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Waterford schools apply to leave LVC for Oakland Activities Association

Hello, old friends.

Waterford Kettering and Mott appear set to re-join the Oakland Activities Association, ending over a decade-and-a-half stint combined competing elsewhere in the Kensington Lakes Activities Association and Lakes Valley Conference.

Rumors of the move had began to circulate in recent weeks, and the district’s membership application to the OAA was confirmed on Tuesday.

“We are grateful for the competition we have been privileged to experience as a member district of the LVC for the past eight years,” Waterford School District director of communications and community relations Sarah Davis said. “Many factors went into our decision to apply for membership to the OAA – such as competitive alignment with like-districts, game proximity, and academic and student leadership advantages. These opportunities will best serve our Waterford School District athletes, coaches and families now and into the future.”

Both Waterford schools were charter members when they, along with Clarkston, Lake Orion and Pontiac Northern joined from the Greater Oakland Activities League to help form the OAA with schools from the Metro Suburban Activities Association and Southeastern Michigan Association back in 1994.

Football stadium
Fans watch as Waterford Kettering hosted Waterford Mott for the final game of the regular season in Lakes Valley Conference play on Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021. (DAN FENNER – For MediaNews Group)

However, in 2008 the pair of WSD schools jumped ship when the merger of the Kensington Valley Conference and Western Lakes Activities Association helped form the KLAA, a 23-school conference that included the newly opened South Lyon East.

In 2017, nine of those KLAA members, among them Mott and Kettering, split to create the Lakes Valley Conference. When it joined the LVC, Mott and Kettering’s enrollment numbers were neither the largest or the smallest in the conference, notable as other KLAA program’s student bodies were larger.

While a variety of factors have led to declining enrollment numbers throughout the state, and LVC schools have been no exception, it has been sharp enough that Mott and Kettering were now both in the bottom-third of the league, and may find themselves again playing more similarly sized programs in the OAA.

That has been reflected from a competitive standpoint. The LVC website charts year-by-year all-sports standings for both female and male sports. In the first six years of the conference, Mott and Kettering averaged finishing in the bottom-3 of the table in female sports, and the same could be said for male sports, with the exception of 2017-18 when Mott had exceptional seasons in baseball, basketball and football to place in the upper-half.

A source said that the LVC, now down to seven schools — Lakeland and Milford, along with the South Lyon and Walled Lake schools — intends to discuss filling the spots the Captains and Corsairs would vacate.

Waterford Mott players emerge prior to a 41-34 victory over Livonia Franklin in a Division 2 district semifinal at Waterford Kettering HS on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. Both Mott and Kettering appear set to leave the Lakes Valley Conference and join the Oakland Activities Association. (MATTHEW B. MOWERY - MediaNews Group)

Tigers ace Tarik Skubal caps dominant season with American League Cy Young Award

DETROIT — Can you imagine a better or more fitting birthday present for Tigers’ lefty ace Tarik Skubal? Or a better way to cap a sensational, breakthrough season?

On Wednesday, the day he turned 28 years old, Skubal was named the American League Cy Young Award winner for 2024 by a vote of the Baseball Writers Association of America.

Happy birthday, indeed.

Skubal becomes the fifth Tigers pitcher to win the award. Denny McLain won it twice (1968 and 1969). Willie Hernandez (1984), Justin Verlander (2011) and Max Scherzer (2013) also won the prize while wearing the Old English D.

Full disclosure: I had a Cy Young Award vote this year and I did not put Cleveland’s dominant closer Emmanuel Clase on my ballot. I have been steadfast on every Cy Young vote I’ve cast over the years that it’s an award for starting pitchers. Relievers have their own award, as they should given the disparity between the two distinct roles.

The lines on this are getting blurrier as starter innings continue to shrink and bullpen roles expand. But this season, after comparing every candidate including Clase on a spreadsheet with every relevant statistical category — sabermetric and traditional — there were five starting pitchers who scored higher than Clase.

Thus, my ballot: 1. Skubal, 2. Kansas City’s Seth Lugo, 3. Seattle’s Logan Gilbert, 4. Kansas City’s Cole Ragans, 5. Baltimore’s Corbin Burnes.

Putting Skubal at the top of the ballot was a no-brainer. And not just because he became the 22nd player in MLB history to win the pitcher Triple Crown, leading the league in wins (18), ERA (2.39) and strikeouts (228).

He joins Hal Newhouser (1945) and Justin Verlander (2011) as the only Tigers to achieve the feat.

It was much more. When manager AJ Hinch said that Skubal was “everything for us,” this is what he meant:

After dealing away Jack Flaherty at the trade deadline, the Tigers were left with two starting pitchers — Skubal and rookie Keider Montero. The other three starting slots in the rotation were, for the final two months, covered by a creative and elaborate mix of openers and bulk relievers.

For that strategy to work, the Tigers needed Skubal, especially, to cover at least six innings in his starts. Here’s how Skubal responded to that challenge:

From Aug. 2 through Sept. 24, he went 6-1 and averaged 6.2 innings in 10 starts. He limited opponents to a .206/.252/.292 slash-line with 74 strikeouts and 11 walks.

He managed to be at his best exactly when his team needed him the most.

The Tigers were 21-10 in his 31 regular-season starts, a stat that held more value to Skubal than his 18 pitcher wins. He won two of his three postseason starts and threw 17 straight scoreless innings until the fatal fifth inning in Game 5 of the American League Division Series in Cleveland (see Lane Thomas homer).

Skubal limited opponents to two runs or less in 24 of his 31 regular-season starts, covering at least six innings in 21 of those.

Skubal day turned into win day for the Tigers. There is no better measure of greatness for a pitcher.

“He’s unbelievable,” said first baseman Spencer Torkelson after Skubal posted his 200th strikeouts of the season in a 2-1 win against Boston on Aug. 31. “It’s not only his stuff. It’s the conviction behind it. The intent and the confidence he has every single pitch he throws.

“You can really look up to somebody like that. He sets the tone. It builds character in our pitching staff and even in the position players.”

