The Duke’s Hoops Preview: Strasburg vs Clarke County V

3/6/26 Berryville, VA- For the fifth and final time this season, Clarke County and Strasburg will face-off in girls basketball, but this go-round the winner will advance to VCU and the State Championship while the other team’s long season will come to an end.

The River 95.3, Fox Sports Radio 1450, TheRiver953.com, and The River 95.3 app begin State Semifinal coverage tonight at 6:10 pm ahead of the 6:30 pm tip-off, brought to you by The Hike Kidz Foundation c/o Brickhouse Bar and Grill.

Clarke County holds a 3-1 edge on the season series and claimed the Bull Run District and Region 2B Championship trophies against the Rams after falling to Strasburg at home.

The Eagles set a record for the briefest trophy celebration in history after winning the Bull Run District and has clearly had their eyes set towards bigger things all season long.

Coach Shadd McCaw’s group has dominated playoff play with each win coming in double figures and annihilated State Quarterfinal opponent Prince Edward County 90-15.

Prince Edward’s only other losses this season came to John Marshall, Strasburg’s State Quarterfinal opponent.

The Rams discarded John Marshall 54-45 after falling to the Justices the last two state tournament meetings and proved that the Bull Run District is one of the toughest in Class 2.

Strasburg was led by Jaden Stinnette with 18 points and 7 rebounds along with Emily Gorrell who just missed a double-double with 14 points and 9 assists.

Coach Kelly Stinnette will need both of her seniors to have big games against Clarke County to advance to Richmond.

Emily Gorrell lit up the stat sheet with 26 points, 3 assists, and 2 steals in the Region Championship, while Clarke County held Stinnette to just five points outside the six she scored during a late run.

Alainah McKavish led all scorers with 27 points in the Region title game and was joined in double figures by Paige McKavish (14 points), Savannah McCaw (10 points) and Eryn Demko (10 points).

Seniors Alainah McKavish, Eryn Demko, and Paige Stemberger have established the standard, but Clarke County’s three sophomore starters- Paige McKavish, Savannah McCaw, and Kendall Harmon- really showcased their composure on a big stage at Shenandoah University with a trophy on the line.

Instead of shying away or trying to do too much, they stayed within their roles to make sure Clarke County won the turnover battle and played complimentary basketball that allowed their Region 2B Player of the Year to dominate.

While I have no doubt the stars will shine in Berryville Friday night, Clarke County’s edge with their role players will prove to be the difference.

Eagles protect homecourt and advance to Richmond for the trophy they have had their eyes on all season long, Clarke County 72- Strasburg 55.

For more local sports coverage including The Three Pointer discussing neutral sites for the playoffs, unfairness in Class 3, and hiding game film, check out the latest Sports Dogs Podcast. 

For Color Commentator Josh Kirby’s chat with coach Shadd McCaw, click here. 

The Duke’s Hoops Preview: Region 2B Championships

2/28/26, Winchester VA- The Region 2B Championships invade Shenandoah University for tonight’s coverage of girls and boys basketball on The River 95.3, Fox Sports Radio 1450, TheRiver953.com, and The River 95.3 app starting at 5:45 pm thanks to the Hike Kidz Foundation c/o Brickhouse Bar and Grill.

The girls championship game will tip-off first at 6 pm and feature Clarke County against Strasburg.

Clarke County has looked like a team with a clear mission all season long under 1st year Head Coach Shadd McCaw and that mission is win a State Championship.

The Eagles dominated regular season competition again and finished 23-2 with an astounding average margin of victory at 35.7 points per game.

Clarke County is led by District Player of the Year and future Shippensburg University athlete Alainah McKavish.

McKavish has the ability to takeover a game and averages over 20 points per game, 6.4 rebounds, and 4 steals, but the Eagles have enough talent to make the opposition pay if they try to focus on the senior.

In the Region Semifinal, Alainah was held to 10 points, but her sister Paige, Savannah McCaw, and Paige Stemberger balanced the scoring sheet with 11 points each.

Clarke County also had a dominant team performance on the glass and outrebounded Central 38-18 (14-3 for offensive rebounds) on the way to a 59-34 win to set up a Bull Run District Championship rematch with Strasburg.

The Rams are coming off an impressive 49-35 win on the road against Stuarts Draft in the Region Semifinals.

Strasburg saw Emily Gorrell and Jayden Stinnette return to action after suffering injuries in the BRD Championship game loss to Clarke County and missing the entire second half.

Both seniors looked to be close to 100% in the Semifinal win with Gorrell leading all scorers with 22 points followed by Stinnette with 16 to secure Strasburg’s 5th State Playoff appearance in the last 7 years.

