Winter Season In Review

The Falcons put together one of the most memorable campaigns in recent memory. Impressive victories came against Westtown, Hill, Mercersburg, Hun, Lawrenceville, Deerfield, Perkiomen, Northfield Mount Hermon, and nationally recognized College Achieve Asbury Park — where Peddie stormed back from a 19-point deficit. That momentum carried into the postseason, with the Falcons advancing to their first MAPL Championship appearance in nearly a decade. Guard Sean Griffin ’26 reached the 1,000-point milestone during the season.

All-MAPL Honors
Gabe Hornberger ’26 — First Team
Sean Griffin ’26 — First Team
Josiah Broko ’28 — Honorable Mention

Though the season featured several close contests whose final margins didn’t always reflect the team’s efforts, this squad made steady gains in stringing quality minutes together, a foundation that will serve them well in the years ahead. Samantha Forte ’27 stood out throughout, scoring a team-high 12 points in a win against Calvary Academy and earning a spot on the Solebury Invitational All-Tournament Team.

All-MAPL Honors
Sam Forte ’27 — Honorable Mention

Indoor track delivered a record-laden season. Tessa Hughes ’26 was at the center of it all, earning All-American status at Nike Indoor Nationals (New York Armory) with a sixth-place pentathlon finish, scoring 3,490. The performance included an 8.95 hurdles time and a 2:21.60 in the 800-meter — itself yet another school record, her 17th career mark. At the Prep Championship, Hughes won both the girls 55-meter hurdles (8.51) and the girls high jump (5’2″), while Foluke Oladeji ’28 captured the 55-meter dash title and Elie Meyer ’26 won the 800-meter run.

School records broken this season:
Girls 4×200m relay (Tsai Relays)
Girls long jump (Ocean Breeze)
Boys 4×400m relay (MAPL Championships)
Girls 200m dash; girls 800m

Record-Setters
Tessa Hughes ’26 — 5 school records
4×200 relay: Tessa Hughes ’26, Safiyyah Malik ’26, Maddie Hughes ’28, Foluke Oladeji ’28
4×400 relay: Luca Romanelli ’26, Luke Chon ’26, Dasyer Bullock ’26, Elie Meyer ’26

Individually, Mary Bao ’26 set a school record in the girls 100-yard breaststroke (1:03.04), a record previously set in 1995 by a former USA National Team member, Amy Balcerzak.  Building on this momentum, Peddie placed Second in boys, girls and the overall at the MAPL Championships. At this meet Lola Early ’26 won the girls 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard freestyle, Hannah Bateman ’26 won the girls 100-yard backstroke, and Mary Bao ’26 won the girls 100-yard breaststroke. 

The team finished the season on a high note when they competed at Easterns wherein Hannah Bateman ’26 competed in the 100-yard backstroke and broke a 31-year old record. Peddie’s relays were a major strength throughout the competition, with every relay advancing to finals and all but one earning a place in the A-Finals, finishing among the top eight. Overall, the girls team placed fifth out of 29 teams, the boys placed ninth out of 30 teams. Combined, the Falcons placed sixth overall at Easterns, and finalized their season with one All-American relay, and two individual events and a relay in consideration for All-American status.

MAPL Champions
Lola Early ’26 — 50 yard & 100 yard freestyle
Hannah Bateman ’26 — 100 yard backstroke
Mary Bao ’26 — 100 yard breaststroke

Wrestling produced one of its strongest seasons in well over a decade. The team earned a second-place finish (out of 24 teams) at the Pottstown Invitational, placed six wrestlers first at the Springside-Chestnut Hill Invitational, and finished second overall at MAPL duals. The season culminated with ten Falcons competing at Prep Nationals, where Peddie placed 21st out of 281 recognized programs — its strongest national result in years.

Of note, Zane Shama ’28 went 2-2. AJ Stover ’28 and Ryan Horner ’28 each went 3-2, and both made it to the blood round finishing top 12 overall. Landon Lill ’29 finished 6–2 to place seventh overall at Prep Nationals, earning All-American status — the first Peddie freshman to do so since 2007, and one of only nine freshmen in the entire tournament to place. Captain Sarah Karlekar ’26 reached the semifinals on the girls side, one match away from a podium finish. Addie Collins ’27 had a notable performance going 2-2 on the weekend.

Prep Nationals Participants
Zane Shama ’28
Ryan Horner ’28
AJ Stover ’28
Landon Lill ’29
Chris Horsch ’27
Augie Cassidy ’28
Amelia Kenney ’28
Addie Collins ’27
Mira Dhanaraj ’29
Sarah Karlekar ’26