12/15/2025 It was a thriller at LCA Monday night with Sandusky Middle School 
 Boys playing Sandusky.  LCA went up by 11 points, Sandusky
Erase a portion of an 11-point deficit, trimming the lead to 7 points
With LCA 34 and Sandusky 24. Both teams were even on the boards, rebounding, defense, and offensive boards. Second-half LCA shooting collapse, they went cold, “couldn’t buy a
Basket’.With Sandusky securing the victory at the free-throw line and the final 
Seconds. Final score Sandusky 54, LCA 44. P. Jackson Guard led all scorers with 20 points
Despite the loss, Chestnut had 15 points.   

Atavista and Rustburg meet for the first time this year at  Rustburg in a non-conference game 
 The Rustburg Girls won, and the Boys lost. The Rustburg Girls control the game to
end The final score 32-25 The Red Devils went to a full court press in the third quarter in Altavista went to a 3-2 Zone Rustburg went up by eight points in the third quarter with 45 second left in the third quarter. 
A breakdown of the game 
First quarter  Rustburg 8 Altavista 6
Halftime score Rustburg 18 Altavista 14 
Third quarter  Rustburg 27 AltaVista 18
 Final score Rustburg 32, Altavista 25. Top score for Rustburg 
  Simyah Jackson with 12 points and the top score for Altavista
Kyra Puryear with 11points. The Boys breakdown: Rustburg had a problem shooting from the outside; they missed a lot of layups and missed free throws. Atavista went up by 17 points
At halftime. They went to a half-court press, which was causing a lot of turnovers against Rustburg. Spencer Fisher caused a lot of problems for Rustburg, coming off the bench for
Atavista scored inside and out with his aggressive  He finished the game with 17 points and got help from his teammates, Christia Gavin, 13 points Jamari Slayton, 20 points, Tanner, 14 points
Rustburg top scorer Jaydon Herndon with 17 points.

The LCA Bulldogs were nearly unstoppable in the regular season.  This team had a taste of the state tournament last year and fell just a little short.  They began with the title journey at home against a familiar foe.  The Lady Bees of Brookville High had already won a playoff game and now had the tall task of pulling off the upset at the #1 seed in LCA.

The Lady Bulldogs had swept the regular season two meetings and was looking to add a third victory.  As the defending district champ of the Seminole, the Bulldogs were looking to take their game to another level and keep home court advantage throughout the regional tourney.

The Bees knew they had to play their best and were not fazed with the prowess of LCA and the fact they only travelled about 10 miles, it was slightly less the home court advantage that could be expected.

LCA was slow to start and the Bees kept pace but with each passing volley or set up for a kill, the Bulldogs became more comfortable and efficient.  The Brookville squad scrambled and battled but continued to come up short with some ineffective swings or miscues that seemed to work against them.

The first two sets were never in doubt but Brookville was not an easy opponent.  They made LCA burn both timeouts in set number 3 while taking the lead in the best back and forth action of the evening.  Just when momentum was on their side, the Bulldogs placed the final perfect spike to end the match and the season for Brookville.

LCA winning in three sets allows them to perserve some energy as they await the next opponent in the semifinals of Region C.

The Bees were defiant and no pushover.  They were prepared but were not able to maintain the pace that was set by the Bulldogs.  They finished the season with a winning record and a playoff win to help them build momentum going into next season.

EMSPORTS 11/5/2025

 In this new world of NIL, the money flows and so do the players however, the coaches who for years got the highest pay, are now unhappy.  The players are finally getting more than ever.  The coaches are not able to control player movement and it has them upset.  When they were use to making all the decisions, the players were left with little financially because they were used as the means to drive the money machine in college football.

That is really no longer the case because NIL which has become far more legal and very lucrative for the players who now get to decide, judge and almost hand pick where they want go for the right price.  The coaches appreciate the fact that players get paid, but it has made their job even harder for now they must deal with agents, money managers plus all with the extra attention outside of the Xs and Os found on the football field. It is only fair that these young players who have put their bodies on the line, who have sacrificed have sacrifice their own social and personal time at needs at the whims of coaches, now have the opportunity to be rewarded for the efforts on the field.  

So if all the millions to even billions of dollars that flow into the bank accounts of these universities, it seems fitting that the players get more of the proverbial money pie. The access to multiple streams of finances with through merchandising, television and streaming, is opening up more ways for everyone to be compensated.  Now the players have the opportunity to make money off of their name, their image and their their likeness talentswell beyond what the initial idea was long ago.  

It will never be equal for they will always be on the short end of a power struggle and a structure set up to benefit the administration and coaches. Now the players are getting sustainable money to reward them for their dedication and commitment. This new financial opportunity also has given the players some control over their futures and it allows them to better plan for their life after college football. If pro football does not work out, NIL provides them a great start financially and emotionally, it takes away so stresses that they no longer have to face.  
This also allows them to continue to play the game they love. 

Now the transfer portal can still be corrected. It can still be improved upon to the benefit of all parties.  The structure needs to be less wide open and more controls to limit the almost open door policy.  This helps players focus on the season at hand and will allow coaches and administrators to be able to better coach players that are in the program for more than a few months. Yes, it is an advantage when a player knows where he’s going and a coach knows who his players will be so that they can set up their team and be properly prepared for the seasons ahead.

EMSPORTS 9/29/25

Joe Knowles, the baseball coach at Heritage, has resigned. Joe Knowles was the head

baseball coach at Heritage High School for several years, from 2017 to 2025. Joe Knowles has accepted an assistant baseball coaching job at Brookville High School.

6/28/25   

Brad Bradley is the new Athletic Director at Heritage High School in Lynchburg, VA.

While Dennis Knight was previously listed in that role, recent information indicates that Coach Bradley, formerly the highly successful head football coach, has transitioned into the Athletic Director position. This is a significant move for Heritage High School, bringing his extensive experience and established leadership to the entire athletic program.

Coach Bradley has a strong and respected background in high school athletics, particularly in football, where he led Heritage to considerable success. His transition to Athletic Director will likely bring a renewed focus and energy to all sports at Heritage High School.

3/17/25

3/17/25   

Message Body
Liberty University will have a lot to cheer for in this year‘s NCAA tournament.  The University is one of several colleges to send both their men and women’s teams into the renown NCAA Tournament. The two teams from Lynchburg qualified by winning their respective Conference USA tournaments. 

The women (28-6) tied with Middle Tennessee State at 16-2 in the regular season. However, the Lady Flames were able to outlast MTSU in a close tourney final.  

The Lady Flames are in the midst of an 11-game winning streak as they streak into the NCAA tournament. Their work will be cut out for them as they were placed in the Spokane Regional. As a #13 seed, they will face the #4 seed, the Kentucky Wildcats of the SEC.  There is some of a local connection as the Wildcats are coached by former Virginia Tech Hokies coach Kenny Brooks.

On the men’s side of the bracket, fans will find the Liberty Flames (28-6) close to home.  They return to the NCAA tournament in with an experienced roster and confidence.  They bring quite an uptempo offense that helped them win the C-USA tourney over the number two seed, Jacksonville  State, who had split the two regular season matchups versus Liberty.

The Flames earned the 12th-seed in the East Region.  They will face the 5th-seeded Oregon Ducks.  A weapon for Liberty is their outside shooting.  At 39% shooting, the Flames have the sixth-best three-point percentage in the country.  

They are undefeated when they hold their opponents to 70 points or fewer — something they've done 25 times this season.  The Ducks will be a heavy favorite but the Flames are riding momentum and a five game winning streak.  

Names to Know

Oregon

Jackson Shelstad: 13.2 Pts, 2.9 Reb, 2.7 Ast

Nate Bittle: 14.1 Pts, 7.4 Reb, 1.9 Ast

TJ Bamba: 10.4 Pts, 3.5 Reb, 2.9 Ast

Liberty

Taeion Peter: 13.9 Pts, 4.1 Reb, 1.1 Ast

Kaden Metheny: 13.5 Pts, 2.9 Reb, 2.0 Ast

Zach Cleveland: 11.0 Pts, 6.3 Reb, 5.1 Ast

EMSPORTS 3/18/2025

<3/12/25

Ron Sanchez Will Not Be Retained as Virginia Men’s Basketball Head Coach

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia - Ron Sanchez, who served as the University of Virginia’s interim men’s basketball coach during the 2024-2025 season, will not be retained as the program’s full-time head coach. The announcement was made today by Virginia Director of Athletics Carla Williams.

