Well-rested Norcom remains unbeaten

After winning four games over five days the previous week, the Norcom (Portsmouth, Va.) players must have felt like they were on somewhat of a vacation this past week having to play just two games over eight days.

The Greyhounds responded by playing with the energy of a well-rested vacationer, downing league rivals Churchland (68-40) and Wilson (62-47).

Against Churchland, guard Jeremy Canty scored a game-high 17 points while Virginia Tech commit Dorian Finney-Smith chipped in with 16. Finney-Smith then had a game-high 26 points in Friday night's win over Wilson.

Norcom (14-0) is ranked No. 7 in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 sponsored by the Army National Guard and has won 25 consecutive games dating back to last season during its state championship run.



The Greyhounds continue league play this week when they host Maury (9-4, 5-2) on Tuesday at 7:30 and then travel to Washington High School (8-2, 6-1) on Friday for a 7:15 tip-off.

SMYRNA GIRLS TAKE FIRST LOSS
Smyrna High, Delaware's top-ranked team and fresh off a dominating 73-50 win over nonconference foe Padua, took its unblemished record across state lines to the Scholastic Girls Basketball Classic in Philadelphia on Saturday.

Unfortunately for the Eagles, the City of Brotherly Love proved to be anything but that, as Smyrna fell behind early and was eventually humbled by Cardinal O'Hara (Springfield, Pa.), 55-47.

O'Hara (9-2) limited James Madison-bound Crystal Ross to just four points on six shots, well below her 13.2 points-per-game average.

"We just buried ourselves in the first quarter being down 19-2," Smyrna coach James Kiger said in an e-mail the morning after the loss. "Cardinal O'Hara was an excellent team, probably the best we've played this year. I am proud of the girls for battling back. We almost pulled it out. We got it down to four points but couldn't get over the hump.

"We played really hard, which is all you can ask for. I knew [it would be tough] coming off of a very physical game Friday night (a 73-50 win over Padua). We had several players with bumps and bruises, and then add a 90-minute bus ride, and I thought we would be dragging a bit. Unfortunately I was right. We'll be fine and ready to go next week."



Ross grabbed six rebounds and had four blocks, while highly-recruited Betnijah Laney, Smyrna's leading scorer averaging 19 points, had a game-high 16.

Shanice Johnson's 11 points led a balanced O'Hara attack.

Smyrna (10-1) returns to the comforts of home this week and will host conference foes Seaford (7-1) on Tuesday at 6 and Lake Forest Friday at 7:15.

JOHNNIES WIN BATTLE OF TOP D.C. TEAMS
St. John's (Washington, D.C.) sophomore point guard Lindsay Allen nailed a 14-foot jumper as time expired to lift the Cadets to a 71-70 victory over Good Counsel in a key Western Catholic Athletic Conference game Friday night.

What made the stunning win even more remarkable is that St. John's trailed early on by as many as nine points on their opponent's home court after back-to-back 3-pointers by Counsel's Faith Randolph (17 points). But the Cadets maintained their poise and forced seven second-half turnovers to set the stage for Allen's heroics and launch the Cadets into sole possession of first place in the WCAC. Allen finished with a game-high 29 points and Mooriah Rowser chipped in with 19 for St. John's.

St. John's (16-0, 8-0) will host Good Counsel (16-1, 7-1) on Feb. 15 in a rematch that might very well determine the conference champion.



Continue reading{PAGEBREAK}BLEVINS EARN C.O.Y. HONORS
Richlands (Va.) softball coach Rhonda Blevins has been selected as one of the 2010 National Coaches of the Year by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Coaches Association.

Blevins has compiled a 307-119 career record winning two state titles (1995 and 1996), six regional championships and 11 district titles in 19 years (1992-2010), while directing the Blue Tornado softball team.

"I have had the opportunity to coach many young athletes who were talented on the field, but also very conscientious in the classroom," Blevins said in a press release. "Many of these young ladies received scholarships to play at the collegiate level. These young ladies have impacted my life in so many ways over the years. Coaching has molded me into the person I have become today. Many people say that coaches mold their players into people with better character and better social skills. I hope that being a part of this program has impacted their lives as much as it has mine. A successful program not only impacts players but everyone involved, including the community."

THE BUZZ
In a state the size of Delaware it's not unusual to have a handful of football players heading to Div. I schools. And Delaware's 2011 class is no different. What is unique about this year's group of players who made verbal commitments to major college programs is that almost every single one of them chose a school that has now undergone a head coaching change since that original non-binding agreement.

While a newly hired coach is not required to uphold the original verbal scholarship offers made by his predecessor, most do. But that doesn't guarantee the new coach plans to utilize a recruit like he was originally promised, and that's why it's important for the recruit to be sure he's still going to get an opportunity to play before signing on the dotted line in February.

With the instability of college coaching positions, most recruits say they pick a school because of the overall program, not its head coach. The Delaware recruits are no different.



"When I picked a school I picked a program not a coach, and Florida is a great program," Dover lineman Trip Thurman, who still plans to sign a letter of intent to play at the University of Florida despite Urban Meyer's resignation several weeks ago, said in a text message. "It's a place where I can get a great education and play great football."

In addition to Thurman, St. Mark's lineman Jake Quinn (Temple), Salesianum lineman Evan Mulrooney (Maryland), Charter School of Wilmington running back Brandon Ross (Maryland), and Dover quarterback Kamal Abrams (Connecticut, projected to play wide receiver) reportedly all plan to sign letters of intent as planned.

William Penn tight end Kyle Carter (Penn State) is the lone Div. I recruit from the First State whose future school has not made a coaching change. At least not yet. But regardless of 84-year-old Joe Paterno's retirement status in Happy Valley this coming season or in the near future, Carter stated in a text message that his decision has been made, saying: "Even though he (Paterno) is a legend I have built a great relationship with multiple coaches and players. The comfort factor of Penn State is more important to me than the coach."

Jon Buzby is the sports columnist for the Newark Post, a freelance writer, and on the broadcast team for the 1290AM The Ticket High School Football and Basketball Games of the Week. You can reach him at jonbuzby@hotmail.com.