The voting is complete and three high school basketball players have earned their spots in the American Family Insurance High School Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships.

After the bracket-style American Family Insurance #DreamFearlessly Fan Vote through four rounds over the last month, these players will be making the trip to Arizona during Final Four weekend for the nationally televised event. The event airs CBS on Sunday, April 2 at 3:30 pm. ET.

Dunk contest: Jay Shropshire, a 6-1 guard from Chattooga (Ga.), beat Jaylen Sebree, from Christian County (Ky.), with 52% of the vote in the final.

Boys three-point contest: Cooper Neese, a 6-3 guard from Cloverdale (Ind.), beat Josh Kollman, from Bothell (Wash.), with 58% of the vote in the final.

Girls three-point contest: Natalie Sanchez, a 5-8 guard from Burges (Texas), beat Bethany Wolph, from Valley Christian in Arizona, with 56% of the vote.

The other participants in each event have been chosen by a panel of experts. The slam dunk contest will have four competitors with six competitors in each of the three-point events.

Linnay Wilson records a strikeout (Provided photo)

Linnay Wilson, a softball star from Coalinga (Calif.), readily concedes, “I’m not super well-known for my hitting, I’m known for my pitching.”

Well, as good as she’s been in the circle, when through the first eight games of the season, you are hitting .889 – that is not a typo – you draw some attention.

“I was not expecting to hit that,” she said of the batting average that is among the best in the nation. “My goal was .400 range, but it’s happened so far and now I have to keep up with it. I wasn’t trying to do it, but I’m extremely happy with it.”

She is hitting .511 for her career with 20 home runs and 84 runs batted in, but perhaps more amazingly, she has struck out only 12 times in three-plus seasons.

Wilson said she relies on one rule at the plate: Put the ball in play.

“I’ve always been a contact hitter and that’s specifically what my goal is,” Wilson said. “I go up to the plate and think, I’m going to hit this ball. I’m not worried if I get out or not. I just need to do my job at the plate. If I hit the ball, then it’s out of my hands. … I know what I can do and I just need to relax and do it. At this point, that is what I’m trying to do. I just need to do my job.”

Wilson is heading to Loyola Marymount on a softball scholarship to pitch at the next level and pursue a career in math or science.

She has not allowed an earned run this season in 22 innings with 50 strikeouts. For her career, she has a 34-13 mark with a 1.65 ERA and 668 strikeouts.

“I’m an extremely shy person, but being in the circle allows me to have a sense of control that I don’t have elsewhere,” Wilson said. “When I get in there, I know that I’m in control and this game is my game. It’s my duty to control this game.

“Attitude is huge for me. Whether I get frustrated or get hit off really bad or have a bad game, it’s important for me to keep my head up and know that things happen and you just have to move on.”

Wilson plays softball year-round and was ready for her senior season, but she noted that the quality of her teammates and the prospects of a championship inspired her to prepare harder.

“She has worked hard over this past season to improve both hitting and pitching,” coach Mike Voss said. “She also seems to be more focused and she has made the game fun again.

“We’ve got an exciting group of players this year that are putting up phenomenal numbers. The prospects of a championship this year are real. I think the talent around you can certainly influence the game and so it has with her game and stats also.”

More than the game she loves or the numbers she’s put up, Wilson is ranked No. 7 in her class academically and has big goals coming from a small town. Coalinga is in Fresno County and has a population of less than 15,000.

“I have to work harder and be more dedicated to get my name out there because I don’t have all the opportunities that some other players do,” Wilson said. “I’m not asking people to feel bad for me, but that has given me that drive and that push to do better. ‘Hey, I can come from this really small town and make a name for myself out in this world.’

“I’m truly trying to put my town on the map. Nobody knows where Coalinga is. That is really a part of me. I grew up here and I want people to know about this town. I want people to remember me as that girl that did her part and worked so hard to get where she wanted to be. Coming from a small town, it is possible. Anybody can do it.

“I’m extremely happy where where I am, but I’m not done.”

