2024 FSL Champions: Friends' Central School - PSD Photo by Lennie Malmgren
Photos: Lennie Malmgren
By: Marc Narducci
WYNNEWOOD, PA -- There were plenty of talented players competing in the Friends Schools League softball championship, which is no surprise, but just as plentiful were the story lines.
Friends’ Central concluded a dominating run through the Friends League with a 6-0 home win over Academy of the New Church, in the Friends Schools League championship. The Phoenix didn’t lose a game to a Friends League team, going 8-0 in the regular season and 2-0 in the postseason. The two Friends League playoff wins were won by a combined 24-3 margin.
Yet so much other than softball excellence was on display. There was a courageous comeback by the winning pitcher, and an end of an era for a mother-daughter combo that has merely been going on for a lifetime.
2024 FSL Championship Game Photos, FCS vs. ANC - PSD Gallery by Lennie Malmgren
Oh yes, on the other side, ANC was greeted warmly after the game by an inspirational figure who has been forced to follow the Lions via long distance.
Here's a look at the storylines and of course, the game that earned Friends' Central its second Friends League title in the past three years.
The game...
Before delving into the human interest, there was a game played, one where senior Brianna Keenan took a starring role. In addition to pitching a four-hit shutout, Keenan hit a two-run single during a five-run fifth inning that broke open the game. Another key hit in that inning was an RBI single by shortstop Maria Morsa.
Before that, Friends’ Central was clinging to a 1-0 lead, that came on an RBI groundout in the third inning by catcher Maia Sevin.
Lost in the win was a fine effort by ANC junior pitcher Jamie Madara, who struck out eight and wasn’t helped by her team committing a few errors in the fifth inning.
“Jamie has been an awesome player,” coach Julia Schriver said. “She is like that every single game, she puts everything into each pitch and I can’t be more proud of her.”
2024 FSL Softball Championship Highlights by PSD's Marc Narducci:
This was the second year in a row the Lions had played in the title game, losing a 4-3 heartbreaker in eight innings to Shipley last year.
With Madara returning, ANC should be a threat once again next year.
The long distance coach
Immediately after the game, ANC gathered together as a team for a face-time phone call. On the other end was head coach Caitlin Irwin, telling the team how proud she was of them.
Right around midseason Irwin had to leave the team because Uncle Sam doesn’t wait until seasons end to come calling. She is a member of the Army reserve and is currently serving in Virginia. Assistant coach Julia Schriver ANC’s head coach in Irwin’s absence. The team appreciates how Irwin has been following from afar.
“It’s awesome, she’s been watching all the live streams since she has gone to Virginia and she is always there, she sends a video every game hyping the team, Schriver said. “She always has great words of encouragement and it’s great to have her still with us.”
Just two days before the championship game, Irwin was able to attend ANC’s practice.
“She is still very much a part of this team,” Schriver said.
ANC assistant coach Julia Schriver - PSD Photo by Lennie Malmgren
Battling through adversity
The winning pitcher Keenan had an outstanding senior year, capped by her hitting and pitching performance in the championship game.
What made the effort more impressive is that Keenan missed all of last season following injuries to both ankles.
She transferred to Friends' Central as a sophomore and that season the Phoenix won the Friends League title.
“Last year was really hard, I don’t like sitting out, I like to be able to play with my team and have fun with them,” Keenan said. “So it was hard sitting on the sidelines when I knew I wanted to be there.”
Keenan said both injuries came from playing softball. She called them “bad sprains” and even though she didn’t need surgery, there was a long layoff.
Finally, she started playing about midway through the summer softball season.
FCS senior Brianna Keenan talks about her performance on the mound - PSD Video by Marc Narducci
There is still plenty of preventative maintenance before each game. She has to ice her ankles and get them taped prior to heading to the mound.
So, Keenan still has some pain, but one couldn’t tell by her mound performance in the title game. She was changing speeds like a master, keeping ANC off-balance
The two teams had met on May 3 in the regular season and Friends' Central won that game 4-1.
“We knew we had to do it a little different this time,” Keenan said. “So, we had a whole new plan going into it.”
Of course, the main part of the plan remained the same – sending Keenan to the mound, sore ankles and all.
The mother-daughter duo
Maria Morsa began playing softball at the age of four, competing at the T-ball level. By the age of eight, she was getting serious as a travel ball player.
In both stops and every other one along the way, she was coached by her mother Sharon Morsa. Next year Maria will continue her education and softball career at Stevenson University in Maryland.
That will mark the first time that she won’t be coached by her mother – ever.
So Friends' Central’s title win was a little emotional for both mom and daughter.
An added twist was that Maria Morsa was a force in her final Friends League game. The Friends' Central shortstop was on base all four times. She was 3-for-3 with a triple, two singles and an RBI.
Needless to say, with so much time together, this was an emotional Friends farewell.
“It’s a dream come true, kind of a fairy tale ending,” said Sharon, who played softball at Villanova. During the post-game celebration, Sharon Morsa was one proud mom and coach.
“I have been her only coach outside of school with travel ball, here at school, and I am so proud of her,” Sharon said. “I am proud of all these kids, but I am proud of my daughter…”
FSL head coach Sharon Morsa talks about winning the FSL title and what is has been like coaching her daughter Maria - PSD Video by Marc Narducci
FCS senior Maria Morsa reflects on winning the FSL title alongside her mother as head coach - PSD Video by Marc Narducci
The daughter reflected on all her coach/mom has done for her all these years.
“She’s been my coach my whole life and she’s really inspired me to do what I love and be able to play in college next year,” Maria said. “It’s all her, she made this happen and I am really grateful for her."
For more photos of The 2024 FSL Championship Softball Game by Lennie Malmgren (Click Here).
