TC Hoops Champions Looking to Another Outstanding Season

Photo by Local Kicks The TC Williams Basketball Team celebrate their State Championship at City Hall in 2008.

ALEXANDRIA, VA. -  The T.C, Williams boys basketball team ('07/'08 State Champions) ('08/'09 Northern Region Champions) are looking to have another outstanding season this winter.  

The Titans are led this season by Ryan Yates and Billy Rowland, just to name a few.

The Titans will visit Hayfield (12-08) and then will host West Springfield (12-11) and then will visit Annandale (12-18).

Danny Coale (Episcopal '07) is currently a starting wide receiver for the Virginia Tech Football team.

The 9-3 Hokies will square off with the University of Tennessee on Dec. 31in Atlanta at the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Coale has had a couple of spectacular games this season, most notably vs. Nebraska and vs. Virginia.  

Coale has two more seasons of eligibility following the current campaign.

Holiday Sports Trivia

"DID YOU KNOW" that: 1) T.C. Williams head boys Basketball Coach Julian King played collegiately at Coppin State (Baltimore) in the '90's.

2) T.C. Williams head girls Basketball Coach Cavanaugh Hagen graduated from T.C. Williams in 2001 and played collegiately at Canisus (Buffalo, N.Y.).

3) St. Stephens/St. Agnes head boys Basketball Coach Kevin McLinton played collegiately at the University of Maryland in the late '80's.

4) Bishop Ireton head boys Basketball Coach Mike Hutton has not only coached girls basketball at Cambridge Road, but he has also coached boys basketball, boys tennis and girls tennis.

5) Episcopal head boys Basketball Coach Jimmy Fitzpatrick played collegiately at Wake Forest University.

6) Episcopal head Wrestling Coach Steve Castle is also the football teams defensive coordinator (for head football coach Mark Gowin).

7) St. Stephens/St. Agnes head Wrestling Coach Joe Shabelski is a graduate of SSSA (early '90's) and is also a member of the Washington Nationals "grounds crew" during his time off in the spring/summer.

8) Ireton head Swim/Dive Coach Peggy Veducci is the wife of the Cardinals head football coach Tony Verducci.

9) Ireton head Wrestling Coach Don Dight is the uncle of former Ireton wrestler Nick Dight - who graduated in 2005 and at last report is living in New Jersey.

10) T.C. former standout Basketball Player Anthony Winbush ('08) is on full scholarship at Loyola (Baltimore) and is aiming to help lead the Greyhounds to the NCAA Tourney in March '10.

The Bishop Ireton girls basketball team captured the prestigious St. Stephens/St. Agnes "Tip-Off" Tournament Title this past weekend in convincing fashion.

The Lady Cardinals, coached by veteran Mike Hutton, defeated the host Lady Saints 77-41 in the Championship contest - one day after defeating St. Catherine's (Richmond) 52-48 in the semi-finals.

Ireton senior Sarah Baldwin was named MVP of the Tournament as she poured in 26 points versus SSSA (six treys) and she also poured in 12 points versus St. Catherines.

In addition, junior Kelsey Luck added 11 points versus SSSA and added eight points versus St. Catherines.

The Cardinals need to earn as many non-conference wins as possible in order to qualify for the February '10 VIS Tournament - due to the fact that wins are very difficult to procure once WCAC league play commences in the upcoming weeks.

Under Hutton's leadership, the Cardinals have won the "Tip-Off" Tournament on a number of occasions over the past decade as well.

The Skins Brutally Disappoint

The Washington Redskins fell to the New Orleans Saints 33-30 (OT) in a brutally disappointing fashion - December 6th at FEDEX.

Head coach Jim Zorn was quoted by various news sources as saying that it was the most frustrating loss this season.

In an interesting note, this writer - David Steinbacher, worked as an usher in Seattle in 1978 when Zorn was then the young quarterback of the Seattle Seahawks.

Furthermore, Steinbacher now works as a vendor at FEDEX as well as several other venues and in the process is witness to Coach Zorn's valiant efforts to attempt to turn around the Washington Redskin program.

In the Skins last three games they have fallen to Dallas 7-6, to Philadelphia 27-24 and to New Orleans 33-30 (OT). The Skins weigh-in at 3-9 on the disappointing season.Upcoming games include: Dec. 13th - at Oakland and Dec. 21st - home vs. N.Y. Giants.