NEW YORK (AP) — Serena and Venus Williams are taking a swing at podcasting.

The two sisters and tennis stars — Serena finished her career at the 2022 U.S. Open; Venus just competed at that tournament in singles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles — will launch their podcast on X with a debut episode Wednesday.

The podcast is called “Stockton Street,” named for where their home was in Compton, California. It is set to air every other week on Wednesdays and will be distributed on the social media site formerly known as Twitter.

The first episode was filmed at Arthur Ashe Stadium, the main arena for the U.S. Open, where Serena won six of her 23 Grand Slam singles titles, and Venus collected two of her seven.

The 45-year-old Venus just became the oldest singles entrant at the U.S. Open since 1981. She returned to the tennis tour in July after a 16-month absence.

More AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

UTICA — Orchard Lake St. Mary’s proved Friday night at Jimmy John’s Field that it is one of the most dominant teams in the state, earning a 49-10 Catholic League Central Division win over Warren De La Salle.

St. Mary’s — 3-0 and ranked No. 3 in The News Super 25 poll — showed it is primed to defend its Division 2 state championship, ending a five-game losing streak in the series with No. 9 De La Salle (1-2).

De La Salle sophomore quarterback Grayson Thurston looked impressive on the first drive, hitting on 5 of 7 passes for 56 yards to set up a 37-yard field goal that missed the mark.

St. Mary’s then tightened its defense to give Jabin Gonzales short fields to work with and he did the rest, leading to a 28-point second quarter and a 28-3 halftime lead.

First, Gonzales scored on a 3-yard run to cap off a 57-yard, eight-play drive which included one play where St. Mary’s offensive line helped push Jamari Givhan for a 15-yard gain.

St. Mary’s opened up a 14-3 lead when it blocked a punt and Reece Hurst scooped the ball up at the 5-yard line and ran into the end zone less than two minutes later.

St. Mary’s showed its explosive big-play offense on the next two drives, both led by Gonzales.

Gonzales showed his arm strength on St. Mary’s next drive that started at its own 25, going up top on the first play and finding Daniel Taylor for a 75-yard touchdown and a 21-3 cushion.

“D.J. can do it all. I honestly looked to the wrong side so I kind of threw it late, but D.J. ran a great route and I threw it, kind of took a hit, and he grabbed it. Big play,” Gonzales said of his long TD pass to Taylor.

St. Mary’s defense again stepped up, forcing a Thurston fumble that Gage Nessen recovered at the St. Mary’s 35-yard line. On the ensuing play, Gonzales broke loose for a 65-yard touchdown run to make it 28-3 with 35 seconds remaining in the half.

“My O-line opened up the hole great for me, I ran through and made a couple of guys miss, ran somebody over and took it to the crib,” Gonzales said.

De La Salle advanced into St. Mary’s territory during the final minute, but defensive end Ryan Harrington stopped the drive with his third sack of the half.

“We were unstoppable,” Harrington said. “They couldn’t run the ball on us and when they were trying to pass, we were getting back all the time. We practiced hard all week and it paid off.”

And, on his sacks?

“I was just thinking, get off the ball and get to the QB. We hadn’t beaten these guys in five or six years and I’m sick of having that feeling of not beating them, so I’m happy to beat them 49-10, which is crazy,” Harrington said.

Thurston was 12-for-15 passing for 131 yards in the first half, but he was also sacked five times, leading to just 18 yards on the ground on 16 carries for De La Salle.

St. Mary’s received the ball to start the second half and continued its dominance, marching more than 90 yards for another score. Gonzales hit Brandon Adams for 35 yards to set up a 45-yard TD pass to Lorenzo Barber on the following play for a 35-3 lead with 10:48 left in the third quarter.

So, just how impressive was St. Mary’s?

Givhan ran for 36 yards to set up Gonzales’ touchdown toss to four-star junior receiver Chad Willis, but the score was wiped out due to a penalty. Givhan took the handoff on the next play and scored on a 33-yard run for a 42-3 lead with 8:22 left, putting the running clock into play against a De La Salle team that won Division 2 state titles in 2021 and 2022 and lost in the state championship game in 2023.

De La Salle moved the ball inside St. Mary’s 40-yard line, but a fumble on the handoff exchange ended the drive as Treighjan Gibson recovered it.

St. Mary’s quickly took advantage of the turnover when Givhan broke loose for a 32-yard run to De La Salle’s 31, setting up Gonzales’ TD pass to Angelo Chapman on the next play for a 49-3 advantage.

Gonzales was 5 of 6 passing for 196 yards and three TDs and ran for two scores through three quarters.

De La Salle didn’t get into the end zone until Damion King’s 3-yard TD reception with 7:45 remaining.

EAST LANSING — Mark Dantonio may have retired from head coaching five years ago, but he didn’t retire from football. In reality, he’s around it as much as he ever was.

The Michigan State Athletics Hall of Fame inducted Dantonio Friday as part of its six-member 2025 class. It enshrined his program-record 114 wins, 12 bowl games, three Big Ten championships and one College Football Playoff appearance over the course of his 13-year career as the Spartans’ coach.

Dantonio’s coaching career may be over, but nowadays he’s watching more football than he even did as a coach as a member of the CFP Selection Committee.

“I really have,” Dantonio said. “I’ve watched more coaching film, and I watched a lot of TV games to sort of get the start of the season, who’s who and things of that nature. … I’ve always watched a lot of football, but probably pushing it a little bit more now.”

That’s his idea of retirement. Of taking it easy. On top of all that work, Friday’s induction marked the third hall of fame the 69-year-old Dantonio has entered in the past year, joining the College Football Hall of Fame (for which he also entered the Spartan Stadium Ring of Honor) and the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 2024.

The football itch has never been scratched for Dantonio, who started out as an All-Ohio safety at Zanesville High School in the 1970s. He played for South Carolina from 1976-78 before embarking on a 40-year coaching career across nine different schools, including the head coach at Cincinnati from 2004-06 and Michigan State from 2007-19. Dantonio earned Big Ten Coach of the Year twice in that span (2010 and 2013).

To Dantonio, his selection to Michigan State’s hall of fame is an honor beyond himself.

