Category: Latest News

By Matt Smith

Archbishop Carroll was prepared to make a statement Tuesday.

In a game that should determine the No. 1 seed in the Catholic League playoffs, the host Patriots won the battle of the top two teams in Delco … and maybe the best squads in the entire region.

Even better, with their convincing 49-39 victory, the Patriots remained unbeaten in the league with a 7-0 record.

This was an absolute must-have for the Patriots, who too often of late have been overshadowed by O’Hara and Archbishop Wood in arguably the state’s top league for high school girls basketball.

The Patriots stymied the Lions, forcing 14 turnovers. O’Hara’s best players, seniors Maggie Doogan and Sydni Scott, were limited to a combined 13 points on 4-for-15 shooting from the field. The total points were the fewest scored by O’Hara since its season-opening, 41-39 loss to St. Mary’s (Calif.).

(click on this link for the full story and more game scores)

Marple Newtown was cool and collected at the foul line in the fourth quarter Tuesday night.

The Tigers connected on 9 of 12 from the charity stripe in the final period to knock off Radnor, 50-45. The win avenged a 57-40 loss to the Raptors earlier in the season.

Freshman Matt Gardler shot 5-for-5 from the field with three 3-pointers for a game-high 15 points.

Eric McKee added 12 points and Owen Mathes contributed nine points and eight rebounds for the Tigers. Danny Rosenblum and Pierce Justice topped Radnor with 10 points each.

GARNET VALLEY 58, UPPER DARBY 50 » The Jaguars hit eight 3-pointers, five by Ryan Wootten, to down the Royals. Max Koehler topped GV with a game-high 22 points. Wootten added 16 and Logan McKee 11.

Nadir Myers led the Royals with 19 points. Niymire Brown chipped in with 10.

In the Inter-Ac League:

MALVERN PREP 74, EPISCOPAL ACADEMY 46 » ; T.J. Lamb led the Churchmen with 14 points while Jake Jaszcz pitched in with 10.

PENN CHARTER 46, HAVERFORD 41 » The Quakers held the Fords to 14 points in the second half to overcome a 27-25 halftime deficit.

Dave Kearney paced the Fords with 16 points. Matt Kearney backed him with 10.

In the Del Val League:

CHESTER 84, CHICHESTER 69 » Breilynd White scored seven of his 13 points in the second quarter, as the Clippers accumulated a 29-5 edge in the frame to pull away for good.

Kevin Rucker led Chester with 16 points. Terrence Cobb and Larenzo Jerkins added 12 points each, and Olayinka Itabiyi added 11 for the Clippers.

Akhir Keys led all scorers with 24 points. Maz Sayed chipped in 15 points, and Isaiah Diggs had 13.

In the Bicentennial League:

DELCO CHRISTIAN 55, PLUMSTEAD CHRISTIAN 34 » The Knights allowed just nine points in the first quarter and five in the third to break the game open.

Josh Parks paced the offense with 21 points. Khamar Orange finished with 12 points and Josiah Gaines 10. DC shot 18-for-24 at the free throw line.

In nonleague action:

INTERBORO 81, CHESTER CHARTER SCHOLARS ACADEMY 67 » Gavin Wells poured in a careerhigh 27 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to lead the Bucs to their first win over the Sabers. Zakee Brooks chipped in with 24 points and Abu Kamara had 12 points and nine assists for the Bucs.

Malik Cook-Stevens had 23 points for the Sabers. Kevin Miller added 21 and Azarhis Smith 10.

By Jason Guarente 

If Micah Shrewsberry has his way, John Harrar won’t ever leave Penn State. The Strath Haven grad’s name will sneak into future conversations. His highlights will provide inspiration.

That’s the plan for the first-year coach. Shrewsberry has found an example he wants the next generation of recruits to emulate. He sees Harrar as a legacy player.

“He’ll never be forgotten around here,” Shrewsberry said. “I’ll make sure of that. Because of what he does, what he represents. He’s a Penn State guy. He is blue collar. He is hard hat. That’s the kind of style we want to play.”

One of Shrewsberry’s vital tasks when he left as a Purdue assistant and accepted the first seat on Penn State’s bench was convincing Harrar to stay.

(click on this link for the full story)

By Bob Grotz

The last time Marvin Dukes threw in as coach of the Chester High girls basketball team, he was greeted with a Gatorade bath celebrating the program’s fifth Del Val League title in six seasons.

