Gameday Magazine

VIENNA, VA - Oakton's Ervin Garner committed to play football at Virginia Tech starting this fall today, making him the 2nd Cougar receiver to head to an ACC football program in 2007. Garner, who starred at wide receiver for the Cougars, will most likely see time as a return specialist and receiver at Virginia Tech.

Oakton will hold a small signing ceremony on Friday June 29th at 9am with members of the media invited to attend.

In the 2006 football season, Garner racked up big numbers and plenty of big plays. He scored on a 99 yard kickoff return against Centreville and then added a 98 yard kickoff return touchdown against Herndon. His clutch touchdown catches helped lead Oakton to the Division 6 playoffs. In his career, Garner caught 79 passes for 1,091 yards and 8 touchdowns.

Garner recently participated in the Northern Region Classic, helping the West team to a 28-11 victory.

Posted by Andy Hayes - Publisher & Senior Editor at 06:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Voted on by her peers, Lauren Bulka was one of two recipients awarded "Most Athletic" this school year. She has played on the Pride's volleyball, basketball, and tennis teams, all under Coach Carmel Keilty.

"You put so much effort into your athletics. So it is good to know that people acknowledge it," says Bulka of the honor. She has played volleyball and basketball, for all 4 years at the school, while playing tennis for the past 2 seasons. You may tell yourself that it is hard to be a 3-sport athlete, but Bulka thrives on the intensity. "It takes up a lot of time. However, you get to know a lot of teammates and opponents, who also play multiple sports. So it is really fun to compete." She looks to finish out her sports career at Heritage on a high note, this Spring, with tennis.

Bulka didn't decide to start playing volleyball until about a week or two before the start of her freshman year. Fellow senior, and friend, Jill Biermann, talked her into playing with her for the school. So it was only right for Bulka to lead the Lady Pride team to a berth in the Virginia AA state tournament. She was not only a physical and emotional leader, but also a vocal one, on the court this year. Junior teammate, Gaby Galvan, had this to say when describing Bulka as a teammate; "It was a lot of fun to play with Lauren because she is a leader. Also, we knew we could count on her to lead our team to victory and make us play our best."

In basketball, Bulka was one of only 3 seniors on this season's Pride team, and helped guide them to improve, with better records, season after season, since arriving on campus. "Having Lauren all 3 seasons has been incredible. I have never had the opportunity, nor will I again, coach one player for three seasons. She is one of the most dedicated and motivated athletes I've ever coached," says Keilty (about coaching 1 athlete, for 3 separate sports, during a school year).
Having only been playing tennis for 2 years, Bulka has become a natural, picking up the sport very quickly. Attending camps paid off for her, as she quickly fell in love with the sport. She was a major reason how the girls tennis team claimed the Dulles District girls tennis championship this year.

According to Bulka, her inspiration for all sports has come from her older brother. "He pushed me to compete not only with him, but all-around. He made me want to win." Having to choose between three sports as your favorite can always be tough, but Bulka prefers volleyball over her long time love, basketball. She says that it is more of a team sport and that it is not as aggressive. She also believes that it takes more strategy than other sports, and it is great to dive on the floor.

In the fall, Bulka will be attending the University of Virginia, graduating with a 3.92 GPA. She is optimistic about continuing her athletic career, thinking more about sticking with intramural sports rather than NCAA sanctioned sports. "Lauren will be extremely hard to replace because she brings so much more to the court than just her physical ability. She is extremely intelligent, enthusiastic, and has an unending work ethic," says Keilty about replacing Bulka in all three sports next season.

Congratulations, Lauren, for being selected as a Senior Superlative by your fellow seniors.

Posted by Chris Rossie - Gameday Magazine Columnist at 04:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Creating success on the soccer field in 2007 has not been difficult for Stone Bridge head soccer coach Randy May. Success has not only come in the sense that the team has had a winning season as opposed to last year, but for Coach May, he was able to pick up his 100th victory as the Stone Bridge soccer coach this year against South Lakes this year.

Gameday Magazine: How did you get started on coaching soccer?
Randall May: I started in high school with youth players, but then in 1979, I started coaching full time at the college level as an assistant at Virginia Commonwealth University.

GM: Take us through a brief history of your coaching career.
RM: I started at VCU, in 1980; I took my first head coaching job at Eisenhower College. The college closed two years later and then I took my job at Cornell in 1982. I stayed there until 2000. I then coached at West Springfield until 2004 and then I came to Stone Bridge.

GM: How did you get the Stone Bridge job?
RM: In 2004, Jim Felix, who at the time was a teacher here at Stone Bridge, and also a girls soccer coach, notified me that there was going to be an opening here in the P.E. Department. I got that job, and then decided to interview for the position of boys soccer coach, and I got it.

GM: Did you play soccer in high school and/or college?
RM: I played from middle school, high school, and I went to Lock Haven University and played soccer there. My senior year at Lock Haven, we won the National Championship, and three out of my four years there, we made the NCAA Tournament.

GM: What is the best part about coaching to you?
RM: That each year, I get an opportunity to see young people grow in both talent and character. It's always interesting to see a player come out of nowhere and be a star for the team.

GM: What were the expectations for your team coming into the 2007 spring season?
RM: Simply a winning season, we didn't have one last year and we just wanted to get back on the winning track.

GM: Due to your success throughout year, how have the expectations changed?
RM: They haven't really, we did do better than most people expected, but we don't want people to think that it's a fluke, so we just want to continue our success into the playoffs.

GM: What has impressed you the most about your squad this year?
RM: Our resiliency, and just that sometimes we got frustrated; we fought through and continued our success. Also our selflessness had impressed me.

GM: How did the 100th victory feel?
RM: It felt satisfying, however, I'm not in it for myself, all that mark means is that since I've been at Stone Bridge, I've watched 100 games where my players have succeeded and I'm just here to guide them.

Posted by Sean Frye - Gameday Magazine Columnist at 03:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

When an athlete receives a high school varsity letter, it is one of the greatest feelings imaginable. It is proof that you were talented enough to make a varsity team, and that you contributed to the success of the season. Some people put their varsity letters in a safe place, and others have their letters sewn into a letter jacket. But, what do you do if you have more than one letter? For starters, you could ask Broad Run senior Stacy Hartman. She has accrued 10 varsity letters as one of Broad Run's most versatile athletes.

Half of her varsity letters are from cheerleading. Hartman was a member of the Spartan's competition cheerleading squad during the fall and also throughout her entire high school career. This season, the Broad Run cheerleading squad placed second in the VHSL cheerleading competition. Hartman earned another letter by bringing her spirit indoors for a season of cheerleading for the basketball team.

"I love to cheer because it makes me feel like I am a part of the atmosphere, while being involved with the fans at the same time."

During the winter season, Hartman showed her talent in gymnastics, a sport she has been playing her entire life. She competed in the beam, vault, bars, and floor competitions.

Where do the other four letters come from? Hartman's current and favorite sport, Lacrosse. She plays on the offensive side of the ball in the attack position. This year she was given the honor of being a senior captain, and is leading the Lady Spartan lacrosse team, who finished just shy of the state semifinals.

"Stacy has a great work ethic, and is a wonderful leader," said girls varsity lacrosse Coach Jen Melhuish.

