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

Yorktown boys fall in key basketball showdown as playoffs approach

By Dave Facinoli
Yorktown's Jake Coulam (11) is double-teamed against Wakefield (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

In a close, seesaw showdown for first place in the Liberty District, the Yorktown Patriots fell short to the host Marshall Statesmen in recent boys basketball action.

Thanks to a 9-0 run, Marshall rallied from a 46-43 deficit in the final three minutes to win the Feb. 5 high-school game, 55-50. Yorktown missed four shots from the floor and one free throw during Marshall’s 9-0 stretch.

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Sports

Yorktown grad celebrates undefeated season with Indiana Hoosiers

By Dave Facinoli
Grant Wilson holds the national-championship trophy (courtesy of Indiana athletics)

Grant Wilson’s decision to transfer to the Indiana Hoosiers for the 2025 college football season turned out to be the right call.

The 2020 Yorktown High School graduate was a red-shirt senior and third-string quarterback on the undefeated (16-0) and season-long Cinderella-story national champion Hoosiers.

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Sports

Yorktown girls, Wakefield boys win indoor county track-and-field crowns

By Dave Facinoli
Wakefield and Yorktown runners prepare for a boys race (courtesy of Yorktown Track and Field)

With strong performances in running and field events, the Yorktown Patriots and Wakefield Warriors, respectively, won the girls and boys team championships at this season’s annual Arlington County indoor track-and-field meet.

Each high-school team won by tight margins at the Thomas Jefferson Community & Fitness Center — the Yorktown girls by just two points with 65 over the Washington-Liberty Generals, and the Wakefield boys by six points with 72 over W-L.

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Sports

Yorktown boys maintain lead in Liberty District basketball action

By Dave Facinoli
The Yorktown boys won big Jan. 30 to remain in first place in district play (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

The Yorktown Patriots boys varsity squad (14-4, 7-1) routed the visiting Herndon Hornets, 74-33, on Jan. 30 for its fourth straight win.

The Patriots remain tied for the Liberty District lead with the Marshall Statesmen.

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Sports

Yorktown grad named Offensive Player of the Year in Division III football conference

By Dave Facinoli
Mason Cunningham was chosen as the ODAC Offensive Player of the Year (courtesy of Hampden-Sydney football)

For a season-long performance worthy of comeback-player-of-the-year honors, Arlington’s Mason Cunningham was chosen as the 2025 Offensive Player of the Year in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference.

The Yorktown High School graduate and senior football standout for the Division III Hampden-Sydney College Tigers received the award, in addition to being chosen first-team all-conference, as a result of impressive statistics in 10 games as a wide receiver.

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Sports

O’Connell swim and dive teams win local Catholic championship meets

By Dave Facinoli
The O'Connell girls and boys swim and dive teams display championship trophies (courtesy of O'Connell swim and dive team)

In keeping with longstanding tradition, the Bishop O’Connell Knights are enjoying a strong winter season in girls and boys swimming and diving.

In the busy high-school squad’s past three meets, the girls and boys each won a significant championship, with solid finishes in the other two.

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Sports

Wakefield girls hoop team in positive place through 14 games

By Dave Facinoli
Wakefield plays tight defense in a game against Fall Church (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

With the regular season past the halfway mark, the improved Wakefield Warriors girls varsity basketball team has a 7-7 overall record, leaving the squad in a positive place it hasn’t been in a while.

The .500 mark through 14 games is Wakefield’s best start since being 8-6 back in the 2019-20 campaign.

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Sports

W-L girls rout county opponents in recent basketball rivalry contests

By Dave Facinoli
Hannah Kelley looks to pass the ball for Washington-Liberty against Yorktown (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

Arlington public-school basketball teams had the opportunity to square off against one another in action over the past week.

As the regular season passed the halfway mark and playoffs began to loom on the horizon, Liberty District games involving the Wakefield Warriors, Washington-Liberty Generals and Yorktown Patriots were played over a three-day stretch.

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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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