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.

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.

Cosby (6-2 Dominion, 7-3) set the school mark for wins in a season, beating Huguenot (2-6, 3-7). Cosby QB Fuller Hoepner was 14 of 22 for 137 yards and two TDs. Cosby’s Blake Hutchison had 7 tackles, 3 for loss and a sack. Cosby————————————- 14 0 0 13—27
Huguenot————————————- 0 0 0 8—8

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.

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.

History isn’t on the side of the Central Region’s representatives in the Virginia High School League Group AAA field hockey tournament. It’s been years since the region has had a team advance beyond the quarterfinals.

James River’s season-long goal to reach the Central Region girls volleyball tournament final and gain a berth in the state tournament will go unfulfilled. Mills Godwin got in the way again. The Eagles (19-5) eliminated the Rapids (20-4) for the third year in a row last night at Cosby. Mills Godwin won in five games: 24-26, 25-15, 25-18, 23-25, 15-13. The Eagles, the defending region champions, are back in tomorrow night’s 7:30 title game. They play Colonial District rival Deep Run, which halted a hot Cosby team 25-21, 25-20, 25-17.

Cosby continued its hot run with a three-game sweep over Central District champion Colonial Heights, which was playing in its first region match in years. Jessica Melhorn had 11 kills and 11 digs to lead the Titans into tonight’s semifinals on their home floor. Gabrielle Holt added 10 kills, and Abigayle Holt distributed 30 assists. The Colonials were led by Morgan Jones’ 27 assists, and Yasmine Campbell’s eight kills and four blocks.

Dominion District champion Cosby swept three games from Matoaca and advanced to the region semifinals. Although the games were close, the outcome was never in doubt. Stephen Cunningham had 11 kills, Brent Zackon 14 assists and Ben Morrison and Cameron Vaile combined for 17 more kills and four blocks for the Titans. Dylan Vavra contributed 14 assists, and Ryan Chapman had seven kills for the Warriors.

Jainard Crawley-Lambert totaled 76 yards from scrimmage and scored two touchdowns to lead the Titans past the Chiefs in a Dominion District game. Fuller Hoepner threw for two touchdowns and 123 yards. Morgan Lusk led the defense for Cosby (5-2, 6-3) with eight tackles and a sack. Monacan (3-4, 3-6) led 14-10 at halftime behind two Logan Staib touchdown runs. Staib finished with 99 yards passing and 60 yards rushing.

Last night’s Central Region field hockey championship may not have been an elimination game, but there was much more riding on the outcome for Thomas Dale and Cosby than merely an opportunity to add another piece of shiny hardware to their schools’ trophy cases. The Knights were trying to win their fourth consecutive region title. The Titans sought the first region crown in their program’s four-year history. And for both teams, the chance to host a Group AAA state tournament quarterfinal game Tuesday gave last night’s matchup at Clover Hill High School even greater significance.

The Titans claimed the title by taking down the Rapids in four games. For Cosby, Jessica Melhorn had 13 kills and 16 digs, Morgan Dowdy had 9 kills and 19 digs, and Abigayle Holt added 38 assists. James River’s Carol Pyskowski had 12 kills and 5 blocks, Grace Jefferson had 6 kills and 10 digs, and Julia Cushman added 37 assists. Cosby————————————- 13 25 25 26
James River————————————- 25 21 18 24