<b>Streak Snapped for Fairfax</b>
Without a loss since Sept. 5, the Fairfax field hockey team started to stress itself out. Whether it meant focusing more on a specific color of hairband, the same pair of socks or how some of the Rebel players laced up their spikes, the thoughts started to drift more toward the streak and away from the goal at hand.
And with Tuesday night’s 2-1 overtime loss to Chantilly in the semifinals of the Concorde District tournament, coach Amber Beaudoin’s team receiver a not-so-gentle reminder of what’s important.
“They put so much extra pressure on themselves because they were trying to keep a winning streak alive,” said Beaudoin, whose team possesses a 16-3 record and finished the regular season as the district’s top seed. “We were hoping the loss would be last week … if we really had to lose.”
Still, Fairfax has had an exceptional season. With individual efforts from senior captains Lisa Charney (15 goals, four assists) and Shelby Storosh (nine goals, seven assists), perennially overlooked Fairfax has changed its approach to focus on the upcoming Northern Region tournament, which begins early next week.
“We’ve been playing that chip-on-your-shoulder thing all year. We’re kind of the Rodney Dangerfield of field hockey,” said Beaudoin, who’s been the team’s head coach since 2001. “We’re still the second seed in regionals, and we just have to win from here on out.”
<b>Edison Fined, Not Required to Forfeit Wins</b>
Despite a brief scare, Edison’s football team will not have to forfeit any games for using an ineligible player, according to a Virginia High School League ruling made last week. Six of Edison’s first seven wins came into question, but the VHSL instead slapped the Eagles with a $1,000 fine and issued a formal warning.
Though the player was not specified, Edison was found guilty of the “Transfer Rule,” stating that "the student shall not have enrolled in one high school and subsequently transferred to and enrolled in another high school without a corresponding change in the residence of his/her parents, parent, or guardian."
With 30.5 power points, Edison (8-0, 5-0 National) has the state’s third-highest Division 5 spot in the BCS-style, formulaic system. Those six wins could have reversed the fortunes of several area teams, as Edison has victories over area contenders West Springfield, South County, Yorktown and Mount Vernon — all of whom would advance to the Northern Region playoffs if the season ended today.
<b>Stallions Rebound Against West Potomac</b>
After a 52-42 loss at West Springfield on Oct. 10, the South County football team had suffered its first Patriot District loss of the season and a matchup the following week with West Potomac loomed large. But courtesy of three touchdown passes from junior Aaron Andrews, South County erased all doubt and walked away with a 38-0 homecoming win over the Wolverines. Andrews completed five of his 13 passes for 87 yards and delivered scoring strikes to senior Eric Dorsey, senior Kevin Michaels and junior Nico Doublet. With 25.5 power points, the Stallions (5-3, 4-1 Patriot) currently hold the No. 7 seed in the Northern Region Division 6 playoff race. South County will host Hayfield on Friday.
<b>Lake Braddock’s Orchard Named CCSA Diver of the Week</b>
Austin Orchard, a sophomore at VMI and a graduate of Lake Braddock Secondary School, was selected as the Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association’s Diver of the Week for meets competed Oct. 6-12. A native of Alexandria, Orchard won two diving events against Georgetown, the first collegiate meet of his career. Orchard established a new CCSA record in the three-meter event with a score of 229.65. He came up just shy of the one-meter record, finishing with a score 224.70.