The underhand free throw has come to high school basketball, too.

Noah Giacomantonio of Linden (Mich.) said he was struggling with traditional free throws and decided to try one underhanded at practice about two weeks before the district championships.

“One day got frustrated and decided to shoot one underhanded,” Giacomantonio told USA TODAY High School Sports. “It went in and felt really smooth so I kept practicing it until the end of the regular season. On average, I practice them for about 30 minutes a day after practice. I asked my coach if I could make the switch and he allowed me to shoot it.”

Giacomantonio said his free throw percentage increased about 33% in districts. Linden ended up winning and so he planned to keep shooting that way but the team lost to Stoney Creek (Rochester Hills) in the regional semifinals.

“Just from messing around with it and making it, ultimately that guided me to make the switch permanently,” he said.

The underhanded free throw has gotten more attention thanks to Florida’s Canyon Barry, the son of Hall of Famer Rick Barry. The younger Barry was featured in a Snapchat story on the first day of the NCAA Tournament, one aptly called Granny Style.

In three seasons at the College of Charleston, Barry made 76.5% of his free throws with the shot his father perfected to make 89.3% of his free throws during the 1960s and 1970s.

“I have been taking inspiration from Canyon Barry and his father,” Giacomantonio said. “I have studied their techniques from YouTube and have made adjustments to my form to be more comfortable for me.”

Contributing: Rachel Axon, USA TODAY Sports

Justin Mascoll, ranked No. 18 in the Class of 2018 by ESPN.com, has announced his commitment to national champion Clemson on Twitter.

Mascoll, a weakside defensive end from South Gwinnett (Snellville, Ga.) is another key commitment for Clemson from Georgia. The No. 1 overall player, quarterback Trevor Lawrence from Lawrenceville, is also a Clemson commit.

Mascoll, who is 6-3 and 235 pounds, chose Clemson over Alabama, Florida State and Georgia. He took an unofficial visit to campus less than two weeks ago.

Defensive end is a priority in this class for Clemson and the Tigers continue to pursue five-stars KJ Henry and Xavier Thomas. Clemson also has a new defensive line coach in Todd Bates, who spent the last three years at Jacksonville State.

He is the sixth commit in the Class of 2018 for the Tigers; five of those players are among the top 100 players. That is significant, especially in the Class of 2018, because Clemson is expected to have only 12-14 scholarships available.

Charles Bassey (right) is among the players expected for the UnderClass All American Game  (Photo: Joe Alhmquist, Argus Leader)

Five 2019 players ranked among the top 20 by ESPN.com are scheduled to play in the second annual UnderClassman All American Game on March March 26th at Wheeler High School in Marietta, Ga.

The game, which was held in Indianapolis last year, features top players from the Classes of 2019 and 2020.

Among those scheduled from the Class of 2019 are Charles Bassey, from St. Anthony (San Antonio), who is ranked No. 4; D.J. Jeffries, from Olive Branch (Miss.), who is ranked No. 6; Matthew Hurt, from John Marshall (Rochester, Minn.), who is ranked No. 7; James Wiseman, from the Ensworth School (Nashville, Tenn.), who is ranked No. 12; and Chandler Lawson, from Memphis East (Tenn.), who is ranked No. 20. Matur Maker, the younger brother of Milwaukee Bucks rookie Thon Maker, is also scheduled to compete.

Xavier Foster, a 6-10 forward from Oskaloosa, Iowa, and Richard Amafeule, a British forward now at Blue Ridge (Va.) are among the intriguing Class of 2020 players.

The national game at 1 p.m. will be followed by a Select Game, featuring top players from Georgia and the region, at 3 p.m. A dunk contest is planned in between games with Dominique Wilkins serving as a judge. He also will speak on as an ambassador for Diabetes in Georgia.

Organizers said proceeds will benefit the American Diabetes Association and the JFDRF (Junior Diabetes Research Foundation).

