WBZ-TV spoke to a Milford High School student who was in the car when ICE detained his friend on the way to volleyball practice.

SPRINGFIELD — Boys volleyball has only been a sanctioned sport by the Ohio High School Athletic Association since 2023.

But Mount Vernon High School has already made a statewide impression.

The Yellow Jackets finished as Division II state runner-up on Saturday after falling to Cincinnati McNicholas 25-11, 25-4 and 25-17 at Wittenberg’s Pam Evans Smith Arena.

The loss snapped a 10-match winning streak and left coach Chad Sivewright’s squad with a 17-11 record. The Rockets conclude a spectacular season with a 27-1 record.

It took the best team in Ohio to turn back Mount Vernon, which hadn’t lost a match since a straight-set defeat at the hands of Lakota East on April 26.

Before Saturday, the Yellow Jackets had won 12 of their last 13 outings. In fact, MV had claimed 15 of their last 16 sets over the past five contests.

But McNicholas, which has now won back-to-back state titles, was an entirely different beast. The Rockets have reached all three state tournaments.

McNicholas senior Gavin Gerhard led in scoring with 13 kills. Seniors Ethan Gundrum had 18 assists and Ben Jones had four service aces. 

For Mount Vernon, Zach Black and Hunter Thompson recorded 9 and 7 kills, respectively. Senior Isiah Campbell had 19 assists. Black chipped in 7 digs, while Evan Kimitau added 6.

A Cinderella season

Unfortunately, the glass slipper did not fit, and the Mount Vernon boys’ Cinderella volleyball season ended at the hands of Cincinnati McNicholas in the state finals.

While disappointed, head coach Chad Sivewright looked at a season where his team was the first in the history of Mount Vernon High School to compete for a state championship in any sport.

“How can you be upset?” the coach said.

Looking at some of his players as they embraced one another and fought back tears. 

“It’s super emotional,” Sivewright said. “It’s (going to be) hard not to be together as much but it’s hard to be upset because it has been such a great year.”

MV lost to the very best.

In the first set, the Rockets came from behind to outscore the Jackets 25-21 in a game that saw 14 lead changes.

The second set was a different story with McNicholas taking the Jackets out 25-4.

The third set,  the Jackets were able to stay with the defending champs most of the set, finally succumbing to the relentless offense, 25-17. 

Sivewright had no misconceptions about his team’s opponent.

“We felt that we had a pretty good gameplan coming in. We knew it was going to take everything we were going to have to match them point for point,” he said. “We knew there were not going to be any easy points.”

Sivewright felt that his team started out strong.

“The first set, we were in it and it felt really good,” the coach said. “Looking back on it, we just got tripped up a bit in the second set and I should have made some adjustments a little bit quicker.”

The Yellow Jacket mentor was well aware that playing catch-up with a team like McNicholas is never good.

“In the second set, it was just digging ourselves out of a hole, and that is a really good team, and with competition like that, you cannot make mistake,” he said.

The third set gave the Jackets a glimmer of hope,

“All the credit goes to them (McNicholas) but in the third set I felt like the guys got back into it mentally and they started getting after it again,” Sivewright said. “I believe they left it all on the court and that is all we could ask for, so it is good.”

Sivewright said he was proud of his squad.

“Just seeing the community getting behind the guys was great,” Sivewright said. “The last time I was here we had a police escort and there is something special about that, too.

“Being a part of a community like Mount Vernon and seeing everyone come out there, that will never get old.”

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Milford school superintendent Kevin McIntyre did not immediately return the Globe’s request for comment Saturday. In a statement to WCVB-TV, he confirmed that a high school student had been detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents somewhere off campus on Saturday.

School committee chair Matthew Zacchilli deferred comment to McIntyre’s office on Saturday night.

Craig, an interim assistant principal at Stacy Middle School, declined to share the student’s name, but called him “an integral part” of the school and town community. She said she had first heard the news from several other educators in the district.

In a phone call Saturday night, boys’ volleyball coach Andrew Mainini said the rest of the team was “devastated” when they heard the news.

“I expected them to be upset,” Mainini said. “But they were more upset than I could have ever imagined.”

Mainini said the detained student was a “model citizen” who was enrolled in honors classes and, as a member of the school band, an “exceptional musician.”

Describing the student as a “great kid,” Craig said the student had his “issues” in middle school, but stressed that he had “matured” since then. Aside from his role on the boys’ volleyball team, she said he was known for helping coach girls’ volleyball and taking care of his younger siblings, who also attend Milford Public Schools.

