« January 2009 | Main | March 2009 »
River Hill High School student-athletes will visit Swansfield Elementary School on Monday to help them celebrate Dr Suess' birthday and the Read Across America Program.
The student-athletes will read their favorite Dr Suess book to the elementary students and discuss the importance of reading.
They will also talk to the younger students what it is like to be a student-athlete in high school and the importance of academics.
-- Glenn Graham
Fresh off their state title last week, Calvert Hall's Zach Walz and Kenneth MacLean Jr. have been selected to play in the first High School All-Star Hockey Game tomorrow at the Rockville Ice Arena at 9:30 p.m.
The MIAA champion Cardinals defeated perennial power DeMatha, 5-0, for the Mid-Atlantic Prep Hockey League title, which is essentially the state title. Coach Mike Shramek's team finished 20-4-4.
The state's best private school players take on the state's best public school players in the game that sponors plan to make an annual event after resuming it for the first time in five years, according to John Pflieger Jr., director and co-founder of the game.
Four local guys will play on the public school team -- Glenelg's Adam Altieri and Alex Taylor, Atholton's Paul Fletcher and River Hill's Jake Lynes.
South Carroll defeated Winters Mill yesterday in the semifinals of the Carroll County Buffalo Wild Wings showdown and will advance to meet North Carroll in the championship.
The Cavaliers, their friends and families raised $481.94 cents to get the better of Winters Mills' $251.40. They will battle North Carroll on April 15 for the title and the Buffalo Wild Wings Scholarship, which is now worth $860.38.
The Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant in Westminster has donated 15 percent of each team's winnings to its athletics department.
The undefeated Lake Clifton boys basketball team put on a second-half offensive display that turned a close Baltimore City championship game into a rout. The Lakers shot 75 percent in the second half last night and a 27-25 halftime lead became a 69-30 win over Digital Harbor.
But it was Lake Clifton's defensive adjustments that set the tone for the big victory.
In particular, the play of reserve senior guard Jaquan Jones stood out. Jones hassled Digital Harbor's talented senior guard, George Jackson, and limited him to just three points in the second half. He scored 11 in the first half.
Defense is what Lake Clifton coach Herman Harried continually reinforces to his group and he got plenty of it. The Lakers held the Rams to one field goal and just five points in the decisive second half.
It was Jones who came off the bench to help the cause.
"He's our Mr. Call-on guy. Sometimes he doesn't even get in a game depending on the matchups. But when I call on him, he always comes through," Harried said.
The Arundel girls basketball team had its official Pink Zone game earlier this month, but the Wildcats like their pink and white uniforms so much they decided to wear them again last night against Riverdale Baptist. Anything they can do to bring attention to -- and raise funds for -- the battle against cancer.
Pink T-shirts like the ones the Wildcats wore during warm-ups last night were available for sale to raise money for the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund, named for the long-time North Carolina State coach who died earlier this year of breast cancer.
While many girls teams from around the area have hosted Pink Zone nights as part of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association breast cancer awareness initiative, the Anne Arundel County girls teams all have pink and white uniforms for their events. Some college teams also have pink uniforms, but most high school teams sport pink shoelaces and wear pink warm-up shirts. The Arundel girls, however, go all out right down to their black socks with pink ribbons.
There's so much more to share about Parkville basketball player Josh Corbett's inspiring story, which ran in today's sports section. One of the things that struck me the most was how many people care about this fine young man and, just as important, how Josh was so touched by that fact.
He talked about how some of his teammates, friends and coaches made the long drive to Virginia to visit him in the hospital: "My old JV coach came down and he doesn't even coach at Parkville any more," he said.
Josh's mother, Carla Corbett, also talked about how much Josh has changed since the accident. She said her son was quiet and reserved for the most part and would have had a tough time getting through an interview like the one he did so well with me let alone giving his testimony inside a packed church on Sunday.
"Now, whatever he's thinking, he's going to say. His sense of humor really comes out more and he'll say things that you don't expect him to say. Before, he was so quiet you didn't even know he was in the room and now, he makes sure that his presence is known. I like the new Josh!" she said.
As for basketball, there's no question how much passion Josh has for the game. He told me a story about how his mother put him in baseball when he was little and how happy he was when he grew a bunch of inches to help talk her into signing him up for basketball when he was 8 years old.
This season, when he was cleared to play, his name was the first one on the sign-up sheet for tryouts. The season has been tough for Josh, going from being the star player to trying to get back comfortable on the court.
"He's just a very special person and I guess when I look at him struggling somewhat right now, I feel like something is going to come of this... like it's gonna happen and maybe Josh is going to do something huge. Then it will be an even greater story," said Karen Berkley, one of his teachers and a staunch supporter of Josh and the Knights.
Here's hoping and BELIEVING Josh gets back to his 16 points per game and maybe a couple more next year.
Many local girls and boys teams were seeded No. 1 for the regional basketball playoffs after yesterday's draw. The pairings are posted on the MPSSAA web site. Click here to check where your favorite team landed.
When No. 2 St. Frances (27-3) meets No. 3 Calvert Hall (27-4) in Sunday's Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference title game, we can only hope the championship resembles the Jan. 29 regular-season game between the two.
That was a 90-84 triple overtime St. Frances win at Calvert Hall. Far and away, it was the best game of the season.
The Panthers rallied from a 59-49 deficit with 2:19 left in regulation and then were finally able to prevail after three overtimes.
St. Frances vs. Calvert Hall also means 6-foot-7 senior forward Terrell Vinson vs. 6-8 junior forward Jonathan Graham.
In the same game, it's rare to find two teams best players playing at their very best but that was the case in the January meeting as the two often engaged in isolated, one-on-one battles that defined true competition.
Graham finished with 29 points and 18 rebounds before fouling out in overtime, while Vinson (26 points, 22 rebounds) had the final say with 11 of his points coming in the extra time.
Sunday will be an all-day affair at UMBC's RAC Arena with Sts. Peter & Paul taking on Key School in the "C" Conference at 1 p.m.; Pallotti meets St. Mary's in the "B" final at 3 before the main event at 5 p.m.
-- Glenn Graham
There wasn’t a whole lot of space during the two days of the state indoor track meet, so with 104 events and only 19 paragraphs, we weren’t able to get all of local winners at the Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex.
