Latest news with #ClassAAAA
USA Today
17-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
ESPN shares player comps for top Iowa women's basketball recruiting targets
As the 2025-26 women's college basketball season approaches, ESPN shared player comparisons for some of the game's top 2026 recruiting targets, including two that have the interest of the Iowa Hawkeyes. Coming off a year in which the Hawkeyes found their way back to the NCAA Tournament and notched a win, head coach Jan Jensen is continuing to reload the roster with high-level talent from the recruiting ranks. Iowa has transformed itself into a national player in the women's college basketball recruiting world and is now among the favorites for the nation's best. Kate Harping The first of the two top prospects discussed was 5-foot-10 guard Kate Harping, who attends Marist School in Atlanta, Georgia. In her junior year, Harping averaged a staggering 32.2 points, 10.6 rebounds, 5.1 steals, 3.7 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game, leading the War Eagles (29-3) to the Class AAAA state semifinals. According to the article, ESPN compared Harping to Florida State's senior guard Ta'Niya Latson based on her aggressiveness off the dribble and physicality at the rim that translates to superior scoring, rebounding, facilitating, and 3-point shooting marksmanship. Harpring is as aggressive as it gets off the dribble. Combine that with her physicality at the rim, and she looks a lot like Latson. Both score, rebound, facilitate and are respectable 3-point shooters. Latson led the nation in scoring last year with 25.2 points per game and has already eclipsed 2,000 career points in college. She had a reputation early as a player who attacks the rim hard, then rounded out her game by adding shooting range. She also averaged more than four assists and steals rebounds per game last season. Both players create easy offense by forcing turnovers via their defense ball pressure. Harpring is a capable shooter-she averaged 19 points, 6 rebounds and 3.5 assists in the 3SSB league-but prefers drives and pull-ups, so her natural evolution will come from beyond the 3-point line, much like Latson. - Shane Laflin, ESPN Harper is considered a five-star and ranked No. 1 prospect in the state, No. 1 in the point guard position, and No. 1 overall recruit in the 2026 class, according to 247Sports' 2026 Top Women's Basketball rankings. Given her top ranking, Harping holds 11 additional offers outside of Iowa, including some of the game's legacy programs, such as UConn, LSU, South Carolina, and Notre Dame. McKenna Woliczko The second of the two Hawkeyes recruits discussed by ESPN was McKenna Woliczko, who currently attends Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, Calif. The five-star, 6-foot-2 wing is ranked as the No. 6 player nationally by ESPN, On3, and 247Sports. According to 247Sports, Woliczko is the country's No. 2 power forward and the No. 2 player from California. On3 rates Woliczko as the nation's top shooting guard and as the No. 2 player from California. Despite an ACL injury ending her junior season, Woliczko has put up impressive numbers during her prep career, averaging 20.2 points and 10.3 rebounds per game during her freshman season and 22 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game with Archbishop Mitty during her sophomore campaign. Regarding the article, ESPN compares Woliczko to Baylor's senior guard Darianna Littlepage-Buggs, highlighting her ability to play bigger than her size, aggressiveness on the glass, and confidence extending out to the mid-range, as well as her potential to improve her 3-point efficiency. Although Woliczko has missed some time due to injury since the high school season, her effort and motor have left major impressions among recruiters. Both she and Littlepage-Buggs (6-1) play bigger than their listed size, as they attack the glass and refuse blockouts by defenders. They're also nice shooters out to the extended mid-range, and are working to improve from deep. But the prevailing similarity between these two players is their effort and willingness to do whatever it takes to win. Littlepage-Buggs averaged 15 points and 10.4 rebounds per game this season for the Bears. Woliczko was a double-double machine in high school as well, prior to injury. - Shane Laflin, ESPN Regarding her recruitment, she named Iowa, Ohio State, South Carolina, and USC among the final four choices on June 12. She also scheduled her official visit to Iowa City over Labor Day weekend. While the two Iowa women's basketball prospects named amongst the 10 premier recruits named in the article will generate significant attention from competing schools, it is clear that the Hawkeyes are not afraid to go toe-to-toe with the nation's elite programs. Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions. Follow Scout on X: @SpringgateNews
Dominion Post
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Dominion Post
COLUMN: MHS, UHS football will significantly benefit from EPAC inclusion and scheduling
