Backhand

Last night's Maryland Scholastic Hockey League championship game was supposed to be a victorious swan song for Mount St. Joseph's nine seniors. Unfortunately, the end turned into the same old song and dance. Gonzaga captain Ryan Holley scored on a backhand 1:33 into overtime to give the Eagles a 3-2 victory over the Gaels before 1,308 at the Gardens Ice House in Laurel. The championship was the third straight for the Eagles, a first in the 19-year history of the league. The loss marks the second straight year Mount St. Joseph has lost to Gonzaga in the championship.

On the field: Bobby Bonilla, starting at third base for the first time as an Oriole, made a couple of nice plays. In the third inning, he made a backhand stop to rob Bernie Williams, and in the sixth, he fielded a chopper in the hole and threw to second. There is a good chance Bonilla will remain at third until Leo Gomez returns.In the dugout: Manager Phil Regan gave a tiring Jamie Moyer a chance to earn his first complete game in almost two years, leaving him in to start the ninth inning with a 7-1 lead.

Reimold's first hit Ballyhooed outfield prospect Nolan Reimold got his first major league hit in his fourth at-bat. Reimold hit a hard grounder up the middle in the seventh inning against reliever Ron Mahay. Royals second baseman Alberto Callaspo made a strong backhand stop, but his off-balance throw bounced in the dirt and first baseman Billy Butler couldn't hold on to it. It was ruled a single. First homer, sort of When Aubrey Huff hit a solo homer to right in the fourth, it was the first home run allowed by Kansas City starter Gil Meche in 45 2/3 innings this season.

NEW YORK -- On the third night of the Virginia Slims Championships at Madison Square Garden last night, top-seeded Monica Seles provided a fleeting glimpse of her powerful game, rushing past overmatched Julie Halard of France, 6-1, 6-0, in 37 minutes.The tennis fans had a much longer look at Jennifer Capriati. In a sloppy but eventually interesting performance, Capriati, 15, ousted Nathalie Tauziat, 5-7, 6-0, 7-6 (7-4), in a 1-hour, 53-minute marathon to complete the opening round of this 16-player, season-ending tournament.

Mike Clark of Baltimore defeated Tim Johnson, 6-2, 6-2, yesterday to advance to the finals of the Maryland State Hardcourt Championships at St. Paul's School.Clark, the top seed, will play No. 2 seed Mike Castrilli today for the championship.Leading 3-1 in the first set, Clark rallied from a 0-40 deficit to break Johnson's serve and extend his lead to 4-1.After losing his serve the next game, Clark played more aggressively and, with the help of forehand winners, broke Johnson's serve, then held serve to clinched the first set, 6-2.Johnson did not hold serve in the first set."

Braves: Pitcher Pedro Borbon underwent tests on his sore shoulder, a day after being placed on the disabled list. Borbon has been bothered by rotator cuff problems and was to undergo magnetic resonance imaging tests.Dodgers: Mike Piazza, still looking for his first extra-base hit after 15 singles, brought the crowd of 35,570 to its feet in the first inning with a deep drive to the warning track in right. Richard Justice turned the wrong way on the ball before recovering in time to backhand it against the wall.

PARIS - The familiar drumbeat from the partying Brazilians had begun to echo across the grounds of Roland Garros yesterday when their own Gustavo Kuerten stripped off his shirt on the center court podium and slipped into a "Guga" original. It wasn't a work of art, more like Andy Warhol meets finger painter, but the shirt that Kuerten plucked from his pocket and pulled over his head was priceless. In blue magic marker, he had written "Je [heart-shaped symbol for love] Roland Garros" on the front.

Bob Karstens, 89, the third white player for the Harlem Globetrotters and the only one under a contract, died Dec. 31 in Redlands, Calif., the team announced. He created many of the signature Globetrotter routines such as the pre-game "Magic Circle." Other routines credited to Mr. Karstens include the team's behind-the-back backhand shot; the "yo-yo" basketball; and the "goofball," a basketball filled with weights that made it bounce erratically. He was manager of the team until 1954 and later became a construction worker.

Cast your luck at fishingThe second annual bluefish tournament sponsored by the Ocean City Fishing Center will take place Thursday to next Sunday. The center is home to Ocean City's largest charter fishing fleet, with more than 25 professional charter boats. Participation in the tournament costs $350, and 60 percent of the take goes into the prize pot. For more information, call Marci Seidel at 289-8121.Visit Life Saving MuseumThe Ocean City Life Saving Station Museum is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Displays in this quaint white building and lighthouse at the inlet capture the town's history through miniatures of historic buildings, authentic bathing costumes, maps of shipwrecks and five saltwater aquariums filled with sea life native to Maryland's Eastern Shore.