Paint Branch

There's no doubting Thomas as TJ stuns Paint Branch By DAN SPEARS dans@herald-mail.com FREDERICK, Md. - If there was any team to break the poker face of Thomas Johnson point guard Jermaine Thomas, surely it would be Paint Branch. The top seed in Class 3A West, the Panthers were the defending state champion, had won 32 straight games, had all-everything forward Jamaal Wise, had the speed and height to give Thomas and the Patriots fits. And with 7 minutes and 17 seconds to go in the game, Thomas threw his arms into the air and finally did crack - into a broad smile.

Wrestling Notes - Hub Cup starting it all off Some could look at The Hub Cup at North Hagerstown as a stepping stone to state success. Last year, three wrestlers parlayed Hub Cup titles into state championships, while four others who won gold at Hub Cup and finished second in their state tournament. The Hub Cup, which begins today at 5 p.m., features 16 schools, including North, South, Williamsport, Frederick, Thomas Johnson, Middletown and Walkersville from the area.

North's number up in wrestling duals All season long, the North Hagerstown wrestling team has stacked the deck early on its opponents. Wednesday night at the Class 3A/4A West regional dual meet championships, the Hubs ran into a team that had too many aces to close the deal. North, who earlier this season finished behind Damascus and Paint Branch in the Hub Cup, got its revenge on the Hornets with a 42-18 semifinal victory, but grudgingly had to give way to the Panthers, 34-21.

Maryland state wrestling results At Western Maryland College Westminster Saturday 4A/3A Team scores - 1. Paint Branch 98.5, 2. South Carroll 82, 3. Old Mill 72. Area teams - 14. (Tie) North Hagerstown, Broadneck 32, 19. Frederick 27.5. Championship 103-Dan April (Churchill) d. Kyle Krumholtz (Kenwood), 6-5; 112-Chris Moore (Westlake) d. Todd Klein (Magruder), 4-1; 119-Matt Ennis (Wilde Lake) p. Matt Harvey (Meade), 1:13; 125-Matt Eveleth (Chesapeake-AA)

Maryland Rankings BALTIMORE (AP) - The Maryland Associated Press high school basketball state rankings, as compiled by Sheldon Shealer, sports editor of The Morning Herald, with cooperation from high school sports reporters from around the state. Boys' Basketball Overall Top 20 1. St. John's-Prospect Hall (25-1); 2. Southwestern (25-0); 3. St. Frances (30-6); 4. Calvert Hall (26-6); 5. Thomas Johnson (20-5); 6. DeMatha (25-6); 7. St. Vincent Pallotti (26-5)

BALTIMORE (AP) - The Maryland Associated Press high school basketball final state rankings, as compiled by The (Hagerstown) Herald-Mail, with cooperation from high school sports reporters from around the state. Boys' Basketball Overall Top 20: 1. St. John's-Prospect Hall (25-1); 2. Southwestern (27-0); 3. St. Frances (30-6); 4. Calvert Hall (26-6); 5. Thomas Johnson (22-5); 6. DeMatha (25-6); 7. St. Vincent Pallotti (26-5); 8. Newport School (31-4); 9. Lake Clifton (19-5)

North to host 3A/4A; 'Cats, Lions qualify in 1A/2A By AL DITZEL / Staff Writer Three area wrestling teams - North Hagerstown, Walkersville and Williamsport - have qualified for the Maryland West Regional duals on Wednesday. North Hagerstown, despite seeded No. 2, will become the first Washington County school to host a state dual meet championship as No. 1 Paint Branch, No. 3 Damascus and No. 4 Walter Johnson come to town for 3A/4A matches. Meanwhile, at Northern Garrett, Walkersville earned a No. 2 seed and will meet Beall while No. 4 Williamsport will wrestle top-seeded Northern Garrett in 1A/2A action.

Local Roundup - Southern Fulton makes final GIRLS BASKETBALL CHESTNUT RIDGE, Pa. - Kelly True had 23 points and seven rebounds Tuesday to lead No. 6 Southern Fulton to a 46-35 win over Shanksville and move the Indians into the Class A District 5 final. Brooke Francis had eight points and eight rebounds and Jodi Appel had seven rebounds for the Indians (21-5), who will play Berlin on Thursday. Berlin beat Northern Bedford 50-39 to advance. SOUTHERN FULTON (46)

Wildcats aim for Hub Cup title By AL DITZEL alfredd@herald-mail.com Williamsport seems destined to win its second straight team tournament title and third in two years today in the 15th annual Hub Cup at North Hagerstown. The Wildcats, who lead defending champion Paint Branch, 93.5-82.5, have all 14 wrestlers coming back, including eight in the semifinals. Williamsport's first seeds - Brian Forsythe (114 pounds), Cory Kuczynski (121) and Matt Allen (191)

Who'll win the West Region mat tourneys By AL DITZEL / Staff Writer Walkersville's and Williamsport's wrestling coaches admit they are just happy to be in Wednesday's West Regional 1A/2A Dual Meet tournament at Northern Garrett High School, but for much different reasons. Walkersville, the No. 2 seed, will wrestle Beall and No. 1 Northern Garrett will meet Williamsport at 5:30 p.m. The winners will meet at 7:30. "It's incredible - amazing," Walkersville coach Bryan Biehl said.

