It’s no secret that LM’s morale around the football team has been low in recent years. Captain Jack Diamondstein ’24, starting left guard and defensive tackle, recalls that entering the season, “everyone thought we were going to do bad.” This mindset even extended to the team itself, as they lost some very notable players last season such as Xavier Archawski ’23, who is now playing Division I football at the United States Military Academy. Heading into the season, no one could have predicted the success the team would have. This season, the LM football team finished with a conference record of 6-4, their first winning record and their best in the past five years.
The team’s atmosphere and training regimen this season has had immediate differences. Diamondstein notes that “there’s always been bad blood between each other,” and “the team [is] overall closer to each other than in years before.” This stems from fourth year head coach Joseph Augustine’s emphasis on “putting the fun and enjoyment back into the game.” Thus, Augustine implemented more team-bonding activities early in the season. On the technical side, the team has watched more film throughout the season in preparation for individual games. None of this could have been possible without a cohesive coaching staff, who Augustine describes as having “a very positive relationship.” As the preseason progressed, Augustine felt that the Bulldogs were capable of performing at a level the team hadn’t reached in years.
The Bulldogs’ season started off eventful, to say the least. With fourteen seconds left in the season opener against Bensalem, the Bulldogs ran a halfback pass that connected for a 54-yard touchdown to win the game. While the Bulldogs spirits were high after stunning Bensalem, much of the school still had their doubts. According to Diamondstein, “everyone thought we were gonna lose.” Despite all odds, an overtime win secured the Aces’ legitimacy. However, the Bulldogs’ hot streak only lasted so long. After a loss to Wissahickon, the Aces fell to Ridley, Springfield, and Garnet Valley, three tough Central League opponents. Fortunately, the Bulldogs were able to put an end to this slump by beating Penncrest.
In their next game, Haverford got an early lead, but LM fought back all night. With forty seconds left in regulation, Lehigh University commit and starting quarterback, safety, and Captain, Mekhai Smith ’24 made a remarkable play, avoiding a sack and throwing a dot to Captain Ben Booker ’24 in the endzone to send the game into overtime. After scoring on the first overtime play, the defense came up with a huge stop on Haveford’s two-point conversion attempt for the win. Augustine recognized that they made a statement with this win, and despite their record, the team was “playing [at] a much higher level.” Next, the Aces absolutely dominated Harriton with a 63-20 win. The team began with a monstrous 49-14 lead at halftime. It was never a contest, as the entire team knew they were going to win. After their loss the next week to a very good Conestoga team, only one opponent remained: Radnor.
Heading into the game, the team hadn’t taken home the “Radnor Trophy” in fourteen years, but the team was confident entering their final game. Augustine felt his “plan [was] solid,” and that they felt “good going into” the game. Diamondstein made the importance of the Radnor game abundantly clear. He plainly stated, “We need to win. That is by far the biggest thing. We need to beat this team. We need to prove everyone wrong.” From the very first play, it was all LM. The offense featured numerous impressive connections between Smith and wide reciever Declan Mack ’24. Booker went on to score multiple rushing touchdowns, and Captain Andrew Cook ’24 also reached the end zone. On the defensive side, the Bulldogs let almost nothing through. With a score of 35-6 at half, the game was already decided. The story was more of the same in the second half as the Aces would, after a long time waiting, bring home the Radnor Trophy with a final score of 56-12. This win was a perfect way to cap off this season for LM.
This season feels like the beginning of something new. The team mentality has shifted so that teammates support each other. When asked who in particular has contributed most to the team’s success, Diamondstein replied, “I feel like everyone in the starting lineup has done their job in order to win. If you want someone to highlight, highlight the entire team.” In the face of constant doubt by opponents and fans alike, the team has won clutch games. For the first time in almost a decade and a half, the Bulldogs took home the Radnor Trophy. Things seem to be looking up for the LM football team.
