The Next Level is a weekly Recruiting Report feature that focuses on natives of Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Harford County and Howard County who appear on NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision rosters. Chris Eckard, a senior at the University of Maryland and Baltimore Sun sports department intern, is your author.

Trailing 35-17 in Saturday’s game against Memphis, UAB sophomore quarterback Jonathan Perry (Dunbar) engineered the largest fourth-quarter comeback in program history.

Perry led three fourth-quarter touchdown drives of 69 or more yards to cap the improbable comeback, as the Blazers scored 24 unanswered points. The sophomore tossed a career-high 410 yards and four touchdowns, including two in the fourth quarter, and added 47 on the ground.

With the 41-35 win, the Blazers claimed the “Battle for the Bones” trophy for the third straight year.

It wouldn’t have been possible without the play of Perry, whose 457 total yards ranks third in UAB history for a single game. He completed 28 of his 48 passes, without an interception.

This season, Perry has thrown for 1,616 yards and seven touchdowns (seven interceptions) and rushed for 238 yards and a score. For his role in the Blazers’ record-breaking comeback, Perry is your Next Level Player of the Week. He earns the honor for the second time this season.

Continue reading "The Next Level: Perry powers UAB comeback" »

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Categories: The Next Level
        

The Next Level is a weekly Recruiting Report feature that focuses on natives of Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Harford County and Howard County who appear on NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision rosters. Chris Eckard, a senior at the University of Maryland and Baltimore Sun sports department intern, is your author.

Despite his team's loss to Connecticut this past weekend, Syracuse junior wide receiver Alec Lemon (Arundel) found a way to continue his impressive season with a career-high 157 receiving yards on nine catches.

Lemon caught a 9-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter to tie the game at 7, but the Orange couldn’t hold on and fell 28-21 for the second straight week. Connecticut junior safety Jerome Junior (Archbishop Curley) had an interception and five solo tackles (seven total) in the win.

Lemon’s performance, though, earned him a spot on the Big East Weekly Honor Roll Monday. He leads the Orange with 531 receiving yards and 47 receptions this season. The Crofton native now has 106 career receptions, which ranks him fifth all-time at Syracuse.

For his performance against the Huskies, Lemon is your Next Level Player of the Week. He earns the honor for the second time this season.

Continue reading "The Next Level: Alec Lemon's career day" »

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Categories: The Next Level
        

The Next Level is a weekly Recruiting Report feature that focuses on natives of Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Harford County and Howard County who appear on NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision rosters. Chris Eckard, a senior at the University of Maryland and Baltimore Sun sports department intern, is your author.

West Virginia junior wide receiver Tavon Austin (Dunbar) hasn’t had quite the season he envisioned this year while adjusting to a new offensive system under first-year coach Dana Holgorsen.

Against Rutgers on Saturday afternoon, though, Austin showed his playmaking ability once again. He ripped off an 80-yard rushing touchdown on an end-around play in the first quarter, and sealed the win with a 20-yard touchdown reception late in the fourth quarter.

Austin and the No. 25 Mountaineers rebounded from last week’s embarrassing loss to Syracuse to defeat Rutgers on the road, 41-31. The junior finished with 96 rushing yards on two carries and 67 receiving yards on eight catches.

Austin now has 691 receiving yards and three touchdown catches this season. He leads the Mountaineers with 56 receptions.

For his efforts against Rutgers, Austin is your Next Level Player of the Week.

West Virginia junior safety Terence Garvin (Loyola) had two solo tackles (five total) and a pass breakup in the win.

Continue reading "The Next Level: Tavon Austin strikes again" »

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Categories: The Next Level
        

The Next Level is a weekly Recruiting Report feature that focuses on natives of Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Harford County and Howard County who appear on NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision rosters. Chris Eckard, a senior at the University of Maryland and Baltimore Sun sports department intern, is your author.

