Penn Charter

Joe Larkin was patient and waited for his golden arm to find its rhythm. After Penn Charter's sophomore lefthander hit two of his first three batters, went wild on two throws, and buried three pitches in the dirt in the first inning of yesterday's Inter-Ac opener against Episcopal Academy, he went on to tally his fourth win in four starts. With Larkin striking out seven batters and allowing only three hits, the Quakers came from behind to defeat Episcopal, 13-4, at Penn Charter.

In the last few years of Penn Charter basketball, it's been "In Sam we trust. " Sam Zeglinski, the Quakers' pistol of a point guard, has been the go-to guy for both teammates and opponents alike. The trust, however, had to extend from both directions, especially after Penn Charter suffered through a brutal nonleague schedule. It was brutal because of the high level of competition and because the talented Quakers went a disappointing 5-10. But the Inter-Ac League began its season yesterday, and Zeglinski showed chunks full of trust as he and his teammates steamrollered over Episcopal Academy, 59-39, in the final game of a tripleheader at Arcadia University.

Germantown Academy coach Bill Caum sat on the bench minutes after the Patriots had beaten host Penn Charter, 16-14, Saturday in the biggest game of the season for both teams. The Inter-Academic League season finale in the nation's oldest continuous schoolboy rivalry was over, and Caum was as relieved as he was happy that his favored Patriots (8-2 overall, 3-1 league) were able to hang on for the win. Penn Charter (4-5, 2-2), which had controlled the line of scrimmage for most of the game, had failed to convert on fourth and 2 from GA's 31-yard line with 49 seconds to play.

Penn Charter and Atlantic City both were losers yesterday in the Seagull Classic at Holy Spirit High. Penn Charter, facing Miami Lakes in a semifinal, dropped a 77-63 decision, and Atlantic City went down, 66-62, in a consolation-round game. Penn Charter (10-2) had defeated Atlantic City, 56-49, Friday in the opening round. Miami Lakes (8-1) was led by 6-foot guard Chris Corchiani, who scored 32 points, and 6-7 forward Sean Byrd, who added 21. The Trojans shot a blistering 65 percent from floor, compared with 42 percent by Penn Charter, which was led by 6-foot guard Leon Caldwell.

Michael X. Brown, a do-everything type of player for Penn Charter's football team, has committed to St. Francis in Loretto, Pa. The senior said he "felt at home" on his visit to St. Francis and was happy with the scholarship offer he received. For Penn Charter, the 5-foot-8, 160-pound Brown was a quick-footed running back, safety and kick returner. He rushed for 600-plus yards and scored seven touchdowns last season while helping the Quakers to a 5-5 record. Chris Villarrial, a former NFL offensive lineman, was named St. Francis' head coach last month.

Jim Phillips equates the success of the Penn Charter boys' basketball team with a few simple steps: Defend. Rebound. Run. Score. "The key for our team is to defend," said the Quakers coach following yesterday's 66-53 victory over Germantown Academy in an Inter-Academic League contest. "If we're able to defend, we're able to rebound. If we're able to rebound, we're able to run. If we're able to run, we have success. " The Quakers (18-3 overall, 6-0 Inter-Ac) have followed that formula against all kinds of teams this season.

The first half didn't amount to much. Penn Charter, on two series, moved the football, but trotted to the locker room at halftime with only a 3-0 advantage against Malvern Prep in their Inter-Ac League opener Friday. For its part, Malvern ran just one play in the second quarter - a botched snap resulting in quarterback Thomas Rumer losing a fumble - and its largest gain of the half came on an 11-yard run by tailback Shawn Wilson. But something happened in the Friars' locker room at intermission.

Today's riddle is, how can a baseball game conclude the instant a pitcher hits an opposing player in the hand with the ball? Yesterday, if you had attended the game - twice halted for "lightning delays" - between Penn Charter and host Malvern Prep that decided the Inter- Ac League championship, you would know the answer. We take you to the home seventh. Penn Charter leads, 8-3. Malvern has runners on first and second with two away. Jeff Spencer is at bat. Suddenly, pitcher Paul Murphy whips a throw toward first baseman Dave Nanni.

Like Malvern Prep's baseball team, which is closing in on another Inter-Ac League title, Nick Bateman likes to drive in the fast lane. Exhibit A is Bateman's baby, a souped-up 2005 Ford Mustang. "I like the way it sounds, the color [red], the feel of the ride," he said. On Friday, Bateman, a senior centerfielder and four-year fixture in the starting lineup, helped steer the visiting Friars to an 8-2 victory over Inter-Ac rival Penn Charter. The 6-foot, 185-pounder went 1 for 3 with an RBI. He provided a sacrifice fly in the third inning and hit a double-play groundout to second base that resulted in a run in a four-run fifth.