During this past athletic year, the area produced 23 team state champions as well as numerous individual state champions in cross country, wrestling, swimming and diving, tennis, and track and field.

What’s even more impressive is those 23 state team championships came in 16 different sports: Football, boys cross country, volleyball, field hockey, boys swimming and diving, girls swimming and diving, boys basketball, golf, boys track and field, girls track and field, baseball, boys lacrosse, girls lacrosse, boys tennis, girls tennis and girls soccer.

Let’s take a look back at the memorable 2024-25 athletic year in Central Virginia.

Going the distance

Central Virginia has a strong reputation for producing elite distance runners and the area showed why during the 2024 fall cross country season. 

Three boys teams (Albemarle, Covenant and Tandem Friends) won state championships, while four individual runners (Charlottesville’s Elaina Pierce, William Monroe’s Samantha Nitzche, Covenant’s Jon Nathan Lawrence and Tandem Friends’ Hayes Buppert) raced to individual state titles in their respective classifications. 

Albemarle won its second straight VHSL Class 5 state championship in dominating fashion. All five of the Patriots’ scoring runners placed in the top 20, while their No. 6 and 7 runners both finished inside the top 25. AHS finished 59 points clear of the second-place team.

“It’s one thing to run pretty well at the state championship, but to run your best day of the year as a team is truly remarkable,” Albemarle coach Adrian Lorenzoni told The Daily Progress after the state meet. “And this is what the boys did [at the state meet]. They ran their best team race of the year and it showed in probably the most dominant team performance in Class 5 history.”

Tandem Friends also captured its second straight state championship, winning the VISAA Division III title at Panorama Farms. Buppert led the way for the Badgers as he edged Wakefield’s Curtis Leachman for first-place individual honors. 

“We got to show everyone that it wasn’t a fluke, and that we’re legit,” Buppert said after the race.

After finishing third in the state meet the previous season, Covenant won the VISAA Division II boys state cross country championship in 2024. Lawrence won his second straight individual state title to help the Eagles edge Trinity Christian by eight points for the team title.

Gridiron greatness

Several Central Virginia football programs enjoyed great success during the fall, especially in the private school ranks.

Blue Ridge (VISAA Division II) and Covenant (VISFL Division I) won state championships, while Woodberry Forest, which does not compete in the postseason, went undefeated and beat long-time rival Episcopal in the 123rd edition of “The Game.”

The Barons also went unbeaten in their run to the state title. Blue Ridge’s most satisfying win came in the state championship game, where the Barons avenged their 2023 state title game loss to North Cross with a hard-fought 14-12 victory.

“I’m proud of the culture we got here,” Blue Ridge defensive standout Cory Shorts told The Daily Progress after the game. “Everyone is together, everybody’s here to work, everybody’s here to win.”

Covenant also showed its unbending will to win during its run to the VISFL 8-man state title. In the championship game, the Eagles rallied from a 14-6 halftime deficit to defeat Virginia Episcopal in overtime.

“They stayed true to what we’ve been doing through the entire season, they believed in themselves, and they got it done,” Covenant coach Chad Ciesil said after the game. “They didn’t give up. They kept getting knocked down, they got a bunch of penalties — they didn’t give up. They kept going. So, I think that was the key — their belief in each other, and their resilience.”

In the public school ranks, Louisa County continued its reign atop the Jefferson District, winning its eighth straight district title. A lot of eyes will be on the Lions this upcoming fall.

Louisa senior Savion Hiter is the No. 1 running back in the country in the 247sports composite rankings and is being heavily recruited by some of the top programs in college football. He is down to four finalists: Ohio State, Georgia, Michigan and Tennessee. 

Memorable fall for STAB

St. Anne’s-Belfield kicked off the 2024-25 season by winning a pair of state championships during the fall season.

The Saints’ field hockey team capped a memorable campaign by winning the VISAA Division II state title. It was the perfect send-off for the program’s nine seniors.

“It’s an extraordinary moment. A lot of these kids have been playing on this team since seventh and eighth grade,” senior captain Willow Pemberton told The Daily Progress after the game. “To be able to say that we’re finally state champions is unreal.”

St. Anne’s-Belfield also won the VISAA Division II state championship in girls tennis. The Saints earned a 5-2 victory over Cape Henry Collegiate in the state title match. STAB head coach TJ Dumansky said the team’s mindset played a key role in their championship run.

“At the end of the season, especially in those last three or four weeks, the team had really found this ideal balance of what I’d say is fun and determination,” Dumansky said. “Practices were just really filled with a lot of laughter and support and focus in those final weeks.”

A title years in the making

Over the past several years, the Covenant volleyball program has made steady progress in its pursuit of a state championship.

The Eagles reached the state semifinals in both 2021 and 2022, then in 2023 they reached the state championship game, where they fell to Nansemond-Suffolk. 

In 2024, the Eagles finally broke through.