EAST ROSTER

2019 F Charles Bassey (St. Anthony – San Antonio)

2020 G Dwon Odom (St. Francis H.S. – Alpharetta, Ga.)

2019 G Marcedus Leech (Poplar Bluff, Mo.)

2019 F Isaac Johnson (American Fork, Uique tah)

2019 G Tre Mann (The Villages, Orlando)

2019 F Chandler Lawson (Memphis East)

2019 F Matthew Hurt (John Marshall, Minn.)

2019 SF Isacc Okoro (McEachern, Ga.)

2020 PG Sharife Cooper (McEachern. Ga.)

2019 SF DJ Jeffries (Olive Branch, Miss.)

2019 PF Jared Jones (Pebblebrook, Ga.)

WEST ROSTER

2019 PF James Wiseman (Ensworth, Tenn.)

2020 G Jalen Suggs (Minnehaha, Minn.)

2019 SF Aundre Hyatt (The Miller School, Va.)

2020 G Anthony Edwards (Holy Spirit, Ga.)

2020 F Isaiah Todd (John Marshall, Va.)

2019 PG De’Vion Harmon (Guyer, Texas)

2019 F Makur Maker (Tech Academy of AA&S, Canada)

2020 F Xavier Foster (Oskaloosa, Iowa)

2020 F Jaemyn Brakefield (Huntington Prep, WVa.)

2020 F Richard Amaefule (Blue Ridge, Va.)

2019 SF Devan Cambridge (Pro Vision, Texas)

2019 G Dekeyvan Tandy (University Heights, Ky.)

This basketball official might have more game than the some of the players in the game he’s officiating.

In a dunk contest-worthy move during a timeout, the ref throws the ball up and then catches it and hammers it through with one hand.

The move tears the house down and also impresses both teams as players stream on to the court. We especially love the one player who busts from the huddle and basically circles the court in excitement.

The video was posted on Instagram by Josh Philips, who is part of the Lubbock Titans basketball in Texas.

Shaun Wade, an Ohio State early enrollee, has been in Columbus for a few months so it makes sense that he would return home to Jacksonville for his first spring break.

While he’s home, though, Wade has been talking to young athletes in his hometown about his path to winning multiple state titles at Trinity Christian and earning an FBS scholarship.

Wade, a U.S. Army All-American defensive back, was named the American Family Insurance ALL-USA Defensive Player of the Year last fall for his efforts as a senior.

Wade’s father, Randy, said Shaun has met with the Team Elite Jacksonville boys AAU basketball program, teams from the Pro Impact 7 on 7 program, among others, and hopes to meet with the Sweetwater Athletic Association Pop Warner team that recently won nationals. Wade earmarked his $1,000 Gatorade Player of the Year for the Sweetwater Falcons, his father said.

Shaun Wade works in the community (Photo: Randy Wade)

“I want to explain to them the difference between college and high school and how important it is to keep their grades up so they can go to college,” Shaun said. “I want to give the knowledge to people so they can meet their goals and have no excuse.”

Wade also stressed putting in the work to get a scholarship, given the number of players who are all pursuing opportunities. Not a prolific tweeter, Wade also talks about being responsible on social media for both athletes and their parents. “work in silence. Don’t announce everything,” his father said.

Shaun Wade speaks to an AAU basketball team (Photo: Randy Wade)

Nathan Hale forward Michael Porter Jr. (center) poses with his brothers, Coban (left) and Jontay Porter (right). (Photo: Ted S. Warren, Associated Press)

The reading of the tea leaves around Michael Porter Jr.’s future continues.

Porter, the No. 1 player in the Class of 2017,  has removed “Washington commit” from his Twitter bio. That line has been there since he committed to the Huskies in the fall.

Now his bio mentions Nathan Hale High School, Mokan Elite (his AAU program) and that he is 1X gold medalist (noting his contributions for Team USA).

This comes on the heels of Lorenzo Romar’s firing as head coach. Among the members of Romar’s coaching staff was Michael Porter Sr. Reports have circulated that Porter Sr. will be hired as an assistant coach for new Missouri coach Cuonzo Martin. Martin is expected to have an introductory news conference Monday at Missouri.

