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 

The University of Virginia knows they have an uphill climb if they have postseason bowl aspirations.  The Cavaliers hosted the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on the first Saturday in November.  The game also highlighted Parents’ Weekend.

These two teams look to be going in different directions however the records may be misleading.  Virginia began the season at 0-5 and have made strides in their last three games.  The 2-6 Cavs have won two of their last three including a huge win on the road at the previously #10th ranked North Carolina Tar Heels.  The Yellow Jackets have made some strides as well and they have won two exiting games including beating those same Tar Heels in their last matchup.  

This game marks the first of three that Virginia will have at home in November.  The Yellow Jackets were the first victory for Tony Elliott in the ACC.  The Cavaliers have not yet won a home game in the ACC under Elliott.

Georgia Tech is also looking at getting closer to become bowl eligible in the second season under Coach Watts Key.  The coach took over during last year and has shown steady improvement since becoming the head coach.  UVA holds the all-time series edge, but only slightly. The Cavaliers are 22-21 all-time against Georgia Tech, are on a three-game winning streak against the Yellow Jackets, and have won five of the past seven. The former ACC Coastal rivals have played a lot of close games over the years.  This one did not live up to that billing.

The Hoos started fast with a drive into Ga Tech territory.  The drive stalled when Tony Muskett threw a pass the Malachi Fields who lost the struggle on a 50/50 ball as Tech’s Ahmari Harvey stole the ball and earned an interception.

Virginia’s defense answered with a three and out and the offense capitalized with a scoring drive as Tony Colandrea (filling in for injured Muskett) hit TE Josh Rawlings with a TD pass.

GA Tech answered back as they marched for the field and settled for an Aiden Birr field goal to cut the lead to 7-3.

The Yellow Jackets opened the second quarter with a long, time-consuming drive.  The 16 plays covers 69 yards resulting in QB  Haynes King’s two-yard run to put the visitors up 10-7 with under nine minutes left in the second quarter.  

The momentum continued as the Yellow Jackets recovered a fumble from Colandrea.  After trading punts, the visitors found the endzone again on the strength of the legs and arms of Haynes King.  The QB from Ga Tech was able to mix the pass and run and capped it off with a 38 yard scamper to the endzone with just over two minutes to play in the half. 

Georgia Tech was not finished as they tacked in another rushing TD as Dontae Smith went 33 yards off tackle and boosted the lead to 24-7 with just under 30 seconds left in the half.  

The second quarter saw GA Tech score 21 points that was part of the 24 consecutive point run in the first half.

The Cavaliers were able to get back with a drive to end the half that produced three points.  A field goal of 39 yards from Will Bettridge gave the home team some momentum and reduced the lead to 14, at 24-10 in favor of Georgia Tech. 

The Yellow Jackets took little time to get back in the scoring column.  A 75-yard scoring drive was punctuated by a Haynes King to Eric Singleton 58-yard pitch and catch led to a 31-10 advantage. 

The fourth quarter saw GT continue to dominate in the ground and move the ball at will.  The Cavaliers couldn’t convert on fourth down give the Yellow Jackets the ball.  The ensuing drive was a variety of ground and pound and an occasional pass to keep the defense off balance.  Following a targeting penalty, GT powered into the endzone on a Dontae Smithruah of 10 yards.  His second score of the day provide even more of a cushion as GT went up 38-10.

The teams traded touchdowns on the next two possessions.  Virginia stuck first with a short redzone touchdown pass from Colandrea to Koby Pace out of the backfield for eight yards.  GT answered with a quick two play drive when Jamal Hayes went untouched for 43 yards to the house with a running touchdown.  The Hoos attempted one last drive but it was foiled when Colandrea’s pass to the endzone was picked off by GT’s KJ Wallace.

The final score showed 45-17 in favor of GT.   The Yellow Jackets outgained the Cavs, 504  yards to 351.  The visitors from Atlanta grounded out 305 yards in the rush game alone.  The win improves them to 5-4 on the season while the Cavaliers fall to 2-7.  

EMSPORTS.org 11/4/23

The Virginia Cavaliers are hungry for a win. The Wahoo faithful has endured a long season, but the calendar change may just what the team and its fans need.The first Saturday in October brings renewed energy and an home date with William and Mary. The Tribe are the annual Homecoming's opponent for this year's game and they are no slouch.

The former Virginia football coach, Mike London, brings a team with experience and a strong 4-1 record into the matchup. The Cavaliers after another disappointing loss in heartbreaking fashion, knew how big this win is mentally as well as for the desire to get the first win of the season.

The game did not begin well for the Cavaliers as William and Mary scored first with a field goal. Virginia tied the game on their second drive with a field goal but then the Tribe took momentum with 10 straight points. The Trube was aided by. Tony Muskett fumble. The Tribe capitalized with a TD to take a 13-3 lead on a Martin Lucas one yard dive. The score looked like was another long day for UVa.The offense took notice and the home team showed grit and resilience as they clawed back into the game and took control with 17 unanswered points giving them Hoos a 20-17 halftime lead.

