UCLA’s Colson Yankoff does it all, and with a smile

• October 26, 2023

Coeur d’Alene High football coach Shawn Amos has lunch with UCLA’s Colson Yankoff whenever he’s back in his Idaho hometown. The two catch up on each other’s lives and Amos picks Yankoff’s brain about no-huddle offense.

Yankoff has played three different positions for the Bruins in his four seasons and counting – all with a smile and an optimistic attitude. One thought has remained constant in Amos’ mind since high school and it still holds true:

“Colson was going to crush it no matter what,” he said.

Yankoff is part of a deep running back corps this season and also is a PFF All-American Second Team honoree on special teams. He’s returned seven kicks for 142 yards through the first seven games and has been credited with nine total tackles.

The redshirt senior was a quarterback when he first came to UCLA.

“Getting a taste for all aspects of the game is something I’ve enjoyed,” Yankoff said. “I’ve just really enjoyed helping this team however I can. So if screaming down on kickoff for whatever special teams is the best way to do that, and then I’m all in.”

Coeur d’Alene, Yankoff’s hometown, is a rapidly growing city in northern Idaho that’s roughly a 3-hour drive from the Canadian border. Football is a big deal there, but Amos, who has been coaching the team since 1997, says the sport still has a small-town feel to it.

“Once a Viking, always a Viking,” the team’s dutifully updated Facebook page declares.

The coach estimates 18 of his former players are playing college football right now, but Yankoff, who was a four-star recruit in high school, is one of his most successful ones. The Coeur d’Alene community has its share of UCLA followers now – the high school wrestling coach, in particular, is a big fan.

Yankoff threw for 2,396 yards and 21 touchdowns during his senior season at Coeur d’Alene and rushed for an additional 1,027 yards and 12 touchdowns. He played some receiver early in high school, but he made a name for himself as a dual-threat quarterback.

Yankoff has never thrown a single pass at UCLA. He was moved to receiver in 2020 and picked up additional duties on special teams and remained there for the 2021 season, as well, until he was moved to yet another position.

“I have to admit, we were surprised with running back,” Amos said.

His trust in the coaching staff and willingness to help them has allowed Yankoff to move throughout the offense without friction.

“Candidly, that wasn’t a role I thought I would end up filling on this team,” Yankoff said. “But I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again: It’s been really enjoyable.”

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Overall athleticism (he also competed in track and field and basketball in high school) has also simplified the process of Yankoff’s position changes in addition to his mentality.

“Colson’s size, his strength, he’s one of the fastest guys on the team,” Coach Chip Kelly said in late August. “He’s 6-foot-4, he’s 230 pounds. He’s really come into his own as a special teams player and as a running back for us, so we’re really impressed with what Colson has put in during the course of his career here.”

The No. 23 Bruins (5-2 overall, 2-2 Pac-12), who host Colorado (4-3, 1-3) on Saturday, average 215.6 rushing yards per game, but Yankoff’s talents extend beyond the football field. He plays the piano, sings, goes hiking and camping and has an undergrad degree in economics. He’s made the Athletic Director’s honor roll 10 times.

“We had a lot of kids come through our program that they need us. We’re a very important part of their journey,” Amos said. “He’s one of those kids we’re just fortunate to be able to coach him.”

​ Orange County Register 

Police sources: At least 16 dead in Maine mass shooting incident

• October 26, 2023

By David Sharp | Associated Press

LEWISTON, Maine — CNN is reporting at least 16 people are dead in multiple shootings in Lewiston, Maine, Wednesday night, according to multiple law enforcement sources.

Fifty to 60 people are injured in the incidents, though it’s unclear how many are injured due to gunfire, the sources told CNN.

A suspect remains at large, the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office said in a post on Facebook.

“We are encouraging all businesses to lock down and or close while we investigate,” the sheriff’s office said earlier Wednesday evening.

Maine State Police ordered residents in the state’s second-largest city to shelter in place Wednesday night because of an active shooter situation in multiple locations.

Lewiston Police said in a Facebook post that they were dealing with an active shooter incident at Schemengees Bar and Grille and Sparetime Recreation, a bowling alley.

“Please stay off the roads to allow emergency responders access to the hospitals,” police said.

On its website, Central Maine Medical Center said staff were “reacting to a mass casualty, mass shooter event” and were coordinating with area hospitals to take in patients.

