ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jac Caglianone went deep twice for his first two homers in the big leagues as the Kansas City Royals beat the Texas Rangers 4-1 on Thursday.

The 22-year-old prospect won lefty-lefty matchups both times a day after sitting out in the majors for the first time in part because of a left-handed starter for Texas.

Both of Caglianone's homers led off innings. He pulled a 95.5 mph fastball from Jacob Latz into the Texas Rangers bullpen in right-center field, the 387-foot shot giving the Royals a 3-0 lead in the second. The second was on the first pitch from Robert Garcia in the ninth, a 439-footer over that same bullpen.

The sixth overall pick in last year's amateur draft out of Florida, Caglianone went 0 for 5 in his big league debut at St. Louis on June 3. His average was at .196 after going 0 for 4 in the opener of a series at Texas and sitting out the second game.

Caglianone, who played his first six games on the road before making his home debut against the New York Yankees, swung at Latz's 2-2 pitch above the strike zone, and pointed toward center field. He made the same gesture after crushing a slider from Garcia.

The 6-foot-5 Caglianone hit 15 homers in 50 games combined with Double-A Northwest Arkansas and Triple-A Omaha before getting called up.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750372128993.jpeg" alt="&nbsp;Kansas City Royals' Jac Caglianone celebrates in the dugout after hitting his first career home run during a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Thursday, June 19, 2025, Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Albert Pena)" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Kansas City Royals' Jac Caglianone celebrates in the dugout after hitting his first career home run during a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Thursday, June 19, 2025, Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Albert Pena)</figcaption>
 </figure>ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jac Caglianone went deep twice for his first two homers in the big leagues as the Kansas City Royals beat the Texas Rangers 4-1 on Thursday.The 22-year-old prospect won lefty-lefty matchups both times a day after sitting out in the majors for the first time in part because of a left-handed starter for Texas.Both of Caglianone's homers led off innings. He pulled a 95.5 mph fastball from Jacob Latz into the Texas Rangers bullpen in right-center field, the 387-foot shot giving the Royals a 3-0 lead in the second. The second was on the first pitch from Robert Garcia in the ninth, a 439-footer over that same bullpen.The sixth overall pick in last year's amateur draft out of Florida, Caglianone went 0 for 5 in his big league debut at St. Louis on June 3. His average was at .196 after going 0 for 4 in the opener of a series at Texas and sitting out the second game.Caglianone, who played his first six games on the road before making his home debut against the New York Yankees, swung at Latz's 2-2 pitch above the strike zone, and pointed toward center field. He made the same gesture after crushing a slider from Garcia.The 6-foot-5 Caglianone hit 15 homers in 50 games combined with Double-A Northwest Arkansas and Triple-A Omaha before getting called up.

Royals top prospect Jac Caglianone gets his 1st big league homers

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Top prospect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-caglianone-b777242d68ce78c9f85b19d1e4464317">Jac Caglianone went deep twice</a>&nbsp;for his first two homers in the majors, and the Kansas City Royals finished their first three-game sweep at Texas since 2003 with a 4-1 win over the Rangers on Thursday.

Vinnie Pasquantino added a two-run shot, and Michael Wacha held the Rangers hitless until Wyatt Langford's one-out single in the sixth. The right-hander allowed two hits and a run with five strikeouts in six innings.

Wacha (4-6) was the third Kansas City starter to win for the first time in June as part of the sweep, with the Royals coming off a 0-6 homestand that matched their longest losing streak of the season. Kansas City already had clinched its first series win in Arlington in 11 years.

Carlos Estévez pitched a perfect ninth for his AL-leading 21st save and second of the series.

Pasquantino's team-leading 11th homer opened the scoring in the first off right-hander Shawn Armstrong, the starter in a bullpen game for Texas. A run of 11 consecutive scoreless appearances ended for Armstrong (2-2).

Caglianone greeted Jacob Latz with his first big league homer leading off the second. The 22-year-old won a lefty-lefty matchup with a 387-foot drive into the Texas bullpen in right-center field.

The 6-foot-5 Caglianone mastered the lefty-lefty thing again to start the ninth, sending Robert Garcia's first pitch 439 feet over the Texas bullpen.

Latz went a career-high 5 2/3 innings, giving up three hits and a run.

Adolis García was the potential tying run when Wacha got him on a popout to finish his outing in the sixth.

Marcus Semien extended the longest hitting streak for the Rangers this season to 11 games with an RBI double in the sixth.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750371959909.jpeg" alt="&nbsp;Kansas City Royals pitcher Michael Wacha pitches in the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Thursday, June 19, 2025, Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Albert Pena)" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Kansas City Royals pitcher Michael Wacha pitches in the first inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Thursday, June 19, 2025, Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Albert Pena)</figcaption>
 </figure>ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Top prospect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/royals-caglianone-b777242d68ce78c9f85b19d1e4464317">Jac Caglianone went deep twice</a>&nbsp;for his first two homers in the majors, and the Kansas City Royals finished their first three-game sweep at Texas since 2003 with a 4-1 win over the Rangers on Thursday.Vinnie Pasquantino added a two-run shot, and Michael Wacha held the Rangers hitless until Wyatt Langford's one-out single in the sixth. The right-hander allowed two hits and a run with five strikeouts in six innings.Wacha (4-6) was the third Kansas City starter to win for the first time in June as part of the sweep, with the Royals coming off a 0-6 homestand that matched their longest losing streak of the season. Kansas City already had clinched its first series win in Arlington in 11 years.Carlos Estévez pitched a perfect ninth for his AL-leading 21st save and second of the series.Pasquantino's team-leading 11th homer opened the scoring in the first off right-hander Shawn Armstrong, the starter in a bullpen game for Texas. A run of 11 consecutive scoreless appearances ended for Armstrong (2-2).Caglianone greeted Jacob Latz with his first big league homer leading off the second. The 22-year-old won a lefty-lefty matchup with a 387-foot drive into the Texas bullpen in right-center field.The 6-foot-5 Caglianone mastered the lefty-lefty thing again to start the ninth, sending Robert Garcia's first pitch 439 feet over the Texas bullpen.Latz went a career-high 5 2/3 innings, giving up three hits and a run.<h2>Key moment</h2>Adolis García was the potential tying run when Wacha got him on a popout to finish his outing in the sixth.<h2>Key stat</h2>Marcus Semien extended the longest hitting streak for the Rangers this season to 11 games with an RBI double in the sixth.<h2>Up next</h2>

Caglianone goes deep twice as Royals beat Rangers 4-1

Former Barton Community College Head Coaches Ray Bechard and Mike Warren were recognized Tuesday as recipients of the Coaches Legacy Award presented by Nufabrx announced by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).

This is the first time in the near 90-year history of the NJCAA that coaches have been recognized in such a fashion by the Association as nearly 200 coaches across 28 different sports were nominated by the member colleges at which they coached.

"Being able to recognize our coaches, past and present, is a wonderful thing for the NJCAA, our member institutions, the coaches, and their families," said Dr. Christopher Parker, NJCAA President and CEO.

All honorees were recognized at a special luncheon on Tuesday, June 17, in Charlotte, North Carolina, at the Hilton Charlotte University Place Hotel which proceeded with the 2025 NJCAA Hall of Fame and Awards events later in the day.

The inaugural Legacy Award recognizes the all-time winningest coaches in NJCAA history, Bechard's 13-year volleyball career eclipsing 700-wins while Warren's career eclipsed the 1000-win qualification standard.

Both were previously inducted into the Barton Sports Hall of Fame, Bechard in 2002 while Warren was inducted in the 2020 class.

Ray BechardBechard didn't start Barton's volleyball program, nor did he have the first very successful teams at the school, but what Coach Bechard did do was create an NJCAA volleyball giant coming out of Great Bend.

A former Cougar basketball player from 1976 to 1978, Bechard returned to Barton in 1985 taking the reigns of the volleyball program for 13 years (1985 to 1997) compiling a 716-60 record for a staggering .923 winning percentage with nearly half of those losses coming to some of the best teams in the nation at the NJCAA Tournament.

Bechard's teams won the Jayhawk West title every year and were crowned Region 6 Champions all but once. In the team's twelve NJCAA Tournament appearances, the Cougars never finished lower than 5th. A 1989 NJCAA runner-up featuring fellow 2002 Barton Sports Hall of Fame Inductee Michelle Hall Hulsmeyer, Bechard's Cougars additionally placed 3rd a trio of times, in 4th place six times, and in the 5th spot twice.

Bechard's recruitment and individual performances included 14 First Team NJCAA All-America recipients, 13 Academic All-America achievers, and 15 Distinguished Academic All-America earners.

Consisting of eight seasons with 55 or more wins, Bechard's squads owned winning streaks of 59, 58, and 57 matches, along with, three additional unbeaten stretches of 30-plus in a row.

After leaving Barton, Bechard became the Head Volleyball Coach at the University of Kansas, where he retired this past December following a 27-year career as the Jayhawks' winningest coach in its volleyball history.

Bechard took the Kansas program to new heights, becoming a five-time Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year leading the Jayhawks to thirteen NCAA National Tournament appearances and a .613 winning percentage (496-313).

A Grinnell, Kansas native, Bechard is also a member of the Kansas Volleyball Association Hall of Fame, the NJCAA Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, and is a three-time AVCA Region Coach of the Year.

Mike WarrenWarren concluded his 30-year Cougar career in 2014 with a final mark of 903-628-1.

Averaging 30 wins per season including a then-school record 44 victories in 2002, Warren's Cougars won five Jayhawk Conference Western Division championships, two Western Sub-Regional championships, and earned four Western Division Coach of the Year honors.

Following a successful Kansas high school and collegiate playing career, Warren began his coaching career at Pratt Community College then Dodge City Community College capping a 35-year collegiate coaching record at 1001-740-1.

The Winfield, Kansas, native's reach extended beyond Barton baseball far and wide throughout the lives of over 900 student-athletes, coaches, and the industry at all levels including the KJCCC.

In 1986, Warren became the first President of the Jayhawk Conference Baseball Coaches Association with his first initiative being to unify the coaches and colleges in restructuring the conference schedule to keep student-athletes in class more often instead of missing due to game schedules.

Next was the development of a two-day annual all-star game to provide additional exposure for all Kansas community college sophomores in front of four-year schools and professional scouts. The Region 6 East/West All-Star Game was born and has taken place each fall since 1994 providing national exposure for sophomores in the Kansas junior college ranks.

In 1990, Warren helped and was instrumental in Barton getting a playing field on campus in the establishment of Lawson-Biggs Field.

