National Highlight Reel: Jenzel Nash leads USA with 38.2 scoring average

Boosted by a recent 64-point effort, Worthing (Houston) senior guard Jenzel Nash continues to lead the nation in scoring with a superb 38.2 average. She also averages 8.4 rebounds, 5.8 steals and 4.4 assists while shooting better than 50 percent from the field.

The 5-foot-7 dynamo's career-high output came during an 84-38 blowout of Washington (Houston). She also had 12 rebounds, nine assists and nine steals.

Playing the point against a pressure defense, she scored on fast-break layups following each of the nine steals. She told MaxPreps that her best asset is defense. She generally guards the opponent's best scorer and the most points she has given up are 14 to a player with a 28-point average.

"It's great," she said of being the nation's No. 1 scorer. "I didn't know that until a week or two ago."



Earlier in the year she had 59- and 48-point efforts. The night she scored 48, she also had a prolific 18 steals and 13 assists. She also has led the 16-6 Colts in scoring as a freshman (16.7), sophomore (24.2) and junior (27.3).

Worthing coach Leslie Harris said she "was just raw and full of energy" when she made the varsity as a freshman. "She was always a hustler and her contributions have just escalated. She's the energy for the team – like the engine. She gets everybody involved. Our game is defensive intensity and she starts on the front line of the press."

Nash, who idolizes Maya Moore and Candace Parker, has a 3.3 GPA and has drawn interest from such Division I colleges as UTEP and Houston.

* Ameka Booker, a 6-1 senior, scored a school-record 43 points as Oak Ridge (Tenn.) defeated Campbell County (Jacksboro, Tenn.), 63-45. Booker, who hit 17 of 24 shots from the field, also grabbed 16 rebounds.

* Belle Obert of Del Oro (Loomis, Calif.) blocked 14 shots during a 51-38 victory over previously undefeated Lincoln (Stockton, Calif.).

* Junior forward Sydney Moss, daughter of NFL star Randy Moss, scored a career-high 41 points and pulled down 15 rebounds as Boone County (Florence, Ky.) routed Conner (Hebron, Ky.), 76-40.

* Mater Dei (Evansville, Ind.) super freshman Maura Muensterman scored 40 points during a 65-49 victory over South Spencer (Rockport, Ind.).



* Rowlett (Texas) lost to Sachse (Texas), 67-65, in triple-overtime despite 41 points by Devin Oliver.

* Caitlin Farroh scored 40 points to lead Central (Grand Forks, N.D.) to a 76-56 victory over North (Fargo, N.D.).

* Richland (Colfax, N.D.) defeated Oak Grove (N.D.), 74-65, as Olivia Johnson scored 40 points.

* Clackamas (Ore.) defeated Oregon City (Ore.), 68-65, to end a home-floor winning streak of more than 170 games since 1993. The once-beaten Cavaliers held off the Pioneers by drilling 15 free throws in the fourth quarter.

* Milestone coaching victories: Randy Strand of Adrian (Minn.) posted his 400th win, while Gail Hale of Canyon Springs (Moreno Valley, Calif.) notched No. 300.

Continue reading for boys basketball{PAGEBREAK}BOYS BASKETBALL: DAVIS SCORES 53 POINTS
South Side (Fort Wayne, Ind.) junior Raphael Davis poured in a school-record 53 points and grabbed 17 rebounds recently during a 79-72 loss to Northrop (Fort Wayne, Ind.). He made 25 of 27 attempts from the free throw line as he eclipsed the former record of 48 set by Tom Bolyard, who later starred for Indiana University.
The 6-6, 190-pounder, who has committed to Purdue University, is averaging 28.9 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists.



"He takes the ball to the hole like a big guard," coach Mike Novell described. "He was intense going to the basket and they didn't have an answer for him. The kids spread the floor and he did a lot of slicing and dicing. He doesn't take a straight path, so it's hard to draw a charge because he's clever. He goes and gets his own rebound. He's a hard matchup for anybody."

Davis, who has played all five positions at one time or another, should be a strong candidate next year for Indiana's coveted Mr. Basketball honor.

* Lakeview Christian Academy (Duluth, Minn.) sophomore guard Anders Broman poured in 51 points during an 89-78 victory over Greenway (Coleraine, Minn.) to become the youngest player in Minnesota history to score 2,000 career points. The 6-1 standout is averaging 37 points.

* Despite being double- and triple-teamed, Connecticut recruit Ryan Boatright scored 47 points as East Aurora (Aurora, Ill.) outlasted North Chicago, 101-97, in overtime.

* Super guard Bradley Beal pumped in 44 points to spark unbeaten Chaminade (St. Louis, Mo.) to an 82-77 victory over O'Fallon (Ill.). The 6-4 University of Florida recruit also had eight rebounds and six blocks.

