UR MAG

With their eyes on returning to contention after a season off for Tyrese Haliburton, the Indiana Pacers had a shot at adding a top 4 pick in this year’s NBA Draft, one of the deepest in draft history.

Instead, they won’t have a first-round draft pick at all.

The Pacers fell out of the top of Sunday’s NBA Draft lottery, and their pick that wasn’t protected outside of the top four will now fall to the Los Angeles Clippers via the Ivica Zubac trade.

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This prompted an apology from Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard on social media.

“I’m really sorry to all our fans,” Pritchard wrote on social media. “I won taking this risk. Surprised it came up 5th after this year.

“I thought we were due some luck. But please remember — this team deserved a starting cner to compete with the best teams next year. We have always been resilient.”

A state record fell and history was made at the 2026 AIA Divisional State Track and Field Championships, held at Red Mountain and Shadow Mountain High from May 7-9.

Tempe Corona del Sol junior Kelson Hogan continued his record-breaking season in the javelin, besting his official state record with a throw of 214 feet, 9 inches to win the Division I title. Hogan,a former baseball player, broke the record earlier this season and has now moved to No. 6 in the United States for the event.

“To be honest, I wanted 220 (feet),” Hogan said. “But my coach told me that might not be possible on the grass. I’m happy with what I had, but I wish it could have been a little farther. It means a lot. Just really grateful.”

On the girls side, Queen Creek senior Nicole Ripperdan and Chandler Hamilton junior Aliyah Morrow produced the fastest 400-meter race in Arizona high school history.

Ripperdan ran 53.54 seconds to win it, with Morrow second at 53.64. Ripperdan, a Utah State commit, moves up to No. 2 all-time in Arizona for the 400 and Morrow is No. 3. What makes this race historic is that before the race, only two girls from Arizona (Safford’s Eureka Hall and Gilbert Highland’s Gabby Taylor) had ever run under 54 seconds in the event.

Now, two girls did so in one race.

“It shows how competitive Arizona can be and really is,” Ripperdan said. “Especially in the 400. I think it really represents Arizona. We are, as a whole, getting faster over the years. That’s really exciting to think about.”

Ripperdan also unknowingly played a role in the Division I team championship being decided. She passed a Chandler athlete in the final meters of the 4x400-meter relay to finish second overall, taking away two critical points from Chandler.

The AIA State Track and Field Championships are May 15-16 at Mesa Community College.

Hamilton won the relay, giving the Huskies the team title – 92-91 over Chandler. The Battle of Arizona Avenue carries over to the track.

The Huskies were led by Morrow (200, 400), senior Kyana Williams (high jump), senior Taleya Freeman (200, 400) and senior Peyton Taylor (pole vault). It is the second title for Hamilton under coach E.J. Martin after winning the Open in 2024.

“It’s all about the hard work and dedication,” Martin said. “When I did take over, building the culture here, where not being surprised — you expect to be there, to compete for championships. Don’t be shocked. Just getting the kids to buy into the culture here. It’s been coming and it’s showing in the results.”

For the boys, Mesa Red Mountain dominated on its way to the team title, beating Hamilton 97-64.66. The Mountain Lions were led by junior Crew Comish (800, 1,600 and 3,200), junior Dameon Brender (200), senior Amare Holley (200, long jump), senior Joshua Lee (shot put) and senior Matthew Heitz (300-meter hurdles).

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Red Mountain has won two state titles in the past four seasons after taking the Open in 2023.

“We’ve had a really good run the last few years,” coach Josh Barge said. “It goes to our kids, the culture. All these kids grew up in Red Mountain. They bleed Red Mountain. They’re all in it together. We’ve built it through culture and trusting the process. Ten years ago, when we started this program, we were excited for 10 points at this meet.”

In Division II, Gilbert Campo Verde repeated as boys state champions for the second year in a row, beating Arizona College Prep 116.5 to 88.5. It is the fourth state title in school history. The Coyotes were led by senior Ryker Montgomery (shot put, discus), senior Drew Pollard (javelin), senior Brigham Burnham (hurdles, long jump) and senior Luke Ahles (800, 1,600).

The Waddell Canyon View girls have officially established themselves as a dynasty, winning their third consecutive state championship under coach Muhammad Oliver. Canyon View beat Phoenix North Canyon 131.5 to 107. The Jaguars were led by senior Ryane Ast (100, 400, 800), sophomore Taelyn Janssen (3,200) and senior Rylee Fields (shot put, discus).

In Division V, it came down to the wire for the boys. Glendale Prep just edged out St. Johns 74 to 73, winning in the final stretch of the 4x400-relay to secure the title. It is the first boys state title in school history for Glendale Prep. The Griffins were led by senior Julian Henao (100, 200), senior Zack Rich (400, 800) and senior Logan Hartman (1,600).

For the girls, Phoenix Country Day School ran away with it, beating Scottsdale Christian Academy 81.5-57. It is the first-ever state title in school history for Phoenix Country Day. The Eagles were led by junior Abby Roth (100, 200, 400), sophomore Emerson Butler (1,600, 3,200) and sophomore Jacey-Mae Sellers (pole vault).

Over at Shadow Mountain, where Division III and IV were competing, Flagstaff star junior Yohanes van Meerten showed why he’s one of the best distance runners in state history. The Oregon commit won with ease in the Division III 1,600 with a 4:15.29 and jogged his way to a 9:02.92 in the 3,200.

ALA Queen Creek swept the team championships for boys and girls, a huge sign of the growth of the program under coach Duerk Brewer, who wasThe Republic’s cross-country coach of the yearin 2025.

The Patriots were led by seniors Beckham Goodman (100, 200), Troy Haymore (400, 800) and sophomore Jeremy Smith (1,600) on the boys side, beating Tucson Salpointe Catholic 74-71.

