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June Jones coaching at Hawaii high school with star QB protege

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June Jones has been known as an innovator of offense as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons and San Diego Chargers and Hawaii and SMU in college football. His next protege: Taulia Tagovailoa.

Jones has taken on the role of offensive coordinator at Kapolei High in Hawaii to work with longtime friend Darren Hernandez, the team’s head coach. Kapolei has been known for having a strong defense. Now Jones and Tagovailoa are hoping to find more balance.

Jones replaces Tagavailoa’s father, who is stepping aside to watch his two sons play. Taulia is a sophomore to be and his older brother Tua, a senior to be starting QB at Saint Louis who has nearly 20 college offers and is coveted by a number of Pac-12 and SEC schools.

Jones, who last coached in 2014 at SMU other than the East-West Shrine Game in January, said he spent two days a week last season at Saint Louis practices and watched Tua, calling him “one of the most talented quarterbacks in the country.”

June Jones, shown during the East-West Shrine Game in January, is coaching the offense for a high school in Hawaii (Photo: Kim Klement, USA TODAY Sports)

June Jones, shown during the East-West Shrine Game in January, is coaching the offense for a high school in Hawaii (Photo: Kim Klement, USA TODAY Sports)

Jones is known for the run and shoot and Hernandez told HawaiiPrepWorld.com that the team’s offense will feature “definitely a lot of elements from what June did previously, no doubt about it. There’s a lot of principals of the run-and-shoot that begins and ends with the four-wide look, and that’s going to be our identity.”

Jones has spent a lot of time in the first part of spring football with the offensive line. The team has been on the field for a little bit more than a week. He said he’s looking forward to giving back to the kids and has been enjoying the chance to be on the practice field.

“What we do, the offensive line has to be the key and I really think Taulia is going to be a very, very good quarterback,” Jones told hawaiiprepworld.com. I can already tell that, and so we’ve got to be able to keep them (opposing defenses) off of him. But he’s very smart and he knows where to go with the ball. I can already see that he has the passing skills, so it’s going to be real fun to get it all together.”

Taulia was offered a scholarship in January by the University of Hawaii and more are sure to follow.

“As a 14-year old last year, he threw 73 passes in one game, a high school game as a true freshman. That’s pretty incredible. He’s got the talent, and as I told him, the team success has to have priority over personal success and as long as he keeps that focus and stays humble, I think he’s going to be a really good player.”

Having a mentor like Jones can’t hurt.


Streaking La Grange (Texas), unbeaten Eagle (Idaho) stay atop Super 25 softball rankings

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While the top of the latest Super 25 softball rankings has stayed the same, nine newcomers have entered the poll.

No. 1 La Grange (Texas) has won seven consecutive games to run its record to 28-1, while No. 2 Eagle (Idaho) remains unbeaten at 18-0. Deer Park (Texas), Bald Knob (Ark.), and Los Alamitos (Calif.) round out the top 5.

Overall, there are 12 unbeaten teams in this week’s poll.

RELATED: Full Super 25 rankings

Viera (Melbourne, Fla.) made the most significant leap, entering at No. 9 on the strength of a 24-game winning streak. Sherwood (Sandy Springs, Md.) has won an amazing 91 straight, and the Warriors enter the poll at No. 17.

Reed (Sparks, Nev.) took the biggest tumble, falling from No. 10 to No. 18. Nine other teams fell from the rankings entirely.

Corona Centennial, St. John Bosco, Mater Dei lead Battle at the Beach 7 on 7 field

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Three of Southern California’s elite football teams — including two teams that finished in the top 11 of the final Super 25 rankings last fall — are among 20 teams scheduled to part in the Battle at the Beach 7 on 7 event July 9, organizers told The Los Angeles Times.

Centennial (Corona), St. John Bosco (Bellflower) and Mater Dei (Santa Ana) highlight the field at Edison in Huntington Beach.

The event is in its 18th year and is considered among the top 7 on 7 events in the nation annually.

Centennial (Corona) finished No. 7 last season and adds former Bishop Gorman wide receiver Tyjon Lindsey, considered one of the top receiver recruits in the nation. St. John Bosco finished No. 11 and will be led by quarterback Re-al Mitchell, who takes over the starting spot from Quintin Davis. Mater Dei, which was ranked for much of last season, features Osiris St. Brown, who is ranked among the top 10 prospects in the state.