“I got started because I wanted to be around young people and watch young people develop,” Dantonio said, “and I love the X’s and O’s of it, and all the things that go along with it. But it really was about the players, and what can you accomplish with young people.”

How much could Dantonio accomplish? A lot. He brought Michigan State back as a powerhouse of the Big Ten in the 2010s, routinely in bowls and routinely winning against rivals — his 8-5 record against Michigan is the highest win percentage of any coach in program history. With Dantonio coaching football and Tom Izzo coaching men’s basketball, Michigan State established itself as a premier athletic department.

These days Dantonio’s program is the standard by which his Michigan State successors are judged — easy enough when he’s the winningest to ever do it. But in many respects, Michigan State’s program has never quite recovered since Dantonio’s retirement. It was a decision that caught many inside and outside the university by surprise when he announced it in February 2020, right before national signing day. Five seasons since his departure have yielded one winner: Mel Tucker’s 11-2 campaign in 2021 powered by Kenneth Walker III.

Piece by piece, it appears current coach Jonathan Smith (hired in November 2023, after Tucker’s scandal-clad dismissal brought Dantonio back to the sideline one more time as an associate head coach) has gotten the closest to filling that hole. Smith has given Dantonio his props over the course of two years in East Lansing, and Dantonio said he feels Smith has the program “on the right course.”

Dantonio himself didn’t build his own program in a vacuum, taking plenty of inspiration from two other Michigan State hall of fame members: George Perles and Duffy Daugherty.

“I think everybody has their own program, but you always look back in the past and try and, I think, replicate what was good,” Dantonio said. “You know, that’s what I tried to do. I reached back to Coach Perles’ teams, and then also to Duffy’s teams and things like that. And, you know, Michigan State’s got great tradition here. So once you’ve done it once, there’s always the possibility of doing it again.”

College football is a markedly different landscape since Dantonio retired. The transfer portal and name, image and likeness (NIL) legislation changed the fabric of the sport so much that teams can now share revenue directly with athletes. The money side of the sport is more transparent than ever, and with that comes roster churn. That side of the sport is antithetical to Dantonio’s program, known for players sticking with him and his staff.

Dantonio still misses some joys of coaching, even if he’s still ingrained in the sport.

“I don’t miss the butterflies,” he said. “You know, that apprehension a little bit. But I miss the competitiveness of it and the thrill of winning.”

Maybe that’s why he’s never truly retired.

Funny how life works

From 1986-90, Dantonio served as the defensive coordinator for Jim Tressel’s Youngstown State program, helping lay the foundation for what would become a four-time NCAA Division I-AA national champion in the 1990s.

Saturday, that same Youngstown State program comes to East Lansing to play the Spartans (2-0).

“Going full circle a little bit,” Dantonio said. “I think I was 29 years old when I took the job at Youngstown. I was there for five years, and then (Tressel) stayed, I think, another 13 and won some national championships. (My) last year, ‘90, we were undefeated, but lost in the playoffs. But Youngstown had a great program, and still to this day, I think they’re very highly regarded.”

Current Youngstown State head coach Doug Phillips became a grad assistant with Tressel’s team the year after Dantonio left.

Youngstown State has played Michigan State three times in history, with the Spartans winning in 2011, 2013 and 2021, the first two under Dantonio.

DETROIT ― The United Football League’s future in Detroit could be tied to a soccer team.

Detroit City Football Club officials have had informal talks with the UFL about the possibility of sharing its new stadium with the pro spring football league, officials with both entities have confirmed to The News.

There has been rampant speculation about the Michigan Panthers relocating to another market as early as 2026, amid obstacles ― namely, the exorbitant game-day cost ― to continue playing at Ford Field, home of the NFL’s Lions. That’s where the Panthers have played the last three years, one in the United States Football League and the last two in the UFL, which merged the USFL and the XFL.

Detroit City FC is building a new 15,000-seat stadium, AlumniFi Field, set to open in southwest Detroit in 2027. The stadium is being privately financed, and will cost at least $150 million, as DCFC prepares to move from Keyworth Stadium in Hamtramck.

“We have had informal talks with them,” said Alex Wright, co-owner of DCFC, speaking of the UFL. “We are focused on creating a premier soccer-focused venue, but we have interest in activating the space beyond DCFC matches.”

DCFC, which plays in the USL Championship, hosts less than 30 matches a year, between its men’s and women’s teams, from March through October.

The UFL has eight teams, but hasn’t yet announced which markets it will play in for the 2026 season. There is expected to be some changes from 2025, and Michigan has been reported to be on the chopping block, despite seeing the largest increase in attendance from 2024 to 2025.

The Birmingham Stallions of Alabama also were said to be in danger of being relocated, but new co-owner Mike Repole announced in August that they were safe.

Repole has said on social media that he sees value in the Panthers remaining in Michigan, too, and said he was keeping tabs on the developments with AlumniFi Field, for which DCFC is seeking no public funding for construction, but is seeking tax breaks from the city of Detroit.

This week, Repole said he plans to announce the eight franchises for 2026 no later than Oct. 8.

“Identifying the right markets, with a passionate fan base and with the right venue, is an incredibly important part of our future success,” Repole said on X earlier this week. “We have been doing a really deep dive and responsible due diligence to set this league up for ultimate success, not just for 2026, but for decades to come.”

Panthers head coach Mike Nolan, who led the team to the championship game earlier this year, and GM Steve Kazor have said repeatedly that they have not heard anything definitive about the Detroit franchise. The Panthers laid off most of its front-office and sales staff after the end of the 2025 season in June.

The UFL has committed to adding a franchise in Columbus, Ohio, and Repole said on social media that he’s also exploring expanding the league from eight teams to 10 for the 2028 season. It’s unclear if plans could include a relocation of Michigan until 2028, at which point AlumniFi Field will be built.

Repole, 56, recently joined the UFL ownership group that also includes Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Fox, RedBird Capital Partners and Dany Garcia. Repole brings a marketing and branding background to a league that has had major problems attracting eyeballs, with attendance and television ratings down substantially in 2025. TV ratings declined 20% in 2025 from 2024, despite games airing on ESPN and Fox platforms.

ALLEN PARK — A few short weeks ago, it was easy to believe that Ben Johnson’s return to Ford Field would be a high-intensity slugfest between teams looking to establish dominance as the division’s top dog.

