William Fleming’s girls basketball team advanced to the Virginia High School League Class 5 state semifinals Tuesday with a 54-30 victory over Massaponax High of Fredericksburg.
Now the Colonels must prepare for the biggest challenge in VHSL hoops.
Fleming will take a 22-4 record to Norfolk State University on Friday for a Class 5 semifinal against 15-time VHSL champion Princess Anne High of Virginia Beach.
The Colonels know the drill, having lost 70-28 to Princess Anne in the 2025 championship game at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Siegel Center.
Getting back to Richmond will be a huge challenge for the Roanoke team.
Princess Anne is 26-0 this season and owns a 69-game win streak since a 62-53 loss to Manchester on Dec. 30, 2023. Moreover, the Cavaliers are led by 6-foot junior Micah Ojo, who is rated by 247Sports as the No. 1 player in Virginia and the No. 9 recruit in the country.
Princess Anne coach Darnell Dozier has a 791-59 career record and has been the head coach for all 15 of the Cavaliers’ state championships.
One of Princess Anne’s titles was a 56-41 victory in Roanoke over Patrick Henry in the 2021 season that was abbreviated by COVID-19.
Meanwhile, the Class 4 girls tournament finally has a revised schedule as the action moves from the courtroom back to the court.
The delayed Region 4A tournament was scheduled to resume Wednesday with Manor High of Portsmouth facing Warhill High of Williamsburg. The winner faces Hampton on Thursday.
The region tournament was delayed after Manor defeated Gloucester in a first-round game but later self-reported a VHSL violation for using an ineligible player. The VHSL declared a forfeit but allowed Gloucester to play a semifinal game against Warhill, which Warhill won to initially clinch a spot in the region final and the state tournament.
However, nine Manor players sought an injunction to be allowed to overturn the forfeit and compete, subsequently securing a favorable ruling from a Tidewater judge.
Two Class 4 quarterfinal games were held Tuesday, including Salem’s 69-38 homecourt victory over Woodgrove High of Purcellville.
The Spartans will await the result of the remaining two quarterfinals to learn their state semifinal opponent on March 10 and the site of the game. Salem either will play at home against the Region 4A runner-up or travel to Region 4B champion Henrico.
The Class 4 state final is still scheduled for 11 a.m. on March 14 at VCU.
Abingdon will represent Southwest Virginia in the Class 3 girls semifinals following Tuesday’s 45-39 victory over Western Albemarle. The Falcons were led by senior Annsley Trivette, who won the shot put in Class 3 indoor track and field meet earlier in the day in Lynchburg and returned to Abingdon after the meet.
The Falcons will play at home Friday against Hopewell, seeking their first berth in a VHSL girls basketball final.
Hopewell’s boys defeated Abingdon 58-55 on the Falcons’ home court in the 2021 state final.
Region D and Mountain 7 District Ridgeview of Dickenson County and Union of Big Stone Gap will face each other in a Class 2 girls semifinal at UVa-Wise’s Prior Center on Friday after both scored victories Tuesday.
Union leads the season series 2-1 including a 66-63 verdict in the Region 2D final.
One Southwest Virginia team — Galax or George Wythe — will advance to Richmond in the Class 1 girls tournament. The two Mountain District teams will play for a fifth time in 2025-26 Friday in Galax.
George Wythe won the first three meetings, but Galax turned the tables on the reigning state champions with a 76-68 win in the Region 1C final.
Liberty Christian might have been the No. 6 seed in the Region 3C boys tournament, but the Bulldogs are in the state semifinals after Tuesday’s 56-46 victory over Christiansburg.
LCA has a semifinal Friday against 2024 state runner-up Lake Taylor. The Bulldogs were seeking a local neutral site for the game, likely Jefferson Forest or Liberty-Bedford.
Graham High of Bluefield is looking to return to the Class 2 state final for a second year in a row after the G-Men knocked off Floyd County 59-56 on Tuesday in Rocky Mount.
Graham will play at Central High of Wise in a rematch of the Region 2D final won 64-57 last week by Central.
Patrick Henry-Glade Spring and Fort Chiswell will play a Class 1 boys semifinal Friday at Pulaski County High School.
Patrick Henry is seeking its first boys championship appearance. Fort Chiswell last made a state final in 1975 when the Pioneers lost 64-58 in overtime to Buckingham.
CLASS 6 BOYS
Tuesday, March 3
Quarterfinals
Landstown 65, Patriot 59
South County 38, George Marshall 36
Westfield 72, Thomas Edison 37
Manchester 76, Gainesville 58
Friday, March 6
Semifinals
Landstown (23-4) at South County (20-7), 7 p.m.
Manchester (21-2) at Westfield (28-1), 7 p.m.
March 12
At Siegel Center, Richmond
Championship
Semifinal winners, 2:30 p.m.
CLASS 5 BOYS
Tuesday, March 3
Quarterfinals
Green Run 58, Nansemond River 53
Stone Bridge 73, Albemarle 59
Norview 83, Kempsville 51
Massaponax 68, James River-Midlothian 32
Friday, March 6
Semifinals
Stone Bridge (23-5) at Green Run (23-4), at Norfolk State Univ., 6 p.m.
Massaponax (22-6) at Norview (23-2), 7 p.m.
March 12
At Siegel Center, Richmond
Championship
Semifinal winners, 8 p.m.
