Shenandoah Valley teams claim three State Championships, three Runner-Ups

Congratulations to all our local high schools that represented the Shenandoah Valley with pride during the VHSL Basketball State Championships in Richmond over the weekend.

Three of the six teams claimed state titles including the Luray boys, Clarke County girls, and Handley boys.

In Clarke County’s 67-55 win over Union, senior Alainah McKavish claimed the school’s all time scoring record and bookended her career with a second state title after winning as a freshman.

Handley got over the hump after previously going 0-4 in State Championship games to claim the first trophy in their 103 year history, 61-42 over Hampton.

Luray brought home their first State Trophy in 50 years after a double overtime win over Fort Chiswell 84-82 and overcame Fort Chiswell’s Owen Jackson scoring a state championship record 53 points.

The Luray girls, Central boys, and Skyline girls were named State Runner-Up at VCU and we also congratulate them on incredible seasons.

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Community rallies to send off State Championship contenders

The VHSL Basketball State Championships tip off in Richmond on Friday with six of our local teams making the finals and now it’s time to send off our hopeful champions and wish them good luck.

Luray High School is holding a send-off for their boys and girls teams at 2pm on Friday and are inviting fans to line main street to show their support.

Clarke County High School is sending off the Eagles at 2:30 pm with a police escort on Thursday down Mosby Boulevard to Martins before turning right and then making a left onto Fairfax Street to 1st Street and continuing to Main Street.

The Central Falcons boys team will hit the road Friday at 8:30 am and the school has invited fans to join them at the gym’s front entrance for the send off.

The Skyline Lady Hawks hit the road Friday at 10 am and will pass the football stadium before following Criser Rd. to S. Royal Avenue and then Rt 55 until reaching 66 and are encouraging fans to bring signs and noisemakers to showcase the team motto of “Small Town, Big Pride”.

John Handley High School will be the final team to leave for VCU as they depart at 3 pm on Friday from Winchester and are welcoming supporters to line Handley Boulevard to cheer the Judges on to their 5th State Championship appearance.

The River 95.3, Fox Sports Radio 1450, TheRiver953.com and The River 95.3’s coverage schedule:

For more high school basketball coverage, check out the latest Sports Dogs Podcast with previews of all the teams going to VCU here.

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

Sports Dogs Podcast: VHSL Hardware and Commanders moves

3/12/26- In this edition of the Dog-Pod, The R-Dog & The Duke preview the VHSL Basketball Championship games involving six (count ’em, six!) area teams including Luray’s boys and girls, the Clarke County girls, Central boys, Skyline girls, and Handley boys, and a recap (so far) of a very busy week for Commanders GM Adam Peters…

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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 Championship Preview: Skyline vs Meridian

2/26/26, Falls Church, VA- Skyline heads up 66 to Meridian for the Region 3B Boys Basketball Championship tonight with coverage starting at 6:45 pm for the 7 pm tip-off on The River 95.3, Fox Sports Radio 1450, TheRiver953.com and The River 95.3 app brought to you by the Hike Kidz Foundation c/o Brickhouse Bar and Grill.

It’s fitting that the two most consistent powers in Region 3B hoops will decide the Region 3B title and have already earned trips to the State Tournament.

Meridian reloaded from the winningest season in school history to another #1 seed in the Region Tournament.

Last year’s squad went undefeated in the regular season before falling to Hopewell in the State playoffs.

Davis is an elite scorer and averages over 19 points per game while shooting 37.3% from long range.

Junior forward Mason Plye (11.4 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 2.5 blk) and senior guard Marques Myles (12.1 ppg, 4.9 ast, 3.1 stl) joined Davis on the All District teams.

Plye’s 6’3″ frame could cause issues for a Skyline roster that does not have a consistent contributor listed over 6’2″.

What the Hawks lack in size, they make up for with a team effort crashing the glass and a few former football players who play bigger than listed.

All Region Linebacker Andre Ford is coming off back to back double-doubles in the playoffs with 27 points and 11 rebounds against Kettle Run and 22 points with 10 rebounds vs Fauquier while All State Running Back Zayden Burks has played lock down defense and often draws a matchup listed a few inches taller.

Senior Cameron Kerns has been reliable on the boards and has grabbed 22 rebounds through the two games.

Burks, Kerns, and Ford were all 1st Team Northwestern District selections and Day’Shawn Haley joined them on the 2nd team.

The Hawks also unleashed an “ace up the sleeve” in Bentley Frye against Fauquier.

The freshman guard has been a consistent starter this season but hit another level in the Regional Semifinal with 15 points and four rebounds including a huge three to extend a Skyline run in the 2nd quarter.

As many playoff matchups do, it could come down to which stars shine or are contained.

Skyline and Meridian split the regular season series 1-1 with both teams winning on their home floor.

