In their very first season as varsity baseball program, the Billings Central Rams have climbed the mountain and earned a state title to bring back to the Magic City.

Central narrowly defeated Belgrade 4-3 in the championship game on Saturday evening to wrap up the 2025 all-class state baseball tournament in Hamilton.

The Rams scored all four of their runs in the bottom of the first inning, which ended up being just enough to get the job done. Belgrade still trailed 4-0 entering their final at-bat in the seventh inning. The Panthers were able to scratch across three runs in the frame but the potential tying run was thrown out at third base to end the game.

Oliver Prill and Howie Martin combined on the mound to keep the Belgrade bats at bay. Prill threw four no-hit innings with three walks allowed, while Martin finished the job by tossing the final three innings and limiting the Panthers to three runs on two hits with four walks and three strikeouts.

Billings Central, the No. 3 seed from the East, wraps up a magical weekend of action which included an extra innings walk off homer by Oliver Prill on Friday, defeating their crosstown rivals Billings West.

“Those last two (games) were some of the funnest games I’ve played in my life, just coming down to the end,” said Martin. “And it’s a credit to our culture too. It’s our ninth state championship as a school this year and our culture’s second to none. And that’s a credit to our leadership as well.”

In every game they played at the tournament, Central was the underdog according to seeds: Defeating Columbia Falls (the No. 1 seed from the North) 6-2, knocking off Billings West (the No. 2 seed from the East) 4-2 in eight innings and finally clawing past Belgrade (the No. 1 seed from the Central division) 4-3.

“I actually have a Bible verse on my cleats, it says Proverbs 27:17, and it’s ‘as iron sharpens iron, so I shall sharpen you.’ And I think that’s just a big deal,” said sophomore Matteo Harris who was the winning pitcher of record against Columbia Falls and also drove in three runs in that opening game. “I mean, we played in arguably the toughest division, right? I mean, we got West and Skyview. They both came out here to state with us and we ended up beating West. That was kind of the iron sharpens iron, right? I mean, we played them all season lost to both of ’em twice. I think that’s a big deal because it just really brought us together as a team.”

The future for the Central Rams is as bright as they come, with zero seniors on this year’s roster.

“Having all juniors, sophomores, and great freshmen… great freshmen.” said Oliver Prill. “We can all play bottom, top to bottom of the lineup, bench two, everyone can play. And it’s just exciting to see what we can do next year and the years to come.”

Billings Central is now the third program to win a high school baseball state title since the sport just recently become a sanctioned activity. The Rams join the 2023 Polson Pirates and 2024 Florence Falcons as the first programs to bring home a state championship from the diamond.

WWE jumped back in to prime time last night (May 24) with their third installment of the relaunched Saturday Night’s Main Event, emanating from the Yuengling Center in Tampa, Florida. You can get the full results at our live blog here.

Let’s jump into it.

Ruining Wrestling

The main event title match between Jey Uso & Logan Paul, serving as Paul’s guaranteed yearly world title match, ended up playing into the larger story in WWE. That would be the John Cena story.

Cena’s earlier match with R-Truth was short and to the point. Ron Killing’s mission was to remind John who he really was. He felt short of his goal and Cena renewed his vows with heeldom by kicking Truth in the nuts to get the win.

He later ran into Jey Uso backstage and told him that a YouTuber like Logan Paul would really “ruin wrestling,” which happens to be The Last Real Champ’s mission statement.

That brings us to the world title main event between Uso & Paul. It was a solid title bout. I know lots of words are made on social media and wrestling corners of the web about how Uso can’t wrestle, which makes for a bad champion. My response to that would be to not ignore your ears. These crowds do not care. I was inside Allegiant Stadium when Jey Uso won the title. There was yeeting as far as the eye can see, with zero concerns how many thumbs downs Uso videos on YouTube have gotten.

Logan Paul, as much as the man outside the sport grates on me, continues to show flashes in the ring. And they did what they needed do, with the crowd into it (even got a “This is Awesome” chant, but I will say those are very easily handed out nowadays), until we got to the important part.

That would be John Cena pulling the referee out of the ring when Uso had secured the win. He really is all about this ruining wrestling thing. That led to the return of the American Nightmare Cody Rhodes to save the day, neutralize Cena, and allow the champ to get the win over Paul.

