Dallas Turner Selected By Vikings

     The first round of the 2024 National Football League happened in Detroit on Thursday night. One player chosen had a South Florida connection. 

     The Minnesota Vikings took University of Alabama edge rusher Dallas Turner with the 17th overall selection. Turner played high school football with the St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders and captured two FHSAA Class 7A state championships in 2019 and 2020. He participated with the Crimson Tide for three seasons. 

Miami Dolphins In First Round

     The National Football League Draft was held in Detroit. The first round of the draft took place on Thursday night. 

     The Miami Dolphins had the 21st overall pick in the first round. The Fins selected outside linebacker Chop Robinson. He played his freshman year with the University of Maryland followed by his sophomore and junior years at Penn State University. 

Panthers Top Lightning In Game 3

     The Florida Panthers took a 3-0 commanding lead in the best-of-seven series with a 5-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night at Amalie Arena in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. The Panthers can clinch the first-round series on Saturday at the same venue. 

     In the first period, Florida raced out to a 1-0 advantage. Matthew Tkachuk was able to snap a shot with 9:21 left in the opening frame for his second tally of the postseason. 

     Tampa Bay controlled the early part of the second period and took a 2-1 lead. Steven Stamkos collected his third goal of the series with a deflected shot just 44 seconds in. Tyler Motte followed with a goal on a wrist shot at the 2:56 mark. 

     The Panthers leaped by them to reclaim the lead 3-2. Sam Reinhart got his second goal of the Stanley Cup Playoffs at 9:58 on a wrist shot. Brandon Montour rifled a slap shot with 3:30 remaining in the second. 

     The Cats picked up a goal from Steven Loretz on a forehand shot at 9:41 of the third period and led 4-2. The Bolts cut it to 4-3 with a tally from Nick Paul on a wrist shot with 5:10 to go. 

     The Lightning pulled their goalie like they did in Game 2 and it was not successful to tie the contest. Tkachuk placed the puck into an empty net with 31.5 seconds left for his second goal of the game and his third goal of the postseason. 

ESPN West Palm Lineup Changes

     ESPN West Palm 106.3 WUUB-FM has made several changes to their broadcast lineup this month. It began with the end of the LaVicka, Theo and Stone midday show on April 2. 

     Theoretically Speaking with WPTV-TV Channel 5 and WFLX-TV Channel 29 sportscaster Theo Dorsey along with Christian Katt debuted on April 8. The one-hour program airs weekdays from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Dorsey arrived in the West Palm Beach market back in November 2020. 

     Josh Cohen and The Hometeam afternoon show was bumped from the weekday schedule after an 11-year run. He joined ESPN West Palm in February 2013 as a weekend host and was elevated to the weekday lineup in September 2013. Cohen now has his own Saturday morning show from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. named Saturday Tailgate. 

Heat Shock Celtics In Game 2

     The Miami Heat stunned the Boston Celtics 111-101 in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals on Wednesday night at TD Garden. The best-of-seven series is now tied at 1-1. The series will shift to Miami for Game 3 on Saturday.

     Miami had a slight 28-27 advantage at the end of the first quarter. Boston pulled ahead and were up 61-58 by halftime. 

     The Heat went on a 24-9 run at the start of the second half and had an 85-79 lead after three quarters. The closest the Celtics came to regaining the lead was being down five points 94-89 with 6:22 left in the final quarter. 

     All five Heat starters ended up in double-digit scoring. Tyler Herro finished with a double-double of 24 points and 14 assists. Bam Adebayo also composed a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Caleb Martin contributed 21 points while Jaime Jacquez Jr. placed in 14 points. 

     Jaylen Brown dropped in a game-high 33 points along with eight rebounds for the Celtics. Jayson Tatum had 28 points and eight rebounds. Derrick White was able to drain in 13 points. 

Braves Sweep Marlins

     The Atlanta Braves handled the Miami Marlins 4-3 in 10 innings at Truist Park on Wednesday night. The Braves pulled off a three-game series sweep. 

     Atlanta(17-6) ripped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Ronald Acuna Jr. reached home on a balk by Marlins starting pitcher Sixton Sanchez. Marcell Ozuna later knocked in Michael Harris II on a base hit to left field. 

     Miami(6-20) answered back immediately in the top of the second and trailed 2-1. Jesus Sanchez smacked a solo home run to right field for his second homer of the season. 

     The Braves took the lead 3-1 in the third inning. Ozuna singled through the right side and Matt Olson crossed the plate. 

     The Marlins came back in the top of the ninth. Josh Bell reached first on a fielding error by Olson as the ball went into the Braves dugout. Luis Arraez and Bryan De La Cruz both scored on the play. 

     The contest would into extra innings. Atlanta walked it off in the bottom of the 10th when Harris drove in Ozuna on a single into left-center field. 

Tyree Smith Working In Portland

     Former West Palm Beach television sportscaster Tyree Smith is currently at KATU-TV in Portland. He has been their lead sports anchor since November 2023. 

     Smith, an Oxbridge Academy graduate and former high school football player, was a sports reporter and sports anchor at WPTV-TV Channel 5 and WFLX-TV Channel 29 in West Palm Beach from January 2021 until October 2023. He began his professional broadcasting career as a sports director and sports anchor at WBUP-TV in Ishpeming, Michigan.