The Miller School’s girls basketball team has displayed its strength early this season, knocking off Charlottesville and Patrick Henry-Roanoke before falling to a very good Spotswood team in the championship of The Daily Progress NBC29 Holiday Classic on Tuesday.

The junior guard, who had been starting earlier this year, came off the bench to provide a major spark for the Black Knights in their Jefferson District win over William Monroe on Friday.

William Monroe played with Charlottesville for three quarters on Friday night, but for the final eight minutes the Black Knights ran the show.

William Monroe came within three points and a late illegal pick call from shaking up the area girls basketball scene on Friday night, but Charlottesville prevailed 48-45 in the Black Knights’ Jefferson District home opener.

On Tuesday, the Greene Dragons took care of business, earning a 55-40 victory over Louisa County thanks to stellar free throw shooting.

The senior point guard lifted the Dragons to a 56-47 victory over a young Governors squad, finishing with 16 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals.

This early in the season, a win is a win and every coach will take one because they all count the same when it’s all said and done.

Few seem willing to concede the crown to the Black Knights. And with good reason — the Jefferson District appears destined to be a dogfight again this year.

By all accounts, Charlottesville is the team to beat in the Jefferson District this season. And with good reason.

The All-Jefferson District volleyball team clearly showed that Western Albemarle is still the dominant squad in the district, but it also showed that a series of young, talented players are beginning to emerge at the schools that have played second fiddle to the Warriors the last few years.

Moyers’ two-day score of 15-under 127 shattered the Group AA record of 134 set in 1968 by Blacksburg’s Mark Long.

With the win, the Flucos avenged an earlier loss to the Dragons and the teams are now tied for second place in the Jefferson District behind unbeaten Western Albemarle.

In the end, first-place Western Albemarle was simply too big and too powerful for second-place William Monroe, prevailing in the third set 25-20 and in the match 3-1 (21-25, 25-19, 25-20, 25-13).

For the seventh year in a row, Western Albemarle walked away with the Jefferson District tournament title on Tuesday afternoon at Meadowcreek Golf Course. The Warriors’ top player, Patrick Leisure, fought off Monticello’s Kevin Archer in a playoff to win the individual crown.

In a wide-open Jefferson District, the William Monroe volleyball team is establishing themselves as one of the top programs this year.