He set the tone for his season on the first day of live batting practice in Lakeland when he hit 99.6 mph with his four-seam fastball. He was asked about hitting 100 mph so early in camp.

“It wasn’t 100,” he said. “We don’t round up in the big leagues.”

He would hit and surpass 100 mph legitimately on May 11 against Houston, becoming the first Tigers starting pitcher to hit triple digits since Verlander in 2012.

He took the ball on Opening Day in Chicago and pitched six scoreless innings with six strikeouts. He got the start in the home opener, too, on April 5, making him the first Tigers pitcher to start both the regular-season opener and home opener since Mike Moore in 1993.

He struck out 12 in six innings at Yankee Stadium on May 5. But his most dominant strikeout performance came in Cincinnati on July 7 when he punched out 13 and got a remarkable 23 misses on 51 swings.

By the All-Star break he was 10-3 with a 2.41 ERA and a sub-1 WHIP (0.879) and earned his first All-Star berth. He threw a perfect second inning in the game, setting down Christian Yelich, Alec Bohm and Teoscar Hernandez.

“When you needed a big performance, he was our guy,” Hinch said in an interview with MLB Network earlier this month. “When you really needed a punch-out to get us out of an inning, he was our guy. We you needed someone to show incredible competitive emotion, he was our guy.

“We leaned on him for so much leadership and performance. And he delivered in all ways. He was the definition of dominant for us and across the league.”

The mantra for the Tigers’ pitching staff all season was “pound the strike zone,” and nobody pounded it more relentlessly and fearlessly than Skubal, evidenced by his 69% strike rate and 68.6% first-pitch strike rate.

To further amplify the point, he had a 30.3% strikeout rate and just a 4.7% walk rate.

Skubal’s 6.3 WAR (baseball-reference) led all big-league pitchers. His pitching run value of 40 (per Statcast) was best in baseball. His fastball run value of 26 ranked in the top 99 percentile.

Opponents hit .197 against his four-seam fastball and .207 off his two-seamer. They hit .216 off his changeup with a 46% whiff rate. His slider (.169) and knuckle curve (.158) rare got hit hard.

“Just Skub being Skub,” said Jake Rogers, who caught every one of Skubal’s starts. “I never get tired of talking about Skub. He’s been big for us all year, and every time he gets on the mound, he gives us a chance to win.

“I’m just really glad he’s on our team.”

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal gestures after a double play ends the sixth inning during Game 2 of baseball’s AL Division Series against the Cleveland Guardians, Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in Cleveland. (PHIL LONG — AP Photo)

CMU head football coach Jim McElwain to retire

Central Michigan University head football coach Jim McElwain is retiring from coaching according to numerous media reports reported on Wednesday afternoon.

He will retire at seasons end.

McElwain led the Chippewas to a 16-14 win over rival Western Michigan University at home on Tuesday night, snapping a five-game losing streak.

The Chippewas have struggled in recent seasons as they are 4-7 this season after going 5-7 in 2023 and 4-8 in 2022.

Moreover, McElwain is currently under investigation by the NCAA pertaining to Connor Stalions’ alleged attendance on the CMU sideline in its 2023 season-opener at Michigan State University.

McElwain and Stalions worked together while assistant coaches at the University of Michigan in 2018.

A story that was published by footballscoop.com writer Zach Barnett reported, ‘McElwain will move into a special assistant to the AD role within the CMU athletics department.”

The story quoted McElwain as saying, “”My wife Karen and I have cherished every moment of our football journey. We want to express our deepest gratitude to the all the players who have welcomed us into their lives, and the incredible coaches and support staff at every stop along the way—it has been a true privilege to work alongside all of them. The lifelong friendships that were created mean the world to us.

“We are especially thankful for our time at Central Michigan. Mount Pleasant and the CMU community hold a special place in our hearts, and we look forward to continuing to be a part of this program and this great community. Thank you for the unwavering support and the unforgettable memories.”

McElwain said his reasoning behind his abrupt retirement were his own according to numerous reports.

CMU Athletic Director Amy Folan was quoted by footballscoop.com and stated, “Coach McElwain and his wife Karen have meant so much to the Central Michigan community,” AD Amy Folan said. “He has brought pride and excitement to Mount Pleasant and our football program and we look forward to his contributions to the department in other ways in the years ahead. We are grateful for his service and mentorship to our student-athletes. We wish both Jim and Karen the very best in their well-deserved retirement from coaching and we are glad that they will continue to help us.”

CMU closes the 2024 regular season at Northern Illinois on Nov. 30.

The 62-year old McElwain spent 40 years coaching in the college ranks and closes his career with a career record of 77-63 as head coach at CMU, Florida and Colorado State. He signed a five-year contact with CMU in 2022.

CMU’s Jim McElwain under investigation by NCAA

CMU football snaps 5-game losing streak, tops rival WMU 16-14

Central Michigan head coach Jim McElwain retired abruptly Wednesday, one day after leading the Chippewas to a 16-14 win over rival WMU. (AP Photo/Michael Catreserina)

Photo gallery from Detroit Country Day vs. North Branch in a D2 volleyball quarterfinal

Birmingham Detroit Country Day defeated North Branch in a Division 2 volleyball quarterfinal at SC4 Fieldhouse in Port Huron on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. The Yellowjackets won by scores of 17-25, 20-25, 25-18, 27-25, 15-6.

  • Birmingham Detroit Country Day defeated North Branch in a Division...