For the girls, junior Tally Call (800, 1,600, 3,200), senior Brailyn Clouse (shot put, discus) and senior Alyson Small (pole vault) led the way, beating Gilbert Mesquite 80.5-59.

In Division IV, Snowflake put on a display of dominance for another year. Snowflake swept both titles to add to its legendary run of titles.

The boys were led by senior decathlete Ryder Hall (110-meter hurdles, long jump, triple jump, high jump), junior Jacob LaDuke (100, 200), senior Conovor Pitts (300-hurdles) and junior Cody Potter (javelin), beating Chandler Valley Christian 112-80. It is the sixth consecutive title and 13th overall for Snowflake, just one from tying the state record held by Phoenix Union and Tucson for most consecutive titles.

The girls were led by seniors Jayci Ballard (100, 300-hurdles, long jump), Hailey Jones (400, 300-hurdles) and Ranell West (discus) and junior Bryn Kupfer (100-hurdles, high jump, javelin), beating Waddell ALA West Foothills 153-102. It is the fourth consecutive title for Snowflake.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic:State record, historic 400m race at AIA Divisional State Track Finals

Kirill Kaprizov and Brock Faber each finished with a goal and two assists as the Minnesota Wild pulled away for a 5-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche in Game 3 of their Western Conference semifinals series on Saturday night in Saint Paul, Minn.

Quinn Hughes tallied a goal and an assist for Minnesota, which pulled within 2-1 in the best-of-seven series. Ryan Hartman and Matt Boldy also scored for the Wild.

Nathan MacKinnon scored the only goal for Colorado, which lost for the first time in the postseason after entering with a 6-0 record.

Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt turned aside 34 of 35 shots to earn the victory.

Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood allowed three goals on 12 shots before he was replaced in the second period. Mackenzie Blackwood saw his first action of the postseason and stopped 12 of 13 shots in backup duty.

The teams will reconvene for Game 4 on Monday night in Minnesota.

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Minnesota grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first period. Kaprizov opened the scoring with 4:49 remaining in the first period. He raced toward the net, took a pass from Faber and finished with a wrist shot from the left side of the crease.

Hughes scored less than two minutes later to give the Wild a two-goal advantage. He handled the puck from the left circle to the top of the slot and fired a wrist shot through traffic for the power-play goal.

Another power-play goal gave Minnesota a 3-0 lead with 15:37 left in the second period. Hartman parked in front of the crease and knocked in a shot from the point by Mats Zuccarello.

The Avalanche got on the scoreboard with 6:49 remaining in the second period. Wallstedt stopped Colorado's initial shot, but MacKinnon spotted the rebound and punched it in for the power-play goal.

The Wild needed only 20 seconds to respond. Faber scored on a deflection to increase the Wild's lead to 4-1 with 6:29 to go in the second period.

Boldy capped the scoring with an empty-net goal with 3.3 seconds remaining.

-Field Level Media

Since May isNational Burger Month, we wanted to join in the celebration.

South Jersey has plenty of options for a good old hamburger for your tasting pleasure.

From Burlington County down to Cumberland County, there are some spots you might want to try. Here are seven of those places:

Blue Monkey Tavern, Merchantville

Blue Monkey Tavern is an iconic neighborhood restaurant and bar, which is known for its craft beer, craft cocktails and vivacious atmosphere.

The tavern is nestled in the heart of Merchantville, a small borough of approximately 3,820 people located in Camden County.

It's located in the historic Collins House. The building has been a theater, lumberyard, ice cream parlor, Freemasons lounge and restaurant.

There are televisions for watching sports, and there's a mahogany bar as well, which adds to the ambiance.

Blue Monkey Tavern’s burgers and mussels are popular items.

Some of the burger choices sound heavenly: Blue Monkey burger (a house blend of short rib brisket and chuck, topped with portabella mushrooms, caramelized onions and blue cheese), Centre smash burger, G.O.A.T Burger, Au Poivre Burger (a house blend of short rib, brisket and chucker burger beef) and chipotle black bean burger. Or you can build your own burger.

There's also cheesesteaks, flatbread, tacos, salads, chicken sandwiches and more on the menu.

Go:2 S. Centre St.; 856-661-8008;bluemonkeytavern.com.

Burger Barr, Sewell

Beef burgers, Impossible burgers, chicken burgers, grilled cheese, truffle fries, onion strings, mac and cheese bites, and handmade milkshakes are on the menu here.

Burger Barr opened in August of 2018 and is known for some of its limited-time offerings.

Last June, for example, they had a special Southwest Black Bean Burger, which was a chuck burger and smashed black bean patty on Texas toast with habanero cheddar, lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado and bacon, plus their house-made chipotle ranch.

In addition to offering a variety of cheese types, it’s the same with the bun types. Offerings include: Texas toast, brioche, pretzel, golden wheat yogurt, gluten-free white, seed or seedless white.

Go: #13, 508 Hurffville - Cross Keys Road; 856-218-5830;burgerbarr.com.

B-UNOS, Willingboro, Mount Holly, Florence

Customers have an option for a Willingboro location now.

B-UNOS shut down the flagship location in Burlington City location and moved that a few miles over to Willingboro at the Willingboro Town Center.

B-UNOS burgers, birria tacos, tacos and burritos are all crowd pleasers.

Known for its Mexican street food and breakfast classics, B-UNOS is also popular because of its burgers.

There’s the Mack Daddy, which is a crowd favorite, owners say. It includes twin patties, sesame seeded bun, shrettuce (shredded lettuce), cheddar cheese, pickles and B-UNOS Mack Daddy sauce. It’ll make you jump, jump.

