Incredible Defensive Effort Puts Chargers Atop Packers In Regional Semifinals

Varsity Boys Soccer Playoffs: Smithfield Packers vs. Chancellor Chargers

By: Greg Wolfe

Wednesday night featured maybe the closest the Chancellor Chargers (17-3-1) has gotten to a full 80 minutes of great and consistent play since the playoffs started. Thanks to a strong-standing defense and some timely goals by Angel Sierra-Hernandez and Andres Correa, the Chargers were able to overcome the red-hot Smithfield Packers (13-5).

The Chargers for most of the playoffs this year had seen struggles in the first halves of games. They had some problems finding the net, and errors seemed to be plenty as the team looked for it's momentum. Tonight, they threw that thought into the garbage and came out and looked great for the entirety of the game despite one very costly error.

6 minutes into the game, the Chargers struck first and set the tone early. The Chargers had quick feet out of the gate, and were set up with three corner kicks in those first 6 minutes of play. On the third corner kick, Andres Correa placed a perfect shot right at Angel Sierra-Hernandez who was able to knock it in with his head and give the Chargers the 1-0 lead.

The Chargers defense took over from the rest of the first half, extinguishing every one of the Packers' threats. Josh Reid collected 4 first half saves (8 total in the game) to continue to keep his net locked up. Both teams had problems with the slick surface, soaked by a week of rain, which limited the offenses and kept the score to a low 1-0 Charger advantage at halftime.

Coming back out to start the second half, the Chargers showed no shortness of breath. Both teams were ready and in starting pitch positions with still four minutes to relax for halftime, eager to get the game in.

Ruben Niamien, rejoining the team after missing the last 3 games, was a strong and welcome presence to the Chargers offense. He made his way onto the scoring sheet often in the second half. Most notably of all was with 28 minutes left in the game. Niamien had just tossed the ball into play and had the ball back immediately with two Packers in his face, he passed the ball across the field to Andres Correa who was waiting and ready, punching it in and giving the Chargers a 2-0 lead.

The large lead was a huge breath of relaxation for the Charger faithful, and it would stay that way for another 16 minutes until a critical error struck.

The Packers were struggling, looking for any way to break through and score. With 12 minutes left, they were the benefactors of friendly fire by the Chargers. Kwesi Abbar was trying to clear the ball from the net with a header, but accidentally knocked it into his own team's goal making it a 2-1 game.

The Chargers defense was again tasked with handling a large, and threatening Packers offense. The Packers biggest chance came with 21 minutes left, when Matthew Lutz had a very good look at the net alone with the goalie. He took his shot, and Reid made the masterful save jumping high to deflect the shot over the goal and the game remained in Charger control.

It would remain that way for the rest of the game, after the Chargers fought hard and left the field victorious. The Chargers did have another injury scare today, as both Eli Carr and Andres Correa had to leave the field limping. The team has shown all year it has guts, and if these players are unable to return someone will surely step up.

This win seals another trip to the state tournament, as they will play the winner of Jamestown and Midlothian on Friday for the regional championship. The team keeps on storming on, and have their sights set purely on the ultimate goal.

Stat Section

Chancellor Chargers

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Smithfield Packers

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Explosive Second Half Powers Chargers Past Chiefs

Varsity Boys Soccer Regionals: Monacan Chiefs vs. Chancellor Chargers

By: Greg Wolfe

The Chancellor Chargers (16-3-1) battled through a rough game for another gutsy performance Monday afternoon, as two late goals helped propel the team to a 2-1 victory over the visiting Monacan Chiefs (10-9).

Eli Carr supplied the first of the two late goals in the game with 18 minutes left in the second half. He battled all afternoon, and would walk off the field with the dirtiest jersey. "Coming in we knew had to work hard and put all the effort out there on the field," Carr commented after the game. "That goal I got late was big, helped build some momentum for us going into the rest of the game."

Carr's goal did just that, despite the Chiefs answering just one minute later. After a penalty gave the Chiefs an open kick from just in front of the midfield line, the Chiefs placed it just in front of the Charger net allowing Aaron Eiser to come out of the scrum and tap it in to tie things back up at 1.

The Chargers knew how to respond to a surprising late goal, however. Last week the Foxes pulled of a similar goal to tie things back up. The difference in this game was that the Chargers wouldn't need any overtime to seal up the win.

With six minutes left in the game, the Chargers came up clutch after multiple chances at a goal that had come up just short. Andres Correa set his feet and read the Monacan defense perfectly, tossing a pass over the majority of the team crowded in the box where Chris Jimenez was waiting to head it into the corner of the net and make it a 2-1 lead for the Chargers.

The Chiefs weren't done yet, and they put on a surprising final-effort during the last five minutes of the game keeping the ball in Charger territory for the majority of the time. The Chief's Max Mahoney and Johnny Watters were a big part of that push, using their speed to try and weave through the Chargers' defense.

Goalkeeper Josh Reid continued to be the wall we all expect him to be, rising his save total to 5 in the game. Defenders Kwesi Abban, Mike Kreider and Kris Kokoneshi also provided marvelous support, clearing out all the Chiefs' threats.

The Chargers rebounded spectacularly. In the first half, the team seemed to be off to a sluggish start and the brief downpour of rain halfway through the first half didn't help matters much. But when they came out in the second half, it was a whole new ball game.

This win pushes the Chargers into the Regional Semifinals, where they will host the Midlothian Trojans at home on Wednesday. The Chargers will look to get some offensive pieces back from injury and continue to stay hot, as they continue to look forward and extend their season.

