Congratulations to Cardinal O'Hara on winning its first-ever Philadelphia Catholic League softball title - PSD Photo by Zack Beavers
Photos/Videos: Zack Beavers & John Knebels
By: John Knebels
GLENSIDE - It seemed more like a dream, but it was all real.
Every bit of it.
An immediate early lead . . . near-perfect pitching by Hayden Sissons . . . a combined six runs batted in by Ava Dill and Hayden Reale . . . flawless defense by all nine fielders . . . palpable energy start to finish.
All of those elements computed to Cardinal O’Hara overwhelming two-time defending champion Conwell-Egan, 7-0, for the school’s first-ever Philadelphia Catholic League championship May 23 at Arcadia University.
“We came in here nervous,” said senior Sissons, the PCL Most Valuable Player. “We left it all on the field, and we got it.”
O’Hara’s only PCL loss had come at the hands of Conwell-Egan, 2-0, back on April 24. One of CE’s runs had been unearned, so the championship portended a probable pitcher’s duel in which one run might have ended up being enough.
Five batters into the game, however, O’Hara used an RBI single by sophomore Ava Dill and a two-run double by junior Hayden Reale to forge a stunning 3-0 lead. An RBI groundout by freshman Sami Daly that scored senior Avery Groh in the fourth upped the Lions’ lead to 4-0.
“With a pitcher like Hayden, most teams are so behind on her because of her amazing speed,” said Reale, a third-baseman who also added a pair of singles. “We felt like we could settle in because of the three-spot in the first inning. Against a team like Egan with two slappers, though, I definitely still had to remain on my toes and be ready for anything.”
2025 PCL Softball Championship Highlights Cardinal O'Hara vs. Conwell-Egan - PSD Video by John Knebels
Ava Dill belts a 3-run homer to seal the deal in O'Hara's 7-0 Championship win - PSD Video by John KNebels
Bookending her key two-run double in the first inning, Reale appreciated the honor of catching the last out, a line drive to her left.
“Honestly, the whole game I was thinking how cool it would be to make the last out of the game, knowing it would be the biggest out,” said Reale. “It was an unbelievable experience, especially since it happened first pitch. I just saw the ball get hit, and when I caught it, I realized that we just won our school’s first-ever PCL championship. It feels really cool to be a part of that history.”
Cardinal O'Hara accepts the school's first-ever PCL softball plaque - PSD Video by John Knebels
Lions react as senior Hayden Sissons is recognized as PCL MVP - PSD Video by John Knebels
Meanwhile, Conwell-Egan couldn’t produce a key hit. The Eagles squandered a runner on base in the second inning, a runner on third in the third, two runners in the fourth, and the bases loaded in the sixth. Despite those potential danger spots, at no point did it appear that Sissons, who struck out at least one batter in every inning and whiffed the side in the fifth, would allow a run.
Along with two hit-batters, Sissons was touched for only four singles – two of them infield hits by C-E junior Grace Bilardo – and one walk while striking out 11.
“Catching Hayden is amazing, I have no words,” said O’Hara first-team All-Catholic junior catcher Emily Dill. “She’s one of the hardest working pitchers that I have caught for. She throws many pitches well, and with us being close friends, it definitely helps us be on the same page.”
(L-R) Catcher Emily Dill & pitcher Hayden Sissons emerged as championship battery mates - PSD Video by John Knebels
Birthday girl Ava Dill (L) and Hayden Reale combined to knock in six of O'Hara's Seven runs - PSD Video by John Knebels
Cardinal O'Hara coach Dan Yohey recognized his team's potential beginning last year - PSD Video by John Knebels
Any tension completely dissipated in the sixth inning. Senior Paige Platt led off with a single and, two outs later, Emily Dill followed suit.
Then, the coup de grace.
On the seventh pitch and facing a 3-2 count, first-team All-Catholic Ava Dill punctuated an epic at-bat by smashing a line-drive three-run homer over the right-center-field fence. In addition to being Dill’s seventh blast of the season, it happened to occur on her 16th birthday.
Combined among hitters three-through-five, the trio of Emily Dill, Ava Dill, and Reale bestowed a staggering stat line of 8-for-12 with six RBI and four runs scored – two of them by freshman designated runner Maggie Watkins.
