News for New Kent County and Charles City County, Virginia | September 11, 2026
Sports
Panthers fatigue, free throws halt comeback bid
Trailing by 12 points at the beginning of the fourth quarter, Charles City’s Panthers whittled the margin of the invading King William Cavaliers down to a mere point with 3:38 left remaining in the game. But missed free throws and fatigue during the remaining time plagued the hosts as the visiting Cavaliers escaped with a 62-56 win over the Panthers during the Jan. 14 contest. Playing their fourth game in five days, the hosts got off to a sluggish start, remaining scoreless until the 2:50 mark of the first quarter when Antonio Harris’ putback changed the zero on the scoreboard….
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Inconsistent Lady Trojans fall to Bruton
When one basketball team goes an entire quarter without scoring, it’s usually a safe bet that team ends up losing. But the key word here is “usually.” That didn’t prove true Wednesday night when New Kent’s Lady Trojans entertained Bruton’s Lady Panthers. After building a 14-5 lead through one quarter, Bruton failed to score in the second, getting off just three shots from the floor. But the Lady Trojans had scoring problems of their own spread over more than one period. Bruton recovered in the second half to post a 53-32 victory, dropping New Kent to 3-8 on the season….
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Trojans awaken in second half to turn back Jamestown, 70-55
Awakening from a first half slumber, New Kent’s Trojans nearly equaled their first half scoring output in the third quarter alone in tonight’s basketball encounter with Jamestown’s visiting Eagles. The Trojans took command in the third quarter, regaining the lead for good and going on from there to a 70-55 triumph. For the hosts, the first half became one to forget. The Trojans got off only 18 shots from the floor, sinking just seven, while turning the ball over on 13 occasions. “We weren’t very sharp and not very crisp,” said Trojan coach Ronnie Cox. “We seemed to be going…
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Christian remains humble in return trip to Virginia
A simple social media post from current Mt. St. Mary’s head coach and New Kent native Jamion Christian can summarize his return trip to Virginia last Friday night. “Passing through my hometown of New Kent on our way to Norfolk… made me miss home!” Christian, who helped lead New Kent High School to the 2000 Group A state basketball championship and a perfect 26-0 record, returned to the area with his Mountaineers to take on Norfolk State University’s Spartans in Norfolk. Coming in, the Mountaineers were 0-8 on the road this season (3-9 overall) having fallen to a series of…
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Basketball career comes full circle for former CC standout
Destiny is defined as the power that determines the course of events. For former Charles City Lady Panther standout basketball player Deborah Smith, her destiny entitled tying roots of her hometown into her collegiate basketball year. The junior guard who attends North Carolina A&T University found familiar opposition Monday night as her team faced the Lady Camels of Campbell University, the same opposition that faced her beginning nearly 10 years ago. Smith played her middle school and freshman year of basketball at Charles City, exceeding at those levels and receiving interests from multiple colleges. Smith transferred to Hampton High School…
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Goodlet propels Lady Trojans past Lady Panthers as New Kent sweeps series
When down by seven with the final minutes ticking away and the outcome appearing bleak, getting the ball in the hands of a seasoned veteran playmaker can sometimes pay off — like in mounting a rally to pull out a nail-biter at the end. That scenario played out for New Kent’s Lady Trojans tonight (Thursday) on the road at Charles City in the second installment of the teams’ annual home and home rivalry. Lady Trojan senior guard Adrienne Goodlet scored her team’s final eight points to cap a furious comeback for a 51-50 victory over the Lady Panthers. Charles City…
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Trojans’ 23 threes set records on BRD, state levels
New Kent’s Trojans sank 23 of 45 shots from three-point range during a Dec. 19 game at Poquoson, setting a Bay Rivers District record for number of threes and a state record for shooting accuracy. New Kent coach Ronnie Cox said based on statistics complied by Daily Press sports reporter Marty O’Brien, the 23 threes sets a district record and is the fourth highest ever in state history. The total is also the 18th highest in the U.S., and is the highest percentage ever in the state for 20 or more threes in a single game. So far this season,…
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Heartbreak as Panthers lose at buzzer against King and Queen
Fans of the Charles City Panthers basketball team are probably tired of hearing the following scenario: big lead, comeback, back-and-forth game, buzzer beater. King and Queen’s Alex Holmes hit a fadeaway jumper in front of Panther defenders as time expired, pulling a huge upset with a 77-75 win for the visiting Tigers. The win is King and Queen’s first victory in over two years. Early on, the host Panthers and Tigers alternated leads throughout the opening frame. Charles City opened some distance between the visitors thanks to an 8-0 run midway in the second quarter to give the Panthers a…
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Shooting struggles, Lafayette penetration sink New Kent
Dropping a 73-64 decision to Lafayette’s Rams is not what New Kent Trojan basketball coach Ronnie Cox envisioned heading into the long holiday break. But there is a bit of consolation. “We’re a lot better [4-4] than we were at this time last year,” he said after falling to the invading Rams on Dec. 20. “But we need a break.” Two events set the stage for the outcome. First on the list — penetration down the lane on the part of Lafayette’s guards, often for easy baskets. “We couldn’t stop them, and we didn’t rotate very well,” said Cox. Then…
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Lady Trojans lackluster in loss
New Kent Lady Trojan coach Ayla Young’s post-game assessment pretty much summed up her team’s performance during an 82-30 thumping administered by Poquoson’s visiting Islanders. “We had a little bit of a good effort for about one minute, and that was about it,” she said. The Lady Trojans jumped on top in the Dec. 18 basketball encounter. Anna Mathis scored off the opening tap for a 2-0 lead. But the Islanders’ Sarah Davis answered with a three, and the hosts entered a five-minute scoring drought. By the first quarter’s end, the visitors were in firm control, up 18-3. “We were…
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