As 2012 dawns, the changing of the calendar offers a lot of Top of Utah basketball teams the chance to regroup for the upcoming league seasons.
While Region 11 jumped into league play in December, the rest of the area leagues used the pre-league scheduled to develop their game plan.
This week's action includes a bevy of traditional matchups, formerly region games now relegated to preseason battles for "bragging rights."
A couple of matchups include Davis at Viewmon at Weber at Box Elder on Friday in a pair of regional rivalry games.
Most teams will begin region play next week.
Busy swimming, wrestling weekend
Hoping their athletes didn't spend too much time at the holiday buffets, Top of Utah swimming and wrestling coaches put their athletes back in action with dual competitions during the week, followed by some big weekend invitationals.
The Ogden High Invitational swimming competition, set to begin Saturday at 8 a.m., will draw top regional competition.
On the mats, a handful of tournaments will keep the state's wrestlers busy. Locally, the Bear River Invitational and Bobcat Brawl at Sky View will boast strong fields. Other Friday-Saturday events include Highland Duals, Jaguar Classic at West Jordan and Best of the West tourney at Tooele.
The Utah High School All-Star Classic will be staged next Monday at Utah Valley University's UCCU Center.
More information on the local All-Star Classic competitors will be released later in the week.
Hockey play on the ice
Murray tops the Utah High School Hockey North Division standings with 16 points, but Judge Memorial, Viewmont and Skyline are right behind the Spartans.
Northridge sits fifth in the standings, with Weber County Independent sixth, Davis County seventh, Cache Valley eighth, Davis High ninth, Sky View 11th and Northern Utah Independent 12th.
Action continues into March.
Cap on merit aid for athletes upheld
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- A federal appeals court has upheld a ruling in Kentucky allowing a limit on merit-based scholarships for high school athletes at private schools.
The U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the claims of parents of four Louisville private school students who sued over the issue in 2009.
The parents want the case appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, their attorney Teddy Gordon told The Courier-Journal.
The parents argued the rules force students to choose between participating in sports and getting tuition assistance they would otherwise be entitled to. The schools did not sue.
The appeals said Dec. 21 that the claims lacked merit and upheld a ruling by the U.S. District Court for Kentucky.
The rules prohibit students who want to compete in athletics from getting more than 25 percent of their tuition costs covered by merit-based scholarships. They also prohibit students from receiving funding from sources outside of the school's "custody and control." There is no cap on need-based financial aid.
Pelaez-Mailoto earns second honor
Southern Utah University junior Analaine Pelaez-Mailoto was named to the COBRA Magazine all-West Region team at the beginning of the month and has now been recognized by the publication a second time with third-team all-national team honors.
Pelaez-Mailoto, a former Fremont High standout, led the Thunderbird attack in 2011 with a team-best 515 kills, averaging 4.15 per set. She was also tops on the team with 375 digs and 31 service aces.
COBRA magazine's purpose is to celebrate the success of volleyball players of African as well as Samoan and Tongan descent in hopes of encouraging young girls of those ethnic groups across the country to pursue the sport.
To contribute to Prep Insider Notes, call 801-625-4261 or 801-625-4264 or send information to prepsports@standard.net
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