Baseball team regains spark as they enter the state playoffs

The 23-time Inter-Ac champion and four-time independent-school state champion Haverford School Baseball, when facing adversity, can fight.

Last year, the Fords saw the beginning of an era with the arrival of Coach John McCann. This season, they’ve added a new hitting coach, replaced many key graduates, and have boasted wins against Germantown Friends’ School, Penn Charter, Germantown Academy, and Archbishop Carroll. They won those games by a margin of six, five, one, and five, respectively.

“I think we’re a more talented team than last year overall,” Fifth Former catcher Thomas Lawler said. “We were playing really well at the beginning of the season, but then injuries affected us. Once we get healthy again, we’ll be really good.”

The Fords stand at a 3-5 record in the Inter-Ac, having suffered a losing streak partly due to injuries from Lawler and Sixth Former Jayden Rivera, both of whom are excellent batters. The Fords still aim to make a strong run in the PAISAA state tournament. 

“The team has come together very well,” Coach McCann said. “It’s really a team effort this year with a lot of guys stepping up due to various injuries. This group sticks together and supports each other. [We are] continuing to work together to have good games for both the offense and the pitching.”

The team found success early on by leaning on younger players to step up. 

“Danny Getz has been the MVP of the team so far,” Fifth Former Harrison Bongiovanni said. “Zach Lawler as well. Overall, we all have a shared goal, and we have fun playing. We play for ourselves, and honestly, it’s just about going out there and seeing what happens.”

“Danny Getz has become a huge part of the program, stepping up into a leadership role as well as a key player in the lineup for us,” Coach McCann said.

“That means a lot,” Getz said in reply to compliments on his current performance. “I think a lot of it comes from preparation, especially working with my dad and getting extra reps in the cage, hitting. It feels really good because not many people expected me to do too much, so it’s rewarding to be able to show up and perform for the team.”

Still, despite being mostly out of consideration for the Inter-Ac, the Fords find a way to compete.

“To regain momentum in the final stretch of the season, the focus has been on finding purpose,” Siever said. “The mindset has shifted toward playing for the state championship and for personal meaning in the game. It’s no longer just about standings, it’s about finding deeper motivation and playing for yourself and your teammates.”

Specifically, leadership has switched hands.

“I see a different group of leadership,” Lawler said. “It comes from both younger players and seniors. The younger players are excited to show up every day and try to win for the team, and the seniors do a good job of including everyone and making sure everyone feels part of the team.”

“After graduating a strong senior class, we had to develop new leaders,” Siever said. “Coach McCann emphasized what it means to be a team leader. We had to learn a lot of it on the fly—how to manage a team and lead in different situations.”

“It’s really about being with close friends for hours every day.”

Caleb Siever ’26

The preparation, paired with strong team spirit, has kept the Diamond Fords hopes alive.

“My favorite part of the team this season, compared to last year, is the off-the-field stuff,” Getz said. “The seniors are strong leaders who make practice fun. Everybody wants to be at practice because the team is really tight this year. From seniors through freshmen, it’s a close group and overall a really good environment.”

Despite the tough competition, the Fords have learned to appreciate the small moments and still look forward to games.

“My favorite part of the season is the bus rides,” Lawler said. “I’m also looking forward to the state playoffs because we should be fully healthy again.”

“It’s really about being with close friends for hours every day,” Siever said. “There’s a strong team culture, including things like hacky sack before and after practice, and during team dinner. We’ll get into circles and play together, and that’s one of the best parts of it.”