#1 Hermitage 27, Henrico 12
#3 Dinwiddie 61, Smithfield 38
#6 Highland Springs 47, Woodside 12
#7 Monacan 28, Glen Allen 0
#8 Lee-Davis 30, Mills Godwin 0
#10 Hopewell 54, Tabb 19
#11 Varina 30, Meadowbrook 6
Matoaca 31, Cosby 13
Midlothian 26, Powhatan 21
Prince George 21, Clover Hill 20
Deep Run 13, Atlee 7
Petersburg 36, John Marshall 6
Bruton 28, King William 14
Colonial Heights 20, New Kent 14
FRIDAY:
#1 Manchester 23, Riverbend 16
#5 Thomas Dale 36, #4 L.C. Bird 6
James River 22, #9 Douglas Freeman 20
Huguenot 34, Jamestown 24
Benedictine 31, St. John Paul The Great 7
St. Christopher's 26, Trinity Episcopal 0
Goochland 32, Fork Union Military Academy 0
Louisa 48, Chancellor 14
MONDAY:
Patrick Henry at Caroline, 5pm (airtime at 4:30pm on 102.9 FM, 1430 AM and online here at RVASportsNetwork.com)
The RVA Sports Network is your home for high school sports and more in Central Virginia! We are the home for over 50 live high school and college game broadcasts annually, and producers of the "In The Red Zone Podcast"! Follow us on Twitter at @TheRVASportsNet and on Facebook and Instagram at rvasportsnetwork.
Thursday, August 31, 2017
Wednesday, August 30, 2017
WEEK 2 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE (WITH CHANGES)
With the remnants of Hurricane Harvey moving towards Virginia for the early part of the Labor Day Weekend, there have been several schedule changes for Week 2 of high school football. The most current schedule is below:
THURSDAY 8/31:
GAME OF THE WEEK: #8 Lee-Davis (0-0) at Mills Godwin (1-0), 7:30pm (Airtime 7:15pm on RVA Sports Network by CLICKING HERE)
Henrico (0-0) at #1T Hermitage (1-0), 7pm
Smithfield at #3 Dinwiddie (1-0), 7pm
Woodside at #6 Highland Springs (0-1), 7:30pm
Glen Allen (0-0) at #7 Monacan (1-0), 7:30pm
#10 Hopewell (0-1) at Tabb, 7pm
Meadowbrook (0-1) at #11 Varina (0-0), 7pm
Matoaca (0-0) at Cosby (0-1), 7:30pm
Deep Run (0-0) at Atlee (0-0), 7pm
Midlothian (0-1) at Powhatan (0-0), 7:30pm
Prince George (0-0) at Clover Hill (0-1), 7pm
Colonial Heights (0-0) at New Kent (0-0), 7pm
FRIDAY 9/1:
GAME OF THE WEEK: Patrick Henry (0-0) at Caroline (0-1), 7pm (Airtime 6:30pm on 102.9 FM, 1430 AM, online by CLICKING HERE, and on TuneIn Radio App (search "102.9 Richmond"))
#1T Manchester (0-0) at Riverbend (1-0), 7pm
#4 L.C. Bird (1-0) at #5 Thomas Dale (1-0), 6pm
#9 Douglas Freeman (1-0) at James River (0-1), 7pm
Jamestown (0-0) at Huguenot (1-0), 7pm
Louisa (1-0) at Chancellor (0-1), 7pm
FUMA at Goochland (1-0), 6pm
St. Christopher's (0-0) at Trinity Episcopal (1-0), 4pm
St. Paul The Great at Benedictine (0-0), 4:30pm
THURSDAY 8/31:
GAME OF THE WEEK: #8 Lee-Davis (0-0) at Mills Godwin (1-0), 7:30pm (Airtime 7:15pm on RVA Sports Network by CLICKING HERE)
Henrico (0-0) at #1T Hermitage (1-0), 7pm
Smithfield at #3 Dinwiddie (1-0), 7pm
Woodside at #6 Highland Springs (0-1), 7:30pm
Glen Allen (0-0) at #7 Monacan (1-0), 7:30pm
#10 Hopewell (0-1) at Tabb, 7pm
Meadowbrook (0-1) at #11 Varina (0-0), 7pm
Matoaca (0-0) at Cosby (0-1), 7:30pm
Deep Run (0-0) at Atlee (0-0), 7pm
Midlothian (0-1) at Powhatan (0-0), 7:30pm
Prince George (0-0) at Clover Hill (0-1), 7pm
Colonial Heights (0-0) at New Kent (0-0), 7pm
FRIDAY 9/1:
GAME OF THE WEEK: Patrick Henry (0-0) at Caroline (0-1), 7pm (Airtime 6:30pm on 102.9 FM, 1430 AM, online by CLICKING HERE, and on TuneIn Radio App (search "102.9 Richmond"))
#1T Manchester (0-0) at Riverbend (1-0), 7pm
#4 L.C. Bird (1-0) at #5 Thomas Dale (1-0), 6pm
#9 Douglas Freeman (1-0) at James River (0-1), 7pm
Jamestown (0-0) at Huguenot (1-0), 7pm
Louisa (1-0) at Chancellor (0-1), 7pm
FUMA at Goochland (1-0), 6pm
St. Christopher's (0-0) at Trinity Episcopal (1-0), 4pm
St. Paul The Great at Benedictine (0-0), 4:30pm
Monday, August 28, 2017
#Big12Poll: Lancers, Panthers Begin Season Tied For Top
It's an early dead heat between two teams that will square off on October 27 as Manchester and Hermitage are tied atop the first NBC12/RVA Sports Network Big 12 High School Football Poll, the Lancers getting set for their season debut Friday at Riverbend, while the Panthers, coming off a last-second 14-9 win at Highland Springs, get Henrico at Chester Fritz Stadium on Friday as well.
