Undefeated

NBA Pistons @Celtics 7 p.m. [ESPN] First-place Boston (Atlantic Division) vs. first-place Detroit (Central) is a possible NBA Eastern Conference finals preview. It's not even Christmas yet, but the 20-2 Celtics are on a record-setting pace and undefeated at home. The Pistons (17-7) have been hot, winning nine of their past 11 and playing superior defense.

Mount St. Joseph, following an undefeated regular season, defeated short-handed Loyola last night, 7-1, in the first game of the first-ever MIAA championships at the Laurel Ice Gardens.Mount St. Joe got two goals each from Adam Levine and Russell Smith. Several of Loyola's top offensive players are at a tournament in Utah.Game 2 of the best-of-three series is tonight at 8: 30.Pub Date: 2/16/99

His right thigh was bruised, his left ankle nicked and bleeding. But Dulaney's Steve Toutsis took pride in his "battle scars.""We beat two undefeated teams this week -- Eastern Tech on Tuesday, and Patapsco [yesterday], and we're 8-0," said the senior striker, who scored the first goal in yesterday's 2-1 Baltimore County League Division I win over the eighth-ranked Patriots."It was a tough game. Physical," said Toutsis. "I'm going home, take a hot bath and soak for a while."The Lions (8-0, 4-0)

Quote: "They have a lot of heart to come through with all the injuries. I like their chances."-- Dodgers manager Davey Johnson on Houston's postseason hopesIt's a fact: The Astros are the only team in the major leagues undefeated when leading after eight innings, going 81-0.Who's hot: The Cardinals' Mark McGwire homered six times in the last seven games.Who's not: The Marlins struck out 38 times in their three-game series with the Braves.Pub Date: 10/04/99

Five players on Broadneck's undefeated football team have been suspended for at least one game after alleged violations of the Anne Arundel County conduct code for student athletes.One of the players said some of the suspensions were for the remainder of the season. The violations occurred before and during the school's homecoming dance Saturday."This whole thing is very unfortunate, and we have a conference at school [today]," said Ken Eslin, who confirmed that his son, junior quarterback Ryan Eslin, has been suspended for at least one game.

When North Carroll softball coach Rich Harvey said before the season that it was "hard to say how we'll do," he might have had the premonition there would be a stretch like last week.On successive afternoons, his team was beaten by Westminster (5-4) and Thomas Johnson (6-2). Friday, the Panthers (8-2) got back on track, however, stopping Liberty, 2-1, with a run in the bottom of the seventh.Against Central Maryland Conference leader Thomas Johnson, North Carroll took a 2-0 lead into the fourth inning, but some shaky defense allowed the home team to take control.

STANTON, Del. -- As the slot machines jingled -- and, boy, do they jingle at Delaware Park -- the tote system whirred as it calculated the astronomical payoffs of yesterday's Delaware Handicap.They read like this: $85.80 to win, $26.40 to show, $1,012.60 exacta, $29,088 trifecta.That's what happens when the 4-5 and 9-5 choices run like long shots and the 41-1, 25-1 and 108-1 long shots run one-two-three.Amarillo, a 4-year-old filly trained by Maryland native John Forbes and ridden by Julie Krone, blew by the previously undefeated Relaxing Rhythm and the Eclipse Award-winning Ajina on her way to a stunning victory in the richest race ever run at Delaware Park.

Five starters on Broadneck's undefeated football team have been suspended for at least one game after alleged violations of the Anne Arundel County conduct code for student athletes.One of the players said some of the suspensions were for the remainder of the season. The violations occurred before and during the school's homecoming dance Saturday."This whole thing is very unfortunate, and we have a conference at school [today]," said Ken Eslin, who confirmed that his son, junior quarterback Ryan Eslin, has been suspended for at least one game.

Gregg Kellett, Quentin Collins and Brandon Finney all expect to sign college football letters of intent today.Kellett, a 6-foot-4, 225-pound fullback from Oakland Mills, will receive a full scholarship to Marshall University.One of the most impressive blocking backs ever to play in Howard County, Kellett's "pancake" blocks led the way for the school-record-setting 1,873-yard rushing season of Vinnie Rubbo. Kellett also rushed 70 times for 641 yards and 13 touchdowns.At linebacker, he made 61 solo tackles and 48 assists and intercepted three passes.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Nick Buoniconti and Dick Anderson have this tradition. Each season, after the NFL's last undefeated team loses, the former Miami Dolphins teammates share a bottle of champagne.Last night, in a luxury suite at Pro Player Stadium in Miami, they and other members of the 1972 Dolphins once again were able to toast perfection.The Dolphins' status as the NFL's only perfect team is still intact. The New York Giants ruined Denver's undefeated season yesterday with a 20-16 victory over the defending Super Bowl champions at Giants Stadium.