That was 13 years ago, although Dukes stayed on the job through the 2014-15 season. This year the Clippers are 2-7, the latest setback a 59-28 nonleague decision Monday night to West Chester East, which also is in a rebuilding mode, just a little more advanced.

Dukes had a long talk with his team after the game, one in which he reminded the girls they had a league game Tuesday with Chichester.

“They’re too young to remember me coaching before,” Dukes, a behavioral specialist in the Chester-Upland School District, said of his players. “They know me as Mr. Dukes in the building. But they’re getting to know me just like I’m learning what they can do on the floor. We are going to be consistent with what we’re teaching and driving home, and it’s just starting to come around. Today wasn’t their day. I’m OK with that. It’s a young basketball team. We’re going to be up one day and down the next. No excuses. No excuses at all. We come in every day looking to work hard with these young ladies. I know they’re buying in.”

(click on this link for the full story)

The sophomore class came to play at Strath Haven Monday.

Penncrest sophs Bailey Garrison and Emily Huggins each scored a game-high 13 points to lead the Lions to a 47-46 Central League victory over the host Panthers.

Kathryn Harding, another second-year player, added 11 points for Penncrest.

Strath Haven was led by sophomore Laura Shea, who racked up 12 points, 11 rebounds and five steals.

In other Central League games:

HAVERFORD 52, UPPER DARBY 22 » The Fords used a 21-5 run in the second quarter to pull away from the rival Royals.

Caroline Dotsey produced 20 points and Rian Dotsey added 10. Sky Newman had six points for the Fords, who shot 10-for-14 at the foul line.

Kareemah McCafferty led the Royals with eight points.

GARNET VALLEY 56, LOWER MERION 32 » Haylie Adamski filled up the stat sheet. The freshman Jag compiled 21 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Emily Olsen posted a double- double with 19 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. Carly DiSabatini chipped in nine points, four boards, four assists and three steals for GV.

In nonleague action:

SUN VALLEY 59, POTTSTOWN 42 » Melana Timmes and Jaina Preuhs both notched double-doubles as the Vanguards picked up their sixth win of the season. Timmes put up 15 points and 18 rebounds, while Preuhs went for 18 points and 10 rebounds. Aliceia Whitfield contributed eight points, seven assists and three steals for the Vanguards, who led 38-10 at halftime. Olivia Hoy totaled eight points, six assists and a pair of steals.

SPRINGFIELD 45, BISHOP SHANAHAN 38 » Kaitlyn Kearney banked three of her four 3-pointers during a third quarter in which the Cougars outscored the Eagles, 17-10. Kearney led all scorers with 16 points.

Mia Valerio had 13 points and five assists for the Cougars. Grace Ellis scored all seven of her points in the fourth quarter and Anabel Kreydt grabbed 10 rebounds.

Delco Christian’s Josh Parks shifted gears and ran all over Interboro Monday.

The senior guard poured in 27 points and shot 14for-17 from the free-throw line as the visiting Knights earned a 66-57 win.

Khamai Orange tossed in 11 points and Jace Kees added nine for the Knights, who went 24-for-33 from the charity stripe.

Zakee Brooks scored 21 points and Gavin Walls finished with 18 for Interboro.

In other nonleague games:

SUN VALLEY 47, HARRITON 42 » The Vanguards jumped out to a 17-5 lead after eight minutes and outscored the Rams, 16-5, in the final period. Chris Kwaidah netted a game-high 16 points for SV. Evan Richardson (12 points) and Todd Harper (10) also ended in double figures.

In the Central League:

HAVERFORD 58, UPPER DARBY 50 » The Fords held off the Royals despite a sensational performance by Nadir Myers, who scored a gamehigh 29 points in the loss.

Haverford leaned on offensive contributions from several players. JR Newman led three in double figures with 16 points. Nick Colucci managed 13 points and Googie Seidman had 10.

By Matt Smith

When Marple Newtown’s Haley Levy underwent back surgery last March, she wasn’t sure if she would be in tip-top shape in time for her senior season.

One of the top scorers in the Central League since her sophomore year, Levy did know she had months of hard work in front of her.

“It was a long recovery,” she said recently. “But over the summer I started running. Started slow, but then in the fall I played field hockey so I could get in shape for basketball. … I was really excited to get back for this season.”

