The Year That Was......

It's been one hell of a season for the Bonner and Prendie athletic squads. There were the usual highs and lows of a grueling season, as well as some unexpected twists and turns, some good and some bad. It's been a great year, and here is one final recap of the 2009-2010 athletic year...

The year began way back in August. The fall sports teams began practice in the dog days of summer, twice a day for about two weeks. The football team shocked the Bonner, and Upper Darby community, with a 24-12 to defeat their neighborhood rivals. They followed that up two weeks later with a win over Inter-Ac's Episcopal Academy. The Friars lost a nail-biter to bitter rival O'Hara, but came back to destroy Father Judge. Although they just missed the playoffs, they had wins in their final three games over Ryan, Springfield (Delco) and Carroll to finish at 6-6, the first time the football team finished at .500 in quite a long time. The future looks bright for Bonner though, with the return of QB Sean Quatermar and All Catholic Tyler Ramirez. It's a good time to be a Bonner football fan.

Bonner's soccer team struggled once again. They opened the season filled with promise, but it was not fulfilled. The Friars, led by All Catholics Mike Moran and Conor Canavan, were able to keep games oh so close, falling to North Catholic 1-0 and 3-1 (while holding a lead in that match), 2-0 to LaSalle, 3-1 and 1-0 to Roman, and a 5-3 loss to O'Hara, all of which were extremely hard to swallow. But there was much improvement under first year coach Jim Strandberg. The defense helped myself, the goalie, out all year and kept the goal total down. The squad looks to earn a couple wins next season, and turn around the Bonner soccer program.

On the girls side, the Prendie soccer team rebounded from a tough 2008 to make the playoffs in 2009. Led by Alex Topa and goalie Miranda Schieler, the Pandas had big wins over West Catholic and Kennedy-Kenrick to help them clinch their playoff berth. They would unfortunately lose to Lansdale Catholic, but the team made big strides for the future, and hopefully 2010 will bring another successful season.

The volleyball team also made the playoffs, only falling to St. Hubert's. I'll be honest, I don't have a lot of volleyball info, but if anyone wants to help fill me in I'd be grateful. But a playoff appearance bodes for a pretty great season in my book.

And who could forget the Field Hockey team? They didn't do anything really. They only won the Catholic League championship and District XII titles. What a season they had. The team made the playoffs as the fourth seed. They won their first playoff match before having to face top seeded Carroll. No problem. The Pandas disposed of the Patriots to advance to the finals against....O'Hara. The Lions, the number two seed, and Prendie felt like making it a little nerve racking. So they took the game in overtime. In an intense match, Brooke Stretch was able to put the ball past O'Hara's goalie to earn the Catholic League title 1-0. They clinched the District XII title over Northeast, and appeared in the school's first ever state playoffs.

With the winter came the colder months, but so did the hockey and basketball seasons. The basketball team, led by Jamal Melvin and Keefer Francis, earned their fourth consecutive playoff berth in surprising fashion by knocking off North Catholic. Big wins over O'Hara helped pave the way, where the would ultimately fall to St. Joe's Prep.

The hockey team advanced to the championship game after having a successful year, finishing at 12-8. They fell in an intense game to Roman, and again to Roman a week later in the Flyers Cup to end the season. But after going winless the year before, it was great to see the hockey team get back on track.

Prendie basketball also made the playoffs with a successful season. They would win their first round game, but fell to eventual state runner-up Archbishop Ryan in the next round.

And finally, we arrive with the spring. Both lacrosse teams had a tough year, but for Bonner, Rick Reid was the major bright spot, scoring in just about every game played. JP O'Conor held strong all year in net, and the defense of Kevin Mathis helped the Friars all year.

The softball squad, led by Devon Beese and Emily Moran, made the playoffs. They would win their opener over Neumann-Goretti but fell to Lansdale Catholic by a score of 1-0, a heartbreaking loss.

Bonner's track squad was led by Max Curran, and Marcus Collins made states for the hurdles.

The baseball team, well, we all know about them.....

So this is my final thoughts and writings for this year. I can't believe this is over, but good things have to end. I'm graduating this year and it's hard to believe I won't be at Bonner next year. Anyway, I'd like to thank everyone who followed me all year long. I enjoy writing, and it was a lot of fun doing so. I'm glad people actually read what I write (smile). Maybe you'll be reading my articles in USA Today or as part of the Associated Press, or hey maybe even see me as a reporter on television. You never know.....

Anyway, thanks again to all. It's been a hell of a ride. Let's Go Bonner!

Bonner's Season Comes to an End

It seemed like nothing could stop the Bonner baseball team. The Friars were coming off an incredible Catholic League playoff run, defeating Judge and the highly regarded Neumann-Goretti Saints in exciting fashion, and then massacring Archbishop Ryan to win the Catholic League title. They then disposed of the Public League champion Central High School 11-4 on Thursday. All the momentum was with Bonner. That momentum would be erased quickly on Monday, as Bonner’s unbelievable run to the state playoffs came to an abrupt halt. District 1’s Great Valley shut down the Friars 4-1 as they move on to the quarterfinals of the state AAAA playoffs.

In the top of the first inning, Great Valley threatened to put the Friars down in an early hole, again. Bonner was down in their last two games by a 3-0 score. GV put runners on first and third on back to back singles, but a pick off at third base by catcher Paul Shepherd helped put a stop to the threat. The second inning produced Bonner’s only run of the game. Steve Markus reached on a walk, and Josh VanHorn singled to left. Matt Ruggieri then hit a bloop single to center field, allowing Markus to score. VanHorn was thrown out at third after making too wide of a turn, but nonetheless, the Friars had the lead. Bonner pitcher Ant DiGalbo cruised through the first three innings, getting out of a couple of tough jams. His luck ran out however in the fourth inning. Two singles in the inning led to a 2 run double by GV’s Jordan Valininno, giving them a 2-1 lead. They put another two across the plate in the fifth inning, when Jack Meeker hit an RBI double on a 3-2 count with 2 outs to right field. He moved up to second on Matt Mullen’s throw home. Kevin Falcone followed suit, hitting a single to left scoring Meeker. Falcone also moved up to second on the throw, this time by Sam Christie. That was all Great Valley’s starting pitcher Chris Duclos would need. He threw a complete game, allowing two hits, fanning eight Friars, and walking only one. He completely shut down the Bonner offense, which coming into the game had averaged 10 runs a game in their last four. On the Bonner side, DiGalbo pitched well, but ran into some trouble in the fourth. Matt Dolan came in to stop the bleeding in the fifth, and kept the score at a reasonable deficit in the sixth and seventh. But it was just not Bonner’s day. Bonner’s season ends shorter than planned, while Great Valley moves on to the quarterfinals.

Although the season ends, The Friars have no reason to hang their heads in shame. In March, they defeated top teams from around the country while in Disney World, beating teams from New York and Washington D.C. The team defeated Haverford School, the Inter-Ac champions, and one of the top ranked teams in the state. Bonner swept their two chief rivals, St. Joe’s Prep and Cardinal O’Hara, which is always a great accomplishment. They clinched the PCL Red Division for the first time since they clinched the old Southern Division in 1998. They won their first Catholic League championship in 21 years. The team won their first District XII title, and earned Bonner’s first ever state playoff berth in not just baseball, but in any sport. They were ranked as high as third in the Inquirer. And although they finished with a loss, the squad won 17 of their final 20 games, finishing at 20-5 overall. These are certainly things to be really proud of.
This team will go down in the Friar history books. This group of guys, mostly seniors, have played together since little league. Although Joe DeBarberie’s squad will be losing 14 seniors, they’ll be senior heavy once again next year. They’ll return juniors Jim Bonner, Paul Shepherd, and Matt Dolan among others, and many of the JV players will move up to the varsity team next year, and will battle to recapture the Catholic League and District XII titles. But for now, we celebrate a special moment in Bonner history. This team had no superstar. They didn’t have the flashy squad who won by talent alone. This team was built with the fundamentals. The “little things” made this team what it was, something you don’t see too much in today’s game. However they did win, and that’s what counts in the end.

With the baseball season ending, the 2009-2010 sports and school year comes to a close as well. It's had to believe that it really is over. This ended way too soon. There will be a recap from the year that was later tonight or sometime tomorrow.

CATHOLIC LEAGUE CHAMPIONS!!!!!

Josh VanHorn called it “the best senior year ever.” Steve Markus exclaimed “it’s the best feeling in the world.” Ask any Bonner baseball player, and they’ll tell you about how amazing June 1st has been. That date will forever go into the Bonner history books, as on Tuesday, the Friars erased a 21 year title drought and earned their first Catholic League championship since 1989 by defeating Archbishop Ryan 13-3 in five innings. This is also the school’s first major athletic triumph (by major I mean football, basketball, and baseball) since the football team won in 1994.
Before the game took place, the baseball game was the talk of the school. Students were asking others if they were going to the game. The players looked anxious to leave school and make the trip to Widener University. Rain threatened this, but luckily it held off, and the game was able to be played under a mixture of sunny and cloudy skies. Senior pitcher Ant DiGalbo took the mound for Bonner, squaring off against Ryan’s lefthander Steve “Ryan Sheckler” Merkle. Merkle tossed a one-hitter in the Raiders win over Bonner early in the season. The Friars wanted to jump out in front early like they did in playoff victories over Father Judge and Neumann-Goretti, but it was the Raiders who struck first. Ryan’s Mark Golic led off with a dribbler down the third baseline that appeared to be going foul, but slowed up and hit third base, earning him an infield single. Sean Kovacs followed with a walk. Kevin Mack singled to score Golic, giving Ryan a 1-0 lead. The next batter Eric Frain sent a ground ball up the middle to shortstop Josh VanHorn, who missed the ball by inches, allowing Kovacs to score. John Rizzo sent a single to rightfield, and Merkle also singled to right two batters later to put Ryan up 3-0. It seemed liked a rough day for DiGalbo, but he was able to get out of a bases loaded jam to keep the damage to a minimum. Bonner’s offense got going in the bottom of the second. First team All-Catholic Alex Liberatore doubled to left center. Steve Markus was then hit by a pitch. VanHorn made amends for his blunder, sending a two run double to deep right center. A couple batters later, Mike Haley sent a blooper down the right field line that fell in to score VanHorn. Leadoff man Rick Reigner doubled, scoring Haley from first, and Bonner took the lead 4-3 into the third. That was all the support DiGalbo would need as he allowed no runs and 6 hits the rest of the way in a tremendous outing. However, the Friars didn’t want to just give him four runs to work with. They put up a 9 spot in the fourth. It seemed like the green and white guys wanted to prove to all in attendance that they were the dominant team in not only the Red Division, but all the Catholic League and beyond, and finally earn some respect. Anyway, Matt Mullen led off the inning with a single up the middle. During Lib’s (Liberatore’s) at bat, a passed ball allowed Mullen to move up to second. But catcher Colin Budny could not locate the ball, so Mullen advanced to third on a heads up play. “The Liberator” would walk in his at bat. Markus then sent a dribbler back to the mound, where Merkle fielded the ball, turned to second, but threw it past the shortstop covering, and even eluded the center fielder. This scored Mullen and Liberatore, and Markus reached first safely. Catcher Paul Shepherd sent a double to center field. Senior Matt Ruggieri then singled to center, scoring Markus, but a nice throw by Ryan’s center fielder gunned down courtesy runner Mike Moran. At this point, it was 7-3 Bonner, and Ryan’s coach Ron Gerhart had seen enough. He called for reliever Eric Rudd. It wouldn’t help. Haley sent a single to left past the diving shortstop. Reigner hit a bloop single to right scoring pinch runner Jamie Juisti. It seemed like this inning would never end. Sam Christie put down a bunt attempting to move Reigner over, but on an errant throw to second by Budny on the play, Haley scored. Mullen returned to the dish to send a ground ball to third. The throw eluded first baseman Rizzo, and Reigner crossed the plate. Lib came up again and singled to right, scoring Christie. Another new pitcher took the mound for the Ragdolls, I mean Raiders. This lucky guy was Sean Kovax. But even he couldn’t help stop the bleeding, as Markus hit a 2 run single to right field. The inning finally ended when VanHorn grounded to third base. But the damage was done, and in a big way. Bonner scored 9 runs on 7 hits, and Ryan committed 5 errors in the inning. DiGalbo shut the Raiders down in the 4th. Bonner was looking for more in their half, but was mowed down by new pitcher Kevin Mack. While Reigner batted in this inning, the Bonner students chanted “MVP!” to the laughter of a couple of North Catholic players in attendance. Student Pat Flynn went on to say “now you can’t strike out! You will make us look really, really dumb.” Well, unfortunately Reigner did just that (smile). With Bonner up 10 runs, the mercy rule came into effect. If Ryan did not score in their half, the game was over. Well, Mack led off the inning with a bunt, but Shepherd came from behind home plate and threw him out at first. Frain popped out in foul territory to Lib for the second out. Then the loud Bonner crowd came alive one more time for the final batter. The ball was hit back to DiGalbo, who picked it up, tossed it to Lib, and bedlam erupted on the field, as well in the stands. The players, reminiscent to the Phillies World Series celebration, ran in and dog-piled on each other (some say it was a planned celebration. Who knows?).


