Chance To Play

Henry Sims, a 6-foot-10, 225-pound All-Metro center from Mount St. Joseph, committed orally to Georgetown over the weekend. "When I visited, I really appreciated coach [John] Thompson's honesty about getting to play right away," said Sims, who narrowed down his choices to Georgetown and Virginia from a list that included Boston College, Florida and Maryland. "Coach Thompson told me that if I worked hard, I would get a chance as a freshman." This past season, DaJuan Summers - a two-time All-Metro forward and The Sun's Player of the Year in 2005 - started as a freshman for the Hoyas, who reached the Final Four.

It was practice, not a game, but Navy's starting quarterback, Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada, knew the coaches wanted this practice to emulate game-day intensity, and he also knew he had been encouraged to be more aggressive. So when he was carrying the ball and needed just one more yard for a first down, Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada (KAI-Po-NOAH cay-HAY-ah-coo-en-HOD-un; his friends call him Kaipo) put his head down and went for it. The ensuing head-to-head collision snapped his neck back and set off spasms down the left side of his neck that have sidelined him for the week.

Normally, when children find out they are going to Disney World, all they can think about is riding roller coasters and meeting Mickey Mouse. But 13-year-old Brandon Oliver has more important business on his mind: winning the Super Bowl. Oliver and his Charm City Buccaneers teammates are heading to Orlando, Fla., to compete in the Pop Warner Football National Championships, which begin today at Disney's Wide World of Sports complex. Their first game is Tuesday against the Tri-Town Raiders of Indiana.

COLLEGE PARK -- Keep the cards and letters coming.Recuperating senior Maryland center Obinna Ekezie said yesterday that he loves every one of them and appreciates all the kindness fans have shown him."But don't feel sorry for me," said Ekezie, whose collegiate basketball career ended 10 days ago when he tore his right Achilles' tendon in practice."I'm disappointed but not devastated like many people thought I'd be," said Ekezie, who spoke to the media yesterday for the first time since the injury.

Each time opportunity knocks for Ryan Minor, he knows who's on the other side of the door.He's been summoned by the Orioles twice this season, removed from Triple-A Rochester and asked to replace an icon.Cal Ripken takes a fastball off his wrist, and Minor steps in at third base. Back spasms force Ripken onto the disabled list, and Minor again assumes the position.There were no injuries involved last season but the same scenario played out. When baseball's Iron Man voluntarily ended his record consecutive-games streak last September, it was Minor's name that replaced Ripken's on the historic lineup card.

Let's start with the assumption that the Orioles are going nowhere this season, an assumption about as safe as the sun's chances of coming up tomorrow.If so, there's really only one thing left to play for this season -- the future. Next season and beyond.Part of that process is the jettisoning of several pending free agents unlikely to return. Look for that sometime in the next three weeks.But there's another part the Orioles should undertake in the second half of this season.They should give some of their young players a chance to play.

Cal Ripken and Orioles owner Peter Angelos may be the two most dogged, stubborn competitors in Baltimore, which is why the future Hall of Famer's contract negotiations may prove fruitless.Ripken wants a three-year extension, the Orioles are offering two years and an option for a third, and they've been entrenched in these positions for almost two weeks now. One side or the other is going to have to make a major concession to get this deal done and prevent Ripken from becoming a free agent.

To Sam Thompson and Sheldon McDonald, both of Baltimore, it was an opportunity to participate in an activity that usually draws little interest among inner-city youths, and a chance to live out dreams.For Alex Vasquez of Philadelphia, it was the only way to get recognized for his skill and earn a college scholarship in the process.RBI (Reviving Baseball in the Inner City), a program sponsored by Major League Baseball, is all about giving youths a chance to play organized ball, and this past weekend the Orioles were the hosts to nearly 300 kids taking part in the Mid-Atlantic Regional RBI Tournament.

It's not difficult to overlook North Carroll senior point guard Aubrey Wilfong.At 5 feet 2, she's almost always certain to be the smallest player on the floor. And with the Panthers' program in the middle of rebuilding, her skills sometimes go unnoticed -- except by opposing teams, which work hard on keeping the ball out of her hands.The Panthers are 5-13 this season with Wilfong the only senior starting. She won't be around when the Panthers get things xTC completely turned around, but she understands she's helping the process.

On the field: When Todd Pratt swung and missed at a fourth-inning pitch from Rick Krivda, he inadvertently hit Chris Hoiles on the back as the Orioles catcher rose to throw to second. The throw bounced wide of the base as Bernard Gilkey slid in safely, and trainer Richie Bancells came out to check on Hoiles, who stayed in the game.In the dugout: Manager Davey Johnson left it in the third inning to briefly dispute a balk call on Krivda that awarded Carl Everett second base. Krivda also was called for a balk while trying to keep Anaheim's Rickey Henderson on Aug. 16.In the clubhouse: With the expansion draft coming up, Lenny Webster was asked if he'd welcome the chance to become the No. 1 catcher for either Tampa Bay or Arizona.

