As far as buzzer beaters go, check out this one from Alizine Anderpoint of West Brook (Beaumont, Texas).
The senior had 21 points in a 67-50 win against Deer Park but will remember this game for this three-quarter court heave that ended the third quarter.
A North Dakota high school hockey team was caught taking part in what one school official called a social media “stunt” but officials have indicated the incident was not hazing, according to WDAY.com.
The incident was videotaped at the hotel where the Fargo South-Shanley boys hockey team was staying Dec. 28-30 for game in Rochester, Minn., according to the report.
“The whole incident wasn’t videotaped, but it appeared to be one of the players trying to pass out by plugging his nose and applying pressure to his chest,” Fargo South assistant principal and Activities Director Michael Beaton told WDAY. “It was a stunt seen on social media. They wanted to try it and they videotaped it using Snapchat I believe, but I’m not positive.”
RELATED: Wisconsin athlete suspended for tweet about state association
Beaton said safety concerns with the stunt — which sounds similar to “the choking game” or “the pass out game” seen online — were addressed with the full team. The team includes players from Fargo South and Fargo Shanley highs.
Beaton declined to say whether any of the players involved were disciplined.
“The incident was dealt with right away and the players were addressed about the safety concerns involved with imitating things seen on various social media websites,” he told WDAY. “They aren’t always safe and if they are posted on social media they don’t represent our team and schools in a good way.”
UDPATE: Voting is underway for California, D.C. and Mississippi. Voting will end Jan. 22 at 2 pm ET.
NOTE: Florida, Oklahoma and Maine get underway Jan. 25 at Noon ET.
MORE: Best Athletic Program Homepage
Below are the top two vote getters from each state.
STATE WINNERS:
Kentucky – Notre Dame, Covington Catholic
Ohio – Bishop Watterson, Wapakoneta
Rhode Island – Rogers. Coventry
Montana – Corvallis, Hamilton
Washington – Sumner, Zillah
Wisconsin – Burlington, New London
Iowa – Washington, Regina
Illinois – George Washington, Mother McAuley
West Virginia – Charleston Catholic, Morgantown
Kansas – St. Thomas Aquinas, Hesston
North Dakota – Fargo South, Hazen
Missouri – St. Francis Borgia, Lafayette
Colorado – Thompson Valley, Regis Jesuit
Minnesota – Southwest Minnesota Christian, Blue Earth
South Dakota – Tea Area, T.F. Riggs
Georgia – Dalton, Woodward Academy
Indiana – Valparasio, North Central
Idaho – Boise, Blackfoot
Michigan – Lake Orion, Seaholm
Nebraska – Sidney, Omaha Scutt Catholic
Oregon – Burns, South Eugene
Arizona – Valley Christian, Desert Vista
Nevada – Bishop Gorman, Spanish Springs
Utah – Richfield, Maple Mountain
Note: The 18 wildcards will be announced once all the state contests have concluded. The 18 schools that finished with the highest number of votes, no matter what state, who didn’t finish in the top two of its state will move on to the national group round.
CONTEST OVERVIEW:
The biggest America’s Best contest in the history of USA TODAY High School Sports is here.
Beginning Aug. 31, the high school sports fans of America will decide which school has the best overall athletic program. We begin with Arizona, Nevada and Utah (see the full state schedule below).
Schools qualify by having won a state championship in a state-sanctioned sport in any of the last three academic years. Then YOU decide which school is No. 1 in the state. The top two schools in each state will be entered into the national championship round in the spring. The top votegetter not among the top two will have a chance to make the national championship round as a wild card.
Vote as often as you like, tell your friends and family and school alumni, share on Facebook and Twitter. This is YOUR CHANCE to prove which school is the best.
Here is the schedule for the rest of the state round:
Oct. 12: Minnesota, Colorado, South Dakota
Oct. 26: Missouri, Kansas, North Dakota
Nov. 9: Illinois, Iowa, West Virginia
Nov. 30: Washington, Wisconsin, Montana
Dec. 14: Ohio, Kentucky, Rhode Island
Jan. 11, 2016: California, Mississippi, D.C.
Jan. 25: Florida, Oklahoma, Maine
Feb. 8: Texas, Tennessee, Hawaii
Feb. 22: New York, Maryland, Delaware
March 7: Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Wyoming
March 21: Alabama, South Carolina, Alaska
April 4: North Carolina, Connecticut, New Hampshire
April 18: New Jersey, Arkansas, Montana
May 2: Virginia, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Mexico
LiAngelo Ball, left, LaMelo Ball, center and Lonzo Ball, right, have everyone talking about Chino Hills. (Photo: Jim Halley, USA TODAY Sports)
Chino Hills (Calif.) has edged past Atascocita (Humble, Texas) and take the No. 1 spot in the Super 25 Computer rankings in boys basketball.
