PA – Central Athletic League | Archive | February, 2023

It’s been quite the indoor season for Haverford’s Olivia Cieslak.

A little more than a week ago the sophomore anchored the team of Aubrey Leneweaver, Morgan Elliott and Mackenzie Gillespie to third place in the 4 x 800 at the historic Millrose Games with the fastest time in the state and the fourth-best time nationally (9:15.91).

Last Friday night at the Garden State Invitational, Cieslak, the Daily Times Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year, ran the fastest time in the state, the fifth-fastest in the country and broke the Ocean Breeze high school record to win the 1,600-meter run in 4:49.16.

Leneweaver and Elliott also ran PRs to take fifth and sixth, respectively, in the 400. Leneweaver ran 57.55 and Elliott crossed the finish line in 57.57. Kayla Elliott equaled her career best to take second in the high jump (5-0). The Fords also were third in the 4 x 400 (4:00.56).

Courtney Kearns of Radnor turned in a PR of 2:20.56 to place third at the 800.

It was a night of personal bests at the Delaware Valley Girls Track & Field Coaches Association’s Meet of Champions Friday night at Lehigh.

Click HERE to read the full article.

Haverford’s Olivia Cieslak, winning the Delco cross country championship, broke the Ocean Breeze facility high school record to win the 1,600-meter run at the Garden State Invitational Friday.

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The senior diver and team captain was undefeated in Central League dual meets this winter, and finished second at the Central League Diving Championships for the second consecutive year. He has qualified for the PIAA 3A Diving Championships. Outside of the pool at Lower Merion, Gardner participates in Amazing Ace, is one of the Spirit Committee heads for Student Council, and writes for the school newspaper. “Grady is a very outgoing guy — he loves hanging with his teammates, listening to music and dance-jamming with his teammates,” said Lower Merion diving coach Carol Gibbone. “He has impressive perseverance and dedication. He’s a great team captain and a total pleasure to work with and have around us on deck.”

Fun facts – Grady Gardner

Favorite book: The Hunger Games.

Favorite author: Suzanne Collins or JK Rowling.

Favorite TV Show: Survivor.

Favorite movie: The Hunger Games, Gone Girl.

Favorite Athlete: Tyler Downs.

Favorite pre-meet pump up song: Low by SZA.

Favorite Team: Germantown Academy Dive Club.

Person I most admire: “Both of my parents.”

Family: parents Geoffrey and Karen, brother Kellen, sister Gemma.

Click HERE to read the full interview.

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ASTON — Everybody in the gym at Sun Valley Friday night assumed, with less than a minute to play and the Vanguards trailing by three, that the ball would find its way to Chris Kwaidah.

Unfortunately for the Vanguards, that number included Marple Newtown’s Matt Gardler, the one player with the ability to stop it from happening.

For all of Gardler’s outstanding offense in a 23-point outing, it was a defensive moment – jumping the passing lane, getting fouled and making two free throws – that iced No. 9 seed Marple’s 53-50 win over No. 8 Sun Valley to open the District 1 Class 5A tournament.

“He was on fire the whole game,” Gardler said of Kwaidah. “He couldn’t miss a shot. I knew after I saw the flare screen coming that I didn’t want him to get the ball and shoot that final shot and have someone else shoot it. I just jumped the pass.”

That play encapsulated how the Tigers (12-11) pulled a mild upset away from home to keep alive their dream of returning to the PIAA tournament. When Sun Valley (15-8) needed a basket, it had little answer beyond Kwaidah. He scored 28 points, hit nine of the team’s 19 baskets and all three of its 3-pointers. He scored all nine of Sun Valley’s second quarter points and added 12 in the third.

But all that effort came at a cost, and Kwaidah missed his last five attempts from the field, including four 3-pointers.

“I rushed a couple of passes and I rushed a lot instead of taking my time,” Kwaidah said. “I know I’m supposed to be that guy to knock down the shot.”

Much as this reads on paper like a star-versus-star matchup, Marple’s ability to make it more than that is what gave the Tigers the edge. Brian Bogan played admirable defense to limit Kwaidah, chasing him all over the floor. But offensively, they got baskets when they needed them.