    Birmingham Detroit Country Day defeated North Branch in a Division 2 volleyball quarterfinal at SC4 Fieldhouse in Port Huron on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. The Yellowjackets won by scores of 17-25, 20-25, 25-18, 27-25, 15-6. (DREW ELLIS — For MediaNews Group)

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Birmingham Detroit Country Day defeated North Branch in a Division 2 volleyball quarterfinal at SC4 Fieldhouse in Port Huron on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. The Yellowjackets won by scores of 17-25, 20-25, 25-18, 27-25, 15-6. (DREW ELLIS — For MediaNews Group)

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Birmingham Detroit Country Day defeated North Branch in a Division 2 volleyball quarterfinal at SC4 Fieldhouse in Port Huron on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. The Yellowjackets won by scores of 17-25, 20-25, 25-18, 27-25, 15-6. (DREW ELLIS — For MediaNews Group)

Tigers’ AJ Hinch finishes distant third in AL Manager of the Year voting

Milwaukee’s Pat Murphy won National League Manager of the Year on Tuesday after a stellar debut season with the Brewers, while Cleveland’s Stephen Vogt took the AL honors honor after leading the Guardians to 92 wins and a division title in his first year as a skipper at any level.

The 40-year-old Vogt beat Kansas City’s Matt Quatraro and Detroit’s A.J. Hinch, both AL Central rivals. He’s the first AL manager to win the award in his debut season since Minnesota’s Rocco Baldelli did it in 2019. He’s also the first to go from player to Manager of the Year in just two years.

Hinch, a 50-year-old in his fourth season leading the Tigers, also made the playoffs with a torrid second-half despite losing quality players like right-hander Jack Flaherty at the trade deadline.

Murphy, 65, led the Brewers to an NL Central title, a 93-69 record and is the franchise’s first manager to earn the award since it was introduced in 1983. In the playoffs, Milwaukee lost to the New York Mets in a three-games Wild-Card Series.

Murphy had an unusual career path to big league success — he was a longtime college coach at Notre Dame and Arizona State before moving to the professional ranks in 2010. He worked in the Padres’ minor league system until 2015 when he was hired to be Milwaukee’s bench coach under Craig Counsell, who played for Murphy at Notre Dame.

After Counsell left for the Cubs during the offseason, the Brewers quickly turned to Murphy. The transition was nearly seamless.

Murphy beat San Diego’s Mike Shildt and New York’s Carlos Mendoza,. He received 27 of the 30 first-place votes in balloting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Shildt, Mendoza and Philadelphia’s Rob Thomson each received one vote.

The previous fastest was Joe Girardi from 2003 to 2006, when he won NL Manager of the Year with the Florida Marlins.

Vogt received 27 of the 30 first-place votes. Quatraro got two and Hinch one.

Vogt led the Guardians to a 92-69 record and the playoffs in his first season after replacing three-time manager of the year Terry Francona. The former big league catcher took Cleveland to the AL Championship Series before losing to the Yankees in five games.

Vogt is the third Cleveland skipper to win the honor, joining Francona (2013, 2016, 2022) and Eric Wedge (2007).

Mendoza — in his first year leading the Mets — guided the franchise to an 89-win season and an appearance in the NL Championship Series before they lost in six games to the eventual World Series champion Dodgers.

Shildt guided the Padres to the playoffs in his first season in San Diego, winning 93 games. He won the Manager of the Year award in 2019 when he was in charge of the Cardinals.

The 51-year-old Quatraro, in his second season with the franchise, led the Royals to the postseason one year after a 106-loss season. Kansas City finished with an 86-76 record before beating Baltimore in a Wild Card Series.

Kansas City, led by catcher Salvador Perez young star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., lost to the Yankees in a four-game Division Series.

— By DAVID BRANDT, Associated Press

Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch watches batting practice during a baseball workout in Cleveland, Friday, Oct. 11, 2024, in preparation for Game 5 of the American League Division Series. (PHIL LONG — AP Photo)

GAM PLAYER OF THE YEAR: McCoy Biagioli of White Lake tops 2024 men’s points list

FARMINGTON HILLS – McCoy Biagioli of White Lake was just the 11th golfer to pull off the state’s top amateur golf feat by winning the Michigan Amateur Championship and the GAM Championship in the same year.

“All my close friends are not surprised, they are very proud of me, but I know from around golf in Michigan most people were surprised I did it,” he said. “My close friends, my teammates that play with me all the time knew the things I could do. Those who didn’t know me so well just didn’t know what I was capable of.”

His historic two wins in the state’s top two amateur tournaments put him at the top of the GAM Points List for the season and he has been named the 2024 GAM Men’s Player of the Year, Ken Hartmann, senior director of competitions and USGA services, announced today.

Player of the Year point totals can be found on a pull down from the PLAY tab at GAM.org The points lists are presented by Carl’s Golfland.

Later this week the GAM Women’s Player of the Year will be announced and over the next few weeks the GAM will announce more Players of the Year in gender and age categories.

Biagioli, 19 and a Ferris State University golfer, scored 881.5 points, and John Quigley of Sterling Heights and the Michigan Publinx Golf Association, this summer’s GAM Mid-Amateur Champion, finished second with 564.5 points.

Julian Menser of South Lyon, a Michigan State University golfer with 455 points, Drew Coble of Lake Orion, a Grand Valley State University golfer with 400 points, and Drew Miller of East Lansing, a Michigan State University golfer with 370 points, rounded out the top five.

Biagioli, a sophomore at Ferris, said he plans to defend both major titles in 2025, and wants to build on his summer of 2024.

“I set little goals, then once I’ve accomplished them, I find ways to get to bigger goals like Player of the Year,” Biagioli said. “Starting the college season last year (as a freshman) I could tell my game was improving, but consistency was something I was always looking for. I would shoot 68 then 78, but through the year I started putting good rounds together.”

At the Michigan Amateur, Biagioli set a first goal of making match play.

“I had never made match play, and I didn’t know what to expect but I always knew I could win matches,” he said. “My dad told me before I left that week for the tournament to bring home that (Staghorn Trophy). I thought it was possible. I knew I could win. I didn’t play that great in stroke play, but I made it to match play and won a match that wasn’t pretty. But I built on it, gave myself chances and pulled off big shots.”

He said the most memorable shot was a clutch 18-foot putt on hole 18 in the semifinals against Matt Zerbel of St. Joseph to win 1-up and move on to the final match with Jimmy Dales of Northville.

“I’ll remember that one the most I think,” he said. “It was what I needed to win that match, and I came through.”

