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

Mistakes costly for Wakefield as football team loses fourth straight

By Dave Facinoli
Wakefield's Andrew Mason catches a long pass against Marshall (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

The most recent defeat for the Wakefield Warriors during the squad’s ongoing four-game losing streak was probably the most disappointing for the high-school football team.

The 21-7 setback at home to the Marshall Statesmen came Friday night (Oct. 24)  in a Liberty District home game. Marshall (4-4, 1-3) had the worst record of the four teams during the losing stretch, and entered the game tied for last in the league with Wakefield.

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Sports

Strategy pays off as O’Connell boys win Catholic cross-country state crown

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

The strategy of running as a tight group for large portions of the race helped the Bishop O’Connell Knights win two significant boys cross-country championships this fall.

The most recent was a state title, coming Tuesday afternoon (Oct. 21) in Newport News when the Knights won the nine-team State Catholic Cross Country high-school crown on the flat and tight-turned 5,000-meter Newport News Park course.

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Sports

W-L golfer caps standout high-school career with a state title

By Dave Facinoli
Finn Watson, middle, holds his state-championship award (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

Having not played well on the same course two weeks earlier, Finn Watson said he had “no expectations” when returning to the Bristow Manor Golf Club to play in the Class 6 state tournament.

He proceeded to make the most of the second chance.

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Sports

With 10-1-1 record, O’Connell girls soccer team gears up for tournament season

By Dave Facinoli
Alex Llaudes, right, eys the ball for O'Connell (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

A soccer season that began with uncertainty when two standout players unexpectedly did not return has become yet another significant winning campaign for the Bishop O’Connell Knights.

The girls high-school team began the week in first place in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference with a 6-0-1 mark with five shutouts, and stood 10-1-1 overall. O’Connell is expected to be the top seed in the upcoming conference tournament.

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Sports

W-L football squad wins 14th straight district game, preps for tough opponents

By Dave Facinoli
Washington-Liberty's Jasper Dennis, left, had 94 yards rushing against Herndon (staff file photo by Dave Facinoli)

The Washington-Liberty Generals need victories in their final two regular-season games to outright win a third straight Liberty District football championship.

But it won’t be easy. The first-place Generals (7-1, 4-0) are set to face tough opponents following a bye week.

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Sports

Yorktown defeats Wakefield for 29th straight time in annual football showdown

By Dave Facinoli
Yorktown quarterback Samson Schneider looks to run against Wakefield (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

The end result was a familiar story when the Wakefield Warriors and Yorktown Patriots met in their annual all-Arlington high-school football showdown.

With the bleachers full on both sides, Yorktown won for the 29th straight time over Wakefield with a 45-6 victory Friday night (Oct. 17) on the Warriors’ home field in Liberty District action.

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Sports

O’Connell soccer coach and player inducted into Arlington Sports Hall of Fame

By Dave Facinoli
Kika Toulouse and Alberto Starace are the newest Arlington Sports Hall of Fame inductees (staff phtoto by Dave Facinoli)

The latest two inductees in the Arlington Sports Hall of Fame are the first from any high-school soccer team, girls or boys, in the local sports pantheon’s nearly 70-year history.

The Oct. 8 induction dinner, held at the Knights of Columbus on Little Falls Road, enshrined Alberto Starace and Gabriella “Kika” Toulouse as the latest honorees in a hall of fame that stretches back to the 1950s.

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Sports

After 56-7 loss, Wakefield football team looks to Yorktown matchup

By Dave Facinoli
Wakefield coaches and players face Arlington rival Yorktown their next game (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

With their worst game of the season behind them, the Wakefield Warriors won’t dwell on the lopsided setback, because the high-school football team has an Arlington rival next up on the schedule.

Wakefield (3-3, 0-2) lost to the host Langley Saxons, 56-7, in Liberty District action Friday night (Oct. 10). Next up on its home field Friday, Oct. 17 at 7 p.m., Wakefield hosts the district-leading Yorktown Patriots (4-3, 3-0).

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Sports

O’Connell holds off Ireton, 33-28, to win annual football showdown

By Dave Facinoli
Xavier Reid catches a ball over the middle for Bishop O'Connell (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

Although neither high-school football team has won many games in recent seasons, the Bishop O’Connell Knights and Bishop Ireton Cardinals still play their version of a Super Bowl each fall.

The annual contest pits the longtime Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) private-school rivals each year in a regular-season clash. A victory earns 12 months of bragging rights and, usually, a berth into the WCAC Metro Division playoffs.

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Sports

W-L again routs Marshall for latest victory in district football

By Dave Facinoli
Washington-Liberty's Brayden Black, left, ran for four touchdowns against Marshall (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

The Washington-Liberty Generals continue their winning ways against Liberty District opponents.

And for the fourth straight high-school football season, the Marshall Statesmen have been on the lopsided end of losses against W-L.

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Sports

Winning streak ends at three games for Yorktown football team

By Dave Facinoli
The Yorktown defense gang tackles a West Springfield wide receiver (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

The three-game winning streak for the Yorktown Patriots came to an end Friday night (Oct. 10) in high-school football action.

Host Yorktown (4-3) fell to the West Springfield Spartans, 31-7, the squad’s third consecutive loss to the Patriot District team.

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Sports

O’Connell finds challenge, if not always success, in meeting nearby football rivals

By Dave Facinoli
NIck Morris, left, runs the ball for O'Connell (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

They haven’t won any of the games, but Bishop O’Connell’s high-school football schedule the last three seasons has included the addition of a trio of nearby opponents.

The Knights have played the Flint Hill Huskies and Potomac School Panthers for the first time ever in private-school contests, and resumed an all-Arlington rivalry with the public-school Washington-Liberty Generals.

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