No. 3 Perkiomen Valley headlines Mercury-area district entrants
Welcome to the second season.
As Perkiomen Valley punctuated its first PAC-10 championship since 2007 with a win over Owen J. Roberts, head coach Erik Enters and the rest of the team were bestowed another helping of good news as the Vikings earned the No. 3 seed and a first-round bye in the District 1-AAA playoffs.
In all, five teams made the district playoffs, with No. 7 Phoenixville, No. 10 Methacton and No. 15 Owen J. Roberts joining the Vikings in the Class AAA tournament beginning Monday while Upper Perkiomen claimed the No. 11 seed in the Class AA tournament beginning Tuesday.
Perkiomen Valley will host the winner of No. 14 Ridley and No. 19 Haverford in the second round Wednesday. Phoenixville hosts No. 26 Quakertown while Methacton hosts No. 23 Avon Grove. Both games are at 3:30 p.m. OJR hosts Mount Saint Joseph’s in a rematch of last year’s second-round contest. OJR won 2-0 en route to a third-place finish and berth into the PIAA-AAA tournament.
Upper Perkiomen, winners of last year’s District 1-AA tournament, will travel to face No. 6 Upper Moreland Tuesday at 3:30 p.m.
“We are glad we have the bye,’ Enter said. “We had two tough games last week and some tired legs that can use some recovery. Scouting the first round game is also a huge advantage for us. Our homecoming was this past Friday night as well and with two girls on the court, including homecoming queen Lauren Wrzesniewski, it is nice to have time to refocus on hockey, get the team focused on the second season, and work on set pieces.’
Perkiomen Valley, winner of the 1988 District 1-AA title and runner-up in the 1997 Class AA final to Villa Maria, received considerable support from Annie Himsworth (15 goals, 11 assists) and Kelsey Giese (14 goals, eight assists) as well Laura Shelton, Kaitlyn Delaney, Kat Bartkowski, and the Wrzesniewski sisters (Lauren and Mara) as the Vikings ran the PAC-10 table, finishing undefeated in the conference for the first time since 2007.
The Vikings road to the ‘ Final Six’ — six teams advance to the PIAA Championships out of District 1 — will stay in Graterford with No. 6 Council Rock North looming as the largest threat to knock them off in a potential quarterfinal matchup.
Phoenixville or Methacton’s season could potentially end in the second round of districts as the two will square off if victories are scored in the first round. Phoenixville, making its first appearance in the Class AAA tournament after being bumped up from AA this season, faces a Quakertown team that went 5-8-1 in the Suburban One Continental. Bailey Quinn, leads all scorers with 34 goals, while Katie McErlean and TJ Jefferis spark a potent Phantoms’ offense that racked up a PAC-10 best 78 goals in a 17-2 season thus far.
Methacton took a hit when it lost Wake Forrest commit Brittany Dickinson to a torn ACL but the Warriors have rebounded nicely, winning nine of their last 11 games entering the first round of districts. Goalkeeper and National U-19 member Sammi Steele was second in the PAC-10 in save percentage (91.25) while Emily Sayre (10 goals) and Olivia Hoover (eight goals) led the team in scoring. Methacton is seeking its first District 1-AAA championship since 1989 when it topped Neshaminy 1-0.
The Wildcats are living by the Nike motto ‘ Just do it’ as it enters its opening round date with The Mount, which is playing without starting center-mid Katie Maransky, who is out with a concussion. The Wildcats, falling in the PAC-10 Championship for the second straight year and searching for their second District 1-AAA championship in four years (won title in 2011), will travel to No. 2 seed Central Bucks South (14-0 Suburban One Continental) with a win.
“We had a long talk at practice on Friday and we are just focusing on one game at a time from here on out,’ OJR head coach Clarence Jennelle said. “We will be the best team we can be and will be courageous against any opposition that we face.’
Upper Perkiomen is seeking its second consecutive District 1-AA title after defeating Merion Mercy, 1-0, in last year’s final. The Tribe were knocked off by Perkiomen Valley, 3-0, in the PAC-10 playoffs and have gone 1-4 in non-conference play to date.
However, head coach Jamie Warren says the Tribe are geared up for their second season Tuesday.
“Our team is focusing on the words of the outstanding coach John Wooden ‘ Succeeding is performing at your best when your best is required’ and ‘ Success is peace of mind in knowing that you did your best’. Our team is grateful and excited to have this opportunity to puts these words into action.’
Upper Perkiomen will face No. 3 New Hope-Solebury Thursday with a win.
On the District 3-AAA scope, No. 17 Daniel Boone won its first-round matchup against Cedar Crest, 3-2, and will face No. 1 seed and reigning District 3-AAA champion Lower Dauphin, Tuesday night at 7 p.m. at Milton Hershey High School.
