Western claims AA Cup

By Bart Isley

Published: June 18, 2008

Western Albemarle started piling up points in the fall with a field hockey state title and state tournament appearances by the boys cross country and golf team as well as the volleyball team’s first ever trip to the state tourney.

From there, the ball just kept rolling.

When the dust settled, Western came out on top, winning the Virginia High School League’s Wachovia Cup for Group AA schools, an award that combines points earned from appearances and finishes in various VHSL sponsored state tournaments. The VHSL announced the final cup standings Tuesday.

This is Western’s third championship since the award’s inception in 1990. The Warriors won in both 2004 and 2005. No other Central Virginia school has finished on top in that span.

“It says that we have a lot of excellent coaches and athletes that are dedicated and committed to their sports — all the credit belongs to the coaches and athletes,” said Western athletic director Steve Heon. “It’s a commitment by the entire Western community, from our youth leagues all the way up to the high schools.”

Western showed great balance throughout the year too, notching over 100 points in the fall, winter and spring seasons, one of only three AA schools to do so. Just Blacksburg (the 2007 Cup champion) and Jamestown, which finished second and third in the standings, also met that benchmark.

“That consistency across the board is what gives us a chance,” Heon said. “We have a lot of athletes that play multiple sports and their abilities are helping teams across the board, and that’s what a AA school needs.”

After the fall, which was highlighted by Julie Merchant’s field hockey team’s state title in Virginia Beach, Western kept things going. In the winter, coach Lindy Bain’s boys indoor track team picked up the first of its two state titles on the year and the boys and girls swim teams both placed at the state meet. The Warriors then put together a strong finishing kick with spring state titles by Bain’s track team and Charles Ix’s boys tennis squad, as well as quarterfinal and semifinal tournament appearances, respectively, by girls and boys lacrosse.

Many athletes and coaches have taken Western’s history with the Cup to heart. Just minutes after the boys tennis team won the state title in Blacksburg two weeks ago, there was talk between the players of the championship wrapping up the Cup for the Warriors.

“It creates a team atmosphere among our teams and among our coaches throughout the department that has brought a focus on [the Cup],” Heon said.

In AAA, Albemarle’s strong spring showing (a total of 137.5 points for various appearances) hoisted the Patriots into 16th place among all AAA schools. Nelson County and Buckingham both finished in the top 25 of the A classification, with Nelson finishing 19th and Buckingham placing 25th.

Frank W. Cox High in Virginia Beach won the AAA Cup, while Radford High won the A crown.