Hartman is talented on the field, on the court, and on the sidelines. While practicing varsity sports year round, she maintains a 3.4 GPA, and has been working at the Buffalo Wing Factory for the past three years. In school, she is a member of The National Honor Society, and DECA (an association of marketing students). Besides the sports mentioned, Hartman has played soccer and cheered for Cheer Madness in the past. After her senior year is over, she plans on attending East Carolina University, and hopes to play club lacrosse.

Although Hartman is graduating in a few days, the Hartman name will continue to be used frequently around the Broad Run athletic office. Her younger sister Melanie is following in her footsteps. She was a member of the Junior Varsity fall cheerleading squad, and a member of Broad Run's Gymnastics team this past winter.

"I like being a role model for my sister. During the fall before her cheer tryouts I helped her with tumbling and moves. It makes me feel good knowing that I helped her out," said Stacy.

Some may wonder what it takes to be a good athlete. A good athlete is someone who is hardworking, talented, and focused. 10 letters on the varsity level in one career proves Stacy Hartman was all of those things and much more.

Hartman can add one more honor to her impressive resume. She is Broad Run's 2007 Gameday Magazine Athlete of the Year.

Posted by Shannon Shepherd at 03:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It's not often that a program can claim 6 district titles in one athletic season, but Broad Run did just that in the spring of 2007. To top things off, the Lady Spartan softball team won the Group AA state championship and finished the year 29-0 ranked in the top 5 in the United States.

The Spartans also had a district championship girls' basketball team, a top 3 finish in the state cheerleading competition, and a football team that finished in the top 3 in the Dulles District this past fall.

It wasn't long ago that this program was restoring its proud tradition of winning in several of its sports. But at the conclusion of the 2006/2007 athletic year, the restoration project was finished.

The fresh start in football for first year head coach Michael Burnett and crew seemed to bring excitement back to the Spartan fan base. The team went 5-5 on the year, but played for a share of the Dulles District championship in the final week of the season against Park View, something that hadn't been done in years. From 1-9 to 5-5, Broad Run made a jump back into the scene of respectability, and the future looks even brighter this coming season.

The girls' basketball team once again scorched through the Dulles District, winning the regular season championship, and advancing deep in the playoffs. Head Coach Mike O'Hara continues to put out championship teams year after year, and his young Spartan team should be even better next winter.

If there was any doubt who would be our Group AA Gameday Program of the Year heading into the spring, it was quickly dispelled by the Spartans, who won Dulles District titles in baseball, softball, girls' soccer, girls' and boys' lacrosse, and boy's track and field. In addition, the softball team won a state title, and the girls' soccer team won a regional championship. For athletic director Jack Kirby, the 2007 spring season has been a special one to say the least.

"Last spring we won 5 district titles, and I thought that was awesome," Kirby said. "But to win 6 this spring and a state title is amazing. It's been great to watch all of our teams compete at the highest level."

Stability has been the key for the revival of the Spartan program according to Kirby, who at one point saw many of Broad Run's finest athletes venture to new schools. The days of watching the likes of Potomac Falls, Stone Bridge, and then Freedom snag Broad Run's young and talented athletic classes are over. Finally, the Spartan athletics program is stable again, and that is why Kirby believes they are back to winning in every sport.

"It really is about stability. We lost so many good athletes to those schools when they opened, but we now have classes of athletes playing all four years together," Kirby said. "That has really helped our coaches to build stronger and better programs each year."

Kirby also noted that the Spartans are lucky to have some of the best veteran coaches in the region. Boys' lacrosse coach Phil Truiett and basketball coach Larry Boomer have been staple points of the program for years, as has softball coach Ed Steele. Steele was named the Washington Post's Morgan Wooten award winner for the job he did with his nationally ranked and state champion softball team in 2007. Girls' soccer coach Claire Collins has put her teams deep in the post-season year after year, and 2007 was no different. The Lady Spartans fell 4-3 in penalty kicks in the state quarterfinals, but the soccer program is building respect as a perennial state title contender every season.

With success comes expectations, but Kirby is quick to point out that those expectations have been there all along.

"We expect teams to try to be the best they can be, that's all we can ask," Kirby said. "We know the expectations will be there when you win, but we just want to strive to keep getting better."

With the start of the 2007/2008 athletic year only two months away, the Broad Run Spartans should once again be a contender in every sport. The Spartans return several of the area's best athletes again next year, like Gatorade Softball Player of the Year Caitlyn Delahaba, and Dulles District Girls' Basketball Player of the Year Alexis Campbell. Cole Shain and Chris Jessop will anchor the Spartans football and baseball teams again, and several new faces should emerge onto the scene as well. The future is once again bright in Ashburn, and that has Kirby extremely proud.

"I'm extremely proud of all of our teams, not just the district title champions, but all of them. It has been a great year!"

Posted by Andy Hayes - Publisher & Senior Editor at 03:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

WEST SPRINGFIELD, VA - It was the "Best of the Best" from 2006 AAA Northern Region football teams at West Springfield High School on Friday night, June 22, as the 3rd annual Northern Region East-West All Star Game saw last year's Senior standouts pad up for one last high school football game, before heading off to their respective colleges. As All Star games go, this one was no disappointment, as many Gameday standouts from 2006 showcased their talents in front of a raucous crowd in Springfield.

The East squad was made up of players from the Liberty and Patriot Districts, representing Annandale, Hayfield, Lake Braddock, West Potomac, Lee, Marshall, South County, South Lakes, T.C. Williams, West Springfield.

The West was comprised of teams from the National and Concorde Districts, and players from Oakton, Centreville, Edison, Fairfax, Falls Church, Herndon, Mount Vernon, Robinson, Stuart, Wakefield, and Washington & Lee made the trip.

In this game, the West squad, led by National District Player of the Year, Shawn Lloyd (Edison), and All Gameday players Ervin Garner and Jonathan Kedrock (Oakton) would prove to be the most prolific, coming away with the 28-11 victory, and the 2-1 series lead.

In the game, the scoring didn't come easily in the 1st half, as the defense for both sides would have their spotlight. After a scoreless 1st quarter, the East would draw 1st blood, on a Will Blakely (Marshall) 28 yard field goal. It would be all West from there, as Orlando Bryant (Oakton) would score on a 10 yard run up the middle, midway through the quarter. The play was set up by a Shawn Lloyd to Ervin Garner 52 yard pass play. Prior to halftime, Lloyd and Garner would hook up again, for a 61 yard touchdown strike, and after the 2 point conversion, the West took the 14-3 halftime lead into the locker room.

The 2nd half was more of the Lloyd\Garner show, as the 2 would hook up shortly into the start of the half, on a 45 yard crossing pattern. With the tandem connecting yet again for the 2-point conversion, stretching the West lead to 22-3. After recovering an East fumble late in the same quarter, Lloyd would hit Garner, yet again, this time on a 2 yard slant pass across the middle of the end zone. The 2 point conversion failed, but the West would now sit comfortably with the 28-3 lead.

The score would remain the same until the 7:16 mark of the 4th quarter, and the game, when the East squad would eventually penetrate the West defense, scoring their 1st touchdown of the game. After an impressive 45 yard drive, Lee RB Zayd Augustus would scamper into the end zone on a 4 yard off tackle play. They would tack on 2 more points on the conversion when VMI bound QB Chris Oterson (Lee), would find Lake Braddock's Jonathan Ramos in the back of the zone, and narrowing their deficit to 28-11. But that's where it would stay, as both defenses clamped down, and prevented each other from scoring, and putting an end to this year's exciting All Star Classic.

