Mahiya Marable-Presely is a fantastic scholar and athlete. She is a captain for both our Varsity flag football and Varsity basketball teams. Mahiya started playing basketball when she was five years old and has loved the sport ever since. Her work ethic is impeccable both on and off the court. When asked who she looks up to the most, she said “My pop pop because even though we are not blood he has always been there for me no matter what and I want to be there for somebody just as he’s always been there for me.” From sports, she has learned that as a team you are a family even if you are not blood-related. Mahiya plans on attending college and continuing her basketball leadership in college. She is currently undecided, but we all believe that no matter what she chooses she will positively impact everyone surrounding her. One thing that Mahiya has learned from high school, and wants others to know, is that high school is not going to be easy. There will be some highs and lows but no matter how hard it gets you have to keep going. After you complete your 4 years in high school, you can officially tell yourself that you made it! Congratulations Mahiya and we all wish you the best of luck in your future.
Senior Meghan Brennan is a two-sport athlete at Little Flower. She is now going into the final season of her athletic career. She began to play soccer when she was three and continued to play until the age of 17. She decided to try out for lacrosse sophomore year and loved it so much that she continued to play until her senior year.
Meghan looks up to her best friend, Gina Jacoby because she always plays pickleball competitively and inspires Meghan to play her sport with much love. In the fall she is attending Drexel University to study Biomedical Engineering. She is stopping her athletic career after this year to focus on her academics but is open to joining club teams. When asked what she learned from high school sports Meghan says “I learned that one bad game does not define you as a player and how to be a leader by expressing kindness to the younger players so they do not get discouraged when they mess up”. Meghan encourages incoming freshmen to try new things without fear, especially sports because she believes it is the number one way to make lasting friendships. We are all so proud of Meghan and wish her all the best in the next chapter of her life. We love you, and thank you fall all of your commitment to Little Flower and our athletic programs.
After a hectic year due to Covid, senior Jayla Morant and the Little Flower Cheer Team are back like they never left. Jayla has cheered at Little Flower for what would’ve been four years. However, mid sophomore year everything came to a quick halt due to Covid and junior year they weren’t able to cheer at all. “I used to dance when I was in middle school so my freshman year when I heard about cheerleading I knew I would love it because I love performing” said Jayla when asked what made her want to cheer.
In her first competition they won second place and in her second competition they won first place. “We ranked high in our competitions,” said Jayla. Dedicated and loyal to her school, sport, and studies Jayla stated that cheer does take up a lot of her time but cheer and school are her top priorities. We are glad to see you back and wish you the best in your future endeavors, Jayla!
By: Emma Fox ‘25
Throwing wasn’t always in the cards for senior Gianna Vishio. Growing up Gianna participated on a cheerleading team for 10 years, and after cheering in grade school she was thinking of continuing in high school. However, she soon realized she wanted to try something new. During her freshman fall season, Gianna decided to play golf and field hockey. Then during her sophomore year Coach Laura Moyer talked her into running.
Gianna had some cousins who ran track and field so she already knew about the sport but it didn’t peak her interest. During sophomore year, Laura told Gianna she should join the track team because “it would be fun.” Well she was right. Gianna didn’t like to run so instead she decided to throw shot put and instantly fell in love with it. It was hard at first but she eventually got the hang of it. After her first indoor season, her sophomore year was cut short because of Covid and it affected her progress with throwing. Due to not throwing she lost interest in it for a while, but as soon as her junior indoor season came around she was ready to get back at it. After coming back to the sport, she got a couple of personal bests during her last meets.
Senior year came quicker than she expected, but Gianna was ready. Vishio was elected as one of the Athletic Association Officers and she is also a part of the ambassador’s. At the beginning of the year fellow classmate Brianna Coates told Gianna to run cross country with her and although she didn’t want to run, she loved it immediately. She worked really hard and got a personal best at champs. Then indoor season came around and Gianna was a pro at shot put and could know exactly what happened if something went wrong.
By: Grace Mott ‘24
Liz Mulson, a senior transfer from Hallahan, is ready to hit it out of the park. Being an athlete all her life, Liz is ready to bring her all to her last season of high school sports. Liz began playing softball ever since the first grade for a little neighborhood rec league. Ever since she has been in love with the sport and works hard to strengthen her game every chance she gets. She is seen working hard on and off the field, as well as encouraging her teammates to do the same. Coming to a new school senior year is not an easy thing to do. However, Liz came ready to play and we can not wait to see what she has in store for us this softball season.