Instead, both teams are simply hoping to avoid starting 0-2 on the season and in the NFC North. The Lions lost at Green Bay, 27-13, on Sunday, and the Bears blew a second-half lead to fall, 27-24, to the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night.

That certainly does not lessen the stakes in a matchup between the apprentice, Johnson, and his coaching master, Dan Campbell. If anything, it might amplify them.

“We’re going in, getting ready to play Chicago, we’re going to win this game, we have to,” Campbell said earlier this week. “We’ve got to find a way to clean things up and do what we’ve got to do and they’re going to try to do the same thing. It’s like every week.”

After three successful seasons guiding the Lions’ offense, Johnson took the next step in his career by becoming the coach of the Bears in January. From 2022-24, the Lions were first in points scored and net yards.

There doesn’t appear to be any bad blood about Johnson choosing to further his career in the same division as Detroit. But Lions general manager Brad Holmes did say on an episode of the Green Light Podcast that he wondered, “Why Chicago?” when Johnson initially departed.

Earlier this week, Campbell called Johnson “my friend” and said, “Nothing about that’s going to change.” The two go back even further than their time spent in Detroit (2021-24). Campbell and Johnson overlapped for four seasons (2012-15) in Miami, where Campbell was primarily the tight ends coach and Johnson was an assistant quarterbacks coach. When Campbell became Miami’s interim head coach in 2015, Johnson assumed his duties as the tight end coach.

“We texted back and forth a few weeks ago. We have been in touch. That friendship is always going to be there. I view him like family, and I think he would tell you the same thing. That’ll never change,” Johnson said this week. “We have fond memories of back when I was just a young snot-nosed computer punk, as he likes to call it, in Miami. I feel like we have both grown up in this profession of coaching.”

But while there might not be any bad blood between the two staffs, Johnson’s decision to continue his career in a place where he’d play the Lions twice a year — and stand directly in the way of the Lions achieving their goals — has left a bad taste in the mouth of some fans.

Johnson classified his choice to go to Chicago as “a tough decision.”

“Everything, last year, ran through my head. That was one of the unfortunate parts of making that decision, you were saying goodbye to a lot of friends and a great place. My family, myself, we have a lot of strong relationships there in that community,” Johnson said this week.

“Hopefully, that continues to stay that way, as well. But, we felt like this was the best opportunity for myself and my family, and we were really excited about coming to Chicago. At times, you have to make tough decisions, and that’s really how that one went down.”

From an on-the-field standpoint, Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard said it’ll be just like training camp. Sheppard was the team’s linebackers coach when Johnson was engaging in those intense, daily battles against former defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, but he knows Johnson well all the same.

Asked what Johnson’s strengths are, Sheppard said, “Everything. Next question.”

“Listen, we all understand and respect Ben Johnson as a person, more importantly, but also as a play caller,” Sheppard said. “It’s why he got afforded the opportunity he’s in and we all understand this.”

Johnson was (and still is) a highly calculated man who pay the utmost attention to the details. Lions linebacker Jack Campbell provided proof of this.

He told reporters on Friday that he’d been asking guys on the offensive side of the ball about Johnson’s offense and what some potential points of emphasis would be.

Asked to elaborate, Campbell said, “I don’t know. I know Ben’s gonna read this, or some Chicago Bears person is gonna read this,” before moving on to the next question.

On the offensive side of the ball, several players spoke about what Johnson did for their careers.

“I love Ben. I’ll never really have anything bad to say about him because of what he did for me as a player, what he did for this team,” receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown said. “I remember, when I first got here as a rookie, he was a tight ends coach. They promoted him, to I think pass game coordinator, my rookie year.

“I feel like ever since he stepped in that role, I got more catches, more opportunities. He believed in me. He trusted me. And just seeing the work ethic that he had, I respect him as a coach, as a man. I love Ben, but there’s two games out of the year where I want him to fail.”

Lions receiver Jameson Williams, who was with Johnson for the first three years of his career, called Johnson “a great guy.”

“He taught me a lot, how to approach the game, how to learn the game, we talked a lot. I talked to him a couple times this offseason, just checking up on my little guy over there, (Bears rookie receiver) Luther Burden III, my little brother. They got (former Lions receiver Maurice Alexander) over there, so I was just calling him and I end up talking to Ben somehow,” Williams said, laughing.

“But I appreciate everything he’s done for me. He’s helped me a lot.”

Ultimately, an intimate knowledge of each other’s tendencies is not likely to enhance either side’s chances of winning the game, Dan Campbell said. He’s not getting caught up in worrying about Johnson’s trick plays, or what he might do to throw the Lions off their game. Both coaches reiterated in some form, “This game is about us.”

“I think we’re on equal playing ground really. I think it’s the same thing. He knows what we’re about, we know what he’s about and because of that you’re going to play that game a little bit,” Campbell said. “But the game doesn’t matter if you don’t master the basics inside the game, and so that’s what we have to get back to.”

That might be true, but the familiarity will certainly make the contest a lot more enjoyable to watch.

OXFORD – The Birmingham Seaholm Maples dominated the Oxford Wildcats 9-1 in Oakland Activities Association Red Division action Thursday night.

It’s the most goals the Maples have scored in a match as far back as MHSAA’s online records go, which is at least a dozen complete seasons.

The Maples started hot and never looked back. Seaholm opened the scoring just under five minutes into the game when Leo Ballini Piedrahita’s corner kick found Maxwell Collins in front, and Collins powered a header home to make it 1-0. Seaholm doubled its lead on a penalty kick goal from Patrick McCarthy with 29:46 to play in the first half then added another goal when McCarthy crossed a ball that Rowan Hanoosh one-timed home. That gave the Maples a 3-0 lead at halftime.

The Maples had been in a similar position on Tuesday when they faced Berkley, only to give up the lead and lose 5-4. This game was different. Seaholm stayed focused, kept the pressure on, and kept pouring in goals. Any thought of an Oxford comeback fizzled out when Bryan Pohl tapped in a loose ball less than two minutes after halftime to extend Seaholm’s lead even further.

