On November 4, Falcons will descend upon the rural campus of Blair Academy to compete in the 120th year of New Jersey’s greatest prep school rivalry. After last year’s commanding 6-4 win featuring comebacks and controversy, will the Falcons finish off the Buccaneers again? With another historic season from girls tennis and cross country, a resurgence in field hockey and uncertainty in soccer and football, it’s looking like this Blair Day will be one for the ages. The Buccaneers will certainly be back for revenge. Who will command the Cup?
Cross Country – Peddie Win (Boys + Girls)
Cross Country is dominating the MAPL this season, beating contenders Lawrenceville and Hill in dual meets. Despite Blair having the League’s best individual cross-country runner in Isaac Greene, Peddie XC clearly takes the rest of the points with their immense depth, especially in the junior class. Currently, the Falcons boast multiple runners with under 18-minute 5Ks, including Baker Pott ʼ25, Dylan Patel ʼ25 and Jack Stewart ʼ25. Matilda Kardhashi ʼ25 and Courtney Cane ʼ25 are also having great seasons. This is a surefire win for the Falcons, both boys and girls.
Girls Tennis – Peddie Win (Varsity + Junior Varsity)
Varsity and JV Girls Tennis had dominating seasons with 9-0 and 9-2 records, respectively. After a strong showing at Prep A Tournament and placing third, girls tennis is hungry for their final win. Meanwhile, the Buccaneers’ varsity put up a respectable 5-4-1 record; however, it is no match for the Falcons. Tennis sweeps.
Girls Soccer – Blair Win (Varsity) + Peddie Win (Junior Varsity)
Last year’s Varsity Girls Soccer game will go down into the depths of Blair Day lore as a remarkable comeback from a 1-0 deficit and from injury. This year, girls soccer is near the .500 mark with a 5-7 record. Blair’s varsity girls carry an 8-2 record and defeated the Falcons 2-1 earlier this season. They are also on a 5 game win streak, vanquishing MAPL opponents Mercersburg and Hill in the process. For this reason and the results of the prior battle between the Falcons and Buccaneers earlier this season, a close game is predicted and possibly a Blair win. In regards to junior varsity, based on their 4-4 record and Blair’s 2-4 record (with their only wins coming against Hill), a close Peddie win can be predicted.
Boys Soccer – Tie (Varsity) + Peddie Win (Junior Varsity)
Varsity Boys Soccer will be the hardest to predict this fall. Peddie and Blair have near .500 records and achieved similar results against MAPL opponents. Both teams have lost to Hill and won handily against Mercersburg. This year’s Peddie team is propelled by post-grad Jorge Mayorga ʼ24 and freshman standout Christian Tharney ʼ27, with a supporting cast composed of seniors and sophomores. Due to the close standings between both teams, a tie or an extremely close game is predicted. For junior varsity, one can easily refer to their records; Peddie has won one more game than the Buccaneers (2-4 and 1-6-1 records, respectively), and so it can be predicted that they’ll win in a gritty match.
Field Hockey – Blair Win (Junior Varsity and Varsity)
After a 2-17 record last season, field hockey is definitely making a comeback this season with a 5-6 record. Strong performances from all grade levels have elevated the squad and shown vital signs of growth for next year. Varsity Field Hockey played Blair in a midseason NJSIAA Prep A quarter-finals but sadly lost 13-3. While the team has made strong strides this season, there is still a long way to go before beating the recent Prep A champs. Blair might have the upper hand in both varsity and junior varsity matches, but the Falcons are known for their determination against tougher opponents.
Football – Blair Win (Varsity)
Currently, the Falcons stand at a 2-5 record, while the Buccaneers are at .500 with 3-3. Both Peddie and Blair started the football season off similarly: blowout wins and losses. For the Falcons, that meant destroying Kiski and ANC, while for the Bucs, it included wins against Kipp Cooper Norcross and Kiski as well. Both teams also lost to Germantown Academy in convincing fashion. However, in these past few weeks, the Falcons have dropped winnable games against Hill and Pennington, the former of which the Buccaneers blew out 2 weeks later. However, it is important to note that Hill did not have their starting quarterback. The Falcons also have a lot of depth and talent in the junior class, with strong defensive performances from Eric Cho ’25, Brock Shaubel ’25 and Nate Bush ’25. The game will be much closer than records show, but the Hill result and recent injuries to the team can’t be ignored either.
In conclusion, I believe that the Falcons will eke out with the Cup once again in a very close 6-5 fashion. Peddie and Blair’s teams are especially closely matched in boys and girls soccer, so the result could go any way. Football can also win against the Buccaneers under the right circumstances. But we will only find out what really will happen on November 4, 2023.
