Park View High School’s boys and girls basketball teams defeated the Highland Hawks on Dec. 28 to win championships in the Park View Holiday Classic.

Park View and Highland both won first round games Dec. 27 to advance to the finals. The host Patriots swept Manassas Park and the Hawks swept Brentsville.

The girls championship game was contested first Wednesday. The contest got off to a slow start as neither team scored until midway through the first quarter, when Park View junior Brittney Williams sank a free throw.

Highland answered with two free throws and a field goal of its own, before a scoring run by senior Kylie Himmelberg helped the Patriots wrap up the quarter with a 10-4 lead.

Himmelberg was later selected as the Most Valuable Player of the girls tournament. Freshman Randi Snead was also named to the All-Tournament team. 

“She’s our team leader,” Park View coach Lorraine Kitchen said of Himmelberg. “There’s not a lot she doesn’t do.”

Highland started the second quarter already in the bonus, but was unable to capitalize enough at the foul line to take a lead. Park View senior Yorkie Torto scored seven points in the second quarter, and the Patriots ended the half up 25-16.

A sluggish second half enabled Highland to mount a comeback. The Hawks went on an 8-2 run in the third quarter and then held Park View scoreless for the first three minutes of the fourth quarter to pull within 31-30. Torto broke the drought and the Patriots pulled away down the stretch for the 43-35 win.

Torto was Park View’s leading scorer with 19 points, while Himmelberg added 11.

Park View started quick in the boys game with senior Dante Absher sinking a pair of free throws just seconds into the contest. The Patriots led by three after the first quarter.

Park View extended that advantage in the second quarter, outscoring Highland 23-11. The Patriots ran off 12 consecutive points in the quarter and built a 40-25 halftime lead.

Following an evenly played third quarter, the Hawks scored the first seven points of the fourth to pull within eight. But Park View quickly recovered and outscored Highland 22-9 the rest of the way to cap off its 80-59 victory.

“It’s a solid team win that will hopefully get us on a roll,” Park View head coach Mike Koscinski said.

Senior Alec Domkowski led the Patriots in scoring with 26 points, followed by senior Ryan McCarter with 25. Both players were selected to the All-Tournament team, with Domkowski voted Most Valuable Player. Absher and Cody Horvath also scored in double figures for Park View.

All-Tournament Teams

Boys

MVP - Alec Dombkowski (Sr.) - Park View 

Derek Appleton (Jr.) - Manassas Park
Sean Donovan (Sr.) - Brentsville
Logan Miller (So.) - Highland
Ryan McCarter (Sr.) - Park View

Girls

MVP - Kylie Himmelberger (Sr.) - Park View 

Ashley Winslow (So.) - Brentsville
Lauren Frye (Jr.) - Highland
Tianna Woodson (Sr.) - Manassas Park
Randi Snead (Fr.) - Park View

-Below photos by Beverly Denny and Alanna Dvorak