Oxford had flashes of offense, including hitting the inside of the post early in the second half. But outside of a late penalty kick goal from Ryan Clark, the Wildcats’ offense did not find the net as they struggled to consistently threaten the Maple goal.

Seaholm, meanwhile, was getting goals from everyone. McCarthy and Collins each added second-half goals to their first-half tallies, and Marco Rodrigues, Carson Wilner, and T. J. Kotila also scored in the second half.

“I didn’t expect that, obviously. I don’t think anybody did. We just needed a reaction because, to be quite honest, they are no worse than Berkley,” Seaholm head coach Greg Perkins said. “We talked the other day just about how anything can happen. You’re up 3-0 and end up losing 5-4, so there is never a time you can rest. It couldn’t be any better.”

With the win, Seaholm stays on the heels of division leading Troy Athens. The Maples (8-2-2 overall, 2-1-1 OAA Red) host second place Clarkston in another key league game on Tuesday.

Photo gallery of Birmingham Seaholm vs. Oxford in OAA Red boys soccer action

“We’ll go in and try to do what we can. It’s going to be a very different kind of team to play against, and we know a bit about them,” Perkins said. “We’ll be ready, and we’ve got a few days to prepare, so we’re looking forward to it.”

Oxford (5-6-1 overall, 2-2 OAA Red) will now attempt to regroup after dropping two straight league games. The Wildcats host Grand Blanc on Monday and then face Berkley on Tuesday in their next league game.

“Everything they (Seaholm) touched turned to goals. They’re a great team,” Wildcats head coach Adam Bican said. “We won’t have any problem with motivation. We’ll be alright. We’re just a brand new team figuring stuff out,” he added.

Birmingham Seaholm defeated Oxford 9-1 in the OAA Red matchup played on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025 at Oxford.

WARREN – Sometimes soccer can boil down to finishing and not finishing scoring opportunities.

It’s that simple.

Novi Detroit Catholic Central only had eight shots on frame Thursday, but scored on four of them and ended up earning a 4-1 victory over host Warren De La Salle in Catholic High School League Central Division play.

The Shamrocks (7-2-2, 6-0-0), listed as honorable mention in the Division 1 polls, led 2-1 at the half before tacking on a pair of insurance tallies in the second half.

“We started off a little bit slow. But once we scored we were alright. We took advantage of a little bit of misfortune on them (with the two rebound goals). Their goalkeeper made the initial save but we followed (the shots) up and were able to score on them” noted Catholic Central coach Gene Pulice. “Thaier still has them doing a good job. And yes we did finish our opportunities tonight. I think it’s one of those things that if you can take the wind out of their sails a little. Bit. The first team to score helps you achieve that. They cut it down to 2-1 but we pulled it back a little bit in the second half with two more goals and started to get things done. “

More importantly, CC now had a two-game lead on Detroit U-D Jesuit and a three-game lead on De La Salle in the seven-school Central Division and are now comfortably in the driver’s seat in terms of winning the division and grabbing the No. 1 seed for the CHSL Bishop Tournament in October.

“We’re doing pretty good so far, and in the Catholic League they always pitch that we are one of the best leagues in the state out there. It’s a tough league and it’s a battle every game,” said Pulice. “Sometimes it’s better lucky than good. You have to respect all the teams in this league.”

Catholic Central scored the first two goals off of rebound opportunities. The first came with 24:12 still left in the first half when Luke Perry was near the doorstep to knock it home after Zachary Zahr’s first shot was knocked away by De La Salle backup goalkeeper Giovanni Vitale.

The Shamrocks scored the next goal in similar fashion when Grant Mooradian’s blast from the top of the box was knocked down by Vitale but this time it was Zahr in the right place at the right time to knock in the rebound with 19:51 remaining in the first half.

Andrew Corder finally got the Pilots untracked when he found some open real estate near the upper left corner of the box and uncorked a banger from 18 yards out with 17:27 left in the first half. It was Corder’s 21st goal of the season just one month into the campaign.

But Catholic Central had four opportunities in the second half and two were converted by Mooradian. The first came with 34:58 remaining in the game when Peters found Mooradian unmarked in the middle of the box and ripped a 14-yard banger into the net.

Mooradian later converted a penalty kick with 28:06 left to cap the scoring and open up a three-goal lead.

Defensively, Catholic Central did a great job on limiting Corder’s chances, allowing him only three shots on goal. Goalkeeper Jake Sievers turned aside a laser shot by Corder midway through the second half and finished with four saves for CC.

Catholic Central held a 12-11 overall shots advantage in the somewhat evenly- game and also had a 8-5 shots on goal advantage in the contest. De La Salle held a 4-2 edge off corners.

De La Salle, ranked third in the state in Division 2, slipped to 10-3-0 overall and 3-3-0 in league play. Although the Pilots are essentially out of the Central Division race and only Detroit U-D Jesuit can possible catch the Shamrocks.

“Hats off to CC. The better team won tonight. They outplayed us and scored on their opportunities,” said Thaier Mukhtar, whose team in the defending Division 2 state champion and reached the state semifinals in 2023. “They should win the (Central) and we can’t catch him. But there is still a lot for us to play for. We have to get better and get ready for the state tournament and try to go as far as we can. The ultimate goal is to win the state championship.

“This wasn’t one of our better games,” added Mukhtar. “We just got outplayed by CC tonight. We’ll bounce back.”

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge hit two home runs to tie Hall of Fame outfielder Joe DiMaggio for fourth place in Yankees history as New York beat the Detroit Tigers 9-3 on Thursday night to avert a three-game sweep.

On the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, President Donald Trump attended the game and watched from a suite on the third base side.

Judge homered off Tyler Holton (5-5) in the first inning and matched DiMaggio by launching his 361st career homer with a 434-foot drive to the back of the Detroit bullpen off Sawyer Gipson-Long in the third.

Judge had his sixth multihomer game this season and pulled even with DiMaggio two nights after passing Hall of Fame catcher Yogi Berra for fifth on the franchise list.

The two-time AL MVP had three hits and ended the night with a major league-best .322 batting average, three points ahead of Athletics rookie shortstop Jacob Wilson.

Giancarlo Stanton followed Judge’s second solo shot with his 449th homer, tying Hall of Famers Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Jeff Bagwell for 41st on the career list.