The dots started to be connected from there.

If Porter wants to follow his father to Missouri, he will need to be released from his letter of intent. Washington officials have told The Seattle Times and other outlets that they will release recruits at their request.

Porter, ranked by many as the No. 1 player in the Class of 2017, has not commented beyond a tweet that said, “Loved this coaching staff and couldn’t wait to start something special next year…this hurts.”

Porter’s younger brother, Jontay, tweeted Friday that he was re-opening his recruiting after committing to Washington. Porter is expected to reclassify to the Class of 2017.

Two of the Porters’ sisters play at Missouri, and the family lived in Columbia from 2010 to last year, when Porter Sr. was hired at Washington.

While the Twitter bio change doesn’t mean Porter Jr. is going to Missouri. It does seem to indicate he doesn’t consider himself bound to Washington after the school fired Romar, his godfather.

David Singleton had three three-pointers and 13 points in the fourth quarter to lift Bishop No. 9 Montgomery (Torrance, Calif.) to a 60-53 victory against No. 11 Mater Dei (Santa Ana) in the Southern California Open Division Regional final on Saturday night.

Montgomery (30-2) now advances to face Woodcreek (Roseville) in the state title game next Saturday in Sacramento.

“In the fourth quarter, I just wanted to play my game, relax, stay calm, stay confident, trust my shot,” Singleton told The Los Angeles Times. “I work on it every day.”

Montgomery’s other star, Ethan Thompson also had a big fourth quarter and finished with 13 points. The Knights trailed by three entering the fourth.

Gianni Hunt had 12 points.

The final margin might be a bit misleading. Montgomery led by three with 28.2 seconds remaining, but Mater Dei (33-3) was called for fouls setting screens on the offensive end on consecutive possessions.

Ethan Thompson of Bishop Montgomery (Photo: Josh Lefkowitz, Getty Images)

Connecticut women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma provided some sage advice to young players: Body language matters on the court and on the bench.

“We put a huge premium on body language, and if your body language is bad, you will never get in the game. Ever,” he said during a news conference Saturday. “I don’t care how good you are.”

Entering Monday’s second-round NCAA Tournament game against Syracuse, UConn has won an NCAA-record 108 games in a row and has not lost in 855 days.

MORE: How coaches evaluate body language

He also said his players know that when he reviews game film, he watches the bench, too. Players who are not engaged and involved won’t play.

He said young players “who don’t even know which pivot to use” act “too cool” and are only happy for themselves and not their teammates. He said he and his staff don’t recruit players who act that way.

“I’d rather lose than watch the way some kids play the way they play. I’d rather lose,” he said “They’re allowed to get away with just whatever, and they’re always thinking about themselves. Me, me, me, me. I didn’t score so why should I be happy. I’m not getting enough minutes, why should I be happy. That’s the world we live in today. Unfortunately. Kids check the scoreboard sometimes because they’re going to get yelled at if they don’t score enough points. Don’t get me started.”

Six players punched their tickets to the Under Armour All-America Game with their performance Sunday as the Under Armour All-America Camp Series stopped in Houston.

The invitations to the 2018 All-America Game were not solely based on players’ performance at the camp. Organizers took into account game film and other factors before offering spots.

The group included three wide receivers, an offensive lineman, a defensive lineman and a safety.

• Tommy Bush, a 6-5 wide receiver from Samuel Clemens (Schertz, Texas). Bush has seen interest steadily increase this spring and is up to 36 reported offers.
• Al’Vonte Woodard, a 6-1 wide receiver from Lamar (Houston). He might have been the best receiver on the field Sunday. He is ranked No. 128 in the ESPN Junior 300.
• Jaylen Waddle, a 5-9 1/2 wide receiver from Episcopal (Bellaire, Texas). Speed is his calling card as he was timed in the 4.3 range. He is ranked No. 173 overall in the ESPN Junior 300.
• Cole Smith, an LSU commit center from Pontotoc (Miss.). He is listed at 6-4 and 275 pounds.
• Leon O’Neal, a top 10 safety from Cypress Springs (Cypress, Texas). He showed his cover skills at the camp. He has 19 reported offers.
• Keondre Coburn,  a 6-1, 326-pound defensive lineman from Westfield. Coburn showed his strength at the camp and is ranked among the top defensive tackles in the country.

