#1 Council Rock North vs. #2 Mount St. Joseph Academy on Friday, March 4, 7 p.m., at Villanova University
Coach Lou Palkovics remembers it well – seeing Devin Gold seated behind his team’s bench when Council Rock North played in the 2007 District One Class AAAA title game at Villanova University. Gold’s older sister Erin was a star on that Indian squad, which went on to earn a spot in the state title game.
“I remember it was packed, and no matter what the score was – the fans made it exciting,” Devin Gold said of that night four years ago.
On Friday night, Gold will have an opportunity to play at Villanova herself when the top-seeded Indians will take on second-seeded Mount St. Joseph Academy in the district title game at 7 p.m.
“I wasn’t really thinking about doing that in middle school, but since I’ve been in ninth grade, that’s all I’ve been thinking about,” Gold said.
The senior guard has played a huge role in Rock North’s run to the district title game. She is the team’s top scorer, averaging just over 12 points a game. She also is second on assists, averaging 3.4 a game, and boasts an assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.36.
Gold put her name in the school record books on Feb. 8, 2011, when she reached the 1,000-point milestone in Rock North’s 68-39 win over Bensalem. The senior standout scored a game-high 21 points. She scored the historic bucket on a foul shot with 4:41 remaining in the fourth period.
“It meant a lot,” Gold said. “It was a good feeling, especially with the whole team behind me counting down. That was a goal before I graduated.”
Gold is the lone captain of this year’s squad.
“I have never had just one captain,” coach Lou Palkovics said. “It’s a tribute to her leadership this year and how well she’s handled being a captain – it’s meant a lot.
“She definitely has become a more dangerous force (offensively) this year, shooting the three a lot more consistently and getting out on the break. In her junior year, we could call her a bit more streaky. This year she’s been a lot more consistent, and that’s meant a lot to have a consistent three-point threat every game.”
It’s no secret that Devin Gold and younger sibling Lauren – a junior – are the engine that make the Indians run. Both are standout defenders and together have combined for more than 150 steals.
“Her sister (Lauren) makes her so much better,” Palkovics said. “She sees her on the break, and those two work so well together.
“Devin kind of grew every year. I’ve seen a much better leader, a much better attitude out of Devin. It’s real pleasant.”
The big question mark heading into Friday’s game is the condition of Lauren Gold, who went down hard and injured her knee late in the fourth quarter of the Indians’ convincing 45-32 win over Lower Merion in Wednesday’s district title game. She left the gym on crutches.
Although Lauren Gold’s absence from the lineup would be a blow to the Indians, the players recognize they will be part of something special when they play in the opening game of what amounts to yet another girls/boys doubleheader for Rock North. The boys’ team will face Chester in the 9 p.m. boys’ district title game.
“It’s such a huge privilege to play in a doubleheader with our guys’ team,” junior Emily Grundman said. “That’s something really special. You don’t hear about that too often.”
Many of the girls were in the stands when the boys’ team upended defending state champion Plymouth Whitemarsh in Tuesday’s semifinal game at Villanova.
“We had an early practice yesterday so we could go and support the guys’ team,” Grundman said. “That feeling and the atmosphere there – it’s tangible. You can feel that excitement and that desire to play there.
“I think that really helped us get that desire to win and helped us come out and play really hard.”
Friday’s title game will pit the Indians against a highly regarded Mount team out of the Catholic Academies League that is coached by former La Salle University women’s basketball coach John Miller.
“I have a lot of respect for a lot of coaches,” Palkovics said. “Johnny Miller was the first coach I ever dealt with as a high school coach when Bonnie Randa was being recruited at La Salle. He’s only going after one player, but he took the time to teach me the recruiting process. It was a neat experience to have that kind of guidance in my first years.
“I learned the whole process from him. He would sit and talk X’s and O’s. He’s a great guy. I have the utmost respect for him. You can just see watching his team play – they’re so disciplined, they’re so well- drilled.”
With or without Lauren Gold in the lineup, it will take a superb effort to beat a Mount squad that has defeated its four district opponents by an average of 26 points.
Whatever the outcome, the players will savor every minute of the once-in-a-lifetime experience.
“Just going to Villanova is awesome – playing in a college stadium with so many fans, people we don’t even know coming out to watch us,” junior Helena Gemmell said. “It’s a great feeling.”
About Mount St. Joseph Academy
What’s not to like about a Magic squad that has all-stars at just about every position. Senior Mary Jo Horgan, who is bound for Lehigh University, has averaged 16 points a game during the Magic’s dazzling playoff run while Loyola-bound forward Steph Smith has averaged 13 points and been a force in the paint. Throw in Hatboro-Horsham transfer Cailin Schmeer, who scored a team-high 13 points in the Mount’s 67-31 rout of West Chester Rustin in a contest that saw five players finish in double figures, and it’s clear that this Mount squad has plenty of weapons. Freshman Alex Louin and Bridget Higgins are also contributors. Mount’s playoff run has included a rout of Bishop Shanahan in the opening round (58-31) and the Magic’s even more lopsided win over Rustin in the second round. In the quarterfinals, the Magic defeated Upper Dublin 50-30 and then humbled perennial district power Downingtown East 48-27 in Wednesday’s semifinals. Smith had 17 points while Horgan had 14 to lead the Magic.
About Council Rock North
Take away Wednesday’s 13-point win over Lower Merion in the semifinals, and the playoff road to Villanova has not been an especially easy one for the top-seeded Indians. They survived a slow start (the Indians had just 14 points in the first half) to down Central Bucks West 41-13 in an opening round game. Emily Grundman scored a game-high 17 points in that win. In second round action, the Indians fought off a late surge by North Penn to earn a 46-40 win and then eked out a 39-38 win over Central Bucks East in a quarterfinal game. Lauren and Devin Gold both had 13 points to lead the Indians in their win over North Penn, and it was Lauren Gold with 15 and Devin Gold with 13 in Rock North’s win over East.
#10 Council Rock South vs. #12 Downingtown West on Friday, March 4, 6 p.m., at Wissahickon High School
About Downingtown West: The Whippets took away a potential all-SOL battle for the ninth and final state playoff berth when they defeated North Penn 51-35. Although the Whippets were the higher seed and the home team in Wednesday’s playback game, the Maidens appeared to have the edge since they had twice defeated Downingtown West during the regular season. This time around was a different story as the Whippets were led by the standout efforts of guard Brittany Sicinski and forward Elizabeth Coyne. Sicinski scored a game-high 17 points despite fouling out with five minutes remaining in regulation while Coyne added 16 points and nine rebounds. Earlier in the tournament, the Whippets earned a 52-38 opening round win over Haverford but then fell on a buzzer beater to Lower Merion (36-34) in second round action. The Whippets ousted William Tennent with a 59-49 win before sending the Maidens packing.
About Council Rock South:
In Tuesday’s convincing 56-41 win over Avon Grove, Alex Wheatley had another huge performance to lead the Golden Hawks, who hope to make a return trip to the state tournament for the second time in as many years. The junior center scored a game-high 24 points and also pulled down 14 rebounds. Sophomore point guard Alexis Hofstaedter added 13 points while Taylor Hunt came off the bench to score six points. Senior Brooke Beidler also had six points in a game the Indians led 24-20 at halftime and added to that lead in the second half. If the revenge factor is worth anything, the Golden Hawks certainly have that working in their favor in Friday night’s game. They stumbled out of the gate to a 35-27 loss to Downingtown West in their season opener at the Methacton Tournament. Alex Wheatley had 16 points in that loss, but no other players had more than four points in a game that saw Rock South score in single digits in all four quarters. A lot has changed for the Golden Hawks since that game.
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