The alert for Lewiston was made shortly after 8 p.m. as the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office reported that law enforcement agencies were investigating “two active shooter events.” The sheriff’s office said the suspect was still at large.

“We are encouraging all businesses to lock down and or close while we investigate,” the sheriff’s office reported.

A spokesperson for Maine Department of Public Safety urged residents to stay in their homes with their doors locked.

“Law enforcement is currently investigating at two locations right now,” Shannon Moss said. “Again please stay off the streets and allow law enforcement to diffuse the situation.”

The Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office released two photos of the suspect on its Facebook page that showed a gunman walking into an establishment with a weapon raised to his shoulder.

Gov. Janet Mills released a statement echoing those instructions. She said she has been briefed on the situation and will remain in close contact with public safety officials.

Ange Amores, a spokesperson for the city of Lewiston, said city officials are not commenting on the shooting. Amores said Maine State Police were planning to hold a news conference, likely at city hall, to update the public on Wednesday night.

Maine Sen. Angus King, an independent, said he was “deeply sad for the city of Lewiston and all those worried about their family, friends and neighbors” and was monitoring the situation. King’s office said the senator would be headed directly home to Maine once the Senate’s final vote is held Thursday afternoon.

CNN contributed to this report.

​ Orange County Register 

Hoornstra: A 2023 World Series preview, through the eyes of major league scouts

• October 26, 2023

The author and statistician Nate Silver summed up the cynic’s view of a Texas Rangers-Arizona Diamondbacks World Series matchup on Tuesday night, writing on his Twitter/X account: “This is the least compelling World Series matchup in a long time, maybe ever. MLB made a lot of great and overdue changes this season but it’s time to contract the playoffs and give the regular season more meaning.”

Definitions of “compelling” might vary. MLB’s postseason structure is imperfect. Texas and Arizona combined for 174 regular-season wins, the fewest ever in a World Series matchup (excluding seasons shortened by wars or pandemics). The Diamondbacks’ 2001 championship is the only one in the history of either franchise.

None of this means the series can’t be an all-time classic.

While the shock of seeing the sixth-seeded team in the AL and NL reach the World Series is perhaps too much for traditionalists, the view on the ground is more nuanced. I spoke to scouts who have been observing both teams since the beginning of the season. The picture they paint is that of a pair of clubs whose talent might be imperfect on paper, but feature an ideal blend of youth and experience, managerial savvy, and have oodles of that all-important October ingredient: momentum.

Throw it all together and the matchup is – dare I say – compelling?

Here are four things to look for in the World Series, from the scouts’ view:

1. Powder keg bullpens

If the Rangers and Diamondbacks looked underwhelming on paper when the postseason began, you had to begin with the bullpens.

Arizona converted saves at a 62% rate in the regular season, smack-dab on par with the MLB average. General Manager Mike Hazen tried to resolve his closer-by-committee arrangement by acquiring Paul Sewald from the Seattle Mariners, but the veteran right-hander was suddenly walk-prone. He posted a 5.07 FIP (3.57 ERA) in 20 games.

Less than a month later, the D-backs can count the back end of their bullpen as a strength. Sewald, Kevin Ginkel and Ryan Thompson have looked unhittable at times. Playoff magic, good luck, or … a little of both?

“I think it points more toward the unpredictability of bullpens than anything else,” one National League scout said. “Everybody in the bullpen has a good arm. Right now, Ginkel can’t be touched. Sewald comes in and he’s going to get three outs before he gets in trouble. They’re blessed right now. God knows a series could turn around and go the other way. That’s the nature of bullpens: you can’t trust ’em, can’t live without ’em.”

If the D-backs’ bullpen was merely shaky in September, the Rangers could lay claim to having the worst bullpen of any postseason participant ever. They converted saves at a league-low 48% rate. No playoff team has ever blown more saves (33) than it converted (30) in a regular season since 1969, when saves became an official stat.

“And (Rangers manager Bruce) Bochy knows how to run a bullpen,” the NL scout remarked. “What if they had someone who didn’t!”

In October, Texas’ bullpen has converted all three of its save opportunities and won enough lopsided games to make many late-game situations moot. The heightened possibility of a late-game implosion arguably makes the World Series matchup more compelling. At the very least, it leaves two fan bases praying no game goes to extra innings.

2. Youth and experience

One National League scout was so blown away by both teams’ makeup, that he said he could not have predicted a better World Series matchup.

