Tim Polzer's Rumors & Facts

I hear that the end of the Mesquite Poteet-Hidalgo boys state soccer final got REALLY chippy. Emotions were high as Hidalgo tried to hold onto a 1-0 lead in the final minutes. So much so that officials ejected three Hidalgo players - including the goalie. Unfortunately, Poteet was unable to cash in and send the match into overtime. Hopkins Is Big In Michigan University of Michigan boosters are excited about the commitment of Flower Mound Marcus running back Stephen Hopkins. It's not enough that he rushed for 1,689 yards and 22 touchdowns as a junior. No, Maize-and-Blue fans are happy that second-year coach Rich Rodriguez is still recruiting "big" running backs like the 6-0, 22-pound Hopkins. It seems that Wolverines fans can't get Tyrone Wheatley or Anthony Thomas out of their heads. Hopkins said Rodriguez plans to use him as a 'big' back and a 'small' back. Flower Mound WR Signs Late With Vandy Vanderbilt has announced that Flower Mound senior wide receiver Collin Ashley has signed as part of the Commodores' 2009 class. Ashley (5-11, 170) was a three-time All-District and two-time All-State selection. Stallion WR Commits to K-State North Mesquite junior wide receiver Ricki Herod Jr. has orally committed to Kansas. Herod (6-2, 180) posted 15 catches for 215 yards and three touchdowns in seven games last season. Send Mike Leach To Somalia? Texas Tech coach Mike Leach's penchant for pirates has made for some sometimes humorous articles and television features, but what did the colorful Leach have to say about the recent pirate stories off the coast of Somalia? "I get texts once and a while [about the incidents]," Leach said. "I've got to believe that even their Somali pirate friends are going to kill some of those folks that messed with American ships. Because, up to this point, they hadn't really done that," Leach told Red Raider Sports. "Americans do have the ability to ruthlessly get behind their causes for a short term. I think these pirates are a short-term problem. I don't think that it's going to turn out well for them." Corsicana, High School Football Haven? Corsicana can expect a local boost in revenue on Saturday, Sept. 26. That's when Southlake Carroll and Galena Park North Shore, two of the state's perennial football powers, will play at Tiger Stadium. What may sound peculiar, is that two college teams agreed to move their game from Saturday to Thursday to accommodate Carroll and North Shore. Okay, make that two junior colleges, but Navarro and Tyler Junior College are realistic to know that they're likely to draw about one quarter of the high school spectators who will converge on Corsicana that weekend. Cowboys Riding Roughshod District 6-5A's peculiar six-team alignment is causing baseball teams to play each other three times this season. That's fine with top-ranked Coppell, which has swept their first 10 6-5A games, leaving three teams -- Flower Mound, Marcus and Carroll - in a three-way tie for second with 5-5 records. Hebron also remains in striking distance at 4-6. The district's playoff berths could be determined by an upset of Coppell, if that's possible. VYPE's preseason No. 1 team is playing up to its paper. Only Playoff Hockey In Town, Sort of The Dallas Stars are playing gold during the NHL playoffs, but stick-and-puck fans can take in postseason hockey at the Texas Amateur Hockey Association's high school hockey state tournament. The event runs Friday through Sunday at Chaparral Ice in Austin. Allen, Flower Mound, Flower Mound Marcus, Jesuit, Southlake Carroll have qualified for the Gold Division. Arlington Martin, Bishop Lynch, Plano and Plano West will play in the Silver Division. Landry Classic Banquet If you ever need a positive pick-me-up, check out the positive contributions of the Tom Landry Classic and its corporate sponsors. The Landry Classic has become so much more than just a football doubleheader. An impressive list of corporate supporters provide scholarship assistance to any student involved in the four teams' game day, including players, trainers, cheerleaders, drill team and band members. This year's winners were honored at the Landry Scholarship Banquet: Scott Lopano Carroll High School (Boothe Eye Care & Laser Center) Eden Choe Plano West Senior High School (Walmart) Will Johnson Carroll High School (Texas vs. The Nation College All-Star Game) Clayton Stanley Red Oak High School (Health Markets) Victor Cooper Red Oak High School (Panini America) JC Lumley Red Oak High School (Walmart) Ty Pierce Highland Park High School (103.3 ESPN Radio) Caldwell Moore Highland Park High School (Academy Sports + Outdoors) Bryan Dickenson Highland Park High School (7-Eleven) Emily Giffin Carroll High School (Texas Power) Will Leifeste Highland Park High School (Ewing Automotive Group) James Freyman Plano West Senior High School (Southwest Securities) Jake Gutekunst Plano West Senior High School (Chick-fil-A) Drew Hawley Plano West Senior High School (Verizon Wireless) Dunbar's Pope Transfers to Baylor Former Fort Worth Dunbar basketball star Brooklyn Pope is coming home, or at least close to home. Pope is transferring from Rutgers to play at Baylor. Pope did not get much playing time as a Rutgers freshman. She must sit out the 2009-10 season but will have three years of eligibility remaining.