Wake Forest football ranks
No. 24 in preseason poll
CHRONICLE STAFF REPORT
Wake Forest has been ranked 24th in the nation according to the preseason
poll from Athlon Sports.
Athlon's preseason college football magazine is cunently on newsstands.
The Demon Deacons are coming off a 9-4 season in 2007 that included a 24
10 win over Connecticut in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. Wake Forest returns 44
lettermen including nine starters on a defense that ranked 27th nationally in total
defense.
According to Athlon's preview of the 2008 season, "Wake Forest is enjoying
the most successful period of its football history, and all the credit goes to its
coach. Jim Grobe has instilled a disciplined, blue-collar approach to the game
into his program and it has resulted in 20 wins over the last two years."
In addition, Athlon has selected Wake Forest comerback Alphonso Smith to
its preseason All- America team. The rising senior tied for the national lead with
eight interceptions last year, returning three for touchdowns.
The entire Athlon's Preseason Top 25 was as followed: Florida, Ohio State,
Oklahoma, USC, Georgia, Missouri, West Virginia, A^uburn, LSU, Clemson,
Texas, Wisconsin, Kansas, BYU, Arizona State, Illinois, Tennessee, Texas Tech,
Oregon, South Florida, Virginia Tech, Rutgers, Penn State, Wake Forest and
Fresno State.
"Happy Hill" Send Off
Submitted photo
Sims Center honored eight graduating seniors last Thursday at the center. Reggie Johnson, Solomon
Gathings, Bryan McCorkle, Raymond Malone, Love Lemon, Christina Reid, Sanchez Allen and Antonio
Sunday. Most of the students were also athletes in high school. Also pictured is Ben Piggott.
Winston-Salem Mavericks take home the 11U AAU title
Special to the chronicle
The Winston-Salem
Mavericks 11U captured the
USSSA state championship in
the Greensboro Coliseum
(May 30-June 1), which qual
ified them for the USSSA
National tournament in Fort
Wayne, Ind., in July. The
Mavericks also finished
fourth in the state in the AAU
state tournament, a,nd will
accept the bid to Cocoa
Beach, Fla., July 12-20.
The Mavericks 11U squad
is coached by head coach
Willie "B.B." Patrick Jr., and
assisted by James Cain,
Bryant McCorkle, Mark
Gentry. The owners of the
team Mike Gonzalez, Willie
Patrick and Brent Winslow.
The players are James
Antoine, Mitch Cain, Dequan
Cunningham, Jamal
DeShields, Stephen Gentry,
Ryan Henderson, Mikfe
Hughes, Cameron Mack.
JoJuan "Jay" McCorkle,
Keeshon Patrick and
Kendrick Summers.
"I told the guys that they
were a special group of young
men," Patrick said. "To finish
first in the state is a great
accomplishment. We aren't
satisfied with our accomplish
ments, though. We have more
work to do in Cocoa Beach.
We're looking forward to
that."
The Winston-Salem
Mavericks need donations,
which are tax exempt. For
donations contact coach '
Patrick at 336-416-0907. All
checks should be payable to
Winston-Salem Mavericks.
The Winston-Salem Mavericks
Submitted photo
Hill
from page's J
all about. Chris is going to
be a very special player for a
very long time in this league."
I always find it interesting
to hear former NBA players
praise Chris. I guess that's
because I still remember the
days when I had to convince so
many sports critics around
here that Chris was going to
still be dominant at Wake,
coming out of high school.
Can you believe some people
were like, "He's not going to
start over Taron or Justin?" I
know they're all good friends
now. But CP was about busi
ness when it came to winning
that spot, and never giving it
up. Believe that. Then, so
many people thought he was
going to have to grow an inch
or two to be successful in the
NBA, while I was saying he
was going to be an all-star
within his first three years.
Shout out to Mike Floyd for
remembering some of that, and
bringing it up a couple weeks
ago.
I was also kind of
impressed with what
Davison's Stephen Curry said
about Chris. I was also sur
prised by the fact that he just
met Chris over the weekend.
"Yeah, I just met Chris
when I got here (Winston
Salem)," Curry said. "I didn't
know him before. He and my
dad share the same agent. That
was our only connection. But
he's a cool guy. He's definitely
very talented. It's been a great
experience to learn from him. I
had a lot of fun."
I could've printed a num
ber of other remarks, from a
few other players. But I feel
like you got the point. Chris is
one of the solid leaders of the
new NBA. The new NBA con
sist of very talented bailers
that are friends with each other
off the court. As long as Chris
continues to connect with the
? i
younger generation he'll have
a firm grip on things in the
new NBA. And, everyone will
continue to love him as a per
son and player.
QEA gearing for Jonathan
Skinner Golf Classic
Quality Education is get
ting ready to host second annu
al Jonathan Skinner Golf
Tournament, which will take
place June 21 at Bermuda Run.
The special tournament
will be in honor of the late
Jonathan Skinner, who's the
son of Mr. and Mrs. Lin wood
Skinner Sr. and the brother
of Lin wood Jr. Proceeds from
the event will endow a scholar
ship to a Quality Education
Academy student beginning in
2010.
