How Phil Mackey Digitally Evolved Sports Radio Into SKOR North
– Advertisement – Since the dawn of MySpace in 2003, social media use in the United States has continued to grow like a runaway freight train. With every new innovation comes another audience to connect to, engage with, and entertain. For over twenty years, traditional broadcast radio has faced challenges in how to grow audience […]
Since the dawn of MySpace in 2003, social media use in the United States has continued to grow like a runaway freight train. With every new innovation comes another audience to connect to, engage with, and entertain. For over twenty years, traditional broadcast radio has faced challenges in how to grow audience through social platforms as the industry gives way to a more digitally educated audience with more ease of search and shortened attention spans. Very few sports radio stations have tackled the challenges of growing on social media like SKOR North, headed by Phil Mackey.
For the last 15 years, Mackey has been one of the leading minds with Hubbard Broadcasting in Minnesota, transforming what was ESPN 1500 into SKOR North, a totally digital sports media juggernaut. Mackey, whose background began in traditional sports radio, understands the mistakes that sports radio stations make in regard to how audiences find content in today’s playing field.
“We think of radio as the only distribution platform that we should pour our energy into, and if we get to the other stuff, so be it,” said Mackey. “The problem is when we half-ass those other platforms—social media, the longer form platforms, podcasts, or YouTube—what we’re doing is preventing people from discovering our content.”
A study from Data Reportal shows that of the 411 million mobile connections that were active in the United States in early 2025, it found 253 million total social media user identities, equating to 73% of the population of the country. The highest user bases are found on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram, according to the study.
With Social Media Week underway this week, Mackey discussed how, over his time in the sports radio industry, he has seen stations and personalities be too narrow-minded when it comes to reaching the audiences available on social and digital.
“It’s hard to continue to try and keep the legacy business thriving if we’re cutting off all access to younger people that might stumble into our brands,” noted Mackey. “We’ve got to think more about content and brand across all of the platforms, even if radio remains our core business and our legacy business.”
Evolving Sports Radio Into SKOR North
The approach changed for Mackey in the fall of 2018 as he met with Hubbard Radio Minnesota Vice President/Region Manager Dan Seeman and developed a strategy that would transition a traditional radio programming lineup on ESPN 1500 to a compilation of shows and podcasts that migrated to a podcast network. Rebranded as SKOR North, the station continued to produce between six to eight hours of live radio each day. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck the country, another transition was made as all the locally created content moved to digital media.
“We thought about radio for decades as the center of the wheel and everything must point back,” said Mackey. “The brand and the content are the center of the wheel, and distribution are the spokes around it. We have to treat all of those platforms, even if they don’t lead directly to revenue right now. We have to treat them as lifelines for the audience.”
For the first time ever, the radio industry’s digital revenue for a calendar year surpassed $2 billion in 2024, according to the latest RAB-Borrell Associates Digital Benchmarking Report. The issue remaining for most sports radio brands is how to truly take a locally produced product for digital and monetize—a struggle that Mackey faced head-on with the transition of SKOR North.
“It’s an education process internally and externally,” explained Mackey. “The content and audience building has been about three years ahead of the revenue building. Early on, we were selling radio spots and throwing in added value for podcast and social media exposure. Now it’s the other way around. Companies are buying the YouTube and podcast product, and we are selling radio completely separately as an ESPN-branded radio station.”
Mackey notes that there is no difference in selling social media or a podcast network compared to a radio program. The characteristics of building an audience, connecting a community, and then connecting the community to local advertisers is the core of how any sales department should approach the task.
“It’s a constant discussion and education process about where media is going and where it is right now,” Mackey says.
Being Social Is No Longer A Choice
While there is no one way to approach how personalities and sports radio brands should always approach a social media strategy, the need to do so is paramount. With so many content options presented to a consumer in a given day, it is becoming more difficult by the hour to connect with audiences and market a product—more now than ever. Instead of playing to just a specific group of social audiences to market your sports radio brand or talent, Mackey notes it’s an all-in competition.
“At SKOR North, we still create content for all of our different platforms, but we prioritize podcast and YouTube as the business drivers, with the other social media platforms (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, X) as marketing tools for us,” said Mackey. “We still put some revenue on those social platforms, but we consider those to be top-of-the-funnel, short-form, discovery-driven strategy versus the longform strategy.”
Furthermore, Mackey suggests that any sports radio talent or show that may have trouble finding which clips to use to market on social platforms should come in with a plan.