It's always a difficult task naming Player's Of The Game in an all star setting such as this, as many players are typically deserving of the honors. The Line-X Tough Guy Award went to East LB Frank Howell (Marshall), who made many notable defensive plays throughout the game, while Oakton's Ervin Garner came away with the Ted Britt Player Of The Game, for the West.

Posted by Tom Whipple - Gameday Magazine Senior Editor at 10:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It would be difficult to overestimate the excitement about the future career of Hampton Football star Tyrod Taylor. Taylor, one of the most heavily recruited players in the nation, put together an outstanding senior season to follow up his junior year in which he quarterbacked for his team all the way to the division five state championship.
One player alone can not make a football team great - but in the case of Taylor, one player can certainly make a big difference. In terms of pure athletic ability, Taylor is as good as they come. At the quarterback position, he has all of the tools necessary to be a great athlete, and he certainly has shown that he knows how to take advantage of his abilities. In his junior season, Taylor was outstanding, passing for 1,544 yards and nine touchdowns and rushing for 1,044 yards and 21 touchdowns. That season definitely set the bar high for Tyrod's senior encore, but he did not disappoint.

Taylor improved on his offensive production last season by passing for over 2,000 yards and 22 touchdowns and rushing for 800 yards and 15 touchdowns. His season was good enough to lead the Crabbers out of the regional playoffs and all the way to the semifinals of the Division five state playoffs.

Taylor's explosive abilities were showcased last season during a regular-season win against Phoebus when he was responsible for 416 total yards of offense.

Taylor's statistical improvement over his career is a bright light shining on his future as a football player, especially since next year he will be joining the Division I college ranks as a member of the Virginia Tech Hokies.

In addition to being a great football player, Taylor was able to channel his athleticism onto the basketball court, where his raw ability produced a number of exciting moments for the Crabbers on the hardwood as well as on the gridiron.

Tyrod Taylor is undoubtedly a special athlete, and will be watched closely by many sports fans in the Hampton Roads area as he moves on and adds to his already sparkling high school career.

Posted by TCC Sports Staff at 04:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

As a three time state champion and the holder of the sixth fastest mile time in Virginia high school history, naming Great Bridge's Kristy Tobin was an easy choice for the Gameday staff. But what impressed us the most was not just Tobin's accomplishments in the athletic arena but more importantly, the way she handled a potentially adverse situation this spring.

After posting a 4:58 time to win the state championship in the mile during the Wildcats' indoor season this year, the senior was gearing up to participate in the team's outdoor campaign when she kept feeling a nagging discomfort.

The tendonitis diagnosis was devastating because it not only put her final outdoor season in jeopardy but also her plans to run for Virginia Tech in the fall - the school to which she has received a full track scholarship.

Being the competitor that she is, Tobin tried her best to make a go of it in the spring but quickly found the pain to be unbearable at an early season match at Norview. "It flared up pretty bad," Great Bridge head varsity coach, Pat Banks says. "She almost just stopped running. I've never seen anything like it."

After meeting with Banks, Tobin made the difficult decision to sit out the outdoor season in order to fully recover for her collegiate career. The Wildcat team leader for the past three seasons was soon faced with the realization that she would spend the last few months of her high school career as nothing more than a spectator. It was a reality that would have demoralized many other student athletes.

Instead of disappearing from the squad, Tobin instead stuck around practices and began serving as another coach for her fellow teammates. "It's sad to see her not be able to finish her career," Banks says, "But she's been real positive and supportive of everyone else."

Banks also says that there was a passing of the torch of sorts this spring as junior Jayna McGee was able to step out of Tobin's rather large shadow and come into her own as the next great Wildcat track athlete - all with Tobin's support and encouragement.

"Kristy has kind of been Jayna's role model for the past couple of years," Banks says. "It's been a great opportunity for Jayna and Kristy has been right there mentoring her and still goes to all of the meets."

So while the rest of the world might remember Tobin's three state titles, her ridiculous record setting 4:53 mile, and all of her district and regional crowns, we will remember the person that she was during her prolific high school career and will continue to root her on as she pursues success at the collegiate level and beyond.

Posted by at 04:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

During Lew Johnston's long and illustrious career as the head football coach at Western Branch high school, he made it a point to never pick his own team captains before the start of each season. Instead, he would have his coaches and players nominate their own candidates of who they believed should help lead and guide the team. Johnston would then sift through the submissions and then handpick those he felt worthy and these chosen ones would become his "Lieutenants".

When he went to make his selections at the beginning of this past season, he wasn't surprised at the fact that senior Darien Kearney was nominated, but he does admit to being a little taken back by just how many times he saw his name submitted.

"It was amazing how many nominations he got," Johnston says. "He had the player's respect, the coaches' respect, and then of course, my respect."

Kearney would not disappoint his coach as he would go onto have a monster season at linebacker for the Bruins before also excelling for the school's indoor and outdoor track and field teams during the winter and spring months.

He had 9 sacks, 17 tackles for a loss, and averaged 9 tackles a game for the football team and placed third for the shot put in the Eastern Regional track and field meet. Kearney also racked up some impressive football honors as he was the team's defensive player of the year, selected 1st Team All-District, and landed a spot on the inaugural All-Gameday Team. But Johnston says that his influence to the teams that he played for was not always measurable by statistics.

"He was always enthusiastic and positive," Johnston says. "He provided tremendous leadership and backed up his play with his encouraging words. To me, that is the complete leader."

During Johnston's tenure, players were awarded stickers to go on their helmets for making big hits and big plays. Kearney topped that list as well.

Because of his athletic ability and encouragement of others, Kearney always seemed to be the anchor of whatever team he was on; if for no other reason, that is why Darien Kearney is our Southeastern District Male Athlete of the Year.

Posted by at 04:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Kaitlyn Hiltz is recognized as the Verizon Athlete of the Year for being a key player on one of the best field hockey teams in recent memory. Ranked third in the nation, the Lady Falcons finished with a state championship and a record of 23 wins and 0 losses.

For her personal efforts, Hiltz has received numerous awards including; 1st Team All-Beach District, Tidewater, Regional and State player of the year. She was also the Norfolk Sports Club Athlete of the Year, Virginia Beach Sports Club's Outstanding Female Athlete of the Year, a South Region All-American and is recognized as one of Cox's best offensive athletes scoring consecutively in all 23 games for a total of 50 goals - believed to be the most in the nation this year.

With athletics aside, Hiltz also boasts an impressive resume of scholastic achievements. She finished high school with a 3.6 GPA and graduated in the top of her class with honors. Committed to UVA at the end of her junior year, Hiltz has since sealed the deal and received a scholarship to go play on the Cavaliers' field hockey team.

Posted by TCC Sports Staff at 04:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Is Soccer the Safe Sport?
Physicians, coaches, and soccer moms know the answer

Soccer, the world's most popular sport, has grown in acceptance in America by leaps and bounds over the last three decades. The huge popularity of soccer in the United States results from a host of factors.