Sanchez assumed the interim head coach position on Oct. 18 following the retirement of 15-year head coach Tony Bennett. This season Sanchez led the Cavaliers to a 15-17 record. It was his 11th season with the program that included two different stints with the Cavaliers. He served as an assistant coach (2009-2014) and associate head coach (2015-2018). In 2023, Coach Sanchez returned to Charlottesville to serve as associate head coach (2023-24).

“I am grateful to Coach Sanchez for accepting this role during such a critical time for the program.” Williams said. “Ron is the ultimate professional because he cares deeply about this program and this University. He is an exceptional person because he is gifted as an empathetic and caring human being. He is beloved within our department and in the UVA community. Ron and the staff provided great stability, guidance and support for the young men on the team and we are thankful for his commitment to UVA and the values that are foundational to Virginia men’s basketball.”

EM-SPORTS.ORG 12/14/2024  

The LCA Bulldogs were looking to make history in the VHSL Class 3A championship game for the 2024 football title. 

The Kettle Run Cougars were aware of the home field advantage that LCA had playing at Liberty University. However, this team’s dominance was special and their 14-0 record proved they were not just looking for a participation trophy.  

LCA has blazed a trail since entering the season.  The momentum of the last year’s title was still present as the Bulldogs looked to defend their first state crown from 2023.

LCA’s offense was electric.  The team was led by All-State RB Gideon Davidson, who was a threat from any point on the field.  The defense was just as powerful.  Even though the defense was overshadowed by the offense, their opponents could attest how tough it was to score on LCA.

The Cougars held the distinction of being the first even high school from Faquier County to represent in a state championship game.  This dream-like season had one more game to complete the unimaginable, the first ever football title.  The offense, in the four games of the playoffs, was providing nearly 39 points a game with a mix of run and pass that exposed the opponents, week after week. 

In contrast, LCA was more than Davidson but he was the tip of the spear.  The dynamic running back had rushed for over 2000 yards on the season.  He was the engine for an offense that was averaging over 45 points in the playoffs and was also a stingy defense on surrendering about 16 points a contest.

The anticipated matchup of unbeatens was a great opportunity for to entertain the fans.  LCA showed up early and left no doubt who was the biggest dog on the block.

The first series was a harbinger of the LCA superiority.  The threat of Davidson opened up the defense and LCA exploited the Cougars’s secondary when Tyler Jackson connected with Dalton Nesselrotte on a 53-yard pass over the outstretched hand of the Kettle Run safety.  It was only a few minutes into the game.  LCA scored two more touchdowns before Kettle Run got on the board when Jacob Mulhern found Colton Lubbe on a 17-yard strike. 

That was the highlight of the day for Kettle Run.

After the early 21-6 lead in the first quarter, the game belonged to Davidson and the LCA defense. Davidson, the Clemson commit, was a good as advertised with the final three touchdowns of the game (total of 4).  He had three on the ground and one receiving.  The defense was busy getting turnovers to allow the offense to be effective.  The Bulldogs were the recipients of five miscues from the Cougars. Kettle Run was responsible for four interceptions and one lost fumble.

Kettle Run (14-1) can take pride in making to the title game.  This squad accomplished something no other Faquier County school had ever done.  The future is bright as the Cougars will look to rebound and reload for the 2025 season.

The former private school powerhouse has captured their second VHSL football title in less than 10 years as a public school member.  At 14-0, this team’s dominance was evident early and they capped a perfect season with a near perfect performance.  The win also extended their winning streak to 28 games, as they last lost in the 2022 playoffs. 

EMSPORTS 12/14/2024

In this renewal of a growing city rivalry, the combatants from Lynchburg face off again in the playoffs.  Heritage has fared very well against the Bulldogs since LCA moved into Class 3A.  The Pioneers own a 2-1 record against their Seminole brethren.  The teams have split the 10 games between each other.

This edition is slightly different because the Bulldogs are the defending state champions.  Heritage has won the crown once in that timeframe, in 2018.

In the regular season matchup, LCA was the aggressor from start to finish.  The Bulldogs  were in the lead, but Heritage battled back every time.  The talents all-state running back Gideon Davidson were on display as he took the opening kickoff 81 yards for a score.  The Pioneers (9-2) also possessed playmakers and the combination of QB Ayden Slash and RB David Bradley kept the Bulldogs on edge.  It was late in fourth quarter before this game was decided.  The Heritage offense had a chance to tie, however LCA came up with the necessary stop to close out the victory.

The undefeated Bulldogs (14-0) will host this playoff matchup with the winner moving on to the regional final.  The loser will have seen another successful season come to an abrupt end. 

On this cold Friday night, the Pioneers and Bulldogs battled tooth and nail.  The Bulldogs used their power running game to establish a 14-0 lead at halftime on the strength of two touchdowns by Davidson.  Heritage struggled with the size and athleticism of LCA.  The defense were on display and made multiple stops to dissolve several offensive drives by both squads.

LCA was able to find paydirt again in the third quarter to extend the lead to 21-0.  The Bulldogs turned the Pioneers back on defense and immediately scored as QB Tyler Jackson found WR James Deyo for a pass down the middle of the field into the endzone.  The catch and pass helped put the Bulldogs up 28-0 heading into the fourth quarter. 

The game was basically over but Heritage did not go away quietly.  They were able to out score the Bulldogs, 14-7, in the fourth quarter.

With the win, LCA continued their march into the regional 3C finals.  The win allows them to host the championship game and they also stay unbeaten at 12-0.

The Heritage Pioneers complete a 9-3 season but once again fall just short of a chance to play for the big title.

EMSPORTS 11/22/24

The Game of the Week is a rematch between two Seminole District rivals.  The Heritage Pioneers host the Rustburg Red Devils in the opening round of the VHSL Playoffs, Region 3C quarterfinals.

11/19/24

11/1*/24 Ben Cates, (434) 385-5527

As the high school teams in fall sports, roll from August to November, the cool weather signifies that playoffs are in full swing.

For Volleyball, the teams in Central Virginia have always had a presence in state tournaments for the VISAA (private schools) and VHSL (public).

This season was no different as several schools impressed in the regular season.  Timberlake Christian School has been a contender for nearly a decade in the private school category.  The Tornadoes have a rich history of winning and recently won the highest crown in 2021.  This team was poised to accomplish the same and do it in record breaking fashion.

With several holdovers from that team playing as seniors and leaders, Timberlake took no prisoners.  The Tornadoes swept thru the tournament and raised the trophy once again.  The dominance was evident with 31 victories in 33 matches (school wins record).

The team only lost three sets all year.  They suffered their only loss in September and also settled for a tie.  They reeled off 15 consecutive wins. The Tornadoes (31-1-1) also captured the VACA championship on their way to the coveted VISAA crown.

In the public ranks, local districts like the Dogwood, Seminole and James River’s Buckingham Knights (10-9) boasted great teams and champions as well.  The Appomattox Raiders were looking to repeat as the Class 2 champions.  The Altavista Colonels (17-7) are always knocking on the door and they want to be the winners, not the Class 1 runner-ups like last year.  

The Gretna Hawks were perfect all year and this dream like season was not to be forgotten.  In the Seminole, the powerhouse squads of LCA, EC Glass and Jefferson Forest (17-5) all looked to bring home some major hardware. Rustburg Red Devils (11-11) and Brookville Bees (12-12) also represented the Seminole in regional play.

Each team was poised to make a play into mid-November.  When it was all said and done, the schools fought hard but no team was able to get past the state quarterfinal round.  The undefeated Gretna Hawks (19-1) and Appomattox (18-6) had a chance to meet in the Region 2C final, however both were upset. Altavista and LCA (24-2) won their respective regional finals to advance to the state quarterfinals. The Hilltoppers (21-6) fell in the regional finals.

Both the Colonels (Region 1B) and the Bulldogs (Region 3C) and Hilltoppers (Region 4D) saw their seasons come to a disappointing end in the state tournament.  Neither school was able to win and breakthrough into their respective state final fours. 

A great 2024 season concludes with another state champion in the Central VA area amongst the plethora of successful teams in and around the greater Lynchburg area.

Congrats to all teams in a fantastic 2024.

EMSPORTS 11/16/2024

The 2024 football season entered the final weekend of the regular season.  The teams had fought for nearly three months and there was still work to be done.

The Seminole District is great preparation for teams preparing for a postseason run.  The Rustburg Red Devils and the EC Glass Hilltoppers were two teams with a lot on the line as they dueled to stamp their place in the VHSL Playoffs starting November 16th.