“I absolutely think if you’re going into a live radio show, you should be thinking in your pre-prep what are the things, topics, subjects that could be great on other social platforms,” said Mackey. “Always have your radar up for what could translate to more bite-sized or snackable platforms. Quite frankly, if you’re not thinking about that, it’s going to be hard to gain traction on those platforms where the younger audience is waiting to be connected with.”
A Talent’s Job Is To Build On Air And On Social
Bookmark this so you can all dunk on me in a couple weeks…
The Timberwolves have an *INCREDIBLE* shot to win the NBA title.
Since Jan. 1, only three teams have a better net rating than the Wolves:
Celtics (down 3-1, Tatum hurt) Cavs (down 3-1, Mitchell hurt) OKC (in a war…
Sports radio personalities also differ on how they use social media to connect with their audience. Some talent choose to be more open and engage with their following, while others prefer to stray away, fearing too much exposure. Unfortunately, there are dangers and consequences that come from how some talent use social media, with no seven-second delay to protect them. This leads to some in the industry choosing to completely ignore social media usage altogether, which Mackey says would be a huge mistake.
“I think it’s hard to just not be engaging because part of your job is to build that community,” said Mackey. “We pride ourselves at SKOR North saying we are the most fan-friendly interactive podcast in the Twin Cities. If you are a fan with an opinion on something, we will create space for that interaction. If I were to go dark and never reply to anybody in a comment section or on social media, would I really be aligned with our mission statement as content creators? Probably not.”
Under Mackey’s leadership, SKOR North continues to be a model of success for how companies can take a traditional model and reshape it for a new generation of consumers utilizing digital and social media. As he embarks on his fifth anniversary of being named Director of Digital Content Development for Hubbard Radio, Mackey is always on the lookout for the next great challenge as an industry leader in the evolution of sports content.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
John Mamola is the sports editor and columnist for Barrett Media. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. Honored to be a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Media and honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL). Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
7 Bobcats prepare to represent MSU in NCAA Track & Field National Championships
BOZEMAN, Mont. — Montana State University track and field is getting ready for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon. The championships run Wednesday through Saturday. MSU set a program record with seven Bobcats competing in four events, which is tied for third most in program history. “It was so fun to […]
BOZEMAN, Mont. — Montana State University track and field is getting ready for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
The championships run Wednesday through Saturday. MSU set a program record with seven Bobcats competing in four events, which is tied for third most in program history.
“It was so fun to see the men’s program to continue to move forward and then it was really exciting to see our women’s team really take a step forward,” MSU head coach Lyle Weese said about his team’s progress this season.
Senior Rob McManus is making his third straight nationals appearance in the 3000m steeplechase. McManus joins Levi Taylor (2022-24 in steeplechase), Duncan Hamilton (2021-23 in steeplechase) and Nick Lam (2007-09 in javelin) as the only Bobcats to reach the championship meet three straight times.
“The national meet is something that we really strive for, and so it’s just really special to make it back again, and I caught myself very lucky to get back for a third year in a row,” McManus said.
Sophomore Harvey Cramb becomes the fourth MSU man to compete in the 1500m in nationals and first since Cristian Soratos in 2015. The Brisbane, Australia, native took fourth in his heat at the NCAA West First Round after winning the Big Sky Championship in the 1500m and second in the 800m.
“It’s such an honor, and to do it my sophomore year is a great opportunity, and to be able to put your name with some of the best in the country is awesome,” Cramb said.
Junior Hailey Coey was the first Bobcat at regionals to punch a ticket to Eugene. The Billings West alum is the only field athlete for Montana State as she becomes the first ever Bobcat to compete in nationals in long jump.
“It’s super cool. I’m really glad that I’m able to do it and be the first in school history again,” Coey said on representing the Treasure State. “I’m really glad that it’s someone from Montana that’s able to represent Montana State.”
MSU is also participating in another event for the first time at nationals. The 4x400m relay team of Corvallis native and freshman Olivia Lewis, junior Peyton Garrison, junior Giulia Gandolfi and junior Caroline Hawkes becomes the first Bobcat relay team to compete in the championships.
“We honestly didn’t know that we were the first team to make it,” Garrison said on the relay team reaching nationals. “Some of the pictures that were shown, we were jumping in excitement and we’re just so excited.”
We will have more on the MSU athletes and their progress at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships through the next week.
A Massachusetts student arrested by ICE on his way to volleyball practice has been released
CHELMSFORD, Mass. (AP) — A Massachusetts high school student who was arrested by immigration agents on his way to volleyball practice has been released from custody after a judge granted him bond Thursday. Marcelo Gomes da Silva, 18, who came to the U.S. from Brazil at age 7, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents […]
CHELMSFORD, Mass. (AP) — A Massachusetts high school student who was arrested by immigration agents on his way to volleyball practice has been released from custody after a judge granted him bond Thursday.
