Homecoming

Grace Gaeng scored what proved to be the game-winning goal off a corner kick from Melissa Lookingland midway through the second half, as No. 2 John Carroll defeated No. 11 C. Milton Wright, 2-1, yesterday. Allyson Carey started the scoring for the visiting Patriots (14-2) by driving the center of the field and hitting an 18-yard shot. Carey took control of the center of the field both offensively and defensively, coach Gary Lynch said. The loss spoiled the Mustangs' homecoming. Football No. 12 Wilde Lake 25, Reservoir 7 -- Jerrel Epps had 112 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries as the host Wildecats (5-1)

It was homecoming yesterday at Parkville, but No. 2 Randallstown put a damper on the festivities with a homecoming of its own.Rams coach Anthony Knox returned to the sideline after a two-game suspension and his team welcomed him back with its most consistent effort of the season, routing the Knights, 52-12.While Parkville had a marching band for its homecoming, the Rams repeatedly marched up and down the field to make their statement."I was back on the sidelines and it felt good being there," said Knox, who returned after serving a two-game suspension following his ejection from a game three weeks ago. "We put four good quarters together and we didn't relax."

For the first time in a long while, Morgan State fans have a positive context in which to place the football portion of homecoming weekend.With a 28-22 win over Towson last week, the Bears (2-3 overall, 0-2 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) bask in the glow of victory as they enter today's 3: 30 p.m. game at PSINet Stadium against North Carolina A&T (4-1, 2-0).Morgan has not gone into homecoming after a win since 1979, also the last time the Bears had a winning season (9-2)."Now they know how it is to be a winner," said coach Stanley Mitchell.

No. 14 Lake Clifton (7-2)vs. No. 10 Patterson (8-1)When: 7 tonightWhere: Utz Twardowicz Field, Patterson ParkOutlook: The teams enter this City East Division title game with identical 4-1 league records. The lower-ranked Lakers lost, 20-8, to Poly -- a team the higher-ranked Clippers edged, 14-6, last week. Lake Clifton blanked Dunbar, 6-0, one week after the Poets edged the Clippers, 36-32, ending Patterson's 16-game winning streak against city opponents. A Lakers win can clinch at least a tie with Dunbar for the league crown, which Patterson is defending.

Yesterday was homecoming at Long Reach, and the day that things were supposed to be different.The host Lightning has 31 seniors on the roster, and this looked like the year they could beat No. 10 Wilde Lake, a team they had yet to beat in three meetings.Wilde Lake, however, had other plans.The Wildecats (5-1 overall, 4-1 in Howard County League) got 109 yards rushing on 25 carries from Mario Merrills and two touchdown passes from quarterback Chad Fawcett to defeat the Lightning, 20-13.Quarterback Stewart Long led the Lightning (3-3, 3-2)

In Baltimore CityJewish congress seeks million signatures for gun-control effortThe Maryland Chapter of the American Jewish Congress, 7504 Seven Mile Lane, will launch a statewide campaign today to acquire a million signatures calling for stronger gun control laws.The congress hopes to force federal legislation requiring all gun buyers to pass background checks, have all guns licensed and registered, outlaw weapons with a capacity of more than 10 rounds, and create a federally funded gun buy-back program.

Western Maryland College will celebrate homecoming this weekend with a parade, picnic lunch, a football game and other events.For the third consecutive year, the Green Terror enters Homecoming Week undefeated and nationally ranked.This year's festivities begin at noon Saturday with a parade along Main Street. The parade will feature antique cars, floats and a wagon carrying the homecoming court. Student organizations represented will include the Black Student Union, the classes of 2001, 2002, and 2003, and sororities Phi Sigma Sigma, Alpha Nu Omega, and Phi Alpha Mu.College President Robert H. Chambers will be part of the procession.

Most high school quarterbacks do not worry about getting kicked off the team for good behavior.But at Oak Hill Academy, the quarterback prays that he does not go the way of the starting offensive line and get freed days before a big game.Oak Hill, near Laurel, is the District of Columbia's maximum-security detention center for violent juvenile delinquents. Almost a third of its inmates are awaiting trial on murder charges or have been convicted of murder. It is also home to what may be the best team in the district's high school football league, the Tigers.

In the 10 seconds it took Armand Walters to race past cornerback Turnell Purkett, catch Willie McGirt's pass and wade into the end zone, the Morgan State football team had spent any moxie that was left from last week's win at Towson.It wasn't enough to sustain the Bears (2-4, 0-3 in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) for the next 56 minutes during a 30-6 loss to North Carolina A&T (5-1, 3-0) in front of a homecoming crowd of 22,147 at PSINet Stadium yesterday.What went right after Walters' 61-yard touchdown catch on the Bears' first play from scrimmage?

Stanley Mitchell -- three days after Morgan State's third win in 22 tries -- had three remaining days to prepare his team for a road game against a Division I-AA power.But on Tuesday morning, the first-year football coach needed to assure those inside Hill Field House of a happy homecoming for Morgan State at PSINet Stadium, more than two weeks from now. It was a tough sell, and Mitchell nearly stumbled, but he made a case for the Bears.Mitchell said his team (1-2, 0-1 in the MEAC) could beat anyone if it could get the offense, defense and special teams to show up at one time, something yet to happen in three games this season, including Saturday's 24-21 win at Rhode Island.

