Autumn has well-established its presence in Radnor’s changing scenery and temperatures. On the playing field, recent hard-fought battles have enabled some teams to continue their rigor to advance themselves in the playoffs, while others bid bittersweet farewells to seniors, concluding their seasons with pride. While historic Lower Merion Week celebrations creep towards Halloween and the new LM Dance, the Radnorite has returned to provide coverage on Radnor’s fall athletics, courtesy of the Sports Editorial Board. BOO!
— Kayla
Cheerleading – Abby Merschel
Radnor Cheerleading has worked exceptionally hard over the past few weeks! The girls have been practicing to perfect their LM routine, which will be performed at the Rally on October 31. Additionally, the team looks to showcase their competition routine on November 7 at Downingtown West. On October 18, Radnor Cheerleading hosted the season’s first Senior Night, recognizing Gabby, Gracie, Stevie, and Ana during RAFO’s game against Haverford. The season has just begun for Radcheer – be on the lookout for more exciting things!
Crew (Boys) – Will Ledbetter and Arnav Sadashiv
For the past month, almost every weekend has consisted of races for Radnor Boys Crew, including Navy Day, Head of the Charles, and Head of the Schuylkill. The Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston was a particularly thrilling experience – RBCC faced off against tough international competition and powered through the 4.7 km race course. This past weekend, the team was back on home turf for the Head of the Schuylkill Regatta held in Philadelphia. RBCC placed 32/65 (Varsity Eight) and 30/60 (Novice Eight A). The fall season’s longest races are over, with the remaining regattas being fierce, shorter-course sprints: the New Jersey Braxton and the Frostbite regattas. Now, RBCC continues to practice with focus and dedication, looking to maintain their medaling streak at these races.
Crew (Girls) – Arielle Mims
Over the last few weeks, Radnor Girls Crew has been working hard. On October 13, RGCC raced in the Navy Day Regatta. Varsity raced an 8+ that placed 4th, as well as 2 4+’s that placed 17th and 22nd. JV raced an 8+ and placed 6th. Following that regatta, RGCC continued to practice diligently; some of the team needed to prepare for the Head of the Charles River in Boston. On October 20, Varsity raced an 8+ that placed 42nd and a 4+ that placed 74th – congratulations to the 8+ for qualifying to race next year at HOCR!
This past weekend, RGCC raced in the Head of the Schuylkill River regatta. HOSR marked the first time RGCC raced a freshman boat this season, and they placed 22nd. The Varsity 8+ placed 50th, and the varsity 4+ placed 53rd. The JV 8+ placed 35th and the JV four placed 53rd. Overall, RGCC has displayed their rigor within the Philadelphia area, and in Boston too. Looking forward, the freshman 8 will be scrimmaging against Gwenydd Mercy this upcoming weekend. In two weeks, RGCC will be heading to New Jersey’s Mercer Lake to race in their final fall regatta: the Braxton Memorial. Be sure to wish them luck!
Cross Country (Boys) – Harsh Kakkar
Radnor Boys Cross Country has pushed their bar higher and higher this season, consistently outperforming themselves under the dedicated guidance of Coach Manion and Coach Walsh. The team’s hard work and commitment have truly paid off: RBXC boasts twenty athletes who have broken personal records. At districts, the varsity squad delivered impressive performances, including team captain and school record-holder Joe Garzio’s qualification for states – a huge accomplishment! The season concludes with a celebratory banquet on Tuesday, where the team will honor their achievements and invaluable support from their coaches. Here’s to an incredible season! Radnor is already excited to see what they’ll accomplish next year. Thank you, Coach Manion and Coach Walsh, for inspiring this team to greatness.
Cross Country (Girls) – Nadia Dougherty
Radnor Girls Cross Country has continued making successful strides during both their Central League Meet and the District 1 Championships. At the CAL Meet, Emma Hyde placed first with a time of 20:37. Sonia Dougherty and Mia Richter placed sixth and eighth, respectively. Additionally, other members of the team broke course personal records: Clara Humphrey, Aisling Lake, and Reese Connor all achieved astounding PR’s. At the District 1 Championships, Radnor managed to place 11th out of the 49 total teams. Runners Emma Hyde, Mia Richter, and Coco Conner all raced sub 20 minute 5ks: a huge accomplishment. The girls have wrapped up an amazing season these last few races, and we can’t wait to see them next year!
Field Hockey – Nancy Wible
Radnor Girls Field Hockey concluded their regular season with claiming a win against Carroll (1-0) and suffering a tough loss to Haverford (3-2), establishing their final record of 13-5. The team’s hard work and effort paid off, earning them a four-seed in the district playoffs. On Tuesday, October 22, the team faced West Chester Rustin on Enke. Radnor came up on top with a 2-0 victory, thanks to two clutch goals from Alex DeCain. On the defensive side, Juliet Wildt made some great saves to secure the shutout. On Thursday, October 24, RGFH competed against Kennett. At the end of regulation, the score was tied at 2-2, with goals from Lilly Wolfington and Sophie Green. The game then stretched on for two additional overtime periods. Unfortunately, the game resulted in a hard-fought sudden-death loss. However, the team will continue their season on Tuesday, October 29, meeting Unionville (for the second time) on Encke. This game is part of a play-in series for a spot in the States Tournament. The girls look to stay strong and battle for their spot in states. Go RGFH!