Hartmann said Biagioli was a surprise and not on anybody’s list of favorites to win the Michigan Amateur.

“I think we all learned about him that week,” he said. “I’m not surprised he is the Player of the Year. He went out and won the two biggest tournaments of the summer, so he definitely deserves it. It’s not an easy accomplishment.”

Hartmann is excited to see what is ahead with Biagioli.

“He doesn’t look like a flash in the pan, especially because he won the Amateur and then won the GAM at (Barton Hills Country Club) on a tough set-up,” he said. “I think he’s a very steady player and this year he was consistent. He’s young so I expect there’s more that we will see from him.”

An action photo of McCoy Biagioli from 2024 tournament play, en route to becoming the 11th golfer to pull off the state’s top amateur golf feat by winning the Michigan Amateur Championship and the GAM Championship in the same year. (Photo contributed by Golf Association of Michigan)

Celebrini scores first career OT goal as Sharks top Red Wings 5-4

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Rookie sensation Macklin Celebrini scored 46 seconds into overtime, and the San Jose Sharks beat the slumping Detroit Red Wings 5-4 on Monday night.

William Ecklund had two goals, and Luke Kunin and Tyler Toffoli also scored for San Jose. who have won two straight and are 3-1-2 in their last six games. Mackenzie Blackwood finished with 16 saves.

Dylan Larkin had a goal and had an assist, and Alex DeBrincat, Marco Kasper and Michael Rasmussen also scored for Detroit, which has lost five of six. Cam Talbot stopped 29 shots.

Detroit trailed 4-3 with 2:06 left in regulation when DeBrincat tied it on a power-lay goal.

Celebrini, the 2024 No. 1 overall draft pick, then won it in the extra period with his fourth goal of the season and first career overtime score.

Takeaways

Red Wings: Detroit led 3-2 midway through the second period when Michael Rasmussen was credited with the score on an own goal, but they were unable to close the game.

Sharks: The rebuilding Sharks are 6-5 since losing nine straight to start the season. They trailed most of the game but played inspired hockey, especially late, as they rallied for the win.

Key moment

DeBrincat sent the game to overtime on a power-play goal that came 1:40 after Ty Dellandrea was assessed a 2-minute penalty for tripping Erik Gustafsson.

Key stat

The Sharks outshot the Red Wings 34-20.

Up Next

Red Wingst host the New York Islanders on Thursday, and Sharks visit Dallas on Wednesday.

— By GIDEON RUBIN, Associated Press

Detroit Red Wings center Andrew Copp, top, falls to the ice over San Jose Sharks center Tyler Toffoli during the second period of an NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif., Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Zach LaVine’s 16 fourth-quarter points lead Bulls past Pistons 122-112

DETROIT (AP) — Zach LaVine scored 16 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter and the Chicago Bulls pulled away for a 122-112 win against the Detroit Pistons on Monday night.

The game was tied at 95 with 8:46 left, but LaVine had nine points in a 13-2 run that put the Bulls up by 11 with 5:45 to go. He hit six 3-pointers in the quarter after a slow start.

Nikola Vucevic led the Bulls with 29 points and 12 rebounds while Coby White scored 25.

Cade Cunningham had 26 points and 10 assists for the Pistons and Malik Beasley added 21.

Takeaways

Bulls: LaVine has traditionally given the Pistons a hard time, averaging 21.7 points in 28 career games, including a 51-point game last season. They held him to seven points on 3-for-11 shooting, including 1 for 6 on 3-pointers, in the first three quarters. He came back into the game with 8:46 left and hit five of his first six shots, all 3-pointers.

Pistons: Detroit kept the game close for the first 40 minutes, but lost too many Bulls shooters on the perimeter. Chicago shot 23-46 (50%) on 3-pointers, including 7-15 (47%) in the fourth quarter.

Key moment

Detroit was trailing 80-75 in the third when they got distracted by not getting a call on defense. Before they regained focus, Josh Giddey tipped in a missed shot, LaVine threw down an uncontested dunk and Vucevic hit a 3-pointer to make it 87-75.

Key stat

The Pistons had 16 offensive rebounds to Chicago’s 10 and only committed nine turnovers, but they only hit 34% of their 3-pointers while the Bulls were making half of theirs.

Up next

The Bulls play Wednesday in Milwaukee. The Pistons visit Charlotte on Thursday.

— By DAVE HOGG, Associated Press

Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine (8) drives as Detroit Pistons forward Tim Hardaway Jr. (8) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Nov. 18, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Burnett, Donaldson key Michigan with season-highs as Wolverines roar past Miami (OH) 94-67

ANN ARBOR, Mich, (AP) — Nimari Burnett scored a season high 18 points and Auburn transfer Tre Donaldson matched his career high with 16 as Michigan roared away from Miami (OH) in the second half to post a 94-67 win in an opening-round game in the Fort Myers Tipoff tournament Monday night.

Michigan is one of four teams in the Beach Division, joining South Carolina and Xavier and the Wolverines take on Virginia Tech on Monday. Miami (OH) is in the Palms Division, joining Jacksonville and Mercer and will face Siena on Monday.

Michigan held an eight-point lead, 44-36 at intermission and opened the second half with an 8-0 run kicked off by a Burnett jumper and a Roddy Gayle Jr. 3-pointer, the first of eight treys the Wolverines knocked down in the final 20 minutes. The team finished shooting 58.3% from the field (35 of 60) and 48.3% from long range (14 of 29).

Michigan is now 3-1 to start the Dusty May era in Ann Arbor and is 3-0 at home. Donaldson scored 16 points in his debut and has scored in double figures in all four games. Burnett hit 7 of 10 shots, including 4 of 7 from beyond the arc, and added four of the Wolverines 23 assists on 35 baskets. L.J. Cason had 11 points off the bench and Gayle chipped in 10 points with five assists. Vladislav Goldin finished with eight points, six rebounds and two assists, topping 1,200 points in his career.

