Dre’Shaun Bailey 2026 & Deondre Manalac 2026

After making a strong appearance at states last year, Senior wrestler Aiden Babick is heading into the new season with confidence and high expectations. “I’m extremely confident, but I definitely feel a lot of pressure on me,” Babick shared when asked about returning to the mat this year. Despite that pressure, he says his approach will not change too much. “This year I’m just going to wrestle the same as before, but clean up the silly mistakes.” Babick enters the preseason ranked number 8 in the state, but he admits he has mixed feelings about it. “My thoughts on my ranking are 50/50,” he said. “I’m thankful for it, but I think it should be higher.” As for his goals, Babick is not shy about aiming big. “Fifty and zero. Undefeated state champ,” he stated confidently. He also had strong words about the Panthers’ lineup this season. “My thoughts on the team in general are better than ever. We have a diverse group of young, experienced wrestlers, and our team is well-rounded. I think we could end up being the best team in the I8.” The Pennfield community will be watching closely as Babick and the rest of the wrestling team begin what could be a standout season.

Carson Wright Class of 2028 & Prosper Lukole Class of 2028 

The JV basketball team started its season on Tuesday, December 2nd. Jaden Peterson reflected on the game, stating, “Our first game of the season didn’t end the way we wanted, but it still showed improvement from last year. Even without the win, we played better and proved that we’re moving in the right direction.” Going into the game, Peterson’s mindset was to get a win and start the season on a positive note. He wanted to help set the tone for the team and build early momentum. This season, Peterson’s goals are to have a winning record and continue developing as a team so they can be even stronger next year. Each game provides them a chance to grow and identify areas for improvement. Personally, Peterson wants to focus on becoming a better leader and a stronger playmaker. He believes improving his communication and decision-making will help both him and his teammates succeed. Overall, the first game served as a reminder that progress takes time, but with hard work and leadership, the team can reach its goals this season.

Kellay Dickerson Class of 2029

Addyson Mann is a member of our freshman girls’ basketball team. She has played basketball since third grade, and continues to work hard to improve. This season, her main goal is to improve her shooting. Mann loves being on the team because she gets to play with many of the same girls she’d played with previously. She says they’ve always worked well and supported each other through ups and downs. Her favorite part of basketball is the teamwork and the way the players cheer each other on. Lastly, Mann wanted to say some last words of encouragement. She said, “Never give up on a sport you don't like. Keep trying your hardest and excel at it, and never stop putting in effort!”

Collin Stacy Class of 2027

As Noah Hammond’s senior season of bowling unfolds, a mix of nostalgia and ambition fills the air. Looking ahead, Hammond sets his sights on first place in the I8 conference and regionals. Now that he is a senior, Hammond wants to inspire the younger and less experienced bowlers on the team and show them how hard work and consistency pay off. Now that he has made the switch to a two-handed approach, Hammond is significantly more confident in his abilities and sees no obstacles in either his or his team's path to success.

Ryleigh Mix Class of 2026 & Kylie Daghuer Class of 2026

This year is Leif Kinzel's first year wrestling, and he is feeling nervous but ready to experience new things. Kinzel believes that while he may have the muscle for wrestling, the toughest part of this season would be learning all of the skills. His favorite thing he has learned this season so far is seeing how far he can push himself to his full potential and what his body can do. Kinzel believes he fits in well with the team, and everyone is welcoming. Lastly, Kinzel stated that he would love for more people to join the wrestling team!

This year is Connor Chupp’s first year wrestling, and he is feeling pretty confident and ready. Although Chupp feels prepared, he thinks the toughest thing this season is building the endurance needed for wrestling. His favorite thing he has learned so far would be take-downs. Chupp believes he fits in well with the team.

Brooke Miller Class of 2028 & Erica Gregorie Class of 2028

Collin Stacy is a wrestler at Pennfield High School, this being his third year of wrestling. Stacy started wrestling in his freshman year. “I've grown a lot, gotten significantly stronger, and have had plenty of time to get better,” he says. A skill Stacy says he wants to improve is his “gas tank.” He says, “I have asthma, so I am always running out of energy and having issues.” Stacy hopes to win at least 20 matches this year; he won 27 matches last year.

Kylie Daghuer, Ryleigh Mix, and Pheonix Miller

Phoenix & Shawn Miller

This is Phoenix Miller's first year being on the same wrestling team as Shawn, and she is really excited. Miller has practiced with Pure Impact Wrestling Club for a year, but she is still pretty nervous. “Shawn is an amazing wrestler, so I know he’ll teach me a lot,” Miller says. Even though Miller just started, she really wants her first match soon. Miller thinks she and Shawn will make a great team and show everyone how hard they've been working. “No one can beat my brother—at least not without a fight,” she says. Miller is really hoping a lot of students come out to watch the wrestling team this year. 