With 18 teams and all their fans packed into the North Hagerstown gymnasium this weekend, the 26th annual Hub Cup tournament might be a little overwhelming for a lot of wrestlers. Maintaining composure seems to be a key to success. “I just go with the flow, pretty much,” said Williamsport's Nick Miller, who advanced to Saturday's semifinals in the 106-pound weight class with a quick pin in Friday evening's quarterfinals. “I just wrestle, that's about it. It doesn't really bother me who the kids are.” It didn't seem to bother Williamsport teammate Sinjin Shoop that he had to wrestle second-seeded Ryan Sachs of Magruder in the quarterfinals at 138. “I didn't even know he was seeded second,” Shoop said after his 7-2 win over Sachs.

andrewm@herald-mail.com With Washington County's title hopes on the line at the 17th annual Hub Cup Invitational on Saturday night at North Hagerstown High School, Williamsport's Jeff Short achieved his year-long goal. Short upset top-seeded and Maryland Class 2A-1A top-ranked Chad Cotterman of Walkersville 7-4 in the championship finals at 135 pounds for the county's only individual crown. "It was one of my all-time goals to get him back," Short said. "He beat me last year here in the quarterfinals.

andrewm@herald-mail.com It would probably be a good idea to arrive early to the 16th annual Hub Cup Invitational today at North Hagerstown High School. While the championship finals aren't scheduled to begin until 7:30 p.m., this morning's opening action will be well worth watching. Day two of the Hub Cup kicks off with the championship semifinals at 10:30 a.m., and the little guys starting things off are the big attraction. All four of the 105-pound bracket's undefeated wrestlers went 2-0 Friday to advance to the semis, where the feature showdown pits Walkersville's Gleason Sweeney (17-0)

andrewm@herald-mail.com Sure, Walkersville recently won the prestigious Damascus Tournament, is 9-0 in dual meets and currently ranked as the state's No. 8 tourney team by the Maryland State Wrestling Association. Paint Branch is 12th on the same rankings list and Quince Orchard is 13th. All three powers will be on hand this weekend at North Hagerstown for the 16th annual Hub Cup Invitational - which begins today at 5 p.m. - and are, obviously, the apparent favorites.

Somebody somewhere in the Tri-State finally got his wish. OK, maybe it's a lot of somebodies all over the Tri-State, but it's the thought that counts. And by the way, how fitting that my final column in The Herald-Mail appears on Independence Day. Yes, I'm leaving. I have a new job with the Augusta (Ga.) Chronicle and my last day at The Herald-Mail is July 13. Sorry that it's not Sheetz or McDonald's or another fast-food joint, as some of you so desperately have wanted for me in the past, but that's the way life goes.

Wildcat wrestlers on prowl By AL DITZEL alfredd@herald-mail.com When Matt Allen pinned to win the 191-pound championship Saturday night, not only did he secure his second Hub Cup title but he clinched Williamsport's third straight regular-season tournament championship dating back to last season. continued "We have a solid team, beginning with a freshman who's 18-1 and has just won his first title," Allen said of teammate Mike McGill, who won the 105 crown, as well as the tournament's outstanding wrestler award.

Wildcats aim for Hub Cup title By AL DITZEL alfredd@herald-mail.com Williamsport seems destined to win its second straight team tournament title and third in two years today in the 15th annual Hub Cup at North Hagerstown. The Wildcats, who lead defending champion Paint Branch, 93.5-82.5, have all 14 wrestlers coming back, including eight in the semifinals. Williamsport's first seeds - Brian Forsythe (114 pounds), Cory Kuczynski (121) and Matt Allen (191)

Wrestling Notes - Hub Cup starting it all off Some could look at The Hub Cup at North Hagerstown as a stepping stone to state success. Last year, three wrestlers parlayed Hub Cup titles into state championships, while four others who won gold at Hub Cup and finished second in their state tournament. The Hub Cup, which begins today at 5 p.m., features 16 schools, including North, South, Williamsport, Frederick, Thomas Johnson, Middletown and Walkersville from the area.

Local Roundup - Hubs girls second, boys fourth in 3A West PREP TRACK BETHESDA, Md. - North Hagerstown's girls finished second to Walter Johnson at the Class 3A West region track meet, which finished Thursday. The Hubs finished with 100 points. Walter Johnson won with 125 1/2, while Thomas Johnson was third with 74. Brittany Tesla won both the long jump (16 feet, 11 1/2 inches) and triple jump (34-8 3/4) and finished second in the high jump (5-0) for the Hubs girls.

Maryland state wrestling results At Western Maryland College Westminster Saturday 4A/3A Team scores - 1. Paint Branch 98.5, 2. South Carroll 82, 3. Old Mill 72. Area teams - 14. (Tie) North Hagerstown, Broadneck 32, 19. Frederick 27.5. Championship 103-Dan April (Churchill) d. Kyle Krumholtz (Kenwood), 6-5; 112-Chris Moore (Westlake) d. Todd Klein (Magruder), 4-1; 119-Matt Ennis (Wilde Lake) p. Matt Harvey (Meade), 1:13; 125-Matt Eveleth (Chesapeake-AA)