College Corner: Loudoun County Track Grads Do Well -- CNU's Showalter Quaulifies for Junior Nationals in Steeple Chase; Tech's Curtin Wins ACC 5,000 Meters

CNU's Josh Showalter (photo courtesy CNU)

College Corner with Dan Sousa

(April 22, 2013) - Loudoun County High School track and field coach Courtney Campbell reports that former Raiders are doing great in college this spring with Josh Showalter, a freshman at Christopher Newport, qualifying for Junior Nationals in the steeple chase and Tommy Curtin, a sophomore, at Virginia Tech, coming from behind to win the ACC outdoor 5,000 meters with his fist sub-14 time at 13:57. Curtin also won the ACC 5,000 meters indoor title in the winter.

Virginia Tech's Tommy Curtin (photo courtesy VT)

Girls Soccer: Stone Bridge to Hold Signing Ceremony for 6 Seniors Thursday

(Feb. 26, 2013) - The Stone Bridge High School girls soccer team is holding a college signing ceremony for six seniors on Thursday, February 28 at 4 p.m. in the school's library. The Bulldogs will recognize the fall girls who will play next year on the college level:

• Ariana Alston (Florida Atlantic) 
• Carson Cyphers (Virginia Commonwealth University) 
• Corinne Giroux (The College of William and Mary) 
• Ashley Herndon (James Madison University) 
• Emily Lung (Loyola) 
• Murielle Tiernan (Virginia Tech)

Football: Briar Woods SO WR/Kick Returner Polk Picks up Maryland Offer

(Feb. 18, 2013) - The recruiting of Briar Woods High School sophomore wide receiver/kick returner Brandon Polk is picking up as the Falcon picked up a Big Ten offer last week from the University of Maryland (which moves from the ACC to Big Ten in 2014). Just a week earlier, Polk, who helped the Falcons to a third straight VHSL Division 4 state football title in the fall, picked up his first college offer, from the ACC's Virginia Tech.

Football: Briar Woods JR McSorley Gets 3 More Offers in 24 Hours! SO Polk Gets 1st College Offer

(Feb. 6, 2013) - Briar Woods High School 3-year run on top of the Virginia High School League's Division 4 has resulted in a plethora of coverage and exposure for the Falcon players and colleges are taking notice as junior quarterback Trace McSorley -- 42-3 as a starter! -- picked up three more college scholarship offers in the last 24 hours according to coach Charlie Pierce.

McSorley, already with offers from UMass and Boston College, has now been offered by Virginia Tech,  North Carolina and UNC-Charlotte. In addition, Briar Woods sophomore all-purpose back/defensive back Brandon Polk picked up his first offer, also from Virginia Tech.

Later today, Briar Woods will celebrate the signings of seniors Matt Rolin (Florida) and Cam Serigne (Wake Forest).

News: Two Heritage Grads Chosen for Virginia Tech's "Hokies on the Hill" Internship this Spring

Special to Viva Loudoun
(Jan. 22, 2013) - Two former Loudoun County Public Schools and current Virginia Tech students, Chuck Carlin and Brett Fulcer, have recently been selected to intern as part of the Virginia Tech “Hokies on the Hill” Undergraduate Internship Program during the 2013 Spring semester.

The program provides students with the opportunity to work on Capitol Hill, learn first-hand about the U.S. Congress and politics, and gain “real world” experience in our nation’s capital, all while earning credit for a full-time course load.

Football: Woodgrove SR R.J. Warfel to Tee it Up for Virginia Tech

Purcellville (Jan. 21, 2013) - Woodgrove High School football coach Mike Skinner reports that Wolverine senior kicker R.J. Warfel has committed to play at Virginia Tech next season where the Hokies have offered him a kicking spot.

Warfel was named first team All-Dulles District as he helped Woodgrove to the school's first ever playoff appearance in 2012. Woodgrove now has 13 seniors committed to play in college next year, second most in the county behind Stone Bridge (16).
 

College Corner: Loudoun County Grad Tommy Curtin Helps Virginia Tech win 1st Ever ACC Cross Country Crown

College Corner with editor Noelle Dormio

Courtesy of ACC

(Nov 5, 2012) - Loudoun County High grad Tommy Curtin helped his NCAA Division I Virginia Tech Hookies places 7th in the ACC cross country meet with an incredible 23:56.3 for five miles. This was in the entire conference! He was part of the Tech team that won their first ever ACC cross country
championships. 

