Here’s your weekly roundup of Maryland football and basketball recruiting news.

Starting with football …

• Fort Washington Friendly athlete Lamaar Thomas is arguably the most talented high school football player in the state – and would likely be the crowning jewel of Maryland’s 2008 class, should he commit.

Maryland seems to have a legitimate shot at landing the 5-foot-10, 178-pounder, cracking his top three along with Ohio State and Illinois.

But not only have the Buckeye coaches clearly made Thomas a top priority, the 11-man OSU recruiting class has done its part to make the wide receiver recruit its 12th member.

When the "Brew Crew" decided that they needed to show up in full force last weekend for Lamaar Thomas, it was no surprise to find Ben Buchanan at the game doing his part for his team. Buchanan takes his responsibility as a teammate very seriously.

"I was there last weekend to help make Lamaar Thomas feel at home," Buchanan said of last week's visit. "He seemed like a great kid and after talking with Brewster and the rest of the guys, I knew I wanted to help out any way I could. It was important for all of us to show up to make Lamaar feel good about Ohio State and the people he might be playing with…”

Buchanan, a kicker, was OSU’s first commit of the 2008 class, and the “Brew Crew” refers to the Buckeyes’ class, led by five-star offensive lineman Michael Brewster.

Probably the most important thing to note about the Thomas recruitment is the difference of opinion between the Terrapin and Buckeye coaching staffs on where he should play in college. Maryland likes Thomas at running back, while Ohio State wants him at wide receiver.

• The Terps are still hanging around in the recruitment of Augusta Ga. athlete Sanders Commings. According to The [Charleston, S.C.] Post & Courier, Commings has College Park pegged for one of his five official visits.

ATH Sanders Commings Jr. (6-2, 195) of Augusta made his second unofficial visit to USC for the S.C. State game. He met with the baseball staff as well and hopes to play both sports in college. He plans to take official visits with USC, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Florida and Maryland, though he said he could have a decision in a couple of weeks.

• Surrattsville’s football team hasn’t much success throughout the years. In fact, the Hornets have never made the playoffs. According to The Gazette, UM running back commit Davin Meggett is doing his part to end that dubious futility streak.

First, take a look at Surrattsville, which ended five years of frustration against league rival Potomac in a convincing 35-8 victory. Everyone knows about Davin Meggett. The son of former NFL star Dave Meggett ran for three more touchdowns against the Wolverines, giving him five in three games.

Meggett and Surrattsville will try to move to 4-0 on Saturday with a matchup against Terp wide receiver commit Kevin Dorsey and his 1-1 Forestville Military Academy squad.

• The Washington Post cites Dorsey and UM athlete target Ben Barber as two prime examples of D.C. area football players that are being fed the ball any way imaginable.

There are times when Forestville wide receiver Kevin Dorsey lines up in the slot and times when he lines up far to the outside. Other times, the Maryland recruit might be at tight end or in the backfield. Knights Coach Charles Harley said there will come a time this season when Dorsey goes under center to take the snap.

• Offensive line commitment R.J.Dill has a huge game tonight.

Finishing with basketball …

• This looks like speculation to me, but at least one Minnesota basketball follower thinks the Golden Gophers are in good shape with 2008 Terp center target Ralph Sampson.

It appears that Gophers men's basketball coach Tubby Smith, who recently received a commitment from 6-foot-10 prep star Colton Iverson of Yankton, S.D., also could end up with 6-11 Ralph Sampson III of Duluth, Ga. …

The [Newport News, Va.] Daily Press also thinks Minnesota has a good shot at Sampson, but they have company at the top.

Georgia Tech, Kentucky and Minnesota appear to be Sampson III's favorites right now, but Virginia Tech is in the mix.

Sampson’s probably not a guy for Terp fans to get excited about yet, but the big man always mentions Maryland in updates, and until that stops, there’s a chance.

The same Daily Press article also contains a small nugget about 2008 center recruit Assane Sene, a fast-developing big man who the Terps are reportedly taking a long look at.

Center Assane Sene, a 6-foot-11, 220-pound recruit from South Kent, Conn., will visit. He has scholarship offers from U.Va., Syracuse and Connecticut, and he's getting a lot of interest from Maryland, Pittsburgh, North Carolina, Kansas and UCLA.

• Scout.com reports that South Kent (Conn.) Prep shooting guard Maurice Creek has a new top three, but Maryland isn’t part of the trio. Creek, a class of 2009 member, has Marquette, Pittsburgh and Texas out front.

• The Terps are focused on more than just Sene and Creek at South Kent. TerrapinTimes.com’s Dan Painter reported earlier this week that Maryland is also after Jin Soo Kim, a 2009 small forward.

Here’s Kim’s DraftExpress.com profile. Thanks to ‘Recruiting Report’ reader Corn T for the links.

Posted by Matt Bracken at 10:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
                    

While his future Terps teammates are currently juggling football and school, Maryland linebacker commitment Demetrius Hartsfield is enjoying a relatively stress-free fall break from class work.

During the break, the Southeast Raleigh (N.C.) High School star sometimes will get in a morning workout, then have lunch, rest a bit and head to football practice at about 2 p.m. After practice and a weight room session, Hartsfield usually hangs out with his teammates and plays Madden.

“I’ve been doing it since middle school so I’m used to it, but I like the break and it’s less stressful,” said Hartsfield of his school’s current two-week break.

He can enjoy the lazy days of fall break now, because in about four months, Hartsfield will be a full-time student at Maryland, attending classes and joining the Terrapins football team for winter workouts and spring practice.

