Mets Mow Down Marlins

     The New York Mets avoided a three-game series sweep with a 7-4 victory over the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on Sunday. The Marlins had their season-high four-game winning streak snapped. 

     New York(21-25) led the whole entire game. They jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first. Tyrone Taylor knocked in Francisco Lindor and Brandon Nimmo on a double into deep center. Three batters later, Harrison Bader singled into center field to score D.J. Stewart and Taylor. 

     Miami(15-33) got two runs in the bottom of the second and were down 4-2. Dane Myers powered a two-run home to left field on a 0-1 pitch with Emmanuel Rivera aboard. It was the first home run of the 2024 campaign for Myers. 

     It became 4-3 in the bottom of the seventh. Christian Bethancourt sliced a solo home run to right field on a 1-1 count for his first homer in a Marlins uniform. 

     The Mets added three more runs in the ninth inning for a 7-3 lead. Nimmo smacked a two-run homer to right-center field on a 1-1 pitch with Lindor on base for his seventh homer of the year. Brett Baty later drove in former Marlin Starling Marte with a base hit through the right side. 

Inter Miami CF Wins Over D.C. United

     Inter Miami CF barely got by D.C. United 1-0 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday night. The Herons extended their Major League Soccer undefeated streak to seven games. They have been victorious in six of their last seven MLS contest. 

     The only goal scored in the matchup was during stoppage time by Inter Miami CF at the end of the second half. Leonardo Campana volleyed a right-footed shot from 16 yards out off the crossbar and into the cage for a 1-0 lead.  

Marlins Zip By Mets

     The Miami Marlins overcame a four-run deficit in the bottom of the ninth and edged the New York Mets 10-9 in 10 innings on Saturday. The Marlins pitching staff had their scoreless streak snapped at 28 innings.

     The Fish increased their season-high winning streak in 2024 to four games. Miami(15-32) looks to sweep the series against New York(20-25) on Sunday. 

Sports USA Has Eastern Conference Finals

     Sports USA will broadcast nationally the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals on terrestrial radio. The Florida Panthers and the New York Rangers will battle it out in the best-of-seven series. 

     The Panthers have been on Sports USA numerous times over the last four postseasons. The Cats have been on the national airwaves for three 2024 Stanley Cup Playoff games prior to their upcoming clash with the Rangers. It consisted of their series-clinching win over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals along with Game 4 and Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals when they took on the Boston Bruins. 

     Sports USA had Florida contests on 10 occasions during their 2023 playoff run. They had Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals versus the Boston Bruins, all four Eastern Conference Finals against the Carolina Hurricanes and the entire five-game Stanley Cup Final with the Vegas Golden Knights. 

      The Panthers were on Sports USA with two postseason games against the Tampa Bay Lightning prior to 2023. It included Game 4 of the 2021 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals and Game 3 of the 2022 Eastern Conference Semifinals. 

2024 Eastern Conference Finals Set

     The National Hockey League has set the dates for all the contests in the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals. The Florida Panthers and the New York Rangers will compete for the Eastern Conference title.

     The Rangers will host Game 1 on May 22 and Game 2 on May 24. The Panthers will be home for Game 3 on May 26 and Game 4 on May 28. 

     The series will return to New York for Game 5 on May 30, followed by Game 6 in Sunrise on June 1 and then Game 7 on June 3 at Madison Square Garden. 

Panthers Take Bruins And Series In Game 6

     The Florida Panthers eliminated the Boston Bruins 2-1 in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at TD Garden on Friday. The Panthers won the best-of-seven series 4-2. It was the Panthers sixth consecutive postseason win in Boston. 

     The Panthers reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight season and the third time in franchise history. They will visit the New York Rangers for Game 1 at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday. 

     It was the third time that the Cats have beaten the B's in a postseason series. Florida accomplished it in the 1996 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, 2023 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals and tonight. 

     Boston made it 1-0 with 52.8 seconds left in the first period. Parker Wotherspoon pushed out an outlet pass and Jake DeBrusk forwarded a blind diagonal backhand pass from his own blue line. Pavel Zacha skated through the middle of the ice on a breakaway and roofed a backhand shot from the top of the crease by Sergei Bobrovsky. It turned out to be Zacha's first career postseason tally. 

     In the second period, Florida tied it up 1-1 with 7:16 to go. Carter Verhaeghe made a poke check at the inner left circle. Anton Lundell placed in a forehand shot from the high slot past Jeremy Swayman for his second goal of the playoffs. 

     The Panthers took the lead 2-1 with 1:33 remaining in the third period. Lundell shot the puck from the above the left circle and it was saved. Gustav Forsling released a wrist shot from the low left circle for his second goal of the postseason. Matthew Tkachuk picked up the secondary assist on the play. 

Somerset Academy Canyons Routs Douglas

     The Somerset Academy Canyons Cougars dominated the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Eagles 49-0 on Friday night in Boynton Beach. Both high schools made the FHSAA Playoffs last year. 

     Somerset Academy reached the end zone on their first two possessions of the contest. Rushing back D.J. Manns scored on a touchdown run. Quarterback Jayden Harrington threw a touchdown pass to wide receiver Javion Norwood. 

     The Cougars made it 21-0 with 41 seconds left in the first quarter. Manns plunged up the middle from two yards away. 

     In the second quarter, Harrington connected a 42-yard touchdown strike to wide receiver Dereion Darby on the left sideline at the 6:17 mark. 

     Marjory Stoneman Douglas gave up another touchdown with 1:29 remaining in the second and were down 35-0. Running back Erskin Jackson raced around the left end and scored from 21 yards out. 

Panthers On National Radio Again

     Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals in Boston between the Florida Panthers and the Boston Bruins is on national radio tonight at Sports USA. John Ahlers is the play-by-play announcer while Jim Fox is the game analyst. 

     The Panthers were carried on national radio twice so far during the postseason. They were on Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals versus the Tampa Bay Lightning and Game 4 of the current series against the Bruins. 

Marlins Drift By Mets

     The New York Mets were blanked by the Miami Marlins 8-0 at loanDepot park on Friday night. The Marlins set a season-high winning streak of three games. All three of the Marlins recent victories were shutouts. The Marlins pitching staff have not allowed a run in the last 28 innings. 

     Miami(14-32) rushed to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the second. Otto Lopez hit a sacrifice fly to center field which brought in Jesus Sanchez. Two batters later, Nick Fortes smashed a three-run homer to left-center field on a 1-1 pitch with Nick Gordon and Vidal Brujan aboard. It was the second home run of the season for Fortes. 

     The Marlins added two runs in the bottom of the sixth for a 6-0 gap. New York(20-24) gave up two more runs in the eighth inning and trailed 8-0. 

Boca Raton Handles The King's Academy

     The Boca Raton Bobcats had their spring high school football game at Bobcat Stadium on Thursday night. They defeated The King's Academy Lions 21-7. 

     The Bobcats got up 7-0 when wide receiver Jordan Davis caught a 30-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Ryan Castaneda. It became 14-0 for Boca Raton when wide receiver Jadon Blakeslee made a 20-yard touchdown from Castaneda. The Bobcats scored on a Castaneda 10-yard touchdown pass to Davis and made it 21-0. 

     The King's Academy broke the shutout during the final quarter. Quarterback Corbyn Aleshire connected a nine-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Javian Jones and the Lions trailed 21-7. 

Jerar Encarnacion Joining Giants

     The San Francisco Giants has added a player to their organization. They have signed outfielder Jerar Encarnacion to a minor league contract.

     Encarnacion spent his only Major League Baseball season with the Miami Marlins in 2022. He ended up with three home runs, 14 runs batted in and a .182 batting average in 23 games that year. 

Cardinal Gibbons Spring Jamboree

     The Cardinal Gibbons Chiefs hosted a spring high school football jamboree at Dr. Bud Tight Field on Thursday. The Palm Beach Central Broncos and the Spanish River Sharks also participated. The daytime start brought back previous times at The Furnace when the Chiefs held home games at the facility before installing overhead lights. 

     Cardinal Gibbons played Spanish River in the first two-quarter contest and won 14-6. The Chiefs highlighted the first quarter with a 14-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jayden Torres to wide receiver Brian Williams in the back of the end zone. 

     In the second quarter, Torres found wide receiver Trent DeBuc in the front of the end zone on a 16-yard touchdown pass. The Sharks closed it to 14-6 when wide receiver Blake Wallace scored on a long touchdown catch after breaking several tackles. 

     Palm Beach Central faced Spanish River in the second two-quarter game. The Broncos moved ahead 7-0 in the first quarter when quarterback Matis Gordon connected an 11-yard touchdown strike to wide receiver Kamare Williams on the right side of the end zone. 

     The Sharks fumbled and turned the ball over on their next possession. Palm Beach Central scored on the first play of their next drive as running back Ze'quan Wright rushed in on a touchdown run for a 14-0 advantage. 

     In the second quarter, the Broncos continued the momentum. Wright raced up the middle on a 64-yard touchdown run and the Broncos led 21-0. 

     Cardinal Gibbons challenged Palm Beach Central in the third two-quarter clash. Torres fired a 75-yard bomb to Williams to give the Chiefs a 7-0 lead in the first quarter. 

     The Broncos tied it up 7-7 later in the first. Running back Jayden Kiyouk sprinted up the middle from 11 yards away for a score. The Chiefs got a field goal late in the second quarter to go ahead 10-7. 

West Palm Beach Ratings April 2024

     The ratings were released for sports talk radio stations in the West Palm Beach market. The time span went from the last week in March until the last week in April. 

     ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM saw numerous changes in their weekday lineup. Their midday show of Ken LaVicka, Theo Dorsey and Stone Labanowitz abruptly ended on April 3. Another program disappearing around that time was the afternoon show Josh Cohen and The Hometeam. Dorsey and Christain Katt started a new afternoon show called Theoretically Speaking on April 9. Cohen was shifted to host a Saturday show. 

     Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM rose from a 0.4 to a 0.5 in the period. The increase was a minor surprise since the Florida Atlantic University men's basketball season ended in mid-March. 

     Sports Radio 1230 The Gambler WBZT-AM dropped to a 0.3 after four months at a 0.4. The Miami Marlins had a horrible start as they lost their first nine games of the 2024 regular season. They continued to have the worst record in the National League. The Florida Panthers leaped into first place in the Atlantic Division during the final days of the regular season. 