Marcelo Gomes da Silva, 18, who came to the U.S. from Brazil at age 7, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents Saturday. Authorities have said the agents were looking for the Milford High School teenager’s father, who owns the car Gomes da Silva was driving at the time and had parked in a friend’s driveway.
Speaking with members of the media outside the detention center shortly after his release on $2,000 bond, Gomes da Silva described “humiliating” conditions and said his faith in God helped him through his six days of detention.
On his wrist, he wore a bracelet made from the thin sheet of metallic blanket he was given to sleep on the cement floor.
“I’ll always remember this place,” he said. “I’ll always remember how it was.”
His lawyer, Robin Nice, told reporters after the hearing in Chelmsford that his arrest “shouldn’t have happened in the first place. This is all a waste.”
“We disrupted a kid’s life. We just disrupted a community’s life,” Nice said. “These kids should be celebrating graduation and prom, I assume? They should be doing kid stuff, and it is a travesty and a waste of our judicial process to have to go through this.”
She said Gomes da Silva was confined to a room holding 25 to 35 men, many twice his age, most of the time he was detained, with no windows, no time outside and no permission to shower. He was able to brush his teeth twice. Nice said that at one point Gomes da Silva, who is active in his local church, asked for a Bible and was denied.
Gomes da Silva, who said his father taught him to “put other people first,” said many of the men imprisoned with him didn’t speak English and didn’t understand why they were there. He had to inform some of them that they were being deported, and then watched them break down in tears.
“I told every single inmate down there: When I’m out, if I’m the only one who was able to leave that place, I lost,” he said. “I want to do whatever I can to get them as much help as possible. If they have to be deported, so be it. But in the right way, in the right conditions. Because no one down there is treated good.”
He said some days, he was given only crackers to eat, which he shared with the other men. One of his first stops after being released was to McDonald’s to get a soda, chicken nuggets and french fries.’
A homeowner around a sign supporting Marcelo Gomes Da Silva, who was arrested on his way to volleyball practice last weekend, on Thursday, June 5, 2025 in Milford, Mass.(Mark Stockwell | AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)
Not ICE’s target, but detained anyway
U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said earlier this week that ICE officers were targeting a “known public safety threat” and that Gomes da Silva’s father “has a habit of reckless driving at speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour through residential areas.”
“While ICE officers never intended to apprehend Gomes da Silva, he was found to be in the United States illegally and subject to removal proceedings, so officers made the arrest,” she said in a statement.
Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said Monday that “like any local law enforcement officer, if you encounter someone that has a warrant or … he’s here illegally, we will take action on it.”
Gomes da Silva initially entered the country on a visitor visa and was later issued a student visa that has since lapsed, Nice said. She described him as deeply rooted in his community and a dedicated member of both the school marching band and a band at his church.
The immigration judge set a placeholder hearing date for a couple of weeks from Thursday, but it might take place months from that, Nice said.
“We’re optimistic that he’ll have a future in the United States,” she said.
A federal judge considering Gomes da Silva’s request to be released while his immigration case proceeds has given the government until June 16 to respond and ordered that Gomes da Silva not be moved out of Massachusetts without 48 hours’ notice given to the court. The government sought permission Wednesday to move Gomes da Silva to a detention facility in a different New England state, Nice said. A judge quickly denied the request.
A shaken community
“I love my son. We need Marcelo back home. It’s no family without him,” João Paulo Gomes Pereira said in a video released Wednesday. “We love America. Please, bring my son back.”
The video showed the family in the teen’s bedroom. Gomes da Silva’s sister describes watching movies with her brother and enjoying food he cooks for her: “I miss everything about him.”
Students at Milford High staged a walkout Monday to protest his detainment. Other supporters wore white and packed the stands of the high school gymnasium Tuesday night, when the volleyball team dedicated a match to their missing teammate.
Amani Jack, also a recent Milford High graduate, said her classmate’s absence loomed large over the graduation ceremony, where he was supposed to play in the band. She said if she had a chance to speak with the president, she’d ask him to ‘just put yourself in our shoes.’
“He did say he was going to deport criminals,” she said. “Marcelo is not a criminal. He’s a student. I really want him to take a step in our shoes, witnessing this. Try and understand how we feel. We’re just trying to graduate high school.”