Additionally, inducted into the Kansas Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016, Warren continued around the game after Barton including as the head coach at Eisenhower High School in Goddard before retiring his 46-year career earlier this month.

Former Barton Community College Head Coaches Ray Bechard and Mike Warren were recognized Tuesday as recipients of the Coaches Legacy Award presented by Nufabrx announced by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).This is the first time in the near 90-year history of the NJCAA that coaches have been recognized in such a fashion by the Association as nearly 200 coaches across 28 different sports were nominated by the member colleges at which they coached."Being able to recognize our coaches, past and present, is a wonderful thing for the NJCAA, our member institutions, the coaches, and their families," said Dr. Christopher Parker, NJCAA President and CEO.All honorees were recognized at a special luncheon on Tuesday, June 17, in Charlotte, North Carolina, at the Hilton Charlotte University Place Hotel which proceeded with the 2025 NJCAA Hall of Fame and Awards events later in the day.The inaugural Legacy Award recognizes the all-time winningest coaches in NJCAA history, Bechard's 13-year volleyball career eclipsing 700-wins while Warren's career eclipsed the 1000-win qualification standard.Both were previously inducted into the Barton Sports Hall of Fame, Bechard in 2002 while Warren was inducted in the 2020 class.Ray BechardBechard didn't start Barton's volleyball program, nor did he have the first very successful teams at the school, but what Coach Bechard did do was create an NJCAA volleyball giant coming out of Great Bend.A former Cougar basketball player from 1976 to 1978, Bechard returned to Barton in 1985 taking the reigns of the volleyball program for 13 years (1985 to 1997) compiling a 716-60 record for a staggering .923 winning percentage with nearly half of those losses coming to some of the best teams in the nation at the NJCAA Tournament.Bechard's teams won the Jayhawk West title every year and were crowned Region 6 Champions all but once. In the team's twelve NJCAA Tournament appearances, the Cougars never finished lower than 5th. A 1989 NJCAA runner-up featuring fellow 2002 Barton Sports Hall of Fame Inductee Michelle Hall Hulsmeyer, Bechard's Cougars additionally placed 3rd a trio of times, in 4th place six times, and in the 5th spot twice.Bechard's recruitment and individual performances included 14 First Team NJCAA All-America recipients, 13 Academic All-America achievers, and 15 Distinguished Academic All-America earners.Consisting of eight seasons with 55 or more wins, Bechard's squads owned winning streaks of 59, 58, and 57 matches, along with, three additional unbeaten stretches of 30-plus in a row.After leaving Barton, Bechard became the Head Volleyball Coach at the University of Kansas, where he retired this past December following a 27-year career as the Jayhawks' winningest coach in its volleyball history.Bechard took the Kansas program to new heights, becoming a five-time Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year leading the Jayhawks to thirteen NCAA National Tournament appearances and a .613 winning percentage (496-313).A Grinnell, Kansas native, Bechard is also a member of the Kansas Volleyball Association Hall of Fame, the NJCAA Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, and is a three-time AVCA Region Coach of the Year.Mike WarrenWarren concluded his 30-year Cougar career in 2014 with a final mark of 903-628-1.Averaging 30 wins per season including a then-school record 44 victories in 2002, Warren's Cougars won five Jayhawk Conference Western Division championships, two Western Sub-Regional championships, and earned four Western Division Coach of the Year honors.Following a successful Kansas high school and collegiate playing career, Warren began his coaching career at Pratt Community College then Dodge City Community College capping a 35-year collegiate coaching record at 1001-740-1.The Winfield, Kansas, native's reach extended beyond Barton baseball far and wide throughout the lives of over 900 student-athletes, coaches, and the industry at all levels including the KJCCC.In 1986, Warren became the first President of the Jayhawk Conference Baseball Coaches Association with his first initiative being to unify the coaches and colleges in restructuring the conference schedule to keep student-athletes in class more often instead of missing due to game schedules.Next was the development of a two-day annual all-star game to provide additional exposure for all Kansas community college sophomores in front of four-year schools and professional scouts. The Region 6 East/West All-Star Game was born and has taken place each fall since 1994 providing national exposure for sophomores in the Kansas junior college ranks.In 1990, Warren helped and was instrumental in Barton getting a playing field on campus in the establishment of Lawson-Biggs Field.Additionally, inducted into the Kansas Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016, Warren continued around the game after Barton including as the head coach at Eisenhower High School in Goddard before retiring his 46-year career earlier this month.

Kansas natives and former Cougars Ray Bechard and Mike Warren honored as NJCAA Coaches Legacy Award recipients

KUAthletics.com&nbsp; Kansas baseball's&nbsp;Brady Counsell&nbsp;became the first player in school history to win a Rawlings Gold Glove Award on Wednesday. Counsell earned a spot on the 2025 ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Div. I Gold Glove team for his work at third base this past season.

Counsell is one of nine Division I players to receive a Rawlings Gold Glove. There is only one player per position that is honored annually. Counsell is the first Big 12 position player to earn a Gold Glove since 2018.Counsell, who was named a finalist for the award on Monday, was selected as an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention recipient following the regular season. Defensively, Counsell posted a .992 fielding percentage with only one error in 121 chances this year.

The Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, native came to Kansas for his final year of eligibility in 2025. Counsell was a massive piece of the success for Kansas this season with his versatility to play third base, left field and second base. He helped turn eight double plays, while having 69 putouts and 51 assists.

At the plate, Counsell had 12 home runs, 54 runs scored and 57 RBIs. The 57 RBIs were tied for the seventh most in the conference and second on the team. His 54 runs were also second on the team. Counsell drew as many walks as times he struck out in 2025.

The ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove teams are selected by ABCA coaches committees and were first recognized in 2007. The award is presented annually to the top defensive players from each division of collegiate and high school baseball.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750344244937.jpeg" alt="KUAthletics.com" />
 <figcaption>KUAthletics.com</figcaption>
 </figure>KUAthletics.com&nbsp; Kansas baseball's&nbsp;Brady Counsell&nbsp;became the first player in school history to win a Rawlings Gold Glove Award on Wednesday. Counsell earned a spot on the 2025 ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Div. I Gold Glove team for his work at third base this past season.Counsell is one of nine Division I players to receive a Rawlings Gold Glove. There is only one player per position that is honored annually. Counsell is the first Big 12 position player to earn a Gold Glove since 2018.Counsell, who was named a finalist for the award on Monday, was selected as an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention recipient following the regular season. Defensively, Counsell posted a .992 fielding percentage with only one error in 121 chances this year.The Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, native came to Kansas for his final year of eligibility in 2025. Counsell was a massive piece of the success for Kansas this season with his versatility to play third base, left field and second base. He helped turn eight double plays, while having 69 putouts and 51 assists.At the plate, Counsell had 12 home runs, 54 runs scored and 57 RBIs. The 57 RBIs were tied for the seventh most in the conference and second on the team. His 54 runs were also second on the team. Counsell drew as many walks as times he struck out in 2025.The ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove teams are selected by ABCA coaches committees and were first recognized in 2007. The award is presented annually to the top defensive players from each division of collegiate and high school baseball.

Counsell Becomes First Kansas Player to Ever Win Rawlings Gold Glove Award

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Maikel Garcia homered and drove in four runs, helping the Kansas City Royals beat the Texas Rangers 6-3 on Wednesday night.

Garcia capped Kansas City's four-run third inning with a three-run drive for his career-best eighth homer. He also tripled in Bobby Witt Jr. in the eighth.

Garcia's three hits matched a season high, and his four RBIs equaled a career best.

The Royals have taken the first two in their three-game set at Texas following an 0-6 homestand that matched their longest losing streak of the season.

Kris Bubic (6-4) earned his first win since May 19. He allowed nine hits and three runs in 5 1/3 innings, throwing a season-high 101 pitches.

Carlos Estévez pitched a perfect ninth inning for his AL-best 20th save.

Patrick Corbin (4-6) allowed four runs over five innings for the Rangers, who have dropped two straight following a four-game win streak.

Texas opened a 2-0 lead in the first on Wyatt Langford’s RBI double and Adolis García’s run-scoring single. It closed 4-3 in the fifth on back-to-back doubles by Josh Jung and Jake Burger.

Sam Haggerty had three hits for the Rangers, matching a career high.

Texas played its second consecutive game without infielder Josh Smith, who is sidelined with a minor hamstring issue.

Lucas Erceg, the second of four Kansas City relievers, got Adolis García to ground into a double play with runners on the corners to end the seventh inning.

Texas was 5 for 13 with runners in scoring position, leaving nine on base.

Kansas City goes for the sweep Thursday with RHP Michael Wacha (3-6, 3.38 ERA). Texas will go with a bullpen game, starting with RHP Shawn Armstrong (2-1, 2.90).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750338876368.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals' Maikel Garcia celebrates his home run that scored teammates Jonathan India and Bobby Witt Jr. during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Wednesday, June 18, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Maikel Garcia celebrates his home run that scored teammates Jonathan India and Bobby Witt Jr. during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Wednesday, June 18, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)</figcaption>
 </figure>ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Maikel Garcia homered and drove in four runs, helping the Kansas City Royals beat the Texas Rangers 6-3 on Wednesday night.Garcia capped Kansas City's four-run third inning with a three-run drive for his career-best eighth homer. He also tripled in Bobby Witt Jr. in the eighth.Garcia's three hits matched a season high, and his four RBIs equaled a career best.The Royals have taken the first two in their three-game set at Texas following an 0-6 homestand that matched their longest losing streak of the season.Kris Bubic (6-4) earned his first win since May 19. He allowed nine hits and three runs in 5 1/3 innings, throwing a season-high 101 pitches.Carlos Estévez pitched a perfect ninth inning for his AL-best 20th save.Patrick Corbin (4-6) allowed four runs over five innings for the Rangers, who have dropped two straight following a four-game win streak.Texas opened a 2-0 lead in the first on Wyatt Langford’s RBI double and Adolis García’s run-scoring single. It closed 4-3 in the fifth on back-to-back doubles by Josh Jung and Jake Burger.Sam Haggerty had three hits for the Rangers, matching a career high.Texas played its second consecutive game without infielder Josh Smith, who is sidelined with a minor hamstring issue.<h2>Key moment</h2>Lucas Erceg, the second of four Kansas City relievers, got Adolis García to ground into a double play with runners on the corners to end the seventh inning.<h2>Key stat</h2>Texas was 5 for 13 with runners in scoring position, leaving nine on base.<h2>Up next</h2>Kansas City goes for the sweep Thursday with RHP Michael Wacha (3-6, 3.38 ERA). Texas will go with a bullpen game, starting with RHP Shawn Armstrong (2-1, 2.90).

