Boyd-Buchanan two-way lineman Malik Brewer is among high school football juniors who have been invited to the Semper Fidelis Proving Ground, an All-American combine Jan. 1-4 in Phoenix, Ariz.
The Semper Fidelis Bowl is the third major national all-star combine and game for prep players, joining the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and the Under Armour All-America game. The first-year Phoenix game is sponsored by the U.S. Marine Corps and JuniorRank sports, a national organization that holds showcase events throughout the country.
Cleveland senior Camden Bell, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound tight end and defensive end, is scheduled to play in the Semper Fidelis Bowl, which will be televised by CBS.
JuniorRank was founded by former University of Pittsburgh running back Shaon Berry.
A three-year starter, the 6-foot-4, 320-pound Brewer plays offensive guard and defensive tackle for the Buccaneers.
"It's a good deal for him," Boyd-Buchanan coach Grant Reynolds said. "He could be a player at the [NCAA] Division I level. He also has done a good job in the classroom. He has gotten some valuable playing time in the last three years."
Reynolds said Brewer had made an unofficial visit to Tennessee and is getting letters from UT, Auburn and Middle Tennessee State.
"Obviously, his size and strength put him in that category," Reynolds said. "He has good feet for a big man, and he's quick - that 5-to-10-yard quickness. He moves well within a confined space."
Mitchell to Hixson
Charles Mitchell is resigning as Dalton High's wrestling coach and will be moving to Hixson High as an assistant principal in January.
It is a homecoming for Mitchell, who played football and wrestled at Hixson from 1993 to '97.
"It feels good to be going back and be a Wildcat," he said. "It's one of those things where they had a vacancy and called. It's nothing I went looking for. It really happened just this week."
Mitchell plans to coach the Catamounts through Jan. 2 and said he'll report to Hixson on Jan. 3. Former Dalton coach Richard Garrett will step back in to direct the Catamounts, with former Dalton state champion Brian Harrison continuing to help as a lay or "community" coach.
Baylor suspends pair
Baylor wrestlers Matthew Bodine and Caleb Lyda have been suspended from the team and will not be participating in this weekend's McCallie Invitational, Red Raiders athletic director Thad Lepcio confirmed Thursday. They may also miss at least two weekend events once school reconvenes after Christmas break.
"There was a violation of team rules," Baylor coach Ben Nelson said. "They made a poor choice and owned up to it."
Lepcio said further punishment would be at Nelson's discretion.
12 Georgia teams
Twelve of the 20 teams entered in the McCallie Invitational are from Georgia: Alexander, Allatoona, Heritage, LaFayette, Lovejoy, Murray County, Northwest Whitfield, Pope, Ringgold, Sonoraville, Walton and Westminster.
Tennessee teams in the field include 2011 traditional state tournament champions Baylor and Cleveland along with Red Bank, Soddy-Daisy, Silverdale Baptist and the host Blue Tornado. Oxford is coming from Alabama and Hillcrest from South Carolina.
The tournament begins at 5 p.m. today and continues through Saturday afternoon's medal rounds.
The Bradley Invitational in Cleveland also is this weekend, and entrants include the host Bears, Central, Dalton, East Hamilton, East Ridge, Hixson, Notre Dame, Ooltewah, Signal Mountain, Southeast Whitfield, Blackman, Farragut, Mount Juliet, Hoover (Ala.), Scottsboro (Ala.) and Whitley (Ky.).
That tournament begins at 5:30 with medal rounds to begin at 5 p.m. Saturday.