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It’s not goodbye, rather see you later. Thank you for proving me wrong four years ago | MLB

Published

8 months ago

May 3, 2025

I remember it clear as day. It was a turning point in my life. I just hadn’t recognized it yet.

I was interviewed for the sports reporter position at The Sentinel in May 2021. It was in a gazebo at Children’s Lake in Boiling Springs. I was in a suit in 80-degree weather. My nerves were enough for me to pass out, and the heat and sunlight weren’t doing any favors.

I don’t remember much from my interview. But the last question will forever stand out.

“Where do you hope to go; what do you hope to accomplish in your career?”

My answer at the time: “I would love to be a minor league baseball reporter. I’ve always been interested in that level of sports, having spent many summers at local ballparks with my friends watching games.”

You’re taught in school, in similar situations, that there’s no wrong answer. But boy, my answer couldn’t have been further off the beaten path.

Saturday is my last day at The Sentinel. We can’t see into the future, but reflecting on my answer almost four years later, I wish I could’ve told my younger self, everything you wanted, everything you dreamed of in a job was standing right in front of you.

Planting my roots

I was wide-eyed. Maybe a bit in over my head. The goal from the get was to show I cared, that I wanted to share the stories, do justice for the local community.

You all made it easy.

It was an exciting time to jump in the local ring in June 2021. Red Land baseball was making its case for the PIAA Class 5A championship. Benny Montgomery and East Pennsboro’s Michael Morales were on the doorstep of being drafted into Major League Baseball.

‘It’s a moment I’ve been waiting for my entire life’: Benny Montgomery chasing MLB dreams as Colorado Rockies 2021 first round draft pick

Kids of all ages flocked to the third-base line of Medlar Field at Lubrano Park in State College.

‘It felt like the whole world came down on me’: Michael Morales soaking it all in as Seattle Mariners third-round selection in 2021 Major League Baseball Draft

“It just really started feeling like the whole world came down on me. But also, in a way, it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. It all happened in like three seconds.” ~ Michael Morales

The excitement spiked to unprecedented levels that fall. Big Spring football made program history. Camp Hill’s Paige Richter — unaware on her final tap in on the 18th hole at Heritage Hills Golf Resort — won the PIAA Class 2A title.

PIAA Golf: Camp Hill’s Paige Richter secures state championship

Paige Richter becomes the first Camp Hill female golfer to ever win the state crown and just the second Lions golfer overall since Jack Weaver won in 1945.

The list went on. And on. And on.

I couldn’t have asked for a better introduction. It was in this stretch, I knew it was meant to be.

The events

Watching the Boiling Springs field hockey sideline count down the final five seconds. Gracyn Catalano’s reaction when her golden goal slipped through the legs of Palmyra’s goalie and Mechanicsburg stormed Cumberland Valley’s Chapman Field.

Boiling Springs defeats Wyoming Area for PIAA Class A field hockey title

The Bubblers defeated Wyoming Area 1-0 Saturday in the Class A final to complete an undefeated season and capture the program’s first state title.

The 2022 PIAA field hockey championships were unmatched. The energy was intoxicating.

Watch Now: Gracyn Catalano’s golden goal clinches 1st state title for Mechanicsburg field hockey

Catalano’s goal with 30 seconds left in overtime gave the Wildcats a 1-0 win over Palmyra and captured the first state title in school history.

The Big Spring boys basketball team has sent chills up my spine and left me questioning, “How the hell am I supposed to write this?” To which head coach Jason Creek jokingly replied, “Isn’t that your job?”

In the final two minutes of a 2024 PIAA Class 4A semifinal, Aidan Sallie found a second gear — where, I’m still not sure — and deposited four 3-pointers before giving way to Jake Knouse’s go-ahead trey to complete an 11-point comeback at Fleetwood. The run captivated the Newville community, as sheets of maroon and gold blanketed the Giant Center seating bowl for the District 3 final and pushed the Bulldog gymnasium beyond max capacity for the program’s first-ever PIAA opener.