Led by senior captains Cara Hamil, Maya Veselinovic and Delaney Poindexter, Covenant won the VISAA Division II state championship in dominating fashion. The Eagles did not lose a single set during the postseason, including a 3-0 win over StoneBridge in the state championship match. 

“We’ve been working since our freshman year to just come in and win a state championship,” Hamil told The Daily Progress after the state title match. “Each year, we’ve made it closer and closer, and so this year, it’s just the cherry on top for our senior year to finally do it.”

Ruling the pool

Four Central Virginia teams won state swimming and diving championships during the 2024-25 season.

Western Albemarle continued its run of swimming and diving dominance, sweeping the boys and girls VHSL Class 3 state team championships. The Western boys won their eighth straight state championship and ninth overall, while the Warriors’ girls team won its second straight title and 10th overall.

“We’ve built a culture where every athlete, from freshmen to seniors, is valued, supported and pushed to be their best,” Warriors coach Dan Bledsoe said at the state meet. “It’s not just about individual performances — it’s about the team growing together, holding each other accountable and embracing the hard work that leads to championships.”

The Covenant boys swimming and diving team continued its recent run of success by winning its third straight VISAA Division II state championship. The Eagles were dominant at the state meet, finishing 44.5 points clear of the second-place team.

St. Anne’s-Belfield won the VISAA Division II girls swimming and diving state championship to give Central Virginia a title sweep. Grace Browne led the way for the Saints. She won the 100-yard butterfly and finished fourth in the 100-yard freestyle.

Joy and heartbreak

The Central Virginia boys basketball season had its fair share of success stories.

Miller School overcame a slow start and injuries to several key players to win its second straight VISAA Division II state championship. The Mavericks won 15 of their final 17 games en route to the title.

“I’m very proud of this group, because I don’t think with the injuries and with the way we started that this was expected by anybody outside of our locker room,” Miller head coach Jack Meriwether told The Daily Progress.

The Mavericks weren’t the only local private school program to enjoy a successful season. St. Anne’s-Belfield won its fourth straight Virginia Prep League championship, while Blue Ridge captured the Blue Ridge Athletic Conference championship. Both programs earned spots in the VISAA Division I state tournament.

On the public school side, Albemarle had one of the most memorable seasons in program history. The Patriots won the Jefferson District and Region 5C championships and reached the VHSL Class 5 state championship game for the first time ever. Albemarle came painfully close to winning the program’s first state title, falling to Green Run on a buzzer-beater in the championship game in Richmond.

In addition to Albemarle’s success, William Monroe and Western Albemarle both reached the VHSL Class 3 state tournament, while Nelson County made the Class 2 state tournament.

Great grapplers

The Orange County wrestling program had a memorable season on the mat. The Hornets had three individual state champions and finished fourth at the VHSL Class 4 state meet.

Justin Jones capped his stellar high school wrestling career by winning his third VHSL state championship. Wrestling in the 126-pound weight class, the senior went 48-2 and also won his fourth straight regional championship. Jones’ teammate, Dominic Turner, won the state title in the 190-pound weight class to cap a 40-9 season.

Fellow Orange wrestler Sophia Slaughter won her second straight title in the 132-pound weight class at the VHSL Girls Open State Championships. Louisa’s Ciyanna Okocha also won a state title at the Girls Open State, earning gold in the 165-pound weight class.

Both Slaughter and Okocha will have the opportunity to help their schools pursue state team titles in girls wrestling this upcoming season, when the sport becomes officially sanctioned by the VHSL.

Sweet redemption

The St. Anne’s-Belfield boys lacrosse team and Western Albemarle girls soccer team both dealt with heartbreaking losses in their respective state championship games in 2024.

In 2025, both programs ended their seasons in glory.

A loss to rival Blue Ridge in the 2024 VISAA Division I state final gave St. Anne’s-Belfield an endless supply of motivation. The Saints got their redemption with an 8-5 win over Paul VI in the state championship game.

“It’s a lot easier coming back a second time with a little revenge in your belly,” STAB head coach Nic Bell told The Daily Progress. “Our guys took that [loss] personally, and we had an extremely, extremely productive offseason just to get to this point.”

The Western Albemarle girls soccer team had similar motivation to win a state championship after losing in the state final in both 2023 and 2024.

“We’ve been wanting this for so long. We’ve made it so close two years in a row,” senior midfielder Emily Schinstock told The Daily Progress. “We really just wanted it.”

And the Warriors got it.

Western Albemarle capped its season with a 2-0 win over Cave Spring in the VHSL Class 3 state championship game. The run to the title was led by the Warriors’ back line, which did not give up a goal the entire postseason.

“Our defense works so hard, and they’ve had a clean sheet all postseason, and I’m so proud of them,” Schinstock said.

A Hall call and a state title

Its fair to say that 2025 has been a good year for Billy Wagner.

In January, the former MLB closer learned that he will be inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame. A year after finishing five votes shy of reaching the 75% vote threshold necessary to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, Wagner earned 82.5% of the vote this year to earn his spot in Cooperstown.

