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High School Sports

With eyes on 'best players,' White Sox intrigued by prep shortstops

CHICAGO — No specific names were given by White Sox director of amateur scouting Mike Shirley when asked this past weekend about his team’s first-round plans for Day 1 of the 2025 MLB Draft presented by Nike on Sunday night. But Shirley provided details of the work put in by the organization to prepare for […]

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With eyes on 'best players,' White Sox intrigued by prep shortstops

CHICAGO — No specific names were given by White Sox director of amateur scouting Mike Shirley when asked this past weekend about his team’s first-round plans for Day 1 of the 2025 MLB Draft presented by Nike on Sunday night.

But Shirley provided details of the work put in by the organization to prepare for possibilities at No. 10, representing the White Sox first-round selection.

Draft coverage:
Day 1 (Rounds 1-3): Sun., July 13, 6 p.m. ET (MLBN/MLB.com/ESPN)
Day 2 (Rounds 4-20): Mon., July 14, 11:30 a.m. ET (MLB.com)

“We are looking at two college hitters, there’s two strong college pitchers we like, there’s about five high school shortstops that we worked really hard on, and there’s one high school pitcher that is extremely talented,” Shirley told MLB.com. “His talent is something that makes you pay attention to him.

“It’s not a preference to go that way, but when you have that many weapons, all the boxes you are looking for a high school right-handed starter to check, he checks a lot of those things pretty easy. And he’s an unbelievable kid. That puts us at a pretty good number that we worked extremely hard to get where we are at today.

“As far as who we are picking?” Shirley added. “I can’t get there with you.”

COMPLETE WHITE SOX PROSPECT COVERAGE

MLB.com mock drafts have focused on that high school shortstop area for the White Sox, with JoJo Parker and Billy Carlson coming up as possibilities at pick 10. Colson Montgomery, the No. 5 White Sox prospect, per MLB Pipeline, made a triumphant debut at shortstop in Colorado over the weekend, and fellow rookie Chase Meidroth has played 56 games at the position.

Caleb Bonemer, the No. 9 White Sox prospect, and William Bergolla at No. 13 are other shortstops of the future within their system. Having talented players in place won’t stop the White Sox from going in that direction.

“Look, [general manager] Chris Getz has a serious plan for what he’s trying to build in this organization,” Shirley said. “Up-the-middle field players are the piece of the puzzle that really you can do a lot with. They have the athleticism, the skills, the mindset, the instincts to play multiple [positions] and help your team in multiple sectors.

“Today, when you look at high school shortstops, that’s like playing quarterback. It is the most important piece on the field. A lot of the great players are morphing toward that direction. That’s a piece of the puzzle that’s not going to change for a while. These guys are the best athletes or the best players.”

White Sox Draft meetings began Sunday and will run throughout the entire week. Shirley praised Getz and the organization for deploying so many people from the front office outside of their four national scouts, four regional crosscheckers and 16 area scouts, leaving them infinitely prepared for this now two-day event.

It’s more than just the No. 10 pick for a White Sox organization coming off 121 losses in 2024, as it holds the first selection in every other round. This Draft comes one year prior to what could be a top pick for the White Sox in 2026.

All these players are essential components to this ongoing rebuild, with the team making strides in ’25 despite the 30-60 record entering the final first-half homestand. Moves center around the $12,169,100 bonus pool and the $6,238,400 slotted for the No. 10 pick.

“Financially, we are looking at how to do a lot with our pool stuff,” Shirley said. “That’s a plan we have going into this. I think that’s important to do the best work.

“The high school group, the high school position players, have been unbelievable. That’s been the strong point of this Draft in my opinion. That’s the place we are looking the heaviest at this point.”

