Tabor's Coronel commits to Maine

By Pete Warner, BDN Staff

Dimitry Coronel of Tabor Academy and Barry Webster of Lee Academy have both given verbal commitments to accept basketball scholarships from the University of Maine.

The verbals were reported on the NewEnglandRecruitingReport.com website.

UMaine head coach Ted Woodward is prohibited by NCAA rules from commenting on a recruit until the school has received his signed National Letter of Intent. The early signing period begins Nov. 9.

Coronel is a 6-foot-4 swing player from Boston who played his first three years at East Boston High School before transferring to Tabor Academy, in Marion, Mass., a year ago. There, he earned All-New England Preparatory School Athletic Council Class A second-team recognition for coach Chris Millette.

Coronel, who played last summer for the Metro Boston AAU team, reportedly has the ability to shoot from 3-point range but also is an accomplished one-on-one player who can take the ball to the basket.
NERR said Coronel made his decision after visiting the Orono campus last weekend and watching the Black Bears go through practices.

Webster is a 6-10 post player from England who will further diversify UMaine’s international flavor.
Webster attended Burleigh Community College in Leicestershire, England, prior to coming to the U.S. to attend Lee Academy.

“Barry barely played basketball before he joined, and his improvement has been meteoric,” Phil Gleadell, Burleigh’s head of physical education, said last spring in a school newsletter about U.S.-bound athletes.
Webster is a native of Coalville, Leiscestershire, England, and spoke about his opportunity in the same Burleigh CC publication.

“I travelled to the U.S. last summer (2010) with a team organized by Guildford Heat coach Creon Raftopoulos to play in an AAU tournament in Florida, and it was a great experience,” Webster said. “Now going there full time is a dream come true.”

The participation of Coronel and Webster at UMaine is contingent upon their acceptance by the university and compliance with NCAA initial-eligibility guidelines.

FULL STORY: bangordailynews.com/2011/10/18/sports/colonel-webster-commit-to-umaine-men%E2%80%99s-basketball-program/

Everett takes down BC High

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Everett 35, BC High 21

Eagles sunk by own mistakes, turnovers

EVERETT -When Everett quarterback Jonathan DiBiaso was dragged down in the backfield by BC High’s Luke Catarius on third-and-9 late in the third quarter, it was all but guaranteed the Eagles would get the ball back in decent field position with a chance to tie the game heading into the fourth quarter.

But as Gilly DeSouza got the kick away for Everett, the flags hit the ground. The roughing the kicker call gave the ball back to the Crimson Tide with a first down.

After a holding call on first down gave Everett a first-and-20 at its 44, Jalen McRae hauled in a 64-yard touchdown pass from DiBiaso (15-of-29 passing, 246 yards, one interception) to put the Crimson Tide ahead by the final score, 35-21.

“There was a few plays, not just that [roughing the kicker],’’ BC High coach Jon Bartlett said. “There was a few plays that we hurt ourselves . . . there was a number of times that we shot ourselves in the foot.’’

For the most part, the Eagles (4-3) managed to shut down the Everett offense in the fourth quarter. The Crimson Tide managed only one first down in the two possessions after recovering a Gordon McLeod fumble on a punt return. But a fumble recovery by DeSouza late in the quarter and an unsportsmanlike conduct on the Eagles’ last possession helped Everett hold on.

“Yeah they held us in check, they covered well,’’ said Everett coach John DiBiaso. “They were all over our receivers But we still put 35 up.’’

In an attempt to keep the ball away from Eagles running back Preston Cooper, the Crimson Tide (7-0) opened with a short, high kick that caught BC High by surprise and was recovered by Everett’s Jalen Felix. Five plays later Vondell Langston (19 carries, 86 yards) scored on a 12-yard touchdown run.

“We weren’t really trying to recover it, we just weren’t going to kick it to Cooper,’’ coach DiBiaso said. “It worked out to our benefit because they dropped back and let it hit the ground.’’

The Eagles pulled even with a 72-yard touchdown pass from Bartley Regan (7-of-16 passing, 176 yards, two touchdowns) to Lincoln Collins, but the Crimson Tied came back with a seven-play, 74-yard drive. Langston punched it in from three yards out to give Everett the lead for good.

Everett extended its lead off of BC High turnovers. In the second quarter, pressure forced Bartley Regan out of the pocket and he tossed up a running pass that was intercepted by Felix, leading to a 2-yard DiBiaso touchdown run. On the next Eagles drive, Regan was intercepted by DeSouza, who returned it 58 yards to the Eagles’ 7. DiBiaso again ran in from 5 yards out to put Everett up, 28-7.

Everett opens up its Greater Boston League schedule Friday against Medford.

