Sports
Air Force discovers another diamond gem in Malakye Matsumoto of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame
Whomever is responsible for discovering late-blooming high school baseball prospects in Southern California for the Air Force Academy deserves a raise.
It was six years ago when Air Force took away a 6-foot-7 pitcher/catcher named Paul Skenes from El Toro High. Last season Skenes won the National League Cy Young Award.
This season, Air Force has found another tall, promising prospect in 6-5 Malakye Matsumoto from Sherman Oaks Notre Dame High. As a freshman he played on the freshman team. As a sophomore, he was on junior varsity. He pitched just three innings last season on varsity. This season, with a fastball that has touched 94 mph, he’s become a key closer for the Knights (14-1). He’s also hitting .385 with two home runs, the first of his career.
Yes, Matsumoto is well aware of Skenes’ journey and inspired by it.
“That’s the route. That’s the goal,” he said.
Matsumoto said Air Force started identifying him as a junior and saw him perform during a travel ball tournament. Selling him on Air Force was not difficult because of his family experience. His father and grandfather were in the Air Force and his uncle was in the Army. He has a 4.3 grade-point average.
“My dad told me everything about the Air Force,” he said. “Teaching me discipline, making me a better man and setting me up for life.”
Patience and trusting the process have been Matsumoto’s two guiding principles.
He appreciated spending his first two years getting to play on lower-level teams with no pressure of immediately playing on varsity while waiting for his body to mature.
“The biggest thing was it helped me build up my confidence,” he said. “I got to play shortstop the whole year, batted third. It helped me build a foundation. I started to grow, get stronger and become more comfortable.”
He had no problem “staying in the background.”
“Nobody really knew about me,” he said. “It allowed me to have more fun while playing the game. I didn’t feel pressure at the plate playing JV baseball.”
But the coaches knew about Matsumoto’s potential as they saw him grow from 5-10 to 6-5. Strength coach Nick Garcia said Matsumoto never missed a workout in the weight room. He played second base, third base and shortstop as a junior on varsity. He got in briefly on the mound. It all set up for him to show what could do as a senior.
“We always knew he would develop and be a big impact player down the road,” co-coach Nick LaFace said. “Last year his defense needed to get better, he worked at it and has been playing an amazing third base. He definitely has a big-time arm.”
There’s many different ways to fulfill baseball potential. Some stop growing after Little League stardom. Others are ready to play on varsity as freshmen because of their physical and mental prowess. Matsumoto reminds parents to not be so fast about lobbying for immediate varsity playing time.
“They don’t understand it puts a lot of pressure on kids,” he said. “I’ve seen it. They get called up immediately freshman year. All the pressure is put on their shoulders. Parents want them to be on varsity not realizing they either won’t play or when they are exposed to high-level pitching, high-level hitting, being that young, unless they are really a varsity-level player, they’re going to get exposed or it’s either going to be humiliating or lower the confidence.”
Matsumoto’s mother is of Korean descent and is principal at Hawthorne Math and Science Academy. His father is of Japanese descent and works in security.
As for the Air Force, don’t expect Matsumoto to be flying anytime soon.
“They told me I won’t be able to fit in some planes being 6-5,” he said.
Don’t worry. They had the same answer for the 6-7 Skenes, who turned out pretty good.
Skenes left Air Force after two years, but Matsumoto likes what he sees in his journey.
“It sets me up for life,” he said.
But things change, and beware of Matsumoto, the pitcher. He’s just learning what he can do.
“Pitching has become more of a reality,” he said. “I’m totally open to it in college. I’m going as a two-way player.”
Reaching the summit is a dream. But staying there? That’s an altogether different challenge.
Maja Stark has a special appreciation for that now, a year after winning the U.S. Women’s Open at Erin Hills and feeling the hefty weight of expectation that came along with it.
For her, the aftermath of that victory brought heightened anxiety, and searing criticism from outsiders when the Swedish professional’s play took a dip.
