Photos/Videos: Bjorn Beck, Alexandra Conroy, Zamani Feelings , Marc Narducci & Ryan Nix
By: Marc Narducci
Whew!
Did that Inter-Ac football season fly?
Already another season is over, and this one ended the way last year’s one did – with Malvern Prep as the outright champion. It was a year in which the Friars were at least statistically, more dominant than a season ago, when they were also undefeated in league play.
We saw great individual performances from both teams in the finale between Haverford School and Episcopal Academy. Springside Chestnut Hill Academy played for the chance to win a title in its final game for the second straight season and got tremendous leadership from one of its seniors.
A Penn Charter kicker got to compete in the annual rivalry with Germantown Academy twice within a few hours. On the topic, Germantown Academy and Penn Charter staged a wildly entertaining game in the series’ 138th annual matchup.
It was certainly an event-filled week so we hope you enjoy our final edition of this year’s Pick-6, recapping another outstanding week and season of Inter-Ac Football.
Pick 1: Booting the ball for two teams at Penn Charter
While all his teammates were so excited about competing in the longest continuous prep school rivalry, Penn Charter senior place kicker Ryder Stearn admitted to being a little bummed out before his team faced Germantown Academy in the 138th meeting of this rivalry that began in 1887.
Penn Charter senior kicker Ryder Stearn #82 - Photo by Zamani Feelings
The reason he was a little down had nothing to do with football and everything to do with soccer.
See, Stearn was a starting defender for the Penn Charter soccer team. Moments before the team warmed up for the football finale, he and the Penn Charter soccer team played to a scoreless draw with Germantown Academy in his final career game.
“After the soccer game, I was really sad because I really wanted to win that game,” he said.
The sadness turned to elation after Stearn played a major role in helping Penn Charter beat Germantown Academy, 30-24.
The senior kicked three field goals in a back-and-forth game. This came after he played the entire 90 minutes in the soccer game. His three field goals were from 33, 32 and 34 yards for the Quakers’ first nine points.
“Winning that football game really cheered me up,” he said.
In addition, he also earned some family bragging rights. His cousin Xavier Stearn is a standout junior quarterback for Germantown Academy.
“It’s always fun to compete against my cousin,” he said.
This was also the final game for Penn Charter coach Tom Coyle, who on Monday began his new job as the athletic director at his alma mater Father Judge.
“It was a good day for Penn Charter football and for me being able to leave there having won my final Germantown Academy-Penn Charter game,” Coyle said. “But this is about the kids, and I am so happy for them.”
It was quite a wild game.
Penn Charter took a 16-7 lead entering the fourth quarter. The Quakers TD in the third quarter came on an 80-yard bomb from Tom McGlinchey to senior Zahir Kalam Id-Din, who was out for football for the first time this year and made a sizable contribution in his lone season.
Eian Kilpatrick, who rushed for 144 yards on 29 carries, scored two fourth quarter touchdown runs of six and 18 yards. The second score broke a 24-24 deadlock with 25.1 seconds left. Penn Charter then had to survive some Hail Mary attempts to win the game. Kilpatrick ended with 282 all-purpose yards.
Penn Charter head coach Tom Coyle holds the Competition Cup next to senior Eian Kilpatrick #2 and Head of School Karen Warren Coleman - Photo by Zamani Feelings
Penn Charter Football Photos from PC-GA Day by Penn Charter Jr. Reporter Bjorn Beck for PSD
“There was a lot that went on in that game,” Coyle said. “Our kids were resilient and made plays on offense, defense and special teams and it was a lot of fun to be part of.”
Coyle now turns his attention to his new job, but before that, he had one more Penn Charter-related task.
“I am going to watch the game,” he said.
It may not be the last time he turns on that tape.
Pick 2: Haverford’s Rivera bounces back in a big way
Jaidyn Rivera heard the sound, felt the pain and had plenty of anxiety.
The Haverford School junior running back suffered an ankle injury during the first Inter-Ac game of the season, a 40-26 win on Oct. 10 over Germantown Academy.
The initial prognosis was that he could be out for the season.
“When I first got hurt, my trainer thought it might be a fractured fibula, I was in a hole really because I couldn’t finish the season, playing the rest of the games with all my guys,” he said. “But, coming back, it was amazing, that is the only thing I wanted to do when I got hurt was just get back on the field and played with all my friends and that is what happened, and I was more than happy.”
