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Orange Bowl

Miami’s Geno Smith was named MVP of the Discover Orange Bowl at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens.

Smith, a junior quarterback, was 31 of 42 passing for 401 yards with six touchdowns and no interceptions in leading West Virginia over Clemson 70-33. Smith also gained 26 yards on five carries, scoring on a 7-yard run.

Smith, one of four Miramar High School graduates with the Mountaineers, completed seven passes to his Miramar High School teammates against Clemson. Sophomore receiver Stedman Bailey caught fives passes for 82 yards and a touchdown, and Ivan McCartney, another sophomore receiver from Miramar, had two receptions for 13 yards. Bailey also recorded a solo tackle.

Where one local Smith led the offense, another area Smith anchored the defense. Senior defensive back Eain Smith made 11 solo tackles and one assist (including one for a loss) for a team-high 12 tackles. Eain Smith lives in Miramar, too, but graduated from Chaminade-Madonna School in Hollywood.

Jorge Wright, a junior defensive lineman, recorded a solo tackle. The Miami resident is a Dr. Krop High School grad. Junior defensive back Matt Moro, a Southridge High School graduate, added a solo tackle.

During his youth football days, Geno Smith played on two Orange Bowl Before the Bowl championship teams for the Miami Gardens Chargers of Miami Xtreme. He helped lead Miami Gardens over Pahokee in one final and the AYFL-Coral Springs Chargers in the other, going 30-0 in two Super Bowl seasons.

His uncle attended the Orange Bowl game and said Geno wore No.2 and No.3 for Miami Gardens. He also said Geno previously played youth ball for the North Miami Beach Sun Devils, wearing No.17. A younger Geno is on YouTube competing against the Coral Springs Chargers in an Orange Bowl Before the Bowl.

McCartney competed for the South Florida Youth Football League Super Bowl winning East Miramar Wolverines 160s under coach Kenny, who now coaches on the Miramar High School staff.

Because of his size, Wright had to play up against older kids in youth football. That helped him improve, making varsity four seasons for Krop High School.

Prior, he competed for the Gwen Cherry Bulls and the North Dade Bulldogs. His mom, Ellen Wright, led a large group of local support for Wright at the Orange Bowl Homecoming. The family support also included aunts Jane McQueen and Lillie Anthony, uncles David Anthony and Herman O’Neal, in-laws Robert and Valerie Fletcher, step-son Amare Whetsell and cousin Brian Dukes.

• Miramar High School football coach Damon Cogdell, a former West Virginia football player, attended the Orange Bowl game with his family. He proudly watched his former high school players competing for his alma mater.

The state champion Norland football team watched the action as did players from Hialeah-Miami Lakes. Up-n-coming Chaminade-Madonna football player Reggie Turner, an AYFL-Pembroke Pines Optimist alum, was there, and AYFL-Cooper City Optimist players Steffon Francois, Kory Johnson and Kevin Gonzalez sat in the end zone, lower level. Johnson is a former SFYFL-Northeast Hollywood Eagles player.

• West Virginia and Clemson set or tied nine separate bowl records.

Team touchdowns: West Virginia’s 10 touchdowns tied the record.

Combined points in a half: The 69 points between West Virginia and Clemson at halftime set a record.

Total points: West Virginia’s 70 points broke the record set a week earlier by Baylor in the Alamo Bowl.

Points in a quarter: West Virginia’s 35 points in the second quarter set a record.

Points in a half: West Virginia’s 49 points in the first half set a record. The previous record was 45, held by Colorado at the 1999 Insight.com Bowl and Oklahoma State at the 1988 Holiday Bowl.

Individual passing touchdowns: Geno Smith’s six touchdowns tied Chuck Long’s record in the 1984 Freedom Bowl.

Individual total touchdowns: Smith also rushed for a touchdown, giving him seven overall which tied another record.

Individual total points: Smith’s seven touchdowns scored 42 points, also tying a record.

Individual receiving touchdowns: Tavon Austin’s four touchdown receptions, becoming the fourth player to do so in a bowl game.

• West Virginia receiver Stedman Bailey:

On winning the 2012 Discover Orange Bowl:

“Our offense was clicking on all cylinders. We had forced turnovers on defense that set us up. The guys on defense played great. No matter what happened, the coaches told us to play hard and leave nothing behind and that it what happened.”

On winning in his hometown:

“It was big. I pretty much past by this stadium every day and for us to win in our backyard is amazing.”

On bowl week:

“This week was great. We had a great hotel and all the bowl activates were awesome. To end it with this kind of win capped off a great week.”

