With summer break officially upon us, we welcome you to the final edition of SportsZone for the 2023-24 school year. Thank you for reading all year long! We look forward to keeping you up-to-date on all things PC athletics when SportsZone resumes in the fall. Have a great summer and Go Charter!
SOFTBALL
Penn Charter made it all the way to the 2024 PAISAA championship game, getting out to an early 4-0 lead against Inter-Ac rival SCH Academy on May 23. Unfortunately, the Blue Devils stormed back to eventually claim a 10-6 win.
The Quakers got two RBIs each from Nora Prasad and Lauren Gedraitis, while Ellie McKernan, Maddie Bergmann and Macie Bergmann combined to go 7-for-12 with five runs scored from the top three spots in the order. All in all, playing in a championship game was a good experience for Penn Charter, which will bring back most of its roster after going 14-10 overall and 6-4 in league play.
“I don’t think the stage was too big for anybody, and we went in very prepared with a good mindset and energy,” head coach Charles Warren said. “Leading up to that game, we felt really good coming into the situation. One of the harder things is losing even though you know you’re prepared. It was a great way to send off our seniors and good for everyone else in the program to see that we’re right there.”
Macie Bergmann was named First Team All-League after batting .456 and leading the team with 26 hits and 23 RBIs. Ryan Hatty joined Bergmann on the First Team as a two-way player, hitting .404 with a team-leading 25 runs scored while going 6-3 in the pitching circle with a 3.58 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 60 ⅔ innings.
Gedraitis was named to the Second Team, also as a two-way player. She batted .366 with two homers, 12 RBIs, 13 runs scored and six steals and also went 4-3 as a pitcher in 25 innings. Maddie Bergmann was selected to the Second Team as well, hitting .359 with 21 runs scored and a team-leading 14 stolen bases.
BASEBALL
PC endured a losing streak from April 19 through May 16 that took the team out of the running in the Inter-Ac, but the Quakers were able to recapture that winning feeling with a 4-3 victory over Friends’ Central in the opening round of the PAISAA Tournament on May 17.
Penn Charter trailed the Phoenix 2-1 after one inning, but tied the score in the third on an RBI grounder by Garrett Mathias before Ryan Musial put the team in front for good with a two-run home run in the top of the fourth. Will Vieira pitched 4 ⅔ solid innings, allowing two runs on four hits with six strikeouts before giving way to Ryan Conrad out of the bullpen. Conrad yielded a hit and an unearned run but otherwise slammed the door shut with three strikeouts in 2 ⅓ innings to secure the save.
The team unfortunately fell 9-0 to Haverford School in the quarterfinals on May 21, but being able to snap such a lengthy losing streak gave the returning players some much-needed good vibes heading into the offseason.
“It felt great,” head coach Justin Hanley said. “We went in against a good Friends’ Central pitcher and the kids did everything asked of them, playing selfless baseball to come away with the win. Just a total team win after a rough month that will help springboard kids into their summer season.”
Mathias ended up being selected First Team All-League, PC’s lone selection among the First and Second Teams. Given the fact that Mathias will be one of the team’s most important returning players, it was well-deserved recognition.
“He handled adversity with a smile on his face, and that speaks to his growth as a leader,” Hanley said. “I’m so proud of his season and excited for him going into the summer. The sky’s the limit for him offensively.”
PC will graduate its top two pitchers in Vieira and Christian Clauss, who missed most of the season with an injury. In Clauss’ absence, Cole Stocks stepped up in a big way, and Hanley said Stocks will be counted on as one of the team’s top starting pitchers moving forward. The Quakers, who finished 8-20 overall and 2-8 in league play, will bring back many hitters beyond Mathias, including Musial, catcher Kyle McKernan, shortstop Tazio Perkins, outfielder Rowan Griffith, and rising infielder Noah Hall, who won a starting job as a ninth grader.
“I’m optimistic about our offense that’s coming back,” Hanley said. “But pitching wins in our league, and if we’re going to win next year then we’ll need two or three guys to step up the way that Cole did this season when he got his battlefield promotion. The guys are eager to embrace the challenge.”
GIRLS LACROSSE
After falling to Agnes Irwin in the PAISAA championship game in 2023, the Quakers were again tripped up by the Owls in this year’s tournament, falling 12-9 in the semifinals on May 21. PC reached the semis following a 16-6 win over Notre Dame in the quarterfinals on May 17.
Harbor Campbell led the offensive attack against the Owls with four goals, while Kenighan Mattice added two scores of her own. Aditi Foster, Molly Dougherty and Caroline Tullo also found the back of the net, while Grace Walter recorded three assists. Maeve Magarity ended her first season as the team’s primary goalie with seven saves.
