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Across the nation in high-school sports

Alabama

Andre Smith of Birmingham Huffman High, rated the No. 2 overall prospect in the nation by rivals.com and scout.com, became the first interior lineman to be voted the state’s Mr. Football award winner in the award’s 23-year history. The 6-5, 325-pound tackle also was voted the Class 6A Lineman of the Year. Second in the voting: quarterback Chris Smelley of Northport American Christian Academy, who set state records for passing yards (4,120) and touchdown passes (59) in a season and was named Class 1A Back of the Year. Other winners: 1A: Brian Motley, Autaugaville High (lineman); 2A: John Pascley, Silas Southern Choctaw High (back); Brandon Alexander, Southern Choctaw (lineman); 3A: Anthony Mostella, Oneonta High (back); Jermarcus Ricks, Leighton Colbert County High (lineman); 4A: Chris Evans, Alexandria (back); Preston Dial, Mobile UMS-Wright High (lineman); 5A: Austin Hubbard, Homewood High (back); David Ross, Homewood (lineman); 6A: Cornelius Williams, Hoover High (back).

Alaska

Dan Savo (119), Wes Richards (125) and Mike Carty (160) won state championships and Dillingham High scored 189 points to unseat defending champion Anchorage Christian School (147) in the Class 3-2-1A state tournament Dec. 9-10. Dillingham placed 12 wrestlers in the top six, including double placewinners at 103, 112, 140 and 160. Anchorage Christian School senior Cody Dunbar (152) won his third state title and junior Zach Shelley (140) won his second title. Nome High senior Jeremy Luce, the 135-pound champion, was voted the meet’s Outstanding Wrestler.

Arizona

Tucson Sunnyside High followed up victories in the Peoria and Flowing Wells Invitationals earlier in the month with the title in the inaugural Class 5A South Region dual-meet championship at Tucson High Jan. 17. The Blue Devils beat host Tucson 80-0, Tucson Salpointe Catholic High 70-6, Flowing Wells 69-6, Sierra Vista Buena High 83-0 and Marana Mountain View High 46-23. Freshman Mike Moreno (103), John Garza (112), Nathan Vorel (125), Rene Torres (140) and Kyle DeBerry (152) combined to earn 21 pins in 25 bouts. Mountain View, which also advanced to the inaugural dual-team state series, got five wins from senior John Ponce (145).

Arkansas

The state’s top football recruit, quarterback Mitch Mustain of Springdale High, will play his college football at nearby University of Arkansas after all. Mustain, rated one of the top three quarterbacks in the nation by most scouting services, verbally committed to Arkansas in August, but decommitted two days after the Razorbacks completed a disappointing 4-7 season in December. After considering offers from Alabama, Tennessee and Notre Dame, Mustain, who led Springdale High to a 14-0 season and the Class 5A state title, announced Jan . 16 he was again firmly committed after a meeting with the Arkansas coaching staff. Arkansas offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn is Mustain’s former coach at Springdale High.

California

Using its balance, Poway High (190 points) outscored Clovis Buchanan High (151.5) for the title in the Five Counties Tournament Jan. 13-14 at Fountain Valley High. Todd Schavrien (125) won his second straight title for Poway, which placed eight. Five No. 2 seeds beat top seeds in the finals: Justin Paulsen (112) of Santa Ana Calvary Chapel High, Caleb Flores (119) and Shad Manigault (140) of Covina Northview High, Luke Manuel (152) of Grass Valley Nevada Union High, and Chris Lewis (275) of Fresno Clovis West High, beat top-seeded opponents in the finals. Billy Murphy (130) of Hughson High (lower weights), Matt Boger (160) of Buchanan (middle weights) and Lewis (upper weights) were voted the meet’s Outstanding Wrestlers.

