Luray High School’s boys basketball team arrived at VCU’s Siegel Center in Richmond looking for its first VHSL championship in 50 years.
The Bulldogs did not mind waiting a few minutes longer.
It took two overtimes but Luray withstood a record 53-point performance by Fort Chiswell sophomore Owen Jackson as the Bull Run District school posted an 84-82 victory over the Pioneers in the Class 1 final.
The two teams each finished 24-6 on the season and they were that close for 40 minutes Friday night.
Fort Chiswell sent the game to overtime tied at 61 on a 3-pointer at the buzzer by the 6-foot-5 Jackson.
Luray overcame a 67-63 deficit with 1:07 left in the first OT, sending the game to a second extra period on a field goal by Will Judy with 29 seconds on the clock.
The Bulldogs took the lead for good at 70-68 on a pair of free throws by Aiden Cook with 3:20 to play in the second OT and built a 79-72 lead with 1:37 remaining.
However, Fort Chiswell was far from done as the Wythe County team rallied behind Jackson.
The 6-foot-5 guard scored all 14 of his team’s points in the second OT on top of 36 in regulation and three more in the first overtime. He reached the 50-point mark on a layup with 12 seconds left, and added some icing with a 3-point jumper from nearly halfcourt at the buzzer.
Jackson’s 53-point total broke the VHSL all-division, single-game championship record of 47 points set by Gate City’s Mac McClung in 2018. Former Cave Spring High star and current Los Angeles Lakers coach J.J. Redick scored 43 points in the 2002 Group AAA championship game.
Jackson finished the game 17 of 36 from the floor including 5 of 14 from 3-point range and 14 of 19 on free throws. Kenton Sutphin added nine points, five assists and four steals for the Pioneers.
Luray countered Jackson by placing four players in double figures.
Senior Matthew Owens scored 21 points to go with eight rebounds for the winners before he fouled out in overtime. Connor Hilliard had 18 points and 10 boards, while Ayden Haddock scored 14 points and Judy added 11.
Luray’s title was the fifth for the Page County school, adding to VHSL championships in 1967, 1970, 1971 and 1976.
Fort Chiswell was seeking its first VHSL title, having lost in the 1975 Group A final in its only previous appearance.
In other VHSL finals Friday:
Class 2 boys: Sophomore Ty Martin and juniors Channing Disibbio and Cambel Fix combined for 55 points as Graham High of Bluefield overcame a three-point halftime deficit to win a championship for the first time in 70 years with a 65-58 victory over Central High of Woodstock.
Martin finished with 25 points, while Disibbio had 17 and Fix added 13 for Graham (23-4), which last won a VHSL title in 1956 when it defeated James Monroe in the Group II final.
The 1955-56 Graham team was coached by legendary VHSL football coach Lawrence “Burrhead” Bradley.
Freshman Garrett Palmer added 11 rebounds for the G-Men, who shot 53.1 percent from the field in the second half to overcome a 14-for-27 performance for the game from the free throw line.
Dereck Batiz-Lugo scored a game-high 25 points for Central-Woodstock (21-7), which led 28-25 at halftime but committed 20 total turnovers.
Graham captured the championship after reaching the Class 2 final in 2025 where the G-Men lost 107-81 to John Marshall.
Graham coach Todd Baker led his team to the championship nine months after suffering a stroke June 18 that left him hospitalized for nearly three weeks.
“God for some reason has given me a second chance at life,” Baker said after the game. “These kids, their inspiration and motivation while I was [hospitalized] in Roanoke 18 days in June and July … of course, my wife, she was there every day.
“These guys, what they did for me, not just sports, I’ll never forget.”
Class 1 girls: Most of the players on Galax’s team are not old enough to drive. No problem. The Maroon Tide is heading back to Southwest Virginia with the big trophy.
Despite having two freshmen and a sophomore in the starting lineup, Galax was in no mood to wait for its turn. The ‘Tide built a 12-point halftime lead and never looked back en route to a 57-39 victory over Luray for the school’s first VHSL girls title.
Freshman guard Madelyn Goad hit five of 10 3-point attempts and finished with 15 points for Galax (26-2). Fellow ninth-grader Rylee Hawks added 12 points and nine rebounds, and finished the season with 71 3-pointers.
Junior Keely Bartlett had 10 points and nine boards for Galax. Kayla Young dished out seven assists with two steals and just one turnover. Senior Kaci Young had seven points and seven rebounds as Galax outrebounded the Bulldogs 36-23.
Luray (18-11) was led by Ella Parlett with 15 points. The Bulldogs had 15 fewer field-goal attempts than the Maroon Tide.
Class 2 girls: Clarke County pulled away from a one-point game at halftime for a 67-55 victory that gave the Eagles their third VHSL championship.
Alainah McKavish scored 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for Clarke (27-2), which went unbeaten against VHSL competition this season. Paige Stemberger added 13 points and 14 rebounds, while Paige McKavish also had a double-double with 13 points and 11 boards for the Eagles, who led 26-25 at halftime.
Alainah McKavish’s eclipsed Clarke’s career scoring record of 2,215 points set by Carla Holmes in 1986. McKavish finished her career with 2,233 points.
Clarke County won the Class 2 title in 2023 and took the Group A championship in 2007.
Union (19-10) was led by Katelynn Witt with 27 points and 11 rebounds. Kailee Rentfrow had 14 points and 13 boards for the Bears, who shot just 26.7 percent on 16 for 60 from the field including an 0-for-15 from 3-point range.