The RedHawks (2-2) hit 26 of 65 from the field (40%) and knocked down 11 of 32 from 3-point range. Eian Elmer led the effort with 14 points with three steals. Kam Craft added 13 and Peter Suder 12.

Michigan completes its three-game homestand when it hosts Tarleton State on Thursday.

Michigan head coach Dusty May yells during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against TCU, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Lions haven’t taken any opponent lightly on way to 9-1 record

By DAVE HOGG
The Associated Press

DETROIT — The Detroit Lions were on the verge of their first Super Bowl appearance, but couldn’t finish off the San Francisco 49ers in last season’s NFC championship game.

This year, they have developed a killer instinct.

Entering their matchup Sunday with Mac Jones and the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Lions were favored by two touchdowns for the first time in 47 years. In the past, they might have taken a win for granted.

They didn’t overlook the Jaguars.

The Lions (9-1) set franchise records for margin of victory (46 points) and yards gained (645) in a 52-6 rout. They scored touchdowns on their first seven possessions, a field goal on the eighth and took a knee to end the game on the ninth. Defensively, they held Jacksonville to two field goals and 170 yards of offense — their 475-yard advantage was the NFL’s biggest margin since 1979.

“When you score seven touchdowns and hold the opponents to two field goals, you obviously had a number of guys who played very, very well,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “Man, they finished today. They started it and they finished it. That’s awesome.”

The Lions are only seven-point favorites for Sunday’s visit to Indianapolis, but they know they should win, especially if they play like they did against the Jaguars.

“We’ve got to go to Indianapolis and play a team that is very much in the playoff race,” Campbell said. “They are going to be ready to go. So are we.”

What’s working

The Lions are leading the NFL in scoring at 33.6 points per game on the 80th anniversary of the last time they finished first in that category.

They are fourth in passing touchdowns (22) and second in rushing touchdowns (18), so teams can’t load up their defenses to take away their strengths.

“It all starts with our offensive line,” Campbell said. “When they play the way they played yesterday, it doesn’t matter what (plays) we call. We can do anything.”

What needs help

DE Za’Darius Smith made his Lions debut after being acquired at the trade deadline. Campbell has stressed that Smith isn’t expected to fill Aidan Hutchinson’s shoes — no one could reasonably be expected to do that — but he can be part of Detroit’s attempt to replace the league’s best pass rusher in the aggregate.

It wasn’t a spectacular debut. Smith combined with Jack Campbell on Detroit’s only sack, but only assisted on one tackle in a game where the Lions registered three quarterback hits.

Stock up

After throwing five interceptions against Houston, Jared Goff only had five incompletions against the Jaguars. He finished 24 of 29 for 412 yards, four touchdowns and a perfect 158.3 passer rating.

Goff became the first quarterback in NFL history to have multiple games with a perfect rating, 400-plus yards and four-plus touchdowns — he also did it for the Rams in 2018 — and his 82.8% completion percentage made him the first to have five games over 80% in the same season.

Stock down

P Jack Fox is having a great season — his net average is over 45 yards and he’s put 45.2% of his punts inside the 20 — but, through no fault of his own, he only got on the field Sunday to hold for extra points and field goals. It was the second time the Lions haven’t punted this season. Fox wasn’t needed in the 47-9 win in Dallas on Oct. 13.

Injuries

LB Alex Anzalone will miss 4-to-6 weeks with a broken right forearm, adding to a depth problem at linebacker. Derrick Barnes and Jalen Reeves-Maybin are on injured reserve, along with both starting defensive ends — Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport.

Key number

8.5 — Detroit’s average yards per play against the Jaguars, the second highest in team history. The Lions were at 8.8 in the final minute — good enough to break a 43-yard-old record of 8.6 — but backup quarterback Hendon Hooker took a knee on the last two plays.

Next steps

If the Lions have one weakness, it is defending mobile quarterbacks, so Anthony Richardson could be an issue on Sunday.

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell talks to the media after an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Detroit, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Cunningham’s 4th triple-double of the season lifts Pistons to 124-104 rout of Washington

By NOAH TRISTER
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Cade Cunningham had 21 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds to lead the Detroit Pistons over the Washington Wizards 124-104 on Sunday night.

Jaden Ivey scored 28 points and Malik Beasley added 26 for Detroit. Cunningham has four triple-doubles this season, two behind league leader Nikola Jokic.

It was the eighth straight loss for Washington, which was home after a five-game trip. Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma scored 22 points apiece for the Wizards.

Detroit held Washington to 18 points in the first quarter and led 65-53 at halftime. The lead was never in single digits after that, with the Pistons going on a 12-3 run to take an 85-64 advantage on a dunk by Jalen Duren.

Wizards center Alex Sarr, the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft, had four points on 1-of-7 shooting.

Takeaways

Pistons: These were the bottom two teams in the league last year, and although Washington got a higher draft pick, it’s Detroit that looks further along in its rebuild. After dropping their first four games, the Pistons (7-8) have battled back to within a game of .500.

Wizards: This skid could go on a while for Washington, which faces New York and Boston in its next two games. The Wizards ended up shooting well (12 of 27) from 3-point range, but couldn’t recover from their ragged first quarter.

Key moment

Washington began to click offensively during the second quarter and trailed 52-47 after a dunk by Bilal Coulibaly, but it was never that close again after Beasley answered with a 3-pointer.

Key stat

Washington had 17 turnovers compared to Detroit’s nine, and the Pistons had a 27-11 edge in points off turnovers.

Up next

Both teams play again Monday night. Detroit hosts the Chicago Bulls, while Washington plays at New York.

El entrenador J.B. Bickerstaff, izquierda, entrenador de los Pistons de Detroit, observa a su jugador Cade Cunningham (2) robarle el balón a Bilal Coulibaly, derecha, de los Wizards de Washington, durante la segunda mitad del juego de baloncesto de la NBA, el domingo 17 de noviembre de 2024, en Washington. (AP Foto/John McDonnell)

Akins has 13 points, 12 rebounds 6 assists; Michigan St. uses 17-0 run to beat Bowling Green 86-72

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Jaden Akins had 13 points, 12 rebounds and six assists to lead seven Michigan State players scoring in double figures Saturday night and the Spartans scored the final 17 points to beat Bowling Green 86-72.

