Girls soccer took home the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association (PAISAA) championship title Wednesday night, defeating Westtown 1-0 beneath the stadium lights at Immaculata University.
A pack of Penn Charter fans stormed the field in celebration as the Quakers closed the day on their second shutout of the postseason. Kaila Rahn scored 30 minutes into the game on a corner kick from Maggie Boyes, and goalie Riley McDade walked away with her second clean slate of the tournament; Charter beat Episcopal 3-0 last week.
"Each and every player did their job and rose to the challenge," coach Darci Spencer said of the championship game. "We wanted it and we battled for 80 minutes. It was a well-deserved victory."
The Quakers concluded the season with an overall record of 18-3-1 and an Inter-Ac record of 9-3, which earned them second place in the league. Spencer cited depth of talent and strong leadership from senior captains Toni Linus, Kaylee Murphy, Sara Shipon and India Barnes as key components of the team's success.
Ten Penn Charter athletes were celebrated by friends, family and coaches on Nov. 13 for signing national letters of intent — or, in the case of Ivy League schools, likely letters — to play their sports in college. All multisport athetes!
More than 2,000 people visited campus for the 133rd PC/GA Day, a day of intense competition during which students showed spirit and sportsmanship in representing their schools.
The winner of the Competition Cup, for most wins on the day, came down to the football game in an exciting end to the 133rd PC/GA matchup. Germantown Academy won the day by a score of 5.5-4.5.
The competition began with girls cross country and a 26-31 win. The MVP trophy went to GA's Issy Goldstein, who narrowly outpaced PC's Emma Zwall (2nd, 17:28) in an exciting finish to the race. Lydia Montini placed third, Julia Dolce fifth and Alicia Newman seventh against strong competition from the Patriots.
Boys cross country lost 23-32 but showed well against a strong Patriots squad.
Boys water polo lost 13-11 in a high-energy match in the Graham Athletics Center. PC went up early but GA clawed its way into the lead. It was anyone's game as the Patriots led 12-8 with minutes left on the clock and chants from both teams' supporters broke out from the stands. Senior Max Ehinger drew eight kickouts and scored four goals in an excellent finish to his PC polo career. Brett Brogan (3G, 1A), Juan Tovar (3G) and Aidan Berkoff (1G) rounded out the scoring. Goalkeeper Henry Davis played well under pressure and contributed one assist.
Field hockey lost 3-1. Senior Jay Johnson scored the Quakers' goal in the first half, and the game was tied 1-1 at halftime before GA pulled ahead in the second.
Girls soccer beat the Patriots 2-1 for the second time this season. In the first half, Maggie Boyes scored a beautiful goal on an assist by Kaila Rahn to get things started for the Charter offense. PC held its 1-0 lead through halftime until GA tied the game midway through the second half. Janae Stewart hit the game winner on a pass from Kait Haughey with 2:30 left on the clock and took home the MVP trophy.
Boys soccerclinched a 1-0 victory in a hard-fought game. Ryan Bradby scored the lone goal with five minutes left on the clock. Senior goalkeeper Chase Williams brought home the James H. Rumpp OPC '55 Award after a strong performance in net. The Quakers showed great improvement since their 1-0 loss to the Patriots in October.
Girls tennis lost 6-1. Senior JJ Birnie won the #2 singles match 2-6, 7-5, 10-7.
The girls water polo team dominated its match from the start and came away with a 22-8 win. Sam Boyes led the team with five goals and was named game MVP. Merrill Gadsden, Hayley Hunt and Gabby Lopez-Ona all added three goals. Lopez-Ona also tallied three assists and a team-leading five steals. Sally Foley and Darby Visco netted two goals each, and Leah Sax, Simone Perry, Sydney Wood and Maddie Solow all added one each. Foley led the team in assists (4) and contributed three steals. The girls showed great team effort on both ends of the pool and demonstrated why they were a force throughout the 2019 season.
With the sun sinking behind PC's iconic tower, football lost 38-35 in a well played game on Maguire Field. Early in the first quarter, the Quakers capitalized on a Patriots turnover and drove 66 yards until Matt Marshall ran it in from close range. GA scored twice in the second quarter to take the lead. The Quakers recovered the second-half kickoff, and Marshall ran it in from three yards out to tie things up at 14. Marshall sprinted in from the 16 to put the Quakers up 21-14 late in the third, GA answered back with a long touchdown run, then the Quakers took the lead again on a one-yard plunge by QB Kyle Jones. The Patriots tied it at 28 then went up 35-28 with six minutes on the clock. Kyle Jones sent a 36-yard pass to Lance Rainer with 3:48 left in the game, and the Quakers reduced their deficit to 38-35 but couldn't turn things around
On a clear and cold day at Penn Charter for the 133rd PC/GA Day, Germantown Academy took home the Competition Cup.
Penn Charter won girls cross country, girls water polo, and the girls and boys soccer games, and tied GA in golf on Tuesday. Germantown Academy's Jerry Griffen-Batchler took home the Geis Trophy in a see-saw 38-35 football match that left GA on top.
