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Top 10 safety Todd Harris plans to commit at Under Armour All-America Game

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Todd Harris’ dreams sounds straightforward: “My dreams are to dominate on the field and come out on top.”

Getting there is the hard part.

Harris has been dominant thus far, as ESPN’s No. 9 safety in the nation, and now an Under Armour All-American.

Harris from Plaquemine High (La.) received his honorary jersey in front of family, friends and teammates Tuesday as the Selection Tour presented by American Family Insurance came to his school.

Harris has 19 reported offers and is hoping to announce his commitment at the Under Armour game in Orlando on Jan. 1.

Of course, Harris already had one commitment ceremony in August when he got national attention for committing … to his high school.

Harris bypassed hats from LSU, Alabama and Ole Miss to don a Plaquqmine High hat.

“Our deal was this: We want our guys to understand how fortunate they are to go to a school like Plaquemine High, where they have opportunities academically and athletically,” coach Paul Distefano said then.

“Todd is very committed to Plaquemine High and always has been. Today was just a way to show that as we get focused on our season.”

(Photo: Intersport)

Todd Harris presented his dad, Todd Harris Sr., with the Dream Champion Award. (Photo: Intersport)


National Athletic Trainers' Association accepting nominations for youth safety awards

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Nominations are being accepted through Dec. 2 for the  third annual Youth Sports Safety Ambassador Awards, theNational Athletic Trainers’ Association announced.

According to the organization, “the awards recognize individuals and/or entities that have made a significant contribution to advancing athlete safety.”

The two criteria for selection are providing exemplary youth sports safety protocols and care or advancing youth sports safety in the areas of appropriate medical care, research, policy change and/or resource allocation.

“NATA champions the significant contributions of leaders in youth sports safety research, education and legislation,” NATA president Scott Sailor said in a statement. “We are proud to honor some of the best in their field with the Youth Sports Safety Ambassador Awards and know their advances can help save lives.”

The awards will be presented at the eighth Youth Sports Safety Summit on March 7, in Indianapolis.

Nominations can be submitted by visiting www.nata.org/ambassador-awards.

VIDEO: Calif. DT Marvin Boyd is 310 pounds and throws around linemen

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Hawkins (Los Angeles) is undefeated at 7-0 and has plenty of star power.

Among the intriguing players is senior defensive tackle Marvin Boyd, who is 6-4 and 310 pounds.

In a thrilling 27-24 victory against Dorsey that Hawkins won on a last-second field goal, Boyd forced a fumble, recovered a fumble and had two tackles for loss. That was just in the first half.

Here is a look at Boyd courtesy of our partners at #D1Bound.

 

POLL: Vote for Super 25 Game of the Week, Oct. 21-22

Last 10 ALL-USA Boys Basketball Players of the Year

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Basketball practice is beginning and USA TODAY Sports is about to select its American Family Insurance ALL-USA Preseason Basketball Teams for boys and girls. The boys team will be released Thursday and the girls team next week.

But before we look ahead to the top players this season, let’s look back. In the gallery below are the last 10 winners of the ALL-USA Boys Basketball Player of the Year with what they looked like then and what they look like now.

Look for another gallery with the last 10 Girls Basketball Players of the Year soon.

McGill-Toolen (Ala.) QB Bubba Thompson on state title goal, his nickname and balancing baseball and football

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McGill-Toolen (Mobile, Ala.) is 8-0, ranked No. 5 in the Super 25 and hoping to repeat as 7A state champion.

The Yellowjackets returned 12 starters this season, but were without quarterback Paris Chambers, a 7A all-state player a year ago, and were turning the offense over to Bubba Thompson.

There was not doubt about his athletic ability, but he had been hampered by injuries and was tall and lean at 6-2 and 165 pounds.

But he added 15-20 pounds in the offseason and showed his leadership in helping McGill-Toolen win the USA Football National 7on7 event in Hoover, Ala.  And the results have been impressive: He has completed 74% of his passes for 1,665 yards and 22 touchdowns with just two interceptions. He has added three rushing touchdowns with 251 yards on 23 carries.