Stat Section

Chancellor Chargers

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Monacan Chiefs

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A Look Back - The Chargers' Best Moments of the Year

Chargers Top 5 Moments of the Year - A Look Back

By: Greg Wolfe

The 2016/17 was a breath-taking year of sports for the Chancellor Chargers. Words can barely describe the year of success, joy, and surprise that the athletes created. The future stars of the school started to show their colors in every sport, while the seasoned veterans paved the way for the newcomers with their skill and expertise that accumulated over their years at Chancellor. It all meshed together in a melting pot for one of the most exciting schools to watch year in and year out.

It was hard choosing just four games to put on this list, because there are so many great memories to look back on. Football saw one of their greatest season's in school history go down in the books, while Boys Soccer continued to be the dominating force of northern Virginia that it's been know to be since the school opened. Field Hockey pulled together a wonderful rebuilding year finishing just short of playing for the conference title, while the Volleyball team performed with a striking force all season long. Both basketball teams out performed expectations, and handed in learning seasons that will definitely be built upon in the coming years. Baseball had it's up and downs, learning how to deal with adversity. After softball struggled early, they came back strong in the second half of the season to turn in a great year.

Even the sports I wasn't able to cover as much as I would've liked, turned in spectacular seasons. Cross Country dazzled as usual, while Winter and Spring Track showed dominance in setting school records continuously all year round. Swimming worked together to turn in a season where each swimmer seemed to improve after each meet. I would've loved to cover these sports more, but am unfortunately just one person and tired to get coverage in where I could!

Got all that? Because that's just the beginning. An overview, of sorts. There were five games, five special moments that will live in the hearts of the players and the spectators who witnessed these marvels of games. Without filling anymore space, here are the five best games of the year. (Each team is limited to one moment)

5. Baseball Upsets Top Seed Louisa To Clinch Regional Berth

After a rough ending to the season for the Chancellor Chargers baseball team, a lot of the attention in the area went elsewhere. The Chargers used extra innings to knock of rivals Courtland in the first round of the conference tournament, and would be forced to go to extras again in the second round against the Louisa Lions

The Lions were the tournament's number one seed, were the host site, and the favorites. The Chargers paid attention to none of that on a wet afternoon. The Chargers came together, led by Tyler Fisher on the mound and Will Temple at the plate, to pull off a nine inning win against the tournament favorites. The game was close for its entirety, as no team ever pulled away by more than one run. After a costly error in the final inning that would've given the Chargers the win, most teams would've seen all the wind leave their sails.

Not for the Chargers. CJ Craft came back the next inning shutting down the Lions keeping the game tied. And Temple would follow in the top of the ninth with a double, being scored by Jon Olsberg who slapped a double into left field to give the Chargers the lead. Olsberg was on the mound after catching eight innings, and he didn't even break a sweat while facing the minimum in the final frame to seal the Chargers upset.

The win gave the Chargers a spot in the regional tournament and a chance to upset Eastern View. Though they weren't able to grab the conference championship, they have high hopes going into conference where they will look to surprise some more teams.

(Read our full article of the game here)

4. Senior Night Boys Basketball Thriller, In Greatest Way

Senior Night is always an incredible, and special night for all who watch (the Chargers even went 8-1 this year on Senior Night). But for the Chargers Boys Basketball team, there was some extra excitement added to the night.

For starters, Omair Shah who had missed most of the season after a leg injury in the first week, was on the starting lineup and playing despite a cast still wrapped around his knee. His mobility was limited, but it didn't effect his shooting. Shah was able to sink a clean 3-Pointer in the first quarter of the game, which electrified the crowd for the first time of many that night.

Later in that first quarter George Brown, for those who don't know is built as a lineman for football and doesn't see a lot of time on the court, decided to take a shot from beyond the 3-Point arch as well. And to the crowd's enjoyment, it fell in and sent the gym into a frenzy. The Chargers continued the electric night, and EJ Jenkins joined in on the fun with a resounding slam dunk during the second quarter.

The Chargers would eventually go on to beat the Spotsylvania Knights 57-47 in impressive fashion, putting on one of the most fun games to watch and listen to for the year.

(Read our full article of the game here)

3. Softball Comeback Charges Team For Rest Of Strong Season

After losing their starting pitcher early in the season to injury, the Chargers had many questions about how their season would go. They knew they had the talent, but early on in the season it was difficult pulling it all together.

The Chargers had already suffered a conference loss in the season, and another one could spell doom for a team searching for energy. The team was down 6-1 after 4 innings of play, the Chargers were in a hole. With a 4 run fifth inning, the Chargers were suddenly right back into things only trailing by a run. The first three batters in the inning got on base, and a train of hits propelled the Chargers. After a scoreless sixth inning, and the Cavaliers tacking on another run in the seventh, the Chargers had one last shot down by two runs in the final frame.

After Kenzie Coates led off the inning with a single, Tessa Dodson and Rachel Arnold would both follow with singles. Sam Tillman was up with two outs and down to her last strike, but she zoned in and slammed a triple into center field that cleared the bases and helped the Chargers walk it off. This was the Chargers first conference win on the year, and it helped them fire up to finish the season winning five more games.

Though the Chargers eventually came up short losing a tight 1-0 game to Louisa, it was an incredible effort against a 1 seed that had been seemingly locked in to win by everyone watching. The Chargers showed fight and heart that all came from a bond that was built in this game, which in some ways may have saved the Chargers season.

(Read our full article of the game here)

2. Boys Soccer Upsets King George In Conference Championship

The regular season for Conference 19 was almost completely dominated by the King George Foxes, who's only loss on the season came to Courtland early on. Going into the Conference Championship game, the Foxes had hopes high on their own turf.