CLASS 4 BOYS
Tuesday, March 3
Quarterfinals
Varina 62, Denbigh 51
John Handley 70, Broad Run 62
Hampton 68, Courtland 46
Heritage-Leesburg 66, E.C. Glass 57
Friday, March 6
Semifinals
John Handley (22-5) at Varina (19-2)
Heritage-Leesburg (25-1) at Hampton (25-1), at Heritage-Newport News H.S., 7 p.m.
March 14
At Siegel Center, Richmond
Championship
Semifinal winners, 1 p.m.
CLASS 3 BOYS
Tuesday, March 3
Quarterfinals
Western Albemarle 62, Hidden Valley 54
Petersburg 102, Meridian 45
Liberty Christian 56, Christiansburg 46
Lake Taylor 54, Skyline 36
Friday, March 6
Semifinals
Western Albemarle (21-1) at Petersburg (20-4), 7 p.m.
Lake Taylor (20-5) at Liberty Christian (21-7)
March 14
At Siegel Center, Richmond
Championship
Semifinal winners, 6:30 p.m.
CLASS 2 BOYS
Tuesday, March 3
Quarterfinals
Graham 59, Floyd County 56
Central-Wise 59, Nelson County 50
Central-Woodstock 58, Greensville County 39
Thomas Jefferson-Richmond 63, Strasburg 51
Friday, March 6
Semifinals
Graham (21-4) at Central-Wise (19-9)
Thomas Jefferson-Richmond (19-4) at Central-Woodstock (20-6), 6:30 p.m.
March 13
At Siegel Center, Richmond
Championship
Semifinal winners, 2:30 p.m.
CLASS 1 BOYS
Tuesday, March 3
Quarterfinals
Fort Chiswell 75, Twin Springs 47
Patrick Henry-Glade Spring 67, Parry McCluer 61
Luray 75, Northampton 56
Rappahannock County 62, Northumberland 60
Friday, March 6
Semifinals
Patrick Henry-Glade Spring (24-3) at Fort Chiswell (23-5), at Pulaski County H.S., 7 p.m.
Rappahannock County (15-7) at Luray (22-6), 7:30 p.m.
March 13
At Siegel Center, Richmond
Championship
Semifinal winners, 8 p.m.
CLASS 6 GIRLS
Tuesday, March 3
Quarterfinals
Osbourn Park 54, L.C. Bird 27
Oakton 53, South County 37
West Potomac 56, Centreville 54
Manchester 48, Gainesville 40
Friday, March 6
Semifinals
Oakton (23-7) at Osbourn Park (23-5)
West Potomac (22-6) at Manchester (25-1), 7 p.m.
March 12
At Siegel Center, Richmond
Championship
Semifinal winners, 12:30 p.m.
CLASS 5 GIRLS
Tuesday, March 3
Quarterfinals
Princess Anne 65, King’s Fork 53
William Fleming 54, Massaponax 30
Menchville 74, Deep Creek 47
Glen Allen 60, Stone Bridge 44
Friday, March 6
Semifinals
William Fleming (22-4) at Princess Anne (26-0), at Norfolk State Univ., 5:30 p.m.
Glen Allen (18-4) at Menchville (24-1)
March 12
At Siegel Center, Richmond
Championship
Semifinal winners, 6 p.m.
CLASS 4 GIRLS
Tuesday, March 3
Quarterfinals
Salem 69, Woodgrove 38
Heritage-Leesburg 50, Charlottesville 44
Saturday, March 7
Quarterfinals
Region 4A runner-up at Henrico (17-6)
Hanover (16-5) at Region 4A champion
March 10
Semifinals
Salem (26-1) vs. Henrico-Region 4A runner-up winner
Heritage-Leesburg (20-5) vs. Region 4A champion-Hanover winner
March 14
At Siegel Center, Richmond
Championship
Semifinal winners, 11 a.m.
CLASS 3 GIRLS
Tuesday, March 3
Quarterfinals
Abingdon 45, Western Albemarle 39
Hopewell 56, James Monroe 49
Spotswood 64, Staunton River 42
Skyline 51, Lake Taylor 33
Friday, March 6
Semifinals
Hopewell (17-5) at Abingdon (19-8), 6 p.m.
Skyline (22-5) at Spotswood (23-1), 7 p.m.
March 13
At Siegel Center, Richmond
Championship
Semifinal winners, 6 p.m.
CLASS 2 GIRLS
Tuesday, March 3
Quarterfinals
Ridgeview 45, Chatham 44
Union 81, Liberty-Bedford 64
Clarke County 90, Prince Edward County 15
Strasburg 54, John Marshall 45
Friday, March 6
Semifinals
Ridgeview (24-6) at Union (18-9), at UVa-Wise, 6 p.m.
Strasburg (24-5) at Clarke County (25-2)
March 13
At Siegel Center, Richmond
Championship
Semifinal winners, 12:30 p.m.
CLASS 1 GIRLS
Tuesday, March 3
Quarterfinals
Galax 66, Grundy 40
George Wythe 53, Honaker 37
Luray 60, Rappahannock 24
Essex 49, Surry County 38
Friday, March 6
Semifinals
George Wythe (21-5) at Galax (24-2), 7 p.m.
Essex (20-2) at Luray (17-10), 5:30 p.m.
March 13
At Siegel Center, Richmond
Championship
Semifinal winners, 6 p.m.