The Seafood Drippin’ Monsta — crab cake, blackened shrimp, Provolone, mango aioli and hand-smashed patty on brioche — is an eye-opener.

The website calls the Lowrider burger their “most wanted." That has twin hand-smashed patties, cheddar and pepperjack cheese, bacon, spicy barbecue and fried jalapenos topped with crispy onion rings on brioche.

Go: 4 Mill St., Mount Holly; 609 -261-1500; 2043 Route130 South, Florence; 609 -447-0349; 4376 US-130, Willingboro; 609-386-0060;bunosbbb.com.

Cousin’s Burger, Cinnaminson

Some would call it gas station food because it is, well, located inside the market at the Pilot Travel Center and gas station.

Their food is made-to-order. They have a classic smashburger (single), double and even a triple, which features three beef patties, melted cheese and caramelized onions on a soft bun.

Cousin’s Burger features wings and milkshakes and cheesesteaks as well as fried chicken sandwiches. There are also classic chicken-loaded fries and beef-loaded cheese fries.

The Cousin’s Burger website calls it the fastest-growing burger restaurant in Philadelphia.

In addition to the Cinnaminson location, there are currently four locations in Pennsylvania (two of those in Philadelphia) and one in Newark, Delaware.

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Go: 2601 US-130; 856-543-4234;cousinsburger.com.

Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburger, Burlington Township, Cinnaminson

This retro-themed, fast-casual restaurant has more than 550 locations across the country, including two in South Jersey.

The Burlington Township location opened in March 2024, while the Cinnaminson location opened in December 2024.

Steakburgers are made-to-order with premium beef. They come in varieties such as the original double with cheese, mustard, onion and pickles, and the prime rib with two steakburger patties, prime rib, melted Swiss cheese, grilled onions, sauteed portobello mushrooms and garlic aioli.

They're all embellished with a house seasoning and hand-smashed.

The restaurant also offers chicken sandwiches and hot dogs, and the custard menu offers sundaes, shakes, cones and more. The shakes are another go-to for many customers.

Go: 2325 Mount Holly Road, Burlington Township; 1107 Route 130, Cinnaminson;freddys.com.

Gouldsburger’s, Haddonfield, Medford, Bordentown, Sicklerville, Marlton

Founded by Walter Gouldsbury, a trained chef and attorney, and chef David Murray, the brand has grown quite a bit over the last few years and offers franchising now, which has sped up its growth.

Gouldsburger’s opened its flagship location in Haddonfield in 2023 and has developed quite a reputation for its burgers and cheesesteaks.

There are also South Jersey locations in Sicklerville, Marlton, Medford and Bordentown, and one is soon to open in Glassboro.

Their smokehouse burger includes house made onion rings, cheddar, barbecue sauce and applewood smoked bacon. The Pocketful of Sunshine comes with roasted tomatoes, avocado and a sunny-side up egg.

They also offer vegan options and have crispy chicken sandwiches and strips, hot dogs, truffle fries, waffle fries, cheesesteak fries, loaded fries, fried pickles and onion rings. Some locations have slaw and mac and cheese on the menu as well.

Go:109 Kings Highway East, Haddonfield; 609-301-5293; 2 S. Main St., Medford; 609-257-4342; 1 1/2 Crosswicks St., Bordentown; 973-864-3210; 685 Berlin-Cross Keys Road, Sicklerville; 27 N. Maple Ave., Marlton; 856-405-7719;gouldsburgers.com.

Outlaw’s Burger Barn & Creamery, Vineland

A top location for gourmet smashburgers in the state, the family-owned Outlaw’s Burger Barn & Creamery also offers cheesesteaks, fried chicken sandwiches and homemade ice cream as well.

Some of the burger options include: Shroomin, The Works, Smoke house, farm fresh, bacon jam smash, avocado ranch, sweet onion smash, bacon butter and more.

Chicken wings and milkshakes are popular go-to items for customers.

A kids’ menu and outdoor seating are also options at this Cumberland County mainstay.

The restaurant was born in 2016. Owner Ryan Briggs said he wanted to create a place for families to gather “over fresh, local food and leave feeling part of the Outlaw’s family.”

It started as a small mom-and-pop shop, the website says, but grew into a hometown favorite, which sponsors local programs and is an important part of the Vineland community.

The menu offers fresh, local ingredients and the spot is also known for its gourmet ice cream cakes.

Go: 1370 S. Main Road; 856-691-5438;outlawsburgerbarn.com.

The Raging Bull, Pennsauken

This smashburger and cheesesteak spot, which also offers hand-spun milkshakes, opened in 2025 in Pennsauken where Royal Indian Cuisine once was.

Owner Eric Adili grew up in the restaurant business, working with his late father at Palombo’s in Cinnaminson and later at The Fat Tomato in Berlin, a press release from the company has stated.

Adili took over The Fat Tomato in 2018 when his father retired because of an illness. His father died a few years later.

Some of the “notable menu items” on The Raging Bull menu include: Buffalo cheesesteak with brined and shaved chicken, The Raging Bull cheesesteak with Cooper Sharp Whiz, Chipotle mayo and roasted long hots, and The Oklahoma smash burger, with smashed thin sliced Vidalia onions, Bully burger sauce and yellow Cooper sharp American.

Other burger choices include The Classic, which has yellow Cooper sharp American, mustard, diced onion and dill pickles, and The Deluxe, which has Bibb lettuce, tomato, bacon, Bully burger sauce, dill pickles, yellow Cooper sharp American.

“Our goal is simple: Use the highest quality ingredients, prepare everything fresh, and never cut corners,” Adili said in the release.

Go:6007 Mansion Blvd.; 856-324-0725;theragingbullnj.com.

