Valley Lutheran claimed a pair of relay titles, vaulting the Chargers to the boys title Friday at the Hurd Invitational at Vassar.

Hayden Stout claimed a win in the high jump for the Valley Lutheran, clearing 6 feet. He also ran legs on the Chargers’ winning 800-meter relay and 1,600 relay.

The relays helped lift Valley Lutheran to first place with 95 points. Birch Run was sixth (45.5), Vassar seventh (45), Millington 11th (35) and Reese 12th (22).

Trent Schiavone added another win for Valley Lutheran, claiming the 800 in 2:03.2. Kristoffer Cerda gave Vassar a win in the long jump with a leap of 20 feet, 3 ½ inches.

The Valley Lutheran girls finished second at the Hurd Invite with 100.5 points behind Remus Chippewa Hills with 127. Millington was fourth (61), Birch Run eighth (32.5), Vassar 10th (26) and Reese 13th (15).

Mckenzie Derusha gave the Chargers wins in the high jump (5-2) and 100 hurdles (:15.87), while Lindsey Cmeyla won the 800 in 2:31.52. Derusha and Cmeyla also ran legs on Valley Lutheran’s winning 1,600 relay.

Millington’s Chloe Basner won the 100 (:12.54) and ran a leg on the winning 400 relay, while Abigail Reis gave the Cardinals a first place in the 3,200 (12:02.40). Birch Run’s Christina Jarbou won the shot put (35-0).

Boys Track

Mount Pleasant Invite: Traverse City West won the championship with 107 points, with Heritage and Frankenmuth tying for second with 78.5 points. Midland Dow was ninth with 34 points. Dow’s Zachary Dzurka took both the 110 hurdles (:14.80) and 300 hurdles (:39.83), while Heritage’s Nicholas Coleman won the 400 (:50.47) and ran a leg on the winning 800 relay. Grayson Byam also won the shot put (52-8 ½) for Heritage. Frankenmuth got a win from Niko Mamaladze in the discus (144-5 ½) and from Nick Parker in the 1,600 (4:31.78). Parker also ran a leg on the winning 3,200 relay.

Clare Invitational: Bath won the boys title at Clare, with Freeland fourth (71), Sanford Meridian fifth (64), Bullock Creek seventh (55), St. Louis eighth (38.5), Breckenridge ninth (27) and Hemlock 15th (2.5). Zander Wheatley claimed a pair of wins for Freeland in the 110 hurdles (:15.16) and 300 hurdles (:40.68), with Max Heyn winning the 200 (:22.45). Landon Pestrue gave St. Louis wins in the 800 (2:02.26) and the 1,600 (4:25.57), adding a leg on the winning 1,600 relay team. Bullock Creek earned a win in the 3,200 relay (8:34.35).

Central Montcalm Invitational: Coopersville claimed first place with 90.5 points, with Ithaca fourth (74) and Coleman 10th (14.5). Ithaca was led by Jacob Mankey with a win in the 800 (2:01.31) and Landen Styka in the 3,200 (9:59.02). Both ran on Ithaca’s winning 3,200 relay.

Laingsburg Wolfpack Invitational: Ovid-Elsie took first with 144.33 points, with Michigan Lutheran Seminary third with 139.33 points. Seminary claimed first places behind Camden Fager in the 800 (2:10.11), Amos Norder in the 3,200 (10:58.66) and Joey Cain in the shot put (50-10 ¾).

Girls Track

Mount Pleasant Invite: Traverse City claimed the invitational title with 117 points, with Frankenmuth fifth with 74.5, Heritage sixth with 62 and Midland Dow eighth with 21. Natalie Foltz gave Frankenmuth a win in the 1,600 (5:16.19), while Heritage dominated the sprints with Willow Mason winning the 100 (:12.3), Jordynn Young the 200 (:24.95) and Kaya Arnold the 400 (:58.35). The three also ran legs on Heritage’s winning 800 relay and 1,600 relay.

Clare Invitational: McBain won the title with 108.5 points, with Breckenridge fifth with 55, Bullock Creek eighth with 47, Freeland ninth with 21.5, St. Louis 11th (16) and Sanford Meridian 13th with 10. Bayleigh Clapp won the long jump in 16 feet, 7 ½ inches to lead Breckenridge, while Payton Maxey gave Freeland a win in the shot put (40-3 ¼). Tess Farkas won the discus (120-3) for St. Louis, with Bullock Creek claiming the 800 relay.

