Big Red

The situation for Duke was dire. The Blue Devils were uptight, confused and stunned. And their opponent in yesterday's NCAA men's lacrosse semifinal, Cornell, was rolling. The Big Red had just rallied from a seven-goal deficit in the second half and tied the game with 17 seconds remaining. It looked as if the crowd of 52,004 at M&T Bank Stadium was about to witness one of the most surprising comebacks - and collapses - in NCAA tournament history. Instead, Duke did two things it has done better than any other team this season: strike quickly and finish strong.

It took him awhile to adjust to the role, after playing as an offensive midfielder through high school, but Cornell senior defenseman Mitch Belisle now embraces the idea of being a stopper. Over the past two seasons, the Severna Park High alum has mastered the art. His recent work is a quiet reason Cornell (6-0) is the first team to remain No. 1 for consecutive weeks. The Big Red features outstanding scorers in attackmen David Mitchell and Eric Pittard. But Cornell's calling card has been its defense, which has allowed just six goals per game.

For most of the authors sitting pensively in the stalls of the Baltimore Book Festival, attracting passers-by to their titles was hard work. But not for Clifford the Big Red Dog, star of the children's book series of the same name. While strutting around Mount Vernon Square near sundown yesterday, Clifford suddenly came face to face with a sugar-fueled fan named Rhavyn Vines. Thrilled to be celebrating her sixth birthday, Rhavyn - her tongue painted blue from Italian water ice - charged and clamped her excited arms around his big red right leg. "CLIFFORD!"

When UMBC gave up the last three goals of the first half and left the field tied with Cornell, 6-6, it was apparent the Retrievers needed a spark.They got one. In fact, they got two. Andy Hampson limited the Big Red to one goal over the final 30 minutes and Dan Marohl, strained hamstring and all, led the attack as UMBC came away with a 10-7 triumph."

COLLEGE PARK -- The Maryland-Cornell game has become a forum for Scott Hochstadt and Brian Zeller.The two combined for eight points in last season's win over the Big Red and yesterday they had three goals apiece as the sixth-ranked Terps defeated Cornell, 11-6, before a crowd of 3,538 at Byrd Stadium.It was Maryland's seventh consecutive win over Cornell and second straight game in which its offense has rediscovered its two best shooters. Hochstadt and Zeller have combined for 14 of Maryland's last 30 goals.

"The best book I ever read is 'Clifford the Big Red Dog,' by Norman Bridwell. The book is about a big red dog named Clifford and a girl named Emily. Clifford likes to catch cars. This indeed was the best book I ever read."- Kevin AndersonLansdowne Elementary"In 'Ginger Brown: Too Many Houses' by Sharon Dennis Wyeth, Ginger lives with her mother and father. After her parents divorce, she lives with her grandparents. She has a problem adjusting to the change. Read to find out how things work out for Ginger."

Fred Pawlikowski swept away Michael Voris' shot with two seconds remaining as No. 9 Hobart held off Cornell, 13-12, last night before 902 in Ithaca, N.Y.The Statesmen (8-0) took their biggest lead of the game at 12-6 five minutes into the third quarter on Eric Petranchuk's unassisted goal.But the Big Red (4-6) finished the game on a 7-1 run, including scoring the final four goals. Cornell closed to 13-12 when Josh Morgan scored with 34 seconds left.Pawlikowski, who finished with 24 saves, then helped Hobart avoid overtime by making his 15th second-half stop.

COLLEGE PARK -- Upset-minded Cornell came to Byrd Stadium yesterday riding a wave of emotion, having earned first-year coach Dave Pietramala his first collegiate win just three days earlier."

Peter Hilgartner scored a season-high three goals and added an assist to help No. 5 Maryland defeat Cornell, 12-7, yesterday in Ithaca, N.Y.The Terrapins have not lost to the Big Red in 10 regular-season contests.The Terps (3-1) jumped out to a 6-1 lead 12 1/2 minutes into the game. Brian Haggerty started the run for Maryland, winning the opening faceoff and scoring just six seconds into the game.The Big Red (0-4) closed to 7-5 when Ian Hafner scored 2 1/2 minutes before halftime.But Maryland received unassisted goals from Bob Hanna and Hilgartner midway through the third quarter to push the lead to 9-5.Maryland attackmen Matt Hahn and Scott Hochstadt combined for two goals and three assists.

IN AN ERA when some major newspapers in America are going out of business, it is welcome news to hear that the students of Glen Burnie High School have resumed publication of their own paper, Big Red.Teacher Janet Keatts started the ball rolling last year to revive the publication. She got a positive response when she approached Oliver Wittig, the principal, for support and seed money. When David Hill took over as principal this year, he was equally enthusiastic. The first issue hit the streets last week.

