July 25, 2008
Athletes of the Week archive
Athletes of the Week
Photos of recent Sun boys and girls Athletes of the Week
Nominate athletesThe Sun has set up a phone line for Athlete of the Week nominations. From Friday night until Sunday at 6 p.m., coaches can call 410-332-6801 to nominate athletes. Please provide name, school, class, sport, position, team results and the athlete's accomplishments for the week, with statistics by game, and other supporting information. Coaches also should provide a number where they can be reached Sunday night. |
Boys Athlete of the Week: Woody Wlodarczyk, C. Milton Wright, baseball
The three-year starting catcher led the No. 3 Mustangs to the Class 4A state final for the second time, the previous time being in 2006. Wlodarczyk went 4-for-7 with two doubles, a triple, three runs scored and three RBIs in this year's state tournament. On Friday in the state final, a 7-6 loss to Sherwood of Montgomery County in eight innings, Wlodarczyk was 2-for-4, including a double that tied the score in the fifth. Wlodarczyk, who is headed to Harford Community College, led his team in batting average (.513), doubles (12), triples (four) and RBIs (32).
Girls Athlete of the Week: Julie Gardner, Severna Park, lacrosse
The senior midfielder scored six goals in a 17-6 win over Catonsville to lead the No. 2 Falcons to their second straight Class 4A-3A state title. The win also capped a second straight 20-0 season for the team. Gardner, a first-team All-Metro selection as a junior, was a leader and catalyst for the Falcons all year. A three-sport standout who also played field hockey and ran indoor track, Gardner, who has a 3.8 grade point average, accepted a lacrosse scholarship to the University of Virginia. Gardner will be a participant in the Under Armour All-America Game on July 12 at Towson University's Johnny Unitas Stadium.
Boys Athlete of the Week: Patrick Blair, Calvert Hall, baseball
Blair has been the catalyst of the three-time defending Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference champion and top-ranked Cardinals (25-7). In two playoff wins last week that put the Cardinals in today's A Conference championship at Ripken Stadium, Blair led the way. In an 11-1 rout of St. Paul's on Wednesday, Blair, last year's first-team All-Metro shortstop as a sophomore, had a single, double and triple and scored two runs. On Friday in a 7-2 victory over Archbishop Spalding, he singled in a run and later stole home to put the Cardinals (25-7) up for good at 2-1. He leads the team in average (.462), runs (34), RBIs (34), triples (five), homers (seven) and stolen bases (21), and has a .900 fielding percentage.
Girls Athlete of the Week: Anna Demaree, River Hill, track and field
In leading the Hawks to the Class 2A South region championship, Demaree, a freshman, enjoyed first-place finishes in the 800 (2:22.18) and 1,600 (5:17.82), and also anchored the winning 3,200 relay. In the Howard County championships two weeks ago, Demaree swept the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 races, and anchored the winning 3,200 relay. Also a cross country and indoor track standout, she has a 4.0 grade point average.
Girls Athlete of the Week: Elaine Nescio, Archbishop Spalding, softball
The junior, in her first season as the Cavaliers' ace, closed out a fine season with near-flawless play last week that led Spalding to the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference championship. In Sunday's 6-0 championship win over Institute of Notre Dame, she was in complete control, striking out 11 in a one-hitter. She also executed a squeeze bunt to drive in the game's last run. In Thursday's 5-0 semifinal win over defending conference champ Seton Keough, Nescio retired the first 14 batters and finished with a one-hitter.
Boys Athlete of the Week: Tyler Fiorito, McDonogh, lacrosse
Fiorito is having another All-Metro season as the Eagles' goalie. He is matching last year's junior season, when he averaged 12 saves. Considered by most lacrosse observers as the area's top goalie, Fiorito, who has exceptional instincts and reflexes, turned back 25 shots in a pair of Eagles victories last week in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference. In a 6-4 win over then-No. 4 St. Mary's on May 6, Fiorito stopped 13 shots. On Friday, Fiorito posted 12 saves in a 9-6 triumph over Mount St. Joseph.
Girls Athlete of the Week: Amanda Kimbers, McDonogh, track and field
The junior enjoyed a banner week, capturing eight first places in helping the Eagles defeat Seton Keough in a dual meet Wednesday and then win Saturday's Clash of the Titans Invitational at New Town. On Wednesday, Kimbers took the 100 meters in 11.9 seconds, tying a school record, and also won the long jump (18 feet, 1 3/4 inches) and high jump (5 feet). In addition, she anchored the winning 800-meter relay team. With the team victory, the Eagles have a five-year dual-meet winning streak. On Saturday, Kimbers won the 100, 200 and high jump (school- and meet-record 18-4) and anchored the winning 400-meter relay team. Kimbers, who also plays field hockey and was a team captain in the fall, is undefeated this spring in the 100, 200 and long jump.