Laingsburg Wolfpack Invitational: Michigan Lutheran Seminary finished third with 65 points, with Ida earning the championship with 174.5 points. Brooke Frederick gave Seminary its lone first place, winning the 400 (1:03.47).

Baseball

Valley Lutheran 5-10, Michigan Lutheran Seminary 4-8: Valley Lutheran earned a Tri-Valley Conference sweep, but it wasn’t easy. The Chargers scored a run in the bottom of the eighth for the 5-4 win in the opener. Ben Diener, Tyler Belt and Trey Flood had two hits each for the Chargers, with Axel Schuette earning the win with one inning of no-hit relief. Noah Reif had four hits for MLS, with Owen Mason and Simeon Kober adding two hits and Eli Lewis two RBIs. Flood had two hits, three stolen bases and two RBIs in the 10-8 win, with Ryan Pittman walking twice driving in three runs and Jackson Ruff adding three hits for Valley Lutheran. Will Salgat led the MLS offense with three hits, while Zach Scharrer added two hits and two RBIs. Caleb Martin also had two hits, while Reif drove in three runs.

Swan Valley 12-6, Caro 3-0: Brady Stephens struck out nine in five innings, adding two hits in Swan Valley’s Game 1 win at Dow Diamond. Jaxon Hartley led the offense with three hits and three runs, while Aiden Lafond added two hits and Colton Klein three RBIs. Hartley and Lafond combined for the Game 2 shutout, with Hartley striking out 11 and allowing one hit in five innings. Nolan Selasky had two hits for the Vikings, with Jackson Gebauer driving in two runs and Hartley scoring twice.

Softball

Coleman 3-6, Carrollton 0-1: Isabelle Lewis threw a no-hitter in the first game, striking out 11 and walking one in six innings. Eliza Lewis led the Coleman offense with two hits. In the second game, Kendall Allen had three hits and three runs, earning the win with 12 strikeouts and four hits in six innings. Isabelle Lewis led the offense with three hits and two RBIs, while Elley Johnson and Eliza Lewis added two hits each.

Girls Soccer

Bullock Creek 2, Hemlock 0: Jillian Dast scored both goals for 4-2-3 Bullock Creek, which shut out the 4-6 Huskies. Taryn Pratt made seven saves for Hemlock, which outshot the Lancers, 11-9. Audrie Stoltenberg made 11 saves in goal for the Bullock Creek shutout.

Midland High 8, Essexville Garber 0: Midland took a 6-0 halftime lead on its way to the non-conference win. Alahna Beckett scored four goals with an assist to lead the Chemics, with Jensyn Ardouin scoring two goals with three assists. Sydney Fulcher and Elliott Hays added single goals with Reagan Vokal and Lizzy Striebel adding two assists each. Niobe Marchalant and Cady McPeak shared time in goal, making one save each.

Boys Golf

Birch Run 165, Montrose 216: Birch Run earned a Mid-Michigan Activities Conference win Friday at Briar Ridge Golf Course in Montrose. Cole Beldyga paced the Panthers with a 37, followed by Mason Reis with a 40, Garett Martinus with 41 and Jayden Huber with 47.

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POUGHKEEPSIE, New York- The Marist water polo team is set to play in its 2025 MAAC Championships Semifinal match, Saturday afternoon. The Red Foxes compete against Villanova for the third time this season, splitting the previous two matches.

The Red Foxes enter the match ranked first in the Blue Division, at 23-10 overall and 8-3 in MAAC play.
 

• The Red Foxes swept their final two matches of the regular season.
  • Match One vs Siena: 14-11, win
  • Match Two vs Iona: 13-12, win
• In the win against Iona, the Red Foxes clinched the Blue Division in the MAAC.

• Baumgarten had a dominant season for the Red Foxes in her senior year.
• Baumgarten tallied 40 goals on the season for the Red Foxes.
• Baumgarten scored a season-high seven goals in the Red Foxes Blue Division clinching win against Iona 13-12.
• Baumgarten is a two-time ACWPC All-American Honorable Mention and earned her second Second Team All-MAAC selection.

