Strasburg's Jaclyn Ayers, The Northern Virginia Daily's Girls Athlete of the Year, competes in volleyball, basketball and softball, and though she's too humble to do so willingly, she can name most of the awards she's collected over the last nine months: All-state first team in volleyball, Bull Run District Volleyball Player of the Year, Region B honorable mention in basketball, Region B second-team in softball, and several others.
STRASBURG -- Donning a smile as wide as the ocean that separates his permanent and temporary homes, Yoshi Suzuki rattles off his favorite traditional American fare.
Winning a state title in any sport is hard enough; so to repeat as state champions, even for a Clarke County track and field team that brings 22 male and female athletes to Saturday's Group A state meet at Radford University, is a rare feat in its own right.
STRASBURG -- In recognition of this past March's heart-stopping -- literally -- collision between two Strasburg High School baseball players, the baseball complex is being given an automated electronic defibrillator.
STRASBURG -- The nature of playing small ball is to put pressure on the other team. A winning baseball club with a spotty defense most of the season, Strasburg's shortcomings in the field came to the surface again in Wednesday night's Region B quarterfinals game with Riverheads.
STRASBURG -- Strasburg's Region B baseball quarterfinal against Riverheads on Monday night was postponed due to rain. The game will be made up tonight at 7 p.m. The winner will advance Wednesday's semifinal. The two teams took batting practice before a steady rain set in....
CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Tears welled up in Cassie Frye's eyes. The Strasburg senior was in the middle of the discus event at the Region B meet on Friday when a comment from a coach made her realize this was her last regional meet.
STRASBURG -- The Rams hosted Madison County on Thursday for the Bull Run District title. Both teams entered the game having already secured regional berths.
STRASBURG -- Knowing that Clarke County was coming in playing its best baseball of the season, Strasburg wanted to put Wednesday night's Bull Run District semifinals matchup to bed early with a strong showing.
MADISON -- The second-seeded Madison County Mountaineers got extra bases on seven of their 12 hits to take an 8-1 victory in their Bull Run District softball tournament semifinal game on Wednesday afternoon. Madison County will play at Clarke County today in the final.
STRASBURG -- Strasburg softball coach Suzanne Mathias takes no opponent lightly. And she didn't change her stance for Monday's Bull Run District tournament quarterfinal opponent George Mason, even though the Mustangs have not won within the league for several seasons.
WASHINGTON -- With a regular season Bull Run district championship, a No. 1 district seeding, and an automatic regional birth on the line, Susan Grubbs and the Clarke County softball team found themselves tied with Madison County going into the seventh inning.
STEPHENS CITY -- Sherando senior Nick Merchant told coach Pepper Martin on Thursday that he wanted to pitch in the Warriors' Northwestern District tournament quarterfinal against Handley. Martin decided to let Merchant start the game and put him on a pitch cout. Merchant didn't disappoint as hed led the Warriors to a 6-2 win over the Judges in baseball action on Friday.
STRASBURG -- The Strasburg Rams bounced back, very high, after their first Bull Run District loss Monday night at Madison County, trouncing the last-place Rappahannock Panthers, 20-4, on Tuesday night.
STRASBURG -- Leading Strasburg by one run with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, Rappahannock thought it was going to get away with an upset. The Rams, however, decided to put together a last-minute rally.
Daily Staff Reports SHENANDOAH -- Stonewall Jackson's boys soccer team took care of business against its main competition, Wilson Memorial, and polished off the rest of the Shenandoah District in convincing fashion to claim the league title for the first time since 2006. That title,...
QUICKSBURG -- The twitch muscles in Colin Christensen's legs are weak. That lack of strength, which Christensen cites as one of his "downfalls as a distance runner," prohibits the Strasburg junior from reaching that extra gear in the final leg of the 1600- and 3200-meter runs, and has kept him winless all season.
QUICKSBURG -- Stonewall Jackson exchange student Marcello Lizarrague scored two minutes into overtime to give the Generals a 3-2 win over Riverheads on Tuesday in Shenandoah District action.