Boys Athlete of the Week: Matt Hillsinger, Archbishop Spalding, baseball
Hillsinger has been the Cavaliers' catalyst all season as they have risen to the top of the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference and the No. 1 ranking in The Sun. Last week, Hillsinger helped them win three straight games by going 5-for-9 (.556) with six runs scored, two RBIs, a double, a home run and three stolen bases. The senior outfielder led off the game against then-No. 1 Calvert Hall with a homer and finished with two hits and three runs scored as Archbishop Spalding rolled, 10-3. The Radford-bound Hillsinger leads the Cavaliers in batting average (.469), runs (38) and stolen bases (22), and he has three homers.
Boys Athlete of the Week: Jack Doyle, Gilman, lacrosse
Doyle, a junior midfielder, led the top-ranked Greyhounds to impressive victories over two top-five teams to keep Gilman undefeated in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference (7-0) and overall (14-0). He scored four goals, won six faceoffs and scooped up four ground balls in a 17-7 rout of No. 2 Loyola on April 22, and followed that with four goals, two assists and three ground balls in a 10-7 triumph over No. 3 Calvert Hall on Friday. Doyle, who entered the week off a fine performance (three goals, two assists, five ground balls) in a 14-8 win over then-No. 5 Boys' Latin, has orally committed to play lacrosse at Harvard.
Girls Athlete of the Week: Kristy Black, Glenelg, lacrosse
The Maryland-bound senior was at her best when it counted most Friday, scoring three of her six goals against Mount Hebron in overtime to lead the No. 15 Gladiators to a 14-11 win. It was the first time Glenelg had beaten its Howard County rival. In wins over Oakland Mills, Howard and Mount Hebron, Black, a midfielder who has played varsity for four years, totaled nine goals and seven assists. Entering the week, she leads the Gladiators this season in goals (37), assists (22), draw controls (41) and ground balls (35). Through Friday's game, which improved the Gladiators to 7-3 overall and 7-0 in Howard County, Black had 246 career points (139 goals, 107 assists) to place her third on the program's all-time list, just nine points from No. 1.
Boys Athlete of the Week: Steele Stanwick, Loyola, lacrosse
Stanwick, The Sun's All-Metro Player of the Year as a junior in 2007, led the No. 2 Dons to a pair of big wins in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference last week. The victories kept the Dons (8-2) undefeated in the conference at 5-0 with No. 1 Gilman. On April 15, Stanwick had three goals and two assists to deal Calvert Hall (11-1, 4-1) its first league loss, 10-9. Then, the gritty senior, who last year led the Dons to a 13-2 record and their first A Conference title since 2001, scored his second goal of the game off a restart with 17.5 seconds left to nip then-No. 4 St. Mary's, 5-4. Stanwick has accepted a lacrosse scholarship to Virginia.
Girls Athlete of the Week: Lisa Bilski, Fallston, softball
The senior played a major role in the Cougars' 4-0 week. In the four wins, Bilski went 9-for-16 with two game-winning hits, six RBIs and six runs while cleanly fielding all 16 chances at shortstop. In the team's 4-2, eight-inning win over previously undefeated North East on April 14, Bilski went 2-for-4, drove in the game-winning run and made a late-inning diving grab that she turned into a double play. The next day, in an 8-4 win over Harford Tech, she went 2-for-4 with a home run, double and two RBIs. Last Wednesday, Bilski's three-run homer was the difference in a 5-2 win over North Harford. She closed out the week by going 3-for-4 with three runs scored in an 8-4 win over Bohemia Manor. Bilski, an honor-roll student and team captain, is hitting .472 with 14 RBIs and 14 runs. She plans to play softball at Villa Julie next year.
Girls Athlete of the Week: Torrie Saunders, Annapolis, track and field
Saunders, a four-year varsity performer, captured four gold medals at North County's Knights Invite on Friday and was chosen Athlete of the Meet.
Boys Athlete of the Week: Greg Dutton, Calvert Hall, lacrosse
The sophomore starting goalkeeper had two outstanding games last week against ranked teams to keep the No. 2 Cardinals unbeaten overall (10-0) and in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference (3-0).