Chino Hills enters the week at 14-0 and is coming off a victory against Foothills Christian (El Cajon, Calif.) on Saturday at a showcase at Sierra Canyon.
RELATED: Complete Computer rankings nationally and by state
Atascocita, which remains unbeaten, is No. 2.
Montverde (Fla.) Academy remains No. 3. The Eagles were No. 1 in the preseason computer rankings.
Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) holds steady at No. 4. Hopkins (Minn.) moves up at spot to No. 5.
The second five begins with Bishop Montgomery (Torrance, Calif.), Apple Valley (Minn.), Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) and St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.).
Pittsford girls swim coach Marty Keating has been coaching the sport for 42 years. (Photo: Democrat & Chronicle)
The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Coaches Association has named its 22 winners of 2015 National Coaches of the Year.
The organization honors coaches in the top 10 girls sports and top 10 boys sports by participation numbers, in one other sport not among the top 10 and a spirit coach for a total of 22. The awards recognize achievement during the 2014-15 school year.
Here are the recipients for boys sports:
Here are the recipients for girls sports:
The National Coach of the Year Award for spirit was awarded to Natalie Horton of Valley Center (Kan.) and Karen Kuhlmann of Holmen (Wis.) was chosen in the other sports category for girls gymnastics.
The NFHS Coaches Association has selected Ron Anders of Auburn, Ala., as the recipient of the National Coach Contributor Award. According to the NFHS, this is given to an “individual who has gone above and beyond in the coaching profession by exemplifying the highest standards of sportsmanship, ethical conduct and moral character, and who carries the endorsement of his or her respective state high school association.”
The Polynesian All-American Bowl took place Saturday in Oceanside, Calif., with its annual mix of culture, fellowship and football with high school stars of Polynesian descent coming together under the watchful eyes of former NFL players.
Team Black beat Team White 28-14 in the sixth annual edition of the game.
Here is a look at the highlights from our friends at #D1Bound Nation:
Caitlyn Wurzburger has yet to begin her eighth grade season at American Heritage (Delray, Fla.), but she already has her college selected.
Wurzubrger, an attack, gave a verbal commitment to Syracuse and coach Gary Gait this week, according to Florida Lacrosse News, becoming the first commit in the Class of 2020. Wurzburger was named to the Sun-Sentinel’s All-Palm Beach lacrosse team last spring as a seventh grader and has taken part in Syracuse’s winter lacrosse camp.
This is not the earliest a lacrosse player has accepted a scholarship but comes at a time when the college coaches association in men’s and women’s lacrosse has each independently supported proposals that would ban contact with recruits until the start of the player’s junior year. The proposal from the women’s coaches association is scheduled to enter the NCAA legislative process this month.
Until the rules are changed, coaches need to continue to do what the rules allow to get top-level commits to their programs, even if those players are in eighth grade.
Wurzburger has played extensively on the club circuit with Florida Select and played on the youth level with the Delray Beach Riptide.
Lacrosse runs in her family and she has a connection to Central New York. Her father, Rob, was a star at Syracuse-area national powerhouse West Genesee High in the early 1990s before going to Maryland, where he was a two-time All-American.
Here are the top national fan photos from our partners at ScoreStream. Make sure you post your team’s best photo to ScoreStream and see if it makes the cut in our next installment here on USA TODAY High School Sports.
The great thing about the current state of high school wrestling is during any given week fans get to watch many of the top teams go head-to-head in either high-profile dual meets or individual tournaments.
Saturday, five of the top 11 teams in the latest USA TODAY High School Sports/National High School Coaches Association Super 25 wrestling rankings will be in Philadelphia to face off in the inaugural Who’s #1 Duals at the Palestra at the University of Pennsylvania.
RELATED: Super 25 Wrestling Rankings
The field features No. 2 Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.), No. 4 Blair Academy (Blairstown, N.J.), No. 6 Clovis (Clovis, Calif.), No. 9 Bethlehem Catholic (Bethlehem, PA) and No. 11 Lake Highland Prep (Orlando). The teams will be broken up into two pools and at the end of pool play, the teams will compete for first, third, fifth and seventh places.
In pool play, Bergen Catholic, which moved up from No. 3 to No. 2 in the latest rankings after winning the top-notch Doc Buchanan Invitational in Clovis, Calif., will face Bethlehem Catholic and Lake Highland Prep.