With a starting quarterback in and out with various injuries this season, UAB has looked to sophomore quarterback Jonathan Perry (Dunbar) several times this season for a spark in the offense. He provided one Saturday against Central Florida.

Passing for 327 yards and a pair of touchdowns, Perry led the Blazers to their first win of the season, after they started 0-6. He went 31-for-42 and threw a pair of interceptions, but his ability to make plays through the air and with his feet (33 rushing yards) gave the Blazers just enough against the nation’s No. 3 defense.

“The satisfaction of winning a football game is mighty big for us,” coach Neil Callaway said in his news conference after the game.

For giving his team a much-needed lift and getting UAB's first win of the season, Perry is this week’s Next Level Player of the Week. He has thrown for 842 yards and rushed for 119 this season.

Continue reading "The Next Level: Perry lifts UAB to first win" »

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Categories: The Next Level
        

The Next Level is a weekly Recruiting Report feature that focuses on natives of Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Harford County and Howard County who appear on NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision rosters. Chris Eckard, a senior at the University of Maryland and Baltimore Sun sports department intern, is your author.

With Louisville driving into North Carolina territory on a 16-play drive in the second quarter, Tar Heels senior linebacker Zach Brown (Wilde Lake) made his first interception of the season.

Brown’s defensive play all day Saturday helped North Carolina improve to 5-1 with the 14-7 win. Brown led the team with four solo tackles (11 total). The senior is one of top playmakers in the ACC this season and a leader on the Tar Heels defense.

With fellow starting linebacker Kevin Reddick out with injury, Brown became the vocal leader of the defense.

“We talked about Zach Brown changing his hat a little bit this week,” interim head coach Everett Withers said in his post-game news conference. “Kevin [Reddick’s] been saying, ‘You need to be here. You need to be there.’ Zach had to be that guy today.”

The 6-foot-2 outside linebacker has a team-high 42 tackles and five for a loss, including 2.5 sacks this season.

If he continues his production, Brown could find himself in the first round of next year’s NFL Draft, according to several pundits. Because of his play Saturday, Brown is this week’s Next Level Player of the Week.

Continue reading "The Next Level: Zach Brown powers UNC" »

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Categories: The Next Level
        

The Next Level is a weekly Recruiting Report feature that focuses on natives of Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Harford County and Howard County who appear on NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision rosters. Chris Eckard, a senior at the University of Maryland and Baltimore Sun sports department intern, is your author.

Just a week after impressively filling in for injured starter Troy Woolfolk, Michigan true freshman cornerback Blake Countess (Owings Mills native, Good Counsel grad) continued to earn coach Brady Hoke’s trust with another solid outing against Minnesota.

Countess forced a fumbled and tied a team-high with four tackles in the 58-0 win, helping Michigan to a 5-0 start in Hoke’s first season. Last week, the 5-foot-10, 176-pound cornerback tied the team-high with seven tackles against San Diego State.

“As a true freshman you can get guys who get wide eyes when they come on the field,” Michigan senior defensive lineman Ryan Van Bergen said after the team’s win against San Diego State. “He was much focused. He has a swagger about him and he’s very confident in his abilities.”

The freshman has 10 solo tackles and three pass breakups this season.

For his efforts against Minnesota, and an extra boost from last week, Countess is this week’s Next Level Player of the Week. Wolverines freshman safety Josh Furman (Old Mill) had a solo tackle (three total) in the win.

Continue reading "The Next Level: Countess steps up for Michigan" »

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Categories: The Next Level
        

The Next Level is a weekly Recruiting Report feature that focuses on natives of Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Harford County and Howard County who appear on NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision rosters. Chris Eckard, a senior at the University of Maryland and Baltimore Sun sports department intern, is your author.

Temple senior quarterback Chester Stewart (Hanover native) and junior running back Matt Brown (Baltimore native, Peddie School grad) feasted on a lackluster Maryland defense this past Saturday at Byrd Stadium.

