It’s two years later and the Madison Warhawks and Edison Eagles will finally play in the state tournament.
Tonight’s March 4 meeting at 7 p.m. at Madison won’t be in the Virginia High School League’s Class 6 state final, as was supposed to have occurred in 2020. That game was canceled because of COVID and the teams were named state co-champions, after each already had 2-0 records in the state competition.
The teams were disappointed they could not play back then, joking they wanted to play anyhow somewhere in an informal contest.
The Warhawks finished with a 28-1 mark that season. Edison was 24-7.
This season, the perennial state contenders face off in a first-round Class 6 state-tournament game, with the winner advancing to next week’s semifinals. Madison (24-2) is the champion of the Concorde District and 6D North Region tournaments. Edison (24-4) won the National District tournament, then was runner-up to Robinson in the 6C Occoquan Region tourney, snapping the team’s 23-game winning streak.
Madison enters the state tourney with a 16-game victory string.
“It’s been two years and kind of too far gone since that game would have been played, and both teams have graduated so many players. We have kind of moved on,” Madison coach Kirsten Stone.
The coach was more concerned about this year’s young Edison team and containing the team’s quick and talented point guard.
“Edison likes to play fast like we do, and they have a lot of good young players who are getting better,” Stone said.
Madison and Edison did not meet last winter when Madison was the outright Class 6 state champion with a 16-1 mark. Edison lost in the second round of region competition, going 9-4, and did not advance to states.
The teams last met during the 2018-19 campaign in a regular-season holiday tournament contest. Edison won, 66-43. Madison lost in the state first-round that season, going 22-6, and Edison was second in the Class 5 state tourney, finishing 23-1. The Eagles also finished second in the state in 2018.
The teams faced two common opponents this season in the West Potomac Wolverines and South Lakes. Edison defeated West Potomac, 63-50, and Madison won 84-33. Against South Lakes, Edison won 50-40 and Madison by 57-15 and 70-27 scores against its district rival.
While both teams have impressive records and accomplishments this season, Madison is considered a significant favorite in the state opener, unlike in 2020 when the squads were considered more evenly matched.