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VIDEO: Fullcourt buzzer beater forces OT in Conn. JV game

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Brett Tenaglia from New Fairfield (Conn.) created a memory to last a lifetime with this fullcourt buzzer beater in the junior varsity game against Bunnell.

New Fairfield lost by three in double-overtime, but that isn’t what anyone was talking about.

Oh, and Tenaglia joined the varsity roster later on and scored eight points.

 


Baylor adds five football commits within hours

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Another weekend of official visits and another huge weekend for new Baylor coach Matt Rhule.

The Bears got five commitments Sunday to increase their class to 19 commits.

The group includes outside linebacker Bryson Jackson from Lake Ridge (Mansfield, Texas), who flipped from his Dec. 13 commitment to Minnesota. Jackson was offered last week and that led to an official visit.

Jackson, who is 6-2 and 195 pounds, recorded 60 tackles and seven sacks last season.

Tight end/defensive end Rob Saulin, who at one point was committed to Ruhle at Temple, followed him to Baylor after a weekend visit. Saulin, from Pennsville (N.J.). Memorial, had 84 tackles and two sacks on defense and 203 receiving yards and two touchdowns on offense last season. Before he committed to Temple, he was briefly a UConn commit as well.

Baylor also landed a commitment from Alabama two-way lineman Khalil Keith, according to multiple reports. Keith, from Winterboro (Alpine, Ala.) is 6-5 and nearly 300 pounds and is expected to play offensive line in college. He is ranked as the No. 53 offensive tackle, according to 247Sports.

He has drawn late attention from schools in the SEC, including Ole Miss, and Big 12, leading to his visit to Baylor.

Allen (Texas) defensive lineman Cole Maxwell also committed to Baylor, a day after he was offered. Maxwell is 6-5 and 250 and was planning to play baseball at New Mexico.

Instead, Baylor was his first football offer and he accepted.

The fifth commit of the day is Carroll (Southlake, Texas) offensive tackle Henry Klinge, who is 6-5 and 293.  He also is a player who saw later interest from SEC and Big 12 schools.

VIDEO: See the top plays from National Hoopfest, Day 2

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Here are the top plays from Day 2 of the ARS Rescue Rooter National Hoopfest in Tampa courtesy of ItsOvertime.com.

RELATED: Day 1 plays

R.J. Barrett, Montverde Academy, sweet crossover and dunks over two defenders


Chase Johnson, Huntington Prep, converts the and-one poster

Matt Coleman and Devontae Shuler, Oak Hill Academy, as Coleman throw it up and Shuler finishes

Devontae Shuler and Billy Preston, Oak Hill Academy, as Shuler lobs it for Preston

R.J. Barrett, Montverde Academy, with powerful one-hand jam

Rahsaan Lewis and David Nickleberry, Windermere Prep as Lewis goes hit to Nickleberry, who gets it and throws it down

Matt Coleman, Oak Hill Academy, leads the break with a hard throwdown

Kevin Knox, Tampa Catholic, with a big block that sends the ball out of bounds

Precious Achiuwa, St. Benedict’s Prep, causes the steal and soars through the air

Mayan Kiir, Victory Prep, catches the Hail Mary and then flushes it

Super Bowl champion Jeff Saturday named coach at Hebron Christian (Ga.)

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Nov 20, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts former center Jeff Saturday talks with former teammates on the sideline before the game between the Indianapolis Colts and the Tennessee Titans at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports ORG XMIT: USATSI-268526 ORIG FILE ID: 20161120_jla_rb2_031.jpg

Jeff Saturday has been named coach at Hebron Christian in Georgia (Photo: Trevor Ruszkowski, USA TODAY Sports)

Six-time NFL Pro Bowl center Jeff Saturday has been hired as the head football coach at Hebron Christian Academy (Dacula, Ga.), according to GwinnettPrepSports.com.

Saturday, who spent 14 seasons in the NFL (13 with the Indianapolis Colts), had spent the last two seasons as an assistant at the school under former NFL player Kevin Shaffer.

“Obviously, I’m excited,” Saturday told the website. “I enjoyed working with Shaffer. We had a great time and a great relationship. We have a staff of men who care about developing kids in a Christ-like manner and playing good football. Hopefully, we can take it to the next level. … I’m excited about building and having an influence and impact on not only the players, but the coaches and their development. And developing as a coach myself.”

