CUSTER COUNTY, Colo. (KKTV) – First responders in Custer County are mourning the loss of one of their loved ones after a fatal accident over the weekend.

According to Custer County Emergency Medical Services, paramedic Andrew Fernandez died in an accident on Saturday. They said the two-vehicle accident happened on the way to work.

According to the Custer County Sheriff’s Office, a Westcliffe man was seriously injured in the accident. The accident is currently under investigation by the Colorado State Patrol.

Meanwhile, first responders in Custer County are mourning Fernandez.

“Andrew was a first-class paramedic and an even better person. Andrew was a smart, intelligent and warm person,” Custer County Emergency Services said in a post on Facebook. “He was highly respected at Custer County EMS for his meticulous patient care and helpfulness.”

They said he had been working as a paramedic for more than ten years. He leaves behind a wife, Justine, and a two-year-old daughter.

A GoFundMe has been set up in his honor and for his family. You can find that here.

Copyright 2024 KKTV. All rights reserved.

Ian Gilligan shot 3-under through two rounds at the Shriners Children Open at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Gilligan managed two rounds of 70-69 and was T49 in strong winds and difficult playing conditions. Due to a long weather delay on Friday, the second round continued on Saturday morning.

He recorded eight birdies and five bogeys and was tied for 22nd in the field through the first two rounds. Gilligan shot a 5-under 66 and a 6-under 65 over the weekend to move to 14-under and move up to T16 in the tournament.

He ranked 10th in the field in putting and recorded no bogeys over the weekend. Gilligan is currently ranked No. 8 in the world by Golfweek/AmateurGolf.com.

Even after his summer of golf, he adapts well to unexpected circumstances.

“I think winning the Western Amateur over the summer was my biggest win in amateur golf,” Gilligan said after the first round. “That was simply because of how long and tiring the tournament was.”

Ian Gilligan won the prestigious 29-hole Western Amateur in early August to earn a spot at the Shriners this week.

---

RELATED ARTICLES
Ian Gilligan conquers the western amateur marathon
Ian Gilligan has made a splash in college golf four years after battling cancer

---

“Definitely the craziest game I’ve ever been a part of or ever heard of,” Gilligan told the Western Golf Association after the game. “I think I have to apologize to everyone for taking so long.”

Gilligan defeated his Florida teammate Parker Bell in 19 holes in the first semifinal, while Turner defeated Henry Guan in 19 holes to set up the All-Florida final.

According to the Western Golf Association, the longest Western Amateur final was a 22-hole affair in 2017 featuring Norman Xiong and Doc Redman. It was fought for more than an hour before Gilligan was crowned champion.

“Jack and I talked about it on our ninth playoff hole and decided we were ready for it to be over,” Gilligan said with a laugh. “But I kept telling myself that you are playing for a tournament of the largest magnitude and you have to keep going.”

OMAHA, Neb.

Real-time payments are expected to generate $285.8 billion in additional global GDP growth and create more than 167 million new bank account holders by 2028, according to a new report from ACI Worldwide (NASDAQ: ACIW), an original innovator in global payments technology, in collaboration with the Center for Economics and Business Research (Cebr).

This press release contains multimedia. Check out the full release here:

ACI Worldwide’s second report, “Real-Time Payments: Economic Impact and Financial Inclusion,” uses data from 40 countries and demonstrates – for the first time – an empirical connection between real-time payments and financial inclusion.

The study shows that real-time payments could boost economic growth and potentially help lift millions of people out of poverty by giving citizens access to affordable financial services. In addition, the associated boom in financial inclusion that many countries are experiencing due to increasing real-time transactions offers significant new revenue opportunities for financial institutions.

“Real-time payments act as a powerful catalyst for economic growth and social change in modern, digital economies. They improve the efficiency of financial systems and enable greater financial inclusion,” said Thomas Warsop, President and CEO of ACI Worldwide. “This study shows that modernizing payments is a win-win for everyone, including governments and banks.”

