The official start of the 2024 high-school football season is still months away, but the Bishop O’Connell Knights and Washington-Liberty Generals gathered for a couple of recent and permitted offseason team workout sessions.
The two Arlington squads had not met in any kind of varsity football structured competitions for at least 20 years. The last time the teams met in regular-season play was in 1983, a contest won by private-school O’Connell, 21-0, over public-school Washington-Liberty, then Washington-Lee.
The scrimmages were arranged by head coaches Todd Sabatino (O’Connell) and Josh Shapiro (Washington-Liberty). Sabatino was a former assistant coach under Shapiro at W-L.
The second of the two workouts was at O’Connell the morning of April 27. The other was earlier in April, also at O’Connell.
The teams underwent seven-on-seven drills and clinic-type workouts at the scrimmages and did some technique work.
“We had talked about doing this, and it went well,” Sabatino said. “It was good getting some reps in like both teams did.”
Sabatino was impressed with the size of some of Washington-Liberty’s offensive linemen.
“Their line looked good. They will win some games this coming season with that line,” Sabatino said.
O’Connell and Washington-Liberty are working on playing for real during the 2025 and 2026 regular seasons, with one contest at each site.
“Those games would be good for Arlington football, if that can happen,” Shapiro said.
Practices for the upcoming fall season for both teams begin in early August.