On quarterback Geno Smith:

“That is what Geno [Smith] does. I knew he would have a big game and everything went right. We were able to make plays against everything they threw at us. This is a great feeling. That was the best I have seen Geno play with all the records he set. He works so hard and deserves that.”

On the potential of the offense:

“I knew we had this in us, but adversity hit us, but we continued to play no matter what. When we saw the score tonight when we were up by a lot, we were telling each other to pretend like we were down by seven to keep it going. We were able to do that.”

• West Virginia Defensive End Bruce Irvin:

On Geno Smith

“Oh, Geno is a great player. Thing is he is only a junior but the way he played tonight you would think he was graduating. And you know he hasn’t even scratched the surface of what he could be. He’s a good guy on- and off-the-field. A great leader. A lot of great things are going to happen for him.”

• Seven touchdowns (six passing, one rushing) for Geno Smith. Have you ever seen a quarterbacking performance like that against a team of yours?

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney:

“No, no. I mean, he was awesome, played great, and like I said, the skilled player, he caught everything thrown to him. He had 65 percent completion percentage all year. He’s done it all year long. He made some big scrambles on 3rd down, at least three or four times where he really hurt us in that regard. He’s a very good football player. He’s as good as we’ve seen all year, and we knew that coming in, and we didn’t do a good job of disrupting what they were doing in the passing game. And then 1, he was better than us out there tonight.”

• Longtime Orange Bowl mascot Obie inadvertently promoted WWE WrestleMania 28 Miami by proving his toughness during the Discover Orange Bowl at Sun Life Stadium, home of WrestleMania 28.

Obie was clothes-lined by West Virginia’s Darwin Cook (Cleveland) in the back of the end zone on Cook’s 99-yard fumble return. Obie took the hit, recovered quickly and continued posing for photos and waving to fans. An instant star, Obie started getting high-fives from fans throughout Sun Life Stadium who watched the hit on the jumbo-tron, and the clip aired on ESPN as well as local and regional sports television and blanketed social media.

The 5-8, 175-pound Obie is the official mascot of the Orange Bowl Committee. He is arguably the oldest mascot in South Florida, originating at the inception of the prestigious Orange Bowl game.

Obie made his debut on January 1, 1935 during the first Orange Bowl game which featured Bucknell and Miami.

Universal Gymnastics

Universal Gymnastics of Miami did very well at the Cancun Classic, an international event in Mexico. Universal competed against teams from Canada, Japan, Mexico and the United States.

Kiara Bravo (Level 4) 1st all around with 37.65; Kayla Calveiro (Level 4) 3rd all around with 35.575; Marilyn Moreno (Level 8) 2nd all around with 36.725; Melody Quilez (Level 8) 3rd all around with 36.20.

Other universal team members who also competed include Michele Lema (Level 7); Stephanie Abrahams (Level 9); Michelle Espinosa (Level 9); Montserrat Armenteros (Level 10/Elite); Gabrielle Forero (Level 10/Elite); Marina Gatinho (Level 10/Elite); Nicole Mandrini (Level 10/Elite).

The coaches are Billy Abrehu, Jeanne Barrera, Juan Carlos Corona and Maria Gonzalez.

Highland Oaks Track

The Highland Oaks Middle School boys’ junior varsity track team started the season with an historic performance at Ferguson High School. The boys finished second of seven teams to earn a runner-up trophy, the first track trophy for a boys’ team at Highland.

Jamir Ferguson was awarded a trophy for being selected the meet’s outstanding boys’ performer. He won the 400-meter dash and the 800 and 1600-meter runs. Malik Watson and Derrick Spicer were second and third in the 800, completing a one-two-three sweep for H.O.M. Michael Katz finished first in the discus, and the boys 4x100 meter relay (Anthony Flores, Deven Saunders, Jordan Anderson, Joshua Balcon) won.

Other outstanding performances to earn medals for placing in the top three were Balcon (third in the 100-meter dash), Flores (third in high jump and 400), the 4x800 relay team (Spicer, Katz, Anderson, Watson) third, Levensky Laguerre (second in discus), Spicer (third in 1600) and 4x400 relay (Flores, Saunders, Anderson, Watson) second.

The girls’ team had a solid performance, taking third of nine teams. Vantae Williams remained undefeated since last season in the discus. She also won the shot put. The girls’ 4x100 relay team (Coreena Saintilmond, Mya Nichols, Maryann Jadotte, Shakalah Thompson) and 4x400 relay team (Saintilmond, Katherine Elizabeth, Nichols, Thompson) each finished second.

