It was a tough week for Marion-area high school baseball and softball teams. The only squad still playing this postseason is Highland in baseball.Marion Harding wrapped up the boys tennis season by earning a piece of the Mid Ohio Athletic Conference regular season championship, beating Pleasant 4-1 with all four wins coming in three sets in the finale.Dozens of area athletes made it out of track and field districts and will compete this week in Division II and III regional meets held around the state.Not counting relays, there were 15 individual district champions in track and field. Fans are asked to pick their favorite boys and girls accomplishments among this group for the Marion Star’s latest athlete of the week polls. Folks are encouraged to vote as often as allowed at MarionStar.com and its app through early morning on June 1.Here are the nominees:Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

Marion Star Boys Best of the Week Performer Poll

• North Union’s Wyatt Davis went 20 feet, 8 inches in the Division II long jump.
• Highland’s Jett Black went 14 feet in the Division II pole vault.
• Mount Gilead’s Will Baker ran 4 minutes, 21.83 seconds in the 1600 meters and 9:29.3 in the 3200 in Division II.
• Mount Gilead’s Kasen Wallace went 12 feet in the Division II pole vault.
• Northmor’s Cowin Becker went 22 feet, 6 3/4 inches in the Division III long jump.
• Northmor’s Thomas Detwiler went 45 feet, 4 inches in the Division III shot put.
• Northmor’s Owen Yunker ran 16.17 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles in Division III.

Marion Star Girls Best of the Week Performer Poll

• River Valley’s Finley Blevins went 11 feet in the Division II pole vault.
• North Union’s Gabby Lindsey ran 57.86 seconds in the 400 meters and 25.8 in the 200 in Division II.
• Pleasant’s Taydon Obenour ran 16.3 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles in Division III.
• Northmor’s Layla Castle ran 2 minutes, 23.09 seconds in the 800 meters in Division III.
• Northmor’s Natalie Hunter went 10 feet in the Division III pole vault.
• Elgin’s Kadence Gear went 5 feet in the Division III high jump.
• Mount Gilead’s Abby Leonhard went 35 feet, 1 inches in the Division III shot put.
• Mount Gilead’s Gwen Hershner went 9 feet, 1 inch in the Division III pole vault.

Last week’s winners

There were 795 votes in last week’s girls poll, and Highland softball’s Saylor Squires won it with 346 votes for 44 percent. Squires hit a double and two singles, plus pitched a 6-hitter with 6 strikeouts and 3 walks in a tournament win over Buckeye Valley. Other nominees were Gear, River Valley softball’s Samantha Woods, Lindsey, Marion Harding softball’s Raina Smith and Ridgedale track’s Maddie McKenzie.

There were 685 votes in last week’s boys poll, and Highland baseball’s Kort Sears won it with 386 votes for 56 percent. Sears pitched a no-hitter with a pair of walks and nine strikeouts, plus hit a double in a win over Ontario. Other nominees were Cardington baseball’s Josh Goers, North Union track’s Griffin Osborne, Pleasant baseball’s Owen Lowry, Ridgedale track’s Brogan Weston and Becker.

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In late 2024, photographer Kavya Krishna spent three months traveling across the country to photograph Indian American communities in states where she had personal connections for her project, “A Town in America.”

“I stayed with friends, family acquaintances and people I met along the way — each connection leading me to the next,” she said. “This leg of the project became a cross-country portrait shaped by both shared experience and regional nuance. What emerged was a story rooted in landscape, trust and a strong sense of connection. I hope to continue building on this work as the community itself continues to evolve.”

Krishna shared her experiences creating the project with NPR.

Kavya Krishna /

Kavya Krishna /

Kavya Krishna /

What inspired you to start this project?

