Esperanza girls flag football soars with blend of multi-sport athletes, and coach

• October 10, 2023

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The more diverse the student-athlete, the better.

That’s one of the strongest themes that has catapulted Esperanza’s girls flag football team in the national rankings and to an Orange County-best 17-0 record.

The Aztecs’ roster is comprised of several players from the school’s highly-successful softball and girls basketball programs, along with a few others from soccer, water polo and golf.

Coach Jimmy Valverde is best-known as Esperanza girls basketball coach, though he also has coached baseball.

“We’re having a blast,” he said recently of his flag football team. “We have girls from all over the place … and now they’re all friends because of football.”

Esperanza enters the stretch drive of the inaugural flag football season in the CIF Southern Section with a 17-0 record and a No. 3 national rankings by MaxPreps. Newport Harbor and Woodbridge are No. 1 and No. 2, respectively.

The Aztecs’ offense features quarterback Madi Lam, who has passed for more than 3,400 yards and 61 touchdowns. In the winter, the sophomore is a standout point guard for Valverde in basketball.

Lam’s top target is senior Bailey Frazier, who has 87 catches for 951 yards and 11 TDs. She plays forward in basketball.

Esperanza’s arsenal of receivers is deep. Frazier’s sister Ellie, a sophomore who also plays basketball, as 55 receptions for 772 yards and a team-high 13 touchdowns.

Alexis Quon, another receiver who plays basketball, has tallied 47 receptions for 609 yards and 10 TDs.

Senior Taylor Shumaker, an All-County center fielder in softball, has hauled in 10 touchdowns in 10 games. She is committed to Florida for softball.

Shumaker is one of six softball players on the flag football team. Mia Sanchez, a standout pitcher in softball, is another one of the Aztecs’ quarterbacks.

“I got athletes, man,” said Valverde, who is assisted by coaches Jim Lam and Chris Fitzgerald. “We’re a fun team to watch.”

On defense, Bailey Frazier leads the team in flags pulled with 61. Sophomore Emma Gribben, who also plays water polo, is second with 58 and also has 40 catches for 428 yards and one score.

Lam and Ellie Frazier have eight and seven interceptions, respectively. Shumaker and junior Daniela Vejar, another softball player, each have five sacks.

Esperanza’s season continues Tuesday at St. Joseph (14-3). But like he has shown in basketball, Valverde isn’t all about the victories.

“We work hard,” he said. “We’re going to win the right way, and we’re going to lose with some class.”

The latter, however, hasn’t yet happened.

Please send flag football news to Dan Albano at [email protected] or @ocvarsityguy on X and Instagram

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​ Orange County Register 

Newsom vetoes $1 billion fund for troubled LA County juvenile halls, camps

• October 10, 2023

Gov. Gavin Newsom has vetoed a bill earmarking up to $1 billion to support infrastructure improvements at Los Angeles County’s embattled juvenile halls and camps.

Newsom sent the bill, AB 695, back to the Assembly without his signature on Sunday, Oct. 8, saying he could not support it for financial reasons.

“New grant programs such as the program proposed in this bill must be considered and evaluated in the annual budget process in the context of all state funding priorities,” Newsom wrote in his veto letter.

This year, the Legislature passed bills outside of the budget process that would have added $19 billion in unaccounted costs if signed, he said.

“With our state facing continuing economic risk and revenue uncertainty, it is important to remain disciplined when considering bills with significant fiscal implications, such as this measure,” Newsom wrote.

Reformers applaud veto

Juvenile justice reform advocates applauded Newsom’s decision, as they see the bill as a waste of taxpayer resources and maintain that problems at the juvenile halls have nothing to do with the physical structures.

In a statement, Milinda Kakani and Aditi Sherikar, senior policy associates for the Children’s Defense Fund California, called on state and local legislators to use the bill’s veto to follow through with promised reforms.

“AB 695 stood in stark contrast to Youth Justice Reimagined, a vision that involves replacing a fundamentally flawed Probation Department with a system rooted in community care and healing,” they stated. “Our hope is that this veto pushes LA County Supervisors and legislators to boldly implement that vision with urgency and fidelity.”

