Long 'honored' to be lone junior captain
By Jay Jenkins / Daily Progress staff writer
April 27, 2006

Before the voting was tabulated, former Virginia standout Brennan Schmidt tried to convince Chris Long, a close friend, that he would be named a team captain for the 2006 football season.
"I told him a week or two before: 'Chris, they are going to make you a captain.' It was just in casual conversation. He didn't believe it," said Schmidt, who was a captain himself last season in his final year at UVa. "Guys like us, we never really believe it because we never think we are as good as we really are."

Like Schmidt had predicted, Long was named a captain by his teammates. Quarterback Christian Olsen, cornerback Marcus Hamilton and wide receiver Deyon Williams were also named co-captains.

"It was a no-brainer to me because I knew that he was a leader," Schmidt said. "Chris Long was a leader on that defense last year."

Long, who played at St. Anne's-Belfield, said he was "honored" to be the lone junior named as a team captain.

"The people that mean the most to me are my teammates and not anybody else," Long said. "I think there are 20 guys out there that could be captain, but you have to have somebody to go to center field."

UVa coach Al Groh said the process did not go as expected.

"We set out to vote for one [captain] on each side," Groh said. "On each side of the ball, the two players voted as co-captain, the two on offense and the two on defense, each got the same amount of votes."

The biggest surprise selection for many was Olsen, who remains hopeful of replacing two-year starter Marques Hagans as the starting signal-caller.

"I wasn't expecting that at all, to be honest with you," Olsen said. "Myself, I voted for Deyon and Chris Long and I thought those were two very deserving players.

"It's an honor for all four of us, but especially a guy like myself who actually hasn't played, to be chosen by our teammates. I'm thankful for that. That gives us a big step of confidence going into the season."

CROWD APPEAL: Groh has made it known on numerous occasions that he wants to attract crowds of 20,000-plus for the annual Spring Game.

For a number of reasons, including inclement weather, Groh did not get his wish this year - the crowd was announced at 7,869. Groh remained upbeat.

"I think we made a move forward towards that number," Groh said. "Just like with a lot of things, we may not hit the target right away but we'll keep working to climb till we get to the ceiling of what we want to do.

"We made a good move and I thought the fans were very involved and into the game. We appreciate those who came."

DRAFT DAY: A number of former Virginia players are preparing for this weekend's NFL Draft, including first-round lock D'Brickashaw Ferguson.

Another former UVa standout, linebacker Ahmad Brooks, is prepping for a draft of a different variety - the NFL's supplemental draft. As expected, Brooks has hired an agent, and he is also working out in Georgia with noted athletic trainer Chip Smith of Competitive Edge Sports in Atlanta.

Smith has trained scores of NFL stars and college players hopeful of increasing their draft stock, including former Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus Vick.

WORD PLAY: Shortly after the Spring Game, Groh was asked about coaching a young team that will likely include only one senior on defense.

Groh quickly put a spin on things.

"I hear the word 'young' being associated with teams so much that it almost sounds like an excuse, so I'd rather really not use that word, although maybe in fact that's what it is," Groh said. "I'd rather just say 'inexperienced,' because there are some players who have been with us for a while who are now moving into more significant roles. I wouldn't put them in the 'young' category; I'd just put them in the 'inexperienced' category. But to some degree that's the nature of college football.

"We had a very unusual situation I think during the course of the last two years to have players like Schmidt, Ferguson, [Brad] Butler, [Brian] Barthelmes, [Alvin] Pearman, [Wali] Lundy, [Heath] Miller - these are all players who started playing a great deal very early in their career, out of necessity in some degree and out of the talent that they brought for another. So that meant that we played with those players for a long time, and we were the beneficiaries of that. But usually you don't play with that many players for that many games."

Virginia will have a host of new players starting for the first time in their college careers next year, but Groh pointed out that it is not that uncommon in college football.

"I think there are probably a lot of other teams that have got to plug some guys in there," Groh said, "but that's what we're supposed to do, so we'll find out how good we are at doing that."

