Lynchburg, Va. — The University of Lynchburg baseball squad is headed for the NCAA Super Regional round after holding off Emory, 6-5, in the final game of the Lynchburg regional on Sunday afternoon on James C. fox Field.

The Hornets wasted no time getting on the board, plating four runs in a productive first inning. Bradon Garcia opened the gates by scoring off a RBI single from Sean Pokorak. The momentum continued with a sacrifice fly by Bryce Demory, bringing in Joe Munitz. Ryder Warren followed with an RBI single to right to score Benton Jones, and Eric Hiett capped the inning with a base hit up the middle to bring home Pokorak.

Lynchburg extended their lead in the third inning when Hiett notched his second RBI of the game with a single to left center, driving in Warren to make it a five-run advantage for the Hornets. Pokorak added insurance in the sixth with his second RBI single, scoring Garcia and pushing the Lynchburg lead to 6-0. He finished the game two-for-four with two RBI.

Nick Mattfield had a spectacular day on the bump. He got the start and threw 6.1 frames, allowing just one hit through the first six innings. Emory mounted a furious rally in the seventh, stringing together five runs on four hits and a walk. Jonathan Lang sparked the comeback with a two-RBI single, and Brock Liu added another RBI knock. A bases-loaded walk and a fielder’s choice rounded out the scoring, bringing the game within one run. 

Colin McGuire checked in on the mound for Austin Riney in the seventh and effectively closed out the game. He secured his ninth save of the season by throwing 2.2 innings and allowing just one hit throughout his time in the contest. He finished with four strikeouts in nine batters faced, including the final two outs of the game in the ninth.

Lynchburg has secured a spot in the Super Regional round and will take on Rowan this coming weekend. More information, including game time and location, will be available on lynchburgsports.com as it is published.

Visit Lynchburg athletics’ home online, LynchburgSports.com, anytime for up-to-the-minute news on all Hornets sports and coverage from the Lynchburg Hornets Sports Network.

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–LYN–

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Nineteen-year-old Bronson Chungson, from Māngere, is not only competing in international polo but also breaking new ground as one of the few Pacific Islanders in a sport noted for its lack of diversity.

Born and raised in South Auckland, Chungson has quickly become a standout talent in water polo.

“I grew up in South Auckland, born and raised in Māngere, and went to Sacred Heart College. I currently live in San Francisco and I’m just playing water polo and studying,” he shared in an interview with Tofiga Fepulea’i on Island Time.

Chungson’s journey into the sport began at the Papatoetoe and Māngere swim clubs, where his aunt, a coach at Holy Cross Papatoetoe, introduced him to water polo.

“I didn’t enjoy [swimming] as much because it was an individual sport… but water polo being a team sport, it gave me more of a passion and a love for it because I got to play with friends.”

By Year 11 and 12, Chungson was already playing for older New Zealand squads. He now plays for West Valley College in California.

In June, Chungson will compete at the Under-21 World Championships in Croatia and Montenegro. He recognises the challenges ahead.

“Definitely, the European teams are the powerhouses – Hungary, Serbia, Croatia. But we’ve been fortunate enough to have a slightly less challenging pool. We’ve got Kazakhstan and Iran. I’m pretty sure Kazakhstan came first in the Asia Cup tournament, so we’ll be playing the champs of Asia.”

Chungson’s parents are fundraising to cover his travel costs to the World Championships. On their Givealittle page, they expressed their pride in his achievements, stating, “It’s such an incredible achievement, and we couldn’t be prouder.”

They say water polo is considered a minority sport and does not receive much funding, but they are committed to supporting Chungson’s passion and promoting cultural representation in the sport.

Watch the full interview with Bronson Chungson below.

“He’s often the only Sāmoan player in his teams, and it’s something he’s incredibly proud of. He loves representing his culture in a sport where diversity is rare, and this opportunity to represent both New Zealand and his Sāmoan roots on the world stage is something truly special.”

Looking ahead

Chungson still has one more year at West Valley and hopes to transfer to a four-year college in New York, California, or Los Angeles.

He says a highlight has been staying with other water polo athletes from South Africa, Germany, and Croatia, while representing his cultural roots.

“There are not many Pacific Islanders who are playing the sport, and so I want to make sure that I can inspire and encourage the younger generation to pursue a sport where it’s not dominated by Pacific Islanders as well, but we can still make a big mark.”

