Pontiac Notre Dame Prep was rewarded with five selections on the 2025 Michigan Sports Writers Division 5-6 All-State football team after a second consecutive trip to Ford Field.

Three from the Irish – quarterback Sam Stowe, receiver Drake Roa, and linebacker Brody Sink – were first-team picks, while the duo of offensive lineman Jack Williams and defensive lineman Henry Ewles earned second-team nods. All five are seniors.

ND Prep’s QB1, Stowe threw for 2,761 yards and 41 touchdowns (with only five INTs), also finding the end zone with his legs four times. He’ll graduate as the program’s all-time leader in both career passing yards and TDs.

One of his favored targets, Roa finished the season with 70 catches, good for 975 yards and 16 receiving TDs. Another of them, Sink (who had over 100 receiving yards and a TD reception in the state final), earned plaudits on the defensive side of the ball for having over 100 tackles, as well as two sacks, one forced fumble and a pair of recoveries.

The 6-5, 225-pound Williams was a two-way player along the Irish fronts, as was Ewles, who ended the year with over 70 tackles (including eight in the state final), three sacks, and like Sink, a forced fumble and two recoveries.

In addition to the Irish handful, Hazel Park running back Montrell Parker was a first-team pick by writers.

Parker, a senior for a Vikings team that bowed out in the playoffs to ND Prep, carried the ball 179 times for 1,820 yards – amounting to over a first down per carry – and reached paydirt 23 times.

The Michigan Sports Writers all-state teams — formerly the Associated Press teams — are voted on by a panel of sportswriters from around the state.

 

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The 2025 Michigan Sportswriters Division 5-6 All-State football team, which was selected by a panel of sports writers from around the state.

 

DIVISON 5-6

Player of the year: Jacob Timmer, Grand Rapids West Catholic

Coach of the Year: Rob Beaudrie, Newport-Monroe Jefferson

First Team All-State

QB – Sam Stowe, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep

QB – Luke Beaudrie, Newport-Monroe Jefferson

RB – Montrell Parker, Hazel Park

RB – Ethan King, Belding

RB – Brody Corneau, Almont

RB – Galvin Albring, Ida

WR – Ezra Rowekamp, Kalamazoo United

WR – Drake Roa, Pontiac Notre Dame

WR – Jamison Pelt, Saginaw Swan Valley

WR – Evan Szalay, Flat Rock

OL – Sullivan Garvin, Allegan

OL – Matt Mazur, Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard

OL – Garrett Russell, Traverse City St. Francis

OL – Antwon Baker, Jackson Lumen Christi

OL – Luke Purvis, Frankenmuth

DL – Kenneth McClinton, Detroit Denby

DL – Andre Meade, Kent City

DL – M.J. Dailey, Montrose

DL – Corde Anderson, Whitehall

DL – Logan Evans, Richmond

DL – Calvin Marshall, Ogemaw Heights

LB – Cohen Ferqueron, Almont

LB – Jael Djouguem, Grand Rapids West Catholic

LB – Brody Sink, Pontiac Notre Dame

LB – Brayden Sweeney, Grand Rapids Catholic Central

LB – Sean Walicki, Jackson Lumen Christi

DB – Corie Kanitz, Ogemaw Heights

DB – Matthew Bacholzky, Almont

DB – Hunter Wilkinson, Kalkaska

DB – Kam Reynolds, Saginaw Swan Valley

ATH – Cash Tedford, Frankenmuth

ATH – Keegan McCue, Kalamazoo United

K – Landon Smith, Grand Rapids West Catholic

Second Team All-State

QB – Hadyn Hinkle, Michigan Center

QB – Grady Augustyn, Grand Rapids West Catholic

QB – Lleyton Hoard, Frankenmuth

RB – Kyle Greiner, Hart

RB – Jackson Malburg, Armada

WR – Austin Schwartz, Grayling

WR – Brennan Forward, Michigan Center

WR – James Milanovich, Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard

WR – JJ Hollister, Richmond

OL – Zack Williams, Pontiac Notre Dame

OL – Braxton O’Bryant, Ovid-Elsie

DL – Chris Fox, Michigan Center

DL – Henry Ewles, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep

DL – Cash Cooper, Jackson Lumen Christi

LB – Colton Goethals, Kingsley

LB – Elon Jones, Ogemaw Heights

DB – Razach Spillers, Flint Elite

Honorable Mention All-State

QB – Jackson Herder, Kalamazoo United

RB – Paul Sattler, Jackson Lumen Christi; Collin Abram, Grand Rapids West Catholic; Gavin Lewis, Kingsley; Ca’Mari Reese, Muskegon Orchard View; Kamall Hillard, Grand Rapids Catholic Central; Jack Deitsch, Reed City; Michael Reid, Detroit Central.

OL – Trevor Rawson, Kent City; Ethan Hock, Ogemaw Heights

LB – Isaac Fair, Whitmore Lake; Preston Six, Oakridge; Luke Joslyn, Caro

ATH – Griffin O’Neal, Montrose; Evan DellAngelo, Negaunee

Madison’s Nehemiah Patman, WOLL’s Jack Miller voted to D7-8 squad by Michigan Sports Writers

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — John Gibson made 39 saves for his first NHL shutout in nearly three years, and the Detroit Red Wings beat the Vancouver Canucks 4-0 on Monday night.

James van Riemsdyk, Andrew Copp, Nate Danielson and Dylan Larkin scored for the Red Wings (16-11-3), who moved from just outside the crowded Eastern Conference playoff picture into first place in the Atlantic Division.

Detroit has earned at least one point in five consecutive games and is 3-0-1 since an 0-3-1 slide.

The 32-year-old Gibson improved to 7-7-1 in his first season with the Red Wings after 12 with Anaheim. It was his 25th career shutout and first since a 2-0 win for the Ducks over Dallas on Jan. 4, 2023. He is 13-5-2 against Vancouver with four shutouts.

Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen was removed after making 10 saves on 13 shots over two periods. Nikita Tolopilo stopped all six shots he faced in the third.

Vancouver (11-16-3) went 0 for 3 with the man advantage and has gone six games without a power-play goal. Detroit was 0 for 2.

In a fast-moving first period, the Canucks outshot the Red Wings 11-6. But the visitors opened the scoring when van Riemsdyk tapped a loose puck at the net front past Lankinen for his fourth goal in four games.

Late in the second, Copp and Danielson scored 37 seconds apart. Copp’s third of the season was a backdoor tap-in off a pass from defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka. Danielson’s second career goal was a net-front tip off Sandin-Pellikka’s point shot.

Sandin-Pellikka’s two primary assists gave him his first multipoint night in 30 NHL games.

Larkin added an empty-net goal in the third.

Canucks captain Quinn Hughes was held without a point for the sixth straight game, tying the longest drought of his career in April 2023.

Vancouver center Elias Pettersson missed his second game in a row with an upper-body injury.

Detroit has won consecutive games for the first time since Nov. 16 and 18.

Up next

Red Wings: Visit the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night in the fourth of a six-game trip.

Canucks: Host the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night to finish a four-game homestand.

If you’re a fan of rivalries and parity in boys hoops, this year’s OAA White Division is the place.

It’s a league that looks a bit different than last winter, with Lake Orion and Oxford as the only holdovers. But partially by way of the fact that it includes two fewer teams this season, it figures to be quite the wide-open race for the crown.

That should leave at least a few programs believing it can be kings, including Rochester.