‘It was all about believing’: Big Spring boys basketball does the unthinkable to reach District 3 4A final

Trailing nine with two minutes left Tuesday, Big Spring rallied behind the likes of Aidan Sallie and Jake Knouse to stun Fleetwood 62-61 in the District 3 4A semifinals.

A trail of maroon and gold: Big Spring community fuels boys basketball team’s run to District 3 silver

In Big Spring’s run to District 3 4A silver, the Bulldog community supported the boys basketball program every step of the way.

Then there are the small moments woven amid the chaos. Moments not reflected in a box score.

Seeing the Cumberland Valley boys lacrosse team, off in the distance, pause practice on a cold, windy Saturday morning to stand for the national anthem. The Big Spring student body, stretching pylon to pylon, locking hands and singing the school’s alma mater after the first Little Brown Jug victory since 2010. In the same rivalry, the Bulldog and Shippensburg football teams coming together at midfield for prayer following the unexpected death of Shippensburg teen Levi Maciejewski.

Big Spring football defeats Shippensburg to lift Little Brown Jug for the first time since 2010

For the first time since 2010, Big Spring defeated Shippensburg in the Little Brown Jug rivalry, knocking off the Greyhounds 21-7 Friday night in Newville.

‘It’s bigger than the game’: Big Spring, Shippensburg student sections come together as one maroon

Following the unexpected death of a Shippensburg teen Tuesday, the Bulldog and Greyhound student bodies used Friday’s Little Brown Jug Game as a way to honor him.

I wanted to show it’s bigger than the game. It’s everyday life.

People support. People hurt. People cheer. It creates some of life’s most beautiful moments.

Embracing me

I’m warm-blooded. I wore a hat that turned from silky white to Dijon mustard yellow. They became jokes — mostly on my social media platforms — that you all embraced.

My reputation for donning shorts and failing to wear winter jackets and gloves followed me like a shadow. The Boiling Springs field hockey team provided me hand warmers at Tulpehocken during a sub-30-degree 2022 PIAA Class A semifinal. I wouldn’t have been able to tweet updates that night without them.

The hat fought the battles of the Giant Center security. It never won — I was even asked to dispose of it in a visit to the bathroom — but it was always a valiant effort. Instead, I had to let the “lettuce” flow from time to time, a look I’ve since cleaned up thanks to my girlfriend.

Jokes aside, it was your embracement of my writing, my creativity that touched me most. You tagged me with thanks. You screenshotted articles. You clipped stories and presented them as gifts — sometimes even under the Christmas tree.

Two schools, two sports, one special night: Camp Hill’s Gaudion twins strike District 3 gold

Peter Gaudion received word Tuesday that the start of Camp Hill’s District 3 Class 3A baseball championship game had been delayed.

You elevated the importance of local sports and community ties. Through my words.

I couldn’t be more grateful.

A final thank you

I’ll still be living on the West Shore as my next chapter unfolds. I hope to enjoy Cumberland County sports from a spectator lens on occasion. It’s not a complete goodbye, rather see you later.

From subscribing to The Sentinel, to having read one story, to having scanned one graf or even one sentence, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Confidence hasn’t always been part of my identity, but you’ve fostered that. You’ve welcomed me with open arms and gifted me the opportunity to be a small snippet of your lives. You’ve taken care of me, helped me grow in my craft and in everyday life.

One smile at a time, Chuck Luckenbaugh embodies what it means to be a Mechanicsburg Wildcat

Chuck Luckenbaugh is recognized by his infectious smile. The smile, occupying the Mechanicsburg football sidelines every Friday for the last 20-plus years, embodies what it means to be a Wildcat.

To my colleagues past and present, thank you for all the support. Thank you to Jeff Pratt and Naomi Creason for taking a chance on a kid straight out college. To Tim Gross, thank you for helping me find my way, allowing me to spread my creative wings and explore who I am and want to be as a writer.

