It seems as if the weather gods have finally decided to give the people what they want: sunshine and warmer temperatures. The past few weeks have exemplified the beauty of springtime in Radnor. With imminent AP tests looming, and playoff/championship seasons encroaching, RHS’s spring student athletes have continued to work hard, dominating on the field, track, and water. Read Edition #13 of the RSRU for the recents of Radnor’s athletics.
Note: These blurbs were written April 30. Unfortunately, the editing of this edition was postponed (by yours truly), because its importance ranked inferior to a very scary upcoming AP Bio exam. I apologize to and beg forgiveness from any readers disappointed with this tragic four-day delay.
— Kayla
Baseball – Blake Fein and Hayden Goldenberg
Since we left off, RABA has been on a roll. After an unfortunate loss to Haverford and a bounce back win against Ridley, Radnor Baseball was put through the ringer these past few weeks. RABA kicked off a 13-day stretch of six Central League (CAL) games with a 6-1 win vs. Lower Merion, thanks to yet another strong complete game from Junior Austin Havertine. Later, the boys clinched a narrow 2-1 walkoff win against Springfield after a clutch single by Senior Joe Krasowski. Radnor took care of Penncrest with ease, backed by five no-hit innings from Junior Daniel Kellis, to end the week 3-0 in CAL play. In another tough week, Radnor took down Garnet Valley, boosted by (yet again) a complete game from Austin Havertine – and there’s more to come. After they were squeezed by the Jaguars, RABA dismantled Upper Darby with a 13-1 mercy rule win before having to face their toughest week yet. Radnor started this past Monday with a 4-2 win over rival Conestoga bolstered by a CAL season-record 16-strikeout performance from (no surprise) Austin Havertine. This past Wednesday, RABA cruised to their second win of the week after beating Strath Haven 4-1 with big hits from Senior Matt Szychulski, and Junior Daniel Kellis, who also threw five shutout innings. On Thursday, Senior Ryan McWilliams capped off the week with an impressive start against Marple Newtown, lifting the Raptors to a 5-2 win. RABA now boasts an impressive 14-1 overall record – good to tie for 1st place in the Central League. Radnor looks forward to three more CAL games over the next two weeks and aims to hold on to a piece of the Central League title, having already secured a first round bye for Districts.
Crew (Boys) – Arnav Sadashiv
RBCC has been moving strongly into the month of May. At the culminating Fifth Manny Flick of the Flick/Horvat regatta series, our Varsity 4+ won a resounding second place against 23 other crews in our region. With Flick 5 and a casual scrimmage against Holy Ghost Prep wrapping up the races for April, the team is now preparing for their most competitive performances at the upcoming Philadelphia City Championships, Mid-Atlantic Youth Championships, and Stotesbury Cup Regatta. These regattas fill the first three weekends of May with intense sprint racing between crews from Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and beyond. All teams will compete to win shining medals and potentially qualify for the SRAA National Championship. You can look forward to reading about RBCC’s progress in the next edition of the Roundup!
Crew (Girls) – Caroline Croke
This past month, RGCC finished 9th out of 72 teams in the Hoovart Manny Flick series of 5 races. The team collected points throughout the season by placing high in each race. The team has a 2-week break in between the series and the City Championship Race, which will take place this weekend. Over Saturday and Sunday, there will be three races: preliminaries, semifinals, and then finals. RGCC will race a V8, a 2V8, a lightweight 4, and a Freshman 8. If the girls place high this weekend, the boats will qualify for SRAA Nationals, which takes place over Memorial Day Weekend. The girls have been working hard these past few weeks to ensure victory in these upcoming races. Also upcoming is the Stotesbury Regatta, which is the largest high school regatta in the country, attended by thousands of crews and spectators. With the biggest races of the season coming up, practices have been getting more intense, and the team remains incredibly motivated. Good luck this weekend!
