
Last Week around the Leagues
by Fran Stuchbury
June 14, 2022 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
This past week the ECHL's Florida Everblades won their second Kelly Cup Championship in team history, the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks fired General Manager/Head Coach Derek Fisher, Portland Thorns midfielder Olivia Moultrie became the youngest player ever to score in the National Women's Soccer League at the age of 16, and the New Orleans Breakers clinched the final playoff berth in the United States Football League postseason. Highlights from this week come from the ECHL, Ontario Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Women's National Basketball Association, NBA G League, NBL Canada, National Women's Soccer League, United Soccer League Championship, Canadian Premier League, United States Football League, Canadian Football League, XFL, Fan Controlled Football, National Lacrosse League, International League, Florida State League, Major League Rugby and American Ultimate Disc League.
HOCKEY
ECHL
The Kelly Cup has come back to Southwest Florida. Naples native Zach Solow scored two of the Florida Everblades' four first-period goals and the team that Solow cheered on to their first Kelly Cup in 2012 as a youngster never looked back, securing the organization's second ECHL championship with a 4-2 victory over the Toledo Walleye in Game Five of the Kelly Cup Finals in front of 7,674 fans, the largest crowd to attend a game at Hertz Arena this season.
Here are the highlights
Florida Everblades win 2022 Kelly Cup inside Hertz Arena in Estero Florida
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League t announced that Daniel D'Amico of the Windsor Spitfires is the OHL Player of the Week, guiding his team to a Western Conference title with seven points including five goals and two assists in four games along with a plus/minus rating of plus-6.
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
The Shawinigan Cataractes have advanced to the 2022 Memorial Cup after they won their first President Cup in franchise history following a 4-1 series win over the Charlottetown Islanders.
SHAWINIGAN CATARACTES WINS IT IN OT! YOUR 2022 QMJHL CHAMPIONS!
2022 NHL Draft Under the Microscope: Blainville-Boisbriand Armada Alexis Gendron
BASKETBALL
Women's National Basketball Association
The Los Angeles Sparks announced that the organization has parted ways with General Manager/Head Coach Derek Fisher, effective immediately. Assistant Coach Fred Williams will serve as Interim Head Coach for the remainder of the 2022 season. The Sparks will now begin a search for the next general manager. Fisher was hired as head coach on Dec. 5, 2018, and named general manager on Dec. 22, 2020. In three plus seasons, Fisher had a regular season record of 54-46. The team qualified for the postseason twice in his tenure, with a 1-4 playoff record. The Sparks are currently 5-7 and sit in 8th place in the WNBA standings.
The Los Angeles Sparks have not lived up to expectations and as a result GM and Coach Derek Fisher was fired. See the final straw that lead to him being fired.
Happy Birthday to One of the Best to Ever Do It, Diana Taurasi
NBA G League
The Wisconsin Herd and the Milwaukee Bucks have entered into a multi-year extension of their lease at Oshkosh Arena, which will continue to be the home of Herd Basketball. Terms will not be disclosed. "We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Oshkosh Arena," said Steve Brandes, President of the Wisconsin Herd. "We are grateful for the continued support of our fans, partners and the Oshkosh and the Fox Valley communities. We are looking forward to an exciting future of Herd Basketball at Oshkosh Arena."
Long Island Nets' Top 10 Plays of the 2021-22 Season
Fort Wayne Mad Ants' Top 10 Plays of the Season
Sioux Falls Skyforce's Top 10 Plays of the Season
National Basketball League of Canada
The Best Plays from The All-Star Game - NBLC-TBL All -Star Weekend 2022
BIG3
The BIG3 announced a full schedule of matchups and dates for the first eight weeks of its fifth season, which tips off on June 18, 2022 at Credit Union 1 Arena in Chicago, IL. Tickets for the regular season are available and can be purchased here. The BIG3 is returning to a semi-tour model as all COVID-19 protocols will be dictated by local regulations. Exact dates and locations for the playoffs and Championship Game will also be announced shortly.
Relive all the best moments from the Trilogy 2021 Championship run. Trilogy became the first BIG3 team to win two Championships. New Captain James White became the first individual player to win two rings in the BIG3.
SOCCER
National Women's Soccer League
Thorns midfielder Olivia Moultrie deftly finished a pass from Sophia Smith to give Portland a 3-0 lead over Houston. With the goal, Moultrie, 16, became the youngest player to ever score in an NWSL match.
Orlando Pride Head Coach Amanda Cromwell and First Assistant Coach Sam Greene have been placed on a temporary administrative leave, with immediate effect, pending the results of a current investigation. In the interim, Assistant Coach Seb Hines has been appointed to coach the Pride.
Orlando Pride names new interim coach as investigation into head coach continues.
Player of the Month - Alex Morgan, San Diego Wave FC
Rookie of the Month, Presented by Ally - Naomi Girma, San Diego Wave FC
Budweiser Player of the Week - Nichelle Prince, Houston Dash - Week 6 - 2022 Season
Verizon Save of the Week - DiDi Haracic, Angel City FC - Week 6
United Soccer League Championship
The USL Championship announced the Team of the Week for Week 13 of the 2022 regular season with Indy Eleven forward Manuel Arteaga voted the Championship Player of the Week presented by Konami eFootball after recording a first-half hat trick against the Charleston Battery on Saturday night in a 4-3 victory for the Boys in Blue at Patriots Point.