Curt Casali Returns To Giants

     Curt Casali has returned for a second stint with the San Francisco Giants. He was previously with that club in 2021 and 2022. 

     He signed a minor league deal with the Miami Marlins in February and reported to their spring training camp in Jupiter. Casali was told that he would not make the major league roster at the conclusion of spring training and he then opted out of his contract. 

Inter Miami CF Draws With Orlando City SC

     Inter Miami CF tied Orlando City SC 0-0 on Wednesday night at INTER&CO Stadium. The Herons had their five-game Major League Soccer winning streak snapped. They are still undefeated in their last six contests. 

     Inter Miami CF(8-2-4) will host D.C. United on Saturday. Orlando City SC(3-5-4) travels all the way out west to face the San Jose Earthquakes. 

Miami Dolphins 2024 Schedule

     The National Football League released the 2024 regular season schedule on Wednesday night. The Miami Dolphins finished second in the AFC East Division last year. 

     The Dolphins will start their 2024 campaign at home in Week 1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars followed by another home games versus the Buffalo Bills in Week 2 on a Thursday night. 

     The Fins will visit the Seattle Seahawks in Week 3 and return home in Week 4 to take on the Tennessee Titans for a Monday night contest. The Dolphins travel to the New England Patriots in Week 5 and will have a bye for Week 6. 

     Miami is at the Indianapolis Colts during Week 7 and will host the Arizona Cardinals in Week 8. The Dolphins then play two straight road games against the Buffalo Bills in Week 9 followed by a Monday night game at the Los Angeles Rams in Week 10. 

      The Fins have their next two games at home with the Los Angeles Raiders in Week 11 and the New England Patriots in Week 12. 

     The Dolphins will be on national television during Thanksgiving Day in Week 13. They will play the evening contest at the Green Bay Packers. 

      The rest of their schedule includes hosting the New York Jets in Week 14 and the San Francisco 49ers in Week 16. Miami has three road games in the final four weeks of the regular season. They visit the Houston Texans(Week 15), the Cleveland Browns on a Sunday night(Week 17) and the New York Jets(Week 18). 

Fort Myers Adds Sports Radio Station

     The Fort Myers region has added another terrestrial radio signal for a sports station. WHEL-HD2 103.3 FM has flipped from a rock format to a sports format. It did have an all-sports format until March 2022. 

     It will become the second radio station to be branded as Fox Sports Southwest Florida. WFSX-HD2 at the 105.9 FM frequency has been the primary signal for that brand. WFSX-AM did have a sports format from 2013 to 2021 and then Sun Broadcasting surrendered the license to the Federal Communications Commission in January 2022. 

Marlins Blank Tigers Again

     The Miami Marlins shut out the Detroit Tigers 2-0 on Wednesday at Comerica Park. It was the second straight game that Detroit(21-22) was held scoreless. 

     The Marlins completed their shortest road trip of the year, which was just three games. The Fish have tomorrow off and will host the New York Mets on Friday. 

     Miami(13-32) scooted ahead 2-0 just two batters into the contest. Bryan De La Cruz ripped a two-run homer to center field on a 2-2 pitch with Jazz Chisholm Jr. aboard. It turned out to be the ninth home run by De La Cruz this season. 

Dolphins Ink Mario Kendricks

     The Miami Dolphins added another player to their roster. The Fins have inked undrafted free agent Mario Kendricks. 

     He played as a defensive lineman with the Virginia Tech Hokies for five seasons from 2019 to 2023. Kendricks participated in 48 contests while he was there. 

Zach Krantz And Ken LaVicka Get Podcast

     Two longtime South Florida sports talk radio personalities will combine for a new podcast. Zach Krantz and Ken LaVicka will host By All Accounts beginning on May 20. 

     Krantz began his broadcasting career as a producer with Sports Radio 560 WQAM-AM. He moved over to Sports Talk 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM in August 2004 and became the morning producer of the Joe Rose Show. He returned to WQAM with Rose in 2007 and held the same role. 

     He was elevated to afternoon co-host with Marc Hochman in April 2014. Krantz moved back to the morning show as the executive producer and morning co-host/on-air sidekick with Joe Rose in May 2017. He left his on-air duties in December 2022 and took the new role of digital contest producer and podcast host at WQAM. 

     LaVicka recently completed a 17-year run as an on-air personality with Good Karma Brands in West Palm Beach. He was heard on ESPN Radio 760 WEFL-AM and ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM during his tenure. He announced his last midday show with Theo Dorsey and Stone Labanowitz on April 3. LaVicka continues as the football play-by-play announcer and basketball play-by-play announcer with Florida Atlantic University. 

Bruins Alive Over Panthers In Game 5

     The Boston Bruins downed the Florida Panthers 2-1 in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at Amerant Bank Arena on Tuesday night. The Panthers lead the best-of-seven series 3-2. The Bruins avoided elimination and will host Florida on Friday night in Game 6. 

     Boston struck at the 4:49 mark of the first period for a 1-0 lead. Charlie McAvoy sent a pass from the left point to Jake DeBrusk behind the Panthers cage. He centered it and Morgan Geekie backhanded a shot from the left of the crease past Sergei Bobrovsky for his fourth postseason goal.

     Florida evened it 1-1 at the 6:23 mark of the second period. Vladimir Tarasenko passed from the right wing and Aaron Ekblad released a shot from the right point which was saved by Jeremy Swayman. Sam Reinhart scored his fifth postseason goal on wrist shot from the low slot. 

     The Bruins reclaimed the lead 2-1 with 9:35 remaining in the second period. Trent Frederic skated the puck through the neutral zone and into the Cats zone. Charlie Coyle made a drop pass from the top right circle. McAvoy then snapped a shot from the slot area for his first goal of the series. 

     In the third period, the Panthers pulled their goalie for an extra attacker with 3:05 left. It did not work as neither team scored for the remainder of the contest. 

Richard Bleier Leaves Nationals

     Former Miami Marlins relief pitcher Richard Bleier has exited the Washington Nationals organization. He signed a minor league contract with the team back on February 1. 

     Bleier pitched for the Marlins for three years from 2020 to 2022. He made 142 appearances and had a 3.16 earned run average. 

Miami Ratings April 2024

     The ratings were rolled out for sports talk radio stations in the Miami/Fort Lauderdale market. The time period stretched from the final week in March to the final week on April. 

     AM 560 Sports WQAM-AM moved from a 0.9 to a 1.0 in the period. The Miami Heat got to the NBA Playoffs again as the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. The Florida Panthers reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the fifth consecutive year as they leaped to the Atlantic Division title in their final two games of the regular season. Inter Miami CF was knocked out during the CONCACAF Champions Cup tournament, but they were on top in the Major League Soccer Eastern Conference standings. 

     Fox Sports 940 WINZ-AM fell from a 0.4 to a 0.3 in the month. They lost half of their audience in the last two months. The Miami Marlins had a horrible start to begin the 2024 regular season. The team lost a club-record nine games to begin the campaign and eventually had the worst record in the National League. 

     Fox Sports 640 South Florida WMEN-AM remained at a 0.3 for the second straight period. The Florida Atlantic University Owls men's basketball team was eliminated early in the NCAA Tournament and could repeat their Final Four appearance from last year. 

     The stream for WQAM stayed the same at a 0.2. It was the sixth consecutive month that the station's internet stream appeared. 

Marlins Push By Tigers

     The Miami Marlins got by the Detroit Tigers 1-0 in 10 innings on Tuesday night at Comerica Park. The Marlins have won three of their past 11 contests. 

     Miami(12-32) starting pitcher Ryan Weathers had a perfect game through five innings and gave up three hits in eight innings pitched. Tigers starting pitcher Reese Olson wend eight innings and allowed three hits. 

     Detroit(21-21) surrendered the only run of the game in the 10th inning. Jesus Sanchez grounded into a force out for Bryan De La Cruz to score. 

Tigers Eat Up Marlins

     The Miami Marlins began a short three-game road trip as they were defeated by the Detroit Tigers 6-5 at Comerica Park on Monday night. The Marlins have lost eight of their last 10 games. 

     Detroit(21-20) had a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second. Javier Baez grounded into a force out for Kerry Carpenter to score. Carson Kelly followed with a base hit into right field and Colt Keith reached home. Riley Greene came up next and drove in Baez on a single to right. 

     Miami(11-32) pulled off three runs in the top of the fifth to even it up. Bryan De La Cruz knocked in Vidal Brujan with a single into right field. Josh Bell then doubled to center field which brought in De La Cruz. Jesus Sanchez got a base hit through the right side and Bell scored. 

     The Marlins moved ahead 5-3 with two runs in the top of the eighth. Otto Lopez cracked a two-run homer on the first pitch to left-center field for his third home run of the year. Nick Gordon scored in front of him on the play. 

     The Tigers overtook the Fish in the bottom of the eighth and led 6-5. Wenceel Perez scored on a base hit by Andy Ibanez to right field. Two batters later, Spencer Torkelson smacked a two-run home run to left-center field for his second homer of the season. 

Vero Beach Gets By West Boca Raton

     The Vero Beach Indians edged the West Boca Raton Bulls 6-3 at Billy Livings Field on Monday night. It was the first spring high school football games to be played in the South Florida region. The game was called with 6:51 remaining in the third quarter due to a weather delay. 

     Vero Beach was able to get out in front 6-0 in the early part of the second quarter. Affeon Rivers recovered a fumble and returned it for a touchdown. West Boca Raton closed it to 6-3 with 2:39 left in the first half on a John Farfan 29-yard field goal. 

Bills Pick Up Local Talent

     The Buffalo Bills signed 13 undrafted free agents over the weekend. Two of the 13 players had previously participated in the South Florida region. 

     Defensive back Te'Cory Couch was in high school football with the Chaminade-Madonna Lions. Couch captured the FHSAA Class 3A state championship in 2018. He spent five seasons with the University of Miami Hurricanes from 2019 to 2023. Couch had three interceptions in 13 games with the Canes last season. 

     Running back Frank Gore Jr. was with Miami Killian in high school football and Southern Miss in college football. He is the son of former University of Miami Hurricanes and National Football League running back Frank Gore. 

Panthers Leap By Bruins In Game 4

     The Florida Panthers jumped by the Boston Bruins 3-2 at TD Garden on Sunday night in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Panthers lead the best-of-seven series 3-1 and can eliminate the Bruins on Tuesday night in Sunrise. 

