With the game on the line in the fourth quarter, Harrison Patel provided whatever was needed.

The sports year for 2019 overflowed with competitive events and was filled with numerous athletic achievements, championships and near titles by teams and individuals specific to the Sun Gazette’s various coverage areas.

LANGLEY SENIOR ALL-STATE IN FOOTBALL: Langley High School senior runningback Tre Vasiliadis was chosen second-team all-state in the Virginia High School League’s Class 6 category.

There hasn’t been any basketball team busier in recent days than the Flint Hill Huskies, who had five games scheduled last week and played six games in a nine-day stretch.

During the McLean Highlanders’ 67-56 win over the Fairfax Rebels in girls Liberty District high-school basketball action last week, senior guard Elizabeth Dufrane became the school’s all-time leading scorer in basketball, for boys and girls.

The end-zone seats in football and the stands behind the hoops in basketball have long been some of the most famous and popular spots to gather and watch those two sports.

With injured starters missing from their lineup in recent weeks, the Marshall Statesmen have persevered - winning games and losing others by close scores to top opponents.

Flint Hill School senior volleyball player Sydney Reed, who helped lead the Huskies to a 31-1 record during the fall and conference, metro and state championship, has been chosen as Gatorade’s girls high-school Virginia Volleyball Player of the Year. Reed is the fourth Flint Hill girls volle…

The host Madison Warhawks defeated the Oakton Cougars, 55-39, on Jan. 10 in a neighborhood rivalry boys game between the neighborhood high-school basketball rivals.

The Langley Saxons swept the McLean Highlanders in a neighborhood girls and boys high-school basketball doubleheader on Jan. 10.

LANGLEY WRESTLING: With two individual champions, the Langley Saxons finished second in the Panther Invitational.

It was a perfect place to hold a celebration of life for Bill Murphy because the Vienna Post 180 American Legion Hall on Center Street was at one time kind of his second home.

It's interesting sometimes to peek over the shoulders of those keeping the two manual scorebooks at high-school basketball games to see how they approach that task.

If their previous game, resulting in a blowout loss, was their worst outing of the season so far, then the Madison Warhawks responded well in the boys basketball team's next contest.

HOLIDAY WRESTLING: A number of local teams participated at the Battle of the Bridge holiday wrestling competition at Woodbridge High School.

So many things, in so many sports, are different these days. Consider the various sneakers and socks in high-school basketball.

The Langley Saxons defeated the Fairfax Rebels, 35-34, during a recent holiday-tournament game.

The Madison Warhawks (13-0) continued undefeated by winning the championship at the girls National Title IX Holiday Invitational Conference & Classic basketball tournament in Washington, D.C., during the holiday break.

He was a longstanding youth sports and stalwart of summer baseball presence in Vienna - from his versatile and busy involvement in Little League, then his position as the dedicated and caring commissioner of the American Legion District 17.

The Marshall Statesmen played and lost to the Bishop O'Connell Knights, 64-33, in a semifinal game of the girls Rebel Roundball Classic at Fairfax High School on Dec. 27. Marshall finished third in the tournament with a 2-1 record.

Following is a new year’s local high-school sports wish list for 2020.

The Oakton High School girls and boys basketball teams each finished 3-0 at holiday competitions, with the boys winning the championship at the Glory Days Grill Tournament at Lake Braddock Secondary School.

If the Langley Saxons are involved, the games must be close.

Some of the best and most fun events during the wintertime high-school sports seasons are the many neighborhood rivalry basketball games in the Sun Gazette’s various coverage areas and beyond.

The McLean Highlanders (6-2) continued their strong start to the girls high-school basketball season with three recent dominating victories.

This year, Jim Smith did hot have to delay his Christmas shopping until the 11th hour like the high-school basketball coach had done during so many previous Decembers.

By building early leads and never trailing, the host Madison Warhawks swept a girls and boys basketball doubleheader from the Marshall Statesmen the night of Dec. 18 in a neighborhood rivalry.

The host Madison Warhawks defeated the W.T. Woodson Cavaliers, 50-36, in a recent girls high-school basketball game.

BASKETBALL: In an early-season boys basketball rivalry game, the host Potomac School Panthers defeated the Flint Hill Huskies, 60-53, in their new gym Dec. 14 in high-school action.