Immediately after, Cody made the challenge for a tag team match at Money in the Bank – John Cena & Logan Paul vs. Cody Rhodes & Jey Uso. (Thank all the Gods Travis Scott’s name was not muttered.) While Cena & Paul are going to make an interesting team, and I look forward them exploring that dynamic, Cody & Jey were tag team champions. Rhodes saving the day was as much about saving his friend as it was stopping his enemy.

Given I’m not ready to see Logan Paul win the title (though have resigned that one of these years, he will), I’m perfectly fine with this match being used to set up Money in the Bank in two weeks. It’s also smart to try to get folks who may be tuning in out of curiosity free on NBC to consider checking out the PLE in a couple weeks.

The Third Man

The opener to this event was the high profile tag match between the new duo of Seth Rollins & Bron Breakker against the more tenuous group of CM Punk & Sami Zayn.

The hot crowd helped this by the numbers tag match feel special. This degree of star power will do that. I did have the thought that Punk can still go when his number is called. Yeah, he sometimes looks like he’s 46 years old with those years of wear and tear, but when it’s time, he can still do it.

The true moment of the match was the somewhat shocking return of Bronson Reed to aid Seth & Bron.

I called this shocking for two reasons. 1) That ankle injury was gnarly, and I thought he’d be out much longer than he was. 2) Within the story, he has history with Rollins that you’d think would prevent an alliance. But they don’t call Seth the Architect for nothing, and right now, he’s Frank Lloyd Wright.

A little detail that I appreciated is that even though he took a Bronson crossbody through a barricade, Punk still tried to get his hands on Paul Heyman inside the ring. This is despite Heyman being surrounded by evil genius Seth and two big Brons. It’s a sign of true hatred for the man who betrayed him on the biggest stage.

It also allowed Reed to deliver a returning Tsunami to the Second City Saint (though no Wade on the call).

I love the addition to Reed to Seth’s team – a team that’s going to need a name soon. Bron & Bronson are a nasty duo. Good lucky to anyone who wants to step to these beefy dudes. Also, it’s much better than returning to Solo. Reed saw where the the trajectory of both teams were going and chose wisely.

A Definitive End (probably)

I give Drew McIntyre & Damian Priest a ton of credit. I was not into this feud when they booked it for WrestleMania. But they’ve brought a physicality to the feud that had me looking forward to this match the most.

They delivered with the physicality again tonight in their cage match. (Part of me wanted to old school blue cage to go with the old school theme, but I understand why they didn’t.) However, the ending left my surprised.

Damian Priest used a chair to the throat and then a con-chair-to to his nemesis before walking out of the cage and winning the match.

Between the two men, Drew is still the man with the higher ceiling. So I figured he’d win what I assumed was the blow off match. So it was surely surprising to see Damian not just beat McIntyre, but to do it with a period at the end of the sentence. This feud feels over and Priest definitively won it.

I don’t care he didn’t pin him. Leaving Drew for dead in the ring and leaving him behind is symbolic enough. And it saves McIntyre taking a pin while still losing convincingly. To give him a moment to save face, the Scotsman refused a stretcher and walked off on his own.

It’ll be interesting to see what’s next for these men. That type of win would put Damian back in the title picture, but I don’t imagine he’s facing John Cena. Drew will be fine after this, but could such a definitive beating be an impetus for a face turn? Is he getting time off since it sounds like he’s often working hurt? We’ll see what the coming weeks have in store.

And Still

Zelina Vega retained her United States championship despite interference from the Secret Her-vice.

It was a fine match that ended with a pretty cool Code Red from the top turnbuckle. Generally, I have no issue with Vega, but she’s a pretty bland babyface right now. That’s not a real big deal for someone holding a secondary title, but the contract with Chelsea is stark.

Green has been special when it comes to her characters and personalities dating back to when she was the Hot Mess Laurel Van Ness in TNA in 2017. (Damn, that was 8 years ago?) Chelsea’s work as her current iteration is always entertaining. Her type of cowardly heel is going to get hers like she did tonight, but it is noticeable that when someone so entertaining loses to someone who really needs to refreshen their character.