Narbonne beat Los Alamitos 30-6 to win last year.

According to The Los Angeles Times, the field also includes JSerra, Gardena Serra, Oaks Christian, Valencia, Tesoro, San Diego Mission Hills, Charter Oak, Loyola, Bishop Amat, Santa Margarita, L.A. Cathedral, La Habra, St. Bonaventure, Hart, Narbonne, Corona del Mar and Edison.

California baseball team forfeits season due to lack of players

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Inglewood (Calif.) High School has decided to cancel its baseball season due to an overall lack of interest.

According to the Torrance (Calif.) Daily Breeze, the team, which has struggled for years, was only getting between four and seven players a day to practice. The school’s athletic director, James Sims, was brought in last summer and has since placed greater emphasis on academics and requirements to participate in sports, which has led to fewer students being involved in athletics.

Here’s what Sims told the Daily Breeze about the stricter regulations:

As athletic director I have put guidelines in place that have slimmed the pool of athletes that we have down from what was already dwindling. Student-athletes cannot participate under a 2.0 (grade-point average) like they have in the past (except those who meet CIF Southern Section guidelines to be on probation) and athletes who are not passing PE (classes) cannot participate in sports. We have an alarming number of students failing PE because they refuse to dress out or participate in activities. I think it is a shame that an athlete will not dress for physical education classes and participate in a class that is required for graduation, but after school they change and participate in a sport that will not help them graduate.

Sims, who is also the school’s football coach, is determined, he says, to prepare students for the real world—not just sports.

“I took a lot of heat for following these rules in football to clean the program up,” he told the paper. “But I hope that some of these athletes will get the hint that with the current coaching staffs and administration at Inglewood the rule is ‘No books, No ball.’”

Read more on this story at the Torrance Daily Breeze.

From high school ALL-USA to NFL Draft: Arkansas tight end Hunter Henry

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As the NFL draft nears, USA TODAY High School Sports will look back at the high school careers and draft prospects for former American Family Insurance ALL-USA selections. Today’s installment features Arkansas tight end Hunter Henry.

MORE

Ole Miss wide receiver Laquon Treadwell

Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith

Southern California quarterback Cody Kessler

Southern California safety/linebacker Su’a Cravens

Clemson wide receiver Charone Peake

Ole Miss tackle Laremy Tunsil

Hand out photo of Hunter Henry of Pulaski academy. [Via MerlinFTP Drop]

Hunter Henry of Pulaski Prep in Arkansas was named ALL-USA as a senior

PLAYER PROFILE:

Position: Tight end

High school: Pulaski Academy (Little Rock, Ark.)

ALL-USA history: Named to the American Family Insurance first team in 2012. As a senior, he caught 107 passes for 1,449 yards and 15 touchdowns while helping lead Pulaski Academy to the 5A state semifinals. Rivals.com ranked him as the No. 2 tight end in the country, and 247Sports and Scout.com tabbed him as the nation’s No. 4 tight end.

College: Arkansas

Height, weight: 6-5, 250 pounds

Arkansas tight end Hunter Henry during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports ORG XMIT: USATSI-264590 ORIG FILE ID: 20160227_szo_ss1_157.JPG

Arkansas tight end Hunter Henry during the NFL Scouting Combine (Photo: Brian Spurlock, USA TODAY Sports)

By the numbers: Averaged 14.3 yards per catch in his three-year career at Arkansas.

Draft positives: Easy pass catcher with seamless transition to running after the reception. Versatile threat that can be too quick for linebackers and too big for defensive backs. Smooth change of direction and speed. Balanced mover. Aggressive ballcarrier who will break tackles and run away from defenders in space. High-effort blocker in the trenches and in space.

Draft negatives: Needs more strength development. Can be pushed around by more physical defensive linemen. Deep speed is limited. Lacks explosion from his three-point stance. Inconsistent route runner who will round his cuts too often.

Projection: Round 2

What he says: “I’m going to bring a dual-threat tight end that’s going to put his head in there in the run game. I’m going to block. I did that in college consistently. And I’m going to create a mismatch in the passing game.”

STATISTICS AT ARKANSAS

Year Rec yds Rec Yds/rec TD
2013 409 28 14.6 4
2014 513 37 13.9 2
2015 739 51 14.5 3
Career 1,661 116 14.3 9

Draft analysis by Dan Shonka, Ourlads.com

Penn State lands third offensive line recruit in six days

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James Franklin and his staff at Penn State added a third offensive lineman recruit for the Class of 2017 this week.

