By Duncan Nixon
Correspondent
It was an interesting and sometimes successful year for the Fluvanna County High School sports teams. Early in 2024 the Fluco boys basketball team had some strong performances, such as a five point win over Jefferson District rival Orange County, but the season had a somewhat middling ending with a 10-12 record. The girls team did no better but it was extraordinarily young and prospects for 2025 are good. The boys teams prospects for 2025 were also promising, until Coach Heath Bralley lost both of his big men.
The Fluco wrestling team hosted the 7th annual Billy Wensel Classic in late January and Cassidy Realyea was 5-0 at the event. The Fluco indoor track and field team under Coach Melanie Kennedy turned in an outstanding performance at the prestigious Fred Hardy meet held at FUMA. The boys team finished first and was led by meet MVP Jackson Fields. The Flucos sent an impressively large contingent of athletes to the Virginia State meet. Sophie Farley was second in the 1000 meter with a time that topped the former state record. The boys 4X800 relay team also did well, finishing in a school record time.
The Fluco baseball and softball seasons got underway in March. The Flucos have always been very strong in baseball. They won the state title in their school size in the year before COVID. At one point in the baseball season the team was 12-3, and it won its first two games in region play, but a repeat state title was not to be. The softball team clobbered Charlottesville in five innings on the run rule but wins and losses were about even. The Flucos showed definite improvement in boys lacrosse and the girls lacrosse team also seemed to be looking up. Soccer is another spring sport for the Flucos. Unfortunately, the boys and girls teams did not excel. The spring track and field team was strong in the Jefferson District meet and in the annual Dogwood Track Classic at UVA.
Two spring events that bring many non-Fluvanna residents to the county are the Peggy Kirk Bell golf competition for top young female golfers from all around the east coast and the UVA rowing event that is back at Lake Monticello and which brings in teams of top women rowers from around the country.
In the summer, the two local youth swim teams compete across central Virginia and the Lake Monticello golf course holds its annual Member-Guest tournament. The winners of the 2024 Member-Guest were Michael Hanson and Rich Williams. In August, the Lake Monticello Ladies Golf Association celebrated its 50th year in existence.
Of all high school sports, football is still king. In Fluvanna, baseball competes with football in spectators not related to a competitor, but the high school parking lot is more full for football than for baseball. The Fluco football team this year was almost there. Coach Mitchell Pace’s team finished at 4-6, but they could easily have been 6-4 or even 7-3. The JV football team was undefeated so further progress is likely. The Fluco volleyball squad has always been strong and this fall was no exception. Coach Christi Harlowe-Garrett has her teams well trained and disciplined and they always seem to be enjoying the competitions. It also helps to have powerful and tall kill shot specialists, like Molly McCall, on hand.
The Fluco golf team and the field hockey squads did not have strong seasons. The Fluvanna County High School gym was the site of the 3C competition cheer event. The girls cross country team was led by Anna Amato and Ruby Frazier, while the boys team was led by Jack Jeffries.