Celeste E. Whittaker joined the Courier-Post in 1998. The South Jersey native has covered the Philadelphia 76ers, college and high school sports in her tenure and now covers food, dining, events, arts and culture and more for the Courier Post, Burlington County Times and Daily Journal. She has won numerous writing awards for her work.Please consider a digital subscription to help support our journalism.

This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post:Some of the best burgers in South Jersey may be found at these spots

Victor Wembanyama scored 39 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and blocked five shots as the San Antonio Spurs held on for a 115-108 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 3 of their Western Conference semifinal series on Friday in Minneapolis.

Wembanyama made 13 of 18 shots, including 3 of 5 from beyond the arc, while lifting the Spurs to a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

"I've really been waiting since I've been in the league to live those moments, those high-stakes games," Wembanyama said postgame on Prime Video. That's what I love. ... I'm built for this. I love this more than anything else."

San Antonio's De'Aaron Fox added 17 points, and Stephon Castle notched 13 points and 12 assists.

Fox did not hesitate when asked what the basketball world was witnessing from Wembanyama in his first postseason.

"Greatness," Fox said. "We all know that. We see him every day. We see the work and the time that he puts into his game and his body, knowing that teams are going to come out here and try to be physical with him.

"He fights through that. He doesn't complain. He knows what he's going to endure, and he comes out here and he produces."

Anthony Edwards scored 32 points and pulled down 14 rebounds to lead Minnesota. Naz Reid finished with 18 points and nine rebounds off the bench, and Jaden McDaniels scored 17.

Timberwolves guard Ayo Dosunmu said he and his teammates let the Spurs dictate the tempo too much on offense.

"I don't think our point-of-attack (defense) was where it needed to be," Dosunmu said. "There were too many times that we made a shot and then they came right back and got a good look. So we've got to do a better job of matching up and do a better job of controlling the point of attack and not letting them just live off attacking us."

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The teams will reconvene in Game 4 on Sunday evening in Minneapolis.

The Timberwolves, who trailed by 15 points in the first quarter, pulled within 106-103 with 3:27 remaining when Reid knocked down a 3-pointer.

On the next possession, Wembanyama drained his third 3-pointer of the evening. Wembanyama and Dylan Harper made two free throws each in the final minute to help seal the victory for the Spurs.

San Antonio led 86-79 at the end of the third quarter.

Emotions spiked in the third quarter after Harper got tangled up with McDaniels and hit his head as he fell to the court. As Harper stayed down, Castle stepped toward McDaniels to start a brief altercation, and officials moved in to calm the tensions.

Castle and McDaniels each received a technical foul. Harper returned to the game.

The score was tied at 51-all at the half.

San Antonio sprinted to an 18-3 lead to start the game thanks in large part to Wembanyama, who scored nine of the Spurs' first 11 points. The Timberwolves struggled to keep pace as they missed their first 13 shots from the field.

Edwards heated up as Minnesota finished the first quarter on a 19-5 run to cut the deficit to one point. The Timberwolves' early comeback culminated with a buzzer-beater from Edwards, who drained a 31-foot shot to pull Minnesota within 23-22.

--Field Level Media

Iranhas issued a stark warning toBritain, urging it not to “escalate the crisis” in theMiddle Eastby sendingwarshipsto the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s deputy foreign minister said that the presence of French and British warships in the key shipping route, effectively controlled by Tehran in retaliation for US and Israeli attacks, “will be met with a decisive and immediate response”.

It comes after the UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the Royal Navy was sending the HMSDragonwarship to the Middle East, where it could join aninternational missionto safeguard shipping in theStrait of Hormuz.

Sir Keir Starmer has said the mission, planned alongside French president Emmanuel Macron, would only take place once fighting in the region ends.

A ceasefire has been in place between the US and Iran since April, but both countries have accused each other of launching attacks in the strait, where 20 per cent of the world’s oil and liquified natural gas is transported through.

In a post on social media, Iran’s deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi said: “Any deployment and stationing of extra-regional destroyers around the Strait of Hormuz, under the pretext of ‘protecting shipping’, is nothing but an escalation of the crisis.

“The presence of French and British warships, or those of any other country potentially accompanying the illegal and internationally unlawful actions of the United States in the Strait of Hormuz, will be met with a decisive and immediate response from the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

“Therefore, they are strongly advised not to complicate the situation further.”

Hours before the warning, Tehran announced it had responded to a peace proposal put forward byDonald Trump’s peace plan proposal, which would end fighting before starting talks on more contentious issues, including Iran’s nuclear programme.

The response is said to focus on ending the war on all fronts, especially Lebanon, and on the safety of maritime traffic in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.

It was delivered to Pakistan as a key mediator in the war. Pakistani government officials said the response had been received and sent to the US.

However, despite the two countries looking to reach a peace agreement, hostilities have continued in the Middle East.

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Iran threatened to tighten its grip on the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, with its army warning that countries complying with US sanctions against Tehran will now “face difficulties” crossing the key shipping route.

Vessels have been repeatedly struck by Iran in the strait, as it continues to block the waterway.

The US enforced a blockade of Iranian ports in response to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and it has continued to attack ships that attempt to pass through the waters.

Iran warned it would launch a “heavy assault” on US assets in the Middle East if there are further attacks on vessels.

On Sunday night, Mr Trump accused Iran of “playing games”. In a post on his Truth Social platform, he wrote: “Iran has been playing games with the United States, and the rest of the World, for 47 years (DELAY, DELAY, DELAY!)”

It came a day after the US president mocked Iran’s threat by comparing its drones to “butterflies” and posting AI-generated visuals depicting a US warship firing laser beams into the sky, triggering explosions. The caption read: “Bye Bye, Drones”.