They shook hands, and after some delay, the students poured out onto the field and joined in the celebration. “Let’s Go Bonner” chants erupted, and the fight song was sang….poorly. But it didn’t matter. The Friars celebrated on the field, and off later in to the night.
This group of Friars knows that even though they accomplished an incredible task, there is still work to be done. The District XII championship is at stake on Thursday. They’ll take on Central High School, Public League champions, for that honor at LaSalle College High School on Thursday at 2:30. Bonner wrote their names into the history books Tuesday. They look to continue their run and do something no Bonner team has ever done: bring home a District XII and state title.

On to the Semi's

Hot dogs and burgers were being grilled out in center field. Those crazy enough took a ride on the slip-N-slide on the hill. This meant one thing: playoff baseball. After clinching the Red Division for the first time since 1998, Bonner was set to host Father Judge in the quarterfinals. Judge earned the right to play Bonner after defeating St. Joe's Prep 5-4 in 11 innings Monday.

Early on, it looked like Bonner was going to run away with this one....literally. Lead-off man and first team All Catholic Rick Reigner hit a screaming line drive to deep right field. He used his speed to round all the bases, and score on an inside the park home run. After Sam Christie singled, Matt Mullen hit a routine ground ball to shortstop, which was bobbled, allowing both Mullen and Christie to move safely. Alex Libretore followed with a sac fly to center, allowing Christie to move to third. Steve Markus hit a grounder to second, scoring Christie from third, putting the Friars up 2-0 after one inning. After a scoreless top half of the second, Bonner continued its offensive onslaught. Paul Shepherd beat out a ball hit to the shortstop. Pinch runner Mike Moran stole second, and Matt Ruggieri followed with a single to right field. Two batters later, Reigner struck again, this time with a single to right, scoring 2 runs and increasing the lead to 4-0. A scoreless 3rd inning for Father Judge enabled the Bonner bats to keep swinging in the bottom half. Libretore singled up the middle. Steve Markus doubled to left, and Libretore moved to third on the play. Josh Van Horn hit a sac fly to deep center field, scoring Libretore, and moving Markus to third. Shepherd hit a ground ball to short which scored Markus. After a nice running grab by the Judge right fielder Anthony D'Ambrosio ended the frame. When Bonner took a 6-0 lead in the third inning, many fans were thinking this game was over. Bonner was moving on to the next round, and might even ten-run the Crusaders. But Judge didn't quit. In what seemed like a three hour long inning, Judge scored 7 runs to take a 7-6 lead. After cruising the first three innings, Bonner pitcher Ant DiGalbo ran in to trouble. Judge led off the inning with a man on because of an errant throw to first. A walk and a single loaded the bases. A wild pitch allowed Judge to score their first run. After a nice play by Alex Libretore at first base for the first out, Judge singled to center, scoring two. A nother walk, and a single inched the score to 6-4. With the bases loaded again, a three run triple that just beat the diving Matt Mullen in right field put the Crusaders up 7-6. Bonner fought back in their half however. Reigner was hit by a pitch, and stole second. Christie reached on a walk, and Mullen put down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners to second and third. Libretore hit another sac fly to center, allowing Reigner to tag up and score. Christie moved up on a wild pitch. In a shocking play a pitch later, Christie stole home with a lefty at the plate. He scored, and Bonner took an 8-7 lead. This was the turning point of the game. Bonner would tack on another run in the fifth to go up 9-7 heading into the seventh. Junior Jim Bonner, who came in relief of DiGalbo, went out to try and nail the win down for the Friars. Judge was able to score a run in the top half, and threatened to tie the game with a man on second. However a little ground ball back to the mound allowed for an easy play for Bonner, and the Friars earned a hard earned victory. With the win, Bonner moves on to the semifinals, where they'll take on the defending league champion Neumann-Goretti. The Saints defeated Caroll today 11-4 to earn the right to move on. The semifinals will be held at Widener on Friday, May 28th, at 3:30. Bonner looks to dethrone the Saints and get back to the PCL Final for the second time in three years, while N-G tries to continue its road to defend the title. The winner will move on to the finals, also at Widener, where they'll take on the winner of the Wood-Ryan semifinal at LaSalle. This should be a very entertaining game, and one you won't want to miss.

Baseball Prepares for Playoffs; Reigner and Libretore Among 7 All Catholics

Neumann-Goretti and Archbishop Wood have been getting a lot of respect around Philadelphia for their baseball teams. But they have good reason for it. The PCL Blue Division schools are 9th and 24th in the state respectively. Well, the Bonner baseball is making proving that Philadelphia and the state should start paying attention to the red-hot Friars. The 15-3 (11-3 PCL), before falling to Roman on Thursday, had won 10 league games in a row, which enabled them to win the Red Division's top seed in the playoffs. This is the first outright division championship for Bonner since 1998, when they won the then Southern division. The 2010 squad also had wins off of Haverford School, the Inter-Ac champs who are ranked 5th in the state, and Sidwell Friends, a top team from Washington D.C. They'll officially end the regular season with a trip to Hanover Area High School on Saturday at 1:00pm. After, they'll await for whom they will play in the playoffs. The quarterfinal game will be played on Tuesday, May 25th at 3:45 at Bonner, with the opponent TBD.

The Coaches All Catholic team was released yesterday on the final day of the PCL regular season. Bonner boasts 6 players who were named to the team, including 5 to the first team. Among them were SS Josh Van Horn, 1B Alex Libretore, CF Rick Reigner, and P Joe Nestor. Reigner finished 2nd for MVP voting in the Red division. Pitcher Ant DiGalbo and LF Matt Mullen earned 2nd team honors.

Here is the playoff schedule:

Blue: (6) Kennedy-Kenrick at (3) Conwell-Egan.
(5) Archbishop Caroll at (4) Lansdale Catholic.
(1) Neumann-Goretti and (2) Archbishop Wood: BYE

Red: (6) Cardinal O'Hara at (3) LaSalle
(5) St. Joe's Prep at (4) Father Judge
(1) BONNER and (2) Archbishop Ryan: BYE

Sac Fly Keeps Bonner in First

It took 8 innings, but Bonner was able to sweep Father Judge in the two game series thanks to a Josh Van Horn sacrifice fly to drive in the winning run in the top of the 8th. Sam Christie started off the scoring in the 2nd inning, driving in a run of his own. The Crusaders scored one run in the 2nd and 3rd innings to take a 2-1 lead. An RBI by senior Matt Mullen tied the game back up at 2-2. In the fifth, Van Horn singled to drive in the first of his 2 RBI's. Matt Ruggieri had an RBI single in the sixth and Bonner took a 4-2 lead. But Judge scored two in the bottom of the 7th inning to tie the game up and force the extra inning, where Van Horn would win it. Starting pitcher Ant Digalbo pitched 6 2/3 innings, and allowed 3 ER in the no decision. Junior Jim Bonner earned the win in relief of Digalbo. With the win, the Friars are now 11-3, but more importantly 8-2 in the PCL Red Division. They remain atop of first place, one game above LaSalle, with 4 league games remaining, with a series against North and Roman respectively. They begin these final four games on Monday, when they host the North Catholic Falcons at 3:45.

It's Been Awhile Since I've Updated This.....

So unfortunately, I have been unable to get to some games. Work has been killing me. Well I finally am able to update this, with three recaps and some rugby news.

We'll start with some rugby news actually. Bonner's rugby team lost their first league game in the programs two year history on Sunday in the championship game to Salesianum. After defeating Cumberland Valley earlier in the day in the semifinals, the team just could not put together a strong game, and unfortunately dropped the game. However, the Friars will compete in the state playoffs, and earned the number 1 seed. They'll host Father Judge this Sunday, May 9th, in the first round of the state playoffs. Time is TBD.

Bonner's baseball team extended their win streak to 7 games on Tuesday, as they defeated Father Judge 4-1. Joe Nestor earned the victory, allowing one run in five innings of work. Marty McKeone came in to pitch the final two innings to seal the Friars win. Bonner accounted for 13 hits, while the Crusaders had just 4. Rick Reigner went 3-4, Steve Markus hit 2-4, and Matt Ruggieri was 1-2 with 2 RBI's. Sam Christie also added a triple in the win. With the victory, Bonner improves their record to 10-3 (7-2 League), and maintains first place with a one game lead over LaSalle (6-3 in league). They'll complete the series with Judge at Judge on Thursday at 3:45.

