3276 Nazareth Rd Easton, PA 18045 - Phone: 610.923.0900 - Fax: 610.923.0800 - Email: nhsca@nhsca.com

Across the nation in high school sports (November)

Alabama

                Class 6A favorite Prattville High had three offensive standouts, quarterback Casey Weston, running back Justin Albert and wide receiver DeKendrick Montrief, named to the Alabama squad for the 21st annual Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Football Classic Dec. 17 in Mobile. Birmingham Briarwood Christian School also had three selections: quarterback  Barrett Trotter, defensive lineman Daniel Forrester and linebacker Bo Walters. Sweet Water High, Foley High, Mobile McGill-Toolen High, Hoover High and Birmingham Spain Park High each had two selections.

Alaska

Senior goaltender Mickey Geraghty stopped 31 of 32 shots and Anchorage A.J. Dimond High ended Anchorage South High’s 49-game unbeaten streak, rallying for a 3-1 victory. South, the three-time defending state champion, had not lost since Jan. 8, 2006, compiling a 46-0-3 record since then. Connor Wright’s goal gave South a 1-0 lead in the second period, but Adam Treptow scored a power-play goal later in the period for a 1-1 tie and Andrew Treptow gave Dimond the lead 40 seconds later. The victory was the 297 th for Dimond coach Dennis Sorenson, the state’s all-time winningest coach.

Arizona

Five players scored in double figures to lead top-ranked Phoenix Desert Vista High (4-0) past Mesa Red Mountain High 78-63. A 19-9 second quarter helped the Thunder roll to a 42-27 halftime advantage. Senior center Mike Proctor led the Thunder with 15 points, junior guard Josh Lowery added 13 and senior forward Will Bond scored 9 of his 12 points in the first half. Junior guard Marcus Lever added 11 points and senior forward Barret Robbins 10 for Desert Vista. Keawe Enos led all scorers with 27 points, 18 in the second half for Red Mountain (3-3), and senior forward Deonte Roberts added 13.

Arkansas

After scoring just 14 points the first half, Jonesboro High turned it on the second half to beat Memphis (Tenn.) Trezevant High 61-49 in the first round of its own Hurricane Classic. Nick Mason scored seven straight points to start the third quarter, Lucas Nutt followed with two layups and the Hurricane started the quarter with a 10-1 run to grab its first lead, 23-22, going on to score 25 points in the quarter for a 39-34 lead. Josh Calamese led Jonesboro with 19 points, while Taylor Pruitt added nine points and Jonah Calamese eight. The Hurricane advanced to the semifinals against Rosa Fort (Miss.) High.

California

One week after winning the Southern California Region individual title in a playoff, senior Lee Lopez of Whittier La Serna High shot 2-under-par 70 – the only score under par – to win the girls golf state championship. Lopez, a four-time league champion who has committed to Long Beach State, shot 2-under 34 on the back nine to edge Jane Rah of Torrance High by two strokes. Led by Rah, Torrance shot 400 to edge Pebble Beach Robert Louis Stevenson School by one stroke. Grace Na (73) of Alameda High finished third and Sydney Burlison of Stevenson and Lalita Patipaksiri of Cypress High tied for fourth at 75.

Colorado

In an early-season rematch of last season's Class 5A girls basketball championship game, two-time defending champion Highlands Ranch High again showed it will be tough to stop, downing Broomfield Legacy High 74-27. Highlands Ranch, which beat Legacy 69-54 in last season's title game, scored the game’s first 16 points and was never threatened. Senior Alyssa Fressle led four Falcons in double figures with 19 points, junior guard Meagan Fulps scored 17 points in her first varsity start and Jenessa Burke and Taylor Johnson scored 10 points each, with Johnson, a transfer from Lakewood High, also grabbing nine rebounds.

Connecticut

Visiting Berlin High’s no-huddle spread offense helped upset top-seeded Bristol Eastern High 35-28 in the Class M semifinals. Quarterback Jimmy Connelly (21-of-39, 276 yards) threw four touchdown passes, each to a different receiver, as Berlin (10-1) won for the first time in 12 postseason appearances. The Redcoats scored 13 unanswered fourth-quarter points to erase a 28-22 deficit. Connelly’s 9-yard touchdown pass to Cameron Johnson with 1:49 left sealed the win. Connelly also threw touchdown passes of 7 yards to Jack Cooper, who also ran for a touchdown, 34 yards to Mike Spyros and 16 yards to Andrew Hornberger (seven catches, 111 yards).