Along with softball, Liz has also been a part of both the Hallahan and Little Flower golf teams. She first picked up a club freshman year and has made several accomplishments since. During her time at Hallahan, Liz helped lead her team to victory in the girl's division championship twice. She then came swinging her way through her senior year season to bring Little Flower to the girl's division championship and ended up winning that as well.
Liz, a natural-born leader, was ready to bring her all her senior year. This year, she plans on leading her new softball team to the playoffs. With one more season to go, fans, teammates, and coaches are all eagerly waiting to see what she has in store.
By Kaidence McCormac
Sara Schrader has made her first and final year at Little Flower one to remember. Transferring to a new school, especially during your senior year, is something that no one wants to imagine. But, Sara came to Little Flower from Hallahan ready to take on the court.
Sara started playing volleyball six years ago. Since then, she has played on club teams and the teams at both Hallahan and Little Flower. She says that playing on these teams allowed her to meet amazing girls who taught her how to be a leader and challenge herself to get better. Even though she had a challenging year, Sara’s hard work paid off, and she received Third Team All-Catholic in the fall. Her favorite part of playing for her school is the experience of being on a team and having the type of discipline and experience that you can’t get anywhere else.
Not only is Sara an accomplished athlete, but she is also a dedicated student. She has been in honors classes all four years of high school. This year, on top of playing volleyball, she’s taking AP Calc, AP English, and Honors Spanish 4. She recently committed to Penn State University and says that continuing her volleyball career may be an option. No matter what path she chooses, Little Flower will always be here to support her!
By Casey Roberts ‘25
After about 14 years of playing soccer, senior Hailey Cantz, is finally ready to hang up her cleats. At the age of four, Hailey started playing for Philadelphia Soccer Club, PSC, and instantly fell in love with the sport. Cantz played mostly defense, but later in her career started playing midfield. She continued her soccer career playing not only for her grade school team but also her high school team.
Due to Covid Hailey missed her Junior season. It was the first season where Hailey was going to play varsity and it was a year they could have won the PCL. Although they did not play in the PCL league, Little Flower participated in non league games. But Hailey says it wasn’t the same because it did not count. Senior year came way too fast and Little Flower was back playing under the Philadelphia Catholic League. Not only was she going to be starting on varsity but she was also named as one of the captains for the season. They came out strong with some new faces, but didn’t have the season they all hoped for. Even though she was upset, Hailey was still happy to finish playing soccer with her teammates at Little Flower.
Hailey is both a leader on and off the field. She is currently one of the Athletic Association Leaders and was one of the soccer team captains. Soccer has taught Cantz a lot of different life skills. She learned to not give up, always work hard because nothing is given to you, and how to control her time between school work and soccer.
By: Grace Mott ‘24
Senior year has been everything but ordinary for Brianna Kimbrell. Aside of Covid and the stress and uncertainty it has brought all of us these last two years. Brianna was forced to make a huge and bittersweet transition in her last year of high school when her beloved Hallahan closed its doors for good. “Hallahan closing was definitely heart breaking but I am so grateful for the memories and friendships I gained”, Brianna says.
Brianna joined our sisterhood here at Little Flower in the fall and wasted no time diving right in. A three time PCL Golf Champion (two with Hallahan and one with Little Flower) talks about her love for the sport. “I started playing golf my Freshman year at Hallahan in 2019 and have played all four years. I’ve grown to have such a passion and love for golf I started to coach younger kids in golf my Sophomore year.” I had the honor to play alongside Brianna as a first year golfer and saw first hand the hard work and dedication she put into it. Being a student, an athlete, and a coach, amongst other things can be challenging however Brianna suits up and shows up making it look effortless.
Off the course, Brianna was also a part of the Respect for Life club at Hallahan as well as a Student Ambassador. Here at Little Flower, Brianna stepped up as the Swim Team manager which comes to no surprise. Brianna has demonstrated great leadership in and outside of the classroom.
Brianna says “coming to Little Flower was a hard transition at first but I am grateful to have a school that has a similar community feeling as Hallahan did.” And we are so glad she did. Brianna has a lot to offer and has truly brought so much goodness to the Little Flower community. I was able to learn a lot from her in our time on the golf course and I wish her the best in her future endeavors. We were lucky to have you, Brianna. Best of luck always!