“This is just a most improbable victory for us,” Virginia Tech head coach Ben Thomas said. “On paper there are certainly more talented teams, but today we just found a way. All of the guys fought hard today, this is like a dream being the first Virginia Tech team to win an ACC cross country title.

I have known Tommy for a long time, well since my daughter Sammy and Tommy were in Kindergarden together at Evergreen Mills.  The kids keep getting older, but the parents are staying the same. Great job and keep running.

Courtesy of ACC Virginia Tech Cross County Team

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News: Kickoff For Virginia Tech vs. Cincinnati Game Set for 3:30 p.m. Saturday Sept. 29 at FedExField

(Sept. 24, 2012) - Kickoff for Saturday’s Virginia 529 College Savings Classic at FedExField featuring reigning Big East Champion Cincinnati and last season's Atlantic Coast Coastal Division Champion Virginia Tech has been set for 3:30 p.m.

Parking Lots open at 11:30 a.m. and Gates open at 1:30 p.m. Tickets to the UC-VT game start as low as $30 and are available for purchase at www.TICKETMASTER.com/FedExField, Ticketmaster Phone Charge at 800-745-3000 and at all Ticketmaster ticket centers throughout the Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia region. For suites and large groups please call 301-276-6711.

Cross Country: Loudoun County Senior Patrick Joseph Commits to Virginia Tech

(Sept. 11, 2012) - The Loudoun County High School athletic department announced Tuesday that senior Patrick Joseph has committed to continue his cross country and track career at Virginia Tech.

Joseph is a 3-time state champion: 4x800 meter relay in 2011, and the 800 meter run (1:54.4) and 1600 meter run (4:13.43) in 2012.  Joseph is also the defending Dulles District champion in cross country, where he also went on to finish 3rd in the AA state meet.

Joseph becomes the second LCHS runner to become a Hokie in the last three years, following Tommy Curtin in 2011.

Raider AD Ken Wright: "We are very proud of Patrick, and wish him well in the future."

News: Virginia Tech 3,000-Person Strong World Regions Class Tries Social Media Campaign to Get In-Depth Foreign Policy Discussion with President Obama

(Sept. 6, 2012) - Loudoun County High School grad Ben Messina is just one of many area students enrolled in Virginia Tech professor John Boyer's World Regions class -- with almost 3,000 students! -- and he passed along to Viva Loudoun the social media effort the class is using in order to get President Barack Obama to come to the class and discuss American foreign policy and our country's involvement aboard:



Boyer and his students have used such efforts to their advantage in the past, scoring a Skype interview with Myanmar's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi last December.

Read more on Boyer and his enthusiastic teaching style in this great article from The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Football: Oakland Raiders Sign Stone Bridge Grad Ed Wang

(May 5, 2012) - The Oakland Raiders signed this week offensive lineman Ed Wang, a Stone Bridge High School grad who has played in six career games, all with the Buffalo Bills in 2010.

Photo courtesy Oakland Raiders

The 6-5, 321-pound Wang was waived-injured by the Bills last season. He entered the league as the Bills’ fifth-round selection (140th overall) in the 2010 NFL Draft, becoming the first-ever Chinese-American player drafted into the league.

News: Briar Woods Celebrates Trio of Signings - Baker (JMU), Pompilio and Leach (Virginia Tech)

Special to VivaLoudoun
By Carl Lukat/Loudoun Times-Mirror Sports

Ashburn (Feb. 3, 2012) - A trio of Briar Woods High School seniors made their college destinations official Feb. 1 in front of family, friends, coaches and school administrators in the school library. Justin Baker will continue his football career at James Madison University, Shaquera "Shaq" Leach will run track at Virginia Tech and Connor Pompilio will play soccer at Virginia Tech.

Justin Baker earned first-team All-Dulles District as both an offensive and defensive lineman in 2011. Baker, who transferred to Briar Woods prior to his junior year, helped the Falcons win consecutive Virginia Division 4 state championships in his final two seasons. He registered 76 tackles, including 8.5 for a loss, and forced two fumbles as a senior.

Briar Woods football coach Charlie Pierce also credited Baker for becoming a better student during the last two years. Baker earned a 3.65 GPA on his latest report card. Baker was joined by his parents, Terra and John Baker, and his grandfather Nelson Griffin at the ceremony.

Connor Pompilio is a forward on the Falcons' boys soccer team. Pompilio led his club team, Vista RFC 93 to the Under-18 Boys Virginia State Cup title in the fall of 2011, scoring two first-half goals in a 3-0 win over ABGC Annandale United FC in the championship game.