Qatari prime minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani warned that using the Strait of Hormuz as “a pressure tool” would only deepen the crisis in the Gulf.

He ‌told Iran’s Abbas Araghchi that all ⁠parties in the conflict should respond to mediation efforts to end the war.

The US ambassador to the UN said America would evaluate Iran’s response to its peace plan proposal to its “very clear red line”.

Mike Waltz told Fox News: “We’ll see what the Iranians just came back with overnight in terms of their response to our very clear red line.

“President Trump has been clear they will never have a nuclear weapon and they cannot hold the world’s economies hostage.”

Mr Waltz told ABC the president was “giving diplomacy every chance that he can before going back to hostilities”.

The MoD has been contacted for comment.

Rookie minicamps are typically designed to introduce draft picks and undrafted free agents to NFL life, but now and then, they also become an opportunity for veterans searching for another chance. That’s exactly where formerBaltimore Ravensquarterback Cooper Rush currently finds himself.

According toannouncements from both the Minnesota VikingsandPro Football Talk's Mike Florio, Rush has been invited to participate in theVikings’ rookie minicamp on a tryout basis. While the setting may seem unusual for a veteran with regular-season starting experience, the move makes plenty of sense for both sides.

Minnesota needs extra arms for practice reps, especially after failing to draft or sign a rookie quarterback following the 2026 NFL Draft. Rush, meanwhile, gets another opportunity to remind teams he can still provide value as an experienced backup.

Cooper Rush brings experience to Vikings minicamp as he seeks his new opportunity

Despite bouncing around in recent years, Rush is far from an unknown commodity. The 32-year-old has appeared in 42 regular-season games during his NFL career while making 16 starts. He compiled a decent and respectable 9-7 record along the way.

Most of that experience came during his lengthy stint with theDallas Cowboys, where he spent seven seasons serving as one of the league’s more dependable reserve quarterbacks.Rush later joined the Ravens, though his stay in Baltimore proved short-lived.

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The organization eventually released himafter elevating Tyler Huntley into the primary backup role behind Lamar Jackson. Now, the veteran quarterback finds himself attempting to extend his NFL career yet again.

The Vikings are keeping their options open. They already have four quarterbacks on the roster, so this minicamp invite does not necessarily signal an imminent signing. Still, teams often use these workouts to evaluate veteran depth, leadership presence, and potential emergency options for later in the offseason.

The Vikings also invited veteran wide receiver Trenton Irwin and offensive lineman Brandon Walton to participate, further illustrating that rookie minicamp sometimes serves broader purposes than simply evaluating first-year players.

For Rush, however, this weekend carries extra significance. Opportunities can become increasingly difficult to find as quarterbacks move deeper into their thirties, particularly backups without long-term starting resumes. Still, experienced veterans who understand protections, timing, and how to stabilize a locker room can often linger around the league longer than expected. We'll see if such is true for Rush.

This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire:Former Ravens QB Cooper Rush to participate in Vikings minicamp tryout

The latest controversy surrounding theDetroit Pistonsdoesn't involve basketball, but whether or not local fans have been calling them "Stones." And it's tearing social media apart.

OK, not really – but it's still an interesting discussion.

Many Detroit basketball fans claim they have been hearing the "Stones" nickname for over 20 years. Other longtime fans say they have never heard it before. But if it indeed is a part of Pistons lore, how come so many fans say it's not a real nickname?

First, let's dive into the origin of this recent "controversy."

Evan Fox, a video producer for ESPN's "The Pat McAfee Show" and Detroit sports fan, has been claiming that Pistons fans "really call them [the Stones]" on various episodes of the show, most recently on a May 7 broadcast that featured NBA star Tyrese Haliburton and former NBA player Quentin Richardson.

Notably, neither Haliburton nor Richardson seemed to recognize the nickname.

Fox has been fanning the "Stones" flame on his X account throughout the NBA playoffs, and as the Pistons have improved to a 2-0 series lead against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, more people have started to argue whether "The Stones" is real or fake.

Our Pistons insider Omari Sankofa II weighed in, saying that while the nickname is "not super common," it has "been a thing for a long time."

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Many commentors on that post and others claim they had never heard the nickname, while others claim they have been hearing it for decades.

Jemele Hill, former Free Press sportswriter and current writer for "The Atlantic," believes the separation between those who have heard "The Stones" and those who haven't starts at the border of Detroit's city limits.

Hill was born and raised in Detroit and is a Michigan State graduate, while Fox, also a Michigan State graduate,is from Williamston.

The Pistons do not use "The Stones" in any official marketing, and much of the social media conversation around the nickname has been limited to the past couple of days. But one post from nearly 10 years ago from Pistons legend Rick Mahorn has resurfaced, with Mahorn casually referring to the Pistons as "Stones."

So while your exposure to "The Stones" may depend on where you live, it has certainly existed (at least in some parts of Metro Detroit) for a while now.

But what do you think? Vote in our poll below!

Need to catch up on the news during your lunch break?Sign up for our Sports Briefing newsletterto get daily summaries of Detroit sports!

You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press:Is 'The Stones' a real nickname for the Detroit Pistons?

BOSTON (AP) —Wilyer AbreuandCeddanne Rafaelahit solo home runs in back-to-back innings, Connelly Early struck out eight and the Boston Red Sox snapped the Tampa Bay Rays seven-game winning streak with a 2-0 victory on Friday night.

Rays Red Sox Baseball

Boston had only four hits, but Tampa Bay didn’t have a base runner after the sixth inning and was shut out for the first time this season.

After tying his shortest outing of the season last week at Houston when he exited after four innings, Early (3-2) allowed four hits and walked one n seven innings, throwing a career-high 96 pitches.