Maikel Garcia homers to help the Kansas City Royals beat the Texas Rangers 6-3

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Difficult as it may seem, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is desperately trying to not think about what may await the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder star doesn’t want to think about the end of the NBA Finals. Or how the Larry O’Brien Trophy will feel in his hands if he gets to finally hoist it as a champion. Or what the celebration will look like, sound like, be like. The Thunder are one win from a title, and it could come when they visit the Indiana Pacers in Game 6 of the NBA Finals on Thursday. It is not just another game. Gilgeous-Alexander is trying to make it seem that way.

The Buss family has agreed to sell the controlling stake of the Los Angeles Lakers to TWG Global CEO Mark Walter, doing so with a franchise valuation of $10 billion — the most ever for a professional sports franchise, a person with knowledge of the agreement said Wednesday. As part of the deal, Jeanie Buss — whose family has had control of the Lakers since her father bought the team in 1979 — intends to remain as governor, said the person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither side immediately announced details.

STRONGSVILLE, Ohio (AP) — Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders is accused of driving a pickup truck 101 mph (163 kilometers per hour) on a suburban Cleveland interstate earlier this week. The Strongsville Police Department says its officers stopped Sanders at about 12:30 a.m. Tuesday in a 60 mph (97 kilometers per hour) zone on Interstate 71. Local media reported the 23-year-old from the University of Colorado could pay a $250 fine to waive the fourth-degree misdemeanor case. He's the son of Hall of Fame player Deion Sanders and was drafted in the fifth round of the NFL draft this spring.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — The Stanley Cup is a little banged up, thanks to the Florida Panthers’ celebration of back-to-back titles. The bowl of the famous trophy is cracked and the bottom is dented. The Panthers won their second consecutive championship on home ice Tuesday night, beating Edmonton in six games. The team, following decades of tradition, partied with the Cup well into Wednesday. The 131-year-old Cup has been damaged many times over the past century and is considered fairly easy to repair. That's the plan ahead of Sunday's celebration parade.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays overcame an eight-run deficit to beat the Baltimore Orioles 12-8 on Wednesday night in the largest comeback in the majors this season. Tampa Bay matched the biggest comeback in franchise history. The Rays also rallied from eight down in a 10-8 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Aug. 18, 2012, and in a 10-9 win over Toronto on July 25, 2009. The Orioles last gave away an eight-run lead on April 28, 2017, in a 14-11 loss to the New York Yankees. The largest blown lead in franchise history came in a 14-13 loss to Detroit on April 25, 1901, when the team was based in Milwaukee. Baltimore had an eight-run second inning.

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Yankees ended their 30-inning scoreless streak Wednesday night when Jazz Chisholm Jr. homered in the second inning against the Los Angeles Angels. Trailing 1-0, the Yankees ended their run-scoring drought when Chisholm sent a 2-0 pitch from Los Angeles starter Jack Konchanowicz into the seats in right field. The ball stayed just inside the foul pole and Chisholm, and his 10th homer of the season, was celebrated in the dugout with his teammates. The run was New York’s first since Anthony Volpe hit an RBI groundout in the ninth inning of its 4-3 loss at Boston on Saturday.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — After Latin pop and R&amp;B singer Nezza's viral controversial performance at Dodger Stadium, Dodgers fans have grown frustrated over the team’s lack of vocal support for local immigrant communities impacted by the rise of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests and raids. The baseball team has a long history with immigrant communities in Los Angeles, boasting a huge Latino fan base and hosting multiple heritage nights honoring various communities. Some fans have since called for a boycott online. Some are pushing for a more permanent boycott, while others say they’d be willing to return if the team spoke out in support.

FRISCO, Texas (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders say they are getting a serious increase in pay. One of the cheerleaders has said during the second season of the Netflix series “America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders” that the members are getting a 400% boost in pay. The cheerleaders have been pushing for pay increases for years. In 2019, the Cowboys settled a lawsuit with a former cheerleader that led to the squad doubling the per-game pay, from $200 to $400. The latest raise is four times that.

The WNBA has upgraded the technical foul on Connecticut’s Marina Mabrey for shoving Caitlin Clark to the floor during Tuesday’s night game against Indiana to a Flagrant-2. That's according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because no official announcement has been made. Any flagrant foul comes with an automatic fine. The person also said the league has fined the Fever’s Sophie Cunningham for her role in the on-court melee that occurred after she fouled Jacy Sheldon with 46.1 seconds left. Cunningham received a Flagrant-2 Tuesday night.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays say they are in “exclusive discussions” with a Florida investment group for a potential sale of the team. The Rays are valued at $1.25 billion, according to Forbes magazine. Stuart Sternberg bought the Major League Baseball club for $200 million in 2004. The potential sale comes at a precarious time for the Rays and their home ballpark. They are playing this season at the spring training home of the New York Yankees in Tampa after the roof of Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg was heavily damaged during Hurricane Milton last October.

INTERLEAGUE Pittsburgh at Detroit 5:40 p.m. (Postponed) St. Louisat Chi White Sox 5:40 p.m.(Postponed) Final Cincinnati 4 Minnesota 2 Final Toronto 8 Arizona 1 Final Cleveland 4 San Francisco 2

AMERICAN LEAGUE Final Boston 3 Seattle 1 Final L.A. Angels 3 N.Y. Yankees 2 Final Tampa Bay 12 Baltimore 8 Final Kansas City 6 Texas 3 Final Houston 11 Athletics 4

NATIONAL LEAGUE Milwaukee at Chi Cubs 2:20 p.m.(Postponed) Final Colorado 3 Washington 1 Final Philadelphia 4 Miami 2 Final Atlanta 5 N.Y. Mets 0 Final L.A. Dodgers 4 San Diego 3

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739459822020.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Difficult as it may seem, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is desperately trying to not think about what may await the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder star doesn’t want to think about the end of the NBA Finals. Or how the Larry O’Brien Trophy will feel in his hands if he gets to finally hoist it as a champion. Or what the celebration will look like, sound like, be like. The Thunder are one win from a title, and it could come when they visit the Indiana Pacers in Game 6 of the NBA Finals on Thursday. It is not just another game. Gilgeous-Alexander is trying to make it seem that way.The Buss family has agreed to sell the controlling stake of the Los Angeles Lakers to TWG Global CEO Mark Walter, doing so with a franchise valuation of $10 billion — the most ever for a professional sports franchise, a person with knowledge of the agreement said Wednesday. As part of the deal, Jeanie Buss — whose family has had control of the Lakers since her father bought the team in 1979 — intends to remain as governor, said the person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither side immediately announced details.STRONGSVILLE, Ohio (AP) — Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders is accused of driving a pickup truck 101 mph (163 kilometers per hour) on a suburban Cleveland interstate earlier this week. The Strongsville Police Department says its officers stopped Sanders at about 12:30 a.m. Tuesday in a 60 mph (97 kilometers per hour) zone on Interstate 71. Local media reported the 23-year-old from the University of Colorado could pay a $250 fine to waive the fourth-degree misdemeanor case. He's the son of Hall of Fame player Deion Sanders and was drafted in the fifth round of the NFL draft this spring.FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — The Stanley Cup is a little banged up, thanks to the Florida Panthers’ celebration of back-to-back titles. The bowl of the famous trophy is cracked and the bottom is dented. The Panthers won their second consecutive championship on home ice Tuesday night, beating Edmonton in six games. The team, following decades of tradition, partied with the Cup well into Wednesday. The 131-year-old Cup has been damaged many times over the past century and is considered fairly easy to repair. That's the plan ahead of Sunday's celebration parade.TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays overcame an eight-run deficit to beat the Baltimore Orioles 12-8 on Wednesday night in the largest comeback in the majors this season. Tampa Bay matched the biggest comeback in franchise history. The Rays also rallied from eight down in a 10-8 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Aug. 18, 2012, and in a 10-9 win over Toronto on July 25, 2009. The Orioles last gave away an eight-run lead on April 28, 2017, in a 14-11 loss to the New York Yankees. The largest blown lead in franchise history came in a 14-13 loss to Detroit on April 25, 1901, when the team was based in Milwaukee. Baltimore had an eight-run second inning.NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Yankees ended their 30-inning scoreless streak Wednesday night when Jazz Chisholm Jr. homered in the second inning against the Los Angeles Angels. Trailing 1-0, the Yankees ended their run-scoring drought when Chisholm sent a 2-0 pitch from Los Angeles starter Jack Konchanowicz into the seats in right field. The ball stayed just inside the foul pole and Chisholm, and his 10th homer of the season, was celebrated in the dugout with his teammates. The run was New York’s first since Anthony Volpe hit an RBI groundout in the ninth inning of its 4-3 loss at Boston on Saturday.LOS ANGELES (AP) — After Latin pop and R&amp;B singer Nezza's viral controversial performance at Dodger Stadium, Dodgers fans have grown frustrated over the team’s lack of vocal support for local immigrant communities impacted by the rise of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests and raids. The baseball team has a long history with immigrant communities in Los Angeles, boasting a huge Latino fan base and hosting multiple heritage nights honoring various communities. Some fans have since called for a boycott online. Some are pushing for a more permanent boycott, while others say they’d be willing to return if the team spoke out in support.FRISCO, Texas (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders say they are getting a serious increase in pay. One of the cheerleaders has said during the second season of the Netflix series “America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders” that the members are getting a 400% boost in pay. The cheerleaders have been pushing for pay increases for years. In 2019, the Cowboys settled a lawsuit with a former cheerleader that led to the squad doubling the per-game pay, from $200 to $400. The latest raise is four times that.The WNBA has upgraded the technical foul on Connecticut’s Marina Mabrey for shoving Caitlin Clark to the floor during Tuesday’s night game against Indiana to a Flagrant-2. That's according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because no official announcement has been made. Any flagrant foul comes with an automatic fine. The person also said the league has fined the Fever’s Sophie Cunningham for her role in the on-court melee that occurred after she fouled Jacy Sheldon with 46.1 seconds left. Cunningham received a Flagrant-2 Tuesday night.ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays say they are in “exclusive discussions” with a Florida investment group for a potential sale of the team. The Rays are valued at $1.25 billion, according to Forbes magazine. Stuart Sternberg bought the Major League Baseball club for $200 million in 2004. The potential sale comes at a precarious time for the Rays and their home ballpark. They are playing this season at the spring training home of the New York Yankees in Tampa after the roof of Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg was heavily damaged during Hurricane Milton last October.

