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BY STEVE DeSHAZO
They haven't gotten as much national attention as TCU or Boise State, but the Temple Owls are quietly enjoying a football renaissance. And James Monroe High School graduate Delano Green is playing a big role.
Green scored two touchdowns Saturday as the Owls routed visiting Kent State 47-13. If Temple (9-2, 7-0 Mid-American Conference) wins at Ohio University (8-3, 6-1) Friday, the Owls will clinch their first appearance in the MAC title game, Dec. 4 at Detroit's Ford Field.
They've already made a strong bid for their first bowl appearance in 30 years. Not bad for a school that was run out of the Big East after going 0-11 in 2005.
Temple hired former Virginia assistant Al Golden the next season and joined the MAC. Green was a member of Golden's first recruiting class and contributed mainly on special teams for his first two seasons.
But he returned a punt 66 yards for a touchdown against Akron two weeks ago and added a 52-yarder for a score against Kent State. Green also scored on a 50-yard reverse and caught a 34-yard pass.
He became the first Owl ever to return punts for scores in consecutive games and equaled a school record with two in one season. Yesterday, he was was named National Punt Returner of the Week by the College Football Performance Awards, and he ranks 18th in the nation with a 12.7-yard return average.
MORE FOOTBALL
Florida junior cornerback Joe Haden, a former Spotsylvania County resident, is a finalist for the Thorpe Award, given to the nation's top defensive back. The other finalists are Tennessee's Eric Berry and Texas' Earl Thomas.
Virginia-Wise senior receiver Jason Lovett (Massaponax) was named to the all-Mid-South Conference East Division first team for the third straight year. Lovett caught 54 passes for 984 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2009 and set the school record for TD catches (45) in three seasons.
William & Mary senior kicker Brian Pate (Massaponax) was named to the all-Colonial Athletic Association second team yesterday. Entering Saturday's playoff game with Weber State, Pate's 19 field goals are two shy of Steve Christie's school single-season record.
FIELD HOCKEY
She didn't win a national championship last weekend, but Virginia senior Lauren Elstein (Stafford) was honored as the Division I field hockey recipient of the NCAA's Elite 88 Award.
The award is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average at the site of a national championship competition. The Cavaliers reached the NCAA semifinals before losing to eventual national champion North Carolina.
SOCCER
Liberty University senior defender Chris Mandell (Fredericksburg Christian School) was named to the all-Big South men's first team. Besides his defensive duties, Mandall had two assists and helped the Flames (12-5-3) reach the conference tournament final.
Brown sophomore midfielder Rob Medairos (Colonial Forge) was named honorable mention all-Ivy League.
VOLLEYBALL
Despite missing the season's final six matches with an illness, Stetson freshman setter Kelli Carneal (Chancellor) was named to the 2009 Atlantic Sun Conference all-freshman team. She led the Hatters in assists (372), service aces (21) and attack percentage (.284 ) and ranked second in digs (151) and kills (112).
Despite five kills from freshman Karina Monroe (Courtland) and four from sophomore Tori Lewis (Colonial Forge), Chowan lost to California (Pa.) in the regional round of the NCAA Division II playoffs. The Hawks finished 29-9.
Steve DeShazo: 540/374-5443
Email: sdeshazo@freelancestar.com
