Micah Parsons went from High School Two-Way Star to Elite NFL Defender originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Micah Parsons is a superstar edge defender for the Dallas Cowboys and stepped up to be an emotional leader for the team last season.

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During his four-game absence last year, the defense played with minimal confidence and urgency. When Parsons is on the field, he raises the intensity level of his teammates by being a true “lion” on the field.

And …

Parsons is an athletic freak of nature whose football background isn’t limited to the defensive side of the ball.

In high school, Parsons was an incredible running back who via video once again going viral looked like a man among boys. Highlights from his days at Harrisburg High School in Pennsylvania have resurfaced on social media, reminding everyone how special an athlete Parsons was and continues to be.

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And Micah is loving every minute of it, as Parsons commented on his high school highlight video going viral on X, stating he averaged almost 10 yards per carry.

During his senior year of high school, Parsons had an impressive season on the ground, recording 1,239 yards and 27 touchdowns in 12 games.

The Pennsylvania native decided to stay in his home state and take his talents to Penn State to play college ball—where he focused on the defensive side of the ball and became a stud linebacker.

Fans of course wonder: Could Parsons have been a two-way star at the collegiate level? Could he be an NFL force at 6-4 and 240 pounds with the ball in his hands?

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Maybe … but his development as a versatile chess piece on defense has been stellar, as he continues to master the nuances of rushing the passer.

Parsons is one of the NFL’s best defenders and is set to make around $40 million per season with his looming contract extension.

Related: KaVontae Ranks As Breakout Candidate for Cowboys Offense

Related: Mom’s New Home is Where the Heart is for Cowboys’ Overshown

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.

Elayna Black, known to WWE fans as Cora Jade until her release on May 2, 2025, has stated her openness to joining All Elite Wrestling. The former NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion shared her thoughts on her future and AEW’s creative environment during a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show.

Black expressed a clear interest in potentially working with AEW. “I would definitely be open to going to AEW. I loved my time there. I have a lot of friends there,” she said.

The former WWE star made a brief appearance on AEW Dark in 2020 as Elayna Black before signing with WWE. Her positive sentiment towards the promotion is also fueled by its creative approach.

“I watch all the shows. I love the fact that they have as much creative freedom as they do,” Black noted. She further explained her appreciation for AEW’s style.

More news: WWE News: Steve Austin Reveals Real-Life Vince McMahon Confrontation

She stated, “I’m so much for storylines and character, so I feel they are very creatively free in that way.” Black signed with WWE in early 2021 and quickly made a name for herself in NXT as Cora Jade.

She developed a rebellious “Generation of Jade” persona. She captured the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship alongside Roxanne Perez, with whom she also had a memorable, intense feud after turning heel.

Throughout her NXT tenure, she was involved in several prominent storylines and was considered a key part of the brand’s women’s division. Following her WWE departure, she has reverted to her Black ring name and has been actively preparing for the next chapter of her career.

She’s done so by launching an OnlyFans account and taking independent bookings as her 30-day non-compete period ended around June 1, 2025. Her comments about AEW signal a significant potential landing spot for the young star.

AEW may be the right landing spot for her, considering that she is still so young and could use the rival promotion as a launching pad for her career on a short-term basis. A one or two-year deal would be something she could use greatly to her benefit and perhaps make her way to WWE one day if she impresses enough.

More WWE News:

For more on WWE, head to Newsweek Sports.

