It’s been quite a district run for the SOL.
Five of the eight teams in Saturday’s District One AAAA quarterfinals are from the SOL. Three are from the National Conference, giving the league’s large school conference bragging rights as the district’s toughest. At least two and possibly three of those SOL teams will advance to Wednesday’s semifinal round.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. There’s far too much basketball on the horizon on Saturday to look too far down the road.
The two most intriguing matchups for SOL fans are the Cheltenham/Council Rock South rematch and the Abington/Central Bucks East showdown.
While it might appear on paper that the top-seeded Lady Panthers would have a decided edge after downing the Golden Hawks 66-42 during the regular season, that’s not necessarily the case.
Abington proved that with its 40-28 second round win over Lower Merion, a win that avenged a mid-season 40-20 loss to the Aces.
“Had we beaten them the first time, we might not have taken them as seriously,” Abington coach Dan Marsh said. “Obviously, as a coaching staff, we would have, but we’re talking about high school kids.
“When we lost to them the first time, I said to the girls, ‘We’re going to see this team again.’ I wasn’t looking forward to the game because I knew it would be tough, but it definitely helped us.”
Rock South will face Cheltenham on a court that has not been the Lady Panthers’ favorite stopping place – they lost their only game of the season to Wissahickon on this same court.
Although the Lady Panthers struggled at Wissahickon on their only trip there this season, they have also had some of the program’s biggest wins on that court, including a win over Council Rock North to propel the Lady Panthers to the state championship game in 1999.
Also on Saturday is the fascinating matchup between Abington and Central Bucks East – two teams that have not faced each other in Dan Marsh’s five-year stint at the helm.
The fifth SOL school - Council Rock North - will be heavily favored in its game against Great Valley.
Three SOL teams are among eight teams battling for their playoff lives when Central Bucks South travels to Methacton, North Penn faces West Chester Rustin and Upper Dublin travels to Boyertown. Only one of the eight teams will survive the brutal playback tournament to earn the 9th seed and a berth in the state tournament.
#1 Cheltenham vs. #8 Council Rock South
Cheltenham looked every bit the part of its number one seed in its 74-32 rout of Central Bucks South in a second round game on Tuesday. The Lady Panthers came out of the gate with a point to prove after eking out a 51-50 regular season win over the Titans.
CR South coach Monica Young, whose team fell to the Lady Panthers by 24 points in the regular season, believes her team has a point to prove when the two teams take the court on Saturday.
“I think they’re a very good team,” the Golden Hawks’ coach said of Cheltenham. “We watched film of our first game against them, and we didn’t do a lot of things right, and they shot very well that day.
“We had wide open layups we missed. I told the girls, ‘We missed at least eight layups, and that’s 16 points. There were times where we gave them three or four chances when we didn’t box out, and that’s another 10 points. Right there – that’s 26 points.’
“Obviously, they’re quick, and they play very good defense. We have to stop their transition, and we have to stop their penetration. I think we can play better, and the fact that we’re going to Wissahickon and a neutral court – that’s great.”
Coach Bob Schaefer acknowledged that it may work in the Golden Hawks’ favor that they’ve played Cheltenham this season.
“The slight advantage we’ve always felt we have playing a team for the first time is that they don’t play a team that plays like us, for the most part,” the Panthers’ coach said. “Here they will have already played against us.
“The advantage we have is – the last time it was in their gym. They’re not playing in their gym this time. I just think everything is equal. Now all we have to do is play the game and see how it shakes out.”
The Golden Hawks rely on their inside game with sophomore Alex Wheatley and senior Chelsea Allen providing a dangerous one-two punch in the paint. In the initial meeting between the two teams, the duo combined for 25 of the Golden Hawks’ points.
“We haven’t grown any since the last time,” Schaefer said with a laugh. “I think their big girls can be trouble. Look at the last team they played – Wheatley had 22 points.
“That’s certainly going to be a concern of ours because if we let them dominate inside, it’s going to be a tough game.”