The young Chargers squad, stretched thin due to injuries both before and during the game, had what was called one of their "gutsiest" wins of all time. Angel Sierra-Hernandez had a second half goal that gave the Chargers the lead for almost the rest of the game, until a goal by the Foxes in the final minutes tied things back up forcing overtime. After Diego Garcia's clutch goal, the Chargers were able to seal the championship right before storms blew through pouring rain onto the field.

The Chargers, as a 3 seed in the tournament, felt like they had a lot to prove and knew they could clinch a home regional game and collect another conference trophy. The Foxes were looking for their first ever and had a full crowd to support them, but the Chargers were able to complete the upset and continue the excellence they have shown for years. The rest of the season, is yet to be completely written for the Chargers.

(Read our full article of the game here)

1. Football Upsets 'Ponax At Home For First Time Since 2008

Massaponax High School has seemingly always been the annual power house of Spotsylvania County. When these two teams matched up in Week 2 of the young season, both teams were still trying to figure out what their identity was. The Massaponax Panthers were coming off a strong win against Courtland, while the Chargers had just squeaked out a win against their Route 3 rival Riverbend in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl. Needless to say, both teams had extra energy packed into this late-summer game.

The Chargers were down early in the game, and there was a sudden worry in the almost-full stadium that it would be a repeat of previous years. Seniors Jason Brown and EJ Jenkins were tired of being beaten the three previous years of their career at Chancellor, and they both broke through for career nights. Brown tossed 6 TD's with 395 passing yard tacked on, fueling a come-from-behind win that snapped a state-best winning streak for the Panthers.

It was the fullest stadium for a high school football game that I, an aspiring writer, had ever seen. It's the game that spurred me into action and started writing for sports for Chancellor. The Chargers never gave up, even with the Panthers in field goal range for a tie they broke that up with an interception pressured by EJ Fields and caught by Lovell Armstead. The entire game was a team-effort, and it was what makes high school football so great. School hadn't even started yet, new coming freshman hadn't even gone to their first class of high school before the Chargers showed what being a Charger is all about. Determination and domination, when nobody else expects it.

This win propelled the Chargers to a 9-3 season, where they went to the second round of the playoffs and boasted offensive records that had never been imagined before that year. It was also a keystone win in the county-sweep, as they'd go on to beat Courtland and Spotsylvania later in the year.

(Read the Free Lance Star's article of the game here)

And that's it for our top 5 moments of the year for Chargers Sports. Thank you to everyone for the incredible year!

Garcia's Clutch Overtime Goal Gives Chargers Conference Championship

Varsity Boys Soccer Playoffs: Chancellor Chargers vs. King George Foxes

By: Greg Wolfe

The Chancellor Chargers (15-3-1) only struggles all season long had come against their Conference 19 Championship Game opponent, the King George Foxes (14-2-1). The Foxes had tied and beaten the Chargers earlier in the season but tonight, in the game that mattered most, it was the Chargers who came out on top. In the first 5-minute period of overtime, Daniel Garcia played the hero as his huge goal gave the Chargers the 2-1 advantage, and eventual victory to win the conference.

The first half of the conference championship was one of multiple struggles on both sides of the field. While the Foxes struggled with fouls and bad passes giving away good looking possessions, the Chargers suffered two early injuries to starters Josh Ransure and Nico Vega which gave the Foxes a big size advantage on the field.

The Chargers' goalie Josh Reid was in control of the net however, and shut out the Foxes in the first half not allowing any major threats. His two early big saves after two shots from the Foxes' Mikey McLaughlin and Chas Parker were what kept the Foxes from every gaining a lead in the game.

Cole Lipinski's effort as the Foxes' goalie can't be ignored either, as he notched two saves as well to keep the score even at zero. Though the Chargers' never really got a decent look at the net thanks to a tall-standing Foxes' defense, he still stood tall cutting down any threats quickly.

When both teams came back out to start the second half, the speed was notably different. The Chargers were the one's who benefited most, as it only took the Chargers five minutes to break up the stalemate as Angel Sierra-Hernandez tapped in the goal electrifying his team to a 1-0 lead.

Sierra-Hernandez's goal put an extra skip in the Chargers' step, as they played about 33 minutes of strong, impenetrable defense where it seemed as if the Chargers had the championship locked up.

With just two minutes left to play however, the Foxes took advantage and stormed down the field. After Reid made a diving save, the Foxes' Alex Lutpon was right there in front of the net to knock it in and ultimately send the game to overtime ruining the Chargers thoughts of a quick victory.

As overtime started, the Chargers were looking for offense again that they hadn't seen since they came back fully rested after halftime. With a team bordering exhaustion and not many subs left on the bench, the Chargers were desperate to end the game as quickly as they could.

Two minutes into the first round of overtime, it was Daniel Garcia who answered. From almost forty yards out, Garcia took a chance and punted the ball towards the net. Lipinski was unable to stop the missile of a shot by Garcia, as it hit the top corner of the net and went in to give the Chargers back the advantage and close to a championship once again.

In the end, the Chargers' defense stood tall. The Foxes had two corner kicks in the final two minutes of the second round of overtime, and came up empty both times as Reid continued to be a wall in front of the net along with help from his strong defense.

The Chargers would play keep-away, and the whistle would blow clinching the championship as the Chargers upset the number 1 seeded Foxes. The storm of rain that had been feared all night finally came just as the final whistle blew, but the wind couldn't ruin the Chargers celebration as they graciously accepted the Conference Trophy at midfield after an incredible regular season.

The Chargers aren't done yet, and there's still a long road ahead as they will look forward to their next competition next week which is yet to be decided.