Iowa high school soccer: Schedule, results and highlights for 2025 boys state soccer tournament

Updated: 10:36 PM CDT Jun 2, 2025

POWERED BY CARL’S AUTO GROUP. IT IS STATE SOCCER WEEKEND. IT’S GOING TO FEEL DIFFERENT NEW PLACES. AND WE’RE GOING TO ALTERNATE DAYS THIS WEEK. GIRLS WILL START TOMORROW IN AMES. BOYS OPEN TONIGHT AT HOST SITES BEFORE MOVING TO MEDIACOM STADIUM FOR THE SEMIFINALS AND FINALS. JOHNSTON IS GOING FOR THE THREE PEAT THIS YEAR. CAN ANYONE DETHRONE THE DRAGONS? OPENING MINUTES JOHNSTON IN BLACK ON THE ATTACK OFF THE DOWLING GOALIE. KYRON POPE IS GOING TO BE THERE FOR THE REBOUND AND HE BANGS IT THROUGH AND PUMPS HIS FIST IN THE AIR. STILL IN THE FIRST HALF, CADEN POPE NO. ENOCH BASSETT YES, HE CLEANS IT UP. THEY WERE RELENTLESS. IT’S TWO NOTHING STILL IN THE FIRST HALF. THE DOWLING GOALIE COMES OUT. KAYDEN NGUYEN GETS PAST HIM. THEN CAN HE TRACK IT DOWN IN TIME? YES. HE SLIDES AND GETS HIS FOOT ON IT JUST IN TIME BEFORE THE BARD WIN. WOULD ADD ANOTHER ONE AND JOHNSTON ROUTS DOWLING FIVE. NOTHING TO ADVANCE TO THE SEMIFINALS. EARLIER THIS SEASON KCCI TOLD YOU ABOUT VALLEY SOCCER COACH REACHING A WHOPPING 600 WINS. HE WANTS A SIX STATE CHAMPIONSHIP. TONIGHT, HIS TIGERS HOSTED PLEASANT VALLEY. EARLY FIRST HALF. CHECK OUT THE PLAY RIGHT HERE. ALEXANDER MURSKI STEALS THE BALL AWAY AND THEN HOOKS UP WITH PABLO MENDEZ, WHO STAYS WITH IT. WHAT A GOAL. MIRSKY ALSO SCORED ONE HIMSELF AS A CHRISTIAN. CATALON VALLEY ADVANCES WITH A THREE NOTHING WIN. ANKENY KNOCKS OUT ROOSEVELT OVER AT MEDIACOM STADIUM 3 TO 1, AND THE AMES LITTLE CYCLONES ARE ALSO GOING TO MEDIACOM NEXT WEEK FOR THE SEMIFINALS. ONE NOTHING OVER CITY HIGH IN THREE. A DEFENDING CHAMP, DCG, HOSTED CEDAR RAPIDS, WASHINGTON. SECOND HALF. 13 MINUTES TO GO DCG DOWN TWO ONE. OFF THE CORNER KICK. MATEO ZLOTO FEEDS LANDON ANDERSON WITH A GREAT HEADER AND TIES IT AT TWO. WE GO TO OVERTIME AFTER TWO SCORELESS OVERTIMES. WE GO TO PKS. WASHINGTON MADE THEIR FIRST ATTEMPT, SO IT WAS TIME FOR THE MUSTANGS AND THEY RESPOND. AMIN ISLAMOVIC SNEAKS IT PAST THE GOALTENDER, TYING IT UP AT ONE. WASHINGTON. UP NEXT, LOGAN BARTON IS GOOD. IT’S TWO ONE WARRIORS. THE ENSUING. DCG ATTEMPT, THEY NEED IT HERE AND IT’S STOPPED. WARRIORS WITH THE ADVANTAGE. AND THEY WOULD STOP THE NEXT TWO MUSTANGS ATTEMPT. THEY LEAD THREE ONE. ALL THEY NEED IS ONE GOAL TO PULL OFF THE STUNNER. AND THEY GET IT. HOLDEN SMITH SEALS THE DEAL IN CEDAR RAPIDS, WASHINGTON WINS THE PKS 4 TO 1 TO ELIMINATE THE DEFENDING CHAMPS. ALSO IN THREE. A URBANDALE TRYING TO WIN A STATE TITLE FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2002, HOSTING SPENCER IN THE QUARTERFINALS. THESE TWO TEAMS EVENLY MATCHED. GREAT DEFENSE HERE IN A SCORELESS FIRST HALF. THE WALL OF JAYHAWKS KEEPS IT SCORELESS IN EARLY IN THE SECOND HALF. URBANDALE CAME ALIVE OFF AN EARLY CORNER KICK. AIDEN TROHA MAKES IT ONE NOTHING. JAYHAWKS WIN TWO ZERO. THEY ARE ON TO THE STATE SEMIFINALS. HOOVER’S QUEST FOR A STATE TITLE COMES TO AN END WITH A10 LOSS AT LIBERTY. NORWALK DOMINATES INDIANOLA 3 TO 1 TO ADVANCE TO THE SEMIFINALS ON WEDNESDAY IN TWO. A KNOXVILLE IN WHITE AT GILBERT. KNOXVILLE WAS DOWN ONE. NOTHING IN THE SECOND HALF WITH 25 MINUTES TO GO. KNOXVILLE’S EZRA SCHMIDT BOOMS IT FROM LONG RANGE, AND THAT’S GOOD. OVER THE GOALIE’S HEAD, WE ARE TIED. THE GAME GOES TO DOUBLE OT. IN THE FIRST SEQUENCE OF THE DOUBLE OT, WATCH THE TOP RIGHT OF YOUR SCREEN, SENIOR TYLER HOLTON IS NOT READY FOR HIS CAREER TO END. HOLTON TURNS AND FIRES AND THAT IS THE GAME WINNER. GILBERT ADVANCES TO THE SEMIS IN A THRILLING FASHION. TWO ONE. LOVE THE CELEBRATION, GUYS. THEY ARE AT MEDIACOM ON WEDNESDAY AS WELL AT DORDT UNIVERSITY IN TWO-A, WEBSTER CITY AND SIOUX CITY SCORELESS ALL THE WAY TO PKS. THE LYNX WIN IT THREE TWO IN PKS TO MOVE TO 17 ZERO, AND IN ONE A AT THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA, VAN METER BEATS NORTH FAYETTE VALLEY ONE NOTHING. THESE TEAMS WILL B

