High school notes

Johnson relishes national team trials

Ka'Lia Johnson didn't make the USA Women's U16 national basketball team, but she recently returned from three days of trials determined to get a future invitation.

"Hopefully, the next time I go back, I'll be wearing the USA jersey," Johnson said.

The rising junior at Thomas Dale High was one of 34 players invited to the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., to compete for 12 spots. The team will play against seven national teams from North America, South America, Central America and the Caribbean in the first FIBA Americas U16 championship Aug. 10-14 in Mexico. The top three teams qualify for the 2010 FIBA U17 world championship next summer in France.

Johnson, a 5-9 guard, was the Central Region player of the year this past season after averaging 17 points for the Knights. The two-time All-Metro pick has committed to Duke.

"The competition was great," she said. "It was the best of the best.

"I wouldn't change anything. It was really fun, except I didn't make the team. I would change that."

Hanover baseball losing senior core

Hanover baseball coach Charlie Dragum, whose team finished as the state Group AAA runner-up, on his 10 seniors, including six who have been on the varsity for three or four years:

"What I will take from that senior group is they did everything they possibly could to prepare themselves to be state champions. They just came up a little short.

"They practiced long hours, they worked extra on their own, they were leaders, they hustled.

"It was a job well done. Every time I talk about them, I'm going to cry. I'm going to miss them terribly."

Hunt going into Hall

Doug Hunt, who has been principal at Highland Springs, Hermitage and Maggie Walker Governor's School, will be inducted into the Virginia High School League Hall of Fame in October in Charlottesville.

Hunt has served in several positions on the VHSL's Executive Committee and has been a driving force in the development of several programs, including the Hall of Fame.

The VHSL's press release noted that "no individual school principal has contributed more to the growth and progress enjoyed by the Virginia High School League than Doug Hunt." -- Tim Pearrell