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By Matt Smith

There was that feeling, you can only say what it is in French, watching Radnor hemorrhage basket after basket in the first quarter of Friday’s District 1 Class 5A playback game.

Last season Kate Gallagher, Anna Reger and the Raptors were bounced in the first round of the tournament in shocking fashion. The team responsible – a Phoenixville squad with a lot of frontcourt size and strength – was back for an encore.

The Phantoms were cruising along early Friday night. One of their two imposing bigs, Maliyah Warren, was having a field day inside the paint. It was the same old story, play after play, over and over. She scored every time. For Radnor, it was déjà vu.

“We had to start playing our game,” said Gallagher, the Raptors’ dynamic senior guard. “We didn’t forget how they ended our season a lot sooner than we would have liked. We didn’t want that happening again.”

Gallagher, Reger and senior forward/center Blayse Jennings spearheaded an amazing turnaround. Trailing by 13 points in the second quarter, Radnor led by as many as 26 in the second half and won 66-57 to secure a berth in the PIAA Class 5A tournament next month.

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By Dan Arkans

The Garnet Valley boys basketball team had been knocking on the door for the past two seasons.

This year the Jaguars are not bothering knocking. Instead, they’re blowing that door down.

Garnet Valley, caring very little about that No. 14 ranking next to its name, rolled to its second consecutive double-digit upset by knocking off No. 6 Methacton 64-53 on Friday night in the District 1 Class 6A quarterfinals.

All that is to say the Jaguars are now headed to the semifinals after two consecutive quarterfinal defeats. They will visit No. 2 West Chester Henderson in the semifinals Tuesday night.

“It’s really just Coach (Mike) Brown,” senior point guard Quinn O’Hara said. “I was sitting in class today, and I was looking at it. 2011, 2012 — 1-20, 1-18. Ever since Coach Brown took over, the stats speak for themselves. He gets us ready. He’s a great coach, and that’s why Garnet Valley keeps doing this.”

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By Josh Verlin

The girls’ 6A bracket held to chalk in the second round. All eight of the top seeds shrugged off their first-round byes to dispatch their visiting opponents, with seven of the eight doing so by double figures. That’s set up some high-level matchups in the quarterfinals, which should make for an entertaining Saturday.

Meanwhile, in the playbacks, eight quality teams are playing for the final four spots District 1 gets in the PIAA 6A bracket, with all four of Saturday’s winners in those games also punching their ticket.

Here’s a look at all eight games; game times in parenthesis:

4) Haverford High vs. 5) North Penn (2:30 PM)
These two already squared off this season, a 46-45 North Penn win at Arcadia University back on January 14, which sets the table for a highly-competitive game on Haverford’s home court Saturday afternoon. North Penn senior Caleigh Sperling, the Knights’ 1000-point scorer and Jefferson University commit, led the way with 16 points in that earlier matchup, though 12 points and seven rebounds from freshman wing Lily Brown were a huge boost for Brianna Cullen’s side. Junior Cam Crowley can score or set-up at point guard, senior Kelly Donnelly is a good shooter and senior Liv Stone is a disruptive defender with her quickness and length.

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By Josh Verlin

Four teams are in contention for the District 1 5A title.

Four others are playing for their seasons.

The 5A boys semifinals and playbacks take place this Saturday, the four semifinalists already qualified for the PIAA 5A bracket while the two playback winners will also lock up a spot. Last year’s runner-ups, Unionville, are still in the mix, while defending champ Radnor is in the playbacks. The Suburban One League and Pioneer Athletic Conference champs are still alive in the mix in one of the most competitive years yet in the relatively-new 5A classification.

Here’s a look at all four games; games are at higher seeds, times in parenthesis:

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By CoBL Staff

Last year’s champion and runner-up are both alive on opposite sides of the District 1 5A bracket. West Chester Rustin and Villa Maria are back in the semifinals, looking to book back-to-back title game trips on Friday, while Bishop Shanahan and West Chester East try to get in their way. 

The winners will play in the district championship game on Wednesday at West Chester University.

There’s plenty more at stake in the District 1 5A field this weekend as the four quarterfinal losers will play for the final two spots in states. Third-seed Radnor gets seventh-seed Phoenixville on Friday, while top seed Gwynedd Mercy will face fifth-seed Lower Moreland with both of their seasons on the line on Saturday.

Here’s a look at all four games:

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