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

Herndon tops Marshall as local football teams hunt for playoff berths

By Dave Facinoli
Marshall's Michael Spriggs hands off to Kevin Aleman. (file staff photo by Deb Kolt)

With a key victory Friday night (Oct. 25), the Herndon Hornets (7-2) significantly enhanced their chances to earn a region football playoff berth.

Herndon defeated the host Marshall Statesmen, 29-7, in a Liberty District high-school contest.

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Sports

Robinson junior finishes second in Girls State Open golf tournament

By Dave Facinoli
Three Robinson players placed at the Girls State Open (file staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

With a strong back-nine finish, Robinson Rams’ golfer Erin Mullin finished second in the Girls State Open golf tournament

The junior shot a 1-under-par round of 69 at the Virginia High School League event on the Heritage Oaks Golf Course in Harrisonburg Monday (Oct. 28). She was two shots behind the winning seven-birdie round of 67 shot by Kathryn Ha from Salem High of Virginia Beach.

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News

Fairfax HS student’s competitive car racing career kicks into new gear

By Dave Facinoli
Fairfax High School student Miles Murray wins a 2024 Legend track championship at Virginia's Dominion Raceway (courtesy Miles Murray)

It was at age 4, after racing in a small go-kart for the first time, that Miles Murray discovered the passion that would drive his young life.

Now 17 and a senior at Fairfax High School, Murray races larger U.S. Legend Cars and recently won his biggest and most significant local championship yet at Dominion Raceway near Fredericksburg.

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Sports

Postseason tournaments ongoing this week for private-school teams

By Dave Facinoli
The Potomac School girls soccer team is in action this week (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

Multiple postseason tournaments will occur this week involving girls and boys private high-school teams in two different conferences.

In girls Independent School League action, the Flint Hill Huskies, Madeira Snails and Potomac School Panthers will participate in soccer, tennis and volleyball tournaments. In the boys Mid-Atlantic Athletic Conference, Flint Hill and Potomac School teams will participate in the soccer tourney.

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Sports

Potomac School boys win another cross-country team championship

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

For the third straight year, and with a different top individual finisher each time, the Potomac School Panthers continued atop the throne as conference cross-country champs.

The boys high-school team had scored a meet-best 24 points to win the Mid-Atlantic Athletic Conference varsity title Oct. 26 on the 5,000-meter Agricultural Farm Park  course in Derwood, Md.

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Sports

Potomac School football team wins at home with multiple big plays

By Dave Facinoli
Akim Iscandari scored three touchdowns for Potomac School (staff photo by Deb Kolt)

Multiple long scoring plays were a large contributor to the Potomac School Panthers’ biggest victory so far of the football season.

Under temporary lighting for a Friday night (Oct. 25) high-school game, the host Panthers topped the St. James Saints (5-4) of Frederick, Md., 33-16, to improve to 5-3.

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Sports

Madison football team downs South Lakes to remain undefeated

By Dave Facinoli
The Madison offense had 300 total yards (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

After a slow start and initially falling behind, the Madison Warhawks finished strong to remain undefeated at 8-0 in high-school football action.

The visiting Warhawks downed the South Lakes Seahawks, 35-7, Friday night (Oct. 25) in a Concorde District game to remain atop the league standings with a 3-0 record. South Lakes, which led 7-0 at one point, fell to 2-6, 0-3.

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Sports

Potomac School golfers shine at individual conference tournament

By Dave Facinoli
The Potomac School golf team (courtesy of Potomac School golf)

First they dominated the conference team tournament, then the Potomac School Panthers did the same in the individual golf competition a week later.

At the 18-hole Mid-Atlantic Athletic Conference individual tourney Wednesday (Oct. 23), Panthers’ freshman Colton Rodgers was the champion of the private high-school golf event with a 7-under-par 64 on the Blue Mash Golf Course in Montgomery County.

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Sports

Oakton repeats as Concorde field-hockey tournament champion

By Dave Facinoli
The district champion Oakton team (courtesy of Oakton athletics)

For the second straight season, the Oakton Cougars field-hockey team ran the table with a perfect 12-0 record in the Concorde District and winning regular-season and tournament championships.

On its home field, top-seed Oakton (17-2) nipped the No. 2 seed Madison Warhawks, 1-0, in the Thursday (Oct. 24) title match of the girls high-school field-hockey tournament. Rachel Sweeney scored the game’s only goal early in the second quarter.

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Sports

Flint Hill, Potomac School to play under temporary football lights in Friday-night action

By Dave Facinoli
Flint Hill will have temporary lights for Friday-night football action (staff photo by Dave Facinoli)

There are no permanent lights on the football fields at either Flint Hill School in Oakton and the Potomac School in McLean.

Yet, because temporary lights have been installed on each gridiron at the private schools, the football teams will host separate Friday-night games on Oct. 25.

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