The District One 6A semifinals at Temple University on Tuesday night will showcase three SOL squads – Plymouth Whitemarsh, Abington and Cheltenham. In the 6 p.m. contest, second-seeded PW will take on third-seeded Abington in a rematch of this year’s SOL title game. The Ghosts won that one 70-66.
For Abington and PW, trips to Temple for the district semis have become something close to the norm. The Colonials are making their fifth trip in as many years while the Ghosts are making their fourth trip in the past six years.
“You hope you don’t get to a point where you think it’s normal because then you’re probably in a bad place,” PW coach Jim Donofrio said. “You have to take a breath and say, ‘Wow, appreciate it.’
“You think about other coaches who are really terrific coaches and have never had a chance to experience it once. I have to stop and take a breath, appreciate 22 wins and another successful year for this group.”
For Cheltenham, which earned the program’s first trip to the state tournament since 2006, this is a brand new experience.
“We’re trying to find out ticket information and the details of the game,” coach John Timms said with a laugh. “It’s like no one really knows, and everyone is feeling their way.
“It’s very exciting, and it’s a good time to be a Panther.
Cheltenham is the lowest seeded team in the final four after upsetting the tournament’s number one seed, Perk Valley.
“Right now, it’s caught some by surprise,” Timms said. “It wasn’t as if it was last year’s team that was senior heavy with 10 seniors.
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