Osbourn Park Kicks Off Season With Dominant Win Over Potomac

The Osbourn Park starting lineup is introduced Friday night. 

(photo via Nova Sports Media Team @the_nsmt on Instagram and Twitter)

With an offseason that saw a huge shift in the Osbourn Park girl's basketball program, there was plenty to be excited about heading into Friday's home game versus Potomac. The Yellow Jackets would capitalize at home, defeating the Panthers 59 to 17. 

Both teams seemed to have a feeling-out process for the first three minutes. Junior Osbourn Park center Alex Brown would find senior guard Angie Yann for a three-pointer to go up 3-0. Potomac would turn the ball over via travel, and then call a timeout on defense. 

Sophomore Yellow Jacket Samia Snead would find Brown for a basket of her own to increase the lead to 5-0. Snead would follow up a minute later, finding freshman Janey Salinas for a three-pointer and an 8-1 lead. 

Salinas would get in on the defensive action, stealing the ball and connecting with sophomore guard Keyarah Rainey. Rainey would do it herself soon after on a steal and score, extending the lead to 12. Sophomore guard Jayel West would find Angie Yann for her second three-pointer of the quarter, as OP would close out the first quarter up 18-3. 

Osbourn Park would open up the second quarter with an Alex Brown basket via Angie Yann assist, followed by Potomac answering with their first basket of the night at the 5:18 mark. The Yellow Jackets defense was stifling all night long, leading to 19 steals. 

Alex Brown (left) lifted up her team Friday night with 12 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks and 1 steal.

(photo via The Nova Sports Media Team, @the_nsmt on Twitter and Instagram)

Alex Brown's first block of the night led to a Keyarah Rainey layup and a 24-5 lead for OP. Brown finished the night with a double-double: 12 points, 10 rebounds (6 offensive), 3 assists, 2 blocks, and 1 steal. I spoke to her afterwards. 

"I felt confident. I’d been working really hard in practice so I felt confident in my abilities. We played really well at times. We have a lot to work on still. Plenty of opportunities with layups, free throws and on defense. It’s the beginning of the season. We’re still figuring out our offense and growing."

A steal by sophomore guard Jaelyn Gorham would lead to an Alex Brown offensive rebound and putback, as OP went up 30-5. Gorham was aggressive on defense all night, accounting for 4 steals. 

With seconds left in the half, freshman guard Peyton Walters nearly ran out of time before putting up a long two (inches inside the three-point line) that went in as time expired on the half. Osbourn Park led 32-5. 

The third quarter saw no let-up in OP's defense, led by Keyarah Rainey. The talented guard would account for 7 of her game-high 18 points in the quarter- scoring & assisting on 5 out of the team's 6 baskets. Rainey finished the game with 18 points on 8-11 shooting, 5 steals, 4 rebounds and 2 assists. 

Sophomore guard Keyarah Rainey did it all Friday night, leading the Yellow Jackets with 18 points and 5 steals.

(photo via The Nova Sports Media Team, @the_nsmt on Twitter and Instagram)

I caught up with her afterwards. 

"Seeing us start off slow, I realized we needed to pick it up and bring up the energy of the team."

Osbourn Park would close out the game by outscoring Potomac 12-4 in the fourth quarter. Despite the big win, Yellow Jackets head coach Chrissy Kelly saw room for improvement. 

"Like I said before, it’s not talent- it’s the little things. When you jump ahead of those and get greedy- you become undisciplined. Even with a big difference in the score, you’re still responsible on the little things. As the season goes on, if you’re only practicing high risk, undisciplined- it’s going to wear on you and be ineffective. They’re young. It’s going to come down to coaching. I know they’re hungry and they want it. They play very hard- but they need to play hard and smart."

After the game when the crowd had left, Kelly met with former assistant coach- now Potomac head coach- Quiana Kizer and embraced in a hug. 

"I miss her, and I'm ready for her to come back," she said with a laugh. Kelly even admitted she had to adjust mid-game to the fact Kizer was on the other side. 

"I looked for her on the bench at one point when I was curious about our offensive rebounds."

Osbourn Park gets to celebrate the win over the weekend, but a match-up versus West Potomac (0-2) awaits the team Tuesday night at home at 7:30 pm. 

For more on the Osbourn Park girls basketball, follow them on Twitter @OPHSWBB and on Instagram @OPHSWBB. 

Get to the buzz-ness

- OP shot 23-55 (42%) and 4-18 from three-point land (22%)

- Both teams combined for 34 turnovers: Potomac- 19, OP- 15

- Osbourn Park went 9-15 at the charity stripe (60%)

- Peyton Walters finished the night with 8 points, 4 rebounds (3 offensive) with 1 steal

- Angie Yann was 2-3 from behind the arc, finishing with 6 points, 1 assist and 1 steal

A New Era for Osbourn Park Girl's Basketball

 

The basketball landscape for the girl's program has changed significantly, but head coach Chrissy Kelly's standard remains the same. 

(photo via InsideNova)

The 2022-23 season saw the Osbourn Park girls go 23-5, 11-1 in the Cedar Run District. The season would end with a 58-50 state quarterfinal loss to Manchester, which led to a massive shift for this year's team.

The team's three top players (Alana Powell, Kori Cole and Danielle Darfour) would all graduate. One of Coach Kelly's assistant coaches Quiana Kizer - affectionately known to the team as "Yawnie"- would get a head coaching opportunity at her alma mater, Potomac High School. 

Despite the change, the standard set by Kelly remains the same. The banners hanging in OP's gym don't lie: five district championships since 2018 (including three straight) as well as three straight regional championships. 

"We are at a point where we are understanding the standard- and the standard cannot gravitate towards us being a younger team. The standard has to be how hard we work, compete. If you don’t know something- go as hard as you can through mistakes. As we get experience and grow, you get better," said Kelly. 

Her mantra to this year's team: it's not talent. 