Thanks to Southeast Raleigh’s year-round school schedule, which consists of nine straight weeks of class followed by a two-week break, Hartsfield will have more than enough credits to graduate in December.

In fact, he’s registered for just four courses (math, english, SAT prep and weight training) for his final term at SRHS. Hartsfield is fully qualified academically, but his mother, Tracy, suggested he take the prep course just to see how much he could raise his score.

Tracy Hartsfield has made sure education has been -- and will continue to be -- a huge part of Demetrius’ life. She saw to it that her son applied to the academically rigorous Southeast Raleigh, a magnet school specializing in math, science and technology.

“I make sure that I get As and Bs,” said Hartsfield, who sports a 2.9 GPA. “I try my best and my mom really stresses grades. She’s just always been on me to make sure I don’t slack off, and I’m on myself to make sure I don’t slack off.”

When it became apparent that Hartsfield could easily graduate high school early, Tracy and the Southeast Raleigh coaching staff suggested he think about enrolling early at College Park.

“I was talking with my coaches and my mom and we came to a decision that there wasn’t anything holding me back from going to college and there wasn’t anything here that I’d miss out on,” Hartsfield said.

According to Hartsfield, the Maryland coaches were more than receptive when he raised the possibility of enrolling early and joining the team in time for spring practice.

Just to be certain his decision was sound, Hartsfield sought the advice of Virginia Tech running back Josh Oglesby, who grew up 10 minutes outside Raleigh and started college in Blacksburg last winter following an early graduation from high school.

Oglesby and the UM coaching staff both had the same message for Hartsfield -- Enrolling early and participating in spring practice will give you an advantage over the other incoming freshmen.

Outside the classroom, Hartsfield has helped lead Southeast Raleigh to a 5-1 record, starting at both linebacker and tight end. A four-year varsity player, Hartsfield estimates he’s recorded more than 80 tackles and caught six passes and one touchdown for the season. As a junior, he collected 128 tackles and 13 sacks, according to Rivals.com.

The 6-foot-2, 210-pounder will suit up for the Terps' defense, but he’s enjoying his first season as a starter on offense for the Bulldogs.

“I’m real aggressive at tight end also,” Hartsfield said. “I like blocking a lot, trying to get pancakes and stuff. It’s real fun. At first I didn’t think of it that much, but when I started playing [tight end] ... you can have as much fun on offense as defense.”

While he hasn’t been able to catch his future teammates on TV as much as he would have liked, Hartsfield has been closely following Maryland’s season thus far. His assessment of the Terps’ prospects the rest of the way is optimistic.

“The wins they had were pretty good wins and the losses they had were just beating themselves,” Hartsfield said. “They had the games in the hand. Against West Virginia, they were pretty close at halftime. But I know they’re working hard because I know how the coaches are. They just had a couple close calls.”

For now, Hartsfield is focused on Friday’s game with 5-0 Smithfield-Selma, as well as enjoying SRHS’s two-week break, before plunging into his last term as a high school student. But while he’s got plenty on his plate right now, Hartsfield’s mind can’t seem to stop wandering toward his future in College Park.

“I get excited because I can’t wait to go ahead and start college and I’m just blessed that I’m able to do that,” Hartsfield said. “Not many people get a chance to play college football, so I just take it as a privilege.”

Posted by Matt Bracken at 9:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
                    

Just two quick links on the constantly evolving Maryland basketball big man recruiting situation ...

• Rivals.com reported that Terrence Jennings will spend his senior year of high school at Fitchburg (Mass.) Notre Dame Prep, not Mt. Zion (N.C.) Christian Academy.

Jody Demling of the Courier-Journal thinks Jennings' switch to NDP could be a good sign for Louisville in Rick Pitino's efforts to land the former Terp commit.

• Adam Zagoria of the Herald News in West Paterson, N.J. is all over the Quintrell Thomas recruitment, particularly where Rutgers factors in.

According to Zagoria, the Scarlet Knights have impressed Thomas more than he expected, but Maryland might still hold an edge.

Posted by Matt Bracken at 11:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
                    

Much has changed with Maryland men’s basketball recruiting in the last week.

Four-star center Terrence Jennings withdrew his verbal commitment to Maryland late last week, although he claims the Terps are still his leader.

In more promising news, New Jersey power forward Quintrell Thomas was in College Park this weekend for an official visit.

Evan Daniels, national basketball recruiting analyst for Scout.com, recently spoke with both Jennings and Thomas. He joins ‘Recruiting Report’ today to sift through the rubble, answering ‘Five questions’ via e-mail about the state of Maryland basketball recruiting.

1.) What happened with Terrence Jennings?

From talking with Jennings, he made it clear that he felt that he made the decision a little too early. He wants to take a few of his official visits and get to know a few other coaching staffs before he makes his final decision.

When I spoke with Jennings following his original commitment, he told me that he hadn’t ever visited Maryland, and that is something that is always a warning sign when it comes to commitments. How can a kid make a decision on which school he wants to go to if he’s never seen the campus or facilities?

At this point, anything could happen with Jennings, and I don’t think he has a timetable on when he wants to make his decision and when he wants to sign. He’s already being pursued by a number of other schools, and following a few more visits he could make his decision or he could choose to wait it out.

2.) Jennings says UM is still his leader, but what are the chances he ends up re-committing to the Terps? What schools should Maryland be most worried about?

In reality, there haven’t been many situations where prospects have de-committed and then re-commit to the same school. There are exceptions like Alex Legion, who re-committed to Michigan last year, but then after Tommy Amaker was fired ended up de-committing again. Jennings is still going to take his official visit to Maryland, which is a very good sign for Maryland, as they’ll get a chance to re-sell him on the idea of being a Terrapin.

