Richmond, VA (cvillerightnow.com): Albemarle High School has reached the state finals several times under Coach Greg Maynard but has never topped the summit of the mountain.  This year, they finished 24-4 on the year, blew out Riverbend 67-46, and won a close contest over Riverside 64-61.  

Despite a spirited effort at the Siegel Center in front of a packed crowd the Patriots come up short in the dying seconds thanks to a game winning layup by Green Run High School’s Kass Jackson that won the game for the Virginia Beach outfit 43-41.  The Patriots were not able to take the lead in the game until the last 90 seconds of the third quarter, but they battle back and forth with the Stallions to keep the game tied at 41 points going into the game’s final ten seconds.  Jackson’s moment of brilliance saw him fly across the court and lay the ball up to put the contest, and the championship, out of reach for Albemarle.    

Postgame, Coach Maynard pointed out he played only one senior during today’s game, implying, not unfairly, that the talent this core of Patriots brings to the table will remain present in the teams’ 2025-26 iteration.  When asked whether he would return for his 37th season at the helm, though coy in his response, the legendary coach quipped “I’d be awful stupid if I didn’t come back.”