Delaware

Caitlin Van Sickle, Lauren Ianni and Mary Hobbs scored second-half goals as Wilmington Tower Hill School (20-0) won its third straight state field hockey title, 3-0 over Wilmington Brandywine High. Tower Hill, which has won 17 overall titles, did not allow a goal in the state tournament, outscoring four Wilmington rivals, Red Lion Christian, Mount Pleasant, Concord and Brandywine, 14-0. The Hillers closed the season with 265 minutes, 10 seconds of shutout play. Tower Hill had penalty corners in the first half, but goalkeeper Julie Dougherty made seven saves as Brandywine (15-3-2) survived the half scoreless.

Florida

Satellite Beach Satellite High won its third consecutive Class 3A girls cross country state title, making Brevard County the first in Florida to crown 100 state champions. Junior Ashley Shiver won the race, Julianna Stern finished third and freshman Nicole Shiver 10th to lead Satellite. Satellite has compiled 16 of those titles, second behind Titusville Astronaut High’s 20. Beginning with Titusville High's boys in 1968, Brevard has collected 32 boys and girls cross country titles. The county has racked up a combined 31 state titles in all sports since the 2002-03 school year started, winning at least four every year in that span.

Georgia

Columbus Carver High (12-0), ranked No. 1 in Class 3A, scored on four plays longer than 30 yards and rolled past Monroe High 45-12 in the second round of the playoffs. The Tigers rushed for 314 yards, with quarterback Deron Furr (79 yards rushing, 93 passing) scoring on a 54-yard run and throwing a 39-yard touchdown pass to Carlos Ross. Devin Lewis scored on a 67-yard scoring run and Jarkuis Morgan added touchdown runs of 18 and 51 yards as Carver led 16-0 after one quarter and coasted to the win. Carver traveled to the site of last year’s quarterfinal win, Carrollton Central High (11-1), for its quarterfinal game.

Hawaii

Honolulu St. Louis School (11-0) advanced to the state finals with a 44-6 pounding of Wai'anae High. Playing for the first time in three weeks, St. Louis, which played Wahiawa Leilehua High (9-4) for the title, rolled to a 38-0 lead after three quarters as quarterback Micah Mamiya (14-of-20, 248 yards) threw three touchdown passes and ran for another score. Mamiya threw touchdown passes of 16 and 47 yards to Billy Stutzmann and 29 yards to Tamatoa DeMello, who also had an interception on defense. Playing without its top two quarterbacks, Wai'anae (9-4) was held to just 86 yards rushing after piling up 450 ground yards the previous week.

Idaho

Meridian High (12-0) won its second Class 5A state football title in three years, 44-14 over Southern Conference rival Boise Capital High as quarterback A.J. Storms passed for 254 yards and four touchdowns. That included a pair of 19-yard scoring tosses to running back Austin Deck that highlighted a 23-point second quarter as Meridian pulled away in the first big-school final between Boise-area schools since 1989. Storms also threw a pair of touchdown passes to Josh Bigler, including an 83-yarder, and Deck rushed for 95 yards and a score as Meridian piled up 492 total yards.

Illinois

Defensive end Sean Cwynar of Woodstock Marian Central Catholic High was named the winner of the inaugural Illinois High School Association-FOXHILITESChicago.com Mr Football award. A two-way starter on Marian’s Class 5A state runner-up team in 2006 and this season’s state semifinalist, the 6-foot-4, 285-pound Cwynar will graduate this semester and enroll at Notre Dame. He also will play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl on Jan. 6 in San Antonio. Also nominated: Steve Filer of Chicago Mount Carmel High, who also will attend Notre Dame, and Ohio State recruit Garrett Goebel of Lombard Montini High.

Indiana

Muncie Burris Laboratory School, coached by 2007 NHSCA National High School Volleyball Coach of the Year Steve Shondell, lost just one game in three state tournament matches to claim its 11th straight Class 2A state title. Burris (37-3) beat Brownstown Central High (32-6) in a rematch of the 2005 final 25-16, 26-24, 25-23. Junior middle hitter Gerri Black recorded a match-high 11 kills, sophomore outside hitter Taylor Unroe registered 10 kills, junior setter Mia Tabberson tallied nine kills, 13 digs and 15 assists and senior outside hitter Christie Waters had eight kills and 15 digs. Burris has won 75 straight tournament matches.

