The year 2015 included championship glory for multiple McLean/Great Falls high school sports teams, and one team just missed taking home a state title.
Langley High School had two teams win state championships and others fall just short. McLean captured a team state title, as well, and produced an individual championship on the wrestling mat.
The following is a look at some of the top moments in McLean/Great Falls high school sports from the year 2015.
Langley Boys’ Soccer Wins It All
The Langley boys’ soccer team completed a dominant 2015 season by winning the program’s first state championship.
The Saxons defeated Madison 2-0 in the 6A state final on June 13 at Robinson Secondary School, with goals from Jacob Labovitz and Cameron Bacso. It was the fourth time the Saxons beat the Warhawks during the season.
Langley finished the year with a 20-1-1 record and went unbeaten during its final 18 matches. Along with a state championship, the Saxons took home Conference 6 and 6A North region titles, as well.
McLean Gymnastics Captures State Championship
The McLean gymnastics team took home a trio of titles during the 2015 season, highlighted by winning the 6A state championship on Feb. 20 at Patriot High School.
After finishing state runner-up the year before, the Highlanders earned the program’s first state title with a score of 145, finishing ahead of second-place Stafford (144.75) by a quarter-point. McLean became the first Fairfax County program to win the big school state gymnastics championship since Langley won it all in 2004.
Jacqueline Green produced the Highlanders’ top score on floor (9.525), vault (9.425) and beam (9.35) during the event, and finished with a score of 8.8 on bars.
Lizzy Brown-Kaiser scored 9.15 or better in each event, with her best effort coming on floor (9.425).
Calista Parude, Carolyn Brown-Kaiser, Mathilde Larose, Madison Schumann and Delaney Gallagher also competed for the Highlanders.
McLean also won Conference 6 --- the Highlanders’ fourth straight conference/district title --- and 6A North region championships during the season.
Grappler Grammes Wins 152-Pound State Title
Conor Grammes is a standout middle infielder for the McLean baseball team and is committed to play at Xavier University.
Grammes’ most memorable performance of 2015, however, occurred on a wrestling mat.
Grammes won the 152-pound 6A state championship, defeating South County’s Jacob Wassif with a 5-2 decision on Feb. 20 at Robinson Secondary School. His effort helped the Highlanders finish seventh as a team.
Grammes defeated Herndon’s Samuel Milligan in the semifinals with a 6-3 decision.
Langley Volleyball Wins Region Championship
The Langley volleyball program won its second region championship in three years with a four-set victory over Madison on Nov. 14.
This time, however, the Saxons failed to follow their region title with a state crown.
Langley, which won the 2013 state title, faced Madison for the fifth time this season in the 6A state final on Nov. 20. The Saxons won the first set and two of the first three, but fell to the Warhawks in five sets at VCU’s Siegel Center in Richmond on Nov. 20.
Langley finished the season with a 25-6 record.
Langley Girls’ Swim, Dive Wins States
The Langley girls’ swim and dive team won the 2015 state championship with a score of 206, beating Oakton by two points.
It was the Saxons’ sixth state title since 1998.