Archive: May 2007
Tech News; Greenberg Speaks (Briefly) About Gilchrist
It's been a busy week for the recruiters in Blacksburg. The football team received a commitment earlier in the week from Stone Bridge DB Jeron Gouveia and today comes word that the Hokies have added a recruit apiece in football and basketball. The basketball team added point guard Hank Thorns...
By Josh Barr | May 31, 2007; 12:11 PM ET | Comments (1)
Hokies Pick Up Another Local
Colleague Stephen Norris passes along the breaking news that Stone Bridge standout Jeron Gouveia committed last night to play for Virginia Tech....
By Josh Barr | May 30, 2007; 11:18 AM ET | Email a Comment
Westfield QB Has Interesting Predicament
I've been meaning to post this link for some time. Man About Roanoke Doug Doughty talks to Westfield QB Mike Glennon about the possibility of following his brother Sean to Virginia Tech or whether Mike could end up starting for the Hokies' rival, Virginia, which could make for some truly...
By Josh Barr | May 30, 2007; 11:07 AM ET | Email a Comment
How One Website Sees It
Here's how one observer rates the crop of local seniors: Donte Greene, Austin Freeman Chris Wright. Guess this only adds to the discussion of picking All-Met type teams. The Baltimore Sun picked Green's teammate, Virginia Tech-bound Malcolm Delaney as its player of the year....
By Josh Barr | May 30, 2007; 10:11 AM ET | Email a Comment
Howard County Standout Had Terrific Year
Wilde Lake standout RB Zach Brown ended his high school athletics career at this past weekend's Maryland state track championships. He plans to enroll at Hargrave Military Academy in the fall and then head to Maryland for the spring semester. Brown was All-Metro by The (Baltimore) Sun in football and...
By Josh Barr | May 30, 2007; 8:48 AM ET | Email a Comment
Military Academies Face Extra Recruiting Challenge
With so many members of the military overseas, this story looks at recruits who are bound for Army, Navy and Air Force who face five years of active duty upon graduation....
By Josh Barr | May 29, 2007; 12:56 PM ET | Comments (1)
Partially Blind Player Hopes to Kick in College
Frederick High football and baseball player David Canada intends to kick for Shepherd's football team this fall.. What's so unique about that? Canada is 80 percent blind in his right eye....
By Josh Barr | May 29, 2007; 11:00 AM ET | Email a Comment
Another Local Player Drinking Champaign
Colleague Alan Goldenbach passes along this tidbit. H.D. Woodson DB Victor Brown has joined the mass of local players heading to play football for Illinois. For those wanting to check up on All-Met WR Arrelious Benn of Dunbar, who enrolled at Illinois for the spring semester, scroll halfway down the...
By Josh Barr | May 25, 2007; 11:21 AM ET | Email a Comment
Extra Work for Nittany Lions
Seems that Penn State's incoming recruits and their new teammates - including many from the Washington area will have extra duties this fall. I'm curious what folks think of this. Should the whole team be punished? Or should those who allegedly committed the transgressions be the only ones affected? Penn...
By Josh Barr | May 24, 2007; 9:12 AM ET | Comments (4)
'Neers Pick Up a Commitment in Winchester
WVSports.com is reporting that Handley standout J.J. Dorsey has accepted a scholarship offer from West Virginia, adding to the Mountaineers' recent success in Virginia and Maryland....
By Josh Barr | May 23, 2007; 4:39 PM ET | Email a Comment
Wake Forest Losing a Basketball Player?
Wait! I don't normally blog about transfers from Wake Forest to Northwestern or Colorado, but... this story in the Chicago Tribune claims that a player who got into nine games last season might be the answer at center for Northwestern. He scored 10 points and had four points in 27...
By Josh Barr | May 23, 2007; 2:38 PM ET | Email a Comment
Another Athlete to Leave Tech Because of Shootings?
Well, it appears Augustus Gilchrist is not the only athlete saying he wants out of a scholarship at Virginia Tech because of last month's shooting spree. Tight end Brandon Barden apparently wants to transfer to Vanderbilt. He lived in the dorm where two students were shot and killed. Barden's mother...
By Josh Barr | May 23, 2007; 10:37 AM ET | Comments (4)
Football Players to Be Steroid Tested?
Recruits from the Lone Star State might not be able to get an unfair advantage on their peers. Texas has moved one step closer to steroid testing of high school athletes....
By Josh Barr | May 22, 2007; 1:42 PM ET | Email a Comment
Fridge Visits Stafford County
Scroll down to the second item here to see that Maryland football coach Ralph Friedgen was in Stafford County yesterday, recruiting Brooke Point LB Donovan Miles. An obvious addition when I update my list of top football prospects next month, Miles already has the eye of the region's top programs...
