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#5 Notre Dame overcomes sluggish 1st half to beat Navy 35-13

Angelo Di Carlo — Sat, 31 Oct 2026 19:30:06 +0000

(Photo Courtesy of Notre Dame Athletics)

After a sluggish first half, No. 5 Notre Dame outscored Navy 21-0 in the 2^nd half to pull away for a 35-13 victory in the 99th all-time meeting between the Irish and Midshipmen.

Notre Dame improves to 7-1, earning its first win since suffering its first loss of the season two weeks ago against BYU. The Irish now return home to face No. 1 Miami next Saturday night in a primetime showdown in South Bend.

The Irish left little to doubt on who would win in the 2nd half but the performance didn’t necessarily leave Irish fans feeling their team was back on track, particularly after a troubling first half.

Navy scored on each of its first three possessions but still trailed 14-13 at halftime, thanks to Notre Dame’s defense holding the Midshipmen to field goals on two of those drives. It marked just the third time under Marcus Freeman that an opponent had scored on its first three possessions of a game, joining the regular loss to Northern Illinois and national championship loss to Ohio State during the 2024 season.

The Midshipmen also controlled the clock for 23 minutes and 33 seconds in the first half, the most time of possession by any team in a single half across FBS this season.

Notre Dame found itself trailing 13-7 with 1:52 remaining in the first half after Navy quarterback Jackson Gutierrez rushed for a touchdown.

The Irish answered in a big way. Nolan James Jr. broke loose for a 52-yard touchdown run on a quick drive down the field, giving Notre Dame a 14-13 lead with just 55 seconds remaining before halftime. James finished with nine carries for 107 yards and two touchdowns.

Notre Dame received the ball to start the second half and wasted little time extending its lead. Freshman running back Jonaz Walton capped the opening drive with a short touchdown run, putting the Irish ahead 21-13 with 9:15 remaining in the third quarter.

The drive also featured the emergence of Jerome Bettis Jr., who hauled in three catches on the possession. Bettis finished with a team-high six receptions for 78 yards and made an even bigger impact later in the game.

With five seconds gone in the fourth quarter, Bettis Jr. caught a 31-yard touchdown pass from CJ Carr, his first career touchdown reception, to cap the scoring and put Notre Dame comfortably ahead 35-13.

Carr completed 19 of 29 passes for 210 yards and two touchdown passes as the Irish finished off the 35-13 victory.

Notre Dame now turns its attention to its biggest test of the season to date, welcoming No. 1 Miami to Notre Dame Stadium next Saturday night.

We will recap the sluggish 1^st half and preview the matchup with #1 Miami on Notre Dame Federal Credit Union’s Irish Football Fix Monday night at a special start time of 5pm on Pulse FM.

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West Noble to play for 3A Volleyball State Championship

Angelo Di Carlo — Sat, 31 Oct 2026 19:16:11 +0000

The greatest season in West Noble girls volleyball history will continue as the Chargers will play for a State Championship for the 1st time ever after capturing the 3A North SemiState Title at NorthWood Saturday.

West Noble defeated West Lafayette in 3 sets (25-16, 25-13, 25-22) in the semifinals and then came back Saturday night to beat Heritage in 4 sets (25-22, 25-23, 21-25, 25-23).

The Chargers (32-3) will face Tri-West (30-6) for the IHSAA 3A State Championship next Saturday at 5pm at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

Prior to this year, West Noble had never won a regional title–let alone now having the opportunity to play for a state championship.

PENN FALLS IN 4A

Penn, meanwhile, saw its season end in the semifinals of the 4A SemiState at Huntington North in 3 sets to Carroll (25-16, 25-12, 25-18).

The Kingsmen season ends at 31-4.

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WATCH REPLAY: Northridge beats Saint Joe 28-27 in Instant Classic on Sports Michiana

Angelo Di Carlo — Sat, 31 Oct 2026 01:48:42 +0000

Northridge outlasts Saint Joseph in our Sports Michiana Game of the Week to advance to the 4A Sectional Championship Game.

It came down to one play and maybe one inch as officials ruled that Hayden Gorball stopped James Criniti from scoring a 2 point conversion with 1:19 left in the game as #7 Northridge defeated #9 Saint Joseph 28-27 in an instant classic in the 4A Sectional Semifinals in our Sports Michiana Game of the Week.

Gorball’s game saving stop was our Big C Lumber Big Play of the Game and the Northridge senior is our Hawkins Water Tech Player of the Game. He also had seven catches for 102 yards receiving.

The top 10 showdown lived up to the billing in every sense.