INTERLEAGUE Pittsburgh at Detroit 5:40 p.m. (Postponed) St. Louisat Chi White Sox 5:40 p.m.(Postponed) Final Cincinnati 4 Minnesota 2 Final Toronto 8 Arizona 1 Final Cleveland 4 San Francisco 2AMERICAN LEAGUE Final Boston 3 Seattle 1 Final L.A. Angels 3 N.Y. Yankees 2 Final Tampa Bay 12 Baltimore 8 Final Kansas City 6 Texas 3 Final Houston 11 Athletics 4NATIONAL LEAGUE Milwaukee at Chi Cubs 2:20 p.m.(Postponed) Final Colorado 3 Washington 1 Final Philadelphia 4 Miami 2 Final Atlanta 5 N.Y. Mets 0 Final L.A. Dodgers 4 San Diego 3

Thursday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

Former Kansas City Chiefs employee and ex-NFL player Ramzee Robinson has sued the Chiefs, alleging racial discrimination.

Robinson, who is Black,&nbsp;filed the lawsuit&nbsp;in the Western District of Missouri on Tuesday.&nbsp;Front Office Sports first reported&nbsp;the lawsuit. Per the lawsuit, the "Chiefs paid African-American business employees less than their white counterparts."

The lawsuit claims that the Chiefs "unlawfully discriminated and retaliated against Plaintiff based on his race" and "unlawfully terminated" Robinson.

“We can’t comment because it’s an active legal matter,” Chiefs vice president of football communications Brad Gee&nbsp;told Pro Football Talk&nbsp;on Wednesday. “But to be clear, the Chiefs do not tolerate discrimination of any kind. We look forward to the facts of this case coming to light.”

Per the lawsuit, Robinson worked as Kansas City's Director of Player Engagement from 2016 to 2025. The lawsuit states that he started in his position with a salary of $35,000 before earning a final salary of $125,000. The lawsuit claims that the average salary for Robinson's position was $171,932.

Per the lawsuit, Robinson sought a salary review with team president Mark Donovan. According to the lawsuit, Donovan rejected the request while declaring that the "Chiefs had previously given him raises."

The lawsuit states that Donovan pressured Robinson into renewing his contract and that once he signed it, the Chiefs refused a request from the Houston Texans to interview him for a job, stating that an interview would be in violation of his contract.

The lawsuit states that Robinson's supervisor, executive vice president of administration Kirsten Krug, called him into her office on Feb. 15, 2025 and told Robinson that he had engaged in "conduct detrimental to the league.”

Per the lawsuit, Krug "suggested" that Robinson "attacked" a white female coworker and that there was security video evidence of the alleged incident. Krug "refused to show Plaintiff the video," according to the lawsuit. Krug then fired Robinson, according to the lawsuit.

Per the lawsuit, Robinson "maintained a good working relationship with his direct reports and a great rapport with the players."

The lawsuit also claims that an "African-American female" resigned from a management position with the Chiefs after the team refused to give her a promotion or raise from her $50,000 salary. The lawsuit claims that the Chiefs then hired a white woman for the same position with a salary of $80,000.

The lawsuit states that Robinson's "race was a motivating factor in Defendant’s actions against Plaintiff." It seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages to address "emotional distress, lost wages, including front and back pay and other benefits, reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs necessary for litigation."

Robinson, 41, played three seasons in the NFL as a cornerback. The Detroit Lions selected him as the last player taken in the 2007 NFL Draft. He played in 19 games across two seasons with the Lions and finished his playing career splitting the 2009 season with the Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles. He did not play for the Chiefs.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750262929740.jpeg" alt="Ramzee Robinson, seen here during his playing days with the Lions, has sued the Chiefs for alleged racial discrimination during his time with the team as an employee. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)" />
 <figcaption>Ramzee Robinson, seen here during his playing days with the Lions, has sued the Chiefs for alleged racial discrimination during his time with the team as an employee. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)</figcaption>
 </figure>Jason Owens Yahoo! SportsFormer Kansas City Chiefs employee and ex-NFL player Ramzee Robinson has sued the Chiefs, alleging racial discrimination.Robinson, who is Black,&nbsp;filed the lawsuit&nbsp;in the Western District of Missouri on Tuesday.&nbsp;Front Office Sports first reported&nbsp;the lawsuit. Per the lawsuit, the "Chiefs paid African-American business employees less than their white counterparts."The lawsuit claims that the Chiefs "unlawfully discriminated and retaliated against Plaintiff based on his race" and "unlawfully terminated" Robinson.“We can’t comment because it’s an active legal matter,” Chiefs vice president of football communications Brad Gee&nbsp;told Pro Football Talk&nbsp;on Wednesday. “But to be clear, the Chiefs do not tolerate discrimination of any kind. We look forward to the facts of this case coming to light.”<h2>What the lawsuit claims</h2>Per the lawsuit, Robinson worked as Kansas City's Director of Player Engagement from 2016 to 2025. The lawsuit states that he started in his position with a salary of $35,000 before earning a final salary of $125,000. The lawsuit claims that the average salary for Robinson's position was $171,932.Per the lawsuit, Robinson sought a salary review with team president Mark Donovan. According to the lawsuit, Donovan rejected the request while declaring that the "Chiefs had previously given him raises."The lawsuit states that Donovan pressured Robinson into renewing his contract and that once he signed it, the Chiefs refused a request from the Houston Texans to interview him for a job, stating that an interview would be in violation of his contract.<h2>Lawsuit addresses Robinson's termination</h2>The lawsuit states that Robinson's supervisor, executive vice president of administration Kirsten Krug, called him into her office on Feb. 15, 2025 and told Robinson that he had engaged in "conduct detrimental to the league.”Per the lawsuit, Krug "suggested" that Robinson "attacked" a white female coworker and that there was security video evidence of the alleged incident. Krug "refused to show Plaintiff the video," according to the lawsuit. Krug then fired Robinson, according to the lawsuit.Per the lawsuit, Robinson "maintained a good working relationship with his direct reports and a great rapport with the players."The lawsuit also claims that an "African-American female" resigned from a management position with the Chiefs after the team refused to give her a promotion or raise from her $50,000 salary. The lawsuit claims that the Chiefs then hired a white woman for the same position with a salary of $80,000.The lawsuit states that Robinson's "race was a motivating factor in Defendant’s actions against Plaintiff." It seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages to address "emotional distress, lost wages, including front and back pay and other benefits, reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs necessary for litigation."Robinson, 41, played three seasons in the NFL as a cornerback. The Detroit Lions selected him as the last player taken in the 2007 NFL Draft. He played in 19 games across two seasons with the Lions and finished his playing career splitting the 2009 season with the Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles. He did not play for the Chiefs.

Former Chiefs employee sues team, claims wrongful firing & race discrimination

DODGE CITY, Kan. — Eagle Media will serve as the official radio broadcast partner of the 52nd Kansas Shrine Bowl, set for Saturday, June 21, with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m. at Memorial Stadium in Dodge City.

The broadcast team features Gerard Wellbrock as play-by-play, Dustin Armbruster as analyst, and Sean Boston and Anthony Gorges reporting from the West and East sidelines, respectively. Glen Grunwald will serve as the producer.

The game will air live across five Eagle Media markets:

Additional coverage will be available on affiliate stations in Beloit (1190 AM, 102.9 FM, 105.5 FM) and Coffeyville (690 AM/104.1 FM).

Pregame coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. with a 30-minute show featuring interviews and more.

The Shrine Bowl of Kansas, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to producing annual events that benefit Shriners Children’s. Since its inception in 1974, the organization has raised nearly $4 million for the healthcare network, which provides pediatric specialty care regardless of a family’s ability to pay.

In addition to the East vs. West all-star football game, Kansas Shrine All-Star Events include the Kansas Masonic All-State Marching Band Camp, the Kansas Shrine Bowl All-Star Cheer Camp, the KWCA Kansas Shrine Duals, and a variety of other game week activities. Shriners Children’s, formerly known as Shriners Hospitals for Children, operates facilities and outreach programs worldwide, offering innovative research, teaching programs, and family-centered care to children up to age 18.

<a href="https://www.kansasshrinebowl.com/uploads/1/0/2/8/10280235/2025_kansas_shrine_bowl_rosters_-_updated_6-16-25.pdf">Click here</a> for complete rosters for the Kansas Shrine Bowl game.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725282945901.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>DODGE CITY, Kan. — Eagle Media will serve as the official radio broadcast partner of the 52nd Kansas Shrine Bowl, set for Saturday, June 21, with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m. at Memorial Stadium in Dodge City.The broadcast team features Gerard Wellbrock as play-by-play, Dustin Armbruster as analyst, and Sean Boston and Anthony Gorges reporting from the West and East sidelines, respectively. Glen Grunwald will serve as the producer.The game will air live across five Eagle Media markets:<ul>
 <li>Hutchinson (102.9 FM – flagship station)
</li><li>Great Bend (100.7 FM)
</li><li>Hays (101.9 FM)
</li><li>Salina (910 AM/107.5 FM)</li><li>Manhattan (103.5 FM)
</li>
 </ul>Additional coverage will be available on affiliate stations in Beloit (1190 AM, 102.9 FM, 105.5 FM) and Coffeyville (690 AM/104.1 FM).Pregame coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. with a 30-minute show featuring interviews and more.The Shrine Bowl of Kansas, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to producing annual events that benefit Shriners Children’s. Since its inception in 1974, the organization has raised nearly $4 million for the healthcare network, which provides pediatric specialty care regardless of a family’s ability to pay.In addition to the East vs. West all-star football game, Kansas Shrine All-Star Events include the Kansas Masonic All-State Marching Band Camp, the Kansas Shrine Bowl All-Star Cheer Camp, the KWCA Kansas Shrine Duals, and a variety of other game week activities. Shriners Children’s, formerly known as Shriners Hospitals for Children, operates facilities and outreach programs worldwide, offering innovative research, teaching programs, and family-centered care to children up to age 18.<a href="https://www.kansasshrinebowl.com/uploads/1/0/2/8/10280235/2025_kansas_shrine_bowl_rosters_-_updated_6-16-25.pdf">Click here</a> for complete rosters for the Kansas Shrine Bowl game.