The charge was led by Muskett who atoned for his mistake earlier with a TD run. Virginia then got the ball back and a field goal tied it at 13. Virginia was not done and Muskett was effective with his arm. This time he led a drive that culminated in a pitch and catch with Malachi Fields of 26 yards.The teams struggled with points after halftime as the defense took over and the run heavy Tribe could not find their rhythm as Virginia continued to dominate the line of scrimmage.

When it looked as if Virginia had put the game out of reach, a touchdown pass was called back. The Tribe found new life and intercepted Muskett on the next play to neutralize the Cavaliers' threat.Virginia did not let up and finally rewarded the defense with a time-consuming, field churning 90 yard drive that took over seven minutes in the clock.

Most importantly, the Cavaliers found paydirt when Muskett hit his favorite target, Malik Washington with a 27 yard strike to boost the lead to 27-13 and close out William and Mary.The Cavaliers played complimentary football and the stats showed it. Offensively, Virginia had balance as both the ground and the air gained over 200 yards each (221 rushing, 232 passing).

The defense held firm only allowing the Tribe a grand total of 219 yards, with only 72 by the pass.Muskett was an efficient passer at 17/26 with a fumble and a pick but two touchdown throws.

The running game was spearheaded by Perris Jones who collected 134 yards on just 12 carries.William and Mary's QB Darius Wilson did all he could rushing for 74 yards and passing for 72 with only four incompletions. However, he got very little help and the team was guilty on one lost fumble.

The win gives Virginia (1-5) a feeling of resurgence as they enter the bye week before finishing the season with six consecutive ACC contests. William and Mary (4-2) will regroup and look to get back to the FCS playoffs as they enter the CAA portion of the schedule.

EMSPORTS 10/07/2023

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 distance from EC Glass to the University of Lynchburg is approximately one mile.

It may seem even further when you think about what use to be and what is now.

That is no longer the case for one of the most popular people to step in McCue Gym at EC Glass.

Anitra Thomas is coming home, we’ll sort of.  Coach Thomas who had an amazing run as the Lady Hilltoppers Head Coach for the girls’ team is back after a short stop in college.

Thomas parlayed her high school success into an assistant coach position with the Lady Hornets basketball squad.  Her time there was short but extremely effective and beneficial.  The short trip up Lakeside Drive to Memorial Avenue, was worth more than words in the experience and invaluable tools she gained to bring back to the high school ranks.

Her transition will feel as if she never left and in reality, she will be able to make the move thanks to the wonderful job done over the last couple years by Cedric Jones, who will return to his post as the top assistant for Coach Thomas.

Thomas, a Brookville grad who once held that program’s career scoring record, previously was head coach at Glass in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons. She was an assistant for one year before taking the top job.

Glass went 22-5 in 2019-20 under Thomas — who earned Seminole District and Region 4D coach of the year honors that season. It posted just two regular-season losses and marked just the second time the Hilltoppers had made it to the state tournament in program history.  She led the team into the State 4A Quarterfinals before the season ended.

The ’Toppers were 8-0 the following season, in a campaign shortened by the pandemic and eventually cut off because of COVID-19 protocols. They were slated to enter the region tournament as the No. 2 seed that year.

Those two seasons were the second and third of three consecutive winning seasons with Thomas on staff (the first came during her year as an assistant), which followed a string of seven straight losing campaigns.  Jones led Glass back to states in 2021-22 and to a 22-5 record, and another visit to the State 4A Quarterfinals, but the Hilltoppers went 12-11 in the following season.

EMSPORTS 8/25/2023

In their first-ever DIII baseball championship appearance, the Lynchburg Hornets claim the national title over the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays, 7-6.

Lynchburg won Game 1 with a 5-2 berth before falling to Johns Hopkins 11-6 in Game 2 earlier today. In a double-header winner-take-all comeback, the Hornets scored their winning runs in the fifth inning off the bat of Jackson Harding — a 3-RBI double for the lead that Johns Hopkins did not recover from.

- contributed by NCAA.com

LYNCHBURG, Va. (WDBJ) - For the first time ever, the Lynchburg Hornets are National Champions.

After taking game one of the three game series over Johns Hopkins 5-2, Blue Jays dominated game two of the series 11 to 6.

Hornets pitcher Jack Bachmore would be on the bump for the deciding game in what would only be his second start. He would give up 4 runs in the first inning alone but would be picked up by a Gavin Collins 2RBI single in the bottom half of the inning, and a two-run bomb from Benton Jones in the bottom of the second to erase the deficit.