1T) Manchester (0-0)
1T) Hermitage (1-0)
3) Dinwiddie (1-0)
4) L.C. Bird (1-0)
5) Thomas Dale (1-0)
6) Highland Springs (0-1)
7) Monacan (1-0, pictured below)
8) Lee-Davis (0-0)
9) Douglas Freeman (1-0)
10) Hopewell (0-1)
11) Varina (0-0)
12) Goochland (1-0)
Also Receiving Votes: Henrico (0-0), Benedictine (0-0), Collegiate (0-0)
1T) Manchester (0-0)
1T) Hermitage (1-0)
3) Dinwiddie (1-0)
4) L.C. Bird (1-0)
5) Thomas Dale (1-0)
6) Highland Springs (0-1)
7) Monacan (1-0, pictured below)
8) Lee-Davis (0-0)
9) Douglas Freeman (1-0)
10) Hopewell (0-1)
11) Varina (0-0)
12) Goochland (1-0)
Also Receiving Votes: Henrico (0-0), Benedictine (0-0), Collegiate (0-0)
Friday, August 25, 2017
WEEK 1 FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD
THURSDAY:
L.C. Bird 33, Meadowbrook 7
FRIDAY:
Monacan 26, Hanover 14
Hermitage 14, Highland Springs 9
Thomas Dale 45, Cosby 0
J.R. Tucker 41, Caroline 6
Mills Godwin 14, Clover Hill 7
Douglas Freeman 41, Midlothian 21
I.C. Norcom 18, Hopewell 14
Riverbend 39, James River 14
Huguenot 35, Booker T. Washington 6
Dinwiddie 70, Denbigh 0
Charles City 28, Cumberland 18
Woodgrove 70, Armstrong 12
Louisa 41, Courtland 7
Goochland 45, Thomas Jefferson 14
Prince Edward 52, King William 46
L.C. Bird 33, Meadowbrook 7
FRIDAY:
Monacan 26, Hanover 14
Hermitage 14, Highland Springs 9
Thomas Dale 45, Cosby 0
J.R. Tucker 41, Caroline 6
Mills Godwin 14, Clover Hill 7
Douglas Freeman 41, Midlothian 21
I.C. Norcom 18, Hopewell 14
Riverbend 39, James River 14
Huguenot 35, Booker T. Washington 6
Dinwiddie 70, Denbigh 0
Charles City 28, Cumberland 18
Woodgrove 70, Armstrong 12
Louisa 41, Courtland 7
Goochland 45, Thomas Jefferson 14
Prince Edward 52, King William 46
CHANGE: Richmond Football Season Opener Postponed Due To Hurricane
Hurricane Harvey has forced the postponement of the season opening game for the Richmond Spiders football team.
The seventh-ranked Spiders were to face third-ranked Sam Houston State Sunday night in a nationally televised contest, but the forecasts of Hurricane Harvey reaching landfall by Saturday morning northeast of Corpus Christi, Texas, then slowing down to create possibly historic rainfall totals in several Texas cities, including Houston, forced officials to make the decision to not try to play the game.
Sam Houston State is 70 miles north of Houston, but expects to receive possibly major effects of Harvey. There is no new date and time yet for the game.
"First of all our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by the storm," said Spiders Interim Athletic Director David Walsh in a press release from the school late Friday morning. "Given the circumstances we feel this is the best, safest decision we can make in an effort to protect the well-being of the student-athletes and staff on both sides."
The Spiders now begin to focus on their new season opener, at home, versus Colgate set for Saturday, September 9th at 1pm at Robins Stadium. The only bye week on Richmond's schedule is the weekend of September 30th, but the Bearkats are scheduled to be at Central Arkansas that Saturday.
The seventh-ranked Spiders were to face third-ranked Sam Houston State Sunday night in a nationally televised contest, but the forecasts of Hurricane Harvey reaching landfall by Saturday morning northeast of Corpus Christi, Texas, then slowing down to create possibly historic rainfall totals in several Texas cities, including Houston, forced officials to make the decision to not try to play the game.
Sam Houston State is 70 miles north of Houston, but expects to receive possibly major effects of Harvey. There is no new date and time yet for the game.
"First of all our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by the storm," said Spiders Interim Athletic Director David Walsh in a press release from the school late Friday morning. "Given the circumstances we feel this is the best, safest decision we can make in an effort to protect the well-being of the student-athletes and staff on both sides."
The Spiders now begin to focus on their new season opener, at home, versus Colgate set for Saturday, September 9th at 1pm at Robins Stadium. The only bye week on Richmond's schedule is the weekend of September 30th, but the Bearkats are scheduled to be at Central Arkansas that Saturday.
LISTEN LIVE: Game Of The Week: Monacan At Hanover
Press play to listen to the Chiefs and Hawks tonight at 6:45pm only on The RVA Sports Network!
Wednesday, August 23, 2017
WEEK 1 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Here's #TheLineUp for Week 1 of the 2017 high school football season and all you need to know!
THURSDAY AUGUST 24:
L.C. Bird 33, Meadowbrook 7
FRIDAY AUGUST 25:
#GameOfTheWeek Live Broadcast: Monacan at Hanover, 7pm (listen live on RVA Sports Network on our YouTube Channel, airtime 6:45pm by CLICKING HERE)
Hermitage at Highland Springs, 7pm (Live Tweet Coverage on @henricosports, game can be heard on 96.1 FM)
Mills Godwin at Clover Hill, 7pm (Twitter Updates: @henricosports & @cfieldsports)
Midlothian at Douglas Freeman, 7pm (Twitter Updates: @cfieldsports & @henricosports)
Denbigh at Dinwiddie, 7pm (Twitter Updates: @TheRVASportsNet)
Caroline at J.R. Tucker, 7pm (Twitter Updates: @TheRVASportsNet & @henricosports)
Booker T. Washington at Huguenot, 7pm (Twitter Updates: @TheRVASportsNet)
James River at Riverbend, 7pm (Twitter Updates: @cfieldsports)
Cosby at Thomas Dale, 7pm (Twitter Updates: @cfieldsports)
I.C. Norcom at Hopewell, 7pm (Twitter Updates:@TheRVASportsNet)
Thomas Jefferson at Goochland, 7pm (Twitter Updates: @TheRVASportsNet)
Cumberland at Charles City, 7pm
King William at Prince Edward, 7pm
Courtland at Louisa, 7:30pm
THURSDAY AUGUST 24:
L.C. Bird 33, Meadowbrook 7
FRIDAY AUGUST 25:
#GameOfTheWeek Live Broadcast: Monacan at Hanover, 7pm (listen live on RVA Sports Network on our YouTube Channel, airtime 6:45pm by CLICKING HERE)
Hermitage at Highland Springs, 7pm (Live Tweet Coverage on @henricosports, game can be heard on 96.1 FM)
Mills Godwin at Clover Hill, 7pm (Twitter Updates: @henricosports & @cfieldsports)
Midlothian at Douglas Freeman, 7pm (Twitter Updates: @cfieldsports & @henricosports)
Denbigh at Dinwiddie, 7pm (Twitter Updates: @TheRVASportsNet)
Caroline at J.R. Tucker, 7pm (Twitter Updates: @TheRVASportsNet & @henricosports)
Booker T. Washington at Huguenot, 7pm (Twitter Updates: @TheRVASportsNet)
James River at Riverbend, 7pm (Twitter Updates: @cfieldsports)
Cosby at Thomas Dale, 7pm (Twitter Updates: @cfieldsports)
I.C. Norcom at Hopewell, 7pm (Twitter Updates:
Courtland at Louisa, 7:30pm
SPECIAL REPORT AND COMMENTARY: RVA Reaching Critical Crossroads
For decades, when discussions began concerning the lack of growth overall in the metropolitan Richmond area, the "Charlotte Comparison" would be introduced.