Notable Stats

• Josh Reid (Ch) and Cole Lipinski (KG) recorded four saves for their respective teams.
• Angel Sierra-Hernandez and Daniel Garcia only had one shot on goal each, and both cashed in for a goal with their lone chance.
• Mikey McLaughlin and Chas Parker both were held scoreless, combining for four shots on goal
• Both teams combined for 13 corner kicks

Chargers Upset Top Seed Lions In Extra Inning Thriller

Varsity Baseball Playoffs: Chancellor Chargers vs. Louisa Lions

By: Greg Wolfe

Check out this game's photo gallery here!

Coming off an extra inning win against their rivals just a couple nights before, the Chancellor Chargers were looking for more as they hit the road to play the top seeded Louisa Lions. The game went into extra innings again, and a clutch double by Jon Olsberg gave the Chargers the lead they needed to complete the upset.

Tyler Fisher started the game for the Chargers, and turned in an incredibly efficient outing. The Lions were retired quickly and quietly, while not recording their first hit until the third inning. Fisher only struck out one batter, leaving the rest to his defense which for the most part had his back.

The Chargers would grab the lead early on in the top of the second inning. Will Temple started off his huge day with a walk, and Olsberg would sacrifice bunt him over to second, After CJ Craft was hit by a pitch, the Chargers were in business. Will Libby came up clutch with a two out hit that scored Temple and the Chargers were on the board.

Business went by as usual as Fisher continued to cruise through the first three innings. In the bottom of the fourth inning, The Lions led off with a double, and would cash in after a badly timed error in the outfield helped the runners move along and eventually tie up the game. Olsberg would later clean up the inning and prevent more runners from crossing the plate, catching his first runner attempting to steal for the day to keep the game tied.

The game would remain in a dead-locked tie, as both teams jockeyed for a try at gaining the lead. In the 6th inning, Fisher was pulled and replaced by Bryce Sheetz. After some control issues, the Chargers decided to put back in Fisher to see if he could deal through a high-pressure situation. Fisher would have no problem finishing off the inning and keeping two Lions stranded on base after retiring the first two batters he saw.

In the top of the 7th, the Chargers ramped up the offense. Temple collected his second hit of the day, a resounding triple to right-center field to put himself in scoring position. Next up was Olsberg, who knocked a sac-fly to bring home Temple and gave the Chargers the late game lead and a massive boost of energy.

In the bottom of the 7th, the Chargers faced another high pressure situation. After Fisher hit the first batter of the inning, the Chargers replaced him with Craft. Craft showed some control issues, as two wild pitches sent the Lions' runner to third base. Craft recorded back-to-back strikeouts however and the Chargers could taste victory.

It was another untimely error, however, that allowed the Lions to score their second run of the game and tie it back up. Olsberg picked off a Lions' runner trying to steal on a blocked ball in the dirt, and the Chargers were headed to extras for the second consecutive game.

Craft dealed in his two innings of relief work, striking out three and not allowing a single hit. The Chargers were retired in order in the 8th, and Craft would work around two walks in the bottom of the inning to keep the game alive.

In the top of the 9th, it was Temple who came up clutch again. He slammed a double into left field this time, putting himself in perfect position for Olsberg who put another double into the same gap in the outfield, electrifying the Charger dugout and putting them back in the lead.

Olsberg was given the ball to close out the game and record the save in the bottom of the ninth, and he responded with relative ease. Working around a sharp lead-off single, he forced the next batter to ground into an interesting double play. It was ruled the runner on first interfered the turning of the double play, and the air was sucked out of Louisa's attempt to tie the game back up.

The final batter of the game grounded out to Matt Morgan at short stop, and the Chargers clinched a spot in the conference championship game and a spot in regional play next week. The team isn't done yet, and has re-found the team chemistry they had earlier in the year. It'll be a fun next couple of weeks for the ball club.


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Charger Stats

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Chargers Offense Sputters As Season Comes To A Close

Varsity Softball Playoffs: Chancellor Chargers vs. Louisa Lions

By: Greg Wolfe

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The Chancellor Chargers (4 Seed) fell in the semifinals to a tough Louisa Lions (1 Seed) club Wednesday afternoon. The Lions' Taylor Robinson tossed a complete game shutout, only allowing two hits and striking out 14 to give her team the close 1-0 victory.

Going into the conference semifinal game, the Chargers were looking to build off a win against Caroline earlier in the week. The Lions and Chargers hadn't faced off all year, so both teams were seeing each other for the first time which may have explained for the lone run scored in the game.

Haley McDaniel tossed an almost identical gem for the Chargers, as she went the full 7 innings with maybe her best effort of the season only allowing one controversial run that came in the 4th inning.

The Chargers had some problems being caught stealing throughout the game, which erased the few base-runners they were able to get on. The Chargers' biggest threat came in the first, after McDaniel singled and was stranded at third base. Louisa put more people on, but McDaniel worked through it and kept the game within reach for the entire 7 innings.

In that fourth inning where the Lions scored their lone run, the Lions led off with a single and Robinson helped her own cause with a single plus an error that brought in the run. The run came with controversy however, as the Chargers were confident that the runner on first base had left early. After conversation, the officiating crew ruled that she had not and the run stood.

The Chargers, who continued to show a new-look defense first premiered earlier this week against Caroline, had very few errors and did everything they could to set them up for a victory, Robinson was just seemingly untouchable.

The Chargers' softball squad turned in a impressive season, battling adversity early on and developing a lot of young talent that will continue to grow as the years go by. The team wore their heart on their sleeve, and never gave up. No game was ever truly out of reach.

Thank you softball, for the incredible season!

