PV holds off Wickliffe to capture D-V sectional championship — and more

Pymatuning Valley’s 2025-26 boys basketball season came down to the final 1.2 seconds Saturday.

That’s when Noah Dubic hit a game-winning free throw to give the Lakers a 57-56 Division V Northeast 1 sectional title at PVHS.

The Lakers, 13-10, are scheduled to play at No. 1 Cleveland Hts. Lutheran East at 7 p.m. Wednesday in a district semifinal contest.

Brooklyn, the 14th seed, goes against No. 12 Wooster Triway in the other district semifinal contest at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

The winners will head to Cleveland Heights at 3:30 p.m. Saturday for the district title.

As the 20th seed, PV goes to Lutheran East, which beat Beachwood 87-12 Saturday.

“Really excited to see what the best in the state looks like,” PV coach Ryan Shontz said. “I think it’s a great opportunity for my young guys to see what it takes to be elite.”

Against Wickliffe, Dubic was fouled on a 3-point attempt in the final seconds. He missed the first free throw, made the second and missed the third on purpose.

The Lakers started with a 19-15 first-quarter advantage. PV extended the lead to 32-21 by halftime.

“Our halftime lead was built off the defensive efforts of Trent Harvey, senior forward,” Shontz said. “He did a great job slowing down their best player [Drew Rossman].”

Rossman scored seven points in the first half.

He tallied 19 points in the second half as the Blue Devils mounted their comeback, for a game high of 26.

They outscored PV 15-11 in the third quarter and 20-14 in the fourth.

The Lakers had three players in double digits, led by Justin Britton with 13 points. Dubic and Andrew Wludyga added 12 points each.

Wludyga hit four of the team’s 10 3-pointers.

“Junior captain Andrew Wludyga played an amazing game,” Shontz said. “He helped calm down our young guys. Playoff wins are hard to come by, I’m really proud of them.”

Dubic had three threes, Britton added two and Max Moores chipped in with one.

PV is making its second straight district appearance, and third in the last three years.

Alabama softball had an extremely successful weekend during the T-Mobile Crimson Classic in Tuscaloosa.

Alabama secured six total victories over the three-day span. The Tide held a record of 2-0 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, as Alabama continues to turn a multitude of heads across the college softball world to begin the 2026 campaign.

Alabama currently holds an overall record of 20-0, as the Tide will look to keep things rolling prior to the start of SEC play.

Here are three takeaways from Alabama’s weekend series in Tuscaloosa.

Alabama records two shutout victories on Friday

The Tide were credited with a shutout against both St. Thomas and USF during Friday’s victories. Alabama was nothing short of elite in the circle, as the Tide held both teams to a combined three hits over the course of 12 total innings of play.

Alabama was able to start strong both offensively and in the circle, as the Tide opened the weekend with an authoritative 2-0 record in Tuscaloosa.

Alabama outscores opponents 16-1 on Saturday

The Tide were red hot at the plate during both of Saturday’s matchups against Kent State and USF. Alabama won each game by a score of 8-1 and 8-0, respectively, as the Tide continue to dominate at the plate on a nightly basis in 2026.

Alabama would continue to dominate into Sunday’s matchups following their success on Friday and Saturday, as the Tide have been widely regarded as a top team in the country throughout the first month and a half of play.

Alabama stays red hot against St. Thomas, Oakland

Alabama secured yet another 2-0 day on Sunday, recording a 7-0 victory over St. Thomas followed by a 8-1 victory over Oakland. Alabama was credited with an overall record of 6-0 on the weekend, as the Tide continue to cement themselves amongst the top teams in college softball prior to the start of conference play.

Alabama will face Ole Miss starting on Friday evening, as the Tide will look to stay hot at the start of SEC play.

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This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Alabama softball takeaways from 2026 Crimson Classic

Sex mål mellan Detroit och Nashville. Tre av de gjordes av svenskar – inklusive avgörandet. Doldisen Albert Johanssons 3–2-mål blev tungan på vågen när Detroit tog hem matchen med 4–2.

The Detroit Lions are not going to place a restricted free-agent tender on defensive lineman Tyrus Wheat, per a report from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

As a result, Wheat will hit the open market and become an unrestricted free agent when the new league year begins.

“The Lions are not placing a restricted tender on DL Tyrus Wheat, per source. He will be a free agent,” Fowler reported.

The move was widely expected, as the minimum restricted tender would have cost Detroit nearly $3.5 million, a steep price given Wheat’s role and production.

Why the Decision Makes Sense

Wheat appeared in 15 games during the 2025 season, recording:

• 1.5 sacks
• 7 solo tackles
• 1 forced fumble

While he provided rotational depth along the defensive line, Detroit appears comfortable moving on as it reshapes the front seven under its evolving defensive vision. With limited cap flexibility and a need to prioritize impact players, the Lions opted against committing guaranteed money at that level.

What’s Next for Detroit

The Lions are expected to continue exploring cheaper depth options, potential re-signings at a lower cost, and additions through the 2026 NFL Draft to bolster their defensive line rotation.

For Wheat, the decision opens the door to a fresh opportunity elsewhere as free agency approaches.

The post Detroit Lions Make Decision on DL Tyrus Wheat appeared first on Detroit Sports Nation.

HARPERSFIELD TOWNSHIP — A $6 million, multi-year partnership, was recently announced by SPIRE Academy and Vensure Employer Solutions, said SPIRE Academy Chief Executive Officer Steve Sanders.

“The partnership connects youth athlete development with workforce innovations, a growing trend as brands look to engage families in trusted high-attention environments,” a press release from SPIRE states.

The sponsorship represents one of the largest youth sport financial partnerships ever created, according to the release. During a phone interview, Sanders said the sponsorship will include direct naming rights to different aspects of the SPIRE portfolio.

“SPIRE is developing the next generation of leaders, and their impact in youth sports and education is growing fast,” said Phil Urso, chief sales officer at Venture HR. He went on to say the SPIRE commitment to the full person connects with Venture HR’s work to create stronger teams and develop talent, he said.

“Youth sports sponsorship is no longer a niche market,” said Amy Liles, head of partnerships and tournaments at SPIRE. “It’s one of of the most effective ways to meet families in an authentic, trusted environment.”

“What makes this partnership special is the alignment between our missions. Vensure HR and other partners like Third Federal Savings and Loan, Waffle House and Chick Fil-A are not just putting their names on our facilities, they are investing in what matters: future talent, performance development, and community impact,” Liles said.

The agreement includes brand visibility across high-profile SPIRE moments, the release states, with examples being national basketball events at the academy and naming rights to the Venture HR SPIRE Performance Research Center.

Vensure HR is the largest privately held organization in the HR technology and service sector, dealing with a wide variety of solutions for companies and organizations.

SPIRE Academy is a growing sports organization that continues to expand in influence. Kevin Boyle, a national championship coach, runs the academy’s basketball program after he was hired last summer from Monteverde Academy.

The academy sponsors a wide range of sports, with more on the horizon, Sanders said.