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.

The Duke’s Hoops Preview: Luray vs Strasburg

1/13/26, Strasburg, VA- Strasburg hosts Luray in a boys basketball Bull Run bash for tonight’s Hike Kidz Foundation Game of the Week courtesy of Brickhouse Bar and Grill with coverage starting around 7:15 pm on Fox Sports Radio 1450, TheRiver953.com, and The River 95.3 app.

Luray will take the court as the reigning back-to-back Region 2B champions but are unable to defend that title after dropping down to Class 1 this year.

Still competing in the Bull Run District, the Bulldogs are off to a strong start at 8-2 overall and are coming off a big win against fellow Class 1 front runner, Rappahannock County.

Luray led throughout and sprung to an early 25-9 lead with just one turnover in the first quarter.

Eighth year Head Coach Mat Huff’s squad continued to play clean basketball and dominate in turnovers 22-14 to secure the 69-48 win.

Luray is led by one of the best backcourts in Class 1 with Matthew Owens and Connor Hilliard.

Both JMU commits, Owens for basketball and Hilliard for baseball, fill up the stat sheet and can takeover a game.

Owens leads the way with 21.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 3.3 steals while Hilliard is just behind at 14 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 2.6 steals.

The seniors feed off each other and when teams focus their defense on Owens, Hilliard always seems to take advantage.

Strasburg’s defense will need to limit that duo and keep the game low scoring to defend homecourt.

In Strasburg’s 6 wins, the defense held the opposition to just 34 points per game.

The Rams defense feeds off the crowd and have been incredible at home this year going 5-2, compared to just 1-3 away from Millson French Court.

Junior guard Gavin Dellinger will need a big night to continue that trend.

Following up a strong sophomore campaign and a 1st Team All Bull Run selection, Dellinger leads the Rams in scoring and is one of the best three point shooters in the area.

Jasiah Warner also looks to have taken another step forward.

The junior provides great length at 6’4″ and can play inside or outside the perimeter.

If Strasburg can limit possessions and keep Owens and Hilliard in check, the Rams could pull off the upset.

Fatigue could be an issue for Strasburg.

The Rams will play their fourth game in seven days and are on the second night of a back-to-back after last night’s loss to Sherando while Luray has not played since Friday.

I look for that to play a role in the second half, allowing Owens and Hilliard some separation and they don’t need much; Luray pulls away late 62-49.

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

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The Duke’s Doubleheader Preview: Central vs Strasburg

Strasburg hosts Central tonight in girls and boys basketball for the Van Metre Homes Games of the Week on Fox Sports Radio 1450, theriver953.com, and The River 95.3 app with the boys starting things off at 6 pm followed by the girls around 7:30 pm.

Central’s boys enter the evening winners of eight of their last nine and Bull Run District Regular Season Champions.

The Falcons are led by one of top guard-forward duos in the District in Dereck Batiz-Lugo and Luke Williams

Batiz-Lugo, the sophomore guard, ranks in the area’s top five in points (12.6), assists (2.7), and steals (3.1) per game.

Williams, a 6’4″ senior, leads the Falcons in rebounds (6.9) and is just behind Batiz-Lugo at 10.9 points per game.

In the previous matchup with an undersized Strasburg team, Williams used his height advantage to lead the game in scoring with 18 points and helped anchor a Falcons defense that allowed just 8 points the first half.

Strasburg fell to Central 64-31 in that game and will need to figure out the Falcons defense faster to stay in the game this go round.

One way to figure out any defense is to just shoot over it and Strasburg’s Gavin Dellinger can do just that.

The sophomore guard has shown the ability to score in bunches this season.

Dellinger is coming off a 29 point performance against Page County and helped lead a comeback win against Madison County a few weeks ago with 7 points in the 4th quarter.

Senior guard Takhi Coates can also bare the scoring load and led the Rams with 20 points in the win over Stonewall Jackson last week.

The 7:30 tip-off is usually reserved for the boys, but Strasburg and Central’s girls have earned the primetime slot thanks to their play this season.

Strasburg struggled a bit out of the gates as they adjusted to life without Macy Smith (now at D-I St. Bonaventure), but have found their stride as the calendar turned, going 15-1 in 2025.

The Falcons have also taken off in 2025 and lost just three of their last 13 games including one to Strasburg.

Addison Morgan and Emily Gorrell have stepped up this season to lead the Rams after being solid contributors to last season’s state playoff team.

Gorrell ranks in the top two in the area in points (15), steals (3), and assists (4) per game while Morgan dominates the paint as the area’s second leading rebounder with 7 per game to go with 10 points per game.

The area’s top scorer is Central’s Vanessa Gordon who just surpasses Gorrell at 15.2 points per game.

Gordon was held under her season average at 13 points in the first matchup between Strasburg and Central this season as the Rams man to man defense dominated.

The Falcons tallied single-digit point totals in the first three quarters and trailed 36-17 in the third.

When Central attempted a 4th quarter comeback with a 14-3 run, Gorrell slammed the door shut scoring the Rams final 8 points and shooting 6/9 from the line.

I predict the Strasburg girls will lean on their experienced roster to clinch the game late over a young, senior-less Central squad, 42-38.

The Strasburg boys could potentially catch Central looking ahead to the playoffs as they have already clinched the regular season title, but the rivalry game aspect should prevent the Falcons from overlooking their opponent.