By Josh Barr | May 22, 2007; 8:45 AM ET | Comments (1)
Bonnies Get Another Local Hoopster
Former Friendly standout Hilary Haley has signed a letter-of-intent to play for St. Bonaventure. Haley signed with East Carolina out of high school but spent this school year at North Atlanta Prep....
By Josh Barr | May 21, 2007; 12:07 PM ET | Email a Comment
Montrose Guard Picks Georgia
Montrose Christian guard Troy Brewer, who blossomed late in the season, signed a letter-of-intent to play for Georgia. Brewer's recruitment picked up during the season. He averaged 15.1 points and 5.3 rebounds....
By Josh Barr | May 21, 2007; 10:44 AM ET | Email a Comment
Multitasking is So Old Fashioned
The days of playing a different sport each season are looking older and older. Here's a story that deals with the issue of picking a sport to best position oneself to obtain a college scholarship....
By Josh Barr | May 21, 2007; 10:29 AM ET | Email a Comment
Herbstreit Backpedals From Big Event
I'm not sure what the effect of this will be, but ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit has taken his name off the title of a high school football extravaganza in Ohio. DeMatha travels there this September....
By Josh Barr | May 21, 2007; 9:52 AM ET | Email a Comment
Big Blue Nets Big Recruit
High school prospect Patrick Patterson wants to be "the savior" for Kentucky basketball. Good to know kids these days don't have egos. Jerry Tipton also chimes in with the particulars of Coach Billy Gillispie's recruiting pitch....
By Josh Barr | May 17, 2007; 10:54 AM ET | Comments (2)
Top Prospect Shuns Football
This one stunned me. Kyle Long, a Charlottesville high school junior and the son of former NFLer Howie Long will pass up college football in order to pursue college baseball. Long has football scholarship offers and was rated Virginia's top football prospect in the class of 2008 by the authority...
By Josh Barr | May 17, 2007; 7:10 AM ET | Email a Comment
Top Recruit Set to Pick Today
Huntington, W.Va., star forward Patrick Patterson is expected to announce his college choice this afternoon. Yesterday, one of his teammates announced his choice of a Division III school and Huntington officials used the opportunity to stage a mock new conference because of the anticipated circus. Personally, I think this shows...
By Josh Barr | May 16, 2007; 12:14 PM ET | Comments (1)
Columnist Wonders About Gilchrist/Hokies
Dave Fairbank of the Newport News (Va.) Daily Press weighs in on Augustus Gilchrist's decision not to go to Virginia Tech, putting his name on a column I'm sure many will find controversial, even though it's where everyone seems to be talking about in hushed voices. Given the unusual circumstances...
By Josh Barr | May 15, 2007; 3:05 PM ET | Comments (6)
Paint Branch Pair Makes College Plans
Colleague Alan Goldenbach forwarded an email from former Paint Branch football coach Ernie Williams, who writes that DB Brandon Saunders signed with Northeastern and WR Dayon Arrington, a second-team All-Met, will head to Hargrave Military Academy....
By Josh Barr | May 14, 2007; 2:28 PM ET | Email a Comment
Gilchrist Speaks/What's Next?
I caught up with Augustus Gilchrist on Saturday and he confirmed that he won't be a Hokie this fall. However, Gilchrist did nothing to clear up the situation, adding that he had yet to "directly" ask for a release from his letter-of-intent. This would go along with a statement by...
By Josh Barr | May 14, 2007; 10:43 AM ET | Comments (6)
More On Gilchrist/VT
Just got off the phone with Augustus Gilchrist's personal trainer Terrelle Woody. It was a bizarre interview on all fronts, starting with Woody stating that Progressive Christian Coach Van Whitfield -- who this afternoon sent out a statement on Gilchrist -- wasn't authorized to speak for Gilchrist or release information...
By Josh Barr | May 11, 2007; 5:31 PM ET | Comments (21)
Prep Coach Says Gilchrist Not Going to VT
Just got this statement from Progressive Christian basketball coach Van Whitfield: Due to the tragic and historic events of April 16, 2007, at Virginia Tech University, Progressive Christian Academy senior forward Augustus Gilchrist will respectfully request to be released from his National Letter of Intent. In this time of mourning...
By Josh Barr | May 11, 2007; 4:58 PM ET | Comments (1)
Gilchrist Seeking Another Destination?
Spoke to second-team All-Met center Gus Gilchrist last night and he confirmed he is uncertain what he plans to do next season but declined to say more. Gilchrist, who was home schooled and played for Progressive Christian this past season, signed a letter-of-intent to play for Virginia Tech in November....
