By Sheldon Shealer

Riverdale Baptist offensive lineman William Ray Robinson received an offer from Morgan State. He is the second Riverdale player offered this year. Riverdale faces DeMatha this week. 

By Mike Loveday

According to the Baltimore Sun, Mount St. Joseph defensive back, Kyle Fuller has chosen to play college football at Virginia Tech.

EDITORS NOTE: With Fuller and Riverdale Baptist's Brian Burn committing this week, the 2010 Verbal Commitment List is now updated.

ESPNRise encourages comments from its users. Leave a comment below. Mike Loveday covers high school sports for ESPNRISE.com. Mike can be reached at Michael.Loveday@espn.com

By Sheldon Shealer

Riverdale Baptist's Brian Burns, a rising senior defensive back, verbally committed to Temple on Monday.

As a junior, Burns had seven interceptions and 40 tackles. As a sophomore, he had six interceptions and 39 tackles.

The 6-foot, 170-pound Burns played multiple positions for the Crusaders last season -- seeing time at running back, receiver, cornerback and safety. The junior averaged more than nine yards per carry and more than 19 yards per reception on offense.

He has been timed at 4.4 in the 40-yard dash, 4.10 in the short shuttle and boasts a 34-inch vertical leap.

By Mike Loveday

Riverdale Baptist's Steven Thames picked up his first collegiate offer.

According to head coach Bob Shields, Delaware State offered the 6-foot, 175-pound Thames as a defensive back.

UPDATE: I just got off the phone with Good Counsel assistant coach Kevin McFadden and it looks like quarterback Zach Dancel is starting to get some serious recruiting interest.  The 6-foot, 190-pound rising junior has been a standout performer at The Quarterback Factory events, showcasing polished mechanics and a strong arm. 

Dancel is expected to be the Falcons starting quarterback this season, replacing the graduated Tyler Campbell.

ESPNRise encourages comments from its users. Leave a comment below. Mike Loveday covers high school sports for ESPNRISE.com. Mike can be reached at Michael.Loveday@espn.com

By Sheldon Shealer

The always-evolving Nick Lynch Kickoff Classic has hit another minor hurdle.

The event, which was scheduled to feature four high-profile games at one location to kickoff the Maryland high school football season, is down to two games.

North Point athletic direcot A.K. Johnson confirmed Thursday at although the event is being held at North Point High School on Saturday, Sept. 8, North Point's game with Northern Calvert will remain on Friday, Sept. 7. Johnson did leave open the possibility that the contest could be moved to Saturday, but indicated it was highly unlikely.

In recent weeks, the event has changed venue and lost two match-ups. Most recently, the Gilman vs. Bear Creek (Colo.) game is no longer part of the event, according to organizer Tony Kennedy. Kennedy had hoped North Point would move its Friday game to Saturday and serve as a third game for the event.

Since that is not the case, only two match-ups remain. DeMatha has confirmed its game with Riverdale Baptist, and Prince George's County supervisor of athletics Earl Hawkins said the Suitland-Wise game is still part of the event.

By Sheldon Shealer, editor

Organizers of the Nick Lynch Kickoff Classic, citing financial concerns, are planning to move the inaugural event to North Point High School.

The four-game, all-day football festival was planned for the Naval Academy stadium. Tony Kennedy, president of the group putting on the contest, said that the facility was simply too expensive to be considered for this year's event. Instead, Kennedy is working on a deal to use North Point's state-of-the-art facility.

The Nick Lynch Kickoff Classic is scheduled for Sept. 5 with games at 11 a.m. (North Point vs. Northern Calvert), 2 p.m. (DeMatha vs. Riverdale Baptist), 5 p.m. (Suitland vs. Wise) and 8 p.m. (Gilman vs. Bear Creek, Colo.).

By Sheldon Shealer

The proposed Nick Lynch Kickoff Classic will be without one of its four planned marquee matchups as the Arundel vs. Old Mill contest is no longer on the schedule.

Event organizer Tony Kennedy confirmed to MDVarsity.com that the Anne Arundel County Board of Education informed him that Arundel and Old Mill will play its game as originally scheduled, and not be part of the showcase.

