• Slug: Sports–BYU Lassiter Homecoming, 900 words.
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By Jalen Weathers
Cronkite News

TEMPE – BYU football is on a mission to make history.

The No. 14 Cougars, perched atop the Big 12 standings with a 9-1 record, will be chasing double-digit wins Saturday in Tempe when they play conference rival No. 21 Arizona State. Each BYU game this season has been a statement of why the Cougars deserve to be in the conversation for the College Football Playoff.

But for BYU wide receiver Darius Lassiter, a co-caption who is second on the team in receiving yards (576), this weekend is about more than football. The Chandler native returns home for a high-stakes showdown in front of a sold-out crowd at Mountain America Stadium – a moment he has been waiting for. Continue reading “Chandler’s Darius Lassiter comes full circle for decisive BYU-Arizona State battle in Tempe”

• Slug: Sports–Arizona Cardinals Update, 760 words.
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By James Morel
Cronkite News

TEMPE – It may not be a bird or a plane but football will soar to the gloomy skies of the Pacific Northwest this Sunday as the Arizona Cardinals and the Seattle Seahawks meet in a pivotal NFC West matchup.

The Cardinals, coming off a bye week of mental relaxation and physical rejuvenation, travel to Seattle for a key game against a rival team that went toe-to-toe last week with the defending NFC West champions, the San Francisco 49ers, winning 20-17.

While most teams would hate to have a bye during a stretch of success, Arizona wide receiver Michael Wilson believes it was exactly what the Cardinals needed. Continue reading “Bird(s) watching: Arizona Cardinals return from bye week for NFC West thriller vs. Seattle Seahawks”

• Slug: Sports–Biofreeze Pickleball Championships, 900 words.
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By Sebastian Mondaca Sepulveda
Cronkite News

MESA – Jake Plummer never imagined that a paddle and a plastic ball could rekindle his competitive spirit after he retired from the NFL. Yet, there he was on the court, two hours before his match, sharing laughs and volley with Shane Doan, another Valley sports legend.

For Plummer, it wasn’t just about the game — it was about staying active, connecting with others, and championing a sport that is winning over players of all ages and abilities.

“Pickleball, for me, is fun and joyful,” said Plummer, the former NFL and Arizona State quarterback who partnered with Doan in the Dinks for a Difference Celebrity Match that highlighted last week’s Biofreeze USA Pickleball National Championships. Continue reading “Stars align: Jake Plummer, Shane Doan join celebrities at Biofreeze USA Pickleball National Championships”

• Slug: Sports–ASU BYU Fans, 620 words.
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By Patrick Holleron
Cronkite News

TEMPE – The next test for newly ranked Arizona State will be a 46-year-old throwback from the school’s past in the Western Athletic Conference as longtime rival Brigham Young comes to Tempe with a potential College Football Playoff appearance on the line for both teams.

The Sun Devils’ X account confirmed Tuesday that tickets for Saturday’s anticipated showdown are sold out. With roughly 53,599 fans packing Mountain America Stadium, the noise from fans in attendance may be a factor.

Despite tickets being sold out, tailgating will be in abundance for fans who can’t attend the game. This includes a large tailgate party being organized by the BYU Alumni Board. Continue reading “Fan duel: Sold-out Mountain America Stadium braces for ASU, BYU supporters and game-day drama”

• Slug: Sports–ASU Notre Dame 2014, 700 words.
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By Brenden Paul
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – In the first-ever College Football Playoff rankings in 2014, Arizona State found itself ranked 14th. A week later, the Sun Devils skyrocketed into the top 10 at No. 9 in the Week 11 rankings. Not only did this mark the highest CFP ranking in program history, but it also set the stage for ASU’s biggest opponent of the CFP era, the 10th-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

The game had major playoff implications for both teams, and the fan support backed the magnitude of the game. Despite temperatures reaching 85 degrees in November, a capacity crowd of 65,870 screaming Sun Devil fans made their way to Sun Devil Stadium.

Jaelen Strong, who currently serves as a coach at AZ Compass Prep, played wide receiver on the 2014 ASU team and later went on to spend three seasons in the National Football League with the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars. Strong not only had a fond memory of the crowd for the Notre Dame game but for all Sun Devil home games that season. Continue reading “Relive the magic: Former ASU players recall 2014 Notre Dame game ahead of Saturday’s BYU matchup”

• Slug: Sports–Arizona Wildcats Outlook, 570 words.
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By Caleb Campero
Cronkite News

LOS ANGELES – Funny what a convincing victory can do for a team’s mentality.

Before last Saturday’s 27-3 win over the Houston Cougars, Arizona football had lost five straight and sat near the bottom of the Big 12 standings. Now coach Brent Brennan’s 4-6 Wildcats are two wins away from bowl eligibility with games against TCU and Arizona State remaining.

The Wildcats found themselves in a tough position before last Saturday’s matchup against Houston but had a bye week as it aimed to finish the season on a high note. Continue reading “Scrambling toward a happy ending: Arizona football maintains hope for bowl eligibility”

• Slug: Sports–ASU BYU Logistics, 520 words.
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By Dane Palmer
Cronkite News

TEMPE – Arizona State hopes to have a strong wall of maroon and gold Saturday when the Sun Devils host BYU in a highly anticipated Big 12 showdown. ASU coaches have implored fans who can’t make the game to resell their tickets only to Sun Devil fans, and ASU removed students’ option to buy guest passes with their free student ticket.