Sure, the Yellow Jackets boast plenty of talented players, but it's their work ethic that defines them. 

Sophomore guard Samia Snead is a great example. 

"I’ve been working out in the morning a few times a week on my shot and other things. I’m trying to get in the gym every day. Some days you don’t feel like it, but you do it because you know it’s for the better."

Snead- along with sophomores Keyarah Rainey and Jayel West- were impactful as freshman. 

"Our coaches preach to us that it's all about effort, energy and communication," said Rainey. 

"We’re young. Because of that, no one has stepped into that alpha role yet," said Coach Kelly. "Samia is working on it. She’s the most vocal. We’ll also look to Angie and AB for leadership as well."

AB is junior Alexandra Brown. The 6'2 center looks to put her mark on the season, and has already gotten interest from a number of colleges including Monmouth, Radford, William & Mary and St. John's. 

The hole left behind by the 2023 seniors is not lost on Snead. 

"I feel like since we lost three seniors last year, it’s time for us to step up and lead the freshman. We’re a really young team."

One of this year's two seniors, Angie Yann, is ready for the challenge of helping lead the team.

"There’s definitely a lot of pressure as a senior, but I really want to finish things out and win. We’ve been so close before. We have a lot of freshman and we're working on getting them up to speed. They’ve been doing well so far."

The other senior is Paige Walters. The challenge of leading a young team is one thing, but the adversity Walters has seen in two seasons has prepared her for 2023. Paige missed the last two seasons due to a torn rotator cuff and a torn ACL. 

"It means a lot to be on this team. When I was going through surgery, there was a lot of pressure and risk. You want to be better for yourself and your team, and you want to catch up on missed time."

One thing that helped Paige on her journey back to the court was her sister, Peyton, a freshman on this year's team. Their father told me he's been waiting for this year for a while so both would be on the same team together. 

"I'm really excited to play with Paige," said Peyton. "At first I was sad when she got hurt, but now I'm happy to see her improve on the court."

One freshman who caught my eye during practice was 5'10 Janey Salinas. Her ability to get a shot off quickly was just as impressive as her deep ball consistently going in, swishing each time. That added height and length is a welcomed addition for Osbourn Park. 

"I would watch OP play and saw how Coach Kelly coached and wanted to be a part of that. I just need to keep working on my shot, moving the ball on fast breaks and helping us get easy baskets," said Salinas. 

Assistant coach Ronell Marzett emphasized one of the biggest advantages he sees with this year's team.

"I think one of our team's biggest strength this year could be our speed. We have some height and length this year, but I think this is one of the most athletic teams we’ve had in recent years at OP so speed and athleticism could be two of our biggest strengths."

I then spoke to Coach Kelly about goals for this year's team. 

"There’s no goal. We need to be task-oriented and trust in the process. If you’re constantly chasing a goal and forgetting the tasks and process, there’s no goal to be achieved."

But for herself, Kelly admitted she looks to improve in certain areas.

"For me, I have to be patient. After games, I’ll work on not saying anything about the game until I watch film. I let the emotion of the game dictate my thoughts. The game is so fast and it’s hard to truly process everything correctly. This season I'll work on that."

Friday night will see the Yellow Jackets host Quiana Kizer and her Potomac Panthers. After speaking with players and coaches, it's quite apparent her impact on Osbourn Park is immeasurable. 

"I miss her," said Kelly. "She’s a big part of this program’s success. I miss her presence, knowledge and the positive energy she brough to the gym. She brought such great balance and was great with the kids. The head coach has to say the hard things kids don’t always want to hear, and that’s what she’ll need to adjust to at Potomac."

Current assistant coach Danni Jackson chimed in. "I'm extremely proud of Yawnie and excited to see her Friday night. It will be like old times when we were kids in our Forest Park vs Potomac days or Graham Park vs Rippon days. It’s always love but we are competitors at heart."

"It’s going to be interesting and weird at the same time going against Yawnie this Friday. Being that it’s our first game of the season, there’s some things that we would like to see that we’ve worked on, especially defensively. Yawnie is a good friend of ours so it should be fun," said Marzett.

Kizer's opportunity at Potomac created another for new assistant coach James West IV. West is  a 2017 graduate of Freedom (Woodbridge) and the older brother of Jayel West. He'd go on to play three years at Mount St. Mary's before transferring to Tusculum University. It's his first chance to be a coach, and he doesn't take it for granted. 

"It means everything to me, especially getting to coach my sister. I wanted to play overseas, but it didn’t work out," said West. "The one thing I can give to my youth is my knowledge of playing at a high level. This is the perfect place to start coaching for me."

But will he cut Jayel any slack?

"She knows how it is," he said with a smile. "She’s going to work. I’m trying to get these girls prepared for the next level and how hard it’s going to be."

West also looked ahead to Friday as the team looks to set the tone for the season. 

"It’s going to be a great game and very competitive. It’ll be a gritty game. We don’t expect anything easy and I’d have it no other way. Let’s jump into the fire early."

For more on the Osbourn Park Yellow Jackets, follow them on Twitter @OPHSWBB and on Instagram @OPHSWBB. 

Osbourn Park Inducts 2023 Hall of Fame Class

Osbourn Park inducted 11 more members to their Hall of Fame on October 26th at Old Hickory Golf Club.

The Osbourn Park community gathered at Old Hickory Golf Club to celebrate the school's third Hall of Fame Class last week. Eleven more members were inducted, bringing the total inductees of three classes to 42. Each class seems just as impressive as it's successor, and 2023 was no different. 

A happy hour was followed by a wonderful dinner, setting the stage for the Hall of Fame ceremony. Michael Foley returned as the Master of Ceremony following his induction in the Class of 2022. The former teacher and coach is a part of Osbourn Park's fabric, having been a Yellow Jacket since 1979. He'd share beloved stories and memories of the inductees, and at times it was hard to find a dry eye in the house. 