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Iowa high school soccer: Schedule, results and highlights for 2025 boys state soccer tournament

Updated: 10:36 PM CDT Jun 2, 2025

Iowa’s high school boys soccer state tournament is June 2-6. The quarterfinal round will be played at regional sites across the state, with the semifinals and finals being played at Mediacom Stadium in Des Moines. Here’s what you need to know about this week’s state tournament. Iowa high school boys state soccer tournament scheduleQuarterfinals – Monday, June 2: Class 4AWest Des Moines Valley 3, Pleasant Valley 0Johnston 5, Dowling Catholic 0Ankeny 3, Des Moines Roosevelt 1 Ames 1, Iowa City, City High 0 Class 3AIowa City Liberty 1, Des Moines Hoover 0 (PKs 5-4)Cedar Rapids Washington 3, Dallas Center-Grimes 2 (PKs 4-1)Norwalk 3, Indianola 1Urbandale 2, Spencer 0Class 2ABishop Heelan 2, Wahlert, Dubuque 1 (OT) Webster City 1, Sioux Center 0 (PKs 3-2) Williamsburg 2, Notre Dame, Burlington 1Gilbert 2, Knoxville 1 (2OT)Class 1AHudson 2, West Central Valley 0Regina, Iowa City 1, St. Albert, Council Bluffs 0 West Sioux 2, West Liberty 0 Van Meter 1, North Fayette Valley 0 Watch: West Des Moines Valley soccer coach Aziz Haffar celebrates 600th winSemifinals at Mediacom Stadium – Wednesday, June 4: Class 1ANoon: Regina, Iowa City vs. Van Meter2:30 p.m.: Hudson vs. West SiouxClass 2A5 p.m.: Bishop Heelan vs. Williamsburg7:30 p.m.: Gilbert vs. Webster City Semifinals at Mediacom Stadium – Thursday, June 5:Class 3ANoon: Norwalk vs. Urbandale2:30 p.m.: Iowa City Liberty vs. Cedar Rapids WashingtonClass 4A5 p.m.: Johnston vs. Ames7:30 p.m.: West Des Moines Valley vs. AnkenyFinals at Mediacom Stadium- Friday, June 6: Noon: Class 1A final – TBD vs. TBD2:30 p.m.: Class 2A final – TBD vs. TBD5 p.m.: Class 3A final – TBD vs. TBD7:30 p.m.: Class 4A final – TBD vs. TBD TicketsAdmission is $10. Click here for tickets.How to streamThe Iowa High School Sports Network will broadcast the semifinals and finals of the 2025 state tournament. Stream online here.» Subscribe to KCCI’s YouTube page» Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google PlayKCCI sports explains change in schedule, location of state high school soccer

