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The Top 10 Individual Performances ’14-’15

UVA Primary and Specialty Care Zion Crossroads

With the 2014-2015 school year officially over we’re looking back and compiling top-10 lists of the best individual performances, best campaigns and best games we saw. Up first are the individual performances, a sampling of athletes from Central Virginia transcending the game where their efforts were simply sublime.

No. 1 — Kyree Koonce explodes in Region 3A West playoff with Tunstall

There was a little bit of mystery surrounding Kyree Koonce’s senior year, how he was used during the regular season. Only he and former Monticello coach Jeff Woody really know the truth as to just how healthy he was the first 10 games of the season, just how much the staff was trying to limit his wear and tear. Coming off an electric 2013 where Koonce was hands down the most impressive athlete on the football field, but saw it end too quickly in the regular season after he broke his leg against Charlottesville at the midway point, his 2014 season was still impressive, but his touches were cetrainly limited. All of that intrigue was there when Monticello squared off against Tunstall in the Region 3A West playoffs. Would we ever get to see the 2013 version of Koonce in 2014?

Yes, yes we would. And it was a definitive answer. In the Mustangs 48-35 win at home, Koonce was a the kind of tear you rarely get to see. The 350-yard, 4-touchdown kind of tear. The kind of game where he broke a school record for yards in a game despite sitting out much of the second half. Remember, Monticello has been “Running Back High” dating back to the Takeem Hedgeman days back in 2007 where he was a unstoppable and led Monticello to a Group AA state title. On this night in Novemeber, Koonce looked better than ever.

It wasn’t just that he had four TD’s and 350 yards, it was that three of those TD’s were simply explosions, and he had another big burst come up just short in the redzone. He had a 30-yard touchdown, a 70-yard scoring sprint, another 67-yard run into the endzone. He had a 69-yard run in the third quarter.  It was 350 yards and just 21 touches. It put him past the record set by Jimmy Stevens.

It was the kind of performance that any future Mustang running back now will look to measure up against. Given the bevy of gifted athletic backs that have come through Monticello in the last 10-plus years, that’s no small bar. Monticello needed Koonce at his best against Tunstall. It got just that.

No. 2 — KK Barbour breaks Albemarle career scorer record, puts up 39 against Orange

On January 7th, Albemarle’s KK Barbour entered the Patriots road game with Orange County just two points shy of breaking the school’s all-time scoring record. So while it was obvious that she was going to own that record early in the season, it didn’t change how impressive her outing was.

Barbour broke the record just a few moments into the contest, then poured in 39 points to help the Patriots stave off the Hornets in a 50-47. It was a fitting game for her to break the record as Orange’s defense did not allow another Patriot more than a field goal. Barbour also had to earn her keep in a physical game that saw her shoot 16 free throws, 13 of which she buried. It wasn’t all inside game and free throws either. She hit four 3-pointers on the night. She also hauled in seven rebounds.

Now headed for Liberty, Barbour’s record-breaking night is testament to just how productive she was from the minute she stepped on the court as a freshman. But there’s something to be said for putting up 39 on a night that’s a little more of a reflection of the past. Barbour made it clear that that particular evening was about just how much she can do, and no doubt will continue to do going forward.

No. 3 — Woodberry’s Davenport and FUMA’s Davis duel it out on the track

This is a 2-for-1 package, but it’s hard to separate the individual performances of Fork Union’s Drake Davis and Woodberry Forest’s Michael Davenport because the tandem went right at each other all year long. The rivalry peaked at the VISAA’s annual state championship meet where the two standouts battled it out for the final time this year. The fireworks were incredible.

In the 100-meters, Davenport got the win, edging Davis by two one-hundreths of a second with a time of 10.74 to Davis’ 10.76. In the 200, Davis flipped the script, edging Davenport by just two one-hundreths with a time of 21.54 to Davenport’s 21.56. In the long jump, Davenport took the title with a leap of 23-07.75, breaking an 82-year old Woodberry Forest school record in the process. Davis jumped 21-05.50 to finish fifth. That was it for Davenport that day individually, but Davis was far from done. He took second in the high jump behind Davenport’s teammate Jack Claiborne and even took seventh in the shotput.

