By Dave Krider
MaxPreps.com
Plantation American Heritage cruised to an 8-2 victory over Fort Pierce John Carroll to capture Florida’s Class 3A baseball title and clinch the national championship awarded annually by Baseball America and the National High School Baseball Coaches Association.
American Heritage climbed to No. 2 in the MaxPreps National Rankings.
Two seniors who were among MaxPreps’ preseason top 25 players led the way for the Patriots, who finished with a 31-2 record. Adrian Nieto (6-foot, 205), the nation’s No. 2-ranked catcher, drove in five runs with a pair of homers. First baseman Eric Hosmer (6-5, 215) justified his ranking as one of the country’s premier power hitters by going 3-for-3 with a home run, triple and double.
Meanwhile, chaos struck the baseball rankings during playoffs in California. No. 1-rated Los Alamitos (26-4) was upset by Santa Ana Mater Dei, 5-4, in nine innings during the Southern Section Division I quarterfinals. No. 2 Encino Crespi – which won the prestigious Anderson Bat National Classic – was nipped by La Serna, 7-6, and No. 3 Poway fell to San Diego Rancho Bernardo, 5-4…Highly regarded Aaron Hicks still was throwing 95 miles per hour in the final inning as Long Beach Wilson defeated Newhall Hart and its hard-throwing ace, Michael Montgomery, 4-2.
Unranked Kennewick (19-7) hammered Kelso, 24-12, to win its first Washington Class 3A state championship. The 34 total runs set a state record. The record had stood since 1973 when Kiona-Benton pounded Colton, 28-4, in the Class B finale. Highly-regarded Kelso finished with a 25-2 record.
Jeff Decker, a left-handed slugger from Peoria Sunrise Mountain, set an Arizona Class 5A state record by batting a lofty.537 during his career. As a senior, the 5-10, 180-pound Arizona State recruit batted .565 with 56 runs, 17 homers, 53 RBIs and 21 stolen bases. On the mound, he was 9-1 with a 1.02 earned run average and 122 strikeouts in 68 2/3 innings.
Track Notes
* Chanelle Price saved her best for last. Competing in Pennsylvania’s Class AAA state meet, the brilliant Easton senior not only smashed the state record for the 800-meter run, but she also set a national record with a blazing 2:02.90 clocking. The state record of 2:05.47 had stood since 1980 – the same year that the national standard of 2:04.50 was established. Price will compete in the Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore., this summer before heading to the University of Tennessee.
* Pennsylvania’s Class AAA girls team title was won by a single athlete, Ryann Krais of Norristown Methacton, who scored all 30 points. The UCLA recruit won the high jump, long jump and 300-meter hurdles….Fawn Miller of Stoneboro Lakeview set a national sophomore and state record with a javelin throw of 167-02. The huge effort was 15 feet over her previous personal best.
* Anchorage Bartlett senior Jordan Clarke turned in another career and national No. 1 best for this spring with a 71-3 effort to win the shot put during Alaska’s Class 4A meet…Glastonbury senior Donn Cabral set a Connecticut two-mile record with an 8:56.35 effort – also No. 1 in the nation this spring – during the Danbury Dream Invitational. Danbury senior Willie Ahearn also broke the state record with a second-place finish in 8:57.92.
* Knoxville West senior Jackie Coward set a Tennessee state record in the 100-meter dash when she ran 11.73 during the Class AAA qualifying. The mark of 11.84 had stood since 1980….Naperville Neuqua Valley senior Chris Derrick – one of the nation’s premier distance runners – scratched from the Illinois Class AA state meet after being diagnosed with mononucleosis.
Softball Notes
* Sammamish Eastlake (26-4) stunned defending champion Spokane Shadle Park, 4-1, to win its first Class 4A Washington state title. Losing pitcher Sam Skillingstad, headed for the University of Oregon, closed her prep career with an outstanding 97-7 record. Senior Stephanie Fox pitched a five-hitter to snap a 35-game winning streak. Skillingstad had not allowed a run in four playoff games until yielding three in the fifth inning. In the semifinals, she struck out 16 and pitched her 23rd career no-hitter during a 6-0 victory over Redmond.
* Sheldon (Sacramento, Calif.), which had been ranked No. 1 in the nation, was upset by Elk Grove, 4-3, in the third round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs. However, Sheldon (30-2) took full advantage of the double-elimination format by coming back through the loser’s bracket and nipping Elk Grove twice by 1-0 margins to win the title. During the week Sheldon coach Mary Jo Truesdale notched her 500th victory.
* In the San Diego Section quarterfinals, unranked La Mesa Helix stunned No. 2-rated Escondido, 1-0, to sever a 37-game unbeaten streak (included two ties). Losing pitcher Lisa Akamine struck out 14 and yielded just one hit, but it was a first-inning home run by Alyssa Dronenburg…In New York, Jessie Stavola struck out 20, walked none and gave up just one hit as East Hampton edged Islip, 1-0, in the Suffolk Class A semifinals.