Including the postseason, it was the 56th time Judge and Stanton homered in the same game and fifth time this season.

Ben Rice hit an RBI double and José Caballero, Austin Slater, Cody Bellinger and Jazz Chisholm Jr. had run-scoring singles as the Yankees moved a half-game ahead of Boston for the top American League wild card heading into a three-game series at Fenway Park this weekend.

New York rookie Cam Schlittler (3-3) bounced back from his worst start and allowed one run on three hits in six innings.

Dillon Dingler homered and hit an RBI single, but the Tigers were unable to complete their first sweep of the Yankees in New York since 2008.

Key moment

After allowing Dingler’s tying single, Schlittler ended a 26-pitch second inning by striking out Parker Meadows and retiring Javier Báez on a groundout.

Key stat

The Yankees are 49-7 when Judge and Stanton homer in the same game.

— By LARRY FLEISHER, Associated Press

EAST LANSING — Usually college football coaches have all the answers. At Michigan State, they’ve got all the questions.

Though the money and attention paid to college sports has professionalized the sport, college football is still, at its root, about player development. The vast majority of players come to campus either eyeing a future in professional football or needing to improve to touch the college field. From the perspective of Michigan State’s coaches, getting players there starts with their own ears.

“We believe that a smarter player is a better player, right?” safeties coach James Adams said Wednesday. “And so part of teaching and coaching and developing these young people is figuring out how they learn.”

Not only how players learn, but what they know in the first place. In order to develop better players, coaches deconstruct the framework of how they think about football, then fill the gaps. Players are different these days. The Spartans (2-0) have made a deliberate effort to recruit the sorts of players who want to learn and grow, who can handle themselves with intention.

“Kids are changing, you know,” offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren said in August. “And it’s not the kids’ fault, it’s not the parents’. It’s just what’s around them. So you try to find those right kids.”

When the right type of kids get on campus, though, they’re all at various levels of football understanding. Before coaches can teach them anything, they must learn where players are at in their understanding of the game.

In the past, there’d be that caricature of an old-school coach who would rip into a player and tell them exactly what they needed to do, and the player’s success depended on how well they applied the lessons. These days, more young players are inquisitive. They want to, or even need to, understand “why” before they act. Their grasp of purpose dictates their chance of success.

Michigan State’s coaches are well equipped to handle those questions of “why.” In fact, they prefer it that way. Purpose is central to the development of players, getting down to the nitty-gritty details to elevate players’ football IQs.

It works like this: Aidan Chiles goes to a film session and watches back his tape. Before a coach lays into his ball placement, or his footwork, or his decision of when to scramble, they first ask what he sees. And through direct communication developed by trust, Chiles shows where he’s at.

“I have to have that with him,” quarterbacks coach Jon Boyer said Tuesday. “And so for me, everything, I try to pose questions rather than giving him the answers so that I know exactly what he’s thinking. We have to have that open line of communication, and that’s the way that we’re building the room together with all the quarterbacks.”

The same goes with defensive players. Adams, for example, will ask his defensive players what they see in the film room or even on the sideline. It’s what makes the difference between Armorion Smith miscommunicating on a touchdown play and making the game-saving pass breakup in double overtime, like he did Saturday.

“My question is always what happened?” Adams said. “If they can tell me what happened, right, we can work through the hows and the adjustments.”

By developing smarter players — especially on defense — Michigan State’s coaches can accelerate growth.

“We give them a clear way to learn and a process to learn,” Adams said. “The game of football hasn’t changed in 100 years, so we’re still teaching Cover 2 and Cover 3 like everybody else. But making sure the guys understand the why of what we’re doing and what we’re calling it, and then situationally how that may change.”

This philosophy has advantages on the financial side, too. The Spartans’ roster may not be laden with blue-chip talent, but head coach Jonathan Smith and his staff squeeze everything out of — and give every opportunity to — their players in order to maximize success. As Michigan State continues building its war chest to compete with the big spenders, Smith’s strategy gets a lot of bang for a smaller buck.

This strategy comes with responsibility for players, too. They have to be honest, first and foremost, about what they see on the field. Players almost have to be coaches themselves, something that favors older players who’ve played a lot of football. It’s a slow process, but the results can be strong, as Smith’s latter years at Oregon State showed.

“We’ve got a veteran group that they do a great job of coaching themselves and correcting themselves,” Adams said of this year’s team.

After one more tuneup against Youngstown State on Saturday (3:30 p.m./BTN), Michigan State will enter Big Ten play, where the margin for error shortens and there’s less time for learning. But don’t expect coaches to stop asking questions. Because it’s there where the key to this program’s success lies.

Two-point conversion

Aidan Chiles had a rowdy celebration after Saturday’s win over Boston College. He climbed into the student section to dance, hugged teammates, coaches and even commentators on the field. And he scooped up a child on the field and swung him around with a big hug.

That child was Boyer’s son. He and Chiles have known each other since Boyer was on Smith’s Oregon State staff that recruited Chiles in the 2023 class.

“Moments like that, (Chiles) earned the opportunity,” Boyer said. “And then for me to be a part of that and my son to be a part of that at the end of the game with a big hug, that’s what it’s about.”

ALLEN PARK — John Morton is in lockstep with his head coach: The Detroit Lions aren’t panicking.

The offensive output in Sunday’s season-opening loss at the Green Bay Packers fell well below expectations. But Morton, in his first year as offensive coordinator, insisted Thursday his unit’s issues are fixable, and he’s assured the overarching problems present at Lambeau Field will be taken care of by the time the Chicago Bears visit Ford Field for Week 2.

“We have great players,” Morton said. “That’s why I’m confident.”

Particularly, the run game must improve. The Lions averaged a measly 2.1 yards per carry against the Packers, their worst since October 2023, when they beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a game Jahmyr Gibbs missed with a hamstring injury. Gibbs and David Montgomery have never been less productive in a game both participated in than they were against the Packers.

Much of Detroit’s struggles can be connected to miscommunication. On a number of plays, at least one member of the offensive line was not mentally in line with his teammates. Sometimes, it was multiple players at fault. And it wasn’t just a youth issue. Rookie right guard Tate Ratledge and left guard Christian Mahogany, playing in the first and third career games, respectively, had their fair share of concerns. But so did some of the veterans, according to Morton.

