Arizona

Federico Staksrud Topples The GOAT At The Carvana Arizona Grand Slam Professional Pickleball Association Event

Published

2 years ago

February 20, 2023

Federico Staksrud Topples The GOAT At The Carvana Arizona Grand Slam Professional Pickleball Association Event

Federico Staksrud gave #1 Ben Johns his first singles lack of the season. (Picture From Sept 2022 APP … [+] Chicago Open by Michael Reaves/Getty Pictures)

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Occasion #3 of the 2023 season of the Carvana Skilled Pickleball Affiliation (PPA) tour revisited a busy website for skilled pickleball; the Bell Financial institution Park in Mesa, Arizona. Bell Financial institution Park is an enormous sports activities facility that sprawls throughout greater than 300 acres, and has at least 41 pickleball courts to go along with a 2,000 seat pickleball stadium court docket. This was the identical website that hosted the MLP’s first occasion just a few weeks in the past, it’s internet hosting an APP Occasion later within the season, and it was the host of this previous weekend’s Carvana Arizona Grand Slam.

Let’s recap the motion, as a result of it was not “enterprise as common” on the PPA tour this previous weekend.

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Males’s Professional Singles Recap:

Regardless of the Grand Slam prize cash in Mesa, plenty of high 10 Males missed the occasion. #2 McGuffin stays out with a slight harm, however the attract Arizona was additionally lacking #5 J.W. Johnson, #7 Frazier, and #9 Hunter Johnson from the highest 10. This tremendously opened up the draw for some lower-ranked execs, and a few took benefit.

For the second match operating, Travis Rettenmaier upset two larger seeded gamers to advance to the quarters. He fell at that juncture to final week’s finalist #4 Federico Staksrud. #1 Ben Johns, in the hunt for his third straight Triple Crown to open the season, was pressed to a breaker twice en path to the semis, the place he met up with Staksrud in a rematch of Scottsdale’s last. He couldn’t prevail in a 3rd straight breaker, dropping his first singles match of the brand new season to Staksrud 12-10 within the third. Staksrud got here again from 3-8 down within the tiebreaker and saved a match level in opposition to to advance in a unbelievable comeback. No triple crown for Johns this weekend.

The underside half of the draw went extra chalk, although an early upset of #3 Ryan Sherry by the hands of #14 Gabriel Joseph opened the door for #6 James Ignatowich to advance to the semis. There he met the regular #2 French-man Jay Devilliers, who gave out three donuts en path to his semifinals look. Devilliers topped Ignatowich in a streaky tiebreaker to advance to the ultimate. Ignatowich salvaged his weekend with a walk-over bronze medal victory, when Johns no-showed.

Johns’ withdrawal out of the comfort bracket made for 9 complete forfeits out of the loser’s bracket on the weekend by Males’s singles execs, a really dangerous search for the PPA. We touched on this final weekend and posted at size on social media the explanations behind it (merely; the incentives to play a ton of loser’s bracket singles matches are simply not there), however the concern is changing into extra vital when your #1 participant bails on an opportunity at a Medal. Gamers and followers pay charges to look at the professionals play, and there’s a number of matches not being performed that followers are paying for. The PPA in all probability wants to handle this construction ahead of later, as a result of every week the optics develop worse.

Within the gold medal match … the gamers cut up the match’s first 4 factors, after which Staksrud rolled off 20 straight unanswered factors take the match in an unanticipated blowout 2,0. Staksrud saved Devilliers off-balance with staggered assaults, glorious ball management, and unwavering strain. Jay had no counter on the day.

Gold: Federico Staksrud. Silver: Jay Devilliers. Bronze: James Ignatowich

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Ladies’s Professional Singles Recap:

#7 Mary Brascia made the largest information on Singles Thursday, upsetting #2 Catherine Parenteau within the quarters and eliminating the silver medalist from Scottsdale early. In any other case the Ladies’s Singles draw went principally to seeds, with #1 Anna Leigh Waters topping #4 Salome Devidze in a single semi, and #3 Lea Jansen topping the upset minded Brascia within the different.

Devidze, the silver medalist final week on the APP, took out Brascia for the bronze medal 6,11. The loser’s bracket was taken by #23 Lacy Schneemann and noticed among the similar withdrawal points that the Males’s draw noticed (4 withdrawals by singles gamers within the fifth place bracket).