These two district opponents both entered at three wins and three losses each, have always had a healthy rivalry and the games are well contested.  This game was no different as the teams traded scores in a low scoring affair.

Rustburg led 7-6 even though Glass struck first. At halftime, the defenses were the stars.  The third quarter saw both teams score once apiece.  

As a game of chess involves great thought and careful execution, the same could be said for how the Red Devils and Hilltoppers were attacking and counterattacking in this Friday night battle.

The defenses owned the game after the third quarter.  Each team made enough plays to force overtime.

In overtime, the home field advantage and momentum turned in Rustburg’s favor.  They scored on their offensive possession.  The Hilltoppers took the ball and were unable to push through the red curtain of the Rustburg defense. Rustburg picked off two Holloway passes, both by Alex Dunn.

The emotional win capped off a great contest and gives Rustburg momentum as they prepare for the Region 3C playoffs.  The Hilltoppers must regain their composure and wait out the results of other teams in their Region 4D before they are assured of a place in the playoffs.

Scoring Plays:
EC GLASS

* Jertavius Osborne 25yd pass from Jhalil Holloway 

* Jamar Smith 8yd pass from Holloway

RUSTBURG

*Ashton Dixon 16yd pass from Jaydon Herndon 

* Dixon 8yd  pass from Herndon 

* Ari Reid 5yd run in overtime

EMSPORTS 11/8/24

The annual Hill City Battle in the gridiron starts off the last month of the regular season.  The Heritage Pioneers and EC Glass Hilltoppers share a city and a field.  There are many connections between the two schools separated by less than five miles and they are never too far from each others’ minds. 

In this newest edition of the Jug Bowl battle, the Hilltoppers own the bragging rights with a victory last year.  The Pioneers know a win over the Class 4 Hilltoppers will secure a playoff berth in their Class 3 division and almost ensure a home game when the playoffs begin.

EC Glass was in an uphill climb as their playoff future, needed some help but a win tonight would give them as much needed boost.

The Hilltoppers may have been underdogs on paper but in the field, they were the aggressor.  Heritage struck first with a touchdown from QB Slash to Travis Clark.  The lead was short lived because Glass answered when Jamal Smith took one coast to coast with a 96-yd kickoff return touchdown to the house.  The big play from Smith lit up the entire stadium and the battle was on.

The team from Midtown were primed for a big performance and took a surprising 14-7 lead late into the second quarter after Jhalil Holloway powered a 2-yard run into the endzone.  The Pioneers (7-2) responded.  Ayden Slash rushed 30 yards for TD to get the score to 14-13.  The point after was unsuccessful.  EC Glass answered with their own momentum and kicked a field goal to take a 17-13 lead at the half. 

The second half was a battle of wills and lack of offense.  It was not for lack of effort by both teams to break through the opposing defenses.  Yet, the defenses were the stars after halftime and the Glass defense shined the brightest.  The key play from Hilltoppers’ Sam Treacy (recovered fumble) whose tackle with 2:41 left in the game, helped stall an important Heritage drive.  No scoring took place in the third or fourth quarter, thanks in part to the game sealing interception from Glass’ Amari Davis.  EC Glass (5-4) boosted their hopes for a team battling for a playoff berth in Region 4D.  The Hilltoppers are keeping the Jug Bowl trophy for another year on Memorial Avenue. Heritage (7-2) who had won five in a row in this series, loses the Hill City battle for the second year in a row. 

STATS:
Heritage managed 238 total offensive yards (151 rushing) compared to Glass's 103 yards.

EMSPORTS 11/01/2024

William Fleming keeps it rolling with a big win over the Lord Botetourt Cavaliers.  The Colonels entered the game at 7-0.  They and won their last nine regular season contests and were looking to bring home a victory in this Blue Ridge contest.  The Cavaliers had won 11 straight matchups with William Fleming and were on a six-game winning streak since dropping the season opening game versus EC Glass High School.

It had been 18 years since Fleming could say they beat their county neighbors (October 2006), but this time, the Roanoke city team would not go home disappointed.  This game also had huge implications for the VHSL playoffs, which are three weeks away.  The Colonels hold the #1 spot in Region 5C while the Cavaliers do the same in Region 3D.

LB took the lead early 3-0 on the game’s opening possession, but that was the only time Fleming would trail.  On their initial drive, Fleming got a big play from running back Malachi Coleman, the Syracuse Orange commit, who took the handoff 64 yards untouched to the house.  As LB looked to respond, the Fleming defense came up large. 

The Cavaliers’ QB was reaching for the endzone but the ball popped loose.  Fleming wasted no time jumping on the fumbled pigskin and K’Ron Furguson could only see green as he streaked 102 yards to the other end of the field.  His scoop and score made it 14-3 for the home team and by all intents and purposes, Fleming had taken control of the game.

Trailing at halftime, 21-3, Botetourt attempted a comeback in the third quarter.  The success of the offense was evident as their adjustments paid off and the Cavaliers made the score 21-17. 

However, they would get no closer as Fleming’s defense stiffened and their offense woke up again scoring the last 14 points of the game to finish off the visitors with a 35-17 victory.

With the win, Fleming improves to 8-0 and prepares for visiting Franklin County on next Friday.  The Cavaliers (6-2) will have to rest up and clean up some mistakes before they are able to erase this defeat.  They will take on Northside in their next game.

EMSPORTS 10/26/2024

It was a great matchup for high school football fans in Lynchburg last Thursday night in September.  The reigning state champs in VHSL 3A, the LCA Bulldogs, are ready for another tough matchup in the Seminole.  The Heritage Pioneers are making the short trip over to Bulldog Stadium and looking to take control of the district. 

Both teams will benefit from a win and make a statement to the rest of the district.  A win improves the playoff positioning as well.    

Heritage was primed and ready to take the battle early.  The Pioneers jumped out to a 12-7 lead and in the second quarter looked to be in control.  However,  Gideon Davidson and crew had other ideas.  The Bulldogs bark got as loud as their bite and they proceeded to score 20 unanswered points to take a dominant upper hand at 27-12 into halftime. 

The halftime break came at the right time as the Pioneers regrouped and the defense came up big.  Heritage scored in their first drive of the second half and then added a 2-pt conversion.  LCA was bruised but found the strength to respond and took a 34-20 lead into the fourth quarter.  The defense made big plays in crunch time and Heritage kept clawing back.  After scoring to close the lead to 34-27, the Pioneers needed the defense to lockdown.  The defense rose to the challenge and force a turnover on downs by the Bulldogs.  However, LCA was just as impressive and got the ball back with a few minutes remaining.

With the game in the balance, the Bulldogs took a chance on fourth down and the gutsy play calling on fourth down moved the chains.  The conversion was enough to help the offense run out the clock and leave the Pioneers just short of a tremendous comeback.

The loss was Heritage’s (3-1) first on the year while the Bulldogs (4-0) stay undefeated in the 2024 season.

Stars of the Game

?David Bradley - Heritage
8 carries for 165yds; 2 TDs

?Gideon Davidson - LCA

26 carries for 225yds with 3TDS and a 94-yd Kick Return for a TD; 6 tackles on defense 

EMSPORTS 9/28/2024

In a early season Seminole District battle, the Pioneers and Cavaliers engaged in a proverbial fistfight on the gridiron.

Heritage and Jefferson Forest were tied up in the first half of the game 7-7.  The defenses were on display and the yards were hard and few to come back.

 The total yards for the first half  were Heritage with 94 rushing yards and nine yards passing.  Their total of 103 yards was slightly less than the 110 total yards of the Cavaliers.  Jefferson Forest had 68 rushing yards and 42 yards passing before halftime.

 
 Heritage had seven first downs compared to the Jefferson Forest total of five first downs.

Jefferson Forest scored first with a 3-yard run by Quarterback Dylan Marks on to have David Bradley respond with a 2-yard run for a touchdown for Heritage, to tie the game up In the first half. 

The second half was even more defense as Jefferson Forest fumbled the ball on Heritage 19-yard line when closing in on the redzone.  Heritage capitalized on the mistake and the quarterback, Slash hit WR Tavion Clark with a 21-yard pass to put the Pioneers on 31-yard line.  The pair then connected again for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.  Slash found his favorite target with a 31-yard pass to Tavion Clark with 2:22 remaining in game. This pushed the score to a final tally of 21-7.

