Latest news with #Mustangs'
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
East Lincoln football standout Grant Lawless chooses Wake Forest
East Lincoln quarterback Grant Lawless has found his college match. The Mustangs' senior signal caller verbally committed to Wake Forest on Thursday, announcing his intentions via X, formerly known as Twitter. Advertisement HOG WILD: Ashbrook 3-star linebacker Caleb Gordon commits to Arkansas football BIG TEX HEADED NORTH: 3-star prospect Kings Mountain football standout William Vaughn chooses Boston College 'First off I want to thank God for giving me this opportunity!,' Lawless said . 'I also want to thank my parents and family for all their sacrifices to get me to this point. Lastly, I want to thank all my teammates and coaches who work hard everyday to put me in the position to be successful!' A 6-foot-3, 190-pound quarterback, Lawless is preparing for his third season under center at East Lincoln. Over the course of the past two seasons, he completed just shy of 63% of his passes for 4,249 yards and 56 touchdowns, while throwing only five interceptions. Lawless had a breakout 2024 campaign in which he completed 66% of passes for 2,650 yards and 36 touchdowns. He also rushed for 388 yards and three touchdowns. Advertisement Lawless was also being recruited by Bryant, Elon, Gardner-Webb, Lenoir-Rhyne and Towson. This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: NCHSAA football: East Lincoln's Grant Lawless commits to Wake Forest
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
SMU Lands Game-Changing 2026 Linebacker Izayah Young
SMU Lands Game-Changing 2026 Linebacker Izayah Young originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Sometimes, it takes just one moment to recognize where you belong. For Izayah Young, that moment came when he slipped on an SMU jersey during his official visit. 'The moment I put the uniform on, that's when I knew this is home,' the 2026 San Marcos (Texas) linebacker told On3 Sports after announcing his commitment Monday. And home is exactly what the Mustangs' defense may have just found in the 6-foot, 190-pound prospect who's primed to be a difference-maker in the ACC. Advertisement Young's recruitment was no small feat. He held offers from Baylor, Tennessee, Pitt, and several other Power 4 programs. Yet it was SMU's blend of opportunity, culture, and coaching vision that ultimately won him over during the Pony Express recruiting weekend. 'I had a great time there,' Young said after an earlier visit during spring practice. 'That's a team I definitely want to play for great coaches, great players, and amazing facilities.' He spent valuable 1-on-1 time with head coach Rhett Lashlee, who has been intent on building a defensively stout program to match SMU's explosive offense. But it was linebackers coach Maurice Crum, affectionately known as 'Coach Mo,' who sealed the deal. 'Coach Mo told me I'm a guy he wants on his team,' Young said. 'He wants to develop me into a monster.' Advertisement Young is currently ranked No. 672 nationally, the 53rd linebacker in the country, and No. 99 overall in Texas, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average across all major recruiting services. That puts him among the elite defensive prospects in the Lone Star State. More importantly, Young becomes the second linebacker to join SMU's 2026 class, alongside Markel Dabney out of Virginia. The Mustangs' 2026 recruiting class ranked in the Top 25 nationally even before Young's announcement, a promising sign as SMU gears up for life in the ACC. This isn't just a depth signing, it's a potential cornerstone for SMU's future defense. SMU is building something serious on the Hilltop. With major conference realignment on the horizon and a surge in recruiting momentum, landing a talent like Young doesn't just reflect smart evaluation, it sends a message: The Mustangs aren't backing down from anyone. Advertisement For fans hungry for grit and physicality, Young delivers exactly that. A hard-hitting, instinctual linebacker with sideline-to-sideline range, he's the type of player who thrives in a system designed to let playmakers roam. And now, he's coming to Dallas. Related: SMU Surges to No. 14 in ESPN's Future Power Rankings Related: SMU's Rhett Lashlee Admits the College Football Playoff Made an Error This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
Chicago Tribune
31-05-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Sophia Zepeda pitches like the ace Mundelein needs her to be. ‘I saw my potential.' Now she's reaching it.