Within the gold medal match, the ultimate match of the occasion, Waters out baselined her MLP teammate Jansen to win with relative ease 5,5. Waters finishes off her eighth gold medal in 9 tries on the season and extends her lead on the high of the standings.

Gold: Anna Leigh Waters. Silver: Lea Jansen. Bronze: Salome Devidze

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Blended Professional Doubles Recap:7

Anna Brilliant did the doubles “double” this weekend. (Picture from 2022 Margaritaville Nationals by … [+] Bruce Yeung/Getty Pictures)

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Upsets had been the secret this weekend in Blended Professional. The dominant #1 seeded workforce of Johns & Waters was shockingly upset within the quarters by the brother-sister workforce of J.W. & Jorja Johnson in a tie-breaker (4),8,9. The Johnson duo didn’t let up and superior to the gold medal match. Within the semis, they topped the veteran pair of #5 seeds Wilson & David, who went on to take the bronze medal a few hours later.

The #2 seeds Wright & Kovalova (the silver medalists two weeks in the past) had been upended even earlier by the hands of the #18 seeded workforce of Bar & Megan Fudge. The occasion additionally noticed the 4th, sixth, and seventh seeds get upset sooner than anticipated, and the seeds of the 4 semi-finalists had been 3,5,8, and 18.

A part of the explanation for these early upsets is the truth that many of those decrease seeded groups are comprised of high abilities who simply shouldn’t have the rankings factors to be seeded larger. For instance, the seventh seeded workforce of Julian Arnold & Catherine Parenteau was upset by the twenty sixth seeded workforce within the first spherical, which seems like an enormous upset, however that twenty sixth seeded workforce was Zane Navratil & Jade Kawamoto. So, suffice it to say there’s loads of depth within the Blended doubles attracts proper now.

One high seed that managed to keep away from upset was the #3 workforce of Newman and Brilliant, the bronze medalists from two weeks in the past, who navigated the landmines of the underside half of the draw to advance to the gold medal match. Within the gold medal match, Anna Brilliant & Riley Newman got here from 2 video games to 1 right down to take a grueling 5-game match versus the Johnson siblings.

Gold: Brilliant/Newman Silver: Johnson/Johnson. Bronze: David/Wilson

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Males’s Professional Doubles

The cream is beginning to rise to the highest of the Males’s professional doubles sport, as exhibited on this weekend’s draw. The highest eight seeded groups all superior to the quarters, and even the sooner rounds noticed little in the best way of serious upsets. Only one upset-by-seed occurred within the quarter finals, with the #5 seeded workforce of A.J. Koller & Dekel Bar taking out #4 Tyler Loong & Callan Dawson 14-12 within the third.

The #1 seeded Johns brothers superior to the gold medal match from the highest half of the draw by topping the Koller & Bar in a breaker within the semis. From the underside half, #2 seeded Riley Newman & Matt Wright held serve to make the gold medal match with a dominant 3,6 win over #3 J.W. Johnson & Dylan Frazier. Johnson & Frazier took the bronze medal match for his or her second straight third place efficiency on tour.

Within the gold medal match, we’ve the third straight finals assembly between the 2 high seeded groups. The 2 groups traded sport wins backwards and forwards, and Wright/Newman squandered sport factors in sport 4 to increase the match to a decisive fifth sport earlier than the Johns brothers took the fourth sport and the match. Remaining rating: 7,(7),4,12. Three in a row for Ben and Collin Johns to start out the 2023 PPA season and the rostrum precisely matched the Desert Ridge podium from two weeks in the past.

Gold: Johns/Johns. Silver: Wright/Newman. Bronze: Johnson/Frazier.

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Ladies’s Professional Doubles Recap:

The jumbling of companions amongst the highest gamers on the Ladies’s Professional Doubles tour continues, however every match this season has yielded the identical winner. #1 Anna Leigh Waters took again Anna Brilliant as her companion in Mesa, the identical companion with whom she gained the season opener with in Rancho Mirage. They floor out a semi-finals win over #4 seeds Lea Jansen/Allyce Jones (the silver medalists in Scottsdale) to make the gold medal match from the highest half. Jansen & Jones salvaged a podium spot with a win within the bronze medal match.