One of the most influential is the perception that soccer is a "safe" game when compared to more popular sports like football or baseball. "Soccer moms" around the country are rapidly enrolling their little ones in this game knowing that the kids will avoid a major injury from a spearing helmet or a screaming fastball. A look at the game, the common injuries it produces, and their possible prevention may reveal if American moms really know best.

Whether watching an "ankle biter" game of children buzzing around the ball like a swarm of bees or viewing the World Cup final on the big screen, it soon becomes clear that soccer is a contact sport. However, despite the lack of pads except those covering the shins, soccer injuries generally are confined to bumps and bruises. Catastrophic events in soccer are exceedingly rare and almost always are related to the goalposts. Either the player hits the post or a faulty goalpost lands on a player. Compared to football, catastrophic injuries are nearly nonexistent.

The vast majority of injuries in soccer are minor. Not surprisingly, more than 85 percent involve the lower extremities. Relatively harmless bruises from contact with another player are the most common, and quality shin pads eliminate many. "All players should wear shin pads both in training and in games," says Brant Vitek, MD. "Not only will these simple pads prevent aggravating bruises to the lower leg, but they can help prevent serious injuries to the tibia bone, the large bone that makes up the shin." The other minor injuries are noncontact injuries from overuse, muscle strains, and joint sprains.

Major injuries, though rare, are obviously impossible to eliminate from any contact sport. Soccer is no exception. About 15 percent of all injuries in soccer are considered major -season- or even career- ending. These usually involve the player's knee, with the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) being especially vulnerable. As a major contributor to the stability of the knee, a torn ACL means the season is over. As is true in other sports, female soccer players are at least twice as likely to tear this crucial ligament as are their male counterparts. Additionally, the demise of this ligament usually occurs in noncontact situations, so attention to prevention has been a hot topic in medical and soccer training circles searching for sports-specific training programs that might minimize this serious knee injury.

Soccer is the only sport on the planet where players purposefully use their heads to strike the ball. It seems reasonable to wonder whether repetitively whacking a ball hurling through space at high speeds with one's head might cause some short- or long-term damage. Many studies aimed at answering this question, but none has demonstrated any long-term deleterious effect of this rather unnatural act.

"Technique is critical when heading a soccer ball to keep the ill effect to a minimum," says Dr. Vitek, who played collegiate soccer at the University of Virginia under the direction of legendary coach Bruce Arena. "Striking a ball with the hard plate of the forehead avoids any discomfort. Take that same ball and hit it with the top of your head, and you'll be nursing a headache for hours."

Serious concussions from heading a soccer ball are exceedingly rare, if they ever happen at all. When major concussions do occur in the sport, it is usually from a head contacting another head or an elbow, according to a broad study conducted in emergency rooms across Britain. Hard knocks to the head are unfortunately part of the game, but happily few and far between.

A few more statistics may help soccer moms sleep more soundly. Injuries in soccer become increasingly common as a player gets older. Even minor injuries in the under-10 leagues are quite rare. As players reach adolescence and adulthood, the incidence of injury climbs until it peaks at the professional level. Even then, the incidence is only about one-third that of football. Soccer players are about four times more likely to get hurt during a game than during practice. So training sessions, where players spend the vast majority of their time, are the safest.

"Knowledgeable coaches who use proper training techniques to avoid overuse injuries, who demand that players wear proper shin pads and cleats, and who promote fair and controlled play are probably the best protection against injury," says Dr. Vitek. As the game gains popularity, the pool of trained and licensed coaches also grows. As the knowledge of training programs as a preventive measure increases with the population of qualified coaches, the world's most popular game should remain one of the world's safest games to play.

Brantley P. Vitek, Jr, MD earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Virginia and completed an orthopaedic surgery residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston. Dr. Vitek's special interests are sports-related injuries and arthroscopic surgery. He is board certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery.

Posted by Commonwealth Orthopaedics at 09:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This year's track season featured a hurdler the likes of which may not have ever been seen before. Whether she was breaking records or winning titles, it was fast times at Hampton High for Tierra Brown this year as the senior track star won three state championships and twice broke a state record that had stood for 19 years. It was the kind of a year that earned Brown the title of Gameday Magazine Female Athlete of the Year.

She started her season in winning fashion by capturing the state championship in the 55 meter hurdles during this year's state indoor track meet. One state title was not enough for Tierra this year, though, and the best of her season was yet to come.

Brown, a rare talent whom Hampton girls' track coach Ron Bayton, touts as "the all-time fastest hurdler in the history of the Peninsula District," made the most waves in running the 100 meter hurdles in 13.7 seconds during nationals - a time faster than the previous state record of 13.82.

Because of a state rule that insists that the only races that count toward state records are those run at the state meet, Brown would have to repeat her performance at the state meet to be crowned as the all-time 100 meter hurdles champion.

When the state meet came around, she turned in another spectacular performance; running a 13.73 and breaking the 19-year old record on her way to the 100 meter hurdles state championship. The name Tierra Brown now stands as the fastest 100 meter hurdler in Virginia high school history. She also won the 300 meter hurdles at the state meet - an event for which her qualifying time of 41.62, was the best 300 hurdles time run in the entire nation up to that point.

All told, Brown won three state championships this year, (adding to her stellar career total which now stands at six), broke a longstanding and prestigious state record, and was unofficially the fastest 300 hurdler in the nation - not a bad senior season.

Tierra is taking the speed to college next season, as she will be leaping down to the University of Miami on a track scholarship.

Posted by TCC Sports Staff at 09:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Many Maury coaches rave about senior Jasmine Parker, who has received the honor of Gameday magazine's Eastern District Female Athlete of the Year.

Since transferring from Norfolk Collegiate her sophomore year, Parker has been contributing her hard work and personality to each of the three sports she has played - field hockey, basketball and soccer.

"She's fantastic," says Maury varsity girls' soccer coach Christine Bouzaine, "She will give you 110 percent all the time. If she is having a bad day, you would never know it."

With their previous goalie out with an illness for the entire season, Parker stepped in to cover the net. This was her first year goal keeping and as the last line of defense, she took care of business for the Commodores. "She's fearless," says Coach Bouzaine.

Parker is one of those all-around athletes that can play any sport. During the fall, she was being heavily recruited for field hockey as she helped lead the team to a second place finish in the state tournament. She also received All-State honors.

When she is not blocking soccer balls, or wielding her field hockey stick, Parker is playing guard on the basketball court. Basketball season is when she really has a chance to shine.

"Basketball, for me, is a joy," says Parker. This season, the team finished in second place in the Eastern District tournament and went to the first round in Regionals. Parker took home the honors of All-Tidewater, All-Region and Player of the Year for the district.

Maury basketball coach Jennifer Parker is not surprised by the recognition Parker has been receiving. "Her work ethic, her desire, and her strive to win is what made her stand apart from others," says Coach Parker. Her winning attitude allows for the players around her to improve their own skills.

Thanks to Parker's "born leadership" that Coach Bouzaine gives her credit for, Coach Parker reports her job being much easier with her on the team. "She is like the coach on the floor."

Earlier this year, Parker was planning on attending Longwood University on a full ride, until she was told that the coach who originally signed her would be leaving. Now, she will going to George Mason University in Northern Virginia on a full basketball scholarship. For Parker, this is a chance to branch out on her own to further her basketball career. "My mom always told me to choose a career that I enjoy, and that's what I'm doing," explains Parker.

