Leading off today: About 650 residents and parents packed Wilson Central High School last night to hear school district officials report on the alleged hazing incident involving the school's baseball team.

   Many residents expressed support for two teachers/coaches charged in the case, The Buffalo News reported. Others criticized the media coverage.

   The alleged incident occurred on the baseball team bus as players returned from two games in Niagara Falls on April 17. Three members of the team were charged last Friday with sexually abusing at least two JV players. On Tuesday, coaches Thomas J. Baia and William M. Atlas were charged with endangering the welfare of a child as part of the ongoing investigation.

   The two-hour meeting allowed audience members to ask questions and make statements. Only a few of those who spoke expressed concern for the alleged victims of what police have called sexual abuse, the paper reported. Former players, teachers and parents of former and current players praised Baia and Atlas.

   One batter, 13 RBI: Maple Hill junior outfielder Nick Papas rocked Greenville with three home runs, including two grand slams, and drove in 13 runs as the Wildcats recorded a 30-3 victory yesterday. He finished the game 5-for-7.

   Papas hit a three-run homer in the first inning and grand slams in the third and fifth. He has seven home runs and 36 RBI in 14 games this spring.

   Rules revisions: High school rebounders on free-throw attempts will line up three feet farther from the basket starting next basketball season, The Times Herald-Record reported. The National Federation of State High School Associations approved a rule change vacating the two marked lane spaces closest to the basket in an effort to reduce rough play following missed free throws.

   The change was tested last season by the Georgia High School Association.

   "According to data from the experiment, the number of fouls during free-throw rebounding action was reduced," NFHS assistant director Mary Struckhoff said Thursday. "At the same time, defensive rebounding percentages fell within an acceptable range."

   A proposal to use instant replay to review certain situations in state tournaments was defeated as the committee showed minimal support for the concept.

   Reprieve for L.I. school: Bridgehampton will keep its high school for at least two more years following a school board decision on Monday against a petition that called for phasing out the school beginning next fall by sending ninth-graders to other districts.

   Board member Joseph Berhalter's proposal called for sending high school students from Bridgehampton, a long-time boys basketball power, to East Hampton, Sag Harbor and Southampton. Because of low enrollment, many classes at Bridgehampton contain 10 or fewer students.

   Hobart does a 180: Hobart College annouced an astonishing reversal this afternoon, saying it will keep its lacrosse program in Division I just five days after announcing it was dropping back to Division III, the Democrat and Chronicle reported.

   The Board of Trustees voted Thursday night to keep the Statesmen at Division I, where they have played since 1995. They cited an outpouring of negative feedback this week.

   “The engagement of our alums was impressive,’’ Hobart president Mark D. Gearan said in a statement.

   Board chair David Deming sent e-mails to alumni, faculty, staff and students announcing the reprieve.

   'Newsday' reports on turf: Newsday reports at least 60 artificial-turf playing fields have been installed since 2001 on Long Island, many of them at high schools.

   The information was part of a story following up on a DEC study approved in November that will help assess whether the tire crumbs used as a base beneath the fields leach harmful chemicals into groundwater or release them into the air.

   Scrutiny of artificial turf increased earlier this month, with news of high lead levels in older AstroTurf fields at Cicero-North Syracuse and in New Jersey, none of which contain crumb rubber.

   Here's a new one: I though I'd heard of every imaginable fund-raising idea for high school sports programs. And then someone at Lockport decided to think outside the boxspring to come up with a new one.

   Lockport football supporters can buy new mattresses at wholesale prices tomorrow at the high school, The Niagara Gazette reported.

   Football coach Greg Bronson said he learned about the unique program from Frontier coach Richard Gray, whose neighbor Tom McNamarra started Custom Fundraising Solutions two years ago. CFS tried the promotion last year in Cleveland.

   Release the hounds: McQuaid Invitational organizers have announced that their 44th annual cross country meet next fall, which will attract 5,000 competitors from the United States and Canada, will have computerized entries and results for the first time. Leone Timing will handle the duties at the meet Sept. 27.

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