Boys Athlete of the Week: Eric Franklin, Archbishop Curley, track and field
Franklin, a junior hurdler and sprinter for the No. 4 Friars, was involved in eight winning events last week in two meets. Last Wednesday, Franklin led a 90-56 victory over McDonogh by taking the 110 and 300 hurdles with times of 14.06 and 39.08 seconds, respectively, and also ran on the winning 800 and 1,600 relays. Then, at the Christopher Newport University Invitational on Friday and Saturday, Franklin led the Friars to victory in their section of 18 teams by winning more events. Franklin, who also plays football and basketball at Curley, won the 110 and 300 hurdles, and he ran a leg on the gold medal 400 and 1,600 relays. Academically, Franklin is ranked in the top 10 percent of his class.
Girls Athlete of the Week: Casey Ancarrow, John Carroll, lacrosse
The senior attacker capped an exceptional week with five goals and two assists in one of the biggest wins in her team's history, an 18-9 victory over then-No. 1 Mount Hebron at Saturday's Maryland High School Lacrosse Showdown at Johns Hopkins' Homewood Field. Her deceptive moves and terrific timing around the crease were key to the win that boosted the Patriots (7-0) to the No. 1 ranking. She also had a goal and an assist each in wins over No. 4 McDonogh, 14-9, and No. 10 Bryn Mawr, 10-9. Ancarrow, who also plays for the North East Maryland Select club team and played field hockey for John Carroll, has 16 goals, 11 assists and 18 draw controls this season. She has a 3.5 grade point average and plans to become a coach.
Girls Athlete of the Week: Katie Schwarzmann, Century, lacrosse
The junior midfielder had 17 goals and 10 assists in leading the Knights to a 3-0 start. Schwarzmann, a three-year starter, opened the season by tying a program record with nine goals in a 27-1 win over Francis Scott Key. She also had four assists. In Saturday's Baltimore Showcase at Dulaney, she opened with a three-goal, three-assist effort in an 11-5 win over Hereford before recording five goals and three assists in a 10-9 win over the host Lions. One of Schwarzmann's major assets is her speed. She entered the year with 107 goals and 60 assists in two seasons, along with 220 ground balls. Schwarzmann also is a three-year starter in soccer and basketball at Century.
Boys Athlete of the Week: Ben Winter, Centennial, baseball
A returning All-Metro pitcher-outfielder, Winter started his senior year for the No. 3 Eagles impressively. The left-hander, who is headed to Towson University, pitched and batted his team to two wins and a tie (which will be finished later in the season) last week. He pitched a five-inning no-hitter with eight strikeouts to beat Atholton, 13-0, on Friday. In that game, Winter also had a double, triple and four RBIs to complete his week with five hits in 10 at-bats with eight RBIs. Earlier in the week, he led the Eagles to a 12-1 rout of Lackey and helped his team play Eastern Tech to a 4-4 tie in a game called because of darkness. Last season, Winter led the Eagles to the Class 3A state final.
Girls Athlete of the Week: Lauren Gibson, Chesapeake-AA, softball
The junior pitcher, last year's All-Metro Player of the Year, helped the No. 1 Cougars to two wins in capturing the Anne Arundel Easter Classic on Saturday. In an 8-2 season-opening win over No. 2 Broadneck, Gibson threw a four-hitter with 11 strikeouts, while reaching base four times on walks and scoring three runs. Playing second base in a 14-1 win over No. 10 Severna Park, she went 3-for-3 with one walk, drove in two runs, scored two runs and stole a base. Gibson, who has made a verbal commitment to Tennessee, led the Cougars to the Class 4A state championship last year, throwing a no-hitter against Damascus in the title game. She finished the season with an 18-3 record and hit .471 with 24 RBIs and 24 runs.
Boys Athlete of the Week: Sander Beck, Severn, baseball
Beck pitched a no-hitter Saturday to lead Severn to a 3-0 upset of No. 13 Severna Park in the Easter Tournament, which the Falcons hosted. Beck, a 6-foot-2 senior right-hander who has signed with Maryland, struck out eight, including the side in the bottom of the seventh. He hit three batters and walked three. Beck's fastball was in the high 80s to low 90s and was complemented by an excellent changeup and knuckle-curve that kept one of the area's better hitting teams off balance. Beck, 6-1 last spring for the Admirals, is coming off of an outstanding fall with the Oriolelanders showcase team and has drawn the attention of pro scouts.
