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

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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Sports

W-L boys soccer team keeps on pulling out victories as playoffs approach

By Dave Facinoli
Darragh Cahill (10) controls the ball for Washington-Liberty (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

With one exception through 13 regular-season high-school soccer matches this spring, the Washington-Liberty Generals have done whatever is necessary to finish on top.

The boys team has won in a variety of ways: twice in overtime, five times by one goal, a handful by three goals or more and six by shutout. As a result, the Generals own a 12-1 overall record with eight straight wins and stand atop the Liberty District standings with a 5-0 mark leading into their final regular season game Friday night.

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Sports

O’Connell track-and-field teams warm up for postseason at Draper Invitational

By Dave Facinoli
O'Connell's Cameron Bowser, right, won the boy 400-meter race (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

A number of local high-school teams recently warmed up for postseason track-and-field competition by participating in regional events.

Among them were the Bishop O’Connell Knights boys and girls units. Each had strong performances at the 43rd annual multi-team Draper Invitational at St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes School in Alexandria on May 1-2.

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Sports

Yorktown boys lacrosse team rebounds from typical slow start

By Dave Facinoli
Yorktown's Hudson Fang, back, plays tight defense against Oakton (photo by Dave Facinoli)

For five straight seasons, the regular season has unfolded the same way for the Yorktown Patriots boys lacrosse team.

Almost by design, the high-school squad has compiled a losing record in the early going as it plays through a difficult schedule, then rebounds nicely and starts consistently winning matches.

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Sports

Yorktown grad Tanner Wall signs contract with Las Vegas Raiders

By Dave Facinoli
Brigham Young University's Tanner Wall is now a member of the Las Vegas Raiders (courtesy of BYU football)

Tanner Wall once more is in an underdog situation, having to prove himself all over again — and that suits the 2018 Yorktown High School graduate just fine.

The Brigham Young University grad recently signed a priority free-agent contract with the Las Vegas Raiders. He will compete for duties as a defensive back (safety) and special-teams player.

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Sports

Five inducted into Arlington Sports Hall of Fame, including lacrosse player for first time

By Dave Facinoli
Tony Bentley, center, coaches the 2025-26 Wakefield boys basketball team (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

The five Class of 2026 inductees into the Arlington Sports Hall of Fame include a lacrosse player/coach for the first time.

Brian Rosenberger, a standout player at two Arlington schools when he attended Bishop O’Connell High then Marymount University, will be the first representative of the sport enshrined. He will be joined by Robert Asher, Tony Bentley, Clayton Deskins and Marcus Ginyard.

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Sports

Wakefield softball team enjoying a strong 7-1 start to spring season

By Dave Facinoli
The Wakefield softball team celebrates a home win over Herndon (courtesy of Wakefield softball)

Just eight games into the regular season, the Wakefield Warriors girls softball team has already won as many games as it did during the entirety of last spring.

On track to surpass its 2025 win total in the Liberty District, as well, the high-school squad began this week with a 7-1 overall mark and stood 4-1 in the district. The team finished 7-8 overall a year ago.

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Sports

Local coach reaches 1000th Arlington youth soccer game after 25 years

By Dave Facinoli
John Mingus, far right, recently coached his 1,000th game in the Arlington Soccer Association (courtesy of Arlington Soccer)

When no one else stepped forward to fill the void, years ago John Mingus made a one-season commitment to coach his young daughter’s Arlington Soccer Association recreation girls team.

Now, 25 years later, Mingus, 59, is still coaching recreation soccer teams in the league.

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