Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School
Encyclopedia
Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School is a high school
in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania
. It is part of the Colonial School District, with a current enrollment of approximately 1,600 students.
. The curriculum is aligned with state and national standards and offers more than 200 courses, including 24 Advanced Placement (AP) courses audited by the College Board
and more than 30 honors level courses. A technical education program is available through the Central Montco Technical High School.
Notable CITV Alumni include announcer Scott S.D. Weiss, PW class of 2011, who announced his 100th CITV Sports broadcast on 4/14/2011, and graduated in June 2011. He finished with 108 CITV sports broadcasts. CITV has also won numerous Telly Awards, and even awards at various Greenfield Youth Film Festivals. During a 2011 spring Temple University film festival, PW class of 2013 Richie Vose received two awards for screen writing.
Notable CITV broadcasts include the 2010 PIAA AAAA District 1 Boys Basketball championship at the Penn State University.
For those who live in the Colonial School District area, CITV is broadcast on channel 28 on both Verizon Fios and Comcast.
Through a College and Career Counseling Grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Education, new programs are in place to ensure students’ post-secondary success in today’s competitive global economy. Career pathways in high priority occupational areas guide students toward integrated groupings of courses across various departments. The College Board’s College Ed program has become the foundation of a career awareness advisory program in the freshman and sophomore years. Job shadowing and supervised internships in each of the career pathways make the junior and senior years more relevant in the years following schooling.
“AVID is a high expectations and high supports program,” said PWHS Assistant Principal Dan Balek. “As the students move through their high school careers, they are mentored by the AVID teacher, are exposed to fundamental skills such as time management and organization, and higher-level skills such as Cornell Notes and effective questioning techniques to meet their individual needs as learners. The AVID program houses all the necessary components needed to prepare students for the rigors of post-secondary education.”
s. Polycom videoconferencing technology brings the world to PWHS students through activities such as a narrated autopsy and conversations with noted authors. The school’s wireless capacity enables students’ daily use of the 20 laptop carts available in social studies, science and English language arts classrooms. Other computer labs facilitate the study of world languages, technology enhanced math instruction, and a broad array of computer programming, computer application, and digital media courses such as 3D animation, advanced photography and digital imaging, and Web design and development.
The computer science department at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School has also been increasingly on the cutting edge of new technology with its installation of a Microsoft Surface
as well as newly introduced classes for mobile application development.
State-of-the-art classroom laboratories in the modern science wing are now home to new forensic science and engineering courses, and students are applying skills learned in their science and technology courses in national competitions such as Science Olympiad and FIRST Robotics
.
In 2007, SAT mean scores for the top 100 ranked PWHS students were 665 in math, 638 in critical reading and 645 in writing for a combined mean score of 1948. That is 119 points higher than in 2006.
The top 20 ranked students scored 140 points higher than their counterparts of the year before. In 2007, the top 20 averaged 730 in math, 720 in critical reading and 730 in writing for a total of 2180.
American Open Class Bronze medalist. They also received the 2008 American Open Class silver medalist with a score of 93.5: behind first place Hatboro-Horsham
who received a score of 93.7. The Marching Colonials also claim the 2009 Independence Open Class silver medalist and the Silver medal winner at the 2010 state championships.
indoor circuit and the Cavalcade of Bands
indoor circuit. The PW Indoor Guard captured Cavalcade Championships in 2005 and 2006. The indoor drumline competes in the Mid-Atlantic Percussion Society and the Cavalcade of Bands
indoor circuit. The PW Indoor Drumline won Cavalcade Championships in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2009. Both indoor groups also participate in Winter Guard International
. The 2009 and 2010 PW Indoor Drumlines also were WGI Regional Finalists. In the 2010 outdoor season, they captured best guard at USSBA nationals in Annapolis MD. The 2011 PW Indoor Guard completed an undefeated season, earning a number one ranking in Pennsylvania and U.S.A.
jazz circuit. The Jazz Band won Cavalcade Division B Championships in 1999, 2000 and 2005.
In 2008, the Colonial Players prepared an original drama, titled Talking to Yourself in Public, written by Dutch Godshalk. In the 2010-2011 season, the Players presented Arthur Miller's The Crucible and Titanic the Musical.
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania
Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania
Plymouth Meeting is a census-designated place in the Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is the northern terminus of the "Blue Route" and the southern terminus of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension . The population was 6,177 at the 2010 census...