But none of this would’ve been possible without you, the people. We can’t do our life’s work without you, and I’m forever in debt to our local athletes, coaches, athletic directors and personnel. From sideline chats, postgame interviews and quick hellos in public, I’ve cherished them all.

‘Nothing but positive’: Mechanicsburg’s Will Hummel overcomes limitations of HCU to produce on pitching mound

Will Hummel has lived with homocystinuria, a condition where the body can’t process methionine, his entire life. It’s not limiting him, especially in his senior baseball season with Mechanicsburg.

I’m eager for the next step. A bit nervous. I believe there’s more avenues to venture down, more ideas to tap into.

But I leave you with this:

Thank you for proving me wrong four years ago.

Year in Review: 10 Sentinel-area sports highlights from 2024

The Sentinel’s sports department looks back on some of the top local stories from 2024, from historic firsts to unprecedented runs to championship moments.

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Rec Sports

Fargo Youth Initiative finds new home with Fargo Public Schools – InForum

Published

2 hours ago

January 5, 2026

Your Sports Nation

FARGO — A move to take a youth initiative out of the purview of the city of Fargo is expected to expand student civic engagement, the city said.

The City Commission voted Monday, Dec. 22, to give Fargo Public Schools oversight of the Fargo Youth Initiative, an advisory body made up of local high school students.

Commissioners have been discussing over recent weeks whether certain boards are effective or viable. The city’s Planning Department previously coordinated Fargo Youth Initiative events.

“It really did take a village to find a new home for this, but I think it’s the next iteration of greatness,” Commissioner Denise Kolpack said at the meeting.

Isabella Meyer, chair of FYI and a senior at Fargo North High School, told commissioners many decisions are made for youth without involving them.

“The Fargo Youth Initiative has been a great way for us to be able to share our voice and our opinions on what actually works and what we actually need,” Meyer said.

The youth advisory group will now be housed within Fargo Public Schools and will include liaison representatives from the Fargo City Commission, the FPS Board of Education and the Fargo Park Board, with potential for expansion.

The group will meet at and receive administrative support from the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Red River Valley.

Fargo school board vice president Robin Nelson recommends to the board to keep the name Horace Mann for the Northside Elementary School on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025, at the Fargo Public School District No. 1. — Fargo School Board vice president Robin Nelson speaks during a meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025.

Robin Nelson, Boys & Girls Clubs CEO and Fargo School Board vice president, became involved in the Fargo Youth Initiative as it was created in 2013.

She said connecting the high school students with School Board, Park Board and city representatives will provide for even better opportunities.

“Now that they’ve got some more direction, it’s really ignited their excitement,” Nelson said.

Liaisons are expected to be Kolpack from the City Commission, Kristin Nelson from the Fargo School Board and Zoë Absey from the Park Board.

Proposed areas of focus for the Fargo Youth Initiative include education relating to North Dakota Century Code, open meeting regulations and local governance and policies.

Advocacy opportunities include raising the profile of youth public health issues and youth homelessness and speaking out on city, parks and school policies and initiatives.

Community impact ideas could include organizing student-led events or service projects, and regularly attending and participating in local government meetings.

“Youth are a big percentage of our population, so the more they can learn about how our city governments work and serve as a conduit and voice for youth so they are heard at those elected levels, is beneficial,” Robin Nelson said.

A goal is to achieve a total of 15 members on the Fargo Youth Initiative, which plans to continue to meet monthly.

Huebner is a 35+ year veteran of broadcast and print journalism in Fargo-Moorhead.

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Young athletes compete in Northwest Ohio Elks Hoop Shoot | Allen County

Published

4 hours ago

January 4, 2026

Your Sports Nation

LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) — Young athletes showed they could perform under pressure as they competed in the Elks Hoop Shoot competition.

The Northwest Ohio District brought winners from 10 different Elks lodge Hoop Shoot competitions to Ohio State Lima for the next step in the national contest.

The Elks have hosted the Hoop Shoot program for 52 years. Boys and girls ages 8 through 13 were divided into three age groups to see who could sink the most baskets.