So were his teammates.
He returned for the second-to-last game and gained 148 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries in a 30-3 win over Penn Charter. Then last week he scored on touchdown runs of 48 and 5 yards in Haverford School’s 29-14 hard-fought win over Episcopal Academy. His 5-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter, sealed the win.
Still, it wasn’t easy to come back, even though Rivera made it look so.
Haverford School junior Jaidyn Rivera #1 scores two touchdowns for the Fords in win over EA - PSD Video by Marc Narducci
Jaidyn Rivera was thrilled to win his final Inter-Ac game of the season & talks about overcoming his injury - PSD Video by Marc Narducci
And yes, there was plenty of discomfort when he was first injured.
“It was pretty painful, I mean I got tackled, I got rolled up on and I felt like a pop,” said Rivera, who rushed for 143 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries against Episcopal Academy. “It was very painful.”
Rivera said he still may not be 100 percent, but felt about 90 percent in the season finale. All the rehab greatly paid off.
“Every day for like two weeks it was two hours a day,” said Rivera, who finished the season with 612 rushing yards (6.18 avg.) and six touchdowns.
Teammate Finn Tierney made a comeback against Episcopal, but of a different nature.
A senior, Tierney had been the starting quarterback, but then junior Zach Faragalli won the job the week before the Inter-Ac schedule.
Still, Tierney continued to work hard to try to help the team.
Yet he got an unexpected chance to play in his final high school game because Faragalli got hurt, but not before completing 7-of-11 passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns.
2024 EA-HAV Day Football Highlights by Marc Narducci for PSD:
The TD passes went to the Jones brothers – 20 yards to sophomore Marcus Jones and 51 yards to junior Matthew Jones.
Note: Keeping up with the Jones’ is no easy task. Both are outstanding players.
In the second quarter, Faragalli left the game for good due to injury and in came Tierney.
“I was not expecting to play today, and it stinks that Zach got hurt,” said Tierney, who completed 2-of-5 passes for 11 yards and rushed for 24 yards on four carries. “I did my best to help Zach by running the scout team all week and I think that definitely helped me throughout the game.”
Tierney guided the Fords to a touchdown late in the fourth quarter when Rivera scored on the 5-yard run to put the game away. The senior quarterback will now always have that memory of playing and contributing during his final high school game.
“It was awesome when we scored,” he said. “We were so close so many times and knocking on the door but didn’t seem to get it done so to finally get that final touchdown was super special.”
More wardrobe for the Fords
The football team helped Haverford School earn the Sweater for its win over Episcopal. Since the 80’s, Haverford School and Episcopal compete in five sports during the final day of the Inter-Ac football season. Whichever team won three or more of its games, earned the sweater, which is half Episcopal Academy and half Haverford School.
This year Haverford School won four of the five events, with the football game the final event of the day.
Haverford School claims rights to the 2024 Split-Sweater - PSD Photos by Marc Narducci
Tyler Casertano the head of school at Haverford School, proudly took the sweater after so many had their picture taken with it, and brought it back to school, where it will reside for at least the next year.
Pick 3: An outstanding season finale for Episcopal Academy’s Orcutt
Episcopal Academy had just lost its season finale, 29-14 to Haverford School and wide receiver/cornerback Jackson Orcutt was naturally down. Yet in the days, weeks and even months ahead, it may hit him on what a terrific effort he gave in this game, which was really a microcosm of his outstanding junior season.
“It was a good feeling (to play well) but we lost our final game and this was a tough one,” he said.
Just as tough as trying to contain Orcutt.
He had his usual standout performance on offense with eight receptions for 102 yards and two touchdowns. Orcutt scored on a 66-yard bomb from Spencer Schuh for his first score and then snared a one-handed catch-and-run 23-yard TD reception from Kamau Kegler.
With quarterback Brody Garrison missing the game due to injury, Episcopal Academy inserted Orcutt as a wildcat quarterback for a few plays, the first time this occurred all season.
Highlights of Episcopal Academy junior Jackson Orcutt #10 - PSD Video by Marc Narducci
He didn’t complete any of his three passes, but ran three times for 16 yards and looked pretty comfortable back there.
“I had never done it, and it was fun,” he said. “It was definitely a new look.”
He didn’t make it look new, as Orcutt adapted quickly to the wildcat role, even in a limited number of plays.
