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

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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Sports

Yorktown tops W-L in overtime to win Liberty District football crown

By Dave Facinoli
Washington-Liberty players chase Yorktown's Nate Randles (26) (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

The Yorktown Patriots won the Liberty District crown with the squad’s biggest victory of the high-school football season Thursday night (Oct. 30).

The host Patriots defeated two-time defending district champion and county rival Washington-Liberty Generals, 31-24, in a seesaw offensive clash that went into overtime.

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Sports

First place at stake as Yorktown, W-L clash in football showdown Thursday night

By Dave Facinoli
Washington-Liberty's offensive line has been a big reason for the team's success this fall (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

Even if it’s just for bragging rights, there always is a lot on the line when hometown rivals Washington-Liberty Generals and Yorktown Patriots meet annually in high-school football action.

This fall, though, there will be much more at stake than just chest-thumping pride. The winner of Thursday night’s 7 p.m. showdown at Yorktown could end up being the outright Liberty District champion.

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Sports

Yorktown routs Herndon, remains tied for first in district football

By Dave Facinoli
Nate Randles, right, and the Yorktown offense were productive against Herndon (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

A blowout victory over the visiting Herndon Hornets has given the Yorktown Patriots the chance to win the Liberty District football championship in their final regular-season contest.

Yorktown (6-3, 5-0) will host Arlington rival Washington-Liberty Generals (7-1, 4-0) in a showdown Thursday, Oct. 30 at 7 p.m.

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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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