Raiders

BOYS Tommy Brenton River Hill basketball The 6-foot-4 senior had 58 points, 35 coming at the free-throw line, 20 rebounds, five assists, five blocks and five steals to lead River Hill to victories over Mervo and Bethesda-Chevy Chase of Montgomery County and to the program's first boys state basketball championship. In Thursday's 62-53 semifinal win over Mervo, Brenton scored 16 of his 30 points at the foul line, grabbed 10 rebounds, blocked four shots, and had three steals and three assists.

Going into yesterday's Class 2A state semifinal game, the Atholton girls basketball team didn't look at itself as being decisively smaller than Walkersville, the West region champion. Just decisively quicker. The No. 9 Raiders hassled their previously unbeaten Frederick County opponent with a relentless press and made a determined effort to get to the basket on offense, also leaning on last year's state semifinal loss as experience. Junior guard Brittany Coughlan led four starters in double figures with 17 points, and the united front on defense caused 27 turnovers, sending Atholton to its first state championship game with a convincing 68-56 win over the Lions at UMBC's RAC Arena.

Before the 15th Super Bowl, Oakland Raiders linebacker Rod Martin had a foretelling of his arrival on the NFL's grand stage. Two people, one of them his sister Carolyn, told him of dreams that he would get an interception against the Philadelphia Eagles. As a former 12th-round draft pick happy to be playing for a championship ring, Martin listened to the predictions and quietly dismissed them. Little did he know the dreams wouldn't come close to the real success he experienced in New Orleans' Superdome.

Sunday's heartbreaking Ravens loss brings back memories of other NFL games that were decided at the finish in bizarre and controversial fashion. In some cases, the events led to rule changes, and one of them was an even bigger disappointment for Baltimore. Music City Miracle. Jan. 8, 2000. Buffalo at Tennessee. AFC wild-card playoff. Buffalo's Steve Christie had just kicked a field goal to put the Bills ahead 16-15 with 16 seconds left. On the ensuing kickoff, the Titans' Lorenzo Neal fielded the ball, started right and handed it off to tight end Frank Wycheck (Maryland)

Oakland (6-6) at Tennessee (9-3)Time: 8: 20, ESPN.Line: Titans by 3.Vs. spread: Raiders 6-6; Titans 6-5.Last week: Raiders beat Seahawks, 30-21. Titans lost to Ravens, 41-14.Series: Raiders lead 20-14.Last meeting: Tennessee won, 24-21, in overtime on Aug. 31, 1997, at Memphis, Tenn.Outlook: The Titans have two objectives: bounce back from a brutal loss to the Ravens and make amends for their previous prime-time outing, a 17-0 defeat against Miami on Nov. 7. However, the Titans are limping into December.

This is the Atholton way, said right fielder Tiffany Mathis."We don't think we're better than anybody else," said Mathis, a junior transfer from Louisville. "We just come out and do our thing and see how it goes."So far, it's going very well.Ten games. Ten wins."That team is for real," said Wilde Lake coach Sal Milio, whose Wildecats (9-1) dropped a 4-0 decision against 12th-ranked Atholton. "They play with all kinds of confidence. You can see it in those kids."The Raiders were 2-16 in the county two years ago and last season finished 0-18 after forfeiting six wins because of an ineligible player.

Jacksonville (13-1) at Tennessee (11-3)Time: 1 p.m.Line: Jaguars by 3.Vs. spread: Jaguars 7-6; Titans 8-5.Last week: Jaguars beat Browns, 24-14. Titans beat Falcons, 30-17.Series: Jaguars lead 5-4.Last meeting: Titans won, 20-19, on Sept. 26 at Jacksonville.Outlook: Jacksonville can clinch the AFC Central and a first-round bye with a win or a tie against the only team it has lost to this year. The Jags hold a two-game lead over the Titans, who can keep their Central title hopes alive with a victory.

Atholton may be the surprise team of the season, but it won't catch anybody by surprise anymore.The 12th-ranked Raiders completed the first half of the season yesterday with a workmanlike 7-1 victory over visiting Long Reach. Freshman pitcher Katie Zitnay retired 15 of 16 Long Reach hitters -- including 11 straight -- between the second and seventh innings, and allowed three hits. Sarah Costa went 3-for-3 and Tiffany Mathis had a double and a home run in three at-bats."No one has hit the ball like that against Kristen [Schaper]

No. 17-ranked Oakland Mills moved a step closer to its first Howard County championship since 1992 by defeating the Atholton Raiders yesterday, 70-48.Atholton has won four of the last five county titles but was no match for visiting Oakland Mills' full-court, trapping defense and strength at guard.The loss ended Atholton's 18-game home winning streak and dropped the Raiders four games behind Oakland Mills with five games to play.Oakland Mills (14-3 overall, 12-1 league) forced Atholton into 31 turnovers, including 10 in the final quarter when the Scorpions outscored the Raiders 28-11.

