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Liberty begin title quest in Washington

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Liberty begin title quest in Washington


The Liberty went on to vanquish Connecticut in four games and nearly forced a fifth and decisive contest against reigning back-to-back champion Las Vegas in October before suffering a 70-69 defeat in front of a near-sellout crowd on the corner of Atlantic and Flatbush.

Now, the quest officially starts again to bring home this franchise’s first-ever WNBA Finals after New York earned a berth in the championship round for the first time since 2002 a season ago.

Armed with arguably the best starting five in the world, reigning WNBA Most Valuable Player Breanna Stewart, former MVP Jonquel Jones, last year’s assists leader Courtney Vandersloot, All-Star guard Sabrina Ionescu and former All-Star Betnijah Laney-Hamilton. the Liberty are locked and loaded.

They ended the preseason with last Thursday night’s 82-79 win over the Sun at Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun Arena.

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Ionescu scored 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting, including a pair of 3-pointers, and Laney-Hamilton went perfect from beyond the arc by drilling all four of her long-range shots en route to 14 points.

Coach Sandy Brondello believes the Liberty will need their entire roster to make a serious run at the WNBA title this year. AP Photo by Terrance Williams

The victory came two days after a preseason-opening 101-53 loss in Chicago that saw the Liberty’s “Fab Five” combine for only 25 points on 10-of-33 shooting before coach Sandy Brondello sent in the reserves.

“Just our response and being able to come together and put that last game behind us,” said Ionescu after burning the Sun with six rebounds and two steals as well as her strong shooting performance.

“Our response really showed how we came together and trust each other. … We have to take it up a notch (in Washington Tuesday),” she added.

Six-foot guard Marquesha Davis, New York’s first-round pick in this year’s draft, scored eight points on 4-of-6 shooting in only 11 minutes vs. Connecticut, and earned a spot on the roster out of training camp.

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Second-round pick Esmery Martinez was waived last weekend, and rookie Jaylyn Sherrod didn’t make the opening-night roster either.

Sherrod did impress her coach with a key steal late in the game while also scoring eight points in 14 minutes. She may appear in a Liberty uniform at some point this year.

“She did a great job,” Brondello said of Sherrod. “She played so hard, but I decided to get her in at the end because she’s a game-changer. … She got a really big turnover at the end to help us win the game.”

Free agents Kennedy Burke, Ivana Dojkic and Leonie Fiebich made the cut for the opener, as did back-up forward Kayla Thornton and center Nyara Sabally.

Though they will likely live and die with their starting five on most nights, the Liberty know the importance of a deep roster, especially as they begin a grueling 40-game season.

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“It takes 11, 12 players, however many we have to have a successful team,” Brondello noted. “That’s the great leadership that we have. We’re going to need that all year long.”

The Mystics dropped both of their exhibition contests, including last Wednesday’s 83-77 defeat to visiting Minnesota.

Ariel Atkins poured in 20 points and Myisha Hines-Allen added 12 off the bench for Washington, which beat New York at home 80-64 in last year’s season opener for both squads.

The Liberty rebounded to take the next two meetings, including an 89-88 overtime thriller at Barclays on June 25 that featured a clutch three-point play by Stewart and 31 points from Ionescu.

The Mystics did rebound to take the regular-season finale, 90-88, on Sept. 10 in Brooklyn behind Brittney Sykes’ buzzer-beating shot.

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But New York never had to leave home en route to sweeping Washington out of the playoffs just over a week later.

Laney-Hamilton didn’t spend much time dwelling on either of the Liberty’s preseason performances, knowing the regular season was at hand.

“I think there’s always going to be a short turnaround,” she said. “So you can’t dwell too much on the past. We put emphasis on this game because we knew it was our last one before the season starts.”

Tip-off in D.C. is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday and the game will be televised locally by My9.

Brittney Sykes and the Mystics look to spoil New York’s season opener for the second year in a row Tuesday night in Washington D.C. AP Photo by Tony Gutierrez

GIVE ME LIBERTY: The Liberty extended their affiliation with the Hospital for Special Surgery Monday, announcing a five-year partnership with their official hospital. New York has been affiliated with HSS for nearly two decades and the hospital and Liberty revealed that they would increase team physician headcount to more than ever before. “At the core of the partnership renewal is the New York Liberty’s commitment to providing our athletes with access to world class medical care,” said Liberty general manager and 2023 WNBA Executive of the Year Jonathan Kolb. “Continuing to have HSS’ talented physicians in-house is an invaluable resource for our organization. It speaks volumes that top athletes from across the world choose HSS for their various orthopedic needs and we are thrilled our athletes will have that access for years to come.” … After visiting the Mystics, the Liberty will open a home-and-home set with first overall pick Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever on the road Thursday before hosting their home opener on Saturday at 1 p.m. … Former Liberty center Stefanie Dolson will be facing her ex-teammates as a member of the Mystics Tuesday. Dolson averaged 4.0 points and 2.0 rebounds in 23 games off the bench for New York last year.

