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 girls basketball team challenged by tough opponents

By Dave Facinoli
Olivia Shiplett, right, is a top player for Yorktown (photo by Deb Kolt)

After a tough stretch of eight games in 14 days, including playing five of the stronger teams in the area, the Yorktown Patriots girls squad has a 2-6 overall record opening the 2024-25 basketball season

Yorktown has lost to top high-school teams like the Madison Warhawks, 49-39, South County Stallions, 46-34, Oakton Cougars, 64-46, Chantilly Chargers, 48-42, and defending 6D North Region champion Centreville Wildcats, 70-42. The Patriots’ wins were over the Westfield Bulldogs, 52-36, and Osbourn Eagles, 47-12.

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Sports

Yorktown wrestlers win Capital Duals competition with 5-0 record

By Dave Facinoli
Tyson Clark wrestle for Yorktown (courtesy of Yorktown wrestling)

With multiple wrestlers finishing undefeated, the Yorktown Patriots won the team title at the Wakefield High School Capital Duals competition Dec. 15.

Yorktown finished with a 5-0 record with victories over West Springfield, Potomac Falls, West Albemarle, Riverside and Westfield. The 3-2 victory over Westfield secured the title in the eight-team event.

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Sports

Washington-Liberty boys second in track-and-field invitational meet

By Dave Facinoli
Henry Brys placed in two races for Washington-Liberty (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

A trio of individual champions and other top placers led the Washington-Liberty Generals to a runner-up finish at the Bobcat Blizzard Invitational track-and-field meet.

The boys team scored 91.5 points in the meet at Battlefield High School on Dec. 14. Independence High School of Ashburn won with 109.

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Sports

W-L girls track-and-field team wins chilly Blizzard Invitational

By Dave Facinoli
The champion Washington-Liberty team (courtesy of W-L track & field)

The Washington-Liberty Generals girls track-and-field team again proved itself strong in cold weather at the Bobcat Blizzard Invitational track-and-field meet.

For the second time in three years, the W-L girls team won the championship. The squad finished second in 2023.

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Sports

Wakefield, W-L tie in county’s first girls varsity wrestling match

By Dave Facinoli
Girls wrestlers for Wakefield and Washington-Liberty (courtesy of Wakefield wrestling)

History was made in Arlington on Saturday (Dec. 14) when a varsity high-school girls dual wrestling match between two teams was held for the first time in the county.

As part of the multi-team Capital Duals Meet hosted at Wakefield High School, the host Warriors and Washington-Liberty Generals wrestled to a 12-12 tie in a scaled-down girls match.

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Sports

Brackets set for annual George Long Holiday hoop tournament

By Dave Facinoli
The defending champion Oscar Smith team (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

The basketball brackets are set for this year’s annual eight-team George Long Holiday Tournament at Wakefield High School.

This will be the 22nd year for the boys competition, hosted by the Wakefield Warriors with four games each day Dec. 26-28.

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Sports

Yorktown dads were YouTube streamers of field-hockey matches

By Dave Facinoli
Jeff Baskin, left, and Grant Yoder (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

Over the past five seasons, there were two aspects worth noting about home girls varsity field-hockey matches at Yorktown High School.

First and foremost, there were the Patriots’ contests on the field. But simultaneously, there was a free, live YouTube-streamed broadcast of the matches.

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Sports

O’Connell girls basketball squad is 3-3 as conference games await

By Dave Facinoli
O'Connell's Daniya Brown looks to pass the ball (photo by Rena Schild)

Under first-year head coach Kosa So, the Bishop O’Connell Knights are off to a 3-3 start in girls basketball this season.

The Catholic high-school team has played both private and public-school squads among its games. The Knights’ most recent victory was over public school Dunbar from D.C., 68-18.

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Sports

With just one returning starter, Wakefield opens 3-1 in basketball

By Dave Facinoli
Wakefield coach Tony Bentley (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

With only one returning starter, the type of basketball season underway for the Wakefield Warriors is kind of indescribable at this time, according to the team’s longtime head coach Tony Bentley.

“Is it a rebuilding season or something else? I’m not really sure yet,” Bentley said of his boys high-school squad.

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Sports

After opening loss, O’Connell hoop team bounces back strong

By Dave Facinoli
O'Connell's Liam Koelsch scores inside (photo by Rena Schild)

After losing their first basketball game of the season at a tournament in Texas, the Bishop O’Connell Knights have bounced back strongly.

The boys high-school team has won five straight contests, including two against conference rivals, and stands 5-1 overall.

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Sports

Arlington wrestlers place at annual NOVA Classic competition

By Dave Facinoli
Yorktown's Basheer Hadi, back, was second at heavyweight (file photo)

Yorktown Patriots’ wrestler Basheer Hadi was the top finisher from an Arlington school with a runner-up in the heavyweight division at the annual NOVA Classic at Fairfax High School.

Hadi finished with a 3-1 record at the two-day event, concluding Dec. 7, with a first-round bye. His victories were two by pin and the other by technical fall in the semifinals.

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Sports

W-L leads early but loses to host Robinson in basketball action

By Dave Facinoli
Frances Shapiro inbounds the ball (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

Holding an early lead then making a bit of a fourth-quarter rally wasn’t enough for the Washington-Liberty Generals as the squad fell to the host Robinson Rams in non-district girls basketball action.

The Generals (1-2) lost the Monday (Dec. 9) high-school game 36-29 to undefeated Robinson (4-0), the defending champions of the 6D North Region and Patriot District tournaments.

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