Devon Alston Heath, Class of 2004

Kicking off the night would be Devon Alston Heath. Devon was on the gymnastics team, as well as indoor/outdoor track. While at Osbourn Park, she earned four gymnastics varsity letters and was the gymnastics MVP in 2004. She'd also earn eight varsity letters at track, and was the 2003/2004 outdoor track MVP. Devon would earn nine individual district championships, two relay district championships, three Northwest Region titles and was three-time AAA All State. Devon was also a member of the first OPHS Penn relay team. Her coach, Monica Mencini Brown was also a 2023 OP HOF inductee. 

After Osbourn Park, Devon graduated from Christopher Newport University in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts in political science. While at CNU, she garnered conference championships in indoor long jump, outdoor long jump, indoor triple jump, outdoor triple jump, the 200 meter, hurdles and relay. She was All Mason-Dixon in six seasons, and a Division III academic All-American in 2008. Devon is also a Regent University of Law 2012 graduate. 

I caught up with her afterwards. 

"It feels amazing. OP was the greatest time in my life growing up. It really formed who I am today. High school wasn’t my favorite, I’m not going to lie- but if high school is ok, you’re going to be ok. It's amazing to be in the same class as Monica. She’s very special to me and part of my memories at OP.

I inquired about any advice she has for current students.

"Balance is good. Just be you, play your sport- and remember to have fun."

Kelly Beauchamp-Payne, Class of 1998

While at Osbourn Park, Kelly Beauchamp-Payne played tennis, basketball and soccer. The multi-sport student athlete would even wear the same jersey (14) as her older sister. 

"I don't know if I lived up to her in it, but I hope I did," Payne told me. 

I'd say she did. Payne was very modest about her accomplishments, racking up twelve varsity letters while at OP. She was All-District and All Region in tennis and soccer, and voted the 1998 OPHS Most Athletic Female. 

After OP, Kelly walked on to UNC-Greensboro to play women's soccer for two years. She graduated in 2002 with a degree in Exercise and Sport Science and is currently a coach at Patriot High School. 

In 2005, her husband would propose to her at the center of Osbourn Park's football field. 

"He blindfolded me after dinner, then once we got there told me it was a space I loved more than anything. We were in the center of the field and he proposed. It was the most amazing feeling."

I asked what the night meant to her. 

"I feel so overwhelmed and honored. Just so many great people and inspiring athletes and coaches in this room. It’s an overwhelming sense of pride to be here in front of my OP family."

When it came to her advice for current student athletes, Kelly was very thorough. 

"You can do it. It’s hard, but it’s not for the faint of minds. It’s for the kids who are determined and hard-working. You’ll learn so much in your failures as much as your successes. When you do fail, learn from it, grow from it and push forward to the next thing."

Monica Mencini Brown, Gymnastics coach (2001-2010)

Monica's first year as the gymnastics coach saw her get the 2001 Daily Journal All Area Gymnastics Coach of the Year. Two years later in 2003 she'd snag All Met Gymnastics Coach of the Year honors. Monica wasn't done yet, leading Osbourn Park to a threepeat of state championships in 2007, 2008 and 2009. 

She's still teaching health and physical education at Osbourn Park. I caught up with her afterwards. 

"I'm very happy. It’s nice to be appreciated and see all these familiar faces. I’m most proud to see my family and friends, those I cherish most. They got me here. It was awesome to see Devon inducted, too."

Her advice to young teachers/coaches was simple and straight to the point: "Keep your eyes on the prize, baby."

Mercedes Cox, Class of 2011

Mercedes Cox played field hockey and lacrosse while at Osbourn Park. She'd achieve 1st Team All District in field hockey in 2008, 2009 and 2010- as well as 1st Team All Region all three years, too. She was a state honorable mention in 2009 and 2010. 

In lacrosse, Mercedes was First Team All District in 2009 and 2010, as well as First Team All Region in 2010. 

Following her time as a Yellow Jacket, Mercedes went to Liberty University to play field hockey. She appeared in two NCAA tournaments and was 2014 Breakout Player of the Year. In 2015 she received the Jerry Fallwell Leadership Award. 

Brandice Hilliard (Flournoy), Class of 2003

Brandice was an exceptional track athlete at Osbourn Park, excelling at indoor and outdoor track. She garnered six MVP titles, was a team captain and leader of the 1600 meter relay. It was the first female relay to compete at Penn relays in school history. In 2002-2003 she was voted OPHS Female athlete of the year. 

After Osbourn Park, Brandice earned her degree in psychology from Virginia Tech, then her Masters from Barry University in Exercise and Sports Psychology. She occasionally works with current Osbourn Park athletes in her sports psychology capacity. She currently lives in Dumfries with her husband, fellow 2003 OPHS graduate and 2023 Hall of Fame inductee Roland Hilliard with their two kids. 

"My kids will care one day, just not today," she'd remark in her speech as the crowd erupted in laughter.

"There's a lot of excitement right now," she told me afterwards. "I'm very appreciative to be included amongst these players and coaches in front of my friends and family."

Roland Hilliard, Class of 2003

Mike Foley introduced Roland with memories of him rumbling down the field. "Roland, Roland, Roland!" Foley would exclaim. 

Hilliard would get to the podium with his son. 

"My wife and I had to find a babysitter for tonight- then realized they'd all be here, so we brought the kids with us tonight." Laughter followed. The Hilliards were two for two breaking the ice in their speeches. 

Roland was very appreciative of the honor, displaying humility and modesty throughout. He even paused at one point near the end of his speech, full of emotion as he recalled Michael Feldman's influence on him as a student. 

"He's the reason I went to college. I almost flunked out my first year. But I couldn't let him down- or my parents," said Roland. 

While at Osbourn Park, Roland helped lead the Yellow Jackets to their first District Championship in school history. He rushed for over 3,000 yards and scored 25 touchdowns. In 2002 he was District Offensive Player of the Year. Hilliard didn't stop at football, winning five individual District track titles, too. 

