Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

While many eyes were on the unbeaten King’s Fork High School boys basketball team all season, it’s the school’s girls team that will play for a state title in Richmond. Count us among their many fans.

Led by a strong team effort, the King’s Fork girls beat Manor 60-53 in the state semifinals Monday night and will play mighty Millbrook at 12:30 p.m. Thursday in the Class 4 state championship game at the Siegel Center.

Hardwood success is becoming something of a tradition for the Bulldogs, who reached the state championship game in 2017 before falling to Monacan. Even on a weekday, when work obligations prevent many fans from going to Richmond, we hope a large contingent will make the drive to Richmond to support the Bulldogs.

We salute the countless coaches, parents and others who have helped them reach the state title game. News-Herald reporter Jimmy LaRoue, on today’s front page, gives a detailed account of the Bulldogs’ semifinal win. We were inspired by the postgame words of Coach Maurice Fofana, who told LaRoue: “It’s huge, man, it’s huge. I can’t put it into words on how proud I am. The kids played their last game on their home court. You can’t ask for no more than that. They left it all on the floor. They played hard, and we’re just looking forward to Thursday.”

The Bulldogs’ determination reminds us of the 2020 Lakeland High boys and King’s Fork’s boys, who were both declared co-state champions in their respective classifications. Team sports, for all the unsavory things you read about in the pros and even major colleges, can bring out the best in student-athletes and entire communities. They can teach and galvanize in ways that transcend games.

This was a banner season for Suffolk high school hoops. The King’s Fork boys, who had not lost a single game before Monday night’s Class 4 semifinals, and Lakeland girls fell one game short of playing for a title in Richmond.

We’re thrilled that the King’s Fork girls are still standing and carrying the banner for all of Suffolk.