Blair Oaks girls soccer secured a 4-0 shutout win over Smithton in a MSHSAA Class 1 semifinal Friday in Fenton.

Falcons sophomore Hattie Meldrum had a strong showing for the team, scoring two goals to secure a brace. Her first goal came with 23:38 remaining in the first half, while her second sliced through the net at the 38-minute mark in the final frame.

The first goal of the game was scored by sophomore Mia Antweiler with 32:50 remaining in the first, and the final point was netted by junior Leighton McCasland with 18:16 left in the second half.

The Tigers (11-12) next face Barstow (8-11) in the MSHSAA Class 1 third-place game at 10 a.m. Saturday in Fenton.

Blair Oaks (16-7-1) next takes the pitch against Elsberry-Silex (17-2-1) in the MSHSAA Class 1 finals at 11 a.m. Saturday in Fenton.

MU commits Dohrmann, Van Hook impress in Vianney baseball’s Class 5 semifinal win

Vianney baseball picked up an 8-3 rout of Marshfield in a MSHSAA Class 5 semifinal in Ozark.

Senior right-hander JD Dohrmann started for the Griffins, pitching 6⅔ innings and striking out six batters. The Mizzou signee’s fastball topped out at 92 miles per hour.

Junior infielder Zach Van Hook also had a strong outing, securing two hits and a run scored. The MU commit laid down a bunt single to third base in the bottom of the first inning and scored on a triple to left field by senior Michael Altobella.

Van Hook’s other knock came in the form of a triple to left field in the third inning. He also reached first on a fielder’s choice in the fourth frame.

The Blue Jays (25-12) next face Rockwood Summit (26-8) in the MSHSAA Class 5 third-place clash at 10 a.m. Saturday in Ozark.

Vianney (38-1) next takes the field against Platte County (28-8) in the MSHSAA Class 5 finals at 1 p.m. Saturday in Ozark.

Helias girls soccer blanked by St. Joseph’s Academy

Helias girls soccer suffered a 5-0 shutout loss to St. Joseph’s Academy in a MSHSAA Class 3 semifinal in Fenton.

The Crusaders (18-8) conclude their season against Notre Dame de Sion (12-11) in the MSHSAA Class 3 third-place bout at noon Saturday in Fenton.

The Angels (17-3-2) advance to face Ft. Zumwalt South (18-5-1) in the MSHSAA Class 3 finals at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in Fenton.

BASEBALL
D-I Playdowns
#8 CVU 19, #9 Rice 5
#4 North Country 11, #13 Spaulding 1
#5 Colchester 11, #12 BFA-St. Albans 1
#2 South Burlington 7, #15 Burlington 2
#7 Mt. Mansfield 4, #10 Burr and Burton 3
#3 St. Johnsbury 12, #14 Rutland 2
#6 Essex 8, #11 Brattleboro 4

D-III Playdowns
#4 BFA-Fairfax 13, #13 Springfield 0
#5 Woodstock 10, #12 Richford 1
#3 Bellows Falls 5, #14 Windsor 1
#6 Green Mountain 22, #11 Hazen 2

D-IV Quarterfinal
#7 West Rutland 11, #2 Arlington 2

SOFTBALL
D-I Playdowns
#7 Misssisquoi 20, #10 CVU 8
#6 Burr and Burton 14, #11 Rutland 2

D-II Playdowns
#4 Rice 12, #13 Lamoille 0
#5 Enosburg 11, #12 Spaulding 4
#6 Hartford 13, #11 Springfield 1

D-IV Quarterfinals
#1 West Rutland 34, #8 Twin Valley 2
#2 Proctor 31, #7 Caledonia United 4

BOYS LACROSSE
D-II Playdown
#7 Mt. Anthony 18, #10 Colchester 11

D-II Quarterfinal
#4 Milton 13, #5 St. Johnsbury 6

GIRLS LACROSSE
D-II Playdowns
#9 Harwood 16, #8 Stowe 11
#10 Spaulding 11, #7 Colchester 10 (2OT)

BOYS TENNIS
Quarterfinal
#1 Burr and Burton 6, #8 South Burlington 1

GIRLS TENNIS
D-I Quarterfinal
#5 Essex 7, #4 Burlington 0

D-II Quarterfinals
#4 Harwood 6, #5 Bellows Falls 1
#2 Burr and Burton 7, #7 Woodstock 0

BOYS ULTIMATE
Playdowns
#4 Milton 15, #13 Middlebury 4
#5 Mt. Mansfield 15, #12 Essex 9
#14 Rice 11, #3 Brattleboro 9

LINCOLN, Neb. — The gates opened early as cleats hit the turf and teams from across the US stepped onto the hallowed grounds of Memorial Stadium for the annual Battle at the Boneyard 7-on-7 football tournament.