Stewart, in particular, had an impressive afternoon. Making his first start of the season, the DeMatha graduate was a perfect 9-for-9 for 140 passing yards. He also rushed for 57 yards on nine carries, often extending a broken play with his legs.

His control of the offense all afternoon led to a 38-7 drubbing of the Terps. It marked Temple’s first win against a BCS opponent on the road since 2002 and its first-ever win against an ACC opponent.

For his efforts, in quite possibly the biggest upset of the weekend, Stewart is this week’s Next Level Player of the Week.

Continue reading "The Next Level: Owls' Stewart flawless vs. Terps" »

Posted by Matt Bracken at 10:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: The Next Level
        

The Next Level is a weekly Recruiting Report feature that focuses on natives of Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Harford County and Howard County who appear on NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision rosters. Chris Eckard, a senior at the University of Maryland and Baltimore Sun sports department intern, is your author.

In a similar fashion to last week’s Next Level Player of the Week, Syracuse junior wide receiver Alec Lemon (Arundel) made an impact not only as a play-making pass-catcher, but also a southpaw trick play quarterback.

Playing on the other side of the country against USC, Lemon hauled in seven catches for 72 yards and a touchdown. But the Trojans quickly built up a sizable lead, which cued a trick play by the Orange in the third quarter. Lemon threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to Van Chew to bring the game within two touchdowns. USC went on to win, though, 38-17.

Lemon, a 6-foot-2 junior, has become a reliable target in the Orange’s offense this season, leading the team with 24 receptions. He is second on the team with 218 yards receiving and a pair of touchdowns. For his efforts against USC, Lemon is your Next Level Player of the Week.

Continue reading "The Next Level: Lemon a bright spot for Syracuse" »

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Categories: The Next Level
        

The Next Level is a weekly Recruiting Report feature that focuses on natives of Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Harford County and Howard County who appear on NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision rosters. Chris Eckard, a senior at the University of Maryland and Baltimore Sun sports department intern, is your author.

Before injuring his right hamstring on the final drive of the second quarter, Wake Forest sophomore wide receiver Michael Campanaro (River Hill) made a crucial impact against North Carolina State. During the team’s opening drive, Campanaro caught a 31-yard touchdown pass to give the Demon Deacons a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

But the sophomore wasn’t finished. On a trick play in the second quarter, Campanaro threw his first collegiate pass – a 40-yard touchdown bomb. When he went down with the injury on a 21-yard reception on third down, Campanaro already had a career-high 93 yards on five receptions.

While he didn’t return, the wide receiver’s play was crucial in Wake Forest’s 34-27 win against the Wolfpack. Defensively for Wake Forest, junior linebacker Joey Ehrmann (Gilman) finished with a tackle in the win.

Through the first two games, Campanaro is Wake Forest’s second-leading receiver with 172 yards on 12 receptions. For his efforts against N.C. State, Campanaro is your Next Level Player of the Week.

Continue reading "The Next Level: Campanaro propels Wake to win" »

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Categories: The Next Level
        

Welcome to the 2011 debut of The Next Level, a weekly Recruiting Report feature that focuses on natives of Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Harford County and Howard County who appear on NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision rosters.

An unsuspecting intern will take over this feature starting next week, but for now, it'll be business as usual around these parts. We'll start with The Next Level Player of the Week, highlight a few honorable mention performances, and then get to the rest of the highlights from local college players.

This college football season has started much like the 2010 campaign ended: with West Virginia wide receiver Tavon Austin earning Next Level Player of the Week honors. Austin, a former Dunbar star, caught three passes for 32 yards and returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown in the Mountaineers' lightning-shortened 34-13 win over in-state rival Marshall. Austin, whose 100-yard kickoff return tied a West Virginia record, was named Big East Special Teams Player of the Week.

He finished the game with 190 all-purpose yards, with 119 yards against the Thundering Herd on two kickoff returns and 46 yards on three punt returns.

