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

O’Connell girls soccer wins Va. independent-school fall crown

By Dave Facinoli
O'Connell offense sets up for an attack (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

After a disappointing runner-up finish in conference-tournament action, the Bishop O’Connell Knights bounced back.

The girls high-school team and second seed ended its season by winning the four-team Northern Virginia Independent Schools State Invitational with a 2-0 record.

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Sports

Arlington resident inducted into high school’s Sports Hall of Fame

By Dave Facinoli
Craig Esherick now and with his high-school photo (courtesy of the Esherick family)

Arlington resident Craig Esherick last month became a Hall of Famer at his high school alma mater, Springbrook High School in Silver Spring.

During an Oct. 19 dinner ceremony at Argyle Country Club, the former Georgetown University head men’s basketball coach (and former player) and longtime local resident was one of nine inductees, selected for his prowess in boys basketball at Springbrook.

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Sports

O’Connell hosts, wins three tournament playoffs on same afternoon

By Dave Facinoli
Goals for two different sports were used during back-to-back O'Connell games Nov. 5 (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

It was a busy afternoon, with Bishop O’Connell High School girls teams playing in three different state-tournament contests at home last Tuesday (Nov. 5).

In the end, O’Connell teams won all three — soccer, field hockey and volleyball — to advance in the Division I private-school state competitions.

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Sports

Yorktown earns playoff berth despite two lopsided late-in-season football losses

By Dave Facinoli
The teams for Washington-Liberty coach Josh Shapiro, left, and Yorktown coach Bruce Hanson will play in a first-round region game (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

In spite of lopsided losses in two of three final regular-season football games, the Yorktown Patriots have still qualified for the region playoffs.

Yorktown (6-4) will be the seventh seed in the eight-team field of the 6D North Region tournament. The Patriots will face the No. 2 seed, undefeated and host Washington-Liberty Generals (10-0) in a first-round game.

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Sports

W-L goes 10-0 in regular-season football for first time since 1956, heads to region playoffs

By Dave Facinoli
Ben Hughes holds a 10-0 sign (photo by Deb Kolt)

From game one, the Washington-Liberty Generals were highly motivated to pull off an undefeated regular-season record this fall.

On Saturday (Nov. 9), it was a case of mission accomplished.

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Sports

O’Connell boys cross-country team places fifth in Division I state meet

By Dave Facinoli
O'Connell runners Peter Fleenor, left, and Lance Jayme (staff file photo by Dave Facinoli)

A young Bishop O’Connell Knights boys team placed fifth in this season’s Division I state private-school cross-country championships.

With three freshmen among the high-school team’s top six finishers, the Knights scored 161 points, trailing winner Potomac School (with 63) on the 5,000-meter Panorama Farms course near Charlottesville on Thursday (Nov. 7).

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Sports

Yorktown girls finish second in regional cross-country meet

By Dave Facinoli
The second-place Yorktown girls team (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

They fell short of repeating as girls region cross-country champions, but the Yorktown Patriots ran well enough to finish runner-up and earn a berth into the upcoming state meet.

With 61 points, the Langley Saxons won the 6D North Region high-school event Nov. 6 on the 2.98-mile Burke Lake Park course. Runner-up Yorktown scored 88.

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Sports

Yorktown a close second, again, in region field-hockey tournament

By Dave Facinoli
The Yorktown team watches the region awards ceremony (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

With the state tournament now ahead, the Yorktown Patriots are very much in the running to finish on a high note and repeat as Class 6 girls field-hockey champions.

Like a year ago, Yorktown (15-4) enters the Virginia High School League’s state tournament as the runner-up in the 6D North Region tourney. The host Patriots lost to the defending champion Oakton Cougars, 1-0, in the Nov. 6 region final.

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Sports

Arlington high school sports schedule for Nov. 8-14

By Dave Facinoli
The ice hockey season begins soon for Yorktown (courtesy of Yorktown ice hockey)

Arlington high schools have a much less busy and shorter week of sports action ahead, with final regular-season football games and playoff events for a few teams as the fall season has ended for a number of squads.

There will be one football game Friday night (Nov. 8)  between the host Wakefield Warriors and Washington-Liberty Generals in an all-Arlington showdown. The Bishop O’Connell Knights and Yorktown Patriots play Saturday (Nov. 9).

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Sports

Washington-Liberty’s football squad eyes its first perfect regular season since 1956

By Dave Facinoli
Coach Josh Shapiro talks to his W-L team (file photo by Deb Kolt)

Players on the Washington-Liberty Generals have added incentives to win their final regular-season football game Saturday (Nov. 9).

The Generals face the host Wakefield Warriors at 11 a.m. in an all-Arlington high-school clash in an attempt to finish with the squad’s first 10-0 regular season since 1956.

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Sports

Arlington Impact win Field of Screams softball tournament

By Dave Facinoli
The champion Arlington Impact (courtesy of Arlington Impact)

The Arlington Impact 16-under national girls softball team finished 6-0 at the recent Field of Screams tournament in Glen Burnie, Md.

The Impact won three close games in bracket play, holding off the Lady Railers, 10-9, in the quarterfinals, the Revolution Premier, 3-2, in the semifinals, then in the championship game won 7-5.

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Sports

Yorktown reaches fourth straight region field-hockey tourney final

By Dave Facinoli
Yorktown field hockey team huddles prior to its semifinal match (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

It will be deja vu all over again in the championship match of this season’s girls 6D North Region field-hockey tournament.

For the second straight year, the defending champion Oakton Cougars and Yorktown Patriots will meet in the high-school title match, set for tonight (Wednesday, Nov. 6) at 7 p.m.

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