STRASBURG -- The Rams faced Manassas Park for the second time in as many nights Friday in girls softball action. Behind another solid performance from pitcher Lauren Stickles, Strasburg's offense came alive and the Rams comfortably defeated the Cougars 9-2.
STRASBURG -- The Strasburg Rams baseball squad continued its devastation of opponents, extending a winning streak to seven games by overwhelming Manassas Park, 16-0, on Friday.
NEW MARKET -- Stonewall Jackson had a good offensive outburst in the fourth and fifth innings en route to a 7-3 win over Luray in Shenandoah District baseball action on Friday ay Rebel Park.
WOODSTOCK -- Ashley Ebersole found the perfect way to cap off her senior night on Thursday. The senior belted a two-run homer, her seventh of the season, in the bottom of the eighth to give the Falcons an 8-6 win over James Wood in Northwestern District action.
STRASBURG -- It did not take until the bottom of the seventh inning this time for Clarke County's softball team to scratch across the winning run against Strasburg.
WINCHESTER -- The host Colonels haven't won the Apple Blossom Invitational in so long that not one James Wood coach could remember how many years it's been.
WINCHESTER -- There's a little extra excitement in the air for James Wood's boys track team as it gets ready to host today's 41st annual H. Brian Landes Apple Blossom Invitational.
WOODSTOCK -- Central started off slowly, but led by Ashley Ebersole's fifth homer of the season the Falcons got back on track for a 6-2 Northwestern District softball win over Millbrook on Friday.
Daily Staff Reports QUICKSBURG -- For one inning, it all came together for the Stonewall Jackson baseball team. On a night when the Generals struck out 13 times, the fourth inning saw the home team make solid contact batter after batter as the 10-run frame...
Daily Staff Reports Softball Handley 12, Millbrook 3 WINCHESTER -- Handley played a near-flawless game against Millbrook, scoring in all but two innings and exuding patience at the plate. "We were happy about the win," Handley coach Tim Mondell said. "Millbrook's a young team so...
STRASBURG -- Even the rain-soaked field couldn't slow down the squad from George Mason, as the Mustangs scored early and often in torching Strasburg, 10-0, in a game shortened by the mercy rule on Tuesday.
STRASBURG -- Strasburg certainly had a lot of material to cover during halftime. Down six goals to Madison County by intermission, the Rams gathered in a circle as captain Kayla Del'Aguila stood apart from them and delivered some words of encouragement.
STRASBURG -- On the second pitch of the game, Madison County's Jordan Aylor started off right with a leadoff home run, and the rest of the Mountaineers followed suit as they battered the Rams, 10-4, on Friday night.
STRASBURG -- The Rams overcame a 3-0 deficit after the top half of the first inning to rout the visiting Madison County Mountaineers, 13-3, in a five-inning Bull Run district baseball game on Friday.
WINCHESTER -- James Wood took advantage of two Handley errors and came up with some timely doubles to pull out a 3-1 Northwestern District baseball victory over the Judges on Thursday.
Two former Strasburg players are making a big impact on their college squads: Christopher Newport's Parker Neal (Strasburg '06) and Charleston's Nick Barnes ('07).
BERRYVILLE -- It was as subtle an entrance as it could have been. With no announcer to bellow his name over the Clarke County P.A. system, and with designated hitter Mitchell Wilson hitting in his place, Rams outfielder Will Orndorff made his presence known only when he quietly marched out to his spot in left field and turned to face the Eagles batters.
STRASBURG -- There are rumors swirling through Strasburg High School. Whispers that the girls soccer team, a program not two years in the making, is doing pretty well this season.
STEPHENS CITY -- Sherando rallied for two runs in the bottom of the seventh and then scored the winning run in the eighth as the Warriors defeated Millbrook, 4-3, in Northwestern District baseball action on Wednesday.
