Water Polo

Calvert Hall went on a 3-1 closing run in the final 4:44 to subdue two-time defending Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland champion Loyola Blakefield, 16-14, Tuesday afternoon in Towson. The victory snapped the Cardinals' three-year home losing streak to the Dons, who went unbeaten in the MIAA last season. Carpenter Warren and Steve Roberts led the way for the winners, scoring six goals each in the up-tempo battle in which the home team never trailed — but could not put away its archrivals until the late going.

The Maryland Interscholastic Atheltic Association released its all-conference teams Saturday. For the football selections, click here . Here are standouts chosen in each of the other fall sports: CROSS COUNTRY A Conference   Kevin Corbusier, Loyola William Meadows, Gilman Ben Pickett, John Carroll Sam Zunkeler, Gilman Dave Ozarowski, Archbishop Curley Michael Wegner, Loyola ...

The University of Maryland held back letters of intent to high school recruits in three sports -- men's swimming and diving, women's swimming and diving, and women's water polo - - an indication that those teams could be eliminated, school officials said. Not sending the letters as part of an early signing period means that those teams are likely on a list of recommended cuts to help stem the athletic department's budget woes. An unknown number of other sports are also on the list, officials said.

Maryland president Wallace D. Loh announced Monday his "heart-wrenching" decision to eliminate eight of the university's 27 sports teams due to severe budget issues, but he preserved for the teams the longshot possibility of being retained through supporters' fund-raising. Loh said at a grim news conference that he had accepted the recommendations of a university commission released a week earlier that the teams be discontinued, effective July 1, to create "a leaner, stronger athletic program.

COLLEGE PARK - The University of Maryland held back letters of intent to high-school recruits of three sports - men's swimming, women's swimming, and women's water polo - an indication that those teams have showed up with others on a list of sports recommended for elimination, multiple school officials said. While no final decisions have been made on cutting sports, officials said between three and 10 teams are endangered after showing up on the list compiled by a president's commission studying remedies to severe athletics budget issues that have been years in the making.

The Navy Aquatic Club "A" team faced tough competition in the opening round of the U.S. Water Polo National Championships yesterday, and paid the price. Host Navy was routed in both its matches in the eight-team tournament at Lejeune Hall, losing to California, 11-3, and New York Aquatic Club, 16-7. Navy coach Mike Schofield did not have high expectations for his team in this event, even though most of his players were on the team that took fourth in the NCAA tournament last year. He said he considers this weekend's tournament a primer for the fall season, while most of the other entrants are reaching the end of their campaigns.

Not long into his time here, Calvert Hall water polo player Filip Kisdobranski made a statement that cut his coach, Donald Anderson, to the bone. Kisdobranski, an exchange student this year from Serbia, told Anderson he didn't believe the teachers at Calvert Hall really cared about him. That factoid came as a surprise to Anderson, since he had not only attended the school himself, but also had put one son through the school and has another son presently...

The Navy men's water polo team recently went through what the players refer to as "The Iron Triangle," a doubleheader and road trip all rolled into one. The trip, which Navy has been taking since 2001, started with the Midshipmen leaving their campus at 2:45 p.m. for a 5 p.m. game at Johns Hopkins. After coming from behind to defeat the Blue Jays 15-12, the team boarded its bus about 6:30 p.m. and headed to D.C., to take on George Washington. Traffic delays caused the Mids to arrive at GW less than 30 minutes before the match's scheduled 8 p.m. start time, so they had an abbreviated warm-up before defeating the Colonials, 18-12, to improve to 12-7 overall and 5-1 in the College Water Polo Association.

Olympic Club and New York Aquatic Club "A" both won twice yesterday to advance to today's championship of the U.S. Water Polo National Championships at Navy's Lejeune Hall. With four Olympians, Olympic Club defeated Newport, 12-6, and then California, 9-4. New York A, with three Olympians, defeated California and New York B, 5-4 and 8-3, respectively. The title match is at 1:30 p.m. The Navy Aquatic Club A team, after scoring just 10 goals in two losses Friday, found its offense and won twice to advance to today's 11:10 a.m. match against Newport for fifth place.

McDonogh's water polo squad, coached by Brent Miller, swept three games to win its second consecutive Eastern Prep School tournament in Lawrenceville, N.J., on Nov. 14.Junior goalie Ryan Gens, a part-time starter last season, was among four players for the Eagles (20-5) who earned All-Tournament honors in an event comprised of some of the East Coast's top prep programs.Also earning All-Tournament honors was event MVP Jamie Todes, the top scorer with 13 of the Eagles' 45 goals to go with eight assists, Michael Wheeler and Matt Harrison.

