Sports Briefs: W-L’s Taylor Has Big Night
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Sports Briefs: W-L’s Taylor Has Big Night

Senior running back Anthony Taylor carried the Washington-Lee football team to victory against Edison on Oct. 22, rushing for 197 yards and five touchdowns during a 38-12 road win. The Generals improved to 4-4, 3-2 in the National District and snapped a two-game losing streak. W-L closes the regular season with home games against Wakefield and Yorktown while fighting for a playoff berth.

Against Edison, W-L led 38-0 entering the fourth quarter. Quarterback Rigo Salguero completed 3 of 7 passes for 34 yards and rushed 13 times for 59 yards. Defensively, Moussa Diallo led the Generals with nine tackles and one sack.

<b>Top-Seed Yorktown Field Hockey Falls Short</b>

The Yorktown field hockey team, seeded No. 1 in the National District Tournament, lost to Edison 2-1 in overtime of the semifinals on Oct. 21. The Patriots defeated No. 8 Wakefield 6-0 on Oct. 19 in the opening round to advance to regionals. The Patriots will host a game at 7 p.m. on Oct. 27.

Yorktown went undefeated during its regular season district schedule, but Edison, the No. 5 seed, defeated Yorktown the second time around on an overtime goal by Alex Smith.

"We played extremely well in the first half and pretty well in the second half," Yorktown head coach Stephanie DuVall wrote in an e-mail. "We let up a little of our intensity in the second half, though, and allowed Edison to score to send the game to overtime. We had a lot of chances to score in overtime, but unfortunately we weren't able to convert.

"The difference between the two Edison games was that Edison really showed up in the district semis. They played a great game and really wanted to win. Yorktown played a great game too, but we just couldn't manage to hit the boards."

Christine Downie scored Yorktown’s lone goal in the first half. Edison went on to lose in the district title game to No. 2 Mount Vernon on Oct. 25.

The Patriots have shifted their attention to regionals.

"We need to have every girl on the field playing at her personal best level," DuVall wrote. "If every girl plays her best and stays poised and confident, we have a great shot of going deep into the bracket. When we play a strong transition and play it selflessly, we control the game. Yorktown will come out strong and determined. As long as we play our game, we should come out on top."

Downie, Jennie Basile and Beni Yuzawa each have six goals for Yorktown. Katie Sondheim has five, Addy Savarino and Melissa Hunt each have four and Alex Norsworthy has three.

<b>All-National District Field Hockey Teams</b>

Yorktown’s Christine Downie and Stephanie DuVall were named Player of the Year and Coach of the Year, respectively, for National District field hockey. The duo highlights a well-represented Patriots team.

Senior forward Downie, junior defender Rachel Brooke, junior goalkeeper Kate Mountain and junior midfielder Kate Bauman each made the first team for Yorktown. DuVall was named Coach of the Year in her first season as Patriots head coach.

From Washington-Lee, senior forward Catherine Pricone, junior defender Angela Sudik and junior midfielder Adrianna Gorsky received first-team honors, along with Wakefield freshman defender Cathleen Madlansacay.

Yorktown’s Beni Yuzawa (junior forward), Jennie Basile (sophomore midfielder) and Melissa Hunt (junior forward), Washington-Lee’s Samantha Brothers (junior defender) and Kirby Clark (junior midfielder) Morgan Livezey (junior goalkeeper) and Wakefield’s Briana Rusin (sophomore goalkeeper) earned second-team honors.

<b>Yorktown Volleyball Rebounds With Win</b>

One week after losing a five-set heartbreaker to Hayfield, the Yorktown volleyball team responded with a 3-0 (25-7, 25-12, 25-14) win over Wakefield on Oct. 25. Patriots head coach Brittanie Behar wrote in an e-mail the Patriots played "very confidently." Yorktown was one point from sweeping Hayfield in its previous match, but ended up losing three straight sets.

Against Wakefield, Ashley Rock led Yorktown with 15 kills. Katie Rock finished with 12 kills and seven digs, Eva Muszynski had six kills and Kaley Burlingame dished out 32 assists.

Yorktown will close the regular season at home against Stuart at 7:15 p.m. on Oct. 28. The National District Tournament begins on Nov. 1.

<b>Wakefield Loses To Yorktown</b>

The Wakefield football team lost to Yorktown 39-13 on Oct. 22, dropping the Warriors’ record to 1-7, 1-4 in the National District. Quarterback Drew Powell completed 10 of 19 passes for 159 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed for a touchdown and was intercepted once. Victor Leavell rushed 10 times for 46 yards.

The Warriors will travel to face Washington-Lee at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 29.

<b>O’Connell Loses To DeMatha</b>

The Bishop O’Connell football team lost to DeMatha 39-17 on Oct. 23, dropping the Knights’ record to 3-5, 1-4 in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference.

O’Connell fell behind 39-3 before scoring a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns. Quarterback Nicholas Morabito completed 6 of 11 passes for 107 yards and two touchdowns. Joshua Trimble caught four passes for 70 yards and two scores. Defensively, Jason Makoutz led the Knights with six tackles.

O’Connell will host St. John’s at 2 p.m. on Oct. 30.

<b>O’Connell Athletic Field Renovation Project</b>

Bishop O’Connell High School announced on Oct. 22 the launching of a renovation project of its outdoor athletic complex.

The project, which is slated to start during this school year, contemplates a three-phase renovation of the O’Connell rectangular stadium field: installation of a new competition grade track, a reorienting and improvement of the baseball field, and the addition of field lights, subject to the Arlington County permitting process. A final phase is proposed in partnership with Arlington County Parks and Recreation for improvement of the fields located at Tuckahoe Park, to include a new softball field and athletic turf for the park.