AB 695, introduced by Assemblymember Blanca Pacheco, would have authorized the Board of State and Community Corrections — a state agency that recently shuttered two of Los Angeles County’s juvenile halls over poor conditions — to issue grants specifically to L.A. County for improvements such as the construction of new living quarters and modernized spaces for rehabilitative and educational programs.

It did not set a dollar amount, though the Senate Appropriations Committee estimated the hit to the state’s general fund would be in the “high hundreds of millions” of dollars, potentially up to $1 billion, to address the “critical needs of the juvenile facilities in Los Angeles.”

More deadlines loom

The bill passed in the Legislature in September, the same week that the BSCC warned it may be forced to close more of Los Angeles County’s juvenile facilities if the county fails address a series of deficiencies discovered by state inspectors earlier this year.

The Probation Department has until Tuesday, Oct. 10, and Oct. 18, respectively, to submit approved Corrective Action Plans for the Barry J. Nidorf Secure Youth Treatment Facility in Sylmar and Los Padrinos, the county’s largest juvenile hall, in Downey. If the plans are not approved, those facilities could be declared “unsuitable,” a designation that could force them to shutter within 60 days.

Though all sides agree Los Angeles County needs to do more, AB 695 was divisive, even among county officials.

Three county supervisors supported it, alongside a number of probation and law enforcement unions, as an opportunity to fund renovations and upgrades at Los Angeles County’s aging facilities and to build a new training facility for the Probation Department.

Facility issues

Los Padrinos originally opened in 1957 and, though it underwent significant renovations before it reopened in July, much more work is needed to bring it up to modern standards.

Not long after it reopened, visitors complained of broken air conditioners, moldy smells, and dripping paint.

A youth managed to scale one of the walls during an escape attempt in the first month before he was recaptured in a neighboring golf course.

County officials have discussed building a system of nets around the facility to prevent contraband from being thrown over the walls, installing airport-style body scanners at the entrances and creating separate, self-contained “campuses’ throughout the facility.

‘Reimagining’ youth justice

But juvenile justice reform advocates and the other two supervisors believed the high level of funding through AB 695 would tether the county to its long-troubled Probation Department and stymie efforts to dismantle the current system through Youth Justice Reimagined, a proposal unanimously approved by the Board of Supervisors in 2020.

Youth Justice Reimagined proposed placing youth in the custody of the newly created Department of Youth Development and would dedicate resources to diversion and intervention programs, in-home confinement and to the construction of smaller “safe and secure healing centers” spread throughout the county.

The county will, however, need to change state law for that to become a reality, as currently only probation departments and probation officers can oversee the custody of juveniles.

Related links

Bill would give LA County juvenile halls up to $1 billion in funding, if they aren’t shut down first
Teen recaptured after escaping from Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall during brawl with staff
LA County moves first 88 youth detainees to Los Padrinos ahead of state shutdown
ACLU condemns LA County plan to reopen Los Padrinos, assign reserve deputies to troubled juvenile halls
Court will oversee reforms to L.A. County juvenile halls plagued with abuse, unsafe conditions, state A.G. says

​ Orange County Register 

D’Angelo Russell’s playmaking and other takeaways from Lakers’ preseason opener

• October 8, 2023

When it comes to making observations from preseason play – especially the first game – prudence is important to practice.

It’s the first basketball game teams have played in four-to-six months.

Rhythm needs to be reestablished. Rotations and lineups need to be sorted out. And oftentimes, teams’ best players either play limited minutes or don’t play at all. Both were the case for the Lakers in Saturday’s 125-108 loss to the Golden State Warriors: LeBron James and Austin Reaves were healthy scratches, while Anthony Davis and D’Angelo Russell didn’t play in the second half.

But that doesn’t make the games meaningless.

They offer the first insights into how a team is gelling after the offseason and training camp. Strengths, areas of improvements and players ready for breakout seasons can show themselves.

“Obviously, it’s the preseason, so kinda wanted to let guys get their beak wet a little bit,” coach Darvin Ham said. “But overall, there’s definitely some things we need to clean up. That’s usually the case after a first preseason game. It was good to play against some foreign competition, and a lot of guys get up and down in a game setting.

“Overall, I’m pleased. We definitely have some things we need to clean up a little bit. But I like the makeup of our group.”

