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Lānaʻi skateboarders now have a dedicated spot to shred and drop in

Community members gathered in Lānaʻi City on Saturday to celebrate the grand opening of the Lānaʻi Skatepark. Lānaʻi was once the only populated Hawaiian island without a skatepark. Since the ’90s, skateboard enthusiasts have petitioned for a facility to be built. A blessing ceremony kicked off the grand opening of the new space at the […]

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Lānaʻi skateboarders now have a dedicated spot to shred and drop in

Community members gathered in Lānaʻi City on Saturday to celebrate the grand opening of the Lānaʻi Skatepark.

Lānaʻi was once the only populated Hawaiian island without a skatepark. Since the ’90s, skateboard enthusiasts have petitioned for a facility to be built.

A blessing ceremony kicked off the grand opening of the new space at the Lānaʻi Youth Center. Advocates for the skatepark and youth center hope that the space will allow generations to come together and create both memories and traditions that will be passed down for years.

“These spaces are a testament to the county’s commitment to our keiki, our families and the bright future of this community,” said Maui County Department of Parks and Recreation Director Patrick McCall in a news release. “More importantly, today reminds us of what we can accomplish when we work together — administration and council, government and community, departments and agencies — all united by a shared vision.”

Following the ceremony, festivities continued with treats for attendees. The DPR provided helmets, protective pads and skateboard rentals for keiki. Skaters of all ages shredded on the new skatepark and participated in the skate jam.

Lānaʻi community skaters participating in the skate jam.

Maui Department of Parks and Recreation

Lānaʻi community skaters participating in the skate jam.

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Holland Christian volleyball’s run to finals ends with state runner-up

HUDSONVILLE – The Holland Christian volleyball players took turns posing with a trophy after the match on Saturday. It just wasn’t the trophy they wanted. “I had no expectations of holding up the championship trophy going into the season,” senior Grant VanderZee said. “Of course you hope for it. But at the end of the […]

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HUDSONVILLE – The Holland Christian volleyball players took turns posing with a trophy after the match on Saturday.

It just wasn’t the trophy they wanted.

“I had no expectations of holding up the championship trophy going into the season,” senior Grant VanderZee said. “Of course you hope for it. But at the end of the day, holding up any trophy is pretty cool for our guys.”

The Holland Christian boys volleyball team lost in three sets – 25-21, 25-18 and 25-18 – to Lowell in the Division 2 state championship at Hudsonville High School on Saturday.  

“This season was crazy,” junior Jacob Tinholt said. “Coming in with three people that had never played volleyball before. No one really expected us to go very far. It’s special to play in a game like this.”

The Maroons finished with an impressive 36-9 record. 

“We played good,” coach Mark Walraven said. “But Lowell played great, though. We were outmatched. We didn’t do anything wrong, it just wasn’t our day. I’m proud of the guys. They put their heart and soul into the season.”

Lowell was dominant from the start. Holland Christian only had one lead the entire day, when it was 3-1 early in Game 2. The Red Arrows defense at the net neutralized the heaving hitting of VanderZee, a 6-foot-6 big hitter, who is Michigan’s Mr. Volleyball Award winner.

“We played a great game and good defense,” VanderZee said. “Our hits weren’t going down. They did a nice job blocking. They outplayed us.”

Senior Spencer Walraven, the team’s setter, said he loved how this season played out.

“We had a lot of new guys this year,” he said. “Lots of guys that had never touched a volleyball. It was fun to grow into a good team.”

Best friends will be roommates in college

Saturday’s game was the last for seniors VanderZee and Spencer Walraven. But they won’t be parting ways. The duo will be roommates in college when they head to Grand Canyon University in Phoenix.

“We grind together, we get after it,” VanderZee said of Walraven. “It’s nice to have someone who is just as dedicated as me. Not only in volleyball, but in life in general is a real blessing. He’s my best friend and we’re going to college together.”

Grand Canyon recently got rid of its men’s volleyball program. But that doesn’t mean the Holland Christian duo are done playing. They plan to team together in the school’s club beach volleyball program.

“I’m gonna play with Grant in college,” Walraven said. 

Coaching his son was ‘an honor’

Coach Mark Walraven admits it isn’t always easy to coach your own kid. But it went pretty smooth for him coaching his son, Spencer.