Frankie Fidler, who went 1 of 6 from the field but made 10 of 10 from the free-throw line, and Carson Cooper scored 12 points apiece for the Spartans. Tre Holloman and Coen Carr each added 11 points and Jeremy Fears Jr. and Jaxon Kohler scored 10 points apiece.

Michigan State (3-1) rebounded from a 77-69 loss to No. 1 Kansas on Tuesday at the State Farm Champions Classic in Atlanta.

Bowling Green used a 14-2 run to take an eight-point lead with about 11 minutes to play and Marcus Johnson made a jumper and a layup before Javontae Campbell added a layup and made two free throws as the Falcons used an 8-2 spurt to take a 72-68 lead with 7:11 to play. Cooper responded with a dunk before Carr made 1 of 2 from the free-throw line, scored in the paint and then threw down a put-back dunk off a miss by Akins spark a 17-0 closing run.

Akins sandwiched a 3-pointer and two foul shots around a layup by Fears before Fiddler made 4 of 4 from the free-throw line in the final minute to cap the scoring.

Bowling Green (1-3), which was coming off a 103-47 win over NAIA-member Taylor, is winless against NCAA-affiliated programs this season.

Johnson led the Falcons with 23 points but made just 1 of 11 from 3-point range. Campbell scored 14 and Youssef Khayat 13.

BGSU went 0 for 9 from the field, 0 for 1 from the free-throw line and committed four turnovers in the final 7 minutes.

Michigan State forward Coen Carr (55) reacts after a dunk during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Bowling Green, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Jeannot scores in return from suspension, Kings roll to 4-1 win over Red Wings

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mikey Anderson and Tanner Jeannot scored 22 seconds apart in the first period, Adrian Kempe scored twice in the third, and the Los Angeles Kings beat the Detroit Red Wings 4-1 on Saturday night.

Anderson got his third goal of the season with 1:55 left in the first, and Jeannot followed it up by scoring in his return from a three-game suspension for an illegal check to Canucks forward Brock Boeser on Nov. 7.

Kempe had two goals for the second straight game, including an empty-netter, David Rittich made 17 saves, and the Kings avoided their first three-game regulation losing streak of the season.

Dylan Larkin broke up the shutout bid with 1:27 remaining, Cam Talbot made 37 saves, and the Red Wings lost for the fourth time in five games.

Takeaways

Red Wings: Detroit followed its highest-scoring loss of the season, a 6-4 defeat at Anaheim on Friday, by being held to one goal or less for the fifth time this season.

Kings: Alex Turcotte returned from a five-game absence because of a head injury, returning to the top line with center Anze Kopitar and Kempe.

Key moment

Red Wings defenseman Erik Gustafsson lost his balance while misplaying the puck in the offensive zone, setting up an easy three-on-one break the other way that Jeannot finished for the 2-0 lead.

Key stat

Kings forward Trevor Moore extended his point streak to eight games with the secondary assist on the first goal. He has two goals and eight assists during the longest point streak of his seven-year career.

Up Next

The Red Wings wrap up their three-game California swing at San Jose on Monday night, and the Kings host Buffalo on Wednesday night.

— By DAN GREENSPAN, Associated Press

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Jeff Petry, front left, vies for the puck against Los Angeles Kings left wing Warren Foegele, center, and right wing Quinton Byfield, right, during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Bela Karolyi, gymnastics coach who mentored Nadia and Mary Lou and courted controversy, dies at 82

Bela Karolyi, the charismatic if polarizing gymnastics coach who turned young women into champions and the United States into an international power, has died. He was 82.

USA Gymnastics said Karolyi died Friday. No cause of death was given.

Karolyi and wife Martha trained multiple Olympic gold medalists and world champions in the U.S. and Romania, including Nadia Comaneci and Mary Lou Retton.

“A big impact and influence on my life,” Comaneci, who was just 14 when Karolyi coached her to gold for Romania at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, posted on Instagram.

The Karolyis defected to the United States in 1981 and over the next 30-plus years became a guiding force in American gymnastics, though not without controversy. Bela helped guide Retton — all of 16 — to the Olympic all-around title at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles and memorably helped an injured Kerri Strug off the floor at the 1996 Games in Atlanta after Strug’s vault secured the team gold for the Americans.

Karolyi briefly became the national team coordinator for USA Gymnastics women’s elite program in 1999 and incorporated a semi-centralized system that eventually turned the Americans into the sport’s gold standard. It did not come without a cost. He was pushed out after the 2000 Olympics after several athletes spoke out about his tactics.

It would not be the last time Karolyi was accused of grandstanding and pushing his athletes too far physically and mentally.

During the height of the Larry Nassar scandal in the late 2010s — when the disgraced former USA Gymnastics team doctor was effectively given a life sentence after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting gymnasts and other athletes with his hands under the guise of medical treatment — over a dozen former gymnasts came forward saying the Karolyis were part of a system that created an oppressive culture that allowed Nassar’s behavior to run unchecked for years.

Still, some of Karolyi’s most famous students were always among his staunchest defenders. When Strug got married, she and Karolyi took a photo recreating their famous scene from the 1996 Olympics, when he carried her onto the medals podium after she vaulted on a badly sprained ankle.

— By WILL GRAVES, Associated Press

Bela Karolyi, right, congratulates Dominique Moceanu, left, after the United States captured the gold medal in the women's team gymnastics competition at the Centennial Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, July 23, 1996. (AMY SANCETTA — AP Photo, file)

No. 1 Kansas beats Oakland 78-57 as Storr scores 16 off the bench

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — AJ Storr had a season-high 16 points off the bench and three starters also reached double figures as No. 1 Kansas easily handled Oakland 78-57 on Saturday.

