We are thankful that the 2021 District 1 5A Champion Strath Haven Panthers gave us lots of reasons to smile since mid-August, and for many years to come.
All tagged Strath Haven High School
No Doubt About it: Strath Haven Panthers are District 1 5A Football Champs!
After an incredible, exhilarating, improbable finish in the District 1 5A Final that saw the Panthers eke out a thrilling, 34-33 four-overtime victory over West Chester Rustin—literally by their fingertips—it seems fair to ask how a more satisfying encore could even be imagined.
Panthers to Face West Chester Rustin in District 1 5A Football Championship
This week’s championship matchup could not look any more even “on paper.” The #1 seed will play the #2 seed. Both teams vanquished a league opponent for a second time in the playoffs. Both teams favor a “ground-and-pound” approach with a Wing-T offense. Both teams have longtime coaches with a history of success. And so, the District 1 5A Championship football game will land as predicted by the playoff bracket, as top-ranked West Chester Rustin will host #2 Strath Haven, with a trip to the state semifinals on the line.
Panthers Pound Upper Merion, Face Marple Newtown in Quarterfinals Friday at King Field
On to Round 2 of the District 1 5A football playoffs, where the Strath Haven Panthers will have the added challenge of facing an opponent for a second time this season. While the #2-seeded Panthers were pounding out a convincing 35-0 whitewash of Upper Merion last Friday night, the possibility of facing #7-seeded Marple-Newtown in the quarterfinals came into focus.
8-1 Panthers To Face Radnor Raptors
Wins in eight of the last nine weeks have been a pleasure to watch, and suddenly, in what seems like a blink-of-the-eye, the Panthers have just one more contest before the District 1 5A playoffs begin.
Music. Tradition. Citizenship. Fun. A Conversation with SHHS Music Director Nick Pignataro
As the head of the Performing Arts department at Strath Haven High School, music director Nick Pignataro wears many hats. Swarthmorean contributor John Hurst recently sat down with Nick to learn more about his history with, and philosophy for, the program.
Strath Haven Thumps Penncrest to Retain Media Bowl Trophy
“The Media Bowl trophy will stay on S. Providence Road…,” was the call last Friday night, as Strath Haven continued their recent dominance in their local rivalry with Penncrest, marching to a 42-6 victory.
Strath Haven Defeats Conestoga, Rolls to 6-1 Record
Former Ohio State Head Coach Woody Hayes once said, “There are only three things that can happen on a pass play, and two of them are bad.” While the Strath Haven passing attack has certainly been productive this year, last week’s game versus 5-1 Conestoga ended up following the recommendation of Mr. Hayes, as the Panthers kept the ball in the hands of four capable runners for the entire evening in a 35-14 victory over the Pioneers.
Shankweiler’s Last Second Field Goal Clinches Panther Victory over Springfield
After a gut-punch loss to Garnet Valley seven days earlier, the Strath Haven Panthers were teetering on the edge of a possible losing streak for the first time in 2021. Last Friday, a dominant first half and 14-0 lead over Springfield evaporated late in the fourth quarter and the Cougars had all sorts of momentum on offense and defense alike. But a late drive pushed the ball close enough for Panther kicker (and soccer goalkeeper) Charlie Shankweiler to nail a clutch “full send” 31-yard field goal through the uprights as time expired, giving Strath Haven (5-1) a dramatic 17-14 victory.
Haven Football Rolls Over Haverford to 3-0 Record
Three weeks down, and three wins in the books for the Strath Haven Panthers have many high school football fans taking notice of the silver and black. And with an impressive 49-35 road win over 6A Haverford High last Saturday, the Panthers are poised to move to 4-0 this week with a challenging Central League schedule looming.
Panthers Go 2-0 to Start Season, Face Haverford Fords this Saturday Night
You couldn’t have hoped for a better start to the season than what the Strath Haven Panthers have managed to accomplish in two games.
Two SHHS Alumnae Make Olympic Trials
Not one, but two former Strath Haven High School track athletes made this year’s Olympic trials. Here’s how it feels from the perspective of their former coach, Bill Coren.
More In-Person Time at the High School; Next School Year May Begin Before Labor Day
The Wallingford-Swarthmore School Board voted unanimously to revise the hybrid schedule at Strath Haven High School to include four half-days of in-person school each week during the third marking period. High school principal Greg Hilden said that the change would be, in part, a stepping stone to returning all students to school buildings, something he hopes will happen before the end of the year. Board members also discussed options for the 2021-22 calendar.
A November 23 order by Pennsylvania Health Secretary Rachel Levine imposes new limits on the number of people who can gather indoors, due to what the order called a “serious increase” of COVID-19 cases in Delaware County. The order is in effect through January 2. Among the new restrictions is a limit on the number of diners who can share a table (four) as well on people attending indoor “gatherings,” which include parties, funerals, and sporting events (ten). Religious services and school instruction are not affected. Strath Haven High School Athletic Director Pat Clancy sent an email to the school community announcing that winter sports are now “postponed until further notice.”
Tenth Panther Pajama Run
With so much of work and school conducted virtually these days, many people are spending more time in their pajamas than ever before. The Panther Pajama Run offers the opportunity to run a 5K in pajamas too.
New SHHS Principal Is All Ears
The new principal of Strath Haven High School has been a teacher, a basketball coach, and an assistant principal, as well as a school counselor. But the counseling feels central to his 20-plus years as an educator. “As a leader, you need to understand people,” Hilden says. “People need to be heard.”
It Rained on Their Parade. It Was Joyous Anyway.
The Strath Haven High School Class of 2020 had a senior year like no other, and they had a graduation ceremony like no other. Class members never expected to finish their last high school classes remotely, and they never imagined watching their own graduation on a computer screen at home. But the one-hour commencement video produced by the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District is full of joy, energy, music, and humor. The video was released at 5 p.m. on June 5, after a slow stream of graduates, each accompanied by two family members or friends, received their diplomas one at a time in the SHHS auditorium.
Class of 2020: Facing the Future
On Sunday, over 400 Swarthmore students from all over the country and the world came together virtually, watching on their laptop screens, or maybe on their phones, the landscape that should have surrounded them. High school commencements are up next. Strath Haven High School students will graduate on Friday, June 5. A choreographed plan of staggered appointments will permit each graduate to receive their diploma, accompanied by two guests, and have their photograph taken to document the moment.
The Ups and Downs of the SHHS Shutdown
Looking back on the last weeks of normalcy before the coronavirus pandemic took hold is surreal, to say the least. The shift was sudden: a day off from school, then a full-blown lockdown. At the time, no one could fully grasp the magnitude of what was coming. But people had to adjust and accept it — quickly. When I look back on the 2019-2020 school year, as any bored but reflective teenager would, I recall conversations where a friend would say something like, “I would do anything for a break.” Or, “I wish everything would just pause.” In a sense, we got that, but it shouldn’t take a global pandemic for students to feel like they can take a break or prioritize their mental health.
Strath Haven High School in Pennsylvania Top 10
Strath Haven High School was ranked the ninth-best public high school in Pennsylvania for 2019, according to U.S. News and World Report, which tracks 24,000 schools across the country. SHHS received a score of 97.62 out of a possible 100.