Oakland (5-4) at Denver (3-7)Time: 9, chs. 2, 7Line: Broncos by 1 1/2.Vs. spread: Raiders 5-4; Broncos 5-3.Last week: Raiders beat Chargers, 28-9. Broncos lost to Seahawks, 20-17.Series: Raiders lead 49-27-2.Last meeting: Broncos won, 16-13, on Oct. 10, at Oakland.Outlook: The Broncos are a shell of the team that won back-to-back Super Bowls, but the Raiders know better than to take them lightly. Last month, the Broncos went to Oakland with an 0-4 record and won. QB Brian Griese beat the Raiders last month.

In the closing minutes of the first half against host Towson on Tuesday, No. 14 Loch Raven's Seth Moses collected a loose ball just outside the penalty area with his back to the goal, pushed it slightly into space and then fired a shot just under the crossbar. With a two-goal lead, Moses then moved to sweeper and made several crucial clearances as the Raiders held on for a 3-2 victory. Moses' versatility could be a huge factor as Loch Raven tries to advance to a state championship game for the sixth time in seven years.

COLLEGE PARK -- The Maryland women's lacrosse team won its NCAA tournament opener Sunday by its largest scoring margin of the season - a wide gap that isn't all that unusual in a first-round victory by a high-seeded team. The No. 2 Terrapins scored the first 15 goals and cruised, 20-4, over Colgate at Maryland's Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex. Despite the easy victory, the game provided plenty of traction for Saturday's quarterfinals, the round in which the Terps stumbled a year ago. "Especially the first half gives us a lot of confidence," said All-America midfielder Caitlyn McFadden, whose Terps will meet Syracuse (14-4)

boys basketball Player of the Year Chris Baker, Hammond The versatile guard closed out a fine high school career by averaging 20.7 points, seven rebounds and 5.4 steals in leading the Golden Bears to the county title game. Baker, who surpassed 1,000 career points, had a knack for finding his shot or teammates, always wanting the ball in his hands in clutch situations. He also was a catalyst at the defensive end, averaging just under four steals per game. Coach of the Year Jim Albert, Atholton The Raiders exceeded all of Albert's expectations as they finished the season with a 23-4 mark, capturing the county championship and Class 3A East regional title to make their fourth state tournament appearance and first since 1982.

After losing to Eleanor Roosevelt by two points in last year's state Class 4A girls basketball championship, No. 5 Arundel had all the motivation it needed to sprint out to a quick start in its bid for revenge in yesterday's state semifinal. But, as Roosevelt senior Elashier Hall said, her team was prepared for a marathon. As the fouls on Arundel's frontcourt players began to mount, the Raiders gained the momentum to close a 16-point gap and hold off the Wildcats for a 47-43 victory at UMBC's RAC Arena.

Jennifer Shacreaw's name is not going to be found at the top of the Atholton Raiders' scoring or minutes-played lists, but on the court and in the locker room, Shacreaw, one of two seniors on the Raiders' 13-9 team this season, is the lifeline to a steady, stable performance and a direct line into what coach Maureen Shacreaw, her mother, is thinking. Jennifer Shacreaw has scored 27 points and gathered 32 rebounds in 21 games, but according to her mother, that's not where her strength lies.

The old saying "Less is more" ought to be the theme for the Loch Raven girls indoor track team. The No. 9 Raiders are getting used to accomplishing more with nine girls than most teams accomplish with three or four times that many. At the Baltimore County championships two weeks ago, the Raiders finished second behind a huge Hereford team, but they only lost 89-72. Hereford picked up 18 points in the pole vault and the Raiders have no pole vaulters. "We don't have depth or a lot of backups," Raiders coach Adam Hittner said.

TAMPA, Fla. - In the city where the Ravens won their Super Bowl, they made team history once again. Versatile defensive back Rod Woodson was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame yesterday, becoming the first former Raven to receive the honor. Known for his speed and big-play ability, Woodson played four of his 17 seasons with the Ravens (1998-2001). The sage leader on the Ravens' record-setting defense, he won his only Super Bowl with the Ravens in January 2001 in Tampa. "I'm still pinching myself a little bit," Woodson said.

Team promotes three in personnel department ravens The Ravens yesterday promoted three members of the personnel department in the wake of the departure of George Kokinis to the Cleveland Browns. General manager Ozzie Newsome announced new job descriptions for Eric DeCosta (director of player personnel), Vince Newsome (director of pro personnel) and Joe Hortiz (director of college scouting). DeCosta, 37, had been director of college scouting since 2003, having spent his entire 13-year career with the Ravens.

Fabian Washington is making a name for himself among his teammates, which isn't necessarily a good thing. When a Ravens defensive player drops a potential interception during practice, a teammate will chide that player by saying, "Fabian's rubbing off on you." It's a reference to an unusual statistic: Washington leads the defense in pass breakups with 14 but has only one interception this season. Washington said he endures good-natured ribbing from fellow defensive backs Frank Walker, Samari Rolle and Ed Reed on a daily basis.

28 Seahawks (2-10) Jim Mora Jr. is getting an eyeful. 29 Raiders (3-10) They have ruined JaMarcus Russell. 30 Rams (2-10) Management likes the job Jim Haslett has done. Huh? 31 Bengals (1-10-1) Marvin Lewis should walk. 32 Lions (0-12) Last chance for first win.