The head coaches of many high-school sports teams in Arlington have been in place for years. That is not the case, however, for the spring season in baseball and softball.
With the exception of two people, there have been a number of coaching changes in those positions recently.
Of Arlington’s eight varsity high-school basketball teams, the Bishop O’Connell Knights on the girls and boys sides received the highest final rankings in statewide polls compiled by MaxPreps.com.
The polls include public- and private-school teams and rank all of the teams in the commonwealth.
With yet another shutout, the Washington-Liberty Generals capped their ice-hockey season with a second big accomplishment.
The high-school team’s fifth straight shutout triumph was a 3-0 win over the Yorktown Patriots at a packed MedStar Capitals Iceplex in the season-ending match between the Arlington rivals.
For the fourth time since an annual all-Arlington rivalry baseball game was re-established in 2019, the Yorktown Patriots defeated the Bishop O’Connell Knights.
The most recent win was by a 7-4 score at O’Connell on Wednesday (March 19) and was the Patriots’ second straight over the Knights.
The spring sports season is underway in full with regular-season action taking place for all of Arlington’s high-school teams.
Many days, with the exception of Sunday, have multiple contests for all of the teams in baseball, softball, soccer, lacrosse and track-and-field.
Dating back a number of seasons, the Yorktown Patriots have long winning streaks working against its two biggest Arlington County high-school baseball rivals.
Entering this spring’s action, Yorktown has defeated the Wakefield Warriors 25 straight times dating back to the 2007 campaign. Wakefield last defeated Yorktown when it swept three games from the Patriots in 2006.
The spring sports season is beginning in earnest starting this week and next for the majority of teams at all four high schools in Arlington.
A few teams have played regular-season events this week, while others are still participating in scrimmage events.
Anxiety gave way to confidence as the Yorktown Patriots realized they would win a third straight girls state swimming-and-diving championship.
Yorktown finished first with 288 points Wednesday (March 5) at the Virginia High School League Class 6 state meet, with their rival Battlefield Bobcats second with 252 at the Jeff Rouse Swim & Sport Center in Stafford.
They had hoped to accomplish more during the playoffs, leaving some of the Yorktown Patriots disappointed.
But in reality, there was much for the squad to celebrate.
Yorktown High School junior Anya Clemmer was the lone gymnast from Arlington to participate in the recent Virginia High School League Class 6 state competition.
The junior team captain competed in three individual events, finishing among the top 30 in each at Lake Braddock Secondary School.
Fourth-place finishes were the highest recorded by Arlington athletes at the Virginia High School League Class 6 girls and boys state track-and-field championship meets, held March 3-4 in Virginia Beach.
The fourths were achieved by the Wakefield Warriors’ Travon Buckner in the boys triple jump (44-10.75) and the Yorktown Patriots’ Reid Dalley in the boys 1,600-meter run (4:20.74).
Basheer Hadi turned in the top performance from an Arlington school at the state wrestling tournament, when the Yorktown High School senior placed second at the 285 heavyweight division.
Hadi lost by a 7-2 score in the title match at the Virginia High School League Class 6 state competition in Virginia Beach.
