A hot Douglas Freeman boys basketball team found the way to slow down a hot Hermitage. Pound the ball inside. That’s where first option Josh Brinkley roams. Brinkley, the Rebels’ 6-5 center with the long wingspan, scored 32 points, hauled in 11 rebounds and blocked four shots to lead Douglas Freeman to an 81-68 Colonial District victory last night at home. SLIDESHOW: Douglas Freeman-Hermitage

DOUGLAS FREEMAN 51, HERMITAGE 43  HERMITAGE (0-1 Colonial, 0-3)  O’Loughlin 19, Cousins 0, Willis 11, Steinruck 4, Strickler 0, C. Shannon 0, Thompson 5, Carmine 4. Totals: 15 8-12 43.  DOUGLAS FREEMAN (1-0, 2-1) Shulleeta 5, Mann 17, Rhodes 0, Miller 10, Outland 5, Witt 8, Robinson 6. Totals: 19 12-18 51.

HERMITAGE 80, NO. 5 COSBY 58


HERMITAGE (3-0) Blount 0, Winston 22, Reid 0, Thomas 23, Cumbia 2, Walters 9, Johnston 2, Bailey 0, McLeod 3, Kinard 9, Riddick 0, Alston 0, Grant 8, Golden 2. Totals: 30 12-14 80.
COSBY (1-1) Cole 0, Hinton 0, Cunningham 0, LaRose 0, Hardison 0, Smith 0, Taylor 0, Robinson 32, Zackon 2, Higbie 0, Virak 9, Hoepner 0, Gorski 15. Totals: 15 23-31 58.
Hermitage 16 20 26 18—80
Cosby 17 13 10 18—58

NO. 1 COSBY 65, HERMITAGE 42  HERMITAGE (0-3)  O’Loughlin 10, Cousins 0, Willis 5, Steinruck 7, Strickler 2, Wilkerson 4, C. Shannon 2, Thompson 8, Carmine 4. Totals 11 19-28 42.  COSBY (2-0) Kirshner 0, Christian 2, Nichols 4, Conyers 8, Wann 9, Foster 2, Lennox 2, Katzman 5, Bertrand 10, Barnett 4, Gillespie 0, Pitts 19. Totals 27 11-15 65.

HERMITAGE 58, NO. 9 HENRICO 49  HENRICO (1-1)  Walden 5, T. Davis 9, B. Davis 0, Burston 6, Carter 0, Wells 2, Zavelsky 14, Taylor 2, Thorpe 11. Totals 19 11-15 49.  HERMITAGE (2-0) Blount 6, Winston 10, Reid 11, Thomas 2, Walters 2, Bailey 0, McLeod 11, Kinard 16, Austin 0, Grant 0. Totals 18 20-30 58.  Henrico———————————— 16 15 10 8—49

NO. 9 HENRICO 67, HERMITAGE 50  HERMITAGE (0-2) O’Loughlin 5, Cousins 0, Willis 8, Steinruck 5, K. Shannon 0, Dillard 17, Strickler 2, Wilkerson 4, Thompson 0, Carmine 9. Totals 18 12-17 50.
  HENRICO (1-0) Freeman 13, Ellerbe 0, Robinson 4, Hendrick 0, Tyler 1, Dowling 4, Derricott 21, Harris 12, Cox 12. Totals 23 21-39 67.

Two new members of the Hermitage High Sports Hall of Fame will be inducted in a ceremony tomorrow night at 7:30 in the school auditorium. Admission is free. The ceremony follows the fall sports banquet. The inductees are three-time all-Central Region golfer Greg Gerczak (Class of 1993) and Bob Witte, a patron and supporter of Hermitage athletics.

J.R. TUCKER62, HERMITAGE 56  HERMITAGE (0-1 Colonial, 0-1)  O’Loughlin 9, Cousins 0, Willis 0, Steinruck 7, Dillard 13, Strickler 0, Wilkerson 4, Thompson 11, Carmine 12. Totals 23 9-22 56.  J.R. TUCKER (1-0, 1-0) Armstrong 4, Parsons 11, Shelton 5, Huband 9, Williams 4, Miller 9, Johnson 13, Spencer 7. Totals 15 30-40 62.

Clare Sisisky leads a staff of eight teachers and 130 students at the Center for the Humanities at Hermitage High School. Understanding other cultures is a large part of the focus of theCenter for the Humanities at Hermitage High School in Henrico County. For her advancement of those goals, the center’s director, Clare Sisisky, has received the Award for Excellence in the Teaching of International Studies.

It was overtime, and the Varina Blue Devils were almost out of chances. In the Central Region, Division 6 semifinal last night, they trailed visiting Hermitage 20-14, and everything they’d worked for—the game, the undefeated season, and, yes, the dream—was on the line. The noise in the stadium was deafening. The tension was thick in the frigid air.

Even in a sport as fiercely individualistic as cross country, sometimes being on a team is the most meaningful part of racing. At Great Meadow yesterday, the Midlothian girls won their fourth straight Group AAA title. Trojans junior Kathleen Lautzenheiser, the 2007 champion, raced along side senior Stacey Nobles of Ocean Lakes. With less than a half-mile remaining, Nobles began to press the pace.

What he did: Just a sophomore, Grant (6-2, 205) was the linchpin of a defense that held high-scoring Deep Run to one touchdown in Hermitage’s 14-7 Colonial District victory that put the Panthers in position to repeat as district champions. Grant was in on 22 tackles, 19 solo. Three tackles went for losses. Age: 15 Three words your friends would use to describe you: “Goofy, athletic, crazy.“ Strengths: “Athletic skills; hit hard.“ Toughest opponent other than yourself: “The offensive line in practice.“ I’m working to improve: “My speed and strength.“ Favorite food: Ribs Favorite ice cream: Strawberry Best sports memory: “When my team won the pee-wee football championship.“ He was 9 years old and was a lineman. Possession you can’t do without: “My football necklace.“ What’s on your iPod: “Hip-hop.“ Biggest challenge: “Keeping my focus academically.“ If you had one wish, what would it be: “Have lots of money.“ MySpace or Facebook: “MySpace. I check it about once a month now.“ Sports person you admire the most: Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis. Pet peeve: “When people talk and talk and talk.“ - Arthur Utley

Kathleen Lautzenheiser and the Midlothian girls successfully defended their Central Region title yesterday at Pole Green Park. With about a mile remaining, Lautzenheiser and teammate Amy Witt began to break away from the pack. “I think pretty much it was me and Amy the entire way,“ Lautzenheiser said. “I could hear people behind me, but I never actually saw anyone. . . . During the last mile, I kind of tried to push a little bit ahead to see if she would hang with me, I guess. And it was hot, so both of us were tired and I just happened to maybe have a little bit of a better day.“

Ben Dejarnette turned in another dominating win in the Central Region Cross Country tournament yesterday at Pole Green Park in Mechanicsville.

Michael Johnson ripped off a crucial 50-yard run with 50 seconds remaining in the game to set up Hermitage’s 14-7 victory over Deep Run and the inside track on the Colonial District title.