Fall Sports Review
Annabelle Sali ('28) and Sophia Sali ('28)
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As the crisp autumn air settles, the Masterman fall sports season nears its conclusion. For each team, every new season brings fresh challenges, new faces, and several adjustments. However, rather than letting these factors serve as obstacles, each team has found unique ways to rise to the occasion. Some teams soared to new heights, while others laid the groundwork for future success. All athletes shared in the pride of representing Masterman in the city and beyond and making lasting friendships while competing in the sport they love.
Girls Soccer
The Girls Varsity Soccer team came into August preseason training with a mission: to be crowned Public League champions. However, the team knew this journey would be an enormous feat. Entering the season the team secured a new coach, Mr. Prince, and acquired several new players. The team finished in first-place in the regular season for the first time in over twenty years, with an undefeated 9-0-2 record in league play. The girls culminated a dominant playoff run with a 2-0 win over perennial powerhouse Franklin Towne, securing the Public League Championship. Standout captain Tori Okorodudu earned MVP honors, scoring both goals in the title match. The team will play in the PIAA playoffs in November. Senior captain Jocelyn Goldstein stated, “the team improved throughout the season, and we played our best soccer when it mattered most.”
Girls Tennis
With a swing of a racket, the 2024 Girls Varsity Tennis team rallied through the season, creating unforgettable moments and showcasing their strength, precision, and determination on the court. With a new coach, the team took some time to get organized. “Our coach this year is Mr. Lerner, a 6th grade teacher at Masterman. He’s a nice and great guy, but I think we’ve been struggling in practice because we don’t have a lot of structure,” noted senior captain Ana Sorrentino. Yet, over the course of the season, the team proved to be successful, finishing second in the Public League during the regular season. During the postseason they built off this success winning the
Public League Championship in singles, doubles, and as a team. “This is 100% our best season yet. It’s actually a really exciting moment,” noted Ana. Later, the team won the title of District 12 champions in a victory over Archbishop Caroll. The unforgettable season came to a close for the team after a tough loss in the first round of States to Lower Moreland. While the team’s season has concluded, the dynamic doubles team of Rena Liu (‘25) and Sophia Plastaras (‘28) will compete for a State Championship in November.
Girls Volleyball
The Girls Volleyball team entered the season poised to face the city’s toughest teams after moving up to the top division, as a result of last year’s success. Senior captain Worth Bergeland expressed her worry coming into the season: “It was a little nerve-wracking…We lost a lot of good hitters and there were a lot of holes there and that was kind of hard to fill and kind of hard to adjust to.” Add to the mix a new coach, Ms. Ballew, and it’s safe to say the team wasn’t sure what to expect. Despite the challenges, the team challenged for top spot in the Division, finishing in fourth place with a 9-2 record. The highlight of the year was a straight-set victory over chief-rival Central, a first in over a decade. “I don’t think anyone’s done that in like 15-ish years. So that was pretty pretty fun. That game was a fun game to play, full of energy,” Worth noted. The season continues, with a recent playoff win over Central, proving the match wasn’t a fluke.
Cross Country
Girls and Boys Cross Country built up stamina throughout the regular season to put on impressive performances at the Public League Championship meet. The Girls team took home second place with standout performances from Grace O’Connell (‘28) and Nora Heiskell (‘28) who finished in 4th and 5th place respectively. In the PIAA District 12 Championship meet, the Girls finished 1st with the top 6 runners of the meet. Additionally, the Boys team came in second place with a standout 2nd place finish from Jacob Riz (‘25) in the 5000 Meter Run Final. Both teams will compete in Hershey, Pennsylvania in the PIAA State Championship meet.
Boys Soccer
The Boys Varsity team experienced the ups and downs not uncommon in the top division of the PPL. Despite a strong start, they finished 7-7-2 and were bested by a tough Southern team in the first round of the Public League playoffs. One highlight in the season was a strongly-contested 1-0 victory over archrival Central. Regardless of the scores, the athletes found ways to connect and bond with each other through the difficult times, making the best out of the season.
Golf
The golf team finished the season 1-4 in PPL play. Andrew Chernyak (‘25) and Owen Cheung (‘25) both competed in the Philadelphia Public League Championship match and Owen qualified to compete in the District championship.
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