William Fleming’s girls basketball team will open the three-day Virginia High School League state championship festivities in Richmond next week, and the Colonels will have a most formidable obstacle in their path.
The Roanoke team scored a 53-51 victory Friday night over L.C. Bird of Chesterfield, avenging a loss to the Skyhawks in the Region 5C final, to reach Thursday’s 12:30 p.m. Class 5 girls final at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Siegel Center.
The Colonels will face none other than two-time defending champion and 13-time state titlist Princess Anne High of Virginia Beach.
Meanwhile, Northside’s bid for a third consecutive Class 3 boys championship ended Friday with a 54-42 loss at Spotswood. The Trailblazers will face Hopewell in at 1 p.m. March 15 final.
Three Roanoke Valley girls teams will play for state titles in Richmond as Salem (Class 4) and Lord Botetourt (Class 3) will join William Fleming at VCU.
Salem’s 50-43 semifinal victory over Manor of Portsmouth earned the Spartans a spot in the 11 a.m. March 14 final against Heritage-Leesburg. The Spartans won the Division 4 championship in 2013.
Lord Botetourt knocked off six-time state champion Spotswood 57-39 in a semifinal on the Trailblazers’ home court. Botetourt and Spotswood shared the 2020 championship when the tournament was canceled because of COVID-19. The Cavaliers also won titles in 1995, 1996 and 2018.
Lord Botetourt will take on James Monroe of Fredericksburg in an 11 a.m. final on Saturday, March 15.
George Wythe’s boys and girls teams each won Class 1 semifinals Friday.
The girls edged three-time champ Honaker 34-31 to earn a spot in the 12:30 p.m. March 14 Class 1 final against Buffalo Gap of Augusta County. The Maroons are looking for their first state title since 1989 when they captured the Group AA championship.
George Wythe rolled to an 82-54 Class 1 semifinal victory over Patrick Henry of Emory. The Maroons will aim for the school’s second state title and first since 2008 when they face Franklin at 2:30 p.m. following the girls championship game at VCU.
Central High of Wise reached its fourth successive Class 2 girls championship game and its ninth state final in the last 13 seasons with a 58-43 victory over Mountain 7 District rival Ridgeview of Dickenson County. The defending champion Warriors trail only Princess Anne statewide with nine championships.
Central will play John Marshall of Richmond at 6 p.m. Thursday in a rematch of last year’s final won 58-41 by the Warriors.
Graham’s boys ended Floyd County’s season in Class 2 with a 62-61 triumph at Radford University’s Dedmon Center. The Bluefield school, which won the Class 2 football crown in December, will now face John Marshall of Richmond, which has won the last three Class 2 state titles by 57, 57 and 39 points, respectively, at 8 p.m. Thursday.
The Justices have won both of their state tournament games this season by 51 points including Friday’s 104-53 semifinal victory over Luray.
E.C. Glass saw its season end 69-55 at the hands of Atlee of Mechanicsville in a Class 4 boys semifinal. Atlee will play Richmond-area rival Varina in the final.
State tournament tickets are digital only and are available online by visiting gofan.co/vhsl.
CLASS 6 BOYS
Tuesday, March 4
Quarterfinals
South Lakes 56, Hayfield 41
Landstown 76, Patriot 59
Oscar Smith 75, Colonial Forge 50
C.G. Woodson 71, Westfield 58
Friday, March 7
Semifinals
South Lakes 56, Landstown 50
C.G. Woodson 58, Oscar Smith 46
Saturday, March 15
At Siegel Center Richmond
Championship
South Lakes (23-4) vs. C.G. Woodson (25-4), 6:30 p.m.
CLASS 5 BOYS
Tuesday, March 4
Quarterfinals
Green Run 61, Maury 54
Woodside 76, Indian River 42
Albemarle 67, Riverbend 46
Riverside 58, L.C. Bird 56
Friday, March 7
Semifinals
Green Run 39, Woodside 34
Albemarle 64, Riverside 61
Thursday, March 13
At Siegel Center Richmond
Championship
Green Run (23-2) vs. Albemarle (25-3), 2:30 p.m.
CLASS 4 BOYS
Tuesday, March 4
Quarterfinals
John Handley 68, Heritage-Newport News 37
Varina 49, Hampton 36
E.C. Glass 58, Tuscarora 49
Atlee 63, Churchland 54
Friday, March 7
Semifinals
Varina 56, John Handley 52
Atlee 69, E.C. Glass 55
Friday, March 14
At Siegel Center, Richmond
Championship
Varina (19-4) vs. Atlee (25-1), 8 p.m.