Trailing by one in the bottom of the fifth, a Jackson Harding double scored three runs that put the Hornets in the lead for good.

Wesley Arrington entered the game for Lynchburg in the eighth inning and would record the final out of the game on a strikeout.

Lynchburg secures its first-ever program title with a 7-6 win over Johns Hopkins.

Copyright 2023 WDBJ. All rights reserved.

The Lynchburg Hornets were very successful and accomplished many goals with a national title.  The Hornets entered the Division III tournament at 43 wins, the most in school history.  They had advanced past a regional and made it into the Final 8 (all program firsts).

They went undefeated (3-0) and entered the championship series two wins away from the ultimate title.  The title was the fourth national title in the university's history and the first by a men's program.  Coach Lucas Jones, an alum and former player, captured his first title ever in his six-year reign as the coach at his alma mater.

The Hornets finished the season at 48-8 and will now look to defend their title as well as market their brand and the name of the ODAC for the national to recognize and appreciate.

EMSPORTS. org 6/14/2023

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

High basketball enters the championship rounds this week as each of the six VHSL Divisions prepare for state tournaments.  The team that wins the ultimate prize must win three more games in this gauntlet of competition.

ALTAVISTA COLONELS:

In Class 1, the Altavista Colonels have enjoyed great success with a 20-4 record on the season.  They had completed an undefeated season in the  Dogwood District and had a six game winning streak working. The Colonels may be from a small town but they boast some of the biggest and most successful basketball history in Central Virginia.  They have braved some hostile environments with none being any more challenging than at Franklin High School in Suffolk.  The Colonels overcame a big deficit to win an exciting regional final and earn a home state quarterfinal game at nearby Heritage High School in Lynchburg. 

Their opponent, the Middlesex Chargers, were also undefeated in their district play and were the winners of 19 consecutive games until they lost in the regional finals to Lancaster.  Lancaster was responsible for all three Middlesex losses in their 23-3 campaign.  The Chargers are not overlooking the Colonels but certainly eye the possibility of avenging their losses of both they and Lancaster advance to the state semi-final round.

The end came sooner than Middlesex would have wanted.  Altavista used their superior quickness and speed to simply outrun their visitors from up North.  The Colonels could seemingly do know wrong and breezed into the Class 1 semifinals with an impressive offensive display.  The final score of 78-57 seemed like more as Altavista moved with precision and scored with ease. Altavista will now look to stamp their ticket into the Class 1 state finals by defeating a formidable foe in the Lancaster Red Devils who are undefeated this year at 27-0.  This game will be held at Heritage High School.

EC GLASS HILLTOPPERS:

The EC Glass Hilltoppers were having a dream season.  They knew how close they had been in the past and were eager to get the elusive state crown.  A team with 23 wins in 25 games, that had dominated teams all year, Glass was pushed by Western Albemarle in their regional final but found enough offense and utilized their defensive prowess to gain the victory and earn a state quarterfinal home

contest against the Handley Judges. The Judges were 15-11 but had played strong towards the end of the season and have peaked in the last couple of weeks.  

The game was tight throughout and just as Glass had done in the regional finals, they built up momentum and a lead going into the half ahead of Handley, 31-25.  

Coming out of the locker rooms, both teams commenced to become more active and a great give and take took place.  When the Judges scored, the Hilltoppers answered.  If Glass looked to run away,  Handley stayed in close in their rear view not giving up an inch.  The excitement from the prolific offenses, was matched by the energy in the building as both teams scored in double digits as the game entered the fourth quarter.  Glass held a lead of 49-40 but Handley was not discouraged.

In the fourth quarter, the homestanding Hilltoppers found another gear.  The Handley Judges were not able to ride the momentum from the third quarter nor take advantage of the mistakes made by Glass.  Glass showed why they looked to be a favorite for the title and pushed the lead into double digits. As if a repeat of last week was taking place, Glass got stronger as the game move along.  In the end, Glass had their best quarter scoring 19 points to finish off Handley 68-54.  O'maundre Harris led all scorers with 32 points.  Handley was valiant but could not keep up with the hot shooting Hilltoppers and their season comes to an end at 14-12.  The Hilltoppers will continue the march in the tournament and improve to 24-2 with an active 15-game winning streak. The Tuscarora Huskies now stand in the way of Glass getting to the final game in Class 4.  The Huskies are 24-4 on the season and look to extend their three game winning streak at the state semi-final battle.  This game will be held at Heritage High School.

EMSPORTS.org 3/3/2023

It is a Friday night in February.  If you are looking for drama, excitement, and entertainment then the place to be is at a basketball gym.

The EC Glass Hilltoppers were hosting another Region 4D Finals as the top seed in the region. They were on the wave of a 13-game winning streak and already punched a ticket to the VHSL 4A state finals.  They hosted the second-seeded Western Albemarle Warriors were not strangers to playoff success and boasted a seven-game winning streak as they visited McCue Gymnasium in Lynchburg.