McGill-Toolen has not had to make many adjustments with Thompson running the show.

“We have the same fast offense,” Thompson says.

An all-state outfielder, Thompson committed to Auburn in April to play baseball. He hit.469 with 39 runs scored, 19 stolen bases, 11 doubles and eight triples, according to AL.com.

But the possibility remains for him to play both sports as his play as a senior is attracting more interest, including an offer from Tennessee this week after visiting last weekend. That is his first SEC offer to go with football offers from Western Kentucky, Central Florida and Troy. Other schools also are beginning to get involved.

Thompson told USA TODAY High School Sports this summer that, “My focus is on football right now … I’ll decide my senior year. I don’t really know where I’m going to go, though obviously I’ve committed to Auburn for baseball.”

McGill-Toolen closes the regular season at Theodore and at Fairhope before the playoffs begin.

USA TODAY High School Sports caught up with Thompson this week for a Twitter interview.

Q: What were your expectations going into this season?

A: I just wanted to give my team the best chance to win another state championship.

Q: What has been the key to the team’s success thus far?

A: It comes down to the hard work that my coaches put in and all the hard work me and my team put in on the front end.

Q: How much impact did the team’s performance at the national 7 on 7 event have on getting together and getting off to a good start?

A: It was a chance to build good chemistry with my receivers and show I can lead the team. (I wanred to) have their trust and be a leader

Bubba Thompson (Photo: 247Sports)

Bubba Thompson (Photo: 247Sports)

Q. Going guess that Bubba isn’t your given name. How did you become Bubba?

A: I get it from my dad (who also goes by Bubba Thompson). It was passed down to me. My real name is Leslie,

Q: Obviously, you have a college baseball career ahead of you. How do you balance football and baseball, especially given the offseason demands?

A: My football coaches in the offseason really worked around my baseball schedule for me to be able to make it to the important events that I needed to go to for football.

No. 2 Northern Highlands (N.J.) girls soccer has not allowed a goal all season

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Elizabeth Peeples (right) and Northern Highlands (N.J.) have not allowed a goal this season (Photo: Robin Gottsman, NorthJersey.com)

Elizabeth Peeples (right) and Northern Highlands (N.J.) have not allowed a goal this season (Photo: Robin Gottsman, NorthJersey.com)

Northern Highlands (Allendale, N.J.) remains No. 2 in this week’s USA TODAY Sports/NSCAA Super 25 national ranking after extending its season-long shutout streak to 11 with a 3-0 victory over host Indian Hills in Sunday’s Bergen County quarterfinals.

“It’s a goal of ours and we keep it in mind,” Highlanders senior Eva Hurm told Gannett partner NorthJersey.com of posting a shutout, “and the defense is just doing a great job.”

Northern Highlands, which faces Ramapo on Sunday in the semifinals, has outscored its opposition 45-0. That includes a stretch of four consecutive 1-0 games in mid-September, but also features three consecutive 6-0 games to start the season and back-to-back 7-0 games this month.

Contributing: Greg Mattura, NorthJersey.com

VIDEO: Stanford commit Osiris St. Brown has monster game for No. 3 Mater Dei

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Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) has risen to No. 3 in the Super 25 football rankings, and the Monarchs’ success has been due in large part to the play of Stanford commit Osiris St. Brown.

The wide receiver had 11 catches for 149 yards and three scores last week in Mater Dei’s 56-14 victory against Orange Lutheran.

Here’s video of St. Brown’s big day courtesy of #D1Bound:


Chaminade (Calif.) stars T.J. Pledger, Michael Wilson put on a show against Bishop Alemany

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It’s nice, as a high school program, to have a skill player with D-1 talent. It’s even better to have two.

Such is the case at Chaminade Prep (West Hills, Calif.), with RB T.J. Pledger and WR Michael Wilson.

Check out their highlights from last week’s 28-14 win against Bishop Alemany (Mission Hills, Calif.) courtesy of #D1Bound.

