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

Flint Hill School player chosen tops in Va. private-school tennis

By Dave Facinoli
Flint Hill's Margaux DeVaul (courtesy of Reggie Hildred)

On the strength of a strong fall season with only one loss in singles competition, Flint Hill School junior girls tennis player Margaux DeVaul was chosen as the Division I private-school state Player of the Year.

Her play helped the Flint Hill team win six matches during the high-school campaign and earn a berth in the Independent School League postseason tournament.

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Sports

Langley player, West Springfield coach chosen best in Va. volleyball

By Dave Facinoli
Langley's Claire Mo (5) was the state's Player of the Year (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

The Virginia High School League recently announced its Class 6 all-state girls volleyball team, with Langley Saxons’ junior setter Claire Mo chosen as the Player of the Year and West Springfield head coach Stephanie Noriega Coach of the Year.

Mo helped Langley (28-2) win the state championship, the team’s fourth in program history, this fall. Noriega led West Springfield to the state-tournament semifinals, where it lost to Langley.

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Sports

After Hayfield withdrawal, Lake Braddock to host Fairfax in battle for regional football title

By Dave Facinoli
Lake Braddock's defense gets set against West Springfield (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

It will be the defending champion Lake Braddock Bruins hosting the Fairfax Lions tomorrow (Saturday) in the championship game of the 6C North Region high school football tournament.

The contest will begin at 1 p.m. at No. 2 seed Lake Braddock (10-2) in Burke. Fairfax High School (8-3), which won the 2022 regional champion title, is the third seed.

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Sports

Langley cross-country runners place at Southeast Regional meet

By Dave Facinoli
Langley runners Hazel Calway and Adeline Middleton (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

With a seventh-place finish, sophomore Gavin Silva helped the Langley Saxons place eighth in the boys team standings at a big regional cross-country meet in North Carolina.

Silva’s time was 16:18 in the rising stars race on the 5,000-meter WakeMed Soccer Complex course in Cary, N.C., Nov. 23 at the Nike Southeast Regional high-school meet.

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Sports

West Springfield, Robinson runners have strong showings at N.C. meet

By Dave Facinoli
Chantilly runner Jack Morgan, left, was 50th at the Nike meet (staff file photo by Dave Facinoli)

A number of local boys runners and girls teams had strong showings at the Nike Southeast Regional cross-country high-school meets.

The competition was run Saturday (Nov. 23) on the WakeMed Soccer Complex course in Cary, N.C.

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Sports

Three field-hockey players each from Oakton, Fairfax teams win all-state honors

By Dave Facinoli
Oakton field hockey players were chosen all-state (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

Three players from the state-runner-up Oakton Cougars girls field-hockey team were chosen to the Virginia High School League Class 6 all-state first team, as were three from Fairfax High School.

Oakton senior forward Avery DeKoven, junior midfielder Marisa Rubano and freshman defender Daniella Rubano were Oakton’s first-team selections.

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Sports

Langley holds off Chantilly to win Class 6 girls state volleyball crown

By Dave Facinoli
The 2024 state champion Langley team (courtesy of Langley athletics)

Winning four state championships, as the Langley Saxons have now done, puts the girls team among rarified company in Virginia High School League (VHSL) volleyball competition.

Langley won its fourth overall Va. crown and second in a row Saturday (Nov. 23) at the Siegel Center in Richmond by edging the Chantilly Chargers, 3-2, in a seesaw Class 6 state-tournament title match.

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Sports

Langley’s 9-3 football squad hit its stride following an uncertain start

By Dave Facinoli
Langley's Cole Samburg hands off to Robert Roncskevitz (photo by Deb Kolt)

A football season that began in potential turmoil quickly steadied and became a winning campaign of consistency for the Langley Saxons.

The high-school team finished 9-3, reached the semifinals of the 6D North Region tournament playoffs as the No. 3 seed and tied for second in the Liberty District.

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Sports

Madison holds off Westfield to reach fifth straight region football final

By Dave Facinoli
Quarterback Cael Yates has led Madison to another region final (staff file photo by Dave Facinoli)

One thing remains constant about this season’s 6D North Region tournament-championship football game. The Madison Warhawks will be playing in the high-school contest for a fifth straight year.

Four-time defending champion, top seed and undefeated Madison (12-0) also will be hosting that clash for the fifth time in a row in Vienna, with kickoff slated for Saturday (Nov. 30) at 1 p.m.

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