Willis ties Alabama single game TD reception record

Gardendale (Ala.) junior wide receiver JaMichael Willis had a breakout game over the weekend during a 51-26 victory over Bessemer City (Ala.).

The 6-foot-1, 180-pounder hauled in eight catches and six of them went for touchdowns to tie the Alabama state record held by two other players. Willis had TD catches of 8, 9, 58, 10, 51 and 7 yards and totaled 190 yards for the night.

In the opener the previous week he caught nine passes for 106 yards and no touchdowns. However, playing quarterback briefly in the “Wildcat” formation, he passed three yards to talented senior quarterback Dallas Tidwell (6-7, 205) for the Rockets' only touchdown in a 14-7 loss.

"He's pretty talented. He'll probably be an early-offer guy (by colleges) in the spring," coach Chris Fancher said. "He's just gotten better and better. He's fast and strong – very athletic.

"If we got into a pinch, we could probably play him some at tailback. At the next level he possibly could play cornerback. He's got a big upside."

* Sunnyside (Tucson, Ariz.) junior tailback Manny Vera (5-8, 175) set an Arizona Class 5A record by rushing for 409 yards and four touchdowns on 25 carries during a 55-14 rout of Nogales (Ariz.). The previous record was 380 by Jeremiah Cornist of La Joya (Avondale, Ariz.) in 2008.

* King (Lithonia, Ga.) quarterback Jonquel Dawson completed 18 of 32 passes for 486 yards and six touchdowns during a 44-41 loss to South Gwinnett (Snellville, Ga.). Demarco Robinson was on the receiving end four times for TDs.

* LaGrange (Ga.) senior Ellis Smith waited patiently for three years behind a three-time all-state kicker, but he is making up for lost time this fall. Last week he kicked a 56-yard field goal during a 22-7 victory over Spalding (Griffin, Ga.) and just missed on a 57-yarder. Coach Steve Pardue said he also averaged 48.6 yards with long punts of 59 and two at 53 yards.

* Brockway (Pa.) senior quarterback Derek Buganza (5-10, 185) passed for 310 yards and five touchdowns during a 49-21 victory over Sheffield (Pa.). He now ranks ninth in state history with 7,057 passing yards and 11th with 70 touchdown passes, according to the Harrisburg Patriot-News.

Swimming: Chenault wins 4 golds
Carondelet (Concord, Calif.) sophomore Chelsea Chenault won four gold medals during the power-packed Junior Pan Pacific Championships in Maui, Hawaii.

Chenault placed first in the 200-meter freestyle (1:58.52) and the 400 free(record 4:10.79). She also swam on the championship 800 free relay (8:00.89) and the 400 free relay (record 3:40.97).

Palo Alto (Calif.) sophomore Jasmine Tosky won the 200-meter individual medley (2:13.55), and also swam on two winning relays (400- and 800-meter events).

Lakeview (Battle Creek, Mich.) senior Clay Youngquist won the 200 free (record 1:48.44) and also was a member of two championship relays.

* De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) senior Kristian Ipsen won the one-meter (560.80 points) and placed third in three-meter (565.20) in the Group A Boys Division during the 18th FINA Junior Diving World Championships in Tucson, Ariz. He also was the second-highest scorer with 44 points. China's Jincong Li was high-point winner with 45.90. The USA scored 113 points, second to China’s 148.

Gymnastics: Ross wins Pan Am title
Kyla Ross of Aliso Niguel (Aliso Viejo, Calif.) scored 57.998 points to win the all-around title during the Pan American Championships in Guadalajara, Mexico. She was first on uneven bars (14.566) and second in floor exercise (14.066). Her efforts helped the USA women win the team title with 232.030 points.

Sabrina Vega of Carmel (N.Y.), was all-around runner-up with 57.633 points. During the individual event competition, Vega won the balance beam with 14.500 points.

Golf: Johnson wins Junior PLAYERS
Spain Park (Hoover, Ala.) senior Michael Johnson shot 4-under-par 212 to win the AJGA Junior PLAYERS tournament in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. He drilled a 20-foot bogey putt on the last hole to edge Jordan Spieth of Dallas, Texas and Emiliano Grillo of Bradenton, Fla., by a single stroke.

The dramatic victory earned him a sponsor's exemption to play in the Nationwide Tour's Winn-Dixie Jacksonville Open, Oct. 18-24.

Last spring Johnson, who has committed to Auburn University, shot 67-68-135 to win Alabama's Class 6A state championship.

Potpourri
*Jermaine Sanders and Kadeem Jack sparked Team New York City to a 74-65 victory over Efes Pilsen, Turkey's under-19 champion, to win the World Basketball Festival in Istanbul, Turkey. Sanders (6-5) scored 21 points and Jack (6-9) had 18 points and 11 rebounds. They shared MVP honors.

* Sutherland (Pittsford, N.Y.) defeated Mendon (Pittsford, N.Y.) 7-0 for its 107th consecutive girls tennis victory. The streak is tied for No. 8 in national history. The record is 218 by Tucson (Ariz.).

* Budding sophomore cross country star Edward Cheserek suffered a recent stress fracture and will miss the early part of the season at St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.).

* Green Valley (Henderson, Nev.) defeated Palo Verde (Las Vegas) 25-6, 25-12, 25-21, to give Erin Hill her 400th volleyball coaching victory. In 19 years, she has led the Gators to four state titles.