Iowa

Fort Dodge High senior center Baileigh O'Brien scored 30 points and the Dodgers topped Des Moines Lincoln High 60-48. O’Brien, a 6-footer, hit nine field-goal attempts and 12 of 15 free throws to break the school single-game record of 29 points. She scored 21 second-half points PRIVATE "TYPE=PICT;ALT=Advertisement"as Fort Dodge (2-1) finished the game with a 12-3 run. Tristan O'Brien, Baileigh's sister, scored 12 points and Ashley Vratny added 10 for Fort Dodge. Lincoln (1-2) used a 12-2 first-quarter run to take its biggest lead at 14-7, with Sara Wagner scoring 14 of her team-high 21 points in the first half.

Kansas

Andale High, which has won 40 of its last 41 football games, repeated as Class 4A champion, beating Louisburg High 31-14 in a battle of unbeatens. In finishing their second straight 14-0 season, Andale broke away from a 14-14 halftime tie as senior tailback Levi Neelly (18 carries, 107 yards) scored his second touchdown of the game on a 57-yard run in the third quarter, giving his team the lead for good. Andale’s defense held Louisburg to 70 yards in the second half and held Wildcats quarterback Jeff Woods, who started 10 of 12 for 189 yards and two touchdowns, to just one completion in his final eight attempts with two interceptions.

Kentucky

Louisville Ballard High ended the game on a 23-11 run to overtake visiting Georgetown Scott County High 82-73, avenging a loss in last year’s boys basketball state title game. The loss snapped Scott County’s 31-game winning streak against Kentucky competition, dating to the 2006 region final. Wesley Cox (19 points), T.J. Pryor (18) and Josh Chiles (17), all new starters, were a combined 8 of 14 from three-point range to lead Ballard, which also canned 24 of 30 free throws. Scott County, which had a 53-31 rebounding advantage, got 15 points from Cameron Hundley, 14 from Ge-Lawn Guyn and 13 from Jordan Lee.

Louisiana

Erik Willis, who led Plaquemine St. John High’s football team to Class 1A title game appearances in 1999 and 2006, has been named coach and athletic director at rival Brusly High. In his second coaching stint at St. John, Willis posted a 52-12 record in five seasons, capped by his 14-1 record and title appearance in 2006, before moving into a human resources position at the Shaw Group. Willis, 42, succeeds Brady Perry, who was 124-108 in 19 seasons. After starting the season with a victory, the Panthers lost nine straight games to finish the season 1-9. Perry will remain on the Brusly coaching staff.

Maine

Erin Thomas of Bangor High, who will play a key role in the Rams’ bid for a third straight Class A state swimming championship, has committed to Penn State. After competing on age-group teams since the eighth grade in an effort to qualify for the YMCA National Championships, Thomas will compete for Bangor’s squad for the first time. Her personal best times in the 100-meter freestyle (52.28), 200 freestyle (1:55.41) and 100 backstroke (59.28) would all have easily been state championship performances last season. She is projected to compete in the 100 freestyle in college.

Maryland

After losing a 2-0 lead and the Class 2A state volleyball title a year ago, Fulton Reservoir High, despite moving up a class to 3A, claimed the title in straight sets over Huntingtown High, 25-13, 25-22, 25-19, the school's first state championship in any sport. The top-rated Gators (20-0), who were extended to five games only once this season, by Clarksville River Hill High in the Howard County final, got 10 straight points off the serve of Marisa Marzilli (10 digs) to take a 20-16 lead in the second game. Jamie Huffman had 12 kills and 12 digs and Julie Poston added 10 kills. Huntingtown (17-2) lost in the title match for the third straight year.

Massachusetts

Fourth-seeded North Reading High survived a five-set marathon to dethrone two-time defending Division 3 state volleyball champion South Deerfield Frontier High, the school that ended its season in the semifinals the previous two years. North Reading, who derailed top-seeded Methuen Fellowship Christian Academy to reach the finals. won the first two games by 27-25 scores before Frontier battled back for a pair of 25-21 wins. Behind a front line led by juniors Alison Friberg and Lauren Mazzone and a defense anchored by seniors Caroline Gattuso and Erica Diamantides, North Reading won the final game 15-13.

