Three standout senior girls field-hockey players who helped the Yorktown Patriots win a 2024 state championship were honored with Class 6 all-state selections.
Senior forward Elena Reiser was chosen as the Virginia High School League Player of the Year at the Class 6 level. Reiser scored 15 goals, had nine assists and took 62 shots in 22 games for Yorktown, which finished 18-4 in winning its second straight state title and third in four seasons.
With longtime Yorktown High School head football coach Bruce Hanson having retired in recent days, Josh Shapiro has moved up to No. 1 on a seniority list.
Shapiro, who has been head coach of the Washington-Liberty Generals for 18 seasons, is now the longest-tenured head coach, by far, of the same team in the 6D North Region.
His 300th-win season turned out to be the last for longtime head high-school football coach Bruce Hanson.
The head coach of the Yorktown Patriots decided in recent days to step down from the position he took over in 1985. Hanson also will retire as a phys-ed teacher at the Arlington school.
Arlington high schools have a much less busy week of sports action ahead because of the Thanksgiving holiday and the transition from the fall to the winter sports season.
But there is one big postseason region-tournament football game on tap for the Washington-Liberty Generals. There also will be a few preseason basketball and wrestling scrimmage events, and a girls ice-hockey match.
The four-year stretch of success the Yorktown Patriots have enjoyed in field hockey is unprecedented in program history — and at some other levels, as well.
Dating back to the 2021 season, Yorktown has won three Virginia High School League Class 6 state championship, including the 2023 and 2024 crowns. Yorktown finished second in 2022.
Washington-Liberty Generals’ senior Emmett Engelhardt recorded the best finish by an Arlington cross-country runner at the Nov. 16 Class 6 state meet in Leesburg.
Engelhardt was a top seed and placed eighth in the Virginia High School League boys meet in 16:18 on the 5,000-meter Oatlands Plantation course. He was running in the state meet for the first time.
The Yorktown High School club ice-hockey team opened its season with a 4-3 win over Loudoun Valley High from Purcellville at the MedStar Capitals Iceplex.
The teams skated to a scoreless first period. Loudoun Valley scored first early in the second period, but the Patriots responded quickly on a goal from Logan McGraw.
Five members of the Yorktown Patriots were selected to the all-6D North Region girls field-hockey teams for their performances during the high-school season.
Senior Elena Reiser, with 14 goals, nine assists and 60 shots taken through 20 matches, was selected as the Player of the Year and to the first team. Also making first team were senior Olivia Stafford, who had 18 goals and nine assists through 20 matches, and senior Quincy Greene, with 11 goals and four assists.
The Yorktown Patriots set a firm goal at the start of the season: Repeat as state field-hockey champions.
And the squad delivered on Saturday (Nov. 16) in Virginia Beach.
Survive and advance was all that mattered, and it accomplished by the host and No. 2 seed Washington-Liberty Generals in a first-round region football playoff game Friday night (Nov. 15).
Undefeated Washington-Liberty (11-0) blanked their rival and No. 7 seed Yorktown Patriots, 28-0, in the 6D North Region tournament contest.
Arlington high schools have a much less busy week of fall sports action ahead, but there are postseason tournaments still in progress for some teams.
There will be two football playoff games Friday night (Nov. 15) involving three Arlington teams, plus the semifinals of the Class 6 state girls field hockey tournament for the Yorktown Patriots.
Three high-school football teams from Arlington will play first-round playoff games in postseason tournaments Friday (Nov.15) with 7 p.m. kickoffs.
The Washington-Liberty Generals and Yorktown Patriots will meet in a 6D North Region contest. Washington-Liberty (10-0) will host the showdown.
