Haverford Squash: 53-time Inter-Ac Champions and arguably the school’s most competitive program, enters the new season with high expectations and incredible talent. This year’s roster stands out as one of the most skilled groups, but also one of the youngest. The varsity team includes three Sixth Formers, one Fifth Former, five Fourth Formers, four Third Formers, and one Second Former, making them significantly younger than most high school teams they will face.
Even with such a young lineup, the team’s confidence hasn’t changed. Captains and Sixth Formers Aiden Chiang, Grant Oliver, and Grayson Morgan share that the goals remain the same.
“The biggest goals for us this season are winning the Inter-Ac, beating Brunswick, and placing well in Nationals,” Chiang said.
“Our main goal as a team has always been to win the Inter-Ac,” Oliver said. “Winning against high-ranked out-of-league teams is always a cool thing to do, but it doesn’t get us any titles.”
The team started the season with a strong 6-1 win over Mercersburg Academy. They followed this with a huge victory against Brunswick Academy, which won the national championship last season and has been one of Haverford’s toughest rivals for years.
“We have strong players all the way down the lineup. There are not many high school squash teams that have the same kind of depth, and it will most definitely serve us well in the closer matches.” – Grant Oliver ’26
“We were honestly expecting to lose. Statistically speaking, off player ratings, we were only going to win two of the seven matches, but we ended up winning six of them,” Oliver said. “There was a huge crowd there, and that definitely helped a ton. Peter Pierce had a huge game, beating the number-one U17 player in the country even as he just moved into the age bracket [from U15]. Winning this was a really big deal. It was electric.”
Coming off this huge win, the team looks to stay focused.
“This game doesn’t hold any bearing in winning the Inter-Ac, so we’re just looking to stay focused and to carry this momentum into the rest of the season,” Oliver said.
Compared to previous seasons, one of the biggest differences is the team’s depth. Last year, the Fords were especially strong at the top of the ladder.
Oliver said, “We have strong players all the way down the lineup. There are not many high school squash teams that have the same kind of depth, and it will most definitely serve us well in the closer matches.”
Chiang agreed, emphasizing the team’s long-term potential.
“This year’s team is very young in comparison to previous seasons,” Chiang said. “We obviously have a lot of young talent, which means we have a lot of potential as a team moving forward.”
With so many players stepping into new roles, staying healthy has become a major focus.
Oliver said, “Any injuries in the team force everyone below them to play up a spot, which, in most cases, can cripple a team and end a potentially strong season.”
You must be logged in to post a comment.