EM-SPORTS 9/20/24  

EM-SPORTS.ORG 8/30/24

It was a big night for Gideon Davidson, who had 126 yards in the first half and three touchdowns for the game.  Davidson scored a 31-yard touchdown with 7:54 seconds in the first quarter. LCA blocked a field goal when Salem reached the 18-yard line of LCA.  LCA flipped the field with the return and in a few plays later punched in a rushing touchdown when James Deyo took it in from the 1-yard line to make the score 14-0. 

Salem came back in the second quarter to score a 14-yard pass from Taylor to Logan. Tyler Jackson, a freshman quarterback at LCA, threw a nine-yard pass to Jackson Damon for TD.

LCA didn’t look back and took a 20-7 lead into halftime.

The second half was a classic slugfest as both teams traded hard hits, solid tackling and exchanged multiple scores. The Spartans made a late charge with a 7-yard run by Persinger for a TD.  It was too little and too late. LCA opened the season at home in the friendly confines of Bulldog Stadium with an impressive 35-21 victory. 

Salem may have fallen short on this evening however it will fuel their fire as they look to start the journey back through the rest of the season and find themselves knocking in the door for another VHSL Class 4 championship. 

EM-SPORTS  7/24/24      

LCA CAME FROM BEHIND IN THE BOTTOM OF THE 8TH INNING TO BEAT LORD BOTETOURT, 2-1 IN THE STATE QUARTERFINAL BASEBALL PLAYOFf game.

THERE WAS A CONTROVERSIAL CALL IN THE BOTTOM OF THE SIXTH INNING. IT WENT AGAINST LCA, WITH THE BASES LOADED, THE UMPIRES CALLED INTERFERENCE ON THE RUNNER GOING TO SECOND, AND HE WAS CALLED OUT.     

LORD BOTETOURT LEFT MORE RUNNERS ON BASE FOR THE GAME. 

EM-SPORTS.ORG 6/4/24 

BASEBALL
Seminole District
E.C. Glass 10, Jefferson Forest 5

              INNING  1 2 3 4 5 6 7      r  h  e
E.C. Glass:          6 0 1 3 0 0 0 —10 9  2

Jefferson Forest: 0 0 1 0 0 0 4 —  5 5  4

WP: Cooper Campbell. LP: Cayden Janney. 

Highlights: Glass — Cooper Campbell 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R/ER, 1 BB, 10 Ks (2-2, 2 RBIs); Tyler Ruhl 2 IP, 1 H, 4 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 5 Ks (2-4, 3 RBIs); Drew Barnett 1-3, 2B, 2 R. Jefferson Forest — Michael Rowlands 3-4, 2 RBIs; Landon Mitchell 1-4, 2 RBIs, R; Beckett Gilleland 1-2, 2B, R. 

Records: Jefferson Forest 8-1. E.C. Glass 8-0. 

Both teams entered the baseball game undefeated.

In the course of a basketball season, it is inevitable to avoid some challenges.  A losing streak, poor shooting or just a night where everything goes the other teams’ way. In the Region 4D semi-finals, a couple of familiar foes got together with more than a mere coincidence on the line.

The EC Glass Hilltoppers were the defending region 4 champs and fell short of a the Class 4 title in the championship game last season.  They were one step away from securing another invite into the state tournament. 

The Jefferson Forest Cavaliers had worked hard all year and earned the home game with a strong season.  More importantly, they wanted a taste of the state tournament, which had eluded them for over five years since they made it to the state Final Four in 2019.

Another nugget was the fact the teams had split the two regular season contests with Glass as co-champions and winners of their last matchup. A sense revenge was on the minds of the Cavaliers who remembered the lost at home and knew this time, there would be no tomorrow.

The game started out as a defensive duel but JF eventually found their stroke thanks to the hot hand of  senior Isaiah Scott.  Scott was the catalyst and the armor bearer.  He found holes in and around the Glass defense to the tune of 14 first half points.  As he was leading in offense, he and the other teammates, shut down the Glass shooting and the vaunted Glass full court pressure.

The halftime score of 27-14, indicated that JF was in control and the Hilltoppers as a team were matched by the individual scoring Scott.  

The second half would not be smooth sailing and as is the case in playoffs, both teams picked you the pace and the scoring. Even though Glass made several charges and cut into the double-digit lead, JF was able to balance out the scoring and keep a reasonable distance without ever losing the entire advantage.

Glass didn’t go down quietly but, in the end, the Cavaliers were one step ahead and made solid plays to keep the lead and walk away with a hard fought 58-50 victory.  Glass (15-8) ends their season with another championship of the Seminole District, while Jefferson Forest (17-6) moves on as the last district team standing in the playoff hunt.

EMSPORTS.ORG 2/20/2024

The 2023/2024 basketball season is nearing the regular season finish line.  Teams have battled, clawed and scratched their way through challenges both good and bad.  Every season has a special matchup and tonight’s clash in the Hill City was no different. The first time the Heritage Pioneers faced off with the EC Glass Hilltoppers it was in in the McCue gym, where Glaas calls home.

The Pioneers looked liked the team to beat in that contest. They held a double digit lead in the fourth quarter but could not close the deal. Glass made a spectacular comeback and won by three points.

Did someone say deja vu’?

The second battle in the Pioneers’ Fieldhouse followed the same script.  A close back and forth gave way to Heritage taking control and holding a late fourth quarter lead.  

As it was before, Glass was down but not out.  The Hilltoppers staged a furious comeback and scored seven of the last nine points to tie the game at 53-53.  The final points came in three clutch free throws with under two seconds to play.

In overtime,  Heritage took a 62-60 lead with the ball, with under 30 seconds to play.  However, the Pioneers were unable to score and the door was open for the Hilltoppers.  They made the most of the opportunity, with a made three-point basket with under 30 seconds.  The Pionners had one last chance to claim the win but weee unable to score.  The Hilltoppers finished off the victory with two free throws to secure a season sweep with a final score of 65-62.

The win snapped the eight game Heritage winning streak which began after the initial loss at Glass. Both teams look forward to the playoffs in their respective regional tournaments.  The win also sets up a winner take all matchup in the regular season finale, when Glass hosts Rustburg for a chance to win the Seminole District.

EMSPORTS.org 2/9/2024

EM-SPORTS.ORG    1/27/24 

Carmel took an early lead over VES in a boy's Basketball game Played Saturday at VES in Lynchburg Virginia. VES fought back to tire the game up 18-18 in the second quarter. Carmel did not score a point in the second quarter and VES only scored three points in that quarter of the game.

It was a very physical game with VES pulling it out by a score of 55-54.

High scorers:

VES: Vuk Stanic 20 points, Billy Koudelka 13 points 

Carmel: M Lewis 18 points     

EM-SPORTS.ORG 1/19/24  

Rustburg basketball team is unstoppable they remind me of the Dunbar Poets team in 1966.  They were a fast-break team who averaged 100 points a game.

They had players such as Wheeler Hughes, Donald Culpepper, Hillary Scott, Lawrence Jefferson and Buddy Davis.

 
Rustburg is undefeated in district at 7-0.  The Red Devils went up by 22 points as they used the fast break to score by hitting the open man. Rustburg shot 59% from floor while holding EC Glass to only 35%. 

Glass had 13 offensive rebounds while Rustburg had seven offensive boards.

The Red Devils were led by seniors Tayvon Vassal-Crider, Elijah Sherard, and Terrance Parrish in the 75-57 victory at home in the Rustburg High School gym. 

Vassal - Crider finished with 17 points, seven assists and two blocks.  Sherard had 10 points and Parrish led all scorers with a game-high 20 points.

Adrian Farmer was the leading scorer for Glass with 17 points and teammate Zach Wilson chipped in 11 points.

EM-SPORTS.ORG 1/10/24

Round one between EC Glass Boys and LCA, The Hilltoppers came out with the win 69-57
They'll be playing again later on in the season round two.  Since LCA joined the Seminole District, they have had tough games every time they played each other.

Glass put on a full-court press that caused problems for LCA to get the ball up the court. Both teams had quick guards, but Glass was able to force more turnovers.  

Glass and LCA scored a lot of points inside the paint. It was tied at 35-35 with 4:00 minutes to go in the third quarter. Grey Milam, a freshman at Glass, went to work, scoring 10 points in the fourth quarter and finish with 14 points. Gavin Arthur had 12 points Glass.

LCA was led in scoring by Lawson Sweeney with 26 points.

