Wednesday, December 27, 2017

LISTEN LIVE PLAYER: The Southerner Classic

We're live from Lee-Davis High School Thursday at 2:30pm for 3rd Place and Championship action at The Southerner Classic! Here's the lineup of games:

Girls 3rd Place: Caroline vs. Lee-Davis, 2:30pm
Boys 3rd Place: Colonial Heights vs. King & Queen-Central, 4pm
Girls Championship: McLean vs. Rappahannock, 5:30pm
Boys Championship: #10 Caroline vs. Lee-Davis, 7pm

Listen on the YouTube player below!


Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Hawks Win Caroline Tournament

Key three-pointers and free throws for freshman Julia Mardigian help to lead Hanover to the 2017 Lady Cavs Holiday Classic Tournament Championship Wednesday night with a 46-35 win over previously unbeaten Powhatan. The Hawks, 4-2, play next week in a tournament at Park View High School in Sterling.

Monday, December 18, 2017

VHSL Class 4 All-State Volleyball Team Announced

Congratulations to the following student-athletes for being named to the 2017 Class 4 Boys All-State Volleyball Team by the Virginia High School League (VHSL). County honorees are denoted in bold.

FIRST TEAM:

Nathan McGhee, Heritage
MiKyng Johnson, Heritage
George Giles, Heritage
Adam Wajciechowski, Midlothian
Sammy Varela, Midlothian
Adam Lane, Patrick Henry
Jarrett Carrano, Patrick Henry
Jaxon Delgado, Patrick Henry
Connor Logan, Patrick Henry (Libero)

SECOND TEAM:

Ron Colby, Denbigh
Tommy Speelman, Great Bridge
Ace Backer, Great Bridge
Turner Cole, Hanover
Griffin Meyers, Hanover
Elijah Morris, Heritage
Tyler Oaks, Heritage
Luke Puckett, Patrick Henry
Michael Kroll, Woodrow Wilson (Libero)

CLASS 4 PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Adam Wajciechowski, Midlothian
CLASS 4 COACH OF THE YEAR: Michael Townsend, Patrick Henry



Friday, December 01, 2017

SWIMMING: A Look At The 2017-18 Season

This article originally appeared in the November 30th edition of The Herald Progress.

*****

This is the week when high school swimmers join the swimmers at Randolph-Macon diving into the 2017-18 season, with a plethora of talented performers across all four high schools as well as with the Yellow Jackets, who get ready to host their annual Yellow Jacket Invitational on Friday and Saturday at SwimRVA in Chesterfield.

On the scholastic level, perhaps there's no more intrigue than at Hanover, a program that has enjoyed a rather meteoric rise the past few seasons, with their boys team taking runner-up honors in the final Group 4A State Championship last February. Head Coach George Massey begins his fourth year at the helm needing to replace the likes of Seth Gulas, Delaney Kassab and Jonathan Moss on the boys' side, plus longtime Hawk stalwart Mattie Grant. But Massey has forty swimmers returning to action from last season, and they're poised to make more noise in the now Class 4.

"Technique, kicking, team camaraderie and respect," Massey noted when asked about the keys to Hanover's success this year, a quirky but totally understandable combination. For the boys, the team turns to Patrick Townsend, a high school All-American in the 100 Backstroke who placed second in the state tournament last year, plus fifth in the 200 Individual Medley. Townsend signed to swim for the University of Tennessee earlier this month.

Seniors Ross Newton and Marshall Brooks return, plus look for contributions from sophomores Luke Daley and Jack Hufner. For the girls, Hanover turns to senior Ellie Sherry, who signed with Southern Connecticut State, and look for an injury-free season from junior Claire Grant, who Massey said is "ready to break out." The newcomer to watch is freshman Natalie Culley.

Traditionally the power school in the county, Atlee turns the page from the Olivia Fisher era, now at North Carolina State, but head coach Karen Seeber has plenty of firepower back. The ladies begin with Sonora Baker, who has committed to the College of William and Mary and is a USA Swimming Scholastic All-American.

Joined by the likes of Emily Devlin, Jessica and Jaelyn Jones, Campbell Whyte, and Ashley and Amber Zicafoose, the Raiders look to be strong contenders in the new Region 5B, which became much more competitive when Henrico County schools like Deep Run and Mills Godwin became Virginia High School League (VHSL) recognized last year. Depth, normally a Raider specialty, will be an important factor as to how far Atlee can go come February.

On the boys side, Logan Amatruda returns to lead a group that should turn some heads, including Ryan and John Duegaw, Dylan Miller, Andrew Mudd and Caleb Oliver. 

"We are a young team. We have twenty first-time high school swimmers on our squad," Seeber notes. "That begin said, our major focus is on our student leaders, both captains and non-captains, empowering them to step forward and embrace these first timers as they acclimate to our program."

Lee-Davis is another team moving on from one of the best swimmers in school history, as Molly Sheffield now studies and competes at Virginia Tech. But the tandem of senior Lacey Kramer and junior Sara Gaston are ready to take the spotlight and keep the Confederates moving forward.

Kramer and Gaston, however, won't be alone. Sophomore Katelyn Vieni, juniors Analiese Hargreaves and Summer Santelli and freshmen Chloe Ulm, Madison Carr and Elizabeth LaPrade will help second-year head coach Natalie Potter build depth, as Lee-Davis competes in Region 5B as well.

The leaders on the boys team include senior Ryan Griffiths, juniors Brendan Farrar and Aidan Rice, and sophomores Aidan Langford and Collin Marks.

Patrick Henry, now with Hanover in Region 4B, return Ben Schubert, Paul Datovech, Blake Boschen and Baxter Dingman on the boys team, plus Shelby Nash, Madison Evko, Kayla Maxey and Chloe Rada on the girls side. The Patriots open their home schedule on Friday December 8th, hosting Colonial Heights at the Ashland YMCA.