Aroldis Chapman struck out two in a 1-2-3 ninth and remained perfect in eight save chances.

Nick Fortes had two oits.

Rays starter Jesse Scholtens (3-2) was pulled after 4 2/3 innings, having allowed only the two home runs, while walking four and striking out four.

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Boston was hitless until the third inning with Abreu connected on Scholtens’ 86 mph slider and drove it into the right field seats above the Rays’ bullpen for his sixth homer this season.

An inning later, Rafaela jumped on Scholtens’ first pitch slider and hit a 379-foot line drive that ricocheted off the seats atop the Green Monster for his third home run this season.

Boston had been homerless in its previous two games.

Red Sox greats Carl Yastrzemski, Wade Boggs, Carlton Fisk, Pedro Martinez, David Ortiz and Jim Rice were on hand to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the club’s first home game, a 12-4 victory on May 8, 1901.

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Tampa Bay RHP Nick Martinez (3-1, 1.71 ERA) and Red Sox LHP Payton Tolle (1-1, 2.04) start Saturday in the third game of the four-game series.

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Final four tickets were punched, weather led to late night battles and local track and field athletes and weightlifters brought home state titles on Friday. Below is a recap of all the action.

Baseball

Region 1-6A Final

No. 2 Buchholz 10, No. 1 Pace 2 (Game 1, Buchholz leads 1-0)

Once the rain subsided and it was clear to take the field around 8 p.m., the Bobcats rolled.

Buchholz (23-7) only outhit Pace (26-5) 9-6, but the Patriots committed five errors and walked seven batters. Bobcats junior Reed Thomas was in control on the mound. The Florida Gulf Coast signee allowed two runs on six hits and three walks while striking out five, finishing one out shy of a complete game after being pulled due to pitch count limits.

Pace's Dax Brooks went 2-for-3 with an RBI and Emory Allen also went 2-for-3.

Buchholz led 4-0 after the top of the third inning, but Pace started to creep back in the bottom of the frame on a Dax Brooks RBI single and Carson Kelly scoring on a wild pitch. The Patriots loaded the bases with one out but grounded into a double play.

Pace just had one other runner reach scoring position with Caleb Wheeler's two-out triple in the bottom of the sixth. The Bobcats led 5-2 at that point before tacking on five runs in the top of the seventh.

No. 2 Buchholz 10, No. 1 Pace 6 (Game 2, Buchholz wins series 2-0)

The third time was not the charm for the Patriots. The Bobcats ended Pace's season for the third straight year and on its home fieldfor the second straight year.

Game 2 started around 11:10 p.m. CT, and saw Buchholz (24-7) take control early and never give Pace (26-6) an opening.

The Patriots got on the board in the top of the first when Brooks scored on a Nate Filbert groundout and Braiden Cheshire scored on a wild pitch, but Buchholz scored five runs in the bottom of the first and three runs in the bottom of the second.

Pace committed six errors in the first two innings after committing five errors in game one. The Patriots didn't commit an error in a Region 1-6A semifinal sweep of Tocoi Creek.

Wheeler hit a two-run double and Colin Kelly scored on a passed ball to cut the lead to 8-5 in the top of the third, but Tyler Thurmond's RBI double in the the bottom of the fourth and Aidan Kastensmidt's RBI single in the bottom of the fifth pushed Buchholz's lead back out to five runs.

Bryce Hatton doubled home Wheeler in the top of the fifth, which turned out to be Pace's final runs this season. Brooks went 3-for-4 and Wheeler went 2-for-3 with two RBIs.

Buchholz advances to the 6A state semifinals, which will be May 15 at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers.

Pace will graduate nine seniors, including five starters in Allen, Cheshire, Cam Lee, Jackson Wheaton and Wheeler. However, the Patriots do have a good core returning led by Brooks, Filbert, Hatton and Aaron Muldowney.

Boys Volleyball

Region 1-2A final

No. 1 Gulf Breeze 3, No. 2 Beachside 0 (25-20, 25-22, 25-12, Soundside HS)

When Spencer Smith slammed the Final Four clinching goal to the back left court, Gulf Breeze's celebration was muted. When the Dolphins received the Region 1-2A trophy for the second straight year, they shouted and hollered with each other.

Signs of a team excited aboutreaching another goal, but knows there are bigger things ahead. Gulf Breeze will play in the 2A state semifinals on May 15, likely against Belen Jesuit at the Winter Haven Health Center at Polk State College.

"It's something that we've had our eye on since the beginning of the season, since our run last year," Dolphins head coach Jackson Arnold said. "We're just looking to repeat it. We're very glad that we're able to do it, and our goals remain higher. We're looking at that championship and going to get it. We're glad we were able to execute tonight."

All year, Gulf Breeze (21-5) has put the team they expect to play in the 2A state semifinals on the wall in the locker room. Nothing has been able to steer the Dolphins off track, not even a bad practice the night before this match.

Luckily for Arnold, he's not a believer that a team always practices how it plays. It was just a matter of making adjustments and coming out and playing like Gulf Breeze knew it could. In the first two sets that meant a steady dose of Cole Ducote from outside and Spencer Smith from opposite, though the Dolphins weren't putting together complete performances.

Beachside (17-12) fought off five set points in the first set, getting a good run from Caleb Morgan at the service line. Then Gulf Breeze led 18-10 in the second set, a lead the Barracudas whittled down to 24-22 before a kill down the line from Smith put the Dolphins ahead 2-0 in the match.

Gulf Breeze had a similar hot start in the third set, jumping out to a 10-0 lead with senior Elijah Hollis serving. The Dolphins led 17-8 when Beachside called timeout and Smith implored his teammates to not let the Barracudas have any hope.