“It was awesome,” Mark said. “A privilege, really. It’s tough sometimes. But we have a great relationship. It truly was an honor to coach him and the rest of the team. We’ve got some great memories.”

Spencer said it was special.

“I love it,” he said. “We had lots of dinner-time conversations and talking about the type of lineups and stuff. It’s been bigger than volleyball at the end of the day. It’s been so much fun.”



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Kevin Murphy Reinstated as Southlake Boys’ High School Coach, But Not Girls

Kevin Murphy has been reinstated as the head coach of the boys’ swimming & diving team at Keller High School, but not the girls, Carrol ISD said in a press release. The announcement is the latest in what has been a chaotic few years for high school swimming in suburban Dallas, and comes about a […]

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Kevin Murphy has been reinstated as the head coach of the boys’ swimming & diving team at Keller High School, but not the girls, Carrol ISD said in a press release. The announcement is the latest in what has been a chaotic few years for high school swimming in suburban Dallas, and comes about a month after Murphy was “reassigned” from the post he had held for 20 years.

Murphy has led the Southlake Carroll boys’ and girls’ swimming & diving teams to 15 team state titles in his tenure. Last season, the girls finished 2nd and the boys 12th at the state championship meet.

Justin Pudwill, the district’s aquatics supervisor and head water polo coach, will assume the role of the head coach of the girls’ team.

While in some states, especially midwestern states that have different boys’ and girls’ high school swim seasons, it’s not uncommon for the teams to have different head coaches. In Texas, where the teams have identical seasons, it is almost unheard of.

From the Press Release:

“We’re excited about the future of our swim program,” said Athletic Director Riley Dodge. “Having both Coach Murphy and Coach Pudwill in leadership positions allows us to provide the best possible support for our student-athletes. Their combined expertise and passion for the sport will elevate our program even further.”

Carroll ISD looks forward to continued success in the pool with both coaches working collaboratively to guide our student-athletes to new heights.

No explanation for Murphy’s reassignment, or the decision to bring him back as only the boys’ coach, has been given by the district, though local observers say that the complaints that prompted the move were brought forward by members of the girls’ team whose parents are influential boosters for Southlake Carroll’s football team.

The school’s athletics director is Riley Dodge, who is also a former star quarterback for the school and head football coach.

One local parent says that they were told by the AD that there were no applicants for the position.

Murphy took over the programs in 2005 and was named to the Carroll ISD Athletic Hall of Honor in 2017. The Carroll boys have won 10 state titles in that era, including nine straight from 2011 to 2019, and the Carroll girls won five state titles from 2012 through 2022.

Earlier this week, nearby Keller High School received a public reprimand for violating UIL rules by allowing swimmers to train with a USA Swimming club team during the school day. Maximus Williamson, one of the top high school swimmers in the country, just graduated from Keller High School, but began his high school swimming career at Southlake Carroll.





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Jumping through adversity: WVU track and field standout shows strength on and off the track

It’s been said that “in the middle of difficulty, lies opportunity.” In life, we all are dealt a hand of adversity. Whether it’s in the workplace, in a classroom, on the field, or even just in daily tasks and routines, it would be nearly impossible to find someone who has never faced any sort of […]

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It’s been said that “in the middle of difficulty, lies opportunity.”

In life, we all are dealt a hand of adversity. Whether it’s in the workplace, in a classroom, on the field, or even just in daily tasks and routines, it would be nearly impossible to find someone who has never faced any sort of challenge or setback.

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Within those setbacks, though, lie some of the most rewarding experiences of our lives. We just have to dig deep and battle through difficulties to find them.

For WVU track and field standout Lily Haught, her two years as a runner for the Mountaineers have been nothing short of challenging. Physically, mentally, and emotionally, the daunting task of being a collegiate-athlete, like it does for many, has often taken a toll on her ability to fight through expected adversity.

To her, though, the rewards have been worth the struggle. And with two years left in her career, she’s sure that the best moments are yet to come.

Haught, a former track and field standout at Hurricane High School, says that the decision to continue to pursue track in college became apparent early on in her career. Despite uncertainties that stayed with her throughout her time as part of the Redskins’ squad, she cites receiving inspiration from a few key figures in her life as a turning point when faced with making the call to either keep running or leave it behind after high school.