Atlee and Lee-Davis are scheduled to join host Hanover at the third Hanover Hawk Holiday Invitational on December 16th at SwimRVA, the home of the Yellow Jacket Invitational this weekend, hosted by Randolph-Macon.

For the Yellow Jackets, this weekend will conclude the 2017 portion of their schedule for both the men and women. Both will not return to action again until January 13th when they face York and Frostburg State in York, Pennsylvania. The men are coming off their second win of the season, 129-73 over Marymount on November 18th, as both Ivan Fadeyev and Victor Kontopanos each scored three victories in the meet for the Yellow Jackets.

The women scored their first head-to-head victory of the year with a 129-75 win over the Saints. Junior Kata Kyllainen won three events, the 100 Freestyle, the 500 Freestyle, and a 200 Free Relay victory along with Kacey Pool, Lauren McCoy and Megan Granger. Laney Sanchez, a sophomore from nearby Midlothian, was victorious in the 200 Individual Medley in a time of 2:21.47.

Thursday, November 30, 2017

HONORS: All-Region Volleyball in Class 4

Congratulations to the following student-athletes for being named to the 2017 Region 4B Girls All-Region and Class 4 Western Section Boys All-Sectional Volleyball Teams:


CLASS 4 WESTERN SECTION BOYS:

FIRST TEAM:

Adam Wajciechowski, Midlothian
Adam Lane, Patrick Henry
Jarrett Carrano, Patrick Henry
Jaxon Delgado, Patrick Henry
Turner Cole, Hanover
Sammy Verela, Midlothian
Luke Puckett, Patrick Henry
Griffin Meyers, Hanover
Connor Logan, Patrick Henry (Libero)

SECOND TEAM:

Ethan Smith, Midlothian
Michael McDonald, Maggie Walker GS
CW McIlhenny, Patrick Henry
Grayson Andrews, Colonial Heights
Haden Crowder, Colonial Heights
Brendan English, Hanover
Andrew Porter, Monacan
Tyler Dowdy, Midlothian
Jake Will, Monacan (Libero)

HONORABLE MENTION:

Hunter Taylor, Maggie Walker GS
Josh Altman, Hanover

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Adam Wajciechowski, Midlothian
COACH OF THE YEAR: Michael Townsend, Patrick Henry



*****
REGION 4B GIRLS:

FIRST TEAM:

Kylie Tuxford, Hanover
Megan Kratzer, Hanover
Abbi Leeper, Midlothian
Sydney Collins, Chancellor
Quinn Kellogg, Hanover
Anna Jordan, Courtland
Jessica Sullivan, Midlothian
Abby Nee, Powhatan
Abby Wiles, Courtland (Libero)

SECOND TEAM:

Syera McCormick, Courtland
Baylea Botello, Midlothian
Makensie Coates, Chancellor
Elimma Aguolu, King George
Sierra Ellison, Powhatan
Olivia Everhart, Hanover
Haley McDaniel, Chancellor
Brooke Bailey, Midlothian
Enjhalika Esmena, Midlothian (Libero)

HONORABLE MENTION:

Melody Washington, Chancellor
Kaitlyn Hunt, Courtland
Emily Flamm, Courtland
Hannah Koepfinger, King George
Kaite Bentz, King George
Kristnia Zuniga, King George
Ashlie Crawford, Louisa
Grace Girdley, Patrick Henry
Mason Creery, Monacan
Maddie Turner, Powhatan
Leslie Anne Currie, Hanover
Lauren Hughes, Hanover

REGION PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Kylie Tuxford, Hanover
REGION COACH OF THE YEAR: Greg Knight, Hanover


Friday, November 24, 2017

2017-18 High School Basketball Preview

From the pages of this week's edition of The Herald Progress, here is our RVA Sports Network 2017-18 high school basketball preview in Hanover County.

*********

While the Class of 2017 took several key players from many teams, the next generation of boys and girls basketball players are ready to step up and help their teams take the next step this season. With Atlee and Lee-Davis in the rugged Region 5B, they'll have to deal with the likes of L.C. Bird, Highland Springs and Henrico in trying to earn a postseason bid, while Hanover and Patrick Henry must contend with the likes of Monacan, Midlothian and others in Region 4B.

GIRLS: After two seasons achieving the State Quarterfinals, Atlee (22-7) loses eight to graduation, returning just one starter in junior guard Aya Youssef. There is experience back with Nada Youssef, Kayla Maxson and Addison Raso all seeing extensive playing time a season ago. But now, they must carry the load. Head coach Michael Rawlings calls this season a "reload", and knows experience itself cannot be replaced.

"A lot of pressure will be placed on the freshmen and lone sophomore to gain strength and confidence," Rawlings noted, looking to three freshmen guards, Khari Rucker, Kelly Ayer and Laci Miller to contribute early. Faith Anna comes in from field hockey and lacrosse to offer a physical presence inside, and junior Tori Puttkamer could log some important minutes, too.

After years of building, Hanover (13-11) finally broke through a season ago. A winning record was a major turning point for the program, and as head coach Mike Rohr begins his fifth season on the sidelines, he has several building blocks with which to create a team that could even go deeper into the postseason.

Sophomore guard Jordan Davis has unlimited potential, and looks to be the Hawks' best scoring threat, while senior point guard Rachael Metzger will again run the show. Inside, Ellen Palya and Sarah Johnson return to build on last season's success. Madison Miller and Shelby Walker return at guard, and three freshmen hit the scene in guard Julia Mardigian and forwards Abigail Long and Adrianna Jacobs. 

"We have to be the more aggressive team every night, and we have to win the rebounding battle," Rohr said. "We've put a lot of hard work in during the offseason to become bigger, faster, and stronger."

Last season was difficult for Patrick Henry, not having standout Aryna Taylor, now at Mount St. Mary's, due to a knee injury. This season, they turn the page, and head coach Phillip Cobb builds around guards JaBryah Haverkamp and Hailey Draper, and sophomore Jamie Hughes in the post. Cali DeShazo can play the two, three or four, while Piper Mullins joins Hughes underneath. Saxon Radcliffe expects to see more time, while freshmen guards Ava Smith and Sydney Miceli and sophomore Blair Rhodes join the roster.