EXTRA POINTS: Kicker Connor Hughes was among the former Cavaliers to watch the Spring Game from the sidelines. Hughes, a possible second-day selection in the NFL Draft, said the highlight of the day was watching walk-on placekicker Noah Greenbaum connect for the winning field goal as time expired. "I was really happy for Noah, hitting that game-winner," Hughes said. "It was kinda fun to see the younger guys go at it and see them kick and see how they went at it." Greenbaum and rising junior Chris Gould are among the options to replace Hughes next season. ? Groh is currently planning to join Ferguson in New York on Saturday for the NFL Draft. ? Four quarterbacks saw action in the Spring Game. Another, former Monticello High-product Joe Sanford, was set to get a series in the fourth quarter, but Olsen was reinserted into the lineup by coach John Garrett for the final drive to try and spark the Blue team to a late win. It was the White team, however, that won 10-7.

 

The waiting is the hardest part
By Whitelaw Reid / Daily Progress staff writer
April 27, 2006

Every week during the lacrosse season, one Virginia senior is responsible for getting up in front of the entire team and giving a speech.
Last week was Charlie Glazer's turn.

While the Connecticut native didn't conjure any images of Knute Rockne, he received rave reviews.

"Charlie's speech was especially good," said Virginia coach Dom Starsia

So what did Glazer say?

"I talked a lot about how everybody on the team really matters," Glazer said, "and how I'm doing pretty well this year, but a lot of that has to do with how hard I'm being pushed in practice."

Until this season, Glazer was the one doing the pushing. The 6-foot, 189-pound midfielder was buried on the depth chart. He hardly ever appeared in games. Glazer's main responsibility was to make his teammates better by giving it everything he had on non-game days.

Now Glazer is getting a chance to play - and he's taking full advantage.

Glazer, one of Virginia's two primary faceoff specialists, has been a huge surprise. His performance is one of the reasons why No. 1-ranked Virginia (12-0) is having its best season ever.

UVa's cupboards appeared bear after the graduation of faceoff ace Jack deVilliers last season. That's when Glazer and junior Drew Thompson stepped up. This season, the two have shared the chore.

"I think one of the keys is that we mix [Glazer and Thompson]," said senior midfielder Kyle Dixon. "They have different styles."

Glazer appeared in just one game as a freshman, and in about half of the team's games the last two seasons.

This season he's played in every game and has won 63 percent of his faceoffs (102 of 162). Glazer is ranked sixth in the country in the category (Geoff Snider of Denver is first at 69 percent).

"That's his niche," Starsia said. "We went into the season with facing off being a fairly significant question mark. To date, it's been answered in the most emphatic way. I think our ability to win faceoffs has had a lot to do with our success and has probably overall surpassed any expectations that we had for it - and Charlie's had a big piece of that."

Added Dixon: "He's been unbelievable. We always knew he had the talent. He just came out firing this year and earned a spot."

Glazer was a football, hockey and lacrosse standout at Greenwich High School. His father, Charlie Sr., played football at Virginia with current UVa coach Al Groh.

Glazer says lacrosse has always been his favorite sport. When he arrived at Virginia, he knew he would have to adapt to the more specialized college game by concentrating on face offs. It's just taken some time to perfect the craft.

"When I go against someone else, I try and figure out what they're doing and take a piece of that and put it into my game," Glazer said. "I'm not too proud to learn something from anyone else.

"In practice, Adam [Fassnacht] and Drew and Joe [Dewey] are all really good. Going up against them I try and pick up things. We all try and learn from each other. I've got two or three guys in practice who push me harder than the guys in the games."

Glazer, who sported a huge grin during Senior Day festivities against Bellarmine last Saturday, admits sitting on the bench until this season wasn't easy.

"Of course everybody wants to play," he said. "At times it was frustrating and stuff, but last year we had a great year. Jack had a great year. It was tough at times, but I just tried to stay as positive as possible. Going out and playing with your best friends is not the worst thing in the world.