Key findings

Economic impact of real-time payments

Real-time payments improve overall market efficiency in the economy by enabling the transfer of funds between consumers and businesses in seconds rather than days. They reduce transaction costs and formalize parts of the cash-based “shadow economy,” thereby increasing revenue opportunities.

• Across all 40 countries surveyed, real-time payments increased GDP by a total of $164.0 billion in 2023 – the equivalent of the output of 12 million workers.

• 2028 Forecast: The GDP contribution from real-time payments will total $285.8 billion – an increase of 74.2% over five years, equivalent to the work of 16.9 million workers.

• Aggregate net savings for consumers and businesses: $116.9 billion in 2023 – expected to increase to $245.8 billion by 2028.

Financial inclusion

The study shows a “positive empirical connection between instant payments and financial inclusion”. Real-time payments promote financial inclusion, particularly among three demographic groups: younger people (ages 18 to 24); Women; and people in lower income groups (40% of the lowest income population).

• By 2028, 167.2 million people previously excluded from the financial system in the 28 countries surveyed for financial inclusion could have bank accounts.

• The five countries with the largest increase in financial inclusion (number of new citizens): Pakistan – 63.5 million; India – 25.5 million; Philippines – 20.9 million; Nigeria – 13.8 million; China – 13.8 million.

Profit opportunities for financial institutions

The phenomenal growth of real-time payments and the resulting increase in financial inclusion represent a significant profit opportunity for banks.

• The five markets with the biggest opportunities to win: Pakistan – $173.0 billion; Nigeria – $40.4 billion; Philippines – $28.7 billion; India – $24.6 billion; China – $21.2 billion.

Regional highlights

• Asia Pacific: Asia Pacific is home to some of the world’s largest real-time payments markets, including India, China and Thailand. Real-time payments increased India’s GDP by $50 million in 2023, making it the world’s largest market in terms of GDP growth. In Indonesia, one of the world’s ten fastest-growing markets, real-time payments are expected to contribute $3.6 billion to the economy’s additional GDP by 2028, accounting for 0.21% of total GDP. The region also has the three most financially integrated countries: Pakistan, India and the Philippines.
• Africa: As Africa’s largest real-time payments market, Nigeria reaps the greatest economic benefits. Real-time payments contributed $7.0 billion to the country’s GDP in 2023, accounting for 1.4% of total GDP. Nigeria is also the top bank profit opportunity market in the region, followed by South Africa with projected bank profit opportunities of US$40.4 billion and US$899.1 million respectively.
• Europe: Europe’s transition to instant payments, mandated by the EU’s Instant Payments Regulation, is expected to boost economic growth and improve financial inclusion across the 27 EU member states. The EU wants to replicate the success of other countries in the region, such as Turkey, which is expected to generate an additional GDP of $5.1 billion by 2028 due to real-time payments, followed by the United Kingdom with an expected additional GDP growth of $4 .0 billion US dollars by 2028.
• Middle East: The economic and financial benefits of real-time payments in the Middle East – the world’s fastest-growing real-time payments market – are felt most clearly in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia’s GDP is expected to increase by $1.1 billion by 2028, while Bahrain is forecast to see additional GDP growth of $677.6 million by 2028.
• Latin America: In Brazil, the region’s largest economy, real-time payments contributed $24.6 billion to the overall economy – equivalent to the labor of more than 1.3 million workers. Mexico is among the top five countries in the world with the greatest economic benefits from real-time payments, with GDP growth of $10.3 billion in 2023. Colombia is set to experience the largest increase in financial inclusion in the region, with an expected 5.1 million new account holders by 2028.
• North America: The impact of real-time payments is already evident in the US, where businesses and consumers saved more than $1.0 billion in 2023 – expected to quadruple to $4.4 billion by 2028. The US is among the top ten countries with the highest projected financial savings increasing inclusion through real-time payments: 4.9 million citizens People previously excluded from the financial system could have bank accounts by 2028.