     Boston leaped out to a 1-0 lead with the man advantage at the 8:53 mark. James van Riemsdyk connected a pass from the left corner to Jake DeBrusk in the right corner. He centered it and David Pastrnak blasted a one-time slap shot from the right circle past Sergei Bobrovsky for his fourth goal in the playoffs. 

     The B's made it 2-0 with 4:48 remaining in the first. The Cats gave away the puck in their own zone and Brandon Carlo released a wrist shot from the top of the zone for his third goal of the postseason. 

     Florida scored the only goal of the second period with 5:09 left and they trailed 2-1. Aaron Ekblad dumped the puck around the boards from center ice. Anton Lundell cycled the puck from the left wing. Evan Rodrigues returned it to him from the end wall and Lundell put in a snap shot from the left circle by Jeremy Swayman for his first goal in the series. 

     In the third period, the Panthers evened it up 2-2 on the power play at 3:41. Rodrigues backhand a pass from the slot area and Lundell had his shot from the crease saved. Sam Bennett then put in a forehand shot from the left of the crease for second goal in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

     The Cats moved ahead 3-2 at the 7:31 mark with their recent regular season acquisitions on the scoresheet. Vladimir Tarasenko raced down the left side of the ice and passed ahead from the red line. Kyle Okposo tapped a square pass from the left point. Aleksander Barkov sprinted through the slot area and scored his fifth playoff goal on a wrist shot from the top of the crease. 

Marlins Avoid Sweep To Phillies

     The Miami Marlins slipped by the Philadelphia Phillies 7-6 in 10 innings at loanDepot park on Sunday. The Marlins, who snapped a five-game losing streak, have won five of their last 12 contests.      

     Philadelphia(28-13) rocketed out to a 3-0 lead during the top of the first. Nick Castellanos belted a three-run homer to left-center field on the first pitch for his fourth home run of the season. Alec Bohm and Bryce Harper scored in front of him on the play. 

     Miami(11-31) started their comeback in the second inning. Jesus Sanchez knocked in Josh Bell with a ground-rule double to center field. 

     The Marlins added three more runs to take a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the third. Bell powered a three-run home run to center field for Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Jake Burger to score. Bell chalked up his fifth homer of the 2024 campaign. 

     It became 6-4 in the bottom of the fourth for the Fish. Christian Bethancourt made a sacrifice bunt to the right side and Vidal Brujan crossed the plate. Chisholm followed with a triple to the right-field fence and Otto Lopez scored. 

     In the top of the sixth, the Phils tied it up 6-6. Edmundo Sosa drove in Harper and Bryson Stott on a triple down the left-field line. Brandon Marsh came up next and got a sacrifice fly to center field for Sosa to reach home. 

     Miami won the contest in the bottom of the 10th for a 7-6 victory. Emmanuel Rivera singled off the glove of Phillies relief pitcher Gregory Soto and bounced through the right side for Nick Fortes to score. 

Albert Wilson Retires

     Former Miami Dolphins wide receiver Albert Wilson has retired from the National Football League. He started his NFL career with the Kansas City Chiefs from 2014 to 2017.  

     Wilson joined the Dolphins in 2018 and was there for four seasons. He had 94 pass receptions for 955 receiving yards and five touchdowns in 34 games with Miami. 

Evan Anderson Goes To 49ers

     Former Florida Atlantic University defensive lineman Evan Anderson will get a shot to reach the National Football League. The undrafted free agent has signed a deal with the team worth at least $250,000. 

     Anderson played with the Florida Atlantic University Owls for four seasons. He compiled 20 tackles for loss and seven sacks in 49 games with them. 

Inter Miami CF Overtakes CF Montreal

     Inter Miami CF overcame CF Montreal 3-2 at Stade Saputo on Saturday night. The Herons are playing three Major League Soccer games in an eight-day stretch. 

     Lionel Messi participated in his first game ever in Canada. Inter Miami CF extended their MLS winning streak to five games. 

     CF Montreal(3-5-3) moved out to a 1-0 lead in the 24th minute. Bryce Duke burned his former team with a left-footed shot from nine yards away. 

     It became 2-0 for CF Montreal during the 32nd minute. Jules-Anthony Vilsaint placed in a 12-yard shot with his right foot.

     Inter Miami CF(8-2-3) was able to tie it up 2-2 just before the end of the first half. Matias Rojas fired a direct kick from 31 yards out with a left-footed shot in the 44th minute. 

     Luis Suarez evened it as he volleyed the ball in with his left foot from two yards after a left corner kick during stoppage time. It was the Suarez's fourth tally in the last two contests and his ninth goal in past nine games. Suarez now has 11 goals in the 2024 Major League Soccer regular season. 

     In the second half, the Herons picked up their first lead of the game 3-2 in the 59th minute. Benjamin Cremaschi made a sliding right-footed shot from 12 yards away. 

Phillies Breeze By Marlins

     The Philadelphia Phillies pulled away from the Miami Marlins 8-3 on Saturday at loanDepot park. The Marlins have lost seven of their past eight games since they traded Luis Arraez. Both teams have played 1/4 of their regular season schedule so far. The Phillies have outscored the Fish 16-5 in the past two contests. 

     Miami(10-31) got out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth. Vidal Brujan cracked his first home run in 2024 to right-center field. 

     The Phillies responded with four runs in the top of the sixth and led 4-1. J.T. Realmuto knocked in Whit Merrifield with a single into left field. Four batters later, Bryson Stott had a three-run triple to right which scored Realmuto, Alec Bohm and Nick Castellanos. 

     Philadelphia(28-12) made it 8-1 in the eighth inning. Stott drove in Castellanos on a base hit through the right side. Two batters later, Cristian Pache singled through the left side and Stott scored. Johan Rojas followed with a two-run single into left field for Edmundo Sosa and Pache to reach home. 

     The Marlins added two runs in the bottom of the ninth, however it was too late. Otto Lopez socked a two-run homer to left-center field with Brujan aboard. 

South Florida High School Football Spring Schedule

     The high school football spring football games in South Florida will happen over the next two weeks. It starts on May 13 and continue through May 24. 

     The South Florida region opens up on Monday with West Boca Raton at Vero Beach. It will be followed by Westminster Academy at North Broward Prep on Tuesday. 

     There are plenty of contests on May 16. It includes Blanche Ely at Palm Beach Lakes, Canterbury at Glades Day, The King's Academy visits Boca Raton, Lake Worth heads to Dwyer, Pahokee rides to Martin County, Sebastian River goes to American Heritage, South Plantation moves to Mourning and Suncoast is at Boynton Beach. Cardinal Gibbons hosts a spring jamboree against Palm Beach Central, Spanish River and West Broward. 

      There is a spring jamboree on May 17 with Glades Central hosting Park Vista, Wellington and Port St. Lucie. Other contests consist of Forest Hill at Calvary Christian Academy, Gulliver Prep visits Archbishop Carroll, John I. Leonard travels to Tradition Prep, Olympic Heights at South Fork, Royal Palm Beach goes to Dr. Joaquin Garcia and Marjory Stoneman Douglas at Somerset Academy Canyons.

     There are three spring jamborees on May 18 in the local area. Coral Springs hosts Deerfield Beach, South Broward and North Miami. Miramar, Homestead, Hialeah and Treasure Coast goes to Palm Beach Gardens. Jupiter will invite Seminole Ridge, Piper, Miami Palmetto and Jensen Beach.

     Archbishop McCarthy will host a spring jamboree against University School and Tru North Academy on May 21. May 22 will have Jupiter Christian visiting St. Andrew's while Dr. Krop is at Hallandale. Southridge will be at home versus Monsignor Pace and Belen Jesuit in a spring jamboree.

     Several contests happen on May 23. Goleman and Miami Beach are at Somerset Academy Silver Palms for a spring jamboree while LaBelle and SmartEn Sports Academy visit Cooper City. Other games are Monarch at Dillard, Ferguson at Hialeah Gardens, Everglades at Oxbridge Academy, Somerset Academy at Coral Springs Charter

     It is a small local schedule for May 24. Columbus drives to Bishop Verot to face them and Riverview in a spring jamboree. Melbourne hosts Melbourne Central Catholic and John Carroll in the other spring jamboree. 

     There will be several South Florida intersquad games over the next two weeks. They are Miami Northwestern(May 16), Plantation(May 22), Miami Central(May 23) and St. Thomas Aquinas(TBA).

Broncos Release Phillip Dorsett

     Former St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders wide receiver Phillip Dorsett has been released by the Denver Broncos. He spent last season with the club and had no catches in two games. 

     Dorsett was with St. Thomas Aquinas and captured three FHSAA Class 5A state championships in 2007, 2008 and 2010. He played college football with the University of Miami Hurricanes from 2011 to 2014. 

     He has made stops in the National Football League with the Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans, Las Vegas Raiders and Denver Broncos. He won a Super Bowl title with the Patriots in 2018. 

Panthers Power By Bruins In Game 3

     The Florida Panthers toppled the Boston Bruins 6-2 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at TD Garden on Friday night. The Panthers now lead the best-of-seven series 2-1. 

     The Panthers scored four power-play goals in a postseason game for the first time in franchise history. The Cats have outscored the Bruins 12-3 in the last two games. 

     Florida scored first at the 8:04 mark of the opening period. The Bruins turned the puck over in their own zone. Gustav Forsling powered a slap shot from the left point and Evan Rodrigues batted it in past Jeremy Swayman from the left of the crease for his second goal in the playoffs. It was the sixth career postseason goal for Rodrigues. The Bruins had just one shot on goal in the first 13 minutes of play. 

     In the second period, the Panthers made the most of a double-minor penalty and capitalized with two goals. They scored a power-play goal with 3:46 remaining for a 2-0 advantage. Oliver Ekman-Larsson angled a pass from the top of the zone. Sam Bennett connected a diagonal pass from the top right circle. Vladimir Tarasenko released a wrist shot from the left-circle dot for his second goal of the postseason. 

     The Cats added another power-play tally with 2:46 to go in the second and had a 3-0 lead. Aleksander Barkov forwarded the puck from above the right circle and Matthew Tkachuk centered it from the right goal line. Carter Verhaeghe tapped it in from the top of the crease for his sixth goal of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

     It became 4-0 for Florida with the man advantage at 3:09 in the third period. Barkov passed from the end wall to Tkachuk on the right point. He fed a pass and Brandon Montour collected his third tally of the playoffs on a one-time slap shot from the top of the zone. 

