Friday, May 10, 2013: S-WR's Rotanz reaches 400 career points

   Leading off today: Shoreham-Wading River senior Tim Rotanz became the fourth Long Island boys lacrosse player to reach 400 career points by posting six goals and six assists Thursday during an 18-6 win at Rocky Point.

   Rotanz, a Maryland recruit, stands at 400 points, trailing only Nicky Galasso (500 points) of West Islip, Jim Zaffuto (498) of Elmont and Brian Jacovina (404) of Holy Trinity. The five-year varsity player has two regular-season games and the postseason remaining in his fifth varsity season.

   Following up, Part I: Thursday's blog noted that Mike Toro had left his coaching position at Bishop Ford to take over the girls basketball program at Medgar Evers in a development remarkable on two fronts: (1) Ford is coming off a Federation Class AA championship last March in Albany, and (2) Toro was suspended for the homestretch of the season, including all the playoff contests, while under investigation by school officials.

   Though it had already been reported that the probe was related to possible inappropriate financial aid to players, reporter Joseph Staszewski of the Community Newspaper Group in New York City unearthed new details.

   Though Toro maintained his innocence but declined to discuss details of the investigation, Staszewski cited sources in reporting Bishop Ford officials found that money made in January at the Rose Classic Super Jam, of which Toro was one of the organizers, was going to be given to two Falcons players.

   Following up, Part II: There are fresh details, including the identities of the football players who apprehended the suspect, from this week's police chase in Wellsville, The Daily Reporter noted Thursday.

   Among the highlights:

    • Burglary suspect Christopher Jackson, 34, had a history of escaping police custody -- including twice in 2004.

    • Dylon Mitchell, a 6-foot-4, 210-pound junior linebacker and defensive end for the Wellsville football team, was the athlete who took down Jackson this week at a local park next to the Wellsville vs. Cuba-Rushford softball game and held him until police arrived.

   Basketball rules changes: The recent meeting of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) basketball rules committee did not produce any earth-shattering changes for the 2013-14 season, though head coaches will no longer need permission from referees to step onto the court to break up a fight or potential altercation.

   “By removing the requirement of the head coach being beckoned onto the floor by the officials, it should result in a more expedient resolution of the situation and restoration of order,” said Theresia Wynns, NFHS director of sports and officials education. “The change also will allow the officials a greater opportunity to assess appropriate penalties by being able to observe the situation because of the increased assistance the head coach(es) will provide by their presence.”

   Also, leg-compression sleeves will now be treated like those (annoying) arm-compression sleeves: They must be white, black, beige or a single solid school color; the same color for each team member; meet the logo requirements; and (yeah, sure) be worn only for medical reasons.

   Hockey rules changes: The NFHS ice hockey rules committee also met recently, and approved changed to beef up safety with respect to potentially dangerous hits by strengthening language and giving game officials discretion for issuing a game misconduct when a player illegally hits an opponent from behind.

   Rule 6-7-2 states, “No player shall push, charge, cross-check or body-check an opponent from behind into the boards or goal frame,” and a violation would result in a major and misconduct penalty or — if flagrant — a game misconduct.

   “Checking from behind is the most dangerous act in the sport,” said Dan Schuster, NFHS assistant director of coach education and staff liaison to the hockey committee. “With all of its rules changes, the goal of the committee is to minimize the risk of injury.”

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   In a move to eliminate blind-side hits, Rule 6-41-3 now states, “No player shall deliver a check to an unsuspecting and vulnerable player.”

   As somewhat of a counterbalance, the committee passed an anti-diving rule. Embellishment in an attempt to draw a penalty through any exaggerated or deceitful actions or to attempt to worsen an already called penalty can result in a minor penalty to the drama king.

   In a change that possibly opens the door to chicanery when the net is under siege, a goalkeeper’s glove has been added to the list of equipment that, if it becomes displaced, requires play to be stopped immediately.

   New Jersey football vote: Public schools in New Jersey may be on their way to playing for state football championships after the NJSIAA executive committee moved forward to allow a vote by members to start the season a week early and eliminate a regular-season game in order to tack two weeks onto the postseason.

   A two-thirds vote to change the organization's constitution would result in 20 sectional class champs playing down to five state titlists each fall while still preserving traditional Thanksgiving matchups. Keeping the holiday tradition in place may be enough to get over the hump after a 2011 vote on a slightly different plan garnered only 60 percent of the votes.

   Approval in the vote this fall would still require the football coaches to sign off the details of the playoff plan. If that hurdle is cleared, state playoffs would begin in 2014.

   Squirrel stardom: Cheektowaga wrestler Renaldo Rodriguez-Spencer continues to garner attention for his spectacular move to pull out a victory in the 138-pound junior class final of the National High School Coaches Association wrestling championships last month in Virginia Beach, Va.

   With 10 seconds left and down a point to Alfred Bannister of Maryland, Rodriguez-Spencer pulled off the “flying squirrel” maneuver, leaping head first over his opponent and pulling Bannister to the mat for a takedown. It secured a 4-3 victory and made the pages of Yahoo! Sports, The Huffington Post, Deadspin and numerous other websites.

   The Buffalo News has both an eight-photo time-lapse of the move being demonstrated as well as a video of the actual move in the tournament.

   “I knew I could get it, because no one would expect it,” Rodriguez-Spencer told the paper. “So I just hit it.”

   Rodriguez-Spencer went 47-0 during the New York high school season and won the NYSPHSAA Division II 132-pound state championship in Albany.

   Extra points: Alexander Hamilton senior Tiffany Corselli, who had some interest from Colgate and St. Bonaventure, will instead continue her basketball career at Monroe Community College in Rochester. Alexander Hamilton was favored to win a NYSPHSAA last March before a devastating rash of late-season injuries.