For many young athletes, it was a unique opportunity to compete where legends have played and chase dreams of collegiate football glory.

“This is a chance for these kids to play in Memorial Stadium,” said Brad Ewing, parent of one of the players. “There are a lot of players from the area, but also from surrounding states like South Dakota. For many, this is a dream come true.”

The event is free and open to the public, allowing fans from near and far to watch some of the region’s premier high school athletes in action.

“It’s good for our younger kids to learn from them,” said Jason Batter, coach of Spirit Elite- Omaha. “And I can learn as a coach too. The atmosphere is really cool — the stands, the field — everything’s awesome.”

Adding to the excitement was the presence of former NFL star Cam Newton, who participated alongside his team and shared advice with the players.

“As a 7-on-7 player myself, it’s really cool to see Cam Newton here,” said Kamden Longs, a fan watching the events. “I want to be in that position one day — playing on a stage like this against great competition.”

Every matchup was a test of mental and physical toughness, with every team vying to walk off the field at Memorial Stadium with bragging rights and, perhaps, a future scholarship offer.

The tournament provides high school athletes with the opportunity to compete on a Division I college field, learn from some of the best coaches, and take a step closer to their dream of playing at the next level.

The PA announcer began with the Connecticut player intros for this Sunday matinee against the Liberty at Barclays Center. The first name he called had a familiar ring to it from a few years ago in the WNBA, a 32-year-old point guard from North Babylon rising again with the Sun.

“At guard, 5-9 from UConn, No. 14, Bria Hartley.”

The player who once scored 51 points in a game for North Babylon and made All-America in both her high school and college days had to deal with a couple of devastating  issues during her pro days.

She tore both ACLs in the span of three seasons, the second time in 2022.

Hartley wasn’t in the league the last two seasons after playing nine years, including three with the Liberty. But the rebuilding Sun summoned her during training camp in May.

And so she’s back where she wanted to be in 2023 and 2024, playing basketball again in the best women’s league in the world.

“It means a lot,” Hartley said, standing on the court before Connecticut fell to the Liberty. “That was kind of my goal. That’s what my main focus has been the last two, three years is getting back into the league and just showcasing what I can do. I’ve gotten here and I’ve proven that I can still move pretty well.

“It took time, but I got here and proved that I didn’t give up.”

Upsetting times

After her run with the Liberty, she signed as a free agent with Phoenix for the 2020 season when the WNBA played all of its games in the so-called “bubble” — IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida — due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hartley was having her best season, averaging 14.6 points and 4.5 assists. But she tore her right ACL against Washington in her 13th game and underwent surgery.

“I love Bria Hartley, one of my favorite players that I ever coached,” said Sandy Brondello, now the Liberty coach and then  Hartley’s coach with the Mercury. “She was really rolling in that bubble season that we had with Phoenix. She was our best player in the bubble and then she went down, and that was tough.”

She came back to play six games the following season with Phoenix, then got traded to Indiana before the 2022 season. The Fever waived her that July. She signed three days later with Connecticut.

And then came another bad twist to her story in her third game.

Her left knee took a wrong turn against Minnesota after she attempted to keep a ball inbounds.

ACL No. 2.

One was bad enough.

“It kind of just compounded off of the reaction from the first one,” Hartley said. “The first one, the timing and everything just didn’t necessarily feel right, just how I was playing in the moment.

“And then kind of the same thing that year, going from Indy, kind of not really getting the chance to play in that rotation and then coming to Connecticut and finding a role that fit me really well and then going down (after) only three games with them, it’s just upsetting.

“It’s upsetting and it sucks when it’s like in your prime, most of the time the best years in your career. So it was definitely upsetting, but at the same time, I still wanted to play. I wanted to be able to get back and play basketball, whether it was in the W — yes, that was the goal — but just getting back and being able to play basketball. Like last year, I was overseas.”

That was in Turkey. The year before, she returned to play in Spain. Las Vegas also had her in training camp last year, but the Aces waived her.

So Hartley and the WNBA went on without each other for those two seasons.

“I missed it a lot,” Hartley said. “And then also, at the same time, it was kind of all I knew. Coming out of college, every summer, I was playing in the W. So that first year, 2023, kind of not playing, it was a little weird. It was foreign to me. So it was an adjustment. Most of my friends were on teams and playing. So (I was) missing even that time being spent with them.”

There was more mom time with her now 8-year-old son, Bryson, and there was time to spend in other fulfilling ways.

“I had my son with me in the summertime,” Hartley said. “I was rehabbing and working out in Minnesota. I gained a community of friends and everything in Minnesota. So I was able to venture out and kind of find my community. I was coaching high school in Minnesota. That was really cool training some kids out there.

“I found my purpose with things I wanted to do while also keeping my eyes on trying to make it back to the W.”

