Athletics Newsletter

May 26, 2017

SOFTBALL WINS STATE CHAMPIONSHIP!

A hot and sticky day didn't get in the way of a State Championship title for our Lady Knights. On May 19, the O'Connell softball team traveled down to Sutherland, Va. to take on the No. 6 seed Norfolk Christian Academy. It was an 8-0 shutout for the Lady Knights, propelling them to their 23rd shutout and ending with a perfect 27-0 season! O'Connell has been a frequent name on the VISAA State Championship board, making this the sixth straight championship and the 22nd in O'Connell program history.

The Lady Knights finished their season ranked #1 in The Washington Post local rankings and #3 in the USA TODAY High School Sports national rankings. They have been nationally ranked every year since the polls have started back in the 90s, making this the third Top 10 finish in DJO program history. Want to read more about this team's stats? Click here...

And to put the cherry on top of a magical season, Head Coach Tommy Orndorff was named WCAC Coach of The Year. With 32 years at O'Connell, Coach Tommy-O has made his mark on the WCAC, leading the 2017 Lady Knights in a 20-win plateau for the 27th time in 25 straight years. Congratulations Coach Tommy, we are so proud of you! GO KNIGHTS!

A Little Bit of Golf

We have some talented O'Connell Golfers out there on the courses. A standout this year was senior Sebastien Bonte, who medaled at the WCAC Tournament, earning 1st Team WCAC, and finished in the Top 10 in the VISAA State tournament. He is headed to play golf at the University of Mary Washington next year. Another great golfer on the rise is sophomore Jeremy Barto, who placed 9th at the VISAA State tournament and was named to the All State Team. Barto and freshman Muren Xu (Tiger) were named WCAC Honorable Mentions as well.

"This season was much improved and was filled with talented players surrounded by some solid role players," said Head Coach Greg Haas, who was named WCAC Coach of the Year. "I set some good line ups, matched them up the best I could and tried to stay out of their way. I'm fortunate to have been dealt such a good hand."

WCAC Championship Track and Field Results

This past weekend, our Boys and Girls Track and Field teams both placed in the top 8 in the WCAC Championships, despite having a smaller team compared to the competition. The boys team finished in 6th with a score of 39, while the girls placed 8th with a score of 28. Although DJO didn't place high as teams, some individuals had outstanding performances:

A NEW SCHOOL RECORD in the 400 M was set by Isabell Baltimore (58.12).
Cheyenne Plummer earned new personal records in both the 100 M and 200 M.
Girls 4x100 M relay consisting of Briana Somers, Cheyenne Plummer, Caroline Sullivan, and Isabell Baltimore placed 2nd.
To'ren Pride placed 3rd in triple jump, and 4th in long jump.
Amari Johnson placed 4th in shot put.
Max Greczyn placed 3rd in 1600 M.

Boys Lacrosse Program Sponsors Free Youth Clinic

Last Sunday, Varsity Head Coach Giblin, coaching staff, two current D1 lacrosse players/volunteer coaches and Varsity players volunteered to welcome 78 U12 and U14 boys to O'Connell's McMurtrie Field for a free lacrosse clinic. Coaches focused on offensive/defensive strategies and worked separately with goalies and FOGOs to improve their techniques. Players received free O'Connell Lacrosse t-shirts, Lacrosse Unlimited store coupons and Bishop O'Connell Admissions information.

"I was really pleased to see how many youngsters came to the clinic. It was a great opportunity to get to know the NoVa based youth leagues and find a way to give back to our community." Coach Giblin said. "NoVa is a hotbed of talent and our plan is to foster this talent at Bishop O'Connell in the near future. These young players will have an opportunity to attend O'Connell for an excellent Catholic education and to play lacrosse in the very competitive WCAC." Maddox L., a U12 Fauquier Youth Lacrosse player said, "I had fun! Coach Giblin taught us about fast breaks and slow breaks, and I also worked on Face-Offs with Coach Moon. I learned a lot and I already signed up for the summer camp too." Click here for more information on the summer AllMet lacrosse camp.

Coach Giblin will also be offering a club program for 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. Tryouts will be held on August 20th, 2017. Click Here for more info or email kagiblin6@gmail.com

Playing A Sport Next Year?

Have a student interested in participating in sports next school year 2017-2018? Parents can now fill out the required sports forms ONLINE! Log on through your MyDJO parent portal and click the Magnus Health Link! Please remember students must a have an updated physical (that is good for an entire calendar year) in order to participate. We are no longer accepting paper forms!

Spring Signing Day

On May 18, six DJO athletes signed college/university letters of intent to continue their talents at the next level.

Football

Stacey Watts Jr.- Frostburg State

Keith Evans- Chowan University

To'ren Pride- Hampton University

Swimming

Sydney Catron- New York University

Ice Hockey

Sophia Marra- Wesleyan University

Track and Field

Isabell Baltimore- Navy Prep School

Spring Sports WCAC All-Conference Selections

As the spring season comes to an end, the WCAC has announced the 2017 All-Conference teams.

CLICK HERE to view a current list of All-Conference athletes from all seasons, and check back for updates after the All-State and All-Met selections are announced.