Ashburn, Va. — Riverside versus Rock Ridge has become a classic early season rivalry football game featuring Loudoun County’s two newest public high schools. After their first three meetings were decided by less than seven points each, the Rams rolled through the 2018 match up, opening their season on August 24 with a 30-10 win over the Phoenix. “We were the new kids on the block and so were they. A natural rivalry developed. I always love to play them,” Riverside senior quarterback Trevor Jackson said. “And now, we’re finally seeing everything come to fruition after putting in all this…

Leesburg, Va. — Loudoun County High School junior Brooke Kirstein has made the commitment to continue her soccer career at Duquesne University starting in the 2020-2021 academic year. “It feels amazing being committed to a college for the sport you love,” the 5-foot-6 Kirstein said. “It’s always been a dream of mine to play Division I soccer, and it finally came true. I can’t wait to keep improving to be the best I can be!” [adrotate banner=”29″] A college commitment is always a relief, but Kirstein is going to have to work harder than ever to earn playing time at…

Sterling, Va. — The Park View High School Patriots will not play varsity football this fall, marking the first time since the school opened in 1976 that the Patriots will not put a varsity football team on the field. As hundreds of football players across the county reported to their first practices of the season on July 30, just 18 varsity-level players showed up at Park View. Half of those 18 had never played football before. The VHSL recommends that schools with less than 25 football players should not field varsity rosters. “The bottom line is safety,” LCPS Public Information…

Loudoun County, Va. — On occasion, student-athletes get their scholarships revoked because of their actions on social media. In 2014, a couple of Division I football coaches publicly dropped a pair of recruits because of things the recruits had posted online. Fast forward four years, and some things still haven’t changed. In early July 2018, the wrestling team at California Polytechnic State University withdrew a scholarship offer from recent high school graduate Bronson Harmon after a video surfaced of him yelling an anti-gay slur at a rally in Modesto, California. Scholarship reversals like this are more isolated than you might think.…

Ashburn, Va. — Broad Run High School rising junior Mitch Griffis has made an early verbal commitment to continue his football career at Wake Forest University beginning in the 2020-2021 academic year. “It feels great to be committed because it has been my lifelong dream to play Division I football,” Griffis said. “Now, I can focus on my last two years of high school and being the best I can for my team.” [adrotate banner=”19″] Since more than 90% of Division I Football Bowl Subdivision quarterbacks are taller than 6 feet, Griffis – who stands at 5-foot-10-and-a-half – has his…

Leesburg, Va. — While more than 400,000 girls across the country suit up to play volleyball for their high schools each year, less than six percent of them get an opportunity to continue playing in college. And an even smaller fraction of those make it to the professional level. Heritage High School graduate Sydney Busa (2014) joined that elite group of volleyball players, when she signed a professional contract with Finland-based Nurmon Jymy on June 22. She will report to the team in September. “I’m incredibly excited for this opportunity to continue to play, especially at the professional level,” the…