Colorado

The Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) Board of Control voted 43-21 Jan. 19 to institute a list of acceptable and unacceptable behaviors for fans at prep sporting events. Unacceptable behavior now includes derogatory chants or cheers, including "warm up the bus" and "airball, airball," the use of noisemakers and heckling officials. "No matter who is defining sportsmanship, it is all in the eye of the beholder. But we have to take a stand and say that sensitivity issues matter. Anybody who says society hasn't changed is out of tune," Laura Haase, athletic director at Alameda High School and chairwoman of the CHSAA Sportsmanship Committee, told the Denver Post. “Is this foolproof? No. It's a starting point. There is a certain sense of giving silent permission to poor behavior. "

Connecticut

Sophomore sprinter Stacey-Ann Smith of Bloomfield High has beaten the nationals qualifying time in the 55-meter dash, an event in which she holds the state record, and as part of the 4x200 relay. Following the Class S, State Open and New England meets, she will compete either in the Nike Indoor Nationals March 11-12 in Landover, Md. or the National Scholastic Indoor Championships March 10-12 at the New York Armory. Senior Ashley Carbray, who teams with Jilliane Peters, Smith and freshman Catherine Milledge on Bloomfield’s 4x200 relay, has qualified for the nationals in the long jump at 18 feet, 4½ inches.

Delaware

Visiting Wilmington Delcastle High, ranked No. 6 statewide, rallied from a 10-point third-quarter deficit to beat Middletown High 71-68 Jan. 18. The Cougars (9-2) still trailed 64-58 with 2:45 left in the game before Neal Skinner’s transition basker with 40 seconds remaining put them ahead 67-65. Skinner led Delcastle with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Marquis George scored 15 points, had seven rebounds and four steals and Ryan Congo added 13 points. Paris Horne led all scorers with 26 points for No. 8 Middletown (7-4), also pulling down 11 rebounds and adding five assists and five steals. Jarrett Mann added 17 points.

Florida

Oviedo High has won four five tournament this season, including its own Zac Jarzynka Ironman Tournament Dec. 28-29. The Lions rebounded from an early 12-0 deficit to beat Shingle Springs (Calif.) Ponderosa High 28-27 in the title match. Oviedo also beat Delray Beach Atlantic High 77-3, Land O’Lakes High 68-9, Hendersonville (Tenn.) Pope John Paul II High 74-6, Adel (Ga.) Cook County High 65-12, Sandusky (Ohio) St. Mary Central Catholic 54-19 and Kissimmee Osceola High 38-23. Outstanding Wrestlers: Ponderosa’s Justin Durham (112), lower weights; Oviedo’s Tyler Davis (140), middle weights; and Cook County’s Andrew Edmondson (189), upper weights.

Georgia

After leading by just one point at halftime, Atlanta W.D. Mohamed High, ranked No. 1 in Class A, pulled away in the second half to beat No. 8 Jefferson High 53-35 Jan. 16. Shukriyyah Rashada scored 18 points and Aamira Terry added 17 for the Caliphs (15-0), who held Jefferson to 34 per cent shooting. With Fatiha Salaam, the team’s leading scorer, providing five points, W.D. Mohamed began the second half with a 12-2 run and weren’t threatened after that. The Caliphs also held Jefferson’s leading scorer, senior Shalita Brooks, to seven points. Shae David led the Dragons with 10.

Hawaii

Thanks in part to a $200,000 grant from the National Football League’s Grassroots Program, the Hawaii High School Athletic Association (HHSAA) will install a new synthetic turf field at Honolulu Roosevelt High. The field serves as the home field for four high schools – Roosevelt, McKinley, Farrington, and Kaimuki – which have a majority of students from low- to moderate-income households. The new surface will allow the field to be used more frequently than the existing natural turf and will reduce maintenance costs. The NFL, the NFL Players Association and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation combined to award the grant, part of $2.5 million in field refurbishment awards allocated to community groups in 19 cities nationwide. The State of Hawaii and the Roosevelt High School Alumni Association will provide $4.5 million to meet the grant’s match requirements.

Idaho

John Billetz, principal at Post Falls High, will become executive director of the Idaho High School Activities Association July 1. Billetz will replace Bill Young, who is retiring as executive director after 18 years. A native of Mapletown, Pa., Billetz graduated from West Virginia University in 1974 and earned a master's degree from Idaho State University. He began his educational career as a teacher and coach in 1976 at Gooding High. He served as a coach and administrator at Burley High and Rupert Minico High before becoming principal at Post Falls in 1995.