Michigan

In the longest playoff game in state history, East Grand Rapids High (10-3) won its fourth Division 3 state title in a row the hard way, surviving a five-overtime marathon to beat Orchard Lake St. Mary’s High 46-39. Fullback Joe Glendening (32 carries, 175 yards) rushed for four touchdowns on the night, including a three-yard run for the game winner in the fifth overtime. The East Grand Rapids defense then stopped the Eaglets on four downs to preserve the win. The game was tied at 14-14 at the end of regulation. Dominique White rushed for 158 yards and three touchdowns for St. Mary's (10-3).

Minnesota

Led by Class 5A champion Eden Prairie High, defending champions went 4-for-4 in state championship football games. Eden Prairie set title-game records with 520 total yards and 30 first downs in a 50-21 blowout win over St. Paul Cretin-Derham Hall School in a battle of unbeatens for its sixth state title. Stephen-Argyle Central High rushed for a record 456 yards to win its 67th consecutive game en route to a fifth consecutive 9-Man championship and sixth overall. Glencoe-Silver Lake High repeated as the Class 3A champion for the school’s fifth title and Fridley Totino Grace High won its sixth Class 4A crown.

Mississippi

Visiting Batesville South Panola High (13-0) won its 73rd straight game to advance to the Class 5A quarterfinals, but host Tupelo High didn’t make it easy. The Tigers, looking for their fifth title in a row, trailed by seven points entering the fourth quarter, but scored a pair of touchdowns to rally to a 28-21 victory. Tupelo (9-4) held South Panola’s standout tailback, senior Tig Barksdale, to 124 yards on 29 carries. But junior quarterback David Renfroe threw three touchdown passes, including an 18-yarder to Xavier Lee with 2:50 remaining that snapped a 21-21 tie. Lee had a pair of touchdown catches in the game.

Missouri

Drew Temple rushed 15 times for 174 yards and two touchdowns to help Kansas City Rockhurst High rally from a 9-7 halftime deficit and beat St. Louis Mehlville High 28-9 for the Class 6 state football title. Rockhurst (13-0) got a 70-yard punt return from Sal Belfonte and Mehlville (10-3) responded with a 67-yard touchdown pass from Alexis Reedus to Justin Carter for its halftime lead. But Temple scored on touchdown runs of 15 and 63 yards in the second half and quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase (6-of-12, 85 yards) threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to Keith Langtry in the fourth quarter to ice the win.

Montana

The countdown to the second weekend of February began across the state for wrestling teams, with the Billings Invitational taking place at Billings West High. Billings schools West, Senior High and Skyview High were joined by Bozeman High, Columbus-Absarokee High, Worden Huntley Project High, Great Falls High, Great Falls Charles M. Russell High, Conrad High, Hardin High, Laurel High, Shepherd High and three Wyoming powers: Class 4A champion Gillette Campbell County High, Buffalo High and  Sheridan High. Campbell County (246 points) won last year’s event.

Nebraska

Omaha Central High won its first Class A football title since 1984 and the first for an Omaha Public Schools team in 13 years, 26-21 over Omaha Millard North High. The victory makes Central (11-2) the reigning state champion in three sports: basketball, track and football. Chris Griffin threw three touchdown passes in the first half, directing his team to a 26-7 halftime lead, and sealed the victory with an interception with 1:15 remaining. Millard North’s Sean Fisher, a Nebraska recruit, rushed 44 times for 198 yards, scoring on a pair of two-yard runs and dragging five tacklers into the end zone on a 23-yard touchdown pass from Conner Thomas.

Nevada

Down two games to none against Las Vegas Sierra Vista High in the Sunset Region girls volleyball semifinals, Las Vegas Centennial High (17-3) rallied for a 16-25, 23-25, 25-22, 25-23, 15-12 win to advance to the region final against Las Vegas Durango High. Johnna Brown had 21 digs, nine kills and two blocks for Centennial, and teammate Dannielle York had 13 digs and 11 kills. Durango (20-2) eased past Las Vegas Palo Verde High, 25-21, 25-22, 25-10 as 6-foot-6 Hayley Spelman led the way with 17 kills and eight digs, and Jordan Nitz added 10 kills.

New Hampshire

Carolyn Malloy of Salem High was named the state’s Field Hockey Player of the Year by the Manchester Union-Leader. Malloy, committed to Northeastern, helped Salem advance to the Class L state title game as a freshman, then led the team in scoring three straight years as the Blue Devils took three state titles. She scored 30 goals this season and 80 in her career. She was named the No. 1 field hockey player in New Hampshire by Varsity magazine, which ranked her sixth among the 10 best scholastic athletes, male or female, in New Hampshire and Vermont.

