Leading off today: I'll start off with some basketball stuff that I had promised for Monday but got pushed back a day by other news on Monday.
College choices: St. Raymond's point guard Isaiah Washington, a ninth-team all-state selection in boys Class AA basketball last winter, tweeted on Sunday that he will accept a scholarship to attend the University of Minnesota next fall.
He visited the university over the weekend and picked the Gophers over multiple suitors including finalists Seton Hall and Texas A&M.
In girls basketball, Tori Harris has opted for James Madison University. Harris, an honorable mention all-state selection as a Half Hollow Hills West junior, is the sister of NBA player Tobias Harris.
"Tori thought all the coaches really wanted her to be a big part of their winning culture," Torrel Harris said of his daughter. "She spent time with her future teammates and felt welcomed by this group of girls. Overall it was just the right fit."
When she enrolls, she will be the sixth sibling in her family to land a Division I basketball scholarship.
Latest departures: I'm tempted to say that perhaps the number of basketball players with remaining eligibility leaving for out-of-state opportunities is no higher than usual but the difference is that we're seeing more reporting. Deep down, however, it think it really is a growing issue that affects the depth of top-tier talent across New York.
In the past few days, nychoops.net has added these developments to the lengthy list that we've been noting all spring and summer:
• Mike Wynn, who averaged 19.6 points as a 6-foot-6 junior at Albany CBA, has transferred to Liberty Heights Athletic Institute in Charlotte, N.C., where he has reclassified as a class of 2018 prospect. Wynn already held offers from the likes of Siena and Florida Atlantic but is looking to move up a few rungs on the recruiting spectrum.
• St. Benedict's in New Jersey has landed 6-foot-7 Precious Achiuwa from Our Saviour Lutheran. Achiuwa is regarded as one of the nation's best sophomore prospects, and his brother plays at St. John's.
• Maceo Jack, who graduated from Williamsville North in June, will prep this year at St. Thomas More in Connecticut. The 6-5 Jack, who averaged 23.2 points, was a fourth-team all-state pick in Class AA last winter. He said Manhattan, Wagner and Central Connecticut State have all offered already and other schools could enter the picture.
Monday football: Pembroke defeated Oakfield-Alabama/Elba 35-21 in the completion of a game suspended over the weekend. Zach Von Kramer scored all five of the winners' touchdowns, one receiving and four rushing. He finished with 302 yards on 32 carries and Dakota Dieter went 5-for-5 on extra point attempts.
Rankings status: The first sets of boys soccer and girls cross country state rankings went up on our site Monday.
The first football rankings of the season are being coded up today and will be announced at noon on Wednesday.
We're still working to get girls soccer and boys cross country up and running. Those rankings will start shortly.
The travails of travel: Greg Brownell of The Post Star had one of those days Monday while making the rounds of girls soccer games. If you've been a reporter for more than three months, you've already had several of these days in your career.
"I had almost an hour to drive from Fort Ann to Schuylerville, so I figured I could stop and eat along the way," Brownell wrote. "Pulling out of the parking lot I got a