After OP, Roland continued his dual sports career at Christopher Newport University where he'd amass 4,477 all-purpose yards and was an Honorable Mention DIII All-American. He was inducted in the CNU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013, and now works in cybersecurity. 

"It’s a lot of words and feelings. Gratitude. It’s really good just to see all the coaches and teammates from over the years. We live here, but we don’t get back enough to see the folks who molded us  in our foundational years. It’s an honor to be inducted at the same time. Who are we going to get to watch the kids? They’re all here."

Despite graduating together, it wasn't always a guarantee the two would end up as lifelong partners like they are today. 

"She didn’t even remember me freshman year. We were in class and she don’t even remember that. I remember it. I envisioned it. I had to convince her over the next fifteen years- but eventually she came to my side," Roland said as both shared a laugh afterwards. 

They'd remain good friends through college and eventually get married in 2016. 

Hilliard would speak to the influence team sports has on one's life in all areas. 

"Embrace the team aspect. You’re going to be on a team the rest of your life- whether family dynamics, or in your career. You can learn a lot of different lessons in team sports in one form or another."

Laura Flynn, Class of 1996

Laura Flynn approached the podium a few inductees after her friend, Kelly Beauchamp Payne.

"I spent the past hour writing notes before I came up here- and Kelly had a binder," she said with a hint of playful jealousy that she had not thought to do the same. 

Laura excelled in soccer and basketball at OP. She was All-District and All-Area all four years in soccer. She was the varsity MVP in 1994. In basketball she was All-District and All-Region all four years, as well as All Region in 1994 and 1995. In 1996, Flynn was the OPHS Athlete of the Year. 

Upon graduating, Laura went to James Madison University and majored in in Integrated Science and Technology with a concentration in Biotechnology. She petitioned to start a women's basketball club, where she would end up playing, recruiting and coaching. The 2023 OP Hall of Famer now resides in Boulder, Colorado with her husband and two daughters. 

"I’m feeling very honored. It’s really nice to be able to see teammates, coaches, administrators and friends who were all a part of my high school experience. Having a teammate and someone I have known my entire life being here was really cool and very special."

She'd reiterate how quickly four years flies by, and the significance of how high school can build a foundation for students. 

"High school permeates your life- the lessons you learn, the relationships you build. It helps not to just make you a better athlete but to make you a better person as well. Embrace it and enjoy every moment."

Kelly McConnell Bierwirth, Class of 2005

"When I was in tenth grade, I passed out giving a speech- so hopefully I won't need smelling salts this time around," said Kelly as she started her speech. 

The trip from Germany with her family for her induction might have been long, and almost as long as her accolades while at Osbourn Park. 

Kelly was a five- yes FIVE- sport athlete as a Yellow Jacket: lacrosse, soccer, basketball, indoor track and field hockey. 

"How did you have time to be a teenager?" I asked her. 

"Sports was my only after school hobby," she admitted. 

Kelly was All District in 2004 and 2005 at lacrosse, as well as District Player of the Year in 2005. She was All Region in 2004 and 2005, too. Potomac News named her the 2005 Player of the Year. In 2004 and 2005, she was the Osbourn Park MVP and OP Female Athlete of the Year in 2005. 

After graduating, Kelly played DII lacrosse at Pfeiffer University on scholarship, and earned a degree in Business Administration. She'd go on to earn her Master of Science in Elementary Education from Kansas State. 

"I’m really appreciative my coaches had thought of me for the Hall of Fame and thought I was good enough to be nominated. It’s an honor, and I appreciate all the coaches I had from when I was little all the way to college. Play lots of different sports. There’s no reason you can’t be good at any of them. It might just be the sports you end up playing in college."

Doug Poppe, Class of 1985

Poppe was a three sport athlete: basketball, baseball and football. While at OP, he'd earn two varsity letters each in football and basketball, was a co-captain senior year, made Journal Messenger All Area Team and Northwestern District First Team. 

Poppe would go on to play basketball at Longwood University, starting all four years. He'd amass 1,300 points, 900 rebounds and led the nation in field goal percentage his junior year at 70.1%. 

In 2013, Poppe would get his Masters Degree. 

He's currently an assistant principal at Apex Friendship High School in Raleigh, North Carolina and is married to his high school sweetheart, Ellen. The induction wasn't on Poppe's radar prior.

"This definitely felt unexpected. I listened to everyone’s stories and they had a whole lot more accomplishments than I did- but I always prided myself on working hard, being there first and leaving last. I was pleased when they called me. It was really cool."

I hadn’t been back here since I coached at Brentsville- 1997. Seeing some of the kids I coached here, too- Kelly, Laura, Aaron Trammell and Justin McElfish last year- it was really nice to be among them."

Poppe's advice to current student athletes: "Work to your fullest potential. I tried to outwork everyone at everything. Concentrate on your grades. You determine what you do on the field and in the classroom."

Jo Ellen Suter, Gymnastics Coach 1979-2000

Jo Ellen Suter- like Michael Foley- started at Osbourn Park in 1979. The two worked alongside each other as teachers and coaches for fifteen years. Suter even doubled up teaching at Woodbridge as well, using the commute to clear her mind before going into each respective school with a clean slate. 

Jo Ellen saw plenty of success as gymnastics coach, reaching States 17 out of 19 years. In 1985 they were Northwest Region Champions and VHSL AAA State Champions. She was voted Coach of the Year 4 times by the Journal Messenger and Potomac News. 

Suter also coached tennis, JV cheerleading, JV volleyball, was an assistant basketball coach and the flag drill team coach while at OP. 

"It’s wonderful to be back among the OP community. I taught there for all my thirty-two years."

"Work hard, set your goals and you can reach them. Don’t let anyone tell you you can’t. You have to be determined."

The 1981 Cross Country State Champions

Kevin Ambrose returned for the third straight year, this time to be inducted as part of the 1981 State Champion Cross Country Team, alongside four of his teammates. 2022 inductee and former OP Cross Country head coach George Kuhn was represented by his daughter. 