     Boston broke the shutout at the 5:01 mark of the third on a delayed penalty. John Beecher scooted a pass from the top of the zone and Jake DeBrusk sent the puck to the middle from the left wing. Jakuh Lauko snapped a shot from the inner left circle by Sergei Bobrovsky for his first goal in the series. 

     The Bruins cut the deficit to 4-2 at 8:31. David Pastrnak pushed a pass ahead from the red line. Mason Lohrei made a square pass from the high slot and DeBrusk released a snap shot from the left circle for his fifth goal of the playoffs. 

     The B's pulled their goalie for an extra skater with 2:52 left in the final period. It failed when Sam Reinhart ripped a forehand shot from the right wing into an empty net with 1:24 remaining for his fourth playoff goal. Rodrigues added a power-play goal with 50.9 seconds to go on a one-time slap shot from the left circle for a 6-2 lead. 

Twins Re-Sign Austin Brice

     The Minnesota Twins have re-signed pitcher Austin Brice to a minor league deal. He was with the Twins Triple-A affiliate in St. Paul last year and did not get called up to the majors. 

     Brice previously had two different stints with the Miami Marlins in 2016 and 2019. He had 51 relief appearances with a 4.30 earned run average over the two seasons. 

Phillies Crush Marlins

     The Philadelphia Phillies covered the Miami Marlins 8-2 at loanDepot park on Friday night. It was the first time both teams have met since the Phillies knocked out the Marlins in the 2023 National League Wild-Card Series. 

     The Marlins recently came off a six-game California road trip in which they had a 1-5 record. The Fish had won three straight home games entering this contest. 

     Philadelphia(27-12) broke out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the second. Nick Castellanos drilled a solo home run to right-center field for his third homer of the campaign. Four batters later, Johan Rojas drove in Edmundo Sosa with a single into center field. 

     The Phillies expanded their lead to 5-0 in the top of the fourth. Cristian Pache doubled to right which scored Whit Merrifield. Two batters later, Kyle Schwaber knocked in Sosa and Pache on a base hit through the right side. 

     In the fifth inning, the Phils had a six-run cushion. Rojas grounded into a fielder's choice and Merrifield crossed the plate. 

     Miami(10-30) surrendered another run and trailed 7-0 in the top of the seventh. Rojas smacked a solo homer to left field on a 0-1 pitch for his second homer of the year. 

     It became 8-0 for Philadelphia in the eighth inning. Bryce Harper doubled to the center-field warning track and J.T. Realmuto scored.

     The Marlins collected two runs in the bottom of the eighth and were down 8-2. Josh Bell hooked a double into left field for Christian Bethancourt and Dane Myers to score. 

Marlins Trade Darren McCaughan

     The Miami Marlins dealt pitcher Darren McCaughan to the Cleveland Guardians for cash considerations. The Fish acquired McCaughan from the Seattle Mariners for cash on February 12. 

     McCaughan began the 2024 season with the Marlins Triple-A affiliate in Jacksonville. He made one MLB appearance with Miami against the Oakland A's on Saturday. McCaughan pitched 4 2/3 innings and surrendered eight runs in that contest. 

NASCAR Race Hub With Shannon Spake Ending

     NASCAR Race Hub with former Sports Radio 560 WQAM-AM staffer Shannon Spake will end in June. She has co-hosted the program on Fox Sports 1 since 2017. NASCAR Race Hub launched on Speed back in 2009. 

     She will continue as the NASCAR studio host, college football sideline reporter, college basketball sideline reporter and NFL sideline reporter on Fox Sports. Former WTVJ-TV Channel 6 sportscaster Linsday Czarniak once hosted NASCAR Race Hub at that network. 

     Spake, a Piper High School and Florida Atlantic University grad, began her broadcasting career as an intern on the Neil Rogers Show at WQAM. She became a sports reporter and studio co-host at Speed. Spake landed at ESPN and worked as a NASCAR pit reporter, college football sideline reporter, college basketball sideline reporter and SportsCenter reporter.

     She has held numerous roles at Fox Sports since her arrival in 2016. They include NASCAR pit reporter, college basketball sideline reporter, college football sideline reporter, NASCAR studio host and NFL sideline reporter. 

Monte Harrison Enters College Football

     Monte Harrison has left professional baseball. He has committed to the University of Arkansas football team as a wide receiver. Harrison is expected to be the oldest player in NCAA Division 1 football for the upcoming 2024 season. 

     Harrison was with the Miami Marlins for two seasons in 2020 and 2021. He helped the club reach the postseason for the first time in 17 years back in 2020. Harrison compiled one home run, three runs batted in and a .175 batting average in 41 contests with the team. 

Matt Barnes Free Agent

     Washington Nationals relief pitcher Matt Barnes has rejected an assignment to the minor leagues and opted out of his contract with the team. He is officially now a free agent. 

     Barnes spent just one season with the Miami Marlins in 2023 and contributed them reaching the National League postseason. He made 24 appearances and had a 5.48 earned run average. 

Kyle Barraclough Joins Rangers

     One-time Miami Marlins relief pitcher Kyle Barraclough has joined the Texas Rangers. He inked a minor league contract with the club. Barraclough spent last season with the Boston Red Sox. 

     Barraclough was with the Miami Marlins from 2015 until 2018. He had a 15-12 record with a 3.21 earned run average in 227 relief appearances with the Fish. 

Joy Taylor Adds Another Show

     Former Miami radio sportscaster Joy Taylor will begin to co-host the second season of Like A Girl with M. J. Acosta-Ruiz on Fuse TV. Taylor launched Two Personal podcast with Taylor Rooks several months ago. Both Taylor and Acosta-Ruiz are Barry University graduates. 

     Taylor spent time in the radio industry before her current position as a studio co-host on Speak at Fox Sports 1. She had stints at Sports Radio 560 WQAM-AM, Sports Talk 790 The Ticket WAXY-AM and Fox Sports Radio. 

Panthers Drive By Bruins In Game 2

     The Florida Panthers dropped the Boston Bruins 6-1 in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at Amerant Bank Arena on Wednesday night. The best-of-seven series is now tied at 1-1. Game 3 will be on Friday in Boston. 

     Boston took a 1-0 lead with 7:48 remaining in the first period. Pavel Zacha picked up the loose puck at the top of his own zone and pushed it ahead. Brad Marchand angled a pass from the inner left circle and Zacha backhanded it from the right of the crease across. Charlie Coyle placed in a forehand shot from the left side of the crease by Sergei Bobrovsky for his first goal of the playoffs.

     Florida tied it 1-1 at the 1:56 mark of the second period. Brandon Montour released a shot from the right point and Steven Lorentz deflected it from the low slot past Jeremy Swayman for his second tally of the postseason. 

     The Panthers pulled ahead 2-1 at 9:49 of the second. Aaron Ekblad kicked the puck from the left corner and Aleksander Barkov zipped a cross-ice pass from the low left circle. Sam Reinhart took a wrist shot from the top right circle which was saved. Barkov steered it in from the top of the crease for his third goal in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

     It became 3-1 for the Cats with 1.3 seconds to go in the period. Montour shot the puck wide of the net from the right point. Anton Lundell made a backhand feed from the low left circle and Gustav Forsling blasted a one-time slap shot from the left point for his first goal of the series. 

     In the third period, Florida increased their lead to 4-1 at 1:28. Reinhart centered it from behind the cage. Barkov passed from the low left circle and Eetu Luostarinen scored from the right of crease for his first playoff goal. Boston replaced Swayman in net with Linus Ullmark following the goal. 

     The Panthers expanded it to 5-1 on the power play with 9:08 left in the third. Barkov recovered the puck at the top of the zone and passed to his right. Reinhart returned it to him from the top right circle. Barkov snapped a shot from the high slot by Ullmark for his second goal of the contest and fourth goal of the postseason. 

     The Bruins surrendered a shorthanded goal with 8:02 remaining and trailed 6-1. Montour whipped a pass from the top of the zone to Barkov on the left wing. He centered it from the low left circle and Montour tapped it in from the blue paint for his second tally in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

Dodgers Sweep Marlins

     The Los Angeles Dodgers completed a three-game series sweep with a 3-1 win over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday night. The Marlins finished off the six-game California road trip with a 1-5 record. The Dodgers extended their winning streak to seven games and have won 14 of their last 16 games.

     Los Angeles(26-13) got out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Teoscar Hernandez knocked in Freddie Freeman with a base hit into right field. 

     Miami(10-29) tied the contest 1-1 in the top of the fourth. Bryan De La Cruz smacked a solo home run to left field on a 2-1 pitch for his eighth homer of the season. It was the second straight game that De La Cruz homered. 

     The Dodgers regained the lead 3-1 in the sixth inning. Hernanadez walloped a two-run homer to left-center field on a 3-2 count with Freeman aboard. It was the second home run of the series and the 10th home run of the year for Hernandez. 

Tom Calococci Out At WBCN-AM

     Former Power 96 WPOW-FM and Coast 97.3 WFLC-FM program director Tom Calococci is no longer the program director at ESPN Southwest Florida 770 WBCN-AM and WJPT-FM in Fort Myers. He was part of the numerous job cuts made by Beasley Media Group nationally. 

     Calococci had previous program director stints with WPHI-FM, WBOT-FM, KJMZ-FM, WERQ-FM, KZZP-FM, KBXX-FM, KKBT-FM, WPOW-FM and WFLC-FM. His recent roles included Clear Media Network classic hits format programmer, Sheet Happens Prep affiliate relations ambassador and KOAS-FM program director. 

Dodgers Slam Marlins

     The Los Angeles Dodgers rolled by the Miami Marlins 8-2 at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday night. The Dodgers are now on a six-game winning streak and have been victorious in 13 of their past 15 games. The Marlins, who have lost four of their last five games since the Luis Arraez trade, will finish their six-game road swing on Wednesday. 

     Miami(10-28) struck on the first pitch of the contest to go up 1-0 in the top of the first. Jazz Chisholm Jr. led off with a solo home run to right-center field for his fifth homer of the year. 