Here are three takeaways from the Lakers’ preseason opener, with their next game coming against the Brooklyn Nets on Monday in Las Vegas:

RUSSELL’S PLAYMAKING

If there were any doubts about what Russell could provide after his struggles in last season’s Western Conference finals, Saturday was a quick reminder of how he can help the Lakers – especially on the offensive end.

He finished with 15 points (6-of-10 shooting, 2 for 3 from 3-point range) and five assists in 15 first-half minutes.

But more impressive than Russell’s stat line was the way he toggled between setting up scoring opportunities for his teammates and creating his own looks as a ball handler.

“D-Lo did a great job of being methodical in our middle pick-and-roll,” Ham said.

Entering his ninth NBA season, Russell’s seen pretty much every defensive coverage and can operate in a myriad of ways – off and on the ball.

But Saturday was a reminder of the playmaking he can bring, especially when James and Reaves aren’t on the floor.

CHRISTIE SHINES

Second-year guard Max Christie’s play during summer league made it clear he may be ready for a larger role on the Lakers.

His play in the preseason opener only backed that up.

Christie (15 points on 6-of-10 shooting in 25 minutes) found his rhythm in the third quarter once Russell and Davis were no longer playing.

The muscle he’s added to his frame is evident and it’s helped him become more comfortable attacking off the dribble, either going to his pull-up in the midrange or getting all the way to the rim.

“His ability to score, toughness, defend – he does it all,” Davis said. “Ultimate confidence. There’s a lot of things you can say about Max. He’s putting it together. He knows where to pick his spots on the floor, where he’s going to score, where to make the right plays. And just being aggressive. We’re going to need that from him at some point this season.

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Davis’ jump shot has come into focus since his 3-point accuracy and 3-point attempts have regressed over the last few seasons.

Consider Saturday a step in the right direction.

Davis (15 points on 6-of-11 shooting to go with five rebounds in 13 minutes) knocked down two of his three 3-point attempts. But the accuracy wasn’t the only encouraging part.

There wasn’t any hesitation in letting it fly from beyond the arc when the Warriors sagged off of him defensively.

“It’s no different [from last season],” Davis said. “The way our spacing is, new plays that we implemented, and I was open. That’s really it. Our guards did a good job of penetrating the defense and finding the right guys. As long as they keep putting pressure on the defense and keep getting downhill, all them types of shots will be open and not just for me but for all our guys.”

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USC-Arizona review: The 8 wackiest moments, numbers, and plays

• October 8, 2023

At 2:30 a.m. Sunday, behind a long-deserted Modelo stand, a black cat roamed the hemisphere of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

It did not appear to have an owner. It did not appear to have a home. No cats, explicitly, are permitted on the grounds of the Coliseum, so it was a mystery as to how this particular feline had made its way onto the premises.

It seemed a final summation, a literal black-cat-crossing-path omen, of a truly unhinged final chapter of the Pac-12 After Dark saga, USC besting Arizona 43-41 in three overtimes in a game that seemed destined to continue forever. A testament to Caleb Williams and the Trojans’ fortitude, matching an Arizona team blow-for-blow. And a testament to the amount of weirdness that took place at the Coliseum Saturday, a slew of strange moments revealing plenty about a 6-0 USC team that has nonetheless made its last three games — against inferior teams — seem incredibly difficult.

A breakdown, in descending order, of the eight most bizarre moments and facts from USC’s win Saturday night:

8. Big fat zero

With 12:26 left to play in the second quarter, as Arizona had racked up a 17-0 lead, USC’s offense — gaining just one first down on a penalty — had gained exactly 0 total yards.

Zero.

This was, perhaps, the best unit in the country, led by the best quarterback in the country. But Williams and the offense started unfathomably slow Saturday, in part because of defensive-back-heavy dollar coverages Arizona threw at USC’s receivers.

“Yeah, you got a couple extra defenders out there in the back-end,” receiver Tahj Washington said postgame, “just trying to find those zones, in those spots.”

7. Noah Fifita throws five touchdowns

Arizona’s quarterback Noah Fifita – a name familiar to many in Southern California from banner days at Servite High – was a freshman backup who’d started exactly one game in his collegiate career. And he picked apart USC’s secondary from wire to wire.

“The defense is what got us going,” Riley said postgame, referring to Covington’s pick. “And the defense is what won us this football game.”