STRASBURG -- The Strasburg Rams were unable to carry over momentum from winning the Ram Hardball Classic on Saturday as the Page County Panthers prevailed in all aspects of the game, ending a five-game Strasburg winning streak with a 12-3 non-district baseball victory Tuesday night.
STRASBURG -- Maybe it was the freezing temperatures, or perhaps a lack of confidence, but either way something just wasn't right about Strasburg's play against Page County on Tuesday night.
FRONT ROYAL -- Central picked up its first win of the season rallying for a 2-1 Northwestern District win over Skyline on Tuesday night in girls soccer action.
STRASBURG -- It was an image that everyone in the Strasburg community needed to see: Will Orndorff, clad in full baseball uniform, walking to home plate with Rams head coach Jeff Smoot for the pregame conference.
STRASBURG -- Will Orndorff, a Strasburg baseball player who was seriously injured in a collision with a teammate at practice on Tuesday, is in stable condition and improving by the hour, according to Rams athletic director Matt Hiserman.
STRASBURG -- A Strasburg baseball player remained in serious condition on Wednesday in the intensive care unit at Winchester Medical Center, according to Strasburg athletic director Matt Hiserman.
QUICKSBURG -- Lauren Stickles faced only 25 batters (the minimum being 21), struck out 10, issued no walks, and scattered four hits in pitching the Strasburg Rams to a 5-1 win against the Stonewall Jackson Generals on Monday in a non-district softball contest.
Daily Staff Reports Baseball Millbrook 10, Warren County 5 WINCHESTER -- Quinn Courtney went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored to lead the Pioneers past the Wildcats in Northwestern District action. Michael Dillow went 1-for-2 with a double and two RBIs for the...
STRASBURG -- Zach Cover wasn't sure what to expect when he took the mound for the first time for Strasburg this season. And while the season is still young, the sophomore is showing a lot of promise and a bright future for the Rams.
STRASBURG -- The Luray Bulldogs used great offensive efficiency, scoring seven runs on seven hits, and dealt the Strasburg Rams their first loss of the season, 7-4, in a rain-shortened five inning non-district softball game Friday night.
BERRYVILLE -- Clarke County's Brianna Smith was in a hurry to get the game over with. Smith hustled around the bases with seven steals, swiping home twice as the Eagles pounded Stonewall Jackson, 15-0, in a five-inning game.
SHENANDOAH -- Strasburg took advantage of six Page County errors, six walks and six hit batsmen to defeat Page County, 12-4, in nondistrict baseball action on Wednesday night.
WOODSTOCK -- The Strasburg Rams managed to score eight runs on a stingy diet as Central Falcon pitcher Brea Hinegardner surrendered four hits, tossed four shutout innings, struck out three, issued two walks, and hit a homer to aid her own cause.
Daily Staff Reports STEPHENS CITY -- Danielle Walls had two hits, including a double to rally Handley past Sherando, 7-5, in Northwestern District softball action on Thursday. The Judges trailed 5-0 entering the sixth inning, but scored two in the top of the sixth and...
QUICKSBURG -- Sometimes all it takes is one extra drop of water before the dam finally breaks. And in the 16th minute of Stonewall Jackson's boys soccer match against Strasburg, after the Generals had already taken six shots, a rocket by forward Lupe Cardoso from 20 yards out was all the Generals needed before their offense spilled onto the field in an 8-0 victory.
STRASBURG -- A search for reliable arms began in earnest Tuesday night.
In a 14-4, five-inning victory against Shenandoah County rival Stonewall Jackson, Strasburg's baseball team officially started its search for dependable pitching help. The early returns: Sophomore starter Zach Cover gave up three unearned runs in two innings, while senior Yoshi Suzuki yielded one run in three innings of relief.
STRASBURG -- Some may say the luck of St. Patrick's Day had found Strasburg on Tuesday night, but it was clear that hard work was the real reason for the Rams' 20-4 victory over Stonewall Jackson.
