The other day, I almost started crying (out of joy) because for the first time in months, I heard the chirping of birds. Not to mention, the sun was shining, and even the grass looked a little greener than the bland brown to which I’d grown accustomed. For a second there, I was beginning to think that winter was never going to end. But once again, nature proved me wrong – as did the ever-evolving schedule of Radnor athletics. With March now solidly underway, the girls and boys of RHS spring sports work tirelessly in preparation for the games, matches, and meets ahead. Read below for coverage of the first few weeks of the spring season.
– Kayla
Baseball – Blake Fein and Hayden Goldenberg
Radnor Baseball, like most spring teams, holds high expectations for a strong 2025 season. The boys had started their practices earlier this month. Only one date was circled on their calendar, however: March 19. In a highly anticipated matchup, the Raptors squared off against the defending league champion Strath Haven Panthers. Both sides flashed Division I talent on the mound. Lehigh commit Austin Havertine got the ball for Raptors, and he did not disappoint. Havertine went five strong innings, striking out seven and only allowing one run. That single run led to Strath Haven’s one-run lead, which they held for most of the game – that was until the bottom of the 6th inning, when Radnor’s offense suddenly found life. Radnor strung together a few good at bats before Kenyon commit Ryan McWilliams knocked in a go ahead 2 RBI single, and Austin Havertine struck at the plate to add two RBIs of his own. This gave UPenn commit Daniel Kellis a comfortable three-run lead on the mound, as he shut the door on the Panthers to seal Radnor’s 4-1 win. The Raptors, now starting off 1-0, look forward to games versus Marple next Monday and Harriton next Wednesday, before heading to Florida on March 28 for their annual spring break trip.
Crew (Boys) – Arnav Sadashiv
The big spring season has kicked off for the Radnor Boys Crew Club! The Manny Flick Regatta Series has just begun, which entails fierce sprint races on the Schuylkill every Sunday for five weeks (through March and April). Flick 1 was especially successful for the Varsity 4+ boat (Hugo Rowbotham, Ian Sutherland, Matthew Tyburski, Isaac Denham, cox Mohammed Badri), who came in 2nd place while going up against tough opponents such as the Haverford School, Holy Ghost Prep, and Father Judge. Plenty of young blood has joined the program this year, and these freshman/novice boats are showing great promise as they prepare for their first regattas.
In other news, captain Ian Sutherland has broken his own school record by another two seconds with an absolutely smashing time of 6:13.4 on the 2k erg test. As the team gets the ball rolling with this intense racing season, you can look forward to learning about many more accomplishments from RBCC.
Crew (Girls) – Caroline Croke
The Radnor Girls Crew Club has had an impressive start to their season. At last Sunday’s first Manny Flick Regatta, the Freshmen 8 placed third, the JV 8 placed second, the Lightweight 4 took first, and the Varsity 8 came in fourth. Led by captains Zara Taylor, Lillian Reilly, and Eadlin Morrissey, the team has demonstrated an incredible work ethic and strong team dynamic. This week, the girls will prepare for the second Manny Flick race, with the rowers working hard in practice to continue to dominate their opponents. Looking ahead, RGCC eagerly anticipates their spring break training camp, during which they will continue honing their skills, as they set their sights on City Championships, Stotesbury Regatta, and Nationals.
Lacrosse (Boys) – Brendan Cox
Radnor Lacrosse is looking strong this season, hungry for another state championship. With a lot of pressure on their backs, RALA has been working hard everyday during practice. Unfortunately, the team lost their first official game against Episcopal Academy on Tuesday (4-9). However, RALA has shown that they are still a top program after two dominant scrimmages against West Chester Rustin (8-5) and The Perkiomen School (11-7). Both our attack and defense are working together to become a fluid, dominating force this season. This year, the boys are led by senior captains Sawyer Smith, Jake Barber, and Tyler Vitale. Each year, Radnor Lacrosse chooses a unique word that sums up their goals as a team for the entire season. This year, we went with the word “grit,” which is defined as “courage and resolve; strength of character.” All season, we look to find strength in ourselves throughout the positive and negative outcomes. So far this year, we have been living up to the word “grit” and are showing what it truly means to always stay strong. Let’s go RALA!
Lacrosse (Girls) – Tatum Brown
Radnor Girls Lacrosse kicked off their season with a strong win against Kennett Girls Lacrosse with a dominating 18-1 win. Senior captain and Duke commit Taylor Murphy led the team in scoring, dropping an impressive 7 goals. Goalie Avery Tyrell saved all but one shot in the game, a great first start from the junior. Senior captain and San Diego State commit Margot Lingo locked down on defense, working with junior Maeve Mucksavage (Lafayette commit) to ensure that Kennett would not score easily. Senior captain and Delaware lacrosse commit Marin Mooney played with poise and composure on both sides of the field, expertly shutting down opposing attackers and blowing by Kennett’s defense. Freshman Julia Morris was a problem for the Kennett defense the moment she got in the game. The quick, sneaky, righty attacker ended the game tallying 2 goals in the books. Her first official varsity goal was delivered by a powerful lefty shot – quite the way to start one’s high school lax career. Anna Reger (junior, Dartmouth commit) showed that she can do it all. After having led the Radnor Girls Basketball team to a District Championship, she smoothly transitioned over to lacrosse without missing a beat. Her ability to outrun anyone on the field helped Radnor stay dialed in. Juniors Francesca Lucchesi (St. Joes commit) and Ryan Ertel (William & Mary commit) organized the offense, creating many scoring opportunities for Radnor.