The defense also allowed Fifita to throw for five touchdowns.

6. Simmering defense of the defense

Signs of Williams’ discontent with clamor over USC’s defense emerged Saturday, against Colorado, when Riley was asked a question about his trust in Alex Grinch and Williams gave a noticeable eye-roll.

And after Arizona, when Riley was asked a simple question about evaluating the Trojans’ defense through six games, Williams jumped in unprompted after his head coach’s answer.

“We wouldn’t have won that game without defense – we were set up, we were down 17-0,” Williams said. “So this whole … defense thing. Our brothers. The score wouldn’t be 43-41 without ‘em. So, put it simply that way.”

5. Calen Bullock’s desperation

After safety Bullock homing-missled in to swat away a pass on an Arizona two-point conversion attempt in double overtime, the USC safety returned to the sideline so desperate for offensive success that he physically got on his knees for USC’s following two-point conversion attempt, he said postgame.

“Just like, c’mon, you gotta get this,” Bullock said.

4. A winning formation

Williams, indeed, ran in that conversion off one of the strangest formations in the Riley era.

Every single member of the USC offensive line shifted to the far left side of the field, dragging six visibly confused Arizona defenders with them, and Williams suddenly had tight end Lake McRee snapping him the ball and a sort of five-on-five situation to work with.

“We’ve been working it,” Riley said postgame. “Glad we had confidence to get it done.”

3. USC’s special teams vie for fumble in unorthodox effort

This only stands at third because it was ultimately inconsequential, but no moment from Saturday was perhaps stranger than a USC punt in the first quarter, when Prophet Brown, Jac Casasante and Max Williams suddenly gang-rushed punt returner Jacob Cowing – content to simply let the ball lay as it lie – and physically dragged him towards the settling pigskin in a seeming effort to have him touch the ball and thereby force a fumble.

It didn’t work, and felt illegal, even as no flags were called. It also was … genius, if executed properly?

2. The field-goal oopsie

A bad snap led to Denis Lynch kicking a 25-yard field-goal attempt – that would have won the game at the end of regulation – all of about five feet. Brutal.

1. Mason Cobb playing down a rib

After making the game-sealing tackle on Arizona’s final two-point conversion attempt, Cobb hit the postgame podium for USC’s most entertaining interview of the year, utterly wired and dropping two f-bombs and casually letting slip to a room of dumbfounded reporters that he’d played much of the game with a rib that had physically popped out.

He said it as if he’d received a slight booboo. His mother Ruth calls him her “warrior” for a reason.

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Dodgers’ Dave Roberts stands behind Clayton Kershaw despite Game 1 debacle

• October 8, 2023

LOS ANGELES – The day after the worst start of Clayton Kershaw’s career, his manager was unequivocal in saying the veteran left-hander will start again if their National League Division Series with the Arizona Diamondbacks reaches a Game 4.

“For me, that’s the best option, and I see it as the only option,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before an optional workout Sunday attended by nearly the entire team – including Kershaw who went through his normal post-start workout on the field.

Calling Kershaw the only option for a Game 4 start seems hyperbolic.

The Dodgers will start rookie right-hander Bobby Miller in Game 2, leaving veteran Lance Lynn and another rookie Ryan Pepiot available for Games 3 and 4. But the Dodgers have not announced a starter for Game 3 and would probably prefer to pair Lynn and Pepiot together in that game.

“I’m going to manage Game 2 like it’s Game 7. And I’m going to do the same thing for Game 3,” Roberts said. “Could things change? Possibly, yeah. But I’ve still got all the confidence in our guys preventing runs and using them in the right way and the best possible way to win baseball games.

“But, yeah, I think the fallout is Clayton is going to start Game 4”

Asked if that was something that would be re-assessed as the series goes on, Roberts said, “I don’t think so.”

“For me, there’s certain people that get you here that have to get you across the finish line, and this is his role on our ballclub,” Roberts said.

“What I do know is for us to accomplish what we want to this year, we’re going to need Clayton Kershaw to start baseball games. And I’ve got all the confidence in the world that he can do that and he’s going to be just fine.”

Kershaw faced just eight hitters in Game 1 and retired only one. Seven of the eight hitters put balls in play with exit velocities of at least 98 mph and an average of 105.2 mph.

