Hello Radnor sports fans!! We’re back, and yes, we survived the winter. Which means sunburns, muddy cleats, and plenty of excitement are here to keep things interesting. Our athletes have been working hard these past few weeks, and our writers are eager to report on all the wins (and losses), that have marked your favorite sports’ season thus far.
Don’t let the heat keep you from coming out and supporting our teams!! Pack the student section, and keep up the great work athletes!! Go raptors!
- Ava
Girls Lacrosse – Sally Pegg
The Radnor Girls Lacrosse season has been marked by strength, perseverance, and dedication. The girls currently hold a record of 10-5 after securing wins against Manheim, Ridley, Lower Merion, and a fun-filled win on senior night against Upper Darby. Despite this, they have also shown resilience in the face of adversity with their losses, using each setback as motivation to improve. These triumphs and tribulations have only brought them closer as a team, demonstrated by the clear chemistry on the field. The season has not only consisted of games, but also meaningful team bonding experiences. The girls traveled to Florida over spring break to compete in a major tournament and have hosted multiple pasta parties which have strengthened the friendships on the team. The biggest takeaway from this team is their ability to always give 100% effort, and play for each other. This bond is a direct result of strong leadership from the senior captains, Fran Lucchesi, Ryan Ertel, Maeve Mucksavage, and Anna Reger. Their leadership has set the standard and expectations for a season defined not only by wins but by growth and determination. As the season continues, the team looks to build on this momentum and finish strong.
Boys Tennis – Eli Knight
The Radnor Boys Tennis regular season culminated on Tuesday the 28th with a fantastic win over Ridley. With a 13-3 overall record, the team finished second in the Central League behind a formidable Conestoga team, earning the 4 seed in the upcoming District tournament. Radnor faces West Chester Henderson Wednesday at home and needs just 2 wins in districts to earn a place in States. If RBT can beat Henderson, they will play the winner of Cheltenham vs Central Bucks West. The season highlight was a remarkable 3-2 win over Lower Merion that significantly boosted the team’s District tournament seeding, as well as competitive losses to both Unionville (2 seed) and Conestoga (1 seed). Additionally, sophomore Carter McClwain and senior Max Spillerman both qualified for district singles after strong performances at the Central League tournament. McClwain staged several comeback victories to become the first Radnor player to qualify for the state singles tournament in over 20 years.
Radnor will also send 2 doubles pairs to the Central League tournament this Friday as they look to repeat the success that McClwain and Spillerman enjoyed when they went to states last year as a doubles pair.
The team will ride home court advantage through at least the second round of districts, and is hopeful to extend their season with each match.
Arielle Mims – Girls Crew
With the inaugural season of RGCC underway with new head coach John Breen, Radnor Girls Crew Club has seen significant improvement after winter training. Although the first Manny Flick was cancelled, Flick 2 followed the week after for another opportunity to race. For the JV 8’s, one RGCC boat placed 2nd and the other 5th. Stellar performances from freshman Peyton Tessler who stepped up and stroked the second JV 8 for her first spring sprint, and freshman Evie Harper who aided in the set of the boat in bow pair added to the girls’ success at their first race. The next week was a huge win for RGCC at the 3rd Flick. The Novice 8, both JV 4s, and the lightweight 4 all secured 1st in their heats. In the competitive Varsity 4+ category, RGCC secured 2nd in their heat. Riding on the high from the wins of last flick, RGCC continued to put in the work during long, grueling spring break practices. After spring break, the team participated in the first RGCC 5K run/walk where junior Mary Olinger won 4th overall, and also the 4th Flick, where there was tough competition. RGCC did not back down and did their best against skilled guest crews. The Novice 8 won 2nd place, the JV 8 and lightweight 4 won 3rd, and the JV 4 and Varsity 4 won 4th. After a quick few practices it was time to race again in the 5th and final Flick. RGCC won 2nd in the lightweight category, 4th in the Novice 8, JV 8, and Varsity 4 categories, and 21st in the JV 4 time trial. Following the last flick was a break where RGCC has been training hard for the upcoming important races including City Championships and Stotesbury which both are opportunities to qualify for nationals.
