Falcons’ season
comes to a close

By Joe Mason
For the Times

North Catholic High School has had an extremely successful year, especially when it comes to athletics.
In the fall, the Falcons’ football team won the school’s first postseason game in more than 50 years, and according to available records, it was the first time the school’s football team won a game in the Catholic League playoffs.
The school’s wrestling team also enjoyed its share of success, making it to the Catholic League championship match although losing to La Salle.
Those good times didn’t stop in the spring.
The North Catholic baseball team came into the season with optimism, though it expected some growing pains.
The young Falcons didn’t let inexperience get them down.
They finished Catholic League Northern Division play at 15-6, good enough for second place in the division and thus earning a bye in the first round of the tournament.
Those three North Catholic teams had a lot in common.
All three overachieved, all three worked hard to become good squads, and all three were led by junior Chris James.
James started at linebacker during the fall, was the wrestling team’s 215-pounder during the winter and started in the outfield during the spring.
And just as he did in football and wrestling, James meant a lot to the Falcons’ baseball squad.
In the team’s quarterfinal game against Father Judge, James drove home the winning run in the eighth inning, helping North down the Crusaders, 10-9, on May 23.
This win, while not as historic as the end to the football team’s 50-year playoff drought, was big. It was the first time since 1995 that North Catholic won a baseball playoff game.
Win No. 2 will have to wait at least another year.
On May 26 at Widener University, the Falcons’ playoff run came to a halt with a 6-1 loss to St. Joseph’s Prep in a Catholic League semifinal game.
Hawks pitcher Kyle Mullen was stingy, allowing just one hit en route to helping Prep reach the title game. They’ll square off with Archbishop Ryan.
North managed just one hit in the game, a single by Chris Morrin, and the Falcons didn’t score a run until the top of the seventh inning. By that time, Prep had a big lead, 6-0.
For the game, James failed to get a hit, but he did draw a walk and steal a base.
On the hill, North was led by senior Keegan Smith, who held Prep to just eight hits. Smith, like James, had starred in North’s win over Judge. The senior righthander won in relief of senior starter Adam Miller.
In the win over Judge, the Falcons proved they were clutch. To stay alive, North scored a run in the seventh inning and then scored three more in the bottom of the eighth to win it, though two of those runs were unearned.
In that one, North was led by freshman Ryan Etsell, who went 2-for-3, as well as his older brother, senior Derrek Etsell, who had a pair of hits. Chris Morrin also contributed to North’s cause by driving home a pair of runs.
The bulk of the Crusaders’ offense was supplied by senior designated hitter Joe Ashdale, who drove in five runs, including a grand slam in the top of the seventh inning to give Judge an 8-7 edge heading into the bottom of the seventh. ••
Joe Mason can be reached at joemason70@hotmail.com