“If you have tickets and you’re an ASU fan, make sure they go to ASU fans,” coach Kenny Dillingham said. “There’s a lot of BYU fans in the Valley. … Make sure they show you an ASU hat, an ASU shirt.”

The hype surrounding the Sun Devils’ first home game in two weeks has grown to astronomical levels. Tickets for the game at Mountain America Stadium were sold out by Tuesday, forcing the athletic department to work harder than ever to make the game as accessible as possible. 

Continue reading “‘Be early’: What fans need to know ahead of ASU football’s sold-out contest vs. BYU”

• Slug: Sports–Horizon Volleyball, 627 words.
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By Ethan Desjardine
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – When legendary coach Valorie McKenzie stepped down from Horizon’s volleyball program after her fifth championship win in 2022, some questioned whether her successor, McKenzie Skaggs, could continue Horizon’s dominance.

After winning the 5A state championship last year, Skaggs’ first season as Horizon’s coach, and defeating Sunrise Mountain Saturday to complete a four-peat, all those questions have been answered.

Horizon continues to add to its legacy as a powerhouse in Arizona high school volleyball. Continue reading “Horizon volleyball secures rare four-peat as 5A state champions behind Teyara Siegler’s leadership”

• Slug: Sports–Middle School Recruiting, 1,500 words.
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By Dylan Ackermann
Cronkite News

MESA – While most middle schoolers were focused on back-to-school shopping, Kyi Kyi Miles was heading to a workout with his trainer and former Arizona State University guard Jahii Carson.

On the way to the summer workout, while Miles sat in the passenger seat, his father, Jarvis, mentioned that he received a phone call and that the caller wanted to follow up.
Not expecting it to happen so soon – he thought junior year would be the time – Miles was caught off guard when, after putting the call on speaker, he received his first verbal offer from University of San Francisco men’s basketball coach Michael Plank.

At the time, Miles hadn’t yet started his eighth-grade year at AZ Compass Prep, but according to Plank, he was still one of the best players at the Dons’ basketball camp. Continue reading “Middle school with collegiate offers? Arizona high school basketball underclassmen and coaches reveal early recruiting realities”

• Slug: Sports–A’s Nick Kurtz, 780 words.
• 3 photos available.

By Sean Brennan
Cronkite News

MESA – When a newly drafted baseball player experiences their first professional baseball games, their skills usually don’t translate into immediate success. New faces often need time to adjust before they eventually hit their stride, according to the Athletics’ Javier Godard, manager of the single-A Stockton Ports and the hitting coach for the Arizona Fall League’s Mesa Solar Sox.

That’s the case for most players, at least. First baseman Nick Kurtz, selected by the Athletics with the fourth overall pick in the 2024 MLB Entry Draft, is an exception, as proven by his performance with the Solar Sox this past season in the Arizona Fall League.

Across two levels of minor league baseball — Single-A and Double-A — Kurtz only played a combined 12 games due to a hamstring injury suffered in late August. But those 12 games were enough as it instantly became clear no grace period was needed. Continue reading “Nick Kurtz defies rookie expectations with stellar Arizona Fall League debut”

• Slug: Sports–Phoenix Rising New Coach, 1,140 words.
• 3 photos available.

By Cooper Burns
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – The new coach of Phoenix Rising FC comes from a different league, and the roster he is taxed with improving before the United Soccer League season begins in March is still in a state of flux. But Pa-Modou Kah has a resume as unique as the situation he is inheriting.

Kah has a wealth of experience not only on the field but off it. The Gambia native has experience in both European and North American soccer and speaks seven different languages. Kah is fluent in Wolof, Norwegian, English, Spanish, French, Dutch and Arabic. Kah’s mastery of diverse languages should help him form genuine connections with his players quicker than most.

Just four days after Phoenix lost a quarterfinal playoff game to New Mexico on Nov. 3, ending Rising’s bid to defend their USL title, the team announced that interim coach Diego Gomez would not return. Gomez stepped in after the firing of first-year coach Danny Stone in June. Continue reading “New coach Pa-Modou Kah brings global expertise to Phoenix Rising FC amid roster uncertainty”

• Slug: Sports–CFP Ranking ASU, 760 words.
• Photo available.

By Fletcher Anderson
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Defeat Kansas State? Check.

Land in the College Football Playoff rankings? Check.

The CFP committee placed Arizona State at No. 21 in the third ranking of the year Tuesday, its first appearance since the inaugural year in 2014 as they continue their improbable run at 8-2. Continue reading “Look who’s 21: Arizona State checks into CFP rankings for first time since 2014 as BYU looms”

• Slug: Sports–Fall League Championship, 800 words.
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By Sean Brennan
Cronkite News

SCOTTSDALE – Entering the 2024 Arizona Fall League championship game, Washington Nationals No. 13 prospect Robert Hassell III felt several emotions.

He was excited for a chance at redemption: he reached the semifinals in the two previous seasons with two separate teams but lost each time. He felt a sense of fulfillment for giving himself an opportunity at a championship. But the one emotion he didn’t feel was surprise.

Despite the AFL season being a sprint that begins in early October and wraps up in mid-November, Hassell’s Salt River Rafters have formed a strong connection over the short time. They bonded over many things, but the biggest was undoubtedly the desire to win a championship. Continue reading “Arizona Fall League proves invaluable for MLB prospects in successful 2024 campaign”