St. Joseph's Prep 2024 Philadelphia Catholic League Champions
St. Joseph's Prep 2024 Philadelphia Catholic League Champions. (Photo/ Lennie Malmgren for PSD)
(PHOTOS BY LENNIE MALMGREN FOR PSD)
BY: DAN MCCARTY
ANGELA DELVECCHIO CONTRIBUTOR
SPRINGFIELD, PA—Winning a league championship is hard enough. Try winning that Title four times in a row. That is exactly what St. Joseph’s Prep (SJP) accomplished on Wednesday, May 1st when they defeated the La Salle College High School Explorers at the Springfield YMCA, securing their fourth consecutive Philadelphia Catholic League Championship Plaque.
The fact that the Hawks upset the Explorers in the last three championships was only one reason for an increase in tension going in to this match. The Hawks marginally defeated La Salle, 3-2, during an earlier season match. This title match expected to be another close one, but the Hawks were determined to prove that not one of those previous victories was a fluke.
“It was our hard work and discipline on and off the court,” said senior co-captain and first singles champion Peter Bae. “We had to work really hard this year to get that trophy once again.”
The Hawks ended the season with an 11-1 record. It took some time to reach this point. St. Joe’s started the season early with extra workout sessions. Everyone was very committed. All players came out and did their part.
PCL Championship Highlights (Video Dan McCarty)
“I think that commitment really helped us here,” said senior co-captain and second singles champion Connor Kryst.
Bae prevailed in first singles with a 6-1 and 6-0 rout against junior co-captain Andrew Gaylord. Kryst beat senior Dachi Bogveradze by scores of 6-1 and 6-1 in second singles. Sophomore Alex Patenko came out on top for La Salle in third singles with 6-1 and 6-2 victories over freshman Ethan Cosgrove.
“I wanted to beat them in every match,” said Kryst. “It didn’t happen, but we won as many as we needed to.”
SJP senior Co-Captain Peter Bae Talks about hard work, confidence and biggest challenge going into the season. (video/ Dan McCarty)
Seniors Matthew Schueneman and Sam Seneca took on La Salle juniors Logan Keough and Quinn Conroy in first doubles. In second doubles action, sophomores James McAleer and Shawn Rinnier emerged victorious for the Hawks upsetting senior Harrison Haviland and junior Blake Simonson by scores of 7-5 and 6-2.
La Salle dropped its overall record to 7-4-1 with this result. Despite the outcome, the Explorers feel they will come back stronger next season.
SJP senior Co-Captain Conner Kryst talks about season preparation, team goals and how proud he is of his team. (video/ Dan McCarty)
“We fought hard every match,” said Gaylord.
“Our doubles have been struggling but they have been getting better every day. I’m really proud of how far they have come and big things are ahead for the future of this team too.”
Winning this championship was just icing on the cake for the St. Joe’s Prep program. The bond over the past four years especially for the seniors, proved to be monumental.
Under the tutelage of first-year head coach Tyler Peatman, his team went (8-0) going undefeated in league play. Peatman attributes this accomplishment to more than just a winning attitude. What stood out most to him about his team this year was their contagious leadership, competitive mindset, and their accountability.
SJP Head Coach Tyler Peatman pictured with Varsity team after PCL Championship Victory. (Photo/ Lennie Malmgren for PSD)
These attributes, according to Peatman, came from his captains and other senior members, both on and off the court.
“I believe this played a massive role in our success as a team. Peter Bae and Connor Kryst, our captains, provided two unique but equally impactful styles of leadership. They were integral in helping me during my first year as head coach. They have taught me a lot, and this season’s success would not have been possible without their help. I asked a lot of those two, and they rose to the occasion every single time. It’s impressive to see because I know this will serve them well in the future,” said Peatman.
When asked Peatman what his team goal and mantra was for the season, he had a few. It was evident in his responses that this first-year head coach understood his assignment, as both a coach and a mentor.
“We had a few mantras from the beginning of the season,” said Peatman. “Finishing What We Started. The four seniors, Peter Bae, Connor Kryst, Sam Seneca, and Matthew Schueneman, were keen on securing a fourth consecutive PCL Boys Tennis Championship. There were three underclassmen new to varsity this season, so this was no easy feat. These seniors began something great, and it feels really good to send them off with a fourth PCL title in a row.”
