New bonemarrow drive slated for Hopkins

Battlefield District notebook

Date published: 5/21/2008

BY TAFT COGHILL JR.

Former James Monroe basketball standout Cedric Hopkins is still in need of a bone-marrow transplant.

No match was found for Hopkins among the 125 potential donors who showed up for the bone-marrow drive that was held last month at the Dorothy Hart Community Center in Fredericksburg, according to his mother, Maggie Hopkins.

A new drive will be held on Saturday at the Mayfield Civic Center from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Cedric Hopkins is a 2007 James Monroe grad and a former first-team all-Battlefield District shooting guard. He was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma last August. He's been through chemotherapy and radiation and now needs a bone-marrow transplant. Hopkins went through chemotherapy as recently as Friday.

"He's doing well with the chemo, but he wants to have this transplant so he can get on with his life," Maggie Hopkins said.

No swaying Wallace

An oral commitment to the University of Virginia hasn't stopped other colleges from contacting Chancellor High School running back Dominique Wallace.

Wallace recently received a full scholarship offer from defending national champion Louisiana State University,

"It's all big-time college football, but just the fact that they recently won the national championship and offered me, I was shocked," Wallace said.

Wallace admits he briefly second-guessed his early commitment to the Cavaliers, but his regret didn't last long. He said his allegiance to the Cavaliers is as strong as ever, although he can't officially sign until February.

"I'm fully committed," he said. "I'm as solid as a rock."

Higher learning

Chancellor senior track and field standout Sandy Estep will continue her running career at Division II California University of Pennsylvania. The head coach there is Roger Kingdom, who captured gold medals in the 110-meter hurdles at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics and once held the world record in the event.

Estep will run middle distance in college. She captured first place in the 400 meters at the Battlefield District meet on Thursday.

"I'm just excited to go there and learn under [Kingdom]," Estep said. "It's a great opportunity."

Mines honored

Caroline senior running back/linebacker Jabrel Mines was one of 16 Central Virginia players recently honored by the Commonwealth Chapter of the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame. Mines is also one of seven student-athletes to receive a scholarship from the group.

Stafford running back Dante Cook received both honors as well. Mines and Cook will continue their careers at William & Mary. Mines has also been selected to play in the Virginia High School Coaches Association all-star game in July.

Throwback game set

The second annual Throwback B-Ball Classic will be held Saturday at Walker-Grant Middle School. Doors open at 7 p.m. The game features former Battlefield District boys basketball stars, including several who went on to play collegiately. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children under 12.

Taft Coghill Jr.: 540/374-5526
Email: tcoghill@freelancestar.com

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Date published: 5/21/2008