Rustburg Red Devils’ Boys Basketball is off to a fantastic start in the 2023-2024 season.  The team showed promise last year with a strong 7-0 start.  That beginning spearheaded a successful season that ended with a region 3C semifinal loss to Spotswood.

The Red Devils looked to build on that momentum and they have responded with a 9-0 start including a win over defending Class 3A State Champ Northside, in Northside’s Holiday Classic tournament.  That win placed them in the finals to face Tunstall High School. 

The Tunstall Trojans have been a powerful program in Region 3D for years.  That was evident when they won the first 10 games of last year and have repeated this season as well.  That last year’s team fell in the regional semifinals to Cave Spring and felt they have unfinished business.  

The battle of these two combatants maybe a precursor for a state tournament matchup in March 2024.  Until then, the victor will have to settle for some early season bragging rights and continue to keep their record unblemished.

The Red Devils faced a team of taller players as Tunstall who averaged over 6 feet per starter.  Tunstall would have to defend a team full of quickness and solid guard play who ran a constant motion offense.

The start of the game was a sign of things to come for Rustburg and it was not pleasant.  The Trojans raced out to an impressive first quarter lead of 17 to 5.  

As Rustburg attempted to limit Tunstall’s size advantage, the Trojans gobbled up missed shots and converted layups at will.  The lead only got larger, and Rustburg could only watch Tunstall do as they pleased.  The halftime score was Tunstall 42 - Rustburg 14.  The leading scorer, JaMarcus Brown, outscored the Red Devils by himself with 18 points.  Both teams took care of the ball as Rustburg committed four turnovers whereas Tunstall had five. 

Enter the third quarter, Rustburg looked to make a dent into the lead.  The Trojans did not comply and continued to apply pressure.   The score into the third quarter saw Tunstall 58 to 27 and it was all but officially over.  The Red Devils did not quit, but Tunstall won at every category and their size, length and pressure was too much to overcome as Tunstall ran away with a 69-41 victory.  Tunstall finished with 20 offensive rebounds.

Tournament MVP, Brown, finished with a game high 20 points.  His teammates, JRae Edmonds and Zay Cobbs added 13 and 12 points each.  Tunstall scored in double figures in each quarter.  Rustburg was led in scoring at 10 points by Terrence Parrish.

The valiant Red Devils scored more points each quarter and matched Tunstall point for point in the second half (27).

The win gives Chatham an 11-0 record as they prepare for 2024.  The Red Devils suffer loss their first loss of the season (9-1).  They now turn their attention to their Seminole district opponents. 

EMSPORTS.org 12/29/2023

 12;21/23 EM-SPORTS.ORG    Rustburg come out Victorious in tight game at Rustburg Thursday night. Rustburg had four players in double figures with points guard Elijah Sherard leading his team to win with 20 points and 10 assists Elijah is one of the best guard in the state of Virginia. His teammates added Cooper Stamn with 15 points, Tayvon Vassal- Crider with 17 points and Moorman has 10 points. Rustburg rally late past Jefferson Forest 60-44 in district game. Rustburg stay undefeated 7-0. Forest missed a lot of layouts in the final minutes of the game. Rustburg had a couple of players sick and Forest kep player Donovan Elliott is out for

the season with an ankle injury. Jefferson Forest top score was Cooper Stamn with 15 points.     Jefferson Forest JV beat Rustburg 42-31 Bennett Paris had

15 points for Forest win.

LINKHORNE 30 SANDUSKY 21 

BOTH TEAMS PLAY AN UP-TEMPO GAME. LINKHORNE COMES OUT VICTORIOUS IN TIGHT GAME AT HERITAGE HIGH SCHOOL. THE JAGUARS, BEHIND A STRONG SHOOTING PERFORMANCE, WERE ABLE TO MAINTAIN A LEAD FOR MOST OF THE SECOND HALF OF ACTION. THE TWO TEAMS SCRAPPED TO GET AN EDGE. 

FOR LINKHORNE, COLES AND GREMELLAN TURNED IN A STRONG PERFORMARMANCE WITH COLES SCORING 11 POINTS AND GREMELLAN HAD 7 POINTS.

SAUNDERS LED ALL SCORERS WITH 14 POINTS FOR SANDUSKY.   

EM-SPORTS 12/20/23   

12/13/23  EM-SPORTS.ORG)    Dunbar and LCA Undefeated meet for the first time this year at Dunbar Gym. The home team came out on top. Dunbar top score Abbitt had 13 points and Brarindor with 11 points. LCA cut the lead by nine points 20-11 at the end of the third quarter. Dunbar got most of the points inside the paint. Dunbar outscored LCA in all four quarters. LCA top score Z Rossel 8 points. 

The Virginia Cavaliers looked forward to starting ACC play in the first Saturday in December.  In the previous game, the Hoos returned to their impressive defensive form with a win against the high-powered 14th ranked Texas A&M Aggies.  The win at home was Virginia’s 19th victory in their last 20 home contests and they didn’t want the success to stop.

The Cavaliers (6-1) focused their attention on ACC rival, the Syracuse Orange, who were going through a transition.  The identity of this program had been established by Hall of Fame Coach Jim Boeheim, who retired after 47 years leading the program to great heights. His replacement, Adrian Autry, was a former star in Syracuse and was now preparing to raise the program back to the top of the ACC.

The Cavaliers and Syracuse have played some memorable games since the ‘cuse came into the league over a decade ago.  This matchup would be a little different but a young Syracuse team would have to deal with the energy and enthusiasm only found in John Paul Jones.

The start was good for the visitors.  The Orange jumped out to a 5-0 start and looked to capitalize on the momentum.  However, the Cavaliers woke up out of the slow start and took the lead about five minutes in on a Reece Beekman layup.  The early lead of 7-5 began a back and forth where the two teams changed leads several times.  Eventually, Syracuse tied the game at 17-17 on a Maliq Brown basket with nearly seven minutes to play.  Syracuse was still in the game and gaining confidence.

It would be as close as the ‘Cuse would get for the remainder of the contest.  Jacob Groves made two free throws and Virginia never looked back.  The start of a 20-7 scoring run gave Virginia a comfortable lead at the halftime.  The first half was owned by Issac McKneely, the sharp shooting guard from Virginia.  His 16 points was already a career high and it helped elevate the Cavaliers to a 37-24 lead. He knocked downs 6 of 9 shots and 4 theee-pointers in six attempts. The team shot over 55% for the half and over 44% from behind the 3pt arc.  In contrast, the Orange cooled off after a strong first 12 minutes and finished shooting 37% from the floor and 37.5% from the 3pt territory.

The second half was only a greater extension of the first as the Cavaliers could hardly miss. 

The Cavaliers continue the onslaught and the lead grew to 20 (55-35) after another McKneely three-point splash.  In less than 90 seconds, McKneely hit another 3, his sixth of the game and the Hoos were cruising at 58-35 with over 13 minutes to play.

Syracuse, preciously known as an aggressive zone team, tried and failed in the man-to-man scheme.  Their effort to switch to zone and even a full court press was even more futile.  The Cavs passed over, around and through the Orange’s defense.  The crisp ball movement led to easy baskets in the paint and multiple slam dunks.  

When Reece Beekman and Taine Murray converted back to back, three pointers, the crowd nearly took the roof off the place.  The score had ballooned to 72-40 and the despair was all over the Syracuse bench.  It was just a matter of play it out the remainder of the game as Virginia subbed freely while Syracuse continued to use their starters in an effort to make the deficit reasonable.  

Taine Murray’s next three pointer put the Cavs up 75-42 and it all basically icing in the cake.  The final score of 84-62 showed Syracuse playing hard until the last buzzer.

McKneely’s career high of 22 points (6/8 on 3ptrs) led all scorers.  Andrew Rohde (10 pts) and Reece Beekman (13 pts) joined the double digit category.  Syracuse got most of their production from JJ Starling with 16 points and Maliq Brown contributed 10 off the bench.  Ten of UVA’s 12 players scored. 

Stats:
Virginia shot a blazing 55% for the game and a hotter 57% from behind the 3pt arc.  Syracuse shot a respectable 41% from the floor but a dismal 25% from 3pt distance.  

Virginia won the rebounding battle at 33 to 27 and forced more turnovers (14) than they committed (10).

The win gives Virginia a 7-1 record and 1-0 in ACC. Syracuse drops to 5-3 overall and they are now 0-1 at the start of ACC play.  