The proposed showcase was supposed to feature four contests played on Sept. 5 at Navy.

Kennedy said plans are going forward for a three-team event featuring Suitland vs. Wise, DeMatha vs. Riverdale Baptist and Gilman vs. Bear Creek (Colo.).

By Mike Loveday

The Riverdale boys' and girls' basketball teams both won the National Association of Christian Athletes (NACA) championship in Dayton, Tenn.

The Riverdale boys (28-5) defeated St. David's (Raleigh, N.C.) 63-52 and were led by Bryan Wilson, who scored 24 points.

Wilson was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Offensive Player. He averaged 20 points, five rebounds and four assists per game for the tournament.

University of Massachusetts commit Javorn Farrell was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player while Chad Wilson and Daniel Woods made the All-Tournament team for Riverdale Baptist.

The Riverdale girlsdefeated Oak Hill Academy (Mount of Wilson, Va.) 74-57 and were led by Tianna Hawkins. Hawkins recorded her 17th straight double-double, totaling 24 points and 14 rebounds in the title game. The victory marks Riverdale Baptist's third straight NACA girls championship.

Mike Loveday covers high school sports for ESPNRISE.com. Mike can be reached at Michael.Loveday@espn.com

By Sheldon Shealer

Riverdale Baptist standout linebacker Terrence Koen picked up an offer from NCAA Division II Fairmont State University, according to Riverdale Baptist coach Bob Shields.

Koen will be making vistings to Shepherd and Lincoln Unviersity in the next few weeks, Shields said.

Koen was a Small School All-State second-team selection and played in the Crab Bowl last month which pitted many of Maryland's top players.

By Sheldon Shealer

Little-known fact: There used to be a Maryland high school basketball state poll conducted through The Associated Press.

Even lesser-known fact:MDVarsity is reviving that ranking this season!

Today, we release (athough games have been played) a sort-of preseason/Week 1 high school basketball poll for Maryland. Starting next week, the weekly poll will have input from media members around the state. We offer up an overall state Top 20 which is arrived at based on the classification rankings in which the state's media can influence.

The original Maryland basketball state rankings started in the mid-1990s and then it was DeMatha and Stu Vetter-coached St. John's at Prospect Hall (now St. John's Catholic Prep) as perennial powers. More than 12 years later, two things remain consistent - DeMatha is at the top and a Vetter-coached team, this time Montrose Christian, is close behind.

OVERALL TOP 20
1. DeMatha    2-0
2. Montrose Christian    3-0
3. Bishop McNamara    2-0
4. St. Frances    4-1
5. National Christan Academy    5-1
6. Lake Clifton    2-0
7. Springbrook    2-0
8. Riverdale Baptist    3-2
9. Wise    1-0
10. Eleanor Roosevelt    4-0
11. Douglass-PG    0-0
12. City College    1-0
13. John Carroll    5-0
14. Walbrook    1-1
15. Calvert Hall    2-0
16. Digital Harbor    1-0
17. Potomac    1-0
18. Pocomoke    0-0
19. Mount St. Joseph    5-1
20. Woodlawn    1-0


Private Schools
1. DeMatha
2. Montrose Christian
3. Bishop McNamara
4. St. Frances
5. National Christian Academy
6. Riverdale Baptist
7. John Carroll
8. Calvert Hall
9. Mount St. Joseph
10. Georgetown Prep

Class 4A
1. Springbrook
2. Wise
3. Eleanor Roosevelt
4. Walbrook
5. Woodlawn
6. Laurel
7. Bowie
8. DuVal
9. Glen Burnie
10. Old Mill

Class 3A
1. Lake Clifton
2. Potomac
3. Huntingtown
4. Largo
5. Milford Mill
6. Howard
7. Lackey
8. Atholton
9. Annapolis
10. Seneca Valley

Class 2A
1. Douglass-PG
2. City College
3. Gwynn Park
4. Walkersville
5. River Hill

Class 1A
1. Digital Harbor
2. Pocomoke
3. Snow Hill
4. Dunbar
5. Fort Hill