By Josh Barr | May 11, 2007; 11:35 AM ET | Comments (42)
Twyman To Be A Hoosier?
Not quite, but if Sherwood All-Met guard Deontay Twyman can make the NCAA's initial academic eligibility standards, he will play in the Hoosier state. While no one was ready to confirm anything last night, a source with knowledge of the situation said that Twyman will sign a national letter-of-intent to...
By Josh Barr | May 10, 2007; 6:53 PM ET | Comments (4)
Alaeze Pleads Guilty
One-time Maryland recruitMelvin Alaeze pleaded guilty yesterday to first-degree assault. He lasted only a few weeks into his freshman season last fall at Illinois before returning home and getting into a myriad of trouble....
By Josh Barr | May 10, 2007; 11:42 AM ET | Email a Comment
McPhearson Going to Court
Former DeMatha WR Derrick McPhearsonwill stand trial on May 21 for felony burglary charges. His co-defendant in the case, another former Illinois football player, is expected to plead guilty....
By Josh Barr | May 9, 2007; 12:53 PM ET | Email a Comment
K-State Gets Local Player
Former Carroll standout Jamar Samuels, who played at Patterson (N.C.) School this past season, is bound for Kansas State. Chalk one up for the D.C. Assault-Dalonte Hill connection. Weird item though: The Kansas City Star reports that Samuels will skip his senior season to enroll this fall. This was Samuels'...
By Josh Barr | May 9, 2007; 12:34 PM ET | Email a Comment
Little Hoya Going To Be A Cav
Just got off the line with Georgetown Prep football coach Dan Paro, who passed along word that TE Colter Phillips verbally committed to Virginia recently. Phillips, who is 6-6 and 240 pounds, is the younger brother of All-Met OL Andrew Phillips, who went to Stanford. "It all happened in a...
By Josh Barr | May 8, 2007; 12:56 PM ET | Email a Comment
Former Local Standout Goes to Court
One-time DeMatha standout Derrick McPhearson, who chose Illinois over Maryland, will be in court today. He was kicked off the Illinois team by Coach Ron Zook after being arrested in March when the car in which he was riding was pulled over and several stolen items were discovered. By the...
By Josh Barr | May 8, 2007; 9:44 AM ET | Email a Comment
Is NCAA On The Wrong Track?
This columnist does not like either of the NCAA's recent reforms to ban text messaging or crack down on diploma mills. I think many folks have mixed feelings on the subject. Text messaging had gotten way out of hand, coaches sending recruits idle and inane texts en masse. As for...
By Josh Barr | May 8, 2007; 9:27 AM ET | Comments (4)
Twyman Gets Scholarship Offer
Sherwood's Deontay Twyman, the first basketball-football first-team All-Met since Lawrence Moten finally has a scholarship offer. Sherwood AD Bob Cilento reports that Twyman took an official visit to Ball State late last week and the Cardinals -- coached by Ronny Thompson -- offered Twyman a basketball scholarship. No word yet...
By Josh Barr | May 7, 2007; 10:50 AM ET | Comments (2)
Dunbar DL Doing Well, Has More Offers
Big Boss Man Jon DeNunzio passes along this tidbit on Dunbar DL Reggie Ellis, a member of my top prospect list for rising seniors. Dunbar Coach Craig Jefferies reported that Ellis was named defensive MVP (wonder how pick those at a combine) at a New Jersey camp recently and now...
By Josh Barr | May 2, 2007; 11:24 AM ET | Comments (1)
Pay for Play?
There has been plenty of debate about whether the NCAA should pay athletes. Now, the conversation could maove to Capitol Hill, where a Chicago congressman wants to hold hearings on the subject....
By Josh Barr | May 2, 2007; 10:54 AM ET | Email a Comment
Logan-El Bound for Towson
Former All-Met lineman Antonio Logan-El received a release from his scholarship at Penn State and will transfer to Division I-AA Towson. "Some things didn't go as planned at Penn State," Logan-El said this morning. "Towson was closer to home, it's a good program." Logan-El, whose choice of Penn State over...
By Josh Barr | May 1, 2007; 12:07 PM ET | Comments (3)
More on Sims/Georgetown
Getting a verbal commitment from Baltimore center Henry Sims was a terrific get for Georgetown. Sims, who is 6 feet 11 and 215 pounds picked the Hoyas over Maryland and Virginia. "He felt like that was the right situation for him," said Pat Clatchey, Sims's coach at Mount St. Joseph....
By Josh Barr | May 1, 2007; 10:42 AM ET | Email a Comment