The news of his detention, she added, was “heartbreaking.”

“He’s been in this country since he was 5,” Craig said. “Where is he going to be sent? He can’t function [on his own].”

The student’s country of birth was not made public on Saturday.

According to a post circulating on social media, a rally to “support our students” is scheduled to be held in front of Milford Town Hall at noon Sunday — immediately after the conclusion of Milford High’s graduation ceremony, which is scheduled to start at 10 a.m.

“Please join us for a peaceful, community-led demonstration in front of Milford Town Hall as we come together to show support for our students and families who are facing unjust treatment and fear,” reads the post.

It’s not clear from the post who is organizing the rally, but school committee member Michael Aghajanian described it as a “student and community lead grassroots event.”

Craig said that many educators and school community members plan to attend to show their support for the detained student and his family.

Nicholas Molinari, president of the Milford Teachers Association, said in a brief phone call Saturday night that he intended to discuss the situation with the association’s executive board.

As part of the rally, students are planning to march from Milford High, where graduation is being held, to town hall at 11:45 a.m. Sunday, according to the school’s first-year student council.

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Camilo Fonseca can be reached at camilo.fonseca@globe.com. Follow him on X @fonseca_esq and on Instagram @camilo_fonseca.reports.

CLOVIS, Calif. (AP) — A transgender athlete bested the competition Saturday at the California high school track and field championship to take home her first gold in the girls high jump at a meet that has stirred controversy and drawn national attention.

AB Hernandez — a trans student who on Friday finished ahead in the girls high jump, long jump and triple jump qualifying events — competed under a new rule change that may be the first of its kind nationally by a high school sports governing body.

On Saturday, she finished the high jump with a mark of 5 feet, 7 inches (1.7 meters), with no failed attempts. The co-winners, Jillene Wetteland and Lelani Laruelle, also cleared the bar at that height after each logged a failed attempt. The three shared the first-place win and the podium because of a new policy in California.

Hernandez placed second in the girls long jump and was a top contender in the girls triple jump.

Olympians Marion Jones and Tara Davis-Woodhall previously set state championship records in the long jump in 1993 and 2017, respectively, both surpassing 22 feet (6.7 meters). This year’s winner, Loren Webster, topped 21 feet (6.40 meters), with Hernandez trailing by a few inches.

The California Interscholastic Federation announced the new policy earlier this week in response to Hernandez’s success. Under the policy, the federation allowed an additional student to compete and medal in the events where Hernandez qualified.

The two-day championship kicked off Friday in the sweltering heat at high school near Fresno, and more hot temperatures followed Saturday for the finals.

The atmosphere was relatively quiet despite critics — including parents, conservative activists and President Donald Trump — calling for Hernandez to be barred from competing with girls. Some critics wore pink bracelets and T-shirts that read “Save Girls’ Sports.”

During Friday’s qualifying events, an aircraft circled above the stadium for more than an hour, carrying a banner that read: “No Boys in Girls’ Sports!” Two groups — the Independent Council on Women’s Sports and Women Are Real — that oppose transgender athletes participating in women’s sports took credit for flying the banner.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

CLOVIS, Calif. (AP) — A transgender teen is competing in the California high school track-and-field finals on Saturday, one day after advancing in the competition as a protest plane circled about the meet that has drawn national attention, including criticism from President Donald Trump.

AB Hernandez — a trans student who on Friday finished as the top qualifier in the girls high jump, long jump and triple jump — is in the finals Saturday, competing under a new rule change that may be the first of its kind nationally by a high school sports governing body.

The California Interscholastic Federation announced the policy earlier this week in response to Hernandez’s success. Under the policy, the federation will let an additional student compete and medal in the events where Hernandez qualified.

The two-day championship kicked off Friday in the sweltering heat at high school near Fresno, with more hot temperatures on tap for Saturday’s finals. The atmosphere has been relatively quiet despite critics — including parents, conservative activists and Trump — calling for Hernandez to be barred from competing with girls.

A man used a megaphone to shout “No boys in girls’ sports” as Hernandez and her group prepared for the long jump final. Other critics in the stands wore “Save Girls’ Sports” T-shirts. The day before an aircraft circled above the stadium for more than an hour during the qualifying events, carrying a banner that read: “No Boys in Girls’ Sports!”

