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Croatia on course for Euro 2024 spot with 2-0 win over Latvia after Wales drops points

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:59:04 GMT

Croatia is on the verge of qualifying for next year’s European Championship after beating Latvia 2-0 on Saturday as its closest rival Wales dropped points in a 1-1 draw with Armenia.Early goals from Lovro Majer and Andrej Kramarić gave Croatia a comfortable victory at last-place Latvia.Croatia will secure a qualifying spot on Tuesday with a win over Armenia in its last game or if Wales fails to beat Group D leader Turkey.Wales’ players started the day knowing that winning their last two games would ensure qualification but trailed after just five minutes. Lucas Zelarayan put Armenia ahead with a shot from the edge of the penalty area after Wales failed to clear a corner.Wales went into halftime level following Nair Tiknizyan’s own-goal but created little in the second half as Armenia looked the more likely team to win. Only two of Armenia’s 19 shots were on target, though, and the draw meant Armenia’s slim chances of qualifying were ended when Croatia w...

Comeau, Notre Dame (Hingham) win Div. 2 state girls soccer title

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:59:04 GMT

LYNN — It almost seemed right that Notre Dame (Hingham) star Sydney Comeau found herself in the right place at the right time on Saturday.The Holy Cross-bound senior ripped home a shot with 9:04 left in regulation to give the Cougars a 1-0 win over No. 6 Mansfield in the Div. 2 girls soccer final at Manning Field.“I feel like this is the final piece of my four years here,” Comeau said, sporting a state championship medal around her neck. “Nothing feels better than this moment.”Comeau’s goal was the culmination of a brilliant tournament for the Cougars (16-6-3) as they pitched their fourth shutout in five tournament games. Saturday might have been their most dominant effort as they held a powerful Mansfield attack to one shot in 80 minutes.“Our defense, especially our back four, was really strong,” Notre Dame coach Kelly Turner said. “Mansfield is tough to play against and they had a tough defense too.”Comeau’s goal was the culmination of a second half that saw the Cougars slowly beg...

Reading captures first Div. 2 state field hockey title in overtime

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:59:04 GMT

WORCESTER – Reading field hockey head coach Taylor Reynolds watched her high school coach, Ann Simons, win her first state title with Longmeadow after 42 years last season.At WPI on Saturday, it was Reynolds and her Rockets’ turn to make history.Ava Goodwin delivered the game-winning goal at the left post in overtime, securing top-seeded Reading its first Div. 2 state championship with a 2-1 win over No. 2 Norwood at WPI. It was the second goal the Rockets (22-1) scored in a 15-minute span, overcoming an offensive struggle that saw both teams heavily limited most of the way despite a handful of Grade-A opportunities.“This is just a special group, a lot of the seniors have been on my team since freshman year and it was a work in the making,” Reynolds said. “Knowing all that we could accomplish and to get here, I mean, I can’t even describe how it feels. … I wanted this when I was a player. And to be here and watch them earn it. They earned it until the last possible second. It was a ...

Meet of Champions: Westford’s Paul Bergeron defends his Div. 1 boys title

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:59:04 GMT

DEVENS — One “crazy surge” was all Westford Academy’s Paul Bergeron needed to defend his Div. 1 Meet of Champions title in cold, overcast conditions Saturday.Bergeron, who was coming off a win in the Div. 1A race last Saturday at Gardner, followed B.C. High’s Chris Larnard and teammate Jack Graffeo until he surged hard and ran all-out for a half mile on the rolling 3.1-mile layout.From there Bergeron made it look easy as he cruised home in 15 minutes, 6.43 seconds for the fastest time of the day. Larnard had a terrific day, surging for second place in 15:25.21 and Graffeo finished strong for third in 15:31.47.Even getting to the championship part of the season wasn’t academic for Bergeron. He went a month without running shortly after the Ocean State Invitational, where he placed second, because of a back issue. Bergeron, though, cross-trained when he was sidelined and loss very little of his cardiovascular fitness.The speed bump only made the Stanford-...

Three-peat, undefeated season for Ipswich volleyball team

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:59:04 GMT

WORCESTER — Facing a staunch challenger in No. 2 Bellingham (20-4), No. 1 Ipswich (23-0) proved its mettle and capped off an undefeated season. The Tigers defeated Bellingham, 3-2, at Worcester State University to capture their third straight Div. 4 girls volleyball title.“I was a freshman when I watched the team win a state championship for the first time. My dream was to win a state championship and just winning two, I never imagined that would happen to me,” said junior Allison Pillis on her team’s title victoryBellingham opened the first set with a 22-19 lead, forcing Ipswich to call timeout. Ipswich then went on a 4-1 run to tie the set at 23-23. The teams traded points and tied the set again at 25. A spike through the middle from Pillis and mis-hit out of bounds from Bellingham allowed Ipswich to complete the rally and take the first set, 27-25.Bellingham stormed back in the second set. Again, they took a lead in the set at 17-13. After a timeout, Ipswich responded with a 4-1 ...

