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

Langley opens region football playoffs with victory over Marshall

By Dave Facinoli
Quarterback Cole Samburg led Langley against Marshall (file photo by Deb Kolt)

The Langley Saxons avenged one of their regular-season losses with a first-round victory in the region football-tournament playoffs, and will have the opportunity to do the same in the semifinals.

On Nov. 15, third-seeded and host Langley (9-2) downed the sixth-seed Marshall Statesmen (6-5), 42-14, after rallying from an early deficit in the 6D North Region high-school tourney.

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Sports

11-0 Madison rolls past Chantilly as football playoffs kick off

By Dave Facinoli
Madison's Maukon Khazami (51) blocks for Matthew Weiler (file photo by Deb Kolt)

The undefeated Madison Warhawks (11-0) displayed why they are the top seed and the four-time defending champion in the region football playoffs with a one-sided home victory in first-round action Friday night (Nov. 15).

Madison defeated the bottom seed Chantilly Chargers, 44-0, in the eight-team 6D North Region tournament in Vienna. The shutout was Madison’s fourth of the high-school season and second in a row.

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Sports

Chantilly defeats Langley to win region-tournament volleyball crown

By Dave Facinoli
Chantilly gathers with the region-championship banner (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

Their strategy of building early leads in as many sets possible worked and won a region volleyball championship for the Chantilly Chargers.

Host Chantilly (22-2-1) defeated the Langley Saxons, 3-1, Wednesday night (Nov. 13) in the title match of the girls 6D North Region high-school tournament. The region crown was the Chargers’ second in three seasons, as the squad also topped Langley in the 2022 final at Chantilly.

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Sports

Volleyball players from Chantilly, Langley, Madison chosen all-region

By Dave Facinoli
Langley's Claire Mo makes a return (photo by Deb Kolt)

Two girls volleyball players each from the Langley Saxons and Madison Warhawks were chosen first-team all-6D North Region for performances during the 2024 high-school season.

From Langley, junior setter Claire Mo was chosen first-team, as well as the region’s Player of the Year, and senior hitter Ana Toumazatos made the first team. The two helped Langley win the Liberty District tournament, then finish second in the region tourney to the Chantilly Chargers.

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Sports

Oakton, Fairfax field-hockey teams advance to Class 6 state semifinals

By Dave Facinoli
Oakton's Riley Sweeney scored two goals in state action (courtesy of Oakton athletics)

By matching their most lopsided victory of the season, the Oakton Cougars won their opening match of the state field-hockey tournament.

Oakton (21-2) routed the visiting North Stafford Wolverines, 7-0, in that Virginia High School League Class 6 girls contest. The victory was the 13th in a row this season for a team that already has won Concorde District and 6D North Region tournaments this fall and is now 6-0 in the postseason.

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Sports

Potomac School football coach gets vote of confidence after winning season

By Dave Facinoli
Dan Wolff will continue as Potomac School's football coach (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

The “interim” tag has been removed from Dan Wolff’s title as the head football coach of the private-school Potomac School Panthers in McLean.

Wolff was given that label when he took over for the 2024 high-school season. That designation recently was removed after Wolff led the Panthers to a bounce-back 5-4 record this fall.

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Sports

Potomac School girls tennis team second in Division I state tourney

By Dave Facinoli
Potomac School gathers with its runner-up state-tourney trophy (courtesy of Potomac School tennis)

Smiles for the second-place team photo masked disappointment for the top-seed Potomac School Panthers girls tennis team.

The Panthers lost on their home court in the championship match of the Division I state private-school tournament to No. 2 seed and defending champion Collegiate School of Richmond, 5-3.

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Sports

Flint Hill volleyball team finishes second in state tournament

By Dave Facinoli
The Flint Hill volleyball team was second in the state (courtesy of Flint Hill volleyball)

Winning 21 matches and reaching a state championship match usually would be considered a successful season, and it was for the Flint Hill Huskies.

But compared to the girls volleyball team’s recent rich history, the accomplishments fell slightly short of past glories.

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Sports

Potomac School boys win third straight state cross-country title

By Dave Facinoli
The state champion Potomac School boys (courtesy of Potomac School athletics)

A strategy of starting fast helped the Potomac School Panthers bring home a third straight boys state cross-country championship.

The Panthers won the Division I private-school crown last Thursday (Nov. ) with 63 points on the 5,000-meter Panorama Farms course near Charlottesville. Saint John Paul the Great Catholic High School in Dumfries was second with 78.

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Sports

Herndon, Marshall aim to make presence felt as playoffs arrive

By Dave Facinoli
Marshall's Ethan Lebkisher runs the ball (file photo by Deb Kolt)

The Herndon Hornets and Marshall Statesmen are seeded in the lower half of the eight-team region-football playoff bracket — but shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Each high-school team proved formidable during the regular season, heading into the playoffs on a win streak (in Herndon’s case) and well-rested (in Marshall’s).

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