• The Wildcats finished the regular season 21-11 overall and 7-5 in MAAC play.
• In the MAAC quarterfinal match, Villanova triumphed against Iona 9-6.
• The Wildcats had four All-MAAC honorees for an impressive 2025 season.
• Adrienne Grimes was named MAAC Defensive Player of the Year for the Wildcats.
• Michael Gordan was named MAAC Coach of the Year

The Steel-High football team suddenly finds itself without a home field for the 2025 season.

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A Friday press release from Steelton-Highspire School District Superintendent Dr. Mick Iskric, Jr. states the conditions of 113-year-old War Veterans Memorial Field have rendered the venue unplayable.

That leaves the Rollers football team, who won state championships in 2023, 2022 and 2020, with few palatable options to contest its home schedule, just four months before the season’s opening kickoff.

Steel-High head football coach and athletic director Andrew Erby vows that the complete Rollers schedule will be played.

“At the end of the day, if we have to play 10 road games then so be it. We will play in the parking lot if we have to. This is a tough town with tough kids, we will find a way to make it work,” Erby said.

Steel-High’s 2025 football schedule currently lists home games against Juniata (Friday, Aug. 29), Upper Dauphin (Friday, Sept. 12), James Buchanan (Friday, Oct. 3) and Susquenita (Friday, Oct. 17).

Those games will likely be played as away games or at a neutral site. The Rollers have yet to fill an open date for a Week One game over the weekend of Aug. 23-24.

In response to the situation, the Steelton-Highspire School District, in partnership with the Roller Nation Foundation and On Hill Development LLC, announced Friday the launch of what its dubs the “Community Transformation & Stadium Revitalization Strategic Framework.”

The plan calls for a full transformation of War Veterans Memorial Field into a community education, career and health & wellness center that wil anchor a bright future for students, families, and the greater community.

“This isn’t just about upgrading a stadium — it’s about unlocking futures,” said Iskric. “With this framework, we honor our legacy while building real opportunities for the next generation.”

“Our facilities no longer reflect our legacy,” Erby said. “We’ve produced champions without resources — imagine what we could do with them.”

The first of a three-phase renovation plan calls for installation of a new synthetic turf field, an industry leading sound system, high-efficiency stadium lights, an advanced drainage systems and repositioning for a future six-lane track.

The second phase calls for construction of ADA-compliant bleachers, classrooms, a press box, restrooms and a community kitchen.

The third phase includes creation of a full-service hub offering childcare, STEM labs, career training, fitness, mental health counseling and adult learning,

“Every empty seat, every lost game, every missed opportunity is a cost we can no longer ignore,” said Steelton-Highspire assistant superintendent Willie Slade. “We are building more than a stadium. We are building futures.”

The renovated complex will also serve as a year-round hub for public programming to welcome local non-profits, healthcare partners, colleges, faith-based organizations and alumni to deliver essential wrap around services.

The school district is pursuing several channels for funding the renovations, including PA DCED, RACP, and LSA grants, state and federal education and workforce development grants, money from health and wellness foundations, corporate sponsorships and naming rights and community fundraising and event revenue.

No timetable for the beginning or completion of the planned renovations has been set.

Steelton-Highspire serves a diverse student body of 1,473 students with more 78% from low-income households, according to the district’s press release.

The school district is seeking support from alumni, community leaders, state and local legislators and potential partners.

Several notable Steel-High alumni, including former Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl champion and former Trinity High School head coach Jordan Hill, former NFL wide receiver David Sullivan and former NFL tight end and Penn State University player Troy Drayton, have expressed their support for the project.

“What we want to do is to elevate anything and everything that’s ever been done in Steelton before. This is a generational change. It’s personal with all of us,” said Sullivan, who donated $100,000 to the Roller Athletic Foundation in 2024

“This is about legacy, this is about that Roller Pride, this is about us leaving a legacy for the people that’s going to come after us,” said Drayton.

War Veterans Memorial Field hosted its first football game on Oct. 5, 1912, according to the Steelton Historical Society.

The field was dedicated to World War II veterans on Sept. 28, 1946.

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The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association voted Friday to allow high school student athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness.  

