Sports
49ers head to Super Bowl LVIII after thrilling second-half comeback beats Lions
The San Francisco 49ers are heading to Super Bowl LVIII after winning an absolute thriller in the NFC Championship Game, 34-31, on Sunday night.
The Niners will meet the Kansas City Chiefs, who defeated the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game, in Las Vegas at Allegiant Stadium on Feb. 11.
This game didn’t look like much after the first half, where the Lions completely dominated a 49ers team that looked like a shell of itself.
Brock Purdy #13 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after a touchdown against the Detroit Lions during the first half of the NFC Championship football game at Levi’s Stadium on January 28, 2024 in Santa Clara, California. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
On the very first drive, quarterback Jared Goff executed a trick play Detroit as ran often, as he faked a handoff to his running back before flipping it to speedy wide receiver Jameson Williams. He made a few 49ers defenders miss and shook another tackle before running into the end zone from 42 yards out.
The Lions only needed four plays to get seven points on the board, setting the tone head coach Dan Campbell certainly wanted on the road.
San Fran would miss a field goal on their first drive, and Goff used that momentum to get another one on the board. This time, David Montgomery busted into the end zone from one yard out to quickly make it 14-0 in the first quarter.
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The 49ers would respond, though, and who else but Christian McCaffrey scoring from two yards out to get on the board.
But momentum shifted back to Detroit again when Brock Purdy threw an interception in his own territory to set the Lions up perfectly for their third rushing touchdown of the half. It was rookie Jahmyr Gibbs maneuvering his way 15 yards across the goal line.
The Lions finished the first half with 148 rush yards as a team with all three of their touchdowns coming on the ground.
But the second half brought trouble to the team that was up 24-7 when they went to the locker room. A turnover on downs, a fluke deep ball completion and a fumble all led to San Fran scores that eventually tied this game.
Jared Goff #16 of the Detroit Lions drops back to pass against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half of the NFC Championship football game at Levi’s Stadium on January 28, 2024 in Santa Clara, California. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
Purdy found the rhythm head coach Kyle Shanahan wanted in the second half, even if it didn’t result in a touchdown. A field goal from Jake Moody that went through the uprights this time made it 24-10.
But the Lions wanted to keep things going on the ensuing drive when Campbell gave Goff the nod to go for it on fourth-and-2 from San Francisco’s 28 instead of kicking their own field goal.
The result? A dropped pass by Josh Reynolds that forced the turnover on downs.
Two plays later, with the 49ers now having the ball, Purdy took a shot to Brandon Aiyuk down the field, but the ball appeared to be overthrown just a bit. Lions defender Kindle Vildor was tracking the ball along with Aiyuk and looked to have the right angle as it was coming down.
But when Vildor put his hands out, it went right through and hit him in the helmet, popping the ball in the air. Aiyuk had the awareness to stick his hands out and make the catch, landing at the five-yard line.
A couple plays later, Aiyuk caught a bullet from Purdy for the touchdown to get the game within seven points, 24-17.
The San Fran crowd was raucous, as they felt their team finally clicking on all cylinders. And when Detroit took the field, more momentum shifted to the 49ers.
Gibbs and Goff weren’t on the same page on the very first play, as they almost ran into each other on a handoff. Tashaun Gipson Sr. got his hands in Gibbs’ arm and ripped the ball out of his hands, and San Fran recovered.
Four plays later, McCaffrey cracked into the end zone one more time, tying the game and sending the Levi’s Stadium crowd into a frenzy.
Amon-Ra St. Brown #14 of the Detroit Lions celebrates after a play against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half of the NFC Championship football game at Levi’s Stadium on January 28, 2024 in Santa Clara, California. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
San Fran would finally take the lead with 9:52 left in the fourth quarter when Moody kicked a 33-yard field goal to make it 27-24. Yet, the Lions could’ve gone for a field goal again to match Moody on the ensuing drive, but Campbell refused to do so again.
The attempt was futile, as Goff was forced out of the pocket and threw the ball into empty space to turn it over again.
Like it did earlier in the half, the turnover led to 49ers points. The run game was used for this drive, as Purdy and McCaffrey rushed their way downfield. But it was Elijah Mitchell, subbing in for McCaffrey who was gassed, finding his way into the end zone to give his team a 10-point lead.
It was the score the 49ers needed because Goff ended up finding Jameson Williams on fourth-and-goal to keep the game alive.
Detroit needed to try an onside kick to give themselves a miracle chance to keep this game going. But
Purdy started slow but finished 20-of-31 for 267 yards with one touchdown pass, and Deebo Samuel was his top target with eight catches for 89 yards. Aiyuk also had 68 yards on three catches, while McCaffrey had 132 total yards from scrimmage (90 rushing, 42 receiving).
Christian McCaffrey #23 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown during the second quarter against the Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship Game at Levi’s Stadium on January 28, 2024 in Santa Clara, California. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
For the Lions, Goff was 25-for-41 for 273 yards with one touchdown pass, while Sam LaPorta led the way with 97 receiving yards on nine receptions. Amon-Ra St. Brown had seven catches for 87 yards.