VIDEO: Seahawks RB Alex Collins was a beast as a high school lacrosse player

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Alex Collins has gained fame as a football player and is currently a rookie running back with the Seattle Seahawks, but he spent the spring of his senior year on the lacrosse team at South Plantation High School (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) in 2013.

As his highlight tape shows, Collins showed no mercy — spin moves, weaving through defenders and dominating much smaller opponents.

“I used to get parents screaming at me all the time because I just used to lay kids out on the field and you’d hear the parents on the sidelines screaming at the refs like, ‘Get him out of here,’” he told ESPN 710 in Seattle. “I was not nice out there.”

Collins was ranked by 247Sports as the No. 1 running back in the Class of 2013 before enrolling at Arkansas. He was picked in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft and scored his first touchdown Sunday.

Alex Collins of South Plantation High scores a touchdown to tie the game against Deerfield Beach High 14-14. 11/2/12. Jim Rassol, Sun Sentinel. ORG XMIT: S-S1211022204061838 [Via MerlinFTP Drop]

Current Seahawks running back Alex Collins of South Plantation High scores a touchdown in 2012. (Photo: Jim Rassol, Sun Sentinel)

Nation's first football state champion is Soldotna (Alaska) -- again

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The nation’s first state football champion again comes from Alaska, and it is again the Soldotna Stars.

The Stars won their fifth straight Alaska Medium School state title with a 49-13 win against Palmer. The school has nine state titles overall.

The win also extended Soldotna’s state-record win streak to 49 games.

Soldotna won the state championship with Jersey Truesdell, a freshman quarterback making his first start, as the leader of the dominant ground game.  Junior QB Brandon Crowder was injured in the final game of the regular season. Truesdell saw limited action in the state semifinals.

“I was a little nervous, but the guys around me picked me up and I knew they had my back,” Truesdell told the Ancohrage Dispatch News. “I just had to follow in their footsteps.”

The Stars racked up 400 yards in total offense with junior running back Brenner Furlong leading the way with 269 yards rushing and five touchdowns.

Contributing: Jeff Fisher, HighSchoolFootballAmerica.com

 

Southern Lab (La.) outside linebacker Chris Allen set for Under Armour All-America Game

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Chris Allen said he was still a bit nervous when he bit on the honorary jersey for the Under Armour All-America Game on Wednesday, but there is no doubt he deserves the recognition.

Ranked as the No. 10 outside linebacker in the Class of 2017, Allen was an all-state selection last fall for a Southern Lab (Baton Rouge) team that won the Division IV state title in Louisiana. This season, he is a big reason why Southern Lab is 5-1, on a four-game winning streak and ranked second in the state.

But he also understands the big reasons he is heading to Orlando for the Jan. 1 showcase is because of his effort and the people around him.

(Photo: Intersport)

Chris presented his parents, Lloyd and Susie Allen, with the Dream Champion Award. (Photo: Intersport)

“It feels great to knows that my hard work is paying off,” he told The Advocate after the Selection Tour presented by American Family Insurance stopped at his school. “I would never have gotten this far with my past and present teammates and coaches and most importantly my parents.”

Allen might use the stage of the Under Armour game to announce his college commitment. While LSU was seemingly ahead at one point, he is down to LSU and Alabama and will take official visits to each. But he also said he could wait until National Signing Day.

Either way, he plans to enjoy the experience of being an All-American.

“Ever since I was in middle school, I have watched the Under Armour All-America game,” Allen said, according to The Advocate. “I thought to myself how fortunate those players were and how much of an honor it was. I thought that I would never be this lucky to become an Under Armour All-American.

Florida State commit Daniel Wright ready for Under Armour All-America Game

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Daniel Wright’s Florida journey will take him from South Florida at Boyd Anderson High to North Florida at Florida State, but it will take a stop in central florida in between at the Under Armour All-America Game.

Wright, ranked as the No. 6 safety by ESPN, received his honorary jersey Wednesday when the Selection Tour presented by American Family Insurance came to high school in Fort Lauderdale.

Wright was first contacted by Florida State as a freshman and has seemingly been leaning to Florida State since. He committed at a camp on campus in June.

