Sports
Mater Dei pulls away late to win CIF Open Division state football title
Too much talent. That was the story of the CIF Open Division state championship bowl game on Saturday night.
Santa Ana Mater Dei showed why it was a heavy favorite, mixing a bruising rushing attack with a precision aerial assault to overwhelm Concord De La Salle 37-15 and complete the “southern sweep” at Saddleback College.
Earlier in the day, Palos Verdes won the Division 2-A contest and Huntington Beach Edison won the Division 1-A game, setting the stage for a marquee matchup between North Coast Section and Southern Section champions.
The Monarchs’ dominant performance showed their program is in capable hands under first-year coach Raul Lara, who turned Long Beach Poly into a public school powerhouse in the early 2000s while piloting the Jackrabbits to five section titles in 13 seasons.
Senior quarterback Dash Beierly completed 18 of 27 passes for a season-high 355 yards and three touchdowns while fellow Washington commit Marcus Harris caught six passes for 92 yards. Oregon-bound Jordon Davison rushed 17 times for 107 yards as Mater Dei pulled away with two fourth-quarter scores.
Mater Dei was aggressive from the start. On its first offensive play, Beierly found Harris over the middle for a 25-yard gain and Davison ended the 80-yard, seven-play drive with a three-yard run.
Mater Dei running back Jordon Davison heads to the end zone against De La Salle through a big hole in the offensive line during the CIF Open Division state championship bowl game on Saturday night at Saddleback College.
(Craig Weston)
Mater Dei needed one play to double its lead on its third possession as Beierly fired a pass from his own goal line in stride to slot receiver Gavin Honore for a 90-yard touchdown. The next time the Monarchs got the ball, Kayden Dixon-Wyatt leaped high in the air for a 31-yard grab at the Spartans’ two-yard line but a goal line stand kept the proud Spartans in the game. However, Toa Fa’avae was sacked in the end zone for a safety by linebackers Nasir Wyatt and Shaun Scott.
After Koen Parnell stretched out for a dazzling mid-air catch for 40 yards, Dixon-Wyatt scored on a 21-yard swing route to increase the margin to 23-0 with 48 seconds left in the first half.
Fa’avae capped an 11-play, 65-yard march that took nearly seven minutes off the clock with a one-yard sneak to pull the Spartans to within 23-7 on their first drive of the third quarter. After the defense forced a punt, Fa’avae scored on a 41-yard quarterback draw and Derrick Blanche added the two-point conversion run to make it an eight-point deficit going into the fourth quarter.
Mater Dei responded with a 92-yard, 16-play drive that ended on a 15-yard run up the middle by Davison to increase the Monarchs’ lead to 30-15 with 8:19 left. Beierly threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to tight end Mark Bowman to make it 37-15 three minutes later. Interceptions by Alabama-bound linebacker Abduall Sanders and defensive back Ace Leutele sealed the deal.
De La Salle once sat where Mater Dei is now — as King of the Hill in California — when stringing together a national-record 151 consecutive wins from 1992 to 2004. The biggest victory during that streak was a 29-15 triumph over Long Beach Poly (then coached by Lara) in a matchup between the top two ranked high school teams in the country.
De La Salle pulled out all the stops to make it competitive Saturday, even inviting back legendary coach Bob Ladouceur — the architect of the Spartans’ streak — to stand on the sideline for Saturday’s game. Not even his aura could make up for the difference in talent on the field.
Mater Dei defensive back Ace Leutele makes a one-handed interception against De La Salle in the fourth quarter Saturday in the CIF Open Division state championship bowl game at Saddleback College.
(Craig Weston)
Calpreps.com listed De La Salle as a 41-point underdog and the Spartans were trying to pull off the biggest upset since the inaugural Division I state bowl game in 2006 when they were undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the nation but lost 27-13 to Canyon Country Canyon at Home Depot Center in Carson.
De La Salle (12-1) was making its 17th state bowl appearance, more than any other school, and has won a record seven, but dropped to 7-10 overall and 6-6 in the Open Division since it debuted in 2008.
Mater Dei captured its fifth state bowl championship since 2017 — all in the Open Division — and tied Folsom for the second-most victories behind De La Salle. The Monarchs (13-0), who edged Trinity League rival St. John Bosco 31-24 two weeks ago for the Southern Section Division 1 title, achieved back-to-back state bowl wins for the second time, having done so in 2017-18.