Football – Ellis Margolies
Lately, Radnor has been struggling to find wins after their impressive 3-0 start. Now, coming off a 35-7 loss to Marple Newton, Radnor finds themselves holding a record of 3-7. However, during their game, the Raptors never stopped fighting. Quarterback Luke Reilly’s scoring run came from an impressive 65-yard drive that consisted of 13 plays.
Despite the recent losses, RAFO has stayed positive and kept working hard in practice as they prepare to play Lower Merion. This week, Radnor students have displayed school pride by decorating the hallways, dressing up in theme, and getting excited for Thursday’s Rally. One of Radnor Football’s captains, Mason Shieh, states he is “confident” in taking on LM. He continued, explaining, “We have made a few changes and are going into the game with a winning mindset. It should be a very close and entertaining game against our big rivals.” Radnorite hopes to see a huge, energetic crowd to support RAFO this Saturday!
Golf – Will Walsh
Over the last few weeks, Radnor’s quickest sports season came to its exciting conclusion over the District One Championships and PIAA State Championships. To refresh, RAGO sent an exceptional seven players to the District Championship, held at Turtle Creek Golf Course and Raven’s Claw Golf Club over October 14-15.
Heinously breezy and chilly conditions plagued Turtle and RCGC: gusts reached up to a reported 40 (!) mph. In the boys’ tournament, having both days be played at Turtle Creek, it was easy to tell that the golf course won. An astonishing cut line of 160 (two-day total) (+16) fell, reducing the field size to a mere 21 golfers earning trips to the PIAA State Championships at PSU. For comparison, 109 players began the event. Equally tough circumstances forced challenges for the girls, who played the first day at Raven’s Claw and the second back at Turtle Creek. The lucky number there was 166 (+23), enabling only 9/61 girls to continue on. Juniors Brad McDermott and Lannon Boyd both advanced to day two individually, but unfortunately fell short of a ticket to Happy Valley. However, with a stunning 156 (+13), junior captain Elayna Fanelli was the Raptors’ lone survivor. Additionally, RAGO’s top 5 competed in the Team District Tournament on day 2, in which they placed 5th.
Just six days later, Elayna’s return trip to States at the Penn State Golf Courses provided a satisfying close to another dominant year for the junior star. Steady rounds of 75-78 (+9) allowed Fanelli to cruise to a top 15 finish, her second in a row at the event (13th, 2023; T-15th, 2024). She looks to further build her legacy next year, alongside an exciting returning cast hungry for more.
Soccer (Boys) – Commerce Fisk
The Gents of Radnor High School are moving forward in the 3A District 1 playoffs with no end in sight or mind. Before the frigid frenzy of the postseason commenced, Radnor Boys Soccer concluded their regular season by refining many players’ roles and experimenting with different tactics. On October 10, the boys traveled to Penncrest to take on the Lions in a heated battle. The Gents unfortunately fell 1-0 to a first half goal. To recover from two tough losses, the Gents held their annual tri-team scrimmages with the Freshman and JV teams on October 11 to reignite their eagerness and love for the game. The renewed sense of confidence manifested itself on the following Tuesday, October 15, when the team took on Haverford High School on Enke. Thanks to a sublime Arrian Fonseca assist to a calm Matt Santarian finish, the Gents recovered from their slump, clinching 1-0 in a game that established them as the 1st seed in 3A District 1. On Thursday the 17th, the boys traveled to the Shipley School to take on the Gators, a game which the team used as a tune-up for playoffs. The Gents lost in a tight 3-2 game but took away many positives in terms of mentality and play style. On the cool morning of October 20, the JV and Freshman teams celebrated their end of season at a beautiful banquet held at St. David’s Golf Club. The Gents, too, celebrated their phenomenal 13-3 regular season (9-2 CAL) but emphasized that their season was far from over. This sentiment became wholly evident on Wednesday the 23rd, when the boys faced Bishop Shanahan High School in the first round of District playoffs. In the closing minutes of a dominant first half for the Gents, senior Dean Moon put away two clutch goals that firmly placed the momentum in Radnor’s hands. Senior Matt Santarian, who assisted the second of Moon’s goals, sealed off the win for the Gents with a screamer from outside the 18, delivering a 3-0 sweep for the boys. After a successful week of practices, the Gents returned to the bright lights of Encke Field on Monday the 28th for the second round of District 1 playoffs, facing off in a redemption game against the Penncrest Lions. The first half saw nothing short of directness and intensity from both teams. However, mid-way through the continued fervent play of the second half, senior Dean Moon exploited a defensive mistake to give the Gents a 1-0 lead. As the game came to a close, senior Connor Flynn silenced the opposing crowd with his deafening press, scoring a clinical left-footed shot to establish the Gents’ 2-0 redemption win. Looking forward, the Gents take on Central League neighbors Marple Newtown in the District 1 3A title game at Upper Merion High School on October 30, a game for which the team eagerly awaits and prepare. Go support the team on Wednesday at 5 o’clock at Upper Merion High School! Up the Gents!