Saturday, who won a Super Bowl with the Indianapolis Colts, retired from the NFL after the 2012 season and has worked as an analyst for ESPN.

All three of his children attend Hebron Christian, including son Jeffrey, a sophomore wide receiver who also plays basketball at the school.

Hebron Christian went 6-4 in 2015 and 5-6 last season and earned its first state playoff invitation.

“I don’t know how many games we’ll win (in 2017),” he told the website. “We’ll have to replace some guys. We’re focusing on a sustainable program. To do that, we’re going to have to have some young guys come in and play.”

Latest 2017 College Football Recruiting Composite Team Rankings

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Alabama head coach Nick Saban watches over a Peach Bowl NCAA college football practice in Atlanta, Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2016. Alabama and Washington will face off in the Peach Bowl football game Saturday. (AP Photo/David Goldman) ORG XMIT: GADG112

Alabama head coach Nick Saban watches over a Peach Bowl NCAA college football practice in Atlanta, Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2016. (Photo: David Goldman, AP)

Here are the latest USA TODAY High School Sports’ Composite Team Football Recruiting Rankings for the Class of 2017.

RELATED: Composite Football Player Recruiting rankings

The composite represents an average of the rankings by the four major recruiting services: 247Sports, ESPN, Rivals and Scout. All rankings went to Top 50, except ESPN, which is Top 40. Teams not ranked in ESPN’s Top 40 received a 41; teams not ranked in the other rankings received a 51.

Alabama is no longer a unanimous No. 1 as Scout has put Georgia into the top spot. Georgia and Ohio State are tied for second. Florida State has surged to No. 6. Stanford and Virginia Tech are surging with Baylor also entering the top 40.

Rank Team 247 ESPN Rivals Scout Avg.
1 Alabama 1 1 1 2 1.25
T2 Georgia 3 3 3 1 2.5
T2 Ohio State 2 2 2 4 2.5
4 Michigan 4 4 5 3 4
5 Oklahoma 6 6 4 5 5.25
6 Florida State 5 5 6 6 5.5
7 LSU 7 7 7 8 7.25
8 Texas A&M 9 8 8 7 8
9 Auburn 8 9 12 9 9.5
10 Tennessee 10 10 9 10 9.75
11 Penn State 14 15 10 12 12.75
12 USC 11 12 15 15 13.25
13 Notre Dame 12 14 17 13 14
14 Maryland 18 18 13 11 15
15 Miami 15 13 14 19 15.25
16 Clemson 13 11 16 22 15.5
17 South Carolina 19 16 11 23 17.25
18 Washington 17 21 23 16 19.25
19 UCLA 21 20 19 20 20
20 Stanford 16 17 21 28 20.5
21 Louisville 27 26 20 14 21.75
22 Florida 24 19 24 24 22.75
23 Virginia Tech 20 32 26 18 24
T24 North Carolina 22 24 25 26 24.25
T24 Kentucky 23 27 18 29 24.25
26 Arkansas 29 22 22 25 24.5
27 Nebraska 25 25 31 21 25.5
28 Michigan State 32 29 27 17 26.25
29 Colorado 31 23 29 27 27.5
30 Mississippi State 28 31 32 34 31.25
31 Texas 26 35 35 32 32
32 Oklahoma State 33 33 30 33 32.25
33 Arizona 35 34 28 35 33
34 Oregon 30 38 36 31 33.75
35 Pittsburgh 34 30 33 44 35.25
36 Texas Tech 36 41 38 40 38.75
37 Duke 38 28 39 51 39
38 Baylor 43 41 34 39 39.25
T39 Rutgers 39 41 44 38 40.5
T39 Missouri 41 41 39 41 40.5

Updated: 1/23/17

No. 1 Blair Academy wrestling shows dominance at Who's No. 1 duals

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Chase Singletary (top) wrestles Seth Janney (bottom) at Easton Middle School. (Photo: Bill Streicher, USA TODAY Sports)

Chase Singletary (top) wrestles Seth Janney (bottom) at Easton Middle School. (Photo: Bill Streicher, USA TODAY Sports)

Blair Academy (Blairstown, N.J.) won 46 of 56 bouts and outscored its four foes by a combined score of 189-37 to repeat as champion of the Who’s No. 1 Duals on Sunday in Easton, Pa.

