Spartans, Blue Streaks wrestlers earn D-II sectional crowns at Kenston — and more

Conneaut coach Keith Sherman said his team wrestled about the way he expected during the Division II district tournament Saturday at Kenston High School.

Six Spartans placed at the tournament, three of which earned a spot in this weekend’s Division III District Tournament, also at Kenston.

Wyatt Distel led the way by taking the 190-pound championship.

Wyant Dobran finished second at 150 and Ben Griswold took third at 285.

The Spartans also received sixth-place finishes from Trea Butler (106), Jacob Wells (120) and Hunter Bilbrey (132).

“I think we got the guys through that we expected to get through,” Sherman said. “We would have liked to have maybe gotten one more, but things didn’t go our way. Other than that, though, I thought we wrestled well.”

Distel won the title by recording two pins, then won a 4-1 decision over Kent Roosevelt’s Nick Kurtz.

In the championship bout, Distel escaped from Madison’s Josh White with 51 seconds remaining in the third period, and was able to stay neutral for a 4-3 win.

“Wyatt has been wrestling with a lot more confidence,” Sherman said. “He’s getting better all the time, and he continues to wrestle well.”

Dobran advanced to the championship mat by pinning Medina Buckeye’s Carter Hershkowitz. He then ran into 2025 state placer Chance Schlauch from Perry, and was pinned.

Against Hershkowitz, Dobran trailed in the match, which Sherman said is not unusual. But it’s also not unusual for him to come back to win.

“That’s just how he wrestles,” the coach said. “He always seems to be behind early. He works his way back into the match and he gets a lot of pins.”

Griswold was denied a trip to the championship mat by Madison’s Cam Mullen, who pulled out a 1-0 win, getting an escape in the second period, for the only point in the bout.

It was the second time Griswold lost to Mullin this season. A slip on the mat at the Chagrin Valley Conference Tournament cost him there.

“That’s a match that could have gone either way,” Sherman said. “He couldn’t get off the bottom, but we have confidence that match could have gone the other way.”

It will be the second time wrestling in a district tournament for Distel and Griswold, except last year, Conneaut was at Independence in Division III .

Dobran advanced, but only as an alternate.

Sherman did not take a wrester to Columbus last year, but had done so the two previous years.

He said his wrestlers will travel across the state line in preparation for what will be the biggest tournament of their wrestling careers.

The Pennsylvania State tournament is this weekend, and Sherman will have his wrestlers at Erie Cathedral Prep, working with wrestlers preparing for the Keystone State’s highest honors.

“We get a good work out with some good Pennsylvania wrestlers,” Sherman said. “Wrestling those kids, that they know are good, that really helps their confidence.”

Also at the Kenston sectional, Madison qualified five wrestlers, including a pair of sectional champions.

Chase White (215), and Jordan McCullough (113) both breezed through their brackets, getting first-period pins in every match.

Mullen recorded a pair of pins before falling to Perry’s Trent Taylor in the 285 championship match, to post second.

Josh White won back-to-back close matches before falling in another close to Distel to place second.

Vicente Navarro placed third at 150.

Dom Gephart was fifth at 144 for Madison.

Like Sherman, Madison coach Andrew Tomaso said his wrestlers did pretty much what he expected of them.

Tomaso said seeing Josh White go out and take second exceeded his expectations a bit.

“That was a nice surprise,” Tomaso said. “I thought he had a chance to go; I just didn’t expect him to be a runner-up and lose a close match at that.

Edgewood, which also copeted at Kenston, received a fourth-place finish from Carter Cline at 106.

UCLA undoubtedly has the advantage in Indianapolis, but the Big Ten race may not be as simple as it looks on paper.

Here’s everything you need to know heading into the Big Ten women’s basketball tournament this week.

UCLA enters as top seed

UCLA might be the team that’s most-capable of knocking off UConn in the NCAA tournament, but the Big Ten won’t be simple for the Bruins by any means.

