DigitalSports Female Athlete of The Week
Jamie Huffman, Reservoir volleyball (click here for Howard County championship video interview)
A
three-sport standout, Huffman has found a niche in volleyball. Last
week, the senior helped the Gators find a little redemption, winning
the Class 3A state championship.
Huffman,
an outside hitter, had 12 kills and 12 digs in Reservoir's sweep of
Huntingtown in the title game Saturday evening at the University of
Maryland's Ritchie Coliseum. In a semifinal sweep of Towson, Huffman
had a game-high 15 kills. A year after falling in the state 2A finals,
Reservoir was undefeated this season, winning the Howard County, East
Region and state titles.
"She
just played the game of her life," said Reservoir coach Carole Ferrante
of Huffman's title-game performance. "She was strong defensively and
her serving was great. She was just determined to win."
A
server last season, Huffman moved to the hitter position with the
graduation of Jamie Thomas and Rachel Burke. She led the Gators with
302 kills (3.6 per game) and added 168 digs and 61 serve aces.
Huffman,
who carries a 3.65 grade-point average, also plays basketball and
softball for the Fulton school. Ferrante says Huffman "definitely"
wants volleyball to be her sport in college.
DigitalSports Male Athlete of The Week
Jake Pace, River Hill, soccer( click here for Howard County championship video interview)
Like
his last name, the junior set the tone for the Hawks' boys' soccer team
this season. The junior midfielder-defender lifted the Howard County
school to the Class 2A state championship Saturday afternoon at South
River High.
Pace
headed in a corner kick from teammate Tony Riso at the five minute, 22
second mark of overtime, giving the Hawks a 3-2 decision over Loch
Raven. River Hill finished the season with 15 consecutive victories
after a 1-4 start.
"He's
pretty much has been the catalyst for our team," said Hawks coach Matt
Shagogue, whose team won its first state title since 2005. "He's so big
and strong and he makes great decisions with the ball."
Pace,
who assisted on River Hill's first goal Saturday, was the team's second
leading scorer with nine goals and eight assists. He mainly play
forward last season and Shagogue said Pace "put a lot of pressure on
himself to score."
"This
year, we had other people," said Shagogue, whose leading scorer was
sophomore Jon Talbot. With Pace, Talbot and sophomore Tony Riso among
seven starters returning in 2008, River Hill will be in strong standing
for another championship run.