Both teams were known for their high-powered offenses and winning by large margins throughout the year.  This battle was shaping up as a classic back-and-forth with each possession being important.  The defenses were not expected to be the calling card for victory.

The game began with a lot of energy but not much in the way of buckets.  Each team searched for the right combination of passes and shooting but it produced little in the first quarter as the game was tied at 8 apiece. 

The second quarter was more offensive efficiency and fewer defensive stops.  The Hilltoppers used some of their ultra quickness and deft passing to find holes in Western’s defense and grab a 23-15 lead at halftime.

It seems when the teams returned from the halftime break that more offense would be on display.  Each team still struggled with shooting however Glass’ was starting to wear the Warriors down and by the end of the third quarter, the home team expanded their lead to 37-27 heading into a make-or-break fourth quarter.

Western Albemarle made every effort to get back into the game but EC Glass had a counter for each move.  In the end, Glass was able to stave off the Warriors’ best attempts and claimed the crown as Region 4D champs.  The win guarantees Glass another home game in the state quarterfinals as they await the loser of the Region C Championship.  Western will be on the road again as they travel to the winner of that same Region C contest looking to possibly regain another chance against Glass if both win in their next games.

Glass improves to 23-2 on the year and Western now stands at 23-4.

O’maundre Harris pumped in a game-high 22 points to lead the Hilltoppers.  The Warriors got 11 points each from Aidan Sims and Wes Gobole. 

EMSPORTS.org 2/24/2023

EC Glass has performed extremely well this season.  In another exceptional campaign, the Hilltoppers were perfect (14-0) in the Seminole District capturing another district crown. The Hilltoppers have been rarely tested and their only two losses occurred early in the year.  The Hilltoppers are on a current 12-game winning streak and look to be favorites for the Region 4D crown as well as looking to grab a title at the VHSL 4A State Tournament in a couple of weeks.

The Hilltoppers had no problem handling Mecklenburg County to advance to the regional semifinals at home in McCue Gymnasium.  The boys, from midtown, are undefeated at home this year and looking to return to the state tournament after a close defeat in last year’s quarterfinals at the hands of Loudoun County.

The GW- Danville Eagles are very familiar with their regional foe.  The Eagles seeded 4^th in Region D defeated 5^th seeded Amherst County to win a trip up 29 North looking for an upset.  The Eagles and Hilltoppers are not strangers to one another in this setting and have had classic battles in the past.  The Eagles advanced to this round last year as well and are looking to improve and advance to the state tournament as well.

The high scoring Hilltopper offense was going to be a test for the Eagles.  In the first quarter, both teams played with some nervous and high energy but not very efficient.  The teams traded baskets as they tried to establish their gameplan.  Glass was able to take a small lead at 13-10 at the end of the first quarter.

The teams found a little more rhythm in the second half, but Glass’ pace started to take over and they began to take control of the contest.  The Hilltoppers doubled their output from the 1^st quarter and increase the point total to 27.  In the meantime, GW started to turn the ball over and the deficit became bigger as the game moved to halftime.  With only 18 points, the Eagles were slowly becoming a one-man show.  Senior guard, Casyn Lewis, carried his team into the locker room with 12 points.  O’maundre Harris, the prolific scoring guard for EC Glass, was nearly at his average of 25 points per game in first 16 minutes, as he pumped in 18 points alone to match the grand total for GW Danville. 

The Hilltoppers showed they were able to play defense as well as offense.  They suffocated the Eagles, creating turnovers, tough shots and clearing the rebounds limiting the visitors to only 25 points in the second half.

Glass pulled away late and secured a 57-43 victory.  The win is EC Glass’ 13^th in a row and secures them another home game in the regional championship on Friday.  The other bonus of the win is they punch their ticket to the next level by earning one of the coveted spots in the VHSL 4A state tourney just as they did one year ago. GW (18-10) finishes just one step from seeing the state tourney for another year again.  Glass (22-2) will host the #2 seed, Western Albemarle, on Friday.  Both teams advance to the state tournament.

EMSPORTS.org 2/21/2023

iIf you are a fan of basketball, you know that Virginia vs Duke has been must see TV for nearly 10 years.  The decade has brought close games, fantastic finishes and memorable moments.  This game was no different.

The 8th-ranked Cavaliers had flexed their muscle with an impressive defensive showing beating the 22nd-ranked NC State Wolfpack by a score of 63-50 in their last game.  This time Duke, another North Carolina resident, made the trip north to JPJ.  In the first time since 1996, a Blue Devil basketball team came in unranked.

The Cavaliers knew a win kept them in the top position of the ACC race and it also kept their impressive home record intact.  The Cavaliers had only lost to Houston at John Paul Jones Arena and this would be even more valuable as the backend of conference games were in full swing.

