Injury-plagued Malvern holds Haverford to just six points though unable to score in first loss of season
MALVERN -- Malvern fell 6-0 to Haverford on homecoming Saturday, which handed them their first loss of the season in their second Inter-Ac matchup of the year.
With Skyler Smith out for the year with a knee injury, freshman Jackson Melconian was forced to step up in the biggest game of the year for the Friars -- and while he did go 6-for-11 through the air, the Friars weren't able to grab one first down all day and racked up four turnovers to go along with it.
On the second play of the game, Ryan Falkenstein went down, and not too far after that, he was seen on the sidelines with crutches. Later in the affair, Yaahdir Nash was carted off the field after taking a big hit from Haverford.
"I don't want to make injuries an excuse," Malvern head coach Dave Gueriera said after the loss.
"I definitely thought we could have played better. I think they're a good football team and we didn't take advantage of any opportunities that we had offensively," he continued. "I thought we played well defensively as we have all year. I just think sometimes, that's how it goes."
Malvern held Haverford to six points, which came from a pair of field goals. The Fords missed a pair of field goal attempts -- though the other pair that split the uprights were the ultimate outlier.
"It was a physical, defensive game," Gueriera said. "Both teams just trying to make a play here and there. Unfortunately, we couldn't make a play."
Malvern has a trio of games still left on their schedule, with their last away matchup of the season coming this week against Germantown Academy.
"Losing stinks ... We got three more games left though and you never know what happens -- we just have to play better."
State rankings: It's undefeated Episcopal Academy taking Malvern's No. 2 spot in the state, while Haverford passes the Friars at the third slot -- though Malvern doesn't fall too far down as they fall to just No. 4 in Pennsylvania.
Inter-Ac implications: With that, the Inter-Ac is likely between Haverford and Episcopal Academy.
In order for Malvern to win the title, they need Haverford to lose two out of their next three against Penn Charter, Germantown Academy, and EA, and to win out.
Quinn Riley '25
| Malvern Prep Friars Football Schedule | ||
| W/L | ||
| 6-1 | ||
 |
Sept. 2nd / 6pm at LaSalle Explorers W 35-0 Final |
W 35-0 Final |
 |
Sept. 9th / 7pm at Archbishop Wood Vikings W 21-3 Final |
W 21-3 Final |
 |
Sept. 16th / 7pm vs. Imhotep Charter Panthers W 17-13 Final |
W 17-13 Final |
 |
Sept. 23rd / 7pm vs. Roman Catholic Cahillite W 10-0 Final |
W 10-0 Final |
 |
Oct. 7th / 7pm vs Delaware Military Academy Seahawks W 31-0 Final |
W 31-0 Final |
 |
Oct. 15th / 2pm at William Penn Charter Quakers W 35-0 Final |
W 35-0 Final |
 |
Oct. 22nd / 1pm vs Haverford Fords L 0-6 Final |
L 0-6 Final |
 |
Oct. 29th / 1:30pm at Germantown Academy Patriots |
|
 |
Nov. 5th / 1pm vs Episcopal Academy Churchmen |
|
 |
Nov. 11th / 6pm vs Springside Chestnut Hill Academy Blue Devils |
|
| Haverford Football Schedule | ||
|---|---|---|
| W-L | ||
| 7-0 | ||
 |
Sept. 2nd / 3pm vs Bonner Prendergast HS W 14-12 Final |
W 14-12 Final |
 |
Sept. 10th / 1pm at Academy Park Knights W 32-18 Final |
W 32-18 Final |
|
Sept. 16th / 7pm at La Salle College Explorers W 21-7 Final |
W 21-7 Final |
|
Sept. 23rd / 7pm vs Archbishop Wood Vikings W 35-11 Final |
W 35-11 Final |
 |
Oct. 1st / 2:30pm vs Landon Bears W 44-7 Final |
W 44-7 Final |
|
Oct. 15th / 1pm vs Springside Chestnut Hill Academy Blue Devils W 28-7 Final |
W 28-7 Final |
 |
Oct. 22nd / 1pm at Malvern Prep Friars W 6-0 Final |
W 6-0 Final |
|
Oct. 29th / 2pm vs William Penn Charter Quakers |
|
|
Nov. 5th / 2pm vs Germantown Academy Patriots |
|
|
Nov. 12th / 2:30pm vs Episcopal Academy Churchmen |
|
| Team | W/L Conference | W/L Overall | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Episcopal Academy |
2-0 | 7-0 |
|
Haverford School |
2-0 | 7-0 |
|
Malvern Prep |
