College Lacrosse

Johns Hopkins men's lacrosse announced its 2013 schedule today, complete with eight home games, a seventh straight appearance in the Konica Minolta Face-Off Classic and 11 nationally televised games. The 14 regular-season games will match the school record for most in a season (2010, 2011, 2012). "Despite the many ongoing changes in the landscape of college lacrosse, we are fortunate to once again have a schedule that ranks among the most challenging in the nation," coach Dave Pietramala said.

As you watch Ryan Conrad zip around the lacrosse field, dodging defenders and pounding the net with an endless variety of shots, it's easy to forget his age. Talk to him on the phone, however, and the Loyola High sophomore sounds like, well, a high school sophomore. A great many things in his life are summed up by the catchall adjective "amazing!" Young players such as Conrad - equal parts precocious and normal teenager - stand at the center of a debate raging across the lacrosse landscape.

Et cetera Navy women lock up share of Patriot soccer crown The Navy women's soccer team clinched at least a share of the Patriot League regular-season championship with a 2-1 win at Holy Cross (6-10-1, 2-4 Patriot League) on Sunday. Navy will host Bucknell in the season finale Saturday; a win or tie by the Midshipmen, — or a Colgate loss or tie at American that day — would give Navy the No. 1 seed and make it the host for the league's postseason tournament Nov. 2-4. Junior forward Ashlynn Soellner finished with with a goal and an assist Sunday, and junior forward Paloma Perez also scored as Navy (17-1-1, 5-0-1)

Soccer D.C. United can end 5-year playoff drought tonight By defeating or tying the Columbus Crew tonight at RFK Stadium, D.C. United would end a five-year Major League Soccer playoff drought. Even with a loss, United would clinch if the Houston Dynamo falls to the Philadelphia Union. A Dynamo tie wouldn't seal the deal for United but would ease some of the pressure entering the finale. What United would like to avoid is a decisive game on the last weekend. The squad closes next Saturday Oct. 27 at playoff-bound Chicago, while New York, Houston and Columbus face noncontending teams.

The recruiting of underclassmen has been a hot topic in lacrosse the past few years as more and more rising sophomores have made oral commitments to colleges. On Thursday, US Lacrosse, the sport's national governing body, stoked the debate by putting out a statement essentially condemning the process and calling for reform, including an age limit for recruits. Here's the statement:   The US Lacrosse Board of Directors today approved the following statement on the complex nature of the collegiate recruiting process for high school student-athletes.

Et cetera UM women picked for 2nd in ACC in hoops Maryland was picked in the Atlantic Coast Conference preseason women's basketball poll to finish second, and the Terps had a conference-best three players on the 10-member All-ACC preseason team: 2011-12 ACC Player of the Year Alyssa Thomas , senior Tianna Hawkins and junior Laurin Mincy . After garnering the league's top individual honor as a sophomore, Thomas was voted the league's Preseason...

Et cetera Blast's 'Goals for Daniel' festival today The Blast will host a soccer festival Saturday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Honeygo Regional Park as part of the team's "Goals for Daniel" program. The program, initiated last month in conjunction with the Borowy family, will raise money for medical costs for Daniel Borowy , the 17-year-old victim of the Perry Hall High School shooting. Daniel, who underwent three surgeries after the shooting, will attend the event along with his family from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Soccer players, students and members of the Perry Hall community and the surrounding areas will raise money for their participation in small-sided six-on-six soccer games.

Et cetera Jockey Pino ties for 10th on all-time wins list Mario Pino tied Earlie Fires for 10th on the all-time victories list with a win in the finale (race 8) at Presque Isle Downs in Erie, Pa., on Friday night. The 51-year-old jockey reached the milestone aboard For the Effect for trainer Chuckie Lawrence . Pino, an Ellicott City resident who has spent most of his career in Maryland, picked up the mount even though Willie Martinez was named to ride the horse.

Et cetera Sports Legends Museum to hold Ravens Roundtable on Wednesday Sports Legends Museum at Camden Yards will hold a Ravens Roundtable discussion and luncheon Wednesday from noon to 1:30 p.m. Baltimore Sun columnist Mike Preston , Jeremy Conn of 105.7 The Fan and Fox 45's Bruce Cunningham will discuss the Ravens' offseason moves, provide their predictions for the season and take questions from members of the audience....

Et cetera Westminster's Francisco wins MAPGA Senior titles With a 36-hole total of 137 (68-69) at The Foundry Golf Club in Powhatan, Va., John Francisco of Westminster took the Middle Atlantic PGA Senior Professional Championship and the MAPGA Senior Championship titles. The win earns Francisco a spot to play in the Southworth PGA Senior Professional National Championship Oct.11-14 at the Club at Creighton Farms (Aldie, Va.) and River Creek Club (Leesburg, Va.). With a 1-under 71, Steve Bosdosh of Clarksburg won the MAPGA Quarter Century Championship, also at The Foundry.