The Lions' senior shooting guard took his time.

Even when New Hampshire, his eventual choice, made the offer of a full athletic scholarship about two months ago, he wasn't quite ready to say yes. He still wanted to think about it.

That thinking ended during Morris' official visit to the America East Conference (Division I) school last month, when school officials re-affirmed the scholarship offer. After returning to Walkersville , he made a verbal committment to New Hampshire on Monday.

"I considered Stone Hill, Holy Cross and Air Force," Morris said of his other offers. "They were pretty-much the main schools that expressed an interest."

Morris said he liked the coaching staff, the athletes and the overall atmosphere of the campus at New Hampshire. "The players there are a pretty close-knit group," Morris said.

Ryan Burkey, who begins his first year as the head boys basketball coach at Walkersville this month, said he thinks Morris' decision to go to New Hampshire is a good one. "It's a good fit for him," he said. "There were a ton of schools looking at him."

America East features teams from the northeastern region of the country, including University of Maryland-Baltimore County. Morris said he'll get another chance to see and visit his future teammates when New Hampshire comes to Comcast Center on Nov. 20 for a non-conference game with Maryland.

n n n

Skate Frederick is hosting its 11th annual preseason high school hockey tournament for club teams featuring high school-age players.

The tournament, which helps kick off the Maryland Scholastic Hockey League's MVAL division, runs Friday through Sunday at the complex. County club teams include Frederick , Thomas Johnson, Linganore , Walkersville , Tuscarora, Urbana and Middletown .

For more information on the tournament, call 301-662-7362, extension 17.

Post your comments » Soldier will likely be fired after alleged desertion The Army will likely fire a Westminster soldier accused of desertion, even though his family claims he did everything he could to get back to his unit after coming home on emergency leave to care for his sick wife and newborn daughter. Crash victim's widow recalls happy years together Mary Pat Hane Kulina, widow of Stephen P. Kulina, who died in a motorcycle crash this week, said her husband was the kind of man who would keep on working until he got the job done. Zwinak-led Lancers win GAITHERSBURG -- At practice, Linganore running back Zach Zwinak is used to running the length of the football field. Fire & Police Blotter Purse theft investigated Cougars roll on with another Rout THURMONT -- The Catoctin football players stood and kneeled behind the regional championship banner on the track at the school Friday night, yelling "we're undefeated" and pumping their fists in the air as fans applauded.