"I actually said to Jackson...hey, let us finish this one out," Smith said. "Like let us make a statement in the scoreboard going into state really confident."

After being new to the Final Four experience last year, Gulf Breeze believes it's better prepared for the trip to Winter Haven this year. A deeper, more veteran group, hungry to not be one-and-done again. On May 15, the Dolphins will get the shot they've been waiting for all season.

"You just have to make sure you stick to your fundamentals and make sure you don't too much," Ducote said. "Because a lot of times you get into this mindset of this team's really good I have to play even better. When instead you should stick to your game and stick to your fundamentals and what you're good at.

Track and Field

FHSAA 3A and Para State Championship (Hodges Stadium at UNF, Jacksonville)

Pine Forest senior Anthony Gee and Gulf Breeze senior Addison Dahlem won state titles.

Gee won the boys 400-meter hurdle (52.18 seconds) while Dahlem won the ambulatory 200 meters (51.12) and 400 meters (1:51.49). Dahlem previously won the 400 meter ambulatory state championship in 2025.

The Booker T. Washington girls were the top placing local girls team, finishing 20th with 13.5 points. Dillard won its third straight title and fifth overall with 69 points, while Niceville finished second with 64 points.

The Pine Forest boys were the top placing local boys team, tying for eighth with 22 points. Niceville won its fifth state title in the last six years with 88 points, while defending state champion Belen Jesuit Prep finished second with 76 points.

Below is a complete list of results for area competitors.

Girls

100 meters:Danica Wright, so., Navarre (10th, 11.94); Layanna Banks, jr., Tate (12th, 11.95)

100 meter ambulatory:Addison Dahlem, sr., Gulf Breeze (2nd, 21.80)

200 meter ambulatory:Addison Dahlem, sr., Gulf Breeze (1st, 51.12)

400 meter ambulatory:Addison Dahlem, sr., Gulf Breeze (1st, 1:51.49)

1600 meters:Ashton Dahlem, jr., Gulf Breeze (15th, 5:21.18)

4x100 relay:Tate (Clay, Wiggins, Green, Banks, 9th, 48.16); Booker T. Washington (Walker, Smith, Mitchell, Simpkins, 12th, 48.90)

400 meter hurdles:Trinity Jordan, sr., Escambia (17th, 1:08.28)

High jump:Mbayang Niass, so., Booker T. Washington (4th, 5-3.75); Brianna Beacham, sr., Booker T. Washington (5th, 5-1.75); Addison Wand, jr., Tate (5th, 5-1.75)

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Pole vault:Daveigh Meredith, so., Tate (15th, 9-10)

Triple jump:Orriyah Randall, so., Booker T. Washington (4th, 38-0.75); My'rea Brock, sr., Pine Forest (12th, 36-2.75)

Discus:Za'Khiya Shaw-Rease, sr., Pine Forest (13th, 122-11)

Ambulatory shot put:Addison Dahlem, sr., Gulf Breeze (2nd, 13-5)

Javelin:Leighton Osborn, jr., Pace (9th, 119-9)

Boys

100 meters:Zion Heard, jr., Pine Forest (9th, 10.80); Leslie McMillian, jr., Escambia (15th, 10.84)

100 meter ambulatory:Ian Lewis, jr., Pensacola Catholic (5th, 14.11)

200 meter ambulatory:Ian Lewis, jr., Pensacola Catholic (4th, 29.45)

400 meters:Noah Chin, sr., Navarre (11th, 49.14); Jayden Jones, so., Navarre (16th, 49.80)

400 meter ambulatory:Ian Lewis, jr., Pensacola Catholic (5th, 1:12.68)

800 meters:Eric Dennard, sr., Escambia (8th, 1:54.41)

1600 meters:Brody Bruce, sr., Navarre (12th, 4:28.86)

4x100 relay:Escambia (Lyons, Harris, Dunn, McMillian, 13th, 42.72)

4x400 relay:Navarre (Jones, Cameron, Gargus, Chin, 7th, 3:18.93); Escambia (Wright, Harris, McMillian, Dennard, 15th, 3:25.02)

110 meter hurdles:Anthony Gee, sr., Pine Forest (3rd, 14.08)

400 meter hurdles:Anthony Gee, sr., Pine Forest (1st, 52.18); Matthew Beam, sr., Gulf Breeze (12th, 57.54)

High jump:Tylan Chambers, sr., Booker T. Washington (3rd, 6-5.5); Daniel McDaniel, sr., Escambia (6th, 6-3.5); Tate Rodriguez, jr., Milton (9th, 6-1.5); Sergio Robinson, sr., Milton (13th, 6-1.5)

Pole vault:Paul Arthur, sr., Pace (8th, 13-9.25)

Long jump:Darian Blanks, sr., Pine Forest (9th, 22-3.5)

Triple jump:Darian Blanks, sr., Pine Forest (3rd, 48-11); Tristen Pace, sr., Gulf Breeze (11th, 44-8)

Shot put:Kade Rollins, sr., Gulf Breeze (8th, 52-8.25)

Javelin:Tate Jernigan, so., Pace (3rd, 186-2); Alec Leach, jr., Pace (13th, 164-4)

Boys Weightlifting

FHSAA 1A State Championship (RP Funding Park, Lakeland)

Jay junior Chase Dooley swept the 1A Unlimited state titles for the second straight year, lifting 605 pounds (280 snatch, 325 clean and jerk) and 765 pounds in traditional (325 clean, 440 bench).

The Royals were also the highest placing area team, tying for 6th in Olympic with 11 points and finishing third in traditional with 14 points.

Keystone Heights won its first Olympic state titles with 28 points, and shared the traditional title with West Nassau, as both teams scored 20 points. This is Keystone Heights fifth traditional state title, while it's West Nassau's first boys weightlifting state title in school history.