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The Church of Jesus Christ has announced its 384th temple

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The Church of Jesus Christ has announced its 384th temple


The state of Washington is getting a seventh temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The Marysville Washington Temple was announced Sunday night during a devotional in the Marysville Washington Stake by Elder Hugo E. Martinez, a General Authority Seventy in the church’s United States West Area Presidency.

“We are pleased to announce the construction of a temple in Marysville, Washington,” the First Presidency said in a statement. “The specific location and timing of the construction will be announced later. This is a reason for all of us to rejoice and express gratitude for such a significant blessing — one that will allow more frequent access to the ordinances, covenants and power that can only be found in the house of the Lord.”

The other temples in Washington are the Columbia River, Moses Lake, Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma and Vancouver temples.

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The church has 214 temples in operation. Plans for another 170 temples have been announced; many of those temples are in various stages of planning and construction.

Sunday’s temple announcement follows the new practice of the church’s First Presidency, which determines where temples will be built — and when and how they will be announced.

The First Presidency directed a General Authority Seventy to announce the first temple in Maine at a fireside there in December.

In January, church President Dallin H. Oaks said the Maine announcement set the pattern for future temple announcements.

“The best place to announce a temple is in that temple district,” he told the Deseret News.

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The First Presidency will continue to decide where future temples will be built. It then will “assign someone else to make the announcement in the place where the temple will be built,” he said.

This pattern came to him as a strong impression after he assumed leadership of the church in October, following the death of his friend, President Russell M. Nelson.

This came as a strong impression to him shortly after he assumed the leadership of the church, President Oaks said.

The church remains in the midst of an aggressive temple-building era. President Nelson announced 200 new temples from 2018 to 2025. All but one were announced at general conference.

Five dozen temples are now under construction.

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President Oaks now has overseen the announcement of two temples, neither at a general conference.

At the October conference he said that “with the large number of temples now in the very earliest phases of planning and construction, it is appropriate that we slow down the announcement of new temples.”

Ten new temples are scheduled to be dedicated in the next six months.

  • May 3: Davao Philippines Temple.
  • May 3: Lindon Utah Temple.
  • May 31: Bacolod Philippines Temple.
  • June 7: Yorba Linda California Temple.
  • June 7: Willamette Valley Oregon Temple.
  • Aug. 16: Belo Horizonte Brazil Temple.
  • Aug. 16: Cleveland Ohio Temple.
  • Aug. 30: Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple.
  • Oct. 11: Miraflores Guatemala City Guatemala Temple.
  • Oct. 18: Managua Nicaragua Temple.

Two-thirds of the 170 temples still to be built are outside the United States.

Temples are distinct from the meetinghouses where Latter-day Saints worship Jesus Christ each Sunday. Temples are closed on Sundays, but they open during the week as sanctuaries where church members go to find peace, make covenants with God and perform proxy ordinances for deceased relatives.



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Washington football displays depth, talent at first spring scrimmage

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Washington football displays depth, talent at first spring scrimmage


On a perfect day in Seattle for football, Washington took the field inside Husky Stadium for its first scrimmage of spring practice, and ahead of his third season at the helm, Jedd Fisch seemed pleased with the results.

“Guys played and competed their ass off,” he said after the Huskies ran 120 plays. “That’s the type of day we want to have…We have a lot to work on, but we’re excited that today gave us this opportunity.”

The 120 plays had a little bit of everything, but the biggest thing the Huskies showed during the day was that, despite the inexperience that Fisch’s coaching staff is looking to lean on at several positions, there’s plenty of talent littering the roster. The best example of that is sophomore safety Paul Mencke Jr., who had his best practice in a Husky uniform after Fisch announced on Saturday that senior CJ Christian is out for the year after suffering a torn Achilles tendon during Tuesday’s practice at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.

“Paul’s done a great job of competing and being physical and playing fast, and you could see over these three years, he’s really grown into understanding now the system, and what’s asked of him as a safety,” Fisch said. “I think there’s a lot of in him that he wants to be like (safeties coach Taylor) Mays. He sees himself as a tall, linear, big hitter. So when you have your coach that is known for that type of play, I think Paul has done a great job.”

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Mencke was all over the field. Not only did he lay some big hits, just like his safeties coach did during his time at USC, but the former four-star recruit also tallied a pair of pass breakups, an interception in a 7-on-7 period, and multiple strong tackles to hold ball carriers to limited yards.

While the defense did a good job getting pressure throughout the day and making the quarterbacks hold the ball with different looks on the back end, with safety Alex McLaughlin, linebacker Donovan Robinson, and edge rusher Logan George all among the players credited for a sack, quarterback Demond Williams Jr. got an opportunity to show off how he’s improved ahead of his junior year.

Early on, he showed off his well-known speed and athleticism, making the correct decision on a read option, pulling the ball and scampering for a 25-yard gain before displaying his touch. Throughout the day, his favorite target was junior receiver Rashid Williams, whom he found on several layered throws of 15-plus yards in the various scrimmage periods of practice.

On a day when every able-bodied member of the team was able to get several reps of live action, here are some of the other noteworthy plays from the day.