“He is an amazing athlete, and he took everything in stride,” Episcopal Academy coach Todd Fairlie said. "He is just tough and did everything we asked of him."
Orcutt also intercepted a pass and accumulated 115 return yards – 105 on kickoffs and 10 on punt returns.
It was the end of a spectacular junior season for the Georgetown lacrosse commit. Orcutt finished with 66 receptions for 1,127 yards and 15 touchdowns. He was targeted 93 times and had one dropped pass and it’s likely he is still angry about that lone drop. Orcutt also finished with 26 tackles, two interceptions and five pass breakups.
Even though the Churchmen were just 1-4 in Inter-Ac play, the team suffered through a slew of injuries. Fairlie said about 20 percent of the roster was down with injuries by season’s end. The Churchmen played a hard-fought game with Haverford School, where the outcome really wasn’t decided until late in the fourth quarter.
EA-HAV Day Football Photos by Alexandra Conroy for PSD
With a strong group returning next year and with a little luck in the health department, there is reason for future optimism. Orcutt, for sure, is excited about what lies ahead.
“I think our team will have a great future,” he said.
The same can be said of Orcutt.
Despite having made a lacrosse commitment, the prospect of playing football has been brought up more than a few times to Orcutt.
“I will definitely keep all my options open,” he said. “I am not closing the door on anything.”
Fairlie expects to hear from inquiring football coaches about Orcutt.
“I think they will come around and kick the tires,” said Fairlie, who played both football and lacrosse at Widener University. “I would. I mean he is an amazing kid and whatever he wants to do he will be successful at, no doubt in my mind.”
Pick 4: Dominance times two for Malvern Prep
For the second year in a row, Malvern Prep was not in a sharing mood. Just like last year, the Friars had clinched at least a share of the Inter-Ac title entering the final game.
And following the same script, Malvern Prep once again emerged as sole champion after a season-ending 35-0 win over Springside Chestnut Hill Academy.
Not to take anything away from last year’s team, but this one was far more dominant in Inter-Ac play.
Congratulations to Malvern Prep on winning the 2024 Inter-Ac Title - PSD Photo by Ryan Nix
Last year’s team won its five Inter-Ac games by an average of 21.8 points, which is pretty dominating. The closest league game was a 17-7 win over Springside Chestnut Hill Academy.
This year’s team won its five games by an average of 33 points. The closest game was a 27-0 victory over Haverford School.
Senior receiver/slot back/safety Andrew Pellicciotta said it is difficult to compare the two teams.
“It’s tough to tell, especially since some other teams in the league were better last year,” he said.
He raved about the team’s defense, which allowed an average of 4.2 points in the five Inter-Ac wins and recorded three shutouts.
“This year’s team, especially our defense, was unlike anything I have ever seen,” said Pellicciotta, a Navy commit. “We were so motivated and didn’t need any extra motivation.”
Coach Dave Gueriera also didn’t want to show favoritism, but says this D ranks among his best in his seven seasons at Malvern Prep.
“One hundred percent,” he said. “It is hard to actually rank them, but I would say, yes, among the top defenses we have had for sure.”
Gueriera gave defensive coordinator Joe Carr a lot of credit.
“He is one of the best defensive minds I have ever been around,” Gueriera said. “Plus, our kids are hard-working who really love being around each other.”
That lunchpail mentality was definitely displayed during the season finale last week against SCH.
“This year we had our mind on last year’s game a little bit,” said Pellicciotta, who finished with 157 career tackles and four interceptions. “This year we wanted to make sure there was no doubt about it. We wanted to keep our foot on the gas and not let up.”
One of the defensive leaders was linebacker Jake Bauer, who finished with 223 career tackles and seven interceptions. Bauer led this year’s defense with 70 tackles in 10 games. Bernard Blakey had a team-high 4.5 sacks. Owen Mears led the Friars with three interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown.
Malvern Prep head coach Dave Gueriera congratulates his team after winning the 2024 Inter-Ac title outright - PSD Photo by Ryan Nix
Malvern Prep senior and Navy commit, Andrew Pellicciotta #15 - PSD Photo by Ryan Nix
Malvern Prep senior running back, and Colgate commit, PJ Holmes wraps up senior year with another Inter-Ac Title - PSD Video by Ryan Nix
In the 10 games, opponents rushed for just 482 yards on 219 carries, just 2.2 yards per carry.