"I knew I would at least be given a chance to compete for a spot this year, so I saw a light at the end of the tunnel. It was just waiting my turn and working as hard as I could every day."

Starsia said watching Glazer evolve into a key component has been "a joy."

"I think it's a case where clearly opportunity met preparation," Starsia said. "For a boy to stay ready for three years is a lot to ask. I think it shows a great deal of determination and loyalty. He paid his dues.

"These are always the kind of stories that you hope to be able to tell - a boy that hangs in there and finally gets his opportunity and makes the most of it."

They make for pretty good speeches, too.

 

UVa's Hughes, Smith among nation's best
By Jerry Ratcliffe / Daily Progress sports editor
April 26, 2006

Scattershooting around the ACC, while looking forward to this weekend's NFL Draft ...
One of the more intriguing stories concerning UVa players in the draft is that two of its most marketable players won't likely be drafted because they're kickers. ESPN recruiting guru Mel Kiper Jr., ranks Connor Hughes and Kurt Smith the third- and fourth-best kickers available.

Hughes' rating doesn't come as a surprise. He broke the Cavaliers' all-time scoring record and was one of the most reliable booters in the country the past three years.

However, Smith's rating may startle a few because he had a lower profile as Virginia's kickoff man for the past few seasons and rarely had the opportunity to show his other skills ... that is until the program's Pro Timing Day back in March.

"You've got two good kickers here," said Dallas Cowboys scout Bruce DeHaven. "I've looked at all the film of kickers coming out of [Division] I-A and I-AA and I liked both these guys on film.

"It's rare to see two kickers in the same place," said DeHaven, who has been around the NFL for a long time. "I trust Coach [Al] Groh's judgment. When he says, 'Hey, these guys are good kickers, they're competitors, you need to come take a look at them, that's all I need to hear."

DeHaven was late arriving for the day due to travel connections, so by the time he joined the other NFL scouts at UVa's training facilities, both Hughes and Smith had already finished working out for the group. But, both agreed to go back out and do it again for the Cowboys' representative.

"For them to volunteer to go back out and kick again for me told me something about both of them," said DeHaven. "You get a little window into a guy's personality when you watch him work live. Those kickers volunteered to go out when it was a little bit cold, a little windy, and there wasn't real good footing."

Because kickers are rarely drafted, but rather signed as free agents, it probably didn't hurt the two Wahoos to get as much exposure as possible.

"We were just trying to show as many people as we could," Hughes said of that day. "Going back out a second time was just like going out for a second half."

Hughes didn't bypass much of anything that day, even jumping in during the bench press to show what he could do. He surprised some onlookers with 12 reps of 225 pounds, his personal high.

"I just wanted to have some fun," Hughes said.

Because the scouts had seen both UVa kickers on film, they had a good idea of what they could do. They knew that Smith could kick-off, but could he make field goals? Vice versa on Hughes.

"I think a lot of teams like to come in and see if you can do opposite things," Hughes said. "I did more kicking off than field goals and Kurt did more field goals than kicking off. We showed that we can kick in any kind of weather."

Around the ACC ...

... After 24 days since the resignation of Herb Sendek, N.C. State still doesn't have a head basketball coach. Rumors are strong that Wolfpack AD Lee Fowler has his eyes on former UCLA coach Steve Lavin and West Virginia's John Beilein. ... Former coach Bill Dooley (UNC, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest) was still listed in critical but stable condition at Duke Medical Center on Tuesday, following a procedure to repair a leaking iliac artery aneurysm a week ago. Former Carolina player Don McCauley, a family spokesman, said: "The 'old trench fighter' has been an inspiration throughout this ordeal as he fights the battle that he has inspired others to pursue during challenging times. The family requests that you keep Bill Dooley in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time." ... The ACC's No. 2 bowl slot behind the BCS, the Gator Bowl, is leaving NBC after 11 years and will be televised by CBS beginning in 2007. It should be noted that the Gator will bump its payout from $1.6 million per team to $2.5 million beginning in '07. ... Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen still hasn't hired an offensive coordinator but has at least temporarily taken on that role himself through spring drills. The Terps were left without an OC after Charlie Taaffe surprisingly left the program back in February. Anyways, it has been good for The Fridge, who has lost 30 pounds this spring.

