Sports

The injury

On May 12, 2025, The Boston Celtics were playing against the New York Knicks in game 4 of the eastern conference semi finals. The Celtics were trailing 104-111 with 3:10 remaining in the 4th quarter. The crowd at Madison Square Garden was electric. 

Jayson Tatum passes to Jaylen Brown looking for a pitch back. Brown drives to the basket and gives a light bounce pass back to Tatum, just out of his reach. Tatum dives for the ball and misses while the Knicks take it into an open lane and score.  

The camera spans back out to Tatum who is still on the floor, grimacing in pain holding his right ankle towards his chest. He is taken back to the locker room where the Celtics lose the game 113-121. 

The next day ESPN posted Tatum’s injury and the severity of it, torn Achilles, leaving Celtics fans in shock. Not just for the rest of the season, but for the upcoming preparation.

An injury like this could take over a year of healing and losing one of Boston's best players majorly affects the team. A day later Tatum posted a picture of himself on a hospital bed with a cast around his foot on Instagram with the caption, “Thankful for all the love and support”. 

Tatum was 5th in the league for points averaging 26.8, 8.7 rebounds, and 6 assists per game. The team almost relied on him for being solid all around for games. He was a main reason the Celtics were able to win the league a year before from the 2023-2024 season. 

2025-2026 season expectations

With preparation and big moves coming about like trading star center Kristaps Porzingis, many fans were nervous about what to expect from the new team. “I wasn’t exactly sure who was gonna perform good enough to make the Celtics a better team than they were from last year,” BHS sophomore Coleman Corbett said. 

The season began and the Celtics were looking like a somewhat pretty average team. After 14 games the Celtics maintained a .500 record (7-7) but were still 2nd in the eastern conference due to a competitive opponents schedule; surprising many due to the fact that they were missing their star player. 

By February, the official mid-point of the NBA season, the Celtics held an amazing revamped record of 35-19, still remaining 2nd in the eastern conference but 3rd in the overall league standings. 

Fans believe head coach Joe Mazzulla did a tremendous job turning the team morale around. Giving him credit where it's due, “…as I said, like Joe Mazulla, I think deserves a lot of credit with just balancing kind of the talent and if there are egos on the team.” BHS technological teacher, Mr. Wong said. “I think they seem to be able to figure it out and adapt. And I would hope they'll continue to do that.” 

The return

Thoughts of Tatum were not fans main priorities after many thought that he would not be able to return until the post-season at the earliest. But then an ESPN alert came on many phones March 5, 2026. A report from sports journalist Shams Charania read, “BREAKING: Boston Celtics All-NBA star Jayson Tatum will play this season and is expected to make his debut on Friday against the Dallas Mavericks, sources tell ESPN - less than 10 months after surgery for a ruptured Achilles tendon.”  

Reactions were mixed from this return just for the sheer unexpectance of this message. “I think the fact that he was able to come back at this point in the season is a surprise, and a pleasant surprise.” Mr. Wong said, which is probably what most fans were thinking.

On March 6, the garden was filled with fans. Tatum walks out and the crowd is electric. Tip off against the Dallas Mavericks occurs and Celtics take the early lead. 

During this game, many opportunities occurred for Tatum to make a play, on both offense and defense, but a majority of them just couldn’t click for him.

Tatum had amassed 15 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists with 27 minutes played. Stats looking average for a player, but well for one returning from a serious injury. 

Fans understood what to expect for him coming back. “My expectations were pretty high. 

I thought it was gonna be a great game with his return...” Casey Shannon, BHS sophomore said. “I mean, as far as how he would do, my expectations were lower because he's coming off an Achilles tear, which is hard to play off.”

It is almost impossible to wipe off almost a year's worth of rust while also managing to maintain your old reputation as an MVP finalist voter. But he still has the remainder of the season to recover and try to build as an overall player. 

In conclusion, Jayson Tatum is still a great overall young player who will still continue to recover from this setback. He has been taking his recovery process extremely seriously allowing him to get better sooner, making Celtics fans more confident in not only his play, but his charecter. 

With the spring season beginning, the Burlington High School baseball team is preparing to build

off last year’s 11-9 record and make a deeper playoff run after losing in the first round. Players

say the team is motivated, experienced, and ready to take that next step this season.

“We definitely want to win more games this year and try to go further in the playoffs,” Giacomo

Berdanelli, BHS senior and center fielder, said.

The team returns key players, including center fielder Berdanelli, senior pitcher Daniel Crossman

who was last year’s MVP, as well as junior shortstop James Gordon, who earned All-Star honors.

With this core group coming back, the team is looking to shock some people and improve on last

season’s performance.

”We have a lot of returning talented players, and I think that’s going to help us a lot this season,”

Crossman, BHS senior and pitcher, said.

Another focus for the team has been preparation and getting back into baseball shape, especially

for athletes like Berdanelli who is transitioning from his Final Four run on the hockey team this

winter season.

”The transition [from hockey to baseball] has been good, and I’m just excited to get back out on

the field again,” Berdanelli said.

Team chemistry has stood out early in the season, as players say the group has built strong

connections both on and off the field.

”We all get along really well and are also great friends off the field, which really helps our

chemistry,” Gordon, BHS junior and shortstop, said.

The team is also setting higher expectations for themselves this year, with

players emphasizing the importance of consistency and hard work throughout the season.

”If we stay focused, consistent, and keep working hard every day, I think we can have a really

fun and successful season,” Crossman said.