Boys Athlete of the Week: Cammeron Woodyard, Winters Mill, basketball
Woodyard, a 6-foot-5 senior guard, led the then-No. 12 Falcons to two upsets to win the school's first state championship in basketball and Carroll County's first since 1947. The Falcons (21-6), now ranked No. 2, first shocked Prince George's County power Gwynn Park, 58-56, in the Class 2A semifinals. Woodyard was 3-for-4 on three-pointers and had 22 points and 12 rebounds against the Yellow Jackets (25-2). Then, in the 2A final, Woodyard had 13 points, nine rebounds and five steals in a 54-47 victory over three-time defending champion and then-No. 2 ranked Randallstown. Woodyard, who has orally committed to Penn State, averaged 20.8 points per game.
Girls Athlete of the Week: Megan Schaaf, Mount Hebron, basketball
The sophomore forward developed into a valuable asset off the bench this season for the Vikings, who completed a 28-0 season with a 55-40 win over Poly in the Class 2A title game Saturday. Schaaf had a team-high 16 points and added 10 rebounds in the win to finish the season averaging eight points and six rebounds per game. Schaaf, who also plays field hockey and lacrosse at Mount Hebron, was just as pivotal in the Vikings' 54-53 semifinal win over Winters Mill Wednesday. Mount Hebron was trailing 10-5 when she was first inserted into the game midway through the first quarter, and she quickly scored six points, including a spin move to the basket that gave the Vikings a 12-10 lead they would never relinquish. She finished the game with 10 points, seven rebounds and two blocks.
Boys Athlete of the Week: Josh Asper, Hereford, wrestling
The Hereford senior became the third four-time public schools state champion when he earned a 5-1 decision over Thomas Stone's Justin Bowersox to win the Class 4A-3A 171-pound title Saturday at the University of Maryland's Cole Field House. The win completed a dominating tournament and stellar career for Asper, who completed his second straight undefeated season at 37-0, closed out his high school career winning his last 87 matches and finished with a 151-7 mark. Asper, who will wrestle at Maryland next year, scored two pins on Friday before getting a 5-0 decision against Chesapeake-AA's Zach O'Keefe on Saturday to reach the championship bout. Against Bowersox, he scored a late takedown in the first period before getting an escape and another takedown in the second. He joined 1992 Aberdeen grad Matt Slutzky and 1997 Owings Mills grad Steve Kessler as the only four-time state champs among public schools.
Girls Athlete of the Week: Breonna Brewer Poly, basketball
The senior guard saved some of her best basketball for the playoffs, especially Friday night's 49-38 upset of rival and then-No. 7 City in the Class 2A North regional final. Brewer scored 20 points, had four steals and went 12-for-13 from the free-throw line as the No. 12 Engineers (20-5) earned a second straight trip to the state final four and cracked the Top 15 poll for the first time this season. In three regional games, Brewer scored 54 points, had 12 steals and shot 22-for-27 from the line. She had 15 points in the 54-43 semifinal victory over Randallstown and scored 17 in a 90-25 romp over Loch Raven. She also is a sprinter on the track team and has drawn attention from some Division III basketball programs.
Bubby Graham, Annapolis, wrestling
Graham will go after a third consecutive 4A-3A state championship this weekend at the University of Maryland's Cole Field House after winning a fourth consecutive regional title at South River on Saturday. The 160-pound champion of the 4A-3A East region extended his personal record to 93 straight wins, including 32 this season, making him 117-8 for his career. A two-time All-Metro selection and The Sun's Anne Arundel County Wrestler of the Year as a junior, Graham won his fourth straight regional with a second-period pin. Headed to American University to major in international studies, Graham is ranked 17th in his senior class of 376 with his 4.25 grade point-average and has a 2,000 SAT score. He is also a member of the National Honor Society and Young Life.
Deanna Dydynski, Mount Hebron, basketball
The senior forward has been a model of consistency for the No. 4 Vikings, who finished 22-0 in the regular season before defeating Atholton, 47-44, in the Howard County championship game last week. In the win, Dydynski, a four-year starter, scored a team-high 15 points and added five rebounds to lead the way. Trailing 44-43 in the final minute, she drew the attention of three defenders at the top of the key before zipping a pass down low to junior forward Megan Schaaf for an easy lay-in that turned out to be the game-winning basket with 22 seconds left. As the only starter back from last season's team, Dydynski, who averages 12.6 points and six rebounds, has provided strong leadership and a steadying influence for the Vikings, who take a 24-0 record into tonight's Class 2A South semifinal against county rival River Hill. Dydynski, who maintains a 3.64 grade point average and plans to play basketball in college, also was a standout midfielder on the Vikings' field hockey team, earning second-team All-Metro honors.
