
Titans Salvage Tie Against Mount Vernon in Opener
TC in search of first Patriot District title since 2008.
Frustration could have gotten the best of the T.C. Williams boys’ soccer team. After a few missed goal-scoring opportunities and disagreements with officiating, the Titans trailed 1-0 late in their season-opening match at Mount Vernon. But rather than give in, TC found a way to put one in the net and salvage a tie against a team that reached the regional quarterfinals each of the last two seasons.

Mount Vernon Captain Oakley Returns from Broken Leg
Majors enter season with state tournament aspirations.
Amardo Oakley served as motivation in spirit to the Mount Vernon boys’ soccer team during its 2011 season opener. One year later, a healthy Oakley is back to motivate his teammates in the flesh.

Mares Leads West Springfield to Season-Opening Victory
Six-foot-two junior scores four goals against Yorktown.
Yorktown junior Jennie Basile netted her second goal of the evening with 7:16 remaining in the first half when West Springfield girls’ lacrosse coach Brian Puhlick decided enough was enough.

Yorktown Girls’ Lax Searching for Regional Respect
Patriots have won six consecutive National District titles.
The Yorktown girls’ lacrosse program has dominated the National District to the tune of six consecutive championships. While keeping the streak alive is important to the Patriots, Yorktown enters the 2012 season with a bigger goal in mind: be competitive against teams outside of the district.
Churchill Boys Fall to Magruder in Region Final
Bulldogs reach first region championship game in 33 years.
Magruder, the region’s top seed and defending champion, defeated No. 2-seed Churchill 54-39 on March 3 to take home the region title and advance to the state tournament. While disappointed their season had ended, the Bulldogs could take pride in what they had accomplished not just this year, but since the arrival of head coach Matt Miller four years ago.

Wolverines Not Assuming They’re Patriot District’s Best
Talented West Potomac softball team in search of first district title since 2006.
The West Potomac softball team entered the 2011 season loaded with talent and, as far as the Wolverines were concerned, possessed a clear path to the Patriot District championship. It didn’t take long for perennial power South County to issue West Potomac an early-season wake-up call.

Inexperienced Titans Hope To Continue Program Growth
TC enters third season under head coach Mike Mulherin.
The Titans have aspirations of continuing their growth under third-year head coach Mike Mulherin. However, TC will have to do so with a green group after losing the majority of its primary contributors from 2011.
Wakefield Boys’ Lax Looks To Snap Losing Streak
Warriors have lost 91 straight games, haven’t won since 2004.
Brian Gilman uses the Wakefield boys’ lacrosse program’s losing past for motivation as the first-year head coach attempts to point the Warriors toward a winning future.
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.

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.
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.

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.

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.
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.
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.
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.

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.

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.

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.

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.
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.
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.

Sharpshooting Woodson Boys Beat T.C. Williams
Cavaliers knock down 13 3-pointers, including career-high six from Tommy Stepka.
The T.C. Williams boys’ basketball team trailed Woodson by two points midway through the fourth quarter and was in search of a defensive stop when the Cavaliers passed the ball to Peter Murray, who was standing alone at the top of the arc. Murray, a reserve post who had yet to score, let fly from long range, burying a 3-pointer that left TC head coach Julian King slumping forward in disbelief in front of the Titans’ bench.

Bishop Ireton Boys Match Overall, WCAC Win Totals
Youthful Cardinals fall short against Bishop O’Connell.
Third-year Bishop Ireton boys basketball coach Neil Berkman said the team’s rebuilding process is proceeding as planned, calling the Cardinals a "program on the rise." On Jan. 16, however, Ireton was "dismantled" by an already established Bishop O’Connell program.

Sports Brief: Arlington
Yorktown Swim and Dive Teams Beat Edison
The Yorktown swim and dive team traveled to South Run Recreation Center on Friday, Jan. 13 for a swim meet with Edison, emerging as the winner in both the boys’ and girls’ meets. Both teams are now 6-0 for the season.
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