Sterling, Va. — Just one week after the USA celebrated its birthday, Potomac Falls High School graduate Holly Carlton had another reason to celebrate the Stars and Stripes. On July 11, Carlton was named to the 2017 US Women’s Junior National Team which will represent the United States at the 2017 FIVB U20 World Championship. “I’m extremely excited for this opportunity,” the 6-foot-7 Carlton said. “The tryout was a tough week of competition and training, but I’m really excited and looking forward to playing hard and representing my country in Worlds!” After helping the US to gold at the U20…

Leesburg, Va. — Riverside High School rising junior Celia Eitzel has made an early verbal commitment to continue her soccer career at Miami University of Ohio beginning in the 2019-2020 academic year. “I chose Miami because it really is the perfect school for me. I also love the team atmosphere and coaches,” the 5-foot-7 Eitzel said. “The academics are amazing, and they prepare students very well to be successful in life after Miami. The campus is gorgeous and everything from their student centers to their athletic complex is perfect. Miami is a place I would go even without soccer; it’s where…

By Owen Gotimer LoCoSports Editor-in-Chief [twitter-follow screen_name=’BigO_Gotimer’] Leesburg (June 7, 2017) – It took Riverside High School sophomore attack Taylor Musa less than 30 seconds to seal the Rams’ fate in a VHSL 4A state semifinal overtime against Midlothian High School on June 6 in Leesburg. Musa – who scored a game-high five goals – swept across the top left of the crease, found an opening and fired: Riverside 11, Midlothian 10. “We really stuck in there when it got close. We’re not really used to that,” Musa said. “Coach wrote up a nice play, and we executed.” Oddly enough,…

By Owen Gotimer LoCoSports Editor-in-Chief [twitter-follow screen_name=’BigO_Gotimer’] Leesburg (June 7, 2017) – As if winning a group and zone title in the school’s second year wasn’t enough, the Riverside High School girls lacrosse team came out like they had something to prove when they hosted VHSL 4A South zone runner up Monticello in a VHSL 4A state semifinal on June 6 in Leesburg. After winning the opening faceoff, Riverside sophomore Kendra Keyser made a quick outlet pass to sophomore midfielder Sydney Ash, who scored the first goal of the game just over 30 seconds in. And the Lady Rams’ goals…

By Owen Gotimer LoCoSports Editor-in-Chief [twitter-follow screen_name=’BigO_Gotimer’] Ashburn (June 3, 2017) – Beating a team three times in the same season is a tall task, especially when that team is your crosstown rival. Yet, the Briar Woods High School boys lacrosse team seemed up for the challenge against rival Stone Bridge High School on June 2 in Ashburn. In front of their home crowd, the Falcons used an aggressive faceoff game to battle back from a four-goal, fourth quarter deficit to even the game at 8-8 with three minutes to play. However, the Bulldogs’ offense was too tactful in their…

Ashburn, Va. — After watching the Stone Bridge High School softball team play for a state championship in 2013, then-eighth grader Jess Osborne had hopes of returning to the state playoffs in 2014. However, those dreams were cut short by a VHSL 5A North region semifinal loss to Patrick Henry in early June 2014. In 2015, the Lady Bulldogs once again fell short, losing in the Conference 14 third-place game to Broad Run in late May. Then in 2016, Stone Bridge defeated a battle-tested Brooke Point team before falling to eventual VHSL 5A state champion Atlee in a region semifinal.…