Brendon Sheppard takes a swing for the Red Raiders in their Thursday night tilt against Moore County. Sheppard had one hit and one RBI in a Coffee County win.
On Thursday night, the CCCHS Red Raiders scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to lift them over Moore County 7-6 in the first game of the Crethan Hansert Classic.
The game would start with a scoreless first inning, then both teams scored a run in the second inning, with Isaiah Deadman scoring on a single by Brendon Sheppard for Coffee County to tie the score at 1-1.
Moore County would score three times in the top of the third inning to retake the lead, 4-1.
Coffee County would chip away at the lead, as Deadman scored on a sacrifice bunt by Brady Daugherty in the bottom of the fourth, and Bird Fellers scored on a ground out by Nate Rutledge in the bottom of the fifth inning to make the score 4-3.
The visiting Raiders would extend their lead to 6-3 with two runs scored in the top of the sixth, but the Red Raiders responded with four runs of their own in the bottom of the inning, including a double by Cole Pippenger that sent in two runs to knot the score at 6-6 and a single by Colter Neel that allowed Trevor Jesse to score what would be the game-winning run.
Coffee County would hold on to win 7-6, ending a six game losing streak.
On the bats, Cole Pippenger and Brady Daugherty each had one hit and two RBIs, Nate Rutledge, Colter Neel and Brendon Sheppard each had one hit and one RBI, Blake Hillis had two hits and Bird Fellers, Trey Turner and Trevor Jesse each had one hit for the Red Raiders.
Brady Daugherty would get the start on the mound, but he was pulled after pitching 2.1 innings, allowing four runs on one hit, committing three errors, striking out two batters and walking six on 59 pitches.
Beau Murray would throw nine pitches and allow two hits in relief, Davis McKenzie would earn the win on the mound after pitching 3.2 innings, allowing two runs on three hits, committing one error, striking out one batter and walking another on 57 pitches and Nate Rutledge would get credit for a save after pitching one inning, striking out three batters and walking one on 17 pitches.
The Red Raiders are scheduled to take on Central Magnet in game two of the Crethan Hansert Classic on Friday, Apr. 19 at 6:00 pm.
Former Brown guard Kimo Ferrari announced Saturday that he has transferred to San Diego State. Ferrari is a San Diego native who played high school basketball at Francis Parker School. He was a two-time first-team all-county selection. "Back Home!" Ferrari said on his Instagram page while displaying a picture of himself in a San Diego State uniform. The 6-foot Ferrari averaged 6.7 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists last season for Brown, and knocked down 44.8 percent (43 of 96) of his 3-point attempts. He averaged 26.4 minutes in 26 games with seven starts. In three seasons at Brown, Ferrari made 92 3-pointers and shot 38.5 percent from 3-point range. He averaged 4.9 points and 2.5 rebounds and accumulated 65 steals in 75 games (eight starts). --Field Level Media
Retired quarterback and Super Bowl champion Drew Brees made it clear he wants a second chance to be on the call of NFL games. After retiring following the 2020 season, Brees immediately went to work for NBC. He largely split his time as an analyst for Notre Dame football and as a voice on the network's "Sunday Night Football" studio show. He was in the booth during two NFL games. He spent one year with the network, which announced before the 2022 season that Brees wouldn't be back for family considerations. A New York Post report at the time said Brees wanted to be in the booth for NFL games and out of the studio, adding that NBC didn't see a future for Brees as a backup for, or heir apparent to, Cris Collinsworth. But in a post to social media on Saturday, Brees, 45, said he would welcome a return to "SNF" or one of its primetime competitors. "SNF, MNF or Thursday Night Football. Come get me when you're ready! Until then I'm coaching ball," the father of four wrote on X, formerly Twitter. He accompanied his post with a clip from a news conference earlier this week in which he addressed his broadcasting aspirations. "The thing that I wanted to do most that I felt like I could bring the most value at was broadcasting NFL games," Brees said. "And it was the thing I had the least opportunity to do, right? I was able to do a little bit of college at Notre Dame. Just two NFL games broadcasting that were eight weeks apart and then the studio stuff, right? But, man, I love the game and I would love to broadcast NFL games, you know, at some point again. I think I could be the best at it." With the NFL spreading the rights to broadcast games beyond the traditional networks -- Netflix has the Christmas Day package in its first foray into the NFL, for example -- Brees could have a chance to get back in the booth. But the primetime jobs Brees said he covets are taken. Collinsworth is entrenched at NBC and at "SNF." Troy Aikman provides the commentary for longtime partner Joe Buck for ESPN's "Monday Night Football." And Kirk Herbstreit handles the Thursday night duties on Amazon Prime. No. 1 jobs at CBS and Fox Sports are taken, too. Tony Romo is a fixture at CBS alongside partner Jim Nantz. And Tom Brady is scheduled to make his much-anticipated debut as the top analyst for Fox Sports this fall, bumping Greg Olsen to the No. 2 team. Brees has something to look forward to down the road, however. He is likely to be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on the first ballot when he becomes eligible in 2026. Brees spent his career with the San Diego Chargers (2001-05) and New Orleans Saints (2006-20). A 13-time Pro Bowl selection and a 2006 All-Pro, Brees was the MVP of Super Bowl XLIV in 2010. He is second to Tom Brady in a number of career statistical categories, including passing yards (80,358), touchdown passes (571) and completions (7,142). --Field Level Media