It was an incredible back-and-forth that played itself out in the team standings too as both athletes set the pace for their squads as Woodberry pulled out a 175-150 victory over the Blue Devils. The most interesting piece of the puzzle though? Both are juniors. So we could be in for a repeat performance next year.

No. 4 — Trey Cherry goes off in Louisa County regular season home finale

Louisa County football’s Trey Cherry is one of those rare athletes that’s willing to do whatever it takes for his squad to be successful. Cherry is not a quarterback trade, but for two years now, despite the Lions’ best efforts to allow him to play his more natural position as either a running back or as a slot wideout, Louisa needed him at quarterback.

Early in the 2014 season when head coach Mark Fischer asked him to make the switch back, Cherry was ready and willing. That willingness to put his team first led to some big individual moments for the Lions’ senior, but none were bigger than the clinic he put on on senior night against Albemarle High. Cherry rushed for 266 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries, putting the Lions’ offense on his back against the Patriots. Despite all that production, his best play may have come on defense, when he picked off a pass with Albemarle looking to tie the game back up in the fourth quarter. That stop proved to be the different in a 42-35 victory for Louisa.

See, like we said — Cherry is willing to do whatever it takes for his team to be successful.

No 5. — Eric Buhle’s stonewalling in the VISAA Division 1 state title game

It’s an almost ancient proverb at this point in hockey and it definitely applies to lacrosse too. A hot goalie in the playoffs changes everything.

St. Anne’s-Belfield boys lacrosse’s Eric Buhle wasn’t just hot in the state playoffs. He was nearly perfect. The STAB senior allowed just three goals in the Saints’ state semifinal and final victories, sparking the six-seed Saints to an unlikely state title. In the semifinal, he stuffed Paul VI, a team that scored 13 goals on him in the regular season, holding them to just two goals in the semifinal.

In the final, the Richmond signee stopped a surging St. Christopher’s team dead in their tracks with a 14-save, one-goal allowed performance that was one of the finest by any lacrosse goalie ever in Central Virginia. He made almost every save conceivable that day, stopping shot after shot. It was a perfect finish to a distinguished career.

No 6. — Kendall Ballard breaks Bruton’s heart in the Region 4A field hockey semifinals

Kendall Ballard had the type of year in field hockey where picking out her best performance and just how much it meant to Charlottesville is really a matter of throwing darts at the wall. What she did against Western Albemarle at home was huge. In just one half before she was injured in the Black Knights’ home game with Orange County showed just how much she mattered to the program. Then in the Region 4A North Championship against Eastern View, she came through again with a “putting the team on her back” type of game.

But as good as she was in those aforementioned games, what she did to Bruton was most devastating. In the Group 4A North Region tournament leading up to the win over Eastern View the Black Knights ran into Bruton. The Panthers threw the kitchen sink at Ballard to defend her. She adapted and plowed through it. With 29:34 left in regulation, Charlottesville trailed 1-0. With 5:15 to go, the Ohio University bound product tied up the game to force overtime. Then in overtime, the senior struck again, ripping a shot that was eventually tucked in by Lily Sosa to lead the way to a 2-1 victory and secure a Group 4A state tournament bid. It gave Charlottesville its second berth in the state tourney in three years.

Ballard spent the entire year dealing with defensive schemes designed to try and take her out. And while there were many times that she was simply too good that it didn’t matter, the way she adjusted her play to help the Black Knights come from behind late to top Bruton showed just how brilliant of a field hockey player she was this past year.

No. 7 – Monticello’s John Page shuts down Turner Ashby in final high school game

Sure, Monticello’s baseball team had already clinched a spot in the Region 3A West tournament, surviving a stacked Conference 29. So no matter what, the Mustangs were going to play the next week.

But John Page wasn’t.

Page was bound for Marine boot camp at Parris Island just three days after the Conference 29 title game. It was going to be his last high school game no matter what. Appropriately, he got the ball, stepping on the mound to try and give the Mustangs a trophy. He was tremendous against top-seeded Turner Ashby, holding them to a single run in a 3-1 victory. He induced an inning-ending double play with the tying run at the plate in the sixth inning and scattered just five hits throughout the game while walking five. It wasn’t a flawless performance, but considering the emotional stakes and the opponent it was an incredible outing and a fitting end to a tremendous high school career for Page.

