd and even the more experienced offensive players must set examples.

“That’s where you have to have your leaders, some solid leaders who these young guys can see,” he said. “See what it looks like. What is the right way to go about your days? Sometimes it’s good to have some young bucks that have no clue out there, they just know how to go fast.

“With those two guys off the edge, Jalon and James, I think we’ll be excited to watch those guys. Just watching them in their individual work, 1-2 step get off the ball, it’s been pretty impressive. There’s going to be some learning things as well as they get through the season, but that’s where you have leaders and guys who have to step up. The older guys who’ve been there before need to show them what it’s about.”

The Falcons will see if youth does indeed provide innovation — the innovation being a quality defense. Around these parts, such would be considered transformative.