MORGANTOWN – With the ever-changing landscape of high school athletics in the state of West Virginia, some decisions need to be made with the thought of the present and future of a program in mind. That's precisely what both Class AAAA schools in Monongalia County have done for the betterment of their football programs, as both Morgantown and University High School have joined the Eastern Panhandle Athletic Conference (EPAC) as members for football. This coming season, MHS will play five games against opponents from the EPAC (excluding Washington). Both schools will begin scheduling all six EPAC schools (Martinsburg, Spring Mills, Jefferson, Hedgesville, Musselman, and Washington) starting in 2026. Last season's HS football season was nothing short of unique, with multiple schools filing injunctions against the WVSSAC for their place in the 2024-2025 reclassification conundrum. With so many schools moving up and down among the four classes, some programs were negatively impacted by their schedule seeming 'weaker' due to opponents moving into a smaller class. One thing this decision does for MHS and UHS is solidify a schedule every year that simply can't be questioned, as all six of the EPAC schools are classified in Class AAAA. Another strong point is that the competition the Mohigans and Hawks will face each week will increase. The state championship last season included two of the six teams from the EPAC: state champion Martinsburg and runner-up Spring Mills. Four of the six teams in the EPAC had winning records last season, with a combined record of 43-30 among the six schools. 'This was done out of necessity and respect,' MHS athletic director John Bowers said. 'Geographically, where we are located, we have a difficult time finding games north of us, like the WPIAL teams. In our state, there are pockets of schools that we should consider scheduling, and one made the most sense for varsity football at MHS. By next year, we and UHS will both be full football members of the EPAC.' There won't be a shortage of college scouts in attendance either, as multiple EPAC schools have produced Division-I signees and prospects. Both the Hawks and Mohigans have their own D-I signees and prospects that now have the chance to be seen by more coaches and schools that they haven't been seen by in the past. Although they may lose sleep preparing for games on Friday night, both the UHS and MHS coaches and players can sleep well knowing that seven of your ten regular-season games on the schedule going forward are guaranteed to be quality opponents that are also Class AAAA schools. It won't be long before we see both programs at Morgantown and University positively impacted by the change. The future of Class AAAA football in Mon County is certainly looking bright.
Dominion Post
27-06-2025
- Sport
- Dominion Post
Preston High quarterback Slaton Manko excited for senior season after a breakout 2024 campaign
KINGWOOD – Preston High School quarterback Slaton Manko was one of the top breakout stars of the 2024 WV high school football season after an impressive campaign for the Knights. The rising senior amassed 2,428 total yards and 27 touchdowns offensively under center for the Knights last season, while also playing a role on defense with 24 tackles. His efforts earned him a spot on the Class AAA all-state second-team as a utility player, and Manko returns this season with renewed confidence and a clear mindset as he prepares to lead PHS in the fall. 'The experience I gained from my freshman and sophomore years playing varsity helped my confidence a ton going into last season,' Manko said. 'I've also had some great playmakers and a good offensive scheme and game plan from Coach Sims. I've always tried to lead by example, and being an upperclassman helped me take that to a new level.' Manko led the Knights with 1,744 yards through the air at a 53% completion percentage and 18 touchdowns to only six interceptions. He was also the leading rusher on the team, with 684 yards and nine touchdowns on 154 carries. His breakout game came against East Fairmont in the Buckwheat Bowl, a 48-20 victory, in which Manko totaled 487 yards of offense and six touchdowns. That came a week after he rushed for 100 yards and threw for 199 yards with three scores against Robert C. Byrd. Heading into summer, Manko says there isn't an aspect of his game he isn't trying to improve continually. 'I just want to continue to get better,' he said. 'Whether it's faster, stronger, or more knowledgeable, the goal is for the team to put out a product on the field that we and Preston County can be proud of. There's nothing like playing on Friday night, and with this being my senior season, I'm excited to battle week in and week out with my brother and give my all for our team.' The Knights competed in Class AAA in 2024, but will move back to Class AAAA with the newly implemented class realignment, which is strictly based on enrollment. PHS sits less than 10 students above the cutoff for Class AAA. Still, Manko believes he and his team have what it takes to succeed at the highest level of high school football in the state, and their confidence remains unwavering despite the competition. 'We don't always have the same number of players the other team has on the roster, but we have the same amount of effort and drive to compete at the highest level,' Manko said. 'I just want to be able to get the most out of my teammates and coaches, and hopefully the results will take care of themselves with the work we put in. I think we have a lot of talent, but we will have some new starters on both sides of the ball. It's about giving our maximum effort every play. If we do that, I think we will be successful.' Manko and the Knights will open the 2025 season by visiting Hampshire in Week 1.
