Frigid temperatures and cloudy skies have made for a rather depressing return from the joyous climax of winter break. This entire week has been filled with exchanges of “Take me back to Christmas.” Piles of school work and calendar-creeping midterms have all students wishing for another snow storm (translation: snow day).
Through the chaos of it all, RHS athletics has not ceased its hard work and domination. Readers – do yourselves a favor, and ring in the new year the right way, by reviewing the latest of Radnor’s prowess in winter sports.
— Kayla
Basketball (Boys) – Ellis Margolies and Arielle Mims
The past few games, the Raptors have faced some really strong teams, including Penncrest (undefeated) and Conestoga (ranked eighth in the state). Despite these recent losses, Radnor Boys Basketball still brought lots of energy to both games and put up tough fights. The Raptors’ zone defense has been really difficult for teams to penetrate. Offensively, the boys’ ball movement continually sets up great looks. Lately, sophomore Conor Hicke has stepped up into a huge role for the Raptors. His three-point shooting has been incredibly helpful to Radnor’s offense. Additionally, senior Matt Szychulski’s (center) skills have helped on the offensive and defensive end through his winning of valuable rebounds, being a presence in the paint, and scoring through contact. Even though the Raptors have struggled as of recent, the boys still hold their heads high, looking now to their upcoming games against Haverford and Upper Darby. RBB is now fully healthy and has continued to train hard in practices in preparation for upcoming opponents. We still have lots of belief in this tough team, and with an easier schedule ahead, we hope to see some more wins from the Radnor Boys Varsity Basketball team. Go Raptors!
To focus on a few of the JV games, RBB played Springfield before winter break could officially start. With strong offensive contributions from Radnor to set the tone for the game, as well as an aggressive and effective press, RBB was able to win 41-35. The score was tied well into the game, with Springfield even taking a lead in the third quarter. But, with the help of Dvandy Goncalves, who showed serious skill throughout the game offensively and defensively, as well as Radnorite’s very own Ellis Margolies, who drew some fouls and played good defense, Radnor left it all on the floor and pulled out the win. For Radnor’s game against Penncrest, RBB wasn’t slow to turn up the heat, pressuring PHS right out the gate. Both teams battled for the lead throughout the matchup, but Radnor came out on top and won 41-33. The season is looking good for RBB JV – good luck to the boys on their games this week!
Basketball (Girls) – Ava Preate and Bree Simpson
In the midst of their season, RGB’s future is looking bright! The Raptors currently hold an amazing record of 9-2 and are ranked 2nd in the Central League. Additionally, RGB recently showed off their skills over the break at the George Snear Holiday tournament. There, the girls took home the gold, thanks to star juniors Anna Reger and Nyah Yao. Anna was named MVP of the tournament and was crucial at handling the ball under pressure and attacking the basket strongly. Nyah demolished the opponents on the offensive end, hitting a career high after scoring 24 points in one game! Soon after, Radnor played Penncrest and secured another win resulting in a final score of 40-31. This victory was made possible by Anna Reger, who had another exceptional game. Despite her small size, she was a menace on the boards and excelled at bringing the ball down during transition. Following Penncrest, the Raptors faced Conestoga, which resulted in an unfortunate loss of 41-57. The Raptors did a great job on the defensive end, denying the ball to two of Conestoga’s D1 commits, but were not able to take the lead due to struggles on the offensive end. Looking forward, RGB has a tough stretch of games, scheduled to play both Haverford and Lower Merion within the next week. Good luck to RGB, and go Raptors!
Cheerleading – Abby Merschel
Radnor Cheerleading has been busy these past couple weeks! On top of Pocono Regionals to secure a bid to Disney Nationals, the girls have also attended three local competitions since then, including Penncrest, Marple, and Districts just this past weekend. Coming up, Radcheer will be attending the Central League Championship, hosted by Haverford High School, on Saturday morning. In addition to all of Radnor Cheer’s competition work, the girls have also been cheering on our Radnor Boys Basketball team at the past three home games, against Penncrest, Marple, and Conestoga. Wish the girls luck for Saturday! GO Radnor Cheer!