Members of the back-to-back Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs reunited on Friday at the White House to celebrate their Lombardi Trophy win with President Joe Biden on the South Lawn. "Welcome back," Biden said to applause. Biden teased tight end Travis Kelce, who found his way to the microphone at last year's celebration in Washington, that he would "have Travis come up here, but God only knows what he'd say. Travis ... come up here." Kelce, in a tan suit standing in the first of three rows of teammates and coaches, made the shuffle step from a few feet away and took the microphone. "My fellow Americans," Kelce said to laughter. "It's nice to see you all yet again. I'm not going to lie, President Biden. They told me if I came up here I'm going to get tased. So I'm going to go back to my spot, alright?" Cornerback L'Jarius Sneed, who was traded to the Tennessee Titans, and wide receiver Rashee Rice, who began the offseason training away from the team after being involved in a high-speed accident in Texas that left multiple others injured, were with the 2023 team on Friday at the White House. So was kicker Harrison Butker. Butker's commencement speech at Benedictine College in May drew attention when he criticized Biden as "delusional" based on what he considers "hypocritical" views on abortion. Biden was gifted a Chiefs helmet, the traditional red headwear with the arrowhead K.C. logo on the side, and was urged to put it on -- which he did after resisting initially. --Field Level Media
PARIS (AP) — Catch up on the French Open with a guide that tells you everything you need to know about what happened at the clay-court Grand Slam tennis tournament, what the upcoming schedule is, how to watch, what the betting odds are and more:
Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson is getting off the wrestling mat and trying his hand on the gridiron. Steveson's agent, Carter Chow of Red Envelope Sports, told ESPN on Friday that his client will sign a standard three-year rookie contract with the Buffalo Bills. The team officially announced the signing later Friday. The 5-foot-11, 266-pound Steveson worked out for the Bills on May 15. He is expected to play on the defensive line. "I have been fortunate to compete at the highest level of competition in my sport but am looking forward to the challenge of seeing how my wrestling skills may translate to football," Steveson said, per ESPN. "I am grateful to Coach (Sean) McDermott, (general manager) Brandon Beane and the Buffalo Bills organization for giving me this opportunity." Steveson, 24, captured gold in the super heavyweight division of freestyle wrestling at the 2020 Tokyo Games. He also won two national championships at Minnesota (2021, 2022) and three Big Ten championships (2020, 2021, 2022). He is a two-time recipient of the Dan Hodge Trophy, which is awarded to the best college wrestler in the United States. Steveson was released by WWE earlier this month. Also on Friday, the Bills released left-footed punter Matt Haack. Haack, 29, played in one game with the Cleveland Browns last season before joining the Bills' practice squad as insurance for the injured Sam Martin ahead of the team's divisional playoff game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Haack averaged 44.5 yards per punt in 99 career games with the Miami Dolphins (2017-20), Bills (2021), Indianapolis Colts (2022) and Browns (2023). --Field Level Media
Denver Broncos rookie running back Audric Estime sustained a knee injury and is not expected to return until training camp, coach Sean Payton said Thursday. Estime, a fifth-round pick out of Notre Dame, had left practice a week ago because of the injury. He had a "small scope procedure" to make sure there wasn't serious damage, Payton said. "He'll be available at the start of training camp," Payton said after the conclusion of the Broncos' second week of OTA sessions. "So we won't see him through the rest of these OTAs, but on the conservative side, he's going to be just fine. It was all good news. And he'll stay and rehab, but he'll be full go at the start of training camp." Estime, listed by the Broncos as 5-foot-11 and 227 pounds, played three seasons at Notre Dame and had 373 carries for 2,321 yards (6.2 yards per carry) and 29 touchdowns in 37 games. Last season, he rushed 210 times for 1,341 yards and 18 touchdowns, and also caught 17 passes for 142 yards in 12 games. --Field Level Media
The Chicago Bears, with the top overall draft pick in Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Caleb Williams, will be the subject of the long-running "Hard Knocks" documentary series for the first time, HBO, NFL Films and the team announced Thursday. The franchise had not been interested in being the subject of "Hard Knocks," which since 2001 has chronicled NFL teams at training camp with behind-the-scenes access. "We're told there is some interest in other teams being on the program and we welcome that interest," Bears chairman George McCaskey said at the NFL team owners meetings in March. The organization does not appear to have changed its tune since then, judging by coach Matt Eberflus' brief statement in a press release. "Our players, coaches and staff are excited to continue the process of building for the 2024 season," Eberflus said. The five-episode series will premiere Aug. 6 on HBO and will stream on Max. New episodes run each Tuesday through Sept. 3. "We are honored to feature such an iconic NFL franchise on ‘Hard Knocks,'" Shannon Furman, NFL Films senior director and supervising producer, said in a statement. "The Chicago Bears have a talented roster, coaching staff and front office all determined to match the expectations of a hungry fanbase. We are thankful to the entire organization for opening their doors to us for what is sure to be an exciting training camp this summer." "‘Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Chicago Bears" will provide our passionate fans across the world the ability to experience this unique and critical time in the history of our franchise," team president & CEO Kevin Warren said in a statement. The Bears improved after an 0-4 start last season in finishing 7-10. Quarterback Justin Fields was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers, opening a clear path for former Southern California star Williams to be the new starter. Chicago also drafted wide receiver Rome Odunze of Washington to join veterans DJ Moore and Keenan Allen -- the latter a notable new edition along with running back D'Andre Swift as the Bears bolstered the offensive side of the ball to complement a solid defense. The Bears play four preseason games, including the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game against the Houston Texans on Aug. 1. Chicago also has the Bills, Bengals and Chiefs on its exhibition schedule. The series has expanded to three versions this season. The training camp coverage will follow a five-week run of a new spinoff endeavor, "Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants," which was announced earlier this month. The in-season version will follow all four teams in a division for the first time. The specific division has yet to be chosen. --Field Level Media