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High School Sports

32 Sports sends flag football teams to Junior Olympics

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32 Sports sends flag football teams to Junior Olympics


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High School Sports

Brewers score vs. Pirates tonight, live game updates, highlights, starting lineups

The Milwaukee Brewers seek to extend their nine-game winning streak as they open a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates at American Family Field on Monday night, Aug. 11. Left-hander José Quintana (9-4, 3.57) starts for Milwaukee and will be countered by Pittsburgh left-hander Andrew Heaney (5-9, 4.77). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There was also a […]

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Brewers score vs. Pirates tonight, live game updates, highlights, starting lineups

The Milwaukee Brewers seek to extend their nine-game winning streak as they open a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates at American Family Field on Monday night, Aug. 11.

Left-hander José Quintana (9-4, 3.57) starts for Milwaukee and will be countered by Pittsburgh left-hander Andrew Heaney (5-9, 4.77).

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There was also a bit of news before the game, as leftfielder Isaac Collins was named the National League’s player of the week, the day after slugging a walk-off homer to beat the New York Mets.

What time is the Brewers game tonight?

Time: 6:40 p.m. CT.

What channel is the Brewers game on tonight?

TV channel: FanDuel Sports Wisconsin.

Brewers lineup

  • Brice Turang 2B

  • Isaac Collins LF

  • William Contreras C

  • Christian Yelich DH

  • Andrew Vaughn 1B

  • Caleb Durbin 3B

  • Sal Frelick RF

  • Brandon Lockridge CF

  • Joey Ortiz SS

Pirates lineup

  • Liover Peguero 1B

  • Tommy Pham LF

  • Bryan Reynolds RF

  • Nick Gonzales 2B

  • Andrew McCutchen DH

  • Alexander Canario CF

  • Joey Bart C

  • Jared Triolo SS

  • Isiah Kiner-Falefa 3B

Jose Quintana of the Milwaukee Brewers pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning at American Family Field on July 9, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Jose Quintana of the Milwaukee Brewers pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning at American Family Field on July 9, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Brewers schedule

Brewers vs. Pirates, Aug. 12, 6:40 p.m.: Milwaukee RHP Freddy Peralta (13-5, 3.03) vs. Pittsburgh RHP Paul Skenes (7-8, 1.94). TV – FanDuel Sports Wisconsin, simulcast on Fox6. Radio – AM-620 WTMJ.

Brewers vs. Pirates, Aug. 13, 1:10 p.m.: Milwaukee RHP Brandon Woodruff (4-0, 2.29) vs. Pittsburgh RHP Mitch Keller (5-10, 3.86). TV – FanDuel Sports Wisconsin, Radio – AM-620 WTMJ.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Brewers vs. Pirates score, live game updates, highlights, lineups

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High School Sports

Marshall men's soccer exhibition tonight

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – Second-ranked Marshall men’s soccer continues its pre-season exhibition schedule tonight. The Thundering Herd will host Radford at Hoops Family Field beginning at 7:15 p.m. Marshall had a capacity crowd on Saturday for the fans’ first exhibition with Villanova. Admission is free again tonight. Copyright 2025 WSAZ. All rights reserved. 0

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Marshall men's soccer exhibition tonight

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – Second-ranked Marshall men’s soccer continues its pre-season exhibition schedule tonight.

The Thundering Herd will host Radford at Hoops Family Field beginning at 7:15 p.m.

Marshall had a capacity crowd on Saturday for the fans’ first exhibition with Villanova.

Admission is free again tonight.

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High School Sports

COLUMN

Jordan Kent (WR, Jackson) The Jackson Indian broke onto the scene as a sophomore when he and his older brother, Quentin Kent, formed one of the top receiving duos around after combining for 113 catches, 1,932 yards and 32 total touchdowns in 2016. The athletic 6-foot wideout made big strides each season after that. By […]

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COLUMN

Jordan Kent (WR, Jackson)

The Jackson Indian broke onto the scene as a sophomore when he and his older brother, Quentin Kent, formed one of the top receiving duos around after combining for 113 catches, 1,932 yards and 32 total touchdowns in 2016. The athletic 6-foot wideout made big strides each season after that. By his junior year, Jordan emerged as one of the top skill players in Missouri, snagging a career-high 81 passes for 1,307 yards and 27 touchdowns en route to picking up All-State honors.