In other PCL Red Division Baseball action: LaSalle routed third place O'Hara 13-2 in 5 innings. Archbishop Ryan defeated St. Joe's Prep 9-7. Roman Catholic picked up their second league win with a 7-5 win over North Catholic.
In The Blue....Neumann Goretti defeated Kennedy-Kenrick 2-1 in a pitchers duel.

There was also some lacrosse action today. A big game took place between Bonner and O'Hara. Bonner allowed two early goals, rallied back to take a 4-3 lead, but that was about all the positive news the Friars would have. O'Hara scored 7 straight goals to turn a close 6-4 halftime lead into a disastrous day for the Friars. Mike Reagon scored two goals for Bonner. Kyle Mathis, Dan Murphy, and senior standout Rick Reid, who will play his college lacrosse at Alvernia next year, also tallied for the Friars. They look to pick up a win in a league game versus Carroll Wednesday at Bonner.

Prendie softball was also in action today. They defeated Hallahan 9-3. Seven of their 9 runs came in the first inning. Kate Dumont went 2-4 with 2 RBI's, and Emily O'Neil went 2-3 including a double, and also had 2 RBI's of her own. Senior Devon Beese earned the win on the mound for the Pandas. They'll host Archbishop Carroll Wednesday at 3:45.

Bonner Baseball and Prendie Softball Set for Big Dates with O'Hara

Next week is going to be a fun week if you're a Bonner baseball or Prendie softball fan. Both teams are scheduled to take on arch-rival Cardinal O'Hara. Prendie will play on Tuesday 4/20 at 3:45 at Prendie. Meanwhile the baseball squad takes on O'Hara at O'Hara on Tuesday in the first of their two game series, also at 3:45. They'll have a break in between when they take on Malvern Prep at Malvern on Wednesday, but the two rivals go right back at it again on Thursday, this time at Bonner.

Bonner is 2-2 in the Catholic League, splitting both series with Ryan and LaSalle. O'Hara is 3-1 in the league, defeating Judge twice and North once. This series is huge standings wise, and the Friars look to sweep the hated Lions. Bonner is led by senior first baseman Alex Libretore, who plays incredible defense, and according to the Delco Times, is the best in the Catholic League. Senior Joe Nestor, a transfer from Upper Darby, has pitched brilliantly in his two starts in league play, as has Ant Digalbo. Rick Reigner and Matt Mullen have been successful hitting 1-2 in the lineup, and Steve Markus gives power to the Friars lineup. This series will be heated, and will go a long way in determining the rest of the season for each team.

Led by seniors Emily Moran and Devon Beese, Prendie's softball team is having a good year of their own. Unfortunately, I don't have stats or anything (thanks Inquirer....if anyone wants to fill me in, that would be great and I'll update this). Prendie and O'Hara have had a heated softball rivalry for quite some time. Both teams are always up in the standings, and the contests are always tightly played. This should be a good one.

Come out on Tuesday, 4/20, and Thursday, 4/22 to check out big rivalries vs O'Hara. Also, even Wednesday. Malvern is one of the better teams in the area, and will be a good non-league test for Bonner. Hope to see you there.

Bonner Baseball Routs LaSalle

Bonner baseball took out their frustration on LaSalle in a big way. After losing a tough game on a walk off double just two days earlier to the same Explorer team, Bonner pounded LaSalle 9-1. Joe Nestor was dominant on the mound. He allowed 1 earned run, while striking out 6 in 5+ innings of work. Matt Dolan came in to seal the game. Rick Reigner had two hits, one of which was a triple. Josh Van Horn and Paul Shepherd also had two hits, and Shepherd, along with Matt Ruggieri had 2 RBI's. Bonner now improves to 4-2 (2-2 PCL). Up next is a string of three games in a row. The Friars have a series with arch-rival Cardinal O'Hara beginning Tuesday, April 20th at O'Hara. The following day, they'll travel to Malvern to take on the "other" Friars, and then complete their series against O'Hara Thursday, this time at Bonner. All three games are at 3:45.

Collins andRamirez Lead Bonner to 2nd Place in Track Meet Monday

Bonner's track team came in second place, totaling 111 points, in their meet on Monday at Father Judge. Marcus Collins ran a 15.2 in the 110 High Hurdles, giving him the first place finish. Sophomore Tyler Ramirez placed first in the shot put with a throw of 42' 6", and he also placed third in the discus with a throw of 103' 8". Junior Eddie Conroy placed first in the 100m dash with a time of 11.4, just .1 of a second better than second place. He also tied for second in the 200m with a time of 23.2. Senior Max Curran ran a 53.3 in the 400m, giving him second place in that event. Also Bonner's 4x400 team came in second with a 3:34.4, just one second behind Father Judge for first place. Their 4x800m relay team earned a first place finish.
Overall Standings below

PCL #2 at Judge Mon. 4/12/10 *Denotes 3rd Person Standard
1st FJ 301
2nd MB 111
3rd WC 57
4th KK 33
5th CE 14

300IH Name Team Mark 110HH Name Team Mark Shot Put Name Team Mark
1st Landis* FJ 41.5 1st Collins* MB 15.2 1st Ramirez* MB 42'6"
2nd Twenefor* FJ 41.9 2nd Twenefor* FJ 15.8 2nd Bernard FJ 40'1"
3rd Medley* WC 42.3 3rd Pendelton WC 17.2 3rd Osmolski FJ 40'
4th Pearce FJ 44.2 4th Pearce FJ 19.3 4th Hamilton FJ 37'2"
5th Pendleton WC 45.3 5th Gwzdzonski FJ 21.5 5th Davis MB 35'

4x800m 800m Discus
1st Bonnor ? 1st Tranchitella FJ 2:05.5 1st Osmolski* FJ 119'2"
2nd West ? 2nd Leszczynski FJ 2:08.3 2nd Benard* FJ 113'6"
3rd Judge ? 3rd Joniec FJ 2:08.7 3rd Ramirez MB 103'8"
4th Rowan CE 2:10.3 4th Hamilton FJ 99'1"
5th Smart FJ 2:10.7 5th Leszczynski FJ 92'7"

100m 200m Javelin
1st Conroy* MB 11.4 1st Bryan* WC 22.8 1st Smart* FJ 141'
t-2nd Smith KK 11.5 t-2nd Conroy* MB 23.2 2nd Thompson FJ 139'11"
t-2nd Vontae Hilliard FJ 11.5 t-2nd Vontae Hilliard* FJ 23.2 3rd McPeak FJ 136'2"
4th Smalley FJ 11.6 4th Landis* FJ 23.3 4th McKee FJ 131'3"
5th Fagan FJ 11.7 t-5th Fagan FJ 23.7 5th Osmolski FJ 110'11"
t-5th Ianovale MB 23.7

Mile 3200m Long Jump
1st Leszczynski FJ 4:42.9 1st Kehl* FJ 9:31.2 1st Landis* FJ 19'7"
2nd Joniec FJ 4:45.4 2nd Klinges FJ 10:39.7 2nd Smalley FJ 18'9"
3rd Tranchitella FJ 4:49.5 3rd Montgomery MB ? 3rd Jorden WC 18'2"
4th Smart FJ 4:50.0 4th Corkery FJ ? 4th Blakey WC 17'9"
5th McDermitt MB 4:51.9 5th Murray FJ ? 5th Seeney MB 14'3.5"

4x100 4x400m Triple Jump
1st West 45.9 1st Judge 3:33.4 1st Gwdzdonski FJ 37'7.5"
2nd Judge 46.5 2nd Bonnor 3:34.4 2nd Landis FJ 36'10"
3rd Kendrick 46.7 3rd West 3:44.0 3rd Owens FJ 36'3"
4th Bonnor 48.1 4th Kendrick 3:56.0
High Jump
400m t-1st Ellis* WC 5'8"
1st Rowan* CE 52.5 t-1st Subbio* KK 5'8"
2nd Curran MB 53.3 3rd Watts MB 5'3"
t-2nd Sheldon KK 53.3 4th Seeney MB 5'0"
4th Council MB 53.9 Pole Vault
5th Drabinski MB 54.2 1st McPeak* FJ 12'0"
2nd Long* FJ 11'0"
3rd Connor FJ 9'0"

Baseball Team Earns 2-1 Win on a Walkoff

In what turned out to be another pitcher's duel, Bonner was able to come back from a 1-0 deficit and defeat Archbishop Ryan 2-1 in nine innings in the second game of the series. They did so in the most exciting way to end the game: a walk-off walk. Okay, not exactly that exciting a way to finish a game, but a win is a win, and Bonner certainly needed it. In the bottom of the 9th inning, Bonner led off with a single. The runner stole second on a failed pick off attempt to first base. The ball went over the first baseman. That continued the inning. Bonner loaded the bases, and was able to force a walk, forcing in the winning run. Jimmy Bonner, coming in relief for Joe Nestor, earned the win. Nestor allowed the one run in the first inning. He walked the lead off man, and the next batter singled, putting runners on first and second. A double to left center scored Ryan's only run of the game. Nestor ended the threat by getting a pop out and a strikeout. From there on out, he was sharp. He finished with 5 K's over 6 innings of work. Lead-off man Rick Reigner and Matt Mullen had a good game at the plate, with both going 2-4. Mullen also singled in the tying run in the bottom of the 7th to force the two extra innings. Bonner's defense played extremely well on the day. Josh Van Horn snagged a line drive at short stop, and then tagged second to force an inning ending double play in the fifth. First baseman Alex Libretore made two unbelievable plays at first, keeping Ryan off base. With the win, Bonner improves to 3-1 (1-1 PCL). They'll play again on Monday, April 12th, when they open up a two game series versus LaSalle at LaSalle. The Explorers are 3-0, and are coming off a sweep of Roman. First pitch is set for 3:45 on Monday.

In other news, Bonner Rugby keeps winning. They defeated Unionville in a tough game today 20-12. They'll play this Sunday at 2:00pm, when they play West Cheseter Rustin at Bonner.

A Little Luck Gives Bonner Baseball a Win over Haverford School

It took 8 innings to finish this drama filled game, but Bonner was able to finally defeat the Haverford School 8-7. Bonner held a 7-4 lead heading in to the bottom of the 7th, but the Fords were able to put two men on base, and then tie the game up on a 3-run home run. The game went to extra innings, where the drama continued. Matt Mullen led off the 8th with a double. The next two batters recorded outs. With two outs and two strikes, Alex Libretore struck out, which would have ended the top half of the inning. The only problem was the Haverford School's catcher dropped the ball. Libretore ran to first, and the ball hit him in the back. This allowed Mullen to score and give Bonner an 8-7 lead. The Fords argued he was out of the base path, but to no avail. The Friars closed it out in the bottom of the 8th, and defeated Haverford School, the fourteenth ranked team in the state, 8-7. Josh Van Horn earned the win on the mound, while Haverford's Bonner, who was led by Steve Markus's 2 home runs, earn their second win of the year. Bonner will open up Catholic League play when they take on Archbishop Ryan. The first of the two games will be played on Tuesday, April 6th, at Bonner. First pitch is scheduled for 3:45.