It’s a challenge the Falcons appear well-suited for judging by their 3-0 start. That includes a win each over a MAC Gold (St. Clair Shores Lakeview), White (Utica) and Red (Chippewa Valley) team. All of those victories have come by at least 20 points, so early results, including the most recent one, a 66-46 triumph over the Big Reds last Saturday, have been promising.

While Rochester’s first half against Chippewa Valley may have been more ho-hum, a 30-point third quarter was convincing evidence of what the Falcons can do in an eight-minute span.

The Falcons earned their seat at the table by going 13-1 in the Blue Division (the only defeat a 53-29 loss to runner-up Pontiac) to earn themselves promotion, though a portion of the foundation was laid even before that.

“I mean, it started a few years back,” Rochester head coach Nick Evola said. “A lot of these guys are three-year varsity guys, and they took their lumps early, but they’ve always competed, you know? They were a little young a few years ago, but all of that has prepped them. They have a relentless work ethic and they come out here and they love each other. They’re a tight-knit group and they play for each other. No one cares who’s got the most points.”

The eye test seems to support Evola’s claim that his squad has great balance on offense. Senior Logan Pleasant, one of those experienced returners, provided outside shooting in the Utica win, but even when Rochester’s deep ball wasn’t the bread and butter in the most recent win, the length of its forwards and the will to drive and draw fouls presented the opposition problems.

“We have multiple guys that can do multiple things — inside-out, mid-range — so it makes it tough (defending us) because everyone’s contributing and you can’t just focus on one guy,” Evola said.

One component of the frontcourt and another of the veteran bunch, senior Anthony Chirco, scored 21 points against Chippewa Valley. He’s continued to improve as both a scorer and rebounder, and he echoed Evola’s comments on the cohesiveness of the side, saying, “This class is great. We’ve been playing together for a long time and I just think it shows and helps with our chemistry a lot.”

Some of the selflessness might even be considered hereditary. Junior Nate Tandy is one of two new starters along with sophomore Ben Bissett — Luke Lower, another senior and the team’s other returner in the starting five, scored 10 on the Big Reds — a year after Tandy’s brother, Jake, was a contributor for last year’s league champs.

Nate, who equaled Chirco’s 21 points against Chippewa Valley thanks in part to nine trips to the free-throw line, only played JV as a sophomore, but Evola and the coaching staff got him part-time reps practicing then with varsity, and it seems to have, along with some driveway battles over the years with his older brother, paid dividends.

“It’s a big leap,” Tandy said. “(Being mixed in last year), it helped mentally I would say just seeing what the varsity atmosphere is like. The first two games (this season), I was getting comfortable, and then I feel like (against Chippewa Valley) was my coming out game.”

Part of the intrigue of this year’s White Division is not just the perceived equality, or the introduction of OAA newcomer Waterford Mott (2-0, 1-0), but the fact that all three Rochester schools are paired together, which makes for rivalry battles where the stakes are increased.

“Obviously, last year, there may not have been many expectations for us coming off an eight-win season, but we knew what we were capable of and we got better,” Evola said. “But I’ve told them, not only are we now in a tougher league, we’re not under the radar. People know we’re going to come to work, and we’re going to take every team’s best shots. The league’s really tough, and it’s wide-open … and I think what’s cool about the league as well, it’s not just our rival schools, but it’s Lake Orion and Oxford, so everything’s kind of close proximity. It builds more rivalry, more cross-town travel, and I think it’s exciting.”

The feeling is shared by at least one of those rivals.

“We split with (Rochester and Stoney) last year, so certainly talent-wise, we’re right there,” Adams head coach Isaiah Novak said after his own team’s game at Saturday’s MAC/OAA Showcase hosted by Rochester. “Both teams are very well-coached, even with a new coach (Stoney’s Marko Tomich) coming in, I think he’s going to do a great job. It’s great too as far as fan engagement. I think all three schools struggle at times getting students to basketball games, but anytime we play against a Rochester school, we get a packed house, so I think it’s gonna be fun for everybody involved.”

That trio, including the Falcons, will have some time to continue and improve before those battles take place. The first of them, which sees the Cougars travel to Rochester, isn’t until Jan. 9.

ORLANDO — As rumors and made-up trade scenarios involving two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal swirl around these Winter Meetings, Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris steadfastly refused to feed the frenzy.

“We don’t speculate on any players on our roster on trade talk,” Harris said in a 40-minute session with a group of beat reporters in the club’s suite at the Waldorf Astoria. “It’s not productive for us and it’s not fair to players on other teams.”

He did, though, acknowledge publicly that while he wasn’t necessarily seeking trade options, he was openly listening to them.

“I’ve been pretty clear since I’ve been here that I don’t believe in untouchables at any level or with anyone in our organization,” Harris said. “It’s not a commentary on Tarik Skubal specifically. It’s more of a blanket team-building approach. I can’t do my job without listening. I can’t do my job without exploring anything that may or may not have legs.

“Some are going to be very likely moves. Some are going to be extremely unlikely. But you can’t vet those opportunities unless you listen. That’s how we’re doing it.”

Harris, who officially announced the signing of 31-year-old right-hander Drew Anderson ($7 million with a $10 million club option for 2027), reiterated his desire to add pitching help, both in the rotation and bullpen.

Anderson, who spent the last two seasons in Korea, was in Tigers camp as a non-roster invitee before the 2024 season.

“He made a really good impression,” Harris said. “I think he worked really well with our pitching group and added some fastball velocity and fastball quality that he carried to Korea.”

Anderson added a swing-and-miss component to his repertoire last season, a kick-change, and struck out 245 hitters, second only to Cody Ponce, who signed a three-year, $30 million contract with the Blue Jays.

“We feel like with the added swing-and-miss secondary pitch and the familiarity and combination of innings, he can be a real addition to our team,” Harris said. “He will come to camp as a starter.”

He joins Skubal, Jack Flaherty, Casey Mize, Troy Melton, Keider Montero and Reese Olson in the rotation. Expect the list to grow throughout the winter.

“In the modern era, you need to attack it with quality and volume,” Harris said. “You can’t just chose between the two. In December, we’re generally just trying to add as much pitching as we possibly can, trusting that we’re going to figure it out in partnership with AJ (Hinch, manager).

“We’re just trying to load up on as much pitching as possible, understanding there’s going to be underperformance and, hopefully not, but injuries are a reality in our sport.”

No splash deals?

The Tigers have been linked in media speculation to high-end free agent starters like Ranger Suarez and Michael King. Harris said the club is always looking to add starters, but he talked more about loading up on depth than making any splash deals.

“It’s harder now given the makeup of our rotation,” Harris said. “Those starting pitchers might have to be optionable (have minor-league options). We may have to find non-roster options, things like that. But I think we are in a much healthier place with our rotation than we have been.

“But we’re going to keep adding.”

Same is true for the bullpen. There could be as many as seven spots open for competition this spring. Harris expects that particular market to lag into the new year.

External offensive upgrades?

Harris was also asked if it was necessary to look outside the organization to upgrade the offense.

“Yes,” he said. “But can we find those opportunities? I’m not sure.”

He went on to add, “I think the majority of our growth as an offense is going to come from within.”

In other words, if the right deal can be made for a legitimate offensive upgrade, either through trade or free agency, he will make it. But he expects the offense to get better with or without it.

“We have a young, deep collection of position players who are in slightly different stages of their young careers,” he said. “There is an older group that’s still very young and just entering their prime.”