Take the near safety at the start of the fourth quarter as an example. Ratledge allowed defensive tackle Colby Wooden to come through unblocked, drawing the ire of those who watched the replay. Left tackle Taylor Decker revealed Wednesday he was also incorrect on that rep, as he ran the same play Ratledge did. Mahogany, center Graham Glasgow and right tackle Penei Sewell were on a different page.

Those are the type of correctable mistakes Morton identified on tape.

“It’s addressed,” Morton said. “It’s going to be fixed.”

Asked why he’s confident in the run game improving, Morton said, “Because we’re doing plays that they’ve done. Now, there’s some young guys, right? We’ve just got to make sure we give them the right looks, all the different type of right looks, and to make sure they know exactly what they’re doing. And that’s what we’ve done.”

Head coach Dan Campbell said Monday there may have been too much put on the players’ plates too early, and dialing things back some against the Bears could be beneficial. It’s about getting back to the fundamentals. The meat and potatoes, if you will.

“We did an extra period in the runs this week, and I think it’s going to help,” Morton said. “I think that’s what you’ve got to do. It’s an easy fix. Again, we’re not in panic mode. But 2.1 (yards per carry), that ain’t gonna cut it. It should never happen.”

Chicago’s defense doesn’t posses the talent of Green Bay’s, especially so if some starters who missed Week 1 (cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon, and linebacker T.J. Edwards) aren’t available. Johnson (calf/groin) returned to practice Wednesday. Edwards (hamstring) was limited and Gordon (hamstring) did not practice.

Morton and Campbell are also familiar with the scheme, having worked with defensive coordinator Dennis Allen in New Orleans. It’s similar to what the Lions run defensively, with an emphasis on man coverage. That’s different than the Packers, who often play zone and drop seven defenders in coverage.

“Last game, the best thing about that is it’s the first game of the season. Nobody’s in panic mode,” Morton said. “The players have been awesome, great attitudes. We’ve had great preparation, just like we did last week. The bottom line is it’s just about execution and the details of everything. … How do we fix this? We’re in the fix-it business, as coaches. Dan’s been awesome, players have been awesome. We had a good practice yesterday, and we’re moving on to Chicago.”

ALLEN PARK — Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard admitted he was “pissed” after his defense gave up 27 points in Sunday’s opener against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.

But like a lot of the chatter coming out of the team facility this week, Sheppard emphasized he’s not as discouraged after having some time to digest the performance. According to Sheppard, the metrics out of Sunday’s game were encouraging — even if the Lions‘ offense couldn’t match them, resulting in a 27-13 loss to begin the season.

Sheppard acknowledged some necessary areas of improvement while making the case his defense truly did buckle down in the second half of Sunday’s game.

“Coming off the field, you guys know, ultra-competitive nature of the game. My temperament and things, I was pissed,” Sheppard said. “And I’m ready to scowl at everybody, but then you sit back and look at it and after the second time and after the third time, you go, ‘There’s a lot of good football on this tape.’”

He started with the passing defense, which allowed 188 yards and two touchdowns from Packers quarterback Jordan Love, who went 16-for-22 through the air for a passer rating of 128.6. Love was efficient and hit on big plays when the Lions’ defense presented him with opportunities to do so. Sheppard said he’s more than happy to give up just 188 yards of passing, which tied for 18th among all quarterbacks in Week 1.

Sheppard was upset by the two-play drive that gave Green Bay a 17-3 lead in the second quarter. Cornerback Terrion Arnold was the closest defender on both a 48-yard completion to Romeo Doubs and a 17-yard touchdown pass to Michigan State product Jayden Reed. Outside of that, he was satisfied by the passing defense — but it’s worth noting Green Bay threw the ball just six times in the second half.

“We went into the game saying, ‘You’ve got to make these guys beat us,’ Sheppard said. “You cannot give them things because that’s when they thrive. You have to make them beat us, and we did not do that on back-to-back plays. Inexcusable, and that’s been addressed.”

Asked about the team’s lack of consistent pass rush, Sheppard said the team wasn’t given many opportunities to get home, and also praised its ability to keep Love in the pocket.

It’s the second part that’s worth paying attention to: The Lions seemingly put more effort into containing Love as a rusher than disrupting his flow in the passing game. On second-and-9 in the red zone on the Packers’ opening drive, Aidan Hutchinson got the one-on-one he wanted after Roy Lopez stunted to eat a double team, only for Hutchinson to hover at the line of scrimmage like a point guard defending the perimeter as Love threw an incompletion to Doubs.

“Go back with your stopwatch and turn on the pass plays, they weren’t going to allow it. But more importantly I thought — I want to give credit to our guys of not letting this guy out of the pocket. That’s things that we’ve struggled with in years past,” Sheppard said. “Jordan Love has burned us in years past with his legs. He had one run, I think, for four yards. So, I want to look at the positives in that.

“Yeah, we could’ve done things and things like that, but we had a specific gameplan and for the most part, the guys went out and executed the gameplan.”

Ultimately, Sheppard expects the pass rush to be better this weekend, especially from Hutchinson — but it’s worth noting the Lions’ opponent at quarterback, Caleb Williams, has a similar tendency to escape from the pocket and extend plays with his legs.

“When you’re the elite of the elite, people are going to plan for you and that’s why he’s the caliber player that he is. We will counter that and Hutch will counter that. He’s an ultra-aware player, he knows how to manipulate things and move himself around,” Sheppard said.

“We’re working off a one-game sample size, people.”

And, in fairness, the run defense was excellent — no caveats needed. The Lions gave up 78 yards on 25 carries, an average of 3.1 per carry.

“We should’ve been at 2.2 (per carry),” Sheppard said. “Why do I say that? Because one of those was a 15-yard explosive run that should’ve never happened. That’s been addressed as well.”