"This is my first year going into the season with no seniors on the team," Cobb explained. "We'll miss some of that senior leadership, but it gives us time to develop and grow."

Also hoping to grow, and push for a playoff spot in Region 5B, is Lee-Davis (7-15), bringing back two starters in forwards Codie Heilig and Megan Brooks. Emma Sweeney, Madison Williams, Kaylee Gray and Sierra Talley bring back experience, while head coach Alvin Puller hopes Carlee Harding, Tori Heller, Shaynia Bonds and Lauren Foley can bring depth to a team that has needed it in past seasons.

"We're still young, but we're learning more and more every day. Their basket IQ is getting higher, so hopefully that will help us be successful this year," Puller noted.


BOYS: The lone coaching change in the offseason came at Atlee, where Rally Axselle takes over for Phil Reynolds, now an assistant at Varina. He inherits sharp shooting guard Carson Miller and inside force Tyler Warren. Juniors Jackson Baitinger and Andrew Cook saw some time last year. Axselle has an influx of new blood on the roster, with juniors Alan Williams, Jayce Catterton, Donnie Oliver and Jackson Weatherly, and several sophomores, including Nick Conway and Andre Coleman.

"If our team 'buys in' and accepts their roles, we will succeed," Axselle told the Herald Progress. "We aren't thinking about late season success. We are trying to improve every day, now, as individuals and as a team."

Chad Bishop continues to work toward those goals at Lee-Davis. Coming off just a three-win season, there's plenty of optimism around the Confederates in this, Bishop's third year. Elijah Jones, Devin Christian and Cole Keech return with starting experience up and down the court. Junior forwards Adonis Carroll and Avery Fusco will need to contribute, as will senior forwards Devin McDonald and Stephon Sparks. James Wallace, as a sophomore, should run the point.

"Point guard play will be our biggest test as we move Wallace into the starting lineup and take Devin and move him to his natural position at two guard," Bishop noted. "Christian is our returning leading scorer, and will be counted on nightly to provide offense."

Look for Keech to be the on-court and off-court leader of the Confederate squad, who will be more athletic and look to translate that into more victories.

A postseason run of prolific proportions gave Hanover a 14-14 finish and a trip to the former Class 4A State Semifinals. Having lost seven players to graduation, head coach Darren Thornton rebuilds around returnees Jaylin Ross, Josh Blue and Will Fahed. There will be a lot of new blood, including guards Tyler McCormick, Keion Murphy and John Taylor and forwards Colin Hudson and James Stephens. D.J. Sims will provide production as a freshman.

"Jaylin will be one of our main guys because of the way he ended last year," Thornton explained. "He was our main scorer off the bench with 18 points a game when the playoffs started. Sims will be one of the main guys because of his explosive ability to get to the rim, and his overall basketball IQ in getting others involved."

At Patrick Henry (3-19), seventh year head coach Randy Anderson loses five to graduation, but can build around two returning starters in junior guard Devyn Coles and sophomore forward Tysen Brown. A trio of seniors return with experience to help settle the foundation in 6'1" forward Rory Ailor, 5'11" guard Jamel "Spanky" Jackson and 5'10" guard Seth Foster. 

The Patriots will need quick contributions by two new seniors on the squad, especially 6'3" forward Noah Carroll, who will bring much needed height inside to pair with the 6'2" Brown.

"Stephon Wattie, who graduated, was our muscle and toughness in the paint," Anderson noted. "We need toughness up front. These guys need to trust and believe in the process, meaning that if they listen to what we are teaching them in practice, we could be a really good team."



The season officially begins Monday when the Patrick Henry girls team visits Louisa. All local teams begin play next week, and the first of six "Rivalry Night" doubleheaders involving county teams is Friday December 8th when the Patriots go to Hanover, while Atlee goes to Lee-Davis.



2017-18 RIVALRY NIGHT DOUBLEHEADER SCHEDULE

Friday December 8: Patrick Henry at Hanover; Atlee at Lee-Davis
Friday January 5: Hanover at Atlee; Lee-Davis at Patrick Henry
Friday January 12: Patrick Henry at Atlee; Lee-Davis at Hanover
Friday January 19: Lee-Davis at Atlee, Hanover at Patrick Henry
Friday January 26: Atlee at Hanover; Patrick Henry at Lee-Davis (L-D HOF Night)
Friday February 2: Atlee at Patrick Henry; Hanover at Lee-Davis

Thursday, November 23, 2017

BACK TO BACK: Patriots Roll To Class 4 Volleyball Title

A year ago, they arrived at the Siegel Center in downtown Richmond the surprise underdogs, the team happy to be there, the one that wasn't supposed to win. A few hours later, Patrick Henry boys volleyball completed the magic carpet ride to their first-ever state crown, and the school's first in 22 years.

They left the Siegel Center that evening the immediate heavy favorites to repeat as champions in 2017 as the school moved down from Class 5 to Class 4 in Virginia High School League (VHSL) classification, a biennial event due to enrollment changes. So, how does "the hunter" handle being "the hunted".

"Dominance."

The word head coach Michael Townsend used to describe his Patriots, who, in his own words, did not play their best volleyball last Thursday afternoon, but it was enough to sweep Midlothian in three sets, 25-21, 25-23, 25-19, to capture the Class 1-4 State Volleyball Championship. Patrick Henry did not lose a regulation five-set match all year, ending with a composite record of 26-1, their only defeat by a two sets to one count to eventual Class 5 champion Deep Run at the Virginia Volleyball Showcase September 1st.

To complete the dominance, the Patriots went to Deep Run three weeks later and won a five-set thriller for Townsend's 100th career coaching win. Now, a little less than two months later, the team he dreamed of three years ago not only dominated their final competition, they never let you see them sweat. 