EMSPORTS.org 12/2/2023

The newly created ACC-SEC Challenge was in its inaugural format.  It gave the nation great theatre for college basketball on TV. The seven cross-conference matchups featured 14 of the best teams with multiple ranked squads. 

Virginia (5-1) returned home after an uneven pre-Thanksgiving trip to Florida for the Fort Meyers Tournament.  The Hoos were ranked 24th but after a blowout loss to Wisconsin and a narrow escape over West Virginia, the Cavaliers needed a trip back to friendlier confines.

The 14th ranked Texas A&M Aggies (6-1) boasted one of the top players in the SEC in Henry Coleman III, a former UVA recruit and now a double-double machine in College Station. Another familiar face was the return of Buzz Williams, the former head coach of arch rival Virginia Tech, now the head coach of Texas A&M.

The Cavaliers and Aggies were both looking for redemption having lost their first games last week in separate tournaments.  They were looking to regain momentum as the month winds down and the competition heats up.  Each team was missing a key member.  The Aggies were without the services of Tyrece Radford, the combo guard who fills up the stat sheet.  Virginia was lacking the playmaking ability and quickness of point guard Dante Harris who was sidelined with a foot injury.

The high scoring Aggies scored over 70 points a game.  They were facing another fantastic Virginia packline defense whose stinginess was evident allowing under 50 points a contest.

With a reworked lineup, the starters did all the scoring but each player made a strong impression.  The Cavaliers were still outrebounded, 42-30, yet it was the 16 turnovers created and the Aggies poor shooting (30% from the field and only 17% from behind the three point arc), that was their visitors’ demise. 

The first half was a battle of wills and defenses ruled.  Virginia took an early lead and stayed ahead until about six minutes were left in the first half.  A&M took its first lead at 21-20 on a 3pt make by Hayden Hefner.  The lead changed hands a few times until Virginia took the lead for good at the half up 27-26.  

The lead would expand as Andrew Rohde (had 8 of team high 13 points after half) helped jumpstart a 14-2 run that created a 41-28 lead with 14:20 left in the second half.

The Aggies would not go away and they methodically whittled the deficit to 41-36 in about five minutes.  The 8-0 run started to turn the momentum in favor of the visitors.  Virginia answered the challenge with defensive intensity timely scoring.  

Virginia made five three-pointers in the second half and were able to pick apart the full court press.  The last 10 minutes of the game showed Virginia had learned its lessons from last week and their poise was on display as they committed just 10 turnovers.

Virginia was able to turn back any significant charges made from Texas A&M and the eight blocks signified their dominance in denying easy buckets.

The Hoos finished shooting a respectable 42% from the field and 36% from behind the arc. 

The stars: 

Coleman lived up to the billing. He scored a game high  16 points and grabbed a game high 14 rebounds.  PG Wade Taylor IV the SEC preseason player of the year, was held to a season low nine points.  He averaged 20 points a game entering tonight. 

For the Cavaliers, Ryan Dunn had 12 points, 

5 rebounds, 3 steals and 5 blocks to lead all players.  Reece Beekman poured in 12 points, 5 assists (most on the floor), 

3 steals and added 2 blocks.

Winning looks good for the Cavs (6-1) who have strung together two in a row and prepare for the first ACC contest when Syracuse visits JPJ on Saturday, Dec. 2nd.

The Aggies (6-2) have played four games in seven days will get a much needed break as they will not play again for a week.  They will host the DePaul Blue Demons.  

EMSPORTS.org 11/29/2023

The Commonwealth Cup has been in existence for nearly 20 years. It is a competition between the states’ highest profile universities. When it comes to football, this forest rivalry has been going on far longer.

Families, friendships and households have been impacted by this game which Carrie’s more meaning than just a win or a loss. These numbers are part of the narrative. 17 out of the last 18. Zero wins on the road in 25 years and just three wins since 1999. All these numbers favor the coating Virginia Tech Hokies who have dominated since the mid 1990s.

Virginia enters this Senior Day with renewed attitude and a new leader. Coach Elliott is headed into his first Clash of the Commonwealth and he is looking to start a winning tradition.

Coach Pry is also in his first clash and he wants to repeat what the Hokies did two years ago, last time game was played, with a victory on foreign soil.

VT enters the game not only playing for pride but also a chance to go .500 and lock in bowl eligibility. Virginia would like nothing less than to ruin the their SW neighbors’ postseason hopes and finish the season on a two-game winning streak.

The opportunity lay before both teams but only Virginia Tech responded. After a successful opening drive resulting in a field goal, the Hokies turned away the Hoos’s on three plays and proceeded to dismantle and dominate the home teams. VT scored 24 unanswered to go up 24-0 at the half. They extended the lead to 31-0 before Virginia finally scored in the third quarter. That was only cosmetic and the boys from Blacksburg eventually extended the lead to a final score of 55-17.

The Hokies defense recorded six sacks. They also forced two turnovers while only committing one. The Cavaliers could not get any rhythm or slow down VT as the defense allowed 500 total yards and special teams gave up a kick return touchdown as well.

The wins propels Virginia Tech into a postseason consideration to be determined later. The loss places Virginia in the unenviable task of once again trying to get over a losing season and a loss to their bitter rivals.

EMSPORTS.org 11/25/2023

The month of November is special for many.  It is the month to celebrate Thanksgiving.  It signals the end of another football season and it also recognizes the brave men and women soldiers with Military Appreciation Month.  

For Virginia it means only two games left in this tumultuous and trying season.  The team has celebrated and honored memory of three football players slain last November 13th.  In their last game, RB Perris Jones suffered a season ending injury that required surgery and the team lost another one-possession game to continue their poor fortunes in close games.

Duke entered Charlottesville looking to erase a close loss in OT at the hands of archenemies University of North Carolina.  The Blue Devils destroyed Virginia last year but had lost their last five games in Scott Stadium.  

Virginia has shown resourcefulness and QB Tony Colandrea was getting better with each start as a first year.  Duke came in wounded as well with an injury to starting QB Riley Leonard that paved the way for true freshman, backup Grayson Loftis to lead this team. There are other storylines as well with both Coach Elliott and Coach Elko in their second years and each candidates for the Virginia job before eventually going to Elliott.  

With true freshmen leading the way, the battling teams both knew it would need the services of the veterans to gain the advantage.  The first half was a true give and take where offense a premium and defenses took the game momentum from one side to the other.  Virginia took the lead early but Duke tied it up at 7.   As Virginia regained the lead, the Blue Devils did not take long, tying the score at 10 before the halftime horn. 

Following the halftime intercession, the Cavaliers played like a brand new team.  They never trailed in the game. This was a testament of the spectacular play from Colandrea and the wizardry of WR Malik Washington.  Washington has been a phenomenal playmaker for Virginia all year.  The transfer from University of Washington is must watch television. He leads the conference in pass catches, yards per game receiving and touchdown receptions.  He is also second in the nation among all wideouts in total receptions and total receiving yards.  He was as impressive with two touchdowns on 8 receptions for 112 yards, all team highs.  Colandrea was efficient and impactful completing 11 of 30 for 278 yards and three TDs.  

His counterpart was impressive as well completing 26/45 for 270 yards for two touchdowns but a critical interception. Virginia as they commonly have done took control in the second half.  A few more touchdown passes by Colandrea offset a Duke field goal and the Cavaliers owned a 24-13 lead in the fourth quarter.  This is where it got interesting.   The Blue Devils trailed 30-20 with about five minutes left.  A successful drive in under three minutes culminated in a Loftis to Mekhi Wall two-yard TD toss.  This brought the score to 30-27 for UVa and the last 2 minutes and 30 seconds seemed like an eternity.

As many Hoo fans know, the Cavaliers have demonstrated a penchant for losing leads in the fourth quarter.  However, this was not one of those games.  An onside kick by Duke was unsuccessful and finally the faithful fans of Virginia were able to breathe a sigh of relief and see the first ever ACC home win under Coach Elliott.  Virginia outgained Duke 448 to 429 in total yardage and won the turnover battle 2 to 0.

Virginia hosts arch rival Virginia Tech to wrestle away the Commonwealth Cup on Senior Day.

EMSPORTS.org 11/18/2023

The Cavaliers showcased all their depth and prowess with an easy win versus NC A&T.  The second game in John Paul Jones this week has the Texas Southern Tigers Charlottesville.

The Tigers enter at 0-2 but showed fight and tenacity in a hard fought defeat agains the Arizona St. Sun Devils.  They however have not scored more than 55 points on the season.