Daniel Wright presented his mom, Deborah, with the Dream Champion Award. (Photo: Intersport)

Daniel Wright presented his mom, Deborah, with the Dream Champion Award. (Photo: Intersport)

“Everything is connected like a family and I like that about (FSU),” Wright said. “That’s where you want to be. You want to feel like you’re home.”

Major Wright, a Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety who was a member of the Florida Gators’ 2008 BCS National Championship team, is Daniel’s older brother but did not try to sway him.

“He wanted me to make my own decision and do my own thing,” Wright said of his brother. “He’s not putting any pressure on me about college. He gave me advice to take my own route.”

Defensive end Keanu Williams is 6-4, 230 pounds and in eighth grade

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Keanu Williams is a 6-foot-4, 230-pound defensive end, and yes, he’s in eighth grade.

He currently plays for Granite Ridge Middle School in Fresno and will graduate high school as a member of the Class of 2020. He already has taken an official visit to USC, according to D1Bound.

If you want a look at how much bigger he is than his youth football teammates, check out this photo from last December.

Breaking down the ALL-USA Preseason Boys Basketball Team

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Zion Williamson (Photo: NBPA Top 100 Camp)

Zion Williamson (Photo: NBPA Top 100 Camp)

USA TODAY High School Sports revealed the 2016-17 American Family Insurance ALL-USA Preseason Boys Basketball Team today.

Here are some more things to know about the team and the players:

MEET THE TEAM: 2016-17 ALL-USA Preseason Basketball Team

IN REVIEW: 2015-16 ALL-USA Boys Basketball Teams

BY STATE: 2015-16 ALL-USA State Boys Basketball Teams

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Look at the last 10 ALL-USA Players of the Year

BY CLASS

Seniors: 14

Juniors: 4

Sophomores: 2

BY STATE

Indiana: 3

Florida: 3

Pennsylvania: 2

California: 2

Georgia: 2

Virginia: 2

Arizona: 1

Texas: 1

Washington: 1

Louisiana: 1

Nevada: 1

South Carolina: 1

BY COLLEGE

Uncommitted: 16

Arizona: 1

Michigan State: 1

Washington: 1

Western Kentucky: 1

12/5/15 6:39:05 PM -- Benton, KY, U.S.A -- Oak Hill Academy guard Matt Coleman (2) dribbles toward the basket during the first half against Athlete Institute at the Grind Session basketball tournament. -- Photo by Christopher Hanewinckel USA TODAY Sports Images, Gannett ORG XMIT: US 134138 Grind Hoops 12/5/2015 [Via MerlinFTP Drop]

Matt Coleman is one of two players selected from Oak Hill Academy (Photo: Christopher Hanewinckel, USA TODAY Sports)

BY SCHOOL

LaLumiere (La Porte, Ind.): 2

Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.): 2

Westtown (West Chester, Pa.): 2


Under Armour All-American WR Jalen Reagor flips from Oklahoma to TCU

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Jalen Reagor (Photo: 247Sports)

Jalen Reagor (Photo: 247Sports)

Four-star wide receiver Jalen Reagor has decommitted from Oklahoma and decided to remain in his home state of Texas by committing to TCU, he announced on Twitter.

Reagor, ranked as the No. 14 wide receiver in the 247Sports Composite rankings, has been a human highlight film for Waxahachie High this season.

He had taken an official visit to TCU on Oct. 1.

An Under Armour All-American, Reagor committed to Oklahoma in late March, two days after an unofficial visit to Norman. He also took an unofficial and official visit to Oklahoma earlier this season.

Georgia Tech commit Joseph Bulovas ready to kick in Army All-American Bowl

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Joseph Bulovas receives his Army All-American Bowl jersey (Photo: Army All-American Bowl)

Joseph Bulovas receives his Army All-American Bowl jersey (Photo: Army All-American Bowl)

Kicker Joseph Bulovas earned his spot in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl with his performance at the Top Gun Camp in July, and now he has the jersey to prove it.

Bulovas, a Georgia Tech commit, received his honorary jersey Thursday when the Selection Tour presented by American Family Insurance came to high school, Mandevill (La.).

