March 9, 2006 Issue                                               

©2006 The Chestnut Hill Local

Chestnut Hill Academy rejoins Inter-Ac Football

Chestnut Hill Academy, a member of the Inter Academic League, is pleased to announce that beginning with the 2006 season, it will compete in the Inter-Ac in football again. CHA withdrew from the Inter-Ac during the 1972 season because its small class size hindered its ability to field a competitive team. An original member of the league, CHA has competed in the Inter-Ac with success in other league sports and looks forward to the opportunity to compete in football in what is widely regarded as the top prep-school league in the country.

For the last 19 years, CHA has played football in the Independence League and has been very successful, winning 12 championships along the way. This past season, the Blue Devils dominated the Independence League outscoring their opponents 245-28 on the way to their third consecutive title and their second straight undefeated IFL campaign. Athletic Director Mark Burke commented, “We have enjoyed competing in the IFL, and we thank all of the IFL member schools for many years of competition and sportsmanship. But now it is time for CHA to rejoin the Inter-Ac and see how our program measures up to the best that the area has to offer. We feel that the Inter Academic League is where we belong. We would also like to thank the Inter-Ac schools for welcoming us back with open arms.”

CHA Head Coach, Rick Knox, is no stranger to the Inter-Ac. Before taking the helm at his alma mater CHA in 2004, Knox led Episcopal to its first Inter-Ac football championship since 1983. Knox knows the challenges ahead and hopes that in time his current team can achieve similar success. “This will be a great challenge for our program, but one that we feel we are ready for. All of the coaches and players are excited and ready to work hard to help us take the next step in an extremely competitive league.”

In recent years CHA, an independent Pre-K through 12th grade school for boys, has increased its enrollment to a level that enables it to compete in the Inter Academic League in football. “We have been considering this move for years, and now we are excited to see this becoming a reality. This is just part of our commitment to make CHA the premier boys school in the Philadelphia area,” said CHA Headmaster Frank Steel.