His velocity was actually up from the 88.7 mph his fastball averaged over his final three starts of the regular season – he averaged 90.4 mph on the 17 fastballs he threw before exiting Saturday night. And Dodgers catcher Will Smith said Kershaw’s pitch mix “looked like his normal stuff that it’s been all year.”

“You look at Clayton Kershaw, he’s arguably one of the best pitchers ever,” Smith said. “But he’s human. He makes mistakes. So I expect him to come back in a few days ready to go.”

Kershaw’s unspecified shoulder injury landed him on the Injured List for six weeks at mid-season and limited him after he returned. If he does start in Game 4 on Thursday in Arizona, it will be his first start on only four days’ rest since May 21.

But Kershaw insisted there was “nothing health-related here” that led to his Game 1 performance. Roberts has said he believes Kershaw is in “as good a place” as he’s been since returning from the IL in early August.

“I really don’t believe it’s health. I don’t,” Roberts said again Sunday. “I think sometimes – as Clayton did yesterday – you’ve just got to take your medicine and say I wasn’t good enough in that particular outing.

“If you look at the stuff, everything was actually a tick up from what it’s been. So the recovery, the stuff in-game doesn’t speak to anything with the arm. So for me, it was one of those days that you tip your hat to those guys. And they executed a game plan and we’ve got to learn from it and get better. But it’s nothing to do with the injury to the shoulder, nothing.

“I still stand by the fact that he’s healthy. The stuff played up and now we’ve just got to make better pitches.”

The Dodgers will ask Miller to help them get to the series to a fourth game. The 24-year-old rookie faced the Diamondbacks twice in August, once in Arizona and once at Dodger Stadium. He pitched six scoreless innings at Chase Field then gave up four runs on seven hits in six innings at home.

“He’s ready,” Freddie Freeman said of Miller. “Just from the first start he made this year to where he’s at now, the mound poise, the way he’s commanding the baseball, how he’s attacking hitters – we feel pretty good with him.”

UP NEXT

NLDS Game 2 – Diamondbacks (RHP Zac Gallen, 17-9, 3.47 ERA) at Dodgers (RHP Bobby Miller, 11-4, 3.76 ERA), Monday, 6:07 p.m., TBS, 570 AM

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First glance at the Mater Dei vs. St. John Bosco matchup

• October 8, 2023

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AT FIRST GLANCE

Mater Dei (7-0, 2-0) vs. St. John Bosco (6-1, 2-0)

At St. John Bosco, Friday, Oct. 13, 7 p.m.

Broadcast: Bally Sports

National rankings

MaxPreps, Oct. 2: Mater Dei (1), St. John Bosco (9)

Calpreps: Mater Dei (1), St. John Bosco (7)

High School Football America: Mater Dei (1), St, John Bosco (6)

Tickets: GoFan will have a link available Monday at 9 a.m.

Notable: Mater Dei and St. John Bosco have played three common opponents, including Kahuku of Hawaii (9-1). Mater Dei defeated Kahuku 55-8 in Santa Ana on Sept. 9 while St. John Bosco was upset by the Red Raiders 30-23 in Hawaii on Sept. 16. It was the Braves’ first nonleague loss since 2017. …

St. John Bosco beat Mater Dei 24-22 in the CIF-SS Division 1 final last season at the Rose Bowl en route to its third national title under coach Jason Negro. The clash marked the final game for longtime Mater Dei coach Bruce Rollinson, who has been replaced by assistant Frank McManus. …

Senior quarterback Elijah Brown has led Mater Dei to Trinity League victories against St. John Bosco the past three seasons, including a 17-7 triumph in October 2022 at Santa Ana Stadium. The Monarchs have claimed the past four Trinity League titles.

Trinity League Football podcast: Oct. 4 show

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Keegan Jones’ blazing speed helps UCLA get past Washington State

• October 8, 2023

UCLA defensive lineman Carl Jones couldn’t hold back his thoughts as Carson Steele spoke of fellow running back Keegan Jones’ speed.

“He’s so fast,” Carl said to no one in particular during the postgame press conference on Saturday, shaking his head as he scanned the stat sheet, looking for Jones’ numbers.

