By Jason Hickman
MaxPreps.com
Football: Clausen Headed to Notre Dame
Charlie Weis' restoration of the Notre Dame football program received another burst of momentum Saturday when California quarterback Jimmy Clausen committed to play for the Fighting Irish.
Clausen, who will be a senior at Oaks Christian in Westlake Village, Calif., this fall, made the announcement in grandiose fashion, picking Notre Dame over a host of national powers in a press conference at the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Ind.
The 6-3, 197-pound signal caller threw for 2,778 yards and 30 touchdowns as a junior, leading the Lions to a perfect 13-0 record and the California Southern Section Division XI title. Clausen, who has two older brothers, Casey and Rick, that played collegiately for the University of Tennessee, is regarded as one of the elite prospects in the 2007 senior class.
Oaks Christian is in talks to play a nationally-televised game on the ESPN network this fall. While Clausen receives the most attention, the Lions are loaded with upper-level Division I-A talent, including running back Marc Tyler, defensive back/wide receivers Marshall Jones and Sean Wiser, linebacker Casey Matthews, and linemen Duke Lemmens and Justin Landseadel.
Softball: Shortridge Makes Short Work of Opponents
The Dallas Morning News named pitcher Kirsten Shortridge its Softball Player of the Week after the Keller High (Texas) senior closed the regular season with a pair of perfect games over the weekend.
The back-to-back blankings began Friday with a 1-0 win over Haltom, and concluded Saturday with a 4-0 victory over Heritage of Colleyville. The Baylor-bound pitcher struck out 30 of 45 batters in the two contests.
According to The Dallas Morning News, Shortridge is 24-1 on the season with a 0.13 earned run average and 331 strikeouts. Over the past two seasons, she has allowed just five earned runs in 414 innings.
Basketball: Jordan Takes in Namesake Game
Michael Jordan was on hand Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York to catch a glimpse of the future, as 20 of the nation's top high school seniors dueled in the Jordan All-American Classic.
Memphis forward Thaddeus Young, a member of the MaxPreps All-America Team, led the Jordan White squad to a 108-95 victory by pouring in 28 points and collecting 13 rebounds.
Syracuse-bound wings Paul Harris and Mike Jones, and Texas signee Kevin Durant paced Jordan Black with 16 points a piece.
The Madison Square Garden event was a twin bill, as the Jordan Regional Game, featuring seniors from New York and New Jersey, provided a thrilling opening act.
The scoreboard was pushed to max capacity as Jordan Suburban defeated Jordan City 140-125. Of the 24 players in the Regional contest, 15 scored in double figures, led by Jamine Peterson's 24-point effort for the Suburban squad.
MaxPreps Jordan All-American Classic Photo Gallery
MaxPreps Jordan Regional Game Photo Gallery
Football: Kahuku Tabs Torres
The state of Hawaii's top football program over the past decade has a new head coach, and it didn't have to go far to find him.
Reggie Torres will lead the Kahuku Red Raiders next fall, replacing local legend Siukai Livai, who resigned in March. Torres has served as the program's junior varsity coach for 15 seasons, helping develop the talent that has produced four of the state's last six state championship teams.
Kahuku, which has posted a record of 102-20 over the past 10 seasons under Livai, annually has one of the largest and most intimidating high school football teams in the country. In 2005, the Red Raiders featured 17 student-athletes that were 250 pounds or larger.
But its not just size that has helped the Island school gain notoriety. The Red Raiders produced 11 Division I signees last year alone, including four who will begin their college careers in the Pac-10. Four of Livai's pupils have gone on to play in the NFL.
The program popularized the "haka" dance - a Polynesian war dance and chant - which they perform prior to each game in the direction of the opposing team.
Before We Go: The Cincinnati Enquirer reported over the weekend that Ohio basketball star O.J. Mayo is considering transferring from North College Hill in Cincinnati to Oak Hill Academy in Virginia for his senior season. If the move comes to fruition, he will join Detroit star Alex Legion, who was an All-State player in Michigan this season, giving Oak Hill possibly its most high-profile backcourt tandem under head coach Steve Smith.MaxPreps All-American Isaiah Thomas, a junior guard from Tacoma, Wash., announced earlier this month he will play for the University of Washington. Thomas led the state of Washington in scoring last season at 32.5 points per game.
Jason Hickman: jason@maxpreps.com
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