Sports

Column: Summer football gives clues as to what you can expect this fall

Published

1 year ago

July 14, 2024

Column: Summer football gives clues as to what you can expect this fall

When best friends unite, the power they unleash can be magical in terms of chemistry, unselfishness and determination. That’s what Mission Viejo’s football team has going for it when the season begins in six weeks.

You could see it and feel it Saturday during the Edison seven-on-seven passing tournament. The two quarterbacks who alternate playing every other series, Luke Fahey and Draiden Trudeau, are like brothers. Trudeau showed up and greeted Fahey’s father by offering a hug and saying, “What’s up, pops?”

They’ve embraced rooting for each other as they share playing time in the name of winning. And when it comes to skill-position players, the Diablos are ending the summer second to none. Their receiver group, which includes highly recruited senior Phillip Bell, 4.35-second 40-yard runner Vance Spafford (junior), terrific 6-foot-4 sophomore Max Markofski and dependable senior Cash Semonza — is as good as it gets. Star cornerback Dijon Lee also helps out at receiver.

“It’s beautiful,” Fahey said. “It’s the best in the country.”

Mission Viejo won the Edison tournament championship Saturday over St. John Bosco, with Spafford making a walk-off touchdown catch.

Of course, in 11-man football, it takes blockers to help propel a team to success in Southern Section Division 1 against the likes of Mater Dei and St. John Bosco. That will be the focus when the pads come on in August to see if the defending Division 2 champion Diablos can compete in the big-boy playoff division this fall.

Mr. Mosley

Make sure you show respect for junior Trent Mosley of Santa Margarita by calling him “Mr. Mosley.” He’s that good. He won MVP honors in the Trinity League as a sophomore. He will concentrate on being a receiver but also take snaps at running back as the Eagles look to get him the ball any way they can.

Trent Mosley of Santa Margarita.

(Craig Weston)

He’s 5-11 with speed, agility and instincts.

Tight ends rising

Tight ends are valuable in the NFL, not as much in college and certainly have been disappearing in high school offenses. But there are some high schools still embracing tight ends as important.

Murrieta Valley could have three tight ends in a game this fall as part of an attack that can take advantage of quarterback Bear Bachmeier’s running and passing skills. Brandon Gilbert, Jacob Alvarez and Jonny Fuentes are the tight ends to watch.

Zach Giuliano (81) scores a touchdown for Corona del Mar in 2022.

Corona del Mar has been producing one top tight end after another. Senior Zach Giuliano, 6-6, 230 pounds, is a Stanford commit. The Sea Kings also have two other tight ends in Sebastien Boydell and Breck Clemmer.

Underrated

If my eyes are telling me the truth, there’s no more underrated football player going into the 2024 season than CJ McBean of Gardena Serra.

He’s a terrific safety, a dependable receiver and makes field goals from 40 yards and longer thanks to his days as a youth soccer player. He’s also learning how to punt, which could lead to him taking off on fake punts like the days of Adoree’ Jackson.

“Knowing I’m not going to get off the field, I have to be ready,” he said of his summer conditioning program.

When colleges are looking for someone who’s versatile and can contribute anywhere and everywhere, McBean is the answer. He’s 6-2, 190 pounds and can run a 4.6 in the 40.

Coach Scott Altenberg will plug him in wherever he’s needed.

Kicker working hard

Before entering high school, Dylan Freebury was an elite soccer player. Then he tried out for kicker at Palos Verdes and found his love. This summer going into his senior season, he has reached a skill level so impressive that he was named to the Polynesian Bowl.

He had only four field-goal attempts last season, making three. But he has expanded his range to 60 yards, thanks to a private trainer working twice a week on his leg strength and another private trainer working three days a week on kicking technique.

“Hopefully I get more chances this season,” he said.

Considering Palos Verdes has a nice ocean breeze, expect him to try some long field-goal attempts at home games this fall in the right situation.

Brick wall up front

Defensive end Hayden Lowe of Oaks Christian.

Oaks Christian has a group of defensive linemen that wants to be a brick wall when teams try to run the ball.

There’s USC commit Hayden Lowe at defensive end, plus 310-pound Joseph Peko, 275-pound Zayne Reed and 250-pound Tolo Tuihalamaka. Coach Charlie Collins said it will be tough to run on the Lions.

Etc.

Edison coach Jeff Grady lives so close to campus that he uses a golf cart or bike to get to work. His two assistants, Dave White and Troy Thomas, were head coaches at Edison and Servite, respectively, in 2009 when Servite beat the Chargers 16-6 in the Division 1 final on a rainy night at Angel Stadium. White insists with better field conditions the Chargers would have won. Thomas just smiles. He did have quarterback Cody Fajardo, who’s still playing in Canada.

Tom Telesco, the former Chargers general manager who’s now general manager of the Las Vegas Raiders, was at the Edison passing tournament. His son, Nick, will be a senior at Corona del Mar. Telesco said the talent level at the tournament was impressive.

Sports

NFL reporter responds to fake death rumor in hilarious fashion: ‘Glitch in the matrix’

Published

8 hours ago

December 23, 2025

Press Room

NFL reporter responds to fake death rumor in hilarious fashion: ‘Glitch in the matrix’

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An internet rumor swirled last week that a longtime NFL reporter had died at the age of 40.

News of Jane Slater’s supposed death on social media, but she was quick to shut it down.

An X user posted a screenshot of a post on Facebook that showed Slater in black and white with the graphic “1980-2025” saying she had died at 40. Slater, 45, was born in 1980, but the years written in the post would mean she died at either age 44 or 45.