“It was a good game, we just needed five more minutes,” head coach Colleen Kelly said. “We came back but didn’t have enough time even though we were right there with them. I’m very proud of our girls.”
One of those seniors was Foster, who was named Inter-Ac Most Valuable Player after an incredible two-season run in which she became one of the most dominant scorers in the area. The Northwestern University recruit posted plenty of goals but also boosted the teammates around her, with players like Campbell and Dougherty making huge developmental strides while playing alongside Foster.
“She’s phenomenal, one of the quickest steps I’ve ever coached with an unbelievable ability to score,” Kelly said. “She made a commitment to become a really good teammate and did exactly that.”
In addition to Foster, Walter and Nora Maione also earned spots on the Inter-Ac’s First Team, while Dougherty and Magarity scored Second Team honors. The Quakers, who finished 16-8 overall and 7-3 in league play, lost a number of players to graduation, but Kelly remains confident that the returning players are ready and able to take the baton.
“Harbor Campbell had 13 goals in her final three games; she played awesome and didn’t get all-league, but she deserved it,” Kelly said. “Attack wise, Molly Dougherty is a great two-way middie who really stepped up. Ana Buckley had a great season, Maeve is only going to get better in the cage, and Mia DeBenedetto and Makenna Myers formed a great team on defense with Nora and Ella. Their confidence is growing every day.”
BOYS LACROSSE
While the Quakers faced some difficult losses against an as-strong-as-ever Inter-Ac, the first season under head coach Conor Resch ended on a high note. The team won its final two regular season contests heading into the PAISAA Tournament and went 3-5 over its last eight games following a 2-10 start.
Penn Charter was eliminated 21-11 by Hill School in the PAISAA quarterfinals on May 15. However, this season was always about the progression journey, and PC finished much stronger than it started.
“Seeing how things operated behind the scenes, the season was definitely a success,” Resch said. “It felt like the team was always cohesive and together, which was super encouraging. The wins will come eventually, but by the end of the season we felt like we were able to compete against some of the bigger programs. I feel very good about the direction we’re headed.”
After compiling more than 200 points in his PC career, Gavin Michener was the team’s lone all-league selection. Michener will join his older brother and another Penn Charter lacrosse great, Colin, at Villanova University next season.
“He’s going to be an irreplaceable guy, and he felt like a fifth coach on the field,” Resch said. “He was a leader in every sense of the word: by example, with his words and actions. I wouldn’t have made it through this first year without him, and we’re going to miss him dearly. Several of our younger guys told me that the leadership Gavin portrayed is something they as PC athletes want to continue. His work ethic and mindset will live on.”
Resch expressed optimism about the strides next year’s senior class has already made, including Casey Felter, Eian Kilpatrick, Nolan Duffy, Ben Zabierek and Sam Beaver. Additionally, Charlie Kraus faced a steep climb in goal as a ninth grader and gained valuable experience while showcasing his skills against one of the top lacrosse leagues in the state.
“It’s tough to make a name for yourself in the Inter-Ac, but these are guys I consider to be top players in this league,” Resch said. “They haven’t gotten the shine they deserve, but they are ready to step out of the shadow and make their own stamp on the program.”
GIRLS TRACK & FIELD
The Quakers ended their season with a third place finish out of 17 competing teams at the PAISAA Championship at Malvern Prep on May 18. The team’s 73 points sat only behind Episcopal Academy (114) and Friends’ Central (76).
Alli DeLisi won the 800-meter run, finishing with a time of 2:11.46. DeLisi also picked up second-place finishes in the 1600-meter run (4:58.71) and as a member of the 4x400 relay team (4:01.52), along with Alex Jaffe, Sam Jaffe and Logan Lloyd.
PC’s other victory on the day was the 4x800 relay team consisting of Zady Hasse, Grace Neuwirth and the Jaffe sisters, who completed the race in 9:54.21.
The Quakers did secure some other top-five finishes on the day: Michaela Poland took third place in the 400-meter dash (57.83), fourth in the 100-meter dash (12.83) and high jump (4 feet, 10 inches) and fifth in the 200-meter dash (26.26); Alex Jaffe placed fourth in the 800 (2:22.41); Lloyd was fifth in both the 100 (12.86) and 400 (1:00.23); Mariah Mays nabbed fifth place in both the javelin (88 feet, 2 inches) and shot put (31 feet, 11 inches); and Louella Whitaker captured fifth place in the pole vault (8 feet, 6 inches).
