Football: Live Coverage of State Final Games Sponsored by AYFL and Dr. Ann Hebda DDS

Having trouble with our twitter feed: Here is the running play by play:
Stone Bridge was forced to a 3 and out to start 4th and
Stone Bridge defense did same to Lake Taylor

SB took over at LT 31 after poor punt but now faces 4th and 9 with less than 7 to go

Burns hits Goldring over middle on clutch pass play to 1 ... wow!
Burns scores on next play to but Lake Taylor lead to 20-14 with 6:20 left ...

Exciting stuff here at UVa

Lake Taylor driving to SB 41 after their quarterback Williams prevents sack by Allen with late pitch  ... key play!

Now 3rd and 7 for LT at SB 40 with 4:23 and counting!

Sack by Cameron Reynolds! brings up 4th and 13 with 3:37 and counting

Punt and Stone Bridge takes over at own 16 trailing 20-14 with less than 3 left now ...
Two running plays nets first down at own 26 but they have a long way to go ...
They have all 3 timeouts left.

Pass interference called on Lake Taylor, moves ball to the SB 41 with 2:35 left!

Exciting stuff!

Yarborough with big run to Lake Taylor 40
Dailey to 35 with 2:00 left!
Yarborough stacked up ... going to be 3rd and 4 from 33 of LT 1:35 and counting

Dailey for first down at Lake Taylor 28 ... time out SB with 1:15 left ... down 20-14 in state title game

Yarborough carries to LT 24 with under 1 to play

Burns takes big hit at 20

And that is all she wrote as Stone Bridge fumbles the ball away at Lake Taylor 21 ... heartbreak back to Ashburn once more but what a gutsy comeback from down 20-0 ...

Final Lake Taylor 21, Stone Bridge 14 as Bulldogs fall in Division 5 state title game for third time in four years.

AYFL is the main sponsor of Viva Loudoun's state title football coverage!

(Dec. 7, 2012) - Viva Loudoun editor Dan Sousa will be providing updates Live! from the VHSL Division 5 and Division 4 state title football games Saturday Dec. 8.

The coverage, sponsored by AYFL (Ashburn Youth Football League) and Dr. Ann Hebda DDS, kicks off with pregame color at 11:30 a.m. for the noon Stone Bridge vs. Lake Taylor D5 game at the University of Virginia.

Sousa will then hop in the "Fox Chopper" and fly on down to Liberty University to cover Briar Woods' attempt to win a third straight D4 title against hometown Heritage High School of Lynchburg.

Dr. Ann Hebda is a sponsor of Viva Loudoun's state title football coverage!

If you want to contribute and see your tweet on our homepage here, simply add @VivaLoudounLive to your tweet! Tweets by @VivaLoudounLive
Tweets by @VivaLoudounLive

Football: Briar Woods Shoots for 3rd Straight State Championship; Unbeaten Falcons Face 12-1 Heritage-Lynchburg in their Backyard at Liberty University

By George Khalsa
Special to Viva Loudoun
(Dec. 7, 2012) - If the Briar Woods High School team is to capture a third consecutive VHSL Division 4 football state championship they will have to do it in front of the biggest crowd they have ever played in front of as they face a Heritage High School team Saturday at 4:30 p.m. that is located just three miles from Liberty University’s Williams Stadium.

To say the least, the crowd will be overwhelmingly pro-Pioneer. The weather forecast for the Saturday Dec. 8 contest is for a high of 64 degrees, perfect weather for Brambleton football fans to take a leisurely drive to Lynchburg and at try to quieten the "home team" fan contingent.

The Falcons bring a 14-0 record and a state best 28-game winning streak to the game versus 12-1 and five game winning streak for the Heritage Pioneers. Don’t however, make much of that discrepancy. The Pioneers’ only loss this season was a very close decision to undefeated Brookville, a team that will be playing for the Division 3 championship in game No. 1 of Saturday's doubleheader.

Football: Dr. Ann Hebda, Complete Health Dentistry, Joins AYFL as a Sponsor of Viva Loudoun's State Coverage

Ashburn (Dec. 7, 2012) - Viva Loudoun welcomes Dr. Ann Hebda, who provides complete health dentistry from her "downtown Ashburn" location, as a sponsor for Saturday's VHSL state title football coverage of Stone Bridge in the Division 5 title game at noon at UVa and Briar Woods in the Division 4 title game at 4:30 p.m. at Liberty University.