In Meridian’s win, the Mustangs led throughout and put game away with a 3rd quarter run and led by 11 entering the 4th quarter.

Davis led the way with 24 points in the win, but the Hawks limited him to just 12 points (including a buzzer-beating three to force overtime) when they pulled out the OT victory.

Ford and Kerns both had 19 points while Mark Jefferies stepped up late with a huge layup and solid free throw shooting to finish with 9 points.

Skyline dominated the turnover department in the win by forcing 18 and only committing 4.

This game feels like it has all the makings of an instant classic and will come down to the final possession, but I will give the edge to the Hawks who seem to be playing their best basketball at the right time.

Skyline enters Falls Church as winners of 10 of the last 11 since the loss to Meridian while the Mustangs have lost four games in the time frame.

I’ll take the Hawks to regain the Region Championship for the first time since the magical 2023 season, Skyline 71- Meridian 69.

For more local sports coverage, check out the Sports Dogs Podcast.

The Sports Dogs Podcast: Some Kibbles and Bits

The Dogs cover a variety of subjects from the sports world this week, including college hoops and the Winter Olympic Games ranging from our favorite events to the curling controversy.

Plus Duke’s Three Pointer zeros in on local hoops including Handley basketball Coach Zach Harrell-Zook becoming the youngest coach in VHSL history to 100 career wins, local district champions, and the death of district championship tournaments (with the exception of the Bull Run)!

Available now on The River 95.3 online, Spotify, Amazon, and iTunes here.

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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.

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For the latest episode, click here. 

Sports Dogs Podcast: Big Game = Big Pod

It’s a full dog bowl this week, as the R-Dog & The Duke preview The Big Game on Sunday (coverage from 2pm -8pm on The River 95.3 and Fox Sports Radio 1450 via Westwood One).

Plus, an exciting Wizards trade, Curling Olympics begin, and Duke’s Three-Pointer featuring three scorers in Handley’s Asher Mattison, Clarke County’s Alainah McKavish, and Luray’s Matthew Owens!

Get those meatballs and your seven-layer dip ready, and let’s roll with another Sports Dogs Pod, 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

Available now on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon Music, or The River online here.

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

The Duke’s Hoops Preview: Skyline vs Warren County

1/22/26, Front Royal- Skyline hosts cross-town rival Warren County in tonight’s Hike Kidz Foundation Game of the Week courtesy of Brickhouse Bar and Grill with varsity boys basketball coverage starting around 7:15 pm for the estimated 7:30 pm tip-off on Fox Sports Radio 1450, TheRiver953.com, and The River 95.3 app.

The schools faced-off in our first broadcast of the season which saw Skyline win 73-60, but both teams have grown tremendously since the opening matchup.

Following the loss, Warren County has won seven of their last ten and are on pace for the program’s best season in over 10 years.

Coach Mario Gil has helped build up the Cats from a team that had won 8 games over the previous two years and a 6-17 season in year 1 to their current record of 9-6.

The next step to prove the tides are shifting for Warren County would be to knock-off Skyline which has maintained a decisive the edge on the hardwood through the entirety of Coach Harold Chunn’s tenure and years prior.

Warren County is led by the trio of Bryce Bergmann (6’3″), Adrian Craig (6’2″), and Ethan Bare (6’4″) and their length could cause problems for a smaller Skyline team.

While lacking a Marlon Jackson or Dwayne Tucker in the post, Skyline still holds all of the talent needed to make another run at the Region 3B Championship and beyond.

The Hawks are coming off a road loss to Region 3B favorite Meridian but had previously won four of the last five.

Skyline has a deep roster with scorers at all levels and athletes who play bigger than listed like Zayden Burks, Andre Ford, and Cameron Kerns.

Led by Ford with 18, all three reached double figures in the first matchup with Warren County, but it took a third quarter surge to separate from the Cats.

While Warren County may have been happy to hang with Skyline early in the first matchup, the newly confident Wildcats will want to finish the job this time.

Seniors Kerns, Ford, and Day-Shawn Haley will refuse to leave the court against Warren County for (most likely) the final time as losers, and I look for the Hawks to feed off the home crowd and find a way to win in the closest matchup in recent years, Skyline 54-Warren County 52.

For more local sports coverage, check out the latest Sports Dogs Podcast here.

For Josh Kirby’s interviews with coaches Mario Gill and Harold Chunn, click here.

Sports Dogs Podcast: NFL, CFP, and debut of “The Three Pointer”

The Dogs have a full bowl in this edition, with NFL coaching firings and hirings, a great Wild Card Weekend, and a new feature, “The Three-Pointer,” as we discuss some local high school hoops happenings.

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To listen to the latest Sports Dogs Podcast, click here.

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