SHREWSBURY – For Agawam boys volleyball star setter David Dzhenzherukha, the joy of a Div. 2 state title in 2023 was a bit overshadowed by the feeling he didn’t carry his weight as much as former superstar Dan Yovenko, who dominated in every big moment that season.

Twice in three years strikes a different tune, though, especially against the program that reverse-swept the Brownies in last year’s state semifinals.

In a well-balanced showing paced by Dzhenzherukha’s 46 assists and four kills, as well as a phenomenal defensive performance to dominate the third and fourth sets, top-seeded Agawam (24-1) defeated No. 3 Wayland in the Div. 2 state final, 3-1 (25-22, 23-25, 25-13, 25-16) at Shrewsbury High School.

“In 2023, we won a state championship, but I feel like I didn’t win a state championship – Dan (Yovenko) won a state championship,” Dzhenzherukha said. “That’s been my fuel to win another one. Last year, in the semifinals against Wayland, we got reverse swept. That just added to the motivation to play the best we could for this season. … This is the (thing) I’ve (wanted most) I think ever. This is the best feeling I think I’ve ever had.”

Yovenko erupted for 22 kills to finally take down Westfield in the last state title. Depth was at the heart of this one.

The Warriors (16-9) struggled to effectively block Agawam’s attack, primarily because Dzhenzherukha used all of his weapons in different critical moments.

In the third set, junior Tim Karcha – who didn’t commit an error en route to 16 kills – touched down six in a major momentum shift. Senior Joe Culhane (15 kills) caught fire for eight in the fourth set to seal the match, all while right-side Dennis Nesen (nine kills) found his moments to strike, and middles Chase Gerani (seven kills, two blocks) and John Cote (three kills, two blocks) made a lasting mark on offense and defense.

“This one hit really different because we didn’t have a Dan Yovenko to lean on … this was a team win,” said Agawam head coach Kevin Pender. “Our team is so balanced, that we can find any guy. (Dzhenzherukha) is incredible, he’s able to run the offense. He’s Tom Brady-level.”

“I think we have the most well-rounded team in the whole state,” Dzhenzherukha added. “Most teams have that one guy that just shines. … You have to try to stop all of us.”

Wayland was in great shape in the first two sets, playing strong defensively while star junior Finn Bell (25 kills) caught fire early. Bell’s seven kills and three aces in the first set couldn’t edge out a win in a 25-22 loss, but he and Cooper Szeremeta (eight kills) teamed up to lead the attack in a 25-23 win to even up the match.

But a vicious rally to nearly force extra points lit a spark for the Brownies, which they rolled into a 7-1 start to the third set.

“It helped energize that we’re still in this, we can do it,” Pender said.

Karcha dominated in pockets as Agawam built a 21-9 lead, complemented by kills from Culhane, Nesen and Gerani. Culhane did the same with five kills in a 6-1 run to separate from a 6-6 tie to start the fourth.

The team’s defense perhaps made the biggest impact, though, as Agawam’s blocking gave Bell and Wayland’s fellow hitters fits. And when it didn’t, the back row extended rallies with signature digs.

“That was the winner – I think we kept balls alive, we put pressure on them to score, and we didn’t make it easy,” Pender said. “We were able to turn on a defensive skill set that we really didn’t have to most of the year. … The true story is the display of defense.”

Zach O’Donnell had 35 assists for Wayland, which was making its second straight state finals appearance after making just one trip in program history prior.

“When I’m able to zoom out, I’m really proud of the trajectory of the program and the growth of the players in it,” said Wayland head coach Phil George. “It’s a deep team, we’ll be very excited about next season, but I’m also really proud of the seniors, who kind of ushered in the most successful era we’ve had in this program’s history.”

The Greater Boston area is officially a year away from hosting hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the globe for the FIFA World Cup 2026 .

“It’s going to be amazing, this place is going to go nuts!” Gov. Maura Healey said Wednesday.

Fans living and visiting Boston said they can’t wait for what co-hosts U.S., Mexico and Canada have in store for the biggest event in soccer.

“I saw a couple games from Chicago [when the U.S. last hosted in 1994], so I’ll be happy to hopefully catch some more games this year or next year,” Jason Herbeck said.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will kick-off on June 11. These are some of the numbers and dates you need to remember.

