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Diver From NY Wins Medal At Olympics Diver From NY Wins Medal At Olympics
Diver From NY Wins Medal At Olympics A diving duo from Long Island and Massachusetts who met at the University of Indiana dove their way into the record books, joining the parade of Americans claiming medals at the Tokyo Olympics. Nassau County native Andrew Capobianco, who calls Mineola home, and his teammate, Hampshire County resident Michael Hixon, out of Amherst, Massachusetts, took home the silver medal for the US in the men’s synchronized 3-meter springboard event. The duo finished with a score of 444.36 to take the silver behind the Chinese pair of Wang Zongyuan and Xie Siyi. Germany’s Patrick Hausding and Lars Rudiger …

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by Zak Failla
Sports
Fairfield County Man Becomes First CT Native To Medal In Swimming At Olympics In 33 Years Fairfield County Man Becomes First CT Native To Medal In Swimming At Olympics In 33 Years
Fairfield County Man Becomes First CT Native To Medal In Swimming At Olympics In 33 Years A swimming standout from Fairfield County has become one of the first Americans to win a medal at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Former Ridgefield High School standout Kieran Smith took third place in the 400-meter freestyle on Saturday, July 24. The 22-year-old Smith finished with a time of 3:43.94 to take the bronze medal. That makes him the first Connecticut native to medal in swimming at the Olympics since Janel Jorgensen in 1988, according to Connecticut Swimming.  Jorgensen, also a Ridgefield HS product, attended Stanford University. The other Team USA swimmer, Jake Mitchell, p…

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by Joe Lombardi
Sports
18-Year-Old From Fairfield County Selected In First Round Of NHL Draft 18-Year-Old From Fairfield County Selected In First Round Of NHL Draft
18-Year-Old From Fairfield County Selected In First Round Of NHL Draft Mackie Samoskevich's immediate plans are to attend the University of Michigan as a freshman this fall. But the 18-year-old from Fairfield County now also has a future as a professional ice hockey player. In the National Hockey League Draft on Friday night, July 23, the Newtown resident was selected in the first round by the Florida Panthers with the 24th overall pick. A forward, Samoskevich appeared in 36 games with the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League (USHL) in 2020-21, recording 37 points (13 goals, 24 assists, 37 points). He then had 10 points (one goal, nine assists) in…

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by Joe Lombardi
Sports
NY Athlete Will Serve As Team USA Flag Bearer At Olympic Opening Ceremonies NY Athlete Will Serve As Team USA Flag Bearer At Olympic Opening Ceremonies
NY Athlete Will Serve As Team USA Flag Bearer At Olympic Opening Ceremonies WNBA legend Sue Bird, a UConn alum and New York native, can add a new impressive checkmark to her already impressive resume of accomplishments. Bird, age 40, a basketball icon who hails from the hamlet of Syosset in Nassau County on Long Island has been chosen to serve as one of Team USA’s flag bearers at the Opening Ceremony of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics on Friday, July 23. Bird becomes the second American women's basketball player to carry the flag, joining now coach Dawn Staley, who carried it while a player in the 2004 Olympics. “I know this isn’t about me," Bird said in a statement. "Th…

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by Zak Failla
Sports
New Rochelle HS Baseball Standout Strikes Out Seven In MLB Debut New Rochelle HS Baseball Standout Strikes Out Seven In MLB Debut
New Rochelle HS Baseball Standout Strikes Out Seven In MLB Debut Big Leagues, big lights, big night. A former baseball star from the Hudson Valley gained praise in his MLB debut, striking out seven as he helped the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers to an important win over the San Francisco Giants as they chase them in the National League West. Westchester County native Josiah Gray, from New Rochelle, pitched four innings on Tuesday, July 20 after coming into the game in the third inning following a two-inning opening stint by reliever Darien Nuñez. Earlier story - Welcome To The Show, Kid: Baseball Standout From Westchester Expected To Make MLB…

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by Zak Failla
Sports
Top MLB Draft Pick From Westchester Signs Deal With Pirates For $6.5M Top MLB Draft Pick From Westchester Signs Deal With Pirates For $6.5M
Top MLB Draft Pick From Westchester Signs Deal With Pirates For $6.5M A former high school baseball star in the Hudson Valley, is in a new tax bracket after signing his rookie deal to join the Pittsburgh Pirates as the first overall pick in the MLB Draft. Henry Davis, a Northern Westchester native who lettered for four years as a catcher at Fox Lane High School in Bedford, made it official and signed for $6.5 million on Sunday, July 18, one week after being chosen first overall. Earlier story - Westchester Native Chosen First Overall In MLB Draft “Getting signed right away, it's important to me," Davis said at PNC Park after signing. "I want to get playing…

