Rowlett (Texas) superstar Marquise Goodwin erased a 20-year-old national long jump record when he soared 26 feet, 10 inches during the USA Track & Field Junior National Championships in Eugene, Ore. The previous standard was 26-9.25 by Dion Bentley of Penn Hills (Pittsburgh, Pa.) in 1989.
Goodwin actually finished fifth because he set the record during the senior men’s competition. He previously had won the junior division with a leap of 26-01.50. Goodwin is a University of Texas signee who also plans to play football this fall.
Curtis Beach, a recent graduate of Albuquerque Academy (N.M.) set his third national decathlon record in the past three months by winning the junior division (using heavier implements and higher hurdles) with 7,599 points. His blazing time of 4:07.85 in the 1,500-meter run was a national high school and world junior best for the decathlon.
Buena Vista (Colo.) star Mason Finley set national records of 66-01.50 with the 6-kilogram shot put and 204-03 with the 1.75-kilogram discus.
Chalonda Goodman, Newnan (Ga.)
File photo by Kirby Lee
On the girls side, Chalonda Goodman (Newnan, Ga.) and Anna Jelmini (Shafter, Calif.) both posted impressive doubles. Goodman won the windy 100-meter dash in 11.19 seconds and the 200 in 22.74 seconds. Jelmini captured the shot put at 53 feet and the discus at 174-10. She had an even bigger effort (187-09) to place seventh in the women’s discus.
Orioles ink Hobgood
Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year Matt Hobgood signed a $2.42 million contract Saturday with the Baltimore Orioles. A first-round draft choice (No. 5 overall), Hobgood was introduced to a crowd of 39,633 at Camden Yards and received a standing ovation.
He will be assigned to the Orioles’ high-rookie league team in Bluefield, Va.
The 6-foot-4, 250-pound pitcher-first baseman batted .475 with 21 home runs and drove in 55 runs for Norco (Calif.) as a senior. On the mound the big right-hander compiled an 11-1 record with a 0.93 ERA. He struck out 101 in 68.3 innings.
South wins lacrosse showcase
The South edged the North, 19-16, to win the Under Armour All-America Lacrosse Classic before a crowd of 2,364 Saturday in Towson, Md. It marked the South’s first victory in the four-year history of the game.
Chris LaPierre led the South with a record-breaking six points and was named MVP. Zach White of the North also shared the record with six points. Both are headed for the University of Virginia.
There were seven lead changes and the South trailed, 11-9, in the third period. However, the South exploded for four goals in a span of just 50 seconds midway through the fourth period and never looked back.
Forty-four of the nation’s top seniors participated in the showcase.
Snyder flashes power
Brandon Snyder, a DH from Scottsdale Horizon, belted a two-run homer in the second inning and a three-run clout in the fifth to spark Team Arizona to a 10-7 victory over Team Texas during the annual Sunbelt Classic title game Saturday in Norman, Okla.
Texas had beaten Arizona, 14-5, two days earlier and had not lost until the finale. It was only the second loss for the Texans in six Sunbelt championship games. It was the second title for Arizona.
The tournament featured players who are committed to 13 Division I baseball programs.
Recruiting notes
Penn State University has received a commitment from one of the nation’s premier linemen, Evan Hailes. The 6-foot-1, 303-pounder had 81 tackles, 20 for a loss and 11 sacks as a junior at Oscar Smith (Chesapeake, Va.).
Hailes told the Virginian-Pilot that playing for ageless Penn State coach Joe Paterno will be “like playing basketball with Michael Jordan. You’re with a legend.”
One of the nation’s leading basketball players, Laurin Mincy, has made a commitment to the University of Maryland. The six-foot standout averaged 18.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 2.0 blocks as a junior for University (Newark, N.J.). She also was recruited by the likes of UConn, Rutgers and Georgia.
Fab frosh sparkle
Nigel Williams-Goss was the leading scorer with 139 points during the third annual Freshman All-American Basketball Camp at the University of Kentucky. The 6-foot-2 Oregon guard, who will attend defending national champion Findlay Prep, is ranked as the nation’s No. 1 rising freshman by Louisville-based Hoop Scoop.
When awards were made, however, the top prospect was 6-5 Ishmael Wainwright of Overland Park (Kan.). The top big-man award went to 6-8 Tyrek Coger of Raleigh (N.C.).
Six-foot-three Justin Dotson (Central, S.C.) scored a game-high 18 points to lead the White team to an 88-85 victory over the Blue during the top-20 All-Star game. Rodney Purvis, 6-3, of Raleigh (N.C.) was next with 12. Williams-Goss paced the losers with 17 points. Coger added 16.