Jess Huber, North Carroll, indoor track and field
The Panthers senior continued her dominance in the pole vault, capturing her third straight indoor state championship to go with the state title she captured in the outdoor season last spring. On Feb. 19, Huber cleared 10 feet to win the Class 4A state championship at the Prince George's Sports & Learning Complex. A first-team All-Metro selection in the indoor and outdoor seasons last year, Huber defeated South River's Jen Whitfield, who finished second after clearing 9-6. Huber, who plans to continue pole vaulting in college, hasn't decided which school she will attend. Her best effort this season was 10-9 at a meet in Hagerstown.
Josh Fitch, McDonogh, wrestling
Fitch, a four-time Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference and four-time private school state champion, closed his outstanding high school career by winning the 140-pound National Preps championship Saturday at Lehigh University, the college he will attend. In three previous appearances at the National Preps, Fitch finished fourth, third and second. A 4-3 decision over Blair Academy's Garrett Frey gave Fitch the National Preps title, a 49-3 record this season and a 141-25 career mark, including 69 pins. His performance led the Eagles to their highest-ever finish at National Preps -- fourth place -- with 177.5 points.
Shatyra Hawkes, St. Frances, basketball
The sophomore guard continued a breakout season with 15 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter, to lead St. Frances to a 43-39 overtime upset of then-No. 1 Seton Keough Sunday for a sixth straight Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference crown and the No. 1 ranking. Hawkes gave the Gators trouble at both ends of the court and her free throw with 8.5 seconds left in regulation forced overtime. She also had seven points, four assists and six steals in a semifinal win over No. 13 Archbishop Spalding, and 15 points, three assists and four steals in a quarterfinal win over Roland Park. In her first season as a starter, she has averaged 17 points, three assists and four steals.
Jordan Lee, Loch Raven, basketball
Lee, a senior guard, scored 99 points and grabbed 31 rebounds in three wins, including a metro-area season-high 49 points in one game. On Feb. 11, Lee scored 49 and had 14 rebounds in an 83-61 romp over Hereford. He followed that with 33 points and nine rebounds in a 77-73 victory over Western Tech on Thursday. Playing just a half the next day in a 73-57 rout of Sparrows Point, Lee scored 17 points to go with eight rebounds. Loch Raven's leading scorer over the past two seasons, Lee is averaging 27.4 points this season for the 17-5 Raiders, who have clinched the fourth seed in the Class 2A North region. Lee will play at Coppin State.
Akeema Richards, Western, basketball
The junior point guard led the Doves to two big wins last week to assure her team a spot in the Baltimore City title game. In a 74-46 victory over Digital Harbor on Feb. 5, Richards finished with 12 points, 11 rebounds, six steals and four assists. In the Doves' 54-44 win over then-No. 4 City on Friday, she shot 64 percent from the field and finished with 18 points, 15 rebounds, five assists and four steals in a game for first place in Baltimore City's Division II. Averaging 13 points and 11 rebounds, Richards thrives on being the team's catalyst and leader. Also a standout shortstop on Western's softball team, Richards is ranked ninth in her class with a 4.0 grade point average.
Giles Smith, McDonogh, swimming
Giles Smith, a junior All-American, was on the winning end in three of the four races in which he competed in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference championships last week. In capturing the 50-yard freestyle in 20.95 seconds, Smith became the first metro-area high school swimmer to break 21 seconds. He also won the 100 butterfly in 51.07 seconds and anchored the Eagles' winning 200 freestyle relay and runner-up 400 freestyle relay teams. Smith, who finished 16-0 in individual events this season, is also a member of McDonogh's water polo team and has a 3.26 grade point average.
Jessica Tongue, Annapolis, indoor track and field
One of the area's top sprinters, the versatile senior won three events and broke two of her meet records at the Anne Arundel County Indoor Track Championships. She set records in winning the 55-meter dash in 7.18 seconds and the long jump at 15 feet, 11 inches. Tongue won the 300 meters in 40.23 seconds, the second-best time in meet history. She was second in the 55-meter hurdles. A year ago, she switched from basketball to indoor track and won the Class 3A-2A title in the 55-meter dash. An All-Metro track and field selection, she won the state Class 3A title in the 100 meters and was second in the 200 last spring. Tongue has a 3.0 grade point average and plans to run in college.