"Kuhn told us- run with me four years and you'll win a state championship," said Ambrose. His junior year they'd finish third at states. 

"On coach's fortieth birthday, he ran forty miles. So we upped our daily run to 15-20 miles, and that really prepared us for the season."

I got a chance to reconnect with Kevin and see how he was feeling. 

"I'm feeling really good- and really old. It’s surprising to see so many familiar faces.

Always appreciate the hard times- because there’s always good times on the other side. Enjoy it. It’s a short four years. It might not always seem like it-but by the time you get to our age, you’ll realize it just zipped by."

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Last Friday night saw Osbourn Park not only celebrate the 2023 Hall of Fame Class during the game- but the naming of the press box in honor of Michael Foley. A special night indeed:

One thing about the Hall of Fame Ceremony- it's always fun to see familiar faces, like Michael Feldman who had connections with the entire room. 

"It's such a special feeling when kids you’ve coached get recognized. It’s not all about accolades, but how they contributed to the life of the school- and the school years later recognizes it. Fantastic representatives of our school. The other cool thing is they’ve gone on and been very successful in their personal and professional lives. They’re highly accomplished. It’s nice to know you made  a positive difference in someone else’s life and many others and see it in a public forum.

I think this is one of the best things OP does. It satisfies a lot of people, whether in this room or just at OP in general. These are the foundations of the school. What makes a school great? It’s not the bricks- it’s the people inside. When you’re in the middle of it, the days are long but you realize the time is short. It is all very humbling."

Director of Student Activities Keith Laine offered his thoughts on the third iteration of the ceremony. 

"It’s great, You get the elation, and seeing the excitement in their faces, hearing their speeches. The humility they exude when they find out they’re being inducted. It starts with a phone call, and you see it in person tonight, too. There’s a lot of hard work that goes into this- and it’s all worth it." 

Lastly, I finished off the night talking to former teacher and coach, Larry Nemerow. 

"You don’t think in these terms when you are teaching and coaching these kids- 'did I do this right or how can I be better?' Then when you see them grown up with kids of their own and doing the same things you tried to show them and doing them well- it’s shpilkes- a Yiddish word. It's a feeling of pins and needles- it makes you feel very good to see their success. When they’re kids, you don’t know what they’re going to become, and it’s very fulfilling.

I don’t walk into the room thinking this- but when you get in there and see all the connections you’ve made over the years. Some you just knew in class. Some just in the hall. Some you taught and coached their brothers or sisters."

On Osbourn Park's Hall of Fame night, everyone in the room shared that familiar feeling of fulfillment- or shpilkes.

For more on the Osbourn Park Hall of Fame, visit the HOF site.

2021 Hall of Fame Recap

2022 Hall of Fame Recap

 

Osbourn Park Inducts 2022 Hall of Fame Class

Osbourn Park inducted 16 more athletes/coaches into their Hall of Fame this past Thursday at Old Hickory.

(Top left to right: Maryellen , Brittany Hyter, Justin McElfish, Aaron J. Trumell, Michael , Lea Shreve Murr

Bottom left to right: Erica Field Fox, Jimmy Greene, Mike DiNuzzo, Richard Dombrowski, Rebecca Nemerow Tillett, Robert Jackson, Breanna Walker)

Coming off the success of last year's Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Osbourn Park returned to Old Hickory for the 2022 ceremony. There was no shortage of accolades or achievements as the Class of 2022 was just as impressive as 2021. Osbourn Park Director of Student Activities Keith Laine and his team delivered a great night for all those who attended complete with a Happy Hour, dinner and ceremonies. 

"We were able to honor our inaugural class right here in this room last year. By all accounts, it was a huge success and would not have happened without the commitment and dedication to fulfilling our vision of the Hall of Fame. Our trustees have continued their hard work to get us here today. This Hall of Fame is 47 years in the making and shows our current student athletes the foundation of the sports community that they themselves represent."

Last year, Michael Foley was the Master of Ceremonies. Since as he was an inductee this year, Luis Hernandez graciously accepted the opportunity and did a stellar job all night long. Sixteen inductees were added to last year's fifteen, and can physically be honored in Osbourn Park's gym on a touchscreen as you enter. There's a section for Hall of Famers, current athletes and future Hall of Famers as well as a section on Osbourn Park's website.  

Maryellen Derenda Cornwell, Class of 2008

Maryellen excelled in multiple sports including basketball, golf, soccer and track. In soccer she was a two-time MVP, three-time All District and two-time All Region. She'd also receiver All State 2nd Team honors in 2008. In basketball she was the 2008 MVP and scored 1,000 career points. As a senior she received the PW Ellis Award and had 19 Varsity Letters. She was also the 2008 Female Athlete of the Year. 

After Osbourn Park, Maryellen received her Bachelor's degree in Business Administration on a full scholarship to Radford University, graduating Cum Laude. 

While there she made two NCAA tournament appearances and was a voted to the Big South All Tournament Team twice. 

Her teams won the Big South championship in 2008 & 2011. 

Maryellen now works for Capital One Auto Finance and recently married Andrew Cornwell. They reside in Chesapeake, Virginia. 

Her brother, Patrick Derenda, is currently the offensive coordinator for Osbourn football. 

Mike DiNuzzo, Class of 2007

Mike was an elite soccer player while at Osbourn Park. He made varsity as a freshman and was voted three-time All District, three-time All Region, two-time All State. He made All Met in 2007. 

Mike's teams at OP were District Champions all four years (2004-2007) and Regional Champions in 2005 and 2007. They'd finish as quarter-finalists and runner-up respectively. The State Final loss was the only blemish for the Yellow Jackets that season, one which saw Mike co-captain them. 

After he left OP, Mike was a four year starter at William & Mary where he ranked ninth all time in career starts at 86. He was voted captain by his teammates in 2009 and 2010. 