Shawn Miller has been wrestling for 5 years and is very excited for this wrestling season with his sister, Phoenix. Miller believes Phoenix will not be any competition for him. This wrestling season, Miller believes Phoenix will learn a lot from him, but he also believes the wrestling team will make it to states. Lastly, Miller is very confident that he could beat Phoenix in a wrestling match.

Derek & Jaxson Beach

Derek and Jaxson have been wrestling together for 2 years, but Derek has been wrestling for 5 years. Derek says he is looking forward to this wrestling season with Jaxson. He says Jaxson will be good competition for him this year since they are about the same size. Beach says this year, hopefully, Jaxson will improve, and so will he. He is very confident that he could beat Jaxson in a wrestling match. 

Jaxson Beach has been wrestling for Pennfield for 4 years. Beach is looking forward to wrestling with Derek this season. He believes the wrestling team will do really well this season.  He thinks Derek could easily be good competition, but he could beat him in a wrestling match. 

Clare Hackworth and Mia Cole 

Class of 2026 

Coach Nicki Govier’s passion for cheerleading and her desire to bring fresh ideas to the program inspired her to become the Varsity coach at Pennfield High School. With 19 years of coaching experience, 10 of those at Pennfield and a total of 30 seasons, Govier continues to dedicate herself to her athletes and the sport she loves. While she hasn’t decided when she’ll retire, balancing family life and her commitment to coaching keeps her taking it one year at a time. Govier shares a special bond with this year’s seniors, describing them as hardworking, fun, and close-knit, and she looks forward to seeing all they’ll accomplish after graduation. The most challenging part of coaching, she says, is “managing the many unseen responsibilities that go beyond practices and games, including planning, analyzing routines, fundraising, and organizing team events, all while teaching full-time at the middle school.” Govier’s favorite memories come from seeing her team’s joy when they reach goals, master new skills, and celebrate their successes together. This year, she also enjoyed the challenge of adding boys to the team, appreciating their unique perspectives and hoping they’ll continue to be part of the program in the future.

Amiel Bradd ‘28

Freshman Ashanti Wilson made a strong start to her high school experience as a member of the freshman volleyball team. Wilson described this season as her favorite so far, saying she loved how her coach kept practices fun and different every day. Beyond improving her skills on the court, Wilson also enjoyed the team traditions, including giving thoughtful gifts to her assigned “buddy.” She said she loved seeing her teammates’ reactions and putting effort into making each gift special. Looking back, Wilson said she wishes she had done even more for her teammate, but overall, she’s proud of how the season went. “Even though the season is ending, this has been one of the most fun seasons I’ve ever participated in,” Wilson said. “I can’t wait for next year!”

 Dre’shaun Bailey ‘26 and Deondre Manalac ‘26

With basketball season getting closer, we caught up with junior Peyton Merlington ‘27 to see what he's aiming for this year, both personally and with the team. We asked Merlington what his biggest goal was, “Scoring about 16 points and 6 assists per game and make the BRES,” he said. For those who don’t know, BRES stands for the Battle Ready Elite Squad. He’s also focused on improvement from last season. “Be a defensive menace and be a scorer and be more active,” if it means improvement and making the team better on the court, he is here for it. Last year, Peyton faced some challenges. “Not getting the ball that much and not doing a lot for the team,” he said honestly. But he’s not letting that stop him. “I’m going to fix it by doing more and making shots,” he added.

Carson Wright ‘28 & Prosper Lukole ‘28

Xander Swank has been wrestling for 12 years; his mindset going into this wrestling season is that he wants to break 50 wins. Swank plans to achieve those 50 wins by working out and building stamina for the season. Swank’s main goal for this wrestling season is to go deep into states and put Pennfield on the board. Swank would also like to add how proud he is to wrestle for Pennfield and the ones he's grown up wrestling with.

Tyler McKenzie ‘27 and Addysen Gregory ‘27 

As 2025 Fall sports are wrapping up, here is feedback from the JV Volleyball season from Junior, Mallorie Miller, a front row hitter, and Freshman, Olivia Branham, a defensive specialist. Miller and Branham have both been playing volleyball for five to six years. Miller’s toughest game this season was against our rival, Harper Creek. Branham's toughest game was against Hastings, since everyone was playing individually and not working together as a team. The team is very close off the court, but they have a hard time bringing that onto the court and communicating with each other. The Harper Creek game was Branham’s personal favorite memory this season, since they both tied 1st place at the time. Miller's favorite part of the season was how close the team got to each other this year. While they are both sad that the season is coming to an end, they are excited to see what the next season holds for them.

