High school football will soon return, which means it's almost time to kick on those Friday Night Lights.
USA TODAY High School Sports has released its latest class of 2027 football player rankings, which were compiled using composite evaluations from several industry recruiting services. One Cincinnati athlete landed among the nation's top 100 seniors.
Ace Alston, a cornerback at Anderson High School, tied for No. 96 with Quentin Burrell, a wide receiver from Mount Carmel High School in Chicago. Alston, a Notre Dame commit, is listed at 6 feet and 185 pounds. His industry composite ranking is 119.
More: Kicking off 2026 Enquirer fall football coverage with previews
Alston is the only senior from Greater Cincinnati to make the Aug. 4 list.

#alston #cincinnati #industry

Mark Pope needs to make a statement with the 2027 recruiting class.
After getting two homegrown, top-25 prospects in the 2025 class, and going o-fer on top-100 prospects in the 2026 class, Pope has already secured a commit from five-star Ryan Hampton and has cast a wide net to build the rest of the class.
One specific player the Wildcats are making a push for is point guard Reese Alston, the 3rd-ranked point guard and 8th-ranked overall prospect. He is also the son of former NBA player Rafer Alston, also known as streetball legend “Skip to My Lou.”
Alston has been on Kentucky’s radar since last summer, with the Wildcats extending an offer to him last October. As the summer grassroots circuits come to a close, they are making a strong push for him.
Playing in Puma’s Pro16 circuit, smaller than Nike’s EYBL or Adidas’ 3SSB, Alston takes notice of the coaches who are there to watch him play. Mark Pope was in attendance to watch him last week, and ******* istant Mikhail McLean, who attended the same high school as Alston (Houston Second Baptist HS), has attended multiple Puma Pro16 events this spring/summer.

#class #summer #wildcats #puma

Jul. 22—GRAND FORKS — Tim Hennessy isn't a full-time employee at UND anymore, but the longtime hockey radio play-by-play man could still call games next season under a new structure.
UND notified Hennessy on July 8 that it is eliminating his full-time position within the athletic department and indicated that the men's hockey radio play-by-play position will be structured underneath Fighting Hawks Sports Partnerships.
Most of UND's radio play-by-play announcers are currently paid by Fighting Hawks Sports Partnerships on a game-by-game basis, including Jack Michaels (football and women's basketball play-by-play), Darrin Looker (UND hockey road play-by-play or ******* yst), Mike LaMoine (UND hockey ******* yst) and Mike Berg (UND football ******* yst).
Men's basketball play-by-play announcer Paul Ralston, who serves as UND's ******* istant athletic director for broadcast properties, is paid by the school. Ralston is Hennessy's supervisor.
Hennessy said he met with UND athletic director Bill Chaves and Ralston two weeks ago.

#Athletic #analyst #fighting

Sassuolo and Bologna are reportedly in talks with ******* as Verona about Kieron Bowie, while Celtic are linked with Norwegian striker Tobias Lauritsen and three clubs are said to be chasing former Rangers loanee Mikey Moore.
Sassuolo have joined Bologna in holding talks with relegated ******* as Verona about 23-year-old £10m-rated Scotland striker Kieron Bowie. (Daily Record)
Jack Hendry has become the highest-paid Scotland international after the 31-year-old centre-half signed a new two-year contract with Al Ettifaq. (Sky Sports)
Celtic are interested in striker Tobias Lauritsen, who has left Sparta Rotterdam, along with Leicester City, while Sampdoria are actively pursuing the 28-year-old, according to Il Secolo XIX. (Martin Crawford on X)
Celtic plan to open talks with Anthony Ralston over a new contract with the 27-year-old Scotland right-back entering the final year of his current deal. (Daily Record)