. It is part of the Colonial School District, with a current enrollment of approximately 1,600 students.
PWHS Principal
Heather Nuneviller took over for Dr. Monica Sullivan on 6/30/2010. Mrs. Nuneviller, from Lancaster, was previously the Principal at Manheim Township Middle School in Manheim Township, Pennsylvania. Nuneviller currently resides in Plymouth Meeting with her family.Introduction
Plymouth-Whitemarsh is a public high school in the Philadelphia region, and is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and SchoolsMiddle States Association of Colleges and Schools
The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools is a voluntary, peer-based, non-profit association dedicated to educational excellence and improvement through peer evaluation and accreditation...
. The curriculum is aligned with state and national standards and offers more than 200 courses, including 24 Advanced Placement (AP) courses audited by the College Board
College Board
The College Board is a membership association in the United States that was formed in 1900 as the College Entrance Examination Board . It is composed of more than 5,900 schools, colleges, universities and other educational organizations. It sells standardized tests used by academically oriented...
and more than 30 honors level courses. A technical education program is available through the Central Montco Technical High School.
CITV
Established in 1988, Colonial Instructional Television (CITV) is the official television network of the Colonial School District. The director of CITV is John Quinn along with other station managers: Assistant Director is Kim Newell, the TV Sports Broadcasting/TV Production instructor Chris McWilliams, and the CITV Secretary Deborah Tornetta (also the PW cheerleader head coach). CITV produces numerous broadcasts which include such programs as board meetings, public advertisements, concerts, and Plymouth Whitemarsh sporting events, many of which are produced entirely by students.Notable CITV Alumni include announcer Scott S.D. Weiss, PW class of 2011, who announced his 100th CITV Sports broadcast on 4/14/2011, and graduated in June 2011. He finished with 108 CITV sports broadcasts. CITV has also won numerous Telly Awards, and even awards at various Greenfield Youth Film Festivals. During a 2011 spring Temple University film festival, PW class of 2013 Richie Vose received two awards for screen writing.
Notable CITV broadcasts include the 2010 PIAA AAAA District 1 Boys Basketball championship at the Penn State University.
For those who live in the Colonial School District area, CITV is broadcast on channel 28 on both Verizon Fios and Comcast.
Current education goals and programs
PWHS is in the third year of a comprehensive reform process designed to ensure that graduates are well prepared for college and careers in the 21st century. The goal of the initiative, known as Plymouth Whitemarsh Graduates, is "Prepared for Every Possibility" (PW PrEP). The initiative ensures that all PWHS students develop the analytical and problem-solving skills needed for success in college and career, with the recognition that the skills now needed for work, college and active informed citizenship are essentially the same.Through a College and Career Counseling Grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Education, new programs are in place to ensure students’ post-secondary success in today’s competitive global economy. Career pathways in high priority occupational areas guide students toward integrated groupings of courses across various departments. The College Board’s College Ed program has become the foundation of a career awareness advisory program in the freshman and sophomore years. Job shadowing and supervised internships in each of the career pathways make the junior and senior years more relevant in the years following schooling.
AVID
The Advancement via Individual Determination (AVID) program is another new option for some PWHS students. The Colonial School District is the first district in Pennsylvania to implement AVID: a highly structured college prep system that prepares students who have not previously succeeded in a college preparatory path for admission to four-year universities and colleges. AVID is for bright students who might be under-achieving, under-served in the college system or first generation college students.“AVID is a high expectations and high supports program,” said PWHS Assistant Principal Dan Balek. “As the students move through their high school careers, they are mentored by the AVID teacher, are exposed to fundamental skills such as time management and organization, and higher-level skills such as Cornell Notes and effective questioning techniques to meet their individual needs as learners. The AVID program houses all the necessary components needed to prepare students for the rigors of post-secondary education.”
Role of technology
All classrooms are equipped with interactive whiteboards, digital projectors and document cameraDocument camera
Document cameras, also known as image presenters, visual presenters, digital visualizers, digital overheads, and docucams, are real-time image capture devices for displaying an object to a large audience...
s. Polycom videoconferencing technology brings the world to PWHS students through activities such as a narrated autopsy and conversations with noted authors. The school’s wireless capacity enables students’ daily use of the 20 laptop carts available in social studies, science and English language arts classrooms. Other computer labs facilitate the study of world languages, technology enhanced math instruction, and a broad array of computer programming, computer application, and digital media courses such as 3D animation, advanced photography and digital imaging, and Web design and development.
