This week’s notebook features Pennsbury, PW and Central Bucks West.
By Scott Huff
If the PIAA Quad-A invitations were sent out today (2/2/16), the following Suburban One League teams would host home games as top 16 seeds: Plymouth Whitemarsh (#3 seed), Pennridge (# 5), Central Bucks West (# 6), Abington (# 7), Cheltenham (# 9), Upper Merion (# 14), and Pennsbury (# 16).
If the PIAA Quad-A invitations were sent out today (2/2/16), the following SOL teams would make the field of 32 with an opening round away game: Central Bucks East (# 19), Hatboro-Horsham (# 20), Bensalem (# 25), Central Bucks South (# 27), Wissahickon (# 29), and Council Rock North (# 32).
If the PIAA Class AAA invitations were sent out today (2/2/16) – Upper Moreland (# 5) would be the only SOL team in the AAA playoff field.
District One released those ‘unofficial’ seedings on Monday – the ‘official’ seedings will be determined on Sunday – Feb. 7, 2016.
The only thing you can count on is that you can’t count on the above remaining the same over the course of the next week.
And the beat goes on…
SOL American Conference ‘Snapshot’
Plymouth Whitemarsh Colonials
Plymouth Whitemarsh head coach Jim Donofrio and his Colonials have a huge date on the SOL American Conference schedule on Tuesday (2/2/16). PW will jump on the bus and make the short ride to a hostile Cheltenham gym to meet the Panthers in a game that will likely decide who wins the conference title.
The Colonials (11-1 conference) have a single conference loss – to Upper Merion [57-43]. Cheltenham (9-2) has conference losses to both PW [64-62] and Upper Moreland [60-59].
“Our goal every year is to win the conference championship,” said Donofrio. “Cheltenham is a talented team and that game obviously is a very important game.
“We want to get the highest seed we can for the district playoffs,” added Donofrio. “We lost a game when Reading cancelled their tournament, but we were told that playing 23 instead of 24 games shouldn’t affect our seeding too much.
“We have been told that playing in the SOL championship tournament at the end of the year is now mandatory,” continued Donofrio as the Colonials were invited – but opted out – of last year’s tournament. “We will cross the bridge when we have to.”
Plymouth Whitemarsh has soared to its impressive 18-1 record much to the surprise of Donofrio.
“We are 18-1 but we are a very inconsistent bunch,” said Donofrio. “Xzavier (Malone), Michael (Lotito), Davon (Burrell), and Kevin (Ashenfelter) have all played well at times – but rarely the same night.
“We haven’t played our best game yet,” added Donofrio. “I don’t know if we ever will – but I hope we do.”
SOL American Conference Standings
1. Plymouth Whitemarsh Colonials 11 1
2. Cheltenham Panthers 9 2
3. Upper Merion Vikings 7 5
4. Norristown Eagles 5 6
5. Upper Dublin Cardinals 5 7
Upper Moreland Bears 5 7
Wissahickon Trojans 5 7
8. Springfield Spartans 0 12
This Week in the SOL American Conference Schedule
Tuesday – February 2, 2016
Plymouth Whitemarsh Colonials @ Cheltenham Panthers
Wissahickon Trojans @ Upper Dublin Cardinals
Upper Moreland Bears @ Norristown Eagles
Springfield Spartans @ Upper Merion Vikings
Thursday – February 4, 2016
Cheltenham Panthers @ Wissahickon Trojans
Norristown Eagles @ Plymouth Whitemarsh Colonials
Upper Dublin Cardinals @ Springfield Spartans
Upper Merion Vikings @ Upper Moreland Bears
Friday – February 5, 2016
Cheltenham Panthers @ Norristown Eagles
SOL National Conference ‘Snapshot’
Pennsbury Falcons
Pennsbury head coach Bill Coleman and his Falcons will not achieve preseason goals of winning a conference title and an invitation to the SOL championship tournament. Abington has already captured the SOL National Conference crown – and the Black & Orange will not have the credentials to earn the SOL postseason tournament invite as the strongest second place finisher in the SOL, but the season is far from over for the Falcons.
“We still have the opportunity to get to Temple (District One Final Four) and get into states,” said Coleman. “We got off to the great start (7-2 in December) and then things got hard (5-5 in January).
“Other than Rob Daly – we didn’t have a whole lot of experience – and we didn’t know how to handle the tough stretch,” added Coleman. “But with the right attitude and the right effort – we are beginning to turn it around.”
That journey began with a terrific 70-67 overtime non-league victory last Saturday over Downingtown East.
