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Panther fever
. With any luck at all, and with plenty of support from its home-team fans, the Rappahannock High girls softball team just may find itself in the state playoffs in a couple of weeks.
So far the girls have managed the inconceivable this spring, losing only once in 16 games and making the girls volleyball team’s awesome season pale by comparison. Every time they take the field this year the girls were a threat to rack up 10 or 15 runs. They’ve got a first-round bye in the regional playoffs next week, and if they can win twice they’ll be in the state tourney. Being host of regionals can’t hurt the Lady Panthers’ hopes, as long as Rappahannock fans are there to cheer them on.
This week the league announced that the Lady Panthers have the Player of the Year, the Coach of the Year and about half of the first-team all-Bull Run District nine. We’re sure Coach Renee Leake would tell you her husband and assistant coach, Gary Leake, deserves at least a small part of the credit for that they have achieved this season. But she gives the team its up-beat character and has made some excellent strategy decisions on the way to the 15-1 record. Congratulations to her and the all-District selectees.
As the cliche goes, ‘It’s how you play the game,’ and the girls have shown themselves to be good sports on several occasions this year—situations that were definite tests of their collective character. So no matter how far they go (or don’t go, obviously only one team can win it all), this season has taught the team something about what they can accomplish together.
Buckle up
Virginia motorists can do their part to make the Commonwealth’s roads and highways safer in the coming months by putting forth an extra effort to keep their seatbelts fastened.
The Virginia Department of Transportation is kicking off a summer campaign to increase safety belt usage to 70 percent in the state. The rate is now only 58 percent in Virginia, 59 percent nationwide.
The summer campaign focuses on the 101 critical days of summer that include the heavily traveled holidays of Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Labor Day, when fatalities are the highest.
During the summer months, local law enforcement officers throughout Virginia and the State Police will conduct special safety belt and child safety seat enforcement efforts. The Department of Motor Vehicles will also be emphasizing public awareness through educational efforts.
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