Thanks to our continued partnership with Univest Financial, SuburbanOneSports.com will once again recognize a male and female featured athlete each week. The recognition is given to seniors of high character who are students in good standing that have made significant contributions to their teams or who have overcome adversity. Selections are based on nominations received from coaches, athletic directors and administrators.
Univest’s SuburbanOneSports.com Featured Female Athlete (Week of Feb. 6, 2023)
In many ways, Abigail Massari is no different than any other high school senior. She draws strength from her friends, listens to Luke Combs and Calum Scott, and is eyeing a career in social media. But there is nothing regular about Massari and her ongoing journey. At the tender age of 13, just two weeks after running in a track meet and showing no ill effects, she began experiencing some nausea and her mother, Kerri, took her to the pediatrician. While stress was suspected as a root cause, an MRI was suggested just to “rule out worst-case scenarios.” Recalled her mother: “I was, like, ‘What is a worst-case scenario?’ I had no idea. We had never set foot in CHOP before May of 2018. We got the MRI two days later, and we never left CHOP for 55 long days.”
That’s when Abigail was diagnosed with one of those worst-case scenarios, a slow growing brain tumor in her brain stem. In the intervening four-and-a-half years, Abigail has undergone four brain surgeries and a year of traditional chemotherapy and is now in a second year of oral chemotherapy. The first brain surgery left Abigail in a wheelchair. Nonetheless, the goal – short- and long-term – was to keep working toward getting better and staying positive. “We did not view this as a death sentence in any way,” said Kerri. “That’s not how our family operates. It was a diagnosis that we can work with. People hear the term ‘brain tumor’ and think it means you are going to be dead in a year. That’s not at all what her doctors expect for her, and certainly not what I expect for her. The hope and the plan is that these types of tumors tend to control themselves once kids get into their mid-twenties. It is not always the case, but it is certainly what we are aiming for – to keep her alive and well and happy.”
Kerri went on to explain that the diagnosis of a Grade 1 tumor, which she calls the “best-case scenario of a horrible diagnosis,” means that her daughter can not only survive the present but thrive in the future. “They feel very strongly that there are options for her controlling it, exactly like we are doing now,” she explained. “We have been doing oral chemotherapy for a year and a half, and it has been doing its job, thank God. There have been many who have lived many years with a brain tumor, especially the kind that she has. It’s just tough getting there. I’m realistic, but I’m also very positive about what we hope is her outcome.”
For her part, Abigail’s attitude has been a major key in her quest for wellness. Her favorite quote is: "When life changes to be harder, change yourself to be stronger." She said: “I love this quote because it is exactly how I have had to be since my diagnosis. I have had to be stronger ever since then and determined to get better and work harder than ever and it is paying off because I am so much better than I was four-and-a-half years ago.” One vital decision the family made was to keep sending Abigail to school – sans an extended period after COVID --- as often as possible (sometimes treatments and/or bouts with severe fatigue get in the way). “Emotionally, it would kill her,” said Kerri of Abigail not attending school. “She really likes school. She likes to be with her friends. The biggest thing, in these last four-and-a-half years, is that she is telling herself to live. Now, we have to allow her to live. If we are going to quarantine her and isolate her to our home, then what are we doing all of this for? We take greater measures than the average family, but we have allowed her to go school.”
That’s not to say it has been easy. “Abigail has never allowed this disease to define her or change the course of her life,” said Kerri. “She continues to live her life to the fullest and pushes through extreme sickness and fatigue, while most of her peers aren’t even aware of it. She has mastered the ability to compartmentalize this, yet not take opportunities with friends and family for granted.”
There is a saying at Springfield High School: Spartan Strong. It has been exemplified by the perseverance shown by Abigail, who has not let her diagnosis stop her from being a vital member of the cheerleading squad. She will do whatever it takes. Said Joe Ferraro, the athletic director: “I’ve had the pleasure of knowing her since she entered our high school. Abby came into our building battling a brain tumor which compromised her ability to walk. She often used motorized devices to navigate our hallways. Despite her battle, and chemotherapy treatment, Abby never failed to have a positive attitude. Despite her circumstance, she continued to support our programs, cheering alongside her teammates. She is an inspiration to our community and continues to show everyone what it means to be Spartan Strong.”
Taylor Gravel was the assistant cheerleading coaching last year and has been the head coach this year. She has been amazed by Abigail’s maturity and grace during her struggle. A cheerleader at Temple, she is among Abigail’s biggest fans. “I have had the pleasure of coaching her for the last two years,” said Gravel. “Throughout those two years, she has had some ups and downs. She is still undergoing treatment – chemotherapy – for it, but she always been super positive and does whatever she can whenever it is possible. Physically, and mentally, I know it can take a big toll. The age that they are at, in high school, and having that physical ability taken away from her, I can’t even imagine the mental toll that it must take on her. But, you know, she handles it with such grace. It’s truly remarkable and inspiring.”
