Sports: Monday, March 20, 2023

Caps-Wild, It’s On To The Sweet Sixteen, Hokie Women Advance

 

Check out Alex Ovechkin’s PP Goal, courtesy of the Capitals Radio Network…

 

Vipers

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Greetings From The Booth!

A bit late this week, as I spent yesterday agonizing over WVU’s early exit from March Madness. The Mounties’ 67-65 loss to Maryland was no upset, by any stretch (Maryland was actually the higher seed), but kicked off a day of bracket-bustin’ that saw me go 9-7 in yesterday’s games–by far my worst performance in a long, long time. BTW, who had Virginia losing in 2018 UMBC fashion to Furman? Furman?!? I’m hoping to recover somewhat today, although at the time of this writing, the Kennesaw State Owls (who? see what I did there?) are leading perennial tournament team Xavier by 13.  Well, at least my Final Four is still intact.

Today is the perfect storm of St. Patrick’s Day and NCAA Basketball, so be responsible and remember to hand those keys to a Designated Leprechaun!

Staying within our b-ball theme this week, were you aware that the Winchester area had a pro basketball team? I have to admit that I did not, until Kenny Gordon, a friend and longtime co-worker at the Shenandoah University basketball scorer’s table, texted me recently to see if I would be interested in doing the public address announcing for the Virginia Valley Vipers.

The expansion Vipers are part of the Indianapolis-based TBL, which stands for “The Basketball League,” and kicked off their season earlier this month. They will play a 24-game schedule in the league’s Eastern Division, against teams from Reading, Syracuse, Atlantic City, York, and the Tri-State. The Vipers’ home games are played at the spacious Wilkins Center at SU.

The team is owned by TMOs (Team Market Owners) Rodney, Tina, and Rze Culbreath. Rze is part of the local flavor of the Vipers, having played some of his basketball at Millbrook High. He is not only an owner, but on the active roster of the Vipers as a guard, and has also played professionally in Europe. Other players include former Hornet Chris Chaney. The team’s Head Coach, Andrew Oates, also has local roots, having served as Assistant Coach at both Clarke County High School and at Shenandoah.

The basketball is high-level, but so is the team’s mission of community outreach. Visit the Vipers’ website https://virginiavalleyvipers.com and you will see their mission statement displayed prominently displayed on the home page: “…to strengthen our community through positive, family-friendly entertainment and provide athletes with the financial opportunity to continue their passion while giving back to the community.” To that end, players are vetted with background checks and social media activity to insure that they represent the team and the community in a positive way. In addition, players will be part of the Top Of Virginia Young Professionals group, and the team will partner with Winchester CCAP.

So, if you can pull yourself away from the NCAA Tournament this weekend, check out a Vipers game over at Wilkins on March 18th against the Reading Rebels and/or March 19th against the Tri-State Admirals. And don’t forget to wear your purple.

Until the next visit from The Booth…enjoy the Madness, and GO VIPERS.

RW

 

 

 

 

Sports: Thursday, March 16, 2023

Local Coaching Legend Dies, Caps Avoid Defeat With SO Win, Let The Madness Begin

Listen to the Caps’ late goals from Tom Wilson and Alex Ovechkin below. Courtesy of John Walton and the Capitals Radio Network.

 

Friday Tidbits

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Greetings From The Booth!

With so much happening this week in sports, locally and regionally, I thought I would try to cover all the bases with some Friday tidbits, so here goes:

First, CONGRATS to the Rappahannock High Girls Basketball team, who captured the VHSL Class 1 State Championship this week with a win over Eastside at the Siegel Center at VCU. Winning a state title is a huge accomplishment, so thanks ladies, for bringing the hardware back to the Shenandoah Valley! Tomorrow (Saturday 3-11) the Clarke County Girls will try to duplicate that feat as they take on perennial power Central-Wise in the Class 2 Championship Game.

