Loudoun County Reaches State Semis

Freedom Also Advances; Both Will Have Rematches

By Paul Tenorio

Saturday, March 7, 2009

It seemed as though Loudoun County had all the right ingredients for a state title run last season, with a balanced roster that included several seniors and a good mix of young talent.

The Raiders put together a 17-game winning streak during the regular season and entered the regional tournament as the top seed. But Loudoun County was shocked at home by Charlottesville in the regional semifinals.

This year, however, with more freshmen on the roster than juniors and seniors combined, Loudoun County dominated Courtland, 90-51, in a Virginia AA Division 4 quarterfinal at Robinson and moved one step closer to a state championship, booking its first trip to the semifinals since 2006.

"I thought last year was going to be our year," said junior Kendra Holmes, the Dulles District Division 4 player of the year. "But I knew this year coming back that the five returners would actually step up and play a big role. I'm really excited that we're going" to the semifinals.

Leading by one early in the game, the Raiders took over behind juniors Alissa Kain and Holmes and closed out the first quarter on an 18-3 run to take a commanding 23-7 lead entering the second quarter.

That disparity only continued throughout the game, as Loudoun County dominated on the boards - often creating second, third and fourth opportunities - and forced several turnovers to open a 31-point halftime lead.

All 11 players on the Loudoun County roster scored in the win. Kain finished with 21 points and 14 rebounds, while Holmes added 14 points and 15 rebounds.

The Raiders will face Charlottesville on Tuesday night at Siegel Center in Richmond in a rematch of the Region II Division 4 championship, which Loudoun County won, 73-61.

Extra Points

By Paul Tenorio and Matt Brooks