Cheltenham counters with one of any number of guard combinations that includes two-time American Conference MVP Shayla Felder, senior Monet Constant, junior Tiffany Johnson and senior Liz Taliaferro. In the last meeting between the two teams, sophomore Ciara Andrews scored a game-high 17 points.
“They’re very guard oriented, and we’re not,” Young said. “I think we have an advantage inside. We have to limit them to one shot.
“The tempo is key. If we can stop their transition and run our offense a little bit – it’s a challenge, but we have to give it a shot. That’s all we can do. Hopefully it will be a better game than the first time we played them.”
With their school closed down on Friday, Cheltenham’s players called a practice on their own at the Abington YMCA, and Schaefer is hoping his team can recapture the magic it displayed in its mid-season win against Rock South and in Tuesday’s rout of CB south.
Let’s face it – the first time we played them and the other night, we were firing on all cylinders,” he said. “I’ve always said – if we get everybody playing at the same time, we’ll be a tough team to beat, and they’ve demonstrated that a few times this year.
“It’s just a matter of how up for it they are, and having these layoffs didn’t help.”
(#1) Cheltenham (23-1) vs. (#8) Council Rock South (18-6)
Saturday, Feb. 27, 3 p.m., at Wissahickon High School
Last meeting: Jan. 23, 2010 – Cheltenham 66, CR South 42 (Sophomore Ciara Andrews led Cheltenham with 17 points while Shayla Felder and Liz Taliaferro both finished the game in double figures with 13 and 12 points respectively. Alex Wheatley led the Golden Hawks with 13 points while Chelsea Allen had 12.)
Common opponents: Methacton (Council Rock South split a pair of games with Methacton, falling 33-32 in the second game of the season and winning 51-36 in Tuesday’s second round. Cheltenham defeated Methacton 64-52)
Bensalem (Council Rock South defeated Bensalem twice during the regular season, 43-25 and 59-30. Cheltenham downed Bensalem 71-23)
Perkiomen Valley (Cheltenham defeated Perk Valley 50-27 during the regular season, and CR South downed Perk Valley 47-37 in the opening round of the district playoffs)
By the numbers: Cheltenham – Shayla Felder (17.0 PPG), Ciara Andrews (10.6 PPG), Kira Ogden (7.1 PPG), Liz Taliaferro (6.2 PPG), Monet Constant (5.6 PPG), Tiffany Johnson (3.8 PPG)
Council Rock South – Alex Wheatley (13.8 PPG), Chelsea Allen (10.5 PPG), Emily Nowicke (8.7 PPG), Jackie Weber (6.0 PPG), Alexis Hofstaedter (5.4 PPG), Lea Britton (4.7 PPG)
#3 Central Bucks East vs. #6 Abington
Central Bucks East got an early start on its preparation for Saturday’s showdown against Abington.
Literally.
On Thursday, with the threat of an impending snow storm on the horizon, the Patriots – at the suggestion of assistant Jenna Cooper – had a 5:30 a.m. practice. It looked like a stroke of genius when East had an early dismissal and all after-school activities were cancelled.
“This team is probably one of the most dedicated teams I have had,” coach Tom Lonergan said. “They wanted to come in early.
“We had to obviously get permission from the athletic director and school. I give a lot of credit to my assistants and the players themselves for being willing to do that.”
The two teams boast similar styles. Both like to go inside with East relying on twins Liz and Sarah Martin. Villanova-bound Emily Leer, who is 6-2, is the Ghosts’ go-to player in the paint.
“Controlling the paint and controlling the glass – those two items will be the keys to the game,” Lonergan said. “Both teams have the strength inside as well as outside, so from that standpoint, both teams are pretty balanced overall.
“It’s really going to be the one that’s able to dominate the area that they’re strong at. Obviously, the glass is always important, and the size that Abington brings – as a coach, you always have to be concerned about that, and you have to have a special emphasis on the glass when you run up against teams that most of its players are 5-10, 5-11 and 6-2.”
