Aldie, Va. — After watching their girls team drop a heartbreaker to rival Freedom High School just minutes before, the John Champe High School boys basketball team found themselves in an unfamiliar position—trailing the Eagles by as many as 10 points in the first half. The culmination of senior night, a late-season district contest, and a crosstown rivalry got the Knights off to a shaky start, but a collected second half effort proved to the difference as they used double-digit scoring efforts from junior forward Ralph Martino and freshman forward Kade Sebastian off the bench to escape the Eagles, 51-42,…

Aldie, Va. — When a 10-win team travels to a 3-win team, there is often a clear cut favorite. But when No. 3 Freedom High school traveled to No. 7 John Champe High School for their second meeting of the season, the game did not start the way the Eagles had anticipated, proving once again that rivalry games can be the great equalizer. However, after falling into a 9-point deficit in the first quarter, the Eagles chipped away little by little before eventually taking a 24-22 lead late in the third quarter and never looked back as they escaped their…

Leesburg, Va. — Tied at 31-31 with less than 90 seconds to go in the third quarter, the Loudoun County High School boys basketball team called a timeout and drew up a play. After the inbound, senior point guard Jimmy Daughtrey made a bounce pass between two defenders on a backdoor cut to junior forward Nick Alexander who elevated for the dunk to give the Captains a 33-31 lead. “It pumps them up and gets the crowd going,” Loudoun County head coach Mark Alexander said. “Nick’s been working hard to be an inside player for us, and he’s doing okay.”…

Leesburg, Va. — Dominion High School sophomore Isabel Smith finished fourth on the vault (8.900), third on the beam (8.700), and won the bars (8.600) as she claimed the individual all-around (34.200) at a six team meet on January 24 at Heritage High School in Leesburg. Loudoun Valley High School got top three finishes from Gaby Cevallos on the vault (9.000), Mirella Savee on the floor (8.550), Carly Snyder on the bars (8.400), Tirayah Robinson on the floor (8.700), and Kayla Crowson on the beam (9.150) and bars (8.100) as the Vikings claimed the team title. Owen Gotimer captured 100+ photos…

Ashburn, Va. — After leading by 13 points at the half, the Loudoun County High school boys basketball team saw Broad Run cut their lead to just 6 points after the third quarter. But a tremendous defensive effort and a balanced scoring attack was the difference in the fourth quarter as all five Loudoun County starters finished with 9+ points, and the Captains rolled past the Spartans, 60-42, on January 21 in Ashburn. “After that first loss to Loudoun Valley, we can’t afford to lose anymore district games,” Loudoun County senior point guard Jimmy Daughtrey said. “So it feels good…

Leesburg, Va. — With just over four minutes left in the first half, the Loudoun Valley High Schools boys basketball team trailed Tuscarora, 17-3. By the end of the third quarter, the Vikings had cut the deficit to 26-24, and with :19.3 left in the game, Loudoun Valley junior guard Brett Zimmet hit a pair of free throws to give his team a 35-34 lead. After a series of clock-stopping fouls from both teams, Loudoun Valley senior center Ben Hall knocked down a pair of 1-and-1 free throws to give the Vikings the 37-34 lead by which they’d defeat the…