Here’s the Who’s #1 Duals schedule:
Round 1
Blair Academy vs. Delbarton
Clovis vs. Holy Cross
Bergen Catholic vs. St. Augustine
Bethlehem Catholic vs. Lake Highland
Round 2
Blair Academy vs. Holy Cross
Clovis vs. Delbarton
Bergen Catholic vs. Bethlehem Catholic
St. Augustine vs. Lake Highland
Round 3
Blair Academy vs. Clovis
Holy Cross vs. Delbarton
Bergen Catholic vs. Lake Highland
Bethlehem Catholic vs. St. Augustine
Also shaping next week’s rankings will be the Ohio showdown between No. 5 Graham (St. Paris) and No. 7 St. Edward (Lakewood) on Saturday.
As far as this week’s rankings, Mount Carmel (Chicago) is the biggest mover, jumping from No. 24 to No. 13 after winning the Cheesehead Invitational in Wisconsin last weekend.
Wyoming Seminary (Kingston, Pa.) remains at No. 1, followed by Bergen Catholic and Clovis, which dropped a spot to No. 3 after finishing second at the Doc Buchanan.
New to this week’s Super 25 are Kasson-Mantorville (Kasson, Minn.) at No. 23 and Boyertown (Pa.) at No. 25.
The Gatorade State Girls Cross Country Runners of the Year were selected based on athletic production and impact in the 2015-16 season. Each winner also demonstrated high academic achievement and exemplary personal character, including volunteerism, sportsmanship and community leadership.
For the complete list of Gatorade State Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year winners, click here.
THE WINNER: Briahna Gerlach
THE BASICS
School: Glennallen (Alaska)
Grade: Junior
Position: Distance Runner
Height: 5-foot-8
Athletic achievement: The distance runner raced to her third consecutive Class 1-2-3A individual state championship this past season with a time of 19:04. Gerlach also won the Region 2 championship, the Tsalteshi Invitational, the Palmer Invitational, the Colony Invitational and the Su Valley Invitational.
Academic excellence: Gerlach has maintained a 4.0 GPA.
Exemplary character: Also a talented singer and musician, she has volunteered locally on behalf of a senior citizens center.
THE PRAISE
“Briahna’s success and multiple state championships in cross country and track have been an inspiration to the community,” said Glennallen co-coach Heidi Jacobsen. “We’ve seen our running program grow, in part due to the attention that she brings to the sport.”
THE FUTURE: Gerlach will begin her senior year of high school this fall.
The Gatorade State Girls Cross Country Runners of the Year were selected based on athletic production and impact in the 2015-16 season. Each winner also demonstrated high academic achievement and exemplary personal character, including volunteerism, sportsmanship and community leadership.
For the complete list of Gatorade State Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year winners, click here.
THE WINNER: Tia Tardy
THE BASICS
School: Orono (Maine)
Grade: Junior
Position: Distance Runner
Height: 5-foot-4
Athletic achievement: The distance runner won the Class C state meet with a time of 19:43.81 this past season, breaking the tape 15.43 seconds ahead of her next-closest competitor and leading the Riots to the state championship as a team. A transfer from Mattanawcook Academy, Tardy placed fourth at the Maine Festival of Champions and 12th at the New England Cross Country Championships. She did not lose a race to an in-state distance runner in 2015.
Academic excellence: Tardy has maintained an A average.
Exemplary character: The co-founder of the Lincoln Lakes Track Club, she has volunteered locally as part of area beautification projects and with multiple fundraising campaigns to benefit diabetes research.
THE PRAISE
“Watching Tia Tardy run, she is clearly a driven competitor who is all businesses when it comes to racing,” said Nick Scott, head coach of Boothbay Region High. “She is an intelligent racer who often starts a race under control and finishes strong.”
THE FUTURE: Tardy will begin her senior year of high school this fall.
The Gatorade State Girls Cross Country Runners of the Year were selected based on athletic production and impact in the 2015-16 season. Each winner also demonstrated high academic achievement and exemplary personal character, including volunteerism, sportsmanship and community leadership.
For the complete list of Gatorade State Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year winners, click here.
THE WINNER: Ella Donaghu
THE BASICS
School: Grant (Portland, Ore.)
Grade: Senior
Position: Distance Runner
Height: 5-foot-4
Athletic achievement: The distance runner raced to her third consecutive Class 6A individual state championship this past season, with a course-record time of 17:26. The state’s two-time returning Gatorade Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year, Donaghu finished second at the Nike Cross Nationals Final in 17:10.2. She also won the Nike Border Clash and the Sundodger Invitational, while finishing third at the NXN Northwest Regional championships.
