No three-peat for U.S. women’s soccer team

It was a very disappointing weekend for the United States women’s soccer team, which was trying to three-peat as World Cup champions.

However, that desire was dashed early Sunday morning when the Americans fell 5-4 to Sweden in a shootout of penalty kicks.

Megan Rapinoe, who played in her final Women’s World Cup, Sophia Smith and Kelly O’Hara all missed penalty kicks, then Sweden’s Lina Hurtig converted her penalty kick — which just barely crossed the goal line after U.S. goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher argued she had saved Hurtig’s shot. However, the shot was ruled over the line by VAR.

The loss marked the earliest exit in tournament history by the U.S. women’s soccer team, which has won a total of four World Cup titles.

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Can you feel it in the air? Football is getting closer and closer to getting seasons underway — both high school and college.

It’s getting exciting, and I, too, can’t wait for it to happen.

Your TIMES will keep up on all aspects of it, so let the games begin.

The annual special preview sections on all eight local high school football teams will publish Aug. 25.

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In my first Diamond Notes Column in Wednesday’s edition, I mentioned how we are holding the first-ever Fall Preview of Fast-Pitch Softball and Cross Country special section an extra week, having it publish in next Friday’s edition instead of our initial plan of having it come out in today’s edition.

Three local cross country coaches needed a little bit more time to make sure they were going to have either full teams or individuals. So, we wanted to give them the extra time.

I appreciate all the fast-pitch softball coaches and cross country coaches working with me to make this possible — and give these athletes some publicity.

David Seeley is sports editor for Your TIMES. He can be reached by telephone at (918) 775-4433, Ext. 139 or by email at davids@cookson.news.