Anchors aweigh: Madelyn Berry heads to Naval Academy as Smithfield High’s first female midshipman

Pipeline from WPIAL to Naval Academy Adds Three Commitments

Several WPIAL football players have gone on to find great success at the Naval Academy in recent years. Two of those athletes are Mt. Lebanon’s Eli Heidenreich and Alex Tecza, who combined for 19 touchdowns for a 10-3 team in 2024. That pipeline from the WPIAL to Navy is growing after three more 2026 prospects announced their commitment to the program in the past week. Avonworth lineman Peter Bonnet, Moon athlete Braeden Stuart and Trinity lineb…

Anchors aweigh: Madelyn Berry heads to Naval Academy as Smithfield High’s first female midshipman

While most of Smithfield High School’s college-bound 2025 graduates spend one last summer together in their hometown before heading to their respective schools, cross country standout Madelyn Berry is already starting the next chapter of her life as a Navy midshipman. Less than two weeks after walking across the stage to receive her diploma, Berry left for Annapolis, Maryland. She’s the first Isle of Wight County Schools graduate in 25 years to …