Nearly everyone in the hallways and classrooms at North County High School in Glen Burnie knew Walter Brooks Jr. They didn't know him because he was one of the school's top athletes or one of its top students when he graduated last spring. He was neither. Most knew him because of an oversize personality that his friends and family say was matched only by the size of his heart. Brooks, 18, died Wednesday after a brief illness; his parents said they were told by doctors that the cause was swine flu. "Everyone loved Walter," said Andrea Hunt, who had known Brooks since the sixth grade and became best friends with him in high school.

About 200 former Towson Catholic High School students and alumni are expected to attend a reunion picnic from 1 p.m. to dusk Sunday at Double Rock Park in Parkville. Students, who have transferred to other schools since the Archdiocese of Baltimore abruptly announced the closing of the 86-year-old school in July, will receive their yearbooks and have a chance to visit with the faculty and former classmates. "It will be like a homecoming for these kids," said Lois Windsor, a parent volunteer.

1 Losers buy: cheese steaks: The World Series moves to Philadelphia for Game 3 (8 p.m., chs. 45, 5). Jamie Moyer (left) drives to the game with his right blinker turned on the whole time. 2 You never know: Which Terps team will show up in College Park today (3:30 p.m.) against North Carolina State? It's like that Forrest Gump box of chocolates thing. 3 Great Bears: At Morgan State's homecoming (vs. Delaware State, 1 p.m.), some of the program's players from the outstanding teams of the 1960s will gather.

Navy's only chance yesterday against defending Atlantic Coast Conference champion Wake Forest was to keep pace with the Demon Deacons' high-powered offense. On a sunny homecoming afternoon in front of 36,992, the second-largest crowd in Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium history, the Midshipmen were doing that until their starting quarterback went down and turnovers started creeping into their game. Delaware@Navy Saturday, 1 p.m., CSTV, 1090 AM

College Park -- Maryland lost more than its homecoming game against Virginia last night - the Terps also lost their second starting offensive lineman in two weeks. Left guard Jaimie Thomas broke his right fibula early in the second quarter and is out for the rest of season, coach Ralph Friedgen said last night after his team's disappointing, 18-17 homecoming loss to Virginia. Right guard Andrew Crummey broke his left fibula on Oct. 6 against Georgia Tech. Clemson @Maryland Saturday, 3:30 p.m., chs. 2, 7, 105.7 FM, 1300 AM

KARACHI, Pakistan -- Two bombs exploded yesterday seconds apart and feet from a truck carrying opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, narrowly missing her but killing scores of people and bloodying her triumphal homecoming after eight years in exile. Various reports said 126 were killed and about 150 wounded, including civilians and party workers. In the chaos, however, the Interior Ministry could confirm only 70 deaths. There were no claims of responsibility. Bhutto, who had spent eight hours on the roof of the truck waving to supporters, had climbed inside the armored vehicle 10 minutes before the blasts occurred, just before midnight, said Rehman Malik, Bhutto's security adviser and close associate.

Grace Gaeng scored what proved to be the game-winning goal off a corner kick from Melissa Lookingland midway through the second half, as No. 2 John Carroll defeated No. 11 C. Milton Wright, 2-1, yesterday. Allyson Carey started the scoring for the visiting Patriots (14-2) by driving the center of the field and hitting an 18-yard shot. Carey took control of the center of the field both offensively and defensively, coach Gary Lynch said. The loss spoiled the Mustangs' homecoming. Football No. 12 Wilde Lake 25, Reservoir 7 -- Jerrel Epps had 112 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries as the host Wildecats (5-1)

Here are the Homecoming football games for county public high schools: Tomorrow Howard at Reservoir, 1 p.m. Oakland Mills at Marriotts Ridge, 1:30 p.m. Mount Hebron at Long Reach, 2 p.m. Oct. 13 Howard at Hammond, noon Long Reach at River Hill, 1:30 p.m. Marriotts Ridge at Atholton, 1:30 p.m. Reservoir at Wilde Lake, 2 p.m. Oakland Mills at Mount Hebron, 2:15 p.m. Oct. 20 Glenelg at Oakland Mills, 2 p.m. Oct. 27 Reservoir at Centennial, 1:30...

After serving in World War I, local soldiers, Red Cross workers, sailors and Marines were given a warm welcome home by residents of Anne Arundel County on June 26, 1919, with a dinner at the State Armory, followed by a reception and dance held at St. John's College. Mayor James F. Strange, Judge Robert Moss and Major Hugh R. Brady delivered speeches, and each of the honored guests received a bronze victory metal, The Sun reported the next day. The Naval Academy Band provided the music for the dance.

The North Laurel Civic Association will hold a forum for candidates in state legislative District 13 from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday in the media center at Murray Hill Middle School, 9989 Winter Sun Road, North Laurel. Candidates will introduce themselves and respond to questions. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and refreshments will be served. The program begins at 7 p.m. Information: Pam Peseux, 301-776-6509. Bingo fundraiser set for Saturday The Savage Volunteer Fire Company's Ladies Auxiliary will sponsor a basket bingo at 7 p.m. Saturday at the fire hall, 8925 Lincoln Street, Savage.