Academic excellence: Donaghu has maintained a 4.0 GPA.
Exemplary character: A mentor for younger runners, she has volunteered locally on behalf of a soup kitchen and the Friends First Club, which helps integrate special needs students at her school.
THE PRAISE
“Ella is the epitome of the scholar-athlete, and she works hard year-round, not just when she feels like it,” said Grant coach Doug Winn. “Through her leadership our women’s team bonded better than ever before and each runner ran better because of her influence.”
THE FUTURE: Donaghu has signed a National Letter of Intent to run on an athletic scholarship at Stanford University beginning this fall.
The Gatorade State Girls Cross Country Runners of the Year were selected based on athletic production and impact in the 2015-16 season. Each winner also demonstrated high academic achievement and exemplary personal character, including volunteerism, sportsmanship and community leadership.
For the complete list of Gatorade State Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year winners, click here.
THE WINNER: Amanda Mayoral
THE BASICS
School: Cleveland (Rio Rancho, N.M.)
Grade: Sophomore
Position: Distance Runner
Height: 5-foot-6
Athletic achievement: The distance runner raced to the Class 6A individual state championship this past season with a time of 18:12, leading the Storm to a state title as a team. A two-time First Team All-State selection, Mayoral took third at the Nike Cross Nationals Southwest Regional championships, crossing the line in 17:29. She went on to compete at the Nike Cross Nationals Final where she finished 70th with a time of 18:23.6.
Academic excellence: Mayoral has maintained a 3.20 GPA.
Exemplary character: An accomplished violinist and an altar server at her church, she has volunteered locally on behalf of the Teen Life enrichment program.
THE PRAISE
“Amanda Mayoral won all of the big races in New Mexico easily, she carries herself the right way and is friendly to her competitors,” said Sal Gonzales, head coach at Rio Rancho High. “Even though she runs for our rival school, she inspires other runners and coaches to cheer her on. There are other great runners in New Mexico, but none were close to her this year.”
THE FUTURE: Mayoral will begin her junior year of high school this fall.
The Gatorade State Girls Cross Country Runners of the Year were selected based on athletic production and impact in the 2015-16 season. Each winner also demonstrated high academic achievement and exemplary personal character, including volunteerism, sportsmanship and community leadership.
For the complete list of Gatorade State Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year winners, click here.
THE WINNER: Aubrey Roberts
THE BASICS
School: Memorial High (Eau Claire, Wis.)
Grade: Senior
Position: Distance Runner
Height: 5-foot-2
Athletic achievement: The distance runner raced to a Division 1 individual championship this past season with a time of 17:49.9, leading the Old Abes to a state title as a team. A four-time First Team All-State selection, Roberts took seventh at the Foot Locker Midwest Regional championships, crossing the line in 17:79. She was the only runner from her state to qualify for the national Foot Locker Cross Country Championships, where she finished 13th in 17:52.3. She was also the fastest Wisconsin competitor at the Nike Cross Nationals Heartland Regional championships, crossing the line in 12th place in 17:49.
Academic excellence: Roberts has maintained a 4.0 GPA.
Exemplary character: A member of the National Honor Society and the Key Club, she has volunteered locally on behalf of her church youth group.
THE PRAISE
“Aubrey Roberts is the complete package,” said Eau Claire Memorial High head coach Mark Johnson. “She is an excellent teammate and fiercely competitive yet possesses great sportsmanship. She is at her best when her best is needed.”
THE FUTURE: Roberts has signed a National Letter of Intent to run on an athletic scholarship at Northwestern University beginning this fall.
The Gatorade State Girls Cross Country Runners of the Year were selected based on athletic production and impact in the 2015-16 season. Each winner also demonstrated high academic achievement and exemplary personal character, including volunteerism, sportsmanship and community leadership.
For the complete list of Gatorade State Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year winners, click here.
THE WINNER: Madison Troy
THE BASICS
School: Grandville (Mich.)
Grade: Sophomore
Position: Distance Runner
Height: 5-foot-3
Athletic achievement: The distance runner raced to the Division 1 individual state championship this past season with a time of 17:28.2. Troy finished seventh nationally at the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships in 17:41.2 and took 12th at the Nike Cross Nationals Final.
Academic excellence: Troy has maintained a 3.50 GPA.
Exemplary character: A devoted member of her church community, she has assisted at a food pantry and volunteered working with underprivileged children.