Meanwhile, the Skyline HS Boys team saw it’s season end at the hands of Hopewell (again) in the Class 3 semifinals on Monday. With the loss, the Hawks suffered their first loss of the season and finished at 26-1. If you’ve never played sports, it’s hard to convey the feeling of emptiness when you get so close to a championship and an undefeated season, only to see it end just 2 wins from the finish line. When the sting of that lone loss wears off, Skyline will look back with pride at a season that will live forever in the school’s annals. The Hawks were a gritty, scrappy bunch, and should have no doubt about being “legit.” They were. Sometimes, you just run up against a better team…

Which makes a nice segue into a pet peeve of mine: bad fan behavior. The optics were not good following Skyline’s loss to Hopewell, as law enforcement had to keep members of both fan bases apart. I’m not going to weigh in on who started what. That’s usually a “we said-they said” kind of thing. But, we live in a trash talking, phone wielding culture, with little emphasis on sportsmanship, and that reared it’s ugly head after Monday’s game. Nothing major erupted, thank goodness, but it was not a good luck. Win with class, lose with class, and always remember that kids take their cues from adults.

This is the time of year that I start paying attention to college basketball. The conference tournaments are fun to watch, although with multiple teams from the power leagues getting into the NCAA Tournament, those affairs don’t have the urgency that they had back in the day. I love Selection Sunday, when teams anxiously await their fate. This year, my WVU Mounties look to be safely in, despite a loss to Kansas in the Big 12 Tournament. But, until your team is announced, there is always some anxiety.

Finally, let’s switch gears and talk some football. Folks, I may just be getting on the bandwagon of your DC Defenders of the XFL. The Defenders play their home games at Audi Field, near Nationals Park. It’s a nice Euro-feeling venue, and apparently home of one of the most enjoyable fan experiences in sports. The fans are enthusiastic, sometimes raucous, and love their team (which is currently 3-0). The now-legendary beer cup snake is back, not to mention the anti-Dan Snyder chants. All this in sharp contrast to the dismal game-day experience at Fed-Ex Field with the Washington Commanders. Which points out one thing: DC fans will turn out for winning, fun football.

Those are your Friday Tidbits from The Booth! Have a great “Selection Sunday!”

RW

 

 

Sports: Monday, March 10, 2023

Panthers Are State Champions, Virginia Advances To ACC Semifinals, Caps Slide Continues

THE RAPPAHANOCK COUNTY GIRLS ARE THE VHSL CLASS 1 BASKETBALL CHAMPIONS. THE PANTHERS BEAT EASTSIDE 70-65 YESTERDAY AT THE SIEGEL CENTER AT VCU. ON SATURDAY, THE CLARKE COUNTY GIRLS GO FOR A CLASS 2 TITLE. THEY’LL PLAY POWERFUL CENTRAL-WISE. THAT GAME WILL TIP OFF AT 4:30…ALSO AT THE SIEGEL CENTER.

IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL… VIRGINIA ADVANCED TO THE ACC TOURNAMENT SEMIFINALS WITH A 68-59 WIN OVER NORTH CAROLINA. THE 24-6 CAVALIERS WILL NOW PLAY CLEMSON TONIGHT AT 9:30 IN THE GREENSBORO COLISEUM.

MEANWHILE, WVU WAS MANHANDLED BY KANSAS 78-61 IN THE BIG 12 QUARTERFINALS. THE 19-14 MOUNTIES WILL NOW AWAIT THEIR NCAA SEEDING ON SELECTION SUNDAY.

THE WASHINGTON CAPITALS’ LATE SEASON SLIDE CONTINUED LAST NIGHT WITH A 3-2 SHOOTOUT LOSS TO NEW JERSEY. THE CAPS, WHO DID PICK UP A POINT LAST NIGHT, TAKE ON THE ISLANDERS TOMORROW NIGHT STARTING AT 7:15 ON FOX SPORTS RADIO 1450.