Local chatter: Rising returns to the football field for first time since 2023 Rose Bowl

Cameron Rising is back.

The former Newbury Park High quarterback returned to the field at Rice-Eccles Stadium last Saturday for the first time since suffering a knee injury against Penn State in the 2023 Rose Bowl.

Utah fans responded with a standing ovation at the Utes’ annual “22 Forever” spring game.

“It was a little surreal,” Rising told the Desert News after the game. “Just fun. Just really grateful for the fans showing support. It was a hard year last year. Just to have that was amazing,”

Rising answered the gesture by leading the Red team to a 41-21 win over the White team, completing 15 of 19 passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns.

“It’s good to be back out there with the guys, making plays,” Rising said. “Not where we need to be for the season, but we’re getting there.”

Rising drove the Red team to scores in all three of his possessions, finding Money Parks for two TD passes and connecting with USC transfer Dorian Singer five times for 92 yards.

“Exactly what we hoped it would be,” head coach Kyle Whittingham told the Salt Lake Tribune. “He was accurate. He moved well in the pocket. Had great pocket presence to him, which he always does. Got through his progressions quick and got the ball out on time.

“Really couldn’t have asked anything more than what he gave us today.”

After back-to-back Pacific-12 Conference championships with Rising at the helm, Utah slipped to 8-5 last year as four different quarterbacks combined for just 15 TD passes.

The Utes open their first season in the Big 12 Conference on Aug. 29 against Southern Utah, with their first conference matchup Sept. 21 at Oklahoma State.

This will be Rising’s sixth and final season in Salt Lake City, all under offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig

“I definitely feel like I got the doctorate,” Rising joked. “Six years to prove it.”

To the rescue

Having lost ace Spencer Strider to injury, the Atlanta Braves turned to Darius Vines to fill the rotation spot of one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball.

The former St. Bonaventure High three-sport star made his third major league start Monday night in Houston, allowing just one run and four hits in 4.2 innings.

“That lineup is really good from one through nine,” the former Oxnard College ace told the Braves postgame show on Bally Sports South. “Just being able to execute and get them to chase my pitches … and get outs, felt amazing."

Vines induced Yordan Alvarez to hit into a double play to help him sneak out of a first-inning jam. He also retired Astros stars Alvarez, Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman 1-2-3 in the third inning.

“That felt pretty good,” Vines said of the double play.

Vines was an out away from earning his second MLB win. The Braves have won all three games he has started for them.

“Any time I can give this team a chance to win, that’s what we’re trying to do,” Vines said. “We’re trying to win ballgames here.”

Starting hot

The Thousand Oaks boys have started the minor league season strong.

Jacob Wilson, Max Muncy and Roc Riggio, who starred for Wilson’s father Jack at Thousand Oaks High, have jumped on opposing pitchers this season.

Wilson, the No. 6 overall pick to the Athletics in the 2023 MLB Draft, has opened 10 for 23 (.435) with two doubles, a home run and two steals in six games for the Double-A Midland RockHounds.

Riggio, a fourth-round pick of the Yankees last summer, has reached base 12 times in his first six games with the High-A Hudson Valley Renegades, hitting .294 with two doubles and a triple.

Muncy, the A's first-round pick in 2021, may be playing himself on the cusp of his major league debut.

Muncy is hitting .293 with a .396 on-base percentage and a .463 slugging average through 12 games with the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators. He has four doubles and a home run.

Two of those doubles came off three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander, who was rehabbing with the Sugarland Space Cowboys when Muncy went 3 for 4 with three RBIs in a 10-6 win on April 7.

Oakland starting shortstop Nick Allen is hitting .167 through 14 games.

Joe Curley writes the Local Chatter column for the Star. He can be reached at joe.curley@vcstar.com. For more coverage, follow @vcsjoecurley on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Local chatter: Rising returns to the football field for Utah