Wednesday, February 29
Churchill Girls Lose to Blair in 4A West Quarterfinals
Racoosin among talented Bulldogs expected to return.
The Churchill girls’ basketball team’s 2011-12 season began with a deep, talented roster and high expectations. It ended with a six-point fourth quarter amid the absence of composure.
Mount Vernon Girls Fall One Victory Shy of States
Majors lose to Oakton for the second time this season.
Mount Vernon girls’ basketball coach Courtney Coffer hung his head and fought back tears as he sat at the end of the Majors’ bench after their Northern Region semifinal matchup with Oakton on Feb. 24. As time passed, he wondered if he had done enough. How could this happen again?
Yorktown Boys End Season in Region Quarterfinals
Earley finishes career as school’s all-time leading scorer.
Jack Earley finished his high school career as the Yorktown boys’ basketball program’s all-time leading scorer. But with the Patriots’ season on the line against Fairfax in the regional quarterfinals on Feb. 22, Earley’s opportunities to put the ball in the bucket were few and far between.
Next Level
Masha Harmon, a senior at Yorktown High School, has signed a national letter of intent to play soccer at Davis & Elkins College in Elkins, W. Va
Ireton Beats SSSAS in Battle of Rebuilding Programs
Hart’s double-double pushes Cardinals past Saints in playoffs.
Bishop Ireton senior Laura Hart had to watch the final pressure-packed moments of the Cardinals’ VISAA state playoff game against St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes from the bench. But prior to fouling out, it was Hart’s double-double and presence in the paint that helped bring the Cardinals stability in an otherwise sloppy contest.
Sports Briefs: TC Garners All-State Indoor Track Honors
The T.C. Williams indoor track and field team earned four all-state awards and broke two school records during the state championships on Feb. 24-25 in Hampton.
Woodson’s Reaves Signs with Shepherd
Woodson senior Mike Reaves signed a letter of intent and received a scholarship to play football at Shepherd University in West Virginia.
Sharp-Shooting Loftus Lifts Majors Over Centreville
Senior forward Forbush scores 24 points in defeat.
Trailing by 15 at halftime, Centreville relied on senior forward Chaney Forbush for offensive production in the second half.
TC Wins Titles at Northern Region Indoor Track Meet
Jonathan Anderson won the shot put championship, Devon Cooper captured the long jump title and the 4x400 relay team of Kathryn Hendley, Morgan Lataillade, Sydney Schaedel and Shannon Smythe finished first, highlighting the T.C. Williams indoor track team’s performance at the Northern Region meet on Feb. 17-18 at George Mason University.
TC Girls Finish Runner-up to Spartans, Again
The T.C. Williams girls’ basketball team lost to West Springfield in the Patriot District championship game for the second consecutive year, this time falling 78-63 on Feb. 17 at Lake Braddock Secondary School.
Kerman, Stingy Defense Propel Titans to District Title
TC holds South County to 39 points in championship game.
Daquan Kerman scored a team-high 13 points and led a stingy Titans defensive effort as T.C. Williams defeated South County 54-39 to capture its second consecutive district title and the program’s sixth in seven seasons.
Robinson’s Valdez, Martino Win State Wrestling Titles
Rams finish state runner-up behind Colonial Forge.
Santiago Valdez produced a losing record during his first two seasons as a Robinson wrestler. After two years of hard work and dedication, Valdez produced a state championship.
South County’s Manley, Stein Win Region Wrestling Titles
Hunter Manley wanted nothing to do with a repeat performance.
Robinson Grapplers Pinkston, Martino Win Region Titles
Rams finish region runner-up to district foe Westfield.
Robinson heavyweight Jake Pinkston dropped 10 pounds prior to regionals. In exchange, he gained a second Northern Region championship.
Saturday, February 25
Sharp-Shooting Loftus Lifts Majors Over Centreville
Junior ties career high with five 3-points in regional opener.
Kelly Loftus scored 23 points and tied a career high with five 3-pointers as the Mount Vernon girls’ basketball team defeated Centreville 65-52 in the opening round of the Northern Region tournament.
Thursday, February 23
Miller Leads West Springfield to District Title
Senior scores 21 points in championship game, named tournament MVP.
The West Springfield girls’ basketball team defeated T.C. Williams twice by a combined four points during the regular season, with each contest decided in the final seconds. When it came time to determine the 2012 Patriot District champion, senior guard Jordan Miller and the Spartans showed no desire for another dramatic finish.
Madison Defeats South Lakes in Liberty Girls Finals
Tourney MVP Koshuta of Madison scores 32 in win; Rendle, Severin earn All-Tourney honors for Seahawks.
The James Madison High girls’ basketball team played one of its best games of the season in last Friday night’s Liberty District tournament finals versus South Lakes. The defending district champion Warhawks were clicking in all areas of the game and kept a talented Seahawks’ squad at bay in a 78-47 victory. The postseason title game took place at South Lakes’ spacious Wendell G. Byrd Gymnasium in Reston.
