What to Expect from Our Winter Teams December 9, 2009
Posted by pbutler in : Off the Bench, Sidelines , add a comment
Boys and girls basketball have begun their non-league schedule. The boys welcome back Coach Jim Phillips, who was on sabbatical last season. After a first-game loss to St. Stephens School in Alexandria, Va., the team beat GFS 50-34. Next game is at St. Joe Prep on Friday, Dec. 11. Read about senior Tom Noonan, who will play college basketball next year at Princenton at http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/sports/72992257.html
A young but talented girls team began its season yesterday with a 50-45 victory over a strong Friends Central squad. Junior point guard Aleesha Powell and sophomore forward Briana Butler led the way. Renewed interest in girls basketball this season is allowing us to provide a JV girls team, a squad that was missing from our schedule last season.
Geoff Shield, varsity head coach for boys squash, reports that the Kline & Specter Squash Center is busting out with players this season. More than 50 Middle and Upper School students are participating in squash this year. The girls varsity team, led by new head coach Ileana Novello, defeated Shipley 9-0 but had a hard-fought battle with Episcopal on Dec. 8 and lost by a score of 6-3. The boys team continues to rebuild; while they lost to Haverford School 9-0, the team is full of talented, young players.
Wrestling welcomed back last year’s assistant coach Jason Markey as this year’s head coach. This program now boasts a roster of 18 wrestlers. Jason and his staff are dedicated, knowledgeable and enthusiastic. The boys are looking forward to this season as they return as a threat within the league.
In the swimming pool, the boys team is already swimming well and ready to repeat as league champs. This experienced team, under the direction of head coach Kevin Berkoff, is talented and will perform at a very high level all season. The girls squad is also off to a good start; they defeated Agnes Irwin on Dec. 8 by a score of 105-75. This group of girls is poised to attack the league this season and especially looks forward to swimming archrival GA after the holiday break.
2009-2010 Winter Captains December 9, 2009
Posted by pbutler in : Off the Bench, Sidelines, Kudos , add a commentCongratulations to the following 2009-2010 winter varsity athletes who were chosen by their coaches and teammates as captains for their teams.
Boys Basketball: Mick Foley, Tom Noonan
Girls Basketball: Nikki Guynn, Aleesha Powell, Kendall Stokes
Boys Squash: Hunter Beck, Chris Bown, Chris Stone
Girls Squash: Skylar Dickey, Sarah Domenick, Morgan Strauss
Boys Swimming: Joe Acquaviva, Anthony Lordi, Austin Wood
Girls Swimming: Cristina Cusumano, Kellie Ragg
Wrestling: Meet Day Captains
June 12, 2009
Posted by ssexton in : Off the Bench, Sidelines , add a commentBaseball News Popping June 12, 2009
Posted by ssexton in : Off the Bench, Sidelines , add a commentPenn Charter baseball hit the national news with a 5th place ranking among eastern region schools by USA Today.
Post-season kudos go out to Rob Amaro OPC ’09 and freshman Kenny Koplove. Rob was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 40th round of the recent MLB draft. Rob also has a baseball scholarship to the University of Virginia. Read more from Ted Silary.
Ninth grader Kenny Koplove was listed by the Inquirer as one of the area’s top high school pitchers. Kenny finished the season 9-0 with a 1.37 ERA. This was one of the strongest PC baseball teams ever: According to the upcoming supplement in the Class Record, “Penn Charter's 2009 baseball team had a very successful year, finishing in first place in the InterAc. The Quakers returned seven core players from last year's third place team. This year's team also had help from underclassmen: league co-MVP Kenny Koplove, Demetrius Jennings, John "the perfect bunt" Loughery, and Andrew Amaro. The captains of this year's squad were league co-MVP Mark Rhine, Doug Fleming, and Rob Amaro. The Quakers finished 20-4 and were ranked number one in Southeastern Pennsylvania by the skeptical Inquirer, number five in the Eastern Region by USA Today, and number nineteen nationally by Perfect Game USA.”
Crew Team In the News May 3, 2009
Posted by pbutler in : Off the Bench, From the Sidelines, Sidelines , add a commentNice article on the Penn Charter Crew Team at http://chestnuthilllocal.com/issues/2009.04.30/sports4.html
What a Week It Was April 27, 2009
Posted by pbutler in : Off the Bench, From the Sidelines, Sidelines , add a commentOn Thursday a select group of girls competed at the Penn Relays. The team’s 4×400 competed in the Philadelphia Area Academic Schools Relay; this was the inaugural year for this event and included entries from all the Inter-Ac and private Catholic schools. Our relay team of Kirby Dixon, Saudiah Lawrence, Khaaleedah Smith and Elyse Wilkinson won the race in 4:01.25, setting a Penn Relays record. You can view the race at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfxNSVbdQvk.
