While Altavista's volleyball team, Gretna's football team and Faith Christian Academy's basketball and baseball teams were all chasing state titles, there were other sports highlights occurring throughout 2011.
Here is a recap of stories from the Altavista Journal in 2011.
JANUARY
Jerry Rice won the third annual Altavista Journal Sizzling 7 contest. He dethroned two-time champion Scooter Duff.
Football awards were handed out for the 2010 season. Receiving awards were Ricky Adams, Back of the Year; Ethan Russell, Dedication Award; Jerrell Jordan, R.J. Edwards Award; and C.P. Graves, Lineman of the Year.
FEBRUARY
The Altavista Lady Colonels basketball team grabbed the Dogwood District regular season title with a 12-0 record.
Faith Christian boys and girls teams won Southeast District titles.
Members of the Altavista High School cross country team received their Group A state rings. Members of the team were Matt Shaw, Cody Smith, Sean Farney, Austin Hall, Dylan Allen, Jamie Doss, Jesse Bowling, Stephen Mattox, Jeff Bryant, Jacob Davis, Cameron Branning, Forster McCracken, Davis West, Coach Darryl Smith and Coach Donnie Wilkerson.
The Altavista boys basketball team won the Dogwood District tournament title with a 54-50 overtime win at Dan River. The team entered the regionals with a 17-4 record.
The Gretna Hawks won the girls basketball tournament with a 49-45 win over Dan River.
Altavista landed nine players on the all-district team. The Lady Colonels were represented by Takara Dews, first team; Jessica Myers, second team; Kayla Lee, honorable mention; Kayla Donigan, honorable mention; and Lori Cox honorable mention. The Colonels placed Jerrell Jordan on the first team, Mike Robinson on the second team, and A.J. Cartolaro and Delvin Woodruff as honorable mention.
The Colonels opened the Region B, Division 1, tournament with a 66-47 win over Madison County Feb. 23. Two nights later, the team's season came to a close with a 51-49 loss to Luray. The Lady Colonels won their regional opener, crushing Cumberland 69-30. Their season also came to an end in the semifinals with a 56-46 loss to Riverheads.
Faith Christian Academy fell in the title game of the Virginia Association of Christian Athletics South Regional tournament 56-49 to Timberlake. The Lady Lions' season ended with a 49-43 consolation game loss to Temple Christian School.
Altavista's Jerrell Jordan and Takara Dews were the lone Colonel representatives on the Region B basketball teams. Jordan was named to the first team, while Dews was honorable mention.
MARCH
Gretna's Nina Compton, a 2010 graduate, walked onto the Virginia Tech softball team.
Gretna held its 2010 football awards program and presented awards to Reese Wilmoth, Robert "Bob" Haynes Academic Award; Darien Jefferson, Lawson "Slick" Andrews Coach's Award; Joe McGee, Vernon Moon Dedication Award; and Nick Miller, James McKeever Sportsmanship Award.
Don Wheeler and Billy Strain won the first Leesville Lake Tournament Trail event of the season March 13.
The Altavista Area YMCA swim team participated in the three-day Piedmont YMCA Swimming Association Championship in Bedford. The girls placed third, while the team as a whole placed sixth.
Jerrell Jordan nabbed a spot on the all-state basketball list. He was a first-team selection.
APRIL
Altavista presented basketball awards to players Robert Yuille, Mike Robinson, Tyler Wilson, Jerrell Jordan, Hunter Shelhorse and A.J. Cartolaro.
The Altavista High School basketball cheerleaders held their banquet and presented awards to Kiara Davis, Chandler Hart, Ka'Toria Gray and Olivia Scott.
Gretna honored its players with the annual awards dinner. Receiving awards were Brice Rushing, Tierra Younger, Georgia Davis, Amber Clements and Ebony Calloway.
Gretna's Reese Wilmoth signed with Christopher Newport University to play football.
MAY
The Altavista Area YMCA offered a bodybuilding seminar.
Hurt's Jamie Goodman won his first race in the hot rod division at Piedmont Dragway near Greensboro, N.C.
The FCA Lady Lions soccer season ended with a 3-1 loss to Roanoke Valley Christian in the South Region quarterfinals.
Gretna ousted Altavista's baseball team with a 15-1 win in the Dogwood District tournament opener.
The Lady Colonels fell to William Campbell 12-4, ending their season in the softball district tournament opener.
The Altavista soccer team won its district opener with a 4-2 win on penalty kicks over Dan River.
Altavista's Kent Eanes lost a World Kickboxing Association title match to Clark Walters.
Altavista's tennis team ended season at .500 mark.
