January 18, 2007

For Immediate Release

Contact:  Ken Tilley --434-977-8475

Virginia High School League announces 2007 Group AAA State Swim and State Forensics Championship site changes

Charlottesville --With approval of the Virginia High School League (VHSL) Executive Committee, sites have been confirmed for two upcoming state events.

Kellam High School in Virginia Beach will host the VHSL Group AAA State Swim Meet at the Bayside Recreation Center on February 9-10.  James Moxey, student activities coordinator at Kellam High School , will be the meet director. 

The VHSL State Forensics Tournament, previously scheduled to take place at Culpeper County High School , has been relocated to Harrisonburg High School and will be held March 31.  Charlene Tiller will direct the state tournament as she has in years past.

"Many factors must be considered in staging the League's state events," said VHSL Executive Director Ken Tilley.  "We are grateful to school personnel in the Eastern Region, the Northwest Region and Region II for ensuring that the VHSL Group AAA State Swim Championship and the Forensics Tournament for all classes will be held at appropriate sites with personnel necessary to run the events properly."

More detailed information about both events will be posted on the VHSL website next week.

Brentsville District, Fort Defiance and Lake Braddock got a jump on the competition and established leads following fall competition in the race for the Virginia High School League’s coveted Wachovia Cup for overall excellence in athletics.

Brentsville has won the last two cups in Group A and Lake Braddock took the AAA cup in 1998 and 2001, but Group AA Fort Defiance has never finished on top.

The winner of the cup, sponsored by Wachovia Bank, is determined by a point system based on performance in state championship events. Points are awarded for all sanctioned sports in the following manner: first place, 50; second place, 45; third place, 40; fourth place, 35; fifth place, 30; sixth place, 25; seventh place, 20; eighth place, 15. If there are fewer than eight schools from a classification in the event, only those schools which are represented are eligible to receive points.

In the event of a tie, the schools receive an equal number of points based on the number of schools which tie and the number of schools which finish higher in the standings. For example, the girls basketball quarterfinal losers equally divide the points for fifth through eighth place (22.5 points each), while semifinal losers split third and fourth place (37.5 points).

Schools that earn recognition in the Wachovia Sportsmanship program, determined following the completion of all competition for the year, receive 50 points each.

The fall standings reflect the following activities: golf, boys and girls cross country, football (top four schools in each of six divisions), girls basketball (Groups A and AA), field hockey (Group AAA and unclassified for A and AA), girls tennis (Group AAA) and girls and boys volleyball (Group AAA).

Brentsville (120) won a state championship in boys cross country and finished third in girls cross country and fifth in golf to dominate Group A schools. George Wythe-Wytheville (97.5) is 22.5 points back in second place with a state championship in football a sixth-place finish in boys cross country and a quarterfinal appearance in girls basketball. James Monroe (90) is third after finishing second in girls basketball, fifth in girls cross country and eighth in golf. J.J. Kelly and Madison County (85 points each) are tied for fourth.

Fort Defiance (127.5) finished among the Top 4 in three of six Group AA events, winning a state championship in golf, placing third in boys cross country and reaching the semifinals in football. Blacksburg (100) is second with a state championship in girls basketball, fourth place in golf and eighth place in girls cross country. R.E. Lee-Staunton (85) is third after finishing second in girls basketball and third in golf. Rockbridge County (75) and Lafayette (72.5) stand fourth and fifth.

Lake Braddock (120) has a 20-point lead in Group AAA with a second-place finish in field hockey, third in girls cross country and fourth in boys cross country. James River-Midlothian (100) is second after winning two state championships, in girls cross country and field hockey. Thomas Jefferson S&T (95) is third with a state championship in boys cross country and second in girls cross country. Mills Godwin and Western Branch (87.5 points each) are tied for fourth.

A complete listing of fall standings is enclosed. Winter standings will be announced after the basketball playoffs in March, and the final 2002-03 results will be released in June after the spring championships have concluded.

Previous winners include: 1990 - Frank Cox (AAA), Blacksburg (AA), Sussex Central (A); 1991 - Woodbridge (AAA), Blacksburg and Tabb (AA), Sussex Central (A); 1992 - Langley (AAA), Tabb (AA), Sussex Central (A); 1993 - Frank Cox (AAA), Blacksburg (AA), Strasburg (A); 1994 - Woodbridge (AAA), Tabb (AA), Glenvar (A); 1995 - Centreville (AAA), Nansemond River (AA), Buffalo Gap (A); 1996 - Frank Cox (AAA), William Byrd (AA), George Mason (A); 1997 - Frank Cox (AAA), William Byrd (AA), Central-Woodstock (A); 1998 - Lake Braddock (AAA), William Byrd (AA), Central-Woodstock (A); 1999 - Frank Cox (AAA), John Handley (AA), Strasburg (A); 2000 - Frank Cox (AAA), John Handley (AA), New Kent (A); 2001 - Lake Braddock (AAA), Jamestown (AA), Brentsville District (A); 2002 – Centreville (AAA), Jefferson Forest (AA), Brentsville District (A).

Cups are also presented for overall success in academic activities in each group. Those activities include student publications (newspaper, newsmagazine, magazine and yearbook), creative writing, theatre, forensics, debate and Scholastic Bowl. Last year’s winners were Chantilly in Group AAA, Abingdon in AA and Madison County in A. Academic activity results for 2002-03 will be available in May.