Softball: Stone Bridge Comeback Falls Short as Great Bridge Outlasts Bulldogs, 10-9, in AAA State Finals

By Owen Gotimer 
Viva Loudoun College Intern 
Chantilly (June 9, 2013) – For the second time in school history, Stone Bridge High School fell shy of collecting the Bulldogs first VHSL AAA state softball title after coming up just one run short of a come from behind victory against Great Bridge, falling 10-9 at Westfield High School Sunday.

“I guess the only way it could have been a little better is if we could have got one right there and given ourselves a chance,” Bulldogs coach Billy Rice said.

Stone Bridge fought back from an 8-run, fifth inning deficit to pull within one run in the seventh.

“The Stone Bridge kids are awesome,” Great Bridge coach Kirk Clayton said. “That is a fantastic team. They had us pretty scared there at the end. They just came back: hitting, hitting, hitting, hitting.”

With one out and two runners aboard in the final frame, Stone Bridge cleanup hitter and starting pitcher Kelly McDaniel stepped up to the plate and ripped a line drive at the third baseman who caught the ball before throwing to second to double off the runner ending the Bulldogs magical season at 28-2.

Football: VHSL State Finals

(Dec. 7, 2011) - The Virginia High School League will hold six state football championships on Saturday with Briar Woods High School playing Christiansburg in the Division 4 finals at Liberty University at 4:30 p.m.

VHSL 2011 Football State Finals
Division 6 at UVA's Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, 4:07 p.m.
Oscar Smith (13-1) vs. Centreville (13-1)

Division 5 at UVA's Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, 12:07 p.m.
South County (11-3) vs. Phoebus (12-2)

Division 4 at Liberty's Williams Stadium in Lynchbrg, 4:30 p.m.
Briar Woods (13-1) vs. Christiansburg (12-1)

Division 3 at Liberty's Williams Stadium in Lynchburg, noon
Brookville (13-0) vs. James Monroe (13-0)

Division 2 at Salem City Stadium in Salem, 4:30 p.m.
Gretna (12-2) vs. Goochland (13-0)

Division 1 at Salem City Stadium in Salem, noon
Clintwood (12-2) vs. Galax (14-0)

Photo Gallery: Girls Basketball - VHSL D4 State Finals by Nick Lutkins - Loudoun County vs. Liberty

(Mar. 17, 2011) - We are wrapping up the winter season and what better way than another great photo gallery by Nick Lutkins. Check out these awesome images he took from the VHSL Divison 4 girls basketball state finals between Loudoun County and Liberty on Saturday at VCU's Siegel Center. Click on any photo to view the full gallery.

Photo Gallery: Boys Basketball - VHSL D4 State Final by Gary Sousa - Potomac Falls vs. Hidden Valley

(Mar 14, 2011) - You know Gary "He is Not My Brother" Sousa has to be a good photographer ... the guy has "USA" in his name for "Pete's Sake" (and yes we will keep working this Pete Simoneau reference as much as the pun editors will allow us!) ...

Gary was on hand Saturday at Richmond's Siegel Center to shoot the Potomac Falls boys basketball big state title win over Hidden Valley and he captured the thrilling finish as Simoneau made a 3-pointer with five seconds left for the win.

THE SHOT!

All Eyes on the ball!

The Final Countdown!

Can You Believe!

The Emotion!

The Action!

Photo Gallery: Boys Basketball - VHSL D4 State Final by Nick Lutkins - Potomac Falls vs. Hidden Valley

(Mar. 14, 2011) - Super photographer Nick Lutkins was on hand Saturday night for the VHSL boys basketball state finals as Potomac Falls won 58-55 over Hidden Valley in the final seconds for a second straight state title! And Nick was even rockin' a VivaLoudoun t-shirt on the sidelines at VCU's Siegel Center! Click on any photo to see the gallery with 200+!

Basketball: For Pete's Sake! Potomac Falls Boys Repeats State Title as Simoneau Hits Game-Winner with 5 Seconds Left; Loudoun County Girls Fall to Liberty

Richmond (Mar. 13, 2011) - Spending most of the night on the sidelines, it was fitting perhaps that Potomac Falls High School senior Pete Simoneau was knocked back into the Panther bench as he launched his game-winning 3-point shot with five seconds left in the VHSL Division 4 boys basketball title game Saturday night.

