Souderton Area High School

Souderton Area High School
Souderton Area High School logo
School Founded	--
Team Established	2013
History	--
City	Souderton, Pennsylvania
Team Colors	Red and White
Principal	Dr. Sam Varano
Head Coach	Phil Cerami (2013-pres)
Associate/Other Head Coach(es)	Cynthia Sieracki (2013-2014) Sue Newlin (2014-15) Sarah Ulmer (2015-2017) Carolyn Scott (2018-pres) Sally Cushmore (2022-pres)
National Championships	--
State Championships	3 (2018, 2021, 2023)
Regional/County Championships	6 (2018, 2020-2024)
Region/County Location	Eastern Pennsylvania
Highest Finish	1st Eastern PA, 1st PA State, 9th National Finals
School Website	sahs.soudertonsd.org

Souderton Area High School has been competing in Academic Decathlon since 2013.

Since its founding as a program in 2013, the team has won 5 regional titles and 3 PA State titles. Souderton has represented Pennsylvania 5 times at the national level, including the National Finals and E-Nationals.

Souderton Academic Decathlon is highly supported by Souderton Area School District educators and the Souderton Area Education Association, providing both financial and structural support for the team's success.

Note on 2021: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, regionals in PA were conducted without speech and interview. For the purpose of recordkeeping and recognizing achievements by individual students and teams, the following methodologies are used:

1) Team scores have 10,000 points added to them to account for speech and interview, a norm that has been established in this community.

2) Individual scores for students are made proportional to 10,000 points by averaging scores and multiplying by 10.

Team History

• National Rank is based on Round 3 state scores compiled on ADSIC.
• Preseason and Round 1 Rank is based on rank amongst schools in PA at that competition.

Year	Theme	Preseason	Score	R1	Score	Reg	Score	State	Large	Score	National	Rank	Score	National Rank	Medals
2013	Russia	3rd	19,243	2nd	20,686	2nd	33,801	5th	4th	35,534	Lrg E-Nats	3rd	34,899 (24,899)	115th	48
2014	World War I	2nd	19,529	3rd	21,278	2nd	33,889	5th	4th	35,983	--	--	--	132nd	83
2015	New Alternatives in Energy: Ingenuity and Innovation	2nd	20,192	2nd	20,834	2nd	33,809	7th	4th	35,625	--	--	--	151st	55
2016	India	2nd	24,570	2nd	26,689	2nd	39,758	3rd	3rd	42,262	--	--	--	88th	130
2017	World War II	2nd	24,672	2nd	25,395	2nd	38,918	4th	4th	41,092	--	--	--	85th	114
2018	Africa	1st	27,135	1st	28,697	1st	42,235	1st	1st	42,791	Natl Finals	16th	42,182.8	75th	210
2019	The 1960s: A Transformational Decade	1st	23,361	1st	22,380	2nd	34,844	6th	5th	37,248	--	--	--	150th	69
2020	In Sickness and In Health: An Exploration of Illness and Wellness	2nd	20,974	1st	24,071	1st	39,240	3rd	3rd	39,240	Lrg E-Nats	--	--	87th	97
2021	The Cold War	1st	23,128	1st	27,383	1st	44,097 (34,097)	1st	1st	44,224 (34,224)	Natl Finals	12th	39,568.6	41st	224
2022	Water: A Most Essential Resource	1st	20,767	1st	24,170	1st	38,740	2nd	2nd	40,312	Lrg E-Nats	3rd	39,522.1 (29,522.1)	39th	218
2023	The American Revolution	1st	24,777	1st	28,540	1st	39,779	1st	1st	43,120	Natl Finals	9th	40,223.0	28th	309
2024	Technology and Humanity	1st	23,117	1st	24,876	1st	39,344	2nd	2nd	40,874	Lrg E-Nats	4th	37,292.5 (27,292.5)	40th	242
2025	Our Changing Climate	1st	25,434	1st	27,136	1st	41,648	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	119