Blair is ranked No. 1 in the USA TODAY Sports/National High School Coaches Association Super 25 despite a recent dual loss to Wyoming Seminary (Kingston, Pa.).

RELATED: Super 25 Wrestling Rankings

In winning the Who’s 1 event, Blair beat three ranked teams: No. 8 Malvern Prep (Malvern, Pa.), No. 10 Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.) and then No. 4 Lake Highland Prep (Orlando) by a 40-18 score in the final. Blair also beat St. Augustine (Richland, N.J.).

Blair beat Malvern 42-8, downed St. Augustine 55-9 and topped Bergen Catholic 46-9.

Blair has eight nationally ranked wrestlers on its roster. Ohio State-bound Chase Singletary won his bouts 15-0 and 4-0 and then twice by forfeit at 220. Singletary is an American Family Insurance ALL-USA Midseason Wrestler of the Year candidate.

Super Bowl LI filled with high school multi-sport athletes

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Jan 22, 2017; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) celebrates after defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2017 AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports ORG XMIT: USATSI-355518 ORIG FILE ID: 20170122_jel_bt1_132.jpg

Tom Brady also played basketball and baseball in high school (Photo: Winslow Townson, USA TODAY Sports)

Following what is becoming a long trend, Super Bowl LI will feature an abundance of players who were multi-sport athletes in high school.

According to TrackingFootball.com, 88.7 percent of the players from the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons played multiple sports in high school. That includes 52.8 percent who also were basketball players, 47.2 percent who also competed in track and field and 18.9 percent who also played baseball.

RELATED: Aaron Rodgers wishes more kids played multiple sports

Broken down by team, 92.5 percent of the New England Patriots roster played multiple sports, led by 58.5 percent basketball players and 43.4 percent track athletes.

Among the Atlanta Falcons, 84.9 percent played multiple sports, led by 50.9 percent track athletes and 47.2 percent basketball players.

In last year’s Super Bowl, the overall number was 88 percent multi-sport athletes among the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers.

UConn signee Mikayla Coombs gets to live McDonald's All American dream

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Mikayla Coombs shows off her McDonald's All American jersey and hat (Photo: McDonald's All American Game)

Mikayla Coombs shows off her McDonald’s All American jersey and hat (Photo: McDonald’s All American Game)

In the first game of her sophomore season, Mikayla Coombs suffered a left knee injury. It was the dreaded ACL tear. Season over for one of the best players in the Class of 2017.

Not knowing what would happen next, Coombs thought her dream of playing in the McDonald’s All American Game as a senior might have ended.

But two years later, Coombs is a McDonald’s All American and she received her honorary jersey Monday when the McDonald’s Hometown Heroes presented by American Family Insurance came to her school, Wesleyan (Peachtree Corners, Ga.).

“It’s a blessing that I’ve come back the way I have,” she said. “It’s 100 percent. I feel no pain at all.  … God had a plan for me and everything worked out. (Not being a McDonald’s All American) was definitely one of my fears when I had my injury.”

RELATED: Rosters for McDonald’s All American girls game

Coombs, a UConn signee, says the experience of time away from the game has taught her an invaluable lesson.

“Not to take things for granted, like the sprints in practice or the defensive drills or the things that people might not want to deal with sometimes,” she said. “I always try to put an extra effort into doing it because I know how fast it can be taken away from you.”

A 5-10 guard, Coombs is ranked No. 14 overall by the espnW HoopGurlz rankings and No. 2 at her position.

“I think it’s a blessing where I am right now given the injury because there are a ton of great players in the 2017 class,” she said. “It would be great if I move up, but if I stay where I am, I’ll be fine with that, too.”

UConn also will be represented at the March 29 game in Chicago by wing Megan Walker, the nation’s top-ranked player from Monacan in Virginia. They both are playing for the East.

“We haven’t talked about it, but I’m sure we will because we have a group message,” Coombssaid. “She’ll be on my team and I’m pretty sure we’ll be roommates too so it will be a first glimpse of what college will be like. …

“I’ve heard the experience is unbelievable (in Chicago) and I’m excited to take part in it.”


Florida running back Timothy Jordan commits to Tennessee

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Timothy Jordan, a running back from Bartow (Fla.), has committed to Tennessee. He announced his decision via Twitter on Monday.