“We’re just so close,” Carl said. “Seeing everything that he does at practice and him able to get his number called and him do what he what he did today when his number did get called, it’s just a testament to what he does at practice.”

Jones hadn’t had a carry all season, but was handed the ball three times and took it to the house twice in UCLA’s 25-17 win over Washington State on Saturday afternoon. His speed and shiftiness add even more tools to a running back room that’s already deep.

Jones, who was a 200-meter dash Tennessee state champion in high school, was moved to receiver in the spring after showing versatility at the running back position in his first four seasons with the Bruins. He ended 2022 with 320 rushing yards with five touchdowns and 237 receiving yards with four touchdowns.

Currently, Jones is spending time with both the receivers and the running backs during practices.

“It’s hard enough for me to remember all the plays,” Steele said. “I couldn’t imagine him trying to remember all those wide receiver positions and stuff. But him just being able to come in and execute, it’s how we win games.”

Coach Chip Kelly has called on multiple running backs this season during games. TJ Harden (286 yards, two TDs) has been lauded for his vision, while Anthony Adkins (122 yards, one TD) and Colson Yankoff (82 yards, one TD) bring physicality.

Steele shouldered the load on Saturday against the Cougars, running through defenders with rugged determination to reach 140 yards on 30 carries. UCLA totaled 192 yards on the ground.

“We had to get one first down to finish the game,” Kelly said, “and on the first play, he just went through like three guys that just kept going. But I think the fact that TJ can play and Anthony Adkins can really play, Keegan can play and Colson can play. We’re gonna get tested and the fact that we have some depth there is a real positive for us.”

Moore seeking advice from DTR

UCLA almuni Zach Charbonnet and Dorian Thompson-Robinson were both on the sidelines for the Bruins’ Saturday afternoon game against Washington State. Both are on bye weeks with their respective NFL teams, Seattle and Cleveland.

Current freshman quarterback Dante Moore used the opportunity to seek advice from Thompson-Robinson during the third quarter.

“I went up to him and I’m like, ‘Tell me what you’re seeing out there. Tell me what some things I can work on,’” Moore said after the game.

“He just told me, ‘Just go out there, just keep taking a deep breath.’ The defense is doing what they gotta do, they’re getting stops for you. You just have to capitalize, score and get in the end zone,” Moore continued.

On the next play, Moore threw a 14-yard pass to J.Michael Sturdivant for an apparent touchdown, but the catch was ruled incomplete after official review.

Moore completed 22 of 44 passes for 290 yards and one touchdown with two interceptions in the game.

Pro wrestling comes to the Rose Bowl

The first-ever pro wrestling event was held at the Rose Bowl on Saturday afternoon. UCLA and the Rose Bowl hosted PCW Ultra for some pregame professional wrestling and lucha as part of the Los Bruins promotion.

“Who would turn down UCLA to wrestle at the Rose Bowl?” PCW Ultra founder Joseph Cabibbo said.

PCW Ultra had a ring set up near the B Gate of the Rose Bowl and drew crowds of fans who were entering to watch the football game. The wrestling promotion was contacted by UCLA staff after they had attended a PCW Ultra event at Memorial Hall in Wilmington.

“It means a whole lot,” Cabibbo said. “I have a very loyal roster and staff so to have these big wins in a place like the Rose Bowl, it’s really great for morale and really awesome for the entire team. It’s a victory for us.”

The promotion is celebrating its eighth year and will be putting on a show at Urban Con in Ontario on Oct. 22 before hosting a Halloween-themed “Creature Feature” at memorial Hall in Wilmington.

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Sting delivers a night of solo and Police classics during Hollywood Bowl return

• October 8, 2023

As Sting returned to the Hollywood Bowl stage for an encore on Saturday, he claimed to be at a loss: “My only problem,” the singer-bassist said, “is I have no idea what song you want to hear right now.”

He gave a little smile. Most of the 17,000 people in the Bowl laughed and cheered. Were there any in attendance who didn’t expect to hear “Roxanne,” the signature song of Sting’s years in The Police, next?

Sting’s first proper concert in Los Angeles in six years was part of his My Songs tour, named after his 2019 album of new versions of hits across his solo and Police catalog: 24 songs in two hours that felt much faster than that given that almost all of these are the ones you know by heart.