WOODSTOCK -- The spring of 2007 was a special time for the Central softball team. Following a winless campaign in 2006, Jill Yew's first season as the Falcons' head coach, pitcher Brea Hinegardner and catcher Ashley Ebersole were reunited at Central, after playing years together in various leagues, and paraded the Falcons to nine wins in 2007 and 11 in 2008.
QUICKSBURG -- Stonewall Jackson coach Nate Hissong stands in the middle of a barren field, his soccer team scrambling in every direction around him and dribbling soccer balls as they go.
WINCHESTER -- Often meaningless before a pitch has been thrown, the early-season expectations for James Wood -- as they were last Tuesday -- haven't always been so high.
AMHERST -- Strasburg made a valiant comeback against Randolph-Henry on Thursday night in the Region B, Division 2 semifinals, but came up short in a 51-40 loss.
FALLS CHURCH -- When she looked down at her right leg with 4:48 remaining in the third quarter of Thursday's Bull Run District final, Jaclyn Ayers appeared surprised to see blood.
STRASBURG -- To prepare for the Group A state wrestling tournament, which starts today, Sean Hall is mostly sticking with the status quo -- a regimen that's earned him sixth-, third- and second-place finishes at the two-day event.
CUMBERLAND -- About the same moment the time keeper ventured over to inform the referee of the third period's waning seconds, Strasburg 130-pound wrestler Jay Silvas noticed the clock: it read 10 seconds.
STRASBURG -- The Manassas Park Cougars and Strasburg Rams opened their second season Friday night in the quarterfinal round of the Bull Run District Tournament.
MANASSAS PARK -- On Saturday, Colin Barnes, alongside his jubilant Strasburg teammates, approached head coach Rick Bowley, who had a moment of respite in the stands following the Bull Run District tournament's trophy presentation.
If local coaches have agreed on anything concerning today's Northwestern District wrestling tournament, to be held at Sherando High School, it's that the clash of talent will make for an intriguing and unpredictable event.
STRASBURG -- In comparison to the first three quarters of George Mason and Strasburg's matchup on Tuesday night, the last eight minutes appeared to be going in fast forward.
FRONT ROYAL -- It was Brandon Seal's finest moment of the day. Seal, a sophomore at Millbrook, was trailing Matt Murphy by four points in the Pioneers' 152-pound bout against Freedom (Loudoun) at the Wildcat Scramble Duals held at Warren County High School on Saturday.
STRASBURG -- The Strasburg Rams nearly had too many turnovers and just enough timely effort to pull off a 45-40 overtime win against the Manassas Park Cougars in Bull Run District boys basketball action Saturday night.
STEPHENS CITY -- For a moment, the final minute of Thursday night's game between Sherando and Strasburg had an eerie resemblance to the teams' previous meeting: The Warriors led the Rams by three points, and Strasburg guard Bub McKelvey was standing alone behind the 3-point arc.
STRASBURG -- The Group A Strasburg Rams hosted the Group AA Sherando Warriors in a rare late season non-district girls basketball action on Wednesday night. The game was arranged to fill a hole in the Rams' schedule caused by Rappahannock leaving the Bull Run district.
STRASBURG -- After having its four-game winning streak snapped by a team lower in the district standings, Strasburg was looking to start a new run on Tuesday.
STRASBURG--Colin Barnes rose to his knees, kissed his index finger, and pointed to the gymnasium rafters at Strasburg High School; a makeshift cast wrapped his sprained right wrist.
STRASBURG -- After a devastating district loss to George Mason on Wednesday night, Strasburg Rams coach Joel Morgan said his team needed to work on execution.
BERRYVILLE -- Must-win talk was fodder for victory for Clarke County before Thursday's game against Strasburg. Now the team can savor a feeling that's mostly been missing this season.
By Dennis Atwood -- Daily Sports Correspondent STRASBURG -- Jamar Crawford came up with the crucial plays when the Rams needed them. The final -- and most pivotal -- of those plays came with just more than 10 seconds left on the clock, when the...
STRASBURG -- Warren County coach Matt Wadas hugged Strasburg senior Justin Sager following the match between the Rams and the Wildcats at the Strasburg Ram Duals held on Saturday.