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“I knew I wanted to run track at the collegiate level in 8th grade, because I had just found out that my role model, Sydney McLaughlin, went to the Olympics at 16,” Haught said. “I felt inspired by that. Once I got to high school, I still wasn’t sure of my abilities and whether or not they would take me to the collegiate level. It wasn’t until my junior year that I really began to focus on training for college track.”

“My hurdle coach, Justin Tidd, was a crucial part of shaping me as an athlete, and he gave me the inspiration to even run hurdles in the first place. Being undefeated in the 100 and 300 hurdles during high school made me realize that a college track career was within my reach.”

Like most high school athletes with plans to continue their athletic career at the next level, Haught describes the decision process regarding where to attend school as one that presented challenges. For her, though, after visiting the campus and meeting with the track and field coaching staff, WVU just felt like the right fit.

More importantly, the ability to be surrounded by coaches and teammates who are always seeking to push her to the highest level possible is what has been her driving force during the first two years of her career.

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“My time at WVU has been rewarding so far,” Haught said. “I’ve liked the experience and the atmosphere my team creates is exactly what I was searching for. My coach, Shelly-Ann Gallimore, knows exactly how to coach me, and I’m blessed to have found that so easily.”

Haught also says, despite controversial takes from the talking heads within the media, that the Big 12 Conference is one of the toughest out there. In track and field, the competitions are up there with some of the best in the country, a feat she believes has helped her reach another level in her career.

“The Big 12 Conference meets I’ve attended have been the most memorable for me,” Haught said. “They brought me around competition I’ve never seen before. The athletes at these meets push me to be better and I feel lucky to have been able to go four times.”

Despite finishing the 2024-25 season setting a personal best in hurdles in the conference competitions, Haught said her sophomore year was not always as it appeared to be when on the track. While some athletes struggle with vulnerability and allow setbacks to mess with their game, Haught used the adversity she faced to push herself to become stronger both physically and mentally, which she said she will take with her moving forward into next season.

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“My main event is the 400 meter hurdles, and in practice I had a couple falls,” Haught said. “I also had a couple meets that messed with my mental health. I battled a ton of anxiety during the season, but fought through it because I didn’t want to let it control my sport. Through journaling and sports psychology, I was able to finish out my season strong.”

While it may be a misconception among those unfamiliar with track and field as a sport, athletes who participate in the events don’t stop once the season is over. Like every other sport, an offseason exists, and intense preparation is required to stay physically fit before the upcoming calendar year.

With summer now in full swing, Haught said that for her, the offseason is just as important as the regular season, and ultimately, recovery is necessary in order to be able to regain composure mentally and physically in time for next season.

“Recovery is important to implement because your body goes through so much all season long,” Haught said. “The season lasts from December to May, and we’re training even before that, so there’s a lot of stress put on the body. I’m planning to continue to weight train, while also following the running plan that my coach gives me.”

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As she approaches the beginning of her junior year, Haught said she still has plenty of room to grow both on and off the track. One thing she is choosing to prioritize, though, is maintaining physical and mental toughness in order to continue achieving her personal goals.

“I plan to continue to PR and become stronger mentally and physically,” Haught said. “I want to also get my time under a minute in the 400 meter hurdles. I’m currently at 1:00.67, so I specifically need to work on getting lower when jumping over the hurdles.”

Although she still has two years left as a Mountaineer, Haught’s journey thus far has been nothing short of inspiring.



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Pirates compete at day 1 of OHSAA track and field meet

PHOTOS by Jamie Nygaard / CLICK gallery to enlarge and view at your own pace 6 individuals, 1 relay compete in Saturday finals  By Cort Reynolds COLUMBUS – Two Bluffton High School boys and one relay team advanced to Saturday finals with strong day one showings in the 2025 Div. II OHSAA Track and Field […]

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PHOTOS by Jamie Nygaard / CLICK gallery to enlarge and view at your own pace

6 individuals, 1 relay compete in Saturday finals 

By Cort Reynolds

COLUMBUS – Two Bluffton High School boys and one relay team advanced to Saturday finals with strong day one showings in the 2025 Div. II OHSAA Track and Field State Tournament at The Ohio State’s Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.

Senior sprinter Griffin Stackhouse crossed the finish line second in the 200-meter dash, and finished sixth in the 100-meters to advance to Saturday finals in both events.

