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

Young runners boost O’Connell’s fortunes in cross-country championships

By Dave Facinoli
O'Connell girls runner Grace Fumich (staff file photo by Dave Facinoli)

The Bishop O’Connell Knights had middle-of-the-pack finishes at conference cross-country championship meets, but saw positive signs in the performance of ninth-grade runners.

The girls placed sixth and the boys eighth at the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference races, run Saturday (Oct. 26) on the 5,000-meter Kenilworth Park course in D.C.

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Sports

Washington-Liberty wins district cheerleading crown, places third at regionals

By Dave Facinoli
The champion Washington-Liberty cheerleaders (courtesy Washington-Liberty cheerleaders)

The Washington-Liberty Generals prevailed as the champions of the Liberty District cheerleading competition, the squad’s first district title since 2013.

“This is huge,” Washington-Liberty coach Ghita Haronni said.

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Sports

Yorktown wins fourth straight district field-hockey tournament

By Dave Facinoli
Olivia Stafford is a top goal-scorer for Yorktown (file photo by Deb Kolt)

It’s now four straight Liberty District field-hockey tournaments the Yorktown Patriots have won, pretty much all in dominating fashion.

The top-seed Patriots (13-3) won the 2024 high-school championship on their home field with a 3-0 victory over the third-seed Arlington rival Washington-Liberty Generals (12-6) on Friday (Oct. 25).

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Sports

State-champion 1983 O’Connell football team honored at homecoming

By Dave Facinoli
Members of the 1983 O'Connell football team (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

A state-champion Bishop O’Connell Knights football team from the past was recognized during halftime at the high-school homecoming game on Saturday (Oct. 26).

A number of members from the 1983 O’Connell squad were present. They gathered at midfield for a photo as the teammates stood behind a banner noting the squad’s Virginia State Catholic championship won during that 1983 campaign.

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Sports

O’Connell can’t hold lead in homecoming football loss

By Dave Facinoli
O'Connell's Graham Deaton prepares to hand off to Doug O'Donnell (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

Leading in the second half, there was a chance the Bishop O’Connell Knights might have ended their nagging, three-season-long losing streak against conference football rivals.

But it didn’t happen. The host Knights (1-7, 0-2) lost to the Carroll Lions, 34-17, Oct. 26 in a Washington Catholic Athletic Conference Metro Division high-school game, its ninth straight league setback.

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Sports

Washington-Liberty again wins big in football to stay undefeated

By Dave Facinoli
Brayden Black led Washington-Liberty in rushing (staff file photo by Deb Kolt)

With another blowout victory, the Washington-Liberty Generals remained undefeated at 8-0 with two games remaining in the 2024 high-school football regular season.

The host, Liberty District leading and defending champion Generals defeated the McLean Highlanders, 47-8, Friday night (Oct. 26) in a league contest to remain atop the standings with a 4-o mark.

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Sports

O’Connell cross-country teams place at state Catholic meets

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

With a top runner missing from each team, the Bishop O’Connell Knights didn’t finish as high in the team standings as hoped.

The O’Connell boys placed fourth and the girls sixth at the Virginia Catholic State Championships held Oct. 22 on the 5,000-meter cross-country course at Occoquan Regional Park on a hot afternoon.

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Sports

Banged-up but undefeated Washington-Liberty football team back in action

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

Bye weeks are designed to provide calming and healing times for high-school football teams. That wasn’t entirely the case for the Washington-Liberty Generals.

The Liberty District leading and undefeated Generals (7-0, 3-0) resume play tonight, Oct. 25 with a 7 p.m. league home game against the McLean Highlanders (3-4, 0-3), who have lost three straight contests.

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Sports

Yorktown, Washington-Liberty reach district field-hockey final

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

Familiar Arlington rivals will face off in this season’s Liberty District girls field-hockey tournament-championship match.

In that Friday (Oct. 25) high-school final, the top seed and three-time defending champion Yorktown Patriots (12-3) will host the No. 3 seed Washington-Liberty Generals (13-4) at 7 p.m.

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Sports

Arlington high school sports schedule for Oct. 25-31

By Dave Facinoli
The O'Connell girls cross country team huddles (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

Arlington high schools have a full week of sports ahead, including many playoff events.

There will be just one high-school football game Friday night (Oct. 25)  involving an Arlington team, because the Wakefield Warriors and Yorktown Patriots have byes this week.

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Sports

Two Arlington golfers qualify for Girls State Open tournament

By Dave Facinoli
Malia Perry qualified for the Girls State Open (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

Talk about a full and complete season.

When Malia Perry participates in next week’s Virginia High School League Girls State Open golf tournament, the Washington-Liberty Generals’ senior will have played in every postseason tournament possible this fall — five in total.

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Sports

Meridian High School golf team wins its first state championship

By Dave Facinoli
The state champion Meridian golf team (courtesy of Meridian athletics)

In a string of strong postseason performances, the Meridian Mustangs saved their best for last.

With a season-best 18-hole team score of 297, the high-school golfers won their first state championship. It was an unexpected turn of events, given how the season began, but the team ultimately hit its stride and never looked back.

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