As Moravian Academy students attempt to maintain their grades throughout the final weeks before the winter holiday break, an additional air of stress settles in as seniors send in their college applications and wait for many early decision results.

Senior Eleanor Kenyon was one of the first seniors to receive positive results this fall. She applied to St. Lawrence University and found out just two weeks ago that she would be spending the next four years at her dream school.

“It is a huge relief to be done with the application process and I feel like I can truly enjoy my final year on the Merle Smith campus.”

While college applications are underway, the Moravian Academy Quiz Bowl team prepares to play Emmaus HS in the first round of the Scholastic Scrimmage this evening (Dec. 7). Moravian Academy defeated Emmaus in the same bout last year.

In the winter, Moravian Academy’s emphasis and appreciation of the arts shines through as the annual Moravian tradition of Vespers is celebrated. Campus music groups includeing chamber singers, handbells and quartet groups create a musical event that comes to a close with the lighting of beeswax candles. Central Moravian Church basks in the warm light of candles while young Moravian students have the opportunity to perform “Morningstar” as selected soloists.

The fall sports season came to close with a historic win by the Moravian Academy Varsity boys soccer team. They managed to take home the single A state championship title after a hard fought game against their out of conference rival, Winchester Thurston. The boys received an outstanding level of support from their classmates as the school provided transportation for any fans wishing to support the team. Senior Captain and forward Trey Sheeler scored both goals of the game including the golden goal during a stressful, yet rewarding, double overtime.

Sheeler said, “Scoring the goal in double overtime to win the state championship felt incredible. Going into the season, we knew we had our work cut out for us. We had lost a significant amount of seniors from the year before, which gave many younger players the opportunity to step into leadership roles.

“We had so many players, especially underclassmen, make huge leaps in their technical abilities over the course of the season, which was a large part of why we were able to win states this year.” Trey committed to continuing his athletic and soccer career at Lehigh University and while the soccer team will sorely miss him, they wish him the best of luck.

Moravian Academy student AJ Lozano took advantage of the sports team relationship established with Notre Dame G.P and played an integral role in the success of the football season. He was recently given the honor of All Conference First Team after returning to the team.

The junior was ecstatic and said, “It was an amazing surprise and I’m glad that the effort I put in throughout the season paid off for not only me, but the whole team. By the end of the season the team felt like a family and I only wish we could play together one more time.”

Moving into the winter sports season with high hopes of achieving records similar to that of the teams in the fall season, the basketball teams have been lifting and preparing for a tough season ahead.

Senior Captain Tayden Miller is hopeful for a good season as he believed the team “looked great in the preseason and [they} have a bunch of players showing what it takes to be leaders.” Miller stated that the team is exhibiting higher confidence when compared to last season and he thinks they will perform well in the 2022-23 season.

As a long break approaches and what has been a strenuous year comes to a close, Moravian students look forward to sports competitions, holiday festivities and final homework assignments.