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Charger Stats

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Spring Sports Playoff Preview

Boys Soccer

The Boys Soccer team turned in another great season this year, finishing with an outstanding final record of 12-3-1. The team is fairly young, showing to have improved throughout the season in all parts of their game. The team has shown its ability to score, and score quickly, which may be the defining factor in the Conference 19 tournament coming up shortly which is packed at the top with talent. Ruben Niamien, Eli Carr, and Nico Vega will play a huge part in the offensive attack, and if they can get off to hot starts in the tournament the team should have no problems. Their first test will be Monday, May 22, when they host Caroline who they outscored 19-0 this season. If they win that game, it’ll be a rematch game against rivals Courtland who they split the season series 1-1 this year.

Girls Soccer

The Girls Soccer team showed some struggles this year, but turned in a decent end to their season earlier this week when they took down conference foe King George and also beat Spotsylvania. How the team reacts to these victories will determine their postseason success. If the team comes together to showcase the talent they have, they could become a major dominant force in the tournament. Lydia Burke, Emma Schramm, and Caedyn Berg will play a huge part to the team’s success, if they can find the net with the consistency they showed this year. The team’s first contest will be Monday, May 23, when they will play the winner of the Louisa/Eastern View game at King George High School.

Baseball

The Baseball team had a very up and down season. The team started off the season red hot but faltered when coming back from spring break falling to a 9-10 final record. The team has the weapons to be a postseason threat however, as Tyler Fisher and Matt Morgan are coming off a good offensive season while Bryce Sheetz and Matt Zuna will look to lead the way on the mound. The team showed some strength late in the season in a heart-filled loss to King George who rallied for a 6 run inning late in order to escape with a win. Similar to the Girls Soccer team, if the Baseball team can gel together the right way, they could become a major threat. They will be tested early with a game against their rivals the Courtland Cougars on Monday, May 22.

Softball

The Softball team holds a 7-11 record going into the postseason, which is a very deceptive record. The Chargers lost their starting pitcher, Haley McDaniel, early in the season and had to search for a sufficient back-up. Lindsay Pett filled that roll, and once she was settled in she helped the team get back on track and finish with some conference wins under the belt. Now with McDaniel back, an improved defense, and an offense clicking at all levels the team will look to surprise people in a conference dominated by Louisa and King George annually. If the team can field the ball cleanly, and the middle of the lineup featuring Noelle Greenwood, Kate Schwinn, and Kenzie Coates pucan put together similar numbers to the regular season this team could pull together for a great run. Their first contest will be at home on Monday, May 22, when they face off against Caroline who they swept the season series against.

Good luck Charger sports!

Seniors Shine In Huge Revenge Win For Chargers

Varsity Softball: Spotsylvania Knights vs. Chancellor Chargers

By: Greg Wolfe

Check out today's Photo Gallery Here!

All year, Chargers sports has had some incredible games on Senior Night. That trend continued Tuesday afternoon, as the Chancellor Chargers (7-9) hosted a large crowd in tune to a huge 12-3 victory over the visiting Spotsylvania Knights. This win avenged an 11-inning loss previously this year, as the Chargers start to kick it in gear for the impending playoffs.

Seniors Lindsay Pett, Rachel Arnold, and Noelle Greenwood paved the way for the Chargers. The trio went a combined 6-11 with two doubles, three RBI's, and multiple clutch at bats that kept innings alive. Arnold was given her time to shine, and took advantage of it in every way. No errors, a sharp single and walk, and some nice defensive plays at first base. Pett took the mound for four innings pitching pretty close to perfectly and also helped herself out at the plate. Lastly Greenwood had a career day with three hits, one that on almost any other field would've have been a home run, but the large Chancellor outfield kept it in the yard.

Before the game, Arnold was ecstatic about being able to start in front of her family. "I definitely felt butterflies before the game, with the nerves for starting the game. But once I got on the field I was more confident thinking we got this and we are gonna win this. I felt good."

Before the game started, the seniors were honored with their families to a chorus of cheers. Pett had the ball to start things off on the mound, and things got off to an excited start. The Knights' Number 14 led the game off with a sharp single but was quickly erased as the following batter lined sharply out to Kenzie Coates who then fired it to first for the double play.

The Chargers struck quickly in the bottom of the first, quickly surpassing their two run total from earlier in the year. Haley McDaniel brought her speed to the stage with a quick bunt single and stolen base to get the Chargers started. Pett would bunt her along, and Sam Tillman would slam her in with a resounding double into centerfield. Greenwood single in Tillman to start her Senior Night, Kate Schwinn and Coates followed pursuit, and it was a quick 5-0 lead put up by the Chargers.

Pett didn't miss a beat in the top of the second, retiring the Knights quickly. The Chargers couldn't put anything up in the second despite some errors by the Knights, but the lead was still safe.

After the Knights' Number 14 smacked an RBI double in the top of the third, Pett shut things down quickly retiring the next three straight batters to preserve a large Charger lead. The Chargers answered, putting the lead at 6-1 in the bottom of the third thanks to Coates who singled and stole a base to induce a throwing error that eventually led her to score.

The Knights continued to put up some runs in the next inning, as the first two batters reached and made it across the plate thanks to some untimely errors by the Chargers. The lead was still 6-3, so it was no harm for the Chargers who immediately responded with two more runs in the bottom of the fourth. After this half of the inning, Pett's incredible performance was over.

After the game, Pett felt great about her performance. "I felt pretty good, a little sore after yesterday but not too bad. Definitely proud of what I was able to do."

Pett would double in the bottom of the fourth, setting things up for Greenwood who hit a double to the fence that would've been a homerun almost anywhere else. The hit sufficed, as two crossed the plate and brought the lead to 8-3.