“The research identifies for the first time a positive empirical relationship between instant payments and financial inclusion. As economies increase adoption of instant payments, reducing transaction costs, improving user experience and other behavioral factors will drive an increase in the proportion of the population engaging with financial institutions,” commented Owen Good, Head of Economic Advisory at Cebr. “In particular, we note that the introduction of real-time payments is expected to bring significant benefits to individuals, the financial sector itself and the wider economy. Put simply, we continue to see that everyone involved in the transaction feels rewarded for moving money in seconds rather than days.”

About ACI Worldwide

ACI Worldwide, an original innovator in global payments technology, delivers transformative software solutions that enable intelligent, real-time payment orchestration, enabling banks, billers and merchants to drive growth while continually modernizing their payment infrastructures easily and securely. With nearly 50 years of trusted payments expertise, we combine our global footprint with a local presence to deliver enhanced payment experiences and stay ahead of ever-changing payment challenges and opportunities.

About Cebr

For over 30 years, the Center for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) has provided independent economic forecasts and analysis to hundreds of private companies and public organizations. Our business advisory team is one of the strongest in the UK and has advised government agencies as well as FTSE and multinational companies on a range of issues. Cebr’s forecasting and thought leadership team delivers award-winning forecasts for the UK and global economy, helping our clients stay one step ahead in anticipating future economic developments. For more information about Cebr, visit www.cebr.com.

© Copyright ACI Worldwide, Inc. 2024

ACI, ACI Worldwide, ACI Payments, Inc., ACI Pay, Speedpay and all ACI product/solution names are trademarks or registered trademarks of ACI Worldwide, Inc. or one of its subsidiaries in the United States, other countries or both. The trademarks of other parties mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

View source version on businesswire.com:

media

Nick Karoglou | Head of Communications and Corporate Affairs | [email protected]

Katrin Boettger I Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs, Americas/Europe I [email protected]

© Business Wire, Inc.

Disclaimer:
This press release is not a document generated by AFP. AFP assumes no responsibility for their content. If you have any questions about this press release, please contact the contact person/office listed in the text of the press release.

CARSON, California. – The No. 9 USC women’s soccer team earned a thrilling 2-1 win over No. 16 Penn State on Sunday afternoon at Dignity Health Sports Park, scoring a stunning free kick goal Helena Sampaio in the 90th^Th minute to stay atop the Big Ten standings.

The win sets up a Big Ten title matchup next Sunday with No. 10 UCLA. USC is 13-1-2 overall and 9-0-1 in Big Ten play, with the Trojans taking 28 points and a two-point lead over UCLA in the standings into next week’s regular-season finale. A tie would also secure a conference title for the Trojans. Penn State drops to 11-4-3, 5-3-2 with the loss.

Aaliyah Farmer was the first-half hero for USC, putting the Trojans on top by scoring her own rebound in the 23rd minute^approx Minute. USC’s early advantage lasted into the ’88^Th minute when the Nittany Lions were awarded a penalty and converted the free kick.

Less than two minutes later, Sampaio was fouled about seven meters outside the penalty area and set up a free kick from about 25 meters away. With the clock stopped, the Brazilian midfielder took the free kick and placed the shot perfectly in the top left corner for the game-winning goal. It was Sampaio’s third goal of the season, along with her team-leading five assists.

After the restart, the Trojan defense held Penn State back for the final 24 seconds before the USC bench was able to storm the field and celebrate the victory.

The Trojans defeated Penn State 15-8 on the day, holding the visitors to just two shots in the second half. Laurence Gladu made four big saves, including stopping two shots from close range and another that she tipped over the crossbar in the first half.

USC’s only tie in conference play came on September 26 against Minnesota. Since then, the Trojans have won six straight, including wins over two ranked opponents this week (No. 15 Ohio State on Thursday). USC’s only loss this year came on the road at then-No. 1 Stanford on September 8th. The Trojans’ nine conference wins match a program record set in 2015.

VALUES

23′ – USC: Aaliyah Farmer (without outside help) – BK Harris sent a long pass into the box that Farmer headed toward goal, but the Penn State keeper was there to make the save, but Farmer pounced on the rebound and shot it into the goal.

