Perfect Season

The No. 1-ranked Spalding Cavaliers will go after their third straight Maryland Independent School's state championship along with attempting to complete a perfect season when they meet Pallotti today at Prince George's Community College. The Cavs (26-0) reached the final with sophomores Jessica Saunders and Meg Cowen combining to pitch five perfect innings in an 11-0 win over Seton Keough in yesterday's semifinal at Randazzo Park. Saunders worked the first four innings with Cowen coming in to pitch the fifth of a game that was halted early due to the 10-run rule.

Kudos to the Loyola Greyhounds and Maryland Terrapins for putting Baltimore and Maryland back at the apex of men's Division I college lacrosse ("Charles Street bragging rights," May 30). But where's the love for the Salisbury mens' lacrosse team? What The Sun seems to consistently overlook are the tremendous feats the Division III Salisbury Gulls mens' lacrosse program has amassed. Head Coach Jim Berkman is the winningest mens' college lacrosse coach in the history of the game (that includes all divisions)

HERNDON, Va. -- When the Buffalo Bills came into RFK Stadium for the season finale last year with a 13-2 record, they had clinched a division title and home-field advantage in the playoffs.That's why they treated it like an exhibition game, playing Frank Reich, who was then starting for Jim Kelly, only the first half in a 29-14 loss to the Washington Redskins.If the Redskins win their next four games, they'll face a similar situation: They'll have home-field advantage clinched in the playoffs going into their final game.

Wrestler of the yearMatt Yinger, Francis Scott Key, Sr.: Joining his brother Zac (twice) as a state champion, the 135-pounder was one of eight in the tournament to complete a perfect season (28-0), and he did it despite missing the first two weeks with a shoulder injury, one that continued to nag him throughout the season. His first outing was against Westminster, and he defeated the Owls' Tim Sharkey in their only meeting, 3-0. Later, he won his fourth straight Key tournament title and placed first at the Hammond tournament.

Utah Utes 2007 record 8-4 overall, 5-3 in the Mountain West Conference Coach Kyle Whittingham, third season, 23-14 Top offensive players Junior running back Darrell Mack has 231 carries for 1,128 yards and 10 touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Derrek Richards is an offensive and special teams threat. He is the team's top receiver with 53 catches for 574 yards and two touchdowns and has averaged 15 yards on punt returns. He had a 75-yard return for a touchdown against Utah State. Top defensive players Senior safety Steve Tate has 97 tackles, two sacks and three interceptions.

COLLEGE PARK - Just two minutes and 52 seconds away from completing a perfect season, the Severna Park field hockey team had to settle for second best last night when Bethesda-Chevy Chase pulled out a stunning 2-1 upset with time already expired in the second overtime of the Class 3A field hockey championship. Margaret Mulholland scored on the Barons' eighth penalty corner, which was earned just before time had ended in the second 10-minute overtime period. The Barons erupted after avenging a 3-1 loss to the No. 1 Falcons in last year's championship game as well as a lopsided 4-1 setback early in the regular season.

The NFL playoffs are a month away, and already Tony Dungy is caught in the eye of a perfect storm. His goal all year has been to get the Indianapolis Colts into - and win - the Super Bowl. But the Colts' tantalizing run at a perfect season has raised the stakes of that venture and placed the veteran coach on a different kind of hot seat. Dungy has a strong history of resting stars late in the season, once his team has secured its most favorable playoff seeding. Today, with a victory in Jacksonville over the Jaguars, Indianapolis can lock up the AFC South title and home-field advantage through the playoffs.

UPPER MARLBORO - Top-ranked Archbishop Spalding challenged 27 softball opponents to try to find a weakness this season. Not one was found. The Cavaliers completed the program's second perfect season yesterday, going 27-0, with their third straight Maryland Independent Schools' state championship. To do it, they needed to work overtime for a 1-0 win over Pallotti that took 11 innings at Prince George's Community College. The win was worth the wait. Super sophomore Jessica Saunders pitched 11 shutout innings of one-hit ball to earn Most Valuable Player honors.

WARNER'S WOES Kurt Warner's revival as an elite quarterback remains stalled in Arizona, where he is 0-5 with the Cardinals after a 29-21 loss in Detroit. Warner passed for 359 yards, but the Cardinals can't run the ball behind a frazzled offensive line and have to depend too much on his arm. PICK HAT TRICK Vikings safety Darren Sharper enjoyed a career day with three interceptions against the Giants' Eli Manning, returning the first for a 92-yard touchdown. His third pickoff snuffed a red-zone opportunity in the fourth quarter.

Maryland will have to wait a little longer for a shot at another women's lacrosse championship, but it might not be that long. North Carolina spoiled the No. 2 Terrapins' bid for a perfect season and a chance for a 10th national title Friday with an 8-7 victory in the NCAA Division I semifinals before an announced 7,549 at Johnny Unitas Stadium at Towson University. Instead of battling four-time defending champ and No. 1 Northwestern for the crown Sunday, the Terps (21-1) are left thinking about next season.