Ice Hockey (Boys) – Hayden Goldenberg
After a much needed winter break, Radnor Boys Ice Hockey has finally started to show promise. With their season on the line, the boys started the new year off right with a 3-1 win over LM, thanks to a stellar performance from junior goalie James Danner. Although RAHO secured an important win, they couldn’t finish the week undefeated, falling to a red-hot Springfield team. Despite the loss, the boys were still able to put up 8 goals, 4 of which came from junior forward Sam Kane. The team has a tough schedule coming up, highlighted by games against Strath Haven and Marple Newton. Good luck, and go Radnor!
Ice Hockey (Girls) – Gabriella Eun
3 weeks ago, on Thursday December 19, our Radnor Girls Hockey team unfortunately lost their highly anticipated rematch against WC Henderson High School, ending the game with a very close 8-7 score. The day after, the girls rematched against WC East and suffered another close game (7-5). On January 3, Radnor kicked off their return from break with a five-point lead in their game against Pennridge (11-6), which established their even 6-6 record. Recently, it has been revealed that three of our Radnor Girls Hockey players placed in the ICSHL (Inter County Scholastic Hockey League). If you see them, make sure to congratulate Radnor High School’s 2025 ICSHL All-Stars: Madison Lynn, Maeve White, and Samantha Mitchell. Tomorrow, Radnor plays their fourth to last game for this season, which will be a hopefully successful rematch this Friday, January 10. Let’s show them RADNOR!
Indoor Track (Boys) – Commerce Fisk
New year, same old dominance from the boys of Radnor Track and Field. The team has persevered through frigid and windy practices as they continue to improve and make their mark in every meet they attend. On December 20, the boys traveled to Lehigh University for the second TFCAGP meet of the year. Radnor’s fantastic Distance Medley Relay (DMR), composed of Aiden Landau, Brandon Ngyuen, Jack Wible, and Joseph Garzio, placed 7th overall with a time of 11:20.00. Ngyuen had a successful day at the Pole Vault as well, surpassing 11–00.00. Fresh off the holiday break, December 27 saw the boys travel back to beautiful Lehigh for the Robert J. Burdette Indoor Classic. Sophomore Noah Engstrom bolted to a time of 7.55 in the 60m Prelims. Junior Jack Wible impressed with his sub-5 performance in the 1 mile. Qualifying for the Meet of Champs and the PIAA state finals, Captain Owen Lim achieved a phenomenal PR in the Triple Jump, leaping 43-11.25. Later, the boys kicked off the new year strong in the fourth TFCAGP meet, which saw incredible PR’s and statewide recognition. Engstrom (once again) showed his prowess, this time in the 200m, finishing 9th overall (23.94). Captain Brandon Ngyuen continued his excellence in the Pole Vault, flying over 11-06.00, and Lim took his jumping talents to Long jump, where he placed 5th in the meet after jumping 20-05.50. Amidst all the sensational results, two earned especially high praise. The prolific 4x400m team (Zeph Yisrael, Erik Mortensen, Joseph Garzio, and Wayne Fontaine Jr.) placed 2nd in a stacked field, with an awe-inspiring 3:33.69 time, qualifying the group for the Meet of Champs. Just hours before the performance, Captain Joseph Garzio also ran a blazing fast 1:55.88 800m, qualifying him for States and the Meet of Champs, in addition to claiming the fastest time in Pennsylvania, and the 10th fastest time in the country. On January 8, several members of the team made the short trip to Haverford College for a TFCAGP novice meet. Sophomore distance specialist Connor Walsh tried his hand in the 800m, placing 7th overall with a fantastic time of 2:19.82. Sophomore Alexander Bradley also had a great day, running 5:27.17 in the 1 mile race. Looking forward, the team will travel again to Lehigh University for the 7th TFCAGP meet, where they look to qualify for the fast-approaching championship races. Go Radnor!