WIAA rejected a much deliberated NIL proposal  last April. But during its annual meeting of athletic directors Friday, the group changed course and approved the rule change 293-108, joining a growing national movement.

At least 40 states including Minnesota, Illinois and Iowa allow high school athletes to participate in NIL deals.

The policies allow high school athletes to sign endorsement deals or make money from promoting products.

Wisconsin’s policy restricts student athletes from participating in NIL deals associated with a student’s school team, school, conference or the WIAA.

Students also cannot wear their school team’s uniform in any endorsement deal or use the marks and logos of their school, conference or the WIAA.

Under the rule change, NIL activities can’t interfere with a student’s academics, and students cannot miss practices, competitions or other team obligations to participate in NIL opportunities.

Students are also barred from hiring an agent, and schools and their employees cannot help facilitate NIL deals for their student athletes.

In November, WIAA partnered with Influential Athlete, a Milwaukee-based company focused on educating high school athletes on how to best use their name, image and likeness in both high school and beyond.

At the time, WIAA Executive Director Stephanie Grady said Influential Athlete could help the organization navigate the NIL landscape.

On Friday, Grady called the decision a “historic and exciting moment” for high school sports in Wisconsin.

Student athletes in the state will officially be able to begin monetizing their NIL deals at the end of May.

“Together, we are paving the way for student-athletes in Wisconsin to not only seize the opportunity NIL now offers—but to do so safely, compliantly, and successfully,” Grady said in a statement. “This is just the beginning, and we are proud to stand alongside you in this new chapter.”

It was a big scoring day for Julia Kipperman.

The Nauset girls lacrosse player led the way with eight goals in the Warriors 12-7 win over Bishop Stang on Thursday.

Other scorers for Nauset (3-4) included Abby Powers (two goals), Meg Sullivan (one goal), and Cleo Donovan (one goal).

Galie Norah Swanson made nine saves.

Also in high school sports action:

Girls Lacrosse 

Patriot Cup Day 1: Sandwich 18, Hanover 9: The Blue Knights (6-1) bounced back from Tuesday’s loss. Kyla Darmon (six goals, one assist), Elisabeth Stutzman (five goals), Abbie Reisig (four goals), and Avery Cobban (three goals) provided the offense for the Blue Knights. Goalie Ashlynn Krueger made 10 saves for the Blue Knights.

Patriot Cup Day 1: Scituate 13, Falmouth 8: The Clippers (4-3) lost for the first time in five games.

Boys Lacrosse 

Chowda Cup Round 2: Falmouth 10, Cohasset 6: The Clippers (5-2) won to bounce back from Tuesday’s loss. Connor Cusolito led the way with four goals, and Jamison Murphy added a hat trick for Falmouth.

Billerica 19, Nauset 7: The Warriors (5-4) lost to one of the top teams in the state. For the Warriors, Jack Peno (four goals), Joey Berardi (one goal, one assist), Sam Mayhew (one goal), Andrew Reeves (one goal), and Oscar Escher (one assist) handled the scoring.

Baseball 

Somerset Berkley 10, Bourne 0: The Canalmen (1-8) lost for the eighth straight game. Griffin Kelly had the only Canalmen hit of the day. Luca Finton, James Moran-Rose, and Kelly combined to give up five hits and three earned runs, as the defense had costly miscues behind them.

Dennis-Yarmouth 8, Carver 5: The Dolphins (7-2) won their second straight. They took the lead when Jayden Eldredge scored in the sixth inning. Gavin Desley then drove in RJ Delcourt and Hudson Cambal on a line-drive single. Desley earned the win with three innings and one run allowed.

JL Murphy Tournament Day 1: Scituate 2, Martha’s Vineyard 1: The Vineyarders (2-4) lost their second straight.

JL Murphy Tournament Day 1: Hanover 5, Falmouth 1: The Clippers (5-3) lost to end a three-game win streak.

Boys Tennis 

Apponequet 5, Bourne 0: The Canalmen (3-5) lost for their second time in the last three matches.

Girls Tennis 

Apponequet 5, Bourne 0: The Canalmen (1-6) lost for the second straight time.

Adam Kurkjian covers high school sports for the Cape Cod Times. You can contact him at akurkjian@gannett.com and follow him on X at @AdamKurkjian.

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