Bonner Baseball Goes To Disney World; Goes 3-0

The Bonner varsity baseball team flew down to take part in Disney's spring training, spending five(?) days in the land of Mickey. They got to enjoy the amenities of Walt Disney World, but they knew they had business to tend to first, and they did so. The team went 3-0, playing teams from across the country. They first played against Boys Latin School of Chicago and won. They then took on Ketcham High School from New York and won as well. Ketcham is the 7th ranked team in the state of New York, so a win against a quality opponent is a sign of good things to come. After winning these two games, they then took on Sidwell Friends School from D.C. Marty McKeone earned his first varsity win, as the Friars downed Sidwell 7-4. Senior Josh Van Horn closed the game out. Alex Libretore had four RBI's, and Rick Reigner had an RBI triple to propel Bonner to the win. Hopefully a good showing against teams from out of state will bode well for Bonner, as they begin their quest to capture the Catholic League title.

Coatesville Should Have Stayed Home...

Can anybody stop the rugby team? At this rate, I don't know. Bonner took on Coatesville today at Bonner. The team from Coatesville traveled about an hour or so to the turf at Bonner, warmed up, and that was about the best part of the day for them. It would have been better to forfeit. Bonner massacred the poor guys 71-5. The scoring started within the first two minutes when senior Dan Clement received a pitch and ran it in for a score. About five minutes later, Josh Dukes lateraled the ball to Matt Blumberg who ran in for another score. Mike George bulldozed his way in to increase the lead, and it was all but over within the first fifteen minutes. In the second half, Fred De Lia and Kenny Weyler scored to increase the lead. Then Bonner put must of their subs in, and continued its dominance. Rough day for Matt Blumberg and Matt Durso however. Blumberg took on the kicking duties, and well, it didn't quite work out. It's alright though, he isn't the kicker, and he's still a force on the field. But that wasn't all of his trouble. In the second half, Blumberg and Durso collided, causing both to have a pretty deep gash in each others heads. Anyway, with the win, Bonner improves its record to 2-0. They'll be back at it again after the really long Easter break, when they travel to take on Unionville. The game will be on Thursday, April 8th at 5:00pm.

Note: I've only been to a handful of rugby games, mostly from last year. Writing on it isn't easy. Still learning the rules of the game and everything. But it is a fun sport to watch. If you haven't gone to a game, I suggest doing so this season.

Bonner Lax Falls in Season Opener

Bonner's lacrosse team hosted the Harriton Rams Friday afternoon in the first game of the 2010 season. Last year, Harriton pulverized the Friars, beating them 17-0. This year, the game was much more competitive, but in the end, the Friars fell 7-5. Rick Reid and Mike Reagan each had two goals apiece, and Kevin Mathis scored for Bonner. Kyle Damico had four assists. Harriton held a 6-5 lead with less than a minute to play, however they tallied with thirty seconds left on the clock to seal the victory. Bonner falls to 0-1 on the year with the loss. They look to earn their first win of the season this Tuesday night when they take on non-league rival Upper Darby. This will be part of a double header between the two schools, as the Prendie lacrosse team will also take on Upper Darby at 6:00 pm. The boys will follow at 7:30 at Bonner.

Patience Please.....

I know everyone is getting excited about the new posts and articles. Kidding. But if you have been checking back daily or every now and then, I apologize for the lack of updates. With the winter sports season wrapping up, leaving only the Flyers and Keystone Cup Championships for hockey, and the state championships for basketball, there has been kind of a drag between seasons. Hopefully this won't be the case in the future, as maybe the hockey or basketball teams will turn around and make a run at a championship in the coming years. But for now we focus on the spring season.

The only team who has played an actual game so far has been the Bonner rugby team. Wow are they good. The team opened their regular season last Sunday versus Conestoga at Conestoga. After going undefeated and winning the championship in division II last year in their first year, some questioned whether they'd be able to step up to the division I level and be able to compete. Well if one game can serve as an answer to that question, then the answer is a most definite YES. Bonner dismantled the Pioneers 36-8. They start the season 1-0, and look to improve that record on Sunday, March 28th, when Coatesville comes to Bonner. The match begins at 2:00 pm at Bonner.

The Bonner baseball team is enjoying themselves right now. That lucky group of guys from the varsity team is spending a week down in Florida for some spring training action. They'll compete against a couple of teams from across the country to get back into "game mode" rather than the usual practice routine, and get back into shape for what will hopefully be a run at the Catholic League championship, if not beyond.

After falling in the league semi-finals to eventual champion St. Hubert's, the Prendie softball team looks to get over that hurdle and bring home a title. They begin that quest on March 26th, when the open away at Archbishop Ryan.

Bonner's lacrosse team is off to a good start, even if they've only played on scrimmage. They scrimmaged Marple Newtown on Monday and triumphed over the Tigers 8-7. Rick Reid had a goal for Bonner in the win. They'll kick off their season officially on Friday at 3:30 at Bonner.

Meanwhile, Prendie looks to improve from last season. They too will open their season up on Friday, only they will be away at Sacred Heart at 3:45.

The track teams look to return to the top of the Catholic League. Bonner, led by senior Max Curran, and Prendie, led by senior Angela Geiss, will both compete in their first meet on Saturday, March 27th in the Brother Jerome Invitational held at St. Basil. The meet will begin at 11 am.

Last but not least, we turn to the Bonner tennis team. They will open up their season at Roman Catholic on Wednesday at 3:45.

Rugby Begins Quest For Repeat

In the early parts of the 2008-2009 school year, Bonner learned that they would be forming a rugby club. Not many were sure what to think of it. Some laughed, some said it wasn't going to work, others looked at it as an opportunity to play another sport and have fun. Luckily, enough people did the latter, and the Bonner rugby team was born. With no experience from the players, and the team being in the league for the first year, not much was expected. Well, they proved that even in their first year, Bonner was going to be a force to be reckoned with, and they took the EPRU Division II by storm, defeating every opponent put before them. They won the championship on their own turf in only their first year of existence. Now the question is, will that success continue in Division I? It certainly looks that way, as Bonner recently defeated a strong St. Joe's Prep squad. But we will really get a taste of whether the success will continue on Sunday. Bonner opens its 2010 campaign at home versus Salesianum at 3:00 pm. The Friars hope defeat a talented Salesianum squad, and keep their unblemished record alive as they being their second full season of competition.

Bonner Baseball Schedule Released

It's hard to believe, but the 2010 Spring sports season is about to begin. As of now, the Bonner baseball schedule has been released, and it is posted here. Bonner's lacrosse schedule, along with Prendie's softball and lacrosse schedule will be posted when it becomes available to me. If someone has it, send it in.

Bonner Baseball 2010

3/18 SCRIMMAGE vs Haverford High School 3:30 HOME
4/3 at The Haverford School 3:45 AWAY
4/6 Archbishop Ryan 3:30 HOME
4/8 Archbishop Ryan 3:30 AWAY
4/12 LaSalle 3:30 AWAY
4/14 LaSalle 3:30 HOME
4/20 Cardinal O'Hara 3:30 AWAY
4/21 Malvern Prep 3:45 AWAY
4/22 Cardinal O'Hara 3:30 HOME
4/26 St. Joe's Prep 3:30 HOME
4/28 St. Joe's Prep 3:30 AWAY
5/2 Radnor High School 12:00 HOME
5/4 Father Judge 3:30 HOME
5/6 Father Judge 3:30
5/10 North Catholic 3:30 HOME
5/12 North Catholic 3:30 AWAY
5/17 Roman Catholic 3:30 AWAY Pachella Field
5/18 Roman Catholic 3:30 HOME
5/22 Hanover Area High School 1:00 HOME

Roman Hockey Has Bonner's Number; Friars Season Ends

For whatever reason, the Bonner hockey team just can't beat Roman Catholic. Coming into Wednesday night's Flyers Cup AAA first round game, Bonner had already lost to the Cahillites three times. The purple and gold completed the sweep, defeating Bonner handily. A four goal first period, including two from RC's David Hayes in a span of 20 seconds, secured the win. Tim Raeck, Ted Baldo, and Mike Pagliarella also scored twice. Bryan McLaughlin made 13 saves on 17 shots he faced. Steve Gallo made 10 saves on 13 shots in relief of McLaughlin. Corey Clauss made 17 saves on as many shots to secure the shutout. With the win, Roman moves on to face top-seeded Holy Ghost Prep in the quarterfinals of the tournament. Meanwhile, the Friars season ends with disappointment. However, they have nothing to be ashamed of. After a disastrous 2008-2009 year, the squad bounced back to place second in the division, and finish with an 11-8-1 record, and 9-3-1 in the division. Though the season ends bitterly, and seniors will be lost to graduation, the team will return the likes of Corey Cahill and Billy Gregg, who will lead the Friars to what will hopefully be a championship season.

But until then, let the spring sports begin.....

Bonner Falls in the Finals

Ice-Line didn't know what was coming when Monsignor Bonner took on Roman Catholic Thursday night. With a PCL Blue Division championship on the line, both schools packed the stands with crazy students eager to support their school to victory. In all the games I've been to in my four years, this has to be one of the craziest....besides an incident at the Skatium, but we won't get into that. But with the electric championship game atmosphere, the players took to the ice. After a dismal year last year, the Friars were on the verge to clinching a title. They'll have to wait until next year to do so. Bonner fell to Roman Catholic 4-0, giving the Cahillites the PCL Blue Championship.
The first period really showed the team's adrenaline was pumping. Both teams were flying down the ice, and players were hitting anyone in an opposing jersey. Roman controlled the first ten minutes of play, putting pressure on Bonner goalie Steve Gallo and the defense. The Friars went a man down after a penalty taken midway through the first, but the green and white held strong. The penalty kill gave Bonner momentum, and from that point on the puck was mostly in Roman's end. The Friars had opportunity after opportunity to put the puck past Roman goalie Greg Procopio, but they could not cash in. The score was 0-0 after the first period.
After the intermission, Bonner continued dominating. A tripping penalty by Roman gave Bonner an early opportunity to go up by one on the power play. The exact opposite happened. Roman's David Hayes stole the puck and took it on a breakaway, where he slipped the puck past Gallo. The momentum shifted drastically. The Friars looked deflated, and Roman started to get pressure, using their speed and strength to outplay Bonner. Roman scored two more times within a span of ten minutes to take a 3-0 lead into the third period of play.
Bonner showed promising signs of a comeback in the third. They started to get shots on net and pressure Procopio into making saves. The Friars could not capitalize on their opportunities. However, they did shoot themselves in the foot. Penalties at the most inopportune times halted any chance of a comeback. With four minutes to play, Bonner had a power play, but less then five seconds in, they take a penalty to cancel it out. Less then a minute later, Roman scored to go up 4-0, putting the game out of reach. The buzzer sounded, and the celebration ensued.
Although Bonner lost in the finals, the season still goes on. They'll participate in the Flyers Cup, a tournament for the top 10 Philadelphia AAA hockey teams. The winner plays the winner of the Penguins Cup for the Keystone Cup, which is in lighter terms the state championship. They play in the first round on Wednesday, March 10th, against none other then.....Roman Catholic. Revenge is certainly on the mind of the Bonner player's, and fans as well. The puck drops at the Northeast Flyers SkateZone at 6:55 on Wednesday night.