After commitments from three-star tackle Robert Martin (St. Joseph Regional; Montvale, N.J.) and four-star guard C.J. Thorpe (Pittsburgh Central Catholic), three-star guard Mike Miranda from Stow, Ohio, joined the group. He announced his commitment via Twitter.

Miranda is ranked as the No. 21 guard in the nation, according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings. He is the No. 25 prospect in Ohio, according to the composite.

Miranda had multiple offers from Power of 5 schools, including Nebraska, Pittsburgh, Missouri and Maryland, among others.

Penn State’s offensive line coach Matt Limegrover responded on Twitter with this:

VIDEO: Matur Maker's defensive prowess was on full display at Under Armour Association in New York

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Matur Maker was impressive at last weekend’s Under Armour Association AAU event in New York, swatting shots and showing some impressive court vision on the perimeter.

The 6-10, 200-pound forward, perhaps best known (for now) as Thon’s brother, is making a name for himself and holds offers from the likes of Arizona State and Indiana.

Check out his highlights below, courtesy of Courtside Films.

Harry Giles is the most popular man on Twitter on his 18th birthday

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As the nation’s No. 1 prep basketball recruit in the Class of 2016 and a Duke commit, Harry Giles is a popular figure on Twitter — with a following almost 50,000 strong, to put a finer point on it — but when you add the fact Friday marks his 18th birthday, then just about everybody wants to show their appreciation for the future Blue Devil.

There are his friends …

Teammates …

Coaches …

Foes …

Fans …

And superfans …

RELATED: The Harry Giles III blog

Yup, life is good when you’re Harry Giles, especially on your 18th birthday.


No. 8 Katy baseball forfeits games after UIL committee rules players violated amateurism rules

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The Katy (Texas) baseball team, ranked No. 8 in the Super 25, will have to forfeit games played from Feb. 25 to April 11 after the 19-6A Executive Committee unanimously voted Friday that two players violated University Interscholastic League rules on amateurism, according to the Houston Chronicle.

Part of the forfeits include eight district wins, meaning the team won’t qualify for the playoffs.

The two players — Hayden Baker and Grant Jackman — will paid a total of $800 to help coach a local Little League team. The committed voted 7-0 that the players violated Section 441 (a) that says an athlete is not an amateur if he receives money or other “valuable consideration for teaching or participating  in a League sponsored school sport.”

RELATED: Super 25 Baseball rankings

The players returned the money and Katy self-reported the violation and explained that they were not coaching but doing “grunt work,” such as helping players put gear on. The committee, however, was not swayed.

The families said the players began as volunteers, but because they were spending so much time helping, the coaches offered to pay them. The money was from the coaches, not the league, they said.

The players and the school can appeal.

The Twitter feed from the football team also took a stance:

 

USC lands commitment from Juliano Falaniko, top recruit from America Samoa

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Juliano Falaniko, the top football recruit in the Class of 2017 from American Samoa, committed to Southern California shortly after receiving an offer. He made his commitment on Twitter.

Falaniko, from Leoone High in Pago Pago, is 6-4 and 200 pounds and had offers from schools throughout the Pac-12. Many thought he was leaning toward Oregon.

He is projected as a linebacker or possibly a safety at the college level.

Villanova basketball lands Philadelphia center Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree

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Villanova has landed its first commit for the Class of 2017, and the first to commit since the Wildcats won the national championship.

Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree, a 6-foot-8 center for Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia) has opted not to leave home after he and his mother visited the Villanova campus on Thursday.

Cosby-Roundtree, ranked as the No. 3 Pennsylvania player in the class, chose Villanova over Syracuse, Providence, Seton Hall, Xavier and others.

“They showed me that the school will be a home away from home for me,” he told Philly.com. “And I love the coaching staff.”

He is playing this weekend for Team Final at the Nike EYBL event this weekend in Indiana.

 

 

No. 2 inside linebacker Will Ignont leaves IMG to return to Alabama

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Usually the headlines come when highly ranked recruits leave their traditional high schools for IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.).

Will Ignont, ranked as the No. 2 inside linebacker in the Class of 2017, is making headlines because he’s returning home to Alabama after four months at IMG. He returns to Buckhorn, where he recorded 113 tackles last fall and also ran for six touchdowns in a limited role on offense after running for more than 1,000 yards as a sophomore.

