MHS boys place 2nd in region; to face Riverheads in state quarterfinals Friday

Mathews High School has made it to the Elite Eight in Virginia boys’ basketball, earning a spot in the VHSL Class 1 state tournament following last Wednesday’s 54-37 win over Lancaster in the regional tournament semifinals. The win also sent the Blue Devils to the 1A Regional championship game on Friday against Colonial Beach, where the Drifters won on their home court, 78-61. The Blue Devils had last made it to the state tournament in 2017. That team ironically defeated Riverheads to earn its state playoff bid. The 2020 Mathews team will travel to face Riverheads (this year’s Region B champion) on Friday. Friday’s game will be held at Stuarts Draft High School in southeastern Augusta County. Tipoff is 6 p.m. Prior to 2017, the last time Mathews had earned a state tournament bid in boys’ basketball was 1978. Both those teams were led by Stuart Anderson. Stuart Anderson Sr. was a key member of the 1978 te...