State of the Season

Mentality. Squad. Culture. The game to watch. We asked, they answered.

Football
Damar Harding ’27

THE MENTALITY: Give 110%, take advantage of every opportunity, and, as seniors, make the most of our last season. The seniors know we have a responsibility to lead by example and set the standard for the younger guys. We want to compete every day, push each other, and leave the program better than we found it.

THE RECORD: 0-1

THE SQUAD: We have so much energy and potential. There are 16 seniors, which gives us experience and leadership, while also having hungry younger players. Everyone brings something different, and that combination makes us stronger as a whole.

THE CULTURE: Competitive but close. We push each other but care about each other. We’re focused on getting 1% better every day, holding each other accountable, and building a culture that lasts. We also share a “next man up” mentality. Once we step on the field, everyone is expected to do their job, give everything they have, and be ready to step up for the person next to them.

GAME TO WATCH: The Cannon Game, October 24 v. Tatnall at Home.
We haven’t won against Tatnall since 2019, so bringing the cannon trophy home would mean a lot. 

Girls Cross Country
Coach Kat Celata

THE MENTALITY: To stay healthy, physically and mentally, and have fun. We believe if we can work towards those goals by taking care of our bodies, challenging ourselves, and enjoying the process, the rest will follow.

THE SQUAD: We have unbelievable leadership in our seniors, as well as a lot of new young runners. This has made our first few weeks really joyful.

THE CULTURE: Positive and supportive.

THE GAME TO WATCH: DISC Championships, October 23 at Home. 
We’re always excited for the second half of the season, the DISC Championship in particular—that’s when all effort really starts paying off. 

Boys Cross Country
Coach Dan O'Connell

THE MENTALITY: Building on last year’s success. The JV team is eager to repeat as the conference champion.

THE SQUAD: Senior Henry Bird had an outstanding summer of training and looks ready to challenge any runner in Delaware. He will be joined by three other senior leaders—Bo Vaughan, Ryerson Li, and Jack Grant—who will play important roles on and off the race course. Along with Bo Vaughan and Ryerson Li, in our first race, Chick Reinmo and Bo Worth got off to an excellent start. Juniors Eli Meier and Luke Donahower are also expected to be key contributors.

THE CULTURE: Growth. Seventeen of our 35 runners are new to St. Andrew's cross-country. We're excited to watch them develop. 

MEET TO WATCH: DISC Championships, October 23 at Home.

Field Hockey
Coach Kate Cusick

THE MENTALITY: At the beginning of every season, I have the captains meet with the team to set the tone and create shared expectations. Charlotte Green, Piper Langston, and Nina DeVaughn are the senior captains this year. They wrote down their team goals and the values that underpin them: Trust. Accountability. Grit. Sisterhood. Communication. Belief in each other. 

THE RECORD: 2-1

THE SQUAD: This season has an impressive 10 seniors who are committed and driven. 

THE CULTURE: The team vibe is to have fun, work hard, and go all in for each other. We are a collective, and everything we do affects our day-to-day and our outcomes. Whether we win or lose, we are in it together.

GAME TO WATCH: Tatnall, October 17 at Home. 

Volleyball
Coach Randy Day

THE MENTALITY: “Six Before One.” No individual is bigger than the team. We want to compete hard, play for each other, and get better every day. Winning matters, but building something together matters even more.

THE RECORD: 0-1

THE SQUAD: We have a great mix of personalities, experience, and potential. Everyone brings something different, and our challenge is turning those individual strengths into one team that competes together.

THE CULTURE: Family. We celebrate each other, hold each other accountable, and pick each other up. I want our players to remember the relationships and experiences they shared just as much as the wins.

GAME TO WATCH: Tower Hill, October 15, at home.
It’s our measuring-stick match. It will give us a chance to see how far we’ve come since day one and how much we’ve grown as a team. Win or lose, that night should tell us a lot about who we’ve become.

Boys Soccer
Steele Malkin ’27

THE MENTALITY: We are not looking at certain games as “must win” because all have the desire to win every game. We care about staying true to our covenants, which are: brotherhood, effort, respect, purpose, and love.

THE RECORD: 2-0

THE SQUAD: Having Abraham Musa ’29 back injury-free is huge. To have him in the midfield controlling the ball for us is massive. Our team has so much depth, allowing players to give it their all on the field and then get subbed without anyone being concerned whether or not that substitute will be able to uphold the level of play.

THE CULTURE: With the help of our pregame meetings, and traditions like suits before a game, we come together as a team off the pitch, which I think is the easiest way to build chemistry and culture.   

GAME TO WATCH: Sussex Academy, October 30, at Sussex.
Even though we beat them last year, there's been a rivalry between us since we lost to them in the State Championship in 2024.