Whether you walked into a jam-packed stadium at the start of the fall under the lights, trekked into a humid gym in the winter or pulled up a lawn chair to a field this spring, there's no doubt you got your money's worth when it came to local athletics.
In just over two months, Friday Night Lights will return to the Valley.
After a record-breaking season on the pitch, Luray senior standout Emilee Weakley is officially an all-state selection in a second sport.
The Bull Run District was represented strongly on the Virginia High School League Class 2 all-state baseball team Wednesday.
There were two representatives from the Shenandoah Valley on the Virginia High School League Class 3 all-state girls soccer team, the league announced on Wednesday.
There were a pair of locals named to the Virginia High School League Class 3 softball all-state first team after putting on impressive campaigns during their senior season.
After finishing as the Virginia High School League Class 1 softball state runner-up, Riverheads was rewarded appropriately on Wednesday by the league's all-state team.
After a historic year in which the program won its first Valley District title since 2013 and advanced all the way to the Virginia High School League Class 3 quarterfinals, the Spotswood baseball team was well-represented on the all-state team that was released early Tuesday.
Buffalo Gap sophomore Jackson Ingram was named to the Virginia High School League Class 1 all-state baseball second team after a breakout season this year with the Bison.
BRIDGEWATER — As a baby-faced middle-school kid, Jalin Quintanilla can remember attending Turner Ashby football camps and hearing from the late Chris Fraser.
WAYNESBORO — John Spears, a fixture in the local basketball community for decades, was recently named the boys basketball coach at Waynesboro High School.
From the first time she launched a shot, Brianna Morgan was hooked.
Academics have always been a priority for Madison Cooley.
Jumping in the back of the van for a fulfilling ham-and-cheese sandwich after a day full of travel baseball games, that first swig of cold blue Gatorade fresh from the bottle.
Clarke County senior forward Caleb Neiman was named the Virginia High School League Class 2 boys soccer player of the year on Wednesday after a record-setting campaign.
There were a pair of local standouts named to the Virginia High School League Class 2 all-state softball team Tuesday.
The dream started when she was a kid, Makenzie Cyzick said.
SALEM — Clarke County’s players jumped up and down and screamed after receiving their Virginia High School League state championship plaque on the middle of Spartan Field, and then senior forward Caleb Neiman took it and led the team on a jog so the Eagle fans standing by the fence could get…
SALEM — To put into words how close-knit, hungry and hard-working the Page County softball team is, all one had to do was look at sophomore Bailee Gaskins.
SALEM — A historical season came to an end late Friday afternoon as Luray fell 5-1 to Glenvar in a Virginia High School League Class 2 girls soccer state semifinal at Salem High School.
James Madison commit Kirsten Fleet tossed a perfect game as Auburn defeated Buffalo Gap 3-0 in the Virginia High School League Class 1 softball semifinals at James I. Moyer Sports Complex in Salem on Friday.
SALEM — With a smile across her face, Adryn Martin was pretty straightforward.
SPOTSYLVANIA COURTHOUSE — Moments after the Fort Defiance softball team broke up its final huddle of the season and players headed to the dugout to collect their belongings before embarking on a nearly two-hour trip back home, a fan yelled from just beyond the outfield fence to “keep your he…
BLACKSBURG — Central put up a strong fight, but ultimately came up short in a 5-0 loss to Glenvar on Thursday in the Class 2 girls tennis state finals.
BLACKSBURG — Madison Cooley walked down the hall inside the Burrows-Burleson Tennis Center and approached co-coach Chad Edwards with a grin.
BLACKSBURG — Depth is especially pivotal deep in the postseason and Maggie Walker has plenty of it.
It’s a trend that carries across every sport.
FORT DEFIANCE — The diamond at Fort Defiance High School served as the dinner table for the Atkins family on Tuesday and the sisterly duo of Brooke and Lindsay Atkins, who are identical twins, delivered the main course.
SHENANDOAH — Page County softball coach Alan Knight said “speed kills” after the Panthers’ matchup with Nottoway on Tuesday.
ABINGDON — Abingdon junior Luke Bedwell came to veteran Falcons baseball coach Mark Francisco with a bold request last year.
LURAY — Each time Emilee Weakley dribbled in the offensive third of the field, it looked like a hot knife cutting through butter.
Danner Allen was electric in the circle as she tossed a complete-game no-hitter, giving up just six walks and striking out 16 as Randolph-Henry defeated East Rockingham 7-0 in the Virginia High School League Class 2 softball quarterfinals in small-town Charlotte Court House on Tuesday.
For the first time since 1979, the Central girls tennis team will compete for a state championship on Thursday.
EMORY — For the first time since 2012, Spotswood will compete for a state championship in girls tennis.
Throw in the overused cliché lyrics from Cyndi Lauper, grab a lawn chair and reminisce a bit.
After a late mishap a year ago on the biggest stage, Stuarts Draft senior Aaron Nice was focused on redemption.
LYNCHBURG — Dillon Taylor Jr. claimed he knew it was a good one as soon as he released it.
There were mental struggles that George Austin III dealt with through the COVID-19 pandemic that he’s opened up about frequently throughout his return tour.
FORT DEFIANCE — Despite the 22-0 record for Fort Defiance softball, Indians senior McKenna Mace said her team is no stranger to a good fight.
A nine-run fourth inning propelled the Liberty Christian to the Region 3C title over Spotswood 13-0 in five innings in Lynchburg.
In what’s become a common theme throughout the 2022 spring season, Mother Nature impacted the Region 3C championship schedule on Thursday.
FORT DEFIANCE — It’s a scenario that she's played out in her head at times.
The second-seeded Spotswood Trailblazers took a decisive 8-0 victory over the third-seeded Wilson Memorial Green Hornets in the Region 3C baseball semifinals on Wednesday in Penn Laird.
ELKTON — Each time Buckingham threatened with runners in scoring position, East Rockingham pitcher Madison Arbaugh found a way out of the jam.
BRIDGEWATER — Turner Ashby senior Taylor Adams put it best.
Senior catcher Kirsten Hensley’s RBI single to left field, scored Kiara Yorro and gave top-seeded Page County a 3-2 win over fourth-seeded Clarke County in the Region 2B semifinals in Shenandoah on Wednesday.
There’s a different type of bond between Spotswood’s Raygan Wade and Rennie Shaffer — one that’s developed through late-night sleepovers, heart-to-heart discussions and a lifelong’s worth of memories stored in the back of their minds.
Top-seeded Central continued its strong season by defeating third-seeded Mountain View for the Region 2B girls tennis championship on Tuesday.
Elizabeth Blatz was 3-for-4 with a pair of homers and a trio of RBIs as fourth-seeded Spotswood took care of business with an 8-2 win over fifth-seeded Monticello in the Region 3C softball quarterfinals Monday.
PENN LAIRD — In the the third meeting between the two Valley District opponents this season, second-seeded Spotswood had little trouble in a 15-0 rout of seventh-seeded Rockbridge County in the Region 3C baseball quarterfinals on Monday in Penn Laird.
