EIGHT WILL PLAY DIV. I

COLUMBUS – Eight schools have opted up to Div. I for the 2026 Ohio High School Athletic Association football playoffs, which has resulted in a number of shifts to Division I regional assignments that were initially announced on April 23.

All eight schools that opted up to Div. I had been initially assigned to Div. II. There are no changes to Divisions III through VII. The OHSAA does not move schools up a division to replace schools that opt up to Division I. The changes increase Division I to 80 schools (from 72), while decreasing Division II to 98 schools (from 106).

Five of the schools that opted up to Div. I have been assigned to Region 1, including Austintown Fitch, Cleveland Heights, Elyria, Euclid and Hudson. The remaining three schools that opted up to Division I have been assigned to Region 2, including Clayton Northmont, Dublin Scioto and Toledo St. John’s Jesuit.

Perrysburg and Toledo Whitmer have been reassigned from Region 1 to Region 2. Lebanon, Middletown and Springboro have been have reassigned from Region 3 to Region 4. Upper Arlington has been reassigned from Region 2 to Region 3.

SALEM NEEDS TENNIS COACH

SALEM — Salem High School is in need of a girls tennis coach for the fall sports season. Eligible candidates must be able to obtain all OHSAA coaching certifications. Experience is preferred but not required. Candidates interested in applying can e-mail athletic director Matt Freeman at freemanm@salem.k12.oh.us.

CRESTVIEW RAINED OUT

CANFIELD — The Crestview-Canfield 50-70 intermediate Little League District 2 baseball championship game scheduled for Monday at McCune Park was postponed due to rain.

It will be made up at 7 p.m. today at McCune Park. It will be televised live by MyYTV.

Crestview needs two wins to advance to the state tournament, while Canfield needs one.

PULISIC BACK AT PRACTICE

IRVINE, Calif. (AP) — Christian Pulisic returned to training with his U.S. teammates on Monday after missing their most recent match of the World Cup with a calf injury.

Pulisic participated in warmups and ball drills during the 15 minutes of practice open to the media in Orange County. The team gave no formal update on the status of the AC Milan midfielder, who has been limited to one dynamic half of play in the unbeaten Americans’ home World Cup.

Pulisic didn’t play in the Americans’ 2-0 victory over Australia in Seattle last Friday. He played the first half of their tournament-opening victory over Paraguay, catalyzing two of the U.S. team’s three goals in the first half of a historic 4-1 win before coming off at halftime with stiffness from the injury incurred the previous week in training.

Pulisic trained apart from his teammates during the workouts between the first two games, so his return to the full squad was obviously encouraging. He had been limited to gym workouts, resistance training and light ball work during his absence.

“It’s a tough situation when you’re going through a small, little knock,” U.S. teammate Alex Zendejas said Monday. “It’s an important tournament where obviously everyone wants to be able to get out there 100%, but (we don’t) talk about the injury or talk about the moment (Pulisic) is going through. (We) talk about other stuff, try to get his mind off of it. Just be there for him.”

COHN RETIRES FROM ESPN

NEW YORK (AP) — Linda Cohn, who has hosted more episodes of “SportsCenter” than anyone, is retiring after 34 years at ESPN.

The prolific anchor announced Monday that June 30 will be her last day after she covers the NHL draft with fellow longtime co-host John Buccigross.

Cohn has hosted more than 5,500 editions of “SportsCenter.” She will make her final appearances at 6 p.m., 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. ET Friday.

“Linda Cohn is a legend and a major part of the history of ESPN,” ESPN president of content Burke Magnus said in a statement. “She has brought enthusiasm, personality and her love of sports to our audience for more than 30 years and her contributions to ESPN both in front of and behind the camera would make a very long list. We wish her all the best in her retirement and sincerely thank her.”

Cohn started her career in Patchogue, New York, as a news anchor, writer and sports reporter at WALK-AM/FM in 1981. She started at ESPN in Bristol in 1992 and moved to Los Angeles in 2009 to co-host the 1 a.m. “SportsCenter.” She’s been working on special projects since that show was moved back to Bristol in 2025.

“What I’m most proud of is that my career lasted long enough for me to see little girls grow up watching SportsCenter, enter this business and succeed in it,” Cohn said in a statement.

KEITH TKACHUK ELECTED TO HOF

Keith Tkachuk waited more than a decade and a half from the end of his NHL playing career to get the call from the Hockey Hall of Fame. Not known for his patience, Tkachuk was so overcome with emotion that he waited 45 minutes to tell his family.

“I said, ‘Hey, you guys want to have a beer together?'” Tkachuk recalled. “And I told them and broke the news to them there.”

The timing gave them even more reason to celebrate. Tkachuk was elected to the Hall of Fame on Monday, less than 24 hours after his sons became teammates when Brady was traded from Ottawa to Florida, joining older brother Matthew, during a weekend that also included a U.S. Olympic gold medal celebration and a baptism.

“It’s been a great weekend for the Tkachuks,” Keith said. “It’s been a crazy weekend, but this tops it off. … This is the ultimate, for sure.”

The patriarch nicknamed “Walt” Tkachuk is part of a player class that includes center Patrice Bergeron, who won the Stanley Cup with Boston in 2011 and the Selke Trophy as the league’s top defensive forward six times, and goaltenders Carey Price from Montreal and Pekka Rinne from Nashville.