FOXBOROUGH, MASS. - - No. 5 Cornell had the perfect game plan to upset No. 2 Syracuse in the NCAA Division I men's title game Monday, but there were several in-game decisions that cost the Big Red. Many factors determined the outcome of this contest, but Cornell coach Jeff Tambroni didn't bring his "A" game as Syracuse won its second consecutive title with a 10-9 overtime victory before an announced 41,935 at Gillette Stadium. Entering the game, Cornell (13-4) wanted to control the tempo, and the Big Red did for nearly three quarters.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - When it comes to overall depth, few teams can match Syracuse, and that will be the major factor in today's Division I championship game between No. 2 seed Syracuse and No. 5 Cornell. Syracuse (15-2) is loaded with talent, and the Orange loves to rotate players, even on attack. Cornell's first group can match Syracuse's first group, but after that the Orange has a major advantage. If Cornell (13-3) can control Syracuse on the transition and the pace of the game, then the Big Red has a shot.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Eight years and 1,850 miles later, Rocco Romero is where he longed to be. Romero took a circuitous route that began in Denver, was routed through Baltimore and Ithaca, N.Y., and has temporarily come to a stop here. The senior midfielder will try to help the Cornell men's lacrosse team capture its first national title since 1977. To do that, the No. 5 seed Big Red (13-3) must beat No. 2 seed and reigning national champion Syracuse (15-2) in the NCAA tournament final today.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - -If you learned that the NCAA tournament semifinal between top seed Virginia and No. 5 seed Cornell wasn't even close, you probably wouldn't be surprised. The shocker is that it was the Big Red that enjoyed the result. Cornell scored the game's first three goals and six of the first seven to stun the heavily favored Cavaliers, 15-6, before an announced 36,594 at Gillette Stadium on Saturday. The Big Red (13-3) will meet No. 2 seed and reigning national champion Syracuse in the championship final at 1 p.m. Monday.

Maybe the fans were on to something. One of the smallest crowds since the NCAA moved the Final Four to professional venues watched a pair of blowouts in the NCAA tournament semifinals at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., Saturday. In the first semifinal, No. 2 seed and reigning national champion Syracuse thumped No. 3 seed Duke, 17-7. In the second semifinal, No. 5 seed Cornell stunned No. 1 seed Virginia, 15-6. The Orange (15-2) will meet the Big Red (13-3) on Monday at 1 p.m. in the first All-New York championship final since 1988 when Syracuse defeated Cornell, 13-8.

A year ago, the Cornell men's lacrosse team watched the NCAA tournament quarterfinals on television, and coach Jeff Tambroni told one of his players in a text message that they had to avoid spending another May at home. Max Seibald's response: "I don't plan on it." The standout senior midfielder has been true to his word, carrying the Big Red to its second semifinal appearance in three seasons. If Cornell (12-3), seeded fifth in the tournament, can upend No. 1 seed Virginia (15-2) at 2 p.m. Saturday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.

For the second time this season, Cornell's defense locked down Princeton's offense. The first time, the Big Red clinched a share of its seventh straight Ivy League title. The second time - a second final four appearance in three years. Rocco Romero scored two goals, Rob Pannell had three assists, and the fifth-seeded Big Red beat the fourth-seeded Tigers, 6-4, Saturday at Hofstra's Shuart Stadium in Hempstead, N.Y., in an NCAA quarterfinal matchup. Cornell will play the winner of Sunday's NCAA quarterfinal between top seed Virginia and eighth seed Johns Hopkins in a semifinal at noon or 2 p.m. Saturday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.

Rob Pannell had a hat trick and two assists to lead Cornell past Hofstra, 11-8, in the opening round of the NCAA championship at Schoellkopf Field on Saturday in Ithaca, N.Y. Pride freshman goalie Andrew Gvozden posted 15 saves. Jay Card, Michael Colleluori and Anthony Muscarella each scored twice for the Pride, which ended its season with an 11-4 mark. Cornell advances to the Northern quarterfinals at Hofstra's Shuart Stadium Saturday at noon against the winner of Sunday's Massachusetts-Princeton game.

The Cornell men's lacrosse team's bid for a seventh consecutive Ivy League championship suffered a blow with the loss of three defensive starters. ( For more, go to baltimoresun.com/lacrosseblog)

Kaleo Kina scored 19 points to lead four Navy players in double figures and the Midshipmen beat St. Francis (N.Y.), 75-63, last night. Mark Veazey added 10 points and a career-high 11 rebounds for the first doubledouble of his career for Navy (2-1). Chris Harris, who scored 12 points in the first half, finished with 17 points for the host Midshipmen, and Alan Teague pitched in with 12 points. Navy shot 49.1 percent from the field, making 40 percent (8-for-20) from behind the arc. Stefan Petrunicic led the Terriers (0-2)