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Sierra Canyon rallies from 17-point deficit to defeat No. 1 Sherman Oaks Notre Dame

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Sierra Canyon rallies from 17-point deficit to defeat No. 1 Sherman Oaks Notre Dame

In a celebrity-filled, sold-out Sierra Canyon gymnasium featuring Bronny James, Scottie Pippen and Mookie Betts sitting courtside, fans were treated to one of the great comebacks of the 2023-24 high school basketball season Friday night.

Down 17 points early in the fourth quarter to The Times’ No. 1 team in Southern California, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, the Trailblazers unleashed a relentless full-court press to produce a flurry of turnovers, leading to a stunning 81-75 victory. The win makes Sierra Canyon (24-1) the No. 1 seed for next week’s Mission League tournament and propels the Trailblazers into a likely No. 1 ranking in Southern California.

Notre Dame (24-1) opened a 66-49 lead and appeared in complete control. Then the Knights self-destructed in the face of Sierra Canyon’s pressure defense. Noah Williams tied the game 73-73 on two free throws with 1:42 left. Bryce Cofield gave Sierra Canyon the lead for good with a basket with 1:17 left.

Justin Pippen scored 19 points, Isaiah Elohim had 18 points and Cofield finished with 14 points. Mercy Miller scored 28 points for Notre Dame and Lino Mark had 21. Mark was held scoreless in the fourth quarter after propelling Notre Dame into the lead by repeatedly attacking the basket and scoring on drives. But he said he pulled a muscle in the fourth quarter and was wincing in pain. Pippen finally took a charging foul against Mark late in the fourth quarter, which symbolized the comeback using defense. Getting Mark back next week will be important for the Knights.

Notre Dame had beaten Sierra Canyon four consecutive times last season when James was around. His brother, Bryce, made two threes and a basket to help the Trailblazers this time.

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Sierra Canyon gets to avoid playing Notre Dame or Harvard-Westlake until the league championship game next Friday if the Trailblazers make it.

Harvard-Westlake 64, St. Francis 33: Nikolas Khamenia led the Wolverines with 12 points.

Crespi 61, Bishop Alemany 58: Joe Sterling finished with 17 points for the Celts.

JSerra 67, Orange Lutheran 58: Aidan Fowler had 21 points and Sebastian Rancik 19 for JSerra.

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St. John Bosco 64, Santa Margarita 55: Brandon McCoy had 28 points for the Braves. Dallas Washington scored 20 points for the Eagles.

Damien 61, Los Osos 34: Nate Garcia’s 19 points led Damien, which is tied with Etiwanda for first place in the Baseline League going into a showdown next week.

Rancho Cucamonga 84, Chino Hills 69: Aaron Glass scored 28 points for Rancho Cucamonga.

Westchester 50, University 29: Dillon Chelsey and Kevin Lemle each scored 10 points to keep the Comets in first place in the Western League.

Fairfax 73, Venice 70: Joseph Riggins scored 22 points and Jaden Depina made the winning three-pointer with two seconds left for Fairfax.

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LACES 72, Hamilton 53: Ian Hunter scored 24 points and Ryan Conner had 21 points for LACES.

Washington Prep 59, Crenshaw 37: The Generals took over second place in the Coliseum League.

Grant 73, Sun Valley Poly 68: Anthony Minoy had 17 points for Grant in an overtime win. JD Wyatt scored 40 points for Poly.

Legacy 75, Bell 44: Damian Gaona had 32 points and 13 rebounds for Legacy.

San Pedro 57, Rancho Dominguez 46: Chim Emegwa finished with 19 points for San Pedro, which is 6-2 in the Marine League.

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Rolling Hills Prep 52, Bosco Tech 46: Mateo Trujillo scored 16 points for Rolling Hills Prep.

Calabasas 75, Newbury Park 57: Tidiane Sy scored 24 points for Calabasas.

Westlake 65, Thousand Oaks 60: Danny Bao scored 20 points for Westlake in a key Marmonte League win.

Lynwood 91, Downey 84: Jason Crowe Jr. scored 42 points for Lynwood.

Los Alamitos 77, Newport Harbor 64: Tyler Lopez led Los Alamitos with 16 points.