Bulldogs, Warriors Take it to the Wire
Westfield emerges victorious in first round region playoff action.
Monday night’s first round Northern Region boys’ high school basketball playoff game, between a physically strong Westfield squad versus a running, defensive-pressure oriented Wakefield opponent, was pretty much close throughout. Both teams, with their seasons on the line, played as if there were no tomorrow. The result was like a close boxing match gone the distance as both the Warriors and home team Bulldogs continually took one another’s best shots only to come right back and deliver one themselves.
Overall good showing by Northern Region at State Wrestling
Westfield’s Donahue earns state title; Dooley of Madison and Forrest of South Lakes earn second place medals.
Three Northern Region teams – Robinson, Annandale, and Westfield High Schools – finished among the top 10 team finishers at last weekend’s Virginia State AAA Wrestling Championships, held Feb. 17-18 (Friday and Saturday) at Robinson Secondary.
Langley Wrestling Continues Strong Postseason
The Langley High wrestling team finished ninth place overall at last Saturday’s Northern Region Championships. The 30-team, two-day event took place Feb. 10-11 at Hayfield High School in Alexandria.
Madison Wrestling Continues Strong Postseason
Warhawks Hoy, Dooley capture Northern Region crowns.
The Madison High wrestling team finished 10th place overall at last Saturday’s Northern Region Championships. The 30-team, two-day event took place Feb. 10-11 at Hayfield High School in Alexandria.
Friday, February 17
TC Girls Secure Spot in Northern Region Tournament
Moss outscores West Potomac through three quarters.
After a stretch of nearly six minutes without a field goal to open the second half, T.C. Williams senior Gaby Moss removed any doubt about the Titans’ season lasting longer than the first round of districts.
Huggins’ Career Night Leads TC to Regional Berth
Senior scores 29, Titans beat West Potomac.
The T.C. Williams boys’ basketball program has won the last four Northern Region tournaments for which it has qualified. Thanks to a career night from senior T.J. Huggins, the Titans will have a chance to extend the streak to five.
Wakefield’s Majano Captures Second Region Title
Senior grappler earns fifth victory against Edison’s Jacobson.
Henry Majano sat perched upon the first-place level of the awards podium during the Northern Region wrestling championships at Hayfield Secondary School. Sporting a headband and a "Wakefield Wrestling" T-shirt, Majano envisioned himself returning to his place atop the podium after his 132-pound title match.
Thursday, February 16
Mount Vernon’s Floyd Captures Second Region Title
Majors finish fourth at region wrestling championships.
Centreville's Ryan Sepulveda challenged Mount Vernon's Dusty Floyd and held a 1-0 lead midway through the third period. But Floyd would not be denied as he tied the score with an escape and produced the winning points with a takedown in the final minute. Fans on both sides of the gym at Hayfield Secondary School chanted "Let’s go Dusty!" as Floyd won a 3-1 decision on Feb. 11.
W-L Girls’ Gymnastics Captures First Region Title
Generals edge McLean by less than four-tenths of a point.
Washington-Lee won the 2012 Northern Region championship, holding off McLean by less than four-tenths of a point.
Saturday, February 11
Local Swimmers Step Up at Region Championships
Chantilly boys earn sixth place team finish; Westfield and Chantilly girls finish among top 10 teams.
Top Centre View-area individual girls’ finishers included: Chantilly’s Logan Coulson-Moore (third place in 100-back, fourth in 200-free); Westfield’s Carli Molano (second in 50-free); and Chantilly’s Maggie Shaw (7th in 500-free).
Westfield Captures Concorde Wrestling Title
Bulldogs take first ahead of defending Northern Region champion Robinson.
The Westfield High wrestling team put together a dominant showing at last weekend’s Concorde District Championships, held Friday and Saturday (Feb. 3-4) at Chantilly High School. The Bulldogs, behind seven individual champions, scored 207 points, well ahead of runner-up Robinson’s 165, to capture the district crown.
Oakton Boys, Girls Capture Region Swim and Dive Titles
Next up for Oakton is state championships meet Feb. 17-18.
Oakton High’s varsity boys and girls swim and dive teams both won their respective Northern Region Championship meets this past Saturday night, Feb. 4 at the Oak Marr Recreation facility. The Oakton boys scored 281.5 points to finish first over second place Woodson (250) and third place Madison (217). The Oakton girls scored a winning 245 points with West Potomac (190) and Langley (181) finishing second and third.
Senior Night is Crenshaw Family Affair
Robinson’s Crenshaw helps lift Rams to victory
Robinson Secondary senior Tristian Crenshaw spent a lot of time as a child playing pickup basketball games with his grandparents James A. Boswell and Debbie Chandler-Boswell. But over time, those enjoyable games became less frequent.