National Event Highest Scoring Student Scholarship Winners

Year	Student	Score	Division	Event
2023	Marcus Smith	7,908.0	Honors	National Finals
2022	Ty Platow	6,162.3 (7,703)	Honors	Large E-Nationals
2021	Andy Swartley	8,756.4	Honors	National Finals
2018	Josh Martin	8,009.0	Honors	National Finals
2013	Hirsh Sisodia	5,219 (6,524)	Honors	Large E-Nationals

National Event Most Valuable Team Member Scholarship

Year	Student	Division	Event
2023	Ashley Caputo	Honors	National Finals
2021	Sylvia Stanell	Honors	National Finals
2018	Em Bieck	Honors	National Finals

All-State Members

Year	Student	Division	Place	Score
2024	Ahsan Rahman	Honors	3rd	7,752
2024	Aaron Jones	Scholastic	3rd	7,281
2023	Marcus Smith	Honors	2nd	8,025
2023	Shane Raab	Scholastic	1st	7,211
2023	Nolan Hughes	Scholastic	2nd	6,865
2023	Andy Cruz	Varsity	1st	7,219
2023	Josh Ubele	Varsity	2nd	6,524
2023	Gabe Smola	Varsity	3rd	6,384
2022	Ty Platow	Honors	3rd	7,909
2022	Andy Cruz	Varsity	2nd	6,443
2021	Andy Swartley	Honors	1st	9,097 (7,277)
2021	Sylvia Stanell	Honors	2nd	8,386 (6,709)
2021	Jude Kane	Scholastic	1st	7,781 (6,225)
2021	Zander Jenkins	Varsity	3rd	6,148 (4,918)
2018	Josh Martin	Honors	1st	8,347
2018	Christian Pensabene	Scholastic	1st	7,375
2018	Shane Fairweather	Varsity	1st	6,786
2017	Jerry Zheng	Honors	1st	8,431
2017	Jarod Olson	Honors	3rd	8,360
2016	Stephen Sherlock	Varsity	3rd	6,817
2016	Stephen Dietrich	Scholastic	3rd	7,366

Scores Above 7,000

Year	Student	Division	Competition	Score
2021	Andy Swartley	Honors	States	9,097 (7,277)
2025	Ahsan Rahman	Honors	Regionals	8,435
2017	Jerry Zheng	Honors	States	8,431
2021	Sylvia Stanell	Honors	States	8,386 (6,709)
2017	Jarod Olson	Honors	States	8,360
2018	Josh Martin	Honors	States	8,347
2025	Giovanni Iervolino	Honors	Regionals	8,311
2021	Ty Platow	Honors	Regionals	8,122 (6,498)
2023	Marcus Smith	Honors	States	8,025
2021	Jude Kane	Scholastic	States	7,781 (6,225)
2018	Christian Pensabene	Scholastic	Nationals	7,564.4
2014	Lucas Masin-Moyer	Honors	States	7,493
2018	Misty Zheng	Honors	Regionals	7,430
2018	Em Bieck	Honors	States	7,425
2025	Aaron Im	Scholastic	Regionals	7,367
2016	Stephen Dietrich	Scholastic	States	7,366
2020	Alexis Pittman	Scholastic	Regionals	7,332
2016	Dan Prongay	Honors	Regionals	7,301
2025	Maddy Zhang	Scholastic	Regionals	7,296
2024	Aaron Jones	Scholastic	States	7,281
2023	Ashley Caputo	Honors	States	7,276
2017	Sarah Priller	Honors	States	7,248
2023	Andy Cruz	Varsity	States	7,219
2023	Shane Raab	Scholastic	States	7,211
2025	Henry Dang	Honors	Regionals	7,155
2014	Grant Welby	Honors	States	7,100
2024	Alex Espenship	Scholastic	States	7,095
2023	Kyle Berdy	Honors	States	7,077
2025	Trina Nguyen	Scholastic	Regionals	7,025
2018	Sahara Grinkewitz	Scholastic	States	7,008.9