On the Clock

If you're an NFL fan, then let me tell you about something new I discovered: On the Clock, a company that produces quality DVDs following the NFL Draft on every team.

I personally reviewed DVDs on the Redskins,' Steelers' and Eagles' drafts from a year ago and was surprised at the great detail. The company breaks down every draft choice by team with background information, then includes highlights of that player's career with expert commentary on the strengths of each athlete.

We don't plug a lot of products in this column, but with the draft coming up, I had to share this with our readers. It also has a bonus fantasy football cheat sheet and other features (although I'm not into fantasy football).

Making it even more attractive to football fanatics is that it comes at a very reasonable price. Check it out at: www.ontheclockproductions.com.

 

U.Va.’s Ferguson could be picked as high as No. 2.
Virginia’s D’Brickashaw Ferguson, 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds, has nimble feet, catlike quickness and a textbook blocking technique. ANDREW SHURTLEFF/U.VA. PHOTO
By ED MILLER, The Virginian-Pilot
© April 27, 2006

In the reality TV show that is the NFL draft, everyone has his role to play.

Southern Cal's Matt Leinart is the Golden Boy with the Hollywood looks and Rolodex to match. His former teammate, Reggie Bush, is the off-the-charts talent, the highlight waiting to happen.

Virginia's D'Brickashaw Ferguson? He's been dubbed the draft's Renaissance Man, a rare, cerebral sort who plays the saxophone, holds a black belt in karate and graduated in 3-1/2 years with a degree in religious studies.

He's the Zen offensive tackle.

Ferguson chuckles at the stories that make so much of his well-rounded background. Is he the only guy who ever broke a board, picked up an instrument, cracked a philosophy text?

In a process in which everyone is weighed, measured, timed, tested, analyzed, and ultimately slotted, he resists being put into any sort of mold - even if it's as the draft's un-moldable guy.

"I'm not the only football player who's done all these things," he said Monday from Manhattan, where he was one of six players invited to attend the first day of the NFL draft on Saturday. "Think about regular students who don't play football. How do you get into college? Even if you have a 4.0 average, that's not enough, by itself."

Regular students, though, aren't 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds with nimble feet, catlike quickness, textbook blocking technique and a wingspan three inches longer than Shaquille O'Neal is tall. Regular students aren't considered by some to be the best offensive line prospect in a decade.

Ferguson is. He could be selected as high as No. 2 by New Orleans and won't slip past the New York Jets at No. 4. Either way, he'll be the highest Virginia draftee since "Bullet" Bill Dudley went No. 1 in 1942.

Whoever selects Ferguson, named for a character in the 1983 TV mini-series "The Thorn Birds," will pencil him in at left tackle for the next decade.

"He's a sure bet," Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher told reporters at the NFL combine. "There's no doubt."

He's a sure bet despite not quite measuring up to the numbers-obsessed NFL's ideal of a left tackle. Ferguson played last season at 295 pounds, about 30-35 pounds lighter than many pro tackles these days. He bulked up to 312 for the combine but was back down to 303 for Virginia's pro timing day.

Ferguson's relative lack of heft is not expected to be a problem because of his quickness, his attention to the finer points of blocking technique - a discipline he credits his martial arts training with teaching him - and because of those long arms.

Ferguson's wingspan measures 87 inches. He's joked that he was raised by birds. His arms are a tailor's nightmare - he often can't find clothes even in big-and-tall shops - but they'll make him some quarterback's new best friend.

Those arms are the first thing Russ Cellan noticed when Ferguson walked into his office as a ninth-grader at Freeport (N.Y.) High .

"I took one look at those arms and said, 'You're a tackle'," Cellan recalled.

