High school notes

Trojans looking to extend string

The Midlothian girls cross country team is chasing its fifth consecutive Central Region title Saturday at Pole Green Park in Mechanicsville. The Trojans have followed the first four region crowns with state Group AAA titles.

If Midlothian is a given, then Maggie Walker Governor's School, Deep Run, Cosby and Lee-Davis are left to battle for the region's three other team spots available in the state meet.

Midlothian's Kathleen Lautzenheiser ran the best girls time of the season in the Dominion District meet and is the favorite to win a third region title. Teammates Amy Witt, Marie Johnston and Claire Benjamin will be in the hunt, along with Cosby's Megan Moye, Maggie Walker's Clarissa Schick, Deep Run sisters Courtney and Erica Dobbs and Lee-Davis' Bonny Turnage.

On the boys' side, Mills Godwin is the front-runner. The Eagles have never won a Central Region title, but led by Grant Pollock, they have run well all season and are coming in as the Colonial District champions. Expect James River's Ted Richardson to run up front as well.

Midlothian, Douglas Freeman and Atlee are contenders for the team trophy.

The girls race begins at 3:25 p.m.; the boys at 4:10.

Cougars, Saints on even keel

The boys soccer teams at St. Christopher's and Collegiate played to a tie Oct. 27 for the second time this season. The first time around didn't count in the Prep League standings, but last week's did. A victory would have put either in position to win the Prep League title. There is no overtime in regular-season matches.

The Cougars (11-2-3) defeated Trinity Episcopal last Thursday to finish on top of the league standings. They were No.3 in the latest VISAA poll and received the No.3 seed in the state tournament, which gets under way tomorrow with four first-round games.

The tournament field consists of 12 teams this season. The top four seeds have byes and don't play until Monday.

St. Christopher's (11-2-4) is the fifth seed. The Saints play host to No.12 Cape Henry at 3 p.m. Benedictine (8-6-4) is the seventh seed and is at home against No.10 Bishop Sullivan. Both games begin at 3 p.m.

Rare sweep

Titles in the League of Independent Schools are determined by tournaments and not the regular season.

Chances are good for a third meeting between the St. Catherine's and Collegiate field hockey teams tomorrow in the LIS tourney final.

The Saints won both regular-season games with the Cougars for the first time since 2000. Collegiate's last sweep occurred in 2003. The teams had split each of the past five seasons.

The victory over Collegiate propelled St. Catherine's to No.1 in the VIS rankings. The Cougars, who had been No.1, dropped to No.3. St. Stephen's/St. Agnes stayed at No.2.

Seedings for the state tournament are determined by the rankings. If they stay the same, St. Catherine's and Collegiate wouldn't meet until the final. - Arthur Utley