“It feels great to beat what I consider a great team,’’ coach DiBiaso said. “I’m very proud of the kids, how they responded, but in all honesty it is a glorified scrimmage because if we come out and we lose a GBL game we don’t go to the playoffs, no matter whether we beat BC High, Xaverian, St. John’s Prep, nobody cares if we don’t go to the playoffs So you can’t have a hiccup the rest of the way.’’

FULL STORY: boston.com/sports/schools/football/articles/2011/10/23/everett_takes_down_bc_high/

White carries Cards to nice City victory

Photo by Stuart Cahill

Story by Justin Barrasso  |  bostonherald.com

Isaiabrier White and Madison Park sent a message to Brighton with a convincing 36-14 victory yesterday in a crossover Boston City League contest at White Stadium.

“Just find holes and run through them,” said a humble White.

Like many of his teammates, White hardly ever sat as he played both offense and defense. He scored the first two touchdowns of the game to open up a 14-0 lead, and then put the game away in the third quarter with a 45-yard TD run that bruised and battered Bengals linemen.

“You try to play 100 percent on both sides of the ball, but it just happens that I played better on offense,” said White.

His play was exactly what Madison Park (4-1) needed to provide some distance from an explosive opponent in Brighton (3-3).

“He’s elusive,” said Madison Park coach Roosevelt Robinson. “You go one way and he goes the other.”
Cardinals quarterback Jamal Leary also threw for two touchdowns, connecting with receivers Dalvin Green and David Stewart. The 35-yard TD toss to Green gave MP a 22-0 lead with 4:43 left in the first half.
“It’s his first year playing quarterback,” said Roosevelt. “He’s taken his role very seriously and is throwing very well.”

Leary is becoming more comfortable in the pocket.

“I’ve been a receiver all my life . . . but you just have to keep your composure and play with the best of your ability,” said Leary.

Coming off a bye week, Madison Park put together a plan to try to contain Brighton senior quarterback Jonathan Marrero, who threw for a touchdown and also had an 85-yard TD reception from sophomore Jalen Apperwhite.

“We try to really get the guys to understand the formations and how they’re supposed to attack on defense,” said Roosevelt, “and we attack every formation.”

With a critical matchup at South Boston next week, this was a game Madison Park needed to assert itself with its physical style of play.

“The pass was tough for us today on the spread because you’re thinned out, but we overcame it,” said Roosevelt.

“We’ve got to work on a few things, but we came out pretty well.”

Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/high_school/football/view.bg?articleid=1375098

Eastie to honor Jermaine Wiggins and John Sousa

Danny Ventura - Boston Herald

East Boston will retirey numbers of Jermaine Wiggins (18) and John Sousa (66) when the team hosts Boston English on Nov. 4. Headmaster Mike Rubin told the Herald logistics haven’t been worked out as to whether the ceremony will take place before the game or at halftime.


Wiggins was a two-time Boston City League All-Star (1992-93), before embarking on a collegiate career at Marshall and Georgia. He spent eight teams in the NFL as a member of the Jets, Patriots, Colts, Panthers, Vikings and Jaguars, earning a Super Bowl ring with the Patriots for the 2001 season.

Sousa starred at East Boston in the mid-1960s, captaining the 1968 squad. He spent 17 years as an assistant at Boston English before accepting the coaching job at his alma mater in 1995. The winningest coach in school history, Sousa spent 15 years on the Jets’ sidelines, winning 119 games and a Super Bowl title in 2004.

FULL STORY: bostonherald.com/blogs/sports/high_school/index.php/2011/10/23/eastie-to-honor-jermaine-wiggins-and-john-sousa/

Rondo raring to go

Celtics guard has kept busy

By Gary Washburn - Globe Staff

While the NBA has been in a lockout, Rajon Rondo has accomplished a lot. He rehabilitated his dislocated left elbow to full strength. He spent the past few months touring the country in marketing opportunities. And he continued his education at the University of Kentucky.

Yesterday, the Celtics point guard made an appearance at a Boston bookstore to sign magazine covers featuring his photo.

Rondo will soon become the face of the Celtics franchise - the youngest All-Star on a roster full of seasoned veterans - and he is ready to get started on perhaps one final championship run with the current roster.

“I hope there’s a season,’’ he said. “I’m looking forward to it and everyone around the league is, even the fans.

“It’s just an extended vacation as far as trying to continue to train and get better. It’s more time for me to work on my game, and that’s how I try to face it in the next couple of weeks or months or whatever we have.

“Right now my focus is to play with the Celtics.’’

The Celtics are half a team right now. Whenever the lockout ends, they will begin camp with seven signed players and two rookies. Obviously, team president Danny Ainge will have to bolster the roster. After last May’s playoff drubbing at the hands of the Miami Heat, Rondo is eager to see a retooled roster.

“It will be different makeup, a lot of different guys,’’ said Rondo, who said he is not considering signing overseas. “So a lot of new faces around the city, but we’ll try to get them accustomed to how we do things here in Boston and go for a championship.’’