This project began in my hometown in suburban central Massachusetts, where I started photographing my own family and the Indian American community I grew up around. As it evolved, I became interested in how Indian Americans across the country navigate assimilation, cultural preservation and belonging — especially in suburban spaces shaped by white flight and exclusion. The community occupies a unique position, balancing privilege and invisibility in environments that acknowledge their presence but often overlook their lived experience. Through domestic, cultural and civic moments, I aimed to document both the shared threads and regional differences that define Indian American life today. At its core, the project challenges monolithic portrayals and highlights the depth, complexity and pride within the community.

How long did you spend working on this series?

I spent three months at the end of 2024 traveling across the country for this project. The first half of the trip was packed with large-scale Hindu festivals and U.S. election-related events — places where people were gathering, organizing and celebrating. The second half was much quieter and gave me space to seek out more personal, intimate stories. That mix of energy and reflection really shaped the way the project came together.

Kavya Krishna /

What’s the story behind your favorite photo?

One of my favorite photos is of Kaira Uttam, a young player on the DreamCricket Dragons, holding up her bat after hitting the winning run of the match. I first met the team while photographing at DreamCricket Academy in New Jersey. When the coach mentioned they’d be heading to Virginia for a tournament — and I realized I’d be there too — I decided to follow them a bit longer. The girls were so fun and full of life, and I got completely invested in their games. When Kaira won the match, the whole team ran to her, screaming and celebrating. It was such an exciting moment, and getting to photograph both adolescence and sports in that setting was a highlight of the project.

Kavya Krishna /

Kavya Krishna /

Kavya Krishna /

Kavya Krishna /

Kavya Krishna /

What have you learned about photographing Indian American communities since you started this project?

Even as someone who grew up Indian American, working on this project revealed how expansive and nuanced the culture truly is. While I knew my own experiences, traveling across the country deepened my understanding of the subtle cultural differences and regional customs within the community. What surprised me most wasn’t just the diversity, but how willing people were to open their homes, share their stories and connect me to others. It reminded me that beyond the images, this project is about trust, generosity and the universal desire to be seen. No matter how different the landscapes or personal backgrounds were, there was always a common thread — people’s deep need to belong, to hold on to something meaningful and to find a space where they can be understood.

Kavya Krishna /

Kavya Krishna /

Kavya Krishna /

How do you envision this project evolving?

I hope to continue deepening my relationships with the people I’ve met and to keep finding new subjects along the way. The Indian American community is growing and evolving so quickly — it’s been incredible to witness just how much has changed since I first began this project in my hometown in 2020. What started as something local has expanded into something much bigger, and I’m excited to see how the work can grow alongside the community itself.

Copyright 2025 NPR

Kavya Krishna /

Kavya Krishna /

Kavya Krishna /

Text and Video produced by James Chung

Pranav Iyer, Founder and CEO of AMAZN HQ, sat down with AsAm News to share his story from NFL dreams to creating the premiere media company showcasing Asian American sports talent.

Born in Cupertino California, Pranav was first inspired by sports during an elementary book report. He told us “Looking through the library and ended up stumbling upon a book about Brett Favre. The recess after that book report was the first time I really actually played football.

I fell in love with football from that day and my dream in life is to play in the NFL.” 

He kept playing football through high school, landing an opportunity to play at Chapman University. While at Chapman, Pranav was the only Asian American on the team. Feeling a renewed sense of his Indian American identity he made it a point to help educate his peers and proudly represent his culture.

He pursued sports journalism while in school which first sparked his idea for creating AMAZN HQ.

“There were so many inspirational trailblazing athletes of Asian descent that came before me that I could have looked up to had I known their stories. Two, there were so many athletes my own age who were doing the same things as I was in different areas of this country that were Asian that if I had known who they were, I could have felt so much less isolation in my journey. I was like, ‘There’s something like this that needs to be started,’” Iyer stated.

He bought a camera and reached out to start filming games. Dealing with the ups and downs of the Pandemic, Pranav went to grad school and eventually got a job at ESPN. After gaining valuable experience at ESPN, he began working on AMAZN HQ full time. He and his partners created their own basketball showcase highlighting the best Asian hoopers across North American and has even partnered with the NFL, NBA, and Team USA.