Posted by TCC Sports Staff at 09:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Adidias Arrington, 19, will be attending Virginia Union University in the fall on a full scholarship to play football, most likely in the middle linebacker position.

Before he even begins to think about athletics, though, Arrington knows that studying is as much a part of a young athlete's job as blocking and passing. In fact, his devotion to academics partly accounts for his scholarship offer. He graduated from Booker T. Washington with a 3.1 GPA.

"Most people don't understand the term student-athlete," he says. "The things that you do on the football field and the basketball court, you have to bring that intensity and that competition to the classroom."

Arrington's success in the classroom has also been met with achievement in athletics. He was on Booker T.'s varsity football team for each of his four high school years. There, he played both offense as a tight end and defense as a middle linebacker.

He was also a member of the varsity basketball team for his sophomore, junior and senior years. Officially, his position was small forward, although he was versatile enough to fill in wherever necessary on the court.
Soccer was also one of Arrington's exploits for two years, and much like in basketball, he found himself in numerous spots throughout the field.

Throughout his high school years, Arrington garnered a host of team level awards for both his offensive and defensive positions. His senior year, Arrington was co-captain of the basketball team and head captain of the soccer team.

Arrington's immediate family has had a large bearing on his academic and athletic success. His parents, Anthony and Terrell Arrington, have offered support, discipline and encouragement for many years.

In fact, Arrington's introduction to athletics was at the age of five, playing recreational league basketball with his father as head coach. "My dad taught me everything I know from the beginning," says Arrington. "To this day, he is still a coach for me. My parents support me in everything I do."

Arrington will also remember the sense of team spirit present at his alma mater as another factor contributing to his success. "We're a family at Booker T.," he says. "The team unity is the best I've ever seen."

He provides as examples the support that different athletic programs give to one another: members of the basketball team always come to support the football team and vice versa. Arrington says that he will never forget the bonds he formed at Booker T. and hopes that he will find similarly strong ties in the next stage of his athletic and academic career at Virginia Union. With the positive attitude, optimism and leadership that Arrington exudes, that seems a certainty.

Posted by Ben Swenson at 09:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Salem gymnast Leslie Delima stepped onto the mat knowing that in this, the final event of her high school career, she needed a 9.45 to put the perfect stamp on her legacy; earning an elusive state championship. Four-time State Champion Kara Wright (First Colonial) was all that stood in her way last year, as Delima had to be content with the title of state runner-up.

But 2007 was her year, and as she spun around the uneven bars, the State Championship that had spun around in her head so many times became a reality. With a 9.775, the soft-spoken tumbler finished in a tie for third in that event, but most importantly claimed the title of 2007 All-Around State Champion.

With a four-event score of 39.075, the senior gymnast was able to take her turn on the top spot on the podium. In addition to the all-around title, Delima was the State Champion in the vault and floor exercise. She also finished in second place on the balance beam.

Delima exuded excellence during her entire career as a four year starter at Salem High School. She is only the second gymnast in the history the school to win the all-around state title and she is the fourth Sundevil to win a state championship on the vault and floor routines. She also earned a perfect 10 on the floor routine en route to a Beach District championship.

Delima finishes her high school career with 15 third place finishes, 31 second place finishes, and a remarkable 110 first place medals. She is the most decorated Salem gymnast ever and demonstrated a tremendous work ethic both in the gymnasium and in the classroom.

"Leslie simply works extremely hard, is incredibly talented," Salem gymnastics head coach Wendy Cauthen says, "She is picture perfect when it comes to execution and consistency."

Cauthen credits Delima's personality as an essential component to her athletic and academic accomplishments. "Most gymnasts have a hard edge about them that keeps them competitive and fired up as much as possible," Cauthen says. "Leslie has a more laid back approach to gymnastics. She is not flashy or snobby. Even though Leslie has competed all over the country and in some other parts of the world, you would never know it as she quietly walks the halls of Salem High."

But don't let that quiet exterior fool you. When the pressure is on, Leslie Delima's actions have spoken louder than her words ever could.

Posted by at 09:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

STERLING, VA - TCC Sports is excited to announce that it will hold the first annual Gameday Media Day luncheon on July 31st, 2007. The event will provide local football coaches and media with the opportunity to discuss the 2007 season before training camp commences for several teams on August 1st.

Gameday Media Day will be broadcast live online at GamedayMagazine.com and footage from the event will be seen on GamedayTV on the Verizon Fios cable system in Northern Virginia.

Joe's Pizzaria in Sterling, Virginia will host the event that will showcase football programs and coaches from Loudoun, Fairfax, Fauqiuer, and Winchester. Among those expected to be in attendance is Stone Bridge head coach Mickey Thompson, Chantilly's Mike Lalli, Park View's Andy Hill, and Liberty's Tommy Buzzo.

Media interested in attending the event should contact Andy Hayes at 571-233-8696 to reserve space. Lunch will be provided to media and coaches who attend. Stay tuned for more announcements regarding the first annual Gameday Media Day later this month.

In addition to the Gameday Media Day planned for football season, TCC Sports will host media days for basketball, softball, and baseball in the 2007-2008 school year.

Posted by Andy Hayes - Publisher & Senior Editor at 11:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

ASHBURN, VA - School Spirit was taken to a new level at Broad Run High School in Ashburn, Virginia. On June 8, 2007, a typical hot day in Northern Virginia, my high school came together to cheer on our undefeated softball team. It was the first time in my three years of being a fellow Spartan that I have been able to witness the impact of a potential state title.

For the past few weeks our principal, Dr. Edgar Markley, announced to us over the PA system that the USA Today was nationally recognizing the Spartan softball team. Each time he made an address, our team was climbing the rankings. Entering Friday's state semifinal game, Broad Run was ranked 6th in the nation!

After the State quarterfinal game, our entire school was made aware that our softball team was competing in the "final four" of the entire state. This was exciting, especially for a school that really supports its athletic teams. We created the "Maroon Crew" this year, which is made up of the most passionate high school sports fans at Broad Run. Spartan Softball was the buzz of the school and everyone wanted to follow the action.

However, the Maroon Crew and the rest of the students and faculty that wanted to follow our softball team were presented with a challenge. The semifinal matchup between Broad Run and Tunstall was scheduled for a 1pm start on Friday, right in the middle of 7th period!

On Friday morning, our vice-principal reminded all of the students that our school was being represented in the state softball tournament. She announced that the administrators would tell us the results of the game as soon as they found out. Being a member of the Gameday staff, I knew that a live broadcast of the game was going to take place, so I secretly called my mom and told her to tune in, and to text message me updates.

As the day progressed, the students were anxious to figure out a way to hear the game. Things weren't looking good for that option, but at the beginning of 7th period, another vice-principal at Broad Run announced on the PA system that our technology department was going to stream Gameday Magazine's live coverage of the game through our school TV network! This meant that every single classroom was able to listen to the game through their TV sets!

Everyone became really excited, especially when my Spanish teacher informed us that we would be able to listen to the game after lunch if we focused and learned a new verb tense. Everyone in my Spanish class buckled down and focused, and we successfully finished all of our work.

