SPORTS WRAP
The Week in Review:
Fastest four miles: Cynthia Campbell-Spangler dominates the September 4 Women's Four-Miler as she blazes the course in 23:48 en route to a 56-second victory. "I wanted to see if I could win," the 26-year-old Lexington resident tells the Daily Progress. "That was a personal goal, and I wanted to see what the competition was like. My goal was to run the course in under 24 minutes.
Strongest opening statement: UVA football destroys the Temple Owls in Philly with a 44-14 shellacking in the September 4 season opener. The Cavs total a whopping 500-plus yards on offense, while the defense never let the Owls find any kind of rhythm. Junior halfback Wali Lundy leads the offensive charge, rushing all over the Owls for 104 yards and three touchdowns. "They just jumped on us," Temple head coach Bobby Wallace tells the AP. "Up front, they whipped us on both sides of the ball, badly."
Best season finale: The rejuvenated Redskins close preseason play on their highest note as they shut out the Atlanta Falcons 27-0 at FedEx Field September 3. The Skins complete an up-and-down season of exhibition play with a 3-2 record. "I was proud of our guys," head coach Joe Gibbs tells the Washington Post. "We bounced back from a real poor performance last week. We came back this week and we were real solid all the way across the board. I wish we could count it, but now we start for real."
Most ferocious Flucos: Area high school football action kicks off with a major upset as the Fluvanna Flucos rally to knock off Central Virginia's No. 1 Progress-ranked Albemarle Patriots September 3. The Flucos shut out a high-powered AHS offense to come from 20 points down to pull off their 27-26 shocker.
Best prime-time players: The Richmond Braves complete an exciting ride to the South Division title as they dethrone the two-time International League Champion Durham Bulls by three games. The Braves reach the playoffs for the first time since 1994, closing out the season on the right foot with a doubleheader sweep of the Norfolk Tides. The Braves meet the Columbus Clippers in a best-of-five game series with the winner advancing to play for the Governor's Cup.
The Week Ahead:
Friday, September 10 @ 7pm
Richmond Braves vs. Columbus Clippers
Governor's Cup Semifinals Game 3
Two rare events for Richmond baseball fans: 1) Playoff baseball 2) Baseball at The Diamond. Assuming hurricanes do not swamp the city again, the Braves will host the Columbus Clippers in the third game of a best-of-five series. Be prepared to catch some more action the following night unless one squad rips off a three-game sweep. Tickets $4-$10.
Friday, Sept. 10 @ 7:00pm vs. UCLA
Sunday, Sept. 12 @ 2:30pm vs. South Carolina
Virginia Soccer Classic
While the nationally ranked football team is the big story this weekend, the UVA soccer program deserves recognition with both the men's and women's team's ranked among the nation's best. Watch the men host their portion of the Virginia Soccer Classic as they look to follow up the dominant show put on by the Lady Cavs last weekend. $6 Adults $4 Youth.
Saturday, September 11 @ 3:30pm
UVA Football Home Opener vs. North Carolina
It's always a great rivalry when the Tar Heels come to town. This year appears no different as the two squads open their conference schedules. If you're looking for a single game ticket, you might want to try for next week's low-key homecoming game against Akron.
Sunday, September 12 @1pm
Redskins Season Opener vs. Tampa Bay
If you think the UVA-UNC game is a hot ticket, you ain't seen nothing. Redskins fans have plenty to be excited about as the team kicks off their much anticipated season.
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