Dr. Ann Hebda joins Saturday's main sponsor AYFL (Ashburn Youth Football League).

Dr. Hebda's practice is located at 2060 Gordon Park Square, Suite 190 in Ashburn. Call 703.723.9788 to learn more about their promise: "We don't care 'for' you, we care 'about' you."

Viva Loudoun editor Dan Sousa will provide a live blog Saturday from both state title games. Follow @VivaLoudounLive to catch the Twitter feed or check out the lead story on Viva Loudoun's homepage where the twitter feed will be streamed.

Football: Briar Woods QB Trace McSorley Named Region II Division 4 Offensive Player of the Year

(Dec. 7, 2012) - Briar Woods High School junior quarterback Trace McSorley, who has led the Falcons to a 28-game winning streak into Saturday's VHSL Division 4 state title game in Lynchburg, has been named the Region II Division 4 Offensive Player of the Year.

McSorley leads a bevy of Briar Woods picks as the Falcons won their third straight Region II title and are one win away from three straight state titles. Briar Woods' Charlie Pierce was honored as the Division 4 Coach of the Year.

Here are the complete selections:

Basketball: Loudoun County Seeks Sponsors for Hoops for Heroes Night

(Dec. 7, 2012) - Loudoun County High School is seeking sponsors for its Hoops for Heroes Night on Jan. 24, 2013. The event, which benefits the Wounded Warrior Project, features five basketball games between the Raiders and their Leesburg rival Tuscarora.

The event is being organized by Raider junior basketball player Maggie Phillips, who will attend the Naval  Academy starting in 2014-15, where she will play NCAA Division I volleyball.

"I wanted to do something for the community," said Phillips. "Both of my parents served, so this is an issue near and dear to my heart."

Phillips said her father graduated from VMI and served 23 years in the Marines including two tours in Iraq and that her mother graduated from the Naval Academy and was an aviator who now flies commercially.

"It is going to be a fun night. It is an intense rivalry. The students will be dressed in camo and the ROTC will be there," said Phillips.

Phillips is looking for local sponsors to pay $200 to support the evening. Sponsorship includes acknowledgement in the program, two game passes, free table to showcase products/services at the event, PA announcements during the games and more. For details see this flyer.

Girls Lacrosse: Woodgrove Holds D1 Signing Celebration for Olivia Becker (Liberty) and Morgan Miller (Delaware)

Purcellville (Dec. 6, 2012) - Woodgrove High School held a signing reception on Wednesday, Dec. 5 to recognize two of the program's finest in girls lacrosse, Olivia Becker (Liberty) and Morgan Miller (Delaware), who will play in college next year. This was Woodgrove’s first official signing of girls’ lacrosse players to NCAA Division I teams.

Football: AYFL to Sponsor Viva Loudoun's Saturday's State Title Game Coverage

(Dec. 6, 2012) - Ashburn Youth Football League, the feeder system that has helped produce five straight state title football championship teams in Loudoun, has signed on to sponsor Viva Loudoun's coverage Saturday, Dec. 8 of Stone Bridge High School's VHSL Division 5 state title game at the University of Virginia at noon and Briar Woods High School's Division 4 state title game at Liberty University at 4:30 p.m.

Players from both Briar Woods and Stone Bridge graduated from the AYFL ranks to the Falcons and Bulldogs. Ashburn has brought home state titles every year since 2007: Stone Bridge (2007), Broad Run (2008, 2009) and Briar Woods (2010, 2011).

Viva Loudoun editor Dan Sousa will be on the road at both games, bringing online coverage via the @VivaLoudounLive twitter feed, which will be streamed across the VivaLoudoun.com homepage. In addition, Viva Loudoun will have photographers (Steven Holland at UVa and Joel Wolcott at Liberty) at both contests.

About AYFL: Ashburn Youth Football League is a 501c3 (not for profit) youth sports league created for the children of Ashburn, Virginia and the surrounding areas.The AYFL exists to promote youth football in the Ashburn area, and is intended to be an instructional league that places an emphasis on the sound development of players and fundamentals of football, and strives to be a league that will inspire our youth to develop life skills of sportsmanship, character and teamwork.