His senior season, Jordan asserted himself as arguably the best wide receiver in the state. In 2018, he set single-season program records in receiving yards (1,498) and touchdown receptions (28) while earning unanimous first-team All-State honors.

Jordan’s 65 career receiving touchdowns currently rank second in MSHSAA history behind former Missouri Tiger and NFL pro Dorial Green-Beckham — the second-highest rated high school wide receiver recruit in the modern era.

Jordan went on to have a successful college career at Southwest Baptist University.

“Each time Jordan Kent had the ball in his hands, you truly believed he was going to find the end zone,” said a local reporter who covered Kent all four years of high school. “Throughout my near 20 years being involved with Missouri high school football, I’ve personally never watched a more electrifying receiver who was truly the difference between a win or a loss.”

Jackson's Jordan Kent during the 2019 All-Missourian Football photo shoot.

Jackson’s Jordan Kent during the 2019 All-Missourian Football photo shoot.Southeast Missourian file

Jamarion Smith (RB, Portageville)

Few high school running backs in the area have been able to match the pedigree of the 5-foot-11, 200-pound workhorse out of Portageville.

Smith jumped onto the scene as a junior, shattering the program’s single-season rushing record with 2,392 yards to go along with 33 touchdowns and Class 1 All-State honors. He shredded Scott City in the Class 1 District 1 semifinal, tallying 515 rushing yards (4th in MSHSAA single-game history) to help lead the Bulldogs to a dramatic 38-35 victory.

Smith was even more impressive as a senior, running for 2,463 yards and 47 touchdowns before being named the 2023 Semoball Offensive Player of the Year and the Carr Trophy recipient. He is currently a redshirt freshman at SEMO.

Portageville's Jamarion Smith runs during a 43-0 win at New Madrid County Central on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023.

Portageville’s Jamarion Smith runs during a 43-0 win at New Madrid County Central on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023.Dennis Marshall ~ Standard-Democrat

Zai’Aire Thomas (RB, Cape Central)

Speed, speed, speed.

Standing at 5-foot-5, 165 pounds, Zai’Aire “Zip” Thomas made up for his size with his cat-like quickness and electrifying ability.

As a senior, Thomas rushed for 1,267 yards and 20 touchdowns to complement his eye-popping numbers as a receiving threat. He and current senior Keyshawn Boyd formed one of the top running back duos in the state and led the Tigers to back-to-back state final fours in 2022 and 2023.

Thomas ended his standout career as a Class 5 first-team all-state selection, the 2024 SEMO Conference Player of the Year, the Carr Trophy winner, and the 2025 Semoball Award Football Offensive Player of the Year.

He is set to play football at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville this fall.

“His speed … you can’t coach that,” said Young. “That’s one thing you can’t coach in football — speed. You see that at the highest level when they look for the fastest guys, and Zip is one of those guys. He’s short, but overall, he makes up for it with his speed. He’s also more about the team. One thing I said about Zip is I’ve always seen him hanging out with his teammates, and that’s what you really don’t see out of most of the superstar guys.”

Cape Central senior Zai’Aire Thomas celebrates following a touchdown reception against Jackson on Friday, Oct. 4.

Cape Central senior Zai’Aire Thomas celebrates following a touchdown reception against Jackson on Friday, Oct. 4.Kaiden Karper ~ kkarper@semoball.com

Cael Welker (QB, Jackson)

Welker earned the starting job at Jackson as a sophomore in 2018 and never looked back. The Indian quickly emerged as one of the top signal callers in the state of Missouri, earning All-State honors as a sophomore and junior.

That’s before he saved his best season for last.

