National Highlight Reel: Dillon Maples ties own record with 18 strikeouts

Dillon Maples plans to play baseball and football at the University of North Carolina, but a great fastball and a back-breaking curve project him as a high selection during this June's Major League baseball draft.

The 6-foot-3, 205-pound senior right-hander showcased his dominance last week before 10 professional scouts when he struck out 18 to tie his own school record as Pinecrest (Southern Pines, N.C.) defeated arch rival Scotland County (Memphis, N.C.).

The school record of 17 strikeouts had been held by his father, Tim Maples, who reached Triple-A in the Baltimore Orioles chain after leading Pinecrest to the 1979 Class 4A state title.

Maples gave up his first hit in the seventh inning after throwing 110 pitches and a reliever got the final two outs.
Coach Jeff Hewitt explained, "Records are great, but Dillon has greater things ahead. We always look out for his future."



In 22 innings this year he has struck out 51, walked five and given up just six hits. He has a 3-0 record with a 0.31 ERA. His credentials also include playing in the AFLAC All-American Game and with the USA Under-18 team. When pitching for the USA Under-16 team he threw the first no-hitter in World Wood Bat Association championship-game tournament history. Maples throws 92-94 mph and has touched 97 this year.

He learned his curve from his father, who told MaxPreps, "His curve is better because it's harder. It's as fast (82-84 mph) as the average high school fastball."

Maples also is an exceptional kicker, having booted a 53-yard field goal last fall and reaching 60 yards in practice.

"A kid comes around where we are (Fayetteville area) once in a lifetime," Hewitt said. "The kid is on track to do great things this year."

* Mountain Pointe (Phoenix) senior Kevin Cron set a state record last week by slamming his 45th career home run. Last year he tied the single-season state record with 22 circuit clouts. The Texas Christian University recruit also carries a 3.92 GPA and is 16th in a class of 600.

* Farragut (Knoxville, Tenn.) senior pitcher Philip Pfeifer has established a state record with his 43rd career victory. The 6-0 left-hander – a Vanderbilt University recruit - has lost just three times in his career.



* Kevin Kline hit three home runs and drove in a state-record 11 runs as Rancho (Las Vegas) routed Palo Verde (Las Vegas), 19-2.

* Chaminade (West Hills, Calif.) pitcher Mathew Troupe struck out 14 during a 4-0 victory over Crespi (Encino, Calif.). The University of Arizona signee had a perfect game with one out in the seventh before yielding his lone hit.

* Dereck Rodriguez is batting .430 for Monsignor Pace (Miami). The 6-2, 175-pound senior right fielder, who is the son of Washington Nationals catcher Ivan Rodriguez, has great speed and a cannon for an arm. Junior infielder Reynaldo Ordonez is the son of former Major League shortstop Rey Ordonez.

Continue reading for boys basketball{PAGEBREAK}BOYS BASKETBALL: ZELLER ERA ENDS WITH TITLE
Indiana University recruit Cody Zeller closed a brilliant career with 20 points and 18 rebounds as Washington (Ind.) defeated Culver Academies (Culver, Ind.), 61-46, before a crowd of 17,620 at Conseco Fieldhouse to win the Class 3A state title. It was the 7-foot senior's third title. His older brothers Luke (Notre Dame) and Tyler (North Carolina) also won state titles and were named Indiana's Mr. Basketball. Cody also is expected to be named Mr. Basketball. The Zeller years, arguably, could go down as the greatest family dynasty in Hoosier history.

* Anton Grady, a 6-8 senior, tied the state tournament record with 22 rebounds as Central Catholic (Cleveland, Ohio) rallied to defeat Portsmouth (Ohio), 58-47, during the Division III state semifinals before a crowd of 10,614 at Value City Arena. He also had 26 points and seven blocked shots to end Portsmouth's 16-game winning streak.

* LeBron James has not forgotten his alma mater, St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron, Ohio). While his former team was winning the Division IV state title, he texted faculty member Barb Wood for updates four times during the final game, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer.



* Lourdes (Rochester, Minn.) edged Redwood Valley (Redwood Falls, Minn.), 48-42, in four overtimes during the Class AA state semifinals.

* Chier Ajou, a 7-1 senior, will have to wait another year to attend the University of New Mexico. He plans to remain at Culver Academies (Ind.) for another year, but he has used all of his eligibility.

* Westtown (Pa.) junior Daniel Ochefu (6-10, 215) has made a commitment to Villanova University, according to ZagsBlog. He also considered Texas, Georgetown and Temple.

* According to the Post Tribune, Valparaiso University has received a commitment from 6-7, 215-pound senior Dino Jakolis, a former member of the Croatian National Under-18 team. This year he averaged 12.4 points for La Lumiere (LaPorte, Ind.).

* Brooks College Prep (Chicago) senior guard Mike Powell has made a commitment to the University of Rhode Island, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The 5-10 standout averaged 18.7 points and 7.6 assists in his final campaign.

GIRLS BASKETBALL: DUKE LANDS 6-3 FROSH
Erin Mathias, an outstanding 6-3 freshman, has made a commitment to Duke University, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. She averaged 10.7 points and 11.1 rebounds this year for Fox Chapel (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and grabbed 31 rebounds in a single game.



* Breanna Stewart showed why she is ranked by some services as the No. 1 junior in the nation during last week's New York Federation Tournament of Champions. Three times in the first half, the 6-3 standout grabbed a defensive rebound and went coast to coast for a layup. Unfortunately, her Cicero-North Syracuse (Cicero, N.Y.) team faded in the second half and lost to Murry Bergtraum (New York City), 58-49, in the Class AA semifinals. She finished with 16 points (15 in the first half), 10 rebounds and eight blocks.

SOFTBALL: COX FANS 16 IN 5 INNINGS
Georgetown (S.C.) senior Logan Cox tied a 1987 state record for a five-inning game by striking out 16 during a 13-0 victory over Wilson (Florence, S.C.).

* Olympia (Orlando, Fla.) pitcher Jessica Elliott struck out a school-record 20 batters during an 8-2 victory in 10 innings over Mount Dora Bible (Fla.). She made 177 pitches as she eclipsed her own record of 19 strikeouts.

* Braddock (Miami) blanked South Miami, 12-0, to give coach Adanais Marcote her 300th career victory.

POTPOURRI
* Mike Gear has resigned as head football coach and athletic director at Sidney (Mont.). In 35 years he compiled a 222-101 record with nine Class A state titles, including a state-record seven in a row from 1987-1993. He also had two runner-up finishes.

* Standout wrestler John Meeks of Roosevelt (Des Moines, Iowa) has made a commitment to the University of Nebraska, according to the Des Moines Register. Meeks, who has a 123-0 record, will try to become Iowa's sixth wrestler to go undefeated during his career when he seeks his fourth state title as a senior.



* The girls tennis team from Walton (Marietta, Ga.) has set a state record for all sports by winning 139 consecutive matches. Located near three top junior academies, Walton now seeks its eighth consecutive state championship.