Three players also received invitations to the Elite 50.

• Kenyon Green, an offensive tackle from Atascocita (Humble, Texas).
• Ishmael Sopsher, a defensive tackle from Amite (La.).
• Kardell Thomas, an offensive tackle from Southern Lab (Baton Rouge, La.)

Arturo Sealy’s putback with one second left completed a miraculous comeback as Walton (Bronx, N.Y.) beat top seed Brooklyn Law and Tech 58-57 for the New York PSAL Class A title.

The school won its first city championship since 1993.

Walton trailed 37-20 at halftime before storming back.

Walton (23-5) advances to the New York Federation Class A semifinals where it faces Monsignor Farrell next week in Glens Falls.

IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) wide receiver Joshua Moore has committed to play in the Under Armour All-America Game, he announced on Twitter.

Moore has more reported scholarship offers than any football recruit in the Class of 2018 with 58. That is nearly half of the 128 FBS schools. That list got trimmed Tuesday when Moore, a wide receiver for IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), cut his list to 10 via Twitter.

The 10: Alabama, Texas, Texas A&M, LSU, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Florida State, Georgia, Tennessee and Nebraska.

Nathan Hale forward Michael Porter Jr. (right) won the Naismith Trophy (Photo: Ted S. Warren, Associated Press) 

Nathan Hale (Seattle) has swept the Naismith Trophy High School Player and Coach of the Year honors, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Monday.

Michael Porter Jr., a 6-9 forward whom many consider the No. 1 recruit in the nation, took home the top player after averaging 34.8 points and 13.8 rebounds.

Porter scored 28 points with 17 rebounds in the Raiders’ 68-51 victory against Garfield in the Washington state 3A title game.

Brandon Roy, a NBA All-Star guard, won the coach honor in his first season after leading Hale to an undefeated season (29-0) and the state championship after the program won three games last season. Hale is currently ranked No. 1 in the Super 25.

“It’s a dream come true,” Porter said in a news release. “This is the biggest individual accomplishment of my basketball career so far and I feel blessed.”

Brandon Roy talks with an official (Photo: Elaine Thompson, Associated Press) 

This marks the third time a player and his coach were both honored, joining Jared and Satch Sullinger (Northland, Columbus) in 2010 and Lonzo Ball and Steve Baik (Chino Hills, Calif.) last season.

“Michael was the leader of a talented team which worked hard and never lost sight of their end goal – a perfect season and winning a state title,” said Eric Oberman, executive director of the Atlanta Tipoff Club. “Coach Roy was the steady guidance who motivated this team to improve every single game and ultimately they both were rewarded by winning Naismith awards.”

Porter Jr. and Roy will be honored at Hale in April.

Winners were determined by the Naismith Awards high school voting academy, a select group of basketball journalists from around the country.

South Carolina guard Rakym Felder (4) and forward Chris Silva (30) celebrate with head coach Frank Martin after beating Duke (Photo: Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports)

Miami Heat forward Udonis Haslem won two Florida state championships while playing for current South Carolina coach Frank Martin at Miami Senior High in 1997 and ’98.

The school also won the state title in 1996 before Haslem arrived from Wolfson (Jacksonville).

Steve Blake, who would go on to play for a number of NBA teams in a lengthy NBA career, also was on those Miami teams.

After South Carolina beat Duke on Sunday night in the NCAA Tournament — the first time South Carolina has reached the Sweet 16 in 44 years — Haslem took to Twitter to congratulate his former high school coach.

Halsem noted that he played for SEC rival Florida, but his bond with Martin runs deep.