Eagle Media to serve as official radio home of Kansas Shrine Bowl

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Salvador Perez homered twice,&nbsp;Bobby Witt Jr. went deep&nbsp;in his hometown team's ballpark for the first time and the Kansas City Royals stopped a six-game losing streak with a 6-1 victory over the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night.

Seth Lugo struck out a season-high nine for his first win since May 1 as all three active Kansas City All-Stars from last year's Midsummer Classic at Globe Life Field returned to Texas and had a hand in ending the team's five-game skid against the Rangers.

Lugo (4-5), who threw a scoreless inning in the American League's 5-3 victory last July, gave up three hits and a run over six innings in his return to Arlington.

With the Royals coming off an 0-6 homestand that matched their longest losing streak of the season, Perez hit a two-run shot for a 3-0 lead in the first inning. After adding an RBI double in the fourth, Perez connected for his eighth homer of the year, a solo shot that made it 6-1 in the sixth.

Witt also homered off Jack Leiter in a matchup between sons of former major league pitchers. Witt grew up in the Dallas area, where Bobby Witt settled after spending 11 of his 16 big league seasons with the Rangers.

Leiter (4-4) is the son of Al Leiter, who had a 19-year major league career. The rookie right-hander gave up eight hits and six runs — both matching season highs — in 5 2/3 innings.

The Rangers equaled their season high by striking out 14 times.

Texas rookie Alejandro Osuna had his first career RBI in the fourth.

Perez had his 18th multihomer game, breaking George Brett's franchise record.

Kansas City's Kris Bubic (5-4, 1.92 ERA) faces Patrick Corbin (4-5, 3.66) in a matchup of lefties Wednesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750257202386.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez reacts after hitting a solo home run off Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jack Leiter during the sixth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, June 17, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez reacts after hitting a solo home run off Texas Rangers starting pitcher Jack Leiter during the sixth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, June 17, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)</figcaption>
 </figure>ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Salvador Perez homered twice,&nbsp;Bobby Witt Jr. went deep&nbsp;in his hometown team's ballpark for the first time and the Kansas City Royals stopped a six-game losing streak with a 6-1 victory over the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night.Seth Lugo struck out a season-high nine for his first win since May 1 as all three active Kansas City All-Stars from last year's Midsummer Classic at Globe Life Field returned to Texas and had a hand in ending the team's five-game skid against the Rangers.Lugo (4-5), who threw a scoreless inning in the American League's 5-3 victory last July, gave up three hits and a run over six innings in his return to Arlington.With the Royals coming off an 0-6 homestand that matched their longest losing streak of the season, Perez hit a two-run shot for a 3-0 lead in the first inning. After adding an RBI double in the fourth, Perez connected for his eighth homer of the year, a solo shot that made it 6-1 in the sixth.Witt also homered off Jack Leiter in a matchup between sons of former major league pitchers. Witt grew up in the Dallas area, where Bobby Witt settled after spending 11 of his 16 big league seasons with the Rangers.Leiter (4-4) is the son of Al Leiter, who had a 19-year major league career. The rookie right-hander gave up eight hits and six runs — both matching season highs — in 5 2/3 innings.The Rangers equaled their season high by striking out 14 times.<h2>Key moment</h2>Texas rookie Alejandro Osuna had his first career RBI in the fourth.<h2>Key stat</h2>Perez had his 18th multihomer game, breaking George Brett's franchise record.<h2>Up next</h2>Kansas City's Kris Bubic (5-4, 1.92 ERA) faces Patrick Corbin (4-5, 3.66) in a matchup of lefties Wednesday.

Perez homers twice, Witt goes deep in hometown for 1st time as Royals beat Rangers 6-1

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Stanley's stay in South Florida is getting extended.

The Florida Panthers&nbsp;repeated as Stanley Cup champions&nbsp;by beating the Edmonton Oilers 5-1 in&nbsp;Game 6 of the final&nbsp;on Tuesday night, becoming the NHL’s first back-to-back winners since&nbsp;Tampa Bay in 2020 and ’21&nbsp;and the third team to do it this century.

Sam Reinhart scored four goals, becoming just the sixth player in league history and first since Maurice Richard in 1957 to get that many in a game in the final. His third to complete the hat trick sent rats, along with hats, flying onto the ice. Matthew Tkachuk, one of the faces of the franchise, fittingly scored the Cup clincher.

More rats were part of the victory celebration when the clock hit zeroes. Panthers players mobbed in the corner, while the Oilers watched in dismay.

“Good evening, South Florida,” Commissioner Gary Bettman said before presenting the trophy to captain Aleksander Barkov. “It feels like we just did this.”

Sergei Bobrovsky&nbsp;stopped 28 of the 29 shots he faced, closing the door on a rematch with the same end result. The only goal came from fellow Russian Vasily Podkolzin in garbage time, long after the outcome was decided and the NHL put a bow on a remarkable season that included Alex Ovechkin’s milestone as the&nbsp;all-time leading goal scorer&nbsp;and Olympics-like buzz around&nbsp;the 4 Nations tournament&nbsp;in February.

There were chants of “We want the Cup!” as the final moments ticked away. The Panthers already had it.

“This is as good as the first one," Reinhart said. “We learned some lessons. We stayed on the gas, foot on the pedal, and obviously the result speaks for itself.”

Not long after the Lightning made three trips to the final in a row, Florida has done the same and now has the makings of a dynasty. The Panthers have won 11 of 12 playoff series since T&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nhl-sports-hockey-relationships-florida-15cfbe5f1682d785c585251f8298ad8c">kachuk arrived</a>&nbsp;by trade and Paul Maurice took over as coach in the summer of 2022.

“We’ve got to be a dynasty now," Tkachuk said. “Three years in a row finals, two championships. This is a special group.”

The only time they have been on the wrong side of a handshake line was the final in Vegas in 2023, only after several key players were banged up and gutting through significant injuries.

From the core of Tkachuk, Reinhart, Barkov and Sam Bennett on down the roster,&nbsp;they were much healthier&nbsp;this time around and were boosted by key trade deadline additions Brad Marchand and Seth Jones. Bennett led all goal-scorers this postseason with 15, and Marchand had six in the final alone.

Bennett won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. Barkov handed the Cup to first-time champion Nate Schmidt, and all the others winning it for the first time got it soon after.

“It’s amazing to be able to be here," Schmidt said. "I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.”

Getting depth contributions from throughout the lineup allowed them to overpower Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and the Oilers, who struggled with Florida’s ferocious forecheck and&nbsp;switched goaltenders multiple times&nbsp;in the final. Stuart Skinner got the nod in Game 6 and was again done in by mistakes in front of him that ended with the puck in the net behind him and had his own blunder on Reinhart’s second goal.

McDavid tried to take over but was again stymied by Barkov, Jones and Bobrovsky. He finished with seven points in his second career trip to the final, again denied his first title.

The Panthers spent more time leading during this Stanley Cup Final than any previous team in history, 255:49 minutes in all.

“We lost to a really good team,” McDavid said. “Nobody quit, nobody threw the towel in, but they’re a heck of a team. They’re back-to-back Stanley Cup champions for a reason.”

Canada’s Stanley Cup drought reached 31 seasons and 32 years dating to Montreal in 1993. Teams in the U.S. Sun Belt have won it five of the past six times, four of them in Florida.

This run through Tampa Bay in five games, Toronto in seven, Carolina in five and Edmonton in six showed how clinical the Panthers have become under Maurice, who has coached more NHL games than everyone except Scotty Bowman and is now a two-time champion.

So is Marchand, who last hoisted the Cup in 2011 with the Boston Bruins. The 14-year gap is the third-longest in league history, just shy of 16 for Chris Chelios from 1986 to 2002 and 15 for Mark Recchi from ’91 to ’06.

“It’s incredible," Marchand said. “It’s a feeling you can’t really describe. Seeing the family and everyone up there and everyone that supported me and helped me get to this point, words can’t put this into reality how great it feels. Such an incredible group.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750251799557.jpeg" alt="The Florida Panthers raise the Stanley Cup after defeating the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final in Sunrise, Fla., Tuesday, June 17, 2025. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)" />
 <figcaption>The Florida Panthers raise the Stanley Cup after defeating the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final in Sunrise, Fla., Tuesday, June 17, 2025. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Stanley's stay in South Florida is getting extended.The Florida Panthers&nbsp;repeated as Stanley Cup champions&nbsp;by beating the Edmonton Oilers 5-1 in&nbsp;Game 6 of the final&nbsp;on Tuesday night, becoming the NHL’s first back-to-back winners since&nbsp;Tampa Bay in 2020 and ’21&nbsp;and the third team to do it this century.Sam Reinhart scored four goals, becoming just the sixth player in league history and first since Maurice Richard in 1957 to get that many in a game in the final. His third to complete the hat trick sent rats, along with hats, flying onto the ice. Matthew Tkachuk, one of the faces of the franchise, fittingly scored the Cup clincher.More rats were part of the victory celebration when the clock hit zeroes. Panthers players mobbed in the corner, while the Oilers watched in dismay.“Good evening, South Florida,” Commissioner Gary Bettman said before presenting the trophy to captain Aleksander Barkov. “It feels like we just did this.”Sergei Bobrovsky&nbsp;stopped 28 of the 29 shots he faced, closing the door on a rematch with the same end result. The only goal came from fellow Russian Vasily Podkolzin in garbage time, long after the outcome was decided and the NHL put a bow on a remarkable season that included Alex Ovechkin’s milestone as the&nbsp;all-time leading goal scorer&nbsp;and Olympics-like buzz around&nbsp;the 4 Nations tournament&nbsp;in February.There were chants of “We want the Cup!” as the final moments ticked away. The Panthers already had it.Now they get to keep it.“This is as good as the first one," Reinhart said. “We learned some lessons. We stayed on the gas, foot on the pedal, and obviously the result speaks for itself.”Not long after the Lightning made three trips to the final in a row, Florida has done the same and now has the makings of a dynasty. The Panthers have won 11 of 12 playoff series since T&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nhl-sports-hockey-relationships-florida-15cfbe5f1682d785c585251f8298ad8c">kachuk arrived</a>&nbsp;by trade and Paul Maurice took over as coach in the summer of 2022.“We’ve got to be a dynasty now," Tkachuk said. “Three years in a row finals, two championships. This is a special group.”The only time they have been on the wrong side of a handshake line was the final in Vegas in 2023, only after several key players were banged up and gutting through significant injuries.From the core of Tkachuk, Reinhart, Barkov and Sam Bennett on down the roster,&nbsp;they were much healthier&nbsp;this time around and were boosted by key trade deadline additions Brad Marchand and Seth Jones. Bennett led all goal-scorers this postseason with 15, and Marchand had six in the final alone.Bennett won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. Barkov handed the Cup to first-time champion Nate Schmidt, and all the others winning it for the first time got it soon after.“It’s amazing to be able to be here," Schmidt said. "I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.”Getting depth contributions from throughout the lineup allowed them to overpower Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and the Oilers, who struggled with Florida’s ferocious forecheck and&nbsp;switched goaltenders multiple times&nbsp;in the final. Stuart Skinner got the nod in Game 6 and was again done in by mistakes in front of him that ended with the puck in the net behind him and had his own blunder on Reinhart’s second goal.McDavid tried to take over but was again stymied by Barkov, Jones and Bobrovsky. He finished with seven points in his second career trip to the final, again denied his first title.The Panthers spent more time leading during this Stanley Cup Final than any previous team in history, 255:49 minutes in all.“We lost to a really good team,” McDavid said. “Nobody quit, nobody threw the towel in, but they’re a heck of a team. They’re back-to-back Stanley Cup champions for a reason.”Canada’s Stanley Cup drought reached 31 seasons and 32 years dating to Montreal in 1993. Teams in the U.S. Sun Belt have won it five of the past six times, four of them in Florida.This run through Tampa Bay in five games, Toronto in seven, Carolina in five and Edmonton in six showed how clinical the Panthers have become under Maurice, who has coached more NHL games than everyone except Scotty Bowman and is now a two-time champion.So is Marchand, who last hoisted the Cup in 2011 with the Boston Bruins. The 14-year gap is the third-longest in league history, just shy of 16 for Chris Chelios from 1986 to 2002 and 15 for Mark Recchi from ’91 to ’06.“It’s incredible," Marchand said. “It’s a feeling you can’t really describe. Seeing the family and everyone up there and everyone that supported me and helped me get to this point, words can’t put this into reality how great it feels. Such an incredible group.”

