Bonner-Prendie’s freshman Skylar Rothley, seen in a game earlier this season, scored 10 of her 12 points in the third quarter in a 41-30 win over Archbishop Ryan Tuesday night. (Pete Bannan – MediaNews Group)
By Matt Smith
It has taken some time, but the Bonner & Prendergast girls basketball team is building a winning foundation again.
Developing a successful program is especially difficult in the Philadelphia Catholic League, which is the premier high school basketball conference in the state. Tom Stewart, a Delco Athletes Hall of Famer, knows this better than most, now in his 50th season as a head coach and 31st at Prendie. He’s seen it all.
He’s optimistic about the potential of his freshman class, particularly rising stars Kayla Epps, Skylar Rothley and London Tyler, who are helping put the Pandas back on the map.
Guiding their growth on the court are senior forwards Taylor Eagan and Melanie Standen, along with senior guards Emily Riehl and Amaya Cash, a senior guard who transferred from Haverford High.
The Pandas last made the state playoffs five years ago, advancing to the PIAA Class 4A quarterfinals before the pandemic brought the season to an abrupt halt. Their last appearance in the Catholic Leagues was 2022. Last season, the Pandas improved from two wins the previous year to eight.
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