The computer science department at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School has also been increasingly on the cutting edge of new technology with its installation of a Microsoft Surface
Microsoft Surface
Microsoft Surface is a multi-touch product from Microsoft which is developed as a software and hardware combination technology that allows a user, or multiple users, to manipulate digital content by the use of gesture recognition. This could involve the motion of hands or physical objects. It was...
as well as newly introduced classes for mobile application development.
State-of-the-art classroom laboratories in the modern science wing are now home to new forensic science and engineering courses, and students are applying skills learned in their science and technology courses in national competitions such as Science Olympiad and FIRST Robotics
FIRST Robotics Competition
The FIRST Robotics Competition is an international high school robotics competition organized by FIRST. Each year, teams of high school students compete to build robots weighing up to , not including battery and bumpers, that can complete a task, which changes every year...
.
Standardized test results
The end result of the PW PrEP initiative is that PWHS students are now achieving at high levels.Advanced Placement Testing
In May 2007, 261 students participated in 383 AP examinations. Seventy-four percent earned a score of 3.0 or higher. Since 2004, the number of students taking college-level AP exams has risen significantly and the percentage of students scoring 3.0 or higher has increased 14 percent. The College Board recognized nearly four dozen PWHS students as AP Scholars for their exceptional achievement on the 2007 AP Exams. Two students qualified for the National AP Scholar Award by earning an average grade of 4.0 or higher (out of a 5.0 scale) on all AP exams taken and grades of 4.0 or higher on eight or more of these exams. Twelve students qualified for an AP Scholar with Distinction Award for earning an average grade of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken and grades of 3.0 or higher on five or more of the exams, with one of the two achieving a straight 5.0 on all ten exams taken. Seven students qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken and grades of 3.0 or higher on four or more of the exams. Twenty-six students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP Exams with grades of 3.0 or higher.SAT Reasoning Test
PWHS students also realized considerable increases on the 2007 SAT Reasoning Test. While national averages dropped across the board, PWHS students saw double-digit increases in their writing and critical reading scores and scored significantly higher than the state and national averages.In 2007, SAT mean scores for the top 100 ranked PWHS students were 665 in math, 638 in critical reading and 645 in writing for a combined mean score of 1948. That is 119 points higher than in 2006.
The top 20 ranked students scored 140 points higher than their counterparts of the year before. In 2007, the top 20 averaged 730 in math, 720 in critical reading and 730 in writing for a total of 2180.
Pennsylvania System of Schools Assessment Testing
Students continue to improve on the Pennsylvania System of Schools Assessment (PSSA). In 2002, 54.3 percent of 11th-graders scored at the proficient or advanced levels in math. In 2007, 71 percent of PWHS juniors were advanced or proficient in math.Notable alumni
- Beth AndersBeth AndersElizabeth Anders is a former field hockey sweeper from the United States, who was a member of the national team that won the bronze medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California. Later on she became the head coach of the USA National Women's Team...
, All-American in Field Hockey and Lacrosse, Olympic Field Hockey Captain, 1984 bronze medalist, 9 time NCAA champion as coach of Old Dominion. - Jim Donofrio, PW class of 1981: Former businessman, current head coach of PW varsity basketball squad (won 2010 PIAA, AAAA state championship), current SAT Prep/ Language Arts instructor at PW.
- Jackie Frazier-LydeJackie Frazier-LydeJacqueline "Jacqui" Frazier-Lyde is an American lawyer and former professional boxer, who is the daughter of former world Heavyweight boxing champion Joe Frazier. In the year 2000, she shocked the boxing world by announcing that at the age of 38, she would begin participating in the sport of...
, attorney and boxer (daughter of Joe FrazierJoe FrazierJoseph William "Joe" Frazier , also known as Smokin' Joe, was an Olympic and Undisputed World Heavyweight boxing champion, whose professional career lasted from 1965 to 1976, with a one-fight comeback in 1981....
), who fought Laila AliLaila AliLaila Amaria Ali is a retired American professional boxer. She is the daughter of boxing legend Muhammad Ali from his third wife Veronica Porsche Ali.-Boxing career:...