So here’s a list, by class, of those who won state titles but weren’t named in the articles:
Class 1A
Davon Tildon (Carver-Baltimore City), 55-meter dash
Connor Pencek (Glenelg), 800 and 1,600 meters
Scott Menner (Glenelg), 1,600 meters
Geoffrey Boggs (Pikesville), pole vault
Rachel Sykes (South Carroll), 1,600 and 3,200 meters
Sasha Smallwood (Pikesville), pole vault (1A record)
Relays: Digital Harbor girls, 800 and 1,600 meters
Class 2A
Nate Gant (Hammond), 55-meter dash
Chris Frock (Winters Mill), 800 meters
Craig Morgan (River Hill), 1,600 and 3,200 meters
Janiera Jackson (Poly), 55-meter dash
Tonney Smith (Poly), 500 meters
Relays: Loch Raven girls, 3,200 meters; Randallstown boys, 1,600 meters; Winters Mill boys 3,200 meters (2A record)
Class 3A
Cameron McDearmon (Franklin), shot put
Rachel Pillion (Towson), 3,200 meters
Kemilah Browne (Reservoir), 55-meter hurdles
Ryan Chelton (Hereford), 800 meters
Deontray Lee (Broadneck), 55-meter dash
Relays: Broadneck boys, 3,200 meters
Class 4A
Amber Melville (North Carroll), high jump
Also, a few notes:
Best uniform: Reservoir. Loved the mostly orange with black squares that were like patches. It's tasteful without being gaudy.
Best effort: Katie Harman, River Hill. The flu is never fun, but she battled through it to win one race and take third in another. Not an easy task.
Best technique: Amber Melville, North Carroll: The high jumper looked like she invented the Fosbury Flop while winning the Class 4A state title.
Most unusual stat: Pikesville winning both the boys and girls pole vaults. Geoffrey Boggs spoke to me a few weeks ago and said he wanted to get to 12 feet and win the state title. He got both. Sasha Smallwood set a Class 1A record for the girls (11-1) and will become one of the state's best by the time she's done in two years.
Jeff Seidel
Catonsville’s girls basketball team will try to make it two Baltimore County championships in a row tomorrow night when the No. 8 Comets meet a familiar foe – Randallstown.
Last season, the Comets needed a second-half rally to get past a halftime tie and beat the Rams, 65-49. The Rams kept it close early on thanks to Kelsie Singleton’s three-point shooting and the Comets’ foul trouble. But All-Metro guard Shamika Williams scored 27 points to help pull Catonsville through.
This time, the Comets will again rely on Williams, who rarely gets a break during a game. Singleton holds the Rams together and she will get some help from T’Arra Cutting, who returned a month ago after rehabbing a torn ACL, and Imani Graham, who missed the season finale with a milder knee injury.
In addition to Williams, the Comets look to Shelby Polk on the outside, and Maya Torain on the inside.
The Rams players scouted Catonsville’s win Tuesday night over Perry Hall, a game that sealed their 4A-3A Division title. It’s no secret to them that Williams leads the Comets, but they also saw Williams draw a lot of defensive attention and dish of to Torain, who scored a game-high 22 points.
In the Class 2A-1A Division, the Rams earned the title by finishing the regular season with an eight-game winning streak although they needed a little help from Pikesville. The Rams lost to Pikesville, but the Panthers faded with a couple of late losses that helped Randallstown win the division.
Tipoff tonight is at 7 p.m. at Randallstown.
McDonogh boys soccer standout Marquez Fernandez, The Baltimore Sun's Metro Player of the Year in the fall, was named the 2008-09 Gatorade Maryland Boys Soccer Player of the Year. Fernandez, a junior defender, totaled 10 goals and six assists in leading the No. 1 Eagles to their second straight Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference championship.
Fernandez, who is the fourth McDonogh boys soccer player to receive the award, is now a finalist for the National Soccer Player of the Year award to be announced in May. Last year, McDonogh's Chris Agorsor won the award.
Fernandez, who maintains a 3.35 grade-point average, has verbally committed to play at the University of Maryland.
The No. 1 Lake Clifton boys basketball team puts its undefeated record on the line at Walbrook this afternoon -- game time is set for 5:15 p.m.
The Lakers (19-0) have been winning with strong team defense, balance on offense led by junior forward Will Barton and poised play in any situation.
Host Walbrook (18-2) has an athletic team led by junior forward Roscoe Smith, who can take over games. Senior Donte Stuckey, who had a 44-point, 16-rebound performance in an 87-85 overtime win against Patterson last week, is another force for Walbrook.
The home team Warriors have to worry about taking care of the basketball against the Lakers' harassing defense and also playing cohesive defense against a team that has five players who can score at any time.
The Lakers have to deal with shutting down Smith and a hostile environment. If you want to check it out, plan on arriving early because the gym will likely be filled to capacity.
The IAAM has announced its All-Stars for the 2008-09 season:
A Conference
Daisy Alaeze, Roland Park
Caitlin Bopp, IND
Ali Brennan, McDonogh
Janay Brinkley, Archbishop Spalding
Asya Bussie, Seton Keough
Katelyn Fischer, Seton Keough
Shatyra Hawkes, St. Frances
Briana Hutchen, St. Frances
Maggie Marion, Mercy
Maggie Morrison, Archbishop Spalding
B Conference
Katie Bollhorst, St. Mary's
Brittany Davis, Pallotti
Katie Dickerson, Severn
Cara Facchina, Mount de Sales
Janelle Fleet, St. Paul's
Julia Groves, Chapelgate
Meghan Helm, NDP
Leanne Hug, Severn
Melanie Mocniak, St. Mary's
Iliana Sanza, St. Paul's
C Conference
Rose Coll, Park
Ashley Dolgoff, Glenelg Country
Amy Duncan, St. John's
Sara Hervitz, Beth Tfiloh
Kristen Johnson, Oldfields
Andrea Lee, Lutheran
Dawn Lee, Park
Emily Orrsen, Friends
Kaitlyn Ratych, Catholic
Catherine Rosenberg, Friends
The Baltimore Catholic League announced its season awards at its 38th annual luncheon at Snyder's Willow Grove this afternoon with Mount St. Joseph junior guard Eric Atkins earning the top prize as the Player of the Year.
The Coach of the Year went to Calvert Hall's John Bauersfeld and the Defensive Player of the Year was awarded to Calvert Hall junior Donya Jackson.
Here are the All-BCL teams:
First team -- Matt Rum, Loyola, senior; Jonathan Graham, Calvert Hall, junior; Terrell Vinson, St. Frances, senior; Devin Spencer, Towson Catholic, senior; Dylon Cormier, Cardinal Gibbons, junior.
Second team -- Wayne Sparrow, St. Frances, junior; Ryley Beaumont, Mount St. Joseph, junior; Dante Holmes, St. Frances, junior; Levi Noel, Towson Catholic, junior; Damion Lee, Calvert Hall, junior.