"Once I let go of it, I knew it was going to go in," said Simoneau of the clutch shot that lifted the Panthers to a stunning 58-55 victory before a large Potomac Falls crowd that had made the trip to VCU's Siegel Center.

The 5-foot-6 super substitute Simoneau ended up with the role of a lifetime when he replaced injured Panther star Lukas Mihailovich with 2:58 left in the contest and while he -- along with the rest of the Panther deep bench -- was held scoreless to the that point, Simoneau made his five points count. They were the Panthers final five points in a magical 30-1 season , including a pair of free throws with 27 seconds left to give Potomac Falls a 3-point cushion that evaporated quickly when Hidden Valley's Taylor Walker hit a 3-pointer with 20 seconds to play.

"My heart was tested to the limit," said Potomac Falls coach Jeff Hawes after his team clinched a second straight state title -- the only two boys basketball state titles in Loudoun high school sports history. Simoneau's shot touched off a wild celebration of Panther players, coaches and fans and capped a two-year run of a 10-member senior class that saw the team lose just three contests.

"It was really a fitting ending ... it shows what a real team we are," said Mihailovich who finished with a game-high 22 points and 10 rebounds, despite missing half the final quarter with an ankle injury.

6-foot-7 Panther junior Greg Graves may have struggled on the offensive end, shooting 1 of 8, but he was a force inside all night and almost came away with a triple-double -- scoring 12 points with 18 rebounds and six blocks. 

"I had his back," said Graves of his reaction when Mihailovich first went out injured with 4:16 to go. The all-state senior tried to return with 3:16 to go but left 20 seconds later after hobbling badly on the ankle.

Graves took over down the stretch, completing a three-point play on a basket inside with 2:50 left, making a free throw with 2:27 to go and then sinking two pressure free throws with 1:31 play after the Titans had come all the way back from a one-time, 10-point deficit to take a 52-51 lead with 1:46 to go.

The two foul shots by Graves was followed by a key defensive possession where Panther senior Zack Curran knocked a ball in the paint loose and senior Mickey Wagenhoffer recovered it. After the Panthers dribbled away nearly 30 seconds off the clock, the Titans were forced to foul and Simoneau went to the line to shoot two, making both to set up the wild final 20 seconds.

On the game-winning shot, Simoneau came off a screen by Wagenhoffer near the 3-point line and stepped several feet behind the arc, hitting a fadeaway shot over the out-stretched arms of a Hidden Valley defender.

Brendon Chesson scored 10 for Potomac Falls which shot just 37 percent in the game (17 of 46) but the taller Panthers, thanks in large part to Graves, out-rebounded Hidden Valley, 41-27. The Panthers picked up 20 offensive boards with Graves pulling down nine.

"That kid made a great shot," said Hidden Valley coach Troy Wells. "I told him after the game, 'young man, you will remember that shot the rest of your life'."

Liberty 68, Loudoun County 55

The Loudoun County High School girls basketball team could not clinch a second state title in three seasons as Liberty, a team that fell to the Raiders by 16 points in the Region II title game two weeks earlier, turned the tables and beat the Raiders by 13 Saturday night.

JMU-recruit Jazmon Gwathmey was the difference maker as she was held to four points in the loss at Liberty but on Saturday she broke loose for 26 points and eight rebounds.

The Raiders lone senior, Brittany Batts, the school's all-time leading scorer, who had 31 in the regional title win, finished with a team-high 19 but she was bottled up most of the night by the tall and physical Eagle defense. Erica Linnemann, the hero in Wednesday's semifinals with a buzzer beater, scored 14.

Liberty pounded the Raiders on the boards, out-rebounding County, 49-30 with Ashley Lindsay grabbing 16 and Brianne Croushorn 13.

"They were playing a rough game and we couldn't finish around the basket," said Batts.

Batts finished with more than 2,000 points in her brilliant career.

"I love being a Raider ..." said Batts before breaking down in tears in the postgame press conference.

Photo Gallery: Volleyball - AA State Finals - Loudoun County vs. Grafton by Richard Kirby

(Nov. 21, 2010) Click on any photo to review the full gallery by Richard Kirby from the VHSL AA girls volleyball state finals where Loudoun County High School swept Grafton to claim the Raiders fourth consecutive state title.

Photo Gallery: Volleyball - Region II Finals - Freedom vs. Loudoun County by Richard Kirby

(Nov. 14, 2010) - Richard Kirby shot the Region II volleyball finals between Freedom and Loudoun County. Click on any of the photos to see the entire gallery.