Sean Mosley, St. Frances, basketball
Sean Mosley, a three-time All-Metro forward-guard and University of Maryland-bound senior, scored 72 points and grabbed 35 rebounds in three wins last week. In averaging 24 points and 11.7 rebounds a game, the 6-foot-4 Mosley started off Jan. 29 with 20 points and 12 rebounds in a 58-46 win over then No. 10 Loyola. On Friday, Mosley had 25 points and 11 rebounds in an 80-62 romp at Calvert Hall, and he followed it with 27 points and 12 rebounds in an 81-69 victory over Archbishop Spalding. Mosley has started for the Panthers since his freshman year and has scored well over 2,000 points. He is chasing the school record of 2,770 by Mark Karcher (1993-1997), who is an assistant coach to William Wells at St. Frances.
Mattie Riley, Mount de Sales, swimming
The senior won the 100-yard freestyle at the National Catholic High School Swimming Championships on Sunday in Villanova, Pa., to help the Sailors to a second-place team finish. She also finished fourth in the 50 freestyle and anchored two school-record-setting relays - the 200 freestyle (second) and the 400 freestyle (third). Last Wednesday, she won the 100 freestyle, was second in the 50 freestyle and anchored both relays in a dual-meet victory over McDonogh to finish the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference regular season undefeated. Riley has a 3.0 grade point average and plans to swim in college. She is a member of the CATY swim team at the Western Family YMCA in Catonsville.
Omar Strong, Douglass, basketball
The senior has been the catalyst for the Ducks the past two seasons and was again last week in a pair of wins over ranked teams that moved the team back into The Sun's Top 15 at No. 9. Strong, an All-Metro guard last season when he averaged 19.8 points, had 16 points and eight assists in a 73-49 victory over then-No. 5 Northwestern on Jan. 22. The 5-foot-9 guard followed it with a game-high 27 points, six assists and five rebounds in a 77-65 victory over No.12 Digital Harbor on Friday. Strong had two three-point baskets and was 9-for-10 from the foul line in the final 58 seconds to secure the win. He was 13-for-14 overall on free throws for the 11-4 Ducks.
Erin Brooks, Seton Keough, track
The senior became the first athlete to win four individual events in the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland indoor track championships. Brooks set meet records last week in winning the long jump (17 feet, 5 3/4 inches) and the triple jump (39 feet, 8 1/2 inches). She also won the 55-meter dash (7.35 seconds) and the 300 meters (42.14 seconds) to lead the then-No. 4 Gators to the team title over then-No. 1 McDonogh. A regular on the All-Metro indoor and outdoor track teams, Brooks has a 3.75 grade point average and is student body president at Seton Keough. She is being recruited by several colleges, including Princeton, South Florida and Pennsylvania.
Tim Chase, Glenelg, wrestling
As a fifth seed in the Mount Madness Invitational at CCBC-Catonsville, Chase, a senior, pulled off the upset of the event by winning the 152-pound championship and leading the No. 3 Gladiators to eighth place among 29 schools, the highest finish of any Maryland public school. Top wrestlers from schools in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Virginia competed, and Chase won the Most Outstanding Wrestling Award. Chase beat Mike Brant of Westmont-Hilltop (Pa.), 10-4, in the final after upsetting top seed Shane Milam of McDonogh in the semifinals. Chase pinned Milam late in the third period and lifted his record to 21-1. Chase, a four-year varsity wrestler, also played football and has a 3.1 grade point average.
Shamika Williams, Catonsville, basketball
The versatile junior led the Comets to the biggest upset of the season, scoring 15 points, grabbing 11 rebounds and getting six assists in a 61-51 win over then-No. 3 Western at the Basketball Academy. Last week, the powerful 5-foot-8 forward-guard totaled 44 points, 23 rebounds and 14 assists in three games, including a 62-35 win over Hereford and a 61-51 loss to No. 4 City. She averages 16 points, nine rebounds and five assists for the No. 6 Comets (9-2). Williams sat out the last Amateur Athletic Union basketball season to allow a broken thumb and sore knees to heal, but she will rejoin the Baltimore Cougars for the upcoming season.
James Ways, Winters Mill, indoor track
A week after leading the Falcons to their first Carroll County title in four years, Ways won two individual events and ran the last leg on relay teams that finished first and second, respectively, in the Monocacy Valley Athletic League Piedmont Conference meet. In leading the Falcons to a second-place finish in the meet, the junior sprinter won the 300-meter run in 37.6 seconds and the 500 meters in 1:11. It was his fifth win in the 500 this season. Ways also ran the last leg on the Falcons' winning 1,600 relay and the runner-up 3,200 relay for co-coaches Shelly Katcef and Becki Ridgway. Ways, who has a 3.5 grade point average, also plays soccer and baseball at Winters Mill.