Veronica Hernandez, a family advocate from Medford who said she works in a largely Hispanic community where ICE has had an active presence, said cases like Gomes da Silva’s show immigration enforcement is serious about taking “anybody” without legal status, not just those accused of crimes.
“I think seeing that something so simple as a child driving themselves and their friends to volleyball practice at risk struck a chord,” she said.
___
Associated Press reporter Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire, contributed to this story.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Eight is great! Metro Conference teams hit grand slam to conclude CIF spring playoffs
The Eastlake High School Lady Titans celebrate their San Diego Section Division I championship game victory. Photo by Phillip Brents Eight Metro Conference teams walked off the playing field with San Diego Section championships this spring. If it isn’t already a record, it has to be now. Regardless, the honor roll is special. Eastlake High […]
The Eastlake High School Lady Titans celebrate their San Diego Section Division I championship game victory. Photo by Phillip Brents
Eight Metro Conference teams walked off the playing field with San Diego Section championships this spring. If it isn’t already a record, it has to be now.
Regardless, the honor roll is special.
Eastlake High School’s top-seeded girls beach volleyball team (15-9) started off the monster showing by winning the Division II championship on May 10 with a 4-1 decision over seventh-seeded Canyon Crest Academy (9-8).
San Ysidro High School’s second-seeded boys volleyball team (24-10) slayed top-seeded Monte Vista (23-13) by a count of 3-1 to win the Division V title on May 15.
Mater Dei Catholic High School’s top-seeded boys volleyball team (33-10) defeated sixth-seeded Maranatha Christian (26-6) by a count of 3-1 to capture the Division III championship on May 16.
Olympian High School’s second-seeded girls lacrosse team (13-10) quickly followed by claiming the Division III title on May 17 with a 9-7 victory over top-seeded Tri-City Christian (14-3).
Mater Dei Catholic High School’s third-seeded boys lacrosse team (15-5) followed suit by claiming the Division III banner that same day by a score of 10-9 over top-seeded Classical Academy (17-4).
Three softball finals took care of the rest.
No. 2 Eastlake (20-11-1) opened the floodgates with a 9-0 win over eighth-seeded Rancho Bernardo (13-14-1) in last Friday’s Division I championship contest.
No. 7 Olympian (19-12-1) fired a no-hitter at No. 4 El Centro Southwest (19-9) on Saturday to capture the Division III title by a score of 7-0.
That left No. 1 Mater Dei Catholic (25-7) and No. 3 Bonita Vista (25-7) to duke it out for Saturday night’s primetime Open Division encounter that went to the Lady Crusaders by a 6-1 score.
That’s eight. That’s great!
Photo series by Andy Bartotto
Incredibly, there’s more.
Mater Dei Catholic’s boys volleyball team went on to sweep through the Southern California Division IV regional bracket to claim a berth in Saturday’s inaugural state boys volleyball championship game. The SoCal champion Crusaders defeated NorCal champion Livingston, 3-1, to emerge with the Golden State’s first gold medal in the division.
Both Mater Dei Catholic and Bonita Vista qualified for the Southern California regional softball playoffs. Quarterfinals were scheduled to start Tuesday, with the championship game slated for Saturday at the remaining highest-seeded team.
The Lady Crusaders received the No. 2 seed and the Lady Barons the No. 3 seed in the Division I bracket behind top-seeded El Modena (22-9).
Overall, the Metro Conference populated five division finals last weekend: three in softball and two in baseball.
On the hardball side, both seventh-seeded San Ysidro (Division II) and top-seeded Otay Ranch (Division IV) held leads in their championship game matchups but were unable to hold them.
San Ysidro (21-13) dropped a 7-3 decision to the fifth-seeded Mt. Carmel Sundevils (21-12) last Friday after coughing up a 3-2 lead while Otay Ranch (23-11) zipped in front of second-seeded Ramona (23-7) by a score of 5-1 but ended up on the short end of an 8-6 score on Saturday that featured a disheartening ending.
Parade of champions Of the Metro’s three softball champions, Eastlake was the first to celebrate with the banner, the school’s first since garnering runner-up finishes in 2018 (Division I) and 2024 (Division II).
“It couldn’t have been any more amazing,” first-year coach Jandi Diego said. “
Eastlake took control from the beginning of the game with a 4-0 lead through the opening two frames. The Lady Titans distanced themselves from their North County opponent with four more runs in the fifth inning for an 8-0 lead.
Eastlake out-hit Rancho Bernardo 12-2. The Lady Broncos committed five errors.
Senior Rachel Del Busto and junior Bryn Grayson each had three RBI while junior Mia Vasquez and senior Deziree Gomez each drove in one run.