It feels like these new Saturday Night’s Main Event shows have been trying to find their place when it comes to importance. They have the vibe down. The retro set up has been fantastic and I really loved the no frills small entrance right into audiene they used here. It’s a true throwback – well outside Dude Wipes as a sponsor. No guy in the 1980s was using a product remotely similar to Dude Wipes during those Reagan years.

While they have the vibe down, the importance hasn’t been there. The first couple shows felt more like a glorified house shows. But tonight felt more like a very important Raw bordering on a B level PPV. The return of Bronson Reed was a great moment, moving that story forward. We had what felt like a definitive end to a feud, or at least the end of an important chapter, with Priest’s win inside the cage. And of course Rhode’s return to set up the Travis Scott free tag match at MITB.

The lone women’s match left something to be desired (it was the only match that wasn’t long enough to have a commercial break). But this was generally a fun two hours with more story implications than SNME past.

Grade: B+

Sound off below.

As the final whistle blows for the 2024-2025 season of high school sports in Guam, it marks not only the end of a remarkable year but also the culmination of countless hours of blood, sweat, and tears by an extraordinary group of student-athletes.

The Class of 2025 has left a legacy in both the ISA and IIAAG leagues.

While leagues bid farewell to this group of seniors, fans should set their sights on the rising stars from the Class of 2026.

1st quarter: Football

The Father Duenas Friars continued their football dominance, capturing their ninth consecutive championship title behind a deep and experienced senior class consisting of 25 graduating players.

Some key forces that are part of the graduating class include Isaiha Arriola, Trey Blas, Jaron Meno, Tristan Burgos and Christian Manglona.

Looking ahead, GW Geckos Rayn Rios, who was named MVP for both offense and defense, will definitely be the player to watch next year. This could be the best shot at knocking off the Friars as a host of incoming seniors will help Rios: Justin Sablan, Seth Dumanal, Jayce Dela Cruz and others.

1st quarter: Girls volleyball

Academy Cougar Ariana Cruz finished her senior year in style, earning the IIAAG MVP and leading the Cougars to both a league title and a Far East championship.

On the ISA side, the JFK Islanders bid farewell to Aika Kanekatsu, a dominant middle blocker and an All-Island First Team pick. Expect the leagues to combine next season.

Returning standouts include Neisha Chen (Eagles), a powerful outside hitter, and ISA MVP Lyra Mugol (Sharks), who will aim to elevate her team once again.

1st quarter: Cross country

JFK’s Kaito Sakaguchi closed out his senior year as the All-Island Male Champion, setting the pace all season long and earning respect across the league.

On the girls side, GW’s Gwenizah Barcinas is focused on redemption for her upcoming senior year. After an unprecedented finish at the All-Island Meet, she looks to return stronger than ever.

2nd quarter: Girls basketball

This season marked the return of a unified league, merging public and private schools for the first time in five years.

Standout seniors like Franchesca Aguilar (Islanders) and Maria Paulino (Cougars), both All-Island First Team guards, will be greatly missed.

The St. John’s Knights, led by back-to-back MVP Jia Peters and Amara Del Carmen, return with their full championship roster and are poised for another strong title run.

Other star incoming seniors are Maddy Ada (Cougars), Sazzy Quintanilla (Warriors), Jaelyn Han (Islanders) and Keiviann Susuico (Dolphins).

2nd quarter: Baseball

The league bids farewell to FD Friars’ Ayden Aguon (First Team catcher) and Kaiden Weakley (First Team pitcher), both committed to play for the Big Bend Vikings Baseball (BBCC) program in Washington.

League MVP Tiyan Titans’ Peter Concepcion will return next season after a stellar year at shortstop this year.

2nd quarter: Boys soccer

For the first combined league since 2019, Harvest Eagles graduating senior Josiah Jones earned MVP honors as a standout goalkeeper. Jones will continue his soccer career at the collegiate level as he committed to Gardner-Webb University in North Carolina.

League champion FD loses Beau Perez, David Del Carmen and Ian Dickson to graduation.

Midfielder Sean Halehale is expected to fill some big shoes and anchor the squad’s 2026 roster.