Virginia started off making their first four field goal attempts but senior guard Jeremy Roach for Duke was an one-man wrecking ball as he scored 12 of the Blue Devils' first 14 points.  His sharpshooting staked the visitors to and early lead that ballooned to 20-13 in the first half.  From their Virginia slowly pulled back in it and a Reece Beekman dunk from an assist of Kihei Clark ended the first half with Virginia trailing 27-25.

The second half saw Virginia still scoring and they parlayed the first half 4-0 into another 4-0 run to take a 29-27 lead.  This did not last long as Duke's Jacob Grandison nailed a three-pointer to retake the lead at 30-29.  This started a back and forth affair where neither team could gain more than a five point lead throughout the half.  

Virginia seemed to be in control with about 90 seconds to play and a 58-53 lead.  However, Duke was capable and ready and finished strong with 5 straight points and nearly won the game before overtime.

In overtime, Virginia was able to make enough shots and their standard defense was stellar.  The Cavaliers created 22 Duke turnovers that led to 20 points.  They were also very aggressive scoring 42 points in the paint to make up for an abysmal shooting of 4-14 from the 3pt range and 9 of 22 from the free throw line.  They did excel by shooting nearly 51% from the field for the game.

Duke was so close but didn't have enough to finish as they were outscored 11-4 in the overtime.  The Blue Devils dominated with 39 rebounds to UVa's 24 as well as making 9/23 from behind the 3pt arc.  They were also a solid 75% (9-12) at the free throw line.

Four Blue Devils scored in double figures with Roach (16 points), Tyrese Proctor (14 points). Grandison with 11 pionts and Dariq Whitehead with 10.

The Cavs got a game high 23 points from Armaan Franklin, 16 points from Kihei Clark and 213 points from Ben Vander Plas.  The win makes Virginia 19-4 overall and 11-3 in ACC.  Duke drops to 17-8 (8-6 ACC).

EMSPORTS.org 2/11/2023

After a week off following a big road win at Wake Forest, Virginia returned to the friendly confines of JPJ and entertained the Boston College Eagles.  BC was a tougher opponent than the 10-11 record suggested and on the horizon for the Cavaliers awaited a trip to Syracuse.  

In many peoples’ mind, this is a trap game but the Cavs did not fall for the bait. Instead, Virginia made a statement as they produced their sixth consecutive win.  

The scrappy Eagles were not going to lay down and not battle.  The combatants traded the lead for the first ten minutes of the game with BC taking the largest of the leads at four (21-17) before Virginia went on a 18-6 run that gave them a 35-27 lead into halftime.  

In the second halftime, Virginia started as they left off with more hot shooting and limiting the looks from the Eagles.  The Cavaliers pushed the lead to 46-31 before Boston College was able to gain a little momentum and cut into the lead.  Boston College made a move and the game was 52-43 and the crowd was hoping not to see another Virginia lead wasted.

The Hoos heard the murmurs and responded to the challenge.  The Cavaliers were able to reload and came out with a Cavalanche as they pushed the lead to 27 (76-49) on the strength of a 24-6 run.  With about 3:30 minutes left, Virginia had dominated the game and were looking to kill the clock and complete the victory.

The combination of Jaylen Gardner and Armaan Franklin was efficient and overwhelmed the Eagles.  Each Hoo recorded 18 points while Franklin recorded a team high seven rebounds.  The other two Cavs in double digits were Issac McKneely at 12 and Reece Beekman with 11. For BC, Quintin Post was one of two Eagles to hit double figures.   He had a game high of 24 points with six rebounds.  Makai Ashton-Langford provided 12 points.

But the teams were excellent from the free throw line as BC missed just one attempt going 12 of 13 and Virginia was perfect at 10-10.  The three point shooting was identical as both teams struggle at just under 29%.  Virginia was much better from the field as they shot over 50% while BC was only successful at 41%.  The Cavaliers will take their game on the road to Syracuse on Monday and now stand at 8-2 in ACC with 16-3 overall.           BC (4-7 in ACC, overall 10-12) will return home to face the ACC leading Clemson Tigers on Tuesday.  

EMSPORTS.org 1/28/2023

In a battle of two Seminole District heavyweights,  the Jefferson Forest Cavaliers traveled into the city of Lynchburg to square off with the Lynchburg Christian Academy Bulldogs.  Each team was preparing for the home stretch as January Basketball continues to separate contenders and pretenders.

The Cavaliers were in the midst of a seven-game winning streak and sat one game behind EC Glass Hilltoppers for the top of the Seminole.  The Bulldogs, on a current two-game streak, were just a game behind as they chased JF in the standings. 

Jefferson Forest owned the first quarter with rebounding and inside scoring to take a 17-11 lead at the end of the first quarter. 