Spencer Torkelson, Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter, who combined for 93 homers and 241 RBI last season, highlight that group.

“There is a group behind them that’s coming really fast and that’s gotten a lot of time under their belt,” Harris said.

That group includes Gold Glove-winning catcher Dillon Dingler, Parker Meadows, Colt Keith and Wenceel Perez.

“And there is a third group coming right behind them,” Harris said. “Some of the best prospects in baseball are really starting to make that leap into the big leagues.”

Among the prospects he’s referencing are Kevin McGonigle, Max Anderson and Hao-Yu Lee.

“We’re going to find a way to improve our offense without blocking those guys,” Harris said. “They are too important to both our present and our future. I used to talk about them solely as our future. Now they are about to be our present and our future.”

Harris also cited the return of second baseman Gleyber Torres and a hopefully healthy Matt Vierling as other components of an improved offense.

“I wouldn’t rule out external additions to upgrade the offense,” he said. “But I think we have a lot of momentum here and the gains we’ve seen in our offense the last couple of years have come from trusting them and saving opportunity for them and watching them blossom into the players they are now.”

DETROIT — Each time Cade Cunningham steps onto the floor, his talents put him up against the best defenders the league has to offer. On a nightly basis, Cunningham focuses on maintaining his All-NBA status against numerous defenders, but he is “thankful” that he doesn’t have to account for Isaiah Stewart.

Cunningham has been teammates with Stewart since the Detroit Pistons drafted him as the No. 1 pick in 2021. Over the years, he has watched as Stewart established himself as one of the league’s premier defenders.

This season, Stewart’s defensive production has been a central part of the Pistons’ best start in 20 years. With a 19-5 record, Detroit ranks fourth in the league in defense, posting a net rating of 111.3 while holding opponents to 113.3 points per game. The Pistons’ defensive success has been a collaborative effort, but no player has been at the forefront of the team’s defense than Stewart.

“He has always been big-time. I played against him in high school, and he was always a presence down there,” Cunningham said. “We have put Stew in so many positions and made him have to figure it out, and he always does. His feel for the game and IQ are super slept on. He just knows where to be and when to be there. That’s why he can make so many plays.”

Stewart is an elite defender, demonstrating the versatility necessary for today’s NBA. He is a big man who can switch on ball and defend guards out on the perimeter, while his hustle and activity help the Pistons get stops through deflections and 50-50 balls.

He has shown every attribute that has led his teammates to campaign for Defensive Player of the Year honors. In November, Stewart was a finalist for Eastern Conference Defensive Player of the Month — an award that went to the Toronto Raptors’ Scottie Barnes.

However, no defensive skill set has been displayed more prominently than Stewart’s ability to protect the rim. His shot-blocking has led coach J.B. Bickerstaff to deem Stewart as “the best defensive center in the league.”

“It means a lot because he sees it every single day,” Stewart said. “He knows how much I care about defense and how I have a real passion for that side of the ball. He knows that and he appreciates that, and that means a lot to me.”

Not on ‘Beef Stew’

Stewart had a career year on the defensive end last season. He registered a career-high 1.4 blocks per game and led all reserves in the category while ranking 11th league-wide. However, 24 games into this season, Stewart is on the trajectory to surpass last year’s success.

He is currently tied with Alex Sarr for third in the league for blocked shots, averaging 2.0 rejections per game — trailing only Victor Wembanyama (3.6) and Ryan Kalkbrenner (2.4). Stewart has stood out among his peers for his shot-blocking, erasing numerous dunk attempts.

“How much he cares about it. There will never be a shot that goes up that Stew doesn’t contest,” Ausar Thompson said. “So, for him to sacrifice his body, put his body on the line every night — it’s beautiful to watch.”

Stewart, a 6-foot-8 big man, has acknowledged that his stature makes him an easy target for players seeking a quick highlight dunk, but he often wins his one-on-one battles at the rim.

“I feel like some players seek it out, while others get there and then don’t know what to do,” Stewart said. “Then they would usually pass the ball, which helps us out on defense.”

Stewart has rejected a dozen dunk attempts this season, resembling the likes of Ben Wallace during his heyday in Detroit. In the Pistons’ 122-116 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday, Stewart blocked two dunk attempts, one of which was against Shaedon Sharpe, who has established himself as one of the league’s most gifted dunkers.

The moment occurred midway through the fourth quarter when Sharpe attempted a one-handed dunk over Stewart, who blocked it with the tips of his fingers. The rejected accounted for one of the four blocks Stewart had on the night, marking the fourth time this season he finished a game with four or more rejections.

“He has the best timing in the league. No one time dunks and layups better than he does,” Cunningham said. “It is honestly kind of scary. It is almost like he has finger tips made of vibranium … I think he is the best defensive player in the league.”

Stewart’s rim protection is a testament to his fearlessness of ending up on the wrong side of the highlight, but it is also an example of his ability to apply the lessons he learned throughout his six-year career. There was a time when Stewart found himself on the wrong end of a poster. Instead of shying away from the moment, Stewart used those experiences to learn how to find his timing and patience.

However, his shot-blocking also demonstrates Bickerstaff’s system. By orchestrating a defensive scheme to get the most out of his players, Bickerstaff quickly realized that Stewart had the intangibles to serve as Detroit’s most reliable defensive anchor.

“We put a lot of responsibility on them. They have to communicate with everybody, and their job is to protect the rim and the paint,” Bickerstaff said. “If you put guys who have the talent that these big guys have in those positions, it gives them opportunities to be playmakers, and it gives them the opportunities to dictate how games go.”

Stewart had a seamless transition when adapting to Bickerstaff’s technique last year. He felt Bickerstaff’s philosophies played to his strengths, which demand physicality, rebounding, rim protection and screen setting.

He has since catapulted up the list as one of the NBA’s best defenders, with the potential to receive some form of league recognition come mid-May.

“He is the most versatile center as a defender in the league. There is not a guy out on the perimeter or the post that he cannot guard,” Bickerstaff said. “He means so much to us because he is the guy who has to erase things, cover up things, and he takes on so many assignments. There are so many things that we ask him to do. I am hard-pressed to find a better defensive center than him in the league.”

EAST LANSING — In the aftermath of his team’s first loss of the season, a 66-60 loss to No. 4 Duke, Michigan State coach Tom Izzo just kept on coming back to one particular issue: free throw cutouts.

His Spartans work on them every practice. Non-negotiable. And yet there were multiple that Michigan State missed, including two that led to putbacks for Duke phenom Cameron Boozer as he and the Blue Devils rallied in the second half for a road win.

Free-throw cutouts may take the brunt of Izzo’s criticism, but they are just one of the details that went foul on Saturday. Poor closeouts early, missed layups late, a few untimely fouls (some, albeit, on questionable calls) left Michigan State battling its own minor mistakes. And against a Duke team that has the talent to repeat last year’s Final Four appearance, well, that won’t make the cut.

“This is what we’ve said all along: Our margin for error is slim,” Izzo said.

Michigan State has proven a lot nine games into the season. It’s gritty, feisty, with a deep lineup led by a talented frontcourt and a bulldog point guard. Its four returners — point guard Jeremy Fears Jr., forwards Coen Carr and Jaxon Kohler plus center Carson Cooper — provide a foundation from which a different cast of characters can step in and complete the picture against any sort of team. It got Michigan State three ranked wins before December, but against Duke the limitations showed.