The AYFL started play in 2000, and has continued to evolve into one of the premier youth leagues in the state of Virginia. The organization is comprised of four football leagues, A (7th and 8th graders), B (5th and 6th graders), C (3rd and 4th graders) and D which contains kids ages 6 and 7 who participate in a tackle program that is a purely developmental league designed to teach the basics of tackle football and prepare the youth for the more competitive A, B and C leagues and beyond.

Basketball: Dec. 4-6 Scoreboard

(Dec. 6, 2012) - Here is the Viva Loudoun high school boys and girls basketball scoreboard for Monday through Wednesday, Dec. 4-6:

Wed. Dec. 5
Boys Basketball
Freedom 49, Tuscarora 48
Champe 64, Rapphannock 43
Potomac Falls 60, Loudoun County 48

Girls Basketball
Freedom 39, Tuscarora 34
Loudoun County 59, Potomac Falls 42

Tues. Dec. 4
Boys Basketball
Woodgrove at Briar Woods PPD (make-up 2-4)
Broad Run 50, Stone Bridge 40
Potomac Falls 72, Dominion 43
Tuscarora 68, Champe 36
Loudoun County at Loudoun Valley PPD (moved to 12-19)
Heritage 45, Park View 40

Girls Basketball
Woodgrove 60, Briar Woods 13
Stone Bridge 54, Broad Run 49
Potomac Falls 52, Dominion 40
Tuscarora 68, Champe 32
Loudoun County 50, Loudoun Valley 34
Heritage 45, Park View 37

Mon. Dec. 3
Boys Basketball
Kettle Run at Dominion PPD (moved to 1.30)
Manassas Park 69, Freedom 61

Girls Basketball
Dominion 54, Kettle Run 42
Freedom 49, Manassas Park 12

Football: You Pick'Em Contest Sponsored by Gayle King of CENTURY 21 Redwood Realty - Week 16 - Your State Finals Exam!

(Dec. 6, 2012) - This is it! Your VHSL State Finals exam, so to speak!

You have been taking extra You Pick'Em courses on the weekend, reading Viva Loudoun You Pick'Em for Dummies, consulting the psychic on Route 29 outside of Charlottesville (come on, you know you want to stop one of these times!) and are ready to pick the winner's of the local high school football games (complete the form below!) and if you win for the week ... you will get a Viva Loudoun T-shirt ... the ultimate holiday day gift for your BFF.

Each week we will keep your record and at the end of the year the top player will get $100 in their pocket and $100 given to their local Loudoun high school of choice (hey, our site is called Viva Loudoun ... not Viva Hanover ...). Runner-up gets $50 and third place gets $25.

How do we have these cash prizes to give out ... it is because Gayle King of CENTURY 21 Redwood Realty is our sponsor. If you see her ... THANK her! OPEN the door for her! BUY her a cup of Joe!

Fine print: So I'm going to go ahead and give you the answers and why these teams will win:
D6: L.C. Bird ... obviously "Bird is the Word" and as a bonus I believe L.C. stands for "Love Chewbacca" ... or "Love Championships!"
D5: Come, on, Mickey Knows Football ... I was thinking at first that Lake Taylor was named for Coach Eric Taylor of Friday Night Lights but I was mistaken and let's face it, in Thompson, Loudoun really has their version of Coach Taylor ... and you never bet against Dillon (or East Dillon).
D4: They have a quarterback named Trace and are trying to win a third straight state title ... Trace ... Trey ... It's a done deal. Charlie Pierce has a way of getting his boys prepped for this long rode trip, which seems so much shorter on the celebratory ride home ... give or take the one or two deer you hit outside of Lynchburg ...
D3: For some reason, James Monroe High School wants to be called The James Monroe High School and VHSL is actually using that in its releases ...I'm sorry but if they insist on dong that I'm going to just call them The State Runner-up to Brookville ... 
D2: How can you go against the Gooch ... they rule their land ... you know, Goochland ... Besides, one of our favorite athletes of all time was Tiny Gooch, who at the University of Texas in the 1920s was a discus champion, heavyweight wrestling champion and a standout Longhorn football player at a Texas-size height of 6-7, which was huge back then!
D1: At first I was going with Honaker because Hanukkah starts on Dec. 8 at sundown but then I realized I was confusing some spelling but I like the sound of Honaker ... tough sounding ... they play in the Black Diamond District ... that's tough ... Heath Miller, NFL tight end, is an alum ... can't get much tougher ... They are the Tigers ... that is tough, just ask Pi ...

