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

Wakefield teams combine to win Vic Blue wrestling tournament

By Dave Facinoli
Wakefield wrestlers won the Vic Blue Tournament (courtesy of Wakefield wrestling)

By combining team scores from the girls varsity and boys junior-varsity wrestling squads, the host Wakefield Warriors won the recent third annual Vic Blue Memorial Tournament.

The high-school teams amassed a 158-point total, with Colonial Forge of Stafford finishing second with 146.5. Arlington’s Washington-Liberty Generals were third with 123.

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Sports

W-L football team earns rankings in final 2024 MaxPreps state polls

By Dave Facinoli
Washington-Liberty huddles after the region final (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

The Washington-Liberty Generals finished ranked 10th, 26th and 31st in three different final statewide high-school football polls for the 2024 season, as compiled by MaxPreps.com.

In the public-school-only poll of Class 6 — schools with the highest enrollments — the Liberty District champion and 6D North Region runner-up Generals (12-1) were ranked 10th.

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Sports

Annual George Long Holiday hoop tourney again a big Arlington event

By Dave Facinoli
The Oscar Smith team repeated as the George Long champion (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

In its 22-year history, the George Long Holiday boys basketball tournament has become a popular annual high-school sporting event in Arlington County — and beyond.

Each season, eight teams from different jurisdictions, public and private, have participated in the three-day event at Wakefield High School, usually beginning Dec. 26 or 27.

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Sports

Wakefield finishes fourth in its holiday basketball tournament

By Dave Facinoli
Wakefield's Isaiah Ledbetter controls the ball (photo by Rena Schild)

They finished fourth with a 1-2 record, suffering two lopsided losses in their own holiday basketball tourney, yet the experience was beneficial, according to the Wakefield Warriors varsity boys head coach.

Host Wakefield (5-4) won its seesaw first game, 55-53, over the West Springfield Spartans in the annual eight-team, three-day George Long Holiday Tournament, now in its 22nd year.

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Sports

W-L boys team finishes sixth in holiday basketball tournament

By Dave Facinoli
Washington-Liberty's Sean Allen shoots a free throw (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

The coaching staff of the Washington-Liberty Generals frequently has used a dozen or more players in games early in the 2024-25 boys basketball season.

The Generals (4-8) did so again in all three of its contests in the recent George Long Holiday Tournament at Wakefield High School, finishing sixth with a 1-2 record.

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Sports

Two W-L football players chosen to VHSL Class 6 all-state teams

By Dave Facinoli
Jon Malatesta is an all-state receiver (photo by Deb Kolt)

Jon Malatesta and Ian Crowley, top players for the Washington-Liberty Generals 2024 district-champion football squad, were Virginia High School League Class 6 all-state selections.

Each was chosen to the second team, Malatesta as a wide receiver on offense and Crowley as an all-purpose player on defense.

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Sports

Wakefield wins seesaw game in hoop tournament’s first round

By Dave Facinoli
Wakefield's Jeremiah Poole controls the ball (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

Shane Morrison scored the first points for the Wakefield Warriors boys basketball team on a three-pointer, and then the last of the game on a winning backdoor layup.

In between those baskets, a lot happened in Wakefield’s 55-53 seesaw victory over the West Springfield Spartans in an opening-round boys high-school contest of the George Long Holiday Tournament.

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Sports

O’Connell swimming & diving team enjoying strong start to season

By Dave Facinoli
O'Connell swimmers warm up prior to a meet (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

In boys girls and boys meets, the Bishop O’Connell Knights are off to a strong start to the swimming and diving high-school season.

Each team has won a number of early-season matches, including victories over the Knights’ top rival in the St. Paul VI Catholic Panthers. The girls won 152-134 and the boys 164-118.

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Sports

Arlington high school sports schedule for Dec. 27-Jan. 2

By Dave Facinoli
O'Connell's Darius Bivins controls the ball (photo by Rena Schild)

With the Christmas and New Year’s holidays ongoing, the sports schedule for varsity high-school teams in Arlington continue to be limited, but there are basketball and wrestling tournaments that involve local teams.

The Wakefield Warriors are hosting the three-day, eight-team George Long Holiday boys basketball tournament that includes Wakefield and the Washington-Liberty Generals.

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Sports

Wakefield girls win on road; W-L hoop teams fall to Centreville

By Dave Facinoli
The Washington-Liberty girls have a 4-4 record (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

The Wakefield Warriors (3-4) defeated the host Westfield Bulldogs, 51-39, in non-district girls high-school basketball action Dec. 19.

Wakefield began strong in the game, taking a 6-0 lead on two three-pointers by Lucy Strawn. Harris added four points in the early going and Ryan Seeley made a three-pointer as the Warriors led 22-9 at halftime.

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Sports

Wakefield boys have 1-1 week prior to hosting annual hoop tourney

By Dave Facinoli
Wakefield's Jeremiah Poole (courtesy of Wakefield basketball)

The Wakefield Warriors (4-2, 1-0) warmed up for their upcoming George Long Holiday Tournament by finishing with a 1-1 record in boys basketball action last week.

Wakefield defeated the Langley Saxons, 59-36, in a Liberty District high-school contest, then lost to the Westfield Bulldogs, 64-42, in non-league play.

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Sports

Longtime assistant chosen as new Yorktown head football coach

By Dave Facinoli
Alec Hicks is Yorktown High School's new head football coach (courtesy of Yorktown athletics)

The heir apparent has been chosen as the new head football coach at Yorktown High School.

On Dec. 20, longtime Yorktown assistant coach Alec Hicks, a former player and 1999 graduate of the school, was named to replace Bruce Hanson as the leader of the Patriots’ Arlington program.

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