Girls Basketball: Loudoun County Headed Back to States for Third Time in Four Seasons

View more photos from this game by Richard Kirby

(Feb. 24, 2012) - The Loudoun County High School girls basketball team, the defending Division 4 state runner-up, is headed back to the state tournament for the third time in four seasons after the Raider beat Powhatan on the road Thursday night, 49-49, in the Region II semifinals.

Loudoun County (21-7) faces a tough task in the Region II Division 4 finals Saturday  at 7 p.m. as they travel to face two-time defending state champion Millbrook (the Pioneers won the previous two years in Division 3 before moving up to D4 this season). The Pioneers have won 76 straight games including a 93-23 win over Sherando Thursday in the semifinals. The Pioneers last loss was to Freedom in the 2010 state semifinals.

In Thursday's win over Powhatan the Raiders had a balanced scoring attack with Alex Lapple (11), Katrina Kirby (10), Erica Linnemann (9) and Kelly Maxey (9) leading the way.

Loudoun County will "host" a state quarterfinal game at Robinson High School if Fairfax County if they win on Saturday. If they lose to Millbrook, then Loudoun County will hit the road again. The Region I runner-up (either Courtland or Grafton) will travel to Robinson and the Region I champion will host the Region II runner-up, either at VCU's Siegel Center (if Courtland wins) or at William and Mary (Grafton).