Continue reading "The Next Level: Tavon Austin stars again" »

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The college football regular season is finally drawing to a close, and many Football Bowl Subdivision schools wrapped up their respective campaigns this weekend. We’ll begin our final roundup of the season in Pittsburgh, Pa., where the West Virginia Mountaineers pounded the Pittsburgh Panthers, 35-10, at Heinz Field.

The Mountaineers were led by a pair of former local standouts as sophomore receiver Tavon Austin (Dunbar) and redshirt sophomore running back Ryan Clarke (Glen Burnie native, DeMatha graduate) combined to score four touchdowns. Clarke tallied the Mountaineers’ first and last touchdowns of the afternoon, beginning with a 2-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and a 2-yard touchdown run in the fourth. Austin caught two touchdown passes, including a 71-yard reception to open the third quarter and a 12-yard score to close the third. Austin also rushed for 12 yards on his only carry. Both players’ exceptional performances net them this season’s first Next Level Co-Player of the Week Award.

Also for the Mountaineers, sophomore defensive back Terence Garvin (Loyola) picked up four tackles, returned a fumble recovery 29 yards, broke up one pass and had one quarterback hurry. Redshirt sophomore offensive linemen John Bassler (Francis Scott Key) and Jeff Braun (Winters Mill) both received playing time, but did not record any statistics.

Continue reading "The Next Level: Austin, Clarke lead W.Va." »

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Thanks for checking into the Next Level for our second men’s college basketball roundup of the season.

We’re always excited to highlight some of the former local high school basketball standouts who decided to stay home for college, and this week we recognize Morgan State junior forward Kevin Thompson. The Walbrook graduate scored 61 points and posted 32 rebounds over four games this week.

On Saturday, Thompson finished with 25 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, three blocks and three steals in the Bears’ 79-74 loss at La Salle. He had 14 points and 10 rebounds against Providence on Nov. 18, 12 points and eight rebounds against Western Illinois on Tuesday, and 10 points and 10 rebounds vs. North Florida on Wednesday.

Here’s how the rest of the group fared:

Continue reading "The Next Level: Morgan's Thompson playing tough" »

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Categories: The Next Level
        

With the homestretch of the college football season upon us, The Next Level charges full-speed into the final few weeks as schools around the country solidify bowl resumes and put the finishing touches on their respective campaigns.

Temple sophomore running back Matt Brown is the latest Next Level Player of the Week after rushing for 72 yards on 20 carries and one touchdown in the Owls’ 31-23 loss to Ohio last Tuesday.

Brown – a Baltimore native from the Peddie School in New Jersey – scored Temple’s first touchdown on a 1-yard run in the second quarter and also caught four passes for 20 yards and returned one kickoff 18 yards to finish with 110 all-purpose yards. Congratulations to Brown on his second Next Level award of the season.

Continue reading "The Next Level: Matt Brown solid for Temple" »

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As the college football regular season nears its conclusion, The Next Level is ready to make its annual transition to college basketball. Every week at Recruiting Report, I’ll be updating this space with reports detailing how former local high school basketball players fared over the past week with their respective Division I teams. Deputy Sports Editor Matt Bracken recently compiled a list of 66 players from the Baltimore area now playing basketball at Division I schools, and as I do with the football updates – which will continue to be updated each Monday – I’ll name a player of the week and identify any other interesting news and notes from around the country. Of course, feel free to post updates on former local players now playing for schools in Division II and Division III in the comments section below this post.

This season’s first Next Level Player of the Week is Oklahoma sophomore forward Andrew Fitzgerald, the Sooners’ leading scorer through two games. Fitzgerald, a former Owings Mills standout, posted back-to-back 22-point performances to start the season and ranks third in the Big 12 Conference with 44 points.

Here’s how the rest of the group fared in this season’s first few weeks of action:

Continue reading "The Next Level: Sooners' Fitzgerald tops hoops list" »

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Categories: The Next Level
        

It’s hard to believe that Week 11 of the college football season is already in the books, but The Next Level is back with another action-packed edition of recaps on how former area high school football standouts fared around the country.