Honorable mention -- Nic Martin, St. Mary's Gorretti; Cliff Jones, Spalding; Gerald Hill, Mount St. Joseph; Stephon Berry, St. Mary's Goretti; Brandon Floyd, Loyola; Paul Graziano, Spalding; Kyle Wise, Calvert Hall.
The heart to win a high school championship usually comes from a team's seniors and it was no different in last night's IAAM A Conference final. Seton Keough's seniors led their team in putting on a show in a surprisingly lopsided win that ended a six-year title run by St. Frances.
But as good as Asya Bussie, Katelyn Fischer and Carly Read were, one youngster made sure everyone knew there would be something to come back for next season. If you didn't know better, you might have guessed that Amber Singletary was a senior, too, with all the big plays she made.
But Singletary is a sophomore. She had 17 points last night -- second only to Bussie. Even more important, two of her shots came at one of the most critical points, a moment when St. Frances looked as if it was ready to rally from 15 points down midway through the third quarter.
Singletary, a quick, versatile 5-foot-9 guard, threw water on the Panthers' flames when she hit back-to-back three-pointers that sent St. Frances to a 17-point deficit.
Those were some pretty big shots for a sophomore, but Singletary has shown that poise in some other games and we can only wait to see what she does next year.
Chivalry lives.
I went to cover the Maryland Independent Schools State Wrestling Tournament this weekend. It was work and I knew my press pass would get me in. I wasn't thinking about a need for money.
But when I arrived at the entrance, I asked about getting a program and was told it would be $5. Suddenly I remembered I hadn't been to the bank and had about $2.50 in my wallet. I shrugged and decided I'd probably be able to get one later at the main scoring desk.
As I stood there thinking about it and showing my press ID for entry, a teenager sitting at the table reached in his pocket and pulled out a $5 bill and offered to buy me a program.
It turned out not to be necessary, a program was provided. But my new friend didn't know it would be. He wanted to help.
His name is Hunter Smoot. He's a 16-year-old freshman at McDonogh, where he wrestles in the 112-pound class on the junior varsity. He has been wrestling in McDonogh programs for the past eight years.
"Half your life," I said.
He smiled, "Hey, yeah."
He was manning the table at the entrance. His job was to tell people how much admission and programs were and to make sure no one tried to get in without paying.
"I've already stopped one," he said.
"Besides me," I asked.
"One besides you," he said, smiling.
When I later approached the scorer's table, there was a man in a McDonogh shirt, and I asked if he knew Rob Smoot. My new friend had told me his dad, Rob, was a coach at McDonogh and I wanted to find out if he was an assistant or JV coach.
"I am Rob Smoot," he said.
"Your son just generously offered to buy me a program when I was short of money," I said.
He looked at me, a little unsure.
"My son?" he said. "Are you sure?"
Yes, I was sure.
"I'm just wondering where he got $5," said Hunter's dad. "If you asked him to help you do something, he would. But he doesn't have a lot of money to be buying a complete stranger a program. I don't recall him ever doing that."
Later, Rob Smoot found out his son had brought some of his recent birthday money to the tournament.
"I asked him if he planned to buy everyone a program," Rob said. "He said no, but that you were nice. He said if there had been others who weren't able to buy and they were nice, he would have bought a couple more, but he was also making sure he still had enough to eat later at the food stand."
His dad was still surprised, but he was also impressed by his son's generosity to a complete stranger. He couldn't stop smiling.
A St. Paul's first
There were nothing but smiles and hugs going around among the St. Paul's wrestling team Saturday night. They had seen one of their teammates, freshman Eric Friedman, win the state title in the 103-pound class at the Maryland Independent Schools State Tournament and then jumped for joy when it was announced their ninth-place team finish had earned the State B Conference Championship.
"It's the first time we've ever won the state title outright," said St. Paul's coach Jay Braunstein. "In 1980, while still in the A Conference, we tied St. Joe's, and, eight years ago, we tied for the dual meet title with John Carroll and St. Mary's. But this is the first time it's all ours. No sharing."
Przywara an unhappy winner
Archbishop Curley sophomore Brett Przywara was the No. 2 seed in the 119-pound class and was expected to meet Mount St. Joseph's junior Frankie Goodwin in the state finals, just as he had at the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association tournament the weekend before.
But PCA's Charles Savage, a senior, upset him in the quarterfinals, scoring a decisive 9-3 decision. But the story between the two was not over. Savage lost in the semis and wound up facing Przywara again in the consolation final for third place.
Przywara won when Savage became injured, hurting his eye on the mat, and was unable to continue. Savage, of course, was distraught, but so was Przywara. In tears, Przywara wrapped his arms around his foe who tried to push him away. Przywara held fast and talked fast, expressing his sadness over the way the bout had ended, before letting him go.
Then, with tears still in his eyes, Przywara sought out his dad and laid his head on his shoulder. Teammates came by and told him not to worry about his opponent having been injured, that it was part of the game. But the sophomore didn't want to hear it. Shaking off their comforting and congratulatory back pats, he disappeared into the locker room.
"Brett's upset because he didn't want to win like that," said Przywara's dad, Michael. "He's not been in this circumstance before and he's trying to be a good sport. But he's a little shook up."
Przywara, like Savage and every other wrestler at Saturday's tournament who finished among the top six, will compete again this weekend in the National Prep Tournament at Lehigh University.
Sandra McKee
Arundel All-Metro basketball standout Simone Egwu was Sunday's Anne Arundel profile and after talking with her last week, I left impressed and enlightened. Egwu maintains an impressive 4.3 weighted grade-point average; is good for a double-double every time she takes the court (16 points, 12 rebounds per game) as the Wildcats' captain; and her future is unlimited. She has earned a basketball scholarshp at Virginia and wants to get into politics with ambitions of becoming a senator and maybe even president. She has my vote. Here's some leftovers from last week's conversation.
* Do you feel a greater sense of urgency being a senior this year?
Yes! This is the last chance to get a state title and I really want to make a mark and leave something behind.
* How do you prepare for a game?
I think the most important thing for me, because I am very analytical and can psyche myself out, is just to be relaxed and have fun. So my pre-game ritual is to just put on my iPod and sort of dance around and have fun because if I think about it too much, I get nervous and overthink.
*What sold you on attending Virginia?
I would say the biggest factor was the acedemic reputation of the school. I take school very seriously and the fact that basketball can help me get the degree that I need is a big plus because it's something I love to do.
* What are the key ingredients to being a strong leader?