Grayson and senior Bri Ayap each had three hits while Vasquez and senior Mackenzie Olshenskie each scored two runs.
Meanwhile, junior Addison Suriano tamed the Lady Broncos with a one-hitter with six strikeouts.
The Lady Titans came full circle after a 11-2 loss to Imperial in last year’s championship game.
“We knew how good we were last year (21-12 record) and fell a little short,” Del Busto said. “This year we played every game as if it was our last. They (my teammates) deserve this.”
The Lady Titans went undefeated through their four section playoff games. They opened with a 3-2 win over seventh-seeded Steele Canyon, defeated sixth-seeded El Capitan, 7-2, in their second game and eliminated Steele Canyon, 10-1, in the division semifinal.
Eastlake High players dogpile after the last out is recorded in their 9-0 championship game victory. Photo by Phillip BrentsThe banner is unfurled for the Lady Titans. Photos by Phillip Brents
Suriano pitched all four games. She fanned 10 batters in the second win over the Lady Cougars (18-14-1).
Vasquez picked up three RBI in that game with three hits including a double. Ayap had three RBI in the win over El Capitan (16-16) while Olshenskie (double) had two RBI. Grayson and Vasquez (home run) each had one RBI in the playoff opener against Steele Canyon.
“Last year we made it to the championship game in Division II, and this year we were moved up to Division I,” Diego said. “We had a strong schedule. We played in the toughest league in the Metro Conference (Metro-Mesa League). It helped us be competitive in Division I.
“The girls responded. They put the team first. It was a testament to all the seniors. The success to the season started with hard work at practice, the girls knowing their role and playing as a team.”
Eastlake battery mates Addison Suriano, left, and Rachel Del Busto. Photo by Phillip Brents
Team leaders for Eastlake included Olshenskie with a 0.457 hitting average to go with 30 RBI, 10 doubles, one triple and seven home runs, Ayap with a 0.368 average, senior Ryan Pham with a 0.339 average to go with 10 RBI, Grayson with a 0.339 average, junior Kaili Balajadia with a 0.333 average and Del Busto with a 0.326 average, 14 RBI and two home runs. Gomez (0.312 average) chalked up 13 RBI and two home runs while Vasquez (0.282 average0 tallied 10 RBI and two homers.
Suriano finished 9-7 in the pitching circle with a 2.66 earned-run average and 110 strikeouts in 136.2 innings in 25 logged appearances while Balajadia was 4-1 with a 2.51 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 47.1 innings through 10 appearances.
Olympian High School with 2025 San Diego Section Division III championship banner. Photo by Final Score Photography
On wings of an Eagle Seventh seeds aren’t supposed to do much in a championship bracket. But don’t tell that to the Olympian Lady Eagles, who proceeded to reel off five consecutive wins, in the process upsetting the No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 seeds, to unequivocally stamp their names as the 2025 San Diego Section Division III softball champions.
Sophomore Alexandra Perez made the ride even more memorable by pitching a no-hitter in the championship game against the fourth-seeded El Centro Southwest Eagles.
It’s the second CIF championship title for Olympian, which previously captured the Division II title in 2018.
Let the celebration begin! Photo by Mike Morales
The Lady Eagles (19-12-1) faced off the division playoffs with a 3-0 win over the 10th-seeded Coronado Lady Islanders (11-14) on May 20 to advance to meet second-seeded Coastal Academy (18-6). The Chula Vista team made its first upset in the bracket look easy with a 7-1 victory.
Seniors Daniella Mendoza and Sophia G. Aquino, each with a double, supplied one RBI apiece in the win over Coronado while freshman Gabriella Mendiola scored twice. Perez pitched a complete game three-hitter with 10 strikeouts.
Mendoza led the way with four RBI and a home run in the victory against Coastal Academy while senior Kaitlynn Robeson knocked in three runs. Perez pitched six innings with three hits, one run allowed and nine strikeouts to pick up her second consecutive playoff win.
The third-seeded San Dieguito Academy Lady Mustangs (18-8-1) were a much different story, however, as Olympian managed to squeeze out a 4-3 win to keep its championship hopes alive. The teams would meet again after the Lady Mustangs eliminated Coastal Academy, 9-0, to force a double-elimination game against the Lady Eagles.
Olympian was up to the task again with a 6-4 victory to secure a berth in the division championship game at SDSU.
Freshman Isabella Zamora had two RBI in the first win over SDA while Robeson and sophomore NiKayla Flowers each drove in one run. Perez once again was in the pitching circle, turning in a complete game effort with seven strikeouts.
