VarsityXtra

The aftermath of Covenant School’s 100-0 win against Dallas Academy two weeks ago in Texas has become the latest bubble-gum debate: Is it ever OK to run up the score?  Are there gray areas?

Who’s to blame?

It’s Covenant School coach Micah Grimes, because he was fired on Sunday, mostly for refusing to apologize for the team’s final score.

He earned it.

This isn’t rocket science.

Grimes already knew the opponent was from a school which has predominantly kids with learning disabilities, a school with eight girls on the team (about 20 in the school, which does make you wonder how that ratio is fit to field a basketball team), and hadn’t won a basketball game in nearly four years.

You can argue about whether the two teams should have scheduled one another to begin with, but every state and sport is different, and often times it’s out of an individual coaches control. Nor is that the issue here.

Grimes had at least six chances to back away. When the score became 40-0, 50-0, 60-0, 70-0, 80-0 or 90-0.

Instead, the team reapplied its pressure defense later in the game.

That part is unacceptable, and the Covenant School’s apologies some 10 days after the game is disingenuous.  It’s pretty lame to say you’re sorry only after you’ve been called out publicly.

Better late than never, I guess.

“It just happened,” Grimes wrote in an e-mail to the Dallas Morning News. “Please know Covenant intended no harm against them. I see this as a real learning opportunity, so we can prevent this from happening in the future.”

That part is taken care of, and he can give himself all the credit.

We’re not going to get into some long-winded spiel about whether cheerleading is a sport and all that jazz, but I did find this court ruling in Wisconsin interesting.

The idea they could sue the school district for something a 16-year-old cheerleader teammate failed to do is laughable.

Still, it presents an interesting precedent for other accidents and injuries, and what is covered/not covered by insurance, and what is worthy of legal restitution, as opposed to the “deal-with-it-and-welcome-to-life” philosophy.

I gravitate toward the latter, but there are plenty of exceptions, and this (unanimous) ruling may shape how other states handle such incidents.

Scottsdale Chaparral quarterback Spencer Stone was offered a scholarship by Northern Arizona on Monday night. Stone threw for more than 2,300 yards each of the past two seasons, and helped lead the Firebirds to the 4A-I state championship game this year.

Stone broke his collarbone in the title game against Saguaro. He always had impressive numbers on the field, but his height (5-foot-10) was the main reason for the lack of Division I interest.

It would seem to be a good fit. One major college assistant wondered why Stone wasn’t getting many looks from the smaller schools during the season. He has the accuracy and knowledge to be a decent FBS quarterback.

Chaparral defensive tackle Derrick Nsubuga has been offered by Southern Illinois and Northern Colorado, and is getting interest from Montana and NAU. Chaparral coach Charlie Ragle said both players will decide where to go by signing day, which is Feb. 4.

The age-old debate about sportsmanship during blowout games (regardless of sport) rolls on.

Check out this story from Dallas about a girls high school basketball team on the wrong side of a 100-0 score. Granted the losing team has an enrollment of approximately 20 females and about eight were on the team. Plus it’s a school known for helping kids who are behind the curve a bit when it comes to mental and academic development.

Rumor has it The Covenant School might forfeit the game out of embarrassment for running up the score. Let’s hope they do.

Gilbert two-way standout Drew Swartz verbally committed to Air Force  during his official visit to the school on Friday. Swartz was the Fiesta Region’s two-way player of the year this season, racking up more than 60 tackles and eight and a half sacks.

He will either play nose guard or offensive guard in college. Swartz had also been offered a scholarship by Navy, and had scheduled a visit there for Jan. 23, but will no longer be making that trip.

Scottsdale Saguaro football coach John Sanders has been touring Mesa Dobson informally and will have an interview there later tonight. He is also expected to talk to Gilbert next week about its coaching vacancy.

But the parents of his players at Saguaro are making a push to keep him. Sanders said one of his sophomores came up to him on Wednesday and asked if a football-only field house would entice him to stay. The player’s dad offered to build the facility.

“Of course that would help,” Sanders said. “If that materializes” leaving gets much harder.