The show kicked off with “Message in a Bottle” from the Police’s second album, “Regatta de Blanc,” its racing rhythms and Sting’s pleading vocals pulling fans out of their seats in an instant. It was followed by “Englishman in New York,” slowing slightly into the jazzy swing of Sting’s second solo album, “… Nothing Like the Sun,” and the pattern for the night fell into place.

The Police songs mostly fell at the start and the finish of the main set, with eight in total, two each from four of that band’s five studio albums. (Sorry, fans of the third album, “Zenyatta Mondatta,” you got nothing.)

Sting remains a musical wonder. His vocals throughout the night felt as strong and crisp as ever, shifting effortlessly early in the set from the rapid-fire delivery of the Police’s “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” to the soaring highs of “If You Love Somebody Set Them Free.”

Wearing a headset mic, he roamed the stage singing and playing a well-weathered 1957 Fender Precision bass. And yes, he’s a bit weathered too, but at 72 you’re bound to have a few wrinkles. Unlike Sting, however, you’re probably not going to have a ripped physique to show off in a T-shirt that looked like he’s been wearing it since the Police days. (Note to self: Is it time to start doing crunches?)

The My Songs tour isn’t quite all hits. Two years after the album that gave the tour its name, Sting released “The Bridge,” his 14th studio album, in 2021. Three songs from that record showed up as a mini-suite early in the show, including a pair of love songs that Sting announced he would play and then have a little discussion about.

“So, that was a love song of a type,” Sting said after “If It’s Love,” the first of those two. “The least interesting love song is ‘I love you and you love me.’ It’s very nice but it’s not very interesting. Whereas I love you but you love somebody is painful but it’s interesting.”

Much of the night was full of small stories like that about the songs he’s written over the past 45 or so years.

“I have a little house in the English countryside,” Sting said by way of introducing “Fields of Gold,” a song inspired by the barley fields that surrounded his home. “Well, it’s a castle, but it’s really nice. If you ever go to Stonehenge, just come down the road to my house. Knock on my door and I’ll make you a cup of tea if I’m not on tour.”

The harmonica part on “Brand New Day” was originally recorded by Stevie Wonder, he reminded the crowd, introducing his harmonica player Shane Sager by jokingly wondering whether he could fill Stevie’s shoes.

Sager did a very good take on that song and others throughout the night, as Sting, who has long been surrounded by fantastic musicians going back to guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland in the Police, was accompanied by a typically tight ensemble here.

Guitarist Dominic Miller, who has played with Sting for 30 years now, was a standout throughout the night, his soloing on songs such as “Fields of Gold” and “I’m So Happy I Can’t Stop Crying” among the highlights. Backing vocalist Gene Noble got several spotlight turns, including “Shape Of My Heart,” where he sang a bit of the late Juice WRLD’s “Lucid Dreams,” which was built on the Sting song.

The set peaked near the finish with a strong run of Police songs. “Invisible Sun,” from 1981’s “Ghost In The Machine,” was as poignantly moving as ever, its lyrics of a world riven by war, hunger and poverty still relevant today. “So Lonely,” from the Police’s 1978 debut album “Outlandos d’Amour,” was the first Police song I ever heard, stumbling onto while trying to find a radio station on a road trip through Northern California as a teen.

It’s a personal favorite for that reason, but it’s also a fantastic song, its reggae influence clear on the record, and clearer still on Saturday when Sting blended it with Bob Marley’s “No Woman No Cry,” which inspired it.

After the solo song “Desert Rose,” with its Middle Eastern accents, the main set wrapped up with “King of Pain” and “Every Breath You Take,” both of them from the Police’s final album “Synchronicity,” both of them guest vocals from Joe Sumner, Sting’s son, who opened the night with a short set of his own songs.

The encore, as noted, kicked off with “Roxanne,” which Sting and the band stretched from its original tight form into a jazzy improvisation, Sting challenging the crowd to follow his lead as he shifted shapes through the familiar chorus.

“It is my custom to finish an evening with something quiet and thoughtful, so you can go home quiet and thoughtful,” Sting said as he swapped his bass for an acoustic guitar and took a seat on a stool at center stage.

“Fragile,” one of the most beautiful and sadly moving songs in his catalog followed, and like the rest of the night, lingers in the memory today, just as Sting hoped.

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