The next mantra included a task that Peatman assigned to each of his senior team leaders and that was to “Keep Prep Tennis On Top by Guiding Those Up Next” by sharing their knowledge and experiences with the future of the program. These were their assignments.
"· Peter Bae: During downtime, I tasked Peter with sharing his technical tennis knowledge with those not in our starting lineup. This was tremendous, and I know he will be a great coach someday if he chooses to pursue it. We even have a name for it: "Peter Bae’s Clinic."
"· Connor Kryst: This year, we had a freshman playing at 3rd Singles. Being a freshman in a singles position is a huge honor, but it comes with a challenging learning curve. This was a role that Connor knew well, as he also played 3rd Singles as a freshman. Now, as a senior, Connor plays 2nd Singles, which is next to the 3rd Singles court, so I asked him to help guide our freshman player and ensure no knowledge or advice is lost when our seniors depart."
"· Sam Seneca: Sam, like Peter and Connor, packed his car full of teammates and drove them to practice and matches, and then drove them home. Their cars are typically full, and each player can live anywhere from South Philly to Ambler, or farther.
SJP head coach Tyler Peatman pictured with senior-co captain Peter Bae holding Championship Plaque after Title win. (photo/ Lennie Malmgren for PSD)
This has been HUGE. I also tasked Sam earlier in the year with guiding an underclassman doubles partner, which he succeeded in doing."
"· Matthew Schueneman: Matt was instrumental in guiding a freshman partner on first doubles. He succeeded, and I commend him for his efforts. His experience and calming presence helped his partner stay composed throughout the entire match."
Peatman also gave an assignment to himself. It was his own mantra for the season; to “Make Strides to Advance Prep Tennis to an Elite Program.”
“This mantra was more personal to me,” said Peatman. “It's something the seniors and I discussed a lot this year. When I took this job, the program had no equipment or assets other than a metal ball hopper, and some training cones. I've worked hard to build the program by acquiring equipment, assets, and supplies. I also created the entire schedule, apart from the PCL matches, myself. I handle all cancellations and rescheduling on my own.”
Not only was he working on getting the proper equipment for the team but he diligently made sure his squad attained a schedule to keep them up to par with the challenges of the season ahead.
“This mantra was more personal to me,” said Peatman. “It's something the seniors and I discussed a lot this year. When I took this job, the program had no equipment or assets other than a metal ball hopper, and some training cones. I've worked hard to build the program by acquiring equipment, assets, and supplies. I also created the entire schedule, apart from the PCL matches, myself. I handle all cancellations and rescheduling on my own.”
Not only was he working on getting the proper equipment for the team. He diligently made sure his squad attained a schedule to keep them up to par with the challenges of the season ahead.
“I've made an increasing effort to schedule more matches with teams in South Jersey, as it’s closer than some PIAA District 1 teams. I started in March and worked feverishly to build a schedule with the maximum number of matches allowed. Our schedule included several NJ teams, and I believe the new relationships I've made this year will benefit the program for years to come. I've added a few Inter-Ac schools we typically didn’t play, as well as the Stockton Invitational and the Haddonfield Invitational.”
In fact, Peatman said he is “all in” when it comes to making this team and its members a program not only with a winning mindset, but one that can continue to build on a lasting legacy.
“Becoming an elite program takes time, support, effort, and a tremendous amount of buy-in. I'm willing to take on all that comes with it. The seniors seem determined to help lift the program to new heights after their departure. I believe having these seniors stay involved as active alumni, like in most other SJP sports, can help the tennis team take its next giant leap.”
Committed indeed.
District XII 3A Singles Champion: Peter Bae (Photo/ SJP Athletics)
District XII 3A Doubles Champions: Connor Kryst and Sam Seneca. (photo/ SJP Athletics)
The program is about to accomplish another milestone. Today the team will compete for the PIAA 3A Team District Xll Championship. If they win, the Hawks will have won all three of the PIAA District Xll 3A Boys Tennis Championships possible.
For a complete link to the 2024 PCL Championship Match photos by Lennie Malmgren (Click here).