Illinois

Even without state champion John Starzyk in their lineup, Chicago St. Rita High continues to be a juggernaut. With a 20-1 dual-meet record – their only loss to Lombard Montini High – the Mustangs outscored New Lenox Providence High 236-212.5 to win the Geneseo Invitational Jan. 13-14. Iowa City (Iowa) West High was third with 157.5. Starzyk, who transferred to Providence this year, stunned Cadet National freestyle runnerup Nate Moore of Iowa City (Iowa) West High 6-1 in the final at 119. St. Rita sophomore Steve Zimmerman beat three-time state placewinner Dalton Bullard of Belvidere High 10-0 in the 135-pound final. It was Zimmerman’s second victory over Bullard in less than a month, following a 2-0 victory in a holiday dual meet.

Indiana

In a game broadcast nationally on ESPN2, 7-foot senior center Greg Oden scored 23 of his game-high 33 points in the first half as visiting Indianapolis Lawrence North High built a 38-19 halftime lead and went on to beat Indianapolis North Central High 78-59 before a sellout crowd of 3,200 Jan. 19. The Ohio State-bound Oden also had 12 rebounds, four blocked shots and three assists, shooting 13-for-18 from the field and 7-for-8 from the foul line. The two-time defending Class 4A state champions (14-0), who have won 30 straight overall, also got 18 points from Mike Conley, also bound for Ohio State. North Central junior guard Eric Gordon, committed to Illinois, scored 23 of his 27 points in the second half, adding six rebounds, two assists and a block.

Iowa

Two weeks after losing the state’s No. 1 ranking to West Des Moines Valley High, Des Moines Roosevelt High played the spoiler’s role, rallying to hand visiting Valley its first loss of the season, 55-49 Jan. 17. Forcing 10 turnovers and shooting 50 per cent from the field, the Tigers led 28-22 at halftime before Roosevelt Valley (14-1) made 11 of 22 shots and turned the ball over five times to Roosevelt's 10. But Roosevelt started the second half with a 7-0 run and took the lead for good late in the third quarter. Valley’s Molly McClelland was the game’s leading scorer with 14 points.

Kansas

Wichita Southeast High, top-ranked in Class 6A, forced 30 turnovers, including 21 steals, and converted those turnovers into 32 points as the Buffaloes (9-1) pulled away from host Valley Center High, 76-48 in the first round of the Valley Center Tournament Jan. 19. The score was tied at 14-all after one quarter before Southeast converted three quick turnovers into baskets during a 12-2 run that powered them to a 35-26 halftime lead. Senior Georgio Phillips led Southeast with 18 points and five steals. Jack Crowder (16 points), Aaron Wright (14 points) and Chris Jackson (11 points) each had three steals.

Kentucky

Versailles Woodford County High scored 290.5 points to win its own holiday invitational Dec. 28-29 over Crestwood South Oldham High (236) and Louisville Seneca High (169.5). Winning titles for Woodford County: Shane Parks (103), Coty Lewis (112) Steven Butler (130), Harrison Courtney (140), Will Starks (171), Richard Starks (189) and Kyle Goodrich (275). The state’s top two 215-pounders met for the title, with South Oldham’s two-time state champion, Taylor Scherer, beating Woodford County’s Matt Byrd in a rematch of their state title match a year ago. Other champions: Derek Scott (125) and Daniel Thunenen (140) of Covington Scott High; Tyler Voth (119) of Lexington Paul Dunbar High; Jacob Murton (135) of Louisa Lawrence County High; John Widsleter (152) of Louisville Fern Creek High and South Oldham’s Andrew Taylor (160).

Louisiana

Bossier City Parkway High took the district soccer lead Jan. 19 with a 2-0 victory over Neville High, moving past Neville by one-half game in the district standings. With the victory, Parkway avenged a 1-0 December loss to the Tigers. The win gives Parkway a half-game lead over Neville for the district crown. And with a 2-1 goal differential advantage, the Panthers the upper hand in case a tiebreaker is needed to determine the district champion. Ben Barcelona and Kelly Williams scord early in the second half for the Panthers, with goalkeeper K.J. Polk earning the shutout.