Catherine Parenteau, who teamed with Waters to earn gold two weeks in the past, teamed up this week with the younger professional Jorja Johnson to type the #3 seeds, however they had been upset by #6 Jessie Irvine & Jackie Kawamoto in a breaker. Irvine & Kawamoto then blitzed the #2 seeds Lucy Kovalova/Callie Smith, the silver medalists within the season’s first occasion), to make the ultimate.

Within the gold medal match, the 2 groups cut up the primary two video games earlier than Waters & Brilliant went on a tear by giving completely different positional appears to be like and attacking balls, which appeared to flummox Irvine & Kawamoto. The #1 seeds cruised via video games three and 4 to win 7,(7),1,3 to take gold. It’s Waters’ third girls’s doubles gold medal in as many tries this season, and she or he’s taken Brilliant alongside for the trip twice.

Gold: Waters/Brilliant. Silver: Irvine/Kawamoto Bronze: Jansen/Jones

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Senior Professional Competitors Fast Recap

· Males’s Senior Professional Singles: #1 Mattias Johansson takes his third straight PPA Males’s senior singles title of 2023.

· Males’s Senior Professional Doubles: Dayne Gingrich continues to dominate the Males’s Senior professional doubles circuit on the PPA, profitable his third straight title. He teamed with Scott Crandall in Mesa for the gold Medal.

· Blended Senior Professional Doubles: Gingrich did the senior double, taking the Blended Senior professional doubles division with companion Kara Williams by outlasting 4 different groups in a spherical robin competitors.

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Subsequent up on the PPA Tour? In line with the PPA’s schedule, the subsequent occasion sees the tour transferring to Minnesota for the Indoor Nationwide championships in two weeks’ time.

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Arizona

Best College Football Prop Bets for BYU vs. Arizona State in Week 13

Published

7 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Press Room

Best College Football Prop Bets for BYU vs. Arizona State in Week 13

In one of the biggest games of the Big 12 season, BYU travels to Tempe to face Arizona State in Week 13.

Both teams have been incredibly surprising in league play but after its first loss of the season, can BYU respond and stop a budding offense around running back Cam Skattebo? The ASU running back is in line for a big day with a plus matchup and highlights our player props for this marquee matchup.

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

LJ Martin UNDER 63.5 Rushing Yards

Martin has been in and out of the lineup at times this season, but he has been on a tear in Big 12 play, clearing this number in the last four games with a pair of 100-yard rushing outputs.

However, this matchup will pit the Cougars against an elite rushing defense in Arizona State, who is 25th in EPA/Rush.

While Martin is a talented back, he has benefitted from facing several easy defenses and also does share reps with the likes of Hinckley Ropati.

Given the matchup, under is my preference on the BYU running back.

Cam Skattebo OVER 89.5 Rushing Yards

After missing the Sun Devils’ Week 11 game against UCF, Skattebo returned at Kansas State to pace the ASU backfield with 73 yards on 25 carries.

Despite a depressed output, Skattebo is in line for a big output against BYU’s defense that is 78th in EPA/Rush and 75th in yards per carry. The Cougars defense gets little push up front in run blocking, ranking 99th in tackles for loss, which should allow Skattebo to plow his way forward on a heavy workload.

He has rushed for over 100 yards in three of six conference games, and should flirt with triple digits yet again.

Jordyn Tyson UNDER 90.5 Receiving Yards

Tyson continues to emerge as one of the premiere threats in the Big 12, clearing 100 yards in two of the past four games and this prop in three of them.

However, I need to go under the sophomores receiving yards prop after a career best 12-catch, 176-yard outing against a shaky Kansas State secondary. This time around, he’ll face a top 25 defense in terms of EPA/Pass and is elite at limiting big plays, 25th in explosive pass defense.

There’s a sell point on every player, and I believe we have reached it with Tyson, who can have a great game while staying under this number.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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Arizona

EA Sports College Football 25 Simulation Of BYU/Arizona State

Published

15 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Press Room

EA Sports College Football 25 Simulation Of BYU/Arizona State

TEMPE, Ariz. – What does the EA Sports College Football 25 video game believe will happen in the BYU/Arizona State game?

We simulated the matchup to find out.