The pride of North Babylon

Back in her hometown, Hartley joined the varsity during eighth grade. By the time five seasons had passed, she finished just 22 points shy of 2,000 for her career.

In her senior year at North Babylon, she was Newsday’s Long Island Player of the Year, the New York Gatorade Player of the Year, just as she was in her junior year, and a McDonald’s All-American. Hartley averaged 28.8 points per game.

“I think my last two years in high school, I really showcased my ability to score versus my first two years in high school,” Hartley said. “I think I’ve carried that on with me as my career has gone on, being a scoring point guard, being able to facilitate but also being able to shoot. The biggest thing I think I’ve improved on is my three-point shooting.”

Her final game for North Babylon in 2010 was the ultimate showcase. She scored 51 points in the Suffolk AA championship game against Sachem East — and lost. The Bulldogs fell 72-69.

“I’ll never forget,” Hartley said.

She had some unforgettable days at UConn — four trips to the Final Four, back-to-back national championships and nearly 2,000 more points, finishing with 1,994.

Seattle took her with the seventh overall pick in the 2014 WNBA Draft and immediately traded her rights to Washington. After three seasons with the Mystics, she was traded to the Liberty in late January of 2017, about two weeks after her son was born. She averaged 8.6 points and 2.9 assists across the next three seasons.

“Those were some of my best years,” Hartley said. “I was still fairly young, and after having my son, that’s when I was with a team that really taught me how to be a pro or continue to be a pro.

“We had a really good year my first year with the Liberty, playing with someone like Tina (Charles), MVP-caliber player, just kind of growing and just getting better in my game. That helped me earn that contract, going to play with Phoenix.”

The comeback

She played in the nearly monthlong Athletes United season earlier this year, averaging 15.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists. Now she’s playing for new Connecticut coach Rachid Meziane.

They already knew each other. He was an assistant coach when she played with the silver medal-winning French National Team in the EuroBasket championship in 2019. She was at 7.6 points and 2.6 assists in the Sun’s 1-6 start while continuing to get her rhythm back.

“She brings a lot of experience,” Meziane said. “She knows my system, so it’s easier for her to fit with my offensive system. She has good three-point shooting ability. It means that she can give more space to our post players … She’s coachable.”

Hartley said she may want to be a coach in the WNBA someday.

“The biggest thing for me is time with my son when I’m done playing,” she said. “So I don’t think I’d want to be a college coach and that crazy schedule. If it’s like a W season, where I’m able to be in one spot a little more, I’d probably like that. We’ll see.”

For now, Hartley is showing again that she can rebound.

“She’s faced a lot of adversity since (2020) with two ACLs,” Brondello said. “But what she is, she’s tough. She’s resilient. She’s come back and she knows she can play at this level, and she’s getting the opportunity to show what she’s capable of. … Great to see her back in the league.”

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – A homeless encampment behind Publix on Wildwood Drive is receiving attention from the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, highlighting how local organizations and law enforcement are addressing homelessness in the area.

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Tents and backpacks line the area, creating a makeshift walkway that leads into the woods on Wildwood Drive.

Judith Dembowski, executive director of St. Augustine Society Inc., shared insights into the challenges faced by those experiencing homelessness.

“Absolutely, everyone’s story is different,” she said.

Last year, the St. Augustine Society Inc. helped 250 people transition off the streets, some of whom were living in encampments like the one behind Publix.

“The overarching story is that we need more housing,” Dembowski said. “Our street outreach team picked up a mom with three adolescents who were living in a storage unit just three weeks ago.”

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She highlighted the struggles of young adults, stating that among those aged 18 to 24, 68 individuals are in their program, with 60 actively working but lacking stable housing.

“It’s hard to live here. It’s hard to afford to live here,” Dembowski said.

The encampment is also being monitored by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. Sergeant Mike Clark leads the reentry and outreach program.

“What we do from reentry and outreach is go and address that, see if there are homeless individuals in that camp, and offer them opportunities to get off the streets,” Clark said.

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This includes programs like Operation New Hope, transitional housing, and substance abuse treatment. Clark said that while they have not yet made contact with the individuals living in the encampment, they are committed to following up and providing assistance.

“I’m trying to keep you from coming to jail. That’s our objective. We don’t want you to come to jail,” he said, noting that many individuals end up incarcerated for minor offenses like trespassing.

He further explained the housing challenges in St. Augustine.

“You’re getting somebody a job for $18 an hour, they may not afford the rent in St. Johns County,” he said.

Both Clark and Dembowski are dedicated to helping those in need and cleaning up areas like the encampment.

“Homelessness is more than just what you’re seeing on the street corner. It is a much bigger issue,” Clark said.

According to Northeast Florida Realtors, the median sales price for a home in St. Johns County exceeds $500,000, while the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is around $1,400, as reported by Apartments.com.