The Fairfax High boys’ basketball team has gone on a mid-season tear over recent weeks, stringing together five straight wins to move over the .500 mark at 8-6.
The Rebels, who were 1-4 to begin the season and just 3-6 following a 67-55 non-district home loss to Yorktown on Dec. 29, have since won five in a row – Liberty District victories over host Falls Church, 64-50, on Jan. 30; home team Madison, 60-50, on Jan. 3; visiting Jefferson, 76-53, on Jan. 6; visiting Stone Bridge, 71-55, on Jan. 12; and at South Lakes, 85-71, last Friday night, Jan. 14.
In the win over South Lakes, a victory that improved Fairfax’s district record to 5-1, four Rebels’ players scored in double digits: sophomore guard Zack Burnett (20 points), senior guard Joey Boyle (19), junior forward Jazz Holley (14) and senior forward Spencer Macleod (13 points, team-high 9 rebounds). John Robic, a sophomore guard, added eight points in the win against the Seahawks (6-7), who were led by J.D. Wallace’s 15 points and Mitchell Dempster’s 14.
In Fairfax’s win over Stone Bridge two days earlier, Joey Boyle scored a game-high 22 points to pace the Rebels, who also received strong nights from Holley (14 points) and Macleod (13). That contest was tied at 36 at halftime before Fairfax outscored the Bulldogs 20-11 in the third quarter to gain control of the game.
Fairfax was scheduled to host a red-hot McLean team earlier this week, a contest originally scheduled for Tuesday before snow forced it to be postponed until the following day. McLean is 8-4 overall and 4-2 in district play.
Fairfax is not scheduled to play this Friday, but will host first place Langley next Tuesday, Jan. 25. The Saxons, who were scheduled to host McLean this Friday night, are 6-0 in district play.
<b>SOUTH COUNTY</b> has hit a tough mid-season skid, having lost five straight games after getting off to an 8-1 start this season. The Stallions, whose scheduled game against Lee on Tuesday of this week was postponed due to the poor weather, lost their fifth straight last Thursday night, falling at home to a resurgent Lake Braddock squad, 77-63. Lake Braddock, in the Patriot District win over the Stallions, had a big night from Bobby Freedman (17 points) as well as Matt Zanellato (15), senior forward Chris Williams (13) and senior guard Cory Bonds (13). For the Stallions, junior forward Marqueice Johnson scored 22 points and senior forward Nik Biberaj had 15. Also for South County, senior guard Alex Carrington scored eight points, junior guard Rodie Lamb scored seven and sophomore guard Oren Burks six.
Earlier last week, against unbeaten district opponent T.C. Williams (11-0), South County struggled early on in a 74-63 home loss on Jan.10. The Stallions, who trailed 19-6 after one quarter, had a huge game from Johnson, who scored a game-high 26 points to go along with 12 rebounds. Biberaj scored 15 points with 11 rebounds in the losing effort.
South County will be looking to get back on the winning track when it meets district foe Annandale in a home game this Friday night.
WEST SPRINGFIELD HIGH (2-9) earned a 62-48 Patriot District home win over Lee on Jan. 7.
Both the Spartans and Lancers are experiencing tough seasons thus far. West Springfield, in a district game at Lake Braddock on Jan. 4, received 14 points from Lawrence Rouse in a 72-51 Spartans’ loss. Colin Mosley scored nine points for West Springfield, while Josh Armstrong and Ali Kazmi scored eight and seven points, respectively. Bobby Freedman tallied 19 for Lake Braddock.
Lee, looking for its first win, played Bladensburg (Md.) tough in a 54-40 home loss last Saturday night. The Lancers took an early 15-6 lead and led 23-20 at the half. Maseer Ghorab scored 16 points in the game for the Lancers, while KC Clark added 15.
In Lee’s recent loss to West Springfield, good outings for the Lancers came from David Johnson (10 points, 7 rebounds), KT Taylor (13 points) and Clark (10 points). Lee will play at district opponent West Potomac this Friday night. West Springfield will play at T.C. Williams.