, daughter of Muhammad AliMuhammad AliMuhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
, in noted women's bout. - Marvis FrazierMarvis FrazierMarvis Frazier is a former professional boxer of the heavyweight division.-Personal:Marvis is the son of former heavyweight champion and Hall of Famer, Joe Frazier. His sister Jackie Frazier-Lyde was also a professional boxer, as was his brother Joe Frazier, Jr...
- boxer (son of Joe FrazierJoe FrazierJoseph William "Joe" Frazier , also known as Smokin' Joe, was an Olympic and Undisputed World Heavyweight boxing champion, whose professional career lasted from 1965 to 1976, with a one-fight comeback in 1981....
). - Neil GershenfeldNeil GershenfeldNeil Gershenfeld is a professor at MIT and the head of MIT's Center for Bits and Atoms, a sister lab spun out of the popular MIT Media Lab. His research interests are mainly in interdisciplinary studies involving physics and computer science, in such fields as quantum computing, nanotechnology,...
, professor at the Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyThe Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
, head of MIT's Center for Bits and Atoms. - Deanna Durante- Class of 1993; current anchor woman/ news reporter for NBC 10 Philadelphia Pennsylvania.
- James Martin (Jesuit writer)James Martin (Jesuit writer)James J. Martin, born 29 December 1960, is a Jesuit priest, writer and Culture Editor of the Jesuit magazine America.-Education and Career:Martin grew up in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, United States, and attended Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School...
, Jesuit priest and author, as well as a frequent commentator on Roman Catholic news for The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, TimeTime (magazine)Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
, NewsweekNewsweekNewsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
, ABCAmerican Broadcasting CompanyThe American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
, NBCNBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
, FoxNews, CNNCNNCable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
and NPRNPRNPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
. - Ronald Moore, former Siena guard 2006-10, professional basketball player, plays in Slovakia http://www.eurobasket.com/Slovakia/basketball.asp
- John PergineJohn PergineJohn Samuel Pergine is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League for the Los Angeles Rams and the Washington Redskins. He played college football at the University of Notre Dame and was drafted in the eleventh round of the 1968 NFL Draft....
, former professional football player, University of Notre DameUniversity of Notre DameThe University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
, Washington RedskinsWashington RedskinsThe Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
. - Tom Mitchell, former professional football player BucknellBucknell UniversityBucknell University is a private liberal arts university located alongside the West Branch Susquehanna River in the rolling countryside of Central Pennsylvania in the town of Lewisburg, 30 miles southeast of Williamsport and 60 miles north of Harrisburg. The university consists of the College of...
, Baltimore ColtsHistory of the Indianapolis ColtsThe Indianapolis Colts are a professional football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They play in the AFC South division of the National Football League. They have won 3 NFL championships and 2 Super Bowls.... - John SalmonsJohn SalmonsJohn Rashall Salmons is an American professional basketball player for the Sacramento Kings of the NBA...
, professional basketball player, plays for the NBA's Milwaukee BucksMilwaukee BucksThe Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center.... - Da'Rel ScottDa'Rel ScottDa'Rel Scott is an American football running back for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was the starting running back for the Maryland Terrapins at the University of Maryland...
, running back for the New York Giants, former running back for the Maryland Terrapins. - Matt Zoltak, pitched at Clemson university as well as Florida Southern university before returning to pw as a pitching coach for the baseball team as well as playing professional baseball for the Rockford RiverhawksRockford RiverHawksThe Rockford RiverHawks are a professional baseball team based in the Rockford, Illinois suburb of Loves Park, in the United States. Currently, the RiverHawks are a member of the Frontier League, which they previously played in from 2002 until 2009. From the 2002 season to 2005, the RiverHawks'...
- Michael Rubin, founder of eBay GSI CommerceGSI CommerceGSI Commerce is an eBay company specializing in creating, developing and running online shopping sites for brick and mortar brands and retailers....
and part owner of the Philadelphia 76ers, owner of Fanatics, which says it's the largest online seller of team-sports gear through its deals with the NBA, NFL, MBL, NHA and NCAA and more than 70 teams.
