Leading off today: All-state forward Javon McCrea has made an oral commitment to play at Georgetown after he graduates from Newark next spring — maybe — the Democrat and Chronicle reported this afternoon.

   Shannon Nash, McCrea’s mother, told the paper McCrea gave a non-binding commitment to play for the Big East school last month. However, former state player of the year and Syracuse University star John Wallace, who is advising McCrea, told the paper that there has been no commitment yet.

   The 6-foot-6 McCrea, a fifth-team Class A all-stater, averaged 20 points and 15 rebounds as a junior. Pittsburgh and UNLV have also been heavily recruiting McCrea.

   St. A's lineman picks Syracuse: St. Anthony's lineman Rob Welsh says he will sign a letter of intent with Syracuse University next February, The Post-Standard reported.

   The 6-foot-2½, 260-pound defensive lineman said his other offers were from Hofstra and New Hampshire, though he was also recruited by Penn State, Boston College, Maryland, Rutgers and Pittsburgh.

   Coaches reinstated: The Wilson Central school board reinstated two teachers who were suspended with pay since shortly after being accused of ignoring an alleged hazing incident involving baseball players in April 2008, WGRZ-TV reported.

   Acting on the recommendation of Superintendent Michael Wendt, the board voted unanimously to reinstate baseball coaches Thomas Baia and William Atlas. The two had been charged with endangering the welfare of children until the charges were dismissed last week.

   Cross-sectional cooperation: St. Johnsville from Section 2 and nearby Oppenheim-Ephratah of Section 3 will field combined squads in several sports next school year, beginning with soccer.

   The Daily Gazette reported the boys will be coached by Travis Heiser and the girls by Zale Benton. The boys will play home games at O-E and wear St. Johnsville uniforms. The girls will play home games at St. Johnsville, wearing O-E uniforms.

   The schools also intend to combine baseball and softball at all levels as well as modified boys and girls basketball.

   Senseless and expensive: Vandals who burned a giant dollar sign onto the synthetic turf field at East Hampton on

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July 5 may have done as much as $100,000 in damage in an ironic protest, The East Hampton Press reported.

   A five-page, typed letter left on the field assailed the school board’s spending. Although insurance will cover most of the cost of repairs, there is a $10,000 deductible that the district will have to pay.

   "It saddens me that people would take something this beautiful and hard earned and destroy it,” AD Joe Vasile-Cozzo told the paper. "You’re hurting the kids and the community. This is something we were all proud of and now we have to sit there and repair it. I don’t know what the reason for this is."

   A strip of turf covering approximately 2,000 square feet will have to be replaced, and adjacent embroidered field markings may also have to be re-applied.

   "This was well thought-out,” school board member Stephen Talmage said. “Anyone who goes to this extent, with this level of intention, worries me, as it should worry anyone, because there’s a serious kook out there."

   The turf field, which was opened in the fall of 2007, was part of the first phase of an $80 million district expansion and renovation project approved by voters March 2006. The field project, including a new track, fencing, bleachers and drainage work, cost $1.4 million.

   East Hampton Town Police Detective Sgt. Chris Anderson would not comment on whether police have any suspects.