While falling to Clarke in the BRD Championship game about a week ago, the Rams should still feel confident in their ability to play with the Eagles as they are the only team in Virginia to defeat them this season.

In the win, Strasburg limited Alainah McKavish to just 3 points through the first three quarters while Stinnette and Gorrell combined for 31 points and connected for the game winning basket.

Clarke County would love nothing more than to prove that loss was simply an off-night and another Region Championship.

Clarke County’s defensive pressure led by the length and athleticism of the McKavish sister’s and the tenacity of Paige Stemberger will be the difference maker to keep Strasburg under 50 and give the Eagles the 61-49 win.

Following the girls championship game, the boys from Strasburg and Central will take the floor for a rubber match with the Region 2B trophy on the line.

Strasburg and Central split the regular season matchups with each team winning on the road and silencing rowdy home crowds.

If tonight’s matchup is anything like the first two, it could come down to who makes the better halftime adjustments.

The third quarter essentially decided both previous games with Strasburg going scoreless in the 3rd quarter while Central went on a 14-0 run and forced 5 turnovers, then Strasburg turned the tides in Woodstock with a 19-4 run to close the 3rd quarter and led by at least 17 the entire 4th quarter.

These two rivals are so familiar with each other and matchups like this often turn into chess matches between head coaches Larry Fox and Jeff Whittle.

During the final regular season matchup, I predicted the first team to 50 would win but tonight it might be the first team to 40.

With each basket coming at a premium tonight, Strasburg’s Gavin Dellinger could be the game changer with his quick release from deep and ability to get open off the ball.

Dellinger led the Rams through the regular season with about 15 points per game while Jasiah Warner has gotten better and better as the season has gone along and is coming off a career high 27 points against Page County in the Region Semifinal win Friday night.

The Rams had to fight off a furious comeback and three point barrage from Page County to reach the Championship game while the Falcons needed overtime to finish the job against Fort Defiance.

Central had to over come a double digit deficit after Fort Defiance put together a 19-2 run in the second quarter.

Last year’s District Player of the Year and All State selection Dereck Batiz-Lugo continues to play at a high level for Central and led the way in the Region Semifinal with 18 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 assists.

Jonathan Akasa has been a force on the boards this year and had 9 rebounds to go with 8 points in the Semi and he led the Bull Run in rebounding through the regular season with 7.4 per game.

This game is truly a coin-flip in my mind and could come down to the final shot and I think the Rams get that final shot with the defense keying in on Dellinger before he drops it off to Warner for the game winning basket, Rams 49-Falcons 47.

For more local sports coverage, listen to the Sports Dogs Podcast here.

The Duke’s Bull Run District Championship Preview: Clarke County vs Strasburg

2/18/26, Berryville VA- Clarke County hosts Strasburg in the Bull Run District Girls Basketball Championship Game with coverage starting around 7:30 pm on The River 95.3, Fox Sports Radio 1450, The River 95.3 app and TheRiver953.com for the first of two Hike Kidz Foundation Games of the Week c/o Brickhouse Bar and Grill (Boys Championship game will take place on Thursday).

Clarke County was pinned as the early favorites to repeat as Bull Run District Champions this season, but Strasburg made sure no one forgot about them after a 21-3 record and splitting with Clarke County in the regular season.

Strasburg upset Clarke County just 7 days ago at home 48-47 after a late Jayden Stinnette lay-up, but stumbled in their final regular season 56-51 to Central before a rematch three days later in the Bull Run District Semifinals where the Rams won 54-51.

In the win vs Clarke County, Strasburg snapped a 12 game Eagles win streak and limited All State Forward Alainah McKavaish to just 3 points in the first 3 quarters.

Limiting McKavish will be key to another chance at knocking off the Eagles.

In the first matchup between the schools in early January, McKavish dominated with a 21 point and 10 rebound performance and was one of five Eagles to knock down at least two 3-pointers.

McKavish leads Clarke in nearly every statistical category but has a strong and experienced supporting cast with 8/9 players returning from last years State Semifinal squad.

Paige McKavish (15.9 ppg) and Kendall Harman (10.5 ppg) join Alainah (20.6 ppg) in double digits while Savannah McCaw leads the Eagles with 4.1 assists per game and Paige Stemberger’s lock-down defense leads to 3.6 steals per game.

The Rams are led by seniors Emily Gorrell and Jayden Stinnette.

When Clarke County zeroed in on Gorrell last week, Stinnette made them pay with the game winner.

Gorrell leads the Rams in scoring with 17.8 per game and assists with 3.2 while Stinnette is just behind at 11.9 points per game and is the leading rebounder with 8.3 per game.