Already a number of schools have gotten involved since Jennings announced he was opening it up. West Virginia, Kentucky, Memphis and Louisville are the schools that I have heard the most, but there will be plenty more that will likely try to get involved. When I last spoke with Jennings, he mentioned that he wanted to take an official visit to West Virginia and I know the other three schools are vying for visits as well. Prior to his original commitment to Maryland, Kentucky was very strong with him, so I’m sure they’ll get a strong look.

3.) How did Quintrell Thomas' visit to College Park go? Are the Terps considered his leader?

Thomas enjoyed his visit to Maryland and mentioned that he had a great time getting to know and hanging out with the Maryland players. He isn’t claiming a leader right now, and has said that all of the schools on his list are equal.

He’s actually added another official visit to the list -- he’ll attend UNLV the weekend of Oct. 12. Maryland and UNLV join Rutgers and Kansas as his final four schools. He’s already been to Rutgers and loves the fact that they are close to home. With Kansas, the tradition stands out and is one of the main reasons Bill Self and the Jayhawks are in so strong with Thomas.

When it comes time to make a decision, Thomas is going to have to decide if he can see himself going far away from home. He’s mentioned distance before and I think that could play a factor, as obviously Rutgers and Maryland are much closer to home than the other two schools on his list.

4.) Do the Terps have a legitimate shot at Ralph Sampson?

As sometimes happens with kids of NBA players, it’s hard to get a good feel for Ralph Sampson’s recruitment. What we do know is that he likes Georgia Tech, Kentucky and Minnesota because he’s taken the time to take visits to all three schools. But other schools such as Maryland, Virginia Tech, Clemson, South Carolina and Auburn are still in the mix because he mentions them every time he’s interviewed.

Sampson made huge strides as a player during the spring and summer, thus interest in him picked up. The Terrapins are among the schools that have tried to get involved since his improvement, and he’ll be a tough get, unless they can get the big man on campus. If a school can get a visit lined up, then they always have a chance.

5.) Worst-case scenario -- what happens if the Terps strike out on all remaining 2008 big men targets? Does 2009 look brighter?

If Maryland strikes out on Jennings and Sampson, then they could try and pick off an under-the-radar post threat or take a look at the JUCO ranks, as there are a few big man prospects floating around. However, the Terps won’t have many scholarships for the 2009 class, so saving the ride could be an option as well.

In the 2009 class there are a few prospects nearby that the Terps should have a good shot at. The best of the bunch is Isaiah Armwood, who has the potential to be a McDonald’s All-American. Villanova and Louisville are likely Maryland’s top competition for the Montrose Christian star. Tristan Spurlock and Terrell Vinson, who are high school teammates with Armwood, are also Maryland targets, as is Andrew Fitzgerald. Brian Oliver is another 2009 prospect to keep an eye on, as he grew up a Maryland fan and is considering them among a host of schools.

Posted by Matt Bracken at 10:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
                    

Here’s your weekly recap of all Maryland football commitments’ high school games.

Tavon Wilson -- 6-foot-0, 175-pound cornerback from H.D. Woodson (D.C.)

HD Woodson picked up its first win of the year, a 22-14 decision over Coolidge (D.C.).

Wilson recorded nine tackles on defense, but made the biggest impact when he was inserted at quarterback midway through the second quarter.

“He turned the game around on the offensive side of the ball,” said HD Woodson head coach Greg Fuller. “He made a hell of a difference because of his athletic ability. It was a pick-me-up.”

Wilson completed 5 of 10 passes for 138 yards. He also rushed for 23 yards. Friday’s game was the first varsity action Wilson had ever seen at quarterback, but it won’t be the last.

“Right now, we’re still in the process of figuring out our quarterback situation, but we’re going with him against Central Dauphin East in Pennsylvania this weekend,” Fuller said.

Davin Meggett -- 5-foot-8, 190-pound running back from Surrattsville

In Surrattsville’s 35-8 win over Potomac, Meggett rushed for 299 yards and 3 touchdowns on 21 carries. The touchdown runs were from 24, 30 and 70 yards out.

“Just his vision, yards after contact -- he didn’t let anyone tackle him after first contact,” said Surrattsville head coach Tom Green, when asked what stood out about Meggett’s performance. “He’s just getting better every week.”

For the season, Meggett has rushed for 464 yards and 6 touchdowns on 37 carries, leading the Hornets to a 3-0 record.

Cameron Chism -- 6-foot-2, 180-pound cornerback from Bishop McNamara

Bishop McNamara held on for a 33-28 win over Bishop O’Connell, which moved the Mustangs to 3-1 on the season.

Chism reeled in four passes for 87 yards and one touchdown – a 50-yard catch. For the year, Chism has caught 14 passes for 218 yards and two touchdowns, in addition to returning a fumble 43 yards for a touchdown and collecting two interceptions.

“[Chism] made the catches and was a very solid guy on defense,” said McNamara head coach Bryce Bevill. “He was being a leader, and his performance was something we needed. He was the guy at the end of the game that didn’t enable the quarterback to throw the ball. He was making plays when it counted.”

R.J. Dill -- 6-foot-7, 275-pound offensive tackle from Camp Hill (Pa.) Trinity

Trinity moved to 4-0 on the year with a 35-0 rout of Waynesboro.

“Offensively, we ran for 391 yards, and we basically ran to the right side the majority of the time, which is the side [R.J.] plays on,” said Trinity head coach Jeff Boger.