Although Radnor lost half of their starting lineup and a whopping 16 seniors in the 2024 class, they proved in their season opener that they are not to be underestimated and will be a tough opponent during the 2024-25 season. Go RGLAX!!
Softball – Ava Preate
The Radnor Girls Softball season is officially underway, and while the start has been a bit rocky, the team shows resilience and promise. After two early scrimmage losses against Chichester and Shanahan, RSB regrouped, focusing on improving their game in daily after-school practices. Their hard work paid off when they secured their first official win of the season on March 17 with a 4-1 victory over Penncrest. On March 19, Radnor faced Strath Haven and came out strong, taking an early lead. Sophomore Abby Krasowski delivered a powerful home run, and freshman Joey Wallace added excitement with a clutch triple. Despite the girls’ stellar performances, RSB couldn’t maintain their advantage and ultimately fell to Strath Haven. Now, the team is more motivated than ever to get back on track. With relentless dedication, the girls are determined to regain their winning momentum. RSB’s next challenge comes on Monday, March 23, when they take on Marple at home. The girls are eager to prove themselves and defend their home field. Hope to see you there, and go RSB!!
Tennis (Boys) – Max Spillerman
Radnor Boys Tennis has started its season firing on all cylinders. With tryouts taking place the week of March 3, Benji Lo and Will Shi now lead the team as captains. Since our first week, the line-up has been set. Max Spillerman takes charge as first singles, followed by Benji Lo at second, and Noah Movsowits at third. Will Shi/ Carter Mcllwain, Jo Jo Egg/Eli Knight, Jacob Kwon/Agastya, and finally, Colman Coonley/Wright pair up for doubles. The team has now gone 4-0 in Central League play, boasting an overall record of 6-0. Looking forward, on March 20, the boys take on their biggest rivals: Lower Merion. Make sure to come out and cheer!
Track & Field (Boys) – Commerce Fisk
Just as the days are growing longer, the sun is shining brighter, and leaves are returning to the trees, Radnor Boys Track and Field returns for a new and exciting season. Practices began on March 3, and since then, the boys have not looked back, working every day after school to maximize preparation for a busy meet schedule ahead. The distance crew combines long runs with difficult threshold and progression workouts. The sprinters focus on increasing their speed and improving their starts, looking to build on a successful indoor season. Throwers are developing their form, and jumpers have worked tirelessly to plan out steps and learn new techniques. Every member of this talented team has also taken advantage of Radnor’s beautiful weight room to get in the best shape for competition. Radnor’s captains, seniors Owen Lim, Joseph Garzio, Wayne Fontaine Jr., and Erik Mortensen, along with coaches Joe Manion and Chris Sydnor, look to prepare their team for success in the ever-cutthroat District I and Central League. On March 22, the boys will travel to Upper Darby High School for their first official meet of the year: the coveted Upper Darby Relays. Later, Radnor competes in their first league meet at Ridley High School on March 26. Go Radnor!
Track & Field (Girls) – Grace Kimlinger
RGTF is looking forward to an amazing season! Practices started on March 3. This year, the girls are led by captains Sonia Dougherty, Maddy McBride, Kayla Cormier, Isabella Flores, and Katelyn Anderson. Our distance runners have been putting in the work with speedy track workouts, distance runs, and weight room sessions, while our sprinters have been practicing starts and relay handoffs and learning how to use the blocks. Meanwhile, our field athletes have been jumping, throwing, vaulting, and hurdling, in addition to lots of weight room lifts. While they’ve just been practicing for now, RGTF anticipates their first meet on March 26 at Penncrest High School. Be sure to tune in throughout the season as our athletes continue to improve!
Ultimate Frisbee (Boys) – Ben Rickmond and Kavin Thapar
Radnor Boys Frisbee has been preparing for a successful spring season with many successful practices. This weekend, the boys will be attending a tournament hosted by Jefferson University, during which they will compete against several Division III college teams. Down the road, we will play weekly matches against local teams in preparation for future tournaments, such as Cities and States. We are always looking for new players, so if you’re interested, visit radnorultimate.com for more information!
Ultimate Frisbee (Girls) – Anrui Xu
RGUF is looking forward to a fun, competitive spring season! The team has been working hard at practice to prepare newer players for the first game of the year, an upcoming Wednesday match against nationally-ranked Strath Haven. In the next few months, RGUF also plans to spend its weekends playing in the Hip Hop, Radnor Invite, Amherst Invite, Cities, and States tournaments. As talented seniors are leaving it all on the field in their final high school season, promising young players are stepping up on both sides of the disc. The newly rejuvenated middle school program is bringing an early love of the game to more Radnor girls, and the future of the team is looking bright for years to come!
***
Interested in writing about Radnor sports for the Roundup? Contact Kayla Cormier ([email protected], 215-821-4699) or stop by the next Radnorite meeting.
