FACES IN THE CROWD
LAUREN WICINSKI
GENEVA, ILL. > VOLLEYBALL
Wicinski, a sophomore outside hitter at Northern Illinois, picked up her 1,000th career kill in a 3--0 win over Western Michigan and two days later helped the Huskies blank Miami (Ohio), leading the team in kills (38), hitting (.414) and aces (6) in the two matches. She was named the Mid-American Conference West offensive player of the week for the third straight time. Through Sunday she led NCAA D-I in points (6.58) and kills (5.62) per set. In 2010 she was MAC freshman and player of the year.
DORIAL GREEN-BECKHAM
SPRINGFIELD, MO. > FOOTBALL
Dorial, a 6'6", 225-pound wide receiver at Hillcrest High, set a state record with 354 receiving yards on 13 catches in a 40--19 victory over Rolla High. He scored on receptions of 56, 68 and 75 yards to help the Hornets clinch a share of the Ozark Conference crown. Last year, Dorial set state career records for receiving yards (5,617 through Sunday) and touchdowns (63 through Sunday). The consensus No. 1 wideout in the class of 2012, he is 251 receiving yards from breaking the national career record.
RACHEL HILL
SOMERSWORTH, N.H. > SOCCER
Rachel, a junior midfielder at Somersworth High, netted four goals, including the 100th of her career, in a 6--4 win over Portsmouth Christian. She scored all four in the first half, hitting the century mark on her second goal of the game, a header into the top right of the net off a corner kick. It was the fifth time she has had at least a hat trick for the Hilltoppers this year (six total). Through Sunday, Rachel has 32 goals this season and 106 for her career, 42 shy of breaking the state record.
DANIEL JONES
BLAIRSVILLE, GA. > TIMBERSPORTS
Jones, a recent graduate of Haywood Community College (N.C.), won the Stihl Timbersports Collegiate Series Championship in Salem, Ore., taking first in the single buck (slicing a log with a crosscut saw, 13.97 seconds) and standing block chop (cutting through an upright log with an ax, 30.01 seconds). He was second in both the underhand chop (standing on a log while chopping it in half) and the stock saw (slicing a log twice with a chain saw). His win earned him a spot on the 2012 pro circuit.
AYAKA NAKAYAMA
KANAGAWA, JAPAN > GOLF
Ayaka, a junior at the Hank Haney International Junior Golf Academy, won her third straight International Junior Golf Tour event with back-to-back rounds of 74 for a two-stroke victory in the girls' U-19 division at Shipyard Golf Club on Hilton Head Island, S.C. Last month, she won by one stroke at Oldfield Country Club in Okatie, S.C. and nine at Hilton Head National in Bluffton, S.C. Last summer she qualified for the U.S. junior girls' tournament for the first time.
WES LUNT | ZACH GRANT
ROCHESTER, ILL. > FOOTBALL
Wes, a 6'5", 200-pound senior quarterback at Rochester High, set the state single-game passing record, completing 47 of 61 attempts for 590 yards in a 49--35 come-from-behind win over Springfield. Twenty of his passes were caught by 6'1", 190-pound senior receiver Zach Grant, who set state records for single-game receptions and receiving yards (345). Last year the duo helped the team to a 14--0 record and the class 4A state title.
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SKETCH COMEDY
It wasn't quite The Play. But when Michigan QB Devin Gardner took UM's final snap last Saturday, down 14 to Michigan State and facing fourth-and-21, the 10-yard loss that unfolded had all the makings of a classic, save for the finish: Gardner evaded four tackles (X's) and backtracked 23 yards after passing the line of scrimmage. By the end he'd covered roughly 90 yards, which makes for one nifty diagram. Just how Brady Hoke drew it up? We're guessing not.
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SCOTT WALSTROM/NIU MEDIA SERVICES (WICINSKI)
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CARROLL PHOTOGRAPHY (GREEN-BECKHAM)
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LESLEY UNGER (HILL)
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JENNY CARVER (JONES)
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HANK HANEY INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR GOLF ACADEMY (NAKAYAMA)
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VISUAL IMAGE PHOTOGRAPHY INC. (LUNT)
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VISUAL IMAGE PHOTOGRAPHY INC. (GRANT)