Leading off today: Fayetteville-Manlius distance runner Alex Hatz is recovering from surgery at a downstate hospital and is expected to return home early this week to continue recuperating, The Post-Standard reported this morning.

   The defending New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class AA cross country champion faces several weeks of restricted activity before he can resume a full activity schedule, and F-M coach Bill Aris told the paper that training would be geared toward getting Hatz back to contender status at the late-season championship meets.

   The surgery was done Friday to correct a gradual narrowing of a vessel serving one of Hatz's kidneys, the paper and TullyRunners.com reported.

   The procedure was done at New York University Medical Center in Manhattan.

   Besides the cross country title, Hatz triumphed in the NYSPHSAA indoor 1,000 meters and captured the outdoors 1,600 in an electrifying 4:06.11 as a junior.

   New Ro QB returns as a wideout: Jonny McGhee, a two-year starting quarterback was a wide receiver when New Rochelle opened football practice this week, The Journal News reported.

   McGhee was not present for most of the workouts and did not attend meetings with coaches since the end of his junior season, leading to speculation he did not intend to play at all this fall. If that doesn't leave him in the dog house as preparations begin for the 2009 season it certainly puts him in proximity of the kennel.

   "What happened in the offseason happened," New Rochelle coach Lou DiRienzo told the paper. "Bottom line is that New York state rules say that, until the start of camp, nothing can be mandated. Jonny has the opportunity to try out for this football team and he's going to be given the same opportunity as everyone else."

   McGhee was a Journal News first-team all-star after leading the Huguenots to their third straight Section 1 Class AA championship with 1,234 passing yards and 19 TDs. Senior Lewis Edney took over QB responsibilities during spring and summer workouts.

   DiRienzo refused to let either player be interviewed, the paper reported.

   Teaming up: A football merger between Seton Catholic

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and Northern Adirondack got final approval Thursday, giving NAC students the opportunity to try the sport.

   It's a boost for Seton Catholic, which was facing a shortage of players according to The Press-Republican. "We have a group of kids here who just love to play football and this gives NAC kids an opportunity at something they don't have at their home school, (to) come down and play football," Seton Catholic coach Gary Ryan told the paper.

   The boards of both schools approved the idea earlier this month. Champlain Valley Athletic Conference ADs also signed off on the move, and Section VII gave its OK on Thursday. Four NAC students attended practice the next day, and more are expected this week.

   Harris shines, sun doesn't: Rain forced a change of venue, but that couldn't dampen Tobias Harris' performance Friday in the Boost Mobile Elite 24 all-star basketball game in Harlem.

   The 6-8 Half Hollow Hills West senior rose rapidly in the recruiting rankings this summer and showed why with 20 points on 9-for-16 shooting in 22 minutes of action to help his all-star team to a 133-120 victory.

   Newsday's feature on Harris over the weekend reports Harris dunked repeatedly on the fast break, scored on a power move to the lane and sank a three-pointer.

   Extra points: We're still trying to piece together a list of football scrimmages scheduled for the next two weekends. You can check out the current list and use the e-mail link on that page to send us info on other scrimmages.