Wake-Up Call: Arenas helping return Tide to elite status

The Wake-Up Call greets you each weekday with news, views and a few Tampa Bay area sports offerings to anticipate for the day and night. We encourage suggestions and contributions.
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Before the season began, University of Alabama defensive back Javier Arenas (Robinson High) said he didn't like it when people referred to him solely as a return man. Arenas said his pass-defense skills deserved more respect.

Fair enough.

But let us also pay proper respect to his punt-return talents.

By the end of this season, he might carry two historical distinctions.

• Best ever in the Southeastern Conference.

• Best ever in major college football.

Arenas had four punt returns for 90 yards - including key plays of 33 and 36 yards that set up a pair of Crimson Tide touchdowns - in Saturday's 53-7 victory against North Texas. His career punt-return totals - 102 for 1,472 yards (14.4-yard average) and six touchdowns.

The SEC career record is held by Vanderbilt's Lee Nalley, who had 1,695 yards from 1947 to 1949.

Arenas needs 224 yards to break that.

The Division I-A career record is held by Texas Tech's Wes Welker, who had 1,761 yards from 2000 to 2003 (Welker broke Nalley's record, which stood for 54 years).

Arenas needs 290 yards to pass Welker.

North Texas was aware of Arenas. So aware, in fact, that the Mean Green constantly tried to punt away from him. But when that happened, Arenas used his speed to run down the kicks and turn them upfield.

Even his mistakes turned out well. On his first punt-return attempt, Arenas fumbled. He quickly recovered, making five tacklers miss and gaining 11 yards.

After North Texas scored its touchdown, Arenas returned the ensuing kickoff 61 yards, one off his career-high against Tennessee in 2007.

"I think our guys feed off his energy in terms of wanting him to be able to make big plays," Alabama coach Nick Saban said. "He's a great competitor. He wants to make plays."

Now Arenas is on the path of making history.

The honor roll

More standout performances last weekend by Tampa Bay area athletes in college football:

• Florida Atlantic University senior wide receiver Chris Bonner (Gaither) had six receptions for 57 yards, including a 23-yard touchdown, in a 38-16 loss at South Carolina. It was the seventh TD catch of Bonner's career. In the same game, FAU senior tight end Jason Harmon (Riverview) had four catches for 57 yards.

• University of Georgia freshman tight end Orson Charles (Plant) caught his first career touchdown pass, a 44-yarder from Joe Cox, in the Bulldogs' 52-41 win against Arkansas. On consecutive third-quarter plays, Charles had receptions of 18 and 44 yards, giving Georgia the lead for good, 42-35.

• University of South Carolina sophomore quarterback Stephen Garcia (Jefferson) was 20 of 27 for 222 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions in the Gamecocks' 38-16 victory against FAU. Garcia also rushed for another touchdown.

• South Carolina freshman running back Jarvis Giles (Gaither) rushed 11 times for 113 yards and a 12-yard touchdown against FAU. Giles also had a 38-yard run. On his touchdown, which occurred in front of South Carolina's student section, Giles said he "just got lost in the moment. Hopefully, I can touch that end zone a lot more this season."

• University of Central Florida sophomore running back Brynn Harvey (Largo) had 25 carries for 98 yards in the Knights' 23-17 win against Buffalo. Harvey has four touchdowns in UCF's two home games.

• Florida State University sophomore running back Ty Jones (Middleton) had his first career 100-yard rushing game - 12 carries for 108 yards and one touchdown - in the Seminoles' 54-28 victory against Brigham Young.

• FSU senior tight end Caz Piurowski (Land O'Lakes) had a single-game-high five catches for 38 yards against BYU. After three games, that gives Piurowski a single-season-high 10 receptions for 149 yards.

• West Virginia University junior wide receiver Jock Sanders (St. Petersburg Catholic) tied a Mountaineer school record (shared with four other players) with 12 receptions in a 41-30 loss at Auburn. Sanders had 115 receiving yards and a 6-yard touchdown reception, the eighth TD catch of his career.

Four wins against Halladay

The Rays' season has been mystifying in many ways, but one statistic seems downright crazy.

The Rays have four victories this season against Toronto Blue Jays ace right-hander Roy Halladay after Sunday's 3-1 victory at Tropicana Field.

"Beating him four times in your life is tough," said Rays catcher Gregg Zaun, who spent five seasons in Toronto. "Four times in one year is pretty amazing. He's unbelievable. He's by far the best in the game."

Somehow, the Rays - especially left fielder Carl Crawford - have figured out Halladay (15-10, 3.01 ERA). Crawford, who had a two-run homer in the first inning, has the third-best career batting average against Halladay (.345).

Here are the top five career hitters vs. Halladay:

• .370, Trot Nixon (20-for-54).

• .352, Kevin Youkilis (19-for-54).

• .345, Carl Crawford (29-for-84).

• .340, Johnny Damon (33-for-97).

• .340, Bernie Williams (17-for-50).

Brown rescues Midland's title hopes

Midland RockHounds outfielder Corey Brown (Plant), limited to 66 games in Double-A this season due to knee tendinitis, hit a tying two-run homer in the top of the ninth on Saturday night, setting up a 12-inning, 4-2 victory against Northwest Arkansas for the Texas League championship.

Midland had three straight victories in the best-of-five series after dropping the opener.