Sports teams
- Boys' basketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
: 28-4 in the 2007 season, 107-19 record since the 2003-2004 season, seven district championships, three state championships (1963, 1997 and 2010). In 2008-2009 season, PW earned the 7th seed in the District 1, PIAA, class AAA playoffs and lost by 9 points in the third round against 2nd seed Conestoga at Norristown on February 20, 2009, but the Colonials were able to earn the District 1, 6th place seeding for the state playoffs. Also in 2008-2009, the Colonials made it all the way to the PIAA AAAA state semi-finals, losing to William Penn(York) 64-56 (3/18/2009). However in 2009-2010, Southeastern Pennsylvania coach of the year Jim Donofrio led the Colonials to a 30-2 season, including 15-0 and a seventh consecutive Suburban One American title season, and were the #1 seed in the 2010 PIAA AAAA District playoffs, but lost the District 1 championship in overtime to the Penn Wood Patriots. Both teams entered the state tournament as the #1 seeds in their respective brackets and were able to advance all the way through to the state championship final. On Saturday March 27, 2010, Plymouth-Whitemarsh exacted revenge by defeating Penn Wood in the championship game 58-51 at Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center - capturing their third Pennsylvania state basketball title. In that game, 6'10" senior C.J. Aiken had 7 rebounds, 5 blocked shots, 4 monster dunks, a banked 3-pointer, and 4-8 foul shooting for 19 points, and 6'0" senior guard Whis Grant contributed 17 points and a team-high 11 rebounds. Other starters included 6'7" junior forward Jaylen Bond (5 points), 6'1" junior guard Sam Pygatt (6 points) and 5'10" junior point guard Brandon Dixon (4 points). The St. Joseph's University-bound Aiken finished as the 2009-2010 PIAA AAAA Boys Basketball Player of the Year (16.9 PPG, 7.2 BPG, 9.6 RPG), and Bond averaged 16.2 PPG and scored his 1,000th career point on 3/20/2010. In 2011 as the District 1 third place team, the Colonials lost to 1-1 Chester, 72-50, in the state semifinals. CURRENT HEAD COACH:Jim (James) Donofrio. - Girls' basketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
:1985 PIAA, AAA state runners-up. 2010-2011 third place finish in Suburban One American, earning 20th seed in PIAA, AAAA, D1 postseason, losing at 13 William Tennent, 50-63. CURRENT HEAD COACH: Becca Richmond Duffy. - GolfGolfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
: www.pwgolf.org. PW Golf won Suburban One American titles in 2007,2008,2009, and with an 11-1 record in 2010. Zach Pogust won the 2010 Suburban One American championship crown for the Colonials, who entered the tournament carding under 40 in his previous 13 matches. CURRENT HEAD COACH: George Wadlin. - Boys' tennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
: undefeated season in 2006. League champs in 2008 and 2009. Lost 2 matches in 2009; defeating Upper Dublin and Wissahickon both 6-1. Also made second round of districts in 2009 until falling to Lower Merion,and 2010 falling to Connestoga in round two. PW boys' tennis did not qualify for the District 1 postseason in 2011. - FootballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
: state playoffs in 2005 and 2006. League Champions in 2005 behind the backfield of Da'rel Scott, and Lance Wilson, and linemen D.J. Fox, Vince Bernardo, and Jimmy Dymond. In the 1990s Plymouth Whitemarsh Football placed 8th in winning percentage in the state of Pennsylvania out of 563 High Schools under Head Coach Joe Iacovitti with a record of 94-20-2 including 7 league championships in 90, 91, 94, 95, 96, 97, 99. District 1 Champion 1995. State Semi Finalist 1995. The Freshman team of 1991 was undefeated and also unscored upon every game, thus completing the perfect season. In 2008, the Colonials went 0-11, the worst record in school history. However, PW was 3-8 in the 2009 season, led by the rushing of Senior Terelle Steele. 2010 marked a 6-5 campaign, coached by first-year head coach Dan Chang. 2011= Won the SOA crown (first since 2005), finished 8-2 overall, 6-0 SOA (outright conference champs), lost at home as the fourth seed to 13th seed Central Bucks South, 52-24, in the first round of districts. CURRENT HEAD COACH= Dan Chang. - BowlingBowlingBowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