Lacrosse (Boys) – Brendan Cox
The Radnor Boys Lacrosse team has been playing non-stop this past week. In their face-offs against two Central League rivalry teams, RALA was able to blow right through both Garnet Valley and Ridley. RALA remains undefeated in the Central League, giving us confidence as we make our way to the playoffs. Unfortunately, our winning streak came to an end on Saturday, when we took a tragic loss to St. Augustine Prep in New Jersey. We almost managed to comeback, thanks to senior captain Sawyer Smith and other key attackmen, who brought the score to a one goal difference. Unfortunately, we just ran out of time. RALA had their senior night on Thursday against Conestoga. All of our seniors deserve all the support they can get for all the hard work they put in this season. Let’s go RALA!
Lacrosse (Girls) – Tatum Brown
Radnor Girls lacrosse showed Maryland what Philly lacrosse is all about when the team traveled to the Severn School right outside of Baltimore. Severn mistakenly made Radnor their Senior Night and mocked our team during our warmups. Word of advice Severn: don’t poke the bear, it will attack. From the first draw, Radnor clearly dominated the game, crushing Severn in a 12-4 win. Unfortunately, the girls lost at home the following Tuesday to a big rival, Carroll. However, the girls did not let that loss ruin their spirit, and they quickly fired back with a victory against Twin Valley. After a long day of school, the girls traveled and then quickly got down to business. Anna Reger and Merie Johnson showed up and showed out against the Raiders. Johnson controlled the draw excellently and brought the spark that ignited Radnor’s fire. Reger took on the task of face guarding Twin Valley’s best player, Ellie Kaplan, with poise and composure, locking her down for the second half of the game. Later, Garnet Valley proved themselves to be a formidable opponent in an unfortunate loss (7-4). Despite dropping this tough league game, they turned around for their matchup against Upper Darby and won 16-1. Freshman Alivia Wallis had her first career varsity hat-trick against Darby, too. On Tuesday night, Radnor battled their way to a 8-7 win over Ridley. With 4 yellow cards, RGLAX played a man down for over a quarter. In the last few minutes of the 4th quarter, Radnor’s offense held the ball to ensure the Raptors’ win. The girl’s only have 3 games left in the regular season, including their revenge game against longtime rival Conestoga. The last time the two teams met was last June in the State Championship game, during which Stoga was crowned victor. The girls are looking to finish off their regular season with a couple of strong wins, so make sure to come out and support!!
Softball – Ava Preate
The unlucky streak continued for Radnor Girls Softball, as the team faced tough losses against Upper Darby, Lower Merion, and Conestoga over the past two weeks. Despite these setbacks, the girls remain determined and continue to put in the hard work during practice. Their team spirit is unwavering, and they are staying focused on improving with every game. Stay tuned for the upcoming matchups against Strath Haven, Marple Newtown, and Harriton! Keep up the great work, girls – Go RSB!
Tennis (Boys) – Max Spillerman
Sadly, since the last Roundup, the Radnor Boys Tennis season has come to an end. The Boys finished their season placing 2nd in the Central League, behind only Conestoga High School. While the team’s season is over, junior Max Spillerman and freshman Carter Mcllwain placed third in the Central league doubles tournament. The two will continue to districts on Thursday, May 8, to attempt to advance to States. As always, Go RBTT!