“For me, it was big being able to compete with those guys; guys who are just as good or better than me,” he told AL.com. “Really seeing myself on that level and seeing if I could play with them. And I can. It was a big eye opener for me that I can compete with those guys.”

Ignont released a top 10 earlier this month in order: Georgia, Auburn, UCLA, Michigan, Alabama, LSU, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Florida and Miami. He told AL.com that Alabama has moved up after visiting campus during IMG’s spring break.

Ignont said he plans to commit before his senior season begins but is not sure when.

Former Oklahoma State signee Gorjok Gak headed to Florida

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Three-star center Gorjok Gak announced on Twitter Sunday night his commitment to the University of Florida. Gak initially signed with Oklahoma State, but reconsidered when head coach Travis Ford was fired.

MORE: Victory Rock center Gorjok Gak gets release from Okahoma State letter of intent

“First off I’d like to say thank you to all the great college programs who have been heavily recruiting me,” Gak wrote. “Today I’m blessed to say that I am committing to the University of Florida.

The 6-foot-10, 205-pound center averaged 13.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per game for Victory Rock (Bradenton, Fla.) last season. He will be eligible to play for the Gators this fall.

The Australian-born Gak chose Florida over the likes of Connecticut, Nebraska, Virginia Tech and others.

Top 2 players in Virginia, No. 1 player in Tenn. among six new invites to The Opening Final

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Six more players received their invitations to The Opening Final at the regional event in Charlotte on Sunday, bringing the total to 72 players thus far. The Opening Final is in July in Oregon.

The new group includes three players on offense and three on defense led by the No. 2 athlete in the nation.

  • Devon Hunter (Indian River, Va.) is ranked as the No. 1 player in Virginia by the 247Sports Composite, the No. 2 athlete overall and No. 40 nationally. He is listed as a defensive back but also can play wide receiver and is a dual-threat quarterback.
  • Tee Higgins (Oak Ridge, Tenn.) is the No. 1 player in Tennessee, the No. 2 wide receiver in the nation and in the Top 15 nationally. He has 22 offers.
  • Khalan Laborn (Ocean Lakes, Va.) is coming off a breakout season and is ranked as the No. 2 player in Virginia. 247Sports also ranks him as the No. 2 all-purpose back in the nation.
  • A.J. Terrell (Westlake; Atlanta) is ranked as the No. 21 cornerback and has 21 offers, including much of the Southeastern Conference.
  • Sherrod Greene (Rocky Mount, N.C.) is ranked as the No. 9 player in the state of North Carolina and a top 30 outside linebacker.
  • Blake Vinson (North Marion, Fla.) has already committed to Clemson and is ranked among the top 50 offensive tackles in the nation.

From high school ALL-USA to NFL Draft: Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa

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As the NFL draft nears, USA TODAY High School Sports will look back at the high school careers and draft prospects for former American Family Insurance ALL-USA selections. Today’s installment features Ohio State defensive end Joe Bosa.

MORE

Ole Miss wide receiver Laquon Treadwell

Notre Dame linebacker Jaylon Smith

Southern California quarterback Cody Kessler

Southern California safety/linebacker Su’a Cravens

Clemson wide receiver Charone Peake

Ole Miss tackle Laremy Tunsil

Arkansas tight end Hunter Henry

Florida linebacker Antonio Morrison

fl-football-aquinas-columbus31h -- St. Thomas Aquinas lineman Joey Bosa pins Columbus center AJ Cardoso to the turf during the first half of their game, Friday, August 31, 2012, at Sun Life Stadium. Michael Laughlin, South Florida Sun Sentinel ORG XMIT: S-S1209010209375483 [Via MerlinFTP Drop]

St. Thomas Aquinas lineman Joey Bosa pins the opposing center to the turf during a 2012 game. (Photo: Michael Laughlin, South Florida Sun Sentinel)

PLAYER PROFILE:

Position: Defensive end

High school: St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)

ALL-USA history: Named to the American Family Insurance second team in 2012.

College: Ohio State

Height, weight: 6-5, 249 pounds

Jan 1, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes defensive lineman Joey Bosa (97) prior to the game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the 2016 Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Buckeyes defeated the Fighting Irish 44-28. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports ORG XMIT: USATSI-233950 ORIG FILE ID: 20160101_mjr_su5_078.JPG

Ohio State defensive lineman Joey Bosa before the Feista Bowl (Photo: Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports)

By the numbers: At the Scouting Combine, Bosa’s 40-yard dash time of 4.86 seconds may have been slower than expected, but his workout still ranked near the best among defensive ends. His 3-cone drill (6.89 seconds) checked in at second-best. His 20-yard shuttle (4.21 seconds) tied for second. His broad jump (120 inches) was tied for fifth-best.