I think the most important thing is setting a good example. You can't tell people to do one thing and act another way. And then, be confident in yourself and be sure that what you're doing is the best thing for everybody and not just yourself. people can see that in you and then sense you're someone to follow.
Glenn Graham
Mount St. Joseph boys basketball coach Pat Clatchey has been selected to coach in the 2009 McDonald's All-American Games on Wednesday, April 1 at BankUnited Center in Miami.
Clatchey, who has led the Gaels to three Baltimore Catholic League titles in in 17 years as coach, will represent the Boys' West team.
"It's an honor to be coaching the nation's most talented high school basketball players at this premier tournament. I look forward to sharing this experience with other exceptional coaches from around the country," said Clatchey, who has produced 20 or more wins in each of his 13 seasons. The Gaels, who were knocked out of the Maryland Interscholastic Athletc Association A Conference playoffs by Towson Caatholic on Friday, are 20-12 this season.
One of the area's best-kept secrets in boys basketball this season has been the stellar play of Hammond point guard Chris Baker.
The 5-foot-11 senior has done everything a coach can ask for from the point guard spot to lead the Golden Bears to a 16-3 mark. More importantly, he's done it with consistency.
The Bears' 67-62 win at No. 11 Atholton on Tuesday was a perfect example. Baker helped the Bears get out to a quick double-digit lead in the first quarter by getting everybody involved with his ability to penetrate and then find open teammates. When the Raiders, frontrunners in Howard County this season, made several expected pushes the rest of the way, Baker was always there to withstand the pressure, driving to the basket for a layup or a subsequent trip to the free-throw line.
In 19 games, Baker is averaging 20.1 points, reaching double digits in every game and scoring 20 or more nine times. He sets the tone with vocal leadership, plays pesky defense and shares the basketball.
"My teammates look to me as a leader and I don't mind having the ball in my hands, whether I score myself or dish. I know my teammates can score, too," said Baker, who is still undecided on a college.
With Atholton and Hammond separating themselves from the rest of the Howard County pack, it appears the two teams will meet again Feb. 24 for the county championship. Hammond coach Karl Freidheim is happy to have Baker on his side.
"He's a special player. He's stepping up with his leadership and that's what we need out of our seniors. Chris plays hard all the time and really wants the ball in the tough times," he said.
- Glenn Graham
Tonight's girls basketball game between Catonsville and Perry Hall has been postponed because of a power outage at Catonsville High School. The game is rescheduled for Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Catonsville.
Athletic director Dave Lane reports that all after-school activities at Catonsville have been postponed or cancelled as BG&E crews will get to work at 3 p.m. The boys basketball team will play at Perry Hall at 7 p.m.
The No. 8 Comets girls, defending Baltimore County champions, need a victory over the surging Gators to secure a berth in next Friday night's county title game.
Tomorrow’s IAAM basketball semifinals feature some potentially interesting matchups, especially in No. 9 Archbishop Spalding at No. 3 Seton Keough in the A Conference and Severn at No. 13 St. Paul’s in the B.
Except for No. 1 and six-time defending champ St. Frances, Seton Keough has beaten every A Conference opponent, including Spalding, twice. The Gators have pulled out some close ones, including a 40-38 win over No. 10 McDonogh last week. Spalding has fallen just short in a few close ones, especially its last meeting with St. Frances when it lost by just six points. Indications are that this could be a close one.
In the B Conference, defending champion Severn takes on a St. Paul’s team that lost only one conference game – its last one to Notre Dame Prep.
The defending champion in the C Conference, Lutheran, fell to St. John’s in the quarterfinals, leaving St. John’s, Friends, Park and Catholic vying to become the new champ.
Here is the schedule for tomorrow. Games begin at 5:30 p.m., except Severn-St. Paul’s, which tips off at 5.
A CONFERENCE
Mercy at St. Frances
Spalding at Seton Keough
B CONFERENCE
Severn at St. Paul's
Pallotti at St. Mary's
C CONFERENCE
St. John's at Friends
Catholic High at Park
North Carroll is the first semifinalist in the Carroll County Buffalo Wild Wings competition, advancing past Francis Scott Key to the finals in April.
The Panthers faithful ate enough wings (and other food and drink) at the Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant in Westminster yesterday to raise $456.56 for its athletic department. Key wasn't far behind with $394.26. Each kept 15 percent of the total take.
North Carroll will take on the winner of South Carroll and Winters Mill for the championship and even more money for its athletic department April 15. That semifinal is set for Feb. 25 after being snowed out once.
So far, $4,269.21 has been raised for the county's high school athletic departments through the Wild Wings competition.
When Western's All-Metro guard Akeema Richards picked up her second foul less than five minutes into last night's Baltimore City girls basketball showdown with Digital Harbor, it appeared the No. 2 Doves could be in trouble. When Keirah Hicks joined Richards on the bench for most of the second quarter, the Doves had two of their top three guards sitting.
Against a tough No. 7 Digital Harbor team, coach Tiffany Silver certainly didn't want that.
But it didn't matter too much, because the Doves bench picked up the slack and took a 21-18 lead into halftime. That kept Western in position to eventually take a 58-81 win in a game that will help determine which of three teams -- Western, Digital Harbor or No. 4 City -- wins the division and earns a berth in the city championship game Feb. 24 at Morgan State.
Coming off the bench last night, guards Tenicia Spence, Janay Newman and Mikee Stevenson combined for 13 of the Doves' 21 first-half points.
Those performances came as no surprise to starting guard Ashle Craig, who along with Hicks, led the Doves with 14 points.
"They knew what they were supposed to come in and do," said Craig. "That's what we expect from them and they came out and played a good game. They're good and they proved it."
The opening round of the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference playoffs scheduled for Friday are set. With Towson Catholic's win over McDonogh Tuesday night, the Owls clinched the third seed and will host sixth-seeded Mount St. Joseph. Fourth-seed John Carroll will host fifth-seeded Loyola in the other opening round game. St. Frances and Calvert Hall, which finished first and second, respectively, have first-round byes and will host semifinal round games on Tuesday.
Winters Mill boys basketball coach Dave Herman, who led the Falcons to the Class 2A state title last year and was named The Baltimore Sun's Metro Coach of the Year, will be the head coach of the Baltimore All-Stars when they take on the United States All-Stars in the ninth annual Charm City Challenge set for April 5 at the Towson Center.
The U.S. team will be coached by Dwayne "Tiny" Morton from Abraham Lincoln High School in Brooklyn New York.
In the City vs. County game, Lake Clifton coach Herman Harried will have the coaching duties for the City team, while Arundel coach Jeff Starr handles the County side.