Brown also homered in Game 3. Overall, he batted .268 with nine homers and 43 RBIs. He will play with the Phoenix Desert Dogs in the Arizona Fall League.

Joyce, Robinson reach Triple-A summit

The Durham Bulls, Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays, won the International League championship. Tuesday night, Durham faces the Memphis Redbirds, champions of the Pacific Coast League, in the winner-takes-all Triple-A National Baseball Championship Game at Oklahoma City.

Durham right fielder Matt Joyce (Armwood), who had two big-league stints this season, is batting .266 with 16 homers and 66 RBIs.

Memphis center fielder Shane Robinson (Jesuit), who played 11 big-league games this season in St. Louis, is batting .238 with five homers and 40 RBIs.

Owlz take Pioneer League title

The Orem Owlz, managed by Seminole resident Tom Kotchman, defeated the Missoula Osprey 13-10 to win the Pioneer League championship in the decisive Game 3.

Orem's championship was set up by a complete-game 10-0 victory from left-hander Stephen Locke (King), who scattered four hits and struck out five in Game 2.

Meanwhile, in the clinching game, Missoula left-hander Patrick Schuster (Mitchell) allowed one unearned run in two innings of relief.

Ray Lewis' greatest play?

Baltimore Ravens middle linebacker Ray Lewis (Kathleen) is a 10-time Pro Bowler, two-time NFL defensive player of the year and former Super Bowl MVP.

But Sunday, in an early season game that pales in comparison to those accomplishments, Lewis might have executed the greatest defensive play of his career.

The San Diego Chargers, trailing Baltimore 31-26, had it fourth-and-2 at the Ravens' 15-yard line with 33 seconds left. Lewis shot the gap and met Chargers running back Darren Sproles head-on for a 5-yard loss.

Baltimore ran out the clock.

"He made the greatest football play I've ever seen," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said.

Big moment for Murphy

Oakland Raiders rookie wide receiver Louis Murphy (Lakewood) had two receptions for 26 yards - including a 19-yarder on second-and-15 during the game-winning touchdown drive in the fourth quarter - during Sunday's 13-10 win against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Prep football top 10

Here are 10 eye-catching performances from the weekend in Tampa Bay area prep football:

• Spoto running back Jamar Burns rushed 10 times for 191 yards in the Spartans' 42-0 triumph against East Bay.

• Bradenton Southeast two-way star Jonathan Dowling, orally committed to the University of Florida as a defensive back, returned an interception 45 yards for a touchdown, while scoring on passes of 28 and 41 yards. But the Seminoles fell to Bradenton Manatee 30-26. The Hurricanes were led by quarterback Brion Carnes, who had two fourth-quarter rushing touchdowns and a pair of touchdown passes earlier in the night.

• Jesuit quarterback Bobby Eveld completed 21 of 32 passes for 294 yards and three touchdowns in the Tigers' 24-0 win against Durant.

• Lakewood's Bernard Reedy scored three different ways - rushing, receiving and kick return - in the Spartans' 42-32 victory against Gibbs. Reedy had touchdown catches of 3 and 5 yards, a 37-yard scoring run and a 92-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

• Arcadia DeSoto running back Marcus Shaw had 16 carries for 220 yards and four touchdowns - runs of 17, 31, 55 and 16 yards - in the Bulldogs' 41-7 win against North Port. Shaw was removed from the game with five minutes remaining in the third quarter.

• Mitchell running back Ricky Trinidad had 17 carries for 192 yards and two touchdowns in the Mustangs' 28-14 victory against Clearwater Central Catholic.

• Land O' Lakes quarterback Stephen Weatherford was 22 of 25 for 252 yards and four touchdowns in the Gators' 41-7 win against Springstead. Weatherford also rushed five times for 76 yards and one touchdown.

• Sickles running back Carey White had 23 carries for 171 yards - his third consecutive 100-yard game - in the Gryphons' 17-14 overtime victory against Freedom.

• Plant running back/defensive lineman James Wilder Jr., had two rushing touchdowns and four sacks in a 46-13 win against Jefferson.

• Hudson quarterback Zack Wynn was 20 of 35 for 291 yards and four touchdowns, while rushing for another, in a 41-0 win against Sunlake. Meanwhile, Cobras wide receiver James Tello had 10 receptions for 138 yards and two touchdowns.

Birthday wishes

Happy birthday to former Bucs punter/place-kicker Dave Green, who scored the first regular-season points in Tampa Bay's franchise history (39-yard field goal against the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 26, 1976). Today, Green turns 60.

The Answer Man

Here's the answer to Friday's trivia question:

Which former Lake Wales High School product was once voted Most Valuable Player of the World Series? It was Toronto Blue Jays catcher Pat Borders, who was MVP of the 1992 Fall Classic, after batting .450 in the six-game victory against the Atlanta Braves. Borders was won a gold medal with the 2000 U.S. Olympic baseball team in Sydney.

Monday trivia

Here's our daily sports trivia question, featuring a Tampa Bay/Florida spin. Try your luck by commenting below.

Florida State University sophomore running back Ty Jones (Middleton) rushed for 108 yards on Saturday night against Brigham Young. Who was the last FSU running back from a Tampa high school to have a 100-yard rushing game for the Seminoles?

Check for the answer in Tuesday's Wake-Up Call.