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 looks for berth in region football final for first time since 1975

By Dave Facinoli
Washington-Liberty quarterback Matthew Abramson (photo by Deb Kolt)

The Washington-Liberty Generals will be seeking a couple of significant achievements when they host a semifinal football game of the 6D North Region tournament Friday night (Nov. 22) in Arlington.

A win will give the undefeated and Liberty District champion Generals (11-0) a dozen victories in a high-school season for the first time. A win over the Langley Saxons (9-2) also will return Washington-Liberty to a region-tournament championship game for the first time since losing in the 1975 final to the Annandale Atoms, 24-7.

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Sports

Stretch of success continues for Yorktown field-hockey team

By Dave Facinoli
Yorktown will need to update its state-championship field-hockey banner (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

The four-year stretch of success the Yorktown Patriots have enjoyed in field hockey is unprecedented in program history — and at some other levels, as well.

Dating back to the 2021 season, Yorktown has won three Virginia High School League Class 6 state championship, including the 2023 and 2024 crowns. Yorktown finished second in 2022.

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News

Arlington runners place in Class 6 Va. cross-country championships

By Dave Facinoli
Yorktown runner Ellen Malloy (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

Washington-Liberty Generals’ senior Emmett Engelhardt recorded the best finish by an Arlington cross-country runner at the Nov. 16 Class 6 state meet in Leesburg.

Engelhardt was a top seed and placed eighth in the Virginia High School League boys meet in 16:18 on the 5,000-meter Oatlands Plantation course. He was running in the state meet for the first time.

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Sports

Yorktown, W-L, Wakefield players chosen all-region in field hockey

By Dave Facinoli
Yorktown's Elena Reiser was chosen all-region (file photo by Deb Kolt)

Five members of the Yorktown Patriots were selected to the all-6D North Region girls field-hockey teams for their performances during the high-school season.

Senior Elena Reiser, with 14 goals, nine assists and 60 shots taken through 20 matches, was selected as the Player of the Year and to the first team. Also making first team were senior Olivia Stafford, who had 18 goals and nine assists through 20 matches, and senior Quincy Greene, with 11 goals and four assists.

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Sports

O’Connell’s football season ends with a first-round playoff loss

By Dave Facinoli
Quarterback Graham Deaton started every game for O'Connell (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

Their final record may not indicate so, but the coaching staff for the Bishop O’Connell Knights football team believes the high-school squad made progress this fall compared to last season’s 3-7 mark.

O’Connell finished 2-9 in 2024 with a 1-3 record in the Metro Division of the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference to earn a playoff playoff berth. The Knights finished 0-4 in the division last fall, missing the playoffs.

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Sports

Washington-Liberty blanks Yorktown in region football-tournament opener

By Dave Facinoli
Washington-Liberty quarterback Matthew Abramson hands off to Anthony Louis (photo by Deb Kolt)

Survive and advance was all that mattered, and it accomplished by the host and No. 2 seed Washington-Liberty Generals in a first-round region football playoff game Friday night (Nov. 15).

Undefeated Washington-Liberty (11-0) blanked their rival and No. 7 seed Yorktown Patriots, 28-0, in the 6D North Region tournament contest.

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Sports

W-L wide receiver Malatesta chosen Liberty District Offensive Player of the Year

By Dave Facinoli
Jon Malatesta, right, makes a move after catching a pass (photo by Deb Kolt)

Through each regular-season football game this fall, Jon Malatesta was a consistent and productive pass-catching and touchdown-scoring wide receiver for the Washington-Liberty Generals.

In recognition of his achievements, the senior recently was chosen as the Liberty District’s Offensive Player of the year for the 2024 high-school season.

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Sports

O’Connell field-hockey team second in conference, state tournaments

By Dave Facinoli
The O'Connell team gathers with its second-place state-tourney trophy (courtesy of O'Connell field hockey)

Add more first-time accomplishments earned by the Bishop O’Connell Knights field-hockey team this season.

They have become an annual thing since Megan Sullivan took over as head coach four seasons ago.

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Sports

Arlington high school sports schedule for Nov. 15-21

By Dave Facinoli
The Bishop O'Connell defense will be in action in the playoffs (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

Arlington high schools have a much less busy week of fall sports action ahead, but there are postseason tournaments still in progress for some teams.

There will be two football playoff games Friday night (Nov. 15)  involving three Arlington teams, plus the semifinals of the Class 6 state girls field hockey tournament for the Yorktown Patriots.

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Sports

O’Connell soccer team members earn all-conference selections

By Dave Facinoli
Numerous O'Connell team members made all-conference (courtesy of O'Connell soccer)

With the Player of the Year and multiple other honorees, the Bishop O’Connell Knights were well-represented on this fall’s all-conference girls high-school soccer teams.

Sophomore forward Audrey McKeen, who scored a single-season team record 37 goals this fall, was chosen as the Player of the Year in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference. She helped lead O’Connell to a 16-2-3 record, a Northern Virginia Independent Schools State Invitational championship (third in four seasons) and a second in the WCAC tournament.

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Sports

Three Arlington football teams gearing up for first-round playoff contests

By Dave Facinoli
Washington-Liberty defenders Brian Baptiste, left, and David Toepel close in on Wakefield's Andrew Mason (photo by Deb Kolt)

Three high-school football teams from Arlington will play first-round playoff games in postseason tournaments Friday (Nov.15) with 7 p.m. kickoffs.

The Washington-Liberty Generals and Yorktown Patriots will meet in a 6D North Region contest. Washington-Liberty (10-0) will host the showdown.

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