Rondo made highlight reels with an acrobatic alley-oop pass to Denver rookie Kenneth Faried in a Kentucky all-star game last week, after making his first organized basketball appearance last weekend at the South Florida All-Star Classic. In that one, he was promptly booed by the Heat faithful at Florida International University in Miami.

“I had a fun time at the game, a lot of guys playing together,’’ he said. “It’s good competition. That’s what you look for in this type of time of the year.

“The elbow is fine. I have been playing in a lot of games and it hasn’t given me any problems yet.’’

Rondo has worked out feverishly at the University of Kentucky, and though he is not in true basketball shape because of a lack of a training camp, he is prepared for more extensive workouts when the lockout concludes.

Many of Rondo’s teammates are still smarting from the elimination by Miami, a series marred by Rondo’s freakish dislocated left elbow in Game 3. Remarkably, Rondo returned to that game and played in the final two of the series.

“I don’t try to say woulda, coulda - they beat us, 4-1, as simple as that,’’ he said. “I think it was all adrenaline to come back in the game where I hurt my elbow. The next game it wore off and I had to sit down a little bit.’’

Despite the recovery and lockout, Rondo said he has enjoyed his respite.

“This has been the best summer of my life, really,’’ he said. “Lockout or not, I’m still going to enjoy my life and do what I do best.’’

FULL STORY: http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2011/10/16/rajon_rondo_eager_to_get_celtics_back_together/

Brianna Forde named new girls hoop coach at New Mission

New Mission reached into the annals of Boston City League lore in hiring Brianna Forde to take over the girls basketball program. She succeeds Greg Berry, who will move over to become assistant boys basketball coach to Cory McCarthy.
Forde was one of the more decorated girls basketball players in city history. A four-year starter for John Rice, the 5-foot-9 guard averaged a double-double in leading the Bulldogs to four Boston City League championships and the Division 3 state title in 1999.
Forde went on to play for Barbara Stevens at Bentley. Upon graduation, she became UMass-Boston’s assistant woman’s basketball coach and Health Education and Wellness Specialist at UMass Boston. From 2000 to 2006, she served as a physical instructor for the Boston Celtics athletic camp, recruiting participants, designing sport related workshops and workout stations, managed the camp inventory, refereed and coached co-ed college bound athletes.

Chip off the old block

Danny Ventura - Boston Herald High School Insider

All American Games, Football University and Eastbay announced that eighth-grader Coby Tippett from Sharon Middle School has been selected to play at the 2012 Eastbay Youth All-American Bowl, taking place January 8, 2012, at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

The son of former New England Patriot and NFL Hall of Famer Andre Tippett, Coby will play defensive back for the 8th-grade East 185-pounDanny Ventura - d weight limit team and will be honored with a jersey presentation during the homecoming football game at Sharon High School this Saturday at 1:40 p.m.

Coby is very athletic and has natural play-making ability. Tippett, a multi-sport athlete, is extremely fluid in pass coverage, and has great hips for a young athlete. His performance at FBU Boston had him walk away with youth MVP honors.” said Erik Richards National Eastbay Bowl Director

This January will be the fourth annual Eastbay Youth All-American Bowl. Pitting the nation’s top youth football players against one another in an all-star format, the Eastbay Youth All-American Bowl brings together the top youth talent in the nation. Tippett is one of just a handful who will be able to compete in this exclusive showcase.

The Eastbay Youth All-American Bowl consists of the U-15 USA-Canada Youth Bowl and three East vs. West all-star games, one for the top 40 7th graders with a 175-pound limit, one for the top 40 8th graders with a 185-pound limit and a third game featuring the top 40 8th graders with no weight limit.

Since its inception, many of the top players in the Bowl have received college interest and national attention from media outlets such as USA Today, Sports Illustrated and the New York Times. The Bowl week consists of practices, a skills competition, and break-out sessions with Hall of Famers, as well as current and former NFL stars and celebrities.  The Youth All-Americans also get VIP access to the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and were honored during the game, which takes place the day before.

Several thousand youth all-stars were nominated for this elite honor. Athletes had to fill out a nomination form and submit a highlight tape. The selection committee, which consists of Football University’s regional directors and scouts, work year round with hundreds of local youth football coaches and commissioners who help identify top athletes.

For more information on the Eastbay Youth All-American Bowl and its related events, visit: www.footballuniversity.org or www.eastbay.com/eastbayyouthallamericanbowl. National sponsors of the Eastbay Youth All-American Bowl include Eastbay, adidas, Battle Sports Science – Tapout, Gatorade, Schutt Sports and Youth Football Coaches Association (YFBCA).

FULL STORY: http://www.bostonherald.com/blogs/sports/high_school/index.php/2011/10/13/chip-off-the-old-block-2/