“I think the two best teams are still playing,” he said. “Well-rounded, balanced in all facets of the game, and in addition to being not just a balanced team on the field, the best clubhouses in the playoffs.”

Start with the blend of youth and experience, he said. The Rangers have playoff veterans (Corey Seager, Max Scherzer) and newcomers (Adolis Garcia, Evan Carter, Josh Jung) in key roles. So do the Diamondbacks (Evan Longoria, Tommy Pham; Corbin Carroll, Gabriel Moreno, Alek Thomas). That’s not a coincidence.

“Just enough youth to light a fire under the (butts) of the veteran guys, and just enough wisdom to rein in and focus the younger guys,” the NL scout said.

While many of the young players on both sides had prospect pedigrees long before the season began, that doesn’t mean they were destined to be able to carry a team to the World Series this early in their careers.

“Gabby Moreno is the difference-maker” for the Diamondbacks, said an AL scout. “I don’t think I had a lot of confidence in Moreno as a rookie to take over (at catcher).”

“The maturity of Carter’s at-bats have also probably surpassed expectations,” said another AL scout, “but that’s been true since his debut, so not really new postseason info.”

3. Surprise No. 3 starters

Brandon Pfaadt and Jordan Montgomery are not household names. Fans did not herald their midseason arrivals in Phoenix and Arlington, respectively, with expectations that they would complete a championship-caliber rotation. Yet here they are, complementing both teams’ expected aces, filling out the rotations each side needs to support their relatively weak bullpens.

Montgomery came to Texas in a deadline deal with the St. Louis Cardinals, then went 4-2 with a 2.79 ERA in 11 starts down the stretch. The left-hander was the winning pitcher in two of the four ALCS games (Nathan Eovaldi won the Rangers’ other two) and could be the toughest left-hander the Diamondbacks will face this month.

“Without Montgomery, they would not be where they are right now,” an NL scout said of the Rangers.

Pfaadt, a fifth-round pick in the five-round 2020 draft, had a 9.82 ERA when he was sent to Triple-A Reno in June. He returned a month later, appeared in 13 regular-season games, and posted a respectable 4.22 ERA – enough to earn a Game 1 start in the Wild Card Series. Now, through four postseason starts, the right-hander has a 2.70 ERA across 16⅔ innings. He struck out seven of the 18 Philadelphia batters he faced in Game 7 in the NLCS.

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“He trusts his stuff in the zone,” an AL scout said of Pfaadt. “I don’t think the demotion midyear was ‘he’s going to be starting for us in the playoffs and being a big part of it.’ You’re seeing it right in front of you, Pfaadt being a big-game type guy.”

4. Leadership

Scouts described Bochy and Arizona’s Torey Lovullo as “player’s managers.” Bochy’s three World Series championships with the San Francisco Giants, and his undefeated record in elimination games, are well-documented. Lovullo has had fewer chances to sink or swim on the October stage, but he’s the public face of the “family organization” the Diamondbacks have become under General Manager Mike Hazen.

Scouts believe both managers have used an “us-against-the-world” mentality to their teams’ advantage. That might sound cliché, but if it works, why not?

“I don’t think they are where they are if (Chris) Woodward’s still in that dugout,” an NL scout said of the Rangers.

“They believe they can beat any team right now,” an AL scout said of the Diamondbacks.

​ Orange County Register 

For season to stabilize, USC needs to unlock its defensive line

• October 26, 2023

LOS ANGELES — It was impossible to argue with Lincoln Riley’s preseason assessment of the changes in his defense, a locker room suddenly filled with heavyweights and transfer-portal talent, USC’s head coach delivering a late-August line eloquent in its simplicity.

“More good players. Less bad players.”

No disrespect intended. But on paper, it was the truth: filling the middle came the destructive Bear Alexander from Georgia and steady Kyon Barrs from Arizona, and the edges brought Jamil Muhammad from Georgia State and Anthony Lucas from Texas A&M, and USC seemed to have considerably more pieces for defensive coordinator Alex Grinch to maneuver on a turnover-predicated defensive chessboard.

“Our defense is more complicated than last year, which is good,” returning end Solomon Byrd said preseason, “because I don’t think teams will be, like, able to get a beat on us.”