The difference between the two teams showed in the second half. Down three at the break, Duke leaned on its star forward Boozer, who scored 16 in the second half alone, and 14 of the first 17 points his team scored that half. He took the game over, even as Michigan State tried to pull away with a pair of 3s from freshman Jordan Scott (one of those contributors who can step in depending on the night). Down five, Boozer slashed through the lane for a layup and banging a 3 in two possessions.

And Boozer had those two putbacks. Those pesky putbacks that drove Izzo wild.

“We know coming into these games that the margin for error is as close to zero as you possibly can (get),” Cooper said. “I think there was little lapses where we got a little relaxed. And that was on our scouting report, like three times, was never relax.”

Michigan State couldn’t relax, because for most of the game it was a one- or two-shot affair. On a night when its pace setter Fears shot 0-for-10, — even missing an uncontested layup at the final buzzer — its offense still found enough to stay close. But winning needed more. It needed perfection on an imperfect night.

There’s a sense of pressure that comes from Michigan State’s construction. When there is no player who can put an entire offense on its back, every bucket is hard-fought. Changes in tactics can really hurt. Like when Duke switched to zone down the stretch and pulled away. Poor shooting, especially at shooting guard, proved the Spartans’ great flaw.

These are the kind of experiences that also can steer this group in a higher direction. Pressure felt is pressure learned from, and while veterans on the team have a grasp on how to deal with it, there’s a sense that some new contributors have a ways to go.

“We do feel that pressure,” Kohler said. “I would say that for the young and new guys, they don’t quite understand it the way me, Coop, Fears and Coen understand it, because I don’t think they quite understand the impact that it has on a game that can be won or lost. And when that happens, the first person that we get on is ourselves.”

Mistakes happen in any human endeavor. Fighting them is the great challenge, a battle that Izzo has made a career contesting. Michigan State can get on itself for sloppy details, but hanging tough against a team like Duke isn’t all discouraging.

“It probably will be encouraging, like, in a few days,” Carr said. “But right now, it’s probably not the way we would be looking at it as of right now. … We were never not in the game. Just a lot of little things that we know we can fix. And that’s kind of, I guess, the good part about it.”

The margin for error is small, but it’s better than no margin at all.

ZURICH (AP) — FIFA says it will include three-minute hydration breaks in each half of every game at next year’s World Cup, not just those played in hot weather.

The referee will stop the game 22 minutes into each half for players to take drinks, regardless of the temperature, the host country — the United States, Canada or Mexico — or whether the stadium has a roof and air conditioning.

The change may also be a hit with broadcasters, since it makes the game schedule more predictable. FIFA said it was first announced when the governing body’s chief tournament officer for the 2026 World Cup, Manolo Zubiria, attended a meeting with broadcasters.

He indicated that referees may have some flexibility if there’s a stoppage shortly before the 22-minute mark for an injury.

“This will be addressed on the spot with the referee,” Zubiria said.

FIFA said the move is a “streamlined and simplified version” of an earlier practice of having breaks after 30 minutes over a certain temperature threshold, once set at 32 degrees Celsius (89.6 Fahrenheit) on the wet bulb global temperature system.

The change comes after heat and humidity affected players during some games at this year’s Club World Cup in the U.S.

At that tournament, FIFA reacted by lowering the threshold for cooling or water breaks and also placing more water and towels around the edge of the field.

Heat has long been an issue at major soccer tournaments. Amid concerns ahead of the 2014 World Cup, a Brazilian court ordered FIFA to make its recommended breaks mandatory or face fines.

ANN ARBOR — Ask any Michigan coach or player about forward Morez Johnson Jr., you’re bound to hear the same description.

Take a spin around the Crisler Center media room following Saturday’s smackdown of Rutgers in the Big Ten opener, for example. After Johnson poured in 22 points on 9-for-11 shooting from the floor in 24 minutes to go along with four rebounds, three steals and a blocked shot, guards L.J. Cason, Elliot Cadeau and Roddy Gayle Jr. all offered a similar assessment about their teammate.

“He’s just a dog,” Cadeau said. “He can guard all five positions. I think that’s what makes him different. We can put him on the point guard, and he’ll lock up a point guard.”

Across the room from Cadeau, Gayle and Cason echoed that sentiment.

“I feel like he’s our junkyard dog,” Gayle said. “You really can’t stop him. He’s just too physical, too forceful.”

Added Cason: “He’s just a dog on the boards. He plays hard and wants to win.”

It’s fitting that Cadeau, Cason and Gayle touched on different areas, considering all the different ways that Johnson impacts the game.

He’s the team’s enforcer on defense and, along with center Aday Mara, a vaunted rim protector. He’s a bully in the paint on offense who has no issue scoring over defenders or through contact. He’s a handful on the glass on both ends.

He’s a big reason why, entering play Sunday, the Wolverines lead the nation in 2-point defense (37.5%) and rank second in 2-point offense (64.9%) per KenPom, in addition to posting a plus-13 rebounding margin per game, a mark that’s tied for the fifth-best nationally.

Gayle can at least sympathize with what opponents have to go through with Johnson.

“I deal with it every day in practice, especially when we play games. Sometimes I’m at the four and it’s like, ‘What am I going to do?’” Gayle said. “I get a glimpse of what these other teams get to experience and when you piss him off, he’s a whole other animal.”

Throughout Michigan’s blazing 8-0 start, Johnson has been playing at a high level and Saturday was the latest demonstration.

He hounded the Scarlet Knights on the perimeter and in the paint. His defense generated offense, like when he turned a steal near midcourt into a fast-break layup. He ran the floor in transition. He finished at the basket on pick-and-rolls and through double-teams. At no point was he ever hunting his own shot.

“When you look at our good possessions in Vegas (at the Players Era tournament), a lot of times we got layups and dunks because of his seals, because of his screens, because of his rim runs,” coach Dusty May said. “He does a lot of extremely visible and invisible plays.”

On numerous occasions against Rutgers, Johnson got inside position and sealed off his defender, which led to easy buckets at rim. There were also several times he had to go up to grab a contested post entry pass that led to more paint points.

“He loves contact. I think that’s first and foremost,” May said. “He wins every catch. Our guys have a lot of confidence to throw him the ball, because if it’s a 50-50 ball, a 60-40 ball, a 70-30 ball and he’s at a disadvantage, he typically wins those catches and turns them into baskets.

“There’s trust that’s developed throughout the season … and Morez has certainly earned the trust of his teammates that he’s going to play the right way, play with efficiency.”

Given Johnson’s elite finishing inside — his 68.7% field goal percentage ranks fifth in the Big Ten — and improved free-throw shooting, it almost seems unfair when he’s knocking down 3-pointers.

Heading into the Rutgers contest, Johnson had attempted two 3-pointers all season after not attempting one last season at Illinois and missed both. Against Rutgers, he knocked down both of his 3-point tries from straightaway.

May noted the goal is to have all five guys on the court be capable of knocking down deep balls. And if Johnson adds a respectable 3-point shot to his arsenal, May added it can make teams “more skittish” toward helping at the rim, which can cause a “chain reaction” that opens driving lanes for others.

Yet, Johnson has already provided a noticeable ripple effect throughout the team with his fierce, nasty nature on the floor.

“I think our team has adopted his personality. We don’t have a rugged group by nature. We have some guys that have grown into being tough, rugged dudes,” May said last week. “But Morez, every single minute of every single day he brings a physicality and intensity, a serious approach to everything that he does.”

So far, Johnson has been doing it all — and perhaps even more than anyone May has ever coached before.