The Lady Eagles appeared on the brink of disaster after trailing the Lady Mustangs, 4-1, through five innings in the teams’ rematch. But a five-run rally in the top of the sixth inning carried the Metro-South Bay League champions to the come-from-behind win. Olympian rapped out 12 hits in the game while SDA committed four errors.
The Olympian Lady Eagles wasted little time in jumping in front of their championship opponent. Photo by Phillip Brents
The Lady Eagles wasted little time in spreading their wings by scoring two runs in each of the opening two frames of the championship game for a 4-0 advantage on the scoreboard. Three more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning rounded out the final score.
Olympian out-hit El Centro Southwest 12-0 as each team committed one error.
Robeson and senior Jacqui De Murguia (double, triple) each had two RBI. De Murguia had three hits in the game while Robeson, Zamora and Mendoza (double) each had two hits.
Alexandra Perez made history for the Lady Olympians with a no-hitter in the division championship game. Photos by Phillip Brents
Perez faced 25 batters in the game with two walks and two strikeouts. She threw 84 pitches to complete the no-hitter.
It was the fifth pitching win for Perez in the section playoffs. She improved to 12-7 with 132 strikeouts in 139.1 innings.
Southwest (19-10) was making its first CIF finals appearance since 2018.
Team leaders for Olympian included De Murguia with a 0.487 hitting average to go with 15 RBI, 19 doubles and four triples, Flowers with a 0.479 hitting average to go with seven RBI, Robeson with a 0.447 hitting average to go with 31 RBI and 18 doubles, Zamora with a 0.349 average to go with nine RBI, senior Jaiden Liera with a 0.345 hitting average to go with 19 RBI ang three home runs.
Aquino logged 15 RBI while senior Samantha Becerra and Mendoza each collected 10 RBI.
The CIF championship title nudged Olympian into the No. 4 seed in the Division III Southern California regional playoffs.
Primetime showdown The Mater Dei Lady Crusaders and Bonita Vista Lady Barons remained the teams to beat in the Metro Conference this season. Bonita Vista one-upped Mater Dei Catholic by winning the Metro-Mesa League title while the Lady Crusaders topped the Lady Barons, 6-1, to win this year’s Open Division championship game.
Played at Helix High School because of a power outage and rain delay at UC San Diego, Saturday’s Open Division final was predictably close — a bunch of zeroes — until Mater Dei Catholic broke through with five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Lady Crusaders added another run in the sixth inning after yielding a run to the Lady Barons in the top of the frame.
Sophomore Arri Romero pitched a complete game for Mater Dei Catholic, though she gave up nine hits and struck out three batters.
The Lady Crusaders appeared to play bend-but-don’t-break.
Juniors Gigi Flores and Liana Quinones, both with doubles, each drove in two runs while senior Bella Hiner picked up the other RBI. Flores had two hits in the game while sophomore Maya Matthies scored twice.
Arri Romero pitched a complete game for the Lady Crusaders while notching her 22nd win of the season. Photo by Phillip BrentsBonita Vista’s #8 takes her swings, recording one hit in three plate appearances Photo by Phillip BrentsNat Gonzalez pitched into the fifth inning for the Lady Barons. Photo by Phillip BrentsThe Mater Dei Catholic Lady Crusaders counted down the outs to nail down the Open Division championship. Photo by Phillip BrentsMater Dei Catholic’s Bella Hiner celebrates her second CIF championship with grandfather Gabriel Ruz, a 1968 and 1972 Olympian in men’s wrestling. Photo by Phillip Brents
It was the ninth section championship title for MDC head coach Mike Centrullo (three Open Division, one Division I, one Division II and four Division IV). In contrast to most of the season, his team played small ball to win this year’s biggest game.
“We played a tough team like Bonita, I give a lot of credit to Bonita,” Centrullo said. “They out-hit us. The short game has saved us. The small ball is really important.”
“Our motto is Corinthians 1:10 — ‘perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.’” Hiner said. “We trust in God. We trust each other. They’re my sisters. They’re amazing.
“That one inning our energy was insane. We went all out for each other. We trusted our coaches with the calls. We trusted each other with our hits. As a senior, we obviously wanted to go out like this.”
“We had a great season,” BV coach Vanessa Kalavi said. “I knew we were going to be very good. With five seniors (departing), we’re going to be strong again next year.”
Romero improved to 22-4 on the season with Thursday’s regional semifinal matchup looming ahead against Bonita Vista.
Championship photo series by Jon Bigornia
SoCal Regionals
Five Metro Conference teams (four in softball, one in baseball) got a taste of the Southern California regional playoffs, and three (two softball, one baseball) have remained in the hunt for a regional championship.
