Three head to field hockey nationals

Chapel Hill High School's Jessica Barfield, Kerry Kiddoo of East Chapel Hill and Carrboro High's Neela Mahanty have been named to USA Field Hockey's National Futures Championship. They will head to Virginia Beach, Va., June 24-30 for the national tournament, where coaches will select players for the U.S. Junior Olympics.

Kiddoo was chosen for the Under-19 Region 8 team, while Barfield and Mahanty were chosen for the U16s. They were the only three players from North Carolina selected for the nationals. All three played at one time or another on the TarDevils for former ECH coach Donnae Farrington.

The three were picked from a group of 230 players (and 20 goalkeepers) who took part in a series of games earlier this month in Virginia Beach as coaches watched them closely.

"It was intense, really intense," said Mahanty, a Carrboro ninth-grader who's only been playing organized field hockey since seventh grade. "The coaches sit there in the middle, watching four games going on at once. I just knew I had to step up and do my best."

Mahanty, who plays for coach Charlotte Carter at Carrboro, also still plays with the TarDevils, as well as the Carolina Fury under coach Colleen Cassada and All Star Field Hockey under coach Grant Fulton.

There will be approximately 650 field hockey athletes comprising 38 teams from multiple age groups in Virginia Beach later this month for the National Futures Championship. The first day will be set aside for practices, followed by a round-robin series of games, similar in format to the regional tournament.

Trio does well at Rex

Three area golfers carded top-15 finishes in the recent Rex Hospital Open Junior Invitational at TPC Wakefield Plantation in Raleigh. Tuning up for his appearance in this week's N.C. Amateur at Old Chatham, Carrboro High's Rich Leeper shot a 2-over-par 73 to tie for 11th in the boys division. Leeper will play next season for James Madison. Zak Dearinger of Chapel Hill, the 2008 N.C. private schools champion for Ravenscroft, was one stroke in back of that in a tie for 13th. Cedar Ridge sophomore Casey Ward, of White Cross, tied for 10th in the girls division.

Wakefield's Courtney McKim from Raleigh (heading for Oklahoma State) and Andy Knox from Cary won the girls and boys division, respectively.

The junior tournament, which preceded the Rex Hospital Open, counted in Tarheel Youth Golf Association rankings.

Pickup soccer at CHHS

Chapel Hill High School will host pickup soccer games throughout the summer, starting June 16. Open games will be played every Tuesday and Thursday from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the CHHS fields.

You don't have to be on a high school team or attend Chapel Hill High to participate. Students from Carrboro, Cedar Ridge, East Chapel Hill, Northwood, Orange and elsewhere are welcome. All games will be supervised by at least one CHHS soccer coach, (but no coaching allowed; these are intended simply for fun.)

For more information, call Ron Benson for at 929-9542.

COLLEGES

Heels make ESPN's list

Four North Carolina student-athletes have earned ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District track and field/cross country honors, as announced Thursday by the College Sports Information Directors of America. Brock Baker was named to the men's first team, Gabby Gioia and Morgan Stengel were named to the women's first team, and Callie Pottinger was named to the women's second team. CHHS alum Jack Bolas, a junior at the university of Wisconsin, is also the district team from the Big Ten.

To be a candidate for Academic All-America honors, a student-athlete must be a starter or key reserve and must carry a cumulative grade point average of 3.3 or better. First and second teams in University and College divisions were announced Thursday for eight districts across the U.S. After another round of voting among those named to the first teams, Academic All-America teams will be announced on June 18 (men) and 19 (women). As members of the All-District first teams, Baker, Gioia and Stengel will be on the national ballot for Academic All-America honors.

RECREATION

Friends of Hillsborough Parks to meet Thursday

Hillsborough citizens are invited to a meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Town Barn at 101 E. Orange Street to discuss interest in a Friends of Hillsborough Parks organization.

"The Town of Hillsborough has worked hard in the last 10 years to advance the inventory of its parks and the quality of recreational opportunities provided," Hillsborough resident Eric Oliver wrote in an open letter. "Is it now time for a citizen group to organize to provide additional support that the town government cannot provide on its own?"

Oliver noted the town government does not accept private donations from community members toward parks and recreation facilities. However, a private citizens' group could bolster support for the parks system.

A "Friends of Hillsborough Parks" organization, which could raise funds, coordinate volunteers and community events, and advocate for recreation resources would be an immensely valuable asset for the town, he said.

For more information, contact FOHP@nc.rr.com.

Lacrosse camps

North Chatham Youth Lacrosse will conduct summer clinics July 27-30 for boys and girls in grades 1-8, with sessions held 6-8 p.m. each evening at the Carolina Meadows Soccer Field in southern Chapel Hill. The clinic is open to players of all levels, with beginners through advanced players all welcomed. The cost is $80 per player, with discounts available for families. For more information, see www.nccardinals.com.

Riptide Summer Day Camp will be held June 15-18 at Chapel Hill High School. See www.fusionlacrosse.com for more information. The "Catalax Camp" will be held June 16-18 at East Chapel Hill High School Day Camp. See www.catalaxcamps.com for more information.

Contact the Sports Department at 932-9843 or chn sports@nando.com.