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Marple Newtown’s Matt Gardler hits a layup in the third quarter. (PETE BANNAN-DAILY TIMES)

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EAST ROCKHILL >> Garnet Valley girls basketball coach Joe Woods has confidence in Hailey Adamski’s long-range shooting decisions.

“A hundred percent,” Woods said. “If she’s got a little space she can fire it.”

The six-foot sophomore showed why with Friday night’s District 1-6A first-round matchup with host Pennridge tied at 40 late in the fourth quarter, dribbling into open space beyond the arc on the right wing and burying a 3-pointer to put the 20^th-seeded Jaguars in the lead.

“She went for the steal and I turned around, there was no one around me so I shot it,” Adamski said. “I made two before it so it was good.”

Katie Yoder pulled the No. 13 Rams to within a point but Pennridge could not convert on chances in the final moments and Garnet Valley earned the upset, holding on for a 45-42 comeback victory.

“Everybody thought we were going to lose, we’re the lower seed and I knew we weren’t going to,” Adamski said. “I had a feeling we were going to pull it out and we did.”

Adamski connected on four 3-pointers in scoring 13 points while the last of Kyle Mulholland’s team-high 16 points came as she made both ends of a 1-and-1 with 6.1 seconds left to put the Jaguars up three.

Pennridge, which led by as much as 14 in the third quarter, could not get off a tying shot – Adamski deflecting a pass before the buzzer and Garnet Valley (14-10) stormed the court to celebrate advancing to the second round to visit No. 4 Souderton 6 p.m. Wednesday.

“I got to be honest, what Garnet Valley did was unbelievable,” Pennridge coach Jason Rapp said. “I have to give them a ton of credit. They got down early on the road after a long ride and they just scrapped and fought and made big shots and I give them a ton of credit. And that’s a young team over there, for them to do that they’re going to be a problem in years to come.”

Yoder scored 14 of her game-high 18 points after halftime for the Rams (16-8), who were looking for their first district win since 2019. Anna Croyle collected all 11 of her points in the first half while Ella Brown added 10 points.

“I will tell you this is a wonderful group of kids and I had probably the best time I’ve ever had coaching and I appreciate that from them,” Rapp said. “They always gave unconditional effort.”

Click HERE to read the full article.

Garnet Valley’s Hailey Adamski (14) goes up for a shot against Pennridge during their District 1-6A first round game on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023. (Mike Cabrey/MediaNews Group)

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If you say the word “undefeated” to a Haverford player, you are unlikely to get a response. A smirk or shrug of the shoulders, but that’s about it.

The Fords are 24-0 and fresh off winning the team’s first Central League championship in 11 years. They are led by Delaware County’s top scorer, senior forward Caroline Dotsey, who is averaging around 18 points per game. They have three dominant forwards in Dotsey, her sophomore sister Rian and senior Mollie Carpenter, all of whom stand six feet or taller. Their starting guards, senior Sky Newman and junior Aniya Eberhart, are the energizers.

The Fords know they’re good, but going into the District 1 Class 6A tournament as the only undefeated team in the district means very little to them. It doesn’t mean they are cocky or overconfident. They approach every game like it will be their last.

“I don’t think we can change anything. I think we have to keep it one game at a time,” said Caroline Dotsey, who earned the Central League MVP award after scoring 23 points against Conestoga in the championship game Monday. “That’s how we’ve been able to perform so well this season. We know not to take any team for granted and not underestimate anyone. That’s really what’s got us to the point where we’re at. I think keeping that type of mentality is important for us.”

As the No. 2 seed the Fords have a bye to the second round. They will play either No. 18 Coatesville (14-8) or 15th-seeded Methacton (16-8) Wednesday at 7.

Click HERE to read the full article.

Haverford’s Caroline Dotsey, here taking a shot against Conestoga in the Central League title game Monday, is ready to help lead the undefeated Fords into the postseason. (Pete Bannan – MediaNews Group)

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WEST GOSHEN — Hardly a Strath Haven hockey shift goes by without at least one Dignazio on the ice, and they’re not hard to spot.

Nick Dignazio wears the “C” on his chest, an effortless skater who is all over the ice, a converted defenseman playing as a centerman in what appears to be a hybrid position to suit the Panthers’ needs in his senior season.

Annie Dignazio stands out for the blond hair flowing over the nameplate on her jersey, the speedy sophomore who isn’t bashful about mixing it up in the corners.