Miami Country Day Volleyball

The Miami Country Day School girls’ junior varsity volleyball team started the season off fast and motivated and improved every match. Though young and inexperienced, the girls developed with positive attitudes.

Sophomore setter Kristina Leiter , who led the team in aces (42) and assists (94) and freshman setter Madison Bolton, who had 37 aces and 76 assists, were the team captains. Freshmen Mariana Marulanda and Adriana Vivas led the team in kills and digs.

Vivas accumulated 49 kills, 98 digs and 16 aces. Marulanda had 43 kills, 85 digs and 29 aces. A major piece to the team’s success was middle blocker Madison Pathman, a sophomore. The most improved player was Stella Strharova who will help lead the team in 2013.

Athletes of the Week

Miami Country Day School: Middle School Female Athlete of the Week: Jade Iadarola (Basketball) combined for six points, 15 rebounds and seven steals in games against Gulliver and Cushman.

Middle School Male Athlete of the Week: Tristan Escalante (Basketball) combined for 31 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in four games for the Spartans.

Upper School Female Athlete of the Week: Onika Swaby (Basketball) combined for 44 points and 17 rebounds in wins against Florida Christian and Hillel.

Upper School Male Athlete of the Week: Brandon Colongo (Basketball) combined for 78 points, 12 rebounds and 10 steals in wins against Coral Shores, Palmer-Trinity and Hillel.

Spartan Super Fan: David Butter.

Miami Sharks Basketball

The Miami Sharks defeated the Tampa Bay Heat Club 70-53 to win the USSSA Tampa Holiday Hoops Invitational in the 14U-Grade8 Division.

The champs are Tournament MVP Gio Pinto, All Tournament Team LA Mejer, All Tournament Team Steven Marin, Nico Prendes, Christian Barrenechea, Armand del Castillo, Ryan Ramirez, Jose Mas, Lynden Simmons, Derek Gonzalez, Chris Garcia, Ishmael Davis and Daniel Romeu. The head coach is Jose Mas, and the coaches are Lorenzo Barrenechea, Steven Marin and Luis Mejer.

Westwood Christian Basketball

Westwood Christian High School recently named junior Armond Shoon its Player of the Month.

Shoon has a 3.7 GPA, maintaining a Christ-like attitude in the classroom and on the court. The team’s leading scorer (23 PPG), he guided the state-ranked basketball team to an impressive 12-3 mark.

American Prep Basketball

American Prep boys’ varsity basketball player Antoney Allen has played 19 games, scoring 287 points (15.1 PPG) and totaling 68 steals 68 (3.5 SPG).

In 17 games, Chris Sawyer scored 216 points (12.7 PPG) with 95 assists (5.58 APG) and 73 steals (4.2 SPG). Malachi Lindsay grabbed 206 rebounds in 19 games (10.8 RPG), and Charles Cervero recorded 170 rebounds in 19 games (9 RPG) and 45 steals (2.3 SPG).

Tamiami Basketball

Tamiami Youth Basketball offers registration for its spring league. The season will start in April and end in June.

The cost per player is $150 for the first child and $140 for the second. The cost includes uniform, 10 games, team photo and playoffs. There are divisions available for boys and girls age 7-16. E-mail tamiamibasketball@gmail.com. Visit tamiamibasketball.com.

South Miami Basketball

The South Miami Spring Youth Basketball League begins the week of March 26. Cost is $225 per player. Receive a $40 discount if paid by Feb. 12.

Divisions: U5, U7, U9, U11, U13, U15.

The league also seeks coaches, and adult basketball leagues are available.

Contact Andre Daniels 786-205-5198 or Eddie Vidal 305-439-9240, eddie_vidal@yahoo.com.

Orange Bowl Lacrosse

The Orange Bowl, in conjunction with Sun Life Stadium, will host the Orange Bowl Lacrosse Classic on Saturday, March 3.

Six South Florida high school teams will compete in the one-day, three-game Classic hosted by the Orange Bowl and Sun Life Stadium. The day kicks off with a youth lacrosse clinic at 9 a.m. with three games to follow.

Tickets to the Orange Bowl Lacrosse Classic are general admission, starting at $20, which includes all games throughout the day. For every ticket sold through the team players and their school, $5 will be donated to their respective athletic departments.

Tickets are on sale at Ticketmaster.com and the Sun Life Stadium Box Office. For ticket information visit ticketmaster.com or contact the Orange Bowl ticket sales office at 305-341-4701 or visit orangebowl.org.

