Here are the top 50 sophomore boys from last month’s national championship weekend. 

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COVINGTON, Va. (VR)— Alleghany High School has been named a Level Up Virginia Champion for the 2024–2025 school year by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.

Alleghany High School is one of only 28 schools in the state to receive this special recognition. This honor highlights the school’s strong commitment to helping students plan for life after high school.

School officials are quick to credit this achievement to the hard work of Sarai Warrick and Heather Terrell. Warrick organized all four statewide Level Up Virginia events at Alleghany, and she and Terrell both presented at each one. Terrell serves as an academic advisor at Alleghany High School, and Warrick served a two-year assignment at AHS under the Virginia College Advising Corps. The Corps has assigned another advisor to Alleghany High School for the coming school year to continue this important work.

The four Level Up Virginia events, ECMC College Nights in Virginia, Virginia College Application Week, FAF$A Next, and Decision Day VA, help students explore college and career options, apply for college, and complete financial aid forms.

By hosting these events, Alleghany High School has shown strong dedication to creating a college- and career-going culture. Virginia’s goal is to be the best state for education by 2030, with more students earning college degrees and credentials.

Schools like Alleghany High are helping make that goal a reality.

To celebrate, the school will receive a 2025 Level Up Virginia Champion pennant to proudly display as a symbol of this success.

“We are so proud of our students, staff, and families for supporting these efforts,” said Derek Cantrell, principal of Alleghany High School. “Special thanks to Sarai Warrick and Heather Terrell for their leadership and dedication to our students’ futures.”

About Alleghany High School: Alleghany High School serves students in grades 9-12 as part of Alleghany Highlands Public Schools (AHPS). AHPS was established in 2022 through the merger of Alleghany County Public Schools, Covington City Public Schools, and Jackson River Technical Center. Funded by Alleghany County and the City of Covington, the division combines local resources to provide an efficient and high-quality education for approximately 2,700 students.

Stay informed about AHPS news and events by following AHPS on Facebook at AHPublicSchools and on Instagram at ahpublicschools. For more information, visit www.ahps.k12.va.us.

Alleghany High School Academic Advisor Heather Terrell stands with Class of 2025 seniors at the Senior Academic Awards Ceremony in May. The seniors pictured were awarded scholarships, with Terrell and College Advisor Sarai Warrick playing a key role in helping them plan for life after graduation. Alleghany is one of only 28 schools in Virginia named a Level Up Virginia Champion for 2024-2025 by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. Pictured above L-R: Terrell, Kaitlyn Petrero, Shantia Sterling, Kelsey Nicely, Kinlee Huffman, and Ella Hicks. (AHPS Photo)

Farmersville alumna Yireida Hernandez (7) helped lead the Lady Farmers’ soccer team to a 3-2 upset win over Frisco Panther Creek on Feb. 17. Photo by Victor Tapia / C&S Media

By David Wolman

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Student-athletes at Farmersville High School delivered plenty of highlight-reel moments during the 2024-25 school year, while also providing solid leadership for the underclassmen on their respective teams.

Their contributions helped lead the Farmers to playoff appearances in baseball, boys basketball, boys soccer, football and volleyball.

Starting last week, The Farmersville Times launched its first of a three-part series recognizing standout performances. The opening installment featured the Biggest Story, Breakthrough Moment, Newcomer of the Year and Best Team.

This week’s edition highlights the Best Game, Best Finish, Biggest Upset and Multi-Sport Athlete of the Year.

The series will conclude next week with honors for Coach of the Year, Most Improved Athlete, Best Female Athlete and Best Male Athlete.

Categories for the inaugural C&S Media High School sports awards were selected by sports editor David Wolman, with winners announced across three weeks.

Best game: Erwin stymies Community in pitcher’s duel (April 11, 2025)

In danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2013, the Farmers’ baseball team regrouped after starting District 13-4A play with a 2-5 record, going 6-2 over their final eight regular-season games to ensure their playoff streak continued.

One of the marquee moments of Farmersville’s second-half turnaround came against eventual district champion Community.

After losing the first game against the Braves 11-7, the Farmers turned to the undisputed ace of their pitching rotation, alumnus Mason Erwin, to right the ship.

Erwin, who has won several playoff games during his time with Farmersville, delivered in a big-time game for the Farmers. The left-hander allowed one run on four hits with six strikeouts over seven innings, lifting Farmersville to a 2-1 win.

Community took a 1-0 lead on a Koren Ewing RBI double in the top of the third inning. But Erwin proceeded to settle in, and he didn’t allow another run to score.

Farmersville leveled the score at 1-1 with a Jayce Fagan RBI single in the home half of the third inning.

Alumnus Jahir Vanegas put the Farmers ahead for good with an RBI single in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Best finish: Farmersville stuns Sanger with furious rally (Nov. 7, 2024)

Farmersville’s football team was less than two minutes from seeing its season come to an end on its home field.

Playing Sanger in a game in which the winner would earn a playoff berth while the loser would be eliminated from playoff contention, the Indians held a 38-24 lead with 1:49 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Needing a rally to qualify for the playoffs for the second consecutive season, Farmersville scored 15 points over the game’s final 35 seconds to stun Sanger and earn a wild 39-38 victory.

Farmersville trailed 38-32 and needed to recover an onside kick to have a chance to win. Incoming junior Amare Warren did just that for the Farmers, catching the ball before going out of bounds at the Indians’ 49 with 34 seconds remaining.

At the Indians’ 11 with one second left and needing a touchdown, Farmersville rising junior quarterback Levi McAbee connected with alumnus wide receiver Drake Grames in the end zone to tie the game. The extra point, made by rising senior Christian Aguilar, clinched the win for the Farmers.

Biggest upset: Girls’ soccer earns signature win with victory over Frisco Panther Creek (Feb. 17, 2025)

For a Farmersville team that just two years ago didn’t win a district game to now being on the cusp of playoff contention, defeating a Panther Creek team that is ranked in the top 10 in Class 4A by a 3-2 final was nothing short of extraordinary, said Lady Farmers head coach Krystal Mikeska.

Panther Creek led 1-0 at halftime but Farmersville was holding their own, having multiple scoring chances that were either saved by the Lady Panthers’ goalkeeper or off target.

Farmersville continued to play with confidence.

Alumna Marlen Javan leveled the score at 1-1 with a goal. Panther Creek came right back to go back in front 2-1. Rising senior Natalie Taylor tied the score at 2-2 with a goal from 32 yards out. Alumna Ashlynn Clark completed the comeback for Farmersville with a goal with six minutes remaining.

Multi-sport athlete of the year: Amare Warren, Football/Track and Field

Whether it was on the football field or track, Warren used a combination of natural athletic ability and instincts to make an immediate impact.

Warren, who played wide receiver, defensive back, kick returner and quarterback in the “Wildcat” formation for the Farmersville football team, was named to the All-District 13-4A first team after he recorded 13 total touchdowns and 860 receiving yards.

He was also a standout for the Farmers’ track and field team.

At the District 13-4A meet, Warren broke a school record. He won the triple jump with a leap of 48 feet, 11 inches – three feet further than the previous school record of 45 feet, 11 inches, which was set by Joe Lemberg in 1999.

Warren won first place in the area meet with a leap of 47 feet, 7.5 inches and the following week at the Region II-4A meet, captured sixth place in the triple jump with a distance of 44 feet, 5 inches and also took 15^th in the long jump with a leap of 20 feet, 8 inches.