Sports
Chiefs and Browns make first trade of 2026 draft and both eventually fill needs
The Cleveland Browns, rumored to be willing to trade down from their No. 6 overall selection in the 2026 NFL draft, did just that Thursday evening when the traded the pick to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Cleveland traded the sixth overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft to the Chiefs, in exchange for the ninth overall pick, as well as pick No. 74 in the third round and No. 148 in the fifth round.
The Browns now hold the No. 9 and No. 24 picks in the first round of the draft. They have a total of 11 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Quarterbacks Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson of the Cleveland Browns watch from the sidelines during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland, Ohio, on Sept. 7, 2025. (Jason Miller/Getty Images)
So the Chiefs gave up three picks in making the first trade of the first round.
BROWNS EXECS RAISE EYEBROWS WITH REACTIONS AFTER DRAFTING SHEDEUR SANDERS FOLLOWING HISTORIC SLIDE
And we know what the fan bases of both clubs were thinking prior to the selection:
Chiefs fans were thinking we know something they don’t. And then the Chiefs selected cornerback Mansoor Delane from LSU — a move no doubt forced by the club’s trade of Pro Bowl cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams earlier in the offseason.
So, the Chiefs fill a major need, assuming Delane is indeed the quality corner they believe.
LSU Tigers CB Mansoor Delane celebrates a defensive stop against the Clemson Tigers at Memorial Stadium in South Carolina. (Ken Ruinard/USA TODAY Network)
GREG OLSEN’S ADVICE FOR NFL DRAFT FIRST-ROUND PICKS ON HANDLING HIGH EXPECTATIONS
ESPN’s Mel Kiper didn’t like the pick, by the way. He had Delane as the 14th best player in the draft.
“It was a necessity,” ESPN analyst Louis Riddick, a former NFL defensive back, responded.
Browns fans weren’t thinking that way.
BROWNS MAKE STUNNING KENNY PICKETT TRADE TO RAIDERS AS BACKUP QUARTERBACK ROLE REMAINS WIDE OPEN
They were probably thinking something akin to “We screwed up.”
This is understandable because they’re Browns fans and this could have been the Browns Browning.
Well, the Browns, moving down three slots, gave up a shot to draft linebacker Sonny Styles of Ohio State to the Washington Commanders, receiver Jordyn Tyson to the New Orleans Saints and then the Browns got their chance with the newly acquired No. 9 pick:
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
Offensive tackle Spencer Fano of Utah.
Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Ind., on Feb. 24, 2026. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)
Fano is good. And he makes the Browns offensive line instantly better because he’s going to likely start at left tackle for them.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
So what will Browns fans think of this pick?
They’ll probably wonder why the Browns didn’t pick Miami’s Francis Mauigoa, who went with the No. 10 pick to the New York Giants and promised “to die for” Jaxson Dart if necessary. They’ll wonder this because Browns fans expect the worst.
Sports
Defending champion UCLA women’s basketball lands top transfer, continues roster overhaul
UCLA women’s basketball team has added some star power as its revamped roster begins to take shape.
Former Iowa State forward Addy Brown announced Thursday she is committing to UCLA, giving the Bruins one of the top players in the portal.
Brown averaged 11.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game while shooting 43.1% from the floor and 33.8% from three-point distance with the Cyclones last season. She played just 21 games due to injury, but she is one of the better two-way players in the nation on the transfer market.
The 6-foot-2 forward co-starred with Audi Crooks for Iowa State the past few seasons and was a part of the mass exodus from the Cyclones’ program.
The Bruins reeled in former North Carolina junior guard Elina Aarnisalo and former Texas Christian senior guard Donovyn Hunter a few weeks ago, adding two more experienced players to the depleted starting lineup after a record six UCLA players were selected in the WNBA draft.
UCLA also signed Arkansas sophomore guard Bonnie Deas earlier this month. She is likely to start at point guard for the Bruins and is one of the best rebounding guards in the nation.
Along with returner Timea Gardiner, the Bruins are starting to form somewhat of a core to defend their national championship. Gardiner was a starter during UCLA’s 2024-25 Final Four run, but missed all of this past season with injury and has one season of eligibility left.
A lineup with Deas and Aarnisalo in the backcourt, Hunter at the three and Gardiner or Brown at the four and adding another big or Sienna Betts at the five would be a competitive lineup in the Big Ten.