As a senior in 2020, Welker led Jackson to a state championship and was named the Class 5 Offensive Player of the Year. That year, the star-studded triggerman was the engineer of an offense that averaged a whopping 55.6 points per game and never scored less than 42 points. Welker accounted for 53 total touchdowns (38 passing), 3,060 total yards (12.9 yards per play), completed 72.2% of his passes, and, remarkably, did not throw a single interception before picking up first-team All-State honors one last time.

“If it wasn’t for Cael Welker, Jackson doesn’t win a state championship in 2020,” said a local reporter who has covered Jackson football for over a decade. “While the roster was stacked with several future college football players on it, Welker shined above everyone with his ability to execute every play or make something out of nothing. To put it simply, he embarrassed teams with his knowledge of the game and finished his career as the best high school quarterback I’ve ever seen in Missouri.”

Jackson quarterback Cael Welker throws a pass against Platte County in the Class 5 state championship game on Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020, at Jefferson City.

Jackson quarterback Cael Welker throws a pass against Platte County in the Class 5 state championship game on Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020, at Jefferson City.Southeast Missourian file

Ivory Winters (RB/DE, Hayti)

If you want a running back who could do it all, well, Winters is your guy. The former Hayti star and Division I-FBS recruit possessed a monstrous frame for a halfback at 6-feet, 200 pounds and was near impossible to tackle one-on-one.

The Class 1 Offensive Player of the Year and Carr Trophy winner, Winters led Hayti to its first-ever state championship in 2018 to cap a perfect 15-0 season. That year, the senior ran for 2,786 yards and an absurd 59 touchdowns while averaging 14.0 yards per carry. What’s scarier is that Winters was equally as dominant on the defensive side, being named a two-time All-State selection at defensive end in 2017 and 2018.

A freak athlete, Winters was also a two-time All-District 1 power forward in basketball and won a state championship in the 4×100-meter relay in track and field. He was rated the No. 15 prospect in Missouri by ESPN and spent his freshman season at Big Ten Conference member Indiana University before transferring to SEMO in 2019.

Hayti's Ivory Winters sheds the tackle attempt of Westran's Kolby Dale in a Class 1 semifinal game on Saturday, Nov. 24, 2018, in Hayti.

Hayti’s Ivory Winters sheds the tackle attempt of Westran’s Kolby Dale in a Class 1 semifinal game on Saturday, Nov. 24, 2018, in Hayti.Standard Democrat file

Honorable mentions: Cooper Callis (QB, Jackson), Jadis Jones (ATH, New Madrid), Nick Thompson (LB, Malden), Tony Terry (DE, Jackson), Mark Panagos (QB, Scott City), Ashton Flinn (OL, Jackson), Logan Hite (LB/RB, Poplar Bluff), Justus Faulkner (RB/LB, Sikeston), Kway’Chon Chisom (ATH, Cape Central), Jeremy Tucker (DL/TE, Charleston)

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High School Sports

High Energy Highlights First Week of Fall Camp for Vandal Volleyball

Story Links MOSCOW, Idaho – As the calendar turned over into August, Idaho Volleyball officially reported for the start of fall camp.  Just three weeks of practice, lifts, and a scrimmage separate the Vandals between report date and the season opener at the Vandal Volleyball Invitational in Memorial Gym. Heading into her second year leading […]

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High Energy Highlights First Week of Fall Camp for Vandal Volleyball

MOSCOW, Idaho – As the calendar turned over into August, Idaho Volleyball officially reported for the start of fall camp. 

Just three weeks of practice, lifts, and a scrimmage separate the Vandals between report date and the season opener at the Vandal Volleyball Invitational in Memorial Gym. Heading into her second year leading the program, head coach Romana Redondo Kriskova put together a recruiting class featuring talent from many levels of college volleyball, on top of some highly touted incoming freshmen.

A critical aspect of the roster is the five experienced returners in Madu Fontes, Chiara Gennari, Natalia Wielgus, Zuzanna Whitman, and Ada Isik. Each of these earned valuable time on the court last season and provide familiarity with the regime and culture building within the program. 