He was part of the 2010 CAA Championship team and led them to a NCAA Sweet 16 tournament appearance. They'd finish the season ranked 9th by the NSCAA. 

Mike would also receive the President's Award in 2009, citing his sportsmanship and leadership. 

DiNuzzo would go on to earn a Masters of Education in Educational Psychology from UVA. 

Mike is the Assistant Technical Director at Great Falls Reston Soccer Club, where he oversees all of the U8-12 travel programs. He's been an Instructional Assistant for Special Education with FCPS since 2014. 

He currently resides in Bristow with his wife Elizabeth, two dogs and newborn son (8/2/22), Theodore Joseph DiNuzzo. 

Richard Dombrowksy, Class of 1998

Richard Dombrowsky was another multi-sport athlete at Osbourn Park. He played baseball, golf and wrestling. He was the initial PW Ellis Award recipient with 12 Varsity Letters, a three-time champion in wrestling, a two-time golf regional qualifier and amassed a 127-26 record in wrestling. After OP, he went to Methodist University where he led them to three Conference titles, three appearances in the NCAA D3 regionals and was a three year captain. 

Michael Foley told those in attendance of Dombrowsky's remarkable integrity while playing in a golf tournament at Osbourn Park. His dad was in attendance and keeping score, and put Richard down for a 5 (par). Richard corrected him, having taken a penalty stroke when his club touched the ball prior to his shot. No one would have been the wiser, but Dombrowsky led by example. I was able to catch up with him after the presentation to get his thoughts. 

"I'm overwhelmed, elated and privileged to be a part of this. I can't say enough about how appreciative I am. What a wonderful thing that OP is doing for us. You think about what it was like back then, you start talking about people and they’re actually here- some are not…it just gets emotional and is a privilege to speak about it."

 Erica Field Fox, Class of 2012

Erica excelled at softball, filling up the trophy case to the brim. She was a two-time MVP, three-time All District, three-time All Region and was 2012 Cardinal District Player of the Year. She was also the News & Messenger Player of the Year, Region Player of the Year, State Player of the Year and first team All State. 

After Osbourn Park, Erica was a three-time CAA Defensive Player of the Year as catcher. She was voted CAA Rookie of the Year, three-time First Team All CAA. She broke James Madison's single season batting average as a junior with .427 which included 85 hits: 21 doubles and 139 total bases. 

Erica left JMU as the all-time career record holder for hits, at bats, doubles, sac flies and put outs. She would be drafted by the USSSA Pride in the third round of the 2016 NPF Draft. 

Michael Foley (teacher/coach from 1979-2015)

As one who has done the stats and recaps for Osbourn Park football for the better part of the last seven years, I had the privilege of getting to know Mike Foley quite well. I was able to sit down with him last fall and delve into his journey as a teacher and coach from his days at Fauquier High School up until 2015 at OP. 

Foley coached tennis, wrestling, golf, helped as assistant softball coach, was a DECA sponsor and is still the "Voice of the Yellow Jackets". 2022 will be his final season in the booth as he enjoys his retirement which will include plenty of rounds of golf. 

After OP, Foley continued supporting the OPHS Booster Club and received the 2018 VHSL Regional Award of Merit for Region 6D. During his speech, Foley had the room lacking in dry eyes, as he weaved through stories and anecdotes of the past forty-three or so years on Euclid Avenue. Multiple times he collected himself, but the room waited with plenty of patience for the longtime Yellow Jacket to continue his speech. I caught up with him afterwards. 

"This night touched me quite a bit. When I was getting my speech ready, I felt no nerves. I thought it would be a piece of cake. It just hits you. The memories flow back as you see all the other coaches and athletes. It's not what we live for, but you certainly appreciate it years later."

Jimmy Greene, Class of 1983

While at Osbourn Park, Jimmy put his nose to the grind and left quite a legacy as a wrestler. He was a State qualifier his sophomore year, third in State as a junior at 105 pounds and finally State Champ as a 112 pound senior, defeating the wrestler who beat him the year prior. He was a also a co-captain senior year and amassed a 67-17 record  as a wrestler. Foley would also recall the perseverance the underdog Greene would exhibit when some counted him out.

Greene would go on to earn a wrestling scholarship to William & Mary where he'd earn a Bachelor of Sciences in biology. He earned the Iron Indian award while there, wrestling in every match during the 1985-1986 season. 

Jimmy would also earn graduate degrees from Duke University and a law degree from George Mason University. 

The one thing that really stood out to me is Greene's exuberance. His speech was off the cuff and very natural, really tugging at the heart strings at times. 

Bethany and Brittany Hyter, Class of 2008

Bethany Hyter was unable to attend due to the birth of her child, but Bethany accepted them on her behalf. The two were the elite of the elite in indoor and outdoor track during their time at Osbourn Park. Bethany was top three in the nation in Middle Distance and Relays. She was a state champion at the 500 Meter, a two-time indoor track area Athlete of the Year and two-time Cedar Run District Distance Outdoor Athlete of the Year. 

After OP, Bethany ran for the University of Arkansas. 

Brittany Hyter was top three in the nation, specializing in 100/300 hurdles. She was a 300 Hurdle State Champion, an All-American her senior year, 2006 First Team All Area and 2008 First Team All Met.

After OP, Brittany also attended Arkansas where she ran and was a multi All-American in her respective events. She also competed in the US Olympic trials, one of only three Prince William County athletes to ever do it. 

Robert Jackson, Class of 1988

Robert Jackson excelled in basketball and football while at Osbourn Park. 

Jackson scored over 1,500 points for the basketball team and was three-time First Team All District, three-time first team All Area, three-time honorable mention All Met and a 1988 McDonald's All American. 

After OP, Jackson attended and played for the University of Delaware. He was part of their 1992 North Atlantic Championship team, and appeared in the 1992 NCAA tournament as a thirteen seed versus Cincinnati.

