Floyd County Knocks Mustangs from State Basketball Tourney
March 8, 2013 by sbriese · Leave a Comment
By STEVE BRIESE
March 8, 2013
The Floyd County girls basketball team knocked off defending champion George Mason High School today 78-67 in a hard fought battle in the VHSL Girls State A Division 2 Basketball Tournament at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. The live blog of the game appears below.
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Starting 5 for the Mustangs
Jaya Chavern
Stephanie Cheney
Katie Goodwin
Julianna Rollo
Ava Roth
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Floyd County Buffaloes win the tip and open the scoring with a 3.
6:49 1st quarter. Buffaloes up 4-0, Mason time out.
6:40, 1st. Katie starts Mason scoring with two in the paint. 5-2 Buffaloes.
5:42, 1st – Stephanie hits two free throws, 7-6 buffaloes.
5:21, 1st – Stephanie hits two in the paint, MASON LEADS 8-7
4:00 1st, Katie steals ball and takes it in for two, 12-7 mason
2:06, Mason leads 16-10
1:28, 1st, Stephanie hits 2+1 for 19-12 lead
end of 1st quarter, Mason leads 19-12. Good defense on both sides has led to turnovers by both teams.
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6:27, 2nd – Stephanie hits transition 2+1, Mason leads 24-17
4:51, 2nd – Mason leads 24-22
4:27, 2nd, Buffaloes tie game at 24 on transition basket.
1:56, 2nd – Stephanie gets offensive board, puts it back, tied at 27.
1:02, 2nd, Stephanie another 2+1, 32-31 Buffaloes lead.
At the half, Buffaloes lead 36-31.
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Internet connectivity coming and going
1:43, 3rd quarter, Mason up 46-42
End of 3rd, Mustangs lead 47-46. This is a nail-biter.
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7:19, 4th period. Tied at 48!
6:47, 4th – Tied at 50.
5:27, 4th, Floyd surge, Buffaloes lead 60-51.
5:08, 4th, Stephanie hits 2 free throws. Buffaloes lead 60-53.
4:24, 4th. Buffaloes lead 63-57. Strong Buffaloe pressure defense causing Mason to struggle.
2:57, 4th, Jaya hits 3, Mason trails by 5.
1:50, 4th, Floyd scores twice, Buffaloes lead 69-60.
1:03, 4th, Ava hits 3, Mason down by 8.
0:47, 4th, Mason down by 10. Ava and Shelby foul out playing aggressive D.
Final score: Floyd County 78, George Mason 67.
FRIDAY, 3/8: Live Blog of Lady Mustangs’ Semifinal State Game
March 1, 2013 by Falls Church Times Staff · Leave a Comment
On Friday March 8 at 10:30am, Falls Church Times contributor Steve Briese will “live blog” the quarterfinal game of the VHSL Girls State A Division 2 Basketball Tournament between George Mason High School and the Floyd County Buffaloes from Virginia Commonwealth University’s Siegel Center in Richmond.
The Lady Mustangs are the defending state champions and advanced to this year’s semifinals with a 68-35 quarterfinal win over Northumberland last Saturday. Mason’s record is 24-5 on the season.
The Floyd County Buffaloes have a 26-3 record and defeated Gate City 74-46 in the quarterfinals to qualify for the semifinal. The Buffaloes last won the state championship in 2008.
Visit www.fallschurchtimes.com on Friday at 10:30am to follow the action.
LIVE BLOG: Lady Mustang Quarterfinal State Game – 1pm, Saturday, 3/2
March 1, 2013 by sbriese · 2 Comments
Falls Church Times contributor Steve Briese live blogs the quarterfinal game of the VHSL Girls State Basketball Tournament between defending champion George Mason High School Mustangs and the Northumberland Indians, from Robinson Secondary School, Fairfax, VA.