Kellie Christian, Catonsville, track
In her first season of indoor track, the junior All-Metro sprinter finished second in the 200 meters at the 14th Hispanic Games in New York last weekend. Running on a banked track for the first time, Christian finished in 24.90 seconds, which ranks as the third-fastest time in the country this season. Christian, who played basketball last winter, won the 400-meter state Class 3A outdoor title and swept the 100, 200 and 400 meters at the Baltimore County championships last spring. She finished ninth last summer in the 400 at the USA Junior Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Indianapolis. She has a 3.5 grade point average.
Trevor Howze, Patterson, basketball
Howze had a second consecutive prolific game behind the three-point line, as he led the Clippers to a 63-47 upset at then-No. 6 Northwestern on Friday. Howze, a senior, scored 27 points -- on nine three-pointers -- and had six rebounds and three assists. Six of his threes came in the first half, as Patterson built a 31-20 lead. In the previous game -- a 63-47 win over Eastern Tech in the Gilman tournament -- Howze hit 10 three-pointers. Howze, who averaged 16.8 points last season, is averaging 19.2 points and six rebounds this season. He has a 3.0 grade point average.
Miriam McKenzie, Oakland Mills, basketball
The 5-foot-8 senior guard averaged 29 points and 14 rebounds and had a triple double in leading the Scorpions (5-0) to three victories. McKenzie had 24 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists in a 59-36 win over Long Reach. She added 38 points and 18 rebounds against Reservoir and 25 points, 11 rebounds and eight steals against Marriotts Ridge. A second-team All-Metro selection a year ago, McKenzie averages 28 points and 13 rebounds this season. She carries a 3.4 grade point average and signed early to play at Loyola. She also plays Amateur Athletic Union basketball with the Maryland Magic.
Roscoe Smith, Walbrook, basketball
Smith, a 6-foot-7 sophomore, has emerged on the local basketball scene as one of the best underclassmen. In three games last week, Smith scored 69 points, including 32 in a 77-52 romp over Waldorf's Princeton Claremont Academy to lead the No. 10 Warriors (3-1) in the final of the Function at the Junction Mixer. Smith had 17 rebounds and seven blocked shots in the final. Smith started his big week with 18 points and 12 rebounds in a 67-49 rout of Carver. In the host Warriors' first game in the Mixer, Smith paced a 72-36 blowout of Southwestern with 19 points and 14 rebounds..
Zach Martin, River Hill, football
Martin, a cornerstone of River Hill's defense for the past three years, capped a marvelous career by leading the top-ranked Hawks to the Class 2A state championship by a 14-7 score over No. 6 Eastern Tech (13-1) on Saturday. Playing on a sprained left ankle that did not allow him to practice Friday, Martin made 12 solo tackles and assisted on five others at linebacker. The 5-foot-10, 180-pound senior led the Hawks (14-0) to their first state title after they lost in the 3A final in 2006. River Hill tied the state season record for shutouts (11) and gave up only 21 points all season.
Jordan Neville, Winters Mill, basketball
The 5-foot-9 senior guard had a triple double in her first game back after missing last season with a knee injury. Neville had 10 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists and eight steals Friday night in a season-opening 63-47 win over North Carroll. A year ago, she tore an anterior cruciate ligament just 1:20 into the first game of the season. A versatile guard who was an All-County second-team selection as a freshman and sophomore, Neville is still considering where she wants to play in college. She has a 3.75 grade point average and takes classes at Carroll Community College.
Alexis Hairston, Garrison Forest, basketball
The sophomore shooting guard scored 38 points last week and added 11 rebounds, seven assists and five steals as the Grizzlies opened the season 3-0. She also hit nine of 11 three-point attempts.
Jonathan Perry, Dunbar, football
When star running back Tavon Austin went down with an injured left side late in the first quarter of the Class 1A state semifinal on Saturday at Poly, quarterback Perry stepped up to lead the Poets to a 34-8 rout of South Carroll.
Erica Suter, River Hill, soccer
The versatile senior scored the only goal for her team in a 2-1 loss in the Nov. 19 All-State Game. A week earlier, she scored the game-winning goal in overtime to beat Eastern Tech, 2-1, for the state Class 2A championship, River Hill's second straight state crown.
Ashton Hayes, Wilde Lake, football
Hayes rushed for 266 yards and four touchdowns in leading the No. 12 Wildecats to a 26-6 victory at North Harford for the Class 3A East regional title Friday.
