By Steve Sherman
Archbishop Carroll senior Ryan Daly – the Philadelphia Catholic League’s leading scorer – did what league scoring leaders do, he hit for 18 points in the first period, sparking the Patriots to a 48-9 halftime lead in a PIAA playoff opener against Holy Ghost Prep Friday night (March 4) at Cheltenham High School.
When Daly wasn’t hitting shots, his classmate John Rigsby was. The 6-3 Rigsby racked up seven points in each of the first three periods including a 3-pointer in each of those quarters, putting the 2015 PIAA runners-up on top, 66-22, going into the final frame.
“Rigsby is so tough; he brings all the intangibles that you could ever ask for,” stated AC head coach Paul Romanczuk. “He’s a senior, he has experience and he’s been through all the battles in the Catholic League.
“He’s just gotten better and better and I’m thrilled he’s on our team.”
By the beginning of the fourth quarter, the mercy clock was running and so was Carroll – to a 76-27 triumph over the Firebirds (20-8), who, less than a week earlier, captured their second District 1 Class AAA championship in three seasons with a win over Bicentennial Athletic League (BAL) rival Lower Moreland.