Wednesday, February 8
TC’s Huggins Shines During Senior Night Victory
Titans looking to cut out mental lapses with postseason approaching.
T.J. Huggins finished with 28 points and 10 rebounds during the final regular season home game of his career, helping TC improve to 12-9, including 8-5 in the Patriot District. With the district tournament beginning Feb. 14, head coach Julian King said the Titans have the talent to compete in the postseason but the team has to cut out mental lapses.
Sports Briefs: TC Boys’ Indoor Track Wins Districts
The T.C. Williams boys' track and field team won the 2012 Patriot District championship, beating defending champion Annandale by 17 points last week at Episcopal High School.
Whelden, Paduda, Jeney Win Titles for Yorktown
Patriots finish third at National District wrestling meet.
Yorktown heavyweight Charlie Whelden has battled the injury bug throughout his high school career. On Feb. 4, a partially torn meniscus in his right knee wasn’t enough to keep "Ox" from capturing a National District championship.
Washington-Lee Wrestling Finishes District Runner-Up
Two Generals win individual National District championships.
The Washington-Lee wrestling team’s "light guys" made sure the Generals were well represented at the 2012 National District tournament.
Wakefield’s Majano Wins Third Consecutive District Crown
Battle-tested senior has sights set on state championship.
Wakefield senior wrestler Henry Majano took another step toward his ultimate goal of winning a state championship, adding another accolade to his already impressive resume.
Lee Duo Returning to Regionals
Leah Michetti and Katie Stewart are heading back to the Northern Region gymnastics meet.
Liberatore Leads Bruins to District Gymnastics Title
Senior wins all-around championship after back-to-back runner-up finishes.
After her routine, Caitlin Liberatore cracked a wide smile when judges revealed a score of 9.575. It was enough to win the event, but was it enough to win the all-around crown?
Whitman Girls Bust Out of Offensive Slump
After recent struggles, Vikings score 75 in win against Springbrook.
Whitman girls’ basketball coach Pete Kenah sat at a desk and opened the team’s scorebook after a Feb. 3 contest against Springbrook. Two days earlier, the Vikings shot 3 for 28 in the first half against Richard Montgomery en route to a 54-40 loss. Forty-eight hours later, Whitman’s offensive effort against the talented Blue Devils left the scorebook littered with ink.
Sports Briefs: Whitman Boys Lose To Springbrook
The Whitman boys’ basketball team trailed by 18 at halftime and lost to Springbrook 62-34 on Feb. 3 at WWHS.
Sports Briefs: West Po’s Thompson Headed to Regionals
West Potomac’s Monica Thompson took a chance at the Patriot District gymnastics meet by attempting a vault she had never thrown during competition. The result helped earn the sophomore an all-around berth to regionals.
Mount Vernon Wins District Wrestling Championship
Seniors Floyd, Marino improve combined record to 94-3.
Led by seniors Dusty Floyd and Cody Marino, Mount Vernon amassed a 39-3 record in dual meets during the 2011-12 season. On Saturday, the Majors continued their dominance, finishing 39 points ahead of runner-up Washington-Lee at the National District meet.
South Lakes Wrestling Breaks Through for Third Place District finish
Forrest brothers, Ryan and Josh, both gain individual titles.
The South Lakes High wrestling team put together its best postseason showing in recent memory when the Seahawks earned a third place team finish at last Saturday’s Liberty District Championships. The two-day event (Friday and Saturday, Feb. 3-4) took place at Langley High School.
Friday, February 3
District Wrestling Championships Set for This Weekend
Langley, unbeaten during district regular season, will be aiming for a postseason banner.
The Langley High wrestling team is set to begin the postseason portion of its schedule this Friday and Saturday, Feb. 3-4, when it hosts the Liberty District Championships meet. The two-day event will begin Friday evening at 5. On Saturday, action will start up again at noon time and run throughout the day.
Woodson’s Dash Makes Collegiate Decision
Cav wide receiver set to play for first-year football program.
W.T. Woodson High senior football player Marcus Dash, earlier this week on the Feb. 1 National Signing Day for high school athletes, was scheduled to sign a college letter of intent to play NCAA Div. 2 football at Alderson-Broaddus (A-B) College in Philippi, West Va.
Chantilly Girls Holding Their Own in Concorde Play
Chargers working to get best possible seeding for upcoming district basketball tournament.
Just like every other opponent of the powerhouse Oakton High girls’ basketball team this season, the Chantilly High squad realized it had a huge task in playing the unbeaten Cougars earlier this week in Concorde District action. Chantilly gave visiting Oakton a good showing but lost, 55-35, in the contest played this past Tuesday night. Oakton, the Northern Region champions in two of the past three years, improved to 19-0 overall and 7-0 in the district. Chantilly, with the loss, left the floor with an 11-8 overall mark and a 3-4 record in district play.
