SPORTS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014
THE ITEM
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Connor Shaw: USC legend EDITOR’S NOTE: Hugh Osteen is a staff writer for the Las Cruces (New Mexico) Bulletin, and a frequent sports blogger. This article first appeared on www.sportscityscramble. com.
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162.9 passer rating, 2,447 passing yards, 24 passing touchdowns, 1 interception, 558 rushing yards, and 6 rushing touchdowns. This isn’t the stat line of AJ McCarron. It’s not Johnny Football. It’s not Zach Mettenberger. It’s Connor Shaw. Shaw had a season for the ages for the South Carolina Gamecocks this year, and, just like that, he’s gone. But he
wouldn’t leave without one last exhibition of his underrated skills. Against Wisconsin in the Capital One Bowl, Shaw proved why he is the heart and soul of the Gamecocks. He passed for 312 yards on 22 of 25 passing for three touchdowns. That’s a completion percentage of 88 percent. He Hugh also rushed for 47 OSTEEN yards and a touchdown. And, for fun, he deMATT WALSH / THE ITEM cided to catch a touchdown pass South Carolina quarterback Connor Shaw on an amazing double reverse (14) finished his career as not only one of the pass from Bruce Ellington. He top signal callers in USC history, but as one of SEE OSTEEN, PAGE B4 the top quarterbacks in the country this year.
Carolina 4th in final polls Clemson ranked 7th, 8th FROM STAFF REPORTS COLUMBIA — The University of South Carolina football team finished fourth in the final Associated Press and USA Today/ ESPN Coaches polls, it was announced on Tuesday. It marked the
BY PAUL NEWBERRY The Associated Press
HH girls’ offense, boys’ defense too much for Barons
ATLANTA — There were a lot of guys who threw harder than Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine. No one knew more about pitching. Mad Dog and Glav were stalwarts in the Atlanta Braves rotation, a potent 1-2 punch for an entire decade MADDUX on a team that made the playoffs year after year. Now, they have a chance to come together again for the highest honor of their caGLAVINE reers — membership in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Maddux and Glavine are both eligible for the first time, with the inductees to be announced today. They hope to join their former manager, Bobby Cox, who was picked for the Hall last month in a separate vote. “They’re the guys that got me
BY MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER mchristopher@theitem.com
SEE TROUBLE, PAGE B3
SEE POLLS, PAGE B4
Braves duo looks to enter Hall together
Double trouble for WH
Fans got a display of two types of basketball on Tuesday between Heathwood Hall and Wilson Hall as both games at Nash Student Center were polar opposites – one showcased offense and the other defense. Heathwood’s A’ja Wilson put on an athletic PREP SCHEDULE display in the Lady HighToday Varsity Basketball landers’ Robert E. Lee at Governor’s 74-33 rout of School, 6 p.m. Varsity and JV Basketball Wilson Hall Sumter at Spring Valley (No girls, and JV Boys), 5:30 p.m. B Team Basketball Ryan Ellis Crestwood at Keenan (Boys sparked HH Only), 6 p.m. Dorchester at Thomas Sum- to a 43-34 ter, 6 p.m. victory in the Varsity Bowling Wilson Hall, Laurence Man- boys game. ning, Robert E. Lee at OrIn the boys angeburg Prep (at JC Lanes in Lexington), 5 p.m. game, when Varsity Wrestling Lugoff-Elgin at Sumter, 6 p.m. the Barons were looking to gain control and possibly take momentum away from Heathwood, someone answered with a big play. Ellis, who had a game high 18 points, hit a clutch 3-point shot that extended the Highlanders’ lead to 34-28 with less than five minutes to play. After Brent Carraway’s bucket made
highest postseason ranking in school history. Florida State (140) received every first place vote in both polls, finishing just ahead of Auburn (12-2). Big Ten Champion Michigan State (13-
SEE HALL, PAGE B6
MATT WALSH / THE ITEM
Heathwood Hall’s A’ja Wilson (22) slaps a ball away from Wilson Hall’s Hayley Smoak (4) during the Lady Highlanders’ 74-33 victory on Tuesday at Nash Student Center. Wilson scored 41 points as Heathwood’s offense proved dominant. The opposite was true in the boys game as a stifling defense and Ryan Ellis’ 18 points helped the Highlanders earn a 43-34 victory and a sweep of the Barons.
WHAT: National Baseball Hall of Fame selection announcement WHEN: Noon TV: MLB Network
FSU’s next goal is to maintain championship success BY KAREEM COPELAND Th Associated Press NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher says winning the national championship was the culmination of a four-year process that began when he replaced Bobby Bowden as the head of the program in 2010. The next challenge is to sustain that success. Fisher now finds himself in Bowden’s old shoes where titles will be expected from a passionate fan base. Florida State beat Auburn 34-31 Monday night to win its first crown since 1999. “You’ve got to go back to ground zero and you can’t worry about expectations,’’ Fisher said Tuesday. “That’s the thing, once expectations
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher, left, kisses The Coaches’ Trophy after the Seminoles defeated Auburn 34-31 on Monday in the BCS National Championship game in Pasadena, Calif.
get so high, is to not let complacency set in.’’ “It’s human nature, you take win-
ning for granted. You take success for granted,’’ he said. A quick glance at the roster shows
why Florida State (14-0) will enter 2014 as the favorite. The Seminoles return Heisman quarterback Jameis Winston for his sophomore season and lose just three senior offensive starters. Florida State must replace four senior defensive starters and Fisher said he thinks there are up to three underclassmen who have decisions to make about a possible move to the NFL. “The future is bright,’’ freshman cornerback Jalen Ramsey said. “We know what it takes now. We know how it feels. We don’t be disappointed next year from not being here. “We want to make this thing a dynasty. Florida State is back to where it should always be.’’ That senior class was Fisher’s first as head coach and was the cornerstone of the new foundation. The 2011 class, however, was widely considered the No. SEE SEMINOLES, PAGE B4