Attacks came from all around the court. CW McIlhenny found holes in the Trojan defense left, right, and middle, leading Patrick Henry with 14 kills, his final kill coming on Championship Point which sent Townsend into his now tradition of "court diving" onto the floor, allowing his team to dog pile on top of him to start the title celebration. 

That doesn't happen, however, without strong offense, and stout defense. Jaxon Delgado and Jarrett Carrano had eight kills each, as the Patriots had five team blocks, Delgado teaming with Adam Lane and Luke Puckett on multiple occasions. When Midlothian launched a run, the Patriots held it back.

The jitters, however, got to both teams early. The vastness of the Siegel Center, when compared to your local high school gym, and the bravado of the occasion, the opportunity, led to service errors by both the Patriots and Trojans, even into sets two and three. It was part of the Patriot performance that no one was happy with. But the team found ways to overcome them, forcing additional Trojan errors, and feeding their plethora of offensive weapons.

The bottom line from Townsend, all season long, and emphasized again on this day by his team, was a relentless pursuit of the volleyball, which sounds simple enough. But it means sacrificing your body over and over again, soaring, diving, doing anything possible by any means necessary to keep the ball from hitting the gym floor.

"There's many drills I do in practice that implement, you know, not letting the ball hit the floor, and the defense was absolutely relentless, as it has been all season," Townsend noted. "When we don't play good defense, we don't play well as a team. We played really good defense. I wish our block would have been a little better, but Midlothian has great hitters and run a great offense."

That attitude, eventually, is also meant to crack the veneer of the opposition, and, in set three, it was readily apparent that the Patriots would soon hold another trophy. After the Trojans opened the set on a 5-2 run, the Patriots bounced back, taking the lead at 8-7. Carrano would send a kill down to end an especially tight battle at the net to up the lead to 12-9. A moment later, he aced. It was 14-10. The race to 25, for the final time, was in high gear.

After a Trojan kill, Delgado powered one of his own right from the middle of the net to make it 15-11. McIlhenny hit from the left, Delgado repeated in the middle, and in the blink of an eye, it was 23-18. On Championship Point, the defense held one final time, Adam Lane sending his 30th and final Patriot assist to McIlhenny left side, who ended the season with authority, adding another state trophy to the case in Ashland.

"This is my fourth year with the team, I've been with these guys since ninth grade, and we moved up together, had a ton of fun times. It's my favorite thing I do," noted Lane after the match. "We love to play together. Playing good volleyball is what I'll miss the most."

Lane, libero Connor Logan, who had eight digs and an ace, and Luke Puckett, who had nine digs and three kills, are among seven seniors who ended their Patriot careers by hoisting another title towards the spirited Patrick Henry student section. This means Carrano, Delgado, McIlhenny, and Cal Inge will return a nucleus more than capable of allowing the Patriots to make yet another run come 2018.

For Townsend, who sat on the bench and watched Patrick Henry lose a heartbreaker to Clover Hill in the 2001 State Championship, then spent fifteen years of dreaming to bring Patrick Henry to the mountaintop, that's simply the next step in the process.

"I hope it leads to more," Townsend said when asked about the legacy of the Class of 2018. Seniors on this team will have two championships to their credit, something no one else has ever been able to say since Patrick Henry opens its doors in 1959.

"I want our school to be a volleyball school. I want 20, 30 kids trying out every year," Townsend noted. "If we have those numbers, I know I can coach those kids to get them right where these guys are right now."

The returning Patriots, and the coaching staff, left Siegel Center on this occasion happy, elated, thrilled for the seniors especially, but not totally satisfied. There is another championship available for the taking just twelve months from now, and you can be certain that the foundation for another run at the title is already being laid down Route 54. 


Thursday, October 26, 2017

FIELD HOCKEY POSTSEASON SCHEDULE

REGION 5B QUARTERFINALS: Thursday 10/26:

#5 Atlee vs. #4 Matoaca, 6pm, River City SportsPlex
#6 Lee-Davis vs. #3 Mills Godwin, 6pm, River City SportsPlex


REGION 4C QUARTERFINALS: Monday 10/30:

Louisa at Hanover,
Charlottesville at Patrick Henry, 6pm



Tuesday, October 24, 2017

HONORS: Eight County Honorees in All-Region 5B Competition Cheer

Congratulations to the following student-athletes for being named to the Region 5B Competition Cheer All-Region Team (county honorees in bold):

FIRST TEAM:

Halsey Perry, Deep Run
Livvie Irwin, Deep Run
Lily Bengel, Deep Run
Berkeley Ayers, Deep Run
Kate Anderson, Atlee
Caitlin Holzman, Atlee
Sydney Ellis, Atlee
Mikaelyn Whittaker, Atlee
Amyia Mason, Matoaca
Kaylee Mitchell, Matoaca

SECOND TEAM:

Demoni Stephenson, Matoaca
Haley Field, Matoaca
Brianna Cappelli, Lee-Davis
Sophie Knighton, Lee-Davis
Alexis Williams, Lee-Davis
Emma Hasley, Lee-Davis
Logan Gutzmer, Mills Godwin
Isabella Wilder, Mills Godwin
Erika Reiter, Mills Godwin
Morgan Blackwell, Mills Godwin

Friday, October 13, 2017

GAME OF THE WEEK: Listen Live Link!

CLICK HERE to listen online to The 27th Stew Bowl: #10 Lee-Davis (5-1) at Atlee (2-4) on the Game of The Week starting at 6:30 with the On The Sidelines Pregame Powered By Sheehy Ford of Ashland with Rob Witham and Marc Davis of NBC12!

We'll have scores from Hanover/Patrick Henry and across the RVA on the Virginia Farm Bureau In-Game Scoreboard, and, immediately after the game, don't miss the Massey Wood And West Scoreboard Show with finals as they come in, a live preview of On The Sidelines on NBC12 at 11:15 with Marc, and we'll talk to the winning head coach live!