Clare Hackworth 26’ & Mia Cole 26’

Derek Beach is a 4-year high school wrestler. Beach thinks getting back into all the conditioning will be the biggest challenge for him. Beach says he likes to stay fit and active, so he decided to try wrestling out because nothing else interested him. Beach doesn't like the new rules this season, especially because it is his last year. Wrestling has been a huge part of his life, and saying goodbye isn't easy for him. He will miss the sport and the incredible coaches who’ve guided and supported him over the last four years.

Bella Gillson ‘27

Layla Wesley, a Junior, is on the dance team for the first time, and here are her thoughts and feelings so far. She joined because dancing has been her passion. Wesley’s favorite dance style is hip hop because she has seen others do it and thought it looked fun. She says dance has been going well so far and that she gets better each practice. Wesley loves having Mrs. Gammons since she helps them if they mess up. The only thing she would change is having more practice so the team can improve their dancing skills. Lastly, Wesley adds that she thinks the girls on the team are amazing.

Avreen Kaur ‘28 & Erica Gregorie ‘28

Melody Schulz is a sophomore at Pennfield High School who is newly starting basketball this upcoming season. She wanted to try something new and was drawn to the girls’ basketball team because she had heard the players are always willing to help and not judge someone who is just starting out. The biggest challenge for her will be maintaining confidence, but she sees basketball as a new chance to gain more confidence in herself. She has always played basketball for fun, and since she didn’t play volleyball this year, she decided to give basketball a shot. She has been practicing almost every day, learning new drills and shots, and trying to focus on the good about what she does. Schulz is a little nervous competing with players who have more experience, but with more work and dedication, she believes she can be like them someday. Many of the girls on the team are very sweet and willing to help, and some are even her friends. Schulz said, “Anybody can do anything if they put their mind to it. It might take a while, but never give up. You’ll never know you’re good at something until you try and put dedication into that.”

 By Deondre Manalac ‘26 Dre’shaun Bailey ‘26

Injuries are never easy, especially during the season. Two of our own Panthers, Treven Straham ‘26 and Jenna Wiley ‘27, are pushing through some tough setbacks this fall.

Treven, a senior and starting running back for the Pennfield Panthers, is currently out with a fractured right ankle. “I have to wear a boot,” he said. “It’s hard, especially with it being my senior year. It keeps me from doing some of the things I love.”

Even though Treven is out, he gave a shoutout to his teammate, Isaiah. “To be honest, I thought my absence would affect the team more, but Isaiah has really stepped up and taken the opportunity and ran with it, literally,” Treven said with a smile. “We still have one of the best run games in the I-8, but we are losing depth, which means we’re pulling up younger kids. It’s good for development, though. They’re gaining experience for when it’s their turn.”

Treven has been dealing with the injury for about 3 to 4 weeks and is working on recovery.

On the volleyball side, Jenna Wiley is playing through some tough pain with her hip flexor and shoulder. “They’re pulling on my other muscles, and it affects everything I do daily,” she shared. “I’m still with the team, but not being 100% makes it hard for them to rely on me.”

Jenna has been rehabbing for about a month and continues to work hard to stay involved and support her teammates.

Even with these injuries, both athletes are showing true Panther pride by staying committed and supporting their teams however they can. We’re wishing them both a strong and speedy recovery. Go Panthers!

Kellay Dickerson ‘29

Freshman Kayleona Bozell, Leighton Francis, and Madison Dunten are members of the Pennfield Dance Team. They describe their experience so far as positive, fun, and welcoming because of the supportive environment. One important reminder they want to share is that dance is a true sport that requires dedication and teamwork far beyond common stereotypes. If you’re interested in joining the dance team, reach out to Mrs. Gammons directly or contact a current team member.

Carson Wright ’28 & Prosper Lukole ‘28

Coach Kuhse is the head JV basketball coach. Kuhse says his mindset going into every season is about every individual becoming a better basketball player, along with getting them ready for the varsity level. Kuhse believes that the game starts with good fundamentals on both offense and defense, and what is emphasized each year is the vision of the program that is headed up by the Varsity coach. Kuhse’s goals this year are to be better at the end of the year than they were at the start, give 100% effort, play as a team on offense, and help on defense.

Dreshaun Bailey ‘26 & Deondre Manalac ‘26 

As the Pennfield Panthers charge through the heart of the football season, team leaders Gavin May '26 and Thomas Wright '26 reflect on how far the team has come, the challenges they have faced, and the goals that keep them going. When asked about the biggest changes from last year, both players agreed that this season feels different in all the right ways.

“We are playing for each other, not just ourselves,” said May. “Our effort levels are higher, and we have common goals as a team.”  Wright echoed that mindset. “This year, we have more chemistry. We are closer together, and that makes a big difference on and off the field,” he said.

