Author: Dave Facinoli

Dave Facinoli grew up in Prince George’s County, Md. and attended Friendly High School. After attending Prince’s George Community College and James Madison University, where he covered sports on both college papers, he launched a local newspaper career that included roles as the sports editor of the Alexandria Gazette, the Arlington Sun Gazette and GazetteLeader, and other local papers.

Sports

O’Connell roundup: Football team, girls volleyball and others starting strong

By Dave Facinoli
Football player in black and white runs with ball, defender in white behind, referee in background on green field.
O'Connell's Pierce Hall, left, runs for a touchdown during a Sept. 26 game (photo by Dave Facinoli)

With a strong 3-1 start, including two shutouts, the Bishop O’Connell Knights are seeing their best start in a dozen years.

The Arlington private high-school football team won its third-straight game by blanking the visiting and previously undefeated Northern Virginia Home School Centurions, 48-0, Sept. 26 in non-conference action.

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Sports

Local team wins Virginia softball tournament after slow start, strong finish

By Dave Facinoli
Girls softball team in white pinstripe uniforms with medals, posing on a dirt field while holding a championship plaque and banner.
The champion Arlington Sage team (courtesy of the Arlington Sage)

Not happy with his team’s results during pool play, team manager Will Le imposed “stricter” measures to help the Arlington Sage improve during the next day’s championship round of a state softball tournament.

His gambit worked. The 14-under girls team won the title by finishing 3-0 in the championship round of a statewide travel tournament, held at Brambleton Community Park in Ashburn.

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Sports

W-L quarterback enjoying success on the field and in esports competitions

By Dave Facinoli
Quarterback in white jersey throws a pass from the field, with a crowded bleacher crowd behind him and sideline players nearby.
Tyler Flint-Steinig is Washington-Liberty's starting quarterback (photo by Dave Facinoli)

In recent seasons, Tyler Flint-Steinig has been a standout performer in two different types of football — and dissecting defenses very well in each.

On the field, Flint-Steinig has successfully quarterbacked freshman, junior-varsity and varsity high-school teams for the Washington-Liberty Generals. Currently, he is W-L’s varsity starter for the second straight year.

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Sports

Wakefield roundup: Golfers second in district, football team goes 1-1

By Dave Facinoli
Group of golfers in green polo shirts posing together on a sunny course, arms around each other.
The Wakefield Warriors finished a surprising second in the Liberty District golf tourney (photo by Dave Facinoli)

The results certainly weren’t projected to turn out so favorably for the Wakefield Warriors golf team.

The co-ed high-school golf squad entered the seven-team 18-hole Liberty District tournament at Herndon Centennial Golf Course as a lower seed. A fourth-place finish would have been considered a success.

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Sports

O’Connell grad builds experience at U.S. Open, U.S. Amateur golf championships

By Dave Facinoli
Golfer on a green course holding a certificate and a medal box, celebrating an achievement.
Logan Reilly holds his U.S. Open qualifying medal and certificate (courtesy of the U.S. Golf Association)

The third time was the charm for golfer Logan Reilly over the summer when it came to two of the biggest golf tournaments the world has to offer.

First, the 2025 Bishop O’Connell High School graduate and current sophomore player at Auburn University qualified for the U.S. Open, played in June at the famed Shinnecock Hills Golf Club course in Southampton, N.Y.

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Sports

Sports roundup: W-L football and field hockey squads undefeated so far

By Dave Facinoli
Football scene: Generals players in white (#10, #15) on the field as a black-uniformed opponent (#21) raises his arms, referee in stripes in background.
From left, W-L receivers Matthew Herring, Colby Arenson and Grant Johnson combined for 13 catches against Edison (photo by Dave Facinoli)

For the fourth straight year, the Washington-Liberty Generals have started the football season with a 3-0 record.

The high-school team’s most recent victory was a 41-27 non-district road win the night of Sept. 10 against the Edison Eagles. It made the football squad one of several W-L teams to start the season strong.