Dill contributed two tackles on the night, giving him nine stops on the season. He's also forced two fumbles and registered one quarterback hurry.

Justin Lewis -- 6-foot-4, 285-pound offensive guard from Johnsonville (S.C.)

Johnsonville dropped to 2-3 on the season with a 42-0 loss at the hands of defending state champion Lake View.

Lewis graded out at 79% of his blocks on offense, but according to Johnsonville head coach Lewis Lineberger, he didn’t make much of an impact on defense.

“They ran away from him most of the time,” Lineberger said. “This wasn’t one of his better games, but he’s going to bounce back like always. It wasn’t a real good game for the whole team.”

Gary Douglas -- 6-foot-0, 178-pound running back from Durham (N.C.) Hillside

Hillside dropped a 14-0 decision to Southern Durham. The Hornets are 3-2.

Douglas rushed for 85 yards on 16 carries. For the season, Douglas has carried the ball 69 times for 618 yards and seven touchdowns.

Demetrius Hartsfield -- 6-foot-1, 210-pound linebacker from Southeast Raleigh (N.C.)

Southeast Raleigh moved to 5-1 on the year with a 35-0 blanking of Knightdale.

Hartsfield had 18 yards receiving for SRHS.

Cody Blue -- 6-foot-5, 280-pound defensive tackle from Wilde Lake

Blue contributed three tackles and half a sack in Wilde Lake’s 45-12 win over Marriots Ridge. The Wildecats are 3-0.

Teddy Dargan -- 6-foot-3, 290-pound defensive tackle from Milford Mill

Milford Mill notched a 27-26 win over visiting Dulaney last Thursday. The Millers are now 2-1.

“[Teddy Dargan is] getting a lot better now,” said Milford Mill head coach Reggie White. “He’s still getting double-teamed and high-lowed all the time, but he’s getting better at dealing with it. If we can get the refs to call a high-low one of these times, we’d be all right. It is an illegal block, but if they don’t see it, they don’t call it.”

Tyler Urban -- 6-foot-4, 240-pound defensive end from North Huntingdon (Pa.) Norwin

Urban’s Norwin squad lost a heartbreaking 37-36 game to Gateway. Gateway returned three kickoffs for touchdowns.

Masengo Kabongo -- 6-foot-2, 280-pound defensive tackle from Fairfield (Conn.) Prep.

Fairfield Prep moved to 2-0 on the season with 42-0 drubbing of Jonathan Law. According to The Connecticut Post, Kabongo played a big role in holding Law scoreless.

Led by its massive defensive line of Masengo Kabongo, Jake Haddon, Chris Massamillo and Marino Giuliano, Fairfield Prep held Law senior J.J. Jachym, the SCC's leading rusher last season, to just 24 yards on 14 carries and made him fumble once.

A.J. Francis -- 6-foot-4, 314-pound defensive lineman from Gonzaga (D.C.) College

Gonzaga shut out Carroll, 28-0, moving the Eagles to 2-1 overall.

Francis recorded one tackle in the game.

"We ran behind him most of the day," said Gonzaga head coach Joe Reyda. "We’re getting better up front offensively. We did a pretty good job. We ran the ball for over 250 yards."

Kerry Boykins -- 6-foot-1, 200-pound wide receiver from Chesapeake (Va.) Oscar F. Smith

Oscar Smith continued its early season dominance with a 47-0 trouncing of Great Bridge. The Tigers are 4-0.

Boykins dressed for the game, but did not play. A sprained right knee has sidelined Boykins so far this season.

Kevin Dorsey -- 6-foot-2, 175-pound wide receiver from Forestville

Forestville topped Largo, 33-21, moving the Knights to 1-1 on the year.

Matt Furstenburg -- 6-foot-4, 220-pound tight end from The Hun School in Princeton, N.J.

The Hun School moved to 2-0 with a 49-17 win over Mercersburg Academy.

Devonte Campbell -- 6-foot-2, 230-pound tight end from Hargrave Military Academy

Zach Brown -- 6-foot-1, 212-pound linebacker from Hargrave Military Academy

Hargrave topped Salisbury 21-2 on Sunday. The Cadets head to Knoxville on Wednesday for a Thursday matchup with Tennessee.

Posted by Matt Bracken at 11:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

There was a collective grunt/sigh/scream from Maryland basketball fans yesterday when the news broke that Terrence Jennings had withdrawn his commitment to the Terps.

UM hoops watchers are no strangers to disappointment on the recruiting trail, but the good news is Jennings’ decision doesn’t necessarily destroy all hopes for a successful 2008 class.

First, Mount Zion (N.C.) Christian Academy head coach Tony Fozard, told Sun reporter Heather Dinich that Jennings still considers the Terps his leader. Conversely, Jennings will do something he hadn’t done before committing to Maryland in August – visit a number of other schools on his list.

So while there’s still a chance Jennings ends up at College Park, it’s by no means a certainty.

Thankfully for Terps fans, Jennings’ initial commitment didn’t stop the Maryland coaching staff from heavily pursuing two more highly regarded big men – New Jersey power forward Quintrell Thomas and Georgia center Ralph Sampson.

As CSTV.com basketball recruiting analyst Van Coleman noted in Tuesday’s edition of "Five questions", Sampson has no favorites, and likely isn’t close to making a decision.