Indoor Track (Girls) – Grace Kimlinger
Over the chilly and snowy winter break, RGTF’s athletes continued to dominate, both in tough practices and busy meets. On December 27, many of our athletes traveled to Lehigh University for their “Christmas vacation” to compete at the Robert J. Burdette Invitational. Despite coming right off the holidays, the girls performed with lots of cheer! Senior Emma Hyde placed fifth in the mile, running a new personal best of 5:30:01. Sophomore Katelyn Anderson earned silver in the 3000m with a blazing time (and PR!) of 10:45:64. Radnor’s DMR of sophomores Grace Kimlinger, Claire Brown, and Clara Humphrey and junior Isabella Flores raced their way to bronze with an overall time of 14:10:05. Huge congrats to Maddy McBride (Sr.) who won the pole vault, with a top jump of 8 feet! After another week of practices and workouts, a smaller group of athletes traveled all the way to Staten Island, New York to race in the Ocean Breeze Freedom Games on January 4. Clara Humphrey clutched bronze in the 1000m White division with a time of 3:26:09, followed by Grace Kimlinger’s 8th place finish with 3:28:42. Additionally, Katelyn Anderson (So.), Coco Conner (Fr.) and Mia Richter (Jr.) all placed top 30 in the mile, and Kayla Cormier had a stellar performance in the 300m. After such a busy stretch, the girls have a little lull in the schedule, their next meet being at Ursinus College on January 15. Nice work, RGTF!
Squash (Boys) – Harsh Kakkar and Kavin Thapar
**Radnor Boys Squash: Charging into the New Year with Strength and Determination**
Radnor Boys Squash has hit the ground running in 2025, showcasing their unwavering commitment and competitive spirit as they gear up for the second half of the season. Despite challenges of balancing training with the holiday break, the team has proven that their dedication knows no bounds. With rigorous practice sessions and a drive to improve, the boys have demonstrated remarkable focus and teamwork. As they prepare for their upcoming match against Tower Hill this Saturday, January 11, their energy and readiness are palpable. The match at Tower Hill is shaping up to be an exciting showdown, and the Radnor squad is more than ready to rise to the occasion. Let’s rally behind them and wish the team the best of luck as they continue to represent Radnor with pride and excellence! Go Radnor!
Squash (Girls) – Ella Starzyk
The Radnor Girls Squash team has begun the 2025 season better than ever! With competitive challenge matches and intense practices, the girls have been training extremely hard to compete in their next match against the Agnes Irwin School next Tuesday, January 14. After some previously challenging face-offs, this upcoming match looks to be the toughest one yet. Captains Rhea Howard and Bella Flick are getting the team back into shape and back into high spirits after a long winter break. We are wishing the girls the best of luck during their upcoming match on Tuesday and for the rest of the season to come! Go Radnor Girls Squash!
Swimming (Boys) – Mohammed Badri
With the conclusion of Winter Break, the Radnor Swim Team is back and hungry. The boys participated in multiple workouts that tested their fitness, endurance, and mental strength. Among them was a pentathlon, which was described as “very challenging” by numerous swimmers. The team did not compete in a meet over the break, but have been preparing for an away meet at Ridley on January 9, a formidable opponent. Captain Timmy Ledbetter has said that “the team culture is at an all time high,” and the swimmers are incredibly excited to see the dual meet period out with more victories. Later will come the grueling championship meet season, during which Radnor swimmers will compete against other Central League competition, then against District competition, and finally, some swimmers will have the opportunity to attend States. You may have seen our swimmers dressed in their jackets around the school on meet day, so make sure to wish them luck as they continue to pursue an undefeated record!
Swimming (Girls) – Sophie Masicoli
Radnor Girls Swimming finished December with two great meets. First, we had a strong win against Upper Darby, keeping our undefeated streak alive! A few days later, our team attended the Delco Invitational Meet. This meet gave many swimmers a chance to compete in new, different events that they had been unable to swim during past dual meets. Everyone had strong races and supported their teammates, making for a great meet! We had a break from competition over winter break, during which we dedicated many hard-working hours to improving our stroke and technique. Coming into 2025, our girls are ready and excited to take on upcoming meets against Ridley, Haverford, and Conestoga!
Interested in writing about Radnor sports for the Roundup? Contact Kayla Cormier ([email protected], 215-821-4699) or stop by the next Radnorite meeting.
