Fairfax, VA- It's West Springfield's turn to take a shot at No. 1 tonight when the Spartans travel to Hayfield. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Journal's Top 10 Rankings

The Hawks (11-0, 2-0 Patriot District) are The Journal's top-ranked team and were also ranked No. 1 in Virginia's Associated Press Top 10 Poll, which was first released Tuesday. It was the first time in school history Hayfield has earned such a distinction.

``We're obviously pleasantly surprised by the way we've come out of the box," Hawks coach Brian Metress said. ``I'm more satisfied that we're beating good programs with good coaches because that's what you need to do at the end of the season to be successful."

Hayfield is led by senior point guard Russell Lee, who is averaging 13.6 points, 5.5 assists and 5.1 steals per game. Senior forward Craig Battle leads the team in scoring (14.4 ppg) and forward Darren Stackhouse is scoring 10.5 points and leads the team in rebounding (7.6 rpg).

But the key to Hayfield's undefeated run has been its defense. The Hawks are allowing just 44.6 points per game, and on three separate occasions this season, Hayfield has held an opponent scoreless for an entire quarter.

``We're winning this season because of our half-court defense," said Metress, who gave credit to Stackhouse, Battle and 6-foot-6 senior center Adrian Ackles. ``We're big on the back line. It's giving our guards a chance to gamble for steals because they know they have the shot-blockers behind them."

The ninth-ranked Spartans (9-3, 1-2) got off to a hot start and finished off the holiday season by winning the South Norfolk Classic in Chesapeake. But they opened district play with back-to-back losses to Robinson (61-52) and Lake Braddock (55-52) before topping Annandale 80-70 on Tuesday.

``We were probably feeling too good about ourselves after winning that Christmas tournament," Spartans coach Dick Wickline said. ``From our standpoint, we didn't handle the success very well. But we seem to be back on track."

West Springfield features a guard-oriented attack - led by junior Jeff Evans (17 ppg), and seniors Dane Whitworth (12 ppg) and Ryan Lazisky (12 ppg)- and its ability to rebound against a bigger and stronger Hawks team will be an integral part of tonight's battle.

But according to Wickline, Hayfield's edge over the rest of the district is as much mental as it is physical.

``The biggest advantage Hayfield has is that jersey they wear," Wickline said. ``They're Hayfield. Their tradition, belief in themselves and their confidence is what carries them. And some of the teams in our district are intimidated by them."

W-L at Mount Vernon

The top two teams in the National District meet tonight in the first of two meetings this season that will likely determine district supremacy.

Washington-Lee (9-2, 2-0) comes in riding the crest of a seven-game winning streak. Generals senior guard Justin Diggs has been on fire of late. He scored 36 points in their 67-58 win over Stuart Tuesday on the strength of 9-of-12 shooting from behind the 3-point arc. For the season, Diggs has converted 45 of 86 3-point attempts (52.3 percent) and is averaging 20.7 points per game.

``Justin is a phenomenal scorer," Generals coach Bobby Dobson said of Diggs, who also averages 4.3 rebounds. ``One of the things we're really trying to do is have our guards rebound because we're not a big team. It's cut down on our transition game but you have to give up something to get it somewhere else."

Though he rarely leads the team in scoring, senior Maurice Bennett has been the glue that has held the Generals together.

``Maurice doesn't get a lot of highlights," Dobson said of Bennett, a 6-1 guard who leads Washington-Lee in rebounds (6.7), assists (4.3) and steals (3.3). ``He always defends the opponent's top scorer whether he's a post threat or a point guard. Maurice has given up scoring a lot of points to concentrate on doing other things for the team. If I had to say who our Most Valuable Player has been thus far, it would be Maurice."

Mount Vernon (8-3, 3-0) has won five in a row and had possibly its best game of the season Tuesday in a 63-36 dismantling of Wakefield. Junior guard Marco Van Pelt posted team highs with 19 points and eight rebounds.

Last year, the Majors won both regular-season meetings with the Generals. But Washington-Lee won the National District Tournament by beating Wakefield in the title game after the Warriors knocked off the Majors in the semifinals.

``Tonight is a huge game," said Dobson, who has been friendly with Majors second-year coach Bryan Hill since Dobson attended Flint Hill Prep with Hill's older brother, Gus. ``We haven't beaten Mount Vernon since Bryan has been there.

``It's early in the district season but I think the winner of this game will be the front-runner to win the regular-season title." W.T. Woodson at Langley

Prior to the season, Liberty District coaches pegged the Cavaliers and Saxons as the teams to beat, and neither has disappointed.

Woodson (7-4, 3-0) currently shares the district lead with Marshall (8-4, 3-0) and has won four games in a row. Senior guard Chuck Spiridopoulos leads the team in scoring (13.5 ppg) and is shooting 36.8 percent from 3-point range. Junior guard Nick Hartigan had his best game of the season (20 points, five assists) in last Friday's 68-65 win over Lee and made nine of 10 fourth-quarter free throws to seal the victory. Hartigan has been to the free throw line 29 times in the Cavs' last three games.

Woodson must avoid getting into a shootout tonight with the Saxons (8-3, 1-1). The Cavs are 1-3 this season when allowing more than 60 points and 4-1 when holding their opponent under 50.

Langley had Tuesday off after its four-game winning streak was snapped last Friday in a 61-45 loss to Fairfax. The Rebels shot 27 free throws while the Saxons made just one of two. Their shortcomings at the charity stripe were the result of a poor rebounding effort and a lack of aggression on offense.

``One thing that has been important for us this season is that we're defending and rebounding the ball better than we did last season," Saxons coach Brian Doyle said. ``Against Fairfax, we didn't get on the boards like we needed to. We've got to get back to rebounding the ball and attacking offensively."

The Rebels outrebounded the Saxons 35-26, the biggest disparity of the season thus far for Langley. Doyle was also unhappy his team repeatedly settled for 3-pointers on offense, and they converted just eight of 29 attempts.

This game may be more important for Langley, which would fall three games behind Woodson in the win column with a loss.

``We certainly don't want to fall to 1-2, but it's still early," Doyle said. ``We're excited. Our kids have been off for a week and they're on edge."