McDaniel would come in for relief in the fifth, and she shut down the Knights with two strikeouts and a quick retiring of the side. The Chargers would plate three runs in the bottom of that inning, making it smooth sailing for McDaniel as she'd go on to complete the game and give the Chargers an incredible 12-3 victory.

Everyone seemed to have a good day, with highlights all across the board. Greenwood especially at the conclusion of the game was confident in her effort at the plate and was looking forward to the next game. "Lots of hard work over the years went into this, and I didn't change anything today. We play King George next and we need to bring it so that'll be fun."

The Chargers' third game in three days will be at home Wednesday, as they look to get redemption against one of their conference foes the King George Foxes. It is the last regular season game for the team, and may potentially be a tone setter.

And, one last congrats to the Seniors who put so much work into this time year in and year out, who have also helped create a season to remember for everyone involved. Thank you!

(Senior Rachel Arnold with her family)

(Senior Noelle Greenwood with her parents)

(Senior Lindsay Pett with her parents)

(All of the Chargers Seniors)

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Stat Section

Chancellor Chargers

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Spotsylvania Knights

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Chargers Can't Contain Foxes In Rough Loss

Varsity Softball: Chancellor Chargers vs. King George Foxes

By: Greg Wolfe

Monday's match-up between the Chancellor Chargers (6-10) and King George Foxes was a rough one for the Chargers, as early missed opportunities let the game slip away as the top of the Foxes order did major damage in order to seal a 10-1 conference victory.

In the top of the first, The Foxes' pitcher Number 16 struck out two batters despite giving up a sharp single to Noelle Greenwood. Her scoreless frame would set up her team to take the lead later that inning and quickly.

The front of the Foxes' order (the 1-2-3 batters) went a combined 8-11 with 5 RBI's on the game. The Chargers starting pitcher, Lindsay Pett, didn't seem to have many problems with the rest of the order. In the bottom of the first though, the Foxes' Number 13 led off with a triple followed by her teammate Number 10's single. Both scored, but after that Pett shut things down and eventually struck out a batter to end the inning and keep the score at 2-0.

The second inning greatly contrasted the first, as all six batters who stepped up to bat were immediately retired by the opposing team's pitchers. Pett collected two more strikeouts, and Number 16 induced Sarah Tiller to hit into an inning-ending double play to erase Kenzie Coates' sharp single. The Chargers had two sharp hits in the first two innings, and nothing to show for it early on.

After Number 16 cruised again in the top of the third, the Foxes found home plate again as the first three batters in their lineup all made it on base, and two of them scored. The third batter, Number 16, was caught up in a rundown at the plate later that inning after a running miscue behind her. Tessa Dodson, playing an aware first base, was able to spot the mistake and help cut her down at the plate.

In the fourth inning, business was back to usual again for Pett who tossed a scoreless frame. The Foxes' Number 16 did the same, and the Chargers were looking for some momentum headed into the latter half of the game.

Coates would score the Chargers' lone run of the game in the fifth inning, after collecting her second single and eventually running her way around the bases until she was able to score on a throw down to second base while her teammate Dodson tried stealing. The Foxes escaped the Charger rally however, with a strike out and pick off at third base to erase Dodson.

After Pett tossed another scoreless inning in the fifth, her recently-recovered teammate Haley McDaniel did all she could to try and help the effort. In her first start after a leg injury earlier in the season, McDaniel started off slow with a strikeout in her first at bat but in her second at bat showed no rust as she bunt-singled her way on and proceeded to steal second base and take third on a fielder's choice. The Chargers' were unable to score her, unfortunately.

The bottom of that inning showed McDaniel knocking some more rust off, as Pett was pulled after struggling a bit. She struck out the first batter she faced, and minimized the damage in her short inning of work. After that, the Chargers were unable to overcome a 10-1 deficit, as the Foxes were able to walk away with a late-season conference victory.

Both teams will see each other again on Wednesday, but before that the Chargers will have Senior Night on Tuesday at home as they look to get revenge against the Spotsylvania Knights who beat them in 11 innings earlier this year.

Stat Section

Chancellor Chargers

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King George Foxes

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Bears Jump Early On Chargers Twice To Sweep Doubleheader

Varsity Softball: Chancellor Chargers vs. Riverbend Bears

By: Greg Wolfe

Monday's rendition of the Route 3 rivalry featured two hot softball teams coming off multiple wins, as the Chancellor Chargers (5-9) looked to continue building momentum. The Riverbend Bears had other plans as they jumped out to early leads in both games to shut down the Chargers.

To start the day, both team's pitchers started with facing the minimum batters. The Bears' Number 10 gave up a single to opposing starter Lindsay Pett, who was later caught stealing and apparently hurt sliding in. When Pett came out to throw the next inning, she shook it off and retired the Bears in order.

The second inning did not come as easily for the Chargers. Kate Schwinn led off with a single, but was cut down quickly trying to steal second base as the Bears' No. 14 collected to early quality throws to second for outs.

When the Chargers took the field, the defense faltered. Part of the winning streak for the Chargers included stellar defense, and today showed some early struggles the Chargers had hoped had been dismissed. With five errors in the inning, the Bears were able to bat around before having the first out recorded. They plated 7 runs, before Pett retired three batters she had previously faced to end the inning.

The game didn't last much longer, as an already shortened game for the doubleheader became even shorter as the Bears offense was back to cause more trouble in the bottom of the third inning after Number 10 cruised through the bottom of the Chargers' batting order.

The Bears took the game early, and held on to it for a 10-0, shortened victory over the Chargers. The Chargers only had three base runners, and looked forward to the next game to try and spark some offense together.