“Downingtown East is right behind both Coatesville and Downingtown West in their league,” said Coleman. “We had to grind it out to beat them – and it was a very important win for us.
“It has been good to see that almost everyone has played well at times this season,” added Coleman. “If we could get everyone to contribute at the same time – we can be very good.”
That core of Falcon players includes Daly, Addison Howard, Mark Flagg, and Isaiah Carpenter.
“We have the three games coming up (Council Rock South, William Tennent, and Truman) this week – and we hope we can continue to stay in rhythm,” said Coleman. “I would like to have another practice instead of the third game – I’m a practice guy – but I’m sure the players would rather have one more game and one less practice.”
SOL National Conference Standings
1. Abington Ghosts 11 1
2. Council Rock North Indians 9 3
3. Pennsbury Falcons 7 4
4. Bensalem Owls 6 6
5. Harry S Truman Tigers 5 6
6. Council Rock South Hawks 5 7
7. Neshaminy Redskins 2 10
William Tennent Panthers 2 10
This Week in the SOL National Conference Schedule
Tuesday – February 2, 2016
Council Rock North Indians @ Abington Ghosts
Council Rock South Hawks @ Pennsbury Falcons
William Tennent Panthers @ Bensalem Owls
Truman Tigers @ Neshaminy Redskins
Thursday – February 4, 2016
Bensalem Owls @ Council Rock North Indians
Pennsbury Falcons @ William Tennent Panthers
Abington Ghosts @ Truman Tigers
Neshaminy Redskins @ Council Rock South Hawks
Friday – February 5, 2016
Pennsbury Falcons @ Truman Tigers
SOL Continental Conference ‘Snapshot’
Central Bucks West Bucks
Central Bucks West head coach Adam Sherman and his veteran Bucks are charging down the home stretch of the SOL Continental Conference with a pair of tough games against district rivals Central Bucks East and Central Bucks South.
“Whenever you play either East or South it is going to be a war,” said Sherman. “Our goal right now is to simply win two games and see if that is good enough for us to get into the SOL championship tournament.
“We were able to play in that tournament last year, and the players were really excited to be in that first championship tournament,” added Sherman. “And I think that this year the players would even be more excited.”
CB West is a team that is dominated by superior senior talent. That list includes Cal Reichwein, Billy Power, Erich Hohlenleitner, Luke Irons, and Connor Lynch.
“Cal has been hurt and missed the last few games, but he is getting better every day,” said Sherman of his talented scorer/leader. “He might be able to go this week. We need him to get ready for whatever comes at the end of the season.”
West will surely get the invitation to the PIAA Quad-A District One tournament. The Bucks (16-4 overall – 10-2 SOL Continental Conference) won 14 of their first 16 games this season – but without Reichwein are 2-2 in their last four games that included close losses to Pennridge (63-60) and North Penn (48-47).
“It’s tough to end the season with East and South in the same week,” said Sherman. “But it is what it is.”
SOL Continental Conference Standings
1. Pennridge Rams 11 1
2. Central Bucks West Bucks 10 2
3. Hatboro-Horsham Hatters 7 5
4. Central Bucks East Patriots 6 6
5. Central Bucks South Titans 5 7
6. North Penn Knights 4 8
7. Souderton Indians 3 9
8. Quakertown Panthers 2 10
This Week in the SOL Continental Conference
Tuesday – February 2, 2016
Central Bucks West Bucks @ Central Bucks East Patriots
Quakertown Panthers @ Central Bucks South Titans
Hatboro-Horsham Hatters @ Pennridge Rams
Souderton Indians @ North Penn Knights
Thursday – February 4, 2016
Central Bucks South Titans @ Central Bucks West Bucks
Pennridge Rams @ Quakertown Panthers
North Penn Knights @ Hatboro-Horsham Hatters
Central Bucks East Patriots @ Souderton Indians
Suburban One Sports.com
Top Ten
1. Plymouth Whitemarsh Colonials (18-1, 11-1)
2. Abington Ghosts (16-4, 11-1)
3. Pennridge Rams (16-3, 10-1)
4. Central Bucks West Bucks (16-4, 10-2)
5. Cheltenham Panthers (15-4, 9-2)
6. Pennsbury Falcons (12-7, 7-4)
7. Council Rock North Indians (12-8, 9-3)
8. Upper Merion Vikings (14-6, 7-5)
9. Hatboro-Horsham Hatters (11-9, 7-5)
10. Bensalem Owls (10-8, 6-6)
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