No controller was used in the simulation. The computer handled it all.

Simulating BYU/Arizona State on EA Sports College Football 25

Before firing up the simulation, I edited the depth charts for both teams based on what we could see on Saturday afternoon inside Mountain America Stadium.

#BYU vs. Arizona State sim on #CFB25 #BYUFootball pic.twitter.com/B4rkWxq3QG
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) November 21, 2024

Brayden Keim continues to be out at right tackle, with Isaiah Jatta stepping in for him. This week, I moved Keanu Hill down to the third string, with Mata’ava Ta’ase as the No. 1 and Ray Paulo as the primary backup.

I removed wide receiver Jake Smith from Arizona State because head coach Kenny Dillingham said earlier in the week that he was “questionable to doubtful.”

EA Sports College Football 25 Sim Scores for BYU football

BYU 42, Southern Illinois 39 | Actual: BYU 41, SIU 13
SMU 49, BYU 35 | Actual: BYU 18, SMU 15
BYU 28, Wyoming 17 | Actual: BYU 34, Wyoming 14
Kansas State 35, BYU 10 | Actual: BYU 38, No. 13 Kansas State 9
BYU 30, Baylor 18 | Actual: BYU 34, Baylor 28
BYU 25, Arizona 17 (2OT) | Actual: BYU 41, Arizona 19
BYU 29, Oklahoma State 12 | Actual: BYU 38, Oklahoma State 35
UCF 21, BYU 17 | Actual: BYU 37, UCF 24
BYU 28, Utah 7 (Played against Utah Insider) | Actual: BYU 22, Utah 21
Kansas 26, BYU 20 | Actual: Kansas 17, BYU 13

First Quarter

The game opened with four three-and-outs, two from each team. It was so ugly that I wondered if the sim had a glitch and needed a reset, but we pushed on watching this brutal game.

Things started to get interesting when BYU defensive tackle John Nelson forced a fumble on ASU QB Sam Leavitt. Nelson’s defensive tackle teammate, Blake Mangelson, was there to recover the fumble. That turnover set BYU’s offense up on the ASU 17-yard line.

#BYU defense comes up with a takeaway. pic.twitter.com/TMl86Ueuao
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) November 21, 2024

It gave Jake Retzlaff a red-zone opportunity. He immediately pounced as he connected with Darius Lassiter for a 16-yard reception. One play later, Hinckley Ropati found the endzone for a score to give BYU an early lead.

Ropati was in the game because LJ Martin was injured on the second drive.

BYU takes advantage of the turnover and comes away with a touchdown in their first red zone visit. pic.twitter.com/bHbrp4A5iv
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) November 21, 2024

BYU muffed the snap on the extra point attempt, and ASU sacked Will Ferrin in the backfield.

BYU 6, Arizona State 0

Second Quarter

Arizona State star running back Cam Skattebo got going with a 41-yard run to put the Sun Devils into BYU territory. But BYU’s defense got a stop behind sacks from Tanner Wall and Logan Lutui.

Cam Skattebo pops off his first big run pic.twitter.com/rSA0889M5h
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) November 21, 2024

BYU was then on the move, highlighted by a 40-yard pitch and catch from Retzlaff to WR Chase Roberts. The Cougars got down to the ASU 1-yard line again. But unlike the previous possession, BYU’s woes in the red zone flared up.

LJ Martin fumbled the ball at the goal line, and the Arizona State defense recovered it. There was no review up in the booth or a coach’s challenge.

Red Zone fumble pic.twitter.com/mqDwAJxlN7
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) November 21, 2024

Arizona State took over from the BYU 20. The Sun Devils were held to a three-and-out and forced to punt, but the drive continued after Tanner Wall was called for a roughing the kicker penalty. That extended the drive. The Sun Devils capitalized six plays later as Sam Leavitt connected with Melquan Stovall for a 16-yard touchdown pass to put ASU in front.

BYU then responded with another offensive series with a pass-heavy attack. Retzlaff moved the team down the field and picked three third downs before stalling at the six-yard line. BYU settled for a 23-yard Ferrin field goal to go into the half with a lead.

BYU 9, Arizona State 7

Third Quarter

Between the two teams, only one possession passed the 50-yard line in the third quarter. That was BYU’s first possession. They reached the 21-yard line before allowing two sacks that put them out of field goal territory.

