Girls Basketball
PIAA-6A First Round
(1-6) Perkiomen Valley 54, (3-3) Central Dauphin 51 (OT)
Down 10 points and far from home entering Friday night’s fourth quarter, it appeared as if the defending PIAA-6A state champions were going to be one-and-done.
Instead, Perkiomen Valley enjoyed a glorious bus ride home from Harrisburg.
Sophomore Scarlett Lee deposited a game-high 21 points – going 6-for-10 from the field, 3-for-4 from downtown and 6-for-6 at the foul line – and blocked a potential game-tying attempt in the final seconds of overtime to send the Vikings (24-5 overall) to a thrilling first-round victory at Central Dauphin, which led 40-30 entering the fourth quarter. Lee also chipped in four rebounds and four assists in the victory for PV, which will take on District 1 champion Upper Dublin in Tuesday’s second round at a time and site to be determined.
Lee’s fellow sophomore Hannah Evans also reached double figures with 12 points, while juniors Kate Nemic and Lauren Binkowski contributed eight and seven points, respectively. Junior Megan King shook off a nasty illness to score six points, including three critical free throws in overtime.
It was the 11th PIAA Tournament victory for the Vikings since 2022. PV shot just 16-for-44 from the field and 7-for-25 from deep but did convert 15 of 19 free throws, including a 6-for-8 mark in overtime for all of the team’s extra session points.
Kayannah Taylor led the Rams (24-4) with 18 points, with Syncere Matthews joining her in double figures with 11 of her own. Samantha Sambrot and Olivia Green posted nine points apiece in the season-ending defeat.
(3-2) Dallastown 50, (1-7) Spring-Ford 41
Junior Emma Kaercher led three Spring-Ford players in double figures with a team-best 14 points, but the Rams were done in by a three-point second quarter that allowed Dallastown just enough separation on the scoreboard to advance. The Rams rallied to within 37-36 with roughly five minutes remaining in the game but could not pull out in front, and their season ended at 19-9 overall on Friday.
Junior Miley Maloney deposited 11 points and freshman Teagan Finney had 10 for Spring-Ford. Brynn Stiles was the only other Rams player to score with six points.
Dallastown’s Ava Jamison and Natalie McClane scored a co-game high of 16 points each. Denyla Handy joined Jamison and McClane in double figures with 11 points for the Wildcats (25-4), who advanced to Tuesday’s second round to take on District 11 runner-up Emmaus.
Boys Basketball
PIAA-5A First Round
(12-1) Neumann-Goretti 95, (1-6) Pottstown 60 (at Alan Horwitz “Sixth Man” Center, Philadelphia)
Unfortunately it was just one of those nights to forget for Pottstown basketball.
Back in the PIAA Tournament for the second time in three years, the Trojans were bulldozed by defending 5A state champion Neumann-Goretti of the Philadelphia Catholic League. Pottstown’s season ended at 13-15 overall.
The Saints (21-5) had 50 points by halftime and 80 through three quarters. Five N-G players reached double figures, led by senior Kody Colson’s game-high 30. E.J. Stanton contributed 19 points, while Alassan N’Diaye and DeShawn Yates chipped in 17 and 16 points, respectively.
Neumann-Goretti will take on District 2 runner-up Crestwood, which knocked off Holy Ghost Prep by two points on Friday, in Tuesday’s second round.