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Start time – 1pm, Saturday, March 1, 2013
Starting five for the Mustangs
Stephanie Cheney
Julianna Rollo
Ava Roth
Jaya Chavern
Katie Goodwin
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6:00, 1st quarter – Jaya Chavern opens the scoring for Mason with a three. Score is 3-3.
3:00, 1st quarter – both defenses tight, Mason leads 10 -5
2:05, 1st quarter, Stephanie Cheney gets a 3 the old fashioned way, Mason leads 17-7.
End of 1st quarter, Mason leads 21-10.
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4:45 2nd quarter – Julianna Rollo nails a three and Mason leads 26-15.
3:28 2nd quarter – Stephanie Cheney sinks two free throws for a 28-15 lead.
1:22 2nd quarter: Emily Lubnow scores for a 34-17 lead.
0:08, 2nd quarter: Jaya Chavern is fouled shooting a FG, makes all three shots from the charity stripe.
End of 2nd quarter: 39-17 Mason leads.
Balanced scoring in 1st half, 9 players have scored, led by Stephanie 15, Jaya 8.
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7:32 3rd quarter – Ava Opens the scoring with a steal and fast break layup for a 41-17 Mason lead. Plus a GREAT ball fake.
4:30 3rd quarter – Stephanie feeds Katie Goodwin in the paint for two. 49-20 lead.
1:52 3rd quarter – Katie Goodwin scores again in the paint and Mason leads 55-24.
0:15 3rd quarter Shelby Fields hits a 2 from the baseline.
End of 3rd quarter Mason has a 29 point lead, 57-28.
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7:19 4th quarter – Stephanie Cheney blocks another shot to continue Mason’s dominance under the basket.
4:40, 4th quarter – Ava feeds Emily Lubnow for a another 2 in the paint. Mason 64, Northumberland 31.
2:30, 4th quarter. Mason leads 66-32 on a Jaya feed to Emily on the baseline.
FINAL: Mustangs 68, Indians 35
Stats:
Stephanie 25 points
Katie 12
Jaya 10
Emily 6
Ava 4
Shelby 4
Juliana 3
Maya 2
Gen 2
The Lady Mustangs will play again next Friday morning at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond in the VHSL State Championship Final Four. Their opponent will be determined by other quarterfinal play this weekend. The winner of Friday’s semifinal game will move on to the State Championship match on Saturday, March 9 at VCU.
Mustang Girls Back to States Saturday
February 26, 2013 by sbriese · 2 Comments
By STEVEN BRIESE
February 26, 2013
The George Mason High School girls basketball team will continue their defense of the Division 2 State Basketball championship on Saturday. The Lady Mustangs earned a #1 seed in the quarterfinal round by defeating Clarke County in the Region B championship game on Saturday night at Eastern Menonite University in Harrisonburg.
Dark Horse Challenges in Falls Church Times’ Brackets
March 31, 2012 by Falls Church Times Staff · 1 Comment
By FALLS CHURCH TIMES STAFF
March 31, 2012
While the rest of the country looks forward to an exciting end to the 2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, the Falls Church Times pool champion is nearly decided. Entrant owengohl is in the top 1% of all entries in the ESPN brackets and has a nearly insurmountable lead with three of his final-four choices still in the race. Gohl picked Kansas to face a heavily favored Kentucky in the final.
There are dark horse competitors however. While Dr. McDoogal Noisewater 1 and Kathleen2600 2 trail more then half the ESPN field, a Louisville victory in the finals can still vault them to the top of the Falls Church Times group.
Little City Madness 2012: Now With Prizes!
March 13, 2012 by Falls Church Times Staff · 1 Comment
By FALLS CHURCH TIMES STAFF
March 13, 2012
In 2010, then Falls Church Times’ Food Reporter, Jimmy Scarano, hosted our first Falls Church Times March Madness Pick’em Tournament. It was a close and exciting battle narrowly won by Daniel Butler over Dennis Zaenger from the tie-breaker. Without Jimmy’s leadership, the Tournament failed to launch in 2011, but is back this year for “Little City Madness 2012”.
