Ashburn, Va. — Rock Ridge High School senior Max Wayne has made a commitment to continue his lacrosse career at Christopher Newport University starting in the 2017-2018 school year. “I first looked into CNU after meeting a bunch of my coaches that went there,” the 6-foot-3 Wayne said. “They all said they loved playing there, and they loved everything the school had to offer.” The Division III Captains are led by first-year head coach Mikey Thompson, who served as the interim head coach in 2016 and as an assistant since 2011. In his first season at the helm of the program,…

By Owen Gotimer LoCoSports Editor-in-Chief [twitter-follow screen_name=’BigO_Gotimer’] Leesburg (May 23, 2017) — Two things stood in the Heritage High School baseball team’s way of a Conference 21B championship crown on May 23: the weather and Rock Ridge High School senior ace Nick Stewart. As the rain continued to pour down, the Pride scratched across an early run and got a three-hit shutout performance from senior starter Nate Craner, to earn Heritage baseball’s first ever conference title, 3-0, in front of a home crowd in Leesburg. “Playing with a lead has helped us out every time we’ve had one this year,”…

By Owen Gotimer LoCoSports Editor-in-Chief [twitter-follow screen_name=’BigO_Gotimer’] Leesburg (May 22, 2017) — Most second year programs are content winning a few games. Some excited to go .500. But the girls lacrosse team at Riverside High School is different. In the program’s first season in 2016, the Lady Rams won more than a few games, finished four games above .500, and even hosted a group playoff game. Their young team was primed and ready to make a statement in 2017. On May 22, Riverside – who finished the regular season undefeated – got the moment they had worked so hard for…

By Owen Gotimer LoCoSports Editor-in-Chief [twitter-follow screen_name=’BigO_Gotimer’] Leesburg (May 20, 2017) — Coming off an early week loss to Loudoun County High School, which ended their run at the program’s first regular season conference title, the Heritage High School baseball team exacted revenge on their crosstown rivals on May 19, as the No. 3 Pride put on a display, upending the No. 2 Raiders, 10-5, in Leesburg. “We were mad. We came out with fire,” Heritage junior centerfielder Colin Shea said. “We didn’t want to go home. We weren’t ready for that. None of us are ready for that.” In…

By Owen Gotimer LoCoSports Editor-in-Chief [twitter-follow screen_name=’BigO_Gotimer’] Leesburg (May 17, 2017) — Pitching with a lead is something any pitcher knows helps relieve pressure. And what better way for Loudoun County High School junior starter Ben Bradford to get that early relief in a must-win game over Leesburg-rival Heritage High School on May 15 than by way of a two-run homerun off the bat of junior shortstop Will Schroeder in the bottom half of the first inning. The Raiders carried Schroeder’s momentous home run and Bradford’s 6.2 innings of two-run baseball to victory over the Pride, 7-2, in the Conference…

Purcellville, Va. — Loudoun Valley High School graduate Blair Brown Lipsitz (2006) has been named a Virginia High School League Hall of Fame inductee for the Class of 2017. Lipsitz – who led the Lady Vikings to a VHSL AA state championship title in 2004 – is one of the most accomplished high school volleyball players in Virginia State history. “Being named a Hall of Famer is a really cool honor and really a great testament to my team and coaches at Loudoun Valley,” Lipsitz said. “My teammates and I all bought into our goal early on in high school and…