Figure skating
Middletown's Sjoberg 4th at junior nationals
Eric Sjoberg, a 10-year-old fifth-grader at Middletown Elementary, finished fourth, earning the pewter medal, at the Junior US Figure Skating Championship last week in East Lansing, Mich. Sjoberg, who represents the University of Delaware Figure Skating Club and trains locally at Skate Frederick, was one of 41 competitors in the Juvenile Boys division. He placed second in his qualifying round, earning a personal-best score of 51.20 to advance to the 19-skater championship round. Sjoberg earned nine special achievement awards from US Figure Skating, the second-highest total at the competition, for his positive scores on various technical elements and for receiving the highest spin score in the qualifying round.
Radio
Ex-Hoyas coach Thompson to end ESPN 980 show
Former Georgetown men's basketball coach John Thompson Jr., 70, announced during Friday's broadcast of ESPN 980's weekday radio program "The John Thompson Show" that he is ending the program in February after 13 years on the air, The Washington Post reported. Thompson, who coached the Hoyas from 1972 to 1999 and led them to the 1984 national championship, said he will explore other opportunities while continuing to work for Westwood One and Turner.
Varsity soccer
Niedermeier earns top national scholar honor
Broadneck senior goalkeeper Cody Niedermeier was named the National High School Scholar Athlete of the Year, selected by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. Niedermeier, an All-Metro first-team selection, maintains a 4.19 weighted GPA and is set to graduate in January before enrolling at Maryland for the spring semester. Reservoir midfielder Colin Bonner and Hereford midfielder Joshua Kufera also were selected to the All-America boys team. Broadneck midfielder Samantha Dean and Mercy midfielder Lexie Niedoba made the girls team. The criteria for eligibility are a minimum of a 3.75 (on a 4.0 scale) cumulative GPA through the junior year, outstanding community involvement and excellence in high school soccer.
Women's college basketball
Cook's 15 not enough in UMES' loss to S. Florida
Kaneisha Saunders scored 20 points and Jasmine Wynne added 19 to help host South Florida (7-5) defeat UMES, 71-50, on Saturday. Amber Cook scored 15 points for the Hawks (2-7), and Chelsea Sanders added 10. The Bulls forced 28 turnovers.
Division III: Freshman Steph Perez scored 20 points for McDaniel (7-3) in a 61-52 victory over visiting Susquehanna. She added five assists and four rebounds. … Hood (2-8) got a team-high 14 points from Dyanna Prater in a 71-57 victory at Notre Dame of Maryland (0-8). Imani Stokes scored 22 for the Gators . … Host Washington College (4-4) led by 18 at halftime en route to a 69-58 victory over Wesley (1-6). Meghan Tait scored 14 for the Shorewomen; Heather Fuller had 12 for the Wolverines (1-6). … The College of New Jersey (7-4) won, 61-48, ending visiting Salisbury's three-game winning streak. The Sea Gulls (5-4) got 12 points from Josie Hildebrand. … Host Stevenson (4-6) shot just 18.4 percent in the first half and lost, 62-44, to Catholic (8-1). Freshman Kyarra Harmon led the Mustangs with 10 points.
Youth baseball
Ex-Tiger Horton to appear at St. Frances clinic
Former Detroit Tigers outfielder Willie Horton will be a special guest at the St. Frances Academy Youth Baseball Clinic on Feb. 11 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. The clinic, for children 11 to 14, is free, but participants must reserve a spot by calling St. Frances coach Brian Boles, a Tigers scout, at 443-803-5891 or emailing him at brian.boles@sfacademy.org. Students should bring a baseball uniform, tennis shoes, bat and glove. Horton was a seven-time American League All-Star and a member of the 1968 World Series champion Tigers.
Et cetera
Shuckers fall to 0-2 with 132-115 loss to Bombers
Derrick Payne scored 28 points to lead the Beltway Bombers past the Bay Area Shuckers, 132-115, in an Atlantic Coast Professional Basketball League game Saturday night at the Kilby Center in Severn. Hugh Jones added 27 points for the Bombers (2-1) and had 10 rebounds. Terry Holsey led the Shuckers (0-2) with 20 points. The Shuckers' next home game is against the Manhattan Pride on Jan.7 at 7 p.m.
Youth football: Coming off a 42-20 victory over New York, the eighth-grade Maryland team will face Massachusetts in the third round of the Football University national championship today at 1 p.m. in Westwood, Mass. The winner will receive an all-expense-paid trip to San Antonio to compete in the semifinals.
Women's soccer: D.C. United Women, who play in Boyds, won the W-League's 2011 Rookie Franchise of the Year award. Tim Schweitzer, who worked last season for D.C. United Women and the Northern Virginia Majestics, was named W-League Executive of the Year.
Men's college golf: Alex Church (Calvert Hall), Cas Dickerson of McDonough in Southern Maryland and Ryan Siegler of West Windsor-Plainsboro North in New Jersey signed letters of intent to attend Towson.
College football: Salisbury senior offensive lineman Alex Smith was named to the D3football.com All-America first team.
Women's college bowling: The National Tenpins Coaches Association December poll was released last week, and UMES fell to fourth place, down from first in the previous poll.
College swimming and diving: The UMBC men are ranked No. 13 and the women are No. 17 in the second collegeswimming.com poll of the season.
—From Sun staff and news services