New Jersey

New Monmouth Mater Dei High soccer forward Lauren Florio scored twice to lead the North team past the South, 3-1 in the Pete Burroughs Senior All-Star Game. Holmdel High’s Marybeth Lesbirel, given the Senior Excellence Award by the Shore Soccer Officials Association, gave the North a 1-0 lead in the 41st minute and Florio, who had 31 goals and four assists for Mater Dei, made it 2-0 four minutes later. Monmouth High's Eric Mackin scored twice and Little Silver Red Bank High’s Marty Stern had two assists to help the North to a 3-2 victory in the boys game. Mackin was named the Player of the Match.

New Mexico

Albuquerque Manzano High rallied from a nine-point deficit to nip Albuquerque Highland High 58-56 in the first round of the Albuquerque Academy Tip-Off Classic. Behind 6-foot-4 Xavier Blount (18 points, two blocks, four steals) and 6-foot-6 fellow junior Chad Adams (10 points) Highland led 18-7 after the first quarter and 25-18 at halftime. Manzano, which hit seven 3-pointers, didn’t take its first lead until a pair of free throws by junior guard Ryan Gesiakowski put them up 55-54 with 28.5 seconds remaining. Highland regained the lead on two free throws by Marcus Franco with 21.5 seconds left to play, but Jordan Burd’s layup with 15 seconds remaining sealed it.

New York

Mastic Beach William Floyd High, Long Island’s top football team, became the first team from the Island to be ranked by Sports Illustrated among its national Top 25, taking the 25th spot. By shutting out Farmingdale High 42-0 in the title game, the Colonials won their third straight Long Island Class I title, became the first school in 41 years to post three consecutive unbeaten seasons, and their 33-game winning streak is the longest in the 106-year history of Long Island high school football. Though they don’t compete in a state playoff, Floyd will share the New York State Sportswriters Association’s No. 1 Class AA state ranking.

North Carolina

Junior Brandon Haynes captured Most Valuable Player honors after scoring twice in overtime to lift Raleigh Broughton High (28-0-1) to its second straight Class 4A boys soccer state title, 3-2 over Greensboro Grimsley High. The game was tied at 1-1 at the end of regulation. Haynes scored on a header with 2:20 remaining in the first overtime and scored two minutes into the second overtime for a 3-1 lead. Michael Gehrke’s second goal of the game with 4:33 remaining in the second overtime made it 3-2 and Grimsley (20-4-1), playing in its first state final since 1993, clanked a shot off the crossbar in the final minute.

North Dakota

The Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood High girls basketball team trailed after one quarter before rallying with a 12-0 run to beat Ray High 55-27 in the second round of the Fabulous 14 Tournament. The Mavericks’ pressure defense held the Jays scoreless for the opening 6:10 of the second quarter as they ripped off their 12-point run for a 21-9 lead. Summer Romine scored eight of her 12 points during the run, senior guard Brittany Miller scored all 10 of her points in the middle two quarters and freshman Jackie Miller scored 12 of her team-high 14 points in the fourth quarter. Ray’s Samantha Heier led all scorers with 18 points.

Ohio

Medina High junior Donny Roys (15:21.83) won the Division 1 boys cross country race, the school’s first individual title, and led his team to the school’s first state team championship in any sport, 76-127 over Centerville High. Medina seniors Sam Maynard (22nd, 16:01.94) and Jeremy Arthur (25th, 16:03.65) and sophomore Hunter Heaton (24th, 16:02.71) also earned All-Ohio honors by finishing in the top 25. Brecksville-Broadview Heights High edged Rocky River Magnificat High, 115-120 to win a tight girls race as six schools finished within 36 points. Worthington Thomas Worthington High senior Claire Durkin (17:10.51) won the race by 28 seconds.

Oklahoma

National football powers Tulsa Union High and Jenks High met for the second time this season in the Class 6A state title game, giving the two schools the last 12 6A state titles. Union (13-0), which beat Jenks 43-42 in overtime in Week 2, survived Muskogee High 13-6 in the semifinals despite being held to 38 rushing yards. Jenks (12-1) pounded previously-unbeaten Midwest City High in its semifinal as Chris Adkins rushed for three touchdowns, Colton Dost scored on a 16-yard run, Mark Ginther threw a five-yard touchdown pass to Grant Goodwin and the Trojans allowed just 159 total yards.