Indeed, in the 1970 United States Census, the city of Richmond was 57th, Charlotte 60th, with 8,400 residents separating the two. Over the next four decades, Charlotte grew, and grew. Southeastern bank headquarters flocked there. In sports, Charlotte was the home of the booming NASCAR. In 1988, they were awarded an NBA franchise, and the race was over.
In the 2010 United States Census, Charlotte is 17th, while Richmond is now 102nd.
In the 21st Century, however, Richmond has shown a strong penchant for becoming known in certain entertainment areas, from having one of the best craft beer scenes in the nation, to a growing number of well-respected restaurants, plus one of the best community run/walk events in America in the Momument Avenue 5K. Richmonders have proven that if they want something, they're willing to work hard to get it.
We look at where RVA is, and where RVA is strong, because this area is quickly approaching a crossroads from a sporting perspective, one which will decide what kind of sports and entertainment city Richmond, Virginia really is for the preponderance of the 21st Century. The signs have been all along the road of 2017.
*****
In 2009, the Richmond Flying Squirrels announced their arrival to The Diamond, where they would play until a new promised stadium was built. That promise was a large part of the reason the franchise moved south to replace the longtime Braves, who pulled out of Richmond after the 2008 season, and some embarrassing incidents and conditions at an aging Diamond.
The Squirrels conclude their eighth season in Richmond soon, and there is no new field of dreams in sight.
The franchise, however, watched as Richmond, under former mayor Dwight Jones, lavished a new training facility for the Washington Redskins to lure them to town for about three weeks each summer. Fans packed the Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Center for the first two years. Then, the "RGIII" bloom fell off the rose, the team struggled, vendors became unhappy with the city, and maybe, casual fans began to realize that, in the late July and early August heat and humidity, all they were seeing us, in fact, practice. The team again this year did not release daily attendance figures at camp as they glowingly did back in 2013. Now, new mayor Levar Stoney has entered renegotiation talks with the team, who have three years remaining in the original eight-year contract with the city to practice here.
And, in case you were on vacation in late June, it was announced that investors, led by the CEO of Dominion Energy, were actively pursuing plans for a new arena to finally replace the out of date Richmond Coliseum, opened 46 years ago, and in desperate need of replacement.
As musical and other acts once skipped Richmond to play in Washington and Tidewater, for the past decade, Richmond has seen its share of possible concert and event business snub them in favor of the John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville. Still, city officials have been very reluctant to bring Richmond a premier sports and entertainment arena for the 21st Century.
So, as you can see, within a one month period, the new arena talk became public, the Flying Squirrels won the rights to host the 2019 Eastern League All-Star Game (it'll be at The Diamond), and the Redskins came and left, the result another ho-hum training camp from an attendance standpoint.
Critics of the use of any tax dollars, especially by the City of Richmond, can immediately point to the deplorable conditions at George Mason Elementary School as reason not to spend money on large facilities that, in some's view, only serve entertainment purposes.
On the other hand, hotel owners and employees, and all those restaurants being lauded here in RVA, would love to see A-List music artists and other big events populate a new state-of-the-art arena. It would help sustain jobs, add others, and, at worst, keep the businesses alive and hopefully growing.
Governor Terry McAuliffe, a long-time proponent of bringing the Washington Redskins into a new stadium in Northern Virginia, wants to replicate the public/private partnership happening now with the construction of the new stadium for the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers, making the stadium a year-round destination with businesses all around, always open, in effect, muting the argument of spending hundreds of millions of dollars for a venue open just 20 times a year for their main tenants.
This theory could work in both the arena and baseball stadium situations. In fact, the baseball park has part of it already built in, with SportsBackers Stadium behind it, the Redskins Training Center nearby, as is the beautiful BowTie MovieLand Cinema complex on Leigh Street. However, the Greyhound Bus Station, built a few years before The Diamond, is an eyesore.
******
The final issue that has long delayed any true progress in any of these areas has been, of course, regional cooperation. Henrico, Chesterfield, and Hanover Counties have been reticent about playing a role in making a new arena or stadium come to fruition. After all, they're not being built in their jurisdiction, thus, taxes aren't coming into the coffers.....unless Richmond is willing to share on the back end.
In the end, everyone seems to be waiting for everyone else to make the much-needed and long overdue first move so that these dominoes can finally begin to fall. We are hoping Dominion Energy's late June talk of finally getting a new arena project going will be that first domino.
The bottom line is simple. If a new baseball stadium isn't built, soon, the Flying Squirrels, who have been one of the best community providers of sports, entertainment, opportunity and philanthropy this city has ever seen, will sadly pull up stakes, and bless another city instead, one willing to give them something that was promised to them here eight years ago: a real home. That's not too much to ask.
In 1984, after the end of the Richmond Braves' season, immediately, Parker Field was demolished, and, in the offseason, The Diamond sprang to life. The Braves opened the 1985 season on an extended road trip, then, by mid-April 1985, they christened their new home. That was 32 years ago.
There's no reason why this couldn't happen again, should it be determined that their current location is the best option for the new stadium. Send the Squirrels on a road trip in mid-August to complete a season. Immediately begin work on the new stadium, which can be a bit smaller, and more quaint, but with modern features.
At the same time, we propose the demolition of the Arthur Ashe Center nearby to use that space for parking. The Center is aging, too, and is nowhere close to being fully utilized. Its busiest season is winter for indoor track, and some high school basketball. Most weekends, Richmond-area high schools travel to the Boo Williams facility in Hampton for track meets. The favor is almost never returned.