By: Emma Fox ‘25
Maura Carberry started her soccer career at the young age of 4. She got inspired to try soccer for the first time because of her older cousin, Julia Bendotti. Maura says Julia was very talented at soccer and she hoped to be just as good and capable at playing the sport. As she continued to play soccer throughout her life, joining the Little Flower team was a no-brainer. Maura has been a part of the LF soccer team since her freshman year.
Through her freshman and sophomore years, she played outside midfield, but due to COVID, her junior season was canceled. Even though she couldn't play in the fall, that did not stop her from continuing to play in the spring. Finally, it was time to shine during her senior year, where she started playing varsity with the team. Sadly, during her season she experienced a back injury, but that didn't stop her from playing in her senior night game. She says this year was still a success and she was able to complete her goal of helping the underclassman. Not only did Maura help them on the field, but she also helped them prepare for their classes and social life.
The Little Flower soccer team has brought Maura over 30 sisters, a million memories, and absolute happiness. Her favorite memory from this year is her last game and giving her coach a hug. She says without her coach, Markos, she wouldn't be the person she is today. Maura is very grateful for the opportunity to play with such amazing players and coaches.
By Mia Wolos
Senior Bernadette “Bern” Soltzman was excited for her senior basketball season and was ready to make her last time on the court memorable. “The girls were really important to me”, says Bern. “They made my last season the best one yet!” Being a senior on a sports team comes with challenges, you have to set a good example for the team and be ready to lead the team in the right direction. While sports are about winning and competition, the best thing you can get out of them is a good teammate, and Bern is one of them. Competing in the Philadelphia Catholic League is very difficult and quite the challenge, but having a teammate like Bern by your side makes the game much more enjoyable and easier! Always supporting, cheering, and helping your teammates is something Bern never forgets to do.
Not only is Bernadette an amazing teammate but she is also a great role model. She has been a great guide to the underclassmen and has especially helped the freshmen feel welcome at Little Flower. She is there for you when you're upset and always knows how to make someone feel better. Bernadette truly brings the LF spirit to the games and believes in each of her teammates! Besides being on the basketball team, Bernadette is also involved in other clubs and activities. She is the lacrosse manager, a part of SGA, and a proud member of the Ms.Zolk’s, Mr.Mont's, and Ms.Martin’s quizzo club. While Bern loves to stay involved, she always knows school comes first. Her favorite subject is History and she has taken Spanish for all of her four years. She knows no matter what school is a major priority and can lead to a door of amazing opportunities!
Bernadette is a great friend, student, and teammate who is excited to see what the future for Little Flower holds and can’t wait to come back and cheer her former teammates on!
By Bridget Comas ’25
Grace Burns, a senior Hallahan transfer student, came to Little Flower ready to play. Coming to a new school is hard for many, but especially as a senior and being the only transfer student trying out for the Little Flower soccer team. Grace came into soccer and school very open minded, wanting to learn how the LF sentinels work on and off the field.
Coming into the first week of tryouts, Grace explained “trying out for Little Flower as a senior was very intimidating and I was nervous.” Grace did not allow her nerves to get to her; she came in ready to play. She was hardworking and determined from the minute she walked onto the field. Grace worked for her position wanting to prove to Markos and her teammates this is what she wants and that she has a love for the sport. Grace earned her position on the team as becoming one of the starting 11.
Grace comes to practice and games with a positive attitude every day. Having an outgoing personality, she became friends with the whole team the first day of tryouts. Grace explains that “the teammates have been nothing but supportive since I arrived.” With the loss of Hallahan affecting all the students, especially the seniors, Burns said “this is definitely not what I expected my senior season to be like.” Moving onto a new school with new teammates and unfamiliar faces, Grace fit in from day one and became a great aspect of Little Flower and the Little Flower soccer team.
By: Hailey Cantz
Olivia Zolk, senior three-sport athlete, is working harder than ever for her last ride with Little Flower. Both as a student and as an athlete, she has always been a determined and dedicated individual. During her time at LF, Olivia has participated in Field Hockey, Basketball, and Lacrosse. This year, she also picked up the role of being manager of the soccer team. Olivia’s perseverance and determination gives coaches, teammates, and fans a dependable player to put on the court or field.
