Congratulations to Bonner-Prendergast, your 2025 Philadelphia Catholic League champions - PSD Photo by Carlos Otero
Photos/Videos: Carlos Otero & John Knebels
By: John Knebels
CAMDEN, NJ – Whenever Bonner-Prendergast’s baseball team relives the highlights of their late-season heroics, every single player will watch himself contribute in some fashion.
When you outscore three of the league’s top teams by a composite score of 29-4, and then stampede a very competent district foe by 11-0, copious credit abounds.
More on that district romp later.
In a dominant performance on a windy afternoon May 24 at Rutgers University-Camden, the Friars earned their second Philadelphia Catholic League championship in four years and fifth altogether by blanking Archbishop Ryan, 10-0.
To most prognosticators an afterthought following a 7-5 regular season and a sixth-seed heading into the postseason, Bonner-Prendergast believed in itself regardless of popular opinion.
“With losing a lot of seniors last year and dealing with injuries since the beginning of the year, no one believed in us,” said senior pitcher Mike Klawansky. “Getting to our ultimate goal and achieving it while proving everyone wrong is truly a surreal feeling.”
Anchoring a pitching staff that surrendered a staggeringly low four runs – only one of them earned – over 20 innings of playoff baseball against three-seed Father Judge, top-seed LaSalle, and five-seed Archbishop Ryan, Klawansky tossed the most clutch game of his career.
Aided by several infield defensive gems, Klawansky flummoxed the Raiders over six innings by allowing seven hits and one walk while striking out six before giving way to senior reliever Cory Sheridan’s perfect seventh frame.
“Going into it, I was just focused on throwing strikes, staying relaxed, being efficient, letting my defense work, and letting Ryan get themselves out,” said Klawansky. “Our offense set the tone, and that gives us pitchers some breathing room in case we get into some trouble.”
2025 PCL Baseball Championship Highlights - Bonner Prendergast vs. Archbishop Ryan - PSD Video by John KNebels
Bonner-Prendergast gain possession of the championship plaque - PSD Video by John KNebels
About that Bonner-Prendergast offense . . .
Supplying base runners in every inning, the Friars banged out 12 hits, patiently induced seven walks, and stole eight bases. Still, they only led by 2-0 before a six-run fifth inning – during which 12 batters approached the plate – sealed the deal. They then added two more in the seventh.
Donating particularly impressive statistical carnage, junior leadoff hitter Sergio Hernandez went 3-for-4 with a walk, three runs scored, two runs batted in, and three steals; sophomore Gavin DiRita knocked in the game’s first two runs on consecutive singles and added another on a sacrifice fly; senior Joey Graziani collected two hits, a walk, two steals, a run scored, and an RBI; and first-team All-Catholic junior Ryan Friel had two hits, a run scored, and an RBI.
Senior Mike Coleman couldn't be more pleased with B-P's surge as PCL's best team - PSD Video by John Knebels
Pitcher Mike Klawansky befuddled his opponent in six shutout innings in the championship - PSD Video by John Knebels
“This championship means so much,” said PCL Offensive Player of the Year senior Michael Coleman, who scored two runs. “We worked so hard through so much adversity. We just kept together. We made sure we got the job done.
“We knew we had to step up. Getting close to the playoffs, it was time to go. Everybody knew that. We played our best baseball all year, and at the right time.”
In a 5-3 win over three-seed Father Judge, Coleman belted two doubles and scored three runs while senior Jack Redding knocked in a pair. Four massively important two-hit, no-run innings by junior Danny Buckton propelled the Friars into the semifinals.
Gavin DiRita lent a scorching bat throughout playoff run - PSD Video by John Knebels
Leadoff hitter Sergio Hernandez set the table all game long - PSD Video by John KNebels
Facing defending champion and top-seed La Salle, the Friars stunned the Explorers by seizing a 4-0 lead in the first inning mostly on the strength of a three-run homer by DiRita.
With second-team All-Catholic senior Johnny Ortegae, Buckton, and Graziani combining for six strong innings, Bonner-Prendergast would go on to score in every inning, including a three-spot in the fourth and a knockout punch four-spot in the sixth, for an astonishing 14-1 victory.
“It was such a cool feeling,” said DiRita, referring to his three-run blast against the defending champs. “I knew if we got ahead early we could win the game, and that just got everything started. That’s when I knew we could win this game.
“Same thing against Ryan. Wanted to get the lead early and just keep it going. I knew Mikey would pitch really good.”
MBAP head coach Steve DeBarberie reacts to dominant PCL championship victory vs. a tough Ryan team - PSD Video by John Knebels
Coach Steve DeBarberie thanks the entire MBAP community for their undying support - PSD Video by John Knebels
When the Friars struggled to a 2-4 start, the concept of winning a PCL crown seemed a bit farfetched. Six weeks later and ignited by an 8-1 finish, they became the first six-seed to ever finish atop one of the strongest leagues in the state, if not country.
“Part of us were down in the dumps, looking for someone to feel sorry for us,” said Steve DeBarberie, who became the first Bonner-Prendergast coach to win multiple PCL titles. “Then we put our heads down and went to work.
“We showed a lot of resilience. We got hot at the right moment. They just outplayed everybody that stood in front of them. Hats off to our guys. It’s so rewarding.”
Unlike the undefeated 2022 championship squad, this group needed to treat the last nine games of the season basically as playoff games.
2025 PCL Baseball Championship Gallery by Carlos Otero for PSD
Please contact Carlos Otero losrawphotos@gmail.com to view & purchase additional photos from the PCL baseball championship!
B-P’s surge began with a four-game winning streak, then a loss against St. Joseph’s Prep, and then . . . nothing but wins.
“We always knew we had it in us,” said aforementioned table setter Sergio Hernandez. “Glimpses of it were shown all season. Was just a matter of time until we started to fire-up on all sides. After Judge and that first inning (two quick runs), I knew we had a very good shot at taking it all the way.
“La Salle is just like any other team in the PCL. We talked leading up to the game how even the matchup was gonna be. The winner would be decided on momentum and who can play a more complete and cleaner game.”
That turned out to be Bonner-Prendergast. Emphatically.
Anticipating the last play of the championship, nine players hoped they would be involved. Turns out that two drew the lucky straw when shortstop Hernandez gobbled up a grounder and fired a laser to first baseman DiRita.
Referencing one of high school athlete’s favorite terms, a mass-of-humanity “dogpile” enveloped the pitcher’s mound.
“There was no way I wasn’t getting that out right there,” said Hernandez. “Absolutely unreal to get the last play of the championship.”
Five days later, the Friars were at it again.
After an 11-0 District 12 championship rout of Central at LaSalle University on May 29, Bonner-Prendergast reached the PIAA Class 6A state tournament that begins on Monday.
Against a Lancers team that had beaten the likes of Inter-Academic League champion Malvern Prep, PCL two-seed Archbishop Wood, and PCL three-seed Father Judge, Friel (3-4, home run, double, 2 runs scored, 4 runs batted in) and Coleman (3-4, 2 RS, 2 RBI) paced a 13-hit attack that powered a four-run fifth inning and a six-run seventh.
Facing a strong Central lineup, Ortegae needed 86 pitches to hurl a three-hit shutout with seven strikeouts.
“The bats started off slow, but as the game went on, we just kept our same aggressive approach,” said Friel. “We let the game come to us and added pressure onto their defense.
“The PCL championship run showed us how well we play together as a team. The energy was through the roof.”
(Contact John Knebels at jknebels@gmail.com or on ‘X’ @johnknebels.)