At the camp, he showed 60-yard field goal range and consistently put his kickoffs into the end zone. He is ranked No. 2 by Chris Sailer Kicking, which ran the Top Gun camp. Bulovas will kick for the East; Alabama commit Brandon Ruiz, Sailler’s top-ranked kicker, will kick for the West.

“It feels like everything people make it out to be, a tremendous honor to say you are the best in the nation and be backed by the U.S. Army,” Bulovas told NOLA.com after his selection. “This is truly a blessing.”

Joseph Bulovas presents his Dream Champion award to his parents, Joe and Wendy Bulovas (Photo: Army All-American Bowl)

Joseph Bulovas presents his Dream Champion award to his parents, Joe and Wendy Bulovas (Photo: Army All-American Bowl)

Army All-American defensive end Jarez Parks counting his blessings

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Jarez Parks receives his honorary Army All-American Bowl jersey (Photo: Army All-American Bowl)

Jarez Parks receives his honorary Army All-American Bowl jersey (Photo: Army All-American Bowl)

Even when he is tired of everything that goes along with recruiting — the phone calls, the texts, the Twitter direct messages — Jarez Parks remembers one key point:  “A lot of guys would kill to be in the position I am right now.”

Parks, ranked as the nation’s No. 4 weak-side defensive end, has 32 reported offers and currently plays for undefeated Sebastian River High (Sebastian, Fla.).

“The only part of this that I’m still enjoying is realizing how blessed I am,” he told Gannett partner TCPalm.com. “That’s the only part that keeps me in a good attitude. I don’t want to be negative.”

Counting his blessings extends to his selection to the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Parks received his honorary jersey Thursday when the Selection Tour presented by American Family Insurance came to his school.

He is the school’s first Army All-American.  The Army Bowl is Jan. 7 in San Antonio.

Jarez Parks presents his Dream Champion award to his family (Photo: Army All-American Bowl)

Jarez Parks presents his Dream Champion award to his family (Photo: Army All-American Bowl)

Parks also relies on a strong family. He received some attention in recruiting circles last spring when word surfaced that his mother had provided a list of questions she wanted answered by the college coaches recruiting her son. She had his high school coach review them and then send them to the schools. Among them: graduation rate, length of contracts for the head coach and assistant coaches, how faculty deals with student-athletes missing classes, insurance coverage.

“I told her some of it they’re not going to know, but she’s going to be one of the major players in the decision,” coacj Kevin Pettis said. “I think it’s awesome, but I’m telling you, I’ve never had this happen.”

Parks is also a standout track athlete, winning the Florida 3A state title in discus.

 

Destiny Littleton, one of nation's top scorers, commits to USC women's basketball

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Destiny Littleton, one of the nation’s top 10 scorers last season, has committed to Southern California, she announced on Twitter on Thursday.

Ranked as the No. 9 shooting guard in the Class of 2017 by espnW’ HoopGurlz, Littleton averaged 35.7 points per game, listed as No. 6 in the nation by MaxPreps.

Littleton, from The Bishop’s School (Spring Valley, Calif.), also averaged 10 rebounds, three assists and four steals per game as a junior. She averaged nearly 34 points a game as a sophomore.

She is ranked No. 33 overall by HoopGurlz.

No. 4 Allen (Texas) continues domination with 59-7 win against McKinney

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No. 4 Allen (Texas) opened with 38 consecutive points and rolled to a 59-7 victory against McKinney on Thursday.

Brock Sturges finished with 83 yards on six carries and three touchdowns, including scoring runs of 53 yards and two yards in the first quarter. Juwan Robinson ran for two touchdowns in the fourth quarter.

Allen quarterback Mitchell Jonke was 9-for-13 for 104 yards with a touchdown and interception.

The Eagles (8-0) outgained McKinney by a margin of 460-170 yards.

Allen has allowed 21 points in its last 10 quarters and outscored the opposition 125-21 in that span.

The Eagles have two regular season games remaining — at Plano East on Oct. 28 and at home against Wylie on Nov. 4.

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