Jordan was on an official visit to Knoxville over the weekend.

He is a former Western Kentucky commit and chose the Vols over North Carolina and Purdue.

He is also a basketball player at Bartow.

Super 25 Regional Boys Basketball Rankings: Week 8

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USA TODAY High School Sports is bringing you Super 25 regional rankings for boys basketball this season as selected by Jim Halley with weekly rankings in five regions — Northeast, Midwest, South, Frontier and Pacific.

RELATED: Latest Super 25 Boys Basketball Expert Rankings

EAST
Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, District of Columbia, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Maine

1. DeMatha Catholic, Hyattsville, Md. (16-1)
2. Mount St. Joseph, Baltimore (22-1)
3. Gonzaga, Washington, D.C. (15-3)
4. Patrick School, Hillside, N.J. (10-3)
5. Rock Creek Christian, Upper Marlboro, Md. (13-0)
6. Lincoln, Brooklyn, N.Y. (14-2)
7. Long Island Lutheran, Brookville, N.Y. (13-2)
8. St. Anthony, Jersey City, N.J. (10-2)
9. Neumann-Goretti, Philadelphia (12-5)
10. Linden, N.J. (10-2)

SOUTH
Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, and Louisiana

1. Memphis East, Memphis (16-3)
2. Montverde Academy, Montverde, Fla. (18-2)
3. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (20-1)
4. Oak Hill, Mouth of Wilson, Va. (20-3)
5. Hamilton Heights Christian Academy, Chattanooga, Tenn. (19-5)
6. Newton, Covington, Ga. (21-0)
7. McEachern, Powder Springs, Ga. (18-0)
8. Paul VI, Fairfax, Va. (16-2)
9. Greensboro Day, Greensboro, N.C. (24-3)
10. Lee, Montgomery, Ala. (21-1)

MIDWEST
Ohio, Michigan, Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota

1. La Lumiere, La Porte, Ind. (18-1)
2. Simeon, Chicago (18-1)
3. Moeller, Cincinnati (15-0)
4. Edwardsville, Ill. (16-1)
5. Oshkosh North, Oshkosh, Wis. (12-0)
6. Clarkston, Mich. (10-0)
7. Curie, Chicago (18-2)
8. Bowling Green, Ky. (17-2)
9. Chaminade, St. Louis (16-1)
10. North, Fort Wayne, Ind. (16-1)

FRONTIER
Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming

1. Wasatch Academy, Mount Pleasant (18-3)
2. Sunrise Christian, Wichita, Kan. (16-3)
3. Klein Forest, Houston (23-0)
4. Jonesboro, Ark. (18-0)
5. Union, Tulsa (15-0)
6. Sam Houston, Houston, (27-1)
7. ThunderRidge, Highlands Ranch, Colo. (13-1)
8. Lone Peak, Highland, Utah (11-3)
9. Skyline, Dallas (22-1)
10. Bishop Miege, Shawnee Mission, Kan. (9-1)

PACIFIC
California, Arizona, Nevada, Washington, Hawaii, Oregon, Alaska

1. Nathan Hale, Seattle (15-0)
2. Sierra Canyon, Chatsworth, Calif. (16-1)
3. Chino Hills, Calif. (20-0)
4. Findlay Prep, Las Vegas (20-3)
5. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (21-1)
6. Shadow Mountain, Phoenix (18-0)
7. Bishop Montgomery, Torrance, Calif. (18-2)
8. Fairfax, Los Angeles (17-1)
9. Basha, Chandler, Ariz. (23-0)
10. Federal Way, Wash. (18-0)

 

Gatorade State Girls Cross Country Runners of the Year announced

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Dec 10, 2016; San Diego, California, USA; Claudia Lane (41) crosses the finish line and wins the Girls Milesplit Foot Locker National Finals at Balboa Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports ORG XMIT: USATSI-348782 ORIG FILE ID: 20161210_ter_rb5_057.jpg

Claudia Lane, winner of the Foot Locker Nationals, was named Gatorade Runner of the Year in California (Photo: Orlando Ramirez, USA TODAY Sports)

The Gatorade State Girls Cross Country Runners of the Year have been crowned. The winners were selected based on athletic production and impact in the 2016-17 season. Each winner also demonstrated high academic achievement and exemplary personal character, including volunteerism, sportsmanship and community leadership. Here is a list of winners.