Separately, one person was arrested outside the competition on Friday after getting in a confrontation with another protester that turned physical, according to the Clovis Police Department.

In the long jump final, Hernandez faulted on her first attempt but spanned just over 20 feet (6.10 meters) on her second to take the lead. The field had four more tries to go.

On Friday, she led in the long jump qualifier with a mark close to 20 feet (6 meters) to advance to the final. She also advanced in the high jump, clearing 5 feet, 5 inches (1.7 meters) with ease and finished the triple jump with a mark close to 41 feet (13 meters) — nearly 10 inches (25 centimeters) ahead of her closest competitor, San Francisco Bay Area junior Kira Gant Hatcher.

California at center of national debate

The federation’s rule change reflects efforts to find a middle ground in the debate over trans girls’ participation in youth sports.

“The CIF values all of our student-athletes and we will continue to uphold our mission of providing students with the opportunity to belong, connect, and compete while complying with California law,” the group said in a statement after announcing its rule change.

A recent AP-NORC poll found that about 7 in 10 U.S. adults think transgender female athletes should not be allowed to participate in girls and women’s sports at the high school, college or professional level. That view was shared by about 9 in 10 Republicans and roughly half of Democrats.

The federation announced the rule change after Trump threatened to pull federal funding from California unless it bars trans female athletes from competing on girls teams. The federation said it decided on the change before then.

The U.S. Department of Justice also said it would investigate the federation and the district that includes Hernandez’s high school to determine whether they violated federal sex discrimination law by allowing trans girls to compete in girls sports.

Some California Republicans also weighed in, with several lawmakers attending a news conference to criticize the federation for keeping Hernandez in the competition.

California law allows trans students to compete on sex-segregated sports teams consistent with their gender identity.

The federation said the rule opens the field to more “biological female” athletes. One expert said the change may itself be discriminatory because it creates an extra spot for “biological female” athletes but not for other trans athletes.

The federation did not specify how they define “biological female” or how they would verify whether a competitor meets that definition.

Hernandez told the publication Capital & Main earlier this month that she couldn’t worry about critics.

“I’m still a child, you’re an adult, and for you to act like a child shows how you are as a person,” she said.

Another student breaks a record

California’s state championship stands out from that of other states because of the sheer number of competitors. The state had the second-largest number of students participating in outdoor track and field in the nation during the 2023-2024 school year, behind Texas, according to a survey by the National Federation of State High School Associations.

Olympians Marion Jones and Tara Davis-Woodhall previously set state championship records in the long jump in 1993 and 2017, respectively, both surpassing 22 feet (6.7 meters).

The boys 100-meter dash heats also were a highlight Friday. Junior Jaden Jefferson of De La Salle High School in Concord finished in 10.01 seconds, about 0.2 seconds faster than a meet record set in 2023. Jefferson’s time won’t count as a record unless he can replicate his results in the final.

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Austin is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Austin on X: @sophieadanna

COLLEGE STATION, Tex. — UNI’s Josie Moreland and Emma Hoins rounded out the 2025 outdoor track and field season for the Panthers on Saturday, competing in the women’s high jump and 3,000-meter steeplechase at the NCAA West Preliminary Meet at Texas A&M’s E.B. Cushing Stadium.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Moreland, making her NCAA Preliminary Meet debut, cleared five feet, seven and one-quarter inch (1.71m) on her second attempt before coming up short on all three attempts to clear five feet, nine and one-quarter inch (1.76m), finishing in 32nd place in the 48-woman field. The 2025 Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) outdoor high jumping champion, Moreland finishes a strong sophomore season where she posted a career-best mark of five feet, ten inches, a height she cleared to win the Drake Relays title back in April. Moreland also captured the MVC’s indoor high jumping crown in March during an indoor season where she broke UNI’s 43-year old program record at five feet, nine and one-quarter inch (1.76m).

Hoins, who placed 32nd in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the NCAA Prelims a year ago, ran a 10:39.37 to place 37th. Concluding her historic UNI distance career, Hoins, who was the MVC’s runner-up in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the conference meet finishes her time at Northern Iowa as the program’s record holder in the event at 10:15.39, a mark she set in April at the Bryan Clay Invitational in California, along with the second-fastest outdoor mile time in team history (4:26.76).