The first pitch was thrown while we were eating lunch, and we were fortunate enough to have a TV set in our cafeteria. It was an amazing sight to see all of my friends huddled around the TV set with their lunches on their laps. During the commercial breaks a student would stand up and yell the current update. " Kramer on second, Powell up to bat, no outs!"

With the game tied at 0-0 right before the 8th period bell rang, we figured the game could go on for a while. During the break between 7th and 8th period, the chatter in the halls consisted of "OH MY GOD! Did you hear Caitlyn just struck out three batters in a row?" or "I bet this is going to go into extra innings!" and "Man, my 8th period teacher is in a bad mood, there is no way she will let us listen." Then some student responded, "That sucks, I have a substitute!"

I told my boyfriend with urgency in my voice, "We have to hurry, it's the top of the 6th!" Luckily my 8th period teacher let us listen to the game on and off between teaching and doing worksheets, as long as we behaved. There were more "shh" 's and "Dude, shut up's" than in a movie theater!

The suspense was intensifying as the game headed into extra innings. In the bottom of the ninth inning, you could start to hear some cheers when Judy Betz made it to first. Then the cheer got louder when Courtney Kramer singled and we had two runners on. But nothing can describe the cheer that was heard in the halls and classes when Andy Hayes made the call that Kaitlyn Tiplady hit a single and Anna Blessing was rounding third to score.

Hayes' words, "Tiplady has Won It! The Broad Run Spartans are heading to play for the state title!"

Our classroom door was open as well as many others, and we were able to hear a wave of cheering all the way around the school. Everyone was so pumped up and excited for our team, even the teachers! Within minutes students were sneaking their cell phones under desks to text message friends on the team, and to get directions to Radford University.

It was an amazing day to be a Broad Run Spartan, and a wonderful opportunity for Gameday Magazine to bring the game home to the school and to the community. Almost all of the students were planning to tune in for the live stream of the state championship game on Saturday morning. Today, Gameday Magazine's technology helped unite my school and made it possible for the Spartans back home to be there for every pitch.

It made me proud to be a Spartan, and proud to be a member of the staff at Gameday Magazine, we truly are changing the way high school sports are covered!

* Statistics from Friday and Saturday indicate that over 5,000 people tuned in live for the semifinal and state championship broadcasts on the Gameday Radio Network. That is the largest live audience for any game since the network's launch in August of 2006.

Posted by Shannon Shepherd at 02:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

RADFORD, VA - With their 28-0 record on the line, the Broad Run Spartans came through with an impressive performance to win the 2007 Group AA Softball State Championship. The Spartans got another complete game performance from star pitcher Caitlyn Delahaba, who struck out 12 New Kent hitters in the 8-0 win, and also threw a no-hitter. Delahaba also added two hits that helped Broad Run score 3 runs in the first 3 innings to help secure the title. New Kent played hard but eventually 5 errors in the field did them in.

Broad Run scored first in the top of the 2nd inning when Jenn Soroka stepped in for an injured Courtney Kramer, who left the game with a deep leg bruise from a foul ball that hit her in the ankle. Soroka stepped the plate with 2 strikes in Kramer's at bat and delivered a hard ground ball to second base that scored Alba Creus from third. In the top of the 3rd inning, Delahaba came to the plate and crushed a single to left with two Spartans on base, and both scored when New Kent's leftfielder couldn't handle the line drive. The ball went all the way to the fence and Broad Run made it 3-0 heading into the bottom of the 3rd inning.

With a 3-0 lead, most of the Spartans knew at that time that it was in the bag, especially with Delahaba pitching the way she was.

"I knew when we put the first run on the scoreboard that we probably had it with Caitlyn on the mound," said firstbaseman Karla Powell. "The way she was pitching, we didn't need many runs to win."

Broad Run's Ed Steele echoed that comment as well.

"Most teams don't know what to do when they see Caitlyn," Steele said. "When they fall behind by 3 runs, most of them kind of wilt and give in because she makes it really hard on them."

In the top of the 7th inning, Courtney Kramer re-entered the game and drilled a two strike fastball down the third baseline to bring home two more runs and extend the Spartan lead to 7-0. Broad Run's Anna Blessing then scored from third on the next hit from Kaitlyn Tiplady to make it 8-0, and the inning ended wihen the hobbling Kramer was thrown out heading to the plate. Kramer had a tough day with her leg injury, but winning it all made everything feel better.

"My leg actually hurt really bad, but I really wanted to hit the ball hard," an emotional Kramer said after the game.

As one of the only seniors on the squad, Kramer wanted to let everyone know how she felt about her teammates.

"I really appreciate all the girls and how they pumped us all up before the game, I just love them all."

Kramer was in tears on the post-game show as she ended her career as a state champion at Broad Run. Also seen shedding some tears was head coach Ed Steele, who said it was a great moment to get the championship trophy from his two seniors.

"They are my two captains, and they provided us with great leadership all season," Steele said. "They were tremendous emotional leaders and we will have a hard time replacing them next season."

Saturday's win over New Kent marked the second time in the last decade that Steele's softball program had won a state championship. When asked about how the second title felt, Steele just smiled.

"Each time has been different because each team is different," Steele said. "There really is no feeling like it. This title will be as great to me as any I've ever won."

Broad Run is ranked in the top 5 in the country and potentially will have a claim to the National Championship with the final USA Today rankings set to come out next week. Steele wasn't worried about being called National Champs though.

"That isn't anything we can control, but we'll take whatever ranking they give us."

With the win, Broad Run improved to 29-0 on the season and claimed the school's second state title in softball. Check back for the replay of the state championship game tonight on the Gameday Radio Network and this story will continued to be updated throughout the weekend.

Posted by Andy Hayes - Publisher & Senior Editor at 05:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

RADFORD, VA - Saturday will mark the 3rd state title appearance in the last 10 years for Broad Run softball. The Spartans will play host to the New Kent Trojans who are 25-3 on the season after defeating Virginia High on Friday in the state semifinals. The Spartans advanced with a dramatic 1-0 win over Tunstall. Regardless of the stats, this game should be another great contest with the potential to end in extra innings. Here's the breakdown:

Broadcast Media:
Coverage Starts at 9:45am
Streamed Worldwide On The Gameday Radio Network
Online at www.GamedayMagazine.com
(Windows Media Player Needed)
Click Here To Listen To The Live Stream

Broad Run's Story:
The Spartans are 28-0 this season and ranked in the top 6 in the country by the USA Today. Broad Run is led by Gatorade Softball Player of the Year Caitlyn Delahaba, who is 27-0 on the mound this season with an ERA under 0.22. She has thrown 2 consecutive shutouts and has struck out 50 hitters in the last three games. Delahaba has a great supporting cast to help her, the Spartans have outscored their opponents 270-6 this season with the help of hitters like Karla Powell, Ashley Kramer, and Haley Johnson. The Spartans have scored 10 or more runs in 14 of their 28 wins this season. Broad Run is coached by Ed Steele, who has a career record of 286-81.

New Kent's Story:
The New Kent Trojans are from New Kent County located east of Richmond, Virginia. The Trojans, who are (25-3) this season, are led by pitcher Becca Mills. Mills pitched a complete game against Virginia High on Friday and at one point, retired 19 of 20 batters faced. The Trojans also have some good power in their lineup, led by slugger Laura Bauer. Bauer had the game winning hit against Virginia High and finished the game 3 for 3 with an RBI. New Kent is coached by Betsey Lane.

