Photos/Videos: Jeremy Park, James Quinn & Lou Rabito
By: Rich Flanagan
WEST CHESTER, PA – Francis Bowe was theorizing new ways to challenge his team during the nonleague slate to prepare for the rigors of the Philadelphia Catholic League season.
Traveling to different states to participate in high-profile invitationals can help but accommodations and scheduling can present a major conflict. When devising how to test his Archbishop Carroll players, he had received some interesting advice from a former Patriots and University of Pennsylvania standout who knows a thing or two about constructing a nonleague schedule to prepare a team for what the league boasts on a nightly basis.
“It was a golf outing for Carroll alumni three years ago,” Bowe said. “Paul Romanczuk always comes back, and we were chatting about nonleague schedules. I had stated I wanted to do something between the PCL and Inter-Ac, and this was before he took the Malvern job. He said, ‘I would never want to run it, but it would be a great idea.’ When he got the job, I called him, congratulated him, and said, ‘Would you want to do this,’ and he said 1000 percent.”
Archbishop Carroll vs. Germantown Academy - PSD Photos by Lou Rabito
With that, the PCL/Inter-Ac Challenge transformed from an idea into a tangible reality with Bowe’s Patriots and Romaczuk’s Malvern Prep Friars both taking part in the event that played its second year at West Chester University. Bowe and the Patriots got things started with a 71-55 victory over Germantown Academy. Archbishop Carroll’s offense was spearheaded by 5-foot-10 freshman point guard Ian Williams, who tallied 23 points, five rebounds, five assists and four steals. He knocked down four of the Patriots’ 10 three-pointers on the day while 6-2 sophomore guard Jake West (21 points) sank four of his own from deep.
Williams has been the impact freshman for Archbishop Carroll (3-0) and a focal reason for the team’s early success this season.
Archbishop Carroll freshman point guard Ian Williams #0 - PSD Photo by Lou Rabito
“His start doesn’t surprise me,” Bowe said. “He’s already vocal as a freshman supporting his teammates and being selfless. As much as he has put the ball in the basket, he’s still a pass-first point guard. That is because when you’re a pass-first player in a lineup filled with seniors, that helps.”
Williams tweaked his knee during the Temple team camp during the summer and missed significant time rehabbing. After suffering a handful of injuries throughout his middle school career from his elbow to his ankle, it was the latest episode in a string of mishaps but Williams has begun the season on an absolute tear and he‘s orchestrating an offense that has made 37 three-pointers through three games. West has been fantastic from the perimeter as has 6-6 senior forward Blake Deegan, who had seven points and 16 rebounds, and 6-4 senior Dean Coleman-Newsome, the Patriots do-everything leader who had eight points and six assists against Germantown Academy, which was led by 23 points from 6-foot sophomore guard Bryce Rollerson and 10 points apiece from Bryce Presley and Ellis Johnson.
“Right now, we’re pushing tempo with a pass. We’re not big so we have to rely on our skill to knock down shots because that’s what’s going to keep us in games. We have veterans who know how to space the opposition out and it has had some success early on in the year,” according to Bowe.
The second game of the day was the most intense as Penn Charter fought back against Archbishop Wood and escaped with an 88-79 overtime win to remain undefeated. The Quakers trailed by 13 after the first quarter then went down by 16 in the second but responded by rattling off 28 points in the third. Kai Shinholster, the 6-4 sophomore guard, sank one of his season-high five three-pointers to tie the game at 54-54 then 6-4 junior guard Kevin Cotton (12 points), who hit three three-pointers, hit one just before the third-quarter buzzer to give Penn Charter a one-point advantage entering the final period.
Interim head coach David Bass, who stepped in for John Owens during the offseason, has been impressed with his team’s resolve this season, especially after having to consistently battle back from various deficits.
“The leadership from our seniors is huge for us and we have been able to get through adversity,” Bass said. “In every game except for one, we’ve been behind at some point. We had to get through some hard times, including two overtime games. I think it was about them being poised and using the experiences they’ve had prior to this year.”