The Gulliver Prep Raiders, led by Coach Jim Piggot, will battle the Ransom Everglades Raiders, led by Coach Roy Kelly. The Jupiter High School Warriors will face the Pine Crest Panthers. The Panthers finished 12-4 last season, and Jupiter was 11-4.

Led by head coach RJ Dawson, the (Boca Raton) St. Andrew’s School Scots will play the (North Palm Beach) Benjamin School Buccaneers. Legendary lacrosse star Casey Powell is in his second season as the Director of Lacrosse at St. Andrew’s. The Buccaneers are led by head coach Riordan Cheatham and finished last season with a perfect record.

The first Orange Bowl Lacrosse Classic builds on the Orange Bowl Committee’s tradition of supporting youth and collegiate sports in South Florida.

For 13 years, the Orange Bowl has supported the Orange Bowl Youth Football Alliance, presented by Sports Authority, which serves more than 16,000 young football players and cheerleaders in nine youth football leagues spread out across South Florida, from Lake Okeechobee to Key West.

Since 1999, the Orange Bowl has invested approximately $4.5 million in youth sports in South Florida. In addition to its continued support of youth football, the Orange Bowl directly supports locally-based festivals and events, including those that provide participatory opportunities to youth from all over the world, such as the Orange Bowl Sailing Regatta Series, the Orange Bowl International Tennis Championships, the Orange Bowl Swim Classic, the Orange Bowl Paddle Championships and the Junior Orange Bowl.

For 78 years, the Orange Bowl has been one of South Florida’s leading civic organizations, driving tourism and economic development, while promoting and serving the South Florida community. Inspiring thousands of student athletes every year, the Orange Bowl’s activities help foster youth confidence, celebrate student achievement, engage the community and enhance the South Florida economy.

Fundraiser tournament with Heat’s Jones

Teaming again with James Jones of the Miami Heat, the third KQ Cares Charity Youth Basketball Tournament is March 17 at The Broward College Central Campus Gymnasium in Davie.

They will have T-shirts and certificates for each child. There will be raffles, giveaways and guest speakers, encouraging attendees to support the homeless cause and the organizations and sponsors who help KQ continue to help others.

KQ Cares is an approved 501c3, nonprofit organization dedicated to helping the homeless and less fortunate of South Florida.

At just 7-years-old, Kymani Quarrie decided to help the homeless after seeing a group of them sleeping on the streets in Miami. When his mom, Tania, contacted several organizations and shelters for the homeless, they said he was too young to help.

In January 2010, Kymani and Tania began KQ Cares.

Two years later, at age 9, Kymani’s commitment is unwavering. They’ve helped provide more than 2,000 meals to homeless men, women and children. They’ve provided hygiene products and daily essentials that are sometimes taken for granted. During the 2010 holiday season, they also helped give gifts and toys to more than 400 less fortunate children. In the 2011 holiday season, they collected 100s of lip balms to help put smiles on the faces of men, women and children.

And they want to do more, making a difference in the lives of many who feel they are forgotten.

Their first fundraising effort was a Youth Basketball Tournament. They had more than 75 children participate with more than 150 spectators. In 2011, those numbers increased, and they anticipate an upward trend.

“Our kids were so excited to be able to do what they love — playing basketball — while knowing they were helping to raise money to feed the homeless,” Tania said in an email.

Visit kqcares.com.

Walk For Wishes 5K

The Walk For Wishes 5K Walk/Run will be in South Florida in February. Show support by joining a team, participating as an individual or making a donation. Help make wishes come true for children who have life-threatening medical conditions because 100 percent of the proceeds benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida.

Local schedule: Feb. 4 at Markham Park in Sunrise and Feb. 18 at Tropical Park in Miami. Adults $25. Children $10. Register online at walkforwishes.net.

Ironman 70.3

The 2012 Ironman 70.3 Miami is Oct. 28, starting at Bayfront Park in Downtown Miami. Registration is underway. http://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1995048.

SOUTH FLORIDA EAGLES BASEBALL

The South Florida Eagles 13-and-under travel baseball team seeks dedicated, experienced travel team players with supportive parents.

The team will play in the Premier Spring League as well as numerous tournaments including the Cal Ripken Experience in June. For information or for an individual tryout, contact Coach Gonzalo Moralesat at 305-753-9065 or gonmorales87@comcast.net.

JAI-ALAI

Jai-alai is open to anyone, age 10 to 80.

With a rubber ball and cestas, the amateur jai-alai facility is at 1935 NE 150th St. in North Miami, near FIU’s north campus.

It is indoors, air-conditioned and open to all. Contact Luis at 305-389-2313 or Bob at 786-556-3574.

