Friday's Report: Mercer 🏀/⛳, ACE; Hawks, Braves, UGA, Falcons; Masters/Henley, OJ Simpson, college hoops, NBA, NBA, tennis, golf, soccer, WWE
📰S📰C📰O📰R📰E📰B📰O📰A📰R📰D📰
High Schools
⚾ ⚾ ⚾Baseball⚾ ⚾ ⚾
ACE 10, Marion County 0
Tattnall 12, Stratford 2
⚽ ⚽ ⚽Soccer ⚽ ⚽ ⚽
Girls
FPD 5, Stratford 2
Houston County 1, ACE 0
St. Anne-Pacelli 9, Westfield 0
Boys
Cook 2, Dodge County 0
Dublin 2, Hawkinsville 1
Houston County 4, ACE 0
Stratford 4, FPD 0
Colleges
Links may include game story as well as box
⚾ ⚾ ⚾Baseball ⚾ ⚾ ⚾
Pro
⚾ ⚾ ⚾MLB ⚾ ⚾ ⚾
📰C📰O📰V📰E📰R📰A📰G📰E📰
Signings
ACE’s Jack Corrigan signed Thursday morning to play baseball at Truett-McConnell.
Honor Roll
SoCon men’s golf: Mercer’s Jonsson
SoCon women’s golf: Mercer’s Dubnik
Around/About Central Georgia
New Mercer coaches face portal departures
For pretty much all college coaches, roster management has become a full-time job.
Moreso for coaches in new jobs, like for Michelle Clark-Head and Ryan Ridder at Mercer, each hired last month.
The school is holding its public introduction of Ridder on Friday at 5 p.m. at Hawkins Arena, nearly a month after his hiring.
Figuring out who’s gone, who might go, and who’s probably staying has been a large part of their early concerns, as well as hiring a staff.
VerbalCommits.com lists seven Bears in the portal: Anthony Benard, Robby Carmody, Jake Davis, Alex Holt, Jah Quinones, David Thomas, and Michael Zanoni.
Davis is going to Illinois and Thomas to DePaul. Zanoni, who played in four games last year, is headed to Penn.
On the women’s side, TheNexthoops.com lists six Bears in the portal: Maria Serracanta, Ciante Downs, Enjulina Gonzalez, Briana Peguero, Stacie Jones (Veterans), and Summah Evans.
Evans and Jones are listed as seniors, Peguero nad Downs a junior, with Gonzalez and Serracanta sophomores.
Evans and Jones both were announced on Senior Day, although both were eligible to return, along with graduate students Mackenzie Johnson and Deja Williams.
Evans won’t have to move far, having landed at Clemson, as the first signee for new head coach Shawn Poppie, who was at Chattanooga. Ditto for Peguero, headed to Troy.
Jones, a Veterans grad, transferred from Kennesaw State for her senior season.
The roster lists 10 players eligible to return.
Mercer’s Ridder adds first 3 assistants, 2 with state experience
Clark-Heard makes first hire at Mercer
Around/About Georgia/Southeast
Hawks’ Johnson and Oknogwu to miss play-in tournament with injuries
Stewart hits 2-run HR to highlight big day for Mets bats in rout of Braves
Beck, Georgia ready for helmet communication
Nearly 60 to attend Falcons’ local pro day
BSB-Another two-homer game for UGA’s Condon
Masters
DeChambeau, matured in both game and attitude, opens with 65 to lead the Masters
US Open champ Clark takes a shot at LIV Golf
DeChambeau remains a massively talented walking contradiction
Grand Slam quest: Rory McIlroy staying positive, in contention at Masters after first-round 71
Scheffler under prepared for parenthood but in contention for second green jacket
Column: Masters champ Rahm should pair red face with green jacket
Woods off to rousing start in pursuit of more Masters history, maybe another green jacket
Celebrities from Jelly Roll to Harry Styles to Peyton Manning
Football
Simpson, fallen football hero acquitted of murder in ‘trial of the century,’ dies at 76
Reaction to the death of O.J. Simpson
Before murder charges tarnished his legacy, O.J. Simpson was one of the NFL’s greatest running backs
Legendary athlete, actor and millionaire: Simpson’s murder trial lost him the American dream
A unique American moment. 3 decades on, we’re still wondering what it means
10 things to remember about O.J. Simpson
NBA/WNBA/Basketball
‘Pravi MVP': In any language, Mavs think Doncic is the NBA’s best player
Former NBA player Robinson: 'I know that I don't have long if I can't get a kidney'
Pistons suffer franchise-record 67th loss
MLB/Baseball
Ohtani’s ex-interpreter charged with stealing $16M from baseball star in sports betting case
Holliday’s debut in No. 7 brings Cal Ripken Sr.'s contributions to Baltimore back to the forefront
College Basketball, Women
Clark, not unbeaten South Carolina, will be lasting memory of season
Staley spoke about her faith, nothing new for the South Carolina coach
A season to build on for women's sports
Taurasi on Clark, other college superstars' move to WNBA: 'Reality is coming'
Column-ESPN gave women's tournament big showcase it deserved. And got rewarded with big ratings
College Basketball/Coaching
Drew turns down UK interest, stays Baylor coach
Kentucky reportedly targeting BYU coach Mark Pope to replace John Calipari
Calipari will have lower annual salary at Arkansas than coach made at UK
College Basketball
Staley & Hurley have mastered the art of winning
Burns, women’s stars lead March Madness social growth
High School Sports
Alabama association now looking for new boss
NFL Football
New Titans coach Callahan goes back to basics to start offseason program
Former LB Suggs faces charges from Starbucks drive-thru incident
Caleb Williams among 13 confirmed prospects for opening night of the NFL draft
Help in the trenches, and a renewed Watson, could unlock potential of Browns
Tennis
Djokovic takes revenge over Musetti at Monte Carlo Masters. Medvedev loses to Khachanov
Golf
Column: Garcia blames the rift between the LIV and PGA Tours on media coverage
Soccer
Monterrey beats Messi and Inter Miami to advance to the CONCACAF semifinals
Premier League to use semi-automated offside technology from next season
Inter Miami fined by CONCACAF for lack of stadium security
New York officials approve $780M soccer stadium for NYCFC to be built next to Mets’ home
Olympic sports
Script snub: Wrestler rejects $300K bribe for loss
Boxing UFC/WWE/MMA
Light heavyweight title bout between Pereira and Hill highlight strong card for UFC 300
Scoreboard