JUNE
Andrew Rigler won the Uncle Billy's race.
Sydney Morris garnered Dogwood District Runner of the Year Award.
Altavista took first and second in district track meet.
Colonels track team placed at Region B event. Team sent 11 to state competition.
The Altavista Area YMCA, under the instruction of Beth Keatts, performed "A Dream is a Wish."
Seven Colonels received all-district soccer accolades. Award recipients were Daniel Grzenda, first team; Sam Whiteside, second team; Stuart Gossler, second team; Forster McCracken, second team; Cory Coffey, honorable mention; Cody Andrews, honorable mention; and Dylan Maddy, honorable mention.
Three Altavista High School softball players were honored by the Dogwood District. Leslie Cox was a second-team selection, while Logan English and Conner English were honorable mention.
Nelson beat Altavista 9-3 in baseball action. The Region B, Division 1, quarterfinal loss ended the Colonels' season.
Altavista's Ricky Adams was named Player of the Year in the Dogwood District. He was a pitcher and played shortstop for the Colonels.
Jackson Finch was a first-team selection to the all-district baseball list. Jacob East made the second team, while Jake Reynolds, Adam Emerson, A.J. Cartolaro and Hunter Shelhorse were all honorable-mention selections.
Nelson booted Altavista from the Dogwood District semifinals. The Colonels ended their season with a 4-10-2 record.
Altavista tennis team members honored at a banquet were Kayla Vucelich, Alysha Hazelwood, Rebecca Hubbard, Annalee Finch and Lauren Magner.
Coach Casey Greene presented softball awards to Josie Tyree, Leslie Cox, Lindsey Mayberry and Conner English.
Jerrell Jordan will play football at Copiah Lincoln Community College in Mississippi. Chris Clark earned a scholarship to play football at West Virginia Wesleyan. Johnny Wimbish accepted a scholarship from Virginia Military Institute.
Altavista's Mike Robinson and Gretna's Joe McGee and Reese Wilmoth played in first-ever Southwest-Central Virginia All-Star Classic at William Fleming High School.
JULY
Local players and coaches prepared for the Virginia High School Coaches Association All-Star games.
A new sectional playoff format set to begin in Group A.
The National Amateur Baseball Federation Sophomore World Series is played in the area, including Altavista. The Frederick, Md., Hustlers win series.
AUGUST
Madeline McCracken made her second appearance in the U14 national pool for the U.S. Soccer National Program Training Camp.
The Hugh T. Pendleton Sports Complex is dedicated at Rustburg High School.
Local high school teams begin fall sports action.
SEPTEMBER
The third season of the Journal's Sizzling 7 kicked off with participants Jerry Rice, David Tucker, Jack Hammock, Andy McCracken, Terry Keesee, Andy Dolan and Donna Orrell.
Rustburg celebrated 50 years of football.
Dana Shelton scored a hole-in-one on the second hole at Altavista Country Club Aug. 17.
The Altavista cross country team won the Dogwood/Piedmont District Challenge.
The first annual Altavista Journal Football Frenzy contest kicked off Sept. 21.
Altavista golfers finished fifth in the Dogwood District tournament.
Midway through the season, Altavista's volleyball team stood on top of the district standings.
OCTOBER
Timothy Fenn finished fourth individually at the Region B golf tournament.
Don Wheeler and Billy Strain won the season finale of the Leesville Lake Tournament Trail.
Colonels downed Nelson in football 24-12 to go 5-3 overall, 2-2 in the Dogwood.
Altavista's volleyball team won the Dogwood District regular season crown.
NOVEMBER
The boys and girls cross country teams at Altavista won Dogwood District titles.
Altavista golf awards were presented to Timothy Fenn, Most Valuable Player; Hampton Mattox, Young Gun; Daniel Grzenda, Coaches/Sportsmanship; Richard Hubbard, Most Consistent Golfer; and Nic Hackworth, Most Improved.
Local teams prepared for state football playoffs.
Lady Colonels' volleyball team falls to Nelson in title tilt.
Baseball group completed work at War Memorial Park.
Altavista volleyball team landed six on all-district list - Sydney Morris, Ryan Hedgpeth, Allison Mabry, Sarah Hedgpeth, Lori Cox and Karlie Rigler.
Altavista's football season ended at Sussex 20-12 in second round of playoffs. Colonels finished 6-6.
Jesse Dalton won Thanksgiving Giblet Jog.
DECEMBER
Gretna landed seven on all-region football team. Four Colonels earned honorable-mention recognition in region - Jarrod Hunt, Dustin Arnold, Ricky Adams and Jestin Brown.
Altavista opened 2011-12 basketball seasons.