As the 2024 fall sports season came to a close, Springside Chestnut Hill Academy was able to celebrate three athletes who were named Inter-Ac League Most Valuable Player in their respective sports. Sophomore Ryleigh Bakley received the honor in soccer, senior Colleen Conlan in field hockey, and junior Leah Thomas in tennis.

After Springside Chestnut Hill graduated 13 players from its 2022 Inter-Ac championship soccer team, midfielder Ryleigh Bakley was part of a very talented Class of 2027 that began to rebuild the program. The Blue Devils tied for second place in 2023 and then won the 2024 title with a 10-2 record.

Bakley recorded five goals and six assists this fall, and more than that, she was a key connector in the middle of the field and a facilitator of the offense as a whole. Seemingly tireless, she always seemed to have energy on tap when the team needed her. Her older sister, Katie, was a track athlete at Mount St. Joseph Academy ('23).

Field hockey goalie Colleen Conlan has started for the Blue Devils since she was an eighth-grader, along with her twin sister Devyn, a forward. She amassed 900 career saves, including 283 in her senior season. As a junior, she was named to the All-Inter-Ac First Team and was an All-State selection.

Conlan has won a national club championship in her age division with the WC Eagles, and last winter she played for the U.S. Women's Indoor National Team in an international series against Ireland. Both she and her sister will go on to play for the University of Massachusetts.

Junior Leah Thomas has held down the number one spot on the SCH tennis team since she was a freshman, often going up against older, more experienced players. She led a youth movement in the sport for the Blue Devils, with two of her classmates rounding out the singles flights.

As an 11th-grader this fall, she went undefeated, winning all of her matches in straight sets and losing a total of just 32 games all season long. She's been an All-Inter-Ac pick since her freshman year.