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DAILY 03-09-10 MD SU D4 BLACK
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S KLMNO TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 2010
HIGH SCHOOLS BASEBALL
WCAC BOYS
Cook
Acta gets a second chance
shines,
to make a first impression
acta from D1 was just doing what he thought
DeMatha
“I think one of
was appropriate. He wasn’t op-
It was at that point that Manny
the greatest
posed to going out there. It wasn’t
Acta realized he was not tethered stubbornness or laziness. He has
cruises
forever to the legacy of losing that
things I was able
considered how to conduct him-
was being constructed at that
to do . . . was stay
self and concluded this is the best
time in Washington. He realized way. ...
baseball people knew the differ-
true to myself.”
“He had a team that was not
ence between a bad manager and very deep. He had a very difficult
Guard scores 30 points,
a good manager with bad players. roster to manage. Other guys
Stags gear up for
He realized something better — Indians Manager Manny Acta on would have pointed fingers at
awaited him somewhere, some- his time as the Nationals’ skipper people, would have terrorized
game with Ballou day. guys out of frustration. Manny
Somewhere, someday was some of whom he considered never did. He kept a positive de-
Goodyear Ballpark, Friday after- among his closest friends in base- meanor. On balance, that’s always
by Josh Barr noon, under a cloudless desert ball. When informed of the deci- a positive.”
sky, as Acta, cutting the same sion, Acta was livid, telling his Na- Players, too, raised the issue.
The buildup was considerable dashing, square-jawed, barrel- tionals bosses he was prepared to On the day Acta was fired, Nation-
and Bender Arena was packed chested figure as ever, led his resign on the spot. als third baseman Ryan Zimmer-
well before tip-off. The first few charges onto the field for their ex- “They just told me: ‘Right now, man said: “Sometimes you have to
minutes lived up to the hype, but hibition opener. Only this was the you’re upset. You’ve just got to go out and [argue a call], not just
the rest of the Washington Cactus League, and these were think it through. You’re not your- because you’re the manager, but
Catholic Athletic Conference fi- the Cleveland Indians. And be- self right now,’ ” Acta said. “I told because your players want you to
nal amounted to yet one more sides the uniform and the cap, them, ‘I’m going to think it step up. . . . Even if you think your
showcase for top-ranked De- there was something else differ- through, and I’m going to let you player is wrong, you have to go
Matha and its star junior guard, ent about Acta. know whether I’m going to come out and stick up for your player. I
Quinn Cook. There it was, right there! A big, back or not.’ But I never quit. I think that gives the player the
Cook matched his career high old, easy grin, last seen on Acta’s have a lot of friends in the game feeling that, ‘Hey, this guy has my
with 30 points and the Stags’ face in Washington around April who I could bounce things off. back, no matter what.’ ”
other top players also shined as 2008. They said: ‘No, you don’t do that. But the more Acta reflected af-
they beat No. 3 Gonzaga by a sur- “I don’t regret my time in Wash- That’s part of the game.’ ” ter the firing, the more convinced
prisingly comfortable margin, ington. Far from it,” Acta, 41, said. By staying, Acta only subjected he became that his leadership
71-52, before 4,000 at American “I wish it had been different, be- himself to as ugly a year as a fran- style was the right one — because
University on Monday night.
JOEL RICHARDSON FOR THE WASHINGTON POST
cause everything I start I like to chise has endured in recent mem- it was his own, and it was true. To
“After my second three-point- “After my second three-pointer, I was feeling it,” DeMatha’s Quinn finish. But things worked out for ory. In March 2009, General Man- go after an umpire — who, after
er, I was feeling it,” Cook said. Cook said. “My teammates kept feeding me the ball.” me in the end, and I’m extremely ager Jim Bowden was forced out all, was not going to change his
“My teammates kept feeding me happy to be here now. This is a in the midst of a scandal over fal- mind and who might eject Acta
the ball, kept finding me in good
DEMATHA GONZAGA
yond the top of the key and the good fit for me.” sified birth certificates and identi- from the game — would have
spots and I kept finishing the ties in the Dominican Republic. been pretending to be something
plays.” 71 52
lead was 46-25. At the time, Cook
had as many points as the entire
Out of chaos, renewal
By July, after a 26-61 start, Acta’s he was not.