 

PANTHERS RESULTS AT NCAA WEST PRELIMINARY MEET

Wednesday, May 28

• Men’s Javelin (First Round) | Justice Miller – 19th – 217 feet, 1 inch (66.18m)
• Men’s Shot Put (First Round) | Carson Lienau – 22nd – 59 feet, 9 inches (18.29m)
• Men’s Shot Put (First Round) | Spencer Kessel – 34th – 57 feet, 11 ¾  inches (17.67m)
• Men’s Shot Put (First Round) | David Russell – 41st – 56 feet, 7 ½  inches  (17.26m)
• Men’s Pole Vault (Semifinals) | Brendan Safley – 21st – 16 feet, 11 ½ inches (5.17m)
• Men’s 800m (First Round) | Drake Hanson – 32nd – 1:49.35
• Men’s 800m (First Round) | Chase Knoche – 37th – 1:50.03

 

Thursday, May 29

• Women’s Shot Put (First Round) | Katie Fare – 22nd – 51 feet, 5 ¾ inches (15.69m)
• Women’s 400m Hurdles (First Round) | Carlie Jo Fusco – 42nd – 1:00.76

 

Friday, May 30

• Men’s 4x400m Relay (Quarterfinals) | Butcher, Kiewiet, Hanson, Fall – 19th – 3:08.36

 

Saturday, May 31

• 3:30 p.m. CT – Women’s High Jump (Semifinal) – Josie Moreland – 32nd – 5 feet, 7 ¼ inch (1.71m)
• 5:40 p.m. CT – Women’s 3,000m Steeplechase (Quarterfinals) – Emma Hoins – 37th – 10:39.37

 

UNI track and field action can be followed all season long on social media on Facebook (UNI Track and Field), X (@UNITrackFieldXC) and on Instagram (@uni_tf_xc). Schedules and rosters, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — The outdoor season came to an end for the UNT track and field program on Saturday with the conclusion of the NCAA West Preliminary Rounds in College Station, Texas.
 
The Mean Green had 12 qualifiers in individual events, marking the most of the Doug Marshall era and tying the most since 2010.
 
Hendrick Hundl and Chase Lehr advanced to the quarterfinals in their respective events, while Jake Parchman was just two spots shy of a trip to the NCAA Championships in the hammer throw.
 
Parchman wrapped up his decorated career with his second appearance at the regional meet. The American Athletic Conference champion posted a mark of 65.09 meters on his first of three attempts. Despite the mark being the fourth best in school history, Parchman finished 14th, coming just short of a berth to Eugene.
 
Hundl also earned a spot in the NCAA West First Round for the second time in his career after doing so at Sam Houston in 2024. Hundl took third in his heat in the first round with a time of 13.83 to automatically advance to the quarterfinals. He became the first UNT athlete to advance to the quarterfinals in the 110-meter hurdles since at least 2005. In the quarterfinals, Hundl clipped the seventh hurdle leading to a time of 14.11 and 20th-place finish.
 
Lehr clocked a personal best 1:48.65 in the prelims to earn a spot in the quarterfinal round of the 800 meters. The sophomore made the most of his opportunity after being a late addition to the field, finishing 22^nd in the region.
 
The men’s team also saw Vitus Hansgaard wrap up his career in his fourth appearance at the NCAA West Preliminary Round. Hansgaard placed one spot ahead of teammate Akeel Hanchard, who was making his first appearance in the national postseason. The duo placed 32nd and 33rd with throws of 62.91 meters and 62.47 meters.
 
Derrick Warren and Clarence McGill also competed Wednesday in the first round for the Mean Green. Warren placed No. 41 with a mark of 7.04 meters in the long jump, while McGill’s time of 51.75 in the 400-meter hurdles was good for 35th place.
 
The women’s team had five representatives at the meet with two on the track and three in field events.
 
Aariyana Williams nearly made it to the quarterfinals in the 400 meters with a time of 53.16 to place No. 25. It was the third consecutive race that Williams clocked a 53.16, tying her personal best and the second-fastest mark in school history. Morgan Taylor ended her career by taking 45th place in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 14.09.
 
Mackenzie Kuehl was the first of the women’s athletes to compete on Thursday, The junior placed No. 34 in the javelin throw with a mark of 44.71 meters in her first regional appearance. Meanwhile, Ava Roberts put a bow on a stellar freshman season that featured two all-conference honors with a 38th-place finish in the shot put. Brya Brewer was the final North Texas athlete to compete with the women’s triple jump being contested on Saturday, but failed to record a mark.