District One Girls’ BB Preview (Opening Round)

Eight SOL girls’ basketball teams will be in action when the District One 6A Tournament begins this weekend. Check out the preview capsules.

The Suburban One League will be well represented when the District One 6A Tournament gets underway this weekend. Thirteen teams – or more than half – are from the SOL with five of those teams earning first round byes. Competing in the postseason is nothing new to the majority of those teams.

Souderton makes a return trip to the postseason after a two-year absence, and Council Rock South is back in the field after missing out on a bid last season. But one team -Harry S Truman – is making history. The Tigers are making their first postseason appearance since the mid 1980s.

“It’s very exciting,” Truman coach Collette Munford said. “Whatever happens in the first round, I’m not going to be upset. Just to get there for the first time – we have so many people rooting for us.

“We had the best record we ever had, and we made it to the playoffs. We’re all excited.”

The Tigers are anchored by a strong senior class, but Munford believes this is only the beginning.

“I don’t see us going backwards from here,” the Tigers’ coach said. “I have young players coming up.

“We’re going to keep putting in the work because the girls see that this can happen. Daisha Campbell – (senior) Jayda’s sister – is only a freshman, and she said, ‘When my sister is a senior, I want to go to districts.’ We’re going to the district playoffs. If they have that mindset, we can’t go backwards.”

Council Rock North will host Cheltenham in an opening round game on Friday at 6 p.m. The remainder of the games will be played on Saturday.

#1 NORTH PENN (Bye)
North Penn

· 20-3 overall

· 10-2 SOL Continental Conference champion

· Fell to CB West 43-35 in SOL Tournament title game, snapping a 14-game winning streak.

· Led by senior captains Sam Carangi (Villanova), Jess Huber (University of the Sciences) and Irisa Ye (University of the Sciences). All three were part of the Knights’ district title run when they were freshmen.

· Huber (14.7) is second only to PW senior Taylor O’Brien in scoring in the SOL. Ye (11.4), Bri Hewlett (11.1) and Carangi (8.1) also are dangerous offensive weapons

· Regular season wins over #8 Souderton (45-27 & 44-33), #11 Council Rock North (45-40 & 41-27), #12 Upper Dublin (50-32), #15 Central Bucks East (43-29 & 55-49) and #18 Perk Valley (57-39)

· Split regular season series with #7 Central Bucks South (34-48 & 51-50) and #5 Central Bucks West (43-46 & 59-40).

· Will play the winner of #16 Spring-Ford vs. #17 Oxford contest.

#3 PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH (Bye)
Plymouth Whitemarsh

· 22-1 overall

· 14-0 SOL American Conference champion

· First sole championship for program since 1983

· Won 22 straight before falling to #5 Central Bucks West in SOL Tournament semifinals (73-63)

· Junior Taylor O’Brien, who surpassed the 1,000-point milestone, is the SOL’s top scorer, averaging 21.6 points a game.

· Junior Lauren Fortescue (10.5 ppg), junior Ali Diamond (8.0 ppg) and senior Lauren Coscia (7.3) add to a dangerous attack.

· Regular season wins over #12 Upper Dublin (50-37 & 35-30), #22 Cheltenham (58-24 & 44-30) and #23 Council Rock South (54-33).

· Will face winner of #14 Coatesville vs. #19 Unionville game.

#5 CENTRAL BUCKS WEST (Bye)
Central Bucks West

· 19-4 overall

· 9-3 SOL Continental Conference second place

· Defeated #1 North Penn 43-35 to capture SOL Tournament title after downing #3 Plymouth Whitemarsh 73-63 in the tournament semifinals.

· Balanced attack led by freshman Maddie Burke (9.8 ppg), senior Maggie Rakowsky (9.7 ppg), sophomore Tori Abelson (9.4 ppg) and sophomore Diane Nicholson (8.3 ppg)

· Regular season wins over #4 Garnet Valley (67-50), #10 Neshaminy (53-41), #15 Central Bucks East (52-49 & 60-49), #18 Perk Valley (61-53)

· Split regular season series with #1 North Penn (46-43 & 40-59), #7 Central Bucks South (43-44 & 37-34) and #8 Souderton (56-44, & 38-43).

· Will face winner of #12 Upper Dublin vs. #21 Harry S Truman contest

#7 CENTRAL BUCKS SOUTH (Bye)
Central Bucks South

· 17-5 overall

· 7-5 SOL Continental Conference fourth place behind North Penn, Central Bucks West and Souderton

· Led by junior Haley Meinel (11.8 ppg) and sophomore point guard Alexa Brodie (10.1 ppg)

· Regular season wins over #10 Neshaminy (51-34), #11 Council Rock North (57-33), #12 Upper Dublin (35-29) and #18 Perk Valley (50-31)

· Split regular season series with #1 North Penn (48-34 & 50-51), #5 Central Bucks West (44-43 & 37-34) and #8 Souderton (29-35 & 48-39)

· Will face winner of #10 Neshaminy vs. #23 Council Rock South

#8 SOUDERTON (Bye)
Souderton

· 17-5 overall

· 8-4 SOL Continental Conference third place behind North Penn and Central Bucks West.

· Balanced attack led by junior Kate Connolly (10.4 ppg), junior Alana Cardona (9.4 ppg) and sophomore Megan Walbrandt (8.6 ppg).