It also put the Mustangs into pole position for the region playoffs, eventually leading to a Region 3A West title and a berth in the Group 3A semifinals.

Sure, Monticello’s baseball team had already clinched a spot in the Region 3A West tournament, surviving a stacked Conference 29. So no matter what, the Mustangs were going to play the next week.

But John Page wasn’t.

Page was bound for Marine boot camp at Parris Island just three days after the Conference 29 title game. It was going to be his last high school game no matter what. Appropriately, he got the ball, stepping on the mound to try and give the Mustangs a trophy. He was tremendous against top-seeded Turner Ashby, holding them to a single run in a 3-1 victory. He induced an inning-ending double play with the tying run at the plate in the sixth inning and scattered just five hits throughout the game while walking five. It wasn’t a flawless performance, but considering the emotional stakes and the opponent it was an incredible outing and a fitting end to a tremendous high school career for Page.

It also put the Mustangs into pole position for the region playoffs, eventually leading to a Region 3A West title and a berth in the Group 3A semifinals.

No. 8 – Fluvanna County’s Annaliese Kennedy throws perfect game against Louisa County

The rivalry is there when it comes Fluvanna and Louisa meeting in any sport, but it’s especially strong in softball. The Lions edged Fluvanna in the Conference 23 championship in 2014 and with both squads returning the bulk of their respective rosters, the expectations were that these two would lead the way in the Jefferson District once again in 2015. They did. And when they met up in third week of April, junior Annaliese Kennedy rose to the occasion for Fluvanna.

No hitters and perfect games aren’t too hard to come by in softball, but most of those are the five-inning variety where a dominant team rolls over a lesser squad. That could not be said here with Fluvanna and Louisa as these were two of the top programs in the area meeting. In a 2-0 win for the Flucos, Kennedy was flawless in the circle. She put together a perfect game and struck out six batters.

While Kennedy — who is bound for Appalachian State—  had higher strikeout totals in games with more on the line later in the playoffs, her gem against Louisa stands out, not just because it was a perfect game, but also because it was against a Lions squad that was renowned this year for their team speed and general offensive prowess. On that night though, none of that mattered as Kennedy was simply on point from start to finish.

No. 9 – St. Anne’s-Belfield’s Javin Montgomery-Delaurier explodes against Collegiate

St. Anne’s-Belfield boys basketball’s Javin Montgomery-Delaurier had a number of incredible, stunning games this year. There’s a reason why the Saints’ star was the Scrimmage Play boys basketball player of the year as a junior after finishing the season with 20.0 points and 13.2 rebounds per game.

He got to those season marks with consistency night in and night out as well as occasional explosions that filled up the entire stat sheet. For instance there was the near quadruple double against Potomac where he poured in 26 points, hauled down 22 rebounds, 10 assists and seven blocks against Potomac

Before that though, there was the game that announced to the Prep League, the state and eventually the nation how hard Montgomery-DeLaurier had worked in the offseason and what a big leap he’d taken. On December 12 against Collegiate he finished with 25 points, 10 rebounds, 10 steals and seven blocks, plus four assists. During that process he also unleashed a posterizing dunk that with some help from a classmate with a video camera made its way all the way to ESPN’s Sportscenter. That dunk, that game? That was a huge moment, and one of the most memorable of 2014-2015.

No. 10 – Charlottesville’s Taylor Watkins puts together monster track meet

Taylor Watkins had about as dominant of a Conference 23 track meet as possible winning the 100, 200 and 400 meter dashes. But as a senior that was almost expected of her as the area’s top sprinter. How did she top that? By going even bigger on the next stage.

Watkins matched those three top finishes in her next performance in the Region 4A North track meet. She ran a 12.56  race in the 100, just shy of the record she set in 2014. Then she got back to the record breaking again, running the 200 in 25.02 to beat her own record by almost a half second before setting the new record in the 400 with a time of 56.71.

Headed to run for Virginia Commonwealth University next year, Watkins leaves behind a long list of career achievements, but her finest moment this year was the meet she put together in the Region 4A North championships where she owns the meet records in the 100, 200 and 400.

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