Build a new Arthur Ashe Center in Eastern Henrico near Dorey Park or White Oak Village, which will bring hundreds, and sometimes a few thousand people to it for meets and other events. Let Varina and Highland Springs play a basketball doubleheader there, alternating years as "home" team. If Dorey Park is too far from White Oak Village for some people's taste, build it near the airport. That brings some monies back to one of your regional partners. It can also be used by AAU basketball programs for their year-round tournaments. More traffic, more business.
If Virginia State and Virginia Union continue to hold The Freedom Classic on Martin Luther King Weekend at the Coliseum, then why not a city basketball doubleheader at the new Ashe Center on that Monday or previous Friday? Would fans go 10 miles to watch TJ play Armstrong and John Marshall battle George Wythe, for example? Of course, they would.
With talk of some sort of train station stop at the Boulevard, that could only enhance the prospects of continued growth around what could be the future home of "The New Diamond".
As for downtown, there's little choice but to build a new arena next to the current Coliseum, then utilize the old Coliseum land for parking. Note to city leaders, lots of parking. Create plenty and make it affordable, and once and for all kill the notion in people's minds that "I won't go downtown, there's nowhere to park, and when you find it, it's too expensive!"
With low parking fees, you entice fans. Then, if you want them to spend $12 for a chicken tenders basket at the arena, so be it. There, they have a choice. In getting to the venue, they don't. And, use this time to recreate business opportunity around the new arena so the restaurant and hospitality businesses can thrive.
With the Greater Richmond Convention Center right next door, imagine a new arena with regular tenants from indoor football to, dare we say, hockey (Hampton Roads is back in the ECHL, you know...), restart the old holiday college basketball doubleheader featuring four state teams rotating yearly (VCU vs ODU in a new 15,000 seat arena? Sellout....), keep the Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball Championship, then go after other like events. Aggressively court LiveNation and get more musical acts in the arena. World Wrestling Entertainment, one tenant that hasn't abandoned the Coliseum, coming to Richmond for their "Raw" or "Smackdown" TV shows at least twice a year, would be thrilled.
In other words, make Richmond the destination it has always had the potential to be.
One of the biggest events of my media career was a weekend spent at the Richmond Coliseum covering the first two rounds of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament in 1990. UVA, Syracuse, Notre Dame were the headliners. The city was alive and electric, and so was the action. Thousands of people in, and around, the Coliseum.
We have, from a people standpoint, the infrastructure to put on large-scale events. Ask the folks with UCI 2015.
Richmond is quickly approaching a crossroads, and, we feel we'll reach it sometime by the turn of the decade. We hope that the year 2020 will be populated by the christening of a new "Diamond" on the Boulevard, surrounded by tons of nightlife choices, a beautiful new Arthur Ashe Arena, a building worthy of such a namesake, filled over 100 days a year by scholastic and college student-athletes, finally breaking the stranglehold of the Boo Williams facility in Hampton, and, dirt flying downtown as our new arena, whether it's named after Dominion Energy or not, rises from its foundation.
Or, we could have the same old aging, dying facilities, the end of a decade run from the Squirrels, and the same old bickering which has paralyzed this region for too many years.
There are signs of life. Richmond Raceway, despite lower NASCAR attendance figures, will spend $30 million on upgrades, especially to the infield of the track, lauded as one of the best in the sport, to make races there as interactive for fans as humanly possible. The Richmond Kickers, with their lease completed with the city for City Stadium, will steadily improve another aging facility in our town while providing a product that gets more popular each year and brings international talent to our city. We applaud both of these organizations.
The Richmond Region's biggest corporate residents must step up. It's in their best interests to commit serious funds to these projects. Offer up naming rights. We won't complain if we see, for example, less television commercials (sorry, Gene Cox!) if the new baseball stadium is called "Elephant Insurance Park". Richmond's corporate tenants must come together and really show they are as committed to the long-term future of Richmond as its residents, and, hopefully, its leaders.
As for the City of Richmond? That George Mason Elementary School finds itself in its current condition is a travesty and an indictment of the previous administration and each member of City Council and School Board. Yes, huge investments are needed in the school system, not to mention other areas of vital city offerings (police, fire, etc). Huguenot High School is a fine example of what can be done.
But, did you ever stop to think this? Dozens and dozens of other cities around the nation have been able to build new schools, renovate others, provide for first responders, and help build entertainment centers in ways where said city would recoup monies for decades. In the 1970's, Cleveland was on the brink of bankruptcy. Twenty years later, the baseball world all wanted to descend on the new Jacobs Field, a crown jewel of Major League Baseball. Of the $175 million spent to create the stadium, $91 million came from Indians ownership, $84 million from a 15-year "sin tax" on cigarettes and alcohol. The stadium deal also included the current home of Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Voters there have approved the tax's extension to, in part, continuing to keep those facilities, and the Cleveland Browns' stadium, to receive upkeep.
It's past time for investment, for actual prudent financial allotment, and time for everyone in the Richmond Region, no matter how much, or how little, skin you have in the game, to get our beloved city set for the next 50 years. Create a non-profit partnership to oversee the projects, and their upkeep, so we don't get into this predicament again.
Richmond Region Tourism does a fine job promoting current facilities from SwimRVA and River City SportsPlex to RF&P Park, Strikers Park, and others for youth sports. They've proven people are happy to come to Richmond.
Fifty years ago, we were on par with Charlotte, North Carolina. Today? They have two professional teams and a reputation for being a progressive city in the "New South". Richmond can either, finally, push the button and secure for our city, our next 50 years, or we can sit in our individual craft beer parties and suburban restaurants and lament how Richmond can't get much done.
Well, we are Richmond. So, let us begin.
*********
We are happy to hear your thoughts and comments (keep them respectful or they will be deleted) in the comment section below. We know full well these are suggestions, there are plenty of holes in these thoughts, which is why public/private and regional partnerships are needed, yesterday, to tackle the issues and begin to finally move this albatross forward, and create a soaring eagle instead.
Indeed, in the 1970 United States Census, the city of Richmond was 57th, Charlotte 60th, with 8,400 residents separating the two. Over the next four decades, Charlotte grew, and grew. Southeastern bank headquarters flocked there. In sports, Charlotte was the home of the booming NASCAR. In 1988, they were awarded an NBA franchise, and the race was over.