Both teams can also bury shots from long range. While Jamie Shectman is the Ghosts’ zone buster, East’s Courtney McManus is deadly from long range, and Melissa Remmey and Kristina Pogue can also score from the outside.
“The key is stopping their transition game,” Abington coach Dan Marsh said. “They’re very good at pushing the ball and getting Liz Martin the ball down low before the defense can set up. She’s very fast from rim to rim, so we know we have to get back and force her to try and score with Emily (Leer) there as opposed to on the open floor.
“They’re very good with their quick outlet passes, and they get down the floor. We know we have to stop that.”
The ‘X’ factor for Abington is sophomore Aiyannah Peal, who is not only dangerous in transition but can post-up her player down low and is a perfect complement to Leer under the basket.
“You definitely have to do something or tweak something in your defense to obviously be aware of the abilities Emily Leer brings to the floor,” Lonergan said. “If you don’t, she’s going to score 28 or 30 points. You might try it and still she scores 28 or 30 points, but at least you attempted to try and change something.
“What also makes Leer better is that Peal is also a tremendous player. She’s a player who can go inside-outside, so she really balances with Emily very well. If you worry too much about them, Shectman will bury three’s all night.”
That being said, don’t expect either team to deviate from what has brought them to this point.
“I’m not the type that goes outside of what we’re good at,” Lonergan said. “We pretty much try to stay within what our strengths are and then we tweak it based on each team and what strengths they bring in.
“We’ve tweaked some things for Saturday, but I don’t think there will be too many surprises. What you’ve seen from Abington and what they’ve done defensively, which is straight up man-to-man, and what you have seen from us is a mixture of everything. It will be a halfcourt battle, a slugfest.”
For his part, Marsh likes the matchup.
“They’re obviously a very good team,” he said. “I think we can compete with anybody in the district, but usually when we go up against teams that are big, we usually do alright because I think we’re one of the better big teams around.
“Obviously, they are too, so I’m sure they’re thinking the same thing, and that’s why it will be a clash – whose inside game is better. I know they also have some shooters. They have a couple of girls that can hit the three’s.”
Marsh is hoping his team’s wins over tough Ridley and Lower Merion squads have prepared the Ghosts for Saturday’s showdown.
“Our girls are focused,” he said. “This year they haven’t really taken a game off except for the (first) Lower Merion game. They have worked hard, and coming from the two games where we were tested both times – I think it definitely was a benefit.
“It keeps them on their toes. They know they have to play hard. There’s no relaxing now. They’re on a mission, and Emily and the other seniors are behind it. They want to go as far as they possibly can.”
While East managed a practice on Thursday, the Ghosts haven’t practiced since Wednesday.
“It is what it is,” Marsh said. “We’re going to come in early for a shoot-around and go over the game plan. Hopefully, our girls found out a way to work out on their own.
“That’s all you can do.”
(#3) Central Bucks East (20-3) vs. (#6) Abington (20-4)
Saturday, Feb. 27, 1:30 p.m., at Wissahickon High School
Last meeting: Unavailable
Common opponents: Central Bucks South (Central Bucks East downed CB South twice, 55-39 and 56-46. Abington defeated South 59-57)
William Tennent (Abington defeated William Tennent twice during the regular season, 49-38 and 43-28. CB East downed Tennent 44-41 in a district opening round game)
Central Bucks West (Abington defeated CB West 47-28, and CB East defeated West twice during the regular season, 50-37 and 51-35)
Council Rock South (Abington split its two games with CR South, winning the first 57-44 and losing the second 46-33. CB East defeated CR South 57-53 in a non-league game.)