Track & Field (Boys) – Commerce Fisk
As we approach the end of rainy and windy April, the early blooms of May invite the most exciting time of year in the track and field world: championship season. But, in order for our talented athletes to embark on the most prestigious meets in the state, they had to endure through a busy but exhilarating meet schedule in late April. On Friday, April 11, senior captain Joseph Garzio participated in the Haverford Twilight Invitational at Haverford High School. In a stunning show, Garzio finished first in the 800m (1:51.83) in a stacked field of runners. Not only did Garzio break his own school record with that performance, it also was good for Pennsylvania #2 and US #14. Although Radnor decided not to travel to Coatesville the following day due to weather, the boys were back at it the following Wednesday at the Green Raider Invitational at Ridley High School. Premiere hurdler Mason Shieh ran 15.44 in the 110m hurdles, placing 2nd. Radnor’s 4x100m squad (Erik Mortensen, Noah Engstrom, Zeph Yisrael, Owen Lim) went stride for stride with Academy Park, ultimately finishing second (43.77). Sophomore Connor Walsh ran a personal record in the 3200m run, placing second with a time of 10:10.25. Radnor’s prolific 4x400m team (Garzio, Mortensen, Yisrael, and Engstrom) dominated their competition, earning 1st (3:27.36). Junior Jamil Hill and Sophomore Noah Sellers set personal records in the high jump, both surpassing 5”9. On April 19, the team traveled to Penn Wood for the Rap Curry invitational. Noah Engstrom ran a personal record (11.11) in the 100m. Radnor’s burgeoning 4x800m team (Garzio, Aidan Haas, Owen Bradwell, Commerce Fisk) ran a district-qualifying 8:11.98 time, earning them first place at the meet. Yisrael also achieved a personal record at Penn Wood, sprinting for 22.47 in the 200m. Junior Jack Wible continued his 1600m excellence, finishing 5th with a time of 4:41.92. Over at the pole vault, Senior Brandon Ngyuen had a great day with an 11-00.00 finish, good for 6th place. On Monday, April 21, some of the boys traveled to Marple Newtown High School for a Central League JV meet, where several of the younger athletes had a fantastic day, including an impressive 2:13.56 800m from Connor Walsh. That Thursday, Radnor’s 4x100m (Engstrom, Yisreal, Mortensen, Lim) and 4x400m (Engstrom, Yisrael, Mortensen, Garzio) teams traveled to Franklin Field for the coveted Penn Relays, where they would face some of the best competition in the country. In the 4x100m, Engstrom produced an incredible start that led to a consistent race for all 4 legs, resulting in a blazing 43.75 time. In the 4x400m, all 4 legs worked hard to push past their local foes, concluding with a deafening 48.0 second split from Garzio that gave Radnor second place in the central league with a time of 3:23.41. The following day, much of the team arrived at Upper Darby for the UD Invite. Senior Michael Chambers set a huge personal record in the Triple Jump with a leap of 40-06.25, earning 4th place. In the Long Jump, Senior Owen Lim returned from injury to qualify for Districts with a seamless 21-00.75 jump. In the 400m, Garzio attempted to break the Radnor school record of 49.5, coming up painfully short with a 50.0 dash, qualifying for Districts and earning 1st place. In the 110m hurdles, Shieh bolted to a district-qualifying 14.80 time, earning first by over half a second. Garzio also qualified for districts in the 3200m, placing first with a personal record of 9:33.24. On Wednesday, April 30, several members of the team will travel back to Penn Wood for the Delaware County Championship trials where they hope to burst into the finals of Saturday as championship season is at last ushered in. Go Radnor!