Statewide boys soccer rankings from the Michigan High School Soccer Coaches Association

For the week of Sept. 7, 2025

 

DIVISION 1

1 Portage Central

2 Ann Arbor Huron

3 Clarkston

4 Okemos

5 Hartland

6 Holland West Ottawa

7 Hudsonville

8 Traverse City West

9 Byron Center

10 Grand Haven

11 Ann Arbor Skyline

12 Detroit U-D Jesuit

13 Royal Oak

14 Troy Athens

15 Saginaw Heritage

HONORABLE MENTION: Berkley, Detroit Catholic Central, Livonia Stevenson, Birmingham Seaholm, Troy, Utica Eisenhower

DIVISION 2

1 Hudsonville Unity Christian

2 Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central

3 Warren De La Salle

4 New Boston Huron

5 Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood

6 DeWitt

7 Holland

8 Allendale

9 Mason

10 St. Joseph

11 Orchard Lake St. Mary’s

12 Dearborn Divine Child

13 Holland Christian

14 Edwardsburg

15 Marquette

HONORABLE MENTION: Muskegon Reeths-Puffer, Cedar Springs, Haslett, Fruitport

 

DIVISION 3

1 Detroit Country Day

2 Pontiac Notre Dame Prep

3 Flint Powers Catholic

4 Frankenmuth

5 Elk Rapids

6 Grand Rapids West Catholic

7 Paw Paw

8 Ann Arbor Greenhills

9 Williamston

10 Grosse Ile

11 Saginaw Swan Valley

12 Alma

13 Ovid-Elsie

14 Grand Rapids Catholic Central

15 Kingsford

HONORABLE MENTION: Fennville, Hartford, Milan, Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian, South Haven, Tawas Area

 

 

DIVISION 4

1 Plymouth Christian

2 Grosse Pointe Woods University-Liggett

3 Lansing Christian

4 North Muskegon

5 Grandville Calvin Christian

6 Royal Oak Shrine

7 Muskegon Western Michigan Christian

8 Wyoming Potter’s House Christian

9 Harbor Springs

10 Clarkston Everest Collegiate

11 Detroit Cristo Rey

12 Bloomfield Hills Roeper

13 Maple City Glen Lake

14 Hillsdale Academy

15 Leland

HONORABLE MENTION: Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic Prep, Kalamazoo Christian, Brighton Livingston Christian

NEW YORK — The Detroit Tigers on Wednesday responded to an investigative article in The Athletic that detailed alleged incidents of sexual misconduct toward female employees and portrayed the organization as being a “boys club” where some women felt unsafe.

In a statement released through Ilitch Sports and Entertainment CEO Ryan Gustafson, the Tigers didn’t dispute the seven reported incidents against former employees. They took accountability for it, saying each was investigated promptly and each employee was terminated.

But the general culture of the organization, the club felt, was mischaracterized.

“We are committed to a culture of respect, safety, and inclusion,” the statement read. “We do not tolerate discrimination or harassment, and when concerns are raised, we investigate promptly and take decisive action, which has included terminating employees for misconduct, regardless of seniority or tenure.

“We are committed to accountability and to upholding the standards essential to our workplace.”

As the article mentioned, the seven employees cited for misconduct have either resigned, were fired or did not have their contracts renewed.

• Sam Menzin, former assistant general manager, cited for sending lewd photos to a female co-worker.

• Michael Lienert, former vice president of premium sales, accused of a number of things, including undisclosed dating of employees, bullying female employees, including an allegation of pushing a female down a flight of stairs.

• Josh Bullock, former vice president of business in Lakeland, cited for verbal and vulgar verbal attacks on men and women.

• Rob Gehring, former video content producer, cited for inappropriate conduct toward women.

• Peter Soto, former vice president of game presentation, accused of making inappropriate comments toward women.

• Also, former players and analysts Cameron Maybin and Craig Monroe were not brought back because of allegations of sexual misconduct.

More: Craig Monroe taken off Tigers’ TV minutes after sex-abuse claims came to light

“We are grateful to the employees who have spoken up here,” the statement read. “And to the more than 3,000 full- and part-time colleagues who contribute every day to ensuring a safe work environment.”

The Tigers contested one of the charges in the article, which claimed that Ben Fidelman, who is the vice president of communications and broadcasting, yelled at an employee and called her “stupid.”

The Tigers, like they did all the others, investigated the charges against Fidelman and found them unfounded.

“It is inaccurate and unfair to group Mr. Fidelman within a story about accusations of sexual harassment or related misconduct,” the statement read. “A concern unrelated to either was raised, and consistent with our process, it was investigated thoroughly, and no wrong doing was found.”

Ilitch Sports and Entertainment employs more than 3,000 people. The statement reiterated that each incident was taken seriously, investigated thoroughly and dealt with.

“We work hard every day to improve our workplace culture,” the statement read. “We encourage open dialogue and feedback, celebrate the contributions of our colleagues, and continue to invest in programs that support growth, well-being, and inclusion.

“Our colleagues have multiple channels to share input, supported by a strong human resources team that responds quickly to concerns. We also provide ongoing, company-wide training and education to prevent and address inappropriate behavior.”

The article also said Detroit is one of three MLB franchises that doesn’t offer maternity leave to pregnant employees. The Tigers were putting a 12-week maternity leave benefit in place before the article came out.

It is expected to be available before the end of the year.

By JAKE OFFENHARTZ, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, who won the Democratic nomination on a platform of making the city more affordable, is now calling on soccer’s global governing body to make it cheaper for New Yorkers to attend the World Cup.

In a petition released Wednesday, Mamdani demanded FIFA reverse its plan to set ticket prices for next year’s tournament based on demand, likening the practice to “price gouging.”

The Democratic socialist, who dubbed his campaign “Game Over Greed,” also called for 15% of tickets to be set aside at discounted prices for residents.

“As a lifelong football — sorry, I mean soccer fan, I couldn’t be more excited,” Mamdani said in an accompanying social media video, affecting a faux-British accent as he juggled a soccer ball in his dress shoes. “But are any working-class New Yorkers actually going to be able to watch any of the matches?”

The tournament will be played across 16 cities in North America. Eight matches, including the final, will be held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, a short train ride away from New York City.

“So many of our neighbors will not be able to afford to be there,” Mamdani added, accusing FIFA of “pricing working people out of the game that they love.”

A spokesperson for FIFA did not respond to an emailed request for comment.

In recent days, FIFA’s plan to adopt a “variable pricing” model for ticket sales — similar to the one used by airlines or hotels — has sparked controversy among some fans.