BYU 9, Arizona State 7

Defensive battle opens up with a big grab by Chase Roberts from Jake Retzlaff. pic.twitter.com/G4auFPZcbk
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) November 21, 2024

Fourth Quarter

Arizona State found some success on offense at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Leavitt connected with Jordyn Tyson for a 20-yard gain on third down. Then Skattebo broke free for a 31-yard gain to get ASU down to the BYU 32-yard line.

BYU’s defense once again answered the call and got a TFL from Tyler Batty on Skattebo for a loss of six yards. ASU attempted a 55-yard field goal, but it wasn’t close.

Retzlaff and BYU’s offense then went to work and put together a scoring drive that once again stalled in the red zone. BYU got to the 20-yard line but had two straight plays for no gain. Will Ferrin finished the drive with a 37-yard field goal.

#BYU settles for a field goal.
BYU 12, ASU 7 – 4th quarter pic.twitter.com/0RQogARFHx
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) November 21, 2024

Arizona State’s offense punted with 5:21 remaining and down by five after Jonathan Kabeya nearly picked off Leavitt on third down. They didn’t get the ball again.

BYU closes it out on the ground. pic.twitter.com/nPBYyRrv1d
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) November 21, 2024

BYU closed out the game on the ground with Hinckley Ropati and occasional carries from LJ Martin, who returned early in the fourth after leaving in the first half. Ropati got the final first down after the two-minute timeout and BYU escaped Tempe with a 12-7 victory.

Victory formation. BYU wins a defensive battle. pic.twitter.com/Oq3kBgmSGk
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) November 21, 2024

EA Sports College Football 25 Simulation Score: BYU 12, Arizona State 7

No. 14 BYU vs. No. 21 Arizona State

Date: Saturday, November 23, 2024

Location: Mountain America Stadium

Kickoff: 1:30 p.m. (MST)

TV: ESPN

Radio: KSL NewsRadio (102.7 FM, 1160 AM — Extended pregame begins at 11 a.m.)

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.

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Two Cubs Prospects Earn High Marks for Their Arizona Fall League Performance

Published

1 day ago

November 21, 2024

Press Room

Two Cubs Prospects Earn High Marks for Their Arizona Fall League Performance

The Arizona Fall League gives organizations a chance to see how some of their prospects might look when facing other stars in pipelines around the league, and for the Chicago Cubs who have a loaded farm system, this allowed them to formulate a plan for a group of their minor leaguers.

Things seem to be brewing for the Cubs this winter.

Unlike last year, they have been aggressive in the early portion of the offseason, already making trades to upgrade their bullpen by acquiring Eli Morgan, and giving themselves a solid backup catcher by landing Matt Thaiss from the Los Angeles Angels.

More moves are expected to come for Chicago, specifically regarding their starting rotation.

By adding a reliever and backstop with early trades, that allows them to hold onto some of the money they allocated to potentially get this done in free agency.

However, shipping out more talent is something they might continue to do.

Someone they could potentially look to move coming off his good showing at the Arizona Fall League is Jonathon Long.

When sharing some final thoughts on what occurred at this year’s AFL, Melissa Lockard of The Athletic gave high marks for two Cubs prospects who competed in this event, Long being one of them.

He followed up his strong Double-A season with an eye-catching performance in the Arizona Fall League by slashing 338/.425/.662 with six home runs.

Long could become an outfield option for Chicago down the line, but with other more heralded prospects who play his same position, he could be expendable as the front office searches for ways to improve their Major League roster.

The other player who received high marks shouldn’t surprise anyone.

Moises Ballesteros continues his ascent, following up his breakout performance in 2024 with a .316/.376/.557 slash line, five homers and four doubles in his 19 AFL games.

There was some thought he could be the backup catcher for the Cubs next season based on their need for offensive output at that position, but there are still questions about how he performs on the defensive end that could cause them to use him elsewhere while he continues to develop.

Still, he was impressive with the bat in his hand, prompting Lockard to state he “continues to look like a potential middle-of-the-order fixture.”

Whether it’s at designated hitter or he does become Chicago’s catcher of the future eventually, knowing he has this ability to be an elite offensive producer when he gets the call to The Show should excite the organization and fanbase.

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