Merritt moving towards life as a Terp

635883031209586224-RichardMerrittWhen things don’t go quite the way they were planned, at least the promise of potential opens gates for the up-and-coming. That’s exactly what the feeling has been around the College Park football offices since Maryland’s 2015 season came to its dismal end.

A Terrapin team that finished with a disappointing 3-9 record and in dire need of all-around improvement has moved new puzzle pieces onto the board, with the hopes that different personnel, refreshed leadership and injections of new philosophy might mean a more optimistic future for the Terps.

That’s where the coaches and the young guys come in.

On December 2, the program announced former Michigan defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin would step in as the Terps’ new fearless leader, replacing interim head coach Mike Locksley and a fired Randy Edsall.

Ten days later, the former Wolverine brought his first assistant coach into the mix. That coach, Alabama assistant director of player personnel and former Friendship Collegiate head coach, Azaar Abdul-Rahim, would transition to defensive backs coach. Coach Rahim has a proven pedigree on the sideline, as he not only built the Friendship Collegiate program from scratch, but shaped it into a powerhouse. Perhaps the most important skill he brings to the table though is his recruiting abilities.

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Title IX Holiday Invitational championship game

635870938290071604-KiaraSmithForestvilleGirlsBasketballWASHINGTON D.C. (WUSA) – For the seventh year in a row, the National Title IX Holiday Invitational Conference & Classic has busied the DC Armoury for the past three days. Designed in celebration of the Title IX amendment’s push for gender equality within American schools, the girls’ basketball event both exposes athletes to squads they would not typically have the opportunity to play and provides an arena in which coaches and scouts can watch for scholarship potential.

The event began two days ago with 1,200 players, 64 teams and eight states, plus Canada, represented. But now, it’s down to two teams.

Scouts are bound to watch some fine talent on display tonight in those remaining squads, as the local, undefeated Forestville Knights take on the country’s No. 1 in St. Mary’s Stockton of California. The nationally-unranked team faced a set of tough tasks to reach the final game of the tournament, knocking off Max Preps’ No. 7 Konaweana of Hawaii 60-54 and No. 5 St. Francis of Georgia.

Forestville is led by a strong backcourt of sophomore Taleah Washington, senior Kiara Smith, and guard Marche Sisco.

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2015 American Family Insurance ALL-USA Maryland State football team announced!

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WUSA) – Early Wednesday morning, USA TODAY High School Sports announced the 2015 American Family Insurance ALL-USA Maryland Football Team. Players and coaches were recognized individually for accomplishments reached during the 2015 football season.

The ’15 Coach of the Year award was given to Eric Wallich of Damascus High School. The eighth-year Hornets coach was named the fearless leader of his alma mater in 2008, after coaching stints at Walt Whitman and Quince Orchard. The Hornets squad nearly won it all with an appearance in Maryland’s 2014 state championship game, a defeat which perhaps, carried an extra sting as Wallich’s own high school squad failed at an attempt to win it all in 1989. But this season, the former running back and his current star ball carrier, Jake Funk, found a way to get the job done at M&T Bank Stadium in dominating fashion, beating Dundalk 55-14 via seven touchdowns by Funk.

Conveniently, we’re led to the state’s Offensive Player of the Year: Jake Funk. The senior set the record this season for touchdowns with 57 on the year, while amassing 2,866 yards and 11.5 yards per carry.

On the other side of the ball, Ellison Jordan of Gilman High School in Baltimore took the Defensive Player of the Year award. The leader of one of the state’s most stout defensive units, Jordan recorded 17 sacks, 71 tackles, 19 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles by the conclusion of the 2015 season. Not to mention, the future Nittany Lion became a Maryland record-holder with 52 career sacks.

Finally, kicker/punter Dom Maggio of Boys’ Latin earned the award for his play on special teams. The three-time All-Conference MIAA and Baltimore Sun All-Metro selection logged 34 touchbacks on kickoffs this past season and converted 11-of-16 field goal attempts, his longest, a blast from 55 yards out. If not for a sprained MCL towards the end of the season, the Wakeforest commit likely would’ve tied the single-season state record with only two field goals need to match it.

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