RADIO: 102.9 The Mater (102.9 FM) and 1430 AM

APP: @TuneIn, search "Radiall" !





Monday, October 02, 2017

HONORS: 2018 Lee-Davis Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees Announced

(The following is from the Lee-Davis High School Athletic Hall of Fame Committee released Monday with some revisions. RVA Sports Network congratulates the five worthy selections!)

*****

The Lee-Davis High School Athletic Hall of Fame Committee, Mechanicsville, Virginia, is pleased to announce our inductees for the Class of 2018 of The Lee-Davis High School Athletic Hall of Fame. These five athletes were elected from the substantial universe of outstanding athletes who have competed with excellence since Lee-Davis' establishment in 1959. The Class of 2018 is composed of four former student-athletes and one coach with accomplishments including district, region, metro and state distinctions, and beyond.

The inductees are:

--Jock Jones (Football, Track and Field, Class of 1986)

--Ron Wooddy (Football, Basketball, Baseball, Class of 1964)

--Doug Melton (Football, Basketball, Baseball, Class of 1973)

-- Kenny Lewis (Baseball Coach 1993-2015, Golf Coach 2004-2015, Football Assistant Coach 1987-1996)

--Greg Gregory (Football, Basketball, Baseball, Class of 1976)

The Class of 2018 will be recognized during halftime of the Varina vs. Lee-Davis football game on Friday, October 20th. A banquet and induction is scheduled for Friday, January 26, 2018, at Lee-Davis High School.

For ticket information on January's event, please email the LDHS Athletic Hall of Fame Committee at LDHSathleticHOF@yahoo.com. You can also learn more about the 2018 class and banquet at the Lee-Davis High School Athletic Hall of Fame Facebook page.






VHSL Football Standings After Week 6

Lee-Davis rises into the top four in Region 5B as Atlee climbs in its fight to reach the top eight, while Hanover falls out of the top eight in Region 4B as Patrick Henry slips following their Friday loss. The latest region standings are below. The top eight teams make the playoffs in both regions.


REGION 5B:

1) Hermitage: 30.333
2) Highland Springs: 28.667
3) L.C. Bird: 27.0
4) Lee-Davis: 25.4
5) Varina: 25.2
6) Henrico: 24.6
7) J.R. Tucker: 22.6
8) Meadowbrook: 21.4
***
9) Douglas Freeman: 21.333
10) Deep Run: 21.2
11T) Prince George: 20.4
        Mills Godwin: 20.4
13) Atlee: 20.2
14) Glen Allen: 19.2
15) Matoaca: 18.6

REGION 4B:

1) Dinwiddie: 28.0
2) Monacan: 27.2
3) Eastern View: 24.667
4) Louisa: 24.4
5) Patrick Henry: 21.8
6) Huguenot: 21.166
7) Midlothian: 20.2
8) King George: 19.5
***
9) Hanover: 18.2
10) Caroline: 18.0
11) Courtland: 17.0
12) Powhatan: 15.2
13) Chancellor: 14.333

Friday, September 29, 2017

WEEK 6 SCHEDULE, GAME OF THE WEEK LISTEN LIVE LINK

GAME OF THE WEEK: #12 LEE-DAVIS (3-1) at HANOVER (1-3), 7pm---airtime 6:30pm on 102.9 The Mater, 102.9 FM/1430 AM, CLICK HERE to listen online!

The Game of The Week also heard on the TuneIn Radio app on "Radiall"!

PATRICK HENRY (3-1) at ATLEE (1-3), 7pm (Live Tweet Coverage with @TaylorRVASN and on @hanoversports)

Saturday, September 23, 2017

FOOTBALL FINALS:

#3 Highland Springs 48, #8 Lee-Davis 0

#11 Varina 42, Hanover 3

Henrico 35, Patrick Henry 34 (OT)

Atlee 37, Armstrong 22


NEXT FRIDAY (9/29):

Game of The Week: Lee-Davis (3-1) at Hanover (1-3), 6:30pm airtime on 102.9 FM/1430 AM, online here on our website, and on TuneIn Radio App on "Radiall"!

Patrick Henry (3-1) at Atlee (1-3), 7pm (Live Tweet Coverage with @TaylorRVASN and @hanoversports!)


Thursday, September 21, 2017

WEEK 5 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

GAME OF THE WEEK: #3 Highland Springs (3-1) at #8 Lee-Davis (3-0), 7pm (Airtime at 6:30pm on 102.9 FM, 1430 AM (WHAN Radio), on @TuneIn Radio App on "Radiall", or CLICK HERE to listen live online!)

Patrick Henry (3-0) at Henrico (2-1), 7pm: Robbie Witham of RVA Sports Network will be live providing updates! Follow @hanoversports on Twitter!

Hanover (1-2) at #11 Varina (2-1), 7pm: Follow @andy_loce15 for live Twitter coverage of the game!)

Atlee (0-3) at Armstrong (2-2), 7pm: Updates available on Twitter at @hanoversports!

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

NEWS: Tickets For Lee-Davis/Highland Springs Game Available In Advance

Lee-Davis High School has announced tickets for this Friday's "Game of The Week" against #3 Highland Springs will be available in advance during all four lunch periods on Friday. Tickets are seven dollars and only cash will be accepted.

To purchase your ticket(s), please see Mr. Metzger, who will be on stage in the Commons during lunches on Friday.

