MFS Accepted Into Burlington County Scholastic League Effective Winter 2023-24
Moorestown Friends School (MFS) Upper School athletics teams will enter the Burlington County Scholastic League (BCSL) beginning in Winter 2023-24. The school was recently notified of acceptance and will become the 21st BCSL member.
“This is exciting news for our community,” said Director of Athletics Danielle Dayton. “The BCSL is simply a great fit for our athletics program. Our student-athletes and coaches will enjoy more local competition that will now be even more meaningful as we’ll have the opportunity to forge healthy rivalries with area schools and compete for BCSL division championships against South Jersey schools, many of whom we have previously faced in non-league and state playoff competition.”
BCSL President and Delran High School Athletic Director Anthony Guidotti welcomed Moorestown Friends School into the league. “Due to the positive relationships that most of the BCSL has with Moorestown Friends School, it is with great pleasure that our conference voted unanimously for Moorestown Friends School to join us during the 2023-2024 school year as a full member. We look forward to many years of a wonderful partnership with a school whose athletes and coaches always carry themselves with class and professionalism. The addition of Moorestown Friends School makes the BCSL a stronger conference, without question.”
Moorestown Friends School will depart the Friends Schools League (FSL) after the Fall 2023 season having spent 43 years as a founding member. “Change is never easy and this is bittersweet as we have strong relationships with our peer schools in the Friends Schools League,” said Dayton. “We had an MFS Athletics League Membership Committee which worked through this decision and sought community feedback. We carefully reviewed the advantages of joining the BCSL and it became very apparent that this move would be in the best interest of our student-athletes now and in the future. The Friends Schools League will forever be a treasured piece of our 238-year school history and we hope to continue to face many FSL schools in non-league competition.”
Head of School Julia de la Torre also shared excitement for entry into the BCSL, as well as fondness for the school’s history in the FSL. “This is very exciting in many ways for our community, but it is impossible not to also be sad at the same time as we move on from a league that has hosted competition for multiple generations of our students.” she said. “The BCSL will provide great local competition and will allow all of our teams to compete at an appropriate level to provide challenge and joy to our student-athletes. It has become clear to me from our committee conversations, and in speaking with many members of our community, that the BCSL will be a great home for our athletic program.”
The Burlington County Scholastic League is currently comprised of 20 member schools. League competition in most sports is divided into two, three, or four divisions, depending on the sport, with divisions formed based on a combination of school size and competitive history in each respective sport. Current member schools are: BCIT Medford, BCIT Westampton, Bordentown, Burlington City, Burlington Township, Cinnaminson, Delran, Doane Academy, Florence, Holy Cross, Maple Shade, New Egypt, Northern Burlington, Palmyra, Pemberton, Pennsauken, Riverside, STEM Civics, Trenton Catholic, and Willingboro.
Moorestown Friends sponsors the following varsity sports: Girls’ Cross Country, Boys’ Cross Country, Field Hockey, Girls’ Soccer, Boys’ Soccer, Girls’ Tennis, Girls’ Basketball, Boys’ Basketball, Girls’ Swimming, Boys’ Swimming, Girls’ Fencing, Boys’ Fencing, Baseball, Boys’ Tennis, Girls’ Lacrosse, Boys’ Lacrosse, and Coed Golf. Swimming and Fencing are not sponsored by the BCSL. MFS is pursuing membership in the South Jersey Swimming League and Fencing teams will continue to compete as independents in preparation for NJSIAA postseason competition.
MFS teams will continue to compete in the Friends Schools League through Fall 2023.