Spring practice notebook

  • Freshman cornerback Jeron Jones was unable to participate in the scrimmage and was spotted working off to the side with the rest of the players rehabbing their injuries.
  • The running backs delivered a pair of big blows on the day. First, cornerback Emmanuel Karnley was on the receiving end of a big hit from redshirt freshman Quaid Carr before the former three-star recruit ripped off a 13-yard touchdown run on the next play. Later on, every player on offense had a lot of fun cheering on freshman Ansu Sanoe after he leveled Zaydrius Rainey-Sale, letting the sophomore linebacker hear all about it when the play was whistled dead.
  • Sophomore wide receiver Justice Williams put together a strong day with several contested catches, showing off his strong hands and 6-foot-4 frame, including a 25-yard catch and run off a drag route from backup quarterback Elijah Brown.
  • Of all the tackles for a loss the Huskies were able to rack up throughout the day, two stood out. First, junior defensive tackle Elinneus Davis burst through the middle of the line to wrap up freshman running back Brian Bonner. Later on, freshman outside linebacker Ramzak Fruean wasn’t even touched as he shot through a gap in the offensive line to track down a play from behind, letting the entire offensive sideline know about the play on his way back to his own bench.
  • The Huskies experimented with several defensive line combinations on Saturday, and for the first time this spring, it felt like freshman Derek Colman-Brusa took the majority of his reps alongside someone other than Davis, who he said has taken on an older brother role to help mentor the top-ranked in-state prospect in the 2026 class.

“Elinneus is a phenomenal guy. Great work ethic. He’s kind of taken on that older brother mentor for me. He’s been a great help just to learn plays and learn the scheme. Can’t say enough good things about the guy.”

  • Ball State transfer Darin Conley took a handful of reps with the first team, while rotating with Colman-Brusa, who got a lot of work in alongside Sacramento State transfer DeSean Watts.



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Sioux Falls art teachers show ‘incredible’ work at Washington Pavilion

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Sioux Falls art teachers show ‘incredible’ work at Washington Pavilion


Twenty Sioux Falls School District art teachers have their own original pieces on display at the Washington Pavilion’s University Gallery now through May 31.

The “Teachers as Artists” exhibit showcases their work not just as educators, but as artists inside and outside of the classroom, and highlights how art education builds critical thinking, creative problem-solving and self-expression skills.

Edison Middle School art teacher Meagan Turbak-Fogarty said she dreamt of such a showcase since her first year teaching.

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She and Kathy Dang, an art teacher at Marcella LeBeau Elementary School who also serves on the city’s Visual Arts Committee, partnered with the city and Washington Pavilion to bring the showcase to life.

Turbak-Fogarty has taught at Edison for five years and said her passion for art is “instantly felt” on her classroom walls, but that students have asked where they could see her art in the classroom, or what kind of art she creates in her own time.

“I always felt the feeling that I stand in front of all these kids every single day and preach about how much I love art, and how art has changed my life,” Turbak-Fogarty said. “That got me thinking, ‘I want to show them.’”

Some of her works on display at the Pavilion include art she created in her first year teaching, including a large Cheetos bag she created as an example for her eighth grade classroom when they were working on a large chip bag project. Turbak-Fogarty said she loves painting, working with acrylics and unconventional materials.

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“I wanted to show my students that art can be anything,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be hanging up in a museum to be considered art.”

Continuing to do her own art while teaching the subject helps keep her inspired, Turbak-Fogarty explained, adding that it helps her push her own creativity when it comes to projects she works on with students.

Samantha Levisay, an art teacher at John Harris Elementary School, showed three pieces in the show — “Moments in Time,” “Midnight Butterfly Garden” and “Whimsy” — with the same mixed media, watercolor and printmaking skills that she teaches in different units at every elementary grade.

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Levisay educates her students that “art is everywhere.” She said her favorite memories as an art teacher are “moments when I show students a lesson, and they take it even further.”

“Kids are so creative; I marvel at them all the time,” she said. “They inspire me every day with their endless creativity and imagination.”

Roosevelt High School art teacher Ruth Hillman showed two pieces in the show: “The Potato on the Wall,” a mixed media work, and a collection of her handmade clay charms in a shadow box.

She also wore some of her art — miniature potato earrings made of clay.

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Hillman is in her third year at RHS. When she’s not teaching art, she’s also making art, and sells her charms at shows like the Art Collective.

Washington High School art teacher Mollie Potter displayed a three-part painting series at the show that she said were inspired by her English language learner students’ stories, and how teachers help students “take flight,” as represented by balloons, parachutes and kites in her work.

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Porter said she is often inspired by her students’ art in the classroom; for example, one former student was obsessed with swans, and Porter said she later created a painting inspired by one of the student’s stories about swans.

At an April 17 reception, Mayor Paul TenHaken emphasized the arts as an “important economic driver in the community,” and said the show honored educators “who are artists in and of themselves,” but who might not have had a chance to display their art outside the classroom before.

“This is a way for us to honor them and show their incredible work,” TenHaken said.

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