Bonner Hockey Rolls to the Finals

Two wins is all that is needed to capture the PCL Blue division title. The #2 seeded Bonner hockey team now needs one more. A 7-3 semifinal win over #3 seed Conwell-Egan propelled the Friars into the finals on Thursday evening against top seeded Roman Catholic. Mark McGrory's first period goal started Bonner's scoring onslaught. Star of the night Billy Gregg tallied four goals on the night. The Friars also received a goal from junior Dan Schwartzman and senior captain Dave Brewer. Bonner took a 6-0 lead into the third period, but Egan was able to tally three goals to draw the deficit back to just three. But that was all they would get past goalie Steve Gallo. Gallo thwarted the Eagles' offensive attack, stopping shot after shot to earn the win.

With the win, Bonner moves on to the PCL Blue Division Finals against Roman Catholic. The game will be played on neutral ice at Ice-Line in West Chester. The puck drops at 8:30 on Thursday, March 4th.

**** TO ALL BONNER/PRENDIE STUDENTS: THERE MAY BE A POSSIBILITY OF A BUS TO AND FROM THE GAME. LISTEN FOR AN ANNOUNCEMENT IN SCHOOL TOMORROW AND THURSDAY****

Prendie Bowling falls in Semifinals; Catholic League News

Prendie's bowling team took on O'Hara on Wednesday, looking to win and move on to the Catholic League finals. Unfortunately, the Pandas luck ran out. They lost a close battle to O'Hara 2,008 to 1,998. Kellie Lee led Prendie with a 195 high game, and a 520 series. O'Hara moves on to the finals versus Little Flower. Prendie's season comes to an end earlier then they would have hoped.

Other then the bowling team, not much has been going on in the world of Bonner and Prendie sports. The basketball teams are done for the year, and the hockey team has been idle as they wait to battle in the playoffs. They'll be in the semifinals against either Lansdale Catholic or Conwell-Egan on Tuesday, March 2nd. The puck drops at 8:15 at the Skatium.

For those who follow high school sports, the Catholic League finals for basketball have been set. Defending Catholic League champion, and nationally ranked Neumann-Goretti defeated St. Joe's Prep 74-60 to move to the championship game. They'll take on defending PIAA AAA State Champion Archbishop Carroll. The Patriots defeated LaSalle in a nail biter 51-47. Carroll will be without star guard DJ Irving. Irving, a Boston University recruit, broke his hand in the second quarter of the game against LaSalle. The Patriots, who lost to the Saints twice already this year, are already facing a tough task. Neumann-Goretti, the sixth ranked team in the nation according to ESPN's top 50, boast four division 1 recruits. This game should be a great game. The game is scheduled for Monday night at the Palestra at 8:00pm after the girls game at 6:30.

Prendie Upended by Ryan in Quarterfinals

Jess Rotella scored 16 points for Prendie but it was not enough to stop Archbishop Ryan and advance to the semi-finals of the Catholic League girls playoffs. The Ragdolls defeated the Pandas 53-36, courtesy of Ryan's Jess Koci's 21 point effort. They'll move on to the semi-finals to take on Archbishop Wood. Meanwhile, the Pandas season ends on a sour note. But there is much to be proud of, and much to look forward to for next year. The team boosted their record from 12-11 a year ago to 16-9 this year. They notched big wins in a tournament in Daytona Beach over top teams across the nation. They were ranked 10th in the state at one point this year, and won a playoff game over Little Flower. It was a good season for the girls, but it unfortunately ends with disappointment. However, things look bright for this young team. Tom Stewart's squad loses only two seniors, in Jenna Gassew and Miranda Schieler. Other than that, they'll return everyone. With experience under their belt, the younger players look to improve on this season and venture deeper into the postseason. For now, this season closes, and as the saying goes, we "wait til next year."

Prendie Takes on Ryan Friday Night in Quarterfinals

Although the Bonner boys may be done their season, the Prendie girls are still fighting onward. Prendie is coming off a 56-40 win over Little Flower on Tuesday evening. That gave them the right to face the number three seeded Ragdolls of Archbishop Ryan, who had a first round bye. The two squads faced each other earlier in the season, with Ryan coming out on top. The upset-minded Pandas look to earn some sweet revenge, and win where it counts in the postseason.

The game will be played Friday night, February 19th, at 7:00pm. Admission is $5.

If You're a High School Hoops Junkie...

Here's the schedule for the quarterfinal round of the PCL Boys Playoffs on Saturday:

At Archbishop Ryan

Archbishop Carroll vs Archbishop Wood 12 pm
LaSalle vs North Catholic 4pm

At Archbishop Carroll

Neumann-Goretti vs Cardinal Dougherty 3pm
Roman Catholic vs St. Joseph's Prep 7pm

Admission for each game is $5

Bonner's Season Ends Earlier Then Planned

Well, all good things must come to an end. After winning their final two games to get into the playoffs, the Bonner basketball team was ousted in the first round by St. Joe's Prep, falling 57-45 on Wednesday afternoon. Joe Nardi scored almost half of the Prep's points, scoring a game high of 23. Jamal Melvin led Bonner with 16, while Keefer Francis had 12. With the win, the Prep moves on to the quarterfinals where they will face Roman Catholic. Meanwhile, the Friars season ends too early.

But this team deserves credit for their accomplishments. After getting off to a very slow start in the Catholic League, they knocked off a very talented North Catholic squad twice, and a good Father Judge team as well. Both teams are in the playoffs, facing each other tonight. Bonner also continued it's recent dominance over O'Hara winning both games. Bonner has now won 15 of 17 against the Lions, and have swept them in four consecutive years. So the 2009-10 season has come and gone. But the Friars will be back next year ready to compete. Although they'll lose senior stalwarts Jamal Melvin, Keefer Francis, Dan Vanderslice, Miles Williams, Rick Reigner, they'll return with some talented juniors ready to lead the green and white. Standouts Joe McGinn and Scott Slade look to propel Bonner further next year. There is certainly hope for a good showing next year. But for now, we say goodbye to basketball, and move outdoors for the spring season. Spring sports begin March 1st!

There is some good Bonner news to be passed along, believe it or not. The team had three All-Catholic players this year. Jamal Melvin earned second team honors. Keefer Francis and Scott Slade earned third team recognition. Congratulations go out to the three players.

In other Playoff action: North Catholic defeated Father Judge 66-64 on a buzzer beater, and advance to the quarterfinals against LaSalle. Archbishop Wood beat West Catholic 55-46. Cardinal Dougherty beat Conwell-Egan 64-53.

On to the Quarterfinals for Prendie Hoops

Prendie's Sara Smith scored a team high 15 points and grabbed 7 rebounds, and teammate Ingrid Fitzgerald chipped in 13 of her own to give the Pandas a 56-40 victory over Little Flower in the first round of the playoffs. The Pandas cashed in from the charity stripe, going 14 for 21 from the line. With the win, Prendie moves onto the quarterfinals, where they will take on Archbishop Ryan. Ryan defeated O'Hara tonight 36-26 in a make up game, but really for seeding purposes. They clinch the three seed, and O'Hara gets the four seed. The match-up is set for Friday, February 19th, at Archbishop Ryan. Tip off for the quarter-final game is set for 7:00pm.

Prendie in First Round of the Playoffs Tonight

Not to be outdone by the Bonner boys, the Prendie girls basketball team has a playoff game of their own. They'll take on Little Flower tonight in the first round of the Catholic League playoffs. Tip-off is set for 7:00 pm at HOME in Prendie's gym. The Pandas, led by juniors Jess Rotella and Lindsay Cras, along with senior Jenna Gassew, finished the regular season at 9-6 in the league. They crushed Little Flower in their meeting earlier in the year by a score of 51-21, and look to do the same tonight. Come on out tonight to Prendie and root on the Pandas. Go Prendie!

"You Kiddin' Me?! Playoffs?!"

Archbishop Ryan certainly helped out the Bonner Friars basketball team yesterday. By losing to Father Judge in their final regular season game, the Raiders opened the door for a fifth consecutive playoff berth for the green and white. They took advantage yesterday, defeating O'Hara 56-43, giving both Ryan and Bonner four wins apiece. However, Bonner still had another game left, and all they had to do was win and they'd be in. The only problem was they had to get past North Catholic, winners of five in a row coming into the match. Not only was North the hottest team in the league, they were playing in the final regular season home game in the history of the school (barring a reversal of Cardinal Rigali's order to close down North Catholic). None of this mattered. A North Catholic celebration was spoiled by the Bonner boys, who celebrated themselves, winning 62-57. By winning, they clinch a playoff berth. It marks the fifth consecutive season with a playoff appearance, and the fist under head coach Tom Meakim. Paving the way to victory as usual was senior guard Jamal Melvin. Melvin led the team with 17 points. Two other stalwarts, Keefer Francis and Scott Slade, each had 12 of their own. Seniors Dan Vanderslice and Rick Reigner each had 5 points. North's Woody Redding, who just yesterday was knocked out of the game in the first quarter due to a concussion, came back today to score 23 points, a game high. The kid deserves a lot of credit for coming back the day after a concussion, and scoring like he did. With the win, Bonner will play St. Joe's Prep in the first round of the Catholic League playoffs. The Hawks, went 9-5 in the regular season, good enough for the three-seed. Meanwhile, Bonner finishes the season at 5-9 in the league, and clinch the sixth and final playoff berth. As for the game, Bonner will take on the Prep on WEDNESDAY, February 17th, at 3:45 AT the Prpe. Admission is $5.
Elsewhere in the Catholic League: Roman Catholic added another win to its record, defeating Father Judge 55-45. Roman finishes at 11-3 in the league, while Judge finishes at 6-8. In the Blue division, Wood beat McDevitt 60-47. Neumann-Goretti will take on Dougherty tonight.