As an athlete all her life, Olivia has been faced with many challenges and obstacles that she worked hard to overcome. However, no one could have prepared her for the challenge that came her sophomore year of high school, Covid-19. Playing sports through covid was definitely an adjustment for her and sadly even caused her to miss out on a lacrosse and field hockey season. Yet, Olivia would not let covid stop her. Whenever the opportunity came, she put her heart and soul into every game like it was her last.
Olivia first picked up a lacrosse stick in her elementary years and has been in love with the sport ever since. Working hard on and off the field really payed off when she started playing varsity her freshman year. Every game, coaches, teammates, and fans would watch as Olivia eagerly raced up and down the field. Olivia’s efforts continued to pay off when she earned the title of captain in her junior year. Her love for the sport grew and grew and each year she worked harder and harder. As Olivia ventures into her last season of the sport she’s loved since the fourth grade, supporters are excited to see what she has in store.
By: Kaidence McCormac
Senior Maura Kelly has been a member of the LF soccer team for four years. She began her soccer career at the age of three in the Fox Chase futures league. After playing soccer for fifteen years Maura has decided it is time to move on to the next challenge ahead of her. In the fall Maura is attending Penn State main campus and has decided it was time to hang up her cleats.
Maura has been both a leader on and off the soccer field. She is a perfect example of hard work and dedication. This past season Maura was asked to change her position from a spot she has been playing her whole life, center back, to something completely new, sweeper. She took what she was given and worked hard to lead her team any way she could. This change in position really needed confidence which Maura accredits to her past coach Jen. She described her former coach as the person that shaped the way she played and taught her how to be confident in her abilities.
Aside from her exceptional skills on the field, Muara is a part of the National Honors Society and is the Treasurer of the Athletes Helping Athletes organization at Little Flower. As Maura looks back on the past four years she spent in a Little Flower uniform she takes away many lessons that soccer has taught her. Maura Kelly has learned skills like leadership and positivity, even when the team is struggling, and she makes a point to highlight how important friendship is to a successful team. She hopes that in years to come players that step on the field will also hone the skills they have learned and celebrate the friendships they have made.
By: Meghan Colfer
For senior Anna Golden, her love of track started later than you would think. Anna didn’t start running until sophomore year. Instead, her first love was gymnastics. She competed for 14 years before deciding to quit and start something new. So as sophomore year came around, Anna’s friends convinced her to join indoor track, and after joining she instantly fell in love.
Shortly after running indoor track, everything changed as the pandemic shut everything down. Although covid was hard, it actually helped Anna with her cross country since all she could do was run. Running during quarantine really helped Anna stay fit for her next upcoming season, and when sports finally came back she wanted to compete in all three seasons. Junior year she started out with cross country and mastered the 5k course down at Belmont Plateau. Then she didn’t have an indoor season, but she thrived during her outdoor season.
Golden’s favorite event is the 400, but she also runs the 800, mile, and 2 mile and 5k. Senior year was just around the corner and Anna was ready. Cross Country was first, and Anna could not wait to get back on the course. She performed really well and even had the chance to run at States. Next was indoor, and Anna succeeded in the mile and at champs her 4x400 team took home a medal. Outdoor was no different from cross country and indoor except for tha change in coaching staff. Anna stepped up and didn’t let that stop her.
At school Anna is an honors student and is part of the Ambassadors, National Honor Society, Athletic Association, and Athletes Helping Athletes. Even though she is very involved at school she still has time to focus on track and excel in everything she does.
Senior Maggie Carpenter began playing tennis for LF her freshman year. This year Maggie has had a very successful season. She played first singles and was voted first team All-Catholic. She is also a very supportive teammate. She always helped those on the team who were struggling. Before every game she would give a speech telling everyone to just try their best. She was also always supportive and made everyone excited to play. Maggie will be attending college next year. She is currently undecided but she hopes to play club tennis or join a tennis team at the college she attends. Maggie also hopes to play for the LF flag football team in the spring. When asked what she has learned from playing a sport, Maggie responded, “I have learned many different things while playing sports in high school, but the main lesson I have learned from them is to not be afraid to step out of my comfort zone. I had never picked up a tennis racket before I joined the team freshman year, but each year I gradually kept getting better and by my senior year, I was playing for the #1 singles for the LF team.” Maggie looks up to many people, but she looks up to her mother the most. Her mother inspires her every day and pushes her in school and activities to be the best she can be. This is a word of advice Maggie would like to give to all girls coming into high school: “I want to tell the girls coming into high school that is okay to be scared or worried but there is one thing that you can not do: be afraid because if you are, you will not step out of your comfort zone. Step out and be the change for your high school- you will not regret it.”