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Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley sounded off on the frenzied reactions to the U.S. men’s hockey team getting invited to the White House by President Donald Trump.
Trump talked to the Olympic gold medal-winning team immediately after they defeated Canada in overtime last weekend. He said they would be invited to his State of the Union address and added that he needed to invite the women’s team as well or he would be “impeached.”
Charles Barkley sits courtside against the Minnesota Timberwolves during an NBA Cup game at Mortgage Matchup Center on Nov. 21, 2025. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)
Trump critics took the joke as a shot at the women’s team, which sparked questions from NHL and Professional Women’s Hockey League reporters as the players returned to their respective club teams.
“I’m proud of the United States men. I’m proud of the United States women. You should have invited both of them to the White House, but it shouldn’t have been disrespect, misogyny,” Barkley said on the “Steam Room” podcast. “Like, yo, man, why do y’all have to mess everything up? Everything isn’t Democrat, Republican, conservative, liberal. That’s why we got this divided, screwed up country. Stop it man. Because, you know, the public, they’re idiots. They’re fools. They can’t think for themselves. I know y’all say stuff to trigger them. Y’all say stuff and y’all know they’re going to be fools.”
Barkley lamented that the average person would get riled up over the supposed controversy.
The U.S. team poses for a group photo after defeating Canada in the men’s ice hockey gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Milan, Italy, on Feb. 22, 2026. (Luca Bruno/AP Photo)
“We don’t have to fall for stupidity. But we do – that’s my point. These people out here are stupid. They need something to trigger them. Just because they want us to be stupid. We don’t have to be stupid. He should have invited both teams to the White House. Simple as that. Guys who didn’t want to go shouldn’t have to explain why they didn’t go.”
The former Philadelphia 76ers, Houston Rockets and Phoenix Suns star made clear he would go to the White House regardless of whether Trump was in office.
“I’ve said this before, I’m not a Trump guy. But if I got invited to the White House, I would go. I’m not a Trump guy – I want to make that clear. But I respect the office,” Barkley said. “He’s the president of the United States. But if guys don’t want to go, I understand that too. It doesn’t have to be a talking point. It doesn’t have to be un-American.
Megan Keller (5) celebrates with a flag alongside Cayla Barnes (3) of Team United States after scoring the game-winning goal in overtime during the women’s gold medal match against Canada on Day 13 of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milan Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 19, 2026. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
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“I just wish y’all would stop falling for the stupidity.”
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Three years ago, as a 14-year-old freshman, Slava Shahbazyan made it to Bakersfield for the state wrestling championships.
“It was good to get experience that young,” he said.
Then came Saturday night when he had a breakthrough moment, winning the state 165-pound championship as a 17-year-old senior for Birmingham High.
“It means everything to me,” he said. “It took four years.”
Shahbazyan, who transferred from Chaminade after his sophomore year, is set to attend Stanford and still in the hunt to be valedictorian at Birmingham. Coach Jimmy Medeiros said he was close to winning last season before finishing fourth.
“He got a lot better,” Medeiros said.
Shahbazyan has been wrestling since he was 8. “My father loves wrestling,” he said.
Two St. John Bosco wrestlers, Jesse Grajeda at 144 pounds and Michael Romero at 150 pounds, also won state titles.
Here’s the link to complete results.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
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Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Dominiq Ponder died this weekend, the team’s head coach Deion Sanders confirmed on Sunday with a social media post.
“God please comfort the Ponder family, friends and loved ones,” Sanders wrote on social media. “Dom was one of my favorites! He was Loved, Respected & a Born Leader. Let’s pray for all that knew him & had the opportunity to be in his presence. Lord you’re receiving a good 1. Comfort us Lord Comfort us.”
Ponder was 23 years old.
Details of Ponder’s death are not yet known.
Colorado head coach Deion Sanders watches his team warm up before an NCAA college football game against TCU Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Fort Worth, Texas. (Tony Gutierrez/AP Photo)
Ponder, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound signal caller, joined the Buffaloes and “Coach Prime’s” program in 2024 after spending time at Bethune-Cookman before making his way to Boulder.
Last season, Ponder played just two games for the Buffaloes while serving in his backup role. He recorded two rush attempts and one pass attempt.
The Opa Locka, Fla., native also received tribute from a fellow quarterback with the Buffaloes, Colton Allen.
Bethune-Cookman QB Dominiq Ponder takes a snap during the Wildcats’ spring game Saturday, April 22, 2023, at Daytona Stadium. (IMAGN)
“Dom, you were a blessing to so many people,” Allen wrote on Instagram. “You had a presence about you that just made everything better. You brought so much joy to me and everyone around you. I’m grateful for every lift, every practice, every rep, every conversation we got to share. I’ll carry those with me for the rest of my life.”
Ponder was going to be a part of Colorado’s spring practices, which are set to begin on Monday. It’s unknown if Sanders will postpone the start due to Ponder’s passing.
Ponder also received a tribute from the University of Central Florida.
Colorado head coach Deion Sanders watches his players warm up before an NCAA college football game against Utah, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (Tyler Tate/AP Photo)
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“Our prayers are with Dominiq and the Ponder family along with all in the Colorado football program,” the university’s football account on X wrote.
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