Champ

Donald Champ was in his RV yesterday, en route to a reunion in Missouri and apparently unaware that he had been chosen to represent Carroll County in the 2004 Maryland's Most Beautiful People awards. His pastor, who nominated him, said Champ might be on a pleasure trip but he will invariably find volunteer opportunities on the road. "We couldn't tell him that he had won, and he had made a commitment to the reunion," said the Rev. Richard McCullough, pastor of Wesley Freedom United Methodist Church in Eldersburg.

Northeast wrestling coach Al Kohlhafer is getting leadership from three seniors whose success he couldn't have fathomed three years ago.Jay Queer was a Glen Burnie High freshman having limited success in the classroom and on the mat. T. R. Fleming, then a transfer from Owings Mills, was struggling to fit in. Chris Morrow was inconsistent.Today, each is a leader for the two-time county tournament champion Eagles, and each is ranked by the Maryland State Wrestling Association. Morrow (135 pounds, six pins)

Think "champion Monopoly player" and what image comes to mind? Someone with a cutthroat personality and steely determination amassing property, sometimes heartlessly wrenching it from an opponent's clutches. In the heat of competition, some Monopoly players (and you know who you are) don't care who their opponents are: a best friend, lover, spouse, a parent. Doesn't matter. All that counts is who landed on your property and how much rent they owe. Now meet Matt Gissel, U.S. National Monopoly Champion, and think again.

NEW YORK -- Donovan "Razor" Ruddock, looking for an edge that will lead to the heavyweight championship, has hired Floyd Patterson as his trainer.Patterson, the two-time heavyweight champ, was an interested participant at a news conference yesterday introducing Ruddock and former WBA champ Greg Page, who will meet Feb. 15 at the Mirage in Las Vegas.Ruddock has gone through a number of trainers. Ruddock's promoter Murad Muhammad expressed his displeasure with Slim Robinson immediately after the Canadian clubber lost to Mike Tyson on June 2.Muhammad and Delroy Ruddock, Razor's brother and manager, called Patterson three weeks ago. "He's had so many trainers he may be confused," Patterson said.

Co-Coach of the YearBruce Malinowski, Overlea: Sixth-year coach Malinowski, a former state champ who was 75-1-1, career at Kenwood, coached his first county and regional tournament team champion and his first individual state champ (Terry Lawson). Overlea county crown was its first since 1979, and it edged Owings Mills in the region by 1/2 point after heavyweight Joe Smith's close decision for fifth place. "The pieces were in place after Joe decided to go from 189 to heavyweight," said Malinowski, whose Falcons also won their first-ever Patapsco tournament and crowned region champs Lawson, Derrick Oxendine (145)

Archbishop Curley Friars1996-97 record: 10-1Coach: Alan GebhartTop wrestlers: Mike Frey, 125, Sr.; Mike Boettcher, 140, Sr.; Pat Curran, 160, Sr.; J.D. Mislak, 189, Sr.; Brad Charvat, Hwt., Sr.; Brian Bricker, 112, Jr.; Paul Boettcher, 135, Jr.; Shawn Calhoun, 145, Jr.; P.J. Kirhagis, 130, Jr.; Matt Charvat, 152, So., Courtney Green, 171, So.; Antoine Lide, 119, Jr.Outlook: The Friars played host to last weekend's season-opening Catholic tournament, beating...

McDonogh heavyweight J.R. Plienis, ranked No. 2 in the nation, DeMatha's Todd Beckerman and Southern-AA's three-time 1A-2A champ Tyrone Neal were most impressive in last night's Senior All-Star Wrestling Classic at Johns Hopkins University.Plienis, who like Beckerman is headed to the University of Nebraska, had his closest in-state bout, taking a 5-3 decision over Beall's Jason Swisher (29-2)."I'm disappointed with the way I wrestled, but he really didn't come to me," said Plienis, who subsequently improved to 30-0 by decking Westlake's state runner-up John Chisolm in 1: 58.Beckerman, the nation's No. 1 125-pounder who lives in Crofton, improved to 207-1 for his career with a 19-8 decision of Liberty's ++ Kevin Jeffress.

Mount St. Joseph had a comfortable lead over its rivals in last night's 74th annual Maryland Scholastic Association Tournament at Gilman.The Gaels (221 points) led surprise runner-up McDonogh (137) in going for their 19th crown. They have six finalists with Jake Lissau (112 pounds), fourth-ranked Russell WRESTLINGFecteau (125, 27-5), top-ranked David Inkman (130, 27-3), top-ranked Paul Scott (140, 23-3), top-ranked defending champ Danny DeVivo (160, 24-3) and fourth-ranked Kenny Hunter (heavyweight, 23-5)

Just when you think you've done enough -- you haven't. Making demands on his team, says No. 14 Walbrook's coach Wavie Gibson, is a sure method of improvement.His philosophy worked in yesterday's Class 4A-3A Region IV tournament at Meade. Gibson's two-time Maryland Scholastic Association B-Conference champion Warriors (12-0, 108 points) qualified six of nine wrestlers -- with 11 overall from the city -- for a surprising third-place finish for their inaugural venture into next weekend's state meet.