When Senior Night came this fall, the Springfield cheerleaders were joined by the Philadelphia Eagles cheerleaders to fete Abigail. “This was one of my favorite nights of my career as an athletic director,” said Ferraro. “To see the excitement from our students, our cheerleaders, our football players - and Abby and her family - it was unforgettable.”
To read the remainder of Massari’s remarkable story, please click on the following link: https://www.suburbanonesports.com/featured-athletes/female/abigail-massari-00104968
Univest’s SuburbanOneSports.com Featured Male Athlete (Week of Feb.6, 2023)
Ryan Hass is a firm believer that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts – that everyone needs to embrace their role if a team is to be successful. Of course, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t circumstances where one person can make all the difference. The Pennridge senior – a 3-point specialist in basketball and Second-Team All-League first baseman in baseball – points to one recent instance where things might have turned out differently with one minor roster change. “If I played for the Phillies in Game 5, the Phillies would have won the World Series,” Hass said. “Replace Rhys Hoskins with me, and the Phillies would have won. I would have struck out four times just like he did, but I wouldn’t have made those errors. So the Phillies would have won Game 5 and gone on to win the World Series. You heard it here first.” It’s a statement Hass makes with tongue planted firmly in cheek. And as his coaches and teammates can attest, Hass is known for his sense of humor as much as he is for his love of being a part of a team. “Ryan doesn’t take himself too seriously,” said Pennridge boys’ basketball coach Dean Behrens. “He’s very down to earth, very funny. He’s always positive, always gets the guys going.”
“Ryan is so genuine and so likeable,” said Rams’ baseball coach Craig Whitten. “This is the funniest kid I’ve ever coached in 12 years of coaching. He looks like a goofball and says goofy things, he likes to have a good time. But he’s really intelligent. He’s a great student and he’s a smart player.” Above all else, Hass just loves to play. Whether it’s on the court or on the diamond, Hass understands his role on the team, will do whatever is asked of him to help his team be successful, and wants to have fun with his teammates while doing so. “He's been the perfect role player for us,” Behrens said. “Ryan comes off the bench as our sixth or seventh man, he knows he’s going to get minutes each night, and you wouldn’t be able to tell in practice the next day if he played 32 minutes or 2 minutes. He always brings good energy, good body language, he’s everything you want to see in a player. Hass isn’t just the “glue” on the court, he quite literally kept the team together during a rough stretch last winter when Covid and injuries severely depleted the Pennridge boys’ basketball team roster. “Last year was a tough year for us,” Behrens said. “We had a couple weeks with 11 guys total between JV and varsity. There were a couple nights where Ryan played eight quarters. He played the full JV game and then the full varsity game. We would joke with Ryan, ‘If you could, you’d play 12 quarters – four in the freshman game, four JV, four varsity. He just loves to play.”
Now in his final season on the hardwood for the Rams, Hass and his classmates have the added responsibility of being the leaders for the younger players. It’s a role he’s embraced. The seniors’ leadership has been a big factor in a season that is exceeding expectations. Pennridge entered the season looking to pick up 12 wins to give Behrens his 300th victory at the helm. They will finish no worse than .500 in the ultra-competitive Colonial Division, and the team is eyeing a run in the District playoffs and has hopes of a berth in the PIAA 6A State tournament. “It’s really important to set a good example of what to do and how to act for the younger kids,” Hass said. “I got that a lot as a sophomore with the seniors who showed me how to play Pennridge basketball and what it was all about. It takes 18 guys to win. I’m a person who values winning. I want to win no matter what. I knew going into the season that I wasn’t going to have a huge role. I’m one of the biggest believers in roles on a team. A lot of guys make teams unsuccessful because people don’t know their roles: ‘I want to do this … I want to start.’ While that might be what you want, what you want isn’t always what’s best to help the team. If you want to do what’s best for your team, you have to accept your role. I’ve always been pretty good at knowing my role and accepting it.”
Take that attitude and add an unquestioned work ethic and constant desire to improve, and it makes Hass an ideal representative for his teams, his school, and his community. “He’s a great example for our program. Ryan is everything we want our program to be about,” Behrens said. “The way he behaves in the community, in school, and on the court and fields, he’s a great example of a student-athlete."
To read the remainder of Hass’ story, please click on the following link: https://www.suburbanonesports.com/featured-athletes/male/ryan-hass-00104981
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