Forward Victor Oladipo added Gonzaga team. Out of the untenable mess that future was no longer his own to “I think one of the greatest
12 points and 12 rebounds, while “He did a great job controlling was the Nationals franchise — decide, as the Nationals fired him things I was able to do, through
center Mikael Hopkins dominat- Up next: DeMatha and Gonzaga will the ball, controlling the tempo where the crooked lines drawn by at the all-star break, replacing good and bad over there, was stay
ed inside with eight points, nine play in the Alhambra Catholic and hit big shot after big shot,” a dysfunctional, disgruntled club- him with bench coach Jim Riggle- true to myself,” Acta said. “And I
rebounds and seven blocks as Invitational Tournament, March Gonzaga Coach Steve Turner house and a chaotic, impulsive man — a close friend to whom Ac- didn’t allow the failure on the
DeMatha (29-3) won its fifth 18-20 in Frostburg, Md. said. front office always intersected in ta still speaks regularly. field to change me and become a
league title in six years. Blood brothers: After the game, DeMatha alternated between the manager’s office — Acta has After the firing, Acta stayed in phony and do what some people
It was a stunning outcome, DeMatha’s players held aloft the No. man-to-man and zone defenses emerged unscathed, his reputa- Washington for almost a month, wanted me to do. . . . The year
given that the teams had split 20 jersey of senior guard David and limited easy scoring chances tion unsullied by what occurred painting his house to get it ready [2007] we were supposed to win
two games during the regular Naves, who was admitted to a for the Eagles’ standout guards, on the field during his 2
1
⁄2 years in to go on the market and visiting 35 [games] and we won 73, I was
season. Seven of their previous hospital late Friday night with Cedrick Lindsay and Tyler the Nationals’ dugout. the city’s many museums and cool, calm and collected. And then
nine meetings had been decided internal bleeding after landing hard Thornton. Even when someone Where critics in Washington monuments with his family. He when you’re losing, you’re too
by four points or less. following a dunk attempt. He was broke through the first line of de- saw Acta as an emotionless, un- also surprised a Little League laid-back.”
But there was no drama Mon- released Monday but was unable to fense, Hopkins often lurked by imaginative leader — and the team that he sponsors in his na- Of Zimmerman’s comments,
day. Cook was efficient, making attend. the basket to erase any chances. 10th-losingest manager, by win- tive Dominican Republic by Acta said: “Players are entitled to
10 of 15 shots, including five of “Whoa, I’ve never seen him ning percentage (.385), in base- jumping on a bus with the kids as their opinion, but at end of the
seven from three-point range. He [block shots like] that before,” ball history (minimum 320 games they got ready to make a 10-day, day, they’re players. We’re coach-
also had six rebounds, five assists MORE PHOTOS For a photo Oladipo said. “He timed every- managed) — the rest of baseball 10-city tour, and staying with es. I’m not going to go out there
and two steals to lead DeMatha gallery from this game, visit thing perfectly.” apparently saw him as the same them for the whole trip. and cause chaos just because a
into perhaps the most anticipat- AllMetSports.com Perhaps the only thing that charismatic star-in-the-making “I said, ‘This is probably going couple of guys who don’t know
ed City Title game in years. The didn’t go on schedule for De- he was when the Nationals first to be the last time I have a sum- anything about coaching — just to
Stags will play second-ranked Cook cut to the basket for a Matha was the postgame cele- hired him to replace Frank Rob- mer off,’ ” Acta said. “‘And I’m go- keep them happy. That’s not who I
Ballou (30-4) on Sunday at Veri- layup, then made a fast-break bration. As the team gathered inson before the 2007 season. ing to enjoy it.’ No one wants to am.”
zon Center at 5 p.m. three-pointer as the Stags used a near midcourt for celebratory There were just two managerial get fired, but man, I enjoyed that Acta’s new bosses in Cleveland
“You can look in any players’ 10-0 spurt late in the first quar- photos, someone broke the bas- openings in baseball this past time.” spoke to players, coaches, scouts,
eyes sometimes and tell they’re ter to take control. Gonzaga ketball figurine off the top of the winter, and those teams — the In- media members and top Nation-
feeling it,” DeMatha Coach Mike (25-7) was still within reach at three-foot trophy. dians and the Houston Astros —
Leading his way
als executives in vetting Acta as a
Jones said. “But sometimes you halftime, 35-23, before DeMatha “It wasn’t me,” Oladipo said. “I practically fought over Acta, who There was also plenty of time managerial candidate, and heard
have to decide whether it’s be- started the third quarter with put it down and when I looked had his choice of offers. Ultimate- for reflection and soul-searching the occasional criticism of his
cause they’re on or because eight consecutive points. down the top was off. It was al- ly, he chose the more progressive, over what had gone wrong with dugout demeanor. But it hardly
they’re so geeked up. Quinn was One minute later, Cook made a ready broken.” better-stocked (with young talent) the Nationals. Acta, a prolific changed their opinion of a man
on.” long three-pointer from well be- barrj@washpost.com Indians over the Houston fran- book-reader who keeps a copy of Indians General Manager Mark
chise that was dear to his heart as John Wooden’s autobiography Shapiro says has “a rock-solid
the organization that had given with him at practically all times, foundation under him, with a pos-
WCAC GIRLS
him his start in baseball, as a play- knew his style of leadership had itive energy and a positive atti-
er and a coach. The Indians sealed come under criticism by those tude.