Here are the Playoff Matchups:

RED DIVISION:
1. LaSalle 2. Roman Catholic (First Round Byes)
3. St. Joe's Prep vs 6. Monsignor Bonner Wednesday 3:45 at PREP
4. North Catholic vs 5. Father Judge Wednesday 7:00 at North

BLUE DIVISION
1. Neumann-Goretti 2. Archbishop Carroll (First Round Byes)
3. Archbishop Wood vs 6. West Catholic Wednesday 7:00 at Wood
4. Conwell-Egan vs 5. Cardinal Dougherty Wednesday 7:00 at Egan

Bonner One Win Away From Playoffs

A 4-9 record may trick a person into believing that this team isn't going to make the playoffs. However, looks may very well deceive you, as the Bonner Friars are only one win away from locking up another playoff appearance, their first under new head coach Tom Meakim. They inched closer by defeating arch-rival Cardinal O'Hara on Sunday afternoon at Bonner 56-43.
It was senior day for Bonner, and the six seniors who are on the team were honored before tip off. They are: Chris Morrisson, Miles Williams, Dan Vanderslice, Rick Reigner, Keefer Francis, and Jamal Melvin. It was certainly a special moment for these seniors before a very important game. In the first quarter, O'Hara took the early 3-0 lead about two and a half minutes into the game. A high scoring first quarter of play saw Bonner with the lead 18-14. The scoring toned down in the second half. Bonner's defense held the Lions to only four points. Senior Rick Reigner was able to knock down two of his three 3-pointers to spark the Friars to a 27-18 lead as both teams headed into the locker rooms.
It seemed like Bonner left their "A" game in the locker room after the half. For much of the third quarter, the Friars committed numerous turnovers. Lazy passes, forced shots gave O'Hara some hope to get back into the game. The worst of this occurred off an O'Hara miss, Keefer Francis dribbled down court who found a wide open Bonner player on the wing for a three pointer. The only problem was that he had his head down and not paying attention. It led to a turnover and O'Hara took advantage. But the star of the game came just in time to save Bonner from melting completely. Reigner was able to knock away an O'Hara inbound pass, and give the ball back to Bonner on a great hustle play. This sparked the Friars and everyone seemed to be sharp from that point on. At the end of three, Bonner was up 37-27. O'Hara tried to mount a comeback in the fourth, led by Dan Kearney, but was unable to do so as the Friars were able to put the rivals away. When it appeared clear that the game was over with about a minute left, Bonner took all their seniors out one by one, and were given standing ovations by the entire gym. Both teams cleared the bench, playing what pretty much was their JV for the final thirty seconds. A late three by O'Hara made the final score: Bonner 56 O'Hara 43.
With the win, Bonner continues it's dominance over the boys from Springfield, winning 15 of 17, and sweep the Lions for the fourth straight year. The Friars improve to 4-9 in league play, and will look to lock up a playoff berth Monday afternoon against North Catholic. Meanwhile, O'Hara concludes their season at 1-13 in the Catholic League Red Division. Keefer Francis led all scorers with 19 points. Rick Reigner scored 11, and four year varsity member Jamal Melvin scored 10. Dan Kearney led O'Hara, scoring 14 points.
As stated, Bonner will have on final regular season game. They'll travel to "The Pit," North Catholic's famous (or infamous if you're a visitor) gymnasium. North Catholic solidified a playoff berth, but is looking to jump to third in the standings. Bonner must win against the Falcons to jump Archbishop Ryan and clinch a playoff berth. Tip-off is set for 4:30.

Elsewhere in the Catholic League: North Catholic defeated first place LaSalle 61-46. Father Judge defeated arch-rival Archbishop Ryan 55-49. Roman Catholic locked up the two seed with a 56-52 win over St. Joe's Prep. Roman will play Judge on Monday at 3:30.
In the Blue Division: Neumann-Goretti swept Archbishop Carroll for the season, winning 66-58. Lansdale Catholic edged Kennedy-Kenrick 59-56. Archbishop Wood beat West Catholic 56-46. Cardinal Dougherty defeated Conwell-Egan 61-52 in the final home game at Dougherty. Dougherty, along with North Catholic and Kennedy-Kenrick, is set to close in June of 2010.

Bonner's 33 Point Fourth Quarter Not Enough

LaSalle was up 18 points after three quarters, but almost saw the lead disappear. A 33 point fourth quarter helped the Friars cut the lead, but it wasn't enough, as the Explorers held on for a five point victory, 60-55. Keefer Francis led all scorers with 15 points. Bonner has two more games remaining. They'll take on Cardinal O'Hara on Sunday, February 14th at 2:30. It will be Bonner's senior day. A large crowd is expected to be there to catch the Friars final home game of the 2009-10 season. If you can't make the game, it will be broadcast LIVE on Brandywine Radio, or on BrandywineRadio.com.

The other remaining game will be at North Catholic on Monday at 4:30.

Elsewhere in the Catholic League: Roman Catholic beat Archbishop Ryan 54-44. Bonner is only a game back of Ryan, with two games in hand. Father Judge upset St. Joe's Prep 40-38. North Catholic plays O'Hara today at 2:30.

Prendie Can't Hold Off Archbishop Wood

Prendie's basketball team took a 26-17 lead into halftime, but was unable to hold on, losing to Wood 52-42. Jess Rotella scored 16 to lead the Pandas. Wood improves to 12-1 in the Catholic League. Meanwhile Prendie falls to 13-9 overall, and 9-6 in the PCL.

Basketball Updates

Tonight's Bonner basketball game versus LaSalle is ON. It will go on as scheduled at Bonner. Tip off is 7:30. Bonner will also play O'Hara this Sunday at 2:30. It will be a home game. It is the Friars SENIOR DAY. Both home games are very important in terms of whether the team makes the playoffs or not. The team hopes to have everyone there to cheer them on to victory. It will most likely be the last two opportunities to see the green and white at home for the 2009-10 season.

The Bonner game versus North Catholic, originally scheduled for February 8th, has been rescheduled for Monday, February 15th at 4:30. The game will be at North Catholic, and will be the final game of the regular season.

Prendie took on O'Hara on Tuesday night. Unfortunately, they were unable to defeat their arch-rival, falling by a score of 46-38. MaryKate Sullivan and Jess Rotella led the Pandas with 9 points each. Prendie will play Archbishop Wood tonight at 7:30 in the final regular season game. The game will be at Wood in Warminster.

Bonner Hockey Loses Home and Home Versus Roman

It was senior night for the Monsignor Bonner hockey team on Thursday night. It was not the evening the Friars, nor did their fans have in mind. A five goal second period spraked a 9-0 victory for Roman Catholic. With the win, the Cahillites clinch first place in the PCL Blue division heading into the playoffs. Meanwhile, Bonner will finish in second. Bonner's Steve Gallo recorded 23 saves. Penalties killed Bonner's chances of winning. They recorded a total of 44 penalty minutes, 22 of these coming in the second period. Eight players from both teams had unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. The Friars must do a better job at staying out of the penalty box if they want to make noise in the playoffs. They'll play one more regular season game, which will take place on Thursday, February 18th versus Bishop McDevitt. The puck drops at Old York Road Ice Rink in Elkins Park at 9:00 pm.

Bonner One Game Behind Playoff Spot After Victory

A 13-5 4th quarter sparked the Bonner basketball team to a much needed win over host Father Judge. After being down 37-33 at the end of the third quarter, Bonner's defense held strong, allowing only the five points in the final eight minutes. Senior Keefer Francis scored 18 points to lead all scorers. Jamal Melvin chipped in nine of his own.

With the win, Bonner is now 6-12 on the year. But more importantly, they improve to 3-8 in the jam packed Catholic League Red Division, with three games to play. They are trailing both Father Judge and Archbishop Ryan for the sixth and final playoff berth in the division. Judge is in fifth place ahead of Ryan, in sixth, due to them beating Ryan earlier in the year. Ryan lost to St. Joe's Prep today by a score of 66-36. This gives them a 4-8 record on the year. Judge, by virtue of the loss, is now 4-7. Bonner and Judge have three games left, while Ryan has two. Bonner has games against North Catholic, LaSalle, and O'Hara. Judge plays Ryan, Roman, and Prep. Ryan takes on Judge and Roman. It is sure to be a wild and crazy finish to this 2009-10 basketball season.

Upcoming games:

North Catholic: TBD
Home vs LaSalle 7:30 Friday February 12th
Home vs O'Hara 2:30 Sunday February 14th. SENIOR DAY

Roman Hockey Team Takes First of Home and Home Series

The Bonner and Roman Catholic hockey teams were both in action as well as the basketball teams. Unfortunately, it was the same result as the basketball squads. Roman defeated the Friars 7-2 at the Flyers SkateZone in the Northeast. Dave Brewer and Dylan Diphillipo each scored for the Friars. The two teams go at it again in a HUGE match up on Thursday, February 11th. First, it is Bonner's senior night. The seniors will be honored before they play their final home game at the Skatium. Second, this game will determine seeding in the playoffs. Bonner is currently in second trailing Roman. Bonner's team is looking for a huge crowd to feed off their energy and propel them to first place. The puck drops at 8:00pm at the Skatium.

Missed Opportunities and Turnovers Give Roman Victory

After coming off a very tough loss to Archbishop Ryan on Friday night, the Bonner basketball team desperately needed a win to halt a two game skid, and to get back into any playoff discussion. Coming into the game Bonner was 2-7 in the Catholic League Red, two games behind Father Judge and North Catholic for the fourth and final playoff spot. A win would inch them one game closer in the standing. Bonner's opponent was the always formidable Roman Catholic. The perennial city power came into the match-up in second place in the division at 7-2 in the league, and 11-6 overall. A win for them would help them keep pace with the first place LaSalle Explorers.
The first quarter started off well for the Friars. Scott Slade scored the first points in the game. The speedy and elusive Jamal Melvin was able to penetrate the Roman 2-3 zone defense and make a couple early buckets to give Bonner a 10-9 lead at the end of the quarter.
The second quarter was filled with golden opportunities for Bonner. Unfortunately, they could not take advantage. The Friars played great defense, leading to scoring opportunities, but they could not finish their shots. They also turned the ball over too many times, which is something that can't be done if there are any hopes of beating a team like Roman. The worst of these was off a Roman missed shot. A Bonner defender rebounded the ball, but Rakeem Brookins from Roman stripped the ball back for the Cahillites, leading to two points for the bad guys. After having a strong first quarter, Roman's coach decided to double team Bonner's Melvin. It paid off, as Melvin did not have a great game when the double team took effect. When he had his opportunities, the tall Roman defenders were there to swat the attempts away. Roman took their first lead of the game with 4:39 left in the second. They started to run the floor, and Bonner couldn't keep up. Coach Tom Meakim called a time out to let the Friars regroup. It worked. Layups by Keefer Francis and Karron Davis cut Roman's lead to 24-23 at the half.
After coming out of the locker room, it seemed as if Roman turned their game on. They started to pull away, taking advantage of the Bonner turnovers and missed opportunities, while cashing in on their own. A one point lead quickly turned to nine. This came off a block by Roman's Anthony Mayo, leading to a Roman layup. It extended to 11 right after a Bonner miss. Roman missed four shots in a row, but were able to secure each offensive rebound, and on the fifth opportunity they converted, giving Roman a 38-27 lead. At the end of the third, Roman was up 40-29.
The Cahillites appeared to have the game wrapped up early. They had a lead of 16 at one point, and it looked all but over. But Bonner was able to cut the lead down to 7 at 48-41 with two minutes left off strong efforts from Dan Vanderslice and Slade. Everything was going Bonner's way at this point. With 1:32 left, Bonner's fortunes continued. Roman had a 1 and 1 at the foul line. The shooter made the first, but it was waved off as a Roman player stepped in the lane too early, giving Bonner the ball. The Friars luck ran out here. On the ensuing inbound pass, the Bonner player passed it to point guard Joe McGinn. He passed it back to the inbounder, who's foot was still on the end line. This gave Roman the ball, and all but ended the game. Bonner had to foul, and Roman hit both free throws to make it a 50-41 lead. McGinn raced down the court and hit a layup to cut the lead back to seven. Bonner had to foul on Roman's possessions, and the Cahillites hit all of their free throws, icing the game. McGinn hit another layup with three seconds left, but it only changed Bonner's total. Roman defeated Bonner by a final score of 58-48.
Bonner just could not cash in on their opportunities. Turnovers, and missed layups spelled doom for the now 5-12 (2-8) Friars. It certainly did not help that Roman, 12-6 (8-2), dominated the boards, earning rebound after rebound. Rakeem Brookins led all scorers with 19 points on the night. Kevin Regan, also a football star, pitched in thirteen of his own to pace the Roman win. For Bonner, Scott Slade had 14 points. Keefer Francis scored 8, Jamal Melvin had 7, and Vanderslice pitched in 5. Bonner takes on Father Judge in a critical game for the Friars. This game will be played on Friday, February 5th, at 7:30 at Father Judge.

