“We have potential,” football Coach Mr. Brian Martin said. “We’re right where we need to be. We have not hit our stride yet but hope to.”
The football team is currently sitting at a 3-2 record.
The team opened with a 20-3 win over Wyomissing, which they followed up with a 21-13 victory over Gilman. The next week, the team fell to La Salle College High School 34-6. After that, the team lost to Bonner High School 39-14. Finally, the team rebounded to beat Wyoming Seminary 21-14.
One of the challenges that the team faced this year was the change in coaching assistants.
“Coming into the season with basically a whole different coaching staff is always going to be tough,” Sixth Former and Captain Josh Williams said. “I think the team has done well in transitioning between coaching styles. One thing that’s different about this year compared to previous years is that we are throwing the ball more. The last few years have been all run game-based offenses, but this year it’s more of a 50-50 split.”
The team has changed their system dramatically.
“People are playing both ways this year,” Williams said. “Kellen [Gardner ’25], Walt [Frazier ’26], Semaj [Lee ’25], Matt [Jones ’26], and I now have to compete on both sides of the ball. This is due to the depth of our team not being the best. Speaking personally, I need to work on being conditioned to handle starting both ways.”
The second major challenge is injuries. Two quarterbacks have been injured.
“There are bad injuries for a few people,” Coach Martin said. “We have had a few players play one game, and we have not had a game with everyone healthy.”
The team has five games remaining in the season.
“These next five games are like the playoffs for us, so our mentality is to take it one step at a time, not looking ahead,” Sixth Former Kellen Gardner said.
High School – Dr. Mike Nance
Gardner has also received the honor wear number 10, the number of Kip Taviano ’13. Taviano was a Haverford lacrosse and football player who was going to play Division-I lacrosse at Furham University when he tragically died in a car crash. To honor his legacy, a member of the lacrosse and football teams wears his number.
“It was a huge honor, not only to honor Kip but also to know all of the great leaders that wore the number before me,” Gardner said. “I came to Haverford freshman year, and I quickly learned the importance of that number and what it stands for. Last year when I was chosen it was a very full-circle moment to go from seeing other guys lead wearing that number to me stepping up into that role.”
Haverford has just had their bye-week. They are now ready for their playoffs.
“We’re just focused one week at a time,” Coach Martin said. “We are thinking about Germantown. They are always strong and well coached, so it will be competitive.”
Williams has a positive outlook on the rest of the season.
“I have full confidence that this team can go 5-0 in the Inter-Ac,” Williams said. “We just need to minimize mistakes and play with the intention of being dominant in every play. Last year, winning EA Day, but losing the football game was one of the weirdest experiences of my life. I am both smiling and crying at the same time. I can’t let that happen again. We’re going to win our game and win the day.”