While organizers hope the event is fun for the participants, they also emphasize the importance of developing skills through practice.

“They’re our future, and you don’t know who’s going to be able to benefit from all the practice that they put in, and further their careers in basketball, not only in the high school level, but in college and perhaps the professionals. We want them to increase their skill level and also show the sportsmanship and the camaraderie with the other shooters and enjoy the time that they have with this program,” says Jean Zink, Northwest Ohio District Elks Hoop Shoot Competition.

The top boys and girls from each age group in the Northwest Ohio District will advance to the state competition in February.

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Rec Sports

Jake Kielb Hockey foundation launches effort to expand youth sports access in Las Vegas

Published

4 hours ago

January 4, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Alexa Belcastro

Since the Vegas Golden Knights arrived in 2017, youth hockey participation in Southern Nevada has more than doubled, according to USA Hockey and local youth programs. While that growth has created new opportunities, it has also strained existing facilities.

Usufzy said programs like learn-to-skate and youth leagues are reaching capacity, and without additional infrastructure, families may be forced to look elsewhere for competitive opportunities.

“We’ve seen incredible growth, but without places to support it, that growth can stall,” she said. “We want kids to be able to play and develop right here in Las Vegas.”

To meet that demand, the foundation has launched a capital campaign to build the Las Vegas Community Sports Complex, the first nonprofit community ice rink and multi-sport facility of its kind in Southern Nevada.

The proposed complex would feature two NHL-sized ice rinks and a versatile indoor turf field designed for sports like soccer and lacrosse, . The goal is to create affordable programming and expand scholarship opportunities for families across the valley.

The Jake Kielb Hockey Foundation’s capital campaign is entirely community-driven. Those interested in learning more or supporting the project can find additional information at HelpVegasPlay.com.

Usufzy hopes the project will ultimately give every child — regardless of background a place to play, grow, and belong.

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NBC5 In Depth: Nordic skiing gaining traction

Published

5 hours ago

January 4, 2026

Your Sports Nation

The organization that governs Nordic ski events in New England said it is seeing considerable growth in interest in the sport. The executive director of NENSA, the New England Nordic Ski Association, was a guest on this week’s episode of NBC5 In Depth.”The sport of cross-country skiing is much younger than alpine skiing in America, I think it’s fair to say,” said Heidi Lange of NENSA. “But we are seeing incredible growth and success at all levels.”On the Jan. 4 episode of NBC5 In Depth, Lange said the fame and success of Jessie Diggins, who won three Olympic medals in cross-country skiing and an array of other championships, has helped attract young athletes to the sport.”We see a lot of glitter at our races,” Lange said, referring to how Diggins popularized wearing glitter on her face during competitions. “We see kids embracing that joy and the sportsmanship that she emulates. And it goes deeper than that, of course. Jessie is an incredible mentor and role model in so many ways. She’s so willing to be open and vulnerable and very transparent about her journey, not just celebrating the successes, but sharing what she’s experiencing through challenges and struggles. And I think that has had a very powerful influence on skiers as they’re developing and navigating what are hopefully long journeys in the sport.”Lange told NBC5 In Depth that over the past two Olympic cycles, 50% of U.S. Olympic team members in Nordic skiing had an affiliation with a New England program. She went on to say that a closer examination of the numbers revealed that 30% of that population grew up in NENSA’s youth and junior programming in New England. “We’re incredibly proud of that,” Lange said. “It’s early to say yet for this year, but trends are tracking in a similar fashion.”Lange provided other encouraging signs for the future of the sport in the NBC5 In Depth interview. She also discussed advancements in snowmaking technology for Nordic ski areas, and offered recommendations of what fans of the Olympics should watch for in the Nordic competitions at the upcoming Winter Games.The video atop this article has the full interview with NENSA’s Heidi Lange that aired on the Jan. 4 episode of NBC5 In Depth.Previous coverage: Olympic gold medalist Jessie Diggins discusses climate activism

LYME, N.H. —

“The sport of cross-country skiing is much younger than alpine skiing in America, I think it’s fair to say,” said Heidi Lange of NENSA. “But we are seeing incredible growth and success at all levels.”