We’ll start in Morgantown, W.Va., where sophomore receiver Tavon Austin (Dunbar) had a big day for the West Virginia Mountaineers. Austin caught two touchdown passes in the first quarter and rushed for 19 yards on two carries to lead the home team to a 37-10 victory over Cincinnati. Austin’s performance makes him the first player to repeat as The Next Level Player of the Week this season.

Also for the Mountaineers, redshirt sophomore fullback Ryan Clarke (Glen Burnie native, DeMatha graduate) ran for 29 yards on seven carries and sophomore defensive back Terence Garvin (Loyola) picked up five tackles, including two solo stops. Offensive lineman John Bassler (Francis Scott Key) and Jeff Braun (Winters Mill) also received playing time for West Virginia.

Continue reading "The Next Level: W.Va.'s Austin strikes again" »

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Categories: The Next Level
        

Week 10 of the college football season was a welcomed respite for a number of schools around the country, but plenty of former Baltimore-area high school football standouts still posted noteworthy efforts.

Over the previous seven weeks of running this season’s edition of The Next Level, we are pleased to report that no player has repeated as the Next Level Player of the Week. Virginia defensive tackle Nick Jenkins (Good Counsel) continued that trend with a strong performance in Saturday’s game despite the Cavaliers’ 55-48 loss at Duke. Jenkins, a Westminster native, recorded four tackles, recovered a fumble by Duke running back Desmond Scott in the fourth quarter and sacked quarterback Sean Renfree on the Blue Devils’ next possession to secure his first Next Level honor of the season.

Continue reading "The Next Level: U.Va.'s Jenkins fares well in loss" »

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Maryland wide receiver LaQuan Williams (Poly) headlines the Week 9 edition of The Next Level after an all-around performance in the Terrapins’ 62-14 victory over Wake Forest.

Williams made the most of limited action on offense, hauling in a 24-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter for his only catch of the day. On special teams, Williams made three tackles and blocked a first-quarter punt that led to a Maryland field goal. Williams’ efforts on both sides of the ball makes him this week’s Next Level Player of the Week.

A crew of other Maryland natives also made plays in Saturday’s Terps-Demon Deacons matchup, including sophomore defensive lineman A.J. Francis (Severn native, Gonzaga graduate), who registered four tackles and 1 ½ sacks for a total of 13 yards. Junior linebacker Nick Peterson (Broadneck) assisted on four tackles and blocked a second-quarter punt that led to Maryland’s third touchdown of the afternoon. Freshman linebacker David Mackall (Edmondson) recorded three tackles, while defensive backs Eric Franklin (Archbishop Curley) and Matt Robinson (Atholton) both had one stop.

For Wake Forest, redshirt freshman Michael Campanaro (River Hill) had three receptions for 38 yards and returned three kickoffs 54 yards. Freshman cornerback Kevin Johnson (River Hill) collected three tackles and redshirt sophomore linebacker Joey Ehrmann (Gilman) assisted on two.

Continue reading "The Next Level: LaQuan Williams shines for Terps" »

Posted by Baltimore Sun sports at 11:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Welcome back to The Next Level. Week 8 of the college football season provided an array of notable performances from former area high school football stars. We’ll begin our journey in Miami, where North Carolina linebacker Zach Brown (Wilde Lake) was a defensive force despite his team’s 33-10 loss to the Hurricanes.

Brown led the Tar Heels with 14 tackles, including 11 solo stops. The junior also recorded one tackle for a loss when he combined with teammate Kevin Reddick to knock down Miami running back Lamar Miller behind the line of scrimmage. Recruiting Report congratulates Brown on his first Next Level Player of the Week honor of the season.