Open Division semifinalist Eastlake received the No. 4 seed in the Division II regional baseball playoffs and defeated No. 5 Glendora, 4-1, in Tuesday’s opening quarterfinals to advance to Friday’s semifinals against No. 8 Rancho Bernardo, another Open Division section qualifier.
Because of graduation ceremonies, the game was moved back. The Titans (21-10-1) will host the Broncos (19-13) at 12:30 p.m.
Both Eastlake and Glendora managed four hits apiece. The Titans scored one run in the bottom of the first inning to take the early lead and beefed up with three runs in the fourth inning. Glendora got its only run in the top of the fifth inning.
Junior Hamza Hatahet (double) keyed the hosts with three RBI while senior Kalani Jauregui tacked on one RBI. Senior Nick Romero struck out 11 batters in six innings while allowing three hits. Freshman Lucas Yriqui finished up with one hit in one inning with two strikeouts.
Eastlake’s newly crowned Division I section champion softball team (21-11-1) will meet No. 2 Westlake (20-14) in Friday’s Division II regional semifinals at 4 p.m. on the road, also a date change because of graduation.
The Lady Titans edged No. 3 Bakersfield Christian, 3-2, in Tuesday’s regional opener as junior Addison Suriano pitched a complete game with five hits allowed, five strikeouts and one earned run and senior Rachel Del Busto (two hits) supplied the offense with three RBI, including a home run.
Bakersfield Christian finished its season 23-10.
Westlake defeated No. 7 Rancho Bernardo, 5-3, on Tuesday. Either Eastlake or Westlake will face No. 1 Christian (24-8-1) in the regional championship game on Saturday after the Lady Patriots edged No. 4 Monache (18-7-1) by a slim 1-0 score in Thursday’s semifinals.
Saturday’s championship game is set for a 4 p.m. start.
Freshman Alyssa McCurty drove in the semifinal game’s one run in the bottom of the sixth inning as senior Tyler Krystek scored the winning run. Christian employed the services of three pitchers in the contest. Junior Ava Barrios went four innings with three hits and three strikeouts while McCurty pitched one inning with one strikeout. Sophomore Sienna Staite pitched two scoreless innings with one hit.
The Lady Pats emerged victorious by generating just four hits.
The Division III section champion Olympian Lady Eagles, seeded fourth in the Division III regional bracket, shaded No. 5 West Ranch, 7-6, in nine innings on Tuesday to advance to Thursday’s semifinal at Division II section champion Point Loma.
Senior Jacqui De Murguia led the offense for the hosts with four hits, including a double, and two RBI. Sophomore NiKayla Flowers (two hits), freshman Isabella Zamora and senior Kailynn Robeson (double) each knocked in one run. Senior Daniela Mendoza scored two runs.
Senior Alexandra Perez pitched eight innings with six runs allowed (four earned) and six strikeouts. West Ranch finished its season with a 17-16 record.
Regional no. 1 seed Pt. Loma (27-6-1) won 3-0 on Thursday to end the Lady Eagles’ season at 20-13-1. Perez pitched six innings with four hits, two earned runs allowed with three strikeouts.
Mater Dei Catholic continued their tug-of-war with a dramatic encounter on Thursday after both teams received a bye in the Division I quarterfinals. No. 3 Bonita Vista took an early 3-1 lead in the semifinal matchup before No. 2 Mater De Catholic went in front 4-3 in the fourth innings. The teams were tied 4-4 through six innings before the host Lady Crusaders won in walk-off fashion with a run in the seventh inning to prevail 5-4 on the scoreboard.
Mater Dei Catholic (26-7) will travel to No. 1 El Modena (23-9) for Saturday’s regional championship game after the Lady Vanguards topped No. 5 Poway (24-9) by a score of 8-6 in nine innings in Thursday’s semifinal.
Senior Lilia Alpuche had three hits and two RBI for the Lady Crusaders in Thursday’s game. Juniors Bella Harris and Liana Quinones each delivered one RBI. Quinones scored two runs in the game while Harris, sophomore Anabelle Gallagher and senior Bella Hiner each scored once.
Sophomore Arri Romero pitched five innings with four earned runs allowed and three strikeouts while senior Analesse Garcia pitched two innings with one hit, one walk and one strikeout to record the win.
Bonita Vista finishes an otherwise stellar season 25-8.