The City-County game will start at 3 p.m. with the feature game to follow shortly after.
The Baltimore All-Stars have taken six of the first eight games in the series; the County team has a 4-3 advantage over the City team.
Rosters for all teams will be announced Feb. 20. You are invited to vote online for the Baltimore All-Stars up to Friday and for tickets or more information visit www.CharmCityChallenge.com.
It's hard to believe, but in five days the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland will crown its basketball champions.
St. Frances is aiming for its seventh straight A Conference crown. Severn is looking to repeat in the B Conference, and Lutheran won last year in the C Conference.
The finals are Saturday at Stevenson University with the B Conference at 3 p.m., the A Conference at 5 and the C Conference at 7.
The quarterfinals get underway tomorrow. Here's the schedule. In the C Conference, Glenelg Country School and Friends may play earlier that 5:30 p.m. Please check with the school.
A Conference
IND at St. Frances, 5:30
McDonogh at Mercy, 5:30
Roland Park at Spalding, 5:30
Towson Catholic at Seton Keough, 5:30
B Conference
Mount de Sales at Severn, 5:30
Maryvale at St. Paul’s, 5:30
Pallotti at NDP, 5:30
Bryn Mawr at St. Mary’s, 5:30
C Conference
Beth Tfiloh at Park, 5:30
Catholic at Annapolis, 5:30
Glenelg CS at Friends, TBA
Lutheran at St. John’s, 5:30
Taking a quick look at the remaining schedule for the top-ranked Lake Clifton boys basketballl team, it's safe to say if the Lakers (17-0) manage to end the regular season undefeated, it will be a major accomplishment. The Lakers' final stretch of five games is, to say the least, a challenging one.
First up this afternoon is a visit from No. 6 Digital Harbor, which brings guards George and Justin Jackson and a strong supporting cast. On Friday, the Lakers host a Mervo team that knocked off previously-ranked Edmondson last week. Next Tuesday, Lake Clifton travels to No. 4 Walbrook with the task of shutting down do-it-all standout Roscoe Smith. The following Thursday, the Lakers play a make-up game against Edmondson before closing out the regular season on Friday, Feb. 20 at Patterson, which entered the poll at No. 15 this week.
Coach Herman Harried said the stretch "speaks for itself" and it provides an ideal opportunity to prepare for the upcoming playoffs. He adds the potential of a perfect regular season clearly takes a back seat to other team goals. "Undefeated in the regular season doesn't win championships. It would be great to say we were undefeated, but even better to say we were undefeated with 'x' amount of championships," said Harried.
-- Glenn Graham
There's no question Meade senior track standout Aaron Williams has plenty of speed, evidenced by his gold medal wins in the 55 and 300 meters at the recent Anne Arundel County indoor championships. Something else Aaron possesses: fine balance.
Along with football, track and studies, Aaron is the youngest of seven in his family and he has a handful of nieces and nephews who look up to him. He's active in his church and is a mentor in the Boys and Girls Club. In a time when most pro athletes fall well short of being role mdels, it's refreshing to see student-athletes like Aaron welcoming the responsibility and making a difference. Here are some leftovers from Sunday's Anne Arundel Q & A profile I did on Aaron.
* When did you learn you were special when it comes to running?
In 10th grade, I was playing football and I remember a punt return and I just left everybody. My coach is like: ‘You have potential, you can be really fast.’ I came out for the track team again. In the ninth grade, I didn’t take it serious – I was like: ‘Oh, track -- too much running for me, I don’t want to do it.’ In the 10th grade, I came back and I wanted to run. I wanted to be like [2008 standout grad Justin] Murdock and the others and win stuff. That’s when I started to excel.
* What’s it like being the youngest of seven children?
There’s some pressure. One of my sisters [Meade alum Chelsea Williams] ran track here and she had the record in the 100, 200 and 400. And the others all did something and excelled at something different, so I wanted to make a name for myself and show them I could excel at something, too.
* What’s your favorite dinner that your mom makes?
Baked Ziti. I like pasta in general, but her baked ziti is the best. Usually when I get baked ziti it’s just pasta and a layer of cheese on top. My mom, she puts the noodles and a layer of cheese right in the middle, so it’s just really cheesy throughout. I eat it every night before a meet.
Around this time every year, you start hearing about high school basketball players scoring their 1,000th career points. It's a great milestone, but not all that rare -- except in the case of North Carroll's Caitlin Bach.
When Bach scored her 1,000th point Friday night she became the first player in school history -- boy or girl -- to reach the milestone. That's particulary significant because North Carroll in Hampstead, Carroll County, is 52 years old. And because Bach is just a junior.
How did the 5-foot-11 forward get to 1,000 in less than three full seasons when no other Panther has been able to get there at all?
“She’s always been more athletic than the kids she’s played against and she’s obviously very talented,” said North Carroll coach John Brown.
Bach rarely comes off the floor. She has started every game of her career and has averaged about 28-30 minutes in each one, Brown said.
Two weeks ago, Bach quietly broke the school record of 917, but she has been honored twice already for hitting 1,000 – once when she did it Friday night at Thomas Johnson and again on Saturday when the Panthers played at home against Tuscarora.
“It’s nice since my name will be remembered there, but more importantly, I would like to have a state championship,” Bach said. “I guess that’s the goal now.”
Bach followed her sisters Melissa and Megan onto the floor, starting to dribble when she was about 3, she said. Getting on the floor as a freshman and playing with Megan helped her adjust to the varsity game and quickly become a contributor, Brown said.
“During three years in our program, she’s become a better player and found other ways to score as she’s gone along and become the focus of the other teams’ defenses," he said. "Every night, she’s getting slammed sometimes by three girls, so she has expanded her game. She handles the ball very well and she understands the game better than anyone I have. We very rarely take her off the floor.”
For Bach, who averages 19 points and 13 rebounds this season, the next goal -– aside from making it to states -– is to reach 1,000 rebounds. She’ll probably do that, too. She’s just gone over 700.
When North Harford's Lin James hits a coaching milestone, she’d rather keep it quiet, but she was as excited as any other Lady Vol when University of Tennessee coach Pat Summitt reached her 1,000th career victory last night.
James, the winningest girls basketball coach in the Baltimore area in her 42nd season with the Hawks, graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1965, nine years before Summitt took over the program, but she still has a little of that orange left in her bloodstream
“It’s just remarkable. I think the attainment of this goal -- just like me, there’s longevity -- but when you look at her winning percentage, that’s the thing that’s staggering.”
After last night’s win, Summitt’s record is 1,000-187. That means she has won 82.4 percent of the games she’s coached in 35 years.
