<b>Football Finals Changed</b>
This fall’s Virginia AAA state football finals for Divisions 5 and 6 will be played at the University of Virginia’s Scott Stadium, according to a press release issued by the Virginia High School League on Thursday, May 7.
The VHSL Executive Committee voted 24-0 in favor of the measure, which carries a two-year commitment. Last year’s top-level title games were held at Virginia Tech’s Lane Stadium, while the 2007 finals, which featured wins by Stone Bridge and Westfield, were held at Scott Stadium.
“We want our student-athletes to play in a big-time atmosphere and have an outstanding championship experience,” said VHSL executive director Ken Tilley. “We know that playing at Scott Stadium will provide that experience, not only for the players and coaches but for all fans attending the finals.”
<b>Final Four Appearance</b>
The Chantilly Youth Association Firecats, U-14 girls’ soccer team, won their third-round match of the state championship tournament with a 1-0 victory over the Richmond Strikers this past weekend at Poplar Tree Park. The win puts them among the final four teams remaining. The goal, scored by Haley Roberson, came at the 39-second mark and was made possible by a run down the left side by Kyndall Finch, who cut back to the inside and made a crossing pass past the onrushing goalie. Next up for the Wildcats (12-2-2) is the semifinal round, which will be held in Williamsburg at the end of May.
<b>Storm Seeks Players</b>
The Southwestern Youth Association Storm’s U-10 girls’ soccer teams are seeking additional players for the fall 2009 U-11 season. The Storm teams are looking for motivated, impact players who want a competitive environment with premium training and a positive team approach, as teams are professionally coached and trained within the SYA Academy Training program. In addition to a newly-forming fourth team, the existing three teams will each be adding two to four players with birthdates no earlier than Aug. 1, 1998. Tryouts are scheduled for May 26-27 and June 1, with a rainout day scheduled for June 2 at SYA Field of Dreams. Contact Kurt Gordon to register at 703-606-9896 or kurt@syastorm.com.
<b>Summer Camp Sign-Up</b>
This summer, Chesterbrook Academy Elementary in Chantilly will be hosting Summer Fit Kids Sports Camps for ages 4-9. Camps will include basketball, T-ball/baseball, sports mania, Olympic sports, gymnastics and floor hockey. Camps will begin June 22 and run Monday through Friday from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Call the school to register at 703-397-0555.
<b>On the Water</b>
At this past Saturday’s Virginia Scholastic Rowing Association’s championship regatta, all three of the Westfield crew team’s men’s boats made the finals, with the top varsity boat placing sixth and the second and third boats each winning bronze medals. As a team, Westfield was fourth. The top women’s varsity boat had the fourth-fastest time of the day while also winning the petite finals with the women’s third boat, finishing fifth in its final. Craig Trumbull, Paul Lorenzi, Justin Aid, Stephen Patten, Grant Bowden, Perry Cox, Peter Malm, Peter Schlatter and coxswain Ellie Goodman maneuvered the men’s eight; Amy Gregory, Darby Nelson, Lindsey Toma, Carrie Capps, Rachel Johnson, Virginia Ratcliff, Stasia Schlatter, Lauren Baker and coxswain Erin Friedlander commanded the women’s eight. Bronze-medal winners in the second varsity boat were Dan Gayer, Jack Kelly, Kirk Dennis, Chip Mathieson, Chris Thomas, Alex Fagan, Ryan Hilker, Andrew Gilbride and coxswain Ariel Raguso. The team now awaits news of what boats will be heading to Princeton, N.J. to compete in the Scholastic Rowing Association of America’s national regatta on May 22-23.
<b>A Royal Start</b>
Playing in the Northern Virginia Football Club, the Royals PDL (Professional Development League) team started its season this past weekend. The Royals feature a number of local players, including Westfield graduate A.J. Sheta. The Royals are coached Westfield’s Tom Torres, and he’s assisted by Josh Gros. The Royals’ next match is scheduled for Saturday, May 16 at Middle Creek Park in Cary, N.C. For more information on the Royals or NOVA FC, visit the organization’s Web site at www.novafc.org.
<b>Westfield Girls’ Hoops Camp</b>
The Westfield Athletic Booster Club will hold two sessions of girls’ basketball camp during June and July, with the first session running from June 22-26 (Elite Camp, ages 10-15) and July 6-10 (ages 8-15). Both camps will run from 8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Cost is $140. The staff will consist of head coach Pat Deegan and assistant coach Alice Andersen, as well as current college and high school players. For more information or for applications, contact coach Deegan at patrick.deegan@fcps.edu or 703-488-6363 (Ext. 7201).
<b>Westfield Boys’ Hoops Camp</b>
The Westfield boys’ basketball program will hold a series of four camps throughout the end of June and all of July. The first four-day session runs from June 29 through July 3; the second runs from July 13-17; the third from July 20-24; the fourth from July 27-31. For more information, contact Doug Ewell at 703-488-6406 or via email at douglas.ewell@fcps.edu.
<b>Chantilly Boys’ Hoops Camp</b>
The Chantilly boys’ basketball program will hold four consecutive weeks of basketball camps starting July 6 for boys ages 8 through 15. Cost is $150 and the sessions will be held at Chantilly High School. For more information, call head coach Jim Smith at 703-222-6306 or visit the Chantilly athletics Web site at www.chantillysports.org.
<b>Quite a Road Trip</b>
Centreville native David Butzke, a defender on Paul VI’s boys’ soccer team, has been appointed to the USA Youth Men’s Soccer Team to compete at the 18th Maccabiah Games in Israel from July 12-23. In addition to helping Paul VI finish third in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference and reach the Virginia Independent Schools Final Four this past fall, Butzke plays for the Great Falls 91 Premier Club Team in the National Capital Soccer League. In the summer of 2008, Butzke won a bronze medal for his team in the Jewish Community Center Maccabi Games in San Diego.
<b>SYA Registration</b>
Registration is underway online at www.syasports.org for all Southwestern Youth Association summer sports, including basketball, travel basketball, rugby and track and field. Registration for travel basketball will take place after a set of tryouts, which will be held the week of May 18. The schedule will be posted on SYA’s Web site next week. Registration is also underway for rugby. Rugby runs through June and July with flexible scheduling to accommodate vacation plans.
<b>Centreville Girls’ Hoops Camp</b>
The Centreville High School Athletic Boosters will sponsor the Third-Annual Girls’ Basketball Specialty Camp from June 22-25. The times of the camp will be from 5 until 8:00 p.m., and the four-day camp is open to rising seventh-grade girls through rising 12th-grade girls. The cost is $100. Registration forms may be downloaded from the Centreville High School Web site at http://www.fcps.edu/CentrevilleHS/cvhs_old/activity/index.html.
<b>Centreville Basketball Camp</b>
The Centreville Booster Club is sponsoring a boys’ basketball camp for rising third- through 10th-grade boys. The camp will take place at Centreville High School from June 22-26, and the camp’s cost is $135 for the week. Camp will run from 8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Contact coach Drew Murphy at 703-802-5476 or by email at andrew.murphy@fcps.edu for more details, or got to www.fcps.edu/CentrevilleHS/boys_basketball_camp.html to download an application.