Thomas, on the other hand, could be making a decision shortly, and many feel Maryland is a strong contender for the Elizabeth, N.J. native. Here’s what Coleman said:

Thomas just visited Rutgers this past weekend, he’s scheduled to be in College Park next weekend and then he’ll head to Kansas the weekend of Sept. 29. If he’s not ready to decide at that point, he could make treks to Miami, Pittsburgh, Seton Hall or latecomer West Virginia. Personally, I think Maryland leads early on, but Rutgers is close to his home and Kansas is always a great visit, based on players I’ve known over the years. Quintrell is a man on the glass who would compliment Jennings inside. He is a warrior! Much could be learned after he visits UM.

According to KUSports.com, Thomas will visit College Park visit this weekend.

• Thomas to visit Maryland next: Quintrell Thomas, a 6-8 senior forward from St. Anthony High in Jersey City, N.J., visited Rutgers last weekend. He’ll visit Maryland this weekend, Kansas on Sept. 28-29 and UNLV for Midnight Madness on Oct. 12. He may not visit his other finalist, Houston.

“Once he is done with his visit to UNLV, Quintrell will probably return home, sit down and try to make a decision,” Thomas’ AAU coach, Derrick Bobbitt, told Rivals.com. “I can say that Kansas is very high up on Quintrell’s list.”

The Jayhawks are casting an extremely wide net for the 2008 class, thanks to the possible (likely?) NBA departures of Brandon Rush and Darrell Arthur, and the graduations of five scholarship seniors.

Thomas is very much a priority for Bill Self’s staff, but he does have a lot of company on the Kansas wish list. Rivals.com college basketball recruiting analyst Jerry Meyer offers an excellent breakdown of KU’s targets here.

It’ll be interesting to see how this recruitment plays out, but one thing that Gary Williams and staff can certainly sell Thomas on is, ironically, the same thing they sold Jennings on: loyalty.

The Terps have been after Thomas longer than most, and they continued to recruit him hard even after Jennings committed. This isn’t a situation of Maryland trying to scramble after being left in a lurch – the staff has wanted Thomas badly, regardless of Jennings' commitment.

Now it’s just a matter of whether or not Thomas wants the Terps.

Posted by Matt Bracken at 10:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
                    

Word broke earlier today that Terrence Jennings, a 6-foot-10, 230-pound, power forward at Mt. Zion (N.C) Christian Academy, has withdrawn his verbal commitment to Maryland.

Sun reporter Heather A. Dinich spoke with Mt. Zion head coach Tony Fozard earlier, who said Jennings' decision was a surprise to him.

According to Fozard, Jennings still has Maryland as his leader, and intends to make an official visit to College Park in October for Maryland Madness.

Jennings is also considering Kentucky, Louisville, Memphis and a few ACC schools among others, according to Fozard.

Click here for Dinich's story on the Jennings decommitment.

Click here to see video of Jennings.

Posted by Matt Bracken at 5:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (12)
                    

On Sept. 1, college softball programs were allowed to start contacting high school juniors by letter, e-mail, text and instant messages.

Just seven days later, Hammond pitcher Stephanie Speierman (a class of 2009 member) ended her recruitment, accepting a full athletic scholarship to the University of Michigan on a visit to Ann Arbor.

Speierman was already weighing offers from Maryland and Lehigh, but she and her parents had considered the possibility that a Michigan scholarship could be forthcoming on her visit.

“We talked a little bit before we left home and a lot more when we were at the airport Friday morning,” Speierman said. “My parents wanted me to get there and see what the campus was like. When we went [during the summer], school wasn’t in session. … We got back to the hotel on Friday night and my parents said, ‘If they offer you what Maryland offered you [in scholarship money] and you know this is where you want to go, then go ahead and accept.’”

Sure enough, Michigan head coach Carol Hutchins came through with an offer the following day. After touring the campus Saturday morning, Speierman and her family went back to Hutchins’ office on the athletic campus where the coach extended the offer.

Ten minutes later, Speierman accepted, much to the elated shock of Hutchins.

“I think she was a little bit surprised,” Speierman said. “I think she was a little more worried about why I made the decision [so quickly] … She said I could take my time. She said, ‘Are you sure? Are you positive?’ She didn’t believe me, but when she did, she gave me a hug.”

One of the highlights of Speierman’s visit – which quickly turned into a series of on-field lowlights – was Michigan’s football game against Oregon. Despite the Wolverines’ 39-7 loss to the Ducks, Speierman enjoyed the up-close look at college football’s largest stadium

“We got to go down on the field before the game, which was really cool,” Speierman said. “We were right on the field for our seats and that was really neat, so I got to see everything up close.”

Thanks to Michigan’s well-documented slow start in football, Speierman has already caught flack from friends – even before she officially became a Wolverine.

“It was rough,” Speierman said. “The weekend before I had Team New Jersey practice for the fall team I play on and Michigan had just lost to Appalachian State. I caught a lot of crap and I hadn’t even visited yet!”

Although Speierman ultimately chose Michigan, she did give the Terrapins' offer serious consideration. Her parents, two younger sisters, grandmother and club softball coach form an extremely tight-knit support group. Admittedly, continuing her softball career in College Park – roughly a 30-minute drive from her Columbia home – had its appeal.

“It would’ve been nice for them to drive down [to Maryland] for a Wednesday night game.

“But I had to make a decision on the individual schools and not focus on, ‘well, they can come to all my games.’ My family and my coach will come watch me. They’ll find the time.”

Speierman has two high school softball seasons left before she begins her college career. It’d be tough to top a sophomore season in which she registered Maryland’s first perfect state title game in 10 years, in addition to throwing a state season record 426 strikeouts.

And while she’s intently focused on her two remaining years at Hammond, Speierman has an eye on her future in Ann Arbor.

