Indoor Football

Quarterback E.J. Nemeth scored five touchdowns, the defense had five interceptions and the Baltimore Mariners captured the American Indoor Football Association's Eastern Conference championship with a 65-13 win over the Harrisburg Stampede Saturday night at 1st Mariner Arena. The 14-0 Mariners will play the Western Conference champion at 4 p.m. July 25 at 1st Mariner Arena for the AIFA championship.

Varsity football Jennings to play in Under Armour All-America Game Gilman quarterback Darius Jennings will be the only Baltimore athlete to play in the 2011 Under Armour All-America Game. The highly recruited senior is one of just two Maryland players to be named an Under Armour All-American and be invited to play in the game Jan. 5 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. DeMatha lineman Cyrus Kouandijo was also invited. The game will be telecast live on ESPN at 7 p.m. Jennings, an All-Metro first-team selection last season, has amassed 1,733 yards of offense this season.

Their helmet logos and black-and-red uniforms resemble the Atlanta Falcons', and their most recognizable player, Joe Maese, spent four seasons with the Ravens. Those are about the only connections between Baltimore's newest professional sports franchise and the NFL. Unless you count the past and present dreams of many involved with the Blackbirds. Scheduled to open their inaugural season in the American Indoor Football Association with a game tonight in Reading, Pa., the Blackbirds have a 28-year-old owner, a coach who has spent much of his career indoors and a roster filled with players still hoping for a chance at the big time.

Justin Thomas of Goshen, Ky., overtook leader Denny McCarthy of Burtonsville with a birdie on the 17th hole, and after finishing regulation play all square, won the ensuing first extra hole with a par to gain the final of the U.S. Junior Amateur championship in Ada, Mich. McCarthy had advanced to the afternoon match when he birdied the first playoff hole to defeat Canadian Richard Jung in a morning quarterfinal. pairing. Thomas will face Jim Lio of Smithtown, N.Y., , a 3-and-2 winner over Robby Shelton of Winner, Ala., in a scheduled 36-hole final.

Justin Thomas of Goshen, Ky., overtook leader Denny McCarthy of Burtonsville with a birdie on the 17th hole, and after finishing regulation play all square, won the ensuing first extra hole with a par to gain the final of the U.S. Junior Amateur championship in Ada, Mich. McCarthy had advanced to the afternoon match when he birdied the first playoff hole to defeat Canadian Richard Jung in a morning quarterfinal. pairing. Thomas will face Jim Lio of Smithtown, N.Y., , a 3-and-2 winner over Robby Shelton of Winner, Ala., in a scheduled 36-hole final.

The Blackbirds The lowdown -- Starting Saturday, is your first chance to see the Baltimore Blackbirds indoor football team at 1st Mariner Arena. The team, a member of the American Indoor Football Association, will play five games at the arena through June. They meet the Carolina Speed tomorrow night. If you go -- The game starts at 7 p.m. Ticket prices vary. The arena is at 201 W. Baltimore St. Call 410-547-SEAT or go to tick etmaster.com. On the farm The lowdown -- Clark's Elioak Farm is open for business starting Saturday for hayrides and pony rides and a petting zoo. Feed horses, ducks, chickens, bunnies and turtles.

Maryland coach Missy Meharg , who has led the Terrapins to five NCAA titles in her 22-year career, including three crowns in four years from 2005 to 2008, and eight ACC championships, will be inducted into the National Field Hockey Coaches Association's Hall of Fame on Sunday at the Greater Richmond (Va.) Convention Center. Meharg is a seven-time NFHCA Coach of the Year and five-time ACC Coach of the Year. Her overall record is 390-101-9. NHL: The Washington Capitals have signed center David Steckel to a three-year, $3.3 million contract extension and defenseman-forward Tyler Sloan to a two-year, $1.4 million extension.

The Bayhawks announced the new ownership group made up of president Brendan Kelly , director of corporate sales John Lamon and director of youth sales Chris Kelly . The professional lacrosse team also announced a name change to the Chesapeake Bayhawks. "We wanted to change the team name to encompass the entire region," Brendan Kelly said. "It's important that we touch the markets of Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia and the Eastern Shore. We are also going to work to get the youth involved to bridge the connection between the collegiate and professional game."

Golf Baloga three strokes ahead at Md. Amateur Stroke Play Defending champion Chris Baloga blistered the Mount Pleasant Golf Course layout for a 5-under-par 66, good for a 36-hole total of 138, and took a three-stroke lead in the 42nd Maryland Amateur Stroke Play championship Saturday. Perennial contender Phil Fairbanks of Hobbit's Glen GC in Columbia followed at 70-71-141, trailed by John Moheyer, 71-71-142. John Howson, one of three at 143, was the low Senior. The original field of 117 was pared to 61 players at 155 and better who will play the final round today, beginning at 7 a.m. Pro soccer Moreno's goal in 59th minute gives Crew 1-1 tie with United Alejandro Moreno scored the tying goal in the 59th minute and the host Columbus Crew pushed its home unbeaten streak to 17 games with a 1-1 draw with D.C. United in Major League Soccer.

Jalen Cornish spent two hours catching footballs Sunday. There was nothing strange about it, except that the 13-year-old was sprinting across the Soccerdome with the ball, and football season does not start until August. Jalen was one of 40 children at the Pasadena Chargers' first arena football workout. The popularity of football in the area pushed officials for the youth football team to start an outdoor league, but when they could not pull that off, they sought to launch the county's first indoor program - and the response delighted them.

