Alleghany, Buchanan, Roanoke, Salem – State quarterfinal action on Tuesday night saw five area baseball teams reach the state semifinals, including the Alleghany boys in Class 2. The Mountaineers are in their final season before merging with Covington and becoming the Alleghany Cougars. Fair to say they are leaving with flurry after taking down Marion 14-1 in 6 innings.
“It’s a testament to the hard work. We’ve had the same group of guys playing together for about three years now and they just buy into the work day in and day out,” Alleghany head coach Seth Bradley said. “Everyone talks about the grind of things, they come out every day and do a great job executing what we ask them to do and its translated to the field this year.”
Also advancing in Class 2 baseball, Patrick County downed John Battle 10-3. In Class 1, Lebanon eliminated Narrows 16-0 but Auburn moves on with a 7-2 win over Chilhowie. In Class 3, Cave Spring downs Fluvanna Co. 10-0 in five innings, while LCA edged Abingdon 3-2 to move on.
In Lacrosse action, all three area teams fell in the state semifinals. In boys action, Atlee crushed EC Glass 15-2 in Class 4 action. Patrick Henry took Riverside to overtime being falling 12-11 in Class 5. And in girls action, Western Albemarle ousted Rockbridge Co. 16-10.
In Softball action, Auburn continues their dominate performances with a 4-1 win over Eastside to move on. Rye Cove eliminated Grayson Co. 11-1. In Class 2, James River rallied from 2-1 down to pull out a 3-2 win to move the the Class 2 semifinals. Appomattox Co. fell 2-1 at Tazwell. In Class 3, Cave Spring handled Broadway 11-6 while Rustburg falls to Northside 11-0. And Halifax Co. at James Wood goes to the Comets 16-9.
Girls Soccer saw Auburn win in yet another sport---in penalty kicks over Honaker. Northhampton blanked Altavista 10-0. And Eastern Montgomery advances over Lebanon with a forfeit. Lebanon did not have enough players to compete. In Class 2, the Glenvar girls doubled up Graham 4-2 to advance. Meanwhile Appomattox Co. falls at Central Wise 2-0. In Class 3, Charlottesville blanked William Byrd 3-0, and Wilson Memorial did the same to Magna Vista 2-0. In Class 4 Blacksburg falls on the road at Tuscarora 7-0.
Boys soccer saw defending Class 1 State champion Galax blank Honaker 4-0. Giles and Lebanon played four OT’s tied at 1. But the Spartans move in, 3-0 in PK’s. In Class 2 Radford edged Virginia High 2-1.
Glenvar mashed Graham 9-0 to move on. In Class 3, Charlottesville blanked Bassett 6-0, and Magna Vista Monticello will play tomorrow.
“Graham played really hard and their intensity level is really high so I challenged our guys before the game, we have to match that or exceed that,” head coach Josh Jones said. “I think our guys did a good job of winning balls and keeping the ball on our end and getting the ball so we could move that ball. So just a great job at that and executing tonight.”
“We had a tough loss at Graham two years ago and for some of the guys on the team, they weren’t in high school yet, so a couple of seniors on the team, it was personal,” Colin Clapper said. “They played a good game but we were just too good for them.”
In Class 4, Jefferson Forest moves on 2-1, they have finished as state runner-ups the past two seasons. Loudoun County ousted Blacksburg 1-0.