The duo is playing their best as the Rams enter the playoffs with both earning a double-double in the BRD semifinals.

Individually, Gorrell is on a tear with three straight games over 20 points.

Strasburg will have an advantage in coaching experience with Kelly Stinnette leading the bench for her third season while Coach Shadd McCaw is still in his first year as head coach.

While a loss tonight wouldn’t end either teams season, Clarke County should be in playoff mode and will look for revenge against the only team in Virginia to beat them this season.

I look for the Eagles to come out very aggressive and Alainah McKavish to be a little more “selfish” early to build a Clarke County lead then pull away for a 60-45 win.

For a regular season recap and playoff preview, check out last week’s Sports Dogs podcast here. 

Color commentator Josh Kirby spoke with Clarke County’s Shadd McCaw here. 

For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here. 

The Duke’s Hoops Preview: Central vs Strasburg

2/13/26, Woodstock, VA- Regular season high school basketball coverage concludes tonight with Central hosting Strasburg in the Hike Kidz Foundation Game of the Week c/o Brickhouse Bar and Grill on Fox Sports Radio 1450, The River 95.3 app, and TheRiver953.com starting with the girls matchup at 6 pm, followed by the boys with an estimated tip-off set for 7:45 pm.

It will be a festive evening in Woodstock as the Central community will acknowledge the senior cheer and basketball athletes for Senior Night and the Falcon’s softball team will receive their 2025 State Championship rings during halftime of the boys game.

Amongst the pomp and circumstance, two huge games will be played to determine seeding for the upcoming District and Regional playoffs.

When the girls take the floor, Strasburg will have a chance at the top seed with a win over Central and a Clarke County loss to Luray on Monday.

Central would love nothing more than to spoil that chance a at a top seed for their cross-county rivals and place themselves in a more confident position for the post season.

The Rams will be riding high after their upset win over Clarke County earlier this week.

Strasburg snapped a 12 game winning streak for Clarke County and extended their own winning streak to 11 games after a play originally drawn up for Emily Gorrell ended up in the hands of Jayden Stinnette down-low for the game winning layup.

The senior duo has been integral in Strasburg’s run this season with Gorrell leading the Bull Run District in scoring (17.8 points per game), steals (3.8 per game), and assists (3.2 per game) while Stinnette leads the District in rebounding with 8.3 per game.

Gorrell had one of her best games of the season against Central in the first go round and finished with 27 points (17/18 FT), 7 steals, and 3 rebounds.

If the Falcons want to put themselves in a position to pull-off the win, they will need to defend Gorrell more effectively and keep her from getting to the free throw line.

In Year 1 under coach Rich Cooley, Central has essentially beaten the teams they should and struggled against the other top teams in the District going a combined 1-4 against Strasburg, Clarke County, and Luray.

The Falcons have a talented senior class that will want to leave their homecourt on Senior Night with a win and that group is led by guard Vanessa Gordon.

Gordon is 2nd behind Gorrell in BRD scoring with 14.5 per game and is the best 3-point shooter in the region at nearly a 40% clip.

In the Falcons lone win against top district competition, Gordon knocked down five first half three pointers and her sister Vanessa filled up the stat sheet with 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists.

It will take a true team effort for Central, and maybe some Senior Night magic to beat the Rams, or for Strasburg to overlook the matchup with their sights already set on a playoff run and riding high from the win over Clarke County.

Following the girls game, the boys will play for the #1 seed in the Region 2B tournament and the regular season District Championship in what should be a very competitive and defensively focused battle.

When these teams played against each other earlier this season, the winner was the first team to 40 and that ended up being the Central Falcons.

Both teams went ice cold in the second half with Strasburg going 0-11 in the third period and Central going 0-6 in the fourth, but the Falcons had enough of a lead and a few clutch free throws to hold on for the win.

Since the loss, Strasburg has rallied for 7 straight wins and seen the growth of Jasiah Warner into one of the top players in the Bull Run.

Warner is coming off a 20 point game against Clarke County and consistently causes problems on defense with his length.

Gavin Dellinger will always get his for the Rams and leads the team with 14.6 per game, trailing only D-1 bound Matthew Owens in Bull Run scoring.

Central’s lone loss since the Strasburg matchup came against Owens and his Luray Bulldogs, but other than that blemish, Coach Whittle has his group playing elite level basketball.

With the departure of John Marshall’s head coach and Luray dropping to Class 1, Central emerged as an early contender in Class 2 for the State Title and has done nothing to make you think otherwise.

Central ranked 5th in the most recent Basketball Coaches Association of Virginia poll.

