Jeff Wallner, Author at The Rapid City Post

Iowa State Cyclones Joshua Jefferson (5) and Cincinnati center Moustapha Thiam (52) battle for a rebound during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

No. 2 Iowa State loses second straight, 79-70 to Cincinnati

January 17, 2026

Day Day Thomas scored 19 points to lead Cincinnati to a 79-70 win Saturday over No. 2 Iowa State, which has lost two straight after winning its first 16 games. Milan Momcilovic scored a career-high 34 points, hitting eight 3-pointers, for the Cyclones (16-2, 3-2 Big 12) who were looking to rebound after an 84-63 to Kansas on Tuesday. But a desperate Cincinnati team made things difficult, forcing 12 turnovers leading to 20 points. Iowa State trailed by as many as 26 points against Kansas and 17 on Saturday. Jizzle James sored 15 points and Sencire Harris and Jalen Celestine each scored 12 for Cincinnati (10-8, 2-3) which has won two straight games after starting 0-3 in the league.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase celebrates with fans after scoring a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

Ja’Marr Chase has two TD catches as Bengals breeze past Cardinals 37-14

December 28, 2025

Ja’Marr Chase caught two touchdown passes from Joe Burrow, who threw for 305 yards as the Cincinnati Bengals beat the Arizona Cardinals 37-14. Chase finished with seven catches for 60 yards and became the first player in NFL history with at least 80 receptions, 1,000 receiving yards and seven TD catches in each of his first five seasons. Burrow passed for 300 yards or more for the 28th time, tying Andy Dalton for the most in franchise history. Arizona’s Trey McBride had 10 catches, giving him 119 this season to break the NFL single-season record for a tight end, topping Zach Ertz’s 116 in 2018.

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) scores as FC Cincinnati goalkeeper Roman Celentano, third from left, tries to defend during the first half of MLS soccer's Eastern Conference semifinal Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Tanner Pearson)

Messi’s goal, 3 assists power Inter Miami past FC Cincinnati 4-0, into Eastern Conference final

November 23, 2025

Lionel Messi had a goal and three assists and Tadeo Allende scored twice as Inter Miami beat FC Cincinnati 4-0 Sunday to advance to the Eastern Conference finals. Miami will take on the winner of Sunday’s other conference semifinal between the Philadelphia Union and New York City FC. Messi set an MLS playoff record with 12 goal contributions (six goals, six assists). Cincinnati’s best scoring chance came in the first half when Ender Echenique sent a header across the box to Evander, who shot over the bar.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco (16) speaks after his team's loss to the Chicago Bears in an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

Joe Flacco and Ja’Marr Chase refuse to blame Bengals’ defense after another late collapse

November 2, 2025

Joe Flacco has led the Bengals to a combined 80 points in their past two games. Both of them have been losses, thanks to Cincinnati’s NFL-worst defense. On Sunday, the Bengals couldn’t hold a late lead for the second straight week and lost 47-42 to the Chicago Bears. Flacco says the Bengals win and lose as a team and there’s no point in getting angry at his teammates on the defensive side. And star receiver Ja’Marr Chase says he just tries to stay positive and not criticize others. The 40-year-old Flacco threw for a career-high 470 yards in the loss.

Cincinnati running back Evan Pryor (6) celebrates as he scores a touchdown against Iowa State during the first half of an NCAA football game, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Cincinnati uses fast start to take down No. 14 Iowa State 38-30

October 4, 2025

Brendan Sorsby passed for 214 yards and two touchdowns, Evan Pryor ran for 111 yards and two TDs and Cincinnati used a 17-point first quarter to beat No. 14 Iowa State 38-30. The Bearcats beat a ranked opponent at home for the first time since beating No. 16 Houston 35-20 on Dec. 4, 2021. The Cyclones trailed 31-7 with 1:08 left in the second quarter before rallying to get within eight with 1:56 left in the game. Cincinnati recovered an onside kick to end the threat.

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes delivers in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Michael Swensen)

Pirates ace Paul Skenes drops ERA to 1.97 in his final scheduled start of the season

September 24, 2025

Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes isn’t a big numbers guy, yet he does maintain high standards for himself. The 23-year-old right-hander allowed four hits and struck out seven in six innings in his final scheduled start of the season on Wednesday night. While he didn’t figure in the Pirates’ 4-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds in 11 innings, he lowered his ERA to 1.97. Skenes became the first qualified pitcher with an ERA under 2.00 since Justin Verlander in 2022. He’s the youngest pitcher with a sub-2.00 ERA since 20-year-old Dwight Gooden’s 1.53 in 1985.