UCLA went a near-perfect 28-1 this season and will enter the Big Ten tournament in Indianapolis as the No. 2 team in the nation. The Bruins’ lone loss came against Texas back in November. Since then, they went undefeated in Big Ten play and ended the season on a 22-game win streak. They will very likely secure a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.

Lauren Betts put up 16.3 points and a league-high 8.8 rebounds per contest this season, and will be incredibly hard to stop in the tournament. Kiki Rice shot better than 50% from the field while adding 15.2 points per game, too.

But there were a few close calls along the way. No. 3 seed Michigan came within three points of knocking them off in early February, though Syla Swords missed a game-tying shot in the final seconds. Ohio State kept it within single digits, too. No. 2 seed Iowa, despite losing to UCLA by more than 20 points, also ended the year on a six-game win streak that included an 18-point rout of the Wolverines. 

Someone else leaving Indianapolis with the Big Ten tournament title is certainly in the realm of possibilities this week. But it’s going to take a perfect outing against the Bruins, and likely a little bit of help along the way, to get that done.

Big Ten women’s basketball tournament basics

When: March 4-8
Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse | Indianapolis
TV: Peacock, Big Ten Network

Big Ten women’s basketball schedule, results

All times ET

Wednesday, March 4 – First Round

Game 1 | No. 12 Nebraska vs. No. 13 Indiana | 3:30 p.m. | Peacock
Game 2 | No. 10 Illinois vs. No. 15 Wisconsin | 25 minutes after Game 1 | Peacock
Game 3 | No. 11 Oregon vs. No. 14 Purdue | 25 minutes after Game 2 | Peacock

Thursday, March 5 – Second Round

Game 4 | No. 8 Washington vs. No. 9 USC | 12 p.m. | BTN
Game 5 | No. 5 Ohio State vs. G1 Winner | 25 minutes after Game 4 | BTN
Game 6 | No. 7 Michigan State vs. G2 Winner | 6:30 p.m. | BTN
Game 7 | No. 6 Maryland vs. G3 Winner | 25 minutes after Game 6 | BTN

Friday, March 6 – Quarterfinals

Game 8 | No. 1 UCLA vs. G4 Winner | 12 p.m. | BTN
Game 9 | No. 4 Minnesota vs. G5 Winner | 25 minutes after Game 8 | BTN
Game 10 | No. 2 Iowa vs. G6 Winner | 6:30 p.m. | BTN
Game 11 | No. 3 Michigan vs. G7 Winner | 25 minutes after Game 10 | BTN

Saturday, March 7 – Semifinals

Game 12 | G8 Winner vs. G9 Winner | 2 p.m. | BTN
Game 13 | G10 Winner vs. G11 Winner | 4:30 p.m. | BTN

Sunday, March 8 – Championship

Game 14 | G12 Winner vs. G13 Winner | 2:15 p.m. | CBS

Udinese ended their negative streak with a badly-needed 3-0 victory sealed by Christian Kabasele, Keinan Davis and Adam Buksa, as Daniele Rugani had a disastrous Fiorentina debut.

The Viola had been transformed in recent weeks with three consecutive victories in all competition, but threw away a 3-0 first leg advantage in the Conference League play-off with Jagiellonia on Thursday, only scraping through in extra time. Dodo was suspended here, but Rolando Mandragora returned from his ban. Manor Solomon, Luca Lezzerini and Robin Gosens sustained injuries against Jagiellonia, so Daniele Rugani made his debut. Udinese were collapsing after three straight defeats, missing Arthur Atta, Oumar Solet and Alessandro Zanoli, but Keinan Davis returned after a month out.

There was a musical performance before kick-off, as this week is eight years since the death of Fiorentina captain Davide Astori, in a hotel in Udine in March 2018. Free cardiac checks are also organised in the stadium this month.

See how the game unfolded on the Liveblog.