While his accolades were mainly in basketball, Robert admitted during his speech he preferred to play football and only played basketball because one coach refused to let him sit around during the winter doing nothing. 

That "coach" was his mother who drove him to all his practices and tryouts, all while balancing work shifts with Jackson wondering how exactly she ever found the time to sleep. 

Carl R. Kuhn Jr, coach (1973-1991)

Carl R. Kuhn, Jr. left one heck of a legacy while at Osbourn Park where he coached cross country, football, indoor and outdoor track. He earned OP their first ever State Championship in 1981 in cross-country and were 1982 runner-ups. Under Kuhn they were also two-time District Champs, two-time Region Champs, one-time Distance Champs and one-time Regional Champs. 

Carl Kuhn attended The University of Virginia on full scholarship and started at quarterback. He also played running back, defensive back and returned punts. He was a co-captain with Gary Cuozzo (later played as backup quarterback to Johnny Unitas with Colts) and Dave Graham (played offensive tackle with the Eagles). After graduating, he played semi-pro ball for a couple of years in the Continental League.

Predating OPHS, Carl was hired at Osbourn HS in 1973 before the school split into Osbourn and OPHS.

He was also the Northern Virginia Track and Field Coach of the Year in 1980.

Accepting the award for Carl was his daughter and granddaughters. They also received a special framed collage of his time at the University of Virginia:

Justin McElfish, Class of 1998

Justin McElfish was a standout in football and both indoor and outdoor track during his four years at Osbourn Park. He was an All-District defensive end, tight end and fullback. Justin was also an All-Region tight end, All Area defesnive end, tight end, fullback and an All-Met tight end.

In indoor track, Justin garnered shotput distance and regional championships and was fourth in state while earning All State shotput honors.

After high school, McElfish attended Richmond University where he played football and was a three year starter. As a junior year he joined the track team and holds the school record for shotput at 53'3", He would go on to sign as a free agent with the then Redskins. I caught up with Justin after the ceremony.

"I feel overwhelmed. People talk about impostor syndrome- and in this regard, it’s somewhat real. I played high school sports, did pretty well and had a great time. You just try your best, and never think it will amount to something like this. It’s high school, you move on. When you get this call and you get to come back- it makes you reflect on the school and people who meant so much to you.

One of the coolest things is seeing so many people who were the same years we went to OP. Finding out the teachers who meant the most to you meant the most to the others is pretty cool."

Justin also reflected on adversity Osbourn Park faced, yet the faculty never made them feel that way.

"I never won a game at OP. We had a stint my senior year where we won a bunch of games but we had to forfeit them. It wears on you. OP was always the underdog. We only had 1,500 kids back then. We’d compete against schools with 3..4..5,000 kids- and we’re the little school that could. Every person in this room will say that. We fought our asses off because we were always the underdog. Coaches, administrators, teachers didn’t treat you as an underdog. They pushed you until you had this chip on your shoulder that made you say ‘I’ll go up against anybody. I can do anything.’ Later in life you get to college and go up against kids that had dozens of scholarship offers and you just go up against them because you believe in yourself. You might get your butt kicked in the working world, but that chip on your shoulder keeps you pushing back. People in this room have done some amazing things- and it’s incredible to see what they’ve accomplished since high school."

Lea Shreve Murr, Class of 1997

Lea was a star athlete in both soccer and basketball at Osbourn Park. She totaled 87 goals and 43 assists, was three-time All Met, the 1997 All Met Player of the Year and on the Olympic Developmental team all through high school.

The 2022 Hall of Famer recalls one mother who would give the girls soccer team baked goods for each goal a player scored.

Eventually the mother realized she couldn't keep up with the amount of goals Lea scored and the treat incentive program magically vanished.

After OP, Lea played soccer at Clemson University where she had a full scholarship, won an ACC championship, appeared twice in the NCAA Final 8 and joined the Navy after graduation.

Jake Stonko, Class of 2009

Jake was cream of the crop at swimming. He was a captain in 2008-2009, and was a 100 Fly 200 Free state finalist in 2009. He was also runner up in 200 Free and a 2009 All American. Jake would graduate Summa Cum Laude.

After OP, Jake swam at William & Mary and now works with the Department of Defense. He was unable to attend due to work obligations in Japan, but his parents accepted the honor for him. Jake's mother filled the room with her contagious personality, where everyone was in stitches for the majority of her speech. The audience couldn't be happier for how proud of her son she was.

Give her 45 minutes to an hour and a mic on stage anywhere in the country and I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

Rebecca Nemerow Tillet, Class of 1995

While at OP Rebecca dazzled fans of basketball and soccer. On the field she earned two-time All District honors, was a captain for both sports in 1994-1995, and Female Athlete of the Year in 1995.

After her time at Osbourn Park, Rebecca played basketball at William & Mary where she was captain in 1998-1999. She'd transition to coaching as OP girls' head coach from 2001-2007, then to Forest Park from 2007-2013. Rebecca’s overall record in Prince William County was 166-72. Rebecca led Forest Park to three state tournament appearances, including the 2008 Group AAA State final.

She'd move up to the college coaching ranks in 2014 when she was an assistant coach at the United States Naval Academy until 2018. During her time in Annapolis, she was named Recruiting Coordinator and ultimately Associate Head Coach.

Rebecca would move on to Longwood University later in 201. In her four years there, she achieved a record of 36-19 capped off by a 22-12 mark for the 2021-2022 season. Longwood captured the Big South Conference title and went on to an automatic berth in the NCAA tournament. Earlier this year she became the head coach of St. Louis University. I was able to get her thoughts on her induction.

"This is incredible. Just the opportunity to be honored by your high school and a place that gave my family so much means a lot. My dad being in the inaugural class, he more than anyone taught me how to be a coach and follow my life's passion. As a young woman, he told me there were no limits for me."

I asked her how Osbourn Park helped prepare her for a career in coaching.