GIRLS SOCCER No. 1 Archbishop Spalding at No. 2 McDonogh WHEN: : Friday, 4 p.m. OUTLOOK: : The area's top two teams go at it in a rematch of last year's Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference championship, won by Spalding, 2-0. With first place in the IAAM on the line, both teams went into the week with undefeated records. FOOTBALL No. 11 Patterson at No. 14 Poly WHEN: : Friday, 7 p.m. OUTLOOK: : After upsetting Dunbar two weeks ago, the Clippers face their second big opponent in what is emerging as a five-team Baltimore City Division I race.

The University of Maryland, Baltimore County chess team won its fifth national championship in nine years on Sunday, avenging last year's title round loss to the University of Texas at Dallas. UMBC had vowed to come back stronger after falling to UT-Dallas, and it did so in an effective way: by recruiting one of the world's best players and making him its top competitor. Leonid Kritz, the highest-rated college chess player and 17th overall in the United States, won his board yesterday, as did another UMBC player.

COLLEGE PARK -Back in mid-November, there was an impressive collection of talented basketball players who came together at Lake Clifton, both new and old to the program. It took no time for the individuals to effectively merge into a team, playing as one from the very beginning of the season. And now - after 28 consecutive wins and the program's second state title under 12-year coach Herman "Tree" Harried - the No. 1 Lakers can call themselves special in a history-making way. With its 75-50 win over Friendly in yesterday's Class 3A state championship game at Comcast Center, Lake Clifton became the third Baltimore team to complete an undefeated season since the city schools began competing in the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association in the 1992-93 season.

Fallston's Mike McTeague is pulling double duty as head coach of the girls basketball team and the girls lacrosse team. The undefeated basketball team plays in the state semifinals this week. ( For more, go to baltimoresun.com/varsityletters)

1 Outright state independent schools championship for the St. Paul's wrestling team, which won the B Conference title last weekend. 3 Undefeated teams left in The Baltimore Sun's basketball polls: the Lake Clifton boys and River Hill and Fallston girls. 11 Straight points scored by Western guard Akeema Richards in leading the Doves to a come-from-behind 51-48 win over City.

News item: : The Orioles made their first foray into the Asian player market, agreeing to terms with Japanese pitcher Koji Uehara on a two-year contract worth a reported $10 million. He's scheduled to arrive in Baltimore today and take his physical tomorrow. My take: : No, Boog isn't going to start serving sushi, but it's good to see the Orioles expand their horizons. Even if they overpaid the guy, it's still a big step in the right direction for a team that waited a long time to get serious about the Pacific Rim. News item: : The New York Mets reportedly have agreed to a contract with right-handed pitcher Tim Redding and have projected him as their fifth starter.

3 Consecutive MIAA and state private school championships McDonogh has won entering the season. 11 State championships won by Owings Mills under coach Guy Pritzker, who has seven tournament titles and four dual-meet championships. 12 Consecutive dual-meet Anne Arundel County championships for Old Mill if the Patriots win again this season. 18 Points Archbishop Spalding gave away during each match last season because it was three wrestlers short of a full lineup. 38 Consecutive victories Owings Mills senior Avi Friedman had while going undefeated last season.

River Hill is a team that likes to use the speed in its backfield on sweep plays that land its running backs in the end zone. But yesterday, playing in heavy winds and sheeting rain and against their toughest opponent of the season, the No. 1 Hawks went to the inside and survived on their offensive line's blocking and the jitterbug moves of their high-powered running back, Michael Campanaro. With Campanaro pushing the ball up the middle on two long drives to set up quarterback Luke Hostetler's 1- and 3-yard plunges into the end zone, River Hill remained undefeated and claimed its fifth shutout, 12-0, against No. 9 Wilde Lake.

1 Undefeated football teams in Harford County. Joppatowne is off to a 2-0 start, with victories over North Carroll and Havre de Grace. 5 Games the Patterson Mill boys volleyball team needed to beat North Harford. It marked the first varsity win for Patterson Mill, which began playing a varsity schedule this season.

0 Touchdowns allowed by River Hill's secondary last season. 2 Games Loyola quarterback Leon Kinnard has lost in 21 starts over three years. 3 Touchdowns Dunbar's Tavon Austin needs to set the state record for career touchdowns. Old Mill's Ryan Callahan (2003-2005) holds the record of 87. 15 Individual, team and playoff records Class 4A state finalist Arundel set on the way to finishing 13-1. 19 Titles Hereford has won over the past 12 years - nine county, seven regional and three state championships.