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Ex-Penguins to play in Mid-Amateur
Former Youngstown State men's golf student-athletes Brandon Pluchinsky and Bryan Yeo have each qualified for the 2026 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship.
The pair of former Penguins were two of three players to qualify for the prestigious event on Aug. 6 at the 45th U.S. Mid-Amateur Qualifier at Oberlin Golf Club in Oberlin, Ohio. Yeo finished in first place with a six-under-par round of 66 while Pluchinsky tied for second place with a five-under-par 67.
The duo will now compete in the 2026 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship, which is scheduled for Sept. 26-Oct. 1 at Sand Valley Resort in Nekoosa, Wis. The event will feature a field of 264 competitors out of a record 6,124 entries. The U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship is open to any amateur golfer who has reached their 25th birthday as of Sept. 26 and whose Handicap Index does not exceed 2.4.
Yeo, a native of Litchfield, was a member of the YSU men's golf program from 2010-15. After redshirting as a true freshman in 2010-11, he went on to compete in 44 tournaments and 123 rounds over four seasons from 2011-12 through 2014-15. Yeo ranks fourth in program history in career rounds played.
Pluchinsky, a native of North Lima, was a standout for the Penguins from 2012-13 to 2015-16. He played in 41 tournaments and 113 rounds during his career while finishing in the top 11 at the Horizon League Championship in each of his four seasons. As a senior in 2015-16, Pluchinsky became the first Penguin to be named Horizon League Golfer of the Year while collecting First-Team All-Horizon League honors for the second straight season.
Pluchinsky also recently won Youngstown's annual Greatest Golfer of the Valley competition for an impressive eighth straight year and for the 10th time overall.
Mavericks buy out Klay Thompson
DALLAS -- The Dallas Mavericks and Klay Thompson have agreed on a contract buyout, ending a two-year tenure that was wrecked by the shocking trade of Luka Doncic.
Thompson intends to sign with the Miami Heat once he clears waivers, according to a person familiar with the five-time All-Star's plans. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Friday because Thompson has yet to reveal that detail publicly. Assuming he is not claimed by another club, Thompson may be able to sign with the Heat as early as Sunday.
The buyout announcement comes after the Mavericks missed the playoffs in both of Thompson's seasons, which came after Doncic led Dallas to the NBA Finals in 2024.
Thompson joined Dallas in a sign-and-trade with Golden State, giving the Mavericks one of the league's all-time great 3-point shooters to complement Doncic and another high-scoring guard in Kyrie Irving.
But the high hopes for that threesome imploded after the Mavericks sent Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for the oft-injured Anthony Davis in a deal before the trade deadline in 2025. Irving tore the ACL in his left knee a month later and hasn't played since. Davis was traded to the Washington Wizards just before the February trade deadline last season.
The Doncic trade ended up derailing the franchise, although Dallas overcame steep odds to win the draft lottery a few months later. With the No. 1 overall pick, the Mavericks selected Duke star freshman Cooper Flagg, who ended up winning Rookie of the Year and giving the franchise new hope.
The addition of Flagg helped led to Thompson coming off the bench in most games for the first time since his rookie year with Golden State.
The buyout of Thompson is the latest in a major retooling of the Dallas roster. His departure leaves just five players from opening day two years ago, along a new front office in president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri and general manager Mike Schmitz and a new coach in Dusty May, who replaced Jason Kidd.
Thompson won four NBA titles alongside Stephen Curry and Draymond Green with the Warriors. The 36-year-old spent his first 13 seasons with Golden State, although he missed two entire seasons with knee and Achilles injuries.
The five-time All-Star averaged 12.9 points and shot 39% from 3-point range in his two years with the Mavericks. His career marks are 19.6 points per game and 41% shooting from beyond the arc.
Thompson passed Damian Lillard for fourth place on the career 3-point list in January. He has 2,899 3-pointers, trailing Curry, James Harden and Ray Allen.
Thompson missed the playoffs just twice in the 11 seasons he played for the Warriors. He matched that number in his only two seasons with Dallas.
"Klay is one of the great players and competitors of his generation, and we are grateful for everything he brought to the Mavericks organization," Ujiri said. "We have tremendous respect for Klay and all that he has accomplished throughout his career."
Regional hunter safety class set
Chester-Newell Sportsmen Club is offering a free hunter education class is scheduled for Sept. 12 from 1-6 p.m. and Sept. 13 from 1-6:30 p.m. Participants must attend both days unless they took an online course.
Online students must attend Sunday and show proof of an online class completion.
The class is available to everyone in the tri-state region and is good in all 50 states and Canada.
A small lunch or snacks will be offered both days.
To register go to www.register-ed.com. Look for WV, then the club or the dates, and follow the instructions.
The club is located 131 Gas Valley Rd., Georgetown, PA. 15043, down the driveway behind Green Valley Dairy.
Please travel through farm at 5 mph.
For more information, text, call or leave a message for Vance at 3043745587
UGA women's soccer breaks record
ATHENS, Ga. -- The University of Georgia women's soccer team broke the NCAA attendance record for men or women with a crowd of 25,433 on Thursday night at Sanford Stadium for a 6-0 victory over James Madison.
Honoka Hamano scored twice for Georgia in the "Soccer in Sanford" match honoring the 30th anniversary of the United States women's gold-medal victory over China in the 1996 Olympics at the iconic 93,033-seat football stadium.
The crowd broke the women's mark of 14,410 set in the 1999 NCAA championship between North Carolina and Notre Dame in San Jose, California. The previous overall mark was 22,512 for a 1980 men's game at Busch Stadium in St. Louis between Saint Louis and Southern Illinois-Edwardsville.