The Bears went with a new pitcher for the second game, Number 6, who Sam Tillman figured out immediately with a quick single The start of the second game started just like the first however, as Tillman fell victim as the third Charger caught stealing on the day. It ended the inning quickly, and the Bears hammered out more runs in the next inning off the Chargers new pitcher Taylor Sullivan.

In the bottom of the first, the Chargers didn't commit any errors, the Bears just seemed to have hot bats against Sullivan. They batted around in an inning for the second time that day, as Sullivan would eventually leave two stranded on the bases after a couple of pop ups by the top of the Bears' lineup.

In the top of the second inning, the Chargers finally found some offense thanks to some luck finally swinging their way. Schwinn was walked to start the inning, and Sarah Tiller would follow later on getting on after an error by the Bears' second baseman. Rachel Arnold knocked a great single into right field to score Schwinn, and Sullivan would help her own cause with a bunt single to score Tiller. When Tillman brought up the top of the order, she knocked in Arnold with a single up the middle and the Chargers showed great resilience during a rough day.

The game would settle down afterwards, as Sullivan put up a zero on the board in the bottom of the second. The Chargers found more hits, but never found the plate again that day despite a heartful effort. The game ended in the same bad luck as it had seemed to be for the Chargers all day, as Noelle Greenwood slammed the ball straight at the pitcher who just barely got a glove on it to block it and retire Greenwood for the final out.

It just wasn't the Chargers day, as timely hitting and well placed hits helped the Bears soar to a sweep. The ball seemed to find all the holes in the outfield, just outside of Sierra Gibson and Greenwood's reach.

In the second inning, the Chargers also tried out different players in different defensive spots to yield wonderful results. Kenzie Coates moved to third base, and found five outs there to hold down the fort. Tessa Dodson also moved to left field, and made some nice grabs to show some reliability.

All in all, it wasn't a total loss for the Chargers who played a very good Bears ball club. The Chargers will look forward to the rest of their long week, as they start some more conference play against the Caroline Cavaliers Tuesday night. The last time the Chargers played the Cavaliers, they came back from down 6 runs in order to seal a huge victory.

Stat Section (Both Games)

Chancellor Chargers

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Riverbend Bears

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Chargers Storm Past 'Jackets

Varsity Softball: James Monroe Yellow Jackets vs. Chancellor Chargers

By: Greg Wolfe

The Chancellor Chargers (5-7) rode a hot start to the game to a big 10-3 victory over the visiting James Monroe Yellow Jackets Wednesday afternoon. The team was full of call-ups from the JV squad, and showed no sign of slowing down on their current winning streak.

Both team's pitchers started off their afternoons with quick first innings, allowing no runners to touch the plate. For the Chargers, Taylor Sullivan worked around some early adversity with runners on first and second but was able to retire the side efficiently and end the inning with a strikeout.

After a scoreless second inning of work by Sullivan, the Chargers bats came alive. The first three runners got on base, and Kenzie Coates scored the game's first run off a passed ball. Another batter later, Mary Fisher took advantage of her opportunity and smacked a single to score two more runs and grow the Charger lead to 3-0.

Sullivan went through the third just like she had the first two innings, keeping a zero on the board. She also collected her third strikeout, in as many innings. Her offense sparked again in the bottom of the third to give her even more run support.

The Chargers put up a big 6 in the bottom of the third. The first six batters of the inning all reached, and they all scored. Noelle Greenwood led them off with a single, as Kate Schwinn, Coates, Lindsay Pett, Tessa Dodson, and Taylor Sullivan would all get on board to pull the chain and grow the Chargers' lead. They batted around, and had a comfortable 9-0 lead going into the fourth inning.

Sullivan allowed her first run of the day, but was able to limit any damage. She again collected a strikeout, growing her total to four as she continued to impress against the 'Jacket squad.

Over the next four innings, the Chargers hit the "coast" button and let the game ride out to a win. The defense showed some errors, but none were critical and the 'Jackets never really had a big inning. The Chargers showed great control over the game, as their winning streak grows to three games as the team starts to heat up.

Their next game(s) will be on Monday afternoon as the travel to play a double header against the Riverbend Bears, the final team left to play in their home county.

Stat Section

Chancellor Chargers

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James Monroe Yellow Jackets

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Error-Frenzy Game Ends In The Chargers' Favor

Varsity Baseball: James Monroe Yellow Jackets vs. Chancellor Chargers

By: Greg Wolfe

In a game featuring 13 total errors shared by both teams, it was the Chancellor Chargers (9-6) who were able to capitlize off of 8 opponent errors. The James Monroe Yellow Jackets never quite found their footing, in a 10-6 loss.

Like their softball counterparts on the other side of the school earlier that day, both teams had quick and scoreless first innings to start the game. The Chargers' starter Bryce Sheetz looked sharp to start, with two strikeouts to eliminate any threat. In the bottom half of the inning, the Chargers had Tyler Fisher in scoring position, but were unable to convert an early run.

In the next inning, the Chargers capitlized by putting the ball in play. The 'Jackets made a critical error early on, as Jeffery Pates knocked in two runs thanks to an infield error. The Chargers grabbed a 3-0 lead early, and seemingly struggled the next inning to keep the game out of reach.

The Chargers saw ome fielding mishaps of their own, as the 'Jackets were allowed to climb right back into the game by putting up a quick two runs in the top of the inning. Lacking some defense, Sheetz ended the inning on his own with quick looking strikeout.

The Chargers were right back on top of things in the bottom half of the third inning. Matt Morgan continued his hot hitting, and CJ Craft followed behind him to give the Chargers two quick baserunners. Will Libby, who had an RBI in the previous inning, collected two more RBI's with a sharp single into left field to grow the lead back to 3, with a 5-2 score.