“(Assistant coach) Kyle Church and I have worked together for a million years. He said we’ve never had one of those. We’ve never had … a guy that impacts the game in so many ways,” May said. “And now, because of his work and the staff’s ability to help him get better, he’s playing well out of the short rolls, he’s adding to his game.

“The sky is the limit for Morez. … He does so much but he’s also so selfless.”

ROCHESTER HILLS – The banked 3-pointer by Rochester Adams senior Josiah Fazecas to close the first quarter of Saturday’s MAC/OAA Showcase game against Dakota had teammates in a frenzy and the Highlanders feeling good.

Dakota head coach Paul Tocco, whose team trailed 13-6 at that point, wasn’t quite as enthused about those opening eight minutes.

“I thought we came out lethargic and a little lazy in the first quarter,” Tocco said. “Credit to Adams, who played really hard. They moved the ball well, played disciplined basketball. We didn’t come out with our normal enthusiasm.”

The tables turned swiftly as the Cougars outscored Adams 17-2 in the second quarter, the catalyst for their 60-53 win over the Highlanders at Rochester High School.

Simply put, Tocco said his team “played Dakota basketball” in that second stanza.

Highlanders junior Cannon Flynn scored his team’s only points early in that second quarter, but he collected his third foul that subjected him to the bench for the final four minutes before halftime.

“They got up and pressured us and we couldn’t get into any of our sets, our actions,” Highlanders head coach Isaiah Novak said. “We really rely on attacking closeouts, getting into space and knocking down shots, and we had a really tough time creating advantageous situations for ourselves. Then when we did and got the open shot, they just weren’t falling for us tonight. I think we probably missed five layups in the first half. And it was hard to get those layups, right? So we just didn’t take advantage of the options we did have.”

Novak was reluctant to place too much blame on the foul trouble of his standout player and lone returning starter for his team’s struggles, though it was clear what impact he had when he was on the floor. Flynn scored 13 of his game-high 15 points in the second half of the loss.

“A lot of what we do goes through (Cannon), but in some ways, these early season challenges are a good thing,” Novak said. “There’s gonna be times throughout the season where he’s in foul trouble or something else happens and he’s got to be on the bench. Although they’re difficult when you reflect on one game, I think in the overall season, things like that can be challenges that can be good for us in the long run.”

Photos of Dakota vs. Rochester Adams in boys basketball action at the MAC/OAA Showcase

While that disparity in the second quarter didn't put the game away for the Cougars, they continued to utilize a balanced offensive effort in the third when they outscored Adams 21-13 to effectively put the game to bed.

"I've got nine seniors, and I've never coached (that many seniors) before," Tocco said. Five (start) and any one of them can play on the floor at a time. I have really good underclassmen as well, so we've got a really deep team."

One of those seniors, Tovin Williams, led Dakota with 13 points, while classmates Brayden Lee and Benji Jackson added 11 and nine, respectively. Seniors Daniel Terski and Zeke Wilson each finished with 10 for Adams.

The Cougars (2-1) also won at this event last year, beating Lake Orion as part of an 8-1 start. They finished the year just 14-10, though Tocco attributes that just as much to a difficult set of league opponents as anything. "If you look at the Red, you're looking at Warren Lincoln, back-to-back state titles. Grosse Pointe South, a very well-coached team, a lot of good pieces. Chippewa's athletic, Roseville are a really good team this year, and Port Huron Northern, they beat us last year (in districts), it was tough to beat them. So it's a tough MAC Red, and coming back (this year) it's even tougher, so we've got to get ready for that play, and that's what we're doing playing in tournaments and and against good teams like Adams right now."

As to what the Cougars can do to improve upon last year's 3-7 league mark and how they're better this go-around, he added, "We're better defensively this year in our half-court defense. We have five guys that are locked in like we were in that second quarter. And we probably want to start and finish quarters a little better, or start and finish games better. I won't say I'm not happy to win, but we didn't start well and didn't finish well (tonight)."

Novak didn't want to use the fact that his team was coming off a game against Clarkston (a 68-44 loss) on Friday night, though said it could have played into some tired legs for the Highlanders (1-1). "It's possible, but we know the challenges that come with scheduling the way we do," he said. "You're playing Clarkston and Dakota, those are two of the best teams in Macomb and Oakland County, and playing back-to-back makes it even more difficult, but I think it's an opportunity for our kids to come out and know where we're at compared to the best. It exposed our weaknesses early, and now we can identify them and work on them, hopefully correct al ot of those things before we get into the league."

Adams continues with another non-league game on Tuesday at home against Birmingham Seaholm. The Cougars resume play on Wednesday with a MAC Crossover at Utica Ford.

DETROIT (AP) — Cade Cunningham had 23 points and 12 assists and the Detroit Pistons beat Milwaukee 124-112 on Saturday night to end the Bucks’ 15-game winning streak in Detroit.

Milwaukee came into the season with a 13-game winning streak against the Pistons, but Detroit has won two of three this season.

Jalen Duren had 16 points and 16 rebounds for Detroit, which has won four of five to improve to 19-5, with the only loss coming on Wednesday night in Milwaukee. Isaiah Stewart added 19 points.

Kevin Porter Jr. had a season-high 32 points for the Bucks, who have lost 10 of 12. Kyle Kuzma added 15 points.

Detroit shot 57.1% (20-35) from the floor in the first half, including 50% (7-14) on 3-pointers, but only built a 61-56 lead thanks to 13 turnovers that led to 20 Milwaukee points. Cunningham had 15 points and eight assists while Porter scored 19 on 7-8 shooting.

The Pistons started the third quarter with a 13-3 run to take a 74-59 lead, and Milwaukee was still down by 10 going into the fourth.

The Bucks never threatened in the fourth, trailing by 25 when both teams started emptying the benches. Pistons guard Marcus Sasser made his season debut, having missed the first 23 games with a hip injury.

Up next

Bucks: Host Boston on Thursday night.

Pistons: Host Atlanta on Friday night.

Dakota trailed after the opening quarter, then jumped out to a big lead by halftime and went on to beat Rochester Adams 60-53 in the MAC/OAA Showcase on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025 at Rochester High School.

AUBURN HILLS (AP) — Ziare Wells led Oakland with 21 points, including the game-winning jump shot with 10 seconds remaining, and the Golden Grizzlies knocked off Toledo 98-97 on Saturday.

Oakland (5-5, 1-0 Horizon League) has won four straight since a 1-5 start.

Wells added five rebounds for the Golden Grizzlies. Brody Robinson scored 19 points while shooting 8 for 14, including 3 for 7 from beyond the arc and added six assists. Tuburu Niavalurua had 18 points and went 9 of 16 from the field.

“If you walk away from this basketball game thinking ‘Oh, my gosh, I don’t ever want to watch basketball’, something’s wrong with you,” OU coach Greg Kampe said. “That was an unbelievable basketball game played by 13-14 players that can really play basketball. Two great programs who let their players play. We beat a really well coached team today. We beat a really good team today.”

Saturday’s win was the 900th in Oakland’s program history.

Leroy Blyden Jr. led the Rockets (5-4) in scoring, finishing with 20 points. Jaylan Ouwinga added 16 points and seven rebounds for Toledo. Sonny Wilson also had 16 points and six assists.

Wells scored 10 points in the first half and Oakland went into the break trailing 48-45. Michael Houge scored 13 second-half points. Oakland outscored Toledo by four points over the final half.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

ANN ARBOR (AP) — Morez Johnson Jr. scored 22 points on 9-of-11 shooting, and No. 3 Michigan won its fifth consecutive game by 25 or more points, beating Rutgers 101-60 on Saturday.