While being able to cover the biggest Asian American athletes in the world, he still prides himself on telling the stories of the unsung heroes, the ones on the grassroots level making a difference. When speaking about the original content on these athletes he told us 

When other times no one else will give them that opportunity or they’re not telling the other side of their story, right? It’s not just about the numbers but it’s also about like, wow they’re doing something historic for their community.”

With his journey just getting started. Pranav had one goal for starting AMAZN HQ that still stands true “To show sports fans, non-sports fans what is possible for them in life.”

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ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Section Five high schools are gearing up for a busy week of playoff action. Despite Memorial Day giving students a break, the sports schedule is packed with events that fans won’t want to miss.

Baseball fans can look forward to the Triple-A best-of-three series between McQuaid and Fairport starting Tuesday at Monroe Community College. Classes A, B, and D will play their quarterfinals on Tuesday, while Double-A and C will compete in the semifinals on Wednesday. Finals for Classes Double-A through D are set for Friday.

In softball, Classes Triple-A, Single-A, C1, and C2 have their quarterfinals on Tuesday. Semifinals for B1 and B2 are also scheduled for Tuesday. Thursday will see the semifinals for AAA, AA, A’s, the C’s, and the D’s, with finals planned for Saturday.

Girls lacrosse action kicks off with Class B and C quarterfinals on Tuesday. The Class A and D semifinals are set for Wednesday, with championships scheduled for next week. Class C and D’s championships are scheduled for Tuesday, June 3, while A and B are planned for Wednesday, June 4. On the boys’ side, all classes will host their quarterfinals on Tuesday, with semifinals beginning Friday. Title games are planned for next week. Class C and D’s championships are scheduled for Monday, June 2, while A and B are planned for Tuesday, June 3.

Flag football is set to crown a Class A champion Tuesday night at 6 pm in a matchup between Penfield and Fairport. Classes B and C will have their championship games on Wednesday. All flag football finals will take place at Monroe Community College.

News10NBC will provide highlights and scores throughout the week. Classes are determined by school enrollment, and more information on that can be found here.

AI assisted with the formatting of this story. Click here to see how WHEC News10NBC uses AI

Sheridan played in the state tournament in just their first year of existence.

Click here to see results from the state tournament.

Northeast: (Quadrant Record listed first, then Overall Record)

Thunder Basin 5-1, 20-8

Sheridan 4-2, 19-11-2

Campbell County 3-3, 33-5

Worland 0-6, 3-26

Northwest: (Quadrant Record listed first, then Overall Record)

Kelly Walsh 4-2, 14-13

Cody 4-2, 13-17

Natrona County 4-2, 16-16

Jackson 0-6, 1-25

Southeast: (Quadrant Record listed first, then Overall Record)

Cheyenne East 5-1, 28-10

Wheatland 4-2, 18-11-1

Cheyenne Central 3-3, 24-12

Torrington 0-6, 7-22

Southwest: (Quadrant Record listed first, then Overall Record)

Laramie 5-1, 19-11

Rock Springs 4-2, 11-17-1

Green River 2-4, 9-18

Cheyenne South 1-5, 2-17

Softball Scores from last week:

Natrona County 10 Laramie 9

Cheyenne Central 20 Sheridan 17

Cheyenne East 13 Cody 3

Campbell County 10 Rock Springs 0

Cheyenne Central 9 Natrona County 5

Cheyenne East 11 Campbell County 3

Laramie 9 Sheridan 8

Cody 11 Rock Springs 8

Campbell County 19 Laramie 18

Natrona County 14 Cody 12

Campbell County 12 Natrona County 11

Cheyenne Central 5 Cheyenne East 0

Campbell County 10 Cheyenne East 6

Campbell County 29 Cheyenne Central 9

Campbell County 17 Cheyenne Central 12