On Saturday, Salem will meet Manor High of Portsmouth in the Class 4 girls final at 11:30 a.m., followed by John Handley High of Winchester against Hampton in Class 4 boys at 1:30 p.m.
Abingdon will go for its first girls state title against Skyline High of Front Royal in the Class 3 final at 6 p.m. Petersburg will face Lake Taylor High of Norfolk in the Class 3 boys final.
CLASS 6 BOYS
March 3
Quarterfinals
Landstown 65, Patriot 59
South County 38, George Marshall 36
Westfield 72, Thomas Edison 37
Manchester 76, Gainesville 58
March 6
Semifinals
Landstown 63, South County 48
Westfield 82, Manchester 50
March 12
At Siegel Center, Richmond
Championship
Westfield 48, Landstown 44
Final records: Westfield (29-1), Landstown (24-5)
CLASS 5 BOYS
March 3
Quarterfinals
Green Run 58, Nansemond River 53
Stone Bridge 73, Albemarle 59
Norview 83, Kempsville 51
Massaponax 68, James River-Midlothian 32
March 6
Semifinals
Green Run 62, Stone Bridge 46
Norview 68, Massaponax 50
March 12
At Siegel Center, Richmond
Championship
Norview 58, Green Run 55
Final records: Norview (25-2), Green Run (24-5)
CLASS 4 BOYS
March 3
Quarterfinals
Varina 62, Denbigh 51
John Handley 70, Broad Run 62
Hampton 68, Courtland 46
Heritage-Leesburg 66, E.C. Glass 57
March 6
Semifinals
John Handley 49, Varina 44
Hampton 50, Heritage-Leesburg 46
Saturday, March 14
At Siegel Center, Richmond
Championship
John Handley (23-5) vs. Hampton (26-1), 1 p.m.
CLASS 3 BOYS
March 3
Quarterfinals
Western Albemarle 62, Hidden Valley 54
Petersburg 102, Meridian 45
Liberty Christian 56, Christiansburg 46
Lake Taylor 54, Skyline 36
March 6
Semifinals
Petersburg 75, Western Albemarle 35
Lake Taylor 61, Liberty Christian
Saturday, March 14
At Siegel Center, Richmond
Championship
Petersburg (21-4) vs. Lake Taylor (21-5), 6:30 p.m.
CLASS 2 BOYS
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
March 6
Semifinals
Graham 52, Central-Wise 43
Central-Woodstock 55, Thomas Jefferson-Richmond 51
March 13
At Siegel Center, Richmond
Championship
Graham 65, Central-Woodstock 57
Final records: Graham (23-4), Central-Woodstock (21-7)
CLASS 1 BOYS
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
March 6
Semifinals
Fort Chiswell 87, Patrick Henry-Glade Spring 56
Luray 79, Rappahannock County 61
March 13
At Siegel Center, Richmond
Championship
Luray 84, Fort Chiswell 82, 2 OT
Final records: Luray (24-6), Fort Chiswell (24-6)
CLASS 6 GIRLS
March 3
Quarterfinals
Osbourn Park 54, L.C. Bird 27
Oakton 53, South County 37
West Potomac 56, Centreville 54
Manchester 48, Gainesville 40
March 6
Semifinals
Osbourn Park 65, Oakton 44
Manchester 57, West Potomac 46
March 12
At Siegel Center, Richmond
Championship
Osbourn Park 48, Manchester 42
Final records: Osbourn Park (25-5) vs. Manchester (26-2)
CLASS 5 GIRLS
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
March 6
Semifinals
Princess Anne 57, William Fleming 43
Menchville 88, Glen Allen 37
March 12
At Siegel Center, Richmond
Championship
Princess Anne 65, Menchville 62, OT
Final records: Princess Anne (28-0), Menchville (25-2)
CLASS 4 GIRLS
March 3
Quarterfinals
Salem 69, Woodgrove 38
Heritage-Leesburg 50, Charlottesville 44
March 7
Quarterfinals
Hampton 60, Henrico 49
Manor 95, Hanover 41
March 10
Semifinals
Salem 42, Hampton 34
Manor 62, Heritage-Leesburg 36
Saturday, March 14
At Siegel Center, Richmond
Championship
Salem (27-1) vs. Manor (25-1), 11 a.m.
CLASS 3 GIRLS
March 3
Quarterfinals
Abingdon 45, Western Albemarle 39
Hopewell 56, James Monroe 49
Spotswood 64, Staunton River 42
Skyline 51, Lake Taylor 33
March 6
Semifinals
Abingdon 62, Hopewell 49
Skyline 59, Spotswood 54
March 13
At Siegel Center, Richmond
Championship
Abingdon (20-8) vs. Skyline (23-5), 6 p.m.
CLASS 2 GIRLS
March 3
Quarterfinals
Ridgeview 45, Chatham 44
Union 81, Liberty-Bedford 64
Clarke County 90, Prince Edward County 15
Strasburg 54, John Marshall 45
March 6
Semifinals
Union 57, Ridgeview 56
Clarke County 62, Strasburg 50
March 13
At Siegel Center, Richmond
Championship
Clarke County 67, Union 55
Final records: Clarke County (27-2), Union (19-10)
CLASS 1 GIRLS
March 3
Quarterfinals
Galax 66, Grundy 40
George Wythe 53, Honaker 37
Luray 60, Rappahannock 24
Essex 49, Surry County 38
March 6
Semifinals
Galax 61, George Wythe 37
Luray 54, Essex 23
March 13
At Siegel Center, Richmond
Championship
Galax 57, Luray 39
Final records: Galax (26-2), Luray (18-11)