Still, the journey has not been easy. Between battling injuries and a short roster, the Panthers have had to fight for every inch. “Playing with 16 to 20 guys is hard,” May admitted. “We are battling through a lot,” Wright added. “But we keep showing up.”

One major turning point came in Game 3. The Panthers came out on top, and it lit a spark. “Winning that game was huge,” said May. “Now we are heading into conference play on the same level as our opponents.” Wright agreed. “It gave us a lot of momentum heading into Harper week,” he said.

Looking ahead, the Panthers have one thing in mind: the postseason. “Our goal is to make the playoffs, even with the odds stacked against us,” May said. Wright added, “We do not just want to get there. We want to win a playoff game.”

Both leaders say the season has taught them important lessons. “We have learned we have to be the most physical team out there,” May said. And for Wright, it is all about unity. “One person can not win a game. We have to work together.”

With passion, perseverance, and Panther pride, the team continues to fight not just for wins but for each other.

Ryleigh Mix ‘26 & Kylie Daghuer ‘26 

The Pennfield varsity football team is led by Head Coach Hattan and Defensive Coordinator Coach Porter, who are working hard to push the Panthers toward success both on and off the field.

Coach Hattan says the team’s ultimate goal goes beyond just winning games. “We’re striving to become a great team, but more importantly, a better family,” he explained. The coaching staff prepares by keeping strong communication, breaking down film, and carefully planning practices. To motivate his athletes, Hattan makes sure they know he cares about them not only as football players, but as people. After a tough loss, he encourages players to face the challenge head-on while also recognizing what they did well.

Coach Porter shares a similar vision for the team. He hopes this season brings continued improvement and plenty of wins, but he also reminds his players to enjoy the game. “The guys work well together and play well together,” Porter said. His preparation includes long hours of film study, detailed practices, and analyzing opponents’ strategies. When it comes to motivation, Porter stresses attention to detail and doing their absolute best, both on and off the field. After losses, he focuses on highlighting the positives to keep spirits up.

Kellay Dickerson ‘29 

Freshmen Hadlie Trine and Carly Tenney had their high school volleyball debut on the junior varsity team. Trine is very excited to be on the JV team this season. She gets to play with many of her old and new friends. She also really likes her coach and how she really pushes her to her max, and has helped improve her work ethic. Tenney said that at first she was nervous, but once she got to know the girls on the team, she felt more confident about it. Tenney said that she played club volleyball last year for Redline, and she believes that it has helped her with her technique and skills. Trine has also been playing club volleyball for 4 years now. She also believes that club volleyball has helped her improve her skills and play at higher levels.

Carson Wright ‘28 & Prosper Lukole ‘28

Mr. Martin has been coaching JV football for two years. When asked how he prepares his team, he explained that most of the preparation occurs from Friday to Wednesday, focusing on all three phases of the game, such as special teams, offense, and defense. A large coaching staff allows for individualized attention and multiple reps to build fundamentals. Martin said his motivation comes from the players, stating that he was inspired by the great coaches he had growing up and wants to pass on those positive experiences.

As for the pros and cons of coaching, he enjoys seeing the kids' smiles and celebrating their successes, and he appreciates working with a skilled coaching team. However, Martin mentioned the time away from family, dealing with losses, frustration, and overthinking as challenges. His goals for the season include weekly improvement, building on last year’s 5-4 Freshman team record, and helping his players grow.

Tyler McKenzie ‘27 & Addysen Gregory ‘27 

Jackson Hamilton is a sophomore here at Pennfield. Hamilton is also a rising star on the football team; he is our starting right tackle and defensive tackle. Hamilton states, “It feels great to be on varsity, and it makes me feel like a part of something bigger. Which is a really cool feeling.” He believes he’s been given this opportunity because of good reps on JV and trying to prove himself to coaches last year. Hamilton says, “It can make me nervous, but I have supportive teammates who hold me accountable, so that is a good asset of our team.” He knows there is quite a bit of pressure as a sophomore taking such a large step, he knows there is always someone trying to take his spot so he has to stay focused.

Kellay Dickerson ‘29

Kendall McKenzie is a freshman at Pennfield High School. McKenzie is on our golf team. Mia Wells told her about the golf team and how fun it was. Wells told McKenzie that it didn't matter how good you are; it’s just for fun. She is really excited to learn how to play golf and to become a better golfer than before. McKenzie looks up to Layla Kelly because she is really talented and always nice to her. She really likes golf because she doesn’t have to be the best to enjoy playing. McKenzie learned that the hardest part about golf is hitting the ball. Have fun and try something new. Sign up for golf next year!