Elsewhere in the Catholic League Red: Archbishop Ryan defeated Cardinal O'Hara 50-36. North Catholic beat Father Judge 63-54. LaSalle will play St. Joe's Prep tomorrow night at LaSalle.
In the Blue Division: Defending state champion Archbishop Caroll beat Lansdale Catholic 59-36. Conwell-Egan crushed Kennedy-Kenrick 59-32. Neumann-Goretti, ranked number 10 in the nation by USA Today, annihilated West Catholic 93-61. Cardinal Dougherty beat Bishop McDevitt 65-50.

Basketball Teams Split; Hockey Dominates

The Bonner basketball team was in action Friday night against Archbishop Ryan. Unfortunately, they could not pull out a win, as the Friars lost to the Raiders by a score of 49-38. Keefer Francis scored a team high 10 points. Scott Slade and Jamal Melvin each had 8 points. Bonner falls to 5-11 (2-7).

Prendie was able to fare much better, as the rolled over West Catholic 56-28. Lindsay Cras led all scorers with 11 points. Prendie is now 12-6, and 7-2 in the league.

The Bonner hockey team destroyed Lansdale Catholic 10-0. The game did not make it past the 2nd period. More info later.

Bonner Wrestling Destroys St. Joe's Prep

The Bonner wrestling team took on St. Joe's Prep Wednesday night. It was their senior night, where they honored seniors Mike Murphy, Nick Bongard, Mickey France, and Luke Haley. The ceremony was followed by a outstanding match. Bonner owned the Hawks, and led 42-0 at one point. The Friars won the match 51-27. Nick Bongard pinned his opponent in 1:13 in the first round. Bonner also had pins by junior Marcus Collins, Mike Murphy, and Tommy Flynn. Mickey France also won his match 6 to 2 in three rounds.

From the Weekend That Was; Upcoming Week Schedule

A couple games went on over the weekend.

As you know, Bonner basketball defeated O'Hara Friday 53-42 (full report below, or on http://tedsilary.com/briannestelFB10.htm).

Prendie basketball fell to Ryan 55-25, and also lost a nail-biter to defending AAA state champion Mount St. Joseph on Sunday 47-46. The Magic hit a shot with four seconds left to force the game into overtime, where they would outlast the Pandas. Jenna Gassew had a team high 12 points for Prendie, who now falls to 9-5. Prendie was recently ranked 10th in the state at the AAA level according to the Patriot News. That will most likely change, but its a great honor. Meanwhile MSJ, the 8th ranked team in southeastern PA according to Philly.com, improves to 15-1.

Bonner hockey defeated Archbishop Wood to tighten their grip on the PCL Blue division lead with a win 7-3 (Stats below).

For the upcoming week:
Prendie basketball is in action as I type. They are taking on Neumann-Goretti at Prendie. They then take on Notre Dame two days later, and West Catholic Friday night. Both games are at Prendie.

Bonner basketball is home versus Archbishop Ryan. Tip off is set for 7:30.

The hockey team takes on the lowly Crusaders of Lansdale Catholic Friday at the Skatium.

Bonner Wrestling takes on St. Joe's Prep Wednesday night at 6pm in Bonner's gym.

Prendie Bowling takes on Hallahan tomorrow. They'll also face the Ragdolls from Archbishop Ryan on Friday after school.

Finally, the Bonner track team has a meet at 10 am Saturday at Glenn Mills.

Come out support the Bonner and Prendie sports teams.

Bonner Versus Prep Rescheduled for Monday

The Bonner basketball game scheduled for 2:30 Sunday at St. Joe's Prep has been postponed to 3:30 on Monday, January 25th. It will still be played at the Prep.

Bonner Hockey Takes First Place With Win Over Wood

Basketball wasn't the only sport being played on Friday night, as the Bonner hockey team traveled to Warminster for a big game against Archbishop Wood. With a win, Bonner would knock out the Vikings from clinching first place in the PCL Blue Division. They did just that, and in turn, move into first place with a 7-3 victory. Senior standout Dave Brewer recorded a hat trick. Juniors Billy Gregg, Corey Cahill, Dan Schwartzmen, and Dan Stone each tallied once for the Friars. Bonner leads Roman Catholic by 2 points for first place in the division. It should be interesting, as the two teams still have to play each other twice. But before that, there is still business to attend to. Bonner's next game will be on Friday, January 29th at the Skatium. The puck drops against the lowly Crusaders at 7:00pm.

PS. Big thanks to junior Matt Dolan for the info.

Big Second Half By Ragdolls Spells Prendie's Doom

The Prendie basketball team was in action Friday night as well as Bonner's. However, they didn't fare as well as the boys did, falling to Archbishop Ryan 55-25. A 14-12 first half lead by Ryan had all the signs of a defensive struggle in the second half. That was not the case. The Ragdolls offense exploded in the second half, scoring 22 in the third quarter, and 19 points in the fourth, while holding the Pandas to only 13 points in the half. Jess Koci led all scorers with 22 points. Ingrid Fitzgerald scored six for Prendie. Jess Rotella and Jenna Gassew also chipped in four points. With the loss, Prendie falls to 10-4 (7-2), while Ryan keeps rolling, improving to 11-4 (8-1). Prendie next takes on Neumann-Goretti on January 26th.

Bonner Hoops Continues Recent Dominance Over O'Hara

In the past couple seasons, Bonner has had much success against the Cardinal O'Hara basketball team. They have swept the Lions in each of the past three years in the regular season, and have won 13 of 15 games against them. They can make it 14 of 16. Bonner is halfway there to making it four straight season sweeps, as the Friars defeated O'Hara 53-42 in a very competitive rivalry game.
The early moments of the first quarter started off well for the green and white. They jumped out to leads of 5-2 and 9-4. However O'Hara was able to storm back and take a 14-11 lead late in the half. In the last seconds of the half, Joe McGinn drove to the basket and was fouled. He knocked down both free throws, cutting O'Hara's lead to 14-13 after one quarter. The second quarter was all Bonner. Key buckets by Jamal Melvin and Dan Vanderslice propelled the Friars to an early 7-0 run. At halftime, Bonner held a 27-21 lead.
Bonner continued to outplay the Lions in the third stanza. O'Hara started to inch back late in the quarter, but a key three pointer by Melvin ended any momentum the Lions gained. Bonner had a 38-30 lead at the end of three quarters of play. In the fourth, things got a little nerve racking for the Friars. Bonner's offense froze early in the last quarter of play. They couldn't buy a bucket. Meanwhile, one team's misfortune is the others opportunity. O'Hara took advantage of the missed chances by Bonner, and cut the lead to 38-35. Bonner was able to get off their scoring drought midway through the quarter, and took a 45-36 lead. Once again, O'Hara inched back, cutting the lead down to three. But Bonner was just too much. Strong defense from Vanderslice and Francis helped seal the win. Clutch free throw shooting helped as well, as Bonner was 13/16 from the line. McGinn hit four foul shots with under twenty seconds left in the game to clinch the victory. Jamal Melvin was 6 of 13 from the field, but was clutch when he had to be. O'Hara was just unable to stop the very quick and skilled point guard. He finished with a game high 17 points. Keefer Francis also had a big game, scoring 10 points, while blocking three shots. McGinn finished with 11 points, and Vanderslice finished with 7. For O'Hara, Anthony Bertolino, Dan Kearney, and Ryan Howarth each had 10 points in the loss.
With the win, Bonner improves to 5-9 overall, and 2-5 in the Catholic League. O'Hara meanwhile falls to 5-9 overall, and 1-5 in league play. Bonner looks to build off of this huge win against the neighborhood rival Lions into the second half of the season, and get back into the playoff mix. The quest begins Sunday against St. Joe's Prep. Prep beat Bonner earlier in the year 60-38, but the Friars are determined to earn a much better result. Tip off is set for 2:30 at the Prep.

Notes: Personally, I think the schedule-makers should just give Bonner two home games against O'Hara. Bonner's student rooters took over O'Hara's gym, and gave the feel of the game being played in the comfort of Bonner's gym. Things turned intense, when the surprisingly many O'Hara fans got up to try and make it a student section war midway through the second quarter. At half time, some O'Hara kids started dancing in front of Bonner's section, prompting some of the Bonner students to have a "dance-off" on the court. It was a very entertaining night for the many spectators watching, as they saw not only a tremendous game, but also a boisterous and entertaining Bonner crowd. On second thought, keep the one game at O'Hara. It's much more fun having the rival school's gym to ourselves (smile).

Elsewhere in the PCL Red Division: Father Judge beat Archbishop Ryan 42-40. LaSalle got by North Catholic 59-54. Roman Catholic held St. Joe's Prep to only 26 points, as the Cahillites won 39-26.
In the Blue Division: Neumann-Goretti dismantled Lansdale Catholic 82-41. The nationally ranked Saints stay undefeated in PCL play. Defending state champions Archbishop Carroll knocked off Conwell-Egan 53-29. Archbishop Wood beat Bishop McDevitt 70-48. Cardinal Dougherty defeated West Catholic 59-57.

Bonner Swimming Breezes by Lansdale; Prendie Slips

Jay McDevitt was victorious in the 200m and 500m freestyle, recording times of 1:54 and 5:09 respectively, as the Friar swim team defeated Lansdale Catholic 93-76. Christian Baxter won the 100m freestyle with a time of 54.15. The relay team of McDevitt, Baxter, brother Brian Baxter, and John Villare won the 200m freestyle relay with a time of 1:38. With the win, Bonner improves to 6-1 on the year.

