ABCDE SPORTS sunday, december 12, 2010 HIGHSCHOOLS
Titles for two in Virginia Battlefield, Briar Woods are first-time champs. D10
PROBASKETBALL
Wall’s mounting frustration Wizards’ star rookie is struggling with nagging injuries. D3
HOCKEY
‘Big Chill,’ huge crowd Record crowd of 113,411 sees a college tilt at Michigan Stadium. D4
PROFOOTBALL
Falcons fly under radar An open, down-to-earth approach guides the NFC leaders. D4
Navy 31,Army17 JOHN MCDONNELL/THE WASHINGTON POST
The Redskins’ return game has been looking up ever since Brandon Banks was signed from the practice squad in October.
REDSKINS VS. BUCS 1 P.M., WTTG-5 Coming up big BY BARRY SVRLUGA O
n the morning of May 17, Brandon Banks awoke uncertain of his future, and not just
infootball.Amotherless sonraisedsolely by his father, hewas the father of his own little girl, not yet four months old. A kid unused
to trouble, he had spent the previous five months staving it off, because police in Manhattan, Kan., had accused himof abusing themother of his daughter. And then that morning, the Washington Redskins
offered him a job, or at least a tryout for one: Wide receiver, kick returner, catalyst. Because 5-foot-7, 145- pound, undrafted wide receivers aren’t expected to make as much as a slight impact, even the most ardent Redskins fans shrugged at the ramifications.ButBanks, 22, understood themall too well. “I could be sitting at home pushing carts or
something,” Banks said. The following night, in a television studio in
Secaucus, N.J., an NBA executive pulled from an envelope a card bearing the logo of the Philadelphia 76ers. Even casual basketball fans understoodwhat this meant: The 76ers had just been awarded the second pick in the upcoming draft, and the Washington Wizards — the only team in the annual draft lottery whose name had not yet been called — were awarded the right to select JohnWall. Instantly, Banks, long-shot receiver, sent Wall,
sure-thing point guard, a text message: We’re both going to be inWashington. “Amazing,” Banks said. “One ofmy best days.” “Having a friend that you grewupwith that reached
his dream the same year you did? In the same city?” Wall said. “It was great for both of us.”
redskins continued onD5 l Snow delays Giants-Vikings till Monday. D2
Still on ‘downswing,’ Capitals come up short
Colorado hands Washington its
fifth straight loss, 3-2 BY KATIE CARRERA
For thefirst timeinfivegames
the Washington Capitals made life difficult for an opposing goaltender, crashing thenet and wreaking havoc in search of de- flections and tips. Despite re- newed dedication to the ugly play often necessary for success, it was the small mistakes that allowedtheColoradoAvalanche tohandWashingtonitsfifthcon- secutive loss. The Capitals took 42 shots on
goal—withanother42attempts that never reached the intended target—including17 inthethird
period, but couldn’t complete the comebackandfell,3-2, tothe Avalanche on Saturday night at Verizon Center.Unlike its previ- ous four defeats, Washington showed resolve as it pushed a Colorado squad in the final out- ing of a five-game road trip and second of back-to-back games for thedurationof regulation. “That looked more like our
team,” said Coach Bruce Bou- dreau, whose Capitals travel to face the New York Rangers on Sunday. “Butwhen things aren’t going well that’s what happens. But it’s on the upswing, it’s not onthedownswing. Ifwehave an effort like that again [Sunday], wemight get rewardedfor it.” For all of their improved play
though, the Capitals made cru- cial mistakes at key times that
capitals continued onD9
Army’s cadets returned toWest Point with a loss after the Black Knights failed to fully exploit fourNavy turnovers.
Sloppy, but sublime
in his own field Redskins’ Banks, like close friend Wall, is proving to be a dynamic game changer
D KK EZ SU
PHOTOS BY JONATHAN NEWTON/THE WASHINGTON POST GeeGee Greene’s touchdown in the fourth quarter sealedNavy’s ninth consecutive defeat of Army, all by a double-digit scoring margin.
Despite turnovers, Mids remain in control in rivalry
BY GENEWANG
philadelphia — The Navy football team extended its un- precedented run of supremacy overArmy on Saturday, getting a decisive 98-yard fumble return for a touchdown from safety Wyatt Middleton and a pair of touchdown throws by quarter- back Ricky Dobbs in a 31-17 victory before 69,223 at Lincoln Financial Field. Despite four Dobbs turn-
overs, the Midshipmen (9-3) won their ninth in a rowagainst their service academy foil, the longest such stretch by either side in series history. It is Navy’s fourth straight
victory overall, and puts the Mids’ senior class in position to become the winningest in school history with a victory against San Diego State in the
6 on
washingtonpost.com
Wyatt Middleton stands front and center for Navy’s
defense, plus additional photos from the game.
washingtonpost.com/colleges
Dec. 23 Poinsettia Bowl. Dobbs finished with 240 total
yards but put his teamin jeopar- dy when he got careless. The first of his three fumbles led to Army’s first touchdown against Navy in 13 quarters and tilted momentum squarely to the Black Knights (6-6), who are bowl eligible for the first time since 1996. Awash in confidence follow-
ing a touchdown on a drive that began at the Navy 23, Army was in position to whittle the lead to three pointswith a first and goal at the 3 late in the second
navy continued onD2 No Heisman, but Dobbs still deserves a salute T
heHeisman Trophy was awarded Saturday night inNewYork, and Ricky
Dobbs wasn’t there. There was a time, after he ended a brilliant 2009 season and before he began the 2010 campaign, that “Dobbs” and “Heisman” were occasionally mentioned in the same sentence, when it seemed possible that theNavy senior could become the first service academy player since Roger Staubach in 1963 to win college football’s most coveted award,
TRACEE HAMILTON
or at least be invited behind the ropes. Instead, Dobbs led the
Midshipmen to a 31-17 victory in his final game against Army on Saturday at Lincoln Financial
Field. Afterward, there was no dash to the airport, no plane waiting to take him toNew York, no limo waiting to rush him to Times Square.He departed Philadelphia the way he arrived—on a bus with his teammates, heading back to Annapolis to begin preparations for the Dec. 23 Poinsettia Bowl. A year ago, the versatile and dynamic option quarterback led Navy to a 10-win season and a victory overMissouri in the Texas Bowl. Dobbs had played
the final six games of the season with a broken kneecap and still managed to set the division I-A single-season record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback (27). Great things were expected from his senior season. But the faintHeisman buzz surrounding Dobbs faded to silence afterNavy’s opener, a 17-14 loss toMaryland. TheMids were stopped on five of seven trips inside the red zone. Dobbs
hamilton continued onD2
Cam Newton wins Heisman Auburn quarterback takes award in a landslide. Page D2
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