Before going to TCU, Hunter played two seasons at Oregon State where she earned All-Pac-12 Defensive Team honorable mention and All-Pac-12 Freshman team honors. This past season with a Horned Frogs team that went to the Sweet 16, she was third in scoring with 10.2 points per game and averaged 3.2 rebounds per contest. She also shot 45.7% from the field and was 33.7% from beyond the arc.
Aarnisalo played her freshman year in Westwood after she originally committed to UCLA in 2025. Due to injuries from point guard Kiki Rice at the start of the 2024-25 season, she was forced into action early her freshman season and finished the year averaging 5.1 points per game.
The Helsinki, Finland, native averaged 10.2 points per game for the Tar Heels as a sophomore last season while shooting 47.3% from the field and 40.3% from the arc. The Bruins will desperately need to replace the three-point production lost with the departure of Rice, Gianna Kneepkens and Charlisse Leger-Walker.
UCLA coach Cori Close said she wanted to sign five players from the portal. She probably needs one more guard and a little more forward depth coming off the bench following the departures of Gabriela Jaquez and Angela Dugalic.
Lena Bilic and Amanda Muse are returners coming off the bench who got a little bit of playing time in the tournament and should have much larger roles, but they are still relatively unproven in late-game situations. They will get a chance to develop as backups with some more Power Four experienced starters now in the fold.
Sports
WWE to hold premium live event in Saudi Arabia amid Iran ceasefire
Trump says there’s ‘no time frame’ to secure Iran deal
Republican Minnesota Senate candidate Tom Weiler joins ‘Fox & Friends’ to discuss President Donald Trump’s blockade in the Strait of Hormuz as the U.S.-Iranian conflict continues and react to Gov. Tim Walz’s, D-Minn., criticism of the president.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Saudi Arabia was among the countries seeing missiles fly into their airspace as a conflict broke out in the Middle East between the U.S. and Iran.
The prospect of Iran targeting its Middle Eastern neighbors like Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates put some sporting events on hold and questioned others. Formula 1 races in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain were canceled and rumors swirled around whether future WWE events could be held in the kingdom.
Roman Reigns celebrates his win during WWE’s Royal Rumble at Riyadh Season Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Jan. 31, 2026. (Georgiana Dallas/WWE)
As the Trump administration brokered a ceasefire with Iran, WWE announced on Thursday that its Night of Champions premium live event will be held in Riyadh on June 27.
“We are proud to welcome Night of Champions back to Riyadh and look forward to delivering another unforgettable night of WWE action for fans in the Kingdom and around the world,” General Entertainment Authority chairman Turki Al-Sheikh said in a news release.
PRO WRESTLING STARS CHRIS SABIN, ALEX SHELLEY TALK POSSIBILITY OF WWE USING TNA’S GIMMICK MATCHES
Sami Zayn makes his entrance during Night of Champions at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on June 28, 2025. (Georgiana Dallas/WWE)
The release touted that WrestleMania 43 will still be held in Riyadh in 2027. It will be the first time that WrestleMania is held outside the U.S.
WWE president Nick Khan was adamant before WrestleMania 42 that the event will still take place in Saudi Arabia despite the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
“We’re doing WrestleMania next year in Saudi,” he said at a Sports Business Journal event, via The Sporting Tribune. “First time ever, WrestleMania will be outside the United States or Canada. And we’ve had a big, fruitful partnership with them.”
John Cena wrestles CM Punk during Night of Champions at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on June 28, 2025. (Georgiana Dallas/WWE)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
He added that those complaining about WrestleMania being held in Saudi Arabia were a “vocal minority.”
-
Nebraska4 minutes agoSergeant Mad Bear Recreation Area opens in Gretna
-
Nevada10 minutes agoHistoric Nevada elementary school to close this summer
-
New Hampshire16 minutes agoBank Robber, Sexual Assaulter, With 40-Plus Year Criminal History, Wanted On Parole Violation: NH DOC
-
New Jersey22 minutes agoNew Jersey Politics (Episode 512) – On New Jersey
-
New Mexico28 minutes agoNew Mexico’s Glorious ‘Quiet Lake’ Is A Serene State Park Escape With Stellar Fishing And Camping – AOL
-
North Carolina34 minutes agoDrought-fueled field fires spark concern across central North Carolina
-
North Dakota40 minutes agoSpace Force proposes $250 million operations center at Grand Forks Air Force Base
-
Ohio46 minutes agoKayden McDonald highlights Ohio State’s best remaining players for Day 2 of NFL draft