DES MOINES, Iowa —

Iowa’s high school boys soccer state tournament is June 2-6. The quarterfinal round will be played at regional sites across the state, with the semifinals and finals being played at Mediacom Stadium in Des Moines.

Here’s what you need to know about this week’s state tournament.

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Iowa high school boys state soccer tournament schedule

Quarterfinals – Monday, June 2:

Class 4A

• West Des Moines Valley 3, Pleasant Valley 0
• Johnston 5, Dowling Catholic 0
• Ankeny 3, Des Moines Roosevelt 1
• Ames 1, Iowa City, City High 0

Class 3A

• Iowa City Liberty 1, Des Moines Hoover 0 (PKs 5-4)
• Cedar Rapids Washington 3, Dallas Center-Grimes 2 (PKs 4-1)
• Norwalk 3, Indianola 1
• Urbandale 2, Spencer 0

Class 2A

• Bishop Heelan 2, Wahlert, Dubuque 1 (OT)
• Webster City 1, Sioux Center 0 (PKs 3-2)
• Williamsburg 2, Notre Dame, Burlington 1
• Gilbert 2, Knoxville 1 (2OT)

Class 1A

• Hudson 2, West Central Valley 0
• Regina, Iowa City 1, St. Albert, Council Bluffs 0
• West Sioux 2, West Liberty 0
• Van Meter 1, North Fayette Valley 0

Watch: West Des Moines Valley soccer coach Aziz Haffar celebrates 600th win

Semifinals at Mediacom Stadium – Wednesday, June 4:

Class 1A

• Noon: Regina, Iowa City vs. Van Meter
• 2:30 p.m.: Hudson vs. West Sioux

Class 2A

• 5 p.m.: Bishop Heelan vs. Williamsburg
• 7:30 p.m.: Gilbert vs. Webster City

Semifinals at Mediacom Stadium – Thursday, June 5:

Class 3A

• Noon: Norwalk vs. Urbandale
• 2:30 p.m.: Iowa City Liberty vs. Cedar Rapids Washington

Class 4A

• 5 p.m.: Johnston vs. Ames
• 7:30 p.m.: West Des Moines Valley vs. Ankeny

Finals at Mediacom Stadium- Friday, June 6:

• Noon: Class 1A final – TBD vs. TBD
• 2:30 p.m.: Class 2A final – TBD vs. TBD
• 5 p.m.: Class 3A final – TBD vs. TBD
• 7:30 p.m.: Class 4A final – TBD vs. TBD

Tickets

Admission is $10. Click here for tickets.

How to stream

The Iowa High School Sports Network will broadcast the semifinals and finals of the 2025 state tournament. Stream online here.

» Subscribe to KCCI’s YouTube page

» Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play

KCCI sports explains change in schedule, location of state high school soccer

...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY
MORNING...

* WHAT...Flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible.

* WHERE...Portions of central, east central, and northeast Missouri,
including the following areas, in central Missouri, Audrain MO,
Boone MO, Callaway MO, Cole MO, Moniteau MO and Osage MO. In east
central Missouri, Montgomery MO. In northeast Missouri, Knox MO,
Lewis MO, Marion MO, Monroe MO, Pike MO, Ralls MO and Shelby MO.