Tied at 7 at halftime, Saint Joe’s Matt Champlin returned the opening kickoff of the 3rd quarter for a touchdown to give Saint Joe it’s first lead of the game. The two teams traded touchdowns throughout the 3rd and the game went to the 4th tied at 21.

With 2:45 left in the game, Northridge sophomore quarterback Jake Scholl rushed 9 yards for a touchdown on 3rd and 3 to put the Raiders ahead 28-21. Scholl had four touchdowns on the night, rushing for 125 yards and throwing for 294 yards.

Saint Joe wasn’t done. Huskies senior quarterback Sam Scicchitano connected with Antwone Ross for a 1st down to the 3 yard line. Ross had 9 catches for 88 yards and also rushed for 33 yards. Criniti took the direct snap out of the wildcat to rush in for the touchdown to make it 28-27 with 1:19 left in the game.

Saint Joe could have kicked an extra point to tie the game at 28 but head coach Ben Downey and offensive coordinator Joey Hecklinski elected to go for 2 to try and win it but Criniti was stood up at the goal line and the ruling on the field was he was down before making it into the end zone.

Saint Joe, which reached SemiState a year ago, sees its season end at 9-2.

Northridge improves to 11-0, avenging their last loss at the hands of Saint Joe in this very game last postseason. The Raiders will travel to arch rival NorthWood in the 4A Sectional Championship Game next Friday.

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Legendary Bears player, coach Mike Ditka dies at 86

Chuck Freeby — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 15:34:54 +0000

(Chicago) — Mike Ditka, a legendary figure in Chicago sports, has died at the age of 86.

As a player for the Chicago Bears, Ditka became the first tight end inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. As a coach, he guided that franchise to its only Super Bowl title and his one-of-a-kind personality transcended sports into restaurants, entertainment and pop culture.

“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, Mike Ditka,” his family said in a statement. “While the world knew Mike as a Hall of Fame football player, legendary coach, and leader of the Chicago Bears’ Super Bowl XX championship team, we knew him as the heart of our family.

“Mike will be missed beyond measure and remembered forever.”

The fifth overall pick of the 1961 NFL draft by the Bears, Ditka won Rookie of the Year after becoming the first tight end to surpass 1,000 receiving yards. He played six years for the Bears, two in Philadelphia and four with Dallas. Ditka was a member of the Bears’ 1963 NFL championship team and the Cowboys’ squad that won Super Bowl VI.

It was as the Bears’ coach that Ditka rose to national prominence, guiding the 1985 squad and its incredible defense to the World Championship with a 46-10 thrashing of New England in Super Bowl XX. Ditka led the Bears to the playoffs seven times in his 11 seasons and played in the NFC Championship Game on three occasions.

He became an icon in Chicago, opening several restaurants and racking up endorsements. He starred in television commercials and appeared, as himself, in several television shows and in Will Ferrell’s 2005 comedy “Kicking and Screaming.” “Saturday Night Live” raised Dika’s profile even higher with an ongoing skit titled “Bill Swerski’s Superfans” that paid tribute to Ditka and “Da Bears.”

After his coaching career, Ditka worked as a studio analyst, first at NBC and then for ESPN.

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McKinnies Realty “Around the Area” high school football scoreboard

Chuck Freeby — Sat, 05 Sep 2026 02:44:32 +0000

The temperatures were hot and so was the action on Friday night on the area high school football gridirons.

Our “Sports Michiana Game of the Week” featured Lakeshore downing Niles, 21-16. Jonah Chavez returned a punt 84 yards to paydirt with nine seconds left in the first half to give the Lancers the lead they would never relinquish. It’s Niles’ first regular-season home loss at Viking Field since 2022.

In other games:

Warsaw goes to 3-0: Michael Schenck’s 2-yard run with 27 seconds left gives Warsaw a 27-22 win over NorthWood. The Tigers have won their three games by a combined nine points.

Mishawaka bounces back: Just like last year’s sectional, Plymouth gave Mishawaka all it wanted, before the Cavemen prevailed, 20-13. Keith Kinder’s team is now 2-1.

