Leesburg, Va. — The Loudoun County High School field hockey team entered the 2019 season with two new coaches and without the 2018 Dulles District Player of the Year Abigail Stevens, who graduated in the spring. The Lady Raiders also opened their 2019 schedule against two 2018 VHSL 5A state tournament teams: the Stone Bridge Bulldogs and the Potomac Falls Panthers. When Potomac Falls travelled to Loudoun County on August 28, though, the Lady Raiders were already 1-0 – having dispatched the 2018 VHSL Region 5C runner up Stone Bridge Bulldogs, 4-2, on August 26 – and the Panthers were…
Author: Owen Gotimer
Owen Gotimer
Owen Gotimer is an award-winning journalist and small business owner from Leesburg, Virginia. After graduating from Heritage High School, Owen spent his college years at Syracuse University, where he studied broadcast and digital journalism in the renowned Newhouse School of Public Communications, before earning a Masters degree in social media, culture, and society from the University of Westminster. Owen owns OG Media, a full-service marketing partner specializing in website design & development, content creation, and graphic design & print. Additionally, Owen is the president of of the Jeffrey C. Fowler Memorial Scholarship.
Ashburn, Va. — Stone Bridge High School rising senior Schae Groton has made a verbal commitment to continue her soccer career at Fordham University starting in the 2020-2021 school year. “Being committed is a huge stress reliever considering the process is so long and challenging,” the 5-foot-6 Groton said. “I am very happy and excited that I chose what I feel is the best fit for me and now I can just focus on my game and improve myself as a player.” [adrotate banner=”29″] Groton’s continued determination and self-improvement helped lift Stone Bridge towards the top of the Potomac District…
Austin, Texas — With around 2,400 meters to go, Weini Kelati knew it was her time to make a move. The Heritage High School graduate and current University of New Mexico sophomore had led on and off throughout the NCAA 10,000-meter national championship race on June 6 and had no plans of finishing anywhere but the top. Kelati started the race out in front, pacing the field with an average lap of 1:20 for the first 7,600 meters, trading first and second place with Notre Dame senior Anna Rohrer. Then in her 20th lap, Kelati posted a 1:14, in what…
Ashburn, Va. — A complete game win. A three-run home run. A grand slam. And a region championship. That was Olivia Valbak’s night. When the Stone Bridge High School junior starter laced up her cleats before the VHSL Region 5C championship game against Freedom on May 31, she had a plan in place: do whatever she could to help her teammates. And she did more than enough to lift the Bulldogs to victory. “Watching Liv perform like she did was a treat for everybody,” Stone Bridge head coach Billy Rice said. “She’s been doing that stuff all year.” Even with…
Sterling, Va. — When it looked as though the Freedom High School girls lacrosse team would pull away, Potomac Falls found a spark. Facing a five-goal deficit with 18 minutes left, the Panthers rallied off six unanswered goals to steal the lead and the momentum, 13-12, with less than six minutes to play in the VHSL Region 5C championship game on May 28 in Sterling. “You can’t even think about winning with 18 minutes to go,” Freedom head coach Richard DeSomma said. “And they made their run.” The Eagles were able to rebound with a goal and hold off the…
Ashburn, Va. — As he stepped into the box with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh in a tied Potomac District championship, Briar Woods High School senior right fielder Aidan Willard was just waiting for a strike. Ball one. Strike one. Ball two. Ball three. “I knew he was kind of rattled, so I was just waiting for him to throw a strike,” Willard said. “The count was 2-1, then 3-1, so I knew he had to come at me.” [adrotate banner=”19″] In front of a packed stadium in Ashburn, against one of the school’s oldest rivals,…