The hot air weighed on players and spectators alike as the Haven softball team faced Phoenixville at home in the first round of District I 5A Playoffs on May 18.
The team’s unparalleled season ended with a 16-4 loss against the Phantoms, earning Haven a final record of 14-7. The win count is the highest a Haven softball team has ever seen.
In addition to breaking the win record, seniors broke their own records within their positions on the field. Making it to playoffs is also not a guarantee, and it reflects on the athletes’ skill and teamwork.
“I think it’s really cool that we made it to playoffs again,” sophomore Alyssa Bisordi said. “This is my second season getting there, and I think that’s a great accomplishment as a team. It’s sad we lost, but it’s a nice accomplishment.”
Even in a tough game, the athletes have a lot to be proud of. The five innings held several dramatic plays that drew cheers from the crowd, even including a home run from sophomore Madison Grafton.
“It was our first ever home playoff game, so that was really cool. We did better than we had in the previous years,” junior Kailey Smith said.
Sports seasons always end with either a huge win or a devastating loss, but the score isn’t the main thing the team cares about.
“This team’s really close-knit. We’re losing a lot of our seniors, and that’s definitely one of the harder parts of it, not just losing,” Kailey Smith said.
Seniors Annika Slootmaker and Avery Smith agree with Kailey Smith. The group is focused on the numerous highlights from the year rather than the few losses they suffered.
“I’m proud of what we did during the season,” Avery Smith said. “It’s never been done. Being part of that feels good, and I think we should be proud that we’ve done something that nobody else has ever done.”
All of the members of the team were sentimental after the game ended, the seniors more so than anyone else. It was a positive last year of softball with Haven, according to Slootmaker, and the memories made matter more than any number.
“I’m so grateful for the friends we made,” Slootmaker said. “I’m proud of all of the effort we put in to get to this place in general, but it sucks how it ended.”
Overall, the team had an impressive season that ended on an emotional note.
“I think that we accomplished so much this season, and that’s a really good statement for our team,” Bisordi said.
![The girls varsity lacrosse team shouts during their pre-game huddle at their playoff game against Villa Maria Academy on May 19. The team lost 5-15, but the athletes had a lot of great saves and plays. "Coming off of a season losing a lot of valuable players, I think we really adjusted well, and we came together [and] did the best we could," Tessa Dignazio (10) said.](https://shpantherpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/GEBHARDT-GLAX-5.19-19.jpg)
![Alice Rieger (10) explodes to reach the frisbee during the game against Garnet Valley on April 28. Rieger scored multiple points for Haven and was excited to see the younger players in the game. "We put a lot of effort into our defense, and we spent a lot of work putting on some players who are less experienced, so that they could work on their own game. We could get a lot of good chemistry with the team and [get] in some players who don't get to play as much,” Rieger said.](https://shpantherpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/3D7A9038-1200x800.jpg)
