Leesburg, Va. — Senior night is meant to be a celebration of family and friends, honoring senior student-athletes for their accomplishments on and off the court over their high school careers. In the COVID-era, however, senior nights look a whole lot different. Despite an empty gym—and their families streaming their game and senior night ceremony online—Heritage High School seniors Nikki Dean and Emily Whitehouse had a lot to celebrate on their senior night: four years of dedication to the Pride girls basketball program, the opportunity to play their senior seasons, and their first win of the year. And to make…
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. — The 6-foot-5 point guard watched his Rock Ridge Phoenix jump out to a big lead early before Stone Bridge cut the lead to just 2 points before the end of the first quarter. He watched as the Phoenix once again took a double-digit lead to have the Bulldogs cut it to 2 points again at the half. Greg Spurlock had seen enough. As the second half started, Spurlock took matters into his own hands. After Stone Bridge briefly took the lead, Rock Ridge senior forward Nick Ondrus scored on an and-one layup to retake the lead. Ondrus…
Leesburg, Va. — When you jump on a team from the get go, you can steal the momentum, knock the wind out of your opposition’s sails, and put a cushion on the scoreboard. That’s just what the Loudoun Valley High School boys basketball team did when they traveled to Tuscarora on January 7 as the Vikings outscored the Huskies 21-8 in the first quarter and went on to win the non-district clash, 66-52. “We’ve got good shooters so that wasn’t surprising, but it was definitely a motivating factor to see the ball go in the hole early,” Loudoun Valley head…
Ashburn, Va. — Just over three years ago, then Stone Bridge freshman Audrey Cowden, Taylor Hafer, and Sarah O’Day stepped on the court for the varsity Bulldogs for the first time. That team was led by a pair of elite scorers, but Cowden, Hafer, and O’Day did their part to contribute. Now, the three are suiting up together for one final season as seniors, and their growth over the past three years has proved fruitful. “They started with us as freshmen, and during those years we had a few superstars, but this year, we don’t have someone that stands out…
Ashburn, Va. — From the opening “tip” to the final whistle, the night belonged to the Broad Run Spartans. Traveling into enemy territory against an athletic and physical Independence team, the Broad Run boys basketball team knew they had their work cut out from them—and the Spartans rose to the occasion. Broad Run senior guard Luke Schwartzbeck, junior guard Arnav Thornhill, and sophomore forward Matin Perdue all finished in double figures as the Spartans rolled past the Tigers, 64-40, on January 5 in Ashburn. “You don’t have to worry about anybody taking away this or taking away that because it’s…
Ashburn, Va. — For the last few years, Greg Spurlock has been too unselfish. But, now, after years of convincing, the 6-foot-5 point guard is showing why he’s one of the most lethal scorers in Loudoun County. Spurlock put his scoring prowess on display as he dropped a game-high 29 points, leading the Rock Ridge Phoenix past Potomac District foe Potomac Falls, 72-52, on January 4 in Ashburn. “Greg has been too unselfish to start the season. That’s just his nature. For the last two years, we’ve had to hammer him, ‘Shoot more. Shoot more. Shoot more,’” Rock Ridge head…