District Indoor Track and Field Championships Underway
Chantilly, Centreville, and Westfield all set for second day Concorde action on Thursday.
The Concorde District Indoor Track and Field Championships got underway last Thursday, Jan. 26 with Day One action at the Prince George’s County Sportsplex in Maryland. Local teams Centreville, Westfield, and Chantilly High Schools made up three of the six participating schools at the postseason event.
Seahawk Wrestlers Confident Going Into Districts
Postseason tournament set to take place Friday and Saturday at Langley High.
The South Lakes High wrestling team earned its first dual team victory of the season when it edged host Yorktown High, 46-44, in a non-district competition which took place on Jan. 11 in Arlington.
Woodson Tops Lake Braddock in Boys’ Basketball
Woodson sharp-shooter Tommy Stepka hurts Bruins with long range shooting.
The three-point shot is arguably the most satisfying in basketball. When coupled with aggressive defense, it can make a team virtually unstoppable. The Woodson High boys’ team connected on seven 3-pointers and buried visiting Patriot District opponent Lake Braddock defensively to win 73-50 last Friday night, Jan. 27.
Madison Boys Making Progress in District Hoops
Senior guard Nate Favero is Warhawks’ top scorer this winter.
The Madison High boys’ basketball team snapped a four-game losing streak with a 52-38 win at Liberty District opponent Stone Bridge High in Ashburn on Jan. 20. Then, in their next game three days later at district rival McLean, the Warhawks nearly pulled off an upset victory in a 54-53 loss to the sizzling hot Highlanders.
Wednesday, February 1
West Springfield’s Robinson Getting Back in Shape
Standout point guard returns after missing five weeks with injured ankle.
April Robinson, a 2011 first-team All-Met selection, has worked on her endurance since returning to the lineup after missing more than a month with an injured ankle. Monday’s match-up with T.C. Williams was Robinson’s fourth game after her five-week layoff and the Titans put her to the test. TC pressured Robinson in the backcourt and forced her to work up and down the floor.
Titans Still Struggling to Solve Spartans
TC’s strong defensive effort goes for naught against West Springfield.
Trailing nemesis West Springfield by three points as the final seconds ticked off the clock, the T.C. Williams girls’ basketball team put the ball in the hands of its best offensive player.
Sports Brief: TC Athletes Compete in Virginia Tech Invitational
Several members of the T.C. Williams indoor track and field team competed in the two-day Virginia Tech High School Invitational in Blacksburg, with most achieving regional- or state-qualifying marks.
West Potomac Girls Set Two District Swim Records
Next: Northern Region championships.
Thirteen West Potomac swimmers (eight girls and five boys) will advance to the Northern Region swim and dive championships Feb. 2-4 after a competitive Patriot District meet Friday and Saturday at Lee District RECenter.
Sports Briefs: Floyd Sets MVHS Wrestling Record
Senior wrestler Dusty Floyd became Mount Vernon’s all-time leader in victories when he earned win No. 148 at home on senior night Jan. 25. The 170-pound Floyd surpassed Tony Martinez’s record of 147, set in 2003.
Sports Brief: Churchill Wrestling Loses To Walter Johnson
The Churchill wrestling team faced Walter Johnson on Jan. 28 in a match that would determine if Churchill went to the county dual meet championship. Churchill came away with a 37-21 loss, dropping its record to 10-3.
Second-Half Defense Lifts Bulldogs Past Patriots
Churchill’s Williams helps shut down Wootton’s red-hot Ibeh.
Churchill boys’ basketball head coach Matt Miller could see it coming. He tried to warn the Bulldogs but it was too late.
Churchill’s Racoosin Plays ‘Like a Guy’
Athleticism, jumping ability make Bulldog guard an offensive threat.
Shira Racoosin’s skill set — most notably her ability to shoot an actual jump shot — has been compared to that of a male hoopster. While Racoosin appears slightly embarrassed about discussing the topic, her athletic ability makes her one of the top scoring threats on a Bulldogs team ranked No. 11 in the latest edition of the Washington Post’s top 20.
Clark, Generals Dominate National District
W-L wins third consecutive district gymnastics title.
The Washington-Lee gymnastics team put on a show Jan. 26, capturing the district championship by nearly 17 points over second-place Yorktown. The Generals produced the district’s top three all-around gymnasts and four of the top five. W-L occupied the top five places on beam, top four on vault, top three on bars and top two on floor. But the Generals’ display of dominance was no one-hit wonder. W-L has captured the last three district titles and has not lost a regular season meet in the three years.
Sports Briefs: W-L Boys Win Swim Districts
The Washington-Lee boys’ swim team won the National District title, posting a score of 404 during the championship meet Jan. 26-28 at Yorktown Aquatic Center.