Driver that killed Massachusetts girl, 5, not at fault: Essex DA

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:59:04 GMT

An investigation into a tractor trailer striking and killing a 5-year-old girl traversing an Andover crosswalk in May has found the driver not at fault, according to the Essex County District Attorney.The driver will not face any criminal charges stemming from the May 9 incident, when the tractor trailer collided into and killed Sidney Mae Olson at the intersection of Route 28 and Elm Street, DA Paul Tucker said Friday.Sidney and a family member had been going through an Elm Street crosswalk on their way to art class, while the walk sign showed it was still safe to cross.“The investigative findings do not provide sufficient evidence to seek criminal charges against the driver of the tractor trailer,” a release from the DA’s office states. “The driver was stopped at the intersection. As he began to advance forward on the light turning green, he was unable to see Ms. Olson traveling on her scooter in the crosswalk below. The driver was not impaired by any substances and immediately ca...

A large metal gate falls onto and kills a 9-year-old child at an elementary school

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:59:04 GMT

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — A large metal gate at an elementary school in Arizona apparently fell onto and killed a 9-year-old child who was trying to help close it, authorities said. Deputies and paramedics responding to the Centennial Elementary School on Friday afternoon tried to revive the child, who was pronounced dead at a hospital, the Pima County sheriff’s office said in a statement.No other details have been released. The Associated Press emailed a request for more information to the sheriff’s office on Saturday.The Associated Press

Adam Johnson’s UK team retires his jersey number after the player’s skate-cut death

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:59:04 GMT

NOTTINGHAM, England (AP) — The English hockey team that Adam Johnson played for retired his No. 47 jersey on Saturday as part of a memorial game honoring the American who died after an opposing player’s skate cut his neck during a game.The Nottingham Panthers made the announcement moments before the start of their game against the Manchester Storm as players from both teams stood in a circle at center ice at Motorpoint Arena.“He will forever be our No. 47,” announcer Stef Litchfield said. “He was not only an outstanding hockey player but also a great teammate. He was an incredible person with his whole life ahead of him. We will miss him dearly.”The Panthers haven’t played since that Oct. 28 game last month in Sheffield.The death of the 29-year-old former Pittsburgh Penguins player has not only forced the sport to reexamine safety regulations but also sparked a criminal investigation locally that led to an arrest of a man on suspicion of manslaughter.The game, which was broadcast fr...

5-year-old boy fatally stabs twin brother in California

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:59:04 GMT

SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif. (AP) — A 5-year-old California boy fatally stabbed his twin brother, authorities said.The twins were fighting Wednesday when one brother grabbed a small kitchen knife and stabbed his sibling in unincorporated Scotts Valley, according to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office. The boy died at the hospital. “We are heartbroken for the family of these two young children and share in their grief,” the sheriff’s office wrote in a Facebook post on Thursday.Authorities said they do not plan to file criminal charges in the death. “California law dictates that age, criminal intent, and knowledge of wrongfulness are factors needed to charge a child with a crime,” the Facebook post stated. “Based on the current investigation, there is no indication of negligence or criminal activity by any other party.”Scotts Valley is roughly 55 miles (89 kilometers) south of San Francisco.The Associated Press

Quebec Premier François Legault defends decision to subsidize NHL pre-season games

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:59:04 GMT

RIVIERE-AU-RENARD, Que. — Quebec’s premier is defending his government’s decision to spend up to $7 million on two NHL pre-season games as opposition parties decry what they say is a poor use of public funds amid other economic and fiscal challenges.Quebec plans to spend between $5 million and $7 million to bring the Los Angeles Kings to Quebec City for two pre-season hockey matches against the Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers next year. The outcry over the move intensified when the Montreal Canadiens confirmed they would have been willing to play those same games for free. “It’s important to invest in leisure, whether it’s sports or culture,” François Legault told a Friday news conference in Rivière-au-Renard, Que. “I don’t know if you know, but the people of Quebec City would like to have a hockey team.” Legault added he hopes the venture will showcase the arena at Quebec City’s Videotron Centre and inspire the NHL to i...