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

Arlington middle schoolers make history with area-wide football crown

By Dave Facinoli
The champion Arlington Admirals (courtesy of the Admirals)

As the team’s nickname indicates, the Arlington Admirals were in command of local youth football action this fall.

In addition to the team of middle schoolers’ undefeated 9-0 record, the Admirals won the Varsity Central Division playoff championship of the Northern Virginia Youth Football League.

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Sports

Yorktown runner caps standout season with second in state meet

By Dave Facinoli
Yorktown runners and Washington-Liberty's Maddie Bryss placed at the state meet (courtesy of Yorktown cross country)

Bursting on the high-school cross-country scene by winning her first race as an unknown sophomore runner in early September, Molly Hardwick continues to prove she is no fluke.

The Yorktown High School harrier capped the 2025 campaign with probably her biggest accomplishment and against the toughest competition Saturday (Nov. 8) — a runner-up finish in the Virginia High School League’s Class 6 girls state championship meet.

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Sports

O’Connell boys win first Va. private school cross-country title in 25 years

By Dave Facinoli
The Bishop O'Connell boys hold the state cross-country championship trophy (courtesy of O'Connell cross country)

A cross-country season that began strong and seldom faltered finished with the Bishop O’Connell Knights boys cross-country team winning the Division I private-school state championship for the first time since 2000.

Improving from fifth place in last year’s meet, the Knights brought home the title Nov. 6 on the 5,000-meter Panorama Farms course near Charlottesville. O’Connell finished ahead of second place and defending state champion Potomac School.

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Sports

Late rally falls short in Wakefield’s final football game of fall season

By Dave Facinoli
Wakefield's Judah Connor, left, completed nine passes to Andrew Mason, right (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

Although they didn’t win, the Wakefield Warriors ended their high-school football season on a high note of sorts.

By rallying late in a 35-32 home loss to the McLean Highlanders in Liberty District action Nov. 7, the Warriors scored the most points in a contest during their seven-game losing streak.

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Sports

W-L loses big in final regular-season district football game as playoffs await

By Dave Facinoli
Trevor Fullen (7) scored Washington-Liberty's touchdown against Langley (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

With a lopsided loss in their final regular-season football game Friday night (Nov. 7), the Washington-Liberty Generals finished third in the Liberty District standings.

The host Generals (7-3, 4-2) were blown out by the Langley Saxons, 42-7, in the high-school contest.

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Sports

O’Connell girls soccer team wins state invitational crown on home field

By Dave Facinoli
O'Connell's Mackenzie Barbato advances the ball in the state final (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

The Bishop O’Connell Knights bounced back from a major defeat in regional action to win the four-team Northern Virginia Independent Schools State Invitational girls soccer tournament.

With a 2-0 home victory over the third-seed St. Paul VI Catholic Panthers in the Thursday (Oct. 6) title game, the top-seeded Knights (14-2-1) won the crown for the second straight year and fourth time in five seasons.

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Sports

Under first-year coach, Yorktown football team proves naysayers wrong

By Dave Facinoli
Alec Hicks, second from left, is in his first season as Yorktown's head coach (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

There were many open questions about the Yorktown Patriots prior to the start of the high-school football season.

That’s common any time a program undergoes a big head-coaching change, especially when the former team leader steps down after 40 years at the helm, winning hundreds of games and multiple championships.

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Sports

Yorktown field hockey team wins district tournament; volleyball squad places second

By Dave Facinoli
Yorktown's Madeleine Nimerala takes a shot (coutesy of Yorktown field hockey)

Two girls fall teams at Yorktown High School enjoyed success in recent Liberty District tournaments, with each recording upsets along the way.

The second-seeded Patriots’ field hockey squad won the district title for a fifth straight time, with the third-seed volleyball unit finishing second in its tournament.

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Sports

Record number of Arlington golfers compete in Girls State Open meet

By Dave Facinoli
Yorktown golfers Caitlin Wright, left, and Ginger Beall (courtesy of Yorktown golf)

Few high-school golfers from Arlington teams have participated in the annual Girls State Open since the competition began in 2002.

This year, three broke through and qualified — the most in any season.

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Sports

Wakefield, O’Connell lose in lopsided football contests with one week left in season

By Dave Facinoli
Wakefield's Judah Connor threw two touchdowns passes against Herndon (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

A fifth straight defeat resulted in a double-whammy of bad news for the Wakefield Warriors in Liberty District high-school football action on Halloween eve.

Wakefield’s 42-22 road loss to the Herndon Hornets officially eliminated the Warriors (3-6, 0-5) from a region playoff berth, and means the team will have a losing overall record in its final regular-season contest no matter what.

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Sports

Arlington Wrestling Club earns nonprofit status, sets its sights on future growth

By Dave Facinoli
The Arlington Wrestling Club is now officially certified as a non-profit organization (courtesy of Arlington Wrestlsing Club)

In existence since 2008, the Arlington Wrestling Club now has more growth potential after officially becoming a certified nonprofit organization in August.

“We needed to set up the club this way to follow more guidelines and make it [easier] to operate,” said club director John Leinberger, also the head wrestling coach at Wakefield High School. “This gives us opportunities for expansion and fundraising, and wrestlers can practice, work out and improve year-round.”

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Sports

Sophomore runner helps Yorktown qualify for state cross-country meet

By Dave Facinoli
Yorktown runners begin the girls Liberty District meet (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

Sparked by a rookie runner’s success, the Yorktown High School girls cross-country squad earned a berth into the Virginia High School League’s upcoming Class 6 state championship by placing third in the 6D North Region meet on Wednesday afternoon.

The state meet is Saturday, Nov. 8 on the Oatlands Plantation course in Leesburg. Yorktown’s runners will be coming off two successful competitions, having earlier won the Liberty District meet on the same 2.98-mile Burke Lake Park course where the region meet was held.

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