CLASS 3 BOYS
Tuesday, March 4
Quarterfinals
Hopewell 68, William Monroe 39
Meridian 51, New Kent 45
Spotswood 71, Carroll County 52
Northside 55, Western Albemarle 33
Friday, March 7
Semifinals
Hopewell 54, Meridian 43
Spotswood 64, Northside 52
Saturday, March 15
At Siegel Center, Richmond
Championship
Hopewell (23-2) vs. Spotswood (25-3), 1 p.m.
CLASS 2 BOYS
Tuesday, March 4
Quarterfinals
John Marshall 97, Central-Woodstock 46
Luray 69, Greensville 63, OT
Floyd County 57, Virginia High 52, OT
Graham 66, Nelson County 51
Friday, March 7
Semifinals
John Marshall 104, Luray 53
Graham 62, Floyd County 61
Thursday, March 13
At Siegel Center, Richmond
Championship
John Marshall (24-2) vs. Graham (21-4), 8 p.m.
CLASS 1 BOYS
Tuesday, March 4
Quarterfinals
Lancaster 77, Altavista 45
Franklin 60, Northumberland 54
George Wythe 64, Chilhowie 32
Patrick Henry-Emory 84, Parry McCluer 60
Friday, March 7
Semifinals
Franklin 41, Lancaster 34
George Wythe 82, Patrick Henry-Emory 54
Friday, March 14
At Siegel Center, Richmond
Championship
Franklin (17-12) vs. George Wythe (24-4), 2:30 p.m.
*****
CLASS 6 GIRLS
Tuesday, March 4
Quarterfinals
West Potomac 48, Langley 37
Osbourn Park 66, Glen Allen 38
Manchester 55, Gainesville 35
James Robinson 44, Oakton 38
Friday, March 7
Semifinals
Osbourn Park 77, West Potomac 39
Manchester 53, James Robinson 34
Saturday, March 15
At Siegel Center, Richmond
Championship
Osbourn Park (25-3) vs. Manchester (24-3), 4:30 p.m.
CLASS 5 GIRLS
Tuesday, March 4
Quarterfinals
Princess Anne 84, King’s Fork 37
Menchville 57, Floyd Kellam 54
L.C. Bird 53, Lightridge 45
William Fleming 45, Potomac Falls 25
Friday, March 7
Semifinals
Princess Anne 53, Menchville 42
William Fleming 53, L.C. Bird 51
Thursday, March 13
At Siegel Center, Richmond
Championship
Princess Anne (27-0) vs. William Fleming (25-3), 12:30 p.m.
CLASS 4 GIRLS
Tuesday, March 4
Quarterfinals
Salem 59, Woodgrove 49
Manor 67, Monacan 65
Heritage-Leesburg 72, Charlottesville 37
Hampton 64, Henrico 51
Friday, March 7
Semifinals
Salem 50, Manor 43
Heritage-Leesburg 41, Hampton 31
Friday, March 14
At Siegel Center, Richmond
Championship
Salem (27-2) vs. Heritage-Leesburg (23-3), 6 p.m.
CLASS 3 GIRLS
Tuesday, March 4
Quarterfinals
Grafton 41, Brentsville 29
James Monroe 94, Hopewell 70
Spotswood 47, Staunton River 44
Lord Botetourt 55, Western Albemarle 24
Friday, March 7
Semifinals
James Monroe 64, Grafton 48
Lord Botetourt 57, Spotswood 39
Saturday, March 15
At Siegel Center, Richmond
Championship
James Monroe (25-0) vs. Lord Botetourt (25-3), 11 a.m.
CLASS 2 GIRLS
Tuesday, March 4
Quarterfinals
John Marshall 62, Stuarts Draft 51
Clarke County 81, Prince Edward County 52
Ridgeview 65, Liberty-Bedford 47
Central-Wise 83, James River-Buchanan 28
Friday, March 7
Semifinals
John Marshall 67, Clarke County 56
Centra-Wise 58, Ridgeview 43
Thursday, March 13
At Siegel Center, Richmond
Championship
John Marshall (14-8) vs. Central-Wise (27-3), 6 p.m.
CLASS 1 GIRLS
Tuesday, March 4
Quarterfinals
Brunswick 48, Westmoreland 41
Buffalo Gap 71, Colonial Beach 19
George Wythe 54, J.I. Burton 47
Honaker 43, Fort Chiswell 34
Friday, March 7
Semifinals
Buffalo Gap 52, Brunswick 40
George Wythe 34, Honaker 31
Friday, March 14
At Siegel Center, Richmond
Championship
Buffalo Gap (23-4) vs. George Wythe (26-3), 12:30 p.m.