The Central boys will enter the playoffs with momentum after another win over Strasburg tonight, 59-43.

For more coverage on our local high school athletes, check out the latest Sports Dogs Podcast which highlights some of the area’s top commits like Central’s Nick Barahona and top uncommitted athletes like Strasburg’s Takhi Coates available here.

The Duke’s Doubleheader Hoops Preview: Central vs Strasburg

It’s rivalry night in Shenandoah County as Central travels to Strasburg for tonight’s doubleheader Game of the Week on Fox Sports Radio 1450 WFTR, theriver953.com and the Tune In Radio app starting at 5:50 pm.

The girls will get things started in a matchup of two of the top teams in the Bull Run District, both entering the evening at 12-2.

Both teams are led by superstars who get things done in different ways but usually end in wins.

Central’s Makenna Painter has dominated the paint and averaged over a double-double for three seasons.

She leads the are in rebounding with 15 per game and is closing in on the Central school record in rebounds.

She also reached her 1000th career point earlier this season and will leave Central as one of the top scorers in school history.

Strasburg will collapse their defense to try and take away Painter’s opportunities down low which will make it that much more important for some of her teammates to be able to knockdown shots from the outside.

Kynli Hoover has shown the ability to step up in those situations as she already claimed Central’s school record for three pointers in a game this season with seven against Page County at the Ram Hardwood Classic.

Strasburg is led by the area’s leader in scoring (Painter is second) and steals (Painter is second), Division-I bound Macy Smith.

Smith has stepped up in Strasburg’s biggest games this year including a win over Clarke County, the reigning Class 2 State Champions, where she scored a career high 37 points on 62.5% shooting.

She took over late scoring the final 14 points for Strasburg to secure the win.

Smith also led the Rams with 15 points to knock off the defending Class 1 State Champions, Rappahannock County.

When the boy’s take the floor, Strasburg will look to reach .500 entering at 7-8 overall while Central will search for their second district win at 3-10 overall.

Central started off the season winning two of their first three, both against Riverheads, before losing nine of the next ten.

The Falcons will use the past week off to try to turn their season around and could do so with the help of a few newcomers who have stepped up including Haiden Click and Dereck Batiz-Lugo.

Strasburg will continue to rely on the familiar names of Walker Conrad and Griffin Carter.

Conrad leads the area in rebounding with 10.9 per game to go with 15.3 points per game.

He joined Central head coach Jeff Whittle in the 1,000 point club against Warren County earlier this season.

Carter, his tight end counterpart on the football field, leads the area with 32 three pointers made.

The duo provides a strong one-two punch with Conrad drawing the defense in and leaving Carter open on the perimeter.

Strasburg will have the home crowd along with the star power of Conrad and Smith should give the Rams a clean sweep tonight with the girls winning 54-50 and the boys 58-50.

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

The Duke’s Hoops Preview: Strasburg vs Warren County

Basketball season has arrived and our coverage tips off tonight at 7:20 as Warren County hosts Strasburg on Fox Sports Radio 1450 and streaming at theriver953.com and the Tune In Radio App.

Strasburg is coming off a great season last year as they advanced all the way to the State Quarterfinals before falling to the Division I basketball factory, John Marshall.

The Rams have some star power returning including a favorite for Player of the Year in the Bull Run District, Walker Conrad.

The 6’7″ senior forward, was a 1st team All District and 2nd team All State selection last season after finishing with 16 ppg, 8.2 rpg, and 2.9 apg.

Another returner for the Rams is Conrad’s tight end counterpart on the gridiron, Griffin Carter.

Carter was a 2nd team All District selection last year and averaged 7.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg, and 1.2 apg.

Warren County struggled last season but returns an experienced team with 11 seniors.

Marshall Barton and Raymond Dingess were two of the teams leading scorers last year and either one can light up the score sheet on any night.

Barton was a 2nd team All District selection and an extremely efficient shooter averaging 14.8 ppg shooting 40.4%.

He also shot 32.2% from outside the arc and was one of the area leaders from the free throw line shooting 71%.

Dingess averaged 7.3 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.2 apg, and 1.1 spg with his season high coming against Brentsville where he finished with 25 points including 11 in the first quarter.

Last year when Strasburg and Warren County faced off, the Rams took the win in both matchups.

Strasburg led basically from start to finish in both games with a combined score of 99-56.

Conrad led the way with 25 points and 15 rebounds the first go round and 17 points the second.

The first matchup also saw Warren County held scoreless for the entire second period.

Strasburg’s emphasis on defense and having the largest, most talented player on the floor in Conrad will help them secure the victory, 55-32.

Next week, we will be back at Warren County High School as the Wildcats host Luray High School with a tip off scheduled for 7:30, pregame coverage at 7:20 on Fox Sports Radio 1450 and theriver953.com.

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

Paint party for Strasburg girls basketball

cares act distribution

The Crafting Underground is hosting a paint party to support the Strasburg middle school, JV, and varsity girls basketball teams.

The event will be held at the Strasburg Community Center from 3pm to 5pm on Sunday.

Tickets are still available on their Eventbrite page.

Master artist Janae Jenkins and her assistant, Debbie Benson, will lead the class and have all the needed supplies ready to go.

Finger foods and nonalcoholic refreshments also come with the purchase of a ticket.

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