You can test your basketball knowledge and good fortune against those of your fellow Little-cityzens in the 2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament pick’em challenge. Victors will get bragging rights (for at least a year) and three lucky participants will take home gift certificates to one of our fine restaurants and retailers in Falls Church City – the 1st place winner will receive $75 in gift certificates, 2nd place $25, and last place $5 (you must have a complete bracket to compete for last place!).
Sign-up now. You’ll want to get your bracket in before play starts on Thursday March 15. To join
- go to the tournament website
- sign-in or sign-up
- the password is “fctimes”
- fill in your bracket
- watch the games and results come in.
You can sign-up after 3/15, but you won’t be able to get as many points so don’t hesitate. If you have questions, comments, or prizes send a note to Dave Witzel.
See you in the stands.
Lady Mustangs Beat Gate City, State Champs!
By STEVEN BRIESE
Photos by Judy Lubnow
March 10, 2012
The George Mason High School Lady Mustangs beat the Lady Devils of Gate City 50-47 to earn the VHSL Group A Division Two Championship. The game was close throughout, with seven ties and eight lead changes.
Junior Stephanie Cheney opened the scoring with two in the paint from an offensive rebound, followed quickly by a fast break score by Senior Lauren Kane for a 4 – 1 lead. Gate City came right back, tied the score at seven, and Mason took the lead back for a 10 – 7 advantage at the end of the first quarter.
Mason’s defense continued to frustrate Gate City, as Stephanie Cheney blocked back-to-back shots, and Senior Leah Roth stole the ball and took it to the hoop for a 14-7 lead. Sophomore Ashley Alexander drilled Mason’s only three point goal of the night to extend the lead to 10 points. Gate City used a very physical defense to try to get back in the game, committing several fouls, but Mason could only convert 4 free throws in the first half and the Lady Mustangs went to the locker room with a lead of only two points, 25-23.
Stephanie Cheney with one of five blocked shots
The third and fourth quarter were a see saw battle of ties and one point lead changes. Mason fans grew quite concerned when Stephanie Cheney fouled out with 4:55 left in the 4th quarter, but her teammates rose to the occasion to fill her shoes. Lauren Kane, Senior Krista Kelly, and Freshman Katie Goodwin all nailed free throws to seal the win in the closing seconds.
Lauren Kane drives for two of her 16 points
Lauren Kane led Mason’s scoring with 16 points, Ashley Alexander had 11, Stephanie Cheney totaled 10, Katie Goodwin came off the bench to add six points, Leah Roth tallied four, Krista Kelly with 2, and Jaya Chavern scored one.
The celebration was well deserved for the Lady Mustangs, who have been been to the final four 8 times, with this their third championship in four years. Seniors May Williamson, Krista Kelly, Leah Roth, Lauren Kane and and Sonia Kapoor have completed fabulous basketball careers at George Mason!
The Lady Mustangs celebrate another State Championship!
Mason Boys Win Semifinal, Move to Championship Saturday
March 9, 2012 by Falls Church Times Staff · Leave a Comment
Mason scores against Fort Chiswell
Photo Credit: ANDREW NICKLE
March 9, 2012
The George Mason High School boys basketball team thumped Fort Chiswell 62-50 today in the semifinals of the Virginia State Basketball Tournament to move to tomorrow’s Championship game.
Nunley (24) replaced injured Nate Ogle
The Mustang boys were underdogs entering today’s contest, lacking the services of senior forward Nate Ogle, who broke his hand in GM’s quarterfinal outing against Essex. But the Mustangs led from the start and built a double digit lead in the fourth period that Fort Chiswell was unable to overcome. Junior forward Will Nunley was a huge bright spot on the day, stepping into Ogle’s shoes and delivering a 13 point performance.
Tickets for tomorrow’s Championship games at the Siegel Center ($10 plus fees) are available online here.
Falls Church in the News