Chick-fil-A
Nuggets of The Game:

For Broad Run:
- Put Pressure On New Kent With Runs Early
- Avoid Mistakes In The Infield, Especially Bunt Situations
- Keep New Kent's Laura Bauer and Her Bat In Check

For New Kent:
- Don't Get Intimidated By Delahaba Early
- Put The Ball In Play At The Plate
- Score First

Winning Streaks:
Both Broad Run and New Kent have impressive winning streaks going. The Trojans are riding a 15 game winning streak into the state finals and the Spartans have won 28 in a row. Broad Run has also won 54 of their last 55 games.

First Times:
New Kent is making their first appearance in the state softball playoffs since 2003 under new coach Betsey Lane. Lane played collegiately at Methodist University as an outfielder.

Game Outlook:
Both teams are coming off of emotional wins that took plenty of energy. Expect another close game, but Broad Run has a better overall lineup than New Kent. The Spartans must start quickly though at the plate to avoid giving New Kent confidence that the game can be won late. With a lead, Delahaba can be downright scary to face. Mills will need to keep the Spartan hitters off balance at the plate with her change-up and rise ball. If she can handle the middle of the Spartan lineup, this game will be close.

Impact Players:
- Broad Run (Karla Powell) - Look for Powell to rebound from a tough day at the plate against Tunstall. Powell has been the most consistent clutch hitter all year for Broad Run and they will need her to come through if she has runners in scoring position again on Saturday. Powell is a good fastball hitter and also a good off-speed pitch hitter, so she won't be fooled by New Kent's Becca Mills on the mound.

- New Kent (Becca Mills) - Mills will be outshined in hype on Saturday with Delahaba pitching on the other team, but if Mills can pitch like she did on Friday, New Kent will take this game down to the wire. Broad Run hasn't started quickly in the past few games so it is crucial for Mills to get off to a quick start. Mills has already pitched 192 innings this season, and has a 0-42 ERA while striking out 212 hitters on the season.

Prediction:
Broad Run is the better overall team, but New Kent has momentum going into this contest. The Spartans had to play 9 innings on Friday, so the Trojans have a little edge when it comes to rest. The Spartans are out to prove that they are the team of destiny and that leads us to believe that they will accomplish what they have set out to do, win the Group AA State Title and finish 29-0.

Score:
Broad Run - 2
New Kent - 1
Game Goes 10 innings

Interesting Facts:
The Broad Run Spartans are ranked 6th in the country by the USA Today. With their recent wins, they could move up to as high as 3rd. All 5 of the teams ranked in front of them have at least 1 loss, so if Broad Run wins the State Title on Saturday and finishes 29-0, they potentially could and should be named the USA Today National Champions.

Weather:
A few clouds early, otherwise mostly sunny. High 84F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph.

Other Media Related Stories:
USA Today Softball Rankings
Washington Post Story On Broad Run's Win On Friday vs Tunstall
Read Steffan Norris' Story On Broad Run Coach Ed Steele
Daily Press Story on New Kent vs Broad Run
LoudounPrepSports.com Game By Game Broad Run Breakdown

LISTEN TO THE BROAD RUN vs TUNSTALL SEMIFINAL GAME BELOW:
You must have the Windows Media Player to Listen.....

Posted by Andy Hayes - Publisher & Senior Editor at 10:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

RADFORD, VA - One game away, that is what the Lady Spartans are from a Group AA State Championship after beating Tunstall 1-0 in nine innings on Friday. The game showcased once again the incredible pitching of Spartan junior Caitlyn Delahaba, who struck out 19 Trojan hitters on her way to a 2-hitter and second consecutive shutout. Delahaba's counterpart, Brittany Arnn, threw an equally good game for Tunstall, but when it mattered most, the Trojan southpaw couldn't hold off the Spartans to advance to the state title game.

Delahaba started the game on fire, striking out the first 6 Trojan hitters of the game, but her finest stretch of pitching may have been in the top of the 6th inning. Tunstall's Jenna Rudder started the inning off and reached first, then two bunts later, the Trojans had the bases loaded with no outs. With the Trojans threatening to break the game wide open, Delahaba dug her heels in on the mound and proceeded to strike out three hitters in a row to keep the game scoreless at 0-0.

The Spartans threatened in the bottom of the 7th, but slugger Karla Powell hit into a double play with a runner on second after her line drive was caught by Trojan first basemen Meagan Wood.

In extra innings, both pitchers continued their dominance as both teams failed to do much until the bottom of the ninth. With two outs, Judy Betz stepped to the plate and quickly fell down in the count 1-2. On the fourth pitch, Betz was hit by Arnn on the arm and took first base. Courtney Kramer then followed with a single that moved Betz to second, and that set the stage for the dramatic plate appearance of Kaitlyn Tiplady. Before the first pitch to Tiplady, Spartan head coach Ed Steele pinch ran for Betz with freshman Anna Blessing. Tiplady drilled the first pitch from Arnn into centerfield for a single and Blessing scored easily from second to give the Spartans the 1-0 win and a berth in the state championship game Saturday at 10am. Tiplady knew right when she hit it that the game was over.

"As soon as I saw it off the bat I knew we had won, it was an incredible feeling to win the game like we did today," Tiplady said. "Our goal was to win the state championship, and now we have a chance to go do it tomorrow, so we are all excited.

Head Coach Ed Steele was really impressed with how his kids hung in there with Tunstall's pitcher Brittany Arnn. Arnn kept the Spartans in check at the plate all day long, and Steele had only good things to say about Arnn's performance.

"She was really on her game today," Steele said. "She did a great job of keeping the ball away to our hitters, and we struggled to make things happen with the bats. It seemed like every time we hit the ball, it went right to one of their girls. But the only thing that matters is we got the win."

For Steele, this will mark the 3rd time in the last decade that his Lady Spartans have played for a State Championship. Broad Run will have to wake up early Saturday with the first pitch being thrown at 10am, but Steele doesn't think that will affect his squad.

"This is just like a tournament situation for us," he said. We've been in these situations before so I'm not worried about being sharp Saturday. However, I did tell the team that they can't just show up because they won today, they have to go get this thing and play even harder tomorrow."

With their performances in the semifinals, Broad Run's Caitlyn Delahaba and Kaitlyn Tiplady were named the Chick-fil-A Players of the Game. Delahaba had 19 strikeouts and only allowed 2 hits in the 1-0 shutout. Tiplady's game winning single helped put her team in the Group AA State Title Game against New Kent.

The Spartans will play New Kent on Saturday at 10am with the live broadcast coverage starting at 9:45am right here online at www.GamedayMagazine.com. Broad Run improved to 28-0 on the season after Friday's victory and Tunstall finished the season at 22-5.

Posted by Andy Hayes - Publisher & Senior Editor at 07:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

ASHBURN, VA - The #1 ranked softball team in Virginia continued its march toward the state championship on Tuesday in the state quarterfinals at home against Poquoson. Broad Run entered the game 26-0 after winning the Regional Championship last Friday night against Turner Ashby. The Spartans, who are comprised of mainly juniors and sophomores, were looking to erase the memory of last season's state quarterfinal loss with a win at home in front of friends and family.