Lindsay Will, South Carroll, volleyball
The 5-foot-9 middle hitter had 10 kills, six blocks and eight digs as South Carroll upset Boonsboro for its first state volleyball championship.
Nick Elko, Arundel, football
The talented senior quarterback led No. 4 Arundel to a come-from-behind 34-29 victory over North County in the Class 4A East semifinals on Friday.
Lindsey Puckett, Fallston, field hockey
The junior All-Metro forward scored three goals to lead the No. 5 Cougars to a 5-1 victory over No. 11 Centennial in last week's state Class 3A field hockey semifinal.
Kelechi Odocha, Atholton, football
Odocha led the Raiders (7-3) into the Class 3A East regional playoffs, where they are the fourth seed. The senior running back ran for 260 yards and four touchdowns on 30 carries and added a pair of two-point conversions in a 48-27 romp over Hammond to seal the postseason berth.
Bailey Webster, St. Paul's, volleyball
The 6-foot-3 junior hitter led the Gators with 25 kills in a 25-16, 25-19, 25-15 sweep of then-No. 5 Archbishop Spalding for the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference crown.
Michael Campanaro, River Hill, football
Campanaro rushed for 209 yards - his fourth 200-yard rushing game of the season - and two touchdowns in leading the top-ranked Hawks (9-0) to a 48-0 rout of Reservoir last week.
Liz Snyder, Centennial, field hockey
The junior goalie made 10 saves to preserve a 2-1 upset of then-No. 10 Glenelg for the Howard County championship.
Chris Agorsor, McDonogh, soccer
Agorsor led top-ranked McDonogh to two wins last week to clinch the regular-season title and top seed in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference.
Sabrina Mullaney, Institute of Notre Dame, soccer
Scoring 15 goals and making three assists this season, the senior forward has shown a knack for being at the right place at the right time for the No. 8 Indians. That was never more evident than Thursday's 3-2 overtime win over No. 2 John Carroll. Mullaney scored all three goals in the Indians' regular-season finale, giving them a 14-4-1 overall record and 8-2 mark in the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference.
Zach Westfall, North Carroll, football
Westfall played a major role in the No. 13 Panthers' 29-25 victory at Thomas Johnson of Frederick on Saturday.
Hope Battista, South River, field hockey
The defensive leader for the No. 1 Seahawks, Battista led her team to two victories last week, including a 2-0 win over then-No. 2 Bryn Mawr.
Andrew Bulls, McDonogh, soccer
With standout forward Chris Agorsor out because of injury, Bulls scored five goals and had two assists in three wins for the top-ranked Eagles (14-1-2) last week. The senior captain had a goal in a 2-1 victory over No. 4 Archbishop Curley. He then had two goals and an assist in wins over John Carroll, 4-0, and St. Paul's, 3-0.
Tavon Austin, Dunbar, football
Junior Tavon Austin, whose position on the Dunbar roster is listed as "athlete," led No. 4 Dunbar to a 56-6 rout of then-No. 11 City in the second Bob Wade Classic on Friday.
Kristen Malloy, Hereford, cross country
For the second year in a row, the Bulls junior set a course record in winning the girls elite race at Saturday's Bull Run Invitational cross country meet.
Maddi Lee, River Hill, volleyball
The 6-foot-2 senior outside hitter had 47 kills in two matches last week, as the No. 5 Hawks defeated two of their top Howard County rivals, then-No. 5 Centennial and then-No. 12 Glenelg.
Terence Garvin, Loyola, football
Garvin led the top-ranked Dons (4-0) to a 35-14 victory over Fork Union Military Academy, a Virginia prep school powerhouse that has a couple of Division I-bound players and some fifth-year 19-year olds.
Sarah Cole, Bryn Mawr, field hockey
The senior forward scored three game-winning goals against ranked teams last week, as the defending Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference champions improved to 6-0.
Xavier Makell, Forest Park, football
Makell excelled on both sides of the football for the Foresters in their 34-32 victory over Northwestern of Baltimore on Friday.
Jessica Nonn, Catonsville, soccer
The Comets striker has targeted reaching 50 career goals, and she's well on her way after scoring six in the first week of her senior season. Her quick start has boosted her total to 44 goals in four years as a starter.
Brandon Johnson-Farrell, Arundel, football
Broadneck chased Johnson-Farrell all over the field at Arundel on Friday, mostly to no avail. The senior wide receiver-kick returner accounted for 354 yards and three touchdowns as the then-No. 7 Wildcats outlasted the No. 8 Bruins, 34-28, in the season opener for both.