Ryan Smith

You can take Ryan Smith out of the city. Just don't do it for long. Smith, a 6-4, 225-pound tackle and linebacker at Roxborough High, made official visits to Pittsburgh and Wake Forest. He's headed to the school in the city that reminds him of good, ol' Philly. "There was a big contrast between the two schools," said Smith, a first-team Daily News All-City pick on the offensive line. "Wake Forest is a lovely university. Very prestigious. Everybody has money. But you know what?

Ryan Smith has emerged as one of the top high school swimmers in the nation, and no one is more surprised about that than he is. The Germantown Academy senior made it into the upper echelon of scholastic swimming at LaSalle University during the 101st Eastern Interscholastic Swimming and Diving Championships last month. Smith, who was not sure if GA's rigorous training program was for him when he started four years ago, was clocked in 49.13 seconds in the preliminaries of the 100-yard butterfly.

Ten outstanding scholar-athletes, representing each league, will be honored by the South Jersey Coaches Association of Boys' Athletics on Wednesday. The honorees: Burlco Liberty - Scott Schoenweis, Lenape; Burlco Freedom - Christopher Kidd, Palmyra; Burlco Patriot - Ryan Smith, Delran; Cape- Atlantic American - Michael Ware, Oakcrest; Cape-Atlantic National - Jim Ciarlante, Hammonton; Colonial - Erich Wiltsee, Gateway; Olympic American - Stephen Mazur, Highland; Olympic National - Michael Pechulis, Bishop Eustace; Tri-County Classic - Kevin Schilling, Pitman; Tri-County Royal - Mark DiFilippantonio, Penns Grove.

The only thing common about Ryan Smith is his surname. You want academics? Smith ranks 44th in the senior class at Roxborough High with a 3.7 grade-point average earned in challenging classes. You want discipline? Smith participates in Roxborough's Army Junior ROTC program and ranks second in command as sergeant major. You want well-rounded? Smith writes for Roxborough's school newspaper, The Ridge Record, and does not cover sports. You want noble ambition?

Even without the fans, floats and festivities that surrounded Friday night's homecoming football game, today's solitary practice sessions should be interesting. Points were at epidemic proportion during host Sun Valley's 43-21 nonleague victory over Haverford School, and points of a different kind will be made in practice. "We could have played better," Sun Valley defensive end Shawn McLaughlin said. "It will be a hard practice [today]. There will be a lot of hitting and tackling.

Ryan Smith always envisioned himself one day becoming a head football coach somewhere. The 31-year-old, 1997 Sun Valley graduate just didn't think it would come this fast-or under the toughest of circumstances. Smith is the new head coach of Chichester football, taking over for Bobby Shull, who never coached a game after dying suddenly and unexpectedly on June 4 at the age of 37 from leukemia. Shull's death struck the Chichester community and forced Smith, a gym teacher at Chichester, into action.

Rarely will a defensive end dominate a football game as Sun Valley's Shawn McLaughlin did Friday night. The Vanguards senior posted five sacks and four quarterback hurries and added a touchdown reception on offense to spark Sun Valley to a 27-6 Del-Val League victory over host Unionville. McLaughlin, a 6-foot-1, 180-pounder who has 10 1/2 sacks this year, was a major reason why the Indians' Eric Zimpfer was held to 3-of-13 passing and dropped for 54 yards in losses. In all, Unionville's offense managed 122 yards.

Brad Messick concedes that Sun Valley didn't have the greatest week of practice heading into Saturday's nonleague game with Haverford High. The Vanguards were down after being left out of the PIAA Class AAA playoffs and the visiting Fords, after losing all nine games this season, didn't exactly look like stiff competition. "No, we didn't have a good week at all," said the senior quarterback. "We just weren't motivated. But then Haverford comes down and puts a touchdown up on us right away.

They filled the stands to overflowing, hungrily grabbing at the little yellow footballs thrown into their midst by the cheerleaders. But the raucous Sun Valley homecoming crowd that came to see the Vanguards defeat an unbeaten Interboro football team Saturday was in for a rude awakening. Sun Valley lost, 23-13. In a game that was hard-fought down to the last series, the Vanguards were done in by turnovers and a speedy receiver who repeatedly beat their defensive backs.

