The PIAA 3A girls’ tennis team state championship finals Oct. 28 featured a rematch of the District 1 3A team finals, Conestoga facing Council Rock South. And, in a repeat of the district final, Conestoga lost, 3-1, this time at the Hershey Racquet Club.
For Conestoga, Jennifer He at third singles recorded the Pioneers’ lone match win, prevailing 6-3, 6-3.
Conestoga girls tennis head coach Seth Shore said, “After winning back-to-back state team titles the last two years, losing the state final this time was disappointing, but certainly nothing for our players to (hang) their heads about. We had a great season, went undefeated during the season except for the two losses to Council Rock South.”
In the state semifinals the morning of Oct. 28, Conestoga defeated District 7 champion Bethel Park, 3-2. At first singles, Conestoga’s Isabelle Emmanuel defeated Cami Fisher, 6-2, 7-6 (1); at third singles He defeated Katie Peterson, 7-6 (2), 4-6, 3-1 ret,; and at second doubles, the Pioneer duo of Sofia Calvitti and Sarah Weng defeated Cassie Sierka and Julia Gobbie, 6-1, 5-7, 6-2.
Earlier in the tournament, the Pioneers defeated District 3 runnerup Manheim Township, 5-0, in the first round; and beat District 3 third-place finisher Central Dauphin, 5-0, in the state quarterfinals Oct. 27.
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A couple of Lower Merion runners, twin brothers, finished in the top three at the PIAA District 1 3A Cross Country Championships Oct. 27 at Lehigh University. Lower Merion sophomore Nicholas Mazzeo finished first with a time of 15:07.40, and LM soph Alexander Mazzeo placed third (15:13.40).
Haverford High junior Olivia Cieslak won the District 1 3A Girls Cross Cross Country Championship at Lehigh Oct. 27 with a clocking of 17:35.70. Cieslak was 12 seconds clear of runner-up Ella Woehlcke of Mount Saint Joseph.
In the District 1 A Cross Country Championships at Lehigh Oct. 27, Regina Luminis Academy placed first in both the boys and girls team competition. For the boys’ individual race, RLA junior Martin O’Rourke was third, and in the girls’ race, RLA sophomore Gianna Scoville placed second.
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The Harriton girls soccer team ended its season with a 2-0 loss to No. 3 seed Downingtown East in the second round of the PIAA District 1 4A tournament Oct. 26.
“We accomplished a lot this season,” said Harriton senior co-captain Ariel Katz. “We worked hard this season and it showed in our results.”
For the first time in the Harriton seniors’ career (technically the second with the first coming when COVID changed the playoff landscape), the Rams reached the District 1 4A playoffs. In the opening round, the No. 19 seed Rams defeated No. 14 seed Owen J. Roberts, 2-1.
“Winning our first playoff game was exciting,” said fellow senior co-captain Emma Moreaud. “We as a team put in a lot of work and to get rewarded with a playoff win was great.”
Under first-year head coach Pete Gangl, some of the Rams’ highlights this season included a win against Haverford High and a key win over Marple Newtown on Senior Night to help secure the district playoff berth.
“I learned so much from this senior class,” said Harriton junior Nina Cantor. “They showed me how to be a good leader on and off the field and I look forward to seeing our team continue to grow off of our accomplishments this season.”
– Bruce Adams and Eddie Levin contributed to this article.