Her back flared up in the Tigers’ season opener at Episcopal Academy, causing her to exit the game early, but overall Levy has been extremely effective for a team with goals of winning Central League and District 1 Class 5A titles. She is second on the team with 11.5 points per game, behind only senior guard Nikki Mostardi, who is averaging 12.1 points.

Levy, Mostardi and junior Brooke Impriano (9.5 ppg) have offered consistent production on the offensive end. Mary O’Brien, a junior and three-year varsity player, has also excelled in coach Ryan Wolski’s lineup. Ellie DiBona has stepped up as well.

(click on this link for the full story and more team stories)

Saahir Lee put on a good show Sunday.

The Penncrest point guard produced 29 points, collected five rebounds and added five assists in leading the Lions’ boys basketball team to a 63-56 shellacking of rival Strath Haven Sunday.

Ben Stanton had a solid all-around game with 12 points, five rebounds and three rebounds for the Lions. Brandon Hemphill chipped in nine points and Quinten Perilli dominated the glass with 15 rebounds.

Jaden Jauregui paced the Panthers with 16 points.

Taylor Hunyet’s tiebreaking free throw with three seconds left to play Saturday gave Springfield a 29-28 victory over Marple Newtown.

With the win, the Cougars snapped the Tigers’ 10-game winning streak. Marple’s most recent loss came at Springfield Dec. 17. The teams are tied for first place in the Central League. The Cougars jumped out to a 13-0 advantage after one quarter and managed to hold on despite the Tigers’ 28-16 run over the final three periods.

Mia Valerio and Sophia Ward each scored six points and Anabel Kreydt grabbed 12 rebounds for Springfield.

Haley Levy and Nikki Mostardi finished with 10 points apiece for Marple.

Boys Basketball

Chris Kwaidan scored 19 points, hitting four shots from beyond the arc, and Todd Harper added 17 as Sun Valley went out early and then cruised home to a 63-47 victory over Delco Christian Saturday.

Noan Griffen added 12 points for the Vanguards, while Josh Parks and Josh Dell’Arciprete scored 10 points apiece for DCCS.

Sophia Hall and Emma O’Hara scored nine points each, and Notre Dame turned up the defense for a 53-16 Inter-Ac League win over neighborhood rival Agnes Irwin Friday night.

Katie Halligan added eight points. Chloe Knox and Molly Pegg supplied six points each as nine Irish players scored. The defensive was where the win happened, though, as the Irish limited the Owls to three points total in the middle quarters.

PENN CHARTER 47, EPISCOPAL ACADEMY 32 » Riley Cassidy scored 11 points, but EA’s comeback was thwarted by a 14-8 margin by the Quakers in the final quarter. Kaylinn Bethea had a game-high 15 for Penn Charter. In the Central League:

UPPER DARBY 45, LOWER MERION 37 » Aubrey Ennis scored 12 of her game-high 18 points in the fourth-quarter Thursday night as the Royals rallied from an 11-point deficit to win.

Upper Darby outscored the Aces, 22-5, in the final eight minutes. Ennis had seven straight points, culminating with the goahead 3-pointer with 1:44 to play.

Alliyah Jean-Baptiste had 11 points and 13 rebounds. Kareemah McCafferty added 10 points.

Boys Basketball

Chris Kwaidah scored 19 points as Sun Valley topped Delco Christian, 63-47, in a contest moved up a day due to snow. Kwaidah hit four 3-pointers. Todd Harper, who scored 17 points, hit a pair of triples. Noah Griffin added 12 points.

Josh Parks and Josh Dell’Arciprete scored 10 points each for the Knights.

In other nonleague action:

PHOENIXVILLE 61, INTERBORO 53 » Zakee Brooks scored 15 points and Alec Walls added 12, but the Bucs couldn’t catch up.

In the Inter-Ac League:

GERMANTOWN ACADEMY 64, EPISCOPAL ACADEMY 53 » Kevin McCarthy and Sam Malloy scored 11 points each, but a 21-7 disadvantage in the third quarter was too much for the Churchmen to overcome. Jake

Jaszcz added nine points.

In the Central League:

GARNET VALLEY 79, RIDLEY 42 » Max Koehler scored 19 points, and Ryan Wootten chipped in 17 as the Jaguars hit 14 3-pointers late Thursday. Logan McKee and Jake Sniras added 11 points each for the Jags. Haj Saleen led Riley with 11 points and Tahir Mills scored 10.