Jamel Nicholas

SCHOOL: Pine-Richland

WHO IS SHE? Only a sophomore, Nicholas is considered one of the best girls' volleyball players in the WPIAL.

	Jamel Nicholas

LAST WEEK: Nicholas helped Pine-Richland win the Montour Classic with the Rams' defeat of defending WPIAL champion Baldwin, 1-0, in the title match. Nicholas was selected to the all-tournament team. "She was fantastic in that tournament," said Pine-Richland Coach Kris Ruppert. "She's developed a jump serve, which is very difficult for people to deal with."

FABULOUS FRESHMAN: Nicholas was a first-team all-state selection last year as a ninth-grader.

SET AND HIT: Nicholas (5 feet 7) was a setter for Pine-Richland last year. This season, she's a setter and the Rams' primary hitter.

"When she's in the front row, she hits. When she's in the back row, she sets," Ruppert said. "If she's one of your best hitters, you might as well use her that way."

Nicholas said: "At first, it was hard to adjust to being a hitter. I like it a lot now. It's different, but it's fun."

JUST VOLLEYBALL: Nicholas was a talented basketball player at St. Alphonsus Grade School in Wexford, and she was on Pine-Richland's varsity basketball team last year. But she has given up basketball.

"I wanted to play a year of high school with both sports and see what happened," Nicholas said. "I play volleyball almost year-round now. It was so hectic playing both sports that I had to make a decision. I would think volleyball, in the long run, would be better for my future."

ALREADY OFFERED: Although Nicholas is only a sophomore, she has a scholarship offer from Temple. Ruppert said other Division I schools are interested. "She'd be a setter in college," Ruppert said. "But she jumps really well, and the thing that really makes her is she's incredibly fast."

-- By Mike White

Guy Hurt

SCHOOL: McKeesport.

WHO IS HE? A 6-foot-1, 225-pound senior quarterback.

LAST WEEK: Hurt carried 14 times for 232 yards and four touchdowns Friday in a 41-0 victory against Seneca Valley. He scored from 47 yards in the first quarter and from 51, 8 and 45 in the third.

CAREER: Last season, Hurt carried 180 times for 1,242 yards and 18 touchdowns. He closed with a rush, literally, gaining 715 yards in a four-game winning streak in October that put the Tigers in the playoffs. Hurt played a little on special teams and as a backup quarterback as a sophomore, but not enough to letter.

WEIGHTY MATTER: Hurt stepped up his training regimen in the off-season, adding 20 pounds and enhancing his speed.

AN IDEAL MIX: McKeesport Coach George Smith favors the triple-option offense, with the quarterback carrying the ball a lot and rarely throwing it. And for the past four seasons, the quarterback has been the Tigers' top rusher with more than 1,000 yards, behind Cecil Howard (1999-2000) and Ryan Kwiecinski (2001). "Guy is a combination of Ryan and Cecil," Smith said. "Kwiecinski was a powerful runner who really understood the option game. Cecil was a more athletic type. Guy is fast, a good athlete, and he breaks tackles."

TOUGH TRANSITION: Hurt admits he didn't adapt easily to the triple option last year. "It's difficult at first. It's a lot of work," he said. "But once you get a grasp of it, it's fun to play in."

BUSY ENOUGH: Smith said Hurt practices with the secondary but probably will not play there or on special teams. "He is the best kick-returner, the best defensive back, but I don't want to use him," Smith said. "He does so much carrying the ball and running the offense, and we're a Quad-A team. You don't want to wear him out."

FUTURE: Hurt didn't play basketball last season but plans to do so this winter and might go out for track. Football likely will be his college sport, though. Some Division I programs are interested in him as a quarterback or running back. Hurt said Miami of Ohio offered a scholarship Tuesday, and I-AA Rhode Island had offered previously. He said coaches from Iowa, Toledo and Akron also have contacted him.

-- By Rick Shrum