Maine

Maryland

In their first game since achieving the No. 11 ranking nationally in USA Today’s Boys Basketball Super 25, Baltimore Mount St. Joseph High rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to beat Baltimore St. Frances Academy 60-51 Jan. 18. The unbeaten Gaels, who had never been ranked nationally until this season, extended their school record for consecutive wins to 21. Dejuan Goodwin, who scored a game-high 21 points, made 12 of 14 free throws in the final quarter and the Gaels went 15-for-19 overall from the line down the stretch. Six-foot-6 senior forward Louis Birdsong added 17 points, 13 in the second half, to go along with 10 rebounds and five blocked shots.

Massachusetts

Jim Hamel of Natick High, the 171-pound New England runnerup last year, rallied to beat defending 189-pound New England champion Sean Fendone of Lowell Central Catholic High 9-7 in overtime as defending state champions battled for the 189-pound title in the George Bossi Holiday Tournament Dec. 29-30 at Lowell High. Central Catholic (201.5 points) finished second to Plaistow (N.H.) Timberlane High, with Natick and North Andover High (149.5) tied for fourth place. Other Massachusetts champions: Central Catholic’s Bob Murray (140) and Andy Regan (275), Chelmsford High’s Aaron Mounsey (125), Dracut High’s Peter Nolin (135), Lowell’s Brian Sheehan (160) and Wayland High’s Joe Manley (171).

Michigan

The Michigan Interscholastic Volleyball Coaches Association released the 10 nominees for the fourth annual Miss Volleyball award, which honors the state’s top senior. This year’s nominees: Heather Brooks, 6-2 middle blocker, East Lansing High (committed to North Carolina); Ashley Doremire, 5-10 middle hitter, Fruitport High; Alisha Glass, 6-0 outside hitter, Leland High (Penn State); Kaity Gormley, 5-9 middle blocker, Portage Central High (Grand Valley State); Vanessa King, 6-0 outside/middle hitter, Spring Lake High (Michigan State); Mary McGinnis, 5-11 outside hitter, Fraser High (Illinois State); Veronica Rood, 6-0 middle hitter, Temperance Bedford High (Michigan); Allison Schlinkert, 5-10 outside hitter, Marysville High (Saginaw Valley State); Katie VanderMeer, 5-7 setter/outside hitter, Grand Rapids East Kentwood High (Michigan State); Meredith Young, 5-11 outside hitter, Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern High (Grand Valley State).

Minnesota

Rosemount High won its 12th consecutive game Jan. 13, in the process upsetting No. 1 Bloomington Kennedy High 44-41 in Lake Conference play. The victory gave Rosemount a split of their season’s series after a 56-44 loss in the second game of the season. The Irish (14-2, 10-1), led by Megan Eul’s 11 points, came from way behind, using a 12-0 second-half run to forge a 37-all tie. Rosemount scored its final five points from the free-throw line, holding the Eagles scoreless over the final 3:50. Kennedy's Tara Steinbauer was the game’s leading scorer with 12 points.

Mississippi

With a 1-0 victory over cross-town rival Jackson Prep Jan. 11, Jackson Academy (11-2-1) rose to the top of the Jackson Clarion-Ledger rankings. Taylor Smith scored the game’s only goal as the Raiders handed four-time defending state champion Prep their first in-state loss in 50 games dating back to 2003. That loss also came against the Raiders. With a lineup that doesn’t include a single senior, Jackson Academy has outscored its opponents 39-7 this season, with sophomore goalkeeper Louis Rogers anchoring the defense. The starting lineup: three eighth-graders, two freshmen, three sophomores and three juniors.

Missouri

KeAmber Vaughn scored a game-high 14 points and 6-foot-1 sophomore center Kristen Peebles added 13 points and nine rebounds off the bench to spark Florissant Hazelwood Central High (12-4) past cross-town rival McCluer North High 58-41 Jan. 13. McCluer North (11-5) shot just 25 percent from the field and finished just one of 18 from three-point range. Tonette Murphy, who had five steals to go with her 13 points, led Hazelwood Central on a 13-2 first-quarter run that the Hawks stretched to 24-11 in the second quarter. Vaughn also had four steals as the Hawks forced 22 McCluer North turnovers. Tarah Adams led McCluer North with 12 points.

