Michael Johnson

A Baltimore woman drew a 20-year prison term yesterday for the starvation death of her 5-month-old daughter, who went without nourishment while her mother fed her own appetite for crack cocaine.Porthingia Johnson was 16 when the first of her six children was born in 1987. Four of them would be taken from her after social workers determined she was not caring for them properly, according to statements in court.The last one, Alicia, was found lifeless in a Fells Point apartment March 20, 1994, with scarcely a trace of food in her body.

SALISBURY -- Freshman Sidney Goodman scored a career-high 22 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead Coppin State (15-11, 9-6) to an 80-63 victory over UMES (3-22, 2-12) in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game yesterday at the Wicomico Civic Center.Coppin State used an 18-4 run -- with Goodman scoring seven -- to take a 20-8 lead with 10:16 remaining in the first half. The Eagles held UMES to 21.4 percent shooting in the half to take a 41-24 lead.Coppin State led by at least 12 throughout the second half.

The ball didn't bounce their way, the close calls seemed to go against them, and they committed too many turnovers. Despite it all, the resilient City Knights still had an opportunity to win yesterday's Class 2A state semifinal against Cumberland's Fort Hill at Poly.What they couldn't overcome was the performance of Fort Hill running back Josh Page.After the No. 4 Knights had pulled to within seven points with 8: 06 remaining, Page anchored a 14-play, 64-yard drive that consumed 7: 04 and culminated in his game-clinching 4-yard touchdown run.Final score: Fort Hill 27, City 14.With the win, the Sentinels (10-2)

UPDATE : The Baltimore State's Attorney's Office said authorities will speak about the arrest at a 1 p.m. news conference at city police headquarters. An arrest has been made in connection with the killing of Phylicia Barnes, the 16-year-old from North Carolina who vanished while visiting family in Northwest Baltimore in 2010 and was found dead months later in the Susquehanna River. Word broke late Wednesday from Barnes' relatives, and was confirmed by authorities. The attorney for Michael Johnson, the former boyfriend of Phylicia's older sister, confirmed that his client had been taken into custody at about 11:30 p.m. on unknown charges.

Carver Bears1994 record: 3-7. Coach: Ron Frierson (career record: 3-7).Top players: Damean Johnson, Sr., WR; Andre Falcon, Sr., TE; Keonte Hazelton, Sr., LB-RB; Alexander Gough, Jr., LB; Terrill Fulton, Jr., OT-DT; Andre Moore, Jr., QB.Outlook: The Bears return 12 starters, including eight two-way players. Offensively, the focus will be on returning signal-caller Moore, who will have as his targets two of the city's fastest players in Johnson, an All-Metro sprinter, and Falcon, a third-year starter.

ATLANTA -- Michael Johnson left Olympic Stadium on Saturday night knowing how close he had come to breaking the oldest record in track and field. Only the slightest of hot summer breezes had kept Johnson from going into the record books and erasing Italy's Pietro Mennea from memory.Johnson's time of 19.70 seconds in the semifinals of the 200 meters at the U.S. Olympic trials had been faster than the 19.72 seconds Mennea ran at a meet in Mexico 17 years ago. But Johnson also knew he would get another chance.

St. Mary's built a 17-0 halftime lead and relied on its defense led by linebacker Monte Graves (12 tackles, one interception) to upend unbeaten, No. 3 City, 23-12 at Anne Arundel Community College yesterday.The No. 8 Saints (4-2) got two first-half touchdown passes from Ryan Metzbower (11-for-21, 19 yards), a 16-yarder to Bryant Airey and a 13-yard toss to Jamison Mullen, who also kicked a 27-yard field goal and two extra points.City (5-1) came in averaging 35 points a game but was held to a total of 30 yards rushing while the Saints controlled most of the game with the running of Rashi Reed, who carried 30 times for 102 yards, including a one-yard touchdown late in the final period.

ATLANTA -- Who is the fastest man in the world?Tonight's 100-meter final should settle it, but here's an idea sure to offend all the narcissists seeking one of sport's most coveted titles.None of them!If Frankie Fredericks wins the 100 and Michael Johnson beats him in the 200, then isn't Johnson the fastest man in the world?In fact, isn't Johnson the fastest man in the world anyway, since his world record in the 200 (19.66) breaks down to two world records in the 100?Well, Johnson's 200 time didn't include a second trip out of the starting blocks, so such an analysis might be unfair.

In a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference game that had more stops and starts than afternoon rush hour on the Beltway, Coppin State made 41 free throws and beat Morgan State, 96-82, before 3,849 at Hill Field House last night.In winning their sixth straight since a Jan. 8 loss at North Carolina A&T, the Eagles (11-5, 5-1) were fouled 37 times and attempted 55 free throws, 31 in the first half. The officiating crew detected contact at both ends. Morgan State (2-15, 2-4) was 20-for-29 from the line.

For five years, Michael Johnson, with his Heritage cinema house, has been the vagabond son of Baltimore's movie scene, moving from place to place, struggling to show movies on a regular basis, operating sporadically for two years out of a former nightclub on North Avenue that Johnson admits was woefully inadequate. This time, Johnson says, he's got it right. Tomorrow at Towson's old Hillendale Theatre, 1045 Taylor Ave., Johnson will open the latest incarnation of his dream for a theater dedicated to African- American films and filmmakers.