Track & Field (Girls) – Grace Kimlinger
Over the past few weeks, RGTF has continued to dominate in their meets! On 4/16, the team attended the Green Raider Invitational at Ridley High School, where our athletes had tons of fantastic performances. Nahla Cooper sprinted to 10th in the 100m hurdles with a 19.23, later placing 5th in the 300m hurdles. Emma placed 8th in the 800m and later ran in the 4×8’s golden performance, along with Kayla Cormier, Clara Humphrey, and Grace Kimlinger. In the 400m, Cormier ran a blazing 1:01 to earn her 4th place, followed by Julia Richardson in 10th place (1:05.42). Radnor’s mile squad also dominated: Katelyn Anderson, Kimlinger and Humphrey finished 1st, 3rd, and 4th, with Anderson setting a meet record and Kimlinger and Humphrey both running big PRs. A little later, the 3200m also had a great showing: Coco Conner, Sonia Dougherty, and Emily Decker placed 1st, 3rd, and 5th, respectively, all running under 13:30. While all this was happening, pole vaulters Natalie Merriam and Maddy McBride soared to 1st and 2nd place, both setting meet records in the process. To end with a bang, Radnor’s 4x400m relay teams placed 5th and 10th! After such a successful meet, a smaller group of athletes travelled to Upper Darby to compete at the Central Athletic League JV Meet. Here, Reese Conner and Victoria Bates placed 14th and 15th in the 400m, finishing only fractions of a second apart. The 4x100m relay team sprinted to 7th place, while Natalie Myers represented the hurdle squad, placing 4th in the 100m hurdles and 7th in the 300m hurdles. On the field side, Kirstyn Acheampong PRed in the javelin throw to reach bronze, followed by Maria Balabanyan (9th place). A spring track season couldn’t be complete without a trip to Penn Relays. This year, our 4x400m team placed 11th in their section, the 4x800m team placed 18th, and the 4x100m team placed 24th. The same day, Grace Kimlinger and Nora Elliott ran the mile at the Upper Darby Invitational, both running big PRs. While the season is slowly beginning to wrap up, our athletes are looking forward to multiple more meets and lots of warm weather ahead. Go RGTF!
Ultimate Frisbee (Boys) – Ben Rickmond and Kavin Thapar
Over the past two weeks, the Ultimate Frisbee team has demonstrated remarkable growth, determination, and sportsmanship through a series of competitions and practices. The team began this period with a competitive match against Harriton High School, during which our players exhibited strong resilience and tactical awareness, challenging a formidable opponent with improvable offense and excellent persistent defensive pressure. Midway through the two weeks, the team participated in a scrimmage against The Grayson School, which provided an excellent opportunity to apply skills refined in practice, experiment with new strategies, and strengthen on-field communication. The players adapted well to the dynamic pace of play, showing notable improvements in both disc movement and field positioning. The two weeks concluded with a major milestone: the successful hosting of our own invitational tournament, which featured spirited competition and provided a platform for our team to showcase its development. We are proud to recognize Anthony DiGregorio, who was a participating handler for the event due to some unexpected injuries, as his leadership, composure with the disc, and ability to facilitate offensive flow were invaluable to the team’s success throughout the tournament. In addition to these competitions, the team’s performance in practices has been outstanding, with players consistently demonstrating focus and a commitment to continuous improvement. The skills honed during these sessions have translated into stronger in-game execution and team cohesion. The team looks forward to carrying this momentum into the next phase of the season, with confidence in our preparation and a shared commitment to excellence.
Ultimate Frisbee (Girls) – Anrui Xu
RGUF is making immense strides with each game! The team recently implemented their horizontal stack offense in weekday games against Garnet Valley and Springfield while debuting their punishing zone defense against Lower Merion, determined to learn and grow from each loss. The team’s patience paid off during the Radnor Invitational tournament, when RGUF fought through persistent gusts to hand Abington Friends a 6-3 defeat off of three assists from Anrui Xu and two goals apiece from Graci Gill and Rebecca Goldberg. After dropping a tough match against nationals-hopefuls Springfield and a one-point game to Haverford, the team still found plenty of reasons to be optimistic about its rebuilding year. Freshman Perri Bruhns put up a stunning three-block defensive performance against Haverford, senior captains Nayra Garcia and Olivia Cohen Freue generated jaw-dropping back-to-back layout catches to set up a baffling Radnor goal against Springfield, and rookies Grace Liu and Lela Liu joined forces with senior captain Mia Kripke to shred opposing defenses in the horizontal stack. RGUF has been relentlessly picking up momentum over the course of this spring, so expect even more impressive showings in May at Cities and States!
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Interested in writing about Radnor sports for the Roundup? Contact Kayla Cormier ([email protected], 215-821-4699) or stop by the next Radnorite meeting.