SuburbanOneSports.com recognizes a male and female featured athlete each week. The awards, sponsored by Univest, are given to seniors of good character who are students in good standing that have made significant contributions to their teams. Selections are based on nominations received from coaches, athletic directors and administrators.
Univest’s SuburbanOneSports.com Featured Female Athlete (Week of Jan. 18, 2018)
Mackenzie Ehresman can tell you the exact date and something pretty close to the time she went down with a knee injury in the fall of her junior year, an injury that sidelined the two-sport standout a year. “It was Sept. 9, we were playing soccer, we were playing Pennridge,” the Central Bucks South senior said. “It was a 3:30 game, and we played quarters that day because it was so hot. It was the third quarter or even later.” The diagnosis four days later confirmed that Ehresman had torn the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee. The junior captain, who had surgery on Oct. 6, was out of action the remainder of a dream soccer season that saw the Titans advance to the PIAA 4A state title game.
A four-year starter and two-year captain, Ehresman would have been key to the Titans’ magical postseason run, but without a trace of bitterness, she manages to put a positive spin on the experience. “It gave me a different perspective not being able to play, but it was awesome just cheering for my team,” she said. “For them to go so far, it was awesome.” Ehresman is one of those special athletes who just might be valued as much for who she is as for what she does. Or perhaps it’s the perfect combination of both that sets the South senior apart.
Beth Mattern calls her senior forward a difference maker on this year’s successful basketball squad. “She’s just really a versatile player, and I think that’s what makes her the X factor for us. Sometimes I refer to her as our heart and soul because she’s so involved and so competitive, and the competitive nature she brings just really helps drive the team.” That’s high praise for an athlete who lists basketball as her ‘other sport.’ Ehresman is committed to continue her soccer career at St. Joseph’s University. “I can’t wait to see her future unfold,” Bullock said. “She’s an absolute pleasure to coach. She’s disciplined, respectful, hardworking and responsible. She was a very positive team captain, leading by example and encouraging others.”
Ehresman received the soccer team’s ‘Player’s Player’ award, an award voted on by her teammates that is given to the “ultimate team player.” Listening to Mattern talk about her senior captain, it’s safe to say she’d be in the running for a similar award for the basketball squad. “She is someone everyone loves,” the Titans’ coach said. “For as competitive as she is on the basketball court, she is the sweetest soul off the court. She’s very mild-tempered and really an awesome person who everyone wants to be around.”
A member of the National Honor Society, Ehresman is active in school life and was on the Color Wars committee for South’s Mini-Thon, she was captain at Black versus Blue Night and – when she can – is involved with Athletes Helping Athletes and Titans Connect.
To read Ehresman’s complete profile, please click on the following link: http://www.suburbanonesports.com/featured-athletes/female/mackenzie-ehresman-0075405
Univest’s SuburbanOneSports.com Featured Male Athlete (Week of Jan. 18, 2018)
In his time as the head wrestling coach at Wissahickon, Anthony Stagliano has worked with four of the school’s nine wrestlers to reach 100 career wins. Nick Senderling, Stagliano says, is different than them all. Senderling has had quite the journey in his wrestling career, which actually didn’t start at Wissahickon. Senderling spent his freshman season at Archbishop Carroll but eventually made his way back to Wissahickon and Stagliano for his sophomore campaign. “It was a big boost to the program, getting a kid that good,” the Trojans’ coach said. “We were a team in need.” Senderling started wrestling in high school at just 113 pounds. But as he got older, he got bigger and stronger, ascending to wrestle at 138, then 152, then 160 and even times at 170. As he continued to rise in weight, Stagliano noticed something about his pupil: his level of consistency never dipped.
“That’s not easy to do,” the Wissahickon coach said. “Kids who start at a lower weight don’t always seem as good when they go against bigger kids who have always been that size. Whenever Nick jumped weight, he was just as good, if not better than he was before. To be as successful at 138 as 113 – it just doesn’t happen. He’s just one of those rare guys who comes along and has all the things needed to be great.” Recently, Senderling – who has been wrestling at less than 100 percent - became the ninth member of Wissahickon’s 100-win club. He has been one of Stagliano’s captains each of the past two seasons, and although he is not a vocal, rah-rah leader, Senderling leads by example, and getting results even while injured sums up both the wrestler and the person.
“Nick does the right things on the mat,” Stagliano said. “He knows how to do the little things like make weight, and while he may struggle here and there, he never shows it. He knows what to do and when to do it. Being not 100 percent healthy, he’s actually impressed me more this year than in the past. He’s won some tough matches just by gutting it out when other guys would have bagged it.”
Senderling, who has his sights set on either finance or accounting as a major, is involved in Wissahickon’s Fan Club. As part of his senior project, Senderling helped coach young wrestlers at the Greater Norristown Wrestling Club. “I’ve always wanted to give back, which is why I chose that for my senior project,” he said. “To be able to give back and coach kids that are 5, 6, 7 years old, it’s super cool to see them develop. I don’t really look at it as extra work because I just really enjoy the sport of wrestling that much.”
To read Senderling’s complete profile, please click on the following link: http://www.suburbanonesports.com/featured-athletes/male/nick-senderling-0075392
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