* Iroquois (Louisville, Ky.) defeated Atherton (Louisville, Ky.), 80-68, behind Jermaine Jackson's 44 points.



* Chief Sealth (Seattle) senior Tre'von Lane is pulling off an unusual double this year, serving as point guard for the varsity basketball team and coaching the freshman team. He could be another Josh Pastner in the making. The current University of Memphis head coach started his career by coaching AAU teams as a high school athlete.

* Three days after a record 64-point effort, senior guard Micah Mason exploded for the game's final 16 points during the last three minutes to give Highlands (Natrona Heights, Pa.) a comeback 73-61 victory over Kittanning (Pa.).

* Brandon Johnson scored 44 points to lead Schenley (Pittsburgh) to an 87-53 victory over Langley (Pittsburgh).

* Dederick Lee, a 6-1 sophomore guard, pumped in 51 points as Clarksville (Ark.) defeated Mena (Ark.), 66-51.

* Poca (W.Va.) nipped Point Pleasant (W.Va.), 67-63, in overtime behind senior Jason Cuffee's 41 points.

* Milestone coaching victories: Paul McCrary of Columbia (Decatur, Ga.) won No. 500, Bill Berger of Westville (Ind.) and Henry Lorenzo of Columbus (Miami) No. 300 and Steve White of Buchtel (Akron, Ohio) No. 200.



Continue reading for track and field{PAGEBREAK}TRACK & FIELD: CROUSER SETS NATIONAL RECORD
With his broken foot obviously healed, Barlow (Gresham, Ore.) senior Ryan Crouser returned to competition over the weekend, using his new spin technique in record-setting fashion.

The 6-7, 235-pound University of Texas-bound star set a national record by throwing the 16-pound shot put 63 feet, 11 inches during the New Balance West Invitational indoor meet at Boise State University. The previous record was 60 feet, 7.5 inches by Arnold Campbell in 1984.

One day earlier, Crouser threw the 12-pound high school shot put 73 feet, 1 inch – which is No. 2 all-time.

* Distance runner-supreme Lukas Verzbicas of Sandburg (Orland Park, Ill.) has been named repeat Gatorade National Cross Country Runner of the Year and also announced that he will attend the University of Oregon in the fall. He will run against pros and collegians on Saturday in the featured mile during the Reebok Boston Indoor Games.

* Joey Uhle of Olentangy Liberty (Powell, Ohio) won the annual Pole Vault Summit in Reno (Nev.) with a leap of 16 feet, 8 inches. The girls crown was captured by Morgann LeLeux of Catholic (New Iberia, La.) at an even 13 feet.

* Greene (N.Y.) senior Chad Noelle won the prestigious Millrose Mile in New York City in 4 minutes, 16.71 seconds, barely nosing out Loyola Blakefield (Towson, Md.) senior Matt Jablonski, who finished in 4 minutes, 16.88 seconds. North Shore (Glen Head, N.Y.) junior Samantha Nadel finished strong to win the girls mile in 4 minutes, 50.58 seconds.



Continue reading for football{PAGEBREAK}FOOTBALL: PARADE HONORS KASEN WILLIAMS
Parade Magazine has named Skyline (Sammamish, Wash.) senior wide receiver Kasen Williams as its National Player of the Year. The 6-2 standout caught 86 passes as a senior for 1,579 yards and 21 touchdowns. During his four-year career, he had 235 catches for 4,121 yards and 56 touchdowns.

Parade has been naming a high school All-American football team since 1963 and Williams is its first ever Player of the Year from Washington.

* California's Southern Section nipped the Los Angeles City Section, 17-14, on a 39-yard field goal with three seconds left by a visitor from Australia – Chris Laros, who hopes to play college football in America. Laros also kicked two extra points and did the punting.

* Jesuit (Portland, Ore.) junior quarterback Eric Williams has enrolled at powerhouse St. Ignatius (Cleveland), according to the Oregonian. The 6-3, 191-pounder completed 58 percent of his passes last fall for 1,405 yards and 13 touchdowns. He threw just five interceptions.

POTPOURRI
* Anthony Paolucci, a senior from La Jolla Country Day (Calif.), shot 3-under-par 285 to finish 29th during the PGA Tour's Farmers Insurance Open in La Jolla, Calif. The reigning AJGA Rolex National Player of the Year beat Tiger Woods by two strokes.

* This writer would like to congratulate Allan Simpson on his election to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. Simpson, who now works for Perfect Game USA, founded Baseball America Magazine (1980) in his garage while still living in British Columbia. He specialized in following the high school draft each year and boosted prep baseball in many other ways.



* Greater Latrobe (Pa.) wrestling coach Marc Billett recently recorded his 200th career victory.