James won her 500th game in 2004 and now has more than 550 wins. (She won't say exactly how many and I hate to admit it, but I've lost track.) Since James played at Tennessee, the game has changed a lot, but she feels she was in on the start of it all.
“We were on the edge of getting ready to roll with women’s basketball. It was before we had any money or there was any designation, but we played a lot of basketball at that time. What a fun time it was. We’ve come a long way in many regards.”
James emulates many of the aspects of Summitt's coaching style, especially her no-stars approach and her willingness to adjust her game plan to her players' talents rather than forcing them into one style that might not fit.
“I've read every book that's ever been written about her," said James, "and I always try to read one before my season starts, because I think her motivation, her intensity are just unparalleled. I’ve seen her sit and get in the face of Chamique Holdsclaw. There’s no distinction with her. If you don’t do the job that she expects, then you get what she dishes out.”
James, who has experienced a lot of the ups and downs of the coming of age of women's sports, also enoys the fact that a woman is the first Division I coach to reach the 1,000 mark.
"It speaks volumes to me. Across the board, you can see more attendance at women’s games. The game has been stepped up a notch in both skill and interest and even on the college campuses. It’s wonderful that she’s a woman… What a fun time. It’s great for women and it’s great for women’s basketball.”
Call Southside athletic director Dana Johnson's cell phone and you'll hear strains of "Rocky Top," the same tune you'll always hear at the University of Tennessee women's basketball games.
That tune fit today perfectly as Johnson and her fellow Lady Vols celebrated the 1,000th career victory of Tennessee women's basketball coach Pat Summitt, the first Division I coach -- man or woman -- to reach the milestone.
In televised interviews after last night's victory, Summitt said all of her former players contributed to the milestone and Johnson feels that way too. She played for Summitt from 1991-95.
"I can't even put it into words. She's definitely deserving, truly someone who's worked hard for it and put in time and done all the little things. It's an honor, because I feel I was a part of it," said Johnson. "Those were four years that I will never forget. I learned so much and grew so much in those four years and not just basketball-wise. You definitely become a part of the family. It's a big extended family."
Johnson's cell phone is burning up today with text messages to and from former teammates.
"We all feel the same way. We are proud of her and proud to be a Lady Vol."
Johnson, a high school All-American at Western before heading to Tennessee, now coaches the boys basketball team at Southside. She said she developed much of her coaching philosophy from Summitt's example.
"Definitely, the team concept. There is no star, but you definitely utilize your star. It takes more than one person and the hard work and defense aspect of it. Just the will not to quit, not to give up."
Johnson also said that Summitt beating all the men coaches to the 1,000 mark is also significant.
"I think it means a lot for other young women to know that if you are dedicated, you are truly dedicated and you're willing to do what you need to do and sacrifice, you can do it, but there's definitely going to be some sacrifice. She knew what she wanted, she went for it, but she didn't start off with the best team in the country. It took her some time, but she didn't give up."
Drop back in a little later and I'll have some thoughts from North Harford coach Lin James, also a Lady Vol and the winningest girls basketball coach in the Baltimore area.
Former Archbishop Spalding soccer standout Christine Nairn continues to make quite an impression within U.S. Soccer.
The 18-year-old midfielder just finished a 17-day training camp session with the U.S. Women's National Team, and was the youngest player to receive an invitation. While she did not make the 18-player roster that will particiapte in the upcoming Algarve Cup in Portugal, she gained valuable training time with the big team.
Consider: In the fall of 2007 she was playing in the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland title game for the Cavaliers and now she is on the practice field sharing the midfield with the likes of Shannon Boxx and Heather O'Reilly, and unleashing shots against Hope Solo.
At the end of last year, Nairn was the youngest player on the U.S. Under-20 team that won the 2008 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Chile. She played in all six matches and started in the semifinal and final rounds. Nairn, the Metro Player of the Year in 2007, delayed her enrollment at Penn State this past fall to focus on national team play.
In other girls soccer news, four area high school players were recently named to the 2008 ESPN RISE fall high school All-America team.
Spalding senior forward Erica Page, the 2008 Metro Player of the Year, earned second-team honors. Spalding junior defender Kirsten Frank, McDonogh senior midfielder Gigi Mangione and McDonogh senior goalie Ali Brennan gained spots on the third team.
Wilde Lake has a new football coach for the first time in 37 years -- well, at least new to the position, if not to the school. Mike Harrison, who was named as the successor to longtime coach Doug DuVall yesterday, has been at Wilde Lake for decades.
Harrison, 45, played from 1978 to 1982 for DuVall, the school's only head football coach prior to Harrison's appointment. Harrison has been at Wilde Lake either as a statistician or assistant coach for all five of the Wildecats' state titles, the first of which came in 1985.
"He's the only choice," said DuVall last week, prior to his official retirement Monday. "He's the man for the job."
Harrison knows the Wildecats' system and players, so it figures to be a smooth transition for the Class 3A state runner-up.
"I played for Doug and worked as his assistant," Harrison said. "I don't have plans for any grand changes. I learned my football from Doug."
For principal Restia Whitaker and athletic director Vince Parnell, the decision was an easy one.
"It's obvious Mike Harrison bleeds green and gold," Parnell said.
Harrison, a UMBC graduate, has been a Wildecats' assistant football coach since 1987. In 2007 he was the Baltimore Touchdown Club's Assistant Coach of the Year. He's been both offensive and defensive coordinator. And he is the site director of the NFL high school player development program.
He was Wilde Lake's athletic director from 1999 through 2003, coached boys lacrosse in 1995 and 1996, and girls lacrosse from 1997 to 2008. He also teaches math.
Loyola boys basketball coach Josh Davalli put it best when discussing the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference playoff picture: "There’s seven good teams and only six spots, so somebody is going to miss out. We don’t want to be that team."
League-leading St. Frances (22-3 overall, 14-0 league) and second-place Calvert Hall (23-3, 12-2) have a firm hold on the top two spots along with the opening-round playoff byes that come with them. After that, it’s a mixed lot that won’t be sorted out until the regular season concludes Wednesday.
As of now, Towson Catholic (14-11) holds down third place with a 9-6 mark; John Carroll (20-8) is fourth at 9-7; Mount St. Joseph (19-9) is fifth at 8-7; and Loyola (14-9) would be in with the sixth and final berth at 7-7. St. John’s Catholic Prep is the team on the outside with a 6-9 league mark.
The next pivotal game is tonight when Loyola travels to St. John's for a 7 p.m. tip. The Dons, who are surging after an 85-76 double overtime win against Mount St. Joseph on Sunday, then host Spalding tomorrow before traveling to John Carroll on Sunday.