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St. Pius X-St. Matthias 63, St. Bernard 61: Tyrone Riley finished with 24 points for St. Pius X-St. Matthias, which is unbeaten in the Del Rey League.

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Orioles’ Craig Albernaz says he must eat baby food for weeks after foul ball to face leads to 7 fractures

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Orioles’ Craig Albernaz says he must eat baby food for weeks after foul ball to face leads to 7 fractures

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Baltimore Orioles manager Craig Albernaz has seven fractures in his orbital area as well as a broken jaw after taking a foul ball to the face, but he remains in the dugout with his squad.

However, Albernaz has one big change to his daily routine over the next month or so. He needs to eat baby food.

The injury occurred on Monday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks, as the foul ball came whipping toward the Orioles’ dugout and hit Albernaz square on the right side of his face. But he was back at Camden Yards on Tuesday, less than 24 hours after suffering his multiple facial injuries.

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Baltimore Orioles manager Craig Albernaz looks on before an MLB game against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field in Chicago, Ill., on April 8, 2026. (Patrick Gorski/Icon Sportswire)

Reports from Baltimore state that he has a visible bruise on the right side of his face, and that he will need to consume baby food for the next six weeks as his face heals.

“This is what we’re here for,” Albernaz said to reporters, per the Baltimore Banner. “We’re here for the players. We have a game. I’m physically able to be here, so let’s go.… If my jaw was wired shut, I’d still be here.”

ORIOLES MANAGER CRAIG ALBERNAZ TAKES LINE DRIVE TO FACE IN TERRIFYING SCENE

Albernaz said he felt “pretty good” considering the circumstances from Monday night’s foul ball off the bat of one of his own, Jeremiah Jackson.

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“Ball hit me pretty flush in the cheek, but I feel good,” he added. “Luckily, no surgery. I think all in all, it was at least seven fractures in my cheek area, orbital, and then a broken jaw. But luckily, it doesn’t have to be wired. No surgery. I just have to eat baby food for six weeks.”

Baltimore Orioles manager Craig Albernaz stands on the field before the game against the San Francisco Giants at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Md., on Apr. 10, 2026. (Mitch Stringer/Imagn Images)

Albernaz, like many managers, was standing at the top of the dugout steps when Jackson was late to a pitch that shot immediately toward his teammates and coaches. It’s an unfortunate situation for Albernaz, but the first-time MLB manager is clearly showing his grit and resilience for his squad.

They also showed it for him on Monday night, as they were trailing at that point in the game. However, the Orioles rallied to win the game 9-7.

A lot of that had to do with Jackson, who bashed two home runs, including a grand slam in the victory.

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“I hit, and then I kind of saw Alby holding his face,” Jackson told reporters. “My heart kind of dropped. I was able to see him afterward and see he was doing OK.… Knowing he was OK helped. It made me feel a little bit better. I’m just happy he’s doing OK and in good spirits.”

Baltimore Orioles manager Craig Albernaz talks to media in the dugout before a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Chicago on April 8, 2026. (Nam Y. Huh/AP)

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The Orioles’ win keeps them tied with the New York Yankees atop the AL East standings at 9-7.

Albernaz will continue to lead the way in the dugout moving forward, even if his diet does have to change.

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NFL reporter Dianna Russini resigns after photos published of her and Patriots coach Mike Vrabel

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NFL reporter Dianna Russini resigns after photos published of her and Patriots coach Mike Vrabel

NFL reporter Dianna Russini has resigned from The Athletic days after the New York Post’s Page Six published photos of her and New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel interacting at an Arizona resort.

The photos appear to show Russini and Vrabel holding hands, hugging and sitting a hot tub and a swimming pool. In the April 7 article that accompanied the photos in the Post’s Page Six, Russini and Vrabel — both of whom are married to other people — gave statements denying anything inappropriate was happening between them.

The article also included a statement from Steven Ginsberg, executive editor of The Athletic, who expressed full support of Russini and said the photos “are misleading and lack essential context.” The New York Times, which owns The Athletic, reported days later that the digital sports outlet would conduct an investigation into the matter.