Tickets will start at $60 for group-stage matches and increase to $6,730 for the final, officials said last week, but could fluctuate under the demand-based pricing model. Mamdani also called on the governing body to implement a cap on resale ticket prices — something it has agreed to do in Mexico, but not in the United States or Canada, he said.

Mamdani, who surged to victory in the primary based on promises such as freezing rent for New Yorkers and making buses free, situated the World Cup fight as part of his larger battle against rising costs for working people.

“Pope John Paul II said, ‘Of all the unimportant things, football is the most important,’” he said at a press conference Wednesday. “This is part and parcel of a larger affordability crisis in this city. Once again, it will be working people who will be left behind.”

ORCHARD LAKE – Henry Dezler won the race to a loose ball and slammed a rebound into the open net with 2:40 to play, giving the Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood Cranes a 3-2 win over the Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Eaglets in a key Catholic High School League game Tuesday night.

“We knew it would be like that going in, especially after the history we had with this team last year,” said Cranes head coach Jake Nunner, referring to three one-goal games. “Keith runs a great program. They have a lot of good players.

“We prepared for that. The boys were just mentally switched on. They weren’t getting too high by the highs, too low by the lows. Then we just tried to do what we do best and enjoy it. They deserved it, and I’m really happy for them.”

Cranbrook and St. Mary’s came in occupying first and second in the CHSL Central Division. The Cranes were unbeaten and ranked No. 5 in Division 2 while St. Mary’s was unbeaten in the league and ranked No. 11. Add in a developing rivalry fueled by some close games and both teams up near the top of the division the last few years, and on paper this looked like a fantastic matchup.

The game itself lived up to the billing – and then some. Big goals, big saves, big tackles – this one had a little bit of everything.

Trailing 1-0 at halftime, St. Mary’s dominated the early part of the second half. Evan Porter tied the game for the Eaglets with 24:56 to play when he found a loose ball on the back side for a tap-in after a cross had deflected through a crowd. Barely five minutes later, St. Mary’s would take the lead when Owen Shippy’s shot from 30 yards out on the left wing hit the inside of the right post and went in.

The teams would trade chances the rest of the way, but it was Cranbrook who would find a way to convert.

Jackson Ober’s free kick with just under eleven minutes to play found its way to the back post where Wyatt Smith redirected it into the net, tying the game at 2-2.

St. Mary’s nearly scored a carbon copy of Shippy’s goal just moments later, but this time, the ball hit the post and spun along the goal line long enough for the goalkeeper to reach back and snatch it off the line, preserving the tie and setting the stage for Dezler’s game-winner.

“We played a much better second half. We weren’t passive at all. We were more aggressive,” Eaglets head coach Keith Jeffery said. “But at the end of the day, kudos to them (Cranbrook). You can’t give up goals early or late in the half, and that’s what happened.”

The Cranes had been the better team for much of the first half. In fact, Cranbrook dominated the early going, but it was to no avail as St. Mary’s goalie Mason Lafnear was outstanding, robbing Cranbrook outright on multiple occasions, including a fantastic leaping save on a shot through traffic that few goalies would have even seen in time to make a play on.

Photo gallery of Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood vs. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s in CHSL boys soccer action

“Mason is a heck of a goalie. We’re lucky to have him. He’s only a sophomore, so he’s only going to get better,” Jeffery said.

St. Mary’s would play better as the half wore on and started to create some chances of their own, but eventually Cranbrook found a goal late in the half. Apolo Markus fired a long switching ball from the left side of midfield near the center stripe that landed on the right wing for Charlie Gold to run onto and slot past the charging goalkeeper with just 3:59 left in the half.

With the win, Cranbrook (6-0 overall, 6-0 CHSL Central) takes firm control of the divisional race and stays unbeaten in the early season. The Cranes put their winning streak on the line Thursday when they travel to face Toledo Central Catholic in another league test. The Cranes last won the division in 2022 and finished second in each of the last two years.

“Honestly, it was a team effort from front to back. Everyone that came in, the entire program just guys were supporting each other, performing on the field,” Nunner said. “I’m really proud of everybody.”

St. Mary’s (4-3-1 overall, 3-1-1 CHSL Central) still sits in second place. The Eaglets will try to get back in the win column on Thursday in a road match against Ann Arbor Greenhills.

Orchard Lake St. Mary’s stormed back in the second half to take a 2-1 lead, but Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook-Kingswood didn’t roll over, scoring the final two goals of the night to take home a 3-2 victory in a crucial CHSL contest Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025.

Waterford Mott football dropped from 2-0 back to .500 with a change in its initial result from opening weekend.

The Michigan High School Athletic Association required the Waterford School District to forfeit the Corsairs game on Aug. 28 according to a release by the district on Tuesday.

It stated that the WSD discovered that it was provided false residency information to both its athletic and enrollment offices regarding one of its players.

“Unfortunately, the district was made aware of this falsification after the student had played in the Waterford Mott vs. Walled Lake Northern football game,” the release stated.

Committed to CMU as a WR, Mott QB Geno Seets filling his predecessor’s shoes admirably

That game was originally a 45-0 home victory in favor of the Corsairs, who had looked off to back-to-back wins to start the year after pulling out a 28-27 win over Milford in Week 2.

Tuesday's release from Mott assistant athletic director Shane Hynes via district stated that WSD notified MHSAA immediately, is fully cooperating with the investigation and is appealing the decision. It concluded, "We believe our students and athletic programs should not be penalized for the falsified actions of a third party. WSD is committed to upholding the integrity of our academic and athletic programs and will work with the MHSAA to resolve this matter."

The Corsairs will hope that regardless of the appeal's result, it won't impact postseason eligibility. When asked about the importance of starting with wins knowing its next pair of games would be against formidable opponents in Walled Lake Western and Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, Mott first-year head coach Tra'Jan Seay said, "We wanted to start out hot. We know who we have the next few weeks. We're just taking it one week at a time and doing what we can do."

Detroit could generate tens of millions of dollars each year with a tax on tickets to sports and entertainment events, raising revenue that could reduce property taxes, fund city services, and help attract national events, according to a new study. The Citizens Research Council of Michigan released the study Wednesday, pointing out that “Detroit is […]

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