On the Jan. 4 episode of NBC5 In Depth, Lange said the fame and success of Jessie Diggins, who won three Olympic medals in cross-country skiing and an array of other championships, has helped attract young athletes to the sport.

“We see a lot of glitter at our races,” Lange said, referring to how Diggins popularized wearing glitter on her face during competitions. “We see kids embracing that joy and the sportsmanship that she emulates. And it goes deeper than that, of course. Jessie is an incredible mentor and role model in so many ways. She’s so willing to be open and vulnerable and very transparent about her journey, not just celebrating the successes, but sharing what she’s experiencing through challenges and struggles. And I think that has had a very powerful influence on skiers as they’re developing and navigating what are hopefully long journeys in the sport.”

Lange told NBC5 In Depth that over the past two Olympic cycles, 50% of U.S. Olympic team members in Nordic skiing had an affiliation with a New England program. She went on to say that a closer examination of the numbers revealed that 30% of that population grew up in NENSA’s youth and junior programming in New England.

“We’re incredibly proud of that,” Lange said. “It’s early to say yet for this year, but trends are tracking in a similar fashion.”

Lange provided other encouraging signs for the future of the sport in the NBC5 In Depth interview. She also discussed advancements in snowmaking technology for Nordic ski areas, and offered recommendations of what fans of the Olympics should watch for in the Nordic competitions at the upcoming Winter Games.

The video atop this article has the full interview with NENSA’s Heidi Lange that aired on the Jan. 4 episode of NBC5 In Depth.

Previous coverage: Olympic gold medalist Jessie Diggins discusses climate activism

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Rec Sports

Burbank Boys Basketball Wallops Upland 73-33

Published

5 hours ago

January 4, 2026

Your Sports Nation

20260103_174406 — Burbank defeated Upland 73-33 in a nonleague game. (Photo by Rick Assad)

By Rick Assad

Employing a smothering defense and a smoldering shooting display proved a perfect recipe for the Burbank High boys’ basketball team on Saturday night.

Facing a good Upland team that had height and length but was short on shooting played into the hosts’ favor as the Bulldogs routed the Highlanders 73-33 in a nonleague game.

Burbank scored 20 points or more in the second and third periods and nailed 19 of 28 shots for 67.8 percent in those two frames.

Burbank drained 10 three-pointers with six treys coming in the second half.

Three players scored in double figures and were paced by junior shooting guard Avo Papikyan with a game-high 20 points and was followed by senior point guard Cris Ong with 13 points and junior point guard Jon Ong with 12.

Burbank sank 29 of 52 from the field for 55.2 percent during the game while holding Upland to 11 of 61 for 18 percent.

The Bulldogs made 14 of 28 for 50 percent in the first half and led 36-17 and the Highlanders shot 25 percent after converting six of 24.

Burbank dashed in front 16-9 after the first period and then were off to the races.

Steve Eshleman is Burbank’s head coach and believes this was his team’s finest hour to date.

“That might be our best offensive game that we have had all year and we shot the ball really well, but really what spurred us was our defensive strength that we had throughout the game,” he said.

Eshleman also liked another important aspect of the game.

“We rebounded and got the ball out and when we ran, and then created offense to our defense and getting the ball out and going tonight was probably our best 32 minutes that we put together and that’s great for the kids,” he stated.

The Bulldogs (10-4) outrebounded Upland (8-9) 44-33 including 19-13 in the second half.

Imani Smith-Young, a junior small forward, scored all of his seven points in the opening period.

Papikyan tallied 12 points in the second quarter and that included three of his four from three-point range.

Cris Ong, after scoring five points that included a trey in the opening frame, added six points in the second period as the Bulldogs converted eight of 14 for 57.1 percent from the floor.

Ong’s basket with 5:15 remaining in the second period made it 22-9, Papikyan’s three-pointer increased the cushion to 25-9 with 4:52 on the clock and Ong’s bucket saw the Bulldogs pull ahead 29-9 with 3:25 left.