“There’s just something about the atmosphere,” Speierman said. “The students have so much pride just being there. Everything about the school … the students are proud to be a part of it all.

“It’s a great academic school, obviously, and it’s got a great softball program. Being able to play that level of softball and get an education that will be really beneficial later in life were both big pros for the school.”

For more on Speierman, check out Wednesday's Howard County notebook. For baltimoresun.com's list of area commitments,click here. E-mail sports@baltimoresun.com to report college commitments by area high school athletes.

Posted by Matt Bracken at 10:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Sean Mosley has gotten plenty of love from college basketball recruiting analysts, but it looks like RiseMag.com loves him just a bit more than the others.

In its newly updated Top 50 list, Rise ranks Mosley the No. 34 player for the class of 2008. Fellow '08 Terp commit Terrence Jennings is right behind at No. 40.

For those keeping track at home, here's where Mosley and Jennings are listed on five of the top scouting services:

Mosley

Rivals: 62
Scout: 40
CSTV: 55
Rise: 34
ESPN: 42

Granted, there's probably not much difference between the country's No. 30 and 70 ranked players. But at least there's a general consensus that Mosley fits comfortably within that range.

Jennings

Rivals: 15
Scout: Unlisted
CSTV: 20
Rise: 40
ESPN: Unlisted

Jennings not cracking the Scout or ESPN Top 150 lists is probably due to his reclassification status. 'Recruiting Report' reader Pat says Scout's omission is due to Jennings' status as a 5th-year senior. Regardless, whether he's No. 15, 20 or 40, Jennings is a player.

Posted by Matt Bracken at 1:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
                    

Today's guest for 'Five questions' probably watches more high school and AAU basketball than anyone on the planet.

Van Coleman, national recruiting analyst for CSTV.com, has been one of the country's preeminent basketball recruiting authorities for more than 30 years. Here's Coleman's bio:

I’ve been covering and evaluating high school talent since the winter of 1976-77 season. I wrote for Midwest Basketball News (later Basketball Times) from 1977-1980. I began publishing the National Recruiter’s Cage Letter report in 1981, which became FutureStars Magazine in 1989 until the present. I was Basketball Times' Prep Editor from 1985-1996. I started Hoopmasters.com in 2003 along with Bob Gibbons, and have continued it until the present, after Bob left in 2005.

I have been the publisher of FutureStars Scouting Service from 1986 until the present (used by over 150 colleges nationally). I have been a major feature contributor to The Sporting News, Eastern Basketball, ACC Handbook College Yearbook, Lindy’s College Basketball yearbooks, and the CBS Sportsline College Basketball yearbook. I’m a member of the McDonald’s All-American Game Selection Committee, The Naismith Player of the Year Selection Committee, Slam All-American Advisory Board, and the Basketball Hall of Fame Morgan Wooten Award Selection Committee.

Coleman was kind enough to answer five questions (via e-mail) about UM basketball recruiting.

1.) How did Sean Mosley fare in AAU ball over the summer and how does he stack up with other top 2008 shooting guards? How do you see him fitting in with Maryland?

Currently I have him rated the No. 13 shooting guard and the No. 55 overall prospect in the class of 2008. This past summer he showed he was more than a slasher, as he hit the open jumper with regularity, opening up the court for him to explode to the hoop off the dribble. He really finishes in traffic and should give the Terps some instant offense at the two spot from day one in College Park. Whether he starts as a frosh or comes off the bench, he will give Gary Williams another offensive weapon to run the break or put pressure on opposing defenses.

2.) What's the latest on 2008 UM big man commit Terrence Jennings' academic situation? How did he play this summer and are the Amare Stoudemire comparisons apt?

Academically, it really depends on who you talk to. Some West Coast guys say he’s got a ways to go, but folks at Mt. Zion [Christian Academy (N.C.)] say he’ll be eligible at the end of this year. I think it’s going to be close, but I have to give credence to those who are running the show at the prep school; and they say he is going to make it.

Terrence is our No. 6 center and the No. 20 overall prospect coming out of the summer. Comparing him to Amare Stoudemire is a little bit of a stretch since he doesn’t have the same kind of body or approach to the game physically. Stoudemire was ripped at 240 pounds and could flat out destroy opponents physically. Jennings is a solid 230-pounder with good bounce and solid skills facing the hoop or on the blocks. He is a better shooter facing the hoop, but isn’t quite in the same league on the blocks as Stoudemire. I think a comparison to former Terp Chris Wilcox is much more accurate. He has the same type of inside-out game as the current Seattle Supersonic.

3.) Maryland has three offers out to 2008 prospects: New Jersey power forward Quintrell Thomas, Georgia center Ralph Sampson and North Carolina shooting guard Chris Turner. Where is each leaning?

Quintrell Thomas – Thomas just visited Rutgers this past weekend, he’s scheduled to be in College Park next weekend and then he’ll head to Kansas the weekend of Sept. 29. If he’s not ready to decide at that point, he could make treks to Miami, Pittsburgh, Seton Hall or latecomer West Virginia. Personally, I think Maryland leads early on, but Rutgers is close to his home and Kansas is always a great visit, based on players I’ve known over the years. Quintrell is a man on the glass who would compliment Jennings inside. He is a warrior! Much could be learned after he visits UM.

Ralph Sampson – He’s taken a visit unofficially to Kentucky in late August, and was at Minnesota the weekend of Sept. 8. He liked both schools equally well, but said neither is a favorite at this point. He could visit Georgia Tech and Maryland sometime in the next month. He also still lists Virginia Tech, Clemson, Auburn and South Carolina as other possibilities. He told us after the Minnesota visit that; “No one leads at this point, it’s just too early!”