For two siblings who between them have five varsity sports, games like a 3-2 overtime loss to Lower Merion at Ice Line on Feb. 1 are a rare and special chance for their immensely busy schedules to coincide in the most special of ways.

“I come here to play with him,” Annie said. “I think I like this more because of him. It’s just more fun to be playing out there with Nick and watching him and learning from him on the ice. It’s a really cool experience.”

The siblings followed similar sporting trajectories. Nick started with soccer at a young age and followed the prevailing Delco winds to the lacrosse field. While many of his friends turned to wrestling around second grade, he got a nudge toward hockey and “fell in love with it.”

Annie traced her big brother’s footsteps and has starred in all three sports at the varsity level at Strath Haven before the halfway point in her college career. Even with her exemplary track record, she expresses a reverence for what Nick has accomplished.

“Growing up, I kind of did whatever he did,” she said. “It’s kind of monkey see, monkey do. And we come from a very athletic family, so everything is like a competition. So I saw him get into hockey and I was like, ‘wow that would be cool if I got into it.’”

Both have the athleticism to excel in whatever athletic endeavors they had chosen. Nick gave up lacrosse in eighth grade, but he’s continued in the other two sports. An All-Delco last year on the blue line, he earned All-Delco honors as a center back for the Panthers’ soccer team in the fall with a defensive instinct and knack for positioning that seems to transcend the actual sport he’s playing. His twin sports passions factored into his college decision: He recently committed to Ithaca College, in part for the level of soccer they played but also because he could also play club hockey in the winter.

Annie’s eventual college choice will be even more difficult. She was an All-Delco soccer forward in the fall, pumping home nine goals and eight assists. She scored 30 goals and had 10 assists as a do-everything midfielder for the Panthers’ lacrosse team last spring, helping them to the District 1 Class 2A final and PIAA semifinals.

And then there’s hockey, which might be her true passion. Like Nick, she plays Tier 1 club hockey – Nick with the Little Flyers, Annie with the Junior Flyers – and travels the country for tournaments. Trying to zero in on a favorite sport is a moving target.

“Right now, it’s hockey,” she said. “If you asked me three months ago, it would’ve been soccer. And if you ask me in two months, it’ll be lacrosse.”

Both are outstanding hockey players. Though the Panthers are struggling near the bottom of the Central League standings, Nick leads them with 21 goals and 34 points in 16 games. A defenseman by trade, he’s become something more akin to a two-way midfielder on the ice, picking up the puck deep in defense and leading rushes like a forward, then recovering to the middle of the rink as almost a third D-man. It’s not uncommon for him to top 40 minutes of ice time – high school games are three 17-minute periods – relying on the endurance borne on the soccer pitch.

“I flow wherever the team needs me,” he said. “I’m just trying to help out the team the best I can. It’s challenging, but I’m up for it.”

Annie’s winter schedule is daunting. She does three days a week of club hockey practice, two days a week of soccer practice, plus hockey tournaments and lacrosse on the weekends. She’s played 10 games with the Haven boys varsity team plus eight leading the combined Penn-Haven girls squad. In addition to five points for the boys’ squad, she’s got 15 goals and 21 points in girls games.

The competition in the girls league isn’t quite the level she’s used to, and diminished numbers make for slower-paced games. So stretching the schedule to accommodate the boys games stokes her competitive fires.

Click HERE to read the full article.

Nick and Annie Dignazio are playing on the same Strath Haven varsity ice hockey team. (PETE BANNAN-DAILY TIMES)

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LOWER MERION — Twenty-seven seconds separated Haverford from its first Central League girls basketball championship in 11 years when Caroline Dotsey stood at the foul line with the Fords leading by one point Monday.

The senior forward made the first shot before Conestoga took a timeout in an attempt to ice the Fords’ outstanding senior forward.

In the midst of a dominating 23-point performance, Dotsey’s second free shot was short. Rian Dotsey, Caroline’s sophomore sister, jumped inside the lane, raised her arms and grabbed the rebound. In one motion Rian sent the ball back in the air and into the basket.

The Fords’ bench and every one of their fans in attendance at Harriton High erupted.