After receiving the Hall of Fame call, Wagner got back to work leading the Miller School baseball team. 

As many in Central Virginia have known for years, it turns out Wagner is a great coach, too.

Under Wagner’s guidance, the Mavericks put together one of the best seasons in program history, finishing 34-6 en route to winning the VISAA Division I state championship. Baseball America ranked Miller as the 17th best high school baseball team in the entire country.

Wagner’s next big moment will come on July 27 in Cooperstown, New York, when he will be officially inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame along with Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia, Dave Parker and Dick Allen.

Lacrosse dynasties

Western Albemarle and Covenant continued their reigns of state championship dominance in their respective classifications.

The Warriors rolled to their third straight VHSL Class 4 state championship in impressive fashion. Western won its final four postseason games by 10 goals or more, including a 14-4 victory over Rockbridge County in the state title game. 

WAHS has lost just one game in the past three seasons. That one loss, which happened this season, was by one goal in overtime to Yorktown, which went on to win the VHSL Class 6 state title.

Covenant has been equally as dominant in VISAA Division II. The Eagles won their fourth straight state championship this season. Covenant earned a hard-fought 10-9 win over Virginia Episcopal in the state title game to cap a memorable run for its senior class, which won a state title during each year of high school.

“This one really meant a lot to the team and a lot of those seniors who have put in so much work building a program and building what I think we can now consider a dynasty,” Covenant head coach Colleen Norair told The Daily Progress after the state title game.

Kings of the courts

At this point, it goes without question that some of the best boys tennis in Virginia is played in the Jefferson District. For the second year in a row, both Western Albemarle (Class 3) and Charlottesville (Class 4) won state titles in their respective classifications.

The Warriors have been among the commonwealth’s best programs for quite a while now and this season was no different. Western dominated its competition en route to its eighth straight state championship.

While the Warriors have been mainstays at the top, the Black Knights have risen into the ranks of the elite over the past two seasons. Led by a strong group of underclassmen, CHS has won back-to-back state titles and is poised to continue being a contender for the foreseeable future.

Right on track

For the second straight year, Central Virginia swept the boys team titles at the VISAA state outdoor track and field championships. Woodberry Forest brought home the Division I title, while Blue Ridge captured the Division II crown.

The Tigers got stellar performances from several of their athletes, including John Morrison, who won individual state titles in the 100-meter dash (11.01 seconds) and long jump (24 feet, 8.75 inches). He also finished second in the 200 (22.25 seconds) and teamed with Lukas Sanker, Sheldon Robinson and Kevin Nti to win the 4X100 relay state title in 41.6 seconds.

The Barons thrived in the relays and field events on their way to the state championship. Blue Ridge won state titles in the 4X100 relay and the 4X400 relay, while Pedro Daviu won both the long jump and triple jump state titles, and Valdin Sone won the shot put state title.

Tigers roar on the links

The Woodberry Forest golf team won its third straight VISAA Division I state championship in dominant fashion. For the second straight season, the Tigers didn’t lose a single match.

Woodberry’s dominance was on full display at the Virginia Prep League championships at Old Trail Golf Club, where the Tigers won by a staggering 21 strokes.

Things were a little closer in the VISAA state tournament, but as they have done time and time again, the Tigers delivered and brought home the eighth state title in program history.

Gems on the diamond

The Fluvanna County and William Monroe baseball teams both enjoyed deep postseason runs that featured some magical moments.

The Flucos kicked off the postseason with a walk-off win over Broadway to advance to the Region 3C semifinals. Fluvanna followed that win up by knocking off No. 1-seed Liberty Christian Academy on the road to secure a spot in the regional title game and clinch a state berth.

In the win over LCA, Fluvanna got a two-RBI single from Brody Shields in the eighth inning to break a 4-4 tie, then Tramayne Minor worked his way out of bases-loaded jam to give the Flucos the upset victory. 

Fluvanna fell to eventual VHSL Class 3 state champion Spotswood in the Region 3C title game, then saw its season end in the state quarterfinals with a loss to Abingdon. Reaching the state tournament appeared to be out of the question for the Flucos in mid-April, when they were 3-4 and mired in a three-game losing streak. But Fluvanna did not lose another game during the regular season and continued that success deep into the postseason.

William Monroe found a similar spark late in the season. The Dragons posted shutout wins over Culpeper County and Brentsville District to reach the Region 3B championship game and clinch a state tournament berth. William Monroe then went on the road and knocked off top-seeded Kettle Run to win the regional title and secure a home state tournament game.

The Dragons faced a lengthy weather delay and a late deficit during their state quarterfinal game against New Kent, but the team remain unfazed. Trailing 2-0 and down to their last three outs, William Monroe tied the game on a two-run homer from Demetri Martin, then walked it off with Parker Hildebrand’s two-run home run.

The Dragons’ magical run ended with a loss to Abingdon in the state semifinals, but its a journey that William Monroe supporters will remember for a long time to come.