Master plan ends in championship
the deal by offering Acta a third who saw him as too detached and “I’m not going to tell him to
guaranteed year. stoic, too unwilling to go after an change. And anyway, I can’t imag-
“It was rewarding,” Acta said of umpire over a bad call or get in a ine that being an issue. I’ve never
the competing offers. “But I player’s face for failing to run out heard of dugout demeanor being
wasn’t thinking, ‘See, told ya so.’ a grounder. an issue.”
Seton Coach planted
None of that. It was rewarding be- And it wasn’t only the media It certainly isn’t an issue now,
cause it completely gave me faith and fans that raised those issues. with the sun shining in the Ari-
seeds for title win in how the industry sees every Nationals President Stan Kasten zona desert, that sweet spring op-
four years ago
one of us, how so many people see said he, too, brought it up with timism in bloom, and the new
us as more than wins and losses. Acta. Asked recently if he would manager and his rebuilding team
Everyone knew what I was going have liked to have seen Acta show just embarking on their honey-
by Alan Goldenbach through. Our character was tested more fire in the dugout, Kasten moon. Times like these, you
for 2
1
⁄2 years.” said, “Truthfully I think I would would swear nothing could pos-
Tyaunna Marshall was all set Perhaps nothing tested Acta’s have.” sibly go wrong, that it will be this
to begin her high school career character as much as the Sept. 28, “I had that conversation with good forever.
four years ago at Wise in Upper 2008 firing of five of his coaches, him,” Kasten said. “But I think he sheinind@washpost.com
Marlboro when first-year Eliza-
beth Seton Coach Jazz Perazic
asked her to take a chance. The
Roadrunners were a last-place
program that hadn’t won a
Washington Catholic Athletic
Conference title in five years.
Perazic “came to me and asked
me to give them a chance,” Mar-
shall said “I just wanted to play
basketball.”
Four years later, Marshall left
the court at American Univer-
sity’s Bender Arena clutching the
JOEL RICHARDSON FOR THE WASHINGTON POST
WCAC championship trophy to Coach Jazz Perazic “came to me and asked me to give them a
her chest after scoring 30 points chance,” said Seton’s Tyaunna Marshall, left, after their title win.
to lead No. 10 Seton to a 74-63
victory Monday night over No. 5
SETON ST. JOHN’S
game-breaking speed to beat Ca-
St. John’s, earning the school’s
first title since 2001 and capping 74 63
dets downcourt for layups. She
also displayed terrific poise and
a remarkable turnaround from touch — her soft jumper in the
the season prior to Marshall’s ar- lane just before the second-quar-
rival, when the Roadrunners Up next: Elizabeth Seton will play ter buzzer that gave Seton a 35-
won just five games. H.D. Woodson in the City Title Game 24 lead.
Said senior forward Julia on Sunday at 3 p.m. at Verizon “She has turned into a great,
Weatherly, who was poised to go Center. great player,” Perazic said of the
to Good Counsel: “[Coach Peraz- A league of many: Seton is the development of Marshall, who
ic] told me she wanted to do fourth different girls’ WCAC led the team in scoring in each of
something special at Elizabeth champion in as many seasons. her four seasons.
Seton. Jazz really sold me.” St. John’s struggled against Se-
What Perazic, a former all- ton’s physical play and Perazic
American at Maryland in the MORE PHOTOS For a photo said it was important to match
early 1980s, sold her players over gallery from this game, visit her bigger players such as
the past four years was a com- AllMetSports.com Weatherly and senior Alexis
plete brand of basketball: Being Martin against some of the
able to excel in both the half ning with a short bank shot from smaller Cadets and give them a
court and transition, from the Marshall. Seton scored on 10 of little extra contact on the way to
perimeter and the low post. The its 12 first-quarter possessions. the hoop.
Roadrunners (22-6) displayed “They didn’t miss,” St. John’s St. John’s cut it to 65-59 with 1
their entire repertoire against St. Coach Jonathan Scribner said. minute 19 seconds left on a layup
John’s (23-6). “They shot the lights out. Then, by Nicola Zimmer. But Seton hit
After the teams engaged in when you have a player like 9 of 10 free throws the rest of the
terrific end-to-end action the [Marshall], she’s just on another way to clinch a celebration that
first five minutes, Seton pulled level.” was years in the making.
away. Holding a 13-12 lead, the Marshall, who has committed “I really couldn’t picture this
Roadrunners scored the final 10 to play for Georgia Tech, was su- four years ago,” Marshall said.
MARK DUNCAN/ASSOCIATED PRESS
points of the first quarter, begin- perb in the open court, using her goldenbacha@washpost.com Manny Acta, right, had competing offers in the offeseason before choosing to sign with the Indians.
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