Freeport's basketball coach took one look at Ferguson and thought he'd found a power forward. But as Cellan said: "There's another reason he's nicknamed Brick."

Football it was. Ferguson, who had surgery to correct a heart murmur at age 9 , went on to be named the top player in Long Island's talent-rich Nassau County, unusual for a lineman. Cellan had a couple of former players up at Syracuse, and it seemed Ferguson would head there.

But his older brother, Edwin, was a student at Virginia, and Ferguson, an honor student, headed to Charlottesville.

Edwin Ferguson, who is 3-1/2 years older and is working on a doctorate at U.Va., remembers the summer day when a friend told him his younger brother would be starting as a true freshman.

Edwin was surprised. Ferguson struggled to keep his weight at 250 pounds. But Virginia was thin on the line and couldn't afford to be picky.

By late in the season, Ferguson had plunged to 245 pounds. The 18-year-old freshman was matched against Penn State's Michael Haynes, a 23-year-old senior who was the 14th pick in the 2003 draft.

Haynes sized up the gangly Ferguson before the game's first play and declared: "Son, you should have redshirted."

Ferguson played his sophomore year at about 260, then decided he would have to bulk up if he was going to take his game to the next level. His mother, Rhunette, a nurse, suggested he try Ensure Plus, a supplement given to patients who need to gain weight.

Ferguson could probably do a commercial for the protein-rich drink. He quaffed it by the six-pack, hit the weight room and added 30 pounds.

In doing so, Ferguson transformed himself into a first-round pick, an extraordinary pass blocker who uses his long arms to keep defensive ends at bay. He's also quick and powerful enough to be an effective run blocker and mobile enough to get out and pull.

Ferguson could have entered the draft last season but wanted to complete his degree. He finished in December and has spent the last few months preparing for the draft. In addition to his lack of overwhelming bulk, the biggest questions scouts had was whether he's too nice to succeed in the NFL.

Indeed, at the combine, Ferguson felt compelled to tell reporters that he was "a beast" who regarded himself as his quarterback's personal bodyguard.

It sounded funny coming from the soft-spoken, contemplative Ferguson, who says people should not confuse his off-field politeness with on-field timidity.

"I'm not sure where that's coming from," he said. "I'm D'Brickashaw Ferguson. This is how I approach things, how I've done things my whole life. I'm not going to change now."

Edwin doesn't expect Ferguson to change much once he gets to the NFL. Yes, Ferguson will become instantly wealthy, but he doesn't have any major expenditures planned. He drives a Ford Taurus with 80,000 miles on it and insists he has no plans to trade it.

"He's not a flashy guy," Edwin said. "Ask him who cuts his hair."

That would be Ferguson himself, who, as Edwin says, "knows how to stretch a buck."

 

Lacrosse teams feel fallout
Dave Fairbank
April 25 2006

Were this most seasons, Virginia lacrosse coach Dom Starsia would feel pretty chipper right about now. He heads to this weekend's ACC tournament with the unanimous No. 1 team in the country, an unbeaten outfit that has crushed all comers and that begins the national championship discussion.

As anyone whose head has swiveled toward a newspaper or television in the past month can tell you, however, this is not most seasons.

For Starsia, the Cavaliers' accomplishments on the field are balanced against the sexual assault investigation involving the Duke lacrosse team, which overturned the lives of friends and colleagues and tarred the sport he loves.

"There's nothing we can do about the circumstances that have unfolded in Durham," Starsia said, "and to be honest, it has affected every major lacrosse team in one way or another and certainly has changed our life a little bit."

When school president Richard Brodhead canceled Duke's season, it cost the Cavaliers a much-anticipated home game against another of the nation's powers.

The aborted season also turned this week's ACC shindig in Baltimore into a three-team affair, with Maryland and North Carolina meeting in a "semifinal" Friday and the winner getting top-ranked Virginia on Sunday.

"Those are very practical things," Starsia said. "They pale in significance to what's going on in the lives of the people down in Durham. But in a practical way, it's affected us."