Souderton Records

Individual Overall

Honors

Place	Student	Score	Year	Round
1	Andy Swartley	9,097 (7,277)	2021	States
2	Ahsan Rahman	8,435	2025	Regionals
2	Jerry Zheng	8,431	2017	States
4	Sylvia Stanell	8,386 (6,709)	2021	States
5	Jarod Olson	8,360	2017	States

Scholastic

Place	Student	Score	Year	Round
1	Jude Kane	7,781 (6,225)	2021	States
2	Christian Pensabene	7,564.4	2018	Nationals
3	Aaron Im	7,367	2025	Regionals
4	Stephen Dietrich	7,366	2016	States
5	Alexis Pittman	7,332	2020	Regionals

Varsity

Place	Student	Score	Year	Round
1	Andy Cruz	7,219	2023	States
2	Stephen Sherlock	6,817	2016	States
3	Shane Fairweather	6,786	2018	States
4	Josh Ubele	6,524	2023	States
5	Mitch Jellen	6,429	2018	Regionals

Literature

Honors

Place	Student	Score	Year	Round
1	Jerry Zheng	940	2017	States
1	Andy Swartley	940	2021	States
3	Ty Platow	920	2022	Round 1
4	Marcus Smith	900	2022	Regionals
5	Josh Martin	840	2018	Round 1
5	Misty Zheng	840	2018	States
5	Sylvia Stanell	840	2021	States

Scholastic

Place	Student	Score	Year	Round
1	El Ross	920	2023	Round 1
2	Jude Kane	840	2021	States
3	Christian Pensabene	800	2018	Scrimmage
4	Alexis Pittman	780	2019	Regionals
5	Matt Bieck	760	2020	Regionals
5	Shane Raab	760	2022	Round 1

Varsity

Place	Student	Score	Year	Round
1	Andy Cruz	880	2023	Round 1
1	Zander Jenkins	840	2021	States
3	Shane Fairweather	740	2018	Regionals
4	Carter Wilson	680	2021	States
5	James Nyce	660	2016	ASL
5	Thomas Updike	660	2022	Round 1

Art

Honors

Place	Student	Score	Year	Round
1	Marcus Smith	960	2023	States
2	Ty Platow	945.5	2022	Nationals
3	Lucas Masin-Moyer	940	2014	States
3	Andy Swartley	940	2021	Round 1
3	Alex Espenship	940	2024	Regionals
3	Ahsan Rahman	940	2024	States

Scholastic

Place	Student	Score	Year	Round
1	Shane Raab	940	2023	States
1	Aaron Im	940	2025	Regionals
3	Alex Espenship	900	2024	States
4	Alexis Pittman	880	2020	Regionals
5	Jude Kane	860	2021	Regionals

Varsity

Place	Student	Score	Year	Round
1	Andy Cruz	840	2023	Regionals
1	Josh Ubele	840	2023	States
3	Carter Wilson	780	2021	Round 1
4	Lucas McDonough	760	2024	Regionals
5	Zander Jenkins	720	2021	States

Music

Honors

Place	Student	Score	Year	Round
1	Sylvia Stanell	1,000	2021	States
1	Andy Swartley	1,000	2021	States
3	Ty Platow	940	2021	Round 1
4	Marcus Smith	900	2023	Round 1
5	Giovanni Iervolino	880	2025	Round 1

Scholastic

Place	Student	Score	Year	Round
1	Jude Kane	860	2021	Nationals
1	Shane Raab	860	2023	States
3	Aaron Jones	820	2024	Regionals
4	Aaron Im	800	2025	Round 1
5	Christian Pensabene	760	2018	States

Varsity

Place	Student	Score	Year	Round
1	Shane Fairweather	840	2018	States
1	Andy Cruz	840	2023	Round 1
3	Lucas McDonough	720	2024	States
4	Zander Jenkins	680	2021	Regionals
4	Josh Ubele	680	2023	Nationals

