
Gage Hulse of Huffman has inspiring run district title. Via Vype
Originally Appeared on Vype
Perseverance.
It can't be measured like size, speed and strength, but it could be the most important characteristic a coach wants in an athlete.
If that were the case, Huffman's Gage Hulse would be a high major DI basketball prospect with offers from every national power program.
Hulse was born with pectus excavatum -- a structural deformity of the anterior thoracic wall in which the sternumand rib cage are shaped abnormally. This produces a caved-in or sunken appearance of the chest.
What it means is that Hulse struggled to breath for his entire life, while playing and living through pain.
"I used to play football up until ninth grade," he said. "It was tough. I'd have to sit out at times and take my pads off to catch my breath. The condition is pretty dangerous because it affects your heart and lungs. I couldn't have gone through this without my family and friends supporting me."
Fast-forward to his senior season and Hulse has led Huffman to an undefeated district title, while averaging over 17 points per game.
"Probably my most memorable moment was cutting down the nets when we clinched the district title," he said.
But it's been a long road to getting atop that ladder a few weeks ago.
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It wasn’t just a win — it was a glimpse into the Astros’ future
Jun 27, 2025, 10:43 pm
Two first-place teams, identical records, and a weekend set with serious measuring-stick energy.
The Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs open a three-game series Friday night at Daikin Park, in what could quietly be one of the more telling matchups of the summer. Both teams enter at 48-33, each atop their respective divisions — but trending in slightly different directions.
The Astros have been red-hot, going 7-3 over their last 10 while outscoring opponents by 11 runs. They've done it behind one of the best pitching staffs in baseball, with a collective 3.41 ERA that ranks second in the American League. Houston has also been dominant at home, where they’ve compiled a 30-13 record — a stat that looms large heading into this weekend.
On the other side, the Cubs have held their ground in the NL Central but have shown some recent shakiness. They're 5-5 over their last 10 games and have given up 5.66 runs per game over that stretch. Still, the offense remains dangerous, ranking fifth in on-base percentage across the majors. Kyle Tucker leads the way with a .287 average, 16 homers, and 49 RBIs, while Michael Busch has been hot of late, collecting 12 hits in his last 37 at-bats.
Friday’s pitching matchup features Houston’s Brandon Walter (0-1, 3.80 ERA, 1.10 WHIP) and Chicago’s Cade Horton (3-1, 3.73 ERA, 1.29 WHIP), a promising young arm making one of his biggest starts of the season on the road. Horton will have his hands full with Isaac Paredes, who’s slugged 16 homers on the year, and Mauricio Dubón, who’s found a groove with four home runs over his last 10 games.
It’s the first meeting of the season between these two clubs — and if the trends continue, it may not be the last time they cross paths when it really counts.
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Astros -112, Cubs -107; over/under is 8 1/2 runs
Here's a preview of Joe Espada's Game 1 lineup.
The first thing that stands out is rookie Cam Smith is hitting cleanup, followed by Jake Meyers. Victor Caratini is the DH and is hitting sixth. Christian Walker is all the way down at seventh, followed by Yainer Diaz, and Taylor Trammell who is playing left field.
How the mighty have fallen.
Pretty wild to see Walker and Diaz hitting this low in the lineup. However, it's justified, based on performance. Walker is hitting a pathetic .214 and Diaz is slightly better sporting a .238 batting average.
Screenshot via: MLB.com
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