Lafayette signee and 2022 Inter-Ac MVP Mark Butler poured in 20 points, including the game-tying basket on the Quakers final possession in regulation. He was clutch in overtime scoring seven points while Shinholster, who led the way with 28 points, had five in the extra period. Bass noted that “Mark really controlled the tempo. We focus on giving him a lot of ball screens and he’s really good when he gets himself into a position to make others better.”
Without one of its leading scorers in 6-3 senior guard Isaiah Grimes, who had suffered a broken nose a few games back, and forward Colin Schumm, Shinholster made the most of the increased playing time.
Penn Charter vs. Archbishop Wood - PSD Gallery by Jeremy Park
Penn Charter vs. Archbishop Wood - PSD Highlights by Jeremy Park
He has scored in double figures in five of the Quakers’ first six games this season. “Kai shot the ball tremendously and he’s starting to find confidence. I knew going into this he was going to have a good game,” Bass described.
Kai’s brother, Trey had 11 points and 5-11 senior guard Keith Gee chipped in seven for Penn Charter. Archbishop Wood (1-1) was led by 6-5 junior Jalil Bethea, who hit four three-pointers on his way to 23 points, and 6-3 junior Josh Reed, who had 12 of his 18 points in the opening half to go along with seven rebounds and three assists. Gus Salem hit four treys and finished with 13 points and 6-8 senior forward and East Stroudsburg commit Carson Howard added 13 of his own against the smaller Quakers frontcourt.
Archbishop Ryan and Malvern Prep faced off in the nightcap with the Raiders pulling out a 57-48 victory behind 15 points and four rebounds from 6-9 junior forward Thomas Sorber and 13 points and four assists from 5-11 senior guard Michael Paris. Sorber hit the game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer to beat The Patrick School in the team’s opener and head coach Joe Zeglinski has been impressed with the big man’s ability to showcase his improved shooting range.
“He’s playing really confidently and he’s making good decisions with the ball,” Zeglinski said. “His range has really expanded and we’re looking to do a little bit more of that. When guys are hitting shots from the outside, we can get some more one-on-one with him.”
Sorber had his way against the undersized front line of the Friars. Charlie Oschell, a 6-5 senior forward who had seven points, was the best option to throw at Sorber while the contingent of 6-4 senior forward Andrew Phillips, and brothers Hayden and Ryan Pegg were called upon to help double team in certain situations. Ryan Williams paced Malvern Prep with 20 points and freshman Rowan Miller, who has been a nice addition to the rotation, scored consecutive baskets before finding Williams for a basket and cutting the Raiders deficit to 18-17 in the second quarter. Williams hit a patented floater and Malvern Prep trailed 37-31 in the third, but Archbishop Ryan took control from there.
Paris, who has evolved into the senior leader for the Raiders, “controls our offense and runs it the way we want to. He’s been a bright spot at the guard position at both ends of the floor. His toughness is always there, and it permeates throughout the team,” as Zeglinski notes. Sorber found Darren Williams (nine points, six rebounds) for an and-one with 1:35 remaining to give Archbishop Ryan a 53-42 lead.
Archbishop Ryan vs. Malvern Prep - PSD Gallery by Jeremy Park
Archbishop Ryan vs. Malvern Prep - PSD Highlights by Jeremy Park
The Raiders victory captured the second straight PCL/Inter-Ac Challenge for the Philadelphia Catholic League. Last season, Archbishop Carroll handled Episcopal Academy and Devon Prep beat Springside Chestnut Hill Academy. Malvern Prep secured the Inter-Ac’s lone win over Cardinal O’Hara.
Philadelphia Catholic League and Inter-Ac programs have long scheduled each other in nonleague play every few years but this event has given new meaning to some of these historic programs and Bowe is hopeful that not only will the event continue but also grow in the process.
“I’ve known a few other Catholic League schools have reached out and want to be a part of it,” Bowe said. “A couple of things come into play because you really don’t want to double book teams. It’s going to be tough to get to four or five games, but I would love to grow it as long as we can get the teams.”