     Los Angeles(25-13) bounced back with four runs in the bottom of the first for a 4-1 lead. Max Muncy blasted a grand-slam homer to left field on a 0-1 count with Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Will Smith aboard. It was Muncy's ninth home run of the season and his seventh career grand-slam home run, tied for the most grand-slam homers in the majors since 2019. 

     The Dodgers chalked four more runs in the bottom of the third and had a seven-run margin. Andy Pages drove in Will Smith on a sacrifice fly to right field. Muncy then scored on a throwing error by Marlins catcher Christian Bethancourt. Gavin Lux followed with a two-run homer to right field on a 2-1 pitch for his first home run the campaign. Teoscar Hernandez scored in front of him on the play. 

     The Fish made it 8-2 in the sixth inning. Bryan De La Cruz collected his seventh home run this year on a 1-1 count to left field for a solo shot. 

Dodgers Host Marlins

     The Los Angeles Dodgers face the Miami Marlins at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday night. The Marlins will complete their six-game California road trip tomorrow. The Dodgers can increase their winning streak to six games. 

Bruins Bust Panthers In Game 1

     The Boston Bruins zipped by the Florida Panthers 5-1 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at Amerant Bank Arena on Monday night. The Bruins, who lead the best-of-seven series 1-0, had a 4-0-0 record during the 2023-24 regular season against the Panthers. 

     It is the second straight year and the third time ever that the Panthers have met the Bruins in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Cats came back from a 3-1 series deficit to upset the B's in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals last season. 

     Neither team were able to score in the first period. Florida moved in front 1-0 with 8:14 left in the second period. Aleksander Barkov got to a loose puck at the left point. He connected a cross-ice pass and Matthew Tkachuk snapped a shot from the top right circle past Jeremy Swayman for his fourth goal of the postseason.      

     Boston answered back quickly with the equalizer with 7:08 to go in the period for a 1-1 tie. David Pastrnak pushed the puck ahead from the high slot followed by a tip-in shot by Pavel Zacha that was saved by Sergei Bobrovsky. Morgan Geekie raced in and put in a forehand shot from the left of the crease for his third goal of the playoffs. 

     The Bruins got their first lead of the contest 2-1 with 3:43 remaining in the second. Zacha backhanded the puck from the left side. Parker Wotherspoon sent a lead pass from the left point. Mason Lohrei roofed a wrist shot from the low left circle for his first career postseason goal. 

     It became 3-1 for the B's with 20.6 seconds left in the period. Trent Frederic tapped the puck in the left circle and Charlie Coyle sent a cross-ice pass from the left wing. Brandon Carlo then released a snap shot from the inner right circle for his second goal in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

     In the third period, Boston extended their lead to 4-1 at 7:13. Lohrei backhanded the puck from his own end wall and James van Riemsdyk advanced it into the neutral zone. Justin Brazeau sprinted down the right side on a breakaway and slipped in a backhand shot from the crease area for his first playoff goal. 

     The Panthers pulled their goalie for an extra attacker with 4:54 to go. Luke DeBrusk would skate the puck up the ice and score an empty-net goal from inside the Panthers blue line with 3:22. It was DeBrusk's fourth goal in the playoffs. 

Florida Panthers On National Radio

     The Florida Panthers will have one of their upcoming contests against the Boston Bruins broadcast nationally on terrestrial radio. Sports USA will have Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Sunday night in Boston. The announcing crew will be play-by-play announcer John Ahlers and game analyst Jim Fox. 

     The Panthers were on national radio for four games in the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals against the Carolina Hurricanes and five games during the 2023 Stanley Cup Final versus the Vegas Golden Knights. Sports USA did have Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals between the Florida Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning last Monday in Sunrise with John Ahlers on play-by-play and game analyst Brian Hayward. 

Dodgers Outslug Marlins

     The Los Angeles Dodgers outdueled the Miami Marlins 6-3 at Dodger Stadium on Monday night. The Marlins have lost three of their last four games. The Dodgers came off a three-game sweep of the Atlanta Braves and have now won five consecutive games. 

     Miami(10-27) scooted out to a 2-0 advantage in the top of the first against Dodgers starting pitcher Walker Buehler, who made his season debut. Bryan De La Cruz knocked in Jazz Chisholm Jr. with a base hit into center field. Three batters later, Jesus Sanchez singled through the right side to score De La Cruz.  

     Los Angeles(24-13) responded immediately in the bottom of first to take a 3-2 lead. Shohei Ohtani blasted a two-run homer to center field on a 2-2 pitch with Mooke Betts aboard for his 11th home run this season. Freddie Freeman followed with his third homer of the year on a 1-0 count to left-center field. 

     The Marlins evened it up 3-3 in the top of the second. Nick Gordon powered a solo home run to right field for his fifth homer of the campaign. 

     The Dodgers reclaimed the lead 5-3 in the bottom of the third. James Outman homered to center field on a 2-2 count for his third home run in 2024. Gavin Lux scored in front of him on the play. 

     It became 6-3 for Los Angeles during the third inning. Teoscar Hernandez smacked a solo home run to left field on a 1-0 pitch for his ninth home run of the season. 

Aleksander Barkov Selke Trophy Finalist Again

     Florida Panthers center Aleksander Barkov has been named a finalist for the Frank J. Selke Trophy in 2023-24. It was the third time that he was nominated for the trophy in the last four seasons. Barkov won the Frank J. Selke Trophy back in the 2020-21 season. 

     Barkov had 23 goals and 57 assists for 80 points in 73 games during the 2023-24 campaign. He was ninth in the NHL with a 57.3 percent faceoff win rate. Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Jordan Staal of the Carolina Hurricanes are the other Frank J. Selke Trophy nominees this season. 

Marlins Win Finale In Oakland Versus A's

     The Miami Marlins played in their final game ever at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on Sunday and were victorious 12-3. The Marlins avoided a three-game series sweep by the Athletics. The A's snapped a six-game winning streak. 

     The A's will spend playing their home games over the next three years in Sacramento. Las Vegas will be the Athletics permanent home in 2028. The A's have been based in Oakland since 1968. The franchise previously resided in Philadelphia and Kansas City. 

     Miami(10-26) rushed out to a 4-0 lead in the opening inning. Jesus Sanchez grounded into a force out for Jazz Chisholm Jr. to score. Two batters later, Nick Gordon clobbered a three-run homer to right-center field on a 1-0 pitch for his fourth home run of the season. Bryan De La Cruz and Sanchez were able to score in front of him on the play.

     The Fish increased it to a five-run margin in the top of the second. Josh Bell drove in Christian Bethancourt on a base hit into center field. 

     Oakland(17-18) put up two runs in the bottom of the fourth and were down 5-2. Darell Hernaiz knocked in Brent Rooker with a single up the middle. Lawrence Butler would later score on a fielder's choice by Kyle McCann. 

     The Marlins added three more runs in the top of the sixth for an 8-2 advantage. Jonah Bride doubled into the left-field corner and Gordon scored. Bride would then reach home on a double by Bethancourt down the left-field line. Chisholm followed with a single to left field and Bethancourt crossed the plate. 

     The A's cut the deficit to 8-3 in the bottom of the eighth. Max Schuemann got a base hit up the middle to score Rooker. 

Lando Norris Wins Miami Grand Prix

     Lando Norris captured the 2024 Miami Grand Prix on Sunday. The event was held on the property around Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. It was the first victory for Norris in his Formula 1 career.

     It was the third year of this racing event at one of the newest Formula 1 venues. Max Verstappen ended up the winner of the previous two occasions. He finished in second place behind Norris this year. 

Duke Johnson Retires

     Duke Johnson announced his retirement from the National Football League on Sunday. He did not participate in the National Football League during 2023. 

     Jonhson played high school football with the Miami Norland Vikings. He helped the school win the Class 5A state championship in 2011. He moved on to the University of Miami Hurricanes from 2012 to 2014 and left The U as the all-time rushing leader with 3,519 rushing yards. 

     He spent one season with the Miami Dolphins in 2021. Johnson compiled 71 carries for 333 rushing yards and three touchdowns in five games with the Fins. 

     Johnson was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 2015 and stayed there until 2018. He had stints with the Houston Texans from 2019 to 2020 and with the Buffalo Bills in 2022. 

Panthers Second Round Schedule Set

     The postseason schedule was announced by the National Hockey League for the second-round series involving the Florida Panthers. Their opponent for the Eastern Conference Semifinals will be against the Boston Bruins. 

     The B's won Game 7 of their first-round series versus the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night. The Panthers have not played a contest since they eliminated the Tampa Bay Lightning last Monday. 

     It will be the second straight year and the third time in history that the Florida Panthers and the Boston Bruins will meet in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Bruins had the regular season record last season and blew a 3-1 series lead to the Panthers in the first round. 

     The Panthers will host the Bruins in Game 1 on Monday and Game 2 on Wednesday. The series will move to Boston for Game 3 on Friday and Game 4 next Sunday. The Cats will be home for Game 5 on May 14, the Bruins will host Game 6 on May 17 and Florida will play at home in Game 7 on May 19.  

Alexander True Heads To Europe

     Alexander True is leaving the Florida Panthers organization. He had 19 points in 55 games with the Charlotte Checkers in the AHL this season. True has signed a two-year contract with Modo in the SHL.

     True was with the Seattle Kraken from 2019-20 to 2020-21. He spent the 2021-22 season with the San Jose Sharks. True had no goals in 27 games in the NHL. 

A's Dismantle Marlins

     The Miami Marlins were dominated by the Oakland A's 20-4 on Saturday at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. The A's now have a six-game winning streak. The Marlins look to avoid a three-game series sweep on Sunday. 

     Oakland(17-17) took a tremendous lead early in the contest. The A's piled on two runs in the second inning, 10 runs in the third inning and one run in the fourth inning for a 13-0 lead. Brent Rooker had two home runs during the bottom of the third. 

     Miami(9-26) finally got on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth and trailed by 12 runs. Nick Fortes connected with a solo home run to left field for his first homer of the season. 

     The A's answered back with one run in the bottom of the sixth and two runs in the bottom of the seventh for a 15-run cushion. Former Marlin J.J. Bleday capped the seventh with a double into center field which brought in Shea Langeliers.

     The Marlins made it 16-3 in the top of the eighth. Bryan De La Cruz smacked a two-run homer to right-center field wtih Dane Myers aboard for his sixth home run of the year. 