The Cavaliers have clicked offensively putting up over 77 points a game while the legendary Packline Defense is limiting opponents to less than 54 points a contest.  

The Tigers continue their road trip but may be facing their toughest challenge to date with the firepower and defensive force the Cavaliers present.

The Hoos on the other hand will battle without one of their starters as sharpshooter Isaac McKneely sits out with a sprained ankle. The start was slow for both teams as the offenses struggled barely averaging a point a minute through the opening five minutes. 

As the half progressed forward, Virginia began to churn out the turnovers from the Texas Southern squad and converted those miscues into points.  A quick 10-0 run by Virginia complimented the drought of the Tigers that lasted nearly six minutes.  

The stretch allowed Virginia to take a double-digit lead with just under eight minutes left.  As for the remainder of the half, Virginia methodically demonstrated their strength and length to disrupt any semblance of good offense.  

As much as Virginia dominated multiple categories, they were also lacking in a few areas.  Texas Southern shoot poorly but their hustle led to numerous opportunities as they gathered more rebounds than Virginia.  Virginia was also provide the Tigers hope with uncharacteristic turnovers and less than stellar free throw shooting.

The halftime score saw Virginia leading 26-14.  The defense created seven steals and six blocks while holding the Tigers to 22% shooting from the field. Ryan Dunn led the way with nine points and three rebounds. Virginia was better from the field shooting at 44%, double compared to TX So. The Cavs also held leading scorer PJ Henry to zero points which was nearly 10 points below his season average of 9.5.

The defense carried over into the second half and stifled the Tigers. The Tigers never threatened the Hoos as the lead expanded throughout the half reaching as high as 30, when Virginia doubled up Texas Southern at 60-30.

The Tigers struggled to find any rhythm as Virginia pressed the opponents relentlessly the moment the Tigers crossed half court. The Cavaliers kept their hands busy and made a concentrated effort to remove the advantage that the Tigers had on the boards in the first half.  

With a sizeable lead, the Cavaliers played nearly all their scholarship players and 10 of the 11 players logging minutes also scored. 

Virginia completed the mission with a 62-33 victory.  Ryan Dunn led all scorers with 15 points.  The team shot 44% for the game and nearly 32% from behind the 3pt arc.  The defense stole the show limiting the Tigers to only 26% from the field and a paltry 18% from behind the 3pt line. They were paced by Henry and Young, both who scored seven points each.

The first time in school history UVA recorded 10 blocks and 10 steals in the same game.

The wins bolsters Virginia to 4-0 while Texas Southern falls to 0-3. 

EMSPORTS.org 11/16/23

The Virginia Cavaliers faced their next challenge in the form of the visiting  NC A&T Aggies as they returned to the friendly confines of JPJ looking to build on the strong non-conference 2-0 start.  The visitors from North Carolina were making their first ever trip to JPJ.  This would be the first of a two-game home stand for the Cavaliers. 

The Cavaliers defeated the Florida Gators, in a tight, one-possession battle, on a neutral court in Charlotte.  The visitors from Greensboro suffered a huge defeat at the hands of a fellow ACC squad, the Pitt Panthers.

Virginia has shown a strong ability to limit opponents’ ability to get to comfortable in the half court while creating multiple turnovers.  That was evident in the 15 steals they created against the Gators with Ryan Dunn swiping seven by himself.

The Aggies (0-2) are a small team but very gritty and aggressive. What they lacked inside they made up for in speed and pressure they put on opposing defenses by speeding up the game tempo.

A heavy underdog, the Aggies were looking for a quick start and hoping to grab momentum.  It never happened.  Virginia grabbed a 2-0 lead early and outside of a tie at 2, the Cavaliers were never threatened on the scoreboard.  The buckets flowed endlessly after the the six minute mark as the Cavaliers took over with stingy defense and an array of buckets.  When the halftime horn was sounded, the Hoos had built a 49-19 leads. All ten of the Cavs who played scored.  The Aggies were looking for answers to the problems presented by the hometown squad.

The second half was more even as the result was not in doubt.  There were many different lineups as Coach Bennett and his staff were looking at new ways to employ all the players and best maximize theses combinations for possibilities going forward.  

The win puts the Hoos (3-0) in good shape as they prepare for Texas Southern on Thursday.  NC A&T (0-3) will look to regroup and build on a strong second half as they prepare for a week layoff before heading to Alabama to face Merrimack.

The final stats all favored the Hoos.  The team held the visitors to 32% shooting from the field and barely 25% from behind the three-point arc.  In contrast, Virginia shot a blistering 54% while recording and equally impressive 46% from the 3pt shot.

Reece Beekman paced all players with 7 assist and zero turnovers.  The heavy lifting was handled by Leon Bond III with 16 off the bench and Ryan Dunn with 13 boards to go with 11 rebounds. (First career double double). Jacob Groves added 11 from his substitute role.

The Aggies got a game high 18 points from Landon Glasper. 

EMSPORTS.org 11/14/2023

A new season and new expectations abound for the 2023-2024 season.  The Virginia Cavaliers have a mix of new faces with some experience that makes them intriguing and the fan base excited for the upcoming year.

Coach Bennett leads a band of players with only two starters returning in Issac McNeely and ACC Defensive Player of the Year, Reece Beekman.  The team enters November as a prime contender for the ACC title but no national ranking as Bennett enters his 15th season at the helm of the Cavaliers.

The opener begins with Tarleton State from Texas.  They are a combination of players with eight returners and 16 transfers that compose this team led by Billy Gillespie, former head man at Texas A&M and Kentucky, during his career. 

In the first ever matchup of these two teams, the home crowd was entertained by the Cavaliers who jumped out to a fast lead and never looked back.  The Hoos energy was matched by their offensive firepower as both were high in the season opener.  

A quick 11-4 run to open the game in a little over two minutes set the tone for the game.  Virginia took a double-digit lead with just under 12 minutes to play.  The lead never dipped back into single digits.  The Cavaliers swelled the lead from 21-11 to 43-19 by halftime.  An early season Cavalanche of 22 to 8 was pleasing to the crowd and too much for the visiting Texans to overcome.  A combination of Reece Beekman controlling the tempo and high-level shooting by Issac McNeely paced the Hoos in the first half.

The second half was a little less one sided as Tarleton State found more openings in the Cavalier defense and made a slight dent into the lead.  A modest 13-3 run gave Tarleton some momentum closed the score to 59-40 with a little over ten minutes remaining.

The Cavs made a few adjustments and then stretched the lead out again.  This time Jacob Groves and Ryan Sunn sparked the offensive onslaught as Virginia finished the game with a 21-10 finish.  

The 80-50 victory has given the Cavaliers another season opening win which is their 24th in the last 26 seasons.

Virginia shot an impressive 49% from the field and 45% from behind the three-point line.

Beekman led 10 players from UVA with 16 points followed by 15 from McNeely and 12 scored by Leon Dunn III in his college debut.

Dunn also collected nine rebounds to lead all players.  The Texans were led by Devon Barnes and Izzy Miles who scored 11 and 10 respectively.  Tarleton State shot only 33% with a paltry 23% beyond the three-point arc.

Virginia starts the season at 1-0 while Tarleton State begins the season at 0-1.

EMSPORTS.org. 11/6/2023 

Patrick Henry did not waste any time getting on the scoreboard with Chuck Webb scoring on an
1-yard TD. EC Glass came right back to score with Marty Kittrell throwing a 50-yard pass
to Jertavius Osbourne for the tying TD. Patrick Henry Quarterback, Joey Beasley, answered with his pass that hit Kwalei Carter for a 65-yard TD. Chuck Webb then added to the team's total as he contributed with two touchdowns 1-yard TD run and 31-yard TD pass. 

Both teams could not stop each other on defense.  In this offensively charged game the difference was EC Glass had a lot of penalties and saw two touchdowns called back.

The game was played at Lynchburg city Stadium

Game Stats:

Rushing
Patrick Henry: Chuck Webb 27-125,

EC Glass:  Mike Thomas 11-58.

Passing

Patrick Henry: Joey Beasley,  15-15 for 247 yards,

E.C.Glass: Marty Kittrell, 11-18 for 199 yards.

EM-SPORTS.ORG   8/31/23 

The EC Glass Hilltoppers have one more box the check off for the 2022-2023 season.  Every team wants to be the champ but you have to get to the game, to win the game.

Glass (25-2) has been sensational in postseason play winning eight games to reach the state title game.  All the wins have been by double digits but they have not all been easy.

