The Winding Baseball Trek Towards Becoming a Cincinnati Reds’ Fan
With Opening Day here, its’ fun to follow more than one major league team.
I did not grow up as a Reds’ fan. In fact, Cincinnati’s great Big Red Machine caused me great heartache when, as a 12-year old boy growing up in Northern Virginia, I watched on TV as my favorite team, the Red Sox, lost to Sparky Anderson’s crew, 4-3, in Game 7 of the 1975 Fall Classic. I had been ecstatic after Carlton Fisk’s 12th inning game-winning home run had given the ‘Sox a 7-6 win in Game 6. But following the Game 7 loss, in which my favorite player, the great Carl Yastrzemski, flew out to end the game in the bottom of the ninth inning at Fenway Park, I was in tears – a broken kid.
Centreville Girls Enjoying Four-Game Win Streak
Wildcats preparing for next week's start of Concorde soccer play.
The Centreville High girls' soccer team, following a breakthrough 2011 season a year ago which saw the Wildcats go 13-3 and advance all the way to the Northern Region tournament semifinals before their season ended with a Final Four loss to eventual state champion McLean, is off to a solid start this spring. Centreville, after beginning the season with a 2-0 road loss at W.T. Woodson High (Patriot District) on March 13 and then playing visiting Yorktown High (National District) to a 1-1 tie two days later, is currently on an impressive four-game win streak with the victories coming over visiting T.C. Williams (Patriot), 5-0, on March 19; at West Springfield (Patriot), 1-0, on March 23; a 2-1 triumph on March 27 over guest McLean (Liberty District), the same Highlanders' squad which ended the Wildcats' hopes of qualifying for the state AAA playoffs last year; and a decisive victory at Wakefield High (National), 8-0, last Thursday night. (See Centreville High Sports Notebook for details of the Wakefield game.)
Chantilly Softball Preparing for Concorde Schedule
The Chantilly High girls' softball team is spending the current spring break week competing at the Myrtle Beach Grand Strand Tournament in South Carolina. There, the Chargers were scheduled to play three games.
Chantilly Boys Lose Close One to Bruins, 3-2
Chargers soccer makes spirited comeback after trailimng 3-0.
In Chantilly High boys’ soccer action last week, the Chargers, in a non-district game played at Lake Braddock Secondary, lost a close 3-2 contest to the Bruins.
Centreville Baseball Hoping to Remain Hot in Florida
Wildcats, winners of their first four games, are headed for Orlando for spring break week.
An early season trip to Florida for spring break week is always nice for a high school baseball team, but it’s even better when a team has gotten off to the sort of fast start that the Centreville Wildcats have.
Northern Region Sports Roundup
Lloyd to be inducted into basketball shrine.
The Lee High boys’ soccer team (1-2-1), under head coach John Millward, was able to hold off a late charge by the Oakton Cougars to win 1-0 in Lee's home opener this past Tuesday night, March 27. After a quick re-start, and some quick midfield play, Luis Aguilar, a senior forward, found senior midfielder Jamie Ahmed, who took a one-touch into space then placed a 36-yard shot into the upper net with 12 minutes left.
NOVA Women Capture State Basketball Crown
Vienna’s Carlie Zirkle earns MVP honors.
The Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) women’s basketball team won the 2012 Virginia Community College System (VCCS) Championship by defeating Southside Virginia Community College, 48-26. The tournament was held March 2-4 in Chesapeake. Former Marshall High standout Carlie Zirkle (Vienna) received the most valuable player honor and was named to the All-Tournament team, along with Halley Cummins (Vienna) and Yvette Gilliam (Woodbridge).
Sports Notes from the Northern Region
State high school hoops champs; Jimmy Lange wins again; Westfields hosts prestigious golf tourney.
Game Reports Wanted: Coaches, team managers/parents - Please send high school team game results to sports editor Rich Sanders at richsand8@aol.com, or contact him on twitter at richsand8. In game reports, please include date and place of game, game highlights, team win-loss record, and any other news-worth items. Photos are also accepted.
Chantilly Boys' Soccer Ties Broad Run
Chargers home versus South County this Friday night.
The Chantilly High boys’ soccer team opened the spring season with a pair of home games last week – a 1-1 tie versus non-Northern Region opponent Broad Run (Dulles District) on Tuesday, March 13, and a tough 1-0 loss to region opponent Thomas Jefferson High on Thursday, March 15. In the deadlock versus the Spartans from Broad Run (Ashburn), Chantilly’s Billy Germain scored on a header shot off a crossing pass from teammate Mannaan Umar.
St. Patrick’s Day Basketball Celebration at Wakefield High
Northern Region’s top seniors boys’ high school players, including Westfield’s Quentin Basil, compete in All-Star game, festivities.
Bryant Fultz wasn’t among the top performers in the dunk contest during the Northern Region Coaches Association All-Star Boys’ Basketball festivities on March 17, but the West Potomac senior made his mark during the main event.
Exciting All-Star Afternoon
Concorde/Patriot All-Stars beat the Liberty/National team 109-108 in overtime.
West Potomac's Bryant Fultz threw down a fourth-quarter alley-oop dunk from fellow Wolverine Randall Brobbey, scored a team-high 15 points and earned game MVP honors as the Concorde/Patriot All-Stars defeated the Liberty/National team 109-108 in overtime at Wakefield High School.
Westfield’s Breakthrough Season Will Long be Remembered
Following tough loss in Concorde finals, Bulldog boys road region tournament wave to first-ever title.
Over an eight-day period in late February, the Westfield High boys’ basketball team put together a remarkable stretch of play which resulted in the program’s first-ever Northern Region title and provided a lifetime of highlight moments for Bulldog players, coaches and fans.
Another Crowning Success for Westfield Wrestler Beau Donahue
Westfield junior gains his second straight state championship.
Winning one individual state title is an accomplishment a high school wrestler will always treasure. But winning two is an enormous feat when one considers the pressure to live up to the high expectations of a state champion and the fact that every opponent is highly motivated to defeat the best wrestler out there.
Breakthrough Season to Remember Ends for Westfield
Region champion Bulldogs, at state playoffs, take Henrico to the wire in four-point loss.
The Westfield High boys’ basketball team struggled to get its footing early on in it’s first-ever Virginia State AAA playoff game last Friday night versus Henrico High of Richmond. Perhaps it was a case of opening minute jitters which played a role in a sluggish first quarter in which the Bulldogs, this year’s Northern Region champions, committed nine turnovers and scored just six points.
Jim Smith Earns 400th Coaching Victory
Longtime Chantilly High basketball coach recorded landmark win this past season.
Jim Smith, head coach of the Chantilly High boys’ basketball team, recently reached a milestone in his coaching career as he won his 400th game.