Chris Turner – Turner was ready to commit to the Terps until they received Mosley’s pledge. Maryland is still in the hunt, but they have to hold off Cincinnati, Memphis, Oklahoma, Florida State and George Mason -- all schools who’ve been looking to get Turner to visit. He and Mosley could play together at the 2/3 spots or in a three-guard set. The Terps still have a shot here, but do they need two wings in this class?

4.) Which 2009 kids that are considering Maryland impressed you most during the summer?

Well, I’d have to say that five guys I have rated in the top 25 come to mind first. The Terps are involved with No. 10 rated Deshawn Painter, No. 12 Isaiah Armwood, No. 16 Karron Johnson, No. 20 Daniel Orton and No. 24 Wally Judge. They all had solid summers. Painter is an explosive and long face-up four man. Armwood finishes drives as well as any big man in class. Johnson is physical and can flat out score in bunches. Orton is a physical low block scorer who can swat shots in the paint. Judge was one of the summer’s fastest risers. He‘s raw, but effective around the hoop. The Terps are involved with eight other top 100 prospects to go with the above quintet.

5.) Is Armwood a must-get for the Terps in 2009? Who do you think is UM's most important target?

There will be a lot of pressure on getting Armwood, but nabbing one or two from among Painter, Judge, Johnson, Orton or No. 35 Gregory Echenique or No. 40 Terrell Vinson could fill team needs just as well. I personally think Armwood is their No. 1 target, but because they seem to be in excellent shape with so many top 40 prospects, any combination of two of these prospects will fill their needs.

Posted by Matt Bracken at 10:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)
                    

Here’s your weekly recap of all Maryland football commitments’ high school games.

Gary Douglas -- 6-foot-0, 178-pound running back from Durham (N.C.) Hillside

Hillside crushed Northern Vance, 42-6.

Douglas ran for 162 yards and two touchdowns on just 15 carries. (Thanks to Corn T for finding the info)

R.J. Dill -- 6-foot-7, 275-pound offensive tackle from Camp Hill (Pa.) Trinity

Trinity moved to 3-0 on the season with a 45-0 blanking of Susquehanna Twp.

Dill paved the way for a Trinity rushing attack that notched 220 yards on the day. On defense, Dill made three tackles.

Tavon Wilson -- 6-foot-0, 175-pound cornerback from H.D. Woodson (D.C.)

H.D. Woodson fell to Good Counsel, 42-8.

Wilson contributed 10 solo tackles, five assists and one interception (with a 30-yard return) in the loss.

Cody Blue -- 6-foot-5, 280-pound defensive tackle from Wilde Lake

Blue’s Wilde Lake squad beat Atholton, 28-10.

Blue collected two solo tackles and one assist.

“He’s playing inside, but he’s got really good lateral speed,” said Wilde Lake head coach Doug DuVall. “He had a really nice game.”

Davin Meggett -- 5-foot-8, 190-pound running back from Surrattsville

Meggett’s Surrattsville squad dominated Owings Mills, 52-7.

Meggett had ten carries for 82 yards and two touchdowns, and also kicked two extra points and recorded six tackles.

“He only played the first half, I wasn’t trying to run the score up so I put the backups in,” said Surrattsville head coach Tom Green.

“He ran really hard. The first person never tackled him. That’s what we talked about, getting the yards after contact. He’s doing a lot of little stuff that he needed to do last year. If he’s going to play in the ACC, you can’t have a lot of flaws in your game. He’s also blocking a lot better this year.”

In Surrattsville’s week one 42-0 victory over Samuel Banks, Meggett had six carries for 83 yards and one touchdown, caught three passes for 106 yards and two touchdowns, and returned an interception for a touchdown.

Masengo Kabongo -- 6-foot-2, 280-pound defensive tackle from Fairfield (Conn.) Prep.

Kabongo and Fairfield Prep got off to an excellent start to the 2007 season, blanking Wilbur Cross 28-0.

Kabongo recorded two sacks, seven solo tackles and seven assists. He also played offensive tackle.

“They pretty much stayed away from him,” said Fairfield Prep head coach Rich Magdon. “They have a quarterback who’s more of a runner than a thrower -- they run option. I’d say 75 percent of the time on offense they ran away from him. When they did run [to his side], Maska made life miserable for [the quarterback].”

Click here for raw game footage of Fairfield’s game. Kabongo is No. 55.

A.J. Francis -- 6-foot-4, 314-pound defensive lineman from Gonzaga (D.C.) College

Gonzaga beat Georgetown Prep, 20-12 on Saturday. Gonzaga moves to 1-1.

Francis, who plays nose guard and offensive tackle, registered one solo tackle and four assists.

“He played much better than he did against Loyola [in a week one loss],” said Gonzaga head coach Joe Reyda. “He didn’t have any tackles against Loyola… I think against Loyola he wasn’t getting rid of his man. He was sticking with his guy and not getting after the ball. He did a better job this week of hitting his guy, riding down the line and finding the ball.”

Kerry Boykins -- 6-foot-1, 200-pound wide receiver from Chesapeake (Va.) Oscar F. Smith

Oscar Smith blasted Indian River, 37-0 on Friday.

Boykins was held out of Friday’s game with a sprained right knee. He hopes to make his season debut this week against Great Bridge.

“He’ll start practicing today,” said Oscar Smith head coach Richard Morgan. “We’re hoping he’ll feel good. He’s been doing some light sprint work, so we’re hoping he’ll be able to come back and be ready for Friday.”