Alabama – Lainey Phelps – Homewood

Alaska – Sadie Tuckwood – Juneau-Douglas, Juneau

Arizona – Allie Schadler – Rio Rico

Arkansas – Josie Carson – Lake Hamilton, Pearcy

California – Claudia Lane – Malibu

Colorado – Brie Oakley – Grandview, Aurora

Connecticut – Morgan McCormick – Wilton

Delaware – Lydia Olivere – Padua Academy, Wilmington

District of Columbia – Page Lester – National Cathedral School

Florida – Bailey Hertenstein – Riverview

Georgia – Nicole Fegans – Landmark Christian School, Fairburn

Hawaii – Veronica Winham – Seabury Hall, Makawao

Idaho – Lexy Halladay – Mountain View, Meridian

Illinois – Anna Sophia Keller – St. Anthony, Effingham

Indiana – Tyler Schwartz – Dekalb, Waterloo

Iowa – Anna Hostetler – Mid-Prairie, Wellman

Kansas – Holly Born – Shawnee Mission Northwest, Shawnee

Kentucky – Michaela Reinhart – Lexington Catholic, Lexington

Louisiana – Kirsten Landry – Ascension Episcopal School, Youngsville

Maine – Abigail Hamilton – Yarmouth

Maryland – Maria Coffin – Annapolis

Massachusetts – Grace Connolly – Natick

Michigan – Anne Forsyth – Pioneer, Ann Arbor

Minnesota – Lauren Peterson – Farmington

Mississippi – Kate Mattox – Starkville

Missouri – Tori Findley – Blue Springs South, Blue Springs

Montana – Tiahna Vladic – Billings Senior, Billings

Nebraska – Taylor Somers – Millard South, Omaha

Nevada – Samantha King-Shaw – Reed, Sparks

New Hampshire – Jacqueline Gaughan – Exeter

New Jersey – Alyssa Aldridge – Mainland Regional, Linwood

New Mexico – Amanda Mayoral – Cleveland, Rio Rancho

New York – Kelsey Chmiel – Saratoga Springs

North Carolina – Nevada Moreno – Leesville Road, Raleigh

North Dakota – Karly Ackley – Grand Forks Central, Grand Forks

Ohio – India Johnson – Hilliard Davidson, Hilliard

Oklahoma – Cheyenne Walden – Charles Page, Sand Springs

Oregon – Ember Stratton – Sunset, Portland

Pennsylvania – Aislinn Devlin – Downingtown West, Downingtown

Rhode Island – Ellie Lawler – South Kingstown, Wakefield

South Carolina – Cate Ambrose – Riverside, Greer

South Dakota – Laura Nelson – Gayville-Volin, Gayville

Tennessee – Rebecca Story – Christian Academy of Knoxville, Knoxville

Texas – London Culbreath – McKinney North, McKinney

Utah – Whitney Rich – Bingham, South Jordan

Vermont – Rena Schwartz – Green Mountain Valley School, Waitsfield

Virginia – Kate Murphy – Lake Braddock, Burke

Washington – Jordan Oakes – Holy Names Academy, Seattle

West Virginia – Tashala Turner – University, Morgantown

Wisconsin – Meghan Scott – Divine Savior Holy Angels, Milwaukee

Wyoming – Anna Gibson – Jackson Hole, Jackson

Updating the eight uncommitted Top 50 football recruits

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With less than two weeks until National Signing Day on Feb. 1, eight players in the top 50 of the USA TODAY Sports’ composite recruiting rankings remain uncommitted.

PLAYER RANKINGS: Overall | Player rankings by position

TEAM RANKINGS: Class of 2017

Here is a look at the prospects for those players:

Episcopal (Bellaire, Texas) is mentioned by many players at the Under Armour All-America Game as a potential defensive MVP in the game. (Photo: Jim Halley, USA TODAY Sports).

Marvin Wilson of Episcopal (Bellaire, Texas) (Photo: Jim Halley, USA TODAY Sports).

Marvin Wilson, defensive tackle, Episcopal (Bellaire, Texas)

Ranked No. 6, the 6-4, 329-pound Wilson has a final five of Florida State, LSU, Ohio State, Oklahoma and South Florida. If South Florida seems like an outlier, Wilson cited the relationship with new Bulls coach Charlie Strong as the reason for considering the school. Strong recruited Wilson when he was at Texas. LSU and Florida State are viewed as the favorites, but Wilson put out a favorable tweet about Ohio State last week. Are the Buckeyes in this race or is Wilson just messing with their fans? Oklahoma is expected to pay him an in-home visit on Monday night.