In the 2010 United States Census, Charlotte is 17th, while Richmond is now 102nd.
In the 21st Century, however, Richmond has shown a strong penchant for becoming known in certain entertainment areas, from having one of the best craft beer scenes in the nation, to a growing number of well-respected restaurants, plus one of the best community run/walk events in America in the Momument Avenue 5K. Richmonders have proven that if they want something, they're willing to work hard to get it.
We look at where RVA is, and where RVA is strong, because this area is quickly approaching a crossroads from a sporting perspective, one which will decide what kind of sports and entertainment city Richmond, Virginia really is for the preponderance of the 21st Century. The signs have been all along the road of 2017.
*****
In 2009, the Richmond Flying Squirrels announced their arrival to The Diamond, where they would play until a new promised stadium was built. That promise was a large part of the reason the franchise moved south to replace the longtime Braves, who pulled out of Richmond after the 2008 season, and some embarrassing incidents and conditions at an aging Diamond.
The Squirrels conclude their eighth season in Richmond soon, and there is no new field of dreams in sight.
The franchise, however, watched as Richmond, under former mayor Dwight Jones, lavished a new training facility for the Washington Redskins to lure them to town for about three weeks each summer. Fans packed the Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Center for the first two years. Then, the "RGIII" bloom fell off the rose, the team struggled, vendors became unhappy with the city, and maybe, casual fans began to realize that, in the late July and early August heat and humidity, all they were seeing us, in fact, practice. The team again this year did not release daily attendance figures at camp as they glowingly did back in 2013. Now, new mayor Levar Stoney has entered renegotiation talks with the team, who have three years remaining in the original eight-year contract with the city to practice here.
And, in case you were on vacation in late June, it was announced that investors, led by the CEO of Dominion Energy, were actively pursuing plans for a new arena to finally replace the out of date Richmond Coliseum, opened 46 years ago, and in desperate need of replacement.
As musical and other acts once skipped Richmond to play in Washington and Tidewater, for the past decade, Richmond has seen its share of possible concert and event business snub them in favor of the John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville. Still, city officials have been very reluctant to bring Richmond a premier sports and entertainment arena for the 21st Century.
So, as you can see, within a one month period, the new arena talk became public, the Flying Squirrels won the rights to host the 2019 Eastern League All-Star Game (it'll be at The Diamond), and the Redskins came and left, the result another ho-hum training camp from an attendance standpoint.
Critics of the use of any tax dollars, especially by the City of Richmond, can immediately point to the deplorable conditions at George Mason Elementary School as reason not to spend money on large facilities that, in some's view, only serve entertainment purposes.
On the other hand, hotel owners and employees, and all those restaurants being lauded here in RVA, would love to see A-List music artists and other big events populate a new state-of-the-art arena. It would help sustain jobs, add others, and, at worst, keep the businesses alive and hopefully growing.
Governor Terry McAuliffe, a long-time proponent of bringing the Washington Redskins into a new stadium in Northern Virginia, wants to replicate the public/private partnership happening now with the construction of the new stadium for the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers, making the stadium a year-round destination with businesses all around, always open, in effect, muting the argument of spending hundreds of millions of dollars for a venue open just 20 times a year for their main tenants.
This theory could work in both the arena and baseball stadium situations. In fact, the baseball park has part of it already built in, with SportsBackers Stadium behind it, the Redskins Training Center nearby, as is the beautiful BowTie MovieLand Cinema complex on Leigh Street. However, the Greyhound Bus Station, built a few years before The Diamond, is an eyesore.
******
The final issue that has long delayed any true progress in any of these areas has been, of course, regional cooperation. Henrico, Chesterfield, and Hanover Counties have been reticent about playing a role in making a new arena or stadium come to fruition. After all, they're not being built in their jurisdiction, thus, taxes aren't coming into the coffers.....unless Richmond is willing to share on the back end.
In the end, everyone seems to be waiting for everyone else to make the much-needed and long overdue first move so that these dominoes can finally begin to fall. We are hoping Dominion Energy's late June talk of finally getting a new arena project going will be that first domino.
The bottom line is simple. If a new baseball stadium isn't built, soon, the Flying Squirrels, who have been one of the best community providers of sports, entertainment, opportunity and philanthropy this city has ever seen, will sadly pull up stakes, and bless another city instead, one willing to give them something that was promised to them here eight years ago: a real home. That's not too much to ask.
In 1984, after the end of the Richmond Braves' season, immediately, Parker Field was demolished, and, in the offseason, The Diamond sprang to life. The Braves opened the 1985 season on an extended road trip, then, by mid-April 1985, they christened their new home. That was 32 years ago.
There's no reason why this couldn't happen again, should it be determined that their current location is the best option for the new stadium. Send the Squirrels on a road trip in mid-August to complete a season. Immediately begin work on the new stadium, which can be a bit smaller, and more quaint, but with modern features.
At the same time, we propose the demolition of the Arthur Ashe Center nearby to use that space for parking. The Center is aging, too, and is nowhere close to being fully utilized. Its busiest season is winter for indoor track, and some high school basketball. Most weekends, Richmond-area high schools travel to the Boo Williams facility in Hampton for track meets. The favor is almost never returned.
Build a new Arthur Ashe Center in Eastern Henrico near Dorey Park or White Oak Village, which will bring hundreds, and sometimes a few thousand people to it for meets and other events. Let Varina and Highland Springs play a basketball doubleheader there, alternating years as "home" team. If Dorey Park is too far from White Oak Village for some people's taste, build it near the airport. That brings some monies back to one of your regional partners. It can also be used by AAU basketball programs for their year-round tournaments. More traffic, more business.
If Virginia State and Virginia Union continue to hold The Freedom Classic on Martin Luther King Weekend at the Coliseum, then why not a city basketball doubleheader at the new Ashe Center on that Monday or previous Friday? Would fans go 10 miles to watch TJ play Armstrong and John Marshall battle George Wythe, for example? Of course, they would.
With talk of some sort of train station stop at the Boulevard, that could only enhance the prospects of continued growth around what could be the future home of "The New Diamond".
As for downtown, there's little choice but to build a new arena next to the current Coliseum, then utilize the old Coliseum land for parking. Note to city leaders, lots of parking. Create plenty and make it affordable, and once and for all kill the notion in people's minds that "I won't go downtown, there's nowhere to park, and when you find it, it's too expensive!"
