Underclassmen carry Garnet Valley to Central crown

NEWTOWN SQUARE >> If you had told Garnet Valley girls basketball coach Joe Woods that his senior floor leader, Maddie Ireland, would not get a field goal in the Central League championship game at Marple Newtown High Monday night, he might have expressed more than a little concern.

Ireland finished with seven points, all from the foul line, including six in the fourth period. What made a big difference for the Jaguars in their 53-36 victory over Springfield was the play of sophomore Nicole Barnes, freshmen Brianne Borcky and Emily McAteer, and junior reserve Sydney Fail.

With the win, Garnet Valley (21-3) earned its third consecutive Central League title and will enter the district playoffs as the No. 3 seed. Springfield (18-5), which handed the Jags their lone league loss, is seeded ninth in the Class AAAA district tournament.

Barnes scored GV’s first seven points and shot 5-for-5, including a 3-pointer, from the floor in the opening period for 11 of the Jags’ 16 points.

“They were face-guarding me,” said Ireland, who totaled seven points, three assists, two rebounds and one steal. “So it was really what we needed having Nicole step up like she did.

“We changed up our defense on them from the last time. It was great going up that ladder (to cut down the nets after the game) for the third time. Now we have to do something about getting to states and getting past that first game then.”

Barnes missed the only two shots she took in the second half and made one free throw to bring her point total to 12. She also had five steals and added an assist.

“We were just working together better than the last time we played them,” Barnes said. “The way they were guarding (Ireland), we knew we’d have someone open. I had some open shots, and I was making them.”

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The Garnet Valley defense held Springfield without a field goal in the first period. Junior Maggie O’Connell (15 points, five rebounds, two steals, one assist) opened the second quarter with the first of her five 3-point field goals.

Fail, who suffered a pair of broken ribs in a recent game and did not play in the Central League semifinal win over Harriton, came off the bench to drop in five of her eight points in the second period. She took a bad spill in the lane, but bounced back up and hit the next shot she took.

“My mom got in touch with me at school and told me if I wanted to play tonight, I should get right home so we could go to see the doctor,” Fail said. “I didn’t cry when he examined me, and I got (a protective vest) to wear. I was fine.”

Borcky (12 points, four rebounds, two assists, one steal and a blocked shot) and McAteer (nine points, six rebounds, two assists) played well in their first appearance in a league title contest, and senior Sam Tomasetti chipped in with five points, five rebounds, three steals, one blocked shot and an assist.

“I’m not sure if Springfield was expecting Nicole Barnes to do what she did,” Woods said. “Our league has seven teams going to the Class AAAA district playoffs, and we’ve had the target on our backs being the defending champions this year.

“We executed our offense tonight and (Ireland) did a good job distributing the ball. We’re happy to win another Central League championship. We’ll take (Tuesday) off then get ready for Friday night’s playoff game.”

Springfield’s second-year head coach Kylynn McNichol, who has only two seniors on her roster, also gave her players Tuesday off.

“We’ve had an incredible ride this year,” she said. “They’ve worked hard every day, and we’re happy to be able to keep this season going.”