REMINDER: Our live radio coverage of #3 Highland Springs at #8 Lee-Davis begins Friday at 6:30 with the On The Sidelines Pre-Game Show Powered By Sheehy Ford of Ashland on:

102.9 The Mater (FM)
1430 AM
On @TuneIn Radio App on "Radiall"
Online here at HanoverCountySports.net !


Saturday, September 16, 2017

WEEK 4 FOOTBALL FINALS:

#8 Lee-Davis 51, Glen Allen 13

Game of The Week: Patrick Henry 30, Deep Run 27

Hanover 10, Mills Godwin 7

Douglas Freeman 28, Atlee 7


COUNTY RECORDS:
Lee-Davis 3-0
Patrick Henry 3-0
Hanover 1-2
Atlee 0-3

Friday, September 15, 2017

LISTEN LIVE LINK: Game of The Week: Deep Run at Patrick Henry

CLICK HERE to listen live at 6:30pm, or listen on WHAN, 102.9 The Mater, 1430 AM and on the TuneIn Radio App on "Radiall"!

Monday, September 11, 2017

MONDAY SCOREBOARD

FIELD HOCKEY:

Hanover at Atlee, 5pm

Lee-Davis at #7 Patrick Henry, 5:30pm




LOOKING AHEAD: CLICK HERE to listen live to our Tuesday High School Volleyball Game of The Week when #1 Patrick Henry travels to Class 4, Region B rival Hanover, airtime is 7:15pm!

Monday, September 04, 2017

LISTEN LIVE LINK: Patrick Henry at Caroline

It's a special Labor Day edition of the Game of The Week as we return for our 16th season to WHAN Radio, 102.9 FM and 1430 AM starting at 4:30 as the Patrick Henry Patriots open the Keith Braxton era facing the Caroline Cavaliers live from Caroline High School!

Listen on the radio or CLICK HERE to listen online at 4:30pm! You can also listen on the TuneIn Radio App on "Radiall"! We'll begin with the "On The Sidelines Pregame Show Powered By Sheehy Ford of Ashland" at 4:30.




Thursday, August 31, 2017

WEEK 2 FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD

#8 Lee-Davis 30, Mills Godwin 0 (Ned Anthony, pictured, left, with a fumble recovery for a touchdown for Lee-Davis, now 1-0)

Deep Run 13, Atlee 7 (Raiders lose home and season opener, now 0-1)

NOTE: The Patrick Henry at Caroline game scheduled for our Game of The Week Friday has been postponed to Monday at 5pm. Airtime will be 4:30pm on 102.9 FM, 1430 AM, and online here at www.hanovercountysports.net !


Wednesday, August 30, 2017

LISTEN LIVE LINK: Game Of The Week Football: Lee-Davis at Mills Godwin

Press play on the embedded player below to listen to Lee-Davis' 2017 football opener at 1-0 Mills Godwin Thursday night at 7:15 on our RVA Sports Network YouTube Channel!


Saturday, August 26, 2017

WEEK 1: Monacan 26, Hanover 14

Over 300 yards passing by Tyler Elrod was not enough as Monacan built an early 20-0 lead, then spent the rest of the night holding off a young, hungry Hanover Hawk squad 26-14 in the season opener for both teams Friday night, as heard live on The RVA Sports Network.

Hanover scored 14 unanswered points thanks to two John Dustin field goals and an 80-yard strike from Elrod to Parker Chenault after a big interception at Eric McLemore caused a touchback, keeping Monacan from extending their lead in the second quarter.

Korey Bridy rushed for 136 yards and three touchdowns for Monacan, including a 28-yard run in the third quarter which gave the Chiefs a cushion Hanover could not overcome. The Hawks, 0-1, have a bye next week, then go to Massaponax September 8th.


Thursday, August 24, 2017

GAME OF THE WEEK: Monacan at Hanover

Press play and listen live Friday at 6:45 as the Hanover Hawks begin the 2017 football season hosting Monacan exclusively on the RVA Sports Network Game of The Week!


Tuesday, August 22, 2017

TUESDAY SCOREBOARD

GOLF:
Hanover 153, Atlee 166, Lee-Davis 175, Patrick Henry 180

BOYS VOLLEYBALL:
Lee-Davis 3, Maggie Walker GS 0
Patrick Henry 3, Midlothian 2 (Patriots win tiebreaker 15-9)
Hanover 3, Mills Godwin 0
Atlee 3, Clover Hill 0

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL:
Hanover 3, Mills Godwin 0
Lee-Davis 3, Maggie Walker GS 1
Midlothian 3, Patrick Henry 0

FIELD HOCKEY:
Patrick Henry 7, Louisa 0
Lee-Davis 10, Hermitage 0


Monday, August 21, 2017

#amRVA Podcast; Tuesday August 22

Hanover and Atlee field hockey begin play Monday, the annual County Golf Quad is today, plus Patrick Henry boys volleyball among several teams opening play Tuesday night!

CLICK HERE for the Tuesday edition of #amRVA, the exclusive morning mini-podcast of The RVA Sports Network!


Sunday, August 20, 2017

#amRVA Returns!

CLICK HERE for the return of the morning mini-podcast of The RVA Sports Network, #amRVA, available weekdays at 5am throughout the 2017-18 high school sports season with the latest scores, schedules, news and much more!

Wednesday, August 09, 2017

Revised School Dress Code Approved

After multiple complaints at their July meeting, the Hanover County School Board revised and adopted a new dress code for the 2017-18 school year at their meeting Tuesday night.

The text is below:


2017-2018 Student Dress Code
Student dress is an important factor in maintaining a positive educational environment.  The School Board and school division staff rely on parents and students to support the division’s emphasis on safety and avoiding disruptions in the learning environment.  A student’s dress and appearance should not cause disruption, distract other students from their school work, or compromise health or safety.  This dress code applies to all school functions.  Note:  Principals can make exceptions to the student dress code at their discretion to account for age appropriateness and special events.

  1. For health and safety reasons, appropriate footwear, as determined by the building principal, must be worn at all times.
  2. Skirts, dresses, jumpers, and shorts must completely cover the pelvic area and extend to the mid-thigh at all times, including while students are standing, sitting, or engaging in physical activity.
  3. Clothing should not expose the student’s midriff, chest, or private areas at any time.
  4. Sleeveless garments must have 2 inch straps and not expose undergarments.  Spaghetti straps, tube tops, halter tops, camis, and tank tops may be worn under tops, shirts, and blouses that have at least 2 inch coverage across each shoulder.
  5. Yoga pants and leggings may be worn with tops that provide additional coverage of the pelvic area.
  6. Pants and shorts must be worn and secured to prevent the student’s undergarments from being exposed, to prevent the waistband from sagging below the student’s hips, and to prevent the garment from dragging on the floor.