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Sports

Yorktown’s golf and field hockey teams are enjoying strong starts

By Dave Facinoli
Teenage sports team in matching light blue polo shirts poses on a sunny grassy field, with one member holding a tall trophy in front center.
Some members of Yorktown High School's golf team (courtesy Yorktown golf program)

The success of Yorktown High School’s co-ed golf team has been a highlight of the school’s athletic program at the start of the fall sports season.

The Patriots have already won two tournament championships, the latest being the annual three-team Arlington County match. Prior to that, Yorktown won a multi-team tourney hosted by Madison High School.

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Sports

County’s four high-school football teams all score second-week wins

By Dave Facinoli
Running back in black jersey carries the ball as white-uniform defenders close in on a crowded line.
The Bishop O'Connell offense (black) and Washington-Liberty defense (white) had strong performances in week-two action (file photo by Dave Facinoli)

Arlington’s high-school football teams each came away with a victory in Sept. 3-4 competition, and for the first time since the 2014 season, all four have at least one win after two games of a new season.

On Sept. 3, the visiting Wakefield Warriors (1-1) held off the Rock Ridge High School Phoenix of Ashburn to win 21-14 in non-district play, the host Washington-Liberty Generals (2-0) topped the McLean Highlanders, 17-7, in a Liberty District contest, and the host Yorktown Patriots (1-1) blanked the Ballou Knights (1-1) of D.C., 41-0, also in non-league action.

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Sports

Yorktown and Wakefield football teams show potential despite first-game losses

By Dave Facinoli
Quarterback in light blue jersey throws a pass as teammates and defenders watch the ball in the air on a nighttime football field.
Yorktown quarterback Jack McCorry throws a pass in the season opener (photo by Dave Facinoli)

Despite opening-game losses, the Wakefield Warriors and Yorktown Patriots had bright spots to expand on as the 2026 high-school football season kicked off.

Playing at home on Friday night (Aug. 28), Wakefield lost to the Falls Church Jaguars, 34-21, while Yorktown fell to the South Lakes Seahawks, 43-21, in non-district action.

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Sports

W-L defeats rival O’Connell in football season opener

By Dave Facinoli
Two football players sprint near the sideline; a white-jersey runner holds the ball while a black-jersey defender reaches in to tackle him.
Receiver Colby Arenson tries to make a catch for Washington-Liberty as O'Connell's Timothy Robertson defends (photo by Dave Facinoli)

The Washington-Liberty Generals defeated the Bishop O’Connell Knights for the second straight season in an all-Arlington high-school football showdown.

Visiting W-L won the Aug. 28 non-conference contest, 35-21, in the fall opener for both squads. Because there is no field lighting at O’Connell, football games are played in the afternoon.

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Sports

Wakefield football team seeks turnaround under new head coach

By Dave Facinoli
On-field football scene with a kneeling player in white and green, a referee nearby, and opposing players in blue and gold watching from the sideline.
Wakefield kicker Andrew Jackson returns this season (photo by Dave Facinoli)

As the team’s third new head coach in five seasons, Brian Slay has set realistic expectations for the Wakefield Warriors in the upcoming high-school football campaign.

Slay inherits a squad that won few games the previous four years, and victories could be a challenge again this fall with a young, sophomore-heavy unit.

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Sports

O’Connell coaches are optimistic about upcoming football season

By Dave Facinoli
Blue jersey ball carrier (#7) runs with the ball while a white-uniform defender (#50) pursues on a green turf field.
Nick Morris returns as a top running back for O'Connell (photo by Dave Facinoli)

Victories have been few and sometimes far between in recent seasons for the Bishop O’Connell Knights’ varsity football team.

The private-school squad hopes to change those results during the 2026 campaign, which begins with an afternoon non-conference home contest at 4 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 28, against the Washington-Liberty Generals in an all-Arlington showdown.

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