The Episcopal Academy boys' varsity squash team won its fourth consecutive high school national championship in New Haven, Conn., defeating second-seeded Brunswick Academy, 5-2, in the final.  The Churchmen beat Chestnut Hill Academy in the semifinals 6-1, after topping last year's runner-up, Taft School, in the quarterfinals.  Led by senior captain Tyler Odell, the EA team also included seniors Billy Kacergis and John Heil; juniors Devin McLaughlin, Jamie Ruggiero, Kevin Flannery and Patrick McCarthy; sophomore Andrew Stone; and freshmen Sean Hughes, Clark Doyle, and Will Ruggiero. They were coached by Joe Russell and Brian Callahan.  

The Comcast Network has announced that it will air eight high school boys’ basketball games over the next six weeks, starting with a game featuring perennial powerhouse and defending state champion Chester.

Schedule
Jan. 17: Chester at Penn Wood, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 19: Simon Gratz at Math Civics & Sciences, 6 p.m.
Jan. 29: Lehigh Valley Hoop Group Showcase. Allentown Central Catholic vs. Council Rock North, 1 p.m.; Neumann-Goretti vs. South Shore, 2:45; St. Benedict’s (N.J.) vs. Constitution, 4:30; Parkland at Scranton, 6:15.
Feb. 9: Holy Spirit at Rancocas Valley, 6 p.m.
Feb. 16: Pitman at Williamstown, 5:30 p.m.

By Jenn Wright
SCIENCE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY

High school is complicated enough as it is. In 11th grade this year, applying to college and getting my academic act together, I would know. Imagining having to practically switch schools and start over makes me unsteady.

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia is expected to announce this week that several Catholic high schools in the area will close or consolidate. Which ones is not yet known.
Depending on the school spirit of an individual, the first thought may be something along the lines of “Why my school?” As the realization sets in that it is actually happening after the current school year, questions about the future are infinite.

Beside obvious concerns such as which teachers make the cut, how traditions will change and the very name of the school, an important question on the periphery is  what happens to sports?

The very idea might put some athletes in a cold sweat. Not only does the rivalry between schools play a part, but just who exactly now gets to play.
People in Philly understand the idea of rivalry better than most. Most often, certain grade schools graduate to certain high schools. Playing as teammates with kids you have been playing against since the fifth grade CYO is unthinkable.

Having my grade school, St. Lucy in Manayunk, consolidate for the 2005-2006 school year to what is now Holy Child, I know what will be felt by many students.
As an athlete, the biggest issue is where you stand on this new hybrid team. The starters and all-stars may not continue to be when double or more people are being considered for any team.

Many athletes have been honing the athletic skill for the sole reason of being an all-star in high school. You would no longer be a big fish in a little pond, and a dose of reality may come faster than normal.
Students keen on playing sports in college would be concerned about the future of their high school teams.

Students don’t see school consolidation in terms of the money, but rather how this affects their everyday routine. Freshmen will automatically groan in frustration knowing they will need to relearn their schedules. Sophomores may share a similar feeling, plus where they will fit in now?

As upperclassmen, juniors will bellyache about how they will have to spend their senior year at a new school. This screws up prom and graduation.
Seniors care but not too much. They just cannot wait to leave.

What I could foresee being an advantage for some might be the opportunity to see the opposite gender on a daily basis. Or what happened in my case, go to school with other friends.

Most students in Philly do not know much about how school budgets are manipulated other than that there is not enough money to sustain them. To students, though, it seems as if the cons of this move would surely outweigh the pros.

Jenn can be contacted at jwright@scienceleadership.org

By Jennifer Wright
SCIENCE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY

I saw a billboard for the Flyers Winter Classic games and told basically everyone I know how much I really wanted to go to one of these games.

Granted, this was three months ago, before I had the pleasure of waiting for SEPTA for 30-some minutes at 6 a.m. for the last week in weather ranging anywhere from 20 to 30 degrees.
It always leaves me wondering if people in cars pity people waiting at bus stops. Indoor hockey games are what I would call “comfortably cold.” I’m aware I am at an ice hockey game, but I’m not that one guy who awkwardly leaves his jacket on. At least put the jersey/shirt over jacket. Games inside my house — I won’t even get into. All you need to know is that there is a Snuggie involved.

Outdoor games, I presume, would be a whole different story. They’d leave you wondering which cruel weather god had cursed the great sport of hockey and demanded that fingers and toes resemble icicles as payment. I think you could stretch the expression to, “If you can’t take the cold, get out of the rink.” Either way, it’s going to take a lot of hot chocolate to comfort me.
The first Winter Classic game was held in 2008 in Orchard Park, N.Y. It’s success has kept the extra-cold tradition living on.

Knowing what I know now about the rink being smack dab in the middle of the Phillies field, can you even see the puck? From the existing seats, the play may look like orange and red miniatures wielding sticks.

I might be forced to stoop as low as doing the thing the “non-fan” watching sports does: Cheer when everyone else does. Honestly, I can barely see the puck on TV as it stands now.
I do know that if I do make it to an outdoor game, it’ll be with my “A Christmas Story” snowsuit and my Coke bottle specs on.