     In the bottom of the eighth, Oakland added four more runs for a 20-3 lead. Langeliers concluded the frame with a three-run homer to left-center field for his seventh home run of the 2024 campaign. 

Luis Suarez Hat Trick Sinks New York Red Bulls

     Luis Suarez compiled a hat trick as Inter Miami CF pounded New York Red Bulls 6-2 at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday night. It was payback from earlier this season when New York(4-2-5) blanked Inter Miami CF 4-0 in New Jersey on March 23. The Herons extended their winning streak to four games. 

     Lionel Messi set a new Major League Soccer record being involved in six goals during one contest. He finished with one goal along with five assists. Messi scored his league-leading 10th goal of the season in the 50th minute for a 3-1 advantage. He set new MLS records with five assists in one game and five assists in one half. 

     Suarez ended up with a natural hat trick with goals in the 69th minute, 75th minute, and 81st minute of play. It gave Inter Miami CF(7-2-3) a 6-1 lead late in the contest. 

Seahawks Bring In Kobe Lewis

    Florida Atlantic University running back Kobe Lewis has signed a contract with the Seattle Seahawks. He comes in as an undrafted free agent. 

    Lewis spent four seasons with Central Michigan from 2018 to 2021 followed by one season at Purdue University in 2022. He transferred to FAU for the 2023 season. He compiled 85 rushing attempts for 412 rushing yards and three touchdowns in 11 games with the Owls. 

Marlins Trade Luis Arraez To Padres

     The Miami Marlins have traded second baseman Luis Arraez to the San Diego Padres. The Marlins will receive back outfielder Dillon Head, relief pitcher Woo-Suk Go, first baseman Nathan Martorella and outfielder Jakob Marsee in the deal for cash considerations. 

     Arraez was acquired by Miami from the Minnesota Twins a couple of months after he won the 2022 American League batting title. He ended up capturing the National League batting title last season in aa Marlins uniform with a .354 batting average in 2023. 

A's Move By Marlins

     The Miami Marlins began their final series ever in Oakland and fell to the Oakland A's 3-1 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on Friday night. Miami(9-25) second baseman Luis Arraez was traded to the San Diego Padres in a five-player deal prior to the contest.

     The Marlins had their season-high, three-game winning streak snapped. The Athletics have won five consecutive games. 

     It was the start of a six-game road trip for the Marlins. The A's are leaving Oakland, where they have resided since 1968, at the end of the 2024 season.

     In the fourth inning, Oakland(16-17) had a 2-0 lead. Brent Rooker smacked a two-run homer to center field for his sixth home run of the season. Abraham Toro scored in front of him on the play. 

     The A's made it a three-run margin in the bottom of the fifth. Max Schuemann reached home on an infield single by Esteury Ruiz. 

     The Marlins got on the scoreboard during the top of the ninth. Vidal Brujan knocked in Nick Gordon with a double into left field. 

Michael Irvin Done At NFL Network

     Michael Irvin is no longer on NFL Network. He was an on-air talent with that organization since 2009. He will continue as a studio co-host on Undisputed at Fox Sports 1, which he has done since August 2023.

     Irvin played high school football with the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders and college football with the University of Miami Hurricanes. He spent his entire NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys and won three Super Bowl titles. 

    He entered broadcasting as a panelist on The Best Damn Sports Show Period at Fox Sports Net. Irvin then joined ESPN and later NFL Network as a studio analyst. Irvin hosted a midday show on KESN-FM in Dallas prior to getting a broadcasting position in Miami. He was a midday co-host on 560 WQAM-AM from July 2010 until July 2012. 

Mychal Givens Leaves Marlins

     Reliever Mychal Givens has opted out of the Miami Marlins organization. He inked a minor league contract during spring training back in March. He began the 2024 season with the Marlins Triple-A affiliate in Jacksonville. 

     Givens entered the majors in 2015. He had stints with the Baltimore Orioles, Colorado Rockies, Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs and New York Mets. 

Dolphins Agree To Sign Odell Beckham Jr.

     The Miami Dolphins have agreed to sign wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to a one-year contract worth $3 million. He was with the Baltimore Ravens last season. 

     Beckham joined the New York Giants in 2014 and stayed there for five seasons. He had at least 90 pass receptions, 1,300 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns in each of his first three seasons with New York. 

     He was traded to the Cleveland Browns in March 2019 and spent almost three seasons there. Beckham did capture a Super Bowl title in his only season with the Los Angeles Rams. 

Chase Claypool Shuffles To Bills

     Former Miami Dolphins wide receiver Chase Claypool is off to the Buffalo Bills. He has signed a one-year contract with the club.

     The Dolphins acquired Claypool from the Chicago Bears during the 2024 season on October 6. He just had four catches for 26 receiving yards in nine contests. 

     Claypool entered the National Football League with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2020. He was dealt by the Steelers to the Bears in November 2022. 

Marlins Visit Oakland For Final Time

     The Miami Marlins will visit Oakland for the final time ever on Friday. The Marlins will begin a three-game series with the Oakland A's at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. 

     It is the final season that the A's will play in Oakland. They will be moving the franchise to Las Vegas. The club will have their home games in Sacramento over the next three years before they shift to Nevada. 

Marlins Streak By Rockies

     The Miami Marlins edged the Colorado Rockies 5-4 in 10 innings at loanDepot park on Thursday. The Marlins extended their winning streak to a season-high three games. 

     It was the first series that Miami has won this year. The Fish were able to sweep their first series in the 2024 campaign. Both teams have the two worst records in the National League. 

     Miami(9-24) took a 2-0 lead in the opening frame. Jazz Chisholm Jr. drove in Luis Arraez on a base hit into left field. Two batters later, Jesus Sanchez hit a sacrifice fly to right field and Bryan De La Cruz scored. 

     Colorado(7-24) answered back with three runs in the top of the second to take a 3-2 lead. Former Marlins Jacob Stallings blasted a three-run homer to left field on a 1-1 count with Elehuris Montero and Brendan Rogers aboard. It was Stallings first home run with his new club.  

     The Marlins reclaimed the lead 4-3 in the bottom of the fourth. Josh Bell smashed a solo home run on the first pitch to right field for his fourth homer of the season. Nick Fortes later singled up the middle to score Dane Myers. 

     In the fifth inning, the Rockies evened it up 4-4. Ezequiel Tovar grounded into a double play and Jake Cave crossed the plate. 

     The contest would go into extra innings. The Fish won the game in the bottom of the 10th when Sanchez knocked in Arraez with a single down the left-field line. 

Tiawan Mullen Waived By Eagles

     The Philadelphia Eagles have waived defensive back Tiawan Mullen. He was signed by the Los Angeles Chargers in May 2023 and was released by them in August 2023. 

     Mullen was involved in high school football with the Coconut Creek Cougars for four years until 2018. He was at Indiana University from 2019 to 2022 playing college football. Mullen's brother Trayvon Mullen recently played in the National Football League two years ago and his cousin Lamar Jackson is the starting quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens. 

Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint Goes To Commanders

      Former St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders wide receiver Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint has agreed to a contract with the Washington Commanders. He played the last four seasons with the University of Georgia Bulldogs. Rosemy-Jacksaint won two CFP National Championships with the school in 2021 and 2022. 

     Rosemy-Jacksaint played high school football with St. Thomas Aquinas from 2016 to 2019. He captured two FHSAA Class 7A state championships with STA in 2016 and 2019. 

Akeem Dent Signs With Chargers

     Former Palm Beach County high school defensive back Akeem Dent has signed a deal with the Los Angeles Chargers. He was not drafted by any team in the NFL Draft one week ago. 

     Dent began his high school football career with the Pahokee Blue Devils in 2016 and then played his final three years with the Palm Beach Central Broncos. He participated in college football for five seasons with the Florida State University Seminoles from 2019 to 2023. 

Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste Inks With Chargers

     Former Dade County high school football player Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste has signed a contract with the Los Angeles Chargers. He was not selected in the 2024 NFL Draft last week. 

     Jean-Baptiste participate in high school football with the South Dade Buccaneers. He then played for University of Central Florida and then transferred to Ole Miss in December 2022 as a linebacker. 

Bally Sports Not On Comcast Xfinity

     Comcast Xfinity cable television systems throughout the United States no longer carried Bally Sports regional sports networks as of May 1. That included Bally Sports Florida and Bally Sports Sun in South Florida. 

     Several channels on Xfinity mentioned that they no longer have the rights to continue carrying Bally Sports content. It was stated that Diamond Sports Group did not accept any of the options that Comcast proposed to them. 

     Many South Florida sports fans and followers will be impacted. The Miami Heat postseason game against the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals was not available on Bally Sports Sun on Wednesday. Neither was the Miami Marlins regular season game versus the Colorado Rockies on Bally Sports Florida. 

     If this situation continues, some local cable customers will no longer see Marlins games. In addition, postgame studio shows of the Florida Panthers for the remainder of their 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs run will not be shown. 

Florida Panthers Season Longer Than Miami Heat

     The Florida Panthers season will end up being longer than Miami Heat in 2023-24. The Panthers advanced to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs as they knocked off the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games. The Heat fell in five games to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals and were eliminated from the NBA Playoffs. 

     It is just the second time in 31 years that the Panthers season will last longer than the Heat season. Both teams have coexisted together in South Florida since the 1993-94 season. 

     The Miami Heat seasons have gone further or resulted in the same season exit as the Florida Panthers seasons from 1994 to 2023, even with both clubs not making the postseason. Both teams were eliminated in Game 5 of their championship series last year. 

     The exception was in 1996 when the Panthers won the Eastern Conference title and reached the Stanley Cup Finals. The Heat were swept during the first round in three games by the Chicago Bulls, who eventually captured the NBA title.

Heat Eliminated By Celtics In Game 5

     The Boston Celtics advanced to the next round of the NBA Playoffs with a 118-84 victory over the Miami Heat in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at TD Garden in Game 5. The Celtics won the best-of-seven series 4-1. 

     Both teams faced each other in the postseason for the third straight season. They met in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2020, 2022 and 2023. 

     Boston had a 20-7 run at the conclusion of the first quarter and led 41-23. Miami kept up with them in the second quarter and trailed 68-46 at halftime. 

     The Celtics outscored their opponent 30-20 during the third quarter and were up 98-66. Both teams removed their starters and had their reserves on the floor in the final quarter. 