Mathematics

Honors

Place	Student	Score	Year	Round
1	Josh Martin	1,000	2018	States
2	Jarod Olson	971	2017	Regionals
2	Giovanni Iervolino	971	2025	Regionals
4	Sarah Priller	914	2017	Scrimmage
4	Jerry Zheng	914	2017	Scrimmage
4	Andy Swartley	914	2021	Regionals

Scholastic

Place	Student	Score	Year	Round
1	Brett Cornman	1,000	2018	Nationals
2	Christian Pensabene	971	2018	Nationals
3	Aaron Im	885	2025	Regionals
4	Aaron Jones	868	2024	States
5	Michael Hibbert	857	2016	Round 1

Varsity

Place	Student	Score	Year	Round
1	Dominic Puppo	828	2019	Preseason
2	Gabe Smola	771	2023	States
3	Matt Ruth	742	2016	ASL
4	Louis Mottley	685	2013	ASL
4	Angel Pham	685	2019	Preseason

Economics

Honors

Place	Student	Score	Year	Round
1	Jerry Zheng	980	2017	Preseason
2	Jarod Olson	940	2016	Preseason
2	Dan Prongay	940	2016	States
4	Andy Swartley	920	2021	Regionals
5	Sylvia Stanell	900	2020	Preseason
5	Ahsan Rahman	900	2025	Regionals

Scholastic

Place	Student	Score	Year	Round
1	Stephen Dietrich	920	2016	Regionals
2	Michael Hibbert	900	2016	Regionals
3	Christian Pensabene	880	2018	Nationals
4	Trina Nguyen	820	2025	Round 1
5	Aaron Im	800	2025	Regionals

Varsity

Place	Student	Score	Year	Round
1	David Sherwood	800	2017	States
2	James Nyce	780	2016	ASL
3	Stephen Sherlock	740	2016	States
3	Dominic Puppo	740	2019	Preseason
4	Lucy Mottley	700	2013	States
4	Jaden Nguyen	700	2025	Round 1

Science

Honors

Place	Student	Score	Year	Round
1	Jarod Olson	980	2017	States
2	Ashley Caputo	940	2023	Round 1
2	Marcus Smith	940	2023	Round 1
4	Jerry Zheng	920	2016	Scrimmage 2
4	Andy Swartley	920	2020	Regionals

Scholastic

Place	Student	Score	Year	Round
1	Stephen Dietrich	920	2016	ASL
2	Ryan Schlipf	860	2020	Preseason
3	Aaron Jones	840	2024	Regionals
3	Matt Bieck	840	2020	Preseason
5	Ella Slater	820	2020	Preseason
5	Jeffrey Lee	820	2020	Preseason
5	Trina Nguyen	820	2025	Round 1

Varsity

Place	Student	Score	Year	Round
1	Gunther Druker	940	2014	ASL
2	David Sherwood	920	2016	ASL
3	Stephen Sherlock	800	2016	Scrimmage 2
3	Matthew Ruth	800	2016	Scrimmage 2
3	James Nyce	800	2016	Regionals

Social Science

Honors

Place	Student	Score	Year	Round
1	Sylvia Stanell	960	2021	Regionals
1	Andy Swartley	960	2021	States
1	Ahsan Rahman	960	2024	Regionals
4	Jerry Zheng	940	2017	States
4	Marcus Smith	940	2021	Round 1
5	Ty Platow	920	2021	Regionals

Scholastic

Place	Student	Score	Year	Round
1	Jude Kane	940	2021	Nationals
2	Alex Espenship	860	2024	States
3	Shane Raab	840	2022	Round 1
3	Aaron Jones	840	2024	Regionals
5	Aswad Hossain	820	2017	Regionals
5	Alexis Pittman	820	2020	Round 1

Varsity

Place	Student	Score	Year	Round
1	Stephen Sherlock	860	2016	States
2	David Sherwood	820	2017	States
2	Zander Jenkins	820	2021	States
4	Andy Cruz	800	2022	States
4	Thomas Updike	800	2022	States

