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The Rockbridge Report is produced under the supervision of the Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communications at Washington and Lee University.
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Fans gather for annual BMX competition

By Lanier Brooks

Riders compete in one of many competitions. (Photo by Brett Strohsacker)

Over a thousand BMX fans gathered at the Virginia Horse Center this weekend to welcome riders set to compete in the Bicycle League BMX Indoor Nationals.

Riders from surrounding areas took part in the competition that began last Friday and continued through Sunday afternoon.

The Virginia Horse Center hosted the six-week series that takes place annually.

“Lexington welcomed the competition with open arms,” said Virginia Horse Center’s Executive Director John Scott. An estimated 1500 people were there to cheer on the 540 riders who participated in the tournament.

Riders and their families enjoyed the fun atmosphere as they waited for their race to take place.

The track resembled a dirt pit in a circular fashion. There were a variety of jumps, turns and other challenging obstacles. Competitors included both male and female racers ranging in age from 5 to 55 years old.

In order to determine the overall winner, riders must compete in three separate heats. Points are allotted to those who finish in first, second or third. Each round consists of a group of riders of the same age.

According to Scott, the event was a success that provided fans with a demonstration of true riding talent.

• Video: Brett Strohsacker covers the competition

SVU hosts nationwide basketball tournament

By Brett Strohsacker

Knights gather together before they take on several women's teams

across the nation. (Photo by Ryan Hale)

The Southern Virginia University women's basketball team hosted the first annual "Battle of the Blue Ridge" earlier this month; a tournament that drew teams from all over the country.

The first annual "Battle of the Blue Ridge" was a big success last weekend, as the SVU Knights competed against teams they would otherwise never play, including Robert Morris College from Springfield, Ill., University of Dallas from Irvine, Texas, and St. Joseph's College from Brooklyn, Ny.

The tournament was sponsored by the Howard Johnson Hotel in Lexington, who according to assistant athletic director Amber Clark has become their unofficial sponsor.

Clark said that the hotel provides discounts for the teams traveling to play SVU. For this tournament, Ho Jo offered free rooms for each team.

According to Clark, this allows them to play a more diverse schedule, as teams can travel from farther away.

In doing so, Ho Jo has also greatly benefited. A tournament like this fills up nearly the entire hotel, and helps for future business.

Clark said, "I think other schools in our area have followed our initiative and made arrangements with Howard Johnson for visiting teams to stay there overnight."

The tournament began Friday afternoon, as an impressive University of Dallas team knocked off St. Joseph's in a close game 76-63.

Later that night, SVU lost to Robert Morris College in a defensive struggle 54-41.

Said assistant coach Amber Clark, "we were out of rhythm the whole game, and our shots just didn't go down."

They bounced back on Saturday to win convincingly in the consolation round against a St. Joseph's team that was simply overmatched. The knights out-rebounded and out-hustled St. Joe's, and cruised to a 63-30 victory.

In the championship game, Robert Morris defeated the University of Dallas in overtime, 54-49.

The Knights didn't take home the trophy this year, but the players and coaches were not disappointed.

After the game, Coach Clark said, "Even though we didn't win the tournament, I am happy with the way we played in the second game."

The Knights can be seen in action tomorrow night in Lexington, as they take on the Washington and Lee Generals.

By Kenneth Kraft

Students finally got a chance to take out some aggression on the faculty Tuesday night as they competed in a “friendly” game of dodgeball. During halftime of the Washington & Lee women’s basketball game, the champion team from last Friday’s student dodgeball tournament got to take on a faculty and staff All-Star team.

Filled with coaches, young staff members, and a determined Dean Watkins, the faculty team came out of the gate ready to win. The match started in their favor as they quickly eliminated five of the six students. Only Jonathan Sturtz, a junior dodgeball connoisseur, remained. Sliding and dodging, Sturtz managed to catch two balls and the student team then knocked out the final three faculty members for a solid victory.