Central Dauphin 0, North Penn 0

Proceeds from the 2011 Checking for Cancer Lacrosse Tournament were donated to the Kimmel Cancer Center in Philadelphia on Dec. 9. The tournament was held on April 16, hosted by Haverford School. Participating teams included girls' squads from Baldwin, Friends' Central, Agnes Irwin, and Germantown Friends. Boys' teams included Haverford School, Darien (Conn.), Radnor, Downingtown East, Georgetown Prep (Md.), Delbarton (N.J.), Conestoga, Greenwich (Conn.), La Salle, Wilton (Conn.), Chatham (N.J.), and Fairfield Prep (Conn.). The event was created in 2009 by Haverford School coach John Nostrant, a prostate cancer survivor, and one of his college teammates, Georgetown Prep coach Kevin Giblin. Giblin is a colon cancer survivor. Nostrant and Giblin were roommates at Washington College and linemates on the lacrosse field. They served together as assistant coaches for the United States U-19 men's team in 2008 when it captured the International World Federation championship in British Columbia.

Join the Inquirer for live updates on the Archbishop Wood-Allentown Central Catholic game, scheduled to start at 7 p.m.

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By Jennifer Wright
SCIENCE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY

Ten days later, I feel overly ordinary again. I no longer feel like a celebrity showing off my medal and technical shirt. I’m no longer in pain or feel the need to eat anything within five feet of me. Though I do feel confident saying the Philadelphia Half Marathon was the best run I’ve ever had.

Sunday morning, Nov. 20, two things stood out to me, I woke up at 4 a.m., and the amount of Port-a-Potties on the Parkway seemed unbelievable. Everyone in my vicinity was stretching, drinking water and talking about running or annoying other people, actually running around. It was 6 a.m.; it annoyed me anyway. The buzz in the crowd was apparent. I’d call it nervous energy, but I think that was just me. I started in the last corral — or the group to begin the race. This meant I was predicted to finish with the last set of runners. Being a newbie to races, when I heard that I felt weird about it. I was predicted to finish slowly. I knew that was actually true, but it felt discouraging. You’d think the amount of people might intimidate me, but it actually helped me be optimistic.

The day turned out to anything but discouraging. I have never seen such a mass of humanity in my life. These people around me were going to endure the same thing I was going to in the next 2 hours. It was humbling in a way. I no longer felt like the tortoise. It felt like 1,000 people were in my corral.

We were rounded up like sheep into our corrals all down the Parkway, and the elite runners were off. Twenty-six minutes later, I approached the starting line. I felt odd and looked to my running buddy, funnily enough my Geometry teacher, and said, “Do we start running?” Well, obviously. I’ve never run 20 people deep on each side.

The route through the city looked amazing. People were lined up on the streets cheering. If you’ve ever been cheered for, you know it rocks. A family was standing on Market Street holding a sign that said “Let’s Go Jennifer!” I yelled to them, “Hey! That’s my name!” They broke into cheers. The smile on my face grew. My body felt loose and able. I’ve never felt so existent. There I was in this mass of people all moving the same direction, running.

My favorite part was South Street. There were people everywhere cheering. I spend time on South Street in the shops and seeing live music, so it felt fantastic to be running there. I was happy my team was around me. I was happy the weather was exceptional. I was happy I could run. The part in downtown Philly was a breeze. I ran at least seven miles with no problem. I drank my water — Gatorade makes me sick — happy as a clam.

The course went through West Philly bringing some hills with it. College students sat on their porches and banged pots and pans. Somewhere around 10 I was starting to realize that I only had three miles left, only three. Three seems like a long time when you are so close to being done. Right before the Please Touch Museum, I struggled on a long hill. That’s where I was starting to wish it was over. I just kept wishing for West River Drive to come along.

Once I got there it felt never ending. I kept seeing the same things over and over again. There was no one there to cheer. I felt the most alone on West River. People surrounded me, but it was where many people began walking. At that point I had come so far, I could not start walking. It just wasn’t an option. I was less than 20 minutes from finishing. I didn’t see the point.

I’d have to say the thing that I think about the most was where the Full Marathon course branched off, Half to the right and Full to the left. I said to my teacher as she was running in the correct right hand direction, “Come one, we have to go left.” For a second there I legitimately thought I was running the full marathon. I was in such a zone I thought I was only half done. I can’t describe it other than for almost six months I was preparing to run 26.2 miles. I’m still thinking about it. I obviously thought I could keep going. I thought I could do it. I have felt some regret not doing the Full and choosing to do the Half for the sake of my body and it’s injuries.

But that moment taught me some weird lesson. Beside the fact that I was having a delirious running brain malfunction, deep down I know it wasn’t that I couldn’t do it mentally or physically. I just chose to do half of it, and I had a great time doing it. I can look back and think about that day as some of the happiest moments I’ve ever had.

Everybody has a running story. How they started, their best and worst runs. It runs the gamut. I’m done telling stories for now, though. Now I’m just gearing up for next November when I will be running to the left on West River Drive and going another 13.1.

The Inquirer is once again looking for some assistance in selecting its South Jersey Athletes of the Year.

We’re asking readers to nominate a senior boys athlete and a senior girls athlete, along with a sentence about why he/she should be considered.

After receiving nominations, the Inquirer staff will narrow it down to five male and five female finalists.

The Inquirer Athlete of the Year will be selected based on reader votes, along with input from Inquirer staff writers.

The South Jersey Male and Female athletes of the Year will appear in the Inqurier and Rally on Sunday, June 13th.

So for the first part, please send your nominations and a reason why this person should be considered as The Inquirer South Jersey male or female athlete of the year.

Click here to make your nominations.