Additionally, DeLisi took part in the HOKA Festival of Miles in St. Louis on May 30, racing to a fourth-place finish in the one-mile run.
To wrap up the season, six PC student-athletes were named to the First Team All-League team: DeLisi, Hasse, Poland, Neuwirth, Sam Jaffe and Alex Jaffe.
BOYS TRACK & FIELD
Penn Charter finished in eighth place out of 18 schools competing at the PAISAA Championship on May 18, compiling 26 team points.
The 4x100 relay team consisting of Christian Downs, Chima Auguste, Nate Keller and Zahir Kalam Id-Din won their event with a time of 43.85. On top of that victory, the 4x800 relay squad of Lamir Calloway, Matthew Dunn, Nate Johnson and TJ Zwall also won their race, doing so in 8:00.35.
The team also nabbed two fifth-place finishes on the day: Kalam Id-Din in the 100-meter dash (11.15) and Eddie Kennedy in the 110-meter hurdles (15.82).
Several Quakers also competed in a trio of events following the PAISAA Championship. First up was the Haddonfield Distance Night at Haddonfield Memorial High School on May 20, with Zwall placing second in the 800 (1:55.11) and Johnson grabbing third place in the 1600 (4:20.54). Johnson also placed fifth in the 800, finishing just over two seconds behind Zwall with a time of 1:57.94. Elsewhere, Ben Berger secured a fourth-place finish in the 3200-meter run (10:20.74).
At the John Hay Pennsylvania Distance Festival at West Chester University on May 31, Dunn finished second in the 3000-meter run with a time of 9:13.96.
Finally, at the Farmer’s Classic at Hoey Farms in Coatesville on June 7, Johnson placed second in the one-mile run (4:22.91), while Zwall was third in the 800 (1:57.65). Dunn (2:04.15) and Peyton Burnett (4:48.54) finished in sixth place in the 800 and one-mile run, respectively.
Zwall, Johnson, Burnett and Calloway were all named First Team All-League, while Auguste, Kalam Id-Din, Downs and Jaxon Adams earned Second Team honors.
CREW
Penn Charter crew completed its season with two races the last two weekends of May: the Stotesbury Cup Regatta May 17-18 on the Schuylkill River and the Scholastic Rowing Association of America Nationals from May 24-25 on the Cooper River in Pennsauken, N.J.
At Stotesbury, the Quakers had 11 boats compete that weekend, with six advancing to the semifinal round and two making it to the finals:
“We had an impressive showing at this elite event,” head coach Katherine Farrell York said. “Our crews were excited to see just how many people compete in this event and to realize that they are a part of something pretty important and special. There were 178 clubs with 919 total entries, and we were right in the thick of it. Our rowers took advantage of opportunities for growth and reflection, and tested their physical and mental limits.”
At Nationals the following week, the team had two boats compete against other top schools from across the U.S. and Canada. Davey and Lee finished eighth in their event, which included an upset over Malvern Prep’s duo after finishing behind the Friars at Stotesbury and in the City Championship on May 5. Meanwhile, Page and Magee advanced all the way to the finals, ultimately placing third in their event.
“This was Penn Charter’s first time medaling at Nationals since 2019,” Farrell York said.
BOYS TENNIS
Penn Charter competed in the inaugural boys tennis PAISAA Tournament to close out its season, knocking off Mercersburg Academy in the first round on May 17 before being eliminated by eventual champion Germantown Friends School on May 20.
The Quakers finished their 2024 campaign with a 5-10 overall record and a 3-7 Inter-Ac mark in the first season for head coach Rob Isaacs and assistant Julio Toledo at the helm of the program after leading the girls tennis program in the fall.
Junior Nate Arnold was named Inter-Ac Most Valuable Player for the second consecutive season while earning First Team All-League honors for the third time in as many years. It marked the third straight season a Penn Charter boys tennis player was named league MVP, with Liam Birnie also earning the award in 2021.
“Nate grew a lot from the beginning of the season until the end,” Toledo said. “His mission was not about himself, but how he could help elevate the play of his teammates. It was great having Nate there knowing we could always count on him to perform.”
Arnold’s guidance certainly rubbed off on three of his teammates, as Simon Zoldan earned First Team All-League honors as a ninth grader, while Justin Gantz and Griffin Yeatman were selected to the Second Team.
“The difference [in their play] between the beginning and end of the season was pretty ridiculous, in a good way,” Toledo said of the team’s other all-league members. “Completely different players in their commitment and desire to win. As seniors, Griffin and Justin made things easier and their chemistry and leadership did not disappoint. They all definitely performed, and it was great to see how much better not just those guys got, but the entire team. They were all willing to listen and learn.”
