A special Thanks to our Soccer Beat Reporter Marion Harris for checking in with a few pictures 📷 from the pitch. The Ladies were playing over at the Soccer park of US-58 in between Martinsville and Danville.

Girls wrap up

Great showing and they were missing 2 seniors. Had some great minutes from some young players and the older players stepped up.

1-1-1 on the Day….

Thanks again Mr. Harris!

Thankfully one option was to make the short trek down to Greensboro where the Atlantic Coast Conference is also down to its Final Four.

Down here its #1 vs #4 & #2 vs #3 in the Semi-finals. Two Coaches that I have a great deal of respect for in Coach Walz at Louisville and someone we have followed forever in Mr. Kenny Brooks at Virginia Tech.

Brooks spent a large part of his career guiding the Dukes of James Madison University Women’s Basketball 🏀 team. Coach is someone that we would refer to as One of Us which is the verbiage chosen for our Non-profit Organization, Oneofus.care.

What does the phrase actually mean ? It describes a person that looks at life through positive eyes and isn’t afraid to think about others while still functioning at their job. There’s a Basketball Coach and then there’s a leader of a Basketball program. Those of us that supported JMU knew the day would come where he would move on and that he would succeed at a level that would make the Shenandoah Valley proud.

Brooks stayed around Home longer than he needed to and when he headed down I-81 to Blacksburg most of knew that Hokie success would soon follow. Sadly as I sit here in the Coliseum with my wife today, wearing our Duke Blue knowing that a few weeks ago VT road its inside/out game to perfection in taking the Blue Devils out of the game before it started.

Sometimes its about more than who wins a game in my World 🌎, but I understand that I’m in the minority on that one. I am not going to connect Fancy Gap and Frank Beamer to Kenny Brooks and the Shenandoah Valley but know that he is the Coach in Women’s Basketball from that area that makes people truly proud. Even those of us that have to learn how to say Go Hokies.

Brooks couldn’t pick me out of a lineup but Jeff Burner shares similar thoughts about Kenny and has spent a fair amount of time with Coach over the decades. For validation purposes understand that Coach Jeff Burner is about to be named the John Culp Person of the Year by Oneofus.care.

Burner has been Brooks-like forever, just on a smaller stage. I did ask Jeff to share one truly random story about the Burner and Brooks relationship.

I’m so happy for Kenny. He and I met my sophomore year at JMU. We were in the same reading group for a sociology class for the book “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.”

Thanks Jeff, pretty sure that folks won’t find that one on his Wikipedia page!

VMI to JMU to VT, the common denominator being the amount of Class displayed and the only noticeable change I’ve seen is Coach has more gray in his beard. Keep putting up the W’s and keep doing it in style. Know that the Valley is pulling for you and your latest team.

I want to close out with a Carroll County note as I received word this morning that Jaelyn Hagee currently sits at 980 points and if the Senior nets 20 more points she would become the third member of the Lady Cavaliers to break that barrier this season!

Second note – Louisville is playing defense on Notre Dame like CCHS played last night 🌙.

Don’t worry, Monday night will be here before you know it and maybe this time we won’t have to stand in a downpour to get inside the Gym.

My week started with first spending a few hours with Brandi’s Dad 👨 and learning about his AAU connections to these young ladies. Later that same day I spent another block of time in the home 🏡 of Paul’s Daughter and Son-in-Law.

Seven hours of research in hopes of self-education on a subject that means a great deal to a large number of Carroll County residents, the Senior Class for Mark Motley’s 2022-2023 Lady Cavaliers.

From the first time I watched these young Ladies play it was clear to me that I was seeing something special. The question was an easy one, could I follow the story back to its origin point ?

Kris was kind enough to share so much of the back story about this group including us watching film of these Ladies as the Cool Kids say – Back in the Day.

While I won’t lay claim to knowing any of these six young Ladies on a personal basis I can only imagine that their actual IQ rivals their Basketball IQ. One of the questions put to Coach Motley in his post-game interview was Spotswood being the opponent a factor and Coach dismissed the notion by saying this team just wants to attack regardless of the opposition.

I think you can extend that thought process just a bit because their 10 year journey together is about to end. The old athletic joke about Father Time is undefeated comes into play here because we are now in the Final week of their time together ❤.

Tears are going to flow amongst this group when the inevitable happens, whether its Monday in Pulaski or Friday in Richmond. I almost feel bad for the opponent(s) that are going to try to break up this group ahead of schedule.

Liberty Christian Academy is the next team to try and derail the Cavaliers Express. There are no guarantees in Basketball and the Bulldogs are coming off consecutive impressive victories over Spotswood by 17 and Lord Botetourt tonight by 20.

They are a talented team but a 10 year bond is a tough one to break. Until Father Time has his way but seeing the combination of Heart and Anger these Ladies play with I’m not sure they will go quietly in to the night, even then.

Enjoy your weekend, catch your breath and get ready for Monday night 🌙. Just remember that this group has already been on an Amazing journey and were kind enough to take so many of us along for the ride. If one of the 3 remaining teams were to trip them up they still have accomplished oh so much already.

Also know that the journey ends next Friday and quite the journey it has been !

Spotswood won the opening tap but Carroll County poured in the games first 14 points to remove any doubt as to how the game would play out for the Cavaliers. Kalee Easter finished the night sharing game high honors with Spotswood’s Zoli Khalil as both Seniors netted 26 in the 87-52 contest that moved Carroll County within one victory of returning to Richmond and two wins from repeating as Class 3 State Champions.

The top two scorers played to a duel but the balance of Carroll County proved to be overwhelming. Alyssa Ervin finished with 22 points and was joined in double figures by Jaelyn Hagee (15) and Lauren Alley (11).

The score was 47-23 at the break but the Cavaliers found an offensive gear ⚙ that I’m not sure anyone else in the State is capable of. Alley scored 10 of her 11 in the third quarter which CCHS took 32-11. The score was 79-32 after three quarters leaving no doubt as to which team would advance to the Semi-final on Monday night.

Khalil finished her outstanding High School career with another impressive effort but just as it was in the regular season match-up, the lack of a second scoring threat did the Trailblazers in against the Cavs.

CCHS was once again supported by a very large crowd that not only filled up one side of the spacious Gym but also spilled over to the visitors side of the building.

The six seniors are now down to a maximum of two games remaining in their High School career that stretches back a full decade. I truly believe that the name on the other jersey is no longer an issue because their natural opponent at this point is Father Time.

The remaining opponent or two will be facing the same dilemma that all the others face – pick your poison. Tonight the Trailblazers focused on stuffing the middle and while they held Alley and Hagee to 7 first half points, Ervin and Easter had 34 at the break.

Nobody plays defense like these Cavaliers and they can score from anywhere on the floor. Two days off to enjoy the latest victory but then its on to a second contest against the LCA Bulldogs.

Brentsville District earned the right to make another post season run at Meridian with a comfortable 50-36 victory over Lakeland.

Meridian 49, Lafayette 26 (F)

Meridian vs Brentsville District for the second time in a week plus Carroll County vs Liberty Christian Academy for the second time in a month.

Is it Monday yet ?