Pompilio was joined at the ceremony by his parents, Leslie and Richard Pompilio, sister Kathryn Rowe Pompilio, and Briar Woods head coach Francois Bernard and assistant coach Gene Legg.

Shaquera Leach holds Briar Woods school records in the 100-meter dash (12.13), 200 (25.76) and 400 (57.66). Leach's favorite event is the 400 - she set a personal best of 55.06 seconds as a member of Special Forces Track Club at the 2011 Junior Olympics to earn All-American Status.

Leach, who attended Heritage High School as a freshman, led Briar Woods' girls team to their first Dulles District track and field championship last spring, placing first in the 100, 200 and 400, along with a runner-up finish in the high jump.

Leach was joined by her parents, Brandon and Natasha Graham, along with several current and former coaches, including Briar Woods coach Kelly Colebank and Special Forces coach Nick Savage. Follow jump for more photos from event by Carl Lukat!

Football: Broad Run Celebrates Four Seniors to Play at College Level

Jackson Matteo, Derril Thomas, Caleb Lindsey and Connor Jessop are 4 big reasons why Broad Run football was so good the last four years!

More photos from the celebration

(Feb. 2, 2012) - Broad Run High School celebrated on Wednesday college signing day with four of its seniors heading to the college football ranks. Family,friends, teammates,coaches and staff packed the school's cafeteria to honor Caleb Lindsey, Connor Jessop, Jackson Matteo and Derril Thomas.

Caleb Lindsey proudly wears the VMI hat after signing

Lindsey, a tight end, linebacker, will play at NCAA Division I VMI; Thomas, a running back/DB, at NCAA Division II Concord University while Jessop and Matteo accepted preferred walk-on status with Jessop, a 3-year starter at quarterback who led the Spartans to a state title his sophomore year, heading to Virginia Tech and Matteo, an All-Met lineman heads to Virginia.

All smiles for Jackson Matteo who will be heading to Charlottesville

Matteo originally verbally committed to Temple before deciding to stay in-state. Jessop sat out much of his junior season with a broken collar bone but returned in the playoffs to lead the Spartans to the regional finals. He threw for nearly 2,000 yards and 16 touchdowns this season as Broad Run moved up to AAA.

Broad Run coach Griffis said Derril Thomas will be an impact player at Concord

Thomas, who stepped into the state title game as a sophomore after T.J. Peeler was injured early in that contest, and had a big impact, went on to score more than 40 touchdowns and account for 2,000-plus yards in the single wing offense of 2nd-year coach Matt Griffis.

3-years as QB1 at Broad Run, now Jessop will try and make a name for himself with the Hokies

Football: Briar Woods JR Linebacker Matt Rolin Gets Offer from Virginia Tech

(Jan. 12, 2012) - How could the Hokies pass on Matt Rolin!?! Virginia Tech has officially offered the Briar Woods High School junior linebacker, joining Boston College, Tennessee and Washington to seek the services of the athletic playmaker.

Rolin's brother Scott, was a redshirt walkon at Virginia Tech this past fall. In his first two seasons on varsity, Rolin has helped the Falcons to back-to-back Division 4 state titles.

College Corner: Heritage Grad Kevin Burke Finds Dream Job with the Corvallis Knights

College Corner with editor Noelle Dormio

Courtesy of Virginia Tech and
Corvallis Knights

(Dec 8, 2011) - Heritage grad Kevin Burke is the new play-by-play broadcast announcer for the Corvallis Knights. The Knights are a collegiate summer baseball team located in Oregon. Kevin is a senior at Virginia Tech and will graduate with a BA in communications.  Here are some neat facts about Kevin AT A GLANCE:

WHO: Kevin Burke

WHAT: New Knights' play-by-play broadcaster

HOMETOWN: Leesburg, Va.

AGE: 21; turns 22 in February

EDUCATION: Senior at Virginia Tech; will graduate in May with a BA in communication (electric print and journalism option) and a minor in professional writing. Graduated from Heritage High School in Leesburg in 2008.

EXPERIENCE: IMG Virginia Tech Sports Network (2010-present); Salem (Va.) Red Sox (2010); Frederick (Md.) Keys (2009); Virginia Tech athletics (2008-11); TCC Sports, Sterling, Va. (2006-07); WAGE radio, Leesburg (2004-07).