KJ Adams scored 10 of his 12 points in the first half, Rylan Griffen added 11 and Hunter Dickinson finished with 10. Dickinson led the Jayhawks with nine rebounds.

Kansas (4-0) pulled away methodically in the first half, leading by 22 at halftime. The Grizzlies never got closer than 18 in the second half. Kansas played the final 4:32 with only reserves in the game.

Allen Mukeba led Oakland (1-3) with 19 points, and Tuburu Naivalurua added 12.

Oakland struggled from 3-point range, shooting 6 of 23 (27%), and was woeful at the free-throw line (3 for 12). The Grizzlies went 1 of 6 on foul shots in the first half.

— By DAVID SMALE, Associated Press

Kansas forward KJ Adams (24) dunks the ball as Oakland guard Jayson Woodrich, bellow, defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Lawrence, Kan. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)

Josh McCray runs for three TDs to lead Illinois to a 38-16 win over slumping Michigan State

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Josh McCray ran for three touchdowns and Luke Altmyer threw two TD passes, leading Illinois to a 38-16 victory Saturday over Michigan State.

McCray had nine carries for 61 yards, Altmyer completed 19 of 32 passes for 231 yards and Pat Bryant caught four passes for a career-high 135 yards and a TD in his final home game as the Illini (7-3, 4-3 Big Ten) ended a two-game losing streak.

Aidan Chiles was 23-of-40 passing for 256 yards and two TDs and Aziah Johnson and Nate Carter caught TD passes for the Spartans (4-6, 2-5), who have lost six of seven.

Michigan State didn’t have a sack for the fifth straight game. Illinois sacked Chiles five times.

The Illini finished 6-1 at home. It’s the first time they’ve won six home games in a season since 2001, when they captured the Big Ten title and played in the 2002 Sugar Bowl.

After falling behind 21-9 at halftime, the Spartans closed within 21-16 on a 5-yard TD pass from Chiles to Carter.

Illinois’ David Alano responded with a 37-yard field goal in the third quarter, and McCray scored on a pair of 1-yard dives in the fourth quarter.

Altmyer threw a 57-yard TD pass to Bryant and a 4-yard TD pass to Zakhari Franklin, and McCray ran 11 yards for a TD for the Illini in the first half.

It was Bryant’s eighth TD reception of the season, and his career-long catch. It also was Altmyer’s career-long pass completion.

Michigan State scored on a 52-yard TD pass from Chiles to Johnson in the first quarter and a 38-yard field goal by Jonathan Kim with 1:02 left in the half.

Kim missed the PAT after the Chiles-to-Johnson TD pass. It was the first time he’d missed a PAT in his college career. He was 3 of 3 at North Carolina and is 34 of 35 at Michigan State.

The takeaway

Illinois: The Illini will hit the road to play at Rutgers and Northwestern in their final two regular-season games. Illinois is 1-2 away from Champaign, with all three games against ranked teams. Two road wins would give the Illini a final 9-3 record and an opportunity to play in a major bowl game.

Michigan State: The Spartans have no margin for error if they want to play in a bowl game in Jonathan Smith’s first season as coach. They need to win their final two regular-season games, home games vs. Purdue and Rutgers, to be bowl-eligible.

Up next

Illinois: At Rutgers next Saturday.

Michigan State: Hosts Purdue on Friday.

— By STEVE STEIN, Associated Press

Illinois running back Ca’Lil Valentine (5) scores a touchdown ahead of Michigan State defensive back Jaylen Thompson (16) during the first half in an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Matt Marton)

Adams beats Grand Blanc on Mateo Humbert’s TD run, game-ending INT to reach semifinals

ROCHESTER HILLS — After several giveaways and failing to score for over two-and-a-half quarters, Rochester Adams could have been counted out of Friday night’s game against Grand Blanc.

After all, this is the team that was picked to finish last in the OAA Red. And that was before losing its starting quarterback to a season-ending injury midway through the year. It wouldn’t be the first time they’d be discounted.

The final seven-and-a-half minutes of the Highlanders’ 21-14 win over the Bobcats for a Division 1 regional championship served as the latest proof that they shouldn’t be underestimated.

“This is sweet,” Highlanders quarterback Nolan Farris said. “I always hoped that we’d get to this point,  but I could never see it in my mind. Now that it’s here, it’s amazing.”

With the game tied when Adams got the ball at its own 35-yard line and 7:27 left, Farris and running back Mateo Humbert each moved the chains to get the ball into enemy territory, but the Bobcats stuffed the run to put the Highlanders in a fourth-and-6 situation.

Running out of the slot left, Farris hit fellow junior Cameron Dawood as he was cutting inside for a crucial 16-yard gain and the conversion.

“We ran that play a lot in practice this week expecting a situation like this,” Farris said. “I saw the 1-on-1 coverage and I knew he’d come down with that ball. I had a lot of faith in him.”

When the Highlanders needed to convert again on third-and-4, Farris used his legs to get six yards and advance to the 8-yard line. From there, Humbert, a two-way star on the evening, drove through a gap for the go-ahead touchdown, his second score of the night, with 1:11 remaining.

Following the corresponding kickoff, Grand Blanc, impressive and efficient in the passing game for most of the night despite just two scores, got the ball into Adams’ territory on a catch by leading receiver Caseton Sendry with its back against the wall, but the Highlanders ended the game on a pair of big defensive plays. First, Matt Toeppner sacked Bobcats junior quarterback Jake Morrow, and Lachlan Tillotson sealed it with an interception downfield on the final play of the game.

Football player
Highlanders running back Mateo Humbert (13) rumbles into the end zone for Adams’ game-winning touchdown with 1:11 remaining in Friday night’s D1 regional championship. (BRYAN EVERSON – MediaNews Group)

It was a gritty ending after it appeared Adams (10-2) might gradually pull away judging by the first quarter or so of action.

The Highlanders were methodical on the opening drive and cashed in on Humbert’s first rushing TD from a yard out to take a 6-0 lead after the extra point was blocked with 5:25 left in the first quarter.