As we each passing quarter, the Cavaliers hit double digits on offense and the defense created heavy pressure resulting in LCA’s poor shooting and miscues.

The score was JF 31 - LCA 22.  The most productive quarter for LCA was the third.  They scored 16 points. It JF was better pouring in 22 points.  The game’s score going into the fourth quarter was JF-53 and LCA-38. 

The Cavaliers continued to flex their muscle and led from start to finish as they pulled away for a 67-44 victory. 

JF point guard Isaiah Scott led all scorers with 21 points after hitting a game-high 7 three-pointers.

Jefferson Forest will continue to ride this winning wave as they prepare for a showdown of Seminole supremacy when they host the first place Hilltoppers.  LCA looks to regroup and start a new streak when they face another Lynchburg resident, the Heritage Pioneers. 

It is Friday night in January.  It is cold outside but that will not stop basketball.

The Hill City was preparing for the first edition of the Hill City Throwdown and Heritage vs EC Glass was ready to make moves up the Seminole District Leaderboard.

This annual event generally brings out the best on the court and fans in the city.  The EC Glass Hilltoppers are undefeated in the district (6-0) and have only lost twice all year.  The Hilltoppers lead with a frenetic pace and the all-out fullcourt pressure has been known to make teams wilt.

The Pioneers are no strangers to the playing lockdown defense and have turned their early season woes around riding a four game winning streak and stand 4-2 in the district.  

Glass plays host in the first matchup as the Pioneers make the short trip, about 3 miles, to midtown for a chance to claim bragging rights and continue their winning ways.

Glass came out the gates smoking and they never let up.  A packed house in Glass’ McCue Gym saw the home team

In white race out to a 23-10 lead with transition buckets and three point accuracy.  

At the end of the 1st quarter, the Pioneers were already digging out a big hole.

Heritage attempted to make a game in the second quarter but they hardly slowed down the Hilltoppers.  The Pioneers scored more but the lead got bigger and Glass cruised into halftime with a big lead.

At half, the score was Glass 42, Heritage 25.   The leading scorers for each team were:

ECG - Dexter Harris 13 points, Jason Knox 11 points

HHS - Terrell Washington 13 points

Terrell Washington from Heritage led all scores with 28.  Glass shared the wealth with multiple players in double figures.  

10 Heritage turnovers were part of a bigger problem as the Hilltoppers shot well over 50%.  

O'Maundre Harris led his team with 26 points and poured on 19 in the second half. 

The reigning Seminole District and Region 4D player of the year made his team better early and then put the finishing touches on the victory late.

Heritage only committed two turnovers after halftime but the damage was already done.  Washington was the highest scorer with 28 points.  He connected on 8 of his 12 attempts from the field and also hit 11 of his 14 free-throw attempts.  His teammate, sophomore guard, Tavion Clark added 17 points and his 4 of 6 3-point attempts. 

Heritage falls to 6-6 and 4-3 in district.  The Hilltoppers improve to 12-2 and stay undefeated at 7-0 in the Seminole District.

EMSPORTS.org  1/21/2023

1/4/23  O' Maundre Harris lead Glass to Victory with 30 points night at EC Glass Gymnasia.

Harris made 3-three points beginning of the game. Franklin County too early led 21-10

in the first quarter. Harris made a three-point to cut the lead to 8 points with 3 minutes to

go in the quarter. Harris and Jason Knox got hot to put Glass in lead 34-28 before halftime.

Harris and Knox combined for 49 points. Hilltoppers out score Franklin County in all

three quarters to win 70-59. top score for Glass Q' Maundre Harris with 30 points

his  teammate Jason Knox with 19 points . Glass used Full- Court Man to-Man pressure

Defense. Franklin County had a problem with it.  Randy Clark had 17 for Franklin County.

12/16/22

Altavista and Rustburg play a hard tough game Wednesday night at Rustburg. Altavista 
goes up 16 to 18 with 3;00 minutes to go in the second quarter game. Rustburg stole
the ball to take the lead 20 to 18. Altavista took the lead back 25-22 with 3; minutes
to go in the second quarter. Rustburg cut the lead by two points with 55 seconds to go before 

Halftime. Rustburg stole the ball to tire the game 36-36 end of the second quarter.
 Rustburg tire game 5 times before they took the lead to win the game 61-58

The top score of the game for Rustburg Eligh Sherrard 20 points for Altavista Jagen Boyd 32 points.   EM-SPORTS 12/14/22

Ralph Sampson is a name that just about anyone old enough to see a basketball knows who he is and what a legend.  At the University of Virginia, men’s basketball was the must see action because of Ralph Sampson from 1978-1983.  

The three-time unanimous National College Player of the Year raised the bar for Cavalier basketball and raised the level of excellence of basketball in college. 