UDINE, ITALY – MARCH 02: Fiorentina manager Paolo Vanoli looks on from the bench during the Serie A match between Udinese Calcio and ACF Fiorentina at Stadio Friuli on March 02, 2026 in Udine, Italy. (Photo by Timothy Rogers/Getty Images)

It took just 10 minutes to open the scoring, as Nicolò Zaniolo whipped a corner into the six-yard box and Christian Kabasele was allowed a free header, because Rugani had slipped.

Mandragora smashed a free kick over the bar, then blasted over from just inside the area, while Albert Gudmundsson hit a fresh-air volley on the dinked Niccolò Fagioli pass over the top.

Davis combined with Zaniolo and cut inside to shoot hard and low from 13 yards, forcing David De Gea to parry with his legs.

UDINE, ITALY – MARCH 02: Christian Kabasele of Udinese scores his team’s first goal with a header during the Serie A match between Udinese Calcio and ACF Fiorentina at Stadio Friuli on March 02, 2026 in Udine, Italy. (Photo by Timothy Rogers/Getty Images)

After the restart, Jack Harrison’s cross only grazed the head of Moise Kean at the back stick, and De Gea again denied Davis after a run from the centre-circle.

Another strong Davis run from his own half concluded with the Zaniolo effort deflected wide off Fabiano Parisi, and the striker was wrestled to the ground by Rugani as he tried to get on the end of an inspired Jordan Zemura pass. It was an inevitable penalty, which Davis converted himself.

UDINE, ITALY – MARCH 02: David De Gea of Fiorentina is beaten by Keinan Davis’s penalty strike for Udinese during the Serie A match between Udinese Calcio and ACF Fiorentina at Stadio Friuli on March 02, 2026 in Udine, Italy. (Photo by Timothy Rogers/Getty Images)

Bertola ran back for a brave block on Kean, spraining his ankle in the process, and Cher Ndour’s header whistled wide on the resulting corner.

Rugani completed his truly disastrous debut by allowing Adam Buksa to shrug off his attempt at a challenge when running onto the Lennon Miller knockdown, curling a left-foot finish into the far corner.

Udinese 3-0 Fiorentina

Kabasele 10 (U), Davis pen 64 (U), Buksa 94 (U)

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NEW YORK -- Brooklyn Nets rookie forward Danny Wolf has had some rough stretches this season ever since he entered head coach Jordi Fernandez's rotation towards the end of November. Wolf is coming off the best month of his rookie year and while Brooklyn was happy to see him figuring the game out, his recent performance could solidify why the franchise believed in him in the first place.

"I think earlier in the year when you guys asked me the same question [about adjusting to the NBA], I think my answer was the game is fast, like everything seems a little bit sped up compared to college," Wolf said after Sunday's 106-102 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. While the Nets lost another game to continue their losing streak since even before the All-Star break, Wolf had arguably his best outing of the year where he seemed to put everything together.

"I think now, 40-50 games into my NBA career, and just kind of obviously personal development, but just the reps you get, and then, you just see everything [a] second quicker," Wolf continued. "You're half a step quicker with your decisions, and teams are going to play you different ways, and it's on you to kind of adjust. But, credit to my coaching staff for kind of helping all five of the rookies develop."

Wolf, 21, put up 23 points, nine rebounds, and five assists in 27 minutes against James Harden and the Cavaliers while also finishing with the second-best plus-minus (+7) of any Nets player that took the floor on Sunday. Wolf, the 27th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, had his best month of the season to this point as he averaged 10.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game while shooting 41.8% from the field and 29.6% from three-point in February.

This season has been a rough one for Brooklyn since the calendar turned to January as the Nets haven't figured out how to reclaim their form from December when they looked like one of the best teams in the league. Whether the rest of this season will include the Nets correcting all of their issues or not, Brooklyn can rest easier knowing that one of their five first-round picks is slowly, but surely finding his groove as time goes on.

This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets rookie Danny Wolf discusses career-best game amidst recent surge

The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects who the Green Bay Packers could select in the 2026 NFL draft.