Montana

Using its individual power, two-time defending Montana Class A champion Sidney High outscored Napoleon (N.D.) High 204.5-154 to win the 26-team Bismarck Rotary Tournament at the Bismarck Civic Center. Bismarck High and Frazee (Minn.) High tied for third place with 150 points each. Sidney was led by its outstanding middle weights, with two-time state champions Ryan Hecker (130) and Byron Kuylen (135) and champion Gresh Melby (152) winning titles. Hecker scored the biggest upset of the title round, a 1-0 victory over three-time North Dakota champion Jake Mellmer of Dickinson High. Two other Sidney state champions lost one-point matches in the finals. At 112, Jesse Obergfell lost 3-2 to Justin Solberg of Wahpeton High and at 145, Derek Fritz fell 2-1 to Grand Forks Red River High’s John Basting.

Nebraska

Nate Koenig of Ralston High scored one of the biggest upsets in recent Nebraska wrestling history, stunning three-time state champion Mat Vacanti of Papillion-LaVista High 13-10 in the 140-pound final of the Omaha Millard West Invitational Jan. 7. The loss was the first of Vacanti’s high school career after 113 victories. Koenig, also a senior who finished sixth in state last season, put Vacanti on his back twice en route to the win. Omaha Millard South High, the state’s top-ranked Class A team, breezed to the team title with 287.5 points and got titles from Clayden McKim (103), Joel Torpy (112), Stephen Medina (152) and two-time state champion Aaron Denson (171).

Nevada

P'Allen Stinnett scored 19 of his 24 points in the first half to lead undefeated Palo Verde to a 92-68 victory over Corona (Calif.) Santiago High in the championship game of the Las Vegas Prep Championship Tournament Dec. 30 at Las Vegas High. Stinnett, named the tourney's Most Valuable Player, hit all eight of his shots in the opening half as the Panthers raced to a 54-31 advantage. The Panthers scored the first nine points of the game and hit seven of their first nine shots. Nate Schulte scored a game-high 25 points for the Panthers and Luke Gums added 14. Palo Verde (20-0) beat Las Vegas Desert Pines High 77-58 Jan. 14 as Schulte scored 26 points and Stinnett added 15.

New Hampshire

Plaistow Timberlane High won the prestigious George Bossi Holiday Tournament Dec. 29-30 at Lowell (Mass.) High, scoring 251 points to 201.5 for runnerup Lowell Central Catholic High. Concord High (167) finished third and Salem High (120) seventh. Joey O’Connor (103) and Donny Connolly (152) won titles for Timberlane, which advanced five to the finals. Salem sophomore Trevor Dearden reversed the result of last year’s state tournament final with a 9-2 victory over Timberlane’s Eric Morrill in the final at 119. Salem also got a title from Aaron Kalil (112). Two other New Hampshire wrestlers won titles: Concord’s Tyler Saltsman (130) and Manchester West High’s Lance Mailloux (215).

New Jersey

Irvington High had lost four straight games and trailed by five points at halftime, but rallied to beat Newark Shabazz High, ranked No. 19 in The Newark Star-Ledger Top 20, 65-59 Jan. 19. Lamarr Williams scored 14 of his 19 points in the second half and fellow senior guard Alex Flowers added 19 points as Irvington won for just the second time in seven games. Elias Brantley added 11 points and Mackesney Jean-Louis 10 for Irvington. Shabazz’s Alray Blackmon led all scorers with 25 points, with Horace McGloster adding 12 points and Da'Shon Barrino 11.

New Mexico

Sibling rivalry was on display Jan. 17 as coach Greg Brown’s Albrquerque Manzano High won its District 5-5A opener 47-39 over brother Danny’s Albuquerque Highland High squad. Manzano (15-2 overall) had to rally past Highland to keep its 11-game winning streak intact. Guard Cesar Cuevas scored 11 points to lead the Monarchs, which had five players score five or more points while relying on defense. Highland (7-10), which has won four of its last six games despite losing 6-foot-7 center Ethan Kennedy (15 ppg, 8 rpg) to a season-ending knee injury, led much of the second and third quarters. Hornets guard Stephen Adams led all scorers with 17 points.