Essay

Honors

Place	Student	Score	Year	Round
1	Andy Swartley	1,000	2021	States
2	Sylvia Stanell	975	2021	States
3	Jarod Olson	945	2017	States
4	Ahsan Rahman	925	2024	States
5	Ty Platow	900	2021	States

Scholastic

Place	Student	Score	Year	Round
1	El Ross	950	2023	Regionals
2	Maddy Zhang	913	2025	Regionals
3	Brett Cornman	907	2018	States
4	Alden Thiriot	905	2013	States
5	Erik Michael	904	2015	States

Varsity

Place	Student	Score	Year	Round
1	Mitch Jellen	995	2018	Regionals
2	Hannah Fairweather	930	2018	Regionals
3	James Nyce	915	2016	States
4	Josh Ubele	913	2023	States
5	Dominic Puppo	900	2019	States

Speech

Honors

Place	Student	Score	Year	Round
1	Kyle Wetzler	1,000	2014	Regionals
2	Ahsan Rahman	985	2025	Regionals
3	Josh Martin	955	2018	Regionals
4	Hirsh Sisodia	940	2013	Regionals
4	Marcus Smith	940	2023	Regionals

Scholastic

Place	Student	Score	Year	Round
1	Alexis Pittman	930	2020	Regionals
2	Clarissa Thiriot	905	2013	Regionals
2	Stephen Dietrich	905	2016	Regionals
4	Stephen Sherlock	900	2015	Regionals
5	Ryan Schlipf	880	2020	Regionals

Varsity

Place	Student	Score	Year	Round
1	Andy Cruz	955	2023	States
2	Hannah Fairweather	940	2018	Regionals
3	Josh Ubele	920	2023	States
4	Mitch Jellen	900	2018	Regionals
5	Nick Leiss	860	2020	Regionals

Interview

Honors

Place	Student	Score	Year	Round
1	Jarod Olson	1,000	2017	Regionals
2	Lucas Masin-Moyer	970	2015	Regionals
3	Ashley Caputo	945	2023	Nationals
4	Grant Welby	940	2014	Regionals
4	Andy Swartley	940	2020	Regionals
4	Marcus Smith	940	2023	Nationals
4	Ahsan Rahman	940	2025	Regionals

Scholastic

Place	Student	Score	Year	Round
1	Sahara Grinkewitz	995	2018	Interview
2	Stephen Sherlock	980	2015	States
3	Matt Ruth	960	2016	Regionals
4	Shane Raab	955	2023	Regionals
5	Tom Cassidy	950	2014	States
5	Alexis Pittman	950	2020	Regionals

Varsity

Place	Student	Score	Year	Round
1	Mitch Jellen	1,000	2018	Regionals
2	Andy Cruz	995	2023	Nationals
3	David Sherwood	985	2017	Regionals
4	Connor Grunewald	965	2018	Regionals
5	Jaden Nguyen	937	2025	Regionals