QEA's athletic director
Isaatf Pitts said the school will
also add a celebrity basketball
game this year, featuring area
professionals like Josh
Pittman, Tyson Patterson,
Phillip McCandies, Danny
Gathings, college standouts,
incoming college standouts,
and QEA basketball players.
The special game will take
place at the Winston Lake
YMCA on June 20.
"We will (also) throw a
after party at the 411 Night
Spot," Pitts said. "This will be
a weekend of fun and festivi
ties for a good cause. We will
remember a extraordinary
young man who's lite was cut
short. However hisji legacy will
continue through tne education
of a young man or woman."
The golf tournament cost is
$100 a player or $40OXteam.
All interested people are orged
to make checks payablA to
Quality Education Academy
Jonathan Skinner Memorial
Golf Tournament and send to
business office at QEA or con
tact Isaac Pitts at (336) 926
9324 or (336) 245-9095.
Anthony Hill is the sports
editor for The Chronicle. He
can be reached at 722-8624
(ext. Ill) or
ahill @ wschronicle xom .
M
It's not just a one day thing.
It takes a lot of hard work. And,
you have to be hungry. Those
are some of the things he's
teaching in this camp."
Camp coordinator Tim
Fuller added: "Chris sat down
with C J. and Dave Telep. They
wanted to do something special
for North Carolina. This camp
was just going to be with kids
from North Carolina, and states
around it. Word got out, and we
ended up extending invitations
to kids all over. We have kids
from Washington, Missouri,
Boston, Philadelphia and
Canada. Some of the top players
in the country are here today.
"We also have quite a few
college guys in here," Fuller
continued. "That was CJ.'s
vision to bring the college guys
in. He wanted them to know
about some of the things Chris
went through in his first year. I
think this is one of the best
things to hit Winston-Salem in
about 20 years, to bring college
and high school kids together.
The potential is unlimited. This
can get even bigger."
Some of the high school
guards in attendance were OJ.
Hioto by Anthony TUll
Mt. Tabor's CJ. Harris applies defense during a drill
?>
Jeff Allen (Virginia Tech)? to
name a few.
"This has been a great expe
Mayo s younger
brother, Todd Mayo
(West Virginia), Tim
Hardaway's son, Tim
Hardaway Jr.
(Florida), Glen Rice'
son. Glen Rice Jr.
(Georgia), Abdul
Gaddy (Washington),
Fred Gulley
(Arkansas), Mfon
U d o f i a
(Georgia)Myck
nerice, saiu aicpncn
Curry, of Davidson.
"Watching Chris in
the playoffs, and then
getting firsthand les
sons or advice from
him is great. It's a lot
of fun. We're also
getting to play with
guys from big time
schools, doing big
things. I'm loving it."
Chris Paul added:
Kabongo (Canada), Brian
Oliver (Delaware) and Tony
Chennault (Pennsylvania).
Some of the local guards in
attendance were Mt. Tabor's
CJ. Harris, Mike Grace and
Josh Hicks. Anthony Thomas
was also invited to the camp.
Some of the college stand
outs were Nick Calathes
(Florida), Stephen Curry
(Davidson), Austin Freeman
(Georgetown). Jack McClinton
(Miami), Greivis Vasquez
(Maryland), L.D. Williams,
Ishmael Smith, tyrese Rice
(Boston College), Wes
Matthews (Marquette), Devan
Downey (South Carolina) and
"This is something I never got
to do while I was coming up. I
never got to get with other play
ers from around the country
until after I graduated. I never
had an opportunity to play with
NBA guys. These guys are truly
blessed. They are (also) getting
an opportunity t^ build a rela
tionship with guys they may
know forever. I'm also getting
to know these guys. I don't just
talk to them for five or 10 min
utes and then let them go home.
I chilled with them at the hotel.
We'll stay in contact."
Camp highlights
t
Campers began the event by
watching a CP3 video. Then, the
guys had a dinner banquet at the
Chop House ? before playing
video games. Saturday, partici
pants listened to two seminars
before heading to the YWCA
for drills and other camp activi
ties. Sunday, the guys had devo
tional, a photo session and
championship scrimmages. The
NBA players even went against
camp counselors in a game. The
game of the weekend took place
last Saturday, though. The team
of Chris Paul, Stephen Curry,
L.D. Williams, Ish Smith and
Malcom Delaney (Virginia
Tech) ran through all comers in
series of pick up games.
"We had a pretty good
team," Curry said. "I don't think
we lost one game, out of the
eight that we played. Me shoot
ing, Chris doing his thing ?
and Ish doing what he does. It
was a lot of fun. I just met Chris
when I got here, t didn't know
him before. He and my dad have
the same agent. That was our
only connection. I felt connect
ed on the court."
The camp seemed to con
nect quite a few student-ath
letes.
AY AIL DAY
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Monday-Friday (Excluding Holidays)
f %
green fee)
atlon loTlin and I?
Golf Clinic Schedule now available
at utfltpftewoodpark.org
4 mi:
Clinics- s-n
13 and 16-20
Dior C