June 15 - 21, 2023
Falls Church, Virginia • w w w . fc n p . c o m • Free
Founded 1991 • V o l . X X X III N o . 18
The City of Falls Church’s Independent, Locally-Owned Newspaper of Record, Serving N. Virginia
Democratic Primary Election Is Tuesday
Feet Do The Talking
State Senate, Commonwealth Attorney Races Both Heated by Charlie Clark
This coming Tuesday, June 20, is the official election day after a month of early voting for the Democratic primary when Falls Church voters will decide who that party’s nominees will be for State Senate in the newly reconfigured 37th District, now covering Falls Church, and for the Commonwealth’s Attorney for the Arlington/Falls Church circuit. On election day, polls will be open from 6 a.m. — 7 p.m. Both races have been highly contentious. In the State Senate race, due to redistricting, Falls Church voters will be choosing a new state senator for the first time, the choices being between State Sen. Chap Petersen, whose district before this year was west of Falls Church, and Sadam Salim. In the waning days before the election, however, it is the Commonwealth’s Attorney race between incumbent Parisa Dehghani-Tafti and challenger Josh Katcher that has taken the most contentious turn. The tragedy of young Braylon Meade’s death by an Arlington drunk juvenile driver last November, which has become central in the testy campaign, raised a slew of crime questions. They include, When do local prosecutors charge an underage offender as an adult? And, more important for voters, Are there really differences in the views of incumbent
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THE MERIDIAN HIGH SCHOOL Boys Soccer team took home the 2023 state title last weekend in a close match that was decided on PKs. (Photo: Shawna Russell.)
Meridian Takes Home 2023 State Soccer Title by Ryan McCafferty
Falls Church’s Meridian High School Mustangs boys soccer team won the state championship last weekend in a defensive slugfest that went scoreless through both halves of regulation, two five-minute overtimes, two more sudden death overtimes, finally decided by the very last penalty kick. Mustang goalkeeper Inigo Diz was the hero, completing the state tournament allowing nary a single regulation goal across any of the three final games, It was a back-and-forth affair between Meridian and the Charlottesville Black Knights,
who’d knocked out defending champion Tabb in what would’ve been a rematch from last year. Both teams saw plenty of scoring chances during regulation. The Mustangs held the edge in the possession battle but Charlottesville seemed to generate more high-danger opportunities. However none of them could get past Diz and his stingy defensive support. Then, after Meridian made its first four of five penalty shots but was stopped on the fifth, Charlottesville had a chance to tie the game but Diz made one more save, the most important one of the day. “I felt like (Argentinian goal-
keeper) Emiliano Martinez,” said Diz, referencing the World Cup champion. “It’s all just mind games (on the penalty shots), you can’t let it get into your head.” Diz is one of nine seniors on the Meridian championship squad, which has finished the year with a record of 18-3-1, winning its last eight games. The Mustangs never lost again after a 2-1 loss at Manassas Park on April 21, which dropped them to 5-3 at the time, as their only other non-win moving forward was a tie – also against Manassas Park – at home on May 9. Meridian was helped during the postseason by Manassas Park and Tabb both
being eliminated by other opponents, and the Mustangs pounced on the opportunity provided for them. “There are no words to describe how much it means to these kids,” said Meridian head coach Nathan Greiner after the state title win “They’ve overcome so much adversity… it’s the only fitting way for this season to end.” Meridian’s athletic programs are no strangers to success at the state level. But every class is different, and for those involved in the 2023 boys’ soccer team’s special run, it’s one they’ll never forget.