The 100-meter finals are at 1:10 p.m., with the 200 meters at 2:40 p.m.

Junior Kain Wright took second in the 400-meter run prelims. He runs in the 400-meter finals Saturday at 2:05 p.m.

The Bluffton boys 4×200 relay quartet of Carson Kruse, Tayte Giesige, Wright and Stackhouse came in fourth place to advance to the finals at 1:25 p.m.  

Four Bluffton athletes did not compete Friday, and are in Saturday final events. Field events begin mid-morning, with running events starting at 1 p.m.

Senior Noah Bricker competes in the high jump finals Saturday at 9:30 a.m. Junior Alayna Mueller will also compete in the pole vault final Saturday at 9:30 a.m.

Pirate senior and regional champion Marek Donaldson will run in the 800-meter finals Saturday at approximately 2:30 p.m. He has the best qualifying seed time in the 18-runner field.

Sophomore Nora Matthews runs in the 800-meter finals Saturday at 2:30 p.m.

Sophomore Tayte Giesige finished 15th in the long jump finals Friday.

Two Pirate girls competed in their event prelims Friday, but did not advance to the finals Saturday.

Freshman Maelee Miller came in 13th in the 400-meter run, and finished 17th in the 100-meter hurdle race.

Junior Aubrey Burkholder ended up 14th in the 300-meter hurdle preliminary heats.

A top-nine finish in the state prelims advances a runner or team to an event finals.

 

Bluffton Div. II state meet day 1 results:

EVENT PLACE ATHLETE YEAR TEAM TIME WIND HEAT

Boys 200 Meter Dash Prelims

2 Griffin Stackhouse 12 Bluffton 21.64 +3.1 1

 

Boys 400 Meter Dash Prelims

2 Kain Wright 11 Bluffton 48.77 

 

Boys 4×200 Meter Relay Prelims

4 Bluffton 1:27.98 

 

Boys 100 Meter Dash Prelims

6 Griffin Stackhouse 12 Bluffton 10.80 -0.4 1

 

Girls 400 Meter Dash Prelims

13 Maelee Miller 9 Bluffton 58.36 1

 

Girls 300 Meter Hurdles Prelims

14 Aubrey Burkholder 11 Bluffton 46.43 1

 

Boys Long Jump Finals

15 Tayte Giesige 10 Bluffton 20-3  +1.6 1

 

Girls 100 Meter Hurdles Prelims

17 Maelee Miller 9 Bluffton 15.90 +2.5 2



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Newington boys volleyball advances to semis, New Britain’s season comes to an end on Friday  | Sports

On Friday, both the New Britain and Newington boys volleyball teams played in their respective quarterfinal state tournaments.  New Britain faced the No. 2 Trumbull Eagles at Trumbull High school in the Class L state tournament and suffered a loss in straight sets while Newington won its Class M quarterfinal in straight sets against No. […]

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On Friday, both the New Britain and Newington boys volleyball teams played in their respective quarterfinal state tournaments. 

New Britain faced the No. 2 Trumbull Eagles at Trumbull High school in the Class L state tournament and suffered a loss in straight sets while Newington won its Class M quarterfinal in straight sets against No. 5 Wolcott Tech. 



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CCX Sports Spotlight: Henry Risser, Hopkins Track and Field

12:01 PM | Saturday, June 7, 2025 In this week’s CCX Sports Spotlight, Chaz Mootz profiles Hopkins track and field senior runner Henry Risser. Growing up Risser’s first love was always soccer, but after trying out for track his freshman year at Hopkins, Risser realized that running track gave him the best opportunity to compete […]

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12:01 PM | Saturday, June 7, 2025

In this week’s CCX Sports Spotlight, Chaz Mootz profiles Hopkins track and field senior runner Henry Risser.

Growing up Risser’s first love was always soccer, but after trying out for track his freshman year at Hopkins, Risser realized that running track gave him the best opportunity to compete in college.

Risser now holds both the 400 meter and 800 meter school records at Hopkins.

Both his 400 (47.19 seconds) and 800 (1:49.52) times rank in the top five in MSHSL boys track all-time records.

Risser will run at the University of Wisconsin next year.

Henry Risser

Hopkins High School

Track & Field

CCX News – Daily Sportscast



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