Aubrey Solomon, defensive tackle, Lee County (Leesburg, Ga.)

Ranked No. 25, Solomon is a former Michigan commit who is down to the Wolverines, Georgia, Alabama and Southern California. Solomon has said Alabama has a narrow lead and he is done with official visits after a trip to USC on Jan. 14. He has an up-and-down relationship with Michigan. He decommitted in August after he received a mailer from Michigan with his name misspelled and thanking him for attending an event that he didn’t attend. He had positive things to say after an official visit in November, but then was caught using an expletive about Michigan on a social media video. He then apologized. Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh went go-karting and bowling with Solomon and his family during a visit to Georgia in mid-January.

LaBrayan Ray, defensive end, Clemens (Madison, Ala.)

Ranked No. 26, Ray is considered the No. 1 overall recruit in Alabama and the Crimson Tide hope to prevent him from leaving the state. Ray had 99 tackles and 11 sacks as a senior. He took an official visit to Alabama last weekend and is scheduled for a visit to Florida on the final weekend before signing day.

Joseph Lewis (Photo: AAG)

Joseph Lewis (Photo: AAG)

Joseph Lewis, wide receiver, Hawkins (Los Angeles)

Ranked No. 31, Lewis is taking an unofficial and official visit to USC in the final two weeks and he has been considered a lean toward the Trojans. Nebraska is the other school in the running, and it could come down the final days. Teammate Greg Johnson, a four-star athlete in the Class of 2017, is down to USC and Nebraska, and the Cornhuskers just got a commitment from another teammate, Eric Fuller, a four-star athlete in the Class of 2018. Nebraska has made a big impact in Southern California in this class with Calabasas wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson Jr. and quarterback Tristan Gebbia. Lewis’ decision might not be as much of a USC slam dunk as it could appear.

Austin Jackson, offensive tackle, North Canyon (Phoenix)

Ranked No. 35, Jackson has had a comparably quiet recruitment and had expressed an interest at the Army Bowl in wrapping things up. He is down to Arizona State, USC and Washington. The 6-6, 280-pound Jackson took most of his visits during the season.

K'Lavon Chaisson pursues Kellen Mond at the Under Armour All-America Game (Photo: 247Sports)

K’Lavon Chaisson pursues Kellen Mond at the Under Armour All-America Game (Photo: 247Sports)

K’Lavon Chaisson, defensive end, North Shore (Galena, Texas)

Ranked No. 37, Chaisson tied the record with three sacks in the Under Armour All-America Game. He has left his visits for the end and was at Texas last weekend after being at LSU the weekend before. He rated his LSU visit as a 1,000 on a scale of 1 to 10, but he is a key recruit for first-year Texas coach Tom Herman. Chaisson can get after the quarterback on every play and is quick off the line. He will be a significant addition for either LSU or Texas.

Jeff Thomas, wide receiver, East St. Louis (Ill.)

A speedy slot receiver who is ranked No. 40, Thomas opened eyes when he was named the MVP of the Under Armour game with records for touchdowns and receiving yards. Thomas was said to be leaning toward in-state Illinois but eliminating the Illini last week. Miami, Louisville and Oregon are his three finalists. He visited Miami last weekend.

Jay Tufele, defensive tackle, Bingham (South Jordan, Utah)

Ranked No. 41, Tufele is closing with two Pac-12 visits: USC and Utah. The Utes are considered the favorite and the school has a history with players from Bingham. He visited Michigan in October and coaches checked in on him last week with an in-home visit. Michigan needs to add a defensive tackle, and it could be Tufele if it isn’t Aubrey Solomon. Tufele visited USC over the weekend along with another coveted defensive tackle, Marlon Tuipulotu. The two have been inseparable at a number of events, but that does not mean they absolutely will go to college together.

Four-star cornerback Elijah Gates commits to UCLA

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The defense continued to get stronger in UCLA’s recruiting class as four-star cornerback Elijah Gates chose the Bruins over Oregon on Monday.

Gates, from Buena Park (Calif.), is ranked No. 111 in the Scout 300 and is considered among the best cover corners in the West.

