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

Busy schedules ahead for some Arlington basketball teams

By Dave Facinoli
The Wakefield girls have a busy schedule ahead (photo by Ashley Tomlinson)

Some high-school basketball teams in Arlington won’t have much time to practice next week. Instead, the varsity squads will be busy playing games.

The Wakefield Warriors girls and boys teams each have four games scheduled from Monday (Jan. 13) to Friday (Jan. 17).

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News

Rivalry basketball games coming up for Arlington varsity teams

By Dave Facinoli
The W-L girls play tight defense (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

The start of the new year means it’s rivalry and bragging-rights time among Arlington’s six (three boys, three girls) varsity public high-school basketball teams.

Which girls and boys team will finish with the best record against their rivals after all games, regular season and playoffs, are completed between the Wakefield Warriors, Washington-Liberty Generals and Yorktown Patriots?

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Sports

Men’s basketball team has best record among Marymount squads

By Dave Facinoli
Kaylah Barr controls the ball for Marymount (courtesy of Marymount athletics)

Of the nine Marymount University Division III winter sports teams, the men’s basketball squad is enjoying the best season so far, with a 7-5 overall record.

The Saints are 1-0 in the Atlantic East Conference, with the squad winning its opening league game by a 67-63 score over the Immaculata University Mighty Macs.

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Sports

Arlington high school sports schedule for Jan. 10-16

By Dave Facinoli
Wakefield gymnasts will be in action in coming days (courtesy of Wakefield athletics)

Although some events were postponed because of the recent snowstorm, the sports schedule for varsity high-school teams in Arlington is back in full force for the coming week, weather-permitting.

The action begins Friday (Jan. 10) with a full slate of basketball games and swim and dive meets, continues Jan. 11 with a variety of sports, then every day next week is scheduled to be full of games and events.

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Sports

Local high school sports squads enter key month of winter season

By Dave Facinoli
The Yorktown boys basketball team huddles (photo by Jen Snow Butler)

January opens the most important portion of the winter sports seasons for local high-school teams.

Once schools restart play following recent snowy weather conditions, the majority of the remaining regular-season contests will be against district opponents, followed by postseason tournaments.

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Sports

Wakefield’s annual hoop rivalry for first in district continues with Marshall

By Dave Facinoli
Dyson Beaty shoots for Wakefield (photo by Rena Schild)

The district they now play in has changed in recent years, but not the annual rivalry for first place in boys basketball between the Marshall Statesmen and Wakefield Warriors.

The high-school teams are members of the Liberty District for the fourth straight season, and are expected to be contenders for first.

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Sports

Wakefield track & field teams among top four at Episcopal meet

By Dave Facinoli
Wakefield's Liam Keish (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

Led by Grace Armitage for the girls and Travon Buckner for the boys, Wakefield High School teams posted strong showings at a recent track-and-field meet.

The boys team placed third and the girls fourth at a multi-team indoor meet at Episcopal High School in Alexandria.

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Sports

Former players invited to retirement event for Yorktown football coach

By Dave Facinoli
Bruce Hanson gets hugs after his 300th win (courtesy of Yorktown athletics)

A ceremony has been organized for former players and alumni to celebrate Bruce Hanson’s 40 years as Yorktown High School’s head football coach.

Hanson retired from that position at the end of the 2024 season after leading the Patriots to 272 victories since taking over in 1985. He had 302 career victories total, with the others coming in the 1970s when he was the head coach at Wakefield High School.

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Sports

Washington-Liberty boys hoop coach wins his 350th game

By Dave Facinoli
Bobby Dobson, right, has 350 career wins (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

A significant milestone occurred when the Washington-Liberty Generals won their one of three games during the George Long Holiday boys basketball tournament.

W-L’s victory over the Osbourn Eagles at Wakefield High School was the 350th of Bobby Dobson’s 30-plus-season high-school career as the head coach of the Generals. Dobson began as W-L’s head coach during the 1993-94 campaign.

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Sports

W-L girls basketball team bolts to holiday tourney championship

By Dave Facinoli
The champion Washington-Liberty team (courtesy of W-L basketball)

The opening month of the girls basketball season was an accomplished and championship time for the Washington-Liberty Generals.

In December, the high-school team compiled a 7-4 overall record, including a 3-0 mark to win the Boltball Holiday Invitational tournament Dec. 26-28 at Lightridge High School in Aldie.

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Sports

O’Connell wins annual Beach Ball Classic boys basketball tourney

By Dave Facinoli
O'Connell won the Beach Ball Classic (courtesy of O'Connell basketball)

The longstanding Beach Ball Classic holiday high-school basketball tournament in Myrtle Beach is one of the most well-known in the country.

The Bishop O’Connell Knights of Arlington added to the lore of that competition in recent days by winning the top-division (Traditional Bracket) of the boys tournament for the third time.

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Sports

Two W-L fall athletes selected to VHSL Class 6 all-state teams

By Dave Facinoli
Golfer Finn Watson was chosen Class 6 all-state (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

Two Washington-Liberty High School athletes in different sports have been chosen to all-state teams for their performances during the fall season.

Generals’ junior golfer Finn Watson and senior cross-country runner Emmett Engelhardt earned those Virginia High School League Class 6 all-state honors.

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