Ralph Sampson has turned his talents from player to ambassador.  He is now holding team camps for the youth and he is bringing his knowledge and personality to EC Glass High School in July 2022.

As were the days in U-Hall, Ralph Sampson is ready to display his talents.  This time he is making a way for the next generation excel on the hardwood. 

Lynchburg VA

Heritage and Jefferson Forest started out slow with the score in the first quarter Heritage
8 and Forest 5 . The Pioneers had 8 turnovers in the first half as the Cavaliers made 5 turnovers. The Pioneers controlled the inside and dominated the lane with both scoring and rebounding.
Darrius Brown of Heritage scored 12 points and got help from his teammate Kyle Ferguson who finished with a game high 13 points. The Pioneers used new lineups as they incorporated the services of new players who were added from the JV team. 

Jefferson Forest's leading scorer was Jack Wimmer who was only player from JF in double figures with 10 points.

EM-SPORTS 2/11/22

The Hilltoppers and the Bulldogs know each other very well.  This matchup was the second contest between these two Lynchburg City public schools and this one had more riding no the line.  The Hilltoppers took the first battle early in the year and now they were looking to maintain their hold on the top spot.  The Bulldogs were at home and looking to avenge the loss when they were across town in the Glass' gym.

The Hilltoppers and Bulldogs came out scrapping and clawing.  Each team didn't give up much to their opponent in the first quarter.  Sully Holmes led the way for LCA with his athleticism and some high flying dunks.  EC Glass with their relentles speed and tenacious in your face defense, was not intimidated.  In fact, Glass held a 15-14 1st quarter lead. 

With both teams battling the full 94 feet, this game looked to be a seesaw fight.  Then, EC Glass stepped up the intensity and LCA could not keep up.  Glass turned up their defense which led to some easy offense and by the time the dust cleared, the visitors in blue were steamrolling the stunned Bulldogs.   A 19-5 second quarter blitz catapulted the EC Glass into 34-19 halftime advantage.  

EC Glass took over the momentum and took away the LCA home court advantage as the second half began more like the beginning of the game.  Both teams traded baskets and LCA could never take clear control of the matchups.  Glass was able to maintain the healthy lead and very little changed during the fourth quarter.  LCA was able to win that quarter by two points but it was too little and too late.

With the season sweep, EC Glass, now 12-1 in district, locked up at least a tie for 1st place position in the highly competitve Seminole District. LCA at 10-3, which was tied at the top just a week ago, now has dropped into third place in the Seminole but still are a threat in the VHSL 3A division. EC Glass will now look to be a big favorite in VHSL 4A division as they prepare for a state championship run as postseason tournaments are just around the corner.

Stars of the game were Aidan Tracey from EC Glass with 20 points.  Sully Holmes led all scorers with 27 points to score more than half of the Bulldogs' points.

EMSPORTS 2/11/2022

In the world of pop culture and music, there are many times we see the ladies take center stage.  This was on full display when the girls' basketball teams of EC Glass and Lynchburg Christian Academy met face to face on the hardwood.  This epic battle would showcase not only the two best teams in the area but also two teams just over 5 miles apart that could challenge for the state titles in over a month from now.

The two top teams were battling for Seminole district supremacy as they laid their unblemished district records on the line to keep ahead of the other teams. EC Glass was 10-0 while LCA was 9-0 in district competition. The two teams had only lost two games between them on the year.
The first matchup of this rivalry was hosted by LCA at the Lady Bulldogs' Arena. The defenses came out in full effect as the points were few and hard to find. There were far more missed shots than made shots. The teams battle and scrapped and by the end of the first quarter the score was 9-6 in favor of Glass.

Much of the quarter, EC Glass was without out the services of their dynamite senior guard, Jamiyah Henry.  The inspirational leader of the team had to take a seat with two fouls.  The recipient of those fouls was none other than sensational sophomore, Avery Mills.  The Bulldogs’ superstar was a tough cover and proved as much when the second quarter commenced. 
Mills collected eight points in the second quarter and spearheaded her team to a 23-19 lead in front of the home faithful.  Henry was a non-factor and it hurt Glass has they saw their lead slip away. 

The teams found a better rhythm in the second half but Glass made more and finally put some breathing room between them and the Lady Bulldogs. Jamiyah Henry scored 18 points in the game and was most effective in the final quarter where she poured in 11 points.  She also led a defensive effort that saw the Lady Bulldogs score just two points in the last quarter.

Mills was sensational in the third quarter where she added another nine points to her total of 21.  However, she could not get anything going in the fourth and without their best player making shots, LCA lost momentum and eventually the game.  Glass used their high energy defensive and big play ability to mount a comeback.  When the final horn sounded, the Lady Hilltoppers were on top and triumphed with a 45-36 win.