Broad Run's Caitlyn Delahaba took the mound for her 26th start of the season with a perfect 25-0 record leading up to the game against the Highlanders. Delahaba started the game in a similar fashion as she did on Friday night, striking out 8 consecutive hitters at one point to help keep the game scoreless. Poquoson pitcher Sara Evans also pitched well and kept the Spartan hitters from doing any damage through 4 innings.

In the bottom of the 5th inning, the Spartans sent Ashley Kramer to the plate with two outs on the scoreboard. Kramer, who had ripped a fastball the last time up for a single, proceeded to hit another screamer past Evans on the mound for her second hit of the night. Kramer then advanced to second base on a fielder's choice play that kept the inning alive. That brought Broad Run's most clutch hitter, Karla Powell to the plate. And like so many times this season, Powell delivered again, crushing a 1-2 fastball to left field for a single, scoring Kramer scored easily. The Spartans added two more runs on a Haley Johnson double to the left centerfield fence to extend the lead to 3-0.

Scoring 3 runs on Caitlyn Delahaba has proven difficult for 25 opponents this year, much less doing it in one inning to keep your season alive. The Highlanders were able to get runners on base, but Delahaba and crew put the fire out quickly, and Broad Run won the game 3-0 to advance to the state semifinals on Friday.

Delahaba was dynamic once again, striking out 15 Poquoson hitters and only allowing 2 hits. In her last two appearances on the mound, she has struck out a total of 32 hitters and only given up 1 run. Her performance tonight was no surprise to her head coach Ed Steele.

"We're 27-0 because Caitlyn Delahaba is the best pitcher in Virginia. You see it night after night. Tonight's performance is a typical one for her, but considering the competition is getting better and better, it gets magnified. I truly believe she is the best softball player in the state of Virginia."

The win was sweet for Steele too, who was honored earlier on Tuesday by receiving the Washington Post's Morgan Wooten Award, given to the best coach in the Washington DC Metro Region. Steele has won championships in his tenure at Broad Run, but he may have done his best coaching in the past two years with this young Spartan squad. Broad Run has won the last 53 of 54 games they have played. Steele will take this group of Spartans to Radford for the first time this weekend, something he isn't worried about too much.

"You still play them one game at a time, these kids are all veteran tournament players, so I don't expect anything different from them," Steele said. "We are going to focus on the game, the hitting and the pitching, and I think it will work out best for us if we do that."

Delahaba (15K's) and Kramer (2 for 3, 1 Run) were both named the game's Chick-fil-A Players of the Game with their performances on Tuesday night. Delahaba also received one of the greatest honors given out to a high school athlete in the state. Coach Ed Steele informed her right after the win that she had been named the Gatorade High School Softball Player of the Year in Virginia. Steele had received the notification shortly before the game via a Fedex delivery, but decided to wait until after the game to tell his star player. Delahaba was speechless when asked about the award on the air.

"I was shocked, I don't know what to say about it, I'm honored," she said. "I was reading the document Coach gave me after the game, I couldn't believe it."

This Spartan squad has provided some amazing statistics in their last two seasons, but as Kramer said on the post-game show, anything short of a state title will be a disappointment for this team.

"We fell short last year of our goal, so we are excited about winning tonight, but we want to win the state championship," Kramer said. "That is what we are shooting for."

Broad Run will either play at 10am or 1pm on Friday in the semifinals at Radford University, and if they win, they will play at 12:00pm for the state championship on Saturday. TCC Sports will broadcast the Spartan's run toward a state title on Friday and then again on Saturday if they advance right here online at GamedayMagazine.com. Stay tuned for more news on radio coverage in the coming days.

Posted by Andy Hayes - Publisher & Senior Editor at 04:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

STERLING, VA - Several of Loudoun's best Lacrosse players were named to the All Region team today. Among those honored were Chris Rossie from Heritage High School. Rossie had an impressive junior season for the Pride and is also one of the top Gameday Magazine student columnists. Rossie was joined on the team by teammate Dean Stambuels and Broad Run's Eric Madigan and Mark Guillen. All three players were featured by Gameday Magazine this spring. A complete listing of the team is below.

Attack:
Eric Madigan (Broad Run)
Dean Stambules (Heritage)

Midfield
Chris Rossie (Heritage)

Defense
Robby Buckman (Broad Run)
Kyle Startsman (Heritage)

Long Pole Midfield
Nik Smith (Heritage)

Second Team
Goaltender
Mark Guillen (Broad Run)

Midfield
Tim Sanders (Broad Run)
Josh Hardin (Potomac Falls)

Attack
Joe Zedan (Potomac Falls)
Ryan Kernus (Loudoun County)

Defense
Kevin McIntire (Potomac Falls)

Posted by Andy Hayes - Publisher & Senior Editor at 03:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

STERLING, VA - TCC Sports is excited to announce that it has become an official media partner of the Northern Region Classic All Star Game that will be played on Friday June 22nd, 2007 at West Springfield High School.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30pm. Tickets for the event will be $5.00. The Northern Region Classic is put on by the Northern Virginia Football Coaches Association.

The game features the top players from the teams that make up the Northern Region. Players the Concorde and National Districts make up the West Team and player from the Liberty and Patriot Districts make up the East Team.

Head Coach for the West Team is JD Detwiler who is an offensive coach at Robinson Secondary School in Fairfax, VA and Head Coach for the East Team is Eric Henderson who is the Head Coach at West Potomac HS in Alexandria, VA.

Rosters for the teams are currently being put together and will go out when all of the players have committed to playing in the game.

The game will be broadcast worldwide by TCC Sports online at www.GamedayMagazine.com and made available for on-demand listening after the game. Players should notify family and friends out of the area that they can listen to the stream of the game live.

Former scholarship players of the Northern Region Classic include OL Ryan Tillman (Westfield HS, Marshall University), RB Lucas Caparelli (Robinson HS, Wake Forest), DE Will Wheeler (Westfield HS, Shepherd University), WR Donte Davis (Westfield HS, Syracuse), QB/P Matt Goff (Robinson HS, James Madison University).

Former Northern Region Classic Scholarship winners include David Rogers (Westfield HS, Bridgewater College), Jose Villanueva (Annandale HS).

Posted by Andy Hayes - Publisher & Senior Editor at 08:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

(STERLING, VA) - With the state quarterfinals set to take place starting on Tuesday, local teams are preparing for the opportunity to make a run at a state championship. On Friday, both Broad Run's softball team and Oakton's baseball team secured a home game by winning the regional championship.

Broad Run, ranked in the top 10 in the United States, will play Tuesday in Ashburn against Poquoson at 7pm. The Spartans beat Fort Defiance 7-1 on Friday to improve their record to 26-0.

Oakton, which has won 22 of its last 23 games, won the regional championship on Friday against South County 5-3. The Cougars will face Forest Park on Tuesday at home. Oakton lost last season in the state finals, and the Cougars find themselves only two wins away from another chance to bring home the title.

The Group AA softball championships will be held at Radford University this weekend with the semifinals starting on Friday, and the finals being played at 10:00am on Saturday June 9th.

The Group AAA baseball championships will be held at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Va. The semifinal games start on Friday and the state championship will be played on Saturday.

Stay tuned for more news regarding our coverage of the State Championships online here at GamedayMagazine.com.

Posted by Andy Hayes - Publisher & Senior Editor at 05:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)