The Wolverines scored more than 100 points for the third consecutive game, a feat last accomplished during their 1989 national championship season.

Yaxel Lendenborg had 14 points and eight rebounds for the Wolverines (8-0, 1-0) in their Big Ten opener. Trey McKenney added 13 points, and Elliot Cadeau had 11 points and nine assists.

Michigan shot 60% from the field while making its case for the No. 1 spot in the AP poll after No. 1 Purdue lost earlier in the day. The Maize Rage student section did its lobbying with several “No. 1” chants late in the game.

Freshmen Harun Zrno and Kaden Powers led Rutgers (5-5, 0-2) with 13 points apiece. Zrno, a 21-year-old from Bosnia and Herzegovina, made his first career start.

EAST LANSING (AP) — Cameron Boozer scored 18 points, including 16 in the second half, and Caleb Foster added 12 points Saturday to help No. 4 Duke hold on for a 66-60 victory over No. 7 Michigan State in a game that had the intensity of an NCAA Regional Final.

Boozer, who entered averaging nearly 27 points a game, also had 15 rebounds for the Blue Devils (10-0). Duke’s start is its best open to a season since winning the first 11 games in 2017-18.

A combination of missed open shots and tight defense kept the game close. The teams traded the lead nine times and were tied four times in the second half.

Isaiah Evans gave the Blue Devils a 55-53 lead with 3:59 remaining, but Jeremy Fears tied it at 55 with a pair of free throws with 1:59 left. Boozer then hit two free throws with 1:35 to go to put Duke up for good. Evans then was fouled by Fears on a 3-point shot and made all three free throws to give Duke a 60-55 advantage.

Carson Cooper had a layup with 46 seconds left to cut the margin to 60-57 but that was as close as Michigan State could get.

Cooper led Michigan State (8-1) with 16 points and a career-high 16 rebounds. Jaxon Kohler had 14 points and seven rebounds for the Spartans.

Neither team could get into an offensive rhythm in the first half. Duke led through the first 12 minutes, up by as many as six points. Michigan State grabbed the lead on a 3-pointer by Jesse McCulloch with 5:02 left and held on for a 34-31 halftime advantage.

Both teams struggled with their shooting from the field in the first half, combining for 22 of 63.

Up next

Duke: Hosts Lipscomb on Dec. 16.

Michigan State: Visits Penn State on Dec. 13.

— By BOB TRIPI, Associated Press

By NOAH TRISTER, AP Sports Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — The World Cup final will kick off at 3 p.m. EDT next July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

FIFA announced the start times for the tournament’s 104 matches on Saturday, a day after the draw for the expanded 48-nation tournament. The kickoff time allows for prime-time viewing in Europe, where it will be 9 p.m., and Britain, where it will be 8 p.m.

The average 3 p.m. temperature over the past 30 years in East Rutherford on July 19 is 83 degrees (28 Celsius) with a RealFeel index of 89 (32), according to AccuWeather.

Nine of the 10 World Cup finals from 1978 through 2014 started in the 2-3:30 p.m. EDT range, the exception 2002 in Japan, which began at 7 a.m. EDT. The 2018 final started at 11 a.m. EDT and the 2022 championship of a tournament shifted to winter in Qatar at 10 a.m. EST.

The 1994 final at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, kicked off at 12:30 p.m. local time (3:30 p.m. EDT).

FIFA announced the schedule and sites after factoring in travel and broadcast.

“Let’s just say it’s been a long night — or a short night,” chief tournament officer Manolo Zubiria said. “As I explained earlier to some of the coaches, we’ve tried to basically strike the right balance looking at the preparation, the recovery that the teams have to do in this very large footprint, the biggest World Cup ever, 16 cities, three countries, different climatic conditions, time zones.”

Zubira said goals included “trying to minimize travel for the teams and the fans to try to see their teams play, and obviously trying to see how to best expose this competition to the world, trying to find the right times for the kickoff times in specific cities, taking into consideration some restrictions.”

The opener at Mexico City on June 11 between El Tri and South Africa will start at 1 p.m. local (3 p.m. EDT).

Semifinals will start at 2 p.m. (3 p.m. EDT) on July 14 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and 3 p.m. the following day at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, both of which have retractable roofs.

Quarterfinals will begin at 4 p.m. on July 9 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, and noon (3 p.m. EDT) the following day at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The last two quarterfinals are on July 11, starting at 5 p.m. at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, and 8 p.m. (9 p.m. EDT) at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. Of the quarterfinal venues, SoFi has a roof but air from the outside can flow in, and the other three are open air.

FIFA announced on Feb. 4 last year that the final was scheduled for New Jersey and that June 12 revealed site-specific matchups for games in the new round of 32, round of 16, quarterfinals and semifinals.

Seventy-eight games will be in the U.S., including all from the quarterfinals on, and 13 apiece in Canada and Mexico.

During an event at the Capital Hilton, FIFA also announced sites of the 54 group stage games not finalized with Friday’s draw, which fixed venues for only Groups A, B and D — which include co-hosts Mexico, Canada and the United States.

South Korea is the only team other than Canada and Mexico with no games in the U.S., playing its opener in Guadalajara against the Czech Republic, Denmark, Ireland or North Macedonia, then facing El Tri at the same venue and finishing the round against South Africa in Monterrey.

The U.S. first-round games will be a 6 p.m. local start (9 p.m. EDT) against Paraguay at Inglewood on June 12, a noon kickoff (3 p.m. EDT) vs. Australia at Seattle seven days later and a 7 p.m. start on June 25 at SoFi against Turkey, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo.

Japan’s Group F game against Tunisia at Monterrey, Mexico, on June 20 will be the 1,000th World Cup match.

Germany’s June 14 Group E opener against Curaçao will kick off at noon local (1 p.m. EDT) at NRG Stadium. Curaçao has the smallest population of a country to reach the World Cup at about 150,000.

“It will be played in Houston, which is a closed venue, indoor, so nobody can complain about heat or weather or wind or whatever,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said.

AP Sports Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report.

2026 World Cup Schedule

United States, Mexico, Canada

FIRST ROUND

GROUP A

Thursday, June 11

Mexico City

Mexico vs. South Africa 2000 GMT

Guadalajara

South Korea vs. Denmark/North Macedonia/Czech Republic/Ireland, 0300 GMT Friday

Thursday, June 18

Atlanta

Denmark/North Macedonia/Czech Republic/Ireland vs. South Africa, 1700 GMT

Guadalajara

Mexico vs. South Korea, 0200 GMT Friday

Wednesday, June 24

Mexico City

Denmark/North Macedonia/Czech Republic/Ireland vs. Mexico, 0200 GMT Thursday

Monterrey

South Africa vs. South Korea, 0200 GMT Thursday

GROUP B

Friday, June 12

Toronto

Canada vs. Italy/Northern Ireland/Wales/Bosnia-Herzegovina, 2000 GMT

Saturday, June 13

Santa Clara, California

Qatar vs. Switzerland, 2000 GMT

Thursday, June 18

Los Angeles

Switzerland vs. Italy/Northern Ireland/Wales/Bosnia-Herzegovina, 2000 GMT

Vancouver

Canada vs. Qatar, 2300 GMT

Wednesday, June 24

Vancouver

Switzerland vs. Canada, 2000 GMT

Seattle

Italy/Northern Ireland/Wales/Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Qatar, 2000 GMT