88′ – PSU: Rowan Lapi (PK) – Kaitlyn MacBean was brought down near the edge of the box to score the penalty and Lapi converted into the right post.

90′ – USC: Helena Sampaio (unassisted) – Sampaio was fouled near the top right side of the penalty area and scored on the free kick, placing the ball in the top left corner from 25 yards out.

NEXT

The Trojans close out the regular season next weekend on Sunday (Oct. 27) against No. 10 UCLA at 12 p.m. This game will decide the regular season Big Ten Conference Championship, with USC needing a win or tie and UCLA needing a win. Sunday’s game will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.

Imelda M: “Game 4, OMG. The Liberty need to come out like they did in Game 3. Don’t let up or they’ll go home crying and without a trophy.

“It’s going to be another electric game, go Liberty!”

William F: “I can’t tell you how much fun this series was to watch. The effort these ladies put in every single second of every single game is incredible. There is constant pressure on the ballplayers, every shot is controversial, nothing is “free”. Every single point scored must be “earned”. And the teams are so balanced and throwing all their might at each other, it’s just incredible to see. Whoever is still standing when the clock strikes zero on Sunday will have an incredible sense of achievement because they have 100% earned the right to lift this trophy.

“I have been a Lynx fan since their inception and as much as I want them to win another title, I can truly say that I will be happy for the Liberty if they do it. They’re both great teams. The great respect I have gained for the way they compete and leave everything on the floor makes me come to the conclusion that WE, the fans, can be the real winners no matter who ends up with the trophy receives. What a magnificent spectacle this was! The WNBA should be proud.

“Come on lynx!!!”

” Previous Continue here »

The Ukrainians have also experimented with autonomous machine guns and drones that use AI to identify and attack enemy targets. Meanwhile, in the Middle East, and echoing Raven, it was recently revealed that Israel used an AI program called Lavender to designate nearly 37,000 Palestinians as Hamas targets.

But as the catastrophic civilian casualties inflicted by systems like Lavender suggest, battlefield efficiency and wartime morale are two very different things. Geoffrey Hinton, the so-called “Godfather of AI” and Nobel Prize winner in physics, warned of the “potentially dire consequences” of the technology – with particular reference to the fact that robot killers may one day escape our control.

Of course, it hardly helps that some of the most passionate AI enthusiasts are arguably far from perfect. Although Scully unsurprisingly emphasizes the ethics of Palantir’s platforms, her company faced a challenge Test about how it collects and uses data, including apparently inviting small children to an AI war conference. That’s before you think about it cloudy Relationship with the US government, with Palantir also responsible for this controversy about his work for the NHS here in the UK.

But these challenges aside, Moiseev is ultimately confident that few people want to see society torn apart in a future ruled by killer robots. “Rather,” he suggests, “we should develop AI to prevent and resolve disagreements.” More broadly, predictive AI can now be used not only to thwart attacks, but also to respond to conflicts and help civilians. Whatever the question marks surrounding Palantir, the company is currently using AI to help mine over 150,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian fields.

“Palantir apparently invited small children to an AI war conference.”

And what about the future that Jalalabad foreshadows? Could AI predict future conflict? Moiseev thinks so. As he says, while the invasion of Ukraine came as a shock to most, a team of scientists and engineers based in Silicon Valley did predicted Russia’s move almost to the day – even Months before the war actually started. “There are often a lot of signs that a conflict is on the horizon” Moiseev adds: “Whether it’s unusual movements at missile sites or a sudden stockpile of critical materials.” The problem is that humans aren’t particularly good at detecting subtle clues. But for AI, this is one of its greatest strengths.”

No wonder U.S. policymakers hope to use AI to analyze data to detect future Chinese actions around Taiwan. Admiral Samuel Paparo, a commander in the U.S. Pacific Fleet, certainly hinted at this. As he said at a recent defense innovation conference, the Pentagon is looking for ways to find “those clues” about an impending attack by the People’s Liberation Army. Given that any outbreak in the Pacific could occur without warning, experts argue that AI could equally improve the overall readiness of U.S. forces year-round.