Back-to-back Cats: Panthers repeat as Stanley Cup champions by beating the Oilers in 6 games

By COLE REIF Great Bend Post

From Monty Hobbs in 1974, Jeremy Rusco in 2002 and Jeremy Reed in 2007…Great
Bend has a long history of sending players to compete in the Kansas Shrine
Bowl. The Kansas Shrine Bowl is an all-star game for graduating high school
seniors played each summer. 

This year, Owen Kaiser will represent Great Bend
High School in the game to be played in Dodge City on Saturday. In between his junior and senior year, Kaiser knew one of his goals was to play in the Shrine Bowl.

"It's a very special thing to me," said Kaiser. "I'm proud to put on the Great Bend helmet one last time and go show what Great Bend High School football was last year."

Kaiser becomes the first Panther to participate in the Shrine Bowl since 2020
and the 26th overall player from Great Bend.


Kaiser will be on the Barton Community College baseball team this upcoming
school year and is currently playing summer ball for the Great Bend Bat Cats.


"It's definitely a grind now that I'm picking up from doing a lot of baseball stuff," said Kaiser. "I'm just getting back into the groove of conditioning."

Kaiser was a Western Athletic Conference first-team selection as an offensive
lineman for the Panthers his senior year.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Kickoff from Memorial Stadium in Dodge City is at 7 p.m. on Saturday. You can listen to the radio broadcast on 100.7 Eagle Country or online by clicking <a href="https://khokfm.com/">HERE</a>.

The Kansas Shrine Bowl broadcast in Great Bend is sponsored by:

Cody Crook Red Cedar Land Company Freedom Claims Management Kern Floor Service Chris Ramsey - Shelter Insurance The Fieldhouse Jimlo Glass Center Equity Bank Advanced Truck and Diesel Charlie's Place Great Bend Rec Advanced Therapy and Sports Medicine Fastenal&nbsp; Murphy Mini Storage&nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750173682411.jpeg" alt="Great Bend High School graduate Owen Kaiser will play in the 52nd annual Kansas Shrine Bowl on Saturday, June 21, 2025 in Dodge City." />
 <figcaption>Great Bend High School graduate Owen Kaiser will play in the 52nd annual Kansas Shrine Bowl on Saturday, June 21, 2025 in Dodge City.</figcaption>
 </figure>By COLE REIF Great Bend PostFrom Monty Hobbs in 1974, Jeremy Rusco in 2002 and Jeremy Reed in 2007…Great
Bend has a long history of sending players to compete in the Kansas Shrine
Bowl. The Kansas Shrine Bowl is an all-star game for graduating high school
seniors played each summer. This year, Owen Kaiser will represent Great Bend
High School in the game to be played in Dodge City on Saturday. In between his junior and senior year, Kaiser knew one of his goals was to play in the Shrine Bowl."It's a very special thing to me," said Kaiser. "I'm proud to put on the Great Bend helmet one last time and go show what Great Bend High School football was last year."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750174352803.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Kaiser becomes the first Panther to participate in the Shrine Bowl since 2020
and the 26th overall player from Great Bend.
Kaiser will be on the Barton Community College baseball team this upcoming
school year and is currently playing summer ball for the Great Bend Bat Cats.
"It's definitely a grind now that I'm picking up from doing a lot of baseball stuff," said Kaiser. "I'm just getting back into the groove of conditioning."Kaiser was a Western Athletic Conference first-team selection as an offensive
lineman for the Panthers his senior year.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Kickoff from Memorial Stadium in Dodge City is at 7 p.m. on Saturday. You can listen to the radio broadcast on 100.7 Eagle Country or online by clicking <a href="https://khokfm.com/">HERE</a>.The Kansas Shrine Bowl broadcast in Great Bend is sponsored by:Cody Crook Red Cedar Land Company Freedom Claims Management Kern Floor Service Chris Ramsey - Shelter Insurance The Fieldhouse Jimlo Glass Center Equity Bank Advanced Truck and Diesel Charlie's Place Great Bend Rec Advanced Therapy and Sports Medicine Fastenal&nbsp; Murphy Mini Storage&nbsp; &nbsp;

Kaiser ready to represent Great Bend in Kansas Shrine Bowl

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — The Florida Panthers repeated as Stanley Cup champions by beating the Edmonton Oilers 5-1 in Game 6 of the final. They are the NHL’s first back-to-back winners since Tampa Bay in 2020 and ’21 and the third team to do it this century. Sam Reinhart scored four of the five goals, including the Cup clincher again. The Panthers have won 11 of 12 playoff series since Matthew Tkachuk arrived by trade and Paul Maurice took over as coach in the summer of 2022. Connor McDavid was again denied the first title of his career in his second consecutive final. Canada's Stanley Cup drought reached 32 years.

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Sam Bennett has won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP after leading the Florida Panthers to a second consecutive Stanley Cup championship. Bennett scored 15 times to lead all playoff scorers this season. He also was a factor physically by making some big hits, crowding the crease and knocking Edmonton goalie Stuart Skinner and other opponents off their game. Bennett could parlay his massive postseason success into a lucrative contract as a free agent whether he re-signs with Florida or goes elsewhere.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Tyrese Haliburton’s status for Game 6 of the NBA Finals is understandably in at least some doubt, after the Olympic gold-medal-winning guard was undergoing evaluation Tuesday to determine the extent of the injury to his lower right leg. Part of that evaluation was an MRI exam, according to a person with knowledge of the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because neither Haliburton nor the team revealed that publicly. ESPN first reported that an MRI was scheduled. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle made clear after Game 5 that the Eastern Conference champions would be taking a close look at the injury.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Rafael Devers has been formally introduced by the Giants, days after being traded to San Francisco by the Boston Red Sox. Devers is set to be designated hitter batting third in the series opener against the Cleveland Guardians. He is determined to leave his own lasting mark on the franchise in what is a much-needed fresh start for him and a monumental mid-season acquisition for Buster Posey and San Francisco’s front office. Devers says he's done discussing any issues he had with the Red Sox and eager to move forward with the Giants, insisting he will play anywhere and do whatever manager Bob Melvin and his staff ask.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Caitlin Clark had 20 points, six assists and four 3-pointers and the Indiana Fever beat the Connecticut Sun 88-71 in a physical game that included three late ejections. With 46.1 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Connecticut guard Jacy Sheldon made a steal and raced the other way before being wrapped up by Sophie Cunningham under the basket for a hard foul. Sheldon got up quicky and got into a shoving match with Cunningham, leading to Cunningham, Sheldon and Lindsay Allen all getting ejected. Sheldon was also the center of another official review in the third quarter after she poked Clark in the eye and then Marina Mabrey came in late to shove Clark to the floor. Indiana secured a spot in the Commissioner’s Cup.

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Yankees’ offense is drifting toward uncharted territory — and not in a good way. The team tied a franchise record by getting shut out for the third straight game Tuesday night, when the Yankees went 0 for 10 with runners on base in a 4-0 loss to the Los Angeles Angels. The Yankees have been blanked in three consecutive games seven times in their 123-year history — but only three times in the last 50 years, most recently from Sept. 22-24, 2016. The last major league team to get shut out in four straight games was the Kansas City Royals in September 2017.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani came out of his pitching debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers in good order, even if he was his own worst critic. Manager Dave Roberts says Ohtani is “a little fatigued” but otherwise feeling good a day after returning from elbow surgery and pitching in a major league game for the first time since August 2023. Ohtani, who threw one inning, says he wasn't quite happy with the results overall. He gave up a pair of hits and a run in the Dodgers' 6-3 win over San Diego. He could pitch again this weekend when the Washington Nationals visit Dodger Stadium.

Former Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs has apologized to the family of a woman he killed in a car crash nearly four years ago. Ruggs was on special release Tuesday night to speak at a Hope for Prisoners event in Las Vegas. Ruggs drove his sports car at speeds up to 156 mph on Nov. 2, 2021, slamming into a vehicle that killed driver Tina Tintor and her dog, Max. Tintor was 23. Ruggs apologized after he was asked at the event what he would say to Tintor’s family.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A federal judge is urging NASCAR and two of its teams to settle their increasingly acrimonious legal fight that spilled over into tense arguments during a hearing this week. 23XI Racing, which is owned by Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, is fighting with NASCAR along with Front Row Motorsports. The two say the series is a monopoly, but NASCAR has struck back with a countersuit of its own.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — In the end, not even Saudi Arabia or Gianni Infantino could engineer a way to get Cristiano Ronaldo to the Club World Cup. FIFA president Infantino certainly tried - last month making a public appeal ahead of the tournament. Ronaldo’s contract with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr was due to expire and FIFA’s decision to create a specially-made mini transfer window for its newest competition meant the path was clear for the Real Madrid great to sign a short-term deal with a new team just in time to take part. Given his connection to Saudi Arabia, where he was the face of the oil-rich kingdom’s spectacular drive to sign some of soccer’s biggest stars in recent years, rumors began to circulate about a move to Al Hilal.