Pennsbury (Abington won both meetings with Pennsbury, 60-43 and 61-32. CB East defeated Pennsbury 53-28)
Council Rock North (Abington fell to Council Rock North twice, 63-52 and 48-42. CB East fell to CR North 51-41)
Methacton (Central Bucks East split its games with Methacton, falling 48-31 in a holiday tournament and winning 50-40 in a late-season rematch. Abington defeated Methacton 33-23)
By the numbers: Central Bucks East – Liz Martin (16.4 PPG), Courtney McManus (10.1 PPG), Sarah Martin (8.8 PPG), Kristina Pogue (8.0 PPG), Melissa Remmey (7.2 PPG)
Abington – Emily Leer (17.0 PPG), Aiyannah Peal (10.4 PPG), Jamie Shectman (6.2 PPG), Chynna West (4.8 PPG), Jess Schmidt (3.9 PPG)
#2 Council Rock North vs. #10 Great Valley
(#2) Council Rock North (20-4) vs. #10 Great Valley (18-5)
Saturday, Feb. 27, 2:30 p.m., at Norristown High School
Last meeting: Unavailable
Common opponent: Downingtown East (Council Rock North fell to Downingtown East 38-25 in the second games of the season. Great Valley lost to Downingtown East 41-27.)
By the numbers: Council Rock North – Sarah Kiely (12.8 PPG), Kelly Scull (12.2 PPG), Lauren Gold (10.5 PPG), Devin Gold (10.0)
Great Valley – Colleen O’Malley (13.5 PPG, 5.1 rebounds), Amanda Gerner (9.2 PPG), Tiffany Goran (7.5 PPG, 4.3 rebounds), Emily Hager (6.4 PPG, 4.2 rebounds)
Playback Games for #9 Seed and PIAA Tournament Berth
(#17) Central Bucks South (14-10) vs. (#9) Methacton (18-8)
Saturday, Feb. 27, 1 p.m., Methacton High School
Last meeting: Unavailable
Common opponents: Pennridge (CB South split its regular season games with Pennridge, downing the Rams 56-38 and later falling to the Rams 63-51. Methacton defeated Pennridge 48-43 in an opening round district playoff game.)
Abington (Central Bucks South fell to Abington 59-47. Methacton fell to Abington 33-23)
Cheltenham (Central Bucks South lost to Cheltenham twice, 51-50 and 74-32. Methacton lost to Cheltenham 64-52)
North Penn (CB South defeated North Penn twice, 55-42 and 45-39. Methacton downed North Penn 37-33.)
Central Bucks East (CB South dropped a pair to CB East, 55-39 and 56-46. Methacton split a pair with CB East, downing the Patriots 48-31 and falling in the rematch 50-40)
(#13) North Penn (15-9) at (#12) West Chester Rustin (16-7)
Saturday, Feb. 27, 2:30 p.m., West Chester Rustin High School
Last meeting: Unavailable
Common opponents: Unionville (North Penn defeated Unionville 50-25 in the opening round of districts. Rustin split its games with Unionville, winning the first meeting 45-43 but losing the rematch 40-32)
Downingtown West (North Penn fell to Downingtown West 51-48. Rustin lost to Downingtown West 67-52.)
By the numbers: North Penn – Steph Knauer (12.9 PPG), Dara Nelson (7.9 PPG), Taylour Alston (7.3 PPG), Mary Ward (5.8 PPG), Lauren Krisler (4.3 PPG), Shannon Knauer (3.3 PPG)
(#15) Upper Dublin (16-7) at (#7) Boyertown (20-6)
Saturday, Feb. 27, 6 p.m., Boyertown High School
Last meeting: Unavailable
Common opponents: Pennridge (Upper Dublin lost to Pennridge 55-44. Boyertown defeated Pennridge 45-39)
By the numbers: Upper Dublin – Kristen Fuery (10.8 PPG, 6.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists), Taylor Bryant (10.5 PPG, 3.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists), Curtrena Goff (8.9 PPG, 4.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists), Jen Myers (4.6 PPG, 4.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists), Tori Waters (3.0 PPG, 5.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists)
Boyertown – Jess Schlesman (13.5 PPG), Lauren Walker (8.3 PPG), Kaitlyn Eisenhard (7.8 PPG), Brooke Fisher (5.8 PPG), Kelly Furman (4.8 PPG)
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