Rian Dotsey’s shot sealed No. 1 Haverford’s 41-37 win over second-seeded Conestoga for the Central League title. In addition to claiming their first league crown since 2012, the Fords (24-0) have tied a program record for consecutive victories.

Caroline Dotsey, by far the Central League’s best player, also took home the tournament MVP trophy. She had a feeling when she missed the free throw that her little sis would have her back.

“I was a little bummed and my heart kind of sank for a second,” she said. “Then I saw Rian rip that rebound and then put it back up. I was so confident she was going to make that, so it was really amazing to see that especially at that point of the game.”

Rian Dotsey (six points, seven rebounds) was “definitely surprised” that nobody boxed her out.

“But I’m glad it went in,” she said.

The Fords and Pioneers (20-5) played their third barnburner of the season. The Fords, of course, managed to win all three but not without a fight to the end from the Pioneers, every single time.

Even after the Fords went in front 10-1 in the first quarter, the Pioneers responded and chipped away at the Fords’ sizable lead. Conestoga pulled within four points in the second quarter, three in the third and one in the fourth. Alas, they could never tie or jump ahead of the Fords, who always found a way to respond even when it seemed things were teetering in ‘Stoga’s direction.

“I think keeping our cool is important, especially on offense,” Caroline Dotsey said. “And defensively, that’s where a lot of our calmness kind of stems from. We always say that our defense dictates our offense.”

Haverford coach Lauren Pellicane knows all about Conestoga. Before taking over at Haverford, she was a 200-game winner at Lower Merion. For the better part of two decades Pellicane has been involved in several close battles with the Pioneers.

“They’re a young and very talented team,” Pellicane said of the Pioneers. “I think they’re going to be the team to beat next year. I think they’re going to make some noise in districts this year, too.”

Haverford is the No. 2 seed and Conestoga is the 10th seed in the District 1 Class 6A tournament, which begins Friday.

Pellicane is never not amazed by her Fords. Did she ever imagine going 24-0? No way, with a group led by senior captains Caroline Dotsey and Mollie Carpenter, Pellicane believed they would be better than the team that was upset in the Central League semifinals a year ago, a team that also won 20 games and advanced to the second round of the PIAA tournament.

“This senior group, their dedication to the program … this whole team has bought in this year,” Pelicane said. “I can’t tell you how happy I am for them.”

Conestoga trailed by four points going into the final period. Maggie Neary’s 3-point basket pulled the Pioneers within a point at 36-35. On Haverford’s next possession Caroline Dotsey caught an inbound pass and hit a reverse lay up under the basket, one of her signature shots, to make it a three-point game again.

Click HERE to read the full article.

Haverford’s Caroline Dotsey celebrates after the Fords topped Conestoga to win the Central League title for the first time in 11 years. (Pete Bannan/MediaNews Group).

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Katya Eruslanova’s final Central League championships was typically dominant.

The Haverford senior won the 200 individual medley and 500 freestyle, setting a meet record in the former, at the meet hosted by Ridley on Friday and Saturday.

Eruslanova was pushed in the IM, her time of 2:02.37 just .19 seconds ahead of Lower Merion’s Alexa Conner. The 500 held no such drama, the Penn signee winning by more than 13 seconds in 4:56.70.

Haverford finished second in both the boys and girls standings, swept by unbeaten league champ Conestoga. The Pioneers girls scored 555 points, easily outdistancing Haverford’s 277. The boys scored 481 to coast by Haverford at 349.5.

Conestoga dominated most of the way, but Radnor snuck in to win the medley relay. Marina Wang, Skyler Semisch, Anne Lindgren and Sophia Mlodzienski went 1:47.68 to edge Stoga by a quarter-second. Wang finished third in the 50 and fifth in the 100 backstroke.

Conestoga otherwise controlled matters. Lily Robinson swept the sprints. Aubrey Langanelli won the 200 free and was second in the 100. Naomi Furman and Reilly Dolan went 1-2 in the 100 breaststroke. The Pioneers eased to victory in both free relays. (Eruslanova split 23.84 off the front of Haverford’s runner-up 200 free squad.)

Springfield finished third as a team, led by Michelle Kubiak in second in the 200 free and Mary Kubiak in second in the 50 free. Michelle was third in the 500 free, Mary fourth in the 100 back. They teamed with Alena Chung and Avya Christie to finish second in the 400 free relay.

