Fairfax, VA - After losing for the first time this season, Hayfield's Chris Kardelis and James Steward decided it was time for them to set the tone. The Hawks' senior captains did just that Wednesday, leading No. 1 Hayfield to a convincing 69-47 victory over Annandale in a Patriot District Tournament semifinal at Lake Braddock.

Hayfield advances to Friday's 9 p.m. tournament final at Lake Braddock, where the top-seeded Hawks will face the second-seeded Bruins, who defeated T.C. Williams, 71-63, in Wednesday's second semifinal.

Hayfield (21-1) fell in overtime, 58-54, to Lake Braddock last Friday, spoiling the Hawks' attempt at a perfect regular season. But on Wednesday, any threat of losing streak for the Hawks was eradicated early.

Hayfield crafted a 14-0 run over three-minute, 50-second stretch of the first quarter to take a 16-4 lead and fifth-seeded Annandale (11-12) never got within 10 points the rest of the game.

Kardelis and Steward, who finished with 22 and 19 points, respectively, combined to outscore Annandale, 28-18, in the first half.

``We just tried to come back strong," Kardelis said. ``Everybody thought that because we lost, we'd be down and that would hurt us. But it didn't hurt us one bit."

Aggressive defense also spurred the Hawks, who held the Atoms to one field goal in the first quarter. When Steward penetrated and fed teammate Jahmar Claxton for layup with 2:18 left in the second quarter, Hayfield's lead ballooned to 32-14.

``It was important for us to come out and establish ourselves after the loss," Hawks coach Charlie Thompson said. ``We've kind of focused in on what we want to accomplish."

Senior Jay Athey led Annandale with 19 points, but he was the only Atom to reach double figures.

Steward grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds for the Hawks, who have won three straight Patriot District Tournament titles and five of the last six. To win four in a row, Hayfield will have to beat Lake Braddock (15-8), which earned its first district tournament final appearance in four years Wednesday by outscoring T.C. Williams, 46-32, in the second half.

The Titans (13-10) parlayed 12 first-half offensive rebounds into a 31-21 lead with 1:57 left in the second quarter. But the Bruins' switch from zone to man-to-man defense, combined with an increasingly efficient offense, eased their rebounding woes and sparked the turnaround.

The Bruins also knocked down three-pointers on three consecutive possessions, two by senior guard Bobby Seigle (13 points), keying a 13-3 run that gave them a 44-38 lead at the 2:52 mark of the third quarter.

Senior guard Derek Oliverio had a game-high 19 points for Lake Braddock and was one of four Bruins to score at least 13 points. ``We knew [T.C. Williams] was going to let us back in the game," Oliverio said. ``We just had to be patient and we were confident we would come out on top, especially since the last time we played them, they said we only won because they got cheated by the refs. That really motivated us." Oliverio's driving layup with 1:55 remaining gave Lake Braddock a 65-54 lead and the cushion necessary to fend off a late Titans run. ``Derek has played well and when he's patient, he makes good decisions," Bruins coach Brian Metress said. Junior forwards Willie Shaw and Lavonti Jeter led the Titans with 18 and 12 points, respectively. With the win, Lake Braddock ensured itself a home game in the first round of the Northern Region Tournament, which begins Monday. But the first order of business will be an attempt at the school's first-ever Patriot District Tournament title. Friday's tournament final will be the fourth meeting this season - and second in a week - between Hayfield and Lake Braddock. The Hawks won decisively on their home floor Jan. 22. The teams split their two games at Lake Braddock; the Bruins won last Friday in overtime and Hayfield needed Claxton's buzzer-beater to secure a one-point win on Dec. 28 in the final of Bookjammin' Hoops Tournament. ``We expected Hayfield to be in the district final," Metress said. ``This year, we're there and Braddock's got a chance."