By: CoBL Staff
Central League (@ Haverford HS)
Bye: Ridley
Semifinal 1: Conestoga vs. Strath Haven (Sat., 7 PM)
Breakdown
With its win over Garnet Valley on Thursday night, Ridley finishes the Central League season a perfect 16-0, eliminating the need for the Green Raiders to play a semifinal matchup per league rules. Giving East Stroudsburg commit Brett Foster (17 ppg) and a strong supporting cast including Julian Wing (13 ppg) and Ryan Bollinger (9 ppg) a few extra days’ rest before Monday’s final will only make Mike Snyder’s group more dangerous.
Both Conestoga and Strath Haven have the pieces to pull the upset, depending on who gets there. ‘Stoga (12-4), whom Ridley defeated in last year’s Central League championship, is led by a three-year starter at point guard, Darryl Caldwell. The small-college target has played in more big games than anybody else in the league, and he’s got a very good cast around him, including 6-5 senior forward Andrew Larkin, 5-11 senior guard M.J. Lezanic and 6-4 junior Charlie Martin, all of whom are extremely dangerous from the perimeter. Strath Haven (13-3) is much more the upstart, having completed a turnaround from a 2-14 league record a year ago under first-year head coach Dave McFadden. Senior Alex Ischiropoulos and junior Jahmeir Springfield run the offense, but what helps separate the Panthers is 6-8 junior John Harrar in the middle.
(click on this link for the coach’s take and more league championship previews)