The question then becomes whether the computers could be outsmarted by an enemy intent on maintaining a minimum level of surprise. Significantly, this can potentially be done via even more intelligent machines millions of times more powerful than normal supercomputers. Quantum machines could analyze enemy movements and break their encryption in a second.

However, it would be reckless to give computers complete control. As Spahr says, war is ultimately fought by men and women, which means we must never allow “automation bias” to cloud our strategic judgment. Considering how his country’s adventure in Kabul ultimately ended, that’s certainly good advice.

---

Former Newcastle United director Amanda Staveley warned: “The Crown Prince is losing patience” as she battles to push through the club’s controversial takeover, leaked messages have revealed.

A tranche of WhatsApp messages seen by The Telegraph suggests that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler, personally controlled the £305 million takeover by the sovereign wealth fund.

Ms Staveley was responsible for the deal that saw British tycoon Mike Ashley sell Newcastle to the Gulf Kingdom’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) in October 2021.

The high-profile financier, who once rejected a marriage proposal from Prince Andrew, left the club after selling her shares earlier this year. She has since been linked with buying a stake in Tottenham Hotspur.

But new leaked messages have brought the takeover back into the spotlight as they suggest that the crown prince, who is accused of ordering the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, signed off on key decisions during negotiations.

As Ms Staveley tried to push through the deal, she warned Ashley’s team in a message that “the crown prince is losing patience”. In another case, she said the PIF governor “tried to persuade the crown prince not to withdraw.”

It raises new questions about the political involvement in the deal and the truth behind the guarantees given to the Premier League to ensure the takeover goes ahead.

The crown prince is chairman of the PIF, but the Premier League has always maintained it has received “legally binding assurances that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will not control Newcastle United Football Club”.

On August 6, 2020, Ms Staveley was reported to have asked the Saudi ambassador to the UK to help save the deal.

“The British Saudi ambassador spoke to the crown prince this morning,” she said.

Another message from the businesswoman, sent later that month, said: “We need to update the Saudi ambassador at 4 p.m., just as he needs to update the crown prince.”

In April 2021, then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson said his government was “at no time involved in the takeover discussions regarding the sale of Newcastle”.

However, Ms Staveley communicated with Lord Grimstone and told Ashley’s team that the then investment minister was “operating behind the scenes and making it very clear that they preferred the deal to go ahead”.

The Mail also revealed in April 2021 that Johnson said “brilliant” when told the deal was back on track.

When Newcastle initially tried to sell the club to a consortium led by the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund, the Premier League blocked it out of fear that the club would in fact be controlled by the Saudi state.

The Premier League later let the deal go ahead because it was given “legally binding assurances” that the PIF was separate from the Saudi state.

Ms Staveley told the Telegraph through lawyers that she had only ever mentioned the crown prince in his capacity as PIF chairman. She added that it was “as illogical as it is wrong” to claim that her messages cast doubt on whether assurances of independence from the Saudi state were being honored.

At the time, Ms Staveley said the PIF was “an autonomous, commercially operated investment fund”.

Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of PIF, is non-executive chairman of Newcastle, but the leaked WhatsApp messages suggest the crown prince had the final say on the purchase.

On March 3, 2020, Ms Staveley told vendors: “The Crown Prince is losing patience – I need to reassure him that we can do it.”

On July 29 of that year she said: “ER [His excellency Yasir Al-Rumayyan] tried to stick to the deal and convince the crown prince not to back out.’

But in October 2020 she sent a message to Ashley’s team saying: “No10 cannot commit any further than they have so far.” Gerry [Lord Grimstone] said that they have gone behind the scenes and made it very clear that they prefer the deal to go through. They are obviously very aware of the damage this has caused and the impact on future investments.”

In other news, Ms Staveley can be seen frustrated with the deal.