“You get comments and stuff saying, ‘What happened? You just won a major; why do you suck all of a sudden?‘” Stark said at the Chevron Championship in April. “That does take some energy and just makes you focus on the wrong things. Then I got even more stressed and anxious.”
Maja Stark plays a shot from a bunker on the 17th hole during the third round of the Chevron Championship on April 25.
(Alex Slitz / Getty Images)
Stark said she sought professional help in the form of a mental coach, sports psychologist and therapist and now believes she’s better able to withstand the scrutiny that comes with winning at the highest tier.
That career-shaping pressure will be on display again this week when the USGA brings the U.S. Women’s Open to Riviera Country Club for the first time, merging the game’s most prestigious women’s championship with a historic venue celebrating its centennial year. The tournament takes place Thursday through Sunday.
Riviera is a theater, sitting low beneath high hillsides that almost serve as balconies. Players have described the course as a stage because it can feel as if you’re being watched even when you’re alone.
“I think there’s something very nostalgic about the facility,” said Jim Richerson, Riviera’s general manager. “The golf course has never had any major renovations or changes. The clubhouse is the exact same footprint today as it was when it was built in the 1920s.”
The U.S. Women’s Open is the oldest of the LPGA Tour’s five majors, and has long served as the standard by which women’s golf measures itself. It’s open to professionals and elite amateurs through a qualifying process, and the tournament is known for identifying the player who can withstand the most pressure under the most demanding conditions.
NBC will televise the championship and although Mike Tirico will not call the event, he knows the significance of holding it at Riviera.
“Without there being a Masters for women’s golf, that tournament really is the crown jewel of the sport,” Tirico said. “It has become the event people dream of winning. … It’s just appropriate that it’s contested at a place like Riviera that for so many generations has come to define a great championship test of golf.”
A look at some of the players to watch:
Nelly Korda
Nelly Korda celebrates after winning the Chevron Championship on April 26.
(David J. Phillip / Associated Press)
The world’s No. 1 player is a major needle mover for women’s golf and is a significant source of ratings when she’s in contention. She had a record five consecutive victories last season and seven overall. Her missing major is the U.S. Women’s Open. She finished in a runner-up spot last year and left Erin Hills firmly believing a win was within reach.
Jeeno Thitikul
Jeeno Thitikul plays a shot from the fairway during the first round of the Queen City Championship on May 14.
(Jeff Dean / Associated Press)
The former World No. 1 is still in pursuit of her first major championship. She’s a big question mark in the field.
Lydia Ko
Lydia Ko hits from the fairway during the second round of the LPGA Honda Thailand on Feb. 22.
(Kittinun Rodsupan / Associated Press)
This Hall of Fame player is the only golfer in modern Olympic history to win a complete set of medals — gold, silver and bronze — across three different Olympic Games. She’s still looking for her first U.S. Women’s Open win.
Charley Hull
Charley Hull hits off the 16th tee during the first round of the Mizuho Americas Open on May 7.
(Seth Wenig / Associated Press)
A colorful character who went viral during the 2024 Open for smoking a cigarette while signing autographs and playing. She was among a cluster who finished second in that tournament. She has three victories on the LPGA Tour but has yet to win a major.
Rose Zhang
Rose Zhang hits from the ninth tee during the final round of the Queen City Championship on May 17.
(Dylan Buell / Getty Images)
Zhang, who has been splitting time between Stanford and the LPGA, amassed a remarkable collection of victories as an amateur and three years ago, became the first player in 72 years to win an LPGA Tour event in her professional debut.
Minjee Lee
Minjee Lee prepares to putt during the third round of the Chevron Championship on April 25.
(Sarah Stier / Getty Images)
Lee, an Australian star, has won three majors including the U.S. Women’s Open in 2022. Her younger brother, Min Woo, won the 2016 U.S. Junior Amateur, making them the first brother-sister tandem to win the USGA’s junior championships.
