Wednesday, October 4, 2023

Playoffs? Markelle Fultz says Magic can win Eastern Conference | Commentary

High school sports scores and top performers from Tuesday, Oct. 3 • Magic open training camp healthy with defense top of mind
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Sentinel Sports Final

Wednesday, October 4, 2023

The Magic enter training camp fully healthy for the first time during coach Jamahl Mosley's three seasons, but Markelle Fultz needs an emergency checkup. They can win the East? How about being the best team in the state. Accomplish that (Miami won the conference last season) and everyone will take notice. Milwaukee (Giannis, Dame and Khris) and Boston (Jayson, Jaylen and Jrue) would like a work with Markelle. ... I don't care if it's a midweek afternoon game but the Rays drawing fewer than 20,000 is shameful. Mike Tyson once took a cheap shot at ticket sales for Lennox Lewis vs. Evander Holyfied at Madison Square Garden. I can't repeat it all but he quipped: "I could sell out Madison Square Garden (use your imagination how he completed this sentence here)." The same probably applies to Rays. ... Orlando City can continue to build on its record-setting season for the club in MLS. ... Billy Napier needs to change gears quickly. He was supposed to be innovative and adaptable. Not stale and predictable. If he keeps this up, they might as well bring back Jim McElwain. His fibs were more entertaining. ... Is it Timmy McClain, John Rhys Plumlee or both starters for UCF this weekend at Kansas? There's a school of thought that says, if you have two "starting QBs" you really don't have any.

Playoffs? Markelle Fultz says Magic can win Eastern Conference | Commentary

Did he really say the Magic, who finished 12 games below .500 last year, could become East champions in a season when superstar Damian Lillard just joined the Milwaukee Bucks and All-Star Jrue Holiday just joined the Boston Celtics?

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High school sports scores and top performers from Tuesday, Oct. 3

Among girls volleyball winners on Tuesday were Winter Park, Kissimmee Osceola, Orangewood Christian, Foundation Academy and Lake Brantley, while Lake Mary Prep and Hagerty had boys golf wins. The First Academy and Circle Christian also notched girls golf wins.

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Magic open training camp healthy with defense top of mind

Coach Jamahl Mosley stressed the importance of continuity helping his team get off to a faster start to open camp Tuesday. "That's the great part about that continuity — they can really coach themselves," he said after the first practice.

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Rays didn't show up for Game 1, and neither did their fans

Thank goodness the crowd was so small or that might have really been embarrassing. Never have so few shown up to watch such ugly postseason baseball as Tuesday afternoon's Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series.

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Has UF reached the point where Vanderbilt is a big game? | Analysis

Few expected Billy Napier to be 9-9 at this point. His SEC-worst offense is predictable and punchless, averaging just 19 points vs. FBS competition. The Gators consistently commit special teams gaffes and line up with the improper number of players — as many as 13 and few as eight.

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Orlando City can sharpen postseason focus with rivalry matchup at streaking Nashville

The Lions are MLS's best road team at 7-4-4, but Nashville hasn't lost in its last five matches. This rivalry between them has grown in the last few years with some aggressive play on both sides.

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Could UCF see return of QB John Rhys Plumlee vs. Kansas? | Analysis

With the return of the 5th-year starter, the Knights could have a decision to make on who will start at Kansas this weekend: Plumlee or backup Timmy McClain, who started the past three games.

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Horizon football standout Bo Kenney hoping colleges notice | Recruiting Insider

The dilemma for Horizon High is that it's only a third-year school. The other problem is that the school is located somewhat in the middle of nowhere off Central Florida's Western Beltway, State Road 429 or otherwise known as the Central Florida Expressway. There is not even an exit off the 429, coming from the north, at Seidel Road, where Horizon is located.

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Rays make a mess in opening loss to Rangers, must win to stay alive

All the momentum, all the good vibes, all the optimism the Tampa Bay Rays had going into the Wild Card Series opener against Texas disappeared quickly when they played a miserably sloppy game in all facets, losing 4-0.