With low parking fees, you entice fans. Then, if you want them to spend $12 for a chicken tenders basket at the arena, so be it. There, they have a choice. In getting to the venue, they don't. And, use this time to recreate business opportunity around the new arena so the restaurant and hospitality businesses can thrive.
With the Greater Richmond Convention Center right next door, imagine a new arena with regular tenants from indoor football to, dare we say, hockey (Hampton Roads is back in the ECHL, you know...), restart the old holiday college basketball doubleheader featuring four state teams rotating yearly (VCU vs ODU in a new 15,000 seat arena? Sellout....), keep the Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball Championship, then go after other like events. Aggressively court LiveNation and get more musical acts in the arena. World Wrestling Entertainment, one tenant that hasn't abandoned the Coliseum, coming to Richmond for their "Raw" or "Smackdown" TV shows at least twice a year, would be thrilled.
In other words, make Richmond the destination it has always had the potential to be.
One of the biggest events of my media career was a weekend spent at the Richmond Coliseum covering the first two rounds of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament in 1990. UVA, Syracuse, Notre Dame were the headliners. The city was alive and electric, and so was the action. Thousands of people in, and around, the Coliseum.
We have, from a people standpoint, the infrastructure to put on large-scale events. Ask the folks with UCI 2015.
Richmond is quickly approaching a crossroads, and, we feel we'll reach it sometime by the turn of the decade. We hope that the year 2020 will be populated by the christening of a new "Diamond" on the Boulevard, surrounded by tons of nightlife choices, a beautiful new Arthur Ashe Arena, a building worthy of such a namesake, filled over 100 days a year by scholastic and college student-athletes, finally breaking the stranglehold of the Boo Williams facility in Hampton, and, dirt flying downtown as our new arena, whether it's named after Dominion Energy or not, rises from its foundation.
Or, we could have the same old aging, dying facilities, the end of a decade run from the Squirrels, and the same old bickering which has paralyzed this region for too many years.
There are signs of life. Richmond Raceway, despite lower NASCAR attendance figures, will spend $30 million on upgrades, especially to the infield of the track, lauded as one of the best in the sport, to make races there as interactive for fans as humanly possible. The Richmond Kickers, with their lease completed with the city for City Stadium, will steadily improve another aging facility in our town while providing a product that gets more popular each year and brings international talent to our city. We applaud both of these organizations.
The Richmond Region's biggest corporate residents must step up. It's in their best interests to commit serious funds to these projects. Offer up naming rights. We won't complain if we see, for example, less television commercials (sorry, Gene Cox!) if the new baseball stadium is called "Elephant Insurance Park". Richmond's corporate tenants must come together and really show they are as committed to the long-term future of Richmond as its residents, and, hopefully, its leaders.
As for the City of Richmond? That George Mason Elementary School finds itself in its current condition is a travesty and an indictment of the previous administration and each member of City Council and School Board. Yes, huge investments are needed in the school system, not to mention other areas of vital city offerings (police, fire, etc). Huguenot High School is a fine example of what can be done.
But, did you ever stop to think this? Dozens and dozens of other cities around the nation have been able to build new schools, renovate others, provide for first responders, and help build entertainment centers in ways where said city would recoup monies for decades. In the 1970's, Cleveland was on the brink of bankruptcy. Twenty years later, the baseball world all wanted to descend on the new Jacobs Field, a crown jewel of Major League Baseball. Of the $175 million spent to create the stadium, $91 million came from Indians ownership, $84 million from a 15-year "sin tax" on cigarettes and alcohol. The stadium deal also included the current home of Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Voters there have approved the tax's extension to, in part, continuing to keep those facilities, and the Cleveland Browns' stadium, to receive upkeep.
It's past time for investment, for actual prudent financial allotment, and time for everyone in the Richmond Region, no matter how much, or how little, skin you have in the game, to get our beloved city set for the next 50 years. Create a non-profit partnership to oversee the projects, and their upkeep, so we don't get into this predicament again.
Richmond Region Tourism does a fine job promoting current facilities from SwimRVA and River City SportsPlex to RF&P Park, Strikers Park, and others for youth sports. They've proven people are happy to come to Richmond.
Fifty years ago, we were on par with Charlotte, North Carolina. Today? They have two professional teams and a reputation for being a progressive city in the "New South". Richmond can either, finally, push the button and secure for our city, our next 50 years, or we can sit in our individual craft beer parties and suburban restaurants and lament how Richmond can't get much done.
Well, we are Richmond. So, let us begin.
*********
We are happy to hear your thoughts and comments (keep them respectful or they will be deleted) in the comment section below. We know full well these are suggestions, there are plenty of holes in these thoughts, which is why public/private and regional partnerships are needed, yesterday, to tackle the issues and begin to finally move this albatross forward, and create a soaring eagle instead.
Tuesday, August 22, 2017
2017-18 RVA Sports Network Changes and Additions!
The new high school season is upon us, as golf is in full swing, field hockey and volleyball are underway, and our Game of The Week Football Doubleheader is coming up Thursday and Friday night!
With all that in mind, we've made a few changes in our coverage, always working to serve you as effectively as possible. Some things, of course, remain the same.
WHAT DIDN'T CHANGE:
1) Our Twitter Network: Our 24/7 hyperlocal feeds are at the heart of what we do. To find coverage for your high school or college, check out the information below. To follow all sports in the region, follow @TheRVASportsNet !
@hanoversports: Atlee, Hanover, Lee-Davis, Patrick Henry, Randolph-Macon College
@henricosports: Deep Run, Douglas Freeman, Glen Allen, Henrico, Hermitage, Highland Springs, J.R. Tucker, Mills Godwin, Varina, Collegiate, Steward
@cfieldsports: Clover Hill, Cosby, James River, L.C. Bird, Manchester, Matoaca, Meadowbrook, Midlothian, Monacan, Thomas Dale, Millwood, Richmond Christian, Life Christian Academy, Virginia State
@TheRVASportsNet: Armstrong, George Wythe, Huguenot, John Marshall, Thomas Jefferson, Colonial Heights, Petersburg, Hopewell, Dinwiddie, Prince George, Amelia, Powhatan, Goochland, Louisa, Caroline, King William, New Kent, Charles City, Trinity Episcopal, Benedictine, St. Christopher's, plus University of Richmond, VCU, Virginia Union, all professional sports.
