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

O’Connell boys, Yorktown girls win countywide cross-country titles

By Dave Facinoli
The Arlington County champion Yorktown High School girls team (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

Four new champions — two individuals and two teams — were crowned at this year’s Arlington County high-school cross-country meet, held Sept. 29 at Bluemont Park.

Among those was a rookie in the race: Molly Hardwick, a sophomore for the Yorktown Patriots, who helped her squad win the girls team crown. Hardwick was running the Bluemont Park course for the first time, briefly making a wrong turn, but still winning in 17:51.

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Sports

Washington-Liberty golf team wins region championship for first time

By Dave Facinoli
The Washington-Liberty Generals hold the region championship trophy and banner (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

A close but still disappointing runner-up finish in last year’s region golf tournament helped motivate the Washington-Liberty Generals to win this fall’s event.

The Generals captured the 36-hole 6D North Region tourney by carding a two-day score of 298-319–617 on the par-72 Bristow Manor Golf Club near Manassas.

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Sports

Winning formula continues for Yorktown football in team’s third straight victory

By Dave Facinoli
The Yorktown defense had another strong performance in the team's third straight win (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

The McLean area has seen enough of the Yorktown Patriots  this season.

In games the past three Friday nights, Yorktown has defeated a trio of Liberty District public-school rivals from that area. In order, the Patriots downed the Langley Saxons and McLean Highlanders, then on Oct. 3 routed the host Marshall Statesmen — located on the McLean/Falls Church border — 42-14.

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Sports

W-L holds off Wakefield in first Arlington rivalry clash of football season

By Dave Facinoli
Wakefield's defense had a strong game in the loss to Washington-Liberty (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

Crowds were big and boisterous and marching bands played loudly in anticipation of the first all-Arlington public high-school football showdown this season — and the action on the field did not disappoint.

In a close game throughout, the Washington-Liberty Generals first rallied then held off the Wakefield Warriors to win 14-10 in a Liberty District battle.

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Sports

Intra-county rivalry games set to begin for Arlington football teams

By Dave Facinoli
The Wakefield Warriors kick off the annual Arlington football rivalries this weekend (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

There may be no trophy awarded to the winner of the unofficial Arlington County high-school football championship, contested each year between the jurisdiction’s three public-school teams.

But the Wakefield Warriors, Washington-Liberty Generals and Yorktown Patriots compete hard for bragging rights each fall.

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Sports

APS athletics supervisor retires after 26 years on the job, but plans to keep busy

By Dave Facinoli
Debbie DeFranco is retiring after 34 years working for Arlington Public Schools (photo courtesy of Debbie DeFranco)

After 26 years as Arlington Public Schools’ supervisor for health, physical/driver education and athletics, Debbie DeFranco has retired.

DeFranco — whose last day was Tuesday, following 34 years at APS — is being succeeded by former Wakefield High School principal Chris Willmore.

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Sports

Washington-Liberty rallies to repeat as district golf champion

By Dave Facinoli
The Liberty District champion Washington-Liberty Generals (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

For the second straight year, the same two high-school golf teams from Arlington carded top finishes in the Liberty District tournament.

The county’s Washington-Liberty Generals successfully defended their title, with the first-round leader Yorktown Patriots placing second.

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Sports

Yorktown establishes a winning football formula while O’Connell drops road game

By Dave Facinoli
The Yorktown offense gets set to run a play (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

An atypical, and unplanned, winning formula has evolved for the Yorktown Patriots in the team’s past two football games.

Yorktown (3-2, 2-0) has won despite being outgained in total yards, but has countered with a takeaway and bend-but-don’t-break defense that sets up points for an offense that is running error-free.

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Sports

Mistakes cost W-L as football squad suffers first loss of season

By Dave Facinoli
Washington-Liberty quarterback Tyler Flint Steinig throws a pass (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

The Washington-Liberty Generals saw their 18-game regular-season football winning streak tripped up in a 34-28 road loss to the Centreville Wildcats Friday night (Sept. 26).

Despite gaining 515 yards to Centreville’s 390, W-L couldn’t overcome errors and failed to convert on a late-in-the-game touchdown drive in the high-school game.

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News

Arlington football teams enjoying their best combined start since 2014

By Dave Facinoli
O'Connell and Washington-Liberty captains meet prior to kickoff this season (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

Through four games this season, Arlington’s high-school football teams have combined for the most wins at this point since the 2014 campaign.

Each of the four squads has at least one victory entering this coming weekend’s game-five action, for a total of 10 overall. That total is the most since the four combined for 12 wins at the same time 11 seasons ago.

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Sports

Early-season victories are again scarce for O’Connell football team

By Dave Facinoli
Nick Morris, No. 4, was a standout on offense and defense in O'Connell's most recent game (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

For two seasons now, the Bishop O’Connell Knights have won little during the early portion of their high-school football campaigns.

Through four contests this fall, the private-school squad owns a 1-3 mark, losing to the Washington Patriots (2-2) of Charles Town, W.Va., by a 29-14 score in its most recent contest, played the night of Sept. 19 in non-conference action.

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Sports

Wakefield football team puts together first three-game win streak since 2021 season

By Dave Facinoli
Wakefield quarterback Judah Connor waits for a snap (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

A football season of resurgence continued for the Wakefield Warriors with their most recent victory during the early portion of the 2025 high-school campaign.

The host Warriors defeated the Justice Wolves, 33-12, the night of Sept. 19 to improve to 3-1 with a third straight win.

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