All articles tagged with #high school sports
Owen Coyne, a senior and three-sport athlete at Marblehead High School, died on October 2, 2026, from a sudden brain hemorrhage. The school canceled his upcoming game against Danvers and is providing counseling services to students and staff. Coyne was a football co-captain and had committed to play at Williams College.
A new study linking chronic traumatic encephalopathy (C.T.E.) to a high percentage of former NFL players has reignited safety debates in Clatsop County. While local high schools have already banned dangerous drills, coaches and parents are now scrutinizing current practices in light of the research.
Girls flag football is the fastest-growing high school sport, with more than 102,000 players in 2025-26—a 551% jump in four years—and now sanctioned in 23 states plus Washington, D.C., backed by NFL investment; the sport is expanding to the 2028 Olympics, with about 3,990 schools reporting participants in 2025-26.
ESPN will stream the four-day 2026 Patriot Games—organized by Freedom 250 for 14–17-year-old athletes from across the U.S.—on the ESPN app, with three live streaming days (Aug. 9–11) and a one-hour ABC primetime finale (Aug. 13). The event, held at SPIRE Academy in Geneva, Ohio, features boot-camp style and obstacle challenges for a $250,000 prize pool, with ESPN hosts and analysts presenting coverage.
Tim Bankston, longtime TF North basketball coach and a former Simeon star, was found fatally shot in his Auburn Gresham home. Police are investigating the homicide; no suspects or motives have been publicly released, and the local community is mourning the loss of a prominent area coach and figure in high school basketball.
The piece profiles 12 high school athletes named Gatorade 2025–26 National Players of the Year across football, volleyball, cross country, basketball, baseball, softball, soccer and track. It highlights their on‑field dominance, leadership and community impact, with standout stories such as Jackson Cantwell’s transition to college football as a 6'8", 330‑pound offensive lineman; Sophee Peterson’s record-setting volleyball career; Maddie DiMaria’s sensational sophomore‑to‑senior rise in girls soccer; and Melanie Doggett and Zacchaeus Brocks breaking fresh ground in track, illustrating why these players are poised for elite college programs and potential pro careers.
WKOW outlines the WIAA state championships: softball on June 13 at Goodman Diamond (Madison), baseball on June 18 at Fox Cities Stadium (Grand Chute), and girls soccer on June 20 at Uihlein Soccer Park (Milwaukee). All girls soccer games will be broadcast on Catchy Comedy (WKOW’s subchannel, Charter Spectrum channel 190) and streamed at WKOW.com via the WIAA Sports Live section and WKOW apps; 27 News Now app users may need to click to watch the livestream. Previously recorded events may appear in the video player, and livestreams can end unexpectedly. Tips can be sent to [email protected].
A 15-year-old Puyallup high school wrestler filed a lawsuit against Washington state and officials, alleging a transgender opponent sexually assaulted her during a December girls’ wrestling tournament and that school officials did not take action, prompting calls to change Washington’s transgender-athletics policy. The Alliance Defending Freedom represents the plaintiff, and the case adds to the national debate over trans participation in girls’ sports amid political and legal actions in several states.
Ipswich High School forfeited its Division 4 state lacrosse semifinal after the district barred players photographed with cigars post-graduation, citing MIAA tobacco rules; parents say the cigars were fake and provided evidence, but the school proceeded, sparking debate over whether the punishment fit the situation.
An independent Interscholastic Appeals Board granted Mallard Creek’s appeal, reinstating the Mavericks as co-champions in the 1,600-meter relay with Hough and, due to the reversal, splitting the overall NC state title with Jordan after a prior disqualification of Mallard Creek’s Nyan Brown for a taunting gesture; the panel found Brown did not engage in unsporting conduct under NFHS rules.
AB Hernandez, a transgender high-school athlete in Clovis, California, closed out their final state track meet with multiple titles while becoming a focal point in the national debate over transgender girls in sports, drawing both support and threats from activists and parents. The piece ties Hernandez’s sports spotlight to broader political drama, including a campaign appearance with Tom Steyer and reactions from California leaders and critics, highlighting tensions between inclusion and protections for girls’ sports as voters prepare for upcoming elections.
Jurupa Valley senior AB Hernandez, a transgender athlete, earned bronze in the CIF state championship long jump with a 20 feet, 2 1/4 inches effort, medaling for a second consecutive year behind Ellie McCuskey-Hay and Gianna Gonzalez. CIF policy awards medals to transgender athletes without displacing cisgender girls in final standings. Hernandez also prepared to compete in the high jump and triple jump later, as this year’s meet saw calmer demonstrations than last year despite ongoing protest activity around transgender athletes.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed SB 178, nicknamed the Teddy Bridgewater Act, allowing public K-12 coaches to spend up to $15,000 of their own funds (with parental consent) to support student-athlete welfare—including food, transportation and recovery services—alongside HB 538. The measure ties to Teddy Bridgewater, former Northwestern coach, who previously faced suspension amid allegations of impermissible benefits to players.
Florida Gov. DeSantis signed Senate Bill 58, known as the Teddy Bridgewater Act, allowing middle and high school head coaches to spend up to $15,000 of their own funds to provide student-athletes with meals, transportation and recovery services, a measure tied to Bridgewater’s former coaching at Miami Northwestern amid past private-expense scrutiny.
Governor DeSantis signed the Teddy Bridgewater Act, allowing middle- and high-school head coaches to spend up to $15,000 of their own money on food, transportation, and recovery services for student-athletes. The measure, approved by the Senate in February, aims to address needs highlighted by Bridgewater’s coaching stint but raises questions about oversight and potential misuse or booster influence.