The 'Jackets would tack on another run in the top of the fourth inning, leaving the Chargers scoreless in the bottom of it. They couldn't keep the Chargers scoreless for long, as they put up three more runs in the bottom of the fifth to seemingly put the game out of reach again. The runs came thanks to some masterful bunting by Craft, and Libby who continued to have a good night with his fourth RBI.

The 'Jackets weren't done yet. In the top of the sixth inning, they put up three runs to make things interesting game closing the gap to a 8-6 Charger lead. The defense stuttered again for the Chargers, unable to help the new pitcher Jordan Byrd. They would limit the damage and escape again, keeping the lead.

As the 'Jackets brought in a new pitcher, the Chargers showed no discomfort in padding their lead with two extra runs in the bottom of the sixth. Those two extra runs made the top of the seventh inning less stressful for the Chargers.

Byrd did hit a couple batters, but erased the first batter he let on with a nifty double play that he started and quickly diminished the 'Jackets hopes of making a comeback. After his second hit batter, he left the last kid to walk back to the dugout as he flied out to leftfield to get the win for the Chargers.

This is the Chargers' second consecutive win, and hopefully a good sign for a team looking to recover and get hot before the season ends. Their next contest will be next Tuesday, as they hit the road to take on a conference foe the Caroline Cavaliers.

Stat Section

Chancellor Chargers

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James Monroe Yellow Jackets

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Offense Surges As Chargers Enact Revenge Against Rivals

Varsity Men's Soccer: Chancellor Chargers vs. Courtland Cougars

By: Greg Wolfe

Earlier in the year, the Chancellor Chargers (9-2-1) struggled to find any offense on a cold night against their visiting rivals the Courtland Cougars in a tight loss. Tonight, with warmer temperatures, the Chargers got revenge as four different players scored in a come-from-behind 5-4 victory.

The game got off to a pretty even start for both teams, as the ball seemed to move consistently back and forth across the field with no true possession of the ball by either team. The Cougars managed to get an early shot on goal, but Charger goalie Josh Reid made and incredible save at the cost of a minor injury. He was taken off the field at first, but was allowed to return almost immediately to hold down the fort.

But 9 minutes into the game, it was the Cougars who struck first in similar fashion to the previous match-up between these two teams. Number 7 took a long shot that snuck through almost twelve bodies to find the very back corner of the Charger net.

Chris Escobar would take the Chargers first shot on goal near the 24 minute mark of the first half, as he made a shot from outside the box that just barely missed as it the top rim of the goal.

Under 21 minutes to play, Eli Carr took a similar shot the was blocked by the Cougar goalie. Diego Arias was right there for the clean up as he knocked in his first goal of the night to tie things up for the Chargers and break the scoreless streak against the Cougars.

After that, it pretty much started to rain goals at the Cougars stadium. The Cougars nimble Number 10 weaved his way through Charger defenders at the 12 minute mark later on in the game, giving him a good look at the net. His shot just barely made it over the reaching arms of Reid, and the Cougars were back on top. Only a minute later, it took an amazing diving snag by Reid to prevent back-to-back goals by Number 10.

Andres Correa had a great opportunity with 6 minutes remaining in the half, but couldn't quite connect with the net. Less than 40 seconds later, Correa got his second chance as the Chargers found their way onto the board again as Nico Vega assisted him in another game-tying goal. Going into the halftime, the game was locked in a 2-2 tie.

Both teams continued to play physically into the second half, bumping and shoving their way to the ball with aggression. The rivalry was in full force, as the Chargers were trying to dethrone the Cougars for the top seed of Conference 19. The Cougars, on the other hand, were looking for an early advantage to maybe peacefully walk away with the top seed.

Courtland's Number 10 started things off for the Cougars in the second half with his second goal of the day to give the Cougars another advantage. He danced around another pair of Charger defenders, as was practically alone with the net for his second goal.

One minute later, the Chargers struck again. Daniel Garcia didn't let the crowd settle in at all, as he knocked a beautiful kick into the net to knot the two teams in their third tie of the game. The teams were going back and forth, and the Chargers were still looking for that big play to push themselves over the top.

At the 26 minute mark, it was Ruben Niamien who provided that big play. Niamien had an open look at the goal, failing to put it in the first time due to a beautiful save by the Cougar goalie. Niamien was alone with the ball again however, and he cashed it in for a goal the second time to give the Chargers their first lead of the night. The energized Chargers weren't done yet.

The Cougar goalie made the mistake of tossing the ball to one of his teammates who was being trailed by Arias. Arias made the nifty move, stealing the ball and punching it into the net to give the Chargers the biggest lead of the night. The Chargers were on fire, tasting victory.

The Cougars gave them a dosage of realization how much game was left, as Number 7 was tripped up in the Chargers' penalty area, giving him a penalty shot. Reid made an incredible save, but Number 7 rushed right back in to tap it into the net for a goal to make the game close again.

The final 18 minutes of the game was a stressful time for both teams. The Chargers started to dominate possession, but weren't ever really to find the net again. The Cougars started to slip up, and couldn't quite get a rally going. The Chargers played the possession game, and won it, late. They cruised on to a 5-4 victory, and it was a huge one.

This win extends the Chargers hot streak as of late, were their last loss was to the Cougars many weeks ago. It was also a big conference win, that will help them gain confidence down the road. The Chargers got revenge, and have put the hot-starting Cougars in a hole as they've dropped two straight games after starting the season undefeated.

The Chargers will go on to play James Monroe later this week, as they look to keep up on the hot shooting.