Three-time world champion
Miyo Yoshida (18-5) will return to the ring on Sat., April 25 at Haverhill High to take on Edith Flores in an 8-round bantamweight fight as part of a Boston Boxing Promotions event.
Yoshida is currently the No. 1 contender for undisputed bantamweight champion Cherneka Johnson (19-2, 8 KO’s) and a mandatory challenger per the IBF. She reigned as WBO Super Flyweight Champion from 2019-2020 and again from 2021-2022. In 2023, she earned her most recent world title in a massive upset over Ebanie Bridges to win the IBF Bantamweight Championship at Chase Center in San Francisco.
Flores is a battle-tested veteran who has been in the ring with Adelaida Ruiz, Ibeth Zamora Silva, and Yesica Nery Plata. She is a former WBC Fecombox Flyweight Champion.
NECC baseball wins 27-7!
While the score looks like your typical college football game, 27-7, Northern Essex Community College’s win over Genesee C.C. in Winter Haven, Fla., both schools don’t have football.
It was baseball. Better yet, the game only went five innings due to the “slaughter rule.”
Jack Aylward (Lowell), Jaren Megan (Fairhaven, Ma.) and Joshua Jones (Hampstead, N.H.) led the barrage, each hitting home runs while having, six, five and four RBI respectively.
After opening with four tough losses, NECC swept Genesee, winning the first game of a double-header, 5-4.
NA’s Wolinski, Martin first-teamers
It was a big winter for couple of North Andover High grads, Zach Wolinski, a sophomore at Wesleyan University and Hannah Martin, a junior at Smith College.
The All-NESCAC first teamer, Wolinski’s game and role have evolve immensely from last season. The sophomore shooting guard led the team in scoring all throughout this season, ranking third in the NESCAC at 18.2 points per game. He has 10+ points in 26-of-27 games this season while he ranks 11th overall (3rd among guards) in the NESCAC in field goal percentage (46.4) and 2nd-best in free throw percentage (85.7).
The NEWMAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player, Martin averaged 11.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists and had 31 steals after missing the first week of the season to injury. She shot 46% from the field and 39% from the 3-point arc. She was not only named to first team, but she also was named the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year.
O’Brien off to nice start at Tufts
Tufts University junior left-handed pitcher Michael O’Brien, son of Boston College coach Bill O’Brien, formerly of Andover, is off to a great start for the Jumbos.
Through two starts, the 6-foot-3 hurler has allowed only two earned runs over 10 innings (a team-leading 1.80 ERA) for Tufts, which is off to a red-hot, 7-1 start.
O’Brien grew up and played high school baseball in the Houston, Tex. area while his dad was head coach for the Houston Texans and later assisting at Alabama as offensive coordinator.
Legend Johnny Bucyk in Methuen
Former Boston Bruins great and Hockey Hall of Famer Johnny Bucyk will be signing autographs on Sun., April 12 at the Methuen Monthly Sports Card Show at VFW Hall on 26 River Street.
The cost for the two-time Stanley Cup champ, 90 years old, is $20 per autograph ($5 inscriptions). Photo ops are $5.
For more info go to www.cardshows.net or call Vic at 508-265-4440.