When the Highlanders got the ball again, they leaned on the running of Humbert and Dawood, then advanced the ball to the Bobcats’ 14-yard line after a defensive pass interference penalty on third-and-9. The following play, Toeppner veered toward the right sideline and used an extended dive to break the pylon for a 14-yard score, and Humbert’s successful run on the conversion put Adams up 14-0 with 10:15 to go in the half.

That’s when Morrow, who was a mix of elusive, unorthodox and crafty throughout the game, began to find his rhythm despite operating under frequent pressure. Grand Blanc mostly moved the ball through the air on its first scoring drive, finished off on a five-yard TD grab by Sendry with 5:42 to go in the half.

A fumble recovered by the Bobcats gave them a chance at tying the game prior to intermission, but it proved harmless when Adams’ pass defense held strong in a third-and-long situation, then a 40-yard field-goal attempt came just short, hitting the crossbar.

Humbert record his second sack of the night on fourth-and-1 to end the Bobcats’ opening drive of the second half, but the Highlanders didn’t fair much better with the ball, stopped short themselves by about a foot on fourth down. Grand Blanc was more dangerous when it got the ball back again, settling for modest gains through the air before Morrow gained eight yards on a keeper, then a handful more to stride into the end zone untouched, making tying the game with a little over two minutes remaining in the third.

“Their offensive line man, they were pretty good, not gonna lie,” Humbert said. “(Morrow) is pretty fast, he can honestly throw that thing.”

On the difficulty of stopping Grand Blanc’s QB, Adams head coach Tony Patritto added, “He’s made huge plays all season. He’s really good at extending plays and making throws late and he’s got really good receivers. We had to play really sound team defense to keep him contained. To hold them to 14 points is a testament to our defensive staff and our players.”

With the game deadlocked, both team’s defenses forced a punt each — Patritto credited Grand Blanc for bringing an additional defender into the box as the game went along, slowing his team’s offense — then the Bobcats (9-3) recovered their second fumble of the game for what seemed like a backbreaker of a turnover. However, that aforementioned defense, which also saw senior Liam Kania reach Morrow several times, held up on a fourth-and-4 that got the Highlanders the ball back to start their victory drive.

Photo gallery from Rochester Adams vs. Grand Blanc in D1 football regional championship action

After the game, Patritto talked about the way his team has been viewed on this march to the semifinals.

"We're one of the smallest schools in the division, picked last or second-to-last every year, that's just what it's been like," Patritto said. "We play such great teams. I kind of understand it. There's not a bunch of four, five-star kids here. These are all Adams kids from Rochester. So we're used to it and kind of use it as a badge of honor."

The Highlanders defeated Grand Blanc 40-20 in the semifinals three years ago. Now, they'll have a chance to reach the D1 title game again, and will go through either Hudsonville or Howell. Those teams play a regional final in Howell Saturday afternoon.

"When you're at this point in the season, the final eight, the final four, everybody's really, really good," Patritto said. It comes down to execution, health, playing well and preparing. I trust our stuff to get our kids ready to play next week."

Rochester Adams senior Liam Kania (50) holds up the Division 1 regional championship hardware from beating Grand Blanc 21-14 Friday night in Rochester Hills. (BRYAN EVERSON - MediaNews Group)

Photo gallery from Rochester Adams vs. Grand Blanc in D1 football regional championship action

Rochester Adams found the end zone with 1:11 remaining for the game-winning touchdown to defeat Grand Blanc 21-14 in a Division 1 regional championship Friday, Nov. 15, 2024 in Rochester Hills.

  • Rochester Adams found the end zone with 1:11 remaining for...

    Rochester Adams found the end zone with 1:11 remaining for the game-winning touchdown to defeat Grand Blanc 21-14 in a Division 1 regional championship Friday, Nov. 15, 2024 in Rochester Hills. (BRYAN EVERSON - MediaNews Group)

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Rochester Adams found the end zone with 1:11 remaining for the game-winning touchdown to defeat Grand Blanc 21-14 in a Division 1 regional championship Friday, Nov. 15, 2024 in Rochester Hills. (BRYAN EVERSON - MediaNews Group)

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Rochester Adams found the end zone with 1:11 remaining for the game-winning touchdown to defeat Grand Blanc 21-14 in a Division 1 regional championship Friday, Nov. 15, 2024 in Rochester Hills. (BRYAN EVERSON - MediaNews Group)

Nimari Burnett scores 16 and Danny Wolf secures a double-double to lead Michigan past TCU 76-64

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Nimari Burnett scored 16 points, Danny Wolf had 14 points, 14 rebounds and four assists, and Michigan beat TCU 76-64 on Friday night.

Wolf gave Michigan a 53-43 lead with 12 minutes left but the Wolverines only made two field goals over the next six minutes to have their lead trimmed to 63-60 with 6:16 remaining.

TCU didn’t make its next field goal until the 2:19 mark when Trazarien White converted a fast-break layup to make it 72-64. Michigan secured two offensive rebounds on its next possession, ending in Vladislav Goldin’s layup for a 10-point lead.

Auburn transfer Tre Donaldson also scored 14 points for Michigan (2-1). Sam Walters added 10 points.

White scored 16 points and Brendan Wenzel added 15 for TCU (3-1). Frankie Collins, who played for the Wolverines during his freshman year (2021-22), returned to Ann Arbor and finished with seven points.

Michigan led 34-31 at halftime despite having more turnovers (16) than made shots (12). Donaldson made a half-court shot at the end of the first half but it came just after the buzzer and didn’t count. The Wolverines finished with 21 turnovers.

The only other meeting in the series came in 1962, won by Michigan 82-60.

UP NEXT

Michigan continues a three-game homestand against Miami (Ohio) on Monday. The Wolverines also play Tarleton State on Thursday before a game against Virginia Tech at the Fort Myers Tip-Off on Nov. 25.

TCU returns home to host Alcorn State on Tuesday after playing its earliest true road game since Nov. 10, 1998, at Providence.

Michigan head coach Dusty May yells during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against TCU, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
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