Mundelein senior pitcher Sophia Zepeda's run of bad luck appears to be behind her. Zepeda, who pitched sparingly behind then-sophomore Shae Johnson during the Mustangs' run to fourth place in Class 4A last year, was anointed the ace of the staff after an injury sidelined Johnson for this entire season But Zepeda, a College of Lake County commit, then suffered back-to-back injuries that forced her to sit out some games. 'It was frustrating because I reinjured myself the very first game back and missed five or six games,' she said. 'I knew I had to be ready when I came back and thought it would be difficult after a few weeks off. It was good to rest my body.' Zepeda, who returned in early May, certainly was on her game Friday. She didn't allow a hit until the sixth inning to lead fourth-seeded Mundelein to a 6-0 victory over fifth-seeded Libertyville in the 4A Buffalo Grove regional championship game. Zepeda (8-4) struck out 18, walked five and surrendered just two hits in seven shutout innings for the Mustangs (22-10), who advance to the Stevenson Sectional semifinals to play another North Suburban Conference rival, the top-seeded host Patriots, at 2 p.m. Wednesday. 'Sophia has always been ready to step in and do what she can do for the team, so this year she knew she would get more of the pitching responsibility with Shae out with her injury,' Mundelein coach Heather Ryan said. 'She's such a tough, resilient, hardworking kid. She had some injuries but did a great job rehabbing and getting ready for the playoffs. 'She brought the heat today, and her pitching was really hitting. She hit her spots.' Zepeda struck out five over the final two innings and finished her stellar performance by snaring a hard-hit hopper and throwing to first base for the last out. She struck out 16 against Buffalo Grove in the regional semifinals and has 164 strikeouts in 103 1/3 innings this season. 'I threw a lot of rise balls, and that was working in our semifinal game as well,' Zepeda said. 'That's what I've been working on every day.' Zepeda, who also plays volleyball and basketball, was impressive in relief in the third-place game last year. She said she then prepared in the offseason to be the Mustangs' No. 1 pitcher. 'The state experience was really good for me because I saw my potential and how good I can be,' she said. 'That really drove me in the offseason. I just lit up the offseason and went to the cages and threw a lot.' The Wildcats (23-9) split the season series with the Mustangs but failed to get a hit on Friday until junior Taylor Higham, who took the loss after pitching six-plus innings, ended Zepeda's bid for a no-hitter in the bottom of the sixth. Libertyville junior Maddy Kleemann followed with a single up the middle, but Zepeda escaped a two-out, bases-loaded jam with a strikeout. '(Zepeda) dominated us and pitched great, and they made all the plays defensively,' Libertyville coach Dar Townsend said. Mundelein senior first baseman Claire Connelly, an Indiana State recruit who holds multiple program records, said Zepeda has proved she's a gamer. 'Not pitching much last season, she has stepped up and come back stronger after her injuries,' Connelly said. 'She's become a more dominant pitcher and always stays composed. I don't think she missed a pitch today. She was nonstop and didn't take a pitch off.' Mundelein freshman catcher Sarah Benes agreed that Zepeda is rounding into elite form. 'She hit her spots today,' Benes said. 'She was strong and hasn't missed anything since her injury.'
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Wildorado boys, Spearman girls turn in strong showings at UIL state golf, other results
The high school golf season has come to an end in the Lone Star State. The 2025 campaign concluded over the past two weeks, with girls and boys teams from around the state competing in the Austin area. A number of teams from the Texas Panhandle had solid showings, but one came away with the team title. Advertisement Wildorado won the Class 1A boys UIL Golf championship with a team score of 337 strokes, beating runner-up D'Hanis by 10 strokes to secure the program's first state title. The Mustangs' team was comprised of Hunter Corman, who earned second place in the individual standings, Cash Flowers, Drew Ratliff, Will Vance and Brayden Sides. Corman earned second place after he and Texline's Bo Bradley both finished their round in 74 strokes. Due to weather, each competitor in the Class 1A boys tournament only played 18 holes. Bradley was awarded the individual state title after shooting a lower score on the back-nine holes, which was the event's tie breaker. Aside from Wildorado, Randall's boys team and Spearman's girls teams also had solid showings at the state golf tournament. Randall placed fourth in Class 4A, led by Jackson Lankford, while Spearman, led by Izzabella Slover, finished second in Class 2A. Advertisement See how every Texas Panhandle golfer performed at the state tournament below. More: UIL State Track: Which Amarillo-area athletes left Austin with a medal? More: Panhandle girls claim UIL State Track team championship with record-setting performance More: Four Randall girls soccer players honored on UIL state All-Tournament team after title Class 1A BOYS