“It was definitely something special,” said Dill, referring to her game-breaking homer. “I woke up nervous, but I feel like going into the game, the vibes with all the girls were already high. I feel like those vibes definitely helped us jump on them in the first inning. The homerun was honestly just the (no pun intended) icing on the cake.
“At first, it being an opposite field hit, the first thing in my head is to be aggressive on the bases and to take as many extra bases I can because their outfielders are definitely talented and can close the gaps. I knew the pitch was in my zone and it felt good off the bat.”
Now owning a 7-0 lead, the Lions needed only six outs to make history.
Sissons escaped a bases-loaded jam in the sixth by inducing a comebacker. In the seventh, a lineout to second-team All-Catholic sophomore center fielder Lindsey Cathers was followed by a strikeout.
With the crowd on its feet, a first-pitch fastball ticketed for left field ended up in the glove of Reale. Sissons slammed down her mitt, embraced an ecstatic Reale, and the jubilant Lions flooded the mound to celebrate the school’s first-ever softball championship.
Before starring in the PCL championship, pitcher Hayden Sissons also tossed a 2-0 shutout over Bonner-Prendergast in the PCL semifinals - PSD Video by John Knebels
Sisters Ava and Emily Dill stood out in Cardinal O'Hara's semifinal win over Bonner-Prendergast - PSD Video by John Knebels
“I feel elated for my girls,” said second-year O’Hara coach Dan Yohey. “I am proud of them. They’ve worked so hard to get to where they needed to be. They set this goal in the beginning of the season. This championship means a lot. It’s about building trust and making this a place they want to be . . . to be a part of this family.”
Particularly in softball, a lights-out pitcher changes everything. A team cannot sustain success without it. Since the beginning of the season back in late March, all eyes have followed Sissons as the best hurler in the league.
She never disappointed.
2025 PCL Softball Championship Gallery by Zack Beavers for PSD
While reaching and surpassing 600 career strikeouts, Sissons recorded one of the most dominant seasons in PCL history. Consider her final numbers:
In 12 PCL games, Sissons shut out seven opponents, including the championship whitewash of Conwell-Egan and a 2-0 win over Bonner-Prendergast in the semifinals . . . In 75 total innings, she allowed a parsimonious seven earned runs for an earned-run average of 0.65, only 36 hits, a miserly 16 walks, and 131 strikeouts.
Even more impressive, against the PCL eventual playoff teams, including two postseason contests, Sissons surrendered four earned runs over 48 innings (0.58 ERA) with seven walks and 74 strikeouts.
“There is definitely pressure when it comes to being in the circle, especially when you are up against a strong team like Egan,” said Sissons. “But along the lines of separating my own performance from the team’s, I do not think it’s very difficult. We all put everything out on the field, and that’s exactly what I do.”
According to Yohey, Sissons’ contributions extend past strikeouts and shutouts.
2025 PCL Most Valuable Player, Hayden Sissons #7 - PSD Photo by Zack Beavers
“She’s not only a great pitcher, but she’s a great teammate,” said Yohey. “She’s there to lift up any girl on this team. She also plays her position well after the ball is put in play. And having a catcher like Emily Dill behind her to kind of frame those pitches, which sets her up for success, is huge.”
With only three seniors on the roster – Sissons, Groh, and Platt – O’Hara should be formidable again next year.
“Honestly, I couldn’t have imagined a better way to close this chapter of my softball journey,” said Groh, who singled twice and scored a run. “Ending it as part of the first O’Hara softball team to ever win the PCL still doesn’t feel real.
“Ever since I came in as a freshman, this is the moment we’ve all dreamed of, and to finally achieve it is the most incredible feeling. After four years of being the underdog, earning this recognition and coming out on top means everything to us.”
Batting ninth, Platt legged out two bunt singles and scored a run.
“It feels like a surreal experience and so many happy emotions,” said Platt. “To make softball team history at O’Hara, I feel so proud of the whole team and how hard we have worked to come together and achieve our goal.
“As a senior, I would say how great it feels to end off with such a big championship win. For working so hard freshman year until now, it helps me to see that hard work truly pays off.”
Emily Dill summarized the Lions’ championship journey.
“What makes this team special is that we have the confidence to know that we can compete against any team we face,” she said. “Our teammates are unselfish and will do whatever they are asked to do for the team to win. And we are committed to achieving our goals. We play for the ‘we,’ not the me.’”
(Contact John Knebels at jknebels@gmail.com or on ‘X’ @johnknebels.)