• Also in the Atlantic Coast Conference, Maryland freshman defensive back Matt Robinson (Atholton) recorded four tackles in the Terrapins’ 24-21 victory over Boston College. Junior linebacker Nick Peterson (Broadneck) and senior wide receiver LaQuan Williams (Poly) both assisted on one tackle, while sophomore defensive lineman A.J. Francis (Severn native, Gonzaga graduate), freshman linebacker David Mackall (Edmondson) and sophomore tight end Ryan Schlothauer (Eastern Tech) all received playing time, but did not record any statistics.

Continue reading "The Next Level: Zach Brown makes plays for UNC" »

Posted by Baltimore Sun sports at 11:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
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Thanks for checking into Recruiting Report, where The Next Level marches on for Week 7 of the college football season.

Syracuse sophomore wide receiver Alec Lemon (Arundel) had a career day for the Orange, making eight receptions for 108 yards despite his team’s 45-14 loss to Pittsburgh. It was Lemon’s second career 100-yard game, and his 41-yard haul in the first quarter stands as a career long. Lemon’s lights-out performance makes him the latest Next Level Player of the Week.

Redshirt freshman linebacker Carl Fleming (Franklin) registered one tackle for the Panthers.

• Sophomore defensive lineman A.J. Francis (Severn native, Gonzaga graduate) registered five tackles, including one for a loss in Maryland’s 31-7 loss at Clemson. Freshman defensive back Matt RobinsonDavid Mackall (Edmondson) made one solo stop for the Terps. Senior wide receiver LaQuan Williams (Poly) was targeted twice, but couldn’t snag a reception. Sophomore defensive back Eric Franklin (Archbishop Curley), junior linebacker Nick Peterson (Broadneck) and sophomore tight end Ryan Schlothauer (Eastern Tech) all received playing time, but recorded no statistics.

Continue reading "The Next Level: Alec Lemon shines for Syracuse" »

Posted by Baltimore Sun sports at 11:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
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Week 6 of the college football season featured a number of former Baltimore-area high school football standouts who made strong cases for this week’s Next Level Player of the Week award. But, like the movie Highlander, there can be only one.

Utah wide receiver Shaky Smithson (Douglass) shimmied his way to 261 all-purpose yards in the Utes’ 68-27 victory over Iowa State. Smithson tossed a 32-yard touchdown pass at the start of the second quarter, caught a career-long 61-yard touchdown reception three possessions later and his 78-yard punt return in the first quarter stands as the sixth-longest in school history. Smithson’s edge-of-your-seat offensive performance nets him Next Level Player of the Week honors for Week 6.

• Temple sophomore running back Matt Brown made a valiant attempt for becoming this season’s first repeat Player of the Week at The Next Level, rushing for 93 yards and one touchdown in the Owls’ 31-17 loss at Northern Illinois. Brown, a Baltimore native who attended the Peddie School (N.J.), averaged 7.2 yards per carry on 13 touches. He finished with 147 all-purpose yards after bursting for a 55-yard kick return in the second quarter and catching a 3-yard pass from quarterback Chester Stewart (DeMatha) in the third.

Continue reading "The Next Level: Shaky Smithson leads Utah's rout" »

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Categories: The Next Level
        

Welcome back to another edition of The Next Level. Week 5 of the college football season provided an exciting supply of memorable moments for former Baltimore-area high school football standouts.

We will start our journey in West Point, N.Y., where Baltimore native Matt Brown rushed for a career-best four touchdowns and 226 yards on 28 carries to lead Temple to a 42-35 victory over Army. Brown, a sophomore who attended the Peddie School (N.J.), accumulated 108 yards and two touchdowns in the first half before helping the Owls rally from a 15-point third-quarter deficit with touchdown runs on back-to-back possessions in the fourth. Brown became just the fourth Temple running back to rush for four touchdowns in a game while tying the Michie Stadium touchdown record that was originally set by Pittsburgh’s Tony Dorsett in 1975. The landmark performance nets Brown this week’s Next Level Player of the Week honors.