>

Football: You Pick'Em Contest Sponsored by Gayle King of CENTURY 21 Redwood Realty - 3 Fans Get 11 of 12 Semifinals Right!

(Dec. 5, 2012) - And then there was just one week in our high school football You Pick'Em contest!

Our fan leader, Mtneer32, took care of business again, going 9-3, losing just one game to JAGman who is three back with just six state title games to pick -- still with a shot for the big prize of $100 to the season-long winner (and $100 to their favorite high school athletic program).

We are paying out the top three spots ($50 to runner-up and $25 to third place) so BallCoach9 still is in the money but lost ground with a 7-5 week. TBreeden is one back, keydet93 and WVU FB are two back and Boring is three back ... should be a wild finish!

For the week, we had three fans go an impressive 11-1 picking the state semifinal games: ThrownVA45 of Ashburn; The Spartan of Ashburn; and vipers58 of Ashburn. The winner, based on tiebreaker, was The Spartan (and I know this is killing him since his BR boys are not still playing!) with a 45-0 pick of Briar Woods over Courtland with actual score 45-15. Vipers58 had 52-0 and ThrowinVA had it as a shootout, 42-35!

In the LoCo Media Experts race Carl "Kat's Meow" Lukat of the Loudoun Times-Mirror went 8-4 to take a 2-game lead over expat (Florida is in another country, no?) Paul Tenorio. Andy "Left in a Purple"Hayes of Gameday saw his season hit the skids with a 5-7 week, dropping three back of Lukat.

The LoCo Media Experts are playing not only for glory but the overall season winner will have $100 donated to their favorite charity!

And a super big shout out to the sponsor of our You Pick'Em Gayle King of CENTURY 21 Redwood Realty ... her generous support allows us to fund the cash prizes! So give her a virtual shout out the  next time you are online! (View the spreadsheet in its entirety)

Football: Stone Bridge D5 State Title Game to Air on Comcast SportsNet CSN Plus Channel & ESPN3 Online; Briar Woods D4 Game to Air Online on VHSL Network

(Dec. 5, 2012) - Local football fans that don't hit the road Saturday, Dec. 8 for the Virginia High School League state title games can still catch both Stone Bridge and Briar Woods live at home.

Stone Bridge's Division 5 state title game against Lake Taylor, which kicks off at noon at UVa's Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, will air live on Comcast SportsNet CSN Plus Channel and will stream live on ESPN3 (www.espn3.com).

Briar Woods' Division 4 state title game against Heritage, which kicks off at 4:30 p.m. at Liberty University's Williams Stadium in Lynchburg, will stream live on the new VHSL Network (www.vhslnetwork.com).

Viva Loudoun editor Dan Sousa will be providing his unique color from both games with a live blog posted on Viva Loudoun's homepage, which can also be followed on the @VivaLoudounLive twitter feed.

On the Sidelines with Dan Sousa: Cheers Sports Lends a Helping Hand to Victims of Super Storm Sandy

Cheers Sports crew loads donations bound for Jersey Shore

On the Sidelines with Dan Sousa
Viva Loudoun Editor

(Dec. 5, 2012) - If you have followed my work here at Viva Loudoun or before that on Loudoun Prep Sports (can we get a moment of silence for the "Monkey"), then you know my love affair with Cheers Sports goes back to literally the first day I moved into Loudoun in 1995.

Needing a sporting goods store, I stumbled onto Cheers in their old Sterling location and I have been a satisfied customer ever since. When I started LPS, Cheers Sports owner Denny Petrella was our first sponsor and his generous backing helped us continue our local athletic, education and news coverage here in Loudoun with the start-up of Viva Loudoun.

But if you know Denny and Cheers, then it doesn't surprise you that Cheers is all about supporting and helping local athletics. Each year they donate thousands of  dollars and gear to local leagues, schools and even families in need.

And that generosity crossed the county border recently as a Loudoun resident, Shane McLaughlin, approached Cheers, seeking donations to send to Point Pleasant, NJ, where his family lives. McLaughlin's father, Kevin McLaughlin, was spearheading the relief efforts and was looking for anything that could help his neighbors recover from the devastation on "Super Storm Sandy".