Two Vehicle Wreck Near Foley Claims Orange Beach Woman’s Life
Flora-Bama Fishing Rodeo Returns for Eleventh Year By OBA Staff • June 3, 2025 Orange Beach, Ala. — (OBA) — The Flora-Bama Fishing Rodeo is back for its 11th year, offering fun for anglers of all ages and skill levels. The event welcomes both seasoned fishermen and first-timers—no boat is required to compete. With prizes, […]
Flora-Bama Fishing Rodeo Returns for Eleventh Year
By OBA Staff • June 3, 2025
Orange Beach, Ala. — (OBA) — The Flora-Bama Fishing Rodeo is back for its 11th year, offering fun for anglers of all ages and skill levels. The event welcomes both seasoned fishermen and first-timers—no boat is required to compete. With prizes, live music, and food, it’s a full weekend of Gulf Coast entertainment. Registration is now open and includes both youth and adult divisions.
Carcarey Named to USA Water Polo Junior National Team Squad for World Aquatics U20 Junior World Championships
Jon Carcarey, a rising junior at Pepperdine, has been named to the USA Water Polo Junior National Team for the World Aquatics U20 Junior World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia. Representing Team USA is a significant milestone in Carcarey’s career, as he aims to contribute to the team that is competing among 20 countries. The USA […]
Jon Carcarey, a rising junior at Pepperdine, has been named to the USA Water Polo Junior National Team for the World Aquatics U20 Junior World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia. Representing Team USA is a significant milestone in Carcarey’s career, as he aims to contribute to the team that is competing among 20 countries. The USA team will face formidable opponents including Croatia, Hungary, and Montenegro in Group A during the early rounds of the tournament.
By the Numbers
Carcarey scored 35 goals and provided 18 assists during his sophomore season in 2024.
The USA team consists of 15 athletes competing against 20 total countries in the tournament.
State of Play
USA Water Polo will begin group play on June 14 against Croatia at 10 a.m. PDT.
Carcarey has previously competed with the national team at various age levels, showcasing his ongoing development as a player.
What’s Next
Following their opening match with Croatia, Team USA will face Hungary and Montenegro on June 15 and June 16, respectively, with hopes of advancing to the knockout stages scheduled to conclude with the championship on June 21.
Bottom Line
Carcarey’s selection to the national team exemplifies his skill and dedication, making him a key player to watch as Team USA aims for success in an international competition that could mark a pivotal point in his burgeoning water polo career.
Butte Central announces hiring of new volleyball coach
406 MT Sports Butte Central announced the hiring of its new volleyball coach, Karina Mickelson, on Thursday afternoon. “We are thrilled to welcome Karina Mickelson to Butte Central,” Butte Central activities director Chad Petersen said in the press release. “Her experience as both a high-level player and youth coach will be a tremendous asset to […]
Butte Central announced the hiring of its new volleyball coach, Karina Mickelson, on Thursday afternoon.
“We are thrilled to welcome Karina Mickelson to Butte Central,” Butte Central activities director Chad Petersen said in the press release. “Her experience as both a high-level player and youth coach will be a tremendous asset to our volleyball program. Karina brings a winning mindset and a deep understanding of the game. We believe she will have a positive impact across all levels of the program. Our student-athletes are going to benefit greatly from her leadership and energy.”
Former coach Becky Hancock stepped down after 11 seasons in May 2025.
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Mickelson, originally from Southern California, arrives at the helm of the Maroons’ volleyball program at the heels of a year playing professional volleyball in the Czech Republic. Before that, she competed collegiately in the sport at Tech from 2015 to 2021, where she graduated with a degree in biological science.
Additionally, since 2019, Mickelson has coached club volleyball at Velocity Volleyball Academy.
“I love volleyball,” Mickelson told 406 MT Sports on Thursday evening. “I don’t ever see myself not being a part of it. Professional is the top level I could go, and now I’m ready for the next step which is coaching. Head coach at a local high school in a community I’ve been part of for a decade now, it’s so special.”
Mickelson’s extensive experience as a club volleyball coach mentoring Butte’s youth paired with her professional playing career overseas has prepared her for this role. Already used to managing team dynamics and various personalities, backgrounds and cultures – including during her time in the Czech Republic, where her former Czech teammate who played collegiate volleyball in California served as a translator for their coach, who spoke little English – Mickelson is eager to put her skills and experiences into a leadership role.
“Being able to step into a leadership role in the community is really nice,” Mickelson said. “I have the ability to influence a lot more (girls). So I’m looking forward to that. It’s going to be a really good opportunity.”
Mickelson will begin working with the Maroons volleyball squad in her coaching duties in July. The first day of team practices begin August 15.
(@PhilMackey) 
