DeMatha Dumps WCAC-Winning Lacrosse Coach

DeMatha's administration informed boys' lacrosse coach Scott Pugh last Thursday that he will not return next season, despite the Stags going undefeated in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference this year and winning their second league title in his three seasons running the program.

DeMatha Principal Dan McMahon said on-field results did not weigh into the school's decision on Pugh, who compiled a 37-18 record.

"We really like Scott," McMahon said. "He's a DeMatha grad, a DeMatha guy. It was just the school's decision that we felt like we were better served with somebody else at the helm."

Pugh, 28, who graduated from DeMatha in 1997 and served as an assistant coach for seven years under Coach Dick Long, called the decision a "100 percent surprise."

"I thought I had proven myself on and off the field," said Pugh, who did not teach at the school. "I had a lot of quality kids coming in and a lot of seniors going on to play [in college] and honor roll students.

"Lacrosse is not a three-month job anymore, and I felt like I went above and beyond the call of duty in that regard."

Notre Dame Girls' Coach Quits

Mike Teasley, who turned the Notre Dame Academy girls' basketball team into a national powerhouse, yesterday resigned after five seasons at the Middleburg private school, Notre Dame trustee Ralph Peluso confirmed last night.

The Dragons had a 133-13 record during Teasley's tenure, finishing No. 1 in The Post's rankings each of the past two seasons and rating high in national polls.

However, there have been differences in philosophy among administrators and others at the school, leading to an overhaul of the athletic program. Notre Dame did not field a varsity boys' basketball team this past winter and its longtime successful baseball coach resigned just before the season.

Attempts to reach Teasley, interim headmaster George Conway and Athletic Director Carla Adgate were not successful.

Area Players Commit to Penn State

Eleanor Roosevelt cornerback Stephon Morris and Gaithersburg All-Met lineman Sean Stanley on Monday became the fourth and fifth rising senior football players from the area to commit to Penn State.

The 6-foot-2, 250-pound Stanley said the migration of area players in the class of 2009 to State College played a part in his decision, adding that when Lackey cornerback Darrell Givens recently changed his commitment from Ohio State to Penn State, "that made it even more interesting."

Gaithersburg Coach Kreg Kephart said Stanley seriously considered Maryland, Georgia, Stanford, Michigan, Pittsburgh, Tennessee and Nebraska. Morris had offers from Louisville and Rutgers, among others.

Va. Hall of Fame Names Inductees

New York Jets running back Thomas Jones of Powell Valley High and four-time All-Met girls' soccer player Megan McCarthy of Robinson headline the 2008 Virginia High School Hall of Fame class. McCarthy's coach, two-time All-Met Coach of the Year Jim Rike, also will be inducted.

McCarthy captained Robinson to victory in the first Virginia AAA title game in 1984, seven years before helping the U.S. win the first Women's World Cup.

Former West Potomac athletic director Jeff Dietze and Loudoun Valley journalism instructor Martha Akers will be inducted as contributors Oct. 27 in Charlottesville. . . .

Loudoun Valley's boys' lacrosse team fell, 12-7, to Patrick Henry of Roanoke in the Virginia AAA Northwest Region third-place game, the furthest the Vikings (15-6) ever had advanced in the tournament.