Marty Gordon
The River Ridge District has announced its 2024 football all-district team, and Christiansburg has six first-teamers and three four second-teamers. Blacksburg received six on second-team offense and defense.
Christiansburg offensive lineman Carter Stallard was joined by teammate all-purpose offensive player Izaiah Cotto. Christiansburg’s defensive end Donovan Richardson, linebacker Josiah Ratley defensive all-purpose defensive player Chandler Webb and Cotto at defensive back were named to the first-team defensive unit. Matt Annis was named second-team running back with Richardson and Jacob Evans being named wide receivers. On defense, Christiansburg defensive lineman Tristian Sutphin was named second team.
Blacksburg placed six to the second teams. On defense, Blacksburg had Luke Mann and Kadin Deeb, both at linebacker and defensive back Nate Means. The offensive unit included Blacksburg’s offensive lineman Owen Castleberry, running back Jaxon Keys and tight end Kaden Deeb.
The River Ridge player of year was Salem’s Josiah Persinger and his coach, Don Holter, was coach of the year. The defensive player of the year was Donte Davis, also of Salem.
Class 1 volleyball team
Giles junior outside hitter Sophie Taylor is the Class 1 Player of the Year, and Auburn head coach Sherry Millirons is the Class 1 Coach of the Year.
Millirons guided Auburn to a 29-2 record and its sixth straight Class 1 championship and ninth overall. Millirons led the Eagles to the Class 1 state volleyball title with a 3-0 (25-10, 25-10, 25-16) win over Rappahannock in the state finals. Millirons has guided the Eagles program since 1995 and won 538 matches, the third-most wins in VHSL history. Along with her nine championships over the past 13 seasons (2012-14, 2019-24), the Eagles were runners-up in 2015.
Auburn had four players named to the all-state first-team: Gretchen Surface, Megan Earnest, Leah Wimmer and Briel Underwood.
Gaither gaining attention
Radford quarterback Luke Gaither is only a sophomore, but he has already received several college offers from Division I schools. Upon a recent visit to Liberty, Coach Jamie Chadwell made an offer to go along with Toledo, UNLV and Appy State.
This past season, Gaither led the Bobcats to the Class 1C semifinals and an 8-4 record. He completed 208 passes on 360 attempts with 20 touchdowns and 2,472 yards.
Hokies fall in tipoff tourney
Virginia Tech’s Ben Burnham surpassed 1,000 career points but South Carolina prevailed 70-60 in Wednesday’s third-place game of the Beach Division at the Fort Myers Tip-Off. Tech’s Tobi Lawal was named to the tournament’s all-star team.