Oregon

The Central Point Crater High boys and girls cross country teams, which swept the Class 5A state titles, dominated the Southern Sky Conference First Team selections. Five Comets girls, led by Runner of the Year Riley Swanson, were named to the seven-person first team. Kayleigh Tyerman (2nd, 19:11), Swanson (3rd, 19:12), Silver Seibert (4th, 19:13), Arianne Lafierre (6th, 19:20) and Laurie Stoutenburgh (8th, 19:26) led a Comets team that scored just 16 points at state, a record for either gender in any class. The boys team, which edged Hermiston High by two points, had four selections: Zach Elliott (6th, 16:16), Wyatt Rice-Narusch (10th, 16:26), Curtis Yungen and Josh Elliott.

Pennsylvania

In the 101st meeting between the two river rivals, Easton High (8-4) turned back Phillipsburg (N.J.) High 17-6 before over 13,000 on Thanksgiving Day as senior Jarred Holley racked up 134 total yards and a touchdown on offense and added three interceptions on defense. Holley, who finished his career with a school-record 21 interceptions, also set up his own 3-yard scoring run with a 41-yard punt return. Keenan Walls blocked a punt to set up Kyle Harbridge’s 3-yard touchdown run, giving Easton a 7-0 lead. Phillipsburg (5-5), which avoided a shutout by scoring on the game’s final play, saw a streak of 28 consecutive winning seasons come to an end.

Rhode Island

Warwick Bishop Hendricken High senior Chris Surgento kicked a 30-yard field goal, his third of the game, with 9:19 remaining and the Hawks defense came up with interceptions on the final two drives to preserve a 9-7 victory over Providence LaSalle High. The win advanced Bishop Hendricken to the Division 1 Super Bowl against Pawtucket St. Raphael Academy. Bishop Hendricken trailed 7-3 at halftime, but sophomore quarterback Thomas Verdi completed 8 of 11 second-half passes for 107 yards and the defense forced six turnovers. Neal Rooney’s 3-yard touchdown run on LaSalle’s opening drive gave the Rams an early 7-0 lead.

South Carolina

Senior Walker Layne became Chapin High’s second state champion swimmer, winning the Class 3A 100-yard backstroke as the No. 1 seed in 52.75 seconds, a margin of more than a full second. Layne, who finished eighth in the event as a junior, shaved more than six seconds off last year’s time. Chapin also made program history as both the boys and girls teams finished in the state’s top 10 for the first time. The boys team finished eighth with 153 points, while the girls team produced their first top 10 performance, scoring a team-record 126 points. The previous high mark was 52 points in 2002.

 

South Dakota

Volleyball powers Warner High and Mellette Northwestern High, which have combined for eight Class B state volleyball titles in the past 10 years, were represented on the Class B All-State Team. Senior setter Kelli Wiedebush, a four-year starter, averaged 28 assists per match and had 71 service aces and junior hitter Kelsey Rozell, who averaged 12 kills per match and served 83 aces, led Warner to this year’s state title and were named to the team along with Northwestern setter Ashlee Arthurs (25 assists per match, 178 digs, 69 aces) by the South Dakota Volleyball Coaches Association.

Tennessee

Nashville Montgomery Bell Academy (Division 2-AA) and Collierville St. George’s High (Division 2-A) each finished 12-0 seasons by winning the Division 2 state titles. Andrew Fletcher kicked a title-game record four field goals – of 34, 19, 20 and 23 yards – as MBA shut out Brentwood Academy 12-0. Edward Vinsang (164 rushing yards) and Christian Waddey (116 yards) led the offense and the Big Red allowed just 144 total yards and forced four turnovers. Grant Jessen and Hunter Cowan each scored twice and St. George’s rushed for 413 yards in a 34-14 victory over Southaven (Miss.) Southern Baptist Educational Center.

Texas

Wimberley High (38-7) won its second consecutive Class 3A girls volleyball state title in five grueling games over Monahans High, 26-28, 25-20, 16-25, 25-17, 15-10. The Texans played with only two hitters, a freshman setter and a junior varsity player, Casey Douglass, who stepped in after an injury to another starter to serve seven straight winning points in Game 2. Lacey Lea led Wimberley with 23 kills and Most Valuable Player Katie Milam added 22. Kaili Cusack had 25 assists and Maddie Milner had 21, and Mia Huey (33), Lea (21) and Milam (15) were the dig leaders for the Texans, winners of six state crowns in the past nine years.

