Liberty High School, a charter member of the Seminole District, will remain in the league for at least four more years.
The Virginia High School League Executive Committee adopted a four-year alignment plan through the 2026-27 athletic season Friday, and the plan will have the Minutemen remaining in the Seminole District while dropping down to Class 2.
Liberty’s appeal to move to the Dogwood District was denied in a 32-0-3 vote by the executive committee. The committee stated its rationale for the denial was opposition by the schools in the Dogwood District.
That means Liberty, while remaining in the Seminole, will be the only school in the eight-member district not in Class 3 or 4.
Amherst, E.C. Glass and Jefferson Forest compete in Class 4, while Brookville, Heritage, Liberty Christian and Rustburg are in Class 3.
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The eight-member Dogwood District consists of teams in either Class 1 or 2. Altavista, William Campbell and Galileo Magnet are in Class 1, and Appomattox, Chatham, Dan River, Gretna and Nelson are in Class 2.
Liberty, currently competing in Class 3 and Region C, will spend the 2023-24 through 2026-27 athletic seasons in Class 2 and Region C. The new-look, 12-team region includes area schools Appomattox, Gretna and Nelson.
LCA’s previous appeal of remaining in the Seminole District and in Class 3 was approved.
COLLEGE FIELD HOCKEY
No. 16 Liberty 4, No. 9 UConn 0
Charlotte Vaanhold, Daniella Rhodes and Lexi Hosler each scored in the opening 19 minutes as the 16th-ranked Flames remained unbeaten in Big East play with a shutout victory over the ninth-ranked Huskies at the George J. Sherman Family Sports Complex in Storrs, Connecticut.
Liberty (5-3, 2-0 Big East) took advantage of its nine penalty corners by scoring three times. Both of Rhodes’ goals came off penalty corners as she found the back of the net in the 17th and 45th minutes for her team-leading sixth and seventh goals of the season.
Vaanhold scored in the fifth minute to put Liberty ahead for good. Hosler scored off a Rhodes assist off a penalty corner in the 19th minute.
Azul Iritxity Irigoyen stopped five shots to give Liberty its fifth shutout victory of the season.
Cheyenne Sprecher stopped four shots for UConn (6-2, 1-1).
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
Allen commits to Liberty
Randolph-Henry junior Danner Allen, a flame-throwing southpaw who has led the Statesmen to back-to-back appearances in the VHSL Class 2 state tournament, recently announced on social media her verbal commitment to Liberty.
Allen, the cousin of former Appomattox standout Kelsey Hackett, has been R-H’s ace each of the past two seasons. The Raiders defeated the Statesmen in each of the past two state tournaments, winning in the state championship game in 2021 and the state semifinals in 2022.
Allen was named the James River District and Region 2A player of the year and was a first-team all-state selection in 2022. She went 22-3 with a 0.598 ERA over 164 innings pitched. She struck out 344, walked 23 and limited opposing batters to a 0.122 average.
LOCAL GOLF
Tinsley in fifth at VSGA Mid-Am
Amherst native Marshall Tinsley shot 1-under 71 and is in a tie for fifth after the first round of the Virginia State Golf Association Mid-Amateur Championship at Keswick Golf Club outside of Charlottesville.
Tinsley and four other area golfers are chasing Jordan Utley and Justin Young. The two are tied for first after shooting 5-under 67s.
Tinsley, who recently competed in the USGA Mid-Am, had two bogeys on the front nine before recording birdies at Nos. 12, 14 and 18 to get into red figures.
Allen Clarke (Ivy Hill) and Adam Marshall (Falling River) are tied for 34th at 7 over. Justin Phillips (Ivy Hill) is tied for 82nd at 15 over, and Ryan Glavas (Ivy Hill) shot 23 over and is tied for 104th.
