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

Yorktown senior wins state discus title, catches in softball final in one busy day

By Dave Facinoli
Kaiya Ovando won the state discus title (courtesy of Yorktown track-and-field)

It was close, but Yorktown High School multiple-sport student-athlete Kaiya Ovando made it with a bit of time to spare.

With many anxiously following her progress, Ovando successfully participated in two different championship high-school sporting events at venues hours apart on Friday, June 5.

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Sports

Arlington track-and-field teams shine at state, wrapping up spring competition

By Dave Facinoli
O'Connell's Brefczynski brothers placed high in races at the conference meet (photo by Dave Facinoli)

Arlington high-school track-and-field teams included one event winner, one runner-up and other top-10 finishers at the season-ending Class 6 girls and boys state meets.

The winner was Yorktown Patriots’ senior discus thrower Kaiya Ovando at the Virginia High School League event, held June 5-6 in Newport News. Her throw was a personal best and school record mark of 134 feet, 7 inches to win the girls event.

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Sports

Yorktown gets plenty of shots but only one goal in region soccer final

By Dave Facinoli
Yorktown's Anna Larbalestier (24) heads the ball toward the Oakton goal as Claire Beasley (23) looks on in the region final (photo by Dave Facinoli)

Old habits changed for the Yorktown Patriots when it came to winning a region soccer championship.

The last four times the Yorktown Patriots competed in the 6D North Regional girls soccer championship game, the squad came away with the title.

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Sports

Yorktown boys head to state lacrosse tournament after strong season

By Dave Facinoli
Yorktown boys lacrosse district champions (courtesy Yorktown lacrosse)

The Yorktown Patriots have continued as heavy hitters in postseason boys lacrosse action this spring.

With the campaign-ending state tournament still to come, the high-school team already has won a sixth straight Liberty District tourney, followed by finishing second in the 6D North Region competition for the second year in a row and third time overall.

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Sports

Yorktown softball team wins its first Liberty District tournament

By Dave Facinoli
The Yorktown Patriots gather with the Liberty District tournament softball banner (courtesy of Yorktown softball)

Behind the standout performance of a talented freshman and the help of her many teammates, the Yorktown Patriots made history in girls softball.

The high-school team won the Liberty District tournament for the first time when the third-seeded Patriots edged the host and top-seed Langley Saxons, 2-1 in extra innings, in the May 28 championship game.

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Sports

Marymount’s flag football team wins two postseason tournaments

By Dave Facinoli
Marymount gathers with the Atlantic East Conference tournament banner and trophy (courtesy of Marymount athletics)

Through three seasons, the Marymount University Saints’ flag football team remains perfect in postseason play.

The Division III women’s team finished the spring campaign with a 4-0 playoff record that included winning two postseason tournaments. Coupled with the last two years, the Saints now own an 8-0 playoff mark.

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Sports

Local crew squads make marks in season’s final two big regattas

By Dave Facinoli
The Yorktown boys varsity eight holds bronze medals at the national meet (courtesy of Yorktown crew)

Arlington’s three public high-school crew teams saw significant highlights during the two prestigious season-ending out-of-town regattas.

The most notable performance was that of the Yorktown Patriots boys varsity eight shell.

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Sports

Washington-Liberty boys soccer coach earns 300th career victory

By Dave Facinoli
Jimmy Carrasquillo holds a banner celebrating his 300th career win (courtesy Eddie Carrasquillo)

Jimmy Carrasquillo continues to establish himself as the most accomplished public-school soccer coach in Arlington.

The longtime coach of the Washington-Liberty Generals boys team recently earned his 300th career victory. The breakthrough came May 19, when the host Generals blanked the Marshall Statesmen, 5-0, in a Liberty District tournament-semifinal match.

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Sports

W-L girls win track-and-field title, Wakefield boys place second

By Dave Facinoli
The Washington-Liberty girls gather with the district championship banner and trophy (courtesy W-L track-and-field)

The team’s first-year head coach compared the second straight outdoor track-and-field girls championship of the Washington-Liberty Generals to a puzzle.

The Generals convincingly won the Liberty District high-school title with 136 points at Wakefield High School, well ahead of the runner-up Langley Saxons with 86.

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Sports

O’Connell baseball team wins WCAC tournament for first time in 25 years

By Dave Facinoli
O'Connell gathers with the WCAC championship trophy (photo courtesy of O'Connell baseball)

A season full of notable accomplishments for the Bishop O’Connell Knights culminated in winning the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) baseball tournament for the first time in 25 years.

The second seed won the tournament with a 5-1 record, clinching  the crown by defeating the top seed St. Paul VI Catholic Panthers in the deciding contest of a three-game championship series played at the University of Maryland.

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Sports

Wakefield, Yorktown varsity eights repeat as state rowing champions

By Dave Facinoli
The Wakefield girls varsity eight gathers with the state championship trophy (courtesy of Wakefield crew)

Arlington high-school teams won two premier races during the 2026 Virginia Scholastic Rowing Association championship regatta.

The Wakefield Warriors won the girls varsity eight high-school crown for the sixth year in a row. The shell’s winning time was 5:10.07 on the 1,500-meter Sandy Run Regional Park course along the Occoquan Reservoir.

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Sports

O’Connell finishes second in conference softball tournament

By Dave Facinoli
O'Connell's Ella Fletcher, left, plays first in the championship game (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

As anticipated, the championship game of the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference girls softball tournament was a close contest.

Top seed St. Paul VI Catholic Panthers battled it out with second-seeded and four-time defending champion Bishop O’Connell Knights. During the regular season, the high-school rivals had split two low-scoring, one-run games, the first in extra innings.

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