Utah

As part of the school’s 100th anniversary celebrations this year, Sandy Jordan High will honor longtime basketball coach Hal Hale, who led the program for 29 years before stepping down in 2003, at halftime of Jordan's Dec. 19 boys basketball game. Hale retired with a school-record 389 victories, No. 9 on the state’s all-time list. His teams made the state playoffs in 28 of his 29 seasons and won a state title in 1984. An All-America player at Utah State, Hale played professional basketball briefly and also served in the Vietnam War. Jordan will wear replicas of its 1920 uniforms to commemorate the occasion. Ironically, the opponent that night, South Jordan Bingham High, turns 100 next year.

Vermont

Bill Leggett, who started the football program at Bristol Mount Abraham High football program 11 years ago, is stepping down. Under Leggett, the Eagles won back-to-back state titles in 2003 and 2004 and reached the state finals in 2000 and 2002 in only nine years as a varsity sport. The school fielded a junior varsity team for two years before attaining varsity status. Leggett, currently in his 25th year teaching at the school, will continue as the varsity basketball coach and assistant baseball coach. Last year, in his 19th season, he led the boys basketball team to its first state title.

Virginia

Virginia Beach Frank W. Cox High’s girls field hockey team won its state-record 15th state title with a stunning postseason run that ended with a 6-0 victory over Stafford High. In setting a state record for title-game scoring, Cox (23-2) outscored opponents 37-2 in the postseason and 109-10 the entire year. Kiley Allosso and Kelsey Rosenmeier each scored twice, Taylor Rhea scored her 39th goal of the season and Cara Witte also scored as Cox breezed to a 5-0 halftime lead. The Falcons racked up a 22-3 advantage in shots and a 12-0 edge in penalty corners in winning its second straight state title.

Washington

Camas High, which advanced to the Class 3A volleyball state quarterfinals, and Vancouver Skyview High, which advanced to the 4A regionals, each placed two players on the All-Region team. Senior Allison Buck, a New Mexico State commitment who helped the Papermakers advance to state all four seasons, and junior setter Kila Adams were Camas’ selections. Skyview junior Leanna Ludes, verbally committed to the University of San Francisco, was named Player of the Year and teammate Michele Chesebro, a senior, also was selected.

West Virginia

Marcus Guy rushed for 133 yards and scored two touchdowns to lead St. Albans High (12-1) to its first state title game since 1955, beating East Fairmont 14-12 in the Class 3A semifinals. Guy scored on a 15-yard run and a 24-yard pass from quarterback T.J. Feazelle. St. Albans will face defending champion Parkersburg High (12-1) for the title. East Fairmont quarterback Carter DeVault threw two touchdown passes, a 14-yarder to Nick Bonnett in the first half and a 23-yarder to L.T. Harbert in the third quarter. But St. Albans stopped a tying two-point conversion try and ended East Fairmont's final three possessions with a blocked field goal and two interceptions.

Wisconsin

In fifth place and trailing Whitefish Bay High by 20 points with five events to go, DeForest High placed four swimmers in the 500-yard freestyle and went on to win the title 196-165-157 over Whitefish Bay and Monona Grove High. Senior Kelly Winckler (5:00.86), a Wisconsin recruit, who the event for the third year in a row and Casey Wolter (sixth), Jennifer Karpinsky (eighth) and Haley Oosterhof (12th) also scored in the event. Winckler also won the 200, becoming eighth girl in state history to win an event four times. Becky Thompson of New Berlin West High won the 50 (23.26) and 100 freestyle (50.61), both state-record times.

 

Wyoming

Teams don’t change classifications in Wyoming often. But Afton Star Valley High, winners of four of the last five Class 3A state wrestling titles, are moving up to the big-school Class 4A this season. There they will battle perennial power Gillette Campbell County High. A pair of Braves state champions, seniors Justin Gardner (103) and Zack Walker (135), will try to win their second crowns. With nine other returning state placewinners, Star Valley won’t be going to February’s state meet empty-handed. Campbell County, however, remains the favorite with three state champions and 10 placewinners of its own.