This one wasn’t about strategy. Having already split six meetings this season, the boys volleyball teams from Clover Hill and Cosby knew each other’s strengths and weaknesses as well as opponents possibly could.

When: Today, 1:30 p.m.
  Tickets: $8
  Records: Petersburg Crimson Wave 5-5; Clover Hill Cavaliers 8-2. Clover Hill was No.10 in the final Times-Dispatch Top 10. Petersburg was unranked.
  Last meeting: This is the first meeting between the teams. They were in different classifications when Petersburg won the state title in 1979, and they were in different Group AAA divisions until Clover Hill dropped to Division 5 this year. Petersburg last qualified for the region playoffs in 2003. The Wave lost to Meadowbrook in the semis. Clover Hill earned a spot in the Division 6 playoffs in 2006 before losing to Varina.

The “Oh, no, not you again” scenario takes center stage in the state Group AAA girls volleyball tournament quarterfinals tonight at Frank Cox High in Virginia Beach. That’s where Central Region runner-up Deep Run (16-9) will take on the Eastern Region champion Falcons (23-2) at 7 p.m. Central Region champion Mills Godwin (20-5) plays host to Eastern runner-up Princess Anne (21-5) at 7.

Clover Hill (8-2) secured the top seed in the Central Region, Division 5 playoffs with its victory over Henrico. Doug Tyler rushed 16 times for 114 yards and two scores for the Cavaliers. Joel Caleb had 95 yards and a touchdown on the ground and threw for a score. Holland Fisher had four solo tackles, three assists, a sack and four tackles for a loss of 10 yards.

The Clover Hill boys volleyball team arguably has had the toughest road to the state playoffs. It wound through two past state champions and all three Central Region district champions. But that is exactly how coach Georjean Lampley would have it. “We have had a really tough season,“ Lampley said. “We played a lot of good competition, and that really helped prepare us. It helped playing James River five times, helped prepare us for tonight and for states, so I’m glad we have the tough schedule. I asked for it.“

The Central Region boys and girls volleyball tournament finals will be played tonight at Cosby High School. Dominion District rivals Cosby and Clover Hill play for the sixth time this season in the boys championship match, which starts at 5:30 p.m. Both teams advance to the state Group AAA tournament semifinals Wednesday at the Siegel Center against Eastern Region representatives Great Bridge and First Colonial.

Clover Hill and Hanover have spots in the Central Region, Division 5 football playoffs. L.C. Bird has qualified in Division 6. Unlike several teams still trying to get in the show, that trio won’t have to worry as much about their final regular-season games this weekend. Clover Hill and Hanover have accumulated enough points on the Virginia High School League rating scale to earn at-large berths, according to calculations by The Times-Dispatch. They will be the top two seeds, in either order.

The boys and girls volleyball Central Region championship matches set for tonight have been rescheduled for Friday. The boys match between Cosby and Clover Hill will take place at 5:30 p.m. The girls match between Mills Godwin and Deep Run will start at 7:30 p.m. Both matches will be played at Cosby High School.

Clover Hill rallied in the third and fourth games to eliminate defending Central Region champion Thomas Dale in four games. Neither team had more than a threeor four-point run during a tight match. Each game was decided by four or two points. The Cavaliers, who lost to the Knights earlier this season, got 38 assists from Andy Hite, 15 kills from Tony Song and 10 kills from Mark Smith.

Joel Caleb completed 12 of 15 passes for 159 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Cavaliers, No. 10 in the T-D Top 10, to a commanding Dominion District victory. Christian Conklin caught five passes for 79 yards and a touchdown for the winners (6-2, 7-2). Conklin also kicked a 38-yard field goal and punted three times, dropping two of those kicks inside the Huguenot 20.

Cosby claimed the Dominion District championship yesterday, defeating Clover Hill. Will Vacca had 12 digs and Stephen Cunningham and Ben Morrison had 12 kills for the Titans. Cosby (18-4) will host Matoaca Monday in the Central Region playoffs; Clover Hill (18-6) travels to Thomas Dale. Clover Hill————————————- 18 25 23 23
Cosby————————————- 25 12 25 25
Highlights: Matt White (CH) 11 kills, 2 blocks; Bret Brooks (CH) 5 digs; Alden Negaard (CH) 3 kills; Will Vacca (C) 12 digs; Cameron Vaile (C) 5 kills, 6 blocks; Stephen Cunningham (C) 12 kills, 2 blocks; Ben Morrison (C) 12 kills
Records: Clover Hill 18-6; Cosby 18-4

No. 2 Clover Hill slipped past No. 3 James River to advance to the Dominion District finals against No. 1 Cosby. Mark Smith had 21 kills and Tony Fong and Matt White had 14 for Clover Hill. James River’s Darren Kilby had 15 kills and seven digs. James River————————————- 25 27 23 24 10
Clover Hill————————————- 22 25 25 26 15
Highlights: Drew McLean (JR) 11 kills, 3 blocks; Darren Kilby (JR) 15 kills, 7 digs; Taylor Anderson (JR) 12 kills, 3 blocks; Mark Smith (CH) 21 kills, 4 blocks; Tony Fong (CH) 14 kills, 10 digs; Matt White (CH) 14 kills, 8 digs
Records: James River 15-8; Clover Hill 18-5

Stephen Cunningham and Ben Morrison each recorded 10 kills as the Titans edged past the Cavaliers in the playoff for the Dominion District’s top seed. The win gives Cosby its second consecutive regular-season title. Matt White’s 13 kills and three digs led Clover Hill, who settle for the second seed in the tournament. Clover Hill25 20 21 24 Cosby21 25 25 26

Lauren Reichert ran the offense with 23 assists and Harper Smith recorded 14 kills and 11 digs to lead the third-seeded Cavaliers past the sixth-seeded Chiefs. Jessica Underwood led Monacan with 19 digs and nine kills. Monacan13 23 17 Clover Hill25 25 25 Highlights: Jessica Underwood (M) 9 kills, 19 digs, 1 block; Megan Williams (M) 5 kills, 4 blocks, 9 dogs; Veronica Sanchez 1 kill, 15 assists, 7 blocks, 7 digs, 3aces; Lauren Biagioli (CH) 2 aces, 5 digs, 2 kills, 1 assist; Harper Smith (CH) 5 aces, 11 digs, 14 kills; Lauren Reichert (CH) 2 aces, 4 digs, 1 kill, 23 assists

Joel Caleb rushed 21 times for 133 yards and two touchdowns, and the Cavaliers held the Chiefs to just 67 yards in the second half en route to a Dominion District win. Caleb was also 5 of 20 for 64 yards and an interception and Doug Tyler rushed 14 times for 58 yards and a TD for Clover Hill (5-2, 6-2). Defensively, Holland Fisher made two tackles, three assists, and an interception. He also made one pass deflection and a quarterback carry. Mo Gross also had two solo tackles, three assists, three for loss, with a pass deflection and a blocked kick.