     The Heat were led by Bam Adebayo with club-highs of 23 points and six assists. Tyler Herro was able to score 15 points. Caleb Martin and Thomas Bryant both had 10 points each.

     Jaylen Brown ended up with 25 points and six rebounds for the C's. Derrick White dropped in 25 points in the win. Jayson Tatum compiled a double-double with 16 points along with 12 rebounds. 

Marlins Drop Rockies

     The Miami Marlins held off the Colorado Rockies 4-1 on Wednesday night at loanDepot park. The Marlins, who snapped a seven-game losing streak yesterday, won two straight games for the first time in the 2024 season. 

     In the fifth inning, Miami(8-24) picked up two runs for a 2-0 advantage. Luis Arraez knocked in Emmanuel Rivera on a base hit into center field. Bryan De La Cruz followed with a double to left field which scored Arraez. '

     Colorado(7-23) made it 2-1 in the top of the sixth. Brenton Doyle scored when Elias Diaz grounded out to third. 

     The Marlins added two runs during the bottom of the eighth for a 4-1 lead. Dane Myers drove in Otto Lopez and Rivera on a single into right field. 

Marlins Overcome Rockies

     The Miami Marlins erased a five-run deficit in the ninth and took the Colorado Rockies 7-6 in 10 innings at loanDepot park on Tuesday night in the first contest of a three-game series. The Marlins snapped a seven-game losing streak. Both teams have the two worst records in the National League.  

     Rockies outfielder Jordan Beck made his Major League Baseball debut. The Rockies became the first team in MLB history to trail sometime during their first 29 games of a season. 

     Colorado(7-22) exploded out to a 5-0 lead in the top of the first. Ryan McMahon knocked in Ezequiel Tovar with a base hit to left field. Two batters later, Charlie Blackmon singled into right field and McMahon scored. Elehuris Montero later smashed a three-run homer to center field to score Blackmon and Brendan Rogers. 

     Miami(7-24) broke the shutout in the bottom of the ninth. Luis Arraez doubled to deep right which brought in Vidal Brujan. Two batters later, Dane Myers singled up the middle which scored Christian Bethancourt and Arraez to make it 5-3. 

     Jesus Sanchez was later hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Bryan De La Cruz scored. Emmanuel Rivera followed and drove in Myers on a sacrifice fly to right field to tie it up 5-5. 

     The Rockies reclaimed the lead 6-5 in the top of the 10th. McMahon doubled into left field and Sean Bouchard touched home. 

     The Marlins won the game in the bottom of the 10th. De La Cruz doubled off the left-field wall and Tim Anderson sprinted home. Myers came up next with a base hit through the right side and De La Cruz scored for a 7-6 victory. 

Panthers Eliminate Lightning In Game 5

     The Florida Panthers wrapped up the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals with a 6-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 5 at Amerant Bank Arena on Monday night. The Cats, who won the best-of-seven series 4-1, moved on to the Eastern Conference Semifinals for the third straight season. 

     It was the first time that the Panthers won a series against the Lightning in the postseason. The Bolts defeated the Cats in six games during the first round in 2021 and swept them in the second round in 2022. 

     The Panthers were involved in their eighth home handshake line in franchise history. It was just the fourth time that Florida finished a postseason series victorious at home. 

     There was no scoring in the first period. Florida got on the scoreboard 45 seconds into the second period on a 4-on-4 goal to take a 1-0 lead. Carter Verhaeghe angled a pass to Aleksander Barkov in the left circle and he returned it back. Verhaeghe took a forehand shot from the high slot which was saved by Andrei Vasilevskiy. Verhaeghe got to the rebound and snapped a shot from the slot area scored his fourth goal of the series. 

     The Panthers got a shorthanded goal with 7:22 left in the second for a 2-0 advantage. Sam Reinhart won the faceoff in the right circle. Gustav Forsling pushed the puck from the right point and Aaron Ekblad let go of a one-time slap shot from the top of the zone that was saved. Barkov released a wrist shot from the right of the crease for his first goal of the playoffs.

     Tampa Bay made it 2-1 with 6:23 to go in the period. Brandon Hagel sent the puck from the right wing to Nikita Kucherov in the right corner. He connected a diagonal pass and Victor Hedman blasted a slap shot from the high slot by Sergei Bobrovsky for his first goal of the postseason. 

     Florida expanded their lead to 3-1 with 8:54 remaining in the third period. Verhaeghe made a centering pass from the right wing and Matthew Tkachuk tip-in shot from the crease area was stopped. Barkov poked in the rebound from the blue paint for his second tally of the game. 

     The Cats increased it to 4-1 with 5:44 left in the third. Kevin Stenlund carried the puck down the right side into the Lightning zone. He passed it across the slot and Evan Rodrigues ripped a one-time slap shot from the left-circle dot for his first goal in the series. Vladimir Tarasenko had the secondary assist on the play. 

     It became 5-1 for the Panthers with 3:57 to go. Tampa Bay pulled their goalie for an extra attacker. Kucherov had the puck checked from him at the Florida blue line. Verhaeghe shot the puck from the neutral zone down the ice into an empty net for his second goal of the contest and fifth goal in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Niko Mikkola added another empty-net goal from the Panthers blue line with 1:10 left for a 6-1 lead. 

Celtics Step By Heat In Game 4

     The Boston Celtics easily handled the Miami Heat 102-88 in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals on Monday night at Kaseya Center. The Celtics lead the best-of-seven series 3-1. They can eliminate the Heat from the NBA Playoffs in Boston on Wednesday. 

     Boston had a 16-2 run in the middle of the first quarter and led 34-24 at the end of the frame. It was low-scoring second quarter as the Celtics had the lead 53-36 by halftime. 

     The C's extended their margin in the early part of the second half and had an 81-59 lead at the end of the third quarter. Miami cut into the deficit early the final quarter with seven unanswered points, however the gap was too much to overcome. 

     Bam Adebayo led the Heat with a double-double of 25 points and 17 rebounds. Tyler Herro was also to contribute 19 points while Caleb Martin drained in 18 points. 

     Derrick White scored a game-high 38 points for the Celtics. Jayson Tatum added a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Jaylen Brown dropped in 17 points in the win. 

Nationals Sweep Marlins

     The Washington Nationals beat the Miami Marlins 7-2 at loanDepot park on Monday night. The Fish were swept in their second straight series and have lost seven consecutive games. 

     The Nationals moved out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the third. C.J. Abrams powered a two-run homer to right field with Alex Call aboard. It was the seventh home run for Abrams this season. 

     Washington(14-14) increased it to 3-0 in the top of the fifth. Jesse Winker walked with the bases loaded for Jacob Young to score. 

     Miami(6-24) picked up two runs in the bottom of the sixth and were down 3-2. Jazz Chisholm Jr. walloped a two-run home run to center field for his fourth homer of the year. Vidal Brujan scored in front of him on the play. 

     It became 7-2 for the Nats in the seventh inning as they added three runs. Winker grounded into a force out and Young crossed the plate. Abrams later in the frame scored on a wild pitch. 

     Joey Meneses drove in Winker with a ground-rule double to left-center field. Ildemaro Vargas followed with a base hit to left field and Meneses reached home. 

Sergei Bobrovsky Vezina Trophy Finalist

     The National Hockey League announced the finalists for the Vezina Trophy. They are Sergei Bobrovsky of the Florida Panthers, Thatcher Demko of the Vancouver Canucks and Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets. 

     Bobrovsky has won the Vezina Trophy on two different occasions in 2013 and 2017. He combined with fellow teammate Anthony Stolarz for allowing the second-least amount of goals during the 2023-24 campaign. Bobrovsky compiled a 36-17-4 record with a 2.37 goals-against-average, .915 save percentage and a league-tying six shutouts during the regular season. 

Marlins Blow Big Lead

     The Miami Marlins blew a seven-run lead and lost to the Washington Nationals 12-9 at loanDepot park on Sunday. The Marlins extended their losing streak to six games. Both teams will face each other tomorrow to finish the four-game wraparound weekend series. 

     Miami(6-23) rocketed out to a 6-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit his second grand-slam homer of the season and his club-record fifth career grand-slam home run. The Fish added one more run in the second inning and had a seven-run cushion. 

     Washington(13-14) overtook the Fish by the middle of the game. The Nationals had five runs in the top of the fourth and four runs in the top of the fifth for a 9-7 lead. Nick Senzel had a home run in both frames in the comeback. The Nats stayed in front for the rest of the contest. 

Inter Miami CF Routs New England

     Inter Miami CF stormed by the New England Revolution 4-1 at Gillette Stadium on Saturday night. It was the attended event ever in the 22-year history of the venue. The attendance was 65,612 and turned out to be the largest crowd ever for a soccer game at that venue. 

     Both teams were on the opposite sides of the Eastern Conference standings entering the game. Inter Miami CF was in first place while the Revolution were in last place. 

     New England(1-7-1) pulled off a rare occurrence in a soccer game and got a 1-0 lead in the opening minute of the contest. Tomas Chancalay was able to volley the ball over the Herons goalkeeper with a right-footed shot from 18 yards out just 37 seconds in. 

     Inter Miami CF(6-2-3) tied it up 1-1 during the 32nd minute. Lionel Messi put in a nine-yard shot with his left foot on a feed from Robert Taylor. Messi extended his MLS goal-scoring streak to six games. 

     In the second half, it became 2-1 for Inter Miami CF in the 68th minute. Messi fired a left-footed shot from eight yards away for his second goal of the game and league-leading ninth goal of the year. Sergio Busquets ended up with the assist on the tally. 

     Two more goals were added on by Inter Miami CF for a three-goal gap. Benjamin Cremaschi scored in the 83rd minute and then Luis Suarez followed in the 89th minute. Messi had the assists on both of those goals. 

Lightning Survive Panthers In Game 4

     The Tampa Bay Lightning escaped the Florida Panthers 6-3 in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at Amalie Arena on Saturday night. The Panthers now lead the best-of-seven series 3-1. The Cats came wrap up the series on Monday in Sunrise. 

     Tampa Bay struck first in a contest for the first time in the series with a power-play goal at 8:54 of the opening period. Brandon Hagel centered the puck from the right goal line and Brayden Point backhanded it from the top of the crease. Steven Stamkos fired a one-time slap shot from the low left circle for his fourth goal of the series and 100th career postseason point.  