THE PRAISE
“Madison is as strong physically as she is mentally, which makes her a force to be reckoned with,” said Grandville coach Jennifer Callendar. “She seems to be an ordinary teenager, but as soon as she laces up her running shoes, she transforms into a superhuman athlete.”
THE FUTURE: Troy will begin her junior year of high school this fall.
The Gatorade State Girls Cross Country Runners of the Year were selected based on athletic production and impact in the 2015-16 season. Each winner also demonstrated high academic achievement and exemplary personal character, including volunteerism, sportsmanship and community leadership.
For the complete list of Gatorade State Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year winners, click here.
THE WINNER: Bailey Hertenstein
THE BASICS
School: Riverview (Fla.)
Grade: Sophomore
Position: Distance Runner
Height: 5-foot-6
Athletic achievement: The distance runner raced to the Class 4A individual state championship this past season with a course-record time of 17:32.55. Hertenstein finished first at the Region 2 championships, the District 7 championships and the flrunners.com Invitational. She was also named Florida Dairy Farmers Miss Cross Country.
Academic excellence: Hertenstein has maintained a 3.95 GPA.
Exemplary character: She has volunteered as a student ambassador in her school.
THE PRAISE
“Bailey is a hard worker and she’s very team oriented,” said Riverview coach Shanna Brown. “She started running without much of a running background but she has really soaked up all the knowledge given to her by her many coaches.”
THE FUTURE: Hertentstein will begin her junior year of high school this fall.
The Gatorade State Girls Cross Country Runners of the Year were selected based on athletic production and impact in the 2015-16 season. Each winner also demonstrated high academic achievement and exemplary personal character, including volunteerism, sportsmanship and community leadership.
For the complete list of Gatorade State Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year winners, click here.
THE WINNER: Mattie Shirley-Fairbairn
THE BASICS
School: Bismarck (N.D.)
Grade: Freshman
Position: Distance Runner
Height: 5-foot-4
Athletic achievement: The distance runner won the Class A individual state championship with a time of 13:47.30 this past season, leading the Demons to the team title. Shirley-Fairbairn took seventh at the Nike Cross Nationals Heartland Regional championships in 17:30. Unbeaten against in-state competition in 2015, her winning times at the Becki Wells Invitational (13:44.84) and the NXN Heartland Regional, respectively, ranked as the fastest 4K and 5K times in North Dakota prep history. She placed second at the 2014 Class A state meet as an eighth-grader.
Academic excellence: Shirley-Fairbairn has maintained a 4.00 GPA.
Exemplary character: In addition to donating her time as a youth running instructor, she has volunteered locally at nursing homes and as part of food drives.
THE PRAISE
“I admire the hard work, talent and character she displays as a young runner,” said Carla Wahlund, head coach at rival Minot High. “She is blessed to win her races in North Dakota quite easily and handles the spotlight well. Many of my athletes enjoy watching her run, as she makes it look so easy to them. When a young athlete shines as she does, it isn’t easy for them to handle that kind of pressure. She seems to do it well.”
THE FUTURE: Shirley-Fairbairn will begin her sophomore year of high school this fall.
The Gatorade State Girls Cross Country Runners of the Year were selected based on athletic production and impact in the 2015-16 season. Each winner also demonstrated high academic achievement and exemplary personal character, including volunteerism, sportsmanship and community leadership.
For the complete list of Gatorade State Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year winners, click here.
THE WINNER: Taylor Knibb
THE BASICS
School: Sidwell Friends School (Washington, D.C.)
Grade: Senior
Position: Distance Runner
Height: 5-foot-7
Athletic achievement: The distance runner raced to first place individually at the D.C. State Athletic Association Championships this past season with a course-record time of 19:32. The district’s returning Gatorade Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year, Knibb also won the Maryland/D.C. Private School championship, the Paul Short Run and the Independent School League championship.
Academic excellence: Knibb has maintained an A average.
Exemplary character: Also a talented triathlete, she has volunteered locally on behalf of an assisted living facility.
THE PRAISE
“The commitment and discipline Taylor puts into her training is unrivaled,” said Sidwell head coach Gaby Grebski. “She is an athlete who wants to improve not just physically but mentally and emotionally. She takes every success and the occasional failure as a learning experience which spurs her to work even harder.”
THE FUTURE: Knibb remains undecided upon a collegiate destination.
The 2016 Spalding Hoophall Classic features some of the best high school basketball teams and players from across the nation.
RELATED: Top 10 players you can’t miss at the Hoophall Classic
RELATED: Top 5 Hoophall Classic matchups
This year, you can watch live action from the 2016 Spalding Hoophall Classic right here, with a live video feed courtesy of The Cube!