Dereck Batiz-Lugo picked up where he left off last season after claiming BRD Player of the Year as sophomore and earning 2nd Team All State.

This year, Batiz-Lugo has continued to play at a high level and leads the area in steals with 3.1 per game to go with 14.3 points per game while limiting turnovers as the teams primary ball handler.

Central is a team full of players who know their role and for Jonathan Akasa that job is to get rebounds.

Listed at 6’1″, Akasa leads the Bull Run in rebounding with 7.4 per game and can knock down the three-ball at 37.3%.

Like the first matchup, this game could be a race to 40 and rebounding to give your team an extra possession could mean the difference between a win or a loss.

Central appears to have an advantage on the glass with Akasa averaging a full 2.5 rebounds more than Strasburg’s leading rebounder, Warner, and in the first matchup, Gracen Hottle led Strasburg in rebounds with 9 but that will be hard to replicate for the 5’8″ guard.

Due to that potential edge in rebounding, I look for Central to pull out another close win over the Rams with Batiz-Lugo putting the game on ice late, 42-39.

In the girls matchup, Strasburg’s senior duo of Gorrell and Stinnette combined with Coach Stinnette’s ability to keep the team focused on their rival and not looking ahead will allow the Rams to take the win on the road, 52-43, and keep their hopes of a #1 seed alive.

For more high school hoops coverage, check out the latest Sports Dogs Podcast where we preview the upcoming playoff hopefuls, highlight the biggest local basketball story lines in the “Three Pointer”, and of recap the Super Bowl.

Sports Dogs Podcast: SB recap, RIP Sonny, and High School Hoops

While the R-Dog is away, the Sports Dogs still play!

The Duke is joined by Josh Kirby to recap the Super Bowl, look back on the legacy of Sonny Jurgenson, and review an INCREDIBLE high school hoops regular season as the playoffs begin next week.

The Sports Dogs are brought to you by Energy Windows, LLC…your go-to team for everything outside the home. Call Dave at 540-671-9243 or visit https://energywindowsllc.com

For the latest episode, click here. 

The Duke’s Doubleheader Preview: Strasburg vs Central and Clarke vs Rappahannock

The Bull Run District Girls Basketball Semifinals take over Berryville tonight as #2 Strasburg faces off against #3 Central at 6 pm then #1 Clarke County hosts #4 Rappahannock County at 7:30 pm in the Van Metre Homes Games of the Week on The River 95.3, Fox Sports Radio 1450, theriver953.com, and The River 95.3 app.

Strasburg and Central wrapped up the regular season against each other last week on Friday, but these rivals left the Valentine’s Day cards at home.

The first half was extremely competitive and saw each team exchange runs before Strasburg pulled away with a 21-5 advantage in the 3rd quarter.

Central’s offense struggled from the floor shooting just 4/37 from two point range with only two made baskets in the second half and looked stagnant against Strasburg’s zone defense.

Strasburg’s balanced offensive approach saw three players reach double figures including our Player of the Game Emily Gorrell who finished with 15 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals.

The win over Central gave Strasburg a share of the regular season District Championship with Clarke County, but the Eagles earned the #1 seed in the tournament through a tiebreaker.

Clarke County will welcome Rappahannock County for the second game of tonight’s doubleheader in a matchup of 2023 VHSL State Champions.

Rappahannock County is competing at the Class 2 level for the first time this season after dominating in Class 1 with deep playoff runs the last few seasons including that state title.

The Panthers are led by Chloe Jenkins who recently became the 4th player in school history to reach 1000 points and it only took her till her junior season.

Clarke County has already defeated Rappahannock County twice this season by an average margin of 43 and will earn the #1 seed in the Regional Tournament if they can go farther than Strasburg.

The #1 District seed has been led all season long by junior Alainah McKavish who averages over 20 ppg, 4 steals, and is the top free throw shooter in the area at 80.7%.

Alainah’s younger sister Paige has also stepped up as the season progressed with 19 points in her last game against Stonewall and averaging 18 points against Rappahannock County this season.

Both Strasburg and Clarke County will need to avoid looking ahead to the Championship Game because both Central and Rappahannock County have the talent and winning mentality to pull off the upset.

I believe Coach Stinette of Strasburg and Coach Dowling of Clarke County will have their teams focused for the first game of what they both hope is a long playoff run and secure wins to set up a Bull Run District Championship Game rubber match.

Strasburg’s interior defense will leave Central forcing difficult shots once again, Rams win 54-38.

Clarke County will look to pull away early like the previous two games against the Panthers and get some rest for their starters ahead of Thursday’s Championship Game, Eagles soar 78-45.