He visited UCLA in November and had narrowed down a final two recently before the announcement. He had in-home visits last week with UCLA head coach and assistant Demetrice Martin and with new Oregon coach Willie Taggart.

UCLA has put together a strong class among defensive backs led by top 10 recruit Darnay Holmes, who committed during the U.S. Army All-American Bowl; four-star cornerback Jaylan Shaw; three-star corner Morrell Osling; and three-star safety Quentin Lake, son of former NFL DB Carnell Lake.

The No. 1 recruit in the nation according to the composite rankings, defensive end Jaelan Phillips, is already enrolled in Westwood. Martin was the primary recruiter for all of them.

 

 

Five-star defensive tackle Marlon Tuipulotu flips to USC

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Marlon Tuipulotu, ranked as the nation’s No. 1 defensive tackle, has flipped his commitment from Washington to Southern California after a weekend official visit.

He announced his decision Monday night on Twitter. He said he will graduate high school early and be an early enrollee.

RANKINGS: Overall | By Position

Tuipulotu, from Central High in Oregon, had been committed to Washington since April. Since then, though, he qualified for The Opening Final, made the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and recently added a fifth star to his national ranking.

Tuipulotu is ranked as the No. 5 defensive tackle and No. 60 player overall by the composite rankings. At 6-2 and 295, he can hold the point of attack and gets good leverage against the offensive lineman. He also is a state wrestling champion.

The next question is whether Jay Tufele, ranked by Top247 as the No. 2 defensive tackle, could join him at USC. The two visited USC together over the weekend and are close friends.

Scout national recruiting director Brandon Huffman said he has been at three events with Tuipulotu and Tufele and said they were “inseparable.” Tufele, from Bingham (South Jordan, Utah) is seen as leaning toward Utah.

Tuipulotu’s decision could help build some late momentum for USC, which is still being considered by a number of top uncommitted players.

Midseason ALL-USA Girls Hockey Player of the Year candidates

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As girls hockey players in many states reach midseason or shortly thereafter, it’s time to look at midseason candidates for American Family Insurance ALL-USA Girls Hockey Player of the Year.

The honor will be determined in April after state championships.

RELATED: ALL-USA Preseason Girls Hockey Team

This list is not exhaustive; someone not on it could be named the ALL-USA Girls Hockey Player of the Year. After all, there’s still plenty of hockey to go.

Click the gallery to see the five candidates; capsules by Tim Whelan Jr.:


North Carolina’s McNeill twins can score and score some more

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Shareka and Shameka McNeill at Harding University High in North Carolina have scored 1,000 points each in their respective careers so both have shown they can get buckets.

Shareka is listed at 5-6 and wears No. 11. Shameka is listed at 5-5 and wears No. 12.

Harding pulled off an upset victory of South Mecklenburg and the twins were, well, double trouble.

Harding won the game 57-56 — Shareka and Shameka combined for 48 of those points.

Montverde Academy remains No. 1 in Super 25 winter boys soccer rankings

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Montverde Academy (Fla.) finished another undefeated season and remains atop the USA TODAY Sports/National Soccer Coaches Association Super 25 for winter boys soccer.

MORE: See the full Super 25 rankings

The Eagles went 22-0-1 to extend their national record unbeaten streak to 157 games and again won their season-ending Montverde Academy Soccer Tournament. Coach Mike Potempa has not lost a game since his arrival in 2010.

Carroll (Southlake, Texas), which was unranked in the previous Super 25, is off to a 7-0 start and has outscored its opponents 24-1.

Godinez Fundamental (Santa Ana, Calif.) remains No. 3 and improved to 14-0.

Northwest Rankin (Flowood, Miss.) moved up to No. 4 from No. 8 despite suffering its first loss of the season to move to 19-1.

Fleming Island (Orange Park, Fla.) stands at No. 5 as it takes an 18-1-2 record into the district tournament.

Michael Porter Jr. takes over top spot in ESPN's new player rankings

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There’s a new No. 1 in ESPN’s basketball recruiting rankings.

Michael Porter Jr., who stars at No. 1 Nathan Hale (Seattle) and is headed to play at Washington next year, has taken over the top spot from Arizona-bound center DeAndre Ayton, who’s now No. 2.