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by Zak Failla
Sports
Baseball Standout From New Rochelle Expected To Make MLB Debut Baseball Standout From New Rochelle Expected To Make MLB Debut
Baseball Standout From New Rochelle Expected To Make MLB Debut A former high school baseball standout from Westchester is hoping to “announce his presence with authority” as he gets set to make his Major League Baseball debut. New Rochelle native Josiah Gray, a top pitching prospect for the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers is expected to be called up from the Minors on Tuesday, July 20 in time for their game against the San Francisco Giants. According to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, Gray could potentially get the start, or come in after a reliever serves as an “opener” to provide some length, with a pitch county not expected to exceed 80 pitches…

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by Zak Failla
Sports
These Hudson Valley Athletes Will Be Competing At Olympics These Hudson Valley Athletes Will Be Competing At Olympics
These Hudson Valley Athletes Will Be Competing At Olympics Some of the Hudson Valley's top athletes will be wearing the red, white, and blue in Tokyo as they represent the country at the upcoming summer Olympic Games in Japan. The summer games will include more than two dozen athletes from New York - featuring a group of prominent players from the Hudson Valley - who are looking to etch their marks in history with an Olympic medal. Athletes from the region set to compete for medals are: Patrick Kilvehan, age 31, of West Nyack, who will be making his Olympic debut after playing baseball and football at Rutgers University before being drafted by t…

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by Zak Failla
Sports
Pitching Star From NY Becomes First Known Orthodox Jew Picked In MLB Draft Pitching Star From NY Becomes First Known Orthodox Jew Picked In MLB Draft
Pitching Star From NY Becomes First Known Orthodox Jew Picked In MLB Draft A Long Island native is looking to make history as he attempts to become the first Orthodox Jewish ballplayer to make it to the Show after being chosen in the third round of the MLB Draft. Jacob Steinmetz, a right-handed pitcher from Woodmere in Nassau County who stars at the Elev8 Baseball Academy in Florida, was picked by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the sixth pick of the third round (77th overall) of the draft on Monday, July 12. The 6-foot-6, 220-pound 17-year-old Steinmetz is believed to be the first known practicing Orthodox Jewish player to be chosen in the MLB Draft. Steinmetz pr…

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by Zak Failla
Sports
Duke Graduate Student From Larchmont Drafted By Chicago Cubs Duke Graduate Student From Larchmont Drafted By Chicago Cubs
Duke Graduate Student From Larchmont Drafted By Chicago Cubs A former high school baseball standout from the Hudson Valley is taking his talents to Chicago. Westchester native Peter Matt, from Larchmont, an outfield prospect out of Duke University, was among the players to be chosen in the 2021 MLB Draft after being selected in the 10th round (304th overall) by the Chicago Cubs. Related story - Westchester Native Chosen First Overall In MLB Draft A fifth-year senior and graduate student, Matt joined Duke following four seasons at the University of Pennsylvania, finishing his career with a slash line of .306/.377/.474 with 38 doubles, 7 triples, 19 …

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by Zak Failla
Sports
NBA Player Donovan Mitchell Visits Westchester To Unveil Refurbished Basketball Courts NBA Player Donovan Mitchell Visits Westchester To Unveil Refurbished Basketball Courts
NBA Player Donovan Mitchell Visits Westchester To Unveil Refurbished Basketball Courts NBA star Donovan Mitchell paid a visit to his former home of Westchester County to celebrate the unveiling of refurbished basketball courts. Mitchell, a prep standout in Connecticut who plays for the Utah Jazz, attended a ribbon-cutting at The Children's Village in Dobbs Ferry, where his grandmother worked, said ESPN writer Nick DePaula. DePaula tweeted that the family made the donation as part of Mitchell's DON 3 shoe launch with Adidas.  Mitchell attended Canterbury School in New Milford, in Litchfield County, Connecticut, and Greenwich Country Day School in Fairfield Coun…

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by Nicole Valinote
Sports
Former Sports Writer Kat O'Brien Says She Was Raped By Major League Baseball Player Former Sports Writer Kat O'Brien Says She Was Raped By Major League Baseball Player
Former Sports Writer Kat O'Brien Says She Was Raped By Major League Baseball Player Former sports reporter Kat O'Brien has opened up about being raped by a Major League Baseball player when she was 22 years old. O'Brien -- who graduated from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business -- kept the incident a secret until now, when she told her story in a New York Times essay. The now-40-year-old writer says she had just graduated from Notre Dame and was working as a (mostly high school) sports reporter for "The Fort Worth Star-Telegram" in 2002. She was in a hotel room with an interview subject for a longer piece on foreign-born athletes in the U.S., w…

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by Cecilia Levine