Students MAY NOT WEAR the following:

  1. Clothing, jewelry, and other personal belongings displaying language or images that are vulgar, lewd, or obscene; that reflect adversely on or disparage another’s race, gender, sexual orientation, skin color, religion, national origin, ancestry, or disability; that promote the use of drugs, illegal substances, or alcohol; or that contain threats, gang symbols, symbols of groups associated with threatening or violent behavior, or groups that promote the unlawful use of weapons or other criminal behavior.
  2. Hats, hoods, face masks, or head coverings of any kind while inside school buildings during regular school hours, unless worn for religious or medical reasons or approved in writing in advance by the building principal.
  3. Sunglasses while inside school buildings unless required under a physician’s prescription.
  4. Chains of any type or studded/spiked jewelry.
  5. Pajamas, sleepwear, swim wear.
  6. Clothing that is constructed of see-through fabric, is revealing, or that resembles undergarments.

Sunday, August 06, 2017

COMMENTARY: How I Will Handle The Atlee Aftermath

(The following is an editorial by RVA Sports Network's Rob Witham concerning the situation involving the Atlee Junior Softball All-Stars that caused their disqualification from the World Series this weekend....)

****

Saturday August 5th, 2017 was the most difficult day of reporting I've experienced in 32 years of media. By late evening, I purposefully closed my laptop and phone, and walked away for a couple of hours so that I, as a person, could decompress from, not as much the news of the day involving the disqualification of the Atlee Junior Softball All-Stars from the World Series due to the now infamous Snapchat post, but from the myriad of reaction to it.

The reaction continues, from all directions, hot and heavy today, Sunday, just as these girls will return to what should be their safe haven. Home. 

Before I continue, readers should understand that there is, and always will be, a clear line between what I do as a reporter, and what I do as a private citizen. 

So, going forward, this is how the RVA Sports Network will handle this situation:

1) We will continue to follow, and report, the story and any other possible developments, if there are any. The outcome of the tournament will not be changing. Poland, Ohio won the World Series over Kirkland, Washington on Saturday and that will go into the record books. But if there are any follow-up stories or details that should be reported, we will endeavor to do so.

2) We will continue to treat this story the same way we do with all stories about student-athletes under the age of 18. We will never post the infamous picture in question. While TV stations and, now, national newspaper outlets, are posting it while blurring out faces and the inexcusable gesture, we have chosen not to post it at all. We've received complaints about it being "the center of the story", and, thus, we should post, and while that is true, a description of the picture suffices. 

Now, we're not naive. We know the picture has gone viral on phones and texts and via other channels over the past 24 hours. What private citizens do is their business. RVA Sports Network has never been about attempting to gain web hits at the expense of 12 to 14 year old children or any teenage student athlete. I can guarantee you that is part of the motivation of some national media to run with the story. We are in an age where long-time reputable media members have, at the bottom of their web pages, "click bait" with ridiculous headlines in the hopes of you clicking on it to better their page results so they can attract more advertisers. You don't see that here.

3) We are here to celebrate the achievements of our area's student-athletes, and in the case of this site, @hanoversports on Twitter, and our Facebook page, we also do our dead level best to report the truth. And sometimes the truth is very tough. This was the case on Saturday.

*******

Now, let me explain to you how I will handle this situation as a person, taking off my media hat for a moment.

1) I choose to celebrate the on-field accomplishments of the Atlee Junior Softball All-Stars. They were clearly the best team at the World Series, and likely would have been bringing a championship trophy home today were it not for such poor judgment off the field. Their work on the field should be applauded.

2) I choose to use this as a teachable moment. I understand the perils of social media, and understand the platform I have in Hanover County that, perhaps, no other person has, on the very social media that is at the heart of this story. As we have spotlighted important issues over the past year from teenage depression and suicide (which is on the rise) to equality in athletic opportunity in this, the 45th anniversary year of Title IX legislation, we will also spotlight how to use social media in today's rapidly-changing world.

3) After talking long and hard with friends and family privately Saturday night, I spent hours trying to place myself as the parent of a player involved in the photograph. I've decided that there was no punishment I could give my child in this situation that could be any more effective or long-lasting than the one they've already received. 

When they turn on the TV or their smartphone to watch the World Series in October, or next year's College Softball World Series, they'll remember. When they step on the field in high school, they'll remember. I don't need to go further to prove my point.

The members of this team will have to deal with this forever. So I choose to support these young ladies, pray that they have and will continue to learn from this error so that they can turn it, both personally and in other ways, into a positive so that weeks, months, or years from now, they can help others in the position where they were Friday not make the same mistake. I'm praying this incident makes them stronger.

I'm very, very ready, as a person, to begin helping the process of letting these young ladies put this ordeal behind them, letting them grow from it, and letting them move on to the next adventures of their lives.

I'll support them. Fully

Did they let us down with a terrible lapse of judgment? Yes.

Will we suffer like they are because a trophy didn't come home to Atlee Little League? Absolutely not

They need us to move forward as a county, so they can, too. 

So let's get started.

Rob Witham
RVA Sports Network (@hanoversports)

******

NOTE: Have comments? They can be left here (and are monitored) or you can contact Rob directly at hcsmediallc@gmail.com.  

Saturday, August 05, 2017

WORLD SERIES: Atlee Disqualified

An inappropriate social media post has caused the disqualification of the Atlee Junior Softball All-Stars from today's World Series Championship Game in Kirkland, Washington.

Click HERE for the latest on the story from RVA Sports Network.