Yuka Saso
Yuka Saso lines up a putt during the first round of the Mizuho Americas Open on May 7.
(Seth Wenig / Associated Press)
She is the anomaly of anomalies, with zero wins on the LPGA Tour with the exception of two U.S. Women’s Open victories. She won the first of those at 19 years, 11 months and seven days — astoundingly tying her for the youngest player to win the Open with Inbee Park, who was precisely that old when she won in 2008.
Lilia Vu
Lilia Vu watches her shot from the seventh tee during the third round of the Queen City Championship on May 16.
(Dylan Buell / Getty Images)
Vu grew up in Fountain Valley and was a standout at UCLA. She won two majors in 2023 but lately has been battling back problems.
Michelle Wie West
Michelle Wie West of the United States hits from the third tee during the first round of the Mizuho Americas Open on May 7.
(Sarah Stier / Getty Images)
Wie West retired three years ago after the Open at Pebble Beach, but is coming out of retirement to use her last year of exemption to play at Riviera. Her husband, Jonnie West, son of late NBA icon Jerry West, will be caddying for her.
Sports
Tomas Hertl scores game-winner as Golden Knights rally to beat Hurricanes in Game 1 of Stanley Cup Final
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The Vegas Golden Knights have taken Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, erasing the Carolina Hurricanes’ early 2-0 lead to win a thrilling 5-4 game in Raleigh and set the tone for this best-of-seven series.
It’s a seven-game win streak for Vegas now, as they haven’t lost since Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Anaheim Ducks. They surprisingly swept the Colorado Avalanche to win the West, and they kept that momentum going on the road.
Tomas Hertl was the hero for the Golden Knights in Game 1, as he scored the game-winning goal on a snipe with 3:25 left in the third period.
Tomas Hertl of the Vegas Golden Knights celebrates a goal during the second period against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game One of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, on June 2, 2026. (Josh Lavallee/NHLI via Getty Images)
But it wasn’t easy for Vegas in the first period when the Hurricanes were quick to assert their home-ice advantage just 25 seconds into the game.
It was the first shot on goal for either side when Nikolaj Ehlers poked a puck past an aggressive Shea Theodore for Vegas, and he sprinted down ice toward Carter Hart, who mans the Golden Knights’ net. Ehlers, though, had the perfect shot, ringing the post and sending the Hurricanes faithful into a frenzy with the 1-0 lead before some could even get to their seats.
DESPITE POTENTIAL RATINGS NIGHTMARE FOR NHL, VEGAS-CAROLINA STANLEY CUP FINAL STILL HAS PLENTY OF INTRIGUE
Then, midway through the period, Ehlers found himself in yet another breakaway scenario, and he didn’t squander the opportunity to take advantage. He put a nifty move on Hart, and his backhand found the net to make it 2-0.
Jalen Chatfield also had his eye down ice, recognizing that Ehlers was uncovered and quickly turned Jack Eichel’s turnover into the opportunity.
But if there’s anything the Golden Knights have proved in these Stanley Cup Playoffs, it’s to never count them out. Another example of that was seen on Tuesday night.
Theodore made up for his mishap to start the game with an absolute rocket off his stick on a one-timer that saw its way through traffic and past Frederik Anderson in net to get Vegas on the board shortly after Ehlers’ second goal.
Then, as the second period got underway, it was Ivan Barbashev who decided to return the favor of scoring in 30 seconds or less. As Vegas entered the offensive zone with speed, the puck found Jack Eichel’s stick. He quickly spotted Ivan Barbashev cutting through the slot, and Barbashev fired a shot over Frederik Andersen’s right shoulder before the goalie could react.
Nikolaj Ehlers of the Carolina Hurricanes scores his second goal against the Vegas Golden Knights during the first period in Game One of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C., on June 2, 2026. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
With that, the Golden Knights tied this game up, but they didn’t let the momentum go. William Karlsson, who already has a cup under his belt for Vegas, did his part in seeking the next trophy. Mitch Marner had a tremendous backhand pass from behind the net that found Karlsson’s stick all alone out in front, and Anderson had no chance as Vegas took a 3-2 lead.