More important, Starsia pointed out, and more aggravating is the notoriety the investigation has brought to the sport.

"There are a heck of a lot more people talking about lacrosse than ever before, but not in the most positive way," he said. "I almost feel like I have to apologize for being middle-class, as we all get painted by the gross generalizations of lacrosse being a preppy, upper-class sport."

As the investigation and the story grew legs, the media machine examined not only the charges and the principals, but the lacrosse culture as well. Lacrosse players, particularly at Duke, have been portrayed by some as Visigoths with trust funds and better lawyers.

"I resent the implication that we're privileged and elitist and the generalizations that are thrown around so carelessly," said Starsia, who grew up a working-class kid on Long Island and played football and lacrosse at Brown University.

"The same goes for our game," he said. "I don't think what happened in Durham had anything to do with the sport of lacrosse. It had much more to do with college males than the sport of men's lacrosse, but people are using lots of things in the same sentences that don't go together, and I think we're all a little defensive about how it's been described."

Starsia, one of the better-known figures in lacrosse circles, has served on numerous national committees and is a member of the ACC Sportsmanship Committee. These days, he spends at least as much time talking about the Duke scandal and related subjects as his own team, which leads the nation in scoring (192 goals in 12 games) and in victory margin (plus-8.6 per game).

"People ask: 'What are you doing to keep that from happening at your place?' " Starsia said. "I say: Well, that's what I do for a living. I try to provide a good example, and we talk about those things as a team all the time. It hasn't really changed what we do, but this is something we talk about often because we're very close to the people who are involved."

Starsia has known former Duke coach Mike Pressler for almost 30 years. Starsia said the two have spoken a couple of times since Pressler's resignation earlier this month and that he mostly lent a supportive ear.

"You can look at what happened with him and say it's not fair," Starsia said. "It's not fair that he should take the brunt of this, but it sort of comes with the territory. I think we all understand that. The responsibility for the behavior of our athletes generally finds its way back to our desks, to my desk, and it stops there."

Starsia has heard the rumblings that Duke might disband its men's lacrosse program.

"It hurts a great deal," he said. "Duke is a very important piece of the college lacrosse puzzle. It would be a tremendous blow to our sport for them not to continue to play.

"Any short-term gain for us I would give back in a heartbeat to have a strong program at Duke. When we're standing on the sidelines, you want to beat them, but I need for them to be there. I think we all need for them to be there."

If news reports and legal hired guns are to be believed, Duke lacrosse will be there for quite a while, but in ways that benefit no one.
 

Virginia sends squished Spiders back to Richmond
Richmond's top-of-the-fifth comeback ended by Cavaliers bottom-of-fith two run reply; Spiders can't recover
Andrew Tracey, Cavalier Daily Senior Writer

The Virginia baseball team managed to outlast the Richmond Spiders Wednesday night, coming up with a key mid-week victory at Davenport Field. The final score of the three and a half hour endurance-tester was 8-3, as the number 13 ranked Cavaliers continued their eight-game home winning streak, while improving their record to an impressive 35-10. Sophomore pitcher Michael Schwimer was credited with his third win on the season in the match.

Defense was an important deciding factor in the game, with the Spiders committing four crucial errors that resulted in a total of five runs for the Cavaliers while Virginia's flawless defensive play managed to keep them on top, despite four pitching changes.

"The good thing about pitching for U.Va. is that even when you are behind in the count, you know that your defense is going to make the plays," Schwimer said.

Virginia got out to an early lead, putting three unearned runs on the board in the first inning while Richmond's starter, Jason Bolinski struggled to keep the ball in the strike zone. He was only the first of eight pitchers for Richmond in the game, none of whom lasted for more than one and one-third innings. For the Cavaliers, freshman Shooter Hunt made his college debut last night, and managed to hold the Spiders to one run in the first four innings.

Freshman Andrew Carraway then took over in the fifth, but loaded the bases as Richmond fought hard to stay in the game. Sophomore Pat McAnaney was unable to bail out Carraway from a bases loaded jam, and two Spiders crossed the plate before the end of the inning. Coach O'Connor then decided to call on Schwimer, whose stellar performance eventually lead the team to victory.