Back on campus that day, varsity boys lacrosse hosted GA. A very competitive game ended in a 6-5 double OT victory for the Quakers. Sophomore Tyler White tied the game in regulation and his classmate Grant Guyer sealed the victory with the final goal.
On Friday, after a spring of many wet and cold days, the campus was full of warm air and sunshine. The varsity baseball team prepared for a game with archrival GA, which would pit two of the area’s best high school teams in a league competition. However, fate was against Coach Mellor’s team as only one umpire arrived; the game was postponed until Saturday. On Saturday, a solid crowd enjoyed an outstanding baseball game. The game was played in just over two hours and was full of exciting plays and solid pitching (12th grader Keenan Kish for GA and 9th grader Kenny Koplove for PC). PC came up to bat in the 7th inning down by a run. After senior Rob Amaro reached first on a GA error, his classmate Doug Fleming hit a double moving Rob to third. After our next batter, senior Jack Nazarewycz drew a walk, and junior Mick Foley drove the ball deep into right field to score Amaro and Fleming. PC won the game 5-4.
Meanwhile, back at Franklin Field on Saturday, the boys track team was competing in the historic Inter-Ac Mile Relay. The relay team, which included seniors Ryan Brown, Dareem David, Jeff Calhoun and Shawn David, won the race with a time of 3:21:06, breaking a League record set by Episcopal in 1972. Also, the outstanding performance by the girls relay team on Thursday allowed them to be invited to compete in the Philadelphia Area Championship race on Saturday. While they feel short of the gold medal this time, they competed in this prestigious race for the first time.
On Sunday, girls crew rowed in the Girls Inter-Ac Championship races. Coaches Hanne Gradinger and Emma Morrow entered a team in both the quad and the eights races. It was a gorgeous spring Sunday along the river. Both teams competed in a varsity race in spite of their novice status. The outcome of last place was expected, as the other school showed how experience helps. However, the girls finished the race and performed well. It was impressive to see them rowing among the best the league has to offer, and even better to see PC back on the Schuylkill River. The eight was led by coxswain Julia Binswanger, in the bow position was Stephanie Ko, and the other seats were filled by Alix Azizi, Liz Binswanger, Susannah Bonn, Christy Chollack, Alina Drufovka, Samie Kapenk, Dylan Smith, and Tess Reinhold. Maggie Faigen, Ali Rosen, Jess Stone, and Tika Von Mehren rowed in the quad race.
From the Sidelines September 17, 2008
Posted by pbutler in : Sidelines , 3commentsPenn Charter athletics…“a rich and storied tradition … a new spirit “Head of School Darryl J. Ford
Welcome everyone – coaches, athletes, parents, alumni, friends – to another year of Penn Charter athletics. And, welcome to Sports Zone, a new electronic communication designed to highlight the success of our teams and the many ways that athletics weave into the fabric of our school.
This fall is already shaping up to be exciting – full of change as well as the optimism that playing sports allows for each person and team as they begin the season with a clean slate. Seniors arrive as leaders of the team and eager to leave their mark as champions. Athletes in 10th and 11th grade return prepared to contribute and to demonstrate how they have grown and developed over the summer. Freshmen arrive for their first experience in high school sports and, while showing signs of apprehension, quickly assimilate into the team. Coaches are poised and prepared to lead their teams and to achieve the goals they have set.
The excitement is further enhanced by our summer efforts. Boys and girls alike have spent many dedicated hours in preparation for this year. Each summer evening the weight room was full of the noise, commotion and perspiration of athletes focused on a mission. Fitness training activities and pick-up games were the mainstay of much summer team activity. All these efforts will pay dividends this season and this year. Much of summer was also spent reorganizing our athletic administration and preparing our facilities and fields — including the rear field on the Strawbridge property, which was renovated and inaugurated on Sept. 15 by the girls varsity soccer team.
In fact, Sports Zone is an outcome of a renewed emphasis on athletics at Penn Charter. Sports Zone is designed to help all members of the community stay in touch with PC sports. Please visit often and respond to me with your comments and thoughts about this communication effort and Penn Charter athletics. We welcome guest commentary; Charlie Brown’s piece in Off the Bench is an inspiring reflection on why we play sports.
I hope you will join me this year in supporting the efforts of all the Penn Charter teams.
Fight Harder, Fight Harder, Penn Charter, Penn Charter!
Paul Butler
Director of Athletics and Athletic Planning