May’s ending is rapidly approaching – as is Radnor’s spring sports season. Some of our teams wrap up their seasons with bittersweet farewells, while others continue to march on through their playoff and/or championship runs. Read Edition #15 to learn more about the recent happenings of Radnor athletics.
– Kayla
Baseball – Blake Fein and Hayden Goldenberg
Since we last left off, Radnor started their run in the district playoffs with a bye as the #2 seed. After a rain delay pushed the matchup back, Radnor faced early-game struggles against Lower Perk in the first inning. However, Lower Perk’s lead was soon erased after a two-run home run from Matt Szychulski. Radnor tacked on seven more runs en route to their 9-2 win. The following Friday, Radnor faced Hatboro Horsham in the semi-finals. More rain picked up in the early stages of the game, which led to three runs scoring and Hatboro Horsham pulling out in front. It was not until the bottom of the fifth that Radnor rallied with two outs and tied the game back up at three. After stellar pitching from Daniel Kellis and Ryan McWilliams, the game would stay at a deadlock all the way until the 9th inning, during which Radnor walked two off, thanks to an infield single by Zach Fein, once again, with two outs. Radnor will return to the District Championship after last year’s devastating loss to Marple Newton. The game will be played at Villanova’s field on Tuesday, May 27 against Upper Dublin.
Lacrosse (Boys) – Brendan Cox
Radnor Lacrosse has long been a symbol of grit, unity, and excellence in high school sports, but this season, their journey to the District Championship game stands as one of the most inspiring chapters in the program’s history. From the opening whistle of the season, the Radnor players committed themselves to a singular goal: making it to the District Championship. It wasn’t just about talent, though the team certainly had plenty. It was about work ethic. Day in and day out, we poured everything into practice, pushing through early mornings, long film sessions, and grueling conditioning drills. Every player bought in. Every coach demanded excellence. And no one was satisfied with half-energy. The regular season wasn’t without challenges. There were close games, tough opponents, and moments when momentum felt like it was going to slip away. But Radnor responded with heart. In every setback, we saw opportunity. In every win, we saw the next step forward. Key players stepped up at crucial moments, but more importantly, the whole roster played as one—sharing the ball, trusting the system, and holding each other accountable.
Lacrosse (Girls) – Tatum Brown
Radnor Girls’ Lacrosse had nothing short of a fantastic year. Going into the 24-25 season, people questioned whether we would be as dominant of a team as last year, after we graduated a huge group of crucial seniors. Despite all the doubt surrounding this season, every player showed up at preseason ready to work and buy into the belief that we could achieve anything we set our minds to. We faced many setbacks and tough losses, which challenged us to dig deep and work even harder than we already were. Playing for this team requires giving up lots of energy and time, which can leave you exhausted and mentally drained.
However, if you ask any of us, we would all say, “It’s worth it.” All the Saturday 8 am practices, long film sessions, rainy weather, numb fingers, and tiresome 300s? They are all worth it. RGLAX is so much more than just a team that plays lacrosse – it’s a team made up of best friends who play a game that they love. When you play for this team, you aren’t playing for yourself – you are playing for the girl next to you. You are playing for your seniors, so they can have a memorable last season.
The tears that were shed on Thursday after our heartbreaking loss to Henderson were a testament to the love and care we all have for each other. Our seniors led our team with passion and grit every step of the way; any and all of our success is due to their dedication and leadership. For four years, each of them poured their heart and soul into this team, and words cannot describe the gratitude we feel for them and the impact they had. Although we fell short of our lacrosse goals, I am proud of the team culture we created, the grit we embodied, and our perseverance that we carried throughout the season. Radnor Girls Lacrosse is a family of incredible players and coaches, who all lift each other up and push each other to be better people everyday. Thank you to our seniors, our coaches, our fans, and everyone who helped make our season one to remember. We truly gave it ALL WE GOT!
Track & Field (Boys) – Commerce Fisk
To begin their championship season, the team traveled up to Coatesville High School for the PIAA District 1 Championships, often cited as the “district of doom” for its extreme competitiveness and prominence on the state level. In the 110m hurdles, Senior Mason Shieh put on a superb performance, running 14.41 and earning him 3rd in the district. This also qualified Shieh for the PIAA State Championships and now serves as a new Radnor High School record in that event. Sophomore’s Zeph Yisrael and Noah Engstrom ran fantastic times in the 100m, finishing in 11.10 and 11.21 respectively. Senior captain Joseph Garzio ran amidst an extremely competitive 1600m field, in which he was seeded third. Despite a slow start by the entire group, the Maryland commit closed in a 1:59 800m, which lent to his incredible first place and States-qualifying finish in the district (a new school record of 4:13.58). In the Long Jump, Senior Owen Lim had a tremendous day, surpassing 22-01.00 and earning 4th in the district, qualifying himself for States, as well. On Saturday, Shieh followed up his fantastic 110m hurdle performance with a lightning fast 300m hurdle run among an extremely competitive field. Shieh ran a 39.30, earning 7th in the district and qualifying him for States in his second event. In the 800m, Garzio once again asserted his district-wide dominance, running a 55 second final lap that returned him to first place in the district, finishing in a time of 1:52.87. He is seeded third in the PIAA State Championships. Yisrael also had an impressive second day in Coatesville, running 22.69 in the 200m. Lim returned to the sand pits again Saturday for the Triple Jump where he placed 8th in the district with a leap of 44-01.00. To close the day, the 4x400m team, composed of Yisrael, Erik Mortensen, Engstrom, and Garzio ran a blistering 3:19.18, including a stunning 49.4 second split from the Sophomore Engstrom. This earned them a bid to States and constituted a new Radnor High School record. Those late-meet heroics from the 4x400m team ensured that Radnor boys Track and Field finished 5th in total standings in District 1, a deserved feat for an incredibly talented and hard-working team. Over Memorial Day Weekend, the amazing athletes who qualified at Districts will travel to Shippensburg University for the PIAA State Championships, where they look to replicate the same dominance they displayed in District 1. Go Radnor!
Track & Field (Girls) – Grace Kimlinger
While the spring track season is over for most of RGTF, a small group of runners qualified to compete at the District 1 Championships in Coatesville on May 16 and 17. On Friday, Coco Conner ran in the 1600m and placed 12th with a blazing time of 5:15.42 – and she’s just a freshman! On Saturday, Katelyn Anderson and Emma Hyde placed 7th and 15th in the 3200m. Anderson’s podium performance of 10:53.65 earned her a spot at States! Afterwards, Kayla Cormier ran a big PR in the 800m (2:19.55), earning her 11th place in a competitive field. RGTF looks forward to cheering Katelyn on at states this weekend, and to an eventful banquet on 5/29!
Ultimate Frisbee (Boys) – Ben Rickmond and Kavin Thapar
Radnor Ultimate’s spring season has recently come to a close, with our final joint practice and scrimmage this week against the Grayson School. We are looking forward to celebrating this season’s achievements at our banquet, which will take place on June 2. The team will especially miss this year’s seniors: Jackson Poloha, Sumeet Bhatia and Benji Lo. The boys already have their sights set on next season, during which we will work harder than ever to improve.
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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.