Cameron Chism -- 6-foot-2, 180-pound cornerback from Bishop McNamara

Bishop McNamara topped Bishop Ireton in Alexandria, Va. 19-14 to move to 2-1 on the season.

According to DCSportsFan.com, Chism caught four passes for 30 yards and one touchdown.

Kevin Dorsey -- 6-foot-2, 175-pound wide receiver from Forestville

Forestville lost to Ft. Washington Friendly in its season opener, 32-12.

Per Josh Barr of The Washington Post, Dorsey reeled in six passes for 123 yards in addition to recording a 40-yard punt return and picking off two passes on two-point conversion attempts.

Click in to Barr's post above for additional info on Terp target and Friendly star Lamaar Thomas.

Tyler Urban -- 6-foot-4, 240-pound defensive end from North Huntingdon (Pa.) Norwin

Urban’s Norwin team lost its first game of the season, a 19-10 setback to Bethel Park.

Matt Furstenburg -- 6-foot-4, 220-pound tight end from The Hun School in Princeton, N.J.

The Hun School won its 2007 season opener, topping Wyoming Seminary, 33-12.

Justin Lewis -- 6-foot-4, 285-pound offensive guard from Johnsonville (S.C.)

Johnsonville routed Creek Bridge, 41-0, to move to 2-2 on the year.

Demetrius Hartsfield -- 6-foot-1, 210-pound linebacker from Southeast Raleigh (N.C.)

Hartsfield’s Southeast Raleigh team bested Clayton, 7-0 on Saturday.

Teddy Dargan -- 6-foot-3, 290-pound defensive tackle from Milford Mill

Milford Mill topped Woodlawn, 28-6. Dargan’s squad is 1-1.

Devonte Campbell -- 6-foot-2, 230-pound tight end from Hargrave Military Academy

Zach Brown -- 6-foot-1, 212-pound linebacker from Hargrave Military Academy

Hargrave had a Sunday game at Marshall University in Huntington, WV.

Posted by Matt Bracken at 11:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
                    

• Running back target Kevin Whaley has been one of the more under-publicized recruits on Maryland’s wish list, thanks to him skipping most of the summer camp/combine season. But when Whaley has talked about his recruitment, Virginia Tech, Virginia and Maryland receive the most frequent mentions.

According to The Virginian-Pilot, Whaley’s interest in Maryland is serious.

Salem's Kevin Whaley is headed on his first official college visit on Oct. 6 during the Sun Devils' bye week, according to coach Robert Jackson. He'll visit Maryland when the Terrapins host Georgia Tech. Whaley also is likely to visit Michigan State, although that date hasn't been finalized.

Whaley needs just 76 yards rushing to break the South Hampton Roads career rushing record. To commemorate the occasion, HamptonRoads.tv produced this excellent video profile of Whaley, which has highlights of the 5-foot-9, 165-pounder, as well as interviews with him and his coach.

• Alexandria (Va.) Edison athlete Ben Barber has long been thought of as another Maryland-Virginia-Virginia Tech battle, with the Hokies holding a lead.

The 5-foot-10, 200-pounder, who was moved from wide receiver to quarterback this season, has family ties to Virginia Tech. But The Roanoke (Va.) Times’ Doug Doughty speculates that the Hokies may have more in-state kids wanting to commit than they have available spots, which could leave Barber (or one of the others) looking elsewhere.

Wide receiver Ben Barber from Edison High School in Alexandria is the brother of former Tech safety Willie Pile and is said to favor the Hokies, too, but does Tech run the table and get Painter, Williams, Bennett, Davis, Massie and Barber? I can’t see where there’s room for all of them.

• One of the aforementioned VaTech targets, Lynchburg (Va.) Liberty Christian offensive tackle Bobby Massie, has four official visits set, but is still mulling the fifth – a spot the Terps are in contention for, according to GoUpState.com.

OL Bobby Massie (6-7 315) of Lynchburg, VA has scheduled official visits with Clemson for November 30th and Georgia for December 7th. He will also set officials with Tennessee and Virginia Tech. He is considering North Carolina and Maryland for his fifth visit. Massie plans to attend the Virginia at North Carolina game this weekend. He does not have a favorite among his finalists.

• BYU continues to loom as a potential destination for Saint Cloud (Fla.) Harmony safety/receiver O’Neill Chambers. According to the Orlando Sentinel, Chambers and teammate Kedron Paul are headed to Provo, Utah for an official visit on Jan. 11-13.

The Longhorns are 2-0 so far via touchdowns by both Paul and Chambers. Paul also has offers from Houston and Mississippi State. Chambers has other offers from Florida, Houston, Maryland, Mississippi State, Purdue and South Carolina. The best friends have said they want to play for the same school.

• The state’s top-ranked player (according to Rivals.com) for 2008, Fort Washington Friendly running back Lamaar Thomas, is set to officially visit Ohio State on Sept. 21. According to Rivals.com analyst Mike Farrell, the Buckeyes are in great shape.

… the Buckeyes are the team to beat. If he doesn't commit on his trip, he'll visit Illinois the following weekend. Maryland is a dark horse, but a commitment on his first official trip to Columbus would not be a shocker.

Other links of note

• The Gazette checks in with Terp football commits Davin Meggett and Cameron Chism.

• Rivals.com released its Prep School Top 50 list, and Hargrave standouts/Terp commits Devonte Campbell and Zach Brown both make appearances.

• nbc4.com posted a video profile of DeMatha athlete and UM target Kenny Tate.

Posted by Matt Bracken at 11:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)