News for New Kent County and Charles City County, Virginia | October 23, 2026
Sports
Grafton pulls away late to prevent New Kent upset bid
After trailing the entire contest, New Kent’s Lady Trojans stood one run down to Grafton’s Clippers heading into the seventh and final frame of Friday’s softball contest. But by the time the hosts got their last shot at the visitors, Grafton had padded its lead with three more runs. The Clippers made the margin stand up for a 6-2 victory. “We came out flat,” said Lady Trojan coach Maria Bates. “I don’t know if it was the four-game week or the game yesterday.” The day before, the Lady Trojans sustained a 16-strikeout shutout at the hands of defending state champ…
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Missed shots thwart New Kent bid to overcome Colonial Heights
Several near miss shots cost New Kent’s Trojans in their bid to keep pace with Colonial Heights’ visiting Colonials during the first half of Thursday night’s soccer clash. Down 2-0 at intermission, the Trojans cut the deficit in half after play resumed but could not draw closer as the Colonials held on for a 3-1 win. “We could have played a little cleaner,” Trojan coach Keith Grant said. “After a slow first half we picked it up in the second half, but we were already behind.” Just over six minutes into the contest, Matt Mehfoud drilled a shot from the…
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New Kent doubles win averts shutout
New Kent’s Cole Beach and Aaron White combined for a doubles victory to prevent a Grafton sweep in Thursday tennis action. Grafton prevailed 8-1. Singles: Choi (G) d. Estis 6-0, 6-0; Petit (G) d. Sorensen 6-0. 6-0; Geng (G) d. Gilbert 6-2, 6-0; Bombay (G) d. Walker 8-0; Qin (G) d. Beach 6-1, 6-2; Salomon (G) d. White 6-1, 6-1. Doubles: Choi/Petit d. Estis/Sorensen 8-2; Geng/Bombay d. Gilbert/Walker 8-0; Beach/White d. Nelson/Qin 9-7.
Timely New Kent hitting backs freshman pitcher in 11-5 conquest of Bruton
A pair of first inning runs and six more in the fourth staked New Kent’s host Trojans to a seemingly comfortable 8-0 lead over Bruton’s Panthers. The Panthers made matters interesting down the stretch with five unanswered runs including a three-run homer, but the Trojans regained composure to pull away for an 11-5 baseball victory, evening the hosts’ record at 2-2. “Playing back-to-back games can be a bit of a positive thing,” Trojan coach Michael Kuper said after Tuesday’s win, referring to the previous day’s encounter with Colonial Heights. “It helped a lot jumping out to a 2-0 lead,” he…
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Lady Trojans capitalize on 14-hit attack, Bruton errors to gain first softball win
New Kent’s Lady Trojans jumped on top in the early going and never trailed on their way to capturing their first victory of the young softball season. Through four frames, the hosts built a 6-0 lead over Bruton’s Panthers. They then added six additional late runs to post a 12-3 triumph, reversing a three-game losing skid. “It definitely feels good to get that first win under our belts,” Lady Trojan coach Maria Bates said after Tuesday’s contest. “This will be a big confidence booster for the girls.” New Kent turned Bruton miscues into a three-run first inning. Panther pitcher Lauren…
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New Kent tennis teams on a roll
New Kent’s tennis teams have been cruising through the competition as the spring sports season gets under way. The Lady Trojans blanked visiting Essex 9-0 in a Tuesday matchup while the Trojans took care of visiting Bruton 6-3 on Monday after topping Southampton 8-1 on March 13. New Kent 9 Essex 0 Singles: Jadooram d. Beauchamp 8-0; Phelps d. Byrd 8-1; Sanchez d. Gaskins 8-1; Ashford d. Mitchell 8-4; Taylor d. Carneal 8-2; Thornton d. Beazley 8-1. Doubles: Jadooram/Ashford d. Beauchamp/Byrd 8-2; Phelps/Sanchez d. Gaskins/Mitchell 8-2; Butler/Pickett d. Carneal/Beazley 8-1. New Kent 8 Southampton 1 Singles: Tate Estis (NK) d….
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New Kent erases sour taste of last year’s no-win season, opens latest campaign with 5-0 blanking of Southampton
Last season, New Kent’s Trojan soccer team failed to win a single contest. That disappointing statistic, however, will not be repeated this year thanks to Monday night’s season opener. With Southampton’s Indians in town, the host Trojans declared open season on the Indians’ goal. More than 30 shots peppered the goal, although most sailed wide or high or were stopped by the visitors’ keepers. But two Adam Caldwell shots found the net in the first half and Josue Benitez, Alan Walker, and Kyle Claytor got into the scoring act after the break to lift New Kent to a 5-0 shutout….
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Single inning collapse erases New Kent lead, Colonial Heights takes advantage for 8-5 win
Through five frames, New Kent’s Trojans owned a 3-1 advantage and appeared to be cruising to a baseball win over Colonial Heights’ Colonials. But in the sixth, disaster struck in the form of a seven-run Colonial eruption, brought on in part, by New Kent errors. The hosts never fully recovered, enabling the visitors to post an 8-5 victory. “We won six out of seven innings, but in that one inning we imploded and that was the difference in the ball game,” said New Kent coach Michael Kuper. “We took the momentum early with that 3-1 lead, but they battled back.”…
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Inexperienced Lady Trojans fall 15-5 to Colonial Heights
First-year coach Maria Bates knew she faced a challenge when she inherited the reins of New Kent’s softball program. A lack of veteran experience on the roster showed during two road games last week and surfaced again at Monday’s home opener. Her Lady Trojans spotted Colonial Heights’ Colonials a 4-0 first inning lead. The hosts attempted to keep pace, but the visitors added five runs in the second and pulled away from there for a 15-5 win in six innings, dropping the hosts to 0-3. “They’re young and they haven’t played together that much,” Bates said afterward concerning her team….
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Coles wins two, Kowal repeats as New Kent claims second place at Shoot the Gun and Run Invitational
New Kent’s Kyle Coles emerged as a double event winner while teammate Griffin Kowal claimed the top spot in the boys’ pole vault as they powered the host Trojans to a second-place finish at the fifth annual Shoot the Gun and Run Invitational on Mar. 18. The Trojans accumulated 105 points, good enough to finish runner-up at their home meet. District foe and Bay Rivers District powerhouse Lafayette took home the top recognition with 165 points. Charles City’s boys team scored five points to take 11th place in the competition. Coles took the top spot in the horizontal jumping events,…
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