Cincinnati Reds' Noelvi Marte (16) celebrates with teammates after hitting a walkoff two-run single in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays, Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar)

Marte hits walk-off single after Reds lose tying run on lodged ball, Cincinnati tops Blue Jays 5-4

September 1, 2025

Noelvi Marte hit a game-ending, two-run single after Cincinnati lost the tying run on a rare lodged ball call, and the Reds rallied to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 following a ninth-inning bullpen meltdown. Toronto’s AL East lead was cut to 2 1/2 games over the idle New York Yankees. Cincinnati remained four games back of the New York Mets for the last NL wild card. Cincinnati led 2-1 before back-to-back homers in the ninth by Bo Bichette, who hit a two-run drive off Emilio Pagán for his fourth hit, and Daulton Varsho.

Iga Swiatek wins Cincinnati Open title, defeats Jasmine Paolini

August 18, 2025

Third-ranked Iga Swiatek captured the Cincinnati Open title by defeating No. 7 Jasmine Paolini 7-5, 6-4 on Monday night. Swiatek has won all six meetings against the Italian, dropping only one set in those matches. Paolini jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first set but Swiatek roared back to go ahead 5-3. Paolini broke serve to get even at 5-5, but Swiatek closed out a first-set victory in 56 minutes. Swiatek’s eighth ace of the match gave her a 5-3 lead in the second set. Paolini broke serve twice in the second set and was within 5-4, but Swiatek was able to serve out the match for her 24th career singles title.

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Andrew Abbott throws in the first inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Grace Bradley)

Reds end Brewers’ franchise-record, 14-game winning streak on Hays’ bases-loaded hit in the 10th

August 17, 2025

Austin Hays’ single with the bases loaded in the 10th inning gave the Cincinnati Reds a 3-2 victory over Milwaukee on Sunday, ending the Brewers’ franchise-record winning streak at 14 games. Milwaukee had barely pulled out the previous two games in Cincinnati for its longest streak ever in one season and the longest in the majors since the St. Louis Cardinals won 17 straight from Sept. 11 to Sept. 28, 2021. This time, Spencer Steer’s sacrifice bunt in the 10th advanced designated runner TJ Friedl to third. After intentional walks to Elly De La Cruz and Will Benson loaded the bases, Hays laced a single to down the third-base line for his second career walk-off hit.

Venus Williams celebrates her win over Peyton Stearns during a match at the Citi Open tennis tournament Tuesday, July 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Venus Williams loses in straight sets to Bouzas Maneiro in 1st round at Cincinnati Open

August 7, 2025

Venus Williams, who returned to tennis last month after being away from the sport for more than a year, lost to Jessica Bouzas Maneiro of Spain 6-4, 6-4 in the first round of the Cincinnati Open. Next up for the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion is the U.S. Open, where she received a wild-card entry with Reilly Opelka to play mixed doubles beginning Aug. 19. Williams has won 14 Grand Slam doubles titles with her sister Serena and another two in mixed doubles. The 51st-ranked Bouzas Maneiro wasn’t born when Williams won her first four Grand Slam titles.

Cincinnati Reds' Spencer Steer rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Friday, June 27, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

Nick Martinez and Spencer Steer just miss making history in Reds’ 8-1 win over Padres

June 27, 2025

The Cincinnati Reds were on the verge of making history twice Friday night against the San Diego Padres. Nick Martinez was three outs away from becoming the 18th pitcher in Reds franchise history to toss a no-hitter, and first baseman Spencer Steer was one swing away from becoming the second Reds player to homer four times in a game. But, both Martinez and Steer fell short. It was still a memorable night at Great American Ball Park as Cincinnati beat San Diego 8-1 for their eighth win in 12 games.

Padres pinch-hitter Díaz doubles in 9th inning to spoil no-hit bid by Reds RHP Nick Martinez

June 27, 2025

San Diego Padres pinch-hitter Elias Díaz hit a double off the wall in left-center in the ninth inning to spoil a no-hit bid by Cincinnati Reds right-hander Nick Martinez. The 34-year-old Martinez walked two and struck out six and was lifted from the game after allowing the first hit. He matched his career high of 112 pitches thru eight-plus innings, 75 for strikes. Martinez’s previous season high for pitches was 102. He has never pitched a complete game in the major leagues. The Reds led the game 8-0. Cincinnati’s Spencer Steer has homered three times for the first time in his career.

Jeff Wallner.