IMG Academy’s Trevon Duval (1) goes up for a shot. (Photo: USA Today Sports)

The American Family Insurance ALL-USA Boys Basketball Player of the Year will be announced next week.

We want your input into who should win our top honor. Voting will be used as a factor in our selection.

Cast your vote below from these finalists:

The Gatorade State Girls Basketball Players 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.

RELATED: Gatorade State Girls Basketball Players of the Year

Alabama: John Petty, Jemison (Huntsville)

Alaska: Austin White, Ninilchik

Arizona: Alex Barcello, Corona Del Sol (Tempe)

Arkansas: Daniel Gafford, El Dorado

California: Marvin Bagley, Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth)

Colorado: Colbey Ross, Eaglecrest (Centennial)

Connecticut: Tremont Waters, Notre Dame (West Haven)

Delaware: Kyson Rawls, St. Georges Technical (Middletown)

District of Columbia: Luke Garza, Maret School

Florida: Chaundee Brown, The First Academy (Orlando)

Georgia: Wendell Carter Jr., Pace Academy (Atlanta)

Hawaii: Jessiya Villa, Kahuku

Idaho: Kolby Lee, Rocky Mountain (Meridian)

Illinois: Mark Smith, Edwardsville

Indiana: Brian Bowen, La Lumiere (La Porte)

Iowa: Joe Weiskamp,  Muscatine

Kansas: Mitchell Ballock, Eudora

Kentucky: Taveion Hollingsworth, Paul Laurence Dunbar (Lexington)

Louisiana: Ja’Vonte Smart, Scotlandville Magnet (Baton Rouge)

Maine: Terion Moss, Portland

Maryland: Jalen Smith, Mount St. Joseph (Baltimore)

Massachusetts: Azar Swain, The Rivers School (Weston)

Michigan: Isaiah Livers, Kalamazoo Central

Minnesota: Tre Jones, Apple Valley

Mississippi: Robert Woodard, Columbus

Missouri: Jared Ridder, Kickapoo (Springfield)

Montana: Brendan Howard, Great Falls

Nebraska: Teddy Allen, Boys Town

Nevada: Troy Brown, Centennial (Las Vegas)

New Hampshire: Joey Glynn, Portsmouth

New Jersey: Jahvon Quinerly, Hudson Catholic (Jersey City)

New Mexico: Brenden Boatwright, Carlsbad

New York: Hameir Wright, Albany Academy

North Carolina: Coby White, Greenfield School (Wilson)

North Dakota: Aanen Moody, Dickinson

Ohio: Kaleb Wesson, Westerville South

Oklahoma: Trae Young, Norman North

Oregon: Zach Reichle, Wilsonville

Pennsylvania: Mohamed Bamba, Westtown School (West Chester)

Rhode Island: Cole Swider, St. Andrew’s School (Barrington)

South Carolina: Jalek Felton, Gray Collegiate Academy (West Columbia)

South Dakota: Matt Cartwright, O’Gorman (Sioux Falls)

Tennessee: Tyler Harris, Cordova

Texas: Marcus Garrett, Skyline (Dallas)

Utah: Jaxon Brenchley, Ridgeline (Millville)

Vermont: Calvin Carter, Enosburg Falls

Virginia: Matt Coleman, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson)

Washington: Michael Porter Jr., Nathan Hale (Seattle)

West Virginia: Luke Frampton, Poca

Wisconsin: Kobe King, La Crosse Central

Wyoming: Trey Hladky, Campbell County (Gillette)

David Beatty (Photo: John Del Bianco, 247Sports)

As far weekends go, David Beatty had a pretty good one.

On Sunday afternoon, he had 19 points and seven steals in a stellar effort defensively to lead No. 6 Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia) to a 70-51 victory against Audenried (Philadelphia) in the PIAA Class 4A quarterfinals.

Later Sunday, the South Carolina signee saw his future team beat Duke in the NCAA Tournament to advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time in 44 years.