Below is a complete list of results for area weightlifters. Athletes who finished in the top six win medals and land on the podium.

Olympic

129:Tanner Martinez, Jay (3rd, 380 pounds, 170 snatch, 210 clean)

139:Colton Weeks, Pensacola Catholic (8th, 370 pounds, 160 snatch, 210 clean); Dolan Enfinger, Jay (9th, 370 pounds, 150 snatch, 220 clean)

183:Dominian Gomez, Jay (13th, 420 pounds, 175 snatch, 245 clean)

199:Rylan Williams, Jay (7th, 455 pounds, 200 snatch, 255 clean)

238:Shawn Carreon, Pensacola Catholic (7th, 500 pounds, 210 snatch, 290 clean)

Unlimited:Chase Dooley, Jay (1st, 605 pounds, 280 snatch, 325 clean); Thomas Brown, Pensacola Catholic (13th, 430 pounds, 185 snatch, 245 clean)

Traditional

129:Tanner Martinez, Jay (6th, 420 pounds, 210 clean, 210 bench press); Kaleb Mager, Pensacola Catholic (18th, 350 pounds, 165 clean, 185 bench)

139:Matthew Hendricks, Jay (7th, 435 pounds, 185 clean, 250 bench); Colton Weeks, Pensacola Catholic (11th, 410 pounds, 210 clean, 200 bench); Lucas Nezbeth, Central (14th, 390 pounds, 195 clean, 195 bench)

169:Maximus Steinlicht (9th, 495 pounds, 235 clean, 260 bench)

183:Dominian Gomez, Jay (5th, 545 pounds, 245 clean, 300 bench)

199:Rylan Williams, Jay (3rd, 570 pounds, 255 clean, 315 bench)

238:Shawn Carreon, Pensacola Catholic (12th, 570 pounds, 290 clean, 280 bench)

Unlimited:Chase Dooley, Jay (1st, 765 pounds, 325 clean, 440 bench)

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal:Pensacola area high school sports recap May 8

As travelers affected bySpirit Airlines’ abrupt shutdowndeal with canceled flights and now-useless loyalty points, Papa John's is offering a consolation prize: free pizza.

The chain announced in anews releaseon Friday, May 8, a limited-time promotion called “Skies to Pies,” allowing former Spirit loyalty members to convert proof of their rewards status into a free large one-topping pizza following theairline’s sudden collapse.

“Loyalty points don’t mean much if you can’t use them,” said Shivram Vaideeswaran, SVP of brand marketing at Papa John's. “While we can’t fix cancelled flights or lost membership points, hopefully we can provide a smile and a delicious pizza to those impacted.”

How customers can claim the offer

To participate, customers must direct message @PapaJohns on Instagram with proof they were members of Spirit’s loyalty program and provide a screenshot showing they joined Papa Rewards.

The first 250 verified participants will receive a code for a free large one-topping pizza while supplies last.

Papa John's framed the promotion as a playful response to the turmoil in the airline industry, promising “no blackout dates” and “no middle seats.”

Spirit Airlines abruptly shut down operations

The campaign comes days after Spirit Airlines announced on May 2 that it was immediatelysuspending operations.

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The airline canceled all flights across its network and shut down customer service operations, leaving travelers stranded and unable to rebook directly through the carrier.

“For more than 30 years, Spirit Airlines has played a pioneering role in making travel more accessible,” Spirit CEO Dave Davis said in a statement announcing the closure. “The sudden and sustained rise in fuel prices in recent weeks ultimately has left us with no alternative but to pursue an orderly wind-down of the Company.”

Passengers across the country were forced into expensive last-minute travel changes after flights were canceled overnight.

The airline’s collapse followed years of instability, bankruptcy filings, engine recall issues affecting its fleet and failed merger attempts with Frontier Airlines and JetBlue.

USA TODAY reporters Zach Wichter and Mike Snider contributed to this report.

Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@usatodayco.com, or on Twitter @athompsonUSAT

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Spirit Airlines points can now score free Papa John's pizza

Nearly 30 years after 19-year-old Kristin Smart disappeared, California investigators conducted new search warrants as part of their ongoing probe into the location of her body.

The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday that deputies executed a search warrant at the 500 block of East Branch Street.

The sheriff's office declined to provide further details about the operation.

"The Sheriff’s Office remains committed to bringing Kristin home to her family. No further information is available," it said in a statement.

Inside the decadeslong search for justice in the Kristin Smart disappearance

Smart attended an off-campus party at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, where she was a freshman, on May 24, 1996, but never returned to her dormitory.

Investigators declared Smart legally dead in 2002 and the case remained cold until 17 years later, when the true crime podcast "Your Own Backyard" launched and helped investigators to get new witnesses and evidence.

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In 2021, investigators arrested and charged Paul Flores, who was a student at the college at the time of Smart's disappearance.

Detectives said that some classmates found Smart passed out during the early morning hours of May 25, 1996, and Flores appeared out of nowhere. He claimed to the other classmates that he knew where she lived and offered to help her to her dorm, detectives said.

Paul Flores sentenced to 25 years to life for murder of Kristin Smart

Flores was interviewed by officers following Smart's disappearance, but he was not charged.

In 2021,police searched the homebelonging to Flores' father, Ruben Flores, and allegedly found human blood and fibers in the dirt that matched the colors of the clothing Smart had been wearing when she went missing.

A juryconvicted Paul Floresin October 2022 of first-degree murder and he wassentencedin 2023 to 25 years to life.

Ruben Flores was charged with being an accessory to murder; however, a jury acquitted him on those charges.

Paul Flores appealed his conviction, but in January, the California Supreme Court denied his petition for review of his conviction.