USA Today
25-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Former Clemson running back dismissed from team announces transfer destination
Former Clemson athlete Marquise Henderson has officially found a new home, announcing on Wednesday that he's transferring to Liberty following his dismissal from the Tigers' program last week. Henderson, a four-star prospect out of Belton-Honea Path High School in South Carolina, was a member of Clemson's 2024 signing class and one of the early enrollees this spring. Unfortunately, injuries limited his ability to participate in practices, and he was never able to make an on-field impact during his short time with the program. Clemson originally signed Henderson as an athlete with plans to start him at wide receiver. His versatility made him an intriguing addition, as he had excelled on both sides of the ball and on special teams during his prep career. He was best known for his explosive play at running back, where he racked up eye-popping stats at Belton-Honea Path. Over 47 games, Henderson rushed for a school-record 6,369 yards on 577 carries—an average of 11 yards per rush—and totaled nearly 8,000 all-purpose yards. He also returned kicks and played a key role in leading his team to the Class AAAA state semifinals in 2024. Though his time at Clemson didn't pan out, Henderson now gets a fresh start with Liberty, where he'll look to reignite the promise he showed as one of the top in-state recruits in the 2024 class. Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions.
Dominion Post
08-06-2025
- Sport
- Dominion Post
Morgantown falls to Hurricane in Class AAAA state championship, 6-1
CHARLESTON – The Morgantown High School baseball team fell to top-seeded Hurricane 6-1 in the inaugural Class AAAA state baseball championship on Saturday night at GoMart Ballpark in Charleston. Hurricane starting pitcher Weston Smith struck out 13 batters, allowing only three hits and one unearned run in the contest after a shaky start. But the 2025 WV Gatorade Player of the Year settled in and led his team to a fifth state title for the Redskins, and the first Class AAAA state title ever. 'Whenever the defense steps up and when your team is swinging the bat pretty well, it makes it pretty easy to settle in for your guys,' Smith said. 'That's what you prepare for all season. All winter, we are working, trying to get ready. It showed today.' 'Listen, I love this group,' MHS head coach Pat Sherald said. 'I'm just so proud of them. They're a very mature group of young men who showed up every day and did everything we asked while working their butts off. Unfortunately, we came up short today against a very talented team and pitcher. We knew we would have to scratch and claw for every opportunity, and we played this year with that mentality.' MHS jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first inning after a pair of defensive miscues and an infield single made way for Vinnie Aloi's groundout that brought Weston Mazey home for a 1–0 advantage. Hurricane responded in the bottom of the second as Braylan Hutchison tied the game with an RBI double, and Brady Rigney followed with a run-scoring groundout to give the Redskins a 2–1 lead. The Redskins loaded the bases with two outs in the fourth, threatening to extend the lead. Tyler Baxter lofted a high fly ball to left field, but a miscommunication in the outfield allowed it to drop, clearing the bases and extending the lead to 5–1. Hurricane added a sixth before the end of the inning to lead 6-1 after four innings. Morgantown threatened in the sixth, putting runners on second and third with one out, but Smith responded once again and escaped the jam with another strikeout to keep the advantage at five runs. Morgantown finishes its 2025 campaign with 27 wins as Region I and OVAC 5A champions. It was the first appearance for MHS in a state title game since 1976. 'This program has taken incremental steps all season,' Sherald said. 'If we keep playing for the name on the front of our jersey and keep a team-first mentality, I really like the direction we are trending in. This senior class is outstanding, and we will miss their impact on our team and program. I know the players see what our coaching staff sees and if we stay focused and keep working hard, we will get there one day.' BOX SCORE Hurricane 6, Morgantown 1 MHS 100 000 0 – 1 3 2 HHS 020 400 X – 6 8 2 Morgantown (27-11) – Mazey 3100 Bowers 3010 Silvers 2010 Bredeson 3000 Aloi 3001 Thornton 1000 Joseph 3000 Henkins 3010 Nipper 3000 Hurricane (29-7) – Shirkey 3100 Baxter 4113 Smith 4000 Ocheltree 3120 Fleece 3120 Hutchison 3011 Rigney 3111 Sutton 2110 2B: Hutchison, Rigney, Baxter (W) Smith: 7.0ip 3h 1r 1bb 13k (L) Boggs: 6.0ip 8h 6r 3bb 3k
