Players who stood out:

White Station junior QB Jeff Link (11-of-18 for 253 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions in 38-12 win over Briarcrest).

White Station senior WR Trey Rich (3 receptions, 101 yards, 3 TDs).

White Station senior LB Chris Marve (team-high 7.5 tackles) and freshman LB Fred Harvey (7 tackles).

Briarcrest junior WR Chris McDaniel (3 recpetions, 63 yards, 1 TD).

Briarcrest senior LB Tripp McCrary (team-high 9 tackles).

Christian Brothers senior QB John Michael Skinner (9-of-15, 197 yards, 1 TD, no interceptions, 1 rushing TD in CBHS’ 33-9 win over Bolton).

CBHS LB/TE Chris Walker (team-high 5 tackles, 44-yard TD reception).

CBHS junior WR Drew Martinez (four receptions, 121 yards).

CBHS freshman RB Eric Watson (52 yards on 16 carries, 2 TDs).

Bolton junior LB Tony Lee (team-high 8 tackles).

Memphis University School senior LB John Stokes (4.5 tackles, 1 sack).

MUS senior RB Chase Moore (52 yards on nine carries).

Melrose sophomore QB Tromarcus Toney (15-of-21 for 161 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 10 rushing yards).

Melrose junior WR/KR Justin Holloway (6 receptions for 82 yards, 4 KO returns for 149 yards).

As far as the games themselves, everything pretty much went according to form, with White Station and CBHS (ranked No. 3 in The Commercial Appeal’s Dandy Dozen) winning in blowout fashion.

No. 1 MUS, meanwhile, got a gutsy performance from Park, who despite struggling through an 8-of-18, 69-yard passing effort against No. 2 Melrose, scored twice on 1-yard sneaks, including the game-winner with 3:02 left.

On the Melrose side, Toney looked poised in place of senior QB Courtney Madison, and may have displaced him permanately.

MUS’ Stokes was everywhere on defense, exhibiting speed quite frankly I didn’t know he had at 6-5, 225. On Saturday, I thought Stokes was every bit as good as Walker. Both easily top the list of the area’s highest-rated prospects.

1. It’s nothing I hadn’t seen before – Shane Battier taking a charge from one of the largest human beings on the planet.

It happened in Team USA’s win over China on Sunday night. Battier stood in the path of China center and new Houston Rockets teammate Yao Ming, after Yao picked up a loose ball at midcourt and figured he’d run over the only defender between he and the goal – Battier.

I remember when Battier once took a charge from then-Lakers’ center Shaquiille O’Neal. Shaq got the ball near the top of the guy and drove to the basket. Defenders were jumping out of the way like they were at the running of the bulls.

All except Battier. He held his ground, Shaq planted him and Battier slid to just about to the first row of seats under the basket. The most amazing thing was the officials actually whistled Shaq for the charge.

I remember turning to Griz beat writer Ron Tillery and saying, “That’s the most gutty thing I’ve ever seen.”
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