STRASBURG -- The first-place Strasburg Rams faced several improbable situations during their 48-28 victory over last-place Madison County in a Bull Run District girls basketball game on Friday.
STRASBURG — The Strasburg Rams were punched in the mouth by the Clarke County Eagles. And the strawberries on Jaclyn Ayers’ knees, the result of diving for loose balls and getting pushed to the floor in the paint, were evidence that the Rams had to fight for every one of their scoring opportunities in their 50-42 win over the Eagles.
SHENANDOAH — Jaclyn Ayers had a career night statistically, notching a double-double in Strasburg’s 66-55 win over Page County on Monday night. Ayers, a junior, tallied 22 points, 11 rebounds and six rebounds as the Rams used a strong third quarter to put away the...
STRASBURG — The Strasburg Rams started the new year with a convincing 57-41 victory over Shenandoah County rival Stonewall Jackson Generals in a nondistrict game Saturday night.
STRASBURG — Some might have called it an ugly win, others, boring. A quick glance at the scoreboard, especially in the first quarter, might have been an indication to the absurdity of the game. And the sight of Strasburg coach Joel Morgan leaping in the air and stomping both his feet in frustration may have hinted at a nauseating ambiance throughout the gym at Strasburg High School.
STRASBURG -- His little sister's admiration punctuated the kind of night Jamar Crawford had. First it was the standing ovation from the home crowd, as his last-second 3-pointer dropped through the cylinder.
STRASBURG -- For some teams, the task of guarding a quick-footed, sure-handed slasher like Washington's (W.Va.) Jasmyn Hosby is an unenviable one left more often to traps and double teams than to individual defenders. But Strasburg junior Jaclyn Ayers insists that not only was she ready to handle the pressure of defending Hosby on Monday night in the Daily Classic championship game, she thrived in it.
STRASBURG --Until Saturday, Andrew Kibler's approach on offense was timid. The senior forward, whose obedience was never in question, just needed a little nudge.
STRASBURG -- Strasburg's offense seems to have finally gelled. In the girls semifinal round of the Daily Classic on Saturday afternoon, the Rams outscored the Warren County Wildcats 60-25, marking the third time this season that Strasburg has posted 60 points, and the second time it has done so in three games.
STEPHENS CITY -- All variations of shots were functioning for Rams' junior Jenna Smoot. Her mid-range jumper was nice, she was solid from the free-throw line and her inside game was even better against Sherando's post on Tuesday.
By Jeremy Stafford -- Daily Staff Writer STRASBURG -- It wasn't at all pretty, but the Sherando boys basketball team ended a two-game losing skid, defeating the Strasburg Rams, 39-36, in a game decided more by turnovers and offensive ineptitude than by solid defense and...
Daily Staff Reports STRASBURG -- The Rams used their defensive preesure to jump out to an early lead and cruised to a 66-34 nondistrict girls basketball win over Moorefield (W.Va.). "I think the kids really played pretty well," Strasburg coach Joel Morgan said. "They came...
STRASBURG -- When Strasburg lost to Buffalo Gap by three points earlier this month, the Rams looked forward to a rematch with the defending state champions in Strasburg. But the Rams, in the midst of a scoring slump, had an unproductive second quarter -- one in which they scored only one point -- and were never able to recover, losing to Buffalo Gap, 47-36.
STRASBURG -- The Strasburg Rams were looking to avenge their loss to the Page County Panthers on Dec. 3. They also wanted to improve their offensive production over the 30 points they scored against Central, which managed only 38 points itself, in a defensive battle Monday night.
WOODSTOCK -- In a basketball game dominated by defense and intensity it was only fitting that the biggest play of the night was a blocked shot by Central's Michael Marston.
STRASBURG -- Any hopes the Strasburg Rams had of building on their first victory were quickly dashed as they encountered a very talented and undefeated Buffalo Gap team, and came out on the short end 69-55 in a non-district game Thursday night.