"I think about those opportunities  that we had together in our high school years to form great bonds. Some have lasted until now, and some you see again now and go back to those times as teammates. I just always tried to build a community with a team I'm leading- and learned that at OP."

Aaron J. Trammell, Class of 1997

Aaron was a multi-sport athlete at Osbourn Park, starring in track, basketball and football. He earned All Met honors twice and was a two-time State Champion. He holds the school record in shot put at 62'9" and was a member of the OPHS NJROTC. He was a three-time National qualifier and also an All-American.

His success in track helped him gain attention in football as well. He received letters and some offers from Clemson, Maryland, Virginia, Virginia Tech, UNC, UCONN, Lehigh, Marshall, Delaware, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Syracuse, Penn, Penn State, Florida, Elon, Florida State, and Miami.

Aaron received offers from 2 military schools: The Naval Academy (football), and VMI (track and field), but elected to attend Marshall University in Huntington, WV.

Aaron had a good career at Marshall and graduated on time with a BA in Exercise Science and became a father when his daughter was born 2 days after graduation.

After college Aaron ended up working at a juvenile detention center where he'd meet his wife of 21 years, Nautilus Fitness Center and currently at St. Mary's Medical Center for over two decades. He credits his work ethic and dedication on the field and at home to his parents, Timothy A. Trammell and his late mother Louise C. Trammell. He also gave credit to a number of teachers and coaches: Dan Jones, Thomas Cerul, Al Crow, Mike Feldman, Doug Poppe and Dan Evans, Sr.

"It was a spectacular event. I got a chance to catch up with people I haven’t seen in years. It was a real honor to see the wonderful coaches who helped mold and shape me into the man I am today. We have so much talent in this area, specifically at Osbourn Park high school. My time at OP prepared me well. I did all kinds of sports. My coaches coached me on how to be a good athlete, student, how to work hard and apply that on the field and in the workforce."

Breanna Walker, Class of 2012

She led the Yellow Jackets to (6) District and (5) Northwest Regional Team Championships. Individually she won (13) District and (8) Northwest individual titles. In 2012 she anchored Yellow Jackets’ AAA State Championship 4x200m Relay. She scored 807.75 career points and was Group AAA All-State an astounding (14) times. At the 2012 Cardinal District Outdoor Championship she won the 100m, 200m and 400m Dashes, earning the title of Queen of Sprints, the first to do so in school history. For her efforts she was selected 1st Team All Met, the Washington Post Extra and Potomac News Track Athlete of the Year. She still holds the school record in the 300m Dash at 39.77.

Breanna would go on to Loyola University-Chicago where she'd earn All Missouri Valley Conference honors five times. She graduated in 2016, holding school records in the 60m, 100m, 200m and was a member of their 4 by 100m record squad. She currently lives in Chicago and is a Fellow at the University of Chicago School of Public Policy. She was almost beside words after her induction.

"This was absolutely phenomenal. I never thought I’d be here today- so to be here with these amazing people is life-changing and finally hit me. It means something- like finally, it’s real. High school is four years of duration. You’re going through so much in that time. You’re growing, you’re changing, you’re learning- you didn’t think it meant something then. But it means something right now, and you get to share that with a group of people who are equally as incredible. It’s a blessing, and I never, ever thought I’d be here."

Todd Colas (left) and Kevin Ambrose (right) of OP's first ever State Championship cross country team in 1981.

Returning to watch the 2022 Class was both Todd Colas and Kevin Ambrose, members of OP's first ever State Champions in cross country. Both would give speeches of their own. I spoke to Kevin afterwards.

"It was wonderful. Just a top notch event. It was a nice mix of coaches, athletes and time periods. Work hard, have fun. I always considered it a full-time job that I loved. When you reach the highest points, you have to put a lot of hours in and to put a lot of hours in- you have to love it. You reap the rewards and it’s the satisfaction of all that time and effort make it worth it. It wears off, and transitions into college studies and careers.

I struggle with telling kids, ‘do it now while you can’. Often times you get to a certain point where you can’t do it anymore. I would love to go back and redo some of those races, some of those workouts- of course I can’t. I was busy having fun as a high school kids so I didn’t give everything. I don’t regret it. If I were to go back, I’d work harder. It was cross country and running that thinned me down. I love it so much, I never stopped running. What my mom forced me to do became a love in high school and college."

Some members of the 2022 class were present at Friday's Homecoming game versus Freedom (South Riding).

left to right: Michael Foley, Justin McElfish, Jimmy Greene, Erica Field Fox, Richard Dombrowsky, Aaron J. Trammell, Breanna Walker

Lastly I was able to stop by and chat with former coach Michael Feldman. Feldman was a former head football coach (1995-2000), head coach of boys/girls track and field (2001-2019, 2022) and an assistant in 1996, 2020 and 2021. Feldman was mentioned in a majority of the inductees' speeches, having had a lasting effect on each one of them in different ways. 

"I thought it was incredible. They are all Hall of Famers. The impact they made on the life of our school while they were here is absolutely wonderful. I’m at a loss for words which doesn’t happen often to me. Those were my kids up there tonight. When you’re coaching kids, you’re supposed to bring things out of kids they didn’t know they had. They all had athletic talent. We had to get them to believe in their talent and believe in themselves."

Finally I asked about advice he would give current and future coaches. 

"I think kids want the same things they’ve always wanted. They want to be challenged, disciplined and be told they’re tough. You have to put them in situations where they have to be disciplined, challenged and but also believe in themselves. You teach them to put the team on their back, even in individual situations. That’s how you find success. As a coach you have to tap into that. We never sacrifice the core values of our program for a trophy. When you build a culture like that, kids will perform at a higher level."

That last part sums up why Osbourn Park- despite any adversity- has managed to find the level of success they've had and is the foundation for the Osbourn Park Hall of Fame. 

See everyone next year to honor more excellence in Osbourn Park athletics. 

For more on OP sports, visit their website and follow them on Twitter @OPJackets.