1-1 | 6-1 |
|
Germantown Academy |
1-1 | 6-1 |
|
William Penn Charter |
0-2 | 4-3 |
|
Springside Chestnut Hill Academy |
0-2 | 3-4 |
| Springside Chestnut Hill Academy Football Schedule | ||
|---|---|---|
|
||
| W-L | ||
| 3-4 | ||
 |
Sept. 2nd / 3pm vs Martin Luther King W 48-16 Final |
W 48-16 Final |
 |
Sept. 9th / 7pm vs Northeast High School L 12-14 Final |
L 12-14 Final |
 |
Sept. 16th / 7pm vs Cheltenham Panthers L 6-7 Final |
L 6-7 Final |
 |
Sept. 23rd / 7pm at Hill School Rams W 27-13 Final |
W 27-13 Final |
 |
Oct. 7th / 1pm at Father Judge W 40-21 Final |
W 40-21 Final |
|
Oct. 15th / 1pm at Haverford School Fords L 7-28 Final |
L 7-28 Final |
|
Oct. 22nd / 1pm vs Germantown Academy Patriots L 32-42 Final |
L 32-42 Final |
|
Oct. 28th / 7pm vs Episcopal Academy Churchmen |
|
|
Nov. 5th / 2pm vs William Penn Charter Quakers |
|
|
Nov. 11th / 6pm at Malvern Prep Friars |
|
| Haverford Football Schedule | ||
|---|---|---|
|
||
| W-L | ||
| 7-0 | ||
|
Sept. 2nd / 3pm vs Bonner Prendergast HS W 14-12 Final |
W 14-12 Final |
|
Sept. 10th / 1pm at Academy Park Knights W 32-18 Final |
W 32-18 Final |
|
Sept. 16th / 7pm at La Salle College Explorers W 21-7 Final |
W 21-7 Final |
|
Sept. 23rd / 7pm vs Archbishop Wood Vikings W 35-11 Final |
W 35-11 Final |
|
Oct. 1st / 2:30pm vs Landon Bears W 44-7 Final |
W 44-7 Final |
|
Oct. 15th / 1pm vs Springside Chestnut Hill Academy Blue Devils W 28-7 Final |
W 28-7 Final |
|
Oct. 22nd / 1pm at Malvern Prep Friars W 6-0 Final |
W 6-0 Final |
|
Oct. 29th / 2pm vs William Penn Charter Quakers |
|
|
Nov. 5th / 2pm vs Germantown Academy Patriots |
|
|
Nov. 12th / 2:30pm vs Episcopal Academy Churchmen |
|
| Episcopal Academy Schedule | ||
|---|---|---|
|
||
| W-L | ||
| 7-0 | ||
 |
Sept. 2nd / 6:30pm vs Conwell-Egan Catholic Eagles W 34-8 Final |
W 34-8 Final |
 |
Sept. 9th / 7:30pm at Cardinal O'Hara Lions W 42-7 Final |
W 42-7 Final |
|
Sept. 16th / 7pm vs Hill School Rams W 42-7 Final |
W 42-7 Final |
 |
Sept. 23rd / 7pm vs All Saints Episcopal TX W 51-10 Final |
W 51-10 Final |
 |
Sept. 30th / 7pm vs Blair Academy Bucs W 49-7 Final |
W 49-7 Final |
|
Oct. 15th / 1:30pm at Germantown Academy Patriots W 49-7 Final |
W 49-7 Final |
|
Oct. 21st / 7pm vs William Penn Charter Quakers W 48-7 Final |
W 48-7 Final |
|
Oct. 28th / 7pm vs Springside Chestnut Hill Academy Blue Devils |
|
|
Nov. 5th / 1pm at Malvern Prep Friars |
|
|
Nov. 12th / 2:30pm vs Haverford School Fords |
|
| Germantown Academy Schedule | ||
|---|---|---|
|
||
| W-L | ||
| 6-1 | ||
 |
Sept. 2nd / 12pm at Simon Gratz Charter Bulldogs W 28-0 Final |
W 28-0 Final |
|
Sept. 10th / 1:30pm vs Hill School Rams W 28-21 Final |
W 28-21 Final |
 |
Sept. 17th / 1:30pm vs Olney Trojans W 37-6 Final |
W 37-6 Final |
|
Sept. 24th / 2:30pm vs Blair Academy Bucs W 35-12 Final |
W 35-12 Final |
 |
Oct. 1st / 2pm at Peddie Falcons W 37-27 Final |
W 37-27 Final |
|
Oct. 15th / 2pm vs Episcopal Academy Churchmen L 7-49 Final |
L 7-49 Final |
|
Oct. 22nd / 1pm at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy Blue Devils W 42-32 Final |
W 42-32 Final |
|
Oct. 29th / 1:30pm vs Malvern Prep Friars |
|
|
Nov. 5th / 2pm at Haverford School Fords |
|
|
Nov. 12th / 1:30pm vs William Penn Charter Quakers |
|
| Wiliam Penn Charter Schedule | ||
|---|---|---|
|
||
| W-L | ||
| 4-3 | ||
 |
Sept. 3rd / 12pm at Neumann-Goretti Saints W 21-0 Final |
W 21-0 Final |
|
Sept. 17th / 3pm vs Blair Academy Bucs W 17-13 Final |
W 17-13 Final |
|
Sept. 23rd / 4pm vs Father Judge Crusaders W 28-6 Final |
W 28-6 Final |
 |
Sept. 30th / 3:30pm vs Kiski School Cougars W 40-26 Final |
W 40-26 Final |
 |
Oct. 8th / 3pm vs Lawrenceville School Big Red L 10-31 Final |
L 10-31 Final |
|
Oct. 15th / 2pm vs Malvern Prep Friars 0-35 Final |
0-35 Final |
|
Oct. 21st / 7pm at Episcopal Academy Churchmen L 7-48 Final |
L 7-48 Final |
|
Oct. 29th / 2pm vs Haverford School Fords |
|
|
Nov. 5th / TBA at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy Blue Devils |
|
|
Nov. 12th / 1:30pm at Germantown Academy |
|