Follow what you want with hyper-local coverage not found elsewhere, or follow more than one to get all the sports news you want, plus weather, traffic and pertinent news updates.
2) Our Game of The Week: Our 2017-18 broadcast season begins Thursday at football as L.C. Bird faces Meadowbrook. We will provide the most live coverage of many high school sports, not just football, from now through June, so subscribe to our YouTube Channel HERE to get email alerts when we go live, so you never miss a game!
3) Our Facebook and Instagram: More hyper-local coverage on Facebook with photo galleries and other exclusive content at Facebook.com/RVASportsNetwork, Facebook.com/HanoverSports and Facebook.com/HenricoSports. On IG, we are at rvasportsnetwork.....
WHAT HAS CHANGED:
1) New Podcast Names: "Central Region Now!" becomes "RVA Sports Network Now!" and will be heard mid-week during football/fall sports season, moving to Sundays in late November. We are the only podcast dedicated to high school sports in Central Virginia! Follow us on Podbean for alerts when our latest edition is available!
2) Football Podcast Goes Live: "Live At 11:35" from "RVA Sports Network Now!" premieres this Friday following "On The Sidelines" on NBC12. It's the final word on the night in high school football that you've come to expect, only you don't have to wait for the podcast to be produced and edited! We'll have live Twitter Polls, a chat room, and we'll take questions and comments via Twitter. "Live At 11:35" will always be on our YouTube Channel, another reason to subscribe (it's free!)!
3) "Super 6" Polls Become "Super 7": We've decided to add a team to our weekly polls on volleyball, field hockey, soccer and lacrosse. The first Super 7 field hockey, boys and girls volleyball polls will release on Sunday, September 10th.
4) Website Consolidation: We have made the decision to merge HenricoCountySports.net and ChesterfieldCountySports.net into our main website, www.rvasportsnetwork.com, to better give you stories, scores and updates in a more timely manner. Our Hanover County feed, www.hanovercountysports.net, continues without interruption.
*******
We are extremely excited about the 2017-18 school year! A big THANK YOU to you all for your support and for counting on The RVA Sports Network. We always appreciate your feedback as well, so don't hesitate to send us a DM on Twitter or a message on Facebook.
Let the season begin!
With all that in mind, we've made a few changes in our coverage, always working to serve you as effectively as possible. Some things, of course, remain the same.
WHAT DIDN'T CHANGE:
1) Our Twitter Network: Our 24/7 hyperlocal feeds are at the heart of what we do. To find coverage for your high school or college, check out the information below. To follow all sports in the region, follow @TheRVASportsNet !
@hanoversports: Atlee, Hanover, Lee-Davis, Patrick Henry, Randolph-Macon College
@henricosports: Deep Run, Douglas Freeman, Glen Allen, Henrico, Hermitage, Highland Springs, J.R. Tucker, Mills Godwin, Varina, Collegiate, Steward
@cfieldsports: Clover Hill, Cosby, James River, L.C. Bird, Manchester, Matoaca, Meadowbrook, Midlothian, Monacan, Thomas Dale, Millwood, Richmond Christian, Life Christian Academy, Virginia State
@TheRVASportsNet: Armstrong, George Wythe, Huguenot, John Marshall, Thomas Jefferson, Colonial Heights, Petersburg, Hopewell, Dinwiddie, Prince George, Amelia, Powhatan, Goochland, Louisa, Caroline, King William, New Kent, Charles City, Trinity Episcopal, Benedictine, St. Christopher's, plus University of Richmond, VCU, Virginia Union, all professional sports.
Follow what you want with hyper-local coverage not found elsewhere, or follow more than one to get all the sports news you want, plus weather, traffic and pertinent news updates.
2) Our Game of The Week: Our 2017-18 broadcast season begins Thursday at football as L.C. Bird faces Meadowbrook. We will provide the most live coverage of many high school sports, not just football, from now through June, so subscribe to our YouTube Channel HERE to get email alerts when we go live, so you never miss a game!
3) Our Facebook and Instagram: More hyper-local coverage on Facebook with photo galleries and other exclusive content at Facebook.com/RVASportsNetwork, Facebook.com/HanoverSports and Facebook.com/HenricoSports. On IG, we are at rvasportsnetwork.....
WHAT HAS CHANGED:
1) New Podcast Names: "Central Region Now!" becomes "RVA Sports Network Now!" and will be heard mid-week during football/fall sports season, moving to Sundays in late November. We are the only podcast dedicated to high school sports in Central Virginia! Follow us on Podbean for alerts when our latest edition is available!
2) Football Podcast Goes Live: "Live At 11:35" from "RVA Sports Network Now!" premieres this Friday following "On The Sidelines" on NBC12. It's the final word on the night in high school football that you've come to expect, only you don't have to wait for the podcast to be produced and edited! We'll have live Twitter Polls, a chat room, and we'll take questions and comments via Twitter. "Live At 11:35" will always be on our YouTube Channel, another reason to subscribe (it's free!)!
3) "Super 6" Polls Become "Super 7": We've decided to add a team to our weekly polls on volleyball, field hockey, soccer and lacrosse. The first Super 7 field hockey, boys and girls volleyball polls will release on Sunday, September 10th.
4) Website Consolidation: We have made the decision to merge HenricoCountySports.net and ChesterfieldCountySports.net into our main website, www.rvasportsnetwork.com, to better give you stories, scores and updates in a more timely manner. Our Hanover County feed, www.hanovercountysports.net, continues without interruption.
*******
We are extremely excited about the 2017-18 school year! A big THANK YOU to you all for your support and for counting on The RVA Sports Network. We always appreciate your feedback as well, so don't hesitate to send us a DM on Twitter or a message on Facebook.
Let the season begin!
Monday, August 21, 2017
#TheWrap: Monday August 21
(Scroll down for the Tuesday edition of #amRVA, available weekdays at 5am!)
