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Football team ends 2024 season with 8-3 record
Football team ends 2024 season with 8-3 record
Story by Kaitlyn Manderbach ▪ November 12, 2024
The varsity football team ended a hard-fought season with an overall record of 8-3.
The team advanced to District 3 4A playoffs after a regular season record of 7-3. On November 1, they dominated their first playoff game with a win over the Susquehannock Warriors. The final score of that game was 42-12.
The Panthers ended their playoff run on November 9 in Berks county with a loss to Wyomissing.
photo by Jazzy Jimenez
Rian Hammaker during her match against Northeastern
Photo by: Julius Snyder
Steel Bayer during his match against Trinity
Two players reach 100 goal milestone
Story by Kaitlyn Manderbach, freshman ▪ November 12, 2024
The boys' regular season ended with a record of 13-3-1, and the girls' regular season ended with a record of 15-3-0.
Both teams worked hard to qualify for the playoffs, but two players had special achievements during the season.
Senior striker Steel Bayer scored his 100th goal during the match against Harrisburg on September 16, ending 4-0.
Bayer showed his love and passion for the sport and explained that his first thought after his 100th goal was finding his parents and giving them a huge hug. ¨I think they deserved to share that moment with me,¨ Bayer expressed.
Bayer plans on playing high-level soccer in the near future. He most enjoys the fact that when he is playing soccer he is doing something that he loves. Fortunately, Bayer will have something else to look forward to seeing that he also plays baseball. ¨Ï love the sport so much, and playing with my best friend is such an amazing feeling.¨
Junior Rian Hammaker, on the girls’ soccer team, earned a similar achievement. She scored her 100th point in the match against Solanco on October 9, the final score being 3-0.
Hammaker explained that the first thing she felt after scoring was relief. It was late in the second half, and she was worried she would run out of time. After the ball was deep in the back of the net, the clock stopped and everyone cheered and congratulated her.
Rian is planning on playing in college, and she hopes she can go more south regional to be warmer, and close to the beach.
Hammaker stated, ¨Something I enjoy most is feeling supported by everyone on the team.¨
Along with soccer, Hammaker also participates in track in the spring, and basketball in the winter. She joined track freshman year and does it to stay in shape during the off-season. On the other hand, basketball has been her passion since 2nd grade. Hammaker enjoys playing but has decided to take a break this year and possibly continue to do it next winter.
Boys JV soccer finished with a final record of 7-6-3 and girls with 8-3-4.
Golf team clinches division title
Golf team clinches division title
Story by Tyler Deatrick, senior ▪ November 11, 2024
For the East Pennsboro Panthers boys’ golf team, the 2024 season was one to remember. Coach Michael Kramer stated, ¨To sum the season up into one word I would say fun. Everyone has fun when they are winning.¨
The season featured multiple players earning medalist honors and on top of that, the school's first league crown since 1993.
In 2024, the Panthers posted a divisional record of 37-7 which bested second place Big Spring who finished with a record of 36-6 and clinched the Mid-Penn Conference Capital Division title for the first time in 31 years.
Senior Brody Rafferty explains, “It felt really good. Going into the season, I didn’t have high expectations. We pushed through the season and succeeded.”
Kramer recalled, ¨It was a surreal moment. In the back of our heads, we knew but we had to wait for people to collect scorecards and combine everyone's scores.¨
It wasn't easy for the Panthers though. Kramer described the process saying, ¨It took a lot of grinding.¨ A year ago the Panthers found themselves as a runner-up to the Boiling Springs Bubblers, who posted a record of 41-1.
During the season East Pennsboro’s senior Mason Smith took medalist honors in a Mid-Penn Capital golf match at West Shore Country Club. Rafferty took medalist honors at Sunset Golf Course in Middletown.
With the 2024 season over with, it will be interesting to see how the team will overcome the struggle of losing players such as Rafferty, Smith and, Adrick Bayer due to graduation.
Members of the girls' tennis team pose at the Mid Penn Tournament.
Girls' tennis team reflects on successful season
Girls' tennis team reflects on successful season
Story by Julie Capers, freshman ▪ November 11, 2024
The girls’ tennis team ended their season with a respectable 9-3 record. The team concluded their season with a match at Wyomissing during districts on October 10 and now the team reflects on their season.
After the tough loss during their run in districts, players need to cope with the stress of such important matches. Senior Barsha Phuyel explains, “I always try to remember it’s my last year playing and not be too competitive and just have fun.”
East Pennsboro also hosted the Mid Penn Tournament on October 3rd and 4th. Multiple schools from our division, the Capital Division, participated including Camp Hill, Bishop McDevitt, Middletown, James Buchanan, and Trinity.
The East Pennsboro team received 4 medals total with Number 2 doubles, Gabby Jovic and Miheala Hristzova getting silver, Number 2 singles, Chelsea Hoover getting gold, and Number 1 singles, Grace Livingston getting silver, as well.
The season lasted a short period, only 6 weeks, but many of the girls made great memories this year. Grace Livingston reflected on her favorite memory from this season, “My favorite memory from this season was when we were playing Trinity and there was a rain delay, so we had a party on the bus.”
Mihaela Hristzova explains her favorite moment of the season: “When we went to the second round of districts and me and my partner (Gabby Jovic) scored a set against Wyomissing.”
While there were many happy moments, there was also lots of work to be done. Senior Danica Martin believes she could have improved on “keeping my cool during matches.”
Hristzova said she needed to improve on her communication and wanted to “enhance the way I hit.”
Their drive to improve comes from many different places and inspirations, and it is clear that the players are continually thinking of how to improve their game. Livingston says, “My coaches and parents challenge me to be the best player I can be.”
Coach Bob Crum was asked if he was proud of how the season went. He responded by stating, “Absolutely. The team accomplished more than I could have ever imagined and so many girls improved over the season. I am already looking forward to the next season.”
Winter Sports Season
The winter sports season begins on November 15.
Check out all athletic events by visiting the district athletic page.
November 2024 ▪ Issue 1
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