Hammond chooses Louisville over UConn

As a young girl, Sara Hammond idolized the national-champion University of Connecticut women's basketball program and its superstar, Diana Taurasi.

A multi-talented 6-foot-2 senior at Rockcastle County (Mt. Vernon, Ky.), Hammond was overwhelmed when she was offered a scholarship by UConn's ultra-successful coach, Geno Auriemma, in the summer.

"I really never thought that would happen," Hammond told MaxPreps. "I was shocked. I was speechless when I first heard they were interested. When they offered I realized that maybe I was good enough to go anywhere. It made me want to work harder."

Following a visit to her dream school, however, Hammond made a commitment last week to the University of Louisville, which is beginning to make its own waves on the national scene.

Why Louisville over the perennial national champs?

"Obviously, it's in Kentucky and close to home," she replied. "Other than that, they have such a great coaching staff. They were the first to offer me a scholarship (at the end of her freshman year). I've been there three or four times and it's just two hours from my home. I had to go to a place where I'd be happy for four years."

Rick Bolus, who operates High Potential Basketball Recruiting Service out of Shepherdsville, Ky., pointed out, "She took off this summer while playing for her AAU team, Kentucky Premier. She was able to get around the country and show she is of national-caliber stock. Not many players are going to turn down UConn. It speaks well for the University of Louisville program and for coach Jeff Walz. He's a great recruiter. She'll get immediate playing time at Louisville."

Last year Hammond averaged 15 points and 11 rebounds, plus she blocked 120 shots for the Rockets. She showed superb potential with a quadruple-double – 18 points, 17 rebounds, 12 blocks and 10 steals – against Pulaski County (Somerset, Ky.).

Hammond, who has been on the varsity team since seventh grade, already holds school records for rebounds and blocks in a game, season and career.

Rockcastle County coach Chrysti Noble, who admits the UConn offer even made her slightly "star struck," says, "I need her to be a little more selfish on offense. She really out-works everybody in practice. Versatility is her best asset. She can guard a guard and guard a post. Her potential is yet to be reached."

Bolus ranks the rangy left-hander No. 1 in Kentucky and very high nationally. That makes her the favorite to earn the state's coveted Miss Basketball honor.

"That would be a great honor to have that award," Hammond admitted, "but it's not my main focus. My biggest goal is to help my team win the state championship."

Looking toward college, Hammond, who carries a 3.5 GPA, noted, "I need to work on my outside shooting and ball-handling skills. I need to work on my quickness and strength.

"I think (Louisville) is going to be a really good ball club the next three or four years. I can contribute to what they're building. UConn already is there. Now I'm going to try to beat them over the next four years. He (Walz) can become the next Geno Auriemma over the next 20 years."

Football: James sets Iowa records
Sioux City East (Iowa) senior wide receiver Quenton James had a modest 10 catches for 143 yards during a 40-13 victory over Sioux City North. However, those figures gave the 6-2, 165-pounder the Class 4A career state records of 174 catches for 2,434 yards. Previous records were 169 catches for 2,393 yards by Keenan Davis of Cedar Rapids Washington.

* Garner-Hayfield (Garner, Iowa) quarterback Jace Engstler connected on 30 of 46 passes for 429 yards and six touchdowns during a 40-6 rout of Nashua-Plainfield (Nashua, Iowa).
 
* Wando (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.) junior cornerback Cameron Coakley (5-9, 147) set a state record when he returned an interception 109 yards for a touchdown during a 42-3 victory over Colleton County (Walterboro, S.C.).

* Washington (Massillon, Ohio) became the third team in history to win 800 football games with a 42-10 victory over Firestone (Akron, Ohio). Valdosta (Ga.) ranks No. 1, with Male (Louisville, Ky.) at No. 2.

* Hillsdale (Mich.) outlasted Leslie (Mich.) 60-52 in overtime during the fourth-highest scoring non-overtime game in state history. Leslie's Brandon Smith completed 30 of 56 passes for 401 yards and four touchdowns – all to Kyle Bryson.

* Connor Loftus kicked field goals of 52, 40 and 30 yards as Servite (Anaheim, Calif.) edged Edison (Huntington Beach, Calif.), 16-9.
 
* Kentucky Country Day (Louisville, Ky.) standout Robert Scholtz passed for a school-record 444 yards during a 54-50 loss to Monroe County (Tompkinsville, Ky.).

