AUTO RACING
Connor Hall of Hampton added another notch to his recent dominance, coming from last place Saturday night to win the Thunder Road Harley-Davidson 200 at South Boston Speedway.
He qualified just 23rd, thanks to a slow leak in his right-rear tire, and had to drop to the back of the 32-car field after changing the tire.
Hall, last year’s NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series national champion, gained his first South Boston win by overcoming one of his good friends, Virginia Late Model Triple Crown champion Trevor Ward.
Hall, in a Nelson Motorsports Toyota, took the lead with about 20 laps to go and pulled away from Ward, the runner-up. It was the 17th overall victory this year for Hall, including seven at Langley Speedway in eight attempts. He is seeking his first Virginia Triple Crown.
BASEBALL
Pilots improve winning streak to eight
The Peninsula Pilots (21-8, 5-0 in the season’s second half) continued their recent invincibility, extending their winning streak to eight games Monday night with a 2-1 Coastal Plain League victory against the Wilson Tobs (19-10, 4-1) in North Carolina.
Eight Peninsula pitchers combined on a seven-hitter and didn’t yield an earned run. Dalton Barham struck out six in the first three innings, and winner Lincoln Ransom, Marcus Dux, Darrell Fletcher-Knight, Reilly Witmer, Olvis Genao, Cole Koonce and Kenny Leiner needed to get no more than three outs apiece.
In the Pilots’ fourth, Grayson Fitzwater doubled, Cole Stanford walked and both scored on Corbin Shaw’s double.
Shaw, Ryan Dooley and Henry Garcia had two apiece of the Pilots’ eight hits.
In the Wilson sixth, Mackenzie Wainwright reached on an error and scored on Mike Kelly’s sacrifice fly.
COLLEGES
W&M to sell beer, wine at football games
William & Mary’s athletics program, in partnership with Aramark and the W&M Police Department, said it will begin beer, wine and seltzer sales from concessions areas at Zable Stadium for the 2024 football season.
It’s a continuation of the pilot program launched at Plumeri Park in the spring this year. fans will now have the opportunity to purchase beer, wine, and seltzers for consumption in their seating areas.
Fans wishing to purchase or consume alcohol must have their identification verified by RMC event staff before purchase. They will be limited to four drinks per day, including two at a time, and sales will stop after the third quarter.
Tailgate and cabana reservations for the 2024 Norfolk State football season are now open.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Washington, Green land top state honors
Virginia wide receiver Malik Washington was named the Offensive Player of the Year and James Madison defensive end Jalen Green was the Defensive Player of the Year on the Virginia Sports Information Directors’ University Division 2023 all-state team.
Virginia Tech’s John Love was the Special Teams Player of the Year and Liberty’s Jamey Chadwell was the Coach of the Year.
UVA swept Rookie of the Year honors with quarterback Anthony Colandrea on offense and Kam Robinson on defense.
Old Dominion’s only first-teamer was linebacker Jason Henderson.
William & Mary’s first-teamers were offensive lineman Charles Grant, defensive lineman Nate Lynn, linebacker John Pius, place-kicker Caden Bonoffski and long snapper Nick Levy.
The Hokies’ Antwaun Powell-Ryland, an Indian River High graduate, was a first-team defensive lineman.
William & Mary running back Malachi Imoh, tight end Sean McElwain, offensive lineman Ryan McKenna, cornerback Ryan Poole and punter Will Whitehurst made the second team. So did Hampton offensive lineman Brandon Hardy, ODU defensive lineman Denzel Lowry and linebacker Wayne Matthews, Norfolk State linebacker AJ Richardson and Hampton linebacker Qwahsin Townsel.
COLLEGE WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
ODU announces three more recruits
Old Dominion announced the addition of three more players to its incoming class.
Outside hitter Hailee Blankenship was a second-team all-conference selection the past two years for Division II King University of Tennessee and is from Jefferson Forest High.
Defensive specialist/libero Alexa Earle is a freshman from Lake Travis High in Austin, Texas, and outside hitter Tshilanda Diouf of France was the Southland Conference Freshman of the Year last season for McNeese State.
COLLEGE WOMEN’S GOLF
UVA players gain academic honors
Five Virginia players were named 2024 Women’s Golf Coaches Association All-American Scholars: Celeste Valinho, Rebecca Skoler, Amanda Sambach, Megan Propeck and Jaclyn Laha.