She says, “Yasir [Al-Rumayyan] absolutely fed up with it. The price was agreed with Mike [Ashley]. Mike keeps trying to act again. If he mentions a change to the agreed price of £305 plus a cash sweetener of £17.5, that deal is over.

“If you want more money, just sell it to someone else.”

‘HE [His excellency Yasir Al-Rumayyan] tried to stick to the deal and convince the crown prince not to back out. We all agree on the price – it’s up to Mike [sic] decide what he wants to do.’

Newcastle fans were delighted when Ashley finally sold the club to PIF for £305 million in October 2021. PIF now owns 80 percent of the club, with Ms Staveley’s PCP Capital Partners owning 10 percent and property developers David and Simon Reuben owning the remaining 10 percent.

A spokesperson for PIF told MailOnline: “In October 2021, following a lengthy investigation, the Premier League announced that the sale of Newcastle United Football Club had been completed after receiving assurances that the government of Saudi Arabia would not control the club .”

“The facts and circumstances underlying these representations and confirmed to the Premier League at the time remain unchanged.”

Ms Staveley told The Telegraph she was “completely confident” that the assurances had been kept.

Lord Grimstone told the newspaper he had been kept abreast of major investments in the UK in his previous role, particularly the Newcastle deal, which attracted “huge public interest”.

He added: “I made it very clear to Mr. [Gary] Hoffmann [ex PL chair] that my sole role was to facilitate the exchange of ideas between the PIF and the Premier League and that I in no way sought to compromise the Premier League’s complete autonomy in this matter.”

The Premier League declined to comment.

STANFORD, Calif. – The Washington women’s golf team finished tied for 13th in play at the Stanford Intercollegiate on Sunday^Th at Stanford Golf Course.

Vivian Lu (No. 33) had another strong performance in the third round of the Stanford Intercollegiate Sunday, finishing in a tie for fifth place overall (-6).

Lu led the Dawgs on all three days of the tournament – including 12 birdies – and finished at even par on Sunday after shooting two under in round one and four under in round two.

“Another great tournament for Viv, I’m super proud of her,” said head coach Mary Lou Mulflur. “It wasn’t her best ball-striking day, but she fought hard until the last putt was holed. Our entire team needs to get better at this.”

Jenny Chang improved on her first-round performance (+12) and reached four over par in the second and third rounds, including three birdies on Sunday.

The host Stanford Cardinal finished in a tie with USC at the top of the rankings (-18). Texas finished the weekend at 11 under, making them the only team to finish the weekend below average.

The Huskies will next compete in Hawaii at the Nanea Invitational Oct. 28-30 to close out the fall season.

From: Don Rebel

Sunday, October 20, 2024 | 7:19 p.m

---

Welcome to a busy Monday with WPIAL football first round games, district volleyball preliminary round games and the opening round of the PIAA golf championships.

In the 2023 WPIAL Class 4A girls soccer first round, Upper St. Clair hosted Butler in a 7-10 matchup, with the Panthers defeating the Golden Tornado 2-0.

The rematch is scheduled for Monday at the exact same spot on the tournament schedule.

Upper St. Clair (9-5-2) placed second in Section 2, while Butler (9-8) placed fourth in Section 3.

The winner will face No. 2 seed and Section 2 champion Seneca Valley (12-2-2) in the quarterfinals on Thursday.

The other three 4A first round games at 6:30 p.m. include:

*NO. 9 Latrobe (8-4-1) at No. 8 Pine-Richland (11-5) at 6:30 p.m., with the winner visiting No. 1 Peters Township (16-0-1).

*NO. 12 Mt. Lebanon (9-6-1) at No. 5 Norwin (10-7-1) at 6:30 p.m., with the winner traveling to play No. 4 North Allegheny (10-5-1). .

*NO. 11 Hempfield (5-12) at No. 6 Canon-McMillan (11-3-1) with the winner at No. 3 Penn-Trafford (12-4) at 6:30 p.m.

3A girls soccer opener

One is good, but twice is nice.