Garnet Valley’s Zoey Rogers placed second in the 100 butterfly and third in the 100 backstroke, both won by Harriton’s Kate Levensten and with Conner second in back.

All eyes were on the boys sprinters. Ridley’s Shane Eckler bested Springfield’s Jake Kennedy in the 50 free, with a time of 20.24 that set a Ridley pool, Ridley school and meet records. Kennedy was second in 20.43, his brother Luke Kennedy fourth.

Eckler added the 100 free title, again downing the three marks, in 44.81.

The Cougars got the final say in the sprint relay, the team of Alex Chan, Jacob Johnson and the Kennedys going 1:24.22 to win by more than three seconds. That’s a meet record, Jake Kennedy bringing it home in 20.14. Springfield was also second to Conestoga in the 400 free relay, Tristan Ronayne in for Chan.

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Ridley >> The Conestoga High School boys and girls swimming/diving teams, both aiming for their ninth consecutive Central League Championships title, relied on their depth to hold a comfortable first-place lead after the first day of the Central League meet at Ridley High School Friday.

The Pioneer girls compiled 295 points, well ahead of second-place Radnor (171) and third-place Haverford (165). The Conestoga boys were in first place with 259 points, ahead of second-place Haverford (199.5) and third-place Springfield (163).

“Our team depth really buoys us along in this meet,” said Conestoga girls head coach Rob Kirkby. “We have some really top-notch performers, but all the way along the meet we’ve had several Conestoga girls on the (awards) podium, and they’re getting best (personal) times. This is such a good meet for us, and a real confidence-builder as we go into Districts. And it gives everyone on our team an opportunity, even the wide-eyed freshmen who are new to this meet – they almost always swim their best times (here), and that’s fun to see.”

Leading the way for the Conestoga girls were seniors Audrey Laganelli and Lily Robinson. Laganelli, who will be swimming for the U.S. Air Force Academy next winter, won the 200 free, breaking her own Ridley pool record at Centrals last year (1:51.56) with a clocking of 1:51.09. Robinson, who will be swimming for Brown University next winter, won the 50 free (23.52).

Both Robinson and Laganelli were part of the Pioneers’ first-place 200 free relay team, which posted a Ridley pool record 1:37.59. Two other seniors, Keira Haas and Ayala Miller were part of the winning quartet.

“Winning the 200 free relay with my friends was definitely the highlight of the day for me,” said Laganelli, who anchored the relay. “We were seeded second, and when we were behind the blocks for the race, we were really excited, dancing and having fun. We were losing by a little when I dove in, and I was thinking, ‘I don’t want to let my friends down,’ and I swam as fast as I could.”

Laganelli also broke her own Ridley pool record from last year’s Central League meet in winning the 200 free.

“I’m really happy that I broke the record again,” said Laganelli. “Last year I wasn’t expecting to go that fast; and today, I wasn’t expecting to go that fast, either. I was sick earlier this week, coughing a lot, and I had to take my mind off that and focus on this race.”

Robinson, who had been sidelined for a while last month with a back injury, posted a winning time of 23.52 Friday. Last year at the Central meet, she set a meet record of 23.07.

“It was tough taking time off last month, but I wanted to make sure I was healthy for the post-season meets,” said Robinson. “I’ve been building my strength up again; it’s definitely been a challenge, but a good one. My teammates have really been there for me, and it’s been a lot of fun to get back in, and to get back to where I was before. It was nice to get back to the 23s (second mark) today.”

The girls 200 medley relay team of Haas, senior Naomi Furman, junior Jena Nowoswiat and Ayala Miller finished a close second (1:47.95). Furman and Nowoswiat finished 4-5 in the 200 IM, and Nowoswiat placed third in the 100 fly (56.80), with Maddie Fox fourth.

“Jena had a great time in the 100 fly, and (sophomore) Hadar Miller, who has been injured, did a great job in the 200 IM,” said Kirkby.

Miller, who finished eighth, shaved more than five seconds off her seed time in the 200 IM Friday.

On Wednesday, Conestoga sophomore Avery Hillier easily won the Central League diving championship, amassing 474.55 points, well ahead of the second-place finisher, Ridley senior Kacey Lenz (389.60).

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