The Jersey Shore community was hit incredibly hard by the storm and its surge.

The Cheers staff sprung into action and boxed up clothing and sporting goods worth more than $50,000 and had it delivered to the elder McLaughlin.

News: Drug-Related Robbery with Handgun Leads to Arrest of Three Sterling Teenagers

(Dec. 5, 2012) - A search warrant served on a residence last week located narcotics and a firearm used in a drug-related robbery that occurred in November and resulted in the arrest of three Sterling, Virginia teenagers.

Basketball: Nov. 30 - Dec. 1 Scoreboard + Skinny

Viva Loudoun's round-up of the high school basketball action from Friday and Saturday. If you want your favorite school to appear in the "Skinny", just have your program send us some highlights!

Sat. Dec. 1
Girls Basketball
Broad Run 67, Hayfield 42
The Skinny: Spartans with three players in double digits: Ellie Ferguson (18), Mariah Leonard (16) and Ayssa Cabellos (15). Fatima Kamara (11 rebounds) and Katie Melhuish (10) helped the Spartans to 39 rebounds. Ferguson and Cabellos had seven assists each. Leonard had six steals.

Millbrook 54, Heritage 41
The Skinny: The Pride played tough vs. a good Millbrook team losing to the state champs by 13. In the 1st quarter, Heritage fell behind by 14 but battled back to cut the deficit to three. The Pride showed a lot of patience and fight but could not recover from the 1st quarter slow start. For the Pride:
Breana Smart 10 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals 
Christina Smart 12 points, 2 assist, 1 steal, 2-3 free throws 
Kayla Tibbs 16 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals, 5-7 free throws 
Jonique Mitchell 7 rebounds, 3 assist, 2 steals 
Kelsey Tidgewell 1 point, 10 rebounds, 2 assist, 1-2 free throws 
MacKenzie Moore 1 point 1-2 free throws 
Ashley Silvernale 1 point 1-2 free throws

Fri. Nov. 30
Boys Basketball
Briar Woods at Champe PPD (Moved to Dec.20)
Dominion 60, Woodgrove 49
The Skinny: Titans start season 3-0! Rivalry game Tuesday vs. Potomac Falls!

Stone Bridge 52, Freedom 50
The Skinny: Stone Bridge Soph Jason Jolly scored 29 points to lead the Bulldogs.

Loudoun Valley 92, Park View 35
The Skinny: Paul Rowley led the Vikes with 20. Valley had five total in double digits including Josh Grimard (17), Cameron Kiani (15), Trey McDyre (11) and Jovon Miller (11).

Cheers Sporsts Tip Off Classic
Heritage 69, George Mason 51
Loudoun County 61, Broad Run 52

Girls Basketball
Woodgrove 68, Dominion 23
The Skinny: Halley Lynch led the Wolverines with 15. Maggie Buxton and Brooke Basinger each scored 10. WG led by two after the first but out-scored Titans, 22-9, in second quarter.

Stone Bridge 52, Freedom 33
Loudoun Valley 42, Park View 36

Football: Briar Woods Extends Winning Streak to 28 Straight Games with 45-15 State Semi Win Over Courtland

Ashburn (Dec. 3, 2012) - Briar Woods High School senior running back Cory Colder rushed for a season-high 182 yards on 30 carries and scored four touchdowns Saturday to lead the Falcons to a state-best 28th straight victory as Briar Woods rolled over Courtland, 45-15, in the VHSL Division 4 state semifinals.

Briar Woods (14-0) will shoot for a third straight state title when the Falcons face Heritage High School of Lynchburg on Satruday, Dec. 8 at Liberty University in Lynchburg with a 4:30 p.m. kickoff. Heritage (12-1) beat previously unbeaten Salem on Saturday, 24-16.