QUOTE: "When I call a game, I try to paint a picture of the game, not just tell you what's happening. It takes effort to find out that little nugget about a player or make things more vivid through words. That's what I strive for in each broadcast."

Click to Read More

Track and Field: Briar Woods Leach Commits to Virginia Tech

Ashburn (Dec. 6, 2011) - Shaquera Leach, a senior at Briar Woods High School, has formally given her verbal commitment to accept an athletic scholarship to run track and field at Virginia Tech University in the fall of 2012.

Leach, who has been an all-state sprinter in all of her first three high school seasons, made her decision after entertaining offers from several ACC, SEC, Big 12, Conference USA, Big East and Big 10 college track and field programs. She garnered national attention after earning All-American status in the 400-meter run at the Amateur Athletic Union Junior Olympics in New Orleans in August.

Football: Gone Bowling! Loudoun Boasts 26 Athletes on Rosters of Bowl-Bound College Teams

SB grad Zach Thompson
(photo courtesy Wake Forest)

(Dec. 6, 2011) - Loudoun's success on the football field -- Loudoun schools have made seven state title appearances since 2007 and if Briar Woods can defend its Division 4 state crown Saturday it will be the fifth straight year a Loudoun school has won a state title -- has translated to plenty of local athletes at the NCAA Division I level.

In fact, you will have a good chance this college bowl season to catch a Loudoun grad as a total of 26 Loudoun football players are on the rosters of bowl-bound teams spread over 11 bowl games from Dec. 20 to Jan. 7. An impressive 10 Stone Bridge grads are on bowl-eligible teams rosters.

Not all the players listed below suit out at games or travel as some work hard for the practice squads but they are all part of top tier football programs and they got their start in Loudoun! Across the state of Virginia there is all kinds of football talent ... see the list below:

News: Middleburg Academy Celebrates the Signing of Three: Brown (Longwood) and Alie-Cox (VCU) for Hoops; Huge (Virginia Tech) for Golf

Middleburg (Nov. 18, 2011) - Middleburg Academy celebrated last week the college signings of three athletes with Mo Alie-Cox signing to play basketball for VCU, Nik Brown signing to play basketball for Longwood University and Maclain Huge signing to play golf for Virginia Tech.

Girls Basketball: Loudoun County Grad Kerry Sarver Makes Virginia Tech Squad as Walk-On

(Sept. 15, 2011) - Loudoun County High School Class of 2009 grad Kerry Sarver, who guided the Raiders to a Division 4 state title her senior year and was part of two County AA volleyball state titles, has made the Virginia Tech women's basketball team as a walk-on.

Raider athletic director Ken Wright announced Wednesday that "Kerry Sarver, LCHS Class of 2009, has been offered and accepted a walk on placement for the girl's basketball team at Virginia Tech. Kerry, the 2008-2009 LCHS Female Athlete of the Year, earned 11 varsity letters during her
high school career and was the starting point guard on the 2008-2009 AA Girl's Division 4 state basketball champions. She also won two other state championships in volleyball (2007 and 2008)."

Sarver holds the Raiders basketball records for season assists (184) and career assists (399).

Wright: "Kerry decided to attend Virginia Tech upon completion of high school, where she joined the VT women's basketball club team and has competed at that level during her time in Blacksburg. The Hokies staff, led by new Coach Dennis Wolff, extended the offer to walk on after watching Kerry and her team in a club tryout this fall. After discussing the offer with her parents, Dave and Jane Sarver, Kerry accepted and will be a Hokie Basketball Player for 2011-2012."

More from Wright on Sarver: "LCHS is thrilled with the opportunity for Kerry ... someone who
personified the term Student-Athlete in her days as a Raider. She continues to make us proud."

Golf: "Huge" Accomplishment! Lovettsville Teen Qualifies for Junior World Championship Tournament

Lovettsville teen Maclain Huge is returning to the Junior World Championship Golf Tournament

Middleburg (June 6, 2011) - Lovettesville resident Maclain Huge, a junior at Middleburg Academy, has qualified for the Calloway Junior World Championship Golf Tournament for the second consecutive year.

The international tournament, which began in 1968, is the largest junior golfing event in the world. Huge won the regional qualifier at Worthington Manor Golf Club in Urbanna MD, coming in 5 strokes under. A member of Loudoun Golf and Country Club, the 17-year old, 6-foot-4 golfer was president of this year’s junior class at Middleburg Academy and plays for the school team.