Sports | FFXnow

George Mason women qualify for NCAA hoop tourney, but men just miss

Published March 17, 2025 at 1:15PM

The champion George Mason women (courtesy of George Mason athletics)

It has been an exciting winter for George Mason University’s basketball teams. One made history by earning a Division I NCAA tournament berth, while the other just missed making the big March Madness dance.

The women’s team (27-5) received an automatic berth by winning the Atlantic 10 Conference tourney earlier this month as the No. 2 seed. The George Mason men came close to the same feat, but lost in the Atlantic 10 tournament final to Virginia Commonwealth University in a 68-63 heartbreaker on Sunday, March 16.

Langley ice hockey team wins fourth straight league title

By Dave Facinoli

Published March 14, 2025 at 9:45AM

The Langley ice-hockey champs (courtesy of Langley ice hockey)

The head coach was new, but the end result was the same — a league championship for the Langley Saxons ice hockey team.

Langley won its fourth straight Northern Virginia Scholastic Hockey League postseason high-school tournament by defeating Battlefield, 6-4, in the title match at the Ashburn Ice House on Wednesday, March 5.

Chantilly boys swim-dive team wins its first state championship

By Dave Facinoli

Published March 11, 2025 at 2:30PM

The 2025 state champion Chantilly team (courtesy of Chantilly athletics)

An already standout season for the Chantilly Chargers became the best ever when the boys swimming and diving team won its first state championship last week.

The Chargers won the Virginia High School League Class 6 title in Stafford with 284 points, 50 ahead of the runner-up and defending champion Langley Saxons.

Lake Braddock wins fourth straight state gymnastics title

By Dave Facinoli

Published March 7, 2025 at 3:45PM

The state champion Lake Braddock team (courtesy of Lake Braddock athletics)

Add another state championship to the Lake Braddock Bruins’ long list of titles in girls gymnastics.

The Bruins recently won their 13th Virginia High School League (VHSL) state crown — a statewide record and their fourth in a row — with a 147.875 point total in the Class 6 meet at their home gymnasium in Burke last Friday (Feb. 28).

Chantilly wrestlers cap strong season with a second-place finish in state

By Dave Facinoli

Published March 6, 2025 at 2:30PM

Chantilly gathers after winning a district title (courtesy of Chantilly athletics)

With a district tournament title and runner-up finishes in region and state tournaments under their belt, the Chantilly Chargers enjoyed one of the school’s best wrestling seasons ever.

On Saturday (March 1), Chantilly placed second in the Virginia High School League Class 6 state competition in Virginia Beach with three individual champions and 165 points. The Grassfield Grizzlies of Chesapeake won with 192.5 points.

South Lakes boys win fourth straight region basketball title

By Dave Facinoli

Published March 4, 2025 at 2:30PM

The champion South Lakes teams (photo by Rena Schild)

A simple team approach, coupled with reliance on a standout player, helped the South Lakes Seahawks win a fourth straight regional basketball championship.

Led by senior forward Jordan Scott, South Lakes won the 6D North Region tournament Friday night (Feb. 28) by defeating the Westfield Bulldogs, 67-51, in the title game of the boys high school competition at Wakefield High School in Arlington.

Langley girls top Oakton for the Saxons’ first region hoop title since 2017

By Dave Facinoli

Published March 4, 2025 at 9:45AM | Updated March 4, 2025 at 10:13AM

The champion Langley Saxons (photo by Rena Schild)

The Langley High School girls basketball team won its second-ever region title and first since 2017 by defeating the Oakton Cougars Friday night (Feb. 28) in a championship game at Wakefield High School.

The Saxons (24-3) won the game and the 6D North Region title with a 54-37 victory. Oakton fell to 23-5 for the season, but both teams move on to the state tournament, which opens this week.

Former Flint Hill football coach eulogized as outstanding leader, person

By Dave Facinoli

Published February 27, 2025 at 11:15AM

Michal Wright coaching at Pinewood Prep (courtesy of Pinewood Prep)

During the eight varsity seasons when Michal Wright was the head football coach at the Flint Hill School, his Huskies accomplished a lot.

But for those now mourning the 63-year-old Wright, who unexpectedly died of cardiac arrest on Feb. 17, his coaching abilities aren’t what they remember the most. Instead, it was how he lived his life that took center stage.

Flint Hill girls basketball team perfect in conference competition

By Dave Facinoli

Published February 25, 2025 at 11:20AM

The champion Flint Hill team (courtesy of Flint Hill athletics)

It took a determined fourth-quarter rally in a title game for the Flint Hill Huskies to complete a perfect dual-championship girls’ basketball season against conference opponents.

By defeating the No. 2 seed Episcopal Maroon, 52-48, in the final of the Independent School League A Division high-school tournament on Sunday (Feb. 23), Flint Hill capped an undefeated 14-0 season against conference opponents.

South Lakes boys’ team wins region track & field championship

By Dave Facinoli

Published February 21, 2025 at 2:30PM

The champion South Lakes team (courtesy of South Lakes athletics)

With athletes placing in multiple events, the South Lakes Seahawks delivered a versatile performance last week to win the boys 6D North Region track-and-field championship.

South Lakes amassed 119 points to finish well in front of the runner-up Wakefield Warriors with 59.