With a mix of experience, strong chemistry, and high expectations, the Burlington High School

baseball team is looking to turn last year’s solid season. With key players returning and a focus

on hard work and consistency, the team is aiming for a deeper playoff run and a successful

spring. The team opens the season on April 6th against Reading at home

With the World Baseball Classic ending, fans will turn their attention to opening day. The

First game is Wednesday March 25th where the San Francisco Giants will host the New York Yankees. With the lockout coming and there potentially being no baseball to start next spring, many fans are extra excited about this season.

“The lockout is next year and with it potentially happening that makes me more excited for this season,” Ben Smith, Dean College Freshman, said. “Its the best time of year, weather's getting warmer it's just exciting”.

The reigning two-time World Champs, the Dodgers, signed the best free agent on the market. Outfielder Kyle Tucker. He comes from the Cubs and provides the Dodgers with another elite bat to add next to Ohtani, Betts, and Freeman. They added to their loaded roster in hopes of being the first team to “3 Peat” (Win 3 straight Championships) since the New York Yankees from 1998 to 2000.

“Fans expect the Dodgers to complete the three-peat because of how strong their roster is and their track record,” Joshua Smith, Baseball Fan, said. “I don't think they'll three-peat, it's extremely hard to do but it's not impossible”.

Many players will come back from major injuries as well. The most notable perhaps being Yankees Ace Gerritt Cole. He had elbow surgery in March of 2025 and will return around the

 beginning of the summer. Sometimes coming off elbow surgery pitchers can take a bit to adjust but even if he's not 100 percent, he adds some much needed pitching back to the Yankees

“Im not expecting to see him back to his full potential for a few months,” Elliott Cahill, Baseball fan, said. “He will help and it'll be a major return but with Cam Schlittler emerging from the depths of the Hudson River last season, The Yankees should have nothing to worry about”.

The Mets had one of the best Off Seasons in baseball. They added pitchers Freddy Peralta and Devin Williams, and they turned newly acquired free agent shortstop Bo Bichette into their new Third Baseman. Coming off of a very disappointing season, Superstar Juan Soto and the Mets will look to make the playoffs and hopefully win a World Series.

“I think the Mets will be more dangerous than they were last year,” said J. Smith. “Theyre adding those guys to a roster that already features Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor”.

Every season a surprise team will come from out of nowhere and be good, like the Cincinnati Reds last year.. Many teams will look to bounce back from disappointing seasons like the Orioles, Rangers, Royals, Mets, Braves, Giants and Diamondbacks. Many national fans expect the Red Sox to fall off from last season but other fans think they've improved. The Athletics and Pirates will look to shock many people.

“My surprise team is the Red Sox,” said Cahill. “A healthy Roman Anthony will start the Roman Empire and we could have a deep run”.

 Many teams will look to build off of their 2025 seasons and potentially win the World Series. Fans are excited to see their favorite players return to the field and perform well. The expectations for this season are high as there are many reasons to be excited. And while the potential lockout of next season is causing some uncertainty, there is one thing that is certain. Baseball is back.

March Madness, the NCAA college basketball tournament, draws millions of viewers each spring because of its high stakes, single elimination format and unpredictable outcomes. In 2026, top teams like Duke and Houston entered as favorites, while early upsets quickly shook the bracket. This mix of elite competition and surprise results is what makes the tournament so exciting for fans.

       March Madness stands out because one loss ends a team’s season. This creates intense, win or go home games that keep fans engaged from the very first round. Because of this pressure, even casual viewers become invested in teams they may not have followed before.

        Another major factor is the tradition of filling out brackets. Fans predict the outcome of every game, often competing with friends or family, which makes each result feel personal. “I follow March Madness pretty closely every year, but the bracket is what really pulls me in. Once you fill one out, every game matters a little more.” Christopher O’Divin, sports fan, said.

        The tournament is also one of the most heavily bet on sporting events in the United States. According to the American Gaming Association, an estimate of $3.3 billion dollars would be legally bet on the games this year. Showing how invested fans are. “Even if you’re not betting seriously, just competing with friends over brackets makes it way more intense,” O’Divin added.

        The idea of the “Cinderella story” is another reason the tournament is so popular. In this year’s tournament, multiple lower seeded teams have already made headlines, including Saint John’s upsetting Kansas and the Iowa Hawkeyes upsetting the #1 Florida Gators. “Every year there’s that one underdog team that surprises everyone. That’s honestly my favorite part.” Jayden Nivar, Student, said.

        Other upsets have continued to build that excitement, such as #6 Tennessee eliminating #3 Virginia and #11 Texas going on a run by beating both #6 BYU and #3 Gonzaga. Underdog Senior Chase Johnston from High Point, made his first 2-point basket of the season, a fast-break layup with 11.7 seconds remaining that gave No. 12 seed High Point an 83-82 victory over fifth-seeded Wisconsin.

       Johnston finished with 14 points, including four 3-pointers for the Panthers, who were 10 1/2-point underdogs, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. “There’s always a player who just goes crazy during the tournament and becomes the main person everyone is talking about.” Nivar said.

       March Madness is always a big conversation in households, but the excitement carries into school as well. Discussions about the tournament are constant. Students compare predictions and debate winners throughout the day. “At school, everyone’s talking about their brackets and who’s going to win, so it’s kind of everywhere,” he added.

      Overall, March Madness remains one of the biggest events in sports because of its mix of competition, unpredictability, and fan involvement. From powerhouse programs to unexpected underdogs, the tournament delivers memorable moments every year. That combination is what keeps fans coming back.