Pellicciotta says he is looking forward to competing for Navy, but he will deeply miss competing for Malvern Prep.
“It made it better that we won the league championship, but it was tough to say goodbye,” he said. “I put everything into the program, and it gave me so much. The seniors are my best friends and not being able to play with them will stink, but the friendships made have been awesome.”
Pick 5: Germantown Academy playing hard until the end
Kyle Donahue completed his first season as Germantown Academy’s head coach seeing a lot of positives despite an 0-5 Inter-Ac record for the second year in a row.
One thing that is for sure – Germantown Academy was much more competitive this year and with so many players returning, there is reason for optimism that next year will provide improvement.
“We feel good about what we are building,” said Donahue, who is a 2014 GA graduate and was an assistant coach for six years there before being named head coach. “We wanted to get one for the seniors, but we made progress this year and are excited to go from Year 1 to Year 2.”
His team finished with a wild 30-24 loss to Penn Charter in a game where both teams showed plenty of fight. GA tied the score at 24-24 when junior Xavier Stearn hit Josh Cain for a 30-yard touchdown pass in a tight window in the end zone with 1:46 left. Cole Grim’s PAT tied the score. Penn Charter would then score a touchdown with 25.3 seconds left, but GA made a last-ditch effort.
GA vs. PC Football Photos by WPC Jr. Reporter Bjorn Beck
A penalty after a kickoff return put the ball on the Penn Charter 40. GA then threw three incompletions, but on the third one, Penn Charter was penalized 15 yards for facemask.
So, the Patriots had a chance to throw a Hail Mary from the Penn Charter 25. The pass wasn’t completed and the game ended, in a matchup that truly went down to the last second.
“We had a chance at the 25 and threw the Hail Mary and our guys kept battling,” Donahue said.
Stearn, already among the area’s top quarterbacks, completed 24-of-37 passes for 243 yards and three touchdowns. The TD passes were 10 yards to AJ Towsen, 15-yards to Mick McKee and the aforementioned 30-yarder to Cain.
Not bad for somebody who was banged up. Stearn has missed the previous game due to injury.
“Xavier played with an injury to his throwing hand and his ankle, and he had a great game and took a step in leadership,” Donahue said. “I am super proud of the way he played.”
One unfortunate occurrence came in the first half when Towsen suffered an injury to his collarbone that sidelined him for the rest of the game. He has been such a major contributor to the program and at least it was fitting that he hauled in a TD reception in his final game for the Patriots.
Pick 6: Playing another meaningful season ending game for SCH
Springside Chestnut Hill Academy went 8-2 overall and 3-2 in the Inter-Ac and for the second straight year, the Blue Devils entered the final game against Malvern Prep, with a chance to share the title.
As outlined above, the title went solely to Malvern Prep after the Friars 35-0 win over SCH, but coach Rick Knox put things well in perspective.
“Malvern Prep is a great team,” said Knox, whose team finished 8-2 overall. “I thought for the second straight year our program really took a step forward and I am excited about the future.”
He said the seniors will be hard to replace, and mentioned linebacker Sean Brett as a prime example. The 5-8, 160-pound Brett led SCH with six tackles against Malvern Prep.
“Sean is a phenomenal captain who played both ways,” Knox said. “Against Haverford he got a bone bruise in his lower back, and he was in a lot of pain but kept playing and all the other kids look up to him.”
Springside Chestnut Hill vs. Malvern Prep - PSD Photos by Ryan Nix
Brett did make one concession. He also plays receiver, but only played defense against Malvern Prep and in the previous week in a 28-9 win over Episcopal Academy.
Brett is among seven seniors that SCH will lose, but the Blue Devils will welcome back 14 current juniors.
“We have done well the last two years, and we think with the group coming back that we will be able to continue,” Knox said.
Final 2024 Inter-Ac standings:
Malvern Prep 5-0, 8-2
Haverford School 4-1, 7-3
Springside Chestnut Hill Academy 3-2, 8-2
Penn Charter 2-3, 7-3
Episcopal Academy 1-4, 3-7
Germantown Academy 0-5, 4-6
Special thanks all season to Ed “Huck” Palmer for Penn Charter and Malvern Prep stats. To Dan Moyer for Haverford School stats and to Mike McNulty for Episcopal Academy statistics. Also thanks to coach Rick Knox (SCH) and Kyle Donahue (Germantown Academy) for their statistics.