LebCo Male Athletes of the Week: Aidan & Tyler Mahaffey (Week Ending May 26, 2024)

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Aidan & Tyler Mahaffey

On the afternoon of May 25th, Aidan and Tyler Mahaffey did something that no other Doubles Tennis players had ever done when they won their 3rd straight PIAA State Championship. The victory capped a storied career for the twins from Palmyra, who will now move on together into the college ranks, having cemented their legacy within the pantheon of the greatest athletes in the history of LebCo. It should not be surprising that the LebCoSports.com community honored the achievements of the Mahaffeys by voting them as the LebCo Male Athletes of the Week.

While the State Championships will be their collective hallmark, the level of success Aidan and Tyler achieved together is downright impressive. Together, they were 79-2 in their career, having won the Mid Penn and District 3 titles each of their four years playing at the varsity level. In fact, after their freshman year, the pair did not lose a match.

While the two are twins, they do have different personalities that complement each other nicely. In terms of their different style of play, Tyler said, “Aidan is a fiery player. I’m more relaxed. We are able to support one another and keep a competitive spirit this way.” Aidan added, “We very well understand how to play together and understand each other’s patterns.” This level of understanding between the brothers helped them get through many tough matches over the years.

One of their biggest challenges came during this year’s State Semifinals when they went down 4-1 in the first set. They came back to win the set, 7-5, before winning the second set by a score of 6-1. The brothers pointed to the fan section they had supporting them to rally. Tyler summed it up by saying, “The support of our friends and family helped propel us through when we fell behind in our opening match.”

The State Champs surrounded by their teammates

In Singles play, Aidan finished his career going 80-5 and was named the Penn Live Boys Tennis Player of the Year three times. With additional Doubles matches not played with his brother, Aidan’s career record was 161-7/ He had not lost a Singles match since his freshman year until Tyler defeated him to win the Mid Penn Championship, an event he won both years prior.

Tyler’s record as a Singles player ended with an 85-4 record, giving him an overall record of 168-6. Two of those losses were to Aidan in the Mid Penn Singles Championship Finals in 2022 and 2023 before claiming the crown for himself this year. He finished his career as the winningest player in the history of Palmyra Tennis.

Outside of winning the State Championships, Tyler listed the team’s run to the State Semifinals in 2022 as their greatest accomplishment. With the two brothers leading the way, the Cougars were very tough to defeat these last four seasons. Palmyra went 56-14 over that period and twice won the Mid Penn Keystone Division. The team also won at least a share of the LebCo Tennis Championship each year, with two of the victories being outright.

How do two brothers develop a deep love for tennis and the chemistry that allows them to perform at such a high level? The brothers are quick to point out that they credit their parents, Abbie and Keith Mahaffey, who met while playing college tennis. While both parents have been instrumental in the development of their sons as solid young men and dynamic tennis players, Abbie has had the distinct role of serving as their head coach. This is a role she has held at Palmyra for thirteen seasons, with Keith serving as her assistant.

Speaking on behalf of her and her husband, Coach Mahaffey said, “Keith and I are so proud of these two – as coaches and as parents. Their high school tennis careers were different than most, playing not only with their twin but also with their parents as their coaches. I’m sure that wasn’t always the easiest for them.”

She went on to say, “For us to see our kids set goals, put in work, experience setbacks while learning how to overcome and work through those challenges, and then meet those goals is so special. They will be greatly missed on the tennis courts at Palmyra High School!”

Aidan and Tyler are both set to attend Lafayette College next Fall, where they will continue playing tennis. Both are stellar students and are ranked in the top five in Palmyra’s Class of 2024. They are both planning to study to become attorneys, with Aidan leaving the door open for a possible career in politics.

Something additional to note about the brothers is that, besides tennis, they both list soccer as their favorite sport. Aidan also noted an affinity for running and has recently begun logging runs of up to thirteen miles.

With so much of athletics being about much more than wins and losses, Coach Mahaffey said of her two star pupils, “While we are so proud of their tennis accomplishments, we are most proud of the young men they have become and of how they represent themselves, their family, their team, their school, and their community on and off the court. We look forward to seeing both Aidan and Tyler continue to grow at Lafayette College as tennis players, as students, and as young men.”

We join their coaches/parents in wishing Aidan and Tyler all the best as they begin the next chapter of their lives. We will be watching closely and have little doubt that they will continue to impress in everything they do.

Photos taken from Palmyra Boys Tennis Facebook

Fox 43 recently interviewed the Mahaffeys. Check it out, right here.

Articles about the LebCo Female Athletes of the Week, Kendall Cooper & Kaddel Howard will be published soon

For a full list of this week’s nominees, check out: Athlete of the Week Voting:  May 20 – May 26

Previous Winners

Ethan Spang (Weeks of March 11th, 18th)

Paxton Thomas (Weeks of March 11th, 18th)

Sam Kolacek (Week of March 25th)

Tyler Burgess (Week of April 1st)

Andrew Via (Week of April 1st)

Zac Frentz (Week of April 8th)

Gavin Bicher (Week of April 15th)

Chad Keller (Week of April 22nd)

Tyler Shunk (Week of April 22nd)

Adrian Gonzalez (Week of April 29th)

Colten Shaffer (Week of April 29th)

Jalik Hill (Week of May 6th)

Morgan Shanaman (Week of May 6th)

Mason Bucks (Week of May 13th)

David Moran (Week of May 13th)