VarsityXtra

All those rumors that Mesa Desert Ridge coach Jeremy Hathcock is headed to Phoenix Mountain Pointe or Mesa Dobson are just that - rumors. As of now, Hathcock said he’s very happy with everything at Desert Ridge and would have to be bowled over with an offer to consider leaving.

“I have no reason to leave unless something ridiculous comes along,” he said.

Hathcock said some of the things he’s said in the past have been misconstrued. He gets a bunch of questions every time a rumor comes to the surface, so he wants to clear the air a little bit.

Hathcock led the Jaguars to the second round of the playoffs with his patented high-powered offense and has quarterback Kevin Pantastico returning next season, although Chris Heldore and Chris Jamison will be gone.

“I like where I’m at,” Hathcock said.

I referenced Mike Brown in my story about Beau Burton winning the 2008 Player of the Year, and here’s a good article about Brown in the Chicago Sun-Times.

I never saw him play in high school, but everyone says Brown was a beast. He helped the Sabercats to a state title in 1995 and then went on to play at Nebraska. With all the talent the Sabercats have been churning out the past three years, it wouldn’t surprise me at all if a couple of those guys eventually played on Sundays.

Scottsdale Chaparral players Taylor Lewan and Craig Roh, and Scottsdale Saguaro’s Corey Adams are on their way to Orlando to prepare for the Under Armour All-American Game. There is a week of practice leading up, with the game on Jan. 4 at 6 p.m. on ABC.

The game features 81of the best players in the country, with a host of four-star and five-star players dotting the rosters.

Saguaro coach John Sanders is flying there with Adams today and will help coach defense on one of the teams. Chaparral coach Charlie Ragle and offensive coordinator Dave Huffine are flying out Wednesday to join in the festivities.

“It’s just like a college bowl game,” said Ragle of the weeklong activities.

It’s clear Gilbert Highland point guard Matt Carlino is the real deal when you watch him play for just a few minutes, but the player that will make or break the Hawks’ season is backcourt mate Nick Johnson.

Johnson has every physical tool to be an elite player. He’s a lockdown defender, a capable shooter and one of the most athletic players in the state. The knock on him has been that he sometimes lacks intensity, but that wasn’t evident in the game I watched him play on Friday night in the Arizona Basketball Challenge at Mesa Mountain View.

Johnson scored at will and had some nice assists to his brother, Chris Johnson. Still just a sophomore, it’s easy to see why many big name colleges are after him. If Johnson brings that sort of fire to every game the rest of the way, Highland will be very tough to beat.

Many publications are coming out with their end of season national rankings. In ESPN’s Fab 50, Peoria Centennial finished No. 29 overall and Chandler Hamilton came in at No. 43. In a poll by prepnation.com, Centennial finished No. 14 and Hamilton came in at No. 90.

While these polls are highly subjective, it is nice to see the teams get some exposure.

Scottsdale Saguaro made many regional lists, generally as the third best in the state behind the Centennial and Hamilton. Every year, the debate rages as to whether a team in a lower classification could move up and still compete. We got our answer in 5A, when the Coyotes beat Hamilton during the regular season. But now people are pining for Saguaro to be in that mix.

That answer will never be known. And maybe it’s better that way. Let Centennial fans and Saguaro fans think whatever they want. I’m sure the players are plenty content with their rings.

‘Tis the season for merriment and mongering.

Mostly coaching mongering.

As expected, several higher-profile football coaching searches are underway (with these likely leading to more in January and February), and, as expected the rumors swirl swiftly.

Welcome back to the round-the-clock charade.

This winter features John Sanders (Scottsdale Saguaro), Jeremy Hathcock (Mesa Desert Ridge), Jesse Parker (formerly at Gilbert) and several more. The names and locations change. The smoke screens do not.

If following coaching searches has taught anything - and I’ve learned the hard way in high school, college and professional ranks - it’s that 98 percent of the time you’re chasing whacked out rumor mills, coaches and administration posturing and message board fantasies.

So enjoy the holidays. It’ll all shake itself out in the coming weeks, and daily stewing with baited breath won’t help.  Lest we forget, this isn’t big-money meal tickets, it’s teaching teenagers.

In a word: Relax.

Ohio State coach Jim Tressel is turning up his recruiting on Saguaro standout Corey Adams. The Sabercats were honored at a luncheon today by the Scottsdale Quarterback Club, and Tressel attended the event. Beau Burton and Paul Porras were named co-Players of the Year by the Quarterback Club at the luncheon. Tressel should have some more time to attempt to woo Adams, because his Buckeyes are playing in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 5 in Glendale and will practice in Scottsdale. The teams generally arrive right after Christmas. Adams has said in the past he will likely make his decision on Jan. 4 at the Under Armour All-American Game.

Gassed from, well, running gassers after Monday’s practice, the Phoenix Brophy football gathered around defensive coordinator Gary Galante for some exisstential words of wisdom.

Then wooden sticks were passed around to everyone, and Galante asked players and coaches to write down their biggest fear, or whatever they felt was the biggest thing holding each of them back in achieveing their ultimate goal this week. Namely, a repeat as 5A Division I state champions, this time against Chandler Hamilton.

Players wrote down their answers on the wooden sticks. Then the Broncos started a small fire at the practice field enterance, and players threw their sticks into the blaze and burned their fears away.

The Broncos did a similar exercise in the week leading up to the 2005 state championship game against Chandler Hamilton, and that turned out well.

It wouldn’t be December without Phoenix Brophy playing football to help supplement more installments of “Mike Tree: Campus Linebacker.”

Then a Broncos junior, Tree and some student council classmates first filmed a couple episodes last postseason, a spoof of the hilarious “Terry Tate: Office Linebacker” Reebok commercials which ran  around the 2003 Super Bowl.

The debut was filmed prior to the 2007 state quarterfinal matchup against Tempe Corona del Sol.

There was another leading into the semifinal game against Friday’s opponent, Chandler Hamilton, and a third was made before the state championship game against Phoenix Desert Vista.

This year, the group made this one before last week’s Mesa Mountain View game, and another will be put up on YouTube either Thursday or Friday for the state championship.

Further proof teenagers have too much time on their hands.