Russini submitted her letter of resignation to Ginsberg on Tuesday, then posted it on X. In it, Russini states she has “no interest in submitting to a public inquiry that has already caused far more damage than I am willing to accept.”

“I have covered the NFL with professionalism and dedication throughout my career, and I stand behind every story I have ever published,” Russini wrote. “When the Page Six item first appeared, The Athletic supported me unequivocally, expressed confidence in my work and pride in my journalism. For that I am grateful. In the days that followed, unfortunately, commentators in various media have engaged in self-feeding speculation that is simply unmoored from the facts.

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“Moreover, this media frenzy is hurtling forward without regard for the review process The Athletic is trying to complete. It continues to escalate, fueled by repeated leaks. … Rather than allowing this to continue, I have decided to step aside now — before my current contract expires on June 30. I do so not because I accept the narrative that has been constructed around this episode, but because I refuse to lend it further oxygen or to let it define me or my career.”

The New York Times confirmed Russini’s resignation but declined to comment further for this article.

Page Six wrote Tuesday that it received a statement from Ginsberg following Russini’s resignation.

“When this situation was brought to our attention last week, there were clear concerns,” Ginsberg wrote, according to Page Six, “but we received a detailed explanation and it was our instinct to support and defend a colleague while we continued to review the matter.”

But as “additional information emerged,” Ginsberg wrote, according to Page Six, “new questions were raised that became part of our investigation.” Ginsberg’s statement did not elaborate on the “new questions.”

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The investigation is ongoing, according to Page Six.

Russini joined The Athletic in 2023 after nearly a decade at ESPN, where her roles included “SportsCenter” anchor and NFL analyst and insider. Vrabel was a three-time Super Bowl champion as a Patriots linebacker and was head coach of the Tennessee Titans from 2018-2023 before returning to New England as head coach last season.

In Page Six’s initial article last week, Russini said the photos of her and Vrabel “don’t represent the group of six people who were hanging out during the day.” Vrabel said in the same article: “Those photos show a completely innocent interaction and any suggestion otherwise is laughable.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Orioles manager Craig Albernaz takes line drive to face in terrifying scene

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Orioles manager Craig Albernaz takes line drive to face in terrifying scene

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Baltimore Orioles manager Craig Albernaz was involved in a terrifying moment during the team’s victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday night.

Albernaz was struck by a line drive off the bat of Orioles second baseman Jeremiah Jackson in the fifth inning. The ball hit the manager’s left cheek and he left to be looked at by the team’s medical staff.

Baltimore Orioles manager Craig Albernaz talks to media in the dugout before a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Chicago on April 8, 2026. (Nam Y. Huh/AP)

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Albernaz briefly returned to the game after Jackson hit a grand slam to help the Orioles to the 9-7 win.

“He’s doing good. Just as a precaution, he’s going to get it scanned,” Orioles bench coach Donnie Ecker said.

Jackson said he had a sunken feeling when he saw Albernaz in pain after the errant liner.

“I hit and then I kind of saw Alby holding his face. My heart kind of dropped,” Jackson said. “I was able to see him afterward and see he was doing OK.”

AVALANCHE COACH TAKES PUCK TO THE FACE, WILL MISS FINAL REGULAR-SEASON GAMES

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Baltimore Orioles manager Craig Albernaz stands on the field before the game against the San Francisco Giants at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Md., on Apr. 10, 2026. (Mitch Stringer/Imagn Images)

“Knowing he was OK helped. It made me feel a little bit better,” Jackson added. “I’m just happy he’s doing OK and in good spirits.”

Albernaz and Jackson embraced after the infielder hit the big home run in the sixth inning.

“That was awesome,” Jackson said of the impromptu embrace from his manager. “You never want to hurt anybody, and Alby’s awesome. It sucked. But he wore it well and he’s in good spirits so it made me feel better.”

Albernaz is in his first year as Baltimore’s manager. He served as a bench coach and assistant manager for the Cleveland Guardians in 2024 and 2025.

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Baltimore Orioles’ Jeremiah Jackson rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Baltimore on April 13, 2026. (Stephanie Scarbrough/AP)

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Baltimore improved to 9-7 with the win and are tied with the New York Yankees for first place in the American League East.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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