The 16-team WPIAL Class 3A playoff field has two defending champions, and both are the top two seeds.

2023 4A winner Fox Chapel (15-1-1) is the No. 1 seed, while last year’s 3A winner South Fayette (13-3) is the No. 2 seed.

On Monday, the Foxes host No. 16 Indiana (5-9-2) and the Lions host No. 15 Kiski Area (6-8-1).

The other six first-round games scheduled for 6:30 p.m. include:

*NO. 9 Franklin Regional (12-5) and No. 8 Montour (11-4-2)

*NO. 13 Shaler (8-8-1) at No. 4 Plum (15-1)

*NO. 12 Hampton (11-4-1) at No. 5 Moon (12-3)

*NO. 10 Bethel Park (9-5-3) at No. 7 Thomas Jefferson (9-5-1)

*NO. 14 Laurel Highlands (7-7) at No. 3 West Allegheny (13-3-1)

*NO. 11 Oakland Catholic (8-7) at No. 6 Mars (14-2) at 8 p.m

Same, but different

The top four seeds in the WPIAL Class 2A boys soccer playoffs this season have the same four teams as a year ago, although the deck has been shuffled a bit.

The two constants are South Park (16-1-1) at the top and Deer Lakes (15-2-1) at No. 3.

The defending champion Eagles were No. 1 every year and went on to win gold.

South Park hosts Waynesburg Central (7-7-1) on Monday at 6:30 p.m.

The 2022 district champion Lancers open this year’s postseason at home against No. 14 Hopewell (9-7) at 6:30 p.m

Last year, Quaker Valley was a No. 2 seed and made it to the finals. This season, QV (14-3-1) is the No. 4 seed and will host No. 13 Burrell (8-9) at 6:30 p.m

After all, Avonworth (14-2-2) was a No. 4 seed last fall and this year the Lopes are a No. 2 seed. The Antelopes host No. 15 McGuffey on Tuesday.

The other four 2A first-round games starting at 6:30 p.m. include:

*NO. 9 Central Valley (14-4) at No. 8 Elizabeth Forward (12-4-1)

*NO. 12 Seton LaSalle (12-4) at No. 5 Charleroi (14-1)

*NO. 10 Shady Side Academy (11-4-1) at No. 7 Mt. Pleasant (13-5)

*NO. 11 Southmoreland (11-7) at No. 6 North Catholic (14-4) at Mars at 6 p.m

Volleyball braids

The first round of the 2024 WPIAL girls volleyball playoffs will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Monday is the day the Class 3A and Class 2A 16-team field is determined.

There are a total of eight preliminary round games, two in 3A and a bloated six in 2A.

All of these games will take place at 7:00 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

*Class 3A seed for No. 15: Albert Gallatin (8-8) at Derry (7-8) with the winner at No. 2 Mars.

*3A for 16 seeds: Central Valley (7-9) at Gateway (8-5) with the winner at No. 1 Beaver.

*2A for 11 seeds: Mohawk (10-8) vs. Avonworth (9-9) at Keystone Oaks at 6 p.m. with the winner at No. 6 Waynesburg Central

*2A for 12 seeds: Brownsville (8-11) at Seton LaSalle (13-7) with winner at No. 5 Southmoreland

*2A for 13 seeds: Ligonier Valley (9-8) at Yough (12-8) with winner at No. 4 South Park

*2A for 14 seeds: Bentworth (8-10) vs. McGuffey (11-5) with winner at No. 3 Hopewell

*2A for 15 seeds: Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (10-6) at Laurel (11-7) with winner at No. 2 Neshannock

*2A for 16 seeds: Shenango (7-7) at Keystone Oaks (9-8) at 7:30 p.m. with winner at No. 1 Quaker Valley

Putting at Penn State

The first state championships of the school year will be held Monday through Wednesday in Happy Valley.

The 2024 PIAA Individual and Team Golf Championships will be held at Penn State’s Blue and White golf courses.

The individual finals are a two-day, 36-hole event scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, while the team championships are scheduled for Wednesday.