The Hilltoppers preserved their impressive Seminole district win streak that started back in January 2019.  The record of wins is now 37-0 in district play in three-plus seasons.

EMSPORTS 2/2/2022

In the Seminole District, there are no off nights. The LCA Bulldogs were the defending champs and they knew all too well how hard the schedule was in the back half of the season. After a 8-0 start, the Bulldogs were beaten by the Heritage Pioneers and now had to quickly turnaround for a date with the other HillCity squad, the EC Glass Hilltoppers.

The Hilltoppers were looking to take a home victory after losing on the Bulldogs' court earlier in the year. Both teams shared the top spot in the Seminole with a single loss each in district play.

With each team prepared to take their opposition's best shot, both teams came out looking for cracks in the armor. LCA was more aggressive and more efficient. The Bulldogs ball movement and shouting gave them a double digit lead and limited the high-scoring Hilltoppers to only 19 first half points. 14 of those came from the play of Omaundre Harris.

Harris was not done. He willed and carried his squad to an impressive 57-47 triumph in front of a raucous home crowd of blue and white. Everything that went right for the Bulldogs, went the opposite way in the second half. Glass overcame a 12-point deficit to blow past LCA. There was no denying Harris who scored a game high 31 points to out pace the 22-point performance of LCA senior Sully Holmes.

EMSPORTS 2/2/2022

In the battle of big time basketball in this area, two of Lynchburg’s three high school squads squared off on the hard court. LCA battles with Heritage in a matchup of competition for Seminole District's top spot. The Bulldogs are reloading after falling short in the VHSL 3A championship title from last year. The Pioneers did not make a long playoff run but have righted the ship after a slow start.

The Pioneers were seeking revenge after losing early in the year at LCA. That game took place before the Christmas holiday break. It seems like just five short weeks but the Pioneers are 7-2 in the Seminole looking up at the undefeated district leading Bulldogs who are 8-0 in district and have lost only once this season.

The game was a defensive struggle early with LCA taking a 14-6 lead after one quarter.  The Bulldogs from the jump ball showed very few holes in their defensive armor and Heritage couldn’t get in a groove.  It seemed the pause between quarters was a much needed break as Heritage found their rhythm and flipped the tables and the scoreboard.

The Pioneers took control as senior guard Kyle Ferguson jumpstarted the offense.  Ferguson slashed and dropped in shots from all over as his 13 points gave his team fuel to take a 31-28 halftime advantage. The three point lead was sliced to one when LCA came alive in the third quarter. With the score only 42-41, the Pioneers and Bulldogs were locked into a nip and tuck affair entering the last period.

The teams shadowed one another with a scrappy defense, tenacious effort in the boards and enough shotmaking to keep the crowd entertained.  The last quarter was just a culmination of the fantastic three quarters combined and every great play was countered with a great play.  The ending was even better.

Heritage was clinging to a two-point lead and only seconds remained.  LCA had possession and with just two seconds left, drew up a play that had to go the length of the court for a chance to tie or win.  The pass traveled in the air hoping to reach the hands of a Bulldog player but instead Kyle Ferguson secured the steal and was able to run out the clock.  

Ferguson did it as he led all Heritage scorers with 22 points and created the game-clinching turnover.  His teammate, Simeon McMillan, was a key contributor with 10 points.  

As for LCA, this was their first loss in nearly four years to Heritage.  They received an outstanding effort in defeat from Sebastian Atkins, top scorer with 26 points and Sully Holmes who complimented  him with 12 points.

After a slow 0-2 district start, the Pioneers are one-half game back of the Bulldogs, now 8-1, as the Seminole District crown hangs in the balance.

EMSPORTS 1/31/2022

by EM-SPORTS.ORG  1/21/22

Lynchburg VA  (Girls)

Glass Jump off to an early lead against Brookville with an 11-1 run two minutes into the game. Brookville Bees had 5 turnovers in-game and Glass had 11 steals. at end of the first quarter Glass 18 Bees 1. Glass controls the offense boards and the defense boards. Halftime score Glass 36-4 with Jermal Henry 17 points in the first half of the game.
Henry finished the game with 22 points for Glass. Hilltoppers went on to win game 61-18 to stay undefeated in the Seminole District.

Heritage got even with Glass tonight with a win it was a small crowd tonight at Heritage high school with both teams in the same city. Glass started out on top went up by 8 points. Heritage fought back to tie the game up 28- 28 in the first quarter.Omaundre
Harris keeps getting inside the paint to score. Harris ends up with 22 points for Glass loss.
Pioneers lead at halftime 27-21 Kyle Ferguson caught fire in the second quarter
with 31 points for Heritage win. Tony Crews the head coach of Heritage had his
team play a tough defensive game they press Glass all night. also Darius Brown had
a quiet 11 points and his teammate Simieon McMillan add 10 points for the win.

by EM-SPORTS  1/20/22