By Owen Gotimer LoCoSports Editor-in-Chief [twitter-follow screen_name=’BigO_Gotimer’] Leesburg (February 3, 2017) – The rest of the gymnasts were finished competing. She had one event to go. All eyes were on her as she took a deep breath before the first of several tumbling passes in her floor routine. In front of a home crowd in Leesburg, Heritage High School sophomore Leah Trepal, not only had the pressure of being the conference-favorite on her shoulders, but also the weight of hundreds of eyes as she finished out the Conference 21B meet on February 1. After turning in top performance after top…
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.
By Owen Gotimer LoCoSports Editor-in-Chief [twitter-follow screen_name=’BigO_Gotimer’] Ashburn (February 1, 2017) — The Tuscarora High School gymnastics team headed to Ashburn on January 31 in an attempt to defend their 2016 conference title. Led by all-around champion Claire Pettit, the Lady Huskies accomplished their mission with a team score of 139.325, outlasting Potomac Falls High School, to repeat as Conference 14 champion. “It feels even better than last year, because it means it wasn’t just a fluke,” Tuscarora senior Julia Thoppil said. “We actually have the skill, and we were able to do it again.” After narrowly escaping the Lady…
By Owen Gotimer LoCoSports Editor-in-Chief [twitter-follow screen_name=’BigO_Gotimer’] Leesburg (January 27, 2017) – In front of a home crowd in Leesburg, Heritage High School senior point guard Zach Garrett tallied a near triple-double as the No. 2 Pride knocked off the previously-undefeated No. 1 Loudoun Valley Vikings, 63-60, in a Conference 21B clash of the titans on January 26. “We really played as a team. We moved the ball great and shot the ball great,” Garrett said. “But, most importantly, we had the heart. We were ready for this game, ready for this moment.” This isn’t a new story. It’s been…
By Owen Gotimer LoCoSports Editor-in-Chief [twitter-follow screen_name=’BigO_Gotimer’] Ashburn (January 14, 2017) – Down three points with 30 seconds left in the fourth quarter, everybody in the gym knew who the ball was going to. But it didn’t matter. He had the answer. Then in a tie game 20 seconds later, everybody in the gym once again knew who the ball was going to. But once again it didn’t matter. He had the answer. The answer: Anthony Cooper. After trailing for the majority of the game, Broad Run High School turned to senior point guard Anthony Cooper when they needed him…
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…