NIC blowouts: Penn, Elkhart, Adams and St. Joe won their conference openers by a combined score of 198-0

Here is the McKinnies Realty “Around the Area” scoreboard for Friday in the Sports Michiana coverage area

INDIANA

Adams Central 33, Tippy Valley 12

Angola 7, Fairfield 6

Bremen 52, Boone Grove 7

Chesterton 28, Michigan City 7

Concord 48, Wawasee 10

Culver 34, Triton 0

Culver Academies 35, Knox 6

Elkhart 62, SB Washington 0

Lakeland 20, Prairie Hts. 14

Mishawaka 20, Plymouth 13

North Judson 63 South Central 6

Northridge 55, Goshen 10

Penn 49, SB Riley 0

Pioneer 50, Winamac 6

Rensselaer Central 14, John Glenn 0

Rochester 46, Whitko 6

SB Adams 41, Marian 0

SB St. Joseph 46, New Prairie 0

Valparaiso 39, LaPorte 3

Warsaw 27, NorthWood 22

West Noble 36, Garrett 27

MICHIGAN

Berrien Springs 55, Otsego 14

Buchanan 48, Brandywine 0

Edwardsburg 55, Jimtown 12

Lakeshore 21, Niles 16

Lowell 35, St. Joseph 34

8-MAN

Breckenridge 28, Red Arrow 0

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Watch Replay: Lakeshore beats Niles 21-16 to move to 2-0

Angelo Di Carlo — Fri, 04 Sep 2026 16:35:44 +0000

It’s a Southwest Michigan showdown on the Sports Michiana Game of the Week as Niles plays host to Lakeshore.

On a hot and humid night, Southwest Michigan’s most dominant team over the last 3 years, appeared poised to head to the locker room with the lead.

But new Lakeshore coach Mark Frey wasn’t going to let Niles have the easy road to close the first half. The Lancers scored with 2:07 left to pull within 8-7. Still not satisfied, Frey used up his timeouts on Niles’ next possession. Brandon Walsh’s punt was a line drive kick right caught at the 16 and 84 yards later, Lakeshore senior Jonah Chavez was into the end zone for the touchdown with 7 seconds left in the 1st half. The punt return for a touchdown was our Big C Lumber Big Play of the Game.

Frey’s timeout decision paid off in a major way as Lakeshore led 14-8 at halftime and road the momentum into the 3rd quarter scoring on their opening drive to take 21-8 lead.

Niles, which has defeated Lakeshore, each of the last two seasons, didn’t throw in the towel. They scored early in the 4th to pull within 21-16 but couldn’t score again as Lakeshore won 21-16.

The Lancers are 2-0 for the first time since 2021 and will face arch rival St. Joseph next week in the War by the Shore. Niles, meanwhile drops to 0-2.

Lakeshore senior quarterback Kaden Griffiths was our Lakeland Care Network Player of the game, rushing 10 times for 104 yards and completing 6 of his 9 passes for 79 more yards.

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Mishawaka battles Northridge in NLC Softball Clash Thursday on Sports Michiana

Angelo Di Carlo — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 04:05:05 +0000

The top softball teams in the Northern Lakes Conference battle Thursday at 6:30pm in the Sports Michiana Game of the Week.

Mishawaka’s quest for a 4th straight Northern Lakes Conference softball championship continues on Thursday when they travel to Northridge in our Sports Michiana Game of the Week.

The Cavemen are 8-1 overall and 5-0 in NLC play. The Raiders have won straight games and sit in 2nd place in the conference at 3-1.

You can watch the game on our Sports Michiana YouTube or Facebook, WSBT’s YouTube or Facebook or IHSAATV.

First pitch is set for 6:30pm from Northridge High School. Pregame coverage on Sports Michiana will begin at 6:15pm.

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Sports Michiana announces Spring Schedule

Angelo Di Carlo — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 15:26:17 +0000

Sports Michiana is excited to announce our spring broadcast schedule for the Sports Michiana Game of the Week. It will feature four different sports, including baseball, softball, soccer and track. You can watch each regular season game on our Sports Michiana Facebook & YouTube and WSBT’s Facebook & YouTube. All seven broadcasts will air on IHSAATV.

DATE	MATCHUPS	Sport	Game Start	Pregame Start
4/17	NorthWood at Fairfield	Baseball	6:00 pm	5:45 pm
4/22	Warsaw at Goshen	Baseball	6:00 pm	5:45 pm
4/30	Mishawaka at Northridge	Softball	6:30 pm	6:15 pm
5/6	Lakeshore at St. Joe (MI)	Soccer	7:00 pm	6:45 pm
5/12	New Prairie at Penn	Baseball	5:30 pm	5:15 pm
5/19	Girls Sectionals	Track	TBA	TBA
5/28	Boys Regionals	Track	TBA	TBA

—

It all starts on Friday, April 17th when Fairfield plays hosts to NorthWood in baseball. Fairfield was 19-9 last season seeing their season end at the hands of NorthWood 5-2 in the 3A Sectional Semifinals. The Panthers went on to win a sectional & regional championship, reaching the Final 4 in 3A before losing 4-0 to eventual state champion Andrean. First pitch is set for 6pm with pregame coverage starting at 5:45pm.