Quarterback E.J. Nemeth scored five touchdowns, the defense had five interceptions and the Baltimore Mariners captured the American Indoor Football Association's Eastern Conference championship with a 65-13 win over the Harrisburg Stampede Saturday night at 1st Mariner Arena. The 14-0 Mariners will play the Western Conference champion at 4 p.m. July 25 at 1st Mariner Arena for the AIFA championship.

Indoor football Harrisburg earns right to face Mariners in AIFA Eastern final Aries Nelson threw a 20-yard pass to Kevin Marion with 56 seconds remaining to lift the host Harrisburg Stampede to a 52-48 victory Friday night, earning a spot in the American Indoor Football Association Eastern Conference final against the Mariners. The Stampede will travel to 1st Mariner Arena on Saturday for a 7 p.m. kickoff. Harrisburg (12-3) rallied from a 24-7 first-quarter deficit to earn its fourth victory this season over the Erie Storm (8-7)

The Detroit Tigers have set up a physical for catcher Patrick Leyland as the final step before signing the eighth-round draft pick to a contract. By turning pro, he is choosing not to accept a scholarship to attend and play at Maryland. Leyland, the son of Tigers manager Jim Leyland, is scheduled to fly today to Lakeland, Fla., for the physical that has to be passed to make the deal official. He was drafted last week out of Bishop Canevin High in Pittsburgh. Jim Leyland was a minor league catcher for the Tigers from 1964 to 1969 before beginning his coaching career in 1970.

The Bayhawks announced the new ownership group made up of president Brendan Kelly , director of corporate sales John Lamon and director of youth sales Chris Kelly . The professional lacrosse team also announced a name change to the Chesapeake Bayhawks. "We wanted to change the team name to encompass the entire region," Brendan Kelly said. "It's important that we touch the markets of Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia and the Eastern Shore. We are also going to work to get the youth involved to bridge the connection between the collegiate and professional game."

Maryland coach Missy Meharg , who has led the Terrapins to five NCAA titles in her 22-year career, including three crowns in four years from 2005 to 2008, and eight ACC championships, will be inducted into the National Field Hockey Coaches Association's Hall of Fame on Sunday at the Greater Richmond (Va.) Convention Center. Meharg is a seven-time NFHCA Coach of the Year and five-time ACC Coach of the Year. Her overall record is 390-101-9. NHL: The Washington Capitals have signed center David Steckel to a three-year, $3.3 million contract extension and defenseman-forward Tyler Sloan to a two-year, $1.4 million extension.

Golf Baloga three strokes ahead at Md. Amateur Stroke Play Defending champion Chris Baloga blistered the Mount Pleasant Golf Course layout for a 5-under-par 66, good for a 36-hole total of 138, and took a three-stroke lead in the 42nd Maryland Amateur Stroke Play championship Saturday. Perennial contender Phil Fairbanks of Hobbit's Glen GC in Columbia followed at 70-71-141, trailed by John Moheyer, 71-71-142. John Howson, one of three at 143, was the low Senior. The original field of 117 was pared to 61 players at 155 and better who will play the final round today, beginning at 7 a.m. Pro soccer Moreno's goal in 59th minute gives Crew 1-1 tie with United Alejandro Moreno scored the tying goal in the 59th minute and the host Columbus Crew pushed its home unbeaten streak to 17 games with a 1-1 draw with D.C. United in Major League Soccer.

The Detroit Tigers have set up a physical for catcher Patrick Leyland as the final step before signing the eighth-round draft pick to a contract. By turning pro, he is choosing not to accept a scholarship to attend and play at Maryland. Leyland, the son of Tigers manager Jim Leyland, is scheduled to fly today to Lakeland, Fla., for the physical that has to be passed to make the deal official. He was drafted last week out of Bishop Canevin High in Pittsburgh. Jim Leyland was a minor league catcher for the Tigers from 1964 to 1969 before beginning his coaching career in 1970.

Indoor football Harrisburg earns right to face Mariners in AIFA Eastern final Aries Nelson threw a 20-yard pass to Kevin Marion with 56 seconds remaining to lift the host Harrisburg Stampede to a 52-48 victory Friday night, earning a spot in the American Indoor Football Association Eastern Conference final against the Mariners. The Stampede will travel to 1st Mariner Arena on Saturday for a 7 p.m. kickoff. Harrisburg (12-3) rallied from a 24-7 first-quarter deficit to earn its fourth victory this season over the Erie Storm (8-7)

A slow start to the season prompted the Mariners to overhaul their roster, and while the team showed some progress last night, it did not have enough firepower to stay with the undefeated Mississippi Mudcats in an American Indoor Football Association game at 1st Mariner Arena. Earlier in the week, the Mariners traded starting quarterback Dixie Wooten to the Carolina Speed and inserted Mike Orihel as the starter. The team also signed former Canadian Football League player Eugene Goodman at running back, and Marques Ogden, who served as an offensive line coach, put on the pads to take a spot vacated by injured center Nick Romeo.

Jalen Cornish spent two hours catching footballs Sunday. There was nothing strange about it, except that the 13-year-old was sprinting across the Soccerdome with the ball, and football season does not start until August. Jalen was one of 40 children at the Pasadena Chargers' first arena football workout. The popularity of football in the area pushed officials for the youth football team to start an outdoor league, but when they could not pull that off, they sought to launch the county's first indoor program - and the response delighted them.