ROANOKE, Va. – North Cross High School will make its seventh consecutive state championship appearance when the Raiders host St. Anne’s-Belfield on Saturday at Willis Field. North Cross is seeking its third title in four years.
After a semifinal win that tested their resolve, the Raiders are confident heading into the championship. Last year’s loss to Blue Ridge in the VISAA DII final served as a wake-up call, and even last week’s 21-point lead over Atlantic Shores Christian shrank to just six before the Raiders held on for the win.
“This year, they bought into the coaching staff,” said second-year coach Dwayne Priest. “Coming in, everybody bought in. You can see we competed with some of the top private schools. We’re just happy to be back in this opportunity in the state championship.”
Jaziel Hart said the 2024 loss taught them the need to finish.
“Are we going to stick through it? If adversity hits, how are we going to face that?”, said Hart. “Last year, we thought it would be a blowout, but it turned out the opposite. This year, whatever happens, we’re going to fight through, stay disciplined, and play our type of football.”
Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday at Willis Field.
St. Anne’s-Belfield is led by former UVA and Pittsburgh Steeler Heath Miller as head coach. The Saints will come to Roanoke touting a 9-1 record this season.