Since taking over as general manager of the Green Bay Packers in 2018, Brian Gutekunst has drafted 17 offensive linemen, and he's drafted at least one offensive lineman in every draft, except for the 2023 NFL Draft. That figure will increase at the conclusion of the 2026 NFL Draft.

A potential target in the upcoming draft is Kage Casey. The Boise State offensive lineman checks in at No. 55 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown.

A three-star recruit and Oregon native, Casey finished his career at Boise State with 41 starts at left tackle and he took 38 snaps at right tackle during his first season on campus. During his time at the Senior Bowl, he took reps at guard.

Casey finished his career at Boise State with 41 starts at left tackle. He also played 38 snaps at right tackle during his first season on campus. He’ll likely see reps at both tackle spots and potentially at guard this week down in Mobile. He’s a technician who uses a timely punch and stays balanced in his pass sets.

"You could say a lot about how Casey fits the blue-collar culture Boise State fosters," Shaun Goodwin, the Boise State beat writer for the Idaho Statesman, said. "Ultimately leading to him becoming a team captain in 2025, but above all, he embodies availability and consistency. He became a starter for Boise State as a redshirt freshman at the start of the 2023 season and started all 41 games from then until the 2025 Mountain West Championship."

The Boise State product has excellent play strength and the grip strength to control defenders in the run game. He has a powerful lower half and creates movement to blast open running lanes. He shows no restrictions once he gets out into space.

"In part due to his availability in 2024, Casey was the primary blocker for Jeanty in his record-breaking season," Goodwin said. "With a firm base and good hand placement, Casey can set himself in position and hold his ground against onrushing linemen. While you’ll mostly find Casey at the line of scrimmage, he has the ability to take off and help block downfield, too."

Casey is a technician who uses a timely punch and stays balanced in his pass sets. The former three-star recruit has the lateral quickness to mirror speed rushers and protect the corner. He's quick out of his stance to get into his pass set. The Boise State prospect has a high football IQ and understands angles and pass sets. With his lack of length (32-inch arms), Casey will likely kick inside to guard at the next level.

A year after giving up zero sacks and just six pressures, Casey gave up four sacks and 10 pressures this past season. It's worth noting that four of those pressures came during Boise State's first game of the season against USF.

"The 2024 numbers were certainly boosted by opposing teams stacking the box and putting so much pressure on Jeanty and the running game, but he still earned a 99.3 pass blocking efficiency in 2024, which ranked third among FBS offensive tackles," Goodwin said. "He remained a bright spot on an offensive line that struggled at times in 2025, in large part due to his game awareness. In pass protection, he’ll often maintain his distance and delay engagement, allowing him to react better to post-snap stunts through quick vertical movement, hand placement and strength."

Fit with the Packers

The Packers are set to have Rasheed Walker and Sean Rhyan hit free agency, while Elgton Jenkins is expected to be a cap casualty. 

With those potential departures, the Packers are expected to invest heavily in the offensive line as they look for a new starting center, a swing tackle and interior depth.

Casey offers tackle-guard versatility. He's a technician in pass protection and a road grader as a run blocker. Due to the current makeup of Green Bay's offensive line, he could potentially challenge Anthony Belton for the starting right guard spot as a rookie, and could be the team's long-term answer at left guard.

"You’re getting what you see with Casey: A reliable offensive tackle who is efficient in both the run and pass game," Goodwin said. "Along with his consistency and availability, Casey is a no-trouble, locker-room presence — he’s not the loudest in the room, but his work ethic and ability speak for themselves."

The Packers have had a ton of success turning college offensive tackles into all-pro caliber offensive guards. Casey could be the next college tackle to join that exclusive group. While he could stick at tackle, if he were to land with the Packers, his best long-term outlook would be at guard.

The Boise State product could be a Day 3 target for the Packers as they search for interior depth and a player who could step in at left or right tackle if something happens to Jordan Morgan or Zach Tom. Getting a player with his versatility, experience and football acumen on Day 3 would be incredibly valuable.

This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Unpacking Future Packers: No. 55, Boise State OL Kage Casey