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Duke stirs Hairston's interest

High school notebook

Date published: 5/29/2008

By TAFT COGHILL JR.

It wasn't an official visit, but Duke University still made quite an impression on Josh Hairston this past weekend.

The 6-foot-8 sophomore forward for Courtland High School's boys basketball team participated in the Bob Gibbons Tournament of Champions in North Carolina. The games were played on the campuses at Duke, North Carolina and N.C. State.

Hairston was named the tournament MVP after his D.C. Assault AAU team took home the 16-and-under title. One of the games was played in Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium. Hairston was impressed with the Blue Devils, although they haven't offered him a scholarship.

"Duke doesn't extend [scholarship] offers to underclassmen this early. They usually wait between the junior and senior year," Courtland head coach J.T. Nino said. "But you never know."

Hairston has received scholarship offers from Virginia, Virginia Tech, Maryland, Georgetown and Ohio State. He has unofficial visits set up next month at all of those schools except Maryland, but he also has another unofficial visit scheduled for Duke.

The Blue Devils may become the front-runner for his services if they decide to extend an offer. Nino said the Blue Devils "are going to press here soon."

Hairston is expected to make a college decision by November.

Spruel will defend title

Chancellor junior track and field standout Roderick Spruel participated in only the 400 relay at last week's Region I meet.

Spruel sat out the 100 and 200 meter races in an effort to make sure he was healthy enough for the Group AA state meet on Saturday at Harrisonburg High School.

Spruel has suffered from hip and lower back injuries this spring.

He's the defending state champion in the 100, but he isn't among the top eight seeds on Saturday. He and Chargers head coach Don Joy are hoping he can pull off a surprise similar to last year when he won the race from the eighth lane, one of the least desirable positions.

Joy said that Spruel will be 95 percent healthy on Saturday.

"He's good to go," Joy said.

An honor for McCOY

Courtland senior girls soccer standout Lauren McCoy has been recognized as a top-200 recruit in the country by soccerbuzz.com, a popular Web site for women's college soccer. The Villanova-bound McCoy is one of just four seniors in Virginia to receive the honor.

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



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Date published: 5/29/2008


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