Brown wasn’t the only Maryland native in action for Temple on Saturday as quarterback
Chester Stewart, a Hanover native, completed 7 of 16 passes for 127 yards, including an 8-yard touchdown pass to Michael Campbell with 6 minutes remaining in the third quarter. Stewart’s touchdown pass marked the first of Temple’s 29 unanswered points against the Black Knights. He also picked up 19 yards on five carries, fumbling once. Senior defensive back Kwame Johnson (Parkville) notched one tackle, while redshirt freshman linebacker Gary Onuekwusi (Dunbar) and junior offensive lineman Pat Boyle (Calvert Hall) received playing time, but did not record any statistics.

Continue reading "The Next Level: Baltimore native shines for Temple" »

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Thanks for checking in to The Next Level. Connecticut safety Jerome Junior headlines our Week 4 highlights after helping the Huskies to a 45-21 win over Buffalo in East Hartford, Conn. Junior intercepted two passes and returned one for a 27-yard touchdown for the Huskies’ first score of the game. The redshirt sophomore finished with four tackles, including three solo stops, and is this week’s Next Level Player of the Week.

Freshman athlete Leon Kinnard (Loyola) rushed for nine yards on his only carry of the game for the Huskies, and made one tackle after UConn quarterback Zach Frazer was intercepted late in the second quarter. Kinnard also made one catch for two yards.

• Senior wide receiver LaQuan Williams (Poly) hauled in a 9-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter of Maryland’s 42-28 victory over Florida International. Williams also assisted on a tackle on punt coverage in the fourth quarter.

Terps redshirt freshman tight end Dave Stinebaugh (Perry Hall) made three catches for 23 yards. Sophomore defensive lineman A.J. Francis – a Severn native – recorded 11 tackles, three solo, including one for a 2-yard loss.

Maryland freshman linebacker David Mackall (Edmondson) made three tackles, while sophomore defensive back Eric Franklin (Archbishop Curley) and freshman defensive back Matt Robinson (Atholton) both registered two tackles. Junior linebacker Nick Peterson (Broadneck) assisted with one tackle for the Terps.

Continue reading "The Next Level – Ex-Curley star steps up for UConn" »

Posted by Baltimore Sun sports at 11:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
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Another season of college football means it’s time for another edition of The Next Level. Hi, I’m Mike Miller, a fall intern here at The Baltimore Sun. Deputy Sports Editor Matt Bracken was kind enough to welcome me into Recruiting Report, and I’ll be updating this space each Monday with reports detailing how former local high school athletes who now play for NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision teams fared in each of their games. In addition to recaps, I’ll highlight a player of the week and identify any other interesting news and notes from around the country.

We’ll start in Morgantown, W.Va., where the Mountaineers throttled the Terrapins on Saturday, 31-17. West Virginia sophomore wide receiver Tavon Austin finished with a team-best 172 all-purpose yards, hauling in seven receptions for 106 yards and two touchdowns and three rushes for nine yards. Austin, a Dunbar alum, also returned four kickoffs for 57 yards, including a 19-yard return to start the game. He is this season’s first Next Level Player of the Week.

Austin wasn’t the only Maryland native to have success against the Terps. Mountaineers sophomore running back Ryan Clarke, a Glen Burnie native and DeMatha graduate, rushed for 65 yards on 15 carries and notched one reception for seven yards. Safety Terence Garvin (Loyola) made four tackles, including two solo stops. For the Terps, wide receiver LaQuan Williams (Poly) recorded a 10-yard reception, while nose tackle A.J. Francis – a Severn native – assisted with four tackles. Defensive backs Eric Franklin (Archbishop Curley) and Matt Robinson (Atholton) also saw game action, as Franklin assisted on two tackles and Robinson made three tackles, two solo.

Continue reading "The Next Level – Tavon Austin headlines Week 3" »

Posted by Baltimore Sun sports at 11:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: The Next Level