It was a record-breaking year at the Haverford School, with standards equaled or broken in victories, goals and assists. There was just one thing missing - an Inter-Academic League championship. "And this was supposed to be our year," Fords coach Joe Tatta said. "We're very disappointed not to have won it. This was the year we were really pointing to. But Chestnut Hill continues to find ways of getting the players it needs to win. " Chestnut Hill won yet another Inter-Ac title as the Blue Devils defeated Malvern Prep twice last week to lock up the championship with a league record of 9-1 (19-2 overall)

Shorthanded Malvern faces challenge in Inter-Ac League And then there was one . . . As the 2009-10 basketball season concluded, with his team boasting a 20-7 overall record, Malvern Prep coach Jim Rullo excitedly looked forward to this one. His top four scorers, including two first-team members of the Inter-Ac League's all-star squad, would be back. Then the transfer winds began blowing. At gale force. And they didn't stop until two games into this season, when DeQuann "Bootsie" Walker headed for Chester.

If life is fair on the high school football fields, the Chichester Eagles will win a few games this season. Coming off a single victory in 2008, a winless 2009, and the sudden death of their new coach, the Eagles deserve some positives. Ryan Smith, their newest coach, is poised to give them that. Having replaced Bob Shull, who died after a weeks-long battle with leukemia, Smith is working hard to keep alive Shull's legacy and build a program that Shull would be proud of. Smith, in his second year with the Chichester varsity, knew Shull pretty well.

Ryan Smith always envisioned himself one day becoming a head football coach somewhere. The 31-year-old, 1997 Sun Valley graduate just didn't think it would come this fast-or under the toughest of circumstances. Smith is the new head coach of Chichester football, taking over for Bobby Shull, who never coached a game after dying suddenly and unexpectedly on June 4 at the age of 37 from leukemia. Shull's death struck the Chichester community and forced Smith, a gym teacher at Chichester, into action.

Ryan Smith has emerged as one of the top high school swimmers in the nation, and no one is more surprised about that than he is. The Germantown Academy senior made it into the upper echelon of scholastic swimming at LaSalle University during the 101st Eastern Interscholastic Swimming and Diving Championships last month. Smith, who was not sure if GA's rigorous training program was for him when he started four years ago, was clocked in 49.13 seconds in the preliminaries of the 100-yard butterfly.

Scott Smith wanted to be just like his older brother . . . only to a certain extent. He wanted to star in football and secure a college scholarship, but he did not want to attend the same high school. "My mind was set in seventh grade that I was going to Roxborough or George Washington," Smith said. "When my brother picked Roxborough, it was only right - I'd go to Washington. "I wanted to have my own school. Make my own name. " Last year, Ryan Smith was a first-team Daily News All-City offensive lineman for Roxborough and wound up earning a scholarship to Pittsburgh, where he is redshirting and working out at defensive end. This year, the 6-4, 260-pound Scott Smith is starring as a two-way tackle for Washington and also proving he is worthy of heading to a Division I program.

You can take Ryan Smith out of the city. Just don't do it for long. Smith, a 6-4, 225-pound tackle and linebacker at Roxborough High, made official visits to Pittsburgh and Wake Forest. He's headed to the school in the city that reminds him of good, ol' Philly. "There was a big contrast between the two schools," said Smith, a first-team Daily News All-City pick on the offensive line. "Wake Forest is a lovely university. Very prestigious. Everybody has money. But you know what?

The only thing common about Ryan Smith is his surname. You want academics? Smith ranks 44th in the senior class at Roxborough High with a 3.7 grade-point average earned in challenging classes. You want discipline? Smith participates in Roxborough's Army Junior ROTC program and ranks second in command as sergeant major. You want well-rounded? Smith writes for Roxborough's school newspaper, The Ridge Record, and does not cover sports. You want noble ambition?

Brad Messick concedes that Sun Valley didn't have the greatest week of practice heading into Saturday's nonleague game with Haverford High. The Vanguards were down after being left out of the PIAA Class AAA playoffs and the visiting Fords, after losing all nine games this season, didn't exactly look like stiff competition. "No, we didn't have a good week at all," said the senior quarterback. "We just weren't motivated. But then Haverford comes down and puts a touchdown up on us right away.

Even without the fans, floats and festivities that surrounded Friday night's homecoming football game, today's solitary practice sessions should be interesting. Points were at epidemic proportion during host Sun Valley's 43-21 nonleague victory over Haverford School, and points of a different kind will be made in practice. "We could have played better," Sun Valley defensive end Shawn McLaughlin said. "It will be a hard practice [today]. There will be a lot of hitting and tackling.