On April 22nd, it’s a blockbuster showdown in the Northern Lakes Conference as Goshen welcomes in Warsaw in baseball. After going just 9-13 in the regular season, the RedHawks made an incredible run, winning a sectional and regional championship before losing 4-1 in the Final 4 to eventual Class 4A State Champion Valpo. Warsaw is coming off a 20-9 season and a Northern Lakes Conference Championship but they were stunned in the opening round of sectionals by Concord and will have a lot of motivation heading into this season. First pitch is set for 6pm with pregame coverage starting at 5:45pm.

We stay in the NLC on April 30th but shift to softball as Mishawaka travels to Northridge. The Lady Cavemen are the defending Northern Lakes Conference softball champions after going 20-8 overall and 12-2 in the NLC. Northridge was the NLC runner up at 11-3 in league play. First pitch is set for 6:30pm with pregame coverage starting at 6:15pm.

On May 6th, we head north of the state line to Michigan for a girls soccer showdown between arch rivals Lakeshore and St. Joseph (MI). Lakeshore won a district championship last year, finish 13-4-3 after falling in the regional final. The Bears are coming off their first below .500 season since 2010 but still managed to tie Lakeshore 1-1 in their matchup in 2025. Kickoff is set for 7pm with pregame coverage starting at 6:45pm.

We head back to the diamond on May 12th for a Northern Indiana Conference battle between Penn and New Prairie in baseball. The host Kingsmen are coming off a 28-2 season that saw them win the NIC Title and a 4A sectional championship. New Prairie was 21-10, winning a sectional championship in 3A. First pitch is set for 5:30pm with pregame coverage starting at 5:15pm.

On May 19th, we turn our attention to Track and Field as we will broadcast the Girls Track Sectionals from Warsaw or Bremen. And on May 28th, we close out our spring sports showcase with the Boys Track Regional from Warsaw.

All regular season broadcasts will air on our Sports Michiana YouTube & Facebook and WSBT’s YouTube & Facebook. All seven spring sports broadcasts will air on IHSAATV.

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Northridge vs Saint Joe in Top 10 Regional Showdown Saturday on Sports Michiana

Angelo Di Carlo — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 13:18:24 +0000

It’s a blockbuster matchup in Class 4A when #6 Northridge battles #8 Saint Joseph for the 4A Boys Basketball Regional Championship Saturday night at Plymouth.

It will be our Sports Michiana Game of the Week and you can watch it by clicking here.

Northridge is 24-1, Elkhart Sectional Champions, Northern Lakes Conference Co-Champions and winners of 18 games in a row. The Raiders are shooting for their 1st regional championship in school history in boys basketball.

Saint Joseph is 21-4, Mishawaka Sectional Champions, Northern Indiana Conference Champions and winners of 14 games in a row. The Huskies are the defending 3A State Champions but now up a class this season in 4A because of success factor.

The two powerhouses have not played each other since 2017 but shared a ton of common opponents this season. Northridge was 11-1 vs common opponents while Saint Joe was 11-0.

Tipoff is set for 7pm Saturday night at the Rock at Plymouth High School. Pregame coverage on Sports Michiana will begin at 6:45pm.

The only place to watch the game is on our Sports Michiana page at IHSAATV. We are not permitted to broadcast playoff games on YouTube or Facebook. You can also go to sportsmichiana.com/watch and it will re-direct you straight to our broadcast page at IHSAATV.

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Saint Joe to face Riley Saturday for Sectional Title on Sports Michiana

Angelo Di Carlo — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 01:37:12 +0000

#8 Saint Joseph (20-4) and #13 Riley (21-4) will battle for the 4A Sectional Championship at Mishawaka Saturday night at 6pm on our Sports Michiana Game of the Week in one of the most anticipated boys basketball sectional championship games in Michiana in a long time.

You can watch the game by clicking here.

Behind 21 points from Ryder Place, Saint Joseph cruised to an 87-63 win over Adams Friday for their 13th straight win. Tyrese Jones scored 23 points as Riley defeated Penn 58-47 in the 2nd semifinal for the 9th straight victory for the Cats.

Saint Joseph defeated Riley 70-58 back on January 9th but the Wildcats were far from full strength. Jones was just returning from the flu and Dakori Parker was battling an ankle sprain.

Saint Joseph won the 3A State Championship last year before moving up to 4A this year. Riley is the defending 4A sectional and regional champions.

Tipoff is set for 6pm on Saturday night with coverage on Sports Michiana beginning at 5:45pm. You can also go to sportsmichiana.com/watch and it will send you directly to our broadcast page.

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