The Fords against Malvern—Haverford’s most prominent rival—in a basketball game that draws vast sums of students, around 350 of them, from both schools each in their sections, roaring as loud as they can to help aid their team to victory, as each player uses every muscle and burns every calorie to carry their school to victory.
The Fords scream as K.J. Carson drains a three from downtown, pushing their lead in an inevitable victory against The Malvern Friars; the same Friars that had stormed the Fords’ home court after a slim 48-46 victory on January 14.
Let’s rewind to get a full grasp of how we arrived here. When finding a spot to pick where to look at the start of the Haverford-Malvern rivalry, you would track to the founding of the Inter-Ac, but for time’s sake we will start where Sixth Former and Student Body President Josh Williams said, “Students started to throw gas on the fire…”
In the frigid fall weather during the end of a whiteout football game on the Friars’ campus, the Fords lost a brutal 27-0 football game—but some like to argue the Fords actually won.
“While we lost the game, we won the student section,” Fourth Former Lucas Crutchlow said.
Allegedly, as the game rounded down the final minutes, The Friars just got up and left. “When you’re winning a game you would assume you would stay to watch the whole game, right?” Crutchlow said. “Instead, they just got up and went home right around the middle of the fourth quarter.”
After the game, the Fords ran out of the bleachers hand in hand in their white outfits. Halfway through the run to the parking lot, they came across some 40-60 Malvern students.
Crutchlow said, “We were eight feet from each other, exchanging remarks and getting closer until Coach Murphy got in the middle before anything could happen and dispersed us.”
The second major event occurred at McBride Court.
Two days before the game, student leaders from Haverford and Malvern met at the field house. Dean of Students Mr. Luqman Kolade, Head of Upper School Mr. Mark Fifer, Athletic Director Mr. Michael Murphy, the Malvern Athletic Director, and the Malvern Head of School also attended.
“We had a conversation about our rivalry, what’s going on, why tensions are high, our conduct moving forward, and what that should look like,” Williams said. “After a talk like that, especially with their AD being there, I was thinking, well, this game should go smoother than any other one.”
“No way they come to our house before the game and s ay, ‘Hey, this is how we should act moving forward,’ and then just disrespect not only the conversation we had but our whole school body and administration.”
Josih Williams ’25
Feeling confident, Williams attended the game with high hopes of not just a Fords win, but also a supervised and civil viewing experience.
Just after Malvern won 48-46 in overtime, Malvern fans stormed the court, specifically the logo of the Fords—the H.
“When I’m walking out the door, I hear all this commotion and then I look back and I see a thousand Malvern kids on our H,” Williams said. “No way they come to our house before the game and say, ‘Hey, this is how we should act moving forward,’ and then just disrespect not only the conversation we had but our whole school student body and administration.”
At least two Malvern students slapped the H, and many others danced on this symbol of Haverford.
The next day, a Signet Society meeting discussed the Malvern Rivalry and how Haverford will continue with it.
“We had a 40-minute conversation about The Malvern School, what they just did, what that means for the two schools, and how we’re moving forward,” Williams said. “I don’t know if they’re just blowing us off or they don’t care, but it seems like our efforts to try to reach out to them for them to apologize to us—or maybe just, do something—is in vain.”
This escalated conflicts to a whole different level, intensifying as Haverford prepared to play against their rivals in a Tuesday night game at Malvern.
“Not having a student section today definitely impacted our energy and the tempo.”
Emmanuel Butts ’26
Williams said he spoke to both Mr. Fifer and Mr. Kolade on multiple occasions to talk about how the game could go and how the student section might react.
The Fords went on to win the game, 60-35, and fans ran into the parking lot to celebrate. According to Mr. Kolade, Coach Murphy, and Mr. Fifer, a large gathering of Fords cursed at Malvern and their behavior posed a risk of turning into a conflict. This led to the inevitable punishment of taking away the student section at the February 7 home game against Germantown Academy.
Fifth Form basketball player Emmanuel Butts said, “Not having a student section today definitely impacted our energy and the tempo.”
Williams is curious about the scheduled Friday night lacrosse game with Malvern.
“The two powerhouses of not only the Inter-Ac, but the country… The student section would be electric, Williams said. “I know they were in talks of it—depending on how conduct goes with Malvern—if that the game is viable or not.”
With the winter season drawing to a close, the cold weather leaves us with more questions than answers. Will the Fords be able to play Malvern in the spring? What will happen if the Fords step out of line again? How will the Fords be able to respond by taking the higher road? These are all questions to be answered as the warmer weather rolls around.