Anrui Xu – Girls Frisbee
Radnor Girls Ultimate Frisbee has spent the spring season developing their skills and making memories. The team played two weekday scrimmages against Lower Merion and Garnet Valley before taking on the annual PHUEL Hip-Hop tournament on Sunday, April 12. Competing as a combined “Rudington Friends” squad with players from Haverford and Abington Friends, RGUF played LM, Pennsbury, Science Leadership Academy, and Strath Haven under the blazing sun for a day full of competition. Highlights from the tournament included senior Annika Dillon’s dominating deep-space blocks, freshman Ava Parsons’ first assist, and sophomore Grace Liu’s thrilling hammer throws. The team is now gearing up for States on May 9-10 and Senior Night on May 18 as the end of the season approaches!
Kavin Thapar – Boys Frisbee
Radnor High School’s Boys Ultimate Frisbee team turned in a strong showing last weekend at the Born to Dive Tournament hosted by Pennsbury. The team picked up an impressive win over Masterman, last year’s state champion, showcasing sharp offensive movement and disciplined defense. They also battled through a pair of tightly contested games against Holy Ghost and Salesianum, keeping both matchups competitive from start to finish. One of the highlights of the weekend came in a matchup against top-seeded Haverford, where Radnor had the opportunity to test itself against one of the best teams in the state. With momentum building and valuable experience gained, the team is looking ahead with excitement to the Cities tournament on the 9th.
Luna MacCrory – Boys Lacrosse
As of Tuesday, April 28, the Radnor High School boy’s lacrosse team improved its record to 11-4 after a thrilling 13-12 win in overtime against Ridley High School. The one-goal victory showed Radnor’s mental toughness and ability to execute when it is most important. They responded well after a loss to Garnet Valley High School last Tuesday, bouncing back with a dominant 15-2 win over Upper Darby High School last Thursday before tonight’s big win over Ridley. Junior Finn Petrone continues to lead the team in scoring, and his freshman brother Riley Petrone has stepped up recently with several crucial goals, making his mark on the skilled RALA team. In net, Teddy Curry has been one of the team’s top performers, consistently making key saves throughout the season. Now ranked 7th among public schools in the country and 2nd in the 3A league rankings, Radnor is headed into many important games with playoffs up ahead.
The Radnor High School JV boys lacrosse team was defeated by Ridley High School 5-2 on Tuesday, April 28. Radnor continued to battle throughout the game and showed strong effort from start to finish. Last Tuesday, the team earned an impressive 8-2 win over Garnet Valley High School, showing the group’s potential and steady progress as the season continues.
Evan Duff – Boys Track
As the boys track and field team enters championship season, many athletes are concluding their season while others advance to states and districts. The track team has had a momentous season, with top times and marks throughout the state. Captain Zeph Yisrael recently broke the school record in the 400m with a blistering time of 49.21 at the Green Raider Invitational. Zeph isn’t the only one who is succeeding though; the 4×100 meter team consisting of captain Noah Engstrom, Azeem Zaidi, Alexander McKenzie, and Zeph Yisrael ran at the Penn Relays and got 23rd place with a time of 43.80. The 4×800 meter relay team of captain Jack Wible, Aiden Haas, Zeph Yisrael, and captain Owen Bradwell also dominated at Penn Relays with a time of 8:00.34, placing 13th in the meet. Despite the success on the track, Owen and Zeph found themselves unlucky, for both had their bags stolen and ran in makeshift spikes. True dedication from these guys. The 4×400 team of Noah Engstrom, Zeph Yisrael, Aiden Haas, and Owen Bradwell also dominated with a time of 3:26 getting 4th in the meet. Congratulations to these athletes!
Captain Jamill Hill and second long-jump captain Wesley Sule continue to thrive in the jumping events. Hill swept the field in the long and triple jump at CAL Meet #1 at Penncrest and is one of the best jumpers in the region. Sule continues to add length to his long jump, recently jumping 18.2 feet, breaking into top 6 Radnor sophomores of all time for this event. This is Sule’s first season…
Currently on the rise to become one of Radnor’s finest hurdlers, David Ward ran 42.54 in the 300m breaking a sophomore class record and becoming the 30th ranked sophomore in the state for this event. Keep an eye on David, he’s going to do great things!
Our field athletes have also been victorious in their events. Congratulations to the 4×100 meter throwers relay team for getting 4th overall at the Springfield Invitational! Landon Williams and Jacob Dankwerth were an integral part of this relay and ran down three runners in the last 200m. True athletes.
Good work so far fellas. Can’t wait to see what we can accomplish!
Interested in writing about Radnor sports for the Roundup? Contact Tatum Brown ([email protected], 610-213-9307) or stop by the next Radnorite meeting.