In some games the offense took over early amen the team crushed their opponent.  In other games, the offense was slow starting, but the smothering and in your face defense, created havoc and limited the opponents.  Glass is averaging nearly 68 points a game while holding their opponents to less than 45 points per game in these playoffs.

The team in being led by the great play of senior guard O’Maundre Harris.  The runaway Seminole Region 4D Player of the Year has been nothing short of amazing.  Harris has raised his scoring average from 26 points a game to over 30 points a game in the playoff run.  His versatility and natural scoring ability has carried the Hilltoppers in tight situations and spearheaded their 16-game winning streak.

The Varina Blue Devils (22-4) are no pushover or surprise team.  The Region 4B champs have also shown the ability to score when needed (over 70 ppg) or locked down on defense where they held King’s Fork to 34 points in the state semifinals.  Varina is sporting an impressive 14-game winning streak and will get the benefit of being the local team as they are less than 25 minutes away from VCU, the site of the VHSL Class 4 Championship.  

Both teams were excellent in offense scoring a nearly identical 66 points per contest during the regular season.  This was an indication of how close these two teams were on paper.  It was even more evident that the title game was a grind and the best defense on the court would make all the difference.

The teams slugged in out in the first period and neither team could take a big lead.  It was a push and pull that resembled a tug of war where Varina would pull ahead only to have Glass pull even or vice versa.  The end of the 1st quarter saw both teams knotted up at 12 apiece and this was just the beginning of a classic.

The second quarter was a copy of the first as both defenses dominated and points were few and far between each team.  Glass took a 13-12 lead with a free throw but it was short lived as Varina took the lead back.  The back and forth action continued with lots of energy and hype but not as many points.  The game was tied at 22 with just under two minutes to play.  The momentum was square in the middle until the Blue Devils were able to push ahead with four more points before the halftime horn.  The Hilltoppers spoiled several chances to tie or take the lead and saw themselves losing at halftime for the first time in the playoffs at 26-22.  O'maundre Harris, the highlight reel point guard from EC Glass, had display his wizardry on the court as he led all scorers with 13 points.  Varina, by contrast, was able to spread the scoring burden with five players contributing at least four points each with no player having more than seven.

The anticipation of a championship title fight was as big as the performance on the court.  With every move, shot, dribble or pass, the fans seemed to be pouring all their voices onto the court encouraging each player and each play.  The stands and rafters were shaking in unison as Varina started to surge ahead in the third quarter.  Varina was able to create some space and breathing room by taking a 35-26 lead in the first three minutes of the third quarter.  EC Glass who had usually played from ahead, would not go away quietly.  While Harris was not able to score as easily as before, he was setting his teammates up and Camp Conner drained a three-pointer to bring the Glass faithful off their feet and close the score to 39-35.  By the time, the third quarter ended, Varina was clinging to a 45-40 lead but Glass was not done.

The last quarter of the year hanged in the balance and the Blue Devils were leading but it was not a comforable margin.  Glass was essentially playing in an hostile environment and they knew it was time to put their best on display to claim the state crown.

The fourth quarter saw EC Glass apply enormous pressure and it began to wilt the Varina offense.  With less than a minute in regulation, the score was tied at 55.  With under 25 seconds, Glass had taken a lead at 56-55 and needed one stop to secure the victory.  The Hilltoppers could sense the end was near and they were closing in on a state title.  The Varina Blue Devils had seen a five point lead disappear and they needed to make a play. 

They turned to KJ Wyche, the Region 4B Player of the Year, who had made plays all year.  The jjunior guard, was the only returning starter for this Varina team who cut down the nets last year in this building.  He was looking to redeem his earlier free throw misses.  Wyche delivered with a bucket off the glass to give his team a 57-56 lead with nearly 13 seconds left.  Now the tables had turned and Varina needed a stop to walk away as champs.  Glass had on more opportunity but missed a jump shot to win it and the subsequent foul gave Varina two free throws to ice the game.  When the final horn sounded, the teams had given every ounce of effort and sweat was clenched to their bodies, the Varina Blue Devils (23-4) walked away as the new VHSL 4A Champions.  EC Glass (25-3) for all their valor and might, were not able to get that last stop or that game-winning basket and saw their dream season end in the state title game.

Varina was tall and physical and it showed as they collected 40 rebounds to the 25 from Glass.  The Blue Devils also received contributions from a host of players. Junior Malachi Cosby had a double-double effort with a team high 15 points and 11 rebounds.  Wyche contributed 14 while Jerome Conway scored 10 points, Myles Derricott had 8 points and Dominique Coleman provided a spark with 7 key points off the bench, all after halftime.

For EC Glass, it was a tremendous end to the career for O'maundre Harris.  The electrifying guard kept the fans on their feet and the Varina defense on their heels.  Harris was nearly unstoppable as he carried the majority of the scoring for Glass.  As he had done all year, he lifted his scoring output with another 30-point game (31) making 11 of his 21 shots.  He was supported by Connor Camp who had 7 and Aiden Treacy with 6 points.  As both teams were able to get it going in the second half, Glass finished at ~46% from the field for the game while Varina converted ~40% of their shots.  

Congratulations to both teams but most importantly, congrats to the EC Glass Hilltoppers who took their fans, the City of Lynchburg and many basketball spectators on a fantastic journey from the Hill City to the Capital City in this 2022-2023 basketball season.  This is the best team that EC Glass has put on the court since the last championship team of 1967.

EMSPORTS.org 3/9/2023

The high school playoffs are entering the last two rounds with a couple of boys’ teams from Central Virginia still in the hunt.  

ALTAVISTA COLONELS:

In Class 1 semi-finals, the Altavista Colonels are looking to make it back to the state title game for the second time in three years.  A proud program with many titles to their trophy case, the Colonels blew by the Middlesex Chargers and will faces the biggest challenger of the year when the undefeated Lancaster Red Devils (27-0) who have played phenomenal all year.  The winner can make reservations for a state title tilt on Saturday, Mar. 11.  

The dream season came to an abrupt end.  The Colonels were bested by the undefeated Red Devils who were too big and too quick for Altavista.  The Colonels could never get comfortable and they were always playing catch up from the beginning.  Lancaster get off to a great start and cruise into the half with a 37-22 lead.  

Altavista attempted to close the gap but as was the case in the first two quarters, Lancaster showed no weaknesses.  The lead was extended to 18 when the quarter ended at 52-34.  Lancaster proved to be all that they were advertised and the winning streak extends to 28 games.  The final score was confirmation that Altavista was willing but Lancaster was ready for the assignment.  The final score was 69-40.

The Colonels were led by Jayden Boyd who poured in 14 points and Stuart Hunt who contributed 13 points. ALTAVISTA finished the season at 21-5.

EC GLASS HILLTOPPERS:

About 25 minutes up 29 north, the EC Glass Hilltoppers can claim multiple VHSL state titles but it has been nearly 70 years since they last hoisted the winners’ trophy.  This Glass team has knocked in the door but have not punched through in recent history.  That can all change if the Hilltoppers can protect home court (actually Heritage High School) but must get past a stout Tuscarora Huskies who feel confident and are capable of turning in a victory for a trip to VCU on Wednesday. 

EC Glass (25-2) seemed to follow the similar scripts as they had the last few games.  They started slow and seemed to work and grind in the first half.  The Huskies did all they could to keep Glass within striking distance and trailed 30-27 at halftime.  As they had shown, the Hilltoppers were a team of adjustments and the second half Tuscarora was overwhelmed by the pressure and speed of EC Glass. Tuscarora had the size and length but they could not stop the Big Blue train from running downhill.

The Hilltoppers scored 43 points in the second half, increasing their total with each quarter.  At the end of the third quarter, Glass led 48-39 but save their best for last with a 25-point last stanza.  The offense was great but the defense even better as Tuscarora (24-5) was held to nearly 10 points under their season average of 58ppg. The Hilltoppers’ win stamped their ticket to VCU to compete for the Class 4 VHSL State Championship.  The 73-49 victory was an emphatic statement that the boys from midtown were ready to finish the dream and it was one step away. The Hilltoppers will face Varina High School riding a 16-game winning streak into the title game.

There were many stars but these two stood out as O'Maundre Harris, Region 4 Player of the Year and EMSPORTS Basketball Player of the Year scored a game high 34 points, 11 rebounds. His teammate Jason Knox added 15 points. Those two alone scored as many as the Huskies did.

EMSPORTS.org 3/06/2023