INTERLEAGUE Final Detroit 7 Pittsburgh 3 Final Toronto 5 Arizona 4 Final St. Louis 12 Chicago White Sox 2 Final Cincinnati 6 Minnesota 5 Final Cleveland 3 San Francisco 2

AMERICAN LEAGUE Final L.A. Angels 4 N.Y. Yankees 0 Final Baltimore 5 Tampa Bay 1 Final Kansas City 6 Texas 1 Final Seattle 8 Boston 0 Final Houston 13 Athletics 3

NATIONAL LEAGUE Final Miami 8 Philadelphia 3 Final Colorado 10 Washington 6 Final Atlanta 5 N.Y. Mets 4 Final Chicago Cubs 5 Milwaukee 3 Final L.A. Dodgers 8 San Diego 6

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS Final Florida 5 Edmonton 1

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739459822020.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — The Florida Panthers repeated as Stanley Cup champions by beating the Edmonton Oilers 5-1 in Game 6 of the final. They are the NHL’s first back-to-back winners since Tampa Bay in 2020 and ’21 and the third team to do it this century. Sam Reinhart scored four of the five goals, including the Cup clincher again. The Panthers have won 11 of 12 playoff series since Matthew Tkachuk arrived by trade and Paul Maurice took over as coach in the summer of 2022. Connor McDavid was again denied the first title of his career in his second consecutive final. Canada's Stanley Cup drought reached 32 years.SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Sam Bennett has won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP after leading the Florida Panthers to a second consecutive Stanley Cup championship. Bennett scored 15 times to lead all playoff scorers this season. He also was a factor physically by making some big hits, crowding the crease and knocking Edmonton goalie Stuart Skinner and other opponents off their game. Bennett could parlay his massive postseason success into a lucrative contract as a free agent whether he re-signs with Florida or goes elsewhere.INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Tyrese Haliburton’s status for Game 6 of the NBA Finals is understandably in at least some doubt, after the Olympic gold-medal-winning guard was undergoing evaluation Tuesday to determine the extent of the injury to his lower right leg. Part of that evaluation was an MRI exam, according to a person with knowledge of the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because neither Haliburton nor the team revealed that publicly. ESPN first reported that an MRI was scheduled. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle made clear after Game 5 that the Eastern Conference champions would be taking a close look at the injury.SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Rafael Devers has been formally introduced by the Giants, days after being traded to San Francisco by the Boston Red Sox. Devers is set to be designated hitter batting third in the series opener against the Cleveland Guardians. He is determined to leave his own lasting mark on the franchise in what is a much-needed fresh start for him and a monumental mid-season acquisition for Buster Posey and San Francisco’s front office. Devers says he's done discussing any issues he had with the Red Sox and eager to move forward with the Giants, insisting he will play anywhere and do whatever manager Bob Melvin and his staff ask.INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Caitlin Clark had 20 points, six assists and four 3-pointers and the Indiana Fever beat the Connecticut Sun 88-71 in a physical game that included three late ejections. With 46.1 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Connecticut guard Jacy Sheldon made a steal and raced the other way before being wrapped up by Sophie Cunningham under the basket for a hard foul. Sheldon got up quicky and got into a shoving match with Cunningham, leading to Cunningham, Sheldon and Lindsay Allen all getting ejected. Sheldon was also the center of another official review in the third quarter after she poked Clark in the eye and then Marina Mabrey came in late to shove Clark to the floor. Indiana secured a spot in the Commissioner’s Cup.NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Yankees’ offense is drifting toward uncharted territory — and not in a good way. The team tied a franchise record by getting shut out for the third straight game Tuesday night, when the Yankees went 0 for 10 with runners on base in a 4-0 loss to the Los Angeles Angels. The Yankees have been blanked in three consecutive games seven times in their 123-year history — but only three times in the last 50 years, most recently from Sept. 22-24, 2016. The last major league team to get shut out in four straight games was the Kansas City Royals in September 2017.LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani came out of his pitching debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers in good order, even if he was his own worst critic. Manager Dave Roberts says Ohtani is “a little fatigued” but otherwise feeling good a day after returning from elbow surgery and pitching in a major league game for the first time since August 2023. Ohtani, who threw one inning, says he wasn't quite happy with the results overall. He gave up a pair of hits and a run in the Dodgers' 6-3 win over San Diego. He could pitch again this weekend when the Washington Nationals visit Dodger Stadium.Former Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs has apologized to the family of a woman he killed in a car crash nearly four years ago. Ruggs was on special release Tuesday night to speak at a Hope for Prisoners event in Las Vegas. Ruggs drove his sports car at speeds up to 156 mph on Nov. 2, 2021, slamming into a vehicle that killed driver Tina Tintor and her dog, Max. Tintor was 23. Ruggs apologized after he was asked at the event what he would say to Tintor’s family.CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A federal judge is urging NASCAR and two of its teams to settle their increasingly acrimonious legal fight that spilled over into tense arguments during a hearing this week. 23XI Racing, which is owned by Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, is fighting with NASCAR along with Front Row Motorsports. The two say the series is a monopoly, but NASCAR has struck back with a countersuit of its own.MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — In the end, not even Saudi Arabia or Gianni Infantino could engineer a way to get Cristiano Ronaldo to the Club World Cup. FIFA president Infantino certainly tried - last month making a public appeal ahead of the tournament. Ronaldo’s contract with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr was due to expire and FIFA’s decision to create a specially-made mini transfer window for its newest competition meant the path was clear for the Real Madrid great to sign a short-term deal with a new team just in time to take part. Given his connection to Saudi Arabia, where he was the face of the oil-rich kingdom’s spectacular drive to sign some of soccer’s biggest stars in recent years, rumors began to circulate about a move to Al Hilal.

INTERLEAGUE Final Detroit 7 Pittsburgh 3 Final Toronto 5 Arizona 4 Final St. Louis 12 Chicago White Sox 2 Final Cincinnati 6 Minnesota 5 Final Cleveland 3 San Francisco 2AMERICAN LEAGUE Final L.A. Angels 4 N.Y. Yankees 0 Final Baltimore 5 Tampa Bay 1 Final Kansas City 6 Texas 1 Final Seattle 8 Boston 0 Final Houston 13 Athletics 3NATIONAL LEAGUE Final Miami 8 Philadelphia 3 Final Colorado 10 Washington 6 Final Atlanta 5 N.Y. Mets 4 Final Chicago Cubs 5 Milwaukee 3 Final L.A. Dodgers 8 San Diego 6NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFFS Final Florida 5 Edmonton 1

Wednesday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

Matt McMullen Cheifs.com The folks at Pro Football Focus have been gradually publishing&nbsp;their positional rankings ahead of the 2025 campaign, and now that they're complete, no team featured more players with a No. 1 ranking than the Kansas City Chiefs.

Kansas City landed three players atop PFF's various positional rankings, which sought to identify the top players at every position heading into next season: quarterback Patrick Mahomes, center Creed Humphrey and defensive tackle Chris Jones.

The Chiefs were one of four teams to feature multiple players with a No. 1 ranking, joining the Philadelphia Eagles (2), San Francisco 49ers (2) and Baltimore Ravens (2).

Offensive Tackle: Jordan Mailata (Eagles)

Offensive Guard: Chris Lindstrom (Falcons)

The Chiefs nearly had a fourth player with a No. 1 ranking, too, as cornerback Trent McDuffie landed at No. 3 in PFF's positional rankings behind only Gardner and the Denver Broncos' Pat Surtain II.

Matt McMullen Cheifs.com The folks at Pro Football Focus have been gradually publishing&nbsp;their positional rankings ahead of the 2025 campaign, and now that they're complete, no team featured more players with a No. 1 ranking than the Kansas City Chiefs.Kansas City landed three players atop PFF's various positional rankings, which sought to identify the top players at every position heading into next season: quarterback Patrick Mahomes, center Creed Humphrey and defensive tackle Chris Jones.The Chiefs were one of four teams to feature multiple players with a No. 1 ranking, joining the Philadelphia Eagles (2), San Francisco 49ers (2) and Baltimore Ravens (2).Here's how the rankings shook out:Quarterback: Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)Running Back: Derrick Henry (Ravens)Wide Receiver: A.J. Brown (Eagles)Tight End: George Kittle (49ers)Offensive Tackle: Jordan Mailata (Eagles)Offensive Guard: Chris Lindstrom (Falcons)Center: Creed Humphrey (Chiefs)Defensive Tackle: Chris Jones (Chiefs)EDGE: Myles Garrett (Browns)Linebacker: Fred Warner (49ers)Cornerback: Sauce Gardner (Jets)Safety: Kyle Hamilton (Ravens)The Chiefs nearly had a fourth player with a No. 1 ranking, too, as cornerback Trent McDuffie landed at No. 3 in PFF's positional rankings behind only Gardner and the Denver Broncos' Pat Surtain II.

Chiefs Lead the NFL with Three Top-Ranked Players in PFF's Positional Rankings

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Game 5 was starting to look like Game 1 all over again. Oklahoma City, at home, takes a huge lead. Indiana comes roaring back in the fourth quarter.

This time, the Thunder crafted a different ending — and a 3-2 lead in the NBA Finals was their reward.

Jalen Williams scored a career playoff-high 40 points, MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 31 and the Thunder moved one win from a title by beating the Pacers 120-109 on Monday night.

“We're learning,” said Williams, whose previous playoff best was 34.

It was the 10th — and by far, the biggest — time the Thunder stars combined for more than 70 points in a game. Williams was 14 of 24 from the field, and Gilgeous-Alexander added 10 assists.

“It wasn't a perfect game at all and there's a lot of room for growth,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “But our improvement from Game 4 to Game 5 was critical.”

Pascal Siakam had 28 points for Indiana, which will host Game 6 on Thursday night. TJ McConnell added 18 for the Pacers, who whittled an 18-point deficit down to two in the fourth — then watched the Thunder pull away again, and for good.

“It kind of went away from us,” Siakam said. “But the fight was there.”

It was, but now everything favors the Thunder.

Teams that win Game 5 of an NBA Finals that was tied at 2-2 have gone on to win the series 23 times in 31 previous opportunities, or 74%. And teams with a 3-2 lead in the finals have won 40 times in 49 previous opportunities, or 82%.

