Panthers’ offense no-shows as Mathews coasts to win

With nearly a week between contests, Charles City head coach Wayne Keys hoped the extra practice time provided the spark and energy for the team to come out and perform well in Friday night’s matchup against Mathews. Instead, the Panthers’ effort on offense was simply offensive. Knocking down only one field goal in the first half and seven for the entire contest, Charles City no-showed in the scoring column as the visiting Blue Devils posted a 59-27 victory. Kyle Jones’ lay-in at the 6:56 mark of the opening quarter knotted the game at two apiece for the Panthers. But the…
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New Kent builds big lead, holds off late Bruton rally for 62-51 triumph

New Kent’s host Trojans survived Bruton’s game-opening 5-0 run with 12 unanswered points of their own. They never trailed again in handing the Panthers a 62-51 basketball setback. Wednesday night’s clash served as New Kent’s home opener. And the home crowd got its first look at the Trojans’ inside presence, a facet of the game the hosts have lacked in recent years, to go along with their signature outside shooting prowess. Jordan Hernandez, a 6-foot-5 Varina transfer, scored 17 points, mostly in the paint, to tie teammate Kyle Claytor for game-high scoring honors. Claytor, meanwhile, connected four times from three-point…
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NK pole vaulter Kowal signs with VMI

Lady Trojans lead wire-to-wire in rivalry game against Charles City

New Kent’s Lady Trojans looked to snap a four-game losing skid dating back to the 2013-14 season against Charles City’s Lady Panthers. Apparently, Lady Trojan head coach Neko Burson gave his team extra motivation heading into the Dec. 5 contest. The visiting Lady Trojans catapulted out to a 17-0 lead in the first quarter and had little trouble disposing of host Charles City 54-25. New Kent started out hot offensively from the onset, with jumpers provided by Kelsey Yates, Peyton Slater, and Caitlyn Via to push out to a 6-0 lead. On the defensive side, the Lady Trojans implied a…
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Poor shooting creates close contest before Tabb pulls away from New Kent

Two nights after ending a 50-game losing skid (much to York’s chagrin), New Kent’s Lady Trojans took to the court on a quest for another major basketball accomplishment — putting together a win streak. And thanks in part to an invisible lid covering both baskets for much of the contest, that goal seemed within reach, even against Tabb’s pre-season contender-rated Tigers. Miserable first half shooting from the floor at both ends (Tabb 14 percent, New Kent 23 percent) translated into a 13-11 Tabb halftime lead. The Lady Trojans stayed close until the third quarter’s midpoint when the Tigers gradually created…
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Monstrous third quarter by Lancaster overwhelms Lady Panthers in hoops contest

For two quarters, Charles City’s Lady Panthers stayed within striking distance of the visiting Lancaster Lady Red Devils during a Dec. 1 contest. But a massive run to begin the third quarter paired with the visitors’ devastating press turned the matchup into a runaway rout. The Lady Devils orchestrated 33 consecutive points to close the third quarter as they dropped Charles City 69-20, handing the Lady Panthers their second consecutive loss. After Lancaster jumped out to an 8-2 lead, senior Lady Panther Veondra Brown converted a pair of free throws that was followed by Santaesha Hickman’s lay-in to help the…
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Despite Hickman’s 36, Lady Panthers drop home opener to Southampton

When most basketball teams enter a rebuilding year, they are looking to replace one of three things; speed, size, or experience. For Charles City’s Lady Panthers, they must deal with that triple whammy during the 2016-17 campaign. With two returning players sidelined by injuries and a third out due to a personal matter, the host Lady Panthers could not overcome the invading Southampton Lady Indians, falling 65-43 in the Nov. 30 home opener. Charles City’s backcourt proved to be the only advantage of the night for the hosts, in particular returning all-conference guard Santaesha Hickman. The sophomore guard scored the…
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Lady Trojans snap 50-game losing streak, dominating York in second half for 35-23 victory

Back on Jan. 9, 2014, New Kent’s Lady Trojans won a close basketball contest over Warhill’s Lions. At the time, the outcome seemed of little significance outside of a hard-fought triumph. Since then, however, the Lady Trojans have tasted nothing but the bitterness of defeat. The specter of a long losing streak has hovered over the New Kent program since that cold January night. By the end of last season, the number of consecutive losses had reached 50. But in Tuesday night’s season opener with York’s Falcons invading New Kent’s gym, the Lady Trojans erased frustration of the past. Behind…
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Four Panthers garner second team regional football honors

Four Charles City Panther football players garnered 1A East Regional second team honors following Monday’s regional meeting. Senior Mason Jefferson garnered two positions on the second team, hauling in honors at the quarterback position and kick returner. Jefferson threw for 13 touchdowns, more than 800 yards, and ran for an additional 712 yards and 15 touchdowns. As a returner, he returned five kickoffs with three of them resulting in scores. Classmate Cecil Tyler earned honors at the running back position with a ground attack of 905 yards and 11 touchdowns. Fourth-year receiver Kyle Jones was also named to the second…
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Charles City Panthers sputter in season opener against Eagles

With a new basketball coach at the helm and a majority of fresh faces up to the varsity level, Charles City’s Panthers looked towards the future to extinguish a 34-game losing streak dating back to Jan. 23, 2015. But a Monday night home opener kept the younger, and smaller, Panthers out the win column. Spurred on by runs to start quarters two, three, and four, the visiting Washington & Lee Eagles overpowered the host Panthers 68-37 in the season kickoff for both squads. Out the gate both teams stayed within striking distance of each other. Senior Ray Crump’s followed paired…
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