Team standings: 1. Wildorado, 337 strokes; 2. D'Hanis, 347; 3. Abbott, 352; 4. May, 362; 5. Robert Lee, 366; 6. Blum, 368; T7. Brookeland, 371; T7. Springlake-Earth, 371; 9. Jayton, 372; 10. Iredell, 382; 11. Roscoe Highland, 385; 12. White Deer, 396. Advertisement Individual results: Bo Bradley, Wildorado, 74 strokes (winner); Hunter Corman, Wildorado, 74 (runner-up); Chase Nelson, Booker, 82; Drew Ratliff, Wildorado, 86; Froylan Agundiz, Springlake-Earth, 86; Will Vance, Wildorado, 87; Ethan Mosqueda, Springlake-Earth, 89; Brayden Sides, Wildorado, 90; Tyler Tanaro, Springlake-Earth, 91; Cash Flowers, Wildorado, 93; Foster Black, White Deer, 94; Caynden Mynear, White Deer, 97; Isaac Lanham, White Deer, 102; Braxton Brown, White Deer, 103; Jacob Alvarez, Springlake-Earth, 105; Cason Powell, White Deer, 111. GIRLS Team standings: 1. Garden City, 774 strokes; 2. Utopia, 788; 3. Lenorah Grady, 790; 4. D'Hanis, 815; 5. Crowell, 827; 6. McMullen County, 835; 7. Veribest, 838; 8. Sulphur Bluff, 872; 9. Lazbuddie, 898; 10. Happy, 912; 11. Neches Highland, 923; 12. Henrietta Midway, 960. Individual results: Neely Davis, Kelton, 194 strokes; Bree Reinart, Happy, 214; Kamreigh Bender, Happy, 218; Ennah Mosqueda, Springlake-Earth, 235; Abby McCreary, Happy, 239; Bela Ramirez, Happy, 242; Scout Atwood, Happy 247. Class 2A BOYS Individual results: Cooper Nichols, Farwell, 72; Braddock Foster, Farwell, 74; Jake Houska, Wheeler, 81. Advertisement GIRLS Team standings: 1. Mason, 664; 2. Spearman, 736; 3. Sonora, 739; 4. Wink, 740; T5. Crawford, 773; T5. Weimar, 773; 7. Cisco, 789; 8. Shiner, 827; 9. Hamilton, 851; 10. Mart, 899; 11. Latexo, 909; 12. Gladewater Union Grove, 961. Individual results: Izzabella Slover, Spearman, 166; Allie Duncan, Wellington, 175; Jaslene Baca, Spearman, 185; Acey Womble, Spearman, 187; Tessa Holton, Spearman, 198; Morgan Earle, Spearman, 221. Class 3A GIRLS Team standings: 1. Odessa Compass Academy, 664; 2. Sweetwater, 691; 3. Gunter, 693; 4. Maypearl, 702; 5. Corpus Christi London, 708; 6. Bushland, 724; 7. Vanderbilt Industrial, 763; 8. Columbus, 772; 9. Callisburg, 788; 10. Cameron Yoe, 799; 11. Atlanta, 816; 12. Elkhart, 835. Advertisement Individual results: Avary Brookshire, Bushland, 173; Ava Permenter, Bushland, 181; Ariana Marcos, Bushland, 184; Anaston Tabor, Bushland, 186; Ella Grice, Bushland, 206. Class 4A BOYS Team standings: 1. Bridgeport, 590; 2. Andrews, 617; 3. Mabank, 624; 4. Randall, 626; 5. China Spring, 632; 6. Fredericksburg, 637; 7. Comal Davenport, 643; 8. Sulphur Springs, 649; 9. Hardin-Jefferson, 650; 10. Longview Pine Tree, 651; 11. Corpus Christi Calallen, 653; 12. Bullard, 685. Individual results: Jackson Lankford, Randall, 147; Madden Myers, Randall, 149; Braeden Brandt, Randall, 164; Jarett McDowell, Randall, 166; Bryson Nuzum, Randall, 176. Class 5A BOYS Team standings: 1. Walnut Grove, 296; T2. Montgomery Lake Creek, 298; T2. Highland Park, 298; 4. McAllen Memorial, 308; 5. Highland Park, 311; 6. Mission Sharyland, 312; 7. College Station, 314; T8. Abilene Wylie, 317; T8. Smithson Valley, 317; 10. Mont Belvieu Barbers Hill, 320; 11. Tascosa, 323; 12. Burleson Centennial, 328. Advertisement Individual results: Slayde Stevens, Tascosa, 76; Derek Darnell, Tascosa, 81; Grant Young, Tascosa, 82; Joe Bybee, Tascosa, 84; Parker Whitney, Tascosa, 84. GIRLS Team standings: 1. San Antonio Alamo Heights, 589; 2. Frisco Centennial, 609; 3. Highland Park, 621; 4. Colleyville Heritage, 630; 5. Montgomery, 633; T6. Amarillo High, 639; T6. Walnut Grove, 639; 8. Comal Pieper, 643; 9. Friendswood, 648; 10. Grapevine, 655; 11. Montgomery Lake Creek, 656; 12. Edinburg Vela, 686. Individual results: Addison Britten, Amarillo High, 150; Tyler Held, Amarillo High, 160; Kylee Demetro, Amarillo High, 161; McKenna Montoya, Amarillo High, 168; Edee Thacker, Amarillo High, 186. This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: UIL Golf: How did the Texas Panhandle perform at the state tournament?
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
LSU football schedules a game with 2024 playoff team
LSU and SMU football announced a home-and-home series starting in 2028, according to a joint announcement from both schools Monday. The Tigers will host the first of the two games on September 2, 2028 then travel to Dallas on September 1, 2029. The contest in Death Valley will be the first meeting between the two since 1934 and third meeting all time. The Mustangs won the first game in 1922 51-0 before a 14-14 tie in 1934. Advertisement SMU reached the College Football Playoffs last season, its first apart of the ACC. It finished with an 11-3 record and ended its season with a 38-10 loss to Penn State in the 12-team postseason format. The Mustangs' future remains bright as well, boasting the No. 20 overall 2026 recruiting class. Head coach Brian Kelly will face SMU for the first time in his storied career. He also never coached against Mustangs' leader Rhett Lashlee but the pair will face off in back-to-back seasons. The announcement comes on the heels of news involving both programs as former LSU wide receiver commit Jakai Anderson flipped to SMU. This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: LSU football schedules game with 2024 playoff program