FIELD HOCKEY:
Maggie Walker GS 4, James River 1
Mills Godwin 3, Atlee 0
Midlothian 1, Hanover 0
BOYS VOLLEYBALL:
Douglas Freeman 3, Matoaca 1
Hermitage 3, Meadowbrook 0
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL:
J.R Tucker 3, Manchester 1
Hermitage 3, Meadowbrook 0
*****
TUESDAY LIVE TWEET COVERAGE:
GOLF:
Atlee, Hanover, Lee-Davis vs. Patrick Henry, 1pm on @hanoversports
BOYS VOLLEYBALL:
Patrick Henry at Midlothian, 7pm on @hanoversports and @cfieldsports
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL:
Mills Godwin at Hanover, 7pm on @TaylorRVASN
FIELD HOCKEY:
Maggie Walker GS 4, James River 1
Mills Godwin 3, Atlee 0
Midlothian 1, Hanover 0
BOYS VOLLEYBALL:
Douglas Freeman 3, Matoaca 1
Hermitage 3, Meadowbrook 0
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL:
J.R Tucker 3, Manchester 1
Hermitage 3, Meadowbrook 0
*****
TUESDAY LIVE TWEET COVERAGE:
GOLF:
Atlee, Hanover, Lee-Davis vs. Patrick Henry, 1pm on @hanoversports
BOYS VOLLEYBALL:
Patrick Henry at Midlothian, 7pm on @hanoversports and @cfieldsports
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL:
Mills Godwin at Hanover, 7pm on @TaylorRVASN
#amRVA: Tuesday August 22
Mills Godwin, Midlothian and Maggie Walker all win field hockey openers, plus the latest on former Hermitage football standout Curtis Grant, and a look ahead to tons of high school action Tuesday, all on #amRVA! Listen weekdays after 5am to our exclusive morning mini-podcast by CLICKING HERE!
Sunday, August 20, 2017
#amRVA Returns!
CLICK HERE to listen to the return of the morning mini-podcast of The RVA Sports Network!
Friday, August 11, 2017
Field Hockey: Monday Jamboree Schedule Set
The biggest gathering of field hockey teams in the Richmond area happens in the preseason as squads play controlled scrimmages at River City SportsPlex, hosted by Clover Hill High School.
This year, the Jamboree is Monday, August 14th. The schedule of scrimmages is below!
**********
FIELD #7:
9am: Midlothian vs. Mills Godwin
9:35am: Patrick Henry vs. Cosby
10:10am: Monacan vs. Matoaca
10:45am: Mills Godwin vs. Cosby
11:20am: Monacan vs. Glen Allen
11:55am: Powhatan vs. Thomas Dale
12:30pm: Trinity Episcopal vs. Midlothian
1:05pm: Monacan vs. Hopewell
1:40pm: Patrick Henry vs. Midlothian
2:15pm: Matoaca vs. Glen Allen
FIELD #8:
9am: Powhatan vs. Trinity Episcopal
9:35am: Maggie Walker GS vs. Clover Hill
10:10am: Glen Allen vs. Hopewell
10:45am: Thomas Dale vs. Henrico
11:20am: Maggie Walker GS vs. Trinity Episcopal
11:55am: Matoaca vs. Hopewell
12:30pm: Henrico vs. Clover Hill
1:05pm: Cosby vs. Maggie Walker GS
1:40pm: Thomas Dale vs. Mills Godwin
2:15pm: Powhatan vs. Henrico
2:50pm: Patrick Henry vs. Clover Hill
NOTE: Expect a full photo gallery from the Jamboree on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/rvasportsnetwork !
This year, the Jamboree is Monday, August 14th. The schedule of scrimmages is below!
**********
FIELD #7:
9am: Midlothian vs. Mills Godwin
9:35am: Patrick Henry vs. Cosby
10:10am: Monacan vs. Matoaca
10:45am: Mills Godwin vs. Cosby
11:20am: Monacan vs. Glen Allen
11:55am: Powhatan vs. Thomas Dale
12:30pm: Trinity Episcopal vs. Midlothian
1:05pm: Monacan vs. Hopewell
1:40pm: Patrick Henry vs. Midlothian
2:15pm: Matoaca vs. Glen Allen
FIELD #8:
9am: Powhatan vs. Trinity Episcopal
9:35am: Maggie Walker GS vs. Clover Hill
10:10am: Glen Allen vs. Hopewell
10:45am: Thomas Dale vs. Henrico
11:20am: Maggie Walker GS vs. Trinity Episcopal
11:55am: Matoaca vs. Hopewell
12:30pm: Henrico vs. Clover Hill
1:05pm: Cosby vs. Maggie Walker GS
1:40pm: Thomas Dale vs. Mills Godwin
2:15pm: Powhatan vs. Henrico
2:50pm: Patrick Henry vs. Clover Hill
NOTE: Expect a full photo gallery from the Jamboree on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/rvasportsnetwork !
Friday, August 4, 2017
Recruiting: Dinwiddie's Pope Chooses Ohio State
K'Vaughan Pope, the rising senior standout from Dinwiddie, raved about Ohio State and all but said they were his choice in an interview published online in July.
But afterwards, the team said no decision would be forthcoming for awhile. That period ended Friday evening when, before family, friends and teammates in the Dinwiddie High School auditorium, Pope left no doubt his future home.
Pope has committed to Ohio State of the Big Ten Conference, choosing the Buckeyes over Georgia. There were many schools who came calling for the two-way General, who is expected to be a linebacker for head coach Urban Meyer's Buckeyes. But, in the end, Ohio State ran away with the recruiting win.
The usual National Signing Day period for football begins on February 7th, but there is a new "early window" this season, from December 20 to 22. We will see if Pope puts pen to paper prior to Christmas. But first things first. The Generals, who finished 14-1 and fell just short in the 4A State Championship Game last December, begin their quest for their first state title since 2013 on August 25th hosting Denbigh.
But afterwards, the team said no decision would be forthcoming for awhile. That period ended Friday evening when, before family, friends and teammates in the Dinwiddie High School auditorium, Pope left no doubt his future home.
Pope has committed to Ohio State of the Big Ten Conference, choosing the Buckeyes over Georgia. There were many schools who came calling for the two-way General, who is expected to be a linebacker for head coach Urban Meyer's Buckeyes. But, in the end, Ohio State ran away with the recruiting win.
The usual National Signing Day period for football begins on February 7th, but there is a new "early window" this season, from December 20 to 22. We will see if Pope puts pen to paper prior to Christmas. But first things first. The Generals, who finished 14-1 and fell just short in the 4A State Championship Game last December, begin their quest for their first state title since 2013 on August 25th hosting Denbigh.
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