* Ardrey Kell (Charlotte, N.C.) senior Justus Pickett (5-11, 180) accounted for 437 yards and six touchdowns – averaging 15 yards per touch – during a 48-21 victory over South Mecklenburg (Charlotte, N.C.).

* Reidsville (N.C.) defeated Bartlett Yancey (Yanceyville, N.C.), 45-8, to extend the nation's longest current football winning streak to 54 games.

* Tivy (Kerrville, Texas) superstar senior quarterback Johnny Manziel switched his commitment last week from Oregon to Texas A&M so he can play closer to home.

* Seneca (Louisville, Ky.) quarterback DaMarcus Smith threw for 409 yards and three touchdowns during a 46-32 loss to Manual (Louisville, Ky.).

* Cameron Haynes kicked a 50-yard field goal and averaged 53 yards on three punts as Pelham (Ala.) defeated Pleasant Grove (Ala.).

* Lewiston (Neb.) edged Parkview Christian (Lincoln, Neb.), 58-52, in four overtimes.

* Shaun Lee scored seven touchdowns to spark Lancaster (Va.) to a 70-62 overtime victory against Charles City (Va.).

* Michael Schwenk completed 38 of 55 passes for 399 yards and seven touchdowns as Coon Rapids-Bayard (Coon Rapids, Iowa) outscored Boyer Valley (Dunlap, Iowa), 67-44. It marked Schwenk's third seven-touchdown effort this year.

* Ross Scheuerman scored seven touchdowns – including kick returns of 98 and 91 yards – as Allentown (N.J.) routed Trenton (N.J.), 74-44. The previous school record was six touchdowns by current Allentown coach Jay Graber.

* St. George's (Collierville, Tenn.) nipped Southern Baptist Educational Center (Southaven, Miss.), 16-10, in overtime to present coach Ken Netherland with his state-record 356th career victory.

* Thurman Bell became Oregon's third football coach to reach 300 victories when Roseburg (Ore.) edged Thurston (Springfield, Ore.), 35-33.

* Abington (Mass.) defeated Bishop Feehan (Attleboro, Mass.), 20-12, to give coach Jim Kelliher his 200th victory.

Cross country: Joe Rosa sidelined
West Windsor-Plainsboro North (Plainsboro, N.J.) star Joe Rosa is suffering from an injury to his right foot which could sideline him for the entire cross country season, according to the Newark Star-Ledger. The national two-mile champion — who forms a potent 1-2 punch with twin brother Jim — was expected to challenge for the national cross country crown.

* North Central (Indianapolis) junior star Futsum Zeinaselassie was clocked in an outstanding time of 14 minutes, 50 seconds while winning the boys division of the talent-laden Culver (Ind.) Invitational. The field included such other standouts as Chris Walden (Carmel, Ind.) and Zach Wills (Mason, Ohio).
 
* Two runners from San Diego, Calif., claimed titles during the Nike Pre-Nationals in Portland, Ore. Molly Grabill of Rancho Bernardo (San Diego, Calif.) captured the girls title in 17:42.84, while Ryan Urie of Patrick Henry (Hamler, Ohio) used a strong kick to win the boys championship in 15:18.54.

Volleyball: Winning streak snapped
Southington (Conn.) defeated RHAM (Hebron, Conn.), 25-19, 25-13, 26-24, to end a 57-match winning streak by the three-time Class M defending state champions. Senior Natasha Carlbert led the Blue Knights with 15 digs, eight kills and seven aces. Last year, Southington's Class LL state champs snapped Coventry's 84-match winning streak.

Soccer: Coaching milestones
North Olmsted (Ohio) defeated Berea (Ohio), 3-1, to hand Chris Marsh his 400th coaching victory.

* Bill Cappo notched his 200th coaching victory when Archbishop Wood (Warminster, Pa.) blanked Archbishop Carroll (Radnor, Pa.), 10-0.

Basketball: Coach moonlights as Elvis
At age 37, Beggs (Okla.) boys basketball coach Brent Giddens is building a budding second career as an Elvis Presley tribute artist, according to the Tulsa World.

He's so good, the World reports, that he already has lined up nine paying appearances, including a Democratic Party affair. He also can mimic such other well known singers as Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard and Neil Diamond.

When Giddens propsed to his wife, Mickie, he put her on a stage and sang "Can't Help Falling in Love." Though he learned she was not a big Elvis fan, she is now because she likes the extra income.