New York

Ranked fourth by the New York State Sportswriters Association entering the Union-Endicott Duals Jan. 7, Johnson City High advanced to the top spot after winning the state’s premier dual-meet tournament. The Wildcats unseated top-ranked Islip High, the defending meet champion, 25-24 in the final after beating Slate Hill Minisink Valley High 42-18 in the quarterfinals and Ontario Center Wayne Central High 28-26 in the semifinals. Mike Tesar (135), Ben Whitbeck (145) and Ryan McCormick (152-160) were three-match winners for Johnson City. Islip beat Fulton High 31-30 in the quarterfinals, and Levittown MacArthur High 30-23 in the semifinals. Of the 21 duals wrestled, nine were decided by nine points or less, and six by one or two points.

North Carolina

Wilson Beddingfield High's girls basketball stretched its winning streak to 16 in a 90-28 victory over host Goldsboro Eastern Wayne High 90-28 Jan. 13. Ranked No. 5 in Class 3A, Beddingfield got 21 points each from 6-foot-4 sophomore center Jean Best and 6-0 senior forward October Harris. A full-court trapping defense helped Beddingfield to a 20-0 lead to start the game. Senior guard Jacobia Lucas added 18 points for Beddingfield and junior forward Jessica Johnson added seven points and eight rebounds. Junior guard Jasmine Washington had 12 points and five rebounds for Eastern Wayne.

North Dakota

Ross Monson scored four goals and added an assist as Bismarck High (7-3) pounded Mandan High 9-3 in West Region play Jan. 19. Justin Connell had a goal and two assists as all of Bismarck’s lines dented the score sheet. Mike Goulet, Johnny Coleman, Brady Johs and Josh Norman also scored for the Demons, with Jared LaBere and Clark Dingeman each picking up two assists. Bismack outshot Mandan 40-21 as the two teams combined for eight goals in the game’s final 12 minutes. Paul Moch and Matthew Kline each had a goal and an assist for Mandan.

Ohio

Perennial swimming power Cincinnati St. Xavier High stayed that way Jan. 15, outdistancing over 100 other competing teams in the Southwest Ohio High School Swimming and Diving Classic. The Bombers, with junior David Mosko setting a meet record in the 200 butterfly, won the event for the 23rd consecutive year, scoring 589 points. Cincinnati Turpin eged Liberty Township Lakota East High, 275-274 for second place. Lakota East junior Jared Miller won three events and Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller senior Mat Angelini two. Cincinnati Ursuline Academy edged Centerville High, which got two titles from senior Jenny Forster, 421-386 to win the girls title. Cincinnati Indian Hill junior Amanda Smith won three events.

Oklahoma

It’s not often you see a 6-foot-9, 220-pound point guard. But that’s exactly what Oklahoma City Putnam City High, ranked No. 2 statewide, has in senior Keith Clark. The Oklahoma signee is averaging 14 points, five rebounds, 4.1 assists and 2.3 steals per game while shooting 56 percent from the field. His passing ability has helped freshman Xavier Henry become the leading scorer for the Pirates, off to an 11-2 start. On Jan. 20, they hosted top-ranked Edmond Santa Fe, led by Oklahoma State signee Obi Muonelo.

Oregon

Lake Oswego High (11-3), ranked No. 1 in the Portland area by the Oregonian, was expected to have 6-foot-10 junior center Kevin Love back in the lineup for this weekend's game against Bronx (N.Y.) Our Savior Lutheran High at New Rochelle, N.Y. Love left the Lakers’ Jan. 16 game against Milwaukie Rex Putnam High with an elbow injury, a game Lake Oswego won 67-44. Guards Ernie Spada and Taylor Marr scored 15 points apiece for the Lakers, and Vince Thomas added 14 points. On Jan. 19, Lake Oswego beat West Linn High 71-57, their sixth straight win.