2nd quarter: Wrestling

The Friars, winners of nine straight, will lose a host of grapplers with the same names of the football and rugby teams.

Tiyan Titans’ Christian Valencia finished his high school wrestling career on top, going 16–0 in the 138 lbs WC and earning his third gold medal. His undefeated senior season capped off one of the most decorated for the Titans program.

GW’s Rayn Rios looks to continue his dominance on the mats come his senior season.

Next year, eyes will be on Notre Dame Royals’ Alieah Garrido, who also had a perfect season in the 107 lbs WC. She’s expected to return even stronger as she looks to defend her title and stay undefeated.

3rd quarter: Softball

Guam High Panthers Brinnlyn Hardt capped off her high school career as the league MVP. While she suited up for the GW Geckos due to roster shortages at her home school, her impact remained prominent regardless of the jersey.

League champion Cougars will lose five starters who all made First Team All-Island: Zaeyah Tajalle, Tisha Mann, Aniyah Benavente, Olivia Camacho and Giniah-Jo Sarmiento all walked down the graduation aisle.

They will rely on Kaia Chiguina and Sadie Guerrero to keep the winning tradition going.

3rd quarter: Boys basketball

FD Friars graduating senior Noah Tenorio dominated this season, earning league MVP while leading his team to a perfect season and third straight title. After high school, Tenorio committed to playing basketball for Penn State Hazleton.

Other seniors who stood out this season include Jude Lopez (Bulldogs), who is a force in the post, and the Madrazo twins, Jordan and Josiah (Islanders), known for their on-court chemistry and backcourt dominance.

Next year, GW Geckos guard Jace Dela Cruz is expected to step up to the leadership role for the Geckos.

Meanwhile, for the defending champs, guard Colin Baker looks to lead the Friars in the upcoming year in hopes of extending the dynasty.

3rd quarter: Rugby

This year’s rugby season saw powerhouse performances from some of the island’s top senior athletes.

Doriana Penaflor (Sharks) had a spectacular season, capping off her high school career as league MVP.

Lola Rosario (Cougars) leaves a lasting legacy as a 2x All-Island scrum half, 2x champion, and four-year captain. She will continue her rugby career at Wheeling University.

On the boys side, the future looks bright for the GW Geckos as league MVP Rayn Rios will still be returning for his senior year.

4th quarter: Track & field

The Guam High Panthers continued their track and field dominance this season, once again asserting themselves as the team to beat. However, they’ll face a major shift next year with the graduation of top point scorer and hurdler Jayden Jackson.

Also departing are standout seniors Jan Almoite (Sharks) and Alex Na (Islanders). In the All-Island Meet, Almoite made podium finishes in the hurdle events, and Na took 4/4 gold medals in the short sprints and jumps.

As the baton passes to the incoming seniors, a new wave of talent is ready to shine.

Hayden Buck (Panthers), along with Gwenizah Barcinas and Hazel Wilson (Geckos), are standout athletes to keep an eye on as they look to lead their teams in the upcoming season.

4th quarter: Boys volleyball

Notre Dame Royals senior middle blocker Timothy Gumataotao closed out his high school career leading the All-Island listing by earning league MVP. His presence at the net, both offensively and defensively, made him one of the most dominant players in the league.

The Harvest Eagles had probably their best shot at the crown in years, but they fell short. They are losing Devin Paulin, Jack Keith and Jacob Ji.

The 7-time champion FD Friars did not have a single player on the All-Island First Team. They lose David Del Carmen, but incoming senior Saul Bamba will lead the charge for yet another run at the title.

The Royals will still have Davyn Paet and Takoda Piper.

4th quarter: Girls soccer

Academy’s Hinnegi San Nicolas and Maria Paulino closed out their high school careers on a high note, both earning All-Island First Team selections.

Looking ahead, the five-time champion JFK Islanders are expected to be strong contenders once again, led by a core group of returning seniors: Aubrey Ibanez, Orung Santos and Jaelyn Han.

Harvest will also be in the title conversation, with upcoming seniors Hayden Thompson and Caden Miller.

The Class of 2025 leaves behind a legacy built on excellence, and now the torch passes to the group of seniors. With rising stars ready to shine, the future of high school sports looks brighter than ever.