* Junior Lauren Gibson knows how to follow a script. For the second year in a row she pitched a no-hitter as Pasadena Chesapeake blanked Sandy Spring Sherwood, 7-0, to win Maryland’s Class 4A state title. Erika Stasch led the champs with two triples and drove in five runs. The Cougars finished 24-2 and avenged their only two losses with a 10-6 victory over No. 3-ranked Annapolis Broadneck in the East regional finals.
* Turning to Connecticut, pitching sensation Rachele Fico gave up her first earned run of the season, but Monroe Masuk still posted a 7-1 victory over Newtown for its 47th consecutive victory…In New Hampshire, Gilford snapped Franklin’s 31-game winning streak, 1-0, in a 16-inning thriller. Winning pitcher Lindsey Carr struck out a school-record 23 and scored the winning run. Loser Amanda Barton fanned 26 and the run she allowed – her first of the year – was unearned.
* Senior shortstop Victoria Pyles of Warrensville Heights set an Ohio state record with 166 stolen bases during her career. She swiped 52 each of the past two years. She also had a career batting average of .556…Des Moines East (Iowa) junior Kylie Vry has given up high school softball to pitch for the Gold Coast Hurricanes, an ASA powerhouse based in Plantation, Fla. As an East sophomore she posted a 25-2 record with a 0.26 ERA and struck out 378 in 186 innings.
Football Notes
* The University of Wisconsin was thrilled to receive a commitment from junior quarterback Jon Budmayr. The 6-1, 200-pounder threw for 2,000 yards and 15 touchdowns – despite missing five games due to a hamstring injury – as a junior at Marian Central Catholic (Woodstock, Ill.)…Another junior quarterback, Will Secord, has chosen the University of Arkansas. Secord, who is 6-2 and 210 pounds, passed for 2,019 yards and 23 touchdowns last fall for Wakeland in Frisco, Texas.
* Auburn University has received a commitment from Florida’s Class 2A player of the year, Rodney Scott. The 5-9, 185-pounder ran 250 times as a junior for 2,017 yards and 20 touchdowns for Dixie County in Cross City…Another standout runner, Usua Amanam of Bellarmine Prep (San Jose, Calif.), has pledged to Stanford University. As a junior the 5-9, 174-pounder ran 220 times for 1,656 yards and 24 touchdowns. He also intercepted four passes…The University of Houston has received a commitment from junior linebacker Sean Porter (6-2, 205), who had 115 tackles last fall for Samuel Clemens (Schertz, Texas).
* The University of Arizona has received a commitment from a Texan who had great junior statistics. Royse City quarterback Richard Morrison (6-0, 170) threw for 3,350 yards and 33 touchdowns last fall. He also ran for 11 touchdowns…Louisiana State has a pledge from 6-5, 295-pound junior offensive tackle Chris Faulk of Northshore in Slidell, La…Defensive end Markell Lee (6-5, 250), who had 110 tackles and six sacks as a junior at Corinth (Miss.), has committed to the University of Mississippi.
Basketball Notes
* The Atlanta Celtics defeated Florida’s Team Breakdown, 72-62, to win the 17-and-under division of the Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions at the University of North Carolina. Derrick Favors, the only junior to make MaxPreps’ first-team All-America, paced the champs with 20 points and sophomore Trae Golden added 16. Junior guard Kenny Boynton took game honors with 29 points for the losers.
* In Nashville, Tenn., Athletes First nipped the New York Gauchos, 71-70, to win the 17-and-under division of the Bobby Hussey-Nike Memorial Day Classic. Kyle Hardrick led the way with 22 points and junior All-American Xavier Henry added 14 despite playing with a cracked fibula. Henry poured in 28 points during a 65-62 semifinal victory over Playground Elite. Sean Johnson paced the Gauchos with 24 points…The Illinois Warriors defeated Alabama Challenge, 75-70, behind Vander Blue’s 21 points to win the 16-and-under title…One of the top individual performances was a 36-point explosion by 6-7 sophomore DeShaun Thomas of the Spiece Indy Heat against the Portland Elite Legends.
* UCLA greatly enhanced its 2008 recruiting by signing 6-10, 275-pound senior J’Mison Morgan from South Oak Cliff (Dallas, Texas). Earlier this spring Morgan received his release from LSU following a coaching change…The University of North Carolina added 6-4 senior guard Justin Watts, who averaged 22 points at Jordan in nearby Durham, N.C….Miami of Ohio has signed 6-0 point guard Kramer Soderberg, who averaged 24.4 points as a senior at Saint Charles West (Mo.). His father, Brad, is the former head coach at St. Louis University.
* Rutgers University received a big bonus when junior Greg Echenique (6-9, 260) decided to give up his final year at St. Benedict’s (Newark, N.J.) and enroll this fall…Western Kentucky University signed 5-10 guard Robbie Townsend, who averaged 21.5 points and 5.3 assists as a senior at Fort Campbell, Ky.
* Indiana University received more bad news when 2009 pledge Derek Elston (6-8, 212) of Tipton, Ind., suffered a torn meniscus during an AAU tournament game. He already has undergone left knee surgery and is expected to miss the entire summer…Purdue University has received a commitment from 6-8, 225-pound Patrick Bade, who averaged 18.6 points and 8.2 rebounds as a junior at Franklin Central (Indianapolis, Ind.).