Davalli said a loss against last-place McDonogh two weeks ago served as a wake-up call that he hopes keeps the Dons alive and well for an extended playoff run. Senior guard Matt Rum, who became the 13th player in the program to suprass 1,000 career points, leads the team in scoring at 17 points per game and senior forward Brandon Floyd is averaging 10.5 points and 6.6 rebounds.
"After that loss, I think we learned a lot about ourselves and what we have to do to be successful. Everybody has embraced their roles and I’m constantly preaching to the guys to do what they each do well and everything else will come in line," said Davalli.
The playoffs are set to start next Friday with the third seed hosting the sixth seed and the fourth seed at home against the fifth-place finisher. The semifinals will follow Tuesday, Feb. 17, with the finals set for Sunday, Feb. 22, at UMBC.
"Bipolar." That’s how Seton Keough coach Jackie Boswell finally summed up last night’s girls basketball game with St. Frances.
That's a great way to put it, because the momentum shift between the third and fourth quarters may be the biggest swing I've ever seen in a basketball game -- maybe any game.
I know I've never seen a more dominating quarter than the one the No. 1 Panthers played in the third. The No. 4 Gators took only one shot in the first four minutes as the Panthers ran right over them, grabbing steals and getting great looks at the hoop. They scored 25 points in the quarter. Even more amazingly, the Gators didn’t score at all.
When the Panthers took a 22-point lead early in the fourth quarter and the Gators hadn’t scored for 9 1/2 minutes, it sure looked like game over. But not so fast.
The teams seemed to trade identities. The Gators started attacking the basket with 6-foot-4 Asya Bussie and the Panthers fell apart. Although Bussie hit only two baskets, she shot 11 free throws. Her teammates shot 10 more. Hitting 14 of them helped the Gators get back in the game.
The Gators scored 25 points in the fourth quarter – 22 from Bussie and 5-11 forward Achiri Ade – to pull within four with 30 seconds to go.
St. Frances, however, had enough left to hold on. Tasia Bristow hit two free throws in the final 27 seconds and Shatyra Hawkes picked off a pass with 10 seconds left and fed Deanna Harmon to secure the 55-49.
This thriller gave the six-time defending A Conference champion Panthers their third straight win over the Gators – twice this season and last year’s Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference championship.
Stay tuned, because they could meet again -- in the A Conference final at Stevenson University on Feb. 15 at 5 p.m.
--Katherine Dunn
When Howard’s Nyree Williams decided to play for North Carolina’s women’s basketball team, she had one personal goal in mind. She wanted to make the All-Atlantic Coast Conference defensive team next season as a freshman.
You don’t hear many girls talking about defense when they head off to a major Division I program, but Williams, a 6-foot-1 senior forward who signed in November, said she already has talked about it with the Tar Heels coach.
“There’s never a game when I don’t play defense, so that goal, to me, is not unrealistic,” said Williams. “When I was talking to North Carolina coach Sylvia Hatchell, that’s what she talked about, me being a defensive player.”
Williams said defense has always been a big part of her game – at first, to a fault.
“When I started playing when I was 10 years old, [the coach] was like, ‘stay with your man, stay with your man.’ I was like ‘OK, coach, I’ll stay with my man,’ so people would jog down the lane. I wouldn’t cover them. I was like, ‘That’s not my man.' ”
Williams laughs when she tells that story, but it didn’t take her long to learn. As she got taller than most of her teammates, she ended up in an usual spot for a post player.
“When I was younger I used to be at the top of the press. Usually that’s a guard position, but I’d be at the top because I’m so long, so I learned to really focus on defense. That’s how I learned. I learned to play defense and then offense came later. That’s just part of my game now. I can miss every shot in a game but my defense will be on,” said Williams, who has already scored 1,000 career points and is closing in on her 1,000th rebound.
You can find out more about Williams on today’s Varsity page, where she is The Baltimore Sun’s girls Athlete of the Week.
It was warm inside Dunbar High School this morning. Warm both physically, escaping the snow and cold outside, and emotionally, as parents, teammates and the senior class assembled to celebrate the signing of letters of intent by eight of Dunbar's football players to Division I scholarships.
"This is a great day for our school," Dunbar principal Stephen Colbert said.
"What we've accomplished on the field of play is nothing compared to what we've accomplished today," said Dunbar coach Lawrence Smith. "These players are going on to college where they will each receive a free education.
"It hasn't been easy," continued Smith, whose last act last night was to drive to Philadelphia with his wife to buy Temple University baseball caps so linebacker Gary Onuekwuski would have the hat of his new team to wear, just as his seven teammates had from each of their new teams at today's signings. "But it has been achieved because there is a staff here that talks to kids all day long about what they need to do. And a coaching staff that covers a lot more than football ... It takes away from your time and your family, but it is worth it. To see these eight young men here and another 12 young men sitting over there, who will eventually sign and be going to Division II and III schools, makes it all worth it."
"Dunbar High School is going through a renaissance," said Baltimore City Schools CEO Andres Alonzo, pointing out that Dunbar has been named to a list of outstanding high schools in the United States by U.S. News and World Report before turning to the eight students. "You now represent Baltimore City, like you represent your families at school. ... It's important to us that you succeed."
Sitting in the audience, Sandra Eaton, whose late husband Ben had nurtured this group of senior achievers until his death a year-and-a-half ago, said the late coach had always talked about how much this group of students would achieve.
"From the moment this group came in as freshmen all he talked about was how smart they were and how, if they did the right things, this would be the largest group to go on to college in Dunbar history. He wanted them to use their talents and abilities to get a free college education and that's what they've done."
Dunbar athletic director Barbara Allen then read off the name of each player, who he was signing with and the value of each four-year scholarship:
Anthony Watters, Howard, $189,000; Onuekwuski, Temple, $160,760; Davon Muse, Central Michigan, $162,904; Sean Farr, Louisville, $251,696; Antonio Brown, Morgan State, $151,400; Horace Miller, Louisville, $251,696; Courtney Bridget, UNLV, $189,000; Tavon Austin, West Virginia, $165,164.
Nearly every one of the eight had more than one school making an offer. Austin, the team's star running back, who earned three Offensive Player of the Year awards from The Baltimore Sun, had the most, with 16 schools making offers totaling $3.5 million.
"It's been a long four years," said Austin's mother, Cathy Green. "I'm basically excited that it's over and that he feels he has picked a school where he will be able to excel. The coaches there have promised that they'll put their hands on him, in the sense that they'll make sure he keeps going in the right direction in order to meet his goal -- which is education first."