Friday, August 04, 2017

WORLD SERIES: Atlee Junior All-Stars Reach Championship Game

Atlee has owned the sixth inning this postseason, but things weren't going their way in the bottom of the sixth on Friday evening.

They found themselves in a gritty 1-0 battle with host Kirkland, Washington, a team they defeated in pool play by fourteen runs, and suddenly, a pair of errors gave Kirkland the chance to take the lead in the bottom of the sixth, turning the script on Atlee. But the hometown heroes found a way to get out of that inning, then pulled off the biggest double play in Hanover County since the Atlee Raiders pulled a 6-4-3 double play to win the 2016 VHSL Group 5A State High School Championship, as Kirkland left the field having the winning run on base, but not able to get the tying run to cross the plate.

The 1-0 win, as Leslie Currie strikes out five, puts Atlee in the Little League Junior Softball World Series Championship Saturday afternoon in Washington State where they will face the Central Region champions of Poland, Ohio, who handed the East Region champions from Warwick, Rhode Island their first and only loss 6-1 in the other semifinal, for the title at 3pm Eastern Time. The game will be televised live on ESPN2. Atlee defeated Ohio in pool play, but as the semifinal game showed, past results mean nothing when everything is on the line.

Congratulations to the Atlee Junior Softball All-Stars, one win away!



Saturday, July 29, 2017

WORLD SERIES: Atlee Junior Softball Sees Five-Year Dream Come True

(This story, on the Atlee Junior Softball Little League team winning the Southeast Region Tournament for the first time to clinch a berth in the Little League Junior Softball World Series, was originally published in the The Herald Progress in the July 27th edition.....)

********

It was more than just a victory. It was a dream come true, a dream, a vision over five years in the making. And, when the final out was made Sunday afternoon in Salisbury, North Carolina, the Atlee Junior Softball All-Stars finally added Southeast Region Champions to their long and impressive resume.

The team arrived back in Hanover County late Sunday night, and were back on the practice field at noon Monday.

"It was at noon because three of our players had basketball camp at 8:30 in the morning," noted Atlee head coach Chris Mardigian. 

The motors within these young ladies never quit, and now, they're headed to Kirkland, Washington and the Little League Junior Softball World Series, the culmination of the vision Mardigian had back when she first saw this group on a softball field.

"They were eight years old when we started playing All-Stars, and they had an understanding of the game and were extremely competitive," Mardigian recalled. "They wanted to win. They wanted to beat each other, too, when we played league against each other. They always did their best, but at the end of the game they were still friends. It's amazing. They play different positions, it doesn't matter to them. They go to another position, and it's seamless."

As these ladies have grown into teenagers, they've experienced great success, and a fair share of disappointment, including a runner-up finish at the Southeast Region Tournament just last season. But, rather than be discouraged, or worse, point fingers, every player has taken the lessons learned along the way, grown, and have played their role in putting Atlee where they are now, at the pinnacle of their sport at this level.

In the midst of the celebration, it's easy to forget some of the logistics the team will face over the next week, like how many players may be flying for the first time. But to get that experience, they had to get over the regional hump.

A 20-1 opening win over Tennessee set up a showdown with Florida last Saturday. Leslie Currie scattered five hits over seven innings and Atlee overcame two errors, scoring runs in the third and fifth innings to secure a berth in the title game with a 2-0 victory.

"They feed off each other. They're led, they lead. We'd been there before, we knew what to expect, and we knew we had to hold it together," Mardigian said of the tough semifinal win. "That's what brought us through that game, that and their chemistry."

Julia Mardigian doubled in the third inning, scoring on a Currie sacrifice fly to take the lead. Kelly Ayer scored in the fifth when a Currie groundball to shortstop was misplayed. 

Sunday's final brought Moorefield, West Virginia to the diamond. Currie was strong again in the circle, scattering six hits in the 7-0 title game win. Jessica Russell opened the scoring for Atlee with an RBI single in the third inning, followed by another RBI single, this one from Emma Keys for a 2-0 lead.

Atlee added two runs in the fourth, scored by Reagan Hill and Ayer, then broke the game open with three runs in the sixth. Hill, Ayer and Mardigian each singled to load the bases. Hill scored on a wild pitch, while Ayer and Mardigian plated on a single from Currie. 

In spite of multiple storm delays, the team kept focused and finished the shutout win to finally snare the region crown and bring it back to Hanover County.

Coach Mardigian, a second-generation Little Leaguer, has made a promise to herself to enjoy every moment of her team's journey to the Pacific Northwest. And now, with the trip of a lifetime about to start, she also took time to reflect on what this team, what these young ladies, have taught her.

"It's all about the love of the game. You can never lose the love of the game," Mardigian said in a moment of reflection. "You have to really want to be there and understand, get into your game knowledge and why you do what you do every day on the field. They taught me that. They showed me, quit being so competitive, love the game, let's get back to enjoying what we do."

You can be sure this group will enjoy every moment in the Pacific Northwest while doing everything they can to bring the ultimate trophy back home. But whether that happens or not, the Atlee Juniors have already learned a lesson many adults still seek to understand: never forget to love what you do, and do it for the love.

Atlee begins play Sunday in Pool A against the Asia-Pacific Region Champion at 5:45pm Eastern Time. They will face the Central Region champs Monday at 4:45, host Kirkland, Washington Tuesday at 2pm and the champions from Canada Wednesday at 1:45pm. Should they advance from pool play, single elimination games begin next Thursday.

Other members of the team are Alyssa Broaddus, Rylan Hubbard, Brylea Hicks, Aniston Martin, and Bella Pastore.

A GoFundMe page has been set up so individuals and businesses can help support the team by helping with expenses incurred for the trip. To learn more, and to donate, go to www.gofundme.com/atlee-little-league-allstars-2017.


(The Atlee All-Stars meet pilot, and Hanover resident, Phil Judson at Richmond International Airport Friday en route to Seattle, Washington for the Little League World Series which begins Sunday afternoon)