A University of Maryland commission concluded that the school cannot adequately support 27 teams and recommended eliminating eight of them to create "a leaner, stronger athletic program. " The teams, which compete in six different sports, are: men's tennis, men's track and field (indoor, outdoor and cross country), men's swimming and diving, women's swimming and diving, women's water polo and women's acrobatics and tumbling, formerly called "competitive cheer. " The 17-member commission suggested Maryland has had to spread itself thin with so many teams -- five more than the average for the Atlantic Coast Conference's public universities.

COLLEGE PARK - The University of Maryland held back letters of intent to high-school recruits of three sports - men's swimming, women's swimming, and women's water polo - an indication that those teams have showed up with others on a list of sports recommended for elimination, multiple school officials said. While no final decisions have been made on cutting sports, officials said between three and 10 teams are endangered after showing up on the list compiled by a president's commission studying remedies to severe athletics budget issues that have been years in the making.

The University of Maryland held back letters of intent to high school recruits in three sports -- men's swimming and diving, women's swimming and diving, and women's water polo - - an indication that those teams could be eliminated, school officials said. Not sending the letters as part of an early signing period means that those teams are likely on a list of recommended cuts to help stem the athletic department's budget woes. An unknown number of other sports are also on the list, officials said.

Calvert Hall went on a 3-1 closing run in the final 4:44 to subdue two-time defending Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland champion Loyola Blakefield, 16-14, Tuesday afternoon in Towson. The victory snapped the Cardinals' three-year home losing streak to the Dons, who went unbeaten in the MIAA last season. Carpenter Warren and Steve Roberts led the way for the winners, scoring six goals each in the up-tempo battle in which the home team never trailed — but could not put away its archrivals until the late going.

Colleges Hopkins women's soccer team loses in D-III Elite Eight Johns Hopkins lost, 2-1, to Messiah in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division III women's soccer tournament Sunday in Grantham, Pa. The Falcons, who also eliminated the Blue Jays last year, scored twice Sunday night in the game's opening 11:37. Hopkins scored its goal in the 23rd minute, when Erica Suter (River Hill) played a cross from the left side into the center of the box, where a swarm of players were positioned and Paulina Goodman converted for the 10th time of the year.

The senior quarterback and free safety stood out on both sides of the ball Friday — scoring two touchdowns and making three interceptions — to help the No. 10 Hawks remain undefeated with a 29-20 win over Harford County rival Havre de Grace. Turner carried the ball eight times for 40 yards and two rushing touchdowns. He also completed 3 of 8 passes for 105 yards. His interceptions came at key times, including one with North Harford leading 7-6 in the third quarter that the Hawks converted to pull ahead, 15-6.

Gilman's Gibbs Burke is constantly reminded of how little people know about his favorite sport. "People ask me all the time what sport I play, and I tell them, `Water polo,' " said Burke, a junior. "They'll say, `What's that? Do you play with horses under water?' "I have to tell them, `No, there's no horses.' " Such is the reality for many private-school athletes in Baltimore who play water polo, a traditional West Coast sport that recently has been recognized at the high school level in Maryland.

Like the high seas, water polo can get pretty rough. Just ask Joe Donahue, an upcoming sophomore at the Naval Academy. "I'm 6 feet and 175 pounds and sometimes have to go against a guy 6-4 and 220," said Donahue, who will encounter a number of them this weekend in the eight-team United States Water Polo Men's National Championship at Lejeune Hall. "The hardest part is maintaining a good level in the water. Our team is generally smaller than most, so we have to be a lot faster." Eight former Olympians are in the tournament, including three players from New York Aquatic Club's "A" team who participated in the 2000 Games: Dan Hackett, Chi Kredell and Gavin Arroyo.

After being benched as recently as a month ago, Loyola's Cameron James made a big splash in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association championship Saturday at McDonogh against archrival Calvert Hall. The junior scored three of his four goals in the final period to lift Loyola to a 10-6 victory, powering the Dons to their second straight title. The teams entered the final quarter tied, 6-6, when James took over. He scored three minutes into the period, then added another goal less than two minutes later.

Orioles Hendrickson signing won't be announced until Monday Orioles reliever Mark Hendrickson's signing of a one-year, $1.2 million contract likely will not be officially announced until Monday. He completed his physical Friday, and there weren't thought to be any problems. Transactions are not made official on weekends because Major League Baseball's offices are closed. Colleges Heiss is UM selection for ACC Women's Basketball Legends Former Maryland women's basketball player Tara Heiss was one of 12 players named to the Atlantic Coast Conference's sixth annual class of Women's Basketball Legends to be honored at the ACC tournament March 4-7 in Greensboro, N.C. Heiss played for the Terps from 1974 to 1978.