· Regular season wins over #13 Methacton (55-47), #15 Central Bucks East (44-40 & 41-28) and Council Rock South (39-32).

· Split regular season series with #5 Central Bucks West (44-56 & 43-38) and #7 Central Bucks South (35-29 & 39-48).

· Will face winner of #9 Abington vs. #24 Kennett contest.

#24 KENNETT at #9 ABINGTON (Saturday, 7 p.m.)
(Winner will play #8 Souderton)
Abington

· 17-5 overall

· 10-2 SOL National Conference second place behind Council Rock North

· Led by University of Delaware-bound Lizzie O’Leary (13.7 ppg), junior Sam Brusha (11.4 ppg) and sophomore Kassondra Brown (11.1 ppg)

· Regular season wins over #12 Upper Dublin (36-24), #18 Perkiomen Valley (64-39), #21 Harry S Truman (67-29 & 80-36), #23 Council Rock South (51-38 & 46-45),

· Split regular season series with #10 Neshaminy (38-43 & 73-65) and #11 Council Rock North (54-61 & 42-41).

· Won 11 of 12 games to close out regular season with only loss to #2 Boyertown (49-54).

Kennett

· 11-11 overall

· 7-5 Ches-Mont American Division third place behind Oxford and West Chester Henderson

· Led by junior Caroline Hertz (12.5 ppg) and sophomore Andrea Prestianne (12.0 ppg)

· Regular season win over #23 Council Rock South (43-39)

· Split season series with #19 Unionville (39-36 & 47-52).

· Lost five of eight to close out regular season.

#21 HARRY S TRUMAN at #12 UPPER DUBLIN (Saturday, 1:30 p.m.)
(Winner will play #5 Central Bucks West)
Upper Dublin

· 17-4 overall

· 12-2 SOL American Conference second place behind Plymouth Whitemarsh

· Saw its string of four consecutive conference titles snapped by PW

· Led by seniors Nicole Kaiser (14.0 ppg) and Josie Barrett (9.3 ppg)

· Regular season wins over #15 Central Bucks East (34-26) and #22 Cheltenham (48-30 & 42-26).

· Won 11 of 12 to close out regular season.

Harry S Truman

· 13-9 overall

· 4-8 SOL National Conference fifth place behind Council Rock North, Abington, Neshaminy & Council Rock South

· First trip to the postseason since the mid 1980s

· Led by senior Sabria Lytes, who is averaging a double-double with 12.3 points and 10.7 rebounds, senior Daeja Moore (9.2 ppg) and sophomore Alexis McCoy (8.6 ppg., 6.2 rpg).

· Regular season win over #8 Souderton (42-37).

· 9-1 in non-league games.

#18 PERKIOMEN VALLEY at #15 CENTRAL BUCKS EAST (Saturday, 1 p.m.)
(Winner will play #2 Boyertown)
Central Bucks East

· 13-8 overall

· 6-6 SOL Continental Conference fifth place behind North Penn, Central Bucks West, Souderton and Central Bucks South

· 12-4 after a 1-4 start to open the season

· Led by seniors Bridget Birkhead (11.8 ppg) and Bri Talbot (10.6 ppg)

· Regular season wins over #7 Central Bucks South (43-30 & 33-28), #9 Abington (50-44) and #11 Council Rock North (47-40).

Perkiomen Valley

· 11-11 overall

· 5-5 Pioneer Athletic Conference Liberty Division fourth place behind Boyertown, Methacton and Spring-Ford

· 2016 District One 4A champion

· Led by Megan Jonassen (14.7 ppg) and Alex Blomstrom (8.1 ppg)

· Regular season win over Inter-Ac regular season champion Germantown Academy (58-47)

· Split regular season series with #13 Methacton (51-49 & 44-52)

· Lost six of eight games to close out regular season.

#23 COUNCIL ROCK SOUTH at #10 NESHAMINY (Saturday, 1 p.m.)
(Winner will play #7 Central Bucks South)
Neshaminy

· 16-5 overall

· 9-3 SOL National Conference third place behind Council Rock North and Abington

· Young team led by the team’s two seniors – Emily Alexis and Devon Storms

· Regular season wins over #15 Central Bucks East (55-42), #18 Perk Valley (47-20), #21 Harry S Truman (49-36 & 58-49) and #23 Council Rock South (46-29 & 57-32)

· Split regular season series with #9 Abington (43-38 & 65-73)

Council Rock South

· 10-12 overall

· 5-7 SOL National Conference fourth place behind Council Rock North, Abington and Neshaminy.

· Led by Faith Turner (8.8 ppg), Payton Spadaccino (8.3 ppg) and Kasey Schlupp (7.1 ppg)

· Regular season wins over #20 Downingtown East (31-26) and #21 Harry S Truman (42-38 & 45-40).

#22 CHELTENHAM at #11 COUNCIL ROCK NORTH (Friday, 6 p.m.)
(Winner will play #6 Conestoga)
Council Rock North

· 15-7 overall

· 11-1 SOL National Conference champions

· First conference title since 2011

· Led by junior point guard Becca Margolis (12.0 ppg) and sophomore Dana Bandurick (11.7 ppg)

· Regular season wins over #10 Neshaminy (50-49 & 38-34), #21 Harry S Truman (60-46 & 66-42) and #23 Council Rock South (44-32 & 53-29)