Canadian Premier League
Join us as we countdown the best goals in May from the 2022 Canadian Premier League season, as voted by the fans.
FOOTBALL
United States Football League
Kaboom. That's the sound of the Tampa Bay Bandits imploding in 17-6 loss to the New Orleans Breakers. The Bandits played a mistake-filled game, laying the groundwork for a convincing win by the Breakers for the second time this season. The Breakers defeated the Bandits, 34-3, in Week 2. With the win, New Orleans improved to 6-3 overall, grabbing the last berth into the USFL postseason.
Here is the dominant performance in the Breakers victory
Top 10 plays from USFL's Week 9
Every touchdown from week nine in the USFL
Canadian Football League
CFL Plays of the Week - Week 1 2022
Alouettes RB William Stanback was dominant in 2021, but what makes his most recent season even more remarkable was what he endured, and lost, in 2020.
XFL
The XFL announced it has hired key front office and coaching staff for its eight teams as it continues to build an elite, experienced football operations team. In addition to its Head Coach, each team has added a Director of Player Personnel ("DPP"), Offensive Coordinator ("OC") and Defensive Coordinator ("DC") to its staff, some of whom are returning after serving in the League in 2020. The DPPs and coaching staff will actively scout potential players and help build their team in preparation for the XFL Draft in November 2022 and season kickoff on Saturday, February 18, 2023.
XFL Coaching Staffs have HUGE names!
With the XFL Showcases just 1 week away, Russ Brandon, Marc Ross, and Doug Whaley talk about our exceptional group of head coaches.
Champions Indoor Football
Champions Indoor Football is happy to announce the Board of Directors has approved a new ownership group for the Rapid City Marshals. The Board approved the application of an ownership group led by Wes Johnson and Rebecca Chapman.
Fan Controlled Football
ZAPPERS ARE THE 2022 FCF PEOPLE'S CHAMPIONS
LACROSSE
National Lacrosse League
The Colorado Mammoth successfully defended its home turf as the organization recorded an 11-8 victory over the Buffalo Bandits in Game 2 of the NLL Finals at Ball Arena. In a contest highlighted by the elite goaltending efforts from Mammoth goaltender Dillon Ward, the netminder stopped 40-of-48 shots against, including several outstanding saves, en route being named the game's first star.
Full highlights from the Colorado Mammoth's 11-8 win over the Buffalo Bandits in Game 2 of the NLL championship series.
As the club prepares for its inaugural NLL season, the Las Vegas Desert Dogs will take the first major step in building their roster via the league's Expansion Draft. General Manager and Head Coach Shawn Williams will oversee the team's 14 selections from among the available players not protected by the other 14 NLL teams. The Desert Dogs' selections will be announced July 7. The league's 14 other franchises must submit their respective lists of protected players by Thursday, June 23 by 12pm ET. No team can lose more than one player via the Expansion Draft.
BASEBALL
International League
With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Jared Oliva STOLE HOME and gave the Indianapolis Indians a walk-off win over Columbus Clippers, 6-5
Florida State League
Four Marauders pitchers combined on a no-hitter at LECOM Park-the second nine-inning no-hitter in team history-in Bradenton's 3-0 win over the Clearwater Threshers. A rehabbing Quinn Priester tossed the first three innings for the Marauders (24-30), retiring nine of ten batters faced. Anthony Solometo (1-0) pitched four innings out of the bullpen, striking out three, and Jake Sweeney and Yunior Thibo pitched one scoreless inning each in the eighth and ninth, respectively.
Mike Jarvis makes the sliding play to secure the no-hitter for Single-A Bradenton!
OTHER SPORTS
Major League Rugby
Due to a violation of league rules, the LA Giltinis have been disqualified from the 2022 Major League Rugby competition.
The final 2022 Rhino Rugby Try of the Week goes to Renata Roberts-Tenana of Old Glory DC. After a team attacking effort, Tenana with a quick chimp to himself downed the ball to add to their victorious score over the Toronto Arrows.
MLR Biggest Hits - Week 18
American Ultimate Disc League
The Top 10 plays from Week 6 of the 2022 AUDL regular season!
Did we miss anything newsworthy or downright fun? Have a nomination for next week's column? Contact us today and let us know.
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Women's National Basketball Association Stories from June 14, 2022
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- Force 10 and WNBA Teams Partner to Expand 3x3 Program - Dallas Wings
- Connecticut Sun Injury Report - Connecticut Sun
- Fever Sign Khayla Pointer - Indiana Fever
- Dallas Faces Aces in Noon Showdown - Dallas Wings
- Connecticut Sun Celebrates the 50th Anniversary of Title IX - Connecticut Sun
- Last Week around the Leagues - OSC Original by Fran Stuchbury
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer(s), and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
