Hotly contested affair with Warhill lands in New Kent’s win column

Smash-mouth — a term usually reserved for football — could be applied to the basketball battle that ensued Friday night in New Kent’s gym between the host Trojans and Warhill’s Lions. In an in-your face, (almost) no holds barred, take no prisoners affair in which neither team backed down, the Trojans outlasted the Lions over the final seconds to claim a 78-75 victory. For aficionados of full court man-to-man defense from both sides, the game came made to order. And going with a small lineup (four guards and a small forward) late in the final quarter to create better matchups…
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King William traps Charles City, ends Panthers’ win streak

Coming off victories over Middlesex and Carver Academy, Charles City’s Panthers looked to run their win streak to three during a Feb. 3 Tidewater District matchup against the visiting King William Cavaliers. And for one half, the Panthers and Cavaliers battled back-and-forth in the contest. But a switch to a trapping 1-3-1 defense by the much taller visitors resulted in a 15-minute drought from the floor for Charles City. And while King William didn’t impress on the offensive end, they did enough to leave with a 54-42 victory. Both teams battled back and forth for the first quarter and a…
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Smithfield plays as advertised, romps past New Kent 89-55

A few weeks ago, New Kent’s Trojans took it on the chin, absorbing a 50-point loss at powerful Smithfield. Wednesday night’s rematch, this time on New Kent’s floor, opened with the host Trojans leading for most of the first quarter, but after that the Packers played like a one-loss team poised to make a deep post-season run. Smithfield shot 56 percent from the floor in the first half to build a 43-22 halftime advantage. From there, the visitors cruised to an 89-55 win. “This team is a legitimate state contender,” New Kent coach Ronnie Cox said afterward concerning the Packers….
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New Kent athlete signs with Bridgewater

Senior scoring helps Charles City snap 49-game losing skid with 79-61 triumph

It’s over. After 738 days and 49 consecutive losses, Charles City’s boys’ basketball team returned to the win column Tuesday night behind the scoring of senior trio Kyle Jones, Ray Crump, and Conner Robbins. The trio combined for 61 points to lift the Panthers over the invading Middlesex Chargers 79-61 to the cheers of the crowd. The win is the first for Charles City since Jan. 23, 2015. Utilizing a five-guard offense, Panther head coach Wayne Keys looked to force the visitors into turnovers through a modified press. The ploy worked, as the hosts gained balance scoring in the first…
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Surge in final minutes lift Middlesex over Lady Panthers

Tuesday night’s contest between the Charles City Lady Panthers and visiting Middlesex Lady Chargers provided the perfect gauge to show improvement made by the youthful hosts throughout the season. And for 30 minutes of the contest, Charles City continued to put pressure on the team that defeated them by 17 points just one week earlier. But a surge by the Lady Chargers in the final two minutes provided enough distance to secure a 52-41 win in a match-up that was a lot tighter than the final score depicted. Charles City’s Santaesha Hickman scored the opening five points of the game…
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New Kent wrestlers claim sixth straight Bay Rivers title

Jamestown speed frustrates New Kent in one-sided affair

Utilizing their team speed advantage, Jamestown’s Eagles quickly asserted dominance over New Kent’s host Lady Trojans. The hosts could not keep pace as the visitors opened a 13-point advantage after one quarter and never looked back on the way to a 62-25 basketball win. “It’s tough to win if you don’t do the little things well. The other side will exploit them,” Lady Trojan coach Neko Burson said after Saturday night’s loss. Little things like making baskets and taking care of the ball plagued the hosts. New Kent sank just one of 11 first quarter shots while turning the ball…
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George Wythe rallies in fourth quarter to knock off Lady Panthers

Heading down the stretch with a seven-point lead, Charles City’s Lady Panthers looked to be in control of the invading George Wythe Lady Bulldogs during the Jan. 24 contest. But the guests executed in two areas down the stretch of the game, lay-ups and free throws, while those key points plagued Charles City all night long. Those facets sparked a 17-3 run to end the contest with George Wythe escaping with a 51-45 win. Charles City leading scorer Santaesha Hickman started hot, scoring seven of the team’s first 11 points to propel the hosts to an early lead after the…
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King & Queen pounds boards, Panthers in 64-47 thrashing

Two years ago, Charles City’s Panthers defeated the invading King & Queen Tigers 64-61 in overtime. That win marked the last victory for the Panthers. A Jan. 20 encounter with the aforementioned foe who had only won two games prior to entering Charles City presented an opportunity for the home team to snag a win, something that eluded the Panthers in their 73-71 loss at King & Queen earlier in the season. But as the game played out, the more aggressive Tigers outhustled the Panthers and more recognizably, outrebounded Charles City 62-24 as they walked away with a 64-47 win….
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