Draft positives: Dominating hand power off the snap. Controls the blocker with a low pad level and heavy hands. High IQ on the field and able to get in position to make a play consistently. Well-developed rush moves and reactions. A bull who doesn’t get pushed back and will finish off plays with violence. Equally effective against the run and pass. Can be moved around the line.

Draft negatives: Won’t explode into the blocker. Lacks the extra gear to run by tackles off the edge. Does not recover well when caught off guard on down blocks. Inconsistent effort.

Projection: Round 1

What he says: On his laid-back approach, “I don’t have to change. I think I’m a likable guy. Right now, I’m focused on what’s important and that’s football. Just being alone and focusing just on this. When the time comes, I’ll do what I have to do.”

STATISTICS AT OHIO STATE

Year Tackles Tackles/loss Sacks ForFumb
2013 42 13.5 7.5 0
2014 55 21.5 13.5 4
2015 51 16.0 5.0 1
Career 148 51.0 26.0 5

Draft analysis by Dan Shonka, Ourlads.com


VIDEO: When 40-yard dash turns into Running Man Challenge at Nike Opening Regional

VIDEO: Shareef O'Neal, Shaq's son, shows his game during Nike EYBL

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We have chronicled Shareef O’Neal’s rise and the advice his father gave him, and the son of Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal continues to show more refinement in his game playing with Cal Supreme in the Nike EYBL U16.

O’Neal is a 6-9 forward in the Class of 2018 and has all the skills to be a special player.

VIDEO: Shaq’s son, Shareef O’Neal, looks like a legitimate super prospect

MORE: Shareef O’Neal working on his own legacy

Among the schools watching him this weekend was LSU, his dad’s alma mater.

Here is the latest highlight tape from HWBDHoops

 

Florida to hold fan contest to name state football championships

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In an interesting move, the Florida High School Athletic Association is holding a fan contest to name the state football playoffs and championships.

The organization announced a #NameTheTradition contest that begins Friday, with fans being able to submit names via this link through May 3. Once finalists are selected, there will be a fan vote May 10-13 with the winner announced May 16.

According to the official rules, the initial submissions “will be judged and weighted equally on the following points: (a) creative, fresh, fun, humorous; (b) compatibility with the Florida High School Athletic Association and image; and (c) applicability for use in advertising mediums of all kinds.”

The primary guidelines provided were to make it a neutral location because there is no guarantee where the state finals will be for the long term; keep it to no more than five words and/or 35 characters; “be totally original, created by you and suitable for general advertising use and for all age groups; and  “reinforce the characteristics of an iconic, family friendly, responsible and healthy American brand.”

VIDEO: La Lumiere's Brian Bowen talks Nike EYBL, recruiting and more

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Brian Bowen, a top 20 player in the Class of 2017, helped La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) to the finals of the DICK’S Sporting Goods Nationals.

He is playing this spring and summer for MeanStreets in the Nike EYBL.

Here is an interview with Bowen during last weekend’s stop in Indianapolis from Krossover.

Coppell (Texas) moves to No. 1 in Super 25 Computer baseball rankings

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What a difference a week makes in the Super 25 Computer baseball rankings as the Top 10 shuffled.

Coppell (Texas) moves up from No. 3 to No. 1, with Buchanan (Clovis, Calif.) jumping from No. 5 to No. 2 and Deer Park (Texas) falling from No. 1 to No. 3 when the teams are evaluated based on strength of schedule and Ken Massey’s power ratings.

Deer Park enters the week as the No. 1 team in the Super 25 Expert rankings with the new Expert rankings to be released Wednesday.

MORE: Full Super 25 Computer rankings and rankings by state

Blessed Trinity (Roswell, Ga.) moves from No. 6 to No. 4 and St. Thomas Catholic (Houston) went from No. 7 to No. 5.

Bryant (Ark.) moves into the Top 10 at No. 6, followed by Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.), West Orange (Winter Garden, Fla.), Shawnee Mission East (Shawnee, Kan.) and De La Salle (Concord, Calif.).

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