Porter has been dominant against solid competition, leading Nathan Hale to victories over the likes of Oak Hill and Sierra Canyon—both nationally ranked teams with top players.

Following Ayton is Duke signee Wendell Carter Jr., then two uncommitted players in Trevon Duval and Mohamed Bamba.

Super 25 Regional Boys Winter Soccer Rankings - Week 3

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Each week USA TODAY High School Sports and National Soccer Coaches Association of America will release Super 25 Regional Boys Winter Soccer Rankings. Rankings are based on results from the 2015 season, quality of players and strength of schedule. Regions are determined by the NCSAA.

REGION I (Florida)

Rank School W-L-T
1 Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 22-0-1
2 Fleming Island (Orange Park, Fla.) 18-1-2
3 University (Palm Harbor, Fla.) 14-1-0
4 Doral Prep Academy (Doral, Fla.) 19-1-1
5 Palmetto (Palmetto, Fla.) 18-1-1
6 Winter Park (Winter Park, Fla.) 11-1-2
7 Leon (Tallahassee, Fla.) 17-4-3
8 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) 15-2-1
9 Lakewood Ranch (Bradenton, Fla.) 14-3-1
10 Gulliver Prep (Miami, Fla.) 11-3-1
10 Berkeley Prep (Tampa, Fla.) 15-3-3

REGION II (Louisiana, Mississippi)

Rank School W-L-T
1 Northwest Rankin (Flowood, Miss.) 19-1-0
2 St. Paul’s School (Covington, La.) 17-3-2
3 E.D. White (Thibodeaux, La.) 15-0-5
4 Tupelo (Tupelo, Miss.) 10-1-1
5 Brother Martin (New Orleans, La.) 13-3-1
6 Vandebilt Catholic (Houma, La.) 16-3-2
7 Newman (New Orleans, La.) 13-2-0
8 Ocean Springs (Ocean Springs, Miss.) 16-2-1
9 Madison Central (Madison, Miss.) 10-3-1
10 Brandon (Brandon, Miss.) 13-2-1

REGION III (Texas)

Rank School W-L-T
1 Southlake Carroll (Southlake, Texas) 7-0-0
2 Plano West Senior (Plano, Texas) 3-0-0
3 Alief Elsik (Alief, Texas) 6-0-1
4 Coppell (Coppell, Texas) 3-1-0
5 Cinco Ranch (Katy, Texas) 5-0-1
6 The Woodlands (The Woodlands, Texas) 6-1-0
7 Reagan (San Antonio, Texas) 7-0-1
8 Sam Houston (Arlington, Texas) 4-0-1
9 Strake Jesuit Prep (Houston, Texas) 5-0-1
10 Seven Lakes (Katy, Texas) 4-0-2
10 Trinity Christian Academy (Addison, Texas) 13-0-0

REGION IV (Arizona, California and Hawaii)

Rank School W-L-T
1 Godinez Fundamental (Santa Ana, Calif.) 14-0-0
2 South Torrance (Torrance, Calif.) 14-0-0
3 Corona del Sol (Tempe, Ariz.) 14-1-2
4 Oceanside (Oceanside, Calif.) 9-1-5
5 Cathedral (Los Angeles, Calif.) 12-2-4
6 Alisal (Salinas, Calif.) 11-2-1
7 Campo Verde (GIlbert, Ariz.) 21-0-0
8 Redlands (Redlands, Calif.) 12-0-1
9 De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) 10-1-4
10 Servite (Anaheim, Calif.) 12-3-2

Federal Way (Wash.) runs nation's longest win streak to 61 games

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Who knew Washington state would be a hotbed of high school hoops?

That’s exactly the case, as Nathan Hale (Seattle) has taken the nation by storm and climbed to the top of the Super 25 rankings, while Federal Way has a more notable distinction: the nation’s longest win streak.

Federal Way has won 61 consecutive games, a record for its classification in a streak that has spanned two years. And while they hold the distinction of having the longest streak, Hale’s success hasn’t gone unnoticed.

“I feel like we’re the best team in the state,” Federal Way senior guard Marcus Stephens told the Seattle Times. “I know a lot of guys on the (Hale) team. When we connect, we’re all competitive, so I’ve gotten into plenty of arguments about the topic.”

 Chino Hills (Calif.), who’s ranked No. 4 in the latest Super 25 rankings, has a 55-game winning streak.
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