     It became 2-0 for the Bolts on a shorthanded goal with 7:51 left in the first. Victor Hedman poked the puck away in his own zone and Hagel brought in down the left side of the neutral zone. Hagel snapped a shot by Sergei Bobrovsky from the high slot for his second tally of the postseason. 

     The Lightning increased it to a three-goal margin with 4:53 to go in the period during a 4-on-4 situation. Point carried the puck from around his own cage all the way to the Bolts blue line. He angled a pass to Nikita Kucherov and he returned the puck to him inside the Panthers blue line. Point skated through the right circle and then placed in a wraparound shot for his second goal in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Hedman was credited with a secondary assist on the play. It was only the second time this season that the Panthers surrendered at least three goals in the first period.

     In the second period, Florida cut the deficit to 3-1 at the 4:17 mark. Anton Lundell cycled the puck from the left wing. Matthew Tkachuk centered it from behind the Lightning cage and Carter Verhaeghe snapped a shot from the right of the crease for his third goal of the series. 

     The Bolts made it 4-1 on another 4-on-4 circumstance at 9:40. Hagel collected his second goal of the contest on a wrist shot.

     The Panthers closed it to 4-2 with 8:50 remaining in the second on a power-play goal. Tkachuk sent a pass from right circle and Sam Reinhart powered a one-time shot from the slot area which was saved by Andrei Vasilevskiy. Brandon Montour followed with a forehand shot from the left of the crease and it was stopped. Reinhart backhanded a shot from the crease area for his third goal of the postseason. 

     It became 4-3 with 5:27 to go in the period. Eetu Luostarinen pushed a lead pass from his own zone. Evan Rodgiues got to the right point and connected a cross-ice pass. Oliver Ekman-Larsson then released a snap shot from the high slot for the tally. It was the first postseason goal for Ekman-Larsson in four years.

     The Lightning expanded their lead to 5-3 at the 9:34 mark. Kucherov raced for the puck on the right wing and fed a pass from the right point. Stamkos took a wrist shot from above the left circle for his second goal of the game and fifth goal in the playoffs.

     The Bolts added a 5-on-3 power-play goal with 3:38 left in the third for a 6-3 advantage. Hedman angled a pass from the top of the zone and Kucherov passed from the right wing. Nick Paul had his first shot saved, but he flipped in a backhand shot from the blue paint. 

Celtics Steamroll Heat In Game 3

     The Boston Celtics rolled over the Miami Heat 104-84 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals at Kaseya Center on Saturday night. Boston has a 10-3 record in regular season and postseason games held in Miami since the beginning of the 2021-22 campaign. 

     The Celtics now are ahead in the best-of-seven series 2-1. Game 4 will be held on Monday night in Miami. 

     Boston had a 12-3 surge to start the contest and led 21-12 at the end of low-scoring first quarter. The C's scored the first six points of the second quarter and had a 63-39 lead at halftime. 

     Miami kept pace early in the second half, however they were down 87-61 at the conclusion of the third quarter. The Celtics had over a 20-point margin for almost the entire fourth quarter. 

     Bam Adebayo had a team-high 20 points and nine rebounds for Miami. Tyler Herro and Nikola Jovic were able to contribute15 points each. Jaime Jacquez Jr. scored 12 points in the defeat. 

     Jayson Tatum led Boston with a double-double of 22 points and 11 rebounds. Jaylen Brown added 22 points and eight rebounds in the victory. Kristaps Porzingis placed in 18 points and Derrick White drained in 16 points. 

Nationals Smash Marlins

     The Washington Nationals slammed the Miami Marlins 11-4 on Saturday at loanDepot park. The Marlins, who now have a five-game losing streak, look to avoid a three-game series sweep by the Nationals on Sunday. 

     Miami(6-22) scooted out to a 1-0 in the bottom of the first in an unusual way. Nats starting pitcher Mitchell Parker threw a wild pitch for Luis Arraez to cross the plate. 

     Washington(12-14) tied it up 1-1 in a similar way during the top of the third. Marlins catcher Christian Bethancourt was charged with a passed ball and Jacob Young scored. 

     The Nationals piled on five runs in the fifth inning for a 6-1 advantage. Young reached first on a fielder's choice for Eddie Rosario to beat the tag at home. Jesse Winker later smacked a grand-slam homer to right field which scored Nick Senzel, Young and C.J. Abrams. It was Winker's third home run of the 2024 season. 

Locals Go Late In NFL Draft

     It was the final day of the 2024 National Football League Draft on Saturday in Detroit. Several former South Florida high school football players were taken from the fourth round until the seventh round. 

     Only one local athlete went in the fourth round. Deerfield Beach Bucks and University of Oregon Ducks defensive lineman Brandon Dorlus was chosen by the Atlanta Falcons at 109th overall. 

     In the fifth round, Carol City Chiefs and University of Louisville Cardinals defensive back Jarvis Brownlee Jr. was taken 146th overall by the Tennessee Titans. 

     Quarterback Jordan Travis was selected by the New York Jets with the 171st overall pick. He led the Benjamin Buccaneers while in high school. Travis played college football with the University of Louisville Cardinals and the Florida State University Seminoles. 

     Pahokee-born quarterback Joe Milton III was taken by the New England Patriots in the sixth round with the 193rd overall selection. He had stints in college football with the University of Michigan Wolverines and the University of Tennessee Volunteers.

     In the seventh round, Miramar Patriots defensive back Myles Harden was chosen by the Cleveland Browns with the 227th overall selection. He played college football with South Dakota. More local talent was announced when the Cincinnati Bengals took University of Miami Hurricanes center Matt Lee at 237th overall. 

     University of Miami Hurricanes safety James Williams was picked by the Tennessee Titans with the 242nd overall pick. He participated in high school football with American Heritage Patriots and won two FHSAA Class 5A state championships in 2017 and 2020. 

     The Green Bay Packers were able to get Tulane quarterback Michael Pratt at 245. He played his first three years of high school football with the Boca Raton Bobcats and his senior year with the Deerfield Beach Bucks. 

     The San Francisco 49ers ended up with Miami Central Rockets linebacker Tatum Bethune at 251. He won a FHSAA Class 6A state title with them in 2015. Bethune spent time in college football with the University of Central Florida Knights and the Florida State University Seminoles. 

Dolphins Complete 2024 NFL Draft

     The Miami Dolphins finished up the 2024 NFL Draft held in Detroit on Saturday. Selections were made from the fourth round to the seventh round. 

     The Dolphins took University of Tennessee running back Jaylen Wright during the fourth round with the 120th overall pick. The Fins choose edge rusher Mohamed Kamara of Colorado State University in the fifth round. Miami decided on University of Virginia wide receiver Malik Washington and University of California safety Patrick McMorris during the sixth round. They selected USC wide receiver Tahj Washington in the seventh round. 

Kamren Kinchens Taken In NFL Draft

     The second and third rounds were held on Friday night in the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit. One former local player was chosen in the two rounds tonight. 

     University of Miami Hurricanes safety Kamren Kinchens was selected by the Los Angeles late in the third round with the 99th overall pick. Kinchens contributed to the Miami Northwestern Bulls capturing three consecutive FHSAA state titles in 2017, 2018 and 2019. He played in 33 games and had 11 interceptions during his three seasons with the Canes. 

Fins Pick In Second Round

     The 2024 National Football League Draft continued on Friday night in Detroit. It consisted of the second round and third round. The Dolphins forfeited their third-round selection because of the anti-tampering policy by trying and communicate with Tom Brady

     The Miami Dolphins selected University of Houston offensive lineman Patrick Paul in the second round with the 55th overall pick. He participated in 25 games during his five seasons at that school. 

Marlins Fall To Nationals

     The Miami Marlins lost to the Washington Nationals 3-1 at loanDepot park on Friday night. The Marlins come off a seven-game road trip in which they had a 2-5 record. The Fish are on a four-game losing streak. Marlins starting pitcher Anthony Maldonado made in Major League Baseball debut. 

     Miami(6-21) had a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third. Nick Fortes knocked in Vidal Brujan with a base hit into right field. 

     Washington(11-14) evened it up 1-1 in the top of the sixth. Joey Meneses grounded into a double play for Jacob Young to score. 

     The Nationals pulled ahead 3-1 in the eighth inning. Meneses singled to center field which brought in Trey Lipscomb and C.J. Abrams. 

Dallas Turner Selected By Vikings

     The first round of the 2024 National Football League happened in Detroit on Thursday night. One player chosen had a South Florida connection. 

     The Minnesota Vikings took University of Alabama edge rusher Dallas Turner with the 17th overall selection. Turner played high school football with the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders and captured two FHSAA Class 7A state championships in 2019 and 2020. He participated with the Crimson Tide for three seasons. 

Miami Dolphins In First Round

     The National Football League Draft was held in Detroit. The first round of the draft took place on Thursday night. 

     The Miami Dolphins had the 21st overall pick in the first round. The Fins selected outside linebacker Chop Robinson. He played his freshman year with the University of Maryland followed by his sophomore and junior years at Penn State University. 

Panthers Top Lightning In Game 3

     The Florida Panthers took a 3-0 commanding lead in the best-of-seven series with a 5-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night at Amalie Arena in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. The Panthers can clinch the first-round series on Saturday at the same venue. 

     In the first period, Florida raced out to a 1-0 advantage. Matthew Tkachuk was able to snap a shot with 9:21 left in the opening frame for his second tally of the postseason. 

     Tampa Bay controlled the early part of the second period and took a 2-1 lead. Steven Stamkos collected his third goal of the series with a deflected shot just 44 seconds in. Tyler Motte followed with a goal on a wrist shot at the 2:56 mark. 

     The Panthers leaped by them to reclaim the lead 3-2. Sam Reinhart got his second goal of the Stanley Cup Playoffs at 9:58 on a wrist shot. Brandon Montour rifled a slap shot with 3:30 remaining in the second. 

     The Cats picked up a goal from Steven Loretz on a forehand shot at 9:41 of the third period and led 4-2. The Bolts cut it to 4-3 with a tally from Nick Paul on a wrist shot with 5:10 to go. 

     The Lightning pulled their goalie like they did in Game 2 and it was not successful to tie the contest. Tkachuk placed the puck into an empty net with 31.5 seconds left for his second goal of the game and his third goal of the postseason.