Historical Medal Leaderboards

Place	Student	Medals	Graduation Year
1	Ahsan Rahman	77	2025
2	Marcus Smith	68	2023
3	Andy Cruz	61	2023
4	Shane Raab	53	2023
5	Jerry Zheng	51	2017
5	Andy Swartley	51	2021
	Jude Kane	49	2022
	Aaron Jones	44	2024
	Giovanni Iervolino	43	2025
	Ty Platow	40	2022
	Mitch Jellen	37	2018
	Sylvia Stanell	36	2021
	Aaron Im	36	2025
	Sahara Grinkewitz	35	2018
	Alexis Pittman	34	2020
	Lucas Masin-Moyer	34	2015
	James Nyce	34	2016
	Jarod Olson	34	2017
	Christian Pensabene	34	2018
	Emma Derstine	33	2022
	Kevin Hahn	33	2023
	David Sherwood	32	2017
	Josh Martin	32	2018
	Ryan Markus	31	2027
	Josh Ubele	30	2023
	Lucas McDonough	28	2024
	Danny Mays	27	2022
	Will Canavan	27	2024
	Stephen Dietrich	25	2016
	Stephen Sherlock	25	2016
	Zander Jenkins	24	2021
	Carter Wilson	24	2021
	El Ross	24	2023
	Gunther Druker	23	2014
	Shane Fairweather	23	2018
	Mahreen Parvez	23	2023
	Connor Grunewald	22	2018
	Isaac Brown	22	2024
	Caroline Stout	22	2026
	Dominic Puppo	21	2019
	Thomas Updike	21	2022
	Ashley Caputo	20	2023
	Misty Zheng	19	2018
	Trina Nguyen	19	2025
	Levi Lewis	17	2023
	Alex Espenship	17	2024
	Nate Soucier	17	2025
	Maddy Zhang	16	2025
	Jaden Nguyen	16	2025
	Jackson Fuhrman	15	2014
	Michael Hibbert	15	2016
	Brett Cornman	15	2018
	Clarissa Thiriot	14	2013
	Matt Ruth	14	2016
	Em Bieck	14	2018
	Grant Welby	13	2014
	Dan Prongay	13	2016
	Ryan Schlipf	13	2021
	Nolan Hughes	13	2023
	Lucy Mottley	12	2013
	Colin Carmody	12	2020
	Joe DePolo	12	2022
	Gabe Smola	12	2023
	Sam Cottom	12	2024
	Kyle Berdy	11	2023
	Gideon Pham	11	2027
	Aswad Hossain	9	2017
	Sarah Priller	9	2017
	Isaiah Sgro	9	2018
	Alexa Peters	9	2021
	Henry Dang	8	2025
	Angel Pham	7	2019
	Maddie Undercuffler	7	2022
	Maya Herrlinger	7	2027
	Sarah Heckman	6	2019
	Grover Washington	6	2023
	Alexander Steele	6	2025
	Kyle Wetzler	5	2016
	Emily Brong	5	2014
	Rohan Mehta	5	2021
	Noah Tencza	5	2021
	Jeffrey Lee	5	2021
	Matt Bieck	5	2021
	Colton Skinfill	5	2025
	Rahul Hegde	5	2024
	Hirsh Sisodia	4	2016
	Christian Zeller	4	2024
	Sofia Huang	4	2027
	Logan Sauerwald	4	2025
	Tom Cassidy	3	2014
	Mike Ragaini	3	2014
	Frank Holloman	3	2020
	Tyler Lisius	3	2022
	Cayla Sulikowski	3	2019
	Drew Landis	3	2021
	Dmitri Cwynar	3	2023
	Kim Rothenberger	3	2024
	Kaylin Scanlon	3	2024
	Jason Nguyen	3	2025
	Sam Grinkewitz	2	2022
	Madhura Dahale	2	2023
	Matt Malanga	2	2024
	Colin Harrison	2	2024
	Erik Michael	2	2015
	Nick Leiss	2	2020
	Ryan Dunlevy	2	2022
	Matthew Kennedy	2	2026
	Jenna DeCarme	2	2024
	Elizabeth Schindele	2	2027
	Sydney Trilling	1	2018
	Sarina Holinka	1	2015
	Nathan Zeiger	1	2016
	James Beldham	1	2015
	Alden Thiriot	1	2015
	Alex Rush	1	2017
	Zoe Jones	1	2016
	Patrick Eisert	1	2017
	Neethu Saji	1	2017
	Tyler Apple	1	2018
	Prem Patel	1	2021
	Annabel Cunningham	1	2022
	Simon Hershberger	1	2023
	Amanda Do	1	2023
	Jack Metzger	1	2023
	Carter Wright	1	2024
	Quincy Canavan	1	2028
	Aayan Tahmid	1	2025

Total SAHS Medals, All Time: 1,955