By Owen Gotimer LoCoSports Editor-in-Chief [twitter-follow screen_name=’BigO_Gotimer’] Leesburg (January 7, 2017) — Even with a two-hour delay to start the school day, the Heritage High School boys basketball team did not arrive at Loudoun County High School sluggish. The Pride roared to an early lead and never looked back as they defeated their crosstown rival Raiders, 71-38, in a Conference 21B match up. “We’re starting to buy into what we’re supposed to be doing defensively. That’s enabling us to start scoring more points because we’ve been a little more aggressive,” Heritage head coach Sam Carpenter said. “We’re also playing with…

By Owen Gotimer LoCoSports Editor-in-Chief [twitter-follow screen_name=’BigO_Gotimer’] Leesburg (January 4, 2017) — In a conference regularly dominated by Loudoun County, the Heritage High School and up-and-coming Park View High School girls basketball teams have made some noise early in the 2016-2017 season. When the Conference 21B No. 2 Lady Pride and No. 3 Lady Patriots met in Leesburg on January 3, Park View held a lead until midway through the third quarter before falling to Heritage, 66-54. “We just locked down on defense, got better spacing on offense, and the girls just trusted each other more,” Heritage head coach Reggie…

Ashburn (January 3, 2017) — Stone Bridge High School senior Gracie Yacura has made a commitment to play field hockey at Vassar College beginning in the 2016-2017 academic year. “It feels great to already know where I’m going and to only have to apply to one school,” the 5-foot-4 Yacura said. “It feels like all my hard work has paid off, and I finally have something to show for it.” All of the field hockey student-athletes in Loudoun County had something to show for their hard work in 2016, when LCPS introduced field hockey as a varsity sport. Yacura and…

By Owen Gotimer LoCoSports Editor-in-Chief [twitter-follow screen_name=’BigO_Gotimer’] Leesburg (December 21, 2016) — For the second night in a row, the Loudoun County High School boys basketball team took care of business on their home court as they dispatched Conference 21B foe Park View High School, 87-46, on December 20 in Leesburg. Led offensively by senior guards Tyler Karol and Charlie Turnage and sophomore guard Joe Alexander, the Raiders jumped out to an early lead and never looked back. “My guys needed some confidence. They needed to know how to hold leads and how to win,” Loudoun County head coach Mark…

By Owen Gotimer LoCoSports Editor-in-Chief [twitter-follow screen_name=’BigO_Gotimer’] Leesburg (December 10, 2016) — With a three-point lead late in the fourth quarter, the Heritage High School boys basketball team turned their focus to defending the Broad Run High School shooters. In fact, the Pride had one shooter in mind – red hot senior shooting guard Drew Johnson. Extending well beyond the three-point line, Heritage forced Johnson to take an off balance shot which he failed to connect on as the Pride held on to beat the Spartans, 49-46, in Leesburg on December 7. “We knew they were getting the ball to…

By Owen Gotimer LoCoSports Editor-in-Chief [twitter-follow screen_name=’BigO_Gotimer’] Purcellville (November 29, 2016) — Loudoun Valley High School senior Sydney Hays has made a commitment to continue her softball career at the University of Dallas starting in the 2017-2018 school year. “I was playing in a tournament in Denver over the summer and coach Krysiak was watching a game. I got an offer at the end of the game to play for Dallas,” the 5-foot-7 Hays said. “After visiting the university in September, I knew that’s where I wanted to spend the next four years of my life. I chose Dallas because of…