* WHEN...From Tuesday evening through Wednesday morning.

* IMPACTS...Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers,
creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
- Thunderstorms are expected to produce locally heavy rainfall
of 1 to 2 inches per hour at times. Where these storms linger
they may lead to localized areas of flash flooding.


PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action
should Flash Flood Warnings be issued.

&&

(25News Now) – Super Monday was indeed a super day for Heart of Illinois Conference teams.

The Eureka and Lexington baseball teams, and the LeRoy softball team, all won Super-Sectionals to advance to the State Final Four.

You can watch 25News – any newscast, anywhere – streaming LIVE on 25NewsNow.com, our 25News mobile app, and on our WEEK 25News SmartTV streaming app. Learn more about how you can get connected to 25News streaming live news here.

Copyright 2025 WEEK. All rights reserved.

The PIAA baseball and softball playoffs got underway with teams from across the Beaver Valley looking to take their first steps in the journey to the PIAA championships at Penn State in two weeks. Here is a look at how the area teams faired in the opening round.PIAA Baseball First RoundRiverside 9, Huntingdon 0Riverside ace Christian Lucarelli made his return to the mound in the first round of the PIAA Class 3A playoffs after not pitching for two and a half weeks because of an injury. The senior Duke signee shined pitching a complete game shutout allowing just three hits and two walks while striking out seven. John Bowser, Hunter Garvin, Dylan Meyer and Logan Young all tallied multi-hit games.Central Valley 3, Cathedral Prep 2Central Valley’s back was against the wall in the seventh inning but thanks to a squeeze bunt by Antonio Perri with no outs in the inning, the team advanced to the PIAA 4A quarterfinals. Daniel McIntosh pitched the first 5⅔ innings allowing just one earned run on four hits while setting down seven. Will Ciucci closed the door pitching the final 1⅓ innings, striking out four.Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

Freedom Area 5, Bishop McCort 3

Freedom Area’s magical season continues with a comeback victory down three runs in the fourth inning. Despite being out-hit 7-3, the team got run production from its top four hitters in the order who each drove home a run using a big three-run fifth inning to give the team the lead.

Quaker Valley 22, Bedford 6

After falling 1-0 in the WPIAL title game to Riverside on May 28, Quaker Valley’s offense exploded in the first round of the PIAA Class 3A playoffs. Third baseman Todd Kagle went 3 for 4 with nine RBIs, including two home runs. Nolan Wagoner also went deep in the win for his lone hit of the game. Along with the power surge from Wagoner and Kagle, Oscar Roig, Kolton Johnson and Kyle Radar each drove in multiple runs. The team will now face the winner of Forest Hills and South Park in the quarterfinals on June 5.

Tussey Mountain 7, OLSH 6

OLSH’s season came to an end in the first round of the PIAA tournament, falling to Tussey Mountain. Dean Douglass provided the team with an offensive spark going 2 for 3 with three RBIs. Both Sean Hudac and Iseia Schulz pitched in the contest with Schulz throwing the final 2⅓ innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits and striking out six.

PIAA Softball First Round

Blackhawk 9, Bellefonte 3

The team shook off their WPIAL championship loss and handled their business on the road. Keira Rodu and Addy Ramer each recorded multi-hit games with Rodu and Brynn Hysong each driving in a pair of runs. Kylie Prisuta shined on the mound pitching a completed game allowing two earned runs and setting down 13.

West Allegheny 10, Solanco 4

West Allegheny’s top of the order was dominant combining for 10 of the team’s 13 hits in its opening-round game against Solanco. Both catcher Ava Henke and Alaina Pass had three hits apiece with Pass driving in two runs. Savanna Benish was 2 for 4 with four RBIs, which included a pair of home runs.

Seneca 7, Riverside 2