Football: VHSL State Semifinals Scoreboard

Results from the VHSL football state semifinals Dec. 1:

Division 6
Ocean Lakes 21, Hylton 14
L.C. Bird 41, Oakton 17

Division 5
Stone Bridge 28, Hanover 21
Lake Taylor 23, North Stafford 21

Division 4
Briar Woods 45, Courtland 15
Heritage-Lynchburg 24, Salem 16

Division 3
Brookville 31, Tunstall 7
James Monroe 37, Kettle Run 30 (3OT)

Division 2
Essex 40, John Battle 9
Goochland 35, Wilson Memorial 0

Division 1
George Wythe-Wytheville 27, Franklin 21
Honaker 48, Sussex Central 40

Football: Stone Bridge Runs to State Finals with Hard-Fought 28-21 Win Over Hanover

By Dan Sousa
Viva Loudoun Editor
Mechanicsville (Dec. 3, 2012) - Perhaps the biggest play in Stone Bridge's undefeated football season came midway through the third quarter Saturday at Hanover High School in the VHSL Division 4 state semifinals. The Bulldogs, tied 14-14 with the Hawks after watching a 14-0 first quarter lead evaporate, faced 4th-and-2 from their own 40.

Stone Bridge called upon 6-foot-6, 230-pound senior quarterback Ryan Burns to make a play and even though the Stanford recruit holds the school-record for passing yards in a season with 2,423 (including 28 touchdowns), it wasn't his arm but his legs the Bulldogs used as the hard-nosed Burns bulldozed his way for six yards.

"They were basically daring us to (run Burns)," said Stone Bridge coach Mickey Thompson.

And run Burns did as he carried the ball more times in the second half (12 rushes for 66 yards) than he did the entire regular season to lead the Bulldogs to back-to-back touchdown drives for a 28-21 win over Hanover. Stone Bridge finished the contest with 31 consecutive run plays in a lightning fast second half that saw each team with just three possessions.

"It wasn't the prettiest thing but we got it done," said Thompson.

Stone Bridge (14-0) now faces unbeaten Lake Taylor (14-0), a 23-21 winner over North Stafford Saturday on a last-second field goal, in the state finals at 12:07 on Saturday, Dec. 8 at the University of Virginia. It will be Stone Bridge's fifth state final since 2005, and third trip in four years, with the Bulldogs lone state title coming in 2007.

Football: Briar Woods, Stone Bridge Advance to VHSL State Finals

(Dec. 2, 2012) - For the third time in four years, Loudoun will advance two teams to the
Virginia High School League state football finals as both Briar Woods and Stone Bridge won their state semifinal games Saturday.

Briar Woods beat Courtland, 45-15, in Ashburn to advance to the Division 4 finals for the third straight year. The Falcons will play Heritage-Lynchburg on Saturday, Dec. 8 at Liberty University.

Stone Bridge defeated Hanover, 28-21, in Mechanicsville to advance to the Division 5 finals for the fifth time since 2005. The Bulldogs will face Lake Taylor on Saturday, Dec. 8 at the University of Virginia.

Both Briar Woods and Stone Bridge are 14-0 on the season.

Briar Woods is looking for a third straight state championship and Loudoun's fifth straight Division 4 title as Broad Run won in 2008 and 2009. Stone Bridge is looking for a second state title with a win in 2007. The Bulldogs finished runner-up in 2005, 2009 and 2010.

Loudoun Teams in State Finals Since 2005
2005 - Stone Bridge lost to Hampton
2007 - Stone Bridge defeated Potomac
2008 - Broad Run defeated Amherst County
2009 - Stone Bridge lost to Phoebus; Broad Run defeated Amherst County
2010 - Stone Bridge lost to Phoebus; Briar Woods defeated Harrisonburg
2011 - Briar Woods defeated Christiansburg
2012 - Stone Bridge vs. Lake Taylor; Briar Woods vs. Heritage-Lynchburg

Football: Briar Woods Looks to Continue "The Streak" in Today's State Semifinal Match-up with Courtland

It was all Briar Woods in a 52-8 win over Courtland in 2010 state semifinals
(photo by Jeff Scudder/Viva Loudoun)

Ashburn (Dec. 1, 2012) - The Briar Woods High School football team will look to continue the state's longest winning streak when they play for their 28th straight win today against Courtland in the 1:30 p.m. VHSL Division 4 state semifinal in "downtown Brambleton".

Briar Woods (13-0) is just two wins away from a third straight state title and making it five straight titles for Ashburn in D4 as Broad Run took home the championship in 2008 and 2009.

Two years ago, Courtland made the same trip to Ashburn and was sent home with a humiliating 52-8 loss.

Game Kit: VHSL Division 4 State Semifinal
Courtland (9-4) at Briar Woods (13-0)
1:30 p.m. kickoff 

Free Lance-Star: Cougars out to exorcise memory by Taft Coghill, Jr.

