Plymouth Whitemarsh brings a 28-game winning streak into Saturday’s District One 6A title game at Temple University, winning those games by an average of more than 20 points a game. Twenty-five of the Colonials’ wins were by double digits.
A young Spring-Ford squad saved its best for last, capturing its fifth straight PAC title and winning nine straight entering Saturday’s game.
Saturday’s title game is a rematch of last year’s district championship, but the names and faces have changed, particularly for Spring-Ford. Senior Lucy Olsen – now a fixture in Villanova University’s starting lineup – stole the spotlight in last year’s title game, scoring 33 points in a dazzling performance in the Rams’ 52-36 win.
DISTRICT ONE 6A FINAL
#1 PLYMOUTH WHITEMARSH vs. #11 SPRING-FORD at Temple University (Saturday, 4 p.m.)
Plymouth Whitemarsh
- 28-0 overall
- 16-0 SOL Liberty Division champions
- Third straight SOL title with a 39-1 record in league play during that span
- Defeated Pennsbury 52-15 to capture the 2022 SOL Tournament title
- Outstanding starting five comprised of junior Abby Sharpe (13.4ppg, 2.0spg), senior Lainey Allen (12.5ppg, 9.8rpg, 2.1spg), junior Erin Daley (9.5ppg, 5.7rpg, 2.0apg), senior Jordyn Thomas (8.7ppg, 6.6rpg) and senior point guard Kaitlyn Flanagan (7.4ppg, 5.2apg, 3.1spg).
- Seniors Lainey Allen (Maryland Eastern Shore), Kaitlyn Flanagan (Holy Cross) and Jordyn Thomas (Thomas Jefferson University) are committed to play collegiate basketball
- Regular season wins over Class 6A #5 Abington (64-57 & 58-46), #13 Upper Dublin (52-21 & 47-28), #19 Hatboro-Horsham (56-15 & 64-24), Class 5A #3 Upper Moreland (50-24) as well as PCL powers Archbishop Carroll (38-29) & Cardinal O’Hara (42-30).
How they got here:
- In Wednesday’s district semifinal, PW defeated #4 Pennsbury 47-36, opening up an early 19-5 lead and never looking back. Lainey Allen dominated the paint, finishing with a double-double that included 16 points and 15 rebounds. Erin Daley added 11 points and two blocks, and point guard Kaitlyn Flanagan dished out 10 assists to go with six points and three steals.
- In a quarterfinal game, PW needed a 15-4 fourth quarter burst to escape with a 36-28 win over #9 Haverford. The Fords took a 24-21 lead into the fourth quarter. Jordyn Thomas led the Colonials with 13 points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots.
- In a second round game, Plymouth Whitemarsh cruised to a 53-9 win over #16 Great Valley. Lainey Allen led the Colonials with 15 points and 12 rebounds while Abby Sharpe added 14 points. Erin Daley had a big game under the boards, pulling down 10 rebounds.
- Opening round bye
Spring-Ford
- 23-5 overall
- 7-3 PAC Liberty Division third place behind Methacton & Perk Valley
- Rallied for a come-from-behind 43-36 win over Perk Valley in PAC championship game
- Fifth straight PAC title for a program that has 11 titles
- Young team led by sophomore point guard Anna Azzaia, who averages 14.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists a game and is also a defensive catalyst, averaging 1.9 assists.
- Starting lineup includes sophomores Mac Pettinelli (7.6ppg, 6rpg, 4apg), Katie Tiffan (7.6ppg), Sienna Miller (5.8ppg) and senior Kamryn Pufko.
Regular season wins over Class 6A #23 (35-18 & 68-41), Class 5A #1 Springfield Delco (45-36), #4 Bishop Shanahan (73-41) & #8 Mount St. Joseph (33-31)
- Split regular season series with #7 Perkiomen Valley (54-39 & 48-55)
How they got here:
- In Wednesday’s district semifinal, Spring-Ford defeated #2 Souderton 36-24. The Rams trailed 13-8 after one quarter but limited the Indians to just one point in both the second and third quarters, outscoring their hosts 19-2 in that span. Junior Megan Robbins scored 10 points off the bench to lead the Rams.
- In a quarterfinal contest, Spring-Ford defeated #14 Garnet Valley 40-30, rallying from an eight-point halftime deficit to outscore the Jaguars 28-10 in the second half. Katie Tiffan led the Rams with 19 points, which included four 3s. Anna Azzaia added 12 points.
- In a second round game, Spring-Ford edged #6 West Chester Rustin 48-46. The Rams took a 32-24 lead into halftime and then withstood a Rustin comeback attempt in the second half. Sophomores Anna Azzaia (17) and Katie Tiffan (15 points) led the way.
- In a district opening round contest, Spring-Ford defeated #22 Central Bucks East 42-37. The Rams led 19-11 after one quarter but trailed late in the third. The two teams were deadlocked entering a fourth quarter that saw the Rams outscore the Patriots 14-9 to eke out the win. Anna Azzaia’s 11 points led a balanced Ram attack.
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