RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Two high school basketball teams from the Richmond area are state champions in their respective classes for the second year in a row, including the nation’s top boys’ team.
Richmond-area schools made appearances in all but one of Virginia’s six title games in either boy’s or girl’s basketball. The most decisive victory came from the John Marshall Justices of Richmond’s Northside, the nation’s top-ranked and only undefeated boy’s high school basketball team.
The Justices went into each quarter of the Class 2 title game with no less than three times as many points as the Radford Highlanders, finishing the game 91-34 for their second consecutive Class 2 state title.
The other Richmond-area boy’s basketball team to win a state title this year was the Varina Blue Devils, who also won their second in a row. Against the E.C. Glass Hilltoppers of Lynchburg, the Blue Devils stayed in control throughout, holding a lead at the end of each quarter and finishing 59-56 for the Class 4 state title.
Three other teams from the Richmond area — one boy’s team and two girl’s teams — also made it to their respective state title games but came up short.
The Manchester Lancers girl’s basketball team of Chesterfield County went up against the James Madison Warhawks of Fairfax County in the Class 6 title game. Though the game began with the Warhawks taking a substantial lead, the Lancers kept it close throughout, trailing by three going into halftime and by just one going into the final quarter. Both teams ended regulation at 44 points and the Warhawks snuck by with a lead of just three to end overtime for a final score of 49-46.
Chesterfield County’s L.C. Bird Skyhawks girl’s basketball team matched up with the Princess Anne Cavaliers of Virginia Beach for the Class 5 state title. The Skyhawks led for much of the first half, going into the locker room up by four, but were tied with the Cavaliers going into the final quarter. The Cavaliers came back in dramatic fashion in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Skyhawks 15-7 for a final score of 58-52.
The Hopewell Blue Devils boy’s basketball team faced off against the Northside Vikings of Roanoke County for the Class 3 state title. Down by 17 going into the second quarter, the Blue Devils bounced back and led by two going into the final quarter, but ultimately came up short, ending with a final score of 58-52.