PHILADELPHIA -- Michael Vick's speed and flash are back. His arm strength also has looked good during Philadelphia Eagles practices at the team's NovaCare Complex. But can he still play quarterback in the NFL? We'll begin to find the answer Thursday night. That's when Vick - wearing a No. 7 jersey and with what coach Andy Reid said likely will be butterflies in his stomach - will play in his first NFL game in two years when the Eagles meet the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lincoln Financial Field.

Lou Montanez won the Triple Crown in the Double-A Eastern League after hitting .335 with 26 home runs and 97 RBIs in 116 games for Bowie. He hit .295 with three homers and 14 RBIs in 38 games for the Orioles. He deserves to have a chance to play every day in the majors. ( For more, go to baltimoresun.com/osondeck)

Jim Leonhard wanted the chance to play in Rex Ryan's defensive system. Fabian Washington wanted the chance to play anywhere other than Oakland. Together, they are starting over in the Ravens' secondary, perhaps just in the nick of time. In a daily battle against attrition this summer, Ryan, the Ravens' defensive coordinator, has yet to put his projected starting secondary on the field because of injuries. With the season opener just 11 days away, Leonhard and Washington could become key figures in any potential makeover.

The three-day Ravens minicamp at Owings Mills is an audition for many free agents but especially for those at tight end. With Quinn Sypniewski out for the season after suffering a freak knee injury at an organized team activity three weeks ago, and Daniel Wilcox still recovering from toe surgery, rookies Joe Reitz and Scott Kuhn are looking for a chance to fill the role of the team's third tight end. Kuhn, who played at Louisville, broke his thumb during...

Normally, when children find out they are going to Disney World, all they can think about is riding roller coasters and meeting Mickey Mouse. But 13-year-old Brandon Oliver has more important business on his mind: winning the Super Bowl. Oliver and his Charm City Buccaneers teammates are heading to Orlando, Fla., to compete in the Pop Warner Football National Championships, which begin today at Disney's Wide World of Sports complex. Their first game is Tuesday against the Tri-Town Raiders of Indiana.

College Park -- Maryland senior forward James Gist, the team's leading returning scorer and rebounder, and sophomore forward Landon Milbourne will be suspended for the Terps' regular-season opener at 8 p.m. Sunday against North Florida, coach Gary Williams said yesterday. Gist and Milbourne, both projected starters for tonight's 8 p.m. exhibition game against Concordia, participated in one day of the Maryland State 5-on-5 Tournament in Ocean City in April. By playing, they violated NCAA bylaw 14.7.

It was practice, not a game, but Navy's starting quarterback, Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada, knew the coaches wanted this practice to emulate game-day intensity, and he also knew he had been encouraged to be more aggressive. So when he was carrying the ball and needed just one more yard for a first down, Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada (KAI-Po-NOAH cay-HAY-ah-coo-en-HOD-un; his friends call him Kaipo) put his head down and went for it. The ensuing head-to-head collision snapped his neck back and set off spasms down the left side of his neck that have sidelined him for the week.

Henry Sims, a 6-foot-10, 225-pound All-Metro center from Mount St. Joseph, committed orally to Georgetown over the weekend. "When I visited, I really appreciated coach [John] Thompson's honesty about getting to play right away," said Sims, who narrowed down his choices to Georgetown and Virginia from a list that included Boston College, Florida and Maryland. "Coach Thompson told me that if I worked hard, I would get a chance as a freshman." This past season, DaJuan Summers - a two-time All-Metro forward and The Sun's Player of the Year in 2005 - started as a freshman for the Hoyas, who reached the Final Four.

ASHBURN, Va. -- They came at different times, for different reasons, and with different perspectives. When Brandon Lloyd arrived at Redskins Park last spring after spending his first three seasons in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers, he looked at the trade as a chance to play with a winning team and a veteran quarterback, and in the new high-powered offense Al Saunders had just brought from Kansas City. Redskins@Texans Sunday, 1 p.m., Ch. 5, 1430 AM Line: Redskins by 4

Bill Kerruish knew plenty about hockey while growing up. His father played with the old Buffalo, N.Y., team in the American Hockey League, but the lure of the sport never attracted Kerruish - until he became an adult. Kerruish, a Severn resident, started playing the game when he was about 26 in a Baltimore league before moving to Piney Orchard's Adult Hockey League in 1993. When the 44-year-old government employee is not coaching the Hazmats in the Piney Orchard League, he is playing the sport.