At that moment, the air in the Lenovo Center was taken right out of the fans’ sails, but a trusty veteran restored that later in the period. Jordan Staal, who watched his brother and 2006 Stanley Cup champion with the Hurricanes, Eric Staal, get the crowd going with the siren at puck drop, potted his third goal of these playoffs.
Jordan Staal snapped a wrister past Hart thanks to a heads-up play by K’Andre Miller to keep the puck onside and find his teammate fast for the grade-A chance.
The bleeding was stopped, but the third period was bound to be a thriller based on how these two teams were finding clear chances to score. Who broke the tie first was the major question, and Brett Howden had the answer just 1:21 into the period.
The playoff leader in goals, Howden had a beautiful tip on a shot by Theodore for his 11th of the playoffs and perhaps his most important in Game 1. The scoreboard remained silent for some time after that, with both teams trying to set up solid forechecks, but to no avail. The Hurricanes even had a power play, but they couldn’t find the back of the net.
William Karlsson of the Vegas Golden Knights celebrates his goal with teammates during the second period of Game One of the Stanley Cup Final against the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C., on June 2, 2026. (Jeff Bottari/NHLI via Getty Images)
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Then, with 8:41 left, some puck luck found the Hurricanes, as defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere saw an offensive zone face-off biscuit fall right into his lap with no one around. He secured the puck on his stick blade and wristed it past Hart for the 4-4 tie.
However, the rollercoaster ride for the Hurricanes didn’t have a happy ending when they got off, with Hertl’s goal, assisted on a crafty Sissons’ pass following a face-off, being the final say in this one.
Game 2 of this series will be played once more in Raleigh on Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET.
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Jared Grindlinger is not ready to say goodbye to his friends at Huntington Beach High. The likely first-round draft pick didn’t have to play for the Oilers in the Southern California Division I regional playoffs, let alone pitch. But he did both to help Huntington Beach knock off San Diego Open Division champion Patrick Henry 10-3 on Tuesday.
Grindlinger went four for four, including a home run, and finished with three RBIs. He also struck out five in three innings on the mound. Dane Cunningham had a three-run home run. Huntington Beach advances to play the winner of Wednesday’s game between Corona and Chula Vista Eastlake on Thursday.
Cathedral Catholic 4, St. John Bosco 2: The impressive two-year run of St. John Bosco’s baseball team has come to an end. The Braves had the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the seventh but couldn’t push across any runs and were eliminated in a first-round Division I game. They won the Southern Section Division 1 title the last two seasons and the regional title last season.
La Mirada 7, Liberty 6: A three-run seventh inning helped the Matadores enjoy their bus ride home from Bakersfield. The big hit was a three-run home run by Justin Torres. La Mirada will face Cathedral Catholic on Thursday in the semifinals.
Arroyo Grande 4, Loyola 3: An RBI single in the eighth inning by Colton Gotchal pushed Arroyo Grande to victory over top-seeded Loyola in Division 2. Jack Murray had a home run and two RBIs for Loyola.
Newport Harbor 2, Madison 0: Gavin Guy threw the shutout with seven strikeouts.
South El Monte 3, Brentwood 2: South El Monte went on the road and pulled off the upset of Division 6 champion Brentwood. Anthony Mata had an RBI single and Gabriel Canchola limited the Eagles to four hits while striking out nine in six innings.
Westview 7, Carson 1: Leadoff hitter Eli Irvine had three hits for the winners.
North Torrance 2, Bell 0: Seth Narasaki and Joey Banuelos combined for the shutout.
Verdugo Hills 11, Rolling Hills Prep 2: Cutlor Fannon finished with three hits and three RBIs for the Dons.
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