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 head football coach steps down after three seasons

By Dave Facinoli
Wakefield High School head football coach Clarence Martin during a 2025 game (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

While Clarence Martin very much enjoyed both of his jobs at Wakefield High School, he recently made the decision to concentrate on just one of them.

Martin has stepped down as the head varsity football coach for the Warriors after three seasons in charge.

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Sports

Yorktown boys tied for second in Liberty District hoop standings

By Dave Facinoli
Wakefield's Zak Amadou has the ball trying to score inside against Oakton (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

The basketball battle for first place in the Liberty District, with three Arlington boys varsity teams included in the chase, is getting interesting.

Heading into Jan. 20 action, the McLean Highlanders were atop the standings with a 5-0 league mark, and Arlington’s Yorktown Patriots were tied for second at 4-1 and 11-4 overall.

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Sports

O’Connell boys basketball team ranked No. 15 in the nation in new poll

By Dave Facinoli
Darius Bivins is a top returning player for Bishop O'Connell (file photo by Rena Schild for ARLnow)

A 12-3 overall record against difficult competition has led to a national ranking for the Bishop O’Connell Knights boys basketball team.

The private-school team was ranked 15th in the most recent national poll by MaxPreps, and second in Virginia. Some of O’Connell’s opponents are or have been ranked nationally, as well.

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Sports

W-L falls in key girls basketball contest, but Yorktown improves to 6-4

By Dave Facinoli
The Washington-Liberty and Yorktown girls basketball teams played district games Jan. 5 (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

Despite days of preparation under their new head coach, the Washington-Liberty Generals came away unsatisfied in a recent match against a perennial Liberty District girls basketball power.

The visiting Generals led the Langley Saxons by five points early in the third quarter, but lost 49-41 to the defending district and 6D North Region tournament champions in the Jan. 5 high-school contest.

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Sports

Yorktown club hockey team opens 5-1 as new season heats up

By Dave Facinoli
Yorktown's Bennett Haas takes a shot against Potomac Falls (photo by Truman Becknell)

With productive scoring and some strong shutdown defense, the Yorktown High School varsity ice-hockey club team is enjoying a 5-1 start this season.

The winning record is no surprise — Yorktown has become one of the top teams in the Northern Virginia Scholastic Hockey League in recent seasons and has an experienced lineup this fall, including eight seniors.

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Sports

Holiday basketball tournament at Wakefield showcased local talent for 23rd year

By Dave Facinoli
Former Marymount University men's coach Chuck Driesell was back in Arlington coaching basketball at the George Long tournament (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

There wasn’t a local champion, but the annual George Long Holiday Hoops Tournament again proved a popular boys high-school basketball event, with multiple side stories emerging.

The 23rd annual tourney, which has included eight teams every year, has been held at Wakefield High School each time, this year Dec. 26, 27 and 29.

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Sports

W-L girls basketball team opens season with best start in decades

By Dave Facinoli
Washington-Liberty's Eve Jungman shoots a free throw against Robinson (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

The solid 9-1 start enjoyed by the Washington-Liberty Generals this season is the best in at least 35 years for the girls high-school basketball team.

After a season-opening 10-point road loss to the Oakton Cougars, the W-L squad has run the table with nine straight victories.

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Sports

Wakefield, W-L combine for three wins in holiday basketball tournament

By Dave Facinoli
Wakefield's Zak Amadou takes a shot against South Lakes (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

Of the two Arlington squads that played in the annual eight-team George Long Holiday Hoops Tournament, the host Wakefield Warriors placed highest.

The boys high-school basketball team (8-2 overall) ended up in fifth place with a 2-1 record, playing in three close games in the popular 23-year-old holiday event, the only one of its kind in the county.

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Sports

W-L first-year center chosen first-team all-state in Class 6 football

By Dave Facinoli
Washington-Liberty center Grant Siebert was chosen first-team all-state (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

Grant Siebert didn’t realize at the time that learning to play center in youth flag football would pave the way for significant achievements as a high-school senior.

The Washington-Liberty Generals’ captain recently was chosen to the Virginia High School League’s Class 6 first-team on offense as the lone center. He is the first W-L offensive lineman chosen first-team all-state at any position in Josh Shapiro’s 19 seasons as the Generals’ head coach.

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Sports

Wakefield boys basketball coach Tony Bentley earns 400th career victory

By Dave Facinoli
Tony Bentley coaches Wakefield during a timeout (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

After the Wakefield Warriors went 0-3 to open the 2002-03 boys basketball season, new head coach Tony Bentley grew increasingly anxious about getting his first victory.

In the squad’s fourth game of the season, the Warriors managed to eke out a win over the Marshall Statesmen, 61-60.

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Sports

Holiday boys basketball tournament to begin at Wakefield on Friday

By Dave Facinoli
The Wakefield Warriors will host the annual George Long Holiday Hoops Tournament (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

A holiday boys basketball competition is set to tip off in Arlington this Friday at Wakefield High School.

The eight-team George Long Holiday Hoops Tournament, which will run through Monday, Dec. 29, is under the leadership of Warriors’ head coach Tony Bentley. He founded it and has served as event director the past 23 years.

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Sports

W-L girls, Yorktown boys win neighborhood hoop showdowns

By Dave Facinoli
Washington-Liberty’s Eve Jungman (34) is surrounded by Yorktown defenders (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

The rivalry is decades old, but there was something brand new in this season’s first of two regular-season all-Arlington girls neighborhood basketball clashes between the Washington-Liberty Generals and Yorktown Patriots.

The head coaches of both high-school teams are brand new this season as they led the Dec. 19 showdown at Washington-Liberty.

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