Senior small forward Anthony Jawiche found his range in the third quarter with nine points and also drilled a three-pointer as Burbank dashed ahead 62-29 heading to the fourth period.

Jon Ong dropped eight points in the same quarter, Papikyan added five points and Ong’s hoop with 6:35 left saw the Bulldogs march ahead 43-17.

In the fourth period, Blake Finnigan, a senior wing, scored five of his seven points and added a three-pointer.

Junior wing Jason Campos canned a three-pointer in the fourth quarter and senior small forward Giordan Lewis dropped two points in the second period for the Bulldogs.

Senior wing Collin Heard paced the Highlanders with nine points and they all came on three-pointers and Cooper Omness, a senior wing for Upland scored five points.

Assistant coach Tighe Eshelman is in agreement with his father’s assessment of the team.

“We’ve been lacking a full 32-minute effort so far this year. We’ve had good wins by getting ahead of people and holding on for dear life,” he said. “Tonight, we really executed the game plan throughout four quarters, which is a great step for us leading back into [Pacific] League play.”

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JAN. 4: MINNESOTA AT MONTRÉAL PRE-GAME PRIMER | PWHL

Published

5 hours ago

January 4, 2026

Your Sports Nation

Sunday, January 4, 2026 | 2 p.m. ET | Place Bell

WATCH LIVE: Sportsnet East/Ontario/Pacific, FanDuel Sports Network North, FOX 9+, ICI TÉLÉ & ICI TOU.TV, PWHL YouTube & thepwhl.com(U.S. / International), More
EN: Daniella Ponticelli (Play-by-Play), Ann-Sophie Bettez (Analyst), Julia Tocheri (Reporter);
FR: Michael Roy (Play-by-Play), Isabelle Leclaire (Analyst), Christine Roger (Reporter), Roseline Filion (Studio Host), Stéphanie Poirier (Studio Analyst)

MINNESOTA FROST
4-1-1-3 | 15 PTS | 2^ND PLACE (TIED)
Top Scorer: Britta Curl-Salemme – 9 GP, 4-7-11 PTS
Last Game: 5-2 L at OTT on Jan. 3

MONTRÉAL VICTOIRE
3-1-0-4 | 11 PTS | 8^TH PLACE
Top Scorer: Marie-Philip Poulin & Abby Roque, 3-5-8 PTS
Last Game: 4-3 L at NY on Jan. 2

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

Montréal has six regulation wins in its 11 all-time games against Minnesota (one SO win, one SO loss & three regulation losses) including a 4-1 win in the last meeting. That’s the most regulation victories by any PWHL team against the Frost. This is the first time the season series opens in Montréal with split decisions in each of the first two opening games in Minnesota.

Saturday’s 5-2 loss was just the fourth regular-season game in which the Frost have allowed at least five goals – and two of them have been at TD Place in Ottawa (lost 8-3 on Feb. 13, 2025). Minnesota had allowed a combined six goals across its first four non-Takeover Tour road games this season.

Both Mae Batherson and Kendall Cooper assisted on Minnesota’s first goal on Saturday, each skater’s fifth straight game with an assist. That ties them for the longest assist streak in the regular season in PWHL history (done six other times). Cooper’s six assists are tied for the lead among rookies.

Britta Curl-Salemme extended her point streak to five games and her goal streak to two games after scoring on Saturday. The league’s points leader scored in her first two games against Montréal last season and finished with four points against the Victoire (2G, 2A) in six games.

Kelly Pannek leads the PWHL with four multi-point games this season after scoring a goal and an assist on Saturday. The first time she produced two points in her career was against Montréal (2A) in her second game back on Jan. 6, 2024.

This is the third time the Frost are playing games on consecutive days, with both other instances occurring in the league’s inaugural season and both with split results. Minnesota had an OT loss against Boston and an OT win over New York on Jan. 27-28, 2024, and a 2-1 win in Ottawa and a 2-1 loss against Montréal on Feb. 17-18, 2024.