They had their moment in the desert in a “Twilight-Zone”-esque night overall against Arizona State in September, running poor Sun Devils quarterback Drew Pyne ragged on an eight-sack night. Byrd, Muhammad, and returner Romello Height wreaked havoc from the outside. Alexander continued a torrid start rampaging through forests of interior offensive linemen.

Opening the second half in Boulder the following week, as USC amassed a 41-14 lead, Muhammad brought down Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders to end a Buffs drive. Then Height tracked him down on a third-and-15 on the following drive, bouncing up into a “Karate-Kid”-style crane pose in celebration.

Then teams, well, got a beat on them. And USC’s season collapsed.

Since Height went Daniel LaRusso in that third quarter, 24th-ranked USC (6-2 overall, 4-1 Pac-12) has amassed just three sacks and a handful of pressures, a far cry from the front’s dominant early-season games against Nevada and Arizona State.

Returning tackle De’Jon Benton brought down Sanders once more in that Colorado game, but Sanders largely avoided pockets collapsing through a variety of play-action and quick-hit fourth-quarter looks to dice up USC’s secondary. Then Arizona’s offensive line ground down the Trojans’ front. Notre Dame neutralized them completely, with just three pressures and no hits generated in a harsh loss. And Utah’s Bryson Barnes ran circles around them, exacerbating glaring issues with containing mobile quarterbacks.

“Maybe just, guys are just out of position,” linebacker Mason Cobb said Tuesday, after Barnes ran for 52 yards and a game-sealing scramble with seconds left in the fourth quarter. “They kept running that lead and trying to chase it from the backside and play the read from the quarterback. And I feel like guys are just hesitant a little bit.”

No player appeared more out of position against Utah – through little fault of his own – than freshman Braylan Shelby, a 6-foot-5, 245-pound tornado of a pass-rusher who Grinch deployed on the third play of the game Saturday to “put some bigger bodies on the field,” as Grinch said Tuesday.

Shelby was torched, unceremoniously, on a wheel route by safety Sione Vaki for a 53-yard gain.

It happened again, on a similar play in the fourth quarter, Shelby forced into coverage on Vaki as the Utah two-way dynamo took another catch for 36 yards.

“There’s no justification for doing it, other than it’s a play that hasn’t shown up on video,” Grinch said Tuesday as the team prepares to play at Cal (3-4, 1-3) on Saturday.

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And then the Twitter account The Trojan Blade dropped the smoking gun, clear and indisputable proof that there had, in fact, been readily available video of such a play in Utah’s previous game against Cal.

Naturally, the development drew a fresh and unrelenting wave of ire against Grinch, the embattled coordinator who gamely shrugged off pressure when asked about it Tuesday. But beyond schematic choices, USC also had clear trouble getting simple production out of its new-look defensive front.

Muhammad (six sacks), Height (four) and Byrd (five) have taken noticeable and consistent leaps as pass-rushers. But Alexander, after a dominant start, was benched for returner Benton after penalties against Colorado and was visibly emotional on the sidelines after being ejected for targeting against Utah. Lucas and Barr have seen inconsistent and largely unproductive snaps. Purdue transfer Jack Sullivan was dropped from the rotation entirely against Utah.

“Probably, I can do a better job of – keep feeding all of them,” defensive line coach Shaun Nua said this week of his line on an appearance on the “Trojans Live” radio show.

That line needs more mouths to eat, for this defense to play a role in salvaging the season.

​ Orange County Register 

Servite football coach Chris Reinert values the lessons from challenging end with Colorado Buffaloes

• October 26, 2023

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It was early October of last year. Servite football coach Chris Reinert still remembers the day.

He was in his third season coaching under Karl Dorrell at the University of Colorado. The Buffaloes were 0-5, with most of the losses via blowout.

Reinert’s wife was pregnant with a second child when an announcement from the university arrived liked a pounding at the front door. Dorrell was fired, along with defensive coordinator Chris Wilson.

“They basically tasked the remaining coaches and assistants with, ‘Hey, be a pro and hold this thing together for the final (seven games),’ ” Reinert recalled.

And so began an important learning experience for Reinert, who has used those lessons to lead a major turnaround in his first season at Servite, his alma mater.

The Friars enter their Trinity League finale Friday against JSerra with a 5-4 overall record, which at minimum makes them a likely at-large selection for the CIF Southern Section playoffs.

