Holly Springs senior NaTiece Ford is ranked among the nation's top high school girls basketball players by ESPN's Hoop Gurlz recruiting rankings.

Ford, who averaged about 11 points last season for the Golden Hawks but blew up this summer on the AAU circuit, is committed to Clemson. She is ranked 47th overall in the top-100 ranking.

The six-foot-two forward is ranked sixth among the nation's post players and second among players from North Carolina. Only Matthews' Butler High senior Cierra Burdick (#3) is ranked higher.

HOLLY SPRINGS- Middle Creek quarterback Garrett Leatham scored the game-winning touchdown on a one-yard run with 52.2 seconds left to propel the Mustangs to a 28-21 win over Holly Springs in the first Tri-Nine conference game for both teams.

Tonight's schedule: South Johnston at Clayton; Apex at Leesville; Athens Drive at Broughton; Wilson Hunt at Holly Springs;

East Chapel Hill 20, Northwood 18: http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/08/20/638609/northwood-at-east-chapel-hill.html

Triton 26, Smithfield-Selma 7: http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/08/20/638622/triton-26-sss-7-082010.html

Cary 53, Broughton 26: http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/08/20/638674/cary-53-broughton-20-082010.html

Millbrook 3, Garner 0: http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/08/20/638714/millbrook-3-garner-0-082010.html

Holly Springs 28, SE Raleigh 27: http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/08/21/638769/se-raleigh-holly-springs-082010.html

Wakefield 20, Green Hope 6: http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/08/21/638790/wakefield-20-green-hope-6-082110.html

Fuquay-Varina 40, Knightdale 7: http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/08/21/638807/fuquay-varina-40-knightdale-7.html

Clayton 33, Cardinal Gibbons 13: http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/08/21/638975/clayton-33-cardinal-gibbons-13.html

Holly Springs Golden Hawks

Last year: 7-6 (6-2) Lost 24-0 in first round of the NCHSAA playoffs at new

All-Conference players graduated: RB J.J. Graves (1st team), DE Tremayne Dennis (1st team), DB Xavier Bailey (1st team), LB Nolan Volk (2nd team)

All-Conference players returning: OL Sean Lucious (1st team)

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After a successful summer with key wins at the Millbrook Jamboree, Mount Olive Jamboree and ECU team camp, Holly Springs' first-year girls basketball coach Tierre Ramsey said he's pleased by what he's seen so far.

The Wake County school system is trumpeting changes that have tripled the number of schools in Newsweek's latest list of the top U.S. public high schools.

Back in June, only four district schools made Newsweek's list. But following complaints from Wake, Newsweek recalculated the data and 12 schools are now on the list of 1,735 schools.

“We have great schools in Wake County, and we want to make sure they get the credit they deserve,” said David Holdzkom, Wake's assistant superintendent for evaluation and research, in a district press release today. Our teachers, administrators and principals have worked hard for these results.”

Justin Manning, rising senior, Holly Springs baseball

If it seems like it wasn't all that long ago that Justin Manning's name was on this blog as having just one scholarship offer, that's because not that long ago Justin Manning's name was on this blog as having just one scholarship offer.

That's since changed. And now Manning has committed to UNC-Wilmington for baseball.

The catcher/pitcher from Holly Springs competed in this past year's USA Baseball Tournament of Stars as an alternate and made the best of it.

He was offered last week by the Seahawks coaches and committed on Tuesday.

Manning is the third Holly Springs player to have committed to a college. Classmates Carlos Rodon (N.C. State) and Kyle Byrd (UNC-Asheville) have also pulled the trigger on where they wish to play in college.

Holly Springs has named Tierre Ramsey as its girls basketball coach.

Holly Springs has named Tierre Ramsey as its girls basketball coach.