* Georgetown University continues to reel in the big ones. The latest pledge comes from 6-11, 220-pound junior DeShonte Riley of Detroit Country Day in Beverly Hills, Mich….University of Florida coach Billy Donovan is holding his own with the recent commitment of outstanding power forward DeShawn Painter (6-9, 190), who will play his senior year at Hargrave Military Academy (Chatham, Va.).
* On the girls side, Hawaiian star Jamie Smith has signed with Nevada-Las Vegas. A four-year starter at Honolulu Iolani, she averaged 20.2 points as a senior…Kim Parker (5-11), who averaged 15.1 points, four assists and four steals as a junior at Wasatch (Heber City, Utah), has made a commitment to Brigham Young University…DePaul University has received a commitment from 5-11 guard Uniquah Hampton, who averaged 15 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.2 steals and 3.4 assists as a sophomore at Hillcrest (Country Club Hills, Ill.).
Soccer Notes
* Parade Magazine has named its annual National Soccer Players of the Year. The first-ever repeat girls winner is 5-3 senior Teresa Noyola, a midfielder from Palo Alto, Calif. She also carries a 4.4 grade point average in the classroom. The boys winner, Richardson, Texas, senior midfielder Jared Jeffrey, is headed for Belgium to play professionally for Club Brugge.
* The National Soccer Coaches Association of America has named Florida powerhouse Miami Varela (28-1-1) as its winter national team champion. Varela’s senior star, Luiz Yamashita, has been named the Florida Dairy Farmers Boys Soccer State Player of the Year. He scored 28 goals while leading the Vipers to their second consecutive state championship. The Virginia Tech signee scored five goals in the Final Four and was named MVP.
* The nation’s No. 1-ranked spring team is Brentwood, which won the Tennessee Class AAA state title with a perfect 24-0 record. The Bruins finished the year with 11 consecutive shutouts, including a 1-0 overtime victory against Germantown Houston in the title clash. Goalkeeper Jordan Leedle was credited with his 20th shutout….In Oklahoma, Norman North girls coach Jay Coleman resigned with 152 victories and three state titles to his credit. He coached 30 All-State players and sent 20 to Division I colleges.
Gymnastics Notes
* Glen Ishino of Santa Ana, Calif., totaled 87.150 points to win the 16-18 age-group all-around title during the prestigious Visa Championships in Houston, Texas. Ishino also won floor exercise with 14.350 points, pommel horse with 14.650, parallel bars with 14.800 and horizontal bars with 13.800.
In the age 14-15 division, John Orozco of Bronx, N.Y., captured his second straight U.S. junior all-around title with 86.00 points. He won the parallel bars with 14.950 points and the horizontal bars with 14.050. Orozco and Matthew Del Junco of Santa Ana, Calif., tied for first on vault with 15.400 points.
In junior girls rhythmic competition, the all-around title was claimed by Marlee Shape of Buffalo Grove, Ill., for the second year in a row with a score of 122.100. Gabrielle Magid of Brooklyn, N.Y., was second with 114.275, while Rebecca Sereda of Las Vegas, Nev., placed third with 112.850.
Lacrosse Notes
* Baltimore Gilman, ranked No. 1 in the nation, was upset by defending champion Towson Loyola, 12-11, in the final game of the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference boys tournament. Senior attackman Joe Cummings led the champs (13-4) with three goals as they snapped Gilman’s 40-match winning streak.
* Severna Park overpowered Baltimore Catonsville, 17-6, to win Maryland’s Class 4A-3A girls state championship and extend its winning streak to 40 games. Midfielder Julie Gardner led the way with six goals as Severna Park captured its eighth state title.
Volleyball Notes
* Manhattan Beach Mira Costa staged a miraculous comeback to upset the nation’s top-ranked boys team, Newport Beach Newport Harbor (31-4), in a marathon match (18-25, 27-29, 25-20, 25-19, 15-9) to win California’s Southern Section Division I championship. Second-seeded Mira Costa (32-5), which actually had beaten Newport Harbor twice in three meetings, was led by 6-7 University of Southern California recruit Steven Mochalski with 19 kills and six blocks.
The Southern Section Division II title went to Valencia with a 25-16, 32-30, 25-22 victory over Santa Barbara. The Vikings (35-2) will send six players to Division I colleges…In Division III, Quartz Hill defeated Anaheim Loara, 25-23, 25-21, 25-23, to complete a 26-0 season during which it won every match in straight games.
Potpourri
* Littleton senior Becca Huffer set a Colorado state record by shooting 72-67 to win the Class 5A state golf championship by 13 strokes. The University of Notre Dame recruit, who also won the title as a sophomore, eclipsed the margin of 10 strokes which was set three years ago in Class 4A.
* Pine-Richland (Gibsonia, Pa.) freshman Brandon Saad was the only American drafted in the first round by the Ontario Hockey League. He was taken No. 10 by the Saginaw, Mich., Spirit. The OHL is one of three major junior leagues – based mostly in Canada – for players under 20 years of age and is a great feeder program for the National Hockey League. Saad plans to report to Saginaw in the fall of 2009.