Bronson Chungson (centre) with his proud parents. Photo/Givealittle

Despite being far from home, he maintains a strong connection to his faith and culture. “It’s enormous for me, especially living here, it’s been hard dealing with the pressure and the stress with trying to play well in front of coaches and team-mates. But I always just remember that I’m playing for an audience of one and I give all my glory to God.”

His high school coach, Matt Lewis, a West Valley alumnus, has been one of his biggest inspirations. “There was a time when I was kind of thinking of just quitting water polo… but he helped me find the love and the passion for it again.”

Chungson encourages others to consider water polo. “Just give it a try. I think there’s too many times where we pass up these opportunities and we only later realise that we’re missing out … It’s just throwing a ball, playing with some teammates and having fun.”

Bronson Chungson’s waterpolo skills have led to travel and study opportunities. Photo/Supplied

by Kevin Cody

The Skechers Manhattan Beach Tour de Pier was a novel idea with uncertain fundraising potential when it debuted in 2013 as a benefit for cancer research. That year it raised $300,000. In the dozen years since, it has raised on average, over $1 million per year, and woven itself into the Manhattan Beach community fabric. People block out their vacations so they will be in town for the annual May event.

The Mira Coast High School cheer team, this year’s State Champions, are Tour de Pier’s official cheerleaders. Teams that return each year get the prize, front row stationary bikes. 

On Sunday, May 18, at this year’s 13th Annual Tour de Pier, the Manhattan police and fire, and Los Angeles County Lifeguards rode their customary stationary bikes in the first spot in the front row, north of the pier. 

The first spot, front row south of the pier was reserved for Team Suit Up, who wear suits each year. The first year the five former El Segundo High schoolmates wore three piece suits with ties and black shoes. The second year they wore track suits. Last year, they wore mirrored disco leisure suits, and this year they dressed as dandies from the 17th Century court of the Sun King, Louis the 14th. 

“Coming up with a new suit gets harder every year,” Team Suit Up’s Kris Petrevski said.

Tour De Pier was founded by Jon Hirshberg, whose father died of pancreatic cancer, and Heath Gregory, whose brother-in-law Kory Hunter died of brain cancer. 

Proceeds from the Tour de Pier go to the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer, the Uncle Kory Foundation for Brain Cancer and the Cancer Support Community South Bay. (CSCSB). CSCSB offers over 3,000 sessions for cancer victims each year, at no charge. 

Not all of the cycling teams are local. Team DB Urban, a real estate development company, flies in each year from Salt Lake City.

Tour de Pier’s accompanying Health and Fitness Expo has grown in popularity with ever expanding offerings. This year, Skechers had a pickleball court to showcase its pickleball shoes and apparel The Kings had a street hockey court. Kinecta Federal Credit Union brought its crowd pleasing ice cream truck. Floyd’s Barbershop offered free hair cuts, and Manhattan Beach native Ben Morse offered invitations to his Grand Mango surf camp in Nicaragua. 

Fox sports analyst Rob Stone introduced an impressive line up of local athletes, including two-time Olympics soccer gold medalist Mia Hamm, LA Chargers kicker Cameron Dicker and former USC star, and NFL Hall of Famer Willie McGinest.

But like Manhattan’s other signature events, such as the Hometown Fair, the MB 10K, the Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk, and the International Surf Festival, the people the cyclists come to see each year are each other.

For more about the Skechers Tour de Pier, visit TourDePier.com. ER

The Seoul Administrative Court upheld the disqualification of a student athlete who was denied admission to a university in 2024 after wearing a swim cap bearing the emblem of one’s high school during the practical entrance examination.

The applicant, a water polo player, challenged the decision, arguing that the university’s admission guidelines ban only names or school affiliations on swimsuits — not on swim caps.

However, the court ruled that the swim cap could reasonably be interpreted as part of the swimsuit under conventional usage of the term. The Korean term “suyeongbok” literally translates as “swimming clothes.”

“Regarding the swimming cap as part of the swimsuit is in keeping with the conventional interpretation of the word (swimsuit) … Considering that the rule is to ensure a fair applications process by assessing each applicant’s abilities in no regards to one’s affiliations, there is no reason to treat swimsuit and swimming cap differently,” the court said.

The plaintiff also argued that two other applicants were not disqualified despite wearing marked swimming caps, but the court pointed out that markings on the mentioned caps did not show their school affiliations.

Addressing the plaintiff’s claim that no examiners warned them about the disqualifying attire during the test, the court stated that the absence of such an on-site warning could not be construed as assurance that the applicant would not face disqualification.

minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com