Megan Callahan claimed first place in the 500m freestyle with a time of 6:23, but it was not enough as the Prendie swim team lost a close one to the Crusaders 77-74. Siena Oropolla won the 100m freestyle in 1:11, but it was not enough, as Prendie loses their fifth meet in a row.

Bonner Can't Continue Momentum, Falls To LaSalle

The Friars hoops squad had a big monkey off their back heading into Sunday's game versus LaSalle. They had just picked up their first Catholic League win of the year against North on Friday, and looked to ride that win into LaSalle's gym. It didn't go as planned. Keefer Francis scored 15 points for Bonner, but it was not enough, as the Explorers defeated the green and white 57-43. LaSalle hit 15 of their 21 free throw attempts, while Bonner hit only 4 of their 11. LaSalle's Eddie Mitchell led all scorers with 18 points, and Troy Hockaday had 14 of his own to propel LaSalle to victory. Bonner had three scorers in double digits. These include Francis, senior Jamal Melvin, who had 10 points, and junior Scott Slade, who pitched in 13. LaSalle improves to 10-3 (5-1). With the loss, Bonner falls to 4-8 (1-5). Up next for Bonner is a critical match-up versus arch-rival Cardinal O'Hara. O'Hara is 5-6 on the year, and 1-4 in the league. They'll come into the Bonner game either 2-4 or 1-5 on Friday, because they play North Monday night. This neighborhood rivalry game will be a great victory for the winner, as they'll be a step ahead on the other in the battle for positioning in the standings. The loser will be a step behind. The game will be played at O'Hara's gym on Friday, Januaray 22nd. Tip off is set for 7:30.

Notes: Two years ago in a game between Bonner and O'Hara, Bonner fans took over the whole gym. It was pretty much a home game for Bonner. Let's try and do the same thing this year and take over the whole place.

Elsewhere in the Catholic League: Roman Catholic dismantled North Catholic 81-53. St. Joe's Prep defeated Father Judge in a very low scoring game, 33-19. O'Hara travels to North Catholic Monday night at 7:30.

Prendie Falls to Undefeated Springfield (Delco)

The Prendie hoops team was 17 of 21 from the free throw line, and Jess Rotella tallied a team high 10 points, but it was not enough, as the Pandas fell to Springfield 35-30. Senior Jenna Gassew chipped in seven points, six of which came in the second quarter. Springfield's Maddy McKnight had a game high 11 points to lead the Cougars. With the loss, the Pandas fall to 10-3 on the year. Meanwhile Springfield remains undefeated, improving their record to to 14-0 on the year. Prendie returns to Catholic League play this Friday night, January 22nd, against Archbishop Ryan. The Ragdolls, Ryan's girls team nickname, are 9-3 on the year and are coming off a 45-39 loss to Eastern High School. Tip off is set for 7:30 Friday night at Archbishop Ryan.

Bonner Basketball Earns First League Victory

It took them five tries, but Bonner finally earned their first Catholic League win on Friday night with a 58-52 at the hands of visiting North Catholic. Senior point guard Jamal Melvin had a team high 14 points to lead Bonner past the Falcons. The small, but quick Melvin also had seven assists. Keefer Francis and Scott Slade also led the way to victory, scoring 12 and 11 points each respectively. North Catholic's Jaleel Mack led all scorers with 23 points. He nailed five from beyond the arc in the losing effort. Bonner had the lead at the end of each quarter, including the most important one, the fourth. With the win, Bonner improves to 4-8 overall, 1-4 in the Catholic League. The Falcons meanwhile fall to 4-7 (2-3). The green and white will have off Saturday before a big match up with LaSalle. The Explorers dismantled O'Hara Friday night 63-37. Bonner looks to ride this momentum into the game and get back into the playoff mix. Tip off is set for 2:30 pm at LaSalle.

Elsewhere in the Catholic League: St. Joe's Prep nipped Archbishop Ryan 41-38. Father Judge upset Roman Catholic 46-45. In the Blue Division, Carroll cruised by West Catholic 75-44. Conwell-Egan beat Archbishop Wood 49-41. Cardinal Dougherty defeated Lansdale Catholic by thirteen, winning by a score of 58-45.

Swimming: Bonner's swim team has been on a roll lately, winning their first four meets. It continued the other night with a 90-70 win over rival O'Hara. Jay McDevitt won three events, which included the 400 meter freestyle. They lost to LaSalle though yesterday, 51-40. LaSalle has won the PCL the last twenty-odd years, so its nothing to hang their heads about. Bonner still is at the top of the league with a 4-1 record.

Prendie Hoops Keep Rolling; Cruises Past Little Flower

Jess Rotella led Prendie with 11 points and 10 rebounds as the Pandas crushed Little Flower 51-21. Lindsay Cras, Sara Smith, and Jenna Gassew each had 8 points in the winning effort. Chelsea Kada scored just about half of Little Flower's points, netting 10 in the loss. Prendie continues their winning ways with the victory, improving to 11-2 on the year, and 6-1 in the Catholic League. The Pandas are back in action Saturday night in a non-league match up at Springfield (Delco).

Bonner Hoops Struggles Continue

The 2009-10 basketball season has not been a good start for head coach Tom Meakim and the rest of the Bonner squad. Coming into Wednesday night's game, the Friars were 3-7 overall, including losing five straight. That streak continued, as the green and white fell by three to Perkiomen Valley 45-42. Senior forward Keefer Francis had a team high 11 points for Bonner in the losing effort. Ryan Davis had a game high 17 points, and Andrew Kenney chipped in 14 points of his own for the Vikings. Bonner looks to rebound this coming weekend as they return to Catholic League play. North Catholic comes to Bonner's gym Friday night at 7:30. Barring a meeting in the playoffs, and an Archdiocesan ruling to keep North open, this will be the last time Bonner will take on North Catholic at home. They'll meet again later in the year at North. The Falcons are 4-6 on the season, and 2-2 in PCL play. On Sunday, the Friars travel to LaSalle for a 2:30 meeting with the Explorers. They are 8-3 overall, and 3-1 in PCL play. Bonner looks to pick up their first two Catholic League victories. Come out and support the basketball team.

Cantando's Goal Not Enough As Bonner Ice Hockey Falls

The Bonner hockey team had a much better showing the second time around against O'Hara, but that effort still wasn't enough, as the Friars fell to the Lions, giving O'Hara the season sweep.
The early moments on were interesting, and very physical. The two teams, and schools, aren't exactly friends, and it showed in the early moments of the first period. Both clubs totaled for 62 penalty minutes in the first. A skirmish broke out between four Bonner and O'Hara players, two from each side. All four players received 10 minute game misconduct penalties, and five minute major penalties for fighting. Each of them were ejected from the game. O'Hara did gain a 2 minute power play after a Bonner player was called for cross-checking on the same play, which happened less than three minutes into the game. The game did not turn into "Friday Night Fights" as it looked like it was going to, as they did get the game started up again after a five minute delay to sort out penalties. O'Hara drew first blood on a goal from senior Ricky DeRosa. Less than a minute later, Steve Falcone scored to give the blue and red a 2-0 lead. Ex-Bonner player Mike Marconi added two for O'Hara in the first, including one in which he deked a Bonner player and the goalie, to give the boys from Springfield a 4-0 lead after one period of play.
The second period was not much better for the Friars. Jeff Beck scored three minutes into the stanza. Falcone recorded his second of the night three minutes later. But finally, Bonner had something to cheer about. Dylan DiPhillipo was able to sneak the puck past O'Hara goalie Jeff Holland's right pad to put the Friars on the board. However, the Bonner momentum was quickly taken away. After what should have been an elbowing penalty at center ice, Marconi completed the hat trick off an assist from Falcone. This prompted a Friar fan to say "the refs look good in red and blue." Falcone recorded his second of the night on the power play two minutes later. With eight seconds left, Bonner's senior captain Rob Cantando took a pass from the point and blasted it from the blue line by Holland for a power play goal, and his seventh goal of the year.
Nothing went Bonner's way on the night, and it continued in the third period. O'Hara kept jamming at the puck by the crease, and it was able to slip past goalie Steve Gallo. However, he recovered and stuck his glove hand out to keep the puck from going over the line. But the referee closest to the net called it a goal, and it just added insult to injury (I had a great view of the puck. It was on the red line). The puck must completely clear the red line in order to count as a goal, and it did not. The referees had a short conference, but the goal stood. Getting credit for that goal was Jeff Beck for his second of the night. Bryan Reed tallied for O'Hara three minutes later, and Falcone recorded another for a hat trick shortly after. The guy who started the scoring ended it, as DeRosa scored to put the game away with four minutes left.
Although the score was tilted entirely to one side, Bonner goalie Steve Gallo played well, stopping 32 shots, and made some very tough saves. Holland stopped 13 of 15 shots faced his way. Bonner was completely outmatched by a very talented and fast O'Hara team. With the loss, Bonner falls to 6-5-1 overall, but they remain in first place in the PCL Blue at 6-1, two points ahead of Roman Catholic and Archbishop Wood. Up next for the Friars is a date with the Ridley Raiders on Friday. Bonner defeated Ridley in a Christmas tournament a couple weeks back. The rematch is set for Friday, January 15th, at 8:15, and will be played at Ice Works in Aston.

Notes: Apparently the Bonner crowd thought the game was canceled or moved to another night. I arrived at about 7:15, and for about thirty minutes, was the only Bonner student there, and received a nice greeting from the O'Hara fans. Very nice. Also, Spiderman and a gorilla showed up to the game. Must have given the Lions an edge.

For the basketball fans, Bonner takes on Perkiomen Valley at Perkiomen Valley tonight, Wednesday, at 7:30. They'll return to Catholic League action on Friday night against North Catholic. That game will be in the Bonner gym, and also take place at 7:30.

Prendie Defeats Egan in Close Game

The Prendie Pandas defeated Conwell-Egan Tuesday night by a score of 38-35. Junior Jessica Rotella had a team high for the Prendie. Prendie improves to 9-2 on the year. They'll take on Little Flower this Friday night at home in the Prendie gym.

Rough Weekend for Bonner Hoops

The Bonner basketball team had a tough weekend, losing both games to Roman Catholic and Father Judge. On Friday night, Bonner took on perennial basketball power Roman, losing 70-61. Jamal Melvin had a team high 20 points, with Scott Slade pitching in an additional 18. Roman's Rakeem Brookins led all scorers with 24 points. The Cahillites were 14-16 from the free throw line in the 4th quarter, which sealed the win for Roman. Bonner also took on the Father Judge Crusaders on Sunday. The Friars fell 57-51. Bonner falls to 3-6 on the year, 0-4 in the Catholic League. Bonner will take on Perkiomen Valley this Wednesday, January 13th, in a non-league affair. The game will take place at Perkiomen Valley.