Pennsylvania

Pennsburg Upper Perkiomen High won its third consecutive title in the Battlefield Duals Jan. 6-7 at Stafford (Va.) Colonial Forge High. The Indians actually were an underdog this time, though, with Chesapeake (Va.) Great Bridge High in the field. But in a stunning final, Upper Perkiomen won 10 matches, including six pins, in a 48-17 blowout. Upper Perkiomen went 8-0 overall, winning its eight duals by an average 60-10 score. Waynesburg Central High finished third, scoring a stunning criteria win over defending state champion Connellsville High after the two tied 31-31 in the fourth round.

Rhode Island

Sophomore Kashaia Cannon of Providence Classical High scored 38 points, including five three-pointers, to lead the Purple to a 66-65 victory over Cumberland High Jan. 19. Classical, down by as much as nine points the first half, also rebounded from a 57-54 deficit in the final two minutes. Cannon, who averages 24 points per game, buried two late treys, the second breaking a 63-all tie with one minute remaining, and Megan Clement blocked a potential game-winning putback at the buzzer. Cumberland got 19 points each from Amy Czarnecki and Kaitlyn Lambert and Krissy Fahey added 16.

South Carolina

Columbia Irmo fullback Aram Olson didn’t get a lot of headlines during the football season. But he still hit the jackpot Jan. 17, when he announced he was accepting a scholarship to Ohio State. The ^-foot-1, 247-pound Olson was a blocking back who helped clear the way for tailback Patrick Goss to run for over 1,600 yards, 19 touchdowns and a 6.5-yards-per-carry average. Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel made a home visit to Olson and was present when Olson announced his decision at school. Ranked seventh at his position in the nation by rivals.com, Olson chose the Buckeyes over Auburn, Florida State, Texas A&M and East Carolina.

South Dakota

Host Sioux Falls Roosevelt High, the state’s top-ranked team, was upset Jan. 19 by cross-town rival Washington High, 55-48. The Warriors, who ended a two-game losing streak, never trailed after Josh Ryan (11 points) hit a baseline jumper with less than a minute to play in the first quarter to tie the score at 13-all. Washington outscored the Rough Riders (8-2) 13-5 in the second quarter to take command. Roosevelt never got closer than four points the rest of the way. Junior guard Sam Holsen led Washington with 19 points. Ryan Thompson also scored 19 points to lead Roosevelt, Anthony Cordova adding 13.

Tennessee

Visiting Whites Creek High scored one of the state’s biggest upsets Jan. 17, blowing a 14-point lead before recovering to upset Brentwood Academy 66-65. The loss denied the Eagles (19-2), a team with two Division I signees, their 20th consecutive win after rising to the No. 10 spot in the USA Today Super 25. Wil Peters scored 19 points and 6-foot-6 forward Dominique Rouse, who hit four three-pointers in the first half, added 18 points for Whites Creek (14-3). The Eagles trailed 38-24 early in the second half before 6-foot-9 North Carolina recruit Brandan Wright (29 points) led a 31-16 run that gave the Eagles their final lead at 55-54 with 2:42 remaining.

Texas

Southlake Carroll High and Dallas Highland Park High are the Class 5A and Class 4A leaders, respectively, in the race for SportsDay's annual School All-Sports Awards. SportsDay is a service of the Dallas Morning News. With the returns in for the state’s five fall sports, Carroll has 54 points and holds a sizable lead in the Class 5A standings over Arlington James Martin High (34.5) and Plano West High (34). Carroll claimed state championships in football and girls cross country, and has won the last three 5A awards. Highland Park's 50.5 points give them the 4A lead over Lewisville Hebron High (38), McKinney North High (35.5) and Wichita Falls High (33.5). Highland Park won state titles in football and team tennis, and has won the last three awards and 17 times in the 21 years the award has been presented.

Utah

Midvale Hillcrest High, which won 12 games all of last season, won its 10th in a row Jan. 17, outlastling West Jordan High 63-53 in a double-overtime thriller. After the two teams finished regulation tied at 49-all and played a scoreless first overtime, Hillcrest center Nate Oliphant had a pair of offensive rebounds that resulted in three free throws, a 56-51 advantage and some breathing room. Oliphant and Ryan Brimley each scored 15 points, Brimley scoring seven in the second overtime, and Matt Phillips added 14 points. Michael Cordova scored 13 points, Travis Pearson 12 and Spencer Trask 10 for West Jordan.