Servite is 10th in Calpreps’ ratings for the section just one season after a 1-9 finish, the worst in school history. Highly-successful coach Troy Thomas and the school “parted ways” about two weeks after the 2022 campaign, setting the stage for Reinert’s hiring in December.

Last week, Servite knocked off Santa Margarita 50-42 to snap a 10-game losing streak in the Trinity League.

Friars quarterback Leo Hannan has dubbed the season “a revenge tour” after their struggles last fall.

“These teams whooped on us last year,” he said. “That chip on our shoulder drives us.”

Reinert has credited Thomas for the players he helped develop. The Friars feature several strong juniors, including Hannan, running back Quaid Carr and sophomores to watch such as Devan Parker, Saxon Churchwell, Tristin Ordaz and Brando Mosqueda.

But Reinert’s experiences at Colorado have served him well. He coached as the special team coordinator under interim coach Mike Sanford Jr., who played at Los Alamitos.

“Those last (several) weeks were probably the most impactful for me as far as being a head coach,” Reinert said. “The way Mike Sanford handled his business and the way he approached (adversity).”

“The kids had fun,” he added, “and believed that they could win even though we didn’t. But it was an enjoyable experience despite the circumstances.”

Things are now different at Colorado. Coach Deion Sanders, or Coach Prime as he is known, transformed the roster through the transfer portal and has the Buffaloes off a 4-3 record going into their clash with UCLA on Saturday night at the Rose Bowl.

Reinert has marveled at Colorado’s success but empathizes with his former players. It’s relationships that mean the most to him, especially his formative ones at Servite.

“I love what Servite did for me, for my family, for my brother,” he said. “Seven of my eight groomsmen where Servite guys, and the eighth one says he was but he went to Brea Olinda. Those guys are at every game (now) on the sideline.”

“The most important thing for me is to give (our players) an experience kind of like what I got,” Reinert added. “(The school) was challenging but you learn how to survive through adverse situations and thrive and grow.”

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​ Orange County Register 

7 contract salmonella from raw milk, says OC Health Care Agency

• October 26, 2023

SANTA ANA — The Orange County Health Care Agency reported Wednesday that seven people have been infected with salmonella linked to unpasteurized milk that has been subjected to a recent recall.

Officials urged consumers who have bought the milk from Raw Farm LLC to discard the product, and said anyone who drank the milk should seek medical care.

All of the seven infections occurred within the past month, officials said. Those infected range in age from 1 to 20 years old.

Raw milk is not pasteurized, which is a process that heats the product up to a high degree for a short time to kill any harmful germs such as salmonella, listeria and E. coli. The process does not affect the nutritional value of the milk, officials said.

Symptoms of salmonella include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps that range from severe to mild and usually occur about six hours to six days after infection. Some infections do not lead to symptoms. The illness lasts four to seven days and most of those infected recover without treatment, but it can lead to hospitalization, officials said.

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​ Orange County Register 

The kids these days: Political Cartoons

• October 26, 2023

Check out our regular cartoon gallery featuring some of the best cartoonists from around the world, and across the political spectrum, covering current issues and figures.

​ Orange County Register 

Dodgers outfielder David Peralta undergoes arm surgery

• October 26, 2023

Just a couple of weeks before he will become a free agent, Dodgers outfielder David Peralta underwent surgery on his left arm that could affect his availability for the 2024 season.

The 36-year-old Peralta announced the surgery with a post-op photo on his Instagram account on Tuesday. The procedure was apparently a flexor tendon repair to address an issue Peralta had been playing with for much of the 2023 season.

Peralta underwent back surgery last fall and did not sign as a free agent until agreeing to a one-year, $6.5 million contract with the Dodgers in February. By avoiding the injured list and spending over 150 days on the Dodgers’ active roster, Peralta added $1.5 million in bonuses to his salary.

A Gold Glove winner with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2019, Peralta is one of three finalists for the award this year along with fellow left fielders Eddie Rosario of the Atlanta Braves and Ian Happ of the Chicago Cubs.

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But playing with the injury appears to have affected Peralta’s offensive production, particularly his power.

Used almost exclusively against right-handed pitching, Peralta was hitting .283 with seven home runs and a .757 OPS at the All-Star break. In the second half, though, he hit just .231 with a .578 OPS. The last of his seven home runs came on July 8.

Peralta is expected to recover in time for the 2024 season but is not likely to be re-signed by the Dodgers.

​ Orange County Register