Sanders said he felt confident Dobson would offer him the head coaching job, but isn’t sure if he would take it. He likes everything the Mustangs have to offer, and sees a lot of potential in a place with good facilities and plenty of enrollment.

But the hardest part would be leaving the players at Saguaro. Sanders said there is a special bond with those kids, and he wants to stay if the business end gets worked out. Saguaro’s administration, though, hasn’t made any promises or offers, leaving Sanders open to the possibility of leaving.

His biggest sticking points are a weight room and more flexible teaching hours.

Sanders knows that both Dobson and Gilbert would want a decision quickly if he was offered the coaching job. He hasn’t talked to the Saguaro administration directly about changes, hoping they would come to him. Sanders said he may press the issue more now so he can figure out what to do.

Everything is in limbo right now, but stay tuned. We’ll likely have a resolution within a couple weeks.

Check out this story from an ABC affiliate in Alabama, which chronicles Jake Lee, a three-sport student from Spain Park High.

Talk about stretching the defense. Lee showed he has, um, range, in his basketball arsenal.

Looks like he also knows how to make shots down the stretch.

Scottsdale Saguaro defensive tackle Corey Adams is heading to Arizona State, according to his coach, John Sanders.

Adams had recently narrowed his choices down to Ohio State and ASU before making the decision on Tuesday.

Adams is rated a five-star recruit by Scout.com, and is the second-highest rated player in Arizona. He had been deciding between USC, Arizona State and Ohio State for months.

Sanders said a key reason for Adams committing now was to help persuade other recruits to wear the maroon and gold.

Fellow five-star recruits Devon Kennard and Vontaze Burfict are considering the Sun Devils.

Scottsdale Saguaro coach John Sanders has inquired about the Mesa Dobson and Gilbert football coaching vacancies, but has not formally applied for either.

Sanders has led the Sabercats to back-to-back 4A-I state titles and is 28-0 as head coach. He may leave the program because of the lack of facilities and benefits.

He wants a new weight room on campus so the team doesn’t have to train at a nearby L.A. Fitness, and would prefer to teach fewer hours.

“I need the administration to work with me,” Sanders said.

While there have been reports that Sanders wants out because of the graduation of most of his key players, he adamantly denies that.

“I took offense to the (report) that said I would leave because of lack of talent,” Sanders said. “We take raw kids (and make them good). They don’t fall out of trees like that. The cupoboard is not bare. I take great offense to that because I built this cupboard.

“You can put this wherever you want: I guarantee we’re going deep into the playoffs next year.”

Sanders was getting interest from high schools all over the country when he recently called plays at the Under Amour All-American game in Orlando, Fla., but would like to stay in Arizona because his kids are here.

Saguaro works on one-year contracts, so Sanders has the freedom to do what he pleases. As do his assistants, who Sanders said would go with him.

No matter where he ends up, Sanders said he will win another champonship in the next three years.

“I know the recipe,” he said.

Five-star defensive tackle Corey Adams has pared down his college choices to Arizona State and Ohio State.
Scottsdale Saguaro’s standout had previously been considering Southern California, but Saguaro coach John Sanders said Friday the Trojans are out of the running.

“S.C. is out,” Sanders said. “I told Corey to call Pete Carroll and wish best of luck to him.”
Sanders believes the departure of defensive coordinator Nick Holt to Washington played a role, although it wasn’t the only determining factor.

Adams will make his decision on National Letter of Intent signing day, which is Feb. 4.
Ohio State said it would wait past that deadline if Adams still couldn’t decide, but Sanders said that won’t be necessary.

“It won’t happen before, and it won’t happen after,” Sanders said.

Adams has been mum on his choice, though Sanders thinks he is leaning towards Arizona State. Sanders said Adams’ father didn’t even know the direction he was leaning.

Tennessee and Washington have been trying to get Adams to use his final visit to their campuses, but he likely won’t use it. Tennessee’s connection is through Monte Kiffin (the father of head coach, Lane Kiffin), who knows Sanders from the USFL.

Washington’s new staff is trying to get in on Adams after the relationship he built with some of them, including Holt, at USC.

But it’s unlikely Adams will be interested in either.

“It’s Ohio State or ASU,” Sanders said.