Ridley’s Brett Foster goes up for a shot during the Green Raiders’ loss to Plymouth-Whitemarsh, 44-41, in the District One Class AAAA semifinals at Temple’s Liacouras Center. (Tom Kelly IV)
By Matthew DeGeorge
In the 31 days from Jan. 28 to last Friday’s District One third-place game, Ridley played 14 times. Seven were playoff games, between the Central League and District One tournaments. Eleven of their opponents were playoff teams, and eight – counting Conestoga twice and Lower Merion three times – advanced to PIAA tournaments (Glen Mills being the only AAA representative).
Yet somehow in all that nonstop, hectic pressure, Mike Snyder’s team struck a balance. (Heck, at one point, when it was 12 games in 24 days, Ridley won 10.)
The challenge now, as the Green Raiders (22-7) embark on the PIAA Class AAAA Tournament, is regenerating that momentum.
What Ridley must rediscover quickly ahead of Saturday’s meeting with La Salle (18-6) at 1 at Spring-Ford High School is how to cope with a chance to rest and regroup.
“We were in a groove where we were playing all those games in a row,” Snyder said. “It was high intensity. Then it was almost like taking the foot off the gas pedal. … We’ve just got to recover and get back to doing what we do best: Play hard, play fundamental.”