: 2009-2010 Suburban One American League co-champions of Boys Bowling with a 55-11 varsity record.Suburban One Individual League Champions 2006 (Chris Lawler) and 2007 (Kevin Rexroth). In a 2008 match against Norristown, PW Colonial Chris Hammes bowled a perfect 300, the first 300 ever in school history. 2010-2011 was a rebuilding year for the PW boys (30-26), and PW Girls (28-28). CURRENT BOYS/GIRLS HEAD COACH: Jeff Blizzard. - BaseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
: 1994 State Champions. Ranked 6th best high school baseball team in the country in USA Today. In 2010, the Colonials finished in sole 2nd place with a 9-5 record in the Suburban One American conference, and earned a 1st rounnd bye in the 2010 PIAA, AAAA, District 1 Baseball playoffs as the North 4 seed, losing to visiting S5 Avon Grove, 7-1, in the second round. In 2011 the Colonials earned an 11 seed in the PIAA, AAAA District 1 Baseball Playoffs and they upset 6th seed Interboro before falling to 4th seeded Spring-Ford. CURRENT HEAD COACH: Robert Slagle Sr. - SoftballSoftballSoftball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
: As of 2011= PW has one playoff softball victory, a 3-2 9-inning victory as a 17th seed at Harry S. Truman in May 2009. Erika Miller, PW class of 2012, has pitched PW's only two NO-HITTERS, both consecutively in 2009. Rich Server retired as head coach in 2010 after 21 seasons with PW, paving the way for new head coach Dana Moyer, and assistant(Moyer's father) Harold Moyer. The 2011 Lady Colonials earned the 18th seed in the district 1 AAAA playoffs, but were eliminated, 2-4, at 15 Upper Darby. CURRENT HEAD COACH: Dana Moyer. - Boys' lacrosseLacrosseLacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
: 7-3 in league, second place finish (2007).In 2009 Sean Mclernan, Chuck Rider, and Joe Hughes(now Cabrini star) lead the Colonials to their first District 1 AAAA playoff berth. In 2010, the Colonials finished in 2nd in Suburban One American with 11 wins and 3 losses, defeating every team in the league and finished ahead of Upper Dublin for the first season in program history; in the first round of the 2010 PIAA,AAAA, District 1 Boys Lacrosse playoffs, the PW Colonials as the 20th seed lost to hos and 13th seed Downingtown West Whippets, 4 goals- 9 goals. 2011 marked the Colonials' first Suburban One American Boys Lacrosse title in PW history, playing to an undefeated 12-0 league campaign, finishing with a 14-3 regular season, PW received the 2011 20th seed, defeated 9-10 by host 13 Pennsbury from a controversial concluding three seconds in the 2011 PIAA, AAAA, D1 Boys Lax postseasonon 5/17/2011. CURRENT HEAD COACH: Phil Chang. - Girls' cross countryCross country runningCross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
: 8-1 in 2007 with the #1 runner in the league. In 2008, Katie Gorman won the Suburban One District Championships with a time of 18:42 and the Lady Colonials won first place in the team events. - Girls' lacrosseLacrosseLacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
: In 2008, the Lady Colonials recorded just 1 victory, but grabbed 5 victories in 2010. After the tragic Hit-and-Run loss of Denise Cotteta, the 2010 Lady Colonials finished with a 5-9 record in Suburban One American Conference play, missing the PIAA,AAAA, Girls Lacrosse District playoffs by 2 wins. 2011 most likely marked a schedule-conflicted 7-8 and counting regularseason for PW, most likely finishing third in Suburban One American, missing the playoffs by one seed. CURRENT HEAD COACH: Ellen Reilly. - CheerleadingCheerleadingCheerleading is a physical activity, sometimes a competitive sport, based on organized routines, usually ranging from one to three minutes, which contain the components of tumbling, dance, jumps, cheers, and stunting to direct spectators of events to cheer on sports teams at games or to participate...