Vermont

For the second straight year, top-ranked Bennington Mount Anthony High fell to Connecticut’s top team, Danbury High, 41-34 Jan. 16 at Danbury. After falling behind 29-0 on four pins and a technical fall to open the match, the Patriots incredibly came back with six consecutive victories to take their only lead of at the match at 31-29. Shannon Sherwood (189), Ryan Bull (275), Brandon Bushee (103) and Scott Legacy II (112) had pins during the streak, Matt McVay added a decision at 215 and state champion John Andrews a major decision at 119. New England champion Corey Greene’s 17-10 decision over Tyler Howe at 130 made it 35-34 before Danbury’s Dean Smith sealed the win with a fall at 135.

Virginia

Virginia Beach Princess Anne High, ranked No. 1 in the South Hampton Roads area and No. 23 by USA Today, pounded No. 6 Virginia Beach Floyd E. Kellam High 68-39 Jan. 13 to stay unbeaten in the Beach District. With senior star and Division I prospect Kim Rodgers (12 points) double- and triple-teamed, point guard Raven Harris scored a team-high 18 points in the first three quarters, while Tiffany Benson scored 13 points and Megan Masch 10. Ahead by only three points in the first half, Princess Anne (14-1 overall) put the game away with a 20-0 run. Their average margin of victory in 11 Beach District victories is 33 points.

Washington

With junior state champion Kelly Kubec moving up to 135 pounds and coming from behind to score a 9-7 victory over state placewinner Jonny Gilbertson, Lake Stevens High improved to 7-0 overall by beating Everett Cascade High 39-18 in a WesCo North Division dual meet match Jan. 19. The Vikings, who have won 102 consecutive WesCo North dual meets dating back to 1993, assured themselves at least a tie for a 17th conference title. Kubec (23-2) trailed 6-2 before a four-point move tied the score late in the third period. A third-period escape and takedown helped him complete the comeback against Gilbertson (20-3). Kai Van Leuven (23-3) also won at 140.

West Virginia

Huntington High (12-0), ranked No. 1 in Class 3A. stayed unbeaten with a 93-55 rout o of Nitro High Jan. 19. Jamall Williams scored 21 points, including five three-pointers, as the Highlanders cruised to a 46-20 halftime lead. Wes Clayton scored 12 points, all on three-pointers, Chris Early added 11 points and 6-foot-8 junior center Patrick Patterson scored 13 points, adding 13 rebounds and five blocked shots at the Highlanders built a 41-26 rebounding edge. Nitro, playing without injured All-State sophomore Brett McClanahan, got 12 points from John Dorchinez.

Wisconsin

Advancing five to the finals, Kaukauna High won the team title for the first time ever in their own classic, the Cheesehead Invitational. The Ghosts edged No. 10 Lombard (Ill.) Montini High 619-603.5 in the pool-format event. Their best previous finish was third in 2002. Kaukauna got titles from Adam Van Schyndel (103), Joseph Budi (160) and Andrew Budi (171). Van Schyndel avenged a loss in last year’s tournament by beating Montini’s Joey Norton 5-1 in a battle of senior 103-pounders. Other Wisconsin winners: Andrew (112) and Alex Dahl (125), Cashton High; Josh Kyle (130), Wausau West High; Zac Cibula (140), Luxemburg-Casco High; Aaron Kersten (145), Boyceville High; David Casper (189), Westby High; and Cody Soderstrom (275), Livingston Iowa-Grant High.

Wyoming

Cheyenne Central High, which leads the state’s Class 4A teams in scoring defense, got 14 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks from 6-foot-8 senior center Desmond Blue in a 50-30 victory over Laramie High Jan. 19 in the Southern Wyoming Athletic Conference opener for both teams. Senior Tom Parks also scored 14 for the Indians (10-4), who led 31-13 at halftime and didn’t allow Laramie to score in double figures in any quarter. Laramie was led by guard Terrance Dent's 13 points.