MORE JAI-ALAI

Who said you have to be a male to play Jai Alai? Just as many females play the sport in Spain, France and Mexico, and gals can play it in South Florida at an amateur indoor air-conditioned fronton.

There are also leagues for males and children. Rubber or plastic balls used with free lessons by former pros. Cestas and balls also provided free with a nominal court fee.

Open everyday. Email admanUSA@aol.com or call Brucio 786-629-5428. The American Amateur Jai-Alai Academy is a not-for-profit organization.

TENNIS

Tennis classes and programs for all ages are at the Penny Sugarman Tennis Center at Sans Souci, 1795 Sans Souci Blvd., North Miami.

Call for information on group lessons, annual passes, court rates and private lessons. Tennis pro is Ross Dubins. Call 305-893-7130.

REBELLE VOLLEYBALL

Rebelle Athletics Club offers girls’ volleyball tryouts at Archbishop Curley Notre Dame High School, 4949 NE 2nd Ave.

The volleyball club, a member of the United States Volleyball Association, is under the direction of Mandi Tate, Dee Rey and former Barry University player Kelly Dantas. They are former coaches with South Florida Volleyball Club and currently coach at Alonzo & Tracy Mourning Senior High School in Biscayne Bay.

Rebelle Athletics is dedicated to providing developmental and participatory athletic sports programs beginning at the youth development level. It offers a progression of sports activities for persons of all ages, races and creeds. It strives to enhance the physical, mental and moral development of amateur athletes at all levels, promoting sportsmanship and active citizenship.

Visit rebelleathletics.com.

GOT MILK

The National Milk Mustache “got milk?” campaign recently launched the call for entries for the 15th annual Scholar Athlete Milk Mustache of the Year (SAMMY) Awards.

The SAMMY scholarship recognizes 25 student-athletes who excel in academics, athletics, community service, leadership and who fuel their daily success with milk.

Milk Mustache celebrity judges will help select 25 winners from across the country who will receive a $7,500 college scholarship, an awards ceremony at Walt Disney World and an opportunity to appear in their own special Milk Mustache ad.

For complete contest rules and applications log onto facebook.com/MilkMustache where visitors can also learn more about the exclusive SAMMY awards weekend and view behind the scenes footage.

MVP OF THE WEEK

Dick’s Sporting Goods MVP of the Week program is a promotion that recognizes amateur athletes for moments of greatness on the playing field and in the arena.

Fans can vote online each week to determine the top amateur sports moment with the wining video being rewarded $500 in Dick’s Sporting Goods gift cards — $250 to the individual who submitted the winning entry and $250 to the featured players’ choice of qualified school, team or athletic organization.

The entry process:

Go to www.DicksMVP.com.

Upload your compelling sports videos.

Encourage friends, family and the local community to vote for your video.

SOCCER

South Kendall Sun Blazers (sksoccer.org) at Kendall Indian Hammocks Park, 11395 SW 79 St. (305-630-3314).

Miami Dade Soccer League (miami-dadesoccer.com) at Three Lakes Park, 13375 SW 136 St. (786-488-5216).

Soccer 5 (ussoccer5.com) at Kendall Soccer Park, 8011 SW 127 Ave. (1-888-575-2976).

Club Atletico De Miami (camsoccer.com) at Kendall Soccer Park, 8011 SW 127 Ave. (305-764-5783).

Soccer Academy of the Americas (socceraa.com) at Tamiami Park, 11201 SW 24 St. (786-486-3804)

Pinecrest Premier Soccer (pinecrestpremier.com) at Deerwood Bonita Lakes, 11511 S. Dixie Hwy. (305-255-3422).

Optimist Club of Westchester (tropicalsoccer.org) at Tropical Park, 7900 SW 40 St. (786-370-4222).

Coral Estates Soccer Club (coralestatessoccer.org) at Coral Estates Park, 1411 SW 97 Ave. (305-279-2328)

South Kendall Soccer Club (sksoccer.org) at Kendall Indian Hammocks Park, 11395 SW 79 St. (305-630-3314).

Southern Soccer Coalition-AYSO (kendallsoccer.com) at Millers Pond Park, 13350 SW 47 St. and Westwind Lakes Park, 6805 SW 152 Ave. (305-965-0083).

CB SPORTS LEAGUES

CB Sports Club offers Youth Basketball, Flag Football, Youth Soccer, Adult Soccer and Adult Basketball. Visit cbsportsclub.com. Call 786-273-5639.

PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED

Miami-Dade Parks welcomes children with disabilities in its youth leagues. If you need accommodations to participate, call 305-735-7847 (V/TDD).