GROUP C

Saturday, June 13

East Rutherford, New Jersey

Brazil vs. Morocco, 2300 GMT

Boston

Haiti vs. Scotland, 0200 GMT Sunday

Friday, June 19

Boston

Scotland vs. Morocco, 2300 GMT

Philadelphia

Brazil vs. Haiti, 0200 GMT Saturday

Wednesday, June 24

Miami

Scotland vs. Brazil, 2300 GMT

Atlanta

Morocco vs. Haiti, 2300 GMT

GROUP D

Friday, June 12

Los Angeles

United States vs. Paraguay, 0200 GMT Saturday

Saturday, June 13

Vancouver

Australia vs. Turkey/Romania/Slovakia/Kosovo, 0500 GMT Sunday

Friday, June 19

Santa Clara, California

Turkey/Romania/Slovakia/Kosovo vs. Paraguay, 0500 GMT Saturday

Seattle

United States vs. Australia, 2000 GMT

Thursday, June 25

Los Angeles

Turkey/Romania/Slovakia/Kosovo vs. United States, 0300 GMT Friday

Santa Clara, California

Paraguay vs. Australia, 0300 GMT Friday

GROUP E

Sunday, June 14

Houston

Germany vs. Curacao, 1800 GMT

Philadelphia

Ivory Coast vs. Ecuador, 0000 GMT Monday

Saturday, June 20

Toronto

Germany vs. Ivory Coast, 2100 GMT

Kansas City

Ecuador vs. Curacao, 0100 GMT Sunday

Thursday, June 25

East Rutherford, New Jersey

Ecuador vs. Germany, 2100 GMT

Philadelphia

Curacao vs. Ivory Coast, 2100 GMT

GROUP F

Sunday, June 14

Dallas

Netherlands vs. Japan, 2100 GMT

Monterrey

Ukraine/Sweden/Poland/Albania vs. Tunisia, 0300 GMT Monday

Saturday, June 20

Houston

Netherlands vs. Ukraine/Sweden/Poland/Albania, 1800 GMT

Monterrey

Tunisia vs. Japan, 0500 GMT Sunday

Thursday, June 25

Dallas

Japan vs. Ukraine/Sweden/Poland/Albania, 0000 GMT Friday

Kansas City

Tunisia vs. Netherlands, 0000 GMT Friday

GROUP G

Monday, June 15

Seattle

Belgium vs. Egypt, 2000 GMT

Los Angeles

Iran vs. New Zealand, 0200 GMT Tuesday

Sunday, June 21

Los Angeles

Belgium vs. Iran, 2000 GMT

Vancouver

New Zealand vs. Egypt, 0200 GMT Monday

Friday, June 26

Seattle

Egypt vs. Iran, 0400 GMT Saturday

Vancouver

New Zealand vs. Belgium, 0400 GMT Saturday

GROUP H

Monday, June 15

Atlanta

Spain vs. Cape Verde, 1700 GMT

Miami

Saudi Arabia vs. Uruguay, 2300 GMT

Sunday, June 21

Atlanta

Spain vs. Saudi Arabia, 1700 GMT

Miami

Uruguay vs, Cape Verde, 2300 GMT

Friday, June 26

Houston

Cape Verde vs. Saudi Arabia, 0100 GMT Saturday

Guadalajara

Uruguay vs. Spain, 0100 GMT Saturday

GROUP I

Tuesday, June 16

East Rutherford, New Jersey

France vs. Senegal, 2000 GMT

Boston

Iraq/Bolivia/Suriname vs. Norway, 2300 GMT

Monday, June 22

Philadelphia

France vs. Iraq/Bolivia/Suriname, 2200 GMT

East Rutherford, New Jersey

Norway vs. Senegal, 0100 GMT Tuesday

Friday, June 26

Boston

Norway vs. France, 2000 GMT

Toronto

Senegal vs. Iraq/Bolivia/Suriname, 2000 GMT

GROUP J

Tuesday, June 16

Kansas City

Argentina vs. Algeria, 0200 GMT Wednesday

Santa Clara, California

Austria vs. Jordan, 0500 GMT Wednesday

Monday, June 22

Dallas

Argentina vs. Austria, 1800 GMT

Santa Clara, California

Jordan vs. Algeria, 0400 GMT Tuesday

Saturday, June 27

Kansas City

Algeria vs. Austria, 0300 GMT Sunday

Dallas

Jordan vs. Argentina, 0300 GMT Sunday

GROUP K

Wednesday, June 17

Houston

Portugal vs. DR Congo/Jamaica/New Caledonia, 1800 GMT

Mexico City

Uzbekistan vs. Colombia, 0300 GMT Thursday

Tuesday, June 23

Houston

Portugal vs. Uzbekistan, 1800 GMT

Guadalajara

Colombia vs. DR Congo/Jamaica/New Caledonia, 0300 GMT Wednesday

Saturday, June 27

Miami

Colombia vs. Portugal, 0030 Sunday

Atlanta

DR Congo/Jamaica/New Caledonia vs. Uzbekistan, 0030 GMT Sunday

GROUP L

Wednesday, June 17

Dallas

England vs. Croatia, 2100 GMT

Toronto

Ghana vs. Panama, 0000 GMT Thursday

Tuesday, June 23

Boston

England vs. Ghana, 2100 GMT

Toronto

Panama vs. Croatia, 0000 GMT Wednesday

Saturday, June 27

East Rutherford, New Jersey

Panama vs. England, 2200 GMT

Philadelphia

Croatia vs. Ghana, 2200 GMT

By RONALD BLUM, AP Sports Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — Tyler Adams has set a bold goal for the U.S. soccer team, aiming to reach the World Cup semifinals for the first time since the inaugural tournament in 1930.

“Everyone’s going to want us to say winning it is obviously the goal,” the American midfielder said Friday after the World Cup draw, “but I think setting the benchmark of the furthest the U.S. team has gone is also realistic.”

The 14th-ranked U.S. will start Group D against No. 39 Paraguay on June 12 in Inglewood, California, and then play 26th-ranked Australia six days later at Seattle. The Americans conclude the group stage on June 25 back at SoFi Stadium against the winner of playoffs among Turkey (25), Slovakia (45), Romania (47) and Kosovo (80).

“Getting three points right off right off the bat like that would be would be an amazing start for us and just put us in a great position in the group,” star Christian Pulisic said.

It appears to be among the less difficult of the 12 groups. The top two in each advance to the new round of 32 along with the best four third-place teams.

“Listen, we all want to win a World Cup,” defender Tim Ream said. “You don’t play a tournament just to be there and so we’ve had conversations, Chris and I have had conversations about, yeah, we wan to win. I think people can laugh and say whatever they want.”

In recent friendlies, the U.S. lost 2-1 to Turkey in June, beat Australia 2-1 in October and defeated Paraguay 2-1 last month.

“Potentially we played all three of these teams in the last six months but that can be a little bit of a false kind of sense of security,” defender Ream said.

In nearly a century of World Cup play, the U.S. is 1-7 in knockout games, getting outscored 22-7. The Americans’ only win was 2-0 over Mexico in 2002’s round of 16, which was followed by a 1-0 quarterfinal loss to Germany. The Americans are winless in their last 12 World Cup matches against European teams, outscored 20-10.

“There’s no easy game in a World Cup. In fact, I think some of our hardest games in the previous World Cup were against the lesser opponents,” Adams said.