NFL Network sideline reporter Jane Slater stands on the sidelines prior to an NFL football game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Chicago Bears, at Soldier Field on Dec. 26, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images)

“A veteran reporter who covered the Dallas Cowboys—having followed the team for over a decade—has passed away at the age of 40 after a tragic domestic violence incident, leaving behind a 5-year-old child. Her years of dedicated work, along with the heartbreaking circumstances surrounding her death, have left loyal fans stunned, devastated, and praying for her and her family,” the post read.

The user asked Slater, “did you pass away??”

Jane Slater speaks with T.Y. Hilton of the Dallas Cowboys after the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium on Dec. 24, 2022 in Arlington, Texas. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

STEELERS’ AARON RODGERS HILARIOUSLY TRASH TALKS STAR DEFENDER IN MIC’D UP MOMENT

“I don’t think so? But does this mean there is (a) glitch in the matrix? I’m gonna wrap myself in bubble wrap until NYE,” Slater joked.

If there is one thing the Facebook post got correct, it’s that Slater does mainly cover the Cowboys for the NFL Network.

NFL Network reporter Jane Slater on the sideline prior to an NFC Wild Card Playoff game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Dallas Cowboys at Raymond James Stadium on Jan. 16, 2023 in Tampa, Florida. (Perry Knotts/Getty Images)

Prior to joining in 2016, Slater worked for ESPN and the Longhorn Network, having attended the University of Texas. She also hosted a radio show in Dallas.

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Sports

It’s love, set and match: Tennis icon Venus Williams weds actor, model partner in Florida

Published

9 hours ago

December 23, 2025

Press Room

It’s love, set and match: Tennis icon Venus Williams weds actor, model partner in Florida

Tennis legend Venus Williams wed Danish model and actor Andrea Preti over the weekend in Florida, the new bride announced in a shared post.

An Instagram post from Vogue Magazine’s Weddings section announced the nuptials, with the message garnering more than 30,000 likes as of Tuesday afternoon.

“We all love each other so much,” Williams, 45, said in the Vogue post. “It was just the happiest, most beautiful, sweetest day.”

The post was scant on details other than the event took place over five days in and around the couple’s home in Palm Beach Gardens.

An email for comment to representatives for Williams and Preti, 37, was not immediately returned.

The couple met at 2024 Milan Fashion Week and began texting shortly after, according to Vogue.

The couple eventually became engaged on Jan. 31 in Tuscany, according to Vogue. That detail was confirmed in July during what was a historic month for Williams.

The Compton native defeated 23-year-old Peyton Sterns 6-3, 6-4 in the first round action of the D.C. Open after a 16-month hiatus from singles matches.

In victory, Williams became the second-oldest woman to win a tour-level singles match, trailing only fellow legend Martina Navratilova, who was 47 when she won in 2004.

“Yes, my fiance is here, and he really encouraged me to keep playing,” Williams told the Tennis Channel’s Rennae Stubbs in a post-match interview. “There were so many times where I just wanted to coast and kind of chill. … He encouraged me to get through this, and it’s wonderful [for him] to be here. He’s never seen me play.”

Preti has written, acted and directed in a handful of films, primarily in Italy.

The wedding was the second for the couple, who also held a ceremony in Italy in September.

Sports

Lindsey Vonn qualifies for fifth Winter Olympics

Published

21 hours ago

December 23, 2025

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Lindsey Vonn qualifies for fifth Winter Olympics

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As Philip Rivers has shown he could still tear up the NFL at age 44, American Olympic legend Lindsey Vonn has also proven that age is just a number.

Vonn, 41, qualified for the 2026 Milan Cortina Games, Team USA announced on Tuesday. It will be the fifth Winter Olympics that she competes in.

United States’ Lindsey Vonn reacts at the finish area of an alpine ski, women’s World Cup downhill, in Val D’Isere, France, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Pier Marco Tacca)

Vonn had an impressive run at the World Cup in France over the weekend. She was third in super-G, hitting a high speed of 71 mph. It was her second consecutive podium finish after she was third in downhill. It was the 142nd podium finish in her World Cup career.

“I am honored to be able to represent my country one more time, in my 5th and final Olympics!” she wrote in a post on Instagram. “When I made the decision to return to ski racing, I always had one eye on Cortina because it’s a place that is very, very special to me. Although I can’t guarantee any outcomes, I can guarantee that I will give my absolute best every time l kick out of the starting gate. No matter how these games end up, I feel like I’ve already won.

US OLYMPIANS MADISON CHOCK, EVAN BATES SEND MESSAGE TO OPPONENT WHO TOOK THEIR GOLD BEFORE DISQUALIFICATION

United States’ Lindsey Vonn celebrates on the podium after taking third place in an alpine ski, women’s World Cup downhill, in Val D’Isere, France, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Pier Marco Tacca)

“I am grateful for how the season has gone so far, but I am just getting started. See you in Cortina!”

Vonn has already put together an enviable career in skiing.

She won a gold medal in the 2010 Vancouver Games and two bronze medals in Pyeongchang in 2018. She’s also taken home two gold, three silver and two bronze medals in the World Championships.

The Minnesota native also has 83 World Cup wins and several International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) Crystal Globes.

Notably, she’s back competing for gold after being away from the sport for five years.

Austria’s Cornelia Huetter, left, winner of an alpine ski, women’s World Cup downhill, celebrates on the podium with second-placed Germany’s Kira Weidle Winkelmann, left, and third-placed United States’ Lindsey Vonn, in Val D’Isere, France, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Pier Marco Tacca)

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The Winter Olympics will begin on Feb. 6 and run through Feb. 22.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.