Austin will report to West Virginia June 6 for summer school, where he will get a head start on completing classes in order to make his workload during the season easier. Dunbar coach Smith said he has been told that Austin and Farr, who will also do early course work at Louisville, are expected to be starting for their respective teams in September.
"I'm feeling pretty wonderful," Austin said. "I know I'm going to school for free and that my family is happy and that I'm happy. I'm going to a school where I will be able to do well."
As the assembly came to a close, Colbert sent the students in the audience back to class with these words.
"These young men are setting standards for those who aspire to greatness," he said. "We want to celebrate them and their teammates who will be receiving scholarships at a later time. And we want them to remember that wherever you go to play and study, do it with all you have. That's the key to success.
"Now, the rest of you go back to class and work on your scholarships."
Loyola senior Matt Heacock, The Baltimore Sun's football Defensive Player of the Year this past season, is signing with Wagner College.
Heacock, a 6-foot-2 middle linebacker, was the leader of a defense that allowed just 6.9 points per game. He led the Dons in tackles with 101, and also had one sack, five tackles for losses, two interceptions and a blocked punt.
The Baltimore area has long been a hotbed for girls lacrosse and to many, the hottest of hotbeds. The latest roster for the United States women’s lacrosse World Cup team certainly supports that claim.
Of the 18 women selected, one third played high school lacrosse in the metro area. All were high school and college All-Americans.
Michele DeJuliis, a former All-Metro Player of the Year, is the senior member of the group. A 1993 graduate of Loch Raven, she went on to Penn State and is already a member of the Greater Baltimore Chapter of the Lacrosse Hall of Fame.
Maryvale graduate Katie Chrest is another former Player of the Year, and continues to play with her close friend and fellow Maryvale and Duke graduate Megan Huether, one of two goalies on the team.
Acacia Walker went on from Annapolis to play for Maryland. Two of the Marylanders are still in college. Caitlyn McFadden, from Notre Dame Prep, is a junior at Maryland and Amber Falcone, from Winters Mill, is a senior at North Carolina.
They will try to help the U.S. take the title back from defending champ Australia when they play in the 2009 Federation of International Lacrosse World Cup, June 17-27 in the Czech Republic. The team will be in action this weekend, along with many of the top college teams, at the popular South of the Border Tournament, host by Duke and North Carolina.
The No. 1 St. Frances girls basketball team closes out its regular season this week with a strong tune-up for the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference tournament that begins Monday.
The Panthers are going for a seventh straight title, but before they focus on that, they have to face two tough opponents in the next three days: No. 4 Seton Keough on the road tomorrow night at 6 and No. 3 City at home Friday night at 5:30.
These Panthers may not be as tall or as deep as other recent St. Frances teams, but they are mighty quick and that’s helped them to a 20-1 record with nine wins over teams ranked in The Baltimore Sun’s Top 15. They’ve already beaten No. 2 Western, Seton Keough, and No. 5 Arundel. The closest margin was 11 points against Arundel.
Coach Jerome Shelton uses a four-guard approach. Shatyra Hawkes, Deanna Harmon, Tasia Bristow and Tanira McClurkin are as quick as anyone on the local girls basketball scene. Inside, 5-foot-10 Briana Hutchen plays much taller than her height and the Panthers get some good minutes off the bench from 6-foot-2 Sophy Ngobeni and 5-foot-11 Raizel Benn.
If you haven’t had a chance to see these girls play, try to get to one of these last few games. You won't be disappointed.
--Katherine Dunn
Swish!
The Glenelg basketball program raised more than $7,000 for the American Diabetes Association at its annual free-throw shooting fundraiser Saturday.
Players, family and program supporters participated -- some 60 people in all -- first getting donations and sponsors before shooting the rock from the charity stripe. Players from both the boys and girls programs took 300 free throws, while others shot 100. Each made basket raised money.
In each of the three years of the event, more money has been raised. Glenelg boys coach Jeremy Snyder, whose five-year-old son, Carson, is a Type-1 diabetic, is the event organizer.
"It turned out great. We felt with the economy the way it is, we weren't sure how much we would raise, but in each of the three years, we've raised $1,000 more each time out. The girls program got involved this year and they were a big help," he said.
If Saturday's effort was any indication, future opponents may want to keep a couple Glenelg sophomores off the line in the coming years.
Ryan Griffin made 273 of his 300 shots for an impressive 91 percent clip and Shane Kellaher was the top individual collector with over $1,000 raised. The girls were not to be outdone: Danielle Burris, a freshman on the junior varsity, sank 34 straight free throws.
If you would like to donate to the ADA or learn more, please feel free to contact Snyder at jeremy_snyder@hcpss.org or call him at Glenelg High at 410-313-5528.
-- Glenn Graham
Loyola Blakefield's wrestling team started the season ranked No. 10 and had climbed as high as No. 6 last week before plummeting out of the Top 15 today.
What happened to the Dons?
"We had six starters out with injuries and I just decided to sit everyone [of his starters] at the Arundel Duals last weekend," said Loyola coach Steve Truitt. "It's the reason for our debacle"
The Dons were without Ben Smist (103), Colin Miller (130), Tamar Boone (145), Colin Schuster (152), Gus Moreno (160 and Moreno's backup T.J. Robinson, Tony Alongi-Huslig (189) and Drew Simmons (215).
With those wrestlers Loyola was 12-6, but over the past weekend the team went 3-5 and dropped to 15-11.
"The MIAA's [Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association] this Friday at Mount St. Joe's is what matters," said Truitt. "I decided to rest my team to be ready for the championships."
The MIAA Championship at McDonogh will begin at 3:30 p.m. Friday and continue at 9 a.m. Saturday.
Truitt said he expects all of his starters to be back to compete against the likes of No. 1 Mount St. Joseph and No. 2 McDonogh.
"We could finish in the top two or the top five," Truitt said. "It depends on whether we wrestle to our capabilities. Right now, we've hit rock bottom and it's time to start working our way back up."
Some of the area's top boys and girls basketball players have been selected to play in the 2009 McDonald's Roundball Classic on March 22. The games feature players from the Middle-Atlantic area and will be held at Hagerstown Community College.
The girls' roster includes All-Metro players Asya Bussie, Seton Keough; Simone Egwu, Arundel; Akeema Richards, Western; and Shamika Williams, Catonsville. Boys slated to play include All-Metro forward Isaiah Philmore and his John Carroll teammates Raphael Jordan and Wyatt Smith.
For more information and the full rosters, click here.
--Katherine Dunn
Subscribe to this feed