Soccer (Girls) – Alexa Cahill and Reece Brown
Radnor Girls Soccer concluded their regular season with a bang, beating Merion Mercy 5-0. With a final record of 11-6-1, Radnor entered the postseason with increasing momentum. For their first playoff game, the girls faced Lower Moreland. Late in the first half, senior captain Ivy Chaskelson lofted a crucial shot into the net, putting Radnor up 1-0. Maintaining their hold over the opposition, RGS continued to possess the ball before junior Ryan Ertel scored the second and final goal of the night. After defeating Lower Moreland, Radnor was set to play Strath Haven, to whom they had lost earlier in the regular season. After battling fiercely for eighty minutes, RGS and Strath Haven were tied 0-0 at the end of regulation. Heading into sudden death overtime, Radnor continued to play valiantly. Unfortunately, Haven managed to score during the first overtime period, knocking RGS out of the playoffs. Radnor Girls Soccer closed out their 2024 season with a devastating end. The girls will celebrate their exciting and impressive year at a banquet this Sunday, November 3.
Tennis (Girls) – Mia Negrey
RGT’s Battle of the Sexes took place on October 8, which consisted of lively, competitive matches, support from both teams’ coach Beth Bernabeo, and a visit from the Kona ice truck. Radnor Girls Tennis played not against, but with RBT. The group of players was split into Team Red and Team White and then further divided into doubles pairs. Team Red came out victorious 6-2, and everyone got their pick in flavor of the celebratory water ice. “It was a fun way to commemorate the season, especially since it’s one of the last times I’ll be able to play with the seniors! Maybe we can do it again during the boys’ season in the spring,” said singles player Perri Simonian. Marking the final event of the season, the Banquet on November 5th will bring the RGT 2024 year all together for one last time, recognizing the graduating class and thanking the captains for their leadership. Additionally, the next year’s captains will be announced, surely to generate excitement for Radnor Girls Tennis 2025.
Ultimate Frisbee (Boys) – Kavin Thapar and Ben Rickmond
Radnor Ultimate Frisbee has held great practices these past few weeks and still looks for more players to boost the roster for the end of the fall and start of the spring season. Additionally, Radnor also participated in their yearly KitKat tournament, during which they played against teams including Abington Friends and Central High School. Notably, RUF’s third game in the tournament against Central High was a hard-fought battle that unfortunately ended in a 8-7 loss on universe point. As this was the last tournament of the season, RUF thanks captains Harrison Westby and Jackson Polaha. The boys look forward to more games to come in the spring season.
Volleyball – Ava Preate
As the volleyball season comes to a close, it’s time to celebrate the hard work, growth, and long-lasting memories that defined RGV’s journey this season. Following a tough loss to Garnet Valley, RGV had a very successful 3-set win against Upper Darby on October 8. The girls were led by senior captain Monika Mortensen’s stellar game of 10 kills and 2 blocks. A few days later, on October 14, Radnor held their Senior Night at home against Ridley. After a fantastic ceremony honoring RGV’s three beloved seniors, Kinsey Carrigan, Monika Mortensen, and Nithila Anand, the girls went on to win the game in 3-sets. RGV then quickly shifted focus to the next challenge: Mount St. Joseph. Eager to carry their momentum from Senior Night forward, the girls prepared to face Mount just two days later. Sadly, RGV came up short in their game against Mount. The girls played hard, with aggressive serves, smart offense, and clear communication, but The Mount’s defense proved to be challenging. However, the girls held their heads high during their final in-season game against Sacred Heart, during which they pulled off an easy win.
The Raptors enter the postseason with a rematch against Mount. Pushing aside the previous 0-3 loss from a few days prior, RGV marched into their gym looking to dominate – and they did just that. Everyone had an incredible game, with sophomore setter Ysa Sanchez at the heart of it all. Freshman Alexis Brennan was a crucial part of the game-winning offensive. After a short but thrilling 3-sets, Radnor took home their first postseason win in the history of the program! As they advanced further into the playoffs, the season came to a bittersweet end with a tough loss to Strath Haven in the semi-finals. While the season ended sooner than they hoped, the Raptors walked away with pride, knowing they’d made program history and set a new standard for Radnor Girls Volleyball. Go RGV!!
