The Nominees . . .

Undefeated top-seed Archbishop Carroll hosts eight-seed West Catholic at 5:00. The Patriots (10-0) overwhelmed the visiting Burrs (3-7) by 63-13 during the regular season.

“The team will continue to work hard to improve their game and as a team as they head into post-season play,” said Carroll coach Renie Shields, who guided the Patriots to the 2019 title, one of the school’s 10, including eight since 2000.

The Burrs, who have won eight crowns overall, including the 2020 title, face an arduous task.

Except for a blip against Carroll, two-seed Cardinal O’Hara (9-1) has dominated its competition and will face visiting St. Hubert at 7:00.

The seven-seed Bambies (4-6) have scored at least 40 points in all but one game, including a hard-fought 68-43 loss at O’Hara.

“My girls are excited to enter the second phase of our season,” said O’Hara coach Chrissie Doogan. “We have worked hard through 22 games to get ready for the playoffs. We are taking things one game at a time and looking forward to the challenge ahead of us.”

Hubert coach Dave Schafer has full confidence that Hubert’s, which won league titles in 1965 and 1981, is ready for the challenge against an O’Hara team that has won a league-record 18 titles since 1967, seven of them this century.

“One of our goals was to make the playoffs by playing hard every game and making sure our opponents knew they were in a game,” said Schafer. “I feel we have accomplished that goal, and now we want to continue that type of play in the playoffs.”

Defending champion Archbishop Wood will try to become the first team to win consecutive titles since the 2017-18 Cardinal O’Hara juggernaut. The Vikings have reached the PCL finals in a surreal 12 of the past 13 seasons, winning three of their overall four crowns.

The three-seed Vikings (8-2) lost two straight against Carroll and O’Hara by a combined 13 points but rebounded to win their last five in dominant style. They’ll take on Conwell-Egan at 7:00. 

“We are excited to begin playoffs,” said Wood coach Mike McDonald. “There is nothing better than the Philadelphia Catholic League playoffs with a chance to play at the Palestra. The Philadelphia Catholic League Championship night at the Palestra is one of the greatest sporting events in the world, so we are hoping to experience it again this season.

Six-seed Conwell-Egan (5-5) dropped a 71-50 decision to visiting Wood in their league opener. The Eagles defeated St. Hubert’s, 70-64, on the road in their season finale. 

“I’m really excited about how we wrapped up the season,” said C-E coach Chris Brennan. “We look forward to the challenge in front of us.”

The most intriguing contest on the docket features four-seed Lansdale Catholic hosting five-seed Neumann-Goretti at 6:00. The Crusaders (7-3) won their first six before struggling down the stretch.

“We will be prepared and ready, but so will all the teams. It’s the time of year as a team where you have to be willing to do even more to accomplish a dream that all eight PCL playoffs teams have.”

Neumann-Goretti (6-4) poses as a dangerous threat to all competition.

A COVID-related quarantine forced the Saints to play their entire 10-game PCL schedule over a period of 18 days, a ridiculous spectacle at any level.

With senior Mackenzie Reed amassing game highs in points with 15 and rebounds with 11, the Ragdolls finished the season with an impressive 58-34 victory and avoided a winless campaign. 

“It was really important for us to win,” said Ryan senior Alyssa Arias, who scored six points. “We needed this. It helped us out a lot.”

Reed and Arias were the only two upperclassmen on Ryan’s roster. The Radgoll seniors saved their best performance before the curtains closed for good.  

Making her presence felt from the opening tip, Reed scored in every quarter as the Ragdolls used a 22-9 second stanza to open up a huge wedge and, despite an occasional Little Flower run, remained in firm control.

“This is going to help out the girls for next year,” said Reed. “They’re gonna be a young team, but they look better and better. We just wanted to go out with a bang. Our coach said all season that defense wins games. All of those defensive slides in practice really helped.”

For Ryan, sophomores Delaney Finn and Jenna Gotz both netted eight points.

Ryan coach Chris Zambito wishes he had one more season with the soon-to-be graduates. 

“Alyssa brought great enthusiasm, great spirit, and great leadership to the younger girls,” said Zambito. “Mackenzie is just an unbelievably hard worker. All she does is hustle, hustle, hustle. This was very typical of the way she played all year long.”

For Little Flower, freshman Hayden Johnston led with 10 points. Freshman Bridget Comas added seven.

“I think it was a very important win,” said Little Flower coach Ed Dever. “We played a couple of close games and fell short. We start three freshmen, a sophomore and a junior. Combine that with the junior varsity team winning six games, I feel the varsity felt a little pressed to get a win.

“They are a close unit and they work hard. Next year, I’ll get an early start and make sure we get some competitive games before we start league play. Once the Catholic League schedule starts there are no easy games and it’s hard to keep their confidence up. We’ll have to see how it goes, but I’m not making excuses. We have to be better.” 

As the Bambies raced up court, Grassifulli trailed the field. By the time she got to half court, she started calling for the ball. Mackenzie McLaughlin took a pass and stopped along the right wing. Seeing her teammate with the trademark long black hair speeding toward the top of the key, McLaughlin fired a perfect pass, and Grassifulli did the rest, busting up the middle through two defenders and using her right hand to lay the ball off the glass.

Hubert’s coach Dave Schafer immediately called a timeout, and Grassifulli was swarmed by her overjoyed teammates. Then came some balloons . . . a keepsake basketball . . . and memories that will last a lifetime.

“It feels great,” said Grassifulli. “I'm very happy about it. Mackenzie had the ball on the wing and passed me the ball into the middle of the floor. I did a euro-step and went up for the layup. I saw my Dad’s hands go up, and then everyone else’s hands went up, and I knew I hit it.”

The year-long, multi-sport athlete is also a tremendous rebounder and unofficially set a school record for most boards this season.

Though the Crusaders hung close early, the Vikings received double-digit performances from three players and emerged with a convincing 78-54 victory. Archbishop Wood, which also captured the PIAA Class 4A state title last year, swatted aside the zealous opposing fans.

“When you play in those environments, you learn to tune those kinds of things out,” said Wood senior Ryanne Allen, who tied her career high with 34 points on 13-of-20 shooting from the floor (5-of-8 on treys) while adding seven rebounds, five steals, four assists, and two steals in an MVP-type performance. “Playing there was nothing new. Just playing our game and not worrying about anything other than the five people out on the court.”