“Seeing South Carolina make it to the Sweet 16 only makes me want to go harder every day and perfect my game so I can put us in the same spot next year,” Beatty told USA TODAY High School Sports on Monday.

Beatty, ranked as the No. 3 recruit in the Class of 2017 by ESPN, is part of the incoming class that includes two players from Miami — Ibrahim Doumbia, a 6-8 forward from Mali, and Felipe Haase, a 6-8 forward from Chile.

The recognition that South Carolina is getting after the victory presents an interesting parallel to Imhotep.

The team has been ranked in the top 10 nationally – it is currently No. 6 in the Super 25 – but does not have the name brand of programs such as an Oak Hill, Montverde Academy or Findlay Prep.

Imhotep is 29-2 this season after a 25-6 season a year ago that ended in the state Final Four against Nuemann-Goretti (Philadelphia).

“I believe my team is getting some recognition but not as much as we should,” Beatty said. “We are making history and we know everybody sees it, but we still are the underdogs.”

Imhotep won four state title in five years – 2009 and then three consecutively from 2011 to ’13. Beatty, a 6-3 guard, arrived at Imhotep before last season after transferring from St. Benedict’s in New Jersey.

“Being ranked top 10 nationally is just was one of our goals before the season started,” he said. “My teammates and I worked for it and we deserve it. We just want to put our stamp on being one of the best teams to ever come out of Philly.”

Since beating Martin Luther King in the Public League championship in Philly, Imhotep has outscored its last four opponents by margins of 30, 33, 29 and 19.

A big part of that has been a defense that forced turnovers. Audenreid turned the ball over 24 times, including 17 in the first quarter.

Imhotep faces Greater Nanticoke in the state semifinals Tuesday in Bethlehem. The winner advances to the state final in Hershey against either Quaker Valley or Stron Vincent.

“We are playing really well,” Beatty said. “Everybody is focused on one thing and that is winning the state championship.”

USA Football will award nearly $2 million in grants to various youth, middle school, and high school football programs across the country.

The money will go towards the purchase of equipment, turf fields, automated external defibrillators (AEDs), and more.

“I have two grandsons who play youth and high school football and we share a passion for this sport,” said Bill Polian, Pro Football Hall of Famer, ESPN NFL Analyst and the Chairman of USA Football’s Football Advisory Committee. “For the better part of six decades, football has been an important part of my life. I’ve seen first-hand how this game is a healthy, rewarding and life-enriching pursuit for countless grandsons, including my own.

“USA Football’s grants program helps schools and youth organizations deliver exceptional experiences that stretch beyond fitness and on-field achievement. As significant as those things are, it’s the life-long friendships and the values of sacrifice and putting a teammate before yourself that makes football so distinctly special and rewarding for our kids. It’s the ultimate team game.”

According to USA Football, the program has awarded up to $10 million since 2006, assisting some 200,000 players.

Here’s a great moment from a JV soccer game between Texas soccer teams Rudder (Bryan) and Mayde Creek (Houston).

As you can see in the video above from the Houston Chronicle, Rudder’s Jacob Zapalac darts through Mayde Creek’s defense for a goal. What makes it so special is that Zapalac is a 21-year-old with Down syndrome and a student of Bryan ISD’s 18 PLUSS Program.

He’s not allowed to play varsity, but Rudder coach John Primeaux added him to the JV roster when he said he wanted to play.

“Jacob’s a cool guy,” Primeaux told the Houston Chronicle. “I talked to his mother, and she said he wanted to play soccer. I talked to Jacob and said, ‘Well, come on then. Let’s play some soccer.'”

Players have often allowed Zapalac to score a goal on a penalty kick, Primeaux told the paper, but Mayde Creek players wanted to do one better and have Zapalac score in the flow of a game.

“I wish you could have been there to see the look on this young man’s face as he scored the goal,” Mayde Creek coach Ryan Allred told the Chronicle. “His hands quickly shot in the air while running to the sideline and then jumping into the arms of his coach.”

Great stuff, and the entire piece on Jacob and his teammates from the Houston Chronicle is well worth your time.