Taline Tahmassian, Langley Soccer, 2001
Langley star recorded 96 goals and before winning NCAA title at Santa Clara.
How good Taline Tahmassian was on the soccer field can be measured by the pages of old newspapers. Tahmassian and the Saxons could be seen celebrating in photographs while snappy headlines chronicled their victories in a week-by-week scrapbook of archived clippings.
Top 100: Jon Carman, Herndon, Football, 1994
Herndon's gentle giant went from the band to the football field and into the NFL.
The legend of Jon Carman has outgrown the "gentle giant's" 6-foot 7-inch, 350-pound body frame. Any coach or neighborhood kid from back in Carman's day remembers his own story about the giant with the big hands whose mother, Betty, said he drank two gallons of milk a day.
Nate Friends, McLean Soccer, Basketball, 1991
Friends dominated the basketball court and soccer field to help McLean to several regional tournament appearances.
Chantilly coach Jim Smith was a relative unknown when he took over the reeling McLean High School boys basketball team back in 1989.
Top 100: Lori Grimm, Washington-Lee, Softball, 1976
In Arlington sports lore, Grimm has excelled as female athlete and coach.
When being a female sports standout was not the norm back in the mid 1970's, Arlington's Lori Grimm excelled on the softball diamond, the soccer field, and the basketball court.
Top 100: Morgan Marr, Madison Softball, 1999
Free-spirited Marr pitched her way to success, four all-state selections, two region titles, and SEC pitching.
What made 1999 Madison graduate and four-time all-state softball selection Morgan Marr so special was that she had "the gracefulness and competitiveness all in one," said her mother Barbara, who used to drive her ballerina daughter between softball games, dance classes and beauty pageants.
Top 100: Norris Davis, South Lakes, 1984
Seahawk wide receiver, defensive back and track star went on to UNC and was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs.
There is no telling how much damage Norris Davis could have done on the high school football field if given the opportunity to play the position that his talent eventually led him to while at the University of North Carolina.
Top 100: John Crone, Yorktown, Football, 2004
Team leader dominated on the gridiron and at the plate for the Patriots.
Few Arlington-area prep school athletic stars have been the overpowering Northern Region forces in two sports that recent Yorktown High graduate John Crone (Class of 2004) was.
Top 100: Jasmine Thomas, Oakton, Basketball, 2007
Only a senior in high school, Thomas is already one of the Northern Region's greatest.
Jasmine Thomas is only a rising senior in high school. The career statistics for Thomas, arguably one of the greatest — if not the greatest — Northern Region girls basketball player, have not been finalized.
Top 100: Lindsey Ertter, Langley, Swim, 2001
Ertter won six state titles and swam in two Olympic trials
Lindsey Ertter is retired now, but not really. The 2001 Langley High School graduate and breaststroker said that she is still coming to grips with missing out on the Olympic swimming goal she dreamed up while watching Janet Evans cruise to gold in the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
Top 100: Clay Kirby, Washington-Lee Baseball, 1966
Former Generals ace pitched for `Big Red Machine' in the 70s.
Whether his teams were winning big or losing big, former major league pitcher Clay Kirby could always be counted on to take the mound and give his team some quality innings.
Top 100: John Curtis, Fairfax 1988, Wrestler
Collegiate All-American applies lessons learned from wrestling to all aspects of life.
During his senior year at Fairfax High School, John Curtis never slept on his back, because that is the position a wrestler is in when he gets pinned.
Top 100: Michelle Pearson, Gymnastics, Edison 2000
The powerful gymnast earned six individual state titles in two years.
Strength is the word that comes out of people's mouths when asked about Michelle Pearson. According to the Virginia High School League record book, the 2000 Edison graduate is the most decorated female individual high school gymnast in the Northern Region's history with six titles.
Top 100: Alexa Lange, Herndon, Track, 1990
"Go-Go Lexa" won 1988 state title after nearly quitting running.
Alexa Lange, the 1988 3200-meter AAA state track champion, 1989 AAA state cross-country runner-up, 1989 third place finisher at the FootLocker National Southeast regional cross-country tournament and 1999 Texas State Championship triathlete, never saw the point in running before she set foot on the track at Herndon High School.
Top 100: Robbie Maclay, Langley, Lacrosse, 2006
Lacrosse All-American Robbie Maclay played 12 seasons of sports at Langley.
Langley 2006 graduate Robbie Maclay's impact is still fresh in the minds of lacrosse fans, players and coaches in the Northern Region. Maclay just graduated from Langley after having competed in 12 seasons of sports and after becoming the first athlete to do so in 10 years at the McLean-based high school.
Top 100: Michelle Duhart, Wakefield Basketball, 1996
Warriors' all-time scoring leader went on to play on Purdue's national championship team.
Michelle Duhart recently recalled her ninth grade year as a member of the Wakefield High girls basketball team. That Warriors squad, coached by current Wakefield Athletic Director Noel Deskins, struggled to be competitive that season. So team members looked for little victories.