What started out with such promise for 17 area high schools in baseball, softball and in boys and girls soccer from Northern Virginia, ended with just seven survivors on Friday.
Among them the Hickory Hawks in Class 5 softball. They won over Woodgrove 4-2 and will face Stone Bridge on Saturday at 12:30pm from Riverside High School in Leesburg. The Bulldogs blanked the Granby Comets (18-5), who were making their first ever semifinals appearance by a final of 2-0.
The Comets baseball team along with Nansemond River in Class 5 suffered losses. Granby rallied from a 4-1 deficit only fall short to Douglas Freeman 4-3, while the Warriors couldn't hold an early 2-0 advantage against Glen Allen. The Jaguars tied the game to force extra innings and in the 8th, Jaden Kinsler won the game with a walk-off homerun.
In Class 6 girls soccer, Kellam's Chloe Limbach had a hat trick in the Knight's 3-1 win over South County. The Knights are back in the finals for the first time since 2017 and will take on Yorktown at 12pm on Saturday. Joining them will be First Colonial in Class 5 who topped Deep Run. The Patriots have a 12pm date with Briar Woods who won over the Cox Falcons 7-1.
As for Class 3 in girls soccer, Lafayette beat Lord Botetourt 4-1 and will get Hidden Valley in the finals at 12:30pm. Poquoson edged Alleghany 2-1 and takes on Glenvar in the finals also at 12:30pm.
On the boys side in Class 5, Cox got by Deep Run 2-1, and next face Riverside. Tabb won by the exact score as they took down Charlottesville in Class 3. The Tigers next face Meridian at 10am.