Minnesota wraps up its longest road trip of the season and busiest stretch in the schedule with four games in nine days. They enter Sunday’s action with two wins on the trip, having earned five of a possible nine points.

Montréal fired off 45 shots on goal in its 4-3 loss at New York on Friday. It was the most shots on goal the Victoire have attempted in a non-overtime game in team history (including playoffs), and the most by any PWHL team this season.

The Victoire have lost three straight games in regulation, all by one-goal decisions. The longest losing streak in team history is four games back in March 2024. Their only two-game losing streak at home in Montréal was last season with a pair of one-goal defeats at Place Bell on Mar. 23 and Apr. 1, 2025.

Laura Stacey attempted a game-high eight shots on goal Friday, the most by a Montréal player this season. It was Stacey’s third regular-season game with eight or more SOG while all other players in Montréal history have one such game combined (Marie-Philip Poulin). Stacey currently ranks third with 36 shots and led the league last season with 112.

Poulin is riding the longest point streak of her PWHL career at four games (2G, 3A). Before Friday, the Victoire captain had amassed five different three-game streaks in two seasons. Abby Roque also has a four-game point streak of her own with five points (2G, 3A) since Dec. 20. Both goals have been assisted by Poulin, and two of her three assists have set up goals scored by the captain.

Nicole Gosling, Montréal’s first-round pick in June, registered her first PWHL point with an assist on Friday. All four Victoire draft picks who have appeared in games this season have at least one point. Only defender Tamara Giaquinto, chosen in the sixth-round, has yet to play a game for the team.

Jade Downie-Landry, who hails from St-Jean-sur-Richelieu on the South Shore of Montréal, will get to play on home ice in front of her friends and family for the first time on Sunday. She made her long-awaited season debut on Friday against her former Sirens teammates following activation from LTIR.

Hayley Scamurra was named to Team USA on Friday and will compete in her second Olympics. There are also six members of the Frost on the American squad, most in the PWHL.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

“Excited to finish off our road trip on a good note. We have played some really good games and have also learned from some times where we can be better. This is a huge opportunity to get three big points.” – Frost forward Taylor Heise

“We are looking forward to returning to Place Bell in front of our fans for the first time in the New Year. The team has been creating many opportunities and will continue to do so and hopefully take full advantage of them as we move forward.” – Victoire Head Coach Kori Cheverie

SUNDAY’S GAME: The Victoire return to Place Bell for the first time since Dec. 7 and take on the Frost for the first of four meetings this season. Today’s game is a Black History Celebration, part of the PWHL’s Unity Game series, honouring the legacy, impact, and ongoing contributions of Black leaders, athletes, artists, and community-builders within hockey and across Montréal. Through music, dance, community storytelling, and in-arena recognition, the game creates space for celebration, education, and meaningful connection with local Black communities. Fans in attendance will enjoy an immersive experience throughout the day as Black culture and creativity take center stage, including a performance of the national anthem by Montréal singer Jennifer Lee-Dupuy and music curated by DJ Nelles during intermissions. Jennifer Mathurin of the Mathurin Family Foundation will perform the ceremonial puck drop. Her leadership and community advocacy reflect the Foundation’s commitment to empowering Black youth and families through education, sport, and mentorship. Moments of recognition and community storytelling will also spotlight local Black organizations making a lasting impact in Montréal. Among the community partners honoured during the game are the Mathurin Family Foundation and the Montréal Steppers, whose work supports youth empowerment, inclusion, and cultural expression. The Montréal Steppers will also host an activation on the concourse, inviting fans to connect and experience cultural expression beyond the ice. Jayne-Laure Dumerjean will be recognized as the Warrior of the Game for her leadership and impact within Montreal’s youth sports community. She is the founder of Empowering Her Sports, an initiative dedicated to supporting young athletes on and off the court through mentorship and education. Click here to learn more about this season’s Black History Celebrations around the PWHL.

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