Down by 18 late in the second quarter, the Pacers — the comeback kings of these playoffs, with as many wins in this postseason from 15 points down or more (five) than the rest of the league has combined, including in Game 1 of this series — did what they do, chipping away. And they did it with&nbsp;Tyrese Haliburton reduced to basically playing decoy&nbsp;on offense because of a leg issue that he aggravated in the first quarter.

“He's not 100%,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “It's pretty clear.”

Led by McConnell, who scored 13 points in just under seven minutes of the third, the Pacers got within five late in that quarter.

Then, Siakam went to work — a pair of free throws with 9:19 left got Indiana within four, then a 3-pointer about a minute later made it 95-93. In the play-by-play era of the NBA, starting with the 1997 playoffs, teams with leads of 15 points or more in the finals were 80-9.

Make that 81-9 now, and the Thunder are one win away from giving Oklahoma City its first NBA title.

“That was honestly the same exact game as Game 1,” Williams said. “Learning through these finals, that's what makes a team good.”

One more win, and his team will be certified as great.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750163175626.jpeg" alt="Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) celebrates during the second half of Game 5 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the Indiana Pacers, Monday, June 16, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Kyle Phillips)" />
 <figcaption>Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) celebrates during the second half of Game 5 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the Indiana Pacers, Monday, June 16, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Kyle Phillips)</figcaption>
 </figure>OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Game 5 was starting to look like Game 1 all over again. Oklahoma City, at home, takes a huge lead. Indiana comes roaring back in the fourth quarter.Indiana won that one.This time, the Thunder crafted a different ending — and a 3-2 lead in the NBA Finals was their reward.Jalen Williams scored a career playoff-high 40 points, MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 31 and the Thunder moved one win from a title by beating the Pacers 120-109 on Monday night.“We're learning,” said Williams, whose previous playoff best was 34.It was the 10th — and by far, the biggest — time the Thunder stars combined for more than 70 points in a game. Williams was 14 of 24 from the field, and Gilgeous-Alexander added 10 assists.“It wasn't a perfect game at all and there's a lot of room for growth,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “But our improvement from Game 4 to Game 5 was critical.”Pascal Siakam had 28 points for Indiana, which will host Game 6 on Thursday night. TJ McConnell added 18 for the Pacers, who whittled an 18-point deficit down to two in the fourth — then watched the Thunder pull away again, and for good.“It kind of went away from us,” Siakam said. “But the fight was there.”It was, but now everything favors the Thunder.Teams that win Game 5 of an NBA Finals that was tied at 2-2 have gone on to win the series 23 times in 31 previous opportunities, or 74%. And teams with a 3-2 lead in the finals have won 40 times in 49 previous opportunities, or 82%.But Game 5 was not easy. Far from it.Down by 18 late in the second quarter, the Pacers — the comeback kings of these playoffs, with as many wins in this postseason from 15 points down or more (five) than the rest of the league has combined, including in Game 1 of this series — did what they do, chipping away. And they did it with&nbsp;Tyrese Haliburton reduced to basically playing decoy&nbsp;on offense because of a leg issue that he aggravated in the first quarter.“He's not 100%,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “It's pretty clear.”Led by McConnell, who scored 13 points in just under seven minutes of the third, the Pacers got within five late in that quarter.Then, Siakam went to work — a pair of free throws with 9:19 left got Indiana within four, then a 3-pointer about a minute later made it 95-93. In the play-by-play era of the NBA, starting with the 1997 playoffs, teams with leads of 15 points or more in the finals were 80-9.Make that 81-9 now, and the Thunder are one win away from giving Oklahoma City its first NBA title.“That was honestly the same exact game as Game 1,” Williams said. “Learning through these finals, that's what makes a team good.”One more win, and his team will be certified as great.

Game 5: Williams scores 40 points and Thunder win 120-109 for a 3-2 NBA Finals lead over Pacers

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — The Florida Panthers can win the Stanley Cup for the second year in a row by beating the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 of the final. Their first chance to clinch the franchise's second championship comes at home after a dominant performance in Game 5 at Edmonton. Players say they learned important lessons from failing to close out the Oilers three times in the final a year ago. Still, the Stanley Cup being in the building is enough to rile up the nerves in what could be the final game of the NHL season.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Jalen Williams had a career playoff-high 40 points, MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 31 and the Oklahoma City Thunder moved one win from a title by beating the Indiana Pacers 120-109 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Monday night.It was the 10th — and by far, the biggest — time the Thunder stars combined for more than 70 points in a game. Williams was 14 of 24 from the field, and Gilgeous-Alexander added 10 assists for the Thunder.Pascal Siakam had 28 points for Indiana, which now trails the series 3-2 and will play host to Game 6 on Thursday night.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Jerry West and Elgin Baylor did it often. Kyrie Irving and LeBron James did it a couple of times. Magic Johnson and Jamaal Wilkes were among those who did it once. And now, Jalen Williams and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have entered NBA lore. Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Monday night marked just the 14th time in league history that a game saw somebody score at least 40 points in a title-round game while one of his teammates scored at least 30. Williams had 40 and Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 31 in Oklahoma City’s 120-109 win over Indiana, a victory that gave the Thunder a 3-2 lead in the series.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739459822020.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — The Florida Panthers can win the Stanley Cup for the second year in a row by beating the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 of the final. Their first chance to clinch the franchise's second championship comes at home after a dominant performance in Game 5 at Edmonton. Players say they learned important lessons from failing to close out the Oilers three times in the final a year ago. Still, the Stanley Cup being in the building is enough to rile up the nerves in what could be the final game of the NHL season.OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Jalen Williams had a career playoff-high 40 points, MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 31 and the Oklahoma City Thunder moved one win from a title by beating the Indiana Pacers 120-109 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Monday night.It was the 10th — and by far, the biggest — time the Thunder stars combined for more than 70 points in a game. Williams was 14 of 24 from the field, and Gilgeous-Alexander added 10 assists for the Thunder.Pascal Siakam had 28 points for Indiana, which now trails the series 3-2 and will play host to Game 6 on Thursday night.OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Jerry West and Elgin Baylor did it often. Kyrie Irving and LeBron James did it a couple of times. Magic Johnson and Jamaal Wilkes were among those who did it once. And now, Jalen Williams and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have entered NBA lore. Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Monday night marked just the 14th time in league history that a game saw somebody score at least 40 points in a title-round game while one of his teammates scored at least 30. Williams had 40 and Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 31 in Oklahoma City’s 120-109 win over Indiana, a victory that gave the Thunder a 3-2 lead in the series.LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani gave up a pair of two-strike hits and a run in his Los Angeles Dodgers pitching debut against the San Diego Padres, which came 21 months after the two-way superstar had elbow surgery. Ohtani threw 28 pitches — 16 for strikes — in the first inning as Dodger Stadium fans hung on every one. They oohed when a fastball was clocked at 100.2 mph — the second-hardest pitch thrown by a Dodgers hurler this season. After getting through the top of the first on the mound, Ohtani struck out swinging at the plate leading off the bottom of the inning against Dylan Cease. Los Angeles reliever Anthony Banda replaced Ohtani in the second. Ohtani finished 2 for 4 with two RBIs as the Dodgers won 6-3.SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) — Rebecca Lobo and Jen Rizzotti have spent the last few years coaching the AAU team that their sons play for. It’s hard to miss a lot of the unselfish play and style that the two UConn greats learned in their time under Geno Auriemma and Chris Dailey, who just finished off their 40th year at the school. They’ve instilled that in their boys' team.NEW YORK (AP) — Imagine Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu competing together for a Grand Slam trophy. How about Madison Keys and Frances Tiafoe as a duo? Iga Swiatek alongside Casper Ruud? Or Naomi Osaka with Nick Kyrgios? Those are among the high-wattage pairs on Tuesday’s preliminary entry list for the reimagined U.S. Open mixed doubles tournament on Aug. 19-20. Ten of the top 11 women in the WTA singles rankings and 10 of the top 11 men on the ATP tour have registered to compete for the $1 million top prize that will be split by the winners. That is an $800,000 increase over 2024.OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Arkansas’ Gage Wood pitched the third no-hitter in College World Series history and first in 65 years, striking out a record 19 and never letting Murray State come close to getting a hit in the Razorbacks’ 3-0 victory. Wood joined Jim Ehrler of Texas in 1950 and Jim Wixson of Oklahoma State in 1960 as the only pitchers to throw CWS no-hitters. His defense was never really challenged as he dominated a Racers team that was making its first Omaha appearance. The junior right-hander set the CWS record for strikeouts in a nine-inning game.Louisiana soon could raise taxes on sports betting to help finance the athletic departments at many of its public universities. Legislation pending before Gov. Jeff Landry would make Louisiana the first state to raise taxes for college sports since a judge approved a landmark settlement allowing schools to directly pay athletes for use of their name, image and likeness. Earlier this year, Arkansas became the first state to exempt school NIL payments to athletes from state income taxes. Some sports business analysts expect more states to follow with laws aimed at giving an edge to their college athletes.SEATTLE (AP) — Prized rookie Roman Anthony has hit his first major league home run for the Boston Red Sox in the first inning against the Seattle Mariners. The 21-year-old Anthony turned on a slider from Mariners starter Logan Gilbert — who was making his first appearance since coming off the injured list — and cranked it to right-center for a solo shot. The right fielder was rated the top prospect in baseball when he got called up from Triple-A Worcester last week. Anthony began the night hitting .059 through six major league games. His home run was just his second hit since he made his debut on June 9.BERLIN (AP) — Aryna Sabalenka says she has written to Coco Gauff to apologize for the “unprofessional” comments she made following her loss to her American rival in the final of the French Open. Speaking to Eurosport Germany, the top-ranked Sabalenka said her remarks after her loss to Gauff at Roland-Garros were a mistake. In her post-match press conference in Paris, Sabalenka had suggested that the result was more due to her own errors than to Gauff’s performance. Sabalenka says “that was just completely unprofessional of me,” adding that she let her emotions get the better of her.

AMERICAN LEAGUE Final Tampa Bay 7 Baltimore 1 Final L.A. Angels&nbsp; 1N.Y. Yankees 0 Final Boston 2 Seattle 0 Final Athletics 3 Houston 1NATIONAL LEAGUE Final Colorado 6 Washington 4 Final Philadelphia 5 Miami 2 Final L.A. Dodgers 6 San Diego 3NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS Final Oklahoma City 120 Indiana 109