: Numerous first place wins each year as well as countless bids to National competitions in Florida, Virginia, and Pittsburgh. In 2009, the Colonial Cheerleaders captured the ECA National title in Virginia. "LET'S GO COLONIALS." CURRENT HEAD COACH: Deborah Tornetta. - Field hockeyField hockeyField Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
: Lost to 22nd seeded Council Rock South in the first round of the 2007 PIAA playoffs, 2-1. Finished the 2008 season with a 9-7-1 record, 38 goals (15 in the last 3 games), and 3 hat tricks (1 by Jenny Thiess early in the season, and 1 each by Megan Piotrowicz and Haley Gorenflo on 10/10/2008). As the 16th seed in the 2008 PIAA first round playoffs, the Lady Colonials hosted 17th seed Central Bucks West on Monday October 20, 2008 at 3:30 pm on the Victory Fields. In the first round of the 2008 playoffs, the Lady Colonials lost in overtime on a penalty shot to C.B. West, 1-0. In 2009, the Lady Colonials did not qualify for the District 1 AAAA playoffs for the first season in Coach Maryanne Paperone's 17-year tenure. The Lady Colonials got back on track in 2010: finished tied for 2nd in SOA with a 9-3 league campaign, 12-7-1 overall. As the 2010 PIAA, AAA, D1 17th seed, PW defeated host 16 Unionville, 4-1, but lost to 1st seed CB South, 0-4, in the 2010 2nd round. PW finished third in SOA in 2011 (8-4, 10-6 overall), losing as the 15th seed to 18 Spring-Ford, 4-3, in the 2011 PIAA,AAA, D1 opening round. CURRENT HEAD COACH: Maryanne Paperone. - Girls' volleyballVolleyballVolleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
: Earned 17th seed in District 1,PIAA, class AAA playoffs in 2008. The lady Colonials stunned 16th seed C.B. East 3-0 in round 1, but were outnumbered by division rival and top seeded Upper Merion, 0-3. However, in 2009, the Lady Colonials were able to cap off their first 10-win season in a while as they defeated 18th seeded Counci Rock South, 3-0, as the 15th seed in the first round of district playoffs, but lost in the 2nd round to 2nd seeded Upper Merion, 1-3. 2010 marked a 12-2 Suburban One American finish for second place and the PIAA, AAA, District 1 11th seed, defeating 22 Sun Valley, upsetting six C.R. North, and were eliminated in the quarterfinals at 3 Mt. St. Joseph's. 2011= 10-4 SOA, 10-5 overall; PW earned the 29th (last) seed in the PIAA, AAA, D1 opening round by visiting 4 Strath Haven on 10/25/2011, but were swept 0-3. CURRENT HEAD COACH: Mike Nguyen. - Girls' soccer: In 2010 spring, the Lady Colonials lost their 3-string goalies due to injuries, but Megan McCreesh was able to make the transition from defender to goalie, helping the injury-proned Lady Colonials to a 7-6-1 record, just missing the PIAA,AAAA,District 1 Girls Soccer playoffs by a place in the standings and a victory. However, 2010 fall marked an incredible 13-3-1 regular season second-place SOA finish for PW, good for the 28th and final D1 AAA GSoccer playoffs at 5 Strath Haven (PW was defeated, 0-4, at Strath Haven). In 2008, the Lady Colonials had only one win. The Lady Colonials were Suburban One American co-champions at 11-1 in SOA with Upper Dublin (PW was 13-1-1 overall in regular season); moreover, the Lady Colonials earned the 15th seed in first round of PIAA, AAA, D1 playoffs by hosting 18 Bishop Shanahan on 10/25/2011, which was a 2-0 shutout loss to the Eagles. CURRENT HEAD COACH: Steve Slack.
- Ice hockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
: During the 2008-2009 season the team went 18-2-3, entering playoffs as the number 1 seed with the high powered offense of David Cox, Matt Messmer, Davy Johnson, and the defensive leader Simon Flaim. No team stood a chance against it. They won the Championship claiming their first title in the team's history. - Boys' soccer: Suburban One Liberty Boys Soccer champions in 1985, the only season in which PW boys' soccer has qualified for PIAA,District 1 soccer postseason. 9-8-2 overall in 2011, missing the district playoffs (best win streak= 7, worst losing streak= 7).
- Boys' swimmingSwimming (sport)Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
: 200 Medley Relay School Record (Lukens, Sauder, Chialastri, Kennedy 1:36:42), 400 Freestyle Relay school record (Lukens, Kennedy, Jedinak, Chialastri 3:13:00), numerous District 1 qualifiers and PIAA state qualifiers. Team finished 17th Overall in 2011 PIAA Championship. In 2011, Kyle Lukens broke a 32-year mark for the 100 butterfly with 50.49. - WrestlingWrestlingWrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
: PW's best regular season occurred in 2008 with 22 wins against three defeats. Justin Giovinco captured the PIAA, AAA state championship in 1998 and 1999 for 140 and 145. John Michael Staudenmeyer finished 43-0 along with the 171 PIAA, AAA state championship in 2011. CURRENT HEAD COACH: Nate Whacter.