“Obviously, like, being a soccer fan, it’s going to be exciting to see the games,” said Herbeck’s daughter, Sido.

No matter who fans are backing next summer, organizers say there will be room in Boston for all.

“We’re super excited about the prospect of hosting teams from across the globe here, especially those that might have more cultural fit to our incredibly diverse community here in Boston,” said Meet Boston President and CEO Martha Sheridan.

We are officially a year away from the kickoff of one of the biggest sporting events ever to come to the Boston area.

While Boston will get the people, Foxborough will get the matches: seven of them, including one each in the round of 32 and quarterfinals. Team draws and brackets will be announced in December.

There are “450,000 tickets available for the stadium and then millions of opportunities to experiences,” FIFA World Cup Boston 2026 CEO Mike Loynd noted.

But more planning is still needed to get a fan festival ready and the transportation and security logistics figured out, some of which requires help from state officials like Healey, who said she has been working with organizers at Boston 2026 and Meet Boston.

Healey expects the state will see about $1 billion in revenue from the event, when roughly a million people are expected to visit the metropolitan area.

The first match Boston will host is on June 13, 2026. Soon, FIFA will be recruiting about 3,000 volunteers to help with the event in Boston alone.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 will air on Telemundo.

Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, is set to play host for seven World Cup matches in 2026 – though it will do it under the name “Boston Stadium.”

Guerschon Yabusele not only had a successful NBA comeback, but now, he should be an interesting free agent this summer. Yabusele bet on himself last year coming off the Paris Olympics, taking a minimum contract with the 76ers.

Due to buyout rules, Yabusele wasn’t necessarily making as much monetarily in his NBA comeback attempt. Now, Yabusele is again a free agent this summer after an impressive season in Philadelphia. But instead of wondering which NBA team will sign him, he should be in line for a payday after showing what he can contribute stateside.

Speaking with HoopsHype, Yabusele broke down the free agency process and how he expects to stay in the NBA. Plus, the former Celtics first-round pick explained why he partially credits his Boston tenure for his NBA comeback.

“Even though I was not with Boston anymore, I learned so much from that season,” Yabusele said. “And it helped me for the second part of my career after that. It really pushed me. It really, like, I had that mentality of loving that basketball. Because I know I love basketball. But if you’re in a situation that you don’t play, it’s hard. I missed it. And I was like, you know what? I want to play now. I want to be somewhere where I always play, so I always try to pick the right situation now for me.”

Yabusele was picked 16th overall in the 2016 draft by the Celtics before spending two seasons in Boston from 2017-19. After he was waived by the organization, Yabusele ended up in China to continue his pro career. He said it didn’t go well, forcing him to spend roughly 1.5 months without a team. Yabusele revealed that was a wake-up call as he hoped and wished for his next opportunity.

“Going through that process and just waiting like that, I was like, no, this is — it’s impossible,” Yabusele said. “This is not what I want. A couple years ago, I was drafted first-round, pick 16. How am I in this situation? I put myself into the situation to really tell me the truth about what was not right, what would I do wrong and stuff like that. I questioned myself a lot, then I went and started working out. I was like, get that mindset that, okay, I’m gonna prove everybody wrong.”

Yabusele then got his next chance with ASVEL in his native France. He played five games with them before getting re-signed. That break allowed him to sign with Real Madrid, which is where he spent three seasons, including winning a EuroLeague title. After Yabusele starred for France on their way to the silver medal at the Paris Olympics, the attention was back on him.

Yabusele is looking for his next team once again. But this time, he should have a lot more confidence he’ll land with a new squad. The Sixers have been vocal about wanting to bring him back to the organization. Other teams could also come calling. Yabusele averaged 11.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 70 games last season. He also shot 38.0% on his 3-pointers as the 6-foot-8 forward fits well into the NBA game.

“I really, really want to stay in the NBA, now that I have a real reason over there I want to do some more,” Yabusele said. “Watching the playoffs, you watch those guys having fun, you always look, I want to be there. My competitor side is really pushing me to work hard this summer, try to get everything that I can to come back next season and crush it even more.”