Ball fails to fall for Charles City, Red Devils scorch Panthers 79-31

Calling Charles City’s Panthers shooting performance horrific in a Dec. 16 contest against visiting Lancaster would be an understatement. A huge understatement. The hosts opened the contest missing their first 19 shots from the field and added 11 misses to start the second quarter as the Group 1A fifth-ranked Lancaster Red Devils topped Charles City 79-31. From lay-ups to close range shots to three-pointers, nothing fell for the Panthers to start the contest. And while Lancaster didn’t exactly scorch the net with their shooting, the ability to get offensive rebounds and second chance opportunities was vital. Lancaster guard Jay Dillon’s…
Read Full Story

Unable to overcome slow start, New Kent falls 57-40

The initial four-and-a-half minutes of Tuesday’s New Kent Lady Trojans/Jamestown Eagles basketball encounter told the story. Jamestown scored the game’s first 12 points, and the host Lady Trojans could never overcome the early deficit. In the end, the Eagles prevailed 57-40. Five of Jamestown’s six game-opening baskets resulted from steals, most courtesy of a half-court trap that befuddled New Kent’s playmakers. Lady Trojan head coach Vann Baker used a time out to correct the situation, but the damage had been done. “We’re not reacting quick enough on the floor, and we’re not seeing the floor,” she said afterward. Kelsey Yates’…
Read Full Story

Capturing the Kiwanis Cup

New Kent rallies from 14 down, tops Warhill 75-70

New Kent’s Trojans got their basketball record back to the .500 mark Monday night. But they had to do it the hard way. Down 14 midway through the third quarter, the host Trojans rode a furious press to overtake Warhill’s Lions and hold on for a 75-70 victory. The decision evened the hosts’ record at 3-3. “We just went for broke with a full-court press,” winning coach Ronnie Cox said. “I told the kids that if you’re going to lose, you’re going to go down swinging. We just pushed all the chips to the middle of the table and hoped…
Read Full Story

New Kent captures own Trojan Duals wrestling tourney

New Kent’s host wrestling team won Saturday’s 13th annual Trojan Duals tournament by beating Mountain View 41-31 in the championship match. Trojan wrestlers going undefeated during the five-match day were Chris Wade, Bryson Mitchell, Caden Darber, Kade Sanders, and Trent Ragland. Wade was voted most valuable wrestler for the event.

Third quarter run propels Mathews over Lady Panthers

After a Meryah Bates lay-up at the 6:12 mark of the third quarter, Charles City’s Lady Panthers held a 20-16 lead over a Mathews team that had entered the contest unblemished. But a shift in strategy by the visiting Lady Blue Devils resulted in a change of momentum and a lead the visitors would not only regain, but never relinquish for the rest of the contest. Switching to a 1-3-1 defense, Mathews forced the hosts into five turnovers and seven personal fouls to spark a 14-0 run within a four-minute frame as the Blue Devils topped Charles City 47-33 in…
Read Full Story

ECYF champions

Eagles use pressure, soar to victory over Charles City

Unable to cope with pressure enforced by visiting Washington & Lee, Charles City’s Panthers turned the ball over 11 times in the first quarter as the visiting Eagles never trailed en route to a 94-55 victory on Dec. 10. Utilizing a full court man-to-man defense, the Eagles turned the hosts over early, pulling out to a 9-3 lead. Charles City was able to elude the press on back-to-back possessions, with a Ray Crump jumper and free throw from Noah Ragland to pull within three (9-6). But that margin would be the closest the Panthers would get for the remainder of…
Read Full Story

Bruton spoils New Kent’s home opener, 58-29

New Kent’s Lady Trojans outscored Bruton’s visiting Panthers 13-8 in the final quarter of Tuesday night’s basketball encounter. For Lady Trojan head coach Vann Baker, it was a “small victory” for her young team. The first three quarters, however, belonged to the Panthers who left little doubt as to the outcome after one period. The 58-29 final ruined New Kent’s home opener and dropped the Lady Trojans to 0-4. “You have to take victories when you get them, even if they’re small,” Baker said, noting that her team is young with no seniors in the starting lineup. And those players…
Read Full Story

Fourth-ranked Northumberland eases past Panthers 104-60

With three starters out due to injury and the fourth-ranked Group 1A team in the state Northumberland Indians stepping on the floor, Charles City’s Panthers knew they would be battle-tested in the contest. But with the visitors shooting lights out and rarely missing from the floor, the game quickly became a runaway. Utilizing a 1-3-1 full court press on defense, Northumberland created easy baskets from turnovers, shooting 64 percent in the first half en route to a 104-60 drubbing of the Panthers in the Dec. 8 matchup. Early pressure from the visitors right after the opening tip led to five…
Read Full Story