Schwimer "has been outstanding the entire year," Virginia coach Brian O'Connor said. "That fifth inning was a critical point in the ballgame, and we needed to stop the bleeding right there. He came in and got the big out, and then shut them down the rest of the way,"

Despite leaving 12 men stranded in the first seven innings, Virginia's offense showed their strength and perseverance, bouncing back from Richmond's fifth inning surge with freshmen Jeremy Farrell and Greg Miclat scoring runs off of the bat of junior Brandon Marsh in the bottom of the same inning.

Schwimer, with the help of a number of notable defensive plays in the field, 1retired eight straight batters in his three and one-third innings. The offense took some pressure off of the pitching staff in the eighth inning when freshman David Adams, after beating out a run-down to steal second base, managed to score his second run of the game on a throwing error. Virginia finished the game with a total of seven stolen bases, which proved to be an important factor in their win.

Following Adams's score, junior Beau Seabury then tacked on two more runs off Richmond pitcher Brian Alas, driving in sophomore Brandon Guyer and senior Tom Hagan, putting the Cavaliers ahead by five. Junior reliever Casey Lambert was brought in for the top of the ninth, and he ended the game with strong pitching, striking out the final two batters of the night.

The Cavaliers will travel to Maryland this weekend to face the Terrapins in ACC conference play.

 

Duke, Rutgers vying for forward
Thad Mumau
Harris should help Cavs

Will Harris is a nice package for the Virginia basketball team.

At 6-5 and 230 pounds, he has a strong body and a tool box full of skills and an inside-out game which fits into just about any offensive style.

He averaged 21 points and 11 rebounds as a senior at Wolfeboro (N.H.) Brewster Academy, while shooting nearly 50 percent from the floor and 78 percent from the foul line. He hit 39 percent of his three-point tries.

“The great thing about Will,” Brewster Academy coach Jason Smith said, “is that he is a very complete and versatile player. He is an outstanding outside shooter, he handles the ball well and he’s a good jumper.

“For a long time, he had been one of the biggest kids on his team, and he had to play under the basket. For us, he would start the game inside and move to the perimeter as the game progressed. I wouldn’t call him a power forward or a small forward, just a forward.

“I think that’s what (Virginia coach) Dave Leitao was thinking when he saw him,” Smith said. “He envisioned Will as the best available basketball player, one who is going to make plays for you.

“Will is happy to go 7-for-11 from the floor with a couple of threes and some putbacks. He is good on the offensive boards, and his combination of strength and agility creates a lot of match-up problems for the opponent.”

Harris scored a season-high 38 points and grabbed a dozen rebounds at Worcester Academy and had 36 points, with four three-pointers, and 12 boards as Wolfeboro handed Bridgeton Academy its first home loss in four years.

Harris, who is ranked the No. 77 high school senior in the country by prepstars.com, has seen more than one change of plans and scenery over the past year.

Originally from Queens, N.Y., he scored 28 points per game at Maine Central Institute in 2004-05. He signed a letter of intent with Nebraska in November of 2004 and was a full qualifier. However, he asked for a release because his mother was ill and he wanted to stay closer to her.

Nebraska would not grant the release, so Harris chose not to graduate from high school. He then attended Wolfeboro Academy as a fifth-year senior.

Last summer, while playing at the ABCD Camp, he held a press conference to announce that he was committing to Connecticut. But then, UConn coaches informed Harris that, while they would honor their scholarship offer, their plans for him had changed because of another prospect the Huskies would be signing in November.

Harris re-opened his recruitment and received offers from Villanova, Georgia, St. John’s and Virginia. He visited Charlottesville, and that was it. He committed to the Cavaliers.

“Will wants to be a part of building something,” Smith explained, “and he feels Virginia is on the way to being a contender in the ACC. He is really impressed by Coach Leitao and the kids he has recruited.”