Marching band
The Plymouth Whitemarsh High School Marching Band (know as the PW Marching Colonials) won National Championships in 1976, 1977 and 1978; as well as, State Championships in 1971, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979 and 1998. More recently, they were the 2007 Cavalcade of BandsCavalcade of Bands
The Cavalcade of Bands is one of many competitive band organizations in the United States and is one of several major circuits in the mid-Atlantic states . CBA was founded in the late 50's by the members of the Mid-Atlantic Judges Association and its member high schools...
American Open Class Bronze medalist. They also received the 2008 American Open Class silver medalist with a score of 93.5: behind first place Hatboro-Horsham
Hatboro-Horsham High School
Hatboro-Horsham Senior High School is a comprehensive public high school, serving grades 9 -12, located in Horsham, Pennsylvania, about 17 miles outside of Philadelphia. It is the only high school in the Hatboro-Horsham School District which includes part of Ambler as well as Horsham and Hatboro...
who received a score of 93.7. The Marching Colonials also claim the 2009 Independence Open Class silver medalist and the Silver medal winner at the 2010 state championships.
Indoor
The indoor guard competes in the Tournament of BandsTournament of Bands
The Tournament of Bands is one of the largest competitive band organizations in the United States and is one of several major circuits in the mid-Atlantic states . TOB was founded in 1972 by the National Judges Association and currently has 439 member bands...
indoor circuit and the Cavalcade of Bands
Cavalcade of Bands
The Cavalcade of Bands is one of many competitive band organizations in the United States and is one of several major circuits in the mid-Atlantic states . CBA was founded in the late 50's by the members of the Mid-Atlantic Judges Association and its member high schools...
indoor circuit. The PW Indoor Guard captured Cavalcade Championships in 2005 and 2006. The indoor drumline competes in the Mid-Atlantic Percussion Society and the Cavalcade of Bands
Cavalcade of Bands
The Cavalcade of Bands is one of many competitive band organizations in the United States and is one of several major circuits in the mid-Atlantic states . CBA was founded in the late 50's by the members of the Mid-Atlantic Judges Association and its member high schools...
indoor circuit. The PW Indoor Drumline won Cavalcade Championships in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2009. Both indoor groups also participate in Winter Guard International
Winter Guard International
Spawning from the organization Drum Corps International , Winter Guard International was founded in 1977. WGI is a visual performing arts organization that hosts regional and national competitions for color guard and indoor percussion ensembles. Contests are held in the U.S...
. The 2009 and 2010 PW Indoor Drumlines also were WGI Regional Finalists. In the 2010 outdoor season, they captured best guard at USSBA nationals in Annapolis MD. The 2011 PW Indoor Guard completed an undefeated season, earning a number one ranking in Pennsylvania and U.S.A.
Jazz
The jazz band performs for community events and participates in the Cavalcade of BandsCavalcade of Bands
The Cavalcade of Bands is one of many competitive band organizations in the United States and is one of several major circuits in the mid-Atlantic states . CBA was founded in the late 50's by the members of the Mid-Atlantic Judges Association and its member high schools...
jazz circuit. The Jazz Band won Cavalcade Division B Championships in 1999, 2000 and 2005.
Concert
The Concert Band annually performs Winter and Spring Concerts. Individual members audition to participate in District, Region and All-State Band. PW students have participated in All-State Band in 1985, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2010. The Saxophone Quartet performed in the PA Music Educators Association State Convention in 2005 and 2008. PW also hosted numerous county band festivals and District Band in 2009.Colonial Players
The Colonial Players are an extra curricular theatre program founded in 1977 that strives to produce professional-quality musicals and plays. They serve primarily to enhance live theatre performances in the local community and to give students an opportunity to express themselves. All proceeds received by the Players come mainly from the sale of tickets to productions as well as public donations and advertisement sales. Currently, the productions are directed by Mickey Engel, Melissa Downer, Valerie Cucinotta, and Brian Weiner and supported by a number of professional designers, some of whom are alumni of the program. The musical productions earn critic acclaim by the Greater Philadelphia Cappies, a high school theatre awards program, much like the Tony Awards and took home their first Cappie award in 2006 in Props and Effects for the design of an oversized piano in Big, The Musical. In 2009, the Colonial Players earned 13 Cappie nominations for their production of Little Shop of Horrors, "Best Show" being among them.In 2008, the Colonial Players prepared an original drama, titled Talking to Yourself in Public, written by Dutch Godshalk. In the 2010-2011 season, the Players presented Arthur Miller's The Crucible and Titanic the Musical.