At the 2022 tournament in Qatar, the U.S. tied Wales 1-1 and England 0-0 before beating Iran 1-0 on a Pulisic goal to advance.

“It’s fair to say that the last World Cup we couldn’t set a bar or standard for anything. We didn’t know what to expect,” Adams said. “Now looking back on it, I think we have more experience. We’re a lot more mature. We’ve grown a lot as individuals and as a team.”

Coach Mauricio Pochettino has scheduled friendlies against Belgium and Portugal in March and vs. a team to be determined and Germany just before the tournament.

As he mulls his roster, Pochettino thinks about “Miracle,” a 2004 movie he watched last month about the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team of young players that upset the heavily favored Soviet Union and went on to win the gold medal. Coach Herb Brooks’ decisions made an impression on Pochettino.

“We don’t need the best players, we need the right players to make a team a strong team,” Pochettino said. “The right players to build a powerful team with the possibility to fight with any team in the in the world. Good and right are completely different.”

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Ferris State right tackle Tim Anderson, a Rochester Adams graduate, was named a finalist Friday for the 2025 Gene Upshaw Award, given yearly to the best lineman in NCAA Division II football.

The 6-foot-6, 305-pound Anderson — named the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference’s Offensive Lineman of the Year — is among eight finalists, two from each region, for the award named after the Oakland Raider Hall of Famer, and former executive director of the NFL Players Association.

Along with his twin brother, Bob, Anderson leads a Ferris State offensive line — nicknamed The Nasty Boys — that has helped the Bulldogs to the No. 1 scoring (699 points, 53.9 per game) and total offenses (518.5 yards per game) in NCAA Division II, ranking third in rushing (3,984 yards, 306.5 per game) and fewest sacks allowed (eight total, 0.62 per game) entering this weekend’s play.

Anderson also earned first-team all-GLIAC (second time) and all-region honors.

Ferris (14-0), which has won Division II national titles in 2021, 2022 and 2024, is headed to the semifinals of the D2 playoffs, after beating Minnesota State, 52-29, on Saturday afternoon. The Bulldogs ran for 307 yards as a team — and five touchdowns — and allowed no sacks on the afternoon.

The Upshaw Award is voted on by D-II sports information directors across the country. The winner of the award, given out by the Manheim Touchdown Club, will be announced on Dec. 12.

The other seven finalists, pared down from a group of 29 nominees, include: Kutztown OT Ryan Schernecke, Wingate OG Will Hart, Catawba OT Avery Swinton, Ashland DE Michael Shimek, Central Washington center Slade Edwards and Harding OT Jake Mitchell.

Previous winners include three Ferris players — Caleb Murphy (2022), Dylan Pasquali (2021) and Austin Edwards (2019) — three from Grand Valley — Matt Judon (2015, West Bloomfield HS grad), Brandon Barnes (2007) and Mike McFadden (2005, 2006) — and one from Wayne State — Joe Long (2011).

DETROIT (AP) — Cade Cunningham had 13 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter and the Detroit Pistons rallied to beat the Portland Trail Blazers 122-116 on Friday night.

Cunningham also had three assists in the quarter and finished

with nine. Jalen Duren added 18 points and eight rebounds.

Detroit allowed 22 points off turnovers. The Pistons averaged only 15.0 points off turnovers in their 15-2 start, but have been over 20 in seven straight games while going 4-3.

Deni Avdjia had 35 points for Portland. Jeremi Grant had 29, and Shaedon Sharpe 28 — and the rest of the team had 24.

Detroit took a 112-110 lead on Cunningham’s steal and layup with 2:22 to play, and Duncan Robinson scored five points in the next two possessions to make it a seven-point game.

Avdija had 29 points in the first three quarters, helping Portland to an 85-84 lead. The Pistons scored 65 in the first half, but only got 19 points in the third.

When Pontiac Notre Dame Prep senior quarterback Sam Stowe’s injury prevented him from finishing last weekend’s D5 state championship, it gave those unfamiliar with the Irish a chance to see one of the other cannons at the team’s disposal.

Fellow senior Drake Roa, one of Stowe’s most-preferred targets this season, let it rip for another, classmate Brody Sink, for a 60-yard touchdown reception on the first play of the fourth quarter of the 42-14 loss to Grand Rapids West Catholic.

It’s not the first time the pair have played pass and catch this year, either. The Irish opted for some trickery in the first quarter of their Week 3 loss against Gibraltar Carlson and Roa found Sink on a crossing route for a 35-yard gain.

Baseball knowers are aware of the arm that Roa has. Earlier in the fall, he committed as a shortstop to Michigan.

But Irish head coach Pat Fox has had the scouting report long before most, and indicated that at one point, it looked like it would be Roa, not Stowe, who would lead offensive coordinator Jason Whalen’s unit.

“Initially when (Drake) and Sam came in, we thought Sam was going to be a tight end and Drake was gonna quarterback,” Fox said.

“After about two weeks, we figured out that’s probably not how it’s gonna roll.”

It worked out pretty well for both. Stowe led the Irish to the state title in his first year as starter in 2024, completing over 71% of his passes for 2,751 passing yards and 37 passing touchdowns (to go with seven rushing TDs).

This season, Stowe tossed over 40 TDs, with Roa hauling in 16 scores as he also accounted for nearly 1,000 of Stowe’s passing yards.

The injury suffered late in the first half at Ford Field marked an unfortunate ending to a brilliant two-year run for Stowe.

“Sam’s a tremendous quarterback, so fantastic of a young man,” Fox said. “It was hard to see him get hurt. He wanted to come back in and he couldn’t. We couldn’t let him come back in. We didn’t want to put him at risk, and he’s going to be shooting 3-balls in two weeks playing basketball.”

West Catholic head coach Landon Grove was very complimentary of Notre Dame Prep’s QB1, too, saying, “I don’t know how Sam Stowe doesn’t have a scholarship somewhere. He’s one of the better quarterbacks we’d seen on film. He’s a fantastic player and it was a testament to our defense (how we) defended him.”

Fox was choked up once or twice when elaborating on the legacy that this year’s senior team has left considering how far he’s watched them come, or perhaps more appropriately, watched them grow.

“I remember Sam whipping off his sweater and dancing at the Christmas concert and his sister tackling him trying to get it back on him when he was four years old,” Fox said. “I’ve known Brody since he was in fifth grade. Anthony Tartaglia, Ben Liparoto, Jack Williams, and Logan Tuttle, I’ve known all of them since they were little boys, little teeny kids.”

Fox has boasted about being one of Oakland County’s winningest programs over the past seven years, and the senior class specifically helped ND Prep compile a 39-9 record over the last four seasons, including that coveted title win last year over Frankenmuth, who Fox admitted he was glad not to face again in the final.

“My sophomore season, we had a great team,” Sink said following the championship loss. “We had a great quarterback, some great players, and we ended up losing to a really good Corunna team. But I knew. Because we have a strong senior class, I didn’t hang my head. I knew we’d come back the next year. We had a great senior class last year, and at the beginning of last year we started rolling, and I was like, ‘This is going to be something special the next two seasons.’ We stayed the course and it was a very special past two years.”

Asked whether the next generation of Irish who witnessed this group accomplish all it did might be more inclined to dream big, Fox responded, “You would hope they do. But every group is different. Every challenge is great. We have great kids.”

Replacing the current bunch becomes Fox’s next task, but one he knows won’t come easy.

“We’ve got five juniors,” Fox said. “We’ve got work to do.”