By: Emily Alampi '27
Alyssa Seifert is a senior here at Little Flower. She started playing field hockey and lacrosse seven years ago. Someone Alyssa looks up to is her father because he was a fighter, he was strong, and a loved person in her life who always gave the best advice. Lyss is attending college. She has her decision narrowed down to two with a decision coming soon. She looks forward to playing field hockey and lacrosse in college! Alyssa says that she has learned sportsmanship and created lifelong bonds with her teammates from her sports. One thing lyss would want to tell girls coming into high school is “enjoy every moment and be involved!” Knowing Alyssa for a while now I look up to her commitment and her love for her sports and all she does. Going into high school knowing that I have her has been such a relief. I know that she will continue to do great things in and outside of field hockey and lacrosse. I am beyond proud of you lyss keep being you!
By: Molly Pawlowski '27
Senior, Grace Mott, is not ready to hang up her cleats just yet. Grace has been a part of the Little Flower soccer team since freshman year, although she has been playing soccer since she was eight years old. Mia Hamm has always been a great inspiration to Grace because she was not only good at what she did but was a leader for her team and paved the way for girls in soccer. When not playing soccer, Grace runs track during the indoor and outdoor season. Grace is going to be attending Chestnut Hill College in the fall where she will continue her soccer career. When asking Grace one thing she learned from sports she said, “Getting back up is always harder when you don’t have a strong team bond.”She said this has stuck with her because teamwork is the most important thing, and when you have great teammates it makes the game fun and you know you have support. A message Grace Mott wants to say to everyone entering high school is: to not be afraid to try something new, even if it’s something out of your comfort zone.
By: Aubrey Slook '27
Mia started playing soccer at Little Flower freshman year, but has been playing soccer her whole life for various club teams. Her grandpop is her biggest inspiration and his guidance has made Mia realize the importance of being present and supporting her teammates. She says that he has never missed one soccer game and his dedication to his family inspires her every day to show that same dedication in all things she does. On top of playing soccer, she is on the bowling team and has been a part of the program since her sophomore year. She is attending Villanova University with a psychology major. One thing she learned from participating in sports is that practice is so important to improve yourself and that as a player you should value the time you have to hone your skill. Mia would like to leave this for all of the girls coming into high school, that it is to put yourself out there and try new things! Mia accredits joining new clubs and teams as being the main reason she has some of her most cherished friendships to this day.
Samantha Alampi is a senior on Little Flower softball team. She has been playing softball at eight years old and has loved the sport ever since. Along with Softball Sam played basketball in grade school at Maternity BVM, and freshman year for our Little Flower Sentinals. She has learned to motivate and tell others they are doing good so they don't get discouraged through her time playing sports. Her role model is her father who has coached her and helped her grow into the young lady and successful softball player she is today. Sam will be attending Bucks County Cosmetology School next year and plans to specialize in hair coloring and esthetician work. “I'm so excited to be attending cosmetology school but I'm going to miss high school softball and the amazing memories and friendships it gave me.” Sam advises girls coming to Little Flower to have fun and make new friends. Sam’s impact on the softball team cannot be ignored because it is so prevalent in every girl that she has helped, cheered for, and guided. Her presence as a leader over the past four years is one that will be desperately missed. We all wish her an amazing time at Cosmetology school and know she will do amazing things.
Senior Meghan Brennan is a two-sport athlete at Little Flower. She is now going into the final season of her athletic career. She began to play soccer when she was three and continued to play until the age of 17. She decided to try out for lacrosse sophomore year and loved it so much that she continued to play until her senior year.
Meghan looks up to her best friend, Gina Jacoby because she always plays pickleball competitively and inspires Meghan to play her sport with much love. In the fall she is attending Drexel University to study Biomedical Engineering. She is stopping her athletic career after this year to focus on her academics but is open to joining club teams. When asked what she learned from high school sports Meghan says “I learned that one bad game does not define you as a player and how to be a leader by expressing kindness to the younger players so they do not get discouraged when they mess up”. Meghan encourages incoming freshmen to try new things without fear, especially sports because she believes it is the number one way to make lasting friendships. We are all so proud of Meghan and wish her all the best in the next chapter of her life. We love you, and thank you fall all of your commitment to Little Flower and our athletic programs.