Carroll’s Ian Williams, seen in a game against Bonner-Prendie in January, scored 17 points to help the Patriots knock off Scranton Prep Monday night in a PIAA Class 4A semifinal game. (Pete Bannan – MediaNews Group)
By Matthew DeGeorge
The shirts Archbishop Carroll printed up read, “Built for March,” with the Carroll C in white and red. With a roster full of freshmen and sophomores, it might’ve helped to specify which March.
This first one for coach Francis Bowe’s group, though, is going pretty well.
Carroll pulled away in the second half and held off a veteran Scranton Prep squad that had already upended one powerful Catholic League foe in a 66-56 decision Monday night at Liberty High School in Bethlehem.
Carroll will face Lincoln Park, which won an all-District 7 match over Hampton Monday night, 74-53. It’s the fourth state final in program history for the Patriots and first since 2015.
“Coming into Carroll last year, that was the goal, to change it back to how it was,” sophomore guard Ian Williams said, “back when Ryan Daly, Josh Sharkey, Derrick Jones were here. That was the goal, to bring the Carroll community back together.”
Carroll (21-8) did it in a classic clash of generations. When all is said and done, this group of Patriots will end up with more players fielding Division I offers than its opponent. But District 2 champ Scranton Prep (19-10) was a cohesive, veteran team with a clear identity. The Cavaliers’ dream run included an upset of Neumann-Goretti in the quarterfinals for its first state semi since 2008, vying for a first ever title-game berth.
(click on this link for the full article, subscription may be required)