Koen Makaula (Nevada), Cayton White (Gardner-Webb), Kailee Wakatake (UC San Diego), Kyriah Trefren (Academy of Art) Sara Hiebert (Molloy), and Sarah Sullivan (Butler CC) make up the transfer class for the Vandals, each having logged time on the court at their previous institutions and provide a lot of options for the coaching staff. 

Last but certainly not least, Chloe Sanders, Aleina Manaois, Gabi Smith, Csenge Krakoczki and Kiana Greer highlight the incoming freshman class from all corners. From as close to Moscow as Washington and Montana to as far as Hungary, students around the world are buying in to what is brewing at Idaho. 

With a week and change of practices under their built, Redondo Kriskova is enthused by what she has seen from her group. The practices are spirited and the work is being put in, as the Vandals are chomping at the bit to get to the season.

“Fall camp is going great,” said the head coach. “Even though we have eleven newcomers, the gym is loud and nobody could tell that these players have known each other only a couple weeks. I’m very pleased with the energy, coachability, and work ethic that these players have and bring in every day. Can’t wait for the season to start and see what this team can accomplish.”

The full Vandal Volleyball schedule has been released, with the annual intrasquad Black and Gold Scrimmage taking place on Aug. 23, followed by a free kids clinic open to K-4th grade to follow. Fans who wish to register their children for the clinic must return a signed waiver form to assistant coach Ben Kasun at bkasun@uidaho.edu. Waiver forms are available for download HERE. 

FOLLOW THE VANDALS
To stay up to date with Vandal Volleyball, follow the team on Instagram (VandalVolleyball), X(IdahoVolleyball) and visit govandals.com 

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High School Sports

High School Football Game of the Week 2025

Every Friday night, the lights shine bright on local gridiron glory! Please tune in to WGBR 98.3 FM | 1150 AM and join Barry Stallings and Harlon Neal for our WGBR High School Football Game of the Week presented by the Pittman Agner Law Firm, where hometown pride meets hard-hitting action. Whether you’re cheering from […]

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High School Football Game of the Week 2025

High School Football Hero 2025 - 728x368

Every Friday night, the lights shine bright on local gridiron glory! Please tune in to WGBR 98.3 FM | 1150 AM and join Barry Stallings and Harlon Neal for our WGBR High School Football Game of the Week presented by the Pittman Agner Law Firm, where hometown pride meets hard-hitting action.

Whether you’re cheering from the stands or listening from home, we bring you live play-by-play coverage, expert commentary, and sideline stories that capture the heart of high school sports.

Why Listen?

  • Real-time coverage of the biggest matchups across Wayne County and surrounding areas
  • Insightful analysis from seasoned broadcasters
  • Interviews with coaches and players
  • Weekly highlights and standout performances

On Friday nights, the area’s home for High School Football is WGBR 98.3 FM | 1150 AM and streaming live on GoldsboroDailyNews.comwhere local sports live!

Join us as we celebrate the passion, talent, and community spirit that make high school football unforgettable.

This year’s sponsors include:

Pittman Agner Law Firm logo

Pittman Agner Law

Presenting Sponsor

BROADCAST SCHEDULE


August 22

Goldsboro at Eastern Wayne

August 29

C.B. Aycock at Eastern Wayne

September 5

North Johnston at Rosewood

September 12

C.B. Aycock at Goldsboro

September 19

Goldsboro at Rosewood

September 26

Wilson Hunt at Southern Wayne

October 3

Wallace Rose Hill at Goldsboro

October 10

Rocky Mount at C.B. Aycock

October 17

Princeton at Goldsboro

October 24

Goldsboro at Spring Creek

October 31

Rosewood at Princeton


Games begin at 7 PM with Pre-game at 6:45 PM. Schedule, dates, and times are subject to change.
Games to air on WGBR – 98.3 FM & 1150 AM and streamed live on GoldsboroDailyNews.com

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