How about playing 10 and 11 games in 22 days, or nine contests in 22?
Those are the types of busy schedules varsity high-school basketball teams in Arlington are facing when their seasons resume this week after winter sports in the county were “paused” by he superintendent of schools because of COVID for two weeks. The busy slates are necessary to complete the regular season by Feb. 10 in time to begin post-season district tournaments.
Basketball games were scheduled to resume for Wakefield, Washington-Liberty and Yorktown squads Jan. 18, with the season slated to finish Feb. 10.
Some of the teams last played and practiced the final week of December, while others were inactive even before that. The Washington-Liberty girls last played a game Dec. 10.
The teams were scheduled to resume practicing last week when the pause was lifted on Jan. 12, two days earlier than first announced. Teams have been holding player-only practices or “virtual” get-togethers or meetings before that.
All three schools play in the Liberty District against Fairfax County schools Herndon, Langley, Marshall and McLean. Fairfax school officials have not paused winter sports, although games have been postponed because of weather issues.
Dates that will have all-Arlington games between the Wakefield and York- town girls and boys teams are Jan. 18 and Feb. 10 in the regular-season finale. The Wakefield and W-L squads are scheduled to meet Feb. 1, then quickly again Feb. 4.
Any games postponed because of COVID or weather reasons for the remainder of the regular season likely will not be rescheduled. Arlington Superintendent Francisco Duran has left open the possibility he may rein pose a sports lock down if conditions warrant.
Standings and seedings for the Liberty District girls and boys tournaments will be based on the second round of regular-season games.
* The Bishop O’Connell Knights (9-5, 2-0) defeated Good Counsel by a 51-48 score, then downed DeMatha, 72-65, in Washington Catholic Athletic Conference boys high-school games in recent days.
Two wins gave O’Connell seven victories in eight games.
In the win over DeMatha, Jadyn Harris scored 22 points to lead O’Connell. Delamortay Jones scored 15, Christian May 11 (three three-pointers), David Onanina eight, Machi Chester seven and Cavan Reilly six. Paul Lewis had three points.
O’Connell ended the week with a 68-64 loss to Greensboro Day School in the out-of-town Hoophall Classic. Jones had 14 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in the loss. Chester scored 12, Lewis scored 10 and had three assists, Reilly scored 10, May had five points and nine rebounds and Onanina blocked three shots.
O’Connell was outscored 12-5 in the fourth quarter.
O’Connell was ranked No. 3 in the first Division I state private-school poll in Virginia this season.
NOTE: O’Connell had last defeated perennial league power DeMatha in the final game of the 2019-20 regular season by a 66-63 score.
* The Bishop O’Connell Knights girls played their first game in nearly a month last week and lost to Good Counsel, 64-42, in Washington Catholic Athletic Conference action.
O’Connell trailed just 13-12 at the end of the first quarter, then was behind 40-23 at halftime. Keira Scott scored 18 points and made four three-pointers to lead O’Connell, with Sophia Carlisle having 10 points and Ella Macatuna five.
O’Connell next played and lost to McNamara, 80-26, in another WCAC contest .
The Knights had not played since Dec. 16 because of various COVID issues.