Free Lance-Star Closer Look

Loudoun Times-Mirror: State Semifinal Previews

Washington Post Preview

Ashburn Patch: Briar Woods Welcomes Past Foe to Brambleton by Sean Farrell

AllMetsports: Briar Woods Moves One Step Closer to Third Straight Virginia AA Division 4 Title

Loudoun Times-Mirror: Falcons Shut Out Raiders to Land Third Straight Region Title

Flashback Photo Gallery: Briar Woods Beats Courtland 2010 State Semi

Photo Gallery: Briar Woods Wins Regional Title by Joel Wolcott

Football: "Oh Mickey, You're So Fine!" - Career Wins, Title Piling Up for Bulldogs' Head Man Thompson

By Jason S Rufner
Special to Viva Loudoun

Mickey Thompson
(photo by Steven Holland/Viva Loudoun)

Ashburn (Dec. 1, 2012) - If he hadn't been a football coach and educator, Mickey Thompson honestly doesn't know what he'd be doing.

"I have no idea," said Thompson after a thoughtful pause, emphasizing "no."

Fortunately for Stone Bridge fans, he doesn't have to know. He's got a gig, one at which he's been so successful that his record places him in his profession's upper pantheon.

Since his rookie season 22 years ago at Park View, the man affectionately referred to as "Mickey" but respectfully called "Coach Thompson" has amassed 213 coaching victories, averaging almost 10 wins per season at a level where seasons might last just 10 games. His career total rivals that of some of the longest tenured coaches in Virginia High School League (VHSL) history, and he's reached it faster than most.

Six times his teams have played in state championship games (two with Park View; four with Stone Bridge), winning the 2007 Group AAA title in a 38-0 blowout after a comeback upset of Phoebus in the semifinal. Thompson leads his Bulldogs into the state semifinals once again today with a 4 p.m. match-up at Hanover High School in Mechanicsville.

Nineteen times he's made the playoffs; 10 times he's been named Region Coach Of the Year. Since the Bulldogs were elevated to the Group AAA classification in 2005, Thompson's teams have owned both the Liberty District -- going 55-1 versus district foes while collecting every championship -- and the Division 5 half of the Northern Region, with six regional crowns in that span.

Football: Gameday Network to Broadcast State Semifinals

(Dec. 1, 2012) - The Gameday Broadcast Network will have live coverage of the VHSL State Semifinals on Saturday December 1st at five different locations. Check out the broadcast schedule below.

Viva Loudoun: Supporting Salvation Army Holiday Drive

(Nov. 30, 2012) - Viva Loudoun is supporting Salvation Army's annual holiday drive here in Loudoun and we want our fans to rock the Red Kettle online ... simply make a donation here!

Girls Basketball: Broad Run Runs Into Tough Wildcat Squad in Cougar Tip Off

(Nov. 30, 2012) - The Broad Run High School girls basketball team fell to 1-1 on the young season after running into a tough Wildcat squad from Centreville in the Cougar Tip Off at Oakton High School.

It was a 2-point game at the half before the Wildcats out-scored the Spartans 21-5 in the third quarter and then cruised to a 59-40 win. Broad Run freshman Mariah Leonard posted her first career double-double in just her second prep game with 13 points and 11 rebounds.

Girls Basketball: Tuscarora Opens Season with Dulles District Win Over Leesburg Rival Heritage

(Nov. 30, 2012) - The Tuscarora High School girls basketball team opened its 2012-13 season with a 44-41 Dulles District win Thursday night over Leesburg rival Heritage.

The Huskies were led by sophomore Megan Leonard who had 15 points and four rebounds, including 5 of 9 shooting from 3-point range.

Also for Tuscarora, junior Zaria Comer scored nine points with four rebounds and junior Alysha Berry had eight points while dishing out five assists. Ashley Jennings led Tuscarora with eight rebounds and she had two steals.

Box Score	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final
Tuscarora	11	8	14	11	44
Heritage	4	19	8	10	41

News: Loudoun Soccer to Host Annual College Placement Presentation Dec. 5 at Stone Bridge HS

(Nov. 30, 2012) - Loudoun Soccer will host its annual College Placement Presentation on Wednesday, Dec. 5 at Stone Bridge High School from 7 to 8:30 p.m.