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GATORS PODCAST: Gators pick up pieces after Kentucky no-show

During the latest Swamp Things, Edgar and Mark shed light on a path forward and serve as a voice of reason during a tense time in Gator Nation.

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Dolphins Q&A: Why hasn't Miami's defense been better under Fangio? Is RB Jeff Wilson Jr. coming for starting job?

In the latest installment of our Miami Dolphins Q&A our writers answer questions from readers, including why did the defense struggle so much vs. the Bills?

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Tuesday, October 3, 2023

Magic star Paolo Banchero shares what success would look like in Year 2 | UCF, UF aim to get past disappointing football defeats | Pride prevail at Angel City FC in key NWSL match

5 storylines to watch entering Orlando Magic training camp • Pride prevail at Angel City FC in key NWSL match
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Sentinel Sports Final

Tuesday, October 3, 2023

Magic star Paolo Banchero shares what success would look like in Year 2 | UCF, UF aim to get past disappointing football defeats | Pride prevail at Angel City FC in key NWSL match

Magic star Paolo Banchero shares what success would look like in Year 2

Magic forward Paolo Banchero spoke with the Sentinel during the team's media day on Monday to share his goals for the year. "Every year is going to be better and this year is going to be a great year for me and the team," he said.

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5 storylines to watch entering Orlando Magic training camp

Before the Magic begin their 35th season, the team will run through an important training camp. Here are five storylines to follow entering camp that opens Tuesday.

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Pride prevail at Angel City FC in key NWSL match

At 9-10-1 with 28 points, the Pride are tied for sixth place with OL Reign and next play Friday night at 10th-place Racing Louisville before finishing the regular season at Exploria Stadium on Oct. 15 against 8th-place Houston.

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UCF tries to shake off Baylor collapse and turn focus toward Kansas

A day later, while some of Knight Nation was busy on message boards or social media casting blame, UCF coaches and players worked to turn the page with a challenging road game at Kansas (4-1, 1-1 Big 12) on Saturday.

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UF's Billy Napier remains confident in Gators' direction despite no-show at Kentucky

Florida aims to avenge a 2022 loss at Vanderbilt when the struggling Commodores visit the Swamp. Coach Billy Napier brushed off any connection between the stunning loss or others like it last season and the 2023 Gators' struggles against Utah and Kentucky.

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West Orange rebounds in Sentinel Super 16 high school football rankings

Apopka and Olympia switched places in the Sentinel Super 16 high school football rankings ahead of their Week 7 matchup Friday and West Orange is up four spots following a huge district win at Ocoee. Bishop Moore and Orlando Christian Prep rank just outside of the Super 16.

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Orlando area Week 7 high school football scoreboard with Monday, Thursday, Friday games

No. 1 Edgewater and No. 2 Seminole travel in Week 7 of high school football, with 'Noles playing at state champ Cocoa. Apopka goes to Olympia and Ocoee faces Winter Park in Sentinel Super 16 matchups. Home teams include No. 3 Lake Mary, No. 5 Jones, Evans, Lake Nona, Wekiva, Lyman and Tohopekaliga.

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High school sports scores and top performers from Monday, Oct. 2

In a pair of girls golf conference tourneys, Lake Mary rolled in the Seminole Athletic while Lake Nona won the Metro. Lake Mary Prep had 3 boys golfers shoot 2-under-par in a dual match win, while in volleyball, Osceola and Harmony won in the Orange Belt Conference Tournament first round.

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How Bucs' Dave Canales made sure Saints never knew what hit them

Chris Godwin throwing his first NFL pass, rollouts, end-arounds and young receivers stepping up — it all happened on one remarkable drive.

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Rookie Devon Witherspoon scores on 97-yard pick-6 as Seahawks D leads Seattle over Giants

Geno Smith threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to DK Metcalf late in the first quarter after a strip-sack by defensive end Mario Edwards Jr. set up a short drive and Keneth Walker III scored on a 1-yard run just before halftime as the Seahawks (3-1) won their third straight.

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